Romanya Milli Takımı'nda ikinci Gheorghe Hagi dönemi resmen başladı.

Romanya Milli Futbol Takımı'nda teknik direktörlüğe Gheorghe Hagi getirildi.

Romanya Futbol Federasyonunun açıklamasında, vefat eden Mircea Lucescu'dan boşalan teknik direktörlük görevi için Hagi ile anlaşma sağlandığı belirtildi.

Açıklamada görüşüne yer verilen Hagi, "Futbolculuk zamanımda yaptığım gibi Romanya'yı bir kez daha temsil etmek büyük bir onur ve sorumluluk. Bunu bir antrenör olarak da yapmayı umuyorum çünkü önemli olan performans sergilemek, başarılı olmak. Milli takıma bu yüzden geldim. Güzel şeyler başarabileceğimize inanıyorum. Futbolculuğumda ortaya koyduğum performansı, bir antrenör olarak da sergilemeyi umuyorum. En iyisi olabileceğimize inanıyorum." ifadelerini kullandı.

Başarılarla dolu futbolculuk kariyerine Galatasaray'da son veren Hagi, ilk olarak 2001'de Romanya Milli Takımı'nın başına geçti.

Sarı-kırmızılılarda teknik direktörlük de yapan 61 yaşındaki Rumen teknik adam, daha sonra Bursaspor, Steaua Bükreş, Viitorul ve Farul gibi takımları çalıştırdı.

Galatasaray, 26 Nisan'da Fenerbahçe'yi Ali Sami Yen'de ağırlayacak. Teknik Direktör Okan Buruk'un, Alman yıldız Leroy Sane'yle özel bir görüşme yaptığı öğrenildi.

Leroy Sane, sezonun ilk yarısındaki 1-1'lik Fenerbahçe maçında takımının tek golünü atmıştı. Alman Yıldız ayrıca Beşiktaş deplasmanındaki 1-0'lık galibiyette de asist üretti. Sonrasında kırmızı kartla oyun dışında kalmıştı. Sane, 26 Nisan'daki Fenerbahçe derbisinde de takımı adına belirleyici bir rol üstlenebilir.

Galatasaray Teknik Direktörü Okan Buruk'un, 30 yaşındaki kanat oyuncusuyla özel bir görüşme gerçekleştirdiği belirtildi. Başarılı çalıştırıcının, Sane'den kaleyi gördüğü anda şut çekmesini istediği öğrenildi. 1.83 boyundaki futbolcu bu sezon Sarı-Kırmızılı formayla 24 lig maçına çıktı.

Sahada toplam 1.997 dakika kalan tecrübeli oyuncu, 7 gol ve 5 asist üretti. Leroy Sane, karakter olarak maçlardaki stres ortamından pek etkilenmiyor. Onun soğukkanlılığı, Galatasaray açısından bir avantaj olabilir. Okan Buruk açısından Sane'nin varlığı, Fenerbahçe'ye karşı çok önemli görülüyor...

Galatasaray'ın kiralık olarak tekrar kadrosuna kattığı Sacha Boey, izin gününde tesislere geldi. Fransız sağ bek, kişisel çalışmalarını sürdürdü. Takımdaki geleceği ise belirsiz.

Galatasaray, 2024'ün Ocak ayında 30 milyon euroya Bayern Münih'e sattığı Sacha Boey'i bu sezonun devre arasında kiralık olarak döndürmüştü. Fransız sağ bekin sözleşmesinde 15 milyon euroluk satın alma opsiyonu bulunuyor. Sarı-Kırmızılılar bu rakamı öderse, 25 yaşındaki oyuncunun tapusunu da alabilecek.

PLANLAMADA DÜŞÜNÜLMÜYOR

Şu anda konuyla ilgili resmi bir temas yok. Fransız futbolcunun Bayern Münih'teki sözleşmesi 30 Haziran 2028 tarihine kadar sürüyor. Alman devinin gelecek sezon planlamasında Boey yok... 1.78 boyundaki oyuncu, Galatasaray'daki çalışmalarını sürdürüyor. Hatta izin gününde bile...

SEZON SONUNA DOĞRU

Fransız yıldız, arkadaşları izinliyken tek başına tesislere gelerek kişisel programlarını yaptı. Sacha Boey, devre arasında geldiği Galatasaray'da 9 Süper Lig maçına çıktı. Sahada 476 dakika kaldı. 1 gol kaydetti. Bonservisiyle ilgili durumun, sezon sonuna doğru netleşmesi bekleniyor.

Avrupa Güreş Şampiyonası'nda Grekoromen stilde milli sporcular Rıza Kayaalp, Kerem Kamal ve Ömer Halis Recep, yarı finale yükseldi.

Arnavutluk'ta düzenlenen 2026 Avrupa Güreş Şampiyonası'nın ilk gününde 3 milli sporcu, yarı finale yükseldi.

Başkent Tiran'daki Feti Borova Spor Salonu'nda grekoromen stil müsabakalarıyla başlayan organizasyonun ilk gününde gündüz seansı tamamlandı. Grekoromen stil 55, 63, 77, 87 ve 130 kiloda elemeler ve çeyrek final müsabakaları yapıldı.

Türkiye'yi 130 kiloda temsil eden Rıza Kayaalp, son 16 turunda Ermeni Albert Vardanyan'ı 4-0 öndeyken 78 saniyede tuşla yenerek çeyrek finale çıktı.

Rıza'nın, Dünya Güreş Birliği (UWW) takımında yer alan Rus Marat Kamparov ile yaptığı çeyrek final müsabakası 1-1 bitti. Mili güreşçi, ilk puanı aldığı için adını yarı finale yazdırdı.

Rıza Kayaalp, finale kalması durumunda yarın "rekor "için mindere çıkacak. Rıza, 13'üncü Avrupa şampiyonluğuna ulaşması halinde, Rus Aleksandr Karelin ile paylaştığı rekorun tek sahibi olacak ve güreş tarihine adını "altın" harflerle yazdıracak.

Kerem ve Ömer Halis de yarı finalde

63 kiloda mindere çıkan Kerem Kamal, Ukrayna adına güreşen Maksym Liu'yu elemelerde 10-0 teknik üstünlükle yenerek çeyrek finale çıktı.

Çeyrek finalde de Azerbaycanlı Ziya Babashov'u 8-0 teknik üstünlükle geçen son Avrupa şampiyonu Kerem, yarı finale yükseldi.

Şampiyonaya çeyrek finalden başlayan Ömer Halis Recep de 55 kiloda İtalyan Adalberto Minazzi'yi 10-0 teknik üstünlükle mağlup ederek yarı finale çıktı.

77 kiloda mücadele eden ve ilk maçında Finlandiya'dan Akseli Elias Yli-Hannuksela'yı 4-0 yenen dünya üçüncüsü Ahmet Yılmaz, çeyrek finalde Moldovalı Alexandrin Gutu'ya 10-2 teknik üstünlükle mağlup oldu.

87 kilo son 16 turunda Macar Istvan Takacs'ı 6-1'le geçen Doğan Kaya da son olimpiyat şampiyonu Bulgar Semen Novikov'a çeyrek finalde 8-0 teknik üstünlükle yenildi.

Bu sıkletlerde yarı final müsabakaları, bugün akşam seansında gerçekleştirilecek.

Türkiye'nin 30 sporcuyla katıldığı 2026 Avrupa Güreş Şampiyonası, 26 Nisan Pazar günü sona erecek.

Fenerbahçe'nin Ziraat Türkiye Kupası çeyrek finalinde yarın deplasmanda karşı karşıya geleceği Konyaspor maçı kadrosu belli oldu. Dorgeles Nene, Marco Asensio ve Edson Alvarez, Konyaspor maçının kafilesinde yer almadı.

Futbolda Ziraat Türkiye Kupası çeyrek finalinde yarın TÜMOSAN Konyaspor ile deplasmanda karşılaşacak Fenerbahçe'de kamp kadrosu belli oldu.

Sarı-lacivertli kulüpten yapılan açıklamaya göre kamp kadrosunda Edson Alvarez, Marco Asensio ve Dorgeles Nene yer almadı.

Fenerbahçe'nin Konyaspor maçı kamp kadrosunda bulunan oyuncular şöyle:

Ederson Moraes, Mert Günok, Tarık Çetin, Mert Müldür, Nelson Semedo, Milan Skriniar, Jayden Oosterwolde, Çağlar Söyüncü, Yiğit Efe Demir, Kamil Efe Üregen, Archie Brown, Levent Mercan, İsmail Yüksek, Matteo Guendouzi, N'Golo Kante, Fred Rodrigues, Oğuz Aydın, Anthony Musaba, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Anderson Talisca, Sidiki Cherif.

TÜMOSAN Konyaspor ile Fenerbahçe arasında MEDAŞ Konya Büyükşehir Stadı'nda yapılacak müsabaka, saat 20.30'da başlayacak.

Fulham'ın Nijeryalı kanat oyuncusu Alex Iwobi, katıldığı bir yayında vatandaşı Victor Osimhen'in nasıl bir karaktere sahip olduğunu anlattı. Onun kazanma zihniyetinin benzersiz olduğunu söyledi.

'Beast Mode On' adlı podcast yayınına katılan Alex Iwobi, Galatasaray'ın yıldızı Osimhen'le ilgili çarpıcı ifadeler kullandı. Nijeryalı futbolcu, "Osimhen tam bir savaşçı... Antrenmanlarda sakatlanma pahasına her topa kafasını sokardı. Belki bu tarzı acemice bulunabilir ama sadece çalışkanlığıyla bile tek başına maçın kaderini değiştirecek pozisyonlar yaratır" dedi.

Fulham forması giyen sol kanat oyuncusu, "Osimhen, rakibi ister Van Dijk, ister amatör biri olsun, asla geri adım atmaz. Şampiyonlar Ligi'ni de mahalle maçını da aynı kazanma hırsıyla oynar. Hatta bazen antrenmanda kazanmak için hile yapacak kadar ileri gider. Bu müthiş bir kazanma zihniyeti. O gerçek bir Nijeryalı" yorumunu yaptı.

Iwobi ayrıca, "Bu kazanma zihniyetiyle şu anda bulunduğu yerde olmasına şaşırmıyorum. Her maçta kendisine 5 pozisyon yaratır. Onun mantalitesi inanılmaz bir şey... Bu çok acayip bir şey" ifadelerini de kullandı. İkili, Nijerya Milli Takımı'nda birlikte forma giyiyor. Bu sebeple Iwobi, Osimhen hakkında çok şey biliyor.

Türkiye Kupası'ndaki Konyaspor-Fenerbahçe maçını hakem Ozan Ergün yönetecek.

Futbolda Ziraat Türkiye Kupası çeyrek finalinde yarın oynanacak TÜMOSAN Konyaspor-Fenerbahçe maçında hakem Ozan Ergün görev yapacak.

Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu (TFF) Merkez Hakem Kurulunun (MHK) açıklamasına göre Ozan Ergün'ün yardımcılıklarını, Murat Altan ve Mustafa Savranlar üstlenecek.

MEDAŞ Konya Büyükşehir Stadı'ndaki karşılaşma, yarın saat 20.30'da başlayacak.

Galatasaray, Real Madrid'in satış listesine koyduğu Eduardo Camavinga konusunda şartları zorlamayı düşünüyordu. Ancak Premier Lig ekibi Arsenal'den 60 milyon euroluk hamle gelebilir.

Arsenal, Real Madrid'in orta saha oyuncusu Eduardo Camavinga'yı gözüne kestirdi. İngiliz basınında çıkan haberlere göre; Premier Lig ekibi, Real Madrid'e 60 milyon euroluk bir teklif sunmayı planlıyor. Real Madrid, yaz aylarında Fransız orta saha oyuncusu için gelecek teklifleri değerlendirmeyi düşünüyor.

O SEVİYEYE ÇIKMAYACAK

Galatasaray, yaz döneminde orta sahasını kesinlikle güçlendirecek. Listede Eduardo Camavinga da bulunuyordu. Sarı-Kırmızılılar'da bu ihtimal düşük olsa da şartlar zorlanacaktı. Fakat Arsenal'in planladığı 60 milyon euroluk teklif seviyesine kesinlikle çıkılmayacak.

31 MİLYONA ALDILAR

Yani Arsenal, bu teklifini resmi olarak masaya koyarsa her şey bitecek. Real Madrid, 23 yaşındaki futbolcuyu 2021 yazında Rennes Kulübü'nden transfer etmişti. 31 milyon euro bonservis bedeli ödediler. Eduardo Camavinga'nın 30 Haziran 2029 tarihine kadar mukavelesi bulunuyor. Fakat gelecek sezon planlamasında düşünülmüyor.

“Koventri Siti”yə rəhbərlik edən Frenk Lempard İngiltərə Çempionşipində 2025/2026-cı illər mövsümünün ən yaxşı baş məşqçisi seçilib.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə turnirin mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb.

Lempardın baş məşqçisi olduğu “Koventri Siti” 2026/2027-ci illər mövsümü üçün İngiltərə Premyer Liqasına vəsiqəni vaxtından əvvəl təmin edib. Sözügedən komanda 2000/2001-ci illər mövsümündən sonra ilk dəfə elitada mübarizə aparacaq. Koventri təmsilçisinin cari mövsümü çempion kimi bitirməsi ehtimalı da yüksəkdir.

Xatırladaq ki, daha əvvəl “Çelsi” və “Everton”da işləmiş İngiltərə millisinin sabiq futbolçusu 2024-cü ilin noyabrında “Koventri Siti”nin uğurları üçün çalışır. Frenk Lempard Koventri təmsilçisini indiyə qədər 79 oyuna çıxarıb, bu görüşlərdə 43 qələbə, 16 heç-heçə və 20 məğlubiyyət görüb. “Koventri Siti”nin top fərqi də cəlbedicidir – 137:90.

Back in December, Google began showing read more links on some of the search result snippets within Google Search. Today, Google published new documentation around best practices on how to show Read more links in the Google search results.

The best practices. The new documentation was posted over here in the snippets section and it lists three best practices:

• Make sure content is immediately visible on the page to a human (and not hidden behind an expandable section or tabbed interface, for example).
• Avoid using JavaScript to control the user’s scroll position on page load (for example, don’t force the user’s scroll position to the top of the page).
• If you make history API calls or window.location.hash modifications on page load, make sure you don’t remove the hash fragment from the URL, as this breaks deep linking behavior.

What it looks like. Google also posted an illustration of these links, here it is:

Here is an example of how they look:

Why we care. These read more links do add an additional eye-catching link to the search result snippets. Hopefully, this leads to encouraging more clicks to websites and no less.

More clicks to websites is a good thing, so make sure to review the best practices to encourage more clicks to your site.

Rand Fishkin didn’t get into SEO because he saw the future.

He got into it because he had no choice.

In the early 2000s, Fishkin helped run a small web business with his mom in Seattle. They hired another company to do SEO until they couldn’t afford to pay them anymore.

That moment pushed him into search marketing. More than 20 years later, Fishkin has become one of the best-known voices in SEO — and one of Google’s biggest critics.

In this interview, he looks back at how search has changed, what went wrong, and what may happen next.

Early SEO was wild

SEO today can feel messy. But in the early days, it was even more chaotic.

“There was no social media,” is how Fishkin described that era, where forums like WebmasterWorld and Search Engine Watch were the center of the industry.

People shared tactics openly. Many of those tactics were risky. Buying links was common — and effective.

Fishkin did it, too. Then Google’s Matt Cutts called him out in public.

That moment changed how he approached SEO. He spent years focusing on “white hat” practices and following Google’s guidelines.

Looking back, though, Fishkin now questions whether that shift went too far. He believes Google’s own behavior over time has made those guidelines harder to trust.

The early industry wasn’t just chaotic — it was also full of strange and memorable moments. Fishkin recalled massive conference parties with huge budgets and over-the-top ideas, including a staged “retirement” of the Ask Jeeves mascot.

But what stood out most to him wasn’t the tactics or the parties.

“My favorite thing… is people,” he said, pointing to the relationships and friendships built over decades in search.

When Google stopped sending traffic

Many people think AI is the big turning point in search.

Fishkin says the shift started much earlier — around 2011.

That’s when the idea of “zero-click search” first appeared. Google began answering more queries directly on the results page instead of sending users to websites.

At first, it was small features like weather boxes and calculators.

Then it grew:

• Around 2016–2017: nearly half of searches ended without a click
• By 2018: more than half
• Today: more than two-thirds

Fishkin emphasized that this trend didn’t start with AI — it has been building for more than a decade.

Publishers had a chance — and missed it

Fishkin believes publishers could have taken action early — but didn’t.

• “The time to fight back… was 15 or 20 years ago,” he said.

In his view, large media companies should have worked together to push back against Google’s growing control. They could have demanded payment for content or limited how Google used it.

Instead, they allowed Google to crawl and use their content freely.

At the same time, Google expanded its influence through lobbying and policy.

• “Publishers just missed that opportunity,” Fishkin said.

Now, he argues, the focus has to shift to adapting:

• Build subscription businesses
• Monetize attention, not just traffic
• Learn how to operate within platform ecosystems

Some companies have already made that shift. Fishkin pointed to The New York Times as an example of a business evolving beyond traditional news consumption.

Did Google change?

Fishkin does not believe Google has become worse for users.

• “If it was easier or better to search on Bing… people would go to those places,” he said.

But he does believe Google has become much harder for publishers and creators.

The change, he said, was gradual. As Google grew, went public, and aligned with investor expectations, its priorities shifted toward growth and revenue.

• “They became the people that they spent time with,” Fishkin said.

The biggest AI mistake people make

Fishkin says most people misunderstand how AI works.

They treat AI answers like search results — consistent and reliable.

But they aren’t.

If you ask the same question multiple times, the answers can vary widely.

• “You will get completely different answers. And if you do that 10 times, you will get 10 incredibly unique different answers,” he said.

His advice is simple: don’t rely on a single response. Ask multiple times and look for patterns. If the same answer shows up consistently, it’s more likely to be trustworthy.

This matters most for important decisions, like health or finance, where relying on one answer could be risky.

What he misses about the early days of SEO

Fishkin doesn’t miss a specific tactic or tool.

He misses the level of opportunity that existed in the early web.

Back then, smaller creators and independent sites had a better chance to succeed. Traffic was more evenly distributed.

• “The world of clicks and traffic… was so… flat compared to… today,” he said.

What’s next?

Fishkin believes the future of media and search may look more like the past.

He expects a smaller number of powerful platforms to control most of the flow of information.

At the same time, individual creators will still produce much of the content — but within those systems.

Still, he hopes the web can evolve again.

If you know anything about Google Ads Asset Studio, you’ve heard the hype:

• “Google just killed every excuse for not running video ads.”
• “Total game changer! You don’t need a production budget anymore.”
• “Upload a few product images and get campaign-ready video in minutes.”

From Google Ads > Tools > Asset Studio, you can build, manage, and scale images and videos across ad formats.

The recent addition of Veo (Google’s AI video generation model) and Nano Banana Pro means you can now turn a handful of product images into full-motion video ads, for free, in no time.

Apparently, video creative is no longer a constraint. But does Asset Studio actually change the game? Read on to find out if it’s worth your time.

A tale of two Veos

Google is its own biggest cheerleader for the power of its AI images and video.

A recent Think with Google article showcases AI-generated ads for Cosmorama, a Greek travel agency. The videos are genuinely imaginative: think a flamenco dancer in the clouds, not just close-ups of headphones and sneakers.

As part of learning Asset Studio, I set out to reverse-engineer their approach. I wasn’t trying to match the quality. I just wanted a proof of concept using Nano Banana and Veo.

What I got instead was a series of dead ends.

• No scene-level control: I’d read that prompting plays a major role in video output. But there’s actually no prompt function for scenes in Asset Studio. You select an image from your Asset Library, and that’s it. Google decides how to animate it. There’s no way to direct motion, pacing, or narrative.
• Human performer restrictions: Video generation repeatedly failed with errors about “specific individuals.” I assumed that meant celebrities or real people. In practice, anything that resembled a human face — even AI-generated — triggered issues. The only assets that consistently worked were tightly cropped: hands, partial torsos, and abstract scenes.
• No real audio control: The Cosmorama video featured cinematic music. In Asset Studio, you’re limited to a small set of preloaded audio. There’s no way to upload custom music or meaningfully shape the sound layer.

After so many false starts, I returned to the article. It mentioned Nano Banana and Veo by name. It never said they were used inside Asset Studio.

When Veo 3 became available in Asset Studio, I didn’t realize how many limitations it would have, resulting in a completely different experience from the stand-alone version.

What’s available may still help you create some great 10-second motion ads, but don’t go into it expecting flamenco dancing.

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Does Asset Studio actually save time and effort?

That depends: Whose time? Whose effort?

For years, paid search managers had one move for visual assets: push back.

• “I need a vertical version.”
• “The first five seconds need to be more engaging.”
• “Can you remove the text overlay?”

Creative’s been a constraint, but always someone else’s constraint to solve. Asset Studio changes that. You can edit, adapt, and post YouTube video ads, even without access to the brand’s YouTube channel.

But the constraint doesn’t disappear. It just changes hands.

Managing creative strategy and production — even within Asset Studio — takes more time than not owning that role.

Using Asset Studio, I’ve manually adapted logos to new aspect ratios, generated variations that need further edits, and written voiceover scripts I never would have been involved in creating before.

And since production can’t exist without a strategy, I’m spending more time on that too. This is definitely game-changer territory, but maybe not the way you’d hoped:

• If you’re a brand that would otherwise need a production team: This is likely faster and more affordable than the alternative, satisfying the velocity mandate.
• If you’re an agency absorbing this work on top of an existing scope: You’re likely taking on a new responsibility that wasn’t priced in.

It removes a bottleneck and replaces it with ownership. If that shifts what your role actually covers, it’s worth revisiting your contract scope.

Will this get me in trouble? AI ad compliance explained

No federal laws in the U.S. prohibit the use of AI in ads. But that’s starting to change.

New York recently passed a law requiring advertisers to clearly disclose when an ad includes a “synthetic performer,” and it’s set to take effect in June 2026. (Hat tip to Sam Tomlinson for his LinkedIn post flagging this.)

Asset Studio doesn’t generate a visible watermark (such as the Gemini sparkle), and there’s no way to add an AI disclosure in Google Ads.

A couple of things worth knowing if you’re using Asset Studio specifically:

• You’re likely covered for now. Asset Studio can’t generate content with human performers. As mentioned above, anything resembling a face consistently triggers errors. That means the New York law’s “synthetic performer” provision wouldn’t apply to what Asset Studio actually produces today.
• There’s a watermarking layer. Google uses SynthID to invisibly tag AI-generated images. If disclosure requirements become more explicit, that infrastructure already exists to support it.

Asset Studio’s limitations may actually insulate you from the most immediate compliance concerns, but if you want to proactively disclose AI use for ethical reasons, there’s no built-in way to do that.

AI without the slop

Josh Spanier, Google’s VP of AI and Marketing Strategy, has this advice for marketers running AI-generated ads:

• “Stop fearing ‘AI slop.’ Humans made bad ads long before robots.”

Interesting suggestion, but not all of our clients and stakeholders will be quite so enthusiastic about paying to run AI slop ads.

Fortunately, tight control of Asset Studio images and video is easier than you might think. Unlike AI Max, where AI-generated assets can run before you’ve reviewed them, Asset Studio output isn’t automatically published. From your Asset Library, you choose which assets to run. The rest never see the light of day.

What you can produce in Asset Studio is somewhat limited, but here are some of the non-sloppy features I’m most excited about.

Image fidelity: Product images that actually look like your product

Asset Studio’s Nano Banana 2 is built specifically for product integrity. Unlike general-purpose AI image tools like Midjourney, it lets you add up to five reference images and effectively “locks” the product. Only the surrounding environment is up for reinterpretation.

Trim: Cut right to the action

Client-produced video is rarely built for YouTube. Long intros and slow builds lose viewers before the message lands. Trim lets you jump straight to the action, without going back to the client for a new cut.

Voiceovers and templates: Sleeper tools

For a tool suite that promises to replace a production department, Asset Studio’s constrained voiceover and template options may seem underwhelming. Voiceover only works with audio ads or pre-existing video, and templates feel like glorified slide decks.

But the more I reviewed the landscape of YouTube video ads, the more I realized: most companies struggle with messaging more than production quality. Low budget isn’t limiting sales, but bad scripts and concepts are.

Templates and voice-overs let you test the right words faster than waiting for a new creative brief and a published video.

In one campaign I’m running, an Asset Studio video I built in under 30 minutes using a template is already showing 10x the CTR of the client’s best-performing video.

Beating the control may not be the highest bar to clear, but it’s a start.

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The output isn’t the outcome

Is Asset Studio a game changer? Not yet. But I’m not sure it needs to be.

Positioning it as real competition against global creative brands sets everyone up for disappointment.

The more useful frame: it’s a tool suite that makes creative faster and more accessible for accounts that couldn’t justify a production budget before.

It does shift some of that strategy and production work onto the paid search manager who didn’t traditionally live in that role.

But the bigger question is: what does any of this actually lead to? The point of digital marketing creative isn’t to produce more assets. It’s to drive conversions and sales. That’s still what needs to be proven.

Tests are running now. I’ll share what holds up, and what doesn’t.

The post Will Pi Coin Pump Ahead of the Protocol 22 Upgrade Deadline? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Pi Network’s Protocol 22 upgrade deadline is just days away, and millions of Pi holders are hoping that Pi coin price will see a pump before the deadline.

As of now, Pi Coin (PI) is currently trading around $0.17, showing only a small gain as rising US–Iran tensions continue to hurt investor sentiment and keep trading cautious.

Protocol 22 Upgrade Deadline Approaches April 27

According to the official confirmation from Pi Network developers, all node operators must complete the mandatory upgrade to Protocol 22.1 by April 27, 2026. 

Nodes that fail to transition from version 21.2 will face automatic disconnection from the network. 

This is more than just a routine update. It prepares the network for the upcoming Protocol 23 upgrade in May, which is expected to introduce full smart contract functionality.

Geopolitical Tensions Are Keeping PI Price Suppressed For Now

Despite the upgrade excitement, Pi Coin’s price is still under pressure due to global market weakness. Rising US–Iran tensions, especially around the Strait of Hormuz, have triggered a broader risk-off sentiment.

The situation worsened after Iran refused to resume peace talks unless the US lifts its blockade, followed by the US seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship. This has added more uncertainty to the markets.

This “risk-off” environment is limiting buying activity in smaller tokens like Pi, and even Bitcoin is struggling to break above $76K. 

Will Pi Token Price Pump?

Historically, major network upgrades have acted as short-term price catalysts for the Pi token. At the time of the second migration event on March 28 triggered a 3.8% rally, and ahead of Pi Day, the token surged nearly 15%. 

With the upgrade deadline now closed, similar pre-event buying activity could return. In fact, early signs are already visible. 

A large outflow of over 1.7 million PI tokens from OKX suggests that some holders are moving their coins off exchanges, often seen as a sign that they are not planning to sell anytime soon.

Any bullish rally will test Pi day’s high price of $0.22, which will set the stage for further rally. 

The post Crypto Markets Lost $6M in 12 Exploits This Month — Is Another Attack Coming? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

April has been one of the most turbulent months for the crypto markets, with over $600M lost across 12 exploits, exposing repeated failures in bridges, access controls, and governance—including the recent AAVE-linked disruption. But beyond these technical breakdowns, a different kind of risk is now coming into focus. Memecore (M), with its concentrated supply and low float, is raising structural concerns that feel familiar.

If exploits show how systems fail, what happens when the structure itself becomes the risk, and could this begin to resemble the path RAVE DAO took?

$6M+ Lost Across 12 Exploits—But Two Incidents Dominated the Damage

Crypto markets saw a wave of exploits this month, with 12 separate incidents exposing persistent weaknesses across DeFi, wallets, and infrastructure. However, the distribution of losses wasn’t even — two exploits alone accounted for nearly 95% of the total damage, highlighting how a single vulnerability at scale can outweigh multiple smaller failures combined.

The 12 Exploits This Month

• Kelp DAO — $293M (Apr 18)
• Drift Protocol — $285M (Apr 1)
• Fake Ledger App — $9.5M+
• Grinex Exchange — $13–15M (Apr 16)
• Rhea Finance — $7.6M (Apr 16)
• Hyperbridge — $2.5M (Apr 12)
• BSC TMM — $1.67M (Apr 4)
• Silo V2 — $392K (Apr 3)
• Aethir — $423K (Apr 9)
• Dango — $410K (Apr 13)
• MONA — $61K (Apr 13)
• SubQuery — $60K (Apr 12)
• Zerion Wallet — $100K (Apr 14)

What stands out isn’t just the scale — it’s the repetition. Every single exploit this month falls into well-known attack categories, not unknown vulnerabilities. This suggests the issue isn’t innovation from attackers but persistent gaps in execution and security practices.

• Access control failures: Drift, Aethir, SubQuery
• Bridge/oracle exploits: Kelp DAO, Hyperbridge, Silo V2
• Social engineering: Fake Ledger app, Zerion
• Smart contract bugs: Dango, MONA, BSC TMM

The main takeaway is clear: these were not unpredictable attacks, but they were preventable failures. 

Crash Alert: Is Memecore the Next RAVE of the Crypto Market?

While exploits continue to expose technical weaknesses, another risk is quietly building on the market structure side. Memecore (M) price is now under scrutiny after on-chain investigator ZachXBT raised concerns over its high insider concentration, with reports suggesting more than 90% of the supply may be controlled by a small group.

This creates a familiar setup. A low circulating float combined with a high fully diluted valuation ($17B–$30B) introduces structural inefficiencies, where price discovery becomes distorted. Similar conditions were seen in tokens like RAVE, which experienced a 95–99% drawdown after scrutiny increased and liquidity failed to support the valuation.

However, this isn’t a straightforward bearish case. Markets with tight supply and high insider control often behave differently. Limited float can artificially support price in the short term while also creating conditions for sharp short squeezes when liquidity is thin. At current levels, with the Memecore price at $3.3 to $3.4 and volume around $25 to $27 million, the gap between the circulating and total supply is pretty wide. 

Hence, this suggests Memecore is a controlled environment where the price can move aggressively in either direction. 

Key Signals to Watch Next!

After experiencing massive losses this month, here are the signals that matter next as the M price set-up is structure-driven and if a breakdown triggers, it would be a massive one. 

• Exchange inflow spikes → Large transfers (especially from insider wallets) signal potential distribution and incoming sell pressure

• Price drop with rising volume → Indicates real selling, not just volatility; demand failing to absorb supply

• Failure at key psychological levels (e.g., $3) → Loss of confidence triggers stops and accelerates downside

• Thin liquidity vs high valuation → Weak order books + high market cap create unstable price conditions

• Shift in narrative/sentiment → From “strong treasury” → “sustainability concerns” signals confidence breakdown

• Insider wallet movements → Early holders reducing exposure can trigger broader market exits

Wrapping it Up: Is Memecore the next Rave Dao?

Memecore (M) price is showing structural similarities that can’t be ignored—concentrated supply, thin liquidity, and narrative-driven support. But it hasn’t reached the breakdown phase yet. For now, the setup remains stable on the surface, fragile underneath.

So the real question is: is Memecore the next RAVE DAO — or just another controlled market that hasn’t cracked yet?

The post RaveDAO (RAVE) Price Crashes 100% in 48 Hours: $6B Wiped Out as Binance, Bitget Launch Probe appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The RaveDAO (RAVE) token has recorded one of the sharpest reversals in recent cryptocurrency trading, plunging more than 100% within 48 hours after a rapid surge, wiping out billions of dollars in market value.

The token had climbed steeply toward the $27 level before reversing course in an equally aggressive sell-off. Liquidity thinned quickly during the downturn, with prices cascading lower as bids evaporated, according to market data.

The abrupt move has drawn industry attention, with major exchanges including Binance, Bitget, and Gate.io now under scrutiny over trading activity around the peak.

Allegations emerge over trading behavior

Blockchain investigator ZachXBT alleged that insiders may have used large exchanges to engineer a short squeeze, driving prices sharply higher before exiting near the top. The claims have intensified calls for transparency as analysts examine trading patterns during the rally.

Executives at the exchanges acknowledged the situation and said reviews are underway.

Bitget’s managing director, Gracy Chen, said the platform launched an internal investigation shortly after the crash. Binance CEO Richard Teng stated the exchange is reviewing activity and would take action against any “market misconduct.” Gate.io representatives said user protection remains a priority as inquiries continue.

RaveDAO has denied involvement in any coordinated activity. Meanwhile, ZachXBT has reportedly offered a $25,000 bounty for whistleblowers, suggesting further disclosures could emerge.

RaveDAO (RAVE) Price Analysis: Parabolic Rally Ends in a Liquidity Collapse

Market participants said RAVE’s price structure resembled a textbook blow-off top. The token surged rapidly on momentum-driven inflows, reaching the $25–$27 range before reversing within hours.

Once the rally stalled, liquidity deteriorated sharply. The lack of buy-side support triggered a cascade-style sell-off, pushing the token back toward sub-$1 levels.

Analysts note that significant overhead supply now remains. Any short-term recovery could face resistance between $3 and $5, with stronger barriers near $8–$10 where previous trading activity was concentrated.

On the downside, holding above $1 is seen as critical. A sustained break below that level could push the token into deeper illiquid territory.

Multiple factors behind the collapse

Post-crash analysis suggests the move was driven by a combination of factors rather than a single trigger.

The rally appeared to be fueled by low float and speculative inflows, creating conditions for a short squeeze that forced bearish traders to cover positions. However, once upward momentum faded, long positions began unwinding, triggering a reverse liquidation cycle.

This feedback loop, combined with thin liquidity, amplified the speed and scale of the decline.

Market Impact and Outlook: Confidence Shaken, Uncertainty Remains

The episode has raised broader concerns about market integrity in low-liquidity tokens, particularly given the speed of the move and allegations of manipulation.

With exchanges continuing to review trading activity, sentiment remains cautious. Analysts say any near-term price rebounds are likely to be corrective unless key resistance levels are reclaimed with strong volume.

For now, uncertainty dominates the outlook, with both price action and the results of ongoing investigations expected to shape the token’s next move.

The post Strategy Buys 34,164 BTC, Total Holdings Reach 815K BTC appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Michael Saylor’s Strategy has acquired 34,164 BTC for about $2.54B at an average price of $74,395 per Bitcoin. This latest purchase brings its total holdings to 815,061 BTC, accumulated for roughly $61.56B at an average cost of $75,527. The firm also reports a 9.5% BTC yield year-to-date in 2026. The move highlights Strategy’s continued aggressive accumulation approach, reinforcing its long-term conviction in Bitcoin despite ongoing market volatility.

The post Ethereum (ETH) Price Prediction 2026, 2027 – 2030: Can ETH Reach $10k? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Since its launch in 2015, Ethereum has evolved from a pioneering smart-contract platform into the primary settlement layer for the global digital economy. What began as a space for experimental decentralized applications (dApps) has now transformed into a robust ecosystem attracting significant institutional interest. This shift is largely driven by Ethereum’s “Business Ready” infrastructure, which is designed to support high-assurance financial applications and large-scale tokenization initiatives.

The successful rollout of the Pectra and Fusaka upgrades has significantly improved Ethereum’s scalability and fee efficiency. These upgrades addressed long-standing network bottlenecks, making the platform more practical and cost-effective for enterprise adoption and high-volume blockchain activity.

As the ecosystem progresses through 2026, the narrative surrounding Ethereum has shifted from simple utility to institutional-grade resilience and infrastructure. With a well-defined roadmap emphasizing censorship resistance, modular scalability, and long-term sustainability, Ethereum is increasingly positioned to support the next generation of decentralized finance (DeFi) and global capital markets.

In this Ethereum price prediction for 2026–2030, we examine whether these structural improvements, combined with evolving macroeconomic conditions, could push ETH toward new valuation milestones over the coming years.

Ethereum Price Today

Cryptocurrency	Ethereum
Token	ETH
Price	$2,317.3723 -0.81%
Market Cap	$ 279,684,429,859.04
24h Volume	$ 18,246,721,810.4877
Circulating Supply	120,690,332.1841
Total Supply	120,690,332.1841
All-Time High	$ 4,953.7329 on 24 August 2025
All-Time Low	$ 0.4209 on 21 October 2015

Ethereum Price Prediction April 2026

In the first quarter of the year, the price of Ethereum faced significant challenges, dropping from the $2,800 support level to a low of $1,750 in early February. Fortunately, February brought some stabilization, and March saw a promising rise to $2,370. However, by late March, ETH dipped below $2,000.

In April, the ETH price attempted to retest the $2,390 level, briefly reaching as high as $2,460 in mid-April. Currently, it is facing bearish pressure after taking liquidity above $2,390. The price is holding at the 50-day EMA band; if it drops below this level, a revisit to $2,000 is likely. However, if the 50-day EMA holds, there could be a strong upside breakout above $2,390 in the remaining days of April.

Ethereum Price Prediction 2026

The Ethereum price currently exhibits a compelling long-term technical structure on the monthly timeframe, anchored by a multi-year 45-degree ascending trendline that has guided price action since 2020.

Historically, this trendline has served as a critical pivot point, with the market oscillating between periods of aggressive upward expansion above the line and phases of strategic consolidation below it.

Notably, when ETH trades beneath this trendline, it often forms a secondary short-term ascending channel lasting a few months. These channels act as accumulation zones, where price fluctuates until sufficient demand builds, eventually leading to a high-momentum breakout once bullish conditions are met.

In the current 2026 market environment, Ethereum appears to be following a familiar structural pattern, albeit with increased volatility and a broader trading range. The ongoing ascending channel, which began in 2025, aligns with the multi-year trendline but is significantly wider compared to previous cycles. While the price action indicates recovery potential, the market has not yet reached the specific demand threshold required to trigger a definitive vertical surge.

Overall, Ethereum’s multi-year trendline combined with the current ascending channel suggests a measured accumulation phase, setting the stage for a potential strong bullish breakout in the months ahead.

From a volume perspective, the anchored volume profile suggests that Ethereum (ETH) is finding significant support around key high-volume zones. These areas, particularly the ranges between $1,700–$1,900 and $1,200–$1,400, have historically attracted institutional interest, creating a solid floor that bears are unlikely to easily break.

If buyer demand strengthens at these levels, ETH could follow a recovery trajectory with an initial target near $2,878. A successful breach of this level would then pave the way for a retest of the $4,076 psychological resistance, signaling renewed bullish momentum.

However, a cautious approach remains warranted. If the market fails to generate sufficient demand at these support zones, the current consolidation phase below the multi-year trendline is likely to continue. In this bearish scenario, ETH would remain trading within its 2025 ascending channel, extending the accumulation period before a decisive trend emerges.

The interplay between this short-term ascending channel and the long-term trendline will ultimately determine whether Ethereum’s next move is a bullish continuation or a prolonged sideways consolidation.

ETH On-Chain Analysis

Ethereum’s price is currently stabilizing and 30-days On-chain data shows major whale transaction counts beyond $1 million has been rising in past 30-days. This is signaling “smart money” accumulation near the $2,000 support. 

Moreover, the fundamentals of the network are growing. Since January 2025, the value of tokenized real-world assets (RWAs) on the blockchain has reached $20.4 billion. The Ethereum ecosystem now has 146 active Layer 2 networks, with a total value of $38.2 billion locked in these networks. Together, Ethereum’s mainnet and Layer 2 networks show that stablecoins account for over 60% of the market share, totaling about $179 billion.

This indicates a significant amount of liquidity in the ecosystem. Additionally, the number of ETH tokens on centralized exchanges is falling, meaning fewer ETH tokens are less available on CEX platforms meaning bullish pressure increasing.

Ethereum Price Prediction 2027-2030

Ethereum (ETH) Price Prediction 2027

The Ethereum 2027 forecast expects the ETH coin price to make a new all-time high at $21,213.24. However, a correction based on market shortcomings may drive the ETH crypto to $7,071.08, with an average of $14,142.16.

ETH Price Prediction 2028

In 2028, the chances of Ethereum dominating the crypto market rise as the ETH price potentially makes a new high at $31,819.86. On the other hand, the altcoin might fall to $10,606.62, making an average of $21,213.24.

Ethereum Price Forecast 2029

Approaching its all-time high of $47,729.79 in 2029, the Ethereum price is expected to surpass the psychological barrier of $40,000. In case of a correction, $ETH may reach a low of $15,909.93, with an average price of $31,819.86.

Ethereum Price Prediction 2030

As per our Ethereum Price Prediction 2030, the ETH crypto price is projected to reach a new all-time high of $71,594.69 in 2030, with a potential low of $23,864.90 and an average price of $47,729.79.

Ethereum (ETH) Price Prediction: Market Analysis?

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The post Binance Coin (BNB) Price Prediction 2026, 2027 – 2030: Will BNB Price Hit $2000? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Binance Coin (BNB) suggests a fundamental shift in how the asset responds to broader market dynamics. In 2026, the token’s performance increasingly reflects on-chain utility and ecosystem liquidity rather than mere speculative volatility. This transition from reactive price swings to a more structured price action indicates a maturing market environment.

As the ecosystem stabilizes, the technical narrative centers on long-term accumulation and the absorption of supply within established demand zones. Sustained network activity across the Binance Smart Chain provides a foundational backdrop for this consolidation, potentially setting the stage for a period of extended price discovery. By focusing on fundamental network health and institutional integration, the outlook for the next several years leans toward organic growth and structural resilience within the global digital asset landscape.

So, what’s next for the BNB price in the rest of 2026 and beyond? What can be the future price movements? Let’s get into the Binance Coin (BNB) Price Prediction 2026–2030.

BNB Price Today

Cryptocurrency	BNB
Token	BNB
Price	$625.0064 0.25%
Market Cap	$ 84,242,496,509.65
24h Volume	$ 1,534,826,370.9636
Circulating Supply	134,786,606.68
Total Supply	134,786,606.68
All-Time High	$ 1,370.5460 on 13 October 2025
All-Time Low	$ 0.0961 on 01 August 2017

Binance Coin (BNB) Price Prediction April 2026

In the third quarter of 2025, we witnessed an impressive rally, soaring 125% from the $600 support level to an exhilarating $1,375. However, by the fourth quarter of 2025 and into the first quarter of 2026, the BNB price retreated back to the $600 demand zone, erasing those remarkable gains. 

Since February, we have observed a steady accumulation around this vital $600 level, a trend that has continued into March, so Q1 was tough. But, as Q2 began with April, this level appears to have solidified as a robust support point, suggesting that bullish momentum could very well resume this month.

Despite prevailing market challenges, the price has demonstrated remarkable resilience, remaining above $600 throughout Most of April. Should bullish pressure intensify in remaining days of April, we may see a potential retest of $750; otherwise, further consolidation may continue throughout the month.

Recent News/ Opinions

• On April 1, 2026, Binance Earn launched new Yield Arena offers, providing limited-time opportunities to earn up to 35% APR. This weekly update spans across multiple products, including Simple Earn, ETH and SOL Staking, and Dual Investment.
• On March 27, 2026, binance shared that equity and commodity perpetual futures on Binance surpassed $150 billion in cumulative trading volume. This milestone was supported by an immense processing of over 110 billion trades in one quarter, highlighting the growing crossover between traditional finance and digital markets.
• A recent ruling news on March 7th came from the US federal court that it has positively dismissed all anti-terrorism claims against Binance, alleviating a significant legal burden. In the Southern District of New York, a judge concluded that the plaintiffs, comprising 535 individuals citing 64 attacks from 2017 to 2024, did not establish sufficient evidence to demonstrate that Binance had assisted or conspired with terrorist organizations. This decision marks a commendable step forward for Binance, affirming its commitment to compliance and integrity.

Binance Coin (BNB) Price Prediction 2026

Based on the technical structure of the BNB/USD weekly chart, the price action reflects a long-term ascending channel (or wedge) that has defined the asset’s trajectory since the massive demand surge from the $40 level in early 2021. This multi-year uptrend culminated in a new all-time high of approximately $1,375 in late 2025, validating the token’s utility and its position within the Binance ecosystem. Currently, the market is witnessing a convergence of horizontal price levels with channel’s dynamic trendline support, which reinforces the technical significance of the current price zone.

As of Q1 2026, BNB price is testing a critical turning support zone around the $600 horizontal support, which aligns precisely with the lower boundary of the primary ascending channel. This area is currently serving as a consolidation floor, suggesting a period of institutional accumulation. Historical precedent highlights the importance of this trendline; a similar touchpoint in late 2023 at the $200 range served as the launchpad for a massive rally, though it took roughly 238 days to reach the channel’s median line.

Looking ahead through 2026, the primary bullish thesis anticipates a recovery toward the $1,000 psychological level. If the recovery pace mirrors previous cycles, BNB/USD could reach the channel’s middle band by Q3 2026. However, if consolidation extends further into the year, the recovery might be more gradual, stretching toward the year-end. 

Conversely, a decisive break below the $600 footing would invalidate the current setup, significantly increasing the probability of a deeper correction toward the major $200 demand zone.

BNB On-Chain Analysis

Recent on-chain data highlights the network’s resilience, with daily transactions stabilizing at 15 million in Q1 2026 despite market fluctuations. This sustained utility, paired with total unique addresses nearing the 800 million mark, signals a consistent rise in global adoption. These fundamental metrics suggest a robust foundation for long-term ecosystem growth and structural asset valuation.

Binance Coin Crypto Price Prediction 2027 – 2030

Binance Coin Price Prediction 2027

As per the Binance Coin Price Prediction 2027, Binance Coin may see a potential low price of $1200. The potential high for Binance Coin price in 2027 is estimated to reach $1800.

BNB Price Prediction 2028

In 2028, Binance Coin price is forecasted to potentially reach a low price of $1600 and a high price of $2300.

Binance Coin Price Forecast 2029

Thereafter, the Binance Coin  (Binance Coin) price for the year 2029 could range between $2100 and $3900.

Binance (BNB) Coin Price Prediction 2030

Finally, in 2030, the price of Binance Coin is predicted to remain steadily positive. It may trade between $2500 and $4500.

Binance Coin Price Prediction 2031, 2032, 2033, 2040, 2050

The long-term projection assumes Binance Coin sustains relevance in enterprise blockchain use cases, with growth moderating over time as the asset matures.

Binance Coin (BNB) Price Prediction: Market Analysis?

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The European Commission proposed Google share data with rival search engines and qualifying AI chatbots in the EU/EEA.

The post Google May Have To Share Search Data With Rivals appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Google has outlined best practices that can increase the likelihood of "Read more" deep links appearing.

The post Google Lists Best Practices For Read More Deep Links appeared first on Search Engine Journal.

Braziliyalı qapıçı Ederson “Fənərbağça”dan ayrılmaq istəyir.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, bu barədə Türkiyə mətbuatı məlumat yayıb. Qolkiper agentinə ona yeni klub tapmasını bildirib.

Ederson “Fənərbağça”nın “Rizespor”la oyununda son dəqiqədə çıxışda səhv edib və komandası qələbəni əldən verib. Bundan sonra qolkiper sosial şəbəkələrdə azarkeşlər tərəfindən ciddi tənqidlərə məruz qalıb.

Braziliyalı qapıçı bu mövsüm Super Liqada 23 oyunda 23 qol buraxıb.

Hücumçu Robert Levandovskinin meneceri Piri Zahavi “Barselona”nın nümayəndələri ilə görüşəcək.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, agent klubla yeni müqavilə danışıqlarını yekunlaşdırmaq niyyətindədir. Bu barədə “Mundo Deportivo” nəşri məlumat yayıb.

“Yuventus” və bir neçə Səudiyyə Ərəbistanı klubu Levandovskinin xidmətində maraqlıdır. Zahavi müştərisinin “Barselona”dakı taleyini dəqiqləşdirmək və yeni müqavilə olmayacağı halda, digər variantlar üzərində çalışmaq istəyir.

Polşalı futbolçu bu mövsüm 25 oyunda 12 qol vurub. Onun müqaviləsi mövsümün sonunda başa çatır.

Azərbaycan millisinin futbolçusu Vüsal İsgəndərlinin formasını geyindiyi “Partizani” Albaniya çempionatında növbəti oyuna çıxıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komanda XXXII turda “Bilis”lə qarşılaşıb. Matç 1:1 hesabıyla bitib.

Vüsal oyuna start heyətdə başlayıb və 75-ci dəqiqədə əvəzlənib. İsgəndərli matçda komandasının yeganə qoluna imza atıb. O, 19-cu dəqiqədə penaltidən fərqlənib.

“Partizani” çempionatda 32 turdan sonra 45 xalla 5-ci sıradadır.

Azərbaycanın 2 yunan-Roma güləşçisi Albaniyanın paytaxtı Tiranada keçirilən Avropa çempionatında yarımfinala yüksəlib.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, İslam Abbasov (87 kq) norveçli Eksos Mukubunu, Beka Kandelaki (130 kq) isə almaniyalı Yello Krameri məğlub edib.

Rəşad Məmmədov (55 kq) və Ziya Babaşov (63 kq) isə 1/4 finalda uduzub.

Source

The BYD Sealion 05 compact crossover was launched in China with the plug-in hybrid DM-i version offering up to 305 km of electric range.

The post BYD Sealion 05 launched in China with DM-i version offering 305 km of EV range appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.

Roberto Mancini was back at Coverciano on Monday to accept an award from the Unione Stampa Sportiva Italiana (Italian Union of the Sports Press), but refused to speak about the reports linking him with a potential return to the Italy national team set-up: ‘Next question?’

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Mancini on Italy disappointment, promising youngsters and return rumours

The former Italy national team head coach, currently in Qatar with Al-Sadd, had been among the first few names linked with a move to replace Gennaro Gattuso as head coach of the Italy national team. Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri are the current frontrunners for the vacant CT role. 

Mancini was back on home soil on Monday to accept an award at the ‘Inside the Sport 2026’ event at Coverciano, and took a few moments to answer questions from journalists regarding his future, the future of the Italy set-up and the disappointment of the recent failure to qualify for the World Cup. 

“It’s a pleasure to return to Coverciano, I grew up here. I came here for the first time when I was 15. It’s definitely a special feeling,” said Mancini (via TMW). “I’m pleased to receive this award, even if my career will still be quite long yet.” 

The topic of discussion quickly turned to the Italy national team and their loss to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off final at the end of March. 

“There are times when things go well and we’re all happy, but this is part of sport. You win some and you lose some,” said Mancini, who failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup while he was in charge of the Nazionale. 

“Sometimes incredible things happen. That’s football. We need to roll up our sleeves and continue working.

“If you read what Kimmich said about Germany, Italy has won more than them in the last 10 years. We had done good things. Our national team will have good players in the future to get back on its feet. The same goes for club teams.” 

Mancini refused to answer, though, when asked if he is interested in a potential return to the Italy set-up: “I’m here to accept this award, not to talk about anything else. Next question?” 

Mancini was then asked which Italy youngsters have impressed him the most this season. 

He said: “The one who has impressed me the most is Palestra. Cancellieri also has great qualities, not much is said about him. There are good players.” 

And when asked again about his next career steps once his time with Al-Sadd comes to an end, Mancini replied: “I have to finish the season with Al-Sadd. Sometimes the phone rings. Usually it’s my children who call me.” 

According to Mundo Deportivo, Italy international Alessandro Bastoni will only consider two options in the summer: staying at Inter or joining Barcelona, despite interest from Premier League clubs, including Liverpool.

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Inter star Bastoni is keen to move to Barcelona, and according to several sources, informal talks between the Italian centre-back’s camp and the Catalans are already underway.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Italian defender will only consider two options in the summer: staying at Inter, where he’s under contract to 2028, or moving to Barcelona.

Bastoni is said to be fascinated by the Blaugrana and the city of Barcelona, but this doesn’t mean he’ll push to leave Inter.

Mundo Deportivo confirms that Bastoni is Barcelona’s priority target to strengthen their defence in 2026-27, even if coach Hansi Flick has yet to give his final green light before club-to-club talks begin.

Inter are unwilling to sell Bastoni on the cheap, and there have been mixed reports about the Nerazzurri’s asking price, which is not expected to be below €60m.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Nerazzurri’s demands will be even higher at €70m-80m.

Romelu Lukaku has already returned to Belgium to continue individual training, but this time with Napoli’s approval.

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Napoli striker Lukaku has returned to Belgium after a meeting with club directors, according to Italian sources, including Repubblica.

Lukaku returns to Belgium again

Lukaku had remained in Belgium without his club’s consent during the March break, receiving a fine and being frozen out of the team.

He returned to Naples on Sunday after more than two weeks abroad and, according to Repubblica, met with the club’s directors on Monday morning. 

According to the report, the meeting between the two parties was amicable and resulted in the striker receiving the green light to return to Belgium for individual training sessions.

Lukaku’s 2025-26 campaign was marred by a severe muscle injury suffered during the pre-season, which forced him to the sidelines for the first part of the campaign.

Lukaku spent seven months on the sidelines, starting no games with the Partenopei this season and scoring just one goal.

According to Italian reporter Nicolò Schira, Lukaku will be available again for Napoli in two weeks.

Massimo Ambrosini sees a positive environment around Jonathan David at Juventus, but no ‘ruthlessness’ from the Canada international, while Weston McKennie ‘has the ability to position himself wherever he’s needed.’

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Former Milan and Italy midfielder Ambrosini commented on Juventus’ 2-0 win over Bologna on Sunday.

David scored the opening goal in the first half, while McKennie provided the assist for Kehphren Thuram’s strike after the break: “I think David was more involved in other games than in this one, but he’s well-liked by the group, and his teammates defended him,” Ambrosini told DAZN via Tuttosport.

“Spalletti has said he needs a striker who can do different things, but he has improved. I don’t see in him the ruthlessness of a penalty-box killer, something he had before arriving here. He’s always done it throughout his career, but he hasn’t shown it here yet.”

McKennie has become a key player under Spalletti, scoring nine goals and providing eight assists in 32 appearances.

“In Spalletti’s fluid style of football, McKennie has the ability to position himself wherever he’s needed,” noted Ambrosini.

“In the penalty area, he’s more present than the strikers. He plays as a right winger, but in possession, he doesn’t stay there; he acts as an attacking midfielder or box-to-box, even as a forward.”

Ibrahima Konate revealed he is close to signing a new contract with Liverpool. The defender’s current deal is set to expire at the end of June, and reports earlier in the season suggested Real Madrid were interested in signing him on a free transfer this summer. Konate joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig for £35m ahead […]

The post Konate close to extending Liverpool contract appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Konate close to extending Liverpool contract appeared first on Soccer News.

Martin Odegaard has urged Arsenal to keep pushing in “the best part of the season” following their defeat to title rivals Manchester City. The Gunners fell to a 2-1 defeat at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, meaning City could go top of the Premier League on goal difference if they beat Burnley on Wednesday. Arsenal produced […]

The post Odegaard urges Arsenal to keep going in ´the best part of the season´ appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Odegaard urges Arsenal to keep going in ´the best part of the season´ appeared first on Soccer News.

Saints 1,586-yard passer expected to draw trade interest during NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New Orleans Saints enter the 2026 NFL Draft with some very interesting options at their disposal in the first few rounds.

Picking eighth overall, the Saints will likely be able to land a solid defender or one of the top wide receivers in the draft class. And down the board in Round 2, there should be plenty of intriguing players still available as well. But the Saints could make a trade, too.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, there is some buzz surrounding one of the Saints quarterbacks, specifically their 1,586-yard passer Spencer Rattler, who could be traded during the 2026 NFL Draft.

Saints' Spencer Rattler expected to draw trade interest

"Those who could gain interest include Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr., Titans quarterback Will Levis, Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler..." Schefter reports.

These three quarterbacks were all mentioned right after Schefter called out the "plenty more who could be dealt during the upcoming draft."

Rattler's name has been floating in trade rumors often this offseason, and for good reason. Tyler Shough is the answer at quarterback, and Rattler would be better off being traded to a new team than sitting as the backup for a year.

He's more valuable to the Saints as a draft pick or player compensation, especially since he is one of the better quarterbacks who could still be on the move this offseason.

More: Spencer Rattler could be traded during 2026 NFL Draft

The other two QBs mentioned have some significant issues. Levis played very poorly the last time he was seen as the starter for the Tennessee Titans, back in 2024, and Richardson's struggles over the last few years, with health and consistency being red flags.

Rattler, while his 1,586 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and five interceptions this past season weren't the most impressive performance, there was a bit more intrigue about his play than the other QBs Schefter noted could be on the move.

Saints fans should be keeping an eye out for any Rattler rumors leading up to and during the NFL Draft. They might be trading their backup QB away, which would make a lot of sense to surround Shough with better talent on offense or bolster the revamped defense.

More Saints news:

• The Marshon Lattimore trade has aged incredibly well for Saints
• Ruben Bain Jr. named perfect draft pick for Saints with eighth pick
• Chris Olave and the Saints are in extension talks this offseason
• Saints might use both Alvin Kamara and Travis Etienne Jr. in 2026
• Carnell Tate is scheduled to visit with Saints among four other top-10 picking teams for 2026 NFL Draft

The college football offseason's biggest stories are annually the transfer portal, the coaching carousel, and the layout of the coming season's schedule. This year, the college football offseason has added a spicy and unexpected plot twist. USA TODAY Sports college football writer John Brice has more:

"After the NCAA’s Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee on March 19 adopted what the special teams community has called a “drastic rule change,” the measure that restricts player movement for “two adjacent linemen on either side of the snapper” faced objections from coaches.

"However, those objections didn't stop the NCAA football rules subcommittee from upholding the change in a call held Thursday, April 9, a person with knowledge of the vote told USA TODAY Sports. The call was held after coaches had made public their frustration with the rule change and its process.

"Six coaches familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports that Steve Shaw, the NCAA’s national coordinator of officials, recently held a Zoom meeting for FBS special teams coordinators that featured more than 50 coaches. The coaches requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject.

"We didn’t have a chance for answers,” a current Power conference special teams coordinator from a College Football Playoff participant told USA TODAY Sports. “Some people basically were already done with spring football when this was passed. I can’t do it or teach it in the summer, because that’s cheating and then I’d get fired.”

You can read the rest of the story for more details and quotes from coaches, but here's the crazy and central part of the whole saga: The rule is almost unanimously opposed by coaches, and yet it passed. That's how messed up the whole process was. Will the rule be rescinded before the season begins? We shall see.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: College football coaches are outraged about punt formation rule change

This story initially appeared on SteelersNow.com

The NFL Draft is just three days away, and the Pittsburgh Steelers still don’t know who will be their quarterback in 2026. The Steelers have not received word from Aaron Rodgers on his future, and there is no expectation of a final decision prior to the NFL Draft, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

The Steelers open Monday’s bonus minicamp with Will Howard as the starting quarterback, with Rodgers’ decision likely still weeks away.

“Aaron Rodgers has been in regular communication with Steelers officials, including Mike McCarthy who he knows very well from his days with the Packers. They’ve talked plenty about life, as well as football. Rodgers has also been training when he’s been at home back in California. But to this point, he has not told the Steelers affirmatively that he’s going to be back in Pittsburgh for a 22nd NFL season,” Pelissero said onGood Morning Football.

Click here to read more from our partners at Sports Now Group Pittsburgh.

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Marco Sturm Opens Up On Bruins Game 1 Loss After Being In 'Perfect Spot' originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Bruins suffered a disappointing 4-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres in Game 1 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series.

Boston went on the road against Buffalo, in what was an electric atmosphere as playoff hockey returned to Buffalo for the first time in 14 years. However, the Bruins did a good job early silencing the crowd, as the Bruins led 1-0 after the first and second periods.

Boston then took a 2-0 lead just 68 seconds into the third period, before the Sabres scored four-straight goals in just over six-and-a-half minutes. Although David Pastrnak did score with eight seconds left, it was a disappointing loss for the Bruins, as head coach Marco Sturm felt like the team was in the perfect spot to steal Game 1.

“I thought we were in the perfect spot,” Sturm said postgame on Sunday. “We were exactly where we wanted to play. Being in that position, five, six minutes left in the game. You could tell, they got a little bit frustrated and made pretty much two mistakes to let them tie up the game.

“It is a long series, and we’re prepared. We want to come here to Buffalo and get a win. We didn’t get it today, so we’re going to try our best to get it next game.”

It was a frustrating loss for the Bruins, who dropped Game 1, but there are some positives to take away heading into Game 2.

Boston will return to the ice on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET for Game 2 against Buffalo.

More NHL: Bruins vs. Sabres Final Score, Highlights: Sabres Stun Bruins with Third Period Comeback to Win Game 1

As the 2026 NFL draft commences on Thursday night in Pittsburgh, the New York Giants enter with significant momentum following their trade of All-Pro nose tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick.

Equipped with two selections in the top 10 (Nos. 5 and 10) and a total of eight picks, head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Joe Schoen possess substantial resources to accelerate the rebuild around quarterback Jaxson Dart.

With the final seconds finally ticking off the clock, Giants Wire presents its final mock draft of the 2026 offseason.

We used the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator for this exercise and left all settings on default, including the big board being set to PFF's rankings. We controlled only the New York Giants and projected all seven rounds.

Here is how things played out.

Round 1 (No. 5): Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

While there were trade options available, most of them would have pushed the Giants outside of the top 12, leaving them with precious few prospects with first-round grades (roughly 13-15 in this draft). With a second first-round pick now in tow, the Giants stay at No. 5 and land the versatile off-ball Sonny Styles, who can also pitch in at safety.

Scouting report from Dane Brugler (The Beast):

A three-year starter at Ohio State, Styles played weakside linebacker in defensive coordinator Matt Patricia’s 4-2-5 base scheme (and wore the green dot in 2025). After playing multiple safety roles for two seasons, he transitioned to linebacker as a junior and then became an All-American as a senior, combining for 182 tackles over his final two seasons. He was awarded the “Block O” jersey in 2025 and voted a senior captain (receiving the most votes on the team).

Styles is a freaky height/weight/speed athlete with fluid change of direction and the playmaking range to cover every blade of grass. He processes quickly and delivers pop at contact as a downhill player, rarely missing tackles thanks to his ability to violently overwhelm the ball carrier. Though he plays with terrific reaction quickness, the next step in his development is to improve his anticipation, especially in coverage, so he can make more plays on the football.

Round 1 (No. 10): Francis Mauigoa, OL, Miami

Again, there were trade proposals, but with Francis Mauigoa still on the board, the decision felt simple. While the Giants will still go pickless in Round 3, they add a second Day 1 starter in Mauigoa, who is willing, capable, and likely to shift inside to right guard, solving that issue for Big Blue.

Scouting report from Dane Brugler (The Beast):

A three-year starter at Miami, Mauigoa was a mainstay at right tackle in offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson’s balanced scheme. A former five-star recruit, he earned a starting role from day one and started all 42 games the past three seasons (he led the Hurricanes in snaps played in both 2024 and 2025). A consensus All-American his final season, he was a pivotal part of Miami’s run to the 2025 national title game and became the first Miami player since 2005 (Eric Winston) to earn the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the ACC’s top blocker.

A wide-bodied blocker and “Freaks List” alum, Mauigoa carries his weight well. He doesn’t have elite length or foot quickness, but he plays with a relaxed feel in space to mirror and put rushers in a vise. He stays centered in pass sets and has a sturdy anchor to make defenders pay for trying to go through him. He gets in trouble lunging in the run game but plays stout through his extension to seal inside/outside run lanes.

Round 2 (No. 37): Peter Woods, iDL, Clemson

Once a surefire top-5 pick, Peter Woods slides down the draft boards a bit following an inconsistent 2025 season. That ends up benefiting the Giants, who land their Dexter Lawrence replacement. He will likely have some rookie struggles, but with the right coaching and development, Woods can transform into a long-time starter and potential Pro Bowl talent.

Scouting report from Dane Brugler (The Beast):

A two-and-a-half-year starter at Clemson, Woods shuffled up and down the line in defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s four-man front. After earning Freshman All-American honors in 2023, he received All-ACC honors in each of the last two seasons. He was tabbed as a potential top-five draft pick entering his junior season, but he struggled to match that hype in 2025, posting up-and-down tape and poor production (14 pressures, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks over 12 games).

Draft projections for Woods will depend on a team’s willingness to grade to his flashes. He moves with big-man twitch and has the foot quickness to elude blocks in tight quarters. However, for a player with his explosive traits, he doesn’t have many quick wins on his tape and needs to learn how to diversify his rush approach. But he consistently saw four hands from blockers each snap and produced enough splash plays to believe he will be a more stable player in the future.

Round 4 (No. 105): Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame

The Giants have taken a broad approach at wide receiver, replacing the departed Wan'Dale Robinson with a multitude of low-risk, high-reward players. They add to that group here, selecting the 6-foot-4 Malachi Fields, who gives Big Blue a legitimate red zone threat.

Scouting report from Dane Brugler (The Beast):

A one-year starter at Notre Dame (and three-year starter overall), Fields was the boundary receiver in offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock’s scheme. A high school quarterback, he transitioned well to receiver at Virginia before transferring to the Irish for his final season in 2025. His targets and production took a nosedive with a freshman at quarterback (he didn’t record a 100-yard receiving game in 2025), although he produced several memorable plays.

Fields flashes both build-up speed and short-area juice, along with a go-and-get-it gear when the ball is in the air. He displays impressive reflexes at the catch point and deftly takes advantage of every inch of his frame to reel in throws. NFL coaches will like the way he uses his hands and feet to gain a step of separation out of breaks, although they will want to see him expand his route proficiency (there is a healthy amount of hitches and go routes all over his tape).

Round 5 (No. 145): Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska

The Giants sniffed around running backs throughout the offseason and are said to be very high on Jeremiyah Love, but didn't get to call his name in Round 1. They add to the room with Emmett Johnson in the fifth round, which is unlikely to happen come the actual draft (Round 3/Round 4 projection). But hey, we can only play the hands we're dealt in these simulations, so the sure-handed Johnson joins Big Blue.

Scouting report from Dane Brugler (The Beast):

A two-year starter at Nebraska, Johnson lined up primarily offset in offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen’s version of the Air Raid. After two seasons in a running back rotation, he had a breakout 2025 season as the only FBS player to average more than 150 scrimmage yards per game. He led the Big Ten with 1,451 rushing yards and became the first running back in Nebraska history to record 100-plus yards both rushing and receiving in the same game.

With his agile cutting skills, Johnson is explosive laterally and has sharp footwork and shifty body movements to give defenders the slip. His feet can get a little bounce happy at times, but he makes it work for him by pressing the line and setting up open-field defenders. Though he runs with determination, his average power will be more noticeable when dealing with NFL contact.

Round 6 (No. 186): Thaddeus Dixon, CB, North Carolina

Injuries likely cost Thaddeus Dixon an earlier pick despite the strong endorsements from the Belichicks. The Giants take a flier on the 24-year-old, who can play multiple positions in the secondary and is strong against the run -- a John Harbaugh favorite. He does have ball location issues similar to Deonte Banks, which fans won't want to hear, but as a sixth-round pick, it's worth the gamble.

Scouting report from Dane Brugler (The Beast):

A one-year starter at North Carolina, Dixon followed the opponent’s No. 1 receiver in defensive coordinator Steve Belichick’s scheme, aligning both inside and outside (Bill Belichick: “He could probably play any position in the secondary.”). With few options out of high school, he earned his way from the juco level to Washington, and then to the Tar Heels, although his final season was marred by injury.

Dixon is a high-energy cover man and carries himself with maturity, both on and off the field. He doesn’t usually jam at the line but trails routes and disrupts catch points. He is more likely to face guard than find the football, which hinders his interception opportunities. He also relies more on physicality than pure speed to recover, which can be an asset versus the run but will get him in trouble when facing NFL athletes.

Round 7 (No. 192): VJ Payne, S, Kansas State

There is no chance VJ Payne is available this late in the draft, but once again, we can only go with what PFF gives us. Projected to go as high as Round 4, the Giants get another absolute steal here with a safety who can likely contribute to a rotation as a rookie.

Scouting report from Dane Brugler (The Beast):

A starter for three-and-a-half years at Kansas State, Payne played free safety, strong safety and big nickel in former defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman’s scheme. He posted consistent production the past three seasons and earned All-Big 12 honors as both a junior and senior.

Payne offers a rare combination of rangy size and long-striding speed to make plays near the line or at the sideline. He is at his best as a matchup player against big, dynamic tight ends, using his nimble quickness and body length to influence the catch point. Despite his starting experience, he is still a tad green and can be more reactive than proactive keying run/pass or reading routes. He is a physical tackler but often guilty of stopping his feet instead of running through his target.

Round 7 (No. 193): Eli Heidenreich, FB, Navy

Eli Heidenreich remains our favorite mock selection in these projections, and we'd pick him even earlier if we knew there was a risk of him being gone (which is likely in the actual draft). A true versatile threat, he can play fullback, running back, outside receiver, or slot receiver. He's a do-it-all talent that will fit nicely on a Harbaugh-coached roster.

Scouting report from Dane Brugler (The Beast):

A starter for two-and-a-half years at Navy, Heidenreich played the “Snipe Z” position in the Midshipmen’s modern triple-option offense, which includes aggressive pass concepts (play action, verticals, etc.). He split his 2025 snaps between the backfield (44.4 percent), wide (35.4), slot (14.7) and inline (5.5), and he accounted for a sky-high 45.7 percent target share. He set Navy records for career receiving yards (1,994), single-season receiving yards (941) and single-game receiving yards (243). Heidenreich and Tavon Austin are the only FBS players since 1956 with 925-plus receiving yards and 475-plus rushing yards in the same season.

Heidenreich is a versatile all-purpose athlete with acceleration and body control as both a route runner and ball carrier. More quick than explosive, he has mismatch-creating potential out of the slot and catches everything thrown his way, regardless of placement or positioning. He is unproven in pass protection, although there are no questions about his competitive toughness.

Pro Football Focus grade: A-

Payne getting a B- grade and Heidenreich getting a C+ grade in Round 6 remains amusing to us. PFF's board is very different from the consensus big board, especially the deeper you go in these mock drafts.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants Wire 7-round mock draft: Final post-Dexter Lawrence trade projections

Sitting at No. 31 in the NFL Draft, the New England Patriots might be looking at limited options in the first round. However, they are not afraid to make a move up the board either if an opportunity presents itself. Obviously, that opportunity would be closely tied to which players are available; there are only so many worth trading up for.

Would Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman fall into that category? Let’s look at what he brings to the table.

Hard facts

Name: Dillon Thieneman

Position: Safety

School: Oregon (Jr.)

Opening day age: 22 (8/8/2004)

Measurements: 6’0 1/8”, 201 lbs, 31 3/8” arm length, 9” hand size, 4.35s 40-yard dash, 41” vertical jump, 10’5” broad jump, 18 bench press reps, 9.71 Relative Athletic Score

Experience

Colleges: Purdue (2023-24), Oregon (2025)

Career statistics: 39 games (39 starts) | 2,417 defensive snaps, 379 special teams snaps, 5 offensive snaps | 306 tackles, 40 missed tackles (13.1%), 10 TFLs, 2 FFs | 12 QB pressures (2 sacks, 4 hits, 6 hurries) | 68 targets, 44 catches surrendered (64.7%), 494 yards, 6 TDs, 8 INTs, 16 PBUs | 10 special teams tackles, 1 missed special teams tackle (9.1%) | 9 punt returns, 67 yards (7.4/return) | 2 penalties (incl. 0 declined/offsetting)

Accolades: First-team All-Big Ten (2025), Second-team All-American (2025), Honorable mention All-Big Ten (2024), Freshman All-American (2023), Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2023)

An impact player since his high school days, Thieneman was a four-year varsity starter at Westfield, ID, and eventually rated a three-star recruit. He received multiple offers from across the FBS landscape, but family ties prevailed and he joined Purdue in 2023. He immediately earned a starting role as a true freshman and over the next two seasons played 24 games for the Boilermakers. In those games, he registered 210 tackles as well as six interceptions and received multiple individual accolades even as his team went a combined 5-19.

That lack of success led to Purdue firing head coach Ryan Walters, which in turn prompted Thieneman to enter the transfer portal after his sophomore campaign. A four-star prospect, he was a hot commodity before opting to join Oregon. He ended up spending only one season with the Ducks before declaring for the draft, but did manage to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors after picking up 96 tackles and a pair of interceptions.

Draft profile

Projected round: 1 | Consensus big board: No. 18 | Patriots meeting: N/A

Strengths: Thieneman is a fantastic athlete whose straight line speed (97th-percentile 40-yard dash) is accompanied by natural fluidity. He can be trusted as a single-high safety due to his tremendous range and fast processor as well as his instincts; he reacts in an instant to attack the ball and has the closing speed in pursuit and coverage to make big plays in the backend. His skills are not limited to playing space, though, and he also can move to different spots in the lineup. He is a stout tackler who is not afraid of contact and bursts into run lanes.

He also took on a leadership role at Oregon, being named a game captain on four occasions in 2025 despite being in his first year in the program. In addition, he was a reliable player at both of his college stops, starting all 39 possible games without any time missed due to injury.

Weaknesses: Thieneman is not the biggest player, with his lack of height (39th percentile) and weight (27th percentile) limiting him when taking on tight ends in coverage or run support. In general and despite his natural versatility, he can look out of place the closer he gets to the line of scrimmage and gets lost in traffic on occasion. He also is not immune to taking some questionable angles when coming downhill. Finally, he failed to match his freshman ball production in subsequent seasons, going from six interceptions and a pair of forced fumbles in Year 1 to a combined two INTs over his final 27 games.

Patriots preview

What would be his role? Even though the Patriots have two starter-caliber safeties on their roster and rarely rotated into three-safety looks in 2025, they would find a way to get Thieneman on the field as a third option to complement Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson. While he might be used more in nickel and dime packages early on, he should be able to get reps in base looks as well given his abilities as a scheme- and package-agnostic player in the secondary. Further down the line, he would likely be tabbed to succeed Byard as the starting free safety.

Does he have positional versatility? As mentioned above, Thieneman is not limited by scheme or position. He can play man as well as zone, can line up in split safety or single-high looks, and move closer to the line or into the slot if need be. He also played 100-plus special teams snaps in all three of his college seasons, seeing action on five units (kickoff and punt coverage, kickoff and punt return, field goal/extra point block). In addition, he aligned as a running back for five snaps during his freshman campaign at Purdue.

What is his growth potential? Not turning 22 until training camp, Thieneman is still a developing player despite his immense college experience and an NFL-caliber athletic profile. If he can improve his angles and tackling technique, and make the necessary adjustments from college to pro level, he should become an impact player fairly quickly in his career and has all the tools to turn into a multi-year starter.

Why the Patriots? New England may have more pressing needs than safety to address in the first round, but as Eliot Wolf stated last week the draft is about more than short-term considerations. And with Kevin Byard turning 33 in August and on a one-year deal, Thieneman would be well-suited as a long-term replacement. In fact, given where they are positioned, the Patriots probably would not find a better prospect.

Why not the Patriots? There is a chance that Thieneman will not fall in the Patriots’ range, even if they are willing to move up the board in the first round. Furthermore, they simply might want to address other spots first before targeting a position with two starters in place.

One-sentence verdict: Thieneman is as good a safety as there is in the draft, and under the right circumstances — i.e. him still being around in the high 20s — would be a tremendous addition to a Patriots defense that prides itself in being versatile.

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

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

In what's shaping up to be one of the deepest wide receiver classes in recent memory, the 2026 NFL Draft presents the Pittsburgh Steelers with plenty of prospects — including projected Day 2 wideout Ted Hurst of Georgia State — to keep a close eye on.

Here's a look at Hurst's scouting report, containing information on his bio, strengths, concerns, stats, and highlights.

Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State

• Height: 6 feet 3 7/8 inches
• Weight: 206 pounds
• 40-yard dash: 4.42 seconds
• Projection: Second- to third-round

Strengths

• Finds soft spots in zones with ease
• Builds speed through routes
• Incredible red zone target
• Can find a second gear in his speed

Concerns

• Average contested catch ability despite length advantage
• Struggled with drops
• Release package needs work

Stats

• 2024: 56 receptions, 961 yards, nine touchdowns
• 2025: 71 receptions, 1,004 yards, six touchdowns

Highlights

Ted Hurst hip-sink/deceleration at 6032 pic.twitter.com/RBunwcY6qv

— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) February 3, 2026

For up-to-date Steelers coverage, including any offseason moves, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers NFL Draft scouting report: Ted Hurst, Georgia State

Davison Igbinosun came into Ohio State as a top recruit. His first three seasons at Ohio State were solid enough, but they did not quite live up to the high expectations coming in. He was always a strong corner and able to keep tight coverage, but he got flagged for pass interference way too much as he had a tendency to grab after getting beat on cuts. He cut down on the penalties a ton his senior season, which gives him serious consideration as a top cornerback in this year's draft class.

Davison Igbinosun, Cornerback

Draft Projection: Rounds 2-5

I don't expect Igbinosun to get as high as the second round. He's a strong corner with huge potential, but he hasn't put it together enough in college to really earn the risk of a high draft pick.

There are a lot of pretty good corners in this year's draft class, but there are very few elite ones. Where does that leave NFL teams looking at Igbinosun? If he can get his penalty problem fully under control, he's a strong multi-year starter at the NFL level. If he can't quite stay with elite receivers making cuts, then he'll be a serviceable cover back for the second or third receiver. How much will NFL teams be willing to look to put into Igbinosun? That will decide whether a team wants to take him as high as early in the third round or as low as late in the fifth.

This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Davison Igbinosun NFL Draft profile and projection

Head to the comments section to share your thoughts and join the conversation. You can sign up for a commenting account below and we have full-time moderators to enforce the Community Guidelines.

Penn State football will have a completely overhauled roster to get to know in 2026 under new head coach Matt Campbell. Following one of the most active offseasons in recent memory for Penn State with a flurry of activity in the transfer portal, fans will have a lot of catching up to do in getting to know this year's Penn State roster. Fortunately, not every face will be brand new to fans. Regardless, we will be here to give you a fresh overview of every player on the roster for the 2026 season with a series of player profiles.

From all of the returning players, a long list of new faces from the transfer portal, and incoming recruits from the Class of 2026, we will have you covered with this year's player profiles for the Penn State roster. Here is a quick look at quarterback Connor Barry for the 2026 season.

Preseason Player Profile

• Hometown: Vienna, Virginia
• Height: 6-1
• Weight: 206
• Class in 2026: Senior

Recruiting Rankings

Class of 2025: Composite zero-star recruit

Barry was not heavily recruited out of high school, although he was one of the successful QBs in Virginia High School history.

Career Stats

Connor Barry previously played for Appalachian State in his freshman season, before transferring to D-III Christopher Newport. In his career, he has passed for 5,561 yards, 55 touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions. Last season, not only did he break CNU's single-season passing yards and touchdowns records, but he also led D-III in passing efficiency.

Depth Chart Overview

Barry should be projected to land the QB2 role, although he may have to battle for it with redshirt freshman transfer Alex Manske. Still, his experience, even at the D-III level, could lend itself to a potential battle. He could see some early playing time in the early stages of Penn State's schedule, but may not start unless an emergency occurs.

Random Fact

Barry is the first southpaw quarterback to potentially play for Penn State in over 20 years.

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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Previewing the 2026 season for Penn State QB Connor Barry

The Golden State Warriors have put together their teams through a variety of ways over the years, yet few approaches have proven as successful as the NBA draft. More than anything else, the most talented players to represent the Warriors have arrived in Golden State either by being selected directly in the annual draft or through trades executed on that same night.

The Golden State Warriors have taken many of their top stars through the draft, but have also landed a number of notable players over the years as well. From tiny colleges to blue blood programs, these alumni have contributed significantly to the team's roster over the years. So, we chose to take a closer look at which Dubs came from which schools over the years.

So without further ado, let's take a look at every player who has been drafted by the Warriors out of BYU.

Joe Nelson - wing

Draft year and position: fifth round (eighth pick, 56th overall), 1948 BAA Draft

Seasons at BYU: three

Seasons played with Warriors: did not make the team

Jim Eakins - center

Draft year and position: fifth round (7th pick, 57th overall), 1968 NBA Draft

Seasons at BYU: three

Seasons played with Warriors: did not make the team

All stats and data courtesy of Basketball Reference.

This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Every BYU player drafted by the Warriors

It’s officially Draft Week!

The 2026 NFL Draft starts in just three days, as Pittsburgh plays host to the event for the second time in its history and the first in more than 70 years. Whether you love or hate mock drafts, they’re finally about to come to an end, but not before a final blitz of them come through over the next 72 or so hours.

The first big shakeup affecting the first round happened over the weekend as the Cincinnati Bengals acquired All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants. Cincinnati sent the #10 overall pick to the Giants in the deal, giving them two selections in the top ten heading into John Harbaugh’s first year as their head coach.

That likely will not affect the Green Bay Packers, who will wait until #52 to make their first selection (barring a move up). Of course, what the board looks like at that time is anyone’s guess, and that will make the wait on Friday evening a long and nerve-wracking one for fans of the Green and Gold.

Meanwhile, today also marks the first day of the Packers’ offseason workout program as players are back in the building. Expect a few bits of business to take place over the course of the day.

Here’s a look at what’s going on around the Packers and the NFL with just a few days to go before the Draft.

2026 NFL draft intel, notes: What Adam Schefter is hearing | ESPN
Among the notable items here is a reminder that the first round will go faster this year — teams now will have only an 8-minute clock per pick rather than getting ten minutes.

Packers Tailgate Tour blog: Reflecting on an unforgettable trip | Packers.com
The 20th annual Tailgate Tour concluded over the weekend with a few stops in north-central Wisconsin.

Identifying the best prospect fit for Packers at each position in 2026 NFL draft | Packers Wire
We’re not the only ones projecting Dani Dennis-Sutton as a perfect Packer this year.

All-Packers Mock Draft Based Purely on Their 30 Visits | SI.com
More interesting than the mock draft is the news that there’s a secret quarterback visitor whose name the team refuses to share with the public. Perhaps they’re trying to avoid a similar situation to 2023, when they had Sean Clifford in for a visit and then had to scramble to draft him in the fifth round after a run at the position?

Bengals acquire Dexter Lawrence from Giants for No. 10 pick, give DT 1-year, $28M extension | NFL.com
There go our dreams of Sexy Dexy in Green Bay, but at that price, it was never going to happen. Still, he only got a one-year extension which signs him in Cincinnati through 2028.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is now so large it is home to dozens of species of life, prompting debate over cleanup efforts | Earth.com
This sounds like the Great Garbage Crisis of 2000 come to life — I think it’s time to blast the garbage into space.

Talent? On this defense? Yes, despite what Matt Eberflus failed to do with it, the Cowboys’ defense does have some pieces to work with. Some of them are new arrivals from free agency, and we expect several more to come from the upcoming 2026 draft. As we continue this series of articles looking at how Dallas’ talent rates, and how it could impact the draft, the focus turns to the defense and specifically the front-seven positions in the defensive line and linebacker corps.

In the modern NFL, the term “front seven” is almost antiquated. With nickel now the dominant scheme, the majority of snaps have a combination of six defensive linemen and linebackers playing with five defensive backs. That’s good for a Cowboys team which is sorely lacking up front, and especially at linebacker.

As we’ve done with the other articles in this series, we’re looking at each player based on his perceived talent and the role he’s expected to fill in 2026. That means some backups will be rated higher than projected starters, but only because they currently feel more qualified for their spots on the depth chart.

The Elite

DL Quinnen Williams

Even in a transition from his midseason trade, Williams remained one of the league’s top interior linemen. While Dallas’ defense had too many holes for Williams’ arrival to raise all ships, his individual dominance was routinely on display. The hope going forward is that Christian Parker’s work to improve other defensive positions will take some of the pressure and attention off of Williams, allowing him to do even more to personally impact games.

Sadly, none of Dallas’ other front-seven defenders qualify for this top level. We have hopes for what good health could mean for DeMarvion Overshown, but we won’t know until December just how that goes.

Very Good

N/A

Williams not only stands alone on the elite tier, but there’s a huge gap between him and the rest of the defense. In the front seven, who right now can you say you feel all that great about? Many would consider DeMarvion Overshown the next-most talented, but he has massive availability concerns. We hope that Donovan Ezeiruaku is going to break out in his second season, but we need to see it first. Other guys are at least solid in their projected roles, which we’ll get to next, but no DL, EDGE, or LB outside of Quinnen Williams feels like a clear strength right now.

Good Enough

DL Kenny Clark
DL Otito Ogbonnia
DL Jonathan Bullard
EDGE Rashan Gary
EDGE James Houston

Remember, we’re looking at players’ value relative to their respective role. We’re not saying James Houston is a better player than Donovan Ezeiruaku (next tier), but he’s got lower expectations as a rotation piece versus someone the team is counting on for bigger things. With 5.5 sacks last year coming off the bench, he’s perfectly adequate for the same role. The same goes for new arrival Rashan Gary, who should be a capable starter as long as we’re not asking him to be the team’s top pass rusher.

Dallas has nearly renovated the defensive line, with Jay Toia now the only guy remaining from the start of last season. The new veteran core of Clark, Bullard, and Ogbonnia probably aren’t pushing for Pro Bowl spots this year, but they all feel like solid fits for what Parker plans to do. Like Williams, they’re hoping for more effective play around them to create more opportunities. But more than anything, their jobs will be to dictate terms up front and allow the linebackers to be the playmakers.

Causes for Concern

EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku
EDGE Marist Liufau
EDGE Sam Williams
EDGE Tyrus Wheat
DL Jay Toia
LB DeMarvion Overshown
LB Shemar James
LB Justin Barron

And now we get to the not-so-fun part. The linebackers are riddled with issues and question marks, which is why ILB and EDGE have been at the forefront of many mock drafts. Even a guy we have high hopes for in his second year, Ezeiruaku, is going to need to take a pretty big leap to be the productive pass rusher that Dallas needs. He’d be “Good Enough” if he was just a wingman or rotation guy, and maybe he will be depending on how the draft goes, but without any new additions there is a lot of pressure on Ezeiruaku to perform.

The rest of the EDGE rotation is suspect even for depth. Liufau has reportedly been moved there after two years inside, and it doesn’t bode well. He’s undersized for the role and will be a huge liability against the run, which will limit his snaps. Your third season is a time to blossom in an existing role, not find a new one, and this move is more likely to result in Liufau not finishing out his rookie contract. As for Sam Williams, he could find new life in this scheme but has to show it on the field. If his best plays are only on special teams like in 2025, this one-year deal is probably his last. Tyrus Wheat returns after a one-year sojourn in Detroit, but he’s just a body right now until proven otherwise.

As bleak as some of that sounds, it’s still a better situation than inside linebacker. As already mentioned, Overshown has clear star potential but needs his body to cooperate. If healthy, Overshown can be a great chess piece for Parker with versatile abilities. You can line him up in several different ways and leave offenses guessing about what he might do. But if his knee doesn’t finally hold up, it will all be for naught.

Shemar James was able to get a lot more playing time last year than expected, but we saw all of the rawness that made him just a Day 3 pick. The physical traits are all there, but his diagnostic skills need to improve. As for Justin Barron, a year on the practice squad means we don’t really know what he has to offer. But the former safety should have the coverage skills to play 3-4 LB, especially on passing downs, and will be interesting to watch this summer.

Surprise, surprise: the linebacker position, inside and edge rushers, is a massive need going into the draft. It’s why many think Dallas could trade up on Thursday night, hoping to land a premier EDGE like David Bailey or the top ILB, Sonny Styles. If the Cowboys do move into the top-10, it’s probably for one of these guys. We could also see Arvell Reese in the mix if he falls a little, or Rueben Bain if the other top defenders go early.

However, moving up means only getting one guy early. Given how big the needs are at both spots, you can understand why many would prefer Dallas to stand pat at the 12th and 20th picks. They may not get an elite prospect, but they can cover two bases instead of one. This would bring other pass rushers like Akheem Mesidor and Keldric Faulk into play, plus ILB prospects C.J. Allen and Jacob Rodriguez. Still, not trading up also makes it more likely that the top talents on the board will be defensive backs, or maybe offensive tackles.

More than any other positions, EDGE and ILB will hang over this draft. Not getting one on Thursday night will keep a spotlight on it in the subsequent rounds. And without a significant addition from the rookie class, many will be looking for Dallas to turn to free agency or even a trade immediately following the draft. This will be especially true for ILB, which has no reliable starter from among the current talent.

Worcester: W, 4-2 (BOX SCORE)

The Red Sox farm, unlike the Major League team, actually enjoyed solid pitching all the way around on Sunday. Worcester’s shutout performance in Nashville (Brewers AAA) was courtesy of Michael Sansone. The 26-year-old Connecticut native may well end up putting together some innings on the Major League squad in 26; he lacks any sort of velocity but gets by with control. He allowed just two hits in six innings; Nate Eaton beat that on his own, including his 2nd home run of the series in the midst of his three-hit afternoon. This one, with Sansone’s great start, was never really in doubt, but the WooSox may have benefitted from a bit more offense. Still, you can’t look a gift horse that is a 4-2 win in the mouth, especially when it comes at the heels of five straight losses and a total of five runs in three games combined.

Portland: W, 5-3 (BOX SCORE)

Hayden Mullins, the former Auburn Tiger and 2022 12th round draft pick, had perhaps the best outing of his professional career. Mullins has more velocity and less control than Sansone, but the latter didn’t seem to be the case in Altoona (Pirates AA), as he rolled through eight scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and just one walk. That’s not to say he was constantly throwing strikes; 30 of his 76 pitches were outside the strike zone, but the strikes came at the right times. He’s been struggling so far to start 2026, so this was nice.

Day off for Franklin Arias, and in his absence the team had its three top slots in the lineup each strike out multiple times. In fact, the Sea Dogs only had one extra base hit on Sunday from Miguel Bleis. Even still, they strung together a W.

Greenville: W, 4-3 (BOX SCORE)

The only problem with Marcus Phillips’ start on Sunday against Bowling Green (Rays High-A) was that it didn’t go super long. It lasted just 58 pitches, but he amassed seven strikeouts, and then things went south in the bullpen after Phillips was pulled in the fourth. But, things didn’t go SO well for the Hot Rods that the Drive couldn’t take the lead back in the bottom of the eighth with a Natanael Yuten RBI single, which had a .268 WPA. As the entire arm emerged victorious, this win was also not pretty, but it was a win!

Salem: W, 4-2 (BOX SCORE)

The RidgeYaks break their five-game losing streak holding a total run differential of -18 with a defense-first win. They got to scoring runs on Hickory (Rangers A) early, holding a 4-0 lead, peaking with Starlyn Nunez’ RBI triple, and the bullpen held their own following a short, but good, start by Kansas native Barrett Morgan. Prior to this game, the Crawdads had hung a total of 8.8 runs a game on Salem, so this was a refreshing display of effective pitching by committee!

The Arizona Cardinals are in need of another safety. Jalen Thompson unfortunately left in free agency and the team signed Andrew Wingard away from the Philadelphia Eagles. But every defensive backfield needs three capable safeties.

Currently in the safety room are Pro Bowler Budda Baker, Kitan Crawford, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, and Joey Blount.

RELATED: SAFETY BUD CLARK PROFILE

In the meantime, does the safety room need another capable body?

Michael Taaffe is also a highly-regarded safety. He is a smart kid with good awareness on the field, most likely at strong safety. He is a guy who can come in and instantly compete for the open starting job next to Delpit.

Defensive backs coach Cristian Garcis hasconsistently valued instinctive, physical defensive backs who can operate in multiple roles. All of this represents Taaffe.  

S Michael Taaffe

Draft projection: Round 5

Cardinals pick: #143

—————————————————————————-

Specifics:

College: Texas

Height: 6’-0”

Weight: 189 pounds

40-time: 4.5

Career Tackles: 222

Career Forced Fumbles: 1

Career Sacks: 3

Career Tackles for Loss: 9.5

Interceptions: 7

Career Pass Defenses: 14

Career games: 53

Accolades: First Team All-American, First Team All-SEC, Second Team All-American (2024), Wuerffel Trophy winner

Positives:

• Tremendous coverage skills
• Great anticipation rather than being physical
• Natural ball tracking
• Seven career picks, so he knows how to find the ball
• Versatility in that he can play box, free safety, and in the slot
• Genuine coachability
• Superior special teams guy
• Leader
• Shows up in big games

Negatives:

• Athletic limitations
• Bit undersized
• Bigger tight ends an issue
• Not able to take on offensive linemen
• Too many missed tackles
• Will overrun pursuit angles
• Limited recovery speed

Expert Draft Site Analysis

Bucs Wire

Taaffe brings a unique and experienced profile to this draft class, appearing in over 50 career games while developing into a key contributor in Texas’ secondary. A former walk-on who earned his role, Taaffe steadily worked his way into a starting position and became one of the more reliable defensive backs on the roster. Taaffe continued to contribute, making plays across multiple phases of the defense, including interceptions, tackles for loss, and consistent involvement in the run game before dealing with injury late in the season. Across his career, Taaffe has consistently shown the ability to produce in big moments, including interceptions in key games and strong performances against high-level competition.

Good morning.

Evan Grant writes that McKenzie Gore’s subpar road trip shows that he’s not yet at the level that the Texas Rangers hope that he can achieve.

Kennedi Landry writes that Gore allowed three home runs in a start for the first time since 2023 in the series finale loss to Seattle.

Grant checks in on the options available to the Rangers should ailing Robert Garcia miss time with a sore shoulder.

Landry’s newsletter covers to rise of Gavin Collyer to the big league bullpen, despite debuting in a minor league park.

And, ESPN’s David Schoenfield has an extremely early look at the players that could be available at the trade deadline.

Have a nice day!

Henri Veesaar had a season for UNC that few saw coming. Veesaar elevated his three-point percentage in his senior season from 32.7% to 42.6%, posting an effective field goal percentage of .677. For the season, Henri averaged 17 points, 8.7 boards, and 2.1 assists, using his time in Chapel Hill to elevate his status from bench player in Tucson to potential NBA first round pick. (Side note: fans who love to point out players who shot better away from Chapel Hill seem to forget guys like Veesaar and Manek, who posted career bests here).

Towards that end, NBA draft talk projects Veesaar anywhere from back end of the first round to middle of the second round. ESPN mocks see Veesaar landing anywhere from 36-44. The Athletic has him at 32. Rookie Scale, which blends its own player analysis with estimates from other sources, puts Henri at 35. The NBA advisory board reportedly did not give Henri a consensus first round grade.

The positioning creates a real question for Veesaar. Last season, the NBA started guaranteeing two years for players at the top of the 2nd round, which increases their chance to put down roots in the league. However, the money starts to drop off considerably beyond pick 30. In 2025, being picked 30th guaranteed two years totaling $5.6 million, with team options for years three and four totaling an additional $8.5 million. Pick 40 last season signed a contract for two years guaranteed for $3.4 million, with years three and four a team option at an additional $5 million. Pick 50 got a one-year deal at $475,000, with two more years as a team option totaling $2 million.

With crazy portal numbers for proven big men rumored to be in excess of $4 million, Veesaar clearly stands to make more money for one season by remaining at UNC, assuming UNC pays market rate. Towards the higher end of Veesaar’s draft predictions, Veesaar can make that money back if he puts down roots and if he gets to a lucrative second contract one year faster. Towards the back end of his predictions, Veesaar would be leaving multiple millions on the table.

Throw in this: if the NCAA passes the “five years eligibility” rule, Veesaar could be looking at making as much in the next two years of college ball as he would in four NBA years at pick 40. That’s how rapidly NIL and the financial arms race in college sports has escalated value at Henri’s position and skill level.

That’s a tough decision for Henri, and Henri’s decision leaves us with a troubling question of our own: what would be the ceiling for UNC next season if Veesaar declares?

Louisville and Duke have been throwing money at next season’s roster, with some suggesting Louisville may end up with the most expensive roster in college basketball. Virginia returns everyone and adds a couple of new pieces. Malone will be instituting a new culture with a remade roster and no one available in the portal nearly as proven as Veesaar, or even with the potential Veesaar flashed at Arizona. Would UNC be starting the season hoping for fourth best in the ACC? Or do you see room for more optimism?

Continuing the two-part series from this past weekend, ranking the Detroit Lions free agent signings from this offseason, we now flip to the top half of the list after starting with Nos. 17–10—diving into Nos. 9–1.

Keep in mind, this isn’t just a ranking of the players or their projected 2026 contributions. These rankings blend projected role, current ability, future upside, contract value, the broader free agency landscape, and a layer of intangible impact.

Dive in below for the Lions’ top free agent signings (Nos. 9–1), as this class quietly positions the organization well heading into this week’s draft, where they currently hold nine selections.

No. 9 — Wide receiver / Returner Greg Dortch | Age 27.8 | $1.40M / 1 year ($1.075M guaranteed)

Greg Dortch serves as a stylistic parallel to Kalif Raymond, but the Lions got much younger at the position, as Raymond enters his age-32 season.

Dortch shares a lot of similar characteristics with Raymond: an undersized undrafted free agent who bounced around multiple rosters and practice squads before eventually finding a more stable home in Arizona, while also providing value as a punt returner.

He also comes from Arizona, where he has familiarity with new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. Similar to Raymond, Dortch offers a scrappy, dependable presence in the passing game, and since 2022 has posted a 75.5% catch rate (third among receivers), a 2.1% drop rate (seventh), and 6.6 yards after catch per reception (fifth), underscoring his efficiency and reliability after the catch.

No. 8 — Safety Avonte Maddox | Age 30 | N/A

Avonte Maddox, much like Rock Ya-Sin, emerged as one of the most consistent and valuable members of the Lions’ defense last season, particularly in a chaotic defensive backfield. After seven seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, Maddox delivered one of his most productive years, taking on more responsibility as a post safety and thriving in that expanded role.

He graded out as a top-10 safety per PFF and consistently showed up in key moments, including standout performances in wins over the Cowboys and Bears, where his range and instincts helped stabilize the back end.

It was a necessary reunion with the Detroit native, even with the additional pieces added to the defensive back room. His familiarity with the system and versatility give him a clear path to playing time, particularly in the opening stretch of the season.

No. 7 — Guard Ben Bartch | Age 27.7 | N/A

Ben Bartch enters a true Super Smash Brothers free-for-all battle at left guard, with the winner of the role having clearly earned it as a key piece of what should be the Lions’ deepest offensive line under Hank Fraley’s guidance.

Bartch’s contract details are not yet known, but it is assumed to be a low-risk free agent flier on a player who is still only six seasons removed from being a Division III left tackle—and eight years removed from playing tight end at the DIII level—while continuing to settle into the nuances and consistency required at NFL guard.

He brings a fitting amount of size and physicality to the interior, coming off encouraging play in four starts at left guard for the San Francisco 49ers the past two seasons. He now enters a heated competition with Christian Mahogany and Miles Frazier for the starting job in Detroit.

No. 6 — Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez | Age 27 | $2.75M / 1 year ($2.70M guaranteed)

Malcolm Rodriguez’s 2025 season was largely defined by his recovery from a 2024 Thanksgiving Day ACL injury, and once he returned, he was a limited player who didn’t resemble his pre-injury impact to earn playing time. A wasted season. In many ways, that would have been an underwhelming and premature endpoint to his time in Detroit—but not a fitting one for a player who has been a locker room fit since Day 1.

A true program player, Rodriguez earned a modest pay bump and the opportunity to rebound with the Detroit Lions, competing for the third linebacker role in a system that continues to value his run defense and energy.

In 2024, before the injury, Rodriguez was playing the best football of his career. He looked more comfortable in coverage—handling more man assignments—while processing run fits faster than in his first two seasons and consistently detonating downhill with clean tackling form. That version of him was an ascending, higher-impact role player in the front seven especially after Alex Anzalone went down.

If he can regain that form with another year removed from injury, Rodriguez projects as a plus starter alongside Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes. In that scenario, he would easily outplay the value of his contract and position himself for a stronger free agent market next offseason.

No. 5 — Defensive back Christian Izien | Age 25.8 | $2.00M / 1 year ($1.00M Total Guaranteed)

Christian Izien fits the type of player Dan Campbell has subtly referenced when talking about adding more competition and ferocity to practice and training camp. Like many of the Lions’ external additions, Izien is a hungry, junkyard-dog competitor with the right demeanor to elevate the overall intensity of the room while ensuring nothing in the building is taken for granted and every role has to be earned. 

One of the more successful undrafted defensive backs of the past few years, Izien has carved out a legitimate role through sheer volume and consistency. His 1,582 defensive snaps over the last three seasons rank fifth among all UDFAs within their first three years in that span, while his 165 total tackles rank sixth in that same group.

He brings clear value on a bargain contract, offering the ability to play across the defensive backfield while also contributing on special teams. His game shows a blend of zone coverage experience from his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and man coverage traits dating back to college at Rutgers. The result is a versatile, assignment-ready defensive back who can be deployed in multiple roles depending on need—while consistently flying around the football and filling up the stat sheet with active production.

That flexibility matters in Detroit, where he can factor in at safety amid uncertainty around Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, while also providing insurance and depth at nickel. Durability is another calling card—he’s played in 93.7% of possible games across his college and NFL career over the past seven seasons, reinforcing his profile as a dependable, ready-to-roll depth piece.

No. 4 — Right tackle Larry Borom | Age 27 | $5.00M / 1 year ($4.90M guaranteed)

Larry Borom didn’t have the most stable start to his career with the Chicago Bears, but he still exceeded expectations as a fifth-round pick, making 27 starts across four different spots on the offensive line. Notably, he hadn’t seen consistent work at right tackle—his natural position—since midway through the 2022 season.

That changed in a resurgent second act last year with the Miami Dolphins, where he found real runway with 11 starts on the right side and played some of his best football. From Week 6 through the end of the regular season, Borom posted a 70.3 PFF overall grade (35th among 92 qualifying tackles), while his 82.1 pass-blocking grade ranked sixth among all offensive tackles in that span.

Brad Holmes clearly valued that stretch of proven production and upside at a premium position, moving to secure Borom at the 48th-highest paid offensive tackle in football (tied with fellow free agents Braxton Jones and Jawaan Taylor). While his 3.71% pressure rate last season ranked sixth-best among right tackles. Borom brings a stable floor in pass protection with the ability to contribute in the run game as he continues to settle into his natural position.

With the possibility of Penei Sewell shifting to left tackle, Borom could pair with Tate Ratledge to form a physical, ascending right side of the offensive line—potentially giving the Lions enough stability there to avoid immediately addressing an early draft pick at tackle.

No. 3 — Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin | Age 29.8 | $3.20M / 1 year ($2.64M guaranteed)

Rock Ya-Sin proved to be a massively underrated signing for the Lions’ front office last season. Despite toggling between cornerback and safety during training camp, he ultimately settled in at corner and played all 17 games with six starts amid a wave of secondary injuries. The result was a career-resurgence season: a career-high 47 tackles and nine passes defended, along with several clutch plays that helped stabilize the position group in key victories.

He also delivered strong value on special teams, finishing as the Lions’ highest-graded special teamer per PFF (85.1, 22nd among all NFL players). One of the better tackling outside corners in football, Ya-Sin is a high-effort competitor who played his best ball down the stretch, posting a 70.0 coverage grade from Weeks 11–18 (33rd among 113 cornerbacks).

While his $3.2M deal is the most he’s earned since joining the Baltimore Ravens in 2023 ($4M for one year), he still ranks only 59th among NFL cornerbacks in salary—despite producing like a much higher-paid starter in stretches last season. In many rooms, he would be more than just depth.

He now projects as a steady floor piece behind starters D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold, giving the Lions a reliable rotational option with starting-caliber snaps when needed.

No. 2 — Defensive back Roger McCreary | Age 26.1 | $1.40M / 1 year ($0.987M guaranteed)

A clear replacement for the recently paid Amik Robertson, Roger McCreary brings a similar scrappy demeanor, positional versatility, durability, and play style—despite overcoming historically short arms (28 7/8″). Not long ago, he was a second-round investment by the Tennessee Titans and later deemed worth acquiring by the Los Angeles Rams at last year’s trade deadline as they looked to bolster a postseason push.

His 2023 campaign—his second in the league—remains his most complete season to date. In his first year transitioning to the nickel, McCreary finished as PFF’s 12th-highest graded slot defender (71.3), while showcasing his run defense and tackling ability with 33 defensive stops (seventh among all cornerbacks). He also posted career highs in tackles (86) and tackles for loss (6), while adding six passes defended. That version of McCreary is what the Lions are betting on rediscovering.

He also offers outside flexibility, dating back to his time at Auburn, as a rookie, and flashing again in a brief stint with the Rams—particularly during the playoffs. That versatility ties into a broader theme across the Lions’ defensive back additions: optionality. New defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard now has the ability to mix and match personnel, contributing to what may be the deepest secondary of the Detroit Lions era under Dan Campbell—with room to add more in the draft.

McCreary will now be playing under his sixth defensive coordinator in eight football seasons, underscoring the instability he’s navigated early in his career. Still, at just 26, this is a classic low-risk, high-reward swing. He brings stout play strength and a physical edge that can make him an irritable presence for opposing receivers, giving the Lions another tone-setter in the secondary.

No. 1 — Center Cade Mays | Age 26.9 | $25.0M / 3 years ($14.0M guaranteed)

Mays made 21 starts over the past two seasons, including 12 last year, helping stabilize Bryce Young’s pocket while opening rushing lanes for Rico Dowdle and Chuba Hubbard during Carolina Panthers’ first postseason run since 2017. His path hasn’t been linear—three regimes in four years, a brief stint on the New York Giants’ practice squad, and positional movement between fullback and both guard spots—but he’s finally settled in at center and found his footing.

In 2024, Mays led all centers with an 87.5 PFF gap-blocking grade—the third-highest mark at the position since 2018. Across his 21 starts at center over the past two seasons, he didn’t allow a single sack and posted just a 3.0% pressure rate (t-eighth among centers).

Mays brings a burly, physical presence to the position and represents the Lions’ most cost-effective solution at center. His AAV came in well below his projected $12.3M and far beneath Tyler Linderbaum’s $27M mark. He should help fortify the interior, easing the burden on the guards, providing stability for Jared Goff coming off a war-torn 2025 season full of dirty pockets, and creating more interior runway for Jahmyr Gibbs.

For new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, it’s a plug-and-play upgrade that allows the offense to hit the ground running. More broadly, Mays represents the kind of needle-threading move this front office prioritized—landing a long-term answer at center in an inflated market, without forcing the issue in a draft class that may not offer a top-75-caliber option at the position. In doing so, they’ve stabilized a spot left unsettled since the early-career exit of franchise pillar Frank Ragnow.

Harry Kane and Michael Olise have one of the most amazing partnerships in world football right now. The Bayern Munich duo have registered over a hundred goal contributions combined, and show no signs of slowing down. Against Real Madrid it took two goals and an assist by Kane, as well as a goal and assist from Olise over 180 minutes to win the tie.

Speaking to the media after the game, Harry Kane expressed an opinion that only FC Barcelona fans would disagree with. “I’d say he [Olise] is currently the best winger in the world,” said Kane (DAZN via @iMiaSanMia). “He creates a lot of chances and isn’t afraid to dribble. I think he’s one of our main players, along with Luis Díaz.”

Kane is probably right about that. Stats-wise, the two players are pretty even, but Olise has now fired his team into a Champions League semi-final. That should give him the edge.

Now, what about the Ballon d’Or? If Olise wins a Champions League but Yamal wins the World Cup, then in a year like this Yamal would probably win the thing. But it’s all up in the air right now. Bayern Munich fans will swear up and down that Olise is the better player, and Harry Kane agrees with us. That’s what matters.

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

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For the third time in program history, Aggie baseball came away with a road sweep of the LSU Tigers and the first since 1978. Behind stellar pitching, consistent offense, and a will to win and in front of a nationally televised audience, #10 Texas A&M (31-7, 12-5) also secured their fourth straight conference series victory. The squad is in a winning rhythm, having won 11 of their last 12 SEC contests and holding a current six-game win streak.

GAME 1: #10 A&M 10, LSU 4

Jorian Wilson’s first collegiate multi-homer day catapulted No. 10 Texas A&M to a 10-4 series opening win over LSU on Friday night at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. The freshman blasted a pair of two-run homers to pace the Aggie offense’s eighth double-digit output in conference play this season.

Ice was broken by Texas A&M (29-7, 10-5) in the third inning with a Caden Sorrell RBI groundout. The junior’s productive at-bat was set up by a walk and single that set up runners on the corners with less than two outs. LSU (23-16, 6-10) would tie things up one inning later on Steven Milam’s solo shot.

From that point, it was mostly Maroon and White. A three-run fifth gave A&M the 4-1 lead off Chris Hacopian’s run-scoring single and a Jake Duer two-run base hit up the middle. The Tigers did respond with an RBI single in the bottom half, but the bats went quiet for the hosts until the eighth.

The longball power was on display in the sixth, as Wilson launched his first homer of the night to left center. Gavin Grahovac piled on with a solo shot to right center to really extend the Aggie advantage to 7-2.

While the offense was hard at work, the pitching was also solid. Shane Sdao worked into the fifth, allowed two earned runs, and struck out four across 4.2 innings of work. Gavin Lyons took the baton from the lefty and also punched out four in his 2.1 innings.

A wild pitch in the eighth scored another A&M run before LSU grabbed two runs in the bottom half on an error and a sacrifice fly to close the gap to 8-4. Wilson called game with his second longball of the night in the ninth, while Ethan Darden closed out his second scoreless inning of work to finish the victory for A&M.

Something of note: Hacopian took a 93-mph fastball to the face in the eighth inning on Friday. He did play in both remaining games this weekend, showing off his power on Sunday.

GAME 2: #10 A&M 7, LSU 2

A seven-inning outing from Aidan Sims paced Texas A&M (30-7, 11-5) to a 7-2 road victory over LSU at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge. The 30^th Aggie win of the season also secured a fourth straight conference series win and their first in Louisiana in four years.

Five runs between the second and third innings provided more than enough run support for Sims. In his second start since being moved off Sundays, the sophomore shoved. He struck out the side to start the contest and punched out six across his first three frames.

As for the Aggie offense, they went back to work. They made Tiger (23-17, 6-11) pitching work overtime. A wild pitch gave Jorian Wilson another RBI opportunity, driving home the game’s first run with a single. Bear Harrison cashed in three pitches later, launching his sixth homer of the year to left to give A&M a 3-0 lead.  

Steven Milam hit his second homer in as many days, another solo shot, to put LSU on the board and provide an immediate response. That was Sims’ only true blemish on an otherwise stellar outing. Gavin Grahovac got the run back in the next half inning, punishing the second pitch of the third to left for a 4-1 advantage. Jake Duer later brought home the fifth Aggie run on a sacrifice fly.

Teams traded single scores in the fifth, as Chris Hacopian picked up an RBI after getting plunked in the face in game one. LSU used a fielder’s choice in the bottom half to get the score to 6-2.

Grahovac collected another RBI in the sixth, which proved to be enough offense on Saturday night. Sims (7-0) took held the Tigers off the board in his final two innings of work, completing seven frames of two-run baseball. The sophomore retired nine of the final 10 Tigers he faced, paving the way for Clayton Freshcorn.

Freshcorn got some help from his defense in the eighth and worked around a ninth-inning single, posting two zeros to secure the Saturday win for the Maroon and White.

GAME 3: #10 A&M 5, LSU 2

No. 10 Texas A&M’s early offensive attack was enough to hold off LSU’s bats as the Aggies took the series finale 5-2 at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge. The visitors only scored in the first four frames but held the Tigers scoreless in eight of the nine innings to polish off a second consecutive SEC sweep.

It didn’t take long for the Aggies (31-7, 12-5) to get going, as Caden Sorrell sliced the eighth pitch of the day through the north wind into the right field stands to go up 1-0.

Bear Harrison’s sacrifice fly in the second doubled the lead going to the third. Chris Hacopian provided the big blow, depositing a two-run laser into left field to grow the advantage to 4-0. The Maryland transfer last homered in the second game on April 3 vs. Vanderbilt, nearly 16 days ago.

Speaking of 16 days ago, starter Weston Moss finally got to take the bump again. The junior struck out three over his first three scoreless innings of work, allowing two baserunners via the walk.   

Gavin Grahovac picked up an RBI in the fourth with his single into left to push the lead to 5-0. After 3.2 innings of no-hit baseball, Moss gave up his first knock, a single, in the fourth. Consecutive singles, followed by a strikeout, ended his outing in the fifth, as he finished with 4.2 shutout frames and five punchouts.

The focus for the Aggies shifted to the mound, as Gavin Lyons and Clayton Freshcorn took over. Lyons posted 2.2 innings of scoreless ball, working around three baserunners without giving up a hit.

Freshcorn allowed a solo shot to Cade Arrambide on the first pitch of his afternoon outing but settled in. The junior struck out three, sandwiched around two singles and a passed ball that scored a second Tiger run in the eighth. Up 5-2 in the ninth, Freshcorn got two quick outs. A first-pitch single proved to be no issue, as the right-hander punched out Arrambide to complete the three-game sweep and push the Aggies’ win streak to six games.

This weekend’s efforts helped A&M to their fourth ever sweep of LSU (1910, 1916, 1978) and third away from College Station (1910, 1978). This is Texas A&M’s third SEC series win at Alex Box Stadium out of six total played between the two schools.

Up next for Aggie baseball is an afternoon midweek game against UTSA (27-13, 10-5 American) on Aggie Muster (Tuesday, Apr. 21) at 3:00 p.m. in Olsen Field at Blue Bell Park. Then, the SEC gauntlet continues away from home with a three-game set versus Florida in Gainesville, Fla., next weekend (Friday, Apr. 24 – Sunday, Apr. 26).

It’s Monday, and although basketball is over, college baseball and softball are still going strong. But our coverage is still going strong. Check out our original coverage and what we can find from the World Wide Web below.

Is Week 0 the new Week 1?

The Oversight Committee has been busy so far this spring, with the latest report coming out at the end of last week. This is looking at changing the FBS football calendar to have everyone start the year on what is currently Week 0, the weekend before Labor Day. The regular season would still end Thanksgiving weekend, making the two bye-week schedule that happens every so often permanent. The hope is that this creates more flexibility in the CFB schedule, including the potential for changes to the playoffs. It will now be discussed in June, and if approved, it will go into effect for the 2027 season.

Mountain West Top 10 returning MBB players

Chris Murray takes a look at the top returning players in the Mountain West Conference for next season. Jake Hall tops the list after his reaffirmation to New Mexico. Nevada’s Elijah Price and UNLV’s Tyrin Jones come next, as both are major retainments for their schools. Wyoming has three of the remaining seven players, while Grand Canyon has two of its own. Plus, Nevada and New Mexico have another on the list, too.

Colorado State post-spring press conference.

Jim Mora called the spring practices successful for the Rams, with a lot of progress. They ended the spring with 24 players missing due to injury, so the top concern is getting healthier. It sounds like they could have some incoming transfers if the five-for-five rule goes into effect. Mora declined to release a depth chart, saying no player has cemented their spot at this time.

Gloria Nevarez talks exit fees, conference realignment.

Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez sat down and shared her thoughts on the conference and how quickly they were to fill the spots of the departing members. About the lawsuits, she is standing by the bylaws and the position of the policies that were adopted by all members at that time. Some interesting notes in the post, the Grant of Rights has no minimum collection from the lawsuits, making it binding even if they lose the lawsuit. Also, in her opinion, Nevarez said 12 football teams is the ideal number, but they are stable enough where they can be more selective now.

Bowl Games staying the same.

Women’s Tennis Co-Champs

On the horizon:

Today: A new Recruiting Roundup. Will the impending redshirt rule impact recruiting?

Today: Baseball Rankings

Tuesday: Reacts Survey

Tuesday: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: PAC-12 Football Coaches

Tuesday: Hike’s Peak Podcast Episode 151

Wednesday: Peak Perspective: Top 10 MBB Players of the Mountain Division Era

Wednesday: NCAA Baseball Tournament Projections Vol 4

Manchester City edged a breathless, high-stakes contest 2-1 against Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in a result that could prove decisive in the Premier League title race.

Rayan Cherki gave City the lead with a piece of individual brilliance, gliding past Gabriel and Declan Rice before calmly finishing into the far corner. Arsenal responded immediately, taking advantage of a mistake by Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose heavy touch allowed Kai Havertz to pounce and equalise.

The second half was a battle of tactics and strength, with both teams gaining and losing momentum as the game went on. Arsenal came close to taking the lead via Eberechi Eze and Havertz, while Manchester City threatened via Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo.

But just after the hour mark, Donnarumma was at the centre of more positive things for his side, as the Italian started a sweeping move that led to Nico O’Reilly driving forward and Haaland finishing it off flawlessly.

Late drama followed as Gabriel hit the post via a deflection and Havertz missed a clear chance in stoppage time, but Manchester City held on to their lead to move to within just three points of Arsenal with a game in hand.

Here are Five Things We Learned from an enthralling contest at the Etihad Stadium!

Match Report & Player Ratings: Manchester City 2-1 Arsenal (Premier League)

1. City’s transitional efficiency proved decisive

This game was not defined by who controlled possession, but about decisive moments. Manchester City executed theirs with greater clarity and confidence, and deservedly won the contest.

The winning goal highlighted the importance of teamwork. Gianluigi Donnarumma’s pass bypassed Arsenal’s press and released Nico O’Reilly in space. Jeremy Doku stretched Arsenal’s defensive shape before the decisive cross from O’Reilly found Erling Haaland.

The pace and tempo at which Manchester City progressed the ball stood out, moving from their defensive third to the final third in a matter of seconds, taking advantage of weaknesses in Arsenal’s offensive positioning.

On the other hand, Arsenal created chances by building up in a structured way, but they weren’t as clinical in key moments. Eberechi Eze’s shot that hit the post and Kai Havertz’s missed chances revealed the difference.

In games of this magnitude, efficiency is often more important than volume. City highlighted that fact precisely.

2. Cherki continues to provide unpredictability in tight games

Rayan Cherki’s initial strike wasn’t just an early breakthrough – it showed a growing tactical asset in Pep Guardiola’s system. 

Manchester City needed individual creativity to break through Arsenal’s tightly organised defence. The France international did just that. He was able to get around several defenders in one move by rapidly shifting his balance and direction in tight spaces.

His presence made Arsenal change their defensive focus beyond the goal. Gabriel, who usually does well in one-on-one situations, had to play reactively, and Rice had to move out of position to try to stop Cherki’s movement.

This unpredictability is becoming more and more useful. In games where structured play is neutralised, players who can create incisively and ingeniously become crucial.

Rayan Cherki gave the game that spark when Manchester City desperately needed some ingenuity.

3. Donnarumma’s duality remains a key variable

This was one of the few performances that really showed the contrasting facets of Gianluigi Donnarumma’s game.

His mistake that led to Arsenal’s equaliser was costly and could have been avoided. He tried to play under pressure, but his heavy touch allowed Kai Havertz to get the ball and score the equaliser, which changed the game’s momentum and could have destabilised City’s control.

But the response that the Italy international provided was just as important. In the second half, he made a key save to keep Havertz from scoring and to keep the score level at a crucial moment. A few moments later, he developed the play that led to the winning goal by quickly finding O’Reilly.

This duality, which shows vulnerability under pressure but excellence in shot-stopping and ball distribution, remains crucial to Manchester City’s risk-reward balance.

Guardiola’s insistence on building from the back has its risks. Donnarumma shows both the risks and the benefits of that style of play.

4. Haaland’s and Gabriel’s duel defined the physical narrative

Erling Haaland versus Gabriel Magalhães has been one of the most significant individual battles in recent matches between these two teams.

This meeting followed that same pattern and turned into a constant physical fight. At first, Gabriel seemed to be in control, making it hard for Haaland to get involved by marking him closely and making aggressive challenges. The Norway international had little impact, and his touches did not lead to any critical chances.

But what sets elite forwards apart is their relentless ability to keep going. Haaland stayed involved, keeping both William Saliba and Gabriel busy and stretching the defensive line. When the decisive moment arrived with O’Reilly crossing in the box, Arsenal’s focus shifted toward Rodri, leaving Haaland with the space he required.

The finish was brilliant, but the timing of the run was what made it important. Haaland faced a tough battle, but he still scored the crucial goal at a key moment.

The fight, both physical and mental, showed how close these games can be.

5. City’s resilience under pressure signals title readiness

This was not a controlled performance of old by Manchester City. It was chaotic at times; there were obvious swings in momentum as the game went on.

Arsenal had opportunities to assert their control in the match. Havertz’s late header, Gabriel’s deflected effort, and Eze’s effort all highlighted moments where the match could have gone Arsenal’s way.

What separated City was their response to those phases. They absorbed the pressure, remained structurally compact, and capitalised on the next opportunity.

Teams that are in the final stretch of a title race often show this kind of resilience, as exemplified by Pep Guardiola’s previous title-winning teams themselves. They don’t need to be in charge all the time; instead, they find ways to deal with momentum swings and know how to capitalise decisively on key chances.

This resilience mattered because everyone across the team shared it. Everyone on the team made contributions, as highlighted by Cherki’s creativity, O’Reilly’s driving runs, Haaland’s finishing, and Donnarumma’s recovery moments.

City didn’t control every part of the game. They controlled the outcome.

Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Arsenal was determined by small margins, decisive individual contributions, and strategic details.

The performance was not outstanding. Defensive weaknesses, mistakes in distribution, and times when Arsenal put City under pressure revealed areas that need improvement. But those flaws also showed the traits that make a title challenge successful: being flexible, effective, and strong.

Above all, City showed that they could win even when they didn’t have full control, which is an attribute that often sets contenders apart from champions.

Now that the game is over and the momentum has changed, the bigger picture is now clear. The title race, which was once leaning heavily in Arsenal’s favour, has now shifted towards City.

And Manchester City, as they so often are at this stage of the season, are firmly in pursuit.

Pep Guardiola issues Rodri injury update after worrying Arsenal substitution

With the 2026 NFL Draft slated to begin this week, players across the league are ramping up their offseason workouts and conditioning, including members of the New Orleans Saints. Following a Tulane Green Wave scrimmage over the past weekend, Yulman Stadium hosted Saints QB Tyler Shough and several of the team’s current pass catchers for an organized practice.

Among those in attendance were three tight ends and three wide receivers currently on New Orleans’ roster. The workout included both veterans and newcomers to the Big Easy, most notably TE Juwan Johnson, who seemingly developed a strong connection with Shough during the QB’s rookie campaign a season ago.

The Saints will head into this year’s draft with strong needs at both WR and TE. Although options will be available for both when New Orleans is on the clock at number eight, it has been heavily speculated that the team may decide to lean toward a defensive playmaker in the first round instead.

Which position do you think the Saints should target in the first round of this year’s draft? Is there a particular player that you are hoping to see rock the black and gold this season? Let us know in the comments below!

The Phillies just suffered their worst homestand in quite a while. They didn’t hit well, they didn’t field well, they (honestly) didn’t pitch very well either. It’s not good baseball to watch, it’s not good baseball to analyze right now. Is there anything going right for the team at this moment?

Bryce Harper has been hot of late. That’s been cool.

Brad Keller has been better lately as well after his season got off to a rocky start.

Cristopher Sanchez is awesome again. There are some good things happening for the team; they’re just hidden under about ten feet of garbage.

The question for today is: of all the things that are going wrong for the Phillies at the moment, which is likeliest to turnaround quickly for them? Some of the hitters are hitting so badly at the moment, the laws of averages seem to be in their favor at some point that they’ll bounce back. The fielding can’t be this bad (can it?). At some point soon, there has to be positive regression with something…..but what?

We. Have. ARRIVED.

It’s draft week and the Texans are on the clock in just over 72 hours. It’s the calm before the storm that is Nick Caserio’s draft-day antics. Will he move out of the first round for the third straight draft, or will he leverage the additional draft capital he has to trade up in the first round? Will they build for the future by adding depth at key positions, or will they try to ‘win now’ and go all-in for stars that can contribute right away?

As the kids say, it’s going to be ‘cinema.’”

Over the past fifteen years, only four trades have occurred with the 28th pick in the NFL Draft. Unfortunately for those hoping the Texans move up, it’s only occurred one time in the past decade and a half.

Each trade presents a different scenario that the Houston Texans can emulate this week. Considering the Texans complete an AVERAGE of five trades per draft, there’s reason to believe Caserio will make a move with his first pick in this class.

2011: Saints move up for their star RB

SAINTS RECEIVED:

• 2011 first-round pick (No. 28): Mark Ingram, RB

PATRIOTS RECEIVED:

• 2011 second-round pick (No. 56) -> Shane Vereen, RB
• 2012 first-round pick

2015: Denver sends multiple assets to move up

DETROIT RECEIVED:

• Manny Ramirez, OC
• 2015 first-round pick (No. 28): Laken Tomlinson, OG
• 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 143): traded to Minnesota
• 2016 fifth-round pick

DENVER RECEIVED:

• 2015 first-round pick (No. 23): Shane Ray, OLB

2016: 49ers move into first round

49ERS RECEIVED:

• 2016 first-round pick (No. 28): Joshua Garnett, OG
• 2016 seventh-round pick (No. 249): Prince Charles Iworah, CB

CHIEFS RECEIVED:

• 2016 second-round pick (No. 37): Chris Jones, DT
• 2016 fourth-round pick (No. 105): Parker Ehinger, OG
• 2016 sixth-round pick (No. 178): D.J. White, CB

2024: Bills trade pick No. 28 to Chiefs

CHIEFS RECEIVE:

• 2024 first-round pick (No. 28): Xavier Worthy, WR
• 2024 fourth-round pick (No. 133): DB Jaden Hicks, DB
• 2024 seventh-round pick (No. 248): C.J. Hanson, OG

BILLS RECEIVE:

• 2024 first-round pick (No. 32): Pick traded to Panthers:  Xavier Legette, WR
• 2024 third-round pick (No 95): DT DeWayne Carter, DT
• 2024 seventh-round pick (No. 221); (from Tennessee): Travis Clayton, OT

Of these trades, I would be happiest with the redo-ing the Bills trade back. Moving back four spots earned them a 38-pick move up from their fourth round pick and 27 pick improvement in the seventh round. The Bills appear to have lost this trade however, as Worthy and Jaden Hicks have proven to be solid picks for the Chiefs.

The most intriguing pick is by far the 2016 trade. Considering With the 38th pick only 10 spots away, Houston can afford to trade out of the first round. Stockpiling a 2027 first-rounder in a loaded class is a savvy long-term play to offset the massive contracts soon hitting the books.

The Los Angeles Rams will have the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, their highest selection since the 2016 draft. Recent history favors the Rams’ draft position, with a mix of All-Pro talent and a Super Bowl champ going in that spot.

Some of the league’s greatest players and franchise stalwarts have been chosen with the 13th pick. According to the L.A. Rams’ official website, Hall of Famers Bob Lily, Franco Harris, Kellen Winslow and Tony Gonzalez were taken at No. 13. Same for 15-year veteran John Abraham and two-time Super Bowl champ Brandon Graham.

Plus, the last time the Rams had the 13th overall pick, they took Aaron Donald, and that selection seemed to pan out okay. Here’s a look at the most recent No. 13 selections from the last five NFL drafts.

2021: Rashawn Slater (Chargers)

Being selected immediately after Micah Parsons is a little unfair, but the Northwestern star proved up to the task.

Slater has been a staple on the Chargers’ offensive line, serving as a full-time starter protecting Justin Herbert. He was a second-team All-Pro during his rookie campaign, and is a two-time Pro Bowl selection.

Unfortunately, injuries have plagued Slater for a solid chunk of his career, and he is coming off a torn patellar tendon which cost him the entire 2025 season.

2022: Jordan Davis (Eagles)

Like most picks Howie Roseman and the Eagles have made in recent years, the Jordan Davis selection was a home run.

The former Georgia star is a key anchor of Philly’s defensive line and is coming off a season where he set career highs in combined tackles (72), sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (9). Davis was also a pivotal part of the Eagles’ second Super Bowl win during the 2024 season.

He’s also got some sneaky good wheels — Rams fans might wanna look away before watching the clip below.

Davis signed a three-year, $78 million extension this offseason to solidify his future in Philadelphia for years to come.

2023: Lukas Van Ness (Packers)

Man, did the Packers whiff on this pick.

In a draft where Green Bay could’ve boldly started its new era with Jordan Love by giving him some help like Jaxson Smith-Njigba, the team opted for Van Ness. He’s mostly been a rotational player, with only two starts to his name in 43 games played.

The Ex-Hawkeye hasn’t played 50% of his team’s stats on defense in any of his first three seasons. He’s only the latest entry on a LONG list of Packers defensive draft picks who have stunk it up in the pros.

2024: Brock Bowers (Raiders)

Perhaps the best of this grouping of the No. 13 pick club.

Bowers was a revelation in Year 1, earning first-team All-Pro honors and setting an NFL record for most receptions by a rookie (112), a mark set the previous season by the Rams’ Puka Nacua. He additionally set the league record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end (1,194), shattering Hall of Famer Mike Ditka’s 1961 record.

Injuries limited him to 12 games in ’25, but every time he took the field, he instantly made an impact, even though the silver and black were godawful.

Incoming Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza is going to love lobbing passes to his new security blanket.

2025: Kenneth Grant (Dolphins)

Grant was the most recent No. 13 pick in the NFL draft. He played in all 17 games during his rookie campaign, starting five, finishing with 33 combined tackles, 2.0 sacks and five QB hits. A slow start was cast aside by his strong finish to the year.

While his numbers were largely underwhelming on paper, there’s a strong chance he could flourish under Miami’s new defensive-minded head coach, Jeff Hafley. With fellow youngsters like Chop Robinson and Jonah Savaiinaea playing alongside Grant on the defensive line, the Dolphins might have enough pieces to field a competent D in 2026.

Given the state of the team’s bare bones roster, especially on offense, they can use all the help they can get.

Jon Anik is fascinated by Josh Hokit, especially after what he accomplished at UFC 327.

Hokit stole the show in Miami with an incredibly gritty, all-time battle against Curtis Blaydes, winning a unanimous decision and throwing himself into the top-10 rankings in just his third UFC fight. The Fight of the Year contender helped earn Hokit two post-event bonuses, an extra $200,000, and a fight on the UFC White House card on June 14 for his efforts.

Ahead of the fight, Hokit leaned into his bizarre character, and was getting go-away heat from the vast majority of the MMA community — even Dana White wasn’t a fan of his antics. But after Hokit’s outing, Anik recounts the UFC 327 fight week experience with “The Incredible Hok.”

“Well hopefully a lot of people have gone back and watched the lead horse Mark Hunt and Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, December 2023 in Brisbane, Australia, because this is the fight that people are comparing this to just in terms of its heavyweight greatness all time in the UFC,” Anik told MMA Fighting. “So Henry Cejudo, for all of his cringe and for as much adoration as I have for him, he never made me laugh out loud. And even though Josh Hokit is cringy at times, and our fighter meeting was completely fruitless. This dude makes me laugh out loud, right?

“Even though I’m sort of put off by some of the antics, he got me in the fighter meeting to laugh out loud, and at the official weigh-in, got me again, So I do think there’s some merit to what he’s doing, maybe more than some of his contemporaries that have tried with a shtick like this. But bro, You just can’t even make it up, and that’s why I think mixed martial arts is the greatest sport in the world and why it truly is the most unpredictable theater in live sport, because President [Donald] Trump has always wanted Derrick Lewis on the card, and Joe Rogan’s been talking about a 7th fight and Rogan starts pining for Hokit to find his way on the card, and the next thing you know, everything comes together and they booked the fight. Bro, I mean, like of all of Josh Hokit’s dreams, right?

“Like if you would have said to him on Friday, ‘Hey man, you can manifest this, you can get a double bonus, greatest heavyweight fight of all time in the UFC, and they’re going to book you on the already filled up White House card on June 14th.’ Yeah, man, walking the walk doesn’t even begin to describe it. So congrats to Josh Hokit.”

Anik mentioned the fighter meeting during UFC 327, saying Hokit was in character the entire time he was in the room with the broadcast team. But Anik said there was a moment where he made the longtime UFC play-by-play voice lose it a little bit in laughter — and again later in the week.

“So I don’t know exactly what the utterance was,” Anik said. “Maybe he said to Daniel Cormier at some time, like, ‘Now you’re playing along,’ or something. Like at one point he broke character and said to DC, ‘Now you’re playing along,’ or ‘Thanks for playing along,’ or whatever it was. 

“And just the body language at the morning weigh-in got me, right? With all his sort of timidity and everything else. But yeah, I mean, when Dana White says that’s not my thing, largely that’s my thesis statement too. If they assigned me a one-on-one with him leading up to the White House show, an interview, how much can I extract from him? Is he going to be right? Because our first fighter meeting with him was not that, right? It was a lot different, you know, so yeah, we’ll see.”

Hokit is still undefeated, and now sits at 3-0 in the UFC. The Bellator veteran has gotten opportunities he couldn’t get with the now defunct MMA promotion, and a move to the UFC was always what the doctor ordered, according to Hokit in an interview with MMA Fighting this past May.

“I was like, why am I even fighting in the first place? I’m not fighting to be PFL champion,” Hokit said about his decision to leave the company. “I’m fighting to be UFC champion. So that’s the goal of mine is I want to be in the UFC.”

Hokit is not only in the UFC and making a dent, but has become an intriguing fighter to watch and ask questions about as his breakout campaign continues on.

“I just don’t know how good he is yet,” Anik explained. “I think we’re all curious to see just how far he can take it athletically. The pedigree is there, but how good can he be? How good a puncher can he be? I don’t know. … 

“A guy accomplishing more in a third UFC appearance in UFC history certainly hasn’t happened, and it’s just going to be fascinating to see how he fares in some of these fights. He might get to a title fight before he fights someone like Sergei Pavlovich, but how do you fight a guy like that, or an Alexander Volkov? These guys, who have been there and done that, haven’t realized a UFC world title, but how does Hokti match up against those guys?

“I think it’s going to be absolutely fascinating to find out. I mean, he certainly is a dog. He’s got Greg Jackson and Mike Winklejohn in his goddamn corner, which is an interesting juxtaposition. We’ll see.”

Ariel Helwani is BACK ... IN ... YOUR ... LIFE!

Join "The Ariel Helwani Show" live on Uncrowned and YouTube at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT/6 p.m. UK time as Ariel and the Boys in the Back react to everything after another jam-packed combat sports weekend. Monday's rundown can be seen below.

1 p.m. ET: Ariel and the gang kick things off by reacting to the weekend that was.

2 p.m. ET: Mike Malott checks in following his big UFC Winnipeg win over Gilbert Burns.

2:30 p.m. ET: Josh Barnett looks back after another successful Bloodsport event.

3 p.m. ET: UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria previews his White House headliner against Justin Gaethje.

3:30 p.m. ET: Urijah Faber reflects on his RAF 8 main event against Arman Tsarukyan.

4 p.m. ET: RAF co-founder Chad Bronstein stops by after a wild weekend at RAF 8.

Catch all new episodes of "The Ariel Helwani Show"liveevery Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET on Uncrowned and The Ariel Helwani Show's YouTube page.

To listen to every episode, subscribe on Spotify or iTunes.

Columbus Clippers 12, Iowa Cubs 8

Clippers improve to 11-10

It was a home run derby in Columbus on Sunday, led by none other than the scorching hot Cooper Ingle, who went 3-for-4 with two home runs and a walk.

Ingle now has a ridiculous 1.403 OPS to begin the season. It’s one of the hottest start of any prospect in all of minor league baseball.

Crazy as it sounds, Ingle was just one of three different Clippers who had three hits. Nolan Jones went 3-for-4 with a walk while Milan Tolentino went 3-for-5 with a home run and a triple.

Kahlil Waton also impressed, going 1-for-3 with a double, two walks, a stolen base and three runs scored while Kody Huff went 2-for-4 with a home run and a hit by pitch. Stuart Fairchild also went 2-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base.

With that kind of offense, Columbus didn’t need much pitching to win … and they didn’t get much pitching. Starting pitcher Pedro Avila allowed five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and a walk in 5.0 innings. Koby Allard allowed another three runs in his lone inning of work.

The big standout was Daniel Espino, who again tossed a scoreless inning to close out the win while striking out two. He’s getting closer folks.

Akron RubberDucks 4, Harrisburg Senators 0

RubberDucks improve to 10-5

Tugboat!

What an impressive turn from the Akron pitching staff, led by none other than Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson. Wilkinson was flat out sensational in this game, throwing 5.0 perfect innings with six strikeouts. He was pulled after throwing 70 pitches.

While the bullpen wasn’t able to keep the perfect game going, it did preserve the no-hitter. Matt Jachech pitched a scoreless frame with one walk. Magnus Ellerts walked two and struck out two in a scoreless inning. Jay Driver walked one in his scoreless frame and then Carey closed out the combined no-hitter after walking a pair of batters.

Offensively, Alfonsin Rosario left the game after a first-inning RBI double. I hope he’s OK.

Wuilfredo Antunez homered, Jake Fox walked twice, Angel Genao doubled and Jose Devers went 1-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base. Nick Mitchell also walked and was hit by a pitch.

Lake County Captains 6, Fort Wayne Tincaps 9

Captains fall to 7-8

Lake County spoiled another excellent start from Franklin Gomez. Gomez allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with five strikeouts and just one walk in 5.0 innings.

Unfortunately, piggy-back partner Michael Kennedy got blistered for six runs on six hits in his 2.0 innings of work to take the loss.

On offense, Jace LaViolette was given an opportunity to lead off and he responded by blasting his second home run of the season, also walking.

No one had a multi-hit game, but Aaron Walton impressively went 1-for-2 with two walks. Bennett Thompson and Anthony Silva also both reached base safely twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk apiece and Dean Curley doubled.

Hill City Howlers 3, Wilson Warbirds 5

Howlers fall to 9-6

For his second straight start, Chase Mobley dominated opposing hitters, this time tossing 3.2 no-hit shutout innings with four strikeouts and a pair of walks.

Petty immediately followed by giving up three runs on six hits in his 3.0 innings of work. The game was still within reach until Keegan Zinn took the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning with the game tied 3-3 and quickly gave up a two-run walk-off home run.

Outfield prospect Robert Arias continued his scorching streak, going 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk and a stolen base. Dauri Fernandez went 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base and Anthony Martinez went 1-for-3 with a walk.

Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu held a meeting with his squad ahead of Tuesday’s decisive Coppa Italia clash against Como.

According to FCInterNews, the 45-year-old coach has urged his side not to get complacent after winning three consecutive Serie A games.

The runaway leaders have returned from the March international break with a bang.

Indeed, they’ve beaten Roma, Como, and Cagliari in their last three league outings, netting at least three goals in each victory.

As a result, they’re now 12 points clear of second-placed Napoli, with only five games left to play.

Therefore, it’s fair to say that Cristian Chivu is on the verge of hoisting the Scudetto in his first full season in charge of a Serie A club.

Cristian Chivu Warns Inter Milan Against Complacency Ahead of Como Clash

Chivu could become the first Inter manager since Jose Mourinho to secure a domestic double.

However, Inter can ill-afford to underestimate Cesc Fabregas’ side ahead of tomorrow night’s showdown at San Siro.

Indeed, a place in the Coppa Italia final is on the line following a scoreless draw at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia last month.

Furthermore, the Nerazzurri will be without Lautaro Martinez and Alessandro Bastoni.

As such, Chivu has warned his players to maintain focus and intensity to avoid any drop in standards ahead of this ‘make or break’ fixture.

After a difficult two-week stretch, it was nice for the Yankees to have a laugher series against the Royals. They swept their first series since the opener against the Giants, the pitching staff bouncing back to limit Kansas City to six runs across the three games while Aaron Judge and Ben Rice are really finding their power strokes to lead an offensive awakening. They enter a well-deserved offday atop the standings in the AL East.

Many of their AL rivals were also in action on Sunday, so let’s recap the events of those games.

Houston Astros (8-15) 5, St. Louis Cardinals (13-8) 7

The Cardinals thoroughly outclassed the Astros in this series, scoring 23 runs in three games to continue their surprising start to the campaign just a half-game back of first. Matthew Liberatore gave St. Louis six strong innings, limiting Houston to a run on three hits and two walks with four strikeouts, the lone damage coming in the form of a Carlos Correa sac fly in the third after Taylor Trammel reached on a one-out triple. The Cardinals then ambushed starter Mike Burrows for four runs in the fifth. Masyn Winn and Pedro Pagés singled around Nathan Church walk to load the bases with two outs. Victor Scott II walked to force home the first run, JJ Wetherholt singled home the next two, and Iván Herrera singled home the fourth.

Houston wouldn’t go quietly, responding with three runs in the eighth to level the scores. Yordan Alvarez became the first in MLB to ten home runs with a two-out solo shot. Jose Altuve singled, Christian Walker walked, and a wild pitch advanced the pair to scoring position allowing both to come home on an Isaac Paredes game-tying, two-run single.

That sent the game to extra-innings, where a crucial error by Brice Matthews at third gifted St. Louis the win. His misplay of a Jordan Walker grounder followed by a Ramón Urías HBP loaded the bases, and Winn won the game with a bases-clearing triple. Houston would attempt to rally, an Altuve RBI single cutting the deficit to two, but it wasn’t enough to prevent their 13th loss in their last 16 games.

Seattle Mariners (10-13) 5, Texas Rangers (11-11) 2

Bryan Woo gave the Mariners seven strong innings, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk along with six strikeouts. He clearly ran out of steam in that seventh inning, allowing a Corey Seager leadoff walk, Wyatt Langford single, and Joc Pederson HBP to load the bases, followed by a Josh Jung sac fly and Evan Carter RBI double. Offseason trade acquisition MacKenzie Gore was nowhere near as sharp for Texas, yielding five runs on seven hits and a walk in five innings.

All five of Seattle’s runs came vie three home runs off Gore. Rob Refsnyder led off the first with a solo shot, his first hit in a Mariners uniform. J.P Crawford struck with a two run bomb in the second after Mitch Garver drew a leadoff walk. Randy Arozarena capped off the trio with a two-run blast of his own after Julio Rodríguez kept the fifth inning alive with a two out single.

Toronto Blue Jays (8-13) 10, Arizona Diamondbacks (13-9) 4

On the verge of being swept for the second time this season, the Blue Jays bats broke out for double digit runs to salvage a win. Eight of the ten came in the first inning to tie a franchise record against starter Ryne Nelson, who managed to record just one out after allowing eight hits and a walk. In fact, the first eight Blue Jays reached safely as they sent an eventual 12 batters to the plate. Doubles from Kazuma Okamoto and Nathan Lukes were the big blows in the inning, Toronto scoring all their runs despite the ball not leaving the yard in the frame.

Okamoto would later add a solo home run to lead off the third while Lukes and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. each contributed three-hit afternoons. Kevin Gausman has been one of the best starters in baseball to open the season, so spotting him an eight-run first inning lead pretty much meant the game was over before Arizona had even come to bat. He pitched six innings of two-run ball, allowing seven hits and a walk against four strikeouts. The Diamondbacks scored consolation runs in second and sixth, the lone bright spot a pinch-hit, two run home run by Jorge Barrosa in the seventh.

Detroit Tigers (12-10) 6, Boston Red Sox (8-13) 2

Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet entered the season as the consensus favorites in the AL Cy Young race. Skubal lived up to that billing with six innings of one-run ball and ten strikeouts to silence Boston on Saturday, but Crochet couldn’t return serve. Coming off his worst start with the Red Sox — 11 runs in 1.2 innings against the Twins — Crochet allowed five runs on seven hits including a pair of homers in five innings against Detroit. It’s the third of his five starts in which he has allowed at least five runs, the southpaw left with a 7.88 ERA after departing. On the otherside, Framber Valdez authored another stellar start for the team that signed him to a three-year, $115 million deal over the offseason. He held Boston to a run on three hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in six innings, meaning he has allowed one or fewer earned runs while lasting at least six innings in four of his five starts with the Tigers.

The two sides traded runs in the first, Dillon Dingler opening the scoring with and RBI double before Willson Contreras answered in the bottom half with a solo home run. But then Detroit struck for four runs in the fifth, all with two outs after Crochet struck out the first two batters of the frame. Jahmai Jones crushed a solo blast followed by a walk from Gleyber Torres and single from Matt Vierling to set up a three run wall scraper from Dingler, giving the starlet catcher four RBIs on the day.

There would be no more scoring until the ninth, when again the teams traded runs. Torres collected an RBI single in the top half and Caleb Durbin an RBI double in the bottom of the frame to bring us to our final score, 6-2.

Other Games

Cleveland Guardians (13-10) 8, Baltimore Orioles (10-12) 4

It was the José Ramírez show in Cleveland, the future Hall of Famer slugging a pair of solo home runs as the Guardians tagged Orioles Opening Day starter Trevor Rogers for six runs on six hits and two walks in five innings. Taylor Ward crushed a three-run blast in the Orioles’ four-run fifth to make this a one-run game, but Cleveland restored their cushion by scoring a pair in the eighth. Rookie Juan Brito hit a two-run double and Brayan Rocchio collected three hits and three RBIs batting ninth.

The scientific method has been long established. Unfortunately, when it comes to human endeavors experiments are a bit messy. The first step in the scientific method is to actually observe what is going on. This is where things get a bit tricky. The human mind is a peculiar thing and that is particularly true when it comes to memory. We often remember what we want to remember and forget what we want to forget. Other factors color that memory and sometimes alter it. Criminal justice experts constantly tell us that eyewitness testimony is extremely unreliable.

This is why the lab exists in the first place. There is nothing more emotional than following your favorite sports team. Millions of people form their mood and rate their day based on what their favorite team does. In that universe it is easy to bypass facts and go with feelings. I may seem like a cold, unfeeling analyst but I am a fan too. I have emotional reactions to what I see. The numbers insulate me from that. That’s why the lab exists.

So, we get to the question of slow starts. Before we can analyze why we have slow starts we have to establish the fact that the slow starts have been patterns. If we go through the annals of this current run we can split the Astros dynastic period into two relatively equal parts. There are the A.J. Hinch Astros and the Dusty Baker/Joe Espada Astros. We eliminate 2020 because there was no April. So, we are splitting it to 2015 to 2019 and then 2021 to 2026. We will throw in March into April when it is applicable.

2015-2019

If we look at the winning percentage we see .580 winning percentage. That would be equivalent to a 94-68 record in a 162 game schedule. Obviously, 2016 is an outlier and it is the only season in that run where the team did not make the playoffs. In fact, it was the only season before 2025 where the Astros did not make the playoffs. If we remove that season then the winning percentage shoots up to .645. That would be equivalent to a 104-58 record. So, if it felt like those Astros teams got off to fast starts it is because they did.

2021-2026

Obviously, I don’t need to translate this to a 162 game record. Given that this team went to the playoffs in four of the five seasons and came within one game of the playoffs in the other one, these starts are pretty significant. So, the first step of the scientific method is complete. There is in fact a difference between these two eras. We now move onto the next step in the process. This is where we come up with a hypothesis we can test. Unfortunately for us this will be the last step in the process. I can think of two possibilities and I will leave the reading audience to determine which one they think is more plausible.

Hypothesis One: Finding the sweet spot

One of the things you will notice when looking at the records above is that they seem to get progressively worse as we get closer to the present. When the Baker era began, the entire dynasty was intact. With each passing year, one more brick was kicked out of the wall. First it was George Springer. Then it was Carlos Correa. We then moved on to Justin Verlander (a couple of times), and finally Framber Valdez.

Each manager has their own style. Joe McCarthy might have been the best manager in baseball history record wise (.627 with the Yankees). He plugged in the same lineup every day and sat in a rocking chair. That’s easy to do when you have Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Earle Combs, and Tony Lazzeri. Baker will be a Hall of Fame manager someday and his style was wholly different. Espada seems to have taken on that style in the interim, so it makes sense to lump them together.

The Astros have used a different lineup every game this season. It wasn’t quite that bad in seasons past, but the pattern is still there. Of course, necessity is the mother of invention. When you don’t have thoroughbreds you have to do some experimenting. So, both Baker and Espada spent the early months figuring out what players could do and when they could do them. That meant how to shape platoons, what the batting order should be, and which relievers we could trust.

One old baseball adage is that Memorial Day is the day when performance stops being a trend and become something resembling reality. Unfortunately, that means another month of flailing around. Some of that is due to the “back of the baseball card” mentality. Yet, some of that is genuine small sample size issues. This is particularly true when looking at relievers. Obviously, Espada in particular has come under fire for how he uses his relievers. Either way, by the end of May this team finds its level based on figuring out who they can trust that particular season.

Hypothesis Two: It’s a training issue

My podcast partner and I (“Born on the Bayou Sports”) raised this issue earlier this year. We were wondering why certain pitchers weren’t building up innings this spring. Suddenly, you have four starting pitchers on injured reserve. Luck? Possily. Coincidence? Maybe. However, when you add that to the total number of injuries the team has faced in recent seasons in the early going.

Obviously, the change in trainers this offseason put that in the spotlight. Last season, the Astros had the most injuries in baseball and they are currently in the lead in that department. Is it an aging roster? That could be one explanation. Maybe it is just bad luck. The team was extremely healthy in 2022 when they won the World Series. Some seasons just go that way. Yet, when you have two consecutive seasons of players going down at a record pace it is difficult to chalk that up to chance.

This leaves us with two possibilities (of which both can be true). Either there are still issues with the day to day treatment of aches and pains. There are still issues with how often those are happening, how often they keep players from playing, and possibly their return to play. The second possibility comes back to Spring Training itself. Are these players ramping up in the right way during Spring Training? Are they getting ready?

Putting it all together

Of course, both is a possibility. Neither is a possibility. We are not in a position to test these hypotheses yet. That will have to come later. It would involve breaking down how the other 29 teams do business and determining how the Astros are different if at all. My own hypothesis is that both are true in part. A fungible roster demands time to figure out exactly who can do what. There are also probably some things the team could do differently to remain more healthy and start faster out of Spring Training. What do you think?

It’s been an active transfer portal period for the Syracuse Orange, but the team is getting back one player who initially appeared to be departing.

Wing Shy Hawkins — who played in 32 games for the Orange in 2025-26, including 17 as a starter — announced in a post on social media that she is coming back to the program for her junior year.

Hawkins had previously entered the transfer portal earlier this month. The former four-star from the class of 2024 averaged 5.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game.

Hawkins’ return is notable considering Syracuse is losing a lot of names from its 2025-26 team, which made it to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.

As of Sunday, six players are departing via the portal: Camdyn Nelson (Northwestern), Justus Fitzgerald, Sophie Burrows (UNC), Maddie Potts (St.Joseph’s), Jasmyn Cooper, and Aurora Almón.

So far, Syracuse has secured a commitment from former Oregon forward Sarah Rambus. Syracuse is also returning star center Uche Izoje, plus Angelica Velez, Olivia Schmitt, Keira Scott, recruit Madison Howard, and now Hawkins.

NCAA Gymnastics season is officially over, and a new reigning champion, the Oklahoma Sooners, has been crowned. Congrats to KJ Kindler & Co., as they were the best team on the day. How do we know that? Oh, maybe because they were the only team of the four competing who had every routine shown?

Before we get to the Mizzou all of it all, which is why you are here, let’s give a moment for who I’d like to call America’s Team, the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who came into the postseason a true underdog, ranked no. 13 in RTN standings with no single apparatus ranked inside the top 10 (#12 beam, #14 floor, #15 vault, #17 bars), and the lowest ranked team to make it to the national championship finals since 2014. How did ABC/ESPN prepare for this momentous occasion? Just how they did for Mizzou last year, you guys! With erasure from the broadcast!!! [she says sarcastically… and truthfully]. But seriously, college gymnastics watchers knew the potential was there for greatness, having finished the season as a top 10 team four times since 2020. Mizzou, conversely, has done this twice in that same timeframe (no. 3 in 2025 and no. 5 in 2022).

The Golden Gophers remind me a lot of the Tigers, and they definitely made a fan of me. One— the state of Minnesota has been through A LOT and I want nothing but the best for them, and two— they are just a super fun team to root for, from their A-plus social media game to the magnetic performances from athletes like freshmen Arianna Ostrum, Lacey Saltzmann and Emma Slevin, who hails from Ireland. And lest you forget, former Gopher gymnast-turned assistant coach Mya Hooton was an honorary Tiger last year when she rotated with them at the national semis.

This Minnesota team showed some inconsistencies this season, scoring an unfathomable 195.075 on the road at Nebraska on January 24 to go along with a 195.475 in the opener and five 196 scores (Mizzou had 4). But this same team also knocked off preseason darling Arkansas at home on January 10 —apparently something Gymbacks head coach Jordyn Wieber forgot about when she failed to mention the Gophers as competition in her press conference — and had multiple high 197 scores in March, including a 197.700 on March 1 and a 197.825 in their final regular season meet of the season on March 15. Both of those scores, by the way, were higher than anything Mizzou was able to put together this season, so yes, whether or not you realized it, Minnesota is a very good team. After a third place finish and a bit of a balance beam situation at the Big 10 Championships, Minny was placed in the Corvallis, Oregon regional, or what I’d fondly call the Region of Death. With a 196.975, the Gophers came from behind after a subpar first two rotations to overtake Iowa in the waning moments to advance to the Regional Finals, then had to hold off Utah, who had NEVER MISSED A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE IN 49 YEARS, no. 4 UCLA, and no. 5 Alabama to get to the national championships. Like I said, the Region of Death.

Minnesota put together their third highest score of the season, a 197.625, and beat out Utah, who finished in third and just 0.125 behind them, as well as Alabama, who was in a distant fourth with a 197.175 to reach the national semifinals. My gym travel partner, Ben Hartong, and I watched this meet on my iPad on the way back to CoMo from Lexington — well, I watched and narrated and he drove — and the Golden Gophers shined, earning top three finishes from freshman Arianna Ostrum (VLT— 9.95, 1st/ FX— 9.95, 2nd), junior Jordan Lyden (UB— 9.95, 1st / BB— 9.95, 1st / FX— 9.925, 3rd), and senior Brooklyn Rowray (BB- 9.925, 2nd).

It was IMPRESSIVE, and just like we all predicted, eh?

They, like Mizzou the year before, earned their first ever Four on the Floor bid on Friday evening with a 197.4625, beating out a UCLA (197.275) team that many thought could win the whole damn thing, the same way that our fair Tigers (197.300) beat out Florida (197.200) last year. It was an electric performance by the Gophers, earning the second highest scores of the session behind OU on bars (49.3875), their weakest apparatus this season and beam (49.3875). Again, just like we all predicted.

The similarities don’t end there. The Golden Gophers also crowned an individual national champion in senior Brooklyn Rowray, who scored a 9.9625 on beam to take the victory single-handedly. Mizzou’s Helen Hu did the same thing a year before, on the same apparatus, earning a 9.9875. #Memories

On Sunday, Minnesota’s season came to an end with a fourth place finish and super solid 197.375, and had they gotten a bit more favorable scoring— how exactly does one beam judge score Brooklyn Rowray a 10 and another a 9.85, exactly? — it could have been even closer (Florida finished third with a 197.6875). Alas, the Gophers have made a fan outta me, and I’m sure between this performance and their practice facility facelift, it’ll do wonders for their recruiting, and I’m looking forward to watching them next season.

Hannah Horton, Take a Bow

Mizzou’s final competitor in 2026 was none other than junior Hannah Horton, who won a whopping 19 event titles for the Tigers this season. H² rotated with Arkansas at the national semifinals on Friday evening, and did a phenomenal job on bars, earning a 9.8875 (4x 9.90, 1x 9.85, 1x 9.80) and an overall 16th place finish out of total 56 competitors spread out among two semifinals.

Gymnastics superstar writer (and my friend) Nate Salsman was on site in Fort Worth for Inside Gymnastics and was able to grab a quote. “She wants to do the work. She knows that that wasn’t maybe her strongest event coming in, but she loves bars and she loves the challenge,” bars coach Whitney Snowden told him.

When asked about expectation for her senior season, she said, “Hannah can do anything she puts her mind to. We’re on 10.0 watch on multiple events.”

Up Next

Per the aforementioned Nate (the Great), Shannon Welker and Whitney Snowden told him to keep an eye on the portal, so that’s exactly what we will do, and the team put out this terrific video from two of its All-American transfers to talk about their experiences at The Zou.

Side Note: Keep your eyes peeled for something really special from me and an unspecified Tiger gymnast in the next week or two.

The Tigers have some vacancies available for the next great portal additions. If Makayla and Addi have, in fact, wrapped up their respective gymnastics careers — they both have a year of eligibility remaining — that leaves three holes to fill as the roster limit is set at 21.

Let’s review where we stand.

We also, of course, will also be keeping a close eye on the future, as a trio of baby Tigers in the nation’s no. 6 recruiting class earned regional titles at meets around the country last weekend, including Raegan McCarty, who won a floor title in her Region 5 meet with a 9.775, Dakota (Coco) Haynes, who won a Region 6 bars title with a 9.750, and Imani White, who won a Region 8 beam title with an astonishing 9.90 (watch the routine at the link).

Imani also earned a 9.875 on vault with her Yurchenko 1.5 (which looks an awful lot like a 10 in NCAA), a 9.825 on bars and a 38.925 in the all-around. Raegan earned a 9.675 on vault.

For their performance, the trio earned a trip to Level 10 DP Nationals, which will take place May 6-10 in Oklahoma City, alongside teammate Kendall Morgan, who finished fourth in the all-around and second on both vault (9.725) and beam (9.575) in her session of the Region 8 meet.

Per assistant coach Jackie Terpak, the top seven finishers in each age group earn spots at DP Nationals, so the Tigers will be well-represented in OKC in a few weeks and I’m sure we’ll have plenty of results and videos to share.

“I actually, I think every event we have is going to get stronger next year,” Shannon told us after the Regional Final. “I know we’re losing a couple of routines here and there, but what we’re going to develop along with what’s walking in the door, I think people are going to be really impressed with. If they like this year and last year, I think next year is going to be pretty impressive.”

Cannot wait. How long ‘til we start seeing training videos?

After officially opening the day after the national championship game, Monday, April 6, the transfer portal doors shut two weeks later, closing Monday, April 20 at midnight.

While players will no longer be permitted to enter the portal, those who already are in can still take time to make their decision. Per On3’s Talia Goodman latest accounting, over 1,500 players have entered the portal, with less than 400 having announced their commitment.

However, among those commitments are some of the stars most likely to shape the 2026-27 women’s college basketball season. These five transfer portal superlatives capture some of of the most significant moves so far.

1. Jordan Lee’s jump to South Carolina could swing the SEC

For South Carolina, laiming the commitment of Jordan Lee, a rising junior guard who is one of the nation’s most well-rounded players, is transfer portal coup in and of itself.

Signing Lee away from your biggest in-conference rival? That’s a consequential coup! Texas head coach Vic Schaefer’s loss is a huge win for South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley.

When assessing the 2026-27 outlook for Texas and South Carolina after their losses in the Final Four and national championship game, respectively, I posited that Texas had more promising national title prospects, while a lack of shooting could prove to sink South Carolina.

The Longhorns, reeling not only from the departure of Lee but also the exits of Justice Carlton and Aaliyah Crump, now look less formidable, while Lee pairs with Tessa Johnson to form one of the best shooting duos in the nation.

Critically, Lee, like Johnson, isn’t just a shooter, even if she is elite from long range. Lee has become increasingly adept at finding shots for herself off the dribble, in addition to refining her savvy cutting skills. And, she’ll have no problem fullfilling Staley’s defensive prerequisites.

A starting-caliber primary ball handler still stands as a potential weak point for South Carolina. Yet, the arrival of Lee, on top of the returns of Chloe Kitts and Ashlyn Watkins, plus another heralded recruiting class, inspires confidence in the Gamecocks’ chances of, yet again, being great a title bet.

2. Coach Yo and the Rebels have reloaded

There is no one way to build a winning program in women’s college basketball, especially in a landscape that is still shifting and settling in the NIL era.

At Ole Miss, head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin has established her niche: She has the portal paved to Oxford.

Often not in contention for top recruits that tend to flock to SEC foes, Coach Yo is there when they decided to find a second (or third) home.

Last season, Cotie McMahon moved from Ohio State to Ole Miss. This year, Coach Yo’s biggest gets came from within the SEC, as she secured the commitments of Talaysia Cooper and Jaida Civil from Tennessee and Jada Richard from LSU. That trio headlines a transfer class that currently includes eight players.

Cooper, who will be a fifth-year senior, is the headliner, suited to fill the star-level role vacated by McMahon. More empowered outside of Tennessee’s egalitarian system, Cooper should have the opportunity to show off the full extent of her self-created scoring package. Richard, a rising junior, is ready to assume starting point guard duties, having run The Show for head coach Kim Mulkey and LSU. Civil, however, might really thrive for the Rebels. As a freshman at Tennessee, her elite athleticism popped, as she eagerly applied her physical advantages to play with the kind of defensive intensity demanded by Coach Yo.

Could this be the group that helps Ole Miss finally break through and truly contend with the SEC’s titans?

3. Audi Crooks and Liv McGill are going to put Oklahoma State on the map

On Sunday, April 19, the women’s college basketball world received the most significant news of this portal cycle, as Audi Crooks announced that she is taking her talents to Stillwater and Oklahoma State for her final season

The Cowgirls and head coach Jaci Hoyt already had scored a major portal win, earning the commitment Liv McGill, who departed Florida after two seasons in the wake of the program’s turnover. The two top a transfer class that currently includes five players, and a reportedly hefty price tag.

Already an high-octane offense, Oklahoma State is poised to really lean into that end of the floor next season.

Crooks and McGill could be the highest-scoring duo in the sport. Crooks’ offensive exploits are well known, as she cranks out games of 30 or more, and even 40 or more, points with high efficiency, helping her average almost 26 points per game, the second-most in Division I during the 2025-26 season.

McGill also is prolific on the offensive end, posting 22.5 points per game, which ranked 11th nationally. Her style, however, has trended toward volume over efficiency.

How the offensive balance shakes out between these two will be fun to watch. It certainly will help that both will be operating in a favorable offensive environment, as, under Hoyt, the Cowgirls have prioritized 3-point shooting and offensive spacing.

Things could be as simple as throwing the ball to Crooks and letting her go to work. McGill, however, can inject another dynamic element into the OSU attack.

No longer expected to serve the lone offensive creator, as she often was at Florida, McGill should be able to clean up her shot selection and hone her scoring efficiency, taking advantage of the all the attention on Crooks. She likewise can polish her playmaking; while she averaged over six assists per game last season, she also gave the ball away more than five times per game.

And then there’s the other end of the floor.

Can Oklahoma State cook up a scheme that protects Crooks? McGill gets after it on the defensive end, with her 2.6 steals per game as a sophomore serving as evidence of her eagerness on the perimeter. Yet, unsuccessful gambles could have severe ramifications due to Crooks’ paint protection deficiencies.

Giddy up! Stillwater is now on the women’s college basketball map.

Real Madrid are looking to strengthen their defence ahead of the 2026/27 season, but their potential targets appear to be gradually moving out of reach.

First it was Dayot Upamecano, who signed a new contract with Bayern Munich, bringing an end to the speculations of a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

More recently, it was Nico Schlotterbeck, who renewed his contract with Borussia Dortmund, although reports suggest the existence of a special release clause linked to the Spanish club.

And now they could also miss out on Ibrahima Konate, the Liverpool centre-back.

Konate confirms he is close to renewal agreement

Konate has also been strongly linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu on a free transfer in the summer, as his contract at Anfield is due to expire.

However, after the match against Everton this past weekend, the Frenchman provided an update on the status of his negotiations with Liverpool, which dealt a blow to Real Madrid’s hopes.

Konate set to renew with Liverpool. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

“My future? The truth is that many things have been said, but we have been talking with the club for some time and we are close to an agreement,” he declared, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

“We’ve all wanted this for a long time, and we’re on the right track. There’s definitely a good chance I’ll be here next season. This is what I’ve always wanted,” he added.

Clearly frustrated by ongoing speculation, he continued: “I’m waiting for the contract to be sorted out.

But when everything is ready, they’ll have to ask Richard (Liverpool’s sporting director) what I told him in September and November, and I’m sure he’ll say something to shut everyone up.”

“It’s been a tough year, and if everyone knew exactly what happened to me, they would understand many things, the sacrifices I’ve made for this club. Right now, we’re focused on the end of the season and securing Champions League qualification,” he concluded.

The countdown is on as FC Bayern Women’s UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona at the Allianz Arena draws ever nearer. And there will again be a big crowd, with over 20,000 tickets already sold for the game on Saturday, 25 April (18:15 CEST).

🎟️ Get your tickets for the semi-final at the Allianz Arena here!

Eriksson: “Anticipation huge for everyone’

Magdalena Eriksson and her Bayern teammates are already excited for the first leg in Munich: “Champions League nights at the Allianz Arena always have a very special atmosphere – and for many days now, the anticipation has been huge for everyone, for me just as much as for the whole team. The fact that so many fans are coming to our semi-final against Barcelona on Saturday evening means a great deal to us. It is they who make these matches so extraordinary for us. We face a huge challenge against Barcelona, but we also know the energy that comes from the stands and how important that support will be. We want to play with courage, give it our all and, together with our fans, ensure that this evening at the Allianz Arena becomes yet another very special highlight.”

Dieser Inhalt kann hier leider nicht dargestellt werden. Zum Anschauen kannst du die Website des FC Bayern München besuchen:Artikel auf fcbayern.com

Ticket information

Tickets are available from Bayern’s online ticket shop and come in several price categories:

• Category 1: €50 (concession €45 
• Category 3: €35 (concession €30)
• Category 4: €25 (concession €20)
• Category 5: €15 (concession €10)
• Business Seats Gold: €300 

Concessions apply to FC Bayern members, students, school pupils, children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and season ticket holders for the Allianz Arena and FC Bayern Women.

Find out more about Barcelona here:

FCB Women to face Barcelona in semis

The Avalanche got their first win in their first game in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Sabres were back in the postseason for the first time in 15 years and put on a show for their fans. Also, Jurah Slafkovsky recorded a hat trick and the Habs snagged a road win.

All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — April 20.

Colorado Hockey Now

We’re only two days into the Stanley Cup playoffs, and we’ve already seen late-game heroics, comebacks, overtime, and exciting one goal games. The four games on Sunday were all wildly entertaining. I’ll get into the others below.

The Avalanche took a 1-0 series lead over the Los Angeles Kings. There weren’t a lot of goals in this one, but goalie Scott Wedgewood did his part to ensure Colorado got the win.

At the other end, Anton Forsberg was strong, too. He had to weather quite the attack from the Avs at times.

The game winner came from Logan O’Connor, who, like last season, is finding his offensive stride in playoff games.

Please consider donating to the Colorado Hockey Now Playoff Travel Fund via PAYPAL BY CLICKING HERE or VENMO BY CLICKING HERE to help our beat writer provide coverage from road games.

Stanley Cup Playoffs Recap

Game 1 Recap — Canadiens at Lightning — (MTL leads 1-0)

In a game that had five power-play goals, the Montreal Canadiens came out on top in overtime thanks to Juraj Slavkovsky. The young forward completed a hat trick in OT and all three of his goals came on the PP.

Tampa Bay has the better goaltending, but Andrei Vasilevskiy made just 15 saves in this one. He’ll need to be a lot better to avoid shifting the series to Montreal down 2-0.

Game 1 Recap — Bruins at Sabres — (BUF leads 1-0)

The game of the night.

Boston led 2-0 for the majority of the evening. But with 7:58 remaining, Tage Thompson scored to pull the Sabres within one. Suddenly, just 3:42 later, Thompson got another to even the score. Not bad for his playoff debut.

The Sabres had more up their sleeves. Just 52 seconds after the tying goal, Mattias Samuelsson got the puck in the slot and put it past Jeremy Swayman to put the Sabres ahead. And that was it. They added an empty netter before a late goal from Boston made it a one-goal game.

The pop from the crowd when Buffalo scored was insane.

Game 1 Recap — Mammoth at Golden Knights — (VGK leads 1-0)

At T-Mobile Arena, the Golden Knights came away with a 4-2 after scoring three times in the third to complete the comeback. Carter Hart made 31 saves for the Knights, while Karel Vejmelka stopped 27 at the other end. The Mammoth led for more than a period before Mark Stone and Nic Down tallied goals 1:47 apart early in the third period to put Vegas ahead.

Tonight’s Schedule

• Game 2: Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins (5 pm MT on ESPN)
• Game 2: Ottawa Senators at Carolina Hurricanes (5:30 pm MT on ESPN 2)
• Game 2: Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars (7:30 pm MT on ESPN)
• Game 1: Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers (8 pm MT on ESPN 2)

Around The NHL

Montreal Hockey Now: Recapping the epic performance from Slafkovsky.

Boston Hockey Now: It was quite the collapse for the Bruins late in the third.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Five critical decisions facing new GM Sunny Mehta this offseason.

Detroit Hockey Now: Alex DeBrincat didn’t hold back about what he thought of the Red Wings missing the postseason.

The post Deen’s Daily: Avs Get 1 of 16; Sabres Epic Comeback; Slafkovsky Dominates in Tampa Bay appeared first on Colorado Hockey Now.

UFC Winnipeg went down last Saturday night (April 18, 2026) inside inside Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada leaving several fighters feeling the post-fight blues. Among them was Mandel Nallo, who suffered a first-round knockout at the hands of Jai Herbert in his UFC debut (see it again here).

And Dennis Buzukja, who was flat-lined by UFC newcomer, Marcio Barbosa, in just 80 seconds (relive it again here). But which fighter is suffering from the worst post-fight hangover, now a few days removed from the show?

Gilbert Burns.

Coming into the event, Burns was riding a career high four-fight losing streak with his last win coming three years ago. While he did lose to some heavy hitters along the way, such as Jack Della Maddalena and Michael Morales, just to name a few, “Durinho’s” slump was as bad as it gets. His goal was to turn things around and get back in the win column to not only convince UFC officials to keep him, but to also prove to himself that he could still compete at the highest level.

Unfortunately, he was unable to do so.

Burns was never able to get much going throughout the fight. Malott won the striking exchanges throughout for as long as the fight lasted, and it all culminated in a third-round technical knockout (TKO), leaving the Brazilian bomber battered, bruised and retired.

Indeed, an emotional Burns put his gloves down on the canvas, and was joined by his family and then confirmed his retirement from the fight game after five straight losses on the post-fight show.

“I was crazy confident I was going to get the win,” Burns said (via MMA Fighting). “I was 1,000 percent confident that I was going to win. I knew if something goes wrong, I don’t want to do this no more. Not because of anyone. Because I’m not showing my 100 percent. Maybe the age or whatever but I feel a little stuck. The fire is still there but I’m still a little stuck. I cannot let go.

“If I cannot win, if I cannot show everything that I have, I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to get just a paycheck. I try and I gave everything and if I cannot do it, then I cannot do it. It’s fine. We move on. I’ve still got a lot of challenges that I want to go through.”

Soon to be 40, perhaps walking away from the fight game is the best thing for the man they call “Durinho,” but I do foresee him returning to active competition or another, as there are plenty of avenues a fighter can go down that doesn’t involve getting punched or kicked in the face — though taking a tumble off a stage isn’t out of the ordinary.

While he didn’t exactly have a Hall of Fame career, Burns can walk away with his head held high knowing he gave it his all, and even gave current UFC Middleweight champion, Khamzat Chimaev, his toughest test to date.

What will you remember most about his lengthy combat career?

For complete UFC Winnipeg results, highlights and discussion click here.

The Orioles had a bad week. They lost two series, and went a combined 2-5 in that span. Neither win was particularly easy, the first requiring them to climb out of a 7-1 hole and the second seeing them take until the eighth inning to score at all. It’s just the latest development in what has been a challenging start to the 2026 campaign. Despite these struggles, could there still be reason for optimism with these Orioles?

Let’s start with the obvious, these Orioles were only “supposed” to good, not great, anyway. Think back to pre-season predications across the industry. Most outlets had the O’s pegged for 85 or so wins. Some more, some less. That represents a step up from 2025, certainly, but nowhere near elite contender status. If things went right for them, maybe they get t0 90 wins and snag the AL East crown. If they crater, they might not even be a .500 squad.

Well, with the season less than a month old, you would have to say their luck has been more bad than good.

Injuries have, yet again, been a problem. Before the season even started they lost Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg, their projected starting second and third basemen, respectively, to the IL. Andrew Kittredge, potentially the team’s set up man, and Keegan Akin, an important middle-inning option, joined them on the shelf later in spring. Since the regular season has begin, they’ve added starting catcher Adley Rutschman, starting right fielder Tyler O’Neill, rotation piece Zach Eflin, bench bat Ryan Moutcastle, and left-handed reliever Dietrich Enns to the infirmary report. It has been a blood bath.

As a result, new manager Craig Albernaz has had less flexibility to adjust a lineup that has failed to meet expectations early.

Samuel Basallo is still getting his feet under him and carries a meager 49 wRC+ in his first full season. He’s starting behind the plate most days anyway, because the other option is Sam Huff, a fringy backstop with limited offensive upside.

Coby Mayo isn’t having the turnaround he hoped for at the plate, though his improvement in the field has been much appreciated. His 36 wRC+ is the worst on the team, and yet he is getting in the lineup regularly because injuries have eaten away the infield depth the team once had.

The outfield is a work in progress. Taylor Ward (143 wRC+) and Leody Taveras (190 wRC+) are adjusting just fine to their new team. But finding that third reliable member has been tough. Colton Cowser (39 wRC+) and Dylan Beavers (74 wRC+) have been slow out of the gate, and both are left-handed. Blaze Alexander, a righty, is getting into the mix now, though that feels like a band-aid given his lack of experience in the role, and his bat has cooled significantly the last week or two anyway.

But you probably already know about this negative stuff. Let’s talk about why the sky is not, in fact, falling.

Start with the schedule. Many folks pointed to the Orioles “soft” start to the season a reason why they needed to come out of the gate on fire. So to have a 10-12 record is disappointing. But the reality is that those perceptions were based on 2025, not 2026. The teams the Orioles have played aren’t all that bad. Ten of their 22 games have been against teams with .500 records or better. No one else in the AL East has played more than six games against teams with winning records. Obviously, you need to beat good teams in order to be a good team yourself, but the Orioles are not losing to a bunch of cellar dwellers here.

Back to the injuries. It sounds like things are improving, ever so slightly, on that front.

Rutschman is eligible to return on Tuesday, though he may play in a rehab game or two first. He is with the team on the road trip and has been participating in all of the baseball activities. Bringing him back will allow the Orioles to improve their defense behind the plate and give their offense a boost, since he was one of their top hitters when he went out.

Holliday has restarted his rehab after being pulled off of it briefly with wrist soreness. That doesn’t mean he will be ready to play at the big league level immediately, but it is a good sign. His return likely pushes Mayo back down to Triple-A. In turn, that will allow Jeremiah Jackson, who leads the team in RBI, to move over to third base. Perhaps that is an overall downgrade defensively, but it should help the lineup.

O’Neill’s return is more ambiguous since he is dealing with a concussion, which can linger. But reports have been fairly positive, and he is eligible to get back on the field any day now. Once he is back on the roster, it should be simple enough for the Orioles to DFA one of Jonathan Rodríguez or Weston Wilson, though they may instead option Cowser or Beavers if they think it would help them long term.

The point here is that the depth should be getting back to the level the team hoped for coming into the season. Depth alone doesn’t get you wins, but it does allow Albernaz to cycle through players and play the hot hand. The players coming back have a batter chance of actually getting hot than many of the names they would be replacing.

On top of that, there is some data you could, admittedly, cherry pick, to tell you that a few key players should start to see their season’s turn around.

Starting in the lineup, we are yet to get the absolute best from Gunnar Henderson or Pete Alonso. Henderson has just a .211 BABIP despite having a hard-hit rate that sits in the 88th percentile of MLB. That should balance out at some point, yielding a higher batting average, present stolen base opportunities, and create offense for the O’s. Alonso has one of the highest average exit velocities (94.7 mph, 96th percentile) and hard hit rates (57.7%, 95th percentile) in the sport. He needs to get the ball in the air more, and his career pedigree says he will. Once that happens, with runners on in front of him, the Orioles are going to score a lot more runs.

Right now, the Orioles are tied for 19th in runs scored in MLB. That is only slightly better than where they finished (24th) in a disappointing 2025. In order for this team to compete for a playoff spot, they need to be a top 10 lineup. The talent that was accumulated this offseason feels like it should be able to accomplished that. But it needs its best players to perform to their ability, and they need to get healthier overall.

It’s a similar story in the rotation, where the Orioles need more out of their absolute best players: Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, and Shane Baz. None of them have performed to their ability, but the top line numbers obscure some good things. Rogers, for example, has a 4.08 ERA on the season, but his xERA is just 2.46 and his FIP is 3.69. Bradish looked much better in his most recent start, and that is reflected in the peripherals. His 5.49 ERA is massive compared to his 3.06 xERA and 3.18 FIP. The difference for Baz is not as stark, but it is there. He has a 4.91 ERA but a 4.21 xERA and 3.95 FIP. It’s not unrealistic to think each of them could lower their ERAs by up to a run in the next month. That would transform the team’s outlook.

On the whole, the Orioles’ pitching staff is right about where they need to be. They are 13th in ERA (3.91), 9th in xERA (3.60), and 13th in FIP (3.98). A middle-of-the-road pack of pitchers and a high-end lineup seemed to be the O’s path to success this year. But those numbers include their bullpen playing to a rather high level. A performance, by the way, that is largely backed up by solid peripherals. The rotation, on the other hand, has underperformed and has room to grow. That’s not a bad spot to be in if you believe in the Orioles’ ability to actually tap into those underlying numbers and get them to emerge on the field.

Of course, you can point out players that might go in the other direction too. Will guys like Jackson or Taveras keep hitting like all-stars? Probably not. Will the entire bullpen continue to pitch at such a high level? Eh, don’t bet on it. But getting more out of your stars, who are positioned at intentional spots in your lineup or rotation, should more than outweigh the dip in performance from the players coming out of nowhere to give you a temporary boost.

Things are not as bad as they have felt this last week. Given everything that has happened to the Orioles so far, they simply need to keep their head above water and give time for their talent to rise to the top. It is possible it won’t ever come to fruition, but it’s really all they can do at this point.

Broncos Country, it’s officially NFL Draft Week and you know what that means. Our annual Mile High Report NFL Draft Roundtable discussions are back! For our first installment, I wanted to check the pulse on where the staff and community was relative to position groups the Denver Broncos should target in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Without first and third round selections, the Broncos are a light on early round picks once again, marking the third time in General Manager George Paton’s tenure that the team will be without a top pick. On the bright side, the team’s roster is pretty deep with few significant needs.

With that in mind I asked the staff “What position groups should the Broncos target in this year’s draft?”

Taylor Kothe

The Broncos have arguably the best offensive line in the NFL but it’s quickly approaching the inevitable point of having significant turnover in starters, and you don’t keep a strength as a strength if you don’t keep investing in it. I’d love to see a Day 2 pick spent on an offensive lineman.

Tim Lynch

For me, ILB, TE, and RB in that order. This inside linebacker classes aligns strongly with the type of players that George Paton and Sean Payton tend to target, so I would be absolutely shocked if they don’t get one of those guys in this draft. There are fewer tight ends and running backs in that tendency list, but most of those are in that 2nd-4th round range too. I just like where the Broncos are to address some key needs despite having so little draft capital this year.

Ross Allen

I’m right there with Taylor. While they might not need to seek a day two pick for the offensive line, they need to look for a prospect that can wait a year or two and take over one of the spots up front. Ideally it would be an offensive tackle.

Sadaraine

The big two positions of need for me are ILB and RB. Tight end is in play, and I could see them trying to find a swing OT/OG as well. Beyond that we are looking at taking the gems that the scouts have found in the late rounds for development.

Christopher Hart

Without a first and third round pick, this seems like a draft where the Broncos are going to be eyeing talent that have traits and the ability to become future starters with their top three selections. Outside of their top pick in the second round, it’s hard to imagine any other prospect the draft coming in right away and being a difference maker.

A dream scenario would be the Broncos’ brass finding a way to snag one of this year’s top inside linebacker prospects with their first pick. Despite bringing back Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, I still see it as one of the biggest long-term needs the franchise has. That’s what I’d like to see them address first.

Adding a versatile offensive lineman capable of playing tackle and guard would be wise for them to consider as well. Keeping the foundations strong is smart team-building strategy. I think there will be good value here at the top of the fourth round where they currently have two selections.

Outside of that, they could use depth at tight end, running back, and should consider a defensive back. Keep in mind that Ja’Quan McMillian, Riley Moss, Brandon Jones, and J.L. Skinner are all scheduled to hit free agency after the end of the 2026 season. They need to add someone to that room, and Paton has drafted at least one defensive back since he has been GM of the Broncos. I expect that to happen against this year.

What do you think, Broncos Country?

What position groups do you think the Broncos should target with their slate of picks int he 2026 NFL Draft? Let me know what you think in the comments section.

The running battle between Erling Haaland and Gabriel was a theme of the title showdown between Manchester City and Arsenal.

The Norway forward had already had his undershirt partially ripped in one physical tussle during City's 2-1 win on Sunday.

It was the kind of scrap fans love to see in big games, and referee Anthony Taylor had allowed both players some latitude.

However, things boiled over in the 83rd minute after Haaland and Gabriel competed in an aerial duel.

Following a push by the City striker, the two men squared up to each other, with foreheads pressed together.

What happened next could easily have resulted in a red card for the Brazil centre-half, who pushed his head towards Haaland's face.

The Arsenal defender escaped with a yellow card. But should this not be seen as violent conduct?

Why did the VAR not get involved?

What exactly is a headbutt?

The laws of the game do not specifically reference it, so it is wrapped up in the description of violent conduct.

That requires a player to have used or attempted to use "excessive force or brutality".

It opens up a level of subjectivity where pushing your head towards another player might not be seen as violent.

For the video assistant referee (VAR), what the refereeing team say they saw is crucial.

On Sunday, it was the assistant referee who said the incident was "not excessively aggressive or violent".

Referee Taylor took this advice on board and chose to book both players for their aggressive attitudes.

VAR John Brooks first has to consider that the incident has clearly been seen by the assistant.

Could Brooks really say Gabriel's actions definitely were excessively aggressive or violent? That would be required for a VAR red card.

Even if the VAR thinks a red card is the better decision, it is difficult to get involved if an official has had a decent view and provided a supportable explanation.

So what came into that judgement?

It was felt that because Gabriel pushed with his head rather than struck - he did not pull his head back first and create space before driving it forward - a yellow card was supportable.

But many were likely expecting a VAR review for a red card.

So why did Martinez get sent off for hair pull?

The VAR's decision to stay out of it will probably leave Manchester United fans a bit miffed.

Just six days earlier, Brooks was in the VAR chair when Lisandro Martinez was sent off against Leeds United.

The Argentina defender had briefly grasped the ponytail of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and was shown a red card after referee Paul Tierney was sent to the screen.

Is a small grab of someone's hair more violent than dragging your forehead across an opponent's face?

Manchester United fans may well say it is not. Yet it was Martinez who saw red and was banned for three games, with Red Devils manager Michael Carrick calling it "one of the worst" decisions he has seen.

If Gabriel had been sent off, he would have been suspended for three of the Gunners' last five matches. Instead he will be available for the fixtures against Newcastle, Fulham and West Ham.

There can be no retrospective action as VAR has effectively made it obsolete in the Premier League. If an incident has been assessed by the on-field team or the VAR, then the Football Association is unable to seek a charge.

How could Brooks, who is one of the most trusted VARs and regularly appointed to some of the biggest fixtures, make such different decisions?

It is primarily about the hair pull not being identified by the on-field team.

That meant the VAR had no initial description to go off - so there was no bar for the clear and obvious mistake.

And that makes it far more straightforward for the VAR to intervene.

• 'By chance or choice, they have clicked' - why Man City will be champions
• Arteta must prove he won't be remembered as Arsenal's 'nearly man'
• Arsenal fans must help team in title hunt - Rooney

Could this encourage players to play-act?

Gabriel has a lot to thank Haaland for. Had the striker gone down, embellishing the level of contact, a VAR review feels like it would have been a certainty.

This is often the problem. A VAR is looking for evidence of impact to convince them there has been a mistake.

If a player does not react, be that to a headbutt or a trip or a push, it is far more difficult to be sure there has been an offence.

Yet that only encourages players to play up for the cameras to make sure they get the decision they want.

For instance, had Calvert-Lewin not gone down holding his hair would Brooks have even picked up on that potential red card?

And we have a perfect example for comparison.

In November 2020, Taylor was in charge of Leeds against Arsenal when, with the referee's back turned, Nicolas Pepe walked up to Ezgjan Alioski and placed his forehead into the face of the North Macedonia international.

The level of contact does not seem too much different to Gabriel and Haaland's clash, yet Alioski fell to the ground holding his face.

Pepe was sent off after a VAR review, with Gunners boss Mike Arteta saying at the time that his actions were "unacceptable".

One problem the Premier League has is the high threshold for VAR intervention, which often means the most logical decisions are not reached.

It is why there are far more missed interventions (15) so far this season compared to incorrect ones (three), a trend which has been there throughout all seven seasons with video reviews.

Yet in an era where players seem eager to throw themselves to the ground, it is refreshing that Haaland did not over-react.

"If I go down like any other guy, it's a red card," Haaland said after the game.

"It's not something I would do. My father taught me to stay on your feet.

"Should I have gone down? Maybe. Then it would've been easier."

City boss Pep Guardiola will be hoping it does not come back to haunt his team if Gabriel proves to be a match-winner for Arsenal over the next three games.

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April 20 (UPI) -- Victor Wembanyama totaled a San Antonio Spurs playoff debut record 35 points to spark a 111-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Spurs center logged 14 in the fourth quarter of the triumph Sunday in San Antonio. He made 13 of his 21 shot attempts, including a 5 of 6 clip from 3-point range. Wembanyama also recorded five rebounds, two blocks and an assist.

"We've been really good in the regular season, so we had no reason to act differently," Wembanyama told reporters.

The Spurs outshot the Blazers 47.6% to 42.9%, including a 45.5% to 26.3% edge in 3-point shooting. They also hedl advantages of 48-42 in points in the paint and 20-11 in points off fast breaks. The Spurs led by as many as 21 in the series opener, which featured six lead changes.

Wembanyama, an MVP contender, is the first player in NBA history to log at least 35 points, while making at least five 3-point attempts in a postseason debut.

"There's an approach that we all have in terms of expectation of a heightened level of preparation, detail, nuance, competitiveness, physicality, everything," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "There's a real desire for that young man to participate in that.

"This was his first playoff game, and he has lofty expectations and goals for himself."

The Spurs and Blazers exchanged the lead several times through the opening four minutes. Wembanyama's Spurs then went on a 15-3 run, carried a 30-21 edge into the second quarter and never trailed again.

Wembanyama poured in a dozen points over the first dozen minutes. The Spurs outscored the visitors 29-28 in the second quarter and led 59-49 at the break.

The Blazers scored the first eight points of the second half to trim the deficit to two, but never got closer. They were outscored 52-49 over the final two quarters of the loss.

Spurs guards De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle scored 17 points apiece in the win. Forward Devin Vassell chipped in with 15 points. Blazers forward Deni Avdija totaled 30 points, including 19 in the first half. He also logged 10 rebounds and five assists.

The Spurs will host the Blazers in Game 2 at 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday in San Antonio. Game 3 of the best-of-seven game series will be Friday in Portland.

The 10th annual US Open of Pickleball was held last weekend on the grounds of the newly-branded USOP National Pickleball Center (formerly known as East Naples Community Park) in Naples, Florida. This center is the largest pickleball facility in the world with 65 lighted courts, and is home to an 8,000-strong club of players.

This year’s US Open featured a brand new title sponsor in Franklin Sports, who continues their push of being affiliated with the biggest assets in the sport.

For most of the last decade, the US Open laid claim as the biggest pickleball tournament (by participation) in the land, and the event continues to max out at nearly 3,500 participants, limited only by the number of courts they have at their avail. The demand for this tournament leads to thousands of applicants being turned away, and this tournament continues to be one of the most important events on the calendar for amateurs, pros, and senior pros alike. I caught up with a representative of new title sponsor Franklin at the Pickleball Slam event held last week, who intimated that the event is exploring ways to capture this demand going forward, along with a possible change in its relationship with the PPA that could clear the way for a return of the UPA contracted pros. Something to possibly look forward to in next year’s iteration.

Click here for the PickleballDen.com home page for the event, where you can get tournament details, draw sheets, and results.

News and Noteworthy ahead of the Event

Here’s a quick recap of notable news items of import to the tour or this event:

• A New Era Begins: Franklin Sports Announced as Official Title Sponsor of the US Open Pickleball Championships
• DUPR Announces Dedicated Wheelchair Pickleball Rating System, Expanding Inclusive Competition Across the Sport

With that said, let’s recap the action.

Men’s Pro Singles Recap

First off, whoever did the seeding in this event should probably reconsider whatever methodology they’re using, since the semi finals were comprised of the following for seeds: 9, 20, 3, and 18. The 20 seed in particular, Ryler DeHeart, seems the most ridiculous, given that he’s ranked 4th on the APP.

In the final, No. 9 Dusty Boyer (who had vanquished the top seed Ronan Camron in an epic 15-13 game three win in the quarters) crushed Jay Devilliers 4,2 for the title.

Gold: Dusty Boyer. Silver: Jay Devilliers. Bronze: Richard Livornese, Jr.

Women’s Pro Singles Recap

One may have thought the final in Women’s singles was a forgone conclusion, based on how many times the two top seeds (Kat Stewart at No. 1 and Sofia Sewing at No. 2) have met recently, but a couple of names in the draw had other ideas. Namely, top Australian No. 5 Roos van Reek and No. 3 seed Seone Mendez, who took the APP’s 2025 Tour Finals event last December.

Sure enough, the semis featured all four players and fans in Naples were treated to an exciting back half of the event. Stewart squeaked by Van Reek in one semi, while Mendez crushed Sewing in the other before Stewart laid down a statement win 4,1 in the final.

Gold: Kat Stewart. Silver: Seone Mendez. Bronze: Roos van Reek.

Mixed Pro Doubles Recap

Anna Leigh Waters, who has historically attended the US Open despite it not being sanctioned by the PPA, got a big boost this year when Jay Devilliers was also granted an exception by the UPA into this event, and they formed the top seed. Waters played in this event last year with Andre Agassi but fell early; this year they had much higher expectations. The pair cruised into the finals without being challenged, topping last year’s Mixed gold winner Jack Munro (playing with van Reek) in the semis.

In the finals, they met the No. 2 seeded team of Casey Diamond & Sofia Sewing, a pair that’s had plenty of success as of late. They won 2025’s USA Pickleball Nationals mixed title and they took the first APP International event of 2026 in Malaysia. The pair beat a tough team of Fudge & Livornese in the semis before facing off against the GOAT GOAT in the finals.

Sewing & Diamond more than held their own against Waters & Devilliers, beating them 12-10 in game one before getting washed in game two 11-2 to send the match to the deciding third game. There a thrilling match was eventually taken by the PPA pros 11-9, however it took Waters & Devilliers an unbelievable SIXTEEN (16) attempts at match point to close out the win, in an amazing display of grit and defensive pickleball from Sewing & Diamond.

Unfortunately the match’s most viral moment was a disputed line call that Sewing called out but which Waters heavily disputed. Replays seemed to support the “out” call, but tensions were high on the court for sure.

Gold: Waters & Devilliers. Silver: Sewing & Diamond. Bronze: van Reek & Munro

Men’s Pro Doubles Recap

Devilliers teamed with the PPA-exiled Ryan Fu and netted the top seed in the draw, but were upset in the semis by the criminally under-seeded No. 13 Ryler DeHeart & Kyle Koszuta (who did DeHeart upset in the seeding department to earn a 13-seed in Doubles and a 20-seed in singles?) They lost in the final to No 2 Jack Munro & Richard Livornese, giving Munro his 2nd US Open title in a row.

Gold: Munro & Livornese. Silver: DeHeart & Koszuta. Bronze: Diamond & Blanco.

Women’s Pro Doubles Recap

Anna Leigh and her mother Leigh Waters entered the event as the two-time defending US Open champions and were fittingly given the top seed. However, the pair were pressed early and went a game down in the semis to No. 5 Roos van Reek & Shelby Bates before rebounding and cruising into the final. There, they met the No. 3 seeds Bobbi Oshiro & Kat Stewart, who ousted the No. 2 pair in the semis. The APP pros could not do much with the Waters’ in the final, losing 5,6 to give Anna Leigh and her mom a 3-peat in this event.

Notable: with the bronze, Roos van Reek finished off a three-medal weekend at the US Open, capturing Bronze in singles, mixed, and gender doubles.

Gold: Waters & Waters. Silver: Oshiro & Stewart. Bronze: van Reek & Bates.

Split Age Pro Quick Recap

The US Open is famous for its Split-Age divisions, where pros and senior pros get to team up and get some early week competition. Here’s some quick recaps of those split-age draws.

• Men’s Split-Age Pro: To little surprise, the No. 1 seeded split-age men’s team of Jack Munro & Jamie Oncins, who individually are each (arguably) the best of their respective age groups in Naples, took the split-age title. They topped No. 3 Brandon Lane & Jose Derisi in the final.
• Women’s Split-Age Pro: Eugenia Carolina Lopez Ascarate & Simone Jardim outlasted the field and took the title as the No. 2 seeds.
• Mixed Split-Age Pro: Ronan Camron & Eugenia Carolina Lopez Ascarate came out on top of a loaded field as the No. 8 seed, winning the title over 10th seeded Eva Welsher & Richard Livornese Jr.

A few notes on the senior divisions at the US Open, which continue to be the gold standard of the senior pro game. Even though the US Open isn’t technically affiliated with the APP, it has adopted the APP monikers for its two senior pro divisions, a change from past years which just featured a 50+ Senior Pro division. These competitions are some of the most stacked senior pro draws I’ve ever seen, and the draws were a “Who’s Who” of the current senior pickleball pro game.

Champions Pro Competition Quick Recap

• Men’s Champions Pro Singles: Last year’s APP No. 1 Youssef Bouzidi took out the fast-rising Blake Arrant in the semis, then beat the No. 1 seed and defending champ Marcello Jardim in the final for his first US Open gold.
• Women’s Champions Pro Singles: Karin Ptaszek-Kochis become the 3-time defending US Open champion by topping the Champions division newcomer Lopez in the final.
• Men’s Champions Pro Doubles: Dave Weinbach & Dayne Gingrich took the title as the top seed, outlasting No. 2 Jardim & Oncins in the final.
• Women’s Champions Pro Doubles: Lee Whitwell & Eugenia Carolina Lopez took the 1-vs-2 final over Molly Carter & Sheri Courter.
• Mixed Champions Pro Doubles: The top seeds were shocked in the 16s, opening a pathway for No. 2 Lee Whitwell / Jaime Oncins to take the title.

Masters Pro Competition Quick Recap

• Men’s Masters Pro Singles: Dana Treister took out No. 1 David Spearman in a battle of the two top seeds.
• Women’s Masters Pro Singles: Karen Seguso took the small Masters singles draw.
• Men’s Masters Pro Doubles: Martin Reist / Dan Granot cruised to the title as the top seed.
• Women’s Masters Pro Doubles: Sophie Amiach / Anna Shirley dominated the final, winning gold 11-0, 11-1.
• Mixed Masters Pro Doubles: Anna Shirley / Lee Sponaugle took the gold in Mixed Masters pro.

The Pro Pickleball Medal Tracker spreadsheets have now been updated with these results. Click here for the Pro-only Medal Tracker, and click here for the Senior Pro Medal Tracker. These spreadsheets hold Medal winners for every pro event going back to the beginnings of the tours.

For US Open results, click on the tab in these spreadsheets that says “Non PPA-APP” or “NonSanc” to show the events in major tournaments that remain unaffiliated with either pro tour.

Next up on the Pickleball Calendar? According to my Master Pickleball Schedule, we get a bit of a break next week with just an Australian event on the major books, then the first weekend in May features the APP’s Sacramento open and the PPA’s Atlanta Slam, the final event before the PPA’s tour finals.

Any Head to Head or career match stats quoted in this article are courtesy of PickleWave. Visit picklewave.com for the premier source of Pro Pickleball data, including match replays, highlights, stats, and discussion. PickleWave has more than 31,000 matches in its database across all the pro tours, and has started a fantastic new Bracket Challenge feature for Fantasy-style sports fans to try out.

Other resources I use frequently to cover Pickleball include:

• PPA Current Rankings
• APP Current Rankings
• DUPR Player Profiles and Ratings (login/account required)
• Pickleball.com Player bios and Stats

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Baseball takes down Illinois

Softball sweeps Washington

Simeon Birnbaum sets NCAA 1500M record

Lacrosse falls to USC on senior day

Highlight of the Day: Simeon crosses the finish line to set a record

Boston Marathon route map: Full course details, distance and road closures for 2026 race originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Marathon is a time-honored annual tradition, not only for Boston, but many of the surrounding cities and towns. The race itself passes through 26 miles of Eastern Massachusetts, including eight total cities and towns. 

LIVE:Updated Boston Marathon results from 2026 race

For those looking to catch a piece of the action, there are many opportunities to find a space and watch the runners pass through. The majority of locations are also available via public transit. 

There is a lot for locals and visitors alike to know ahead of the race's start, from road closures and detours to the best places to catch a piece of the action. 

Here's everything to know if you're in Massachusetts on Monday.

MORE: Prize money, more to know about winnings for the 2026 Boston Marathon

Boston Marathon route map 2026 

The Boston Marathon route starts in Hopkinton and ends in the city of Boston itself. Along the way, the runners pass through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton and Brookline.

This route stretches the full 26 miles of the race, with all cities and towns besides Hopkinton being accessible by Boston's MBTA public transportation system. 

Boston Athletic Association

How long is a marathon? 

A marathon is 26.2 miles. The Boston Marathon specifically stretches through eight cities and towns. 

Boston Marathon course details

This race stretches across eight towns, with Boston Athletic Association providing recommended places to watch as well as times that the runners are most likely coming through the town. The longest stretch in one town is in Newton, where runners will spend 5.42 miles of the race. 

Starting point

The marathon begins in Hopkinton, where runners will spend the first 1.9 miles of the race before moving on to Ashland.

What towns does the race pass through?

The race passes through Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston. 

Finish line

The finish line is in Boston, specifically the Back Bay neighborhood. It's located on Boylston street, near the Boston Public Library.

MORE: Who won the Boston Marathon in 2025? Full list of results from the latest race

Boston Marathon road closures

To maintain marathon safety, several roads will be closed at specific times on Marathon Monday. Any road that makes up the marathon, touches the marathon road or is adjacent to it will be closed. 

Below are the times which these roads will be closed in each town along the route. 

When is the Boston Marathon?

The start times vary based on which event the runners are participating in. The first group will start the route at 9:06 a.m. ET. 

The first game of the Alex Golesh era is behind us, and Auburn's new head coach was blown away by what he saw.

Golesh led his team onto the field at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the annual A-Day game on Saturday, capping off his first spring practice session since being hired in late November. He got to display what his team has worked on this spring and showcase several unknown players who could become big-time contributors to the team this fall.

Outside of coaching in the game, Golesh got to take in a gameday atmosphere at Jordan-Hare, which included over 34,000 fans in the stands, the pregame Tiger Walk, and the Auburn University Marching Band performing its traditional stand tunes. To say the least, he was excited to finally experience his first home game and "first win" of his tenure as Auburn's head coach.

"First of all, I'm beyond grateful for what that Tiger Walk crowd was for our kids," Golesh said postgame. "Like for me to get off the bus, and it looked like that was incredible. I don't know how many people were here, but it was really, really cool. It was great to get a game-day environment. I can only imagine what it's going to be like with 88,000 (in Jordan-Hare Stadium)."

Not only did Golesh compete in his first game at Jordan-Hare Stadium, but he also concluded his first spring practice session. He says he looks forward to giving his team a few weeks off following a grueling 15 practices, and to spending time on the road recruiting with his staff this week. Before the downtime away from the field, he reflected on the spring session and how he felt his team had progressed.

"I do love this group; they're intentional and what they do," Golesh said. "They've worked some highs, some lows, through spring. They've answered the bell in the regard that every time I've asked them to do something, they've done it. We've asked to turn it up. They've turned it up. We've asked for more attention to detail. They've paid more attention to detail up until this point; they've done what we've asked them to do. We got a huge, huge summer ahead of us."

Next up for Auburn is a busy summer of workouts and recruiting. All of it leads to Auburn football's first game, set for Saturday, Sept. 5, when the Tigers face Baylor in Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Taylor on Twitter @TaylorJones__

This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn coach Alex Golesh reflects on first Auburn A-Day game

Indian athletes must now meet tougher anti-doping requirements after their federation was placed ⁠in the ⁠highest-risk category of World Athletics, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) has said.

India was elevated on Monday to a list of nations where there is an “extremely high” risk of doping.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) joins the likes of Russia, Belarus, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Ukraine in the AIU’s highest rating of Category A after being moved up from Category B.

Category A means India’s athletes must now comply with more stringent anti-doping requirements.

The world’s most populous country ranked in the top two for the most anti-doping violations in athletics between 2022 and 2025, the AIU said.

“The doping situation in India has been high-risk for a long time and, unfortunately, the quality of the domestic anti-doping programme is simply not proportionate to the doping risk,” AIU chair David Howman said.

“While the AFI has advocated for anti-doping reforms within India, not enough has changed.

“The AIU will now work with the AFI to achieve reforms to safeguard the integrity of the sport of athletics, as we have done with other Category A member federations.”

The AIU is an independent body tasked with fighting corruption and wrongdoing, including doping, in athletics.

India is set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, seen as a stepping stone for its ambition of staging the 2036 Olympics.

In the latest doping case in Indian athletics, Asian Games gold medallist archer Prathamesh Jawkar has been banned for two years.

He accepted the punishment for a whereabouts failure and will miss the Asian Games in September-October in Japan.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Witold Banka, who was in New Delhi last week, said India is the biggest producer of performance-enhancing drugs.

However, he noted that India consistently leading the list of drug cheats will not hamper its chances of hosting prestigious global sporting events.

AFI spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla said the federation was ⁠working with the AIU, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the National Anti-Doping Agency to address the issue.

“AFI has got a strong plan ⁠, and we are all for criminalising doping in this ⁠country,” Sumariwalla, also a World Athletics vice president, told the Reuters news agency.

“There’s nothing wrong in more scrutiny. More athletes are getting caught in India because more tests are being conducted.

“We are fighting it tooth and nail. ‌The crooks and criminals doing it should be stopped by police. We are not police, our job is to create a policy, and the government is helping.”

When an Indian ‌delegation ‌visited the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, last year, they were told to curb the doping menace to boost their Olympic bid.

ASRock has a unique solution to the DDR5 shortage ASRock has an interesting new solution to the DDR5 shortage. On Intel 600/700/800 series motherboards, HUDIMM memory support is now available. These new memory modules use only one of the DDR5 standard’s two 32-bit memory channels, enabling the production of more affordable modules. With DDR5 memory […]

The post ASRock aims to lower DDR5 memory pricing with new HUDIMM tech appeared first on OC3D.

NVIDAAlgorithms leveraging ReSTIR-style spatiotemporal reuse have recently proliferated, hugely increasing effective sample count for light transport in real-time ray and path tracers. Many papers have explored novel theoretical improvements, but algorithmic improvements and engineering insights toward optimal implementation have largely been neglected. We demonstrate enhancements to ReSTIR PT that make it 2-3x faster, decrease both visual and numerical error, and improve its robustness, making it closer to production-ready. We halve the spatial reuse cost by reciprocal neighbor selection, robustify shift mappings with new footprint-based reconnection criteria, and reduce spatiotemporal correlation with duplication maps. We further improve both performance and quality by extensive optimization, unifying direct and global illumination into the same reservoirs, and utilizing existing techniques for color noise and disocclusion noise reduction.

Before CDs went mainstream, recording one cost a small fortune. Made by Denon in 1991

Not just Samsung and SK Hynix, the third major memory maker, Miron, has also joined the race in producing the high capacity GDDR7 memory. Micron Starts Sampling 24 Gb (3 GB) GDDR7 Memory Modules Rated At 28 GT/s and 32 GT/s As Spotted on the Official Website Finally, the third major memory maker has also started working on its own 24 GB or 3 GB GDDR7 (we will use 3 GB instead of 24 GB throughout the article for making it simple) memory modules. Micron, which recently exited the consumer market as it aimed to focus more on the data […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/micron-3-gb-gddr7-memory-gpus/

LMSY shows why your website isn’t recommended by AI and where you’re losing customers. Most sites are visible but not selected because AI can’t clearly understand or verify them. LMSY scans your domain and reveals inconsistent messaging, missing entities, weak signals, and gaps in structured answers. It shows how AI interprets your site and why competitors get recommended instead. Then you get clear, actionable steps to fix your messaging, improve consistency, and become easier for AI to reuse and recommend.

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Samsung’s One UI 8.5 Beta 3 update for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 introduces new AI tools and everyday fixes that users will actually notice.

One UI 8.5 officially debuted with the Galaxy S26 series earlier this year. Samsung has provided the final Beta update to the Galaxy S25 series. Now, the Stable rollout is being planned, with the distribution beginning on April 30.

Users of the Galaxy S25 series are first in line to have the Stable update. May 4 would mark the first expansion, covering S25 models outside Korea. We may see May filled with One UI 8.5 rollouts for a plethora of Galaxy devices.

2024 foldables get a new One UI 8.5 Beta

The highlight is the addition of AI features like Call Screening, Photo Assist with text prompts, Creative Studio, and Audio Eraser that can reduce background noise in real time across apps like YouTube and Instagram.

In addition, Samsung has cleaned up a few annoying bugs.

The screen flicker when hitting the back key is gone, the lock screen clock now stays in the right place, and the taskbar issue has been sorted. Media playback should also sound better now, with less unwanted noise.

Earlier, the South Korean tech giant released the fourth Beta for the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7. Additionally, slab-type phones, including the S25 series, S24 series, and S25 FE, have also received a feature-rich firmware update.

The ZZDD software is available for download in South Korea. It should soon be available in more countries where Samsung brought the Beta. You can get it through Settings > Software update > Download and install.

The post AI features from Galaxy S26 rolling out to the Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 with One UI 8.5 Beta 3 appeared first on Sammy Fans.