Dan Hooker is not expecting to draw a fellow veteran like Renato Moicano for his next fight.

Hooker (24-14 MMA, 14-10 UFC) was one of three names Moicano (21-7-1 MMA, 13-7 UFC) called out after he submitted Chris Duncan in the UFC Fight Night 272 main event this past Saturday.

Moicano felt disrespected by the UFC matching him up against a rising prospect in Duncan, but Hooker acknowledges that's the way the promotion operates – which is why he doesn't see them fighting.

"The UFC is not going to make that fight," Hooker told Submission Radio of Moicano. "We're both bones. We're both carcass and bones. You're not going to put a 37-year-old against a 36-year-old, not even at the Apex.

"They tried to feed Moicano to Duncan who's a good kid, big market, you crack into the European market, but they're not feeding me Moicano. Don't get me wrong, I would jump on that fight with two feet, but they don't feed one carcass to another carcass. It's the sport. They use the older generation to build up the next generation."

Moicano snapped a two-fight losing skid with his win over Duncan. Hooker is on the same boat Moicano was just on after back-to-back stoppage losses to Arman Tsarukyan and Benoit Saint Denis.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Why Dan Hooker doesn't see UFC booking him against Renato Moicano

Steelers' T.J. Watt Named 'Surprising' Trade Possibility Heading Into NFL Draft originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have significant decisions to make this offseason, particularly regarding who their quarterback will be next season and whether they intend to pursue any major trades.

Pittsburgh made a significant trade following last year's NFL draft when it sent wide receiver George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Could the Steelers look to make a similar move after this year's draft?

Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport identified eight NFL stars who may still be on the trading block this offseason, and T.J. Watt is among those mentioned.

"To be clear, moving Watt for anything less than a first-round pick — even with his sizable contract — would be selling low. It is also fair to question whether the current version of the Steelers, even with Aaron Rodgers, profiles as a legitimate Super Bowl contender," Davenport wrote on Friday. "Add in that the Steelers have an in-house replacement already on the roster in Nick Herbig, and maybe dealing Watt isn't so ludicrous after all."

The Steelers selected Watt in the first round of the 2017 draft, and he has quickly established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the NFL ever since. Over the course of 135 games, he has recorded 517 combined tackles, 136 tackles for loss, 115 sacks and forced 36 fumbles.

If the Steelers are looking to trade Watt, it might make more sense to wait until next season. This way, they can gain draft capital that could potentially help them move up and select a quarterback.

More NFL: How Steelers' Jaylen Warren Reacted To Aaron Rodgers Situation

Does Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker satisfy the Seattle Seahawks’ need for an edge rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft?

According to CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards, Parker is the pick for the Seahawks at No. 32 overall in the draft, as an NFL-ready prospect from day one.

“Seattle drafts T.J. Parker as the Boye Mafe replacement,” Edwards said. “Mafe signed a lucrative deal with the Bengals in free agency. Parker is a reliable edge setter with limited pass rush potential, but Mike Macdonald can put him in a position to produce.”

Parker’s body of work is an enticing draw for the Seahawks to make him their replacement for Mafe next season. The Alabama native went for five sacks as well as 9.5 tackles for loss in 2025.

Even more impressively, Parker combined for 32 tackles for loss in his first two seasons playing under Dabo Swinney from 2023-24. He gives the Seahawks a lot to like in this year’s draft class. Parker is one of the top edge rushers projected to be taken at the end of the first round of the draft.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks replace Boye Mafe with Clemson DE in 2026 NFL draft

From a brash, rising superstar at Manchester United to a glum, struggling benchwarmer at Chelsea, it’s been a rough couple years for Alejandro Garnacho. He’s gone from the great hope of one club, to practically an afterthought at another, and largely forgotten everywhere else.

Last summer’s £40m change of scenery certainly hasn’t had the desired effect, with the 21-year-old not finding much success for us outside of the domestic cups — starting less than half of our games in the league, and scoring 6 of his 8 goals in either the League Cup or the FA Cup. And a solid portion of his roughly 2000 minutes total have only come about as a result of injuries to the likes of Cole Palmer and Estêvão. In short, it’s not been great, even by current Chelsea standards.

Garnacho himself is certainly under no delusions either, recognizing that his first season at Stamford Bridge has not lived up to anyone’s expectations. That’s certainly not what he would’ve wanted, given the way his time at United ended.

“In the last six months I was just not playing like before at Manchester United. I started to be on the bench, it’s not (such a) bad thing, I was only 20 years old, but in my mind it was like I had to play every game. In my mind, maybe it is also on me, I started to do some bad things.”

“[I] have nothing wrong to say about the club or any team-mates, no-one. […] I loved that club, you know? They gave me the confidence from the start, from Spain, to bring me to the academy, then they bring me to the first team, so it was like four or five years, and amazing love from everyone, from the fans, the stadium, everything was really good. It’s just sometimes you have to change for the good of your life or the next steps. I only have good memories of Man Utd.”

-Alejandro Garnacho; source: Goal

Good memories at Chelsea, on the other hand, have been in short supply. But there’s always hope of a better future, right?

“I am really proud to be here and still in the Premier League at a club like this. […] We know the team we have, the things we can do. Sometimes is better in some moments, and worse. But yeah, I’m really proud to be here in this moment. The life here is normal, and I’m happy.”

-Alejandro Garnacho; source: Goal

(I’m pretty sure all these quotes come from the same interview with Premier League Productions, though I haven’t actually seen the primary source.)

“Sometimes the first seasons are more hard, but yeah, I will work really hard in the 7-8 games we have left, then the summer, try to train from the start, to prepare the next season, and to be ready to show my best. Because I know what I can do, and this the most important thing”.

-Alejandro Garnacho; source: Fabrizio Romano

Well, let’s hope that the best of Garnacho can bring out the best in the rest of the team as well.

In the Conference League.

The vacant light heavyweight title is on the line in the UFC 327 main event on Saturday. Former titleholder Jiri Prochazka faces No. 3 ranked Carlos Ulbergin the featured fight at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

The fighters competing on the fight card officially weighed in on Friday morning. They'll participate in the ceremonial weigh-ins at 5 p.m. ET streaming live on MMAWeekly.com.

UFC 327 Ceremonial Weigh-In Video

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Fred Couples loves the Masters Tournament. He loves Augusta National. And for good reason.

The 66-year-old, who won the 1992 Masters, finished his 41st appearance in the Masters at 9 over and is going to miss the cut. It's not a surprise, given he's playing on his lifetime exemption and is one of the legends at the course continuing to give it a go, hoping for one last shot at glory.

But even as Couples has aged, his love for the Masters has not. Couples was asked why he loved Augusta National, and he gave an incredible answer.

"First of all, you would have to be an idiot not to love Augusta National," Couples started. "I don't know if you can use those words, but they might like that, hearing that.

"You know, as a kid you grow up watching it. I can't tell you, you know, Ed Sneed and what he did, Hubert Green, and then Jack Nicklaus winning and Tom Weiskopf. Those were all the greats. Weiskopf, Green, Sneed, they never won, and maybe they should have.

"Then you come here, and you finally see it, and you go, you know, it's -- I mean, the only other guy I've really heard use the same words is Phil. It's like paradise. People love it, but I consider it to be just the greatest walk you could ever have."

Fred Couples on Augusta National is everything.

"You would have to be an idiot not to love Augusta National. I don't know if you can use those words, but they might like that, hearing that.

"There are great courses all over the world, but there are none of them like this." pic.twitter.com/lJ0b7r63LZ

— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) April 10, 2026

Couples is one of many past champions, past players or ones in the field this week who have an affinity for Augusta National. It's among the world's most popular courses, one that takes center stages each April for the best golfers in the world.

In Couples' mind, it's one of one.

"There are great courses all over the world, but there are none of them like this."

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Masters 2026: Fred Couples says there's no course like Augusta National

The Indiana Fever and Kelsey Mitchell have agreed to a one-year, $1.4 million supermax contract that will keep the star guard in Indiana, league sources confirmed to The Athletic on Friday. Mitchell can sign her new deal Saturday, per WNBA rules, which will make her the first player in Fever history to make $1 million in a single season.

Mitchell, a three-time All-Star, averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game last year. She led the Fever to the semifinals of the playoffs, despite her main backcourt mate, two-time All-Star Caitlin Clark, being limited to just 13 games due to a slew of soft tissue injuries.

This is a developing story. More to come.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Indiana Fever, WNBA

2026 The Athletic Media Company

Once again, Florida State is preparing for a big weekend of visits from its top targets. One of them will be 2028 blue-chip safety Cyion Smith out of Blountstown, Florida.

"I’ll be in tally this weekend!!," Smith said on social media.

Smith is making his second trip to Tallahassee this year, as he was on campus for a Junior Day event in January. He also took three visits to see FSU in 2025, and he visited twice in 2024.

Florida State is trying to flip Smith from Mississippi State. Miami, South Carolina, Auburn, and West Virginia are also doing their best to steal the 6-foot-2, 175-pounder away from the Bulldogs.

It's been back-to-back productive for Smith. He registered 64 tackles, one tackle for loss, four interceptions, 12 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries as a freshman. Smith put up 50 tackles, four tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 10 pass breakups, and one fumble recovery during his sophomore campaign.

Smith is listed as the No. 276 overall recruit and the No. 16 safety in the country per the Rivals industry rankings. He's also ranked as the No. 33 prospect in the state of Florida.

Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Football: Safety Cyion Smith to visit Florida State

AUGUSTA, Ga. − For the second day in a row at the Masters Tournament, Ludvig Aberg did a fine job of bouncing back from adversity at the Augusta National Golf Club.

A native of Sweden who has set up residence just outside Ponte Vedra Beach near the TPC Sawgrass, Aberg turned in two magnificent shots on the final holes on each of Augusta's nines and with a 2-under 70 went to the weekend at even par 144, five shots behind morning-wave leader Justin Rose (69) at 5-under 139.

Tyrrell Hatton (66) and Wyndham Clark (68) are tied for 4-under and Brooks Koepka (69) and Chris Gotterup (69) are tied at 3 under.

Two-time Masters champion Scottie Scheffler had a stunningly poor performance on the par-5 holes of Augusta's second nine, dousing his second shots at No. 13 (short) and No. 15 (long) in the water and finished with a 74 and a 36-hole score of 144 − tying with Aberg and Brian Campbell (73).

Defending champion Rory McIlroy made three early birdies and a bogey, playing in the second-to-last group of the day.

Ludvig Aberg keeps bouncing back

In the first round, Aberg followed a double bogey at No. 13 with a clean card over the last five holes. He nearly holed a wedge shot at the par-4 14th, starting a string of five greens in regulation in a row. His opening 74 could have been a lot worse.

Aberg began the day with a birdie at No. 2 but failed to get up and down after missing the sixth and seventh greens.

No matter. He hit two good shots at the par-5 eighth and chipped to within 4 feet to set up a birdie, then stopped a wedge shot from 114 yards out at No. 9 just inches from the hole, giving him a tap-in birdie.

"I couldn't see it from the bottom of the slope," Aberg said of the second shot at the ninth. "By the reactions [of the patrons], it looked like it was pretty close. But any time you hit it to like that, I'll take it."

He safely navigated the gauntlet of Nos. 10, 11 and 12 with two-putt pars and added two more pars at Nos. 13 and 14. Aberg tapped in for a birdie at No. 15 after a nice wedge shot from 102 yards out, but after a par at No. 16, he three-putted the 17th for bogey from 44 feet, after his second shot from the second cut on the left of the fairway landed on the green and kicked right.

"To be fair, I was just pleased I had somewhat of a shot into that green," he said. "I know that left side gets blocked out by trees pretty quickly and I was trying to hook a 50-degree [wedge] around the trees. I hit it nice to be able to cover that bunker but misjudged the speed. Thought it was going to be a lot faster going down that hill."

Despite that, Aberg was kicking himself for leaving his first putt 13 feet short.

"Silly three-putt," he said.

His drive at No. 18 found the fairway bunker but Aberg lofted a 7-iron from 160 yards out to 7 feet behind the hole, and rolled it in for birdie to cap the round.

Aberg hit 15 greens and 10 fairways, and seems on the verge of a special round, with a break or two going his way. He appears on the verge of a special day. He's hitting fairways and greens, and if he can heat up his putter (he had 31 putts in the second round), a round like his 63 to take charge at The Players Championship last month might be possible.

"I think Augusta National is a hard place, especially when the greens are like they are," he said. "If you can sort of limit the mistakes as much as you can and take advantage of the opportunities that you get, I think that's a good thing. I'm pleased with responding the way I did after six, seven. Overall, yeah, I thought it was a good day."

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Masters leaderboard: Ludvig Aberg shoots 70 second round Augusta

Elfyn Evans says he was simply “caught out” by a corner at Rally Croatia as the World Rally Championship leader suffered a rare back-to-back rally retirement. 

The Toyota driver took early command in Croatia winning the opening two stages to open up a 15.8s lead before that advantage was wiped out on stage three. 

Evans usually carried way too much speed into a tight right hand corner that resulted in his GR Yaris firing off the road at speed. Onboard vision appeared to show some confusion over a pace note heading into the corner. 

While Evans and co-driver Scott Martin were unharmed, they were unable to recover the car and suffered their second retirement in a row after exiting Safari Rally Kenya last month.

Elfyn Evans, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

The exit has come as a surprise given Evans has showcased stunning consistency with this only his second retirement since Greece 2024. 

When asked to explain what happened, Evans said: “We've been caught out basically. The corner was a bit tighter than expected and we were way too fast and we went off into the trees, unfortunately. It is very disappointing. Obviously, it was a strong start and things were going well, but it didn’t end so well.

“I think it [the pacenote] was okay. 

“It [the car] was really working quite well. It is not easy. Obviously, as we know with this rally, there are always a few surprises with the changing surfaces. It's very difficult to read.”

Solberg stumbles

Oliver Solberg, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Evans wasn’t the only high profile retirement, as his nearest rival in the championship Oliver Solberg crashed out of the rally, just 4.8km into the opening stage.

The Monte Carlo winner clipped a rock face that sent his GR Yaris into a 360 spin before running off the road and becoming beached, ending his day before it had really begun.

“Firstly from an experience point of view, it's the first time I tried a hard tyre really on the car, and first time on proper tarmac. The feeling in the car and how we worked with the car has been fantastic,” said an emotional Solberg.

“But for sure, when it was tricky out there with a hard tyre and trying to understand it, and with a limited experience, I basically just drove a little bit too fast in this corner and just underestimated the small window I had with the grip and I had a small understeer and just touched the wall there, and that's it.

“The team has been very supportive and understanding, and we've had good talks together, and we just move on and fight for the future. They believe in me, and that's definitely helped my spirit.”

Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Reflecting on the incident, Solberg says it highlights his limited experience at the top level, while offering a reminder that at times he needs to take a step back and learn for the future.

“The road itself is quite straightforward. For sure, with my ethic, with my experience, and everything, maybe deciding to use the hard compound tyres was optimistic, not trying it before. With the little experience, maybe I was a bit too confident to do my speed with that tyre. And that's something for me to learn, to understand when the feeling is not there," he added.

WRC Croatia: Sami Pajari leads after drama as Thierry Neuville closes

“It is the same for everybody, probably. I just need to take a step back and understand that I don’t have so much experience with the tyre, maybe and I need to adapt to it. Even if the feeling in my driving and the pace notes and the car was great I just need to understand the hard tyre is something I need to learn more about for the future.

“I don't have a lot of experience with this car and I also underestimate this. I'm here to do the best I can and drive as fast as I can and want to fight. I think today was the best example of when you don't have any experience on the hard tyre, trying it for the first time, with these fast cars and these conditions, I need to learn and take it step by step.”

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Chelsea welcome Manchester City to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League’s matchday 32 biggest match-up.

Chelsea lost 3-0 at Everton last time out, while City were held to a 1-1 draw at relegation strugglers West Ham United.

Match preview

Chelsea’s hopes of Champions League qualification have received a boost, with a fifth-place finish now enough to secure qualification.

However, they could be four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool by before this clash, making victory crucial.

Chelsea are enduring a poor run of form, picking up just five points from their last six games, the third fewest in the Premier League during that period.

Their form against City is more concerning, winning one, drawing three and losing six of their last 10 meetings.

That said, the hosts have a chance of getting a positive result here.

Chelsea need to isolate City’s full-backs to expose their defensive frailties. They must also be cautious while pressing to stay compact defensively.

City are riding high on confidence after winning the Carabao Cup and dumping Liverpool out of the FA Cup. They need to build on that momentum to keep their league title hopes alive.

City’s form and recent record against Chelsea make them favourites for this clash.

City have collected 14 points from their last six fixtures — the same as leaders Arsenal. They are also unbeaten in their last four league away games.

City will dominate possession and look to draw out Chelsea’s press, exploiting the space by playing between the lines and through their wingers’ trickery.

Erling Haaland’s performance could be key for the Cityzens. He scored a hat-trick against Liverpool and has two goals in his last three games against the Blues.

Team news

Rosenior has confirmed that Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill and Reece James will be absent for this clash. Enzo Fernandez remains on club suspension despite apologising for ‘crossing a line‘.

City will be without Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias, while John Stones is doubtful.

Predicted line-ups

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Robert Sanchez, Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Jorrel Hato, Marc Cucurella, Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Estevao, Pedro Neto, Joao Pedro.

Man City (4-2-3-1): Gianluigi Donnarumma, Matheus Nunes, Marc Guehi, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico O’Reilly, Jeremy Doku, Rodri, Antoine Semenyo, Bernardo Silva, Rayan Cherki, Erling Braut Haaland.

Prediction

We predict a 2-2 draw.

Stats from transfermarkt.com & whoscored.com

A member of the midfield ranks at La Liga champions Barcelona was on Friday put through a traditional ‘tunnel of slaps’ at the club’s training ground.

The player in question? Frenkie de Jong.

Dutch international De Jong has for his part not taken to the pitch in a competitive setting since all the way back in February.

This comes owing to a serious hamstring injury suffered during training.

The former Ajax man has spent recent days ramping up his recovery efforts, with a view to rejoining group training alongside the rest of Hansi Flick’s squad.

And as alluded to above, on Friday, De Jong managed precisely as much.

As is tradition at the Ciutat Esportiva, the 28-year-old was in turn put through a tunnel of slaps by his teammates, as showcased in the footage below:

The hope is now that De Jong will be medically cleared in time to feature from the off against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals this week.

Conor Laird – GSFN

Ciro Immobile rolled back the years with a stunning early goal as Paris FC produced one of Ligue 1’s more surprising results of the season, hammering Monaco 4-1 to climb to  the table.

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The veteran Italian striker, who joined the French capital club on a free transfer from Bologna in January, wasted no time making his mark.

With Paris FC already ahead through Jonathan Ikoné’s fourth-minute opener, Immobile doubled the lead on eight minutes, breaking free in the centre of the box and firing a perfect first-time right-foot drive into the roof of the net.

The former Lazio man then turned provider, assisting Ikoné’s second goal on 21 minutes to give Paris FC an unassailable 3-0 lead before half-time.

EMPOLI, ITALY – MARCH 26: Luca Koleosho of Italy U21 in action during the UEFA Under 21 EURO Qualifier match between Italy U21 and North Macedonia U21 at Stadio Carlo Castellani on March 26, 2026 in Empoli, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images)

Former Serie A stars Ikone, Immobile & Koleosho shine for Paris FC

Ikoné, who spent three seasons at Fiorentina between 2022 and 2025, was outstanding throughout and capped a superb individual display with a brace of his own.

Monaco, who came into the match sitting fifth in Ligue 1, managed a brief response through Folarin Balogun just before the break, but any hopes of a comeback were swiftly extinguished in the second half.

Italy Under-21 international Luca Koleosho, a player firmly in the plans of whoever takes over the senior Azzurri coaching role, added a fourth to complete a comprehensive victory and cap a thoroughly miserable evening for Monaco.

The result leaves Monaco stranded on 49 points, while Paris FC’s momentum under Antoine Kombouaré continues to build.

Carlos Alcaraz has made it back-to-back quarter-final appearances at the Monte-Carlo Masters after seeing off Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

The Spaniard had to work for it, though, dropping the second set as he ran into a rough patch, tallying up 23 unforced errors along the way.

Alcaraz explained how he stayed mentally locked in even when things weren’t clicking for him on court and spoke about how his mindset helps him push through those rough patches.

“When I was not playing at my best tennis, there are a lot of things that you can do to keep your focus and try to stay in the match,” Alcaraz said. “That’s what I told myself. Try to focus on what you have to do. And when I lost the second set, I tried to forget about it.”

Alcaraz shares how he’s grown mentally in matches

Alcaraz was acknowledged in his press conference at the Monte-Carlo Masters for keeping his composure after losing the second set.

When asked about it, Alcaraz replied: “Well, first of all, thank you! I’ll tell my coach that you said it! It’s something I’ve worked on.

“When I was younger, if I missed a shot, I would scream, sometimes throw the racket, and fill my mind with negative thoughts. And those thoughts could last one or two games.”

“We realized how important it is to fill your mind with positive things all the time, even when things aren’t going well, when you’re not feeling the ball or missing a lot of shots,” he explained.

“The more you fill your mind with positive thoughts, the quicker things can turn around. It’s something I’m still working on.

“If I miss an easy shot, I try to understand what happened, think about how I could have done it better, and then focus on the next point.

“I try to do that the whole match. Sometimes it’s really difficult, but it’s something I keep in mind. It’s a goal in every match.”

Alcaraz has changed his mentality to make sure he stays focused even when things aren’t going his way during a match.

Bublik is coming off an impressive win over defending champion Andrey Rublev and will be looking to carry that form into his quarter-final meeting with Alcaraz.

Alcaraz’s Monte-Carlo track record

Carlos Alcaraz captured the Monte-Carlo Masters title last season, his first triumph in the opening clay court event of the year.

He had played only two editions of the tournament before 2026, which makes his record even more striking.

Following wins over Sebastian Baez and Tomas Martin Etcheverry this week, Alcaraz now stands at 7-1 in Monte-Carlo.

That translates to an 87.5% win rate at the event, ranking it as his third-strongest Masters performance by percentage.

Alcaraz has won 88% of his matches at both the Italian Open and Madrid Open, reinforcing just how dominant he’s become on clay at this stage of the season.

Read more:

Craig Breslow Shares Red Sox Fans' Frustrations Amid Underwhelming Start originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

As many Boston Red Sox fans are well aware, the team is not off to a good start this year. The Red Sox opened the season 4-8, losing three of their first four series and quickly falling to last place in the AL East.

Boston fans are notoriously impatient, especially this time of year when Fenway Park is often cold and gray. They're not having much fun at the ballpark or liking what they're seeing these days, and they've been quick to boo the players and criticize Red Sox leadership for the team's poor performance so far.

During his appearance on WEEI on Thursday, Craig Breslow said he understands the fans' frustrations and shares their disappointment with Boston's slow start.

"Sonny was really good at a time when obviously we needed him", Red Sox CBO Craig Breslow joins and discusses Sonny Gray.
What's biggest reason for the slow start?
Breslow on atmosphere/fans, "Our fans are passionate. They have expectations for this team, for the organization" pic.twitter.com/n8b9mEfXm3

— WEEI (@WEEI) April 9, 2026

"Our fans are passionate. They have expectations for this team, for the organization. We have the same expectations. We want to live up to those," Breslow acknowledged. "The way that we were playing to start the season, it didn't warrant a ton of excitement and cheers. And that's okay. It's on us to turn it around."

Breslow's in his third year as Chief Baseball Officer and spent 12 seasons as a Major League pitcher, including five for the Red Sox, so he knows how passionate Boston fans are about the team. He experienced the highs and the lows with them from 2012 to 2015, winning a World Series while also enduring three last-place finishes.

Red Sox fans expect a lot from their team, and what they've seen so far hasn't been good enough. Breslow gets that and knows the club needs to play better if it wants to start turning those boos into cheers.

More MLB: Ken Rosenthal Reveals Major Concerns With Red Sox's Offense, Roman Anthony

LIV Golf has been thrown under the microscope at The Masters for all the wrong reasons.

Their two superstars, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, were popular picks to win the Green Jacket thanks to their recent form. They had won the last two LIV events before arriving at Augusta.

But their opening rounds threw them out of contention immediately. They were a combined 10-over, as no LIV Golf player shot under par on Thursday. Since then, Tyrrell Hatton shot a red-hot 66 to right those wrongs, but the performance of LIV players was still jarring.

Sir Nick Faldo was among many to say LIV Golf, with their easier courses and less competitive fields, doesn’t properly prepare players for the majors. That’s why Rahm has been uncompetitive at the year’s biggest events since signing with the Saudi-backed league.

After shooting a second round 70, Rahm responded to those claims.

Jon Rahm says ‘golf is golf’ after being questioned about readiness for The Masters

Rahm was asked after his second round, which will most likely see him inside the cut line, what adjustments he had to make when coming from LIV to The Masters. His answer? “None. Golf is golf.”

Rahm, understandably, was not ready to entertain the notion that joining LIV Golf has affected his ability to win majors. He’s not one to admit a mistake, just look at how he’s approached his saga with the DP World Tour.

Rahm was then asked how LIV prepares him for the majors, and he said, “Same as any other golf tournament in the world, yeah.”

The Spaniard did not seem happy with the line of questioning and swatted them away. But if he continues to play poorly at majors, then he’ll have to face them over and over again.

Jon Rahm says if he can still win The Masters

Rahm finished his second round nine shots back from the benchmark Rory McIlroy set through the first round, so there’s plenty of work for him to do over the weekend.

He said he has a very slim chance of getting to the top of the leaderboard come Sunday: “Yesterday was just an anomaly where everything that could go wrong went wrong. Not that I shot myself out of the tournament but I’m going to need an absolute miracle starting today, and didn’t quite do enough.

“I’m going to need a heck of a round tomorrow to give myself a chance and even then, might be a little too far away.”

It sounds like Rahm is going to give it a real go over the weekend, so get ready for some fireworks!

In three years under head coach Mike Hastings, each year has delivered peaks and valleys. The Wisconsin Badgers ascended to the nation’s top ranking in 2023-24, Hastings’ first year at the helm, before a late-season collapse resulted in a first-round overtime loss to Quinnipiac.

The valleys were lower in year two as they struggled to win close games. But year three has been a rollercoaster from the jump. Let’s take a closer look at how Wisconsin managed to earn its way to the title game when it nearly found itself on the outside looking in.

Year three of the Hastings era got off to a strong start, mirroring the early-season success of 2023-24 with Wisconsin rising to number two in the USCHO ranking after splitting at then-No. 2 Michigan and sweeping then-No. 1 Michigan State in East Lansing. But the March stumble the Badgers experienced in the first two years came early this season as Wisconsin dropped six straight to close out January and effectively kill any hopes of competing for the Big Ten regular season title.

In order to get a good picture of how Wisconsin battled back from the quicksand that was strangling the life out of the season, it’s important to first diagnose what went wrong during the winter break. 

First and foremost, Wisconsin was an absolutely elite offensive team in the first half of the season. The Badgers averaged 4.44 goals per game in the first semester while playing half their games against teams ranked at the time. The offensive prowess allowed some breathing room as freshman goaltender Daniel Hauser got comfortable between the pipes. Hauser was afforded some mistakes, knowing Wisconsin could make up the difference, though he also showed some brilliant flashes early in the season.

The emergence of freshman forward Blake Montgomery also helped set the tone for Wisconsin’s early-season success. His speed through the neutral zone and quick strike ability made the offense a bit more dynamic. Montgomery notched his eighth goal of the season against Notre Dame on December 6 and looked prime to take on a key contributor role the rest of the way.

As of April 10, Montgomery has only added one more goal in the second half of the season as his production slowed dramatically, only registering five total points since that Notre Dame series in early December.

It’s not all Montgomery’s fault by any means, but his story is indicative of a larger offensive struggle that’s plagued the Badgers as the season started to slip away. Wisconsin’s scoring average dropped in the second half of the season, where they averaged only three goals per game, nearly a goal and a half less than in the first half. The second-half scoring average is also largely propped up by a couple of high-scoring series against Notre Dame and Penn State, where they scored nearly six goals per game in those four contests.

The offensive stagnation coincided with some incredibly inconsistent goalie play. Hauser was dealing with a nagging upper-body injury that lingered a bit from the offseason, likely made worse by his dominating the time share in the crease. I would also argue that he started to hit the freshman wall after setting a pretty high bar early in the season.

With Hauser being limited for a stretch, the Badgers turned to transfer Eli Pulver, who initially shone in the two-game sweep over Michigan State before enduring a stretch where he was pulled in three of four starts. The inconsistency on the back end certainly wasn’t translating to more goals for the offense.

The timing was less than ideal, as Wisconsin returned to conference play in January with then-No. 4 Michigan State and then-No. 8 Penn State, all four games being losses for the Badgers. Losing to those teams wasn’t too concerning, but it was the fifth and sixth losses to a poor Minnesota team that started to sound the alarm bells.

By the time February rolled around, the Badgers were playing themselves out of an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament despite being one of the best teams in the country earlier in the season. With the benefit of foresight, we now know that Wisconsin is playing for a national championship on Saturday. So what happened that allowed them to turn their season around and get back on track?

Well, I don’t know that there is one singular thing we can point to as the reason Wisconsin was able to right the ship. If we want to try and point to one cause, it’s the man behind the bench: Mike Hastings. Hastings is an elite coach who now has three Frozen Fours to his name, taking Minnesota State in 2021 and 2022 before taking the Wisconsin job in the 2023-24 season. This is an experienced coach who knows the game, and the job he did pulling this squad out of their slump has been incredible. He has a consistent message, and when times were dark, the players bought in. 

That said, getting consistent play in goal was also a big factor. Wisconsin was giving up five goals per game during the six-game skid in January, an unsustainable amount no matter how well the offense plays. The goaltending hasn’t needed to be perfect, just good enough to not let the game get away early.

Most importantly for Daniel Hauser, he was essentially able to gain valuable playoff experience during the regular season while Wisconsin was fighting for its postseason lives. That type of experience is already paying dividends with the recent stretch of wins over Dartmouth, Michigan State, and North Dakota.

This last part is less quantifiable, but you can see it when you watch Wisconsin play—this team has started to play for each other, and I think that stems largely from captain Ben Dexheimer. He’s the undeniable heart and soul of this team. When the Badgers lost defensemen Logan Hensler and Zach Schulz to long-term injuries, Dexheimer elevated his play and refused to let this team use it as an excuse to pack it in.

Dexheimer leads all Big Ten defensemen in goals this season with seven, none bigger than his overtime winner against Michigan State to propel Wisconsin to the Frozen Four. His presence was felt against North Dakota when he sold out to block a shot with his ankle as the Badgers were fighting off a five-on-three. His play has been the embodiment of the lengths this Badger team is willing to go to keep their season alive, and they’ve been fighting for it since the beginning of February.

What we’ve seen over the last two months is a team willing to recognize that they put themselves in an unfavorable position and, rather than fold, embrace the adversity and come out better on the other side for it. Nobody cares who gets the glory. They’re not worried about forcing the puck to players to feed any egos. This is a selfless hockey team, which now makes them a dangerous hockey team.

Don’t believe me? Ask Michigan State or North Dakota. Someone better warn Denver, too.

• Saints led Bath 35-26 after thrilling nine-try first half
• Henry Pollock and Fraser Dingwall score in opening six minutes after Miles Reid was sin-binned
• Tom Lockett, Josh Kemeny and Ollie Sleightholme add further tries as Saints run Bath ragged with some superb rugby
• Bath dug in and responded with tries from Tom Dunn, Finn Russell, Henry Arundell and Francois van Wyk
• Winners will play Toulouse or Bordeaux in last four in May

Champions Cup: Northampton lead Bath in nine-try quarter-final thriller

Bears linked to 6.5 sack pass rusher who's 'popular' in Chicago for 25th pick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Bears are looking to upgrade the trenches this offseason during the 2026 NFL Draft. While the offensive line is a position that cannot be ignored, the defensive line is a bigger need.

With the 25th pick, the Bears are going to miss a few of the top players like David Bailey, Arvell Reese, and likely Ruben Bain Jr. as well. But, they should still have a few intriguing options at edge rusher with their first-round pick.

ESPN's Matt Miller also supported the idea that the Bears are eyeing pass rusher help, and he focused on one player who is popular among those in Chicago, implying that this player, Missouri's Zion Young, is a very possible option at 25th overall.

Bears linked to Zion Young as 'popular name' in Chicago

"... I feel less confident in the individual player this time around but would bet No. 25 is used on a defensive lineman," Miller writes. "Zion Young (Missouri) is a popular name in Chicago, from what I've heard."

This is a noteworthy report from Miller, in that the Bears seem to be eyeing up Young as their possible first-round pick.

This would make sense, as Young is a good scheme fit for the Bears' defense under Dennis Allen, and also is very possibly making it to the 25th pick.

More: Dayo Odeyingbo named Bears most overpaid player for 2026

The 6-foot-5, 262-pound Senior defensive end is coming off a solid year for Missouri, where he had 6.5 sacks and 42 total tackles, with 20 being solo, along with two forced fumbles.

He's 22 years old, and while he might not be the super-athlete that some other pass rushers are, he's the kind of player that would be a nice fit opposite Montez Sweat, who could be an every-down edge player.

Young is a solid pass rusher, but he can also hold his own in the run game as well. Bears fans should get familiar with Young, as many mock drafts have had these two lined up, and now, with less than two weeks until the draft, the link is getting even stronger.

More Bears news:

• Drew Dalman surprisingly retires at 27 years old after Pro Bowl season
• Zion Young predicted to land with Bears in 2026 NFL Draft
• Bears suddenly viewed as real suitor for Myles Garrett after contract questions
• Bears' Ryan Poles was strangely only GM to watch Ty Simpson at Alabama Pro Day
• Coby Bryant has good odds to be a successful signing for the Bears

After a slew of exits from Penn State hockey’s roster, the Nittany Lions got some positive news when London Knights winger Jaxon Cover committed to Penn State on Friday afternoon:

Cover had 52 points (20 goals, 32 assists) in 67 games with the London Knights this season, good for No. 56 in the OHL. Most projections currently rate him as a late-first round or second round prospect in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. He will likely slot into a top six role at Penn State, and with his playmaking ability, he should be a good fit for Guy Gadowsky’s system.

Cover will likely play one more season with the Knights before joining Penn State in 2027-28. Penn State still needs to replace all four of its wingers on the top two lines, assuming Gavin McKenna goes pro. The Nittany Lions’ 2026 recruiting class is loaded with forward talent, including Kale Dach, Pierce Mbuyi, and Shea Busch. With the college hockey season coming to a close this weekend and the transfer portal opening on Monday, there will likely be some more Penn State commits in the coming weeks as the Nittany Lions look to rebuild the roster.

Juventus are involved in a competitive race for a top-four place in Serie A alongside several clubs, including Atalanta, Como, AS Roma and AC Milan. The battle for Champions League qualification remains intense as the season approaches its conclusion.

AC Milan are currently in a more comfortable position than most of their rivals, although their inconsistency could still see them dragged back into the contest. If results do not improve, they may find themselves fighting to secure a place inside the top four rather than maintaining a stronger position.

Juventus’ Push for Qualification

Juventus is determined to secure a Champions League spot, as finishing outside the top four could have serious consequences for the club. Qualification remains a key objective, both from a sporting and financial perspective.

The Bianconeri have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks under Luciano Spalletti, although their performances have not always been consistent. Maintaining a high level in the remaining fixtures will be essential if they are to achieve their goal.

Fixture Analysis and Expectations

According to Tuttojuve, journalist Lorenzo Pes has assessed the remaining fixtures for the teams involved in the race and believes Juventus are in a favourable position.

“Given the current situation and the teams’ current fitness, Como will face Inter and Napoli at home, but they also have manageable opponents. Roma still have Atalanta, Lazio, Bologna… they have very difficult opponents. And then there’s Juve, who have a very comfortable schedule. That’s why I think Roma currently has little chance of finishing fourth.”

While the fixture list may appear advantageous, Juventus cannot afford complacency. Matches are not decided on paper, and they must deliver strong performances in every game to secure maximum points.

Consistency and focus will be crucial in the closing stages of the campaign as Juventus aim to outperform their rivals and finish the season in a strong position.

Myles Lewis Skelly could consider leaving Arsenal in the summer, with a leading European club now showing interest in securing his signature. The defender’s situation has changed significantly over the course of the current season, raising questions about his long-term future at the Emirates Stadium.

Last term, the Englishman was the first choice left back, but that role has since been taken by Riccardo Calafiori. This shift in selection has reduced his opportunities, despite his previous importance to the squad and his strong performances when called upon.

Reduced Role at Arsenal

The arrival of Piero Hincapie has further impacted his standing within the team, pushing him down the pecking order. As a result, Lewis Skelly is now focused on regaining regular playing time, whether at Arsenal or elsewhere.

Having remained at the club during the January transfer window, the upcoming summer presents another opportunity for him to assess his options. Regular football will be a key factor in any decision he makes regarding his future.

Interest from Real Madrid

According to Fichajes, Real Madrid are now showing interest in the defender, with Florentino Perez reportedly impressed by his development and performances from last season.

The Spanish club have a history of recruiting top English talent and may view Lewis Skelly as a valuable addition to their squad, which already includes players such as Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

A move could appeal to the player if Real Madrid emerges as the most serious contender for his signature. From Arsenal’s perspective, a potential sale would also carry financial benefits, as any transfer fee would represent pure profit given his status as an academy-developed player.

The situation remains open, but with interest growing and opportunities limited, the summer window could prove decisive for Lewis Skelly’s future.

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Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes will enter the final year of his contract this summer and is yet to sign a new deal. The Portuguese maestro was heavily linked with an exit from Old Trafford last summer amid interest from Saudi Arabia.

United were coming off a disappointing campaign and had offloaded several players who were deemed surplus to requirements. Marcus Rashford, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Rasmus Hojlund were some of the names who were shown the door, and Fernandes’ future was also subject to speculation.

There was tremendous interest from the Middle East, and the United skipper later revealed that he turned down lucrative deals in favour of an Old Trafford stay. The Red Devils will be glad that he did, because their Portuguese Magnifico has been outstanding this season.

Old Trafford legend

Fernandes has consistently been one of the best players in the Premier League since arriving at the Theatre of Dreams in January 2020. He has won the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award a record-equalling four times so far, yet has managed to elevate his game to a higher level this season.

While the Portuguese adapted admirably to a deeper role at the start of this season under former head coach Ruben Amorim, he has been exceptional since being reinstated in the No. 10 role under Michael Carrick. Despite investing over £200 million in attack last summer, the 31 year old very much remains United’s main man.

This season, Fernandes has registered eight goals and 17 assists in 30 appearances across all competitions, 29 of which have been starts.

Bruno Fernandes Stats: 2025/26 Season

Source: Transfermarkt.

The Portuguese has created the most chances in the league, despite operating from a deeper role in the first half of the campaign. He has broken David Beckham’s Premier League assist record for United, and is closing in on the league record of 20 assists in a single season, currently held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

Understandably, the uncertainty surrounding Fernandes’ future continues to make fans uncomfortable. Previous reports have stated that the English giants are willing to do everything to ensure their mercurial skipper continues his stay at the Theatre of Dreams.

However, a recent report suggests that not everyone at Old Trafford is convinced that the former Sporting ace deserves a new deal. Nevertheless, Fernandes has now shed light on his love for life in Manchester, which could be music to the ears of United fans.

Feeling at home in Manchester

Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, Bruno hinted that he and his family are settled in Manchester. He said: “When you spend so long in a place, you kind of feel part of it, and obviously I’m very proud of my country, and I love to be there, but I feel at home in Manchester, and my kids feel at home here.”

“It’s wonderful for me to be in a place where my kids enjoy so much and can feel so at home as they do in Manchester. I felt Mancunian, and then I heard my kids speaking in the accent, and I understood that I’m not as much as they are.”

Fernandes is among the favourites to win the Premier League Player of the Season. His recent form suggests that he could also pick up a record-breaking fifth Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award.

Final Thoughts

Fernandes has registered 106 goals and 103 assists in 320 games for United, and is already an Old Trafford legend. Despite being on the wrong side of 30, he remains the Red Devils’ most important player, and is someone who understands the club and its traditions very well. A renewal, as such, should be the English giants’ priority in the coming months.

Featured image Ryan Pierse via Getty Images

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Ichiro Suzuki received a statue outside of T-Mobile Park to honor his years of service, including 10 MLB All-Star appearance, with the Mariners.

It was a special tribute to Ichiro, who attended the ceremony alongside former teammate including Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez. During the reveal, however, it did not take long for fans and for Ichiro to notice that the tarp covering the statue was broken:

We have a malfunction pic.twitter.com/4Ga4vvaIu5

— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) April 10, 2026

Ichiro joked that former Yankees rival Mariano Rivera was the pitcher who broke the statue.

Rivera was known for breaking bats with his cutter during his professional pitching career.

He famously broke three from one at-bat during the 1999 MLB World Series. New York Times tallied more than 40 in less than 81 inning in his 2001 campaign.

Slight malfunction upon reveal…

Ichiro laughed it off, and the bat is in the process of being moved upright.

“I didn’t think Mariano would come out here and break the bat.” pic.twitter.com/D5NZPg0eJm

— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) April 10, 2026

The Mariners played around about it, too, jokingly about offering fans a bobblehead with a broken bat to match the statue:

Breaking: We’ve updated tonight’s Ichiro Replica Statue giveaway. pic.twitter.com/EcFfkaAUd6

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) April 10, 2026

There is good news, though.

Latest update on Ichiro’s statue… pic.twitter.com/olNRLo3BkV

— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) April 10, 2026

It appears that the statue is already back in an upright position, so it was a relatively quick and easy fix.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Ichiro delivered the perfect joke about statue breaking during reveal

It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for Braden Schneider, but New York Rangers coach Mike Sullivan believes the young defenseman is in a good spot heading into the final three games of the 2025-26 season.

“I think he is playing extremely well right now,” Sullivan said Friday, before the Rangers departed for Dallas, where they’ll skate against the Stars on Saturday.

And why does Sullivan believe the 24-year-old defenseman is so good these days?

“When he’s simple with his puck possession, the decisions he’s making with the puck are good. He’s executing when he has the opportunity to go tape to tape. When he’s not, he’s recognizing when to make a simple play. And I just think that’s an important element of being a good defenseman in today’s game,” Sullivan explained.

“He’s not a guy that’s forcing plays and giving our opponents an opportunity off turnovers, feeding a transition game. … I think ‘Schneids’ has done a good job most recently with his puck possession and recognizing the difference. He’s also making plays when they’re there.”

Schneider admitted that being back on the second or third defense pair helped the overall improvement in his game. Earlier this season, he stepped into a top-pair role alongside Vladislav Gavrikov, when Adam Fox missed 27 games during two extended injury absences through December and January.

The fifth-year pro struggled with the extra responsibility playing against the opposition’s best players and top lines game after game. It’s during this time that the Rangers season cratered, and they sank to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, ultimately eliminated from playoff contention on March 25.

“Early on in the year when Adam went down and playing that elevated role against top players, I think it was definitely a bit of a learning curve,” Schneider stated after practice Friday. “I think it’s finally starting to come together here. i think now that we kind of found our game, I’ve got that understanding more of what I need to do to be the player that can help this team get wins.

“It’s definitely take time, and there’ve definitely been ups and downs throughout this year, but I think I’ve improved a lot.”

‘Hard-working’ Braden Schneider earns praise from Rangers coach Mike Sullivan

Schneider hasn’t missed a game all season, and is second among Rangers defenseman, behind Gavrikov, in most minutes played 5v5 and at all strengths. His average TOI of 20:31 is a career-high, and nearly three minutes more than last season.

Though he only has two goals, even with power-play time earlier in the season, Schneider did establish a career best with 16 assists, and his 18 points are just three off his single-season high. Since March 5, Schneider has seven assists in 19 games.

Never a player with strong underlying numbers, Schneider’s overall expect goal share of 37.52 percent, per Natural Stat Trick, isn’t pretty, though weighed down by his extensive PK minutes. At 5v5, though, it’s not much better — he has an xGF of 43.64 percent.

Though his name comes up often in trade rumors, especially heading into the offseason as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, Schneider could prove too valuable as a physical, mobile, young right-shot defenseman for the Rangers to move on from. Especially with his strong play down the stretch partnered with impressive rookie Drew Fortescue.

Perhaps that’s a second defense pair for years to come on Broadway. Then again, maybe Schneider’s strong finish enhances his trade value to a point that general manager Chris Drury just can’t say no to a deal.

Either way, he earned some hard-won praise from his current coach.

“I think he’s played really well. He defends hard, and, you know, he’s a hard-working guy,” Sullivan noted.

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The Georgia Bulldogs basketball team and coach Mike White recently learned that the Bulldogs will return forward Kareem Stagg, along with several other key contributors, for the 2026-2027 college basketball season. Days after Stagg announced his return to Georgia, he was arrested for speeding and driving without a valid license.

The freshman was released after paying over $1,000 in bonds. According to the police report, he was driving a 2023 Tesla and was going 22 miles over the speed limit. The report adds that Stagg still has a learner's permit and was not supposed to be driving alone. Stagg was arrested in Oconee County.

UGA athletics did not offer much additional information regarding Stagg's arrest. He joins a slew of Georgia football players in being arrested in recent years for driving charges. The rising sophomore recently posted on social media that his father had passed away.

Stagg's role grew throughout the year, with him taking on more playing time down the stretch. The 6-foot-8, 230-pound forward averaged 4.8 points and 2.4 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game. Stagg appeared in 33 games for Georgia, including nine starts.

Stagg along guard Smurf Millender, guard Blue Cain and forward Kanon Catchings are the four key players returning from Georgia basketball's NCAA Tournament team from this past season.

Follow UGA Wire on Instagram or Threads for more Georgia basketball coverage!

This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: UGA basketball freshman Kareem Stagg arrested on driving charges

The top of the 2026 NFL Draft will feature a trio of defenders from the same school with Ohio State, as usual, pumping high end talent into the NFL. Arvell Reese, Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles led one of the elite defenses in college football this year, proving each week why they’re bonafide NFL talents.

Somehow, the Buckeyes couldn’t generate enough offense to win a game in the postseason, but defense held up its end of the bargain for the vast majority of the season thanks to those three players. While two linebackers and a safety going within the top 10 picks of the draft might seem like a bit of a deviation from previous years when position value was a point of focus, it speaks to the incredible cornerstone talent that Reese, Downs and Styles potentially have (and also the rest of the draft class). 

Caleb Downs might be best player in this class regardless of position

Downs has been the biggest name on the defense, fulfilling the expectations set in front of him as one of the most hyped safety recruits in recent memory — and being the younger brother of Colts wide receiver Josh Downs.

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Upon arriving at Alabama as a freshman defensive back, he immediately earned a starting role in Nick Saban’s defense and was one of the truly elite defenders in the country. Even on a defense that featured first-round picks in Jihaad Campbell, Terrion Arnold and Jihaad Campbell,  Downs led the team with 107 total tackles, 70 solo tackles and chipped in 3.5 tackles for loss and two interceptions. Following Saban’s retirement, he picked up his bags and headed to Columbus, where he continued to star for the Buckeyes. 

Downs spent his junior year playing for another former NFL defensive mind in Matt Patricia, cementing his status among the best players available in this year’s draft. Again, on a defense filled with future NFL players, Downs was a key force for the Buckeyes and even finished ninth in the Heisman voting, a rare feat for a safety. There isn’t any safety alignment that he can’t play at the next level, but some of his best tape comes when he plays in the box, slot or as an overhang player in that area of the field. His play is reminiscent of great downhill safeties of the past like Bob Sanders or even Troy Polamalu. The established floor is already very high for Downs, which sets a high ceiling once he gets into the swing of the league.

While he isn’t a super elite athlete for the position, he’s plenty fast enough and has elite strength that allows him to play near the line of scrimmage. This is where he can make the fastest immediate impact in the NFL because he already has a high-level ability to finish plays. He also performs well in man coverage from the slot, adding more versatility as a defender in that area of the field. 

Downs has been in the spotlight for so long that there’s not much left to be said about him. He’s lived up to the hype so far and has a clean projection as far as role and impact in the NFL. He likely won’t be the first player selected in the draft this year because of his position, but he has as good a chance as anyone to have the best career out of the players in this class.

Arvell Reese is best attacking offensive fronts, but there’s more to him than that

The two players who really burst onto the scene this past season are Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, who may both wind up top-five picks — and for good damn reason.

For linebackers to be considered at the top of the draft, they have to be extraordinary playmakers, which Reese and Styles most certainly are. Both possess elite physical traits that allowed them to line up all over Ohio State’s defense. While they should both be classified as linebackers, Styles handled true off-ball responsibilities a bit more than Reese, who projects as someone with pass rush ability for the next level.

Reese’s ability to play on the edge is incredibly impressive, showing a rare ability to tackle in space. His balance for a 240-pound linebacker is elite and he shined as a 3-4 style standup linebacker on the edge. 

Unsurprisingly, Reese is at his absolute best when he’s moving forward as a detonator of opposing offenses. When he did play a traditional linebacker role, Reese again showed off an incredible ability to play against bigger offensive linemen in the box and generally did a phenomenal job filling his run fits within the structure of Ohio State’s defense. Defenders that can generate negative plays without sacrificing the integrity of the defensive play call or leave teammates out to dry with poor fits are invaluable. Reese makes it look easy. 

As a pure pass rusher, Reese still has work to do in terms of having a consistent pass rush plan and executing moves off the edge. Playing so many spots within the front seven is going to leave some technical holes. However, he’s still useful as a pass rusher and an effective blitzer with the strength to rush against guards and speed to put quarterbacks under duress. A creative defensive coordinator will be able to get early production out of him by letting him wreak havoc as a rusher from different alignments. 

While Reese is going to make his money as an attacker of offensive fronts, he’s a capable defender in pass coverage, showing off the range and smarts to be a hammer in zone coverage and effective in certain man coverage situations. This is another part of his game that gives him true flexibility in regards to what he does moving forward. This isn’t just a jack-of-all-trades type of player, he’s genuinely great in so many key facets of the game. 

It doesn’t really matter what defense a team is running, Reese can find a fit within any scheme. There’s a real chance that he can end up as better and more impactful player in the pros with a bit more of a defined role than the “everyman” he played in college.

Sonny Styles projects to be elite at a position that doesn’t have elite players anymore

Styles, meanwhile, has a more clear role moving forward to the NFL as an every-down off-ball linebacker with bonafide elite traits and dominant film.

Styles has been a new linebacker convert from safety, eventually working his way to being the man in the middle for Ohio State’s defense. His improvement over the last two years shows that he’s still just scratching the surface of what he can do as a true middle linebacker. By the end of last season, Styles was arguably the best player on the defense and it was clear the game was really slowing down for him. At 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds, his speed in the middle of the field is rare and he’s quickly grown accustomed to the brawl with offenses every time the ball is snapped.

Styles’ athleticism, which he showed at the combine with a blazing 4.46 40-yard dash time, jumps off the screen. Even in short areas, he’s just too quick for offensive linemen to get a hand on sometimes, allowing him to penetrate the line of scrimmage in a hurry. That explosiveness also shows up in blitz looks where he can really overwhelm blockers with the speed in a bigger frame. He can be just as much of a force and headache for offenses as Reese, but it comes packaged in a different form.

With his safety background plus the size and speed, Styles is a huge weapon in coverage as well. He has the speed to match with slot wide receivers when asked and the size to be a real nuisance to tight ends. Styles was consistently the MIKE linebacker when Ohio State played fronts with five men on the line of scrimmage, and he was forced to learn the position in a big way there. He isn’t perfect — there are times when the power of some offensive linemen overwhelms him and it’s apparent that he’s still growing into his body and the physicality of the position. However, he doesn’t shy away from contact and clearly still has a lot of upside in that regard.

In an NFL that is almost entirely lacking elite off-ball linebacker talent, Styles’ projection becomes a bit more interesting. Normally, inside linebackers aren’t valued at the top of the draft, but if Styles is projected to become an elite player at a position that doesn’t have elite players anymore, does his rarity make him more valuable? On the flip side, there are so many quality wide receivers now, teams don’t need to pick one in the first round to find quality starters that can change an offense. 

All of these Buckeyes on one defense is a wild consolidation of talent in the NIL era — and it doesn’t even get to the other first-round prospect on this defense, Kayden McDonald. McDonald often made life easier for the other three as an extraordinarily productive nose tackle with a whopping 65 tackles last season. Ohio State also has later-round defenders and, as always, talented underclassmen who will declare for the draft in the near future.

How this team failed to win a playoff game is a bit puzzling, but the nucleus of defensive players should be relevant in the NFL for years to come. They worked well in tandem, but individual talent levels of their “big three” will make them worth the early draft investments it’ll take to get them. 

The District 26-6A girls soccer coaches recently selected their all-district teams and superlative winners. Here are their selections:

MVP: Bailey Stephenson, Dripping Springs

Midfielder of the year: Maya Ramirez, Lake Travis; Lily Ruff, Dripping Springs

Offensive player of the year: Amelia Clark, Lake Travis

Defensive player of the year: Shea Sisson, Dripping Springs

Goalkeeper of the year: Sophia Martin, Westlake

Utility player of the year: Kennytzia De La Torre Arias, Del Valle

Coaching staff of the year: Dripping Springs

First team

Dripping Springs: Emerson Barefoot, Carson Thompson, Annabelle Pittman, Isa Guerrero, Ella Castillo

Lake Travis: Mya Griffin, Addy Baker, Adalyn Albright, Sutton Leibowitz

Westlake: Claire Eckman, Janina Maldei-Stumm, Grace Condon

Austin High: Kate Loudamy, Arianna Dordal, M.J. Maebius, Brynn Lloyd

Bowie: Caroline Baxter, Sydney Murphy

Del Valle: Janytzia De La Torrie Arias

Akins: Kyndra Azuara

Second team

Dripping Springs: Juanita Diaz, Rachel Darilek, Brooke Greeneville, Lauren Velasco

Lake Travis: Avery Court, Ava Gilbert, Campbell Caruthers, Tea Liberman

Westlake: Zoe Findlay, Amara Kazzi-Loyde, Emma Terrell

Austin High: Atiana Sigala, Kate Pieczonka, Piper Phillips

Bowie: Alli Billick, Marley Downs, Stella Kloninger

Del Valle: Jazz Sandres, Charlee Martinez

Akins: America Gonzalez, Jadis Franco

Honorable mention

Dripping Springs: Addison Novosad, Josie Hardin

Lake Travis: Brooklyn Bell, Parker Clowe, Evangeline Suehs

Westlake: Campbell Utkov, Quinn Condon, Mia Hocker

Austin High: Pepi Brady, Emerson Teague, Ollie Tramontana

Bowie: Violet Hill, Avery McCleary, Gia Snyder 

Del Valle: Maricela Cabrera, Sarai Pena, Destiny Tobias

Akins: Mitca Ramirez, Emily Saldaña, Ariana Piña

It has been three years since the MMA world leader promoted a new version of EA Sports UFC. However, the wait for gaming fight fans may end soon. During a new conversation with Aidn Ross, UFC CEO Dana White was asked about a new game and had an interesting answer.

“I was working on a cover that we were gonna do, but then we ended up going with the original plan we were going to go with,” White said. “I didn’t even know it wasn’t announced yet. I literally just got done with it three days ago. Yeah, [we’ll see EA Sports UFC 6 this year], and there will be two covers.”

Although a specific date has not been announced, the popular fighting game will be back with an all-new edition this year. But which stars will get the honor of being on the EA Sports UFC 6 cover? We offer up some potential options.

Ilia Topuria

Ilia Topuria is arguably the best fighter on the planet. He is one of the few top stars in the promotion with an unbeaten record (17-0), and “El Matador” took his status to new heights when he won a title in a second division last June. Furthermore, he would continue the trend of foreign-born fighters being on the cover. Alexander Volkanovski, Valentina Shevchenko, and Israel Adesanya were on the two covers for EA Sports UFC 5.

Alex Pereira

Former middleweight and light heavyweight king Alex Pereira may be the most popular active fighter in the UFC. In 12 bouts inside the Octagon, he has gone the distance just twice, as he’s posted a 10-2 record in the company. He is simply a must-see fighter every time because of his devastating knockout skills.

No fighter on the roster is a more perfect fit to be the EA Sports UFC 6 cover athlete than “Poatan.”

Islam Makhachev

For the last few years, there has been no better fighter in the UFC than current welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. After a loss to Adriano Martins in 2015, the Russian has reeled off 16 straight wins. The last six have all been title fights against some of the best of his era and in two divisions. His mentor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, never got to grace the cover of a UFC video game. It would be fitting for Makhachev to be the first Russian star to do it.

Khamzat Chimaev

Reigning middleweight king Khamzat Chimaev has emerged as one of the company’s most popular stars because the Russian is a unique blend of Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Due to his brash trash talk and ability to absolutely dominate foes with his wrestling. He is one of the UFC’s brightest stars now and long-term, so it makes sense for him to land on the cover of their latest game.

Charles Oliveira

If EA wanted to lean into the whole BMF title thing, current BMF champ Charles Oliverira would be a sensible choice for the EA Sports UFC 6 cover. But beyond that, he is an MMA legend and future UFC Hall of Famer. Furthermore, he would make history as the first fighter from the rich fighting country of Brazil to be on the cover for an EA Sports UFC game.

Georges St-Pierre

Fans will assume a current UFC athlete will be on the cover of EA Sports UFC 6. However, it can’t be ruled out that the game has a theme showcasing legends from the past. That is why an MMA icon like Georges St-Pierre could end up on the front of the game.

Plus, it would give “Rush” one last major MMA achievement because he has never been on the cover of any UFC game ever made. Which is pretty shocking considering his importance to the company and sport.

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The New Jersey Devils appear all-in on Sunny Mehta, who is of course the hottest name on the front-office market.

But if the Devils can bring their former analytics director back as general manager, their next call should be to Brendan Shanahan.

Shanahan would be the perfect complement to Mehta in the president-of-hockey-operations role and could bring the Devils into a new era of prominence.

The Devils, of course, have already requested an interview with Mehta for their GM role, which was vacated earlier this week when they fired Tom Fitzgerald.

The Devils Should Lead Their Front Office With a Partnership of Sunny Mehta and Brendan Shanahan

That this ownership group of Josh Harris and David Blitzer wants to talk to Mehta is no surprise. They gave the Wyckoff native and former pro poker player his start in an NHL front office about a decade ago — and even made him report directly to them and not then-GM Fred Shero.

Mehta is smart and media savvy. But he has not yet been a general manager in the NHL and could use an experienced front-office member to support him.

Insert Shanahan, who fits both the experienced front-office member criteria as well as a franchise great. He was Lou Lamoriello’s first draft selection as Devils general manager in 1987 and played his first 281 games in a Devils uniform before bookending his career in New Jersey in 2008-09.

Shanahan has already worked with an analytically driven GM when he and Kyle Dubas built the Toronto Maple Leafs to their most successful era in two decades.

Of course, that duo had multiple top-10 picks to build their roster around in Morgan Rielly (No. 5 in 2012), William Nylander (No. 8 in 2014), Mitch Marner (No. 4 in 2015) and Auston Matthews (No. 1 in 2016). But so do the Devils.

Don’t Dismiss Brendan Shanahan for his Failures in Toronto

The marriage between Dubas and Shanahan failed in Toronto when Shanahan fired Dubas in 2023.

There will be naysayers — and potentially Martin Brodeur advocates — who will dismiss Shanahan because of his failures in Toronto. They could rightly point out that Dubas landed on his feet and is about to help the Pittsburgh Penguins reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year.

But Shanahan and Dubas had external forces in play in Toronto that he and Mehta wouldn’t have in New Jersey. The Devils have already won a playoff series with his current core, so they won’t have that cloud looming over their heads.

Plus, the Devils don’t have a fishbowl-type media environment ready to plan a parade or clean house every time there’s a four-game winning/losing streak.

It became clear that both Dubas and Shanahan crumpled under the weight of expectations in the hockey-media capital of the world. But their process still produced unprecedented regular-season success in Toronto.

The Leafs made the playoffs in seven straight years — which the franchise hadn’t done since the 16-team era of the 1970s — and twice surpassed 50 wins, including a franchise-record 54 wins in 2021-22. They finished first in the one-off North Division in 2020-21, which stands as Toronto’s lone regular-season division crown since 1999-00.

The question is whether Shanahan would take a Devils president role, since he stepped away from the Leafs after last year. Plus, the Devils have long-eschewed that organizational structure.

But the Devils are at a crossroads, especially given the uncertainty surrounding their current core and its struggles to even reach the playoffs. It’s the perfect time for bold action and to bring back a pair of Devils prodigal sons with a move that will fire up the downtrodden fan base.

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The young Magpies raced into a two-goal lead inside six minutes at The Progress With Unity Stadium, with Matheos Ferreira netting his fourth goal in as many PL2 matches before Sean Neave's excellent lob doubled the visitors' lead in quick succession.

Victor Musa's header halved the deficit for the hosts after the restart but, after a resilient defensive display from Newcastle's youngsters Anthony Munda's stoppage-time strike sealed maximum points, guaranteeing a place in the Professional Development League (PDL) play-off spot with a game to spare.

Robbie Stockdale made three changes from the side which suffered a 3-0 away defeat at Nottingham Forest three weeks ago.

Neave, who made his professional debut in the Magpies' 6-1 UEFA Champions League victory against Qarabağ FK, led the line while Ferreira and Dylan Charlton, the latter making his first U21s outing since sustaining a hamstring injury in February, were also handed starts.

Newcastle took the lead in the fourth minute through Ferreira's fine finish. After Park Seung-soo raced onto Charlton's lofted pass in-behind the Red Devils backline, the South Korean winger advanced beyond Louis Jackson before picking out Ferreira inside the box, with the Ashington-born winger stroking the ball into the net.

Newcastle extended their lead in the sixth minute as Neave netted his 14th goal of the season at under-21 level.

The Winlaton-born teenager beat William Murdock to Mason Miley's hooked clearance in behind the Man United defence before cleverly lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper on the edge of the box.

The visitors ought to have scored a third shortly after as Neave latched onto Seung-soo's pass inside the penalty area after brilliant work on the left byline by the latter, but Neave's strike was saved from point-blank range by Murdock.

Newcastle continued their pursuit for a third goal before the break as Anthony Munda, who joined United's Academy at the age of nine, headed over from Ferreira's teasing cross before, minutes later, Seung-soo's ferocious drive from the edge of the box flew narrowly over the crossbar.

Neave went close to netting his second goal of the evening on the stroke of half-time as the 18-year-old forward, a representative of England at under-19 level, completed a lengthy run from his own half before directing a drilled effort over the crossbar.

The young Magpies' clean sheet hopes were dashed as Man United pulled a goal back in the 54th minute through Musa. After a dangerous cross from the left flank worked its way to the back post, the Red Devils winger guided a firm header into the net.

Newcastle faced further attacking pressure from the hosts, managed by former Magpies Under-21s Lead Coach Adam Lawrence, as Jim Thwaites' bending free-kick from the edge of the box flew inches wide of the left-hand post.

The visitors defended valiantly in the final half-hour, with Thwaites' fierce drive from the edge of the box proving the only serious threat to Aidan Harris' goal.

With nine minutes of stoppage-time awarded, Munda confirmed three points for United in the dying stages. After racing onto Neave's pass, the ball kindly evaded Murdock as the Cowgate-born midfielder was allowed to place the ball into an empty net.

Our Under-21s conclude their 2025/26 Premier League 2 campaign on Monday 13 April when welcoming Wolverhampton Wanderers' second-string to Whitley Park [kick-off 7pm BST].

Newcastle United Under-21s: Aidan Harris, Mason Miley (Logan Watts 84), Dylan Charlton (Henry Johnson 62), Miodrag Pivaš, Ciaran Thompson (c), Rory Finneran, Matheos Ferreira (Michael Mills 73), Scott Bailey, Sean Neave, Anthony Munda, Seung-soo Park (Kyle Fitzgerald 84).

Subs not used: Adam Harrison.

Here are the latest news updates and possible return dates for Knicks players...

April 10, 4:05 p.m.

Ahead of the second game of a back-to-back, the Knicks ruled out Miles McBride (pelvic/ core muscle) and Mitchell Robinson (left ankle) for Friday's contest against the Toronto Raptors.

Both players are out for injury management after playing 19 minutes each in Thursday's win over the Boston Celtics. 

McBride scored four points (1-for-5 shooting) with two assists and a rebound. Robinson had seven points with seven rebounds, plus three steals and a block.

Including Friday's game, there are just two games remaining in the regular season, so New York is playing it safe and making sure the pair of key players are healthy for the playoffs.

April, 3, 7:05 p.m.

It looked as if the Knicks were completely healthy heading into Friday's game against the Bulls, but things changed suddenly.

Karl-Anthony Towns was listed as questionable with a right elbow impingement, and shortly before tip, the team ruled him out for the game.

Mitchell Robinson will start in Towns' place.

Towns is coming off a game where he recorded his second triple-double as a Knick in the team's win over the Grizzlies on Wednesday night.

April 1, 7:01 p.m.

After initially being listed as questionable with right ankle soreness, Jalen Brunson has been ruled out by the Knicks for Wednesday's matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Brunson joins Miles McBride (core muscle injury management) and Mitchell Robinson (load management) on the bench, leaving New York shorthanded and with few options to turn to for the second game of a back-to-back following Tuesday's loss to the Houston Rockets.

Jose Alvarado will likely be inserted into the starting five as the point guard, alongside Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns.

March 21, 5:50 p.m.

The latest NBA injury report has Landry Shamet (knee) as out for Sunday's game against the Washington Wizards. Shamet exited Friday's win against the Nets with right knee soreness.

Josh Hart (knee), who missed Friday's game in Brooklyn, is questionable as he continues to manage his knee injury.

Shamet took Hart's place in the starting lineup against the Nets. If Hart is unable to play, Jose Alvarado could see himself inserted into the starting five. When Shamet exited the game against Brooklyn, Alvarado was the second guard on the floor with the starters. 

March 19, 5:25 p.m.

The Knicks officially ruled Josh Hart (knee) out for Friday's game against the Nets. Hart missed two games during the Knicks' West Coast road trip earlier this month with knee soreness. 

Jalen Brunson, who missed the Knicks' win against the Pacers on Tuesday with neck soreness, is off the injury report and is set to return to the lineup when they take on the cross-town rivals.

March 17, 6:05 p.m.

The Knicks ruled Jalen Brunson (ankle) out for Tuesday's game against the Pacers. Coach Mike Brown confirmed Jose Alvarado will take Brunson's place in the starting lineup. This is the first time Brunson has missed a game due to injury since Jan. 17. 

In addition, Brown said that Mitchell Robinson will play after being questionable with a back injury.

Feb. 11, 1:30 p.m.

The Knicks have ruled out OG Anunoby for Wednesday night's game at the Philadelphia 76ers.

Anunoby has been out of the lineup since playing 48 minutes in the double-OT win over the Nuggets on Feb. 4 with a toenail avulsion on his right foot.

New York will have Mitchell Robinson available for the game against the Sixers after the big man missed the first game of the Knicks back-to-back, a disappointing OT defeat to the Indiana Pacers.

Feb. 8, 11:00 a.m.

The Knicks will remain shorthanded on Sunday in Boston, but they are getting two big pieces back.

Karl-Anthony Towns (eye laceration) and Josh Hart (ankle) are set to play while OG Anunoby (toe) will remain out. 

Towns and Anunoby missed Friday's game in Detroit with their respective injuries.

Hart was forced to leave that loss early with his.

New York will also have Jose Alvarado available for the first time after he passed his physical.

Feb. 7, 5:20 p.m.

The Knicks are listing Josh Hart (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns (eye laceration), and OG Anunoby (toe) as questionable for Sunday afternoon's game against the Boston Celtics, the team announced.

Towns and Anunoby missed Friday night's loss to the Pistons, during which Hart sustained an injury that saw him exit the game in the third quarter.

New York will have Jose Alvarado available for the first time since adding the guard in a trade before this week's deadline. 

Feb. 6, 7:02 p.m.

The Knicks will be without star Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby on Friday night in Detroit against the Pistons, per the NY Post's Stefan Bondy.

Towns was previously listed as doubtful with an eye laceration, while Anunoby was a game-time decision due to right toe soreness.

The good news for New York is that Josh Hart will be active after missing Wednesday's 2OT win over the Denver Nuggets.

Feb. 6, 1:10 p.m.

It appears the Knicks will be a bit shorthanded when they head to Detroit on Friday night. 

Karl-Anthony Towns has been downgraded to doubtful with an eye laceration suffered Wednesday, and OG Anunoby is being listed as questionable with right toe soreness. 

Additionally, Jose Alvarado is not yet with the team, as he and Dalen Terry still need to pass their physicals. 

On a more positive note, Josh Hart is now being listed as probable after missing Wednesday's game with an ankle sprain. 

Hart was originally questionable, but he's already been upgraded hours before tipoff. 

New York is looking to push its winning streak to nine games against the Eastern Conference leaders.  

Feb. 5, 4:15 p.m.

The Knicks could be a bit short-handed when they take on the Pistons on Friday night. 

The team is listing Karl-Anthony-Towns (eye laceration) and Josh Hart (left ankle) as questionable, while OG Anunoby (toe soreness) is probable to play. 

Hart did not play on Wednesday night against the Denver Nuggets, the same game in which Towns played through a cut above his eye.

Miles McBride (core muscle surgery) is also out, and likely won't be able to return until the playoffs. 

Feb. 4, 5:25 p.m.

The Knicks are once again dealing with a thin backcourt, as head coach Mike Brown revealed guards Josh Hart and Miles McBride are unavailable for Wednesday's home game against the Nuggets with ankle injuries.

Hart suffered a left ankle sprain during the third quarter of Tuesday's road win over the Wizards, as cameras caught him hobbling to the locker room. While the severity of his injury is still unknown, the veteran missed a handful of games earlier this season due to a right ankle issue.

As for McBride, who last played on Jan. 27 against the Kings, he's about to miss a fifth straight game. He's averaged 12.9 points across 35 games this season, shooting a career-best 42 percent from three.

The good news is rookie Mohamed Diawara, who also exited Tuesday's win early with an ankle injury, will be active on Wednesday. 

Feb. 2, 5:00 p.m.

The Knicks' depth will be tested against the Wizards on Tuesday night, as Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson have already been ruled out due to left ankle injury management.

McBride, who last played on Jan. 27 against the Kings, will be unavailable for a fourth straight game. The fifth-year guard has averaged 12.9 points across 35 games this season, shooting a career-best 42 percent from three.

As for Robinson, his absence is more precautionary with a back-to-back slate ahead. He racked up seven rebounds and one block (23 minutes) in Sunday's win over the Lakers, and SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley reports he's likely to return to action on Wednesday against the Nuggets.

Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m.

New York ruled out Miles McBride (left ankle injury management) for Sunday's primetime game against the Los Angeles Lakers, per the team's Saturday injury report.

It will be the third straight game that McBride has missed, last playing on Jan. 27 against the Sacramento Kings. Over 35 games this season, McBride is averaging 12.9 points per game and shooting 42 percent from three.

Despite his absence the past two games, the Knicks have extended their winning streak to five games after a rough 2-9 stretch

Jan. 28 1:36 p.m.

The Knicks will be without Miles McBride (left ankle management) and Mitchell Robinson (left ankle management) when they take on the Raptors in Toronto on Wednesday night in the second game of a back-to-back.

McBride played 30 minutes in Tuesday's win over the Kings, scoring nine points. Robinson also played against Sacramento, scoring seven points with 13 rebounds (six offensive) over 27 minutes of action.

Additionally, Josh Hart is being listed as questionable due to right ankle soreness.

Jan. 24, 2:36 p.m.

After the Knicks designated Karl-Anthony Towns as questionable with back spasms, the team announced just before Saturday's tip with the 76ers that the big man will indeed play.

Philly upgraded Paul George (knee) and Joel Embiid (ankle) as available for Saturday's game.

Jan. 23, 6:20 p.m.

The latest NBA injury report was updated and Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the 76ers.

New York is citing thoracic back spasms as the reason for Towns' designation.

As for Philly, Paul George (knee) and Joel Embiid (ankle) are listed as probable for the big showdown between Eastern Conference rivals. 

Jan. 19, 3:35 p.m.

Fresh off being named an All-Star starter for the second straight year, Jalen Brunson (right ankle sprain) will be back in action on Monday when the Knicks take on the Dallas Mavericks, head coach Mike Brown said.

Brunson has missed most of New York's last three games, all losses, after spraining his ankle in the first quarter against the Sacramento Kings last Wednesday.

Josh Hart (right ankle soreness) will also return to the court on Monday after sitting out Saturday's loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Jan. 18 5:20 p.m.

Jalen Brunson (right ankle sprain) and Josh Hart (right ankle soreness) are both being listed as questionable for Monday's game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The former college teammates did not play on Saturday night in a loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Brunson has already missed 2-plus games since suffering the injury on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings, as the Knicks have dropped their last three straight contests.

Jan. 17, 5:58 p.m.

After initially being listed as questionable, Knicks head coach Mike Brown ruled out Josh Hart (ankle) and Jalen Brunson (ankle) for Saturday's game against the Suns.

Jan. 17, 1:15 p.m.

The Knicks are listing Josh Hart as questionable for Saturday's game against the Phoenix Suns due to right ankle soreness.

Hart has played in New York's past three games after missing eight games with an ankle injury suffered on Christmas Day. The team went 3-5 in his absence.

He's averaging 12.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game over 31 contests this season.

Jalen Brunson (ankle) is also questionable for Saturday night and still listed as day-to-day after suffering a right ankle sprain against the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. He did not play in Thursday's loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Jan. 15, 8:20 p.m.

The Knicks will be without Jalen Brunson on Thursday, but they will receive reinforcement in the rotation.

Landry Shamet has officially been ruled available for the meeting with the Warriors.  

Shamet's been out since Nov. 22 with a shoulder injury, but he's been working his way back and was officially upgraded to questionable heading into the matchup. 

It's unclear whether or not he'll be on a minutes restriction, but his return is certainly a welcome sight. 

Shamet was averaging 9.3 points on 45 percent shooting from the field in 15 games prior to the injury.

Jan. 10, 5:00 p.m.

Josh Hart (ankle) has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The wing has not played since Christmas Day, missing the past eight games.

New York has gone 3-5 without him, including dropping five of their last six games.

Jan. 6, 5:20 p.m.

The latest Knicks injury report lists Josh Hart and Landry Shamet as out for Wednesday's tip against the Clippers at MSG.

Hart (ankle) will miss his seventh consecutive game, in which the Knicks are 2-4 in his absence. SNY's Ian Begley said on The Putback that Hart is "close" to coming back. The team had said last week that they would re-evaluate Hart in a week, and it seems enough progress hasn't been made.

After Wednesday's game, the Knicks travel west to take on the Suns in Phoenix on Friday.

Jan. 3, 2026, 1:41 p.m.

The Knicks are listing Karl-Anthony Towns as questionable for Saturday night's game against the visiting Philadelphia 76ers due to illness. Towns missed Friday night's defeat to the Atlanta Hawks with the same ailment.

Mitchell Robinson (ankle injury management) is off the injury report for Saturday after not playing the previous night.

Josh Hart (shoulder) is making improvements, but remains out alongside Landry Shamet (shoulder). 

Dec. 30, 10:27 p.m.

Mitchell Robinson (ankle injury management) is out for Wednesday's game against the San Antonio Spurs.

New York's big man is one of three players who have been listed as out for the NBA Cup rematch on New Year's Eve. Robinson joins Josh Hart (right ankle sprain) and Landry Shamet (shoulder) as those unavailable for the game.

Tyler Kolek (right ankle soreness) is listed as probable, while Ariel Hukporti (lip laceration) is questionable for Wednesday's game.

Dec. 27, 6:10 p.m.

On the last injury report ahead of Saturday's tip against the Hawks, the Knicks listed Miles McBride (ankle) as out.

McBride was listed as questionable as recently as Friday, but it seems the guard will miss his eighth game.

Dec. 26, 3:42 p.m.

The Knicks will be without forward Josh Hart when they play the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The forward left the Christmas Day win over Cleveland in the fourth quarter and has been diagnosed with an ankle sprain. 

But there was some good news: reserve guard Miles McBride (ankle) has been upgraded to questionable. That's an indication that he is very close to making a return to the court after missing the last seven games.

Landry Shamet (shoulder) remains sidelined.

Dec. 22, 4:20 p.m.

The Knicks will be short-handed on Tuesday night in Minnesota against the Timberwolves.

Jalen Brunson (right ankle management), OG Anunoby (left ankle soreness), and Guerschon Yabusele (illness) are all listed as out.

Additionally, Miles McBride (ankle), Landry Shamet (shoulder), and Pacôme Dadiet (G-League assignment) will remain out as well.

New York has gone 2-1 since winning the NBA Cup last Tuesday and face a hot Minnesota squad, winners of four out of their last five games.

Dec. 19, 5:25 p.m.

Head coach Mike Brown confirmed that Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart will play against the 76ers on Friday, hours after they were listed as probable on the injury report.

Dec. 19, 2:00 p.m.

On the heels of a back-to-back, the Knicks will get some of their core back in the lineup on Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Karl-Anthony Towns (knee soreness) and Josh Hart (rectus abdominis strain) are listed as probable, while Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby aren't on the injury report and should be available. Towns, Hart, and Robinson all did not play in Thursday's win over the Indiana Pacers. 

Miles McBride (ankle) and Landry Shamet (shoulder) will remain out for New York on Friday. Additionally, Pacôme Dadiet was assigned to the Westchester Knicks.

The Sixers will be without former MVP Joel Embiid (illness, right knee injury management), who was downgraded from questionable. Embiid has played in just 11 of Philly's 25 games this season, averaging only 20.5 points and 6.6 rebounds when on the court (26.2 minutes per game). Philadelphia will also be without Kelly Oubre Jr. (left knee sprain) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain).

Dec. 18, 5:15 p.m.

Fresh off the NBA Cup triumph, the Knicks are going to be without a host of players for Thursday night's matchup with the lowly Indiana Pacers (6-20).

Karl-Anthony Towns (knee soreness), Josh Hart (rectus abdominis strain),  and Mitchell Robinson (ankle management) will all not feature due to slight injuries. New York will already be without Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, who are on the shelf with longer-term injuries.

OG Anunoby (knee contusion) was on the injury report, but will play.

Dec. 7, 3:22 p.m.

Knicks guard Miles McBride exited Sunday's win over the Orlando Magic in the first half, and according to SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, the guard is still in the process of being evaluated for a left ankle injury.

The Knicks say they will know more on McBride's status on Monday. 

As a starter or a bench player, McBride has been terrific this season. In 19 games (nine starts), McBride has averaged a career-best 15.8 points per games while shooting 46.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Dec. 4, 5:10 p.m.

The Knicks are seemingly close to getting OG Anunoby back. According to SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, Anunoby (hamstring) has been upgraded to questionable for Friday's game against the Utah Jazz at MSG.

Begley noted on Thursday's episode of The Putback that this weekend's games are a target for the Knicks to get Anunoby back on the court.

Anunoby has missed every game since suffering the injury on Nov. 14 against the Miami Heat.

Head coach Mike Brown said that Anunoby has progressed to taking contact in practice and it seems as though the forward is reacting to it in a positive manner. Of course, this doesn't mean Anunoby will play on Friday, but it leaves open the possibility.

Dec. 3, 6:40 p.m.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown gave a short update on OG Anunoby (hamstring). The coach said that Anunoby has progressed to taking contact in practice.

“It’s still the same, he’s still progressing in the right direction," Brown said of Anunoby before Wednesday's game against the Hornets. "We’re not going to rush him."

Brown also confirmed that Mitchell Robinson (injury management) will miss Wednesday's game, as it's the second of a back-to-back. 

Mike Brown said that OG Anunoby has taken contact in practice but the Knicks "won't rush him" pic.twitter.com/tZLSHsXqY0

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 3, 2025

Nov. 19, 9:05 p.m.

Jalen Brunson (ankle) will return to the court and start on Wednesday night in Dallas against the Mavericks, the team announced prior to tip-off.

Brunson suffered a Grade 1 right ankle sprain against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 12 and missed the team's next two games against the Miami Heat. New York split the two contests, winning at home and losing on the road. The team is still searching for its first road win of the season, dropping all four games away from the Garden.

Over 11 games this year, Brunson is averaging 28.0 points on 46.7 percent shooting and 6.5 assists per game. 

Meanwhile, the Mavs will be without rookie Cooper Flagg (illness) on Wednesday night as he'll miss the first game of his career.

Nov. 18, 6:50 p.m.

The Knicks upgraded Jalen Brunson (ankle) to questionable for their Wednesday tip against the Mavericks in Dallas. 

Brunson had missed the team's last two games since suffering a right ankle sprain back on Nov. 12 against the Orlando Magic at MSG. Already without OG Anunoby (hamstring), the Knicks could use their captain to try and get their first road win of the season. 

Oct. 28, 7:18 p.m.

Before the Knicks' tip-off against the Bucks, the Knicks announced that Towns (right quad strain) will play, but Yabusele (left knee sprain) will be out, joining McBride (personal) and Robinson (ankle sprain management) as players who are unavailable for Tuesday's game.

Oct. 28, 3:35 p.m.

Miles McBride has been downgraded from questionable to out for the Knicks' game on Tuesday at the Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced. This is the second-straight game the guard missed due to personal reasons. He was out for Sunday's loss against the Miami Heat.

Oct. 27, 6:45 p.m.

Mitchell Robinson still isn't ready to make his season debut, as the Knicks have officially ruled him out again for Tuesday night's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Robinson has been sidelined for the first three games due to left ankle injury management, and it's still unknown when he'll make his return to the court. 

New York has also listed Karl-Anthony Towns (right quad strain), Miles McBride (personal reasons), and Guerschon Yabusele (left knee sprain) as questionable for the contest. 

Yabusele is the only new addition to the injury report. Towns has been included heading into each of the first three games, but played in all three, and McBride missed Sunday's game against the Heat for personal reasons. 

Yabusele left Sunday's game at one point and had his knee checked, but he was able to return and saw regular time off the bench down the stretch.

Oct. 23, 6:10 p.m.

The latest NBA injury report has been released and the Knicks have designated center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) as out for Friday's home game against the Celtics.

Robinson missed Wednesday's season opener and the Knicks are being cautious with their big man this season as they want to have him at close to full strength for an anticipated long playoff run.

The Knicks have also designated both Josh Hart (lower back) and Karl-Anthony Towns (right quad strain) as questionable. 

Hart also missed the season opener but has not seen action since the first preseason game where he tweaked his back. Towns almost missed Wednesday's game but toughed out his quad strain and to help the Knicks' win against the Cavaliers.

OG Anunoby, who played Wednesday despite being questionable with an ankle sprain, is probably for Friday's game.

Oct. 22, 10:59 p.m.

Karl-Anthony Towns was questionable, then doubtful, then questionable again in the hours leading up to the Knicks' win over the Cavaliers and now we know exactly why.

The Knicks forward told reporters after Wednesday's win that he is playing through a Grade 2 quad strain. 

"I’ve been banged up and haven’t really got a chance to practice or play in the last two preseason games," Towns said. "I didn’t want to disappoint the fans, dealing with a Grade 2 quad strain. It’s not something that’s easy to do. We made it happen tonight. Glad the fans respect the effort I put in to play tonight, and my teammates, too. Shoutout to them for supporting me, knowing the situation that I was in."

Everton’s 2025-26 campaign is one of the most compelling stories in the Premier League. David Moyes returned to Goodison, now the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and immediately began rebuilding a squad that, only months ago, faced a real threat of relegation. With 11 clean sheets so far, only Arsenal have kept more, and Everton have conceded just 16 goals away from home all year. Sitting on 46 points in eighth place, they trail fifth-placed Liverpool by only three points as the race for Europe enters the final stretch. The mood around the club has clearly shifted.

What does James Garner’s Extension Mean for the Squad?

Pete O’Rourke reported that James Garner’s January contract extension sent the right signals through the dressing room. There is a growing belief among the players that the club can keep their best talent and build something lasting under Moyes. The last time Everton played in Europe was the 2017-18 season, so a return would be a massive milestone for everyone at the club.

Despite heavy interest from Aston Villa, the Toffees won’t listen to offers for the midfielder; they are confident the new deal keeps him secure. Garner has eight goal involvements this season, scoring twice in 31 league appearances, and his Non-Penalty xG per 90 of 0.13 puts him in the 56th percentile of top-flight midfielders.

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 31: James Garner of Everton inspects the pitch prior to the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton at Amex Stadium on January 31, 2026 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)

Over the last five games, Everton earned nine points, more than Liverpool, Chelsea, or Brentford in that same span. It shows the squad is responding to the ambition shown by the board. (Via Footy Stats)

Does Keeping Garner Prove Everton Have Found Their Ambition?

Yes, and it matters more than most people realise. Everton spent years losing their best players as soon as a bigger club showed interest, which showed the rest of the squad (and other teams in the Premier League) that the club couldn’t keep their best players. Tying Garner to a long-term deal during a winter window when Villa’s interest was public knowledge proves The Friedkin Group means business.

At this point last season, fans feared Everton would start life at the new stadium in the Championship. Instead, they are chasing a Champions League spot from eighth place with seven games to go. That is a total shift in direction. Keeping Garner isn’t just a typical transfer move; it defines the club’s new identity, and the players have clearly bought into it.

This is of course no surprise after the ugly collision between Riley Greene and center fielder Parker Meadows in Thursday’s loss to the Minnesota Twins. Meadows and Greene appeared to clip heads as the latter settled under a Josh Bell fly ball at Target Field in the 8th inning. Greene was able to protect himself but as Meadows tried to get out of the way at the last second, his jaw slammed into the back of Greene’s head. The initial blow left Meadows defenseless as he went to the ground, and he not only fell awkwardly on his left arm, but slammed his head pretty violently into the turf.

It was a scary one, and the results were confirmed this afternoon as Meadows went on the 10-day IL with a concussion, but also with a fracture in the radius bone of his left arm. That is rough. We can only speculate, but most likely that keeps Meadows out through most of May at a minimum. More important is a full recovered from the concussion, but that’s really tough luck coming after a 2025 season in which he suffered a strange nerve injury in his right arm that effectively ruined his season as he was never able to get it going offensively upon his return.

Outfielder Wenceel Pérez has been recalled from Triple-A Toledo in Meadows’ stead. Pérez had a slow spring and lost out on a close competition for one of the outfield spots coming into Opening Day. However, he’s swung the bat well with the Mud Hens, posting a .250/.353/.455 slash with two homes and strikeout and walk rates of 13.7 percent each.

Pérez has had starts in center field and left field in Toledo, but has mainly played right field with top prospect, or soon to be once Kevin McGonigle officially graduates prospect status, Max Clark handling center field most days. Clark himself has handled the leap to Triple-A extremely well so far. He’s hitting .405 currently with only three strikeouts in 52 plate appearances for the Hens. This after just 43 games at the Double-A level last summer. Clark already has eight doubles and five stolen bases and is walking at a 15.4 percent clip so far.

Were it not for McGonigle successfully skipping Triple-A entirely, we’d be marveling at how quickly Clark has adapted. The only marginal criticism right now is that Clark hasn’t actually driven the ball that much to the outfield. He’s sprayed a few doubles on a line shots down the foul lines, but most of them have come on a soft shots into the outfield in which Clark used his speed to turn singles into doubles.

There’s nothing wrong with those either of course, but a sign that he’s really conquered the level already will be seeing him drive the ball to the pull field a little more. We’ve seen him starting to get the ball off the ground, including a deep drive for a sacrifice fly on Thursday, so that final piece of the puzzle probably won’t be long in coming. The Tigers will just want to see that Clark’s batspeed upgrades this offseason, which has produced several balls over 110 mph off the bat early on, are translating fully to his hit tool. Pull power will be the sign that he’s about as ready as he’s going to get to make his major league debut. That probably won’t take too long at this rate, but the Tigers will want him as prepared as possible as they’d also prefer not to burn a full year of Clark’s service time unless he forces their hand early on.

Clark is coming, but for now expect Pérez, Matt Vierling, and Javier Báez to share time in center field. Hopefully Pérez, who typically keeps his strikeouts under control, can add a little more timely punch to an offense that has so far failed to capitalize enough with men in scoring position, at least until games were already starting to get out of reach.

Best wishes from BYB to Parker Meadows. Hopefully he can put this injury behind him. The arm injury is tough, but concussion trauma is obviously the scarier long-term concern.

Liverpool are now working on a dream double deal.

Michael Edwards has faced growing scrutiny in recent weeks following reports that FSG’s plans to acquire a second club have now been put on hold.

When Edwards returned to Liverpool, his role was intended to extend beyond overseeing the club’s football operations, potentially including responsibilities across a wider multi-club model.

However, with those expansion plans now unlikely to progress, his attention may shift back solely to Liverpool.

That could prove to be a significant boost.

During his previous spell as sporting director, Edwards built a reputation for his sharp eye for talent and his collaborative approach with the recruitment team. His ability to identify undervalued players who developed into top-level stars was a key factor in the club’s success.

If recent reports are accurate, Liverpool may be set to benefit from that same focused approach once again.

And especially because Liverpool are embarking on one of the most difficult periods in the club's recent history.

Not only has the Reds' form slumped under Arne Slot but they are also approaching the end of an era.

Mo Salah has already announced his decision to leave the club. And with him there is going to be a huge void.

How Liverpool replace him is going to determine the entire face of the club's future. Get it, right and the Reds will be flourishing, get it wrong and the Reds could be heading towards the same fate as Man United during the post Sir Alex Ferguson era.

So, it's imperative Liverpool get it right, and having Edwards now solely focused on recruitment could be a huge boost in the club's endeavours to bring the best possible outcome.

It looks like they are working on the perfect move, too.

Rutgers guard Jamicheal Davis confirmed his return to the Scarlet Knights via a post made by the team’s official X/Twitter account.

“Im excited to be back, play for my fourth and final year. You know, it means a lot in today’s era, you know, and I am big on loyalty. Go RU and let’s work.”

The 6-foot-2, Chattanooga product appeared in 97 of the last 98 games for the Knights. He has 43 total starts as well.

Davis has seen more and more playing time per game throughout his college career. This past season, Davis started 22 games and averaged 26.2 minutes per game. In that time, he averaged 7.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, while shooting 40.2 percent on all field goals, 35.8 percent from three, and 77.5 percent on all free throws. He posted a season high 21 points during the teams Players Era Tournament game against Notre Dame.

With all of the departures, Rutgers will lean on Davis a lot this upcoming year as he has the most familiarity with Pikiell’s system and will have to play a role in teaching it to the incoming players. On top of that, he will most likely be one of the lead guys running the point and facilitating the offense like he was last season. Davis was one of the most effective players on the team at taking care of the ball, as averaged less than one turnover per game last season.

According to 247sports, he will be first player that started and will finish their full career at Rutgers since Caleb McConnell was in a Rutgers uniform.

Denzel Aberdeen makes decision on his future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Denzel Aberdeen has announced that he is committing to the Florida Gators after just one season at Kentucky. Aberdeen entered the NCAA transfer portal upon its opening on Tuesday and acted quickly by returning to where he began his collegiate career.

He averaged 13.5 ppg, 3.4 apg, and 2.5 rpg in 36 games played for the Wildcats. His scoring numbers saw a jump to 17 ppg through Kentucky’s run in the SEC tournament and both of their games in March Madness.

There is plenty of familiarity on both sides here as Aberdeen played his first three seasons under Todd Golden. He was also a part of their 2025 National Championship, coming off the bench, averaging 7.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg, and 1.4 apg on the season.

Denzel Aberdeen has committed to Florida after just one season at Kentucky.

Spent 1 season with the Wildcats averaging 13.5 ppg

Played three years in Gainesville and was a part of the Gators 2025 National Championship

He now returns and reunites with Todd Golden#GoGators…

— Sammy Profeta (@profeta_sammy) April 10, 2026

This marks the first transfer portal commit for Golden this offseason. Aberdeen now joins an experienced roster that has already had key players announce their intent to return for next season, including Boogie Fland, Urban Klavzar, Isaiah Brown, AJ Brown, Alex Lloyd, and Alex Kovatchev.

Florida did see two players hit the portal in 7’6 center, Olivier Rioux, and senior big man, Micah Handlogten.

More: Providence lands commitment from former NBA G League player

The college basketball transfer portal window will remain open until April 21st, which is the deadline for players to enter their name. They will be able to continue committing to new schools after the window closes.

More college basketball news:

• Michael Malone joins list of NBA coaches to return to college
• Watch: Geno Auriemma has words for Dawn Staley in heated exchange at Final Four
• What Dawn Staley said after tensions flare with Geno Auriemma
• Why Cameron Boozer and Fernando Mendoza could soon make sports history
• Duke's Cameron Boozer becomes fifth player in college basketball history with a season like this

Las Vegas Bishop Gorman four-star cornerback Hayden Stepp is one of the nation’s top overall prospects in the 2027 cycle. He’s narrowing the focus on his recruitment ahead of his senior season.

The 6-foot-3, 175-pounder told Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett on Friday afternoon that he’s down to four schools: Alabama, Cal, Georgia and Oregon.

Stepp is the No. 27 overall prospect and No. 4 CB in the 2027 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 1 player in Nevada.

Stepp’s cut comes after logging a visit to Berkeley to get a look at the Cal program under new head coach Tosh Lupoi. The Bears are building some momentum on the recruiting trail and would love to add a player of Stepp’s caliber to the fold.

“Coach Tosh is being very aggressive right now and I know there’s a lot of players interested in them,” Stepp told Rivals’ Greg Biggins ahead of his trip.

Two of Stepp’s four finalists have long been at the top of his process. He got another look at Tuscaloosa and Eugene this spring, too.

“It is very close between Alabama and Oregon,” Stepp recently told Rivals’ Chad Simmons. “Both schools will definitely get official visits. It is really tight at the top between those two schools.”

Georgia certainly remains a threat, too. He also stopped by Athens and continues to consider Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs as a potential home at the next level.

“The trip to Georgia was eye opening,” Stepp told Biggins. “We had a chance to watch practice and I loved watching them compete. They were very intense and efficient in everything they did. It’s a program known for great defense and when you see them up close, it’s easy to see why.”

Tennessee and Clemson are among the top contenders that did not make Stepp’s top four. He’ll now embark on his official visits and continue to work towards making a decision.

“When I commit, it will be about how I feel,” he added. “Coaching will be big for me and how they want to use me. Competing as a freshman will be a factor too.”

Stepp of course plays for one of the more notable high school football programs in the nation. Bishop Gorman finished as the No. 5 team in the nation last fall, according to the Rivals Composite Rankings. Stepp is currently the highest-ranked prospect on the Gaels’ 2026 roster, which will once again be loaded with talent.

In the wake of one of the best shows in the promotion’s history, AEW Dynasty goes down this Sunday at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. Headlined by an AEW World Championship clash between MJF and Kenny Omega, Dynasty will be the last pay-per-view before AEW’s flagship show, Double or Nothing, next month in New York.

The Uncrowned Horsemen — Kel Dansby, Robert Jackman, Drake Riggs and Anthony Sulla-Heffinger — are here to preview the card, answer burning questions and make our big predictions for this weekend’s event.

Let’s ride!

1. We all felt last year that it was a matter of when, not if, Will Ospreay would become AEW World Champion. Does that road finally start with a win over Jon Moxley on Sunday, or is Ospreay teflon enough that a loss won’t matter as we peek toward All In: Wembley?

Jackman: Don't remind me — some of us ended up with the proverbial egg on our faces last year when Ospreay didn't win the Owen Hart Cup. I'm not sure I've predicted something so confidently in writing to then see it go down in flames hours later. That said, I remember Ospreay being a seriously heavy favorite on the betting markets, so we clearly weren't alone on that front.

As for what happens to Ospreay this weekend, I'm really not sure. If you were going by the obvious playbook, you'd send him on a crowd-pleasing winning streak in the run-up to All In. But we all know that Tony Khan likes to be contrarian sometimes, so who knows? Plus it isn't like Moxley's booking is particularly predictable at the moment either, which just adds another layer of uncertainty.

Sulla-Heffinger: Ospreay is in such a unique spot here. Not only does he not need to win here, but even if he did, does his trajectory change at all with the Continental Championship? I would argue no.

Barring an injury, Ospreay absolutely should win this year’s Owen Hart Classic and be in the main event of All In: Wembley in August. Any other booking would be a disservice to every entity involved, especially the fans. 

Ospreay hasn’t lost since he returned to action last month and this will be his biggest test. I think his path is a smidge more compelling if he faces some adversity and Jason Solomon made a great suggestion on this week’s Uncrowned Wrestling Show when he fantasy booked a rematch of this for the final of the aforementioned Owen Hart Classic. 

Riggs: Both can be true. A loss wouldn't derail Ospreay much at all, but the time is certainly now to build his way toward his coronation.

The timing of Sunday’s show works out pretty perfectly, too. Whether it's MJF or Kenny Omega standing across from him at the time of his big title tilt, there's no losing with either of those pairings, and each option delivers drastically different types of fun. However, with Omega's clock much more limited than MJF's, that could be all that's needed to intertwine these storylines enough to get us there. 

Honestly, the Continental Championship's inclusion here feels like something of a roadblock — unless AEW does a smart thing and consolidates championships, with the Continental being absorbed into a future world title clash. That's just my fantasy booking, but ultimately, Ospreay is amid his fresh, exciting return. There's no longer any good reason to drag out his moment atop the mountain, especially after getting through the “Hangman” Adam Page saga — for now.

Dansby: Ospreay’s delay in becoming AEW World Champion has always felt more tied to injuries than booking. If he had been consistently available since signing in 2023, there’s a strong chance he would have already had a title run by now. He’s even acknowledged that his high-flying style has taken a toll over the years, which makes availability just as important as talent in his case.

If he’s healthy now and can stay that way through the summer, this feels like the moment to fully commit. He shouldn’t lose here. Build that momentum, keep him hot, and let it carry all the way to Wembley, where he feels destined to headline for the AEW World Championship.

Lee South

2. Since his return, Kenny Omega’s ambition has been for one more run with the AEW World Championship. If we’re forecasting for the rest of this year, who can do more for the main-event picture: Omega or MJF?

Riggs: I kind of talked myself into the outcome after that last question — one last ride for Omega, setting up a wildly epic finale in August with Ospreay.

AEW’s main-event scene may be fresher if MJF remains champion and continues to excel in ways only he can. But Omega is Omega — a bulletproof force and eyeball magnet, who will most assuredly get a spectacular sendoff, as he rightfully should.

It's a win-win situation no matter how the pie is cut. If we have to pick, siding against MJF would feel somewhat wrong, but it’d be far from a disaster considering the ample potential still surrounding "The Cleaner."

Dansby: The answer is still MJF.

He’s the best heel AEW has, especially in a landscape filled with straightforward babyface challengers. More importantly, he consistently elevates whoever he’s in the ring with, whether they’re chasing him or standing across from him in a major match.

Like Ospreay, Omega’s momentum has been slowed by injuries, and the timing just doesn’t feel right to shift the title onto him. A classic match between MJF and Omega only strengthens MJF’s reign and sets the stage for a massive showdown with Ospreay at Wembley, one that could carry a true global main event feel.

Jackman: I bow to no one in my admiration for MJF, but I think there's a case to give this one to Kenny Omega. The man himself has been clear in recent interviews that he isn't certain how much longer he can keep going, and it would still be a hugely powerful moment to see him get one last run with that gorgeous title around his waist.

Omega also has the right kind of pristine good-guy credentials you'd need to do a convincing babyface vs. babyface title match with Will Ospreay. The image of Omega raising the arm of Ospreay at Wembley Stadium would be iconic in its own right, but it would also say a lot about the journey of AEW itself.

That said, I still think MJF is the most likely winner on Sunday, hence me ticking him in our predictions sweepstakes below. You have to be strategic, right?

Sulla-Heffinger: If we’re operating under the assumption that the winner here is dropping AEW’s top title to Ospreay this summer, I think you pull the trigger on Omega and set up an epic clash at All In: Wembley, with it being a true passing-of-the-torch moment.

That booking isn’t a knock on MJF or his title run — he’s the present and future of AEW in more ways than one — but the reality is Omega is closer to the end of his career, and who's to say you’ll get an opportunity like this again? Plus, MJF can always claim Ospreay beat a diminished foe for his first AEW World Championship and insert himself right back into the mix later in the year. Considering the marginally easier path back to the main-event picture MJF has, I think Omega presents the stronger scenarios for the rest of 2026.

Ricky Havlik

3. The last time Cage and Cope faced FTR, the current champions came up short. Would you put FTR over this time to set up a third showdown, or give Canada the payoff by crowning new champions?

Jackman: I mean, Canada has already had their big hometown pop from seeing Cage and Cope team up at All Out 2025, with the schmaltzy entrance alongside Wendel Clark and Bubbles. These things have diminishing returns if you do them too often.

What's more, I think there could be some decent mileage in having FTR win this one in front of the Vancouver crowd. I always remember being in Cardiff when Roman Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre, in front of a crowd who half-expected a title change. That showed me how much potential there can be in having the local hero get screwed out of their crowd-pleasing moment.

In the long run, FTR obviously have to get their comeuppance after that brutal spike piledriver on Beth Phoenix, but I think I'd be tempted to give them the underhanded win on this occasion. That way you can keep the cathartic payoff still in the bank for All In. I can only imagine what “Metalingus” is going to sound like in Wembley Stadium …

Riggs: FTR staying champions is undeniably the right thing to do purely due to age, right? But the pop in Vancouver may be too much to overcome for AEW, and I get it.

As much as WWE gets flak for loving its "moments," all wrestling companies are prisoners to them in their own ways. 

Really, it should depend on where the match is slotted on Sunday’s lineup, just as we saw when Dustin Rhodes finally won a singles title midway through the night at All In: Texas. Perhaps the only way AEW feels it can steer toward that fantastical TLC match between these two pairings and the Young Bucks is by getting the belts on the former Edge and Christian — and at this point, why not? Who knows how much time they have left? Let's get crazy for one grand finale run — similarly, but different, from Sting's.

Sulla-Heffinger: If we can get to a triple-threat ladder match between the Young Bucks, FTR and Cope & Cage like Drake suggested, I am ALL IN. (See what I did there?) 

The babyface Bucks should run in and cost FTR here, protecting the best tag-team in the world — yeah, I went there — while simultaneously giving us a potential all-time AEW moment with Cope and Cage winning their first tag-team championship together in 25 years.

Dansby: Cage and Cope — and yes, I still sometimes call them Edge and Christian — are clearly on borrowed time. Cope has been open about retirement being on the horizon, and winning the tag titles together feels like something they want to check off before that door closes.

That said, Dynasty doesn’t feel like the right stage for that payoff. Double or Nothing has historically carried more weight as a show, and if you’re going to close out a trilogy with FTR, it should feel big. Save the title win for a stipulation match there. A TLC match to end the feud and crown them champions would feel like the proper sendoff.

Erick W. Rasco via Getty Images

4. In the wake of the frontrunner for show of the year (Revolution) and weeks before AEW’s longest-running event, Double or Nothing, does Dynasty’s scheduling need changing?

Sulla-Heffinger: I tend to lean yes here, if only because so much of what I am thinking about is All In-based, rather than Double or Nothing. I’m sure this show will be great (almost every AEW show is at this point), but I do think having a bit more of a buffer would be a good thing. This is a good problem for AEW to have.

Dansby: Dynasty has settled into a pretty clear role. It’s usually a strong in-ring show with one notable twist, but mostly it serves as a bridge between Revolution and Double or Nothing.

This year feels no different. It would help to have a little more breathing room between these spring pay-per-views, but as long as the matches deliver, the tight schedule isn’t a dealbreaker. Not every show needs to feel massive. Sometimes it’s enough to keep the momentum going.

Jackman: I used to complain about AEW's lumpy pay-per-view schedule, but they seem to have made it work. It certainly didn't hold them back last year, which ended up being one of the strongest runs for the brand in ages (or maybe even ever).

You're right that Dynasty has less of a strong identity than Revolution or Double or Nothing, but I don't think that's a problem either.

Riggs: This feels like something that needs to be assessed after the show. As it currently stands, I would say no, especially with the card being so light on matches at the time of writing. That's a nice move.

And considering what's on tap, it may be the perfect dessert after an epic like Revolution, while simultaneously wetting the palate for Double or Nothing.

Predictions

• AEW World Championship: MJF (Dansby, Jackman) vs. Kenny Omega (Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger)

• AEW Women’s Championship: Thekla (Dansby, Jackman, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Jamie Hayter (Riggs)

• AEW World Tag Team Championship: FTR (Dansby) vs. Cage and Cope (Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger)

• AEW Continental Championship: Jon Moxley (Jackman, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Will Ospreay (Dansby, Riggs)

• Andrade El Idolo (Dansby, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Darby Allin (Jackman)

• Chris Jericho (Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Ricochet (Dansby)

• Young Bucks (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Kazuchika Okada and Konosuke Takeshita

• Alex Windsor (Jackman, Riggs) vs. Marina Shafir (Dansby, Sulla-Heffinger)

2026 standings

• Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: 11-9

• Robert Jackman: 10-10

• Drake Riggs: 10-10

• Kel Dansby: 9-11

NEW YORK -- Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton is nearing the end of his seventh NBA season and it's safe to say that this campaign was a rough one to experience. Claxton did what he could to give Brooklyn the best chance of winning every game during this rebuilding season, including recently playing through a sprain to his right fifth finger to add to the adversity.

"I’ve been dealing with it since January, I think. It’s a pretty bad sprain. I got an MRI for it, so just got to take the proper precautions for it," Claxton said prior to Thursday's 123-94 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Claxton has missed the past three games as he continues to recover from the finger sprain, but he hasn't lost sight of the fact that the organization is trying to build for the future.

"For me personally, I feel like it’s been a good year. I can take a lot of positives from the season, career-high in my free-throw percentage [for example]," Claxton said when asked about how he dealt with this tough season. "Obviously there’s always areas I can improve in as far as rebounding and things like that, but there’s a lot of positives. I feel like I matured a lot."

Claxton, 26, is having arguably the best season of his career despite having to deal with the constant lineup changes and the multiple injuries that the team has had to deal with in the second half of the season. Claxton is averaging 11.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 57.1% from the field and 61.6% from the free-throw line while playing at least 69 games for the fourth straight year.

With backup center Day'Ron Sharpe being ruled out for the rest of the season due to a UCL tear in his left thumb, Claxton has had to hold down the center spot for the time being until he sustained the finger injury. While Claxton has had to deal with plenty of losing this season as Brooklyn brings along its five rookies from the 2025 NBA Draft, he seems to be in a good place heading into an offseason that hopefully leads to more winning next season.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Nic Claxton gives update on finger injury; reflects on season

Colorado's 2025-26 basketball season yet again met an end in the first round of the College Basketball Crown, as the team fell to the Oklahoma Sooners.

The season overall went better than the program's first season in the Big 12, with the Buffs improving their overall record to 17-16 (7-11 Big 12). The program has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2024, but has made it six times under head coach Tad Boyle's 16-year tenure.

The program has continued to experience success under Boyle. He boasts a 329-220 overall record, six NCAA Tournament appearances and one Pac-12 tournament title. Still, some fans wonder if the Buffaloes have reached their ceiling with Boyle at the helm.

Boyle's salary reflects the very limited resources he has at his disposal, especially when compared to the other programs in the Big 12. The Colorado head coach makes $2,700,000 per year, according to the recently released USA TODAY database. That salary ranks No. 57 nationally and No. 13 in the 16-team Big 12.

Boyle has one of the most important offseasons of his tenure. The program is tasked with replacing three of its top four players and adding multiple big men to a roster that struggled mightily on the glass a season ago. While Boyle found a star in Barrington Hargress last year, Colorado has been slow to adapt to the changing landscape.

Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads and Instagram.

Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado basketball head coach Tad Boyle's salary ranking update

Jon Jones’ career has taken several twists in recent months, with retirement and comeback talk repeatedly shifting.

The former UFC champion has struggled to find common ground with the promotion over potential blockbuster fights.

For instance, a proposed heavyweight unification bout with Tom Aspinall never materialised despite advanced talks.

That situation reportedly caused frustration behind the scenes, particularly after ‘Bones’ reportedly accepted terms and suddenly gave up on the fight, announcing his retirement soon after.

Jones later hinted at a return for the high-profile White House event, but negotiations again collapsed. Now, after further public frustration with the UFC, his latest comments suggest this time his decision may finally be definitive.

Jon Jones says his ‘gloves are hung up’ as retirement stance becomes clear

Jones has now delivered his clearest indication yet that his career is over.

Speaking in a video during a visit to a bare knuckle boxing event in Russia, he stated: “My gloves are hung up. I’m chilling these days. You got business Jon Jones, no more fighter Jon Jones.”

The statement to Red Corner MMA follows months of frustration behind the scenes. Disagreements over financial terms appear to have played a central role in preventing a return to the Octagon to fight Alex Pereira on UFC Freedom 250.

He was reportedly offered $15 million, half of what UFC put on the table for him to face Aspinall, and he did not accept.

There have also been concerns about his physical condition. A video circulating on social media showed Jones discussing significant hip issues.

He claimed to be dealing with severe arthritis in his left hip, even suggesting he could require a replacement. That added another layer of uncertainty to any potential comeback.

If the retirement proves to be his final decision, Jones will leave the sport with a remarkable record. He stands at 28 wins with one no contest, remaining undefeated in his professional career.

That CV, combined with his dominance across multiple eras, cements his place firmly in the debate over the greatest fighter in MMA history.

Read more:

The New England Patriots have turned their attention to fixing defensive flaws after a tough Super Bowl loss. Just weeks after falling 29-13 to the NFL champion Seattle Seahawks, the franchise has already started making moves to reshape that side of the ball.

One of the first steps came with the addition of Shane Bowen as a defensive analyst. The hire reunites him with head coach Mike Vrabel, with whom he previously worked during their time with the Tennessee Titans. The move signals a clear intent to strengthen defensive structure and preparation heading into the next season.

“The #Patriots are hiring former #Giants and #Titans DC Shane Bowen as a defensive analyst, source said,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport posted on X.

The Super Bowl loss exposed several issues that New England cannot ignore. The defense struggled to contain Seattle’s rushing attack, with Kenneth Walker III, who has now signed with Kansas City, to control the game on the ground.

MORE: Top NFL draft prospect Arvell Reese breaks down instinctual pass-rush skills

Missed assignments and poor tackling allowed consistent gains, putting pressure on the entire unit. That lack of control also limited offensive opportunities, as Seattle dominated possession.

Third-down defense also proved costly. The Seahawks kept extending drives, converting some of those opportunities, and keeping momentum on their side. Whether through short passes or quarterback movement, New England failed to close out plays when it mattered most.

New England Patriots recorded just one sack against Seattle

Another concern came from the pass rush, which failed to make an impact. The Patriots recorded just a single sack by Milton Williams, allowing Sam Darnold time to operate comfortably. Without consistent pressure, the secondary was left exposed, leading to further breakdowns across the field.

Special teams added to the problem by giving up strong field position. Seattle often forced the defense into difficult situations throughout the game.

MORE: Recent NFL signing sets the market for star defenders..AGAIN

These combined struggles have pushed the Patriots toward a defensive reset. Bringing in Bowen reflects a focus on discipline, structure, and execution. Vrabel and his staff now face the challenge of turning lessons from the loss into improvements.

The Patriots remain a competitive team, but the Super Bowl showed the gap that still exists. So, they need to fix it to return stronger next season.

Both coaches were forced to make early substitutions with injuries to John Tolkin and Christian Rasmussen. The Dane attacker had the game’s first chance blocked by Timon Weiner in the third minute before being replaced by Marin Ljubicic.

The hosts continued to fashion the better chances, while the referee waved away a couple of half-hearted penalty-kick shouts. Kiel’s solitary attempt came from Umut Tohumcu just before the half-time break.

However, they took the lead early after the break as Phil Harres had the easiest task of a simple tap-in following a decent linkup play by Lasse Rosenboom and Adrián Kaprálik down the right flank.

There was more bad news for Fortuna as Luca Raimund and Florent Muslija had to be substituted due to injury concerns. Nonetheless, Markus Anfang’s side turned up the gear around the 70th minute.

Cedric Itten netted his 12th goal of the season to equalize before hitting the woodwork four minutes later. Yet, Kiel once again scored against the run of the play as Ivan Nekic beat Florian Kastenmeier with a first-time finish from Tohumcu’s delivery.

Düsseldorf’s best chance for an equalizer came in injury-time with a direct free-kick, but Itten saw both his initial attempt and the rebound blocked by Kiel’s defense. The Swiss striker also had the game's last two half-chances with weak headers. Tim Walter’s side recorded back-to-back wins on their travels to ease their relegation concerns. 

Kiel have now gone over Anfang’s side in the standings as they climbed to 11th place. The hosts could see the gap between them and bottom-placed Preußen Münster reduced to a single point if the latter beat Greuther Fürth tomorrow.

The NFL draft is April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. The likely first overall pick won't be in the Steel City should the Las Vegas Raiders do as expected and choose Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. He wants to spend the day with his family, which is quite commendable.

There will be 16 prospects in attendance at the selection process. Sometimes this becomes the show within the big show as television focuses on players waiting to hear their name called. And when the player doesn't get the call, it becomes drama and sadness because of the agony the player goes through.

A look at the prospects who will attend the NFL draft.

David Bailey

Position: LB

College: Texas Tech

Rueben Bain Jr.

Position: DE

College: Miami

Mansoor Delane

Position: DB

College: LSU

Caleb Downs

Position: DB

College: Ohio State

Keldrick Faulk

Position: DE

College: Auburn

Colton Hood

Position: DB

College: Tennessee

Makai Lemon

Position: WR

College: USC

Jeremiyah Love

Position: RB

College: Notre Dame

Francis Mauigoa

Position: OL

College: Miami

Kayden McDonald

Position: DT

College: Ohio State

Kadyn Proctor

Position: OT

College: Alabama

Arvell Reese

Position: LB

College: Ohio State

Ty Simpson

Position: QB

College: Alabama

Sonny Styles

Position: LB

College: Ohio State

Carnell Tate

Position: WR

College: Ohio State

Jordyn Tyson

Position: WR

College: Arizona State

This article originally appeared on The List Wire: Prospects to attend 2026 NFL draft

The full schedule for the 2026 Indian Premier League has been announced.

Teams have been split into two groups based on the number of titles they have won, but the results form one league table.

Group A: Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings.

Group B: Mumbai Indians, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants.

A change has been made for this season to facilitate more high-profile matches. In the past three seasons teams in the same group have played each other twice and teams from the other group once. That's been reversed now so you play teams in your group once and the others twice.

Here's the schedule:

All start times 15:00 BST unless stated

28 March

Royal Challengers Bengaluru v Sunrisers Hyderabad

RCB won by six wickets

Report; Scorecard

29 March

Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders

Mumbai Indians won by six wickets

Report; Scorecard

30 March

Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings

Rajasthan Royals won by eight wickets

Report; Scorecard

31 March

Punjab Kings v Gujarat Titans

Punjab Kings won by three wickets

Report; Scorecard

1 April

Lucknow Super Giants v Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals won by six wickets

Report; Scorecard

2 April

Kolkata Knight Riders v Sunrisers Hyderabad

Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 65 runs

Report; Scorecard

3 April

Chennai Super Kings v Punjab Kings

Punjab Kings won by five wickets

Report; Scorecard

4 April

Delhi Capitals v Mumbai Indians

Capitals won by six wickets

Report;Scorecard

Gujarat Titans v Rajasthan Royals

Royals won by six runs

Report;Scorecard

5 April

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Lucknow Super Giants

Giants won by five wickets

Report;Scorecard

Royal Challengers Bengaluru v Chennai Super Kings

RCB won by 43 runs

Report;Scorecard

6 April

Kolkata Knight Riders v Punjab Kings

Match abandoned

Scorecard

7 April

Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians

Rajasthan won by 27 runs

Report; Scorecard

8 April

Delhi Capitals v Gujarat Titans

Titans won by one run

Report; Scorecard

9 April

Kolkata Knight Riders v Lucknow Super Giants

Super Giants won by three wickets

Report; Scorecard

10 April

Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Royals won by six wickets

Scorecard

11 April

Punjab Kings v Sunrisers Hyderabad (11:00 BST)

Scorecard

Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Capitals

Scorecard

12 April

Lucknow Super Giants v Gujarat Titans (11:00 BST)

Scorecard

Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Scorecard

13 April

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Rajasthan Royals

Scorecard

14 April

Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders

Scorecard

15 April

Royal Challengers Bengaluru v Lucknow Super Giants

Scorecard

16 April

Mumbai Indians v Punjab Kings

Scorecard

17 April

Gujarat Titans v Kolkata Knight Riders

Scorecard

18 April

Royal Challengers Bengaluru v Delhi Capitals (11:00 BST)

Scorecard

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Chennai Super Kings

Scorecard

19 April

Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals (11:00 BST)

Scorecard

Punjab Kings v Lucknow Super Giants

Scorecard

20 April

Gujarat Titans v Mumbai Indians

Scorecard

21 April

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Delhi Capitals

Scorecard

22 April

Lucknow Super Giants v Rajasthan Royals

Scorecard

23 April

Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings

Scorecard

24 April

Royal Challengers Bengaluru v Gujarat Titans

Scorecard

25 April

Delhi Capitals v Punjab Kings (11:00 BST)

Scorecard

Rajasthan Royals v Sunrisers Hyderabad

Scorecard

26 April

Gujarat Titans v Chennai Super Kings (11:00 BST)

Scorecard

Lucknow Super Giants v Kolkata Knight Riders

Scorecard

27 April

Delhi Capitals v Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Scorecard

28 April

Punjab Kings v Rajasthan Royals

Scorecard

29 April

Mumbai Indians v Sunrisers Hyderabad

Scorecard

30 April

Gujarat Titans v Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Scorecard

1 May

Rajasthan Royals v Delhi Capitals

Scorecard

2 May

Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians

Scorecard

3 May

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders (11:00 BST)

Scorecard

Gujarat Titans v Punjab Kings

Scorecard

4 May

Mumbai Indians v Lucknow Super Giants

Scorecard

5 May

Delhi Capital v Chennai Super Kings

Scorecard

6 May

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Punjab Kings

Scorecard

7 May

Lucknow Super Giants v Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Scorecard

8 May

Delhi Capitals v Kolkata Knight Riders

Scorecard

9 May

Rajasthan Royals v Gujarat Titans

Scorecard

10 May

Chennai Super Kings v Lucknow Super Giants

Scorecard

Royal Challengers Bengaluru v Mumbai Indians

Scorecard

11 May

Punjab Kings v Delhi Capitals

Scorecard

12 May

Gujarat Titans v Sunrisers Hyderabad

Scorecard

13 May

Royal Challengers Bengaluru v Kolkata Knight Riders

Scorecard

14 May

Punjab Kings v Mumbai Indians

Scorecard

15 May

Lucknow Super Giants v Chennai Super Kings

Scorecard

16 May

Kolkata Knight Riders v Gujarat Titans

Scorecard

17 May

Punjab Kings v Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Scorecard

Delhi Capitals v Rajasthan Royals

Scorecard

18 May

Chennai Super Kings v Sunrisers Hyderabad

Scorecard

19 May

Rajasthan Royals v Lucknow Super Giants

Scorecard

20 May

Kolkata Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians

Scorecard

21 May

Chennai Super Kings v Gujarat Titans

Scorecard

22 May

Sunrisers Hyderabad v Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Scorecard

23 May

Lucknow Super Giants v Punjab Kings

Scorecard

24 May

Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals (11:00 BST)

Scorecard

Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Capitals

Scorecard

Play-off schedule

26 May

Qualifier 1: First v second for place in final

27 May

Eliminator: Third v fourth - loser is knocked out

29 May

Qualifier 2: Loser of Qualifier 1 v Winner of Eliminator

31 May

Final: Winner of Qualifier 1 v winner of Qualifier 2

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The end of basketball season enables us to look at football, men's basketball, and women's basketball and see which schools had the best -- and worst -- combined seasons in this college sports cycle. We looked at the worst. Now let's profile the best college sports programs on the gridiron and hardwood combined. The verdict: Texas Tech and Alabama rose to the head of the class. Wait -- they didn't win national titles. They didn't even make the College Football Playoff semifinals or either Final Four. Why are they the best? Let's dive into the details:

Imbalance

Indiana won the football national championship but was terrible in basketball, missing both the men's and women's NCAA Tournaments.

UCLA won the women's basketball national championship but was bad in football and ordinary in men's basketball.

Michigan won the men's basketball national title and reached the women's Elite Eight while making the Citrus Bowl in football. You could make an argument Michigan had the best year, but we're focused on rewarding balanced performance and results across all three sports. This is why Michigan wouldn't quite be No. 1.

What Texas Tech and Alabama did -- and no one else achieved

Texas Tech and Alabama rise to the top in a ranking of combined football and (two) basketball results because they did something no other schools did: They both made the College Football Playoff and won games in both the men's and women's NCAA Tournaments. No other schools were able to pull that off. Alabama won a playoff game whereas Tech did not, but both Bama and Tech lost in the quarterfinal round.

Schools that came close

Georgia and Ohio State had teams in the playoff and in both the men's and women's NCAA Tournaments, but Ohio State men's basketball and Georgia's two basketball teams (men and women) did not win a March Madness game. Only Texas Tech and Bama won March games -- men and women -- while also making the CFP in football.

Texas Tech investments paying off

Many of you might know that Texas Tech won the national championship in college softball one year ago. Clearly, the Red Raiders aren't just spending money; they are spending wisely. Few programs have grown more or become more successful in the past two years than Texas Tech.

Alabama bread and butter

Alabama had Nick Saban for many years in football. Now, in men's hoops, Nate Oats has once again extended his tenure in Tuscaloosa. Though Alabama football has lost its edge, Nate Oats solidifying himself at Alabama gives the Tide a stable men's basketball program which should be able to build on the 2024 Final Four appearance, the first in program history.

Other schools doing well

These schools, over the past several months, made a bowl game and both the men's and women's NCAA Tournaments in the same college sports cycle: NC State, Duke, Virginia, Clemson, Louisville, Iowa State (though the Cyclones opted out of their bowl), TCU, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Texas, Vanderbilt, and Tennessee.

Winners' club

From the list above, a smaller list of schools not only made a bowl game and both basketball tournaments, but won a game in all three competitions.

That list: Duke, Louisville, TCU, Iowa, Illinois, and Texas.

Special mention

Duke had a quietly great year despite losing painfully in both the men's and women's NCAA Tournaments. Even though Duke's basketball teams fell short of the Final Four, they both won ACC championships. Since the football team also won the ACC title, Duke won a triple championship in football and the two versions of basketball. That's pretty special. Well done, Blue Devils.

Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Texas Tech, Alabama had best combined football and basketball seasons

Marco Palestra: Situation summary

Marco Palestra is a 21-year-old Italian right-back/wing-back currently starring for Cagliari on loan from Atalanta, having come through La Dea’s academy after early spells with GS Assago and Inter.

Originally a central midfielder then winger, he has settled as an attack-minded full-back, which underpins his profile as a modern wide defender.

His game is built on progressive carries, 1v1 ability and two-footedness, comfortable receiving wide, combining short, and then driving up the flank before delivering improving crosses.

He ranks extremely high for progressive carries and take-ons, and can go outside or inside, making him difficult to read in the final third.

Tactically, he is disciplined in a back four or wing-back system, reading spacing well and tracking runners reliably rather than defending on chaos.

Contract-wise, Palestra is on loan at Cagliari until June 2026, with Atalanta holding his rights and valuing him around €35–40m amid serious interest from Juventus, Roma, Inter and Premier League sides like Arsenal.

Barring a renewal and reintegration at Atalanta, a big-club Serie A move currently looks his most likely next step.

Liverpool want £39m deal for Palestra

According to a report in TEAMtalk Liverpool are one of a clutch of clubs interested in adding Palestra as a long-term option in the summer transfer window.

“Liverpool are in the mix to sign him this summer,” the report reads.

“The Bergamo club value their academy product at a minimum of €45 million (£39.2m / $52m), viewing him as a potential long-term asset or a high-value sale.

“Liverpool are tracking him closely, seeing the versatile full-back as both squad depth and a long-term solution.”

This has been a breakout season for Palestra - who has made 29 Serie A starts for his loan club.

The report mentions Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace as potentially interested teams in the Premier League.

Serie A sides Inter Milan and Juventus are also thought to be keen - along with AC Milan, Napoli, Roma and Spanish side Barcelona.

So - who is shaping up to be the next big sale from Atalanta.

Cardinals minor league team pulls off one of baseball’s rarest feats with back to back steals of home originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Baseball can feel predictable at times, especially in an era where everything is tracked and studied. Then a moment like this happens and reminds you how unpredictable the game still is. The Springfield Cardinals delivered one of the wildest sequences you will see all season by stealing home twice in the same at bat. Even more unbelievable, both plays happened between pitches, catching the defense completely off guard.

It was the kind of sequence that feels almost impossible until you see it unfold in real time.

"What's happening!?"

The @SGF_Cardinals pulled off BACK-TO-BACK STEALS OF HOME last night 😳 pic.twitter.com/Bh2UxWEWG2

— MLB (@MLB) April 10, 2026

A rare moment that flipped the game

The situation itself was not unusual. Springfield had the bases loaded and was trying to build momentum during a rally. What happened next is what turned it into something memorable. With two strikes at the plate, Dakota Harris made a sudden break from third base. The pitcher never saw him coming. By the time the ball was even in motion toward home, Harris was already sliding across the plate.

Moments later, before anyone on the field could fully reset, Trey Paige saw the same opportunity and took it. The pitcher again looked away just long enough, and Paige sprinted home to score without a pitch being thrown. Two runs scored. No pitch in between. Same at bat.

Why you almost never see this

A straight steal of home is one of the riskiest plays in baseball. It takes perfect timing, confidence, and a little bit of luck. Most teams might attempt it once in a season if the situation feels right. Seeing it twice in the same inning is rare. Seeing it happen twice in the same at-bat is something most fans will never witness.

That is what made this moment stand out. It was not just aggressive base running. It was awareness and timing lining up perfectly, twice in a row.

More:Matt Olson is 4 games from history: Braves star quietly chasing MLB’s ironman legends

The small details that made it work

There was a reason Springfield felt comfortable taking that risk. They were facing a left-handed pitcher, which naturally creates a blind spot toward third base. Both runners recognized it. Both trusted what they saw. And both committed without hesitation.

Those are the kinds of split-second decisions that can completely change a game, even if they do not show up the same way as a home run or strikeout.

A reminder of what makes baseball fun

Even in a loss, this is the kind of moment players and fans remember. Baseball still finds ways to surprise you. It still rewards instincts and bold decisions. And sometimes, it produces something so rare that it feels like it should not have happened at all.

Two steals of home in the same at-bat is one of those moments. It is the kind of play that reminds you why people keep watching.

More MLB news:

• Matt Olson is 4 games from history: Braves star quietly chasing MLB’s ironman legends
• MLB shows off Pittsburgh’s future as Pirates unveil bold new City Connect uniforms
• Walt Weiss reveals why he tackled Jorge Soler during Braves and Angels brawl
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award

Subscribe to The Dunker Spot

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We have a jam-packed episode of The Dunker Spot coming your way!

First, Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones look at the top-six in the Eastern Conference (Pistons, Celtics, Knicks, Cavaliers, Raptors, Hawks) and share their biggest questions for each team as we inch closer to the playoffs.

From there, the guys shift to the WNBA and react to the Los Angeles Sparks making major moves -- first closing in on a trade centered around sending Rickea Jackson to the Chicago Sky for Ariel Atkins, then bringing back franchise legend Nneka Ogwumike. They discuss the fits for each move, and how those moves impact their plans moving forward.

They continue their WNBA discussion by analyzing the Diamond Miller-to-Connecticut trade, saluting Aces wing Jackie Young -- officially the WNBA's first $1 million player -- exploring the rumor mill, and catching up on other news.

If you ever have NBA or WNBA questions, email us at dunkerspot@yahoo.com.

1:45 Detroit Pistons

16:30 Boston Celtics

26:15 New York Knicks

36:15 Cleveland Cavaliers

43:01 Toronto Raptors

49:28 Atlanta Hawks

55:14 WNBA news

Maddie Meyer

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

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

Jordan Spieth got a little wayward with a tee ball today, sending it offline left but yet somehow ending up in the fairway — all thanks to a patron at Augusta National on Friday at the Masters.

More: Masters leaderboard, scores, groupings, tee times, more

On the par-4 ninth, Spieth pulled his tee shot and it appeared to be heading for the trees but a patron under the tree could be seen reacting after getting hit by the golf ball.

Spieth, being a man of the people that he is, signed a golf glove and went over to give it to the man, whose deflection helped Spieth save par on the hole. Spieth birdied the first and then ripped off 10 straight pars before a bogey on the 12th, leaving him even for the day and even overall.

Jordan Spieth's tee shot ended up in the fairway after it bounced off a patron 😳

Spieth went to check on him and gave him a signed glove 🤝 pic.twitter.com/i42qPCJymA

— ESPN (@espn) April 10, 2026

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Masters Jordan Spieth hits patron with tee shot, signs glove

After six years with Tua Tagovailoa under center, the Miami Dolphins decided to make a change at quarterback this offseason, releasing the former first-round pick and signing Malik Willis to a three-year deal in free agency to take his place.

While Willis has been in the league for four years, he's only appeared in 22 games and started six. In those opportunities, he's led teams to a 3-3 record while completing 67.7% of his passes for 1,322 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. He also added 405 yards and four scores on the ground.

Miami's quarterback room also boasts 2025 sixth-round pick Cam Miller and 2025 seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers. However, the presence of those two shouldn't keep the Dolphins from targeting another quarterback in the 2026 NFL draft. In fact, ESPN's Benjamin Solak recently identified Penn State's Drew Allar as a fit for Miami in the fourth round.

"Allar can make anticipation throws into tight windows against the sideline or the middle of the field, and that's tough to teach... using an early-Day 3 pick on Allar would allow him to beat out Quinn Ewers for the QB2 job and challenge for the QB1 reps if Willis struggles," Solak wrote.

Allar, 22, was a five-star recruit out of Medina High School in Medina, Ohio, before arriving at Penn State in 2022. With the Nittany Lions, he completed 63.2% of his passes for 7,402 yards, 61 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 45 games.

A season-ending ankle injury in October ended his final collegiate season early, but he should be ready to go for Week 1. At the very least, it's good to have competition at the most important position.

More Dolphins: Pair of prospects identified as 'ideal first-round fits' for Dolphins

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: 2026 NFL draft: QB Drew Allar named a fit for the Miami Dolphins

Heading into the MLB schedule this weekend, every club has played at least 12 games. That’s only 7 percent of the 162-game Major League Baseball season, but each passing week provides us with more stats and action to evaluate the worst and best MLB teams right now.

So, with two weeks of the MLB schedule officially in the books, let’s dive into our latest MLB power rankings for Week 2 with evaluations on all 30 clubs. Our MLB stats are as of Friday, April 10.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (1)

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the best team in MLB. They went north of the border and took two of three from Toronto, outscoring them by 14 runs in the three-game series. Through 12 contests this season, the Dodgers lineup leads MLB in batting average (.287), home runs (21), OPS (.840), and RBI (74). That’s with Mookie Betts on the injured list and Max Muncy (.623 OPS) underperforming. What separates this year’s Dodgers from the club that won the World Series in October? Los Angeles has a better bullpen (3.86 ERA, 1st in MLB) now and reinforcements are coming this summer off the IL.

Read More: MLB Owners Have Staggering War Chest Ahead of Potential Lockout

2. Milwaukee Brewers (6)

We’re learning not to doubt the magic of the Milwaukee Brewers. Even with Andrew Vaughn on the injured list and minimal offensive production from the left side of the field, the Brewers lineup still entered the weekend ranked fifth in OPS (.760), ninth in hits (101), and fourth in runs scored (70). One reason for that is because this club is outstanding in clutch situations, as evidenced by the third-highest batting average with runners in scoring position (.307) thus far. Milwaukee did drop its three-game series at Fenway Park, but it has a good shot to rebound in the next nine games against the Nationals and Blue Jays at home before a three-game trip to Miami.

3. New York Yankees (2)

In the final two games of the series against the Athletics, the New York Yankees lineup mustered just 2 total runs with a .086 batting average and a .307 OPS. That’s certainly how you lose a series when your pitching staff combines for a 2.33 ERA. There’s still really no major reason for alarm right now in New York, although the early struggles from David Bednar (9 hits and 3 runs allowed in 6.1 innings) are a small worry. On the bright side, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón are nearing rehab assignments as they work toward rejoining the Yankees rotation.

Related: MLB Scout Rips New York Yankees Bullpen

4. Atlanta Braves (10)

Last season, when the Atlanta Braves were struck by a myriad of injuries early, they entered April 13 with a 4-11 record. Fast forward to 2026 and, even with multiple front-line starters on the injured list, Atlanta has twice as many wins (8-5) in fewer games. Atlanta hasn’t lost a series this season; entering play on Friday, they’ve succeeded largely because Drake Baldwin (1.013 OPS) is performing like an MVP while Ronald Acuña Jr. (.575 OPS), Austin Riley (.552 OPS), and Michael Harris II (.543 OPS) try to get right at the plate. The upside with the Braves lineup is higher than it is now, and with Bryce Elder and Chris Sale pitching really well, Atlanta’s rotation can get even stronger when Spencer Strider returns.

5. Texas Rangers (9)

This is much closer to the version of the Texas Rangers we hoped to see in 2026. Jack Leiter is taking a major step forward in his age-25 season, striking out 38.6 percent of batters faced with just a 4.5 percent walk rate and a .214 batting average allowed. That’s on top of offseason acquisition MacKenzie Gore (2.76 ERA, 39.7% K-rate, and .158 BAA) performing like an ace. Texas clearly has the pitching to be a force this season; what stands out compared to last season is that the Rangers lineup (.374 SLG, 10th in MLB) is a bit better, and that’s with an improved bullpen on top.

6. New York Mets (4)

It wasn’t exactly the greatest showing for the New York Mets at Citi Field against the Diamondbacks. The Mets lineup combined for just 6 runs in 27 innings, outside of the extra-inning walk-off in the series opener. That’s already the second time that New York’s bats have gone dormant in a series, with it also happening against St. Louis. There’s certainly reason for optimism that the left side of the infield’s production—Francisco Lindor (.561 OPS) and Bo Bichette (.525 OPS)—will improve, but someone besides Francisco Alvarez needs to step it up with Juan Soto out. After facing the A’s at home this weekend, the Mets face a tough six-game stretch on the road versus the Dodgers and Cubs.

7. Seattle Mariners (3)

There’s a glass-half-full and half-empty perspective with the Seattle Mariners. On the optimistic side, you can look at a pitching staff that ranks third in ERA (2.62), fourth in batting average allowed (.204), and fifth in strikeout rate (26.6 percent) through 13 games. So, how does that team post a 4-9 record? Because the Mariners lineup—a .184/.280/.301 triple-slash line—is performing like it faces Paul Skenes every night. There’s too much talent for this batting order not to turn it around, but the fact that it hasn’t come close to happening yet is a bit alarming, and the AL West is already going to be a tight division race.

8. Cincinnati Reds (15)

It’s Sal Stewart’s world and we’re all just fortunate to live in it. In 13 games this season, the Cincinnati Reds’ third baseman boasts a 1.200 OPS with 32 total bases (4 home runs and 4 doubles), 3 steals, and as many runs scored (eight) as strikeouts. He’s the primary standout right now, carrying the Reds lineup while Noelvi Marte (.377 OPS), Matt McLain (.644 OPS), Eugenio Suarez (.623 OPS), and TJ Friedl (.452 OPS) try to end their woes at the plate. Equally critical to this 8-5 start to the season for Cincinnati is Chase Burns (6 hits and 1 run allowed in 11 innings) performing like an ace for a team that still has Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo on IL.

9. Toronto Blue Jays (5)

It’s been an ugly start to the 2026 campaign for the defending American League champions. Losing a series to the Dodgers is one thing, but the Toronto Blue Jays have also dropped a set at home against the Rockies and got swept on the road by the White Sox. It certainly hasn’t helped that Cody Ponce (ACL surgery) joined Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios, and Shane Bieber on the IL while the Blue Jays lineup lost Addison Barger (ankle) and Alejandro Kirk (fractured thumb) to injuries. We certainly believe Toronto is capable of far more than its 5-7 record shows, which is the only reason this club is still inside the top 10 of our MLB power rankings for now.

10. Cleveland Guardians (17)

The starting pitching factory continues to propel the Cleveland Guardians. Through 13 games this season, the Guardians boast the second-best rotation ERA (2.67) with the third-lowest batting average allowed (.184) and all of this success comes with an abnormally high walk rate (12.2 percent). Very good pitching keeps you in a a lot of close games and that speaks to the Guardians being 8-5, even all the while Steven Kwan (.245 batting average) and Jose Ramirez (.163/.255/.286) aren’t producing up to their usual standard. We’re excited to see Cleveland in this upcoming 10-game stretch against the Braves, Cardinals and Orioles.

11. Philadelphia Phillies (8)

A trip to the West Coast didn’t exactly end well for the Philadelphia Phillies, who lost three of their last four games, including consecutive shutouts. It seems that Bryce Harper having his blood taken out, filtered, and treated with a laser hasn’t miraculously turned him back into an MVP-caliber hitter (.222/.327/.422). Granted, it’s not like Trea Turner (.655 OPS), Alec Bohm (.271 OBP), or Bryson Stott (.405 OPS) are faring any better at the plate. If Philadelphia’s lineup can’t get hot quickly, these next two weeks against the Cubs and Braves (13 games from April 13–26) could get ugly.

12. Chicago Cubs (7)

Dropping the Chicago Cubs this many spots in our MLB power rankings has everything to do with the recent injuries to Cade Horton (UCL tear) and Matthew Boyd (biceps strain). The Cubs rotation was going to be the strength of this team just a few weeks ago, and that was even with Justin Steele still recovering from Tommy John surgery. We’re now talking about a rotation that is alarmingly thin, and that’s our worry moving forward.

13. Pittsburgh Pirates (19)

We feel obligated to buy some proverbial stock in the Pittsburgh Pirates. Even with Bubba Chandler (10-10 K-BB in 8.2 innings) struggling with his command, Pittsburgh’s pitching staff ranks seventh in ERA (3.33), and Jared Jones isn’t even back yet. Great pitching matters, especially because this Pirates lineup, which ranks eighth in batting average (.247) and slugging (.383), is producing with the help of offseason acquisitions Brandon Lowe (.821 OPS) and Ryan O’Hearn (1.074 OPS). If Pittsburgh can even have a league-average lineup this season, we’re not ruling this ball club out for a playoff spot.

14. Arizona Diamondbacks (18)

Since getting swept by the Dodgers to open the season—who were celebrating back-to-back World Series titles—the Arizona Diamondbacks are 7–3 with series wins over the Tigers and Mets, while splitting a four-game set against the Braves. In this 10-game stretch, the Diamondbacks’ pitching staff has certainly impressed with a 3.45 ERA, and that’s including the 17–2 loss to Atlanta on April 2. Arizona is happy to fly under the radar right now nationally, but we’re not counting the D-backs out to come out of this upcoming nine-game stretch versus Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Toronto with a winning record.

15. Detroit Tigers (11)

Just when it seemed last week like the Detroit Tigers had rebounded from a four-game losing streak by taking the series against the Cardinals, they dropped five consecutive games immediately after. Colt Keith (.350 batting average) and Kevin McGonigle (.792 OPS) are doing their best right now, but it certainly isn’t enough when three hitters in the Tigers lineup are at the Mendoza line (Riley Greene) or worse (Kerry Carpenter and Spencer Torkelson). We still love Detroit’s rotation, but upcoming sets against Miami, Kansas City, Boston, and Milwaukee will really test how quickly the hitters can get back on track. If things do get more in line with expectations, Detroit can be a top-10 team.

16. Baltimore Orioles (12)

The good news for the Baltimore Orioles is they responded to getting swept by the Pirates by bringing the brooms out to take down the White Sox. Now, with that said, Baltimore is 5-1 against the Twins and White Sox this season but has a 1-5 record versus Pittsburgh and Texas. To make matters worse, starter Zach Eflin just went down with Tommy John surgery. This could be a temporary dip in the MLB power rankings for Baltimore, especially with Jackson Holliday coming back to replace Jeremiah Jackson (.448 OPS) in the lineup.

17. Houston Astros (14)

What’s the one thing a pitching staff that has allowed the most runs (76 through 13 games) in baseball couldn’t afford? Ace Hunter Brown hitting the injured list with a Grade 2 shoulder strain that likely keeps him out for at least a month. For the Houston Astros, everything is riding now on Christian Walker (1.040 OPS), Cam Smith (.907 OPS), Carlos Correa (.354 OBP), and Jose Altuve (1.029 OPS) playing at an outstanding level. We have our doubts about that, and at 6–7, any fall-off from the Astros lineup could swing their spot in the MLB standings dramatically.

18. Miami Marlins (20)

Things are starting to look really promising for the Miami Marlins. Sandy Alcantara is performing like the ace who won the NL Cy Young Award a few seasons ago. While he gets the spotlight, a little more attention should be paid to what 30-year-old Janson Junk (3.09 ERA) has brought to this Marlins rotation. Miami also has to feel even more optimistic about its starting rotation since Max Meyer and Eury Perez are still ironing out their command and secondary stuff. If that all can click, with Kyle Stowers rejoining the Marlins lineup before the end of the month, maybe this 8–5 record isn’t nearly the fluke some might believe.

19. San Diego Padres (21)

The walk-off grand slam from Xander Bogaerts propelled the San Diego Padres to a 12th-inning victory that gives them a 5–1 record in their last six games. That stretch featured series victories on the road against the Red Sox and Pirates. Maybe Mason Miller and this Padres bullpen (3.05 ERA, 10th in MLB) can do some great work paired with better run production from the lineup (.621 OPS, fifth-worst in MLB), but we have significant reservations with the rotation behind Nick Pivetta, Michael King, and Randy Vasquez.

20. Boston Red Sox (13)

Did winning the last two games of the series at Fenway Park spark something for the Boston Red Sox? Until Tuesday’s 3–2 victory, Boston had a 1–8 record in its last 10 games. There’s a golden opportunity here for Boston to carry over that momentum, proving it can go out on the road and handle its business against St. Louis and Minnesota. We just need to see more from the Red Sox lineup, and this six-game stretch could restore a lot of confidence in Boston, but that 4–8 record has already put them in an early hole in the AL East.

21. Kansas City Royals (16)

Just as the Kansas City Royals seemed to be trending in the right direction last Saturday with a big win at home versus Milwaukee, they lost four of their next five games, with the lineup dropping along with the temperatures. Maikel Garcia (.320/.397/.460) and Kyle Isbel (1.006 OPS) are providing a spark, but Bobby Witt Jr. has been a different story as the power (.327 SLG) has been absent. Let’s see if the rest of this homestand against the White Sox can get Witt, Salvador Perez, and Vinnie Pasquantino going before a nine-game stretch against the Tigers, Yankees, and Orioles.

22. Tampa Bay Rays (22)

We’re probably a bit more skeptical of the Tampa Bay Rays than you’ll find in consensus MLB power rankings. A lot of that has to do with the fact that this club is still tied for the fifth-worst run differential in baseball (-14) entering play on Friday, and its only series victory this season came against Minnesota. If you want to be optimistic, Gavin Lux and Edwin Uceta just began rehab assignments, Ryan Pepiot (hip) is working toward that, and Jonathan Aranda (3 home runs and 11 RBI) is heating up at the plate to help make up for early woes from Junior Caminero (.370 SLG).

23. St. Louis Cardinals (25)

After a promising rookie campaign in 2023, hitting 16 home runs with a .787 OPS, Jordan Walker compiled just a .595 OPS with 11 home runs in 574 plate appearances over the last two seasons. It all seems to be clicking again for the former top prospect this season. He’s leading the St. Louis Cardinals lineup right now in batting average (.295), home runs (five), hits (13), and RBI (12). He’s not the only standout in St. Louis. Alec Burleson (10 RBI and .786 OPS) is looking good, and JJ Wetherholt (.364 OBP and three steals) is off to a promising start as a rookie. Regression might come for the team’s 7–5 record, but this club is a treat to watch.

24. Sacramento Athletics (24)

We certainly never would’ve thought that it would be the Athletics’ pitching staff that carried them to victories at Yankee Stadium. The positive results did push the A’s to a 3–1 record in their last four games, but now comes the hard part with six straight against two of the best MLB teams in 2026 (the Mets and Rangers). We’re not optimistic that the club comes out of this stretch even at two games below the .500 line.

25. San Francisco Giants (23)

Tony Vitello finally has his first home series win as an MLB manager, with the San Francisco Giants pulling off consecutive shutout wins over Philadelphia. There have been some promising signs from this club as of late, with the core lineup of Matt Chapman (.812 OPS), Rafael Devers, and Willy Adames (.775 OPS) starting to heat up, all the while Luis Arraez (.320 BA) is doing his thing at the plate. This still feels like a very flawed team, with below-average starting pitching and even worse defense, but at least the Giants look competent now.

26. Los Angeles Angels (27)

After pulling down three home-run robberies in the same game, it seems that historic glove work in the outfield provided Jo Adell with a spark at the plate. During his five-game hit streak entering play on Friday, the Los Angeles Angels outfielder has gone 9-for-20 (.450 BA) at the plate. Meanwhile, Zach Neto is performing like he’ll be a perennial All-Star shortstop in the years to come. We’ll also give a tip of the cap to Jose Soriano, who has been lights out (7 hits and 1 run allowed in 20 innings) across his first three starts this year. As for the rest of the Angels? Let’s just say they might not be this close to .500 for much longer.

27. Minnesota Twins (28)

Mick Abel got something resembling normal weather in his last start, and he hurled six shutout innings with six strikeouts against the Tigers. That comes after a three-start stretch where Taj Bradley boasts an outstanding 22–4 K–BB ratio with a .219 batting average allowed to opponents in 16.2 innings of work. It’s the bright spots from the youngsters, long-term fixtures in the Minnesota Twins rotation, that should be treated as just as valuable as wins this season.

28. Colorado Rockies (30)

One of the biggest pieces of MLB news this week is cause for massive celebration for the Colorado Rockies. The Penner family just bought a 40 percent stake in the franchise, which could prove massive if the sudden influx of cash finally yields significant investment into player development and scouting. If all of that happens, it should honestly be treated as the equivalent of the Rockies making the playoffs because it’s truly that significant long-term.

29. Washington Nationals (26)

Well, that positive start to the season was fun while it lasted for the Washington Nationals. After a 3–1 start in March, the team is now 1–7 in its last eight games. Command remains an issue for Cade Cavalli (11–9 K–BB with 12 hits allowed), Miles Mikolas has allowed 22 hits, 17 earned runs, and 7 walks in 12.1 innings, and the abysmal pitching as a whole has done more than enough damage to wipe out the hot bats of James Wood (.832 OPS), Brady House (.854 OPS), and CJ Abrams (.959 OPS). So, when do the MLB rumors start about Abrams being traded?

30. Chicago White Sox (29)

Munetaka Murakami started his major-league career by hitting three home runs with four walks in his first 13 plate appearances. Across his last 10 games, Murakami has a .156 batting average with a 30.8 percent strikeout rate and just one extra-base hit. There’s a reason other teams were hesitant about signing him and the Chicago White Sox landed him. Now, with that said, it was still a worthwhile gamble to take for a team that everyone expects not to challenge for 70 wins this season.

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Angels' $245 and $240 million signings ranked 6th and 7th worst free agent deals in MLB history originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Angels have struggled to make the postseason in recent years, and that's despite having plenty of incredibly appealing players on their roster over the years.

Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, two future Hall of Famers, couldn't get the Angels over the hump. But they aren't alone, as two of their bigger free agent signings in recent seasons also didn't help the Angels much at all.

In fact, according to ESPN's Bradford Doolittle, the Angels $245 million and $240 million signings of Anthony Rendon and Albert Pujols are both among the seven-worst free agent signings in MLB history.

Angels own 2 of MLB's 7 worst free agent signings in history

Coming in at 7th worst all-time is the Angels $240 million, 10-year contract for Pujols, the future Hall of Famer.

"Pujols never stopped being a class act, and it's not his fault Angels owner Arte Moreno tends to lose his cool during free agency at times," Doolittle writes. "But this was not a good contract for the Angels."

Pujols played in 10 seasons with the Angels, recording 12.5 bWAR with 222 home runs, 783 RBIs, and a .758 OPS in 1,181 games played. He had a few decent seasons, but he wasn't even remotely close to being as productive as he was with the St. Louis Cardinals.

More: Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

The worst deal, placing 6th worst all-time, was the $245 million, seven-year deal for Anthony Rendon. He put up just 3.9 bWAR, and is "mercifully calling it quits," Doolittle writes.

Despite putting up some truly great seasons for the Washington Nationals, Rendon, since signing with the Angels in 2020, has played in just 257 games across five seasons. He didn't even play in 2025, and isn't going to play in 2026 either.

He never had a negative bWAR season for the Angels, but his production fell off a cliff in L.A., with his .717 OPS being a significant drop from his .859 OPS while with the Nationals.

These two Angels signings didn't work out at all and led to some massive disappointment in Los Angeles. They had their moments while with the Angels, and weren't massive negative contributors overall. But, compared to the hype, these were bad deals.

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Later today, the Artemis II crew will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, marking the end of the first manned mission to the Moon in more than half a century. The baseball world has changed so much between then and now, from the introduction of the designated hitter in the American League in 1973 to the introduction of six franchises in the late 70s, 80s, and 90s. To celebrate today’s accomplishment, I decided to hop into the New York Times archives and see what was happening in the baseball world on December 27, 1968, and April 17, 1970 — the days that Apollo 8, the first manned mission to orbit the Moon, and Apollo 13, whose use of a free return trajectory served as the model for Artemis II’s mission, splashed down. Unfortunately, we have nothing quite as famous or as interesting as Gaylord Perry’s famous home run minutes after Neil Armstrong stepped on the Moon, but it’s still an interesting insight into a long gone era.

December 27, 1968

The holiday season has been, historically, a slow time in the baseball world, and as it turns out, 1968 was no exception. In fact, only one small article in the New York Times had anything to do with baseball — a report from Kansas City that Owen Friend, had been hired by the Royals to serve as a scout in the Midwest and as an infield coach during during spring training. This news was so small that the ProQuest Historical Newspapers archive did not list it independently, but rather attached it to the paper’s “Table for High Tide for Waters Adjacent to New York,” which listed the morning and evening high tides, sunrise and sunset, and moonrise and moonset times.

Rather amusingly, there was one other time in the paper that day in which the word “baseball” appeared: the article reporting the astronauts’ health after splash down, which stated that they wore caps “similar to baseball caps” while on the USS Yorktown.

April 17, 1970

Unsurprisingly, the Times had quite a bit more baseball news when Apollo 13 splashed down. The paper posted recaps of four games. In the paper’s dive into college ball, Columbia University’s 6-3 victory over Providence took center stage, with Fred Armenti’s eight inning, 10-strikeout performance the story of the afternoon. Right underneath that article was a brief account of Navy’s 8-3 shellacking of Army to maintain their perfect season, in which Tom Galloway and Denny Losh were the players of the game. Turning to Major League Baseball, Tom Seaver’s complete game shutout and Bud Harrelson’s first career home run that landed over the fence — the 150-pound shortstop had an inside-the-park homer three years prior — powered the Mets past the Phillies by the score of 6-0. Last, and certainly not least, the Yankees downed the Orioles by the score of 4-1 in 11 innings, ending a three-game losing streak and seeing their early-season record improve to 3-6.

The Yankees’ victory was rather unusual, aided by a strange error in the top of the 11th. With runners on first and second and two out, Pete Ward hit a groundball right at Orioles shortstop Mark Belanger, who turned and threw the ball to second baseman Davey Johnson. Inexplicably, however, Johnson did not cover the bag, and was tagged with an E4 because, as George Vecsey wrote, “being on the base is a rather vital part of a force play.” Danny Cater — who according to the reporter had been dealing with a run of bad luck, having cut his hand on a broken bat, was struck in the ankle by an errant throw, and had barely avoided getting hit in the face during batting practice — followed that up with a triple that cleared the bases and gave the Bombers a 4-1 lead.

Former Brazil striker Luizao has sparked debate by questioning Neymar Jr.’s commitment to the national team, drawing a sharp comparison with Ronaldo Nazario’s mentality ahead of the World Cup.

With Brazil preparing for another major international tournament cycle, discussions around leadership, desire and accountability have once again come to the surface.

Neymar remains one of the most talented players of his generation, but scrutiny around his approach to international duty has never fully disappeared.

Luizao’s comments tap directly into that conversation, contrasting different eras of Brazilian football and what it meant to represent the national team at the highest level.

Luizao questions Neymar’s World Cup desire with Ronaldo comparison

The former Brazil international shared his thoughts in an interview reported by Goal, where he did not hold back in assessing Neymar’s mindset.

He said, “I think that Neymar doesn’t want to go to the World Cup. Come on, Galvao, when we want it, like Ronaldo wanted it.

“… I would seek out the coach to talk, and the coach would seek him out. When we want it, we go after it.”

The comparison to Ronaldo Nazario is particularly significant, given his legacy as one of Brazil’s greatest-ever players and his relentless drive during World Cup campaigns.

It also reflects a broader sentiment among former players, who often measure modern stars against the standards set by previous generations.

Luizao calls for stronger leadership in Brazil setup

Beyond Neymar specifically, Luizao also pointed toward structural issues within the national team, emphasizing the importance of discipline and authority from the coaching staff.

Luizao added, “I think these players need a strong coach. I had to rent a suit to go to the youth national team.”

The anecdote highlights the contrast in culture, where representing Brazil once came with strict expectations and personal sacrifice.

For Luizao, that foundation played a key role in shaping players who were fully committed to the national cause.

As Brazil looks ahead to the 2026 World Cup, debates like this underline the pressure on both players and management to restore a sense of identity and purpose, especially when comparisons to legends like Ronaldo continue to define the conversation.

Read more:

After starting the season 3-1 with inspiring victories against the Cubs and Phillies, good news has been hard to come by for Nationals fans.

The Nats’ following 8 results have been about as bad as it gets, going on a 5-game losing streak, briefly interrupted by a 9-6 win in the series opener against the Cardinals, and then dropping the last 2 games in the 3-game set. The offense has had its moments, but has struggled to overcome the frequent blown leads by the Washington bullpen.

Decent starts in Game 1 and 2 by Zack Littell and Cade Cavalli were promptly wasted, with the bullpen laboring for 9.1 innings and 9 runs across the two contests. Getting length out of the rotation has been a losing battle for manager Blake Butera, and clawing their way to high-scoring wins is unfortunately not a sustainable strategy.

Going into their next series, the Nationals are at a true “get right” point, but their opponent is far from an easy matchup. The Brewers, returning home after a series loss against the Red Sox, are still sitting pretty with an 8-4 record in early April. A combination of consistent production from their lineup and a handful of stable arms at their disposal, both in the rotation and bullpen, has them looking like the team that won 97 games in 2025.

Friday – 7:40 PM EST

MIL: RHP Chad Patrick (1-0, 0.96 ERA)

WSH: RHP Jake Irvin (1-1, 8.00 ERA)

The 27-year-old Patrick’s early returns have been fantastic for the Brew Crew. He tossed 5 scoreless frames against the Royals in his season debut, and held the White Sox to just 1 run in his following outing. His 5-pitch mix has kept batters off balance but has allowed some hard contact, and should be an interesting test for Nats hitters to jump on his mistakes.

Irvin began his season on a high note against the Cubs, but was roughed up for 6 runs in just 4 innings against the Dodgers in his second start. The veteran righty will be tasked with opening the series for the Nats against one of the strongest offenses in MLB thus far, with the Brewers in the Top 10 for batting average, runs scored, hits, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage.

Saturday – 7:10 PM EST

MIL: LHP Kyle Harrison (1-0, 2.61 ERA)

WSH: LHP Foster Griffin (1-0, 2.70 ERA)

An offseason reclamation project by the Milwaukee front office, Harrison, a once-famed pitching prospect for the Giants, has looked as good as he ever has through 2 starts in 2026. He’s peppering the zone with an impressive fastball and timing his slurve well to generate plenty of whiffs. However, like Patrick, when he does allow contact, it’s barreled at a high rate. If Washington can avoid piling up strikeouts, they can create favorable opportunities against the breakout lefty.

Speaking of breakout lefties, Griffin has been a welcome addition to the Nats’ rotation so far. With 7 total offerings, hitters have struggled to figure him out, allowing just 3 runs in his first 10 MLB innings since 2022. He may be pushed a bit deeper into this start than his 2 previous outings because of the bullpen’s concerning start, giving the veteran a chance to continue to prove himself.

Sunday – 2:10 PM EST

MIL: RHP Brandon Woodruff (1-0, 5.91 ERA)

WSH: RHP Zack Littell (0-1, 3.60 ERA)

It’s been a far-from-ideal start for Woodruff, although a controversial scoring change from his last appearance did raise his ERA by almost 2 full points. His command hasn’t faltered, but he’s had a difficult go of it when trying to miss bats. The Nats need to attack his fastball early and limit the effectiveness of his arsenal, something the Red Sox found to be quite successful when they tacked 5 runs onto his line on April 6.

Littell has already proven to be an analytical outlier, a common pattern throughout his career. Every advanced metric despises him, but he continues to go out there and give teams solid start after solid start. He shut down the Cardinals’ lineup after a decent game against Philadelphia, but will have to hone in his command versus a savvy Brewers offense after already giving up 5 free passes.

A chance to take advantage

Milwaukee jumped out to an 8-4 start to begin their 2026 campaign, with most of their wins coming in offensive explosions. When they aren’t able to put up at least 5 runs, though, they have yet to record a victory. If the Nationals’ starters can hold it down long enough for the offense to take advantage, Washington fans could have lots to celebrate this weekend.

Rory McIlroy looks to have learned a lot from winning The Masters.

He’s had advice from all of the great champions in the past, from Tiger Woods to Jack Nicklaus, but judging by his opening round it took for him to win for McIlroy to finally understand Augusta National.

The Career Grand Slam winner played with a calm assurance on Thursday, allowing the score to come to him when he was out of position.

But while he said he has learned from his own experience, Nicklaus gave him some crucial advice right before he teed off on Thursday, which helped him take an opening round lead.

What Jack Nicklaus told Rory McIlroy right before he teed off at The Masters

Before McIlroy began his Masters title defence, the man who has won the event more than anyone else, Nicklaus, spoke to him on the practice range.

Speaking on Sky Sports before his second round, McIlroy revealed what the 18-time major winner told him. He said, “‘No f—–g double bogeys’. Apparently, he thought I made too many last year.”

McIlroy made a string of double bogeys, including two on the final day, to grind out his first Masters win. He’d have won running away without those mistakes, and Nicklaus told him to cut them out.

He went double bogey-less during his first round on his way to a score of 67, and he said he felt far more at home than he ever has before at Augusta.

Rory McIlroy reveals key to first round success

McIlroy said that after winning The Masters last year, any sense of imposter syndrome that he had at this event before had lessened significantly.

He said, “I feel like I’ve always been, as I’ve played this tournament more and more, I’ve become more comfortable with the golf course. And then I’ve now found myself more and more comfortable with where I sit in the tournament, having won last year.

“Feeling, I guess, like I belong a little bit more and having that freedom out on the golf course. Yesterday was a great day, and I need to continue that and hopefully drive it a bit better. But I need to think my way around the golf course like I did yesterday.”

Composure is key to winning here, and it looks like McIlroy has that in bags this year.

Weston McKennie remains an important player for Juventus and has held that status for a considerable period, with the American consistently demonstrating his value under different managers. His reliability and work ethic have ensured that he continues to play a key role within the squad.

He is a versatile footballer who is capable of performing effectively in multiple positions when required. This adaptability has made him a valuable asset, as he is able to contribute in different tactical setups while maintaining a consistent level of performance.

Challenges and Career Setbacks

Despite his quality, McKennie’s career has not always progressed smoothly, as he has experienced both highs and lows like many professional players. There have been periods when Juventus actively explored the possibility of selling him, only for the midfielder to respond by forcing his way back into contention.

These moments have highlighted his determination and resilience, qualities that have helped him remain relevant within the squad. His ability to overcome setbacks has been a defining aspect of his time at the club.

Reflecting on a Difficult Period

According to Calciomercato, McKennie has opened up about the most difficult period of his career, identifying his injury in 2022 as a significant challenge.

“The hardest moment of my career was when I broke my foot in 2022. I couldn’t do anything, play football or walk. That’s when I realised how important my life outside of football was, because if football was the only thing in my life and I couldn’t continue, what would I do? I was devastated. I was having a good season and only got back to playing three months later, but at the same time, I enjoyed other things.”

His comments provide insight into the personal struggles players face during injuries, particularly when they are forced to step away from the game. McKennie’s experience underlines the importance of resilience and perspective, reinforcing his significance within the Juventus squad.

The San Diego Padrespaid an arm and a leg to acquire closer Mason Miller at last year’s Trade Deadline, and the move has repaid itself in full.

Miller has been nearly unhittable since joining the Friars, authoring a 0.61 ERA across 29 2/3 innings. He’s become a cheat code of a pitcher, getting three efficient outs every single time he takes the mound. He’s only allowed eight hits in his entire Padres tenure.

To put his insane numbers in perspective, Miller has almost eight times more strikeouts (61) than hits allowed. He is legitimately on one of the most (if not the most) dominant relief stretch MLB has ever seen. But what makes him that way, and how high really is the ceiling?

An Elite Pitch Mix (With Pinpoint Command)

Miller has a three-pitch mix that primarily uses his fastball and slider with the changeup as a third option. To call it a changeup is ridiculous, but it is. I only say that because it sits at around 95 mph (and that’s most pitchers’ fastball speed).

That number is only a testament to his elite fastball, which averages 101.2 mph. On Thursday night’s walk-off against the Colorado Rockies, he threw a 103.4 four-seamer to Ezequiel Tovar to strike him out for the fastest strikeout pitch in Padres’ regular season history.

But the slider. It would be something if he just had a missile-like fastball, but he follows it up with an 89 mph slider that comes out of the glove looking like a heater and then drops to the bottom of the zone. The batter already swung a full second before the pitch even crossed home plate.

All of this means nothing, however, if not for Miller’s elite command. Plenty of guys can throw the ball hard, but being able to throw that hard and locate in the zone is something special. Doing the same with his slider that has 38.8 inches of vertical drop is just unfair for batter.

So far this season, he has a .790 strike percentage (percentage of pitches thrown in the zone). He has already had multiple near-immaculate innings, which is insane because he’s only had six outings. If not for his second pitch to Willi Castro being a little high, he would have had one on Thursday night.

How Long Could He Remain Scoreless?

Forever?

Kidding … sort of. Obviously, someone will get to him eventually. That’s baseball. He’ll have an off day one of these days and give up a run somehow. It’s part of the game.

But the way it looks right now, Miller may never allow another hitter to cross home plate (let alone get to first base). His scoreless streak is currently at 27 2/3 innings, six innings away from tying the Padres’ record set by Cla Meredith (2006).

Since 2016, only three pitchers have finished with sub-1.00 ERAs: 2016 Zack Britton (0.54 ERA, 67.0 IP), 2018 Blake Treinen (0.78 ERA, 80.1 IP), and 2024 Emmanuel Clase (0.61 ERA, 74.1 IP). No reliever who’s pitched a full season has ever finished with a 0.00 ERA. Tyler Olson holds the record, with 20 scoreless innings pitched in the 2017 season.

Of those four, only Clase managed to garner Cy Young attention, being a top-three finisher in the award. No reliever has won the award since Eric Gagne in 2003. If anyone has a shot at it, it’s Miller.

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The transfer portal is open, and the Wisconsin Badgers are players once again, as they look to fill out the rest of their roster following some portal departures this past week.

The Badgers have been quite successful in the transfer portal in recent years, finding a star player in each of the past three seasons. Back in the 2024 offseason, they were able to land AJ Storr, who enjoyed a breakout season in Madison before transferring to Kansas the season after.

In the 2025 offseason, they had an amazing evaluation with John Tonje, who became an All-American and was one of the best transfers in the country after missing much of the 2024-25 campaign due to injury.

Then, of course, they got Nick Boyd last offseason in a more higher-profile transfer, convincing the San Diego State guard to choose Wisconsin over several other offers. Boyd also enjoyed a breakout season with the Badgers, leading the team with 20.7 points and 4.3 assists per game, while shooting a respectable 48 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from deep.

Wisconsin has also found some quality role players in the portal, such as Austin Rapp, Braeden Carrington, and Andrew Rohde last season, so they’ve shown an ability to build a team from the portal if needed.

That might be necessary this season, as Wisconsin will have to replace Boyd, Carrington, Rohde, John Blackwell, and Aleksas Bieliauskas, who are all either out of eligibility or have entered the transfer portal. That’s quite a bit of production to replace, and Wisconsin currently has six open roster spots to do so.

The Badgers aren’t a top-tier NIL spender when it comes to basketball. So, what has been the key to their transfer portal success?

“Well, [a big part is] our staff,” head coach Greg Gard said when asked on The Mike Heller Show. “I think we’ve done a great job of identifying and evaluating and not just jumping at the flashy name that’s out there because of all the other financial ramifications that come with it. I think we’ve been very intelligent and smart and disciplined about who we approach, knowing what the cost of it is.

“And, we have put some science behind it too. We have some data analytics where we can do a comparison and a translation, run them through a program where we can see if it’s a kid that’s playing at a mid-major school, how does he translate, how does his stats translate. Some translate really well, others don’t translate at all or very well. So that’s not just pulling a name out of a hat or picking the most popular name on Twitter or X.”

A big part of the evaluations is the financial component. Wisconsin won’t engage seriously with potential transfers if they know they’re out of the budget. But the Badgers have a good idea of where players stand and what their resources are, which jumpstarts those conversations as they identify and evaluate players.

“There’s a science that goes into it of really identifying,” Gard continued. “And obviously, you know, the financial piece behind it, you get a pretty good idea if you can be in the game or not, right, relatively soon. And the portal always goes through trends. Like right now, the market’s hot. Yeah, it hasn’t even opened. And it’s a player’s market. I mean, it’s definitely— and it’ll level off and then there’ll be [a jump]. We’ve seen over the years [if it’s] like anything, it’s like stock market waves.”

That logic has proven to be pretty consistent as the portal has evolved. Usually, there’s a race to get top talent and quality players early, which inflates the market as teams want to secure their rosters for the upcoming season. Then comes a wave where the market dips, which is where a team like Wisconsin can use a ‘moneyball’ approach to find the best fits on the court and financially within its budget. At the end, with teams still needing to fill needs, is where you also see the market jump because there aren’t as many talented players as there are teams with needs.

It seems like Wisconsin will take a similar approach this year, initially focusing on retention before going after its targets in the transfer portal. There is a need for scoring, some size, and another quality wing. We’ll see how Wisconsin can fill those holes in the portal.

The Green Bay Packers are hosting Wake Forest cornerback Karon Prunty on an official visit to Green Bay before the 2026 NFL draft. Easton Butler was the first to report the visit, which is happening Friday.

Prunty, who began his collegiate career at Kansas, spent three years at North Carolina AT&T before transferring to Wake Forest for the 2025 season. He earned career-best PFF marks in coverage grade and overall grade after allowing only 25 catches and a passer rating of 79.8 against his coverage in 2025.

Prunty finished his college career with seven interceptions over 1,700 coverage snaps.

Prunty's 2025 season summary from Wake Forest: "Earned Third Team All-ACC honors… Played in all 13 games… Graded by PFF as the No. 12 coverage corner in the country and No. 2 in the ACC… Graded as the seventh-best overall defensive player in the conference and T-1st on the team by PFF… Finished the season with a 44.4% catch rate allowed, second-best in the ACC… Allowed 18.3 yards per game in coverage and just two touchdowns in the regular season… Recorded 40 total tackles, an interception, eight pass breakups, a sack, a forced fumble and recovered a fumble… Made a crucial interception in the low-scoring victory over SMU (10/25) … Was the No. 1 corner on the third-best passing defense in the ACC, allowing just 11 regular season touchdowns and 2,396 yards as a unit… Helped lead a defense that allowed just 29 touchdowns in the regular season (No. 4 in the ACC) … Did not allow a single catch in three different games… Placed second on the team with eight passes broken up… Graded as the second-best pass rusher amongst corners in the ACC… Also saw snaps on special teams."

At the Wake Forest pro day, Prunty (6-1, 190) ran the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds, hit 33" in the vertical leap, covered 10-3 in the broad jump, finished the 3-cone drill in 6.92 seconds and the short shuttle in 4.20 seconds and completed 11 reps on the bench press. His Relative Athletic Score is 8.65 out of 10.0.

Prunty ranks No. 456 on the consensus big board, making him a likely late Day 3 option or priority undrafted free agent following the draft.

Packers Wire is tracking all the team's pre-draft visitors here.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers hosting Wake Forest CB Karon Prunty on pre-draft visit

Rutgers continues to add in the 2027 recruiting class.

On Wednesday, On3 reported that New York athlete Trent Buttles has committed to the Scarlet Knights. He received an offer from Greg Schiano during a visit to campus last weekend and did not waste time making a decision.

Buttles will head back to Rutgers for an official visit in the future. He was gaining steam in recruitment from teams like Temple, James Madison, Navy, UConn, Buffalo, and others.

Buttles has played on both sides of the ball for St. Francis in West Henrietta, NY. He found success both at quarterback and free safety at the high school level. Since his recruitment began, many programs felt that he fit best in the defensive backfield and that is the assumption entering Rutgers as well.

At quarterback, the 6-foot Buttles threw for 1,929 yards an 20 touchdowns with nine interceptions last season. He adde 657 yards and nine scores on the ground. Defensively, he logged 87 tackles, three interceptions, and one forced fumble.

Buttles is now the third commit in the 2027 class for Rutgers, joining tight end Sydney Padilla and offensive lineman James Cocozzo.

The first phase of the 2026 regional cups is entering its final stretch, with a fierce battle for the top spots. In the middle of this week, the three competitions (the Northeast Cup, the Green Cup, and the South-Southeast Cup) featured, in the third round, mostly closely contested matches, as well as a few blowouts.

In the Northeast Cup, the biggest scoreline of the week was Vitória’s 4-1 win over Juazeirense. Another highlight was the result of the Rio Grande do Norte derby, in which ABC beat América 3-0.

As things stand today, ASA and Vitória would qualify for the quarterfinals from Group A, Confiança and Juazeirense from Group B, Sport and Ferroviário from Group C, and Retrô and Fortaleza from Group D. Each team in the Northeast Cup plays five matches in the group stage.

In the Green Cup, which is split into the North Cup and the Central-West Cup, Trem crushed Independência 4-0, while Nacional had an even more overwhelming victory: 7-0 over Paysandu.

As things stand today, the teams that would advance from the Green Cup to the second phase are: Nacional and Trem (North Cup – Group A), Porto Velho and Águia de Marabá (North Cup – Group B), Rio Branco-ES and Vila Nova (Central-West Cup – Group A), and Gama and Anápolis (Central-West Cup – Group B). In its opening phase, the competition also consists of just five matches per team.

In the South-Southeast Cup, meanwhile, the round was marked by balance, with three draws in six matches and three one-goal wins. As things stand today, Novorizontino and Caxias from Group A, and Volta Redonda and Operário-MS from Group B, would move on to the next phase. In the South-Southeast Cup, each team plays six times in the group stage.

Third-round results:

Northeast Cup

América 0 x 3 ABC / Ferroviário 1 x 0 Jacuipense / Vitória 4 x 1 Juazeirense / Sousa 2 x 0 Botafogo-PB / Fluminense-PI 2 x 0 Piauí / Imperatriz 1 x 1 Maranhão / Ceará 2 x 0 Fortaleza / Sport 3 x 0 Retrô / ASA 2 x 0 CRB / Itabaiana 0 x 1 Confiança.

Green Cup

Green Cup (North Cup) - Trem 4 x 0 Independência / Grêmio Sampaio 3 x 1 Guaporé / Nacional 7 x 0 Paysandu / Águia de Marabá 3 x 2 Galvez / Monte Roraima 1 x 2 Porto Velho / Remo 1 x 0 Amazonas.

Green Cup (Central-West Cup) – Primavera 2 x 2 Vila Nova / Araguaína 0 x 0 Capital / Operário-MS 1 x 1 Rio Branco-ES / Atlético-GO 1 x 0 Cuiabá / Anápolis 2 x 0 Porto Vitória / Tocantinópolis 1 x 2 Gama.

South-Southeast Cup

Caxias 1 x 0 Juventude / Sampaio Corrêa 1 x 1 Volta Redonda / Chapecoense 2 x 1 Avaí / Tombense 3 x 3 América-MG / Cianorte 0 x 0 Operário-PR / Novorizontino 0 x 1 São Bernardo.

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

Los Angeles Lakers (51–29) vs. Phoenix Suns (36–46) | Game 81 of 82

WHERE TO WATCH AND WHAT TIME

Date: Friday, April 10 

Tip-off: 7:30 p.m. PT 

Location: Crypto.com Arena — Los Angeles, California 

TV: Spectrum SportsNet 

Radio: ESPN LA 710 / 1330 KWKW

GAME PREVIEW

The Lakers finally got back in the win column to start April, taking down the Warriors in San Francisco behind a vintage performance from LeBron James.

James led the team across the board with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 11 assists, flirting with a triple-double while delivering key moments late to secure the win.

The victory snapped a three-game skid and pushed L.A. to 51–29, keeping them at No. 4 in the Western Conference with two games remaining.

The Lakers remain shorthanded in the backcourt, with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves still sidelined. Jaxson Hayes will also remain out as he continues to deal with a foot injury.

WHERE THEY STAND

The Lakers (51–29) sit No. 4 in the Western Conference.

With a loss to Phoenix and a Rockets win over the Timberwolves, L.A. could fall to No. 5 heading into the final game of the regular season.

QUICK OPPONENT RUNDOWN

The Suns (36–46) have officially been eliminated from playoff contention but are still playing competitive basketball late in the season.

Phoenix is coming off a four-point win over Dallas on Wednesday, with Devin Booker leading the way with 37 points.

The Suns have won two of their last five games and continue to rely heavily on Booker, who leads the team in scoring at 26.1 points per game in 64 appearances. Dillon Brooks ranks second on the team with 20.3 points per game in 55 games.

Despite their record, Phoenix ranks 17th in the league in offensive rating (114.3) and 10th in defensive rating (113.0), showing more balance than their standing suggests.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Containing Devin Booker — and limiting extra possessions.

Booker remains one of the league’s elite scorers, and his ability to create offense at all three levels could pose a significant challenge for a Lakers team already thin in the backcourt.

With Dončić and Reaves sidelined, L.A.’s perimeter defense is undermanned, putting added pressure on their remaining guards to contain Booker and limit his impact.

Beyond Booker, the Lakers must take care of the ball and finish defensive possessions. The Suns rank 4th in points off turnovers (20.2), meaning sloppy play could quickly snowball into easy offense and put L.A. in an early hole.

Phoenix also ranks 7th in second-chance points (16.2), making rebounding and effort plays another key area the Lakers must clean up to avoid giving away extra opportunities.

NOTABLE OPPONENT RANKS AMONG THE NBA

The Suns' current ranking: 

17th (114.3) in offensive rating 

10th (113.0) in defensive rating

Other rankings: 

PTS — 25th (112.8) 

FG% — 28th (45.5%) 

3PM — 5th (14.8) 

3P% — 11th (36.2%) 

ASTS — 27th (24.7) 

STLs — 4th (9.6)

SEASON SERIES

Game 1 — Suns 125–108 win at L.A. (Dec. 1) 

Game 2 — Lakers 116–114 win at Phoenix (Dec. 14) 

Game 3 — Suns 132–108 win at Phoenix (Dec. 23) 

Game 4 — Suns 113–110 win at Phoenix (Feb. 26)

Phoenix leads the season series 3–1. The Lakers will look to avoid a 1–4 finish against the Suns this season.

INJURY REPORT

Lakers: 

Jaxson Hayes (foot): Out 

Luka Dončić (Grade 2 left hamstring strain): Out 

Austin Reaves (oblique): Out

Suns: 

Jalen Green (knee): Questionable

THREADS FOR THE GAME

The Lakers will wear their black “California Dream” jerseys at home, while the Suns will wear their white Association Edition uniforms.

NEXT MATCHUP

The Lakers will close out the regular season on Sunday at home against the Utah Jazz.

Rothesay County Championship, Division Two, Lord's (day one)

Worcestershire 191: D'Oliveira 75; Higgins 3-39

Middlesex 91-6: Geddes 34; Hannon-Dalby 3-26

Middlesex (3 pts) trail Worcestershire (2 pts) by 100 runs

Match scorecard

Brett D'Oliveira shone on an otherwise bowler-dominated opening day of Worcestershire's County Championship Division Two match with Middlesex at Lord's.

While others poked, prodded and flailed, the Pears' skipper showed grit, patience, craft and aggression to hit 75, complete with two sixes and 10 fours out of the visitors' total of 191.

Ryan Higgins took 3-39 in the Middlesex bowling effort, while youngsters Sebastian Morgan and Naavya Sharma claimed two apiece.

D'Oliveira runs looked all the more precious as Middlesex slumped to 32-3 in reply before Max Holden and Ben Geddes steadied the ship with a stand of 54. However both fell in quick succession in the gathering gloom and Higgins too was bowled as the hosts crumbled to 91-6 by the close. Oliver Hannon-Dalby (3-26) and Tom Taylor (2-13) were the chief Worcestershire destroyers.

Middlesex opted to bowl on a green-tinged pitch and it didn't take Morgan long to make the breakthrough.

The teenager beat Jake Libby outside off stumps three times in his opening over before plucking out the opener's off stump in his second.

That was the host's only reward for almost an hour as Dan Lategan drove the ball gloriously both square and straight. The introduction of Higgins proved his undoing, the all-rounder skidding one through to trap him on the crease.

Kashif Ali was given a life when Sam Robson failed to cling onto an edge off the unlucky Sharma, but undaunted the young quick struck soon afterwards, having Adam Hose caught behind by Joe Cracknell, a great grab at full stretch.

Kashif failed to make the most of his reprieve stumps flattened by Higgins and it was five down at lunch when Gareth Roderick nicked off for nought.

The afternoon seemed destined for a similar pattern as Ethan Brookes and Matthew Waite came and went, the latter ran out by a direct hit.

D' Oliveira fought back. Batting out of his crease, the experienced batter drove the ball sweetly, particularly straight and through mid-wicket.

Taylor provided a foil for D' Oliveira, one sumptuous cover drive contributing to an eighth wicket stand of 52. Once he departed, D' Oliveira twice deposited Morgan deliveries over the short boundary, the youngster having the last laugh when Holden held a catch in the deep.

Batting proved no easier when the hosts took guard, Robson falling caught and bowled to last season's leading wicket taker Taylor, while Josh De Caires had already been dropped at slip by Brookes when he nicked Hannon-Dalby into the gloves of Roderick.

The big wicket of Leus Du Plooy soon followed, the in-form skipper giving Roderick more catching practice trying to flat bat a wide one from Adam Finch with feet in glue.

Geddes played fluently from the off, unfurling some pleasing boundaries and with the obdurate Holden at the other end, the half-century stand was raised.

But Hannon-Dalby and Taylor sparked the late collapse to leave Worcestershire in charge at the close.

Report by ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay.

• Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport

In an era when college football careers are no longer linear, Zen Michalski has built one of the most distinctive resumes in the sport’s modern history.

The former Ohio State Buckeyes and Indiana Hoosiers offensive lineman became a rare two-time national champion at two programs. He won titles in 2024 with Ohio State and again in 2025 with Indiana. That kind of accomplishment, once nearly impossible, now symbolizes college football’s rapidly evolving landscape. This change is driven by the transfer portal and NIL opportunities.

Michalski’s journey is a case study in how player mobility has reshaped the sport. After four seasons at Ohio State, where he played primarily as a depth lineman and battled injuries, he entered the transfer portal after the Buckeyes’ championship run. Opportunity rooted his decision. With limited starting prospects in Columbus, the portal offered a second chance.

Indiana became that opportunity.

Michalski’s Transfer to Indiana

The Hoosiers, led by head coach Curt Cignetti, were building something unprecedented in Bloomington. Michalski returned to his home state and quickly became part of a historic turnaround. Indiana finished a perfect 16–0 season and captured its first national championship in program history. The team defeated Miami in the College Football Playoff title game.

In doing so, Michalski accomplished something almost unheard of: back-to-back national titles at two different schools.

A decade ago, that path didn’t exist.

New Era of College Football

Before the transfer portal era, players were often forced by the NCAA to sit out a year after transferring. This rule discouraged movement between programs. Today, immediate eligibility has empowered athletes to make career-driven decisions about playing time, development, or financial opportunities through NIL deals. Michalski’s move from a national powerhouse to a rising contender exemplifies how players can now maximize both exposure and success.

Despite his championship pedigree and experience at two elite programs, Michalski is not declaring for the NFL Draft. According to reports and team context, the decision stems largely from durability concerns, as injuries limited parts of his career, including a setback during the 2024 season at Ohio State.

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A Historic College Career

In many ways, Michalski’s story reflects both the promise and the complexity of modern college football. The portal and NIL have created unprecedented flexibility, allowing players to pursue the right fit and, in his case, make history. At the same time, those players must carefully balance immediate success with long-term professional viability.

For Michalski, the result is already set: two rings, two programs, and a place in college football history.

The post The Transfer Portal Helped Zen Michalski Become a Back to Back National Champion appeared first on The Lead.

Those with half-decent memories will recall the dark days of the Glasgow Warriors, the endless seasons of irrelevance in Europe, the heavy beatings, the sense of fatalism, the feeling that contending for the biggest prize in European rugby was for others - the sharks and not the minnows.

Now, thanks to the brilliance of Franco Smith's coaching, they are among the great whites themselves.

Toulon, their visitors in Saturday's Champions Cup quarter-final at Scotstoun, have won this tournament three times, but Glasgow are the favourites. Red hot and irresistible.

Between Europe and the bread and butter of the United Rugby Championship, Glasgow have played 19 games this season and have won 16 of them, 14 with four-try bonus points. Attacking rugby is in their DNA. There isn't a jugular they won't go for.

But, while their ambition and their elan is the thing that defines them, it's not the only thing. If it's true that a team reveals its heart and soul in the strength of their defence then Glasgow are in the rudest health.

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Yes, they've played five and won five and have landed five bonus points in their Champions Cup campaign, but they've also conceded the fewest number of tries.

These guys are not rugby's Harlem Globetrotters even though they have showbiz throughout the ranks. They are a beautifully balanced team of bludgeon and rapier. They are thrilling and tremendously physical in equal measure.

They have won seven times in a row in Europe at Scotstoun, a proper fortress.

Toulon are in the midst of a lousy season where their away form has been a massive issue. In all competitions, they've played 12 matches on the road and have won only two.

For Toulon, who are in 11th place in France's Top 14, this is their one shot at glory. That desperation is something Smith spoke about on Friday after he named his team. Toulon's rage to save their season is not lost on him.

Definitely lost for Warriors is George Horne, the heartbeat at scrum-half, who has not recovered from an injury he sustained when beating the Bulls last weekend. Ben Afshar is in and 22-year-old Jack Oliver is on the bench. Oliver has seen about an hour's action this season.

Horne's absence could be a problem, but Smith talks like it's an opportunity. If you're expecting the South African to exhibit even a scintilla of concern about his injured nine then forget about it. He didn't blink when asked. Not once.

"As much as we tried to get him [Horne] ready for this week we've made the clever decision to trust the boys that we've got," he said, before revealing that Horne could be fit again in the next week or two.

"Both Ben and Jack have proven over the last six, seven months that they're ready to take that baton and I'm very excited about that. I've honestly got all the confidence in the world [in them]."

Glasgow have never had home advantage at this stage of the Champions Cup. Their previous quarter-final appearances being heavy defeats away from home.

"Last year, we learned the hard lesson about how much it means to have that [home] advantage," Smith said. Last season was a 52-0 loss to Leinster in Dublin.

Toulon? Well, there's history there. Good and bad. The worst of it was the Challenge Cup final in Dublin in 2023, when the French side took Glasgow to the cleaners.

Toulon have a European pedigree that is the envy of most teams - one Challenge Cup and three European Cups in a row from 2013. Those were the galactico days - Jonny Wilkinson and Bryan Habana, Ali Williams and Bakkies Botha, Cheslin Kolbe and Sergio Parisse.

They were triumphs built on the back of foreigners rather than domestic players, a philosophy that's anathema to Smith. Their 2013 Champion Cup winners had just three Frenchmen in their starting line-up, the same again in 2014 with the 2015 vintage having four in the first XV.

The side that walloped Glasgow in 2023 had seven, so an improvement, but still weighted heavily on the side of the imported star. They have plenty of those now, but not as many marquee ones. This season has been a surprising struggle.

"One of the big challenges of coaching in France is temperament." Smith said. "The French mentality sometimes is different. There's some really good teams and it's a long year - they start in August and then they hardly stop."

Smith was born wary, though. "They're dangerous. They would have in their mind what they did to us the last time we played in a final [Toulon have had a big turnover in players since then, in fairness] and they'll take motivation from that."

They'll certainly take motivation from the names that are not in this Glasgow team. There's no Horne - and, so, no Horne versus Ben White duel to drool about - but also, for reasons of choice and injury, no Huw Jones, no Kyle Rowe, no Jamie Dobie, no Scott Cummings, no Gregor Brown, no Alex Craig.

Jones is fit but just not selected in the 23, the same decision as the one made last weekend against the Bulls. It's not to do with Jones joining Toulon next season, Smith said.

"It's about continuity." Wearing the 13 jersey against the Bulls, Stafford McDowall shot the lights out.

Smith has also promoted Jare Oguntibeju to a starting role with Max Williamson now on the bench. It's a classic Smith move - utilising his whole squad, trusting every last one of them.

"He's fresh and is eager to contribute," he said. "To have some firepower from the bench [Williamson] will be important for us. With Alex [Craig] being injured and Scotty [Cummings)]and Gregor Brown recovering, it's important that we share the workload."

He told a story about Oguntibeju's rise this season. "When he came here two years ago, he basically couldn't bend his toe after an incident as a young boy when he kicked it into the sidewalk and he didn't rehabilitate that well," he explained.

"That toe remained stiff, so it was tough for him to scrum off that. He scrummed off the side of his foot and through diligent work from himself and our medical team he's got that mobility going. He's running freely.

"I don't think Jare knows what the ceiling is for him. I asked him often 'what's the length of a rope?' And it's the length that you determine it is."

Glasgow's run to this point has been a thrill and, unless an upset happens at Scotstoun, there's more to come. Smith would rather a firm shoeing than project beyond Saturday, but if they get the job done, there's a semi-final to come, probably against Leinster at Murrayfield. These are the headiest days in Glasgow's history.

"The individuals are getting better," Smith said when asked to explain what has improved since recent seasons. "They understand me better, they understand what we want as a coaching group and they've learned through experience.

"We've got enough examples of where it went wrong. It's maybe the European Challenge Cup final or it's maybe last year [against Leinster]. We had a lot of young players and injured players in that quarter-final. That young group is now much richer for that experience."

Richer, classier, hungrier, more aggressive, more resilient, harder to beat and very easy on the eye. They're making history with a first home quarter-final.

Toulon will take some beating, but the smart money - and the dumb money - is on Glasgow creating more milestones in the weeks ahead.

Tyrrell Hatton majors timeline: History of finishes as English golfer contends at 2026 Masters originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Tyrrell Hatton is an English golfer who was formerly a member of the PGA Tour and the Challenge Tour, but now competes on the European Tour and with LIV Golf. 

Hatton was born in High Wycombe, England, in 1991 and turned professional in 2011, at the age of 20. Similar to others, Hatton joining LIV Golf was controversial. He joined the organization in January 2024 and won his first event in June of that year. It was his first tournament win in over three years. Hatton won the 2024 LIV Golf Nashville with a whopping 19-under, six strokes ahead of the runner-up Sam Horsfield. 

Despite being affiliated with LIV Golf, he has been able to participate in the golf majors throughout his career. Here is more on how Hatton has done on the biggest stages. 

MORE: Complete list of every British Open winner by year

Has Tyrrell Hatton won a major?

No, at least not yet. As of the 2026 Masters, Hatton is still searching for his first major win. His best finish was at the 2025 U.S. Open when he finished in a tie for fourth place. Hatton has played in every major golf tournament since 2017, although he had an extensive history of missing the cut early in his career. 

MORE:Everything to know about the Masters Green Jacket

Tyrrell Hatton British Open history

Here is how Hatton has done at the British Open. 

Hatton has the most experience playing at the British Open. Unfortunately, that hasn't always translated to success. He has missed the cut in seven of his 13 appearances at the major. His best finish heading into the 2025 British Open came at the 2019 event, where he finished in a tie for sixth.

MORE:Explaining the differences between links golf and regular golf

Tyrrell Hatton U.S. Open history

Here is how Hatton has done at the U.S. Open.

Tyrell Hatton debuted at the event in 2017 but missed the cut. When he returned in 2018, he finished tied for 6th. It remains one of Hatton's best major finishes of his career. He didn't finish in the top 10 at the tournament again until 2025 when he finished in a tie for fourth. 

MORE:Ranking the 5 toughest courses in U.S. Open history

Tyrrell Hatton Masters history

Here is how Hatton has fared at the Masters. 

If you thought the rotating sites of the golf majors were a weakness of Hatton, the Masters proves that isn't the case. Similar to his other debuts at golf majors, he missed the cut his first time playing in the tournament in 2017. Hatton finally cracked the top 10 in Augusta in 2024, finishing tied for ninth. He wasn't able to maintain that success in 2025 and dropped into a tie for 14th. 

MORE:Why is the Masters always played at Augusta National?

Tyrrell Hatton PGA Championship history 

Here is Hatton's history from the PGA Championship.

Hatton had his best debut at a major at the 2015 PGA Championship. It was the only major in which he didn't miss the cut the first time he played in it, finishing tied for 25th in 2015. Over the next three years, Hatton tied for 10th twice and missed the cut once. His 2018 finish tied for 10th was his best finish at the PGA Championship in the past eight years. 

MORE:Complete list of every PGA Championship winner by year

Complete list of Tyrrell Hatton majors results

Here is a complete list of Hatton's finishes from the four golf majors. 

MORE:How to qualify for the U.S. Open

Rangers arrive at the tail end of April in a state of genuine possibility. Danny Röhl took over at Ibrox in October 2025, inheriting a club that sat 13 points off the pace, and has since dragged them back into a Scottish Premiership title race that nobody anticipated being this close. Rangers moved top of the league after a 4–2 win over Dundee United last weekend, and the fans are genuinely anticipating something big.

The Ibrox club have taken the most points of any team in the top flight since Röhl replaced Russell Martin in October. This turnaround has left pundits scrambling to revise their assessments of the club’s trajectory. Throw Europa League football, silverware ambitions, and a freshly motivated squad into the mix, and Rangers become a credible, even attractive, destination for any forward seeking a stage.

Mick Brown Names Rangers as Front-Runners for Gelhardt

With this in mind, Football Insider reported this week that former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown believes Joe Gelhardt is keen to join Rangers in the summer, naming the Ibrox club as the leading contenders ahead of other interested parties. Brown stated that Gelhardt will not return to Elland Road and views a move to Scotland as a natural next step given the promise of European football and genuine competition for trophies.

“Rangers would be a good destination for Gelhardt,” Brown told Football Insider.

“He’s not going to stay at Leeds; it’s time for him to move on, so he has to weigh up his options and decide where he wants his next move to be.

“Rangers will be able to offer European football, competing for silverware, and it’s a step down from the Premier League, where he has struggled in the past.

“It’s a move Gelhardt is keen to make because of that, he would do well in Scotland and playing for one of the top clubs there is always a big deal.

“Compared to somewhere like Hull, for example, if they’re still in the Championship, and they’re not likely to compete for trophies.

“Rangers are the front-runners for this deal because of that, so if they want to make a move, it won’t take much convincing on the players’ side.”

The numbers support the interest entirely. Joe Gelhardt has scored 13 goals in 34 matches so far in the Championship 2025/2026 season. 7 of the 13 goals were scored at home, while he scored 6 goals in away games. Overall, Joe Gelhardt’s goals scored per 90 minutes are 0.46. Moreover, Joe Gelhardt’s total G/A (goals + assists) is 17 for this season. His goal involvement equates to 0.61 per 90 minutes. His Non-Penalty xG per 90 minutes is 0.44. This puts Joe Gelhardt’s npxG output at 12.27, which puts him in the top 95th percentile of Championship players. (Via Footy Stats)

Hull retain hopes of promotion, but if they fail to go up, his departure will likely happen much sooner.

Would Gelhardt Actually Improve Rangers, or Is This Simply Convenient Timing?

HULL, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Joe Gelhardt of Hull City looks on during the Sky Bet Championship match between Hull City and Millwall at MKM Stadium on March 07, 2026 in Hull, England. (Photo by Tony King/Getty Images)

Here is the honest question that Rangers supporters should ask before getting swept up in the excitement: Does Gelhardt solve a real problem, or does he just fit a narrative? Looking at the facts, the answer leans toward the former, but only if Röhl uses him correctly. Gelhardt is a goalscorer who operates with urgency and directness, attributes that suit a team built on pressing and transition, which is exactly what Röhl has built at Ibrox.

Bojan Miovski faces an uncertain future at the club following an inconsistent season, which creates a vacancy at the top of the pitch that Gelhardt, in his current form, is ready to step into. The Scottish Premiership would suit his physicality and his willingness to run channels far better than the Premier League ever did.

Rangers would not be settling for Gelhardt at 23; with this kind of Championship output, they would be acquiring a player entering the best years of his development. The move makes sense on both sides, and Brown’s confidence that the player needs little convincing only reinforces it.

The post Seider Keeps His Minutes and Morale High (+) appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The correct answer to the query about how many minutes Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider can log in an NHL game is actually another question.

How many minutes does his team need him to play?

“He’s like a diesel engine,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “They just keep running and running. Yet he’s a greyhound. He can go and it doesn’t faze him. I can’t remember seeing him bent over in a shift where the legs are just so stiff and he can’t move. I can’t remember seeing that. And he’s been caught out there a few times for lengthy ones. So if I was picking somebody on our team that would run marathons or ultra marathons, it would be him. Incredible athlete,”

Seider, 25, ranks third in the NHL in average time per game (25:46), but no on the Red Wings roster doubts he could lead the league in time played if coaches would let him. He never seems winded or spent. He is always ready to double shift.

With the Red Wings scrapping for a playoff spot, Seider has been in the 28- or 29-minute range in seven of Detroit’s last nine games. His minutes are always tough minutes, his matchups always against the opposition’s best players

“He does do everything. . .,” McLellan said. “It’s actually quite remarkable when you think of his age and what he’s already accomplished. And he’s getting better, which is a real good sign for him and us, but real solid. “

Now in his fifth season, Seider is key member of the Red Wings’ leadership team. He sets the tone in the locker room and during practice.

“Our practice (Wednesday) helped us for the game (against Philadelphia),” McLellan said. “We talked about that a little bit, but I thought he was excellent in practice. His leadership was real good when the mood was kind of iffy to begin with. I thought Mo did a real good job of setting the tone there and it carried over into the game.”

Seider’s Passion to Play

Seider’s reputation for being a rugged competitor started almost from the day he played his first NHL game. But this season, it he has taken it to another level. With his offensive game also improving, there is plenty of conversation about Seider being one the league’s top all-around defensemen. The Seider-Simon Edvinsson combination is already considered one the league’s beastly defensive pairings.

The improvement in Seider’s defensive game was on display Thursday when he put up his first five-point game (one goal, four assists). It was the franchise’s first five-point game by a defenseman since Reed Larson had three goals and two assists in 1985. Nicklas Lidstrom never had a five-point game.

Seider (201 career assists) is now the eighth defenseman in Detroit history to reach the 200-assist mark, joining Lidström (878), Larson (382), Niklas Kronwall (349), Red Kelly (310), Gary Bergman (243), Marcel Pronovost (217) and Steve Chiasson (200).

Matches Lidstrom Feat

With 60 points now, Seider is also became the first Red Wings blueliner to reach the 60-point mark since Lidstrom (62 in 2010-11).

Seider is like the morale officer of the Red Wings. While the Red Wings’ playoff probability is low, he works to keep the optimism high. He believes it can still be done. Seider said he stays positive because he loves playing the game.

“I come to the rink with a big smile on my face and don’t take it for granted,” he said.

He added: “Even though times aren’t always as bright as you want them to be, I think you just have to realize the opportunity that is (there),” Seider said. “Maybe sometimes it’s a little forced, but if you can get a smile out of someone else and it sweeps over in the locker room, then I think I did my part.”

The post Seider Keeps His Minutes and Morale High (+) appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Name: Wynn Renkes

School: Erie-Prophetstown

Sport: Softball

Year: Junior

Why she was selected: She pitched a complete game in a 7-1 win at Rock Falls, striking out 15 and walking none. She threw 66 of her 84 pitches for strikes and also knocked in a run at the plate.

Renkes is the Sauk Valley Athlete of the Week, presented by Loescher Heating and Air Conditioning. Here is a Q&A with the junior standout.

How did you first get into softball? What has helped keep you in it?

Renkes: My dad definitely is how I got into softball! He’s also what has kept me in it, he really pushes me and is always catching my bullpens and willing to practice with me!

Have you learned anything from the game of softball?

Renkes: Yes, I feel like I’ve learned hard work and true friendship from softball! Softball has pushed me and made me work and strive to accomplish difficult things. It has also given me amazing friends who were there for me during good and bad times!

You pitched a complete game with 15 strikeouts and no walks in the win over Rock Falls. What stood out about that game? What was working well for you?

Renkes: What stood out to me was how clean our defense was! I think that helped me pitch with more ease and confidence! What was working best for me was my rise ball! Rise ball is always my favorite pitch, but it was working especially well against Rock Falls!

Is there anything you have worked on coming into the season or feel you have improved on?

Renkes: Yes, before this season I worked a lot on locating and spinning my pitches more than seasons before. I think that defensive efficiency will be what’s most helpful for our team this season.

Does anything stand out about this year’s team?

Renkes: What stands out most about this year’s team is anyone can bring it any day! We are becoming really effective from top to bottom of the lineup!

What are your goals this season individually and as a team?

Renkes: This season my personal goal is to get my 400th career strikeout! As a team I would love for us to win a regional championship!

Favorite softball memory?

Renkes: My favorite high school memory would be playing with my best friend Jaylynn, and my favorite travel memory is my trip to Colorado with my Havoc team and mom last year!

Do you have a favorite athlete, sports team or anyone else that inspires you?

Renkes: My favorite sports team is the Iowa Hawkeyes and an athlete that inspires me is Katie Cox from Riverdale. She is one of the most determined and dedicated people I know and it shows on and off the field!

Any other sports, hobbies or activities you are involved in?

Renkes: Yes! I love being involved. At school I play volleyball and I’m my class treasurer, the media rep for student council and a NHS member! Outside of school I have the most amazing friends who I love hanging out with!

go bears!! pic.twitter.com/xI86U3F4Bh

— Wynn Renkes (@wynnrenkes) March 2, 2026

Do you have a favorite book or quote?

Renkes: “The days are long but the years are short.”

Favorite restaurant or meal?

Renkes: My favorite restaurant is Cheesecake Factory.

Favorite place you have visited?

Renkes: My favorite place I’ve visited is probably the Lake of the Ozarks!

Favorite TV Show or movie?

Renkes: My favorite show is “Love is Blind” and my favorite movie is “CoCo”!

Favorite music artist or genre?

Renkes: My favorite music artist is Chris Stapleton or Drake.

Any favorite school subjects or teachers?

Renkes: I really enjoy taking CNA at Whiteside Area Career Center and my favorite teacher at school is Ida Holper.

Do you have plans for after high school?

Renkes: Yes, I plan playing softball at Des Moines Area Community College and will study Nursing!

New Jersey's high school football scene has been a hotbed of elite college talent. While that might be surprising to some, a deeper look would show that the state is right up there with some of the best, as several Hall of Famers and All-Pros once called it home.

Those are some high expectations for this season's crop of seniors but the best of the best from the state already appear well on their way to adding their own chapters to that legacy.

Here's a look at the top 10 players from the Garden State in the 2027 class.

1. Xavier Sabb, Glassboro

Position: Athlete

Height: 6-1

Weight: 180

Commitment: Uncommitted

Football recruiting notes: Sabb was named New Jersey's Gatorade Player of the Year, leading Glassboro to a 14-0 record and its second consecutive Group 1 state title. Last season, he caught 59 passes for 897 yards and 13 touchdowns, recorded four interceptions, and had a pair of touchdowns on special teams.

2. Oluwasemilore Olubobola, St. Peter's Prep (Jersey City)

Position: Offensive Tackle

Height: 6-6

Weight: 283

Commitment: Uncommitted

Football recruiting notes: Olubobola was a 2025 ALL-USA East second team selection. He started at left tackle for the Marauders and, given his size and skill, is viewed as one of the best pure linemen in the class.

3. Aidan O'Neil, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey)

Position: EDGE

Height: 6-5

Weight: 240

Commitment: Uncommitted

Football recruiting notes: O'Neil's a force off the edge and easily established himself as one of the best in the nation. Last season, he totaled 54 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles.

4. Colt Lumpris, The Lawrenceville School

Position: Tight End

Height: 6-6

Weight: 225

Commitment: Alabama

Football recruiting notes: Lumpris committed to the Crimson Tide in December but has not shut his recruitment down yet. This summer, he'll take an official to Tuscaloosa (May 29) but will also visit Texas A&M (June 12) and Penn State (June 19).

5. Mikahi Allen, Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ)

Position: Linebacker

Height: 6-1

Weight: 220

Commitment: Uncommitted

Football recruiting notes: Playing for one of the top defensive units in the country, Allen stood out, racking up 58 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. He holds offers from the likes of Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and several other Power Four programs.

6. Chaz Gray, St. Joseph Regional (Montvale)

Position: EDGE

Height: 6-4

Weight: 250

Commitment: Uncommitted

Football recruiting notes: On defense that puts up massive numbers, Gray is one of the many standouts. Last season, he accounted for 40 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks.

7. Adekuni Adetayo, Malcolm X Shabazz (Newark)

Position: EDGE

Height: 6-3

Weight: 230

Commitment: Uncommitted

Football recruiting notes: Adetayo was a force up front last season, totaling 52 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and forcing three fumbles. He holds offers from Cincinnati, Kentucky, and Penn State.

8. Ian Walker, The Pennington School

Position: Interior Offensive Lineman

Height: 6-6

Weight: 305

Commitment: Uncommitted

Football recruiting notes: Walker has yet to make a college decision, but it appears that he'll be leaving the northeast. He currently has official visits scheduled to Kentucky (June 12) and Florida (June 19).

9. Tommy Douglas, Hun School (Princeton)

Position: Tight End

Height: 6-4

Weight: 235

Commitment: Uncommitted

Football recruiting notes: Tommy is the son of Joe Douglas, a longtime NFL scout and front-office member who currently serves as the senior personnel director/advisor for the Philadelphia Eagles. Last season, Tommy was the Raiders' leading receiver, catching 33 passes for 640 yards and seven touchdowns.

10. Carter Blattner, Northern Highlands (Allendale)

Position: Defensive Lineman

Height: 6-5

Weight: 260

Commitment: Uncommitted

Football recruiting notes: Blattner has the frame and look of a college defensive lineman already. He's set to take officials to Penn State (June 5), Wisconsin (June 12), and Kentucky (June 19).

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: Xavier Sabb headlines top 2027 prospects from New Jersey

Maple Leafs, Panthers face off in position they never expected originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers faced off in a much bigger matchup last spring.

This time around, on Saturday night, it'll be a depressing showdown instead.

The Leafs and Panthers clashed in the playoffs at the end of the 2024-25 season as Florida was on its way to repeating as Stanley Cup champs.

Now, both have been eliminated from playoff contention. Toronto hosts Florida on Saturday night, but the stakes aren't much of anything at all.

Really, only draft pick positioning is on the line.

In that regard, Florida is in a safer spot than Toronto. The Panthers traded away their first-round pick for this year but with protections -- if it's top-10, they keep it, which seems likely at this point even if it didn't seem that way when they traded it.

The Maple Leafs only keep their pick if it's top-five. If not, it goes to the Bruins.

Entering Saturday's game, the Leafs seem likely to have the sixth-best lottery odds, which makes it more likely that the selection conveys to Boston than stays in Toronto.

Not that the players on the ice have any part in this, but the Maple Leafs have more motivation to lose than the Panthers. Toronto has put together a couple of convincing losses in the row, and they aren't exactly putting the best roster out on the ice at the moment, either.

It's certainly a far cry from an intense playoff series. In some years, this may have been an end-of-season appetizer for the bigger games.

This year, though, the Maple Leafs and Panthers are just waiting for it to be over.

More NHL news:

• Sidney Crosby's retirement future might be changing

• Morgan Rielly reveals honest feelings about possible trade

• A Brady Tkachuk trade warning is in play

• Offseason trade still might be coming for Sabres

MIAMI – The UFC will crown a new light heavyweight champion Saturday in South Florida.

Former 205-pound titleholder Jiri Prochazka (32-5-1 MMA, 6-2 UFC) has another crack at the belt when he takes on Carlos Ulberg (13-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) for the title vacated by Alex Pereira, who is moving up to heavyweight to try for a third UFC title.

Prochazka never lost the title after he won it against Glover Teixeira, but had to vacate it due to an injury and surgery. In two attempts to recapture it against Pereira, he came up short. But now he has another opportunity to have gold around his waist.

Ahead of UFC 327 (Paramount+), which takes place Saturday at Kaseya Center in Miami, MMA Junkie's Nolan King and Danny Segura dive into the storylines behind that title fight and other matchups on the card.

Check out their preview from Miami above.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Video: Nolan King, Danny Segura preview UFC 327 title fight in Miami

Tyson Fury is back, and he’s clearly taken his training seriously.

On Saturday, Fury returns to boxing for the first time in 16 months, ending his latest retirement to come back and fight Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in Tottenham, England, broadcast live on Netflix.

The last time we saw the former two-time heavyweight champion, he was at his career heaviest at 281 pounds for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk, but that extra weight did not help him to reclaim the heavyweight titles. And for his comeback fight, Fury decided to get back down, coming in at 267.9 pounds for his return.

Coming in lighter means Fury won’t carry the same sort of weight advantage he often does in fights, as the 36-year-old Makhmudov is a bigger heavyweight and tipped the scales only a few pounds less than Fury, coming in at 264.9 pounds.

The co-main event on Saturday features the highly-discussed bout between Conor Benn and Regis Prograis. While much was made beforehand of Benn dropping back down in weight, both men made the 150-pound limit without issue on Saturday, with Benn coming in at 149.5 pounds, while Prograis weighed in at 148.1 pounds.

Check out the full weigh-in results below.

Tyson Fury (267.9) vs. Arslanbek Makhmudov (264.9)

Conor Benn (149.5) vs. Regis Prograis (148.1)

Jeamie Tshikeva (262.7) vs. Richard Riakporhe (234.12)

Frazer Clarke (159.12) vs. Justis Huni (246.14)

Breyon Gorham (141.14) vs. Eduardo Costa (140.13)

Mikie Tallon (113.12) vs. Leandro Blanc (113.7)

Pawel August (170.7) vs. Simon Zachenhuber (169.6)

Felix Cash (162.15) vs. Liam O’Hare (162.2)

Sultan Al-Mohamed (130.15) vs. Hector Lozano (131.2)

Elliot Whale (149.3) vs. Tom Hill (148.4)

UConn freshman center Eric Reibe has entered the NCAA Transfer Portal. On3’s Pete Nakos confirmed the news.

In lone season at UConn, the 7’1″ center averaged 5.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks. He was set to serve a large role on next season’s team with the departure of Tarris Reed, but that no longer seems to be the case.

Reibe is the first UConn player to announce their intention to enter the Transfer Portal. The German big-man, who was a McDonalds All-American, will be highly coveted in the Portal.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and X (formerly Twitter) account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said it well on Thursday: A bill to decriminalize online sports betting “is the beginning of a conversation, not the end of one.”

And that conversation could take some time before it finishes and a fresh batch of online sportsbooks can finally launch in Wisconsin. 

Those mobile wagering apps would allow Native American tribes in the state to tap into a new source of gambling revenue and compete with preexisting rivals, such as federally regulated prediction markets.

“The real work begins today,” Evers wrote in his signing statement for Assembly Bill 601 on Thursday. “Each of the 11 Tribes must now work diligently-and together- to shape the future of sports betting in Wisconsin. What I will not accept is a plan that fractures this opportunity into unequal pieces, allowing some Tribes to reap great benefits while leaving only crumbs for others.” 

Key Takeaways

• Wisconsin’s governor signed a bill to decriminalize online sports betting, but a statewide launch of tribe-run books depends on renegotiated gaming compacts and federal approval.
• The process will focus heavily on creating a fair revenue-sharing model among all 11 tribes, possibly through a joint-venture structure.
• Legal challenges and limited incentives for major sportsbook operators could delay or complicate implementation.

Indeed, Evers’ signing of AB 601 - allowing statewide mobile sports betting as long as wagers are routed through servers on Native American lands and operated by tribes with state agreements - sets a new regulatory process in motion.

It would be a “multistage” process, the pro-sports betting State Sen. Howard Marklein noted in November. And it's only after that process is completed that tribe-run mobile sports wagering can begin in Wisconsin.

“After the bill’s passage and signing, Wisconsin tribes interested in offering mobile sports betting would need to renegotiate their compacts with the state,” Marklein wrote in written testimony to a legislative committee. “Final approval would occur once those renegotiated compacts are approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) within the U.S. Department of the Interior.” 

Wisconsin has been down a similar road before. 

In 2021, for example, the state and the Oneida Nation agreed to amend their gaming compact to provide for sports betting. That amended agreement was submitted to the Department of the Interior in July of that year, and it was federally approved the following month. 

The Oneida eventually launched sports betting near the end of November 2021. Wagering is now available at the Oneida Casino Hotel in Green Bay, or via a mobile app that can take bets while the user is on Oneida land.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has signed Assembly Bill 601 into law, the legislation that will help pave the way for Native American tribes to offer statewide online sports betting.

However, it's clear the gov. has concerns and wants to see the wealth shared among the tribes. pic.twitter.com/1zFN8Lje9z

— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) April 9, 2026

So, the negotiations for statewide online sports betting in Wisconsin can now really ramp up. And, as Evers said Thursday, there are certain things he wants to see.

The governor’s biggest concern appears to be ensuring fairness among the tribes. 

“Statewide mobile events or sports wagering could present an opportunity to help level the playing field to ensure every Tribal Nation in Wisconsin can benefit from the increased revenues,” the governor wrote. “This is important.”

Evers added that the state’s tribes have begun talking about how to ensure the fairness he wants to see.

“I am pleased to see more equitable models for sharing the risks and rewards of mobile gaming emerging,” he said, adding, “A joint venture-with each Tribe contributing, and each Tribe benefiting in equal shares-is gaining traction in these discussions, and I strongly support pursuing this or a similar model.”

So, if a fair plan is in place, it looks like Evers will give his blessing. The amended compacts could then be sent to the federal government for review and potential approval.

The buddy (revenue-sharing) system

After that would come the process of tribes standing up their version of online sports betting. A tribe like the Oneida would probably have an easier go of it than others, as they could conceivably expand the bet-taking territory of its existing app. 

It is also conceivable that some of Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized tribes could partner with a commercial sportsbook operator. It seems unlikely that those partners will include major brands such as DraftKings or FanDuel, at least initially. 

Since Wisconsin is going the compact route for online sports betting, federal law requires that at least 60% of the revenue stays with the tribes. That means any online sports betting partner could only get a minority share of the money generated.

And that may not be enough to entice the likes of DraftKings or FanDuel, as lobbyists have warned the economics may not make sense. 

“Online sports betting is a low margin, capital intensive business,” a Sports Betting Alliance lobbyist warned in written testimony to Wisconsin lawmakers. “It is simply not economically feasible for a commercial operator to hand over 60% or more of its revenue to an in-state gaming entity, just for the right to operate in the state. That’s why Wisconsin adults would not be able to use national brands they see advertised on national TV under this bill.”

It’s worth noting that DraftKings and FanDuel eventually made their peace with a similar (albeit less costly) revenue-sharing situation in Arkansas, and finally launched in that state. However, that took years. It may not happen in Wisconsin. 

See you in court (maybe)

Another possibility is litigation. People could sue in Wisconsin over the state’s proposed mobile wagering model. 

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty warned in a November memo that AB 601 (and similar legislation in the Senate) "attempt an end-run around federal law and the state constitution, expanding and exposing an already broken, illegal statewide gambling system."

The institute (“one of the largest state-based litigation centers in the country, with a lengthy string of victories in state and federal court”) said the bills would violate the Wisconsin constitution, "which forecloses any legislative approval of gambling schemes like this.”

SPORTS BETTING JUST GOT HUGE!
Effective today, sports bets using the Oneida Casino Sportsbook App can now be placed anywhere on Oneida Nation land, excluding PreK-12 schools. pic.twitter.com/slbfnZKFMc

— Oneida Casino Hotel (@OneidaCasino) March 13, 2024

It would also, the group alleges, violate the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act “by unleashing tribal betting monopolies off reservation.” 

“These legal issues are significant,” the institute claimed. “In our view, if passed, these bills would likely be struck down. Furthermore, litigation over these bills would result in intense judicial scrutiny of Wisconsin’s entire gambling apparatus, not just the subject matter presented by these bills.”

Sunshine State similarities 

While it remains to be seen how Wisconsin’s model would hold up in court, or if there will actually be any legal challenges, Florida has already instituted a similar sports wagering system via the state’s Seminole Tribe. That so-called “hub-and-spoke” model was challenged in court but ultimately withstood the legal onslaught. 

"Under this model, the wagers placed on mobile devices (the 'spokes') are legally considered to occur where the server (the 'hub') is located on tribal lands, thereby complying with federal law," Marklein explained in written testimony to his fellow lawmakers.

So there’s work to be done. But, unless it starts with a square deal for all 11 tribes in Wisconsin, it may not get far.

“I will do everything in my power to support models that address disparities rather than exacerbate them and reject models that leave some Nations with little more than they have now while others prosper and thrive,” Evers wrote Thursday. “Wisconsin cannot afford to continue to leave any Tribal Nation behind.”

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Liverpool succession plan sharpens as Minteh emerges in post-Salah thinking

Liverpool’s forward planning has moved into a decisive phase as the club prepares for life beyond Mohamed Salah, with recruitment discussions increasingly focused on evolution rather than replication. According to Lewis Steele in the Daily Mail, the club accept that replacing Salah on a like-for-like basis is unrealistic. Instead, the emphasis is on redefining the attacking structure.

Arne Slot has already hinted at a philosophical shift. Liverpool are no longer solely reliant on a high-output wide forward cutting inside, but are exploring profiles capable of destabilising low blocks through unpredictability and pace. Slot admitted: “We are aware that football has changed in England… we cannot shut our eyes for the new reality.”

That reality has been evident in recent matches, where Liverpool have struggled to break down compact defensive units. Across Europe, elite sides now favour dynamic wingers who thrive in one v one scenarios, capable of creating chaos in tight spaces. This is the blueprint Liverpool are now targeting.

Minteh profile fits new Liverpool blueprint

Among the names under serious consideration, Yankuba Minteh stands out as a tactically aligned option. The Brighton winger, previously coached by Slot at Feyenoord, offers precisely the attributes Liverpool are now prioritising.

Lewis Steele highlighted Minteh’s rise, noting: “Another option is Minteh at Brighton, whom Slot coached at Feyenoord. The Seagulls wide man has really stepped up in the last 18 months after joining from Newcastle in 2024.”

Minteh’s development trajectory is particularly compelling. At 21, he combines direct running with improved decision making in the final third. His ability to stretch defences vertically and attack full-backs aggressively mirrors the traits Slot has referenced when discussing how to unlock stubborn defensive structures.

Brighton’s valuation reflects that growth. Having signed him for around £33 million, they are expected to demand close to double that figure. While Minteh is reportedly settled on the south coast, the pull of Liverpool and Champions League football could prove decisive.

Transfer shortlist reveals strategic diversity

Liverpool’s recruitment team are not limiting themselves to one profile, but Minteh represents a key archetype within a broader shortlist. Steele’s original reporting outlines multiple targets, including RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, who commands a fee in the region of £87 million, and Hoffenheim’s Bazoumana Toure, noted for his Bundesliga assist output.

There is also interest in Juventus winger Francisco Conceicao, whose technical style offers a different dimension, as well as long-standing admiration for players like Rodrygo and Bradley Barcola.

What links these names is not uniformity, but adaptability. Liverpool are seeking forwards who can operate across the frontline, contribute creatively, and increase the team’s unpredictability. This marks a departure from the Salah-centric model that defined the previous era.

Internally, there is also belief in emerging talent. Rio Ngumoha is viewed as a long-term project, though the club are cautious about accelerating his development too quickly. Meanwhile, the collective output of recent attacking signings is expected to increase as cohesion improves.

After carving out a dynamic role with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, running back Jamal Haynes enters the NFL Draft process as one of the more versatile offensive weapons in his class.

With a background that includes time as a receiver before transitioning into a full-time running back role, Haynes developed into a modern offensive piece — one capable of impacting the game both on the ground and through the air. His experience in multiple schemes and comfort operating in space make him an intriguing fit for today’s NFL offenses.

In this interview with Field Gulls, Haynes breaks down his development, his understanding of the position, and what he’s focused on as he prepares for the next level.

You played in a unique offensive system at Georgia Tech. How did that shape your development as a running back?

Jamal Haynes:
Our offensive system had a huge impact on my development as a running back. Running several different schemes gave me the opportunity to learn and expand my knowledge of the game from the backfield. Our offense allowed me to display my versatility at the running back position.

You’ve been used in multiple ways, including as a receiver earlier in your career. How has that versatility impacted your game?

Jamal Haynes:
Being used in multiple ways inside our offense impacted my game tremendously. With my background as a receiver and taking on the running back role, it allowed us to create matchups in the passing game and really spread out defenses while keeping them honest. The running back being another option or outlet is what you’re seeing a lot in the NFL and in today’s game.

What is your read process like, especially when working in space or on stretch concepts?

Jamal Haynes:
The read process is one of the biggest assets a running back needs. I personally read the first defensive lineman or player outside of the tackle, depending on personnel and formation. I’m specifically looking to see if my tackle or tight end can get a reach block on that defender.

If they can, I stay on my track and hit the crease. If they can’t and the defender comes upfield, I stick my foot in the ground and get vertical. In outside zone, you’re running off the back of your offensive line.

How would you describe your playing style to someone who has never seen you play, and do you see yourself more as a space player or someone who can consistently run between the tackles at the next level?

Jamal Haynes:
I would describe my play style as an explosive, dynamic, dual-threat running back. I see myself being able to do both roles at the next level. It would come down to the scheme of the offense and what the team needs. That’s where my versatility comes in because I’m not one dimensional and can be used in several different ways. (Like Bijan Robinson, Deebo Samuel, Jahmyr Gibbs)

You show a lot of explosiveness and acceleration on tape. How much of that is natural ability versus something you’ve developed over time?

Jamal Haynes:
Explosiveness and acceleration came natural to my game [since I was] 6. Throughout the years of playing it was imperative I keep working and getting better as you grow and competition gets better and better.

How important are pass protection and the passing game for you, and how do you evaluate your development in those areas?

Jamal Haynes:
Both are extremely important to me. I’m not protecting a college quarterback anymore, I’m protecting the franchise now.

Staying detailed and locked in on the fundamentals in pass protection will be key for me to stay in the NFL for a long time. In the passing game, I have the wide receiver background to be a complete threat to any defense out of the backfield or even in the slot.

Evaluating my development, I feel like I adapt very quickly to any situation. Any NFL offensive coordinator would love to have another dynamic player like that in their offense.

What is the main area of your game you are focused on improving as you transition to the NFL?

Jamal Haynes:
Consistent contact balance and technique in pass protection. I feel like those two things will elevate my game to another level.

The consensus on Haynes, who’s listed at just under 5’7” and 195 lbs, is that he will most likely be an undrafted free agent, which is an area where the Seahawks have excelled under John Schneider.

Thanks to Jamal for the interview!

The Toronto Tempo is making big moves in free agency. According to ESPN’s Alexa Philippou, one of the WNBA’s two expansion teams for 2026 opened up the wallet for guards Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes.

Mabrey and Sykes have agreed to two-year max contracts to form what potentially could be the first million-dollar backcourt with both deals worth at least $1 million annually.

This story will be updated.

Oklahoma State’s softball team took some time to process a fatal crash involving its team bus earlier this week and will be back on the field Friday.

The team had been traveling to Wichita, Kansas, on Wednesday afternoon when its bus struck and killed a pedestrian who authorities said was repeatedly stepping into traffic.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said it had received calls about the pedestrian walking into traffic before the bus crash. It said the person stepped into traffic again as the bus was driving on I-35 northbound near Perry, Oklahoma, and the bus driver attempted to switch lanes and avoid the person. The pedestrian continued into the path of the bus, which was unable to stop in time to avoid them, according to authorities.

A post on Oklahoma State softball’s social media account said no one in its travel party was injured in the crash.

The games that were scheduled for Wednesday against Wichita State were postponed indefinitely.

Cowgirls coach Kenny Gajewski said the team spent time in Wichita on Thursday morning to recoup before heading to Ames, Iowa, where they will play a doubleheader with Iowa State on Friday.

“Thank you to @GoShockersSB for allowing us to come by and heal a bit this morning,” Gajewski wrote on social media. “When times are tough, we turn to our friends.”

The three-game Iowa State series has been adjusted because of expected inclement weather on Saturday. Originally, games were to be played Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Instead, the series is scheduled for two games on Friday and one on Sunday.

___

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

Arizona’s run of playing at least one regular season game on a weeknight will continue.

The Wildcats’ early November home game at Casino del Sol Stadium against TCU has been up a day, to Friday, Nov. 6. It marks the third consecutive season and ninth in the last 11 seasons the UA will play at least once on a weeknight.

The Big 12 announced all of its weeknight contests on Friday, meaning the Territorial Cup will be played on Saturday, Nov. 28 as it was listed when the 2026 schedule was formally released in January.

Having the TCU game a day earlier only adds to an already difficult stretch for the Wildcats, who six days earlier will have played at defending Big 12 champ Texas Tech on Halloween. A week after TCU is Utah at home.

TCU will be making its first trip to Tucson since 2003, when the Horned Frogs eeked out a 13-10 win that turned out to be the final game of the ill-fated John Mackovic era. Arizona played at TCU in its first Big 12 season in 2024, losing 49-28.

The Frogs are coached by former UA offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes, who recently signed a contract extension. Dykes was at Arizona from 2007-09 under Mike Stoops.

2026 Arizona football schedule

• Sept. 5 vs. NAU
• Sept. 12 at BYU*
• Sept. 19 vs. Northern Illinois
• Sept. 26 at Washington State
• Oct. 3 vs. Cincinnati*
• Oct. 10 at West Virginia*
• Oct. 17 BYE
• Oct. 24 vs. Iowa State*
• Oct. 31 at Texas Tech*
• Nov. 6 vs. TCU*
• Nov. 14 vs. Utah*
• Nov. 21 at Kansas State*
• Nov. 28 vs. ASU*

*-Big 12 Conference game

The college football season is rapidly approaching, and, like the NFL, it is beginning to claim a presence on more days of the week as long as fans are tuning in, which shows no signs of slowing down, with ratings climbing every year.

The Big 12 is the latest conference to announce its weekday games, giving fans another chance to binge on football. Like the Big Ten, the Big 12 is loading up on the Friday night television window to draw the most eyes. This year, the conference will play nine weekday games.

Eight of these games are on Fridays, with the finale being on Black Friday, while one matchup is on a Thursday, which is Thanksgiving. The matchups for the Big 12's weekday games are below:

• Friday, Sep. 11: Missouri at Kansas
• Friday, Sep. 18: Houston at Texas Tech
• Friday, Oct. 9: Iowa State at BYU
• Friday, Oct. 30: Baylor at UCF
• Friday, Nov. 6: TCU at Arizona
• Friday, Nov. 13: Houston at Colorado
• Friday, Nov. 20: Iowa State at UCF
• Thursday, Nov. 26: TCU at Texas Tech
• Friday, Nov. 27: West Virginia at Utah

Contact/Follow@College_Wire on X and@College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Big 12 football announces weekday games for 2026 conference schedule

Clear communication and "leaning on senior players" has helped Craig McLeish to two consecutive victories as St Mirren interim manager, the 36-year-old has suggested.

McLeish was coaching in the youth ranks until earlier this year, but the departure of Stephen Robinson to Aberdeen has accelerated his development.

"The key to it is being really clear in what I'm looking for, being clear in your communication with them as well," he said.

"No matter what level you're at, even working with some of the younger players that I've done throughout the academy, if you're not prepared and you don't have answers to their questions or solutions, they find you out very, very quickly.

"I have to make sure I involve them in part of the process as well. I've tried to do that. I've leaned on the senior players, we've asked them bits and pieces about the structure of the week.

"Not so much about how we're playing, but the structure of the week and just some different things around the training ground and to do with match days.

"That helps everyone buy in and feel like it's a group effort, it's not me just dictating absolutely everything to them.

"Obviously on the football side of it, yes it's our game plan, it's my ideas and they have to carry them out, but if you bring them close to you as well then you probably get more buy-in and I think that's been key to it.

"I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for the support of the senior players. They've been great with me."

Former British and European super-featherweight champion Ryan Garner will headline a show at Southampton's St Mary's Stadium this summer.

The unbeaten 28-year-old will fight Italian Michael Magnesi in his home city for the WBC interim super-featherweight title on 20 June.

Garner is ranked third in the WBC's current super-featherweight rankings, with the 31-year-old Magnesi first.

They will compete for the chance to face current world title holder O'Shaquie Foster, who is reported to be fighting the number two ranked contender Raymond Ford this summer in Texas.

This opportunity will be the realisation of a childhood dream for Garner, who has made no secret of his love for Southampton FC and desire to headline a contest at their home ground.

Nicknamed 'The Piranha', he comes into the contest off the back of a 2025 filled with momentum, picking up the British, Commonwealthand European titles across two headline shows in Bournemouth before vacating them early this year.

"This has been my dream all along and now it is coming true, Frank [Warren] promised me he would make it happen and he has always delivered for me right from the beginning," Garner said.

"I believe this will be one of the biggest single sporting events ever to take place in the city and I know that I've got the Southampton people behind me. It will just be an amazing occasion but I have a job to do against a tough opponent so I can make sure we can do this again and again.

"I am thrilled that we are sticking to the WBC title and, when I win this one, the champion will have no place to hide."

Also announced on the bill is current British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight champion Lewis Edmondson from Southampton, who will take on former European title holder Lyndon Arthur.

Edmondson comes into this fight off the back of a first career defeat to Daniel Lapin at Wembley Stadium last July. He won his Lonsdale Belt in late 2024 with victory over Dan Azeez in London.

Fight 'a gateway to the big time' - Warren

Garner's most recent fight was a third-round stoppage of Mexican Cristian Bielma in Dublin on the undercard of Anthony Cacace's win over James "Jazza" Dickens.

He will become the first person to headline a boxing show on the pitch at St Mary's Stadium and would also become Southampton's first boxing world champion should he win.

"I am personally delighted to be putting on this special night for Ryan at St Mary's," added promoter Frank Warren.

"I am extremely fond of Ryan as he has been with us since day one on turning professional at 18 and his talent and potential has always been obvious.

"It has taken a little bit of time to get to this point and through Ryan's efforts and title successes, I can now deliver on my promise for him to fight at the home of Southampton FC, who have supported him tremendously.

"Winning this fight against Magnesi is Ryan's gateway to the big time and more major fights and massive occasions.

"I would like to extend my thanks to the staff and officials at Southampton FC for their help in making this happen for Ryan."

Boxing on the south coast has grown in recent years with Bournemouth's Chris Billam-Smith claiming the WBO cruiserweight title at AFC Bournemouth's Vitality Stadium in 2023.

Queensberry's stable has a number of fighters from Hampshire who could also feature on June's bill, with Mark Chamberlain and Royston Barney-Smith also making a name for themselves in recent years.

• Garner on the verge of world title fight - Warren

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The Atlanta Dream sent shockwaves across the WNBA on Monday by acquiring two-time All-Star Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky in a blockbuster trade for two future first-round picks.

Oddsmakers reacted instantly by adjusting the Dream’s championship odds from +1500 to +850, vaulting them into the top tier of genuine title contenders.

Fresh off a franchise-best 30-win season in 2025, Atlanta now pairs the league's reigning rebounding leader with stars Rhyne Howard and Brittney Griner.

Reese’s relentless motor and defensive interior presence provide the final piece for Coach Karl Smesko’s high-efficiency system.

Let's take an early look at 2026 WNBA odds for which squads are favored to hoist the trophy next.

🏆 2026 WNBA title odds favorites

Team
Minnesota Lynx	+350
Las Vegas Aces	+350
Indiana Fever	+375
New York Liberty	+450
Atlanta Dream	+1000
Phoenix Mercury	+1000
Seattle Storm	+2200
Golden State Valkyries	+3000
LA Sparks	+3000
Dallas Wings	+7500

Odds courtesy of bet365, one of our best betting sites. Sign up with our bet365 promo code, or get one of our other sportsbook promos.

📈 WNBA championship odds over time

Here's a visual representation of how the WNBA championship has odds evolved since the offseason.

WNBA opening odds

• Minnesota Lynx +300
• Indiana Fever +350
• Las Vegas Aces +360
• New York Liberty +500
• Phoenix Mercury +1000
• Atlanta Dream +2000
• Seattle Storm +2200
• Golden State Valkyries +3500
• Los Angeles Sparks +4600
• Washington Mystics +4700
• Dallas Wings +5000 
• Chicago Sky +15000
• Toronto Tempo +20000
• Connecticut Sun +25000
• Portland Fire +25000

Understanding WNBA championship odds

Sportsbooks will post odds for the WNBA Finals shortly after the previous season's conclusion. These odds are constantly adjusted throughout the offseason as players switch teams or are injured. Once the regular season begins (May), title odds will change daily as teams win and lose games and more roster changes occur. Sportsbooks will also adjust the WNBA odds based on handle and liability to certain teams.

WNBA Championship odds will usually look like this:

• New York Liberty +300

This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to profit $300 if the Liberty win the WNBA title. If it's close to the end of the season and the WNBA has a particularly dominant team, you might see a minus sign (-) ahead of its odds. 

• Las Vegas Aces -380

This means you have to bet $380 to win $100 on an Aces championship.

Above we have posted the American odds for the WNBA championship. However, these are easy to convert to decimal odds or fractional odds with our odds converter tool. And don't forget to check out our WNBA forum if you're interested in chatting with other basketball bettors about WNBA odds. 

Past WNBA Finals winners

Season	WNBA Finals winner	Opening Odds
2025	Las Vegas Aces	+275
2024	New York Liberty	+225
2023	Las Vegas Aces	+120
2022	Las Vegas Aces	+350
2021	Chicago Sky	+1000
2020	Seattle Storm	+450
2019	Washington Mystics	+320
2018	Seattle Storm	+2500
2017	Minnesota Lynx	+275
2016	Los Angeles Sparks	+1500
2015	Minnesota Lynx	+160

Odds courtesy of Sports Odds History.

Teams with the most WNBA Championships

Minnesota, Houston, and Seattle are tied atop the all-time WNBA Championship tally with four apiece, while three more teams follow closely with three each.

Despite their early dominance, the Comets folded during the 2008 recession and were disbanded when the league was unable to find new ownership. 

WNBA Championship odds trends

Here are some trends to keep in mind when betting on WNBA championship futures: 

• The No. 1 overall seed has gone on to win the title in eight of the past 10 seasons.
  
  
• The Houston Comets, Seattle Storm, and Minnesota Lynx are tied for most all-time WNBA Championships with four apiece.
  
  
• The Aces' 2023 win was the first time a team had repeated as WNBA champs since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2002.

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With 6:24 remaining in the fourth quarter, Madison Taylor passed to freshman Kate Ratanaproeksa, who settled the ball in her pocket. She quickly spotted an opening on the right, sprinted past the Maryland defender, evaded a collapsing group of Terrapins and fired a shot past star goalkeeper JJ Suranio. After scoring her first goal of the evening, Ratanaproeksa immediately threw her stick down in excitement, as her teammates followed common custom by gathering around to congratulate her. The emotional celebration came after Ratanaproeksa extended the Wildcats’ lead to 11-8 after trailing 8-7 earlier in the period.

Ratanaproeksa’s goal and the celebration that followed were emblematic of this team’s resilience and grit when their backs are against the wall. This team rises to the occasion when the stakes are highest. Steady improvement, clutch performances and fearless comebacks often separate good teams from great teams; the ‘Cats showed this in their win over then-ranked No. 1 North Carolina, and they proved they could do it again in an 11-10 win over No. 1 Maryland in College Park on Wednesday.

This rally wasn’t just reflected through the score. Take draw controls, for example. One major reason why the Terrapins possessed a 5-3 lead at halftime was their success in the draw circle, as they outperformed NU 7-2 in the first half, including 5-0 in the first quarter alone — the first time this season NU didn’t win a first-quarter draw. This helped Maryland take nine shots on goal, compared to just four for Northwestern.

Given those numbers, it’s clear why the Terrapins had control in the first frame — the ’Cats’ attackers had immense pressure to execute against the nation’s best, and simply put, Maryland just had more opportunities.

Goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco did as much as she could to limit the damage. Her seven first-half saves, including multiple back-to-back stops on relentless pursuits from MU’s elite shotmakers, did a lot to keep the Terrapins’ offense at bay and prevent multiple other goals from being scored. The ‘Cats pesky defense also played a role, as they forced 16 turnovers — their second-highest mark in conference play this year.

The draw control battle was flipped upside down in the second half. Like the first, a big reason NU outscored Maryland 8-5 in the second frame was the shift in draws, with Northwestern winning eight to Maryland’s six. Suddenly, the ‘Cats’ offense found themselves with more opportunities and a chance to snatch momentum. NU slowly chipped away, tying the game at 5-5 midway through the third quarter on a goal from Taylor, who had four total on the evening along with a team-high five draw controls. The score remained level as the teams exchanged blows, but it was clear that NU’s success on draws made this a far more contentious battle and sparked the ‘Cats’ comeback.

That improvement culminated in the play that secured Northwestern’s win. With Maryland cutting NU’s three-score lead to make it an 11-10 game in the final minute, Taylor squared up in the circle for a pivotal draw. With only 58 seconds remaining, and Maryland having just scored two goals in under three minutes, the ‘Cats needed not to relinquish possession to a potent offense. But Taylor, as she’s done time and time again during her career, delivered — winning the draw control and securing the ball in Northwestern’s hands. The ‘Cats smartly played backwards to run out the clock and stamp a victory.

Maryland won the draw controls 13-10 overall, but Northwestern performed better in the circle when it mattered most. That is why they continue to outlast the nation’s best, and what fuels growing confidence in this team’s chances in both the Big Ten tournament and at the NCAA Championship.

It would be negligent not to mention another key factor in the second half’s momentum shift in favor of the Wildcats. Northwestern held Lauren LaPointe, Maryland’s leading scorer, scoreless until 13:15 left in the fourth quarter, when her goal put Maryland back on top 8-7. Still searching for their first lead in the game, the Wildcats responded to LaPointe’s goal with a forceful attack. During the play, Madison Smith ran into LaPointe, knocking the Terrapin to the ground. There was no penalty on the play, and LaPointe walked to the locker room shortly thereafter.

Immediately following her departure, Northwestern countered with a goal from its star player in Taylor, which kicked off a 3-1 run that saw NU take an 11-8 lead on goals from Taylor LaPointe, Aditi Foster and Ratanaproeksa. Correlation doesn’t imply causation, but it was clear that following LaPointe’s injury, the fourth quarter’s trajectory changed, and the ‘Cats mounted their comeback.

Discussions will continue to swirl about that play, but it doesn’t nullify the ‘Cats’ dominance in the other areas mentioned — draw controls, turnovers, critical saves, clutch goals and a consistent trend of better play in the fourth quarter.

NU maintained several of its illustrious streaks — five consecutive wins, 15 straight road victories and, most impressively, becoming the first team since 2012 to beat two No. 1 teams in the same season. Teams that accomplish this feat seem destined for greatness, and after this win, there’s no reason to doubt this Northwestern team is an outlier.

Man United Join Premier League Race for Talented Midfielder

Credit to CaughtOffsidefor first reporting the growing interest in AZ Alkmaar’s Kees Smit, a player rapidly becoming one of the most discussed young midfielders in Europe.

As outlined in the original report, “AZ Alkmaar midfielder Kees Smit is quickly emerging as one of the most sought-after young talents ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window.” That sentiment is echoed widely across scouting networks, where the 20-year-old’s composure and creativity have made him a standout in the Eredivisie.

Smit’s profile is one that modern clubs covet. Technically secure, positionally intelligent, and capable of dictating play in advanced areas, he has drawn lofty comparisons. As noted, “qualities that have led some observers to compare him to Kevin De Bruyne,” a benchmark that speaks volumes about his perceived ceiling.

Transfer Battle Intensifies

Interest in Smit is far from isolated. According to the report, “several major European clubs are reportedly monitoring his development closely,” with a list that includes Manchester United, Newcastle United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, and Real Madrid.

Such widespread attention is rarely coincidental. It reflects a player consistently delivering at a high level. With 42 appearances this season, Smit has demonstrated both durability and influence, two traits that elevate a prospect into a genuine transfer target.

Valued between €45 million and €50 million, AZ Alkmaar are in a strong negotiating position. That price point suggests confidence in his trajectory and an expectation of fierce competition. 

Tactical Fit for Manchester United

Manchester United’s involvement is particularly intriguing. The report states that “Man United are also believed to be assessing Smit as part of their midfield restructuring plans,” a line that aligns with the club’s ongoing search for balance and creativity in central areas.

Smit’s ability to “deliver precise forward passes and create scoring opportunities” would address a long-standing need for incision in United’s midfield. His intelligence in the final third, combined with a calmness under pressure, offers a different dimension to the current options.

The Eredivisie has historically been a reliable pipeline for creative midfielders transitioning into elite leagues. Smit appears to fit that mould, blending technical quality with tactical awareness.

European Giants Monitoring Closely

Beyond England, the interest of Barcelona and Real Madrid reinforces the scale of Smit’s rise. Clubs of that stature do not engage lightly, particularly in a competitive market.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s stance is described as more developmental, with “some observers” suggesting he “may require further refinement before reaching his peak level.” That nuance highlights the broader debate around readiness versus potential.

Across the board, the consensus remains clear. Smit is a player on the cusp of a major move, with the coming months likely to define the next stage of his career.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Manchester United perspective, this report taps into a familiar narrative, the search for a midfield orchestrator capable of elevating the team’s attacking cohesion.

With Michael Carrick currently steering the side until the end of the season following the departure of Ruben Amorim, there is a sense that recruitment decisions will be made with both short term stability and long term vision in mind.

Smit’s profile is undeniably appealing. A supporter might look at his creativity and think, this is the type of player United have lacked since their most fluid attacking periods. His vision and passing range suggest someone who can unlock compact defences, a recurring issue in recent campaigns.

However, there is also caution. The step from the Eredivisie to the Premier League remains significant. Fans will remember similar transitions that required time, patience, and in some cases did not fully materialise.

If United are serious, the key question revolves around role clarity. Would Smit arrive as an immediate starter or as part of a longer term evolution? Given the reported fee, expectations would be high from the outset.

Ultimately, this feels like a move aligned with modern recruitment strategy, targeting emerging talent before peak valuation. For supporters, it is an exciting prospect, but one that comes with the usual blend of optimism and realism.

• Marcus Bettinelli has signed a one-year extension, keeping him at the Etihad until June 2027.
• The 33-year-old remains a vital figure in the goalkeeper department.
• Hugo Viana has hailed Bettinelli’s “energy and ideas” as City continue to build their squad.

Manchester City have confirmed that goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli has agreed a one-year extension to his current deal, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2027.

The 33-year-old joined the Sky Blues last summer following the expiration of his contract at Chelsea, arriving as a replacement for the departing Scott Carson – who had long acted as the club’s third-choice goalkeeper.

While Bettinelli is yet to make his competitive debut for the club, his role behind the scenes has proven invaluable during a period of immense transition for Pep Guardiola’s goalkeeping department.

Since Bettinelli’s arrival, the club has seen the departures of long-term stalwarts Ederson and Stefan Ortega, with the club successfully recruiting Italian international Gianluigi Donnarumma and re-signing James Trafford from Burnley.

Amidst this high-level reshuffle, Bettinelli has established himself as a key cultural figure within the dressing room, providing a bridge of experience for the club’s younger shot-stoppers.

What has Bettinelli said about his contract extension?

“It’s a great feeling knowing I’ll be at Manchester City for another season. It’s a real privilege to be here and I’m learning so much every day,” said Bettinelli following the announcement.

The former Fulham and Middlesbrough man continued, “The staff have been superb – I have felt really supported since day one.

“My job is to be the best I can be, push our other goalkeepers and ensure that, as a group, we are improving. I think we are definitely doing that.”

Hugo Viana’s verdict on Bettinelli’s extended stay

Director of Football Hugo Viana reacted, “Marcus has been a really good signing for us.

“He’s brought ideas and energy to our goalkeeping department and we are delighted he is staying for longer. It’s vital for any top club to have a thriving goalkeeping department and Marcus is a big part of ours.”

The decision to trigger Marcus Bettinelli’s extension comes at a strategic moment for Hugo Viana, with James Trafford attracting significant interest from Newcastle United and Tottenham ahead of the summer.

James Trafford set to leave Manchester City this summer, reveals club insider

From the club’s perspective, securing Bettinelli’s future ensures that Manchester City maintain veteran continuity regardless of potential movement among the backup ranks.

As Manchester City head into the final weeks of the 2025/26 campaign – chasing a historic domestic cup double and a high-stakes title decider against Arsenal – the stability of the training ground environment is paramount.

Marcus Bettinelli’s new deal is a clear signal that the club values the Scott Carson-esque leadership he provides, ensuring the goalkeeping union remains a pillar of strength during Pep Guardiola’s quest for further silverware.

With less than two weeks to go before the first round of the NFL draft, the Cowboys have used 21 (at the time of this writing) of their allotted 30 national visits.

Unsurprisingly, 18 of those 21 slots have gone to defensive prospects as the team clearly plans to use most of its draft capital to fix the numerous issues exposed on that side of the ball in 2025. And of all the national players the club has- to this point- invited to The Star, one-third of them have been cornerbacks, a strong indication that Dallas likely views the position as their biggest need.

Tennessee's Colton Hood is getting a hard look.

The Cowboys reportedly brought in the just-turned 21-year-old last weekend, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. That one-on-one session follows a formal meeting with Hood at the scouting combine in Indianapolis.

Of the seven names most outlets list as the top cornerbacks in 2026, the Cowboys have now had four of them in the building for an extended meeting.

This past weekend, the Dallas Cowboys hosted Tennessee CB Colton Hood for a 30 visit, sources said.

Another potential first-round defender getting the visit treatment in Frisco, Hood also visited with the Seattle Seahawks. pic.twitter.com/6Ix9WAIuUf

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) April 10, 2026

Hood has already bounced around a lot on his way to becoming one of the top prospects in this year's draft class. The Georgia native began his college career at Auburn in 2023, where he played in just four games before redshirting the rest of the season. 2024 found him under head coach Deion Sanders and behind eventual Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter in Colorado.

But Hood showed enough in 13 game appearances (one start) with the Buffaloes to land a starting gig in Knoxville in 2025. An ACL injury to opposite corner Jermod McCoy gave Hood more room to shine for the Volunteers. Over 12 starts, he logged an interception returned for touchdown, a fumble recovery and return for touchdown, nine passes defended, 50 tackles, and second-team All-SEC honors.

Hood opted out of Tennessee's bowl game, but impressed scouts at the Senior Bowl. His combine performance further boosted his stock, as did his pro day numbers in late March.

Colton Hood is a CB prospect in the 2026 draft class. He scored a 9.66 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 106 out of 3069 CB from 1987 to 2026.https://t.co/y0lLex82Ampic.twitter.com/bhV66jOljb

— RAS.football (@MathBomb) April 7, 2026

The Athletic's Dane Brugler has Hood ranked as the fifth-best cornerback in this year's draft class and the No. 30 overall prospect.

"Despite not becoming a defensive player until his junior year of high school, Hood plays comfortably in man-to-man on an island. He competes with the physicality of a bigger and longer player, and he looks to reroute receivers from the jump. He needs to shore up some of his technique and become more consistent in finding the football, but he isn’t a passive or athletically deficient player," Brugler writes in this year's edition of The Beast.

"Hood embraces press-man challenges and is the type of balanced, scrappy athlete who can attach himself to receivers and make things difficult for the offense. He has the talent and wiring to be an early NFL starter."

Most outlets have Hood coming off the board in the middle-to-latter part of the first round, meaning he could be a potential target for the Cowboys at No. 20 or perhaps a little later in a trade-back scenario.

Todd is on X at @ToddBrock24f7. Also, follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!

Check back with the Cowboys Wire Pre-Draft Visit Tracker for a running list of who else the team is getting to know.

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys host well-traveled Tennessee CB Colton Hood on pre-draft visit

Carlos Alcaraz has become a regular record-breaker on the ATP Tour, and he added another entry to his growing list of achievements this week.

It’s not that anyone was shocked to see him do it. The way he dismantled Alexander Bublik 6-3, 6-0 showed just how sharp he is right now. He spotted his chance and grabbed it without hesitation.

Bublik’s unique style can throw players off, but Alcaraz stayed composed throughout. Once he settled into the match, there was only ever going to be one outcome.

Carlos Alcaraz joins John McEnroe with 300th career win

Before Alcaraz, only two players in the history of men’s tennis had reached 300 wins this quickly. He got there after beating Bublik, becoming just the third to do it.

It took him 367 matches to reach that number. Jimmy Connors needed 365 matches, while Rod Laver managed it in just 355.

McEnroe also hit the milestone in 367 matches. Rafael Nadal and Boris Becker were close behind, reaching it in 373 and 374 matches respectively.

Alcaraz himself has admitted he expects Jannik Sinner to take over as world number one soon. But this achievement is another highlight for a player whose career is still very much on the rise.

Alcaraz shares thoughts after beating Bublik at Monte Carlo

After his win over Bublik, Alcaraz looked genuinely pleased when speaking on court. And after being told about his latest milestone, he was clearly happy but stayed focused on what lies ahead.

He spoke about the match, saying: “Yeah, first of all, I think I started very well at the start of the match. I just had points to be two breaks up in the first set. Then all of a sudden, I just lost a little bit the feeling of the ball.”

“But yeah, after that he just pulled off great shots and great games. And I just had to run from side to side.”

“I tried to defend my best and I think I just saved a few games that then gave me a lot of confidence coming into the match again and then playing aggressive and all that stuff.”

“And I would say like just play a great and solid match against him, that is probably a player that you don’t know what’s going to be next, but just happy to get through and playing another semi-final here.”

Read more:

Kentucky football continued its strong push on the recruiting trail Friday, landing a commitment from 4-star defensive lineman Elijah Brown, according to Hayes Fawcett of Rivals, giving the Wildcats their seventh commitment in the 2027 class and a second pledge this week.

Brown, a 6-3, 290-pound defensive lineman from Alabama, chose Kentucky over a competitive list of offers that included Texas, Texas A&M, USC, Tulane, and others. He is ranked as the No. 217 overall player, the No. 32 defensive lineman, and the No. 14 overall player in the state of Alabama in the 2027 class, according to 247 Sports.

Brown visited Kentucky at the end of March, and that trip proved to be a key moment in his recruitment before ultimately announcing his commitment to the Wildcats.

His addition continues what has been a productive stretch for Kentucky on the 2027 recruiting trail, as the Wildcats have now secured multiple commitments this week alone while pushing their total class number to seven.

Kentucky’s 2027 commitments now include Larron Westmoreland (S), Ty Ashley (LB), Brady Hull (IOL), Matthias Burrell (IOL), Bryian Duncan Jr. (ATH), Miguel Wilson (CB), and Elijah Brown (DL).

As the class continues to grow, Kentucky is emphasizing size in the trenches and athleticism on defense as the foundation of its future recruiting haul.

Now, check out some highlights of the future Wildcat below!

Yankees' Jose Caballero just passed Babe Ruth on an all-time MLB record list originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It can be fun to dive down the rabbit hole of baseball history. You never know what you'll find.

Like, for example, wondering how many stolen bases Babe Ruth had in his career. Turns out the answer is 123.

Next step: See where that ranks on the all-time steals record list. Ruth is tied for 739th all time with immortals like Jason Bartlett and David Eckstein.

OK, let's see who's nearby. Oh look, a current Yankee!

MORE: Aaron Judge's case as the greatest right-handed hitter of all time

Jose Caballero has 124 stolen bases in his MLB career. He has five this season.

In other words, he just passed Ruth on an all-time record list.

To be fair to The Great Bambino, this isn't exactly the skillset he was known for -- and it was tough to get any stolen bases while trotting around the bags on one of his 714 home runs. It's still an amusing quirk when you dig into the numbers, though.

Caballero is one of five players tied for 734th all-time in stolen bases. He's tied with Arizona Diamondbacks superstar Corbin Carroll, along with three retired players: Johnny Kling, Felipe Lopez and Preston Wilson.

It's actually a fascinating part of the stolen base leaderboard. One more swipe will tie Caballero with seven guys, including Wally Pipp, Jason Heyward, Carlos Lee, Cristian Guzman and Michael Brantley.

MORE: Yankees outfielder once battled ostrich in 11-plate spaghetti-eating contest

Three more steals would tie him with Connie Mack and Bobby Murcer.

Does this mean anything in a grand sense? No, not really.

It's more about the minutia of the game and the way it moves across eras. The statistics of the game often lead to fun quirks.

Like the speedy Caballero telling Ruth to move aside.

More MLB news:

• Explaining the absurdity of 2 MLB players named Max Muncy
• He almost retired, but instead he hit his first grand slam
• White Sox are holding a Pope Leo XIV promotion
• This slider is really good and moves the entirely wrong direction

One fighter missed weight Friday at UFC 327's official weigh-ins, as lightweight Chris Padilla tipped the scale at 158 pounds on two separate attempts for his 155-pound undercard contest against MarQuel Mederos (155). As a result of the miss, which came in two pounds over the non-title lightweight limit, Padilla must forfeit 20% of his purse as a penalty and the bout will proceed as a catchweight.

Aside from that blip, Friday's official UFC 327 weigh-ins went off smoothly.

Jiri Prochazka (203) and Carlos Ulberg (204) both easily cleared the 205-pound limit for their headlining bout for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title, as did Azamat Murzakanov (205) and Paulo Costa (205) for their non-title co-main event.

UFC 327 takes place Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami.

The event airs live on Paramount+, with a main card start time of 9 p.m. ET.

Complete UFC 327 weigh-in results can be seen below.

Main card (9 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

Jiri Prochazka (203) vs. Carlos Ulberg (204)

Azamat Murzakanov (205) vs. Paulo Costa (205)

Curtis Blaydes (261) vs. Josh Hokit (233)

Dominick Reyes (205) vs. Johnny Walker (205)

Cub Swanson (146) vs. Nate Landwehr (145)

Preliminary card (7 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

Patricio Pitbull (145) vs. Aaron Pico (145)

Kevin Holland (171) vs. Randy Brown (171)

Mateusz Gamrot (156) vs. Esteban Ribovics (155)

Tatiana Suarez (116) vs. Loopy Godinez (116)

Early prelims (5:30 p.m. ET, Paramount+)

MarQuel Mederos (155) vs. Chris Padilla (158)*

Kelvin Gastelum (185) vs. Vicente Luque (185)

Charles Radtke (170) vs. Francisco Prado (170)

*Padilla forfeits 20% of his purse after missing weight by 2 pounds

After leaving the Connecticut Sun for Phoenix one year ago, Alyssa Thomas is expected to return to the Mercury this season. She was a huge factor in bringing the team back to the WNBA Finals in 2025, and while the rest of the core may look different, Thomas is the centerpiece of this team.

While there are still no reports yet on whether Kahleah Copper will also return to Phoenix, Satou Sabally has already announced she will not re-sign with the Mercury. That breaks up the three-woman core Phoenix had going in 2025, but if Copper comes back, they can still run back most of that group.

Called the “triple-double queen” by fans, Thomas averaged 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game in 2025 for the Mercury. A mainstay in the MVP conversation, Thomas has come close to a WNBA championship many times in her career with both Connecticut and Phoenix, but has yet to reach that final goal. The plan will be for Phoenix to contend again this season.

Re-signing Thomas is a huge part of that plan, and now the Mercury will work to surround her with a winning roster. Right now, the Mercury have the 7th best odds to win the WNBA Championship on FanDuel, at +1600.

Kenny Moore II and the Indianapolis Colts are backed into a corner.

With scheme fit and roster gymnastics presenting an issue for the Pro Bowl cornerback, the only way forward is to part ways. Or at least that's how it seems.

Both sides have mutually agreed to seek a trade for Moore, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Moore is entering the final year of a three-year, $30 million deal with the Colts and will turn 31 by Week 1. The corner appears to be the victim of a numbers game, since there are limited spots and the team already committed plenty of money to Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward.

Given the Colts' desire to give Justin Walley a bigger role, it makes sense to explore a trade for Moore. Indianapolis would likely receive some much-needed draft capital and the corner would get a change of scenery with a bigger role.

"It's all good," Moore said in a text to ESPN's Stephen Holder. "It's all love."

Moore is the latest in an offseason of change for the Colts, who already traded away Michael Pittman Jr. and Zaire Franklin, with Anthony Richardson also in search of a new home.

Here's a look at four teams that make sense as a trade destination for Moore.

Kenny Moore landing spots

Dallas Cowboys

Dallas' defense in 2025 was a lot like a parent who has no control over their kid. The Cowboys allowed opposing offenses to get whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted it. Fixing the defense isn't something that will happen overnight, but the Cowboys also can't afford to simply run it back with the same cast of characters in 2026.

A full season of Quinnen Williams should help, along with the other additions that have been made this offseason. Improving the secondary still remains a priority and the cost to acquire Moore shouldn't be high. In other words, Dallas fills a key spot with a proven veteran for a fraction of the cost. Everyone wins.

Kansas City Chiefs

They traded Trent McDuffie and lost Jaylen Watson in free agency. Kansas City can still find a new corner in the draft with one of its two first-round picks or it can choose to invest in other areas of need. The Chiefs still believe they can contend for a Super Bowl this season, which could be Travis Kelce's last. While a youth movement figures to be a priority, the only real priority is winning – and winning now.

If they believe Moore helps accomplish that goal, this is a no-brainer move as the Chiefs look to rebound.

Green Bay Packers

On paper, the Packers have just about everything they need. Quarterback? Check. Playmakers? Check. Pass-rusher? Check. There is talent up and down the roster, but Green Bay can certainly use some help in the cornerback room. It projects as a real area of weakness and a spot that the team can't address early in the draft. Without a first-round pick, the Packers could instead turn to the trade market to acquire someone like Moore, who would bring a veteran presence to a young group.

Tennessee Titans

Money hasn't been an issue for the Titans this offseason as Robert Saleh and co. remake the roster in a big way. They've already signed Cor'Dale Flott and Alontae Taylor to beef up the secondary, so what's one more corner? Tennessee could easily slide Moore in behind those two, giving the Titans a quality trio in the secondary to boost Saleh's new-look defense.

Just like every other team that could acquire Moore, the story remains the same for the Titans. It's a chance to add quality talent at a cheap rate. In a draft that isn't the most inspiring, parting with draft picks might be easier than usual this year.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kenny Moore II trade fits: Top landing spots for Colts CB

The New England Patriots are reportedly hosting Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels on a top-30 pre-draft visit, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

It's expected that the Patriots will be in the market to take a late-round flier on a young quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft to develop. The team released former backup Joshua Dobbs in March and elevated Tommy DeVito as the likely No. 2 veteran option for the 2026 season.

With Drake Maye and DeVito topping the depth chart, New England still needs a No. 3 quarterback to build into a future backup for the team.

Could that player be Daniels?

Kansas QB Jalon Daniels is on a Top 30 with the #Patriots, source said. He’s had a productive spring. pic.twitter.com/jbqdzzdDtD

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 10, 2026

The former Jayhawk finished his final collegiate season throwing for 2,531 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 404 yards and four touchdowns in 2025.

Daniels is a dual-threat option with the ability to make plays with his arm and legs in games. So he'd certainly fit the mold of the kind of quarterback the present-day Patriots are scouting.

The 23-year-old prospect is viewed as a late-round draft pick or an undrafted free agent.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots reportedly hosting dual-threat QB prospect on pre-draft visit

Purdue has done it again. Coach Painter has reeled in another Mr. Basketball Winner.

Ertel, who may be penciled in as the next starting point guard for Purdue, finished his standout career with this accolade and a 4A state championship at Mt. Vernon.

Ertel also won the 3 point contest at Hinkle last week during the final 4 weekend.

In an era of the transfer portal, Coach Painter keeps finding high school players that fit his mold perfectly.

Congratulations, Luke!

Will Stein has taken a bold and innovative approach to recruitment this offseason that has proven to be highly effective as he continues to bolster the Kentucky Wildcats football roster. The Wildcats welcomed another elite talent into their ranks with the commitment of 2027 four-star defensive lineman Elijah Brown on Friday.

At 6 feet 3 and weighing in at 290 pounds, Brown hails from Prattville, Alabama, where he has established himself as a formidable force on the field. Per 247Sports rankings, he is recognized as the No. 32 defensive lineman in his class and holds the distinction of being the No. 14 prospect from Alabama.

Brown ultimately chose to don the Wildcats’ colors over offers from S programs such as Auburn, Georgia, Florida, Missouri, Texas, and Oklahoma. His decision marks a significant milestone for Kentucky, representing not only the seventh commitment for their 2027 class but also highlighting the growing influence of Alabama talent within their program; indeed, he is the second recruit from Alabama following Mobile Vigor cornerback Miguel Wilson’s earlier commitment this week.

Notably, Brown's commitment is especially significant as it positions him as Kentucky's first defensive line pledge for the 2027 season. This addition underscores Stein's vision for strengthening the trenches and building a resilient defense capable of competing at a high level in the SEC. We expect more key commitments ahead as the Wildcats welcome plenty of prospects over the week. Stay tuned.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky football gains commitment from four-star 2027 DL Elijah Brown