Many of today's basketball fans associate Pat Riley with the Miami Heat. But he crafted his identity and resume as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers back in the 1980s.

Riley started out as a player in the NBA in the late 1960s and 1970s, and most of his playing career was spent with the Lakers. Early in the 1979-80 season, which was Magic Johnson's rookie campaign, Riley became an assistant coach under Paul Westhead and was a part of L.A.'s first championship team of the Showtime era. Two years later, he became the team's head coach and guided it to another championship, and three more followed under his leadership in 1985, 1987 and 1988.

On Sunday, before the Lakers faced the Boston Celtics, their ancient rivals, the franchise unveiled a statue of Riley outside of Crypto.com Arena. A number of people were on hand for the event, including two-time Academy Award winner Michael Douglas, who once played Gordon Gekko in the 1987 movie "Wall Street."

Douglas said that Gekko's slicked-back hair was based on Riley's iconic hairdo.

“Gordon Gekko’s hairdo came from Pat Riley” - Michael Douglas on finding inspiration for his iconic role in the movie Wall Street from the Hall of Fame Lakers coach pic.twitter.com/TERNYPDLpq

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 22, 2026

Magic Johnson, Riley's right-hand man throughout the Showtime era, spoke and not only praised his old coach, but also told a story about when Riley decided to make him the No. 1 option offensively.

“One of the best days is when he said ‘Buck, you’re gonna have to score more.’ That means I gotta shoot more then. He said ‘that’s what I’m asking you to do.’ I said ‘did you ask Kareem?’ He said yes. I said ‘okay then.’ Because nothing could happen on our team without permission from Kareem”

Then it was Riley's turn to speak. He ended his speech by imploring the Lakers to defeat the hated Celtics, hearkening back to a motivational speech he gave his iteration of the Lakers during the 1985 NBA Finals, the first time the franchise had ever defeated Boston for the world championship.

The statue was unveiled, and it is a thing of beauty. It portrays Riley with his fist in the air, which was a signal for his players to get the basketball down low to legendary center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

What a moment for Pat Riley 🥹

The 4x champion in LA has become the first @Lakers coach with a statue! https://t.co/dJgeAAC3bYpic.twitter.com/PXh7GafuZj

— NBA (@NBA) February 22, 2026

The inscription on the statue flashes back to that speech Riley gave the Purple and Gold prior to Game 2 of the 1985 finals, after they had been embarrassed by 34 points in Game 1, that inspired them to assert their manhood and claim what they deserved.

Pat Riley statue inscription:

“There will come a time when you are challenged, and when that time comes, you must plant your feet. You must stand firm. You must make a point. About who you are, what you do, and where you come from. When that time comes… you do it” pic.twitter.com/BuwWmJdRWk

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) February 22, 2026

While the Lakers have had great players and coaches in the 36 years since Riley left, Riley played a huge role in defining the Lakers' mystique and helping turn what was already a great team in the early 1980s into arguably the greatest team in NBA history by mid-decade.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Highlights from Pat Riley's statue unveiling on Sunday

The 2026 Winter Olympics have ended, which means fans are now looking forward to the next Games, which takes place on American soil in Los Angeles.

To kick off the two-year wait, NBC released a promotional video featuring Kate Hudson singing "California Dreamin'" on Tuesday, Feb. 22. The video showcased numerous Team USA stars like Katie Ledecky, Steph Curry and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the famous Los Angeles Coliseum and even the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

REQUIRED READING: USA men's hockey victory caps ... best Winter Olympics ever | Opinion

The 2028 Summer Olympics are the first stateside Games since 2002, when the Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City. Flag football will debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics for the first time, bringing the popular U.S. sport to the global stage in a non-tackle version.

Hudson's newest movie, "Song Sung Blue" alongside Hugh Jackman, is streaming exclusively on Peacock, an NBC platform, which explains the connection with the Olympics video.

The United States had a successful finish at the Milano-Cortina Games, finishing with the second-most gold medals and total medals of any country, only behind Norway. The U.S. ended Sunday, Feb. 22, with an overtime win over gold-medal favorite Canada in men's hockey to win its first gold since 1980.

The United States finished with the most medals (126) at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris but was tied with China for the most gold medals with 40. The U.S. will certainly have extra motivation to dominate the gold medal count with the Games being held in the states.

For now, Team USA fans have Hudson to get them excited for the next Summer Games.

Kate Hudson, NBC kick off 2028 Los Angeles Olympics campaign

Here's the full NBC promotional video with Hudson signing "California Dreamin'":

Built on California dreams, powered by Olympic and Paralympic champions. #LA28pic.twitter.com/SUUy25Adm2

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kate Hudson sings 'California Dreamin'' to promote 2028 L.A. Olympics

MIDDLETOWN — Seth Crawford grew up dreaming of these moments ever since he first stepped on a wrestling mat, shortly after learning how to crawl, walk and talk.

The Brunswick High senior dreamed of being ranked No. 1 in the state, which he has been for most of the season at 150 pounds.

Crawford dreamed of winning four county championships, which he clinched Saturday night at Middletown High School, and four regional titles, which he has a chance to do next weekend.

Most importantly, he grew up wanting to be a state champion. He's done it before on the junior level, and he has a chance to win one more on the high school level on March 7 in Upper Marlboro.

"I love it," Crawford said Saturday night. "It's a great feeling."

What Crawford never imagined was being on his back in the 150-pound final at the Frederick County Public Schools Co-Ed Wrestling Championships or being down 7-0 halfway through the second period.

But, after a season full of pins and technical falls and mostly quick matches, that was the situation he found himself in at Middletown High School against Linganore's Cash Wheat, a very talented wrestler himself with more than 100 pins in high school.

"I don't remember too much," Crawford said. "I was taken down, and he put in legs, and I was on my back for a second. I was like, 'I gotta get up.' And I just started chipping away, chipping away, taking shots, staying good, keeping it close, pouring it on like I have been."

Crawford (43-1 this season) scored 14 points over the final period and a half and eventually wound up with a five-point victory over Wheat, putting him in the club with the select few that have won four Frederick County championships. He was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler for upper-weight participants.

"I came to high school, and I didn't really think about the future," he said. "Freshman year, I just thought, all right, let's go win. Let's go match by match. Now, it's just like, oh, the big picture is coming together. It's almost surreal. Not like I didn't think I could do it. But it's just, like, crazy, everything."

Crawford wasn't the only wrestler to rally to win in the co-ed edition of the county finals, as Middletown junior Liam Soe and Catoctin junior Ashton Thompson each came back after giving up the initial takedown.

Soe (27-2) pulled it together and pinned Thomas Johnson's Nick Putnam in 2 minutes and 59 seconds in the championship bout at 126 pounds for his first county title.

"It's not a sprint. It's a marathon," said Soe, who was runner-up at 113 last season. "That's what my coach told me. I always think about that. It's just one takedown. I am not going to let someone take me down and not have to go for something more. I knew when I got on top and got my wing in, this is what I run. I run it every day in practice. It's what I love to do."

Meanwhile, Thompson (44-3) overcame that first takedown and pinned Thomas Johnson's highly regarded Rhys Ferguson with his trademark cradle in 3:14 at 144 pounds.

"It's just a mental game," said Thompson, who was named the Outstanding Wrestler for the lower-weight classes. "You just have to have it in your head that you're going to go out there and succeed. If you go out there and do what you were meant to do, everything will happen. Everything will come together, and you'll pull it off."

Overall, it was a pretty balanced co-ed tournament. All 10 teams sent at least one wrestler to the finals, and nine crowned at least one champion.

Fresh off its unbeaten season and Class 2A championship at the state duals, Middletown won the team championship with 172.5 points.

The Knights sent the most wrestlers to the finals (six) and crowned the most champions (three) in Soe and seniors Brodie Burdette (138 pounds) and Carter Canale (165 pounds).

"I love this team," Soe said. "They make me better in every single way, and we make each other better."

Linganore was second in the team standings with 120.5 points. The Lancers crowned a pair of champions in juniors Jayden Lassiter, who received a forfeit in the county final at 113, and Alex Tortolani, who earned a 6-0 decision over Brunswick senior Dorran Charles in the championship bout at 215.

"I've never been in this situation before," said Tortolani, who didn't start wrestling until he entered high school. "So, the confidence, knowing that I am not the same guy I was from the past two years, will really help me with my approach going forward."

Elsewhere, Oakdale was third in the team standings with 111 points. The Bears sent four to the finals and saw sophomore Paul Fitzpatrick, who is deaf, claim his first county title with a 17-2 technical fall in 5:58 over Urbana's Youssef Abdel-Rahim.

Catoctin, fueled by Thompson's victory, was fourth in the team standings with 100 points, and Frederick High was fifth with 97.5, a half point better than sixth-place Brunswick, which crowned two champions in Crawford and senior heavyweight Lane Riggleman, who the county title at 285 for the second straight time.

Frederick sent three to the finals and saw two win titles in junior Victor Guerra at 157 pounds and senior Ian Tumi, a returning state finalist, at 175.

Co-Ed Championship Finals

157 — Victor Guerra (Frederick) dec. Tobias White (Middletown), 4-1

160 — Carter Canale (Middletown) by forfeit over Eddy Beza (Oakdale)

175 — Ian Tumi (Frederick) dec. Zach Landis (Middletown), 9-7

190 — Max Birth (Walkersville) pinned Ryan Crabb (Oakdale), :23

215 — Alex Tortolani (Linganore) dec. Dorran Charles (Brunswick), 6-0

285 — Lane Riggleman (Brunswick) pinned Ben Herrera (Frederick), 1:49

106 — Paul Fitzpatrick (Oakdale) tech. fall Youssef Abdel-Rahim (Urbana), 5:58 (17-2)

113 — Jayden Lassister (Linganore) by forfeit over Eugene Armardi-Frimpong (Tuscarora)

120 — Gabe Helmen (Urbana) dec. Cam Bowman (Middletown), 7-0

126 — Liam Soe (Middletown) pinned Nick Putman (Thomas Johnson), 2:59

132 — Ryan Wheeler (Tuscarora) major decision over Shawn Smith (Catoctin), 12-2

138 — Brodie Burdette (Middletown) major decision over Austin Flook (Tuscarora), 12-2

144 — Ashton Thompson (Catoctin) pinned Rhys Ferguson (Thomas Johnson), 3:14

150 — Seth Crawford (Brunswick) dec. Cash Wheat (Linganore), 14-9

The 2027 recruiting class is in full swing, with a few players already setting official visit dates for the early summer. So far, Rutgers only has one commitment from the 2027 class,  Tight End Sydney Padilla from West Orange High School. and are working towards adding to that list as they hope to round out the class with high-end talent that fills areas of need.

Most players in the class of 2027 aren’t close to picking which school they would want to go to. While a lot of them have gone on unofficial visits to schools, Rutgers first official visit weekend for the class won’t be until the last weekend of May, as it has been in years past. Six players have already signed up to participate in those visits. According to Rivals/On3, Lance Henderson, a three-star safety from Durham, North Carolina, has the first official visit, as he planned to make the trip up on Thursday, May 28th.

He will be joined the next day by four-star wide receiver Javien Robinson and high three-star running back Aiden Gibson, who have already set their official visits for May 29th. Robinson hails from McKeesport, PA, while Gibson is from Woodruff, SC. Two other wide receivers have their official visits set for that date, as three-star wide receiver Jamar Taylor from Salesianum High School in Wilmington, Delaware, plans to make his visit to campus then, along with Isaiah Alvarez, a 6-foot, 175-pound wide receiver from Don Bosco Prep.

Padilla plans to make his official campus visit the week after, as he is set to arrive on campus June 5th.

Aside from Padilla, Taylor is the only player who currently has a visit scheduled that Rutgers is the favorite to land.

So far, Rutgers has extended 104 scholarship offers, according to 247sports, up from 77, as we previously reported in early February. A few of the athletes they have offered have already committed elsewhere, but a large majority remain uncommitted. On top of that, even if a player is committed elsewhere, they can still flip their commitment at any time until they sign.

247sports ranks athletes’ supposed interest in Rutgers and their chances of committing on a cool-to-warm scale. Since it is very early in the recruitment cycle, many athletes are still cool on Rutgers, as they are unlikely to commit for awhile, especially before their official visits. However, four players are listed as warm on the Knights according to 247.

In addition to Robinson and Taylor, who are both listed as warm on Rutgers, two other players are listed as warm on the Knights.

Four-star interior offensive lineman Terrance Smith from Lansdale Catholic in Lansdale, PA, has shown interest in Rutgers and is listed as warm by 247 as well. However, Rutgers has steep competition for Smith as powerhouse programs such as Ohio State, LSU, and Georgia are also listed as warm by 247sports. Smith is listed at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds.

Unranked EDGE Esa Wittingburg is the only player on defense listed as warm on Rutgers. Wittingburg is a New Jersey prospect, hailing from East Orange, and is listed at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. The Knights seem to be in early competition with Syracuse to earn his commitment. Neither have an official visit set in stone yet.

Since Rutgers just hired their defensive coordinator of the future earlier this month, Travis Johansen, the former head coach at South Dakota, it is reasonable to believe that they are behind in terms of defensive recruiting. If there is one area Rutgers desperately needs some solid prospects, it’s on the interior defensive line as they have not recruited this position very well in the last few years. According to rivals/On3 Rutgers isn’t in the lead for any of the interior defensive lineman they have offered so far. Hopefully the recent hires of Johansen and former Minnesota defensive line coach Dennis Dottin-Carter can help out with that.

Arsenal's superior quality ultimately showed in their 4-1 north London derby win, but they were also very clever with the way they exposed Tottenham's tactical weaknesses too.

Spurs' 3-5-2 shape under new boss Igor Tudor, and the fact they did not just sit in, left space for Arsenal to exploit in forward areas on Sunday.

The Gunners ran away with the game in the end but, in the first half, when it was still in the balance, the area where they had the most attacking edge was down their right-hand side, where Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber were dominant.

It's never easy to stop a team like Arsenal when so many of their players are playing well, but what the Gunners did really well was produce moments of quality or skill in attack when it mattered.

They looked back to the levels we have seen them perform at for so long this season - this was a great performance by them, not just a brilliant result.

• Arsenal pass derby test of nerve as title race looks set to go to wire
• Eze 'wanted to prove something' as he torments Spurs again

Spurs system made Saka and Timber harder to stop

Timber is one of the best attacking right-backs in the Premier League, if not the world, and I have seen him cause many teams problems with the way he mixes his runs up - sometimes he supports, sometimes he overlaps and he can make runs inside too. He is an intelligent footballer.

Saka has had a few people question him recently, but against Spurs he was back on it and back to his confident best.

With the understanding those two have got, it was always going to be difficult to stop them down Arsenal's right but it was even harder for Spurs because they were reactive rather than proactive in dealing with the danger.

By that, I mean with the way they tried to help Djed Spence when Arsenal came at him with Saka and Timber doubling up down that flank.

At times Xavi Simons, who was playing as a second striker, was having to run back to the left-back position to help. On other occasions it was Pape Matar Sarr coming over from midfield, or Mickey van de Ven covering from centre-half.

Spurs' system saw Simons and Sarr left to cover long distances to get back and it also meant there was often a mixture of someone who is not used to defending in those areas - as Sarr was when he was left one-on-one with Saka for Arsenal's first goal - and also not being sure who was doing what, and when.

That's not ideal against any team, let alone one as good as Arsenal, and Mikel Arteta's side started getting more and more joy down that flank, with Timber often having time on the ball to pick his passes - like he did to find Viktor Gyokeres for their second goal.

Arsenal did not sit back this time

Tottenham battled really well in the first half and, although the game got away from them after the break, it wasn't through any lack of effort.

They were set up okay too, but I think it did help Arsenal that Spurs were at home and under a new manager because they were expected to have a go rather than just park the bus.

Spurs tried to press Arsenal at times which leaves you open to counter-attacks and also leaves space in behind, which the Gunners are good at exploiting.

In the second half, Arsenal's quality shone through and Tottenham looked tired - their lack of numbers because of injuries began to show.

Still, what was impressive from Arsenal when they were 2-1 up is that they did not sit back and try to see out time.

Instead, they were quite ruthless and kept coming forward. That's understandable when you think about what happened to them on Wednesday when they were pegged back by Wolves after leading 2-0.

I wondered what would happen if they got in front this time, and they had obviously talked about what they would do differently.

So, from that point of view, because of the doubts over their mentality after their past couple of results, it was important to see them play so positively.

The same applies for some of their individual players, as well as the whole team.

As well as his two goals, Eberechi Eze had a great game overall. I was pleased for him because he has had a few question marks over his form recently, and we know he is a super talent.

With him playing so well in the central areas as a number 10, Tottenham's midfielders had something else to worry about - and being busy there meant they could not easily help deal with Saka and Timber out wide.

Declan Rice was making all these runs too, bursting forward to try to make amends for his mistake for Tottenham's equaliser, so there was all sorts going on.

Rice is always influential, of course, but he was especially impressive here. Instead of dwelling on his mistake, he used it to focus and bring more energy and clarity to what he was doing.

When he dropped into defence after that, he played it simple and quick with his goalkeeper or centre-half - he didn't risk anything again.

But when he was going the other way, he was trying everything - making runs, getting on the end of knockdowns, bombing forward and occupying defenders.

He is always totally focused anyway so it is hard to judge exactly how much difference that mistake made to his performance but it felt to me like he actually upped his game, which takes great mental strength.

Arsenal back to the levels we are used to

There have been times in the past where, when you are playing Arsenal, Saka and Odegaard are the two players you know you need to stop.

Teams would think, if you can condense play in their areas, you can control them - and if it goes over to another part of the pitch, you can cope with it.

On Sunday, however, it felt like Arsenal were coming from every angle in the end. Eze, especially, was getting on the ball in these pockets of space in front of the Spurs defence.

That helped Gyokeres too, because it meant there was more room for him as well.

Gyokeres had started well anyway, and had a great early chance which he made himself, but this ended up being one of his best games in an Arsenal shirt.

It probably helped that he had a yard of pace on Radu Dragusin, who is not the quickest defender, but he played on him nicely and it was clever of him to stay on the left side.

I remember watching a lot of Gyokeres' goals for Sporting and he liked to come off that flank a lot, and we have not seen him do it enough this season.

That might change now and, when he got his first goal, it was like the weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Some of the Arsenal fans who are not convinced by him are going to be more on his side now he has scored twice against Tottenham, and his goals were top quality too.

I'd say that was one of his best games in an Arsenal shirt and to do it in a north London derby will do him the world of good.

Danny Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

UW met the Nebraska Cornhuskers at home Sunday afternoon and lost to them 66-65. The Huskies held a four point lead over Nebraska going into the last three minutes of the game, but slowly collapsed in the last few minutes. They had three turnovers in a row (two of which were from Sayvia Sellers), which allowed the Cornhuskers to tie the score. UW called a timeout and out of the timeout, UW couldn’t make anything happen, so Sellers cleared the floor and got past the defenders to get the bucket. The crowd went wild and UW was up 2 points with 16 seconds left. UW had fouls to give and Sellers picked up her 4th foul with 43 seconds left, which allowed UW to see Nebraska’s offensive scheme. Nebraska set up a play for their leading scorer Prince, and she drained a three pointer to put Nebraska up one point with 7 seconds left. UW advanced the ball and had three looks at the basket – first Sellers, then Brynn McGaughy, and then Stines – none of which got the ball to fall. The clock ran out and Nebraska won. Nebraska rushed the floor because it was their first quad 1 win in 6 opportunities.

It was also the last home game of the season for UW, so it was Senior Night (Afternoon?) for the Huskies. Four players (Hannah Stines, Elle Ladine, Shayla Gilmer, and Tegan Brown) have been with the team for all four years, and Yulia Grabovskaia joined this year in the transfer portal.

The game started out a grind as the Huskies couldn’t get anything around the tall Nebraska players. Nebraska also played a close, pesky over-playing defense that disrupted UW. The refs called multiple offensive fouls and off-ball fouls on UW that also threw off their game. UW went multiple minutes without scoring in the first quarter until Avery Howell got a step=through bucket and then true freshman Brynn McGaughy made back-to-back buckets. Nebraska was up 17-12 to end the first quarter. Nebraska also led the FG % 47-35.

As the second quarter started, the Huskies couldn’t get anything to fall. Nebraska continued to overplay everything and had good help side defense, which disrupted UW’s flow. Hannah Stines got a tricky rebound and dribbled out to the three point line, noted that no one was guarding her, and spotted up for a three which cut the lead to 8 points. UW had a hard time playing defense in the second quarter; Nebraska was consistently able to get by them to score and keep the lead.

Howell made a three pointer at the end of the half to cut the lead to 3: 35-32.

Coming back from halftime, UW made adjustments that put them in the lead for most of the second half.

Stats:

• Sayvia Sellers (just nominated for the Naismith Player of the Year Late Season Team): 14 points, 3 rebounds, 6 (for a point guard!!!!) turnovers, 2 (for a point guard!!!!) assists
• Hannah Stines (just hit 500 rebounds for her career, never can miss an opportunity to say she’s my favorite and I will miss her so much next year): 9 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists
• Avery Howell: notched yet another double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds
• Brynn McGaughy: 14 points, 9 rebounds
• Elle Ladine: 10 points, 7 rebounds

I still cannot believe they lost this game. What a heartbreaker.

Next Up:

Oregon @ Oregon Sunday March 1. UW managed to beat Oregon last week 51-43, in a very ugly fashion.

Big 10 Tournament is March 4-8.

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"Why not both?" Tyler Reddick may have wondered as he prepared for the Autotrader 400.

After claiming victory at the 2026 Daytona 500, Reddick won the second race of the season at EchoPark Speedway this afternoon.

The NASCAR Cup Series will continue at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, for next week's DuraMax Grand Prix. But before that, let's revisit our Autotrader 400 predictions and free betting picks for this showdown from Sunday, February 22.

Odds to win 2026 Autotrader 400

Driver
Joey Logano	+800
Ryan Blaney	+800
Chase Elliott	+800
Carson Hocevar	+1000
Kyle Larson	+1200
William Byron	+1400
Christopher Bell	+1400
Brad Keselowski	+1400
Denny Hamlin	+1600
Kyle Busch	+1700
Austin Cindric	+2000
Tyler Reddick	+2200
Chase Briscoe	+2500
Ross Chastain	+2500
Chris Buescher	+2500
Bubba Wallace	+2800
Ricky Stenhouse	+3500
Alex Bowman	+3500
Ty Gibbs	+3500
Josh Berry	+3500

Odds as of 2-22.

Who won the Autotrader 400?

A week after opening the 2026 NASCAR season with a victory at the Daytona 500, Tyler Reddick captured another checkered flag with an overtime win at the Autotrader 400.

Chase Briscoe finished just behind Reddick for second, while Ross Chastain rounded out the podium in third.

Joey Logano, who entered the race as the presumptive favorite, finished 18th.

Autotrader 400 expert picks and predictions

Odds listed below courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of 2-21.

Autotrader 400 pre-qualifying favorites

Joey Logano (+1000)
Implied odds: 9.1%

Joey Logano is one of three multiple winners here in eight races since this speedway flipped from a "cookie-cutter" 1.5-miler to a mock Daytona, with William Byron and Chase Elliott being the other two.

Logano is tops in the field in average rating (105.4) over the last six races here as well as laps led (321).

Ryan Blaney (+1000)
Implied odds: 9.1%

Ryan Blaney is just behind Logano, his Penske teammate, in average rating (101.6) here dating back to February 2023 while leading a respectable 90 laps. 

Although Blaney has yet to win at EchoPark Speedway since the revamp, he's been in the Top 10 nearly every time, and his reputation as a top drafting track racer precedes him.

Chase Elliott (+1000)
Implied odds: 9.1%

Elliott got off to a quick start following the track reconstruction with a win and a sixth while leading 125 combined laps in 2022, but went ice-cold in 2023 and 2024 with no laps led. After a 20th-place finish in this exact race last year, Elliott finally got back to his winning ways in his backyard with a victory after leading 41 laps. 

Autotrader 400 sleeper

Josh Berry (+3500)
Implied odds: 2.8%

The No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford has a technical alliance with Team Penske, so Blaney and Logano will play nice in the sandbox with Josh Berry. Berry finished ninth in the Daytona 500, his third straight Top 10 dating back to last season following some rotten luck that cost him a shot at advancing in the playoffs. 

Berry led 56 laps here last February before finishing 25th due to an accident.

Autotrader 400 fade

Austin Cindric (+1200)
Implied odds: 7.7%

Austin Cindric constantly gets overbet at drafting tracks despite an average finish that ranks 31st among full-time drivers in all such races dating back to February 2023.

He's the third-best Penske driver and typically races toward the front in drafting races along with Blaney and Logano, but with a couple of exceptions, he shrinks when the going gets tough at the end. Cindric crashed in both Atlanta races last season.

EchoPark Speedway track analysis

EchoPark Speedway (née Atlanta Motor Speedway) is a banked 1.5-mile oval. It was radically redesigned ahead of the 2022 season, and it now produces draft-style racing akin to the much larger Daytona and Talladega.

Since the track was repaved only recently, tire wear is not expected to be much of an issue. 

EchoPark Speedway trend to know

Christopher Bell was the first Toyota to win a Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway since 2013 (13 races). 

How to watch the Autotrader 400

Autotrader 400 weather

Fans in the stands might want to bring a parka along with a high of 47 degrees and 18 mph winds, but the rain is expected to stay away with just a 15% chance of precipitation at EchoPark Speedway for race day. 

Previous Autotrader 400 winners

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

Who won the NASCAR race today? EchoPark Speedway delivered a great race on Sunday afternoon in Georgia, the second points race of the Cup Series season. We now have two winners this season, with quite a few differences in the result from the superspeedway race last week. One theme from Sunday’s race, crashes taking out several top drivers resulting in a few big names finishing outside the top 20.

Let’s dive into the NASCAR results today from Atlanta. We’ll start with the full Autotrader 400 results followed by the NASCAR stage results for the Cup Series today.

Related: Winners, Losers from NASCAR Race Today at EchoPark Speedway

NASCAR Results Today: Autotrader 400

Here are the NASCAR Cup Series results for the Autotrader 400.

Related: NASCAR Points Leaders after AutoTrader 400

NASCAR Stage Results Today: Cup Series

Here are the NASCAR stage results today for the Cup Series race at EchoPark.

Related: NASCAR Results for O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race at EchoPark Speedway

Who won the NASCAR race today?

Tyler Reddick won the NASCAR race today at EchoPark Speedway, winning the first two Cup Series points races of the season.

Related: NASCAR Truck Race Today, Stage Results and Fr8 Racing 208 Full Results

Related Headlines

• NASCAR Results Today: O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Winner, Stage Results from Atlanta
• NASCAR Truck Race Today: Truck Series Results from Atlanta, Stage Results for Fr8 Racing 208
• NASCAR Starting Lineup for Atlanta: Autotrader 400 Starting Grid after Cup Series Qualifying Canceled

Padres predicted to be dark horse candidate for $9 million three-time Cy Young, two-time World Series champion ace to replace Dylan Cease originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The San Diego Padres were able to get some starting pitching depth when they acquired Walker Buehler, Griffin Canning, and German Marquez, but none of them have the talent to replace Dylan Cease. However, there is a starting pitcher still on the market that could at least hold a candle.

Fansided’s Zachary Rotman predicts the Padres could be a dark horse to sign future Hall-of-Famer Max Scherzer. Scherzer is waiting for a contender to pick him up, and he could do very well as an end-of-rotation pitcher.

MORE: Blue Jays predicted to re-sign $9 million three-time Cy Young, two-time World Series champion ace to provide depth to Kevin Gausman-led rotation

“A team like the San Diego Padres certainly could use him, though. The Padres have signed German Marquez, Griffin Canning and even Walker Buehler recently, hoping to add depth to a rotation full of question marks. But even at 41 years of age, Scherzer offers more reliability than all three of those arms. You can never have enough starting pitching, and San Diego sure could use more of it if they hope to get back to the postseason.,” Rotman wrote. 

This past season, Scherzer posted a 5-5 record, a 5.19 ERA,  82 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.294 over 85 innings pitched. Though he was battling injuries in the regular season, he showed that Mad Max is still ready to come out in October, which is exactly what the Padres want.

MORE: Diamondbacks predicted to be dark horse landing spot for $6.7 million All-Star, would temporarily replace Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Scherzer is projected to receive a one-year, $8.9 million deal, so for a money-conscious Padres team, this could be a perfect acquisition.

Hopefully, the Padres can land him, and make their rotation the best it can possibly be before entering the toughest division in the National League.

MORE MLB NEWS

Astros predicted to be top destination for $6.7 million All-Star outfielder, would be upgrade from Zach Cole

Padres predicted to be most likely destination for $39 million 3.81 ERA starting pitcher, would replace Dylan Cease in rotation

Phillies predicted to be dark horse to sign $39 million 3.81 ERA starting pitcher to replace Ranger Suarez

It can be easily said that Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia has been going through a lot lately. To see him smile again and get back to some of the simple joys of life is something Dodgers fans have quietly been hoping for.

In walks YouTuber Eric Sim — known for his high-energy baseball content and larger-than-life personality — ready to step into the cage against a big league arm.

Sim brought the laughs. Vesia brought the heat.

The two squared off in a lighthearted batting cage matchup that gave fans a glimpse of something we don’t always get to see during a regular season at-bat — personality, competitiveness, and genuine enjoyment of the game.

No stadium lights. No postseason pressure. Just baseball.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what’s needed.most

The Los Angeles Lakers honored former coach Pat Riley during a ceremony outside Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 22. The ceremony concluded with the unveiling of a bronze statue of the legendary coach’s likeness.

It’s the 15th statue put up outside the arena, joining a list of notable figures from Lakers history, including Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Riley’s statue is nearly eight feet tall and weighs 510 pounds and is located between the statues of Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson, his two star players on the "Showtime" Lakers of the 1980s.

Riley did not have head coaching experience when he was promoted to head coach of the Lakers during the 1981-82 season. But Riley became the perfect fit for the Lakers during the 1980s and the "Showtime" Lakers went to seven NBA Finals under Riley, winning four championships (1982, 1985, 1987, 1988).

“This right here is off the charts of being honored,” Riley told CBS Los Angeles.”I am just so privileged to have this here.”

Here’s a look at the statue:

A Lakers icon forever enshrined. Congrats, Coach 💛 pic.twitter.com/pn8bGJtAs1

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 22, 2026

Pat Riley coaching record

Riley spent 24 years as a head coach and compiled 1,381 regular-season and playoff victories, which ranks fifth in NBA history. He has a regular season record of 1,210-694 (.636 winning percentage). In addition to his four championships with the Lakers, Riley won another title with the Miami Heat in 2006 and has added two more rings as an executive.

Is Pat Riley in the Basketball Hall of Fame?

Riley was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lakers unveil Pat Riley statue celebrating former coach

Championship Sunday. Something Husker head coach Will Bolt says so much. It’s important to start off the weekends on a good note, but even more importantly it’s how you finish. It’s safe to say, the first two games didn’t go the way Nebraska wanted, especially the peculiar way Saturday ended with the walk off pitch clock violation. The Huskers were in the middle of a 3 game skid, and with Auburn up next weekend, they needed a good showing today against the #16 ranked team in the country.

Just like they had in each of the previous two games this weekend, Nebraska put multiple baserunners on right away in the first inning. Two walks sandwiched around a Jett Buck double down the left field line loaded the bases for third baseman Josh Overbeek. “Beek” drove a ball to the outfield and Mac Moyer, who has really taken hold of the leadoff spot in the order jogged home on the sac fly for the 1-0 lead.

That wasn’t the end of the scoring for NU. Dylan Carey who has had a red hot start to the year, drilled a ball to one of the deepest areas of Globe Life Field and cleared the bases for a 2 RBI double. That double probably travelled farther than 90% of the home runs Carey has hit in his career. Huskers lead 3-0 and Florida State had seen enough and pulled their starter after only getting 1 out.

Huskers added to their lead in the 3rd. Buck and Case Sanderson led off the inning with back to back singles, putting runners on the corners. After an Overbeek strikeout, the red hot Carey laced a single through the left side of the infield to add to his RBI total and more importantly, the Husker lead. Sanderson and Carey executed a double steal. That would end up being huge as the next pitch was hit to deep short, but instead of a double play, it was an out at first and an RBI for Husker DH Cole Kitchens. Nebraska held a 5-0 lead after 3.

Nebraska starting pitcher Gavin Blachowicz was superb going two trips through the FSU lineup. He lasted 5 innings, and only gave up one hit on the afternoon, a solo home run by FSU slugger Myles Bailey in the 4th. Combine that with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks and that will more than do for a Sunday start.

The bottom of the Husker order finally got involved in the top of the 6th. Kitchens started the inning by absorbing a fastball at the top of the 1 on his 12 jersey. He flung his elbow guard to the dugout and jogged to first, where he was pinch run for by Preston Freeman, the speedy JUCO transfer outfielder. He advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scampered home as Will Jesske burned the a ball over the left fielders head for a double. Catcher Miken Miller got in the action by singling to deep center, scoring Jesske on the play. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, Buck hits a shallow fly to center,

The Husker bullpen shined on the day, starting with the redemption of Colin Nowacyzk. Less than a week ago, he was put in as an emergency starter to cover for Cooper Katskee (more on him shortly!) against Stanford on Monday, and had a nightmare outing, giving up 6 runs in only 1 inning of work. Today was about as opposite as you could get. How does 2 innings, 4 strikeouts, and no hits sound? He was relieved by the aforementioned Katskee, who matched him with 4 strikeouts in 2 innings of work, allowing 1 hit in his Husker debut.

The dagger happened in the top of the 7th. Overbeek singled on a full count to lead off the inning, and then Carey hit another ball off of the wall, this time in right field. The ball careened off the oddly shaped outfield wall in Globe Life Field into no mans land, and DC was motoring around the bases as fast as he could. Punctuating the inside the park home run, the 10-1 score, and the Husker victory all in one headfirst slide into home. He pounded the ground twice, slapped Overbeek in the chest, and then high-five-ed everyone in black and red that he could find.

The offense was productive up and down the lineup, but Dylan Carey was the star, finishing a triple short of the cycle and piling up 5 RBIs. Jett Buck added 2 hits, including a double, 2 runs scored and an RBI. Nebraska batted an impressive .438 (7 for 16) on the day with runners on. Something that really eluded them in the first two games this weekend.

What a Sunday answer from a club that had to be reeling Saturday night. Thats the beautiful thing about baseball though. You are right back at it the next day. This should liven up the plane ride home and give them a good shot of confidence heading into Auburn, Alabama to face a team that seemingly cruised through this weekend of top competition in Arlington.

If you turned this game off in the second inning, that’d be understandable. Maybe you are one of the many people who woke up incredibly early to watch the US men’s hockey team gold medal match against Canada. Also, this lazy Sunday game was the first radio-only affair of the spring, held down by the broadcast crew of Rick Rizzs, Gary Hill Jr., and the affable Charlie Furbush. And by the end of the third inning, the Mariners were down 8-2. Totally get it if you went to do something else.

But if you turned the game off, you missed some fun stuff. Especially if you like [sparkle fingers] challenges. Because the fate of this game turned on Mariners prospect Jared Sundstrom making a good challenge, and butterfly-effect style, making a new game, one where the Mariners emerged victorious, 14-8.

Another story of this game: the sheer amount of pitches the Mariners batters made Reds pitching throw. The Reds used 11 pitchers, who threw a combined 240 pitches. The Mariners drew 10 walks. Mariners pitching? Issued zero walks. Mmmm, that’s some good Controlling of the Zone.

Once again, the Mariners drew first blood, foreshadowing the level of Problem this lineup could be this season. The Mariners forced Reds starter Jose Franco to throw 30 pitches in the first inning, scraping a run out on a trio of singles: a leadoff one from Luke Raley, a hard-hit one from Julio Rodríguez (99.9 EV), and a magnificent hard-won RBI from Randy Arozarena, who took the ninth pitch of an at-bat right back up the middle (107.7 EV) for a run-scoring single. Randy was wearing the number 75, because he’d forgotten his jersey back in Peoria, and you know what, Randy? Relatable.

But that early lead quickly turned into a deep deficit. Randy Dobnak had a rough Mariners debut, working around an Elly De La Cruz double in the first but unable to escape the second inning, giving up six straight hits. All but two of those hits were on the sinker, which got torched by the Reds hitters. The Mariners had to bring in one of their “jicky” (Just In Case) minor-leaguers to mop up the inning, and Ryan Hawks, 2023 eighth-rounder, took care of De La Cruz and Eugenio Suárez, buttoning up the inning by striking out Geno with a slider.

Casey Legumina picked up where Hawks left off, taking care of his three hitters 1-2-3 for a clean third inning and ending on a strikeout of Ke’Bryan Hayes, a good showing for the Bean Man in his spring debut. Maybe that energy transferred to the offense, as the Mariners got one back in the fourth thanks to a two-out double by Will “Willy” Wilson followed by a Brock Rodden triple.

I will take one ticket to the Brocketship, please and thank you.

But Ryan Loutos, making his Mariner debut, gave that run right back and then some. Loutos just wasn’t able to miss many bats: the Reds were able to contact everything he put on the plate, and by the time the next jicky came in to stop the bleeding—this time Marcelo Pérez—the score was 8-2. Once again, the minor-league callup stepped up; Pérez struck out Geno chasing after a slider and coaxed a groundout from Spencer Steer to cap the damage.

But the Mariners battled back in the second half of the game. It started in the fifth, when the Mariners played some small ball against former Mariner prospect Connor Phillips. The big hit came from Julio, who scorched a double (104.2 EV) off a sweeper well below the zone. Arozarena worked another walk, this time with two outs, bringing up Dominic Canzone, who singled to score Luke Stevenson, pinch-running for Julio. Michael Arroyo then turned in yet another polished plate appearance: he’d gotten some bad luck earlier in the game, a 107.6 mph lineout and a groundout that came off the bat at 103.2; this time he worked a walk, refusing to chase anything out of the zone, to load the bases. The defense remains an issue – he mishandled a routine throw and let a ball go past his glove today at second – but his production in the box will force him into the lineup somehow. Will Wilson then worked a bases-loaded walk of his own to cut the deficit to 8-4.

Then it was time for the Brock Star again. Facing new pitcher Julian Garcia, Rodden shot a ground ball just out of reach of former Mariners prospect Edwin Arroyo to bring in another run. Jonny Farmelo struck out to end the inning, but the game now stood at a manageable 8-5.

In the middle innings, it was time for some more Mariners debuts. Robinson Ortiz made his Mariners debut in the fifth with a clean 1-2-3 inning of three weak-contact outs (one was a little more adventurous than it needed to be thanks to a poor throw from Arroyo, but Josh Naylor was able to clean it up). Ortiz’s fastball hung out around 93 mph and he primarily threw his four-seam with a couple of sliders mixed in. In the sixth, it was time for Cole Wilcox. Wilcox definitely won the stuff battle, hanging out at 97 on his sinker and touching as high as 98.5 while collecting two strikeouts.

The Mariners added another pair of runs in the seventh against Lyon Richardson. Arozarena—wearing number 75 because he apparently forgot his jersey, oh Randy—singled in his final plate appearance. New LL heartthrob Brennen Davis worked a walk, showing some solid strike zone awareness. Blake Rambusch and Luis Suisbel then hit back-to-back singles to bring the Mariners within a run, 8-7.

The turning point of the game came in the eighth inning. With two outs, the Reds had challenged a pitch on Carson Taylor; the call was upheld, and Taylor walked. That brought up Jared Sundstrom, who was initially called out in a 1-2 count on a 98.1 mph fastball on the inside edge. Sundstrom immediately challenged, and the call was reversed. Sundstrom would go on to work a walk as Reds pitcher Zach Maxwell’s command further disintegrated. Brennen Davis and Blake Rambusch would go on to work back-to-back walks, tying up the game at 8-8.

Obviously playing for the win, Dan Wilson left Jhonathan Díaz out for the bottom of the eighth after he had worked a clean seventh. That set up the Baby Mariners for the win in the ninth: two highly-touted Mariners prospects delivered leadoff doubles, with Felnin Celesten doubling in his first at-bat of the spring and then sprinting home on a Jonny Farmelo double to give the Mariners their first lead since the first inning. Josh Caron followed that with a single to put runners on the corners with no outs, and Luke Stevenson worked the Mariners’ tenth walk of the day. Sundstrom then came through again with a two-run single into left, setting up Brennen Davis for the kill shot. Davis demolished a middle-middle fastball at 114 mph for a three-run home run to make the score 14-8, and that’s where the game would end as Domingo Gonzalez worked a 1-2-3 inning in his Mariners debut.

In a game that featured nine challenges, none was more impactful than Sundstrom’s, leading to the Mariners tying the game. With the ABS system, players have an opportunity take more ownership over their at-bats, but the risk is significant; those who have an impeccable sense of the zone will find themselves advantaged by the challenge system. The Mariners went 2-for-3 in their challenges today, but more importantly, they won the battle in the zone on both sides of the ball. The Reds recorded 12 hits, striking out eight times and, as mentioned, walking none; the Mariners recorded 17 hits, and while they did strike out 12 times, they also earned 10 free passes. No matter what innovations come to the game, commanding the zone is timeless.

The Los Angeles Chargers are looking to upgrade their offense in many ways this offseason.

The team is still struggling to figure out exactly what the wide receiver corps looks like. Ladd McConkey is the leader in the slot, and Tre Harris is someone to watch as a second-year pro, but there are a lot of questions outside of that. Quentin Johnston is due for a decision on his fifth-year option, which means the Chargers could move on from him. If they do, they could replace him with Miami Dolphins castoff Tyreek Hill.

“Hill to the Chargers makes sense on several levels. Financially, Los Angeles can afford it, entering the offseason with $78.6 million in effective cap space. That’s second-most in the NFL, per Over the Cap,“ CBS Sports contributor Garett Podell wrote.

“Quarterback Justin Herbert arm strength is another draw. His 24,820 passing yards rank second-most through a player’s first six seasons, trailing only Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (24,885).

“There’s also scheme familiarity: former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel now serves as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator. Hill could step into a system he already knows and produce quickly once healthy. Hill even tweeted that McDaniel’s move to Los Angeles caught his attention.”

If anyone knows how to utilize Hill, it’s former Miami Dolphins head coach and now Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

McDaniel could center the offense around Hill to give Justin Herbert a deep threat to work with moving forward.

While Hill is still recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered early in the 2025 season, if he is 75% of who he used to be, it will still be the best deep threat option Herbert has had in his career with the Chargers.

BFTB community, what do you think of the prospect of the Chargers signing Hill? Chime off in the comments section below.

Who won the NASCAR race today? Autotrader 400 in Atlanta has 2-overtime finish originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The front of the field was just starting to separate themselves at the Autotrader 400 on Sunday in Atlanta when William Byron got loose, caused a big collision in the pack and sent the race to a caution -- and to overtime.

That set up a thrilling finish for all the fans who had gathered or turned on their televisions to watch 260 laps of racing. They got a couple extra -- and a couple extra more, because Carson Hocevar caused another wreck, setting up another caution and another overtime restart.

Bubba Wallace was in the lead when the race resumed, with just the green-white-checkered finish, and they had to try it twice.

It was the second race of the season, and it had the potential to set up quite the early-season momentum for one driver.

Here's how it finished.

MORE: Carson Hocevar shares blunt thoughts on ruining Joey Logano's race

Who won the NASCAR race today?

Tyler Reddick won the Autotrader 400 on Sunday.

It's two wins in a row for Reddick, who won the Daytona 500 to open the season a week ago.

He's the sixth driver in NASCAR history to win the first two races of the season, and the first since Matt Kenseth in 2009.

Wallace tried to make a move up top early in the first lap of the second overtime, and it didn't work. He got bumped way back into the field. Hocevar, too, fell back.

Sunday's race featured 10 cautions, an action-packed experience that knocked out a number of drivers and created plenty of drama down the stretch.

In the end, fans certainly got their money's worth.

The NASCAR Cup Series will be back in action in a week's time. The drivers head to Circuit of the Americas for some road-course racing.

Browns' Shedeur Sanders facing unfair QB hotseat narrative in 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders is set to enter what some are calling a defining offseason, despite it being just his second in the NFL.

After a rookie season that was largely uninspiring, Sanders will head for the offseason with a chance to win the job and be the leading guy for Todd Monken.

Of course, there are others in Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel who will be vying for the starting role, and that's even before the Browns potentially decide to bring in another veteran.

So, Sanders will have his work cut out, but for CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan, he's ranked the top 5 quarterbacks on the hotseat for 2026, and oddly names Sanders at No. 1, with J.J. McCarthy (2), Michael Penix Jr. (3), Bryce Young (4), and C.J. Stroud (5), behind him.

"Sanders ended the 2025 season as Cleveland's starting quarterback, but he has hardly established himself as the set-and-forget figure under center for the organization," Sullivan wrote. "With Todd Monken now hired as head coach, Sanders' status as QB1 for 2026 is clouded. When asked about it during his introductory press conference, Monken told reporters that it's "still to be determined." 

"That sets up Sanders to be fighting for his job the moment training camp begins later this summer."

More:AFC team named wildcard for Tua Tagovailoa if Dolphins part ways with QB

Sanders unfairly put at No. 1

Sanders, as a fifth-round pick, is entering his second offseason, so I'm not sure how he is under more pressure to deliver than Stroud or Young, even McCarthy, for that matter.

So perhaps it is a little odd that Sanders is being put in this position, but he clearly feels he deserves the chance to be Cleveland's starter, and he will have to prove it to Monken and the coaching staff throughout training camp.

But as the No. 1 quarterback on the hotseat in 2026? To me, that's a little unfair, because if Sanders flames out this upcoming season, that won't be nearly as big a story if Stroud, Young, or McCarthy do it.

Either way, all eyes will be on Sanders as the offseason begins.

More NFL news:

• Lions poised for 2026 bounce back if 1 key thing happens
• Isaiah Likely's 3-word quote offers glaring Ravens reality
• Saquon Barkley's latest quote should inspire Eagles fans and scare rest of NFL
• Andy Reid's 1 sentence should thrill Chiefs fans on Travis Kelce's future
• 1 key thing potentially holding Chiefs back in Tyreek Hill reunion
• Chiefs' Andy Reid offers key Patrick Mahomes injury update
• Analyst reveals Ravens' highest offseason priority and it's not Lamar Jackson

In fair Verona, L.A., unofficially, takes the torch.

While the Olympic flag passed from Italy to France at Sunday’s closing ceremony, handing off the Winter Games from Milan-Cortina to the French Alps, the flame will burn next in L.A.

In just over two years, the United States will host the country’s first Summer Games since 1996, welcoming an Olympic movement that is surging in popularity but unsteady in a changing world, as the Games return to Los Angeles for the third time.

The Milan-Cortina Olympics are expected to rake in record TV numbers for NBC. They already produced the most-watched women’s hockey game on record when an average of 5.3 million viewers took in the United States’ thrilling overtime win over Canada. The rivalry game contributed to the largest weekday audience for a Winter Games since 2014 with an average of 26.7 million viewers who also watched U.S. star Alysa Liu win the country’s first Olympic gold medal for women’s singles figure skating in 24 years.

Read more:2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games: Complete coverage

The smiling 20-year-old with horizontal stripes in her hair became a sensation in Milan just as 41-year-old mother of two Elana Meyers Taylor did in Cortina d'Ampezzo after the five-time Olympian won her first gold medal in bobsled, jumping into the arms of her nanny and, through tears, signing to her deaf children, “Mommy won.”

No matter protests, politics or planning hurdles, the Olympics sought to remain a stage for those athletes to shine.

“You showed us what excellence, respect and friendship look like in a world that sometimes forgets these values,” International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry said to the Olympians in her speech while standing on a platform in the stands placed in front of the Italian delegation. “You showed us that the Olympic Games are a place for everyone. A place where sport brings us together.”

After record numbers from the 2024 Paris Summer Games, the Milan-Cortina Games sold 1.3 million tickets, which, accounting for 80% of the expected tickets, was “beyond our expectations,” Milano Cortina 2026 chief executive officer Andrea Varnier said at a news conference. Of the 63% of international fans who attended the Games, the United States, at 14%, bought the second-most tickets.

Fans filled arenas that were finished just in time in Milan. They withstood snowstorms in Livigno, cheered the debut of ski mountaineering in Bormio and held their breath while multiple skiers got airlifted off the downhill course in Cortina.

Read more:Records, proposals and controversy: The legacy of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games

The most widespread Games in history created distinct pockets of Olympic spirit separated by hours on trains and miles of winding mountain roads. The Olympics that preached harmony finally united in a single city known for love, beauty and grudges. The Milan-Cortina Games represented seemingly every Shakespearean theme.

Athletes got engaged. Sponsors organized hair and makeup sessions in the Olympic villages, which went through an average of 365 kilograms of pasta and 10,000 eggs a day. A cheating scandal rocked curling.

The closing ceremony set at the Roman amphitheater at the heart of the city that inspired “Romeo and Juliet” celebrated the Games as “beauty in action.” But beneath the glittering gold medals, there was pain.

Alpine skier Lindsey Vonn suffered a horrific crash and has already undergone four surgeries on her broken leg. Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified when he refused to compete without his helmet honoring Ukrainian athletes who've been killed in the war with Russia.

Already holding the weight of their personal dreams, U.S. athletes faced additional pressure answering questions about the country’s political landscape. After freestyle skier Hunter Hess he said he had “mixed emotions” representing the United States at the Olympics, President Trump called the 27-year-old “a real loser” on social media.

Two weeks later, Hess held his thumb and forefinger in the shape of an “L” to his forehead after his first qualifying run.

Athletes pleaded for assistance navigating an onslaught of social media threats as the Olympic spotlight grows with every Games. Coventry said at a news conference this week that the IOC has a safeguarding unit that monitors the organization’s social media platforms for hateful messages. More than 10,000 such comments were taken down during the Paris Games, IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said. The number for the Milan-Cortina Games hadn’t been finalized.

With the largest delegation of any country at the Games, the United States won the second-most medals with 33, including 12 golds, the most Olympic titles for the country at any single Winter Games. The total gold medals surpassed the 10 won in Salt Lake City in 2002, the last time the United States hosted an Olympic Games.

Read more:U.S. defeats Canada for its first gold in Olympic men's hockey since ‘Miracle on Ice’

After more than two decades away, the Games will return to the United States twice in the next eight years. L.A. will host the 2028 Games and Utah will have the 2034 Winter Games.

Approaching the final stretch of an 11-year planning period, the L.A. Games confronted another challenge this month when a growing number of local politicians called for LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman’s resignation after racy emails he exchanged with Ghislaine Maxwell were revealed in the Epstein files. After initially dancing around the issue, even L.A. Mayor Karen Bass joined the chorus calling for Wasserman’s dismissal.

But LA28 doubled down on his role. The executive committee of the LA28 board stood by Wasserman after a review from an outside legal firm found that the Hollywood mogul’s relationship with Maxwell “did not go beyond what has already been publicly documented.”

As with his 2026 organizing committee counterpart Giovanni Malago, Wasserman would be expected to deliver speeches in 2028.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Two Olympic finals against the US, two strong performances, two sudden-death losses. Canada is so over overtime.

While all good things must come to an end, it’s hard to fathom why hockey’s international rule-makers think that the very best things – huge clashes that were some of the hottest tickets of the entire Olympics – should be ended using three-on-three golden-goal overtime, a concept beloved only by people with a train to catch or firm dinner reservations.

Forty-six years after the Miracle on Ice, the US men and women celebrated with a pair of huge assists from the Misrule on Ice. Following an overtime winner by Megan Keller that saw the Americans break stubborn Canadian resistance in the women’s final on Thursday, another 2-1 win for the US against their neighbours in Milan on Sunday handed the men their first gold since the famous triumph over the Soviet Union at Lake Placid in 1980.

Related: USA stun Canada in overtime to win first Olympic men’s ice hockey gold since 1980

At the end of regulation during two mesmerizing knife-edge finals, the rules decreed: OK, that’s enough high-quality five-on-five hockey. Let’s put an end to all this drama as quickly as possible by forcing the teams to play a different format to decide the outcome of the most important contests in international hockey.

On the one hand – the odd dubious refereeing call and a magnificent goaltending display from USA’s Connor Hellebuyck aside – Canada’s men have only themselves to blame for failing to make the most of their dominance on Sunday. They outshot the US 42-28 and nerves appeared to sneak in, most obviously when Nathan MacKinnon pushed the puck wide of an open net in the third period, missing a chance so easy that the pitiless Canadian curling assassin, Brad Jacobs, no doubt could have scored it with a flick of his broom.

And overtime gave to Canada – Mitch Marner scored an extra-frame winner against Czechia in the quarter-finals – before it took away. But it’s not only about them: three of the men’s quarter-finals went to overtime, including the US’s victory over Sweden. Switzerland’s women took bronze with an overtime win over Sweden.

In the sense that impatience, derangement and ripping up tradition to facilitate the cruel and arbitrary sorting of groups of humans into winners and losers in a frenzied made-for-screens spectacle defines this cultural and political era, then the format is perfectly suited to our times.

Savagely abrupt endings make for great TV: cut to overjoyed winners, cut to stunned losers, cut back and forth again and again, gorging on the contrasting emotional overloads, stillness and shock, hugs and bliss.

It forces everyone to wait 15 or so minutes for a passage of play that’s likely to be over within a few seconds. Or, as it turned out on Sunday, 101 seconds, with Jack Hughes crashing the puck past Jordan Binnington as a weary Canada were caught out of shape on the counter. From a ratings-hungry television executive’s perspective, this helpfully means viewers can’t take their eyes off the action because it could end at any second.

Canada coach Jon Cooper did not blame the overtime regulations for his team’s loss – he said his players “knew the rules coming in” – but he did think they affected the spectacle. “You take four players off the ice, now hockey’s not hockey any more. There’s a reason overtime and shootouts are in play – it’s all TV-driven to end games, so it’s not a long time. There’s a reason why it’s not in the Stanley Cup Final or playoffs,” Cooper told reporters after Sunday’s game.

That’s not sour grapes. It’s just plain-speaking: Olympic extra-time inspires strong feelings. “Whoever dreamed up playing three-on-three in overtime to decide a gold medal hockey game in the Olympics should be stacked into a bobsleigh and pushed down a ski jump,” frothed one Edmonton Journal writer after the women’s final.

It doesn’t really divide opinion, however, because virtually no one thinks it’s a good idea. It’s hard to discern any logic behind a rule that so fundamentally changes the dynamics, debasing the contest into quasi-random pinball, or as if the players have stepped into a video game. It introduces what ordinarily is the consequence for infringements – reducing the numbers on the ice – into the structure of the match, like you’re punishing everyone for failing to get the job done in 60 minutes.

Unlike soccer, it’s not as if hockey is a sport known for defensive play and few chances in which teams sometimes need to be incentivized to attack. It’s inherently exciting and no one is playing for a tie. The risk of an interminable match is much lower than in, say, baseball and tennis, two sports that have tinkered with the rules to produce winners sooner.

Maybe there is a case for three-on-three over a guaranteed period of time, say, five or 10 minutes. Or sudden death with the full complement of players. But both at the same time? You avoid a shootout – a strong motivation for the NHL and the IIHF, hockey’s worldwide governing body, which eliminated them for the gold medal game in favour of playing on until a winning goal is scored. But are five-on-five shootouts really any less pressurized or capricious? “I guess, 50-50 battle there,” Binnington ruefully told reporters when asked about the additional period.

When overtime is settled by a single shot, likely after no more than a couple of minutes of end-to-end play in which both teams have had chances, there probably isn’t enough useful context or data from that period to conclude that the outcome is fair, that one team has deserved it more. The goal is just something that happened, like a lightning bolt out of the blue. It leaves the neutral numb and feeling cheated by a format divorced from the deadlocked hour that’s gone before.

By rebooting the match so radically, the truth that Canada were much the better team in regulation was rendered irrelevant. The rhythm was all-new; the prolongation was a rebirth of the final, not a continuation. It ransacked the match of meaning. “You be the judge of who was the better team today,” MacKinnon told reporters, seemingly treating the result with as much disdain as he did the stuffed toy he received with his silver medal.

Three-on-three is much more defensible in round-robin games or 82-fixture NHL regular seasons, when there’s less at stake. The Americans and Canadians are highly familiar with the format as it’s been used to settle NHL regular-season overtimes since 2015-16. For the biggest single match in the sport, however, it feels extreme. Notably, when it matters most in the NHL – during the playoffs – overtime is five-on-five.

When Canada beat the US in the 2010 final in Vancouver with an overtime Sidney Crosby goal the format was four-on-four. That is clearly a more reasonable compromise. Another way to settle tied games would be five or ten minutes of five-on-five, then if necessary a switch to four-on-four, then three-on-three for as long as it takes. Regardless, it’s all an unwelcome distraction from what the aftermath of a massive hockey match should really be about: complaining about the officiating.

Jacob Bridgeman held his nerve as his seven-shot lead dwindled to one, draining a short par putt at the 72nd hole to claim his first PGA Tour title with a one-shot triumph at the Genesis Invitational on Sunday.

The 26-year-old American had started the day with a six-shot advantage that swelled to seven after his birdies at the first and third.

But those were his only birdies of the day, Bridgeman grinding his way to a one-over-par 72 at iconic Riviera Country Club for an 18-under total of 266 that left him one clear of Rory McIlroy and Kurt Kitayama.

McIlroy started six back in second and carded a four-under 67 while California's Kitayama powered up the leaderboard with a seven-under par 64.

Aussie veteran Adam Scott, winner at Riviera in 2020, had eight birdies in an eight-under 63 to finish alone in fourth on 268.

"I thought it was going to be a lot easier than that," admitted Bridgeman, who had cruised to back-to-back 64s on Friday and Saturday.

His third bogey of the day, from a greenside bunker at the par-three 16th, saw his lead reduced to one.

"I didn't really feel really crazy nervous until I had a five-footer for bogey on 16," Bridgeman said. "That one was sketchy. I hit a really good putt and luckily it went in and then I was really nervous from there on out."

Bridgeman was in a greenside bunker again at the par-five 17th, and two-putted from 21 feet for par.

At hole 18, he put his approach at 20 feet from the pin, and after leaving that one short finally made the winning putt.

"I couldn't even feel my hands on the last couple of greens, just hit the putt hoping it would get somewhere near the hole," he said. "And both of them I left a mile short -- I'm glad it's done now."

McIlroy, who completed his career Grand Slam with a Masters triumph last year, had five birdies including a hole-out from a greenside bunker at the 12th and an up-and-down birdie from a bunker at 17 before he rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt at the last.

Kitayama, 33, chasing a third tour title, thrust himself into contention with four birdies in his first five holes, and had eight birdies on the day.

World number one Scottie Scheffler, who had to battle to make the cut without a stroke to spare, carded a six-under 65 but still saw his remarkable run of 18 straight top-10 finishes end with his tie for 12th on 11-under.

bb/nro

The Cleveland Cavaliers fought hard to erase an early 23-point deficit, but they weren’t able to keep up with the Oklahoma City Thunder’s hot outside shooting. The Thunder prevailed 121-113.

The starting lineup doesn’t work in every context; this is one of them. Lu Dort and Cason Wallace‘s size and strength made it difficult for Donovan Mitchell and James Harden to attack off the dribble. The rest of the starters weren’t able to do much as Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen are all play finishers and not play creators. This hurt the Cavs and was part of the reason why they turned it over seven times before the first subs entered the game.

I’m in favor of Wade starting in most situations. His defense and rebounding add a different dimension for this team. However, there are some matchups where Cleveland would be better served starting someone like Jaylon Tyson or Sam Merrill. This is one of them.

The Cavs lost the five minutes the starters shared the floor by 14. They won the other 43 minutes by six.

You don’t want to over-index one game, but outings like this are why it’s fair to wonder if Wade can be a difference maker in the playoffs.

As mentioned, this wasn’t a great matchup to use Wade as a starter. There wasn’t a player that they specifically needed him to defend. When he doesn’t have that, his utility goes down, which only highlights how he can be a limited offensive player.

The Cavs needed players who could shoot or provide some level of ball handling. Wade was hesitant to pull the trigger and isn’t an on-ball creator. He had just one field-goal attempt in 18 minutes despite the defense being more than okay to cheat off him. You’re completely handicapping your offense if neither he nor his teammates trusts him to be an active part of the offense.

The Cavs wouldn’t start Wade if they played the Thunder in a seven-game series. They’d just use him off the bench as a backup. So, again, you don’t want to make too much of this one game. But there are other matchups, like against the Detroit Pistons, where the Cavs need Wade to guard the opponent’s best player. Wade can only be placed in a spot to do so if he provides something offensively.

The Cavs need to find alternative ways to get Allen involved. After spending the last few weeks talking about how they need to get him the ball early, he took just one shot in the first quarter. As has been the pattern, this carried over for the entire game as Allen had just six field goal attempts in over 28 minutes.

The Thunder deserve some credit for this. They did a great job of collapsing passing lanes and sending help whenever Allen did get the ball. Cleveland’s poor outside shooting allowed them to gamble as much as they did. That said, the Cavs’ offense didn’t really have a way to get him the ball besides just trying to force-feed him in the pick-and-roll.

Teams know that Allen is the key to getting their offense involved, especially after the addition of Harden. Allen’s rim pressure opens the floor up for the guards and for shooters on the perimeter. But if it gets shut down, things can become stagnant like it did in Oklahoma City.

Not every team has the ability to stop Allen with a drop big as good as Isaiah Hartenstein and the perimeter defender the Thunder have. It’s not like it’s the most replicable strategy. At the same time, a team like the Pistons — who the Cavs could face in the playoffs — can do something similar with their defensive personnel.

Allen needs to be a bigger factor than he was. There’s just not many situations where the Cavs are going to beat an elite opponent if he’s held to just six shot attempts.

Keon Ellis continues to impress with his defensive effort. He finished with two steals and was once again incredibly disruptive.

There aren’t many players of his size who can alter defensive possessions as he does. Plays like the one below are an example of that.

Ellis rotates like he’s going to contest Chet Holmgren’s drive. Holmgren assumes that Ellis is going back to the wing, but instead, he comes down and forces Holmgren out of his shot. It’s not often a 6’4” guard forces a 7’1” center out of a jumper.

It’s difficult to keep someone this impactful defensively off the court.

There’s room for more Merrill and Harden two-man screening actions.

Merrill is a good screener and had his shot working on Sunday as he went 6-10 from three. Only one of those six triples was assisted by Harden, but the ease with which the shot was created makes you wonder why they don’t use it more often.

Here, a simple ghost screen from Merrill creates a wide-open look due to how much attention Harden draws to the ball. It helps that Harden can make behind-the-back passes with ease.

It can work to create open looks for Harden as well. Here, the ghost screen makes an opening for Harden to get to his patented left-handed layup.

These two have shown a natural chemistry in their first six games together. They should lean into that much more than they currently are. This has the potential to be as lethal a combination as Harden and Allen.

The spacing principles with Harden need work.

Head coach Kenny Atkinson is trying to find ways to keep elements of his movement offense while working in the isolation sets that Harden is comfortable with. In the previous five games, the Cavs were able to make that work. They weren’t on Sunday as Harden turned it over five times, with a few coming because the spacing just isn’t where it needs to be.

We talked about the starters not providing much spacing. This is an example of that. Four defenders are in the paint along with three Cavaliers when Harden committed the offensive foul.

And here, Dennis Schroder is stuck trying to relocate to the corner in the middle of Harden’s drive, which disrupts the spacing, leading to the turnover.

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The Thunder are a tough matchup for Cleveland’s backcourt. There aren’t many teams that have more disruptive guard defenders than Dort and Wallace. They don’t give up many 30+ point games from an opposing guard. That means that the rest of the offense needs to be in sync, and they weren’t.

As was seen here, the Cavs’ offense has the potential to be good — and they were for stretches on Sunday — but they certainly aren’t fine-tuned yet. The spacing wasn’t great, they couldn’t find a way to get Allen involved, it’s fair to wonder where Mobley fits into the Harden offense, and the rotations are a work in progress. Games like this are going to expose those issues.

The Cavs are very much a work in progress. The talent is there, but they don’t know who they are and how they want to play enough to quite be on the Thunder’s level. In many ways, they’re trying to build the plane in the air.

Nothing from this game makes me think that the Cavs can’t reach that level. Even though the Thunder were without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, they shot uncharacteristically well from three. Making more than half of your outside shots is going to make any team incredibly tough to beat. The Cavs also didn’t do themselves any favors with the turnovers and poor shooting, yet they still had chances to win this one.

Even though they failed this test, going through struggles like this is necessary. The Cavs aren’t far off. The question is whether they have enough time to actually put all the pieces together.

Paddy Pimblett has largely remained quiet following his UFC interim title loss, until now.

In a lengthy video posted to his YouTube account, the English star rewatched his unanimous decision loss to Justin Gaethje, which took place at UFC 324 in January, and came away questioning the result of the fight, along with the officiating. Pimblett (23-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC) was poked in both eyes during the fight. He thinks a point should've been taken away, and he claims his performance was badly affected.

"I don't want to sound like a sore loser, but that changes the whole fight," Pimblett said. "I'll be honest, he hit me afterwards because he hit me and started elbowing me, but I easily win the third round. So imagine if that never happens in the second. ... My depth perception is off, they're shouting at me to get the takedown, but sometimes he looks far away, sometimes he looks close."

Pimblett saw himself winning two of the five rounds upon rewatching the fight. Should there have been a point deduction, Gaethje doesn't go home with the UFC interim lightweight title.

"For me, I win three and five," Pimblett explained. "If got point took off like he should've, lad, that's a draw. I don't want to sound bitter, you can't cry over spilled milk, but I feel a bit. I know how Jared Gordon felt, I'll put it that way. I knew the scorecards weren't going to be in our favor. That's why I did that little, 'I don't know,' to my mom and my dad because I half knew I lost. You can see my eye is bright red there. It should've all been 48-47."

Pimblett was on a seven-fight winning streak in the promotion. The defeat to Gaethje was his first inside the octagon. Although a setback, Pimblett feels pretty optimistic about his career. He feels he took a big stride, and sees the UFC lightweight title in his near future.

"I know I'm going to be a world champion anyway," Pimblett said. "It's just going to be a little bit later than expected. That would've been interim, and you know how people talk about me. It would've been, 'Oh, he's an interim, not a real world champ.' So when I win it now it's going to be undisputed and nobody is going to say nothing."

As far as what's next, Pimblett said he sustained no real damage despite the visuals of the fight. He's ready to go and would like to make a return in the summer against any top lightweight.

"I'll fight anyone, I just want whatever name gets sent to me – I sign the contract, and I fight them, but Saint-Denis sounds good to me," Pimblett said. "Europe's two best lightweights going at it against each other, or get the winner or the loser of Max (Holloway) vs. Charles (Oliveira). F*ck, I'll fight Arman. I don't give a f*ck. I'll fight anyone, but I'll be back in the summer."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Paddy Pimblett: UFC title loss to Justin Gaethje should've been a draw

Earlier this offseason, Philadelphia Phillies president Dave Dombrowski raised some hairs when he declared that Bryce Harper was no longer elite.

It was certainly an incendiary comment for an executive to make regarding his most expensive player, and Harper did not exactly take it lightly.

Not only did Harper say he was hurt by Dombrowski's remarks, but he was then seen working out in a t-shirt with "Not Elite" plastered on the front. He then circled back around to the comments — when prompted — during a recent appearance on the Bussin' Wit the Boys podcast.

Clearly, Harper is not exactly simpatico with Dombrowski, and now, Dombrowski has given the two-time NL MVP another reason to be at odds with him.

Harper was pushing for the Phillies to reunite with first baseman Rhys Hoskins, who was still available in free agency even though Spring Training had already begun.

Hoskins also seemed very open to a return after spending the first seven seasons of his career in Philadelphia, managing an impressive .846 OPS with the squad.

However, Dombrowski decided not to sign Hoskins, allowing the veteran slugger to sign a minor-league contract with the Cleveland Guardians. Should Hoskins make the Guardians' roster, he will earn $1.5 million in 2026.

The Phillies have been monitoring their payroll closely throughout the winter and have been largely inactive as a result. They re-signed Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, but allowed Ranger Suarez and Harrison Bader to walk.

Outside of adding outfielder Adolis Garcia (who was non-tendered by the Texas Rangers) and relief pitcher Brad Keller, Philadelphia mostly stood pat this offseason, which has certainly irritated the fanbase.

It surely has rubbed Harper the wrong way, as well, considering the 33-year-old is still searching for his first World Series title.

Missing out on Hoskins over $1.5 million is definitely a kick in the teeth, especially considering the Phillies could definitely use more pop in their lineup.

Hoskins played in just 90 games with the Milwaukee Brewers due to injury last season, but he is two seasons removed from smashing 26 home runs. He hit over 30 homers twice in Philly and also led the National League with 116 walks in 2019.

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You only get one Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut!

Two rookies debuted in “Space City” yesterday (Sat., Feb 21, 2026) at UFC Houston, which took place inside the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. UFC’s latest batch of newbies went 1-1, with one suffering a brutal knockout.

It was bad.

Now that the dust has settled, let’s grade their respective performances below:

Josiah Harrell

After enduring a career rollercoaster that saw him signed, released due to a rare brain condition, and ultimately claw his way back to the UFC, Josiah Harrell finally made his long-awaited debut.

Unfortunately, it couldn’t have gone much worse.

Taking the fight on short notice against highly touted prospect Jacoby Smith, Harrell showed flashes early — including a sharp body kick and forward pressure. But he made a critical mistake attempting to wrestle a decorated grappler. Though he briefly secured a takedown, Smith quickly reversed position and detonated brutal ground-and-pound that rendered Harrell unconscious just three minutes into the bout. (watch highlights). The damage was significant enough to send Harrell to the hospital.

Context matters. Smith looks like the real deal, and this was a tough stylistic matchup on limited preparation time. Still, from a debut standpoint, it’s hard to spin this positively.

There’s still time for Harrell to rebound — perhaps against someone like Nikolay Veretennikov for his next outing — but as far as first impressions go, this was a rough one.

Final Grade: F

Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani

Fresh off a vicious knockout on Season 9 of Contender Series (watch highlights), Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani entered his UFC debut with real buzz.

His performance against nine-fight UFC veteran Phil Rowe wasn’t spectacular — but it was effective.

Lebosnoyani mixed in thudding body kicks, an overhand right, and timely takedowns to edge out a split decision win (one that should have been unanimous). In Round 1, he landed a takedown midway through and unloaded heavy ground-and-pound. While Rowe used his 80-inch reach to create problems at range, “JPL” stayed aggressive throughout.

He didn’t dominate, and he had multiple takedowns stuffed in rounds two and three, but he showed composure on the feet and stuck to a smart game plan. For an elite grappler facing a tricky striker, it was nice to see Lebosnoyani be comfortable on his feet.

I’m not sold on Lebosnoyani, though, and I think other unranked Welterweights could give him major problems, especially on the feet.

UFC should rebook him with Austin Vanderford for his sophomore outing.

Final Grade: C+

For complete UFC Houston results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.

João Cancelo must have heard the chorus of criticism that was starting to ring out in Barcelona.

He must have felt that even Hansi Flick was having his doubts as to whether there was a place for the creative defender.

One thing we all knew is that Cancelo has talent. He is dangerous on the ball, and can deliver a killer final pass. The question was whether his offensive strengths outweigh his defensive weaknesses.

It helps him that there are no obvious answers at left full-back.

Alejandro Balde has continued to struggle to convince, in spite of the expectation that this season he would take a big step forward and lock down his position at the Barcelona for the foreseeable future. The Spanish international has great dribbling and penetration abilities, but tends to get lost in the final third.

That’s exactly where Cancelo excels.

Now, let’s start by taking a step back. This was Levante at home. They are the worst defensive team in Spain, having conceded 44 goals. This game was tailor made for Barcelona attacking success.

Credit should be given to Flick for recognizing this and giving Cancelo the nod in a game where he could contribute the most.

Regardless of the opponent, Barcelona have to produce danger down the left flank, because it opens up time and space for Lamine Yamal on the right.

Raphinha is not a high and wide winger, so whoever is the full-back on his side should be expected to get forward and provide service.

The job is still Balde’s to lose, but he should recognize, having watched the Cancelo show from the bench, that he has to be much better if he wants to continue in this role in the future. That sense of positional competition is a must at a big club like Barcelona, and with Cancelo on board, maybe that’s just what he can provide.

I wouldn’t expect to see him in the starting lineup in the Champions League, but perhaps we will see him more often in La Liga. In the second leg against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey, maybe Flick will throw caution to the wind and see if Cancelo can provide a spark.

For now, Cancelo’s man of the match performance against Levante was much needed for the player and the team alike. He wasn’t a game changing winter signing, but he has a role to play on this team.

Best of all, Barcelona are back in the driver’s seat in La Liga thanks to his efforts.

All eyes will be on Flick to see what he does next.

The choice between Cancelo, Balde, and Gerard Martín isn’t an easy one, and that’s a good thing.

The first batch of fixtures for overseas broadcast and English commentary has been chosen, with champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors featured the most and Gangwon FC the least.

K League's English commentary coverage was increased from three matches to four per round in 2025, and continues at the same level in 2026 with fans overseas able to watch via the league's overseas broadcasting partners, or onTV.KLeague.com.

All 12 teams are featured more than once in the first 10 rounds of the 2026 season, with last year's top two, Jeonbuk and Daejeon, getting the most coverage with nine matches.

Newly-promoted Incheon United, as well as Ulsan HD, Pohang Steelers, and FC Seoul, are next with seven matches. K League 1 newcomers Bucheon FC 1995 have six, along with Gimcheon Sangmu and Gwangju FC, while Jeju SK and FC Anyang have four as the second-lowest, with Gangwon's three the fewest number of games with English commentary in the first 10 rounds.

Lightweights Renato Moicano and Chris Duncan are scheduled to clash in the five-round main event at the upcoming UFC Fight Night card at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on April 4.

The new matchup was announced during the UFC Houston card on Saturday.

The main event serves as Moicano’s first fight since June 2025 when he dropped a unanimous decision to Beneil Dariush at UFC 317. That marked a second straight loss for Moicano after he stepped up on short notice to face Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 but fell by submission in the first round.

Prior to those back-to-back losses, Moicano had rattled off four straight wins including impressive finishes over Benoit Saint Denis and Jalin Turner.

Meanwhile, Duncan gets his first crack at a main event while facing off against a fellow fighter from the same gym as both train at American Top Team in Florida.

With a 15-2 record overall, Duncan has enjoyed plenty of success in recent months after putting together a four-fight win streak with three finishes along the way. Most recently, Duncan dispatched Terrance McKinney with a nasty first-round anaconda choke submission.

Duncan now attempts to pick up his biggest and most important win as he prepares to clash with Moicano at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.

With the main event official, the UFC is expected to add more fights to the lineup on April 4 over the coming weeks.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Nick Boyd scored 27 points and Nolan Winter added 18 as No. 24 Wisconsin pulled away late for an 84-71 victory over Iowa on Sunday.

Bennett Stirtz’s layup trimmed Iowa’s deficit to 68-65, but Austin Rapp hit a pair of 3-pointers to fuel a 10-point Wisconsin run. Boyd’s layup put the Badgers ahead 78-65 with just under four minutes remaining.

John Blackwell hit four free throws after a deadball technical foul to extend the lead to 82-69 with 1:02 left.

Rapp scored 14 points and Blackwell had 13 for Wisconsin (19-8, 11-5 Big Ten), which bounced back from an 86-69 loss at Ohio State.

Stirtz had 23 points for Iowa (19-8, 9-7), which was coming off a 57-52 win at home over No. 9 Nebraska. Alvaro Folgueiras and Tate Sage scored 11 apiece.

Wisconsin shot 53.8%, including 10 of 24 beyond the arc. The Badgers hit 18 of 20 free throws, including 14 of 15 in the second half. Boyd shot 9 of 16 and Winter 8 of 11.

NO. 15 MICHIGAN STATE 66, OHIO STATE 60

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Carson Cooper scored a career-high 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead No. 15 Michigan State to a win over Ohio State.

Jeremy Fears added 11 points and eight assists for the Spartans (22-5, 12-4 Big Ten), who have won three of four, moving into a third-place tie in the Big Ten with No. 9 Nebraska and No. 7 Purdue.

The Buckeyes (17-10, 9-7) fell to 0-9 against Quadrant 1 teams, a statistic that may hurt their chances of earning an NCAA Tournament bid next month.

Ohio State had an opportunity to earn an impressive win, playing without the ill Devin Royal and injured John Mobley and missing the 29 points per game that they average.

Bruce Thornton tried to make up for it, scoring 32 points, but didn’t get much help from a teammate other than Christoph Tilly, who scored 10 points and missed only one shot.

Carson Hocevar shares blunt thoughts on ruining Joey Logano’s race in Atlanta originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Joey Logano was running a great race at the former Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday in the Autotrader 400.

Carson Hocevar ruined it.

With only 23 laps to go, Hocevar spun out Logano.

Logano's car wasn't ruined, but he didn't have a chance to win any longer after the caution.

Hocevar moved right near the front, and so it ended up being advantageous for him.

The 77 car nicked the 22 car from behind, starting the spin out.

MORE: Jack Hughes, not a miracle, just magic

Hocevar didn't wait long to share what he thought happened. He came right on his radio and wanted to apologize:

"I didn't mean to do that. ... Apologies. ... Tiniest contact, just my fault. I think he got tight. Completely on me."

Carson Hocevar: "I didn't mean to do that. ... Apologies. ... Tiniest contact, just my fault. I think he got tight. Completely on me." https://t.co/kTvhEyYrbD

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 22, 2026

Many won't believe Hocevar after he caused a wreck immediately in overtime, too.

Logano runs well on this track, and he won't be thrilled with this ending, regardless of whether Hocevar takes the blame or not.

Especially as Hocevar moved near the front, it quickly became clear that he'd be the main beneficiary no matter his intent.

We'll see if anything else gets said about this, but it wasn't ideal for Logano.

MORE: Team USA honors Johnny Gaudreau in special way after gold medal

The 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics are officially in the books. And the United States, thanks to a thrilling finish on the ice on Sunday, is headed home on a high note from the men's hockey final. 

That win preceded the Milan Cortina Closing Ceremony and the extinguishing of the Olympic flame. 

Here are the top stories from the final day of the Milan Cortina Olympics:

USA stuns Canada in OT, again

Just like the women’s team did a few days ago, the United States men’s hockey team picked up a thrilling overtime win against its neighbors to the north to wrap up Olympic competition on Sunday.

Jack Hughes scored the winning goal past Jordan Binnington not three minutes into overtime in Milan, which sent the Americans into a frenzy on the ice. It marked the first U.S. Olympic gold medal in men’s hockey since the famed 1980 “Miracle on Ice.”

Matt Boldy scored first for Team USA to give it an early lead, but Cale Makar evened the game up for Canada on the only shot out of 42 attempts that got past goalkeeper Conner Hellebuyck. That set up the three-on-three overtime period, and eventually the win for the United States.

Canada had previously owned the rivalry since the Olympics opened up to NHL players in 1998. It won gold in both 2002 and 2010, and shut out the United States in the semifinals in 2014. But now, at long last, the Americans have won gold on the ice again.

Eileen Gu defends gold medal in women's freeski halfpipe

Eileen Gu, the American-born freeskier competing for China, won her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in the women’s halfpipe. After pulling out on her first run, Gu bounced back with a 94.00 in Run 2 and a 94.75 in Run 3. Either score was good enough to seize gold in a competition where only the best score counts.

China took the first two spots on the podium, with Gu’s teammate Li Fanghui earning silver with a 93.00 on her third run.

Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin, Gu's classmate at Stanford, was on top after her first run, but couldn’t recover from missing a landing on her second, despite getting the most amplitude on her jumps among the competitors in the field. She secured bronze.

USA Hockey honors Johnny Gaudreau

Shortly after the dust settled on its 2-1 overtime win, Team USA found a way to honor Johnny Gaudreau on the ice.

Gaudreau, a former member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, died in a traffic collision about 18 months ago alongside his brother. They were killed by an alleged drunk driver while biking in New Jersey.

Players made sure to bring out a special Gaudreau Team USA jersey with them to the ice, and then both Matthew Tkachuk and Zach Werenski went to grab Gaudreau’s two oldest children, Noa and Johnny. Jr. to bring them out to celebrate.

“To have Johnny and Noa out there,” Dylan Larkin said afterward, “it just felt right.”

Closing Ceremony hands off Olympics to France

The Milan Cortina Olympics reached their official conclusion with Sunday's closing ceremony. And, as per custom, the International Olympic Committee began to look ahead to France in 2030. 

The Olympic flame was featured for the last time at these games as Italy's 1994 gold medal cross-country ski relay team carried it into the Arena di Verona, the site of Sunday's closing ceremony. 

From there, Olympic officials lowered the Olympic flag. Members of the Milan Cortina contingent handed the flag off to the French contingent to signal France taking the baton to host the Olympics in 2030 for the second time in six years. Paris hosted the Summer Games in 2024.

In between, the Olympics will shift to Los Angeles for the Summer Games in 2028. 

Final Medal Count

The U.S. overtook Italy to jump into second in the final medal count with 33 total in these Games. Norway led the way with 41 medals, 18 of which were gold. The U.S. finished with 12 gold medals, also good for second place behind Norway.

Highlight of the day

Here's the last look at the Olympic flame for the 2026 Games. The dual flames in Milan (seen here) and Cortina were extinguished simultaneously to mark the official end of the Winter Games. 

One more thing

If you want more Alysa Liu, you're in luck. 

The dual gold-medalist U.S. figure skating sensation told NBC on Sunday that she has "no plans to leave" figure skating.

What does that mean for her 2030 prospects in France? Well, that's a long way out. 

But she's not leaving the ice any time soon.

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Hannah Kohn hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 3.1 seconds left for her only points of the game as Clemson upset No. 9 Duke 53-51 on Sunday to snap the Blue Devils’ 17-game win streak.

Demeara Hinds finished with 13 points and Taylor Johnson-Matthews and Mia Moore each added 11 for the Tigers (19-9, 10-6 ACC), who added a huge resume-building victory before the NCAA Tournament.

Toby Fournier had 18 points and seven rebounds for Duke (20-7, 15-1 ACC) which lost its first conference game of the season. Fournier, an ACC player of the year candidate, was held in check for most of the second half after scoring 14 before the break.

The Blue Devils appeared in control entering the fourth quarter, but Clemson stepped up its defense.

The Tigers took the lead at 44-43 with 3:24 left when Moore drove the lane and drew a foul for a 3-point play. Johnson-Matthews then drilled a 3 to give the Tigers their biggest lead of the game at 4.

Duke would battle back though and Riley Nelson hit a corner 3 to give the Blue Devils the lead with 9.3 seconds left.

But Kohn, who had missed her previous four shots of the game, got free and hit the 3 as Clemson made four of its final five shots from the field.

NO. 1 UCONN 81, PROVIDENCE 38

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Azzi Fudd had 13 points and four steals in her final regular-season game at Gampel Pavilion as UConn tied a program record by forcing 39 turnovers in a victory over Providence, extending the Huskies’ winning streak to 45 games.

KK Arnold finished with eight points, eight assists, and a season-high seven steals. Sarah Strong had 13 points in 13 minutes for the Huskies (29-0, 18-0 Big East), who have won 56 consecutive conference regular season games.

UConn had a season-high 26 steals, the seventh time this season that UConn had at least 20 steals.

Princess Moody led Providence (14-15, 7-11) with 11 points and Payton Dunbar had nine points.

UConn missed its first seven shots, but had 10 steals in the first quarter as the Huskies used an 18-0 run to take a 21-5 lead heading into the second quarter. UConn added a 10-0 run in the second quarter as the Huskies rolled to their 40th consecutive win over Providence, 33 of those victories have been by at least 25 points. The Huskies led 40-14 at halftime. The 14 points allowed in the first half matched the fewest surrendered by the Huskies this season.

NO. 3 SOUTH CAROLINA 85, NO. 17 MISSISSIPPI 48

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Joyce Edwards scored 21 points, Madina Okot had 17 and South Carolina clinched a share of the Southeastern Conference regular-season championship with a victory over Mississippi.

The Gamecocks (27-2, 13-1 SEC) can earn their fifth straight crown outright by beating either Missouri or Kentucky in the season’s final week. The victory, their 21st straight over the Rebels (21-8, 8-6), guarantees South Carolina the top seed in next month’s SEC Tournament in Greenville.

The Gamecocks hadn’t lost to Ole Miss since February 2009 and, with ESPN GameDay at the arena and four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson on hand, made sure they handled the Rebels.

Ole Miss was hoping to bounce back after a disheartening home loss to LSU last time out where it held a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, yet couldn’t stop the Tigers down the stretch in a 78-70 loss.

NO. 4 TEXAS 92, MISSISSIPPI STATE 42

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Madison Booker scored 23 points, Jordan Lee added 17 and Texas routed Mississippi State.

Texas (26-3, 11-3 Southeastern Conference) has won 41 straight home games, the longest such streak in the country.

Both Booker and Lee were accurate from the field. Booker hit 8 of 12, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Lee shot 6 of 10, including a season-best five 3-pointers in eight tries.

The Longhorns hit 11 of 22 3-pointers, setting a season high for the second straight game. They made 10 of 28 during a 93-62 win at Arkansas on Thursday.

Aaliyah Crump scored 12 points for Texas and Ashton Judd added 11. Breya Cunningham grabbed 12 rebounds and Rori Harmon had 11 assists.

Favour Nwaedozi scored nine points to lead Mississippi State (18-10, 5-9). The Bulldogs shot 38% and committed a season-high 28 turnovers.

NO. 5 VANDERBILT 81, NO. 16 KENTUCKY 79

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Mikayla Blakes scored 35 points and Justine Pissott came up with a big defensive play late to help Vanderbilt edge Kentucky.

Trailing by one, Kentucky’s Clara Strack had the ball with 4 seconds left and made a move to the basket from the wing when Pissott deflected it out of Strack’s hand. Blakes gained possession and then was fouled with less than a second left. She hit the first of two free throws and then the Wildcats couldn’t get off a shot.

Aubrey Galvan, who finished with 20 points, hit the go-ahead jumper with 7.9 seconds left to lift Vanderbilt (25-3, 11-3 SEC). Pissott finished with eight points, including two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. One of those 3’s tied the game with 2:21 left.

NO. 7 LSU 108, MISSOURI 55

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — MiLaysia Fulwiley had 22 points, 11 rebounds and two steals, and LSU routed reeling Missouri.

ZaKiyah Johnson had 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Flau’jae Johnson added 16 points for LSU (24-4, 10-4 SEC), which led throughout the final three periods and by as many as 57 points. The 53-point win matched the school record for largest win in the SEC.

Mikaylah Williams had 12 points and 10 rebounds for LSU, which outshot Missouri, 47% to 24% and outrebounded Mizzou 72-25. The rebounds were the most in school history.

LSU, which improved to 12-2 at home, took the lead for good when Williams’ free throws made it 11-9 in the latter half of the first quarter.

LSU’s lead ballooned to 10 just minutes later on one of Fulwiley’s six 3s, reached 20 on Flau’jae Johnson’s jumper with 5:20 left in the second period and was up to 32 when Kate Koval’s tip-in put LSU up 54-22 in the final seconds of the first half.

NO. 13 IOWA 62, NO. 6 MICHIGAN 44

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Ava Heiden had 24 points and 10 rebounds to help Iowa beat Michigan.

Hannah Stuelke added 11 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists for the Hawkeyes (22-5, 13-3 Big Ten), who held the Wolverines (22-5, 13-3) to their lowest point total of the season and moved into a second-place tie in the Big Ten with Michigan heading into the final week of the regular season.

Michigan came in ranked fifth nationally in scoring offense at 86.6 points per game, but shot just 30.5% from the field for the game and committed 24 turnovers.

Heiden, who ranks fourth in the nation in field-goal percentage at 64.4%, was 11 of 17 from the field. Iowa led for the final 28 minutes, making shots to answer any run by the Wolverines.

Michigan got within 39-35 with 15 seconds left in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Syla Swords, but Iowa’s Kylie Feuerbach banked in a 3-pointer before the buzzer sounded.

Then, in the fourth quarter, after the Wolverines got to within 46-40 with 6½ minutes to play, Iowa went on a 12-2 run, with Heiden scoring eight points.

VIRGINIA 74, NO. 8 LOUISVILLE 72

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Romi Levy made a clutch 3-pointer with 13 seconds remaining and grabbed Louisville’s missed 3 at the buzzer as Virginia held off the Cardinals.

Imari Berry made 1 of 2 free throws with 31.4 seconds left to put Louisville up 72-71. Virginia (19-8, 11-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) ran time off before Levy spotted up for a 3 on the right side for her second basket in the final 2:08 to give the Cavaliers their fourth win in five games. Levy finished with 15 points, hitting three 3-pointers.

Reyna Scott missed a layup with 4 seconds left but Louisville (24-5, 14-2) retained possession. Berry had a good look from the right corner as time expired but was short, halting Louisville’s winning streak at three and dropping the Cardinals further behind first-place No. 9 Duke in the ACC.

NO. 10 OHIO STATE 88, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 83

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jaloni Cambridge scored 33 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter, and Ohio State used a 15-0 run to rally for a victory over Southern California.

It was Cambridge’s fifth 30-point game this season. The sophomore was 12 of 21 from the field and 8 of 9 from the line as the Buckeyes (23-5, 11-4) snapped a two-game losing streak.

Cambridge also had three steals and forced USC to commit a season-high 25 turnovers as the Trojans (17-10, 9-7 Big Ten) had their six-game winning streak come to a close.

USC’s Jazzy Davidson scored a season-high 32 points, including six 3-pointers, before fouling out with 1.1 second left. The freshman also had six rebounds and four assists.

NO. 11 OKLAHOMA 100, NO. 21 TENNESSEE 93

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Raegan Beers, who averages a double-double, had 18 points and 18 rebounds in Oklahoma’s foul-filled win over Tennessee.

Sahara Williams had 22 points and Aaliyah Chavez scored 19 points for the Sooners (21-6, 9-5 SEC). Payton Verhulst scored 17 points and Zya Vann added 15 as Oklahoma’s starters all scored in double figures and totaled 93 points.

There were 53 fouls and 79 free-throw attempts. Oklahoma made 36 of 46 free throws and Tennessee made 23 of 33. Oklahoma made more free throws than baskets (30).

Tennessee’s Jaida Civil opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer that cut Oklahoma’s lead to 71-67. A few minutes later the Lady Vols were within three points before Oklahoma tacked on four free throws at the beginning of an 8-2 run.

A layup by Williams gave Oklahoma an 86-77 lead with 4:14 remaining. The Sooners attempted only two more shots the rest of the game and they scored their last 14 points on free throws.

NO. 12 TCU 80, IOWA STATE 73

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Olivia Miles scored 15 of her 26 points in the final 5:21 and finished with her fifth triple-double this season, rallying TCU to a victory over Iowa State and extending the Horned Frogs’ winning streak at home to 41.

TCU trailed 66-53 with 7:35 remaining before Miles took over to ensure the Horned Frogs (25-4, 13-3) tied Texas for the longest current home streak, while staying atop the Big 12 Conference with their fourth straight win.

Miles, who played at Notre Dame from 2020-2025, scored six straight points to ignite a 16-4 run capped by Taylor Bigby’s 3-pointer and TCU trailed 70-69 with 2:54 left.

Miles extended the run with a go-ahead jumper, two free throws and another jumper over the next two minutes for a five-point lead. She made 3 of 4 foul shots in the final 48 seconds as TCU outscored Iowa State 31-15 in the final quarter.

NO. 14 MARYLAND 99, PURDUE 66

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Oluchi Okananwa scored 26 points, leading six in double figures, and Maryland won its fifth straight game, defeating Purdue.

Addi Mack scored 14 points and Saylor Poffenbarger and Mir McLean added 11 each for Maryland (22-6, 10-6 Big Ten). Off the bench, Kyndal Walker scored a career-high 18 points and fellow freshman Rainey Welson added 11.

Kiki Smith scored 19 points and Nya Smith had 18 for Purdue (12-15, 4-12).

Okananwa scored 10 points in the first quarter and the Terrapins led 22-17 after one. Saylor Poffenbarger took over in the second quarter, scoring all of her 11 points, and the Terrapins led 51-32 at halftime.

A 15-5 run over the last five minutes of the third quarter gave Maryland a 77-48 lead heading to the fourth. The largest lead was 97-60 with about two minutes to go. Maryland freshman Marya Boiko, a backup forward from Belarus, blocked five shots, four in the fourth quarter.

NO. 22 NORTH CAROLINA 78, PITTSBURGH 50

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Nyla Brooks scored 18 points, Laila Hull added 17 off the bench, and North Carolina routed Pittsburgh.

North Carolina (23-6, 12-4 ACC) has reached 12 conference wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2004-05 and 2005-06.

The Tar Heels missed their first six shots and trailed 11-4 midway through the first quarter. An 8-2 run helped North Carolina close the gap and Pitt took a 14-12 lead into the second quarter.

Hull hit three 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the second quarter, the third of which started a 10-0 run that left the Tar Heels ahead 39-21. Her fourth 3 of the quarter gave North Carolina a 42-27 halftime lead after a 30-point second quarter.

North Carolina buried five 3s in the third quarter and took a 63-39 lead into the final period. The lead peaked at 31 points with two minutes left in the game.

NO. 25 ALABAMA 76, FLORIDA 71

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jessica Timmons scored a career-high 34 points, Ta’Mia Scott added 21, and Alabama rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Florida to snap a three-game losing streak.

Alabama (21-7, 7-7) led by six points at halftime and the lead was 54-46 after Timmons hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter. Liv McGill then scored seven points in Florida’s 12-0 run that gave the Gators a 58-54 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

Florida’s lead reached 60-54 before Scott scored five points and Timmons had seven, eventually drawing Alabama even at 66 with seven minutes remaining.

Florida’s last lead was 68-66 with five minutes left before Timmons had a 3-pointer and a three-point play to finish an 8-0 run for a 74-68 lead with 1:24 remaining. She added two free throws in the final minute, giving her Alabama’s last eight points.

Alabama opened the game with three 3-pointers and led 9-2 after about two minutes of play. Scott hit her third 3 of the quarter in the final minute and the Crimson Tide led 17-14.

The Sacramento Kings are looking to fill their roster after losing players to injury in the last few weeks. 

Sacramento reportedly agreed to sign guard Killian Hayes to a 10-day contract deal, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania and Hoops Hype’s Michael Scotto. 

Hayes most recently appeared in nine games for the Cleveland Charge, the G-League affiliate of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged 22.4 points and 8.5 assists in nine games. 

His last NBA appearance was during the 2024-25 season with the Brooklyn Nets, where Hayes averaged nine points in 27 minutes. He appeared in six games. 

Who is Killian Hayes?

Hayes, 25, was drafted with the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft to the Detroit Pistons. 

Hayes spent four seasons with the Pistons. His best season arguably came during the 2022-23 campaign when he posted career-highs in games played (76), points per game (10.3), assists (6.2), and steals (1.4). 

Kings add more depth

Sacramento wasn’t done after the Hayes 10-day signing. 

The team adds more depth to their roster following their announcement that recently acquired forward Deandre Hunter is ruled out for the season with ongoing left eye iritis, an injury that required surgery.

“Hunter was diagnosed with a retinal detachment in his left eye. This afternoon, Hunter underwent successful surgery to repair the injury,” the team said in a Feb. 20 news release. “Hunter is expected to make a full recovery and an update will be provided in approximately eight weeks.”

With the news of Hunter, who joined Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine to be ruled out for the final months of the season, they decided to add more depth. 

The Kings signed Patrick Baldwin Jr. to a two-way contract deal.

Baldwin, 23, most recently played for the San Diego Clippers, G-League affiliate of Los Angeles.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sacramento Kings, Killian Hayes agree to 10-day deal

Arriving during the summer of 2024 at PSG, Joao Neves quickly established himself in Luis Enrique's starting eleven. The midfielder has extended his contract by one year.

Joao Neves is one of the most-used players by Luis Enrique since his arrival at PSG during the summer of 2024. The Portuguese international, despite his young age (21), has established himself in the starting lineup of one of Europe's biggest clubs, if not the best. With Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz, he forms the best midfield in the world. His performances attract attention. But PSG does not intend to hear about a departure for its No. 87.

According to information from Le Parisien, Joao Neves has extended his contract by one year, until June 2030. The Parisian outlet reports that while Paris often waits until the third season to begin negotiations — as is the case today with Bradley Barcola — it anticipates the move for players with standout performances who have reached the bottom of the salary scale. The former Benfica player had the lowest salary in the starting lineup for the Champions League final, according to Le Parisien.

His new ranking in the salary hierarchy positions him at a level more in line with his performance. Information confirmed by transfer market specialist journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Last December, Spanish outlet Fichajes reported that Real Madrid was preparing to pay 150 million euros (around $160 million) to sign Neves. "Real Madrid understands that it needs significant reinforcements in midfield. The possible departure of players like Camavinga and Rodrygo would leave financial space to invest in Joao Neves," the cited outlet noted.

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As the Detroit Lions approach the 2026 offseason, one question dominates conversations among fans and analysts alike: how should the team invest its cap space and draft capital to maximize its chances of contention? With superstar edge rusher Maxx Crosby rumored as a potential trade target, the Lions face a classic dilemma — go all-in on one transformative player, or spread resources across multiple free agents and high-upside draft picks. Both strategies carry risk and reward, and the decision could shape Detroit’s competitive window for years to come.

Option 1: Trade for Maxx Crosby — All‑In on Pass Rush Dominance

The most eye‑catching proposal this offseason has been the idea of the Lions trading significant draft capital, potentially two first‑round picks and a second‑rounder, for Maxx Crosby. Crosby is one of the most disruptive edge defenders in the NFL. Over his career with the Las Vegas Raiders, he has tallied 57.5 sacks and more than 300 tackles, earning multiple Pro Bowl and All‑Pro nods, and consistently grades among the top edge rushers in the league.

Pairing Crosby with Aidan Hutchinson would give Detroit one of the deadliest pass‑rush duos in football. Hutchinson is already a star, posting 14.5 sacks in 2025 and anchoring a defensive front that tied for fourth in the NFL in sacks. With both Crosby and Hutchinson on the field, opposing offenses would face relentless pressure from both sides, improving Detroit’s chances in playoff and Super Bowl contention.

However, there are significant costs. Crosby’s latest extension was three years, $106.5 million with a roughly $35 million annual cap hit, making him one of the highest‑paid non‑quarterbacks in football. Absorbing that salary would heavily constrain Detroit’s free agency flexibility, essentially eliminating meaningful spending elsewhere on the roster.

And the draft capital cost isn’t trivial. First‑ and second‑round picks are vital for building long‑term depth, especially on a roster with needs at offensive line, cornerback, and tight end. Passing on those picks could leave Detroit short in multiple areas, especially once injuries hit.

Trading for Crosby would make a headline‑grabbing statement that Detroit is all‑in on contending now, but it could also mortgage future roster flexibility for a single defensive upgrade.

Option 2: Spend Smart — Free Agents and Draft Capital

Rather than betting everything on one player, Detroit could take a broader, more balanced strategy by using the financial and draft resources that would have gone into a Crosby package to add multiple key free agents and retain draft capital.

The centerpiece of this approach could be signing Tyler Linderbaum, arguably the top free‑agent center available. Linderbaum has been one of the best centers in football — ranked as a top free agent and projected to command a contract in the $17M‑$20M per year range if he hits the open market. Upgrading the offensive line in front of a young quarterback is a classic NFC contender strategy, and a seamless anchor like Linderbaum would stabilize both pass protection and run blocking.

Detroit could also pursue a veteran edge rusher like Joey Bosa on a shorter, more affordable contract, potentially a two‑year deal in the $12M‑$15M annual range based on recent signings. A healthy Bosa would still represent a top pass‑rushing talent without the exorbitant long‑term cap liability of Crosby.

Meanwhile, holding on to a first‑round pick — and still having another next year — gives Detroit flexibility to address multiple needs: offensive tackle, cornerback, linebacker, or even a dynamic playmaker on offense.

This diversified strategy is grounded in depth and balance. Rather than putting all their chips on a single superstar edge rusher, the Lions would be elevating both sides of the ball and strengthening their future through the draft. This route also minimizes risk — elite pass rushers can be game‑changing, but injuries and aging curves (as seen with Bosa’s recent durability issues) are real considerations.

Which Is Better?

If Detroit believes it’s one superstar away from a Super Bowl run, the Crosby trade makes for a compelling, splash‑driven argument. Crosby is a Pro Bowl, All‑Pro talent who would make opposing offensive lines fear Detroit’s front.

But in today’s NFL — where cap flexibility, roster depth, and draft capital are key to sustained success — the smarter, longer‑lasting path may be Option 2. Signing premium free agents like Linderbaum, adding another impactful veteran like Bosa, and still drafting high‑upside talent gives Detroit both immediate improvements and future runway.

In other words: depth over singular splash.

Fabio Silva’s game-tying goal struck the net four minutes into the seven-minute stoppage time, stunning Red Bull Arena and sending the visiting Borussia Dortmund fans into a frenzy. It was electric. It was dramatic. It was, at best, questionably deserved. And most importantly, it was not enough. Trailing Bayern Munich nine points in the table going into the match, BVB needed all three points, not just one. And although they had one more glorious chance to score, they did not get them.

So sure, it was an epic comeback and of course I was happy when Silva scored, but at the end of the day, it’s effectively a defeat.

It could have been worse though, because after thirty minutes I was almost certain it would be a total blowout. Although Maxi Beier almost scored early with a 1-on-1 that got saved, RB Leipzig quickly zeroed in on BVB’s right side, with Julian Ryerson at right-back and Luca Reggiani as the right-most center-back. For the entire half, Yan Diomande, ChristophBaumgartner, and David Raum ran circles around BVB’s entire right side. On two separate occasions, Diomande was able to dribble past Julian Ryerson and pick out an unmarked Baumgartner, with the German easily finishing both chances.

Surpisingly, Niko Kovac chose not to make any immediate changes out of the half, but BVB still started on the front-foot, and broke through minutes in with a goal off a corner kick. Julian Ryerson’s cross soared into the box and bounced around before ricocheting off of Rômulo and into the net for an own goal. Later, Kovac would make attacking subs by bringing on Yan Couto, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Julian Brandt for Reggiani, Felix Nmecha, and Maxi Beier, and then later Fabio Silva and Karim Adeyemi for Serhou Guirassy and Marcel Sabitzer.

Despite these attacking changes, BVB couldn’t muster much until stoppage time, when Julian Brandt played in Karim Adeyemi along the wing, who launched a cross through the box to Fabio Silva, who shot it back across goal, just through Vandevoordt and into the corner. It was his first goal in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund, and it could not have come at a more clutch time.

BVB needed all three points, though, and in the very dying minutes of the match, had a chance to steal them. Julian Brandt broke down the right wing by himself, and Karim Adeyemi was dashing into space across the mouth of goal, out in front of his defenders. Unfortunately, Brandt had his head down the whole time, and took an ill-advised shot from a relatively weak angle that Vandevoordt saved. The whistle blew, and BVB’s title challenge has suffered a mortal wound.

My Thoughts

• First, the elephant in the room: Luca Reggiani had a bad game. He was out of position constantly and he looked out of place defending Bundesliga-level players, especially Yan Diomande who ran circles around him all game. Unfortunately, BVB’s other, more experienced defenders were hardly any better and did not in any way bail out the youngster. Julian Ryerson looked just as helpless against Diomande. Not a single player tracked Christoph Baumgartner’s run into the box for his first goal. Waldemar Anton watched the ball roll by him on his second. It was a bad defensive performance across the board, at least in the first half. There were a few brighter moments in the second half, such as Ramy Bensebaini clearing a shot off the line, but it was too little too late.
• I know that Julian Brandt can’t play every single minute until the season ends, but I think that starting a three-man midfield with Nmecha, Bellingham, and Marcel Sabitzer was a downgrade over the former two with Julian Brandt joining the attack. I don’t think Sabitzer adds enough on his own to justify starting him in an important match over Brandt or even Chukwuemeka.
• I normally hate nitpicking on things like these, but I was so utterly bewildered at all the players celebrating in the corner after Fabio Silva’s goal instead of sprinting back to the halfway line. I was literally screaming, “Go! Go! Go! We need another goal!” at my TV like a madman. There were only three minutes remaining in stoppage time, and it took them at least a minute to reset. Brandt still ended up getting a major chance and it probably wouldn’t have mattered in the end, but it’s such a frustrating lack of awareness by the players that I still feel the need to bring it up.

Your Thoughts

What did you think of the game? Is the title race over? What should Kovac have done differently?

The Scions trio is back to go through a very, very full week of Georgia Tech sports including stellar weekends by the #2 baseball team and softball team, who combined scored 103 runs from Thursday to Sunday. Beats include our assesment of Mason Patel’s pitching, how Tech stacks in some metrics according to PEAR ratings, and how solid hitting is giving the softball pitching staff room to work (Makayla Coffield complete game shutout!).

Then, Tech swim & dive’s performance at ACC Championships (Max Fowler again impressed) plus track & field.

Like the show? Leave us a rating wherever you get your podcasts and make sure to follow so you don’t miss our weekly episodes.

Hosts: Akshay Easwaran, Jake Grant, Jack Purdy

Production: Jack Purdy

Music: Georgia Tech Marching Band, Georgia Tech Glee Club

Cardinals $19 million former Pro Bowl cut candidate could land with Broncos, Chiefs, Texans originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Arizona Cardinals could be preparing to move on from running back James Conner this offseason.

FOX Sports' Greg Auman lists Conner as a cut candidate for Arizona. The Cardinals would save $7.5 million by releasing or trading the veteran running back.

"Conner was limited by a foot injury to just three games in 2025. The Cardinals dealt with multiple running back injuries last year, but new coach Mike LaFleur will likely seek a younger backfield," Auman said.

As Auman stated, a foot injury took most of 2025 away from Conner, and with the Pittsburgh product turning 31 in May, Arizona could look to get younger at running back and cut ties with the former third-round pick.

If Conner hits the free agency market, the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and Houston Texans are obvious landing spots for the former Pro Bowler.

Denver should look to pair RJ Harvey with another capable back, and Conner would be the perfect complement due to his power and bruiser playstyle.

Kansas City could also be interested in Conner's services, as a running back room of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt just isn't going to cut it again.

Joe Mixon's future in Houston is murky after missing the entire 2025 campaign with a foot injury, and Woody Marks clearly can't be a workhorse back.

Signing Conner to take some pressure off Marks and bolster the rushing attack would be a legitimate move from Texans general manager Nick Caserio.

Despite an injury-riddled 2025 season, Conner can still be a productive player, as he posted two straight 1,000-yard years in 20234 and 2024. If he gets let go by the Cardinals, his next home could be in Denver, Kansas City, or Houston.

AFC team named wildcard for Tua Tagovailoa if Dolphins part ways with QB originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Miami Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa appear to be heading towards a split this offseason.

Whether that be by releasing him or trading him, the Dolphins will be on the hook for serious money either way, but it appears the franchise is more than ready to do so if it means they can start fresh at quarterback.

That brings us to what Tua's market would be if he were cut or traded.

The New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, and the Minnesota Vikings are interesting options, but CBS Sports' John Breech has named another team, and it is one not many might have been thinking of.

The Indianapolis Colts.

"The Colts might be the biggest wild card when it comes to the quarterback position this year and that's because it's not clear if Daniel Jones will be ready to play in Week 1," Breech wrote.

"One thing working in Tua's favor is that the Colts have a set up where he could thrive: They have a solid offensive line, they have one of the best running backs in the NFL (Jonathan Taylor), they have a solid receiving group led by Michael Pittman and they have a solid young tight end in Tyler Warren. Tua could put up some big numbers in Indy."

More: Why Commanders aren't poised to contend with Jayden Daniels in 2026

Could Colts really go after Tua?

Of course, they could, and if they are smart, it won't be via trade. We know Miami wants to move on, so why offer draft capital when you know the Dolphins could just release him?

Given Daniel Jones' Achilles injury, Tua could have a role to play for the Colts, and as Breech wrote, the offense does have some good pieces to put around Tagovailoa.

Money will be interesting, and depending on how the Colts acquire Tua, a one-year prove-it deal could be forthcoming.

With Jones' return in doubt at least for some of 2026, the Colts might need a veteran quarterback as a bridge option.

But could Tua be that option? It might not be as far-fetched as you think.

More NFL news:

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• Isaiah Likely's 3-word quote offers glaring Ravens reality
• Saquon Barkley's latest quote should inspire Eagles fans and scare rest of NFL
• Andy Reid's 1 sentence should thrill Chiefs fans on Travis Kelce's future
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MILAN — After Hilary Knight and the U.S. women's national hockey team won a gold medal over Canada, the five-time Olympian lifted an American flag over her shoulders in celebration of the overtime win.

The flag that was draped over the shoulders of Knight, widely regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time, was procured by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum and displayed at the Starbucks Winter House, where Knight and the U.S. women's hockey team celebrated with friends and family early into the morning.

Following the conclusion of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Knight's American flag that represents a moment in history will journey over 5,000 miles to its new home at the USOPC Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

"We love to bring back artifacts right from the Games, so fans can see something they just saw on TV and be able to point that out," USOPC museum archival specialist Oriana Va’i told USA TODAY Sports on Sunday.

The USOPC museum hosted its first activation during the Games to raise awareness about the museum, which features countless treasures, including the "Miracle on Ice" scoreboard from Team USA's hockey upset over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Olympics. The U.S. men's team went on to become Olympic champions Sunday, defeating Canada in overtime on the 46th anniversary of the iconic upset.

"It's set on three seconds. And three seconds is the moment that Al Michaels said, 'Do you believe in miracles?'" said 1988 Olympic figure skating champion Brian Boitano, whose Olympic costume is also on display at the museum.

USOPC Chief Content & Integration Officer Lindsay Flanagan Huban said the exhibition has helped introduce people to the museum. "We wanted (athletes) to know that we're here and happy to be a partner in helping share their legacy," she added.

The USOPC museum is home to one of only two complete collections of Olympic torches and gold medals in the world. The other is in Switzerland, meaning the museum has the only set in North America. Huban and Va’i brought three of those torches to Milano Cortina — from 2022 Beijing to mark the last Winter Games, 2024 Paris to mark the last Summer Games and the 1984 Los Angeles torch in honor of the next host of the Games.

"The Olympic medal display is my favorite," Boitano said, adding the torches exhibition is another favorite. "The gold medals from pre-war are works of art. They're all pretty, but it's kind of fun to go back."

Medal care kits

Pin trading is extremely popular among athletes in the Olympic village at the 2026 Winter Games, but another hot commodity emerged among U.S. medalists — medal care kits. They are the brainchild of Va'i, who figured athletes would benefit from the same protective equipment at the museum.

"I (take) artifacts in and out. And when I get medals in that look chipped, dinged or tarnished, I really would like them to be in nice archival boxes to keep them safe just for people to enjoy a hundred years from now," Va'i told USA TODAY Sports. "So I make medal care kits for the medals we have on display or in our storage, and I figured, why don't we give them to athletes, directly to them?"

The medal care kits include an acid free box, the same containers "used in the museum to take care of artifacts in our collection," Huban said.

The box is filled with acid free tissue paper to prevent the medal from tarnishing and has a foam component to safely wrap the lanyard to prevent wrinkles or creases. The kit also provides medalists with white cotton gloves, lint-free wipes to remove smudges and instructions on what to use and what not to use on medals. ("A little bit of dish soap and some warm water goes a long way," Huban said.)

The kits have been wildly popular among athletes. Five-time Olympic gold medalist speed skater Bonnie Blair grabbed one — or five — as did Boitano, the 1988 Olympic figure skating champion, who snagged one while visiting the USOPC museum exhibition at the Starbucks Winter House with USA TODAY Sports.

"There's more trouble than athletes ever anticipated with them, too," Boitano said. "I never thought that. I mean, never. I've never taken mine out really, very rarely. And just sit in a safe somewhere, it still has tarnished. I mean, Bonnie (Blair) actually keeps hers in her pocket. ... So literally at a dinner party, she'll be like, 'Have you seen my gold medal?' It's like she'll pull it out. Literally, she had probably hundreds of people touch it here."

Word of the medal care kits even got back to the 1998 women's hockey team that won gold in the inaugural women's competition: A member of the squad grabbed one and "forwarded the message to her whole team in their group chat. And we've heard from four different members of the team saying, I want one," Huban said.

"It's nice to see (athletes) actually using them here," Va'i added.

Procuring artifacts

One of the most important additions to the medal care kit is a card with contact information for athletes that want to be memorialized in the museum by loaning or donating Olympic or Paralympic memorabilia. It's one of two ways the USOPC museum procures artifacts.

"Chris Mazdzer, a luge athlete, reached out and said, 'Hey, the luge gloves that you have on display are from the seventies. They don't look like that anymore. Do you want mine instead?' And I said, 'Yes, please, that would be lovely,' " Huban recalled. "So he sent us two pairs. So one is on display and one is actually on a demonstration card so people can pick it up and touch them, and they have spikes on the fingertips."

Athletes reaching out is one way. The USOPC museum making first contact is another.

"We'll come up with an exhibit idea and then decide what are the best stories that we need to tell to support this exhibit, and how do we source the artifacts to support those stories?" Huban said. "And we say, 'Hey, we would like to feature you in an exhibit. Can we borrow something to put on display?'"

Boitano said it's amazing to know the costume he wore to win Olympic gold is in proper hands: "Our costumes are made out of spandex, and spandex doesn't age very well. So it's great to know that it's being taken care of."

Huban said building trust and connections with athletes is another goal of the Winter House exhibition to help the museum collect pieces for future exhibits. She added, "We want to support the athletes and support Team USA."

Reach Cydney Henderson, USA Today's National Women’s Sports Reporter, at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Iconic Olympics artifacts make way to USOPC Museum

After mediocre beginnings in the PSG jersey, Lucas Chevalier lost his status as No. 1 to Matvey Safonov. Despite that, he believes he can regain his place as PSG's No. 1.

Last summer, PSG decided to bet on Lucas Chevalier to guard its goal. Bought for 55 million euros, the French international failed to establish himself as the ideal replacement for Gianluigi Donnarumma, having made several errors that cost him his No. 1 spot in favor of Matvey Safonov.

For a month, Chevalier has not played. And in 2026, he has started "only" six matches (out of 12 played). By the international break at the end of March, PSG will play seven matches if it qualifies for the Champions League round of 16. Not certain that the former Lille player will play more than one (Nantes between the two rounds of 16 matches on March 15?). A situation that raises more questions than ever, emphasizes L'Equipe.

To those who, in recent weeks, have questioned him about his demotion, the former Lille player is rather reassuring, estimating that he will manage to reverse the hierarchy.

Without precisely determining whether it's the Coue method, the deep springs of a competitor, or denial, assure the sports daily. In his entourage, they also firmly believe in the virtues of work and assure that the goalkeeper "remains focused" on his preparation to be ready to respond to opportunities left by Luis Enrique.

While he could play Ligue 1 matches that frame Champions League fixtures, PSG's No. 30 now sees his destiny largely dependent on Safonov. The Russian, beyond his exploits in the Intercontinental Cup, has not disappointed.

Difficult, objectively, to attribute responsibility for a goal to him since his ascension as No. 1. More worrying, Chevalier's demotion responds in Luis Enrique to a logic of performance, of course, but also of match approach. The Spaniard perceived in the former Lille player an emotional fragility. As if in the management of big occasions, the Parisian staff noted a flaw. It is against that too that the goalkeeper will have to fight, concludes L'Equipe.

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You may have missed the start since Duke and Clemson ran over, but the Cats were on fire, starting 4-4 from deep and running out to a 20-8 lead. They looked like a team seeking vengeance for the loss at Memorial a few weeks ago.

Then, like so many times this season, Kentucky got sped up against Vandy’s pressure, and the lead was gone.

Kentucky did manage to get a Teonni Key post shot to take a 2-point lead to the 2nd, but the Cats should have had a much bigger lead.

Kentucky’s hot shooting cools off

The Cats opened the second quarter, 0-4 from deep and 2-6 overall, before an Amelia Hassett 3 gave the Cats a 6-point lead. Vandy answered right back with 2 3’s of their own. And it was right back to the helter-skelter type style that favors the Commodores. With 4 minutes to go, Kentucky was up just 2, and the teams would battle back and forth for the rest of the first half.

For Vanderbilt, it was the Mikayla Blakes and Aubrey Galvan show; the two guards combined for 31 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 turnovers. The Cats countered with a balanced effort led by Asia Boone (10) and Amelia Hassett (9). Overall, 7 Cats scored at least 4 points to send Kentucky to halftime with a 2-point lead, 46-44.

Kentucky collapses again

The second started just like the rest of the game. Mikayla Blakes shook Clara Strack and made a jumper. Then, Asia Boone 3 gave the Cats a little more breathing room. That was short-lived as Vandy picked off a pass, something that haunted Kentucky in the last meeting. Blakes hit a layup, and after Clara Strack missed another jumper, Galvan gave Vandy the lead.

The Cats seemed determined to get Strack going, though, as she took 3 of the first 5 shots. She was fouled and made one free throw to tie it up at 52.

The referees went to the monitor on a jump ball call to see how much time was left, but the Cats were still struggling to find their rhythm. A Teonni Key miss and an Amelia Hassett turnover gave Vandy the chance to retake the lead from the line. Blakes missed 1 of 2, but it was still good enough for a lead.

Clara Strack converted an and-1 to give the Cats the lead back, but the Cats couldn’t add to the lead as Teonni Key was called for a questionable flagrant foul, turning it back over to Vanderbilt and giving them two free throws. Key went to establish position down low, and as she turned around, her elbow caught a Vandy player below the chin. It went down as the Cats’ 5th turnover in the quarter, it had just 3 the entire first half.

Clara Strack found Jordan Obi on the baseline and then took it all the way for a layup to give Kentucky back the lead. A lead that Tonie Morgan would extend with a great move to create some space for a jumper.

Clara Strack breaks her own block record

Clara Strack blocked a Vandy jumper and leaked out for a layup to give Kentucky a 65-59 lead. That block gave Clara Strack 74 on the season, breaking her own record of 73 from last season. After another defensive stop, Tonie Morgan had to throw up a desperate 3 as the shot clock was winding down. Vandy brought down the rebound, and Aubrey Galvan did what she did all game: score. She cut the lead to 4 with a layup heading to the 4th.

That 4-point lead matches Kentucky’s lead going into the 4th at home in the first meeting, but could they hang on this time?

The Cats and Dores traded baskets to open the 4th, but it was Mikayla Blakes who again sprang to life. She had 5 of Vanderbilt’s first 7 points. Kentucky’s 3-point shooting again was cold as Asia Boone missed 2 wide-open looks that allowed Mikayla Blakes to give Vandy the lead with 6:30 to go. She was unbelievable again. After scoring 37 in the first meeting, she had X tonight. The Cats wouldn’t quit either.

Amelia Hassett hit a 3 to give Kentucky a 2-point lead with 5:09 to go as the game went to the media timeout.

But it was Mikayla Blakes again. She got to the rim but couldn’t convert, allowing an easy rebound from Aiyana Mitchell, who put it back up and in for a tie game. Amelia Hassett found the bottom of the net with a huge 3 to give Kentucky the lead back, but a Clara Strack turnover led to a Vandy 3 that tied it back up. Hassett couldn’t convert from the corner, and Vandy took a timeout with 1:37 to go.

Blakes got to the rim and kicked it out, but Vandy couldn’t convert. Kenny Brooks took a timeout to draw up what he wanted, but Asia Boone’s open 3 rimmed out.

Vandy went to who else but Mikayla Blakes, who drew a questionable call and converted 1-2 from the line.

As she did against LSU, Tonie Morgan took the ball and made some magic happen. She drove into the paint and converted a really tough layup to put Kentucky up 1 with 32.8 to go.

Vandy called a timeout, and it was all on the line when Aubrey Galvan pulled up over Clara Strack with 7.9 to go. The freshman drained it, and the Dores were up 1 with 7.9 to go.

The Cats got the ball in bound but a turnover from Clara Strack gave Vandy the ball. No timeouts, and only .7 to go, Vandy escaped again as turnovers doomed the Cats again. Vandy sneaks away 81-79.

Just a tough weekend all around for basketball in Lexington.

How NASCAR overtime works for Autotrader 400 in Atlanta originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Autotrader 400 is going to finish in thrilling fashion.

It's overtime at the former Atlanta Motor Speedway.

The OT format creates great drama, but it comes after a delay. The race is in a red flag after a William Byron-prompted crash late in the race.

There were about less than 10 laps to go when the crash happened. The laps ran out by then, and the track had to be cleared, so the cars all stopped and waited.

How does NASCAR overtime work?

NASCAR overtime is two laps.

It starts with the green flag. That prompts one lap.

Then there's the white flag, signaling the final lap.

The checkered flag signals the winner.

As long as it gets to the white flag without another caution, it finishes on the checkered, no matter how many crashes happen on that final lap.

If a crash happens on the first lap of overtime, it goes to another caution, and they'll try the green-white-checkered again.

It should be fun.

Bubba Wallace is leading when it resumes.

MORE: Carson Hocevar shares blunt thoughts on ruining Joey Logano's race

Detroit Lions All-Pro edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson has been asked about the Maxx Crosby trade rumors once before. In early February, Hutchinson shared his thoughts alongside Kay Adams on the "Up & Adams Show."

Over the weekend, Hutchinson sat down for an exclusive interview with Casino Guru News' DJ Siddiqi. Hutchinson touched on a number of topics, including his thoughts on the idea of the Lions pairing him up with Crosby in Detroit.

"The idea of it is incredibly promising," Hutchinson said. "That sounds like a dream scenario to be playing alongside a beast like that. I was answering the same questions last year about Myles Garrett, so I don't know the reality of this situation and how real this actually is, especially given our GM — if you listen to him talk a little bit about edge rushers, I don't know. It doesn't sound like it'd be something they pursue.

"But you never know what they do. There's also the money and cash situation. I know we got a lot of young, promising talent on our team that they're going to pay this offseason. I'm just happy I am not involved in that, because all that stuff goes a little over my head. I just want to play ball."

Hutchinson and Crosby are fans of one another and have been in contact throughout their respective careers.

"We DM every now and then," said Hutchinson. "I've seen him a couple times here and there. Definitely similar breed of players and how we play. That's why it'd be so fun to play on the same D-line as him. Because both of us go for 60 minutes. You're gonna feel us. That's what I respect most about him, is even being on the Raiders, a team that has struggled over the years since he's been there, he's always going and he's humming and he's very motivational for those guys."

Hutchinson is coming off a fantastic 2025 campaign with the Lions. The 6-foot-7, 268-pound pass rusher registered 54 tackles (36 solo, 18 assisted), a career-high in sacks (14.5) and forced fumbles (4), and one interception while starting all 17 games.

Hutchinson led the NFL with 100 pressures and made Pro Football Focus history, becoming the only player with multiple 100-plus pressure seasons since PFF began tracking player performances in 2006.

Meanwhile, Crosby is coming off a 10-sack season, which is the fourth of his seven-year career. Crosby totaled 28 tackles for loss last season, six passes defended and one interception.

The five-time Pro Bowler has registered 439 tackles (278 solo), 164 quarterback hits, 133 tackles for loss, 69.5 sacks, 29 passes defended, 11 forced fumbles, one interception in 110 games and 104 starts.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Josh on X, @JoshOnLions

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: 'Dream scenario': Lions' Aidan Hutchinson on possible Maxx Crosby trade

The District 11 Individual Boys’ Wrestling Championships concluded on Saturday afternoon in Bethlehem with the semifinals and finals at Freedom and Liberty High Schools. The Schuylkill League, entering the day with over two dozen wrestlers vying for district titles, saw six local talents walk away as District 11 champions. At the same time, 24 will advance to next weekend’s Southeast Regionals at Warwick High School in Lititz.

How they got there

Tri-Valley’s Owen Wolfgang started the weekend as the No. 1 seed at 107 pounds, earning a first-round bye. He defeated Elijah Guy of Lehighton Area in the quarterfinals with a pin in 34 seconds. In the semifinals, he defeated Dominic D’Ambola of Saucon Valley in 1:17 after taking a 7-0 lead in the match.

Tamaqua’s Rylan Reitz earned the top seed at 114 pounds as a freshman and picked up two dominating wins in the quarterfinals and semifinals. In the quarterfinals on Friday, he defeated Executive Education Academy’s Richard Camilo 16-2 before an equally dominant semifinals win of Tri-Valley’s Easton Moore.

At 121 pounds, Arturo Reyes of Mahanoy Area earned the No. 1 seed and opened his weekend with a 17-2 win over Luke Breidinger of Northwestern Lehigh in the round of 16. In the quarterfinals, he defeated Jacob Spinner of Salisbury Township 20-3. He continued his dominance with a 19-2 win over Pine Grove’s Chase Nagle in the semifinals..

Tri-Valley’s Jaxson Bruso was the No. 2 seed at 133 pounds coming into the weekend and picked up a win via pin in the round of 16 over Schuylkill Haven’s Tanner Wildermuth. In the quarterfinals, he earned a tech-fall 15-0 win over Blayke Lacey of Pen Argyl and then defeated Noah Leib of North Schuylkill in the semifinals 20-5.

In the 152-pound weight class, Mahanoy Area’s Rory Dixon entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed. In his opening match in the quarterfinals, he beat Saucon Valley’s Ashton Beckowski in tech. fall fashion, 17-2. In the semi-finals, he once again raced to a tech. fall win over Lehighton’s Evan Wentz, 19-3.

Pine Grove’s Isaiah Miller was one of the bigger underdogs of the weekend to make it to the finals. After entering the weekend as the No. 4 seed at 172 pounds, Miller defeated Solomon Riddle of Palisades 3-0 in the round of 16 before beating Carter Hontz of Lehighton in the quarter-finals with a pin in just under three minutes. In the semi-finals, he took on Tri-Valley’s Hunter Updegrave, the No. 1 seed, picking up a pin in the second period to advance to the finals.

In the 189-pound weight class, Tri-Valley’s Maxwell Masser, the No. 2 seed, defeated Jacob Watson of Salisbury Township in the quarterfinals 16-0, and narrowly defeated Mahanoy Area’s Stanley Boris in the semi-finals 4-3.

At 215 pounds, Mahanoy Area’s Kyler Quick was the Golden Bears’ third No. 1 seed while North Schuylkill’s Cadyn McGraw was the No. 3 seed. Quick defeated Williams Valley’s Elisha Weiss in the quarter-finals 16-1, while McGraw was able to handle Dawson Newhard of Northern Lehigh 7-0 in his own quarter-final matchup. In the semi-finals, Quick defeated Asher Traylor of Lehighton Area 3-0, and McGraw defeated Pine Grove’s Zachary Kurts 5-4.

Finally, at 285 pounds. Williams Valley’s Camron Green began his weekend as the No. 1 seed, defeating Schuylkill Haven’s Triston Davis 3-0 in the quarterfinals and Saucon Valley’s Ezekiel Delly 7-3 in the semifinals.

The Finals

In the opening bout of the finals, Tri-Valley’s 133-pounder Jaxson Bruso took on Salisbury Township’s Jarrod Blunt. The first period between Bruso and Blunt was a stalemate, both wrestlers failing to find leverage on the other. In the second period, the stalemate continued before Blunt was quickly able to take advantage of a narrow opening from Bruso, executing a takedown before pinning Bruso at the 2:24 mark.

Bruso will now wrestle in next week’s Southeast Regionals. The Tri-Valley senior will look to improve upon his appearance last year, when he did not place.

In the 152-pound finals, Mahanoy Area’s Rory Dixon won his first District 11 gold in a dominant 17-1 tech fall win over Northwestern Lehigh’s Chase Sukanick.

Dixon opened up the scoring in the championship, 35 seconds in, with a takedown. Sukanick earned an escape point following the takedown, but Dixon turned up the intensity from there with another takedown before earning four nearfall points at the buzzer to end the first period. In the second period, Dixon quickly struck again with a takedown to push his lead to 13-1 before once again earning four points on a nearfall to clinch the win.

The win marks Dixon’s first District 11 championship after finishing third last year. He’ll make his second trip to regionals after finishing fourth a year ago.

At 160 pounds, Tri-Valley’s Parker Hatter was unable to get past Northwestern Lehigh’s Nolan Koehler, who quickly earned 10 points on a takedown and two nearfalls before ultimately pinning Hatter with two seconds to spare in the opening period. The Tri-Valley sophomore will make his first appearance at the Southeast Regionals after not placing at districts last year.

At 189 pounds, Tri-Valley’s Maxwell Masser also fell quickly to Northwestern Lehigh’s Luke Fugazzotto in 43 seconds. Masser, despite the loss, qualified for regionals for the first time in his career.

At 215 pounds, it was an All-Schuylkill League matchup featuring Kyler Quick of Mahanoy Area and Cadyn McGraw of North Schuylkill. The first period between Quick and McGraw was a feeling-out period for both wrestlers, neither wrestler looking to be too aggressive. In the second period, Quick, the Schuylkill League’s top wrestler at 215 pounds all season, quickly earned an escape point two seconds in before taking down McGraw with 59 seconds left in the period and eventually pinning him with 32 seconds remaining in the period.

In the heavyweight matchup, Williams Valley’s Camron Green earned his first district championship, defeating Lehighton’s Marc Macias 1-0. Green’s only point in the matchup came on an escape in the second period. In the third period, the pair worked their way to the ground before Green was able to take command and ride out most of the final 30 seconds of the match.

Green, one of the few words and humble, was happy to finally make the finals and get his district gold. “Coming up short last year, one match away from making the finals.I feel pretty good to finally actually make it and win it,” he said about his feelings of winning the district medal.

He also discussed the mindset it takes to win a nail-biting matchup, as he did in the finals.

“Just to stay positive, knowing I can, I’ve won matches like that already,” he said. “Just knowing that whoever won simply won anyway. So just try to look for the good in it and not worry myself too much about it.”

After finishing third in last year’s District 11 tournament, this marks Green’s first District 11 championship. He advances to regionals for the second straight year.

Green’s championship at 285 pounds would be the first of four straight championship bouts won by Schuylkill League wrestlers.

In another all-Schuylkill League final, this time at 107 pounds, Owen Wolfgang of Tri-Valley defeated North Schuylkill’s Gaige Mentusky with a pin in 90 seconds. Mentusky initially opened the match with three points on a takedown, before Wolfgang nabbed two reversal points. The Tri-Valley senior was able to leverage his reversal into a favorable position, allowing him to earn the pin of Mentusky 18 seconds later.

The district championship is Wolfgang’s first district title after finishing runner-up in each of the last two seasons. He’ll make his third appearance at regionals, looking to earn his first trip to states in the process.

“It feels amazing,” he said following this win that has alluded him. “The past two years, I wanted it so bad, and then this year, I especially wanted it, and now I’m a senior, and I got it. It feels amazing.”

In the title matchup at 114 pounds, Tamaqua’s Rylan Reitz quickly got to work with a takedown of Pen Argyl’s Mason Ramsay to jump ahead 3-0 before pinning Ramsay in 1:35. The talented freshman earns district gold in his first opportunity.

Tamaqua coach Jim McCabe discussed Reitz’s accomplishments as a freshman and when the Blue Raiders coaching staff knew they had something special in the 114-pounder.

“I think at the beginning of the season, any freshman has a lot to prove. By Christmas, I think we knew we had someone who is well adverse in all avenues of wrestling,” McCabe discussed. “The physical aspect, hard work ethic, tough on top, gets out of the bottom, and then goes out after it. So it was quite apparent a lot sooner than your average freshman. Most of the time, I’m trying to convince freshmen that they are better than they are; I didn’t have to do that with him.”

The final Schuylkill League wrestler to win a championship came at 121 pounds. Mahanoy Area’s Arturo Reyes, another mighty freshman, put together the most dominant performance in Class AA or Class AAA on Saturday evening, defeating Pen Argyl’s Isaiah Adams 17-2 in just 1:26. Reyes earned two takedowns in the first 40 seconds before tacking on a third with 58 seconds remaining in the first period. He capped off the win with back-to-back nearfalls just 10 seconds apart to earn the tech fall win.

“I think we knew from the start that he had that potential,” Mahanoy assistant coach Shane Quick said. “He’s a kid that wrestles year-round, and he’s in love with the sport. We knew that that was his goal. We kind of knew that that was an achievement he wanted. We were just trying to help him get there.”

Reyes’s best attribute is that, despite being dominant as a freshman, he’s always looking to learn and get better. “He’s very receptive when we’re tweaking little positions with him,” he continued. “He’s doing what we ask of him.”

When it comes to his ceiling?

“His ceiling, there is no ceiling,” Quick said.

It was also a banner day for Mahanoy with three champions.

“I think that our program’s taken a nice jump from this year to last year,” he noted. “Being able to put three guys in the finals and win all three matches by bonus, it shows our guys are improving in the right direction. It’s the first time in Mahanoy history that we’ve had three champions in one day at a district tournament, so that’s another huge milestone.”

Tamaqua coach Jim McCabe also discussed the Schuylkill League’s success throughout the weekend and what it means for the league as a whole.

“The Schuylkill League really represented us very well,” he said. “Year in, year out. It’s nice to see that dominance again, and it was pins and techs (technical falls). It was dominant wrestling, which is nice to see. That attributes to off-season wrestling and those kids putting the time into it.”

Advancing to the Southeast Regionals

The following Schuylkill League wrestlers have advanced to the Southeast Regional finals next weekend at Warwick.

Class AA:

107: Owen Wolfgang (Tri-Valley), 1st; Gaige Mentusky (North Schuylkill), 2nd

114: Rylan Reitz (Tamaqua), 1st

121: Arturo Reyes (Mahanoy Area), 1st; Magnus Monger (Williams Valley), 3rd; Chase Nagle (Pine Grove), 4th

133: Jaxson Bruso (Tri-Valley), 2nd ; Andrew Hikes (Pine Grove), 4th

139: Brock Holmes (North Schuylkill), 3rd

145: Aaron Osatchuk (Pine Grove Area), 3rd; Bode Gates (North Schuylkill), 4th

152: Rory Dixon (Mahanoy Area), 1st

160: Parker Hatter (Tri-Valley), 2nd: Bryce Kile (North Schuylkill), 4th

172: Isaiah Miller (Pine Grove) 2nd, Hunter Updegrave (Tri-Valley), 3rd

189: Maxwell Masser (Tri-Valley), 2nd; Stanley Boris (Mahanoy Area), 3rd

215: Kyler Quick (Mahanoy), 1st; Cadyn McGraw (North Schuylkill), 2nd; Zachary Kurtz (Pine Grove Area, 3rd)

285: Camron Green (Williams Valley), 1st; Scout Frantz (Pine Grove Area), 3rd

Class AAA:

189: Terrell McFarland (Pottsville), 3rd

For Pat Riley, it was Showtime again on Sunday in Los Angeles. This time his own showtime, with his statue unveiled in front of the Lakers’ Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.

On an afternoon of celebrity that included actor Michael Douglas and singer Michael McDonald among those in attendance, Riley not only had those who were part of his Lakers’ 1980s championship coaching tenure in attendance, but also several from his Heat era, including Heat championship guard Dwyane Wade and Heat owner Micky Arison.

Riley intertwined several elements of his Hall of Fame coaching career into his speech, at one point thanking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but then also referencing how the lessons learned from his coaching tenure helped in guiding others, including Wade.

“To Dwayne Wade, not of the Lakers, but I put the DNA of the Lakers in him,” Riley said in his comments. “You know, it just sort of comes with the program. And he came in as a rookie. He was raw. He was great. He was gifted. He was talented. He was cocky. He was true of himself. And I never saw a young man work harder than Dwayne Wade to become one of the greatest players ever.”

Riley also spoke of how the trappings of that coaching start near Hollywood impacted who he has become and what he has become decades later.

“We’ve been fast friends for a long time,” he said of Doulgas. “When he did invite me and (wife) Chris to come to Monaco and then also to Nice when he was shooting that movie, he had a rap party up in Venice and Kathleen Turner happened to be the actress in that movie. And he was playing along with Danny DeVito in that movie. And so during the rap party, I went over and I sat down in front of Danny DeVito and Mike, just to chat and have some fun.”

And of McDonald, Riley said, “I regularly go back and I can recall each championship in the one moment, the one play, the one shot, the one anything. I just remember that. And usually when I listen to the music, you know, of that time, Michael McDonald is here today. He married Chris and I again. He renewed our vows in Hawaii.”

Riley also referenced the other statues in the arena plaza, including one of championship Lakers guard Magic Johnson.

“He was one of the very best of the best. I see him out here, Number 32, dribbling the ball and he’s pointing to somebody,” Riley said of Johnson’s statue. “And that was the communication he always had.”

Along the way, Riley referenced the impact on coaching in his career.

Riley guided the Lakers from 1981 to 1990 as part of his Hall of Fame coaching career, with championships in 1982, ’85, ’87 and ’88. The Lakers went 533-194 (.733) over Riley’s tenure, winning at least 50 games in each of his nine seasons and at least 60 games in five straight seasons.

“Coaching is to me,” he said, “is an interactive relationship whereby you get put in a place to get a result. I got put in a place without the experience. I was scared to death, but I was ready – didn’t think I was ready, but I knew I was ready. I just felt it.

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“And so coaching being an interactive relationship whereby you get put in a place, you get hired, you grow into that place, and you need to get a result. And that result obviously is going to have to be winning, especially here in Los Angeles.”

And so he won in Los Angeles, won as coach of the New York Knicks, won as coach of the Heat, and in his ongoing role as Heat president.

The court at Kaseya Center now is named in his honor, with Arison giving the Lakers permission for the Riley statue, a sign that a Riley statue one day likely will be alongside the statue of Wade in front of the Heat’s arena.

Sunday, it was about the Lakers and championships and memories now bronzed.

Riley, 80, joins Lakers statues honoring former Lakers players Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal and broadcaster Chick Hearn.

“That statue right there, the one they’re going to unveil today, that statue right there is loaded up with all of us who took that magical journey,” Riley said.

Broncos could snag second-best running back in class with first-round pick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Denver Broncos should be looking to upgrade the running back position in 2026 and fortunately for them, there are some salivating options to do just that. 

The team could strike a deal in free agency with a heavy hitter such as Breece Hall or Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker. There are also less expensive options such as Tyler Allgeier. 

But the Broncos could also re-sign their own free agent running back, J.K. Dobbins, and add to the room through the draft. 

Could the two best running backs in this year's crop of rookies come out of the same school? It sure appears that way. 

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love looks like a generational talent who could be a top-five pick. But his college teammate, Jadarian Price, is no slouch either. Price should be in strong consideration for the Broncos at the back end of the first round. 

Jadarian Price deemed a 'sneaky option' for Broncos

Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, one of the best and most respected evaluators of talent in the media, recently discussed that the Broncos could have a sneaky option in Price. 

"I think he can be a No. 1 back. If he was playing anywhere else, he would have been. He just happened to be playing with Jeremiyah Love. ... He's someone that I think has a chance to be a three-down, complete back, which would be a great pairing with RJ Harvey for that group", said Jeremiah. 

Price went to Notre Dame over offers from several top schools, including Ohio State and Texas. In three years at the school, he rushed for 1,692 yards and 21 touchdowns. Those may not look like the biggest numbers, but keep in mind, he was playing behind the best back in the country. His 6.0 yards per carry are a good indicator of how good he can be. 

Breakaway run after breakaway run…

Jadarian Price is always breaking off huge runs. He will be missed for sure ❤️🍀

pic.twitter.com/HqQB3EPWBF

— Biased Notre Dame Fan (@CFBGuy999) February 22, 2026

If you haven't seen much of this kid playing, do yourself a favor and check out these highlights. He's a phenomenal talent who has largely been hidden behind the greatness that is Love. But there isn't mcu hhe can't do and he would be a tremendous addition to the Denver backfield. 

He has legitimate 4.4 speed and he can bust a long run at any given time, using patience and elite instincts to set up big plays. He is tough to tackle at any level of the field and he has the athleticism to be a huge force in the passing game as well. 

If there is an area he could stand to improve at, it's in pass protection, but if he can improve upon his technique there, he becomes a solid three-down back who would be a tremendous consolation prize for a team looking for a running back who won't have the ability to grab Love. 

The Los Angeles Rams head into the 2026 offseason looking to build a juggernaut.

After failing to make the Super Bowl despite owning the No. 1 offense, L.A. sounds ready to push all the chips into the table to make another run with Matthew Stafford in 2026. That means bold moves, something neither Les Snead nor Sean McVay are afraid of after pulling off major deals during their time together.

Secondary help will be the biggest external priority for L.A. this offseason, and CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo writes that the Rams could be a landing spot for Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. The team is reportedly open to trading the veteran, but it's unclear how likely they are to do a deal or who would be a potential suitor.

DeArdo thinks L.A. should be involved because Fitzpatrick would be a huge playmaker in Chris Shula's defense.

It's conceivable to think that Fitzpatrick would be the difference in helping the Rams leapfrog the newly crowned champion Seattle Seahawks as the NFL's best team. Seattle lost its first game against Los Angeles last year before winning its last two games on the strength of some clutch passes from Darnold.

While they have some talented defensive backs, the Rams lack speed and experience in that area. Fitzpatrick would fill both of those voids while giving defensive coordinator Chris Shula another proven commodity alongside emerging stars Jared Verse, Byron Young, Kamren Curl and Quentin Lake.

Fitzpatrick is a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro who is coming off a solid season in Miami. He finished with one interception, one sack, one forced fumble and 82 combined tackles for the Dolphins. Fitzpatrick, 29, has 21 interceptions, four pick-sixes, six forced fumbles and 690 combined tackles in his NFL career.

The price to acquire Fitzpatrick is unclear. This past offseason, he was traded back to Miami from the Pittsburgh Steelers along with a fifth-round pick for Jalen Ramsey, Jonnu Smith, and a 2027 seventh-round pick. According to Spotrac, the team acquiring Fitzpatrick would have to pay him $15.6 million in 2026. Fitzpatrick's contract would void on the fifth day after the 2026 Super Bowl, though, per Over the Cap.

Adding Fitzpatrick would be a bold one for L.A., but it would only make sense if they didn't feel strongly about keeping Curl at a reasonable rate or about drafting anyone. The trade price would have to be right, too, for this to make sense.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams named as a potential landing spot for S Minkah Fitzpatrick

Wolves say they are "disgusted" after striker Tolu Arokodare was sent racist abuse on social media by "multiple perpetrators" following his side's 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace.

The Nigeria international and Wolves have shared a number of screenshots of private messages he received after Sunday's Premier League game in which he had a first-half penalty saved.

It comes just a day after Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri and Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana were both targeted with racist abuse on Instagram after their 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

"It's still unbelievable to me that we're playing in a time where people have so much freedom to communicate such racism without any consequences," Arokodare wrote on his Instagram story.

"These individuals should have no place in our game and collectively we have to take action to punish everyone who taints the sport like this, no matter who they are."

Wolves said in a statement: "There is no place for racism – in football, online, or anywhere in society. We condemn this abhorrent and unlawful behaviour in the strongest possible terms.

"Tolu has our full and unwavering support. No player should be subjected to such hatred simply for doing their job. We stand firmly alongside him, and alongside all footballers who are forced to endure this abuse from anonymous accounts acting with apparent impunity.

"The club has reported the posts to the relevant platforms and will work with the Premier League and the authorities to help identify those responsible and ensure appropriate action is taken. We will continue to take a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of discrimination."

'Social media companies must do more'

On Saturday, Fofana wrote "2026, it's still the same thing, nothing changes. These people are never punished.

"You create big campaigns against racism, but nobody actually does anything."

Mejbri called on people to "educate yourself and your kids".

These latest incidences of racist abuse towards players come days after the alleged racial abuse of Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr during a Champions League match against Benfica, which Uefa is investigating.

The Premier League condemned the abuse of Fofana and Mejbri and said "any individuals identified and found guilty of discrimination will face the strongest possible consequences, including club bans and legal prosecution".

Anti-discrimination group Kick It Out said they "stood alongside" Fofana and Mejbri but that more must be done to combat racial abuse online.

"Football is working together to tackle this issue alongside the UK Football Policing Unit and Ofcom, but social media companies must do more to offer protections to players and help improve accountability when incidents occur," they said.

Responding to the Fofana and Mejbri abuse, a spokesperson for Meta told BBC Sport: "No-one should be subjected to racist abuse, and we remove this content when we find it.

"No one thing will stop racist behaviour overnight, but we'll continue working to protect our community from abuse and cooperate with police investigations."

Last November, a BBC investigation found that more than 2,000 extremely abusive social media posts - including death and rape threats - were sent about managers and players in the Premier League and Women's Super League in a single weekend.

In August, the season opening Premier League game between Liverpool and Bournemouth was stopped in the first half after then Cherries forward Antoine Semenyo reported being racially abused by someone in the Anfield crowd.

A Liverpool man has denied the abuse and his trial is scheduled to take place in April.

In January, Newcastle United said they had contacted the police after midfielder Joe Willock was the subject of "disgusting" racial abuse and "deeply disturbing threats" on social media.

Tottenham forward Mathys Tel was the subject of racist abuse on social media after being one of two Spurs players to miss in their Super Cup penalty shootout defeat by Paris St-Germain in August.

England defender Jess Carter was also the target of racist abuse during Euro 2025 in July.

And England internationals Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were all subjected to racism in the aftermath of the Euro 2020 final.

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Alabama will reportedly host four-star edge rusher KJ Green on a visit in Tuscaloosa on March 26, per 247Sports' Tom Loy. Per Loy, Alabama is one of the nine visits Green has set for this upcoming spring.

Green is widely regarded as one of the top overall prospects from the class of 2027. At 6’4”, 215 pounds, Green would instantly become a difference maker on the Alabama defense in 2027 and beyond, should he ultimately commit to the Tide. The talented edge rusher has drawn interest from a multitude of prestigious programs around the country, as Green is expected to come to a final decision at some point in August.

Green is ranked as the No. 3 edge and the No. 10 overall player from the class of 2027, per 247Sports. The talented edge rusher is ranked as the No. 2 overall player out of Georgia as well where he attends Stephenson High School, and the rising star will more than likely thrive at any program that lands him. 

Alabama has added multiple playmakers from the 2027 class, as Green would prove to be an elite addition to the Crimson Tide’s defense in the future. 

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.

This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: 2027 edge rusher KJ Green to reportedly visit Alabama football

Nico O’Reilly had been presented with the prize by the side of the pitch before Pep Guardiola announced who he felt was a more deserving recipient. “Erling was for me the man of the match,” he said. Normally when Erling Haaland gets the individual honours, it is a reflection of extraterrestrial goalscoring exploits.

Not on this occasion. There are days when the numbers surrounding Haaland are low and high; his number of touches and goals respectively. As Newcastle were defeated at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, perhaps it was the other way around. For the eighth time in 11 games, he did not find the net. Yet he has never been more involved.

He had 43 touches, his most ever in a Premier League match. Haaland’s height and look makes him conspicuous even when he is not on the ball, but he had a ubiquity. The eye was drawn to his battle with Dan Burn, the Etihad looking the land of the giants. Haaland made O’Reilly’s second goal with the kind of ball he would appreciate himself – “I want that someone crosses to him,” said Guardiola – and kept on repelling Newcastle attacks.

Haaland made three clearances; only Rodri and Marc Guehi made more for City. Indeed, only twice in his Premier League career has the Norwegian had more in a match. It was one of those days when, not content with being City’s best attacker, he can look their finest defender. It prompted Guehi to remark that he doesn’t want Haaland to reinvent himself as a centre-back. "I think he should stay up front, for sure," said the January signing. "I don't want him to take my place."

But Haaland is a magnetic presence in the penalty box, heading balls away. Newcastle supporters may have had flashbacks: for years Alan Shearer, in between becoming their record scorer, assumed the duties on the near post at corners.

“I'm not a big fan to put Erling to defend,” said Guardiola. “But he helped us, and I know after, how the people hug him and celebrate him and say they're grateful for helping us. He's an incredible, generous player, so today is a performance and I'll never forget what Erling has done for us.”

Guardiola’s description of Haaland as generous was instructive. The theory is that strikers have to be selfish; the more goals they get, perhaps the more selfish they are. And 2026 has been an unusually barren spell for Haaland, but it has been a time when he has shown a sense of greater responsibility. He is part of City’s leadership group, one of those who organised the refund for supporters who paid for tickets for the dismal defeat to Bodo/Glimt.

With his nine-and-a-half year contract, he has a greater commitment. In turn, that may be making him more of a team player. He is not just a scorer. Guardiola was surprised to be informed that Haaland ranks second in the Premier League for assists, albeit some way behind the runaway leader, Bruno Fernandes.

“So the numbers are unbelievable,” said Guardiola and, once again, he was not talking about Haaland’s goal return. He has seven assists for the top-flight season, only one behind his personal best, in 2022-23. He has got more creative of late. Three have come in his last five games, all in different fashion. There was a pass for Rayan Cherki’s solo goal against Tottenham, a header down for Bernardo Silva’s predatory finish at Liverpool, now the cross for O’Reilly.

That may be a consequence of Guardiola’s shifting tactics. As he has adopted a 4-2-2-2 formation, Haaland has been given a slightly wider brief, one of split strikers. He used to operate almost exclusively within the width of the penalty box. A glimpse at his touch map on Saturday showed 10 of them were to the right of the boxes.

Perhaps, as City have less control and play a more transitional style of football, forwards will have more touches and midfielders fewer; there was an old-style feel to the Newcastle game, more direct football, more swift breaks, more of a constant contest between Haaland and Burn.

Perhaps it helped Haaland that he was arguably fresher than at any stage of the campaign. Having sat out the FA Cup win over Salford, he had not played for 10 days. But it is notable, too, that Guardiola did not substitute him as he looked to hold on: Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush came off but Haaland’s height meant he was indispensable for defending set-pieces.

“His work ethic is amazing. He was flying for every single ball against Dan [Burn],” said Guehi. “It's not easy.” And Guardiola was thankful. He singled out Haaland for praised in a speech in the dressing room. “Sometimes I'm a critic of him,” the City manager added. “But today I said, ‘guy, without you it would not be possible.’”

Alex de Minaur is currently preparing to play in the Acapulco Open, and he is one of the favourites for the title.

De Minaur, the world number six, has been in good form to start the year, reaching the Australian Open quarter-finals and winning the Rotterdam Open for the first time.

While de Minaur and tennis’ biggest stars have been competing in the Middle East, the Winter Olympics have been taking place in Milan and Cortina, Italy.

In a video posted by the ATP Tour on social media, De Minaur and his peers were asked to pinpoint the Winter Olympic sport they would be best at.

Alex de Minaur says he would have ‘serious skill’ for curling

In the ATP Tour interview, De Minaur said: “Now the sport that I would have some serious skill at would be curling. I feel like I would have good feel. Let’s go with that.”

Curling is a winter sport played on a long sheet of ice. Teams slide stones across the ice towards a target area that is segmented into four concentric circles.

The stones, otherwise known as ‘rocks,’ are slid across the ice in an attempt to get as close to the middle circle as possible.

Each four-person team has eight stones, with each player throwing two. An entire fixture usually consists of eight to ten rounds.

Ben Shelton, another top 10 ATP star, offered a funny response when asked the same question.

He said: “Winter Olympic sport I would be best at? I mean, honestly, none of them.”

“I love to snowboard. I love snowboarding. But that’s probably not what I would be best at.

“I’ve always wanted to try curling, though. That looks like a fun sport.”

Which sport did Taylor Fritz and Felix Auger-Aliassime choose?

Taylor Fritz, the new world number seven, chose ice hockey as his Winter Olympic sport.

He said: “There’s not a lot of Winter Olympic sports that really cater I guess to someone of my body type.

“If it had to be one… goalie in hockey.”

Felix Auger-Aliassime, who recently won the Montpellier Open, also chose ice hockey, expressing his desire to win a gold medal for Team Canada; like the men’s and women’s teams did in 2010.

Arthur Fils, who contested the Qatar Open final on Saturday, also offered a humorous response, saying: “I will do ice hockey because we can hit the other players.”

Grigor Dimitrov and Tallon Griekspoor both picked skiing as their Winter Olympic sport.

Eberechi Eze has now scored five goals against Tottenham in just two league appearances as an Arsenal player, underlining his evident affinity for facing the Lilywhites. His brace this evening played a decisive role in securing another victory for the Gunners over their North London rivals.

The result ensured that Arsenal claimed all three points at a crucial stage of the season. With recent performances having seen them drop points in consecutive league matches, there was added pressure to deliver a response. Eze’s contribution proved central to that reaction, as he once again demonstrated his capacity to influence significant fixtures.

A Timely Response

Arsenal entered the match aware that Tottenham possessed the quality to cause problems. Given the Gunners’ recent dip in form, many observers expected Spurs to capitalise. However, Mikel Arteta’s side approached the contest with renewed focus and intensity.

Having failed to win their previous two league games, Arsenal understood the importance of reasserting control in the title race. The victory not only restored confidence but also reinforced their determination to maintain momentum in the closing weeks of the campaign. Eze’s clinical finishing and attacking movement were instrumental in breaking down Tottenham’s resistance and ensuring the match swung decisively in Arsenal’s favour.

(Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Eze Reflects on the Win

Speaking after the game via the BBC, Eze acknowledged the need for a strong response when asked whether the team had to react to their recent results. He said:

“Yeah, for sure that’s the main thing. We know what we’re capable of. We have to play games to dominate and to win and we’ve got the players in the team to do it. Important win for us and we keep going.”

Eze’s comments reflect the collective belief within the squad and the determination to sustain their push in the league.

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In the second half on Saturday, Bayern Munich was comfortably leading Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0, but things would unravel from there.

Sure, the Bavarians still walked away with three points via a 3-2 victory, but a foul in the box committed by Harry Kane and reckless and sloppy pass from Joshua Kimmich to a stationary Kim Min-jae allowed Die Adler to have some hope.

This is how we described the play in the Daily Schmankerl:

In the 86th minute, Kimmich played an absolutely horrendous ball across the face of the from deep on the right side. The pass was awful, but Kim Min-jae also failed to make any effort to get the ball, which left Arnaud Kalimuendo to pick up the scraps and make it 3-2. What a sloppy, terrible play for Bayern Munich.

After the match, Kimmich defended his decision on the play (via @iMiaSanMia):

Interviewer: Would it have made more sense to just clear the ball instead of passing it to Kim, which caused a goal?

Joshua Kimmich: “Generally, yes. But on the other hand, it’s our style of play that we want to play football, that even when we’re under pressure we try to find a solution through our passing game. If we regularly rely on long clearances, then the opponents will press us more and more. So we should definitely maintain this DNA.”

Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl did not seem to agree with Kimmich and said the play was not necessary — especially to adhere to any sense of ideals or philosophy (via @iMiaSanMia):

Max Eberl contradicts Kimmich and says Frankfurt’s second goal was caused by ‘excessive idealism’: “We could have done without that. There are moments where you just have to clear the ball. I know you want to solve a lot of things through build-up play, but that was a bit too much. Minjae had nothing to do with the goal – the entire play was a mess.”

BFW Analysis

Let’s be clear — Kimmich was 100% at fault for the goal. However, Kim could have done more to bail out the awful decision by his teammate. As has been an issue at times in the past, Kim did not appear to be aware that Kalimuendo was closing in on him quickly. While the Korean defender was not at fault, he could have been a hero for saving his teammate’s hide.

Think of it in the same way a goalkeeper can sometimes bail out a defender who is badly beaten with a monster save. If the opposing player scores, it is not the fault of the goalkeeper, but he might have been able to do more to prevent it.

There was no heroic effort on this goal and Kimmich will have to own that mess that he alone created. What might be most concerning is that Kimmich is failing to acknowledge that he just made a terrible decision. A player with his experience should just know better…and be better.

Given the propensity for mistakes that Kimmich has had in recent weeks, it is fair to wonder if his ankle is still bothering him as has been theorized by fans. The veteran still does not look fully like himself after injuring his ankle all the way back in November. Without any significant downtime, it is hard to know if he ever fully healed. To the naked eye, Kimmich does not appear to look as mobile or agile as he did before the injury. Not being 100% physically, can affect how you process the game mentally.

The last two weeks have shown some poor decision-making and execution from Kimmich. Hopefully, this is a mini-slump and not a sign that his ankle injury is still impacting his play.

Rob Brzezinski is in charge of the Minnesota Vikings for the next few months after the organization claimed it would hire an official replacement general manager for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who was terminated at the end of January, after the 2026 NFL Draft. In the meantime, Brzezinski, often known as the “money guy” for the Vikings, must solve three main problems.

Free agency is close, and Minnesota’s priorities are clear for a new and interim GM.

That process for Brzezinski starts as early as now, as free agency is just two weeks away.

Three Urgent Roster Fixes Facing Minnesota

A look at Brzezinski’s main to-do list, listed in order of importance (No. 1 = most important problem to solve).

3. Find a New Running Back

The Vikings’ offense would likely benefit from prioritizing the running game. Minnesota needs a running back strategy focused on reliability, durability, and efficiency per carry; currently, their approach feels like a short-term fix. While Aaron Jones has been a dependable veteran, his age (32 in the 2026 season) raises concerns about his long-term effectiveness.

This necessitates a crucial decision for Brzezinski and head coach Kevin O’Connell. They could acquire an established veteran, such as Travis Etienne or Breece Hall. Alternatively, they could return to the draft to find a potential star running back, a strategy they haven’t employed since selecting Dalvin Cook in 2017.

In 2025, the running game was adequate but lacked the dominance needed to consistently challenge opposing defenses. To establish a Top 10 offense, Minnesota needs a true workhorse RB1, a fundamental component rather than a mere luxury.

O’Connell’s offensive system thrives when a strong rushing attack keeps defenses honest, which depends on a halfback capable of handling a significant workload while still delivering explosive plays.

Ideally, because Minnesota is cash-strapped, it will finally draft a running back before the end of Round 4 in April, which could translate to Jonah Coleman (Washington), Jadarian Price (Notre Dame), or Nick Singleton (Penn State), to name a few.

In the event that Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame slid to No. 18, that would be the no-brainer to end all no-brainers for the Vikings.

2. Fix the Defensive Secondary — Probably with Youth

The Vikings’ secondary had two primary issues:

1. Harrison Smith may retire. If he does not, he’ll retire after the 2026 season. The Vikings need a replacement for Smith sooner rather than later.
2. In 2025, Minnesota got away with unusually skimpy cornerback depth. That probably won’t work again in 2026.

Minnesota’s pass defense did not struggle in 2025, but with the personnel, the group might’ve gotten “lucky” at times.

To eventually replace Smith and to successfully draft a cornerback of any kind for the first time since Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander a decade ago, Brzezinski and Flores probably have to find rookie cornerbacks and safeties to feed the defensive depth chart in the long term.

SI.com‘s Joe Nelson recently recommended the free-agent signing of Seattle Seahawks safety Coby Bryant, “With Harrison Smith likely retiring, the Vikings need more talent at safety alongside Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, and Tavierre Thomas. If Minnesota doesn’t think Jackson can be an every-week starter, then Bryant is the kind of player they should pursue.”

“Bryant switched from corner to safety in 2024, and he’s been a stud ever since. This season, he had four interceptions on a stout, Super Bowl-winning Seattle defense. At a projected contract of three years and $30 million, his $10 million annual average value would compare to Smith’s 2025 cap hit of $9.9 million.”

The veteran safety logged a 65.5 Pro Football Focus grade in 2025 and is 26 years old.

Nelson continued, “He makes even more sense if the Vikings want to stay young (he’s 27) and avoid paying a higher price for safeties like Kam Curl (he’s 27 with a projected four-year, $65 million price tag) and Kevin Byard (he’s 33 and projected to receive a two-year, $25 million deal).”

“Another option would be to trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has experience in Flores’ defense and was one of the top-rated safeties in the league this past season.”

1. Sign or Trade for Another QB to Compete with J.J. McCarthy

From the beginning of the offseason, Adofo-Mensah (before his termination) and Kevin O’Connell announced that the Vikings would spend the offseason creating a deeper quarterback room than last year, which included J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, Max Brosmer, John Wolford, Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell, and Brett Rypien from March through December.

If the organziation is serious, that means Brzezinski isn’t far away from acquiring a newcomer, likely someone with more youth or talent than Wentz, the primary backup in 2025.

The most popular candidates are these men:

• Derek Carr (trade)
• Kirk Cousins
• Jimmy Garoppolo
• Mac Jones (trade)
• Will Levis (trade)
• Marcus Mariota
• Kyler Murray (trade)
• Anthony Richardson (trade)
• Aaron Rodgers
• Geno Smith (trade)
• Malik Willis

Brzezinski, with O’Connell’s input, must pick one. O’Connell’s job security may depend on it.

There will be a vacancy at Old Trafford this summer for a role that Michael Carrick has filled. Possibly, of course, for the one he currently occupies, although perhaps not if Carrick continues his impressive start in the dugout. But definitely at the base of midfield. The one confirmed departure at Manchester United is Casemiro.

“I look forward to continuing working with him for a few months yet,” said Carrick. Well he might, too, because the Brazilian has been one of the outstanding players of Carrick’s five-game reign. With each hugely impressive display, he has underlined the challenge of finding a suitable successor. Casemiro may leave United as he arrived, as a talismanic figure; after two difficult seasons in the middle of his four-year deal, he feels renascent now.

He has also formed a fine double act with Kobbie Mainoo. It will not be a long-term axis, this partnership of opposites - young and old, Mancunian and a son of Sao Paulo – but Casemiro’s positive influence extends to the dressing room and the training ground. Mainoo may be a particular beneficiary.

“Cas has been fantastic since I came in, and on and off the pitch,” said Carrick. “Experience is a great thing if you use it in the right way, and I think over time being a senior player here is almost the responsibility of the example, and helping the younger players, helping the rest of the boys, and passing on your experiences in a positive way. He's been top since I came, in so many ways, and he's been a pleasure to work with.”

Casemiro is set to face Everton on Monday. It will also be his 34th birthday. While the combination of his age and the size of his contract meant an extension was always unlikely, his revival means Carrick feels he can carry on as an elite midfielder elsewhere. “I'm sure he can,” he said. “He's playing as good a level as he's played at for some time, and it's great to see in so many ways. He’s in a really good place.”

That place next season is likely to be the United States but Carrick’s dozen years and 464 appearances at the heart of the team make him ideally qualified to advise on what United require in a replacement. He explained: “I'm not being biased, obviously, as being in midfield, but I think it is an important position to try and tie everything together, and you're connected to the whole team, and that's sometimes emotionally, a little bit mentally, and showing that composure and understanding of the game a little bit, and Cas has had a big influence within the group on that, so something we're fully aware of, moving forward.”

As Carrick outlined Casemiro’s qualities, he arrowed in an influence that comes in part from the former Real Madrid player’s huge experience. “Technically, game understanding, just composure in certain moments,” he noted.

The probability, though, is that a successor will be much younger, perhaps by more than a decade. They may be able to offer more physically, but perhaps less mentally. Casemiro does not always complete 90 minutes, and that in a season when United will play just 40 games. His fine form now can be attributed in part to tactics that leave him less exposed.

Any signing would probably be both more mobile and more durable, but the balance would shift in another respect. United could have a very young central-midfield partnership. Of the major contenders to arrive in the summer, Elliot Anderson is 23, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton both 22. Each has been of interest to United; indeed, they considered moving for Baleba last year.

The Cameroonian has had a poor year with Brighton: often substituted early, looking out of form, affected by off-field issues, he has rarely looked at £100m player. Meanwhile, Sandro Tonali has emerged as another possible summer mover: more experienced than any of the others, far more energetic than Casemiro, he may tick some boxes.

Tonali’s class in possession is also notable. Anderson and Wharton are also both more constructive than destructive presences. But so, going back, was Carrick. He was a player with a difference in his own era, a holding midfielder more than a defensive one, someone who knitted teams and matches together. Perhaps, judging from his comments, he would look for similar qualities in the summer, if he is involved in the search for Casemiro’s successor.

The Brazilian has been a defensive midfielder with a difference, too. Few others score as many goals. His pass completion rate can be lower than most, but that shows a willingness to attempt more ambitious balls. If Carrick was understated and some defensive midfielders can go unnoticed, not Casemiro: his force of personality, capacity to go to ground in tackles and charisma make him immediately identifiable.

He will leave a hole. It is a sign of his significance that whoever comes next is likely to come at a considerable price. And given how idiosyncratic Casemiro is, there may not be a like-for-like replacement for him.

Analyst reveals Ravens' highest offseason priority and it's not Lamar Jackson originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Baltimore Ravens have a long checklist to work through this offseason, and it is crucial for Jesse Minter that the franchise works through that list.

Yes, Lamar Jackson's contract, plus the ability to keep key players like Isaiah Likely and Tyler Linderbaum, are top of the wishlist, but there might be something else.

Given how poor the Ravens' defense was at times in 2025, maybe overhauling the unit for Minter should be seen as a priority.

Well, for NFL.com's Matt Okada, he named repairing the defensive front as Baltimore's highest priority.

"A couple years ago, Baltimore’s defensive front was a strength, anchoring the top scoring defense in the NFL," Okada wrote. "In 2025, it was a weakness. Perhaps through both free agency and the draft, the Ravens should focus on restoring their defensive front at the start of the Jesse Minter era."

More:Chiefs' Andy Reid offers key Patrick Mahomes injury update

Lamar's contract has to be urgent, right?

Given that the Ravens are staring down the barrel of a $74.5 million cap hit, and the fact that repairing the defensive front will likely mean splashing in free agency, yeah, Baltimore needs more cap space.

And extending Lamar, or restructuring his contract, will help ease his 2026 cap hit.

Of course, in an ideal world, the Ravens would sign Lamar to a long-term deal that would allow the franchise to push money into future years, and in turn, give the front office more ammunition to get the defensive players it needs.

So yes, fixing the defensive front is key, but so too is figuring out how to shrink Lamar's cap hit for 2026.

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Arsenal answered questions posed about their nerve under pressure in the most emphatic fashion in the north London derby to suggest this is a Premier League race that will go down to the wire.

The manner in which Mikel Arteta's side collapsed in losing a two-goal lead at doomed Wolverhampton Wanderers saw old uncertainties and past pain resurface as hunters Manchester City scented blood.

It made the meeting with arch-rivals Spurs even more hazardous, especially with the toxic air around this dysfunctional club partly cleared by the sacking of unpopular head coach Thomas Frank and his replacement by Igor Tudor.

Arsenal need not have worried as, even with the imposing figure of the giant Croatian prowling his technical area clad in black, they were the beneficiaries of the latest cure prescribed by "Dr. Tottenham", always on hand to provide help to any opponent in times of strife.

The Spurs stadium announcer attempted to rally the crowd with a growled pre-match message delivered at ear-splitting volume, bellowing: "They are worried. They are nervous as hell. We are calm. We are ready. The fire is ready to be lit."

Sadly for Spurs, the final score on that one was zero out of five.

Arsenal were the furthest thing from "nervous as hell." Spurs were the furthest thing from calm and ready. No fires lit here.

Spurs were almost cruelly outclassed as Arsenal's advantage at the top of the table returned to five points, although Pep Guardiola's City have a game in hand.

• Eze 'wanted to prove something' as he torments Spurs again
• Eze Arsenal's derby hero again as leaders sink Tudor's Spurs

Gunners 10 games from glory

To sum up this latest Premier League weekend, Manchester City threw down the gauntlet by closing the gap to two points with a tension-filled win against Newcastle United. Arsenal picked it up with relish in this thumping 4-1 win.

It means that even before the end of February, sights are starting to turn to what might just be a title decider between City and Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on 18 April.

In the interim, Arsenal have home games against Chelsea, Everton and Bournemouth, along with a visit to Brighton. City travel to Leeds United, West Ham and Chelsea, with relegation strugglers Nottingham Forest to come to the Etihad.

And, of course, there might just be a psychological blow to be struck when Arsenal and City meet in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday 22 March.

Arsenal are now 10 games from the glory that has eluded them since Arsene Wenger's "Invincibles" in 2003-04. Destiny is their hands. The twist in the tale is that the same applies to Manchester City.

For all Arsenal might have wished to play down the significance of this single game in the title context, it was a win and performance they needed desperately to calm concerns on and off the pitch.

And this was a consummate display, cool and measured with a ruthless edge, even if it came against this dreadfully poor Spurs side.

Eberechi Eze picked the perfect time to return to his best, playing his part as derby tormentor again with two goals to add to the three he got in the 4-1 win at Emirates Stadium in December.

Since that hat-trick, Eze had featured in all 15 of Arsenal's subsequent league games, but had made only four starts and played just 360 minutes before this derby.

In his last start he was substituted at half-time against Brentford, so credit to Arteta for having the instinct to feel that this was the sort of occasion to suit him, deploying him in the "number 10" role against the club who thought they had signed him until Arsenal stepped in to clinch a £60m deal with Crystal Palace.

Gyokeres brace caps perfect day

And there was more good news with much-criticised striker Viktor Gyokeres also scoring two fine goals on a perfect day for the Gunners and their ecstatic fanbase.

Arsenal were not knocked out of their stride, even after Randal Kolo Muani's bustling equaliser for Spurs two minutes after Eze struck the first blow. This was a confident, reassuring performance.

Arteta told BBC Radio 5 Live: "This was outstanding. I think you have to bring context to the situation and this is the beauty of football.

"You go to Wolves and you drop two points in the last kick of the match. Watching it back, there is no understanding from my perception how the hell that happened.

"It feels like the end of the world, but then you have another opportunity and that is the beauty of it. In a difficult stadium, against our rivals, and seeing how much it means to us in the league and all our supporters."

He added: "This chapter we wanted to write. We have managed it."

BBC Sport pundit Danny Murphy expects the race between the two to go right to the finishing line.

He said: "The title race is still on massively for both. It's in both their hands, that's unusual. Normally it's in one team's hands and you are just waiting for them to slip up.

"I have been very much in the Arsenal camp in terms of my eyes telling me they are the best team. The last couple of results have given Man City that little bit of hope. They have a lot of players in the squad who have been there and done it.

"Speaking from experience, when you have got over the line, the next couple feel easier. Every time Arsenal go on the pitch the pressure is on at the minute. It's great for us and I hope it goes to the wire. I don't see any winning all games from now until the end of the season."

Arsenal's nerve was put the test. They passed - and more tests will come for the Gunners and Manchester City as the Premier League pursuit reaches its climax.

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For those who have followed Eberechi Eze's career, the sight of him wheeling away to celebrate an important goal towards the end of the season will not come as a surprise.

Tottenham Hotspur fans, though, will be happy not to come up against the Arsenal forward again until next season.

Eze has scored 40 Premier League goals in his six league seasons, with 19 coming from the 30th game onwards.

Basically, the England international has a record of netting goals late in the campaign, when it matters most.

Eze, who scored the winning goal for Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final last season against Manchester City, has tormented Spurs since turning them down last summer to sign for the Gunners.

Having netted a hat-trick in the 4-1 north London derby win back in November, another two followed in Sunday's crucial encounter at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"He had that belief and I'm really happy with him. He's really trying to mould and adapt into what we want from him," said boss Mikel Arteta.

Ironically, Eze's other league goal this season came against his former side Palace in a 1-0 win in October, which means all his league goals this term have come against those two teams.

And after his brace in Arsenal's latest thumping of their rivals, only Robert Pires (seven) and Emmanuel Adebayor (six) have more Premier League goals for the Gunners against Tottenham than Eze's five.

He is also the first Arsenal player to score five or more goals against an opponent in the same top-flight season since Adebayor against Derby in 2007-08 (six).

Supporters had already taken to the 27-year-old because of the way he signed for the club, turning down Spurs to join them instead in a £60m deal, but the goals he has scored are the icing on the cake.

• Arsenal pass derby test of nerve as title race looks set to go to wire
• Eze Arsenal's derby hero again as leaders sink Tudor's Spurs
• 'Who's going to get this fine?' - Arteta on derby technology delays

A positive after tough moments

It's been a difficult period for Eze, who has found minutes in the league hard to come by and this was was only his second start in the league since December.

He has a tough route into the team with captain Martin Odegaard a key part of Arteta's first-choice midfield when he is fit and Leandro Trossard being in good form on the left wing, which is the other position Eze might feature.

The Arsenal boss did trial Eze on the left, but he switched off when Matty Cash scored Aston Villa's opener in their 2-1 defeat in December and, despite starting the following game, he was left on the substitute's bench for the next four league matches.

Arteta opted to play England winger Bukayo Saka from the start in the disappointing 2-2 draw with Wolves in midweek as a number 10 - ahead of Eze, who started on the bench.

And the Spaniard admitted: "He was upset, even with me, because I didn't play him the other day from the beginning, and some of the decisions that I made. And I just have to understand how we're going to get the best out of him now."

Arteta was asked by BBC Sport whether Eze's record of producing goals at the end of the season was one of the reasons they signed him.

"We looked at every stat, but that one, to be very honest, no," he added while laughing.

"He scored five goals in the last few games against them, which is extremely difficult to do. But I could see that he wanted to prove something."

England manager Thomas Tuchel was in attendance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Eze will have hoped to have caught his eye after a recent lack of game time to boost his World Cup hopes this summer.

"Today it's worked out, we thank God for it," Eze told Sky Sports. "We put in a good performance. We did what we needed to do, which was the main thing.

"I'm always trying to get in those positions to be ready and to find the space and to work hard to get those opportunities. It takes a lot to get there and it's worked out today."

Best performance of season for Gyokeres

It was also an important day for Eze's team-mate Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swedish international has been criticised at times this season for his performances but since the turn of the year has started to find some form.

And after a double himself at Spurs, no Premier League player has scored more goals in 2026 across all competitions than Gyokeres with eight of his 15 for his club coming in this calendar year.

The 27-year-old linked up with Eze and played a big part in Arsenal's third goal, while he seemed to visibly grow in confidence after scoring.

"For me, the best, the most complete, and especially when we need him most and that is when big players and big clubs have to stand up when you are needed," added Arteta when asked about his £64m summer signing from Sporting.

Arsenal are now five points clear of Manchester City, although they have played one more game and visit Pep Guardiola's men at Etihad Stadium in April - and Eze and Gyokeres look like they are starting to find the net at just the right time.

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When the Detroit Lions hired Drew Petzing as their new offensive coordinator, they weren’t just looking for a play-caller.

They were looking for someone who sees the game the way quarterbacks do, the way defenses do, and most importantly, the way elite playmakers want their coordinator to see it.

Petzing’s calling card around the league is simple but dangerous: identify where defenses are vulnerable and relentlessly force them to defend those weak spots. With players like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta already thriving in Detroit, that philosophy could push the Lions offense to another level in 2026.

A Coordinator Who Sees Holes Others Miss

One thing that stands out when former players talk about Petzing is how deeply he understands defensive structure. He doesn’t just teach concepts, he teaches why defenses behave the way they do.

Kirk Cousins, who worked with Petzing in Minnesota, once described how Petzing reframed a coverage Cousins hated seeing.

“I had a conversation once about a coverage that I don’t like to face that I always said was really, really tough,” Cousins said via the Detroit Free Press. “He said, ‘Kirk, it may be tough but it’s loose.’”

That phrase stuck because it perfectly captures Petzing’s approach. No coverage is airtight. Every defense leaves space somewhere. The job of the offense is to find it before the ball is snapped and punish it after.

Football Was Always the Destination

Petzing’s rise through the coaching ranks wasn’t fast or glamorous, and that’s part of what shaped his perspective. In an exclusive interview with the Detroit Free Press, Petzing explained how close he once came to a completely different career path.

“All these people, their interest and their desire to do these things is not mine,” Petzing told the Free Press, reflecting on a summer spent in a business program. “I can do it, but I didn’t love it, I didn’t enjoy it… if I can make this happen, I need to make this happen cause this is 100 times better than whatever that was.”

That clarity shows up in how he coaches. Petzing doesn’t force ideas. He builds around people. Former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson believes that approach will translate seamlessly in Detroit.

“I think what Drew does is he’s going to put his best players in a chance to showcase what they do,” Johnson said.

That philosophy aligns perfectly with Detroit’s offensive identity.

Why Amon-Ra St. Brown Fits This System So Well

Amon-Ra St. Brown already wins with intelligence, leverage, and toughness. What Petzing brings is a plan to ensure those traits are constantly stressed against the defense’s weakest link.

St. Brown’s ability to line up anywhere, read coverage on the fly, and adjust routes based on leverage makes him an ideal centerpiece for a coordinator who values matchup control. Instead of simply “feeding” him targets, Petzing’s offense is designed to force defenses into bad choices, whether that means isolating a nickel corner, dragging a linebacker into space, or manipulating safeties with formation and motion.

That’s how volume turns into efficiency, and efficiency turns into dominance.

Sam LaPorta Could Become the Ultimate Mismatch

If there’s one player who stands to benefit most from Petzing’s arrival, it might be Sam LaPorta.

Petzing has a long history working with tight ends and quarterbacks, and his Arizona offenses leaned heavily on creating favorable tight end looks. Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, who flourished under Petzing, didn’t hide his excitement about what this could mean for Detroit.

“Obviously, we had a lot of success under him,” McBride said. “So I think he’s a great coordinator and I’m excited to see what he can do with all the weapons there in Detroit.”

LaPorta’s combination of size, speed, and awareness already makes him difficult to defend. In a system that prioritizes finding coverage stress points, he could become a weekly problem defenses simply can’t solve.

Jared Goff Is a Natural Fit, Too

Another important piece of this puzzle is Jared Goff. Petzing’s offenses thrive on clarity, timing, and married concepts, all things that allow Goff to play fast and confident.

According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Goff plans to spend significant time with Petzing this offseason reshaping the Lions playbook, a familiar process that mirrors what happened when Ben Johnson first took over.

That collaboration matters. When the quarterback and coordinator see the game through the same lens, matchup advantages show up earlier and mistakes happen less often.

What This Means for the Lions in 2026

Detroit doesn’t need a radical overhaul on offense. The pieces are already there.

What Drew Petzing offers is refinement, intentionality, and a relentless focus on exploiting defensive weaknesses. With Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta at the center of that vision, the Lions offense could become even more precise, more efficient, and more difficult to defend than it has ever been.

And if Petzing’s reputation holds true, defenses won’t just be reacting.

They’ll be guessing.

The post How Drew Petzing Could Elevate Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta in 2026 appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.

The entire Olimpico was waiting for Malen, but Bryan Cristante was the one who started the Giallorossi’s hat-trick against Cremonese.

A perfect header from Pellegrini’s corner left Audero with no chance, putting Roma’s game on the back foot.

The Giallorossi’s header is a skill the Cristante has mastered over the years, so much so that he tops a special ranking.

His first headed goal in Serie A dates back to February 12, 2017, in a Palermo-Atalanta match.

As Opta reports, Cristante has since scored the most goals from this method, now reaching 15, surpassing Milinkovic-Savic, who stands at 14.

This is an additional weapon for Gasperini, who knows he can count on Bryan as a true specialty.

Roma midfielder Niccolo Pisilli was back on the score sheet tonight, helping the Giallorossi secure the 3-0 win over Cremonese.

After the match, Pisilli spoke to the media.

“I’m very happy tonight,” he told DAZN. “My first goal in Serie A this season and a victory to go with it.”

“It’s always wonderful to play for this jersey and in this stadium. The fans are amazing; selling out against Cremonese isn’t a given.”

“Gasperini? When a new coach arrives, it’s normal for some to take longer to understand him. We came from a season with three coaches and had to adapt to the demands of all three.”

“Now the coach asks the midfielders to make preventive moves, whereas last year I had more freedom. My growth has mainly been in becoming a more mature player and more reliable for the coach’s ideas.”

Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, journalist Pete O’Rourke mentioned that Leeds United are among the clubs hoping to sign Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney. O’Rourke said,

“Hayden Hackney’s future is going to be the subject of intense speculation again this summer.

“It was last summer, when he came very close to leaving Middlesbrough before he eventually turned down a move to Ipswich.

“There were a number of clubs looking at him, but Middlesbrough did really well to keep hold of him, and they’ve been really rewarded because Hackney’s been the driving force behind their promotion bid to the Premier League.

“Middlesbrough won’t want to lose Hackney. If they were to win promotion to the Premier League, then they would be quite hopeful that they could keep hold of the England Under-21 midfielder.

“If they don’t win promotion to the Premier League, it’s going to be a real hard battle to keep hold of him. You’ll have Leeds, a lot of other Premier League clubs, (such as) Everton, like Hayden Hackney.

“There’s even been talk that Manchester United could be interested…Fulham are admirers of the player as well.”

Hackney’s Impressive Numbers In The EFL Championship

Hackney has put in a run of solid displays for Middlesbrough in the middle of the park this season. The English talent has registered five goals and earned six assists in 35 matches for his current employers in this campaign so far across all competitions.

MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND – JANUARY 24: Hayden Hackney of Middlesbrough reacts during the Sky Bet Championship match between Middlesbrough and Preston North End at Riverside Stadium on January 24, 2026 in Middlesbrough, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

His current contract at the Championship club will run out at the end of next season, which could open the door for the Whites to sign him on the cheap next year.

Is Hackney A Good Choice For Leeds United?

Hackney is a good tackler of the ball and can sense the danger well to secure the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when the opposition are on the offensive and is a tidy passer of the ball as well.

The Redcar-born talent is primarily a defensive midfielder but can also operate as a box-to-box midfielder or play in the number ten position if needed.

We can expect Hackney to enhance the quality of Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke’s midfield. He is good enough to compete for a regular first-team spot at Elland Road in the coming seasons.

At 23, Hackney has got a bright future ahead of him, which makes him a decent choice for the West Yorkshire club to consider next summer.

VfB Stuttgart had to twice come from behind against 1. FC Heidenheim, recovering from 2-1 and 3-2 deficits before Deniz Undav struck a late equaliser to rescue a point. Yet much of the post-match discussion centred on the officials and two pivotal VAR interventions.

Speaking afterwards, Hoeneß revealed he had exchanged words with referee Sascha Stegemann. “We talked about the game,” he told DAZN, declining to go into detail but describing the encounter as “heated” and one in which “many things happened.”

The Stuttgart head coach was particularly aggrieved by the decision to award Heidenheim a first-half penalty with the score at 1-1. Stuttgart thought they had taken the lead through Ermedin Demirović, only for VAR to intervene and pull play back to the opposite penalty area. There, Maximilian Mittelstädt was adjudged to have fouled Eren Dinkçi, allowing Arijon Ibrahimović to convert from the spot and put Heidenheim in front.

“I see the contact, but immediately afterwards Maxi blocks it,” Hoeneß said. “Sorry, guys. To intervene from the sidelines now, which then means we don’t score a goal - that’s unacceptable. I don’t understand it. It’s not enough for me.”

While acknowledging there was contact, Hoeneß insisted it did not meet the threshold for VAR involvement. “It’s in slow motion. The right foot makes a block almost simultaneously. That’s a challenge that would never be called in midfield. For me, it’s not a clear and obvious wrong decision.”

After the break, frustration mounted when another Demirović goal was ruled out for a marginal offside following further VAR scrutiny. “That’s tough when you see the graphic,” Hoeneß added, referring to a decision that was virtually imperceptible to the naked eye.

In the end, Undav’s late strike at least ensured Stuttgart left with a point. Die Schwaben remain fourth in the table ahead of next weekend’s home clash with Wolfsburg - though Hoeneß’ post-match comments made clear that the sense of injustice still lingers.

Barcelona cruised to a 3-0 victory over Levante to reclaim pole position in La Liga on Sunday.

After Real Madrid fell to a 2-1 defeat at Osasuna on Saturday, Hansi Flick's side moved a point clear of their bitter rivals with a comfortable victory at Camp Nou against the team in 19th.

Marc Bernal and Frenkie de Jong gave Barca a commanding first-half lead and Fermin Lopez wrapped up the win with a sensational drive late on.

Barcelona were glad to get back to winning ways after a 4-0 thrashing by Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg last week and then a 2-1 defeat by Girona on Monday in La Liga.

"It was a really bad moment for us but in the end today we gave a good response," Flick told reporters.

"It's important now to be on top of the table but in the end there's a long way to go."

Despite Flick's calls for improvement in defence, Barca were as open as ever, although Levante's poor finishing meant they could not capitalise.

Bernal sent Barca ahead after good work by Joao Cancelo, who impressed on a rare start after his arrival on loan in January, and Eric Garcia.

It was Bernal's second goal since returning from a long-term knee injury, which kept the 18-year-old out of action for over a year.

"I thought of my father (in my celebration) and my physio -- he told me I would score and he has helped me a lot in this process," Bernal told Movistar.

Veteran Polish forward Robert Lewandowski could have doubled Barca's advantage but fired into the ground and over the bar when well placed.

Cancelo hit the post with a cross aimed at Lewandowski, before the Portuguese defender carved out the second for De Jong with a similar ball in from the left.

De Jong delivered the finishing touch to give Barca a two-goal lead at the break.

"Joao today he showed his strength, his positive things, he gave us a lot of moments, great chances, for me it was a really good game from him and this is what I want to see," said Flick.

- Lopez rocket -

Garcia should have expanded Barcelona's advantage early in the second half but nodded wide from Jules Kounde's tempting cross.

Eventually substitute Lopez got a spectacular third, rattling home a long-range effort in off the post.

The midfielder might have added a fourth late on but Levante goalkeeper Mathew Ryan denied him with an excellent reflex save, after first thwarting Raphinha.

Flick was able to bring back midfielder Pedri as a substitute after a month out with a hamstring injury, with the Spaniard likely to be key in the testing weeks ahead.

Defeat leaves Levante seven points from safety.

"In the first half we had some chances that, if we put them away, could have got them to doubt themselves," said Levante midfielder Carlos Alvarez.

"If we'd have gone in front, who knows what could have happened."

Earlier Sevilla earned a 1-0 win at Getafe, while Celta Vigo defeated Mallorca 2-0, leaving the islanders 18th.

Valencia are 16th, two points above the drop zone after they lost 2-1 in an east coast derby clash at Villarreal, third.

Marcelino Garcia Toral's side trail leaders Barca by 10 points, making a title challenge unlikely, but their win helped them move three points ahead of Atletico Madrid in fourth.

Villarreal came from behind after Largie Ramazani opened the scoring from the penalty spot for Valencia.

Santi Comesana pulled the hosts level and Pape Gueye secured the victory with a penalty before the break.

Valencia came close to equalising late on but Villarreal held out to triumph.

rbs/mw

A career day from USC freshman guard Jazzy Davidson was not enough for the Trojans to pull off a potential major upset over the No. 10 Ohio State Buckeyes in a narrow 88-83 loss at the Schottenstein Center on Sunday, Feb. 22. 

Davidson, who leads USC in scoring at 17.4 points per game, caught fire from beyond the arc on Sunday, shooting 6-for-9 on threes en route to scoring a career-high 32 points. 

Matching Davidson’s career night with a heater of her own was Ohio State sophomore guard Jaloni Cambridge, who scored 16 of her 33 points on the day in the fourth quarter to help seal the Buckeye victory. 

After a back-and-forth contest through quarters, USC led 65-61 at the 8:23 mark of the final period before giving up an untimely 14-0 run to Ohio State, with seven of those points coming from Cambridge. 

Darwin Walker - The Sporting Tribune

#3 G Londynn Jones of USC dribbles the ball up court during an NCAA basketball game against Tennessee Tech on November 25, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.

Forced to play the foul game with just under three minutes to play, three timely Trojan three-point makes gave Ohio State head coach Kevin McGuff a late scare, but the Buckeyes were able to hold on to snap a two-game losing skid. 

While USC’s shooting from distance kept them in it throughout, as the Trojans shot 11-for-25 from three-point range, turnovers ultimately proved to be their downfall against the Buckeyes. 

Ohio State’s stifling defense forced transition opportunity after transition opportunity, leading to 25 USC turnovers, with nine coming from Davidson. 

For the Trojans, Sunday’s loss marks the end of a six-game winning streak, as they narrowly hold onto the No. 8 seed in the Big Ten and a potential first-round bye in the conference tournament. 

Sitting at a 9-7 Big Ten record, USC will travel to Penn State on Wednesday before finishing the regular season against No. 2 UCLA at home on Sunday, March 1. 

Outside Camp Nou ahead of Barcelona’s league fixture against Levante, Barca president Joan Laporta stopped to speak with reporters — and unsurprisingly, the conversation quickly shifted to Real Madrid.

Madrid’s controversial penalty concession in their previous matcha against Osasuna — a call many observers felt was incorrect and one that ultimately cost them crucial points — has sparked continuous debate.

When asked about the incident, Joan Laporta said:

“I see no problem, Madrid have no right to complain.”

The Barcelona president did not stop there. Referring to what he implied was a historical pattern of favorable refereeing decisions toward Los Blancos, Laporta said:

“Madrid has been awarded a thousand penalties like that.

“For once they don’t get a penalty handed to them on a plate for some dive, they shouldn’t complain.”

The comments are certain to inflame tensions between Spain’s two biggest clubs, particularly at a time when scrutiny over officiating standards in La Liga is already heightened. Madrid supporters have argued that the decision in question was both soft and decisive, directly impacting the result and the title race implications that follow.

Laporta’s tone, however, suggested little interest in refereeing nuance. Barcelona themselves have been claiming victim and filing complaints to La Liga.

The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics have officially ended following the closing ceremony in northern Italy.

It took place at Verona Olympic Arena, despite none of the sporting events happening in the city, which is 75 miles from Milan.

After beginning with a tribute to classic Italian opera, flagbearers representing the 92 competing nations entered the stadium through large props from Aida and accompanied by a tribute to Italian film music.

The 'Drop of Fire' – the Olympic flame carried in a small glass vessel – was brought into the ancient arena to light up the rings before the parade of athletes.

While athletes are supposed to come in all mixed together, here they were still largely in national groups.

The final medals from Milan-Cortina 2026 were awarded in the women's and men's 50km mass start cross-country skiing events, before a tribute to the Games volunteers.

The ceremony finished with performances from popular Italian musicians Major Lazer and singer-songwriter Achille Lauro.

In her speech to close the Games, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Kirsty Coventry said: "You have been incredible – every one of you. Brave. Fearless. Full of heart and passion. You left it all on the snow and ice.

"Two unforgettable weeks, living every moment to the fullest. You gave everything – and you shared it with all of us.

"This is the true Olympic spirit: competing, embracing, lifting each other up, whatever the result. You showed us what excellence, respect, and friendship look like in a world that sometimes forgets these values.

"You showed us that the Olympic Games are a place for everyone. A place where sport brings us together."

It ended a Games which saw 116 medal events, and historic sporting success for several of the competing nations – including Great Britain.

Team GB won five medals, including three golds, to finish 15th in the table. Britain has never previously won more than one gold at a Games before.

Matt Weston, the male flagbearer, won two golds in skeleton – the men's event and the team competition with Tabby Stoeker.

The female GB flagbearer was Charlotte Bankes, who won gold in the team snowboard cross with Huw Nightingale; it was the first Olympic event on snow won by British athletes.

Team GB also won silver in the men's curling, while Zoe Atkin claimed bronze in women's ski halfpipe on the final day.

Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen took the men's giant slalom title to register a first Winter Olympic gold won by a South American nation.

• Winter Olympics 2026 medal table

Georgia earned their first Winter Olympic medal with silver in pairs figure skating, while Spain collected their first gold medal for 54 years in the men's ski mountaineering. Benin, Guinea-Bissau and United Arab Emirates competed in their first Winter Games.

For hosts Italy, Milan-Cortina marked their best Winter Games with 10 golds among 30 medals to put them fourth in the table.

Norway topped the medals table for the fourth successive Games. They collected 18 medals, including six for Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, the king of cross-country skiing.

Had Klaebo, who set a record for the most golds won by an individual athlete at a single Games, competed as a nation on his own, he would have been ninth in the medal table. Fittingly, his sixth gold - in the men's 50km cross-country skiing - was presented at the closing ceremony as the final medal awarded at the Games.

The oldest individual medallist was Elana Meyers Taylor of the United States, who broke the Games record by winning monobob gold, aged 41.

Skiing great Lindsey Vonn saw her Olympic career end with a broken leg.

The Games also had controversial moments.

Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych wished to compete in the men's skeleton while wearing a remembrance helmet featuring artwork depicting athletes killed during the Russian invasion of his country.

But the IOC said this contravened Games rules and, after Heraskevych refused to back down, disqualified him from competing.

There was also a silver medal, in men's ski mountaineering, for Russian athlete Nikita Filippov. He competed as an Individual Neutral Athlete (AIN) because Russia were banned from the Games because of their aggression in Ukraine.

Filippov, along with other AIN competitors, was allowed to take part in the closing ceremony having been banned from the opening event.

Men's curling gold medallists Canada had their campaign dogged by allegations of cheating.

The ceremony included the handover of the Olympic flag to the delegation representing the French Alps, which will host the next Winter Games in 2030.

The presidents of the two French regions to host the Games, Renaud Muselier and Fabrice Pannekoucke, enthusiastically accepted the flag from Coventry.

There was a performance of the sixth verse of La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, as it was deemed to be more universal and less patriotic. The arrangement changed throughout into a more contemporary style with an electronic base.

As well as a video showcasing the Alps, there was also a performance by 25 musicians and 24 athletes – the first time Olympians have featured in the artistic elements of the closing ceremony.

Josh Oluwayemi’s error shocks the A-League

(Video) An own goal so bad it stunned the stadium

Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi scored rare own goal after major error during 5-0 loss to Auckland FC in the A-League.

Strange moment in Australian League match

One of the strangest own goals of the season was seen in the A-League during the match between Wellington Phoenix & Auckland FC.

The incident involved Josh Oluwayemi, a former Tottenham Hotspur academy goalkeeper who joined Wellington Phoenix in 2024.

The 24 year-old started the match but endured difficult night that quickly went wrong.

How the own goal happened

The key moment came in the 24th minute. An Auckland FC defender sent the ball back from nearly 70 metres toward the Wellington goal.

There was no pressure from attackers and the situation appeared comfortable for the goalkeeper.

However Oluwayemi positioned outside his penalty area and chose to head the ball clear instead of controlling it. He misjudged the flight of the ball which dropped straight into his own net leaving players, fans and commentators in disbelief.

Milan await medical outcome after Parma incident

(Video) Early collision leaves Loftus-Cheek hospitalised in Serie A match

AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek was taken to hospital after serious head and facial injury against Parma in Serie A.

Early collision ends Loftus-Cheek’s match

Midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek suffered serious injury during AC Milan’s Serie A match against Parma at San Siro, in matchday 26 of the Italian league.

The incident happened just minutes after kick-off. Loftus-Cheek jumped to meet cross from Alexis Saelemaekers and collided heavily with Parma goalkeeper Edoardo Corvi.

The Milan midfielder fell to the ground and required immediate medical attention.

Stretchered off and taken to hospital

Loftus-Cheek was taken off the pitch on stretcher in the 11 minute. According to Football Italia, the player did not lose consciousness but the injury was serious.

Broadcaster DAZN Italia reported visible blood on his face raising concerns about facial damage. Later updates confirmed that the English midfielder was transferred to local hospital for further tests.

Surgery confirmed after dental fracture

Reports from Sky Italia revealed that Loftus-Cheek suffered fracture to the alveolar bone, the part of the skull that supports the teeth.

The injury also caused him to lose several teeth.

As a result, the 28 year-old is expected to undergo surgery, with fears that he could be sidelined for several months. This setback could also rule him out of England’s World Cup plans after his recent return to international duty.

Blow for Milan and England hopes

Loftus-Cheek has been important player for AC Milan this season making 27 appearance in all competitions.

He scored three goals and provided one assist becoming a key part of the midfield under coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Master P says major college basketball head coaching offers on the table, not ready yet originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Master P says his work rebuilding the program at the University of New Orleans has drawn interest from other Division I schools eager to replicate his model.

In an interview with TMZ Sports, the entrepreneur and rapper known as Percy Miller said multiple colleges have reached out after he helped boost the Privateers as president of basketball operations and assistant coach. They also want him to build in the new era of college athletics. 

“Now this is business,” Master P said. “I’m bringing business people around the university, and I think that’s what I bring to the table.”

The 55-year-old New Orleans native said the outreach has come in different forms, with some schools expressing interest in having him oversee programs and others floating the idea of him becoming a head coach.

@MasterPMiller swung by the studio this week and told @mikejbabcock he’s already had multiple colleges try to lure him away because of how quickly he's turned around the University of New Orleans, where he serves as assistant coach AND President of Basketball Operations. pic.twitter.com/HDDVdMMbhi

— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) February 22, 2026

“I think it’s both,” he said. “Even they want me to be a head coach out there. I don’t know if I’m ready yet. But I do have interest in that.”

Miller, who briefly played in the NBA during the late 1990s, said his vision extends beyond X’s and O’s. He believes modern college athletics require leadership that blends player development, branding and community engagement.

“Times are changing,” he said. “People don’t want the traditional coaches. They want coaches that think outside the box. How are we going to get fans in the stands? How are we going to motivate the team?”

He credited Houston's Kelvin Sampson  Houston and Colorado's Deion Sanders as influences in shaping his leadership style. 

Sampson’s ability to motivate and structure a program stood out, Miller said. For good reasons, too. His son, Mercy Miller, plays for the Cougars. While Sanders’ emphasis on mentorship and “fatherhood” resonated deeply with him. Coach Prime and Coach Miller have a long-standing relationship that has transitioned in many forms over the years as well.

More:Carmelo Anthony calls on NBA to address Darryn Peterson controversy

“What I like about it is it’s not just about winning,” he said. “If you want to see these guys succeed, you’re going to find corporations, you’re going to find other people to get around them and keep the program going.”

At New Orleans, Miller said the basketball team has become a vehicle for broader institutional growth, including increased student engagement and visibility.

More:'Basketball Saved My Life': Why Master P came home to rebuild New Orleans

“It’s not just about basketball,” he said. “Nobody uses the basketball team to help get students into the school. When we can do that, that’s when we’ve made it.”

More college basketball news:

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• AJ Dybantsa makes college basketball history never done by NBA stars
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
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The United States fielded its biggest Winter Olympics team ever for the 2026 Milano Cortina Games, with 232 athletes going for the gold — and broke a record for Team USA's most gold medals at a single Winter Games. 

But Norway remained on top in both the total medal count and the gold medal tally, and also holds the all-time record for winter medals.

Here is a look at the medal count for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which were co-hosted by the cities of Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in northern Italy and wrapped up on Sunday, Feb. 22.

Norway ended the Games with a record 41 medals, including 18 gold — the most gold medals won in any single Winter Olympics. 

Team USA came next with 33 medals, 12 of them gold. The U.S. topped its previous best showing of 10 gold from the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. The final one came on the last day of competition when the U.S. men's hockey team beat Canada in a thrilling overtime victory.

The chart below is updated with the total medal count of the 2026 Winter Olympics. (There were 87 teams taking part this year; only teams that won medals are listed.)

In the first two days after the opening ceremony, Team USA scooped up two medals, both of them gold.

Skier Breezy Johnson claimed America's first gold medal of the Games in women's downhill and U.S. figure skaters won gold in the team competition, helped by a dominant performance from Ilia Malinin, who is known as the "Quad God" for executing the most difficult jumps. 

On Feb. 10, Ben Ogden became the first American man to win an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing since 1976, earning a silver in the sprint. Alex Hall took silver in the freestyle ski, while Jackie Wiles and Paula Moltzan won bronze in the team downhill event. Team USA had a shot at gold in mixed doubles curling, but fell short against Sweden and will go home with silver.

Feb. 11, skier Elizabeth Lemley took gold in moguls and speedskating star Jordan Stolz won gold in the 1,000 meters, setting an Olympic record in the process. Ice dancing duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates won silver after being barely edged out of the top spot. 

Feb. 12 brought a silver for snowboarder Chloe Kim in the halfpipe and a bronze for cross-country skier Jessie Diggins.

On Feb. 14, Jalein Kauf and Elizabeth Lemley added to Team USA's tally with silver and bronze, respectively, in women's dual moguls. In speedskating, Stolz won his second gold medal and set his second Olympic record of these Games when he won at the 500 meters. He's the first American since 1980 to win multiple speedskating gold medals.

The start of Week 2 brought gold for American bobsledder Elana Myers Taylor, a 41-year-old five-time Olympian who already had three silvers and two bronze medals to her name.

On Feb. 17, the U.S. earned two more silver medals, with Mac Forehand just missing out on gold in freeski big air and Team USA falling to Italy in an upset in speedskating team pursuit. 

Skiier Mikaela Shiffrin won gold in women's slalom on Feb. 18, breaking her streak of eight events without medaling. 

The following day, the U.S. women's hockey team staged a comeback to beat rival Canada for gold in overtime; Alysa Liu won gold in women's individual figure skating, the first for the U.S. since 2002; and speedskater Jordan Stolz nabbed his third medal, a silver.

On Feb. 21, Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran and Chris Lillis took the title in freestyle skiing mixed aerials, in th process breaking the U.S. record for the nation's most golds in a single Winter Games.

On the final day of competition, the U.S. men's hockey team took home the gold in a thrilling 2-1 overtime win over Canada. It was the team's first gold medal since the "Miracle on Ice" over the Soviet Union at the Lake Placid Games in 1980.

Brazilian ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, with a powerful final run in the Olympic giant slalom, won gold and earned South America's first-ever medal at a Winter Games.

Pinheiro Braathen, who comes from a family where his mother is Brazilian and his father is Norwegian, represented Norway until 2023 when he abruptly retired. He returned to the sport in 2024, representing Brazil and since then has accomplished plenty of "firsts" with his new country: first Brazilian Alpine racer to finish on a World Cup podium last year and first-ever World Cup win for the country this season.

Team Norway broke its own gold medal record at a single Winter Olympics when Johannes Dale-Skjevdal hit all 20 of his targets in the 15-kilometer mass start race and skied his way to gold on Feb. 20. It was Norway's 17th gold medal of the Milano Cortina Winter Games.

Meanwhile, Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo became the second-most decorated gold medalist in Olympic history after American Michael Phelps. The 29‑year‑old came into the games with five gold medals and he added six more to his tally.

With six gold medals, Klaebo shattered the nearly 50-year record set by American speed skater Eric Heiden, who won five golds at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. However, all of Heiden's wins were in individual races and two of Klaebo's have come in team events, so Heiden's record for individual wins still stands.

Klaebo is also the Winter Olympian with the most gold medals in history. Fellow Norwegians Marit Bjoergen and Bjorn Daehlie in cross-country skiing and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen in the biathlon held the previous record with eight Winter Olympics gold medals. They have all retired.

Meanwhile, Team USA broke its own record with its 11th gold medal on Feb. 21, then added a 12th on the last day of competition.

At the 2022 Winter Games, Norway took home the most medals, winning 37 in all, including 16 gold. 

Next came the ROC, the Russian Olympic Committee team, with a total of 32, followed by Germany with 27 and Canada with 26.

Team USA ranked fifth with 25 medals — nine gold, nine silver and seven bronze. 

While the International Olympic Committee does not compile rankings, the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage does keep a medal tally. It counts one medal for placing first, second or third in an event regardless of how many athletes were on a team.

In the overall medal count from all previous Summer and Winter Games, the U.S. comes out on top with 3,103 medals.

The U.S. is followed in the medal count by the former Soviet Union, which earned 1,204 medals before its breakup in 1991. Germany comes third with 1,091 medals.

The U.S. has also won the most gold medals, with 1,220 in previous Games, according to the Olympic Foundation. 

But when it comes to the history of the Winter Olympics alone, the U.S. dips to second place in the medal count behind Norway, a perennial winter sports powerhouse.

Athletes from Norway have taken home a total of 404 medals from past Winter Games. The U.S. has previously won 330, while Germany places third with 286.

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Clemson women’s basketball didn’t need a perfect night to knock off one of the ACC’s elite. It just needed belief, toughness, and one fearless shot.

With the clock winding down and Littlejohn Coliseum buzzing, Hannah Kohn buried a deep three-pointer with nine seconds remaining to push Clemson past No. 9 Duke, 53-51, on Sunday. A final defensive stand followed, sealing a dramatic Senior Day victory and giving the Tigers their most significant win in years.

The win marked Clemson’s first 10-win ACC season since 2000-01 and its highest-ranked triumph under head coach Shawn Poppie, who labeled the result a “program-changing win.” Clemson also reached 19 victories for the first time in more than two decades.

Early on, it looked like Duke might run away with things. The Blue Devils stormed ahead 22-8 early in the second quarter behind freshman standout Toby Fournier. Clemson, however, chipped away thanks to a spark off the bench from senior transfer Morgan Lee, who hit her first three-pointer of the season and ignited a 10-0 run.

Despite offensive struggles in the third quarter, the Tigers stayed within striking distance and exploded late. Demeara Hinds scored repeatedly in the paint, while Mia Moore and Taylor Johnson-Matthews each knocked down timely shots. Moore’s and-one layup gave Clemson its first lead of the second half, and Johnson-Matthews followed with a three to stretch the margin.

Kohn’s late triple proved to be the final blow.

Clemson rolls past Bryant to clinch series, 6th straight win https://t.co/Y1KLeLPcNtpic.twitter.com/SAlPjNANme

— Clemson Wire (@Clemson_Wire) February 22, 2026

Moore and Johnson-Matthews finished with 11 points apiece, while Hinds added key rebounds and clutch free throws. Clemson shot 91 percent at the line and forced 17 turnovers in a gritty, physical battle.

Up next, the Tigers head west for road games against California and Stanford as postseason hopes continue to grow.

Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.

This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson women’s basketball upsets ACC opponent No. 9 Duke Blue Devils

The Oklahoma City Thunder drilled 21 three-pointers in a 121-113 victory over Cleveland on Sunday that halted the Cavaliers' seven-game NBA winning streak.

Isaiah Joe scored 22 points and Cason Wallace added 20 points and 10 assists for the short-handed Thunder, who improved their Western Conference-leading record to 44-14 despite the absence of injured starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams as well as Ajay Mitchell and Alex Caruso.

"It's a lot of fun just getting the ball rolling," said Wallace, who had just one turnover and excelled in a tough assignment of guarding James Harden.

"Early game, so we tried to get our legs into it right from the jump. I feel like we came out and we had a little bit of momentum early in the game," added Wallace after a contest in which the Thunder scored the first nine points and led by as many as 23 in the first quarter.

The teams traded the lead in the third, but Oklahoma City took the lead into the fourth and didn't relinquish it.

"We had great energy, threw the first punch in the game, which was important against a team that has played as well as they have lately and has as much firepower as they do," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.

"To grab the game the way we did early was key."

Seven Thunder players scored in double figures, with center Chet Holmgren contributing a 17-point, 15-rebound double-double.

Harden and Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points apiece for Cleveland. Harden, acquired by the Cavs on February 4 from the Los Angeles Clippers, suffered his first defeat after six straight wins with his new team.

bb/mw

Chiefs' Andy Reid offers key Patrick Mahomes injury update originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

We are at the time of the NFL offseason, where players are on vacation with their families and enjoying some downtime, but not Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

After suffering a torn ACL late in the season, Mahomes is vigorously working to get back to be ready for Week 1 of next season.

That is a lofty goal, with some wanting Patrick to take it easy and even have the entire year off.

But we know that's not how Patrick is wired.

And head coach Andy Reid has updated us on the progress Mahomes is making in his recovery.

“He's around here all the time, spends a ton of time here, seven hours a day,” Reid said. “He's in there cranking away, making progress every day, it's great to see. He and Julie [Frymyer], she grinds on him and makes sure that he stays on task and challenges him, and he keeps showing up.

“So that's half the battle on these things when you have these injuries that you show up and it's not going to be a pleasant thing every day. You got to fight through it, and you got to attack the challenge of the workout and rehab. So, he's doing a great job with that.”

More:1 key thing potentially holding Chiefs back in Tyreek Hill reunion

Will Mahomes make Week 1?

Well, that's the goal, and if Patrick is spending seven hours a day in rehab, you would be a fool to be against him.

But if we are being truthful, for Patrick to be good to go in Week 1, he would likely need a few months of conditioning at training camp, which means he'll need to be cleared to participate in roughly three months.

Can that happen? Color us skeptical on that, but who knows, players come back early all the time, and Patrick might be the latest to do it.

But the Chiefs will be cautious because the last thing the franchise wants is for No. 15 to rush back and break down immediately.

That's nightmare fuel.

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No. 9 Oklahoma (21-6, 9-5 SEC) defeated No. 21 Tennessee (16-10, 8-6 SEC), 100-93, Sunday at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

The Sooners led, 47-45, at halftime in the contest after scoring the final seven points of the second quarter. The loss extended the Lady Vols' losing streak to four games.

Talaysia Cooper totaled 22 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals for Tennessee. She converted 8-of-15 field goal attempts, 1-of-5 three-point attempts and 5-of-8 free throw attempts and was one of three Lady Vols to score 10-plus points against Oklahoma.

Jaida Civil scored a career-high 21 points and posted a double as she recorded 10 rebounds. She also finished with three assists, while Nya Robertson finished with 18 points, her most in a SEC game this season. Robertson also totaled three rebounds, two assists and one steal.

Sahara Williams led the Sooners with 22 points. She also recorded nine rebounds, three assists and one steal for Oklahoma, which outrebounded the Lady Vols, 47-34, and scored 14 points off 15 Tennessee turnovers.

Follow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Lady Vols suffer fourth consecutive loss Sunday at Oklahoma

Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini analyzed the team’s 3-0 victory over Cremonese at the Stadio Olimpico tonight.

“In the first half we struggled; Cremonese closed down well and it wasn’t easy. We weren’t able to be dangerous, then we put Cristante closer to Malen and the pressure increased. In the second half we created a lot.”

“I was hoping the team would react this way to my ideas. I began to expect it when I saw the boys’ reaction from the very first training sessions. I was absolutely convinced we’d do well, maybe not that well, but there’s always been a great spirit. “

“The team has a very solid group, and the young players are growing. In the first half of the season, the core played with great consistency and gave the young players the chance to shine.”

“Cristante also scored like this in Florence; it’s in his repertoire. Today we decided to send him to the near post, but we usually alternate. We were lacking goals from corners; we take a lot of them and hadn’t scored in a while. Today we kicked them well and moved well. Set pieces are a resource for all teams; we were a bit behind, but today we made up for it.”

“I’m fortunate to have already coached players like Dybala, Cristante, Mancini, and El Shaarawy. I have many leaders in the team, and they’ve inspired everyone. I’ve had great professional responses from everyone, even the new ones. The atmosphere was positive even before my arrival, thanks to Ranieri’s work, but they’ve always been extremely open to me.”

“The match against Juventus? Sunday is a very important match, and a win would be a big step forward. I’ve been to the Champions League five times with Atalanta and I’ve always won it at the end, at most with two games to spare. There are so many games left, and now there are teams coming from behind like Atalanta and Como, who are very dangerous. It will be a battle. This is a very important moment, and tonight’s victory is crucial to get us to the next matches with a small advantage that could be useful.”

HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i Rainbow Wahine beach volleyball team opens the 2026 season Thursday at the OUTRIGGER Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic at Queen’s Beach, and first-year head coach Danny Alvarez made it clear during Monday’s media availability — the expectations haven’t changed.Championships are still the standard. The only difference is the stage is set immediately. 

A Veteran Group Ready to Compete

When asked how it feels to finally reach opening week after six weeks of preseason training, Alvarez acknowledged both the length and value of the preparation period. Beach volleyball’s condensed ramp-up can feel long, but he believes this group has used it well.

The roster is heavy with seniors, redshirt juniors and graduate students — a veteran core that has created strong internal competition. In fact, Alvarez admitted depth may be one of the team’s biggest strengths and toughest challenges. There are, he said, “three or four girls that we think are really good that aren’t even going to make the lineup” — a sign of both talent and difficult decisions.The staff is “about 90 percent” settled on pairings, though weather, minor injuries and illness could still impact final tweaks. Continuity has helped. Some duos have prior experience together, and the Brazilian teammates on the roster grew up playing alongside each other, giving the team built-in chemistry across multiple flights.

The Standard at Hawai‘i

When asked about expectations in his first year back at the helm — and whether there’s added pressure as Athletic Director Matt Elliott’s first hire — Alvarez didn’t hesitate.“You come to the University of Hawai‘i to win championships,” he said.Alvarez previously coached in the program for nine seasons and believes the overall talent level mirrors past successful teams. The difference, he emphasized, will be execution. “We have talent… but we got to put it together” — from coaching adjustments to pair cohesion.He also spoke about Elliott’s support in an evolving NIL landscape. With other programs increasing scholarships and resources, Alvarez noted the importance of administrative backing as Hawai‘i works to stay competitive nationally.

Photo by Ku’ulei Agbayani, HSRN

Sarah Burton (21) & Caprice Lorenzo (24) during the 2025 OUTRIGGER Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic .

Growth Within the Roster

When asked which players have taken the biggest steps forward this offseason, Alvarez pointed to several key returners.Sarah Burton and Caprice Lorenzo, who competed at the No. 1 flight last season, have elevated their level and “really gotten very good”. Sophie Buschmann has settled into a more defined role as a blocker and “has played great”. Meanwhile, Sydney Miller, entering her fourth year, has provided steady leadership and consistency throughout the team environment.It’s the type of internal development Alvarez believes is necessary, especially with the caliber of opponents arriving in Waikiki this week.

 An Opening Weekend Like Nationals

The Duke Kahanamoku Classic will feature multiple Top-10 programs, including No. 1 UCLA and No. 2 Stanford, among others.Asked what it will be like to open his first tournament back against such elite competition, Alvarez leaned into the opportunity rather than shying away from it. Since his earlier tenure with the program, Hawai‘i has consistently scheduled national contenders. The difference this year is the concentration — many of the nation’s best programs converging in one weekend.He even suggested the field may rival — or exceed — the NCAA Championship in overall strength, noting that every team in the event sits near the top of the rankings.For Alvarez, this is precisely why players choose Hawai‘i. “You want to play against UCLA. You want to play against USC,” he said. The program isn’t interested in easing into the season — it wants to measure itself immediately. 

Photo by Ku’ulei Agbayani, HSRN

Sydney Miller battles at the net vs TCU during the 2025 OUTRIGGER Duke Kahanamoku Beach Classic.

Queen’s Beach as a Destination

Part of that draw is the venue itself. When asked how much Queen’s Beach has become a collegiate destination site, Alvarez shared that programs around the country are eager to secure spots in future editions of the event.With February weather, the Waikīkī backdrop and Hawai‘i’s status as the birthplace of beach volleyball, teams want to compete here. The Duke Kahanamoku Classic has evolved into more than an early-season tournament — it’s a showcase.Alvarez made it clear that if elite programs are coming to Waikiki, Hawai‘i intends to be at their level. 

Building for the Future — Keeping Local Talent Home

Looking beyond this weekend, Alvarez was also asked about recruiting and the importance of retaining local talent. With eight international players currently on the roster, he acknowledged the program’s global footprint but emphasized balance as a priority.“It’s a priority for me,” he said.Hawai‘i’s unique landscape presents recruiting challenges. While the state produces strong indoor players, beach-specific development opportunities are more limited, often centralized in a small pool of athletes. Alvarez said the goal is to project that talent and build a mix of four to five local standouts alongside international and mainland recruits.The message was clear: the BeachBows want to reflect the state while competing with the nation’s best.

In one fell swoop, Ryan Garcia became the “it” fighter at welterweight and erased all the doubts about him over the last three-plus years.

Garcia put on a clinic against Mario Barrios Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, dominating Barrios from the opening round and winning the WBC welterweight title.

Going into the bout, there were questions about which Garcia would show up: the fighter who won his first 23 bouts and an interim lightweight title in the process? Or the fighter who had gone 1-2-1 since then, had a victory changed to a no-contest after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, and who looked completely listless in his most previous bout last May, suffering a second-round knockdown and a unanimous decision loss?

Saturday night, the best version of “King Ryan” returned. And it didn’t take long to see it, as Garcia’s first two punches knocked down Barrios, setting the tone for Garcia to win an easy unanimous decision by scores of 119-108, 120-107 and 118-109.

And with that, Garcia can now call the shots at 147 pounds.

Following the bout, Garcia made it clear who he wants next:

"You know who I want? He's right there. So, Shakur Stevenson, let's go," Garcia said. "Hey, I want to be a great champion, and I'm not scared of s---. I fought Devin Haney. I'll fight Shakur Stevenson. I'll fight anybody."

While a bout between Garcia and Stevenson (who won a title in his fourth weight class on Jan. 31 with a near-shutout win over Teofimo Lopez Jr.) would be a huge draw, Garcia has other options. He can chase a rematch against Devin Haney, who holds the WBO welterweight title, or even go across the pond to battle British star Conor Benn.

Regardless, this much is clear: 

Garcia is in the driver’s seat at 147 pounds.

Zuffa’s Latest Major Signing: Benn

Speaking of Conor Benn, it was announced Friday that he had become the latest big-name fighter to sing with Zuffa Boxing.

 “I’m filled with excitement and hunger for what’s ahead with Zuffa Boxing,” Benn said in a press release. “I want the legacy fights, the biggest nights, the biggest stages. I fear no man at any weight, and I’m ready to give the fans the fights they’ve been calling for. I’m in my prime, and together we have bold, ambitious plans.”

Benn is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Chris Eubank Jr. in London last November, avenging a decision loss to Eubank the previous April. While both of those bouts took place at 160 pounds, Benn has said previously that he plans to return to welterweight.

“Conor Benn is an absolute beast and a superstar,” said UFC President and CEO Dana White. “He shows up every time and destroys people, and now some of the best fighters in the world are calling him out. He’s ready for a world title next and I can’t wait to see him compete in Zuffa Boxing. He’s going to be a huge addition to a growing stable of very talented boxers.”

Benn marks Zuffa’s latest major signing since adding Jai Opetaia, considered by many to be the best fighter at cruiserweight.

Jake Paul’s Lucky Jaw

Jake Paul may not realize it now, but the fact he has to have a second surgery on his broken jaw may be the best case scenario for him.

Paul recently announced on Instagram that he had a second surgical procedure on the broken jaw he suffered in his Dec. 19 knockout loss to Anthony Joshua, saying his plates were coming loose due to the fact he hadn’t been resting enough for the past two months.

After the first procedure on Dec. 20, Paul insisted he wouldn’t be out of action long. But with this latest procedure, he is sure to be out indefinitely.

And that’s a good thing.

First off, despite being dominated by Joshua, Paul earned respect for finally taking on a top-5 opponent and taking a beating for six rounds. The broken jaw he suffered only increased that respect. Ride the respect for a while. Don’t waste it by jumping back into the ring too quickly.

Second, there’s no need for Paul to rush into another fight right now. He should take some time off, let his body heal, and most importantly: let the boxing public forget about you for a while. Taking some extra time before coming back into the ring can sometimes be a good thing, especially when some of your bouts are considered spectacles. There’s nothing wrong with spectacles, but sometimes you need some time in-between before fans get excited for them again.

And finally:

Doesn’t Paul have a promotional company to run?

Nevin Barich is the Combat Sports Writer for The Sporting Tribune. 

Led by four class champions, Xavier won its sixth straight CIAC Class L wrestling title at Wilton Saturday with a score of 256 points. Josh Perez (106), Treydan Beam (113), Zack Nixon (120) and Braylon Gonzalez (144) all won titles for the Falcons, who are also four-time defending State Open champions.

Gonzalez won his fourth straight title and Nixon won his second.

“It’s a testament to the work the kids put in during the year in the wrestling room and the hard schedule we wrestle,” Xavier coach Mike Cunningham said. “It prepares us for this time of year.”

Bristol Eastern was the Class M runner-up behind Foran, which won the title with 203 points. Evan Martin won the 120 title with a pin and his Bristol Eastern teammate Ayden Davies won at 215 pounds.

Somers senior Will Accorsi, who won the Class S title at 120 pounds Saturday, was the State Open champion last year at 113 pounds and was named the MVP of the Class S boys state soccer championship game last fall after scoring two goals in a 3-1 win over Haddam-Killingworth.

CIAC Wrestling Class Championships

Class LL

at Trumbull High School

Top five team scores: 1. Ridgefield, 209; 2. Danbury, 176; 3. Southington, 173; 4. Trumbull, 168.5; 5. New Britain, 159.

Finals

106: Daniel Candullo, Pomperaug/Watertown/Naugatuck, dec. Skylar Napolitano, Glastonbury, 3-1; 113: Cole Desiano Ridgefield, pinned Edward Fioletov, Glastonbury, 1:04; 120: Gavin Donaldson, Staples, dec. Carter Lanzilli Ridgefield, 17-14; 126: Seamus Brannigan, Staples, tech fall Derek Rodriguez, Southington, 18-3, 5:09; 132: Dylan Meyers, Ridgefield, major dec. Ares Bourque Enfield, 14-2; 138: Mark Zolotarevsky, Greenwich, dec. Victor Velez, Danbury, 8-6; 144: John Carrozza, Ridgefield pinned Aiden Lucero, Stamford, 1:51; 150: Midgerson Gelin, Stamford dec. Leo Moore, Ridgefield, 8-5; 157: Jake Rivera, Southington dec. Em’rick Henry, Danbury, 6-0; 165: Evan Schibi, Gilbert/Torrington/Wolcott dec. Hubert Szymko Trumbull, 14-7; 175: Harrison Muller, Danbury major dec. Damian Rousseau, Staples, 10-0; 190: Noah Colon, Manchester, tech fall Wyatt Podielsky, Ridgefield, 17-2, 5:55; 215: Julian Rousseau, Staples, major dec. Benedetto Graziosi, Greenwich, 22-12; 285: Chase Galke, Shelton pinned Colin Falla, Greenwich, 0:53

Class L

at Wilton

Top five teams: 1. Xavier, 256; 2. Fairfield Warde, 183.5; 3. Newtown, 156; 4. East Lyme/Norwich Tech, 132; 5. New Milford, 131.5.

Finals

106: Josh Perez, Xavier tech fall Kody Dragon, Bristol Central, 20-3, 2:56; 113: Treydan Beam, Xavier dec. Owen Blair, Newtown, 5-3; 120: Zack Dixon, Xavier tech fall Joshua Ramos, Middletown, 17-1, 4:56; 126: Mael Pierre-Paul, Bunnell, dec. Alexander Depratti, Xavier, 15-4; 132: Jude Grammatico, Fairfield Warde, tech fall Mohammed Ramlek, Maloney, 17-1, 5:05; 138: Giuliano Sirianni, Simsbury, dec. Cayden Morin, Bunnell, 3-2; 144: Braylon Gonzalez, Xavier, pin Robert Perez, Cheshire, 1:16; 150: Isaiah McDaniel, Middletown, dec. Alex Lamarre, Bristol Central, 10-4; 157: Antonio Arguello, Newtown, pin Miles Wolfe, New Milford, 1:04; 165: Harry Marino, Conard, tech fall Evan Christianson, Wilton, 19-1, 3:28; 175: Jake Maddox, Newtown, dec. Vincent Rivera, Xavier, 12-7; 215: August Furman, Wilton dec. Cameron Gronholm, East Lyme/Norwich Tech, 8-0; 285: Jacob Palermo, East Lyme/Norwich Tech, pin Jaxon Yang, Windsor, 1:54.

Class M

at Guilford High

Finals

Top five team scores: 1. Foran, 203; 2. Bristol Eastern, 189.5; 3. Lyman Memorial/Windham Tech, 183; 4. Notre Dame-West Haven, 178.5; 5. Berlin, 137.

106: Sean Sevigny, Notre Dame-West Haven, pin Joshua Vernon, Branford, 3:11; 113: Collin Sullivan, Berlin pin Sawyer Miller, Foran, 1:52; 120: Evan Martin, Bristol Eastern pin Micah Vong, Bloomfield/Weaver/East Windsor, 3:29; 126: Mason Beecher, Avon, tech fall Caden Bell, RHAM, 17-2, 3:09; 132: Matt Bray, Brookfield/Shepaug dec. Landon Roy, RHAM, 9-0; 138: Alex Uzzo, Guilford, dec. Trevin Guardarrama, Bristol Eastern, 11-2; 144: Calvin Sammarco, Lyman/Windham Tech, pin Rowan Bodden, Foran, 0:44; 150: Thomas Mahon, Foran, pin Griffin Allen, Masuk, 0:59; 157: Riley Storozuk, Notre Dame-West Haven, tech fall Evan Kucenski, Bristol Eastern, 18-3, 4:19; 165: Tyquell Lucas, Foran, dec. Alphonse Milano, Notre Dame-West Haven, 21-7; 175: Andrew King, Hand, dec. Domenic Maturo, Branford, 13-4; 190: Lucas Judd, Lyman/Windham Tech pin Johnny Williston, North Haven, 1:23; 215: Aidyn Davies, Bristol Eastern dec. Aedan Webster, East Haven, 5-1; 285: Dorian Pollard, Bloomfield/Weaver/East Windsor pin Joseph Calandro, Branford, 1:28.

Class S

at Killingly

Top five team scores: 1. Waterford, 194; 2. Killingly, 193.5; 3. Ledyard, 188.5; 4. Plainville, 166; 5. Windham, 138.5.

Finals

106: John Bean, Stafford, pin Gavin Jonasch, Killingly, 5:36; 113: Peter Annis, Suffield/Windsor Locks, dec. George Jolley, Ledyard, 14-4; 120: William Accorsi, Somers, dec. Bradey Jonash, Killingly, 11-3; 126: Jack Gedney, Lewis Mills, dec. Delmazio Despard, Windham, 4-1; 132: Ryan McVeigh, New Fairfield dec. Noah Caisse, Ledyard, 11-0; 138: Lukas Boxley, Ledyard, dec. Ethan Bochman Rodriguez, Terryville/Thomaston, 14-2; 144: Benjamin Barlow, Granby/East Granby pin Collin Rhodes, Ledyard, 3:29; 150: Troy Torres-Morey, Windham, dec. Robert Kammerman, St. Joseph, 14-4; 157: Logan Martin, Sheehan dec. Laso Kelleh, Granby/East Granby, 15-9; 165: Exael Padilla, Killingly, pin Josue Lamb Alvarado, Plainville, 4:41; 175: Cooper Theriault-Dinelli, Plainville, dec. Joey Bernardi, Nonnewaug, 18-6; 190: Ruben Quinoz Torillo, Windham, dec. Maxwell Lipton, Weston, 12-5; 215: Taiyo Gemme, Old Lyme/Westbrook, pin Thomas Johnson, Canton, 3:40; 285: Yasin Afrailov, Suffield/Windsor Locks dec. Cooper Myers, Waterford, 8-1.

For the fourth time in his career, assistant coach John Morton will be part of a Sean Payton coaching staff. As reported by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN on Sunday, the Denver Broncos are expected to hire Morton as their passing game coordinator. He was with the Detroit Lions as offensive coordinator last season before being stripped of play-calling duties at mid-season and then fired at the end of the year.

Morton, 56, will be an assistant under Payton for the fourth time. He was part of Payton's first staff with the New Orleans Saints in 2006 as the passing game coordinator. After that season, Morton was an assistant with the USC Trojans and San Francisco 49ers before rejoining the Saints as a wide receiver coach from 2015 through 2016. Sean Payton brought Morton on as the pass game coordinator when he became the head coach of the Broncos in 2023.

However, Morton left Denver at the conclusion of the 2024 season to become offensive coordinator for the Lions under Dan Campbell, another former New Orleans Saints assistant coach. Campbell pulled play-calling responsibilities from Morton around mid-season, and Morton was relieved of duties altogether after Detroit finished a disappointing year. The Broncos brought Morton in as an offensive consultant for the playoffs, and are now prepared to elevate his position. Morton is the latest ex-Saints player or coach to join Payton in Denver after Ronald Curry recently signed up.

This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Sean Payton re-hires another former Saints coach in Broncos reunion

Strasbourg beat Lyon 3-1 to end the visitors' seven-match winning streak in Ligue 1 on Sunday, a result that dampens their outside shot at the title.

Lyon had won 13 consecutive games in all competitions but failed to equal the club record set in 2006.

Paulo Fonseca's side remain third on 45 points and nine back of league leaders and European champions Paris Saint-Germain. Lens are two points off the pace.

Lyon had early chances to take the lead but home side Strasbourg struck first when Martial Godo fired in his seventh goal of the season late in the first half.

They doubled that lead on 52 minutes with a long-range strike from Diego Moreira that took a wicked deflection.

Corentin Tolisso pulled one back for Lyon on the hour, but Strasbourg put the match to bed with Joaquin Panichelli's penalty seven minutes from time -- the Argentine forward's 13th league goal this term.

"We were too passive, but that's how football goes sometimes," Lyon defender Abner Vinicius said.

"We'll work it out and next week we'll be better."

Veteran striker Olivier Giroud's penalty gave Lille a 1-0 win at Angers which put them fifth and snapped a six-match winless streak in Ligue 1.

The 39-year-old former Arsenal and Chelsea forward fired a spot-kick into the bottom corner before the break to score his fifth league goal of the season.

A first win of 2026 sent Lille to within three points of Marseille and eight behind Lyon in the third and final direct Champions League qualifying spot.

"Above all it's three points but that will do us all a lot of good mentally," Lille captain Benjamin Andre said.

Fellow European hopefuls Rennes followed their 3-1 defeat of leaders Paris Saint-Germain last week with a 3-0 victory at Auxerre to stay level on points with Lille.

Nantes eased their relegation fears with a 2-0 home win over Le Havre, and Nice drew 3-3 with Lorient.

dmc/jc/mw

TAMPA, Fla. – Pungent sewage had the New York Yankees flowing across the street on Sunday morning, as the drainage issues that flooded parts of George M. Steinbrenner Field the previous day forced the Bombers to hold pregame workouts at their Himes player development complex before hosting the New York Mets.

The Sunday exhibition game took place at Steinbrenner Field as planned hours later. However, the Yankees had to spend the morning at Himes because wastewater seeped into sections of their clubhouse at GMS on Saturday. Other parts of the ballpark, including the exterior concourse and entrances, were also impacted by the filthy leaks, which stunk to high heaven.

On Sunday, Aaron Boone said it was “really bad” in some “sensitive areas” inside the Yankees’ clubhouse, but not to the extent that they had to rip up carpet, lockers and equipment. He added that while some issues still have to be resolved, day-to-day operations should be “normal” moving forward, including the use of clubhouse showers following Sunday’s game.

“I was surprised at how much they were able to kind of get things cleaned up and sanitized,” Boone said. “Credit to a lot of people who put in a lot of hours overnight and this morning. So hopefully we’re in a good position moving forward. We’ve probably got some longer-term things that gotta get fixed, but we should be in a good spot.”

With the Yankees still cleaning up their facilities on Sunday morning, the team took batting practice, worked on infield and outfield defense and shagged fly balls, among other baseball activities, at Himes. Former Yankee Bucky Dent, in camp as a guest instructor, was there to tutor Yankees infielders, including Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe.

Luis Gil, meanwhile, warmed up at Steinbrenner Field before starting against the Mets.

“Everyone handled it really well,” Boone said. “From staff to all the people behind the scenes, but then the players walking through it with a smile, with an energy, no complaining. I thought we got really good work in over there, so I’m happy with that, and it looks like we’re moving in a good direction now.”

Rice almost ready

Boone said that Ben Rice will make his spring debut on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The first baseman/catcher had been delayed getting into games after dealing with a cranky neck earlier this spring.

And what about Stanton?

Boone also said that Giancarlo Stanton is expected to make his spring debut right before or after the Yankees’ off day on March 2. The Yankees have traditionally taken their time getting the oft-injured designated hitter, who has lingering tennis elbows, into spring training games.

____

The Philadelphia 76ers have lost a season-high four in a row following Saturday's 126-111 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Sixers have been unable to find an offensive rhythm with Joel Embiid off the floor and are struggling in a number of areas.

Philadelphia had its chances on Saturday against the Pelicans as it held an 11-point lead in the third quarter, but New Orleans then got hot as it shot 12-for-20 from deep after halftime while the Sixers shot just 3-for-24 and it resulted in their fourth-straight loss.

Tyrese Maxey, who had 28 points, gave his thoughts on the skid and what the Sixers have to do to dig themselves out of this current rut.

"It's gonna take a lot," Maxey told reporters. "You dig yourself a hole, only us can climb ourselves out of it. You know what I mean? Like, we in this thing together through the highs and the lows. Through the peaks and the valleys. You know what I mean?"

The Sixers knew this 2025-26 season was going to be a challenging one between the time Embiid was going to miss. Throw in Paul George's recovery from surgery as well as his current 25-game suspension, and this has been a tough go at it for Philadelphia at the moment.

Good morning,

Here are the Sixers' league rankings since Feb. 5:

30th in assists per game

29th in 3P%

28th in offensive rating

28th in defensive rating

27th in FG%

25th in opp points per game

24th in points per game

Tied for the 4th-worst record in the NBA that time.

— Zach Ciavolella (Cha-vo-lel-la) (@CiavoNBA) February 22, 2026

"We said that since day one and it is what it is," Maxey added about sticking together. "We played a really good half, then we come out there. We played a good start, third, honestly. Then we got those bombs away, and they hit some shots, and it’s difficult to come back from that momentum swing. We tried to swing it back, but it was too late."

The Sixers will look to get back at it on Sunday when they play host to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Tyrese Maxey addresses 4-game losing skid for Sixers after latest loss

Anthony Hernandez's momentum toward a middleweight title shot was snuffed out in a big way by Sean Strickland in the UFC Fight Night 267 main event.

After surging up the ranking with an eight-fight winning streak, Hernandez (15-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC) looked to beat a former champion for the first time and secure a chance at gold against Strickland (30-7 MMA, 17-7 UFC) on Saturday at Toyota Center in Houston. It didn't play out that way because "Fluffy" had minimal success before being stopped by strikes in the third round.

A massive knee to the body from Strickland spelled the beginning of the end. Hernandez has been finished by body strikes in past fights, and analysts pinpointed that as a potential weakness that could be exposed. It was, and that's concerning for Hernandez going forward.

Hernandez now has a bigger target on that body than before, and against the upper tier at 185 pounds, he'll have to shore that up in a hurry. He vowed to get better in the aftermath of the fight defeat, where he was nothing but humble and made no excuses for what unfolded inside the octagon.

At 32, the story doesn't seem written on Hernandez just yet. This was a meaningful setback, but he appears to have the dedication to be better. The game plan and execution in this fight were questionable, and that's going to have to evolve if Hernandez wants to touch gold.

Hernandez still hasn't fought a number of top contenders in the division, and it would make sense for him to fight the winner of Reinier de Ridder (20-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) vs. Caio Borralho (17-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC), who meet next month at UFC 326 in Las Vegas. Or potentially Nassourdine Imavov (17-4 MMA, 9-2 UFC), who will need someone to fight if he's skipped over for a title shot against Khamzat Chimaev in favor of Strickland.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Houston matchmaker: Who's next for Anthony Hernandez after loss?

Gian Piero Gasperini didn’t expect his first Roma season to ‘go quite this well’ after catching Napoli in third, but warns the Champions League places ‘will be a battle to the end.’

The Giallorossi knew that other results had definitely gone their way this weekend, as Napoli, Milan and Juventus all lost, even if that allowed Como and Atalanta to close up towards the top five.

They took almost an hour to break Cremonese down at the Stadio Olimpico, eventually thanking two corners with a Bryan Cristante header and his flick on for Evan N’Dicka, before Niccolò Pisilli sealed the 3-0 result.

Gasperini surprised by Roma growth

ROME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: Evan Ndicka with his teammates of AS Roma celebrates after scoring the team’s second goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and US Cremonese at Stadio Olimpico on February 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

“We struggled in the first half, it wasn’t easy to break them down in the final third, but then we moved Cristante closer to Malen, scored on a corner, and it opened the floodgates,” Gasperini told DAZN Italia.

“I hoped that things would go well here. When I saw the reaction from these lads in the first few training sessions, I was convinced we’d do really well. Maybe not quite this well, but the spirit from the first days was ambitious, solid, and with many young players who are growing.

“Lads like Pisilli, Venturino, Ghilardi and Ziolkowski are maturing well, it’s very satisfying to see.”

Roma had not scored from a corner since the game against Lecce, when it was scored by Artem Dovbyk on January 6.

“Cristante had scored like that against Fiorentina, he has goals from set plays in his capabilities, we tend to alternate the movements on these dead ball situations. Apart from taking the kicks well today, I think we moved well too and created the space.

“I see a lot of teams getting goals from set plays this season, we were a bit behind, but caught up with two tonight.”

ROME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: Niccolo Pisilli of AS Roma celebrates after scoring the team’s third goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and US Cremonese at Stadio Olimpico on February 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

This victory was also achieved without injured Paulo Dybala, Matias Soulé, Artem Dovbyk, Evan Ferguson and Stephan El Shaarawy.

Mario Hermoso also pulled out in the warm-up with a muscular problem, replaced at the last minute by Daniele Ghilardi.

“I am fortunate to have a lot of senior players who helped me so much at the start, inspiring everyone else. They’ve been great professionals, the new arrivals also settled in well. Undoubtedly, it was a very positive atmosphere before I arrived, as Claudio Ranieri created the right situation here.”

ROME, ITALY – FEBRUARY 22: Donyell Malen of AS Roma in action during the Serie A match between AS Roma and US Cremonese at Stadio Olimpico on February 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

Roma are now in joint third place with Napoli and extend their advantage over Juventus in fifth place to four points, a precious cushion considering they go head-to-head with the Old Lady next weekend.

“Sunday will be a very important game, a win would be a big step forward. However, with my experience at Atalanta and qualifying five times in seven years for the Champions League, we pretty much always decided it in the final couple of rounds,” insisted Gasperini.

“There are teams coming up behind us too, like Atalanta and Como, so it will be a battle to the very end. This evening’s victory was necessary to give us a small advantage going into the next few weeks, which could yet prove decisive.”

Liverpool can't let Manchester United land a deal for a top-scoring winger. He's Liverpool through and through.

Manchester United are reportedly pursuing a deal for Anthony Gordon. That’s according to Teamtalk, who actually claim that they’re after Sandro Tonali as well.

Now, Newcastle United surely don’t sell both. That would gut their team and really end their chances of rebuilding properly after losing Alexander Isak last summer.

Still, Man United feel there’s some sort of chance here. Tonali was reportedly offered to Arsenal last month by intermediaries and while a deal was never anything like close, it does suggest that something is afoot here.

But it’s actually Gordon that we’d focus on. That would bet be truly shocking deal and quite honestly, it’s one that Liverpool simply can’t allow to happen.

Anthony Gordon to Liverpool is a must

The news that Man United want Gordon isn't a shock but it is a complication. The winger, after all, would be a dream signing for Liverpool's left flank.

He's a Scouser who grew up as a Liverpool fan, after all. Gordon was eager to complete a move to Anfield back in 2024, only for Newcastle to find a way to avoid any need to sell him.

Gordon subsequently struggled for form but it feels like he's found his feet once again. 10 goals in the UEFA Champions League is an extraordinary return - only Kylian Mbappe has more - and he's also the quickest winger in the competition this season.

Manchester City are currently up to their eyeballs in this season’s Premier League title race. After a tense weekend and their 2-1 victory over Newcastle at the Etihad on Saturday, Pep Guardiola’s side sits 5 points behind Arsenal in the Premier League table with a game in hand. City know if they win all of their remaining Premier League games, they’ll claim another Premier League title. The focus of many is on Manchester City’s bid to win the Premier League and three other trophies.

While Manchester City contend for multiple honours, there are two young players who figure prominently in City’s future, growing as players with every game they play in the Championship. Stephen Mfuni and Divine Mukasa are showing that they could one day join Pep Guardiola’s squad in the future and be ready to contribute.

Stephen Mfuni has once again shone for Watford this weekend.

Watford picked up a 2-0 win over Derby County in their Championship fixture earlier today. For Watford, Stephen Mfuni started at left-back. He again put in a strong performance across the full 90 minutes in a new role, as he displayed all of the traits that see him so highly regarded at Manchester City.

Defensively, Mfuni was extremely solid for Watford. He won 10/13 of his ground duels (statistics sourced from SofaScore) and he also read the game exceptionally well. Mfuni sensed danger when Derby attacked and his ability to read danger shone through. The young defender was also strong aerially and his contribution was an important factor in Watford keeping a clean sheet.

In possession, Mfuni was composed, and his strengths as a ball-playing defender rose to the fore. He completed 36/44 passes and attempted several long balls throughout the game. His radar was just off with his long balls, but the fact that Mfuni isn’t afraid to try them speaks to his talent and character. Mfuni’s all-around performance against Derby was very good, and the more he plays in the Championship, the more you can see him grow with every game.

Divine Mukasa has taken the lessons he learned at Manchester City to Leicester City.

On Saturday, Divine Mukasa scored a goal and grabbed an assist in Leicester City’s 2-all draw with Stoke. Mukasa played a key role for Leicester as they picked up a precious point to aid their bid to avoid relegation. Mukasa’s display showed that the lessons he’s learned at Manchester City are coming together on the pitch in the Championship.

Divine Mukasa played a key role for his team on Saturday. Taking his goal and assist out of the equation for a moment, he played a key role in many of Leicester’s attacks. Mukasa’s ability to hold up play and then release smart passes stood out, especially in the second half. Mukasa began or linked up many of the Foxes’ attacking moves. It was pleasing to see the young attacking midfielder play with such maturity in an advanced attacking role for his team.

For his goal, Divine Mukasa curled a cross into the area, which drifted into the far corner. It was a quality ball that was rewarded. Mukasa’s assist was sublime. His backheel set up Harry Winks to score. It was a clever piece of improvisation from the young attacking midfielder and showed his prodigious technical and tactical ability. Mukasa’s goal and assist were a fine reward for a fantastic overall performance from him for Leicester.

Final thoughts.

Divine Mukasa and Stephen Mfuni both put in strong and impressive performances in the Championship this weekend. Both players are growing by the game and if they can each maintain their impressive form, it won’t be a surprise to see both players contributing for Manchester City sooner rather than later.

The other day, transfer guru Ben Jacobs painted a clear picture of what Manchester United’s summer transfer window could look like.

Jacobs confirmed the obvious: United are keen to bolster their midfield, secure a perfect left winger, and also sign a replacement for Joshua Zirkzee.

Versatile left-back on the menu

However, he went on to specify another position INEOS are determined to strengthen, highlighting the unique player profile being targeted. He stated: “Manchester United are expected to target a versatile left-back.”

Yet, finding such a versatile option will not be as straightforward as simply identifying the need.

Players of this mould are rare. First, it must be decided whether this versatile left-back should also be capable of playing as a left-sided centre-back, or whether he should be able to push higher up the pitch and play as a winger.

Hints suggest the preference is for a left-back who can also play centre-back. After all, there is little need to sign one who plays further forward when Patrick Dorgu already offers that option.

Moreover, if Michael Carrick is handed the job, he would likely advocate for a full-back who can double up as a centre-back. There are notable similarities between Carrick and Ipswich’s Kieran McKenna, both of whom worked together as Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s assistants at United.

They share tactical tendencies: favouring full-backs who rarely join the attack, paired with wingers who are dominant on their natural foot. McKenna has often deployed Axel Tuanzebe at right-back alongside a right-footed winger. At the same time, Carrick has used Luke Shaw at left-back, who no longer ventures forward as much, and shown intent to play Dorgu as a left-footed winger.

Schlotterbeck perfect for United

Given this profile, United should not look past Nico Schlotterbeck.

The Borussia Dortmund star is fascinating and brutally complete. He is arguably the best left-footed left-back/left-sided centre-back in the Bundesliga, and one of the finest in the world.

Schlotterbeck boasts elite ball-playing abilities, clean and progressive build-up, leadership qualities, and Champions League pedigree. But beyond technical quality, he brings immense physical attributes: strong, tall, quick-footed, and capable of delivering dangerous crosses.

He would massively boost United’s athleticism, which many felt had faded, particularly under Ruben Amorim.

Indeed, among Europe’s top five leagues this season, only one defender has been rated higher than him: David Raum. Schlotterbeck has been consistently outstanding, which is why reports suggest Barcelona and Real Madrid are so keen on him.

But with United aspiring to have the best of the best, Schlotterbeck should be high on their list.

He could be the perfect Shaw alternative, the versatile left-back United crave, while allowing Dorgu to switch permanently to left wing, where he has already proven a massive hit.

Featured image Alex Grimm 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

Huachipato host Carabobo this Tuesday at the Estadio CAP of the Copa Libertadores.

In their last fixture, Huachipato won 2-1 against Palestino (Chilean League 2026). Last time out, Carabobo drew 1-1 against Metropolitanos FC (Liga Venezuela 2026).

Unavailable

Huachipato

Carabobo

Last starting XIs

Huachipato ( vs Palestino 2026-02-21): Rodrigo Odriozola, Nicolás Vargas, Benjamin Mellado, Rafael Caroca, José Castro, Javier Cárcamo, Maicol León, Santiago Silva, Kevin Altez, Maximiliano Rodríguez, Cris Martínez

Carabobo ( vs Metropolitanos FC 2026-02-20): Lucas Bruera, Franyer Oliveros, Marcel Guaramato, Jonathan Bilbao, Yohandry Orozco, Franner López, Sebastián Mendoza, Abraham Bahachille, Edson Tortolero, Joshuan Berríos, Jaime Moreno

Did you know...by playmaker stats

MANAGERS

• Jaime Garcia faced Daniel Farías on one occasion, recording a loss.
• Daniel Farías faced Huachipato on one occasion, recording a victory.
• Jaime Garcia faced Carabobo on one occasion, recording a loss.

TEAMS

• Away from home, Carabobo has gone two consecutive games without winning.
• Away from home, Carabobo has gone two consecutive games without losing.
• Carabobo has scored in four consecutive games.
• Carabobo has gone five consecutive games without losing.
• At home, Huachipato has scored in three consecutive games.
• At home, Huachipato has conceded goals in three consecutive games.
• At home, Huachipato has gone two consecutive games without losing.
• At home, Huachipato has two consecutive victories.

HEAD TO HEAD

• Huachipato and Carabobo have faced each other once, with Carabobo having the advantage: one win
• In the Copa Libertadores, a match was held between the two teams, with a victory for Carabobo

Saquon Barkley provides encouraging update about Eagles' new offense under Sean Mannion originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley provided an encouraging update on the  team’s new offense under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.

The Eagles needed a major change on offense after the disappointment that was the 2025 season, and it sounds like Mannion’ scheme will provide that.

Philadelphia also replaced longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland with Chris Kuper and brought in Ryan Mahaffey to serve as run game coordinator. 

"I'm super excited about it," Barkley said of the new-look offense. "I'm going on Year 9, which is crazy to say, and I've had a lot of different coaches and head coaches and been a part of a lot of systems. I don't think I really came across a system like this. For me, it's refreshing. You get something new. You get to learn something new.”

Mannion is Barkley’s third offensive coordinator since he signed with the Eagles in 2024, and he’s excited about the challenge of learning yet another new system.

More: Nick Sirianni releases statement regarding Eagles' decision to hire Sean Mannion

"I got to meet him. We didn't really talk about X's and O's and kind of just kept it introduction and got to meet a lot of the new guys on offense," Barkley said of Mannion. "As a competitor, you love it. You love the challenge of putting yourself in a new system and doing the things that you do really well, and also things that you need to improve on and that they're going to challenge us to do.

"I feel like if we are able to have that mindset as an offense and buy into that, I think the sky's the limit."

So, what went wrong for Philadelphia’s offense last year? Barkley pointed to a lack of consistency. But, he’s optimistic that it was an issue that the team can learn from and improve upon moving forward.

"At the end of the day, we just weren't consistent enough throughout games," Barkely said. "That's something that we have to challenge ourselves to get ready for next year. We made a lot of changes on offense with the coaching staff, so excited to get in the building and learn something new and just go out on the field and put last year in the past.”

After running for over 2,000 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2024, Barkley tallied just 1,140 rushing yards and 7 TDs last season. He’ll look to try to get back closer to have 2024 production next season.

More Philadelphia Eagles news: 

• Lane Johnson makes final decision regarding his future with Philadelphia Eagles
• Philadelphia Eagles predicted to retain key contributor in free agency
• Eagles urged to avoid former Pro Bowl cornerback in free agency 

Michigan State basketball hosted Ohio State on Sunday afternoon, where the Spartans narrowly defeated the Buckeyes, 66-60. While the Spartans played host to the Buckeyes, they also played host to one very important recruit.

According to a report from 247Sports' Justin Thind, Jaxson Davis was on campus visiting the Spartans, and watching them defeat Ohio State. A 6-foot point guard from Gurnee, Illinois, Davis won the 2025 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year as a sophomore last year.

He currently ranks as a four-star prospect and the No. 41 overall prospect, while being the No. 11 point guard in the 2027 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.

Davis holds offers from Arizona State, DePaul, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Marquette, Michigan, Missouri, Northwestern and Purdue.

NEWS: #MichiganState hosted 2027 four-star Jaxson Davis on a visit today, per source.

Davis won 2025 Illinois Gatorade POTY as a sophomore last year & has offers from Purdue, Illinois, Michigan & others.

Got to watch MSU beat Ohio State today.

Article: https://t.co/Gz5rdYl8ZEpic.twitter.com/UwmlNWBT2S

— Justin Thind (@JustinThind) February 22, 2026

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Rex_Linzy

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Michigan State basketball hosted an elite 2027 guard on Sunday

AC Milan slumped to a surprise 1-0 home loss to Parma on Sunday to leave city rivals Inter 10 points clear at the top of Serie A, after Napoli lashed out at the refereeing following defeat at Atalanta.

Parma defender Mariano Troilo's late header condemned second-placed Milan to a damaging loss in the title race, capping a week in which they also dropped points in a draw with Como.

Massimiliano Allegri's side had seen Inter stretch their lead with a 2-0 win over Lecce on Saturday, but could not respond as they suffered their first league defeat since the opening weekend of the season.

"We are not happy, obviously," assistant coach Marco Landucci, standing in for the suspended Allegri, told Sky Sport.

"Parma played very well and the ball just didn't want to go in for us tonight. We wanted the three points, so of course we feel let down, but we go again."

Milan, who lost Matteo Gabbia to a muscle problem in the warm-up, suffered another blow early on at the San Siro when Ruben Loftus-Cheek had to be stretchered off with a head injury.

The England midfielder was carried from the field wearing a neck brace after colliding with Parma goalkeeper Edoardo Corvi.

Italian media reported that Loftus-Cheek would need dental treatment and undergo tests in hospital for possible head trauma.

Milan almost found a breakthrough in the 36th minute when Alexis Saelemaekers picked out Christian Pulisic, but the American winger's shot was kept out by Corvi.

Pulisic fired a better chance narrowly wide on the stroke of half-time.

Milan pushed for a winner in the second period but struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Parma caught them cold in the 80th minute as Troilo headed in, although the goal was initially disallowed for a foul by Lautaro Valenti on goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

But after a lengthy VAR review, the referee overturned his decision to leave Milan's title hopes hanging by a thread.

- Napoli blast 'shameful' refereeing -

Napoli hit out at "shameful" refereeing after slipping to a 2-1 loss at top-four rivals Atalanta.

Raffaele Palladino's side extended their unbeaten run in the league to nine matches with an impressive second-half fightback.

Atalanta remain seventh in the table and are five points back of Napoli and Roma, in the race for next season's Champions League.

Roma moved up to third with a 3-0 home win over Cremonese courtesy of second-half goals from Bryan Cristante, Evan Ndicka and Niccolo Pisilli.

Injury-hit reigning champions Napoli slid to fourth, now points 14 adrift of Inter. 

Napoli were incensed after having a penalty award overturned and then a goal disallowed in the first half.

"Where is the foul? The VAR called him on the penalty, why not on this? It's embarrassing," Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna told DAZN.

"There has to be a review of this because every week a club ends up here protesting about decisions.

"All we want is what is right, what is ours, but this is not right, and it is not football. It's shameful, I have no more words."

Atalanta will turn their attentions to next week's Champions League knockout play-off second leg against Borussia Dortmund, when they will attempt to overturn a 2-0 deficit in Bergamo.

The visitors grabbed an early lead when Sam Beukema, one of three Napoli players left completely unmarked, headed in Miguel Gutierrez's free-kick.

Atalanta levelled just after the hour mark when Mario Pasalic flicked a header into the corner from Nicola Zalewski's corner.

The home team completed the turnaround with nine minutes remaining as Lazar Samardzic sent a looping header into the far corner from Lorenzo Bernasconi's cross.

jc/mw/dmc

If you are a Baltimore Ravens fan and you expected the team to make major changes this offseason, you will more than likely be disappointed. 

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta made it clear in a recent interview on the Inner Circle Podcast that the team will not be making any major moves this offseason in free agency.

“I don’t get as involved with free agency, so I’m not gonna spend as much time… we don’t spend a lot of money in free agency…we’ve never been a free agency team. We’re a draft and develop team.”

That’s interesting, considering that not that long ago, the Ravens went out and signed future Hall of Fame running back Derrick Henry, which turned out to be a success.

Decades before that, the team also signed Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, but that was under former GM Ozzie Newsome.

The fact that the team would rather take their chances in this year’s draft is an interesting take, considering there are a lot of glaring spots that need to be filled. One of them is at wide receiver. 

DeCosta said they wouldn’t spend much in free agency, but he didn’t say they wouldn’t be looking into trades. So maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel for Ravens’ fans. 

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Ravens GM says team won’t be making a lot of moves during free agency

Arsenal responded to Manchester City applying pressure in the Premier League title race with a 4-1 destruction of Tottenham in the north London derby for the second time this season.

The Gunners stretched their advantage over City, who beat Newcastle 2-1 on Saturday, back to five points.

City, however, still have the destiny of the title in their own hands with a game in hand and home advantage when the top two meet in April.

In the battle for a place in the Champions League it was a good weekend for Liverpool, despite a poor performance in their 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, while Chelsea and Aston Villa dropped points at home.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points from the Premier League weekend:

Eze, Gyokeres prove their worth

Two of the big money signings Arsenal made last summer to finally get them over the line to win a first title in 22 years did the damage on another painful day for Spurs.

Eberechi Eze was destined for a move to Tottenham until the Gunners swooped in at the last minute to bring him back to his boyhood club.

The England international has scored six Premier League goals since, five of which have come against Spurs.

Eze has struggled to break into Mikel Arteta's side in recent weeks despite injuries to Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz.

But on his return to the team, he struck twice to add to his hat-trick in Arsenal's first 4-1 derby win of the campaign in November.

Viktor Gyokeres has started to hit his stride since the turn of the year, but has still been criticised for failing to impact big games.

Of the Swede's 10 league goals, only one -- from the penalty spot against Everton -- has come against a team in the top half.

But with Arsenal in desperate need of a response after disappointing draws at Brentford and Wolves allowed City to close in, Gyokeres chose a fine time to produce his best performance since joining from Sporting Lisbon.

"For me, the best, the most complete (performance)," said Arteta.

"When we needed him most. That is when big players and big clubs have to stand up."

O'Reilly - City's homegrown star

City kept up the chase of the leaders thanks to two goals from Nico O'Reilly.

The 20-year-old made his breakthrough into the team deputising at left-back, but has been pushed forward into his more natural midfield role in recent weeks.

Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki were among those left on the bench against Newcastle as Pep Guardiola has shown his faith in O'Reilly.

"Nico give us in the middle that physicality that we need. He now plays in his position," said Guardiola. 

"He has always played that, he is so complete and so young."

Capped by England boss Thomas Tuchel earlier in the season, O'Reilly is making his case for a place at the World Cup hard to ignore.

Chelsea 'set fire to four points'

Chelsea's inability to defend a lead for the second consecutive home game left boss Liam Rosenior enraged.

The Blues led second-bottom Burnley from the fourth till the 93rd minute after Joao Pedro's early opener.

But their wastefulness in front of goal cost them as Zian Flemming headed in from a corner in stoppage time.

"We've set fire to four points from two home games," said Rosenior. "It's not good enough for a club of this level for me to say we were the better team."

Chelsea edge into the top four but above Manchester United and Liverpool only on goal difference after a kind run of fixtures to begin Rosenior's reign.

They face Arsenal, Aston Villa, Newcastle and City in their next five league games.

kca/jc

Neymar played the full 90 MINUTES for the first time in 2026, but Santos was eliminated by Novorizontino in the quarter-finals of the Paulistão.

The Peixe conceded a goal in the last minute by Léo Naldi and lost 2-1.

Earlier, Rômulo (Novorizontino) and Gabriel Bontempo (Santos) had found the net.

With the victory, Novorizontino joins Palmeiras and São Paulo in the semifinals. Portuguesa and Corinthians will decide the last spot.

How the game went 👀

Santos even had the opportunity to take the lead. In the best chance, Rony shot with the goalkeeper "beaten," but the defense cleared it off the line.

Later, Neymar made a passing error while exiting the ball. Novorizontino capitalized and opened the scoring with Rômulo at 46.

Santos improved in the second half and equalized with Gabriel Bontempo from a shot at the edge of the box.

After that, the game went back and forth, with chances for both sides. Novorizontino took advantage in the LAST MINUTE with Léo Naldi.

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

Bengals reportedly considering bold trade decision with 81-sack All-Pro pass rusher originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cincinnati Bengals are set up to add a lot of talent to their defense this offseason. While the offense is mostly set, the defense needs a lot of help.

But, before the Bengals can begin adding players in free agency, in trades, and in the NFL Draft, they need to make a big decision on their 81-sack All-Pro pass rusher, Trey Hendrickson.

According to Tony Pauline of Essentiallysports.com, the Bengals are reportedly considering making a bold tag-and-trade decision with Hendrickson.

Bengals considering bold Trey Hendrickson trade decision

"While there have been several predictions where Hendrickson could sign in free agency," Pauline writes, "people with knowledge of the situation tell me that it's not out of the question that Cincinnati will attempt to tag and trade the nine-year veteran."

Hendrickson is set to be a free agent this offseason, but the Bengals instead could franchise tag him to a one-year deal worth around $30 million, and then trade him.

While Hendrickson could come back to the Bengals, with how last year's negotiations went, the more likely outcome is that the Bengals will let him go this offseason.

Whether it's simply letting him walk in free agency or if the Bengals tag and trade him to a new team, the 31-year-old veteran looks to be headed to a new team this offseason.

More: Bengals could upgrade safety room amid strong fit with Chiefs' Super Bowl champion

There are plenty of teams that need pass-rush help and would likely be willing to give up decent draft capital to add Hendrickson in a trade.

While it would be ideal for a team to sign him, the Bengals having the franchise tag at their disposal doesn't bode well for Hendrickson hitting the open market.

This report from Pauline indicates the Bengals are, at the very least, considering a tag and trade. It's a risky move, as they might not find a trade suitor that makes it worth it.

There's no bigger decision for the Bengals to begin the offseason than what they do with Hendrickson. An extension doesn't look likely, while a tag and trade or letting him walk seem to be the most likely outcomes with Hendrickson this offseason.

More Bengals news:

• Bengals announce re-signing of CB, RB to one-year deals before free agency
• Bengals linked to free agent All-Pro Bears safety who led NFL in interceptions in 2025
• Bengals are best landing spot for Jaguars LB who had 99-yard pick-six off Patrick Mahomes
• Bengals are best fit for Chiefs' free agent 250-pound, 218-tackle linebacker
• Bengals expected to make interesting Trey Hendrickson trade decision
• Bengals trade idea lands Cowboys DT recently acquired in blockbuster trade for cheap
• Why Bengals should prioritize Joe Flacco over Trey Hendrickson in free agency

Eberechi Eze's Arsenal career had gone into something of a dip since he made himself a hero with that treble against Spurs in December – but what a time for the 27-year-old England forward to bounce back to his best.

Since that hat-trick, Eze had featured in all 15 of Arsenal's subsequent league games, but had made only four starts and played 360 minutes before this derby.

And, under the watchful eye of England head coach Thomas Tuchel, he delivered a reminder of his quality with perfect timing, just when Arsenal needed it most.

The pressure was on the Gunners after that Molineux slip, with Manchester City scenting blood and Arsenal's nerve under pressure being questioned once more.

The fact that the examination came at Spurs who, despite their struggles, had new manager Tudor on the sidelines, made the assignment potentially more hazardous.

Arsenal were set back when Spurs equalised, but this was a calm and highly-competent display which will be even more pleasing for Mikel Arteta with Gyokeres, who has had his critics, adding two fine finishes of his own.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

And the Jacksonville Jaguars are paying high compliments to the Los Angeles Rams by emulating their entire approach to team building and the offseason.

Jacksonville hired a former Sean McVay assistant. Their general manager, James Gladstone, was Les Snead’s understudy. Now the Jaguars also won’t attend the NFL Scouting Combine, which is a practice the Rams have done for years although it still hasn’t caught on a widespread basis around the league:

ESPN’s Michael DiRocco recently explained why Gladstone and Coen won’t be at the 2026 NFL combine:

“All those workouts, the weight lifting, on the field, that will be taped and sent back to every single team, so the Jaguars don’t feel like their brass needs to be in Indianapolis,” said DiRocco. “They can evaluate the players based on what they see on the film, and they’d rather rely on their scouting reports and the information their scouts have gathered on the players over the last several years.

The Rams maintain that the most valuable element of the combine is the medical testing. Both teams will send their medical teams to the event in order to put prospects through the gauntlet and potentially uncover red flags that will take them off draft boards.

But it appears neither team plans to put much weight behind the actual testing of the prospects. We know the Rams use this as a reference point but prioritize GPS data from games and practices as a true measure of athleticism. Years of game tape outweigh the importance of one great time in the 40-yard dash, at least from the Rams’ perspective.

But one problem with the Jaguars borrowing LA’s approach is that it could lead to them often targeting the same players. Liam Coen runs a similar offensive scheme to McVay. Gladstone understands what Snead values in a prospect and vise versa. They are largely looking for the same skillsets and depending on how the board falls this could be detrimental to one of these teams.

It’s great that the Rams continue to have success. Teams across the NFL are attempting to follow their lead and formula, though none are taking it to the same extent as the Jaguars.

If the recent reports from Mexico (as cited by The Scottish Sun) are true, Celtic are keeping close tabs on Armando Gonzalez and have sent scouts to monitor his progress ahead of a potential summer move. But the Hoops are not alone in the race, with Barcelona and West Ham also in the mix for the Chivas Guadalajara hitman, The Daily Record understands.

The 22-year-old Mexico international spent his youth years at Real Aguascalientes and Chivas before joining Tapatío in the second tier. There, he made his senior debut in November 2020, but eventually returned to his boyhood club ahead of the 2023-24 season.

After sporadic top-flight appearances over the past two seasons, Gonzalez finally broke through last year, scoring 12 goals in the Apertura 2025 season. He won the Golden Boot (jointly with Paulinho and João Pedro), being their highest scorer, and was awarded the Liga MX MVP for his emergence in Mexican football.

ZAPOPAN, MEXICO – FEBRUARY 14: Armando Gonzalez of Chivas celebrates after scoring the team’s first goal during the 6th round match between Chivas and America as part of the Torneo Clausura 2026 Liga MX at Akron Stadium on February 14, 2026, in Zapopan, Mexico. (Photo by Simon Barber/Getty Images)

The young centre-forward has maintained his exquisite scoring record in the Clausura with five goals in six games. He rejected a £14m move to the Russian giants CSKA Moscow last year, but is destined for a summer exit amid growing interest from several European outfits, including the Glasgow giants.

Why Gonzalez Would Fit In Celtic Attack

Gonzalez is known as ‘La Hormiga’ (The Ant) in Mexico for his small physique, but a persistent, high-energy style of play. His relentless work ethic and bustling movements across the frontline should see him flourish in the modern-day game. He is also aggressive enough to attune to the grind and demands of the Scottish game.

Celtic will go through a transition in the summer, with the board set for a fresh managerial appointment, beyond Martin O’Neill’s interim stint until the end of the current campaign. They must make decisions on several loan signings, as well as a few contract extensions, including attacking reinforcements Tomas Cvancara, Junior Adamu and Kelechi Iheanacho.

Meanwhile, the Bhoys banked on Iheanacho high up the pitch following his Bosman arrival in September. But the Nigerian has missed months of action due to persistent injury woes, thus forcing the club to loan in Cvancara and Adamu in the winter window. They must splash £7m and £4.3m, respectively, to tie them down on permanent terms; however, the ‘number 9’ pair have yet to impress enough to justify the price tag.

Although Daizen Maeda is in dreadful form, the Japanese ace and his fellow countryman Kyogo Furuhashi have been the most prolific goal scorers in recent times. Gonzalez’s style of play resembles that of Furuhashi and Maeda, and it remains to be seen whether the board prefers him over the current options, who have a different profile than the Mexican talent.

The late "Macho Man' Randy Savage's storied history with WWE lasted nearly a decade, despite a sometimes contentious relationship with Vince McMahon. Savage ultimately began to work in the ring less and less before jumping ship to WCW in 1994, where he wrapped up his career before a brief return stint in TNA back in 2004.

Looking back at Savage's final tenure with WWE, specifically the lack of wrestling he did before leaving the promotion, Bruce Prichard revealed exactly what happened on "Something to Wrestle." "That is a narrative that's been out there for a long time: oh, Randy wanted to work, we didn't want him to work," Prichard recalled of Savage's in-ring slowdown. "I am telling you from 100% personal experience with Randy Savage, from Randy's own mouth: 'I don't want to take anymore bumps, I want to work behind the scenes, I want to be over here doing this."

According to Prichard, Savage had emphasized to WWE officials that he'd rather begin wrestling less and working behind the scenes more often. However, it seems that Savage had a different story for WCW officials after he made the jump, and he upped his wrestling schedule once again while telling them that WWE wanted to use him less often.

"He wanted to work behind the scenes, he liked his gig – or least he told us that he liked his gig as a commentator," Prichard added. "He'd moved to Stamford so that he could be in the office, so that he can be there every day. That doesn't sound like a guy that wants to go out on the road and work all the time."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Something To Wrestle" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Read more: Times Wrestlers Got In Trouble For Breaking Kayfabe

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Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

Bottom side Heidenheim held fourth-placed VfB Stuttgart to a 3-3 draw in a hectic Bundesliga match on Sunday.

Chris Führich gave Stuttgart the early lead in the fifth minute, but the hosts were level in the 20th after Sirloid Conteh's pass was deflected into Eren Dinkçi's path and he fired it into the top corner.

Heidenheim then took the lead after some chaotic scenes.

Ermedin Demirović appeared to have retaken the lead for Stuttgart, but his goal was ruled out because Maximilian Mittelstädt fouled Dinkçi in the box at the other end in the build up.

After video review, the referee not only disallowed Stuttgart's goal, but gave Heidenheim a penalty, converted by Arijon Ibrahimovic in the 34th.

Stuttgart, however, got a penalty themselves after Conteh brought down Bilal El Khannouss in the area and Mittelstädt had the ball into the net in the 44th to make up for his previous mistake.

Mittelstädt almost got a brace but hit the post in the 53rd, while Demirovic had another goal ruled out in the 75th.

Heidenheim then thought they had the win when Alexander Nübel denied Ibrahimovic, but Conteh scored on the rebound in the 82nd.

But Stuttgart were level again thanks to Deniz Undav's effort in the 88th.

Both sides had enough chances to find a winner in stoppage-time, but were forced to share the points in the end.

"It was an intense game with many chances on both sides, we had one or two more. We could have made more today," Mittelstädt told broadcaster DAZN.

Demirovic said "it hurts a lot" to have two goals ruled out.

"Unbelievable, I don't know what to say, it hurts a lot. It's a joke that so many things have been trusted to a computer, and one cannot make decisions themselves anymore," he added.

On Heidenheim's side, Dinkçi said that the team can be inspired by the performance for the upcoming matches.

"We can work with that, we scored three goals. Of course, we also conceded three but it gives us courage for the next weeks," he said.

Ginter scores against ex-club to help Freiburg to 2-1 win

Matthias Ginter scored against his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach to help his current team Freiburg claim a 2-1 win.

Ginter didn't celebrate after he broke the deadlock in the 38th, volleying it home after Gladbach's Kevin Diks inadvertently flicked a long throw to him.

They doubled their lead in the 74th, after Gladbach lost the ball in midfield. Maximilian Eggestein's low cross was palmed by goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas into the path of Igor Matanovic, who tapped the ball into the empty net.

Gladbach had a goal ruled out in the 83rd and still pulled one back two minutes later through Haris Tabarovic, but despite late pressure couldn't find an equalizer.

"The defeat really hurts. In the closing stages, we tried everything to force an equalizer – and we did that pretty well. But overall it wasn’t enough," Tabarovic said.

Freiburg are seventh, six points from the European spots, while Gladbach are 14th, just two points from the relegation zone.

Goalkeeper blunder helps St Pauli beat Bremen

St Pauli Hamburg prevailed 2-1 against Werder Bremen as both teams battle against relegation.

Hauke Wahl's header slipped through the hands of keeper Mio Backhaus and rolled into the net to give St Pauli the lead in the 55th.

Substitute Jovan Milosevic needed only two minutes on the pitch to hit back for Bremen in the 62nd, but Joel Chima Fujita scored his first goal for St Pauli to secure the win.

St Pauli are the first team in the relegation zone on 20 points, with Bremen one point behind.

On Saturday, Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga table with a 3-2 win against Eintracht Frankfurt and thanks to Borussia Dortmund's 2-2 draw with RB Leipzig.

Bayern now have an eight-point advantage over Dortmund ahead of their clash next weekend.

Why isn't Draymond Green playing today? Warriors forward a late scratch vs. Nuggets originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Warriors are already short-handed without their brightest star, Stephen Curry. 

Now, they're missing another core veteran in Draymond Green for a marquee Sunday matchup against the Denver Nuggets.

It was an unexpected announcement that came just moments before tipoff. 

Why isn't Draymond Green playing vs. the Nuggets?

Draymond Green was ruled out with a lower back issue, per the Warriors. The announcement came just minutes before tipoff in the Bay Area. 

Draymond had played the previous two games since the All-Star break. In a moment's notice, he popped up on the injury report as out. 

Some fans are theorizing the Warriors are tanking or that Draymond just doesn't want to play without Steph.

Draymond Green (Steph Curry) ruled out pic.twitter.com/owCeq5VuzU

— aly ✶ (@jinthirty) February 22, 2026

Draymond, 35, is also a veteran that needs more rest and maintenance days as the years pass. 

Chances are this injury is not serious but it is strange that he was ruled out at the very last moments before tipoff. 

Warriors fans should continue to monitor the situation moving forward.

MORE: Why Steph Curry isn't playing today for Warriors with injury news, possible return timeline 

The old adage is that pitching wins. For the No. 3 Texas Longhorns, the pitching doesn’t jump out as especially elite according to stats. It’s certainly effective enough to back up the strong UT offense, though.

That offense dominated No. 15 Arizona softball 12-2 in five innings on Sunday morning at the DeMarini Invitational in Stanford, Calif. It was once again inaccessible to fans across the country unless they were in the stadium or listening to Texas radio.

The Longhorns used a huge third inning to bust open the game. They put one run up in the first while squandering a prime opportunity to take a stranglehold out of the gate. Arizona returned the favor by squandering a runner at third with no outs in the second and a runner at second with one out in the third.

That’s when Texas pounced. The Wildcats used three of their four pitchers in the third inning. None was very effective.

It started with a leadoff walk and a double to put two in scoring position with no outs against Arizona starter Rylie Holder. That ended her day.

Holder would take the loss to drop to 3-1. She was charged with 3 runs (2 earned) in 2.0 innings pitched. She gave up 5 hits and 2 walks.

Jalen Adams came in to try to keep the runners from scoring. A fielder’s choice that didn’t record an out loaded the bases, then Adams hit the next batter.

The Texas radio play-by-play announcer has mentioned that some of the Longhorns crowd the plate, but only people in the stadium know if that was the case in this situation. Regardless, Adams has hit 11 batters so far this season. Four of them were in the UT lineup. This time it forced a run in to start a 10-run inning for the Longhorns.

Two singles and a fielder’s choice scored three more runs for Texas. That brought up Ashton Maloney with one out. She worked a walk from a 3-2 count, but the Texas play-by-play thought one of those balls was a strike. There was no way for anyone outside Stanford’s stadium to know, of course.

Besides, it didn’t matter. The walk forced in the fifth run in the inning. The Longhorns were only halfway done with the damage.

Another double scored the sixth run, then Adams walked a batter. That was it for her. She gave up seven runs on four hits in 0.1 innings. She walked one and hit a batter.

Sarah Wright entered the game for Adams. She was the third Arizona pitcher of the inning. She gave up two singles that scored three more runs, but all of them were charged to Adams.

The Wildcats finally stopped squandering offensive chances in the top of the fourth. Emma Kavanagh and Sydney Stewart walked to start the inning. After a Kez Lucas strikeout, Tayler Biehl stepped into the box.

After hitting in the three and five holes this season, Biehl was moved down to seven for this game. Perhaps it would help the bottom of the order, which has been scuffling.

It helped this time. Biehl’s double drove in Kavanagh and Stewart. Arizona was finally on the board, although it trailed 11-2.

Two straight flyouts stranded Biehl in scoring position. Arizona was 1 for 10 with runners on base, 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position, and 0 for 4 with runners on third with less than two outs. Biehl was the lone hitter to do something when her teammates got on ahead of her.

Biehl has been an effective run producer for the Wildcats this year despite having the lowest slugging percentage of Arizona’s top five RBI hitters. She was third on the team coming into the game with 14 RBI. Her .479 SLG% trails even Sereniti Trice’s .654. Trice is just ticks below Grace Jenkins, who has a .659 SLG%. Kavanagh leads the team with a .793 SLG% and a 1.234 OPS.

Texas was still well within run-rule territory after Arizona put its two runs on the board. The Longhorns made sure they stayed that way.

UT added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth. Caigan Crabtree was credited with a leadoff double that might have been held to a single if the ball had come in quicker from left field. A single two batters later put runners on the corners with one out. The Longhorns played effective small ball by using the groundout to get in another run-rule insurance run.

Arizona had the top of its lineup slated for the top of the fifth. They went down on two strikeouts and a groundout to end the inning.

Wright threw 1.2 innings, giving up 2 earned runs on 4 hits and 2 walks.

Teagan Kavan came in with a 2.41 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Her ERA actually went up to 2.53 and her WHIP rose to 1.25 after facing Arizona despite the dominant game. She went 4.0 innings against Arizona with two earned runs on four hits and two walks. She struck out five, often coming up with big strikeouts when she was threatened.

Kavan started all three games against ranked opponents at the DeMarini Invitational, going 3-0. She is 6-0 on the season.

Hannah Wells finished things out in the circle for the Longhorns. She struck out two of the three batters she faced and gave up no runs on no hits and no walks.

The loss gives Arizona a 2-4 record against top 15 teams and a 12-5 record overall. All four of the ranked losses came against teams ranked in the top five by the NFCA. The other loss was to Coastal Carolina, which won the Sun Belt Tournament and made the NCAA postseason last year with a 42-19 record.

Arizona returns home for its final preconference tournament next week. It will face Eastern Illinois, Minnesota, and Howard once each. It will also play Long Beach State twice. The Beach lost to Oregon State twice, dropped a game to Utah, were defeated by UTSA, and couldn’t overcome BYU, but they beat Oklahoma at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday. The Hillenbrand Invitational gets started on Thursday.

Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield plays down tension with Kevin Stefanski originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

We remember when Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield reacted to his former head coach, Kevin Stefanski, becoming the Atlanta Falcons' head coach, don't we?

Mayfield famously said he was still waiting for a text message from Stefanski to tell him he had been moved on from the Cleveland Browns, and Baker even said he was shipped off like a piece of garbage.

So that seems like there is a lot of tension, at least from Baker's side, toward Stefanski.

Well, it appears that those feelings might be subsiding as Mayfield, in a talk with Sports Illustrated back at the Super Bowl, downplayed it.

"There's stuff there, but it's not like its beef," Mayfield said via Sports Illustrated. "We've worked together, anytime you know somebody, you want to beat them whether it's a good or bad relationship."

More:Buccaneers tipped for 2026 bounce-back with Baker Mayfield

Bucs/ Falcons rivalry heating up

With Stefanski now in Atlanta, he will see Baker twice a year for the foreseeable future, adding another layer to the NFC South rivalry.

The Bucs are coming off a year that saw them go 5-1 before stumbling to an 8-9 record and missing the playoffs.

The Falcons stormed home, winning their last four games to finish 8-9 as well, so 2026 looms as a tough assignment for teams in the division.

And with Baker and Stefanski's "history," it will make Tampa Bay vs. Atlanta box office viewing.

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What the Los Angeles Rams do to replace quarterback Matthew Stafford will be the big question that needs to be answered. Stafford is back in 2026, but this could certainly be the legendary passer's final year in the league before he rides into the sunset.

So, now, many have wondered what the Rams will do once Stafford is gone. And, more importantly, when. The Rams have two first-round picks in 2026, so it stands to reason the team could find Stafford's replacement this year and have him develop for a season before he takes over next year.

NFL commentator Colin Cowherd doesn't like that idea, though. He said on his show this week that the Rams shouldn't draft a quarterback in 2026 and instead focus on drafting players to add around Stafford to make a Super Bowl run.

"Don’t worry about a quarterback. It’s not a great quarterback draft," Cowherd said. "Just stack the team because the following year you’re probably going to have to give up all sorts of draft picks to get your quarterback. And the Rams are still very young on defense. So why not just ride with Stafford?

"Instead of worrying about his replacement ... take every one of these picks and make sure they fit with Stafford and make a run at the Super Bowl."

This is, in reality, probably the best move the Rams can make this offseason. There isn't a star quarterback worth a Day 1 or Day 2 pick outside of Fernando Mendoza, and the Rams aren't starving for one just yet.

There are, however, some other areas of concern the Rams should look at in the draft, such as cornerback, receiver and offensive line. Those are win-now moves that could help the Rams make a playoff push again.

Now, this shouldn't stop the Rams from looking for Stafford's replacement this offseason in the draft or free agency, or the veteran trade market. But, as Cowherd suggests, the focus should be on winning a Super Bowl in 2026 rather than finding a replacement for Stafford in 2027 and beyond.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Colin Cowherd says Rams shouldn't draft a QB in 2026

Following Milan’s 1-0 defeat at the hands of Parma, assistant manager Marco Landucci offered his assessment of the performance, emphasizing the grueling nature of the domestic campaign.

While speaking to the press, Landucci maintains that the Rossoneri were on the receiving end of some misfortune during the contest. He insisted that the level of competition in Italy remains the highest of any top-flight division, noting the difficulty in securing points even when the performance is present.

He said – relayed by Gazzetta: “With this attitude, we’ve picked up a lot of points. Then, when you don’t score and get a result, everything you do is wrong. I think the attitude was the right one. Parma were very good, aggressive with every ball. We were unlucky too, but that’s football.”

The Italian was also asked about why Milan have dropped a lot of points against the lesser sides in the division.

He said: “So many points dropped against the ‘smaller’ teams? The Italian league is very difficult: every match has its pitfalls and there’s a lot of balance. I think it’s the most difficult in the world.”

“Tonight we tried to give our best and we didn’t succeed. We’ll start again on Tuesday and think about the next match. There are games that don’t go so well. Today, Gabbia got injured in the warm-up, and Loftus too: it was a bit of an unusual evening.”

Despite the result, Landucci defended the effort of the squad, pointing to the woodwork and missed opportunities as the deciding factors in a league where tactical discipline and clinical finishing are paramount.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN

With their dominant win over Arizona State on Wednesday, Iowa State looked like their former selves Addy Brown is back in the lineup. While I would argue that they are back to playing like a Big 12 contender and a team that could’ve hosted games in the NCAA tournament had the injuries not happened, it may take a while for general audiences to agree. That could change with a huge opportunity on Sunday against TCU. 

Addy Brown returns in a dominant win

In her 20 minutes of action, Addy Brown boasted a 6/7/6 in her return to play after missing eleven games. While that is officially her lowest minutes total for the season, it makes sense to ease her back into the lineup after not playing for a month and a half along with Iowa State holding a comfortable lead for a large portion of the game. Audi Crooks and Jada Williams continue to lead the way for the top ranked offense in Big 12 play, scoring 28 and 26 respectively. The Cyclones also shot a blazing 50% from deep, paced by Jada Williams at 4-7. 

This was a statement win over an Arizona State squad that is currently in a bubble race for the big dance, but a 26 point victory likely surpassed what anyone was expecting. A 27-13 third quarter in the Cyclones favor is what ultimately propelled them to a large margin of victory. The 26 point margin of victory is the largest in conference play so far for Iowa State, even though Arizona is still in the top half of the conference. Now is a great time to be finding their stride. 

TCU is the biggest test of the season

Currently atop the Big 12 standings, a road game against TCU will likely be seen as the toughest test for Iowa State’s resume, but it also represents the biggest opportunity to put themselves back into the national attention. That will of course be a tall task against the best defense in conference play. 

TCU currently ranks first in conference play in points allowed at just 59.3 points per game. They allow just 36% from the field and 28% from three, first and second in the conference. Don’t worry, they are also high ranking on the offensive side, currently fifth in overall scoring and is second in shooting percentage. This is what you would expect from the 12th ranked team in the nation, but that doesn’t mean that they are unbeatable. 

They do have three conference losses, and they aren’t necessarily at the top of the conference. The tough part is that all of those were on the road, so expecting their perfect home record to fall would certainly be a strong prediction to make. 

Olivia Miles leads the way for the Horned Frogs, averaging 20.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. The points and assists lead the team with the rebounds being just second, so her play has been a large factor for the success of the team. Scoring 40 points against Baylor, she absolutely has the ability to put herself firmly in the driver’s seat and win the game herself. 

Audi Crooks will have one of her toughest foes as she will share a lot of minutes with Mara Suarez, a fifth year senior from Spain who is averaging 16.3 points and 6.4 rebounds. With 30 minutes per game, it will be a battle in the paint and one of the best opportunities for both players to play against high level post players before the NCAA tournament. 

So with ESPN currently favoring TCU with a 78% chance, that does leave a plausible window for Iowa State to steal a win and plant themselves back into the Big 12 tournament conversation. What is the path to victory? 

1. Score 74 points or more. This isn’t specific to TCU, but Iowa State has found a weird trend where, with one exception, 74 points represents the bar for Iowa State to win. If they score above that, they win, if they score below, they lose. Is this a good metric? No, but I think it’s fun to think about. 
2. Audi wins the battle against Mara Suarez. Those two will receive plenty of attention as they likely will play a lot of one on one down on the post, so if Audi can win more of those battles, that will set up the opportunity for the Cyclone guards to finish off the game as one of the best three point shooting teams in the country. 
3. Slow down rush chances. Even in the blowout win against Arizona State, the one nitpick I will give them is that there were still a couple of instances where the Sun Devils moved quickly down the court and would find a mismatch or a missed assignment for an easy bucket. That has been the Achilles heel for this squad defensively, and will likely be at the forefront of every opposing defensive plan for the rest of the season. Even just a second or two of tight guarding off the rebound can do wonders to get the defense reset and create better matchups. 

Prediction: 76 – 68 TCU 

U.S. hockey star Jack Hughes signed his name in the book of history on Sunday. Despite being suffocated by Canada during the gold-medal game in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, Team USA survived, forced overtime and dramatically won the game.

Hughes scored at 61:41 to give the team the win and the gold medal after 46 years. The New Jersey Devils center revealed who was the first person he thought of after making history for Team USA.

MORE: Dylan Larkin gives touching Gaudreau family tribute after USA’s Olympic gold medal

Fittingly, he mentioned Megan Keller, who gave Team USA women’s hockey the gold medal against Canada on Thursday. He gave the team a 2-1 lead, too, after captain Hilary Knight sent the game into overtime.

Jackie Redmon of the NHL Network asked Hughes who he thought of first after scoring the game-sealing goal.

MORE: USA vs Canada gold medal result, full list of goal scorers

Jack Hughes went viral with bloody interview following Team USA’s win over Canada

Jack Hughes was brilliant and passionate during the gold-medal game. The center spoke with NBC Sports reporter Kathryn Tappen in a viral moment. As he spoke about his love for the country, Hughes had a bloody lip and missing teeth.

“This is all about our country right now,” Hughes said after the victory. “I love the USA, I love my teammates … the USA hockey brotherhood is so strong. I’m so proud to be American tonight.”

Team USA pulled off a big win against the Sidney Crosby-less Canada. They faced off against Connor McDavid, but the Edmonton Oilers star failed to get the job done, adding to a grim streak when it comes to collective trophies.

Hughes and Keller made history with their gold-medal game performances, and Team USA went two for two in the Olympic hockey tournaments.

— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

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The post USA hockey hero Jack Hughes shouts out Megan Keller after Olympic gold medal win appeared first on The Big Lead.

Led by Myles Garrett and coordinated by Jim Schwartz, the Cleveland Browns have developed a reputation for having an effective defense. While Cleveland hasn’t been able to generate enough wins, their defense has helped keep the Browns in a lot of games.

Only, now that Kevin Stefanski has been fired and Todd Monken has been hired, Schwartz won’t be returning in 2026. Now, it turns out one of the Browns’ young Pro Bowl defenders isn’t expected to return either. In fact, he’s not expected to ever play football again.

According to Cleveland.com’s Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot, Pro Bowl linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is “doubtful at best to ever make it back to the playing field.”

Koramoah’s neck injury took place on Oct. 27, 2024, against the Ravens, where he was involved in a brutal collision with 6-foot-2, 252-pound running back Derrick Henry. He had been coming off a Pro Bowl year, but this injury ended his season after eight games. The 26-year-old Koramoah hasn’t played a snap since.

The Browns have already prepared for JOK’s absence by selecting Carson Schwesinger with the 33rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The 22-year-old linebacker just took home Defensive Rookie of the Year honors after a stellar season in which he recorded 156 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions.

If this is the end of the road for Koramoah, he’ll finish having earned $18.06 million in his four-year NFL career.

Related: Cleveland Browns Become ‘Favorite Landing Spot’ for Dual-Threat QB

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Rhys Hoskins is now a Guardian, agreeing to a deal with Cleveland on Sunday morning. His lengthy stay in free agency and non-guaranteed deal indicate that he wasn’t in high demand. However, there was at least one team that showed some interest in him, according to this report from Devan Kaney:

That certainly got Phillies fans talking. Reactions to this generally fell into one of three categories:

1. Heck yeah! We loved that guy and the Phillies haven’t been the same since he left! Bring him back!
2. The Phillies need right-handed power to protect Bryce Harper in the lineup! Bring him back!
3. Um…where would he play?

I understand the first reaction as nostalgia can be a hell of a drug. Now that we’ve had a few years of separation (and playoff failures), it seems people are remembering Hoskins more fondly than they actually thought of him while he was here. For most fans, the home run binges and the bat spike against the Braves are the lasting memories of his time in Philadelphia.

Less remembered are the deep, prolonged slumps that he endured every season. That bat spike, as well as his performance against the Padres have made people think of him as a good playoff performer, but part of the reason, he was so emotional was because he had been 1-20 in the playoffs up to that point. Later in those same playoffs, he recorded a .394 OPS in the World Series. And for what it’s worth, he was 0-9 in the playoffs with the Brewers in 2024.

As for the belief that Hoskins would have provided Bryce Harper with right-handed protection in the lineup, I have to disagree. Hoskins’ two-year stint with the Brewers didn’t set the world on fire. In 2024, while coming off a missed season due to a knee injury, Hoskins had a .722 OPS with 26 home runs. Those aren’t bad numbers, but they’re also not great ones, especially for a right-handed first baseman who is a negative in the field. He was having a better season in 2025 (.748 OPS) before missing most of the second half with a thumb injury. He returned before the end of the season, but the Brewers didn’t include him on their playoff roster.

Based on recent history, there’s no reason to think Hoskins will be a great player in 2026, and based on the terms of his new contract, that is the consensus opinion throughout MLB. That said, if you want a right-handed hitter who provides 25+ home run power, Hoskins can probably give you that over a full season.

But – and this is probably the main reason why Hoskins is not a Phillie – Hoskins likely wouldn’t have provided that power for the Phillies because there was no place to play him.

Hoskins is limited to first base and designated hitter, and the Phillies already have All-Stars at those positions. Please don’t suggest he play left field. Hoskins was a disaster playing there in 2018, and I suspect that eight years and one major knee injury later, he’s not going to be any better.

I saw suggestions that Hoskins be used in a platoon-type role where he would play first base against left-handed pitching with Bryce Harper going to left field in place of Brandon Marsh. But I’ll believe that Harper is willing to play the outfield when I see it. We’ve heard whispers about it, but I don’t think there have been any official quotes. This plan would also weaken the Phillies defensively at both first base and left field, although Otto Kemp – presumed to be the right-handed half of a platoon with Brandon Marsh in left – is certainly not a plus on defense either.

Hoskins also doesn’t have drastic platoon splits over his career, and he actually had a higher OPS against right-handed pitching in 2025 (.756 vs. .731). While I’m sure he’d do better than Marsh against lefties (a low bar to be sure), if you’re going to use a player in a platoon, you’d want him to crush opposite hand pitching.

There was talk about using him as a bench bat, and I agree that it would be nice to have a legit power threat off the bench. But I doubt that Hoskins was even interested in that.

Besides, if the point was to protect Harper in the lineup, I’m not sure what good a bench bat would have done. So, even if they had signed Rhys Hoskins, we still would have likely had Alec Bohm as the Opening Day cleanup hitter. (Cue the grumbling from the fans.)

I think part of the discontent with that arrangement is that people are still holding on to outdated ideas as to what a “cleanup” hitter actually is. Not so long ago, Alec Bohm would have been batting second or third with Kyle Schwarber – a stereotypical power hitter – batting fourth. But these days, teams tend to put their best hitters as high up in the lineup as they can, and the modern two-hole hitter is generally a bigger power threat than the man in the four-hole. (The venerable Schmenkman can provide more information.)

The most important takeaway from this Hoskins report is that the team’s team president and franchise player are still very much not on the same page. Harper clearly believes the team isn’t good enough as is and seems to be putting some of the blame for his “nonelite” season on his supporting cast. Dombrowski’s attitude seems to be: “We’re paying these players as if they’re stars, so they need to play like stars when it counts.”

They’ve both got a point – although I know that far more Phillies fans share Harper’s opinion – but unless one of them does something to solve the problem, it is likely to continue, and the relationship between Harper and Dombrowski is unlikely to improve.

Aubyn Phippen: This was a really good win for OKC today. Cason Wallace will end the day with a double-double and Isaiah Joe put up 22 pts to help them get past Cleveland. OKC will be back at Paycom on Friday night against Denver. Final: OKC-121, Cavs-113

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe lead shorthanded Thunder to win over Cavs

Anthony Slater: Draymond Green has been ruled out with a lower back issue, per Warriors. Another late scratch.

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Draymond Green has been ruled out with a lower back …

Dave McMenamin: It’s Pat Riley statue day here in L.A. with special guests Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dwyane Wade, Jeanie Buss - and Michael Douglas - on hand

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: It’s Pat Riley statue day here in L.A. with special …

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp has warned that Tottenham Hotspur are in serious danger of relegation after the team’s embarrassing 4-1 defeat at the hands of rivals Arsenal.

New manager Igor Tudor took charge of his first game as Spurs boss but it ended in a damaging defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze both scoring a brace to restore the Gunners to a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.

And while Spurs briefly fought back to go level at half-time, the subsequent collapse and lack of threat in the second half will be cause for concern for Tudor, with the club now in 16th and in real danger of being dragged into a relegation battle.

Speaking on Sky Sports after the full-time whistle, Redknapp called the game “a complete mismatch”, adding that Spurs could be relegated if they aren’t careful.

”They [Arsenal] were so much better than Tottenham, it was like two different leagues. If Tottenham aren't careful, they might be in a different league.

“They cannot keep performing like this. They've not had a win in 2026,” added the former England midfielder.

As mentioned by Redknapp, Tottenham are without a win in the league in 2026, while they have also exited the FA Cup at the hands of Aston Villa.

And though they have advanced to the knockout rounds of the Champions League, that will be of little consolation to a side that has four draws and five losses in nine league games in 2026.

But while the threat of relegation looms over the club, new manager Igor Tudor emphasised his confidence in Spurs escaping the drop, explaining that “these are good players with bad habits”.

“They are good players, nobody can tell me they don't have quality. We need to change [a] mental switch and have this mental sharpness to be in the game in the first to second minutes,” added the Croatian.

The result leaves Tottenham in 16th after 28 games, just four points ahead of 18th-placed West Ham with 10 games remaining, and Tudor’s side will face Fulham in the league next week before a string of potentially tricky matches against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.

Happy Sunday Husky fans again. The Huskies got some good news today when 3 star defensive lineman Matamatagi Uiagaleli from Mater Dei HS, CA committed to UW. Uiagaleli, who is rated by 247sports as the 86th best defensive lineman in the 2027 class, also held offers from Miami, Michigan, and UCLA. Last season for Mater Deil Uiagaleli had 28 total tackles, 6.5 TFL’s and 3 sacks. The Huskies have been very active in recruiting the trinity league and Uiagaleli is a talented player who can play outside or develop into a true interior defensive lineman (he’s listed at 6’3” and around 240 pounds right now). If his name sounds familiar it is, his older brother Tai’ta’i played for UW last season and a valuable contributor on the defensive.

Here are some of highlights from last season:

Uiagaleli is now the 7th commit in the 2027 class and 5th defensive player to commit in the class. That is all for now and as always follow me @asieverkropp.

Following Thursday night’s comfortable 4-1 victory over Celtic in the Europa League, Stuttgart’s attention turned back to the Bundesliga’s race for a Champions League spot. They travelled to the league’s bottom club, Heidenheim, who now, thanks to St Pauli’s win over Werder Bremen earlier in the day, look as though they are being cut adrift from the rest of the pack.

Heidenheim made just two changes to the team that were beaten by Augsburg last time out, Sebastian Hoeneβ meanwhile. made sweeping changes with the second leg against the Scottish Champions in mind, despite the three-goal advantage. With the likes of Deniz Undav, Jamie Lewelling and Atakan Karazor all dropping to the bench.

The visitors got off to a lightning start when a mistake in the Heidenheim backline set Chris Führich through one-on-one with Diant Ramaj, the German winger dispatching comfortably past the Dortmund loanee.

A key feature of Frank Schmidt’s Heidenheim, though, is that they never give up, and they were back in the game 20 minutes in through an excellent finish from Eren Dinkçi, giving Alexander Nübel no chance.

Goalscorer Führich gave Heidenheim a scare a few minutes later with a snapshot from the edge of the area, forcing a good stop from Ramaj.

In a remarkable turn of events on the half-hour mark, Stuttgart’s captain on the night, Ermedin Demirović thought he had restored his side’s lead. However, the goal was ruled out,and a penalty was awarded to Heidenheim at the other end.

Maximilian Mittelstädt was adjudged to have fouled Dinkçi seconds before Demirović’sstrike. Arijon Ibrahimović stepped up and made no mistake, converting the spot-kick to give Heidenheim the lead.

Before the first half came to an end, Stuttgart had a chance for some reprieve when they were awarded a penalty of their own after Chema Andrés was fouled by Christian Conteh. Mittelstädt dispatched the penalty into the bottom corner to make up for his earlier mistake.

The second half began in much the same vein as the first, with both sides having chances to retake the lead but squandering them in turn.

Midway through the second period, Demirović once again thought he had his customary goal after heading home from an Angelo Stiller free kick, only for it to be ruled out again for an offside by the barest of margins.

With frustration growing in the Stuttgart ranks, a momentary lapse in concentration at the back saw Heidenheim break through Ibrahimović. The on-loan Bayern winger’s shot was saved by Nübel, but not cleared from the danger area, Sirlord Conteh followed up and fired home to give the home side the lead with just minutes to go.

Stuttgart were not done yet, however and responded moments later, with substitutes Nikolas Nartey and Deniz Undav combining to draw level. Nartey found Undav free inside the box; the former Brighton forward made the finish look easy, sending his shot past the outstretched Ramaj.

Undav immediately had the chance to give his side the lead as the clock ticked over into six minutes of stoppage time. He was again set through by Nikolas Nartey, but perhaps tried to beat one man too many as he eventually got a shot away, but was unable to really trouble Ramaj.

Unwilling to settle for a point, Stuttgart had one last chance when Jeff Chabot let fly from a good 30 yards out; however, his thunderous effort smacked the post before being cleared.

When the full-time whistle blew to bring the pulsating game to an end, it was clear the result did little to help either side. This frustration was evident as managers Frank Schmidt and Sebastian Hoeneß were seen remonstrating passionately in the centre circle. The point leaves Heidenheim rooted to the foot of the table, now six points from safety, while Stuttgart remain in fourth, two points ahead of Leipzig.

Heidenheim 3–3 Stuttgart | Player Ratings

Heidenheim:

Diant Ramaj (6) – Patrick Mainka (6), Benedikt Gimber (6), Tim Siersleben (6) – Arijon Ibrahimović (6), Jan Schöppner (6), Julian Niehues (6), Hennes Behrens (6) – Eren Dinkçi (7), Christian Conteh (6) – Marvin Pieringer (6)

Others:Omar Haktab Traoré (6), Sirlord Conteh (6), Stefan Schimmer (6), Adam Kölle (-), Niklas Dorsch (-)

Stuttgart:

Alexander Nübel (6) – Lorenz Assignon (5), Ramon Hendriks (6), Jeff Chabot (6), Maximilian Mittelstädt (6) – Angelo Stiller (6), Chema Andrés (7) – Tiago Tomás (6), Bilal El Khannouss (6), Chris Führich (7) – Ermedin Demirović (6)

Others: Deniz Undav (7), Nikolas Nartey (7), Jamie Lewelling (6),Atakan Karazor (-), Josha Vagnoman (-)

GGFN Man of the Match | Chris Führich (7)

In truth, the man of the match award in this crazy game could have gone to one of several players, Führich takes it, though, thanks to his brilliant goal and set up play in the first half.

Ermedin Demirović can consider himself unlucky to come away from today’s game without a goal; on another day, both may have counted.

GGFN | Harry Good

Is Phillies infielder Aidan Miller hurt? Bryce Harper reveals worrying update on top prospect originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Philadelphia Phillies have a roster capable of winning the World Series. While they didn't make many changes this offseason, with only Adolis Garcia and Brad Keller being new faces, the team is still in great shape.

But, if they could improve in one area, it would be at third base with Alec Bohm. Instead, the Phillies could turn to Aidan Miller as the replacement for Bohm. The Phillies top prospect has a lot of hype heading into the 2026 season.

However, as Destiny Lugardo of Phillies Nation shared on Twitter/x, during an interview, Bryce Harper revealed some concerning news. Miller is apparently not healthy.

Bryce Harper reveals worrying Aidan Miller injury news

"Miller... get off his butt and get in the game, that'd be nice," Harper said. "I need him to get healthy; he could help us by the end, obviously."

Bryce’s comment on Aidan Miller from the TV interview. pic.twitter.com/gf76GC90AV

— Destiny Lugardo (@destiny_lugardo) February 22, 2026

With Harper implying that Miller is hurt, the Phillies are now potentially down one of their top prospects for a period of time. Miller has yet to make an MLB debut or play in a game so far this Spring.

Now, after Harper's update, the reason seems to be clear: Miller isn't healthy enough to play. The 21-year-old top prospect of the Phillies has garnered a lot of hype in the last year.

More: Phillies' Jhoan Duran teases new pitch, but won't reveal what it is

Following a breakout 2025 campaign, where he hit 14 home runs, had an .825 OPS, and finished with a remarkable 59 stolen bases, Miller looks to be a future superstar.

He could take over for Bohm at third base this season, but based on this update from Harper, that doesn't look like a possibility any time soon.

Harper didn't reveal a timeline for Miller, what the injury is, or even anything beyond simply that he is hoping for Miller to get healthy.

But these comments from Harper are still very concerning for the Phillies. Hopefully, more is revealed on Miller's injury in the coming days, and the Phillies' top prospect's status can be determined to either deliver bad news or give Phillies fans a sigh of relief.

More MLB news:

• MLB Hot Stove tracker: Live updates on news, rumors, signings and trades for 2025 free agency
• Yankees' Jazz Chisholm reveals his 9-figure contract asking price
• Twins get devastating injury news on Pablo Lopez
• Cubs' Alex Bregman makes assertive no-trade clause Red Sox statement
• German Marquez takes shot at Rockies after signing with team that 'wants to win'
• Mets fans should be concerned with Bo Bichette after fielding struggles go viral
• Giants get great news on top prospect Carson Whisenhunt with huge velocity increase

GLENDALE – The Phoenix Suns (33-24) injury luck continues to derail their tremendous 2025-2026 campaign. In February, Phoenix is 3-5 and much has to do with starters going in and out of the starting lineup. Sunday’s matchup vs. the Portland Trail Blazers (27-30) fits that theme with six Suns players on the injury report, four of which are starters for Jordan Ott’s team.

Feb 10, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard/forward Dillon Brooks (3) reacts during the second half the game at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

Full Suns vs. Trail Blazers injury report for Sunday’s game:

Feb 11, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) dribbles the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Brooks has been one of the team’s healthiest players before Saturday’s double OT game vs. the Orlando Magic, where he broke his hand to put him out indefinitely. He joins Booker, whose been struggling with injuries for the past month or so, with most recently being his hip. Green has had the best stretch of this season health-wise in the past month, but after playing the most minutes this year (37) vs. Orlando, will Ott want to be on the safer side of his health?

Phoenix could catch a break with All-Star Deni Avdija on the injury report with lower back management. The 25-year-old has missed multiple games this season due to his back, including the team’s last matchup on February 3rd, where the Suns beat the Blazers 130-125 in Portland.

Feb 3, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) defends Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) during the second half at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

In that game, Collin Gillespie had a career night of 30 points and 10 assists, with his running mate of big man Mark Williams recording 24 points and 11 rebounds. The dynamic duo is cleared to run it back in the Valley on Sunday. However, if Avdija plays, Phoenix will have a challenge of finding a body to match his 6’8 frame. He’s averaging career highs in every major category, including 25.0 points and 6.8 assists.

The Suns have fought against the injury bug all season and have a tough challenge against a defensive-minded Blazers team following a double OT game just 24 hours prior.

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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports

The Cleveland Cavaliers erased an early 23-point first-quarter deficit, but they weren’t able to complete the comeback. The shorthanded Oklahoma City Thunder, fueled by incredible outside shooting, were able to hand the Cavs their first loss in February. Cleveland fell 121-113.

The Cavaliers dug themselves their early hole due to their inability to protect the ball. They turned it over 10 times in the first quarter, leading to 17 points going the other way. That helped juice an Oklahoma City offense that was forced to play without its two best scorers in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams.

Cleveland’s cramped starting lineup led to this. Head coach Kenny Atkinson went with James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen to open things up. I like that group in most matchups, but this wasn’t one.

The combination of Oklahoma City’s perimeter defenders and the lack of ball handlers outside of Harden and Mitchell led to these issues. There weren’t outlets for the guards, and the offense struggled. This group was outscored by 14 in the five minutes they played.

Things got worse from there as the deficit ballooned to 23 late in the first quarter before the Cavs started their comeback.

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Cleveland consistently rallied back over the next two-and-a-half quarters. They cut the deficit to a respectable 15 after one, brought it to single digits at the end of the second, and gained their first lead of the game midway through the third.

Unfortunately for the Cavs, that was the only lead they would take. The Thunder recaptured their advantage heading into the fourth quarter and were able to keep the Cavs mostly at arm’s length down the stretch.

Oklahoma City’s outside shooting was a weapon all game, and saved them in the fourth quarter. They simply couldn’t miss as they hit their third-highest percentage of threes in a game this season. Even though the Cavs got close multiple times, they couldn’t make the big stop when they needed to.

The Thunder ended the game going 21-41 (51.2%) from three while the Cavs went just 13-39 (33.3%). In the end, it’s a make-or-miss league.

Sam Merrill’s shooting was the only thing keeping the Cavs in the game for stretches. He was red hot from deep as he went 6-10 from beyond the arc en route to a 20-point game.

Mitchell provided 20 points on 9-19 shooting to go along with five assists and two steals.

Harden continued his streak of having seven or more assists. He finished with nine to go along with scoring 20 points on 8-14 shooting. He did, however, turn the ball over five times.

Allen wasn’t able to keep his strong play going. The Cavs weren’t able to get him involved early as he took just one shot attempt in the first quarter. This led to a somewhat unimpactful game as he provided 11 points and 13 rebounds in the loss.

Mobley ended the game with 15 points with just two rebounds. Dennis Schroder supplied 11-bench points.

The Thunder were led by 22 points from Isaiah Joe and 20 from Cason Wallace. Chet Holmgren had 17 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and three blocks in the win.

Even though the Cavs lost this game, this was nothing to be too discouraged by. The Thunder were missing two of their best offensive players, but you would sign up to be without them every night if it guaranteed you’d make more than half of your 41 three-point attempts.

This type of offensive performance was so far out of character for this version of the Thunder. Coming into today, lineups without SGA, Williams, and Alex Caruso had registered an abysmal 106.1 offensive rating(4th percentile).

You have to tip your cap to the Thunder on a game like this. They executed at an extraordinarily high level and were the better team today. However, there’s no reason to come away from this one thinking the Cavs aren’t on their same level.

The loss snapped what was a seven-game winning streak. Cleveland has still won 12 of their last 14 games.

The Cavs will be back in action Tuesday as they host the New York Knicks. Tip-off is at 7:30 PM.

Through five innings of Saturday’s game with Baylor Purdue’s trip to the prestigious Round Rock Classic looked like it was going to be an 0-fer. The Boilermakers had already lost to Southern Miss on Friday evening and they trailed Baylor 5-0 through six. With No. 12 Oregon State waiting on Sunday an 0-3 trip looked likely.

Purdue made a sutnning comeback, however, to edge the Bears 6-5, then they pulled off a huge upset int he Sunday game against Oregon State 5-2 to get two VERY good wins in the Round Rock Classic. If Baylor defeats Southern Miss on Sunday Purdue will tie with the Eagles at 2-1 for the weekend, while Oregon State and Baylor would go 1-2.

Friday: #20 Southern Miss 5, Purdue 4

Purdue came up just short of a weekend sweep after the Golden Eagles walked them off with a run in the ninth Friday. The Boilers jumped on top early with a run in the first due to an error, but Southern Miss was able to move in front 4-1 with a four-run fourth inning, which chased starter Cole Van Assen. Thomas Howard kept Purdue in it with 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief while only giving up one hit.

The Boilers left the bases loaded without scoring in the sixth, but it was in the eighth that they finally made their move. Trey Swiderski hit a solo home run and Westin Boyle tied it with a two-run single. Purdue again loaded the bases in the ninth, but did not score before Southern won on an RBI double in the bottom of hte ninth.

Saturday: Purdue 6, Baylor 5

once again, Purdue fell behind early as Baylor was up 5-0 throught he top of the sixth, but a big three-run home run from CJ Richmond gave the Boilermakers momentum in the bottom of the sixth.

Richmond would collect his fourth RBI witha two-out single in the seventh that tied things at 5-5. That set the stage for a dramatic ninth inning, where Brandon Rogers lead off with a bunt single. He was then singled over to second before Westin Boyle capped it with a walk-off single up the middle.

Jake Kramer earned the win for Purdue, but the bullpen pitched five and a third scoreless innings to keep the Boilermakers in it.

Sunday: Purdue 5, No. 12 Oregon State 2

This is Purdue’s first win over a top 25 team since it took one of four games at Texas early in the 2019 season, and it is a tremendous non-conference win for any potential NCAA Tournament resume. Jarvis Evans gave up just two runs on three hits, both in the second inning, to earn the win with a solid start. Kramer collected the save in the ninth as well.

The big hit came in the fifth when Purdue scored four times to move in front 5-2. Rogers and Boyle each drove in runs, while two runs scored on this error by the Beavers:

Overall, I have to say that it was a very impressive weekend and exceeded all my expectations. Purdue was probably the worst team on paper entering the field and it ended up winning two games and coming up just short in the third one. After two weeks Purdue sits at 4-3, but the losses to Rice and Southern Miss are not bad ones. Portland is at least showing it is competitive too, so the season opening loss could end up being better than it looks. I don’t think Purdue is a tournament team, but do not discount these two wins this weekend. They are the best non-conference wins Purdue has gotten in six years under Greg Goff.

Purdue has a chance tos tack some wins when it hosts winless Marist next weekend for four games in Holly Springs, NC.

When a chastened Igor Tudor emerged after Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-1 collapse to Arsenal, the interim coach was asked whether the display said more about his team’s problems or the qualities of what he described as “the best team in the world”, the response was simply: “Both things.”

He added: “There is a big gap between the teams.”

There certainly was in the scoreline, where Spurs were fortunate the defeat wasn’t much larger. That in turn made it one of those matches where, as Tudor indicated, it told a lot about both teams. There were two major storylines, that could yet come together for an Arsenal dream.

They could finally win the title, in the same season that Spurs are relegated.

This result at least made that prospect a touch likelier. The overall performance was meanwhile of such a nature that it was impossible not to start thinking that it was potentially as important for the relegation battle as it was for the title race.

That’s how bad Spurs got.

That made it an even better day for Arsenal. Almost everything went for them.

Had it stayed a mere 2-1, after all, the major discussion would probably have been about Viktor Gyokeres.

This may have been an arrival moment, in what felt like his first really big moment for Arsenal. People could no doubt quip that this was more flat-track bullying against lower-table opposition, but the context of the goal was huge. Arsenal badly needed a victory in what had by then been an emotionally intense derby. Gyokeres produced when needed. That is what he has been signed for.

If Gyokeres was the match-winner, though, Eberechi Eze was the player who ran it.

That’s now five goals in two games against his club’s greatest rivals.

And from that, when the teams were announced before the game, it was easy to understand why Arteta put the playmaker in midfield. Eze’s earlier hat-trick amplified a good record against Spurs, and a good feeling he has when facing them, something to continue.

Arteta further elaborated on that afterwards.

“I could see that he wanted to prove something. He was upset, even with me, because I didn’t play him the other day from the beginning, and some of the decisions that I made. And I just have to understand how we’re going to get the best out of him now.”

While Eze’s goals offered the headlines on his performance, the nature of his play felt even more significant. He can make Arsenal better, too, as seen with how proactive he was.

Eze’s passes were constantly speeding play up and moving Arsenal further up the pitch.

That is crucial because it has been an element badly missing from the team over the past few games. Arsenal have felt more constrained, while lacking that fluency and perceptiveness in attack. They were missing a dimension.

Eze offered it all.

Some of that problem had obviously been linked to the angst surrounding the team over this very title race, which was why the win was as important as anything.

It was just as telling that, on being asked about the victory, Arteta first talked a lot about the 2-2 draw with Wolves.

“I cannot be prouder and happier for what I’ve seen out there, but especially the way we lived the last 72 hours, because I think this game in particular needed some context, and after what happened against Wolves and the manner that we lost two points in the last kick of the game, it was tough. But that’s the beauty of this game, I mean, there is no explanation watching the game back, how the hell you draw that game.

“But it happened, and then you have to lift yourself up because you’re feeling angry, upset, [and] ashamed at some point. And we are all different nationalities, we all have different feelings, and then you have to bring everybody together. And it’s been a joy to spend that time together with them, to align everybody and to say, ‘OK, what is going to be happening in the next chapter? This one is gone, how do we use it to be a turning point and to make ourselves better?’”

There were a number of other headline quotes, so relevant to a race that is starting to turn into the run-in.

“It feels like we show what we are made of but then you have to show it again and again and again,” said Arteta. “This is not a job. When you are disappointed about what you’ve done in your job, you don’t feel that way.

“It’s much bigger than that. That’s our passion, it’s the purpose that we have, the objective that we have, it’s what we love doing, and then it’s very painful. But as well it can be very rewarding. And today, football shows you that, keep going, whatever you do. You win, keep going. If you lose, keep going. Because it is worth it, especially with the people that we have in this club.”

Finally, there was a line that will be so relevant to Spurs.

“And when it’s really on the edge and people are doubting, that’s when you have to stand up.”

Some at Spurs would bristle at taking any advice from Arsenal, but it’s become a recurring theme. Tudor was just the latest coach to talk about how good their great rivals are, as he admitted a game like this made him more deeply realise the scale of the challenge.

“You never know because this is a situation that I never saw,” he said.

It is remarkable to think now that the build-up around this game had been about whether a Spurs change of coach would restore an edge and take advantage of Arsenal at a vulnerable moment. Some in the visiting side had even taken note of the pre-game gee-up by the Spurs stadium announcer.

“Sometimes there’s a fire to be lit,” it went. “They’re nervous as hell. We’re calm. We’re ready...”

They were ready to be hammered. While Spurs did initially play with the necessary emotional intensity, that naturally dissipated, as the team was dissected. By the end, they could barely muster proper challenges, and an Arsenal under less pressure could well have claimed a victory of a historic scale.

That’s what made the second half so alarming. Spurs fans have rightly been screaming for months about their concerns, but for so long it was hard not to feel they have too much quality – especially with injuries.

Now, we’re arguably past that. It might well be about psychology, and the type of “negative spiral” once mentioned after one of these fixtures.

One of key elements of Thomas Frank’s departure, after all, was supposed to be the long-awaited removal of so much toxicity. And that was the case at the start of this match. But it absolutely wasn’t the case by the end.

The toxicity was arguably worse, because there are no obvious solutions. This team has a battle.

It was so good for Arsenal, meanwhile, that Arteta could joke about the hold-ups when the referee communications failed.

“Every time we are late out of the dressing room, we get huge fines!”

Here, they’ve got a huge win, that may have considerable impact in multiple ways.

'Best player available': Who Dane Brugler says Browns can't pass up at No. 6 in the Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

When you’re sitting at No. 6 overall in the NFL Draft, do you draft specifically for need, or grab a superstar you can't pass up? That’s the potentially franchise altering question facing GM Andrew Berry and the Cleveland Browns.

While the consensus screams for an offensive tackle or a game-breaking wide receiver, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler is banging the drum for a different strategy: best player available. Appearing on 92.3 The Fan, Brugler favored the elite talent on the board, specifically Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.

"I firmly believe in taking the best player available when you're in the top 10," Brugler stated. "It comes down to what is the gap between Caleb Downs and your highest-graded offensive player."

NFL.com’s Nick Shook, a native Northeast Ohioan, joined The SICK Podcast with Andy McNamara, echoed the sentiment that the Browns are in a unique—if stressful—situation. Discussing the roster's current state and the allure of high-end talent, Shook noted that while the needs are obvious, you can't ignore a ceiling like Downs. "You're looking for cornerstones," Shook noted. "If the guy is a perennial Pro Bowler, you don't care what the depth chart looks like today."

More: Is JOK’s career over? Latest update on Browns LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah

The debate is officially on. Do the Browns play it safe with a "need" pick, or do they grab a blue chip stud to make an already strong defense even more intimidating?

Caleb Downs: To Draft or Not to Draft?

Why You Draft Him:

• Generational Talent: Widely regarded as the best safety prospect in years, potentially a "top 2 player" regardless of position.
• The Buckeye Factor: A local hero with instant chemistry and a high football IQ who has already dominated at the highest collegiate level.
• BPA Security: Taking the highest-graded player reduces the risk of "reaching" for a sub-par tackle or receiver just to fill a hole.

Why You Pass:

• Positional Value: Safety is rarely viewed as a "premium" Top 10 position compared to left Tackle or WR1.
• Not a Natural Ballhawk: Downs is a physical, versatile force, but he isn't necessarily the pure centerfield free safety that naturally complements Grant Delpit’s aggressive style.
• The O-Line Crisis: With aging and injury-prone tackles, passing on a franchise protector at No. 6 could leave the quarterback—and the entire offense—dangerously exposed.

What Berry does pre-draft in free agency at OL and receiver will obviously dictate the first round strategy. If the Browns sign one of the top available tackles in Green Bay’s Rasheed Walker (for example), then selecting Downs at No. 6 and still a top tier WR 24th overall could make a lot of sense.

More Browns News:

• Packers Cleveland invasion: Bill Barnwell’s fix for the Browns O-line
• Forget A.J. Brown: The 1 trade that fixes Browns WR crisis
• From QB chaos to defensive studs: Re-grading the Browns wild 2025 NFL Draft class
• The AJ Brown trap: Why Jeremy Fowler’s Browns trade proposal is a huge mistake
• Browns 2026 win total revealed: Why you should hammer the over on Vegas odds

10 most viral moments from the Winter Olympics, from Norwegian cheater and French 'Penisgate' to Canada curling scandal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

When it came to storylines, the 2026 Winter Olympics certainly delivered.

Sure, the successes on the ice — or the track, or the slopes — generated their share of headlines, but the Olympics wouldn't be complete without some downright bizarre stories and odd moments.

From cheating scandals to affairs to breathtaking gold medal performances, these Olympics had it all. 

Here's a look at the 10 most viral moments from the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina.

MORE 2026 OLYMPICS NEWS:

• Biggest winners, losers for American Olympians in 2026
• Final medal count for every country at Olympics

10. Slovakian fugitive caught after traveling to watch hockey game

A real fan lays it all on the line for his team. One Slovakian hockey fan did just that.

Italian police announced the arrest of a 44-year-old Slovakian fugitive who returned to Italy after 16 years on the run to watch the Slovakian men's hockey team face Finland in their opening game of the tournament. The man was wanted for a series of thefts, and he was nabbed by police before he could get into the arena. Police said he will now serve an 11-month prison sentence. 

As for the game itself, the man missed a good one. Slovakia upset Finland 4-1 in a game that positioned the team for a top-three seed in the bracketed portion of the tournament.

MORE: USA winners, losers from 2026 Winter Olympics

9. French biathlete convicted of credit card fraud wins gold

French biathlete Julia Simon was a star at the Winter Olympics, winning three gold medals and a silver after winning her first Olympic medal in 2022.

Just a few months ago, the Olympics were far from Simon's only concern. She was convicted of credit card fraud in October after stealing the credit card of a French teammate and using it to make $2,000 in online purchases. An investigation also revealed she used a team staffer's credit card without permission. 

Simon was given a six-month ban by the French ski federation, but the ban was conveniently suspended until after the Olympics. Now, Simon is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and convicted criminal. 

MORE:Future Olympics locations for 2028, 2030 and more

8. Judge's controversial ruling denies Chock and Bates gold

The United States won big in many events in Milan, but the one that got away came in ice dancing.

The American duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates surprisingly settled for silver after judges gave the French duo Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron a higher score. Many believed Chock and Bates put together a near-flawless performance worthy of gold.

France's margin of victory was only 1.43 points, but skepticism was directed toward French judge Jezabel Dabouis, who favored Beaudry and Cizeron by eight points. 

U.S. Figure Skating declined to appeal, and an appeal seemed unlikely to succeed after the International Skating Union publicly backed Dabouis. Chock, however, was not thrilled with the result. "Any time the public is confused by results, it does a disservice to our sport," she said after settling for silver.

7. Stray dog crosses cross-country skiing finish line

Cross-country skiers were joined by a surprise competitor when a stray dog crossed the finish line during the team sprint on Feb. 18.

DOG ON THE COURSE AT OLYMPIC SKIING. 🚨

The late entry closes strong at the cross country finish line! pic.twitter.com/o4mO28tXXW

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026

The skiers seemed apprehensive once they noticed the dog just past the finish line, but he seemed friendly, giving each competitor a sniff and soaking up the attention. Unfortunately, the team sprint requires two competitors, leaving the dog one shy of qualifying. 

MORE:Highest-paid athletes at 2026 Olympics

6. Lindsey Vonn's comeback ends with crash

41-year-old Lindsey Vonn's Olympic comeback bid was already set to be one of the biggest stories of the winter games before she suffered a torn ACL less than two weeks before competition was set to start. Once Vonn decided to continue competing on a torn ACL, all eyes were on her.

Unfortunately, Vonn's medal hopes went up in smoke when she suffered a gruesome broken leg in a crash on Feb. 8. Vonn's ACL injury didn't appear to be a factor in the crash, as she lost control after her arm hit a gate, but the devastating injury ended her Olympic run and forced her to undergo a handful of surgeries. 

MORE:Explaining Lindsey Vonn's serious injuries after crash

5. 'Penisgate' rumors steal the headlines

Two years after a pole vaulter's genitalia had an unfortunate run-in with the bar at the Summer Olympics, 'Penisgate' became a ski jumping storyline in 2026.

Rumors first surfaced out of Germany that ski jumpers might be artificially enlarging their penises through injections so they could wear larger suits and therefore increase lift and reduce drag. Suits are specifically fitted for each athlete, but they have to cover the full length of an individual's genitalia, for obvious reasons.

The rumors intensified when a plastic surgeon said he injected a ski jumper's penis a month before the Olympics, but the International Ski and Snowboard Federation dismissed the reports as a "wild rumor." The World Doping Agency, however, said it would investigate the claims.

Whether an investigation finds any violations or not, 'Penisgate' won't soon be forgotten.

MORE:Why Eileen Gu competes for China, not United States

4. Alysa Liu becomes American superstar

There is no doubt Alysa Liu was a superstar in the figure skating community before the Olympics, but let's be honest: fame in the figure skating world rarely translates to national superstardom in the United States.

Well, Liu has crossed the Rubicon. The 20-year-old captivated America with her gold medal-winning free skate routine, which made her the USA's first women's singles figure skating gold medalist in 24 years, and her bubbly personality quickly turned her into a star. 

ALYSA LIU'S GOLD-WINNING FREE SKATE ROUTINE! ⭐️ #WinterOlympicspic.twitter.com/mH8tZkFCdK

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 20, 2026

After Liu won gold, she became a viral sensation, bringing Americans together during an Olympics that, at times, were marred by political division. Liu's follower count exploded on social media in the days following her gold medal performance, and she certainly created some new figure skating fans along the way.

MORE:Explaining Alysa Liu's hair

3. Jack Hughes scores the golden goal

For all of the controversies at the 2026 Olympics, few moments had more virality than the gold medal-winning goal by USA hockey star Jack Hughes. 

The United States spent most of the gold medal game against Canada scratching and clawing for offensive opportunities, but after a stellar performance by goalie Connor Hellebuyck, Hughes didn't waste an overtime advantage. The Devils standout took a pass from Zach Werenski and fired it past Jordan Binnington, sending the American team into a frenzy.

JACK HUGHES DELIVERS AMERICA'S GOLDEN MOMENT IN OVERTIME. pic.twitter.com/4foFDOri53

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 22, 2026

Hughes' goal gave the United States its first men's hockey gold medal since 2000.

MORE:Jack Hughes' missing teeth steal the show after golden goal

2. Canada curling controversy

Scandal rocked the curling tournament in Milan when Sweden's Oskar Eriksson accused Marc Kennedy and Canada of cheating by double-touching stones with his finger to gain an advantage.

Marc Kennedy knew where the Olympic cameras recorded fouls.

These cameras don't see his kind of curling rule breaking.

The Swedes knew too.

So they set up a camera to embarrass Canada.

Love it. pic.twitter.com/JfNk5R5jQ9

— Dean Skoreyko (@bcbluecon) February 15, 2026

Kennedy was visibly upset when Eriksson tried to address the issue, telling Eriksson to "f— off."

"I haven't done it once," Kennedy said, but Eriksson told Kennedy he would show him a video proving that the stone was double-touched.

"How about you walking around on my peel last end, dancing around in the house here? How about that?" Kennedy responded. "Come on Oskar, just f— off."

The judge couldn't conclusively determine whether Kennedy cheated, but the controversy continued when Switzerland similarly accused Canada of double-touching in a separate match. On the women's side, Canada had a stone removed for double-touching.

Canada went on to win the men's gold medal. 

1. Norwegian biathlete admits to cheating on girlfriend in bizarre interview

A typical interview with an athlete who just medaled at the Olympics is predictable, but Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid had a surprise in store for viewers after winning bronze in the individual biathlon on Feb. 10.

Speaking in Norwegian, Laegrid passed on the usual messages of gratitude and instead admitted he cheated on his girlfriend.

"There is something I want to share with someone who may not be watching today," Laegreid said, translated from Norwegian. "Half a year ago, I met the love of my life. The world’s most beautiful and nicest person. Three months ago, I made the mistake of my life and cheated on her, and I told her about that a week ago. This has been the worst week of my life."

Laegrid went on to say he "had the gold medal in life" and wished he could share the medal with her. Contacted by a Norwegian tabloid, the woman said Laegrid's infidelity was "hard to forgive" but added that she did find the biathlete's words "moving."

Laegrid won five medals at the winter games, though none were gold. Whether he has any chance of getting back together with "the gold medal in life" isn't clear.

The Guardians added a right-handed bat, finally, bringing Rhys Hoskins in on a minor-league deal today.

First, the reasons the team is bringing Hoskins in:

• The price is right. The team doesn’t have to guarantee Hoskins a roster spot while also only owing him $1.5M if he makes the team.
• Hoskins is 33 years old, which is not young but not old for a baseball player. This is not a 39 year-old Carlos Santana signing.
• Even in a bit of a down year for him compared to his career 121 wRC+, Hoskins still put up a 109 wRC+ last season, which would have been third-best among Guardians’ players who got 300 or more plate appearances in 2025. He also has a 137 wRC+ against left-handed pitching for his career. Some have noted that his wRC+ against southpaws is only 109 in 2024-2025, but it’s generally wiser to look at his career numbers when there is a large enough sample size. I’d expect that Hoskins, if healthy, will be capable of putting up something closer to his career 137 wRC+ against LHP than the 109 of the past couple years.
• Hoskins had his best year defensively since 2019 in 2025, putting up 2 Defensive Runs Saved and 1 Out Above Average at first base. This is a solid indicator of a player not willing to rest on past achievements, but willing to work to continue to contribute as his career wanes.
• Hoskins had his lowest chase-rate in six years in 2025 (19.9% out-of-zone swing rate) and the highest hard-hit rate of his career (46.4%). These are decent indications that he still has potential to be the 120 wRC+ hitter he has been for his career for another season if healthy and given the opportunity.
• Most importantly, the addition of Hoskins provides needed depth in several areas. First of all, if neither David Fry nor Juan Brito are looking at their best, either or both can be optioned to Columbus. CJ Kayfus, now, can provide much needed depth in left and right field, given the potential for either (or both) of Chase DeLauter or George Valera to be affected or limited by injury concerns. I realize that some folks are concerned that Kayfus and Valera, especially, may not get the opportunities they deserve, but, it’s important to remember that good teams, playoff-contending teams, need the depth to make sure they do not have to rely on every young player to succeed, every injured player to be healthy, and every long-shot cause to pay off.

I think the player this addition affects most is likely Johnathan Rodriguez. Hoskins is very likely a better DH option than Rodriguez will be, and I think the Guardians are likely correct in that assessment. Hoskins also gives the useful aspect of being an average defender at first (vs. Rodriguez being a terrible defender everywhere). This move also probably makes Nolan Jones more of a depth piece than a relied upon starter, which is good news.

I expect that as long as Hoskins is healthy, he will make the Opening Day Roster, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we start to see David Fry become an option in right field, despite Vogt’s earlier indications that he wouldn’t be. The collection of hitters for Opening Day seems likely, at the moment, to be:

C – Bo, Hedges, Fry
1B – Manzardo and Hoskins
2B – Arias or Brito
3B – Jose
SS – Rocchio
LF – Kayfus or Valera (or Kwan, if centerfield doesn’t pan out)
CF – Kwan (or Jones or DeLauter if Kwan is in left)
RF – DeLauter (or Valera or Kayfus if Kwan is in left)
Utility Infielder: Daniel Schneemann (or Gabriel Arias if Brito makes the team)
Utility Outfielder: Stuart Fairchild or Angel Martinez

The good news is that Fry, Kayfus, Rodriguez, Schneemann, and Valera all have options and can be useful depth in Columbus as need be. Nolan Jones, also, can probably be designated for assignment and passed through to Columbus if he doesn’t make the roster (though I suspect he would probably be traded, insead). This is important for a team that wants to have the piece necessary to survive the grind of a 162-game season while maintaining a consistent level of offense.

I feel much better about the Guardians’ offseason. I’d like to see Randal Grichuk also brought into camp to add to the competition for right-handed outfielders, but this is enough to call off the worst of the dogs in terms of Guardians’ offseason inactivity for me. Last second heave by Chris Antonetti with the game clock expiring – and it’s good!

Thursday, February 26th

Triller, 1:00 am ET, Wanderer VII: No Mercy. From the Bella Vista suburb of Sydney, Australia. A free broadcast on Triller, headlined by Jason Mallia defending his Australian welterweight title against Marco Romeo. Wikipedia tells me that Bella Vista was “one of the first major Australian sheep breeding farms.” Neat! 

Friday, February 27th

Triller PPV, 11:30 am ET, Nightmare in Nairobi II. From Nairobi, Kenya. $19.99 American for a six fight card. 

DAZN, 2:00 pm ET, Conlan Boxing. From Belfast in Northern Ireland. Main event is Conor Quinn vs Jake Dodd for a domestic flyweight title. Everything in support runs six or four rounds. 

ProBoxTV, 7:00 pm ET, Edward Vazquez vs Grimardi Machuca. From Arlington, Texas. Vazquez is one of my favorite relatively unheralded fighters. Tactically on point no matter who he faces, and one of the most shrewd guys in the sport. “Lost” a fight to Ray Ford that even Eddie Hearn, Ford’s promoter, thought Vazquez should have won. Lost a very debatable majority decision to Joe Cordina in Monte Carlo. Lost a very clear knockout defeat to Rafael Espinoza last May, because even the greatest strategic approach can’t help much against a guy with the size and power advantages Espinoza is blessed with. He’ll face Machuca, who enters on a three-fight decision loss skid after a 17-0 start to his career. Chief support is Ruben Aguilar vs Luis Lopez. 

TrillerTV+, 9:00 pm ET, Night of Champions VIII. From Long Beach, California. Main event is a 10 rounder featuring light flyweight prospect Terry Washington vs Eduardo Torres. 

Saturday, February 28th

TrillerTV+, 1:00 am ET, Global Fight Night. From Bangkok, Thailand. 10 fights listed on BoxRec, some for a variety of Asian and International shiny waistband prizes. 

DAZN, 2:30 pm ET, Owen Cooper vs Constantin Ursu. A Queensberry show from Derby, England. Main event is for a pair of vacant domestic welterweight belts. Olympic favorite Lasha Guruli fights for the third time as a pro on the undercard.   

Amazon Prime, 5:00 pm ET, Manny Pacquiao Promotions. From Verona, New York. Elijah Pierce vs. Lorenzo Parra headlines the show, with Bryce Mills vs Tobias Green the chief support. Both are for lesser trinkets. Curmel Moton and Manny “Jimuel” Pacquiao Jr appear further down the card. Utica elementary schoolteacher Katrina Scalzo makes her pro debut on the prelims. 

Triller PPV, 7:00 pm ET, Guerra en Ponce. From Ponce, Puerto Rico. This one is a $14.99 American PPV, with Jan Paul Rivera listed as the headliner. 

Millions.Co, 7:30 pm ET, Rockin’ Fights 53. From Huntington, New York. Jahi Tucker headlines a $19.99 PPV.  

DAZN, 8:00 pm ET, Emanuel Navarrete vs Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez. From Glendale, Arizona, to unify Navarrete’s WBO and Nunez’s IBF super featherweight titles. Interesting fight! Nunez is an exciting heavy hitter, but has never faced a challenge on the level of Navarrete. Navarrete is a three division champion and a reliably satisfying watch, but it’s an open question whether the 2026 version of Navarrete is near the same level that made him a star. Emiliano Vargas, Tahmir Smalls, and Arturo Popoca are the A-sides of the main card support fights. BLH will have live updates

It was not pretty. It was not smooth. And for the first ten minutes, it barely resembled Michigan State basketball.

Nine points in the opening ten minutes told the story early. Shots weren’t falling. The offense looked disjointed. And the Ohio State zone defense had the Spartans looking like they were solving a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded.

Jaxon Kohler picking up two quick fouls didn’t help. He spent a large chunk of the first half parked next to Tom Izzo, and the rhythm never quite found him early.

Meanwhile, Bruce Thornton was putting on a show. Thornton scored 16 of the Buckeyes’ first 26 points and passed Greg Kessler for 34th on the all-time Big Ten scoring list and became the second-leading scorer in Ohio State history. He was a thorn in the Spartans’ side all afternoon — and he never stopped.

Ohio State led 26-23 at halftime in a game that felt like it was being played in mud.

Michigan State shot just 30% (8-for-27) in the first half. Both teams were ice cold from deep — MSU 2-for-8, OSU 1-for-9. The Spartans turned it over seven times compared to Ohio State’s three. And yet, they were right there.

Why?

Rebounding.

Michigan State dominated the glass early, leading 22-15 at the half and grabbing seven offensive rebounds compared to Ohio State’s one. It was the only thing keeping them afloat.

The second half felt different.

Jordan Scott, who continues to grow up in front of our eyes, got fouled on a three and knocked down two of three from the stripe to give Michigan State its first real grip on the game at 34-33 with 15 minutes to go. From there, it was a back-and-forth fight.

Ohio State wouldn’t go away. Not once.

But neither would Carson Cooper.

Cooper looked like the guy we saw earlier this season. After a rough three-game lull, he refound his mojo in a big way. He led the Spartans with 20 points and 11 rebounds, finishing with a double-double and repeatedly putting the team on his back when it needed him most. Mid-range jumper? Cash. Big rebound? Secured. Clutch bucket? Delivered.

Scott added 12 points and three assists, including a chef’s kiss of a pass to Cooper late that showed just how mature his game has become. He also had a huge put-back to push the lead to four at 51-47.

Jeremy Fears finished with 11 points and eight assists, continuing his climb toward the Big Ten single-season assist record. He did have a moment that sent the internet into detective mode after incidental contact led to a warning — nothing malicious, but enough for social media to add it to the “sus” archives.

Kohler, even with early foul trouble, battled back to finish with nine points and ten rebounds. Kur Teng chipped in five points off the bench and played big on the boards. Cam Ward added four. The bench only scored nine total, but their defensive presence mattered.

Michigan State’s biggest lead came at 61-51. And just when it felt like the Spartans had finally buried the Buckeyes — up eight with under a minute left — Ohio State went on a 7-0 run to cut it to 63-60 with 14.3 seconds remaining.

Of course they did.

Scott split a pair at the line to stretch it back to two possessions, and the Spartans closed it out 66-60.

Thornton finished with 32 of Ohio State’s 60 points, refusing to let the Buckeyes fold. But Michigan State’s second-half adjustments were the difference. The Spartans committed just three turnovers after halftime, finishing with ten total. They won the rebound battle 43-27 and the offensive glass 12-3. They assisted on 18 baskets compared to Ohio State’s eight.

They didn’t shoot well from three (4-for-15), but they found enough offense inside and finished at 40% from the floor.

It wasn’t pretty.

It wasn’t dominant.

But it was grown-man, Big Ten basketball.

And now the Spartans head to West Lafayette to face the seventh-ranked Purdue Boilermakers on Thursday.

Another test. Another fight.

Just the way March likes it.

Bottom side Heidenheim held fourth-placed VfB Stuttgart to a 3-3 draw in a hectic Bundesliga match on Sunday.

Chris Führich gave Stuttgart the early lead in the fifth minute, but the hosts were level in the 20th after Sirloid Conteh's pass was deflected into Eren Dinkçi's path and he fired it into the top corner.

Heidenheim then took the lead after some chaotic scenes.

Ermedin Demirović appeared to have retaken the lead for Stuttgart, but his goal was ruled out because Maximilian Mittelstädt fouled Dinkçi in the box at the other end in the build up.

After video review, the referee not only disallowed Stuttgart's goal, but gave Heidenheim a penalty, converted by Arijon Ibrahimovic in the 34th.

Stuttgart, however, got a penalty themselves after Conteh brought down Bilal El Khannouss in the area and Mittelstädt had the ball into the net in the 44th to make up for his previous mistake.

Mittelstädt almost got a brace but hit the post in the 53rd, while Demirovic had another goal ruled out in the 75th.

Heidenheim then thought they had the win when Alexander Nübel denied Ibrahimovic, but Conteh scored on the rebound in the 82nd.

But Stuttgart were level again thanks to Deniz Undav's effort in the 88th.

Both sides had enough chances to find a winner in stoppage-time, but were forced to share the points in the end.

Ginter scores against ex-club to help Freiburg to 2-1 win

Matthias Ginter scored against his former club Borussia Mönchengladbach to help his current team Freiburg claim a 2-1 win.

Ginter didn't celebrate after he broke the deadlock in the 38th, volleying it home after Gladbach's Kevin Diks inadvertently flicked a long throw to him.

They doubled their lead in the 74th, after Gladbach lost the ball in midfield. Maximilian Eggestein's low cross was palmed by goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas into the path of Igor Matanovic, who tapped the ball into the empty net.

Gladbach had a goal ruled out in the 83rd and still pulled one back two minutes later through Haris Tabarovic, but despite late pressure couldn't find an equalizer.