AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Patrick Reed has played golf all around the world, often out of choice, now out of necessity.

Necessity so that he can start playing closer to home again.

One of the early and polarizing defectors to LIV Golf a few years ago, the 2018 Masters champion made the similarly difficult decision to leave the lucrative, Saudi-backed tour earlier this year and return to the PGA Tour. But under the terms of his reinstatement, Reed cannot play in its events until after Aug. 25, which means most of this season will be spent on the European tour.

Where he already has won twice ahead of his return to Augusta National this week.

“Everyone kind of gets to be a creature of habit, and wants to eat what they're comfortable with and go," Reed said after a practice round Monday, “but I like checking out all the local places and really experiencing the culture."

Pimento cheese sandwich, anyone?

The truth is as much as Reed enjoyed playing in Dubai and Qatar, where he packed wins around a playoff loss in Bahrain — 1,200 miles (7,500 km) from home, wife Justine and their two kids — there are few things Reed loves more than walking among the Georgia pines.

It's not exactly home; that's The Woodlands, Texas. But it sure feels like it.

Reed played college golf down the road at Georgia, and he recalls practice rounds spent at Augusta Country Club, where certain holes offer a teasing glimpse through the trees of the par-5 13th hole of its much more famous neighbor.

“There's just something so special about this place, the traditions behind it, and then on top of it, it's the one major that stays in the same place,” Reed said. “All the way back from when I played my first time ever here, even when we played in November that one (COVID) year, and any time I’ve come back and played it, it’s always in perfect shape. It’s one of those golf courses that you can’t hit just one golf shot. You have to play golf kind of old-school way. You have to hit shots, different shapes, different flights.”

Indeed, the Masters has been one of the few constants on Reed's ever-changing global calendar.

When he resigned from the PGA Tour, Reed effectively said farewell to familiar, high-profile places like Pebble Beach and Bay Hill for LIV events in far-flung corners of the world. But his status as a former Masters champion meant that, despite the deep rift that once appeared to threaten the game itself, Reed was always welcomed back to Augusta National.

He tied for fourth a few years ago. He was third last year.

"I feel like it’s the best test of golf we play all year round," Reed said. “For a guy that’s played just about everywhere in the world — just about — it’s one of those places that I say, hands down, it’s the best test of golf and best golf course I’ve ever played.”

Reed acknowledged Monday that LIV had presented him with a contract earlier this year to remain one of its biggest stars. But when he talked with his family, “I felt like the best decision for us was to come back and join the PGA Tour.”

Even when he left, Reed said, he always considered the PGA Tour to be the best barometer of golf greatness.

“I’ve played now every tour. I’ve played on every single one of them,” Reed said. "That’s the place that I feel like is best for us to go and compete against the top guys year in and year out, week in and week out, but at the same time, to be able to spend more time closer to home makes it a lot easier to spend time with the kids.

“My daughter is now 11. My little man's 8. It seems like time has flown," the 35-year-old Reed said. "I definitely want to watch them grow up and be home a little bit more, yet still at the same time to play against the best guys.”

Reed will be able to do that this week. And again on a weekly basis soon enough. But until his PGA Tour return this fall, Reed is building out a DP World Tour schedule that includes a few weeks spent on the road followed by a few spent at home.

It's a work-life balance that seems to work at this point in his life.

“You not only sharpen your game, but you get a lot of family time," Reed said. “Those travels overseas, it’s going to be a lot this year, but at the same time, I can’t wait to obviously go out there and compete, but at the same time, come home and see the family.”

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Apart from incomings and outgoings, Manchester United are also expected to focus on retaining their key performers.

Harry Maguire is an obvious name, with the Englishman’s current deal set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

There was interest from several Serie A sides in January, but Michael Carrick blocked all exit routes, with the former skipper a guaranteed starter under the caretaker head coach.

As recently relayed by The Peoples Person, the Red Devils have verbally agreed terms with the centre-back, which will see him remain at Old Trafford for one more season, with the club having the option to extend the stay by a year.

Maguire and Mainoo contract situation

Then there is Kobbie Mainoo, whose current deal is valid until 2027 but the 20-time English league champions are hellbent on keeping him at the club for longer.

That represents quite the turn in fortunes for the midfielder, who seemed close to the exit door under Ruben Amorim.

Carrick has reignited the fire within him, and the Carrington graduate has started every game under the new head coach.

There were murmurs that contract extension talks between United and the midfielder had stalled, but according to the reliable Fabrizio Romano, negotiations are at an advanced stage between both parties.

Fabrizio Romano provides update

In fact, as things stand, the three-time Champions League winners are planning to announce both deals before the season concludes.

“Manchester United, with Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo returning from the national team, are now prepared to accelerate and formally close both new contracts for the players before the World Cup,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.

“This is the mission, before the end of the season, sign everything. With Kobbie Mainoo 2031 and with Harry Maguire to extend for one season until 2027, plus an option for one more year.

“The negotiation is already very advanced with Kobbie Mainoo, it is almost done with Harry Maguire, who will sign soon. Man United plan to announce everything before the end of the season. This is the club’s wish, now working with the player’s camp, everything is advancing very well.”

With Bruno Fernandes also expected to be offered a new deal, the club’s fanbase will be delighted that INEOS are rewarding players who deserve to stay at the Theatre of Dreams.

Feature image Stu Forster via Getty Images

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Substitute Matteo Politano scored late to give Napoli a 1-0 win over fellow title chaser AC Milan and close the gap on Serie A leader Inter Milan on Monday.

With Napoli starting the night in third place, one point behind AC Milan and 10 behind Inter, both clubs knew a win was needed to keep alive their title aspirations.

However, neither showed much urgency or guile in a game that featured few clear scoring chances.

Politano, who replaced Leonardo Spinazzola just five minutes earlier, eventually broke the deadlock with 11 minutes remaining when he fired home a low shot after the Milan defense failed to clear a cross from the left.

Milan poured forward in the final minutes but could not get an equalizer and dropped to third.

Napoli was seven points behind Inter with seven matches remaining. AC Milan was two points further back.

McKennie stars for Juve

U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie scored for Juventus to beat Genoa 2-0 and was named man of the match.

McKennie netted 17 minutes after kickoff to add to a fourth minute opener from Brazilian defender Bremer.

McKennie missed two chances to add to his tally and the woodwork also came to Genoa’s rescue when Jonathan David hit the post.

Genoa defender Aaron Martin missed a golden opportunity to bring the visitor back into the game with 15 minutes remaining when Mattia Perin got down brilliantly to save his penalty kick and his rebound.

The result enabled Juventus to close the gap on fourth-placed Como to one point. Como was held by Udinese to 0-0.

Cesc Fabregas’ men were on top for most of the game but could not find a way past Maduka Okoye in the Udinese goal.

The result brought Como’s five-game winning streak to an end in Serie A but the point kept alive its hope of winning a Champions League place.

Udinese was comfortably in mid-table, in 11th.

Atalanta hammers Lecce

Atalanta remained on track for a top four finish with a comprehensive 3-0 win at Lecce.

Giorgio Scalvini opened the scoring when he hammered home after some lovely footwork inside the box and former Lecce striker Nikola Krstovic doubled Atalanta’s lead early in the second half with some clinical finishing.

Lecce goalkeeper Wladimiro Falcone kept his side in the game with several fine saves but he could do nothing about the third goal, a vicious strike from Giacomo Raspadori.

The result was the fifth defeat in its last six games for Lecce and left it third from bottom in the table, equal on points with the team above it, Cremonese.

Atalanta was seventh, one point behind Roma.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Packers predicted to sign former $242 million Pro Bowl quarterback to back up Jordan Love originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Green Bay Packers don't have a reliable No. 2 quarterback on the roster currently to back up Jordan Love.

With Malik Willis departing in free agency for the Miami Dolphins, the Packers will have a new backup signal-caller in 2026. As of right now, Desmond Ridder or Kyle McCord is set to handle those duties, and head coach Matt LaFleur can't be comfortable with either as the backup.

That's why Sportsnaut's Andrew Buller-Russ predicts Green Bay will sign New York Giants free agent quarterback Russell Wilson to serve as the QB2 behind Love.

"Russell Wilson showed he still has plenty of juice in his arm last season in New York," Buller-Russ said. "Landing as the QB2 on a contender in Green Bay feels like a win for the 37-year-old."

Wilson started just three games in 2025 with the Giants before being benched for Jaxson Dart, tossing three touchdowns to three interceptions with a 58% completion rate.

It's clear that Wilson can no longer be a high-level or even above-average starting quarterback, but the 37-year-old can still serve as an elite backup.

Signing Wilson to be the No. 2 quarterback behind Love would be a savvy move by Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst. The 10-time Pro Bowler would provide viable play if thrust into action, and even if he doesn't see the field, Wilson's experience would be a valuable addition to Green Bay's quarterback room.

Additionally, the Super Bowl XLVIII champion should be incredibly cheap to sign, so this feels like a no-brainer move for the Packers to make in order to address a major need on the roster.

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Arturas Karnisovas firing was way overdue: Getting rid of worst GM in the NBA gives Bulls new hope originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

When Jerry Reinsdorf bought the Bulls in 1985, he installed future Hall-of-Famer Jerry Krause as the team's general manager. Forty-one years later, he will have to make his fourth hire. 

The Reinsdorfs are for the most part hands-off owners. In order to get fired, it's not enough to be bad, or even the worst among your peers. As long as the Bulls aren't national laughingstocks, the job is safe. 

Arturas Karnisovas fell below that bar, finally getting a well-overdue axe on Monday afternoon. His tenure will mostly be remembered for being inconceivably worse than his predecessors, who had fans paying for billboards calling for their dismissal by the time they were let go.  

When Karnisovas was first hired, he had the allure of being part of the scouting group that found Nikola Jokic. Also, most importantly for Bulls fans, he was not Gar Forman or John Paxson.

It turns out that having Jokic No. 41 on your board isn't as much of a bulletproof resume as team president Michael Reinsdorf might have thought.

MORE: SN's post-March Madness NBA Mock Draft

Karnisovas never lived up to that sharp scouting reputation. In reality, he was an exceptionally poor evaluator of talent. In his first draft, he selected Patrick Williams at No. 4, above future All-Stars such as Deni Avdija, Tyrese Haliburton, and Tyrese Maxey. He wasted his next first-round selection on Dalen Terry, who was waived after the Bulls traded him earlier this season. He finally seemed to have a hit when the best player available in Matas Buzelis fell to him in 2024. Buzelis is a nice prospect, but not one that has been good enough to save his job. 

There was no rhyme or reason to Karnisovas' draft strategy in the second round. He made possibly the best value pick of his career at No. 38 with Ayo Dosunmu. He later deemed those picks worthless when he was getting penalized one for tampering during the Lonzo Ball trade, or trading two of them to strike out on busted prospect Julian Phillips, or throwing them in to every other trade that he made. 

Karnisovas pivoted to treating those picks like a valued asset after it was all he could get for his veterans. And he made no mention of their value after he lost another one by failing to disclose Coby White's medical condition to the Hornets during this past trade deadline. 

Worse than the poor drafting eye was his pro personnel scouting. It was obvious even to this amateur scout that Williams was not worth retaining after his rookie deal. Instead, Karnisovas gave him $90 million and a guaranteed five years to become one of the worst contracts in the league.

Karnisovas continued to value continuity, keeping his own players rather than trying to bring in free agents. He put forth a plan to be like the Pacers, winning with nine or 10 good players. The Bulls were only nine or 10 guys short of that happening. 

There is one last way outside of drafting and free agency to shape a team, and it was his weakest of all. Trades involving his peers were where Karnisovas looked the most overmatched. He was doomed from the start after he exchanged two draft picks and Wendell Carter Jr. for Nikola Vucevic, a defensively-challenged center whose limitations made it extremely difficult to achieve high-level success around him.

To his credit, Karnisovas did temporarily find the right mix, adding in DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, and Alex Caruso and getting the Bulls to No. 1 in the East by the 2022 All-Star break. That foundation was built on toothpicks though, and it quickly fell apart. 

Karnisovas seemed paralyzed after that initial misstep, failing to make a trade at the deadline for three straight years. He held onto all of his players for way too long, backing out of good deals in order to move them later when their value was at their lowest. 

Four years ago, the Bulls were in first place in the East. AK traded away the entire top 6 from that roster, all of them too late.

The only first round pick he received was the team's own in 2025, in exchange for DeRozan, LaVine, Ball, Vooch, Caruso, and Coby White.

— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) February 4, 2026

All of these failed trades led to the Bulls turning into a punchline, and not just among fans and media. League executives felt the same way. 

Last year in an appearance on The Athletic NBA Daily podcast, Sam Amick shared what he had heard while he conducted his league-wide poll of the best front offices in the league. The Bulls were mentioned unprompted as one of the worst by their peers. 

"Right now, the reactions to their choices are just wildly negative across the league, where Chicago would come up time and again with people throwing them in their bottom five," Amick said. "It’s not just media slander, it’s real stuff within the league industry." 

The Karnisovas firing was way overdue. But as poorly as this team has been run, there is a golden opportunity for whoever comes next. The Bulls will have at least one good pick in a strong draft, possibly two if the Blazers make the playoffs. They have a projected league-high $65 million in cap space to reshape their roster, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. Buzelis and Josh Giddey are solid young pieces with positive value. And they have all of their first-round picks going forward. There's a clean slate for whoever comes next. 

Most importantly, the Bulls have the best fanbase in the NBA. They lead the NBA in attendance in most years, including this one. And when the team is good, as they briefly showed during a fluky 5-0 start to the season, the arena is rocking. Bulls fans are starved for anything positive to root for.

The Reindsorfs will have to nail this next hire. They shouldn't inspire much faith given how poor they were at evaluating Karnisovas. But it would be difficult to hire anyone worse. 

Bill Belichick vs. Michael Malone: Comparing paths of North Carolina coaches from the pro levels to Chapel Hill originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For the second time in as many years, a stalwart of professional sports is headed to Chapel Hill in the hopes of resurrecting a dying program.

A little more than a year after Bill Belichick was hired to North Carolina football, Mike Malone will sit atop the Tar Heels men's basketball program's throne.

Neither Belichick nor Malone had much college-coaching experience when they signed their contracts. They'll both look to make their mark during their terms. Belichick's first season with the Tar Heels proved memorable -- albeit for the wrong reasons. Malone will hope for better days when he touches down in Chapel Hill for good.

So, just how does Belichick's appointment compare to that of Malone's? Here's what you need to know.

MORE: Inside Michael Malone's college coaching career timeline

Comparing Bill Belichick vs. Michael Malone's path to North Carolina

Naturally, Malone's hiring will draw comparisons to Belichick, another championship-winning tactician looking to make the grade at the collegiate level. However, the Tar Heels bosses' journeys to Chapel Hill diverged in a great many ways.

Here's what you need to know

Similarities

Both Belichick and Malone are championship-winning coaches who joined North Carolina after one-year stints on television. Belichick is clearly the more successful of the two bosses. But Malone will be emboldened by a glistening spell with the Nuggets that saw Denver qualify for the postseason on eight straight occasions.

Like Belichick, Malone figured his time off the sidelines would be brief. Malone was considered a top candidate in the NBA's prospective coaching carousel. His appointment is certain to leave some front offices in disarray.

Famously, neither Belichick or Malone served in a collegiate head-coaching role prior to their appointments at the top of their respective programs. North Carolina's athletic department took a risk in bringing in both, hoping their professional success could serve as a platform for a Tar Heels resurgence. Only time will tell if that vision proves fanciful.

North Carolina shelled out $50 million to land Belichick, a kingly sum that places him among college football's biggest earners. The details of Malone's contract haven't yet been revealed. Given his name and reputation, he stands to sit comfy among college basketball's highest-paid bosses.

MORE: Why did the Nuggets fire Michael Malone in 2025?

Differences

While both Belichick and Malone were bereft of head-coaching experience in the college game, Malone isn't entirely unfamiliar with men's college basketball. Malone previously served as an assistant, lending his talents to Oakland, Providence and Manhattan before trying his luck in the NBA.

Malone is also 18 years younger than Belichick. While the college game has changed markedly compared to when Malone last pranced onto a campus (2001), he does figure to slightly more in common with the players he is giving his marching orders to.

There's also the question of program prestige. Belichick's appointment, while eye-catching, has proven less consequential to North Carolina football's reputation. With the exception of a few seasons, the Tar Heels have struggled to attract much attention in the ACC. Belichick, for all of his faults, did inject life and relevance to a program desperately lacking in it.

Tar Heels basketball, by comparison, is an institution, with Malone expected to lead North Carolina to success from the get-go. The Tar Heels are not even a decade removed from their last national championship. They made the national title game in Davis' first season and have produced more than a handful of NBA talents, including Caleb Wilson. While Malone's appointment is arguably less risky than Belichick's as far as culture is concerned, North Carolina basketball undoubtedly carries higher expectations than its football side. Malone's goal is not merely to make the Tar Heels relevant again. It is to lead North Carolina to a national championship.

There's also the question of Belichick and Malone's motivation for joining their respective programs. Both Belichick and Malone's family trees cross Tobacco Road -- Belichick's dad was an assistant coach with the Tar Heels while Malone's daughter plays volleyball at North Carolina.

MORE: Why North Carolina made decision to hire Michael Malone as next head coach

But Belichick also desired an excess of organizational control, something he couldn't land at the NFL level. For better or worse, he got that with the Tar Heels.

Malone's motivations aren't quite as clear at this point. But at 54, he has plenty of time to return to the NBA if he so desires. North Carolina basketball is believed to have sought out Arizona's Tommy Lloyd and Michigan's Dusty May for the role. Neither was interested, leading the Tar Heels to "panic" and hire Malone, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

Bill Belichick vs. Michael Malone championships

Malone has one NBA championship to his name. He led Denver to glory during the 2023 Finals, sweeping aside the Timberwolves, Suns and Lakers before besting the Heat in five games.

Malone's championship record pales in comparison to Belichick, who hoisted six Lombardi Trophies as a head coach (along with another two as a defensive coordinator).

Bill Belichick vs. Michael Malone coaching records

Belichick is the NFL's most decorated coach, posting a 333-178 record in the NFL. That's good for a 65.1% win rate, nearly 10 percentage points better than Malone's 56.4% mark (510-394).

MORE: North Carolina's pursuit of a new head coach, tracked

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In this special episode, The Cooligans go one-on-one with NYCFC CEO Brad Sims for an in-depth conversation about what it really takes to run a club in Major League Soccer. We kick things off with the long and complicated journey to get a stadium built in New York City—why it took so long, what hurdles had to be cleared, and what it reveals about how sports, politics, and business collide in one of the toughest markets in the world.

From there, we zoom out to the league level and tackle one of the biggest questions surrounding MLS today: why isn’t more of the country watching? Brad breaks down the challenges around broadcast, accessibility, and casual fan engagement, and explains why the league may need to rethink some of its rules and structure if it wants to truly grow its audience.

Finally, we look ahead at the future of MLS—where the league is headed, what success could look like in the coming years, and how it plans to compete in an increasingly crowded global soccer landscape. It’s an honest, revealing conversation that gives fans a rare look behind the curtain at how decisions are made and where the game is going in the U.S.

Timestamps:

(0:00) – Brad Sims joins The Cooligans

(3:00) -  The trials and tribulations behind NYCFC’s new stadium 

(18:00) – How do clubs prepare to capitalize on Messi? 

(24:00) - Will NYCFC target a big name signing soon? 

(30:00) – How can MLS cap rules be used as an advantage? 

(44:30) - How Brad Sims juggles the sporting and business side as CEO 

(50:30) - What is MLS’ brand sales pitch? 

(1:01:30) - Brad Sims explains why more Superteams are good for MLS 

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

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

The Washington Mystics have fired general manager Jamila Wideman after just one season, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou.

The decision to part ways with Wideman was made by Monumental Sports’ president of basketball Michael Winger, who oversees both the Mystics and the NBA’s Washington Wizards, per Philippou. Winger reportedly made the choice due to “serious strategic differences,” with friction increasing as the team prepared for the start of WNBA free agency this week.

Mystics head coach Syndney Johnson, who was also hired by the team in December 2024, will take control of Washington’s basketball operations.

The change took place on the first day of WNBA free agency, with qualifying offers set to go out on Monday and Tuesday.

This story will be updated.

The University of North Carolina is bringing an NBA championship-winning coach to head its men’s basketball program, ESPN is reporting on Monday.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Michael Malone will be the next Tar Heels head coach.

Malone spent 10 seasons with the Denver Nuggets and won the franchise’s only NBA title before he was fired last April.

UNC fired Hubert Davis last month after the Tar Heels lost in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Tournament. Davis was the men’s head basketball coach for five years after succeeding Roy Williams.

The university hasn’t officially released details on Malone’s hiring yet.

(VIDEO: Charlotte officially introduces Wes Miller as new men’s basketball coach)

With 2.5 weeks until the 2026 NFL draft, most of the rumors you hear around the Cleveland Browns and other teams should be taken with a grain of salt. On the other hand, often any other roster moves made shortly before an upcoming NFL draft could indicate the direction a team might be expected to go, depending on the magnitude of the move.

On Sunday, we reviewed a statement from GM Andrew Berry about CB Martin Emerson, coming off of his torn Achilles last year, being unlikely to return to the Browns. With Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell primarily outside cornerbacks, Emerson’s return seemed unlikely.

On Monday, we learned that Emerson was taking a visit with the Houston Texans. That afternoon, we learned that Cleveland was signing former Texans CB Myles Bryant to their roster.

Bryant has played six seasons, including the last two in Houston, after signing with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of Washington. The 5’9” slot corner has played in 77 games, including 20 starts, so far in the NFL, with over 2,500 snaps on defense and over 500 on special teams.

Along with 254 tackles, Bryant has 17 passes defended, four interceptions, 10 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and three quarterback hits.

Bryant is the third player on the Browns roster with the first name of Myles, joining Myles Garrett and Myles Harden, a slot corner he will not compete with for snaps.

Cleveland also announced that it had signed six players whom it had tendered as exclusive rights free agents:

• TE Brenden Bates
• WR Malachi Corley
• LB Winston Reid
• LS Rex Sunahara
• K Andre Szmyt
• WR Jamari Thrash

The Browns did not extend a tender to CB Anthony Kendall, who is still an unrestricted free agent.

If you’re a Florida Panthers fan studying this final stretch of games, your fear in a season where everything went wrong is there’s one final curse lurking.

Everything might, you know, go right.

They could win too many of these final, five games. The door prize to the Panthers’ star-crossed season would be a top-10 draft pick. That’s the kind of asset a two-time champion rarely gets. But the Panthers have to lose enough to qualify for that top-10 pick or the they lose it altogether to Chicago.

They might look safely out of trouble in the sixth draft spot right now. But they’re only one point from ninth and two points from 10th. Besides, does anyone really want to tempt fate in a season where Aleksander Barkov was lost in the first practice and Eetu Luostarinen missed weeks after a grill mishap?

Every Panthers fan who’s cheered Stanley Cup parades the past two Junes is in the odd position of rooting for them to lose right now. That surely includes general manager Bill Zito, though there isn’t enough truth serum for him to admit it.

It’s hard enough to write: The Panthers need to tank. There. I did it. I’ve written in recent years how tanking is immoral, unconstitutional and will accelerate a free world’s descent into nihilism. But this is the asterisk to all that

Although you should never enter a season to lose, once that season’s sunk, it’s OK to tank if the prize is big enough. A top-10 pick qualifies.

“They’d have a real opportunity in this draft,’’ said Craig Button, a draft analyst for the Canadian network TSN and former NHL general manager. “You want scoring centers? There’s centers. You want defensemen that offer different elements for what they add and give team? There’s a smorgasbord.”

And if they fall out of the top 10?

“How unlucky would that be?” Button said.

It would crack the list of the top five unluckiest, living names:

1.Ronald Wayne. The forgotten, third founder of Apple. He brought in Steve Jobs. He then sold his 10% share of the company for $800. It’s now worth $20 billion. Whoops.

2.Pete Best. The Beatles drummer for three years, he was then replaced by Ringo Starr when the group was on the doorstep of fame.

3. Craig Bierko. He turned down the role of Chandler Bing on Friends. His friend, Matthew Perry, took the role. You’ve heard of actors regretting roles they turned down, but they’re famous. Did you ever hear of Craig Bierko?

4. The 1994 Montreal Expos. They held the best record in baseball when a strike canceled the season, leading to the dismantling of their roster and their moving to Washington.

5. Archie Manning. Good quarterback. Bad teams. His 35-104 record over 13 seasons is the worst among quarterback with 100 starts (his genes were pretty good, though).

Come to think of it, the Panthers should invite someone off the list to their final home game against the New York Rangers. Maybe some of their bad luck is just what this season needs to close out properly. Have a black cat run across the pregame ice, too. And have fans walk under ladders entering the arena.

Think of it: Eight of the Panthers’ top players will be over 30 by next season’s start, too. So, a talented kid could help keep this run going.

“When you have that group like the Panthers have, they can really help (a rookie) learn and grow,’’ Button said. “You’re not having to thrust him into a big role. That’s a good position for a young player.”

This isn’t the way anyone expected this season to go, the Panthers suffering so many injuries they couldn’t make the playoffs. But these final, five games starting Tuesday night in Montreal aren’t irrelevant. Three are on the road. Two are against similarly draft-conscious Toronto and the Rangers.

Don’t even ask what could go wrong in a season where nothing’s gone right.

In a recent report, journalist Mark Brus claimed that Chelsea are preparing to move in for Barcelona defender Jules Kounde. It has been mentioned that the Blues are eyeing a move to secure the services of the French talent at the end of this campaign.

Kounde’s Impressive Form In La Liga

The 27-year-old is having a decent campaign at the Catalan club as he has put in a string of solid displays for them in La Liga. Kounde has found the back of the net three times and earned four assists in 41 matches for Barcelona this season across various competitions.

The France international is currently one of the best defensive full-backs in Spanish football. Hence, Chelsea would do well to lure him to Stamford Bridge in the upcoming transfer window.

His current contract at the Nou Camp will run out in the summer of 2030, which could make it difficult for the Blues to sign him later this year.

BARCELONA, SPAIN – DECEMBER 09: Jules Kounde of FC Barcelona controls the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between FC Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on December 09, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Will Kounde Be A Good Option For Chelsea?

Kounde is a solid tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to earn the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when needed and is a tidy passer as well.

The French sensation can even create the odd chance for his teammates to find the back of the net. He is primarily a right-back but can also fill in as a centre-back if asked to do so. However, it remains to be seen whether Kounde can maintain his good form in the Premier League if the Blues can find a way to get him on board this summer.

We can expect him to bring more quality and depth to Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior’s match-day squad. Kounde is good enough to compete for a regular first-team spot at Stamford Bridge in the coming years.

At 27, Kounde is about to enter his prime, which makes him a decent option for the Blues to consider in the upcoming transfer window. With all things considered, the West London giants would be wise to go all out to bring him to the English capital this summer.

Ben Jacobson just picked up his first pair of wins at Utah State.

Two Aggies stars — Mason Falslev and Karson Templin — have pledged their return to Logan to play for the program’s new head coach.

Templin, the 2026 Mountain West Sixth Man of the Year, announced his intention to enter the transfer portal in late March after Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun was hired at the University of Cincinnati.

As a junior this past season, Templin averaged 8.8 points and 4.2 rebounds across 36 games while shooting 50.2% from the field.

While garnering plenty of interest from Power Five programs, the forward from Texas will instead conclude his college career as a lifetime Aggie, announcing that he is re-signing with Utah State this past Saturday.

𝙇𝙚𝙩’𝙨 𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡 2️⃣2️⃣‼️

✍️ @karsontemplinpic.twitter.com/rHjJmDHDG4

— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) April 4, 2026

Falslev never officially entered the transfer portal, but his status appeared up in the air considering the coaching change and the widespread interest he’d surely fetch on the open market.

But like Templin, Falslev will remain in his native Cache Valley, as Utah State announced his re-signing on Monday.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙮𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮!

✍️ @mason_falslevpic.twitter.com/DsBsPKVvil

— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) April 6, 2026

A three-year starter, Falslev has averaged 14.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists across 104 games with the Aggies, earning Mountain West Player of the Year honors this past season.

Despite originally committing to Ryan Odom, Falslev played a year under Danny Sprinkle and two seasons for Calhoun before now getting one last ride in Logan with Jacobson.

Jacobson won 397 games in 20 seasons at Northern Iowa, including four NCAA Tournament victories.

During Templin’s and Falslev’s time at Utah State, they’ve helped the Aggies win two contests in the Big Dance, exceeding the program’s tournament win tally from the previous 50+ years.

Hindsight in 20/20 and hindsight analysis is 20 times as annoying as my Uncle Perv trying to play the bagpipes. What is the art of sitting back as a fan and judging the difficult decisions a manager, a base coach, or a player have to make long before the metrics tell you what his odds were?

Process vs. Outcome

Judging process, rather than just leaning on outcomes, can be extremely counter-intuitive. To drive this point home let me offer a scenario in which presumably all fans will agree on the proper strategy.

In a tie game, 9th inning, the Yankees have runners at 2B and 3B with 2 outs and Trent Grisham due up against your RH reliever. Looming on deck is the legendary Aaron Judge. Do you pitch to Grisham or do you walk him intentionally to load the bases and face Judge instead?

I will go out on a limb and say you would do what 30 out of 30 managers would do and that is to go after Grisham. Here’s the catch. If you IBB Grisham and foolishly choose to pitch to Judge instead, with nowhere to put him, odds are you will wind up looking good. Because if you run that 100 times Judge, whose career OBP is an elite .412, will bail out your terrible idea about 59 times.

Never mind that Grisham gets out 2/3 of the time if you just go after him, with another 12 of those 100 outcomes being just the walk you were considering anyway. Or that if he doesn’t get out he’s far less likely to HR or double.

Despite making an absurdly poor choice, a manager will get bailed out nearly 60% of the time even pitching to Judge with the bases loaded. So it’s not fair to wait for Judge to make an out and then decry, “See? Smart manager!”

Base running – Jacob Wilson

In Sunday’s game Wilson made a gamble on Lawrence Butler’s slicing drive to left-center field. He took off from 1B, rounded 2B, and was easily doubled off when Joey Loperfido made a sliding catch in the alley. I thought Wilson made an excellent decision that just didn’t work out.

Keep in mind that when a ball is hit, the runner does not have access to the “expected batting average” or any other data designed to put odds to the outcome. When Butler hit that drive, all Wilson could see is that he smoked it and he had historical info of how many times Butler’s drives to LF and left-center carried to the wall when they were hit that hard — especially in Sacramento where balls tend to carry well.

Off the bat it looked a lot like a tweener, but Wilson had 3 choices. He could have stayed close to 1B as if it was going to be caught, which could have resulted in a disastrous result where a one-hopper off the wall was relayed quickly forcing Wilson to hold at 2B, which would have stalled Butler at 1B. He could have gone to 2B and waited, an “in between” move that might still have risked a DP but also would not have allowed him to score had the ball one hopped the wall. Or he could gamble, as he did, ensuring either a run scored or a DP.

He gambled and lost, but given the info he had off the crack of the bat I would argue it was the right gamble and Loperfido just made a great play.

Base coaching – Bobby Crosby

Similarly, if Bobby Crosby had influence in Jeff McNeil’s decision to try to score from second on Shea Langeliers’ big for a game winning hit, it’s important to recognize when decisions had to be made. As Jose Altuve sprawled to his right, McNeil was hitting 3B and the only way he maximizes his ability to score is if he never stops.

At that point it was unclear whether Altuve could field it cleanly or just smother it, whether the ball would stay firmly in the glove or roll away. Only a clean pickup gave Altuve any shot at the play at home. And then he had to bounce up immediately and make a throw good enough to get McNeil.

Granted, he made a poorish throw and still got McNeil easily, which is probably the best argument against the decision, but consider how easy it is, under that pressure, to sail it 40 feet up the line or to airmail the catcher or to give the catcher a short-hop he can’t handle cleanly.

Part of it is “making them make the play” and Altuve is, at this stage of his career, a poor defensive 2Bman with very limited range and a weak arm. Whether McNeil ran on his own — which you almost have to do in that situation rather than waiting to hear from your base coach — or whether Crosby was screaming, “Keep going! Go!” whoever made that in-the-moment call did what I want the A’s to do: don’t sit around waiting for a clutch hit with 2 outs, make the other team’s shaky defenders come up big executing several parts of a tough play well.

Pitcher decisions – Mark Kotsay

Mark Kotsay also had some key choices to make this weekend and in this writer’s view he botched them at least twice — once with poor results and once with great results.

Where Kotsay paid a price was his puzzling choice of JT Ginn to enter a game the A’s were leading by 9 runs. Ginn has had his problems but he was coming off a sterling relief appearance and looked like one of the A’s better candidates for high leverage innings over the weekend.

Keep in mind the A’s lead was so secure that had Scott Barlow (who would have been my choice) gotten the call instead, and had Barlow started the inning giving up a HR, two 4-pitch walks, and a double, the A’s would have still led 9-4 and could have bailed Barlow out with a win still nearly assured.

Meanwhile, after throwing 32 garbage time pitches Friday Ginn was called upon again Sunday and predictably, after getting out of the 6th he started the 7th without his best stuff going, hung a slider to Christian Walker and gave up a two-run HR.

Later on Sunday Kotsay was rewarded for what I thought was an inexcusably bad decision. With Hogan Harris in the game, Houston leading 10-9 in the 10th with runners at 2B and 3B with one out, Walker was due, Cam Smith on deck.

If you want to go after Walker on your terms, corner and chase pitching, you can choose from Harris or Elvis Alvarado, who was warming up. Or if you feel the need to IBB Walker to load the bases, you stick with Harris who, on a career basis, still fares better against RH batters than LH batters regardless of the hand he throws with.

The one thing you don’t do is to load the bases and then summon your wild reliever, Alvarado, giving him no margin for error. Even though everything worked out in the end, the reasoning was hammered home when Alvarado fell behind Smith 3-1 with pitches that were all over the place. Luckily he settled down just at the right time and fired two quality strikes, the last of which Smith swung through, and then to his credit Alvarado retired Yainer Diaz to escape the jam.

Going to back to the Grisham/Judge example, in any showdown the pitcher is going to succeed more than half the time. So you can make the wrong move and be handsomely rewarded. But I wouldn’t suggest making a habit of it.

Anyway, the weekend offered many chances for fans, armchair, real-timers, and everything in between, to weigh in on several difficult decisions that had to be made in the heat of the moment. How do you think these guys did?

It's less than a day until the college basketball transfer portal opens, and more players continue to add their names to the list. The Kentucky Wildcats have a few players already entered, but on Monday a former Wildcat, D.J. Wagner, announced his intention to find a new home.

Wagner was a star recruit for the Wildcats in the 2023 class. John Calipari brought him in as part of a talented group that included three top ten players, and another in the top 25. Wagner was the No. 6 overall player and was rated five stars.

NEW: Arkansas guard DJ Wagner plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, @JoeTipton reports. https://t.co/T13lQQDlIspic.twitter.com/IjIIt2rS5b

— On3 (@On3) April 6, 2026

As a freshman, Wagner was solid at times, but struggled to find his game offensively. Then, when Calipari left for Arkansas, Wagner followed him there. However, his shooting limited him in two seasons there as well, and this past year, his minutes dipped drastically, resulting in his lowest numbers yet. With a new batch of top recruits coming to the Razorbacks, Wagner is looking to go somewhere he can play more.

Wagner joins Karter Knox as former elite recruits for Calipari while he was at Kentucky who are going into the portal this offseason. The Wildcats aren't likely to have interest, but we wish him the best at his new school.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Former Kentucky basketball star heads back into transfer portal

Florida center Micah Handlogten plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, On3’s Joe Tipton reported. He spent three seasons with the Gators after transferring from Marshall and has a waiver currently pending for another year of eligibility.

Handlogten appeared in 34 games this past season at Florida, including two starts. He averaged 4.1 points and 5.9 rebounds across 14.8 minutes per action. That came after he played in 16 games as a junior in 2024-25 after coming back from a devastating injury suffered in the 2024 SEC tournament.

Initially, the plan was for Handlogten to redshirt the 2024-25 season. However, he returned to the court in February 2025 as Florida went on to win its first national championship since 2007.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. 

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and X account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Micah Handlogten played high school basketball at Huntersville (NC) Southlake Christian Academy, where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 305 overall player from the 2022 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

Handlogten joins center Olivier Rioux as Florida players expected to enter the transfer portal when the window opens April 7. However, the Gators are expected to get key pieces back from this year’s SEC title-winning team.

Guard Boogie Fland announced his plans to return to Florida next season after leading the team in steals this past season. The former Arkansas transfer averaged a team-high 1.7 steals while adding 11.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals per game.

Additionally, guard Urban Klavzar is set to return to Gainesville in 2026-27. Across 35 games this past year, he averaged 9.6 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals as a junior.

Of course, Florida is also retaining its coach. Todd Golden’s name was likely to come up in multiple high-profile coaching searches – most notably at North Carolina before news broke that the Tar Heels are expected to hire Michael Malone as its next head coach.

But UF athletics director Scott Stricklin said the school was ready to ensure Golden would be in Gainesville for the foreseeable future. That’s why he is planning another contract extension.

“When we have talented, successful coaches, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure they know that they are appreciated at the University of Florida,” Stricklin said, via Gators Online. “We’ve given Todd new contracts each of the last two years. He’s a priority for the University of Florida, and we’re going to treat him as such.”

The Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays are back at it on Tuesday night for the middle game of their series at Rogers Centre.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto starts on the mound on Tuesday, looking for his fourth win in as many career games in Toronto. The other three just happened to be in the 2025 World Series, winning starts in Games 2 and 6 last October and, famously, getting the final eight outs of Game 7 to close out the championship.

Right-hander Kevin Gausman is off to a fantastic start to his season for the Blue Jays, with 21 strikeouts and zero walks in his 12 innings, with just one run allowed in his first two starts.

In addition to the SportsNet LA broadcast, TBS will also televise Tuesday’s game, but only for folks outside the local markets.

Tuesday game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Blue Jays
• Ballpark: Rogers Centre, Toronto
• Time: 4:07 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA, TBS
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Proposed blockbuster Suns trade sees Phoenix move on from Jalen Green, land $197 million superstar originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Phoenix Suns currently sit in a decent spot in the playoff race, with a record of 43-35 and seventh in the Western Conference. That puts them at the top of the Play-In Tournament, but not good enough to be a true contender. All the teams ahead of the Suns have two co-stars with great synergy that the team can rally around; for Phoenix, Devin Booker and Jalen Green don’t have that.

With that in mind, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley proposes that the Suns make a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, moving on from Jalen Green to land superstar guard Ja Morant. Morant is a better playmaker than Green, and gives Phoenix a true point guard to pair with Booker.

MORE: Cavaliers predicted to reunite with LeBron James for farewell tour season, sign him to one-year deal

The trade would look like this: 

Suns get: PG Ja Morant

Grizzlies get: SG Jalen Green, C Khaman Maluach, 2027 first-round pick (via CLE, MIN or UTA)

“That's the thing with this Suns' season. The fight has been fun to be see, and the vibes appear in good shape, but the end game is either hard to gauge or quietly depressing. Slow-and-steady culture-setting just doesn't align with Booker's window to win, but Phoenix's picked-apart asset collection limits the options for acceleration. Hence why the Suns seem like a legitimate possibility for Morant. They just won't otherwise have access to a player of his caliber. And they desperately need an injection of talent if they want any hope of winning big while Booker is still in his prime,” Buckley wrote.

MORE: Lakers star Austin Reaves gets $241 million contract update ahead of possible free agency

Before Morant was shut down for the season, he was averaging 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and a steal in 28.5 minutes per game. He’d see an uptick in minutes with Phoenix, and his stats are bound to get better as well.

If the Suns lost in the Play-In or get bounced easily in the first round, this is a trade they need to consider. Booker’s clock is slowly ticking, so if they want to win now, getting Morant is a must.

MORE NBA CONTENT

Pistons All-Star Jalen Duren gets $200 million contract update ahead of restricted free agency

Proposed Bucks trade sees Milwaukee appease Giannis Antetokounmpo by landing $118 million NBA champion, nine-time All-Star

Proposed Celtics sleeper draft pick sees Boston acquire 6'11" 10.2 PPG shot-blocking big man, could be Neemias Queta 2.0

After nearly two weeks of searching, the UNC men's basketball team has its next head coach. On Monday afternoon, North Carolina hired longtime Denver Nuggets boss Michael Malone.

A proven winner known for talent development and his 2023 NBA Championship, Malone has Tar Heel Nation buzzing. Denver won a playoff series in all but one of Malone's 10 seasons in charge – and UNC needs that type of postseason production desperately.

Despite this being Malone's first head coaching job at the collegiate level, which is cause for concern, Malone is one of the best pure basketball minds out there. Malone is a serious coach who balances intensity with respect, while he is young enough (54 years old) to relate with his players.

North Carolina fired Hubert Davis five days after blowing a 19-point lead to VCU in both teams' NCAA Tournament opener. Like Malone, Davis won plenty (2022 National Championship game berth, 2024 Sweet 16), but the latter failed to develop into an elite coach like Malone.

With a 510-394 record as an NBA head coach, Malone is a proven winner. He'll face some initial hurdles – and deal with hungry fans – but will quickly assimilate to the college game.

The transfer portal opens on Tuesday, so there's bound to be questions about Malone's ability to recruit talent. Just look at how Malone developed Nikola Jokic into an MVP.

As the Tar Heels usher in this new era, let's take a look at several social media reactions below.

Was Michael Malone UNC's choice all along?

Back in October.

Malone. “ I’m not done coaching.” pic.twitter.com/Zf6kI7jisi

— Jay (@Jayy_Hardyy252) April 6, 2026

"The one thing [Kenny Smith] said was keep your eyes on Michael Malone." 👀@CoachAvery6 is not surprised North Carolina hired Michael Malone as its next head coach. pic.twitter.com/25ByMU71vr

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 6, 2026

Tyler Hansbrough (@THANS50) called it!! 👀

“The last name that a lot of people really haven’t talked about publicly, who I think could actually get some momentum, is Mike Malone.” pic.twitter.com/cKQnWp6Qlt

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) April 6, 2026

Maybe Michael Malone was getting some scouting in earlier this season 🧐

(🎥: @carolina_pod) pic.twitter.com/TNdFmm9DVw

— DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) April 6, 2026

Michael Malone will fire you up!

North Carolina’s Next Head Basketball Coach

Certainly has the pedigree to talk the NBA talk

pic.twitter.com/Z27BmjyqZw

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) April 6, 2026

pic.twitter.com/sCBi49WBui

— Armandoavenue (@Armandoavenu3) April 6, 2026

Good stuff here from Mike Malone about what being a coach should mean

“I want to support our guys. I want to give them belief. I want to inspire them. I want to love them so they can play the best basketball that they’re capable of.”

pic.twitter.com/h9ttKw52Qg

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) April 6, 2026

Quick decisions...and hopefully the right ones

Source tells @On3 that Michael Malone was a top name in the New Orleans Pelicans coaching search, but he ultimately decided to take the North Carolina job.https://t.co/UvC9iq2S2Fhttps://t.co/hxrk0VIpA8pic.twitter.com/WxXc1PZupy

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) April 6, 2026

One of the best pure basketball coaches out there.

I think Michael Malone is a good hire for UNC.

These high-money teams are basically run like pro teams now anyway. The transition to “college” basketball for him isn’t nearly that great anymore.

— Matt Grossenbach (@MattGrossenbach) April 6, 2026

Michael Malone is one of the best pure basketball coaches on planet earth and his grating personality will matter less in college than it did in the NBA. That’s an outstanding hire by UNC. Only question is whether he can get players.

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) April 6, 2026

This is a phenomenal hire. Struggled in the league after winning the whole damn thing cause of locker room stuff and superstars. College isn’t like that with egos like the league. Always had the counter to utilize joker in a way that was unguardable. Knows how to build around… pic.twitter.com/LA9xep3kTz

— AndrewTalksHoops (@AndrewTalksHoop) April 6, 2026

Did the UNC head coaching job lose some steam?

UNC having to go to its 6th choice at best means it’s just not the job we think it is, including myself.

— Jason Scheer (@jasonscheer) April 6, 2026

List of those who declined the UNC job (or an interview):

- TJ Otzelberger
- Tommy Lloyd
- Dusty May
- Ben McCollum
- Brad Stevens
- Rick Pitino
- Nate Oats

A literal repeat of Kentucky’s coaching search just unfolded before our very eyes.

— 🏀 801 Bracketology 🏀 (@801bracketology) April 6, 2026

Bill Belicheck, Mike Malone… who’s next for Carolina, Sparky Anderson. What a joke of an athletic department.

— Jon Sasser (@jsasser42) April 6, 2026

Will this hire get Henri Veesaar to return?

Dear Henri Veesaar - please go watch all the film of how Mike Malone used Jokic in Denver. And then go head and come back for another year in Chapel Hill https://t.co/ak9jUad91n

— Isaac Schade (@isaacschade) April 6, 2026

Can't please everyone.

So same fake ass North Carolina “fans” who thought it was smart to get rid of Love & Cadeau ..don’t like Mike Malone hire?
😅 shocking!
JK!
Great FIT, lives in chapel hill, loves UNC🏀he’s a 🏆coach already,built ties to UNC the past yr!
agree w @THANS50pic.twitter.com/XkDtttd8kb

— Jᴇssᴇ Jᴀᴍᴇs (@NotoriousJesse) April 6, 2026

Better coach...better recruiter?

X’s and O’s he will be fine. He needs to find an elite recruiter, IMO.

However, NIL changes things. $$$ always talks. https://t.co/WRvQCub2OZ

— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) April 6, 2026

I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt. Assume he will be able to recruit as good as Hubert.

And I’m sure he’s a better game coach.

Time will tell.

— UNC Sports Talk (@UNCSportsTalk) April 6, 2026

How long will Michael Malone last in Chapel Hill?

UNC fans will ride with Mike Malone

For maybe 3 years bc in today’s college game, that’s enough time to reach expectations

Absolutely insane ceiling

Absolutely depths of hell floor

No in-between

— Jake Lawrence (@TheRealestRJL) April 6, 2026

First look in the Carolina Blue!

There's a new head coach in Chapel Hill 👀 pic.twitter.com/ChnscufrRy

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 6, 2026

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Social media reacts to Michael Malone hiring

The New York Giants' preparation for the 2026 NFL draft is in full swing.

The draft is just under three weeks away. The Giants have seven picks in 2026, starting with the No. 5 overall selection in the first round. There has been considerable speculation about which direction New York will take with the fifth overall pick when the draft begins.

Art Stapleton of USA TODAY reports that the Giants began preparing for the draft on April 2 with their entire scouting staff on hand.

Giants started their in-house draft meetings with entire scouting staff last Thursday in NJ.

The coaching staff is back in the building this week and the players, albeit on a voluntary basis, join the party beginning tomorrow.

Next chapter in John Harbaugh era has kicked off.

— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) April 6, 2026

The Giants have several needs that they will have the opportunity to address on draft day. Team brass bears the responsibility of sifting through the pool of prospects to find solutions for the holes on their roster, with wide receiver, defensive tackle, and offensive guard among the primary areas of need.

New York’s personnel did their due diligence at Pro Days around the nation in the lead-up to the draft. General manager Joe Schoen will have the remaining 17 days before the draft begins to finalize game plans for how the franchise will approach each of its selections.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants have begun in-house pre-draft meetings

Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages won NL Player of the Week for his showings in the Dodgers’ last two series.

Across the Dodgers’ series against the Washington Nationals and the Cleveland Guardians, Pages went 14-for-24 with two home runs and seven RBIs, recording five multi-hit games in six chances. The third-year center fielder has caught eyes around the league for his staggering performances so far this season, and for very good reason.

Pages leads the National league in bWAR, slugging percentage and total bases, and also leads MLB with 16 hits and a .471 batting average.

How Did Andy Pages Get Back on Track After 2025?

The 25-year-old struggled during the back half of the 2025 season as well as the postseason—posting a historically bad October where he had just four hits in 51 at-bats—but didn’t let his previous results get to him heading into 2026.

“What happened last year is in the past,” Pages said. “It can happen to anyone. It’s not going to hold me back mentally this year. I feel good right now.”

Manager Dave Roberts also commented on Pages’ improvement following his Opening Day performance, during which he hit a three-run home run and had two hits.

“(This) is certainly a big confidence boost,” Roberts said. “Coming into this spring, he was in great shape, and his mindset was in a good spot. I’m sure that fire, that fuel, to not relinquish his position later in the season is something that motivates him.”

What Role Will Andy Pages Play for the Rest of the Season?

Pages, as expected, has been the Dodgers’ center fielder since the beginning of the regular season, and will surely retain the spot if he continues posting these kinds of results.

He has already moved up a couple of spots in the lineup—beginning the year at No. 8 and starting Monday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays in the No. 6 spot—and will look to continue doing so throughout the season.

Pages’ almost definitely won’t be able to sustain his numbers over the course of the last week throughout the remainder of the season, but if he is even half as good for the rest of the year the Dodgers will have another formidable bat for their three-peat campaign.

The center fielder will look to continue his hot streak against the Blue Jays in the series opener, which comes Monday at 4:05 p.m. PT.

Do you think Andy Pages deserved the NL Player of the Week?

In the traditional definition, a tight end is equal parts blocker and equal parts receiver. Over the years and with the NFL becoming increasingly pass-centric, that definition started to evolve.

These days, tight ends are more nuanced as a group. While you still have your traditional all-around options, you also have more specialized skillsets now: those, who are clearly superior blockers and those who are effectively wide receivers masquerading as tight ends.

Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers is part of that second group. He also is a player the New England Patriots might have their eyes on on Day 2 of this year’s draft.

Hard facts

Name: Eli Stowers

Position: Tight end/Wide receiver/H-back

School: Vanderbilt (RS Sr.)

Opening day age: 23 (4/15/2003)

Measurements: 6’3 3/4”, 239 lbs, 32 5/8” arm length, 9 3/4” hand size, 4.51s 40-yard dash, 45 1/2” vertical jump, 11’3” broad jump, 9.42 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Colleges: Texas A&M (2021-22), New Mexico State (2023), Vanderbilt (2024-25)

Career statistics: 45 games (13 starts) | 1,281 offensive snaps, 6 special teams snaps | 200 targets, 146 catches (73.0%), 1,773 receiving yards (12.1/catch), 11 TDs, 6 drops | 36 carries, 117 yards (3.3/carry), 2 TDs, 2 fumbles | 5-for-10 passing, 116 yards (11.6/attempt), 2 TDs | 4 penalties (incl. 1 declined/offset)

Accolades: John Mackey Award (2025), William V. Campbell Trophy (2025), First-team All-American (2025), First-team All-SEC (2024, 2025), Honorable mention All-Conference USA (2023)

A dual-threat quarterback at John H. Guyter High School in Denton, TX, Stowers was a highly-sought after recruit heading toward college. A three-star prospect, he eventually decided to stay in his home state and committed to Texas A&M. In two seasons with the Aggies, however, he only saw limited playing time and after appearing in five games with no starts or stats entered the transfer portal.

Stowers took his talents to New Mexico State, where he finally received some opportunities to showcase his versatile skillset. Aligning as a quarterback, in the slot and as an inline tight end, he wa named an honorable All-CUSA mention after amassing 63 touches for 474 yards and four touchdowns, while also going 4-for-8 as a passer for 99 yards and another TD.

Despite his success with those Aggies, he again transferred ahead of his 2024 redshirt junior campaign. Stowers spent his final two collegiate seasons at Vanderbilt, where he fully committed to his transition to tight end and became one of the top players in the nation at his position. In two seasons as a Commodore, he earned first-team all-SEC honors twice and caught 111 total passes for. 1,407 yards and nine scores.

Draft profile

Projected round: 2-3 | Consensus big board: No. 52 | Patriots meeting: N/A

Strengths: Stowers is an elite athlete at the tight end position, whose testing numbers are truly outstanding. He ranks in the 99th percentile among all tight end prospects in the last 26 years in both the vertical and the broad jump, and the 96th percentile in the 40-yard dash. His athletic skillset shows up on tape too. He is a truly gifted receiver, capable of climbing the ladder to make catches outside his frame and elusive enough to be a threat with the ball in his hands. Speaking of his hands, he has been a reliable target with the necessary body control and spatial awareness to haul in passes regardless of his position on the field or relative to the coverage.

Stowers runs a varied route tree and can be used as a receiver on all three levels as well as from multiple alignments, be it inline, in the backfield, in the slot or on the perimeter as both an X and a Z. His speed allows him to challenge teams vertically but he also has a good feel for sitting down in open zones. While some elements of his game are lacking — more on that in a second — his raw talent is evident, especially considering he has been a tight end for fewer than three full seasons.

Weaknesses: Stowers is a tight end in name only because his blocking is not on an NFL-ready level. That does not mean he cannot positively contribute as a blocker, but he is nowhere near capable at this stage in his development to be trusted to open a lane on the play side or hold his own in pass protection. There is a reason why he blocked on only 35% of his snaps at Vanderbilt over the last two years: he lacks the size and the play strength to consistently get results in this particular area of playing tight end.

His underdevelopment does not end there, however. His lack of strength also can become an issue against physical press man coverage, for example, and he has yet to show he can regularly outbox defenders at the catch point if they match his athleticism. His routes also need refinement, with his breaks not as sharp or decisive as they should be.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? Nominally a tight end, Stowers is more of a Swiss Army Knife in actuality — a utility player capable of lining up all over the formation to create favorable matchups across the board. What this means for his role should the Patriots draft him remains to be seen, but he likely would not be trusted in a starter-level capacity like Y-tight end Hunter Henry. Instead, he would be a complementary package player while he continues to either become a better blocker or at least refine what his eventual role within the offense will look like.

Does he have positional versatility? Yes, he has, and that’s where his appeal lies. Stowers is not a true tight end nor really a wide receiver or H-back either, but he is an impressive athlete and more importantly a capable football player. The challenge will be how to use all that to get the most out of him and turn him into the offensive weapon he can be.

What is his growth potential? Probably best described as “to be determined” at the moment. Stowers’ athletic prowess is off the charts but as we have seen time and again an outstanding athlete does not automatically make an outstanding or even a serviceable football player. And before he can become that, the soon-to-be 23-year-old has some work to do. The keys, from a team perspective, will be patience and realistic expectations.

Why the Patriots? Playmakers come in all shapes and sizes, and the Patriots cannot be picky about either. While Stowers is not a traditional tight end, he has shown that he can make positive contributions on the football field. For a team trying to get the most out of a young quarterback, there might be plenty of appeal in that.

Why not the Patriots? Are the Patriots truly in a position to use a likely Day 2 draft pick on a project such as Stowers? The skill is there, no doubt, but a more traditional option either at tight end or wide receiver might be more attractive for a team still in the early stages of its building process.

One-sentence verdict: Stowers will not be everybody’s flavor as a tight end, but his raw skillset and immense ability is nonetheless enticing and something the Patriots could go after if he remains on the board until late on Day 2.

For more information about Eli Stowers and the rest of this year’s class of prospects, please take a look at Adam’s 2026 NFL Draft Guide.

Also, what do you think about Stowers as a potential Patriots target? Do you like him? Where would you pick him? Please head down to the comment section to share your thoughts.

Napoli are still in the hunt to retain their Serie A title after the champions beat Scudetto rivals AC Milan 1-0 on Monday.

Matteo Politano lashed home the only goal of the game with 11 minutes remaining in front of delighted fans in Naples as the hosts racked up a fifth straight win.

Napoli leapfrogged Milan into second place but still have a battle on their hands to deny Inter a 21st league crown as they sit seven points off the pace with seven matches remaining.

But Antonio Conte's team were superior at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, where Politano's second goal of the season decided a largely stodgy contest.

Milan now trail their local rivals Inter by nine points and will in all likelihood have to content themselves with a return to the Champions League.

Napoli's win came without Romelu Lukaku who has incurred the wrath of the club hierarchy after staying in Belgium for treatment for a hip injury.

And Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund was then ruled out with a stomach bug, ending a run of 29 consecutive appearances, leaving winter signing Giovane to lead the line for the hosts.

Napoli fans' pre-match display encouraged their team to go "all-in" on the title, but it was a poor game not helped by Milan only being able to select star attackers Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic.

Giovane forced Maignan into the best save of the match in the 50th minute with a stinging drive from distance and there was little more goalmouth action until Politano pounced on Koni De Winter's weak headed clearance with a powerful, and decisive, first-time finish.

- Juve eye Champions League -

Juventus moved to within a point of Serie A's Champions League places with a 2-0 win over Genoa, as the top four battle heats up.

Taking advantage of fourth-placed Como's goalless draw at Udinese earlier in the day, Juve notched the three points in Turin thanks to Gleison Bremer's fourth-minute header and a 17th-minute strike from the ever-reliable Weston McKennie.

American McKennie's fine finish took his Serie A tally to five, equalling his best-ever haul in a single league season back in his first campaign with Juve in 2020/21.

But he showed no interest in that personal statistic when speaking with DAZN after the match, saying "the important thing is getting into the Champions League".

Home fans had to thank goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio for a superb double save which stopped spirited Genoa from getting back into the game, first pawing away Aaron Martin's penalty and then keeping out Vitinha's volley.

Di Gregorio has had a tough second season at Juve, dropped from the first team in February following a series of clangers and only in goal on Monday due to Mattia Perin being substituted at half-time with a calf injury.

"He has some good moments and some tough moments, but we always knew that he was a quality goalkeeper. He knew that his moment would come," said Bremer.

Di Gregorio's stops helped put some distance between fifth-placed Juve and Roma, who trail Spalletti's team by three points in sixth after being thumped 5-2 at Inter on Sunday.

Juve are also four points ahead of Atalanta, 3-0 winners at Lecce, ahead of Saturday's clash between the pair in Bergamo, with Como hosting Inter the following day.

Genoa suffered no real damage to their bid to avoid relegation as Daniele De Rossi's team sit six points above Lecce, who are in the bottom three after a heavy defeat.

Lecce were booed off by disgruntled fans after a defeat which left their team level on 27 points with Cremonese, who sit just outside the drop zone thanks to their superior head-to-head record.

td/mw/dmc/iwd

As the Washington Huskies rode a 20-game win streak to the top of the Big Ten, one of the biggest catalysts for coach Heather Tarr's team has been Giselle Alvarez at third base.

When Softball America released its midseason positional rankings on Friday, the outlet ranked Alvarez as the No. 4 player in the nation at her position as she's enjoyed a massive power surge during her third season on Montlake, anchoring the middle of Tarr's lineup. She leads the Huskies with 47 runs batted in (No. 5 in the Big Ten) and is tied with Alexis DeBoer for the team lead with 13 home runs (the pair is also tied for No. 3 in the Big Ten in the category).

Alvarez also leads the team with 100 total bases and 51 hits, while her .381 batting average and 1.155 OPS rank No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.

New mid season position rankings just dropped 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JGCPrY7J6v

— Washington Softball (@UWSoftball) April 3, 2026

After losing three of their last four games, dropping two to Saint Mary's and splitting a pair with No. 24 Stanford on a quick trip to Palo Alto, California, the Huskies are going to lean heavily on Alvarez over their final 12 games of the regular season, with a pair of series against the ranked Oregon Ducks and UCLA Bruins on the horizon.

With teams largely working around DeBoer, who has been walked a team-high 34 times this season (the second-most in the conference), Alvarez has been put in several big spots this year and has done a great job coming through when the Huskies need her most, with runners on base.

As Tarr's team looks to host an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2023, Alvarez will continue to be one of the biggest keys to Washington's success.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Washington Huskies 3B ranked among top 5 by Softball America

How contract issues caused Giants star Dexter Lawrence to request trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Dexter Lawrence seems to be done waiting. The Giants All-Pro defensive tackle has formally requested a trade and will skip Tuesday's offseason workout opener.

This is where two offseasons of failed contract negotiations got them.

The DT market exploded, and now Lawrence wants his money

He signed a four-year, $90 million extension in May 2023. His $22.5 million average annual value ranked third among defensive tackles back then.

Today, that same number sits tied for 11th at the position, per Over The Cap. The market ran past him quickly.

Chris Jones reset the benchmark at $31.75 million annually. Christian Wilkins followed at $27.5 million. Nnamdi Madubuike got $24.5 million. So, his deal looks nothing like elite money now.

Two years remain on his contract with no guaranteed money left. His 2026 cap hit stands at $26.96 million against a base salary of $18.5 million.

By skipping workouts, he forfeits a $500,000 bonus. He is willing to let that go to make his point.

The Giants have little interest in trading him, multiple sources who met with the team believe Lawrence is untouchable "barring an insane return value."

New head coach John Harbaugh has already built defensive schemes around Lawrence alongside edge rushers Abdul Carter and Brian Burns.

Missing workouts is a deliberate move that forces this conversation into the open.

The Giants hold the No. 5 pick in the upcoming draft and face a thin defensive tackle class if this falls apart. Neither side has room to be wrong.

Lawrence wants to be paid like the player he is. New York is counting on him to honor what he signed.

Something has to give before training camp.

Leon Goretzka has emerged as a player of interest for Arsenal, with the club reportedly keen to secure his signature as a free agent at the end of the season. The German midfielder remains an important figure at Bayern Munich, yet he is approaching the end of his contract and is widely expected to depart in the summer.

During his time at Bayern, Goretzka has contributed to a period of sustained success, helping the team secure several major honours. His experience at the highest level of the game, combined with his technical and physical qualities, makes him an attractive option for clubs seeking to strengthen their midfield.

Arsenal Monitor Free Transfer Opportunity

Goretzka is regarded as a valuable opportunity in the transfer market, particularly given the prospect of signing him without a transfer fee. Arsenal is understood to be interested in adding players of proven quality, and the chance to acquire a player of his calibre on a free transfer would be highly appealing.

The midfielder’s situation has drawn attention from multiple clubs, especially as he continues to perform at a high level. His ability to influence matches both defensively and offensively enhances his reputation as a complete midfielder.

Goretzka Explains January Decision

During the January transfer window, Goretzka had the opportunity to leave Bayern Munich, with several teams expressing strong interest in securing his services. However, no move materialised, and the player has since explained his reasoning for remaining at the club.

He said via Goal:

“In winter, I made a conscious decision to stay here until summer. I feel that anything is possible this season.”

This statement reflects his commitment to Bayern for the remainder of the campaign, as well as his belief in what the team can still achieve. For Arsenal, his decision to stay until the summer could prove beneficial, as it keeps open the possibility of signing him as a free agent.

Goretzka remains a high-quality player, and his availability could represent a significant opportunity for clubs aiming to strengthen their squads ahead of the next season.

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Bear Bachmeier got a glimpse of what he’s stepped into on Friday.

It was BYU football alumni day, and he had a front-row seat once he took the better part of an hour to make it through the autograph seekers.

Once there, he found himself surrounded by four decades of former players, many of them school record holders, NCAA statistical leaders, all-conference performers and many with NFL experience.

He even met Norm Chow, who has coached eight of the top 14 career pass-efficiency leaders and 13 quarterbacks who rank among the top 30 in NCAA history for single-season passing yardage.

“I mean, he’s very sharp. Just our ability to give him two or three options every play and get us in the right play based on what the defense is doing is pretty fun.”

BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Rodering on Bear Bachmeier

Earlier in the day, he heard his head coach, Kalani Sitake, play a voicemail from the late LaVell Edwards after Sitake got the coaching job. Saved on his device all these years since 2015, Sitake played it for the large group of former and current players gathered.

“You’re doing a great job, take care of the boys,” Edwards implored.

Earlier in the week, he heard from former Philadelphia Eagle Vai Sikahema on a visit from his missionary work in South Africa. Sikahema counseled players to remember their roots and how their lives can make a difference.

This army of former players, many of whom suited up to play in a fun game of touch football in the stadium, did so before a live television audience seen everywhere from Hong Kong to Stockholm.

Bachmeier is new to all this BYU hullabaloo.

“I couldn’t get 15 yards (into the stadium) without fans coming up,” Bachmeier told BYUtv during the affair.

“It’s an awesome opportunity and a lot of fun. This is a testament of how wonderful BYU is with all these players coming back to play before the fans. I think you create bonds like no other, and this kind of culminates it all. This is the epitome of the culture here.”

NEW: BYU QB Bear Bachmeier looks MASSIVE…

As compared to ex-BYU QB Jake Retzlaff 😳 pic.twitter.com/boC8tb5RhT

— College Transfer Portal (@CollegeFBPortal) March 21, 2026

A year ago, he was at Stanford’s spring practice some 656 miles from where Sitake and his offensive coordinator, Aaron Roderick, were preparing Jake Retzlaff to enter his senior season.

On May 4, 2025, just a few weeks later, Bachmeier announced he was transferring to BYU. This was about 17 days before a civil lawsuit was filed against Retzlaff, but was later dismissed. That legal quagmire ended Retzlaff’s BYU career in Provo and ushered in Bachmeier’s freshman season.

Now, with 12 wins, a Pop-Tarts Bowl trophy, Big 12 championship game, and 3,033 passing yards under his belt, the youngster just finished his first spring camp at BYU.

He memorized the playbook last summer. Today, he understands it.

On this Friday, he looked on as his first spring football camp in Provo concluded. He saw all these faces who simply had to return. They couldn’t get enough of that field, those colors, their bond.

Earlier in this final week, his coach explained what he expects this coming season out of Bachmeier as a returning sophomore.

Roderick said the threshold will be 30 touchdown passes, a completion rate of 70% and single-digit interceptions.

This past season, Bachmeier completed 64.9% of his throws for 3,033 and 15 touchdowns. He had seven interceptions in 387 attempts. He ran for 11 more touchdowns for a total of 26. The freshman gained 537 yards rushing.

After a brief scrimmage this past week, Roderick did not hold back his enthusiasm for what Bachmeier has done in the spring after his freshman season.

“Bear, he’s brilliant. I mean, he’s as smart of a kid as I’ve ever known, period, in life,” said Roderick.

“I mean, he’s very sharp. Just our ability to give him two or three options every play and get us in the right play based on what the defense is doing is pretty fun.

“I guess sometimes it might be we hand the ball off and make three yards, and nobody in the stands thinks it was anything special, but he just got us out of a really bad play and we made 3 yards. Sometimes it’s just something like that.

“Sometimes it’s getting us into a play that’s a huge play, where he sees what the defense is doing, gets us to a different play, and we have an explosive play. So, it’s fun. He’s a fun guy to coach.”

So, what did he get himself into?

Well, a former quarterback, 53-year-old Torrance, California, native John Walsh made his first appearance on the field since 1994 to play in the alumni game.

He brought his family, his kids, his grandkids.

And like the rest of the guys, he couldn’t help glancing up at the giant replay screens after some of his passes.

It was a look back in time.

And for Bear, a look into the future.

Adam Schefter dropped some decidedly unwelcome news on New York Giants fans an Monday with the report that star nose tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade.

Lawrence publicly declaring (through Schefter) that he wants out of New York has sparked a number of questions like,

“Why us!?”, “Who would the Giants trade him to?”, and “What kind of return can they get?”

There’s another rather immediate question to be answered: “How can the Giants replace Dexter Lawrence?”

The quick and dirty answer is that they can’t, at least not when Lawrence is at his best. When healthy and motivated, Lawrence is a “one of one” player who’s able to dominate the middle of the line of scrimmage the way very, very few others are able. The fact of the matter is that no one player will be able to fill the void that Dexter Lawrence would leave.

Since the Giants needed to add depth to their defensive front even before Lawrence requested his trade, the answer is a combination approach between free agency and the draft. The good news here is that trading Lawrence will free up roughly $13.9 million in cap space, and should net several valuable draft picks.

Free agency

It would have been nice if Lawrence could have demanded a trade about a month ago, back before free agency opened and the market was still full. Now, however, the market is rather shallow but there are a few real options out there.

D.J. Reader

Reader is probably my first choice for a veteran to help fill out the Giants’ depth chart. At 6-foot-3, 335 pounds, the former Detroit Lion is a natural fit for the nose tackle position and is still a good player at 32 years old. He doesn’t bring the game-wrecking upside of a healthy Lawrence, but he’s consistently solid against the run and can collapse pockets as well. Reader could also be relatively affordable, with Spotrac estimating a 2-year, $7.7 million contract.

Even if the Giants don’t trade Lawrence, Reader would certainly be worth bringing in to share the load with Lawrence.

Calais Campbell

Tony Del Genio has been banging the drum for Campbell in our staff chat, so I’m including him here.

Campbell wouldn’t be a direct replacement for Lawrence, and instead a (potential) upgrade for another defensive line position. At 6-foot-8, 315 pounds, Campbell would be better suited for a 3-technique, 4i-technique, or 5-technique alignment. Campbell is coming off of a solid season for the Arizona Cardinals, with 6.5 sacks and 9 tackles for a loss, which is a big reason why SpoTrac estimates a one-year, $10.9 million contract for him. Personally, I would be hesitant to give that much money to a defensive tackle who will turn 40 years old between the end of preseason and Week 1.

However, he’s still an option we should consider.

Shelby Harris

The Giants have been circling Harris for a while now, hosting him for a rare (these days) in-person visit back in March.

Harris is another natural nose tackle, plying his trade last year for the Cleveland Browns. He’ll be 35 years old come Week 1, and doesn’t offer the same pass rush upside as Reader. However, he remains a stout run defender who could be a useful piece as a rotational tackle. Harris isn’t a solution in and of himself, but he could be a useful piece paired with Reader or Campbell, as well as a rookie.

The 2026 NFL Draft

Prior to the report that Lawrence requested a trade, I considered defensive line depth to be a secondary need for the Giants. Assuming Darius Alexander takes a step and builds on his play under Charlie Bullen, the Giants could add depth behind Alexander and Lawrence with a free agent like Reader or Harris, or a mid-round draft pick.

If Lawrence is traded, however, that need becomes a priority, and the Giants would have to shop at the top of the market.

Kayden McDonald (Ohio State)

McDonald is my DL1 and the only one I would feel at all good about drafting in the first round.

He was primarily a run stuffer at Ohio State, however his quickness and agility suggest greater pass rush upside than he was able to show in college. He was well-coached in college and seems to have an instinctual understanding of angles and leverages on the interior. McDonald is a “plug and play” nose tackle, and he should continue to get better as he develops. The question is whether the Giants would be able to get him, considering he’s generally expected to be a late first round pick.

[Prospect profile]

Lee Hunter (Texas Tech)

Hunter was in contention with McDonald to be the first defensive tackle off the board after the 2026 Panini Senior Bowl. Then he had a poor showing at the Scouting Combine and evaluators began to wonder if Hunter was made to look better by the talent around him at Texas Tech and a poor offensive line class.

We all knew Hunter was slow from his game tape, however he at least appeared somewhat quick in a short area on tape. However, his historically poor 21.5-inch vertical raised some serious questions about his lower-body explosiveness.

Interestingly, however, Hunter has a very similar athletic profile to former Giant Johnathan Hankins.

Hunter’s workout might have knocked him out of consideration in the first round, but he might be a real option if the Giants need to replace Dexter Lawrence at the top of the second round.

[Prospect profile]

Caleb Banks (Florida)

If there’s one defensive lineman in this class who could come the closest to actually replacing Dexter Lawrence, it’s Caleb Banks.

Like Lawrence, Banks has legitimately freakish athletic traits with incredible explosiveness, great speed (despite testing on a broken foot), long arms, and effortless power. He also has the size to be a real option at nose tackle at 6-foot He is capable of taking over, and wrecking, a game from the defensive interior, and he’s still only scratching the surface of his upside.

Banks offers the significant risk as well as reward. He has real injury concerns as foot injuries have nagged him since 2024, and that could keep him out of the first round. However, he also has more upside than almost any player in the draft. If the Giants want to actually replace Lawrence, Banks is the guy who can do it. But you also better be right about the player under the pads.

[Prospect profile]

Zuffa Boxing is now five events deep into its mission to change the sport for the better, with Zuffa Boxing 5: “Cortes vs Garcia” going down last night (Sun., April 5, 2026) inside Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada (full results here).

Now, the upstart boxing promotion has announced the headliner for Zuffa Boxing 6, as Shane Mosley Jr. will face off against Serhii Bohachuk on Sunday May, 10 in “Sin City.”

Moseley Jr. (35) is the son of former WBC and The Ring Welterweight champion, “Sugar” Shane Mosley, and has amassed a record of 22-5 thus far with 12 knockouts. He was last seen coming up short in his bid to win the interim WBC Middleweight title, losing a unanimous decision win to Jesus Ramos in Dec. 2025. Prior to that he was on five-fight win streak which includes a win over former IBF Middleweight champion, Daniel Jacobs.

As for Bohachuk (30), he currently sits with a record of 27-3 with 24 knockouts and was last seen defeating Radzhab Butaev via split-decision two months ago. He is the former interim WBC Middleweight champion, but ultimately coughed up his strap to Vergil Ortiz in Aug. 2024. The hard-hitting Ukrainian slugger signed with Zuffa Boxing earlier this year and hopes to kick off his run with the promotion on the right foot with a huge win over Mosley Jr.

To checkout the latest Zuffa boxing-related news and notes click here.

Offensively, the Cowboys have everything you could ask for at the skill positions. Two elite receivers, an upper-echelon quarterback, a borderline Pro Bowl running back, and a multi-Pro Bowler at tight end. When you look at that, the Cowboys have an embarrassment of riches. Yet, when you examine the offensive line, it’s not as star-studded. The offensive tackles have occasionally hampered the offense with breakdowns in pass protection, especially a first-round pick who is expected to perform better than he has. That said, the interior is very good and a strength of the team. Here’s where the offensive line group stands as of now. 

Offensive tackle

Tyler Guyton 

The Cowboys are hoping that year three is when everything clicks for Tyler Guyton. Even when the Cowboys drafted him in 2024, it was expected that he was going to be a bit of a project. Although he’s got tremendous size and above average athleticism for an offensive tackle, he’s still struggling with his technique and consistency. Per PFF, Guyton allowed 31 quarterback pressures last year and was ranked 81st out of 89 qualified offensive tackles. 

That simply isn’t going to cut it, especially with being entrusted to protect the blindside of Dak Prescott. Guyton battled with injuries throughout last season, but the team made it clear that if he did return from injury toward the end of the season, he would be benched in favor of Tyler Smith, who finished the year at left tackle. Guyton faces a critical year in his development. If he can’t improve it’s hard to see much confidence in him heading into the final year of his rookie contract.

Terence Steele 

Offensive tackle seems to be a troublesome theme for the Cowboys. Terence Steele is also experiencing problems with his pass protection, which tends to hamstring the offense at the most inopportune times. Steele allowed 52 quarterback pressures last year, and that’s been a trend over the last three seasons. Over the last three years, Steele has given up 147 quarterback pressures in that span. Steele did accept a pay cut, but it will offer him guaranteed money, so the team does still want to see things work out with him, albeit at a lower price. The good thing is, Steele is a pretty solid run blocker, which certainly adds value for Brian Schottenheimer’s approach. If Steele can just be passable as a pass blocker, it’s a vast improvement for the offensive line as a whole.

Nate Thomas

Thomas went mostly unseen in his rookie season as he was placed on injured reserve and didn’t appear in any regular season games. Last season, he got a lot more playing time as he stepped in for a time in place of Guyton. Thomas also had his struggles in pass protection, and his inexperience at the professional level really stood out. That said, Thomas had a great showing on Thanksgiving against the Kansas City Chiefs, who have excellent pass rushers. Thomas will fit in as the team’s swing tackle, filling in at either tackle position. 

Guard

Tyler Booker

Entering the league, Tyler Booker had big shoes to fill, taking over for Zack Martin. Martin is one of the most decorated Cowboys in the history of the franchise and is a lock for the Hall of Fame. Therefore, Booker stepping into that spot at right guard carried a lot of pressure. However, so far Booker has done pretty well. He was named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team. Booker came to Dallas with a pedigree as an exceptional run blocker, and that held true as a rookie. He was was among one of the best run blocking guards in the NFL last season. He does have some improvement to make in pass protection, but he rounds out what is a very imposing interior for the Cowboys. He likely could be the next great Cowboys offensive lineman. 

Tyler Smith

Tyler Smith is one of the truly elite offensive guards in the game. Having played left tackle in his rookie season, he has transitioned seamlessly to left guard. He’s a road grader in the trenches and has the athleticism to play on the move. Early in his career, he struggled with penalties, having 19 in his first two seasons. Yet, over the next two, he’s only committed 11. So far, he’s putting together a great résumé to start his career. He was named to his third consecutive Pro Bowl last season. The Cowboys are paying him big money to man the left guard spot, and he’s earning every cent. 

T.J. Bass

Despite not playing much, T.J. Bass has shown himself to be one of the most integral depth pieces for the Cowboys. In college, Bass played offensive tackle and guard, but has since settled into guard since joining the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2023. As a rookie, he dressed for all 17 games and managed to start two games. Since then, he’s managed to stick around on the roster and has started eight games over the last two seasons. Bass raised some eyebrows when it was he who was given the second-round tender and not Brock Hoffman, but Bass has been a good fill-in for when his number is called. 

Center

Cooper Beebe

Having never played the position in college, the Cowboys zeroed in on Beebe as their man at center and started 16 of 17 games as a rookie, and he’s proven them right. He’s looked like a seasoned veteran in that spot over the last two seasons. He’s got a thick build and is very strong at the point of attack to open holes in the running game. He has missed games due to injuries, having missed six games last season because of a high-ankle sprain. His college coach, Conor Riley, joined the Cowboys last season as offensive line coach, which should help keep everything more consistent for the third-year player. Beebe is primed to be a fixture of the team for years to come.

Matt Hennessy 

Dallas deciding not to tender Brock Hoffman would’ve left a hole if they didn’t find a suitable replacement. Wisely, the Cowboys picked up veteran interior offensive lineman Matt Hennessy. Hennessy comes to Dallas with plenty of experience, having played in 64 games and started in 24 of them. Hennessy can play either guard or center. Should Beebe miss any time, Hennessy should be able to step right in and prevent a steep drop off. 

Others

G Trevor Keegan

T Ajani Cornelius

T Marcellus Johnson

Alex Cora Explains Massive Change To Red Sox Lineup Vs. Brewers originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora left open the possibility of moving shortstop Trevor Story out of the two hole in the lineup following the team's 8-6 loss to the San Diego Padres on Sunday.

One day later, Story has been bumped down to the fifth spot, while designated hitter Masataka Yoshida will bat second on Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 33-year-old infielder started Boston's first nine games this season batting second.

"See if it works," Cora said, according to MassLive Red Sox beat writer Christopher Smith. "Although yesterday, I thought it was OK offensively."

Boston has averaged only 3.3 runs per game in the early going but scored a season-high six times on Sunday.

Story has struggled through the first nine contests, going 5 for 42 with one home run, two RBIs, no walks and a team-high 17 strikeouts.

Yoshida is 3-for-13 with no home runs, three RBIs, six walks and a .474 on-base percentage across seven games.

"Just mix it up, Cora said, per Smith. "Hopefully a different spot helps you to unlock it and relax. But as you guys know, in this game, you can’t control the at-bat. At one point, it’s probably bases loaded, two outs, and it’s the same thing. So regardless of where you hit, we’ve gotta make sure we slow it down. We’ve been talking about swinging a lot and chasing. So this is a good pitching staff. They’re very aggressive in the zone. So hopefully be on time and put good swings on it."

More MLB: ESPN MLB Reporter Ranks Red Sox Most Fun, Watchable American League Team

UNC may have gotten their coaching situation figured out earlier today but their next task begins now with the transfer portal opening tomorrow. Freshman point guard Derek Dixon will be entering his name into the portal when it opens. The freshman took control of the point guard position as the season went on after the struggles of Kyan Evans forced him to the bench.

Dixon improved noticeably as the season went on. He had some massive moments, including most notably finding Seth Trimble for the game-winner against Duke in Chapel Hill.

Entering the transfer portal does not definitively mean that Dixon won’t return to Carolina. With a new coach coming on board, most players are likely to test the waters with so much uncertainty around Michael Malone’s vision for the team next season. It’s possible that Dixon ends up finding some guarantee elsewhere that he decides to take instead. This will probably be a common route to take for players waiting to hear what their new coach thinks of them and how they fit into his plans.

Holywood golfer Tom McKibbin says it was "surreal" to drive down Magnolia Lane as he prepares to compete in his first Masters in Augusta this week.

The 23-year-old qualified for his first Masters thanks to his win at the Hong Kong Open last year and has spent the early part of this week getting the grips with the Augusta National course before Thursday's opening round.

Taking part is something he has always dreamed, so to step out onto the course makes this a "very special week".

"It's very surreal, watching this for the past 15 or 16 years and to do that [drive down Magnolia Lane] over the past couple of days is pretty cool and something I probably won't forget," he told BBC Sport NI's Stephen Watson at Monday's practice round.

'I want to play well and see where that takes me'

Although delighted to be part of the field, McKibbin is eager to make his mark and acknowledges the famous course is challenging.

Long fairways and "pristine" greens are what he will encounter but he wants to leave on Sunday happy with his week's work.

Whether that means playing through the weekend or making a charge at the leaderboard remains to be seen, but making the most of this opportunity is his primary motivation.

"Some of the holes are very long, especially around 10 and 11, you're hitting a lot of long irons into the greens which look pretty small from there, but the golf course is just incredible," he noted.

"I've played it a few times now and it's everything you could imagine, so to play more over the week is pretty cool.

"The greens are absolutely perfect, so pristine, quick and once you get out onto the course, there are some pretty crazy slopes on them you can really play around with.

"The golf course changes so much over the week, I don't know what to expect, but I would just like to have a nice week, play well and see where that is. Your first one there aren't a lot of expectations, but I want to have a good week."

'Special to be here as McIlroy defends the title'

McKibbin's parents have made the trip to the United States for his Masters bow and having supported him from an early age, "to share these memories with them and hopefully have a good week will be nice".

It is extra special this week as fellow Northern Ireland man Rory McIlroy enters as defending champion.

McIlroy's play-off win 12 months ago saw him complete a career Grand Slam of golf's Majors, so for McKibbin, it is somewhat fitting this is his first Masters experience.

"It's great to be playing in the first one since he won last year, so it's really special to be a part of that."

Bautista praises Marquez as one of the sport’s best, despite admitting a bit of ‘luck’ in his career

Alvaro Bautista sees Marc Marquez as one of the most gifted riders ever to get on a bike, though he admits Marquez has benefitted from racing only for strong teams throughout his career.

Marquez entered the MotoGP scene in 2013 with Honda, fresh off a Moto2 title win. The team was coming off a constructor’s title thanks to Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner, though Jorge Lorenzo had just claimed the rider’s championship.

He stayed with Honda for over a decade before making the move to Gresini, where he rode an older Ducati model. Even so, it didn’t take long for him to make an impact. A third-place finish put him in line for a move to the factory team, and he went on to win his seventh top-class title there last season.

Alvaro Bautista points to ‘good bikes’ throughout Marquez’s career

Bautista spoke about Marquez on the Fast and Curious podcast. He raced alongside him in MotoGP from 2013 until 2018 before making the switch to Superbikes.

For those first two years, both were on Hondas, though Bautista was with Gresini, which was the satellite team at the time.

Bautista drew a parallel between Marquez and his own idol, Mick Doohan, who won five world titles despite nearly losing his leg in an accident. Marquez underwent four surgeries on his arm between his final Honda championship in 2019 and the 2025 Ducati title.

“I think he’s a fantastic rider with a lot of talent, and well, he’s been lucky in part too because he’s always had good teams, always had good bikes, always had good support,” said Bautista.

“So, that helps too, but we shouldn’t take away from all the merit and talent he has. He’s had difficult moments and recovered.

“It’s been a bit like Mick Doohan, my idol, he’s done something similar, hasn’t he? Difficult moments of saying, ‘Well, I’ve already won a lot, I’ll stay home because it’s hurting myself.’

“And in the end, he’s been stubborn enough to say, ‘No, I have to prove to myself and to everyone that I can win again.’

“He’s made choices that maybe another rider wouldn’t have made because he was sure of himself, and the confidence he had is important. You just have to take your hat off to him for everything he’s done, how he’s done it, and well, for me, he’s one of the most talented riders in history.”

Alvaro Bautista: 2026 won’t be ‘such a walk in the park’ for Marc Marquez

Bautista talked about the early stages of the season, noting how Bezzecchi and Aprilia have shown improvement while Ducati has faced a tougher start compared to last year.

“I think at first glance it seems more entertaining than last year, which seemed like a one-sided affair,” he said.

“What’s clear is that Aprilia, at least in the three preseason tests and the first race, has improved a lot, right? And Ducati, all the riders there now seem to be finding it a bit harder.

“Let’s see how the championship develops, but I think this championship won’t be such a walk in the park for Marc, will it? I also think he’s not quite at 100% physically yet.”

Read more:

Seattle at Minnesota — ABC

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

Samford at Alabama — SECN+

Jacksonville State at Auburn — SECN+

UAB at Mississippi State — SECN+

Bethune-Cookman at LSU — SECN+

Alcorn State at Mississippi — SECN+

Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech — ACCNX

South Alabama at Alabama — SECN+

Central Arkansas at LSU — SECN+

Samford at Mississippi — SECN

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

Napoli dug deep to claim a 1-0 victory over AC Milan in the Serie A at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Monday evening.

The result moves the defending champions into second place, two points ahead of Milan and seven points adrift of leaders Inter Milan.

Milan got an early chance when Christopher Nkunku fed Youssouf Fofana, who volleyed straight at Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.

The Napoli goalkeeper almost gifted Milan a goal in the 13th minute as he misjudged a cross, but Strahinja Pavlovic could only head wide.

Leonardo Spinazzola was the first to threaten for the defending champions, curling an effort just past the post.

Nkunku did well to present himself a shooting chance in the 35th minute, but he flashed his effort off target.

Giovane Nascimento missed a good chance to put the hosts ahead after he was slipped through. His indecisiveness allowed Pavlovic to make a timely block to avert the danger.

The Brazilian was then denied by Mike Maignan in the 51st minute, with the French goalkeeper pushing his effort away with a low save.

Napoli continued to enjoy possession, but struggled to create any clear-cut opportunity.

The breakthrough for the hosts eventually came in the 79th minute, when Milan’s Koni De Winter flicked the ball towards Matteo Politano at the far post, who blasted the ball home.

Milan pushed for a late equaliser, but Napoli held on to secure the victory, keeping their title hopes alive.

Paris Saint-Germain are set to ‘massacre’ Liverpool when the teams meet in the Champions League over the next fortnight, according to a one-time World Cup winner.

PSG eliminated the Reds en route to winning this competition last year, and whereas Arne Slot’s side were well on their way to a famous Premier League triumph then, they now find themselves in crisis mode as they prepare to face Luis Enrique’s charges.

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Christophe Dugarry – who became a world champion with France in 1998 – believes that the reigning European champions could put the quarter-final tie to bed by the end of the first leg at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.

Dugarry expecting a ‘walk in the park’ for PSG

Speaking to RMC Sport, the pundit bragged: “It’s going to be a walk in the park, honestly. Liverpool are disastrous. 14 wins, 10 losses, and 7 draws since the start of the season in the league. They’re catastrophic.

“I’m not going to say they have bad players, but they don’t play together. In my opinion, the difference in level is colossal. I think PSG will wrap up the quarter-final in the first leg.

“Have you seen Liverpool play? They’re catastrophic! They have no legs; they have nothing. Technically they have good players; they’re not clumsy, but they play at a snail’s pace.

“When you see the intensity PSG manages to bring, with their legs back, with their mental strength and everything else they’ve regained… There’s no comparison between the two teams. It’s going to be a massacre!”

Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

PSG are huge favourites, but it’d be foolish to write off Liverpool

It’s hard to think of too many other European ties where Liverpool have gone in with such low expectations, and if PSG are in the sort of mood which saw them hammer eight goals past Chelsea in the previous round, the Reds could be in for a similarly unforgiving rout if they’re not careful.

The four-goal surrender to Manchester City on Saturday was the last thing we needed in terms of confidence for the daunting task in Paris this week, and Enrique’s side will also have the benefit of a free weekend between the two quarter-final games after their Ligue 1 fixture against Lens was controversially postponed.

Slot’s team have taken down some of Europe’s top teams this season, including Arsenal, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, but it could take their best two performances yet if they’re to end PSG’s hopes of a repeat Champions League triumph.

Other than championing blind faith, it’s difficult to make a case for Liverpool to progress any further in the tournament, although Dugarry’s emphatic dismissal of our chances ought to serve as motivational fuel for the Merseyside outfit.

All we ask is that the Reds leave absolutely nothing to spare in terms of effort and performance levels, just as they did in going out to PSG at Anfield 13 months ago, but hopefully this time the outcome will be different.

Last week was the fantasy basketball championship for most Yahoo High Score leagues. If you took home the hardware, congratulations! If you lost — like me — it’s going to be a long summer and offseason. And if you lost by two points in the final because of Nikola Jokić — again, like me — it may be a rough recovery road ahead.

This will be the final weekly High Score Perfect Lineup story of the season. If you followed along, thanks — I hope these stories were informative, helpful and fun. It was the inaugural season of High Score fantasy basketball on Yahoo and, at least for me, it was a major success. The format is definitely more accessible and less work while also offering the same excitement as 9-cat and points leagues.

Taylor Wilhelm

More on the top performers

Cooper Flagg, guard: It’s fitting that the rookie phenom lands in the final High Score perfect lineup, a little preview of something we could see quite often next season. It looks like Flagg is going to do just enough to overtake Kon Knueppel for NBA Rookie of the Year this season. He came dangerously close to averaging 20-5-5 with over 2.0 stocks per game. It will be interesting to see where Flagg lands in the pecking order of fantasy drafts next season.

Luka Dončić, guard: Dončić did just enough to get fantasy managers through the championship round. Earlier in the week, he was able to post 77 fantasy points prior to sustaining a hamstring strain that could ruin the Lakers’ chances of a deep playoff run. Dončić has already been ruled out for the rest of the regular season but could be back in the playoffs. Fortunately, it isn’t something fantasy managers need to be concerned about so long as your season ended on Sunday. Dončić finishes the season as one of the top assets in fantasy and should be a top-three pick next season.

Victor Wembanyama, frontcourt: Jokić and the Nuggets may have won the clash of titans on Saturday but Wemby was the one who came away with the slightly higher fantasy score. That may have decided a lot of fantasy championships (we’ll get to mine shortly). Wembanyama really peaked down the stretch, scoring at least 70 fantasy points in four of his past five games to end the fantasy season.

Injuries and range of outcomes hurt his value this season. That could hold him back from edging Jokić for who should be the No. 1 overall pick in fantasy drafts for 2026-27.

Nikola Jokić, frontcourt: I got Jokic’d in the final. Denver had just two games and perhaps if Jokić was playing any other team, my final likely would have gone in my favor. But alas, there wasn’t much I could do (plus, Alperen Şengün didn’t come through for me). Anyway, at least for High Score next season, Jokić should easily be the No. 1 overall pick. Even with missing a big chunk of time in January, Jokić was still the fantasy MVP, finishing with the highest average fantasy points per game (69.2), 5.1 points higher than Dončić in second place.

LeBron James, frontcourt: We didn’t see LeBron pop up in this lineup often but he finishes the season on it, mostly because of the injury to Dončić. He came one rebound shy of a triple-double with 30 points and 15 assists. It appears LeBron is going to bolt L.A. this offseason for one last ride elsewhere before he retires. He’ll continue to be a fantasy asset and could even boost his stock depending on where he lands.

Jayson Tatum, utility: If you asked me during the offseason if I’d see Tatum pop up on a High Score article, I’d say, “You’re crazy, man.” But here we are, with Tatum on the list to end the season. His miraculous recovery from a torn Achilles during the playoffs led him to a quick return this season. The Celtics superstar also didn’t need much time to get re-acclimated. Through 14 games, Tatum is averaging 20-10-5, though his shooting splits leave a bit to be desired. This is a good sign for Tatum going into 2026-27 and he should return to being a player selected in the first two rounds.

North Carolina’s failure to land one of its top-tier coaching targets has laid bare how much the college basketball landscape has shifted since the dawning of the NIL era. 

Being a blue blood is no longer as much of a built-in advantage. Now what matters more is how much green a program can offer prized recruits.

Over the course of the past two weeks, North Carolina has tried to coax Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, Michigan’s Dusty May and Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan to come to Chapel Hill. Lloyd used interest from the Tar Heels as leverage to negotiate a new deal to stay in Tucson, May also passed and Donovan apparently wasn’t interested enough to engage before the end of the NBA regular season next weekend.

That left North Carolina outgoing athletic director Bubba Cunningham and incoming athletic director Steve Newmark without many proven options as backup plans. Alabama’s Nate Oats negotiated a contract extension that will make him one of the sport’s five highest-paid coaches. Iowa State’s TJ Otzelberger also publicly removed himself from consideration for other jobs. North Carolina even tried to set up an in-person interview with Iowa’s Ben McCollum on Sunday, according to CBSSports.com, only to have him turn down that invitation. 

With options dwindling and time running out before the transfer portal opens Tuesday, North Carolina pivoted to an outside-the-box hire as it seeks to reestablish itself as one of the sport’s elite programs. The Tar Heels are reportedly set to hire Michael Malone, who won an NBA title with the Denver Nuggets but was fired near the end of the 2024-25 regular season.

If North Carolina’s coaching search was a litmus test, then the hire of Malone is further evidence that the blue-blood jobs are no longer as coveted as they once were. After all, North Carolina is taking a chance on someone who has coached in the NBA for the previous two decades and who last coached at the college level as an assistant at Providence from 1995-98 and Manhattan from 1999-2001.

Thearon W. Henderson via Getty Images

These big swings and misses from North Carolina come on the heels of a similar search at Kentucky two years ago. Athletic director Mitch Barnhart’s top targets were UConn’s Dan Hurley, Baylor’s Scott Drew and Donovan. Only when he wasn’t able to persuade any of those three to come to Lexington did he pivot to Kentucky alum Mark Pope.

What that suggests is the blue-blood jobs are no longer leaps and bounds above jobs at other power-conference programs who are flush with deep-pocketed donors or football-generated revenue. Shoe companies don’t have as much influence over where highly ranked high school prospects go to college. Winning tradition, brand recognition and top-tier facilities also aren’t as important selling points as they once were. 

Now, the first thing an agent representing an elite player usually wants to know is whether a school can meet the requisite price tag. Only then does the program’s winning track record or ability to develop pros come into play.

As Tennessee coach Rick Barnes put it last month, “Today, it's easy. You can recruit a guy now for a week and get him. You know what I mean? Hey, what's the number?”

This isn’t to say that the likes of North Carolina, Duke, Kansas and Kentucky aren’t still elite jobs in the current environment. Basketball matters above all else at those schools. They will likely keep paying top dollar to assemble competitive rosters. But there’s now less incentive to chase those blue-blood jobs for coaches like May or Lloyd or Oats who already have built strong programs and already have the resources to contend for conference and national titles.

North Carolina could have responded by either waiting another week to see if Donovan would have engaged or offering the job to a second-tier candidate like Vanderbilt’s Mark Byington. Cunningham and Newmark instead opted for the surprise hire of Malone, whose lone previous tie to North Carolina is that his daughter is an outside hitter on the Tar Heels’ volleyball team.

One advantage to going with Malone is that North Carolina doesn’t have to pay millions of dollars in buyout money like it would have for a sitting college head coach. Byington’s buyout was reportedly in the $11 million range, a lot for a coach who is two years removed from coaching at James Madison and has yet to advance to the NCAA tournament’s second weekend.

Malone also has the reputation of a shrewd Xs-and-Os coach with an understanding of modern basketball and a knack for maximizing the talent on his roster. His NBA pedigree theoretically should appeal to recruits, while his relationship with superagent Miško Ražnatović should only help North Carolina land top European talent.

Still, the track record of NBA lifers adapting to the college game is iffy at best. It isn’t even just the former superstar players like Clyde Drexler, Chris Mullin, Juwan Howard, Patrick Ewing and Jerry Stackhouse who have tried and failed. Mike Woodson won a single NCAA tournament game in four years at Indiana. Mike Dunleavy Sr. went 24-69 in three disastrous seasons as head coach at Tulane.

It also doesn’t lend confidence if North Carolina board of trustees chairman Malcolm Turner had any hand in this hire. Turner’s disastrous tenure as Vanderbilt athletic director included the ill-fated decision to fire Bryce Drew after three seasons and anoint Stackhouse as his replacement. 

While a program with the history of North Carolina probably shouldn’t have to make such a high-risk hire, the good news for the Tar Heels is they’re better off taking a swing on Malone than sticking with Hubert Davis.

After five inconsistent seasons, North Carolina couldn’t retain Davis if it was serious about returning to its customary levels of success. At least there’s upside with Malone if he can surround himself with an experienced staff and learn the nuances of the college game on the fly.

Phillies easily beat all of MLB in ESPN's fun metric which is a good sign for fans originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Philadelphia Phillies have some of the best odds to win the World Series this year of any team in all of Major League Baseball.

Their lineup, starting rotation, and bullpen are among the best in baseball, and there has been plenty of success in recent years as well. Even though the start hasn't been perfect, they're 5-4 and are a clear top contender this season.

David Schoenfield of ESPN shared a fun metric that does more than agree with the Phillies status as contenders; it has the Phillies scoring as the best team in all of Major League Baseball when it comes to ESPN's "Watchability Index."

Phillies are MLB's best watch this season

The Phillies placed first in all of MLB, scoring a 33 out of 40, beating the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers, who scored a 30 out of 40.

"The Phillies were No. 3 a year ago, so this isn't necessarily a surprise," Schoenfield writes, "but they have a few key factors that improved their ranking."

Why did the Phillies jump up despite "running it back" this season? Kyle Schwarber had an MVP-caliber year in 2025, making him more of a superstar than ever before.

Cristopher Sanchez also turned into a Cy Young candidate who could become one of the best players in all of MLB with another strong season.

The Phillies' "Star power" rating out of 15 was a very strong grade of 14, and it's thanks to Schwarber, Sanchez, Bryce Harper, and their litany of other stars.

More: Marlins suggested to sign Max Kepler after Phillies’ OF was suspended for 80 games

When it comes to their "Young talent" rating out of 10 points, the Phillies scored an "8." Andrew Painter looked great in his MLB debut, and Justin Crawford has looked the part of a full-time center fielder with his great speed, amazing contact ability, and decent defense.

The Phillies also received a "Baseball stuff" grade of an 8-out-of-10, which measures simply what they can provide with their on-field performance.

Schoenfield also gave the Phillies a three out of five point grade in the "Bonus" category for the following reasons: "+1 for the best set of uniforms in baseball, +1 for ballpark atmosphere, +0.5 for Trea Turner's speed, +0.5 for the Phillie Phanatic."

Overall, the Phillies placed first in ESPN's "Watchability Index." They beat the Dodgers, New York Mets, and every other team in baseball with the highest score by a wide margin, with a 33/40, compared to the runner-up Dodgers with a 30/40.

It's a good time to be a Phillies fan, as there's no other team in Major League Baseball, according to this "Watchability Index," that is better to watch than the Phillies.

More MLB news:

• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award
• Giancarlo Stanton has an absurd 2-for-4 streak going on for Yankees
• Mets didn’t want to trade Brett Baty while White Sox didn’t want Mark Vientos in Luis Robert Jr. trade
• How Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto is connected to Rockies' Tomoyuki Sugano
• Red Sox never close on Astros’ Isaac Paredes trade
• Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

ONE Championship is gearing up for its first weekend tripleheader – and it all starts in Asia primetime this Friday, April 10.

The world’s largest martial arts organization will broadcast The Inner Circle and ONE Friday Fights 150 live to over 195 countries around the globe.

First, viewers can watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. ICT.

Then, viewers can watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live via ONE Championship’s global broadcast partners at 8:30 p.m. ICT. The show can also be viewed on ONE Championship’s YouTube channel, ONE Championship’s Facebook page, and watch.onefc.com.*

To view your local listings and start times by region, check below.

*Geo-restrictions apply

Thailand 

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. ICT. 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 – called ONE Lumpinee 150 in Thailand – live on Channel 7 HD or online via Channel 7, TERO Entertainment, and ONE Championship’s social networks at 8:30 p.m. ICT.

Channel 7 HD

• FB Ch7HD: https://www.facebook.com/Ch7HD 
• FB Ch7HD News: https://www.facebook.com/Ch7HDNews 
• FB Ch7HD Sports: https://www.facebook.com/Ch7HDSports 
• YT Ch7HD: https://youtube.com/@ch7hd 

TERO Entertainment

• FB TERO Digital: https://www.facebook.com/TERODigital 
• FB TERO News: https://www.facebook.com/TERONews/ 
• FB TERO Asia: https://www.facebook.com/teroasia 
• YT TERO Digital: https://www.youtube.com/@TERODigital 

ONE Championship

• YT ONE: https://www.youtube.com/ONEChampionship 
• FB ONE: https://www.facebook.com/onechampTH 

New Zealand

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on ESPN at 2:30 a.m. New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT) on Saturday, April 11.

Australia

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on ESPN at 12:30 p.m. Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) on Saturday, April 11.

Japan

Watch The Inner Circle live via U-NEXT at 8:30 p.m. Japan Standard Time (JST).

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on U-NEXT at 10:30 p.m. JST.

South Korea

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 8:30 p.m. Korean Standard Time (KST). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on ONE Championship’s YouTube channel, ONE Championship’s Facebook page, or watch.onefc.com at 10:30 p.m. KST.

China

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live via Duoyin at 9:30 p.m. China Standard Time (CST).

Hong Kong

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 p.m. Hong Kong Time (HKT).

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on beIN Sports at 9:30 p.m. HKT.

Malaysia

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 p.m. Malaysia Time (MYT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on beIN Sports at 9:30 p.m. MYT. 

Singapore

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 p.m. Singapore Standard Time (SGT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on beIN Sports at 9:30 p.m. SGT. 

The Philippines

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 p.m. Philippine Standard Time (PHT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on One Sports and One Sports+ at 9:30 p.m. PHT. 

Fans can also watch ONE Friday Fights 150 via ONE Championship’s YouTube channel, ONE Championship’s Facebook page, or watch.onefc.com. 

Mongolia

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 p.m. Ulaanbaatar Standard Time. 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on Premier Sports Network at 9:30 p.m. Ulaanbaatar Standard Time. 

Fans can also watch ONE Friday Fights 150 via ONE Championship’s YouTube channel, ONE Championship’s Facebook page, or watch.onefc.com. 

Indonesia

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on Vidio.com at 8:30 p.m. WIB. 

Fans can also watch ONE Friday Fights 150 via ONE Championship’s YouTube channel, ONE Championship’s Facebook page, or watch.onefc.com. 

Vietnam

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. Indochina Time (ICT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on HTV The Thao at 8:30 p.m. ICT. 

Fans can also watch ONE Friday Fights 150 via ONE Championship’s YouTube channel, ONE Championship’s Facebook page, or watch.onefc.com. 

Cambodia

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 6:30 p.m. Indochina Time (ICT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on ONE Championship’s YouTube channel, ONE Championship’s Facebook page, or watch.onefc.com at 8:30 p.m. ICT. 

Myanmar

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 6:00 p.m. Myanmar Time (MMT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on Skynet at 8 p.m. MMT. 

Fans can also watch ONE Friday Fights 150 via ONE Championship’s YouTube channel, ONE Championship’s Facebook page, or watch.onefc.com.

Kyrgyzstan 

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 5:30 p.m. Kyrgyzstan Time (KGT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on TelecomTV at 7:30 p.m. KGT. 

India

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 5:00 p.m. India Standard Time (IST). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on Star Sports Select 2 and JioHotstar at 7:00 p.m. IST. 

Uzbekistan

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 4:30 p.m. Uzbekistan Time (UZT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on TelecomTV at 6:30 p.m. UZT. 

Turkmenistan

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 4:30 p.m. Turkmenistan Time (TMT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on TelecomTV at 6:30 p.m. TMT. 

Tajikistan

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 4:30 p.m. Tajikistan Time (TJT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on TelecomTV at 6:30 p.m. TJT. 

Georgia

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Azerbaijan

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Armenia

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 3:30 p.m. Armenia Time (AMT). 

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Oman, United Arab Emirates

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Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Bahrain

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 2:30 p.m. Arabian Standard Time (AST). 

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Israel 

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 2:30 p.m. Israel Daylight Time. 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on One at 3:30 p.m. IDT. 

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Finland, Turkey, Estonia, Ukraine, Moldova

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Russia

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live via Match TV, Match Planeta, or Match Boets! at 4:30 p.m. Moscow Standard Time (MSK). 

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Belarus

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Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Egypt

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Romania

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Germany, Sweden, Hungary, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Malta, Albania, Spain, Andorra

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Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 12:30 p.m. Central European Time (CET). 

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United Kingdom

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 12:30 p.m. BST. 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live on the Sky Sports app, Sky Sports website, or Sky Sports YouTube channel at 1:30 p.m. GMT.

United States & Canada

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Fans can also watch ONE Friday Fights 150 via ONE Championship’s YouTube channel, ONE Championship’s Facebook page, or watch.onefc.com. 

Brazil 

Watch The Inner Circle exclusively on http://live.onefc.com beginning at 8:30 a.m. Brasilia Time (BRT). 

Watch ONE Friday Fights 150 live via ONE Championship’s YouTube channel, ONE Championship’s Facebook page, or watch.onefc.com at 10:30 a.m. Brasilia Time (BRT).

Source

Football, known as soccer in some parts of the world, is celebrated for its skill, creativity, and moments of brilliance. Among its most spectacular moves is the bicycle kick, an acrobatic strike that combines timing, balance, and courage. The move has produced unforgettable goals across generations, captivating fans with its elegance and difficulty. Yet behind its beauty lies a long standing debate. The true origin of the bicycle kick remains one of football’s most intriguing mysteries. Several Latin American countries claim ownership of the move, each presenting its own history and cultural connection. This debate highlights not only the evolution of football techniques but also the pride and identity tied to the sport in different regions. While modern audiences admire the bicycle kick as a universal symbol of excellence, its roots are deeply connected to early football traditions in South America, where innovation often emerged from passion and improvisation rather than formal coaching systems and structured play.

In Chile, many believe the move was popularised in the early twentieth century by a player named Ramon Unzaga. During a match in 1914, he reportedly performed the acrobatic kick, astonishing spectators and journalists alike. The Argentine press later referred to the move as 'la chilena', meaning 'the Chilean', a name that remains widely used today. Meanwhile, Peru offers an earlier origin story dating back to the late nineteenth century in the port city of Callao. According to this version, local players known as Chalacos created the move during matches against British sailors. Peruvians call it 'la chalaca', emphasising its connection to their coastal football culture. Brazil also enters the debate through the legendary player Leonidas da Silva, who became famous for performing the move in the early twentieth century. In Brazil the technique is often called 'bicicletа', and some believe Leonidas helped refine and popularise it on a larger stage. Despite these competing claims, historians agree that it is difficult to determine a single point of origin. What remains certain is that the bicycle kick reflects the creativity and flair of Latin American football, a region that has shaped the global game in profound ways.

EAST MEADOW, N.Y. (AP) — Matthew Schaefer and Peter DeBoer have just spent one practice together, and the young face of the New York Islanders already understands a couple of very important things about one of the best defensive minds in hockey who just took over as the team's coach.

“I know he loves winning,” Schaefer said. “I know he knows how to coach a team."

DeBoer took the ice Monday with a daunting immediate task of trying to push the Islanders into the playoffs following the firing of Patrick Roy roughly 24 hours earlier. They may need to win all four games left to get in after losing their past four and seven of 10 to fall out of a spot, but the move to bring in an accomplished leader with a record of success is as much about the future as salvaging this season.

“This is not only about this year,” general manager Mathieu Darche said. “If it’s truly only about four games left when you don’t fully control your destiny, it’s not a desperate move about this year.”

No, it's more about jumping the line on other NHL teams to get one of the top coaching candidates available before they start making moves in the coming weeks. Los Angeles and Columbus currently have interim coaches, Toronto is looking for a new GM and could also change coaches — and that's just the beginning.

“Guys like Pete DeBoer don’t stay on the market very long,” Darche said. “At this time, I think it’s what we need moving forward. It’s like grabbing the No. 1 free agent on the market. Pete’s an outstanding coach.”

Taking responsibility for Roy's firing, which surprised them, players seemed to get the gist.

“Darchy, he saw us not playing well, he saw Pete being a really good coach and obviously it’s a long-term play with this organization where you get a great coach that has done a lot of good things in this league,” said veteran forward Brayden Schenn, who won the Stanley Cup in 2019 St. Louis after a midseason coaching change that happened much earlier. "It’s not just a four-game stint. I think these four games, we can use it to push ourselves to give us a chance to get in the playoffs and moving forward after that.”

DeBoer has taken a team to the third round in six of the past seven seasons: San Jose in 2019, Vegas in 2020 and ‘21 and Dallas in ’23, ‘24 and ’25. He has two trips to the Stanley Cup Final on his resume: New Jersey in ‘12 and San Jose in ’16.

Set to turn 58 on June 13, DeBoer almost certainly would have had options for next season and beyond. He could have waited to see what materialized, but after a whirlwind of conversations with Darche over the weekend he decided Long Island was the right fit.

“When I first picked up the phone, my initial reaction was probably exactly (that): ‘We’re two weeks away from offseason, what’s the rush?’” DeBoer said. "He sold me on the organization and the vision and the direction and their ownership. ... After speaking with him at length, this quickly became a priority for me.”

Coaching in the New York area from 2011-14 with the Devils and having familiar assistant Bob Boughner already on staff were factors. DeBoer joked that the easier travel compared to the Western Conference was a selling point, too.

And, of course, there is Schaefer, who at 18 is already among the sport's best defensemen, thriving at a position that usually has a steep learning curve.

“He's special,” said DeBoer, who watched Schaefer closely as an assistant on Canada's Olympic staff. “I honestly couldn’t believe my eyes the first half of the year, what I was seeing from an 18-year-old: the maturity in his game, how dynamic he was.”

DeBoer also called Ilya Sorokin one of the best goaltenders in the league. Sorokin's play largely kept the Islanders afloat through rough stretches, but even he could not save Roy's job.

“The last little bit here, we weren’t as sharp or we didn’t get away with as much as we did before because, let’s face it, we got away with some stuff during the year where our goaltender’s been outstanding,” Darche said.

After four losses in four games over a six-day span, Sorokin and his teammates don't play again until Thursday. That gives DeBoer a longer runway than most midseason replacements to tweak and adjust, but Darche cautioned there won't be a full-blown system change because there simply isn't time for that.

Time is running out to make the playoffs, but after spending the vast majority of a season out of the NHL for the first time in nearly two decades, DeBoer wants players to cherish being in the thick of a race down the stretch.

“(This is) a chance to be playing in the playoffs in less than two weeks, and don’t take that for granted,” DeBoer said. "You get in the grind of the wins and the losses and the travel. You sometimes forget about how exciting this time of year is in this kind of position.”

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The UCLA Bruins have made it big time. On Sunday the team captured the program’s first-ever NCAA national championship, with UCLA dominating South Carolina to bring home the trophy. With the win, UCLA has picked up widespread praise for their performance.

Some of that praise even came from a former United States president. Known basketball fan and the 44th president of the United States Barack Obama showed UCLA some love on Twitter following the championship.

“Congratulations to Lauren Betts and the sensational seniors at @UCLAWBB for winning their first NCAA Championship!” Obama tweeted.

Congratulations to Lauren Betts and the sensational seniors at @UCLAWBB for winning their first NCAA Championship! https://t.co/73VAcvLFvP

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 5, 2026

UCLA’s senior class was deserving of the praise, with the Bruins six seniors scoring all 79 of UCLA’s points in the championship game. Lauren Betts even received some individual praise from Obama, which makes sense as Betts’ 6’7” frame is hard to miss out on the court.

Betts scored 14 points, brought down 11 rebounds and sent away two shots. She also showed some toughness, leaving the game in the first half with a throat injury before returning and helping the Bruins close out the championship.

UCLA star Lauren Betts was taken out in the 1st quarter of the National Championship after telling the bench that she had something stuck in her throat.

UCLA staff gave her an inhaler and examined Betts until she returned to the game in the 2nd quarter 🙌 pic.twitter.com/DARePwbygf

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 5, 2026

Fellow senior Gabriela Jaquez was UCLA’s leading scorer on Sunday, scoring a game-high 21 points and five assists, while bringing the energy required to close out a national title.

Obama attended Columbia University and Harvard, not UCLA, but he couldn’t ignore UCLA’s greatness, as Cori Close’s team wrapped up their 37-1 season as champions.

This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Barack Obama congratulates Lauren Betts and the UCLA Bruins

WNBA star Angel Reese is joining the Atlanta Dream from the Chicago Sky in a blockbuster move ahead of the new season, the clubs confirmed on Monday.

Reese, one of a new generation of WNBA talents whose rivalry with Indiana star Caitlin Clark has helped drive surging interest in the league, heads to Atlanta in a deal that will send multiple draft picks in the opposite direction.

Chicago will receive Atlanta's first-round picks in 2027 and 2028 and will also receive the right to swap second-round picks with Chicago in 2028.

"Angel is a dynamic talent and a perfect fit for what we are building in Atlanta," Dream general manager Dan Padover said in a statement.

"She has already proven herself as one of the most impactful players in the league, and her competitiveness, production and drive to win align seamlessly with our vision."

Reese rose to prominence during her college career when she led Lousiana State University to the 2023 National Championship, defeating Clark's University of Iowa Hawkeyes in the final.

Since arriving in the WNBA, she has recorded 49 career double-doubles while averaging 14.0 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. 

rcw/iwd

Italian side Como are showing interest in Real Madrid Castilla winger Daniel Yáñez, as the Serie A club continues to look toward La Fábrica for emerging talent, according to a report from Nicolo Schira.

Yáñez recently made an appearance with the first team and registered an assist, further boosting his profile after a strong run of performances with Castilla. His development has not gone unnoticed, with Como viewing him as a potential addition in line with their recent recruitment strategy.

The club, led by Cesc Fàbregas, has built a reputation for targeting young players from Real Madrid’s academy. Previous deals involving players like Nico Paz and Jacobo Ramón have strengthened that connection, and Yáñez could be the next to follow a similar path.

As with prior agreements, any deal would likely include a clause allowing Real Madrid to retain 50% of the player’s rights, maintaining long-term control over his future.

Como’s interest reflects both Yáñez’s growing reputation and Madrid’s continued production of high-level prospects.

TORONTO -- The last time these two teams shared a field, it didn’t feel real. It stretched past logic — 11 innings, constant swings, and a Game 7 that ended with the Dodgers escaping as champions, a title sealed on the same field where the Blue Jays watched a season slip away.

Now they meet again, back in Toronto, with the memory still fresh. The Dodgers return as back-to-back champions, carrying the same core that survived that November night.

Dodgers (7-2, 1st in NL West)

If there were early concerns about the Dodgers’ offense, they didn’t make the trip east. 

At 7-2, they arrive in Toronto playing their cleanest stretch of baseball so far, and the turnaround has been quick. What looked out of sync against Cleveland flipped almost immediately in Washington, where they poured in 31 runs over a three-game sweep and reestablished the identity this lineup is capable of when it finds rhythm.

This group looks awake now, but more importantly, it looks layered. Shohei Ohtani is settling in and impacting games in multiple ways, even when he isn’t the focal point. Freddie Freeman remains the constant, continuing to drive the offense with timely hits and extra-base production that sets the tone. Around them, the depth is beginning to show up in meaningful spots. Andy Pages has forced his way into the conversation with a torrid start, and contributions from role players have turned what could be isolated rallies into sustained pressure.

That depth is what allows this lineup to function the way it has over the last week. It showed up clearly in Sunday’s comeback win, where a five-run deficit didn’t force urgency so much as it revealed patience. The Dodgers didn’t need one big swing to get back into the game. They built innings, created traffic, and let the game come to them. That approach is what makes them difficult to put away, especially when the production isn’t concentrated in one or two spots.

Even the pitching, while not flawless, has done enough to support that identity. The starters have kept games within reach, and the bullpen has managed to limit damage in key spots. There have been moments where things have wobbled, but the group as a whole has avoided letting those moments spiral. When it has mattered, the offense has picked up the slack, reinforcing a balance that’s starting to take shape early in the season.

The biggest storyline coming into this series, though, isn’t who’s producing — it’s who isn’t. 

Mookie Betts has been placed on the injured list with a right oblique strain, an absence that immediately reshapes the top of the lineup. The injury was confirmed after an MRI in Washington, and while manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the typical 4-6 week timeline associated with oblique issues, the club remains hopeful Betts could return sooner than expected.

Betts exited Saturday’s game in the first inning, and the ripple effects are already being felt. The Dodgers have called up Hyeseong Kim, who is expected to split time with Miguel Rojas on the left side of the infield, while Alex Freeland takes on a larger role at second base. It’s not a direct replacement, and it doesn’t try to be. Instead, it reflects the way this roster is built — leaning on versatility and depth rather than expecting one player to replicate Betts’ production.

There’s no clean way to replace what Betts provides at the top of the order. What the Dodgers can do is what they’ve already started to show over the past week: absorb the loss, distribute the responsibility, and continue to generate offense from multiple spots. They don’t come into this series searching for an identity. They’ve already started to establish one.

Blue Jays (4-5, 3rd in AL East)

If the Dodgers arrive with momentum, the Blue Jays are still trying to stabilize.

Toronto’s record doesn’t fully capture the tone of their last week. After a strong opening series, they’ve dropped five of their last six, including a sweep at the hands of the White Sox — a stretch defined more by missed opportunities than outright collapse.

The pitching has been uneven but workable, it’s the offense that’s been the issue.

Run production has stalled in key moments, and when opportunities have come, they’ve often slipped away — whether through situational hitting or defensive miscues that have compounded innings.

There’s also the matter of health.

Toronto enters this series with a growing injury list, including the absence of catcher Alejandro Kirk and multiple arms either sidelined or working their way back. It’s not a roster at full strength, and against a lineup like the Dodgers’, that margin becomes thinner.

Still, this is a team that doesn’t need much to flip a narrative.

A single series can reset the tone of an early season. And for a team that hasn’t forgotten how last year ended, this matchup carries a little more weight than the calendar suggests.

Pitching Probables

Monday, April 6: Justin Wrobleski (0-0, 6.75 ERA) vs. Max Scherzer (1-0, 1.50 ERA)

Tuesday, April 7: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. Kevin Gausman (0-0, 0.75)

Wednesday, April 8: Shohei Ohtani (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Dylan Cease (0-0, 2.79 ERA

Injury Report

Dodgers

Day-to-day: None

10-day IL: Tommy Edman, Mookie Betts

15-day IL: Blake Snell, Landon Knack, Brusdar Graterol, Brock Stewart

60-day IL: Kiké Hernández, Evan Phillips, Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone, Jake Cousins

Blue Jays

Day-to-day: Addison Barger

10-day IL: Alejandro Kirk

15-day IL: Yimi García, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, José Berríos

60-day IL: Anthony Santander, Bowden Francis, Cody Ponce

Welcome back to Monday Stat Party, a weekly series showcasing the most curious and nostalgia-inducing statistical developments from the past week of Mets baseball. What unites each entry is the sense of intrigue which they aim to spark, and the unbridled love of the game’s anomalies from which they arise. Without further ado, let the stat party begin…

MONDAY

Carson Benge became the eighth Met to steal two bases in their first four career games, and the first to do so since Ronny Mauricio in 2023.

TUESDAY

Kodai Senga averaged 97.4 mph on his four-seam fastball, the highest of any start in his major league career. Senga also notched five swinging strikeouts on the four-seamer; since pitch tracking began in 2008, the only Mets right-handers to register more swinging strikeouts on a four-seamer in a single game are Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Matt Harvey.

Jared Young recorded a hit with an exit velocity of over 111 mph in a second consecutive game. In 2025, Pete Alonso and Juan Soto were the only Mets to accomplish that feat.

WEDNESDAY

The Mets played extra innings for the third time in their first six games for the second time in franchise history, joining 1991. (credit: MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo)

The Mets scored one run or fewer through nine innings for the third time in their first six games. It’s only the seventh time that’s happened in franchise history, but the third time in the past four years (along with 2023 and 2024).

THURSDAY

Blade Tidwell became the first former Mets major leaguer to get a save against his old team since Paul Sewald on June 2, 2024.

FRIDAY

The Mets scored double-digit runs for the second time in their first eight games. It’s the first time they’ve accomplished that feat since 2007.

Juan Soto became the tenth Met to record a hit in each of the team’s first eight games in a season, and the first since Jeff Francoeur in 2010.

Francisco Alvarez recorded the sixth multi-homer game of his career, and the third where both homers were hit over 400 feet at 105+ mph. The only other Mets with three such multi-homer games in the statcast era (since 2015) are Pete Alonso and Yoenis Cespedes.

Mark Vientos reached base four times for the third time in his career. He had previously done so on April 28, 2025, and June 3, 2024 — both games at Nationals Park.

Through his first ten career games, Nolan McLean has recorded 58.1 innings pitched, 69 strikeouts, and a 2.16 ERA. The only other pitcher with that many IP and strikeouts with that low of an ERA through their first ten outings is Paul Skenes.

SATURDAY

The Mets earned their first shutout win while scoring 9+ runs since September 18, 2024, when they beat the Nationals 10-0 at Citi Field.

Clay Holmes completed seven innings for only the second time in his career, having previously done so on June 1, 2025 against the Rockies at Citi Field.

Tyrone Taylor has only hit ten homers as a Met, but he has now homered at Oracle Park twice, having previously done so on April 24, 2024.

SUNDAY

The Mets have won three games in a row for the first time since August 25-27, 2025, when they swept the Phillies at Citi Field (think parabolic microphones).

The Mets have recorded 12 hits in three straight games for the fourth time this decade.

Luis Robert Jr. has reached base 18 times in his first nine games as a Met. Only 14 Mets have done that to begin their stint with the team, with the first being Willie Mays in 1972 and the most recent being Ángel Pagán in 2008. Other notable names include John Olerud, Rickey Henderson, and Carlos Delgado.

Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week:

Ron Swoboda is the Mets’ all-time leader in home runs against the Giants with 16. Swoboda only hit 69 homers total with the Mets, and 23.2% of those came against San Francisco.

The Indianapolis Colts will be hosting Ole Miss safety Kapena Gushiken on an official pre-draft visit, according to draft analyst Tony Pauline.

During the pre-draft process, each NFL team can have up to 30 draft prospects take an official visit. These visits can be with first-round prospects all the way to UDFAs.

Let's take a closer look at what Gushiken could bring to the Colts.

Colts 2026 NFL draft prospect to watch: S Kapena Gushiken

The 2025 season was Gushiken's first at Ole Miss after previously playing at Washington State. Over three seasons, he appeared in 40 games, which includes averaging 800 defensive snaps over the last two years.

At Washington State, most of Gushiken's snaps came from the slot, but at Ole Miss, he was moved around more, regularly playing deep, in the box, and at the nickel. In 2025, Gushiken logged one interception, three pass breakups, and held opponents to a completion rate of 59% on 49 targets. For what it's worth, he graded out well against the run by PFF's metrics.

Kapena Gushiken's athletic profile

Kapena Gushiken is a FS prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.16 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 106 out of 1247 FS from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/JhmDW8mPw6pic.twitter.com/gef0eaWkzQ

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) March 22, 2026

What is the Colts' need at safety?

Although the Colts signed Jonathan Owens and Juanyeh Thomas in free agency to compete with Hunter Wohler for the strong safety role next to Cam Bynum, there are still unknowns around what the Colts truly have at that position. That final roster spot or two at this position will be up for grabs as well, with there being little experience on the back end of the depth chart. Adding more safety competition wouldn't be a bad idea.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Colts host S Kapena Gushiken on visit

Film Profile | Analytical Profile

This article originally appeared on The Huddle: Carnell Tate NFL Draft Profile - Rookie Film Analysis

As the Minnesota Vikings approach the start of their offseason program on April 20, the most impactful question facing the franchise centers on the quarterback position. Whether the Week 1 starter is J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray would signal two very different philosophies about how the team views its identity and competitive window.

The Vikings did not sign Murray to a one‑year “prove‑it” deal to sit him on the bench, so it’s reasonable to assume he enters the offseason with an edge in the competition. However, nothing is guaranteed in the NFL, and it would cost the team very little to maintain continuity by continuing J.J. McCarthy’s development.

Starting McCarthy would signal a commitment to continuity, trust in the process, and belief in both McCarthy and head coach Kevin O’Connell. McCarthy was drafted to be the franchise quarterback and brings the leadership traits teams look for at the position. At this stage, he should no longer be viewed purely as a prospect, but as a player capable of commanding the offense, setting protections, and winning games.

Retaining the starting role would be a significant endorsement of McCarthy’s growth. It would suggest the coaching staff has seen sufficient improvement in his processing speed, downfield accuracy, and decision‑making to confidently run the offense through him. It would also allow the organization to prioritize other roster needs next offseason—assuming the plan works.

Starting Kyler Murray, on the other hand, would reflect the urgency O’Connell may feel to win now. The organization has placed significant trust in O’Connell, and that confidence comes with expectations. Murray brings a dynamic skill set, but the offense would need to adapt to his playing style and preference for spread concepts. Durability questions, concerns about long‑term fit, and the potential for a sizable contract next offseason all factor into the decision. That said, none of those issues will matter if O’Connell believes Murray gives the team the best chance to win immediately.

Ultimately, the Vikings didn’t sign Murray to a one‑year deal to keep him on the sideline. He likely enters camp with the inside track to the starting job. Still, there are compelling reasons for the organization to hope McCarthy wins the competition. Murray is the leader right now. That outlook, of course, could change as the offseason progresses.

Two polls today, I’ll post them again throughout the offseason to see how the results move.

How has a club with one of the smallest budgets in League One won promotion to the Championship?

When just a solitary point was needed, Jack Moylan scored a 96th-minute winner to secure a 2-1 victory at Reading and seal promotion in style, clinching a place in the second tier for the first time in 65 years.

With five matches remaining, Lincoln's next job will be to win the League One title and complete a historic campaign at Sincil Bank.

It has been a journey about more than just recent seasons. To explain it fully, John Pakey - a former sports editor of the Lincolnshire Echo - caught up with his former colleagues to reflect on a success story that has been 20 years in the making.

"We look at Lincoln City as a sleeping giant, is that fair?"

This question was being put to me by Danny Cowley, it was just after 17:00 on Wednesday, 11 May, 2016.

I remember the time and date very clearly as I had just pressed send on the back page of the Lincolnshire Echo. The headline declaring - "It's a Dan deal: Cowley to be new Imps boss".

It was my first conversation with the man who, alongside his brother Nicky, would go on to dramatically change the fortunes of the club.

I had secured my story through sources, not from him direct, so to hear him on the phone was a relief as that back page was now whirling around a press.

"Nicky and I really think that if we can get the city behind us, if we can connect, then it has real potential," said Danny. I agreed, but we had to go back another 10 years to really see when it had last felt like that.

'Keith had an eye for a player like no other'

That was under the management of Keith Alexander, a man who would cement his place in the club's history, bringing it out of the ashes of administration to back-to-back play-off campaigns in League Two.

"Before Keith, the gates were bad, 2,500 people turning up," said Leigh Curtis, who took over coverage of Lincoln City for the Echo back in 2005.

"Off the pitch, the ITV digital crash left the club out of pocket and it went into administration. What Keith did saved the club."

And what Alexander did was recruit well. Several players he found came out of non-league and in some cases went on to play in the Premier League - Gareth McAuley and Gary Taylor-Fletcher being the two main examples.

"His eye for a player was amazing, and that was his great strength," added Curtis. "But he also knew he had to get the team spirit right.

"He encouraged them to go out and socialise, build that spirit. His saying was that team spirit was worth 50 points in a season.

"What that did on the pitch was create a very hard-working team, players who would graft for each other. Critics would say it was a long-ball team, I think Keith just made a team that was hard to beat."

Alexander left to join Peterborough United in the summer of 2006 and died aged just 53 in 2010. Such was the mark he made his funeral was held in the cathedral in the city.

"Until recently, no manager after Keith recruited as well as he did," said Curtis. "That was part of the downfall really."

That downfall culminated in Steve Tilson in charge of the club as they dropped out of the Football League in 2011. A day Curtis described as "horrific".

'Dorrian does not get enough credit for what he did'

"After that, the one man that really kept the club alive was the chairman Bob Dorrian. Dorrian doesn't get enough credit for what he did," said Curtis.

Dorrian was someone I would spend a lot of time talking finances with. I had taken over coverage from Leigh and by now was enduring life in non-league.

Dorrian did not just back the club with money, he was also seeking out investment and restructured the ownership to make any sale easier.

After several false dawns, Dorrian's patience paid off when Clive Nates came on board in 2016 – eventually taking over as chairman in 2018.

A South African businessman so unassuming you would struggle to pick him out in the directors' box – not that he sat in it much.

He would often quietly, almost anonymously, mingle among the fans on the terraces on away trips.

I asked Nates "why?" when he got involved.

"I have friends who spend money on paintings, on cars," he said. "But I like football and that's what I want to put my money in."

His first job – get the Cowleys, a pair of up-and-coming non-league managers who had taken Essex side Concord Rangers up the divisions.

Their arrival came on the same day as my departure from the Echo. Mark Whiley was to take over. He covered an FA Cup run where the Imps set a new record, the first non-league club to reach the quarter-finals, promotion back to the Football League, promotion to League One, a Wembley final victory. All in four years.

'The fans cheered the announcement of the Cowleys'

"The Cowleys were different as after years of bargain basement managers we actually went out and did the research and found them," said Whiley.

"The excitement was there and I remember the event where they first met the fans they were cheered into the room.

"We can look at this season and see promotion to the Championship as the best thing the club has done, but those three seasons, two promotions, FA Cup quarter-final, winning a trophy at Wembley. That changed it all.

"They brought a buzz back that we hadn't seen since Keith, and they were like Keith in that they would find players on the way up, scour non-league and find the future stars.

"The fact is, that even after the Cowleys left to join Huddersfield, the energy stayed.

"It sticks with me that Danny said to me he didn't want to see kids in Lincoln wearing the shirts of Premier League clubs, he wanted to see them kicking a ball in the park wearing a Lincoln City shirt.

"The success, the work that was done means that is a reality. I see it all the time when I go round the city, people wear their colours with pride."

While Mark, Leigh and myself have covered parts of Lincoln's recent history, one man who has been the stalwart has been BBC Radio Lincolnshire's Michael Hortin.

His first game was in 1999, and he was there in the commentary box as Lincoln gained promotion to the Championship.

"This promotion is the culmination of a long-term plan," said Hortin. "This is about a chairman and board who have been thoughtful with their investment.

"Lincoln's FA Cup run earned them a lot of money and they did not spend it on players, they spent it on a whole new training set-up.

"The Cowleys were the start of a transition from the old way of doing things, to a set-up that is very much part of the modern game.

"Under them a sporting director was brought in to support recruitment and player development and now we really do have a true 'head coach' in Michael Skubala.

"It is about finding those raw players, developing them, selling them, and it is paying off as it has allowed them to secure players on better deals."

Lincoln have, as Hortin describes, recruited 'experience' to the squad. Their head coach, though, is a man who had limited time in the professional game, but Hortin said Skubala's ability to learn and adapt has been impressive.

"I remember the first game Skubala took was against Stevenage, and it was a bit of a shock, but he was quite cool and his reaction was more 'huh, this is what it is about', and he learned," said Hortin.

"The way the team has adapted and what Skubala has done is create a team that is hard to beat."

A team that is hard to beat. A club that has been learning, developing, recruiting, all building up to where Lincoln are now. But what next?

Hortin is confident that the club will remain realistic. "The first goal will be survival, but the thing is they had a plan to become an established League One club, and now they will be working on another plan for what comes next.

"The one thing is that new owner Ron Fowler will likely go about it the same as Clive Nates. It will be done in a quiet, steady, thoughtful way. That has become the Lincoln way."

Ex-White Sox, Orioles 31 home run Silver Slugger earns minor league honor with Blue Jays originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Toronto Blue Jays could have a difficult decision on their hands. 

After being swept by the Chicago White Sox, Toronto should be searching for answers about how to turn its losing ways around. A boost on offense may be the first step in flipping the switch. 

Veteran Eloy Jimenez signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays during the offseason. The former Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles slugger hit a personal best 31 home runs during his rookie year in 2019, but injuries and inconsistent performance derailed his career. 

"The right-handed slugger is best known for his time with the White Sox, garnering considerable hype as one of baseball’s top prospects leading up to his big league debut in 2019," MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan wrote in January. "Chicago signed him to a six-year, $43 million contract that March, days before his first MLB game." 

More: Marlins suggested to sign Max Kepler after Phillies’ OF was suspended for 80 games

TSN reports that Jimenez won the Legends Player of the Week award for his hot start at the plate at Triple-A Buffalo. He's slashing .375/.429/.542 with one home run and five RBI in seven games thus far. 

ELOY ‼️

Jimenez earns himself the Legends Player of the Week honor! pic.twitter.com/F9p6tjGYBM

— Buffalo Bisons (@BuffaloBisons) April 6, 2026

Could the Blue Jays consider calling up Jimenez? His defensive limitations could lead to a disheartening conclusion for the 29-year-old. Jimenez is mainly a DH at this point in his career, partially playing first base. 

That's not much to work with for Blue Jays manager John Schneider. 

More MLB news:

• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award
• Giancarlo Stanton has an absurd 2-for-4 streak going on for Yankees
• Mets didn’t want to trade Brett Baty while White Sox didn’t want Mark Vientos in Luis Robert Jr. trade
• How Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto is connected to Rockies' Tomoyuki Sugano
• Red Sox never close on Astros’ Isaac Paredes trade
• Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

James Pearce Jr. has informed the Atlanta Falcons that he will not report for minicamp on Tuesday, a league source confirmed Monday.

Pearce’s status with the team has been in limbo since Feb. 7, when he was arrested following an incident with former girlfriend Rickea Jackson, who plays for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.

Pearce was arrested after allegedly hitting Jackson’s vehicle several times with his own and trying to block her access to the Doral (Fla.) Police Department and has been charged with felony aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, felony fleeing and eluding police, felony resisting an officer with violence and misdemeanor stalking. He is scheduled to go to trial on May 4 and could face jail time.

The Feb. 7 incident was part of a tumultuous, multiyear relationship between Pearce and Jackson, according to a petition for injunction for protection against dating violence Jackson filed on Feb. 9.

“James appears to have an underlying mental disorder, and he is violent,” she stated in the petition. “I am in fear of my life, and I believe, if this Court does not assist me with this issue, James will kill me.”

According to Jackson’s petition, Pearce threatened to kill Jackson, threatened to put a bag over her head and “verbally and physically abused” her on multiple occasions prior to the Feb. 7 incident that led to his arrest. After an incident in which he “snatched” her cellphone away and pulled her hair, Jackson told Pearce she wanted to end the relationship, she stated in the document.

“James did not listen to my request and instead went on a never-ending campaign of threats, physical assaults, and abuse against me,” she wrote.

At one point, Pearce offered Jackson $75,000 to meet with her and $200,000 to remain in a relationship with her, according to Jackson.

Pearce’s case has a status hearing scheduled for April 21 and a docket sounding scheduled for April 23. The sounding will be the final chance for a plea agreement to be reached in the case. Predicting how much jail time Pearce could face if convicted on his charges is difficult because of Florida sentencing calculation guidelines that account for a wide range of mitigating factors, such as whether the defendant expressed remorse or was not in a sound state of mind.

The NFL’s personal conduct policy can impose penalties on Pearce regardless of the outcome of his criminal case. It states that in cases of felony battery and dating violence, “a first violation will subject the violator to a baseline suspension without pay of six games, with possible upward or downward adjustments based on any aggravating or mitigating factors.” A second offense “will result in banishment from the NFL,” and the player can ask for reinstatement after one season, according to the policy.

Pearce’s situation “remains under review” by the NFL, according to a league representative. The terms of the personal conduct policy allow the league to conduct its own investigation independent of law enforcement, but the league representative declined to say if it had opened its own investigation into Pearce. If the league does investigate and find credible evidence of similar behavior prior to this year’s incident, that could be considered an aggravating factor under the policy and result in increased discipline.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Atlanta Falcons, NFL, WNBA

2026 The Athletic Media Company

Jackson Flora of UC Santa Barbara is on a heater, and we're not talking about his fastball that averages better than 96 mph and tops out at over 100.

Flora has pitched 34 consecutive shutout innings over five starts and is third in the nation with an 0.83 ERA.

His latest outing was his best of the season, a four-hit shutout in a 6-0 victory over Cal Poly last Thursday. At 6-0, he has matched his 2025 win total.

“He's put it together,” UCSB coach Andrew Checketts said Monday. “We've known since he got here what a special arm it was and what a special athlete he was. He’s a competitive kid. There was rawness to his game when he got here, but he’s continued to grow and improve and developed his pitches.”

The junior right-hander is Baseball America's top college pitching prospect for the Major League Baseball amateur draft and is in line to become the Gauchos' second pitcher in two years to be taken in the first round and third since 2021. Tyler Bremner was the No. 2 overall pick last year, by the Angels, and Michael McGreevy was taken No. 18 by the Cardinals in 2021.

Checketts also developed a first-round pick in Dillon Tate in 2015 and 2020 Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber, a fourth-rounder in 2016.

Flora, in addition to his fastball, throws a sweeper and hard slider and in the preseason developed a kick changeup, which sinks more than a straight changeup and has been especially effective against left-handed batters.

Flora originally committed to Loyola Marymount out of Pleasanton, California. He reopened his recruitment following a coaching change at LMU in 2023. At the time, he was dating the sister of then-UCSB ace Matt Ager.

“So we at least had somebody vouching for us,” Checketts said. “That helps. She wasn’t going to school here and they’ve broken up since. I think that gave us a voice when he was on the market, that he could trust us.”

In the polls

Consensus No. 1 UCLA took three from nationally ranked rival Southern California to extend its winning streak to a program-record 23 games. The Bruins have swept five Big Ten Conference opponents, a first for the program. Up next are a Tuesday game at Cal State Fullerton and three this weekend at Rutgers.

Texas and Georgia Tech are behind UCLA in the D1Baseball.com and Baseball America rankings for the fourth straight week.

The Longhorns (26-5) took two of three at South Carolina for their fourth straight Southeastern Conference series win. The Yellow Jackets (26-5) opened a 4-0 week with a run-rule win over Auburn and then swept California on the road.

LSU's Cade Arrambide set a school record with four home runs in the Tigers' 16-6, 12-inning win at Tennessee on Sunday. His grand slam highlighted a 10-run 12th. He was the first player to go deep four times since Justin Osterhouse of Purdue Fort Wayne did it against Wright State last May.

Kansas (22-10) has won six straight and 12 of 14 after sweeping Utah. The Jayhawks have won three straight Big 12 series and matched their best start in conference play at 12-3, and they've scored at least 10 runs in five straight games for the first time since 2011. With 52 runs in four games (13.0 average), they were the highest-scoring power-conference team last week.

KU has 16 come-from-behind wins, none bigger than the 14-12 walk-off against the Utes on Thursday. The Jayhawks homered four times in the bottom of the ninth inning, capped by Tyson LeBlanc's game winner.

Nebraska, ranked as high as No. 19, has won 21 of its last 22 games. The Cornhuskers swept Penn State and are 11-1 in Big Ten play, their best conference start since they opened 10-1-1 in the Big 12 in 2008. At 22-6, they've matched their best 32-game start. ... Mississippi won two of three at Florida despite scoring no runs in 20 consecutive innings. The Rebels scored in the sixth inning of Thursday's 6-4 win, lost 2-0 Friday and scored all of their runs in the ninth inning of Saturday's 5-2 win. ... Bowling Green's Alex Laird stole a MAC-record seven bases, including home, in a 9-6 win over Akron on Friday.

___

AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

Back in May of 2024, Florida State extended a scholarship offer to 2027 three-star defensive lineman Kalib Spivey. A month later, he attended their Elite Camp. Then, things got murky between him and the program.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pounder says that the interest in him from FSU had fallen off since that trip, and he hadn't been back on campus since then. However, one huge factor got him to return to Tallahassee over the weekend, and that was edge coach Nick Williams.

"I got on the phone with Coach Williams and he was just saying how good of a player I was and how he can develop me into being the best player that I can be," Spivey said via Noles247. "That really stood out to me. He didn't get on the phone talking about draft picks and all that, he just straight up talked to me about development. Had a real conversation with me and I really enjoyed that."

The communication between Williams and Spivey has been going on for quite some time. Spivey got to witness the program's second spring scrimmage, and he specifically had his eyes on the Williams and his coaching style.

It was the first meeting in person for Spivey and Williams, and the former praised the latter on his approach.

"I just wanted to meet the new coach," Spivey said. "Since he is a new coach that came, I just wanted to meet him. I've been talking to him for a while.

"He seems like a really good guy. A guy who cares about developing kids into men. He cares about developing high school players. ... He wants to develop kids to men."

Williams has certainly done a great job on developing college players. When he was at Georgia, he helped develop edge Travon Walker into the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he just recently got a major contract extension. Williams also helped Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Devonte Wyatt become first-round picks out of Georgia. Fadil Diggs, who was a seventh-round pick in 2025, was coached by Williams at Syracuse as well.

Spivey is the No. 537 overall recruit and the No. 63 defensive lineman in the country per 247Sports composite rankings. They have him listed as the No. 21 prospect in Alabama.

In terms of an official visit to Florida State, Spivey is working to get one locked in.

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

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Football: DL Kalib Spivey visits Florida State

• Hull City and Coventry play out a largely uneventful goalless draw - their second of the season
• The Sky Blues can earn Premier League promotion on Saturday with a win over Sheffield Wednesday but need rivals to drop points
• Tommy Conway converts from the spot to earn Middlesbrough a point at Swansea
• A draw not enough for Boro as Ipswich claim second place following their victory over Birmingham
• Struggling Leicester equalise late on to rescue a draw at bottom side Sheffield Wednesday
• Norwich, Roy Hodgson's Bristol City and Derby also claim wins while points are shared between Pompey and Oxford in big relegation battle
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Championship: Coventry held at Hull after Boro and Millwall also drop points - reaction

The Indianapolis Colts are still without a starting strong safety as we inch towards the NFL Draft… or are they?

Indy’s starter of the past two seasons, 2022 draftee Nick Cross, just left in free agency to join the Washington Commanders’ defensive backfield. Although his departure was indeed a loss, general manager Chris Ballard and Co. didn’t seem to be pressed to see him go. There wasn’t a bidding war that took place, but rather, Cross left on his own accord.

Cross was a tackling machine for the Colts, totaling 266 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in his 34 games started across the past two seasons. He also added four interceptions and ten passes broken up despite his shortcomings in coverage. His durability and reliability from the box netted him a modest two-year, $13M deal, which begs the question: Why didn’t the Colts try harder to bring back a proven commodity who was developed in-house?

That’s likely because all signs are pointing toward the torch being passed down to 2025 7th-round draft pick Hunter Wohler.

The 6’2”, 213 lb safety slowly but surely heated up in training camp before his rookie campaign was ultimately ended before it could begin after suffering a season-ending Lisfranc injury. Wohler was shaping up to be an impact player from day one, with special teams contributions at the forefront, but also a backup at both safety and linebacker.

He notably intercepted Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson twice in the team’s practice scrimmage in the week leading up to their preseason matchup last year, before leading the Colts with nine tackles (six solo) in his first big of preseason run at the next level. It was evident throughout the summer that Wohler belongs in the NFL, but is he ready to start?

His playstyle and strength as a tackler from box alignment are certainly intriguing as they mimic that of Nick Cross’s. It’s tricky to confidently suggest that a former 7th-round draft selection with zero regular-season experience is going to make a smooth transition as the next in line, but until Wohler is afforded a veteran safety to bridge the gap like Rodney McLeod did for Cross, this new era is nothing more than a waiting game to see if Chris Ballard can outdo his previous trick.

Auburn basketball guards sophomore Tahaad Pettiford, junior Kevin Overton, and senior Keyshawn Hall were named to the 2026 NIT All-Tournament Team right after the championship game on Sunday, April 5.

Auburn brought home its first NIT Championship for the program after defeating Tulsa 92-86. Pettiford, Overton, and Hall each played a major role in the NIT Tournament and Championship game for the Tigers. The sophomore Pettiford hit a big three-pointer that immediately answered the three-pointer that Tulsa Ade Popoola hit to cut the lead to two. In the last 10 seconds of the ball game, Overton hit an even bigger three-pointer for the Tigers, this time tying the ball game to send it to overtime.

Overton's performance overall in the final landed him being named the NIT Most Valuable Player award. He scored 26 points, hitting 5-of-8 from three and assisting on three shots. As a whole, Overton scored 20 or more points in three of the five tournament games for the Tigers, with only one not reaching double-digits.

Though not scoring like he did all season, Hall did put up a respectable double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Throughout the tournament, his best game came in the semi-final against Illinois State, where he dropped 24 points on 62.5% shooting.

Auburn relied on these three guards heavily to lead the way offensively during their NIT Tournament championship run. Hall played his last game, but questions will remain for Pettiford and Overton about whether they will return to the program.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jac on Twitter@Jac_Myrick

This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn basketball players honored with NIT All-Tournament Team

It was about 7 p.m. on Thursday night, and Title 9 Sports Grill in Phoenix’s Melrose District was packed with a mix of regulars and new faces in town to take in the conclusion of the women’s NCAA basketball tournament that weekend.

Though Title 9, which opened a year ago, is well known as the city’s first and only sports bar dedicated to women’s sports—and you could say I’m something of a women’s sports super-fan myself—my mind still went elsewhere when a bartender told me it was their “busy season.”

It’s early April! The weather is gorgeous! It’s the perfect time to grab a Billie Jean Spritz! (That’s grapefruit tequila, Aperol, orange bitters, and prosecco, by the way.)

But no. The Unrivaled 3-on-3 basketball season just ended, the WNBA season is about to begin, and sandwiched in between is March Madness, which would crown a champion later that weekend about 4 miles away at Mortgage Matchup Center. In this sacred section of the city, where a life-size image of Phoenix Mercury legend Diana Taurasi leaping for a layup graces the wall opposite the bar, women’s basketball means business.

"The city has changed and embraced not only women's basketball, but women's sports in general," Taurasi told me two days later in downtown Phoenix, where she was supporting Lilly’s mobile mammogram screenings for women over 35. She was drafted to the Mercury in 2004, and simply never left—her kids go to school here, her entire life is here, and now she’s made it her mission to help give back to the place that’s given her so much.

"This city is the gold standard when it comes to fandom,” she said, “and I think the Final Four this weekend is definitely a product of that."

As someone who has covered women’s sports from all corners of the globe—Final Fours to All-Star Games, World Cups and the Olympics—I sometimes sound like a broken record saying, “This one feels different.” But it’s kind of like your favorite record, the one where every pop and crackle tells a story, the one you can’t stop playing because even though it’s different than it was, it feels like a warm hug. You’ll never let it go, because it’s the real deal.

I said it after the 2023 Final Four in Dallas, when the Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese showdown became water cooler conversation as First Lady Jill Biden looked on from Billie Jean King’s suite. I said it again last year in Tampa, when Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd carried UConn to a record 12th national championship, setting up a storybook rookie year for Paige in the WNBA and launching another new generation of players into superstardom.

But what made this Final Four feel different was how ordinary it all suddenly felt—in the best way. Merch lines snaked through every building I visited without anyone remarking on them. Every stray conversation I heard in restaurants or out in the street carried the assumption that of course this was where everyone should be this weekend. No one was explaining why it mattered, they just knew it did.

Like on Saturday night in the lobby of my hotel, when I met a woman from Iowa named Steph who was at that game in Dallas three years ago to cheer on her local team. She and her family fell so in love with the experience that they decided they’d make traveling to the women’s Final Four a yearly tradition.

Covering plenty of miles in Phoenix in my Brooks sneakers, every fan I spoke to along the way said attending the Final Four is not necessarily about having a personal connection to a team—it’s about connecting to the community.

The Bruin Bond

This year’s tournament certainly delivered on exciting upsets and busted brackets, like when South Carolina put on a defensive master class to shut down title favorites UConn on Friday night. But when UCLA hoisted the national championship trophy Sunday afternoon, they made it clear that the win was all about heart, manifestation, and the power of friendship.

At the postgame press conference, UCLA head coach Cori Close explained what that looked like for this UCLA team, a group of mostly veterans—all of their points in the championship game were scored by seniors—who have spent years together forging strong bonds and making sacrifices to win the school’s first-ever national title. For the last 30 days, the Bruins began film sessions by writing down five to seven “I will” statements and choosing some to share with each other. They decided they would become national champions, and they did.

"I just think about how many of those ‘I wills’ they actually lived out,” Close said. “That's just so rewarding to see something that you really planned for, you really sacrificed for.”

UCLA senior guard Gabriela Jaquez, who was the game’s leading scorer, said their biggest “why” was each other. “The joy we had and the love we have for each other has really motivated us this whole season, because we just want to do it for each other,” she said. “That just made it so special.”

Jaquez and her teammates went viral multiple times this season for simply having a good time, whether they were joining the UCLA dance team at halftime of the men’s basketball game or recording funny TikTok dances.

“We did everything to get there, basketball-wise, and we also just enjoyed each other,” said senior center Lauren Betts, voted the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. A top WNBA draft prospect who has been open about her past struggles with mental health, she said the support of Close and her teammates made her see herself in a new light. “We’re such a close group of girls, and I’m gonna miss them so much.”

Very little of the press conference was spent on box scores and stat lines, but rather on the relationships that powered them through. That’s not to say it hadn’t been on display from prior championship-winning teams, but it feels particularly poignant that in a moment when the sport is exploding outward—with bigger audiences, bigger stakes, and a brighter spotlight—the thing its top team chose to center was something that felt so human.

It’s not just the highlights or the headlines anymore, but the feeling of being part of something exciting. In Phoenix, it looked like downtown bars packed with lifelong fans alongside first-timers already planning their 2027 trip to Columbus, Ohio. It looked like a team writing down “I will” and seeing it through.

Maybe that’s what’s different now. Not that women’s basketball has arrived—it’s always been here—but that it’s settled in. The kind of thing you plan your spring around without thinking twice. The kind of thing that, once you’re in it, you don’t really want to leave.

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Jose Delano wants to be a busy man in 2026.

The UFC newcomer, who debuted Saturday at UFC Fight Night 272, is not looking to sit around now that he's in the UFC. Delano (17-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) wants to fight at least two more times this year, and he's ready to go as soon as summer.

"Man, if it's in my power, I want to fight early, maybe three months," Delano told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the UFC Fight Night 272 post-fight news conference. "If anyone gave me a fight, I'll sign the contract now. I want to fight a lot – two (more) times yet in this year, if it's possible."

Delano is mainly looking to stay active. He has no preference on who he'd get matched up with. Delano has no problem leaving that up to the UFC matchmakers.

"I think I trust in Sean Shelby to get the matches and the UFC guys," Delano said. "I only want to fight. (Whoever) he wants to put to me, I will fight."

The Brazilian won his UFC debut this past Saturday by outpointing Robert Ruchala (11-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) in a hard-fought unanimous decision. He entered the promotion by way of Dana White Contender Series in August 2025. With this win, Delano is now on a five-fight winning streak.

"It was an amazing fight for you fans, and I think I'm very happy about the fight," Delano said. "It was three rounds of a lot of punches and kicks, and for me, it's good because I'm growing up like a fighter in UFC."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Jose Delano wants two more fights in 2026 after UFC Vegas 115 win

It is Mock Draft season! Surely fans have read dozens, if not hundreds of mock drafts by this time of year. So, what’s one more? Here is what this schmuck thinks the Seattle Seahawks could do in the 2026 NFL Draft.

First, let’s see how the first round shook out in this mock. I went through and mocked the first three rounds in order to see who I believe would realistically be available for Seattle at pick 32, 64, and 96 (barring trades). From there, rounds 4-7 were left to the mock draft generator as Seattle only has one pick (188) – for now – after day two.

At 32, there are a few names of interest. The biggest shock is that tight end, Kenyon Sadiq is still available. Seattle does not have a need at tight end. However, with Sadiq on the board, perhaps that could cause a team to trade back into the first round to take the ultra-athletic tight end. At cornerback, Avieon Terrell, Chris Johnson, and Brandon Cisse are all still available. Running back Jadarian Price is available, as are a few edge rushers like Malachi Lawrence, Cashius Howell, R Mason Thomas and Gabe Jacas. Considering the large number of names that Seattle could be interested in, the trade down option is the most intriguing.

The Tennessee Titans at pick 35 could look to move up three spots and give up one of their two early fifth round picks to Seattle in order to give second year quarterback, Cam Ward another receiving option. Seattle in turn will add a fifth-round pick (pick 142) right in the middle of the large gap they had before, in-between picks 96 and 188.

Trade:

• Titans receive pick 1.32 (Kenon Sadiq, TE)
• Seahawks receive pick 2.35 and 5.142

Now at pick 35, Seattle still has all of the options they had before (other than Sadiq, cornerback, Aveion Terrell, and quarterback, Ty Simpson.) Having their pick of the litter, the Seahawks take edge rusher, Malachi Lawrence out of Central Florida.

Pick 2.35 – Malachi Lawrence, edge, Central Florida

The Seahawks’ largest need is arguably edge. With only one starting edge rusher under contract after 2026 (DeMarcus Lawrence), Seattle will likely target the position early. Malachi Lawrence is 6’4”, 250 pounds, and put on a show at NFL Combine in February. Although raw, Lawrence has shown flashes with “an explosive get off and a deep bag of moves/counters.” Coming to Seattle where he can learn behind another Lawrence (DeMarcus) as well as Uchenna Nwosu and Derick Hall will be the perfect spot where he can develop slowly and not shoulder the load immediately.

Pick 2.64 – Keith Abney II, cornerback, Arizona State

At pick 64 in the second round, the next big needs for Seattle are running back and cornerback. Unfortunately, in this mock (done by yours truly), both running backs, Jadarian Price and Mike Washington Jr. were taken. Although Jonah Coleman and Emmett Johnson are available, Seattle doesn’t go for either. At cornerback, Keionte Scott, Keith Abney, and Jalen Kilgore are all available. Some other interesting names are wide receiver Chris Brazell III, offensive lineman Gennings Dunker, and defensive tackle Domonique Orange. Here at the end of the second round, Seattle goes with cornerback, Keith Abney II out of Arizona State.

With Seattle losing Riq Woolen in free agency to the Philadelphia Eagles, there is a big hole that needs to be filled in the cornerback room. Abney is a feisty type of corner who’s “coverage IQ and competitiveness are loud on tape.” Abney is a physical corner who spent most of his time outside. This outside experience will be great for him to be able to compete with the likes of Nehemiah Pritchett and Noah Igbinoghene to start on the outside while Witherspoon moves around the field as Seattle likes to deploy him. Although many project Abney to slide inside to nickel, like the Lawrence pick above, Abney will not be forced to start immediately and will have time to develop into an outside corner at the pro-level.

Pick 3.82 – Domonique Orange, NT, Iowa State

Now for the big surprise of this mock draft. The 2026 draft is largely considered a shallow draft class, with there being a large drop off entering day three of the draft. On top of this, the Seahawks are projected to have extra 2027 draft picks due to the compensatory selections from the free agents they lost this off-season. Because of this, look for Seattle to trade one of their extra 2027 picks (in this case, a 4^th rounder) to move up in the 2026 draft. As for a trade partner, the Minnesota Vikings could be interested in more 2027 draft capital, in case it doesn’t work out at quarterback with JJ McCarthy and Kyler Murray. The projected trade here is as follows:

Trade:

• Seahawks receive pick 3.82 (Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State)
• Vikings receive pick 3.96 and a 2027 4^th Round Pick.

With pick 82, Seattle trades up for Domonique Orange, a.k.a “Big Citrus,” a big nose tackle out of Iowa State. The massive 6’4” 325-pound prospect spent most of his time plugging up the A gap. Big Citrus has a quick first step and is excellent in recovery. His downside? Pass-rush. That is a-okay for Seattle though. Getting a strong nose tackle allows others like Jarran Reed and Byron Murphy to play more 3-technique where they excel. The addition of Big Citrus also adds needed depth to the defensive line room, allowing each player to play smaller percentages of the snaps, keeping them fresh throughout the game.

Pick 5.142 – Demond Claiborne, running back, Wake Forest

With Kenneth Walker III leaving in free agency, Seattle not only needs to add to the running back room, but they specifically need to add speed. At 4.37 seconds, Claiborne had the third-fastest 40 time amongst all running backs at the combine this year (only behind Mike Washington Jr. and Jeremiah Love). Claiborne has a track background (just like Rashid Shaheed) which clearly translates on the football field, especially in zone-blocking schemes like Seattle deploys. Another fun nugget about Claiborne; if Seattle makes this pick, they would replace Walker (a former Wake Forest Demon Deacon before transferring to Michigan State), with another former Demon Deacon.

Pick 6.188 – Tyren Montgomery, wide receiver, John Carroll

By the time the 6^th round roles around, it is really time to take fliers. Although Seattle just re-signed Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, and Jake Bobo, they still lost Dareke Young to the Las Vegas Raiders. Although listed at receiver, Young also brought tons of special teams help as well. Montgomery, like Young, is a small-school prospect. Despite being a former basketball prospect entering college, Montgomery bounced around different colleges before having to enroll at John Carroll University, a Division III school, due to NCAA Eligibility Rules. This last season at JCU, Montgomery put up 119 catches for 1,528 yards and 15 touchdowns, earning himself Division III All-American honors. Montgomery also showed off at the Senior Bowl this January as well, where one scout stated that “no one could cover him.”

Adding a flier on a small school prospect like Montgomery could pay dividends for Seattle. Plus it is well known how much John Schneider loves his Senior Bowl prospects.

Seahawks 2026 mock draft class

Pick 2.35: Malachi Lawrence, edge, Central Florida

Pick 2.64 – Keith Abney II, cornerback, Arizona State

Pick 3.82 – Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State

Pick 5.142 – Demond Claiborne, running back, Wake Forest

Pick 6.188 – Tyren Montgomery, wide receiver, John Carroll

Tell us your thoughts on this mock draft in the comments section!

Skip Bayless has blamed LeBron James for the Los Angeles Lakers’ loss against the Dallas Mavericks

The criticism landed because LeBron still produced at a high level in a game the Lakers badly needed. But when a comeback falls short, the details late in the fourth quarter tend to shape the conversation more than the box score.

That is exactly where Bayless chose to focus. He was not questioning LeBron’s volume; he was questioning the moments that failed to swing the game.

Skip Bayless says LeBron James hurt the Lakers despite big numbers against the Mavericks

Bayless made his case in a post shared on X, zeroing in on the parts of LeBron James’ night he believes mattered most in the loss.

The backdrop was a 134-128 defeat in Dallas, where LeBron filled the stat sheet but still came under fire for what happened when the Lakers were trying to complete their push.

Bayless wrote, “Mavs beat Lakers by 6 after losing last 14 at home. LeBron had a big game moving back to point: 30/9/15. BUT … once again, he missed both free throws near the 3-minute mark, deflating the Lakers’ comeback. His two weaknesses exposed again without Luka/AR: 5-9 FTs, 1-6 from 3.”

That is the argument in full. Bayless is not denying the production; he is saying the missed free throws and poor three-point shooting carried more weight because the Lakers were already short-handed and needed LeBron to close cleaner.

LA Lakers’ injuries have left 41-year-old LeBron James carrying too much late-season burden

The bigger issue for the Lakers is that Bayless’ criticism has landed at a time when LeBron is being asked to do far more than should be realistic for a 41-year-old at the end of a season.

Luka Doncic is dealing with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain that could sideline him for four to five weeks, while Austin Reaves has a Grade 2 oblique strain that will keep him out for the rest of the regular season and at least the first round of the playoffs.

That left LeBron as the clear lead option again in Dallas, where he finished with 30 points, 15 assists and nine rebounds in the six-point defeat.

That context matters because this is no longer just about one-off night from the supporting cast. The Lakers are suddenly back in a position where their offense, decision-making, and late-game composure all lean heavily on James because Doncic and Reaves are unavailable.

So Bayless can point to the missed free throws, and that is fair within the game itself.

But the larger reality is that the Lakers are once again relying on an aging superstar to function as their No. 1 option because two of their most important creators are hurt at the worst possible time.

Read more:

Juventus made the most out of Roma and Como’s slip-ups, as they beat Genoa by two unanswered goals to place themselves just one point behind the Champions League zone.

Gleison Bremer and Weston McKennie gave the Old Lady a two-goal lead after 17 minutes, but they couldn’t quite kill off the contest with a third, which kept the visitors’ hopes alive. The Grifone almost halved the deficit in the second half, but Michele Di Gregorio pulled off a terrific save on Aaron Martin’s penalty kick to preserve the advantage.

Here are our player ratings for Juventus, who earned a routine 2-0 win over Genoa in front of their home supporters in Turin.

Juventus XI (3-4-2-1)

Mattia Perin – 6

The experienced goalkeeper was almost a bystander against his former club for 45 minutes before making way for Di Gregorio.

Pierre Kalulu – 7

An almost complete performance from the France international, who won the vast majority of his duels at the back, and occasionally joined the attacks.

Gleison Bremer – 6.5

A story of two halves for the Brazilian, who scored the opener after four minutes and looked outstanding against Lorenzo Colombo in the first period, but found some difficulties after the break, and ended up giving away a spot-kick.

Lloyd Kelly – 6.5

The former Newcastle man was almost untroubled at the back. Produced the assist for Bremer’s opener.

Weston McKennie – 7

The versatile American showcased his finishing touch by rounding off a slick counter-attack, but he will be kicking himself for squandering two glorious chances later on.

Manuel Locatelli – 7

A dominant display in the middle of the park from the Juventus captain, who never shied away from a sliding tackle. Picked up his teammates with precise passes and long balls.

Khephren Thuram – 6.5

The French midfielder may have faded as the match progressed, but it was an overall impressive display filled with dynamic runs and generous contributions.

Andrea Cambiaso – 6

The Italian left-back started the match on a positive note, combining well with Yildiz. However, his touch let him down in the most important moments.

Francisco Conceicao – 7

The Portuguese speed demon provided the assist for McKennie with a perfectly timed set-up pass. He was able to cause havoc on countless occasions.

Kenan Yildiz – 6.5

Although it wasn’t quite vintage Yildiz, the Turkish star still displayed some jaw-dropping skills. He had two big chances to score, but his shots were too tame.

Jonathan David – 5.5

The Canadian had a forgettable first half, but almost made up for it with a venomous shot out of nowhere that crashed against the far post.

Substitutes

Michele Di Gregorio – 7.5

If his half-time introduction aimed to restore his self-confidence, then it certainly panned out better than Spalletti had expected. Pulled off a fantastic save on Aaron Martin’s spot-kick before denying the follow-up attempt.

Arkadiusz Milik – 6.5

The Pole’s return has been a breeze of fresh air for Juventus. Held up the ball experetly, brought his teammates into the play, and almost scored from the halfway line with an audacious effort.

Fabio Miretti – N/A

Emil Holm – N/A

Jeremie Boga – N/A

Anthony Kim completed one of the most remarkable comebacks in the history of the game with his win at LIV Golf Adelaide earlier this year.

After Kim won on LIV, there were calls for the Augusta National hierarchy to give the 40-year-old an exemption into this year’s Masters.

However, no invite has been given to the LIV Golf star.

Anthony Kim has endured real struggles away from the game over the past 15 years or so.

The LIV golfer has battled addiction but managed to come out the other side, one day at a time, of course.

Kim’s win at LIV Adelaide was one of the biggest talking points in the game for a long, long time and it still is.

Many believed his feel-good story would be complete with a Masters invitation but he has been left disappointed in that regard.

Brandel Chamblee reacts to Anthony Kim not receiving a Masters invite

Kim told Chamblee he was destined for greatness when they first met around 28 years ago.

That obviously never happened but that was the path chosen for him, and he has become a better man because of the struggles he has endured.

However, his fine play on LIV this season was not rewarded with a special invite to play at Augusta National.

Chamblee responded when asked by Golf WRX whether Augusta National has made a mistake by not offering Kim a special invite into The Masters this year.

“Anthony Kim is ranked 455th in the world by Data Golf, which unlike the OWGR has been awarding ranking points to the LIV Tour all along,“ Chamblee said.

“Kim’s win resonated with a number of people in the golf world because of his personal struggles and going back almost two decades, his past popularity and disappearance from the game.

“Had he carried on playing great immediately after that victory, (he’s finished 31st, 17th and next to last in the three events after his win), he may have garnered the attention of the invite committee as Joaquin Niemann did with his consistent play and in winning the Australian Open in 2024.“

Anthony Kim holds Masters record

Kim currently holds the record for the most birdies made in a single round at Augusta National.

The 40-year-old made 11 birdies during the second round of the 2009 Masters.

Kim shot a round of seven-under-par 65 that day and ended up finishing in a tie for 20th.

He was a frightening talent when he burst onto the scene nearly two decades ago now.

Things obviously haven’t panned out as he would have liked, but he deserves huge credit for bouncing back and returning to the winners’ circle.

The 40-year-old could have died on multiple occasions by his own admission while he was in active addiction.

Now he has returned to the top of the game once again. However, a return to The Masters at some point in the near future would cap off what has already been a truly unbelievable turnaround for Anthony Kim.

Tacoma Rainiers

Tacoma’s had more time under their belt than the other three affiliates, and with a 4-5 record thus far, it’s been a somewhat middling mix to start the season. There’s enough talent on this roster to be one of the more compelling teams in the PCL, but they’ll have to start picking things up in order to prove that on the field.

Colt Emerson, fresh off his record setting extension, fouled a pitch off his foot and had to exit Saturday’s game, though X-Ray imaging came back negative. He has been labeled as day-to-day and presumably should be back in the lineup sooner than later.

Looking like one of the most prodigious sluggers in all of minor league baseball right now, Patrick Wisdom has already launched seven homers on the young season, pulverizing baseballs deep into the stratosphere. He’s done a lot of the heavy lifting for this lineup so far and could be a compelling option as a right handed platoon option for the big league club should a spot happen to open up.

Arkansas Travelers

It’s been a tough start to the season for perhaps the most loaded affiliate in the entire organization, as a winless opening weekend has the Travs sitting in the cellar of the Texas League through the first three games. Despite their zero in the win column, there were plenty of performances that would indicate the future of this squad is much brighter than where they’re at right now. Talent wins out, and there’s plenty of it all throughout this roster.

Kade Anderson made his official minor league debut on opening night, and the left hander was as-advertised, dicing up opposing hitters and working an efficient four innings in Friday’s contest against the RockHounds. Striking out six and walking just one on 59 pitches, the third overall pick in last year’s draft didn’t surrender a run and looked like the premiere prospect he’s been touted as all offseason. His deceptive delivery and complete arsenal are brutal on opposing hitters and should give him a great shot at dominating Double-A competition from the jump.

Everett AquaSox

The Frogs kicked off their season with an opening series in Spokane, dropping two of three to the Indians in some back-and-forth battles that featured crazy momentum shifts. With a potent lineup and unproven pitching staff, expect a lot of high scoring games this season at Funko Field.

Luke Stevenson is picking up right where he left off. After an excellent stint in the California League last summer, Stevenson is 4-9 thus far and looks to have maintained his balanced approach at the plate. The power, his calling card in college, has been more subdued in the professional ranks, but in his current form, Stevenson looks more and more like an absolute steal as a Comp A round selection. There’s a non-zero chance he’s the best player on this team.

Jonny Farmelo, the top ranked prospect on this roster, has already homered on the young season, launching a towering shot out to the opposite field. The whiff isn’t in a great spot right now and is going to be something that needs to be monitored this season, but hopefully the small sample size normalizes sooner than later.

Inland Empire 66ers

It’s been an unceremonious start for the 66ers under Mariner affiliation as they’ve yet to collect a win just yet, but thus far, a few blowup performances on the mound have really sunk the team’s chances at winning. It’s far too early to make any long-term conclusions about how this team will shake out, and there’s a lot of fun “sleeper” prospects that could easily shoot up the latter half of the organizational rankings by mid-summer.

Korbyn Dickerson, patrolling centerfield for the 66ers, has been great through opening weekend and remains one of the bigger X-factors in this system. His talent could easily vault him into the upper-tiers of Mariner prospects, and though there are some concerns regarding the hit tool, he’s made strides improving his adjustability at the plate has shown an ability to succeed despite it. He’s a big name to circle for this season.

Ricardo Cova has been in the system for a while, but he’s consistently flown under the radar due to absolutely loaded infields in past seasons. Collecting seven hits across his first thirteen AB’s, the undersized second baseman has been on a tear at the plate and will look to continue this success in what will be his sixth season in the organization despite being just 21 years of age. He should be a key part of this team’s offensive attack this season.

Mikey Moore is having himself a heck of a season on loan at Rangers. The 18-year-old Tottenham Hotspur winger is flying at Ibrox, scoring six goals and tallying 2 assists in just over 1200 minutes for Rangers and finding himself something of a fan favorite amongst Rangers fans this season. Not too shabby for a 18-year-old kid that was playing U18 football two seasons ago, and if things continue to go the way they are it suggests Moore could be have a real spark off the bench for Tottenham next season, no matter what division they are playing.

But things haven’t always come so easy. Last season Moore missed an extended period of time with a then-undiagnosed illness, described only as a “virus.” The assumption, Moore being the teenage kid that he is, was that Moore had picked up a long-term but ultimately relatively minor virus like mononucleosis; we at Carty Free Towers definitely made some jokes about Mikey spending more time snogging than playing football, and while we all were disappointed that last season was something of a wash for him it wasn’t seemingly something to be overly concerned about.

Today on SpursPLAY, the club dropped another episode of its Life on Loan series, this time focusing on Moore and his time at Rangers, and it was revealed that the virus that hit Mikey last season was actually quite serious, causing an inflammation in his heart (myocarditis) that led to him basically bedridden and unable to play football for six weeks. Moore was diagnosed with the (still unknown) virus in November.

“I was playing really well, starting to find my feet in the first team, then I think it was just before the Galatasaray game. I trained a couple of days before it, I think I was set to start or make an appearance in that game, then went for a driving lesson that night and all of a sudden I just felt a pain in my chest.

“The doctor called me and just said ‘forget about football for now’. It came back that I had myocarditis, which is a virus and it went to my heart, gave me the pain in my heart. I’m lucky I caught it early because I’m not sure what could have happened after that. I think I was in bed for six weeks. I wasn’t allowed any exercise.

“There was a lot of rumours at that time and it was tough to deal with. That six weeks was not six weeks of improving in the gym like with a usual injury.

“Right now, I feel at my best. I feel kind of what I felt like when I first started playing at Tottenham. That’s all done now. Put it behind me. That’s it, really.”

Whoa! That’s both serious and really scary. If anything, Mikey’s kind of soft-selling what happened to him — losing six weeks to any sort of injury is rough, but myocarditis is a serious condition that can cause heart palpitations, chest pain, flu-like symptoms, and sometimes even severe heart-related issues. Myocarditis is no joke — it’s the kind of diagnosis that could lead to serious complications. It wasn’t released what kind of virus Mikey had, but a quick google suggested viruses such as adenovirus (the common cold), COVID-19, parvovirus, and herpes simplex can all lead to myocarditis, as can measles, mononucleosis, and others. Ultimately it doesn’t matter what Moore was sick with — what matters is that he got treatment right away, and despite missing multiple weeks of football last season he recovered fully and is now kicking butt in Scotland.

It’s a reminder for all of us not to take things for granted, and that health conditions can come seemingly out of nowhere. I’m personally glad that Mikey has recovered fully, and that he felt comfortable enough discussing what happened to him.

Sunday Night Baseball schedule 2026: Dates, times, teams, live streams to watch every prime time MLB broadcast originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For the first time since 2000, MLB games are back on NBC. The network is the new home of Sunday Night Baseball in 2026, the first in a three-year deal.

The MLB package joins NBC's long-running Sunday Night Football franchise and its new Sunday NBA coverage for this season, giving the network a year-round showcase in that time slot. 

This year's coverage will feature esteemed announcers Bob Costas and Jason Benetti headline the coverage team on the network. Along with that duo, NBC will feature past MLB stars including Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo and Joey Votto to analyze the games and provide insights from their playing days.

With that in mind, here is the breakdown of the upcoming NBC baseball schedule for the 2026 season.

Where to watch MLB Sunday Night Baseball in 2026

• TV channel: NBC
• Live stream: DIRECTV, Peacock

The MLB Sunday Night Baseball package moves to NBC and Peacock this season, with 20 games set to air on NBC and 11 Peacock exclusives. 

All of the games on NBC can also be streamed live via DIRECTV, which offers a free trial to new subscribers. 

Catch every game – try DIRECTV FREE today! Stream live MLB, March Madness, soccer and more with must-have sports channels like TNT, TBS, truTV, ESPN, FS1, and NFL Network—all included with DIRECTV.

Start your FREE trial now and never miss a moment of the action. No contracts, no hassle, just wall-to-wall sports and entertainment.

Sunday Night Baseball schedule 2026

NBC will air 20 games in 2026, some of them outside the actual Sunday night slot. These include two Opening Day games and a Labor Day showcase.

Bob Costas (host), Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Ahmed Fareed (Sunday Night Leadoff host), Clayton Kershaw (analyst), Joey Votto (analyst), and Anthony Rizzo (analyst) will headline NBC's stellar coverage staff.

Here is the upcoming schedule for the 2026 season:

^ Labor Day (Monday)

Related Links

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

Syracuse, Gerry McNamara have inside track for 6-foot-11, 10 PPG transfer from SEC originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Syracuse Orange will have to be active in the transfer portal, just like every other college basketball team in the country.

It'll be Gerry McNamara's first time running the show at SU, and that could lead to a little bit of uncertainty for certain recruits.

For one, though, that might actually be exactly what he needs.

J.P. Estrella plans to be in the portal when it opens on April 7, according to On3 Sports. And coming out of high school Estrella was recruited by McNamara.

This might be an interesting one for Syracuse. Gerry McNamara was Estrella’s lead recruiter when SU recruited him out of high school. https://t.co/DNlPc7d87d

— Mike Waters (@MikeWatersSYR) April 6, 2026

MORE: Bryce James transfer rumor isn't what it seems

Estrella was a top-100 recruit in the Class of 2023, finishing his high school career at Brewster Academy, which the Orange have recruited well from in the past.

He has spent all three of his college seasons with the Volunteers under Rick Barnes, and this season was his best. He averaged 10.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 59.6% from the floor.

Estrella was on the bench in a sweatsuit when Tennessee was surprisingly upset by the Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome early in the season.

He was impactful most of the rest of the season in what was a crowded interior group for the Vols.

Now, he's looking for bigger opportunity, and he could find it with a familiar face in Syracuse.

The New York Giants have made headlines to begin the month of April, a franchise embroiled in contract controversy with NFL All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II. This isn’t the first instance of drama on the salary front between the two sides, as Lawrence and the Giants were unable to come to terms on a new contract in either of two prior NFL offseasons.

What’s different now is that Lawrence has reportedly asked to be traded out of New Jersey, apparently unwilling to participate in the Giants’ offseason workout program beginning Tuesday, April 7, per Adam Schefter. Adding a player of Lawrence’s caliber would immediately benefit any team, especially one as starved for production along the defensive line as the Buffalo Bills proved in 2025.

However, Lawrence represents a massive financial commitment — the type that just may make president of football operations/general manager Brandon Beane a bit uncomfortable. As of publishing, One Bills Drive has in the neighborhood of $12 million dollars available to spend toward the roster in 2026. They’ve done meaningful work to get under the salary cap while also managing to sign a few outside free agents in the last few weeks.

The point remains that Buffalo has been relatively quiet this offseason, and are yet to make a splash in free agency. They did pull off a trade for wide receiver DJ Moore, and that’s going to eat up a fair amount of cap space this season and in future seasons. Moore doesn’t play defense, and it’s worth wondering if the Bills have the right in-house hands in the dirt to adequately accomplish a shift to new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s 3-4 base system.

It’s worth noting that Lawrence has spent his NFL career playing in a 4-3 system, the same as defensive tackle Ed Oliver. That shouldn’t preclude Buffalo from kicking the Bugatti-cloaked tires Lawrence and his preferred contract necessitate. It’s easy to envision success for a base line consisting of Lawrence, Oliver, and Deone Walker.

The biggest questions surround the Bills’ ability to pull off a trade, what moves need to be made to fit Lawrence’s 2026 salary under their cap, and how they’d manage a path to a new, lucrative multi-year deal for Lawrence. Would the Giants listen to an offer from Buffalo that included their 2026 first-round draft selection (26th overall) as the best part of any draft capital surrendered? Beyond that is where things really get complicated.

Lawrence, who’s set to turn 29 years old in November, currently averages $22.5 million a year per Spotrac. Any new contract agreement is likely to be far north of that yearly sum, perhaps somewhere beyond Zach Allen’s current deal with the Denver Broncos that pays him an average of around $25.5 million per year. It’s reasonable to guess that Lawrence will also covet guaranteed money in signing any new deal.

Importantly, before Buffalo could even make something happen on that front, they’d need to create around $6 million more in 2026 salary cap space just to acquire Lawrence and his $18.5 million salary via trade. That has to happen before the Bills could even begin to restructure Lawrence’s current deal and coming to terms on a new contract extension.

It’s not an impossible scenario for Buffalo to land Lawrence, but it’s far from simple. What would be best is for them to identify, draft, and develop their own version of a Dexter Lawrence as someone on a cost-controlled rookie contact.

Buffalo Rumblings readers in The Feed are divided on the idea of trading for Dexter Lawrence:

Europe’s big nights are back with a huge lineup: the reunion between PSG and Liverpool, the Real-Bayern classic, and French hopes carried by Strasbourg... here are the four matchups you won’t want to miss under any circumstances.

PSG – Liverpool, clash of the titans ⚔️

On Tuesday night, PSG take on Liverpool again. After a showdown last year that left a lasting impression, Mo Salah and his teammates will be out for revenge. From the Paris side, they will absolutely need to be clinical at home before facing the intensity of Anfield.

Real Madrid - Bayern Munich, a European classic 🇪🇺

A match that brings back memories of some epic moments from recent editions. It is now clearly one of the game’s great classics. Mbappé, Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Olise, Upamecano... we will obviously be keeping a close eye on the performances of our French players.

Barça - Atlético de Madrid, once again 🇪🇸

This is also a classic of the 2025-26 season. The Catalans once again find the Colchoneros in their path. Since September, the two sides have already faced each other four times. Last February, Griezmann and his teammates won 4-0, but in the other big meetings, Barcelona came out on top. This promises to be fiery!

Mainz - RC Strasbourg 🇫🇷

Aside from PSG, RCSA are the last French team still standing in Europe. We hope to see Gary O'Neil’s men shine away from home in the Conference League. Watch out for Mainz! The German club has not lost a single match since February 13.

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

Legendary sports radio host Dan Patrick bashed Geno Auriemma for his postgame actions following UConn’s Final Four loss to South Carolina.

The iconic college basketball coach caused a major uproar at the women’s NCAA Tournament after a heated encounter with Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley went viral. However, Auriemma’s apology might not be enough to win back over sports media members like Patrick.

MORE: Geno Auriemma apologizes for unacceptable Final Four meltdown

Patrick went on his “The Dan Patrick Show” program Monday to rip into the UConn coach’s actions involving Staley. Meanwhile, the longtime host’s sentiments have been shared by other personalities like Stephen A. Smith.

"I was embarrassed for him… Act like the greatest coach in the game – nothing's given to you, you know that!"

– DP on Geno Auriemma's interaction with Dawn Staley. pic.twitter.com/H2S4VYVIc9

— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) April 6, 2026

The awkward situation between Auriemma and Staley spilled over into postgame interviews after South Carolina pulled off the upset. Ultimately, the Gamecocks lost the national title game against UCLA.

Auriemma continues to receive backlash from prominent shows

However, many college basketball fans are more concerned about Auriemma’s questionable antics that seemingly stemmed from a missed handshake opportunity.

“I was embarrassed for him,” Patrick said during Monday’s show. “Act like the greatest coach in the game – nothing’s given to you, you know that!”

MORE: Mike Krzyzewski roasts Bill Belichick, North Carolina after college basketball hire

Auriemma is one of the unquestioned all-time greats in his 40-plus years as the Huskies coach. However, his 1,288 career wins aren’t enough to shield him after clashing with Staley, who also has an impressive college coaching resume.

“There’s no excuse for how I handled the end of the game vs. South Carolina,” Auriemma said after issuing an apology. “It’s unlike what I do and what our standard is here at Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted.

The working relationship between Auriemma and Staley extends beyond college basketball though. The two previous coached together with Team USA Basketball during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

It’s certainly possible that the situation subsides heading into the 2026-27 season, but another UConn-South Carolina matchup would provide immediate attention if the sides meet again.

Los Angeles Dodgers backup catcher Dalton Rushing has only played two games in 2026, but has still managed to impress manager Dave Roberts.

What’s swayed the skipper, though, isn’t his performance on the field. It’s his adjustment to being a supplementary player.

“The conversations he’s had with the coaches is better,” Roberts said. “The emotion spikes are less. Even in-game, you have a couple bad at-bats, but you still focus on getting your pitcher through the game, that’s growth. … This is his lot right now, as far as role, and he’s adjusting. It’s not an easy adjustment but I do see some improvement there from Dalton.”

Roberts stated he wanted Rushing to better understand his role as the backup catcher during spring training.

“Dalton’s in a good spot right now,” Roberts said. “I want him to understand his role as a backup catcher, what that entails. Really learn the pitchers, learn a swing that works for playing a couple times a week. He’s used to playing a lot more.

“Just still maturing. It’s not easy to not play every day when you’re used to that. I think that he grew last year and I like where he’s at right now. …Ideally you’re looking for him to get 500 at-bats this year to continue to evolve and catch innings, but looking at the depth chart, I think you’d still choose to be a major league player.”

How Has Dalton Rushing Played in 2026?

Rushing, despite his limited playing time, has shown some promise at the plate so far in 2026.

He made his first appearance of the season against the Cleveland Guardians March 30 in front of the home fans, recording his first hit of the season and going 1-for-2 before All-Star catcher Will Smith replaced him. He hit his first homer of the season Sunday—a two-run shot—to kick off the Dodgers’ comeback against the Washington Nationals.

While it’s an incredibly small sample size to take anything from, Rushing is still yet to swing and miss on a pitch this year—a large part of his struggles last season.

Rushing came up in May 2025, serving as LA’s backup catcher for the whole season. He finished the year with 53 appearances, hitting four homers and driving in 24 runs with a .204/.258/.324 slash line.

If the catcher continues to improve and take the right steps towards embracing the role Roberts has cut out for him, he’s sure to find more game time than last season and blossom into the star they think he will be.

Do you think Dalton Rushing has a spot on the Dodgers despite their All-Star-laden lineup?

Alexander Zverev heads into Monte Carlo with plenty of reason to feel good about his game after a steady start to the season.

But this upcoming stretch could be pivotal if he wants to take the next step and finally break through at Grand Slam level.

Zverev has had a remarkable career, but there’s still one major milestone left to cross off: a Grand Slam title. He’s got every reason to believe Roland Garros gives him the best shot at getting it done.

His build-up hasn’t gone as planned, though. Despite that, Zverev believes the lack of preparation could actually work in his favour.

Zverev missed out on the Hamburg and Munich events due to commitments with Team8, an athlete management company founded by Roger Federer and Tony Godsick. With several players now represented by Team8, more such situations may arise in the future.

Zverev remains optimistic despite his limited practice time, arguing that staying fresh might help him through what is expected to be another long clay-court season.

Zverev explains why a lack of preparation might be a positive for Monte Carlo

Speaking to the media, he began by rating his performances during the Sunshine Swing.

Zverev began by claiming: “I mean, it was I feel like quite positive, of course. I would have loved to win an event.

“I feel like in Miami especially, I played really good tennis, and the match with Jannik was maybe closer than the score suggested. I had my chances in the second set, but, you know, he won both tournaments; he was playing unbelievable tennis, best player in the world, for sure, on a hard court at the moment, and he deserved everything.”

Then discussing his tennis in general, having made a conscious shift towards adding aggression to his game. He added: “Just the things that I worked on, I feel like they’re kind of paying off.

“Obviously yeah I’ve been more of an aggressive style a bit taking on the game myself and I feel like yeah in those regards they were quite positive weeks.

Of course getting a win in the end would have been nice but it is how it is sometimes and we move forward we’re on clay now we’re in Monte Carlo and I hope to play good tennis here as well.”

Zverev concluded by noting his lack of preparation for this event: “Yeah so I took three days off and then started training Tuesday afternoon here in Monte Carlo. You know we’re all getting ready for this tournament, of course, you don’t have much time.

But you know that’s a positive thing because that means you played well in Miami and played well during some tournaments leading up to this event. And then after that, we’re all getting ready again, hopefully showing good tennis here.”

This will be Sinner’s third year competing at this tournament. On both previous occasions – 2021 and 2022 – Alcaraz reached only as far as round three before being knocked out.

Read more:

Fight week is here, and the focus is on Tyson Fury as he returns to the ring after more than a year away. Fury will face Arslanbek Makhmudov on Saturday, April 11, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in North London. The event features a 10-bout card promoted by The Ring and will stream live worldwide on Netflix as part of its growing live sports coverage.

Fury enters the bout with a 34-2-1 record and 24 knockouts. The former two-time heavyweight champion last fought in December 2024, when he lost two decisions to Oleksandr Usyk. He later announced his retirement but has since returned, preparing for this fight with a training camp in Thailand before heading back to the UK.

Makhmudov, 21-2 with 19 knockouts, brings power and pressure. The 32-year-old has built a reputation as a dangerous finisher, with most of his wins coming inside the distance. While Fury is the favorite, questions remain about his timing and sharpness after 16 months out of competition.

Tyson Fury Returns After Retirement Call

Fury’s return comes after what he described as his fifth and final retirement. Despite stepping away, the chance to fight again in front of a UK crowd played a key role in his decision.

This will be his first fight in Britain since 2022. In recent interviews, Fury has said he feels focused and motivated. He aims to show that he still belongs at the top of the heavyweight division.

The key factor will be how quickly he can settle into the fight. Long layoffs can affect timing, especially against an opponent who applies constant pressure.

Arslanbek Makhmudov Brings Power Threat

Makhmudov enters as a serious test rather than a routine comeback opponent. Known for his aggressive style, he looks to close the distance and land heavy shots early.

With 19 knockouts in 21 wins, his record shows clear stopping power. Analysts have described him as a dangerous puncher who can change a fight quickly.

If Fury shows signs of ring rust, Makhmudov could take advantage. That possibility adds tension to what might otherwise be seen as a comeback fight.

Undercard and Streaming Details

The undercard includes several notable matchups. Conor Benn faces Regis Prograis in the co-main event. Cruiserweights Jeamie Tshikeva and Richard Riakporhe meet in a domestic bout. Heavyweights Frazer Clarke and Justis Huni also share the card.

Seven additional fights complete the lineup. The broadcast team includes presenter Anna Woolhouse alongside former world champions and analysts.

Main card ring walks are expected around 10 p.m. local time in London. The full event will stream globally on Netflix with no extra cost for subscribers.

As fight night approaches, attention stays on Fury. The outcome will answer a key question: can he return at a high level, or will Makhmudov take advantage of the long break? Either way, the heavyweight division will have its answer this weekend.

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Liverpool interest in Carlos Baleba assessed as midfield plans take shape

Liverpool’s ongoing rebuild under Arne Slot is expected to prioritise midfield reinforcements, and on Anfield Index’s Media Matters, Dave Davis and David Lynch discussed links to Brighton’s Carlos Baleba.

While not the most advanced rumour, the conversation offered insight into how Liverpool may approach the market and what qualities they are looking to add.

Carlos Baleba link emerges in Liverpool discussions

Dave Davis raised the Brighton midfielder as a name “coming up quite a bit recently”, placing him among potential options as Liverpool consider reshaping their midfield.

David Lynch, however, was quick to clarify his own position on the speculation. “I can’t say I have [heard anything] personally, to be honest,” he said, admitting he had not heard anything concrete linking Liverpool to Baleba at this stage.

That cautious response reflects Liverpool’s broader recruitment approach, where multiple profiles are assessed without every link progressing into a serious pursuit.

David Lynch highlights key midfield need

Although he stopped short of confirming interest, Lynch did outline the type of midfielder Liverpool require, and his comments align with what Baleba could potentially offer.

“If he brings physicality at all, then that would be quite a good thing,” Lynch said, identifying a clear gap in Liverpool’s current midfield setup. He added, “I think that’s something that’s kind of lacking in that midfield.”

This focus on physical presence is notable. Throughout the podcast, Liverpool’s issues were repeatedly linked to being overrun in games, struggling to control transitions and lacking robustness in key areas.

Liverpool recruitment strategy under Arne Slot

The discussion also touched on how Liverpool might create space for new arrivals. Lynch suggested that changes in midfield personnel are likely.

“I’d be surprised if Curtis Jones sticks around,” he said, hinting that outgoings could open the door for additions like Baleba or similar profiles.

This reinforces the idea that Liverpool’s interest in players such as the Brighton midfielder is part of a wider reshaping process, rather than a standalone move.

Photo: IMAGO

Anfield Index view on Baleba and Liverpool future

Overall, the Anfield Index conversation positioned Carlos Baleba as a potential fit stylistically, even if links remain tentative.

Lynch was careful not to overstate the situation, reiterating, “That’s not to say that he’s not someone they’re looking at,” but maintaining that he had no direct information on a deal progressing.

For Liverpool, the key takeaway is less about one specific target and more about the profile required. Physicality, presence and balance in midfield are priorities, and any move for Baleba would need to align with that vision.

As Liverpool prepare for a crucial summer under Arne Slot, players like Carlos Baleba represent the type of solution being considered, even if the pursuit is still at an early stage.

Liverpool continue to be strongly linked with a move for Yan Diomande, but their chances of signing him could hinge heavily on one factor in particular.

Anfield chiefs have maintained regular contact with the representatives of the RB Leipzig winger, who’s become one of the most sought-after young players in European football and – as Paul Joyce explained recently – would fit the profile of wide attacker that the Merseysiders are seeking.

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However, Arne Slot’s side could be at risk of missing out on the 19-year-old to one of their biggest Premier League rivals, who as it stands would be able to offer him something the Reds might not.

Liverpool may need top-five finish to win the race for Diomande

According to transfer insider Mark Brus for CaughtOffside, Arsenal have also ‘reached out’ to Diomande’s entourage to ‘be kept informed over his future’, and one source explained why the Gunners might currently be in a stronger position than Liverpool in the race for the Ivory Coast international.

They outlined: “Diomande is Liverpool’s preferred Salah replacement, but the reality is that they’ll struggle to get him without Champions League football, and there is a huge amount of interest from all over Europe, with Arsenal very much in the race.”

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Yet another reason why Champions League qualification is a must

If indeed Champions League participation is a dealbreaker for the Leipzig starlet – as can often be the case for players excelling at clubs who aren’t involved in the competition – that serves to underline the importance of Liverpool qualifying for it next season.

Should the Reds miss out, not only will they be deprived of hundreds of millions in prize money and revenue – they could also find it harder to entice their primary transfer targets, who’d understandably be keen to join a club who are in Europe’s flagship tournament.

A scorer of 11 goals in 30 matches this season, Diomande would tick many of the boxes in terms of an ideal long-term successor to Mo Salah – he’s prolific in a major European league, his best years are still ahead of him, and he’d inject a spark into an LFC attack which has had very little of it in recent months.

Absence from the Champions League isn’t strictly a barrier to signing top players – Liverpool signed Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho, Bobby Firmino, Sadio Mane, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister when they didn’t have that carrot to offer – but it certainly helps to be involved in that competition.

The next seven weeks could be massive not just in terms of shaping how this season comes to be viewed retrospectively for the Reds, but also how competitive they may or may not be in subsequent campaigns.

If a top-five finish ultimately helps to attract Diomande to Anfield, it could be every bit as game-changing as the move which brought Salah to Merseyside nine years ago.

La Liga giants Barcelona have set sights on the signature of Juventus star Andrea Cambiaso ahead of the summer.

This comes amid the Blaugrana’s ongoing search for reinforcements at full-back.

In the thick of ongoing speculation surrounding the futures of both Alejandro Balde and Jules Koundé, the Camp Nou brass are keeping a close eye on the market for potential replacements.

A shortlist of full-back targets has in turn been drawn up by Deco and co. And as alluded to above, early this week, the identity of one such target has been revealed.

As per a report from Italian transfer insider Gianluigi Longari:

‘Barcelona’s strong interest in Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso is confirmed.’

Cambiaso, for his part, is a 26-year-old Italian international, capable of playing on either flank as a traditional full-back, or wing-back.

Across the season to date, the former Genoa talent has racked up three goals and four assists across 40 appearances in all competitions.

Conor Laird – GSFN

In a recent report, journalist Graeme Bailey offered an update on Manchester City and their pursuit of Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate. It is believed that the Reds are on the verge of extending the French centre-back’s contract amid interest from the Mancunian club as well as Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan.

Konate is having an inconsistent campaign at the Mancunian club, but has put in a string of impressive displays for them on the defensive end of the field. The French talent has featured in 42 matches for Man City this season, scoring two goals across multiple competitions.

The 26-year-old is currently among the best centre-backs in the Premier League despite not having his best campaign at Liverpool so far. Still, Man City should focus on luring him to the Etihad Stadium this summer.

His current contract at the Merseyside club will run out at the end of this campaign, which could give the Mancunian giants a chance to sign him on a free transfer later this year.

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 20: Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 20, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

What Should Manchester City Boss Pep Guardiola Do With Regards To Konate?

Konate is a solid tackler of the ball and can read the danger well to secure possession back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when required and can play his way out from the back.

Standing at 1.94m, the French talent can use his strong frame to dominate the opposition attackers in the air. He is already quite familiar with the Premier League and won’t take much time to adjust to life in the Premier League if Man City manage to snap him up this summer.

We can expect Konate to add more bite and steel to Pep Guardiola’s defence. He is more than capable of nailing down a regular first-team spot at the Etihad Stadium next season.

At 26, Konate is about to enter his prime and knows what it takes to win at the highest level. Therefore, Guardiola would be wise to step up his efforts to acquire his services even if Liverpool end up tying him down to a new contract as he would help Man City compete for some major honours in the coming seasons.

Here's Coach K's unfiltered reaction to UNC hiring Michael Malone originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The news of the day came fast and took many by surprise across the college basketball landscape. 

During a scheduled appearance on ESPN's Pat McAfee Show to preview tonight's National Championship Game between Michigan and UConn, former Duke Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski was one of the first to comment about North Carolina hiring Mike Malone as the Tar Heels' next head coach. 

McAfee tried to spark up the rivalry talk between UNC and Duke, but was quickly shut down. Malone makes his transition after being out of the NBA for a little over a season. But this starts a trend for UNC athletics. 

"They had an NFL champion hired as the coach and Duke beat Carolina in football this year." 🤣

Coach K reacted to @PeteThamel's report of UNC hiring Mike Malone on the @PatMcAfeeShow 🏀 pic.twitter.com/P5irdauRE3

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 6, 2026

"They had an NFL championship hired as the coach and Duke beat Carolina in football this year," Coach K told McAfee. "Doesn't mean coach Belichick isn't a great coach. There is time for adjustment. It takes longer if you ever get adjusted to coming from the pros to college.

"Mike is a terrific coach and a terrific guy. There's a learning curve." 

MORE MICHAEL MALONE NEWS:

• Why Tar Heels hired Michael Malone as next head coach
• UNC hiring Michael Malone over Billy Donovan is a better fit
• What UNC fans need to know about Michael Malone
• Why the Nuggets fired Michael Malone in 2025

Malone led the Denver Nuggets to an NBA Championship in 2023. He was abruptly fired two years later and has been doing TV analysis since. Now with Malone and Belichick at UNC, the need for a pro-style approach seems to be a business model in Chapel Hill. It's one Coach K applauds in the NIL era. 

"If that is true, whatever the reasoning is that maybe they're changing," Krzyzewski said about UNC. "They now have two pro coaches in college. The infrastructure of their athletic department is now going to become more of a pro organization.

"Which I think if that's true, I think everybody should be doing that. And the fact that he knows how to do that. And so does Belichick? Maybe that's a sign that they're moving in that direction organizationally."

The details of Malone's deal with UNC weren't immediately known on Monday. 

More college basketball news:

• Two fans ejected from NCAA Tournament after bringing FAFO energy, lose $6
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• Dawn Staley says 'I will beat Geno's ass' in new video after heated exchange
• What UConn's Geno Auriemma said after ripping Dawn Staley
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Chandler (Ariz.) Basha defensive lineman Anitoni Tahi has named his final six.

And it’s a heavy Big Ten and Big 12 list.

Tahi named a top six of, alphabetically, Arizona State, Illinois, Kansas State, Minnesota, Penn State and Wisconsin.

He broke down those six schools with Rivals.

Arizona State: “ASU is a great school and coach (Vince) Amey and coach (Diron) Reynolds are great defensive line coaches.”

Illinois: “They are a great school and I like how their defense operates

Kansas State: “K-State has a lot of new coaches but I have a great relationship with them and they are also building something good.”

Minnesota: “Their defense is just different and I love how they treat their players. They are building something strong.”

Penn State: “Talking to the coaches, I love how their schemes are and I’m looking forward to seeing the school.”

Wisconsin: “I love how their defensive line plays and I love how the coaches are.”

Tahi has already visited Arizona State, Wisconsin and Minnesota and next heads to Illinois on April 11 for his first official visit then to Kansas State on April 18 for an unofficial.

His official visit slate continues with a visit to Arizona State on May 1, continues with Minnesota on May 28 with Kansas State a week later on June 5, Wisconsin the following week on June 11 and rounds out with Penn State on June 19.

Auston Matthews‘ future with the Toronto Maple Leafs has been in the headlines. The Maple Leafs missed the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the direction of the franchise will ultimately decide if Matthews requests a trade or stays. If it goes in the wrong direction, the Toronto star has been linked to a surprising NHL organization.

Sportsnet’s Darren Dreger believes the Utah Mammoth will be a big player with Matthews moving forward, the insider said on Barn Burner. Dreger also said the San Jose Sharks would make some sense, but he wouldn’t call the organization a frontrunner to acquire Matthews in the future.

Since moving from Arizona to Utah, the organization has progressed yearly. In fact, the Mammoth made a big move at the deadline, acquiring defenseman MacKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames. Now, Utah is very likely to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the first Wild Card team in the Western Conference.

The Mammoth were linked to several big-name players during the NHL trade deadline, such as St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas. Utah has the assets to pull off a big trade this offseason, making it one of many organizations that could be in the market for Matthews.

However, this will require Matthews to make a decision and request a trade from Toronto. For now, the Maple Leafs will likely attempt to bring the organization back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs next season. After all, it is hard to waste talent like Matthews, William Nylander, and Matthew Knies.

Utah is looking to make a big run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and don’t expect them to fall apart anytime soon. In fact, the Mammoth could end up with Matthews, if everything falls in the right direction for them.

Read More: Maple Leafs Captain Auston Matthews Undergoes Surgery

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Before the international break, Liverpool trudged to a deflating draw to a Tottenham Hotspur side that had become the laughingstock of the league. Spurs fans had dreaded going to the match, the players seemed lacking in any drive or desire, and the matchdays primarily served as meme fodder.

Enter Liverpool, a side happy to add to your confidence. Spurs fans left with a reminder of what joy in going to the ground is like, not just because of the result (a draw isn’t quite the pinnacle of achievement) but the manner of it. The current iteration of Liverpool Football Club seems designed to collapse after a setback, to become easy to play against, to allow opponents to build their confidence against amenable opposition.

The FA Cup loss was all this, and also humiliating.

In many cases, the best way to evaluate your own side is to consider what your opposition thinks about the experience of playing you. Manchester City fans, who have had their own challenges this season, were overjoyed by what Liverpool provided for their team’s development.

Speaking to the BBC after the match, City supporter Gene felt that Liverpool gave Erling Haaland a great opportunity to work on his struggling form: “Overall fine performance against a team that looks like a shell of its former self, especially defensively. Haaland needed a game like this to help get back in a groove. Statistically, this was an even match, but the individual battles were weighted towards City, which was evident during the game.”

Needless to say, these are not encouraging words when it comes to evaluating the overall performance. Liverpool have been at the bad end of a big scoreline without the underlying performance being as bad: the 3-0 loss to Barcelona that famously got turned over in the second leg was one such occasion. Less and less this season, however, are the Refs losing games they don’t deserve to lose, and lose badly.

Liverpool badly need to arrest the rot, badly need to become difficult to play against even when not quite in form. Needing these massive changes in a make-or-break week of football is not good news, but if you struggle for as long as the Reds have I suppose you should be grateful that your matches still have meaning in them.

There’s still time to turn things around, but such a tight window for regaining mental strength in the face of challenges is a big ask. Here’s hoping Liverpool can remind us what’s good about watching the match again, instead of just helping remind the opposition.

NEW YORK (AP) — The anticipation of winter weather has forced the New York Mets, Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox to change scheduled night games to afternoon starts on Tuesday.

The Mets announced Monday that scheduled night games against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday and Wednesday have been changed to afternoon games because of expected cold and windy conditions.

The Mets scheduled the first pitch for each game for 4:10 p.m. ET. The games had been set for 7:10 p.m. starts.

Tuesday’s game between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians has been moved up five hours to a 1:10 p.m. ET first pitch. The change was made because temperatures are expected to be below freezing at night.

The time change was also made to avoid a backlog in the schedule or another doubleheader early in the season. Kansas City had a twinbill against Milwaukee on Saturday after Friday’s game was postponed, while Cleveland is coming off a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday when Saturday’s game was rained out.

Meanwhile, the White Sox moved up the first pitch for Tuesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles from 6:40 p.m. CT to 2:10 p.m. because of expected cold temperatures.

The Mets said in appreciation for the fans' “understanding, commitment and flexibility” the team was offering a limited number of complimentary tickets to each game.

The Mets said the complimentary tickets to the afternoon games will be offered on a first-come, first-served bases. Fans can log onto Mets.com/Tickets and enter code THANKYOU to claim up to four tickets for each game.

Additionally, the Mets are offering vouchers to a future game to fans who have already purchased tickets for the Tuesday or Wednesday games. The vouchers will be good for home regular-season games scheduled for Monday through Thursday.

All tickets for the previously scheduled night games will be valid for the afternoon games.

___

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

The Scottish Premiership returned after the international break and delivered drama at both ends of the table once again.

Heart of Midlothian dropped points in Livingston but remain top of the pile, Rangers swept Dundee United aside and Celtic had to dig deep again to stay in the hunt in Dundee.

And, at the other end of the table, Kilmarnock fell to another defeat while St Mirren impressed as they dragged Aberdeen further into the fight against the drop.

Across the season, BBC Scotland has been asking you for your views on the action through our live pages.

Here is a selection of what you made of another weekend of top-flight action.

Dundee 1-2 Celtic

Celtic left it late once again, with Kelechi Iheanacho's goal sealing three points that could be vital in keeping Martin O'Neill's reigning champions in the title race. Fans were left bemoaning familiar faults but still feeling hope.

Mark: This title might come down to individual players who want to win it the most. Martin O'Neill needs to be incredibly brave and drop players who checked out a long time ago. The substitutes completely turned the game.

Len: Winning the league after such disastrous decisions by the CEO and board would be remarkable. But the fact remains: Celtic need root and branch reform, starting with the CEO and board.

Hector: The most threadbare Celtic squad in 50 years is evidence of the gross mismanagement at boardroom level over several seasons. Millions squandered on unheard of imports, while youth development is ignored. O'Neill can't keep pulling rabbits out a hat.

Peter: Another dreadful performance in a long line of dreadful performances. It says a lot about the quality of Scottish football but good news we are still in title hunt. Win our last six league games and we are champions. Not impossible.

Ian: I've said it before on these pages, but if Martin O'Neill can win the title this year, honestly, I'll build the statue myself!

Dundee fans were left to take the positives from a performance that could have delivered much more.

Danny: We could and should have taken something from this match. Unfortunately, although [head coach] Steven Pressley is doing a decent job overall, he is just far too cautious in his approach to games.

Albert: Remarkable performance given the difference in resources. Our manager is doing wonders this season and everything is looking good despite the defeat.

Brian: Celtic won even though Kelechi Iheanacho had pushed Ryan Astley out of the way to score? Where was VAR on that incident? I am sure if it was at the other end it would have been disallowed. Yet again the referee and VAR fail Dundee.

John: This was a poor Celtic team and I felt Dundee were a bit unlucky not to sneak a draw. Dundee should be safe from a play-off place.

Michelle: Unlucky not to take something from the game. Second half we were the much better side and deserved it more than Celtic. We were very brave in possession and weren't scared to take the game to them.

Livingston 2-2 Hearts

Hearts moved back to the top of the table with their draw in Livingston, but it looked like two points dropped against the Premiership's bottom side. Supporters were left with a sense of frustration but remain positive.

Marc: We're still top of the league with six games to go. Every single Hearts fan would be happy with that position at the start of the season. Let's not look back but forward and ensure we win our home games. Silly goals to concede at Livi, but we move on with a point and stay positive.

Peter: We saw the benefit of having Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin back in the quality of our attacking performance, but we shot ourselves in the foot twice and this is happening too often recently. Felt that Craig Halkett looked slow and untypically unsure of himself, while the defence did not gel properly at any point in the game.

Andy: Definitely feels like two points dropped and not one gained. We lost two soft goals against Livi and will need to be much more clinical defensively for the run-in. Still top of the league though.

Patrick: No intensity and most attacks ending with the ball being passed backwards shows the players are not confident in winning games, let alone a league. We are set up to win by one goal and, when that doesn't work, we fall apart. We might not win another game this season.

Alison: [Head coach Derek]McInnes will tell you how we are overachieving and still one point clear and other teams have more money, blah, blah, blah - we chucked it and the ball was in his hands when it was fumbled. Too many games with poor management decisions and horrible tactics will see us finish third.

Larry: The team's chucked it. Poor game management. Poor individual performances. Too many excuses. Not good enough. Monumental bottle job from McInnes. His tactics and line-ups have taken a thriving team into a shell of who they were.

Livingston look nailed on for relegation, but one supporter thought they passed up a chance for a lifeline.

Darren: Poor team selection and tactics. Hearts were under pressure before the game. We should have attacked from the outset and made them nervous, but no. Defensive and slow.

Rangers 4-2 Dundee United

Rangers' home win over United took them top the top of the league for the first time this season, but only overnight, with Hearts regaining top spot. Supporters are in no doubt about where improvement is needed if they are to finish first.

Steve: Great result, but our defence is a worry. We cannot keep a clean sheet, putting more pressure on the team to score.

Ross: If we can eliminate the silly goals against then the league is ours to lose. Too many cheap goals given away, which if eliminated in the early days of the season, we would be celebrating the league win already.

Steven: Our inability to keep the opponent out will be our undoing. Irrespective of the centre-back partnership played, we look vulnerable. Our strikers blow hot and cold and not one of them has cemented their place in the starting line-up. All that being said, if you said we'd be challenging for the title after the start we had, I would have laughed.

Martin: Getting into the groove now. All the players and staff look to be real mates. This will help in the final push for [title] 56. Happy days at Ibrox.

Inconsistency has been a frustration for United fans this season and they were left ruing a mixed performance that could have delivered more.

Jenny: United didn't deserve to come away from Ibrox with nothing as they delivered a very entertaining and gutsy performance. The reason they did again was down to the defence and the goalkeeper. When is [manager Jim] Goodwin going to stop sticking with three at the back that's costs us countless points this season?

Tam: Good performance undermined by goalkeeping errors and poor defending, the story of much of our season. With a competent goalkeeper and half-decent striker capable of finishing the chances we create, we'd not only be in the top six but challenging for the European places. Must do better next season.

Sean: Ashley Maynard-Brewer does not look like a long-term solution in goal. Conceding four goals is not good enough. Really need to look at youngsters coming through and plan for next season.

St Mirren 2-0 Aberdeen

Aberdeen fans didn't mince their words after a limp display that deepened relegation fears. They are furious and it's not just the players in their sights.

Brad: This is the worst Aberdeen team ever. When you say a clear-out is needed, I think that means the very top. [Chairman] Dave Cormack, its time to sell Aberdeen to someone who will take it in the right direction.

Andy: No passion, no pride. Lack of desire to get the ball back when it is lost. Could we be relegated for the first time? Absolutely, but I would also worry about being able to bounce back up the following season if it happened.

Gordon: A dire performance knowing the situation we find ourselves in. Thought a strange starting line-up that started poorly and never got much better. Second-half changes made a bit of a difference, but just dire defending again. Reality check for all involved.

Allen: Get rid of Cormack and all his cohorts. This man has not got a clue about football or how a club should be run. He needs to do the decent thing and sell to someone who does know a thing or two about football and not kid the fans any more.

St Mirren fans took encouragement from an impressive performance under Craig McLeish after the interim boss was placed in charge until the end of the season.

Max: Wow! What a change in style and it's getting results. The intensity of that first half was incredible. A few players who [former manager Stephen] Robinson brought in, only to ignore them, is like having new signings. Thoroughly deserved victory overall. Gogic, Delaney, Campbell, Donnelly and others all excellent. Stephen who?

Douglas: It wasn't just myself that enjoyed watching that Saints performance. You could feel the positivity all around you as we played Aberdeen off the pitch in the first half. If this is how we are going to tackle the next six games, at least there is some fight in there and, from the terracing, an enjoyable change to watch.

John: Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! A point made to a former manager who abandoned us when we needed him most. Not a single failure in that side. Superb.

Motherwell 2-3 Falkirk

After a stellar season so far, Motherwell are having a wobble just when rewards for their efforts are within reach. Fans expressed their disappointment at another uncharacteristic performance.

Crawford: Looked to be a yard off the pace all over the pitch and we missed Callum Slattery's presence. [Manager] Jens Berthel Askou needs to tell them that they don't need to play every ball out from the back. Second goal was unforgivable from an easily avoidable situation. Sometimes it's just too predictable.

Alan: This was a disappointing display, having got back into it when we equalised. We handed the second goal to Falkirk by being far too casual in the penalty box when an old-fashioned punt up the field might have been better. Emphasis must now be to get a European spot, which our efforts between October and now deserve.

Colin: Overall, a poor performance, especially defensively. We haven't been playing as well or had as much possession in recent games. I fear we may not pick up any more points unless we have a bit more improvement and all the good work and performances earlier amount to nothing.

David: The other teams in the league have realised how to deal with Motherwell. The man-to-man press that Falkirk put on us stopped us from creating chances. We badly need to be able to change our playing pattern when pressed.

James: Although the last few games have been disappointing, we're still fourth. Come on boys, keep your heads up, we can go again.

Falkirk have sealed a top-six place in their first season back in the Premiership and it's no surprise the fans are proud of their side.

Nathan: So proud of this team. You could tell right from the off that we were up for it and I feel [manager] John McGlynn schooled Jens Berthel Askou at his own game. We caused Motherwell problems right from the off with our whole squad putting in some magical performances to result in a top-six finish that we deserve. Now we fasten our seatbelts for the final stretch of the season and maybe even make a cup final as well.

Dougie: Thoroughly deserved victory in a fantastic season. To finish in the top six is a dream come true.

John: Falkirk played well. The first goal was very good. Motherwell seemed a bit off it, whereas Falkirk were in about them. A good game of football. Plaudits to the referee, he was not falling for the simulation.

David: A great way to secure top six. Let's keep the momentum going to Hampden. There's an opportunity to make this the best season ever.

Alan: Another fine win for the Bairns away from home versus one of the top teams who have only lost at home twice. Both Falkirk and John McGlynn are different class, with players who were in League 1 only two years ago. Well deserved.

Hibernian 3-0 Kilmarnock

A blistering start and quick Owen Elding goal put Hibs fans in a good mood and they saw plenty to like overall.

John: A pretty comprehensive win and what an excellent start - two goals in the first 12 minutes. When did that last happen? January's signings are having a great impact. Hibs will have quite a say where the championship ends up.

Sandy: We've got a star on the rise in Owen Elding. Man of the match in an excellent clean-sheet display.

Kenny: A lot of good football played and never looked like we were ever in trouble. We should now be full of confidence going into the Motherwell game next week and, if we can pick up a result, we will have great chance of fourth.

John: Another Jekyll and Hyde performance with 25 minutes of terrific football, then for some reason we allow Kilmarnock to dominate the second half.

There was a bit of doom and gloom in the Killie support after another defeat that had echoes of performances earlier in the season.

John: Back to the old Killie. All positive thoughts knocked out of us. We will just need to play in the play-off final and hope its Partick [Thistle] and not Dunfermline [Athletic].

Gerry: Once again, poor defending in an away fixture has cost us dearly. I'm afraid we are destined to finish 11th as our goal difference is absolutely shocking.

Bill: Back to costly defensive lapses; toothless in attack; lost more than half our matches; won only one match in five; huge goal deficit! It's clear this squad is not fit for the Premiership.

It’s been just over a week into the 2026 MLB regular season, and the New York Mets are already experiencing adversity. Star outfielder Juan Soto — who the team signed to a 15-year, $765 million deal in 2024 — was placed on the Injured List on Monday due to a calf strain.

The team announced the news on social media, noting that calf strains usually result in a two-to-three week absence for a player.

Soto, 27, originally sustained the injury during Friday’s 10-3 win over the San Francisco Giants. After singling and running the bases in the first inning of that contest, Soto was replaced by outfielder Tyrone Taylor in the bottom of the first inning.

With his injury status up in the air, Soto did not play Saturday or Sunday. The Mets won both contests without Soto.

Known for both his hitting prowess and durability, Soto hasn’t spent much time on the Injured List during his nine-year MLB career. The only two seasons in which he’s played in fewer than 150 games were his rookie year, when he was called up in May, and the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, when the MLB schedule was just 60 games.

That durability has allowed Soto to get off to a historic start to his career. Since being called up to the majors, Soto has a .282/.417/.531 slash line, with 245 career home runs. He’s a six-time Silver Slugger winner, four-time All-Star and a perennial contender for the MVP award.

Soto’s strong numbers have also carried over to the postseason, where he has a career .281/.389/.538 slash line in 191 plate appearances. His playoff excellence helped the Washington Nationals win the World Series in 2019.

With Soto sidelined, it will be on the Mets to prove they have enough depth to stay afloat. The team is off to a solid start so far this season, coming into Monday sitting at 6-4. Taylor will likely see more playing time with Soto sidelined.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Champions League game against Sporting CP at Estadio Jose Alvalade (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On the latest team news, Arteta confirmed defender Gabriel is fit after coming off with a knock in the defeat to Southampton in the FA Cup.
• He added Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard are available for the game. However, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber have not travelled, but he said: "Hopefully, they'll be ready for the weekend [against Bournemouth] if everything goes well."
• On whether there is added importance on this game after the back-to-back losses, he responded: "This is the quarter-finals of the Champions League, it doesn't get much better than that, and we worked so hard throughout this season to be in this position in the competition."
• Arteta said: "We're going to play an opponent where we know their record, we know about what they've done. I'm hungrier than ever, very excited and very, very motivated for tomorrow's game."
• When asked about people questioning the mentality of his side, Arteta said: "That's never going to change when you play at this level for this club.
• The Spaniard said the expectations mean his players must "live in the present" and "deliver it every day".
• On Viktor Gyokeres' return to his former club, he said the striker is "very excited" and "full of gratitude" to all those who helped him in Portugal.
• Also on Gyokeres' exploits in the international break, where he scored four goals to help Sweden reach the World Cup, Arteta said: "Those are the experiences you put in your veins", adding the moments will stick with him "for the rest of his career".
• On facing Sporting: "When you know what they have done at home, the way they have behaved in this Champions League, the opponents they have beaten, we know the difficulties of this match and that is why we want it even more."

Listen to full commentary of Arsenal v Sporting CP on Tuesday at 20:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Got a question about Arsenal? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

If you asked just about anyone, fan or media, about the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason, most to all would give them a top-notch grade. After the notable additions of Michael Pittman, Jamel Dean, Rico Dowdle, and Jaquan Brisker, the Steelers are a better team on paper than they were when their 2025 season ended in January.

Pittsburgh still has shortcomings on its roster, specifically at wide receiver. Even after trading for Pittman, the Steelers have just four receivers on their roster, two of which are Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek. Because of this, many expect a receiver to be the pick for Pittsburgh in the first round of the NFL Draft. One name in particular is one the Steelers reportedly have circled.

NFL Draft insider Tony Pauline reports that Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper is “in play” for the Steelers with the 21st pick.

“I’m told Cooper is in play for the Pittsburgh Steelers at pick No. 21 despite trading for Michael Pittman, and the New York Jets are also high on the speedy wideout, though they would only consider him with the 33rd pick,” Pauline writes.

Cooper caught 69 passes and 13 touchdowns for the Hoosiers in 2025, helping Indiana win the National Championship. He had 20 touchdown receptions in his final two seasons at Indiana.

Let us know what you think in the comments. Be sure to bookmark Behind the Steel Curtain for all the latest news, breakdowns, and more!

• Steelers’ Joey Porter Jr proclaims himself as top 5 cornerback
• Four Steelers that could be traded before 2026 season
• Steelers QB Will Howard doesn’t care about sixth-round pick label
• Former Steelers linebacker calls out Mike Tomlin for dysfunction
• Question of the day: Who are your favorite non-Hall of Fame Steelers?

The University of North Carolina reportedly intends to hire former Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone as its next men's basketball coach, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

This story will continue to be updated.

Player Red Sox Traded Away For Caleb Durbin Is Off To Great Start With Brewers originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Red Sox traded for Caleb Durbin this offseason, and one of the players they traded away is off to a great start.

Durbin was the centerpiece in a six-player deal between the Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers. The Red Sox gave up left-handed pitchers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan and infielder David Hamilton for Durbin, Andruw Monasterio and Anthony Seigler. Harrison was acquired in the Rafael Devers trade, but he only appeared in three games for the Red Sox.

Harrison made 12 minor league starts for the Red Sox as well. He had a 3.75 ERA with Triple-A Worcester and a 3.00 ERA with the Red Sox. He has a great fastball, and on the Brewers, he has looked like a star. Through two starts, he has 14 strikeouts and has allowed just three earned runs in 10 1/3 innings of work.

His strikeout rate is the highest it has been in the big leagues, and part of that is due to the changes the Brewers have made with his delivery. He has issued three walks, but overall looks much different than he did with the San Francisco Giants and Red Sox organizations.

Meanwhile, Durbin has gotten off to a very slow start. He is 2-for-28 to start the season, and right now it looks like the Red Sox are on the wrong end of this trade. However, there is plenty of season to go, and Durbin could start to heat up and look more like the player he was last season.

Harrison is not scheduled to pitch when the Brewers come to town on Monday, but this could be a great opportunity for Durbin to turn things on. What better team to do it against than the team that shipped him off?

The 2026 NFL Draft is less than three weeks away and the New England Patriots continue the process of finishing their board. Things will look quite different for the team this draft picking 31st overall after back-to-back years selecting in the top-five. While Drake Maye is a big reason in that, New England is expected to add a developmental quarterback behind the 23-year-old at some point during the draft weekend.

So, with that said, let’s take a look at some of the prospects that might make sense for the Patriots at the position.

Patriots’ current quarterback situation

The aforementioned Drake Maye has established himself as the team’s franchise quarterback after a season in which he finished as the MVP runner-up while being named a second-team All-Pro. Maye’s development both on and off the field allowed the team to part with veteran backup Joshua Dobbs this offseason, which promotes Tommy DeVito into the primary backup position.

With just Maye and DeVito on the depth chart, the team will add a third quarterback this offseason — likely late on Day 3 or as an undrafted free agent

“We need a third arm. And we’ll try to find a young guy that we can develop,” head coach Mike Vrabel said. “We’ll potentially add to the roster, whether that’s on the 53-man roster or practice squad.”

Patriots NFL Draft fits at quarterback

Sawyer Robertson (Baylor): The fifth-year senior is coming off a season in which he finished fifth in the FBS with 31 passing touchdowns and sixth with 3,681 passing yards. Robertson has good size to succeed in the pocket and is a strong athlete at the position to extend plays and pick up yards as a scrambler. His accuracy will need to improve but he may have the best developmental upside on Day 3 of the draft. | Consensus ranking: 212

Haynes King (Georgia Tech): After starting his career at Texas A&M, King spent the last three seasons at Georgia Tech where he was a three-time captain and earned ACC Offensive Player of the Year last season. The 25-year old rookie will have work to do as a passer but is a threat as a runner due to his speed (4.46-second 40-yard dash) and toughness. He can pick up dirty yards and finished his collegiate career with 37 rushing touchdowns. New England showed some interest in King at his Pro Day. | Consensus ranking: 292

Taylor Green (Arkansas): Speaking of athletes, it’s almost impossible to find a better one than Green at the quarterback position. His game is built around his athleticism as he posted one of the fastest ever 40 times for a quarterback (4.36) while breaking the positional record with a 43.5” vertical. That ability shows as he recorded over 2,000 career rushing yards and 35 touchdowns, but that ability and urge to escape out the back of the pocket often leads to sacks while accuracy and turnover issues will need to be corrected. | Consensus ranking: 153

Carson Beck (Miami): Once viewed as a top overall prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft, Beck had a disappointing 2024 campaign for the Georgia Bulldogs that ended with a UCL injury in his elbow requiring surgery. Beck then transferred to Miami and helped lead the Hurricanes to the National Championship behind a career-high 30 touchdowns, but again struggled with turnovers —throwing 12 interceptions in each of his last two seasons while. He lacks top physical traits but his size and accuracy make him an intriguing depth option. | Consensus ranking: 115

Jack Strand (Minnesota State Moorhead): A largely unknown prospect in this year’s QB class coming from Division II, Strand fits the bill of a developmental quarterback. He stands 6-foot-5, 240 pounds and has a lively arm, good athletic ability, and leaves the NSIC holding career records in pass completions (1,147), passing yards (12,134) and passing touchdowns (115). The jump in competition will be major for the engineering physics major, but Strand has plenty of enticing tools. | Consensus ranking: N/A

In addition to those players, other names to watch include: Luke Altmyer (Illinois), Joe Fagnano (Connecticut), Brady Olson (Central Connecticut State), and Cole Payton (North Dakota State).

Things might end up looking a lot different to the Cowboys offense when they line up twice this year against the defense of one of their divisional rivals.

The New York Giants could find themselves without three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, as the seven-year veteran and former first-round draft pick has reportedly requested a trade, per ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.

"Lawrence and the Giants have been through two offseasons attempting to negotiate a contract reflecting his value to the Giants over the last three years," Schefter wrote in an X post Monday, "but there has not been any progress, per sources."

ESPN sources: Giants All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade and he will not be participating in the team’s off-season workout program that opens Tuesday.

Lawrence and the Giants have been through two off seasons attempting to negotiate a contract… pic.twitter.com/WUSTNxmeGh

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 6, 2026

Lawrence, 28, will reportedly not participate in the Giants' offseason workout program, which begins Tuesday.

The 2026 season will be the Giants' first under new head coach John Harbaugh and new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. Now it appears they will kick off their offseason preps without the 102-game starter who has anchored Big Blue's defensive line since coming out of Clemson in 2019.

"He's super, super important," Harbaugh said of Lawrence as recently as February. "He's a cornerstone football player -- not really a cornerstone, more like the middle stone. He's right in the middle. He's a very big stone, and he's a very active, athletic one."

Lawrence's Giants teams have not fared well versus the Cowboys, posting just a 2-14 mark in head-to-head meetings since he joined the roster. But in those 16 games, Lawrence has posted 44 tackles and nine QB hits.

The 6-foot-4-inch 340-pounder should command plenty of attention in the pre-draft trade market, but Dak Prescott and the Cowboys likely wouldn't be all that sorry to see Lawrence leave the division.

Todd is on X at @ToddBrock24f7. Also, follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys rival could lose DT Dexter Lawrence after late trade request

During my tenure at Pinstripe Alley—hell, during my entire time as a baseball fan—I’ve never been shy about delving into the team’s history and exploring the lives of its long roll call of players, both incredible and regrettable. We provide plenty of other coverage on the current-day activities of the teams, so I like having one spot per day on the schedule to open the ol’ books and tell a story.

Whether it’s remembering championship teams, Top 100 players, or notable free agent signings, there’s always something out there to explore. For the pastthreeyears, we’ve celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 1998-2000 Yankees dynasty by doing a diary on all their regular season and playoff activity. The final pages were written this past October, so it’s time for a new daily project.

With that in mind, we’ll ring in the new year by beginning the Yankees Birthdays series. Every day in 2026, we’ll have a new Yankees figure to discuss whose birthday happened to fall on that day. Some days will feature far more famous stars than others! But that just adds to the challenge and our interest in the exercise. As a spoiler for today, that’s exactly what you’ll see soon for January 1st.

Happy new year and happy 365 days of Yankees birthdays!

January 1: Charlie Devens
January 2: David Cone
January 3: Luis Sojo
January 4: George Selkirk
January 5: Art Fletcher
January 6: Don Gullett
January 7: Alfonso Soriano
January 8: Jason Giambi
January 9: Ralph Terry
January 10: Del Pratt
January 11: Loren Babe
January 12: Iván Nova
January 13: Darrell Rasner
January 14: Chet Brewer
January 15: Matt Holliday
January 16: Jack McDowell
January 17: Chili Davis
January 18: Michael Pineda
January 19: Fernando Seguignol
January 20: Kevin Maas
January 21: Andy Hawkins
January 22: Brian Dayett
January 23: Johnny Sturm
January 24: Neil Allen
January 25: Les Nunamaker
January 26: Brian Doyle
January 27: Fred Heimach
January 28: Lyn Lary
January 29: John Habyan
January 30: Hipólito Peña
January 31: Duke Maas

February 1: Jazz Chisholm Jr.
February 2:George Halas
February 3: Chicken Hawks
February 4: Lefty Davis
February 5: Roger Peckinpaugh
February 6: Babe Ruth
February 7: Dámaso García
February 8: Fritz Peterson
February 9: Clete Boyer
February 10: Allie Reynolds
February 11: César Cabral
February 12: Todd Frazier
February 13: Nathan Eovaldi
February 14: Dámaso Marte
February 15: Russell Martin
February 16: Barry Foote
February 17: Wally Pipp
February 18: Joe Gordon
February 19: Chris Stewart
February 20: Tommy Henrich
February 21: Oscar Azócar
February 22: Ryne Duren
February 23: Elston Howard
February 24: Mike Lowell
February 25: Paul O’Neill
February 26: Johnny Blanchard
February 27: Ron Hassey
February 28: Bill Holland

March 1: Oswaldo Cabrera
March 2: Miguel Andujar
March 3: Willie Keeler
March 4: Lefty O’Doul
March 5: Doug Bird
March 6: Francisco Cervelli
March 7: Mike Armstrong
March 8: Jim Bouton
March 9: Aaron Boone
March 10: Steve Howe
March 11: Bobby Abreu
March 12: Darryl Strawberry
March 13: Home Run Baker
March 14: Butch Wynegar
March 15: Mike Pagliarulo
March 16: Curtis Granderson
March 17: Tim Lollar
March 18: Brian Fisher
March 19: Fritz Brickell
March 20: Paul Mirabella
March 21: Frankie Montas
March 22: Rich Monteleone
March 23:Dellin Betances
March 24: Ernie Shore
March 25: Lee Mazzilli
March 26:José Vizcaíno
March 27: Miller Huggins
March 28: Vic Raschi
March 29: Herb McQuaid
March 30: Dick Woodson
March 31: Chien-Ming Wang

April 1: Phil Niekro
April 2: Jon Lieber
April 3: Art Ditmar
April 4: Cameron Maybin
April 5: Wid Conroy
April 6: Ken Clay

To say that Dexter Lawrence’s career has been wasted up to this point would be a massive understatement. The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro has been with the New York Giants since 2019, languishing for seven long years in an organization that has been constantly rebuilding, now on its fourth coach since Lawrence was drafted.

It’s not wholly surprising that Lawrence is demanding a trade, but the timing is bizarre. This is the first time Lawrence has had a competitive team that could actually win — and now with John Harbaugh at coach, the Giants look actually poised to do something. However, this could be attributed to Lawrence routinely being in trade discussions with contenders, only to see them fall apart at the deadline, coupled with the sides not being able to agree on a new contract.

Lawrence is currently on a rookie extension he signed in 2023, which is set to run through 2027. He has a cap hit of $27M this season, though it’s probable he would sign a contract extension with a new team, which could reduce his cap number. Let’s look at the teams who could afford this move, and who needs an All-Pro defensive tackle.

Los Angeles Chargers

From one Harbaugh to another, Dexter Lawrence would be an ideal fit to anchor the Chargers defensive line in their 3-4. Right now the team is hoping that short-term free agent pickup Dalvin Tomlinson can hold the middle, and he was atrocious in 2025, rating as one of the worst tackles in the league at the position.

The Chargers have the cap space and the need to add some superstar talent, which is where Lawrence fits in. He can open up pass rush lanes on the edge for Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu, while adding a much-needed veteran presence.

New England Patriots

The Pats showed how talented they were last season, but we saw in the Super Bowl how a lack of interior pressure hurt them when everything mattered the most. Lawrence would give Mike Vrabel the interior force he needs, and a critical veteran to bring up some of New England’s younger talent.

There’s a very good chance that the Pats could be holding their cap space for a potential A.J. Brown trade to bolster the offense, but they might actually be better suited by trying to get Lawrence to complement the already excellent Patriots pass defense.

Seattle Seahawks

Let’s make 31 other teams groan. There aren’t a lot of weaknesses on the Seahawks, but one of them is nose tackle. Jarran Reed is fine, but there’s nothing really impressive about him and adding a pop in the middle like Lawrence would make an already terrifying Seahawks’ defense into an all-consuming black hole.

They won a Super Bowl, so now it’s time to try and turn this into a dynasty by giving them one of the best 3-4 nose tackles in the NFL.

The UFC is back in sunny South Florida this week, home base for hundreds of fighters. 

Here's how to watch UFC 327, where the vacant light heavyweight title is up for grabs in the main event.

Broadcast and streaming info

UFC 327 has a main card that streams at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+. The prelims stream on Paramount+ at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Stay tuned to MMA Junkie for additional broadcast details later this week.

Main event: Jiri Prochazka

• Record: 32-5-1 MMA, 6-2 UFC
• Opponent: Carlos Ulberg (13-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC)
• Division: Light heavyweight
• Key wins: Khalil Rountree Jr., Jamahal Hill, Aleksandar Rakic, Glover Teixeira, Dominick Reyes, Volkan Oezdemir 
• Misc.: Prochazka won the light heavyweight title nearly four years ago with a dramatic fifth-round submission of Glover Teixeira, but he had to vacate the belt before he could defend it due to an injury. He lost to Alex Pereira for the vacant title fight in 2023, but bounced back against Rakic. But in a title rematch with Pereira in 2024, he was knocked out again in the second round. Now that Pereira and his kryptonite have gone to heavyweight, Prochazka has a shot at the belt without the tough Brazilian in the way.

Main event: Carlos Ulberg

• Record: 13-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC
• Opponent: Jiri Prochazka (32-5-1 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
• Division: Light heavyweight
• Key wins: Dominick Reyes, Jan Blachowicz, Volkan Oezdemir, Alonzo Menifield, Da Woon Jung, Ihor Potieria
• Misc.: The 34-year-old New Zealander lost his promotional debut in 2021, but since then has rattled off nine straight wins – including consecutive decisions over former title challenger Oezdemir and ex-champ Blachowicz, as well as a bonus-winning first-round knockout of ex-title challenger Dominick Reyes in his first UFC main event. 

Co-main event: Paulo Costa

• Record: 15-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC
• Opponent: Azamat Murzakanov (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC)
• Division: Light heavyweight
• Key wins: Roman Kopylov, Luke Rockhold, Yoel Romero, Uriah Hall, Johny Hendricks
• Misc.: After a rough stretch of four losses in five fights starting with a middleweight title loss to Israel Adesanya in September 2020, Costa got back on track this past July with a decision over Kopylov. He had to pull out of a fight with Brunno Ferreira set for March, but now is back – and up 20 pounds at light heavyweight.

Co-main event: Azamat Murzakanov

• Record: 16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC
• Opponent: Paulo Costa (15-4 MMA, 7-4 UFC)
• Division: Light heavyweight
• Key wins: Aleksandar Rakic, Brendson Ribeiro, Alonzo Menifield, Dustin Jacoby, Devin Clark
• Misc.: The unbeaten 36-year-old Russian had back-to-back first-round knockout wins in 2025, giving him six finishes in his seven UFC appearances, if his DWCS first-round contract-winning KO is included from 2021. 

UFC 327 lineup

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 9 p.m. ET)

• Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg – for vacant light heavyweight title
• Paulo Costa vs. Azamat Murzakanov
• Curtis Blaydes vs. Josh Hokit
• Dominick Reyes vs. Johnny Walker
• Nate Landwehr vs. Cub Swanson

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount, 7 p.m. ET)

• Patricio Freire vs. Aaron Pico
• Randy Brown vs. Kevin Holland
• Mateusz Gamrot vs. Esteban Ribovics
• Loopy Godinez vs. Tatiana Suarez

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 5:30 p.m. ET)

• MarQuel Mederos vs. Chris Padilla
• Kelvin Gastelum vs. Vicente Luque
• Francisco Prado vs. Charles Radtke

UFC 327 main card betting odds

• Prochazka -125, Ulberg -100
• Costa +150, Murzakanov -185
• Blaydes -150, Hokit +120
• Reyes -100, Walker -125
• Landwehr -140, Swanson +110

UFC 327 preliminary card betting odds

• Pat -115, Petersen -105
• Costa -400, Nicoll +310
• Flowers +180, Vannata -220
• Cowan -125, Pereira +105
• Bekoev -190, Gore +160
• Barbosa -150, Gatto +125

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 327: How to watch Prochazka vs. Ulberg, Miami lineup, odds, more

The news just keeps coming on prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft who will be visiting the Green Bay Packers. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is working hard on the beat today, reporting a third visitor of the day to bring the total number of reported visitors up to 10 out of the maximum 30.

The latest name is another likely late-round or undrafted prospect, but one who comes with an impressive array of physical tools as well as big production in a Group of Five conference. The player is linebacker Jaden Dugger out of the University of Louisiana, and his RAS card is practically one giant green flag.

Dugger is an imposing physical figure at the linebacker position. He measured in at 6-foot-5 and 242 pounds at his Pro Day then put up excellent numbers in every movement drill available; his workout reportedly included times of 4.60 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 7.00 seconds in the 3-cone to go with a broad jump of 10-foot-6, all of which are excellent numbers for his position. Dugger also measured in with whopping 35 inch arms, making him one of the longest linebacker prospects in this year’s draft.

Although he was not invited to this year’s Scouting Combine, Dugger participated in the Shrine Bowl where, according to APC’s Tyler Brooke, his impressive size and length stood out more than his on-field performance.

The Pittsburgh native originally enrolled at Georgetown University at the FCS level before he transferred to Louisiana prior to the 2024 season. Dugger started just three games in his first year in Lafayette but moved into the lineup full-time as a senior. The 2025 season was a strong one for Dugger on a statistical perspective, however, as he led the Sun Belt conference in solo tackles with 64. He also added 13 total tackles for loss, four sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception. One of his best games came against Louisiana’s biggest competition as well — he recorded 11 total tackles, including two TFLs and a sack in the Ragin’ Cajuns’ game against SEC foe Missouri in mid-September.

Ranked 311th on the consensus draft board at present, Dugger is likely to be a priority free agent signing after the 2026 NFL Draft concludes. Still, his size and athletic ability may make him an early candidate for special teams snaps while learning the ropes of the linebacker position. His frame could also make him a viable a candidate to bulk up with the intent of to eventually moving to an edge rusher position instead.

Arsenal Injury Update Ahead of Sporting Clash

Arsenal’s FA Cup exit has done more than dent silverware ambitions, it has sharpened focus on a growing injury list that could shape the club’s European hopes. As preparations continue for the Champions League quarter final first leg against Sporting CP, attention centres on key names such as Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice.

Mikel Arteta finds himself balancing recovery timelines with the urgency of a defining week.

Gabriel Concern Offers Mixed Signals

Gabriel’s situation captures the current mood around Arsenal, cautiously optimistic yet far from certain. Having withdrawn from Brazil duty earlier in the international break, the defender returned to start against Southampton. His influence was evident, even if indirectly tied to Viktor Gyokeres’ equaliser.

However, his afternoon ended early with what appeared to be a left knee issue. The sight of him departing after 72 minutes raised immediate concern. Encouragingly, he was back in training on Monday, suggesting the problem may not be severe. Availability for Sporting remains a realistic possibility, though far from guaranteed.

Photo IMAGO

Bukayo Saka Fitness Question Continues

For Bukayo Saka, the situation feels more measured. The winger stepped away from England duty with workload management in mind, a decision that speaks volumes about his importance to Arsenal’s season.

He was absent against Southampton and did not train ahead of the Sporting fixture. That absence points towards a cautious approach from the club. Arteta hinted before the weekend that Saka was close to involvement, yet not quite ready.

The expectation is that Arsenal will not rush him back, particularly with a demanding schedule ahead. His potential return may be better aligned with the following fixture rather than immediate European action.

Declan Rice Balancing Fitness and Fatigue

Declan Rice finds himself in a similar position. After returning for “medical assessment” following England duty, his condition highlights the physical toll of a relentless campaign.

Arteta offered a revealing insight into Rice’s mindset, saying, “He is just now on the edge, where he thinks, ‘Does this make sense, what I’m doing here, to push through with 70 per cent [fitness] and push myself and push myself?’ And the same with Bukayo.”

That quote underlines a broader theme at Arsenal, managing elite players who are operating close to their physical limits. Rice could feature against Sporting, though it may depend on how much risk Arteta is willing to take.

Photo IMAGO

Defensive Depth Tested by Timber Absence

Jurrien Timber’s absence continues to test Arsenal’s defensive options. The Dutch defender has not featured since the win over Everton and remains sidelined with an ankle issue.

Despite earlier optimism, his lack of involvement in training suggests Lisbon will come too soon. Arsenal will need to reshuffle accordingly, placing further emphasis on those available.

Elsewhere, Leandro Trossard and others remain uncertain, while longer term concerns such as Mikel Merino add another layer of complexity to squad planning.

Arsenal Facing Defining Selection Decisions

This is where seasons often tilt. Arsenal must weigh short term necessity against long term risk, particularly with players like Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice central to both domestic and European ambitions.

Arteta’s approach so far suggests caution over haste. Whether that proves decisive will become clearer under the lights in Lisbon.

Manchester City assistant coach Pep Lijnders has confirmed that captain Bernardo Silva will leave the club at the end of the season.

The Portuguese has been a key player for the Cityzens since joining from Monaco in 2017, winning six Premier League and one Champions League titles.

Silva has been linked with a move to the MLS, while Juventus also have interest in him.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano, via his YouTube channel, now claims that Silva will be open to joining Barcelona.

He said: “Barcelona wanted Bernardo Silva a few years ago, but were unable to complete the deal. I understand that the prospect of living in Spain would be very attractive to Silva.

“Bernardo would be open to joining Barcelona, but it depends on the club’s priorities.”

Barcelona are unlikely to sign Silva

Barcelona have sufficient depth in midfield and are unlikely to pursue a move for Silva.

Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez have impressed in attacking midfield— Silva’s preferred position — while Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Marc Bernal, and Marc Casado provide quality options centrally.

Gavi is also expected to strengthen the midfield when he fully recovers.

Silva could also demand a substantial salary which may affect Barcelona’s pursuit of other top targets, such as Alessandro Bastoni and Julian Alvarez.

A move for Juventus is more plausible if the Portugal international wants to keep playing at the highest level of European football.

The Italian giants are preparing for a major squad overhaul, which will allow them to sign Silva.

The Tennessee Titans are in the midst of a full-scale rebuild. With a new coaching staff, plenty of free agency moves, and the 2026 NFL Draft right around the corner, Nashville has been abuzz with everything that Mike Borgonzi and Robert Saleh are doing.

While many analysts try to predict who the Titans will select with the No. 4 overall pick, the remainder of the draft isn't quite as clear. We ultimately won't know what the Titans are going to do until the draft actually happens. The draft is unpredictable, which is why 104.7 The Fan is hosting its fourth-annual installment of The Install with Greg Cosell.

This is a live taping event held at the Hutton Hotel in downtown Nashville, featuring longtime NFL analyst, NFL Films senior producer, and ESPN’s NFL Matchup executive producer Greg Cosell.

Cosell will provide in-depth breakdowns of the Titans' free agency moves and draft class, deep-diving into film and what Mike Borgonzi and Robert Saleh's process was. There will be special guest appearances and detailed conversations on Titans' storylines and broader NFL trends in this unique event you won't find anywhere else.

The live event is scheduled for May 1 at 7:00 p.m. CST, and tickets went on sale on April 1.

This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Live one-of-a-kind Titans draft show announced

NFL Reporter Left Owners Meetings With Confident A.J. Brown-Patriots Prediction originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

One NFL reporter is more confident than ever about the possibility of the Patriots landing A.J. Brown.

Tennessee Titans reporter Easton Freeze, who works for A to Z Sports, left last week's NFL owners meetings convinced New England eventually will trade for Brown. Of course, numerous offseason rumors have identified the Patriots as the clear favorites to trade for the Philadelphia Eagles receiver.

"One thing I'll be leaving the owners meetings way too sure of: A.J. Brown will wear a Patriots jersey this fall," Freeze wrote in an X post.

One thing I’ll be leaving the owners meetings way too sure of: AJ Brown will wear a Patriots jersey this fall.

— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) March 31, 2026

Freeze didn't elaborate further, but it's fair to assume he made his prediction after speaking with sources at the meetings. Regardless, his post added more fuel to an ever-growing fire.

Whether Brown is traded to the Patriots remains to be seen. However, at this juncture, it's hard to envision him returning to the Eagles for another season, as all signs point toward both sides wanting to move on.

Though undeniably on the decline, Brown remains a true No. 1 receiver. The 28-year-old posted 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games last season. Brown is a three-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion.

More NFL: Stefon Diggs Reunion? Patriots Exec Apparently Still Isn't Ruling It Out

Mavericks reveal exact details of Kobe Bryant trade offer they made Lakers in 2007 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban revealed the exact details of the Kobe Bryant trade offer they made to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007. 

In a recent appearance on the Club 520 podcast, Cuban revealed that the Mavericks were set to trade for Bryant in exchange for two first-round picks, Josh Howard and Jason Terry. 

“It was 2007, Kobe was ready to get out," Cuban said. "And I was on Dancing with the Stars. Google me. I didn’t win. There was a dude named Elvis who was a production assistant, right? And he was just Kobe love everything. I’m between breaks, I’d be like, Elvis, I need a quiet spot. And I would talk to Rob Pelinka, his agent at the time, and he’s like, “Okay, if you can get Dr. Buss to approve. And I talk to Dr. Buss and he was ready to do it. And it was like two first, Josh Howard and Jason Terry for Kobe. And I thought, “Okay, this is done. And I told Elvis, “This is done.” And I went to practice on my jive or whatever. And then we got a call from Rob that Mitch Kupchak, right? Had talked Kobe out of it. That close. And I was telling Dirk the whole time. He goes, “You can trade me. I would trade me for Kobe, too. And I’m like no Dirk the whole point is y’all two.”

Mark  Cuban Nearly Landed Kobe Bryant Before Lakers’ Dynasty Took Off

Bryant had expressed frustation withthe Lakers organization at the time and demanded a trade out of Los Angeles. He was adamant on a trade, and no team was closer to trading for the Black Mamba than Cuban and the Mavericks.

However, the late great Dr. Jerry Buss and then Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak ultimately convinced Bryant to give the Lakers another chance. 

A season later, Bryant led the Lakers to the NBA Finals appearance and eventually led L.A. to back-to-back titles. 

As for the Mavericks, they won their lone championship in 2011. In the playoffs that season, they defeated Bryant and the Lakers in the second round of that Finals run, sweeping them in the process. 

PHILADELPHIA -- There is no doubt that the Philadelphia 76ers have one of the more talented rosters in the league. Led by Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and Paul George all now healthy and building chemistry down the stretch of the season, there is a sense that the Sixers can make some serious noise in the playoffs.

At the moment, the Sixers are fighting to stay in the top 6 in the East so they can avoid the play-in tournament and have the week off, but wherever Philadelphia ends up, it will have a great chance at pulling off an upset thanks to the talent it possesses.

Not only does Philadelphia have a strong starting 5 on paper, but there is some scoring depth off the bench with Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes providing a spark and Dominick Barlow doing whatever it takes to help a team win.

:I feel like we’re scary," said Grimes. "We’re pretty deep at every position. We have a lot of talented, talented guys. So, I feel like whoever comes in the game, there’s really no drop off where there’s a sub for anybody in the starting unit or whoever comes in. I feel like in the playoffs, I really wouldn’t wanna see us. We’ll try to get that 6 seed and not be in the play-in."

After being acquired from the Dallas Mavericks at the 2025 deadline, Grimes is playing meaningful basketball for the first time since he made the playoffs with the New York Knicks in 2023. The 5-year guard, obviously, joined the Sixers at a tough time when considering all of the injuries that decimated the roster in the previous season so this is a big difference for him.

"It feels great," Grimes stated. "It’s what you kinda work the whole summer for, the whole training camp, and then early on in the season. Just building up that chemistry, that intensity for when you get to these games, that there’s no drop off. There’s nothing new about it, so right now, the intensity is at a super high level the last couple two, three games so it’s been good to see. Gotta keep carrying it over."

When considering all that he and the Sixers went through in 2024-25, it is a satisfying feeling that they have been able to turn things around.

"For sure," he finished. "Just with all the expectations that people have and knowing how loaded we are as a team. We have a lot of guys that can do a lot of things on the court so it’s good to see everybody slowly getting that groove and kinda slowly get in that trying to be peaking come playoff time."

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Quentin Grimes issues confident statement about 76ers' playoff chances

What does history say about Islanders, Golden Knights late-season coaching change? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For most of the NHL’s 2025-26 regular season, the coaching carousel was slow, almost too slow. As we approached the end of March, it was looking like we might get through a full season with just the one coaching change. 

But in a span of only eight days beginning on March 29, we’ve had two coaches fired, with the Vegas Golden Knights first firing Bruce Cassidy and hiring journeyman coach John Tortorella – then, on Sunday afternoon, the New York Islanders pink-slipped Patrick Roy, replacing him with former Dallas Stars bench boss Peter DeBoer.

Although there is a history of NHL GMs making late-season coaching changes, is there a track record of success that should reassure Golden Knights and Islanders fans that these moves will pay off? From this writer’s perspective, we’re not entirely sold. 

To begin, the Columbus Blue Jackets replaced Dean Evason with veteran Rick Bowness this season and received a major bump. While the timing differs from that of the Golden Knights and Islanders, the Blue Jackets went on an outstanding run from January onwards, putting them in a playoff spot recently.

They now sit two points back of a playoff spot while competing with six other teams. The verdict remains undetermined if their move completely pays off, but at the very least, it gave them a chance, something they didn’t have before.

Furthermore, legendary New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello indeed made the right choice when he fired coach Robbie Ftorek with only eight games left in the 1999-2000 regular season. Under replacement Larry Robinson, the Devils went on to win the Stanley Cup that year, underscoring Lamoriello’s ruthless brilliance – something he would show again in the 2006-07 season when he fired Devils coach Claude Julien with just three games left. But the move did not pay off that time, as the Ottawa Senators eliminated New Jersey in the second round of the playoffs.

MORE: Islanders Fire Patrick Roy With Four Games Remaining; Name Pete DeBoer Coach

So, while the addition of DeBoer and the structure he’s provided to multiple teams over the years will probably help Isles stars Matthew Schaefer and Mathew Barzal, we’re more skeptical of Tortorella’s impact on the Golden Knights.

Vegas did win its first three games under Tortorella, beating the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and Edmonton Oilers. Still, the Golden Knights are likely to have a much tougher road in the first round when they take on either the Oilers or the Anaheim Ducks. There’s a reason why Tortorella has bounced between five different NHL teams since his debut in 2001 – his coaching style tends to wear thin with players fairly easily.

At the same time, Tortorella has been able to get the best of his players in short instances. When players buy into his play style, immediate results seem to follow.

In any case, the firings of Roy and Cassidy show that no NHL coach is 100 percent secure at any time. You can see why GMs might buy into the idea that changing the person in charge of the players will provide the jolt needed to ensure players perform at their best. Still, if that’s all it took to motivate players into winning a Cup, every team in the league would be doing it every season. 

The truth is that firing a coach toward the end of the season is an enormous gamble. You do it out of desperation, or because you think the coach has lost the room. Bringing in someone with experience who can provide a boost to players with a mere handful of days left to turn things around.

The Islanders and Golden Knights took different approaches to their new coaching situations: Vegas hired Tortorella on a shorter-term basis, while the Isles gave DeBoer a multi-year contract. But who’s kidding whom – if DeBoer can’t coax a better performance out of Islanders players, he won’t be around Long Island for very long.

MORE: John Tortorella coaching timeline: Golden Knights are shocking addition to fiery coach's lengthy resume

The coaching business is cutthroat. Everywhere you look, there’s a potential pitfall that could get you fired as a coach. As we’re seeing once again this season, you could be fired at virtually any moment. It’s no wonder coaches feel pressure, but that’s the world in which we live.

You are hired in coaching to be fired in coaching, and that’s as true as ever. So the next time someone is fired, maybe in the second round of the playoffs this year, or maybe this summer, don’t act surprised. The coaching carousel continues, and nothing is going to change it.

More NHL News

• Maple Leafs announce they are parting ways with GM Brad Treliving
• 3 candidates for Hockey Canada's next GM
• Projecting what Team North America would look like at the 2028 World Cup of Hockey
• NHL power rankings: Avalanche regain firm grip of top spot
• 5 NHL coaches most likely to be fired at the end of the 2025-26 season

Apr. 6—***

Hard to believe, but the NFL draft is less than three weeks away in Pittsburgh. Set for April 23-25, the event will have some Illinois flavor. And for the first time in a long time, a quarterback from the school is expected to be drafted.

In his latest rankings, 's Jordan Reid puts Luke Altmyer eighth among the quarterbacks.

First, of course, is Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, who is expected to go to the Las Vegas Raiders. The No. 2 quarterback is Alabama's Ty Simpson, who Reid projects being picked by Arizona.

The next Big Ten quarterback on the list is Penn State's Drew Allar, who Reid expects to go off the board late in Day 2 or early in Day 3. So, the third and fourth rounds.

Altmyer is expected to go early to mid rounds on Day 3. Reid puts San Francisco as the best team fit for Altmyer.

Reid mentioned the chance for Altmyer to have an extended NFL career.

Altmyer was listed four spots ahead of Heisman runner-up Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt.

The first week of the year featuring action from all four minor league affiliates of the Cincinnati Reds is in the books, and Farmers Only is here to highlight the best of said action.

We’ll start with the AA Chattanooga Lookouts, seeing as that squad won each of their first three games of the season and sits undefeated at the time of writing this. And helping lead that charge so far is none other than Austin “Fox in the” Hendrick, the 1st round pick of the Reds back in 2020 about whom we’ve almost completely forgotten.

He’s always flashed elite power potential, but the lack of consistent contact and strike zone awareness has dogged him since being selected out of high school in the Pittsburgh area. He’s still somehow just 24 years old, however, and he’s begun the year 6 for 12 with a homer and 5 runs driven in for the Lookouts. Maybe, just maybe, he’s figuring things out a little bit (and we’ll ignore the 4/0 K/BB so far for the time being).

Leo “Shuffle” Balcazar has also been red hot for Chattanooga out of the gates after being added to the team’s 40-man roster this winter. He went 5 for 11 with a homer, a double, and a walk to begin the season.

Chattanooga begins a big six-game road trip in Birmingham on Tuesday.

Alfredo Duno is off to a hot start over in Dayton as the High-A Dragons split their first two games of the year only to have Sunday’s contest rained out. Duno has begun the season 2 for 7 with a pair of doubles and as many walks (2) as Ks (2) so far, while the perennially overlooked Carlos Sanchez has begun the year 3 for 8 with a double, walk, and stolen base.

Dayton opens a big six-game homestand against Lake County on Tuesday evening.

Down in the land of humid air and pitching paradises, Tyson “Super F.” Lewis and the Daytona Tortugas of the Class-a Florida State League dropped two of three against Jupiter to begin the season – and that includes an ugly 14-1 whoopin’ on Saturday. Lewis, though, does have an early homer under his belt after starting 3 for 12, but he’s already struck out an alarming 7 times so far. That’s tied for the most of any player in the FSL so far.

Daytona hits the road to take on Lakeland for the rest of the week with the series opening on Tuesday evening.

Over in Louisville, the 4-5 Bats are chugging along with a mix of potent offense and pitchers who can’t get an out. Each of Chase Petty and Julian “Calendar” Aguiar – two arms with big league experience who are being counted on as depth at the moment – have been shelled, the two combining for 15.1 IP and 16 ER so far. Relievers Zach “Big Sugar” Maxwell and Luis “Gonna Be” Mey have both also been rocked, while Kyle Nicolas has only allowed one run in 3.0 IP.

Offensively, though, this team is a juggernaut. We detailed how Rece Hinds was destroying baseballs already this year, and he paces the International League with 14 ribbies at the moment (with his 4 homers second most). JJ “Slovenia” Bleday has but a lone homer, but he has 4 doubles and an even 7/7 K/BB to date, while Hector “5 Weight” Rodriguez is showing the kind of plate discipline he’s long been dinged for not having by also posting 7 walks so far (along with a pair of homers and a .934 OPS).

Edwin “I’ll Be” Arroyo, meanwhile, has a bit of a power stroke back. He’s already homered, tripled, and doubled while swiping 3 bags to lead the club (and owns a .350 OBP). Keep an eye on him – he’s going to be back back as a prospect this year.

The Bats take their talents to Indianapolis and begin their six-game road series on Tuesday evening.

The New York Jets have signaled interest in USC wide receiver Makai Lemon prior to the 2026 NFL draft.

The Jets hold two selections in Round 1 of the upcoming event at Nos. 2 and 16 overall. More likely a target for the second of the two, Lemon is being looked at more intently as he is reportedly having a top-30 visit in New York:

USC wide receiver Makai Lemon met with the #Chiefs on a Top 30 visit Thursday, per @RapSheet

He’s also scheduled to visit the Dolphins, #Giants, #Jets, and #Commanders. pic.twitter.com/XS0jrfFHB1

— Roundtable Sports (@RoundtableSN) April 4, 2026

For the Jets, wide receiver is a need so the team's offense has a complement to Garrett Wilson at the position.

A 5-foot-11 playmaker, Lemon had 79 catches, 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns in 12 games played in 2025. NFL.com's draft profile on Lemon compares his skill set to that of Detroit Lions' All-Pro wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Jets Wire will continue to provide updates throughout the 2026 offseason.

This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: 2026 NFL draft: New York Jets to host Round 1 receiver on top-30 visit

Tonight, Jose Ramirez will become the player who has played in the most baseball games in history while wearing a Cleveland uniform.

Jose Ramirez was born in Bani, Dominican Republic. Is it possible for him to be the most Cleveland of all baseball players? The players he surpasses at the top of this list – Terry Turner and Nap Lajoie – were from Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, respectively. The greatest players in Cleveland baseball history were all not born in Ohio, let alone Cleveland. So, Jose has as much claim to be the epitome of the essence of the city as anyone does.

Let’s examine his credentials:

-Despite being an atypical body type and height, Jose is on a Hall of Fame trajectory as a player. Cleveland is often overlooked as a city and glories in its underdog status. Jose embodies the underdog mindset better than any player ever has.