The Dallas Cowboys have received a lot of deserved flak for their free agency acquisitions the last two decades—specifically the lack thereof. Not only did they sign very few players, but the signings they did make were of very little quality, too.
With confidence, it can be said that a switch has somewhat flipped.
On Monday alone, the Cowboys traded for DE Rashan Gary and signed S Jalen Thompson to assist their young, modern-day defensive coordinator, Christian Parker. This is all different—none of this happened five, 10, or 15 years ago.
However, while the change is welcomed, Dallas must keep going. The teams at the top never stop hunting the prospect of improvement.
Revelational Perspective Change
It’s important to note where this change in heart from the Cowboys front office has seemingly appeared from. Some think this offseason was the beginning of the change. Others believe that the philosophy shifted when they traded for George Pickens; while that’s closer to the starting point, it goes back a bit further than that.
At the end of 2025, the Cowboys let go of now-Steelers Head Coach Mike McCarthy. In a move that was heavily scrutinized at the time, the Cowboys promoted from in-house, giving Brian Schottenheimer the lead job.
This came off as the easy way out, particularly because of who was on the market—notably Ben Johnson—and the fact that Dallas didn’t even conduct searches outside their own doors.
What the fans all ignored is that Schottenheimer was very much a modern-day coach. In an interview with Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan, for example, he emphasizes the importance of motion — a vital tool used by all of the current best OC’s.
“In today’s day and age, if you’re static, you give the advantage to the defense,” Schottenheimer said, which is a clear-cut indication that he lives and thrives in the present and strives toward the future.
If you’re wondering how #Cowboys Brian Schottenheimer will use motion on offense, here is a clip from training camp that echoes what he said in his intro press conference.
“I think in today’s day and age, if you’re static, you give the advantage to the defense.”
It sounds super simple, doesn’t it? However, McCarthy’s offense’s didn’t really have that, and suffered at times for it. Schottenheimer’s did, and his emphasis on it led to OC Klayton Adams coming over from Arizona.
It’s not just offensively, too; the failed Matt Eberflus experiment frequently saw communication lapses, mainly against coaches from the Shanahan tree running the most modern offenses. Enter Christian Parker and Jalen Thompson, two young additions with modern-day success and modern-day philosophies.
Unknown to all, the promotion of Schottenheimer was a look towards the future.
Cowboys’ Quality Additions
Christian Parker’s arrival happened weeks ago, but the 34-year-old stood as a top commodity in Philadelphia. Once he became available, the coach with NFL and college success alike was a no-brainer to bring to Dallas.
The Cowboys also picked up Rashan Gary who is coming off a 7.5-sack season and has a Pro Bowl nod to his name. He joins a pass rush in desperate need of some help — for reference, Gary’s 7.5 sacks would’ve been second-best on the Cowboys last season. He’s young, has a solid pass-rushing resume, and is familiar with Coach Parker. All in all, it’s a great acquisition for a fourth-rounder.
Safety Jalen Thompson is versatile, can tackle in space and has good range. He won’t snag interceptions — he hasn’t snagged one in two years — however, he makes great plays on the ball.
They’ve got some help in the DT department too — Otito Ogbonniasigned a contract with the Cowboys.
Even their failures are welcomes ones. They reportedly were in pursuit — real pursuit — of both Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson, free agents they wouldn’t have even looked at in the past. Yes, they ultimately struck out with both of them, but for once, the thought is what actually counts.
Things are moving fast re Maxx Crosby. Last night Dallas thought they were close to a deal but since then other teams have raised the ante and potentially are offering the Raiders 2 1st round picks Expected Dallas to now shift their focus to Trey Hendrickson
It may not seem like much to some, but it’s honest work from Dallas. Hopefully, this turns into the new norm.
What More Can They Do?
Still, the Cowboys can’t stop here. Yes, they’ve gotten all these pieces, but they still must address more spots of concern. For example, they’ve recently traded DT Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas to the 49ers and Titans, respectively, for draft capital. This opens up depth holes at DT — holes they must address if they want to erase the ineffective trenches they had last season.
Players like DJ Reader and DaQuan Jones are still on the market, and Dallas even has a bit more cap to work with. On top of this, the cornerback position could still use work through, though the free agent options in that department seem less enticing. Even then, they have picks No. 12 and No. 20 in the 2026 Draft to go after a major prospect in both areas.
All in all, it’s nice to see Dallas being more on the front foot in free agency. It’s a welcome change, and may it continue into the following years. However, good isn’t good enough — the best always adopt that mindset when pushing for greatness.
Dallas is off to a good start, but they must continue for it to mean anything.
We haven't seen Stephen Curry in the Golden State Warriors' rotation since the team's Jan. 30 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The veteran sharpshooter is dealing with a persistent knee issue. He has missed 15 games so far and is expected to be out for at least another 9 days.
During a recent appearance on the "Willard and Dibs" show, head coach Steve Kerr discussed Curry's absence and what it means to have him on the sidelines during games. Kerr also proceeded to admit that Golden State's superstar point guard is frustrated to still be on the injury report.
"It's always great to have Steph on the sidelines," Kerr said. "He just has a great way about him. He gives guys advice and gives us confidence...It's nice to have him back. As far as our conversations, it's just very matter-of-fact. He's frustrated. He wants to be out there for his guys. It's an injury that's lasted a lot longer than anyone thought it would. He's dying to be out there...We're just following the training staff's lead...We're trying to give him the best chance to come back, stay healthy, and finish the season strongly."
Curry has been in and out of the Warriors' rotation this season. He's suited up for 39 games. When on the court, the sharpshooting guard is averaging 27.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists, shooting 46.8% from the field and 39.1% from deep.
Golden State will undoubtedly want its best player back in the rotation as soon as possible. And with the playoffs right around the corner, Curry will need some time to ramp back up. For now, though, he remains sidelined.
Stuard was a core special-teams player and captain during his one and only season in Detroit. He made 19 total tackles with one tackle-for-loss and played 375 special-teams snaps.
At his introductory press conference, Stuard said part of the allure of joining Detroit was having the chance to get reps on defense. That never came to fruition, as he finished with just 13 defensive snaps, the second-lowest mark of his career.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Max Homa could not have asked for a better start Thursday in The Players Championship. His gap wedge from 137 yards spun into the hole for eagle, and he followed that with a birdie.
Four holes later, he was 2-over par in a wild round that symbolizes how the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass and take just as quickly as it gives.
Homa had one par in his opening six holes. He had only two pars on the front nine. He ran off four straight birdies late. He finished with a bogey. It added to a 71 that was far from routine.
“One of the weirder days I've ever had,” Homa said.
Strong wind with gusts approaching 20 mph in the morning didn't help. A brief delay from a downpour led to more adjustments. And the Pete Dye design on a normal day is no picnic because of all the water and so many intimidating shots.
Homa wasn't alone.
“Overall, it was a roller coaster type of day,” said Tony Finau, who had four straight birdies followed by four straight bogeys and finally settled down for a 69.
“I was cruising early, and then just got punched in the mouth in the middle of the round with a bunch of bogeys, kind of jumped on the bogey train,” Finau said. “Really happy with the poise I had to just finish off where I started.”
Max Greyserman also got in on the act. He was tied for the lead at one point by opening with five bogeys in seven holes and making the turn in 31.
Then he missed the fairway and made bogey on No. 10. He hit a tree on the par-5 11th and made bogey. He went from the bunker to the water on No. 12 and made bogey. And then he found the water on the par-3 13th and made double bogey. Back to even par, just like that.
Greyserman wound up with a 73, not awful on a day when five players from the morning wave failed to break 80. It just felt awful after starting with five birdies.
Homa's undoing was a double bogey on the 12th from the right trees, which he barely got back out to the fairway, and missing a 3-foot putt to make double bogey on No. 15. Coming after that sensational start, it was tough to take between the ears.
“You really have to have conversations with yourself that you’ve got to start over,” Homa said. “Pretty upset, and you’ve just got to remind yourself that it wasn’t that far off. This is a very hard golf course, so it’s nice to make some good swings and make some good putts to get going in the other direction, but that morning was very tricky.”
Tommy Fleetwood also finished with a 69 that left him wondering how good or how bad it could have been.
Like many of the other subjects featured in the White House’s recent spate of bizarre videos about the conflict in Iran, some football players have taken issue with the post, including 34-year-old former University of Nebraska receiver Kenny Bell.
Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, both of whom played for the Baltimore Ravens, condemned the video, according to the Post. Reed took to X to write, “I do not approve this message.”
The White House sparked backlash from former NFL stars after posting a video of memorable plays spliced with military strikes on Iran. (The White House/X)
Another player shown in the video, Mason Foster, who was a linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was shocked to learn about the video, having deleted his social media accounts.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Foster told the Post. “It’s a strange feeling, seeing those clips like that. I don’t think anything going on in the world today is as simple as a great football play or a hit. I’m still wrapping my head around it.”
“When people are losing their lives, I don’t think it can compare to a game,” he added.
Both Bell and Foster told the newspaper they think the White House should take down the video.
“I don’t think I’m even allowed to use that clip, because I don’t own it,” Bell said. “So I would like the NFL, the networks, to treat the White House like they’d treat me. To re-install some faith in these institutions, you have to start holding our leaders accountable.”
The NFL is generally protective of its copyrighted material online and has previously gone after accounts on X, including those of news outlets, over unauthorized use of its material, per the Post. The Independent has contacted the NFL for comment.
Ray Lewis said he did ‘not approve’ the video. (Getty Images)Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker said he was ‘at a loss for words’ after seeing himself in the video. (Getty Images)
The White House has made similar videos featuring other sports, including baseball and bowling, as well as TV shows, movies and video games. The famous sporting moments and memorable pop culture references are often spliced with deadly strikes.
When asked about this particular video, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told The Independent: “Under the decisive leadership of President Trump, America’s heroic warfighters are meeting or surpassing all of their goals under Operation Epic Fury. The legacy media wants us to apologize for highlighting the United States Military’s incredible success, but the White House will continue showcasing the many examples of Iran’s ballistic missiles, production facilities, and dreams of owning a nuclear weapon being destroyed in real time.”
Bell expressed concern over the normalization of violence on social media— particularly the bombings from the conflict in the Middle East, which have left more than 1,300 dead in Iran.
“I think it is very important to draw the line somewhere and this video is a really good example of where to draw the line,” Bell told the paper. “The killing of people is something that’s very, very serious and should not be taken lightly.”
“It scares me for our society that you can be scrolling through social media looking at dog photos and suddenly you’re seeing someone blown up,” he said.
Several other public figures, ranging from comedian Ben Stiller to voice actor Steve Downes, have also called on the White House to remove their respective clips from the war videos.
CLEMSON – Cade Klubnik, whose final season as Clemson’s quarterback was impacted by injuries, was back on campus March 12 to show he’s healthy and deserving of being a 2026 NFL Draft pick.
Klubnik took part in Clemson Pro Day as 16 Tigers went through a series of physical tests and drills to improve their draft stocks. All 32 NFL teams had representatives at the event and there were more than 70 scouts.
“It’s good to put the paw on again. That’s for sure,” Klubnik said. “One last time.”
ESPN’s latest NFL draft projections have Klubnik as the No. 9 quarterback and likely to be drafted early on the third day, which is rounds 4-7.
Klubnik was a three-year starter and ranks first in Clemson history and fourth in ACC history with 901 completions. He became the fourth Tigers quarterback with more than 11,000 career yards of total offense.
His senior season was a step backward with 16 touchdowns compared to six interceptions, and he ran for only 94 yards. Late in the season, he suffered ankle and wrist injuries.
“I didn’t get to really show off my athleticism this year just because of injuries,” Klubnik said. “I wanted to show I’ve kind of still got it.”
Klubnik, measured at 6-foot-1.7 inches and 207 pounds, did the vertical test (33.5 inches), the 10-yard split (1.58 seconds) and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds. He participated Feb. 26-March 1 in the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis but said he was just beginning speed drills.
“I was out in California training with quarterbacks,” Klubnik said, “throwing the ball four days a week, doing interview prep for teams. Two or three days a week, we were working on speed training as well. But I didn’t really get started in speed training until three weeks ago because of my ankle. It took that long to heal.”
Klubnik suffered a knee injury Oct. 11 against Boston College and did not play in the next game against SMU. He had a thumb and wrist injury when the Tigers lost Dec. 27 to Penn State, 22-10, in the Pinstripe Bowl.
“A lot of people told me not to play the ball game just due to my wrist injury,” Klubnik said. “... I feel like I had a duty to continue to show up for them. With everything that I’d been through that year, I wanted to be there for them.”
Other players participating in Pro Day were defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart, long snapper Holden Caspersen, defensive end Cade Denhoff, long snapper Philip Florenzo, offensive lineman Tristan Leigh, offensive lineman Ryan Linthicum, cornerback Jaedyn Lukus, offensive lineman Blake Miller, defensive end T.J. Parker, offensive lineman Walker Parks, defensive end Zaire Patterson, running back Adam Randall, wide receiver Antonio Williams, linebacker Wade Woodaz and projected first-round defensive tackle Peter Woods.
Another projected first-round pick, cornerback Avieon Terrell, was scheduled to participate but did not.
Todd Shanesy covers high school athletics for the Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal and Anderson Independent Mail in the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at todd.shanesy@shj.com. Follow him on X, formerly called Twitter, at @ToddShanesySHJ.
County boss Christian Fuchs has called for unity at Newport as they look to avoid relegation back to the fifth tier for the first time since 2013.
The Exiles travel to play-off chasing Barnet on Saturday, 14 March (15:00 GMT) as they enter a crucial phase in their battle against relegation.
Despite a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to Colchester last Saturday, Fuchs insists his team are going in the right direction and has urged supporters to back the team.
"I appeal to our fans to have our back and support us. We have one unit here that wants to work together, that wants the same outcome." Said Fuchs.
"Everybody wants us to be successful and we can only do this together.
"That one game knowing what the possibilities were in that game hurts a little bit, but that doesn't mean anything. It's not season-defining. We still have 10 games, and in those ten games we try to give our best."
County currently sit 23rd in the League Two table, but only trail 22nd place Barrow on goal difference.
The Exiles are staring down the barrel of relegation, and with just 10 fixtures left to play they need to continue grinding out results.
Despite their precarious position, Fuchs insists his players are in a "really good place" and is confident that they can survive.
"Since I've came in, whenever there has been a setback the boys have usually delivered a response. So I'm confident in them." Fuchs said
"When you look at the last six games, for example, we are sitting pretty well. So I think we're actually in a really good place. Obviously the last result always hurts and that's omnipresent with how you feel."
Fuchs also reiterated the importance of survival to him and his players.
"Survival is massive and we know that. We know it is our responsibility. There's a lot of energy out there, there's a lot of enthusiasm as well because they believe in themselves.
"They know what they have done lately and they just need to keep pushing forward and doing the right things."
Defender Lee Jenkins made his return from injury last Saturday, and he scored County's only goal with a towering header deep into injury time.
Fuchs stated the importance of squad depth and welcomed the return of former Cymru Premier central defender Jenkins.
"We had a couple of injury issues lately so it is good to have these players returning and being in full training." Fuchs said.
"This gives us the depth that we need, but also brings back some good quality for the team."
CHARLOTTE, NC — Miami’s size proved more lethal than Louisville basketball’s shooters Thursday in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals. The Cardinals suffered a 78-73 defeat to the Hurricanes in a game that could foreshadow the fate awaiting the Cards in the NCAA Tournament.
Should they get the wrong draw and face a team with as imposing a frontcourt as the Canes, it could lead to an early exit.
Miami utilized its size advantage in the second half when it made getting the ball to 6-foot-9 forward Malik Reneau who was defended by the generously listed 6-foot-7 forward J’Vonne Hadley. Reneau scored 18 of his game-high 24 points in the second half including seven of the Canes’ first 12 points as they forged ahead 49-41.
Hadley’s been used as an undersized power forward the better part of his two seasons with the Cards. It often works in his favor offensively just as it did in the quarterfinals, as he scored 19 points.
But the shots from outside again weren’t falling for UofL. It followed a 6-for-26 performance from 3-point range against SMU in the second round with a 6-for-24 outing against Miami.
UofL’s sharpshooting guard Isaac McKneely had a particularly rough outing more than going 1-for-6 from 3.
Just four minutes into the game, he collided with Ryan Conwell and was on the floor bleeding from his head and grabbing his left shoulder. He’d re-enter the game after getting staples in his head to keep the cut closed and would wear a heat warming pack on his shoulder when he came to the bench.
Meanwhile, the Canes kept pounding the ball inside, running up 44 points in the paint including on a late possession when they had to have it.
Louisville cut an eight-point deficit down to 69-68 with 1:23 left. Miami coach Jai Lucas took a timeout to draw up a layup for Reneau. And the Cards never had the ball with a chance to tie again.
Joshua Jefferson (5) of the Iowa State Cyclones lays the ball up against Christian Anderson (4) and Lejuan Watts (3) of the Texas Tech Red Raiders in first half during the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament at T-Mobile Center on March 12, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — No. 7 (AP) Iowa State (27-6, 12-6 Big 12) extended their time in the 816 with a 75-53 victory over No. 16 (AP) Texas Tech (22-10, 12-6 Big 12) on Thursday. With the win, T.J. Otzelberger joined former Cyclone head coaches Fred Hoiberg and Johnny Orr for the most conference tournament wins with seven.
“Knowing the excitement of this tournament and obviously our fans call it ‘Hilton South’, you can see how how well our our fans travel and it helps us a lot in these games and it’s just a good experience overall,” Tamin Lipsey said. “I was fortunate enough to be on the team my sophomore year when we won the whole thing and it was a lot of fun. That’s the goal of coming down here is to win, but I got to take it one game at a time.”
Lipsey had a game high 20 points in the winning effort, and Joshua Jefferson — a First Team All-American by The Sporting News — contributed 18 points, a game high 13 rebounds and a game high six assists.
Both teams exchanged jumpers in the opening 48 seconds of the contest, but the No. 4 seeded Red Raiders went on an 11-0 run over the next 2:13 of play before Otzelberger called for a timeout. A LeJuan Watts layup with 13:58 remaining in the first half gave Texas Tech their largest lead of a dozen, 17-5.
A 5-0 run by Lipsey over 45 seconds of game action whittled the Red Raider lead to single digits. Jefferson’s layup off a Texas Tech turnover brought the Cyclones within two and a Lipsey triple put the cardinal and gold up one with 9:57 remaining in the first half.
Iowa State scored 17 points off 10 Red Raider turnovers, and Texas Tech scored four points off 10 Cyclone turnovers.
From the 9:57 mark of the first half to halftime, no team had a larger lead than three points. Nate Heise’s lone two points came off a dunk with 4:41 remaining in the half.
The Cyclones went into halftime up 36-33 with a triple by Jamarion Batemon. The freshman from Milwaukee had two shots from beyond the arc in the victory.
Iowa State went on a 4-0 run to open the second half with baskets by Blake Buchanan and Lipsey. Jaylen Petty brought the Red Raiders within four and again the Cyclones responded with a 4-0 run.
Donovan Atwell’s 3-point basket at the 16 minute mark got Texas Tech within five, but that’s as close as the No. 4 seeded team got for the remainder of the contest. Milan Momcilovic connected on his lone 3-point basket which sparked a 15-0 Iowa State run over the next 5:21.
The Red Raiders cut the Cyclone lead to 17 (60-43) with a Watts free throw with 9:17 remaining, but yet again the Cyclones went on a 5-0 run with a triple by Lipsey a dunk by Dominykas Pleta. Iowa State recorded their largest lead with a Jefferson dunk, 24 points (73-49), with 2:55 remaining.
The Cyclones and Red Raiders each attempted 56 field goals, but ISU made 30 of them and TTU made only 19.
Iowa State outscored Texas Tech 42-18 with points in the paint, a 13-2 advantage in fast break points and a 21-12 points scored by the bench — Pleta and Batemon combined for 19 of the 21.
Next up
Iowa State will face the winner of No. 1 seeded Arizona versus No. 8 seeded UCF. The Wildcats led 46-30 at halftime.
HOUSTON — The USA players hung out in their posh team hotel Wednesday night watching the Mexico-Italy game, while manager Mark DeRosa and the staff had a watch party at pitching coach Andy Pettitte’s home with steaks on the grill.
The tension ended halfway through the game, once Italy scored five runs, and all of the stress was over.
They could exhale.
They were still alive in the World Baseball Classic.
The moment Italy took a 5-0 lead in the fifth inning over Mexico, it guaranteed USA would advance because of the tiebreaker rules, making no difference that Italy would win, 9-1. San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb, who was with his family in the hotel restaurant, got up from his table and immediately high-fived Dodgers catcher Will Smith, who was with his family. The next they knew, the entire restaurant was fist-bumping.
“We were all excited,’’ said Webb, USA’s starting pitcher in Friday’s quarterfinal against Canada (8 p.m. ET, FOX) at Daikin Park. “It's tough when stuff is not in your control. I think that was the hardest part. But shout-out to Italy for getting it done.’’
So instead of packing their bags and scurrying out of town, here they were Thursday afternoon, back at Daikin Field relaxed, taking batting practice, but more determined than ever to take advantage of this new lease on life in this World Baseball Classic.
They were given a scare, received a stay of execution, and now fully plan to capitalize beginning in the single-elimination quarterfinals. If they win, they’ll fly to Miami on Saturday with a semifinal game Sunday against the winner of the Dominican Republic and Korea quarterfinal.
“New lease on life for the boys, certainly,’’ USA manager Mark DeRosa said. “Put ourselves in a tough spot. Tip our hat to Vinnie Pasquantino and Italy, truly. Went into that game a little overly confident and got a huge wake-up call. We turned the page and got Canada.
“Bottom line, the guys are fired up to be in that room and get rolling.’’
There will be no late get-togethers, no brash comments, and no getting ahead of themselves talking about playing in the World Baseball Classic championship game.
Yet, they do want to make it perfectly clear that they are taking this seriously, with DeRosa and the USA players insisting everyone knew all along what was at stake against Italy. The loss forced them to rely on Italy either winning Wednesday, or scoring at least four runs, to advance to the quarterfinals instead of Mexico.
“I think there's a couple false narratives out there,’’ DeRosa said. “I was well aware that we had to win that game based on all the scenarios that could take place. I mean, they [Italy] went in 2-0. We went in 2-0. And we knew they were playing Mexico the next day. We knew there was tiebreaker rules involved.
“So, I can understand the questions about lineup and pitching situations. We were up against a lot of guardrails with regards to teams, the deployment of certain relievers, how many pitches they can use, whether they can go back out, whether they can clean up innings. And you're just trying to piece it together in real time.’’
The only real mistake DeRosa made was saying they had “punched their ticket’’ to the quarterfinals Tuesday morning on MLB Network when they still had not clinched a spot. He knew when he arrived at the ballpark that he made a mistake on air but insists it had nothing to do with his lineup. He drew criticism playing Paul Goldschmidt at first instead of Bryce Harper, Gunnar Henderson at third instead of Alex Bregman or even Pete Crow-Armstrong instead of Byron Buxton. And the only reason Clayton Kershaw was warming up in the eighth inning was in case David Bednar reached his pitch count of 25 pitches.
“It was just an overly confident statement on 'Hot Stove,' period,’’ DeRosa said, “the end. And it's my fault. I felt good about where we were after Mexico.’’
And about that late night get-together in the clubhouse after defeating Mexico, with DeRosa offering that a few players were “dragging’’ the next day.
“Listen, us hanging out in a clubhouse is everything I ever dreamed of creating,’’ DeRosa said. “You've got to buy into this thing super quick and try and create a team. For those players to invite the coaches in and for us to spend time together, and enjoy a huge win that we hadn't had in 20 years [over Mexico] was something that was super special to me.
“We did not lose sight of the fact that we had to go out and play well against Italy. They played a hell of a game. They smacked us in the mouth early. They got up big. We went into that game prepared to win it.’’
The players backed up DeRosa, saying that while they might have been overconfident, everyone knew was at stake, and were startled to see the outcry.
“I don’t understand that,’’ USA captain Aaron Judge said. “We want to win every single game. Yeah, we got kicked in the mouth. That’s how you respond now. We got to go out there and take care of business. We’re going to treat it like every other game.
“We’re out there to win. We’re out there to beat some teams down.’’
USA slugger Kyle Schwarber also was exasperated by the narrative that USA treated the Italy game like a spring training exhibition, and that they didn’t care whether they won or lost, believing they already had a quarterfinal berth clinched.
“That was the furthest thing from the truth ...’’ he said. “I don’t like that perception. We have a baseball team full of great players, and we got beat. You tip your hat. But it wasn’t because we 'sold it,' or whatever you want to say. They beat us, fair and square. We put ourselves in that position and we’re moving on.
“We’re moving on, and now we’ve got to find a way to keep it going.’’
If Team USA wasn’t taking it seriously, Schwarber and Bryce Harper would have sent text messages to Italy starter Aaron Nola, imploring him to beat Mexico. They left him alone. They’re all competitors wanting the same gold medal. It was only after Nola came out of the game that Schwarber congratulated him for his five shutout-inning performance, but as a Phillies teammate, not as Team Italy pitcher.
“The reality is that it was out of our control, and you got to swallow the pill, but I’m happy that it ended up where we’re moving on,’’ Schwarber said. “Nobody wanted to go back home. It just wouldn’t have felt right.
“Now, we’re at the point where we can control our own fate.’’
While the DeRosa controversy died down with USA qualifying for the quarterfinals, a new one arose Thursday with several pitchers leaving the WBC and returning to their spring training camps. Yankees reliever Ryan Yarbrough, Royals starter Michael Wacha and Mets starter Clay Holmes left the team. Future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw, who was their emergency pitcher, will be removed from the roster after Friday’s game, DeRosa said. They will be replaced by Tigers reliever Will Vest, Blue Jays reliever Tyler Rogers and Yankees reliever Tim Hill. Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan, who is scheduled to pitch the potential championship game along with Mets starter Nolan McLean, will replace Kershaw.
“I completely understand that,’’ DeRosa said. “There's a lot of pressure from the parent clubs to get these guys ramped up for the start of the season. If [Boyd] is going to be the Opening Day starter for the Cubs, we had to guarantee him innings. The game’s going to dictate now. Pool play is a different animal. Trying to weave our way through it from a pitching standpoint, all bets are off now.’’
Webb, who won the first game against Brazil, says he also understands why so many pitchers have returned to camp. Yet, he never considered departing, and even after he pitches Friday, he’ll remain with the team in Miami.
“I completely understand where all those guys are coming from, especially guys that have come out of the bullpen that are starters during the season,’’ Webb said. So, it's difficult. For me it wasn't. I guess I was just kind of one of the lucky ones that got to kind of keep [the routine] it the same.’’
And even though he won’t pitch again after Friday, there’s no way Webb is about to depart back to Scottsdale, Arizona, and leave his USA teammates behind.
“I want to see it through,’’ Webb said. “No offense to the teams that I've played on before, I love all those guys, but this is probably the most fun I've had with a group of guys.
“We've got three games to go, and then hopefully winning a gold at the end.’’
It’s not as if USA needed any motivation, but their Italy loss does remind them that anything can happen on any given night, and with it now being a single-elimination tournament, one bad night can send your home.
“We all know that no one’s invincible,’’ Schwarber said. “There’s always a good time to have a little slap in the face. I think that brings guys more together at the end of the day.’’
So could the Italy loss be a blessing in disguise, a much-needed wake-up call?
“We'll see,’’ Judge said, “if we’re holding that gold medal.’’
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — UCF's John Bol fell to the floor clutching his chest and the 7-foot-2 sophomore from South Sudan had to be helped to the locker room during the second half of the Knights' game against Arizona in the Big 12 Tournament on Thursday.
The exact nature of the issue was unclear, but Bol appeared to be struggling to catch his breath on the bench before checking back into the game. When a foul was called and play stopped, Bol dropped to the floor in the corner of the court, and members of the UCF staff spent several minutes with him before helping him walk unsteadily to the locker room.
Bol had 13 points and eight rebounds while playing 31 minutes in an overtime win over Cincinnati in the second round Wednesday. He had five points and six rebounds in 17 minutes against the Wildcats before leaving with about 12 minutes to go.
Bol spent his freshman year at Ole Miss before transferring to UCF. He is averaging six points and 5.5 rebounds this season.
That process, however, has proven to be tougher than expected.
According to recent reports, Opetaia is still technically the IBF champion pending further review. The sanctioning body released a statement (via BoxingScene) indicating that Opetaia may have not had all the facts presented to him before signing on for the Glanton fight, which he won by unanimous decision.
“The status of the IBF cruiserweight title remains in deliberation,” read the statement. “Jai Opetaia made comments during the post-fight press conference that have led the organization’s leadership to question whether he was made completely and fully aware by his advisors of the decisions he needed to make when committing to the bout against Brandon Glanton. The organization intends to look further into this matter.”
Dana White was not too thrilled with how IBF handled the situation and blasted them during the post-fight presser.
“Saying they felt disrespected at the press conference — the belt was in front of him the entire time and he held it in his hand when he did the face-off,” White said via SI. “The Zuffa belt was in the middle because nobody had it. It’s pretty clear what they’re doing and what’s going on. I see lawsuits coming.”
Afterward, it was revealed that IBF had refunded the $73,000 in sanctioning fees to Team Opetaia. As far as Opetaia’s legal team is concerned, The Ring reports that they are still pursuing legal action against IBF for its premature move of stripping their client.
“An attorney representing Jai Opetaia says the boxer has ‘good reason to believe’ the IBF’s decision to withdraw sanctioning of his title fight with Brandon Glanton was a ‘product of coordinated, industry-wide collusion designed to punish him for working with Zuffa Boxing and to deter other athletes from doing the same. Aided and abetted by other sanctioning bodies and promoters, the IBF’s action intentionally inflicted (or threatened to inflict) significant financial and reputational harm on Mr. Opetaia. He is aware of messages between high-level executives essentially admitting to the scheme.‘”
For now, Opetaia is still listed as the the IBF cruiserweight king, which means his dreams of becoming unified champion are alive and well (for the time being). Gilberto Ramirez will defend his WBA (Super) and WBO Cruiserweight titles against David Benavidez, who is moving up in weight to challenge “Zurdo” on May 2, 2026, so Opetaia will be an interested observer come fight night as a matchup against the winner makes the most sense.
Saka has been one of Arsenal’s most important players in recent seasons and is widely regarded as a key figure in the team’s attacking setup. Because of his consistent performances, the Gunners often rely on him to create opportunities and provide decisive moments in crucial fixtures.
However, in this particular match, the German side appeared well prepared to deal with his threat. Leverkusen’s defensive organisation made it difficult for the winger to find space or establish his usual rhythm on the ball.
(Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Leverkusen Contain Arsenal Star
The Leverkusen players executed their tactical plan effectively and managed to limit Saka’s involvement throughout the contest. As a result, the attacker was unable to produce the kind of performance that Arsenal supporters have come to expect from him.
Matches at the Champions League round of 16 stage are typically intense and demanding, and players are often required to perform at their highest level to influence the outcome. On this occasion, however, Saka struggled to impose himself against a disciplined opponent.
With Arsenal facing the possibility of defeat as the match progressed, manager Mikel Arteta decided to make a tactical change in an attempt to alter the momentum of the game.
(Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Madueke Makes Immediate Impact
Noni Madueke replaced Saka during the second half and provided fresh energy in attack. Although he is usually considered a backup option to Saka, Madueke has consistently shown that he can make a meaningful contribution when given the opportunity.
After coming onto the pitch, he added pace and directness to Arsenal’s forward play and helped the team gain greater attacking momentum. His performance demonstrated why he remains an important option within the squad, even when starting matches from the bench.
Arteta later explained that the substitution was made to introduce a different dynamic in attack as Arsenal searched for a positive result.
Speaking about the decision, Arteta said, as quoted by Arsenal Media: “I thought we needed something else and Noni has been contributing and being a real threat so I decided to make the change.”
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Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens showers praise on Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Sesko
Manchester United goalkeeper Senne Lammens has revealed who the best trainer is at Carrington and who has the hardest shot in training. The Man United star joined the Red Devils last summer and has established himself as the first-choice in goal. Lammens is now at home at his new club and has revealed some of the things happening behind the scene at the Old Trafford club. The Man United goalie showered praise on both Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Sesko on the latest episode of the Ben Foster Podcast, revealing that the Portuguese is the best trainer in training, while the Slovenian has the hardest shot.
“I’d probably say Bruno,” Lammens said when asked who the best trainer is at Man United.
“I think that’s why he’s been the way he is all these years is just the guy you see on the pitch every Saturday. You also see on training every day.”
On who has the hardest shot in training, Lammens said: “Benjamin Sesko. It’s crazy sometimes. You know, as a goalkeeper, when people are like five yards in front of you, you don’t really want to swat the ball.
“He still does it sometimes. And I’m just thinking, easy, relax.”
Not many would be surprised about what Lammens has revealed about Fernandes given his output since joining Man United. The Portuguese midfielder has been one of the best players in the Premier League since his arrival, and his consistency has been top-notch. He is one of the reasons the Red Devils are pushing for a top-four finish, and the club are desperate to hold on to him for as long as possible.
Sesko will hope to make a similar impact at Man United, and his recent goalscoring heroics are impressive after an underwhelming start to the season.
Only Bryan Mbeumo has more Premier League goals than the Slovenian’s eight strikes, and it is more commendable given that six of them came in his last eight league appearances.
Watkins header secures priceless 1-0 away lead for Villa in Lille
Aston Villa secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Lille in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie thanks to a decisive second-half goal from Ollie Watkins.
The result gives Unai Emery’s side a slim advantage ahead of the return leg at Villa Park next week.
The contest at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy began cautiously, with both teams struggling to create meaningful chances during a tense opening period.
Villa looked organised defensively but offered little attacking threat in the early stages of the match.
Lille also found it difficult to break down the visitors despite enjoying spells of possession.
The first half produced few clear opportunities as both sides appeared wary of making costly mistakes.
Lille came closest before the break when veteran striker Olivier Giroud glanced a header across the face of goal.
The effort drifted wide of the far post and proved to be the hosts’ most promising moment of the opening 45 minutes.
Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was otherwise largely untroubled in a cagey first half.
The visitors themselves struggled to test Lille goalkeeper Berke Ozer before the interval.
The match finally came to life shortly after the hour mark when Villa produced the moment that decided the game.
Defender Ezri Konsa launched a long diagonal pass forward from deep inside his own half.
Emiliano Buendia rose to challenge for the ball and managed to flick it into Watkins’ path.
Watkins reacted quickly and improvised a looping header over the advancing Ozer to give Villa the lead.
The England international’s clever finish represented Villa’s first shot on target of the evening.
The goal shifted the momentum of the match and forced Lille to search for an immediate response.
Villa nearly doubled their advantage moments later when Amadou Onana curled a powerful effort that struck the crossbar.
Watkins also had another opportunity to score but failed to convert when put through one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Buendía later volleyed wide from inside the box as Villa began to find more space in attack.
Despite trailing, Lille struggled to create clear chances in the closing stages.
The French side saw more of the ball late on but rarely tested Martínez with any serious attempts.
Villa’s defence remained disciplined and limited the hosts to speculative efforts from distance.
The visitors also welcomed the return of captain John McGinn, who appeared from the bench after recovering from a knee injury.
His presence added composure as Villa looked to control the final minutes of the game.
The victory ends a run of four matches without a win for Emery’s side in all competitions.
More importantly, it places Villa in a strong position heading into the second leg in Birmingham.
The winner of the tie will progress to the Europa League quarter-finals where they will face either AS Roma or Bologna.
For now, Villa will be satisfied with a disciplined performance that delivered an important away victory in France.
The offseason is still young, but the Pittsburgh Steelers have already built a pretty good roster for 2026. They made several nice moves this week to address some of their weaknesses, adding Michael Pittman Jr., Rico Dowdle and Jamel Dean, among others.
The Steelers seem to be leaning towards bringing back Aaron Rodgers, and it’s hard to blame them. Rodgers was pretty good for them last year, has already played for Mike McCarthy before and should be relatively affordable. He checks a lot of boxes for Pittsburgh.
He does have one major strike against him, however, and that’s his age. He’s going to be 43 next season, which makes him ancient in NFL years.
It’s incredibly difficult to play at a high level at that age, let alone win a championship. Tom Brady is the only quarterback over 40 to reach a Super Bowl, and he was much better in his 40s than Rodgers has been.
What ppl SHOULD be disgusted by is the Steelers – who say they want to compete for a championship every yr – ignoring the alternatives to bringing back a 43yo. (Brady's the only 40+ QB to EVER reach a Super Bowl…Peyton was a 39yo passenger when DEN won SB50)… https://t.co/r7GqJYVXvl
If Rodgers does win a championship this year, he’d be the second-oldest QB in NFL history to do so behind Brady.
In other words, the odds aren’t in Rodgers’ favor. If the Steelers are serious about competing for a championship next season, they need to move on from Rodgers and go in a different direction.
That probably doesn’t mean Will Howard, but it would entail signing a veteran with rebound potential, someone like Kyler Murray, Anthony Richardson or Kirk Cousins.
If they bring back Rodgers, they’ll probably have another good regular season and maybe reach the postseason again. But they shouldn’t expect to go far in the playoffs.
Amy Luciani and Dwight Howard Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
Basketball Hall of Famer Dwight Howard is officially retiring
The 40-year-old wrote in a social media post that he is stepping away from the game "to pour into my family"
Howard filed for divorce from his wife of 14 months, Amber Rose Howard, on Monday, March 9
NBA Hall of Famer Dwight Howard has announced his official retirement from basketball amid ongoing family drama.
The eight-time All-Star, who wore jersey No. 12, shared his news on social media Thursday, March 12 in a lengthy post in which he said he would focus on personal matters — “to pour into my family” — days after he filed for divorce from his wife Amber Rose Howard.
“Woke up today on the 12th of this month and I figured it’s time to move on from Superman!” Howard, 40, wrote on X. “Im no super human… I cry ! I struggle! I feel like everyone else. Through the lies, the media and the hate I still show love and Smile Through The Storm.”
He continued, “But now Im taking off the cape and retiring from all basketball to pour into my family and give back to communities worldwide. I know some of you might think I thought he already ‘retired’ but I didn’t… the game retired me! I still had more left to give ! Yeah I did play professionally for 20 years and Im grateful to be able to say that but I can’t lie seeing these other players still going at it at age 40 inspired me to want to keep trying but now I believe my duty will be to pass it down to the next generation.”
Howard was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2025 after playing 18 seasons in the league. Selected No. 1 in the 2004 NBA Draft, the Atlanta native played eight seasons for the Orlando Magic.
Amy Luciani and Dwight Howard attend Den of Thieves 2: Pantera screening at Regal Atlantic Station on December 18, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty
The NBA star was traded to the Lakers for one year before he played stints in Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte and Washington. A return to Los Angeles in 2019 netted him his first and only NBA championship with the Lakers during the COVID bubble.
After the NBA, Howard played one season in Taiwan before ending his playing days.
In recent weeks, the three-time NBA defensive player of the year has been embroiled in personal matters involving his wife of 14 months.
PEOPLE can confirm that authorities were called to his Suwanee, Ga. home three separate times on successive days from March 5-7 for what police say were a suicide threat, a domestic incident and a theft report.
Howard, the father of five children with five different women, was involved in multiple custody and child support battles.
“My life got so complicated,” Howard told SI at the time. “And one thing I’ve learned is that eventually, what you do off the court will affect what you do on the court.”
Now, dealing with more drama, Howard is thanking his “fans and supporters throughout this journey.”
“I love and appreciate yall dearly because without yall it would be no me!” he wrote in his X post. “Also thank you to the Naysayers, the haters, the snakes, and people that came into my life to try to destroy me. Because everytime yall did …it only made me stronger.”
He then added that his forthcoming documentary would allow “the world to know the truth about EVERYTHING!”
He concluded about himself: “But through it all still managed to keep SMILING.”
CHICAGO (AP) — John Blackwell scored a career-high 34 points with six 3-pointers and No. 23 Wisconsin hung on to beat Washington 85-82 in the third round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday.
Nick Boyd added 23 points with five 3-pointers while Andrew Rohde hit two free throws in the closing seconds to stretch it to a three-point game after the Badgers (23-9) let an 18-point lead in the second half shrink to one. The Huskies’ Zoom Diallo missed a pull-up 3 just before the buzzer.
Wisconsin will face No. 9 Illinois, which had a bye through the first three rounds, in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Washington’s Hannes Steinbach cut it to 81-79 with a driving layup with just two minutes remaining. Diallo made it a one-point game a minute later when he got fouled on a reverse layup and hit the second three throw after missing the first.
Blackwell then pulled up in the paint and scored for Wisconsin to make it 83-80 with 49 seconds remaining. Diallo cut it to one with a driving layup with 17 seconds left after the Huskies’ Quimari Peterson missed a 3.
Rohde made it 85-82 when he hit those two free throws with eight seconds remaining, and the Badgers hung on when Diallo missed the potential tying 3 from the top of the key.
Blackwell had 10 rebounds and made 6 of 12 from 3-point range. Boyd was 5 of 6 from beyond the arc. The Badgers made 15 3-pointers after setting a school record with 18 in a road game Saturday in a 97-93 win over Purdue. It was the Badgers’ Big Ten-leading 23rd game with 10 or more 3s.
Steinbach had 25 points and 16 rebounds for Washington (16-17). Diallo scored 24.
Up next
The Badgers will try to beat the Illini again after squeezing out a 92-90 overtime win at Illinois on Feb. 10. Boyd scored 25 points and Blackwell had 24 in that game.
NEW YORK (AP) — It appears Kim English's three-year tenure at Providence is over.
With the 37-year-old coach expected to be fired soon, the Friars (15-18) were eliminated from the Big East Tournament when they lost 85-72 to No. 13 St. John's in the quarterfinals Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
“I’m not a very emotional person. I don’t want anyone’s sympathy. Like, I don’t like anyone’s pity,” English said. “I never have been more proud standing in the locker room than I was after this season.”
No announcement had been made, but multiple reports citing anonymous sources last week indicated the school informed English he will be dismissed after the season.
“I think he handled it great. He had great character about the situation,” said Providence guard Jaylin Sellers, the Big East scoring champion. “He talked to us about it. His biggest thing was, don't worry about him. Don't worry about the media.
“He’s the best coach I ever had.”
Providence made the NCAA Tournament seven times in 12 years under Ed Cooley, including a trip to the 2022 Sweet 16, before he made an acrimonious departure for Georgetown in 2023. English replaced him, fresh off a 20-win season at George Mason.
The Friars have never reached March Madness or finished with a winning record in Big East play under English, who is 48-52 overall at the school. After beating three ranked teams in his first season, Providence is 0-10 against them since.
“As a young coach figuring it out in a league with whales, giants, college basketball royalty, you know, I’m figuring it out. I didn’t get to figure it out in the Northeast Conference,” English said.
Zuby Ejiofor, Bryce Hopkins and top-seeded St. John's (26-6) outrebounded the ninth-seeded Friars 51-30 and outscored them 30-4 in bench points.
Stefan Vaaks scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half for the Friars, who handed the Johnnies their only Big East home loss this season on Jan. 3 at MSG. Sellers had 21 points and Ryan Mela added 16.
Providence guard Jason Edwards, the team’s second-leading scorer at 16.5 points per game, missed his second consecutive game with a right foot injury. Without him, the Friars beat Butler 91-81 in the first round Wednesday after trailing by 16 early, making it their biggest comeback this season.
“Kim’s a young coach and he’s a very good coach. He communicates well with his team,” said Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino of St. John's. “What happened to them was they lost so many close games the beginning of the year that it went the other way for them. Unfortunately, that happens. It happens in this game. You see it all the time.”
It was the first meeting between the Big East charter members since a nasty game on Valentine’s Day, when a raucous crowd in Providence tore into Hopkins, who transferred to St. John’s for his final college season after a three-year stint with the Friars that was abbreviated by injury.
Providence reserve Duncan Powell clobbered Hopkins with a clothesline across the face on a fast break, sparking a fight in a Red Storm victory that included seven ejections, including Powell.
At one point, English was left shaking his head with a hand over his face.
A suspended Powell was banned three games by the Big East. He did not play in the conference tournament.
“It’s a hard foul,” English said Wednesday. “There’s no beef between us and St. John’s.”
“I think it got completely blown out of proportion,” he added. “I don’t think it was that bad.”
A player at Missouri and second-round NBA draft pick by the Pistons in 2012, English played in 41 games for Detroit during one season before spending two years overseas. He bounced around three schools over six seasons as an assistant coach before he was hired at George Mason.
Two years later, he was professing his love for Providence and hoping to stay a long time.
“He's going to have a long career,” Pitino said. “Everyone in this league is a good coach, but he’s a very good basketball coach. He gets his teams to play hard, they like him a lot. So I wish nothing but the best regardless of how it turns out.”
The Friars reached No. 23 in the AP Top 25 during English's first season before Hopkins tore his ACL in January. They went 21-14 and 10-10 in conference play — their third straight 20-win season. They reached the Big East semifinals, but missed out on an NCAA Tournament berth.
Last season, the Friars fell to 12-20, tying the most losses in program history, a record English called “pitiful, embarrassing.” This season's team lost nine of its first 11 Big East games.
“I would say we ended up being a younger team than we anticipated,” English said.
___
AP Sports Writer Jimmy Golen in Boston contributed to this report.
There's been a lot of talk of late about LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, specifically with regard to how the team performs when he's sat out. Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch broached the subject last night after the Lakers trounced his team 120-106, sans James:
Wolves HC Chris Finch on Bron being out for LA:
"Seems to activate Luka & Reaves...seem to share the shots. They become exponentially more dangerous...been pretty good when 2 of those 3 been out because of just a usage puzzle"
It may seem like low-hanging fruit to automatically assume that James' recent absences have led to more team success for the Lakers, but it is absolutely worth noting that Los Angeles has impressively won its last three games in a row, all with James out, and two of them against stiff competition in the form of the New York Knicks and Timberwolves.
On the year, the Lakers have won 66 percent of their games that James has missed, a 14-7 record overall, which, if extrapolated for an entire campaign, would amass to roughly a 56-win pace. That means with James in the lineup, the 40-25 Lakers are 26-18, a 59-plus percent win rate and a 49-win pace if extrapolated for an entire season. What's more, for the second year in a row, the Lakers boast a negative swing rating with James on the floor. The team has been outscored by 2.0 points per 100 possessions with James in the game this season, after being outscored by 5.3 points per 100 possessions in 2024-25 when James was in the game.
Moreover, looking at the lineup data spells an even more interesting picture. That's because the Lakers' lineup of James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura is the worst James five-man lineup since 2007-08 (the first season with this kind of lineup data). That current Lakers' lineup has a -3.9 plus/minus together, the worst James-featured lineup in 19 years (we only counted lineups that had a minimum of 10 games and 20 minutes played together). The worst James lineup prior to this season (dating back to 2007-08)? That would be the five-man group of James, Joe Smith, Sasha Pavlovic, Delonte West and Anderson Varejao, a group that last played together in 2008-09, and had a per-game plus/minus of -2.8.
If we look at overall plus/minus, the current Lakers five-man lineup we just discussed remains the worst of James' career (on record) at a -47 overall, but the second-worst would also be from his first Cleveland stint. The five-man lineup of James, Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, JJ Hickson and Shaquille O'Neal had an overall plus/minus of -43 in just under 385 minutes played together.
So what does this data tell us? Are the Lakers truly just better without James at this point in his career?
That the numbers are so much worse for the Lakers' current five-man group than they were for a lineup from the Delonte-and-Pavlovic era tells us that L.A.'s current roster construct might simply be awkward due to the team having too many primary ball-handlers. After all, when else in James' career has he had to share the ball with two lead guards as talented as Doncic and Reaves? During his first stint in Cleveland, he had next to no help. In Miami, he did have to share the ball with Hall-of-Fame 2-guard Dwyane Wade, but the team's third star, Chris Bosh, was an off-ball tertiary option. In his Cleveland return, he had to share the ball with future Hall-of-Famer Kyrie Irving, but there wasn't a Reaves-like third option, as Kevin Love did well in the Bosh role with the Cavs. And in James' early time with the Lakers, Anthony Davis played the role of Robin beautifully, with the team winning a title without needing a major third option.
So maybe it's just that the fit with the three of them - James, Doncic and Reaves - isn't one built for success. It could simply be a too-many-chefs-in-the-kitchen situation, with the three of them needing the ball to be at their best, and with the trio being mediocre (and that's putting it kindly) defenders on the other end. It's tough for any five-man group to have success with those being the factors at play.
Or maybe we're just looking at James finally showing his age and declining. Despite him beating up on Father Time for so long, he is now 41 years old with an NBA-record 60,497 minutes played in his career, not counting the playoffs or FIBA basketball. James' BPM (3.1) is his worst since his age-19 rookie season, and his WS/48 (0.118) is likewise the second-worst of his career.
This Lakers' five-man group, being the worst James-featured lineup of nearly the past two decades, could just be a matter of James not being the player he once was, which would be fully understandable, too, considering his age.
At this point, though, we've learned not to count James out. Maybe once he returns from his current injury, he'll improve on his 31.3 percent shooting from three this season, play off the ball a bit better, and L.A.'s starting group will post an improved per-game plus/minus, making this entire discussion for naught.
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The Green Bay Packers’ rushing attack lacked an explosive element this past season. According to Pro Football Focus, Josh Jacobs recorded 10 runs of 15-plus yards and 24 runs of 10-plus yards.
Both of those marks put Jacobs in the middle of the road and it’s worth noting that Blake Corum, the backup running back for the Los Angeles Rams, was ahead of him in both categories.
That’s not a knock on Jacobs. He’s one of the top running backs in the league. The Packers need to add a running back who has a second gear to pair with the former rushing champion.
A potential target in the 2026 NFL Draft is Nicholas Singleton. The Penn State running back checks in at No. 48 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.
The 2021 Gatorade Player of the Year arrived at Happy Valley and made an immediate impact during his freshman season. Singleton set the Penn State freshman record with 12 rushing touchdowns to go along with 1,061 yards. He also added one receiving touchdown to his name.
The following season, Singleton rushed for 752 yards and eight touchdowns. He added 26 receptions for 308 yards and two touchdowns. In 2024, Singleton rushed for 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns. He posted career highs in receptions (41), receiving yards (375) and receiving touchdowns (five).
This past season, Singleton took a backseat to Kaytron Allen, yet still finished the season with 549 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns. He added 24 receptions for 219 yards and a touchdown.
“Singleton was a key member of the Penn State offense since his first days on campus,” Daniel Gallen, a Penn State reporter for Lions247, said. “Over the past four years, Singleton teamed with classmate Kaytron Allen to form one of the nation’s most productive and balanced running back duos. The Nittany Lions' offense often worked to establish the run with Singleton and Allen and then work from there, and that was a recipe for success for most of the past four years.”
Singleton is a home run hitter. A former track athlete, Singleton is an explosive playmaker. He’s a threat to take it to the house any time he touches the ball. If he gets a clear runway, he can hit top gear in a flash and be gone. He has the speed to destroy pursuit angles and outpace defenders.
If you go back to the 2024 season, when Singleton 172 carries, he posted 32 runs of 10-plus yards and 18 runs of 15-plus yards. He is fully capable of creating chunk plays and he has a nose for finding paydirt. He finished his career at Happy Valley with 55 touchdowns, which is the program record.
That track-like speed is a big reason why Singleton was No. 19 on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks list. If he hadn’t suffered a broken foot during Senior Bowl week, he likely would have been one of the top testers at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“It’s a shame that Singleton wasn’t able to test at the combine…He would have put up some impressive numbers,” Gallen said. “It wouldn’t have been a surprise to see him run the 40 in the low 4.3s if he were healthy. He’s got a strong lower body, too, and he was a legend in the weight room even before he got to Penn State. When things lined up for Singleton, he looked like a freight train going down the field.”
To go along with that track-like speed, Singleton has a lot of power in his lower half and has the contact balance to bounce off the first wave of defenders. During his four seasons at Penn State, Singleton picked up 2,151 yards after contact.
A knock on Singleton is his feel for lane development. Give him a clear runway and it could be bye-bye-birdie. But he struggles to decipher what’s in front of him.
Singleton looks natural catching passes out of the backfield and is alert in pass protection. During his final three seasons at Happy Valley, Singleton hauled in 91 receptions for 902 yards and eight touchdowns.
Beyond being an elite size-speed athlete at 6'0", 227 pounds, another top selling point of Nicholas Singleton's profile is his receiving value.
He caught 41 passes for 375 yards and 5 TDs in 2024. He's role versatile, he can be used for designed RAC, and he can track the ball. pic.twitter.com/8UMmkCOdyT
“Singleton improved this area of his game over the course of his career, and in his final three seasons, he averaged 30 catches for 300 yards and three touchdowns per year,” Gallen said. “Singleton put in the work in that area of his game, and it showed up. Singleton is also the type of player who, if he gets schemed up into space, he can make some things happen.”
A feather in Singleton’s cap is his experience as a kick returner. He returned 48 kicks during his time at Penn State and returned one for a touchdown and averaged 23.7 yards per return. With his explosiveness, Singleton could develop into a weapon on special teams.
“Any time Singleton has the ball in his hands, he can make an impact,” Gallen said. “I do have a little pause about how he would translate to the NFL kickoff rules. The traditional kickoff in college catered to Singleton because it allowed him to get a full head of steam and just go. With the NFL rules, vision is a little more important, and that’s an area where Singleton struggled at times, especially later in his career...Still, it would definitely be worth trying him in that role.”
Fit with the Packers
The Packers re-signed Chris Brooks to a two-year deal and as it stands right now he'll be second in the pecking order for snaps behind Jacobs.
MarShawn Lloyd, a former third-round pick could provide Green Bay's rushing attack with a spark, if he could find a way to stay healthy.
Singleton could provide what the Packers had hoped Lloyd would have provided when they selected the former USC running back with the 88th overall pick.
As it stands right now, the Packers only have seven picks, with five of them coming on Day 3 of the draft. It would not be shocking to see Brian Gutekunst use one of those Day 3 selections on a running back and Singleton could be the target.
The Penn State product would bring much-needed explosiveness to Green Bay's running back room. He's a threat to create a chunk play anytime he has the ball in his hands. On top of that, he could be Green Bay's long-term solution to kick returner if Skyy Moore is only in Green Bay for one year.
“Singleton immediately makes a team more explosive and athletic,” Gallen said. “He’s a playmaker, and he’s a home-run threat with the ball in his hands. He would be a welcome addition to any offense…It’s so hard to look past the tools, and Singleton appears to be wired the right way to excel. There’s still a high ceiling there, even if his senior season at Penn State was a quiet one.”
The New York Yankees have begun making spring training cuts, and most of their moves have not been a surprise.
As Opening Day nears, manager Aaron Boone and his coaching staff will have a better idea of who they want on the roster. New York's No. 1-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline, shortstop George Lombard Jr., will not be joining the AL East club on its flight to San Francisco.
On Thursday, the Yankees announced that Lombard, a 20-year-old with 108 games of experience at Double-A, was reassigned to minor league camp. This is an anticipated move that will have plenty of Yankees fans up in arms, but Lombard's first taste of the Majors was never going to be in the early months of the 2026 season.
Lombard and Anthony Volpe's future with the Yankees
Lombard hit just .185 in 27 spring training at-bats, but the Yankees have a glaring need at shortstop if Anthony Volpe is unable to improve on both sides of the ball. This puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the former first-round pick's minor league development.
New York already views Lombard's defense as MLB-ready, but it is his approach and performance in the batter's box that need improvement. Lombard showed flashes of what he's capable of with a bat in hand when he went deep as the Yankees' leadoff hitter against Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet.
For now, Lombard seeks to improve his skillset and receive everyday reps in the minors, likely opening the year at Double-A before graduating to Triple-A - the final stop in a minor leaguer's path to a Major League debut.
“It’s not how I envisioned it before I stepped on campus,” the Cardinals’ starting point guard told The Courier Journal on Wednesday, after missing his third consecutive game due to a reaggravated back injury. “I just try to do what I can: constant communication with the guards, constant communication with the bigs and the wings – just trying to keep them connected.”
“... It’s definitely tough,” he added. “Basketball gave me everything.”
With sixth-seeded UofL's 78-73 loss Thursday to No. 3 Miami in the quarterfinal round of the ACC Tournament at the Spectrum Center, all eyes will be on the projected NBA lottery pick’s status for March Madness.
Louisville announced Brown was ruled out for the entirety of the conference tournament in a statement released Tuesday night. A team spokesperson told The Courier Journal that decision was made Monday afternoon, several hours after coach Pat Kelsey held a news conference to preview the trip to Charlotte, North Carolina.
"He's doing fine," Kelsey told reporters during the media availability. "We're excited about getting him out there; and he'll be out there soon."
“We believe it is best to have him continue his path of improvement and have him 100% for the first round of the NCAA Tournament,” Kelsey said in the statement released Tuesday night. “He’s close and (champing) at the bit to be out there with his teammates.”
After the Cards’ 62-58 win over SMU on Wednesday, Brown was asked, “Are you 100% positive that you’ll be back for the NCAA Tournament?” He replied, “Right now, I’m just focused on my rehab more than anything. When the time feels right, I'm going to talk to the coaching staff; and we’re going to come to an agreement.”
Louisville finished the game with 15 assists against 13 turnovers (leading to 17 points for the opposition).
Brown finished the regular season as Louisville’s No. 2 scorer with 18.2 points on 41% shooting (34.4% from 3-point range) and a team-high 4.7 assists (against 3.1 turnovers) across 29 minutes per game. His nine outings with 20 or more points are the most by a freshman during a single season in program history. He also tied Ryan Conwell for the team lead in steals, 1.2 per contest.
The Cards enter the NCAA Tournament with a 7-5 record without Brown vs. a 16-5 record when the freshman plays.
This story will be updated.
Reach Louisville men's basketball reporter Brooks Holton at bholton@gannett.com and follow him on X at @brooksHolton.
The NCAA Tournament is chaos by design, and chaos creates opportunity. While most bettors focus on point spreads and bracket pools, March Madness prop bets open the door to softer markets built around volatility, seed perception, and public bias.
From "Make the Field" to Final Four odds and region winner props, these markets reward bettors who understand timing, structure, and how sportsbooks price uncertainty.
If you’re looking to attack the tournament beyond the bracket, prop bets are where the edge lives.
Duke, Michigan, and Arizona now lead the way to reach the Final Four, with all three carrying implied probabilities above 50%. Florida has also moved into the top group, while Houston, Illinois, and Connecticut sit a tier below as shorter-value contenders with a real shot to make a run.
These odds should keep moving once Selection Sunday locks in the bracket, since path difficulty will matter just as much as team strength.
Duke & Michigan vs the field
Teams
Odds
Duke Blue Devils + Michigan Wolverines
+115
The Field (vs Duke & Michigan)
-145
Duke and Michigan have both been elite all season at 29–2, and the odds reflect that with each sitting near the top of the championship board. Taking this side means betting that one of those two powers finishes the job. The field is still favored slightly though, because all it takes is one upset in March to knock even the best teams out.
Duke, Michigan & Arizona vs the field
Teams
Odds
Duke Blue Devils + Michigan Wolverines + Arizona Wildcats
+115
The Field (vs Duke, Michigan & Arizona)
-145
Add Arizona to the mix, and now you’re talking about three of the best teams in the country, all sitting at 29–2. With Duke, Michigan, and Arizona all likely having favorable paths to the Final Four, the odds lean toward one of them winning it all. But the field still offers value if you believe March Madness chaos is coming.
March Madness MVP
The March Madness MVP (also known as the tournament's most outstanding player) is a fun market that can provide value, provided you have a good take on which team will win the national title. After all, the MVP has come from the tournament winner every year since 1983.
Prop bets — also known as proposition bets — aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when talking about March Madness odds. Tournament prop menus have expanded dramatically, now including region winners, exact matchup outcomes, conference performance props, and player tournament leader markets. They're also a great attraction for those learning how to bet on March Madness.
March Madness props focus on individual team or player performances and particular events or happenings during a game, round, or tournament. Some prop bets can unfold in a matter of minutes, while others are graded on the Final Four and National Championship results.
Where can I bet on March Madness props?
March Madness is one of the most popular times of the year for sports bettors, making it one of the busiest times of the year for online sportsbooks. Every betting site will offer March Madness scores, matchups, and odds, but the top sites are safe and secure, offer a wide range of banking options, and offer a ton of markets for each game. Check out the best March Madness betting sites in your region.
Tips for betting on March Madness props
March Madness prop bets can vary in focus and scope. Some props are longer-running markets, graded after a certain round or at the end of the NCAA Tournament. Other props are game-based and limited to a particular matchup.
Build your bracket
For betting on tournament or round props, you’ll want to build out your March Madness bracket and bracket predictions to lay your path to the Final Four. Weigh each matchup and then base those prop bets on how you see the Big Dance playing out.
Spotting Cinderella
Singling out a Cinderella team that could provide an upset or two is vital to getting value from the March Madness props. Finding a live lower seed or an unknown mid-major giant killer can score some big plus-money prop payouts.
Don’t contradict
Make sure your March Madness prop picks are in line with your single-game wagers. You don’t want to play the Over on the number of Big Ten schools making it out of the Round of 64 and then fade Michigan to cover as a favorite in the first round.
Set a narrative
When it comes to game props, such as team and player prop bets, set a narrative for how you see the matchup playing out. If you think a talented big man will have his way with a smaller opponent, then look to the Over on props for points and rebounds. If you like a small-conference Cinderella to shoot their way to an upset win, look to back up that opinion with an Over wager on the team’s total number of 3-point buckets made.
Money management
The excitement of March Madness can get the best of basketball bettors, so have a money management system in place. If you plan on playing some NCAA Tournament props, designate a certain amount of your bankroll to just those types of wagers. This will help you be more selective about your prop bets and narrow down which types of bets you are winning and losing throughout the Big Dance.
Instant Replay: March Madness prop bets
March Madness prop bets can focus on various aspects of the tournament, from the rounds to seeds to the overall tournament and individual matchups.
March Madness game props are gaining popularity, and sportsbooks will have more of these than ever in 2025.
The “First to 15” prop is one of the most exciting and entertaining bets you can make during the NCAA Tournament.
Set a narrative for your March Madness props, whether that’s building out your bracket or setting a game script for player and team props.
On Sunday, 30,000 runners will take part in the United Airlines NYC Half Marathon and one of those incredible runners is a nurse from New York who's training while also fasting for Ramadan.
Safi Diagana is 26 years old.
"I am an alumna of Run for the Future, a great program for women and girls to get into the sport of running, it was something I never thought I would do and here I am running because I love to do it," Diagana added.
Diagana has been running for more than eight years now.
She is an NYU grad who just started working as a nurse and is fired up to run on her favorite landmark along the 13.1-mile run.
"Going through the Brooklyn Bridge, which I am a huge fan of," Diagana said. "If you know as a New Yorker, it's always crowded, but for the first time it'll be empty."
Empty except for all of the other runners.
One of the challenges other than the 13.1 miles is that Diagana's training in the month of Ramadan, which means no eating from sunrise to sundown.
She still gets runs in though during the day. She hopes to get back to her regular schedule after Ramadan which means running about three times a week.
"I'll take my sneakers and go for a run, I'll put my phone on DND because I don't want any phone calls, any texts that might distract me to go back, I just want to go as fast as i can," Diagana said.
Who has she surprised the most, with her love of running? She said other than her cat--maybe herself.
Her dad also has been a positive influence.
"He's always been the one who encouraged us to go out to the park and play," Diagana said.
"Just do it just do it, run for the future, applications are open now, so please go do it, encourage young women and girls around you to apply for it," Diagana said.
ABC 7 New York is a proud sponsor of the United Airlines NYC Half. You will be able to watch live streaming coverage of the event on abc7NY.com, our mobile and connected TV apps, and social media platforms on Sunday, March 15, starting at 7 a.m.
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
Interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje will be among several UFC fighters who will demonstrate their training techniques to academy students and FBI staff at the FBI Special Agent Academy in Quantico, Virginia, on Saturday and Sunday.
Gaethje also will headline a July 4 card on the south lawn of the White House when he goes against Ilia Topuria for the lightweight championship.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for our FBI agents to learn and train with some of the greatest athletes on earth — helping the world’s premier law enforcement agency be even better prepared to protect the American people,” FBI director Kash Patel said in a statement.
Jorge Masvidal, Chris Weidman, Claudia Gadelha, Michael Chandler, Manel Kape and Renzo Gracie are the other mixed-martial arts fighters who will take part.
"It’s an incredible opportunity for our athletes to experience, and we’re proud to support the FBI in strengthening their defense techniques,” Dana White, the UFC CEO and president, said in a statement.
Rumors about Brian Thomas Jr.'s future with the Jacksonville Jaguars have been swirling since last season's trade deadline. However, whenever James Gladstone or Liam Coen is asked about Thomas Jr.'s future with the team, both remain 100% committed to the third-year wideout.
That was again the case on Thursday, when Gladstone was asked about the latest rumors and speculation that involve Thomas Jr. and the Jaguars.
"No, we haven't," Gladstone said when asked if the Jaguars received a trade offer for Brian Thomas Jr., "and there hasn't been a ton of dialogue around that front. Teams check in simply because it seems like there's -- I know the word reputable came up earlier -- I don't think there's been any reputable statement. We don't have any real action on any of those fronts."
Basically, the only conversations around Thomas Jr. have seemingly come up when teams reach out to the Jaguars after seeing various reports, which as Gladstone points out, have not been accurate.
After a very impressive rookie season in 2024, where Thomas Jr. totaled nearly 1,300 receiving yards, his production took a big step back in Coen's offense. In 15 games, Thomas Jr. recorded just 728 receiving yards and went from scoring 10 receiving touchdowns the year prior to just three.
That production dip is what has largely contributed to the outside noise. This is also a Coen offense that is predicated on spreading the ball around in the passing game. The Jaguars may not have the traditional WR1 like some teams.
But even so, trading Thomas Jr. never made sense.
For one, Thomas Jr. is entering just the third year of his rookie deal, and given his previous production coupled with his potential, that is a tremendous value for the Jaguars, who still have two years of team control plus a fifth-year option.
Then, going beyond the production that Thomas Jr. can bring to this offense, when he was sidelined last season with an ankle injury, his presence within the offense was very much missed.
With his ability to stretch the field, that creates better spacing and opportunities for others to exploit. When Thomas Jr. was sidelined, this element was missing, and the Jaguars felt the effects of that.
It's also worth noting that with Travis Hunter reportedly playing cornerback full-time and wide receiver part-time, Thomas Jr. is going to remain a big part of this offense moving forward.
"I think you think back to where we landed at the end of the season, where our passing attack was, we have no interest in disrupting the momentum," Gladstone added. "We look forward to continuing to build from where we left things and know that Brian Thomas is a big piece to that puzzle, and want to make sure that doesn't get disrupted at any time."
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 4: Emanuel Wilson #23 of the Green Bay Packers carries the ball against the Minnesota Vikings in the second quarter of the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 4, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Seattle Seahawks will be signing running back Emanuel Wilson to a one-year deal “worth up to $2.1 million” for the 2026 season. The Super Bowl champions are in the market for a number two back after Kenneth Walker, who won the Super Bowl MVP, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason.
Wilson was the Packers’ number two ball-carrier behind Josh Jacobs last season, but he was passed up in offensive snaps in the final third of the 2025 season, as Chris Brooks took a bigger role with the team. Brooks, primarily a blocking back and special teams contributor, signed a two-year, $4.85 million contract with Green Bay this offseason, good for an APY of slightly higher than Wilson’s but with a cost-controlled second year attached to his deal when compared to Wilson.
Both Brooks and Wilson were restricted free agents, meaning that the Packers had the option to tender them on a $3.5 million, one-year “first right of refusal” deal. Green Bay ended up paying Brooks for less than that per year and also let Wilson walk into unrestricted free agency, where he received less than the tender.
The Packers will not receive a compensatory draft pick for the Seahawks signing Wilson away, as restricted free agents who didn’t have their tenders picked up do not count toward the compensatory pick formula, one way or another. Seattle is in the same mode as Green Bay right now, where they’re actively trying to protect the comp picks they’ll be receiving for the players they have leaving this offseason.
Over The Cap currently has the Seahawks gaining a fourth-round pick and three fifth-round picks in 2027 for losing edge defender Boye Mafe, running back Kenneth Walker III, safety Coby Bryant and cornerback Tariq Woolen. This move helps Seattle add some competition to their running back room before the draft while also protecting these picks. They have yet to sign a qualifying compensatory free agent this offseason, despite having $41 million in cap space, per OTC’s most recent update.
New Detroit Lions center Cade Mays didn’t need long to realize Detroit was the right place for the next chapter of his career.
Speaking with reporters for the first time since signing with the Lions, Mays explained that the team’s physical brand of football and the leadership of head coach Dan Campbell made Detroit stand out during free agency.
A mentality that fits Detroit
For Mays, the Lions’ identity on the field matched exactly how he views the game.
“I love the brand of football they play. I feel like I would have fit in here,” Mays said as quoted by Lions OnSI. “Coming into free agency, I felt like this was a team where they fit what I do, and I fit what they do. Really looking forward to it.”
That hard-nosed style has become a trademark of Detroit under Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes, particularly along the offensive line.
Mays said that mentality was immediately obvious once he began evaluating the team.
“Hard-nosed grit. Obviously, you see it all around the building. But I feel like I just fit into what they do, and I was very, very interested when going through the free agency thing. I’m super excited about it.”
Confidence at center
Before arriving in Detroit, Mays spent time with the Carolina Panthers, where he gained valuable experience playing center.
Even though the position wasn’t originally where he expected to play at the NFL level, he embraced the opportunity.
“It was just a position that came open,” Mays explained. “I got an opportunity there and just started playing it, started learning it.”
The 26-year-old believes his development at the position is still just beginning.
“I still feel like I’m on the rise at the position. I’ve come a long way, but I feel like I’m just now getting on my way up. I feel like I’ve got a long way to go. And I’m excited for the journey.”
A player built for Detroit
Mays described himself as a player who prides himself on doing whatever it takes to help his teammates succeed.
“I would say I’m a smart, hard-working guy who is going to do all I can to get the job done and make the people around me better,” he said. “Just do all I can to help this team win and achieve what we want to be.”
He also admitted that Campbell’s personality played a big role in his decision.
“You look at what you want as a player, as a person. Obviously coach Dan is my kind of guy, and I feel like I’m like his kind of guy,” Mays said.
The Lions’ emphasis on physical offensive line play and a powerful running attack sealed the deal.
“You look at the brand of football they play — hard-nosed and you want to move people vertically and get the run game going. All that stuff kind of goes into play.”
If Mays is right, his mindset should fit perfectly with the culture Detroit has built over the last several seasons.
The UFC continues its March schedule on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 269, which goes down at Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there in "Sin City" to help guide viewers through the experience.
Details of who will be working as commentators and analysts for the show have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the plans – and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.
The main card lineup is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET following prelims slated to start at 5 p.m. ET.
UFC Fight Night 269 desk analysts
Megan Olivi serves as desk anchor and host at UFC Fight Night 269.
Former UFC light heavyweight title champion Rashad Evans, retired welterweight veteran Alan Jouban and coach Din Thomas will join Olivi in analyst roles throughout the event and on the post-fight show.
UFC Fight Night 269 roving reporter
UFC correspondent Heidi Androl will conduct pre- and post-fight interviews backstage with some of the athletes on the UFC Fight Night 269 card, as well as report additional real-time updates for the event.
UFC Fight Night 269 octagon announcer
The esteemed Joe Martinez will introduce the fighters before battle and read official bout results inside the cage at UFC Fight Night 269.
UFC Fight Night 269 cageside commentators
Brendan Fitzgerald will serve as the leading man on the mic from cageside at UFC Fight Night 269.
He'll command play-by-play and be joined in the booth by UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping and former UFC/WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz.
Now that things have finally settled down after the Maxx Crosby trade, both parties are speaking on what took place, including Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta.
A lot of people came down hard on DeCosta and the organization for how they handled the situation, but DeCosta said the team was devastated when Crosby failed his physical and the deal fell through.
"We were really excited about potentially adding Maxx," DeCosta said. "Nobody is more disappointed than me, [he's] a player I greatly admire.
"I know our fans are upset and devastated. I understand that. Tough, tough situation. But I think for the Ravens, the right situation. My role as GM, and Jesse [Minter's] role as head coach, and Sashi [Brown's] role as president, stewards of the organization, we have to make tough calls, and this was certainly a tough call to make," he added.
"It's devastating for me to have that conversation," DeCosta added. "I'm sure it was challenging for them to hear as well. It's also very, very, very, very hard for the player to hear that. It's probably hardest for [Maxx Crosby], more than anybody else.
Crosby didn’t seem too upset about staying with the Las Vegas Raiders. He made that clear in a late-night tweet Wednesday night.
Eduardo Camavinga: Man United receive perfect encouragement to strike for Real Madrid star
Bolstering the midfield is at the top of Manchester United’s summer transfer agenda.
Casemiro is leaving, and Manuel Ugarte, who has failed to demonstrate that he can fill the void the Samba star will leave behind, looks equally likely to depart.
As a result, a significant portion of the Red Devils’ transfer budget is expected to be channelled into rebuilding United’s engine room.
While United fans have been searching for encouraging updates in the pursuit of these top midfielders, a promising development has emerged from Spain.
Matteo Moretto, via Marca, has breathed fresh hope into United’s pursuit of Real Madrid star Camavinga.
“He’s not untouchable; there are already Premier League clubs interested in him. For now, Real Madrid hasn’t set a price, but it’s clear they don’t want to go below 50 million,” Moretto stated about the French midfielder.
Opportunity too good to ignore
Such an update ought to have United on red alert. Camavinga for €50 million is a transfer opportunity too good to ignore.
Before he joined Real Madrid, United were keen admirers. It appears they have continued to track his development in the Spanish capital, with The Peoples Person covering a report back in February suggesting INEOS view the Real Madrid number six as an ideal Casemiro heir.
Those who have watched him regularly will understand exactly why he can fill the void the South American veteran will leave at Old Trafford.
In replacing Casemiro, Camavinga would offer a more dynamic and versatile option, capable of anchoring the midfield while injecting athleticism, high-intensity pressing and superior ball-playing ability into this United side.
That said, alongside Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes and hopefully Elliott Anderson, the 23-year-old could help transform this United midfield into one of the finest not just in the Premier League, but across Europe.
Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas is not going anywhere, General Manager James Gladstone said Thursday.
He called a recent report that Jacksonville was "entertaining offers" for Thomas as "fraudulent claims."
"I know the word 'reputable' came up earlier [in a previous question]," Gladstone said, via Michael DiRocco of ESPN. "I don't think there's been any reputable statement [that the Jaguars were shopping Thomas]. We don’t have any real action on any of those fronts, and you think back to where we landed at the end of the season, where our passing attack was, we have no interest in disrupting the momentum.
"We look forward to continuing to build off of where we left things and know that Brian Thomas is a big piece to that puzzle and we don't want that disrupted at any time."
Thomas, 23, earned Pro Bowl honors as a rookie when he made 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. In 2025, he caught only 48 passes for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games.
The Jaguars, though, are sold on Thomas as a part of their future, Gladstone said.
"I care more for what weight that might put on Brian himself when it's something that's entirely out of his control and unnecessary," Gladstone said. "So I think that's where my mind would go, if anything. But when it's fraudulent claims, you just keep your mind on what you can focus on and you can actually control and try to do what's best for the Jacksonville Jaguars. And ultimately that's not the hardest thing to do when that's the role and where you can try to compartmentalize things."
Miami Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis speaks to reporters during an introductory news conference Thursday at the Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, Fla. Photo by Alex Butler/UPI
MIAMI, March 12 (UPI) -- Malik Willis' voice is suede soft and nearly library low, but steady. He scours his mind for the right words, but isn't heavy handed in using vocal conviction as a cloak of confidence.
It's a poise and delivery the Miami Dolphins yearned for during their quarterback search. It's also one of the reasons they signed Willis to a 3-year, $67.5 million contract in free agency the same month they parted ways with former starter Tua Tagovailoa.
Despite a brief resume of just six career starts and 155 pass attempts over four years, new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley are more familiar with Willis than most NFL braintrusts.
They observed the former third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft over the last two seasons while working on the Green Bay Packers staff and were convicted enough about his attributes to bring him to Miami Gardens, Fla., after they were hired as the Dolphins' respective general manager and head coach.
"There are a lot of great reasons to be here," Willis said Thursday at his introductory news conference. "Those two guys are the biggest ones, in my opinion as far as what I see in this organization and this team becoming.
Quarterback Malik Willis joined the Green Bay Packers through a 2024 trade from the Tennessee Titans. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI
"I can't see the future, but all I know is they're going to put in the work each and every day just as I'll try to do the same. In whatever role, whatever leadership it is. They brought me in as a piece of the puzzlethat they want to put here, and I'm grateful and honored to be a part of that."
Willis, who admitted he wasn't prepared to be a franchise quarterback during his time with the Tennessee Titans, said he never put a timeline on when he expected another team to grant him another chance.
Quarterback Malik Willis went 2-1 as a starter for the Green Bay Packers. File Photo by Mark Black/UPI
He drifted through four different offenses through his first four seasons, which sandwiched a 2024 trade from the Titans to the Packers. Willis declined to describe interest he received from other teams this off-season, but said he was drawn to the Dolphins because of Hafley and Sullivan's ability to give him deliberate feedback on how to improve his game.
He whittled his NFL acumen through work on the Packers' scout team, which included impersonations of opposing quarterbacks and observations from alien schemes while battling a Hafley-led Green Bay defenses.
Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Malik Willis (R) ran for 405 yards and four scores over 22 appearances through his first four seasons. File Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI
He now hopes to follow similar paths to other veteran quarterbacks who didn't pan out initially, but went on to success down the road, like Super Bowl winner Sam Darnold and journeyman Geno Smith.
"You've got to lean not on your own understanding, that's for sure," Willis said. "And you've gotta trust in God's plan for your life. When he wakes you up and gives you opportunity to get better, I think that's all you should ask for. When an opportunity arises, that's when you'll be able to take advantage of it.
Former Liberty quarterback Malik Willis was a third-round pick by the Tennessee Titans in the 2022 NFL Draft. File Photo by David Tulis/UPI
"So until then, you got to keep working, because if you didn't get the opportunity, that means you weren't ready."
Willis, 26, completed just 53% of his throws for 350 yards and three interceptions over 11 appearances from 2022 to 2023 with the Titans, where he fell out of favor before landing in Green Bay.
He completed 78.7% of his tosses for 972 yards, with six scores and no interceptions over his final 11 appearances for the Packers, including a 43 of 54 (79.6%) clip for 612 yards and three scores in three starts. The Packers went 2-1 in those games.
Willis believes he improved every part of his game, other than running, which he has always excelled at, over his turbulent NFL start. He learned to trigger memories and customize his preparation, which allowed him to better evaluate what he sees from defenses.
The Dolphins' perceived starter is likely to receive early QB1 repetitions, but conceded that he anticipates competition across the roster, including at quarterback.
"I think it's competition at every position," Willis said. "I think it's competition between the coaches. We compete each day to earn our spot here. It's not a given for anything. And I don't think it should be, but we should be competing for everything, every day. That's the only way we're going to continue to get better and grow.
"We don't want to get stale."
The Dolphins also hope the fresh ingredients turn around an offense that went from oven hot to expired in the span of a few seasons behind Tagovailoa and former coach Mike McDaniel, who was fired in January and hired a month later as Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator.
Willis said he isn't sure when he knew he was "ready" to accept the role he currently holds, but plans to pour all of his energy into the biggest opportunity of his career.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity now, and that's all I have to say," Willis said. "I can't say whether I was ready or not. I can't prove that, you know what I mean? That would be just me being arrogant, prideful, you know? A good opportunity is here now.
"I'm going to try to do my best to take advantage of it."
The New England Patriots appeared to have cultivated a culture appealing to free agents.
Dre'Mont Jones represented one of New England's biggest signings to begin the offseason. The pass rusher agreed to a three-year, $39.5 million deal after splitting time between the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens last season.
The Patriots formally introduced Jones and other additions on Thursday. The 29-year-old cited their turnaround under head coach Mike Vrabel as the reason why he chose the reigning AFC champions, per CLNS Media.
"Vrabes and winning, to be simple about it," Jones said.
Jones narrowly missed a chance to make his first postseason appearance when the Ravens lost a Week 18 game to the Pittsburgh Steelers for the AFC North title. He's eager to compete for a championship in his eighth NFL season.
"I’ve never been in the playoffs, so hopefully, now that I’m here, playoffs and Super Bowl appearances will happen again," Jones said.
Having lost K'Lavon Chaisson to the Washington Commanders, the Patriots will hope to replace that pass-rushing production with Jones. The former third-round pick tallied a career-high seven sacks and 24 quarterback hits last season, playing 18 games because of a midseason trade.
Initially a defensive tackle, Jones shifted to the edge after cutting weight. He joins safety Kevin Byard, wide receiver Romeo Doubs and offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker among New England's impact signings.
Jones sounds like a good fit in Vrabel's locker room. Courtesy of WEEI's Tom Carroll, Jones gave fans a concise summary of what they should know about him.
MURFREESBORO — Sevier County's subdued nature immediately following one of the program's biggest upset victories belied just how special the Smoky Bears' 52-34 victory over No. 1-ranked Bradley Central on March 12 was for Sevier County coach Jonathan Shultz.
Two years ago, Shultz wasn't sure if he would continue coaching his team through the remainder of the 2023-2024 season, much less lead them to an inprobable victory over a Bradley Central team that won the previous three straight TSSAA girls basketball state championships in Class 4A.
Shultz's liver was shutting down when he was hospitalized prior to his team's region championship game against Dobyns-Bennett in late February of 2024. He was unable to accompany his team through its state tournament run that year. Sevier County lost to Bartlett in the state quarterfinal.
It's why this win, against this team means so much.
"I showed the girls, before the game, a picture of me in the hospital," Shultz said. "I said 'Thank you for bringing me back'. It's very special."
Shultz, who's health has stabilized after liver surgery in June of 2024 said he's still in need of a liver transplant. He manages his health through diet and exercise, but his calm demeanor in Sevier County's quarterfinal game registered on the faces of his players after snapping Bradley Central's 49-game win streak that dates back to January o2025 as well as the Bearettes' 99-game win streak against in-state opponents.
"We knew it would be a challenge," said Sevier County forward Kaliyah Burden after scoring 16 points and grabbing eight rebounds. "Our coaches prepared us very well. We didn't want to come down here (to Murfreesboro) and lose in the first round like we did two years ago. And having him here has been very special."
Sevier County (27-5) will face Blackman (29-3) in a TSSAA girls basketball Class 4A semifinal at 6:30 p.m. (ET) on Friday, March 13.
Shultz's plan was simple. His team stayed in a 3-2 zone, surrounded two-time Miss Basketball winner Kimora Fields and sent three or four players at her when she touched the ball. Sevier County dared Bradley Central to beat them from the perimeter. The Bearettes couldn't. Bradley shot 21.7% and was just 3-of-21 from the 3-point arc.
The Smoky Bears shot 42.% and outscored a bigger Bradley team in the paint, 20-14. Bradley Central lost eight seniors from last year's team that won a third consecutive title. Six of those players signed Division I scholarships. But the Bearettes still boasted a 32-0 record coming into its March 12 state quarterfinal, meaning it was the heavy 4A favorite for a fourth straight gold ball.
"Give credit to Sevier County," Bradley Central coach Jason Reuter said. "They are well coached. They get you down and there's no shot clock. I've been the benefit of that a lot of times and that was a part of our demise. We couldn't turn them over enough."
Shultz decided to savor his team's win over Bradley. He's got 24 hours to enjoy it. But he's in no rush. Time is something he's grateful for and his team bought one more day with their coach with a chance to advance to the program's first state title game since 2002.
It's why his team wasn't in the mood for an exaggerated display of celebration after the buzzer. There's more to do.
"Whenever we saw the draw, we were excited," Shultz said. "If you're going to make that championship game why not start with the team that's been there the last three times."
Reach The Tennessean's high school sports editor, George Robinson, at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports.
NFL offseasons always bring a lot of change, especially to the back end of the roster. The Dallas Cowboys are no different.
On Wednesday, the Cowboys signed 25-year-old Sam Howell to a one-year contract. He’s expected to compete with Joe Milton for the primary backup job to Dak Prescott. However, Howell’s arrival meant another QB on the roster had to go.
On Thursday, ESPN’s Cowboys insider Todd Archer reported that Dallas has released quarterback Will Grier from the roster. Grier spent most of the 2025 season on the Cowboys’ practice squad and was re-signed to the team on a futures contract in January.
Now the 30-year-old quarterback will have a chance to catch on with another team, ideally in a situation where he isn’t the fourth player on the depth chart. Yet, that could be easier said than done for a player who’s made just two appearances in his career, back in 2019 with the Panthers.
However, Grier’s playing time was limited, and those appearances came in his rookie season after Carolina made him the 100th overall pick in the third round. Grier wound up completing 28-of-52 passes (53.8%) for 228 yards, zero touchdowns, and four interceptions. He also took six sacks.
Still, that was seven years ago, and Grier has undoubtedly improved his game since. Now he’ll have to hope he gets a chance to prove it after his time with the Cowboys has run out.
The San Francisco 49erslost defensive end Robert Beal Jr. to the Miami Dolphins on Thursday morning, and they lost another defensive end in the afternoon, as Bryce Huff announced his retirement from the NFL on social media.
In his video, Huff discussed his journey through football from a kid hoping to make his dreams come true to an NFL player with the 49ers, New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.
He also spoke about how he can do more than just football and announced that he's starting a company to focus on the fire risk in lithium-ion batteries.
Huff, 27, played at Memphis from 2016-19, earning All-AAC honors twice. He played six seasons in the NFL, recording 108 tackles, 62 quarterback hits, 24 sacks, four passes defensed and four forced fumbles.
San Francisco acquired him last year before the start of the regular season, nad he finished with a career-high 30 tackles and tied for the team lead with four sacks.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins celebrates scoring against Lille (Sameer AL-DOUMY)
Ollie Watkins ended his goal drought as the Aston Villa striker sealed a 1-0 win against Lille in the Europa League last-16 first leg on Thursday.
Watkins netted for the first time in eight games in all competitions to put Villa on track for a place in the quarter-finals.
The England international's second-half goal was only his ninth in a disappointing personal campaign, with just two in his last 13 matches.
Watkins' relief at getting back on the scoresheet was palpable when he celebrated his header at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Thanks to Watkins, Unai Emery's side, who beat Lille in the 2024 UEFA Conference League quarter-finals, will head into the second leg at Villa Park on March 19 as favourites to advance.
Villa have won eight of their nine Europa games this season as they step up their bid to end a 30-year trophy drought.
Emery's men had stumbled in recent weeks, winning only one of their last five Premier League matches, with their last two a chastening defeat at bottom of the table Wolves and a 4-1 thrashing by Chelsea.
But beating Lille was a major boost before a crucial clash at Manchester United on Sunday in the race to qualify for the Champions League.
It was also a landmark 100th victory for Emery as Villa boss.
"Ollie is working and being consistent with his task. Then of course he's scoring but we need more numbers with the other players," Emery said.
"The most important thing is how we played a serious match. We know how difficult it is with the atmosphere they have here.
"For them to play an English team you can feel it a little bit, a huge motivation for the opponent."
After all six Premier Leagues clubs failed to win their Champions League last-16 first legs this week, Villa restored a little English pride.
Lille striker Olivier Giroud had scored in each of his previous eight matches against Villa, netting 10 times between 2013 and 2020 for Arsenal and Chelsea.
The 39-year-old almost bagged another at Villa's expense late in the first half, getting front of Ezri Konsa for a diving header that whistled wide.
But Watkins made the breakthrough in the 61st minute, meeting Emiliano Buendia's flick on with a looping header over Lille keeper Berke Ozer.
Watkins should have scored again after Douglas Luiz's pass sent him racing clear, but this time he couldn't finish as Ozer did enough to put him off.
Emiliano Martinez saved Lille substitute Matias Fernandez-Pardo's stinging strike as Villa held firm.
- Porto sparkle -
Lorenzo Pellegrini rescued a 1-1 draw for Roma in their all-Italian showdown at Bologna.
Fifth-placed Roma are 12 points above eighth-placed Bologna in Serie A.
But they fell behind when Federico Bernardeschi struck in the 50th minute with a clinical finish from Jonathan Rowe's assist.
Pellegrini came off the bench to haul Roma level in the 71st minute, tapping in from Donyell Malen's pass.
Portuguese league leaders Porto won 2-1 at Stuttgart after surviving a fightback from the German side.
Terem Moffi gave Porto the lead in the 21st minute, the Nigerian striker lashing home from Borja Sainz's pass.
Rodrigo Mora doubled Porto's advantage six minutes later, applying a cushioned finish to Zaidu Sanusi's cross.
Stuttgart's Deniz Undav turned sharply to smash a half-volley past Porto keeper Diogo Costa in the 40th minute.
Ten-man Panathinaikos earned a shock 1-0 home win against Real Betis.
Fourth in the Greek Super League, Panathinaikos had wing-back Anass Zaroury was sent off for a second booking after fouling Abde Ezzalzouli in the 59th minute.
But Betis, fifth in La Liga, were stunned when Vicente Taborda converted an 88th-minute penalty after Diego Llorente was sent off for a foul on Karol Swiderski.
Later on Thursday, Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest host Midtjylland.
Celta Vigo clash with Lyon, Ferencvaros meet Sporting Braga and Genk face Freiburg.
This upcoming season for the Philadelphia Phillies is a big one. While the team is aging, this iteration of the roster might be in its final days as a World Series contender.
They need the most out of their players, and a big component of that will be the return of Zack Wheeler. He's missed a lot of time due to thoracic outlet syndrome and is now working towards a return to the mound.
And according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, the Phillies ace made a significant stride in his recovery, giving the Phillies some great news as the regular season approaches.
Phillies get great Zack Wheeler recovery news
"Zack Wheeler will throw his first live BP (bullpen) on Saturday," Zolecki reports. "Another step forward for him. He's progressing well."
Wheeler is still not ready to pitch in a game just yet, but being able to pitch in a live bullpen session, with hitters at the plate, is a good sign for the ace right-hander.
This means that Wheeler is taking a big step in his recovery, facing live hitters as he makes his way back towards the Major League roster and a spot in the rotation.
The 35-year-old right-hander, when healthy, is one of the best pitchers in baseball. Since coming to the Phillies in 2020, he's posted a remarkable 2.91 ERA across 157 starts.
Last season, before his scary thoracic outlet syndrome diagnosis, Wheeler was putting together another strong season. He had a 2.71 ERA in 24 starts, and was already named an All-Star and had a 5.0 bWAR in early August.
While it's been a long road to recovery, and he still has a ways to go, this report from Zolecki that Wheeler will have a live bullpen session is great news for the Phillies and Wheeler as Opening Day approaches.
For weeks, we’ve been speculating where Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson will land in the draft.
Most think that Simpson may land with either the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Arizona Cardinals, but Conor Orr asked Albert Breer on their Monday Morning Quarterback podcast if a surprising team could slip in and take Simpson.
They ran down each team that might be interested in Simpson, then hit the Dallas Cowboys. Breer hesitated and said maybe.
Here are his thoughts on why the Cowboys at 20 could take Simpson.
“I only hesitate on that one because I think they are going to start to put young quarterbacks in the hopper soon,” Breer said.
Will Ty Simpson hear his name called in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft? 🤔
Breer thinks the teams most likely to take a hard look at Simpson are the Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams.
Simpson is familiar with Browns head coach Todd Monken, who recruited him while he was at Georgia, and, according to Breer, he also has ties to the Rams.
But the Cowboys picking up Simpson may not be a bad idea. Dak Prescott will turn 33 later this year, and he is injury-prone. So, it may be time for the Cowboys to start prepping his replacement.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers controls the ball against Wendell Carter Jr. #34 of the Orlando Magic in the first half of the game at Kia Center on March 11, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers lost a tough one to the Orlando Magic last night. It wasn’t just that they had a disappointing effort on defense that led to their defeat. But it also felt like the officiating was working against them at key moments.
Kenny Atkinson deployed both of his coaches’ challenges throughout the game. Once on an out-of-bounds call in the first quarter, and later to reverse a shooting foul on Keon Ellis. Both were successful. But once the game was coming down to the wire, Atkinson wished he had a third challenge to use on a key call.
With under 20 seconds to play, the Magic attempted to dump the ball into the post for Paolo Banchero. The entry pass sailed out of bounds — with both James Harden and Banchero making an attempt to catch it. It was unclear if either player touched the ball before it went out of bounds. In real time, the official did his best and determined it was Orlando’s possession. But on such a tough call, you would have liked to see a replay review.
Fortunately, it turns out the officials made the right call.
The NBA’s last two-minute report confirms that Harden touched the ball before it went out of bounds. That might not make you feel any better about the Cavs losing — but at least you can rest assured they weren’t screwed out of an opportunity to win.
The only missed calls included an uncalled foul by Sam Merrill and a missed travel from Desmond Bane. I think those two cancel each other out. Everything else was ruled correct by the league’s report.
Quarterback Cade Klubnik was among the Clemsonplayers who took part in the program’s annual Pro Day on Thursday at the Poe Indoor Facility, where NFL scouts gathered to evaluate former Tigers ahead of the upcoming draft.
Klubnik showed solid athleticism during the testing portion of the workout. The Clemson signal-caller recorded a 4.65-second time in the 40-yard dash and added a 33.5-inch vertical jump, giving scouts another look at his overall athletic profile. Pro Day events like this allow players to display measurable traits in a familiar environment while representatives from across the league observe.
The event once again drew a strong turnout from NFL personnel, with several former Clemson standouts participating in drills and workouts throughout the day. Clemson’s Strength & Conditioning staff compiled the testing numbers from consensus results gathered from pro scouts who were present for the event. For players who already completed certain drills at the NFL Scouting Combine, those results were also included for reference.
March Madness outlook: tough draws await Clemson in NCAA Tournament
Cornerback Jeadyn Lukus was another player who drew attention during the testing session. Lukus delivered one of the more notable athletic performances of the day, running the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds. He also posted an 11-foot-7 broad jump and recorded a 35.5-inch vertical leap.
Pro Day provides a key opportunity for draft hopefuls to perform in front of NFL evaluators as teams continue gathering information before the draft.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
When the Philadelphia Eagles hand out contracts, there is usually a clear pattern to how general manager Howie Roseman operates. Premium positions trump everything else. They often receive priority and the long-term investments. Specialists who are not named Jake Elliott typically do not. That's why the new deal for punter Braden Mann isn't just any deal. One wrinkle runs counter to what we have typically seen from Howie Roseman's staff.
On the surface, that may not sound like a headline-grabbing move. But one detail quietly breaks from the norm that Eagles fans have come to expect during Roseman's tenure.
Braden Mann is the first punter to receive a four-year extension during Howie Roseman's tenure as Eagles general manager.
Billions of dollars have already been spent league-wide on guaranteed money (literally). At 3.5 million on average per season, Braden Mann has done quite well for himself. He has certainly earned it. Mann delivered the best season of his career in 2025, averaging 49.9 yards per punt while posting a strong 43.1 net average.
This is the first time a punter has gotten a four-year extension during Howie Roseman's tenure as Eagles general manager. He has typically favored the shorter, cheaper deals for specialists, which shows just how much leadership appreciates Mann's efforts.
The aforementioned 49.9 yards per punt and 43.1 net average placed him sixth and 11th in the league in those categories, respectively. And we aren't just talking about distance when we discuss how valuable he has been.
Mann has delivered in high-leverage moments. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after helping Philadelphia secure a 24–19 win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 13 of the 2024 regular season. Performances like that reinforced how valuable a reliable punter can be when games tighten and pressure mounts.
He has even been used as a passer on gadget plays. Mann completed a 28-yard pass to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus on a fake punt against the Dallas Cowboys. Sadly, that one is less remembered thanks to a 33–13 loss.
Moments like those may not define a season, but they help illustrate why the Eagles felt comfortable making a rare exception. Consistency, production, and trust Mann built over the past season clearly made a difference in Mann's negotiation.
The best part about that is this. We see further evidence of something that is a Howie Roseman blueprint. Perform well, and the Eagles, more often than not, take care of their own.
With the 2026 season opener two weeks away, most of the Astros’ Opening Day 26-man roster is coming into focus. A few spots, however, remain unsettled. After the signing of Christian Vázquez and the announcement that Josh Hader will start the season on the IL, here’s my second pass at how things could shake out:
Starting pitchers: Hunter Brown, Christian Javier, Tatsuya Imai, Mike Burrows, Spencer Arrighetti, Lance McCullers Jr
Also considered: None
Everything appears to have gone according to plan for the four perceived rotation locks — Brown, Javier, Burrows, and Imai — along with Arrighetti and McCullers, the favorites for the final two spots. All six are healthy, and all six have been effective in most of their outings.
Bullpen: Bryan Abreu, Bryan King, Steven Okert, AJ Blubaugh, Ryan Weiss, Bennett Sousa, Enyel De Los Santos
Also considered: Roddery Muñoz, Peter Lambert, Nate Pearson, Kai-Wei Teng
We know Josh Hader will start the season on the IL, but I’m working under the assumption that Enyel De Los Santos, who is scheduled to throw a live BP on Friday, will be ready for Opening Day.
Slow-playing things and having De Los Santos start the season on the IL would open a roster spot for Rule 5 pick Muñoz, who must remain on the roster all season or be sent back to Cincinnati. His velocity and strikeout numbers have been impressive this spring. The Astros could send Muñoz back to the Reds and then try to re-acquire him via trade.
Former second round pick Peter Lambert has put himself on the radar with an impressive spring following a season in Japan.
Catchers: Yainer Diaz, Christian Vázquez
Also considered: Cèsar Salazar
Vázquez has been with Puerto Rico in the WBC since rejoining the Astros on a minor league deal last week, but I don’t think he signed with the intention of starting the season in Sugar Land. Salazar is out of options, however, so sending him down risks losing him on the waiver wire. I think the Astros will ultimately take that risk.
Infielders: Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, Jeremy Peña, Christian Walker, Isaac Paredes, Nick Allen
Also considered: Brice Matthews, Zach Dezenzo
I am working under the assumption that Peña will not need to start the season on the IL. He’s scheduled to be re-evaluated next week, so we’ll have a clearer picture then.
Loperfido has hit in four straight games after a dreadful start, so I have him moving ahead of Trammell, who has had a nice spring himself. Cole’s numbers haven’t been great, but he has done a good job of getting on base, and I think the Astros would like for him to make the Opening Day roster.
Over the weekend, the Big Ten men’s basketball regular season wrapped up. Now, it is time for the conference tournament, which will take place this week in Chicago.
USC will be the No. 13 seed and face No. 12 seed Washington on Wednesday. But what about the rest of the field? Let’s take a look at the full bracket:
First round: No. 15 seed Northwestern vs. No. 18 seed Penn State
Unlike last year (and unlike with the women tournament), all 18 teams will play in the conference tournament. So even though Penn State went just 3-17 in conference play, they still get a trip to Chicago.
First round: No. 16 seed Oregon vs. No. 17 seed Maryland
Likewise, the Ducks and Terrapins will face off in a matchup of teams that would not have made the conference tournament last year.
Second round: No. 9 seed Iowa vs. Oregon-Maryland winner
The other result of the expanded tournament is that the No. 9 seed now has to play a game on Wednesday, rather than getting a bye until Thursday.
Second round: No. 10 seed Indiana vs. Northwestern-Penn State winner
Second round: No. 12 seed Washington vs. No. 13 seed USC
Two West Coast teams experiencing frustrating seasons and significantly depleted by injuries playing a conference tournament matchup more than halfway across the country at 11:30 a.m. Pacific time? This has massive sicko game written all over it.
Second round: No. 11 seed Minnesota vs. No. 14 seed Rutgers
The fact that USC beat both of these teams this season should tell you a lot.
Third round: No. 5 seed Wisconsin vs. Washington-USC winner
Wisconsin was the only team with a .500 or better record in Big Ten play that USC beat this season. Right now, though it feels like that game took place at least five years ago.
Third round: No. 6 seed UCLA vs. Minnesota-Rutgers winner
During the regular season, UCLA was great in games played in the Pacific Time Zone and terrible pretty much everywhere else. If the Bruins want to win in the Big Ten Tournament, they will need to change that.
Third round: No. 7 seed Purdue vs. Indiana game winner
If Indiana takes care of business in Wednesday, we will get a rivalry matchup in the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday.
Third round: No. 8 seed Ohio State vs. Iowa game winner
As previously mentioned, Iowa will have to play an extra game than the No. 9 seed did last year, while Ohio State will get a bye to the third round as the No. 8 seed.
Quarterfinals: No. 1 seed Michigan vs. Ohio State game winner
Could we get another rivalry matchup in the tournament opener for the regular season conference champions?
Quarterfinals: No. 2 seed Nebraska vs. Purdue game winner
Nebraska is having its best season in program history. Will that continue at the Big Ten Tournament?
Quarterfinals: No. 3 seed Michigan State vs. UCLA game winner
The quarterfinals could potentially give us a matchup between two of college basketball’s most storied programs.
Quarterfinals: No. 4 seed Illinois vs. Wisconsin game winner
Expect plenty of Illinois fans to make the short trip from Champaign to Chicago for this one.
Semifinals: Michigan game winner vs. Iowa game winner
Can anyone stop the Wolverines from cruising to a conference tournament title?
Semifinals: Nebraska game winner vs. Michigan State game winner
The other semifinal could feature a matchup between a program that has been here plenty before (the Spartans) and one that has not (the Huskers).
As has become tradition, the Big Ten Tournament final will be the last game played before the NCAA Tournament bracket is announced. It will air on CBS Sunday afternoon immediately leading into the selection show.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers knew that keeping a hold of Mike Evans after he stated his desire to explore his options in free agency was going to be a tall order.
With Evans signing with the San Francisco 49ers on a three-year deal, Buccaneers fans, and NFL fans for that matter, are going to have to get used to the idea of Evans in a different uniform in 2026.
Tampa has a lot of receivers on the roster, so Evans moving on, while not ideal, isn't the end of the world.
And Mike revealed at his introductory press conference his true feelings on the move to the NFC West.
"It was always going to be hard to leave Tampa," Evans said via NFL.com. "Football-wise, this was the best spot for me for sure. I've always appreciated how the Niners went about their business on the football field."
Vera-Tucker was selected by the Jets 14th overall in Round 1 of the 2021 NFL draft. Vera-Tucker was playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract last season, a year he ended up not playing at all.
A versatile player, injuries followed Vera-Tucker throughout his career in New York as he missed the entire 2025 season because of a tricep injury. In 2022 and 2023, Vera-Tucker was held to seven and five games each season, respectively.
Despite that, the Patriots felt like it was fair to keep him in the AFC East. In New England, Vera-Tucker inked a three-year deal worth up to $48 million.
Patriots are giving former Jets first-round pick Alijah Vera-Tucker a three-year, $42 million deal worth up to $48 million. pic.twitter.com/wAyVdd9rdE
TAMPA, FL - MARCH 3: Jasson Domínquez #24 of the New York Yankees high-fives teammates in the dugout during the game against Team Panama at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 3, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In 2019, a 16-year-old Jasson Domínguez became a multi-millionaire, coming to terms on a $5.2 million signing bonus with America’s most iconic franchise. In the just under seven years since, he’s encountered a lot, from losing a year of development due to COVID-19 to his minor-league breakout and rapid MLB debut to Tommy John surgery to losing opportunities in his true rookie year of 2025 due to the emergence of Trent Grisham.
Entering 2026, the now-23-year-old Domínguez is likely ticketed for Triple-A to continue developing, but he’s still got a chance to prove he belongs on the major-league roster. After a rare home run from the right side on Tuesday against the Phillies, the Martian flipped back to his strong side and replayed a highlight from the first at-bat of his MLB career in September 2023, blasting a long home run off Justin Verlander to get the Yankees started in an eventual 4-3 win over the Tigers in an untelevised game in Lakeland.
Nestled away in front of zero cameras in Lakeland, the Yankees got a quick start off of their longtime foe Verlander, facing the Bombers in a Detroit uniform for the first time in 3,561 days. After the 43-year-old froze Ben Rice to start the game, he coughed up back-to-back home runs to Domínguez and Escarra. The Martian’s blast was especially notable, going 431 feet to deep right-center field.
Justin Verlander struck out Ben Rice on a buckling curveball to open his second outing of the spring before Jasson Dominguez and J.C. Escarra hit back-to-back homers, both off 93 mph fastballs. pic.twitter.com/8jksA2a21g
Will Warren sat down the Tigers 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the first, allowing the home run parade to continue off of Verlander in the second. Non-roster invite Seth Brown gave us a preview of what we’ll see in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, showing off his great pop with his first home run of the spring to make it 3-0 Yanks.
Three strikeouts thru two innings for Justin Verlander, but also three home runs, including this 424-ft drive by Seth Brown. pic.twitter.com/2JkHDFM6aG
Warren struck out a pair in the home half, blowing a 1-2 fastball past Spencer Torkelson at the top of the zone and dialing it up to 95 to get Zach McKinstry swinging to end the second. He continued rolling in the third, only being threatened by a long fly out by Javier Báez before inducing a pair of groundouts, retiring the first nine in order.
Verlander appeared like he was beginning to settle down after allowing three early home runs, but he got into another jam in the fourth. Spencer Jones tapped a ball through the right side and hustled out a double with one out before both Brown and Max Schuemann drew walks to load the bases and chase the future Hall of Famer. Brant Hurter came on in an unenviable situation, but struck out both George Lombard Jr. and Yanquiel Fernández to get out of trouble.
The Tigers’ lineup flipped over in the fourth, but they still had no answer for Warren, who had now tossed four perfect innings on just 41 pitches. Hurter stayed on for Detroit in the fifth and did the same to the top of the Yankees’ order, striking out Rice in a 1-2-3 frame.
After retiring his 13th consecutive batter to start the game, Warren finally faltered and gave up a single to Dillon Dingler and a home run to McKinstry to cut the Yankees’ lead to 3-2. Veteran Kenley Jansen, whom I just learned today is a Tiger, pitched the sixth for Detroit and worked around a two-out error to put up another zero, striking out DeJong and Jones in the process.
Still working extremely efficiently, Warren closed out a rare spring training quality start, tossing six solid innings on just 64 pitches. He only had two strikeouts and once again surrendered his only damage against lefties, but he was able to manage contact effectively, which will be valuable for a guy without overwhelming velocity.
Cade Winquest got the ball in the seventh in relief of Warren, looking to string together some good outings with less than two weeks left before the Yankees have to make a Rule 5 decision. It didn’t start well, as he plunked Hunter Dobbins on 0-2 to lead off the inning. He wasn’t fazed, though, inducing a pair of groundballs from Torkelson and Dingler to get the three outs he needed to end the inning while sitting 96 on his fastball.
After loading the bases and forcing Verlander out of the game in the fourth, the Tigers retired 14 of the next 15 Yankees, with the only baserunner being the sixth-inning error. Angel Chivilli pitched the eighth for the Yankees and got into trouble, allowing a double to Brett Callahan and an infield single to Max Anderson, neither hit harder than 88 mph, to put runners on the corners with one out.
He jumped ahead of Jude Warwick 1-2 with a changeup he chased in the dirt, but he doubled up on the pitch, and the Tigers’ prospect reached down and skied it to right field for a game-tying sacrifice fly. Chivilli jumped ahead of Bennett Lee and struck him out with a changeup, but the game was now tied at three.
Miguel Palma broke a 15-batter streak by Tigers pitching in the ninth with a leadoff walk against Johan Simon. 2025 draft pick Kaeden Kent upped the pressure by battling back from 0-2 to line a single to right field. Nick Torres chased a slider in the dirt for the first out, but the ball got away and allowed the go-ahead run to get to third with one out. Coby Morales struck out, Jace Avina got plunked to load the bases, and the Tigers made a pitching change.
Logan Berrier, who predominantly pitched for Low-A Lakeland in 2025, faced Josh Moylan, who plays first base for High-A Hudson Valley, with the bases loaded and two outs in a tie game in the ninth inning. Moylan jumped ahead 3-0, fell back into a full count, and drew a go-ahead seven-pitch walk. Braden Shewmake also jumped ahead 3-1 right after, but hit a hard groundball right to the second baseman to end the inning.
Nursing a 4-3 lead, Bradley Hanner was tasked with closing this one out. He struck out Corey Julks, induced a soft lineout from Samuel Gil, and ended the game with an Andrew Jenkins groundout.
The Yankees will stay on the road and travel to CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida, to take on the Atlanta Braves on Friday at 1:05 pm. Ryan Weathers will look to bounce back in his third spring start against Didier Fuentes. The game will be televised on MLB Network and the Gotham Sports App.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The marathon of the Big Ten regular season is over. For No. 11 Illinois, the reward is a clean slate and a chance to carry momentum into March.
Following a gutsy road win over Maryland, head coach Brad Underwood is urging his team to embrace the abruptness of the postseason.
The Illini enter the Big Ten Tournament as the No. 4 seed after tallying 24 regular-season victories, the program’s most in 20 years. The path to a Big Ten title likely starts with a revenge game.
Illinois is likely to matchup against Wisconsin on Friday, the same team that handed the Illini an overtime loss in Champaign while guards Kylan Boswell and Andrej Stojakovic remained sidelined.
Their absences were felt in that matchup, and Wisconsin guards John Blackwell and Nick Boyd took advantage of it.
The Illini haven’t forgotten the 13 turnovers or the fatigue of that stretch, but they enter the United Center now healthy and loose.
“Now’s the time to cut it loose,” Underwood said. “Now’s the time to go have fun… We want to be the toughest, hardest playing team out there every night. If we do that, we give ourselves a chance.”
With Underwood and Andrej Stojakovic battling the flu post-Maryland and Keaton Wagler managing back spasms, Underwood noted that a few days off have been “really good” for recovery.
For freshmen like David Mirkovic, the postseason is a new challenge, but one he feels prepared for.
While the system has simplified his transition to college ball, Mirkovic is leaning on veterans like Ty Rodgers, a big factor for the 2024 Big Ten title team, to understand the mental grind of the postseason.
“We had a talk after the practice with Ty Rodgers,” Mirkovic said. “Coach just asked him how the 2024 run was and he said every day was like the best day ever.”
The focus has now shifted entirely to the win or go home reality of March.
“I think every game you just got to take that mentality of one-and-oh,” Boswell said.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 20: Tatsuya Imai #45 of the Houston Astros pitches during spring training workouts at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 20, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Law Firm of Brown, Burrows and Imai!
We are so Back!
The Houston Astros enter the season unlike any other in quite sometime. Astros fans don’t need a reminder of missing the Postseason in 2025. Also with a looming work stoppage and the CBA agreement set to expire Dec of this year. The time is NOW. What is one of the most effective ways to win in baseball. Pitching. The Astros have quietly put together a Top 3 rotation with a solid back end and a ton reinforcements to catapult themselves into the discussion when it comes to taking back the AL West Crown.
The Law Firm of Brown, Burrows and Imai
These three pitchers have been outstanding this Spring, chronicled very eloquently by Apollo Media on X! The Graphic is top notch much like the pitchers crushing it in Spring Training.
Hunter Brown: 8.2IP / 2H / 1ER / 14K
Tatsuya Imai: 6IP / 2H / 0ER / 7K
Mike Burrows: 8.2IP / 3H / 0ER / 10K
HOT START to the Spring for 3 big arms in the Astros rotation 🔥💪
Hunter Brown has looked sharp, and appears to already be in mid season form. His place in the AL power pitcher Rankings seems to only grow with time. He is looking to have an even better season, and there’s no reason to think he can’t top 2025. He has more and more reinforcements than ever. Not to mention a top 3 that sees 2 new names on it that are new additions to the 2026 Roster. If you have been following social media much a new X account has been launched called Pitcher List. Take a look at Hunter Brown’s Card from his last start:
Will update if he comes back out, but Hunter Brown (HOU) struck out nine over four innings against the Nationals! pic.twitter.com/TP8854Jf9j
— Pitcher List Stats (@PitcherListPLV) March 8, 2026
Now you would have to follow them for a full explanation of their scoring system, but an A has always been a top grade. Hunter Brown is very confident in who he is, what he can accomplish as well the command of the pitches he throws. His arsenal includes a nasty slider, Curveball, change up and Four seam Fastball. His usage of these pitches and how he is able to dial up the speed make him a clear Top 3 pitcher in the American League.
Tatsuya Imai: The Swing and Miss Samurai.
There was a TON of talk about Iami being one of the most sought after free agents in MLB, well that was until the Houston Astros signed him. Just search his name and look at all the doubters once he put on the dreaded orange and blue. The copium was and still is palpable. Tatsuya has a ton of ?’s, not because his talent is in doubt, and there are a few things to factor in here. A new country, the game is different, the baseball is not the same, the way catchers call games, the pressure and of course the dreaded word “EXPECTATION”.
All in all he has handled it quite well. His most recent start he went out and touched 98.4 on the radar gun as well induced swings and misses. In his most recent pitchers list card you can see his results:
Tatsuya Imai (HOU) threw three innings against Miami without allowing a single baserunner pic.twitter.com/LJN5dQO7IR
I mean we could look at score cards all day, but what does Imai think of the job he did this last time out? He has been going through a trial and error approach. He says the mound is a different height than what he is used to. He also has adjusted where he stands on the pitching rubber as well. He got into a grove and pitched very well. On his previous outing he produced an 86% whiff rate with his reverse slider. It ‘s what we in baseball call a unicorn pitch, that most hitters are going to struggle with especially right handers.
Imai was also asked about his confidence going into the season and how he’s pitched. “I don’t associate how well I did on the mound with confidence level. It comes more from wether or not I would pitch the way I want to, the way I come set, and what I would like to do.” Imai’s interpreter said after his most recent outing.
I have contended that Tatsuya Imai will be the Astros #3 starter behind Mike Burrows. Some of that is due to his newness to MLB, and in the end in a postseason scenario he very well could be a #2 starter.
Mike Burrows: A Problem for Opponents
When you hear the phrase “Man, he pulled the string on them.” You are probably watching or listening to one of Mike Burrows Spring Training outings for the Houston Astros, or you could be thinking back to 2025 when he faced the Astros while in a Pirates uniform and carved up the starting lineup that day.
Going back to see where he came from, Burrows was selected by Pittsburgh in the 11th round of the 2018 draft, Burrows’ path to the big leagues took a detour after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. He briefly reached the majors in 2024 with a single appearance, then logged a larger role last season with 23 outings (19 starts). Because of what the Astros saw, and how he has performed this spring, I would say Mike Burrows comes as advertised and even better according to most estimations.
Mike Burrows has a real shot at being a top of the rotation guy if he's opening Spring Training like this! pic.twitter.com/N0zbbpEAY3
I am not the only one saying that Mike Burrows is the real deal. This just furthers my case for him to be the number 2.
Who pitches where, and why it doesn’t matter….Right NOW!
Avid baseball fans are aware that a number 1 guy or number 3 guy isn’t all that important outside of who the Ace is of each club. Where the rubber meets the road is when you get into the post season. For the Astros making it to the Post season is their Top priority after clinching the A.L. West. During the season the Astros early on will go with a 6 man rotation. To add to the arsenal, they will also have pitchers coming off surgery recovery who could actually contribute, not to mention a stack of arms in AAA Sugar Land.
Time will tell who pitches when, one thing we do know is this the Astros Top 3 are going to be GREAT granted they stay healthy, perform up to expectations and go out and dominate opposing lineups. I have not talked once about the other starting pitchers for a reason, they are the middle or back end rotation guys in my book. I do look forward to tackling Spencer Arrighetti, Ryan Weiss (who I think has a real shot at making the rotation), Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers, Jr. (who’s not looked bad this spring), and Aj Blubaugh. We will save that for my next installment.
Please check out my two podcast, Back to the Bullpen on the Locked on MLB Youtube Channel where Mike Stanton and I tackle the league, as well Locked on Astros as Eric and I go into our 7th season together on the most listened to Astros podcast on the planet!
The 2026 NFL free agency period officially began on Wednesday, but a majority of the star-studded deals were agreed to on Monday and Tuesday to kick off the legal tampering window. Howie Roseman is still working to re-sign Dallas Goedert and could pull off a trade for a significant pass rusher, while a sneaky good wide receiver would take the offense to another level.
Philadelphia struck a huge deal on Day 2, landing cornerback Riq Woolen after losing three defensive starters on Monday, and can now seek out the best available talent. With phase two fast approaching, A look at eight remaining free agents the Eagles should consider targeting after Day 4 of NFL free agency as Philadelphia looks to add depth and talent.
Jauan Jennings, WR
At 6-foot-3, 213 pounds, Jennings is a former quarterback who has developed into a big, physical wide receiver. Jennings caught 55 passes last season and nine touchdowns.
Joey Bosa, Edge
Bosa has remained healthy, playing in at least 14 games over the past two seasons after injuries limited him to a total of 13 games from 2022 to 2023. Last season, Bosa had 5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and 42 pressures.
Jaquan Brisker, S
A downhill safety who would allow Andrew Mukuba to play center field, Brisker played in all 17 games last season after missing 12 in 2024 with a concussion. In four seasons with the Bears, Brisker has had four interceptions, seven sacks, and 14 pass breakups.
Chris Paul, G
In 2025, he allowed only two sacks and ranked eighth among 65 qualifying guards in pass block win rate (95.4%).
David Njoku, TE
A talented pass catcher, he missed 11 games in the past two seasons because of injuries. In 12 games this past season, he caught 33 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns.
AJ Epenesa, Edge
A monster pass rusher with a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame, Epenesa recorded 24.5 sacks and four interceptions in six NFL seasons.
Andre Cisco, S
A versatile safety, the former Syracuse star has eight interceptions and 15 pass breakups over five pro seasons.
Geno Stone, S
The former Ravens safety started every game for the Bengals over the past two seasons, and has 14 career interceptions, including seven with the Ravens in 2023.
Eighty-seven Indiana high school seniors – 44 boys and 43 girls – have been chosen as first-team Academic All-State for 2026 by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association, it was announced Wednesday. In addition, 233 more boys and 181 more girls were recognized as honorable mention Academic All-State for 2026.
IBCA-member head coaches from schools across the state may nominate their senior student-athletes who meet criteria that include a 3.50 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale, a class rank in the upper 25 percent of one's class and either an SAT score of 1100 (on the reading and math sections) or an ACT composite score of 24.
Local boys receiving Academic All-State Honorable Mention included Clayton Chase (Rushville), Liam Gurley (Rushville), Trenten Luers (Batesville), Logan O'Dell (North Decatur), Ethan Schneider (Batesville) and Ethan Smith (Greensburg).
Local boys receiving Academic All-State Honorable Mention included Mary Harmon (Greensburg), Mikayla Herbert (Rushville), Makenna Ripberger (Rushville), Maddie Ryan (Oldenburg Academy), Rachel Suttmann (Oldenburg Academy) and Rebecca Tabeling (Rushville).
A new award in 2026 is an IBCA Team Academic Award, for which 128 teams qualified. The IBCA firmly believes that academics are an essential component of developing well-rounded basketball players and that outstanding academic achievement deserves recognition.
Inaugural winners of the IBCA Team Academic Award – 29 boys’ teams and 99 girls’ teams – are teams that demonstrate the same commitment to excellence in academics as they do in athletics. To qualify, each team listed had a cumulative team GPA of 3.50 or better when averaging the first-semester GPAs of all players on its 2026 sectional roster.
Batesville's boys' basketball team was honored with the 2026 IBCA Team Academic Award.
For the girls' area teams, Greensburg, Oldenburg Academy, Rushville and South Decatur were all honored with the 2026 IBCA Team Academic Award.
A defensive lineman prospect from the east coast has locked in an official visit to Michigan State for June.
Will Zaccagnino of Trumbull, Conn. announced on Thursday that he will be taking an official visit to Michigan State in June. According to a social media post from Zaccagnino, he will visit Michigan State on June 19.
Zaccagnino is listed as an unranked and unrated defensive lineman prospect in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports. He is listed at 6-foot-5 and 270 pounds, and plays for St. Joseph High.
Michigan State has not yet extended an offer to Zaccagnino, according to 247Sports. But, he does hold notable offers from Wisconsin, Syracuse, Navy, Buffalo, UConn and Army.
At this time, Zaccagnino only has one other official visit lined up with Wisconsin on May 29. It'll be interesting to see if he picks up an offer from the Spartans ahead of his upcoming official visit or if that'll be something that possibly comes his way during that visit.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebookto follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
The NCAA plans to continue its enforcement of tampering, officials tell Yahoo Sports, despite a request from the Big Ten to suspend such investigations.
Executives from the Big 12 and ACC told Yahoo Sports on Thursday that they are opposed to pausing any tampering cases. An SEC official declined comment on the matter for now, but the league’s own commissioner, Greg Sankey, urged the NCAA to pursue tampering violations in an interview with Yahoo Sports just two months ago.
In a letter to the NCAA this week, the Big Ten urged the association to pause cases related to tampering while the NCAA works to reform and modernize policies. Such a move — the suspension of active investigations — requires a vote from the Division I Board of Directors and is not an NCAA staff decision.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark says he’s “adamantly opposed” to pausing tampering, but is open to a discussion on rule reform. In a statement to Yahoo Sports, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips says he “does not agree” with suspending tampering investigations during the NCAA’s review of rules and calls enforcement of rules “critically important” in the current environment.
Those penalties may include coach game suspensions, scholarship reductions and a vacating of wins for using a player tampered with.
Most notably, the NCAA has opened a tampering inquiry into Ole Miss, which was at the center of an explosive news conference in which Clemson coach Dabo Swinney accused Rebels coach Pete Golding of directly tampering with one of his players. However, Ole Miss officials hold evidence that multiple coaches from other schools tampered with their own players. The allegations may lead to a wave of cases and a flood of penalties as staffs implicate other staffs for tampering — a policy that is regularly violated.
During meetings in Nashville this week, SEC presidents discussed tampering at length, with many of them against the complete suspension of cases.
Tampering, rampant across the sport, is NCAA Bylaw 13.1.1.4 — the act of one school staff member communicating with a player at another school about transferring before that player enters the NCAA transfer portal.
However, as House settlement negotiations escalated in the fall of 2024, the Division I Board of Directors instructed the NCAA staff to mostly pause enforcement of tampering as focus shifted toward the finalization and then implementation of, arguably, the most significant change in college athletics history — the settlement-related athlete compensation model currently in existence.
In January, the DI Board directed the association to reignite tampering enforcement, perhaps as aggressively as ever before. In a statement to Yahoo Sports in January, the NCAA says its enforcement team has processed about 95 tampering cases thus far this year, some of which remain with the Committee on Infractions for final approval.
That said, tampering is not an easily prosecuted violation. There are plenty of hurdles, the most of which is actually having enough evidence - from the alleging party - to prove that tampering did, in fact, happen. Gathering hard evidence of tampering is difficult as coaches and school administrators often avoid reporting other staffs.
“Successfully enforcing tampering cases requires cooperation from coaches, student-athletes and administrators – especially from those whose teams were tampered with – and while the Association is thankful for the support for the finished cases, more cooperation will lead to more closed cases,” said Tim Buckley, the NCAA’s senior vice president of external affairs, in a statement released in January.
Swinney’s public tampering allegations against Ole Miss and Golding last month cracked the door to more such allegations privately reaching investigators at NCAA headquarters.
Said one college official: “I think everyone is figuring out that everybody is speeding. When somebody breaks that seal like Dabo, that’s good. It ramps up the pressure on the NCAA.”
A vicious cycle may materialize of rival staffs — the subject of investigations — reporting other staffs and so on.
“How will the NCAA adjudicate it all?” asked one college sports stakeholder involved in one of the inquiries.
Asked about that last month, NCAA president Charlie Baker gestures toward the new infractions modernization task force.
“That kind of example is exactly the sort of thing we charged them with,” he said. “Here’s five to six things that are different and we can’t just do the same thing. We need to come up with a different way to do it.”
The task force — a hodgepodge of school administrators and NCAA personnel — is studying every aspect of tampering, from the penalty structure to the actual bylaws in an effort to modernize rules for the current environment of college sports.
“It’s a different world,” Baker said. “They are taking a big look at the whole thing.”
The NCAA president specifically pointed to third parties — agents — who sometimes have no real relationship with the school and yet are communicating with coaches at schools about players (sometimes without players even knowing), all in an effort to drive up prices.
The NCAA does not have jurisdiction to penalize agents and their role in tampering, but the association can punish the schools.
Is it on the schools to police their players’ own agents?
The NCAA’s bylaws give us a glimpse into tampering punishments. Impermissible contact (the NCAA’s word for tampering) can, in fact, be a Level I infraction — the most serious of them. Penalties include recruiting restrictions, coach suspensions, fines, probation and vacation of wins based on participation of the player who was tampered with.
“As we continue to move forward in the critically important areas of modernizing collegiate athletics, it is imperative that we remain focused on enforcement and building the necessary rules and penalties through work with the NCAA,” said Phillips, the ACC commissioner. “We are in an environment like no other, and we consistently hear from our coaches and administrators that tampering enforcement must be prioritized. The ACC is dedicated to a thorough review of the current contact rules, but in light of the most recent transfer portal and the very public examples of clear tampering and blatant interference with contractual commitments, I do not agree that all tampering investigations should be suspended.”
PREVIEW | Udinese vs Juventus - team news, lineups, predictions
Udinese and Juventus face each other this Saturday at the Dacia Arena (Stadio Friuli) on Match Day 29 of the Serie A.
Udinese currently have 36 points and lie in 11th position. In their last fixture, Kosta Runjaić's team shared the spoils 2-2 with Atalanta (Serie A 2025/26).
Juventus have 50 points to their name this season and occupy 6th position in the table. In their last match, Luciano Spalletti's team prevailed 4-0 against Pisa (Serie A 2025/26).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Juventus winning 2-0.
The Seymour Regional will open with a pair of teams that know each other rather well. Mid-Hoosier Conference foes South Decatur (18-6) and Hauser (24-2) will tip off at 1 p.m. Saturday for the regional championship.
Hauser is ranked No. 3 in Class A and won the MHC championship this season. The Jets finished the conference schedule a perfect 6-0. The Jets won the sectional title at Milan last week to earn a trip to the regional.
South enters the regional on a 5-game win streak, including the sectional title last week at Tri.
The Jets defeated Rising Sun, Oldenburg Academy and Milan en route to claiming the sectional championship at Milan. Hauser won by an average of 35 points in sectional action.
The only losses for the Jets on the season came Nov. 29 at Columbus North by five points and Dec. 29 against Mt. Vernon (Posey) by one point.
South defeated North Decatur, Edinburgh and Tri en route to winning the sectional title at Tri. The Cougars have won 6-of-7 games entering regional action.
Hauser hosted South Feb. 3 and the Jets posted a 69-40 victory.
The Cougars have three players averaging double digits in scoring. Drake Scaggs leads South at 20.6 points per game. Cayden Drake averages 17.5 ppg and Karson Templeton scores 11.6 ppg.
Drake leads South with 7.6 rebounds per game. Templeton is next with 6.7 rpg. Scaggs dishes out 5.8 assists per game.
Aidan Bryant leads South from long range, shooting 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. Brayden Gerrian shoots 38 percent from 3-point range and Templeton shoots 36 percent from long range. Gerrian leads the Cougars at the charity stripe, shooting 83 percent.
Hauser is led in scoring by Gavin Keller at 20.1 ppg. Stryker Gill averages 16.1 ppg and Kameron Blair averages 9.9 ppg.
On the glass, Blair grabs 5.8 rpg. Gill chips in with 5.2 rpg.
Gill sets the Jets’ offense, dishing out 6.0 apg. Blair averages 3.3 apg. Gill leads Hauser with 51 3-pointers on the season. Waylon Harper has made 40 3-pointers. Gill also leads the Jets in free throw percentage at 85 percent.
Both teams can score at a high clip. The Cougars average 65.9 ppg offensively. The Jets’ offense averages 70.3 ppg.
One key will be how well the defense can hold up against these potent offenses. South’s defense held opponents to 56.1 ppg. Hauser’s defense was even stingier, allowing just 44.9 ppg.
The winner Saturday will advance to the 4-team semistate. The draw for the semistate will be held at 2 p.m. March 15 and streamed on IHSAAtv.org.
The Chicago Bears suffered a big loss this offseason when veteran center Drew Dalman announced his sudden retirement, just one year after signing a three-year deal prior to the 2025 season with the team. As the team prepares for their immediate and long-term future, they're looking at potentially adding to the center position with this year's upcoming draft after
Bears insider Brad Biggs reported on Wednesday that the team had several scouts and coaches at the Kansas State pro day, putting heavy interest and focus on Sam Hecht. The Bears worked quickly to find a replacement by trading for veteran Garrett Bradbury, who comes to Chicago on a one-year deal, emphasizing the need for a young center waiting in the wings.
I'm told the #Bears had a large contingent of scouts/coaches at the Kansas State pro day on Tuesday with a focus on center Sam Hecht.
Hecht is just one of many prospects I'd expect the team to get a close look at in the pre-draft process.
To his credit, Hecht is one of the top centers available in this year's draft class, and with the extra draft capital the Bears acquired in a trade that sent DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills, he could very well be in play.
Chicago needs to have depth behind Bradbury, and while last year's rookie Luke Newman had been getting reps in at the position last year, Hecht could be the future for Chicago at the position, if selected.
Just over a week ago, former Auburn Tigers head coach and media personality Bruce Pearl suggested that the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks, despite harboring a 30-0 record heading into their regular-season finale, would have to win the MAC Tournament to secure an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
In fact, he was presumably rooting for that to be the only way that the Redhawks got into the tournament, as his son Steven Pearl's Auburn squad was seen as sitting right next to Miami (Ohio) on the bubble.
As it turned out, the Redhawks won their final regular-season game — though they squeaked it out in a 110-108 overtime thriller — and entered the MAC Tournament as the top seed. That led them to a quarterfinals matchup with the UMass Minutemen, a team that they'd beaten by two points at home and nine points on the road.
This time, the result was different, as the Minutemen utilized a 50-point second half to stun the Redhawks, 87-83, and hand them their first loss of the season. It's a nightmare scenario for Miami (Ohio) considering that they aren't necessarily seen as a shoo-in for the NCAA Tournament field despite the undefeated regular season, as they've faced an underwhelming quality of opponents.
Meanwhile, it appears that Pearl has changed his stance on the Redhawks' postseason fate, noting that they indeed should get into the tournament.
"In spite of the recent propaganda I've always been a mid major guy," Pearl wrote in a post on X. "I think a 1 loss Miami of Ohio team should get in! I don't think they are one of the best 37 at large teams, but are 1 of the most deserving. Good for the MAC, Cinderella and March madness."
In spite of the recent propaganda I've always been a mid major guy. I think a 1 loss Miami of Ohio team should get in! I don't think they are one of the best 37 at large teams, but are 1 of the most deserving Good for the MAC, Cinderella and March madness @CBSSports@TNTSportsUShttps://t.co/BDYmkbmGbj
Normally, a former college basketball head coach, even one in a power conference like Auburn, wouldn't get as much attention as Pearl is getting. But because he ranks within the top 100 in wins among head coaches in college basketball history and is so outspoken on numerous topics, people listen to what he says.
And within Miami (Ohio)'s storybook undefeated season, Pearl had been one of the biggest opposers of their tournament chances. But after a weeks time, and strongly arguing against the situation that just happened with them losing in the MAC Tournament plus saying that they aren't one of the best 37 at-large teams, Pearl now has a different perspective on the Redhawks that he shared loud and clear on social media.
Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.
The 2026 NFL free agency period officially began on Wednesday, but a majority of the star-studded deals were agreed to on Monday and Tuesday to kick off the legal tampering window. Baltimore lost nine initial free agents, starting with Former Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum, who landed a record three-year, $81M deal with the Raiders, including $60M guaranteed to become the NFL's highest-paid interior offensive lineman. and began to regroup, landing Trey Hendrickson, John Simpson, and Durham Smythe, and agreeing to a deal with safety Jaylinn Hawkins.
With the weekend just hours away, Phase two of the process is set to begin, and we're looking at the eight free agents the Ravens should have an interest in signing.
Jadeveon Clowney, Edge
Still a high motor player, Clowney had 8.5 sacks and 32 pressures last season in 13 games with the Cowboys. Clowney has experience in the Ravens system, and would allow Baltimore to send pass rushers in waves.
Al-Quadin Muhammad, Edge
Muhammad had 11 sacks and 41 pressures last season and could match that production as a situational pass rusher.
Spencer Burford, G
Burford registered a pass block win rate of 92.8% in nine starts last season and could replace Daniel Faalele.
Kevin Zeitler, G
Zeitler remained efficient for the Titans at age 35. Last season, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 11th-best guard in the NFL. Even more impressive, Zeitler has played at least 15 games every season since 2015. He is sturdy in pass protection, and joining the Ravens could enhance the offensive line.
Cameron Jordan, Edge
In year 15, Jordan had 10.5 sacks in 2025 (his most since 2021 and offers elite size at 6-foot-4, 287 pounds as an edge rusher who can slide inside.
Arnold Ebiketie, Edge
Ebiketie had 16.5 sacks and 89 pressures over four seasons with the Falcons and fits as a 3-4 outside linebacker who can who could flourish as a situational pass rusher.
Wyatt Teller, G
Teller has started over 100 games in his career, and his career pass rush win rate sits at 92.6%.
Deebo Samuel, WR
Samuel caught 72 passes and scored five touchdowns in his one season with the Commanders, with 63.7% of his receiving totals coming after the catch. He's no longer a No. 1 option, but a certain player who would complement Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman.
A baseball card depicting Los Angeles Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw commemorating his 3,000th strikeout surfaced online.
Kershaw became part of an exclusive club against the Chicago White Sox on July 2, becoming one of just 20 pitchers — and only four left-handers — to reach 3,000 MLB strikeouts.
Topps released the card after Kershaw reached milestone, and made it available for purchase for a limited time. Most consumers received a base card commemorating the moment, but a lucky few received different parallel or numbered cards. Two 1-of-1 cards were available to find, one of which was this on-card autograph with “3,000 K Club” inscribed below Kershaw’s signature.
The rarity of this card, as well as the subject matter and event it commemorates, makes this card extremely valuable, as well as a prime piece for collectors. Kershaw has more than warranted this value, as he became one of the best players in the history of the sport during his time with the Dodgers.
Jul 2, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) acknowledges the crowd after striking out Chicago White Sox third baseman Vinny Capra (41) for his 3000th career strike at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
How Good Was Clayton Kershaw?
Kershaw had an extremely successful career with the Dodgers, establishing himself as one of the best pitchers of all time and a lock for the Hall of Fame once he’s eligible.
Through his 18 seasons in MLB, the southpaw posted a 2.53 ERA through 2,855.1 innings pitched, striking out a total of 3,052 batters in that time. He won everything there was to win with LA, earning an MVP, three Cy Youngs, 11 All-Star selections, a Gold Glove and three World Series titles.
Nov 8, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Fred Hoiberg fist bumps a young fan as he walks onto the court before the game against the Florida International Panthers at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Last week, when. in an article announcing Fred Hoiberg’s contract extension, I joked in a kidding/not kidding way that we might have to do renegotiate Fred’s contract once more if and when the Huskers get that elusive first NCAA Tournament victory, and it should perhaps be of the lifetime variety.
Which got me thinking – as this would immediately make this the greatest season in Nebrasketball history, would a lifetime contract seem THAT ludicrous? OK, what if he did more than just win that first game – what would be the threshold?
It turns out the prospect doesn’t sound that crazy to a lot of folks.
Also, with the Big 10 conference schedule just underway, where does Corn Nation think the boys will be standing in the conference at the end of the season?
And a quick apology for everyone – Kyle at SBNation thought I meant the NCAA tournament on the choice, “Who cares, we’ll just win the tournament.” I meant the Big 10 tournament which we have won the past two years, but I failed to specify. I’m just going to go on the assumption y’all know what I meant.
In a tight finish in the polling, 26% of fans are ready to ink Fred to that lifetime deal when the Huskers win that opening round game. Tack that onto two top 3 Big 10 finishes in 3 seasons, three straight 20-win seasons, the highest conference winning % in 60 years and the most conference wins ever, and he has also completed one of the biggest coaching turnarounds ever, winning more games this season than in his first three seasons combined.
I honestly expected more than 25% of voters to call for a stop to the crazy talk. If Matt Rhule ever makes a CFP, sentiments might be similar?
19% are open to the idea but only if it comes with the boys hoisting an NCAA trophy just before the “One Shining Moment” montage.
18% will require them making it to weekend #2 and 12% say a trip to the finals is good enough.
But – in the final tally, 75% of respondents can see a path where we sign Fred up until his retirement date as determined by him. (Yes, the actual logistics of such a thing would be insane – but we’re just talking about whether we would approve. Apparently, many would.)
56% have seen enough to believe a top 3 finish is in the cards. Hell, why not? Go Big Red ⚾️.
33% feel like the next three down is a more reasonable expectation – but would be thrilled to be wrong should a higher finish happen.
The “FIRE WILL BOLT” chants will be ringing strong according 3% of respondents who feel the Huskers don’t quite have enough to challenge at the top.
8% don’t really care where Nebraska finishes since they’re just going to punch their ticket by winning the Big 10 tourney for the 3rd straight season.
BONUS National Poll
Who does the nation think is winning the Big 10 Tournament title?
Only 8% are tabbing the Huskers?? You’re out of your damn minds – just get us to the final against the Weasels! ✊🏼
PONTE VEDRA BEACH — Last week, in his first competitive action since the Ryder Cup, Justin Thomas did what you might expect him to do—he shot 79 twice and finished last in the field. He underwent microdiscectomy surgery last November after suffering from nagging back and hip pain throughout 2025, and the long layoff, coupled with rehabilitation, had the expected affect on his play at Bay Hill.
What almost nobody expected, less than a week later, was for him to come out on Thursday at the Players Championship and shoot a 68 in rough weather, good enough for T-2 early in the afternoon. In fact, Thomas might have been of the few who wasn't surprised.
"I can't necessarily say I've been playing well because last week was my first tournament in six months," he said, "but I felt I was more than capable of doing that ... was able to knock a little bit of rust off last week and obviously felt a lot more comfortable today."
There was no rust to be knocked off on Thursday, as he led off the tournament with three straight birdies. With approaches inside six feet on 10 and 12 (Thomas played the back nine first), he hit his best irons first, but it was his game off the tee and on the green that would give him the biggest boost, with strokes gained numbers in the top 10 of the morning wave in both categories. His putter, in particular, bailed him out on a few occasions, starting on 16 when he hit his approach into the water but managed to convert a 15-footer to save par. Two bogeys on 17 and 18 brought him back to one under, but after four straight pars to start the front, he hit a six-footer and a seven-footer for back-to-back birdies, and finished his round with a nine-footer for a final birdie on nine.
So what did he do better than last week?
"Literally everything," he joked. "Literally every single thing you could imagine I did quite a bit better."
Thomas said that Sawgrass fits both his eye and his game in the way that it requires a wide variety of shots, and how it rewards experience, particularly in knowing how to attack pins. Perhaps the key moment, though, came in settling himself after the two bogeys to close his opening nine.
"I kind of had a deep breath to myself walking off 9 and even, like I said, internally, I needed that," he said. "Again, I feel like I've been playing well at home. I feel like I'm doing the right thing swinging well. I feel confident with things. But again, until it happens in competition, it's kind of hard to fully buy into you're ready."
Thomas admitted that his goals are divided here at the start of his comeback—he wants to compete for trophies, and believes he can, but he's also trying to build confidence and competitive muscle memory so that he's somewhere close to 100 percent at Augusta. His confidence and belief took a major leap forward on Thursday, to the extent that he was willing to open up about how he felt on Friday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
"I wasn't expecting to go be in contention and have a chance to win the golf tournament," he said. "But when you kind of post two pretty humiliating scores, it's hard to give yourself too much grace ... it took a little longer for me to kind of decompress and just feel like I was able to get to a place where I'm like, OK, if I had this over tomorrow, what would I do differently to learn from it."
The fatigue and difficulty focusing will undoubtedly rear its head again—he's still very early in his comeback journey—but Thomas has clearly made a huge leap from his first event and will have a chance Friday to take another step along the path. Winning huge tournaments is the ultimate goal, and when it comes to the building blocks that will get him there, there's no substitute for experience.
LAKELAND, FL – The Detroit Tigers lost, 4-3, to the New York Yankees on Thursday, March 12, at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in spring training.
Detroit is 4-10 with four ties in Grapefruit League play.
What happened
Three left-handed hitters.
Three four-seam fastballs.
Three home runs.
That was the afternoon for right-hander Justin Verlander in his second start of spring training, as he allowed three solo homers: Jasson Domínguez and J.C. Escarra in the first inning and Seth Brown in the second inning. All three were hit to right-center, with the wind blowing in that direction.
In two starts, Verlander has allowed five runs on six hits and four walks with nine strikeouts across 5⅔ innings, registering an 8.44 ERA. The 43-year-old gave up two runs over two-plus innings in his first start, then three runs in 3⅓ innings in his second start.
This time, Verlander spent his start working on his mechanical tweaks that impacted his fastball location.
Verlander increased his pitch count to 61 pitches as he continues to build his workload. He appears to be the fourth starter in the Tigers' rotation, which lines him up for March 30 against the Arizona Diamondbacks on the road as his first start of the regular season.
Before then, Verlander is scheduled for two more starts in spring training.
The final line for Verlander: Three runs on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts across 3⅓ innings.
He threw 35 of 61 pitches for strikes.
The Yankees attacked his fastball, with home runs from Domínguez (down-and-in, 93.1 mph fastball), Escarra (middle-middle, 93.1 mph fastball) and Brown (middle-middle, 94.5 mph fastball). Of the three homers, only the swing from Domínguez produced an exit velocity of 100 mph, at 103.8 mph.
Aside from the homers, Verlander racked up a flurry of strikeouts: Ben Rice (looking, 77.8 mph curveball), Paul DeJong (swinging, 82 mph sweeper), George Lombard Jr. (swinging, 79.9 mph sweeper), Rice (swinging, 84.4 mph changeup) and DeJong (swinging, 88.2 mph slider).
Eight of his final nine pitches went for balls, resulting in back-to-back walks with one out in the fourth inning to end his outing.
Verlander generated 12 whiffs on 30 swings for a 40% whiff rate with two fastballs, four sliders, two curveballs, two changeups and two sweepers. His fastball averaged 93.5 mph and maxed out at 95.5 mph.
At the plate
The Tigers scored two runs in the fifth inning, then another run in the eighth inning.
Zach McKinstry hit a two-run home run, pulling a middle-in sweeper from right-hander Will Warren to deep right field with one out in the fifth inning.
On the mound
The Yankees took a 4-3 lead in the ninth inning as left-handed reliever Johan Simon, a call-up from minor-league camp, struggled.
Three stars
1. Brant Hurter, 2. McKinstry, 3. Kenley Jansen.
Next up
Friday (6:05 p.m.) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates in Lakeland.
Is USC wideout Makai Lemon going to stay in Los Angeles and be drafted by the Rams?
It seems like it’s a strong possibility, as Rams general manager Les Snead was on campus Thursday for USC’s Pro Day, as shown in video taken by LA Sports Report’s Ava Brand.
“The dude is intense. The dude wants it. This is the kind of energy I want from my receivers,” McKain said.
Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) runs the ball for a touchdown against the Michigan State Spartans during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Does Makai Lemon Want to be a Ram?
Interestingly, Lemon sported a New York Yankees cap at Pro Day.
So was he signaling to a New York team that he’d like to play in (or really, near) the Big Apple?
INDIANAPOLIS— The first few waves of free agency have created another glaring need for the Colts defense this offseason.
Indianapolis already needed an overhaul at defensive end and linebacker.
Now, the Colts need a safety. Starting strong safety Nick Cross left for a two-year deal in Washington on Wednesday, and the team’s top backup, Rodney Thomas II, is now signing with the Seahawks, a league source confirmed to IndyStar.
Thomas played 150 defensive snaps for Indianapolis last season, making 21 tackles while spending most of his time as an extra deep safety in three-safety packages.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 22: Mike Burrows #50 of the Houston Astros warms up before a spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 22, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros (7-8-3) host the Washington Nationals (10-4-3) in Grapefruit League action.
RHP Mike Burrows will make the start for the Astros, opposed by RHP Jake Irvin for the Nationals.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: RHP Mike Burrows, making his fourth start of the Spring, has been fantastic thus far, tossing 8.2 scoreless with 10 strikeouts, a 0.81 WHIP and a .103 opponent batting average through his three Grapefruit League starts.
The Astros acquired Burrows this offseason in a three-team, six-player trade from Pittsburgh. As part of the deal, the Astros traded OF Jacob Melton and minor leaguer RHP Anderson Brito to the Rays, while the Rays traded IF Brandon Lowe, OF Jake Mangum and LHP Mason Montgomery to the Pirates.
Burrows pitched most of the season with the Pirates, making 23 appearances (19 starts) and going 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA (42ER/96IP). He struck out 97 hitters in 96.0 IP.
NEW DELHI: Pakistan spinner Abrar Ahmed was bought by SunRisers Leeds for £190,000 at the Hundred Player Auction 2026 on Thursday, putting an end to speculation that teams linked to the Indian Premier League (IPL) might avoid signing Pakistani players.
The franchise, co-owned by Kavya Maran, competed strongly in the bidding and beat Trent Rockets to secure the mystery spinner.
Earlier in the auction, Usman Tariq became the first Pakistani player to be picked when Birmingham Phoenix signed him for £140,000.
However, several other Pakistan stars did not find buyers. Fast bowler Haris Rauf and all-rounders Shadab Khan and Saim Ayub remained unsold at the time of writing.
Meanwhile, Pakistan ODI captain Shaheen Shah Afridi had already withdrawn from the auction before bidding began.
The ECB confirmed that Quinton de Kock, Sunil Narine, AM Ghazanfar, and Peter Siddle also pulled out.
The likely reason was scheduling clashes with the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and other international commitments.
Afridi’s withdrawal still left 13 Pakistani players available in the men’s auction pool.
The situation had drawn attention after speculation that franchises with IPL links might avoid picking Pakistani players.
Responding to the debate, the ECB and the eight franchises issued a joint clarification, saying selections would be based on "performance, availability, and the needs of each team."
Pakistan also had a disappointing outcome in the women’s auction held a day earlier.
None of the Pakistani women players were selected. Muneeba Ali, Diana Baig, Sadia Iqbal, and captain Fatima Sana had all entered the auction with a base price of £15,000, but they did not receive any bids.
Barcelona 18-year-old talent could make his first start against Sevilla – report
FC Barcelona face off against Sevilla on Saturday afternoon in La Liga, hoping to return to winning ways after their midweek draw against Newcastle United.
But with the UEFA Champions League Round-of-16 tie hanging in the balance, Hansi Flick is likely to make some notable rotations to the starting XI with an eye on the second leg against the Magpies next week.
Xavi Espart in line for his first start?
As such, SPORT reports that teenage prospect Xavi Espart is likely to start at right-back for Barcelona against Sevilla this weekend.
The 18-year-old La Masia graduate made his first-team debut this week against Newcastle United, coming on as a substitute for the last few minutes at St James’ Park.
In the short time that he was on the field, Espart managed to give a positive account of himself in a high-pressure clash.
Xavi Espart set for his first senior start? (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Barcelona are still without Jules Kounde, who is recovering from a hamstring injury. And with Eric Garcia also missing the Newcastle clash because of an overload, Flick is unlikely to take many risks with him ahead of the second leg.
Joao Cancelo, too, will need his minutes managed, making the case for Espart to feature from the start against Sevilla on Saturday.
A full-back with good attacking instincts, the youngster has scored two goals with the Juvenil A team in the UEFA Youth League this season, while scoring and assisting one goal apiece with Barça Atletic.
Flick, throughout his stint at Barcelona, has shown that he is not afraid of thrusting deserving young talents under the spotlight, and it could be Espart’s time this weekend.
PLAYER RATINGS | Lille 0-1 Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins secures narrow lead against toothless Les Dogues
UEFA Europa League, Round of 16, 12/03/2026
Lille OSC hosted Aston Villa in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 clash in a rematch of their Europa Conference League quarter-final two years ago.
The Match
Having struggled for form since the start of the calendar year, you could have forgiven Lille for showing some nerves. However, they weren’t to be cowed by the occasion as they controlled the ball well in the first half.
Possession didn’t equate to many clear-cut chances for the hosts in the opening exchanges, and it was Aston Villa who looked the more dangerous side. The English guests were happy to wait for their moments and hit Les Dogues on the break.
Ollie Watkins looked lively, but was closely watched by Aïssa Mandi, who made a couple of important interventions to frustrate the striker. It would take Lille until late in the half to finally begin showing their teeth, with Olivier Giroud’s close-range header beating Emiliano Martínez, but it was dragged just wide.
Lille’s injury crisis widened with captain Benjamin André replaced by Ayyoub Bouaddi at half-time, while Gaëtan Perrin needed to be replaced shortly after the restart by Matias Fernandez-Pardo.
After an hour where neither goal had been threatened too much, there was a burst of action, as Giroud threatened from a header down one end, before Watkins went and scored his down the other.
Minutes later, Watkins should have made it two when he burst past the Lille defence and went one-on-one with Berke Özer. He took the ball past the goalkeeper, but then vaulted into the Lille-man. Any suggestions of foul play were emphatically waved away.
As time ticked on, Lille pushed harder for an equaliser, but their disappointment in front of goal continued as they fell to a 1-0 defeat ahead of the decider next week in Birmingham.
Lille Player Ratings
Berke Özer, 4
The weak link in a performance that was good if a little toothless from Les Dogues. He was meant to be the last line of defence for his teammates, but he was far too easily beaten. He was too far off his line and beaten easily by Watkins’ lobbed header.
Romain Perraud, 5
Aïssa Mandi, 6
Likely Lille’s best player until the goal. It looked as if he could have done a lot better with his positioning, as he was late to challenge Watkins. Until then, he had the better of his duel with the striker.
Chancel Mbemba, 6
Like Mandi, he had a good game with the notable exception of his involvement in the goal when he was beaten to a header by Buendia, a player he towers over.
Tiago Santos, 5
Benjamin André, 6
Replaced at half-time by Ayyoub Bouaddi (7).
Nabil Bentaleb, 6
Gaëtan Perrin, 4
Hákon Arnar Haraldsson, 4
Ngal’ayel Mukau, 4
Olivier Giroud, 5
Very little service for the veteran striker. Did what he could with what he was given, but ultimately that wasn’t enough to scare the visitors.
Selected Aston Villa Player Ratings
Emiliano Martínez, 6
A vociferous response from the crowd, who still consider him to be public enemy no.1. However, there wasn’t all that much for him to do. Lille tested him only on a few occasions, and he was more than a match for what were generally tame efforts. A yellow for time wasting.
Morgan Rogers, 4
A couple of good chances for the forward, but he rushed his opportunities and snatched at his shots. A quiet evening, overshadowed by his countryman.
Ollie Watkins, 7
He was kept quiet in the first half by Mandi, but created enough separation to do damage in the second half. He really should have gotten a second, but Villa will be happy enough with the narrow lead.
Pope, Murphy And Gordon To Start | 4-3-3 Newcastle United Predicted Lineup Vs Chelsea
Newcastle United will face off against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this Saturday evening as they look to secure a good result on the road in the Premier League. The Magpies managed to earn a 1-1 draw against Barcelona recently, which should keep them in good spirits going into this game.
Eddie Howe will set his side up in a 4-3-3 formation and is expected to make some tweaks to his starting XI for this clash. Nick Pope, Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon could all play from the start of this game.
4-3-3 Newcastle United Predicted Lineup To Face Chelsea
Defence
Nick Pope will feature in between the sticks for the Magpies as he looks to keep a clean sheet this weekend. Malick Thiaw will function alongside Dan Burn at the heart of the Newcastle backline as they look to keep things solid at the back during the game.
Kieran Trippier will try to prove his value as the right-back, while Lewis Hall looks to catch the eye on the other side as the left-back. Both of them will have to pick and choose their moments to join in on the attack.
Alex Murphy, Sven Botman and Tino Livramento will offer cover for the defensive positions on the bench.
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – MARCH 10: Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Newcastle United FC and FC Barcelona at St James’ Park on March 10, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Midfield
Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Jacob Ramsey will make up Howe’s midfield. All three of them need to find a way to make life tough for the home side in the middle of the park.
Joe Willock will have to settle for a spot on the bench and might come on to influence the game in the second 45 minutes if required.
Attack
Harvey Barnes will try to put his pace to good use on the left flank, while Jacob Murphy looks to put in a good performance as the right-sided wide player. Both of them will try to get in behind the Chelsea backline at every chance they can get.
Anthony Gordon will spearhead Newcastle’s attack down the middle. He has to find a way to be a constant menace in the final third.
Yoane Wissa, Nick Woltemade and Anthony Elanga will be named on the bench as they wait for their chance to shine in the latter stages of the game if needed.
Ollie Watkins back among the goals as Villa earn first-leg advantage
English teams have had a bad time of it in Europe this week but Aston Villa manages to grind out a one-goal advantage against Lille.
It was far from a liveliest first half in France with much for the first period spent watching Emiliano Martínez stand over the ball unopposed, hoping for the Lille to try and take the bait and press – they rarely did.
It wasn't until late in the first 45 minutes where we saw some entertainment with Morgan Rogers showing his skill while Olivier Giroud came close to connecting properly with a header that could well have put his team ahead.
The opening goal did eventually come with an hour gone as Ezri Konsa hoofed a ball up with Emiliano Buendía doing really well to win the knock-on header that allowed Ollie Watkins to get his head on the end of it and at long last find the net. That was the striker's first goal in Europe this season and his first for the club since January 25th.
Watkins then had a great chance to get a second as Douglas Luiz set him away and in behind the defence, one-on-one with goalkeeper Berke Ozer. The Villa man tried going around Ozer, who pulled out of any attempted tackle, but failed to hurdle the goalkeeper and went to the ground looking for a penalty that wasn't given.
He may have had a case but he should have done far better with that golden opportunity.
Lille struggled to find a way through Aston Villa's defence with Olivier Giroud often an isolated figure up top as Villa looked to see out the game and take a narrow lead back to England.
For Unai Emery, this was a much-needed win and just their second in seven games ahead of what could prove to be an important game for Champions League positions when they face Manchester United at the weekend.
Incidents: The story of the match
1':
The match begins
40':
Missed opportunity. Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa takes a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sails over the goal. The assist came from Emiliano Buendía.
43':
Missed opportunity. Olivier Giroud from Lille attempted a header from the right side of the six-yard box but sent it wide to the left.
45':
Opportunity wasted. Romain Perraud from Lille attempted a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sailed high and wide to the right following a corner kick.
45':
Missed opportunity. Romain Perraud from Lille takes a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it sails high and wide to the right following a corner kick.
45 +3':
Missed opportunity. Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa attempted a right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area, but it went wide to the left. The assist came from Jadon Sancho.
49':
Missed opportunity! Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa took a right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area, but it went wide. The assist came from Lamare Bogarde.
49':
Missed opportunity! Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa attempted a right-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area, but it went wide. The assist came from Lamare Bogarde.
Aston Villa takes the lead with a score of 1-0 against Lille. Ollie Watkins scores with a header from the middle of the box, directing it into the upper part of the net. The assist comes from Emiliano Buendía, who also used his head to set it up.Aston Villa takes the lead with a score of 1-0 against Lille. Ollie Watkins scores with a header from the middle of the box, sending the ball into the top center of the net. The assist comes from Emiliano Buendía, who also used his head to set it up.Aston Villa takes the lead with a score of 1-0 against Lille. Ollie Watkins scores with a powerful header from the middle of the box, sending the ball into the upper part of the net. The assist comes from Emiliano Buendía, who also delivered a header.
61':
GOAL Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) scores!
Ollie Watkins scores goal number 1 in the competition (9 matches)
65':
Missed opportunity. Amadou Onana from Aston Villa attempted a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area, but it went wide.
82':
Opportunity wasted. Emiliano Buendía from Aston Villa attempted a right-footed shot from the middle of the penalty area, but it went just wide. The assist came from Morgan Rogers, who delivered a cross.
82':
Opportunity wasted! Emiliano Buendía from Aston Villa took a right-footed shot from the center of the box that went just wide. The setup came from Morgan Rogers, who delivered a well-placed cross.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 22: Jessica Berman NWSL commissioner prepares to award the Championship trophy after a game between Gotham FC and Washington Spirit at PayPal Park on November 22, 2025 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Lyndsay Radnedge/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images
Today, the National Women’s Soccer League released their global broadcast plans ahead of the 2026 season.
Viewers in Europe, Latin America, and Asia will all have access to the 2026 matches.
“The NWSL is home to the most elite players around the world, representing dozens of countries,” said NWSL Chief Operating Officer Sarah Jones Simmer. “These distribution partnerships allow fans around the world to follow their favorite players and clubs, strengthen the league’s global connection to the game and ensure the NWSL remains a central part of the international women’s football landscape as our season kicks off this week.”
ESPN will exclusively air three select matches per week and highlight packages in Sub-Saharan Africa
In Canada, TSN will exclusively air one select match per week, and One Soccer will exclusively air select matches
TV Azteca will exclusively air four select matches per week and highlight packages in Mexico and Central America
TNT Sports will exclusively air two select matches per week and highlight packages in the UK and Ireland
Australian-based broadcaster Stan will exclusively air four select matches per week and highlight packages
Canal Goat and XSports will exclusively air two select matches per week each and highlight packages in Brazil
Sky K will air one game per week and highlight packages in South Korea
Dubai TV will exclusively air two select matches per week and highlight packages in the Middle East and North Africa
All distributors will provide coverage of the 2026 NWSL Playoffs with more details provided at a future date.
Fans outside of the United Sates can still tune into NWSL+ for all non-exclusive matches.
For those in the U.S., 220 NWSL matches will air on national platforms this season, including: CBS, ESPN, Prime Video, Scripps-owned ION, and Victory+ with remaining matches available on NWSL+.
The Cleveland Browns released a starting offensive lineman on Thursday who spent six seasons with the franchise.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the Browns cut right tackle Jack Conklin, saving the team $885,000 and absorbing a dead cap charge of $12.4 million, per Over the Cap.
Conklin has struggled to stay healthy over the last few years, but when on the field, he's a solid starter who would benefit any team's offensive line.
Detroit cut ties with Taylor Decker this offseason, and though right tackle is solidified with Penei Sewell, the Lions could look to move Sewell to the left side and sign Conklin to be the right tackle.
Kansas City also has a need at tackle, and Conklin could be a cheap veteran option to protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Las Vegas should load up on experienced offensive linemen with quarterback Fernando Mendoza set to join the squad as the top pick in April's draft. Conklin would be a massive upgrade at right tackle over DJ Glaze.
Conklin's injury history could scare teams away in free agency, but he can still be a contributing and effective piece on an offensive line, so the Lions, Chiefs, and Raiders should pursue him.
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — American Para snowboarder Mike Schultz is putting an end to his competitive days at the Paralympics.
The Minnesota native will go behind the scenes to work fulltime making the prosthetic equipment that has helped so many Para athletes — including some of those who beat him this week at the Milan Cortina Games.
Seeing his business thrive from up close has helped Schultz — a three-time Paralympic medalist — go into retirement with greater peace of mind.
“It's pretty awesome to look back at my career, and all these athletes out here using the equipment I built,” he said. “Being a big part of the prosthetic performance for pretty much every other lower-limb amputee that’s racing here today using the equipment I built in my shop. So I can hold my head high, you know, big picture. I’m loving it. I’m loving it.”
The 44-year-old Schultz began building his own prosthetic equipment after an accident while competing in a professional snowcross race in 2008. He flew off his snowmobile after drifting off the course and landed on his left leg, sustaining a severe compound fracture to his knee. After several surgeries, his leg was amputated above the knee.
He wanted to get back to motocross and snowmobile racing but soon found out there was nothing that would really allow him to ride the way he did before his amputation.
Always into the mechanics of things — his father taught him to weld when he was 10 — Shultz began developing equipment that could absorb the amount of impact needed for action sports. It didn’t take long before he realized that many other amputee athletes could benefit from his equipment. In 2010, he created a company, BioDapt, that quickly became trusted by top Para competitors.
Team USA said 95% of the top Paralympic lower-limb snowboard athletes use BioDapt’s products, including the entire U.S. Paralympic snowboard team. Schultz said he brought to Italy a 30-pound backpack with some extra parts and hardware to attend to the athletes at Milan Cortina.
“The top eight guys were all wearing BioDapt equipment,” he said after the snowboard cross race Sunday. “Big picture, I'm more about trying to progress the sport as a whole and very proud that I could be a part of that.”
With his competitive days in the past, the goal now will be to spend more time working on new ideas to advance the prosthetic equipment used in sports.
“That is one of the big reasons that I’m retiring from snowboard racing so I can spend more time with my business,” he said. “Also, more time with my family, of course, but I really have some big ideas that I want to work on over the next few years ... I’ve got some big ideas on wanting to pursue for a while, but I’ve been too busy with snowboarding."
Last month, BioDapt and Autodesk announced a partnership to advance the next generation of high-performance prosthetics for Para athletes preparing to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games and beyond.
Shultz made his Paralympic debut at the Pyeongchang Games in 2018, winning gold in snowboard cross and silver in banked slalom. He won a silver medal in snowboard cross at the Beijing Games in 2022.
He finished sixth in snowboard cross at Milan Cortina on Sunday. His final race will be the banked slalom on Friday.
“I had a moment before I pulled into the staging area, just to soak it in, and I’m starting to get this knot in my throat thinking about it, and I’m like, ‘No, no, not right now...’" Shultz said. “It is emotional. I've been at this for 12 years and, you know, multiple medals, and travel the world with this family of snowboarders. It's pretty special.”
High school football schedules for the 2026 season are coming out one-by-one out of every state around the country and one that is a breeding ground for college prospects is Florida, with a number of squads finalizing their fall slates.
A team out of Sarasota County that’s really begun making their name among one of Florida high school football’s best programs is Sarasota Booker (Fla.), which provided their 2026 schedule to Rivals on Thursday afternoon. The Tornadoes are coming off back-to-back state semifinals berths in Florida’s FHSAA Class 3A, falling both times to Jacksonville Raines, which won the 2025 state championship over Miami Northwestern.
One of the highlighted matchups is when the Tornadoes and Valdosta Wildcats will square off on Oct. 2 in Week 7 of the Florida high school football season in Valdosta at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium. The Wildcats finished as the No. 10 ranked team in the Peach State, according to the final 2025 Georgia High School Football Massey Rankings.
Among the other games that stand out on the schedule is the Week 1 home opener against 4-time state champion Venice (Aug. 21), 3-time state champ Cardinal Mooney (Oct. 23) and versus Washington D.C. power St. John’s College on Sep. 19.
The full Sarasota Booker 2026 football schedule can be seen below, with all official game times to be announced at a later date.
Booker High School, located in Sarasota, FL, is known for its strong Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Magnet Program, which draws students from multiple counties. The school offers a variety of academic and extracurricular programs, including the Cambridge AICE, JROTC, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) tracks. The campus features state-of-the-art facilities, including a newly built turf football field and renovated theater. Booker High is dedicated to ensuring that 100% of its students graduate college- or career-ready.
How to Follow Florida High School Football
For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Sunshine State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Florida high school football excitement across the state.
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The 2026 Players Championship tees of this week. The top golfers on the PGA tour, including past champions like Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Adam Scott and Si Woo Kim have made their way Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida for the 52nd golfing event. Broadcasting on ESPN+, Golf Channel and NBC throughout the weekend, there’s plenty of ways for golf fans to stream all the action happening at the iconic TPC Sawgrass golf course.
Mcllroy enters then event as the reigning champion, but with Scheffler, who’s won back-to-back championships in 2023-24, he’ll have some stiff competition. These two are also playing for history. If either win, they will join icon Jack Nicklaus as the only three-time winners at The Players.
Here’s everything you need to know about streaming the 2026 Players Championship live online for free, as well as the complete golf tournament schedule, streaming info, and Rounds 1 and 2 tee times below.
Where to Watch the 2026 Players Championship Online
If you don’t have cable, there are still plenty of ways to watch ESPN, NBC, and the Golf Channel and the 2026 Players Championship online. Fans can take advantage of multiple streaming services that offer free trials, so you can watch all the PGA action this weekend without paying a dime. Signing up to streamers like DirecTV, Peacock, Hulu + Live TV and ESPN Unlimited you can get right into the football action.
DirecTV is offering a five-day free trial, which will let you watch ESPN and more for free. The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network is included in all of the streaming packages. In addition to unlimited DVR storage, you’ll get access to local channels and the ability to stream on as many devices as you want.
Livestream Players Championship on NBC with Peacock.
Want to watch NBC? The simplest way to get instant access to NBCUniversal networks is through the channel’s official streaming platform, Peacock. While there is no free trial for new users, the platform offers cheap plans starting at just $10.99 per month, or you can get an annual plan for $109.99 per year (which gets you 12 months of streaming for the price of 10).
You can look forward to streaming live sporting events, such as the 2026 Players Championship, NBA on NBC, Premiere League, MLB on NBC, and the upcoming 2026 World Cup. There’s also many hit shows and movies on-demand, including Poker Face, The Traitors, Couple to Throuple, The Best Man: The Final Chapters, Love Island, Yellowstone, Suits, The Office, Modern Family and Parks & Recreation. The streaming service is also the home to exclusive music programming, such as Girl You Know It’s True, Toby Keith: American Icon, When Metal Ruled the World, America’s Got Talent and others.
For the most content options, Hulu + Live TV gives you access to the Golf Channel, NBC and the entire Hulu library in addition to more than 95 live TV channels — including ESPN for just $82.99 per month.
And, unlike the rest of the options, you can also expand your content library by bundling Hulu + Live TV with Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited. You’ll not only have all of the Hulu library to watch, but also exclusive and original programming available exclusively on ESPN Unlimited.
ESPN Unlimited is the official streaming platform for ESPN and ESPN+, and a subscription includes instant access to games and more exclusive content for $29.99 per month. You can save almost 17% off by purchasing an annual subscription for $299.99 per year. There is no free ESPN Unlimited trial, but it does include exclusive on-demand videos and access to content from what was formerly known as ESPN Insider.
In addition to live sports, ESPN Unlimited has original shows to stream on-demand, plus game recaps and analysis, a shorter version of NFL Primetime and full replays of historic NFL matchups.
To expand your savings and content offerings, currently, you can bundle ESPN Unlimited with Hulu and Disney+ for a single monthly price of just $29.99 per month for all three services for 12 months of streaming.
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wilson will not re-sign with the Packers, who declined to offer him a one-year tender that would have paid Wilson $3.5 million next season.
Silverstein did not note any teams showing interest in Wilson, but he did say the veteran back is expected to sign somewhere soon.
"To keep Wilson, the Packers would have had to make him a one-year, $3.52 million offer. Because he wasn’t made the offer, Wilson became a free agent March 11, able to sign with anyone in the league," Silverstein said.
"Though Wilson hasn’t finalized a deal with another team, he is expected to sign with someone other than the Packers soon."
Wilson was a reliable backup for the Packers over the past two seasons and carries a 4.5 yards per carry average during his career. He posted 502 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 2024 and 496 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 2025.
Wilson's best game came in Week 12 of last season when he filled in for an injured Josh Jacobs and ripped off 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
He doesn't offer much as a pass-catcher, but he isn't a liability in that area, either. Wilson's biggest strength is his power running, which makes him a tough out between the tackles and at the goal line.
Three teams that could have interest are the Giants, Cowboys and Seahawks.
The Seahawks could really use two backs, as it isn't clear if Zach Charbonnet will be ready for Week 1 after he suffered a torn ACL in the postseason.
In New York, rumors were swirling that the Giants were going to make a play for a top running back in free agency, with the desire to be more physical in the run game.
That never came to fruition, but Wilson would fit what New York is looking for in terms of physicality.
The Cowboys have re-upped with Javonte Williams, but they could use another back to compete with unproven players like Malik Davis and Jaydon Blue.
Adding to that, we saw how Williams broke down at the end of last season after taking on a monster workload, so Dallas could use someone to take pressure off.
As Selection Sunday inches closer, men’s college basketball will have at least one less postseason tournament this year.
The College Basketball Invitational, more commonly known as the CBI, will not be held this year, with tournament organizers citing “circumstances beyond our control” in a post on social media.
The post ended on a hopeful note, though, saying “We’ll see you next year!”
The CBI was founded in 2007 and first held in 2008, with the tournament made up of teams that failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament or the NIT.
The event’s early fields were regularly dotted with power-conference teams, with Oregon State, Oregon and Pitt among its earliest champions, as well as VCU, which won the tournament in 2010, one year before the Rams made a Cinderella run to the Final Four.
In recent years, though, it has been made up entirely of teams from mid- and low-majors, some of which finished the regular season with losing records. The CBI hasn’t had a participant from one of the sport’s five major conferences since DePaul in 2019.
When Indiana turned down an invitation to the CBI in 2014, then-athletic director Fred Glass told the Indianapolis Star, a part of the USA TODAY Network, “We're Indiana. We don't play in the CBI."
The CBI historically required an entry fee for teams, but in 2023, it began providing NIL funding for participants.
Still, it and other secondary and tertiary postseason tournaments have increased obstacles in recent years, particularly as many programs that miss the NCAA tournament look to get as early of a start as possible on building next season’s roster through the transfer portal.
Over the past several years, the NIT has had a growing number of teams declining invitations. The College Insider Tournament (CIT), hasn’t been held in five of the past six seasons, though the first of those absences was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Indianapolis Colts' free agency safety Rodney Thomas will be playing elsewhere in 2026.
According to the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, Thomas is signing with the Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks. The contract details have not been reported at this time.
After playing nearly 1,700 snaps in his first two NFL seasons, Thomas' role has been significantly reduced over the last two years -- playing 248 combined snaps, 150 of which came in 2025.
Thomas fills the free safety role and could be a backup option behind Cam Bynum.
While his defensive role was small, Thomas did play 275 special teams snaps across five different phases this past season, per PFF.
Former Colts safety Rodney Thomas II is signing with the Seahawks, per source.
Given Thomas' reduced role over the years, the writing was on the wall. Whether his development plateaued and/or didn't gel with Lou Anarumo's scheme last season, the Colts seemed to be ready to go in a different direction.
With that said, safety is very much a need this offseason. The starting role next to Cam Bynum is available with Nick Cross signing with Washington, not to mention that this is a very inexperienced position group outside of Bynum.
Texas A&M (21-10, 11-7 SEC) will take on surging Oklahoma in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday night, as the Aggies look to make a run this weekend before Selection Sunday. First-year head coach Bucky McMillan deserves national recognition for taking over a roster with just one player, while nearly 90% of the transfer portal additions had already signed with other teams.
Bringing an intense play style built on three-point shooting and press defense, McMillan was forced to change his lineup for conference play after Indiana transfer forward Mackenzie Mgbako was lost for the season, opting to play small-guard with a guard-heavy rotation that surprisingly led to a 7-1 start in SEC play. However, after facing bigger teams, the Aggies began to struggle defensively, leading to a four-game losing streak last month.
After finishing the February schedule with a 2-6 record, McMillan and his veteran roster, led by senior forward Rashaun Agee's consistent play, turned things around at the end of the regular season, defeating Kentucky at home, followed by last Saturday's 3 OT road win over LSU. Led by senior guard Rylan Griffen's 45 combined points and nine threes, Texas A&M has seemingly reestablished its early-season groove.
However, some still consider the Aggies a "bubble team" despite winning 21 games and 11 in SEC play. I can safely say this assertion is nonsensical, and ESPN Bracketologist Joe Lunardi agrees. On Thursday, after undefeated Miami (OH) fell to UMass in the Mid-American Tournament, Lunardi initially dropped the Aggies back down to his "Last Four Byes" before vaulting Texas A&M back into the field of play.
While the teams listed in the "Last Four In" category are highly susceptible to falling out of contention for the NCAA Tournament if teams leading their conference fall this week. Miami (OH) is likely just the first team to take a tumble, but either way, Texas A&M should not be affected.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH — The inclement weather that rolled through TPC Sawgrass on Thursday appeared to be of the biblical variety at first. But the PGA Tour knew it would only be a quick storm, ordering the players out on the course to shelter in place.
Russell Henley did not get the memo.
Henley, who began the Players Championship on the par-4 10th Thursday morning, made the turn in one-under 35, then made par at the first hole. That's when the rain came, and it looked so ominous that the five-time tour winner figured it was the type of weather that would shut down play for awhile. So he bolted for the clubhouse, which is not far from the second hole.
"I didn't stay in place," Henley said after completing his first round. "I was beside the clubhouse, we ran in because I thought it was going to be like a tornado, it was raining really, really hard."
So Henley did what any of us would do if we just played 10 holes and were forced inside due to weather. He began chowing down. It wasn't until a playing competitor informed him he was supposed to be back out there soon that he knew he messed up.
"When I went inside I was hitting the lunch table and Ben Griffin said, 'You have a restart in four minutes,'" said Henley. "I was in the locker room. Just eating some food."
Man's gotta eat.
The delay lasted only 19 minutes, and, thanks to Griffin, Henley made it back to the second hole in the nick of time.
"It was kind of a quick, stressful 10 minutes or whatever it was. But made it on time," he said.
Good thing, as Henley went on to play the back nine in three under, posting an opening-round 68 that has him just one off the lead of Maverick McNealy. That must have been some solid grub.
The Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in downtown Cleveland will host the MAC’s top eight yet again, an arrangement that started in 2020 and is set to continue for the foreseeable future.
Participants
Since 2021, the MAC has limited its tournament field to the top eight teams. This year, that meant Ball State (12-19, 7-11, t-8th), Central Michigan (10-21, 6-12, 10th), Eastern Michigan (10-21, 4-14, t-11th), Western Michigan (10-21, 4-14, t-11th), and Northern Illinois (9-21, 4-14, t-11th) did not qualify. Note that the Huskies are heading to the Horizon League after this season, thanks to their football team’s move to the Mountain West.
Gm. 1: (8) UMass 87, (1) Miami (Ohio) (31-1, 18-0) 83 Gm. 2: (5) Bowling Green (18-14, 9-9) 76, (4) Toledo 77 Gm. 3: (7) Buffalo (17-14, 7-11) vs. (2) Akron (26-5, 11-1), 4* The Zips swept: 82-63 (away) on 1/20 and 99-85 (home) on 2/24. Gm. 4: (6) Ohio (15-16, 9-9) vs. (3) Kent State (23-8, 14-4), 6:30* The Golden Flashes won 72-57 in Kent on 2/27.
Semifinals (Fri. 3/13)
CBSSN will air both games.
Gm. 5: (8) UMass (17-15, 7-11) vs. (4) Toledo (18-14, 11-7), 5 The Minutemen won 84-82 in Amherst on 1/20. Gm. 6: Gm. 3 winner vs. Gm. 4 winner, 7:30*
Championship (Sat. 3/14)
Gm. 7: Semifinal winners, 8 (ESPN2)
Mayhem Potential
Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitterin 2020 with my own additions for the seasons beyond.
Since 2011, one of the MAC’s top two seeds has won the automatic bid eight times, with top-seeded Akron breaking the No. 2 seed’s two-year run. After Buffalo won the tournament as the No. 1 seed in 2018 and 2019, Ohio claimed the title as a 5 when the event resumed in 2021 and Akron won as a 4 in 2022. Note that the 2010 event was the last won by a team that wouldn’t qualify for today’s eight-team field—and that was a ninth-seeded Bobcat team that ended up stunning Georgetown in a 14-over-3 upset.
1 seed (5): 2013, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2025
2 seed (3): 2015, 2023, 2024
3 seed (2): 2012, 2016
6 seed (2): 2011, 2017
4 seed (1): 2022
5 seed (1): 2021
NCAA Seeding Record In The 68-Team Era
Years with an NCAA win are in bold.
12 seed (2): 2013, 2015
13 seed (5); 2012, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023
14 seed (4): 2014, 2016, 2017, 2024
6 seed (1): 2019
15 seed (1): 2011
Ohio’s 13-over-4 upset of Virginia in 2021’s Indiana-based tournament was the MAC’s last win—the final First Round victory of a three-tournament steak the Nate Oats-coached Buffalo Bulls started in 2018. Both Miami and Akron are capable of winning a game if they get in. Given what’s happened around them, I cannot see the RedHawks getting left out now—maybe with a loss to UMass in the quarters, but still. The biggest question will be how to seed them. Metrically, Miami rates out as a 12 seed, but I don’t think the Committee will put a 34-0 double-champ that low (31-1 or 32-1 is a different story).
Akron is one spot ahead of the 54th-ranked RedHawks in the NET, so the Zips would be in line to be a 12 seed with a win on Saturday.
While every MAC member has participated in March Madness at least once, Northern Illinois (1996, 14 seed, 1st Round, MCC (Horizon) member) leaves having never done so as a conference member. Ball State (2000, 11 seed, 1st Round), Central Michigan (2003, 11 seed, 2nd Round), Eastern Michigan (1998, 13 seed, 1st Round), and Western Michigan (2014, 14 seed, Round of 64) will all try again next season while staying in the conference.
Liverpool were for a long time considered potential suitors for Dean Huijsen - the 20-year-old defender who swapped Bournemouth for Real Madrid last summer.
Huijsen was thought to be on the radar for Liverpool before completing a dream deal to join the 15-time European champions.
But Fichajes claims Madrid are tempted by the prospect of cashing in on Huijsen - just one year on from his arrival from Bournemouth.
Liverpool are ready to offer £60m for the Dutch-born stopper - ensuring Madrid make their money back and more on the former Juventus and Roma player.
Madrid 'tempted' to sell Huijsen
“Liverpool have set their sights on the contract situation of Dean Huijsen, the young centre-back who currently plays for Real Madrid,” the report reads.
“The English club is reportedly willing to spend €70 million to convince Real Madrid's board this summer.
“The possibility of recouping the investment and obtaining an immediate profit is tempting the offices at the Santiago Bernabéu at the moment.”
Huijsen moved with a lofty reputation to the Bernabeu but has suffered criticism owing to an occasional inconsistency in his performances.
There is also the possibility that Liverpool look at other senior options - including Murillo of Nottingham Forest as well as Nico Schlotterbeck and Alessandro Bastoni.
A contributor to the Seahawks' great 2025 defense will be back in 2026.
Seahawks nose tackle Brandon Pili agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal to stay in Seattle, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Pili started last season on the practice squad but was brought up to the active roster and became a solid contributor to the defensive line rotation, primarily playing on running downs.
Pili originally entered the NFL with the Dolphins as an undrafted rookie out of USC in 2023.
Golf equipment companies spend years chasing small improvements. Engineers grind for an extra mile per hour of ball speed, a touch more stability and spin that behaves more predictably.
In theory, the newest driver should be better than the old one.
In reality, even the best player in the world sometimes decides that the familiar one still feels better in his hands.
The Qi4D showed some promise last week at Bay Hill, with ShotLink data revealing that Scheffler averaged more than 302 yards off the tee and gained strokes against the field in that category. The new driver, he said, also delivered something engineers and players both crave: consistency.
“I’ve seen some improvements in the new driver, like my spin is much more consistent,” Scheffler said after signing his card at TPC Sawgrass for an opening-round 72 Thursday. “It’s actually a touch faster than my driver.”
But elite players don’t judge modern drivers only on how far or how straight they send the ball most of the time. At the highest level, players judge them by something more nuanced: whether the club behaves exactly the way the player expects when he is trying to hit different shots.
That’s where the Qi4D created some hesitation for Scheffler.
“The way I play, I always hit so many different types of shots,” he said. “The (Qi4D) felt like it was going a little left on me, and when I want to hit my peeler (which should bend to the right), a lot of times I would hit it out of the middle of the face and it would start drawing on me.”
On certain holes at TPC Sawgrass, that can get a player’s attention quickly.
“You look at a hole like 14, 7, 16, you can’t really miss left,” Scheffler said. “I don’t think I had enough trust in what the driver head was doing compared to where I was last week.”
So the Qi10 went back in the bag.
However, the numbers from Thursday suggest the switch didn’t immediately solve Scheffler’s issues off the tee, though they also show how narrow the margins are in professional golf.
Scheffler gained 1.755 strokes overall on the field, but driving was statistically the weakest part of his game. His -0.357 Strokes Gained: Off the Tee ranked 83rd in the field. He hit 7 of 14 fairways and averaged 287.3 yards on his drives.
For now, the driver Scheffler has trusted for two seasons remains the one he plans to use. Asked if the Qi10 would stay in the bag this week, Scheffler didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, it’s done pretty good the last few years,” he said with a grin. “I don’t know what you think my results have been with the ball-striking, but it’s a driver I’ve used since 2024 and 2025.
“Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. Yeah, it’s a pretty good driver.”
Sometimes the newest club eventually wins the job.
Sometimes, the old one reminds everyone why it earned the job in the first place.
Stirtz played 39 minutes against the Buckeyes on Thursday. He had 17 points and four assists.
The key to the minute average was on March 8, when the Hawkeyes went overtime with Nebraska before losing. Stirtz played all 45 minutes in that game.
He also played 40 and 40 minutes in the two games prior to that.
Stirtz is averaging about 37.5 minutes per game this season, tops in the Big Ten.
He came aboard from Drake, where he was a mid-major superstar, and he's been good in the Big Ten, too.
Stirtz has averaged 20 points and 4.5 assists per game, also with 1.5 steals per contest and a 37.6% 3-point shooting percentage.
Shooting efficiency, and a low turnover rate (2.5 assists per turnover), are that much tougher to pull off when you never sit down. But Stirtz is doing it, and if the Hawkeyes can get into the NCAA Tournament, he'll have a stage to show his skillset there.
Dana White presents Ronda Rousey with her Hall of Fame award - Ethan Miller/Getty Images
While Ronda Rousey has been critical of modern day UFC, speaking ahead of her return fight against Gina Carano on Netflix in May, she went further to separate the institution and its President Dana White.
During the MVP and Netflix-presented press conference for her fight on May 16, Rousey was asked whether she had any concerns that White would take issue with what she had been saying.
"Oh he knows the White House cards sucks," she laughed. "He knows that they were pushing this for over a year and it fell extremely short of expectations. I mean, he was so upset about it, he was talking about a fight falling out the day before. I can guarantee you he's not happy with it either, and he's the one that taught me by example to speak my mind."
Rousey had said that White was the one who encouraged her to seek a better deal for her comeback bout, having originally pitched it to be staged in UFC; there was a disparity in offers made before and after the promotion's switch from pay-per-view to streaming this year.
"He gave me his blessing to go out and do it on my own," she said. "After, I let him know before anybody else that I had gone to Netflix, I didn't want him to be upset with me. And he was like, 'I could never be upset with you. I love you so much. I want you to do great. I want this to be successful.' He's always been my friend before anything else."
She continued to say that much of her criticism toward UFC now stems from the fact White isn't the owner. "He isn't calling the shots and he isn't running things the way that he wants. Because he's an employee of the company now. He's not an owner and I think it was a big mistake of theirs to not let him just run things the way that he always has."
With the NFL's 2026 new league year here, Jacksonville Jaguars GM James Gladstone will be holding a free agency press conference.
The event is scheduled to begin at 3:45 PM ET on Thursday. Below are the highlights and key takeaways from what Gladstone had to say.
Up to this point, it's been a relatively quiet free agency for Jacksonville. The outside addition that the team has made was signing running back Chris Rodriguez. The Jaguars also re-signed Montaric Brown and Dennis Gardeck prior to free agency starting.
We will update this article as Gladstone's press conference unfolds.
James Gladstone free agency press conference takeaways
The spring season is here for the Oregon Ducks, and with players hitting the practice field for the first time in months, we are gifted with an updated roster of what the team looks like going into this new season.
While the roster is undoubtedly going to change a bit over the coming months, with late enrollees set to join the program post-spring break, or even this summer, the new roster gives us a look at one thing that fans tend to love: new jersey numbers for incoming players, and jersey number changes for a handful of existing players.
We've known of a handful of numbers and number changes for a few weeks now, with many players posting the news to their social media accounts, but the official roster gives us a full view of what everyone will be wearing this year. Here's a look at the new numbers for the 2026 season in Eugene.
Current Player Number Changes
Na'eem Offord (14 to 2)
Jeremiah McClellan (11 to 3)
Dierre Hill Jr. (23 to 6)
Jerry Mixon Jr. (54 to 6)
Devon Jackson (26 to 9)
Akili Smith Jr. (15 to 11)
Nasir Wyatt (32 to 31)
Incoming Transfers
D'Antre Robinson (0)
Iverson Hooks (2)
Koi Perich (3)
Dylan Raiola (8)
Aaron Scott Jr. (14)
Carl Williams IV (15)
Markus Dixon (17)
Simeon Price (22)
Bleu Dantzler (27)
Michael Bennett (75)
Andrew Olesh (81)
Jerome Simmons (99)
Incoming Freshmen
Tradarian Ball (4)
Davon Benjamin (5)
Gatlin Bair (13)
Messiah Hampton (15)
Kendre Harrison (18)
Braylon Hodge (19)
Xavier Lherisse (20)
Devin Jackson (22)
Jett Washington (24)
Tristan Phillips (25)
Tank Jones (28)
Tony Cumberland (32)
Dutch Horisk (41)
Koloi Kelli (70)
Tommy Tofi (77)
Hudson Lewis (83)
There are still a handful of players who are expected to join the roster either after spring break or later this summer. They are as follows:
Immanuel Iheanacho
Jalen Lott
Prince Tavizon
Brandon Smith
Trevon Watson
Azel Banag
Anthony Jones
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
The 2026 NFL free agency period officially began on Wednesday, but a majority of the star-studded deals were agreed to on Monday and Tuesday to kick off the legal tampering window. Baltimore lost nine initial free agents and began to regroup, landing Trey Hendrickson, John Simpson, and Durham Smythe, and agreeing to a deal with safety Jaylinn Hawkins.
With the weekend just hours away, Phase two of the process is set to begin, and we're looking at the best remaining free agents.
Kevin Zeitler, G
Zeitler remained efficient for the Titans at age 35. Last season, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 11th-best guard in the NFL. Even more impressive, Zeitler has played at least 15 games every season since 2015. He is sturdy in pass protection, and joining the Eagles could provide insurance for Landon Dickerson and Tyler Steen.
Jadeveon Clowney, Edge
Still a high motor player, Clowney had 8.5 sacks and 32 pressures last season in 13 games with the Cowboys.
Jauan Jennings, WR
At 6-foot-3, 213 pounds, Jennings is a former quarterback who has developed into a big, physical wide receiver. Jennings caught 55 passes last season and nine touchdowns. He could replace the production lost by DeAndre Hopkins' departure.
Rasheed Walker, OT
Walker's pass block win rate of 93.8% ranked 11th among 68 qualifying offensive tackles last season, and Baltimore could have a swing tackle or an offensive guard.
Joel Bitonio, G
The 12-year pro has started 178 NFL games and, last season, had a 96.4% pass-blocking win rate in 2025 (third-best among 65 qualifying guards), while allowing only two sacks.
Deebo Samuel, WR
Samuel caught 72 passes and scored five touchdowns in his one season with the Commanders, with 63.7% of his receiving totals coming after the catch. He's no longer a No. 1 option, but a certain player or watch.
Chris Paul, G
In 2025, he allowed only two sacks and ranked eighth among 65 qualifying guards in pass block win rate (95.4%).
Wyatt Teller, G
Teller has started over 100 games in his career, and his career pass rush win rate sits at 92.6%.
Arnold Ebiketie, Edge
Ebiketie had 16.5 sacks and 89 pressures over four seasons with the Falcons and fits as a 3-4 outside linebacker who can who could flourish as a situational pass rusher.
Jaylen Watson entered the offseason hoping to sign with the Los Angeles Rams. That was before they traded for his teammate, Trent McDuffie, and gave him a $124 million extension that made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
After that news broke, Watson thought his hopes of going to Los Angeles were dashed. It was a similar story to the 2022 draft when he wanted the Chiefs to draft him, only to watch Kansas City take two cornerbacks in the first four rounds – one of them being McDuffie.
Watson told reporters on Thursday that he didn’t think the Rams would sign him after already acquiring McDuffie, but he was thrilled to learn they were still interested. He said he "really wanted to go to the Rams" this offseason and is happy they wound up signing him.
Stu Jackson of TheRams.com shared Watson’s recollection of how things went down.
Two days before the Rams signed Jaylen Watson, Trent McDuffie called him and told him they might sign him and to keep an open mind. To hear Watson tell it, he wasn't so certain 😂
Even after signing McDuffie to a $124 million contract, the Rams gave Watson $51 million for three years. That's a total commitment of $175 million to the two former Chiefs cornerbacks, plus the $13.6 million McDuffie will earn on the fifth-year option in 2026.
Watson and McDuffie paired well in Kansas City, with Watson being a big, physical 6-foot-2 corner and McDuffie being the shorter, quicker defensive back who can line up anywhere. They hope to keep things rolling for the Rams this year, continuing all that they built together in Kansas City.
Asked Jaylen Watson if he feels he can fill the Rams' need for physical CB play: "I think that's my strength. That's why I think me and Trent compliment each other so well. His strengths are the short area quickness, the small shift of guys, my strength are the bigger receivers."
With Watson and McDuffie manning the secondary, the Rams' cornerback group already looks significantly better than it did last year. It was a clear weakness on defense in 2025 but it should be a strength this season.
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 23: Emanuel Wilson #23 of the Green Bay Packers returns a kick during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on November 23, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein has reported that former Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson will not be coming back to the team in 2026. The Packers elected to turn down his $3.5 million restricted free agent tender, and while Silverstein claims that Wilson hasn’t agreed to a deal with another club, “he is expected to sign with someone other than the Packers soon.”
Brooks wasn’t a high-carry player for Green Bay in 2025, but his yards per carry (3.9) matched up with Wilson’s 4.0 average, plus Brooks also contributes as a blocker and a special teams player, unlike Wilson. In today’s NFL, it’s tough to keep a backup running back on the roster who doesn’t contribute anything to the kicking game in any way, much less pay a veteran with those limitations.
As it stands now, the number two ball-carrier role for the Packers will likely come down to 2024 third-round pick MarShawn Lloyd, who has dealt with a series of minor injuries in his time with Green Bay, Pierre Strong Jr., a former fourth-round pick who was on the Packers’ practice squad throughout the 2025 season, and Damien Martinez, a second-year player who was projected to be a top-100 pick in the 2025 draft but ultimately was drafted in the seventh round.
Green Bay’s internal options should give the Packers the freedom to decide whether or not they’ll add more competition to the room on draft day, depending on the value on the board.
Green Bay will not receive a compensatory draft pick for Wilson leaving, as he will not count as a compensatory free agent. Restricted free agents who aren’t tendered are classified in the same way as cap casualties in the comp pick formula. Teams that lose these players don’t get rewarded for letting them walk, but teams that sign them aren’t punished for adding them, either.
Another restricted free agent running back who hit the market this offseason was former Baltimore Raven Keaton Mitchell, more of a change-of-pace back and returner. The Packers had a pre-draft workout with Mitchell back in 2023, so it would have made sense if they had kicked the tires on him, since paying him wouldn’t offset one of their compensatory picks.
Mitchell ended up signing a two-year, $9.25 million deal ($4.6 million per year, more than a million above the minimum tender cost) with the Los Angeles Chargers. Interestingly, he didn’t follow John Harbaugh, his former head coach, to the New York Giants, but instead joined Jim’s brother, John, in Los Angeles. Because of the price of this deal, you can assume that multiple teams were bidding on Mitchell’s services, even if the new coaching staff in Baltimore didn’t want to keep him at $3.5 million.
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 22: Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan speaks to reporters during the Miami Dolphins press conference on Thursday, January 22, 2026 at Baptist Health Training Center in Miami Gardens, FL. (Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Miami Dolphins are busier than expected during the 2026 NFL free agency period, signing several players and making trades to start the new league year. For a team that is hard-pressed with salary cap space, they are being deliberate in who they are targeting, making sure they are finding value with their signings, and setting up the team for the season as a full rebuild starts under new head coach Jeff Hafley and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.
While free agency is still young, with plenty of moves to be made, who are the winners and losers from the Dolphins as of Thursday? We take a look.
Winner: Malik Willis, quarterback
A 2022 third-round pick by the Tennessee Titans, Willis did not live up to his potential in his first two seasons and was traded to the Green Bay Packers in 2024 for a seventh-round pick. He has seen limited action in the last two years, but he has shown the flashes that led to Tennessee considering him as a draft pick in the first place. Now, he heads to Miami where, unless something completely unexpected happens, he will be the starting quarterback in 2026 (and probably 2027). He has a two-year audition to be the Dolphins’ franchise quarterback and should not have a lot of pressure this year to succeed as Miami is clearly in rebuild mode.
Winner: Defensive players with special teams experience
The Dolphins have been heavy on their defensive additions early in free agency, especially if that player has special teams experience. Safety Zayne Anderson, cornerback Alex Austin, cornerback Darrell Baker, defensive lineman Robert Beal, Jr., and cornerback Lonnie Johnson all fit that mold. Miami is clearly looking for depth players who can compete for a roster spot and bring special teams ability.
Winner: Jon-Eric Sullivan, general manager
The Dolphins turned over the keys to the franchise this offseason, hiring Sullivan as the new GM and he has not disappointed so far. While Willis was a “splash” signing, the rest of Miami’s moves have been solid and fit a deliberate mold. The Dolphins have also made trades and salary cap cuts as the team gets younger – currently the youngest team in the league – and get their cap back under control. Sullivan clearly as a plan and is executing it right now.
Loser: Dolphins AFC East division title odds
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Dolphins have the worst odds in the AFC East to come away with the title this year – and they have only gotten worse this week. The New York Jets have moved ahead of Miami, coming in at +2000 compared to Miami’s +2700. The Dolphins started the week at +2200, indicating the bookmakers see Miami’s title chances slipping further away. The New England Patriots, defending AFC Champions, are second in the division at +15- while the Buffalo Bills are the clear favortes to win the division at -145.
Loser: Tua Tagvoailoa era in Miami
It was polarizing. It was fun at times. It was stressful at times. But in the end, it was disappointing. The Tagovailoa era began with the Alabama quarterback being selected fifth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, reached its peak in 2023 when Tagovailoa led the league in passing yards, and the Miami offense was the best in the league, and bottomed out in 2025 when the quarterback was benched in favor of seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers. Injuries and limitations caught up to Tagovailoa and what, in 2022 and 2023, could have been a great career trajectory, came crashing to an end. The Dolphins are eating $99 million in dead money over the next two seasons as they move on from Tagovailoa.
Loser: Minkah Fitzpatrick traded to Jets
Sorry Fitzpatrick. That is rough. Not only have the Dolphins now traded you twice, but this time they sent you to the Jets. No one deserves that.
This spring, Alabama will be starting year three of the Kalen DeBoer era in Tuscaloosa, one that comes off the heels of a College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance a year ago. Alabama reached the CFP Quarterfinal a year ago, which came just a season after the Crimson Tide missed the playoff outright in year one under DeBoer.
The Crimson Tide now turn the page to 2026 with a roster that returns a number of key players from a year ago, but is also tasked with replacing numerous names at some prominent positions. This includes the likes of offensive line and inside linebacker, as well as at quarterback.
Following is a projection for Alabama's 2026 depth chart entering spring practice, which mentions both the starter and primary backup at each position.
Quarterback
Starter: Austin Mack
Backup: Keelon Russell
Quarterback is the most high-profile position battle to watch for Alabama this spring. The returning duo of Austin Mack and Keelon Russell headline the offseason competition for the Crimson Tide's newest starting quarterback, which could go either way, with the former acting as Alabama's primary backup a year ago.
Running Back
Starter: Daniel Hill
Backup: Kevin Riley
Alabama returns multiple running backs from a year ago such as Daniel Hill, Kevin Riley, and AK Dear. Hill will lead that group as the starter, a unit which also added a name to know in true freshman EJ Crowell.
Wide Receiver
Starter: Ryan Coleman-Williams, Lotzeir Brooks, Noah Rogers
Backup: Rico Scott, Derek Meadows, Cederian Morgan
Ryan Coleman-Williams and Lotzeir Brooks are prominent starters returning in 2026, while Rico Scott is a returning name to know as a potential breakout candidate. NC State transfer Noah Rogers is also a prominent name who is a candidate to start for the Crimson Tide in 2026.
Tight End
Starter: Kaleb Edwards
Backup: Marshall Pritchett
The duo of Kaleb Edwards and Marshall Pritchett both return for their sophomore seasons in 2026. Each picked up some needed experience last season as true freshmen, and Alabama's tight end room should not skip a beat this upcoming fall.
Offensive Tackle
Starter: Jackson Lloyd, Michael Carroll
Backup: Jayvin James, Ty Haywood
Michael Carroll is the lone returning starter from Alabama's offensive line a year ago at right tackle. There is likely a key competition to determine who starts at the other tackle spot between Jackson Lloyd, Mississippi State transfer Jayvin James, and Michigan transfer Ty Haywood.
Offensive Guard
Starter: William Sanders, Ethan Fields
Backup: Nick Brooks, Casey Poe
Alabama has to replace both starting guards this season, and the competition to do so is wide open this offseason. William Sanders and Casey Poe are among the returning names to know, as are a pair of SEC transfer additions in Ethan Fields and Nick Brooks from Ole Miss and Texas, respectively.
Center
Starter: Racin Delgatty
Backup: Kaden Strayhorn
The competition at center this spring is headlined by two transfer additions in Racin Delgatty and Kaden Strayhorn. Both will compete for the starting job starting this spring alongside the returning Mal Waldrep Jr..
Defensive Tackle
Starter: Terrence Green, London Simmons
Backup: Edric Hill, Kedrick Bingley-Jones
Terrence Green, a transfer addition from Oregon, steps into a key role at defensive tackle for Alabama alongside the returning London Simmons. Other returning options such as Edric Hill and Jeremiah Beaman are also candidates to start, as is Mississippi State transfer Kedrick Bingley-Jones.
Bandit
Starter: Devan Thompkins
Backup: Jah-Marien Latham
Devan Thompkins is the favorite to start at bandit after transferring from USC this past offseason. The top backup options include Jah-Marien Latham, who missed almost all of last season due to injury, as well as Fatutoa Henry.
Wolf
Starter: Yhonzae Pierre
Backup: Justin Hill
Yhonzae Pierre will be one of the college football's top pass rushers as Alabama's starting wolf. Justin Hill is also a key returning name, as is transfer addition Desmond Umeozulu.
Inside Linebacker
Starter: Caleb Woodson, QB Reese
Backup: Cayden Jones, Luke Metz
Alabama is replacing both starting inside linebackers this offseason, with a competition taking place for both starts this spring. Virginia Tech transfer Caleb Woodson is competing alongside the returning QB Reese, Cayden Jones, and Luke Metz, among others.
Cornerback
Starter: Zabien Brown, Dijon Lee Jr.
Backup: Carmelo O'Neal, Chuck McDonald III
Alabama returns both starting cornerbacks from last season in Zabien Brown and Dijon Lee Jr.. The duo should be among the best in the SEC this upcoming season.
Safety
Starter: Bray Hubbard, Keon Sabb
Backup: Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., Ivan Taylor
Safety is among Alabama's deepest defensive positions groups entering the spring. The unit returns both starters from a year ago in Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb.
Husky
Starter: Red Morgan
Backup: Zavier Mincey
Red Morgan cemented himself as Alabama's starting husky late last season, and is back in 2026 for what could be a big year. Zavier Mincey is also a name who could make an impact at husky.
Kicker
Starter: Conor Talty
Backup: Lorcan Quinn
Alabama starting kicker Conor Talty does return this season, but the Crimson Tide also brought in Marshall transfer Lorcan Quinn at the position during the offseason. The duo will likely compete for the starting spot this spring.
Punter
Starter: Adam Watford
Backup: Alex Asparuhov
The Crimson Tide have a competition this offseason at punter to determine who replaces the departed Blake Doud. That competition is between North Alabama transfer Adam Watford and the returning Alex Asparuhov.
Long Snapper
Starter: Ethan Stangle
Backup: Alex Rozier
Lastly, there could be a competition at long snapper this offseason between the returning Alex Rozier and Ethan Stangle. Stangle is a transfer addition from Syracuse.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
The newest member of the Detroit Lions secondary is already embracing the city.
Shortly after news broke that the Lions signed defensive back Christian Izien to a one-year deal, the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defender took to social media to send a message directly to Detroit.
“Motor city what’s good?!!!! Can’t wait to get to work and keep proving them wrong! #OnePride 🦁”
The post quickly caught the attention of Lions fans, many of whom welcomed Izien to Detroit and expressed excitement about the attitude he brings to the roster.
Hungry mindset fits Lions culture
Izien’s message reflects the chip-on-the-shoulder mentality that has become synonymous with the Lions under head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes.
Detroit has built its roster around players who embrace the team’s gritty identity, and Izien’s early message suggests he’s ready to buy into that culture immediately.
A versatile piece in the secondary
The 25-year-old defensive back enters Detroit after spending the first three seasons of his career in Tampa Bay. During that span, Izien appeared in 45 games, totaling:
165 tackles
3 interceptions
5 pass breakups
3 forced fumbles
Known for his versatility, Izien has experience playing both safety and slot corner, which could make him a valuable depth option in Detroit’s secondary heading into the 2026 season.
If his message is any indication, Izien is ready to prove he belongs — and Lions fans appear ready to see what he can bring to the Motor City.
PREVIEW | Angers vs Nice - team news, lineups, predictions
Angers and Nice face each other this Saturday at the Stade Raymond-Kopa for matchweek 26 of the Ligue 1.
Angers have 32 points to their name this season and occupy 11th position in the table. In their last game, Alexandre Dujeux's team won 0-1 against Nantes (Ligue 1 2025/26).
Nice currently have 24 points and lie in 15th position. In their last game, Claude Puel's team lost 0-4 against Rennes (Ligue 1 2025/26).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Angers winning 1-0.
For the first time since returning from an Achilles injury on March 6th, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum will be inactive. The Celtics announced that the six-time All-Star is out for the Green Team's Thursday night showdown with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Tatum was initially listed as questionable due to right Achilles repair conditioning, which makes perfect sense given the fact that he ruptured it a little over 300 days ago and has only been back to in-game NBA action for six days. The official injury designation he received on Thursday was "right Achilles injury management." And unfortunately for the Celtics, the injury report has a few more names.
Jayson Tatum has been downgraded to OUT tonight vs. the Thunder due to Right Achilles Injury Management.
Celtics center Nikola Vucevic is out, as expected, with a right ring finger fracture and guard Derrick White is still questionable because of a right knee contusion. The veteran guard has only missed two games this season, so perhaps Thursday will be a chance for him to rest.
If that is the case, the Celtics will have their hands full. Although point guard Payton Pritchard is returning to the lineup after sitting on Tuesday night due to neck spasms, the Thunder are getting back 2026 All-Star Chet Holmgren and two-time NBA champion Alex Caruso.
Per usual, the defending champs will be led by MVP hopeful Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Celtics star Jaylen Brown will likely be tasked with leading the charge for Boston, and perhaps he can generate some MVP buzz of his own during Thursday's primetime game.
Pakistan fast bowler Salman Mirza has taken legal action after reports claimed he misbehaved with a woman during the T20 World Cup 2026 in Sri Lanka. The pacer sent a legal notice to a Pakistani news outlet and a journalist, calling the allegations “false, malicious, and highly defamatory.”
The reports alleged that the incident took place at a hotel in Kandy before Pakistan’s final Super 8 match against Sri Lanka.
According to those reports, a female housekeeping staff member raised an alarm, which led hotel staff to intervene, and the matter was later communicated to Pakistan’s media manager.
Mirza has strongly denied the claims and publicly criticised the report, saying it was irresponsible to broadcast unverified information.
Addressing the issue on Instagram, he wrote: “An absurd news is circulating in the media and I strongly condemn this sort of cheap journalism. Any media house can’t air any unverified news [sic].”
In the same post, Mirza named the journalist and the news channel and confirmed he would pursue legal action.
“#PakistanCricketBoard has already denied this baseless and fake news, and I’m going to take legal action against #ShahidHashmi (journalist) who works for ARY News. This sort of filthy reporting must be banned and #GovernmentofPakistan must take action against such people!” he added.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also rejected the allegations and backed the player. The board demanded a public apology from the reporter and warned that it would take action if the issue was not addressed.
“Agenda-driven fake news targeting the character of our players is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The reporter must publicly apologise without delay; failing which, the PCB will take all necessary steps to tackle such malicious content firmly and nip it in the bud.”
Day two of the official start of free agency began with the Raiders making official the remainder of their previously reported free agent additions. In total, they added six free agents to the roster. These are the players along with their reported contracts:
Unlike last year's free agent class in which most players were signed to one-year deals, most of this year's class joins the Raiders on three-year deals. Signaling they are finally starting that rebuild.
Dwight Howard: So Thank you to all my fans and supporters throughout this journey I love and appreciate yall dearly because without yall it would be no me! Also thank you to the Naysayers, the haters, the snakes, and people that came into my life to try to destroy me. Because everytime yall did …it only made me stronger. When my documentary releases this year the world will know the truth about EVERYTHING! Then you will see how the sheltered little boy from college park Georgia who went to the same school from pre-k to 12th grade then straight to the NBA was taken advantage of by the world. But through it all still managed to keep SMILING 🙏🏾😁 & Since I didn’t get a chance to ever have a farewell tour I decided to create a tour not for fans to appreciate me but for me to appreciate them for supporting me all these years and giving me a reason to smile doing what I love Every 12th of the month from now on will be D12 day where I visit cities all over the world and do acts of kindness for random to people to give them a reason to Smile 😊
The big fella wasn’t a stellar foul shooter. Gilgeous-Alexander’s worst season of his past four from the free-throw line came in 2023-24, only his second year as an All-Star, when he shot 87.4 percent on 8.7 attempts — less than half as many average attempts as Chamberlain averaged during his streak. “My grandson criticizes Shai because he says that Shai seeks out fouls, that he’s the guy who’s looking to get fouled and to get to the line,” Meschery said. “I know players who have always done that. In my era of Frank Ramsey, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, they jumped into you. So did Paul Arizin. Paul had a wicked jump shot, but he was always jumping into you, and the referees were always calling him and putting him on the line. It’s not a strategy that hasn’t been used before. But what’s significant about Shai is, he doesn’t necessarily jump into you. He jumps sideways.” “That’s what you tried to do,” Hall of Famer Rick Barry told The Athletic. “When I drove, s—, I was trying to get fouled. I wanted to get fouled. I wanted contact. … Shai’s a 90 percent free-throw shooter. Why the hell would you not want to?”
Joe Maloney has seen the sausage get made — and now he’s running the kitchen. The former American Gaming Association executive recently took the reins at the Sports Betting Alliance, where he advocates for five of the biggest sportsbook operators in statehouses across the country. In this conversation with host Jeff Edelstein, Maloney unpacks the biggest policy debates in legal sports betting, from prediction markets to online casino expansion to the newly announced policy in Massachusetts concerning limits on betting.
The Miami Dolphins entered this offseason with several cornerbacks hitting free agency when the new league year officially started on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the first of them left for another team, as NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that cornerback Kader Kohou is signing with the Kansas City Chiefs.
If anything, Marquise Williams is at least back in the news again.
The oft-forgotten former North Carolina quarterback took to Twitter on Thursday to state that he will not be attending any games in Kenan Stadium this upcoming season ... and then doesn’t explain why.
I will not be attending any UNC football games this year! The things I’m hearing man I would have never thought💔
We can only guess what is happening in Chapel Hill as Bill Belichick enters his second season in charge of the Tar Heels, but until Williams comes clean about his reasoning, it will remain just that: a guess.
It might have to do with how Belichick has run things, or the fact that the coach’s May/December romance with Jordon Hudson and her control over the NFL legend has become a running joke. It’s not like Williams would want to see his former team play that badly next season if they continue playing as they did in Belichick’s first season.
And if you were wondering, Williams last played professional football in 2020 with the New York Guardians of the XFL.
The New York Giants have secured the services of right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor on a three-year contract worth $39 million, including $26 million guaranteed.
The deal, agreed to earlier this week, was officially signed by Eluemunor on Thursday at the team's facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The 31-year-old veteran, who joined the Giants in 2024 on a two-year, $14 million contract, proved to be a dependable starter over the past two seasons.
In 2025, Eluemunor appeared in all 16 games, logging more than 1,000 snaps while allowing just 19 pressures and four sacks, ranking 20th among 89 tackles in pass-blocking efficiency, per Pro Football Focus.
The Giants fended off interest from the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns, who pursued Eluemunor aggressively—the Browns even viewed him as a potential starting left tackle. Despite the competition, he chose to remain in New York, describing the deal as modest but exactly where he wanted to be.
Eluemunor has started all 31 games played for the Giants since arriving, providing valuable continuity to the offensive line.
Upon arriving to sign the contract, Eluemunor made a statement by wearing a custom-made suit. During a Zoom call with beat writers, he explained the significance of the choice.
"It means a lot. It's something I've been working towards my entire career, and I just wanted to show them that it's, this isn't just another day for me, it's a combination of all the days I put in, all the hard work I put in," he said. "I truly just wanted to show just how important this is. And I feel like you put on suits for important events, and this truly is an important event, and I just wanted to show whoever, like the fans, the coaches, anyone in the building, just how much this meant to me and how much I truly appreciate this.
"I feel like you have to dress for the occasion. Not everyone may do it, but for me, I truly think that it was appropriate for this situation and the day. And it's a huge day for me and my family and I wanted to show that through the suit."
Eluemunor reflected on his journey.
"I've been open about my story where I've been cut, traded, put on the p-squad, cut, benched, and I've been through all these different things that not a lot of players get to this position I'm in right now," he said.
Eluemunor added that he had the suit tailored in New Jersey by a specialist who works with NFL players, arranging it before free agency while vacationing in St. Lucia.
"I hit up my tailor and I said, ‘Hey, God willing, I'm going to sign the biggest contract of my life, and I want a suit that matches the occasion,'" he said.
Eluemunor emphasized gratitude for the opportunity, noting the moment's importance to him and his family, who were right there with him on the inside of his custom suit.
Detailed look at the inside lining of Jermaine Eluemunor’s custom suit for his Giants contract signing today featuring pictures of him and his 2 daughters. #FamilyFirst@JEluemunorpic.twitter.com/BOEk6k1IPE
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. ― Jim Furyk was a big believer as a player in advance scouting the week of a PGA Tour event.
Nothing's changed now that he's watching and analyzing shots instead of hitting them.
The 17-time PGA Tour winner and Jacksonville resident is in his second week of serving as an analyst for Golf Channel's coverage of a Florida Swing event. He debuted last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and is working again with anchor Terry Gannon for the early round coverage of The Players Championship from 1-7 p.m. ET.
Golf Channel's eight hours are more than the usual Thursday-Friday Tour coverage, so Furyk will make up for the two hours he lost on the air last week at Bay Hill because of a weather suspension. As usual, he's tackling the opportunity with the same intensity he had as a player.
He said he has a newfound appreciation for career broadcasters such as Gannon and NBC producer Tommy Roy.
"They're extremely talented," Furyk said earlier in the week from the NBC compound near the 17th hole of the Players Stadium Course. "I always knew it was a difficult job, but they make it look very, very easy. Terry, with all the moving parts of the show and the reads and stuff coming in ... I was just very thankful to start doing this with him, as good as he is, and Steve Sands and Curt Byrum ... what they do is quite incredible. It's hard to explain until you're in there. There's a lot of moving parts, a lot going on in their ear and they're smooth as silk, painting a great story."
Other First Coast pros have given TV a try
Furyk is the latest in a line of Tour players with First Coast and Golden Isles ties to give broadcasting a try. David Duval had a gig with Golf Channel until he began playing on the PGA Tour Champions full-time. Davis Love III worked with CBS for a brief time. Mark McCumber and Rocco Mediate have also had their turns, and McCumber still works for PGA Tour Radio on Sirius.
Furyk believes that his perspective as a player ― especially one who had 23 starts and five top 10s in The Players Championship ― gives him something to offer TV viewers.
"Guys like [NBC anchor] Dan Hicks and Terry set up the scene, and I see the shots and react," Furyk said. "I'm supposed to tell the viewer what's happening and why. How can I give them knowledge about the golf course, about the shot that's been hit. I think a golf professional who played competitively can do that. You just have to get comfortable with the camera and how everything works in the studio."
Furyk stepping up his pre-tournament prep
Furyk is taking it seriously. He's been walking the Stadium Course, observing where the pin positions will be, how firm or soft areas of the golf course are and any subtle changes.
Furyk said he's stepping up his preparation this week because he said the research and time he spent at Bay Hill weren't enough.
"When I was a rookie on Tour, I prepared for tournaments in a certain way," he said. "And then I realized very quickly that there were veteran players who did that better than I did, and so I would play golf with them, play practice rounds, see how they prepared, and ask questions. I learned in 10 minutes the first day on camera [at Bay Hill] that I needed to prepare a little differently. Last week went really positive, but surely I have a lot to learn, and I want to keep improving and keep getting better. It's just my nature, very competitive."
Furyk said he discussed some constructive criticism after the first round at Bay Hill with Roy and Gannon. For the most part, they stressed more eye contact with the host or camera.
Furyk said there were other areas where he got some guidance that were subtle, but would make him better.
"There's always going to be a little tidbits," he said. "I probably stepped on the on-course reporter a couple of times. The viewer wouldn't know that. But the team knows that when it might not have been my turn to speak and it took me a second or two to realize it was my turn to speak when I wasn't. But just learning those little cadence things ... it's not something I could have practiced for. That's something you pick up on the fly."
Furyk doesn’t see himself as a Johnny Miller
Furyk said he and Golf Channel will talk after The Players to see if they want to continue the relationship but he said if broadcasting turns into a second career, the one thing he will not be as an analyst is over the top with criticism, such as Johnny Miller.
"I think when I played ... I didn't mind anyone saying it was a bad shot," he said. "I'm never going to question what someone's got inside them. That's off-limits, in my opinion. I don't find myself backing off. It's really to react to what I'm seeing, try to explain to the viewer why."
Furyk’s take on 2026 Players
Furyk said this week's Players comes down to who deals best with architect Pete Dye's goal of making it more of a mental test than physical.
"Pete wants them to feel uncomfortable," Furyk said. "He wants them to be aggressive. You have to attack the golf course. Now, if you're not playing well, it's going to bite you. But if you want to win this tournament, you're going to have to attack the golf course in certain areas and off the tee surely."
Furyk said he's amused at the perception that world No. 1 and two-time Players champion Scottie Scheffler is in a slump.
"It's nuts," Furyk said. "I was thinking about it after the third round last week. He had a bad front nine, didn't play very well, missed some greens, missed a bunch of putts. It didn't look good. He was visibly frustrated. And then we went off the air, and I went home and I watched it on NBC, and he comes out, he birdies five of the next six and does Scottie-like things. We expect so much out of him, almost to be superhuman. That's the way we talk about him. We were expecting that from Tiger and that usually tends to weigh down on you. But every great player expects more out of themselves than we expect of them."
Furyk said he's not writing off his PGA Tour Champions career but injuries have curtailed his schedule in the past two years. He made one start this season, in Hawaii, and isn't sure when he will play next.
Winners of 11 of their last 13, the Thunder are hosting the Boston Celtics Thursday, March 12, just three days after Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put away the Denver Nuggets with a game-winning 3 in the final seconds. With the win, Gilgeous-Alexander created separation in the race for NBA Most Valuable Player, and the Thunder maintained their hold on the top seed in the West.
And, Thursday's game presents the chance for SGA to make history. He can break the NBA record for consecutive games with at least 20 points. He tied Wilt Chamberlain for most all-time, with 126 in a row, against Denver.
The Celtics, meanwhile, have gotten a massive boost since Jayson Tatum returned from his Achilles tendon rupture surgery. Boston has been rolling lately and is just 3½ games back of the Detroit Pistons for the No. 1 seed in the East.
Here’s everything you need to know about Thursday night’s Celtics-Thunder game:
How to watch Celtics vs. Thunder: TV channel, live stream
Start time: 9:30 p.m. ET
Location: Paycom Center (Oklahoma City)
TV channel: N/A
Live stream: Amazon Prime
Celtics vs. Thunder injury report
Boston Celtics
Payton Pritchard, probable (neck spasm)
Baylor Scheierman, available (left thumb fracture)
Considering what's at stake, tonight might be a night where homes across the state frame the box score in their living room. On a mundane March night, the Oklahoma City Thunder will have a chance to see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander make NBA history.
Gilgeous-Alexander could usurp Wilt Chamberlain for one of his mythical records. Currently tied with the basketball pantheon at 126 games, he could own the NBA's record for longest 20-point streak in league history.
We'll see what the Boston Celtics cook up, but odds are, they'll be background characters for Gilgeous-Alexander's historic night. The reigning MVP continues to build up quite the resume. Already having an MVP trophy and a championship ring under his name, he could add to his consistency mythos tonight.
To prepare for Gilgeous-Alexander's possible historic accomplishment, let's contextualize just how impressive it is to score 20 points every game for over a calendar year. Here are the top 20 20-point streaks in NBA history, courtesy of Basketball Reference:
Former Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball great Sean Kilpatrick expressed his feelings via Twitter/X about his former team, one day after UC lost in overtime to the UCF Knights in the Big 12 tournament.
"I remember recently speaking on the state of the program and being told I wasn't supporting the university the 'right way,'" Kilpatrick tweeted. "From that moment on, I washed my hands of it! I gave the University of Cincinnati and that city blood, sweat, and tears for 5 years!"
"I could've left after my sophomore or junior year, but I stayed because I felt like that was home and graduated," Kilpatrick continued. "So the idea that I can't have an opinion about the program I helped build … will forever be bonkers to me. Wishing everyone there the best."
Kilpatrick is second only to Oscar Robertson on UC's all-time scoring list. He was inducted in 2024 to the James P. Kelly UC Athletics Hall of Fame.
Washington Commanders offensive tackle Trent Scott (73) makes a touchdown in the 3rd quarter over the Cincinnati Bengals Monday, September 23, 2024 at Paycor Stadium. | Cara Owsley/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Washington Commanders have re-signed offensive tackle Trent Scott on a 1-year deal. Scott has been with Washington since 2023, but he was active for the least amount of games with the team last season. Washington added LT Laremy Tunsil and rookie RT Josh Conerly last year, pushing Scott down the depth chart. The 32-year old veteran returns on another 1-year deal to try to earn a spot on the depth chart. Brandon Coleman was the backup left tackle last season, filling in for the Tunsil at the end of the season. He could go back to right guard with Chris Paul still unsigned in free agency. Paul replaced Coleman as the starter aft the first two games last season. Trent Scott started three games last season, and hopefully he’s not needed as a starter if he makes the team this year.
The Commanders are re-signing veteran OL Trent Scott, per source. Back in Washington for his ninth NFL season. pic.twitter.com/KawbKf9H5U
Mist celebrates the 2026 Unrivaled championship. | Getty Images
Year 2 of Unrivaled was far from a sophomore slump as the 3×3 league continued to grow. We had two expansion teams join, another outstanding 1-on-1 Tournament and a new champion was crowned.
Now that the dust has settled on 2026 for Unrivaled, here are five takeaways from the season.
1. Business is booming
By all metrics, Unrivaled is seeing incredible growth. Tale a look at the numbers regarding the business of Unrivaled from a league press release.
League account growth from January 5 through March 4 included:
YouTube: +26,000 followers (+69%)
Instagram: +61,000 followers (+21%)
TikTok: +137,000 followers (+90%)
X: +8,200 followers (+13%)
Threads: +7,300 followers (+12%)
Facebook: +33,000 followers (+71%)
Viewership
Unrivaled continued its national broadcast partnership with TNT Sports, with games airing across TNT, truTV and HBO Max throughout the season.
Season 2 was culminated by the third most- watched Unrivaled telecast in league history, with the championship bringing in 314,000 viewers (behind only last year’s 1 on 1 Tournament Championship and the Championship game between Rose and Vinyl). The Unrivaled Playoffs sponsored by Samsung averaged 258,000 viewers for TNT/truTV simulcasts.
Ticket Sales
Fan demand for live Unrivaled events increased dramatically during Season 2, with revenue from ticket sales increasing 204% year-over-year. Unrivaled sold 249% more tickets than the inaugural season.
The increase was driven by expanded capacity at Sephora Arena and the addition of tour stops in Philadelphia (21,490) and Brooklyn (18,261).
With growth in viewership, ticket sales and social media interaction, it’s evident that the league is heading in the right direction. There were those who were skeptical if enough fans would embrace 3×3 basketball and retain interest over the years, and it’s clear that fans are enjoying the Unrivaled product and are hungry for more.
Unrivaled's night in Brooklyn ending up topping Philadelphia.
$1 million ➡️ $1.1 million in ticket revenue $400k ➡️ $405k in merchandise revenue https://t.co/2y69ah7bmW
While the WNBA and its players are shaping women’s basketball’s future with their CBA negotiations, Unrivaled has that put together.
As articulated in a recent press release, Unrivaled demonstrated that not only have they grown, but that this growth is also aligned with more money entering players’ pockets:
The league’s salary cap grew 115% from Season 1 to Season 2, with an overall cap of $21 million. Notably, the value of the player equity pool grew 290%—from $30 million in 2025 to over $120 million. Players continue to be the largest shareholder group in Unrivaled.
By all accounts, the players seemed to be on the same page with the pay in Unrivaled, given the workloads they are under. The league has figured out how to deliver a quality product, share equity with athletes and grow simultaneously. It’s been a win-win situation for everyone involved.
Allisha Gray cashed out during Unrivaled Season 2, making an extra 200k on top of her salary. 🤑
Sure, the biggest achievement in Unrivaled is the title, but one can argue that the best product they deliver is the 1-on-1 Tournament. This year, they made improvements, like having the tournament field initially organized around positional pods, which really helped avoid size-based mismatches until the end.
There were viral moments like both StudBudz going scoreless, and more serious ones like Kelsey Plum going off and Dallas Wings teammates Arike Ogunbowale and Paige Buekers facing off. But in the end, Chelsea Gray proved why she is the Point God, winning it all.
At this point, it seems even if you aren’t a big fan of Unrivaled, the 1-on-1 Tournament is wildly entertaining and should be required viewing for all basketball fans.
4. Unrivaled is developing talent
Unrivaled is quickly becoming a great place for WNBA players to develop their talent during the offseason. Cameron Brink is a prime example of this. She spent most of the 2025 WNBA season recovering from her left ACL tear, so getting a chance to gain additional reps ahead of her third W season was vital.
Brink did just that, playing for Breeze and averaging 10.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game.
Cameron Brink weaves her way to the basket for the scoop 👏
Breeze looking to position a 2H comeback against the Laces on TNT, truTV & HBO Max 📺 pic.twitter.com/UtRxCokLik
These games, even in a 3×3 setting, could help her have a huge third season with the Los Angeles Sparks. And if she does find success, it’ll likely mean other players will follow in her footsteps and pursue a season in Unrivaled instead of traveling overseas.
5. Unrivaled needs more players
While Unrivaled expanded by adding two more clubs, one way to continue growing is by extending the roster size. The developmental pool, featuring six players, was a good idea to help in the event of an injury.
The developmental pool certainly came into play for Phantom, as the club had to compete in their two playoff games without Aliyah Boston and Dana Evans. They had Aziaha James and Makayla Timpson assigned to the team, but ultimately lost to Mist in the final.
Moving forward, having dedicated players on the roster would be beneficial to all involved. So, hopefully the rosters can expand, and if the developmental pool remains, it can be used as an extreme emergency scenario instead of the first option if a player goes down.
Overall, Unrivaled is heading in the right direction. With continued growth and the right moves made to improve the product on the margins, the league could be even better in 2027.
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 17: Tino Livramento of England looks on during the UEFA Nations League 2024/25 League B Group B2 match between England and Republic of Ireland at Wembley Stadium on November 17, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Talk about a plot twist. As we were growing tired of reporting the links between Manchester City and one of Newcastle’s players, it now looks like another Premier League giant might be ahead in the race to land him.
Arsenal seems to be monitoring Magpie defender Tino Livramento ahead of the summer transfer window, adding another layer to ongoing speculation around the 23-year-old’s future who seemed to be nothing but destined to join the Cityzens before next season.
Pep Guardiola’s side had previously been viewed as the leading contenders if Livramento were to leave St James’ Park. However, The Telegraph is reporting that Arsenal are now keeping a close watch on the England international as they assess defensive reinforcements even amid a title-winning season.
“Arsenal are keeping a close watch on Newcastle United full-back Tino Livramento as they consider making a summer bid for the England international,” Luke Edwards wrote. “Livramento will have two years left on his contract at the end of the season and has not yet shown a willingness to extend it. That makes Newcastle vulnerable and has attracted the attention of Arsenal.
“Newcastle would still like to keep the 23-year-old if he is willing to discuss a new deal before the transfer window opens, but they recognise that his market value could drop if he does not agree fresh terms.”
Livramento joined Newcastle from Southampton in 2023 for around £32 million and has featured on both flanks in Eddie Howe’s system. The report states Newcastle’s valuation would be in the region of £60 million.
“Given the money invested in the defender, who is equally comfortable on the left and right sides of defence, Newcastle’s asking price would be around £60m,” Edwards wrote.
Arsenal’s interest could complicate the already-stalled contract for a Livramento extension, particularly as the defender shares the same agent as Mikel Arteta—you do the math, folks.
The Telegraph also noted that Arsenal may need to sell at least one first-team player this summer before committing to major additions, which has been widely reported of late as the Gunners might be a bit tight on the financial front.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have publicly declared their desire to retain Livramento, but his contractual situation, international presence, and likely World Cup impact, and an ever-growing external interest have positioned him as one of the club’s key summer talking points and a very possible sale candidate.
Please visit our SB Nation Mariners site Lookout Landing. If you do go there to interact with Mariners fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 3 p.m. CT and 4:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
Italian media reveals brutal message from Gianluigi Donnarumma to referee Maurizio Mariani in Real Madrid defeat
Gianluigi Donnarumma had words for fellow Italian, Maurizio Mariani at the Bernabeu on Wednesday night following the penalty awarded in Real Madrid’s favour.
The confrontation occurred during a catastrophic night for Manchester City in their Champions League last-16 first-leg clash, as Federico Valverde stunned the visitors with a 22-minute hat-trick.
The second-half did not bring about much more hope either, as Gianluigi Donnarumma was judged to have brought down Vinícius Júnior in the penalty area, leading to a heated exchange between the goalkeeper and the on-field match official.
Five Things Learned: Real Madrid 3-0 Manchester City (UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg)
While the 27-year-old goalkeeper redeemed himself by saving the subsequent spot-kick from the Brazilian forward, his frustration with the officiating has remained a focal point of the post-match analysis in his home country.
Decoding Donnarumma’s Clash with Mariani
As per a new report from TuttoSport, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness, words from Gianluigi Donnarumma to Italian referee Maurizio Mariani at the Bernabeu have been revealed in the moments that followed the goalkeeper’s foul to give away a penalty.
“Why are you acting like a big shot? You’re acting like a big shot,” Donnarumma is claimed to have told his fellow countryman.
“Why are you giving me a yellow card”, the Manchester City goalkeeper followed having been cautioned for the attempt at clawing the ball from the onrushing Vinicius Junior.
The “big shot” comment suggests a deep-rooted frustration with Mariani’s handling of the high-octane fixture in the Spanish capital, with Donnarumma’s outburst perhaps highlighting the psychological toll of the 3-0 deficit.
Manchester City’s tactical gamble to play an ultra-high line against the Spanish giants left their No.1 goalkeeper exposed to several one-on-one situations throughout the night, ultimately leading to numerous goals conceded.
How Can Manchester City Respond to Defeat in Madrid?
Looking ahead to the return leg at the Etihad Stadium on March 17, Gianluigi Donnarumma will need to channel his apparent aggression more effectively to help Manchester City overturn the significant three-goal margin.
Before then, Manchester City have a clash against West Ham United to contend with in the Premier League, travelling to the London Stadium on Saturday night as they aim to stay within reach of Arsenal at the top of the division.
Lita holds up the WWE Women's Championship over her head after a victory over Trish Stratus in the main event of "WWE Raw." - WWE
Lita was a wrestler well-ahead of her time who debuted during the then-WWF's Attitude Era, but still managed to make a name for herself between the ropes in serious matches, not just the pillow fights and bra and panties matches of the day. She began her wrestling career in 1998 in CMLL before signing with WWE in August 1999 where she was first aligned with Essa Rios.
She became a quick fan-favorite as a member of Team X-Treme alongside then real-life boyfriend Matt Hardy and his brother, Jeff, and due to all-too-real world happenings, had a heel run alongside Edge. Over the course of her career, she held the WWE Women's Championship four times, including when it was still known as the World Women's Championship, and she had a 42-day run with the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships alongside Becky Lynch in 2023.
Lita put on plenty of exciting matches during her seven active years in the ring, and in 2014, she was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. She wrote her name in new chapters of history when she competed in the first-ever women's Royal Rumble in 2018, as well as at Evolution the same year. Some of her greatest matches in her career were alongside her real-life best friend, Trish Stratus, who she feuded with from 2000 throughout the end of Stratus' career in 2004.
She did things in the ring that not many women were doing at the time, and her high-flying, extreme style was must-see. An honorable mention to this list of Lita's greatest matches is her first championship victory over Stephanie McMahon in the main event of the August 21, 2000 edition of "Raw is War." It fails to make the proper list due to the involvement of The Rock and Triple H.
Mickie James gears up to hit a big DDT on Lita during their match for the WWE Women's Championship at Survivor Series 2006. - WWE
Lita wrestled the final match of her full-time WWE career at Unforgiven 2006 in a match against Mickie James for the WWE Women's Championship. Her retirement had been announced previously, much like her real-life friend Trish Stratus ahead of her final bout, so it came to no surprise to fans. While Lita's official send-off following the match left a lot to be desired, as Cryme Time came out "selling" her personal things, including her underwear, to humiliate her, the in-ring action itself was solid.
James took the fight to Lita to start off the bout, getting her in the corner to deliver hard strikes. The champion didn't stay down for long, but throughout the eight minute bout, the opponents were evenly matched in their aggressive styles. Lita locked in a sleeper hold, complete with body scissors to James trying to get her to tap, but the challenger was able to get to the ropes. James was then able to duck a cross body off the top rope by Lita.
Lita was able to kick out after numerous clotheslines by James and a big kick to her jaw and dodged the Stratusfaction attempt. Lita hit the moonsault, but James still held on. James was finally able to secure the win with a DDT, earning her second WWE Women's Championship of her career.
The post-match angle to put an end to Lita's in-ring career, for the time being, left a lot to be desired, but thankfully in the years following, she was able to get redemption from crowds who adored her, rather than the harsh Philadelphia crowd during her heel run. Lita dominated the field during her own time period, a notoriously difficult one for women, and would go on to prove she could still go over ten years later.
Vs. Becky Lynch, Elimination Chamber 2022
Becky Lynch puts Lita in the Dis-Arm-Her in the middle of the ring during their match at Elimination Chamber 2022. - WWE
After retiring in 2006 to a less-than-positive response thanks to the actions of Crime Time following her match with James and the storyline surrounding her affair with Edge, Lita got a second chance in the ring alongside some of the best women of today.
After she appeared in the 2022 Royal Rumble, Lita boldly challenged Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch to a match at Elimination Chamber. The women would go on to wrestle a match just over 12 minutes long, with Lynch leading one of her heroes to a solid bout.
Lynch went for the Dis-Arm-Her early, but Lita fought it off. Lynch hit back-to-back Becksploders, but Lita dodged the third into a DDT, giving herself time to get her feet back underneath her. The women traded strikes back-and-forth, and Lynch countered the Twist of Fate into a Dis-Arm-Her attempt.
Lita planted Lynch with a powerbomb and looked for the moonsault, but Lynch rolled out of the ring. The challenger looked for another moonsault after getting Lynch back down, but Lynch was able to lock in the Dis-Arm-Her, but turned it into a Manhandle Slam when Lita got too close to the ropes. Lynch attempted a moonsault of her own, but Lita got out of the way.
The Hall of Famer was finally able to hit the Twist of Fate and moonsault, but Lynch kicked out. As Lita got her back up, Lynch hit a second Manhandle Slam for the win.
While she may not have captured the title, the match kicked off more for Lita in WWE. Following a year-long hiatus, she returned to help Lynch against Damage CNTRL, and the pair would have a run with the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships. Lita, Stratus, and Lynch would have a six-woman tag match at WrestleMania 39, marking Lita's only second-ever appearance at the event.
Vs. Victoria, WWE Raw 11/24/2003
Victoria hits a move off the ropes to Victoria during their steel cage match on "WWE Raw" in November 2003. - WWE
Lita was involved in the first-ever women's steel cage match, a bout sometimes forgotten by history, alongside Victoria, thanks to the spin of the wheel on an edition of "Raw Roulette." Lita had made the jump from "SmackDown" to "Raw," and after rejecting general manager Eric Bischoff's advances, he wanted to make her life difficult. Bischoff had Women's Champion Molly Holly spin the wheel, and it was determined Lita and Victoria would be squaring off in the cage as Lita stood in the ring.
Lita took it to Victoria the second she got into the cage, smashing her into the structure multiple times. Victoria returned the favor, sending Lita face-first into the cage before hitting her with a spinning sidewalk slam. Victoria tried to escape through the door, but Lita was on her throwing right hands.
Both women attempted to escape the cage through the top and took vicious back bumps for one another when they ripped each other from the side of the structure and went crashing down to the mat. Lita hit Victoria with a powerbomb during one escape attempt, then hit her with a moonsault. Lita then tried to escape through the door, but her then ex-boyfriend in storyline, Matt Hardy, appeared and slammed the door in her face, allowing for Victoria to escape for the victory.
While the match did involve interference by a man, the historic bout featured some good, albeit short, in-ring action between two serious women's competitors at the time, while also playing into the "escape the cage" troupe that was popular in men's cage matches in that era. Lita had also just returned a little over two months prior from a 17-month hiatus due to neck surgery, so competing within the cage was a big deal for the star.
Vs. Trish Stratus, Unforgiven 2006
Trish Stratus puts Lita in the Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring during their match at Unforgiven 2006. - WWE
In a poetic end to their feud, WWE Women's Champion Lita lost her gold to Trish Stratus in the latter's retirement match at Unforgiven 2006 in Stratus' hometown of Toronto. Lita involved herself in her career-long rival's business in the weeks ahead of the pay-per-view when she leaked the news that Stratus was set to retire after Unforgiven. Stratus confirmed she was retiring, then challenged Lita to a match at the event for the title.
The women went to the final battle of their full-time careers in an 11-and-a-half minute match that was one of their best. Stratus tried to get a quick pin on Lita with a big clothesline, but her frenemy wouldn't stay down that easily.
When Lita left the ring, Stratus took the fight to the outside and jumped from the apron to her opponent, taking her out. The women brawled back in the ring, until a slugfest on the top rope sent them both crashing to the floor once again.
Stratus moved out of the way of a moonsault and tried to capitalize with a cover, but Lita kicked out. Stratus went for Stratusfaction, but Lita pushed her out of the ring once again. The champion had complete control of the match until Stratus rallied with a neck breaker. She hit Lita with a Stratusfaction, then a Chick Kick, but Lita kicked out again. In the end, Lita countered another Stratusfaction, but walked into a sharpshooter by Stratus and had no option but to tap.
Stratus retired a champion, and she and Lita would reunite in WWE throughout the years, with Stratus doing the honor of inducting Lita into the Hall of Fame. Their final match, the cumulation of years of work together during a time where things were difficult for women, was a memorable banger where both women put in solid work.
Vs. Trish Stratus, WWE Raw 12/6/2004
Lita hits a moonsault on Trish Stratus during their main event match for the WWE Women's Championship during a December 2004 episode of "WWE Raw." - WWE
Lita's feud with Stratus was iconic for many reasons, and their main event match for the WWE World Women's Championship on the December 6, 2004 edition of "Raw" is one of those reasons. While Lita had competed in a main event match on "Raw" a few years prior, her bout with then-champion Stratus is often considered the first time women main evented a weekly show, as they were the entire focus of the bout.
The women had been feuding for years at that point, and both had been honing their skills during an era where it was difficult for women to get any TV time when it came to matches. While their match wasn't long by any means, they proved themselves in numerous big spots.
Stratus was wrestling with a "broken nose" and protective face gear, which she used as a weapon. The women tumbled out of the ring after locking up to start, but neither seemed fazed and they were quickly back outside after Lita sent Stratus over the top rope with a back body drop. She followed up with a suicide dive and took a nasty bump, landing on her head just a few years removed from neck surgery.
The champion was back in control, but Lita met Stratus on the ropes and hit a superplex. It was Stratus who regained momentum first, however, but Lita quickly rallied with a power bomb to combat Stratus' strikes in the corner.
In the end, it was Lita to hit the Twist of Fate, then a moonsault, to pin Stratus to win her second World Women's Championship. The match is considered one of the best of the time period, and one that inspired many female wrestlers of today. It's remembered fondly by fans, especially women, of a certain age.
How Messi holds the ‘nuclear button’ that could decide Barcelona presidential elections – report
We are only a few days away from the Barcelona presidential election, which is expected to be close, even though Joan Laporta remains the clear favourite.
However, as the election nears, Font does have one last glimmer of hope, in the form of Lionel Messi
Font waiting for Messi to press the button
According to Javi Miguel, Font is waiting for a last-minute support from Lionel Messi, who is known to hold resentment against Joan Laporta due to his sudden exit in 2021.
Messi is a key figure in Barcelona, and his opinion could sway the majority of votes. Given that he is not a fan of Laporta, Font is the obvious pick for the Argentine.
However, Messi has not shown any indication of wanting to meddle in the Barcelona election or wanting a change in leadership.
Equating his decision to meddle in the election to a ‘nuclear button’, Miguel suggests that Font is waiting for the Argentine to make a move.
Will Messi appear as a last-minute saviour for Font? (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)
Even if Messi does not offer complete support or endorsement for Font, simply a gesture or a hint might be enough to completely turn the election against Laporta.
After all, there has been a lot said about how the former president blocked the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s return in 2023 – something that has been denied by Laporta.
Even a small hint from the Argentine that what Xavi Hernandez revealed was true could end up influencing the outcome of the upcoming elections in a huge way.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - DECEMBER 21: Bryan Cook #6 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up prior to the NFL 2025 game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Bengals made two solid moves by agreeing to terms with safety Bryan Cook and defensive end Boye Mafe on the first day of free agency.
Today, both of them officially signed their deals.
In his press conference, Cook shared that he’s happy to come home (he was born in Cincinnati and played at UC). He believes that he brings leadership to Cincinnati’s defense and will be an “anchor” that supports his teammates.
Meanwhile, Mafe said he was “excited” to come to Cincinnati, specifically to be part of the growth of the team. “It’s one of those teams that people are going to know about soon,” he said. He talked about the energy that he brings and how it will help his young teammates improve.
Mafe shared that he still has “untapped potential” that isn’t reflected in his production. That’s probably the mindset the Bengals’ front office had when pursuing him.
Free agency moves have dominated the NFL headlines this week, but offering a change of scenery to proven veterans is just one piece of the puzzle as teams look to improve their rosters for 2026.
There's also, of course, a huge influx of young players available via the draft, and some clubs (cough, cough) tend to put more of their eggs in that lower-budget basket rather than pay big-money contracts to guys who may have already given their best years in a different uniform.
As always, how a team navigates one pool of talent informs how they may be thinking about the other. And the Dallas brass has reportedly set up one particular meeting that is sure to raise more than a few eyebrows as observers scramble to read the tea leaves about what it might mean.
The Cowboys will reportedly host Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. on an official "30 visit," according to football analyst Ryan Fowler.
Source: The Dallas Cowboys will host Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr for a 30 visit.
That visit, one of 30 one-on-one meetings each team is permitted to schedule during the pre-draft process, is often an indicator of which prospects or positions a team might be most interested in heading into the draft. And that's what makes Cooper's reported trip to Frisco so noteworthy.
The Cowboys, as of Wednesday night's deal that sent Osa Odighizuwa to San Francisco, own picks 12, 20, and 92. Would they seriously consider using one of those first-round picks to reach for Cooper instead of a top defender that would address a far more urgent need? Or are they using up one of their precious 30 visits on some bewildering belief that Cooper could realistically fall to them late in the third round?
And perhaps most obviously... would any genuine pursuit of Cooper perhaps signal some larger plan concerning George Pickens? Pickens is currently sitting under the franchise tag. And while it's been thought that the Cowboys would try to lock him up to a longer-term deal this offseason, it's also possible that there's a Plan B that involves letting Pickens play 2026 under the tag and then letting him leave. In that scenario, selecting Cooper now and letting him work in Pickens's shadow before parting ways with the higher-priced veteran does sound like a Cowboys kind of move.
After all, it's what they did when CeeDee Lamb unexpectedly landed in their laps in 2020, when they already had Amari Cooper.
Is Omar Cooper a potential insurance policy for a Cowboys organization that's not expecting Pickens to stay long-term? (Remember that Pickens is on the non-exclusive tag, meaning another club could swoop in and make an offer Dallas isn't willing to match.) Is a Cooper meeting meant to be leverage they can use in the Pickens talks? Is interest in Cooper a hint that the Cowboys are trying to trade back in the first round (or early in the second) where they think Cooper might be a viable option that then impacts their negotiations with Pickens?
Maybe it's simply a matter of meeting with the best prospects the team can identify... but with the Cowboys' massive needs on defense, it's certainly curious that Dallas is apparently willing to use a 30 visit on a position they seem to already be set at.
While the NBA world remains absolutely flummoxed after Bam Adebayo’s 83-point inferno, we’re on the verge of another historic feat that melts the brain. On the eve of Halloween in 2024, the San Antonio Spurs did something that no team has been able to accomplish since. They “held” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to under 20 points.
I deliberately put held in quotation marks because the Spurs were getting beat so badly in that game that SGA barely needed to play in the fourth quarter. He finished with 18 points.
One hundred and twenty-six games later, Gilgeous-Alexander has a chance to pass Wilt Chamberlain for the most consecutive games with at least 20 points, a record that has stood for over half a century.
It’s a streak that has gone on for so long it began before Cooper Flagg had ever played a game at Duke.
To put Gilgeous-Alexander’s streak and his MVP candidacy into proper perspective, here are seven ways to better understand how Gilgeous-Alexander is wrecking the record books.
(Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
1. SGA’s streak is longer than the next two longest current active streaks combined: Kawhi Leonard and Joel Embiid. Actually it’s longer than the next ELEVEN highest streaks combined.
Kawhi Leonard has delivered a metronome-like scoring streak for the Clippers this season. From Nov. 28 to now, he has put up 20-plus points in 43 straight games. It’s incredible. Joel Embiid has strung together 24 straight games of his own with at least 20 points. Impressive! Tyrese Maxey has mounted 13 such games in a row. Remarkable.
Stack them all together and those superstars still don’t topple SGA’s current mark. Actually, the next 11 highest streaks — Leonard (43), Embiid (24), Maxey (13), Luka Dončić (11), Bam Adebayo (7), Trey Murphy III (5), Pascal Siakam (5), Victor Wembanyama (4), Devin Booker (4), Stephen Curry (4) and Jerami Grant (4) — have a combined 124 straight games with 20-plus points, according to Stathead.com tracking. It’s not just that SGA’s streak is better than everyone else’s, it’s that none of them can even sniff what SGA is doing right now.
2. SGA hasn’t played in 30% of the Thunder’s fourth quarters during the streak.
Perhaps the greatest threat to SGA’s record isn’t the greatness of the opponent’s defense but rather the greatness of his own team. SGA and the Thunder have been so dominant that they haven’t even needed to play the reigning MVP in dozens of fourth quarters because the game is already out of hand.
To be exact, the former Kentucky Wildcat has sat in 39 fourth quarters over the streak, making it even more impressive that the streak is alive. He’s done this while playing in a 36-minute NBA game a third of the time. Most players need all four quarters in a game to put together at least 20 points. Not SGA.
3. He has clinched the 20-point streak before the fourth quarter in 90% of his games.
This is an extension of the previous note, with a twist. Not only does Gilgeous-Alexander sit a lot in fourth quarters because his team does so well, most of the time he doesn’t even need to play the fourth quarter to keep his streak alive.
He has scored at least 20 points by the start of the fourth quarter in a whopping 113 of the 126 games, which equates to 89.6%. In only one out of 10 games is the record in jeopardy going into the final frame. Madness.
4. Stephen Curry could add 100 games to his personal longest streak, and he’d still trail Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s current run.
Stephen Curry is one of the greatest scorers in NBA history with over 25,000 points to his name. He has won four championships and changed the game forever. And yet: he has never come close to anything like Gilgeous-Alexander’s current streak. In fact, according to Stathead.com, Curry’s longest streak of stringing together 20-point games is 23. He did it across two seasons back in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The Golden State Warrior guard has actually never rallied 20 straight games of 20-plus in any single season, which is something that SGA has done not just once, but five separate times. One reason why: the variance of the 3-point shot. Curry relies much more heavily on a shot that goes in less than half the time, which can yield some wild fluctuations. On the other hand, SGA is shooting 60% on a whopping 15 2-point attempts per game. There’s a lot of steadiness in that.
Even if we wrap around seasons, Curry’s best is 23 straight games of 20-plus points, which is still a shorter streak than …
5. At one point last season, SGA scored 20-plus points through three quarters in 26 straight games.
To reiterate: Last season, from Nov. 25, 2024, to Jan. 22, 2025, Gilgeous-Alexander ended the third quarter with at least 20 points in 26 straight games. Just three quarters of basketball was all he needed to keep the streak alive.
To put it in perspective, SGA’s 26-game three-quarter streak of 20 points or more is longer than the full-game streak of the following players’ careers:
Stephen Curry (23 games of 20-plus points)
Donovan Mitchell (22 games)
Ja Morant (22 games)
Nikola Jokić (21 games)
Kyrie Irving (21 games)
Karl-Anthony Towns (21 games)
Jalen Brunson (19 games)
Trae Young (17 games)
Just incredible consistency and greatness.
6. SGA’s individual record is almost twice as long as the NBA’s active team streak of having at least one 20-point scorer.
I know I already gave it away, but if I had asked you whether SGA’s streak is longer than NBA teams’ streaks of having at least one 20-point scorer, what would you say?
In my mind, I was quite certain there were teams that have outpaced Gilgeous-Alexander’s record. Surely a player on a team would have put up 20 in every game this season and beyond, right? If you shared my feeling on that, it turns out we’re both dead wrong. As crazy as it sounds, Gilgeous-Alexander’s personal streak is longer than any team streak of having at least one 20-point scorer in a game.
And it’s not particularly close. SGA almost laps the team competition.
If you dig into it, only one team has even had a 20-point scorer in every game this season, and you’ll never guess the team.
It’s not the Thunder, actually. On Feb. 12, a game in which Gilgeous-Alexander did not play, the high scorer for the Thunder was Isaiah Joe, who registered a mere 17 points. In every other game, the Thunder have cleared the 20-point plateau with at least one player.
But the only team to have a 20-point scorer in every game this season is not the Denver Nuggets, holders of the NBA’s No. 1 offense. Although the Nuggets do have the most 20-point games of any team this season, with 143, according to Stathead.com.
So if it’s not the Thunder or Nuggets, who is it?
It’s not the high-powered Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics or New York Knicks teams.
It’s actually not a team with a winning record either.
Stumped?
It’s the New Orleans Pelicans.
Yes, the 22-45 Pelicans have the longest team streak of having at least one 20-point scorer in each of their 67 games this season. You can look it up. They’ve had Zion Williamson and seven other players who have put up 20 in a game this season, spread out evenly enough that they’ve done it in every game.
So naturally I went back to last season. What I found was that New Orleans’ streak actually started not long before this season. If you go back to last season, the Pelicans had a 20-point scorer in only three of the team’s final regular-season games, which means that the longest active team record is … 70 games. Not even in the same ballpark as Gilgeous-Alexander AS AN INDIVIDUAL.
As crazy as it sounds, SGA’s individual record of 126 straight games with a 20-piece is almost twice as long as the longest active team record.
7. The Wizards’ longest 20-point streak this season is 12 games.
I’m not kidding. SGA’s streak is 12 times longer than the Wizards’ longest streak this season as a team. Check out this chart showing their last 126 games, snaking back to last season:
Between this chart and Bam Adebayo’s 83, the Wizards have seen a lot of red recently. Yeah, it’s been a tough week for them.
Golf may be an individual sport, but it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Time and time again, we watch groups get hot as a collective or go ice cold one after the next. We’ve even experienced it ourselves, struggling to stay focused while our buddy is having a club-throwing, bag-kicking nightmare.
PGA Tour pros are more resistant to these emotional swings, of course, but not immune, as we were reminded at the Players Championship on Thursday. Following a brief weather delay that soaked TPC Sawgrass and forced players to contend with a tricky switch of the wind, the first-round grouping of Gary Woodland, Cam Davis and Kevin Yu arrived at the infamous 17th tee. Woodland had the honors … splish. Davis came next … splash. Yu rounded out the trio … taking a bath.
As the old saying goes, misery loves company, and all three players looked to be in foul moods as they trudged to the drop zone for their thirds. Thankfully, all three players to find solid land, but the damage was done as each walked away with a double bogey to their name.
No. 17 has induced its fair share of water balls over the years, but the full sweep is a rare sighting, at least on Players week. Here’s hoping the trio grab a much-needed morale beer and clear the air after their round, because if they carry this bad juju with them into Friday, they might all be splitting a cab to the airport.
MURFREESBORO — Cookeville freshman guard Callie Gilbert didn’t have any questions for her older sister about what the TSSAA girls basketball state tournament might feel like this week.
Gilbert has been tagging along to these games for years with her family, leaving little to the imagination.
“I knew it would be really loud and fun to play in this environment,” Gilbert said.
She learned that firsthand when Cookeville’s crowd erupted after Gilbert got an assist from sister Cara Lee in transition, which was part of the Cavaliers’ key second-half run in a 55-47 comeback win over Page in the Class 4A state quarterfinals on March 12.
Cookeville (29-4) advances to the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. March 13 to play the winner of Bearden and Bartlett.
Cara Lee Gilbert finished with a game-high 17 points and Callie added 16 against Page (25-7), which led by as many as 10 in the first half before finishing 10-of-41 from the field.
Cookeville reached the state semifinals for the fourth time in five years. There has been so much familiarity within the program — much of it between families — that these big moments don’t scare anyone, Cookeville coach Jamie Gillies said.
The Gilbert sisters, as well as Gillies and her second-youngest daughter, Allie, a senior, shared the postgame podium together before scouting their next opponent.
Allie Gillies scored seven points in the quarterfinals, and her younger sister Lauren, a sophomore, scored five. Gillies has coached all four of her children at Cookeville, going back to Bailey (2022) and Jordan (2023).
The adage of teams becoming family rings true for them.
Jamie Gillies doesn’t worry about hotels selling out for the state tournament. Since her first trip to the Glass House with the Lady Cavaliers in 2022, she has preferred to rent the team a house. That year, Gillie’s daughters and a niece made a sign that said “Gillie Time.” That same sign has traveled to the state tournament every year with the team until this season, when a new one was made.
“They always want to stay together. They don’t care if we go out to eat. They always want us to bring it in,” Jamie Gillies said. “Last night our whole team went to watch (White County) play. It’s kind of like there’s always this next generation. We know what we’re doing here.”
That experience paid off as Cookeville kept Page from scoring a field goal in the second half until 1:11 remained in the fourth quarter.
“It’s fun. I mean, it’s just been a special year,” Cara Lee Gilbert said. “I’ve gotten to play with my sister the whole year. I’m just really happy we’re here.”
Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at tpalmateer@tennessean.com and on the X platform, @tpalmateer83.
In this age of college football where rules are seemingly nonexistent, therefore leaving tampering to run wild, it's almost a foregone conclusion for the top players in college football to be contacted by coaches from other programs.
That happened to the nation's second-leading rusher, Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy, during the transfer portal period in January.
"I won’t spread any names out there or anything, but it was lot of schools from a lot of different conferences,” Hardy told On3. "The head coaches aren’t the ones calling, but the first thing that happens is somebody from that school starts following you on Instagram. Then you hear from somebody on their staff or a position coach. You’re not going to talk to the head coach until you get in the portal."
Despite that, and the large offers that were on the table for the star true sophomore running back, Hardy didn't have a second thought.
NEW: Missouri star RB Ahmad Hardy tells @Clowfb he turned down big transfer portal money to remain in CoMo to 'keep building' his legacy🐯
"I won't spread any names out there, but it was a lot of schools from a lot of different conferences."
"But it didn’t matter because I was never going to get into the portal," he said. "Didn’t need an agent. I knew what I wanted. I wanted to be a Tiger until I turn pro. Missouri has taken care of me. I wanted to keep building my legacy here."
Hardy has been at Missouri for just over a year, as he burst onto the scene with the UL Monroe Warhawks in 2024 as a true freshman. It was a complete surprise when the three-star recruit, ranked by 247 Sports Composite as the No. 153 running back in the class, ran for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns, nearly leading the Warhawks to their first .500 season since 2018 but falling one win short.
From there, he hit the portal and landed with the Tigers, where, once again, not much was expected from him in the vaunted SEC. But he flourished, grabbing hold of the RB1 spot and going on to lead the conference in rushing with 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns. Missouri went 8-5 on the season despite dealing with numerous injuries to the quarterback position, as they turned to Hardy to carry much of the offensive load.
Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz knows what he has in Hardy — one of the best players in college football — and wasn't shy in expressing it, lauding his character along the way.
"There ain’t a better running back in college football," Drinkwitz told On3. "You look at yards after contact. You look at speed metrics. You look at vision. You look at production, and he’s made of the right stuff."
Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.
The New England Patriots have signed free agents in areas of need so far, but they can still look to add to their team.
Kevin Byard, Romeo Doubs and Dre'Mont Jones fill needs in positions where the Patriots are losing pieces from last year. However, there is still room to improve the wide receiver room and the pass rush. While many of the best free agents have signed, there are still players the Patriots can target on the open market. Here are two available players the Patriots should sign.
Jauan Jennings
The Patriots made a big move to add Doubs to their offense. However, adding another talented receiver is not going to hurt them. They are reportedly still interested in A.J. Brown, but Jennings could be a cheaper addition who still helps them.
In 2024, Jennings was 25 yards short of a 1,000-yard season and was ejected in the San Francisco 49ers' final game of the season. Last season, he posted 643 yards and nine touchdowns. He started all 15 games he played in for the 49ers last season, and is still a young, talented receiver. He is 28 years old, and if the Patriots realize that trading for Brown is not a reality, signing Jennings would be wise.
Al-Quadin Muhammad
Despite not starting a single one of the 17 games he played last season, and playing under 50% of defensive snaps, Muhammad had 11 sacks on the season. That would have led the Patriots. Adding to the pass rush is one of the biggest needs for the Patriots, and signing Jones essentially replaces a departing K'Lavon Chaisson.
Muhammad would give the Patriots a double-digit sack threat. His best fit is as a designated pass rusher, and with the depth the Patriots have, he could be a great rotational piece. He has played in eight NFL seasons and appeared in 110 games. He has 26 career sacks and is coming off his best season as a professional.
The New York Jets have spent the early portion of NFL free agency revamping their lackluster defense. One of the shrewder deals completed by general manager Darren Mougey was signing cornerback Nahshon Wright to a one-year contract worth up to $5.5 million. Wright could solve one of the Jets' biggest issues in the secondary.
Wright finished tied for second in the NFL in interceptions last season with five. Wright concluded the 2025 season with a league-leading eight takeaways, consisting of five picks and three fumble recoveries, en route to being named a 2026 Pro Bowl Games alternative. The Jets famously recorded zero interceptions as a defense last year, becoming the first defense to achieve that since football began tracking interceptions in 1933.
Wright is a lanky cornerback who will almost certainly play outside on the boundary in the starting lineup. The Jets have Jarvis Brownlee defending the slot. Sophomore Azareye'h Thomas could earn the starting gig opposite Wright, and veteran Brandon Stephens is still under contract.
Pro Football Focus assigned Wright a stellar coverage grade of 63.4 last season. He allowed 60 receptions in coverage on 93 targets for 800 yards and eight touchdowns. The results were inconsistent, Wright's ability to generate turnovers is something the Jets sorely lacked last season.
The Boston Celtics have ruled Jayson Tatum out as they prepare to face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night.
CLNS Media's Bobby Manning shared the Tatum intel to X on Thursday afternoon. “Celtics just scratched Jayson Tatum at the Thunder tonight. Will get his first night off since returning from Achilles surgery,” Manning reported.
#Celtics just scratched Jayson Tatum at the #Thunder tonight. Will get his first night off since returning from Achilles surgery.
Derrick White remains questionable with a knee contusion. Payton Pritchard officially back from missing Tuesday's game with neck spasms.
Tatum has played in three games since coming back, averaging 27 minutes as the team carefully manages his workload.
Despite the restrictions, Tatum has contributed notably, averaging 19.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists. His presence has been a welcome addition for a Celtics squad that has stayed competitive in the Eastern Conference all season.
Of course, facing one of the league’s best teams in the Thunder without their two-way star adds another layer of difficulty for Boston. Jaylen Brown will likely shoulder an even heavier burden.
Derrick White remains questionable due to a knee contusion, though Payton Pritchard has been cleared to return after dealing with neck spasms.
The organization is prioritizing Tatum’s long-term health as they eye a deep playoff run. Fans will hope to see him back on the floor soon in what promises to be an exciting finish to the regular season.
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans (55) pitches during the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Kauffman Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
In the fantasy baseball market, I struggled with identifying bust players, as many times they come after a significant injury. I do have a much easier time fading players off career seasons or pricing in their injury risk. With the high-stakes live draft season being a week away in Las Vegas, here are five players I'm avoiding in 2026:
1 - SP Cole Ragans, Kansas City Royals
In a recent 12-team draft that I did, Ragans was the 10th starting pitcher drafted. He had a breakout season in 2024 (3.14 ERA, 1.143 WHIP, and 223 strikeouts over 186.1 innings), but a left shoulder issue cost him about 19 starts last year. Part of Ragans' failure could have been a spike in innings pitched (62.0) from 2023 (124.1). He's been in pro ball since 2016, while also having two previous TJ surgeries, and never pitching over 100.0 innings in any other year.
Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) looks to the Athletics dugout against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Over the past five NFBC main events ($1,750 entry fee), Langeliers had an ADP of 52 as the 31st batter drafted. He finished 2025 ranked 60th in FPGscore (1.10) for hitters, suggesting he is over-drafted by 50 picks if he repeated his stats from last year.
I know his approach improved last year, and the A's play in an offense-favoring home ballpark, but I don't see over 550 at-bats, and Langeliers had a ton of batting average risk (.215) over his first 312 games in the majors. His one drawing card is power at catcher, suggesting at least a three-category drag in Roto formats.
3 - Bo Bichette, New York Mets
New York Mets infielder Bo Bichette (19) walks on the field during the New York Mets spring training workouts at Clover Park. | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
Bichette had a bounce-back season in 2025 (.311/78/18/94/4 over 582 at-bats), but he lost his edge piece feeling for me. He'll get plenty of hits with below-expectation damage in home runs (42 over his last 1,464 at-bats). Bichette no longer runs, and his edge in runs left the building in 2021 (121).
New York paid him $126 million for three seasons in mid-January, which was probably the second-worse move the Big Apple made over the past year. I view him as a steady player who goes in a draft where I'm looking for a much higher combination of power and speed. If his ADP (96) were two rounds later, Bichette would be a better fit for my plan.
I expect JJ Wetherholt to offer more fantasy value than Bichette in 2026, and he gets drafted 125 picks later.
4 - George Springer, Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays right fielder George Springer (4) reacts after striking out in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game three of the 2025 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Last year, Springer could have been had well after pick 225 in all drafts. He comes off his best season (.309/106/32/84/18 over 498 at-bats - 10th-best fantasy hitter season) despite sitting out 22 games at age 35. Over the past four seasons, steals have been an asset in Springer's equation, a skill set that he had in the minors (89 stolen bases over 1,131 at-bats).
His contact batting average (.398) in 2025 doesn't look repeatable based on his previous three years (.332, .324, and .279). Springer will be a free agent in 2027. His rebound in power should be an outlier. For him to be worth his price point this year, he'll need to produce a 205 Mookie Betts-type season (.258/95/20/82/8 over 589 at-bats). From 2021 to 2024, Springer averaged these stats over 500 at-bats (.251/78 runs, 22 home runs, 65 RBIs, and 14 steals). I expect regression this year, and he has averaged under 500 at-bats over the past five seasons.
5 - Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs
Hoerner continues to be a head-shaker for me in drafts. He has a low ceiling in power with a three-category edge outlook (runs, batting average, and steals). I have him rated as the second-best fantasy option at second base, on a similar path as in 2025 (35th-best fantasy hitter). Unfortunately, as the fifth/sixth piece to a fantasy hitting roster, I don't see enough of an edge compared to other positions.
The New York Rangers play their 65th games of the season On Thursday night, yet it’s their first against the Winnipeg Jets. After this tilt at Canada Life Centre, the Rangers will have faced each of the 31 other teams in the NHL this season.
While that’s a scheduling oddity, a strange coincidence is that both the Rangers and Jets are 4-1-2 since the Olympic break. In New York’s case, it’s a feel-good stretch, though not anything that will affect the playoff picture, since they remain last in the Eastern Conference.
But Winnipeg (26-27-10) put itself back into the Western Conference playoff race, with 19 games remaining on its schedule. The Jets are five points out of the second wild card in the West, though need to pass four teams ahead of them in the standings.
If they fail to make the playoffs, the Jets will become the fifth team to do so in NHL history one year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy for having the most points in the League during the regular season. The Rangers also accomplished this unwelcome “feat” last season, after securing the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24.
The Rangers (26-30-8) seek their first three-game win streak since Nov. 24-28. That would equal their most consecutive wins this season, accomplished three other times.
The night before, the Rangers hammered the Philadelphia Flyers 6-2 on the road. Since the break, the Rangers outscored opponents 28-20. Six of those goals came on the power play, including four the past two games.
The Jets came out of the break with a six-game point streak (4-0-2), before they lost 4-1 to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. This is the second of an important five-game homestand for the Jets, who are 15-12-5 at Canada Life Centre this season.
These two teams hold a rematch at MSG in 10 days, on March 22.
3 storylines when Rangers visit Jets
Terrence Lee-Imagn Images
1. Captain close, but not ready yet
Injured Rangers captain J.T. Miller again took part in the morning skate Thursday, but won’t play against the Jets. He remains on IR with an upper-body injury.
So, how about Saturday in Minnesota against the Wild, coach?
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get it,” Mike Sullivan stated after the skate.
This will the fifth straight game Miller misses with his latest injury. The Rangers won three of the first four without their captain.
2. Moving on up
Thomas Salus-Imagn Images
With Miller still out, Adam Edstrom gets a look in the top six, skating on a line with Vincent Trocheck and Will Cuylle against the Jets. The 6-foot-7 forward primarily played on the fourth line though 90 NHL games with the Rangers over the past few seasons, including 28 this season. So, this is a big opportunity for the 25-year-old.
Edstrom missed 33 games with a lower-body injury, but plays his fifth straight Thursday. Sullivan noted that Edstrom’s gotten more comfortable and his conditioning appears to be more up to speed now. He showed plenty of jump Monday in Philly and Tuesday against the Flames, when he logged 13:30 and 10:22 TOI respectively. he has two goals and two assists this season.
Jonny Brodzinski slots back to the fourth line, and remains on the second power-play unit against the Jets.
3. On the Mark
James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images
Jets center Mark Scheifele wasn’t named to Canada’s roster for the Milan-Cortina Olympics, and he’s taken it out on the rest of the League this season. Scheifele leads the Jets with 30 goals, 48 assists, and 78 points in 63 games, averaging 21:22 TOI. It’s his second straight 30-goal season — he had 39 in 2024-25 — and fifth of his 13-year NHL career.
The 32-year-old had eight points (three goals, five assists) in a three-game point streak, before he was held off the score sheet against the Ducks.
In 20 lifetime games against the Rangers, Scheifele has 15 goals and 20 points.
New York Rangers projected lineup
Alexis Lafreniere — Mika Zibanejad — Gabe Perreault
Adam Edstrom — Vincent Trocheck — Will Cuylle
Tye Kartye — Noah Laba — Conor Sheary
Jonny Brodzinski — Juuso Parssinen — Jaroslav Chmelar
Vladislav Gavrikov — Adam Fox
Will Borgen — Braden Schneider
Matthew Robertson — Urho Vaakanainen
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Rangers vs. Jets: When, where, what time, how to watch
Byard revealed during his session with local media on Thursday that there is an agreement in place for him to take that number from new teammate Craig Woodson. The Patriots had several other signees reveal their new numbers, as fullback Reggie Gilliams will wear No. 44 and wide receiver Romeo Doubs will wear No. 87.
Byard will likely have to depart with some of his freshly-signed contract in order to make things official.
The Patriots introduced several other free agent signees on Thursday, with linebacker Dre'Mont Jones, offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker, and tight end Julian Hill joining Byard, Gilliam, and Doubs.
The San Francisco 49ers are not having an easy time getting an agreement on a restructured contract with left tackle Trent Williams.
The Niners and Williams have been in discussions with the goal of lowering his cap hit for the 2026 campaign.
However, Jason La Canfora of SportsBoom reports things are not going smoothly and there remains a lot of work to do. If there is no resolution, the thought around the league is that the end result could be Williams getting traded.
"The original two-year proposal they presented to Williams sent nowhere and while there has been a bit of a thawing out in the sides original stances there was still considerable work to be done to reach a conclusion," La Canfora reported.
"If the sides cannot bridge that gap by the end of the week, some rival executives believe a trade could become the likeliest outcome," La Canfora added.
Williams is up there in age at 37 years old, but he's still very much an elite left tackle.
According to Pro Football Focus, he ranked second in run-blocking grade (92.8) and 12th in pass-blocking grade (79.9) among tackles in 2025.
The Steelers have a left tackle in Broderick Jones, but he has been a disappointment over three seasons in the NFL. Making matters worse, Jones suffered a neck injury last season that required fusion surgery and his status is up in the air.
Detroit has a big hole at left tackle after the team released Taylor Decker following the two sides failing to come to terms on a reworked contract. Decker requested a release after the Lions wanted him to take a pay cut.
Even if Detroit moves Penei Sewell over to the left side, that would just open up another hole at right tackle.
In Green Bay, the Packers' starting left tackle from last season, Rasheed Walker, is a free agent and it doesn't look like he'll be back. If not, Green Bay would be forced to rely on an unproven Jordan Morgan to protect Jordan Love's blindside.
While a trade would be costly, both in terms of draft capital and money, we suspect all three of these teams would find a way to make it work considering how huge of an upgrade Williams would be.
Bologna vs Roma – Kone in the stands after muscle strain persists
Roma were dealt a midfield blow ahead of tonight’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Bologna, with Manu Koné ruled out of the squad entirely after failing to recover from a muscle strain.
The French midfielder will not even make the bench, instead watching from the stands as Gian Piero Gasperini’s side look to establish an advantage in what promises to be a fiercely contested all-Italian tie.
ROME, ITALY – JANUARY 10: Manu Kone with his teammates of AS Roma celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Olimpico on January 10, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Bologna vs Roma – Kone misses out with muscle strain
He was initially named by UEFA as being on the bench but that quickly changed, and he will sit the match out completely.
Koné has been an important figure in Roma’s midfield this season, and his absence will require Gasperini to reshuffle his options in the centre of the park for a match that carries enormous weight in the Europa League.
The coach will be hoping the setback is minor enough to allow the midfielder to return swiftly, with the second leg to follow and a potentially lengthy European run still ahead.
Russell won the Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2026, defeating the New England Patriots by a score of 29-13. The 27-year-old switched positions from tight end to fullback last season. Russell saw 396 of his 454 total snaps in 2025 on special teams.
The California native has been vital for the Seahawks on special teams, finishing sixth on the team in special teams tackles in 2023 with 7, as well as first in 2024 with 10.
Russell returns to Seattle for his age-28 season in the NFL in 2026. Next season will be his fourth in the league after being signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
No. 22 Texas A&M enters SEC play at an impressive 15-1, as the Aggies' only loss came at the hands of No. 1 UCLA, which is widely considered the most complete team in college baseball. So far, the Aggies have looked the part on the mound and at the plate, currently hitting .344 as a team, while the pitching staff has recorded 133 strikeouts, allowing just four walks through 16 games.
However, Texas A&M's lineup has been without its star transfer additions, Chris Hacopian, who has appeared in just three games, while Wesley Jordan made six appearances before leaving with an undisclosed injury. Hacopian's back injury, which flared up during his last appearance during the Aggies' blowout win over Virginia Tech, has kept him sidelined ever since.
Even though the Aggies have continued to overwhelm opponents on offense, SEC play will be the measuring stick that reveals just how good they are. On Thursday, just a day before the Aggies face Oklahoma on the road to open the conference slate, second-year head coach Michael Earley, during his appearance on TexAgs LIVE, revealed that Hacopian and Jordan "should" return to the lineup this weekend after weeks of rehab.
Through three games, Chris Hacopian is hitting .455 with five hits and a home run, while Wesley Jordan was on an absolute tear before his injury, hitting .474 with nine hits and two home runs, paired with a .655 on-base percentage.
Texas A&M will take on Oklahoma at 6:00 p.m for Game 1 on Friday. The game will be available to stream on SEC Network+.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
Cardiff City striker Yousef Salech is aiming to return to action in April after receiving "positive updates" on his neck and chest injury.
Cardiff's top scorer has been absent since being carried off during the 1-1 draw with Stockport County in January.
The Dane has missed nine League One matches and will sit out at least three more, with boss Brian Barry-Murphy hoping Salech will be back in full training later this month.
"Yousef has had really positive updates from the specialist on Monday so he's back in more advanced running," said Cardiff boss Brian Barry-Murphy.
"We anticipate he'll be back in training I would say maybe at some stage during the international break, which would mean he could be available to play at some stage after the international break.
"The areas of his neck and chest that were causing concern are really improving and he's feeling great so I'm really pleased for him that he's making good progress."
Salech, who has scored 12 league goals this season from 24 starts and three substitute appearances, returned to light training last week.
Cardiff travel to Exeter on Saturday before home fixtures against Wycombe on Tuesday, March 17 and Blackpool four days later.
They were due to go to Huddersfield Town on 28 March but that game has been postponed because of international call-ups.
The Bluebirds will return to action with a trip to Peterborough on April 6, with their home fixture against Port Vale three days earlier postponed due to the Valiants' progress in the FA Cup.
Barry-Murphy, meanwhile, says Isaak Davies is "making good progress" after a hamstring injury but will not feature at Exeter.
Defender Gabriel Osho missed Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Barnsley because of illness but is expected to be available at St James Park.
Back-up goalkeeper Harry Tryer has missed the past two matches after suffering a back spasm and will again be absent this weekend.
It finally happened. After months of escapes and fortunate bounces, the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks men's basketball team lost a game.
Miami's dream season saw a team that hadn't been to the NCAA Men's Tournament in nearly two decades struggle its way to a 31-0 start. The Redhawks weren't playing good teams -- they had zero games against what the NCAA labels as Quadrant I competition (the best teams in college basketball) and only two against Quadrant II foes -- but they kept winning. As the awesome Rodger Sherman pointed out, nearly a third of their showdowns in that 31-game streak were decided by three points or fewer or in overtime.
This penchant for stove-touching ended with a burn in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals. 16-15 Massachusetts, who'd nearly escaped with a win in Ohio back in January, finally held off Miami's late-game magic. 31-0 became 31-1. Suddenly, Selection Sunday became much more interesting.
It shouldn't be, because Miami, even without a resume-defining win, has earned its place in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Not because of incredible metrics or inherent trust in a team of rising stars, but because this year's tournament bubble is one of the softest in years.
Let's look at the latest controversy stirred up by Bruce Pearl. The former Auburn coach loudly proclaimed his old team (currently led by his son) deserves an at-large bid over the Redhawks. But the Tigers are 17-15. If they're part of the at-large conversation, they'll be so as a 16-loss team. No team in NCAA history has ever gotten an at-large bid with 16 losses. Only four have ever done it with 15 (all four, coincidentally, are SEC teams. 2025 Texas, 2019 Florida, 2018 Alabama and 2017 Vanderbilt).
Auburn isn't the only team on the bubble, however. Let's look at the other power conference teams sitting on the cut line based on expert analysis cobbled together by the extremely useful Bracket Matrix:
Indiana (18-14, lost in Big Ten Tournament opening game to a Northwestern team with five conference wins)
Oklahoma (18-14, still alive in the SEC Tournament)
California (21-11, lost in the ACC Tournament opening game)
Cincinnati (18-15, lost in Big 12 Tournament second game)
Virginia Tech (19-13, lost in ACC Tournament opening round)
SMU (20-13, lost in ACC Tournament second round)
Texas (18-14, lost to 13-win Ole Miss in the SEC Tournament opening round)
Missouri (20-11, still alive in the SEC Tournament)
Texas A&M (21-10, still alive in the SEC Tournament)
That's a heaping helping of mediocrity. All these teams had the opportunity to make their case to jump Miami in the pecking order. The majority have already bowed out of their conference tournaments, mostly at the hands of mediocre teams.
Many have better NET rankings than the Redhawks -- a few more will slide up thanks to Miami's loss to 204th-ranked UMass. Even so, it's difficult to make a case that a team with a record hovering near .500 who lost to a team that won't even sniff the NIT to open up conference tournaments is more worthy than the squad that pulled miracles out of its butt for the better part of four months before finally breaking down.
The argument over whether Miami (OH) is actually good is a worthy one. The argument about whether the bubble teams who could take their spot are good largely is not. Outside of the SEC (which is only one day into its tournament at the time of writing) the teams who had an opportunity to impress the Selection Committee have instead run screaming from the stage. The opportunity has been there, the execution has not.
The data says the Redhawks don't deserve a spot, but the NCAA doesn't rely only on numbers. Miami (OH) befell the same fate as many of 2026's bubble teams by crashing out early in its conference tournament. The 31 games prior, however -- games tinged with drama and an uncanny ability to find ways to win -- proved enough to deserve an at-large spot this spring.
Malik Willis has only thrown 155 passes over the course of his NFL career, but the last 89 of them came in front of Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley and General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and they helped convince Miami to sign him to a three-year contract this week.
Willis delivered most of those passes in three Packers starts — Hafley and Sullivan were in Green Bay before being hired this January — in place of Jordan Love and his success in that role gives Willis a shot at a longer stay in the starting lineup. Willis's first chance in that role came with the Titans as a rookie and his results were not as good as they were the last two years.
Willis was asked at a Thursday press conference about waiting for another chance in that role and why he thinks he's better suited for it this time.
"I don’t think I put a timeline on it," Willis said, via Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald. "It happened when I was prepared. I think when I came into the league I wasn’t prepared. That’s not a knock towards my coaches or myself, that’s just what it was coming from the system I came from. I’ve had a chance to learn the last four years since I’ve been in the league — been through four different offenses, seen a bunch of different defenses and think I’ve grown a lot. Grateful for the opportunity once again."
The Dolphins are betting that Willis's production will translate from a sample size to a full serving well enough to make him the latest quarterback to blossom after making multiple moves around the league.
🚨Breaking: Pablo Barrios suffers another injury setback
Atlético de Madrid has officially released the medical report for the player, who is suffering from a muscle injury in his right thigh.
The bad news is confirmed for Pablo Barrios, who, at the end of Thursday's training session, suffered a muscle injury for which the club has now released a medical report.
The player left the session with discomfort, and tests have diagnosed the injury he is suffering from, although the recovery time has not been specified.
An ex-Michigan football coach is suing the University of Michigan, its athletic director, Warde Manuel, and the Board of Regents for wrongful termination from when he was fired in November of 2023.
Chris Partridge, who recently won a Super Bowl as a member of the Seattle Seahawks staff, filed a suit on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleging Michigan “unjustly terminated Partridge’s employment and spread false and damaging information regarding his professional conduct," according to the suit filed by attorney Elizabeth Abdnour of East Lansing-based Abdnour Weiker LLP.
Partridge is seeking an undisclosed amount of money for damages.
The Free Press recently obtained the 47-page document, which claims the University failed to provide due process, which led to "subsequent devastation to Partridge's outstanding reputation as a football coach."
It continues to state despite Partridge being cleared by an NCAA report which stated there was insufficient evidence that interfered with the investigation, he's "never been able to rectify the harm that Michigan’s wrongful termination, the media firestorm against him, and Manuel’s subsequent blacklisting have caused to his career." The report says Partridge believes he can't coach in college football because of this.
When Partridge was fired, Michigan cited his failure to "abide by the University directive not to discuss an ongoing NCAA investigation with anyone associated with the Michigan Football Program" in a termination letter.
As for Partridge, the NCAA says while "questions remain about Partridge’s knowledge of the impermissible scouting scheme, there is insufficient information to reasonably conclude that Partridge attempted to influence a student-athlete to lie about it to the enforcement staff."
Partridge was in his fifth season as a member of U-M's coaching staff when he was fired. He was brought back Feb. 8, 2023, to begin his second tenure with the Wolverines when he was hired to be an analyst. Shortly after, U-M parted ways with then-linebackers coach George Helow and moved Partridge to coach linebackers.
Partridge previously served as special teams coordinator for four seasons (2016-19), before he became defensive coordinator at Ole Miss for three seasons (2020-22). He joined former Michigan defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald's staff in Seattle in February of 2024.
The suit says Partridge was used as a "scapegoat" after he told a player it might be wise to get an attorney − the suit specifies Partridge "does not deny" he had that conversation with a player. The suit says there was never a directive given not to communicate with a student-athlete during an investigation, which says any such directive would've "brought [the season] to a screeching halt if none of the coaches could talk to any of the players until the NCAA investigation was concluded."
"Contrary to misinformation communicated by the University Athletics Department and at least one member of the Board of Regents Partridge’s termination, Partridge was not fired for destroying evidence or interfering with the NCAA’s “sign-stealing” investigation," the suit states. "Nor was Partridge fired for telling a player to be dishonest in an NCAA interview.
"Despite Partridge’s unwavering commitment and success, the University of Michigan unjustly terminated Partridge’s employment and spread false and damaging information regarding his professional conduct, tarnishing Partridge’s hard-earned reputation and inflicting irreparable harm on to his career and personal well-being."
Free Press investigative reporter Dave Boucher contributed to this report.
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
The Boston Red Sox came into camp looking to determine who their No. 5 starter would be in the rotation, and Johan Oviedo was a candidate to win the job.
The Red Sox traded for Oviedo this offseason, but also acquired Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez. Oviedo, Payton Tolle and Connelly Early quickly became candidates to be the final starter in the rotation. Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval were originally seen as options, but have yet to make an appearance in a spring training game.
Oviedo and Early are the two real candidates at this point based on their spring performances. Tolle has a 4.05 ERA in three outings and is likely to start in Triple-A.
Oviedo has yet to allow a run this spring. He has thrown 111 pitches and worked eight innings in three starts. In his spring training debut, he walked three batters, hit one batter and allowed one hit in 1 2/3 innings of work. He only threw 15 of his 33 pitches for strikes. In his last two outings, he has thrown 6 1/3 innings and has eight strikeouts. He has allowed just four hits and has thrown 57 of his 78 pitches for strikes.
Early has had a strong spring as well, but he may not have the edge over Oviedo at this point. He has made two starts in three outings and has worked 8 1/3 innings. He has a 2.16 ERA, allowing two runs on Feb. 28 coming out of the bullpen. This spring, 76 of his 117 pitches have been thrown for strikes.
Right now, it looks like Oviedo will be the fifth starter for the Red Sox. Tolle and Early will seemingly start the season in Triple-A. Garrett Crochet, Suarez, Gray, Brayan Bello and Oviedo would then be the starting rotation to start the season.
After the nightcap results from the first round of the SEC Tournament, the Texas A&M Aggies are slated for a rematch against the Oklahoma Sooners in Nashville, Tenn., on Thursday night.
This isn't the first time these squads have faced each other. In fact, this marks the third matchup between the Aggies and Sooners this season. Texas A&M secured an 83-76 victory at Reed Arena on Jan. 10 and a 75-71 decision in Norman on Feb. 21.
Contrary to their performances against the Maroon and White during the regular season, Oklahoma is riding a five-game winning streak, which includes its 86-74 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks in Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday night to advance for a third opportunity to take down Texas A&M.
The results from college basketball on Wednesday, including the Texas Longhorns' loss to Ole Miss in the first round of the SEC Tournament, have helped boost the Sooners into the First Four Out in ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi's projected field for March Madness.
Before tipoff of Oklahoma-South Carolina, Lunardi stated Oklahoma needs wins over the Aggies and Arkansas Razorbacks to secure a spot in the tournament, which adds even more motivation to send the Maroon and White back to Bryan-College Station early.
The Aggies closed the first campaign with Bucky McMillan at the helm out strong with wins over Kentucky and LSU, marking the program's fifth consecutive 20-win season. 'Bucky Ball' ranks No. 8 in the country, averaging 88.5 points per game so far this season, while also knocking down 10.9 3-pointers per game (14th in NCAA).
ThreeKeys To Victory:
Dominate the glass - Texas A&M has struggled to establish physicality inside the paint at times this season, especially when graduate forward Rashaun Agee is double-teamed or off the court. Rebounding and second-chance opportunities helped the Aggies close out the first game against the Sooners in Bryan-College Station earlier this year.
Limit Nijel Pack - The Oklahoma guard played a massive role in the team erasing a 13-point deficit entering the first half. Texas A&M must force Pack to put up inconsistent shots and prevent him from finding open looks and taking over the game, as he did against the Gamecocks with 24 points and five made 3-pointers.
Feed Agee - He wasn't named All-SEC for no reason. Agee is one of the most dominant forwards in the country, notching 15 points or more in five of the last six contests. He is coming off an outing against LSU in which he scored 24 points and 11 rebounds, marking his 12th double-double of the season. Establishing dominance inside all starts with the big man from Chicago, Illinois.
Texas A&M will face Oklahoma at 8:30 p.m. CT at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday night. The third matchup of the season against the Sooners will be broadcast live on the SEC Network.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.
Chinese EV Giant BYD Eyes Formula 1 Entry: ReportJohn keeble - Getty Images
You may not have realized it, but Chinese automaker BYD (which stands for "Build Your Dreams") sells more electric vehicles than any other company in the world—including Tesla. And now that they dominate the EV market, they may have their sights set on dominating racetracks, as well. According to a recent report by Bloomberg, BYD is looking to enter the world of motor racing— and the company is considering everything from Formula 1 to the FIA World Endurance Championship.
People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg said that BYD is considering entering competitive motorsports in order to boost their global appeal. The company is reportedly open to building their own team from scratch, or acquiring an existing race team. It would be an unusual move for a Chinese automaker, as the country rarely fields racing organizations for international series.
One of the people familiar with the matter reportedly told Bloomberg that the cost of entering Formula 1 is a significant barrier to entry. It could cost as much as $500 million per season to run an F1 team, although the investment could pay off as a BYD team would certainly heighten brand awareness around the globe.
Beyond the price involved, getting approved to compete in Formula 1 is not an easy process. We recently saw this play out with the Cadillac Formula 1 team. General Motors and Andretti Global's application was rejected in January of 2024, and it took until March 2025 to get approved for the 2026 season. It may be quicker and easier for BYD to buy an existing team, but Formula 1 teams don’t come up for sale every day.
BYD certainly knows how to build fast cars; their Yangwang U9 Xtreme claims to be the fastest production car in the world with a top speed over 308 mph. Of course, building a competitive race car is a whole different animal. We'll have to wait and see if the Chinese automaker is able to join the ranks of Formula 1; In the meantime, we can enjoy the 2026 championship... the next round of which, coincidentally, takes place this weekend in China.
Europa League R16 official line-ups: Bologna vs. Roma
Roma hope Donyell Malen and Bryan Zaragoza can inspire them to Europa League success in the all-Italian derby with Bologna’s Federico Bernardeschi and Santiago Castro.
The second leg is at the Stadio Olimpico next Thursday, as it means there will be just one Italian entry into the Europa League quarter-finals.
Roma went directly into the Round of 16 as one of the top eight in the league phase, but are decimated in attack by injuries to Paulo Dybala, Matias Soulé, Artem Dovbyk and Evan Ferguson.
Gianluca Mancini also sits out a ban in defence, with Manu Koné and Mario Hermoso carrying knocks.
January signings Malen and Zaragoza finally get to play in the Europa League, as they were cup-tied for the last couple of league phase matches, with Bryan Cristante and Niccolò Pisilli providing support from midfield.
There is temptation to focus on the upcoming showdown with Como for fourth place in Serie A, coming off a 3-3 draw with Juventus and 2-1 defeat at Genoa.
ROME, ITALY – JANUARY 22: Niccolo Pisilli of AS Roma celebrates with his teammate Kostas Tsimikas after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD7 match between AS Roma and VfB Stuttgart at Stadio Olimpico on January 22, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Bologna have almost a complete squad to deal with after eliminating SK Brann in the play-offs, though Juan Miranda, Torbjorn Heggem and Charalampos Lykogiannis are not at 100 per cent.
Castro keeps hold of the centre-forward role, flanked by Jonathan Rowe and Federico Bernardeschi.
Tommaso Pobega also gets the nod in midfield.
The Rossoblu have had a very odd 2026, as after a crisis run of poor results, they put together five consecutive victories in all competition.
BOLOGNA, ITALY – FEBRUARY 23: Federico Bernardeschi of Bologna FC celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Serie A match between Bologna FC 1909 and Udinese Calcio at Renato Dall’Ara Stadium on February 23, 2026 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Torino coach D’Aversa gives Che Adams update ahead of Parma clash
Roberto D’Aversa has described Friday’s home fixture against Parma as “a first match point to move closer to safety,” with the Torino head coach facing a wealth of selection decisions ahead of what he considers a pivotal Serie A clash.
The most eagerly awaited update concerned Che Adams, with D’Aversa confirming the Scottish forward is in contention to start despite not yet being able to last a full 90 minutes.
“By his characteristics he is very technical and could be vital in a game like tomorrow’s,” D’Aversa said, with quotes via TuttoMercatoWeb.
“He doesn’t have 90 minutes in his legs, but that doesn’t mean he won’t start, within a match there are multiple phases, and my choice doesn’t depend solely on his fitness levels.”
Che Adams of Torino celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Serie A match between Torino and Cagliari at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on January 24, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)
Torino coach D’Aversa provides Adams & Nkounkou updates
D’Aversa was equally upbeat about Nkounkou, who has trained normally despite a minor complaint, and offered an interesting tactical distinction between two of his wider options.
“Njie is an attacking wide player who works best on the opposite flank,” he noted, suggesting the two are not direct rivals for the same position.
Cesare Casadei was identified as a player with enormous potential who has yet to fully harness it on a consistent basis.
“When he realises the quality he has, he will need to find consistency in his weekly work,” D’Aversa said, acknowledging that the midfielder has also been hampered by physical problems.
One particularly touching moment came in the coach’s assessment of Faustino Anjorin, who lost his grandmother this week but chose to remain with the squad and train throughout.
“In the space of two weeks he has grown enormously, I am starting to see the Anjorin from last season at Empoli,” D’Aversa said warmly.
With only Aboukhlal ruled out through injury, Torino go into the match with a near-fully fit squad — and a coach who, for once, has too many options rather than too few.
Europa League Liveblog: Bologna vs. Roma and Fiorentina vs. Rakow
This page will update live with the latest relevant news, no need to refresh the page!
Join us for all the build-up and action as it happens from the Europa League all-Italian derby Bologna vs. Roma, and Conference League as Fiorentina face Rakow.
We begin our Round of 16 coverage at 17.45 GMT (18.45 CET) at the Stadio Dall’Ara when the two Serie A competitors go head-to-head, meaning only one will make it to the quarter-final.
At 20.00 GMT (21.00 CET), Fiorentina go for the Conference League quarter-finals as they host Polish side Rakow.
Celtic’s new No.1 – “I’m loving every moment of it,” Viljami Sinisalo
Viljami Sinisalo has made a massive impact since taking over from Kasper Schmeichel in Stuttgart where he kept a clean sheet in Celtic’s first ever win on German soil in a competitive match…
A double header at Ibrox with a trip to Pittodrie sandwiched in between has now been negotiated successfully with Celtic restoring some pride against VfB Stuggart, fighting back form 2-0 down to take a crucial point at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership before a hard fought win up at Aberdeen and then that dramatic penalty shoot-out win after a 12 minute statement knocked the Rangers out of the Scottish Cup.
Referee Don Robertson and Viljami Sinisalo after Celtic won the Scottish Cup quarter final on Sunday 8 March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou
Sinsalo very much has established himself in those matches as a fans favourite and a clear Celtic No1. Speaking to Celtic TV as the attention turns to a long overdue home match on Saturday afternoon against Motherwell in the league, Celtic Finnish star admits that he’s loving every moment of it.
“I’m loving every moment of it. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and play, like every footballer does. I spoke with the manager about what he wants from me and what he wants from his goalkeeper in general,” Sinialo said to Celtic TV.
Viljami Sinisalo celebrates.Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 4th March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou
“Obviously I’m trying to be that by showing my own personality on the pitch and doing the best I can. I think as a group, the four games that we’ve just had, it just shows the character within the changing room.
“A lot of people might write us off, but it just shows that Celtic are not going to go anywhere. We’re going to fight until the very last game and that’s what we’ve done. We’ve come away from them four really difficult away days, all within their own right, difficult in different ways. We took some positive results out of them, so yeah, I’m happy.”
Martin O’Neill, Interim Manager of Celtic acknowledges the fans following his team’s draw in the Scottish Premiership match between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox on March 01, 2026. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
Asked if his performances have pleased Martin O’Neill, the Celtic keeper certainly hopes that the case, otherwise he might be back as a substitute before he knows it! “Yeah, I assume so, I hope so! I’m trying my best, obviously. It’s a continuous conversation that you always have. I’m trying to be as good as I can for him, to help the team win.
“I’m obviously trying to learn all the time I play. I’m probably my own biggest critic in terms of I’m a perfectionist, I want to be perfect, I want to do things better and better and better.
“It’s just about listening to the staff, him, Woodsy and everyone else and taking it on board and what I can do better in whatever way it is to help the team be successful at the end of the day.”
Super save from Viljami Sinisalo. Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 4th March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou
In these four games it was probably the save from Kevin Nisbet up at Pittodrie early in the second half with the game in the balance at 1-1, that stands out for most Celtic supporters, while Liam Scales, speaking as a defender pointed out on Sunday after the game at Ibrox that it’s a huge relief having a keeper coming for cross balls and holding on to it.
On that Pittodie save Sinisalo said: “It’s funny, it’s the work you do every day, there’s so many actions like that that you do in training and you probably don’t see it. Whether it’s from you doing work and stuff and getting that power to be able to make that save.
“It’s the day-to-day work that hopefully allows you to have that moment. If you don’t do the day-to-day work then that moment just for some reason doesn’t happen.
Viljami Sinisalo of Celtic FC looks on during the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 Knockout Play-off Second Leg match between VfB Stuttgart and Celtic FC at Stuttgart Arena on February 26, 2026 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images)
“But yeah, I remember saying after the game, I was just glad to help the team in any way I could. For a club like this it might be that one moment in the game that you’ve got to be there.
“I know that, I understand that, and hopefully I can keep doing that.”
Sinisalo has had to wait for his chance after he completed his move from Aston Villa in the same transfer window as Kasper Schmeichel, who now is set to see out his Celtic contract as a back-up to the 24 year old, 15 years younger than the Great Dane.
“Goalkeeping in general is almost like a sport within sport, there’s no position like it,” Sinisalo noted.
“The responsibility you have and how much you’ve got to be mentally strong to play in that position, especially what the modern game now requires of you, with your feet and commanding your box, which is getting more difficult as the days go because players are getting better and the delivery is getting better.
“It comes from your day-to-day work on the training pitch, to hopefully be in that position to go and help the team in whatever way it is, and that’s what I’ve done for the time I’ve been here and I’ll keep doing it as long as I’m here.”
After four successive away match in three competitions, Sinisalo is relishing the return to action at Celtic Park this weekend. “It’s been a hectic last four games for everyone, a lot of travel, overnight stays in hotels and stuff. So it’s great to get home, especially after such a positive run of four games. We’ve just got to kick on now.
“You’re only as good as the next game, that’s how it goes and we know how big these games are for us. We’ve got nine league games left and hopefully a couple more left in the cup. I’m sure we’ll be fighting right to the very end.”
The full interview with Viljami Sinialo is available now on Celtic TV to subscribers and there’s a shorter version on YouTube which you can watch below.
Falkirk boss John McGlynn says the fan disorder at last week's Old Firm match has set Scottish football back "30 or 40 years".
Celtic fans initially spilled on to the pitch in celebration after a 4-2 win on penalties in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox before some Rangers supporters charged towards them.
Flares were thrown as police and stewards formed a barricade to separate the two groups of supporters. Nine people have been arrested in connection with the violent scenes that resulted in injuries to police officers, stewards and members of the public.
McGlynn says he feels it's a sad moment for the Scottish game when there has been so much to enjoy about this season.
"It doesn't paint a very nice picture," he said.
"It's a beautiful game, it's so cold, but there's nothing much beautiful about it.
"The game itself wasn't a great game of football and what happened afterwards, and by all accounts maybe what happened before, and all the rest of it, it's really taken us back maybe 30 or 40 years to Hampden and police horses on pitches and all that type of thing.
"It's sad. I'm football, I bleed football as you know, and it's not nice."
McGlynn hopes when Falkirk meet Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden in a few weeks there are no incidents between fans who have clashed in the past.
"I'm obviously concerned because there's bad blood between Falkirk and Dunfermline," he said.
"I'm just hoping that our game goes along and the football does the talking and there's no nonsense."
The team has already had a handful of NFL Draft top-30 visits, and now they add another wide receiver to the list as well. Already meeting with Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson and Ohio State's Carnell Tate, the Browns now also have a top-30 visit scheduled with the Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon out of USC.
Tyson, Tate, and Lemon are seen as the top consensus wide receivers in the class, so the Browns are doing more than just their due diligence at the position as they hold the No. 6 and No. 24 picks in the NFL Draft.
What Makai Lemon could bring to the Browns
As the Browns look to improve their wide receiver room, what could Lemon bring to the roster?
He is coming off a season where he racked up over 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns on 79 catches for the Trojans' offense. Predominantly a slot receiver at the college level, Lemon likely transitions there at the NFL level as well, but could play a bit of Z as well. Daft on Draft, an NFL Draft analysis site, wrote up a scouting report on the Browns' target as well.
"The football does not hit the ground when Lemon is targeted, even if Lemon is forced to make a super-human play on the football. His route running is flawless; there is no wasted movement in anything that Lemon does on the football field.
And he makes it quite simple to get the ball in his hands in the quick game, too; Lemon is a playmaker who commands manufactured touches. While he doesn’t have burners, he is fluid, creative, and decisive after he transitions from a receiver to a ball carrier."
Will the Browns target the Biletnikoff Award winner? We'll find out in just about 45 days.
Former San Francisco 49ers fifth-rounder Robert Beal is headed to the Miami Dolphins on a one-year deal. The 49ers did not offer Beal a qualifying offer, meaning he does not count toward the compensatory pick formula.
Mike McDaniel signed one of the fastest players in the league, regardless of position, in Keaton Mitchell. The running back joins the Chargers after not being tendered by the Ravens.
The Broncos officially released linebacker Dre Greenlaw with a post-June 1 designation. Greenlaw will be a popular want for fans, but the Niners may have gotten everything they could have out of Greenlaw. His weaknesses might outweigh his strengths after numerous injuries. We will see who signs him and for how much.
If the 49ers are looking to add another veteran wide receiver, options like Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, Christian Kirk, Deebo Samuel, Darnell Mooney, and Dyami Brown are available.
The safeties available are less intriguing. Jaquan Brisker, Andre Cisco, Kyle Dugger, Donovan Wilson, Tony Adams, Harrison Smith, and Geno Stone are out there.
The 49ers could sign some of their own, including Jennings, Spencer Burford, Eric Kendricks, and Luke Gifford.
We’ll have updates on any other signings throughout the day.
The wrongful termination lawsuit former Michigan assistant football coach Chris Partridge brought against the University of Michigan, its Board of Regents and athletic director Warde Manuel in U.S. District Court on Wednesday, sheds some light on an NCAA investigation into the football program and suggests Partridge was collateral damage.
An NCAA investigation into an illegal scouting scheme orchestrated by football staff member Connor Stalions was launched in mid-October 2023. The Big Ten became involved when the NCAA shared some of its findings and Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti ultimately suspended then-head coach Jim Harbaugh for the final three regular-season games for a violation of the league’s sportsmanship policy.
Partridge was fired Nov. 17, 2023, and in his termination letter, Manuel said it was because the university had evidence Partridge failed to "abide by the University directive not to discuss an ongoing NCAA investigation with anyone associated with the Michigan Football Program."
Partridge and his lawyers are fighting what they described in the lawsuit as a false narrative that cost him his job. He currently is on the Seattle Seahawks staff and delayed filing while the Seahawks pursued a Super Bowl. He is hopeful this suit clears his name.
“When I got fired and people were saying all this crap about me, like destroying evidence and lying, I never said a word,” Partridge told The Detroit News on Wednesday. “I waited till after the (2023) season even to put that statement out, and then I still never talked, because even after what happened, I just always wanted to do the right thing by the players and the coaches and the team. Why I waited till now, I wasn't going to do this in the middle of the season and take away from that or the Super Bowl run. I decided to put that on hold, wait and then now's the good time to do it.”
Michigan on Wednesday declined comment regarding the lawsuit.
In an effort to challenge Petitti and the Big Ten, Harbaugh and his lawyers prepared for an injunction hearing. Two days before the hearing involving Harbaugh, whose lawyers had been collaborating with the university’s General Counsel and outside counsel to strategize, Petitti, on Nov. 15, 2023, “presented Manuel with uncorroborated, second-hand, inflammatory information and threatened to embarrass Michigan by presenting this information in open court at the injunction hearing,” the lawsuit alleges.
Petitti also suggested to Manuel, according to the suit, that Washtenaw County Circuit Court would deny Michigan's and Harbaugh’s request for an injunction so that he could resume coaching the rest of the regular season after being suspended Nov. 11 for the Penn State game. Harbaugh and the lawyers, unaware of this interaction between Petitti and Manuel, continued to prepare for the injunction hearing.
“At some point on November 15, 2023, Manuel offered to fire Partridge and to dismiss Michigan and Harbaugh’s legal claims against the Big Ten and Petitti,” Partridge’s lawsuit reads. “In exchange, Petitti agreed not to publicly disclose the sensationalized information he had shared with Manuel, to issue a positive public statement about the parties resolving their dispute, and to do nothing further regarding the NCAA’s 'sign-stealing' investigation.”
The next day, in a release, Michigan accepted the Big Ten’s suspension of Harbaugh.
On Nov. 17, Partridge was fired. Manuel met with Partridge and told him he had been informed Partridge advised a player not to be forthright with information involving the NCAA investigation.
“Partridge denied this and tried to correct Manuel,” according to the lawsuit, “but Manuel refused to let him speak.” Manuel did indicate there was no evidence Partridge was involved in Stalions’ sign-stealing scheme.
At least one athletic department employee and one member of the Board of Regents, the suit claims, “falsely” told local and national sportswriters that Partridge had been fired for destroying evidence on Stalions’ computer.
Harbaugh, after learning of Partridge’s firing, wanted in writing to make clear he was not consulted about and was involved in the decision and sent an email to Manuel.
The lawsuit said the damage to Partridge’s reputation in the aftermath of his firming made other coaches “hesitant” to hire him. According to the suit, a Division I head coach was willing to hire Partridge, and the suit alleges Manuel told the other school’s athletic director he should not hire Partridge.
In February 2024, Partridge was hired by Seattle as outside linebackers coach.
Bologna and Roma face off in the first leg of the Europa League Round of 16, a pairing that the draw has put in the path of two teams that could have gone further in the competition.
In a challenging moment for Italian football in European cups, this tricolor derby nonetheless guarantees the presence of an Italian team in the quarter-finals.
🔴 Article constantly being updated: for live text coverage, click on the match card above; to comment, click on the speech bubble at the top right.
ROMA (3-4-1-2): Svilar; Celik, N’Dicka, Ghilardi; Rensch, El Aynaoui, Pisilli, Wesley; Cristante; Zaragoza, Malen
📊 All-Italian Derby: previous encounters for both teams
For the Giallorossi, this is their fourth European encounter against another Italian team: in the past, Roma lost the 1991 final against Inter and faced Fiorentina in the two-legged tie of 2014/15, in addition to their more recent victory over Milan.
For Bologna, however, this is their absolute debut in the Europa League against a fellow Italian side, considering their only previous continental encounter to be the 1998-99 Intertoto Cup semifinal against Sampdoria.
The Phoenix Suns will look to continue their march up the Western Conference standings as they visit the Indiana Pacers tonight.
Indiana has lost 10 straight and shows no signs of turning things around, so I’m taking Phoenix to cover in my Suns vs. Pacers predictions and NBA picks below.
Suns vs Pacers prediction
Suns vs Pacers best bet: Suns -8.5 (-110)
Not only have the Indiana Pacers lost 10 straight games, but they're 0-10 ATS during that streak. Indiana is also dealing with a slew of injuries, with Obi Toppin on a minutes restriction and Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, and TJ McConnell all missing time recently.
The Phoenix Suns have won five of their last six and have found some offensive rhythm behind Devin Booker. They’ve always been solid on defense, holding opponents to 111.0 ppg on the year.
I’m taking Phoenix to cover tonight against a Pacers team that looks completely uncompetitive right now.
Suns vs Pacers same-game parlay
Along with taking the Suns to cover, I’m going with two of the better-looking Phoenix props on the board tonight for my SGP. That includes taking Jalen Green to go Over 20.5 points for a fourth straight game, as well as backing Collin Gillespie to grab 5+ boards, something he’s done in four of his last five games.
Suns vs Pacers SGP
Suns -8.5
Jalen Green Over 20.5 points
Collin Gillespie Over 4.5 rebounds
Our "from downtown" SGP: Booker time
Booker has been on fire during Phoenix’s current three-game winning streak. I’m backing him to hit all his major prop totals tonight after he put up a 30-point double-double on Sunday and recorded seven assists and five rebounds on Tuesday against the Bucks.
Suns vs Pacers SGP
Suns -8.5
Devin Booker Over 27.5 points
Devin Booker Over 4.5 rebounds
Devin Booker Over 5.5 assists
Suns vs Pacers odds
Spread: Suns -8.5 | Pacers +8.5
Moneyline: Suns -400 | Pacers +300
Over/Under: Over 224 | Under 224
Suns vs Pacers betting trend to know
The Pacers are 0-10 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Suns vs. Pacers.
How to watch Suns vs Pacers
Location
Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Date
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Tip-off
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
KTVK, FDSN-Indiana
Suns vs Pacers latest injuries
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DETROIT -- As the Philadelphia 76ers prepare for a showdown with the East-leading Detroit Pistons on Thursday night, they will be as short-handed as ever as they look to pick up a much-needed win.
The Sixers already knew they'd be without Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Kelly Oubre Jr., but there were two new injury updates after the team had shootaround on Thursday morning.
Adem Bona (back soreness) has been downgraded from questionable to out against the Pistons. The Sixers also added Andre Drummond to the injury report as he is listed as questionable due to back spasms. If Drummond can't go, then the Sixers will be down all three centers against a Detroit team that relies on physicality up front led by All-Star Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.
2 new injury updates for tonight in Detroit:
OUT: Adem Bona (back soreness)
QUESTIONABLE: Andre Drummond (back spasms) #Sixers
The Sixers are currently the No. 8 seed in the East, but are only a game ahead of the No. 9 seeded Atlanta Hawks. If Philadelphia falls in Detroit while the Hawks take care of business against the Nets, then the Sixers will drop to No. 9 in the play-in tournament.
Tip off from Little Caesars Arena is set for 7 p.m. EDT on Thursday.
NEW DELHI: Rome wasn't built in a day. It is a proverb so weathered by time it often feels like a cliché, yet for the burgeoning cricketing nation of Nepal, it remains a North Star. Writing on his blog, the American author James Clear, famous for his work, "Atomic Habits", takes the adage further: "I think it’s better to remember the other side of this story: Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour."
For Nepal, the latest brick arrived in the form of a bank transfer. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced that $256,154 would be funnelled into the accounts of the Cricket Association of Nepal from the 2026 T20 World Cup prize pool. While the sum may seem meagre to the giants of the sport, it exceeded the earnings of established associates like Namibia, Canada, and Oman.
"Actually, Rome is just the result; the bricks are the system," Clear further notes. "The system is greater than the goal."
Nepal’s recent campaign was a study in the "Jekyll and Hyde" nature of a rising power. There was the heartbreak of a four-run loss to England on their opening matchday, two back-to-back humblings against Italy and West Indies, and an eye-catching seven-wicket victory over Scotland.
But as the dust settles on their third World Cup appearance, a question still lingers in the air. How does a nation fueled by the world's most passionate fans turn "almost" into "always"?
The Jekyll and Hyde of the global stage
To understand Nepal’s performance, one must look past the scorecard. For Umesh Patwal, the former head coach of Nepal, the tournament was about making a statement that transcends participation.
"I always feel that to make a statement, you have to win a match," Patwal tells TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive conversation. "People only follow the champions. They finished very well in the last game on a very high note, which is a great thing."
However, the "hurdle" remains the final inch. Nepal came within the barest of margins of upsetting South Africa in their 2024 campaign and pushed England to the brink this time.
According to Patwal, the missing ingredient isn't talent, but the clarity of roles in high-pressure moments.
"Sometimes it’s just about knowing who needs to take that extra effort to finish the game," Patwal explains. "They are not sure who is supposed to be the match-winner. Once they start believing, like Sandeep [Lamichhane] is supposed to be the main bowler, and then the batting must follow. If we can get people like Kushal Bhurtel, Dipendra Airee, or Rohit Paudel to start finishing games, that gap will close. They don't have enough match-winners at the higher level yet."
Gyanendra Malla, the former captain and a titan of Nepali cricket, shares this bittersweet sentiment.
"I was expecting a bit more, actually," Malla admits. "After the first match, expectations were very high. We couldn't show our 100% potential in the middle games, but the way we played the first and last match, that is the brand of cricket we want to show the world."
Meanwhile, Nepal's captain Rohit Paudel was, on the one hand, disappointed but he called it a good exposure for his team.
"I think good exposure, good experience playing in this World Cup. We wanted to qualify for the second half, but unfortunately we could not do that. So hopefully next time," he told reporters after Nepal's historic win against Scotland. He added: "It took us 12 years to win a World Cup game. I'll place it higher."
The Nepalese structure: From Districts to Departments
If the "system is greater than the goal", Nepal’s system is a unique, tiered architecture that relies heavily on institutional support. Nepal’s talent pipeline is filtered through provinces and government "departments".
The journey begins at the sub-district level, where local teams compete in regional tournaments. From this grassroots pool, the promising talents are selected for their district teams. These district teams then face off within their respective Provinces. The standout performers from these intra-province clashes are eventually directed into a selection pool, from which the final provincial teams are formed to compete in the Prime Minister (PM) Cup.
The PM Cup is the undisputed crucible of Nepali cricket. It is a ten-team national league featuring seven provincial sides and three "departmental" giants: the Army, the Police, and the Armed Police Force (APF).
These departments act as the unofficial guardians of the sport, providing salaries and stability to players who might otherwise be forced to seek labour abroad.
Those who emerge from the PM Cup are summoned to national training camps, where raw talent is honed, and the final squad for the national team is distilled.
Nevertheless, the current structure is too short. "We need a longer season," Malla insists. "The school cricket and domestic base should be a seasoned culture, not just a 15-day tournament. We need to work on multi-day formats. That is how you build game awareness."
The money gap: passion vs profession
In Nepal, cricket is a religion and its priests are often underpaid. While the top 15 to 20 players under central contract earn a "good enough" living by local standards, the story for the rest of the pyramid is one of sacrifice.
"Most of the players are actually working as police or army, but not full-time," Malla says. "For the top tier, they earn enough to look after their families. But for the district players, they are actually putting their own money in. They are investing in themselves."
This financial precarity often forces players to seek revenue elsewhere, leading to friction with management over "distractions" like social media.
During the World Cup, head coach Stuart Law directed players to reduce their focus on social media. Patwal, however, views this as a survival mechanism.
"Social media is a part of these guys because they don't make any money," Patwal says bluntly. "When I was there for two years, we didn’t get a single penny paid as a salary. In a country like Nepal, the only way for these guys to be seen as heroes and get across is through the media. I’m happy for them if they are making some money through it."
The "champion mindset" Nepal is lacking
What is the next brick? For Patwal, it’s not just about playing more matches; it’s about changing the "environment". He argues that playing against big teams is useless if you don't understand how they think.
"I don't think just playing international matches helps. How long have New Zealand or South Africa been playing? Have they won the World Cup?" Patwal asks. "We have this poor mentality where we think playing makes you a cricketer. You have to be in the culture. My advice is that at least six of these players should be exposed to the IPL or the Big Bash."
Patwal believes that even if players like Rohit Paudel or Dipendra Airee don't make the starting XI in the IPL, "just being with the team, seeing the training part, the eating habits, the sleeping habits, that is a big churn out."
"Even Sanju Samson (Player of the Tournament in T20 World Cup 2026) credited Sachin Tendulkar for his performances," Patwal adds.
"If someone like Samson needs that help, you can understand the struggle for these Nepalese players. They don't have those local heroes to model themselves after, the match-winners who have actually been there and done it."
Malla echoes the sentiments of Patwal and believes Nepal’s geography is its greatest untapped resource.
"We are blessed to have four Test-nation neighbours, but we are not using that as a strength," Malla says. "Playing regularly against India's 'A' or 'B' sides, or even Ranji Trophy teams, would help our boys learn the thinking pattern of the big guys. We need help from the BCCI to grow as a nation and eventually become a Test nation ourselves."
A new identity unfolding
For decades, Nepal’s global identity was tied strictly to its geography, the soaring peaks of the Himalayas and the bravery of the Gurkhas. Today, that identity is shifting.
"Before this, Nepal was renowned only for mountains," Malla says with a smile. "Now, the new identity is cricket. It is uniting all the people, even through our sorrows. It’s the next big thing for our country."
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The bricks are being laid, hour by hour.
The prize money from the ICC will likely go toward the "bricks" of better nets and local travel, but the "Rome" of Nepal cricket, a Test-playing nation with a world-beating finish, requires something more.
"They have the skill," Patwal concludes. "They were the best runners between wickets, the best fielding side. They just need to sit among champions. Once they do, the finishing will come."
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning during game five of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
After reviewing the LABR AL auction results and setting up my 2026 highlighted cheat sheet, I sense offensive weakness depth. As a result, my pricing came out as $174 per team, with $86 invested for each roster on the pitching side.
AL Fantasy Baseball Foundational Hitters
The American League auction has nine foundation bats, two aces, and one elite closer based on my pricing and outlook. Here's a look at those players:
OF Aaron Judge ($49)
SS Bobby Witt ($47)
3B Jose Ramirez ($42)
OF Julio Rodriguez ($39)
C Cal Raleigh ($35)
SS Gunnar Henderson ($35)
1B Nick Kurtz ($33)
3B Junior Caminero ($33)
1B Pete Alonso ($32)
I have 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($33) rated higher than Pete Alonso, but I would rather have the higher ceiling power bat, and I like the Orioles' starting lineup better than the Blue Jays.
AL Fantasy Baseball Stud Pitchers to Target
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
SP Tarik Skubal ($39)
SP Garrett Crochet ($35)
In my NFBC non-trading AL-only league, I would expect both of these stud arms to go higher than in LABR. There are 13 other pitchers expected to draw bids of $20 or more, forcing each game manager to pay up for at least one starting pitcher.
AL Fantasy Baseball Top Closers to Target in Auctions
CL Cade Smith ($26)
My price for Smith was set by the AL LABR results and supported by the quest for closers early in drafts in the NFBC in 2026. I have Andres Munoz ($23), David Bednar ($22), and Aroldis Chapman ($22), a step below due to expecting Smith to approach 70 appearances and make a run at over 100 strikeouts. Also, the Guardians' closer produced over 40 saves per season from 2022 to 2024 (42, 44, and 47), and Emmanuel Clase was on a high pace (37) last year before his suspension.
American League Fantasy Baseball Breakout Hitters
I listed only three hitters in the breakout category.
OF Roman Anthony ($27)
OF Jac Caglianone ($17)
3B Miguel Vargas ($15)
Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (19) celebrates after hitting a single during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Anthony is fully priced, so he must add more speed or produce a .300/100/30/100 season to become an elite bat in 2026. Most of the fantasy market understands the ceiling of Caglianone, but he still has plenty of value priced in his ADP and auction value. Next draft season, I could see him drafted in the first three rounds, so giddy up if interested. As far as Vargas, I could be on an island with him. I view him as an overlooked asset who will be much better in 2026. His for-sale sign is favorable in all formats.
American League Fantasy Baseball Deep Sleepers
I like the pricing and ceiling of Trey Yesavage ($13). The Blue Jays have hinted that his innings could be limited out of the gate, and they added another Max Scherzer this winter, giving Toronto seven starting pitching options if/when Shane Bieber returns.
I don't have Carlos Lagrange projected, but I will upgrade him this weekend. His big arm and direction put him in the deep flier zone in single league formats, so I'm paying close attention to his role and direction over the next couple of weeks.
2026 Fantasy Baseball AL-Only Auction Values & Cheat Sheet
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will start their IPL 2026 season on March 28 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
SRH has reached the IPL final three times — in 2016, 2018, and 2024 — and won the title once, in 2016. The team will aim for another strong season and hope to lift the trophy again.
The BCCI has announced that the first phase of IPL 2026 will run from March 28 to April 12. The full schedule will be shared after election dates are confirmed. 20 matches will be played across 10 cities, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad.
PORT CHARLOTTE, FL - FEBRUARY 23: Connelly Early (71) of the Boston Red Sox looks on during a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays on February 23, 2026 at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Is it on TV?
Yes, thank Pedro. In a week when there has barely been any televised Red Sox baseball, this one is on NESN at 1:05 PM. That’s especially fortuitous since there’s no World Baseball Classic action today.
What’s the lineup?
What should we watch for?
It’s all about Connelly Early today. With exactly two weeks until Opening Day, this will be one of his final chances to force himself into the Red Sox rotation.
Reece James makes huge claim about Chelsea – PSG which most fans won’t agree with
Reece James has spoken to Chelsea website about his team’s capitulation last night, and has tried to insist it’s not over yet.
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Reece James came out and spoke after last night’s heavy defeat, trying to give fans hope that his team could come back into this game in the second leg.
“We need to put this one behind us and look forward now. We need to react, the game didn’t go our way here but it’s only half-time. There’s lots to learn from this game, we know we’ve made it super difficult for ourselves for the second leg but the game is not done, far from it,” the captain said in quotes on the club’s official website.
“This is a Champions League tie, the best competition at club level, over two legs and we need to reset and go again. I’ll say it again to everyone but especially the Chelsea fans. The game is not finished, it’s only half-time. And we will give our all in the second leg.”
Chelsea still have hope claims Reece James
The problem isn’t just that Chelsea are three goals down against a really good team – and that is enough of a problem on its own.
The issue is that the reason they’re three goals down is because they showed more ill-discipline and immaturity. That’s the deeper cause, and the real reason this team isn’t likely to win a major trophy this year.
In other news…
Some Chelsea players managed to rack up some pretty impressive stats in the game despite the defeat, and we picked out some of them here.
Liam Rosenior’s decision to use Filip Jorgensen ended up being a disaster, let’s face it. The Standard wrote about it here.
Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:
Alysa Liu, a UCLA Bruin and Olympic gold medalist, will be traveling across the United States as part of the Stars on Ice tour, which includes a stop in Southern California.
Liu, who retired from the sport and came back more than a year ago, was a child prodigy who suffered from burnout and the high standards of ice skating.
Since returning — this time on her own — she has been on one of the greatest runs in ice skating history, taking home two gold medals in Milano Cortina last month — becoming the first American to do so in more than 20 years.
Now, weeks removed from her moment in the Olympics, Liu will be at the Honda Center on May 16 for the Stars on Ice Event.
Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Alysa Liu of the United States celebrates with the gold medal in the women’s free skate during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images
The news comes after she announced her absence from the World Figure Skating Championships in Prague.
She won the title in 2025, though Liu will pass on it for the tour.
“Hellooo as some of y’all already know, I withdrew from Worlds,” Liu posted on social media.
“There’s been a lot of exciting things happening since my return from Milan, so I’m taking some time for that. I will be cheering everyone on from afar. See yall next season!!”
Madison Chock and Evan Bates, who won the silver medal in the ice dancing competition, will also be in attendance for the event in Anaheim.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Jesús Luzardo #44 of the Philadelphia Phillies speaks with reporters about his five-year, $135M contract extension before a spring training game against the New York Yankees at BayCare Ballpark on March 10, 2026 in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Masked men have interfered in The Vision's matches over the last few weeks, which Logan Paul isn't happy about, as he has asked WWE referees and management to do a better job of keeping them away.
At Elimination Chamber, one masked man was caught by Adam Pearce, who turned out to be an unidentified man. But the second one was a known face, that of Seth Rollins, who cost Logan Paul the men's Elimination Chamber match as Rollins stomped him. While speaking on his "Impaulsive" podcast, Paul aired his frustration about these unknown figures.
"Also, I actually am a bit kind of like fed up with just the organization at the moment because I feel like we know the masked men are just running around, right? And no one's stopping them. The referees aren't doing anything. The executives aren't doing anything," said Paul. "I'm on fire in the Chamber. I have three eliminations. I'm going to win. It's clear I have two guys left. One of which I've beaten before and the one I got really close. And then Seth Rollins comes in like ... [tells WWE] 'Bro, get ... Secure the perimeter.'"
One of the masked men was Austin Theory, who eventually joined The Vision, but the others were some unknown names. The masked men once again took over "WWE Raw" this past week, and one of the men behind the mask was Seth Rollins, who had used that get-up when he interfered at Elimination Chamber. It remains to be seen if WWE has more masked men appear on its shows, and perhaps one (or two) of them could be some known names who could be The Vision's opponents at WrestleMania.
Crystal Palace Starting XI vs AEK Larnaca: Confirmed Team News and Predicted Lineup
Crystal Palace Predicted Lineup vs AEK Larnaca for Conference League Tie
Crystal Palace return to Selhurst Park on Thursday evening carrying both momentum and memory. The club’s European journey continues with the visit of AEK Larnaca in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League last 16 tie, a fixture that offers Oliver Glasner’s side both opportunity and unfinished business.
Photo IMAGO
Palace lost 1-0 to the Cypriot club earlier in the competition, a result that still lingers around this tie. The latest Crystal Palace predicted lineup reflects a team intent on responding.
Recent domestic form has also sharpened the mood in south London. A convincing 3-1 victory away at Tottenham Hotspur lifted Palace ten points clear of the relegation zone and provided a reminder of the attacking cohesion within Glasner’s squad.
European Journey Continues at Selhurst Park
For Palace supporters, this campaign has carried a sense of novelty. The club’s first experience of a major European competition has brought unfamiliar challenges and moments of excitement.
The group stage demanded resilience. Palace finished tenth in the 36 team table, navigating a format that required patience as well as consistency.
Progress to the last 16 was secured through the knockout round play offs. After a 1-1 draw away at Zrinjski Mostar, Palace settled the tie convincingly in south London. Goals from Maxence Lacroix and Evann Guessand delivered a 2-0 victory that sealed qualification.
Photo IMAGO
Home form has been particularly encouraging. Palace have won three of their five Conference League matches at Selhurst Park this season, an indication of how comfortable the team has become in European surroundings.
Larnaca Defensive Strength Presents Challenge
AEK Larnaca arrive in London with a reputation built on defensive resilience. They remain unbeaten in this season’s Europa Conference League and boast the strongest defensive record in the competition.
Across the league phase they conceded only once and kept five clean sheets. That solidity will inevitably influence the approach of the Crystal Palace predicted lineup.
Larnaca have already demonstrated their ability to frustrate Palace. Their 1-0 win earlier in the competition came during the Eagles’ first European match at Selhurst Park, a result that served as a harsh lesson in continental efficiency.
For Glasner’s side, patience and composure may prove just as important as attacking quality.
Crystal Palace Predicted Lineup and Team News
Team selection for the first leg reflects both encouraging returns and a few unavoidable absences.
Maxence Lacroix is available again after serving a one match suspension. His presence strengthens a defence that has grown increasingly settled during recent weeks.
Photo: IMAGO
Jeff Lerma is also fit after recovering from a short injury spell, providing additional depth in midfield.
Photo IMAGO
Jean Philippe Mateta has returned to training following a knee injury and will feature in the matchday squad. Glasner has confirmed, however, that the striker is not ready to complete a full match.
Photo IMAGO
One defensive change is expected on the right side. Daniel Munoz suffered a shoulder injury during the weekend win over Tottenham and will miss the tie.
Photo IMAGO
Nathaniel Clyne is set to step in at right wing back. Glasner has described the experienced defender as a “great player”, an endorsement that suggests confidence in his ability to handle the occasion.
Taking these factors into account, the Crystal Palace predicted lineup points toward a familiar shape.
Crystal Palace predicted XI (3-4-2-1):Dean Henderson, Chris Richards, Maxence Lacroix, Chadi Riad, Nathaniel Clyne, Adam Wharton, Daichi Kamada, Tyrick Mitchell, Ismaila Sarr, Evann Guessand, Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Palace approach the tie aware of the challenge ahead, yet equally aware of the opportunity. A strong performance in the first leg could place the Eagles within touching distance of the Europa Conference League quarter finals.
Boost for Arsenal as their target is unhappy at Newcastle United
Arsenal have reportedly received a boost in their pursuit of Anthony Gordon as speculation continues to link the Newcastle United attacker with a possible move at the end of the season.
Gordon has established himself as one of Newcastle’s most influential players and continues to demonstrate why he is regarded as one of the most exciting talents in English football. His performances in domestic competitions and the Champions League have further enhanced his reputation, particularly as he has shown an ability to perform well against top-level opponents.
The winger’s pace, direct style, and attacking threat have made him a key figure for Newcastle. Because of his importance to the squad, the club have previously been reluctant to entertain offers for the player.
Newcastle Reluctant to Sell Key Player
Newcastle United are known for being protective of its leading stars, and convincing them to part with a major player is rarely straightforward. In the past, Arsenal have struggled to persuade the Magpies to sell important members of their squad.
Despite that history, Arsenal remain keen to bring Gordon to the Emirates Stadium. The club are believed to see him as a player capable of strengthening their attacking options and adding further quality to the squad.
Interest in Gordon is not limited to Arsenal. Several other clubs are monitoring his situation, including Liverpool, which could lead to strong competition if he becomes available on the transfer market.
Transfer Speculation Ahead of Summer Window
With multiple teams reportedly interested, any potential transfer is unlikely to be inexpensive. Newcastle would be expected to demand a significant fee for a player who has become central to their plans.
However, recent developments could influence the situation. According to Football Insider, Gordon is now believed to be unhappy at Newcastle, raising the possibility that he may consider seeking a move during the summer transfer window.
If that proves to be the case, Arsenal could attempt to take advantage of the situation as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of the next campaign.
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“Onions!” Bill Raftery, the legendary sportscaster who has become closely aligned with college basketball and whose signature catchphrase makes use of the aforementioned root vegetable, has signed with CAA for representation.
Raftery has called college basketball for CBS’ college sports coverage for years, holding forth with James Brown, Sean McDonough, Verne Lundquist, Jim Nantz, Grant Hill and Ian Eagle. He will be in place in 2026 as Paramount Skydance’s CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT and TBS air the various games of the coming March Madness tournament.
Raftery had previously been represented by RLR Associates.
Raftery, a four-time Sports Emmy winner, is also know for his many years of work as Fox Sports’ lead college basketball analyst. He also served as lead analyst for the Nets for 20 years, and began calling games for the team in 1982.
Raftery is a 2017 inductee into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Curt Gowdy Media Award.
As a player, Raftery was drafted by the New York Knicks, and had a 16-year collegiate coaching career at Seton Hall and Fairleigh Dickinson.
He began his broadcasting career as co-host of ESPN’s “College Hoops Tonight” in 1980.
Raftery was the subject of “With A Kiss,” a 2016 documentary about his first time calling the FInal Four at age 71, which was produced by his son Billy and Raftery’s broadcasting partner, Grant Hill. The documentary debuted in 2016. Raftery’s daughter, Kelli, is also in the media business, working as vice president of global communications for Roku.
The Dallas Cowboys may have played an indirect role in Maxx Crosby’s failed trade to the Baltimore Ravens after a key medical review reportedly influenced the decision to cancel the deal.
The Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher appeared close to joining Baltimore before the trade collapsed during the medical evaluation process.
New details have now emerged explaining how a doctor connected to the Cowboys became involved in the review of Crosby’s scans.
Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images
Adam Schefter reveals the Cowboys doctor’s role in Maxx Crosby Ravens trade collapse
Adam Schefter explained how the medical evaluation unfolded after the Ravens moved toward acquiring Maxx Crosby, with his comments shared online in a clip circulating on X that detailed why Baltimore ultimately reconsidered the deal.
According to Schefter, several specialists reviewed Crosby’s medical information before the Ravens made their final decision.
“My understanding is that there were multiple doctors that reviewed his MRI scans,” Shefter said. “There were doctors that examined him, including Dr. Daniel Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys doctor that performed surgery on Patrick Mahomes and Malik Nabers … many teams & players rely on Dr. Cooper’s expertise.”
The involvement of Cooper drew attention because he is widely respected across the NFL for his work with high-profile players and organizations.
Teams often seek multiple independent medical opinions during major trades involving star players, particularly when long-term health could affect a franchise-changing move. In Crosby’s case, the Ravens reportedly reviewed the scans extensively before reaching a final decision.
Maxx Crosby trade speculation grows after Cowboys doctor review
Schefter also explained that Cooper’s medical evaluation played a direct role in Baltimore’s final decision to step away from the deal.
“Dr. Cooper was one of the doctors that reviewed the images where the Ravens then felt compelled to back out of this trade,” Crosby stated.
Because Cooper is the Dallas Cowboys’ team doctor, some speculation quickly appeared online about whether the Cowboys themselves had any interest in Crosby or whether the review could somehow influence a future move.
However, there is no confirmed report that Dallas was actively pursuing a trade for Crosby at the time the Ravens deal collapsed.
Medical reviews involving independent specialists are common across the NFL, and teams frequently consult respected doctors who are affiliated with other organizations.
While the Cowboys connection sparked discussion among fans, the key point remains that the Ravens ultimately backed out after reviewing Crosby’s medical information during the trade process.
Anez Cooper #73 of the Miami Hurricanes fits into the Rams run schemes. (Photo by David Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
With solid roster upgrade moves, Los Angeles Rams General Manager Les Snead has positioned the team to be very flexible in next month’s NFL Draft. In conjunction Earlier this week, the NFL announced the compensatory picks for the upcoming NFL Draft. The Los Angeles Rams official slate is Rd1-#13, Rd2-#61, Rd3-#93, Rd6-#207, Rd7-#231, Rd7-#251, Rd7-#252.
With no glaring weaknesses, L.A. can realistically use those first three early picks to move on the best player available within the Top 100, no matter the position. But what of the late round picks? In keeping with past history, the Rams have a bevy of Day 3 picks.
There are a handful of guard prospects that deserve looking at. While the Rams return starters Kevin Dotson and Steve Avila, both are free agents next offseason and the backups appear to be just that. Here are six candidates that fit into the Rams current mold, over 325 lb. and big wingspans.
Consensus three-star recruit, comes out as a true junior. Dropped 55 lb., down from 405, before joining the Hurricanes and earned a starting role at guard as a true freshman. In three seasons, he played in 36 games with 30 starts. Played in college around 350 lb. and weighed in at 334 for the NFL Combine.
Even though quite tall, Cooper has a blocky, compact frame with a low-set center of balance. Nice feet and move skills for a big man. His field drills at the NFL Combine showed strong balance, agility, and change of direction. Smooth and fluid when getting to second level off combo’s, pulling, and getting out on screens, although not a great striker in space. Versus the run, did a lot of both reach blocking and 1on1 drive, proving adept at both. Doesn’t get enough consistent knee bend and plays high too often, so he doesn’t show jolting power, but does stay attached and keeps feet moving to drive defenders. Definitely a finisher, playing through the whistle. In pass protection, Does a pretty good job of using his length, but could use polish on accuracy and it would help him latch on inside to control rushers. Better as an first-move attacker than sitting back and waiting on pass rush, but quickly gets into set position with a wide base.
I like this prospect, there’s grooming to be done and with all that weight loss, play strength to be increased. But he’s young, nifty for big man, and has the reputation to work on what coaches want. Grade him late Round 4 and most outlets rate him later, I say “good value” if he falls to Round 6 or 7.
I have not watched Miami (FL) RG 73 Anez Cooper in-depth but he absolutely demolished this safety. My goodness! pic.twitter.com/SQfAsKqK7W
Three-star recruit from the 2020 class. Wright was moved to the defensive line as a freshman and lost 2021 to a knee injury. After bouncing back and fort between the offensive and defensive lines, he settled in at guard. Started every game game in his final two years, 24 straight. Named to the Senior Bowl.
Phone booth mauler. A strong run blocker who’s best grinding downhill. Wright has the nasty edge and finishes opponents to the ground. Drive power to clear out holes and shows real knockdown power in his punch. He uses a combination strike/judo throw to cast defenders aside. He’s heavy-footed, but gets to the second level off double teams, can get around the corner on pulls, and hustles downfield on screens. He lacks plus quickness, lateral agility and change of direction which hinders recovery/re-direct abilities. In the four games I watched, he was able in pass protection, but didn’t use that powerful punch to advantage enough. Too often high and outside of opposing chest plates. He doesn’t latch on to control rushers, allowing them into his chest and leading to hug/lobster blocks.
He’s only been a full-time offensive lineman for three seasons, so he’s a developmental project. Has the physical traits and aggressive demeanor pro teams look for. His technique is not bad, but his future depends on how quickly he grasps striking inside and clamping on. He has the requisite length and upper body strength, so repetition and consistency must be instilled. I grade Wright late Round 5/early Round 6, he offers a fairly high ceiling with grooming.
Highly touted recruit, received four and five star rankings from top outlets. Turns 23 in August. No matter your pedigree, unless you stand out on Day 1, at Georgia, you wait your turn. After a redshirt in 2021, Morris saw a lot of special teams and rotational work. Finally getting some starts in 2024. All told, he played in 56 games with 19 starts. Academic star.
Morris has a lot of plus traits, a nice package of size, strength, and athleticism. Shows good get-off, move skills and light feet when pulling, getting to second level, and out on screens, but is just okay when striking in space. While he shows hints of being a real terror in the power game, he constantly plays too high and stops his feet at contact, not creating the leverage to drive defenders off the line of scrimmage. He appears content to seal off opponents, but does have the upper body strength to torque them. In pass protection, Morris sets a wide base and can really drop anchor. Although his punch is powerful and he has the strong hands to latch on, landing strikes are inconsistent and can end outside on the shoulders. Doesn’t appear to have that look-for-work instinct.
Even with prototypical size, strength, and athleticism. I grade Morris as late Round 6 prospect. While there are flashes of brilliance, his film doesn’t show the year-to-year improvement track of many other candidates and at times, too often, his effort looks lackadaisical. While he tested well at the NFL Combine, it doesn’t seem outstanding enough to bump him up.
Micah Morris (6’5 346) Georgia
+ Thick frame and heavy hands + Upper body strength + Versatility with snaps logged at both guard spots and left tackle + 99.4% pass blocking efficiency throughout his career + 83.7 pass block grade in 2025 + Sturdy and consistent anchor + Just 4… pic.twitter.com/saQs84HQjy
Three-star recruit, turns 24 in December. Originally set to attend Auburn, but de-committed and signed with the arch-rival Crimson Tide. After a redshirt year, he went on to start 24 of 36 games over four seasons.
A power-based bruiser with the light feet and move skills to fit into any blocking scheme. Roberts shows flashes of being a dominant interior lineman, but a lack of mechanics has not yet been fully rectified. His film is littered with knock downs, pancakes, and blowing up opponents, but shows just as many gaffes. While he is a good linear athlete, stiffness and limited flexibility shows up in his short area agility and reaction moves. As a run blocker, Roberts squares up opponents and has good get-off, when he gets his hands on defenders, he has the upper body strength to torque them out of the hole and off their feet, as well as the lower body strength to drive them off the line. He often sticks to blocks and drives defensive linemen backwards five yards to the ground. Pass blocking is a work in progress, appears to be a bit slow in reacting to penetrating rushers and his footwork is clunky when trying to mirror them. Stiffness shows when trying to recover. His punch needs accuracy work, often allowing defenders access to his chest. When properly squared up, he does set a solid anchor to repel bullrushes.
Can NFL coaching harness Roberts’ power? A bona fide physical specimen, named to the Feldman’s Freaks List with 18% body fat and a long list of impressive weight room numbers. Minor injuries have slowed him down and he’s been studying yoga in pre-draft workouts to enhance flexibility and improve upon stiffness. I grade Roberts into mid-Round 6, with high ceiling potential, if he can get his technical basics up to par.
Jaeden Roberts (6’5 335) Alabama
+ Well built frame + Feldman Freak List with a reported 525 lb. bench press, squatted 805 lbs, power cleaned 415, and hit over 19 mph on the GPS + Grip strength + Work ethic + Arm length (near 34”) + 87.5 pass block grade in 2025 + Connecting… pic.twitter.com/uDXG3MO8O7
25 year-old former four-star recruit. Not only a high school football star, Braun played tennis and was a state tournament participant. Had a well-traveled SEC college career, 63 games. He not only played, but logged 43 starts, seven at Florida and 12 at Arkansas before settling at Kentucky with 24 consecutive starts to close out his career.
Massive prospect who doesn’t play up to his size. He’s built more like a tackle than guard with those long arms. His play style is more nail than hammer as he appears to catch and control defenders rather than drive them out. In pass protection, his strong suit, Braun does a very good job of leveraging his length and grip strength to control opponents. He shows the experience to be patient before shooting his arms to strike and it’s generally accurate and jolting, followed by clamping on. He also uses a very good long arm move to keep pass rushers at bay. Against the run, he’s not a power guy, appears to be content to tie up and seal off. He plays a little high and can’t generate the leverage to dominate the line of scrimmage. He’s nimble and moves well when pulling, off combo’s to the second level, and to reach/seal.
Likely to be drafted on his physical and athletic traits. Braun has been effective for three different SEC teams, but is he physical enough to handle bigger, longer pros? More play strength would certainly help. He’s a good pass blocker and honestly, looks pretty in duo and inside zone blocking schemes. I have him right on the cusp of a draftable grade, Round 7. At the East-West Shrine Bowl, saw reps at both center and tackle.
With Warren McClendon sticking at RT, the Rams lack depth on the OL with OT/iOL versatility.
Kentucky's Joshua Braun played at both guard spots and kicked out to tackle. Certainly a player to watch. Best reps came inside imo. pic.twitter.com/wqxAc5LmTJ
Four-star recruit turns 23 in August. After a redshirt year, El Hadi waited his turn, toiling on special teams. He took over as a starter for his final two seasons. Overall, he started 25 of 52 games. An ankle injury limited his senior year.
As of now, best suited for a zone offense. Shows good move skills and nifty feet. Did a lot of pulling at Michigan and was adept at both leading around the edge or reaching/sealing it off. Smoothly gets to second level. He hits accurately on the move. Pass protects with a wide base and good knee bend. His drive strength does not match his grip strength, which is stellar. El-Hadi felt he was pushed around too much in 2024 and put on 25 lb. for 2025. It put more sand into his pants, but he really needs pro strength/conditioning to help turn the weight gain into power. While his arm length is adequate, it is imperative that he strikes first and clamps on
El-Hadi projects as an undrafted free agent, but moves well and shows technical prowess. Not a finesse player, he’s certainly willing to mix it up. Even with the additional weight, his need to upgrade his play strength shows clearly. Let’s grade him as a camp body, with enough positives to compete for a practice squad berth and re-evaluate him in Year 2.
Giovanni El-Hadi is a balanced, flexible, and reliable offensive guard prospect with 51 games of experience throughout his @UMichFootball career@giovanni_hadi63 is a wide based knee bender who can grapple, sustain, and finish with great use of angles and body control https://t.co/xpmT4FddaQpic.twitter.com/jWVRK67qxC
While the Rams offensive line room is already interior heavy, none of the backups match girth with the starters. While size is not the be-all-end-all, there’s a certain amount of logic in having reserves that mirror the size and traits of the first unit.
Afraid that none of this group offers serious positional versatility at this stage, although all six have taken some reps on both sides of the pivot. No small-school sleepers here, all have shown well against top college competition. While there’s a developmental aspect to all of them, each fits into a downhill run game like the Rams use, even the ones that need a little more sand. They were all good college players with potential reward for low risk. What more can you ask for a late round dart throw?
Nickal: “I was fortunate to be able to compete on the first RAF card last August. It’s pretty crazy to see how far the organization has come since then. They’re doing amazing stuff, making great matchups. You know, they threw your name out to me, so we can make it happen. I heard you were wanting to get back to your roots.”
Usman: “Oh, word?“
Cejudo: “Kamaru’s too expensive, Bo.”
Nickal: “Hey, I don’t know. They got some serious funding now. They got some deals going. That would be great for the fans. They would enjoy it.”
Usman: “Okay, maybe I need … maybe it’s a phone call. I need to make a phone call.”
Colin Dorgan's perseverance might turn into one of the best sports stories in 2026.
Nearly a month after losing three family members in a mass shooting at a Rhode Island rink last month, Dorgan got to play hero for Blackstone Valley on Wednesday, March 11, at Schneider Arena in Rhode Island.
He was wearing a patch on his sweater with the initials of his fallen mother, brother and grandfather. His grandmother and a family friend were also shot and in critical condition after the shooting.
What a moment. Colin Dorgan, wearing a patch on his chest with the initials of his mom, brother and grandfather, scores the game-winning goal in double overtime, sending his team to the championship. @KaylaFishTV@coreywelch
“It’s absolutely surreal what’s been happening,” Dorgan said. “I really love my boys, my team and I think we’re really bonding together. And I think now, out of all times, is a perfect time to just bear down together and push through. And I think these goals aren’t coming just for myself. I got to get the pass before I could shoot the puck. I think it’s really a team effort, and I think we’re all there for each other truly.”
On Feb. 16, during Blackstone Valley's senior day game, a shooter — identified as Robert Dorgan, the father of Colin — opened fire on spectators at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
Officials determined that the shooter was aiming specifically for family members, while two others were critically injured. The shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The Division II final match against Lincoln is scheduled for March 18 at Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence.
“It’s all love, absolute love,” Dorgan said. “It’s my senior year, it’s my last year of hockey and it’s really bringing me back through all my years. This is my last year, I got to show out for it."
The Patriots addressed their receiver need by signing Romeo Doubs in free agency, but that doesn't mean they're done adding to their wideout room.
In fact, according to NFL Media's Cameron Wolfe, the Doubs signing won't end New England's rumored pursuit of a trade for Philadelphia Eagles star A.J. Brown.
"I’m told the move doesn’t end their interest in trading A.J. Brown," Wolfe said in an X post. "Need just isn’t as dire now & cap dynamics change in June."
Patriots landed WR Romeo Doubs as a younger, ascending potential replacement for Stefon Diggs.
I’m told the move doesn’t end their interest in trading A.J. Brown. Need just isn’t as dire now & cap dynamics change in June.
Brown obviously would be a huge get for the Patriots.
He remains one of the NFL's best receivers despite having a lengthy injury history. Brown's mercurial personality is somewhat concerning, but it's fair to assume that head coach Mike Vrabel knows how to handle him, given their time together with the Tennessee Titans.
In 15 games last season, Brown posted seven catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns. He eclipsed 1,000 yards in six of his first seven NFL campaigns.
Mar 11, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Jake West (3) defends against Indiana Hoosiers guard Tayton Conerway (6) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The ‘Cats are still dancing.
With its season hanging in the balance, Northwestern decided it wasn’t ready to go home just yet, taking down the Hoosiers 74-61 to advance to the third round of the Big Ten Tournament. The ‘Cats entered the game as 6.5-point underdogs (per Draft Kings) against an Indiana team that needed a win to safely secure its spot in the NCAA Tournament. However, Chris Collins and the ’Cats had other ideas, riding a dominant 38-24 second half to their seventh straight win over Indiana.
Here are three takeaways from Northwestern’s upset win at United Center.
Nick Martinelli isn’t ready to say goodbye to Northwestern
After winning the Big Ten scoring title in the 2024-25 season, Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli thought that it might be time to retire his purple threads. Following the ‘Cats’ 70-63 loss to Wisconsin on March 13, the news quickly broke that the Glenview, Illinois native would test the NBA draft waters in the offseason and strongly consider taking his talents to the next level. For 76 long days, Northwestern faithful held its breath, unsure whether its superstar forward would return to Evanston for one more year.
Now, ‘Cats fans can be sure that Martinelli does not want to leave.
Since February 18, Martinelli has put this Northwestern team on his back, leading it to an impressive 5-2 record over its last seven games. The senior sensation has averaged 26.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game during this stretch, heeding the call time after time in each games’ biggest moments.
Once again, on Wednesday night against Indiana, Martinelli was summoned to action. He started a bit slow, getting to the charity stripe just once and scoring just nine points in the first half. But, with the ‘Cats down one at the break, it was clear that they had a legitimate chance to win this game. That’s when Nicky Buckets once again became a “superhero.” Martinelli outscored Indiana 10-7 by himself in the first seven minutes of the second half, en route to a tally of 19 points in the second half on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 6-of-7 shooting from the free-throw line. He finished with 28 points and four rebounds, leading Northwestern in scoring for an eighth-straight game.
“When you come in the locker room, and this could be your last 20 minutes for this jersey… you just can’t let that slip. And we let it slip too much this year,” said Martinelli in the postgame presser.
It has been an up and down year in Evanston. Just under a month ago, Martinelli scored just 11 points in the ‘Cats’ 19-point loss to Nebraska, which punctuated a five-game losing streak that also included double-digit losses to Michigan, Illinois and Washington. It would have been easy for the ‘Cats to limp to the finish line and bow out early in the Big Ten tournament. Instead, Martinelli has decided he’s not yet ready to pull of his purple threads for a final time. Whether or not Northwestern beats Purdue on Thursday night, ‘Cats fans should always remember Martinelli’s long goodbye.
For the first time all year, Northwestern has been able to play consistent team defense. After the Hoosiers came out hot in the first frame, the ‘Cats dug in their heels coming out of the break. In the second half, Northwestern put together the best thirty minutes of defense its played all season long, holding Indiana to 25% (5-for-20) shooting from the field, while winning the rebound battle 17-15 despite being without the 6-foot-11 Arrinten Page.
Northwestern’s defense has been gradually gaining momentum since mid-February. After allowing an average of 77.3 points during its 2-10 start to 2026, the ‘Cats have limited their opponents to just 66.9 points during its 5-2 stretch starting with the Maryland game on February 18.
Chris Collins finally has his boys much more aggressively pressuring the ball, with quick help side defense ready to crash the paint and cut off any dribble drives. Even when Northwestern’s guards have beat off the bounce, the ‘Cats have rotated well enough to force tough shots in the paint. These days, to have offensive success against the Wildcats, you have to shoot the three ball well. Northwestern surrendered 11 threes in its 68-49 loss to Nebraska and nine threes to Purdue on Senior Night at Welsh-Ryan. If wanted, these perimeter looks are there for team good three-point shooting teams. However, these defensive priorities have worked for Collins’ squad against less sparky teams like Indiana, who has shot a total of 35.5% from three in its two recent losses to the ‘Cats — not bad, but not good enough.
Watch the video linked above. Just look at these boys pressure the ball! Jayden Reid and Tyler Kropp’s aggressive on-ball activity kept the Hoosiers far behind the three-point line the entire possession, as the Hoosiers could not find any space to get to the basket. Then, once Indiana’s Jasai Miles finally was able to penetrate the paint, Kropp and Mullins were there to help. Miles then tries to kick it out to Nick Dorn, but Mullins times his recovery perfectly, getting in the passing lane to prevent an open three-point shot.
According to BartTorvik.com, Northwestern’s performance against Indiana was its best defensive game of its recent winning bout. The ‘Cats achieved a 94.0 defensive rating against the Hoosiers, just its sixth best mark of the season, but its second best grade against a Power Four opponent. TEAM DEFENSE from the ‘Cats!!
Speed has been key
For much of the season, the ‘Cats lacked speed on the floor. It was most clear, perhaps, in two instances.
On January 17, Northwestern fell 77-58 to Nebraska at Welsh-Ryan. Nebraska played a fast-pace offensive style, pushing the ball in transition, whipping the ball around the perimeter and consistently burning the ‘Cats off-the-dribble. The Cornhuskers found open looks all night long, scoring 28 points in the paint and draining 11 three-pointers.
On February 8, Bennett Stirtz burned Northwestern for 36-points. The ‘Cats simply had no answer for one of the best guards in the country. Stirtz was consistently able to win one-on-one on the perimeter, and Collins’ squad couldn’t rotate fast enough to stop Stirtz in the paint on the backside.
Throughout the season, part of Northwestern’s problem may have been that it wasn’t utilizing its athleticism. In a vacuum, Reid and West — and Reid especially — aren’t known for being standout one-on-one defenders. Per BartTorvik.com, West ranks fourth on the team with a 1.42 DBPR, while Reid ranks dead last with an 0.08 DBPR.
However, Collins may have figured out how to use his two star guards. Whenever, Jayden Reid and Jake West are on the floor together, they are usually the court’s two quickest players. Recently, Collins has decided to unleash this speed. He has Reid and West aggressively pressuring the ball, getting in passing lanes, and pushing the ball in transition off of turnovers. Against the better guards in the Big Ten, the ‘Cats may have to adjust their strategy, but against the Hoosiers it worked to perfect. Indiana’s guards were overwhelmed by Reid and West’s high-motor ball pressure and were forced to live on the perimeter in the second half, unable to get inside.
Additionally, though I am still one of Arrinten Page’s greatest supporters, there’s no doubt that without him in the lineup the ‘Cats have been better rotating on defense. Singleton and Kropp are much better defending the pick-and-roll, able to use their agility to more quickly recover. Similarly, while Page is the Wildcats’ best true paint defender, Northwestern’s quicker forwards are often better at rotating into help and preventing paint touches altogether. That was certainly true against Indiana, which scored just six points in the paint in the second half.
While early in the season, it oftentimes felt like the ‘Cats lacked speed on the court, against Indiana, Northwestern’s speed was a key to this victory.
Once the confetti fell and the Big East conference champions exited the building, the hoops remained fully intact at Mohegan Sun Arena on Monday night
Connecticut famously does not cut nets for accomplishments other than a national championship, which makes plenty of sense when they come as furiously as they do for the Huskies. The bar of expectations is in the clouds, and the Huskies are solidly back in the rarest of air, to which only they have gained entry.
The reigning champs enter the NCAA tournament on the fifth-longest winning streak in NCAA history. It’s the 11th time they’re undefeated at this point; in six of those years, they won the title. Add in another six, and they’ve won a record 12 national championships since 1995. They’re odds-on favorites to make it lucky 13.
From the outside, it looks like sorcery to sustain so much success. At least, Shea Ralph thought so as a 2000 national champion and Most Outstanding Player. Then she saw behind the curtain as an assistant coach for 13 years, during a stretch that included 12 consecutive Final Fours and six championships.
“What was really cool about that whole experience to me was it’s not magic; it’s not rocket science,” Ralph, now the head coach at Vanderbilt, told Yahoo Sports’ Hoops 360. “It’s not like you go to UConn and they sprinkle magic fairy dust and bam, you’re an All-American and [win] a national championship. I know they make it look that way, which speaks volumes about what they do, because it’s really, really hard. But it’s also very simple.”
Shea Ralph (center) was both a player and assistant coach under Geno Auriemma, and carried a lot of his principles to her team at Vanderbilt. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
Jeff Zelevansky via Getty Images
For much of the 2020s, the dark arts overtook Storrs, and nothing seemed easy. Injuries decimated their rosters, limiting the crossover of back-to-back No. 1 recruits Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd. The Huskies dropped back-to-back games (gasp) for the first time since March 1993. The Final Four streak ended at 14 years, and the Elite Eight at 16.
In their absence, the concentration of power in women’s hoops moved back south. South Carolina became a Final Four regular with five straight berths beginning in 2021. The Gamecocks won the 2022 national championship in a rout of Bueckers’ UConn squad, and the 2024 trophy without losing a game while competing in the tough SEC. They became the first undefeated national champions since UConn’s record 111-game winning streak spanned the 2015 and 2016 title seasons.
The Huskies, never down for long, returned the favor and sped out to an 82-59 victory in the 2025 national championship last year in Tampa. Bueckers exited in the fog of a storybook ending that snapped the program’s nearly decade-long drought without a national championship.
Because that’s how accomplishment is measured in Storrs, the home of 27 All-Americans and 50 WNBA Draft picks. It’s not magic; it’s a recipe of elite talent, institutional experience and coaching expectations.
“There’s just a level of buy-in and simplicity that I love about the culture,” Ralph said. “It doesn’t have to be so thick and complicated with words and messages. It’s just, do you want to do this or not? And this is what it takes. And then you’ve got to get people there who will do whatever it takes.”
whether its your first or fifth or 31st, never gets old celebrating a conference title 🏆 pic.twitter.com/BuGvAAcI6o
Ralph knows better than believing in a fantasy; she helped develop that who’s who of All-Americans, an honor she also earned as a player at UConn. As an assistant, she worked with 21 WNBA Draft picks, including nine top-five picks and No. 1 overall picks Tina Charles, Maya Moore and Breanna Stewart. Stewart won four titles in four years, the standard Bueckers wanted, but couldn’t reach.
She worked with Bueckers, the first freshman to sweep the major national player of the year awards, and recruited Fudd before leaving for her first head coaching job at Vanderbilt in 2021. Fudd and sophomore Sarah Strong are All-American contenders leading one of the deepest — and most certainly healthy — teams that UConn has seen in recent years.
Fudd, a redshirt senior who played sparingly while dealing with injuries, opted to stay at UConn one more year before the WNBA Draft. She came into her own in a second healthy season, becoming what most expected when she ceremoniously committed to the Huskies. The 2025 Final Four Most Outstanding Player is averaging career-highs across the board (17.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.5 steals per game, shooting 49% overall and 45.1% from 3). In the season’s tightest game, a 72-69 win over Michigan, she scored 31.
“Coming off last year … I think the confidence has just continued to grow with us individually, but as a team,” Fudd said during the Big East tournament. “So I feel like we're in a great place.”
Sarah Strong, the 2025 Freshman of the Year, was the backbone of their title run and earned both Big East Player and Defensive Player of the Year. A standout two-way player, Strong packs the box score every night, averaging 18.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 3.4 steals and 1.6 blocks in 26.4 minutes per game.
“It's a lot of God-given [talent],” Auriemma said at the Big East tournament. “How does somebody know how to hit a hundred-mile-an-hour fastball, you know? They just can. And she does things because she can. She's just really, really smart, really intuitive, and big enough that you can't bully her and quick enough that you can't out-quick her. So it's a rare combination, for sure.”
She’s shooting 60.1% from the field, 42.7% from 3 and 87.3% from the free throw line and finished the regular season a few made free throws away from the first 60-40-90 season in WNBA, NBA and college basketball history. She ranks first in each win share category, player efficiency rating and wins above replacement player, per CBB Analytics.
KK Arnold more than sufficiently stepped into the point guard role left by Bueckers, and Nika Mühl before her. The junior ranks in the 99th percentile in assist-to-turnover ratio and steals. Serah Williams, a senior transfer from Wisconsin, gives them size. Freshman Blanca Quiñonez missed a few games early, but is now averaging a fourth-best 9.9 points per game with 2 steals and 2.1 assists coming off the bench.
“It's different in that we have more ways that we can play,” Auriemma said during the Big East tournament. “We have more bodies that can contribute. And I think [the players] maybe alluded to it also, defensively we're able to be more disruptive than we have been in maybe the last 10 years, given what we've been through. So it's a much different team than it was last year.”
They led both ends of UConn’s third-most dominant scoring margin season in Division I history. They defeated opponents by an average of 37.8 points in the regular season, trailing only themselves. The 2015 UConn team leads all Division I programs at plus-40.6, and the 2016 roster averaged wins of 39.7. The most interesting conversation around UConn all year is how this roster could possibly be better without Bueckers, an all-WNBA honoree as a rookie, at the helm.
“I'm not of the opinion that we're better,” Auriemma said. “We're different. So there is no are we the same, are we better, are we worse. We're different, and we play a different style of play than we played last year. The results seem to be kind of the same as they were last year, just a different way of going about it. And when we're on our game, we're as effective as we were last year at this time, for sure.”
The Huskies collected record wins over rivals and legacy programs Notre Dame (plus-38) in January and Tennessee (plus-30) in February. The Lady Vols are the last team to beat them, 80-76, on their home court on Feb. 6, 2025. UConn’s 67-point win over DePaul in December was a season high and the most in the matchup, easily overtaking a 47-point win in 2013.
Few have given UConn a closely contested challenge. Michigan lost by three back on Nov. 21, while Louisville, Villanova and Marquette are the only others to keep within 25. The latter two were in a four-day span last month.
It’s as close to a wake-up call as can be for UConn, which won its 12th consecutive conference championship and 31st overall last week. That’s too many cut nets to spare. And it’s a luxury no other elite contender is offered.
“That’s one of the things I respect so much about UConn, actually, is that they don’t get tested at all for so many months and then they go in and play so well [in the NCAA Tournament],” UCLA head coach Cori Close said after Michigan nearly ended the Bruins’ own dominant undefeated Big Ten season. “Because I’m thinking to myself, we’re winning these games by too many points. There’s not enough pressure to [allow] our players to learn to internalize that, process that and play through that.”
The Huskies torched UCLA by 34 in the 2025 Final Four. Close and the Bruins were inexperienced on the big stage in their program’s first appearance on the final weekend. The two-time Big Ten tournament champions are now one of the Huskies’ largest obstacles, boasting a veteran top six led by 6-foot-7 center Lauren Betts, the reigning Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, and a plethora of shooters around her.
The two are expected to be the No. 1 and No. 2 true seeds, respectively, on a course to meet in the championship game on April 6 in Phoenix. Texas, the SEC tournament title winners, are projected at No. 3, leading a legion of conference talent prepared for a Final Four run. LSU and Vanderbilt, led by Ralph, could sneak into the final weekend.
And there’s South Carolina, the powerhouse that did not play UConn in the regular season for the first time since 2013-14. After the SEC title game loss to Texas, head coach Dawn Staley told her group that the last time they didn’t win it, they went on to become the final team to cut the nets. That’s all anyone truly wants this time of year, and no one has been better at it than UConn.
The Jacksonville Jaguars haven't made many big moves during free agency, with only one real signing so far this offseason. Otherwise, the focus has been on retaining talent when possible and addressing the Jaguars' salary cap.
Several free agents, most notably Travis Etienne and Devin Lloyd, signed with other teams as expected, while James Gladstone restructured the contracts for veterans like Robert Hainsey and Jourdan Lewis and re-signed others like Montaric Brown.
So far, there has only been one new addition: running back Chris Rodriguez, who will give much-needed depth to the position. Overall, the Jags' roster still looks strong, but there are a few areas of need that could still use a little more help.
Defensive Tackle/Pass Rush
From the beginning, one of the largest priorities for Jacksonville has been to bolster the pass rush. The Jaguars' defense saw massive improvement in 2025, particularly against the run, but they struggled more with pass rush.
There are still free agents available that the team could target, like DJ Reader, but Gladstone might elect to fill this position in the draft instead; this year's draft class is heavy on defensive talent, so he will have lots of options.
Linebacker
There is an obvious void needing to be filled with the loss of Devin Lloyd. Thankfully, the Jaguars still have Foyesade Oluokun, a highly talented linebacker, to anchor the unit. But otherwise, the Jags will be looking to Ventrell Miller and Jack Kiser, but both are short on experience.
Ideally, Jacksonville will find an experienced veteran free agent to take most of the snaps next to Oluokun and serve as a mentor for Miller and Kiser, both of whom have plenty of talent and potential. But there will still need to be more help to fill Lloyd's shoes.
Defensive End
This isn't a major need, as the Jaguars thankfully have Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker anchoring this position. They're both excellent players who aren't going anywhere in 2026. But the Jags do need to add some more depth here, and while it likely isn't an urgent enough need to pick someone up in free agency, this position would be a good target for the draft.
Overall, though, the fact that there are so few positions of need in Jacksonville speaks to how well James Gladstone built this roster last year, and confirms that the team is in good shape heading into 2026.
This offseason was a tough one for Andrew McCutchen, who languished on the free agent market much longer than expected.
After signing one-year deals with the Pittsburgh Pirates in each of the last three winters, he did not receive one from the Pirates this offseason as they focused on other needs. That ultimately led him to join the Texas Rangers on a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training in early March, well after spring training had already started.
After arriving at Rangers camp last week, McCutchen opened up to reporters about his challenging offseason and why he chose Texas.
“Honestly, it was one of the first options for me, and also, at the moment, it was one of the only options as well,” acknowledged the former NL MVP. “I understood things were happening and there were opportunities maybe elsewhere, but I also understood there was less than three weeks (until Opening Day), too.”
Accordingly, McCutchen seized the Rangers’ opportunity, which he considered his best chance to play this season.
It was relieving for the 39-year-old DH to finally get an offer after months of waiting and uncertainty, which took an emotional toll on him.
“Emotionally, it’s been a challenge for sure…I didn’t necessarily know where I was going to end up,” McCutchen said. “I didn’t have a great understanding of where I was gonna be in the future…but there was an understanding on my end that I wanted to keep playing.”
Now, the five-time All-Star is thankful that Texas was willing to take a chance on him and give him an opportunity to prove himself.
“One door closes, another one opens. Grateful that the Rangers are giving me this chance,” McCutchen said.
Leeds Rhinos were knocked out at this stage of the competition last season, in Brad Arthur's first Challenge Cup campaign [SWPix]
Leeds Rhinos will not change their emphasis on the Challenge Cup as they look to progress to the quarter-final stage of the competition for the first time in six years.
Brad Arthur's side take on Wakefield Trinity live on the BBC on Friday (20:00 GMT) with a less than stellar record in the competition in recent seasons.
"We understand that it's make or break, there's no second chance with it and I'm sure the boys are quite aware of that," Arthur told BBC Radio Leeds.
"We just need to play our game, believe in what we do, and give it our best shot.
"[We put the] same emphasis we put on it last year, and I don't know what's happened in previous years.
"We're in a good position, we've got a good squad, we know how we want to play."
Arthur's first taste of the Challenge Cup last year ended with his side being knocked out at the fourth round stage by St Helens.
He has, however, come to realise the importance of the competition in the northern hemisphere since his arrival from Australia.
"It means something to me too. I like the format, I like the idea of it, and I want to be a part of right to the end," he added.
"We know its not easy, its tough and there's a bit of the luck of the draw along the way but I like it."
Leeds have been in impressive form this season, winning three games on the bounce headed into the tie.
One of those fixtures came against reigning champions Hull KR in Las Vegas less than two weeks ago but Arthur said his side are set to press on with their season despite their transatlantic travels.
"Our performance guys have looked after them really well before and after Vegas," Arthur added.
"We've not done a lot of training across the last couple of weeks, and will return to normal next week."
Wakefield due a big game - Powell
Daryl Powell reached the Challenge Cup final as a head coach during his time with Leeds Rhinos [SWPix]
Wakefield come into the game having beaten Hull FC last week and boss Daryl Powell has the belief his side are due a big performance.
Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, Powell said: "We've won two from four in the league which is an alright start I think. But if you look at us at the moment, I think we can play much better.
"Leeds have hit the ground absolutely flying and they'll be pretty big favourites for this game I would say.
"For us, I think there's a really good game right around the corner and you'd like to think it's in this game."
Wakefield most recently reached a Challenge Cup final in 1979 but the club have recent Wembley pedigree.
Powell led them to victory in the 1895 Cup against Sheffield Eagles and would love to steer them to the national stadium again.
"It's awesome for players to go and play at Wembley and still is. I know there's bits and bobs about crowds but that's the fans, for a player I think it's unbelievable to get to Wembley," Powell added.
"We had a taste of it in the 1895 and you've only got to look at what did to the crowd and how they came out to support the team.
"We had more there than Warrington that day I think. It's still revered, it's all about pounds, shillings and pence and how hard it is for fans to pay to go to the games.
"The challenge for us is that we had a tough draw last year and this year is a tough draw and we've got to be tough enough to get through."
CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — Andrew Kurka raced down the slopes with a broken arm during the 2022 Beijing Winter Paralympics.
Forty-five minutes before taking the course for the men’s downhill race, Kurka told doctors that his arm hurt. They asked if he could move it. He said yes.
“Good luck,” Kurka recalled the doctors saying.
Kurka competed anyway and earned a fourth-place finish in the race. When he received the X-rays, he was notified he had snapped his humerus. Injury is not unusual for the sport built on speed and risk, one that has been part of the Paralympic Winter Games since its inception in 1976.
“You go into it knowing that it's not a matter of whether you're going to get hurt,” Kurka said. “It's just a matter of when.”
Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre, where Paralympians will compete in 2026, is the site of five different skiing competitions — slalom, giant slalom, super G, downhill and super combined. Vertical drops exceed 700 meters, allowing racers to reach speeds of more than 60 mph.
Although the risks are inherent, 19-year-old Para alpine skier Audrey Crowley said the fear is part of the draw. As she prepares for her first Paralympic cycle, she views the dangers as a mental hurdle to clear.
“I think it's kind of the fear that does kind of keep you going,” Crowley said. “... I think when you overcome that fear, the feeling that you get inside is like so addicting, almost. I need to do it again. It's just so fun to keep doing and doing it and doing it.”
The adrenaline masks the fear. But there comes a measurable cost with each run. One in three Paralympic Alpine skiers over the past three Paralympic Games leading up to 2026 suffered an injury, according to a recent National Institutes of Health study.
Many Paralympians face a different challenge. Sit-skiers must control both their own movements and the movements of their equipment. The FIS Council implemented mandatory airbags for its Alpine speed events at the World Cup level as of the 2024 season. The system requires a vest that deploys during high-impact crashes. Kurka does not believe they make sense in his sport.
“We have 70 pounds worth of something attached to us,” Kurka said. “And the dynamics of crashing is very different than it is for stand-up or able-bodied players.”
FIS Para Snow Sports Director Dimitrije Lazarovski agreed that airbags may not translate cleanly. Although airbags are now standard for able-bodied racers, Lazarovski notes that the FIS is still in the data-collection phase for Para athletes.
“We already understand that airbags will be only obstacles,” Lazarovski said. “That will not help them because they are already inside the bucket, where they are protected, and will not probably benefit at all from the airbag.”
The variety of impairments — including visual and limb function impairments — among standing athletes makes a one-size-fits-all airbag difficult to certify, as well. Even for Olympic athletes, the implementation of the airbags took several years of testing before it became a requirement ahead of the 2024-25 season. Those testing grounds begin for Para athletes during the 2026 Paralympics, and include consults with athletes and coaches.
It is usually required that local organizers test courses before competition. Lazarovski noted that a formal test event did not happen this year, but said the FIS ran several preliminary tests to collect athlete input.
“Athletes and coaches’ feedback are very, very carefully considered and implemented in our further steps in negotiations with the organizers before the actual event takes place,” Lazarovski said.
Standardized precautions extend to equipment and course design. Instead of airbags, Para alpine skiers rely on other regulations, with all gear — from suits to helmets — required to meet FIS certifications.
“They have made back braces mandatory for our sport and they have made pads for our sport mandatory,” Kurka said. “And I think that's their version of that. I do support that.”
On the mountain, red and blue netting line the course to slow athletes in the event of a crash.
And at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo, athletes are competing on the same infrastructure used for the Olympic Games at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. That includes a wide buffer zone with the netting, allowing crashing athletes to halt safely, something Kurka has long advocated for installing.
“The best safety is the distance,” Lazarovski said. “If you have more distance left and right from the course ... this is the best safety.”
Each course also undergoes an inspection, team walkthrough and jury meeting with coaches and national representatives to address any final concerns.
For Kurka, who claimed the 50th anniversary of the Paralympic Winter Games will likely be his last, athlete advocacy remains essential. The stern 34-year-old, who has broken 20-plus bones in 20-plus different ways, is not afraid to confront officials for what is right.
“This is the right thing to do,” he said. “And so I'm going to do it.”
Trevor McGee is a reporter for the Paralympics Project, a partnership between USA TODAY Network and the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
Eleven more teams reach Copa Betano do Brasil fourth round
On Wednesday night (11), 11 more teams secured their spots in the fourth round of the Betano Cup of Brazil. Volta Redonda, Athletic, Fortaleza, Maringá, Goiás, Nova Iguaçu, Jacuipense, Confiança, Atlético-GO, Londrina, and Paysandu were the clubs that confirmed their places in the next stage.
Only two matchups ended in a draw. Volta Redonda and América-RN finished 0-0, and the team from Rio de Janeiro advanced by winning 5-3 on penalties. Also in a goalless duel, Londrina eliminated Manaus on penalties with a 5-4 victory.
The other games had varied results, ranging from routs to narrow wins and tightly contested battles.
This Thursday (12) will feature ten more matches valid for the third round of the Betano Cup of Brazil. The winning teams will advance to the next stage and remain alive in the knockout phase. The matchups begin at 6 p.m.
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: WR Omar Cooper Jr. #3 of the Indiana Hoosiers looks up field after a catch during the Alabama Crimson Tide versus Indiana Hoosiers College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game on January 1, 2026, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
According to Luca Evans of The Denver Post, the Denver Broncos are having a pre-draft top-30 visit with Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
Sources: Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. has a 30 visit set up with the #Broncos. He’ll be in Denver tomorrow.
Had 69 catches for 937 yards, 13 TD last year for national champs. Could be a target at No. 30 in April’s draft.
Cooper Jr. is a talented wide receiver who is rising up draft boards right now and could be in play for the Denver Broncos with their 30th overall selection in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
He was a key member of the Indiana Hoosiers National Championship-winning team and had a breakout year for them. Cooper totaled 69 receptions for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns and is now one of the top wide receiver prospects in the upcoming NFL Draft.
Cooper is one of my favorite players to study in this year’s draft. He’s strong, reliable and explosive. He uses his lower-body strength to run through press coverage and he’s a loose/fluid route runner. He plays without fear in the middle of the field, making combat catches look easy. He can really pluck the ball and stays grounded through the catch on crossers. Also, he can elevate and play above the rim (SEE: game-winner against Penn State) when necessary. After the catch, he has the power to break tackles and enough speed to pull away. Sources at the school rave about his makeup and competitiveness. Overall, Cooper fits the exact model of wideouts finding immediate success in the NFL.
Cooper would be an excellent addition to a Broncos wide receiver room that just needs a little something more. Neither Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims, nor Pat Bryant consistently produced as a WR2, and veteran Courtland Sutton turns 31 years old later this year. So, the Broncos need to be planning for the present and future at the wide receiver position.
Adding a playmaker like Cooper would be significant for quarterback Bo Nix and the offense. He is a reliable pass catcher, something he doesn’t currently have, can create after the catch, and is a good route runner. He’s the type of player the Broncos really need on offense. He also fits the character mold that the Broncos typically look for in prospects under this current regime.
One issue here is that Cooper may not be available at pick 30. This will be a constant struggle with prospects like this throughout the draft process. Good ones like Cooper will rise up the draft board and out of the Broncos’ range. However, it’s still way too early to nail down who will and won’t be there when they pick, but if he is, I would not be surprised to see the Broncos select him.
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO - MARCH 06: Edwin Díaz #39 of Team Puerto Rico celebrate 5-0 win against Team Colombia at Hiram Bithorn Stadium on March 06, 2026 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the World Baseball Classic beginning quarterfinal play on Friday, let’s look back to see how all the Dodgers did during pool play in the tournament. Five Dodgers on the 40-man roster played during the opening round, as well as two minor leaguers. In all, nine Dodgers were active in the WBC, representing seven countries.
Star power
Shohei Ohtani reached base nine times in 13 trips to the plate in Pool C, with two home runs, a double, four walks, six runs batted in, and four runs scored, and did not strike out, helping Japan to a 4-0 start to the tournament.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto walked more (three) than he struck out (two) on March 6 in Japan’s opening game against Chinese Taipei, but got through 2 2/3 innings without permitting a run, throwing 55 pitches.
Edwin Díaz faced seven batters in Pool A for Puerto Rico, and struck out five of them, tossing two scoreless innings with one hit allowed.
Will Smith started two of four games in pool play for the United States, and had a double and single in six at-bats, with two walks, and one RBI on a sacrifice fly.
Hyeseong Kim hit a two-run home run for Korea against Japan, but that was his only hit in 10 at-bats during Pool C. Kim drove in three, walked twice, and stole a base in his three games. He injured his left hand in stealing that base in the 10th inning on March 8 against Chinese Taipei, and did not play in Korea’s final game of the pool.
Clayton Kershaw warmed up late in Team USA’s loss to Italy, but did not pitch in Pool B.
Minor leaguers
Jake Gelof played all four games for Israel, starting three at third base. He had two hits, including a double, and three RBI in Tuesday night’s win over The Netherlands. But in the other three games he was hitless in a combined seven at-bats. Before leaving for the WBC, the second-round draft pick from 2023 got into two Cactus League games for the Dodgers, up from minor league camp, playing third base both times.
Christian Suarez, who pitched for Double-A Tulsa last year, got one out for Venezuela in his one appearance. Venezuela already has a berth in the quarterfinals, but first will play one more game against the Dominican Republic on Wednesday night to decide the winner of Pool D.
Shawndrick Oduber, who pitched in 29 games for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga last year as a 20-year-old, was in the pitching pool for The Netherlands, but did not pitch in their four games.
We’ve got a great night of hoops action. The Celtics take on the Thunder, the Nuggets face the Spurs, and what will Bam Adebayo do for an encore after his 83-point performance?
That means there are plenty of great player props on the board, and my favorites for the day include a play in that Heat game, while Paolo Banchero will pull a magic trick on the glass against the Wizards.
Those and more NBA picks for Thursday, March 12, below.
The Orlando Magic are playing their best basketball of the season. They have climbed to fifth in the East and enter tonight’s matchup vs. the Washington Wizards, as winners of five in a row.
Paolo Banchero is a big reason why. The Magic forward is putting up 25.7 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in his last 10 games.
I want to focus on the rebounds. Washington ranks dead last in rebounding rate and opponent rebounds per game. With Banchero hitting double-digit boards five times during that span, I like him to do it again and record a double-double in the process.
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Monumental, FanDuel Sports Network-Florida
Well, I’m actually more interested in another aspect of that performance. The Heat took 90 shots in that game. Which has been their M.O. all season long. Miami leads the NBA in pace and field goal attempts per game.
That means lots of rebounds, where they allow the third-most per game.
So, let’s go Kevin Porter Jr. Over 4.5 rebounds. Porter is questionable, but it’s a number he’s topped in four of his last five, including hauling down seven in a February 24 meeting against Miami.
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: FanDuel Sports Network-Wisconsin, FanDuel Sports Network-South
Prop #3: Victor Wembanyama Over 4.5 steals & blocks
Wembanyama is averaging 4.3 blocks in 11 games since coming out of the break. Now, obviously, books have caught on, generally putting a lot of juice on the Over. But with him also averaging 1.3 steals over that stretch, there’s still value in his steals & blocks prop.
It’s sitting at 4.5 with the Over at plus money for tonight’s game vs. the Denver Nuggets. A number he’s topped in eight times during those 11 games.
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Alt, FanDuel Sports Network-Southwest
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Frazer Blake-Tracy joined Mansfield after being released by Swindon in 2024 [Getty Images]
Defender Frazer Blake-Tracy has signed a new contract to remain with Mansfield Town until the summer of 2028.
The 30-year-old was into the final three months of his existing contract, having arrived at the One Call Stadium on a two-year deal in June 2024.
The former Swindon Town, Burton Albion and Peterborough United defender has featured 62 times across all competitions for Nigel Clough's Stags.
Blake-Tracy, whose first season with the Stags was cut short by a knee injury, was ever present in their run to the fifth round of the FA Cup where they were eventually knocked out by Premier League leaders Arsenal last week.
The hope is that this all would be over. Let’s be clear, injuries are a part of the game. That’s especially the case when we are talking about pitchers. We can fill endless articles on that topic, but this isn’t the forum. The focus today is that the Houston Astros are forced to begin the 2026 season with an All-Star who is a vital part of their pitching staff. Josh Hader is now officially beginning the 2026 season on the Injured List.
Aug 5, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Josh Hader (71) celebrates defeating the Miami Marlins following the game at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
While it doesn’t mean we have to like it or accept it, we have become sensitized to injuries. But from the perspective of the Astros last year, things were truly next level. There were multiple reasons as to why they missed the playoffs, but health figured prominently. It’s pretty difficult to win baseball games if you don’t have healthy pitchers taking the mound.
For most of last season, though, the back end of the bullpen was a constant for the Astros. Getting there wasn’t always easy and smooth, but Bryan Abreu had the eighth inning under control and Hader took care of the ninth inning with ease.
Yes, left-handers Steven Okert and Bryan King also found success and were key parts of the bullpen, but it really was Hader and Abreu who set the stage in shortening the game. That took a detour in August when Hader was forced to the Injured List with a shoulder injury that ultimately ended his season.
This offseason:
Aug 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Josh Hader (71) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
So far this off-season, things have been progressing well for Hader in his rehab. Well, until they weren’t. When we got to the start of Spring Training, Hader was experiencing biceps soreness, which caused him to be shut down. While Hader is just now back throwing off a mound, there’s not enough time for him to be ramped up for Opening Day.
What the 9th inning could look like:
Sep 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan Abreu (52) reacts after the final out during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Shifting Abreu to ninth-inning duties isn’t as much a concern as what will unfold in front of him. The downstream impact of pushing Okert and King back, and the fact that they are both left-handed, could create some problems.
The under-the-radar additions of Kai-Wei Teng and Nate Pearson could play into the late innings as well and could provide sneaky value. Whatever way you spin it, the injury to Hader is less than ideal. But the good news is that Hader appears to be progressing well, so the absence should be relatively short-term.
Pedro Neto facing Champions League ban after ‘unsporting’ ball boy shove
UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Pedro Neto following an incident involving a ball boy during Chelsea’s Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain.
The incident occurred late in the match at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night.
Chelsea were chasing the game during second-half stoppage time with the score at 4-2 in favour of Paris Saint-Germain.
Neto attempted to retrieve the ball quickly for a throw-in near the touchline.
The winger pushed a ball boy standing close to the advertising boards as he tried to take possession of the ball.
The ball boy fell to the ground following the contact.
Players from both teams quickly moved towards the scene as the situation briefly escalated.
The referee, Alejandro Jose Hernandez Hernandez, paused play to speak with Neto and both team captains.
Chelsea captain Reece James and PSG captain Marquinhos were involved in calming the situation.
No booking was issued to Neto during the match.
Play eventually resumed after the brief interruption.
Paris Saint-Germain later added another goal to seal a 5-2 victory on the night.
Following the final whistle, Neto approached the ball boy to apologise.
The Portuguese international was seen hugging the youngster and handing him his match shirt.
Neto later addressed the incident publicly during a post-match interview.
“I want to apologise to the ball boy,” Neto said. “I have already spoken to him.”
The winger explained that the moment occurred during a tense period of the match.
“With the emotions of the game we were losing and I wanted to pick up the ball,” he added. “He was keeping the ball with him and I gave him a little push.”
Neto also acknowledged that the contact had caused discomfort.
“I saw that I hurt him a little bit,” he said. “I am not like this.”
The forward emphasised that he immediately tried to resolve the situation.
“I went there to apologise and gave him my shirt as well,” Neto explained. “That cannot happen and I am really sorry.”
Despite the apology, UEFA confirmed that the incident will still be reviewed.
The governing body released a statement confirming the investigation.
“Disciplinary proceedings have been instigated against Chelsea player Pedro Lomba Neto for unsporting behaviour,” the statement read.
UEFA’s disciplinary committee will now assess the case and determine whether any sanction should follow.
The situation drew comparisons with a previous high-profile incident involving former Chelsea winger Eden Hazard in 2013.
Hazard was sent off during a match against Swansea City after kicking a ball boy during a League Cup tie.
Chelsea will now await UEFA’s decision while preparing for the second leg of their Champions League tie against PSG.
More details have emerged surrounding the February arrest of Falcons star James Pearce Jr. and the subsequent charges he faces – and it doesn't look good.
Pearce Jr. was arrested on February 7 after he fled a domestic dispute and crashed his vehicle during a police chase. Now, the information from a protective order filed by Pearce's ex-girlfriend and WNBA star Rickea Jackson paints a better picture of what went down and why the incident escalated.
Rickea Jackson was "in fear of my life" during a domestic dispute with James Pearce Jr.
Jackson filed for a petition for an injunction for protection against dating violence after Pearce Jr. was arrested on five felony charges, including two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated stalking.
Jackson said in the filing that she was "in fear of my life" and that she believed that "James will kill me" without direct court intervention. She stated that Pearce Jr. had "verbally and physically abused me on more than one occasion" and threatened to injure her and kill her on different occasions.
She claims that during the incident in question on February 7, she saw Pearce Jr. following her in his vehicle as she drove home, and that she called 911 and drove to a local police station "because I knew James was going to hurt me." He reportedly chased her at high speeds, blocked her car with his own at a red light, attempted to enter her car, and jumped on top of the vehicle.
She also said Pearce Jr. struck her car multiple times in an attempt to force her to spin out, and at one point, ran her off the road. She eventually flagged down an officer as she approached the police station, while Pearce Jr. continued to ram her car, prompting the officer to attempt to arrest the NFL star before he fled.
Pearce Jr. also reportedly told Jackson he would give her "up to $75,000" to see him and "$200,000 to remain in a relationship with him" in the hours before the dispute and his arrest, and had been sleeping in his car outside her home waiting for her to leave. Pearce Jr. is still under contract with the Falcons over a month after the incident, who declined to comment on the details unveiled in the court filing.
The San Francisco 49ers have the opportunity to reunite with one of their former star defensive players. The Denver Broncos reportedly released linebacker Dre Greenlaw on Thursday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, one year after he left the 49ers in free agency.
Greenlaw played his first six seasons for San Francisco after being drafted in the fifth round in 2019. He had started 56 of 64 games over that span, where he tallied 455 combined tackles, 18 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions and 14 defended passes.
As evidenced by his release, Greenlaw didn't have a great lone season in Denver after he signed a three-year, $35 million contract with the Broncos. He missed the first six weeks of the season with a hamstring injury and only played in seven games in 2025. Greenlaw finished the year with 43 combined tackles, one sack, one interception, two defended passes and one forced fumble.
The 49ers don't have a clear need at the position Greenlaw would play at the WILL linebacker position, but a familiar face would certainly be helpful for the 49ers' defense in 2025. Dee Winters stepped up admirably in Greenlaw's role this past year with 101 combined tackles, eight tackles for a loss and one interception (that was returned for a touchdown).
If Greenlaw wants to come back to the 49ers in a smaller role, a reunion makes sense. The money also needs to make sense for San Francisco, too, for this to happen. It's unclear if the 49ers or Greenlaw even want to reconvene, but the option is now out there with Greenlaw on the open market.
The Packers need some retooling of their defensive line after they traded Colby Wooden to the Indianapolis Colts for linebacker Zaire Franklin. They're also resigning Jonathan Ford for more depth up-front.
Hargrave was headed into the final year of the two-year deal he signed with Minnesota, but the Vikings chose to release him to clear salary-cap space.
Here's what else to know about Hargrave:
Javon Hargrave age
Hargrave turned 33 last month. That would make him the oldest Packers player after kicker Brandon McManus, who's 34.
Javon Hargrave height and weight
Hargrave is listed at 6-foot-2, 307 pounds.
Javon Hargrave college
The North Carolina native attended South Carolina State, a Division I Football Championship Subdivision school in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, located in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He was twice named first-team All-MEAC. The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Hargrave in the third round of the 2016 draft, with the 89th overall pick.
Javon Hargrave NFL career, stats
Hargrave played for the Steelers from 2016 through 19, then joined the Philadelphia Eagles from 2020 through 2022, the San Francisco 49ers in 2023 and 202,4 and Minnesota last year.
He's made two Pro Bowls (2021, 2023) and has 49 career sacks, with five forced fumbles, eight pass deflections, one defensive touchdown on a fumble recovery and 432 tackles overall.
He played in back-to-back Super Bowls in 2023 (with Philadelphia) and 2024 (with San Francisco), losing to Kansas City both times. He had five tackles and one tackle for loss in the first Super Bowl and had six tackles, a sack and fumble recovery in the second. He also played in an AFC Championship Game with Pittsburgh in 2017, with a sack and two tackles for loss in Pittsburgh's loss to New England.
With Philadelphia, he played for defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, now in the same role with the Packers. In 2022 under Gannon, he had a career-high 11 sacks.
With Minnesota last year, he had 3½ sacks, a forced fumble and a recovery in 16 games.
Hargrave has four playoff sacks and six playoff tackles for loss.
Javon Hargrave contract
ESPN has reported the deal is for two years and $23 million.
Packers fans will like Javon Hargrave's nickname, 'Gravedigger'
Hargrave uses the moniker "Gravedigger" on his Instagram profile, and the Vikings turned that into a comic book-style graphic on gameday against Detroit shortly after Halloween.
It's a natural nickname because of his name but also his position, and he credits college coach Mike Adams with coining it … yes, because Hargrave's play reminded him of former Packers star Gilbert Brown, himself known as "Gravedigger" during his playing days.
Hargrave was born Feb. 7, 1993, a little more than two months before the 1993 draft when Gilbert Brown was drafted … also in the third round (79th overall). Brown was taken by the Vikings and then picked up by the Packers when he didn't make Minnesota's team out of camp. The Packers have shown they like it when Minnesota moves on from a Gravedigger.
One year ago, Luke Loucks walked into the Tucker Center and told a room full of Florida State fans it was good to be home. On Thursday night, he gets to prove exactly how good it feels. Florida State enters the ACC Tournament quarterfinal against No. 1 Duke, with the ESPN Matchup Predictor giving the Seminoles just a 4.0% chance of pulling the upset at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The models say it is over before it starts. The spread says the same.
Duke is the best team in the country, but the last seven weeks of Florida State basketball say the Seminoles have not read the forecast. They never do.
The most important context for Thursday night exists in the Jan. 3 box score: Duke won 91-87 in Tallahassee. Four points. On FSU's home floor.
The Seminoles, playing at home and still early in Loucks' first season, pushed the nation's eventual No. 1 seed to the final possession. Duke is a better, more complete team than what FSU held to a four-point win in Tallahassee, but the Seminoles know what this opponent looks like.
Duke has gone 16-1 since that meeting and is now entering the ACC Tournament with a significantly diminished rotation. This is the detail that makes Thursday's matchup more nuanced than the matchup predictor suggests.
Duke will be without starting point guard Caleb Foster and starting center Patrick Ngongba II for the entirety of the ACC Tournament. The Blue Devils ended the regular season on an eight-game win streak, winning those games by an average margin of 23.1 points. That version of Duke had Foster and Ngongba. Thursday's version does not.
Whatever opportunities the Seminoles may find on offense, they will spend most of the night dealing with the most dominant individual player in college basketball.
Cameron Boozer is averaging 22.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game this season on 58.3% shooting from the field. He is the ACC Player of the Year. He is Duke's engine, its primary scorer, its rebounder, and its interior anchor.
For FSU to win, Thomas Bassong, Alex Steen, and Lajae Jones would collectively need to limit Boozer to something far below his season average. That task has proven beyond nearly every opponent Duke has faced this year.
Florida State has not been given a chance all season. The models gave Cal the edge on Wednesday night. Loucks held a 4 a.m. film session after the worst loss in program history. None of it stopped the Seminoles from finishing over .500 in the ACC for the first time since 2021 and advancing to face the nation's top team.
Wednesday night, they beat California 95-89. The Seminoles held the lead for 81% of the game against a team ESPN's models had picked to win. Now they are back on the floor 24 hours later, staring up at a 29-2 Duke team, and the models have rendered their verdict again.
Loucks will walk his team out onto the Spectrum Center floor for the biggest game of his first season as a head coach. He will do it with a program that has won 11 of its last 15 games, a point guard playing the best basketball of his career, and nothing to lose.
The college basketball world says Duke wins. The last two months say the Seminoles belong on this floor.
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The Indianapolis Colts were the first team to shake up the wide receiver landscape this offseason with a pair of moves to kick off free agency earlier this week.
First, Indianapolis managed to retain the services of Alec Pierce on a four-year, $116 million contract that places him among the top-10 highest-paid wide receivers on an average-per-year salary basis. He comes in just behind Lions star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. In order to clear space for Pierce’s new deal, the Colts had to wave goodbye to stalwart starting receiver Michael Pittman Jr., trading him in a late-round pick swap to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From a fantasy and production standpoint, I have mostly positive but some mixed feelings about Pierce returning to Indianapolis.
What returning to Colts means for Pierce
Generally, I’m more pro players sticking with a team that’s getting the most out of them and there’s no doubt that Shane Steichen’s Colts got the best out of Pierce last season. The grass is not always greener on the other side. True No. 1 receivers can go anywhere, generally do not have to worry about being deployed in unfavorable ways and can produce in any circumstance. I’m a huge fan of Pierce’s game and have liked him ahead of consensus as a prospect and after his rookie year, but despite what the contract says, Pierce has yet to prove he’s at that level.
The Colts got the most out of Pierce last season by using him more often as a condensed X-receiver lined up closer to the line of scrimmage — which gives him more space to operate as an outside receiver — and Pierce responded by expanding his ability to win on in-breaking routes like the dig. Pierce previously hadn’t shown much on that particular pattern but that’s key in cracking modern split safety coverages to create big plays over the middle.
Upcoming free agent WR Alec Pierce's 2025 #ReceptionPerception profile is up on the site 🔥
Pierce set career-highs with: - 71% success rate vs. man coverage - 76.2% success rate vs. press (81st percentile)
A good chunk of this is Pierce developing as a player in Year 4 but you also have to credit the scheme and play-caller. Frankly, I just think it’s easier to project Pierce while staying in that familiar role, rather than taking over another team’s vertical X-receiver gig where he may be miscast.
The debate about whether Pierce can be more than what he was last year seems to center on whether he can be more than just a deep-ball receiver, aka, can he run the full route tree? I think that slightly misses the mark. Reception Perception shows that Pierce can do more than just run go routes, and that’s always been the case. He just added even more to his plate in the intermediate area. The question for Pierce is more about whether he can become a more consistently targeted player.
Last season, among 118 wide receivers who ran 200-plus routes, Pierce ranked 67th in targets per route run (17.7%). That trailed both Pittman (36th) and Josh Downs (24th) on his own team. Obviously, Pierce’s downfield and X-receiver role makes his targets more high-yield when they hit, so nobody thought anything of it when he was being used in that fashion in 2025.
Signing him to this deal significantly changes expectations and, fair or unfair, he’s now going to be judged based on his production relative to that money.
What Pittman’s departure means for Pierce, Colts offense
Pittman's moving on will open up opportunities for Pierce to inherit. Downs will likely step into the WR2 role in two-receiver sets, tight end Tyler Warren should see more targets, but the depth behind them isn’t great. My guess is that Indianapolis will replace Pittman with a Day 2 draft-and-develop wide receiver, which is what all three of these receivers were for the Colts. It’s worked for all three of them; it did not work out for AD Mitchell two drafts ago. So it’s not a lock that this hypothetical player will be good enough off the rip to inherit a big role — I’d project Pierce and Downs’ roles as pretty secure.
So really, what matters for Pierce to become a more high-volume player is a more varied role beyond just the vertical X-receiver archetype. Otherwise, he could fall into the problem that DK Metcalf (WR26 in fantasy) fell into last year as a downfield X-receiver-only player with a quarterback who didn’t consistently rip the throws he ran within the concepts. Even Courtland Sutton, another player in this archetype, proves some of the risks at play here. Sutton finished as the WR11 in fantasy, overall, but had four games last year with just one catch and was out-targeted by an inferior player in Troy Franklin, to no fault of his own. It just happens when you have a quarterback playing in chaos, as was the case for Bo Nix at times with the 2025 Broncos. They just become a little less willing and/or able to hang in the pocket and wait for the long-developing perimeter routes from the X to develop.
Volatility is fine; every receiver is going to have quiet weeks. Pierce himself had five games with one or zero catches. Two of them came with Philip Rivers starting and they were sandwiched around a four-catch, 86-yard, two-touchdown game. Again, that’s all perfectly fine when he’s a complementary X-receiver on a rookie deal. When expectations and pay changes, the way the player is used must also change. That’s where it will be on the team to use Pierce pre-snap in a different way than we’ve seen to date. I think they can but my opinion and that of the staff may not overlap — one matters much more than the other if we’re trying to guess outcomes. All of this just invites new variables for a player who was deployed flawlessly relative to his skills and traits in 2024 and 2025 as the finishing piece to a wide receiver room that featured an ideal flanker in Pittman and slot in Downs.
Going all-in on Daniel Jones comes with plenty of risk
If you talk with anyone who has played with the Colts the last few seasons — and I have — or hell, even a Colts fan, they’re all wearing some kind of scars from having to experience the immense quarterback turnover this team has endured dating back to Andrew Luck’s shocking preseason retirement before the 2019 NFL season.
That’s why when Jones played at a high level and captained them to a masterful start in the first eight weeks, it was the oasis in the desert that Chris Ballard, the longest suffering wanderer, and Co. couldn’t help but cling to. He did more than that; he went all-in on that sample and traded two first-round picks to acquire Sauce Gardner … right in time for everything to fall apart. That’s why they’re so pot committed to this build and, reportedly, never considered another option at quarterback, no matter what fun and possibly even superior fan fiction ideas existed. To Ballard and others in the organization, stability with Jones was the only answer. They crave the ecstasy of being able to say they’re walking into this NFL season with the same man under center as they planned to start last year. To them, this is the reprieve to heal the quarterback wounds they’ve carried for years.
In order to do that, they’ve put on blinders to all the perils. The reality that Jones was already starting to regress to some of his less desirable form in Weeks 9 and 10 — before he broke his leg — when he took a whopping 12 sacks in two games. The sobering truth that Jones breaking said leg and then tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 14 was just the latest in a long history of injuries for the soon-to-be 29-year-old quarterback. Never mind the fact that our recent data on quarterbacks coming back from an Achilles injury includes two miserable examples in the first year back with 2024 Aaron Rodgers and Kirk Cousins. We haven’t even mentioned that this team has chosen to remove the most reliable wideout in the room, Pittman, from Jones’ arsenal, a guy with whom he held pristine chemistry in that magical eight-game run.
Just because they have chosen to ignore or, at the very least, accept the danger of those risks doesn’t mean that we have to when projecting this team.
My worry is that the Colts learned the wrong lesson from their excellent start to last season. In my view, and I could be way off on this, what the first half of 2025 showed us was proof of concept in demonstrating just how fantastic of an elite ecosystem this Colts offense is at its peak. The 2025 Colts had a high-end play-caller in Shane Steichen, an elite running back, a strong offensive line, a tight end who was a perfect finishing piece and a fantastic three-receiver set of Pierce, Pittman and Downs, who perfectly filled the X, Z and slot roles required a dangerous and diverse offense. You put just about any functional quarterback into that situation and you’re going to get high-caliber, efficient offensive play. The lesson was that you quarterback-proofed the offense but because of their scars and winding desert-walk searching for a franchise passer, they took a different view on the summary.
To them, Jones was and is the answer; the key that unlocked everything. If it were a fully healthy version of Jones who played as he did in Weeks 1 to 8 over a full season, I’d be on board with their conclusion. Yet, it’s just not. That doesn’t mean the Colts will lose this gamble but it without a doubt increases the volatility of everyone involved with this operation in 2026.
Let’s not overlook the impact of the Pittman trade
Lastly, I just want to emphasize that removing Pittman from the equation that added up to the elite Weeks 1 to 8 offense really does matter quite a bit. My sense from consuming other opinions about this choice to retain Pierce at $29 million and saying goodbye to Pittman’s cap hit to make it happen — a defensible decision based on Downs and Warren’s skill set overlapping with where Pittman wins and the respective age of the two wideouts — is that people have forgotten how good Pittman is at the game.
While Pittman doesn’t make big plays like Pierce down the field, he’s an excellent zone beater who gets open in the short-to-intermediate areas with a specialty at working the middle of the field. In other words, he’s a huge factor in creating layups for a quarterback and boosting efficiency.
The Colts will miss Pittman and I just couldn’t shake the thought while charting his 2025 film that he’s a perfect fit for Rodgers in a Mike McCarthy West Coast offense.
McCarthy’s offense is based on quick throws and slant-based concepts tied to the quarterback’s drop. Pittman is one of the best big receivers at winning fast off the line of scrimmage on in-breakers. As we’ve seen over and over again, Rodgers craves working with veteran receivers who know where they’re supposed to be and are in the right spots with the progression of a play. Pittman is a smart wideout who has a mastery level at this part of the position.
Awesome breakdown from Michael Pittman on what goes into beating zone coverage as a WR from diagnosing rotations to which defender you read first and why he felt like he was consistently on the same page as Daniel Jones. pic.twitter.com/Y2XGIR0cN0
The only concerning variable for Pittman is that he’ll turn 29 this year and has slowed down in back-to-back seasons after fast starts due to injuries.
If he’s healthy, Pittman’s game lines up better with the current version of Rodgers than Metcalf’s does as that volatile X-receiver on the outside. It wouldn’t shock me at all, despite their differences in annual salary, if Pittman catches more passes, if not straight out-produces Metcalf, if Rodgers is under center for 17 games with the Steelers. I don’t know if that’s enough for me to be excited about Pittman in fantasy, given the limitations of a Rodgers-based passing attack, but it will inform how I view these guys relative to consensus. For the Steelers, though, this is a shrewd move to get an ideal running mate to Metcalf, whose game is perfectly complementary and solves a WR2 problem that has haunted them for many seasons.
TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees manager Aaron Boone still brings up how blown away he was two springs ago when a pitching prospect who’d already been optioned was summoned in from the minor-league camp to make a start in Clearwater.
Luis Gil pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings with eight strikeouts facing a lot of Phillies regular that day. That led to the Dominican being picked to begin the season in the Yankees’ rotation as a fill-in starter instead of going to Triple-A, which led to 15 wins and American League Rookie of the Year.
Most spring training games are forgettable right away, but not that one.
The Yankees beating up on the Blue Jays 8-1 on Wednesday night was another exception.
This one won’t soon be forgotten, but not because Giancarlo Stanton clubbed his second and third homers in just his fourth game.
It also won’t be remembered for the late-game clubhouse excitement when pitching prospect Carlos Lagrange and several other young Dominicans in the clubhouse screamed in delight watching Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr., homer for the D.R. in its World Baseball Classic win over Venezuela.
Boone won’t forget this one because the two young fireballers unleashed on the Blue Jays put on a Grapefruit League show for the ages.
First, 2025 rookie sensation Cam Schlittler started and hit 99 mph, retiring 11 of 13 hitters with six strikeouts, while allowing one run on two hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Lagrange provided the encore. Touching 102 mph, the 6-foot-7 righty closed out the Jays with four no-hit innings. The Yankees’ No. 2 prospect fanned three and walked one while setting down 12 of 13 Jays.
Schlittler began with a close-to-immaculate first inning, three strikeouts on 10 pitches, then he fanned two more working a 1-2-3 second.
The stakes were a million times less, but Schlittler was just as good as he was last October when he struck out 12 Red Sox, pitching eight shutout innings in his do-or-die Game 3 Wild Card Series start.
“Those first two innings were about as dominant as you’re going to see,” Boone said. “Whether that’s spring training (or) any time of the year, you go 25 pitches, 20 strikes, five punches in the first two ...”
It also looks like everyone can forget about the righty’s minor back and lat discomfort. Schlittler didn’t throw off a mound for a few days, but he’s been fine for weeks and now has turned in two standout starts in a row, the other 2 1/3 scoreless in facing the Rays on March 6.
“I feel great,” Schlittler said. “No hiccups or anything. My last start was great as well. I definitely feel like I’m in a good spot while ramping up the intensity.”
While Schlittler has a spot in the Yankees’ rotation, Lagrange has set himself up to make his MLB debut at some point this season. In three outings, one as a starter and two piggybacking, the 22-year-old has allowed just one run over 9 2/3 innings with nine strikeouts, three walks and a hit batter.
“He kind of makes me look like an idiot a little bit (throwing so hard), but he’s great,” Schlittler jokingly said about Lagrange. “He’s got great stuff. I’ve seen him throw since (rookie ball) back in ’23 and he’s just gotten so much better and I’m hoping he’s competing for a spot at some point this season.”
The Yankees think LaGrange can be a frontline starter in the majors because he has a wipeout slider and changeup in addition to a three-digit fastball, but the quickest promotion route could be as a reliever.
“I still think you want to find out and dream on (starting) because the biggest upside you can have is to have an impactful starting pitcher,” Boone said. “But there’s no denying what we think he could be out of the ‘pen.
“We’re not going to certainly rush him for the sake of plugging a need, especially early on, I wouldn’t think. But as he logs some innings and (if the bullpen) becomes a real need at some point, I think anything’s possible.”
Feb 18, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Auburn Tigers head coach Steven Pearl reacts during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Tennessee will open its postseason this afternoon in Nashville, set to take on Steven Pearl’s Auburn Tigers, who are desperately looking for another win to lock into the NCAA Tournament. Auburn’s transition year to Steven hasn’t gone as planned, with the Tigers sitting at 17-15 overall and squarely on the bubble.
Today they run into Tennessee again, which is likely set to get star player Nate Ament back from an ankle injury. The 5-star freshman was on a tear before suffering the injury, pushing his average up to over 17 points per game. It remains to be seen if he’s anywhere close to 100 percent, however.
Ament scored 22 points in Tennessee’s win over Auburn back on February 1st, going to the free throw line 15 times. The Volunteers won that matchup 77-69.
Today, Tennessee and Auburn will fight for the right to advance to Friday, where the winner will take on Vanderbilt.
The Washington Commanders are entering into a pivotal offseason for a number of reasons.
The main one, of course, is that the 2025 season was a nightmare compared to the energizing 2024 campaign, and now it's time to seek a bounce back. But the other notable reason is this -- the Commanders have more than $87 million in cap space.
That ranks third-most in the NFL, according to Over The Cap, and it means the Commanders have a lot of decisions to make. They can potentially boost their roster at a number of major positions of need.
Some things can't be fixed in free agency, like Jayden Daniels' health. They'll just need that to go better.
But even his backup QB is a need, with Marcus Mariota hitting the open market.
The Commanders have been linked to available running backs, wide receivers and tight ends as they hope to boost the offense around Daniels and Terry McLaurin.
There's plenty of space for defensive upgrades, too. And one key spot that flies under the radar: The Commanders need a center. They released Tyler Biadasz and could look to shell out big money to add a new guy in the middle of the offensive line.
We'll keep track of everything the Commanders are up to right here.
10:45 a.m.: The Titans have signed LB Jacob Martin, who spent the 2025 season with the Commanders, according to The Athletic.
8:35 a.m.: Any team looking for a veteran defensive lineman with lots of history of success has at least two options left in free agency: Joey Bosa and Cameron Jordan.
6:45 a.m.: Over The Cap lists updated salary cap space for every team in the NFL -- although it's a moving target and hasn't necessarily accounted for every free agent signing or release yet. But for what it's worth, the Commanders have $66 million in space as the site stands at the start of Thursday. It appears that Odafe Oweh, Chig Okonkwo and Tim Settle's contracts haven't been factored in yet, but that should still leave some space.
WEDNESDAY
11:45 p.m.: As things wind down on the first day of free agency officially being open, there are still a lot of big-name free agents out there. The likes of Kyler Murray, Jauan Jennings, Stefon Diggs, Joel Bitonio, Joey Bosa, Jaquan Brisker, Dallas Goedert and more are still out there.
5:30 p.m.: It didn't take long for Chris Rodriguez to find a new home. He's going to the Jaguars.
4:55 p.m.: The Commanders are non-tendering Chris Rodriguez, according to CBS Sports, which makes him an unrestricted free agent. A bit of a surprising move with the RB.
3:15 p.m.: A busy window for the Commanders. They've signed Nick Cross to join their secondary as a safety, via NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
1:20 p.m.: A good reminder on X from NFL analyst Kevin Massare: "Apparently another reminder needed on NFL Free Agency. It doesn't END at 4pm. It STARTS then. There's a large list of players who are currently unsigned that will greatly help good football teams this year."
8:40 a.m.: It's worth noting that the Commanders release of Marshon Lattimore can become official today, which would allow him to sign elsewhere and also impacts cap space.
6:45 a.m.: It's a big day in the NFL free agent process. No deals are actually official yet. At 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT) on Wednesday, contracts can become official and players can fully join their new teams. That's when teams will start making lots of announcements on social media. This is also the day many releases can become official across the league, which could create the potential for more deals.
TUESDAY
11 p.m.: One thing worth noting is that the Commanders could have more moves coming soon because certain releases don't actually process until the league year begins on Wednesday. That'll impact available players and cap room.
7:25 p.m.: Commanders have signed Leo Chanel, the linebacker from the Chiefs, to a three-year, $24.75 million deal, according to insider Jordan Schultz.
7:20 p.m.: The Commanders are seeking another pass rusher, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, and he names Patriots' K'Lavon Chaisson as a target.
2:05 p.m.: Deebo Samuel hasn't signed with anyone new yet. There's additional information out there about his market value that's circulating as Samuel waits, and you can read about that here.
10:45 a.m.: Something to note as the free agency tampering window continues into a second day: Things will definitely be slower today. Guys that weren't signed immediately usually weren't signed immediately for a reason. Either they really are taking their time intentionally, or they don't have the interest they want. Plenty more deals will come, but they could be stretched out over the next handful of days.
7:35 a.m.: One player who is a free agent from the Commanders and hasn't signed anywhere yet but should have a decent market is offensive guard Chris Paul. It's not obvious whether Washington could still try to bring him back.
6:45 a.m.: A couple key things to note as Tuesday gets underway. Free agency operates much the same way today as it did Monday. It's still the "legal tampering" period. Deals can't be made official until Wednesday. There are still a good chunk of free agents on the board, so more news should emerge throughout the day.
MONDAY
11:30 p.m.: Washington likely still needs a center as the free agent week goes on. Keep an eye on additional WR help, too.
4:15 p.m.: A big one for the Commanders: Odafe Oweh is signing to bolster the pass rush. The former Chargers edge player is getting $100 million on a four-year contract, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
3:40 p.m.: The Commanders are bringing back Marcus Mariota. The backup QB signs a one-year contract for $7 million, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
2:20 p.m.: News that Mike Evans is leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to sign with the San Francisco 49ers is shocking. It also officially removes Washington from possibly ending up with Evans.
1:30 p.m.: The Commanders have a signing: Amik Robertson, the cornerback, is coming to town on a two-year contract, according to The Athletic.
12:40 p.m.: The Commanders have reached a two-year, $60.2 million contract extension with Laremy Tunsil, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
12:30 p.m.: A slow first half hour, with the highlights being Alec Pierce getting $116 million to return to the Colts, and Kenneth Walker signing with the Chiefs. Lots still to be done.
12 noon: The NFL's legal tampering period opens. Reports from insiders will come soon about agreed-upon signings. Nothing can be officially signed until Wednesday.
11:10 a.m.: One to watch for Washington: Mike Evans. Reports indicate he may leave the Buccaneers, and he'd make the perfect WR2 for the Commanders alongside Terry McLaurin.
10:45 a.m.: The official negotiating window opens at 12 noon on Monday, so that's when to start expecting rumors to start humming.
10:40 a.m.: It's worth noting that division rival Dallas has already been busy this morning with the trade for Packers pass rusher Rashan Gary. The Commanders have to deal with plenty of strong edge players in the NFC East.
10:30 a.m.: The negotiating window opens at 12 noon, and the Commanders have plenty to do.
Commanders free agent signings
Another defensive lineman: Charles Omenihu comes on board in free agency from the Chiefs.
Nick Cross joins to play safety for the Commanders.
The Commanders have their TE1: Chig Okonkwo from the Titans.
Another addition to the pass rush with K'Lavon Chaisson from the Patriots.
The Commanders add a solid off-ball linebacker, Leo Chanel, from the Chiefs on a three-year contract.
Tim Settle is another D-line addition, where he'll play on the interior on a three-year deal.
Odafe Oweh is the highlight of Monday, a $100 million signing over four years from the Chargers to get after the QB.
A smart and necessary move: The Commanders are bringing back Marcus Mariota to back up Jayden Daniels again.
The Commanders get a new face with the signing of CB Amik Robertson to a two-year deal.
Not a signing, per se, but the Commanders have reached a two-year contract extension with Laremy Tunsil worth $30 million per year.
Commanders free agent losses
C Tyler Biadasz (released March 3)
CB Marshon Lattimore (released March 6)
RB Chris Rodriguez departs for the Jaguars after being non-tendered by the Commanders.
Eintracht Frankfurt have won 35 points to date and are placed in 7th position. Last time out, Albert Riera's team drew 0-0 against FC St. Pauli (1. Bundesliga 2025/26).
1. FC Heidenheim 1846 have picked up 14 points and currently lie in 18th position. In their last game, Frank Schmidt's team lost 2-4 against TSG Hoffenheim (1. Bundesliga 2025/26).
The last meeting between the two teams ended in a 1-1 draw.
Frank Schmidt has faced Eintracht Frankfurt on six occasions, recording one draw and five defeats.
TEAMS
Away from home, 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 currently has one draw in the last 13 games.
Away from home, 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 currently has one win in the last 12 games.
Away from home, 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 comes from 12 consecutive games conceding goals.
Away from home, 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 comes from six consecutive games without a win.
Away from home, 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 comes from three consecutive defeats.
1. FC Heidenheim 1846 currently has one win in the last 13 games.
1. FC Heidenheim 1846 comes from 26 consecutive games conceding goals.
1. FC Heidenheim 1846 comes from 12 consecutive games without a win.
1. FC Heidenheim 1846 comes from two consecutive defeats.
At home, Eintracht Frankfurt comes from three consecutive games scoring goals.
At home, Eintracht Frankfurt comes from two consecutive games without losing.
At home, Eintracht Frankfurt comes from two consecutive victories.
Eintracht Frankfurt currently has one defeat in the last five games.
Eintracht Frankfurt currently has two wins in the last 13 games.
Eintracht Frankfurt comes from two consecutive games without losing.
HEAD TO HEAD
Eintracht Frankfurt and 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 have faced each other six times, with Eintracht Frankfurt having the advantage: five wins, while 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 has never won.
At Deutsche Bank Park, Eintracht Frankfurt has an advantage in the clashes against 1. FC Heidenheim 1846: two wins in two games.
In the German League, five matches were held between the two teams, with four victories for Eintracht Frankfurt and one draw.
David Villa returns to Atlético Madrid in new role
Twelve years after leaving Atlético de Madrid, Spanish international David Villa is returning to the club, this time to join the new Board of Directors.
"I am very happy to be able to return to the club with new responsibilities, but with the same desire to continue helping to make Atlético de Madrid greater, season after season," Villa said on his new role.
"The club has experienced significant growth over the past few years and I hope to contribute to our continued success. I am very grateful to have been considered for this position."
Enrique Cerezo, president of Atleti, welcomed Villa: "This has always been his home. We are very pleased that he has accepted this challenge and I am convinced that with his vast experience, he will help make Atlético de Madrid even stronger."
The highest scorer in the history of the Spanish national team thus returns to the club where he reached the final of the UEFA Champions League in the 2013/14 season and where he won another La Liga medal. In that season, he played in 47 matches, scoring 15 goals and adding four assists.
The NHL has announced a modification to the Ottawa Senators’ penalty for its role in the 2021 trade of Evgenii Dadonov to the Vegas Golden Knights and the voided trade in 2022 between the Golden Knights and the Anaheim Ducks.
Initially, the Senators were forced to give up one of their first-round picks in 2024, 2025, or 2026. All signs pointed to the Senators losing their 2026 pick, but they had been lobbying to the NHL behind the scenes to change the penalty, as the issue arose under former ownership and management.
The modification to the penalty is that the Senators will retain their first-round pick this year, but will automatically make the 32nd selection regardless of their NHL standings position. The team will also pay a $1 million penalty to the NHL Foundation Canada.
As a result, every team slated to select behind the Senators will move up one spot, meaning the Stanley Cup champions will make the 31st overall selection. Should the Senators miss the playoffs and fall into the draft lottery, their odds will remain consistent with their actual finish, but they cannot win the lottery. Should they win, it will result in a re-draw.
In their press release, the NHL states that they will offer no further comment on the matter. Ottawa Senators owner Michael Andlauer did have a comment.
“We fully accept the modified sanctions the League has imposed today. We are grateful for the League and commissioner keeping an open mind on this issue and modifying the penalty,” said Andlauer. “The Senators organization is appreciative the fine money will be directed to the NHL Foundation Canada, to help grow the sport in our country. We consider this matter closed and will have no further comments on the situation.”
The issue with the Dadonov trade was that he had a 10-team no-trade clause that the Senators did not inform the Golden Knights about, so when the Golden Knights attempted to trade Dadonov to the Ducks, the deal was voided.
One country will count on Boston Red Sox players continuing their World Baseball Classic domination in the knockout stage.
Venezuela manager Omar López announced that Ranger Suarez will start Friday's quarterfinal matchup against Japan, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. The Yakyu Cosmopolitan reported that Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto is expected to start for Japan.
Suarez started Venezuela's first WBC game, allowing one run over two innings in a 6-2 victory over the Netherlands. Venezuela then defeated Nicaragua and Israel before dropping a 7-5 loss to the Dominican Republic on Wednesday.
The 30-year-old southpaw began the WBC with a heftier bank account after joining the Red Sox on a five-year, $130 million deal. Suarez recorded a 3.20 ERA and 151 strikeouts in 157 1/3 innings with the Philadelphia Phillies last season.
Boston's new addition will face a steep test against a Japanese lineup led by MVP phenom Shohei Ohtani and Chicago Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki. Suarez will also get a first glimpse of new American League corner infielders Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto, who signed with the Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jays this offseason, respectively.
Yet a new teammate was Japan's hottest hitter in pool play. Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida made his case for playing time away from the club by going 6-for-12 with two home runs in four games, all Japan wins.
The WBC quarterfinal matchup between Venezuela and Japan starts Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on Fox. The winner advances to play Puerto Rico or Italy in the semifinals on Monday night.
Five-star defensive lineman Jalen Brewster's recent visit to Gainesville indicates that the Florida football program may once again be taking steps to realign itself with the elite of collegiate sport. When the nation's No. 1 recruit journeys to your campus, it says something distinct about the trajectory of your program.
Brewster is a 6-foot-3-inch, 300-pound defensive lineman from Cedar Hill, Texas. The senior is broadly regarded as the nation's best interior defender and top overall player in the 2027 recruiting class. Alabama and Miami are among the programs that have expressed interest in the Texas Tech commit.
Securing a visit from a prospect of this stature carries weight. Recruits of Brewster's caliber rarely take time to visit campuses where they do not see well-founded potential. Hosting top-tier talent such as Brewster and four-star offensive tackle Timi Aliu gives Florida a chance to put its new culture on display — facilities and plans for development also excite would-be commits, both aspects of the program that Sumrall and his staff are passionate about selling.
The message that's being echoed around college football: Florida intends to recruit at the highest level again under Sumrall. The last time the Gators signed a No. 1 recruit was in 2010 when Ronald Powell joined the Orange and Blue as a top linebacker. The nearly 16-year gap shows how rare these opportunities.
There is no guarantee Florida gets Brewster to flip; however, being in the conversation reveals a renewed momentum under this leadership. An energy that could shape the future of Gators football for the next decade.
Jalen Brewster recruiting summary
Brewster is ranked No. 1 overall and No. 1 at his position nationally according to 247Sports composite. The On3 industry rankingalso has Brewster at No. 1. He has garnered 40 offers, including 10 SEC programs. Brewster committed to Texas Tech in October of last year.
Follow us@GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well asBluesky, and like our page onFacebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
The Boston Red Sox acquired outfielder Braiden Ward in a trade with the Colorado Rockies in November.
Now, with an opportunity for more playing time during spring training while fellow outfielders like Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony and Wilyer Abreu compete at the World Baseball Classic, Ward has made quite an impression.
Ward has not only played in 15 of Boston's first 17 spring training games, but the 27-year-old is making MLB history as well.
Ward -- a non-roster invitee -- recorded his 16th steal during Grapefruit League play this spring on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers.
Mac Cerullo of The Boston Herald noted Thursday morning that Ward's total has tied a 20-year-old record, and he's got a great chance to break the mark.
"According to FanGraphs, Ward’s 16 thefts is tied for the most by any player in a single spring since 2006, matching San Francisco’s Eugenio Velez’s total from 2008 with two weeks of games still to play," Cerullo wrote.
The Boston Herald's Gabrielle Starr wrote Tuesday that the most steals by a Red Sox player over a 16-game stretch in the regular season is 18 (in 19 attempts) by Jacoby Ellsbury from May 24 to June 15, 2013.
Cerullo wrote that Ward "faces long odds" to crack the Red Sox's Opening Day roster, but "it’s not hard to imagine" the former 16th-round pick being called up to Boston at some point this season "as a late-inning pinch runner down the stretch."
"But Cora often says it takes more than 26 guys to win a championship, and if this spring has been any indication Ward will have a good chance to make his MLB debut and contribute at some point down the road," Cerullo wrote.
Ward will have a chance to break the 20-year-old spring training stolen base record on Thursday, as he's starting in right field and batting eighth in the Red Sox's lineup against the Minnesota Twins.
The Philadelphia Phillies have a lot of promise heading into the 2026 MLB season. While there are some concerns about Zach Wheeler and Bryce Harper, the team should be able to contend for a World Series.
However, the roster is going to look a bit different this season. Justin Crawford is likely the starting center fielder, while Andrew Painter likely takes a starting rotation role. That leaves Aidan Miller as the only top-3 prospect in the Phillies organization without a role for Opening Day.
But, according to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia, the Phillies have made a final roster decision on Miller for Opening Day. With Miller still dealing with a back issue, he's not made the Opening Day roster and has been sent to minor league camp instead.
Aidan Miller won't be on Phillies Opening Day roster
"Phillies top prospect, Aidan Miller, has been sent to the minor league camp," Clark reports.
This is not a complete surprise, especially since Miller didn't get in any action during Spring Training due to a back issue that's lingered since last season.
While there is some concern about Miller's back, the chances, even without the injury, that he would make the Opening Day roster were slim.
Alec Bohm was likely to win the third baseman job, while Trea Turner and Bryson Stott weren't likely to go anywhere this offseason. And Miller wouldn't just sit on the bench.
So, the news that the Phillies are sending Miller to minor league camp, along with Andrew Bechtold, Michael Mercado, Kehden Hettiger, Mark Kolozsvary, and Caleb Ricketts.
Miller is a top prospect in all of baseball and had some incredible flashes last season in the minor leagues. The 21-year-old had 59 stolen bases with an. 825 OPS and 14 home runs in 116 games between Double-A and Triple-A.
While there's plenty of promise with Miller, the Phillies and the young prospect will have to wait for a little while longer before he makes his MLB debut.
There is panic, or least bewilderment, in the New York Giants fan base! The Giants’ idea of helping the interior of their offensive has thus far been to RE-SIGN EVAN NEAL! The Giants still have not added any interior defensive line talent to help Dexter Lawrence.
Didn’t new head coach John Harbaugh say that building the trenches was the most important step toward challenging the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East? WHAT IS HARBAUGH DOING?
The view here is that everybody, including members of the Big Blue View staff, needs to calm down. It is March 12. The regular season is six months away. The NFL Draft is six weeks away. A lot can, and will, happen before the Giants line up for a game that matters.
We looked on Tuesday, shortly before the Neal signing was reported, at how the Giants could still address their guard situation in the second wave of free agency and the draft. Those ideas all still have validity. The Giants’ right guard depth chart is currently Neal and Jake Kubas. It won’t look like that in a couple of months.
Today, let’s turn our attention to what the Giants can do in the second wave of free agency and the draft to fortify their defensive line.
The current situation
The Giants have Lawrence, Roy Robertson-Harris and Darius Alexander as the likely starters in a three-man front. Elijah Chatman, DeMarvin Leal, and Marion Tuipolotu are the other defensive linemen on the roster. Chauncey Golston also spends time on the defensive line.
Rakeem Nunez-Roches and D.J. Davidson are unrestricted free agents.
Free agency
Why haven’t the Giants added a defensive lineman yet in free agency? Go to at the free agency tracker on Over The Cap and click on the IDL tab. There are roughly 50 unrestricted free agent defensive tackle on the market, many of them still good players. Wait out the market, let the asking prices continue to come down. Find a bargain or two.
There is no reason to rush. No reason to overpay. The Giants are not awash in salary cap space. Over The Cap shows them with roughly $12 million in cap space as of Thursday morning, with many of the players they signed this week not yet figured in to that amount.
There are still moves to be made to increase the cap space, but the Giants do need to be conscious of their budget going forward.
Here are three players they could target:
Sebastian Joseph-Day — Joseph-Day might be the most obvious target. The seven-year veteran spent the last two seasons playing for now-Giants defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson with the Tennessee Titans.
The Athletic ranked Joseph-Day No. 123 on its list of the top 150 free agents, and said:
Joseph-Day is a run-stuffing nose tackle. He has quietly performed well in Tennessee over the past two seasons after he was waived by the Chargers at the back end of a big free-agent contract. Joseph-Day finished fourth in stop rate among interior defensive linemen with at least 150 run snaps. He ranked in the top 20 in combined run tackles that went for a loss or no gain. Joseph-Day added 19 pressures as a pass rusher.
For me, the 31-year-old former Rutgers Scarlet Knight would first choice. Don’t the Giants need to add a Titans player or two?
Dalvin Tomlinson — How about a reunion with the Giants’ 2017 second-round pick? The 32-year-old has long been an excellent run defender, but judging by Pro Football Focus scores (which is not always the best way) Tomlinson has had two down years in the past three. There might not be a lot of gas left in the tank.
Calais Campbell — He is 39 years old and has been playing for 18 seasons, but Campbell is still an excellent player. Pro Football and Sports Network ranked Campbell the No. 22 interior defensive lineman in the NFL last season using its ‘Impact Score.’ Campbell played for Harbaugh with the Ravens from 2020-2022
Others suggested by BBV staff members include Shelby Harris, Da’Quan Jones, D.J. Reader, and Greg Gaines
Here is the full list of available defensive tackles. Cross off one-time Giant A’Shawn Robinson, who signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Robinson would have been a nice fit. Also cross off Javon Hargrave, who is joining the Green Bay Packers.
With the Giants picking at No. 5, they should not be expected to select a defensive tackle. Peter Woods of Clemson is NMDD’s 19th-ranked player, and Caleb Banks of Florida is No. 23. Unless the Giants trade well back in Round 1 or one of those two falls to No. 37 in Round 2 they won’t be in play for New York.
Players who might be in range for the Giants at No. 37:
If he is available at No. 105, or if the Giants finagle a deal and land a third-round pick, I am partial to the idea of selecting Orange if the pick is a defensive tackle. The Giants have gotten gashed by the run when Lawrence has been off the field the past couple of years. Orange is a 6-foot-4, 325-pound double-team eating nose tackle who might be able to help that.
NMDD says:
Orange’s true strength lies in his run defense, where he excels at disrupting zone runs and generating tackles for loss. His football IQ and quick recognition of blocking schemes allow him to hold the point of attack against top-tier competition in the Big 12. While he may not be a high-ceiling prospect, Orange’s high floor and dependability make him a valuable asset for any defensive line room, projecting as a late day 2 or early day 3 pick in the NFL Draft.
No one enters this offseason with more money to spend than the Las Vegas Raiders.
Free agency week has arrived, and it's safe to expect the Raiders to pursue all sorts of available free agents to join a roster that needs plenty of reshaping. They've also got the No. 1 overall pick next month, which is expected to be used on Fernando Mendoza, the QB from Indiana.
Of course, the Raiders didn't wait until free agency to get their offseason rolling. They've already traded away Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for a pair of first-round picks. (An update: That deal has been backed out of by the Ravens as of Tuesday night.)
That expanded what was already a lot of open cap space even wider, and now the free agent world is their oyster.
There are certain spots the Raiders don't need upgrades. QB is one, with Mendoza incoming. RB is another, after drafting Ashton Jeanty last year. And TE fits that mold, too, with young star Brock Bowers.
Almost everywhere else, the Raiders can improve. That'll make the ongoing free agency particularly fascinating.
It'll definitely make sense to make moves at wide receiver, to give Mendoza the best chance of success.
We'll be keeping track of all the happenings for the Raiders right here.
8:35 a.m.: Any team looking for a veteran defensive lineman with lots of history of success has at least two options left in free agency: Joey Bosa and Cameron Jordan.
6:45 a.m.: Over The Cap lists updated salary cap space for every team in the NFL -- although it's a moving target and hasn't necessarily accounted for every free agent signing or release yet. But for what it's worth, the Raiders have $37 million in space as the site stands at the start of Thursday. It seems Quay Walker and Eric Stokes' contracts still need to be accounted for.
WEDNESDAY
11:45 p.m.: As things wind down on the first day of free agency officially being open, there are still a lot of big-name free agents out there. The likes of Kyler Murray, Jauan Jennings, Stefon Diggs, Joel Bitonio, Joey Bosa, Jaquan Brisker, Dallas Goedert and more are still out there.
10:40 p.m.: No movement on QB or Crosby the rest of the day, it appears.
5:05 p.m.: There hasn't been much new on Maxx Crosby during the day, aside from a bunch of reports indicating he'd like to stay focused on the Raiders for now. That's solid news for Vegas fans hoping to keep him.
1:20 p.m.: A good reminder on X from NFL analyst Kevin Massare: "Apparently another reminder needed on NFL Free Agency. It doesn't END at 4pm. It STARTS then. There's a large list of players who are currently unsigned that will greatly help good football teams this year."
8:40 a.m.: A follow-up on the Maxx Crosby trade and the Ravens -- they appear to be pursuing Trey Hendrickson now, which would add an odd flavor to their choice to pull out of the Crosby deal.
6:45 a.m.: It's a big day in the NFL free agent process. No deals are actually official yet. At 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT) on Wednesday, contracts can become official and players can fully join their new teams. That's when teams will start making lots of announcements on social media. This is also the day many releases can become official across the league, which could create the potential for more deals.
9:55 p.m.: One thing worth noting is that the Raiders could have more moves coming soon because certain releases don't actually process until the league year begins on Wednesday. That'll impact available players and cap room.
4:50 p.m.: The Raiders are expected "to explore veteran QBs who could be potential stopgap starters," according to The Athletic's Michael Silver, who adds that Mac Jones won't be the guy they end up with.
2:15 p.m.: The Raiders have traded Geno Smith away to the New York Jets, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Vegas gets a sixth-round pick while also sending a seventh-rounder to the Jets.
1:50 p.m.: SI's Albert Breer broke down one reason Tyler Linderbaum was a key signing for Vegas: "The role of the center in helping to run the presnap operation is massive in new head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense. The scheme also values athletic linemen who can move on zone runs. Linderbaum’s a perfect fit on both counts, and his football IQ should help ease the transition of presumptive first pick Fernando Mendoza to the pros."
10:45 a.m.: Something to note as the free agency tampering window continues into a second day: Things will definitely be slower today. Guys that weren't signed immediately usually weren't signed immediately for a reason. Either they really are taking their time intentionally, or they don't have the interest they want. Plenty more deals will come, but they could be stretched out over the next handful of days.
9:45 a.m.: ESPN shared the stat that the Raiders dished out $283.5 million worth of contracts on Monday.
8:35 a.m.: Vegas may stay busy again on Tuesday after adding a handful of players on day one.
7:55 a.m.: The Raiders made two contract tender moves, via Over The Cap: "Raiders applied the original round RFA tender to Thomas Booker IV. Standard RFA tender for Jordan Meredith."
6:45 a.m.: A couple key things to note as Tuesday gets underway. Free agency operates much the same way today as it did Monday. It's still the "legal tampering" period. Deals can't be made official until Wednesday. There are still a good chunk of free agents on the board, so more news should emerge throughout the day.
MONDAY
11:30 p.m.: The Raiders had a very full first day of action. There are still likely more moves to come, too.
10:30 p.m.: One signing that flew past earlier: Malcolm Koonce is joining the Raiders' defense for another year, re-signing on a one-year deal, per Jordan Schultz.
6:02 p.m.: Linebacker Quay Walker joins almost immediately after Dean, leaving the Packers to come to Vegas, via Ian Rapoport.
6:01 p.m.: The Raiders get linebacker Nakobe Dean from the Eagles on a three-year contract, per Adam Schefter.
4:38 p.m.: The Raiders sign Kwity Paye to a three-year contract worth $48 million to add the pass rusher from the Colts, per Adam Schefter.
4:27 p.m.: After a few big moves, the Raiders quieted down. There's still plenty more to be done, and lots of names still available to be signed.
2:20 p.m.: News that Mike Evans is leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to sign with the San Francisco 49ers is shocking. It also officially removes Vegas from possibly ending up with Evans.
2:15 p.m.: The Raiders strike again. They sign WR Jalen Nailor from the Vikings for three years and $35 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
1:46 p.m.: The Raiders have made a splash. It's a three-year, $81 million deal with center Tyler Linderbaum from the Ravens that makes him the highest-paid interior offensive lineman in NFL history. Deal reported by Adam Schefter.
12:10 p.m.: The Raiders are keeping Eric Stokes. It's a three-year, $30 million deal to keep the former first-round in Vegas, per Ian Rapoport.
12 noon: The NFL's legal tampering period opens. Reports from insiders will come soon about agreed-upon signings. Nothing can be officially signed until Wednesday.
11:10 a.m.: Mike Evans reportedly is considering leaving Tampa Bay. He'd be an awesome target for Fernando Mendoza, if Evans was willing to take the risk to come play with a rookie QB.
10:50 a.m.: The negotiating window opens at 12 noon ET, which is 9 a.m. PT. That's when to expect rumors to start coming in quickly.
Raiders free agent signings
In the evening, Matthew Gay signs to be the Raiders' new kicker.
The Raiders re-signed Malcolm Koonce to a one-year deal.
Moments later, Quay Walker joins the mix as another linebacker, him from the Packers.
Another defensive upgrade: Nakobe Dean into the linebacker room from the Eagles.
Kwity Paye joins to bolster the pass rush from Indy.
Jalen Nailor joins the receiver corps. He was a great slot guy in Minnesota who was overshadowed by Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
The Raiders have a center for their presumed new QB. Tyler Linderbaum from the Ravens agrees for three years and a whopping $81 million.
Eric Stokes is staying in Vegas. He got a reported three years and $30 million. The deal can't be finalized until Wednesday.
Raiders free agent losses
The Raiders traded Geno Smith away to the New York Jets on Tuesday.
While not a signing elsewhere, the trade of Maxx Crosby over the weekend leading into free agency could be a franchise-defining one for both the Raiders and Ravens. (Update: The Ravens pulled out of this deal. It's not clear what happens next).
Kenny Pickett signs with the Panthers, departing Vegas after they traded midseason to get him from the Browns.
Lonnie Johnson Jr. has signed with the Dolphins to play in their secondary.
Dylan Parham leaves for the Jets to play on New York's offensive line.
NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL has decided not to make the Ottawa Senators forfeit a first-round draft pick for their role in a 2021 trade that was later nullified.
The Senators instead will get the 32nd and final pick in the first round after the league decided their change of ownership affected what the appropriate punishment should be. The team will also pay a fine of 1 million Canadian dollars, roughly $735,000, to NHL Foundation Canada.
If Ottawa misses the playoffs and happens to win the draft lottery for one of the first two picks, it will result in a re-draw. After announcing the alteration Thursday, the NHL said it will have no further comment on the matter.
The decision was initially levied on Nov. 1, 2023, that the Senators would forfeit a first-rounder in 2024, ‘25 or ’26. New owner Michael Andlauer fired then-general manager Pierre Dorion that day and named Steve Staois as the replacement for that role.
The Senators traded forward Evgenii Dadonov to Vegas in July 2021 and failed to supply the Golden Knights with the player’s 10-team no-trade list. Vegas attempted to send Dadonov to the Anaheim Ducks in March 2022 before the move was nixed by NHL Central Registry because he had not waived his no-trade clause.
There is precedent to the NHL reducing punishment after the fact. The New Jersey Devils in 2010 were docked a first- and a third-round pick and fined $3 million for a contract with Ilya Kovalchuk that was rejected. They instead were, like Ottawa, forced to the end of the first round in 2014.
Some NBA all-time scoring records are driven by longevity, such as LeBron James' leading all-time points total. Others are about single-game performance — Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game remains the gold standard, with the Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo now surprisingly in second place after an 83-point outing in March 2026.
When it comes to nightly consistency across the grind of the NBA's regular-season schedule, arguably no record is more telling than an elite scorer's ability to drop 20-plus points on a consistent basis. With 20 points often being considered the benchmark of a good vs. great scorer, some players reach that mark far more often than others, health also permitting.
As of March 2026, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, an MVP and Finals MVP, has made headlines as he's challenged an NBA legend's record for most consecutive 20-point games.
Here's everything to know about the longest 20-point game streaks in NBA history, where Gilgeous-Alexander ranks and more.
Plenty of all-time legends grace the top of the list for most consecutive 20-point games in NBA history.
There have been 12 occasions of a player putting up 20 points in at least 60 consecutive games, accomplished by eight different players. Wilt Chamberlain had three separate streaks of at least 60 games where he scored 20-plus points, while Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar both had two.
Who has the longest 20-point streak in NBA history?
As of March 11, 2026, there is a tie for the longest 20-point streak in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain has long owned the record at 126 consecutive 20-point games — but during the 2025-26 season, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied that record and will have a chance to surpass it on Thursday, March 12 against the Boston Celtics.
Chamberlain's record of 126-straight 20-point games lasted from Oct. 19, 1961 until around the midway point of the following NBA regular season, broken on Jan. 19, 1963. That, of course, wasn't the only long 20-point streak of Chamberlain's illustrious career — for decades, he also held the No. 2 spot on the all-time list of 20-point streaks, going for 92 in a row from February 1963 until March 1964. Chamberlain also had a 20-point streak of 62 games from February 1960 until January 1961.
It wasn't until the 2025-26 NBA season that Chamberlain's all-time record was being seriously challenged. In the decades prior, the closest a player had gotten to 126-straight 20-point games was 79 by Oscar Robertson, lasting from October 1963 to October 1964, along with 72 games in a row, accomplished by both Kevin Durant (between Thunder and Warriors) from November 2015 to November 2016, and Michael Jordan (Bulls) from December 1987 to December 1988.
However, it was Gilgeous-Alexander who tied Chamberlain's record on March 9, 2026. By putting up 35 points against the Denver Nuggets, Gilgeous-Alexander notched consecutive 20-point game No. 126, putting him alongside Chamberlain — also with a chance to break the record in his next game.
Here's what to know about Gilgeous-Alexander's bid for NBA history with his 20-point streak.
How did Wilt Chamberlain set the record?
Chamberlain's record of 126-straight 20-point games lasted from Oct. 19, 1961 until Jan. 19, 1963, the equivalent of around one-and-a-half full NBA seasons.
The legendary center's streak began with a 48-point outing against the Lakers in a loss, and the final leg of the streak was a 35-point game against the St. Louis Hawks in a loss.
Chamberlain's streak ended at 126 games when he played just four minutes against the Hawks on the following day: Jan. 20, 1963. He scored at least 20 points every game of the 1961-62 season for the Philadelphia Warriors — a run that also included his famous 100-point game in 1962.
SGA ties Wilt Chamberlain
On March 9, 2026, there was finally a player to match Chamberlain's all-time run of 20-point games. Gilgeous-Alexander put up 35 points against the Nuggets — including a game-winning 3-pointer — for consecutive 20-point game No. 126.
“It’s still a lot to even wrap my head around it,” Gilgeous-Alexander said postgame, per NBA.com. “To be honest with you, I try not to even think about it, especially during the season. So much is going on. So many things have to go right.”
HISTORIC NIGHT FOR SGA 🤯
35 PTS 9 REB 15 AST (career-high) 0 TO
🏆 Ties Wilt Chamberlain for the longest 20+ point streak in NBA history (126 straight games)
Over Gilgeous-Alexander's run, he's had five games of at least 50 points, including a career-high 55 points against the Indiana Pacers.
His streak began on Nov. 1, 2024, when he put up 30 points in a Thunder win over the Portland Trail Blazers. It followed an 18-point game against the Spurs for Gilgeous-Alexander, which would be the last time he was held under 20 points for well-over a year.
Chamberlain's consecutive 20-point games record is one of many NBA's all-time marks for the former center. He holds plenty of scoring, rebounding and all-around durability records, some of which are considered potentially unbreakable.
Here are some of the other NBA regular-season records held by Chamberlain:
Scoring
Most points per game in a season (50.4 in 1961-62); only player to average at least 40 points per game
Most total points in a season (4,029 in 1961–62)
Single-game scoring record (100 points on Mar. 2, 1962)
Most points scored in a half (59 vs. Knicks during 100-point game)
Most 50-point games in a season (45 in 1961-62)
Most 40-point games in a season (63 in 1961-62)
Most consecutive seasons leading NBA in PPG (tied with seven)
Career regular-season 60-point games (32)
Career regular-season 50-point games (118)
Career regular-season 40-point games (271)
Consecutive 60-point games (four during 1961-62 season)
Consecutive 50-point games (seven during 1961-62 season)
Consecutive 40-point games (14 during 1961-62 season)
Consecutive 30-point games (65 during 1961-62 season)
Consecutive 20-point games (126 during 1961-62 and 1962-63 seasons)
Highest PPG by a rookie (37.6 in 1959-60)
Single-game rookie scoring record (58 on Jan. 25, 1960, and Feb. 21, 1960)
Single-game points in NBA debut (43 on Oct. 24, 1959)
Quickest by games to following marks: 15,000 points (358), 20,000 points (499), 25,000 points (691), 30,000 points (941)
Most FGM in a season (1,597 in 1961–62)
Most FGA in a season (3,159 in 1961–62)
Single-game FGM record (36 on Mar. 2, 1962)
Single-game FGA record (63 on Mar. 2, 1962)
Most FTA in a season (1,363 in 1961–62)
Rebounding
Most career rebounds (23,924)
Highest career average in RPG (22.9)
Most seasons leading the league in rebounds (11)
Most seasons with 1,000 or more rebounds (13)
Highest RPG in a season (27.2)
Total rebounds in a season (2,149 in 1960–1961)
Single-game rebounds (55 on Nov. 24, 1960)
Most RPG by a rookie in a season (27.0)
Most rebounds by a rookie in a season (1,941)
Most rebounds by a rookie in a game (45 on Feb. 6, 1960)
Others
Most career double-doubles (968)
Most consecutive double-doubles (227 from 1964-67)
Only player in NBA history to lead the league in points and rebounds the same season (accomplished six times)
Only player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists the same season (1967-68 season)
Only player in NBA history to lead the league in points, assists, and rebounds in any season
One of two players in NBA history to record a 20/20/20 game (Feb. 2, 1968)
Only player in NBA history to record a 40/40 game (eight times)
Most 30-30 games (points and rebounds) ever (124)
Most seasons leading NBA in minutes played (8)
Most consecutive seasons leading NBA in minutes played (5)
Most career minutes played per game (45.8)
Most minutes played in a season (3,882 in 1961–62)
Most minutes played per game for a season (48.53 in 1961–62)
Most complete games in a season (79 out of 80 games in 1961–62)
Most consecutive complete games in a season (47 in 1961–62)
Most consecutive seasons leading NBA in field goal percentage (5)
Most consecutive field goals (35 from February 17–28, 1967)
Most field goals in a game without a miss (18 on Feb. 24, 1967)
LeBron James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, also holds the mark for most career 20-plus point games, per StatMuse, with 1,315 in his career as of March 11, 2026. James surpassed Karl Malone, who had 1,134 career games with at least 20 points.
Here is the leaderboard for all-time 20-point games:
No, they're not the team that traded for Maxx Crosby, only to back out due to a failed physical. That's the Baltimore Ravens, who decided they couldn't go through with the deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Dolphins, though, have been here before.
They were involved in what turned out to be the most famous failed physical in NFL history.
It was 2006 free agency, and Drew Brees was available. Miami had the QB from the Chargers ready to sign a contract.
Then in his physical, the Dolphins deemed that Brees' right shoulder was too likely not to return to full strength. They backed out of the agreement.
Miami instead signed Daunte Culpepper to play for Nick Saban.
Brees joined the New Orleans Saints, won a Super Bowl and became a Hall of Famer and one of the best QBs in NFL history.
Not to rub it in, Dolphins fans, but that really didn't work out.
Think of all the domino effects at play, too. Saban ended up failing with the Dolphins and went to Alabama to win a bunch of national titles. And obviously there is quite the coaching and player tree coming out of Saban's time with the Crimson Tide.
The Raiders would certainly take the Saints' side of that outcome. If Crosby leads them to a Super Bowl and becomes a Hall of Famer, all of this would be a fun thing for Vegas fans to look back on.
And if that happens, the Ravens might not recall it as fondly.
The Broncos have announced Sean Payton's full coaching staff for the 2026 season.
The most significant change comes at offensive coordinator. Davis Webb is moving up from quarterbacks coach and Payton is handing the offensive play-calling duties to him as well. The rest of the offensive staff includes offensive run game coordinator/assistant head coach Zach Strief, pass game coordinator John Morton, offensive line coach Chris Morgan, running backs coach Lou Ayeni, wide receivers coach Ronald Curry, tight ends coach Austin King, quarterbacks coach Logan Kilgore, and director of game management/assistant quarterbacks coach Evan Rothstein. Kyle Kempt, JD Johnson, and Willie Snead will all be quality control coaches.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will oversee a group that includes senior defensive assistant Joe Vitt, pass game coordinator Robert Livingston, defensive line coach Jamar Cain, defensive backs coach Doug Belk, inside linebackers coach Jeff Schmedding, and outside linebackers coach Isaac Shewmaker. Brian Niedermeyer and Todd Davis are the quality control coaches on that side of the ball.
Special teams coordinator/assistant head coach Darren Rizzi, assistant special teams coach Marwan Maalouf, special teams quality control coach Zach Line, and assistant to the head coach Paul Kelly make up the rest of the staff.
In the crowded forest of sports media—where talking heads build tidy little houses of straw narratives and stick-thin hot takes—there prowls a figure with a grin sharp enough to make the room uneasy. Call him the “Big Bad Wolf” if you want. Because when Marcellus Wiley shows up, the wind starts blowing. And those houses? They’d better be built strong.
With a booming voice, a philosopher’s curiosity, and a signature toothy smile, Wiley has made a habit of huffing and puffing at the foundations of sports commentary. He questions narratives. He calls out hypocrisy. And he has never shied away from the occasional verbal tango, whether it’s stepping into disputes involving Michelle Beadle and Stephen A. Smith, face-offs with Ryan Clark and D.L. Hughley, or even acknowledging a lack of camaraderie with former colleagues. Accountability, after all, runs both ways in Wiley’s world.
Long before the media spotlight, Wiley’s story began in Compton, California, a place where the blocks could shape you as much as the books. His late mother, a striking 6’1 presence, towered over him until his college years, though athletics never defined his parents’ lives. Survival did. During a phone call with VIBE, Wiley reflects on the grounding they provided and the protection he received from his older sister—his self-described “source of strength” and “GPS” in life. “She protected me,” he recalls. “She won so many fights for me and against other people. She just didn’t play.”
In a neighborhood divided by gang lines and cultural currents, Wiley’s mind wandered beyond the block. He absorbed the soundtrack of the city—artists like N.W.A., Ice‑T, and DJ Quik—who turned Compton’s reality into global testimony. Yet Wiley’s own path would zig where many expected a zag. Instead of a traditional football factory, he chose Columbia University, determined to prove that a big kid from the West Coast could be as formidable in the classroom as on the field.
A close up of Marcellus Wiley #75 of the San Diego Chargers as he looks on from the bench during the game against the Denver Broncos at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chargers defeated the Broncos 27-10.Donald Miralle /Allsport
Betting on himself worked. Wiley carved out a solid career in the National Football League, playing with the Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers, and Jacksonville Jaguars before transitioning seamlessly into sports media. His voice became a staple on ESPN, and later Fox Sports, where he appeared on the debate-driven shows SportsNation and Speak for Yourself and built a reputation as a thoughtful counterpuncher in an industry fueled by hot takes.
But Wiley’s newest den isn’t a studio—it’s the digital frontier. On his YouTube channel, his fan-favorite Hydration Situation segment mixes commentary, storytelling, and straight talk with the same fearless tone that made him a television mainstay. It’s a natural extension of the philosophy he jokingly calls Never Shut Up University—a lifelong commitment to curiosity, conversation, and saying the quiet parts out loud.
Still, the wolf isn’t just blowing down narratives. Off-camera, Wiley channels his energy into community initiatives such as Project Transition, mentoring and supporting youth in Los Angeles and beyond.
So when Marcellus Wiley strolls into the conversation—gap-toothed grin gleaming—you can almost hear the warning echo through the forest: build your arguments wisely. Because this particular wolf doesn’t just howl. He investigates, interrogates, and, when necessary, blows the whole house down.
During our sit-down, Wiley speaks about navigating the media’s evolving landscape and dismantling narratives about identity, tribalism, and what it truly means to be Black in America.
You grew up in Compton, L.A. Which section of that area are you from?
I was born at Dominguez Valley Hospital and raised to like age 6 in Compton with my grandmother. My mother had kids young, so she stayed at home with her mother. She has a duplex out there that my sister now owns since my grandmother has passed away. From there, we moved to greener pastures. We moved to the west side.
We moved to Slauson and Edgemar, like a few blocks from Compton High School. And then we moved over there in Rollin’ 60s’ hood, right off Slauson. Every weekend, I was playing sports or at my grandmother’s house, and that was just life. I didn’t think I grew up in Beirut or some third-world country.
It wasn’t anything to say you’re from Compton. Compton used to be all-white, and then they had the white flight. It wasn’t like a badge of honor; it was just Compton. People used to clown Compton ’cause the high school mascot is Tarbabes. You’ve got Kendrick Lamar and all those guys now doing it [up], but growing up, we were just trying to make it.
I mean, it was the hood, and there are tougher places, I’m sure. I saw a lot of tough things growing up, and I didn’t think it was a war story until I got to college and realized I wasn’t living the most normal of lives. That was kind of eye-opening once you had that different social experience.
Kendrick Lamar is basically the face of Compton and the West Coast to a large segment of people. Would you say that he’s an accurate representation of Compton today?
I mean, yes and no, because Compton’s changed so much. Our family still lives there, and the block looks different. It used to be a lot darker. It’s more brown than Black, and it’s just a different space. Dr. Dre came back, and I don’t know how many millions he put into it, but Compton High School is about to look like the best school you’ve ever seen. Beverly Hills on down.
So he’s a caricature, a representation because of his personality and his dimensions. Like that’s what I wanted to get out. I love that the world knew what Compton was and knew about Compton, but I didn’t love that they only knew like two lanes of it, the athletes and the rappers.
Like they didn’t know the CEOs, they didn’t know the managers, they didn’t know just the breadwinner who had a nuclear family. They didn’t know the guy who was just working, trying to get through school. They didn’t know all the dimensions of Compton. What I love about Kendrick is that he’s so vulnerable that he’s going to take you through all of that. I say yes for that, but then also no, if you think of N.W.A.’s content.
DJ Dat Dude Marcellus Wiley attends the Thuzio Executive Club and Rosenhaus Sports Representation Party at Clutch Bar during Super Bowl Weekend, on February 4, 2017 in Houston, TX. Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Thuzio
What are some Hip-Hop stories you were involved in throughout your time in the NFL?
I love music. When I got to the NFL, the first thing I did was buy DJ equipment and start DJing. One thing the NFL will always give me respect for is that I started in-stadium DJing and rap music. ‘Cause when I got to the league, they were playing nothing but soft rock or “We Will Rock You” and Queen, Bon Jovi, and Van Halen, all of that stuff. And I was like, “Man, they ain’t playing no rap.” My teammates knew I DJ’ed, and they were like, “Get one of your tapes or CDs and let them play it.” I was like, “Man, they ain’t going to play no Master P up in here. It’s 80,000 people here, and most of them don’t look like us. They ain’t playing no Master P.” They’re like, “Man, clean it up and then give [it] to them.” So then I was like, “All right, talk to the PA person.” They’re like, “Look, if you give us something that’s clean, that’s crowd-friendly, yeah, we’ll play it.” Not only did we play it, but the other team was rocking out.
And next thing you know, it started to spread. You go to a game now, ain’t nothing but a rap concert. That’s the one contribution, the music I had. The music always fueled me, man. I was super hyped before the games ’cause that music could take me to another place out of this world.
Do you think that new media is real, and where do you think that media is going as far as sports?
I don’t think new media is real. I think there’s new technology and new experiences that make it feel like new media, but it’s still about presentation, communication, [and] authenticity. It’s all the same factors. It’s just a new way to show it and do it. It’s different ways of expression. You’ve just got to roll with it, and evolve and adapt. But I think the core elements… There are only seven stories in this world, and we just find different editions of them and different ways to express them.
I love it, though. I’m a big fan of the media elements. I’m a big fan of going downstairs from my bedroom, jumping into a studio, and talking to the world. Like that’s insane to me. I’m downstairs, talking to the world, and my kids are sleeping. I’m doing it before they wake up, and then I’m taking them to school, and I’m really living. It’s just a technology that allows and enables us to do more. It’s not different, it’s uniquely the same as they say.
You had a back-and-forth with D.L. Hughley. How do you feel that your ideology is different from his?
It disappoints me that he “despises” me because I think D.L.’s funny. There was a time when, if I was on the record, D.L. was one of my favorite comedians.
[On] Comic View, D.L. [would] just look in the whole front row and light ’em up. That’s my favorite style of comedy. And I still am a fan of his. I’m not going to make him not make me respect his work, but it’s just politics. He’s one of those Black people who’s locked into acting Black instead of just being Black. I’m never going to act. I’m gonna be. And if I do it, a Black man did it, so it’s Black. He ain’t from that, so he’s lost. He’s doing a lot of stuff that is more than damaging to the people who believe in him and believe in his words; it’s misleading. It’s like, D.L., and I humbly say this, I’m an example. You want to root for me, not say “Oh, he went to the White House. And so that means he met Trump. And since he met Trump, that means he likes Trump. And since he likes Trump, we can’t like him ’cause he likes the ops.” That’s that immature ignorance that I grew up in. Where you can’t go across the street and look at the car wash. You can’t use that car wash.
You’re still living in that cage? I tell you, people are still in slavery, mentally. When you sit there and despise someone who disagrees with you, instead of just talking about it. That’s why I ain’t fighting nobody. You disagree with me, talk. I’m listening. I always talk a lot, but I listen more. But I’m not fighting, I’m not mad at you. I’m not going to disparage you. I’m going to talk about what you said. I’m going to talk about what you did. But I protect the actor, not the act. And D.L., he is a Democrat to the fullest. I don’t know what he’s doing. I know they pay people, and he got paid, and he took the money and ran. It’s unreal.
People like Ryan Clark may say that you can’t have it both ways or you’re provoking people, but you’re not willing to accept fights or fades or whatever. What would you say to that notion?
I’m not fighting you over nothing you’re talking about. Whoever you are, grow up and get more emotionally mature. I’m not letting your words escalate me. And another thing is, people have to understand that if you don’t like me, it doesn’t mean I have to hate you. You just don’t like me. I’m just going to live my way, live my day. I’m not doing fades, I’m not doing any of that stuff. If I think it’s respectful, then I’ll talk to you. People think this is brand new with Ryan Clark. Oh no, this ain’t new. We’ve been doing this since I was at Fox. A lot of people get it twisted. They’re like, “Oh, Ryan on ESPN and Marcellus ain’t on network TV. Now he’s talking about him.” No, a lot of these conversations were had, y’all just didn’t pay attention. Now they’re louder because they continue. But no, I’m not ever fighting Ryan. Every time I see Ryan, I talk to him.
He doesn’t like it. Oh well, don’t talk back, and that’s how it ends. I am a grown-ass man with four kids who leads by example. You think I’m about to fight you ’cause you’re mad at me? Never. And I mean never. So, move on.
What would you say to people who question your Blackness? And what’s your view of how Black people should conduct themselves? I know it’s a loaded question, but where’s the squeeze between you and Black America?
Black America needs to understand that the more freedom we exert, the more liberty we exercise, the better, not the worse. Stop acting Black. Just be Black. Just be.
To your question about the Black community and my relationship, it should be amazing. I know millions of people rock with me, so it’s not even a conversation. But for those who are on the other side or think that I’m not rocking with them, everything that I’m a part of, everything that I do just opens up more for us to be.
My whole goal is just to have the freedom of expression. The freedom of opportunity, the freedom to be who I am, and I want everyone to be who they are. I don’t think that’s happening right now, and we’re seeing the consequences. We see the results of people trying to fake the funk, and I’m not a kid that walks in line. I’m not a kid that stays on code. I never have, never will be.
If I wasn’t scared of the gangsters growing up, you think I’m going to be scared of a man my age or younger than me telling me, I ain’t acting right? What? Like, what are you talking about? “You’re doing the wrong thing.” Doing what? Also, I’m always greater than my greatest excuse. I’m always producing for my environment, not [as] a product of my environment. I’m just not built like that. I’ve always been this way. So, damn it, at 50, I ain’t about to stop there.
Some people see it as just commentary, but some people see it as a reflection of your character. How do you weigh that?
If something’s offensive, I need to hear it exactly as it is, like quotes. I’m not easily offended. I’m not sensitive.
Whether that’s physically because of playing sports and football, I’ve had all these surgeries or mentally, like my grandmother would undress anybody as soon as she met them. My sister got these jokes and these hands. That’s my family. I grew up around people that if you’ve got some issues and you’re sensitive about them, we’re going to work on those immediately. You couldn’t have that type of personality or character. So that’s not how I am.
Marcellus Wiley attends Verizon’s “Run the Playlist Live” at Super Bowl LVIII on February 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.Jeff Schear/Getty Images for Verizon
I just think there’s a lot of punks out here now, and I don’t mean that by gender. I mean people who just don’t want to deal with the real, but they want to talk about it. We live in a world now where everybody wants to talk about somebody, but they don’t want to talk about themselves. That’s where we’re starting. I’m starting with you.
Lord knows that if someone comes to me and they’re like, “Hey, guess what I heard about so and so,” I’d be like, “You better go tell so and so, ’cause I am not going to be in the middle of that. I ain’t scared of so and so.” I’d tell so and so, “I don’t like that. I don’t like what you just did.” That’s it. It ain’t that deep.
Where does the line fall between morality and commentary?
I think the line is going to be drawn based on how real you want to be, and no one’s morality is going to be fully expressed. Your actions speak louder than your words, so you’re going to say something, but I know damn well that ain’t all you’ve been doing. And we all know that. Therefore, it’s an illusion.
Who are you to now all of a sudden say, with this illusion that we’re all kind of living by, that you’re going to draw a line in the sand? I am undefeated, and everyone is undefeated on calling somebody out who wants to take the moral high ground if you really know all about them. Everyone gets undressed. Now, the thing is, are you ashamed when you’re naked?
Do you believe in the concept of condemnation? ‘Cause that’s kind of what people want. Could you be friends with an abuser? Not to say that you witnessed it, but you know that this person [is a past] abuser. Could you be friends with a Ray Rice?
Absolutely. His wife is friends with him, and they’re still together. I’m going to hold him to a higher ground than her? What am I going to say, “You got Stockholm syndrome?” No. Stop inserting yourself everywhere that you shouldn’t be, especially when you aren’t going to insert your whole truth and nothing but the truth into this conversation. Now, I have family members who’ve been locked up in prison, locked up in jail. When they got out, they were still in my family.
Obviously, I never forget why they got locked up, but do you think they were still my family? I think everybody is connected to somebody who’s done something you’re not proud of, including yourself, if you really want to start somewhere. At the same time, people just want to say, “This is the bigger problem.” People are deeply insecure, and the only way they feel up is when somebody else is down.
I don’t feel that way. I don’t have that esteem issue. I feel up when I’m up, I feel down when I’m down, but I ain’t got nothing to do with you. People want somebody else to make them feel better by being under them, and that’s what that is. I don’t believe in condemnation. No. You can disagree to the fullest, articulate to the fullest, and even have some vigor in your voice. Go ahead. In situations when people were saying you did this and you did that, okay, is the person showing retribution? Has the person already served their time? So I don’t like that as a way of being. I don’t like that as decorum. None of it.
Marcellus Wiley attends the 13th annual NFL Honors at Resorts World Theatre on February 08, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Stephen A. Smith has teased political aspirations, or that he may run for President of the United States. Do you take that seriously, and how do you think that he’d fare on the national stage?
Oh, I take it seriously. I know some people with billions who support him and [have] a huge political pull. Intimately, I know these people, and they’re rocking with him if he wants to rock all the way and roll to an opportunity like that. He can do it. That said, he’s better than the worst we’ve had in terms of qualifications. I’m not talking about him actually being in the office and doing anything, but we have had some characters become president. Some would say right now, right? So, he qualifies. Let’s just say that. It’s a weird space because politics, simply stated, those who should do it, won’t do it.
They tear your life apart. Look what they did to Donald Trump. And this is real. I remember meeting Donald Trump in 2010 with my boy, who was a member of his club in New Jersey. And my boy was pumped to introduce us. I was pumped to meet him. The community would have been pumped. Everybody I told was pumped. They wanted to see pictures. That’s 2010. We show up, the guy’s nice.
The guy wanted to golf a little, and then we sat there and ate a little. I mean, this is not a moment that was out of this world. It was just like, “Oh, we’re meeting Trump? What!?” Then that turned into what they say about him now. I don’t dive into those weeds. I just know that the narrative shifted on that man, and I don’t know what’s real from fake.
Would you ever run for public office?
Yes. I want to be the mayor of L.A. and see how that goes. That just entered my mental space maybe within the last year.
A lot of people know how I bring people together, and hopefully, people can see I’m trying to bring people together to celebrate our similarities and our differences. But yeah, I would love to run for mayor of Los Angeles. I’m trying to stay still and raise these kids, but at the same time, help make an imprint on our city to bring us closer together and then expand that to other cities and maybe even to greater levels.
Marcellus Wiley attends Mookie Betts’ “Smash For Good” Celebrity Pickleball Challenge benefiting The 50/50 Foundation at Griffin Club Los Angeles on August 28, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for The 5050 Foundation
I would love to because people were emotionally inspired by politics. Look how people hate you just because you didn’t vote their way. I’ve literally seen people not want to talk to somebody else just because they heard who they were voting for. They’re holding hands and singing songs and whistling in the wind, but when they walk into that voting booth and find out who they voted for, no one wants to speak again.
Would you run as a Democrat or a Republican?
Man, it depends on where L.A. is whenever or wherever I’m running, but right now it would be Republican.
Some things are detailed, but the macro, I don’t take the cop out of [being] independent. That’s like what Kevin Samuels said, “Look, one to 10, and you’re not at seven. Don’t say seven.” People say, “I’m independent.” No, you ain’t. Shut it. You ain’t, but it depends on the issues.
If I didn’t gang bang, if I didn’t choose Blood, you think I’m picking Democrat or Republican? I’m not loyal like that. I’m not a group. I am me, and I’m going to be me.
Do you see America going towards more public-facing politicians or celebrities?
I do because just to get the popular vote, just to get the masses, to get an audience, you’ll need to already have one built in. They don’t even really know your character as much as they think they do, but it’s the persona, it’s the personality. It’s all these things that add up to what they think your character is, so people rock with you. They feel they know you. You’re in their homes, and they’re more intimate with you at times, in terms of listening and paying attention, than they are with their own family. There are people living with somebody right now, and all they’re doing is looking at their phones. Or all they’re doing is listening to somebody talk on their phone. So, if you’ve kept that ability to capture attention, it’s just inevitable that you can translate that to different experiences, especially politics.
Marcellus Wiley attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Netflix’s series “Receiver” at Netflix Tudum Theater on July 09, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Emma Raducanu (left) is set to miss the tie as she competes in a WTA singles event in Germany in the same week [Getty Images]
Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter will be absent when Great Britain face Australia in their Billie Jean King Cup qualifier next month.
Raducanu, the British number one and world number 24, has committed to playing the WTA 500 clay-court tournament in Linz, Austria, which runs across the same week.
Boulter, ranked 64th in the world, also misses the tie.
GB captain Anne Keothavong has instead selected Sonay Kartal, Harriet Dart, Jodie Burrage and 17-year-old Mika Stojsavljevic for the contest that will be staged in Melbourne on 10-11 April.
A fifth player can be added to the squad nearer the time.
Keothavong, who it was thought would face a tough task persuading the top British players to travel to Australia for a hard-court tie at a time when the European clay court season is getting under way, described the best-of-five encounter as "tough".
But she added: "We always embrace these weeks together as a team and will be up for the challenge.
"We've got players with great experience in this competition in our team and it's an exciting opportunity for Mika to join the senior team for the first time."
Kartal will be hoping to repeat the form that saw her reach the fourth round at Indian Wells this week before withdrawing with a lower back injury during her match against Elena Rybakina.
Australia have also named their squad. Talia Gibson, who has beaten three top-20 players at Indian Wells en route to the quarter-finals, is included alongside Maya Joint, Storm Hunter, Kimberly Birrell and Ellen Perez.
The eight-team Billie Jean King Cup finals will be held in Shenzhen in the week beginning 21 September. Great Britain reached the semi-finals last year.
Game 2 of the day in the Big East Tournament features 5th-seeded Creighton (15-16, 9-11) taking on No. 4 Seton Hall (20-11, 10-10).
Creighton’s second-half surge at Butler in its regular-season finale ended a three-game losing streak for the Bluejays and secured that No. 5 seed. After a massive upset February 18 at then No. 5 UConn, Creighton lost by 29 to St. John’s at MSG, then dropped consecutive home games to DePaul and Providence before rebounding against the Bulldogs. The Bluejays (NET ranking: 81) will need to win the Big East Tournament to extend their NCAA Tournament streak to six straight seasons and attempt to extend the current streak of ten consecutive 20-win seasons.
The Pirates ended the regular season alternating wins and losses over their last six games to finish 10-10 in the Big East. With 20 overall wins and a NET ranking of 56, Seton Hall is currently just on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament, according to most bracketologists. Due to a pair of bad losses (Providence and DePaul), the Pirates more than likely need a deep run in the Big East Tournament for a shot at an invitation to the NCAA Tournament.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Game Details and How to Watch Live: Creighton vs. Seton Hall
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Game Odds: Creighton vs. Seton Hall
The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Creighton Bluejays (+130) vs. Seton Hall Pirates (-155)
Spread: Seton Hall -2.5
Total: 131.5 points
This game opened Seton Hall -2.5 with the Total set at 135.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NCAA Basketball schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups: Creighton vs. Seton Hall
Creighton Bluejays
G Fedor Zugic
G Josh Dix
G Nik Graves
F Isaac Traudt
F Jasen Green
Seton Hall Pirates
G AJ Staton-McCray
G Elijah Fisher
G Adam Clark
G Mike Williams
F Stephon Payne
Injury Report: Creighton vs. Seton Hall
Creighton Bluejays
Owen Freeman (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for today’s game
Liam McChesney (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for today’s game
Aleksa Dimitrijevic (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for today’s game
Josh Townley-Thomas (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for today’s game
Jackson McAndrew (foot) has been declared OUT of today’s game
Seton Hall Pirates
Godswill Erheriene (undisclosed) is listed as questionable for today’s game
Patrick Suemnick (shoulder) is listed as questionable for today’s game
Jahseem Felton (knee) has been declared OUT for today’s game
Important stats, trends and insights: Creighton vs. Seton Hall
Creighton is 10-20-1 ATS overall this season
Seton Hall is 18-13 ATS overall this season
The OVER has cashed in 14 of Creighton’s 31 games this season (14-17)
The OVER has cashed in 12 of Seton Hall’s 31 games this season (12-19)
Seton Hall is 10th in all of Division 1 college basketball allowing just 65.1 points per game
Creighton leads the Big East making an average of 9.9 3-pointers per game this season
Creighton is the only Division 1 school with 2 active basketball coaches at 350+ wins: Greg McDermott has 365 wins at Creighton and Jim Flanery has won 465 coaching the women at Creighton
Shaheen Holloway has the most wins (42) and conference wins (23) through two seasons of any head coach in Seton Hall hoops history
Najai Hines ranks 2nd in the Big East and 13th in the nation averaging 2.2 blocks per game
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NCAA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for today’s game between Creighton and Seton Hall:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on Seton Hall on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on Seton Hall -3.5
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 131.5
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👀 Juve want Lewandowski, Barça chase Bastoni, Inter eye Koné, new Kakà 😲
Today it's the turn of the three Italian teams competing in the Europa and Conference League. The spotlight will be especially on the all-Italian blue derby between Bologna and Roma, a high-stakes challenge with enormous significance.
Keep an eye on Fiorentina as well, who must overcome the Rakow obstacle to keep their hopes alive of bringing a European trophy to Italy. Meanwhile, let's take a look at the most important news of the day.
Juve, moves for the attack: Lewa, Kolo...
While waiting to see how the situation regarding Dusan Vlahovic's contract renewal will evolve, Juventus is already starting to move to reshape next season's attack. The Bianconeri management is evaluating several profiles to strengthen the offensive department and broaden the available options.
According to Tuttosport, among the names being monitored is Randal Kolo Muani, currently at Tottenham. Also on Juventus' radar are Robert Lewandowski, whose contract with Barcelona is expiring, and Nicolas Jackson, who after his experience at Bayern Munich might not be redeemed.
Milan, Gila at the top of the list for defense
Milan continues to plan for the future, and among the priorities for next season is strengthening the defense. At the top of the Rossoneri's list is Mario Gila, a profile that management is following closely ahead of the summer transfer window.
As reported by Corriere dello Sport, the Spanish center-back is highly appreciated by Massimiliano Allegri. Gila offers versatility, being able to play both as a full-back and as a central defender in a three-man defense, and he already knows Serie A well, a factor that would ease his integration.
Inter, Spanish sources confident on Barça-Bastoni
New updates are coming from Spain regarding Barcelona's possible interest in Alessandro Bastoni. According to the Catalan daily Sport, the Blaugrana club has already taken the first steps to assess the feasibility of the deal ahead of next summer.
As reported by FcInter1908.it, Deco has met with the defender's agent to gauge the player's availability, and he would be open to a transfer. However, Inter values Bastoni at over 70 million, and the negotiation remains complex.
Napoli, Conte asks for Goretzka in June
Napoli is already looking ahead to next summer and is also considering free-agent opportunities to strengthen the squad. Among the profiles being followed is Leon Goretzka, the Bayern Munich midfielder whose contract expires in June.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, Antonio Conte has already requested him for his future Napoli, after an unsuccessful attempt in January. However, other Italian clubs are also interested in the player, and the deal remains complicated due to his high salary.
Roma, Inter to make a move for Koné in the summer
Inter continues to plan for the future while remaining focused on the race for the Scudetto. The Nerazzurri management is already studying moves for the next summer transfer window, with the idea of deeply renewing the squad and building a more physical and dynamic team.
As reported byLa Gazzetta dello Sport, among the main targets for the midfield is once again Manu Koné of Roma. Chivu is very fond of the profile, and contacts have never ceased: Inter could attempt a new move in the next transfer window.
Lazio, season over for Rovella
Niccolò Rovella's season continues to be plagued by injuries. After suffering from pubalgia, the Lazio midfielder also sustained a fractured collarbone during the away match in Cagliari, which will force him to a lengthy layoff.
As reported by Corriere dello Sport, Rovella underwent surgery on February 23 and will need about three months to recover. The rehabilitation process will begin after the period with the brace, and his return to the field is expected only in the summer.
Fiorentina, Paratici follows the new Kakà
Fiorentina continues to closely monitor the market for young talents, and among the profiles observed stands out Gustavo Zabarelli. The 2009-born player, with dual Italian and Brazilian citizenship, is considered at home to be the possible "new Kakà".
According to Nicolò Schira and the Brazilian portal Lance, the São Paulo talent is being followed by several clubs. In addition to Fiorentina, there are also Inter, Atalanta, and Milan, while Barcelona remains vigilant from abroad.
Whether you're in the thick of a fantasy basketball playoff battle or about to start, the game always throws that injured player variable to make your life more difficult. Do you hold? Do you say good riddance? The fantasy basketball playoff stretch is brutal, and nothing makes it worse than staring at an IL slot, wondering if your guy is ever coming back. Let's talk through some of the top names filling your IL spots.
Jayson Tatum, SF/PF – Boston Celtics
I’ll be the first to admit it: I was wrong. I didn’t think he was worth the pickup and Boston just threw him in there playing 27 minutes in each of the last three games. And here he is, stuffing the stat sheet despite not shooting great and still rounding back into game shape. Congrats if you have him. Oh, and the Celtics have zero back-to-backs the rest of the fantasy playoffs. That’s huge. Keep riding.
LeBron James, SF/PF – Los Angeles Lakers
He’s missed his last four games with foot and hip injuries. To be fair, he’s 41 and still playing at a high level. He’s listed as questionable for Thursday, but I expect him back by the weekend. With so much offense going through Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, there’s no point in chasing some replacement-level guy for James, because he doesn’t exist.
Stephen Curry, PG/SG –Golden State Warriors
Curry has missed a lot of time due to patellofemoral pain syndrome and a bone bruise in his right knee. Recent reports say he’s still not practicing with contact and will likely miss at least 10 more days from Wednesday. If you’ve been holding onto him, your time is running out. It’s time to make backup plans and continue to hold De’Anthony Melton.
Joel Embiid, C – Philadelphia 76ers
Embiid was ruled out for another week, but with Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre both looking at minimum three-week absences, what exactly is Philly running out there? The 76ers’ situation gets worse by the day.
I’m still holding Embiid, but a drop is likely coming in the near future. Adem Bona isn’t the answer — in deeper leagues, give Trendon Watford a shot before you write the whole situation off.
Tyrese Maxey, PG/SG – Philadelphia 76ers
Maxey has a tendon injury in his right pinkie and will be reevaluated in about three weeks. Drop him. There isn’t enough regular season left to keep him on your roster or in an IL spot. Pick up Cameron Payne, who will take on a bigger role in the backcourt.
Jalen Williams, SF/PF – Oklahoma City Thunder
There’s no timetable for his return, plus OKC isn’t sharing any updates, and honestly, it makes sense — they want to keep him healthy for the playoffs. Fantasy managers don’t have that luxury, though. Move on, because at this rate, he’s not helping in your road to a championship.
Ja Morant, PG – Memphis Grizzlies
I’ve been saying Ja’s not coming back for a while now. Marc J. Spears reported that Morant will miss at least the next two weeks, providing further evidence that he’s likely done for the season, and in Memphis altogether. It’s messy between Ty Jerome, Scotty Pippen Jr., Cam Spencer and Javon Small, but piece it together based on your schedule and matchups.
Norman Powell, SG/SF – Miami Heat
Powell hasn’t played since February 26 and keeps getting ruled out ahead of game days. The “week-to-week” timeline is holding, but it would be great to get a meaningful update. I’m running out of patience, and you should be, too. The Heat’s 3-4-3 playoff schedule doesn’t look too appealing, knowing that they’ll be playing on the biggest slates until Week 23.
Anthony Davis, PF/C – Washington Wizards
Don’t bite. AD hasn’t been ruled out for the season and a re-evaluation is reportedly coming soon. But don’t bite.
There’s not enough time left when you factor in potential minute restrictions and rest days, but the risk isn’t worth the reward. This isn’t a Tatum situation. The Wizards are one of the worst teams in basketball and are far too volatile to trust streaming anyone from their frontcourt — let alone a fragile AD.
Allen’s knee injury feels more day-to-day than looking at a prolonged absence. Don’t drop him yet — especially if your playoffs are ongoing or about to start. Give it another few days before you make any moves.
Ivica Zubac, C – Indiana Pacers
Zu is on the verge of returning, as he was upgraded to questionable ahead of Thursday. Could he see real minutes down the stretch for a Pacers team that’s tanking but also wants to evaluate what they got from the Clippers? We shall see, but I’m skeptical that he’ll be a top-100 type guy. His return would eat into Micah Potter more than Jay Huff — I’d still hold Huff either way. This doesn’t smell like a reasonable time to play Zu crazy minutes.
Isaiah Hartenstein - C, Oklahoma City Thunder
Calf injuries are concerning. Recurring calf injuries are even more detrimental. Calves are not something to play with. That’s why I’m getting out of the Hartenstein business. Injuries and surprise absences are commonplace late in the season, so freeing up any space for someone who’s playing and being productive is a wise move if you’re in survival mode.
Keyonte George - PG/SG - Utah Jazz
I think it’s a wrap, folks. George injured his hamstring in Wednesday’s game against the Knicks and did not return. If, for some reason, Isaiah Collier was dropped in your league, pick him up because with George likely out, he’s going to be one of the best assist generators in the league.
As a guy who’s had a lot of George shares, it’s a disappointing ending, but at the same time, every other starter for the Jazz has been shelved — so I guess it was inevitable?
The Florida State Seminoles have five commitments in their 2027 class. However, the running back position doesn't have a pledge at the moment. Enter three-star prospect Jayden Miles out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
FSU offered Miles a scholarship almost two years ago in May of 2024. In June of that year, Miles attended their Elite Camp. He hasn't been back on campus since, but Florida State was listed as one of his top six schools despite the program's recent struggles.
“Knowing that Florida State is trying to get things back on track and that they view me as an important piece to help fix their needs at that position makes Florida State a real interesting option,” Miles said via Rivals.
Miles is the No. 391 overall player in the nation according to the Rivals industry rankings. He's also the No. 31 running back and the No. 13 recruit in the state of Louisiana.
Florida State is facing some stiff competition for Miles. Ohio State, LSU, Auburn, Texas Tech, and Kentucky are the other five schools that have piqued his interest. All six schools are set to host him for an official visit in the future. So, the Seminoles will have to make a good impression when he gets back to Tallahassee.
Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience
ESPN's Bill Connelly has recently released a pre-spring list ranking the quarterbacks from every Power 4 college football team.
Alabama, with Austin Mack or Keelon Russell, was featured on the list at No. 28, as a decision in regard to the Tide’s starting quarterback entering the 2026 campaign currently remains unknown. Mack and Russell are expected to compete for the starting role throughout the spring, as one of the two quarterbacks will more than likely emerge as the starter in the future.
Russell was ranked as the No. 2 quarterback and the No. 2 overall player from the 2025 class, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. Mack was widely regarded as a top recruit as well, as the talented signal caller had an excellent performance against Indiana during the Tide’s loss in the Rose Bowl.
Russell and Mack are both extremely fast and athletic quarterbacks that would prove to shine as Alabama’s starter in 2026, as the duo will continue competing for the job throughout the entire spring.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 25: Riq Woolen #27 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after the NFC Championship NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Seattle. The Seattle Seahawks won 31-27 against the Los Angeles Rams. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, the signing of Tariq Woolen on a one-year deal worth up to $15 million was not something I was expecting. There is very little middle ground with Woolen as a player. He brings a physical profile that is unprecedented at the cornerback position. He is 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, runs a 4.26-second 40-yard dash, and has outstanding length. I think Woolen is extraordinary and flawed in ways that are inextricably linked to the same underlying traits.Which, makes him a fun evaluation!
I broke down Woolen with Shane on Patreon after watching his film, so I’ve used a number of his clips. Let’s go.
Strengths
Physical Profile
I have to start here because everything about Woolen’s game flows from what he is physically. A cornerback at 6-foot-4 with 33 and 5/8-inch arms who can run with virtually any wide receiver in the NFL is not a player type that exists in abundance. It barely exists at all. That size and length combination changes the reality of throwing to his side of the field. Routes that create separation against most corners don’t create the same throwing window against Woolen, because his catch-radius disruption extends coverage in ways that shorter corners simply cannot replicate.
We will end here with the speed again. The receiver gets in front of him on scramble drill. This would be a TD against most corners, but Woolen is able to close the gap and undercut the route. pic.twitter.com/00OuNrRlNT
His 1.49-second 10-yard split is equally important because that is not just combine data. It shows up every time a receiver tries to generate separation on a deep route, and Woolen closes the cushion before the ball arrives. The recovery speed is elite, giving him a margin for error that most corners don’t have. A step of separation that beats a normal corner is not the same as a step of separation against Woolen, because his closing burst can turn a seemingly lost rep into a contested catch or a disruption at the catch point. His click-and-close is really good, which is a huge part of playing in a Vic Fangio defense. This is the exact rep I wanted to see on his film.
The Seahawks are playing pretty soft at this point in the game, but Woolen shows a nice click and close here on the curl route. pic.twitter.com/MB6KqES3zR
That recovery ability is perhaps his most practically important trait on film. Even on plays where he doesn’t get a great jam in press coverage or concedes a free release, the rep is never truly over. He has the linear speed to turn and run with essentially anyone in the NFL, and the length to play through the catch point once he closes. That is a genuinely rare combination. Honestly, just look at his recovery speed. It’s pretty nuts.
Woolen is in the slot on Nacua. He gets a good press, but Nacua gets a step on him on the crosser. But the makeup speed Woolen has is unbelievable. He undercuts the route and almost comes away with an interception.
In 2025, Woolen led all outside cornerbacks in fewest yards per coverage snap in man coverage, edging out second-place Quinyon Mitchell. When aligned in press, Woolen is sticky, physically disruptive at the line, and difficult to create clean leverage against. I think the Eagles are going to have to let him press more than they usually let their cornerbacks do, because he has such unique length.
Woolen at the bottom of the screen matched up with Ricky Pearsall in man coverage. He is extremely sticky when asked to play press man. The Eagles rarely play press man, but if they decide to, Woolen is the guy they want pressed up. pic.twitter.com/k5LQYvoeKD
His ball-tracking instincts are notably advanced for a cornerback. He high-points the football rather than simply swatting at at receivers hands. This contributed to his six interceptions as a rookie in 2022. His disruption on intermediate routes also stands out on film. When driving downhill on stops, curls, out routes, and dig routes, he uses his length aggressively and arrives at the catch point with physicality. He is not simply a deep coverage corner who concedes the underneath. As stated above, he has genuine click-and-close ability when playing off, and he uses it to disrupt the short-passing game in ways that show up in coverage metrics beyond just deep-ball coverage. That is SO important for this defense.
He doesn't make the play here, but look at the ability to drive downhill on the ball. He goes from a half turn to flying downhill in an instant. pic.twitter.com/4vgGYyojzV
However, I do think some people are downplaying the transition to a Fangio scheme. I’ve seen people online talk about how Fangio played a lot of man coverage last year, but I think that is because a lot of charting sites don’t understand how to track match coverage. The Eagles don’t play much ‘true man coverage’. However, remember that a lot of the time match zone ends up being man coverage for the boundary corner, so he still fits what Fangio wants to do.
At the bottom of the screen, Woolen does a nice job defending a slant route from outside leverage. pic.twitter.com/tN8muWkBhF
Most of the time, Woolen is aligned on the boundary in a simplified coverage structure, pressing or playing tight off with vision toward the quarterback. He functions as a boundary eraser. Routes toward his side get squeezed toward the sideline by his frame. Vertical releases get run down by his recovery speed. Contested catches get disrupted by his length.
However, I do think the Eagles can use him in different ways. Having him and Cooper DeJean in the same secondary gives you a lot of versatility. The Seattle Seahawks used Woolen against tight ends and larger slot receivers like Puka Nacua and Jauan Jennings in addition to traditional wide receiver matchups, and the flexibility to cover multiple body types speaks to the rare combination of size and speed he provides. I expect Fangio to use him in multiple ways.
Woolen is in man coverage on Trey McBride here. With his size and physicality, you can feel comfortable putting him on any TE. He is in great position here, but he often doesn't get his head around and McBride is almost able to play back through him and bring this one in. pic.twitter.com/bkcg8Zj18I
This is the most persistent and well-documented concern in Woolen’s film, and it’s all over his film. His tackling has been genuinely poor for most of his career. He is a hesitant, inconsistent open-field tackler who can avoid contact in the run game and whiff on plays where his size should make him an asset. For a player who is physically imposing enough to be a run-force factor, the disconnect between his tools and his tackling production is stark. It is a concern, so there’s no point sugar coating it.
He gets him on the ground, but this isn't how you want to see a guy try to tackle. As physical as Woolen is with receivers in routes, tackling can be really hit or miss. pic.twitter.com/eSkTyTQRnv
This matters specifically in Fangio’s defense because the system asks cornerbacks to contribute to run fits, especially with a light box. He will have to at least show enough effort to contribute, even if he is not particularly good at it.
Scheme Fit
Woolen is excellent in man coverage. He is demonstrably less effective when asked to operate in complex zone structures, particularly disguised looks that require mid-play processing and adjustment. He can become flat-footed in intermediate zones, and hesitation in his reads creates the kind of separation he doesn’t concede in man coverage.
Fangio’s system is built around rules rather than static assignments. It asks defensive backs to process and adjust at a high level, particularly against motion and scheme variation.
Great design here from the Rams, but Woolen doesn't do a very good job of recognizing it and creating space for the S to get out to the flat. It's a tough position to be in, but it would be nice to see him recognize what is happening and create a little space. pic.twitter.com/TLW8hrTaEC
Whilst that may not be Woolen’s biggest strength, he has come from a Mike McDonald defense that is hardly simple, so I do expect him to be able to transition OK.
Eye Discipline and Double Moves
Woolen’s confidence in his recovery speed is both his greatest strength and a meaningful liability. Because he knows he can close quickly, he sometimes bites on double moves, because he has a chance of recovering. That willingness to bite creates explosive play opportunities for offenses willing to set up the concept over multiple plays.
On the very next play, Woolen gets caught guessing on the inside route, gets spun around, and gives up a TD pic.twitter.com/yx0s7SkRs3
His susceptibility to slant-and-go and similar route combinations showed up clearly enough on film that it’s a tendency rather than an occasional mistake. The confidence that makes him aggressive in press man is the same confidence that sometimes gets him into trouble when receivers use his aggressiveness against him. That’s just what you get with aggressive, fast corners!
Woolen is at the top of the screen on Mack Hollins. He bites on the double move and then gets beat over the top. He is aggressive against double moves because he has the makeup speed to catch back up. He is in Hollins' hip pocket on this one, but loses at the catch point. pic.twitter.com/jSGDTcKVrp
During a rough stretch early in the 2025 season, Woolen tied for the third-most penalties among all NFL cornerbacks. Part of this is just the way he plays. He will get flagged.
At the top of the screen on Nacua again. Again, very physical at the top of the route. Nacua pushes off too so the refs let it all go. But you can see why Woolen will draw a lot of penalties (He has averaged just under 9 penalties per year since coming into the league) pic.twitter.com/rcCbPduMyS
More unusually, he was the only player in the NFL flagged for multiple taunting penalties in 2025. Some of that reflects a competitive edge that manifests poorly, but some of it reflects a lack of discipline that shows up beyond the penalty column. Everyone wants corners who are a little crazy; they have to be! But there is a line that you can’t cross.
The effort consistency issue is the trickiest one to grade and the most uncomfortable one to judge, but it is visible on film. There are reps where Woolen simply isn’t locked in and just looks a little lazy in coverage, to be honest.
Riq Woolen Film Thread
Woolen is in coverage against Puka Nacua at the bottom of the screen. He gets a good press and is in a great position to defend the in breaker. He is really grabby at the top of the route and never gets his head around. Doesn't get flagged here, but easily… pic.twitter.com/BMnyG4pWxk
Whether it is a run play, in plays away from him, or in moments that don’t require him to cover a vertical route. Whether that reflects a motivational issue, a focus problem, or simply the natural variance of a boom/bust player is ur. The one-year structure of his deal feels specifically calibrated to address exactly this question. A player on a prove-it contract is generally a more engaged player, and the Eagles are betting on that logic here. Which I like!
Eagles Fit and the Overall Picture
Fangio’s coverage, built heavily around split-safety structures, leaves outside cornerbacks on islands on the boundary a lot of the time. I expect him to thrive in this system when asked to cover a side of the field and cover vertical routes. Instead of processing a full zone coverage with multiple moving pieces, he should get to do what he does best. If Woolen is asked to align on the boundary, use his frame to squeeze the field, and rely on his elite recovery speed when receivers threaten vertically, then he will excel here. I do hope that Fangio lets him press a little bit and use his length and play some press man, too.
I’ll be honest with you, separating this move entirely from the Reed Blankenship situation is difficult. Blankenship was a communication anchor and scheme-reliable safety whose value was precisely the kind of steady, structural reliability that complements a swing-for-the-fences corner signing. I’m disappointed the Eagles let Blankenship leave, and I’d feel even better about this move if I knew we had Blankenship returning. But I know you can’t pay everyone.
Woolen’s ceiling in this defense is sky high. A 6-foot-4 corner with elite recovery speed operating in a boundary-isolation coverage structure with Cooper DeJean beside him is a difficult puzzle for opposing offenses to solve. The best version of this signing looks like one of the most imposing boundary corners in football, playing in the exact structural environment best suited to his traits. He could be unbelievably good in this system.
But the floor carries real risk. I don’t think he’s the most natural scheme fit, because he is more suited to more press man covearge. If Woolen’s zone processing issues resurface in Fangio’s complex coverage packages, if the tackling remains a liability in run fits, if the effort consistency is a recurring problem rather than a one-year deal corrective, the Eagles will be looking at a corner who cost up to $15 million and didn’t deliver the transformation they were hoping for.
This is a shoot-for-the-stars move, and the Eagles deserve credit for making it. That’s what Howie Roseman does. If you want to win it all, you have to take risks. It’s just worth understanding clearly that success isn’t guaranteed.
Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here.If you would like to support me further, please check out my Patreon here!
Ireland lock James Ryan has been ruled out as head coach Andy Farrell makes four changes for Saturday's Six Nations Triple Crown decider against Scotland in Dublin.
Ryan started Ireland's wins over Italy, England and Wales, but he was not considered for selection to face the Scots because of a calf injury.
Joe McCarthy returns to the line-up to partner Tadhg Beirne in the second row, with Darragh Murray set to make his Six Nations debut off the bench.
Hooker Dan Sheehan and flanker Josh van der Flier also return to the pack as Ronan Kelleher and Nick Timoney drop to the bench.
Tommy O'Brien is named on the left wing in Farrell's only backline change.
O'Brien impressed after replacing the injured James Lowe on the left wing in Ireland's thumping win over England, but Jacob Stockdale was preferred for last week's defeat of Wales.
While Stockdale marked his return by scoring Ireland's opening try, Farrell has restored Leinster's O'Brien, who can also cover the right wing.
Ireland must beat Scotland (14:10 GMT) to keep their title hopes alive before leaders France face England in Paris (20:10) in the final match of this year's tournament.
Scotland, who are chasing a first championship since 1999, have made three changes for the visit to Aviva Stadium as Max Williamson and Grant Gilchrist form a new-look second row and Zander Fagerson returns at tight-head prop.
Victory would also seal Ireland's fourth Triple Crown in five years and deny Scotland their first since 1990.
Line-ups
Ireland: Osborne; Baloucoune, Ringrose, McCloskey, O'Brien; Crowley, Gibson-Park; O'Toole, Sheehan, Furlong, McCarthy, Beirne, Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).
Ryan's absence is a blow for Farrell with the experienced second row having impressed in recent weeks.
While Ulster captain Iain Henderson has been called up, Farrell has placed his faith in 24-year-old Connacht player Murray, who made his Test debut in Ireland's summer tour to Georgia and Portugal last year.
The return of Sheehan and Van der Flier - who both started the thumping 42-21 win over England at Twickenham three weeks ago - also ensures the Irish pack is not short of experience.
With Andrew Porter, Paddy McCarthy, Jack Boyle and Jeremy Loughman all sidelined, Farrell has stuck with O'Toole at loose-head prop.
O'Toole has played most of his career as a tight-head but started in the number one jersey against Wales. Michael Milne will provide loose-head cover on the bench.
Tadhg Furlong, who endured a frustrating night against the Welsh scrum last week, is retained at tight-head with the experienced Finlay Bealham on the bench.
Alongside O'Brien in the back three are full-back Jamie Osborne, who has scored three tries in this year's tournament, and in-form right winger Rob Baloucoune
Garry Ringrose and Stuart McCloskey start together in midfield for the fifth game running while Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park continue their half-back partnership.
Bundee Aki returns after serving a ban for "verbal abuse and disrespect" towards a match official in Connacht's defeat by Leinster in January [Getty Images]
Aki returns from suspension
Farrell has opted for a five-three split of forwards and backs on the bench for the third game in a row.
Craig Casey has edged out last week's debutant Nathan Doak as scrum-half cover while utility back Ciaran Frawley is retained among the replacements.
Centre Bundee Aki is poised to make his first appearance of the tournament after returning from suspension.
Aki was available for the Wales game but did not make the matchday squad.
Scotland will arrive in Dublin buoyed by their stunning 50-40 win over France at Murrayfield last weekend.
However, Ireland have won the past 11 meetings since Scotland's last victory in 2017, while the Scots' most recent success in Dublin came at Croke Park in 2010.
How can Ireland and Scotland win title?
Ireland will guarantee the title if they secure a bonus-point win over Scotland and England overcome France.
An Ireland victory without a bonus point will be enough if France lose and only earn one bonus point.
A draw or defeat by Scotland would end Ireland's title challenge.
If Scotland beat Ireland at the Aviva Stadium (14:10 GMT kick-off), and England shock France at the Stade de France, the title will be theirs.
A Scotland bonus-point win and a regulation four-point victory for France would also be enough for a first Six Nations title.
A draw would be enough if France lose without collecting two bonus points.
Defeat by Ireland would rule Scotland out of the title race.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JANUARY 10: Jaquan Brisker #9 of the Chicago Bears reacts as he takes the field prior to an NFL wild card playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on January 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the first two waves of free agency behind us, it’s time to pause and reflect on what has been done and what needs remain. Our own Donald Gooch explored what needs remain just yesterday, with Safety at the top of the list of remaining needs. While Jaquan Brisker remains unsigned by any team and reports suggest he might not be a target for Dennis Allen’s defense, I am curious to hear what you all think.
Should the Bears re-sign Jaquan Brisker?
I say yes. With the majority of available starting safeties now off the market and the most recent deal for Nick Cross (2 years $14 million) and Kevin Byard III (1 year $9 million), it seems safe to say Brisker won’t cost too much. Especially when considering his concussion history and play style. However, pairing the physical Brisker with the newly acquired Coby Bryant, who is more rangy and versatile in style, sounds like a great idea to me.
Assuming he doesn’t cost more than $5-6 million per year.
Also, this would NOT prohibit me from targeting a Safety in the first three rounds if the value was there, but bringing back a home-grown talent who has embraced the city, on a team-friendly deal, makes too much sense to me.
If he can string together his first-ever consecutive healthy seasons and perform in the newly revamped Dennis Allen defense, the 26-year-old former Nittany Lion should have plenty of suitors as he enters the prime of his career.
What about you? Should we bring back Jaquan Brisker? If so, how much would you like to see him signed for? If not, why not?
Trent Alexander-Arnold makes Anfield comparison after Real Madrid victory
Trent Alexander-Arnold appeared to reference Anfield while discussing the atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabeu following Real Madrid’s impressive Champions League victory over Manchester City.
The Spanish giants defeated City 3-0 in the first leg of their last-16 tie, producing another memorable European performance at home.
After the match, the former Liverpool defender reflected on the significance of nights like that at the Bernabeu.
Speaking on CBS Sports, the England international compared the stadium with another ground famous for its European atmosphere.
Alexander-Arnold said: “I think not many people expected this result tonight… because of the way we played recently and the results we’ve been having recently.”
The right-back added that belief inside the stadium helped drive Real Madrid’s performance.
He explained: “But at the end of the day, we’re Real Madrid. We believe in ourselves and you know the special nights that happen here.”
Alexander-Arnold references Anfield atmosphere
The former Liverpool academy graduate then made a comment that clearly pointed to his experiences at Anfield.
Although he did not mention the stadium by name, the reference was obvious given his long career with the Reds before moving to Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold said: “I’ve been fortunate enough to play for two clubs who are renowned for very special nights in their home stadium.”
He then added: “And tonight I experienced another one.”
For Liverpool supporters, the comment serves as a reminder of just how closely the defender was associated with Anfield for many years.
The right-back made more than 300 appearances for the club and played a major role in several famous European nights.
A complicated relationship with Liverpool supporters
However, Alexander-Arnold’s departure from Liverpool continues to divide opinion among fans.
Many supporters were frustrated that the England international ran down his contract before leaving for Real Madrid, particularly after previously speaking about his ambition to captain the club.
Borussia Dortmund have 55 points to their name this season and occupy 2nd position in the table. In their last match, Niko Kovac's team prevailed 1-2 against FC Köln (1. Bundesliga 2025/26).
FC Augsburg currently have 31 points and lie in 9th position. Last time out, Manuel Baum's team slipped to a 2-1 defeat against RB Leipzig (1. Bundesliga 2025/26).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with Borussia Dortmund winning 1-0.
Niko Kovac has faced Manuel Baum on five occasions, recording two wins, one draw, and two losses
Manuel Baum has faced Borussia Dortmund on seven occasions, recording one win, three draws, and three losses
Niko Kovac has faced FC Augsburg on 13 occasions, recording three wins, five draws, and five losses
TEAMS
Away, FC Augsburg currently has one draw in the last 13 games.
Away, FC Augsburg currently has two victories in the last 11 games.
Away, FC Augsburg has conceded goals in 12 consecutive games.
FC Augsburg currently has two losses in the last nine games.
FC Augsburg has scored in four consecutive games.
At home, Borussia Dortmund currently has three losses in the last 18 games.
At home, Borussia Dortmund currently has one draw in the last 12 games.
At home, Borussia Dortmund has scored in four consecutive games.
Borussia Dortmund currently has five losses in the last 23 games.
Borussia Dortmund currently has one draw in the last 13 games.
Borussia Dortmund has scored in eight consecutive games.
Borussia Dortmund has conceded goals in four consecutive games.
HEAD TO HEAD
Borussia Dortmund and FC Augsburg have faced each other 30 times, with Borussia Dortmund having the advantage: 18 wins, against five victories for FC Augsburg.
At Signal Iduna Park, Borussia Dortmund has an advantage in the clashes against FC Augsburg: nine wins in 14 games. FC Augsburg has two victories.
In the German League, there have been 29 games between the two teams, with Borussia Dortmund winning 17, seven draws, and five victories for FC Augsburg.
Hamburger's Damion Downs and Yussuf Poulsen celebrate after the German Bundesliga soccer match between VfL Wolfsburg and Hamburger SV at the Volkswagen Arena. Andreas Gora/dpa
SV Hamburg will be without their captain Yussuf Poulsen again for "a few weeks" due to injury, coach Merlin Polzin said on Thursday.
Polzin said that an MRI scan revealed a thigh muscle injury the forward sustained in training on Wednesday. He named the latest setback "very, very bitter."
Poulsen arrived in summer from RB Leipzig but has already missed 13 of the 25 Bundesliga matches, having also suffered an ankle injury and muscle fibre tear.
Polzin was speaking ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga match against Cologne which brings together the two promoted sides from last summer.
Hamburg are 10th and five points above the danger zone after an important 2-1 win over second bottom Wolfsburg. Cologne have slipped to 14th and are only ahead of third last St Pauli on goal difference.
This is the biggest feature release week in Mantel history.
Since day one, our goal has been to build the ultimate ecosystem for collectors, a place where community, data, and commerce intersect seamlessly. We believe the future of the hobby isn’t just about buying and selling; it’s about understanding trends, engaging with the market in new ways, and having instant access to information.
This week, we are rolling out three major features that fundamentally change how you interact with the collectibles world.
Here is a look at what’s dropping on Mantel.
1. The Mantel Prediction Market
We are thrilled to introduce the first free-to-play prediction market built specifically for collectibles.
The hobby is full of debates. Will a specific player’s PSA 10 population double by 2026? Will a highly anticipated auction lot break a six-figure record? Instead of just arguing about it in comments, now you can stake your reputation on it.
How it Works: Using Mantel Tokens, you can bet on real-world hobby outcomes. Because prices move dynamically as bets come in, the market acts as a real-time gauge of community sentiment. If you think an outcome is likely, buy “Yes.” If the crowd is overly optimistic, buy “No.”
Market Types: Participate in both binary markets (Yes/No outcomes) and Winner Take All markets with multiple potential outcomes.
Track Your Performance: Manage your positions in a dedicated portfolio view and get notified the second a market resolves.
Compete: Prove you have the best pulse on the market by climbing the leaderboard, checking the activity feed, and sharing your positions via shareable market cards.
It’s a new, risk-free way to engage with market trends and prove your hobby knowledge.
2. The Instant Card Scanner
Identifying a card, finding comparable sales, and determining its SLAM Score used to require multiple tabs and tedious typing. We’ve fixed that.
The new Mantel Card Scanner uses your device’s camera to instantly identify sports cards with a single tap. Just snap a photo and confirm the match. Mantel immediately pulls up matching marketplace listings, average sold prices, price history, and the card’s SLAM Score.
It is the fastest way to know exactly what a card is worth across marketplaces, whether you are at a card show or sitting at your desk.
Key Scanner Features:
Batch Scanning: Have a stack of cards? Scan multiple cards at once to quickly digitize a collection.
Scan History: Keep a running history of recent lookups for quick reference later.
Text Search: The scanner also doubles as a quick search tool if you prefer to look up a card by name instead of a photo.
3. SLAM Score V2 and Marketplace Overhaul
Data is useless if it isn’t easy to understand. We have completely redesigned Mantel’s proprietary valuation system, SLAM Score V2, to give you deeper insights faster.
The new SLAM Score features a clear visual gauge with detailed score breakdowns. Crucially, we’ve added historical trend charts and indicators, showing you exactly how a card’s value has moved over time. See a card you like? Hit the new tracking button to follow it.
A Brand New Marketplace Experience Alongside SLAM V2, the entire marketplace experience has been overhauled for better usability:
Enhanced Navigation: A new filter bar, autocomplete search with recent history, and smart autocomplete suggestions make finding cards easier.
Deeper Data: Listings now feature auction countdowns, detailed sales history with price data, population counts, and related listings.
Universal Search: Search now spans the entire platform. When you type in the search bar, you’ll see results across Posts, Users, Marketplace, Topics, News, and Groups, complete with count badges.
These features are rolling out to all Mantel users this week. Update your app, start scanning your collection, and check out the Prediction Markets to place your first bets.
The Boston Red Sox made a bold move to trade for Garrett Crochet last season, and it paid off tremendously.
Crochet was one of the best pitchers in all of baseball and will be the Red Sox’s ace again in 2026. Although Crochet finished second in American League Cy Young voting last season, Red Sox analyst Trevor Hass of Boston.com predicts the left-hander will win the award this season.
“Garrett Crochet has the energy of someone who has seen it all, but in reality, he’s only 26 and is theoretically in the early stages of his prime,” Hass wrote in an article published on Thursday. “Last year was magical, as he posted an 18-5 record, 2.59 ERA, and finished second in Cy Young voting behind Tarik Skubal.
“That was only his second full season as a starter, and it was a pretty darn impressive Boston debut. Crochet dominates again in 2026, and this year, he wins the award.”
Crochet was dominant last season as he went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 32 starts for the Red Sox and was a key reason why the team made the playoffs last season.
So, if Crochet can be better or repeat that success in 2026, it will not only put him in line to win the Cy Young, but also will put Boston in a great spot to make the playoffs again.
Crochet enters the season with the second-best odds of winning the AL Cy Young Award, trailing Detroit Tigers’ ace Tarik Skubal.
High school football schedules for the 2026 season are rolling out rapidly across the country, and Georgia stands out as one of the premier pipelines for college recruits. This upcoming fall is no different, with numerous programs nationwide now finalizing and releasing their complete 2026 schedules
Next up out of the Peach State to announce their 2026 high school football schedule are the Brunswick Pirates. The Pirates head into the season under a new head coach in Bryon Slack, who takes over for Garrett Grady, who stepped down as Brunswick’s head coach with an overall record of 36-10.
The Pirates graduate key starters like Florida signee Heze Kent and offensive linemen Kasiyah Charlton (UCF signee), Chase Richardson (Kennesaw State signee), but are slated to return a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Nigel Gardner (1,205 yards, 17 touchdowns) and Josiah Gibbons (1,288 yards, 12 touchdowns), respectively.
The full Brunswick 2026 football schedule can be seen below, with official game times to be announced at a later date.
Brunswick High School, located in Brunswick, GA, is known for its strong academic programs and commitment to student success. The school offers a range of extracurricular activities, including a robust athletics program. The Pirates compete in various sports, including football and basketball, and are recognized for their spirited school culture and dedication to excellence in both academics and athletics.
How to Follow Georgia High School Football
For Georgia high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Peach State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across the state of Georgia.
Jack Draper earned the biggest win of his comeback so far, defeating Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells.
Draper missed six months with a bone injury in his left arm, only returning to action last month for Great Britain’s Davis Cup tie against Norway.
That layoff meant he came into Indian Wells under some pressure as the defending champion, but the 24-year-old managed to put together a run that led to a high-profile fourth-round meeting with Djokovic.
It had been five years since their last meeting – back when Draper was just 19 – and this time he came from a set down to beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
After the match, Djokovic spoke highly of Draper, though they seem to have slightly different views on where the Briton’s game currently stands.
Jack Draper admits he is still working his way back after Indian Wells win
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
After Draper’s 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) win over Djokovic at Indian Wells, the Serb was asked what he thought of his opponent’s level in just his second tournament back.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion was full of praise for the Brit, saying he did not see much difference in Draper’s game compared to before his injury break.
“I don’t think there is any major difference in his level from what he has, you know, shown pre-injury,” he began by saying.
“I mean, he’s been playing at a great level, actually. I have watched him a little bit, had some highlights in Dubai that he has played there a few matches.
“And here, obviously defending champion, he really likes the conditions, suiting his game, and you could see that.
“I mean, he’s playing really well. I mean, he’s confident and he was always confident and physically very fit. You know, just overall a great player, great guy. I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.”
Despite the positive feedback from Djokovic, Draper does not feel he is close to where he wants to be yet.
Speaking after the match, the 24-year-old said: “I still don’t feel like I’m playing anywhere near the way I want to play. I came out here and I won that match through determination.”
Who will Jack Draper face next at Indian Wells?
Regardless of how he got there, Draper’s win over Djokovic has put him back into the Indian Wells quarter-finals.
Up next is two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev, who advanced by beating Alex Michelsen in the fourth round.
The only previous meeting between Draper and Medvedev was on clay at the Italian Open in 2024.
Medvedev won that match 7-5, 6-4, but both players have evolved since then.
Draper will be aiming to even the score when they meet again, this time on a hard court at Indian Wells on Thursday, March 12.
The San Francisco 49ers had been looking everywhere for an impactful defensive lineman that they could add to their roster this offseason, and after whiffing on John Franklin-Myers, they acquired Osa Odighizuwa from the Dallas Cowboys for a 2026 third-round pick.
While Odighizuwa may not be a household name around the league, he's well-respected and Cowboys fans seem to love him. They like him so much that they took to social media to share their negative opinions on the trade.
Cowboy fans are going through it after The Cowboys traded Osa Odighizuwa to the #49ers on the teams’ IG page 💀 pic.twitter.com/pfvEpN17hO
Odighizuwa played at UCLA from 2016-20 and earned All-Pac-12 honors before the Cowboys took him in the third round (No. 75 overall) of the 2021 NFL draft.
Over the last five years, he's recorded 216 tackles, 81 quarterback hits, 17 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defensed. Pro Football Focus gave him a 71.5 pass-rush grade for his efforts in 2025, which was good for 25th out of 134 qualified interior defensive linemen.
Now with San Francisco, Odighizuwa will likely lead a group that also includes 2025 draft picks Alfred Collins and C.J. West, forming a decent core for the next few seasons.
Gina Carano doesn’t pay attention to the ranting and raving of UFC middleweight Sean Strickland, the crybabylost boy who somehow convinced himself he’s the savior of bro culture.
“I think he’s got it a little bit twisted,” Carano said during a recent media scrum. “I don’t really pay attention to him or his words. I think they’re sadly coming from a hurt place and hurt people hurt people. I think that he’s being exploited a bit and that pain is on full display and you know, all you can really do is just pray for healing for that man.”
“I think that we should build up men to be men,” Carano added. “But don’t you want some viking-ass women in your country? I am going to defend my house, I am going to defend my kids, I am going to defend myself at the gas station if I need to. You want your nieces and your daughter … Sean Strickland would want, too. You want to be a woman and be able to defend yourself.”
Whether or not she can defend herself against Rousey on May 16 in Los Angeles remains to be seen.
Bradford City manager Graham Alexander insists there is no pressure on his side as the Bantams look to secure a second promotion in two seasons.
Wednesday's 2-0 win at Port Vale means Bradford, fourth in the League One table, are 10 points inside the play-offs with 10 games to go.
It was only City's second away win in their past nine league games.
"If there was external pressure, it was kept external," Alexander, whose side are nine points off the automatic promotion places, told BBC Radio Leeds.
"I didn't feel it on the bus or in the changing room.
"No one mentioned anything about long-term gains. We just had to focus on our performance. You don't play like that if you are distracted.
"The biggest enemy we've got right now is thinking we've got a cushion, or thinking we've got a bit of space to relax. We haven't."
The win over Port Vale made it six points from their previous two matches, but also backed up a good performance at promotion rivals Reading last month which ended in defeat in stoppage time.
Alexander added: "The last two (away) performances have been absolutely top-notch, and it's something that we've looked to address.
"They've been (playing) like we play at home, and that's all we can do really, just produce what we're good at.
"We want them to enjoy playing, there's a lot of seriousness about football and it's a business. But we want them to enjoy the competitive side, your teamwork and your team ethic.
"I think the Reading performance gave us a confidence that we are a good team home and away, but you've got to go and win to prove that."
The Bantams head to 20th-placed Wigan on Saturday, followed by the midweek visit of Mansfield Town, then a trip to 17th-placed Burton - a favourable run of fixtures on paper.
"We've got to go hell for leather," Alexander added. "When we go for it, that's us at our best, and we want to be at our best at all times.
"Saturday will be no different. We have to go into that and make sure we keep our feet on the floor, and if we do, that will put us in a good spot, but the table will be sorted in 10 games."
After the Gophers were bounced out of the Big Ten tournament Wednesday, head coach Niko Medved said the 72-67 loss to Rutgers put “some finality” on the season.
At 15-17 overall, Minnesota might have an opportunity to play in a national tournament, most likely the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), but that decision will be tabled for now.
“I think it’s too early to say,” Medved told reporters postgame at the United Center in Chicago. “Right now … I don’t know. But let’s just give these guys a few days here and just kind of see where we’re at and see kind of what the opportunity is and see if it maybe makes sense for this group.”
Because of serious injuries to three starters, the Gophers’ rotation shrank to six players for the final eight games of the season and conference tournament. The five starters have each been logging more than 35 minutes per game, and at least three of them are battling through their own injuries.
“They’ve been through a lot,” Medved said. “They’re beat up that way, so are a lot of teams. But it’s cool that maybe we’ll earn the right to have that opportunity, but let’s let the dust settle a little bit and see where it goes.”
The NCAA Tournament selection show is Sunday night, after which dominoes will fall for the College Basketball Crown and the NIT. Minnesota will learn of any opportunities starting then and determine its willingness to play more.
On Wednesday, Minnesota was one and done in the conference tournament at United Center in Chicago. With an 8-12, they finished 11th in the Big Ten and earned a first-round tournament bye but were beaten by 14th-seeded Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights advanced to play sixth-seeded UCLA on Thursday night.
The Gophers were in the middle of the Big Ten pack, averaging 10.6 turnovers per game this season, but had 15 against Rutgers. That included 10 in the second half, six coming during a decisive six-minute stretch when the Scarlet Knights took the lead for good.
“One thing we’ve been really good at this year: We haven’t turned the ball over,” Medved said. “We’ve been really good that way. You give (Rutgers) credit, too. We talked about it at halftime: They were going to ramp up the pressure. We just didn’t handle it very well.”
Gophers wing Cade Tyson, who was named all-Big Ten honorable mention this week, finished with a team-high 24 points. The senior played all 40 minutes, which was not abnormal for him this season.
“I’d say it’s definitely challenging,” Tyson said about the minutes load. “Give the credit to Rutgers. I thought they played a really good game. But I mean, of course there’s a battle that comes with it, But I feel like we’ve worked hard enough for both our bodies and our teammates’ bodies to sustain itself that 40 minutes.”
Bobby Durkin, who was seated next to Tyson inside United Center, contributed 15 points in 39 minutes Wednesday. The junior was asked to reflect on the regular season, which included wins over ranked teams from Michigan State, Iowa and Indiana.
“I think we really showed how good we can be,” Durkin said. “There was obviously stretches during the season where we dropped some games that we felt were winnable and could have come out with, but I feel like we just showed that we can really compete with anyone.”
The International Cricket Council has charged two team officials and a player with multiple breaches of anti-corruption rules linked to the 2023/24 Bim10 Tournament, escalating a widening investigation into alleged match-fixing in the Caribbean competition.
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Team owner Chitranjan Rathod, official Trevon Griffith and West Indies cricketer Javon Searles have all been charged under the anti-corruption codes of both the ICC and Cricket West Indies (CWI).
According to an ICC statement, the charges relate primarily to the Bim10 Tournament 2023/24, which falls under the jurisdiction of the CWI Anti-Corruption Code. Griffith also faces an additional charge linked to international matches that fall under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
Rathod, owner of the Titans franchise, faces three charges under the CWI Code, while Searles has been hit with four. Griffith faces four charges under the CWI Code as well as one charge under the ICC Code.
All three have been charged with fixing or attempting to influence the result, progress or conduct of matches in the Bim10 tournament. They are also accused of encouraging players or support personnel to commit offences under the anti-corruption code and of failing or refusing to cooperate with investigators.
Searles and Griffith have additionally been charged with failing to report approaches or invitations that could constitute corrupt conduct.
Griffith faces a further charge under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code for allegedly obstructing the Anti-Corruption Unit’s investigation by concealing or tampering with information that may have been relevant to the probe.
The ICC confirmed that all three individuals have been provisionally suspended from all cricket activities with immediate effect. They have been given 14 days, starting from March 11, 2026, to respond to the charges.
The case forms part of a wider investigation into corruption in the tournament. In January, United States player Aaron Jones was also charged with five breaches of the anti-corruption codes of both the ICC and CWI.
The ICC said it will make no further comment until the disciplinary process is completed.
Stability is the watchword for the Cincinnati Bengals entering the 2026 season.
While their AFC North rivals integrate new head coaches and new systems, the Bengals are banking on familiarity with head coach Zac Taylor and returning veterans to hit the ground running. Cincinnati finished 6-11 last season, its first losing campaign since star quarterback Joe Burrow’s rookie year in 2020.
On Thursday, the Bengals made a move to ensure their left tackle will remain in the fold. Cincinnati and Orlando Brown Jr. agreed to a two-year contract extension, the team announced on X. Financial terms of the deal weren’t immediately available.
The Bengals plan to bring back their entire starting offensive line — Brown, Dylan Fairchild, Ted Karras, Dalton Risner and Amarius Mims — for the first time in the Burrow era.
A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Brown, 29, enters his ninth season in the NFL. He began his career with the Baltimore Ravens before joining the Kansas City Chiefs. He won a Super Bowl with the Chiefs at the end of the 2022 season.
The Bengals signed Brown to a four-year, $64 million contract before the 2023 season. He started 45 out of possible 51 games on the offensive line for Cincinnati.
On X, Brown posted that he negotiated the extension, which runs through the 2028 season.
Represented myself on this deal lol it’s a 2 year extension
“It means a lot to me and my family. … I just want to be able to focus on ball. Having that security there, just in terms of the number of years I’m here, it allows me to focus on that. … I just wanna win,” Brown said in a press conference.
Aston Villa look to build first leg advantage as they travel to LOSC Lille
Despite stuttering Premier League form of late, Aston Villa head into the first leg of their round of 16 knockout action as one of the competition’s hot favourites, having won seven and lost one in the league phase.
Meanwhile, LOSC Lille finished 18th in the league phase, and advanced to the round of 16 via a two legged playoff match up with Red Star Belgrade.Les Dogues managed to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit away at Red Star, with frontman Olivier Giroud grabbing an early opener to level up the tie on aggregate, before substitute Nathan Ngoy notched the winner in extra time.
Villa come into the fixture winless in four Premier League matches, with an overall downbeat feeling most recently compounded by back to back losses at the hands of bottom side Wolves and a hit-and-miss Chelsea. The Claret and Blues have tasted success at the Stade Pierre Mauroy as recently as 2024 however, with Unai Emery’s side ultimately qualifying for the UEFA Conference League Semi-Finals with a penalty shootout win – despite losing 2-1 on the night.
Lille’s last taste of defeat came in the aforementioned first leg against Red Star, since then Bruno Genesio’s men are unbeaten in four, with three wins and a recent draw at home to Lorient.
Aston Villa will be all too aware of the threat that Les Dogues striker, Olivier Giroud, poses. With the former Arsenal and Chelsea man having bagged five Ligue 1 and four Europa League goals this campaign, despite his age at 39. The World Cup winner was missing from Lille’s latest matchday squad however, plunging his Thursday night inclusion into doubt. The French side will also continue to be without fellow goal threat Hamza Igamane and wideman Ethan Mbappe leaving them to look towards Hakan Haraldsson to add to his six goals in all competitions.
Villa likewise boast an injury list full of noticeable absentees, including Youri Tielemans, Boubacar Kamara and Harvey Elliot. Matty Cash’s halftime withdrawal last time out at Chelsea has also left the jury out on the Polish international’s inclusionthis evening, who was reportedly forced off with a minor calf issue. On a more positive note however, club captain John McGinn has been back in full training, it is hoped he will be included in the squad that travels to France, in what is a much needed boost for Emery’s side.
LOSC Lille host Aston Villa on Thursday 12th March for a 17:45 kick off UK time. The action will be available to watch on TNT Sports.
How to watch LOSC Lille vs Aston Villa, team news, predicted line-ups and more
Aston Villa travel to face LOSC Lille in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 tie.
Villa will be hoping to repeat their success against Lille in 2024, when they eliminated the French side in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League after winning on penalties.
However, Villa also experienced disappointment against French opposition in Europe last season. They were knocked out of the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League by eventual winners Paris Saint‑Germain in a closely contested tie.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of this game…
LOSC Lille have been in steady form recently. The French side currently sit sixth in Ligue 1 and have won three of their last four matches in all competitions.
Lille secured their place in this tie with a 2–0 away victory over FK Crvena zvezda, overturning a 1–0 defeat at home in the first leg against the Serbian side.
Aston Villa have endured a difficult run of form in recent weeks, recording just one victory in their last six matches in the Premier League.
That dip in results has placed their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League in serious jeopardy, after it previously appeared that Villa were strong favourites to secure third place in the league table.
However, the English side will look to maintain their near-flawless form in Europe this season, having finished second in the group phase after winning seven of their eight matches.
What’s been said:
Lille manager Bruno Genesio said: “I remember my clash with Lyon against Unai Emery’s PSG very well. He inspires a lot of respect in me; he has a lot of experience, has won 4 Europa Leagues with 2 different teams, and he always coaches big teams.
“I’m glad to face him, many years later. It’ll be interesting to gauge ourselves against one of the Premier League’s best teams, but I have confidence in my group.”
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery said: “Of course, it’s a massive test tomorrow. Two matches, two legs, the second leg as well, of course, we will play at home, but my expectation is very difficult and my expectation, before the matches, of course, be so focused and be trying to build our structure strong and try to feel comfortable and try to respect them.
“And everything will happen tomorrow, still 90 minutes to play at home, and of course, with our supporters, will be a second leg important for us how we can respond as well.
Iniesta waxes lyrical about Barcelona sensation – ‘Privilege and joy that he plays for Barça’
At a time when most attackers, including the likes of Ferran Torres and even Raphinha, are struggling, Lamine Yamal’s form has been critical for Barcelona as we approach the final phase of the campaign.
With just two months remaining before the season ends, Yamal, who recently scored the equaliser against Newcastle United, looks in great touch, having already been involved in 35 goals in all competitions this season.
In light of his brilliant performances and meteoric rise at Barcelona, the forward has received high praise from club legend Andres Iniesta.
What Iniesta said about Yamal
In an interview with DAZN (h/t SPORT), Iniesta has heaped praise on Yamal, stating that he has the potential to become one of the most unique players in football.
“It’s clear that Lamine has incredible talent. He has the potential to become a truly unique player,” he said.
Yamal is rated quite highly by Iniesta. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
It must be noted that Iniesta, who has made 674 competitive appearances for Barcelona, is well aware of playing with gifted players, having shared the dressing room with the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Ronaldinho.
Iniesta added that it is a joy to see Yamal being a homegrown talent rather than a foreign prodigy, as it greatly benefits Spanish football as well.
“I hope he continues to improve every year, that he keeps getting better and making the team better. For me, as a Barça fan and as a Spaniard, it’s a privilege and a joy that Lamine is a player for Barça and the national team,” he said.
It appears Iniesta is truly excited to see Yamal play for La Roja in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, where Luis de la Fuente’s men will be tagged as one of the favourites.
The former Barcelona midfielder later highlighted that it will be key for Barcelona to manage Yamal’s fitness and make sure he is not overburdened with too many matches.
UCF vs Arizona best bet: Brayden Burries Over 17.5 points (+100)
Despite a slow start to his college career, Brayden Burries now leads the Arizona Wildcats with 16.0 points per game.
The five-star freshman has been more efficient lately, averaging 19.0 ppg on 50/40/82 shooting splits over his last 12 contests. He also dropped 18 points against the UCF Knights on the road when these teams previously clashed in January.
The Knights play at a fast tempo and struggle defensively. They finished the regular season 125th in the country in adjusted defense while ranking 14th in conference play in opponent eFG% (54.6%).
UCF vs Arizona same-game parlay
With Burries getting buckets, expect him to receive plenty of passes from Koa Peat from the post or on dribble handoffs. Peat has cleared 2.5 assists in five of his last six games.
The Wildcats scored 84 points in the previous clash against UCF, despite playing on the road and going just 3-13 from deep. Their up-tempo attack will be even more productive today with the Knights tired after eking out an OT win against Cincinnati yesterday.
UCF vs Arizona SGP
Brayden Burries Over 17.5 points
Koa Peat Over 2.5 assists
Arizona Team Total Over 88.5
Our beyond the arc SGP: Burries burns UCF
Burries has also been highly productive on the glass lately, grabbing 6+ boards in three straight games while averaging 8.3 rpg over that span.
UCF vs Arizona SGP
Brayden Burries Over 17.5 points
Brayden Burries Over 5.5 rebounds
Koa Peat Over 2.5 assists
Arizona Team Total Over 88.5
UCF vs Arizona odds
Spread: UCF +16.5 | Arizona -16.5
Moneyline: UCF +1100 | Arizona -2200
Over/Under: Over 159.5 | Under 159.5
UCF vs Arizona betting trend to know
The Wildcats have gone Over their Team Total in 15 of their last 25 games (+3.55 Units / 12% ROI). Find more college basketball betting trends for UCF vs. Arizona.
How to watch UCF vs Arizona
Location
T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, MO
Date
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Tip-off
3:00 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN
UCF vs Arizona key injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
TSG Hoffenheim have picked up 49 points and currently lie in 3rd position. In their last game, Christian Ilzer's team won 2-4 against 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (1. Bundesliga 2025/26).
Wolfsburg have won 20 points to date and are placed in 17th position. In their last fixture, Dieter Hecking's team suffered a 1-2 reverse against Hamburger SV (1. Bundesliga 2025/26).
The last meeting between the two teams ended with TSG Hoffenheim winning 3-2.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 04: Tom Kennedy #85 of the Detroit Lions walks out of the tunnel before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on December 04, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Per sources, the Detroit Lions are bringing back both wide receiver Tom Kennedy and linebacker Trevor Nowaske.
Both players were restricted free agent, but the Lions opted not to give them a tender, which would’ve cost the team $3.647 million each. While new contract terms are not immediately available, there’s a good chance each players’ cap hit will come under that figure.
Kennedy had a bit of a breakout year last season, his seventh season with the team. While he only played in six games in 2025—spending most of the season on the practice squad—he did find a role late as one of the team’s kick returners. In total, he took 16 kickoff returns for 447 yards—a strong 27.9 kick return average. He also fielded three punts for 50 yards, which could be a need for the Lions now that starting punt returner Kalif Raymond signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears this offseason.
Nowaske, 27, returns to the Lions for his fourth NFL season. Last year, he played in 15 games, and while he only logged 74 defensive snaps, he showed some promise in Detroit’s SAM linebacker role. Additionally, he logged 330 special teams snaps for the team.
Detroit still has some work to do at the linebacker room. Alex Anzalone has left for free agency, and Detroit only has Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, and Nowaske under contract. Meanwhile, Grant Stuard, Zach Cunningham, and Ezekiel Turner are still free agents.
The Baltimore Ravens have created major financial flexibility this offseason after restructuring the contract of star quarterback Lamar Jackson. According to reports, the move frees up nearly $40 million in salary cap space, giving Baltimore significant room to make more roster upgrades as they look to improve the team under new head coach Jesse Minter. The restructuring follows a growing trend around the league, where teams adjust massive quarterback contracts to spread out cap hits and open immediate spending power.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) rushes the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium.
Contract restructures typically involve converting a portion of a player’s base salary into a signing bonus. The bonus is then prorated across multiple years of the contract, reducing the current season’s cap hit. For the Ravens, restructuring Jackson’s deal allows them to maintain their franchise quarterback long term while gaining the flexibility needed to improve the roster around him.
These types of financial maneuvers have become increasingly common as quarterback contracts continue to grow larger.
A Strategy Used by Other Superstar Quarterbacks
Baltimore’s move mirrors similar restructures involving other elite quarterbacks across the league. The Buffalo Bills have reworked the contract of Josh Allen to create cap space for roster improvements. Likewise, the Kansas City Chiefs have used creative contract restructures with Patrick Mahomes to maintain financial flexibility while keeping one of the league’s most valuable players under contract.
These moves allow teams to stay competitive while managing the financial realities of building a championship roster around a high-paid quarterback.
What It Means for Baltimore
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) rushes the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half at Acrisure Stadium. Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Freeing up nearly $40 million in cap space gives the Ravens several options. Baltimore has consistently built its roster around a strong defense and a dynamic offense led by Jackson, and the additional cap room could help them continue to strengthen both sides of the ball.
The move also signals that the Ravens are fully committed to maximizing their championship window with Jackson as the centerpiece of the franchise.
Building Around Their Franchise Quarterback
Jackson remains one of the most electrifying players in the NFL, capable of changing games with both his arm and his legs. Ensuring the team has the resources to surround him with talent is essential for Baltimore’s long-term success.
By restructuring his contract and creating substantial cap space, the Ravens have positioned themselves to make meaningful moves this offseason. And if the additional financial flexibility leads to key roster additions, Baltimore could once again find itself among the most dangerous contenders in the NFL.
Tottenham manager Martin Ho is pleased with the progression he has overseen at Spurs this season but insists there remains plenty of room for improvement.
Ho was awarded manager of the month for February after three wins and a defeat in all competitions and has led Spurs to fifth in the Women's Super League with six games to go, after finishing second bottom in 2024-25.
With games coming up against Manchester City and Arsenal in the WSL and Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter-finals, he is looking forward to testing his side against the league's best.
"We're happy with where we are at but we are not going to get too comfortable," he told BBC Radio London.
"This year is about building foundations to put a really successful team on top of and we have started to do that. There is still a bit of work to do to be ready for next season but we are moving in the right direction."
Before those matches against the WSL's big hitters, Tottenham return to action at home to Everton on Sunday. Ho disagrees this will be a defining period of the season, preferring to relish what the challenge might reveal.
"They won't define us as a team but will tell us where we're at," he said. "They will provide references for us moving forward.
"We should rise to these occasions and embrace them. The team have done that in games against those teams before and I am excited about these coming up."
So, was he ever a viable option for the Texans when he hit the open market? According to several reports, Houston piqued his interest, but not his asking price on the market.
According to multiple reports, Houston presented a competitive offer for Jenkins, but was ultimately outbid by the Cleveland Browns on a two-year deal worth $24 million, $20.1 of which is fully guaranteed. According to KPRC 2 Sports Aaron Wilson, the Texans declined to offer a deal similar in terms of guarantees and were not willing to trade for the two-time Pro Bowler before he hit free agency.
Jenkins, who can play guard or center, has been one of the league's better interior linemen since being drafted out of Mississippi State in 2019. In Cleveland, he'll be the missing link of a hopefully improved offensive line, featuring former Texans right tackle Tytus Howard, former Los Angeles Chargers guard Zion Johnson and Teven Jenkins.
Although #Texans didn't want to trade for new #Browns guard Elgton Jenkins, they did make a 'aggressive' run at him with a respectable contract offer, per a league source. However, declined to offer to level of #Browns two yr, $24 million deal, $20 million guaranteed. @KPRC2https://t.co/XWQF7RPWQv
What's the plan with Smith? Drafted as a guard out of Auburn in 2018, Smith played nearly every snap at right tackle, but could transition back to the interior. The bigger question is whether, if they move him inside, he would also have to switch sides of the field. Even during his time at Auburn, Smith only lined up on the right side of the line.
Houston isn't done targeting linemen. According to reports, Cleveland Browns guard Wyatt Teller has interest in the Texans, though a deal isn't expected to be imminent. The Texans could also target a name or two with one of their first four picks in the upcoming draft.
Jenkins would have been a welcome addition, but for that asking price? It's a bit too much for the liking of general manager Nick Caserio.
The Dallas Cowboys didn’t go out and get top-of-the-market free agents. They didn’t trade for game-changers like Maxx Crosby, but they did make additions earlier than they have in the past and signed a player to the highest deal since the Brandon Carr deal over a decade ago. They needed secondary help and an edge to start opposite Donovan Ezieruaku, and they accomplished those goals.
Dallas traded with the Green Bay Packers to bring in Rashan Gary for a fourth-round pick, then signed safeties Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke. They then added some small deals to add defensive tackle, Otito Ogbonnia, and bring back Sam Williams and Tyrus Wheat, before sending away Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas. There isn’t much difference between this free agency and what the Cowboys have done the last decade-plus, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t make the defense better in the first few days of free agency.
How Rashan Gary helps
Dallas has tried to improve its run defense for a while now. Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark were brought in to help in that area. Donovan Ezieruaku was a surprisingly good run defender as a rookie, and now Gary sets a four-person front with no major holes in its run defense. The idea here is to get opposing offenses to third-and-long to help the pass defense be more successful.
When the Dallas defense can get the opposing offense into passing downs is where the new defensive coordinator can do some exotic things to help attempt to get them off the field. That situation allows for more exotic blitzes or coverages to get turnovers or force punts.
How Jalen Thompson helps
The safety room in Dallas was a mess in 2025 and arguably the biggest need on the team. Thompson brings reliability to that unit. He played under Cowboys secondary coach Ryan Smith for the Arizona Cardinals and doesn’t have many weaknesses in his game.
He isn’t the impact playmaker that Budda Baker was, but he didn’t bust coverages, rarely missed tackles, and was versatile enough to allow their defense to be multiple on the backend. Thompson averaged 100 tackles a season the last five years with a missed tackle percentage of six percent or less.
How P.J. Locke helps
Locke's contributions begin with special teams. Dallas had a significant drop-off from its coverage teams last season, and Locke is an excellent special teams contributor with over 1,300 snaps with those units in his career. He does add to the defense, too though.
He started 26 games for the Denver Broncos over the past three seasons and could be how Dallas solves the nickel issue if they aren’t able to add a corner to do that job. Thompson will likely move to the nickel position with Locke taking over as one of the deep safeties. Locke excels when he plays in the box against the run, and he is very rangy as a deep safety. The desire of Parker to play nickel with three safeties, without sacrificing run defense by adding an extra cornerback, could be an enormous strength for the defense.
Oleksandr Usyk has announced that he plans to fight three more times before hanging up his gloves for good.
The pound-for-pound king was last seen in the ring back in July, when he faced Daniel Dubois in a rematch.
Following that, there was speculation that Usyk might retire, having achieved all possible accolades in boxing.
Despite that, Usyk will return to action on May 23, when he faces legendary kickboxer Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza, defending his WBC world heavyweight title.
Oleksandr Usyk sets out final plans before stepping away from boxing
Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
It is a big fight for the sport, but most expect the 39-year-old Ukrainian to get through it without too much trouble. Verhoeven might be a legend in kickboxing, but this is Usyk’s world.
And with his career winding down, Usyk has laid out his final three-fight plan. Unfortunately for fans hoping to see him face 21-year-old Moses Itauma, that match-up is not on the list.
“Listen, Rico, this is first, second, it’s whoever wins (out of Fabio) Wardley vs Dubois and third fight, it’s my friend, greedy belly Tyson Fury,” Usyk told Inside The Ring.
The bout between Wardley and Dubois is set for 9 May. Whoever comes out on top will get the nod from Usyk as one of his last opponents.
Fury is not sitting still either. He is scheduled to make yet another return to the ring when he faces Arslanbek Makhmudov on 11 April. It could very well be a tune-up for another chapter in his rivalry with Usyk.
Trilogy between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury lacks intrigue
When Usyk and Fury first squared off in May 2024, the Ukrainian edged out a split decision win. It was a close contest that left plenty of room for debate.
By the time they met again that December, the narrative had shifted. Usyk left no doubt, controlling the rematch from start to finish and winning convincingly on all three cards.
With that in mind, there is little appetite for a third meeting. The second fight was not particularly close, and fans seem ready to move on from this chapter.
Happy league new year, Broncos Country! On Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET (2 p.m. MT), the 2026 NFL new year kicked off. Cue the fireworks, ball drop, all the fun stuff.
The Broncos look to keep the ball rolling on Thursday, as they are just one of two teams in the NFL yet to sign a player outside the organization.
My feeling: A move is coming, soon. Whether it be a trade, an outside signing or, yes, an in-house barrage, the Broncos front office clearly has a plan, and they are sticking to it. While it may be frustrating for fans, the team made it to the AFC Championship in 2025. They must be doing something right!
Below is a list of players the Broncos have signed in recent days, including tender offers and multi-year deals.
Note that these moves are current as of the time of publication. We will continue to keep up to date on all rumors, signings and departures on Broncos Wire.
Although still in the bottom three, Albion are only one point behind Oxford United, in 22nd, and Leicester City, who lie a place above the relegation zone on goal difference.
The Baggies had looked like claiming a huge win against Saints, who came into the game unbeaten in 10, only to be denied by Cyle Larin's injury-time equaliser.
"I think at this moment we've just all got to be together, do the basics well, which we have been doing and just really fight for the badge and just try to get these three points," he told BBC Radio WM.
"If we keep on playing like that, then the luck's going to turn for us.
"I feel like, as a team, we just need that one win and I think it can really spark something.
"We can keep on building on and getting more wins and more wins and then get ourselves out of this mess.
"we just need that luck to turn for us now and I'm sure it will come because we're giving everything."
Having pushed Southampton, who knocked Fulham out of the FA Cup at the weekend, so hard, Imray said that has to give them confidence as they prepare for the final nine games of the season, starting at home to Hull City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
"I thought that the performance from all the boys was positive and it's something that we can take forward and build on to Saturday," he added.
"They obviously beat Premier League opposition on Saturday, so we knew they were going to come here full of confidence.
"But we as a team, we know how good we are, we know the players that we've got and we don't really go into any game thinking we can't win.
"This club isn't in a position where they should be and we're going be putting in 100% and fighting for the badge."
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Collin Morikawa withdrew from the 2026 Players Championship on Thursday with an apparent back injury, according to PGA Tour Live announcers.
Morikawa teed off on No. 10 at 8:40 a.m. ET, but by the 11th hole, he was experiencing enough pain that he was seen stretching behind the tee and soon thereafter elected to pull out of the Tour's flagship event. Morikawa gave bro hugs to fellow competitors Ludvig Aberg and Si Woo Kim and their caddies. He was carted back to the clubhouse and his week is over prematurely.
Morikawa entered the week as the FedEx Cup leader following his fifth-place finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am last month and was considered one of the favorites this week. The world No. 4 was making his sixth Players appearance, having collected his first top-10 finish in 2025 (T-10). He entered the week on a roll with 13 consecutive rounds under par, the longest active streak on the PGA Tour.
A Professional Women’s Hockey League game will soon be on national television in the United States for the first time, the league announced on Thursday.
The PWHL’s March 28 “Takeover Tour” game between the New York Sirens and the Montreal Victoire will now air on ION, the E.W. Scripps Company’s sports and entertainment network, at 1 p.m. ET. The neutral-site game will be held at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit for the second time this season as the PWHL eyes expansion beyond its eight current franchises.
Through ION — which is available via pay TV, connected TV, free ad-supported streaming platforms and free over-the-air — the game will be accessible to more than 126 million U.S. households, according to the PWHL’s press release, “representing a landmark moment in the league’s development and a significant opportunity for new fans to discover the league.”
“To have Scripps and ION come in and put our game out to 120-plus million people is huge,” said PWHL executive vice president of business operations Amy Scheer. “The more people we reach — that’s only going to help our league grow and succeed.”
Ion is also a weekly home for nationally televised WNBA and NWSL games, with Friday night WNBA doubleheaders drawing solid ratings over the last few seasons. According to Scripps, 11 WNBA games on ION have averaged more than one million viewers.
“To have our game on the home of the NWSL and the WNBA is huge,” said Scheer. “It puts us in that category with those two other preeminent women’s leagues. That’s where we are and where we need to be.”
In Canada, national broadcast rights for all 120 PWHL games this season are split between TSN, Sportsnet, CBC and Prime Video. In the United States, games are generally available locally on regional sports networks — such as NESN in Boston and MSG Network in New York — and on YouTube nationwide. But, in its third season, the PWHL lacks a national media rights deal in the U.S.
That makes the March 28 game on ION a massive first at a time of unprecedented momentum for the PWHL after the Winter Olympics. According to the league, the PWHL is approaching an all-time in-arena attendance of two million and is seeing a 20 percent year-over-year increase in average attendance.
Since the Olympics ended last month, the PWHL has set a new U.S. arena attendance record with 17,335 fans at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, and seen two of its biggest home venue ticket sales days (Feb. 24 and 25). The league also said fans have driven a 101 percent increase in merchandise sales. Just last week, the Sirens played in front of their largest home crowd (8,264) in team history — a significant sign of growth for the league, which has struggled to get a strong foothold in the New York market.
All that increased interest in women’s hockey made now a “perfect” time for a nationally televised game, according to Scripps Sports president Brian Lawlor.
“We don’t want these women who got so much interest three weeks ago to be forgotten,” Lawlor said in an interview with The Athletic. “We think there’s a great moment and a great opportunity to put them on national television now and build some energy around that and hopefully we all build from there.”
Lawlor said he’s hoping the game in Detroit will not be a “one-time only” event, and that the goal is to put the PWHL on ION on a more consistent basis, “so that the whole country gets to see the quality of play.”
“I wouldn’t qualify (the game) as a test run,” he added. “I would say it’s a first step; There’s mutual interest to continue to grow the relationship.”
According to the PWHL, the ION game will still be available to fans on YouTube, something Lawlor said the network did not want to disrupt, but rather help add to.
“I think our platform will bring in a ton of new fans,” he said. “And my expectation is that many of the fans who watch our game will probably then go and start to follow (the PWHL) on YouTube, where they can watch every game and pick their teams.”
Ally Financial is the presenting sponsor of both the telecast and the “Takeover Tour” game itself, contributing to the company’s 50/50 pledge to spend equally between men’s and women’s sports media.
“There was so much rabid fandom around the (U.S.) women’s team … that it was just something we felt like we wanted to be a part of and really make sure that that heat didn’t die down,” said Andrea Brimmer, Ally’s chief marketing and public relations officer. “It’s easy post-Olympics for everybody to just forget and to go back to real life. We didn’t want people to forget.”
🚨 Real Zaragoza tie down their starlet: Hugo Pinilla signs on until 2030
Real Zaragoza has made a strategic move official for its future: the renewal of Hugo Pinilla Ruiz until the year 2030.
The young forward, who joined the club in the under-11 category, thus extends his connection with the club of his life, establishing himself as one of the great prospects of the Ciudad Deportiva.
Pinilla, born in Zaragoza in 2006, has completed all his training as a "blanquillo". After standing out in the División de Honor Juvenil under the guidance of Javier Garcés, his "electric" dribbling and scoring ability opened the doors to the reserve team and subsequently to the first team. His progression has been meteoric, advancing stages with unusual maturity for his age.
The youth player's professional debut took place at the end of last season in Castellón. However, it has been in the current 2025/26 season that he has settled into the group dynamic. He has gained valuable minutes in the Copa del Rey and in LaLiga Hypermotion, achieving his first league start in the recent victory against Cádiz.
With this long-term agreement, the Zaragoza management reaffirms its commitment to local talent. Pinilla's continuity not only ensures quality on the offensive flanks but also sends a message of confidence to the entire San José academy. The club is betting on a "giant talent" to lead the entity's ambitious medium-term goals.
NASCAR is gearing up for the fifth race weekend of the 2026 season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and the Cup Series is bound to put on a show. In 2025, Josh Berry beat Daniel Suarez for his first win of the year. Now, the sport will head to Las Vegas with a substantial amount of money on the line.
The purse for the Cup Series race at Las Vegas will be $11,233,037 on Sunday afternoon. NASCAR doesn't release the earnings for the winning driver anymore, meaning it's impossible to tell how much of the $11,233,037 will go toward the team in victory lane. Last year, the purse for Las Vegas sat at $11,055,250, which is roughly a $180,000 increase.
It will be fascinating to see which NASCAR driver will earn the most money at Las Vegas this weekend. Berry is looking to go back-to-back in the spring race at Las Vegas, but Suarez and Ryan Preece had good cars in 2025. Las Vegas always puts on a show, and this weekend should be no different.
The final 2026 Starch Madness men’s bracket in logo form. | Chris Dobbertean using logos from SportsLogos.net
2026 Big Sky Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics
Format
Traditional bracket, but with split quarterfinal doubleheaders aimed at giving the top two seeds a rest day before the semifinals. Plus, the No. 1 seed meets the winner of the 9/10 first-round game, with the 2 seed playing the 7/8 winner.
Site
Boise’s Idaho Central Arena, which is not on Boise State’s campus, will host for the seventh straight season, hence the moniker “Starch Madness.”
Participants
All 10 teams will play in this season’s event. This will be the final trip for Sacramento State, which is heading to the Big West (and the MAC for FBS football only), but the field should expand to 11 in 2027, as Southern Utah is returning and Utah Tech joining from the WAC, which will become the United Athletic Conference with a more-Eastern geographical focus after this season.
No. 1 seeds have dominated the Big Sky Tournament, winning nine of the past 14 titles. Montana’s 2025 title was the No. 2 seed’s fourth since the NCAA field expanded to 68. In 2024, Montana State squad was the first team from outside the top 2 to represent the conference in the NCAAs since 2010, when a fourth-seeded Grizzlies squad claimed the title and earned a 14 seed for its trouble.
Note that the conference limited its tournament field up until the move to a neutral-site in Reno back in 2016.
NCAA Seeding Record In The 68-Team Era
Years with an NCAA win are in bold.
13 seed (3); 2012, 2013, 2015
14 seed (5): 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025
15 seed (4): 2011, 2016, 2017, 2019
16 seed (2): 2014, 2024
The Big Sky last recorded an NCAA win in 2006, Montana’s 12-over-5 upset over Nevada.
The top seven teams are all in the NET Top 200, though Weber State, EWU, and Montana are all ranked worse than 190th. The most likely seeding for the Big Sky rep is a 15, though Portland State has dropped to a 16 in some of my recent projections.
Sacramento State is the lone Big Sky member that’s waiting to make its first NCAA appearance. This is the Hornets’ last chance before moving to the Big West next season.
The Indoor Football League is coming to Yahoo! More specifically, you can now catch IFL games this season on the recently-launched Yahoo Sports Network, a free, ad-supported TV channel available on most major FAST streaming services like Amazon Fire TV, Plex, Roku, and more. 59 of this season's IFL games, including this week's season opener and the Eastern Conference Championship in August, will stream free exclusively on Yahoo Sports Network, and you'll see some familiar faces at the games. Select games this season will feature an all-Yahoo Sports broadcast team featuring Jason Fitz (cohost of Yahoo Sports Daily and host of Fantasy Football Live), Nate Tice (host of Football 301), and Caroline Fenton (cohost of Yahoo Sports Daily and Hoops 360), who will be on hand to cover many of the 2026 season's matchups live.
For more information about how to get Yahoo Sports Network and when you can tune in to this year's IFL games, scroll on.
The first game of the IFL's 2026 season will be on March 14 at 5 p.m. ET between the Quad City Steamwheelers and Fishers Freight. A complete schedule of this season's games is below.
Who is competing in the Indoor Football League?
The Indoor Football League (IFL) consists of 14 teams from the Eastern and Western conferences:
Western Conference:
Arizona Rattlers
New Mexico Chupacabras
Northern Arizona Wranglers
San Antonio Gunslingers
San Diego Strike Force
Tuscon Sugar Skulls
Vegas Knight Hawks
Eastern Conference
Fishers Freight
Green Bay Blizzard
Iowa Barnstormers
Jacksonville Sharks
Orlando Pirates
Quad City Steamwheelers
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2026 Indoor Football League schedule
All times Eastern. | Yahoo-streamed games denoted by “📲”
Saturday, March 14
5 p.m.: Quad City Steamwheelers at Fishers Freight – Fishers Event Center 📲
Sunday, March 15
4 p.m.: Vegas Knight Hawks at Green Bay Blizzard – Resch Center
Saturday, March 21
6 p.m.: Iowa Barnstormers at Quad City Steamwheelers – Vibrant Arena At The Mark 8 p.m.: Fishers Freight at Green Bay Blizzard – Resch Center 📲
Sunday, March 22
4 p.m.: Orlando Pirates at New Mexico Chupacabras – Tingley Coliseum 📲
Monday, March 23
9 p.m.: NAZ Wranglers at San Diego Strike Force – Frontwave Arena
Saturday, March 28
5 p.m.: San Diego Strike Force at Arizona Rattlers – Desert Diamond Arena 📲 9 p.m.: Jacksonville Sharks at NAZ Wranglers – Findlay Toyota Center
Sunday, March 29
4 p.m.: Tulsa Oilers at San Antonio Gunslingers – Freeman Coliseum 7:30 p.m.: Vegas Knight Hawks at Tucson Sugar Skulls – Tucson Arena 📲
Saturday, April 4
6 p.m.: Tucson Sugar Skulls at New Mexico Chupacabras – Tingley Coliseum 📲 8 p.m.: Green Bay Blizzard at Iowa Barnstormers – Casey’s Center
Sunday, April 5
4 p.m.: Quad City Steamwheelers at Orlando Pirates – Kia Center Inaugural Opening Night 7:30 p.m.: Arizona Rattlers at Fishers Freight – Fishers Event Center 📲
Saturday, April 11
6 p.m.: NAZ Wranglers at New Mexico Chupacabras – Tingley Coliseum 7 p.m.: Iowa Barnstormers at Fishers Freight – Fishers Event Center 📲 8 p.m.: Green Bay Blizzard at Quad City Steamwheelers – Vibrant Arena At The Mark 9 p.m.: San Antonio Gunslingers at Arizona Rattlers – Desert Diamond Arena 10 p.m.: San Diego Strike Force at Tucson Sugar Skulls – Tucson Arena
Sunday, April 12
4 p.m.: Tulsa Oilers at Orlando Pirates – Kia Center 📲 7:30 p.m.: Jacksonville Sharks at Vegas Knight Hawks – Lee’s Family Forum 📲
Friday, April 17
7 p.m.: Orlando Pirates at Jacksonville Sharks – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena 8 p.m.: Quad City Steamwheelers at San Diego Strike Force – Frontwave Arena
Saturday, April 18
5 p.m.: Iowa Barnstormers at Green Bay Blizzard – Resch Center 📲 5 p.m.: Vegas Knight Hawks at San Antonio Gunslingers – Freeman Coliseum 8 p.m.: Fishers Freight at Tulsa Oilers – BOK Center 📲
Sunday, April 19
4 p.m.: Arizona Rattlers at NAZ Wranglers – Findlay Toyota Center 📲 8:30 p.m.: New Mexico Chupacabras at Tucson Sugar Skulls – Tucson Arena 📲
Friday, April 24
7 p.m.: Orlando Pirates at Green Bay Blizzard – Resch Center
Saturday, April 25
5 p.m.: NAZ Wranglers at San Antonio Gunslingers – Freeman Coliseum 📲 8 p.m.: Fishers Freight at Iowa Barnstormers – Casey’s Center 9 p.m.: Tulsa Oilers at Arizona Rattlers – Desert Diamond Arena 📲 10 p.m.: New Mexico Chupacabras at Vegas Knight Hawks – Lee’s Family Forum
Sunday, April 26
4 p.m.: Jacksonville Sharks at Quad City Steamwheelers – Vibrant Arena At The Mark 📲 7:30 p.m.: Tucson Sugar Skulls at San Diego Strike Force – Frontwave Arena 📲
Saturday, May 2
5 p.m.: Green Bay Blizzard at Fishers Freight – Fishers Event Center 📲 6 p.m.: Quad City Steamwheelers at Iowa Barnstormers – Casey’s Center 7 p.m.: New Mexico Chupacabras at Jacksonville Sharks – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena 8 p.m.: San Diego Strike Force at Tulsa Oilers – BOK Center 📲 9 p.m.: San Antonio Gunslingers at Tucson Sugar Skulls – Tucson Arena
Sunday, May 3
7:30 p.m.: Arizona Rattlers at Vegas Knight Hawks – Lee’s Family Forum 📲
Friday, May 8
8 p.m.: Quad City Steamwheelers at Green Bay Blizzard – Resch Center
Saturday, May 9
5 p.m.: Fishers Freight at Orlando Pirates – Kia Center 📲 9 p.m.: San Antonio Gunslingers at NAZ Wranglers – Findlay Toyota Center 📲
Sunday, May 10
4 p.m.: Tulsa Oilers at Jacksonville Sharks – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena 📲 8 p.m.: Tucson Sugar Skulls at Arizona Rattlers – Desert Diamond Arena 📲
Friday, May 15
5 p.m.: Tucson Sugar Skulls at Quad City Steamwheelers – Vibrant Arena At The Mark
Saturday, May 16
5 p.m.: San Diego Strike Force at San Antonio Gunslingers – Freeman Coliseum 7 p.m.: Jacksonville Sharks at Fishers Freight – Fishers Event Center 📲 8 p.m.: Green Bay Blizzard at Tulsa Oilers – BOK Center
Sunday, May 17
7:30 p.m.: Iowa Barnstormers at NAZ Wranglers – Findlay Toyota Center 📲
Monday, May 18
IFL Cup 1 p.m.: Arizona Rattlers vs. New Mexico Chupacabras – American Dream, NJ 📲 7 p.m.: Vegas Knight Hawks vs. Orlando Pirates – American Dream, NJ 📲
Friday, May 22
8 p.m.: Jacksonville Sharks at Iowa Barnstormers – Casey’s Center
Saturday, May 23
5 p.m.: Tulsa Oilers at San Antonio Gunslingers – Freeman Coliseum 10 p.m.: NAZ Wranglers at San Diego Strike Force – Frontwave Arena
Sunday, May 24
7:30 p.m.: IFL Cup Championship – American Dream, NJ 📲
Friday, May 29
5 p.m.: San Antonio Gunslingers at Green Bay Blizzard – Resch Center
Saturday, May 30
6 p.m.: Iowa Barnstormers at Tulsa Oilers – BOK Center 7 p.m.: Fishers Freight at Jacksonville Sharks – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena 📲 8 p.m.: Orlando Pirates at Tucson Sugar Skulls – Tucson Arena 9 p.m.: Quad City Steamwheelers at Vegas Knight Hawks – Lee’s Family Forum 10 p.m.: NAZ Wranglers at Arizona Rattlers – Desert Diamond Arena
Sunday, May 31
7:30 p.m.: San Diego Strike Force at New Mexico Chupacabras – Tingley Coliseum 📲
Saturday, June 6
4 p.m.: Iowa Barnstormers at Orlando Pirates – Kia Center 📲 7 p.m.: Tulsa Oilers at Fishers Freight – Fishers Event Center 7 p.m: San Antonio Gunslingers at Jacksonville Sharks – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena 📲 8 p.m.: Green Bay Blizzard at Quad City Steamwheelers – Vibrant Arena At The Mark
Sunday, June 7
4 p.m.: New Mexico Chupacabras at Tucson Sugar Skulls – Tucson Arena 📲 7:30 p.m.: Vegas Knight Hawks at NAZ Wranglers – Findlay Toyota Center 📲
Friday, June 12
8 p.m.: Jacksonville Sharks at Green Bay Blizzard – Resch Center
Saturday, June 13
5 p.m.: New Mexico Chupacabras at San Antonio Gunslingers – Freeman Coliseum 📲 8 p.m.: Quad City Steamwheelers at Iowa Barnstormers – Casey’s Center 8 p.m.: Orlando Pirates at Tulsa Oilers – BOK Center 📲 10 p.m.: Tucson Sugar Skulls at Vegas Knight Hawks – Lee’s Family Forum
Sunday, June 14
4 p.m.: San Diego Strike Force at NAZ Wranglers – Findlay Toyota Center 📲 7:30 p.m.: Fishers Freight at Arizona Rattlers – Desert Diamond Arena 📲
Friday, June 19
10 p.m.: Vegas Knight Hawks at San Diego Strike Force – Frontwave Arena
Saturday, June 20
7 p.m.: Iowa Barnstormers at Fishers Freight – Fishers Event Center 📲 8 p.m.: San Antonio Gunslingers at Tulsa Oilers – BOK Center 10 p.m.: Arizona Rattlers at Tucson Sugar Skulls – Tucson Arena
Sunday, June 21
4 p.m.: NAZ Wranglers at New Mexico Chupacabras – Tingley Coliseum 📲 7:30 p.m.: Jacksonville Sharks at Orlando Pirates – Kia Center 📲
Saturday, June 27
5 p.m.: Fishers Freight at Green Bay Blizzard – Resch Center 📲 8 p.m.: Tulsa Oilers at Iowa Barnstormers – Casey’s Center 📲 9 p.m.: San Antonio Gunslingers at Vegas Knight Hawks – Lee’s Family Forum 11 p.m.: New Mexico Chupacabras at Arizona Rattlers – Desert Diamond Arena
Sunday, June 28
4 p.m.: Orlando Pirates at Quad City Steamwheelers – Vibrant Arena At The Mark 📲 4 p.m.: Tucson Sugar Skulls at NAZ Wranglers – Findlay Toyota Center 7:30 p.m.: San Diego Strike Force at Jacksonville Sharks – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena 📲
Sunday, July 5
4:30 p.m.: Vegas Knight Hawks at New Mexico Chupacabras – Tingley Coliseum 📲 7:30 p.m.: Green Bay Blizzard at Orlando Pirates – Kia Center 📲
Monday, July 6
9 p.m.: Arizona Rattlers at San Diego Strike Force – Frontwave Arena
Saturday, July 11
5 p.m.: Orlando Pirates at San Antonio Gunslingers – Freeman Coliseum 6 p.m.: Green Bay Blizzard at Iowa Barnstormers – Casey’s Center 📲 7 p.m.: Jacksonville Sharks at Tulsa Oilers – BOK Center 8 p.m.: Fishers Freight at Quad City Steamwheelers – Vibrant Arena At The Mark 9 p.m.: Tucson Sugar Skulls at Arizona Rattlers – Desert Diamond Arena 📲
Sunday, July 12
4 p.m.: New Mexico Chupacabras at NAZ Wranglers – Findlay Toyota Center 📲 7:30 p.m.: San Diego Strike Force at Vegas Knight Hawks – Lee’s Family Forum 📲
Saturday, July 18
7 p.m.: Iowa Barnstormers at Jacksonville Sharks – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena 📲 8 p.m.: Quad City Steamwheelers at Tulsa Oilers – BOK Center 11 p.m.: New Mexico Chupacabras at San Diego Strike Force – Frontwave Arena
Sunday, July 19
4 p.m.: Arizona Rattlers at San Antonio Gunslingers – Freeman Coliseum 📲 7:30 p.m.: NAZ Wranglers at Tucson Sugar Skulls – Tucson Arena 📲
Friday, July 24
8 p.m.: San Antonio Gunslingers at Iowa Barnstormers – Casey’s Center 9 p.m.: Tucson Sugar Skulls at San Diego Strike Force – Frontwave Arena
Saturday, July 25
6 p.m.: Tulsa Oilers at Quad City Steamwheelers – Vibrant Arena At The Mark 📲 9 p.m.: NAZ Wranglers at Vegas Knight Hawks – Lee’s Family Forum 📲
Sunday, July 26
4 p.m.: Orlando Pirates at Fishers Freight – Fishers Event Center 📲 7:30 p.m.: Green Bay Blizzard at Jacksonville Sharks – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena 📲
Three days of free agency are in the books, and the Minnesota Vikings have not done much. The club has retained a couple of players, allowed a few to leave, and watched as hundreds around the league have found new teams. Along the way, some winners and losers have emerged, at least out of the gate.
A few Minnesota moves already changed the outlook for multiple players.
This article could look markedly different in one week, but here’s a look at the lay of the land at the moment.
Early Free Agency Has Already Shaken Up Minnesota’s Depth Chart Implications
The Vikings are about to embark on another wave of free agency.
Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Michael Jurgens (65) holds position along the interior during preseason action against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium on Aug. 9, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The rookie center logged valuable second-quarter reps as Minnesota’s offensive line continued evaluating depth, communication, and cohesion during early preseason game situations. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Winner: Michael Jurgens
Approximately five starting centers signed with teams not named the Vikings this week: Tyler Linderbaum (Las Vegas Raiders), Cade Mays (Detroit Lions), Luke Fortner (Carolina Panthers), Tyler Biadsz (Los Angeles Chargers), and Elgton Jenkins (Cleveland Browns).
It wasn’t like the crop lacked options. So, by default, the Vikings either love Jurgens, who enters Year No. 3 in 2026, or they will draft a center sometime early in the draft. It’s probably a safer bet to assume Jurgens will enter training camp as the starting center.
Too, Minnesota could promote Blake Brandel to the starting center post; he performed decently at the spot in relief of Ryan Kelly last season. But Brandel isn’t a center by trade; Jurgens is.
Minnesota could’ve signed Jenkins, for example, and Jurgens would be nowhere near the “winners” sections of this list.
Loser: J.J. McCarthy
Kyler Murray flew to the Twin Cities on Wednesday night, and if all goes as expected, he will sign with the Vikings on Thursday or Friday. The coaching staff will probably claim that McCarthy now has competition in Murray, but reasonable onlookers will decipher that jargon quickly. Murray would instantly become the QB1.
The probably impending Murray signing — for the league minimum — spells disaster for McCarthy, at least compared to his trajectory at this time last year. The Vikings went from ignoring backup quarterbacks altogether in 2025 free agency, before trading for Sam Howell in April, to catching a big fish like Murray, who has two Pro Bowls to his name.
If you wanted McCarthy to get another trial run as a starter in 2026, Murray in Minnesota is a doomsday scenario.
Winner: Jay Ward
Minnesota still doesn’t have a verdict from longtime safety Harrison Smith, who is deliberating whether to return for Year No. 15 or retire. Smith is 37; safeties don’t usually last long in the pros.
Therefore, the Vikings could’ve signed a free-agent safety like Nick Cross, Jalen Thompson, Reed Blankenship, or Bryan Cook, to name a few, hedging the bet against Smith’s possible retirement and injecting youth into the pipeline. Through a few days of free agency, they’ve done no such thing.
Instead, the incumbents are sitting pretty. Minnesota has Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, and Jay Ward as the main safeties on tap for 2026. Ward stepped in front of Jackson on the depth chart down the stretch of 2025, and if nothing changes in the remainder of free agency or the draft in April, Ward could be a starter next season or play many more snaps than in previous seasons.
There’s a chance that Ward’s mini-breakout impressed defensive coordinator Brian Flores, so much so that veteran safeties from free agency were not required.
Loser: Dwight McGlothern
In fairness, McGlothern never really caught on in 2025; former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah even briefly released him before re-signing as a matter of roster maintenance.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Dwight McGlothern (6) celebrates after recording a sack against the Cincinnati Bengals during second-half action at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sep. 21, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. McGlothern burst through the pocket to bring down the quarterback, sparking a defensive reaction as teammates converged following one of Minnesota’s sharper pressure moments. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
But the fact remains that Minnesota entered the 2026 offseason with four cornerbacks under contract: Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, Dwight McGlothern, and Zemaiah Vaughn. The setup put McGlothern in line as the CB3, though most didn’t expect that to hold.
Alas, it did not.
The Vikings have signed one external free agent as of this article’s publication: a cornerback from the Pittsburgh Steelers named James Pierre. Here’s a statistical breakdown of Pierre’s performance since 2020, according to Pro Football Focus:
Listed at 6’2″ and 190 pounds, Pierre is the tallest cornerback projected to receive defensive snaps for the Vikings in 2026. He is also related to Lamar Jackson; they are cousins.
Minnesota sought a cost-effective cornerback with significant upside and found one in Pierre. His contract includes $3.7 million in guaranteed money, which represents strong value for a player who has demonstrated starter potential.
Daronte Jones, the Vikings’ defensive passing game coordinator from 2022 to 2025, accepted a promotion to defensive coordinator with Washington this offseason. To fill the vacancy, Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores hired Gerald Alexander from the Steelers’ staff. Shortly after arriving in Minnesota, Alexander acquired Pierre — his guy from the Steelers — in free agency.
Pierre will turn 30 in September.
Winner: Tai Felton
Much like McGlothern, who was the CB3 on the depth chart a week ago, Felton is now the WR3. Former Vikings wideout Jalen Nailor signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, cashing in for three years and $35 million with his hometown team.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Tai Felton (13) runs through warmups prior to a preseason game against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium on Aug. 9, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The rookie wideout prepared for game action as Minnesota evaluated its receiving depth, offering fans an early glimpse of Felton’s routine and readiness. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Minnesota drafted Felton in Round 3 last year, and typically, pass-catchers from that round get an audition to play a meaningful role in an offense. Felton didn’t get that chance in 2025 — because of Nailor — but the path has cleared for Felton to secure a real WR3 audition at training camp.
The Vikings could still sign a veteran like Christian Kirk from free agency, but as of March 12th, there is no WR3 on the roster aside from Felton. Perhaps this was the plan all along: let Felton experience a redshirt year on offense as a rookie, with the team’s leaders knowing that Nailor would leave in 2026, paving the way for Felton’s ascent.
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) watches from the dugout in the sixth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. The Reds won, 2-1. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Fantasy baseball managers are gearing up for upcoming drafts for respective leagues as draft orders fall into place. Managers with picks near the top of the draft will have their pick at some of the top players in the MLB, such as Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge or Tarik Skubal. Down the board, managers will have fewer star players to choose from, adding pressure to first-round selections.
Monitoring the No. 12 pick, managers will see a quick turnaround in snake drafts, making the top selection in the second round. Players like Judge and Ohtani won't find themselves available this far down the board, but plenty of talent remains to jumpstart fantasy lineups for the upcoming season.
As draft season approaches, players like Paul Skenes, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Gunnar Henderson are predominant selections near the end of the first round, anchoring lineups for managers in possession of the 12th overall pick. Such a pick will set up drafts for managers, depending on position. Selecting an ace in the opening round could present greater need for offensive production in the later rounds, while a positional player could force a need for help in the bullpen.
Using a standard scoring format in a 12-man league, let's look at a mock selection from the No. 12 overall pick in fantasy baseball drafts:
Managers Should Target Paul Skenes With The No. 12 Pick In Fantasy Drafts
Sep 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the third inning at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Those in possession of the 12th pick in fantasy drafts will have a number of players to choose from. While players like Tatis and Henderson present quality offensive contributors, Skenes is a low-risk, high-upside pick as one of the top pitchers in the MLB. Selecting Skenes will set up bullpens for success this season, with Opening Day rapidly approaching.
The third-year superstar has already cemented his status as one of the top aces in the majors. He's led the MLB in ERA since coming into the league, posting 386 strikeouts during that span, the 11th most of any pitcher in that span.
Skenes built on a dominant rookie campaign with another strong performance in 2025. The second-time All-Star led the majors with a 1.97 ERA over 32 starts, pitching 187.2 total innings last season. He improved his WAR from 5.9 in his rookie year to 7.7 in year two, posting a WHIP of 0.948, an NL-best mark.
His strong performance helped him earn the first Cy Young award of his young career, finishing sixth in MVP voting despite the Pittsburgh Pirates' struggles. Skenes sustains elite consistency from the mound, making him a steal at 12th overall.
Entering his third season, Skenes is widely projected to build on a dominant sophomore campaign. The superstar pitcher will show out once again this season and sets up managers for quality lineups in 2026.
Fernando Alonso is reportedly dealing with pain severe enough that medical intervention could be needed, according to a Spanish journalist. Aston Martin have already admitted that vibrations from Honda’s engine are creating health concerns.
Before the Australian Grand Prix, technical director Dan Fallows warned that drivers risked permanent nerve damage in their thumbs if they completed more than 25 laps. While Alonso did only 21 laps during Sunday’s race, Stroll managed 43, which hinted they were making progress on the issue.
But Emilio Perez de Rozas reported that Alonso is experiencing discomfort in his left wrist and neck, and says the issue gets worse during longer stints behind the wheel.
Fernando Alonso’s health issues could affect short-term plans
Alonso has started a record 426 Formula 1 races across three stints in the sport since he made his debut in 2001. Speaking on Radio MARCA, Perez de Rozas pointed out that ‘the body has a memory’.
Across more than two decades, the Spaniard has accumulated countless laps, and it’s begun to show. The vibrations from Honda’s engine are only making things worse for him.
The pain has become so severe that it could affectAlonso’s plans for the near future. While many already expect him to step away from F1 after his contract runs out in 2026, there are growing doubts about whether he’ll see out the full season.
Perez de Rozas commented on the situation, saying: “We’ll see if they [doctors] recommend he stop and if he might retire.”
If medical advice does lean towards stepping back, the final call would rest with Alonso himself. Reports suggest that despite everything, his drive to compete hasn’t faded.
Fernando Alonso issues come at a bad time for Aston Martin
Alonso, now 44, would become the first 45-year-old to start an F1 race since Graham Hill back in 1975 if he stays with Aston Martin through the summer break. That bit of trivia has been floating around as fans start to wonder how long he might keep going.
He’s had two spells out of the sport but still managed to stack up more than anyone else, and there’s already been talk that this contract could be his last. The team was only just inside the points again, and that came after a driver ahead dropped out.
The Honda vibrations are only making things harder. Some predictions say it could take two years for Honda’s engine programme to catch up with the rest of the field, while even the most optimistic views suggest it’ll be at least six months before they close the gap.
If Aston Martin continue finishing near the back when they do make it to the end of races, Alonso’s drive could take a hit. While injuries play their part, long-term motivation may prove to be an even bigger factor in what comes next.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - DECEMBER 25: Blake Cashman #51 and Eric Wilson #55 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrate with steak as they are interviewed by Seth Rollins following their 23-10 win against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 25, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Minnesota Vikings have had a quite start to Free Agency. The marguee names have mostly been signed, while the Vikings have avoided the large contracts they demand. A modest CB signing and a few players returning are all we have to discuss so far. The attention is shifting towards Kyler Murray’s visit and likely signing this week. Prior to that steeling all the headlines, it’s worth reviewing what the team has done.
The team extended Wilson prior to Free Agency on a three year, $22.5M contract. Wilson had 6.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles last year. He’s a key player in Flores’ defense and it’s a great move to retain him.
Jones and the Vikings agreed to a reduced base salary of $5.5M for the 2026 season to keep him in purple one more year. Jones always finsihes falling foward. He runs hard, but often that leads to a few missed games. He’ll likely split even more time with Jordan Mason this season. He’s only averaged over 5.0 YPC once in the last five seasons.
The Vikings signed the 6’2, 185-pound former Pittsburgh Steeler CB to a two year, $8.5M contract. Pierre is familiar with Flores’ defense and had, by far, his best year in 2025 with 11 Passes Defensed and a fumble returned for a TD.
Avoiding the Big Name Contracts
The big splash is fun in March, but often painful in October. Avoiding overspending in Free Agency allows the team to keep their own big names around.
Former Cardinals QB Kyler Murray will visit Thursday with the Minnesota Vikings, as @Gambo987 also reported. The belief across the league is that the Vikings are Murray’s likely landing spot. pic.twitter.com/sUDYpaWXkS
The FSU Seminoles are working on growing their 2027 recruiting class, which currently has five commitments. However, they are also working on their 2028 recruiting class and are now set to host one of the top players for a visit.
Jermaine Cobbins, a four-star cornerback from Springfield, Tennessee, will visit Tallahassee on April 2, according to Tom Loy of 247Sports. It will be his first visit, and it will give them a chance to make a move for a player coveted by teams across the country. He explained to Loy what stands out about the Seminoles in his recruitment.
"Florida State stands out because of its historic success and tradition of producing great players," he said. "I like how the coaching staff focuses on speed, athleticism, and developing players into leaders on and off the field."
Cobbins is ranked as the No. 36 overall player and No. 4 cornerback in the 247Sports composite. The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder is also the No. 1 player from Tennessee.
He had an excellent sophomore season at Springfield High School, where he played cornerback and wide receiver. He finished the season with 41 tackles, one interception, one pass breakup, and two forced fumbles on defense. He caught 41 passes for 852 yards and 10 touchdowns on offense.
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MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 30: Bradley Chubb #2 of the Miami Dolphins rushes the passer during an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at Hard Rock Stadium on October 30, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NFL’s new league year officially began at 4 p.m. EDT Wednesday afternoon, and with the start of the new year came the Buffalo Bills’ first big splash in free agency, with the team agreeing to a three-year contract with veteran edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
The Chubb news represented what Bills fans have long been hoping for: a big swing by president of football operations/general manager Brandon Beane to shore up their pass rush, but the Chubb signing was not the only big Bills news from the first day of the new league year.
Today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks leads off by discussing the Chubb signing, how Buffalo created more cap space by restructuring Josh Allen’s contract, and the other key news and notes Bills fans should know about from the official start of the league year.
The Bills are bringing in Bradley Chubb, a former first-round draft pick, to solidify their pass rush, and according to reports from NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, it is a three-year deal worth $43 million, including $29 million in guaranteed money. With incentives, Chubb’s contract could be worth as much as $52.5 million.
Linked below: Breaking down the signing; assigning grades to Buffalo’s first major move of free agency; learning how the Bills were able to create more than $12 million in salary cap space by restructuring Josh Allen’s contract; and discussing how Buffalo is retaining key offensive lineman Ryan Van Demark by submitting a qualifying original-round tender that will triple his salary for the 2026 season.
The Bills make the trade for veteran wide receiver DJ Moore official. Read more about the national media’s reaction to the deal for Moore; find out where former Bills safety Darnell Savage Jr. will play this year; and more!
Tottenham Hotspur Sporting Director Johan Lange (left) and Chief Executive Vinai Venkatesham arriving the Premier League match at the Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth. Picture date: Wednesday January 7, 2026. (Photo by Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images) | PA Images via Getty Images
If Tottenham Hotspur decide to make another managerial change, it won’t be ENIC or the Lewis Kids who decide. That’s the latest report from the BBC’s Sami Mockbel, who writes in the BBC that Spurs are hinting that Igor Tudor’s days could be numbered, but that the final decision will be made by CEO Vinai Venkatesham and Sporting Director Johan Lange, not the Executive Board.
On the one hand, this is evidence of a good decision-making process and a modern football club structure. You usually don’t want the board or the owners stepping in to make decisions like this, as football club owners (non-Marinakis Division) generally are loathe to micromanage the clubs they own — that’s why they appoint Sporting Directors and CEOS!
On the other hand, Venkatesham and Lange are the two most responsible for sacking Thomas Frank so late and appointing Igor Tudor to save the club from relegation, a decision that thus far has not worked at all. Tudor, who had a reputation of being a reclamation specialist, has gone 0-4 while in charge and has made several veiled remarks about how this particular salvage operation has been a lot more difficult than he expected. There’s also unsourced background info unearthed by Mockbel that suggests the Spurs players have not (at all) taken to Tudor nor his methods, and have been left confused and frustrated by his tactics and approach. Letting the decision fall to the two people perhaps most responsible for Spurs being in this mess to begin with doesn’t feel especially great either, especially considering how long it took for the club hierarchy to come to grips with the fact that things weren’t working at all under Thomas Frank.
Tudor is expected to take the press conference ahead of the trip to Anfield to play Liverpool this weekend, which isn’t a particular surprise. One would suggest he’s also likely to be in charge for the return leg of the Champions League Round of 16 tie against Atletico Madrid at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next week, a fixture that finds Spurs down three goals on aggregate after the 5-2 defeat at the Wanda on Tuesday.
Considering Spurs haven’t won at Anfield since 2012, that raises the distinct possibility that Tottenham could go 0-6 under Tudor, continuing their worst outright losing streak in the Premier League era. Spurs have yet to win a match in 2026.
If Spurs DO make a change, there’s a new suggestion that they could turn to a familiar face in the Premier League. Miguel Delaney, writing in the Telegraph, says he has been told Spurs have made initial contact with Sean Dyche’s camp about taking over for Tudor should a change be deemed necessary, though this appears to be extremely thinly sourced — Delaney uses words like “being considered” and “said to have contacted” in his article, and also admits near the end that Dyche would be reluctant to take on a short term role with no guarantee past the end of the season.
That seems to be a moot point anyway, at least for the next week or so. Keep your powder dry and let’s pray for a miracle.
Juventus & Vlahovic ‘intensive’ contract talks continue: Bonuses could unlock the deal
Juventus are making significant progress in their quest to secure the services of Dusan Vlahovic beyond the current campaign.
The Serbian’s departure appeared to be a foregone conclusion at one point, but the landscape has drastically changed over the past few weeks, with both parties deciding to prolong their collaboration.
Juventus & Dusan Vlahovic ironing out their contract agreement
According to Tuttosport, the negotiations between Juventus and Vlahovic have been ‘constant’ and ‘extensive’, as the white smoke is expected to emerge soon enough.
As the Turin-based newspaper tells it, the Bianconeri’s initial offer for the striker fell just below €6 million. This figure doesn’t even represent half of the player’s current net salary (€12 million).
Nevertheless, the two parties are working on including significant bonuses and add-ons, which would raise the Serbian’s earnings if he can deliver the goals on a consistent basis. Moreover, Vlahovic would be handsomely rewarded if he could help the club secure a spot in the Champions League.
This sort of clause is certainly not a novelty in the sport, but Juventus have apparently been emphasising the importance of player performances in their contract negotiations since Damien Comolli arrived at the club.
Vlahovic itching to be back on the pitch
While the striker’s entourage is currently engaged in direct talks with the Juventus directors, Vlahovic is solely focused on the pitch, as he can finally see the light after spending more than three months on the sidelines.
CL quarterfinals await – Real Madrid have history on their side following 3-0 win vs Man City
Real Madrid took a major step in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 after a commanding 3-0 victory over Manchester City.
The Spanish giants delivered a confident and disciplined performance, courtesy of Federico Valverde’s stunning hat-trick, putting themselves in a strong position ahead of the return match scheduled for March 17.
Now, with such a comfortable advantage, history suggests that Real Madrid are already very close to progressing.
Real Madrid’s perfect record
One of the most striking statistics surrounding the result is Real Madrid’s record in European knockout ties when they win the first leg by three or more goals.
Across the club’s long and glorious Champions League history, Real Madrid have never been eliminated after establishing such a strong advantage in the first leg.
In fact, the club has faced this situation on 35 previous occasions in European competitions.
On every single one of those occasions, Real Madrid successfully progressed to the next round.
A rare heavy defeat for Guardiola
Guardiola has suffered heavy defeats against Real Madrid. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
On the other hand, this defeat is one of the most significant losses suffered by Pep Guardiola against Real Madrid in European competition.
For the former Barcelona manager, the 3-0 scoreline stands as the second most emphatic defeat he has experienced against Los Blancos during his managerial career.
The only heavier loss came during the 2014 Champions League semifinal when Real Madrid defeated Bayern Munich 4-0 at Santiago Bernabeu.
Now, with a three-goal deficit to overturn, Manchester City face a daunting task when the teams meet again in England.
Real Madrid’s experience in European knockout rounds and their strong historical record in these situations mean they will travel to Manchester with confidence.
However, the Champions League has often produced dramatic comebacks, as Real Madrid, for that matter, meaning the second leg still promises to be an intense and unpredictable encounter.
What Jurgen Klopp told Gary Lineker in 2016 is now haunting Arne Slot’s Liverpool
Arne Slot now finds himself in the awkward position of being haunted by Jurgen Klopp’s past comments.
The German famously told Gary Lineker back in 2016 that his football philosophy revolved around having ‘memorable games in a row’ – around delivering consistent enjoyment for the fans.
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With the Reds proving to be anything but consistent this term (perhaps consistently unreliable), however, it seems Klopp’s core mantra has become a distant memory.
Has the spirit of Jurgen Klopp officially died?
Our former German tactician told Lineker that his first target as Liverpool manager was to ensure fans were leaving the stadium eagerly anticipating the next game.
“Having memorable games in a row, that’s my first target,” the now Red Bull chief described his footballing philosophy to BBC Sport.
“You leave the stadium wanting to see the next game; you can’t wait for the next game – that’s what football should be.
“If you can do this very often, then you will be successful. 100%.”
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With the Reds currently trailing the top five spots in the Premier League (albeit by goal difference), and having suffered a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in Turkey, the picture looks somewhat bleak at the moment.
Indeed, the dominant feeling in the fanbase at this point seems to be, in the words of @PaulSenior1 on X, ‘dread’.
And why shouldn’t it be? Liverpool’s current brand of football simply isn’t sufficient to inspire any immediate enjoyment, let alone hope for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign.
Arne Slot needs to bring enjoyment back to Liverpool
If Slot is to learn any lesson in particular from his predecessor, it’s this: Liverpool was made to win trophies, of course, but it was also made to thrill on the pitch.
At the moment, our brand of control isn’t showing any signs of meeting either objective this term.
Against Galatasaray, we did appear the superior outfit in the opening stages, and it’s true we crafted more than enough chances to head back to Anfield with a healthy lead for the second leg.
* Liverpool and Galatasaray’s stats in their first leg (round of 16) Champions League clash (BBC Sport)
However, yet again sloppy defensive work (both in open play and around set pieces) proved to be the visitors’ undoing. In truth, we were fortunate to leave Istanbul just the one goal behind ahead of the second leg.
Ultimately, Liverpool’s brand of control in 2025/26 is failing to see them actually control games. And when coupled with an extremely distilled version of Jurgen Klopp’s energetic, aggressive philosophy, it’s difficult to see the value in the current approach.
“Six weeks might turn into two,” Greg Taylor on Calmac’s injury setback
Former Celtic defender Greg Taylor believes Callum McGregor will not be sidelined for long, despite growing concern over the captain’s recent injury setback…
The midfielder was forced to watch from the stands last weekend as Celtic edged past the Ibrox club in a dramatic Scottish Cup tie decided by penalties.
Prior to the match, Martin O’Neill explained that the 32-year-old had been dealing with a persistent problem carried over from last season, which flared up again during the recent encounter with Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
O’Neill confirmed McGregor had failed to recover in time for the derby and refused to speculate on how long he could be out of action.
Callum McGregor celebrates. Aberdeen v Celtic, Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 4th March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou
His absence has raised worries about the skipper’s availability during the crucial closing stretch of the title race, with Celtic attempting to reduce the gap to leaders Hearts.
Former Hoops defender Charlie Mulgrew suggested the issue relates to McGregor’s Achilles and questioned how the club have handled the midfielder’s workload in recent years. McGregor has featured in at least 40 matches in each of the last nine seasons.
This campaign alone he started in both the Scottish Cup fourth round against West of Scotland Premier Division side Auchinleck Talbot and a Europa League dead rubber with Stuttgart, even as O’Neill rotated heavily elsewhere in the squad.
Taylor – who departed Celtic for PAOK last summer – is confident his former teammate will bounce back quickly and return to action sooner than many expect.
Speaking via Premier Sports’ Scottish Football Social Club, Taylor said: “if it’s six weeks it might turn into two. It’s always hard to get the balance right. As a player there’s nothing better than being in a rhythm of play, recover, play, recover.”
“But sometimes you can tip over into injury. Callum is too important a player for Celtic to lose. Maybe there have been a couple of games where he could have had a breather, but he’s difficult to leave out because he wants to play every game.”
Callum McGregor ahead of the match. Scottish Cup quarter final on Sunday 8 March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou
Taylor added: “He’s played almost every game for years and he’s vital to the team. Hopefully it’s not long. One thing with Callum is that he has a really high pain threshold.”
“If it’s meant to be six weeks it might turn into two. Hopefully he’ll be back sooner rather than later.”
Kieran Tierney and Callum McGregor at Ibrox. Scottish Cup quarter final on Sunday 8 March 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou
O’Neill confirmed that Kieran Tierney will return for Celtic’s huge Premiership clash with Motherwell this weekend, but McGregor remains a huge doubt.
Tottenham Hotspur in talks with Al-Diriyah sporting director Dougie Freedman
Tottenham Hotspur have approached Al-Diriyah sporting director Dougie Freedman to lead a revamp of the club going forward, according to the Independent. The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium club are also considering Sean Dyche as a potential replacement for Igor Tudor. However, the former Nottingham Forest manager is reluctant to take on a short-term role. There could also be complications with his settlement from the City Ground club were he to join Spurs right now.
Tottenham are preparing ahead of next season and a squad overhaul could be on the cards regardless of which division they find themselves next season. They want to appoint a sporting director, but luring Freedman away from the Middle East could prove tricky. Spurs also have his Brentford counterpart Tiago Pinto on their radar and whoever they appoint is expected to have a huge say over who becomes their next permanent manager.
Tudor was given the job until the end of the season after the dismissal of Thomas Frank, but his position is at risk following defeats in each of his first four games in charge. Spurs are back in action on Sunday with a trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool when Premier League action resumes. They play the return-leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Atletico next Wednesday and it remains to be seen whether the Croatian will still be in the dugout following the 5-2 defeat in the first-leg on Tuesday night.
Fabio Paratici left Tottenham in January after his second stint as the club’s sporting director and Spurs are desperate to get the perfect man to succeed him.
They will have to stay up to boost their chances of attracting the right candidate, and the result against Liverpool on Sunday could be very crucial to their Premier League campaign.
🏈 Ravens land Hendrickson: After backing out of their trade for Raiders star Maxx Crosby, Baltimore landed the biggest prize of this free agent class, giving four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Trey Hendrickson a four-year, $112 million contract.
🇮🇷 Iran's World Cup status: Nearly two weeks after the U.S. began airstrikes in Iran, the country's sports minister said Iran will not participate in this summer's World Cup. If that does indeed happen, FIFA's replacement would likely be either Iraq or the United Arab Emirates.
🏀 Tickets punched: McNeese (Southland), Lehigh (Patriot) and Idaho (Big Sky) secured automatic bids to the men's NCAA tournament, while Idaho (Big Sky) punched its ticket on the women's side.
⚽️ Champions League scoreboard: Bodø/Glimt's stunning run continued with a 3-0 win over Sporting CP in their Round of 16 first-leg match, and Federico Valverde's hat trick lifted Real Madrid to a 3-0 win over Manchester City. Elsewhere: PSG beat Chelsea, 5-2, and Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen played to a 1-1 draw.
🎾 Draper upsets Djokovic: Defending champion Jack Draper upset Novak Djokovic, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, to reach the quarterfinals at Indian Wells in a match that featured one of the best points you'll ever see in your life. Please watch this.
Team USA snuck into the quarterfinals as the World Baseball Classic's group stage came to an end on Wednesday, leaving eight teams still fighting for the crown.
Scoreboard: Just one of Wednesday's games was particularly close, but all three had significant implications.
Italy 9, Mexico 1: The Italians knocked Mexico out of the tournament — and ensured the USA's survival — behind a stellar start from Phillies righty Aaron Nola (5 IP, 5 K, 0 R) and the first 3-homer game in WBC history, courtesy of Royals 1B Vinnie Pasquantino.
Canada 7, Cuba 2: Well, how about that. For the first time ever, Canada has reached the WBC knockouts, going 3-1 to win Pool A. And for the first time ever, Cuba didn't reach the knockouts.
Power surge: There have already been 92 home runs hit during the WBC, the most ever in a single tournament (previously: 85 in 2023 and 2009). And there's still seven games left to play!
Looking ahead: The quarterfinals begin tomorrow, headlined by USA vs. Canada. The other matchups: Dominican Republic vs. South Korea, Puerto Rico vs. Italy and Venezuela vs. Japan.
COULD THE PLAYERS BECOME A MAJOR?
The pin flag on the 17th green. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
An old debate has found renewed vigor ahead of The Players Championship, which teed off this morning: Should the tournament long heralded as "the fifth major" earn official major status?
The case for: The Players already has all the bona fides with its massive $25 million purse (bigger than any major), arguably the most competitive field in golf, and a course in TPC Sawgrass that is as demanding as it is iconic. Then there's the common sense argument: Isn't it strange that the world's leading tour doesn't host a major championship?
As a reminder, the four current majors are all independently organized by Augusta National (Masters), the R&A (Open), the USGA (U.S. Open) and the PGA of America (PGA).
"Personally, I think it's a major," seven-time PGA Tour winner Billy Horschel told Golf Digest. "If I was able to win a Players, I would count that as a major."
The case against: For starters, tradition. As retired Los Angeles Times golf writer Thomas Bonk once said, "There are seven dwarfs, 12 days of Christmas and four majors." Maybe not the strongest argument, but one that holds a lot of water in golf.
It would also create a bit of a record-keeping mess. Would former Players winners be retroactively granted major victories? That would give Jack Nicklaus an even more insurmountable total of 21, plus 17 for Tiger and seven for Rory, whose interminable wait for another major would have technically ended six years earlier at the 2019 Players.
"It's not a major for me. [But] saying it's not a major doesn't, like, demean it in any way," said Tommy Fleetwood, whose sentiments are echoed by many. "I think four majors sits perfectly and the Players has its own identity and its own ... place on a pedestal in the game."
Put another way: As Justin Leonard once said when asked to compare his 1997 Open Championship victory with the Players he won a year later: "Apples and oranges… But this is one hell of an orange."
Brian Rolapp speaks to the media on Wednesday ahead of The Players. (Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
So, why the renewed debate? The PGA Tour itself is leading the charge, releasing a hype video last month announcing that "March is going to be major," and explicitly stating their desire "to start a conversation."
The Tour's reasoning isn't hard to parse; majors are more prestigious, and more prestige means more profits.
Thus, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp — who, in addition to banging this drum also laid out plans on Wednesday for a half-dozen new initiatives to reshape the sport — has about a billion-and-a-half reasons to push for this change.
There's no problem at all, from a fan perspective, with things as they stand now. A landmark regular-season tournament can have just as much compelling day-to-day interest as a marquee one. Duke/Carolina, Ohio State/Michigan and the Iron Bowl are still fantastic regular-season games even if they have no material impact on the individual schools' seasons. Tens of millions of fans will tune in to the next Chiefs/Bills or Packers/Bears game no matter whether it comes in September or January.
The key issue here is that a player's career is defined by the number of majors he won, not the number of PGA Tour events or FedEx Cup playoffs. As long as the key numbers hovering over Jack, Tiger, Rory and Scottie are 18, 15, 5 and counting, and 4 and counting, The Players holds a best-of-the-rest status.
And that understandably doesn't sit so well with the PGA Tour and the Strategic Sports Group, which has poured $1.5 billion into the Tour with the expectation of a sizable return. Prestige guarantees money in golf, and there's nothing more prestigious than the majors. It's one of the quirks of professional golf that the PGA Tour, the dominant force in the game today, doesn't actually control any of the majors… a state of affairs the Tour would very much like to change.
Bottom line: Aside from delivering stakeholder value (shudders), granting major status to The Players feels largely cosmetic. Barring an unforeseen shift in the discourse, it will always be the "fifth major" — with or without the quotation marks.
BIG NUMBERS
Ryan and Rob after Wrexham earned promotion last season. (Kya Banasko/Getty Images)
Hollywood couldn't script this: The Red Dragons have won an unprecedented three consecutive promotions since 2023 and are currently in playoff position in the second-tier EFL Championship. Earn promotion again this season and they'll move up to the Premier League.
🏀 33-32
Kawhi Leonard (45 points) and the Clippers stormed past the Timberwolves, 153-128, on Wednesday night to improve to 33-32 on the season after starting 6-21.
Flipping the script: The Clippers are the only team in NBA history to move above .500 after falling at least 15 games below .500 in the same season.
(Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
🏈 3 of 29
With the Cardinals officially releasing Kyler Murray, just three of the 29 first-round QBs drafted last decade (2010-19) remain with the teams that took them.
Those three QBs: Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes (10th pick in 2017), Buffalo's Josh Allen (7th pick in 2018) and Baltimore's Lamar Jackson (32nd pick in 2018).
⛳️ 48.1 million
Golf's post-pandemic boom is not slowing down, with total participation hitting a record 48.1 million in 2025, according to new data from the National Golf Foundation.
Zoom out: That's up 2% from 2024 and a whopping 41% from 2019, right before COVID arrived and made golf the ideal "social distance" sport. Over the past decade, the number has increased 55%, from 31 million in 2015.
A TALE OF TWO LAKERS TEAMS
LeBron James, Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
From Yahoo Sports' Dan Devine:
There are only 20 NBA players averaging more than 20 points and five assists per game, and Team A is the only one in the league that employs three of them. This team has the best record and second-best net rating in games where the score was within five points in the final five minutes; it has been arguably the best crunch-time squad in the NBA.
This team is on pace for 50 wins and is tied for third place in its conference, led by an MVP candidate, one of the greatest players of all time, and an ascendant offensive star poised to receive a massive new deal as soon as this summer.
And then, there's Team B. This team has fielded a bottom-10 defense virtually all season, and actually defends worse, like a near-bottom-five unit, with its starting center on the floor. This team is 17-20 against .500-or-better teams, including an 8-13 mark against opponents currently positioned in the top six in either conference.
It has the worst point differential of any top-six team — actually, up until about a week and a half ago, it had been outscored over the course of the full season — and has been a net-negative with its three best players on the floor together … which helps explain why it's just two games clear of dropping into the play-in tournament.
Team A sounds like a contender. Team B sounds like an also-ran. The thing is — if you haven't already figured out my clever ruse — they're actually the same team.
The Players Championship trophy. (Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
⛳️ The Players Championship
The PGA Tour's signature event tees off today at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where a stacked field of 123 golfers — including 47 of the world's top 50 — will compete for a $25 million purse and $4.5 million grand prize.
Players to watch: Scottie Scheffler is again the heavy favorite to win (+450 at BetMGM), though after his season-opening victory he's finished successively worse in each ensuing event, including T24 last week at Bay Hill. Defending champion Rory McIlroy will be a game-time decision due to the back injury that forced him to withdraw last weekend.
🏀 NBA on Prime
Three of the league's four best teams take the floor in tonight's doubleheader, with the first-place Pistons hosting the 76ers (7pm) and the first-place Thunder hosting the second-place Celtics (9:30pm).
Passing Wilt: If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 20 points tonight, he'll break a tie with Wilt Chamberlain for the most consecutive 20-point games in NBA history (127). Incredible consistency.
🎾 Indian Wells
The men's and women's quarterfinals are today, airing on the Tennis Channel.
Men: No. 4 Alexander Zverev vs. No. 30 Arthur Fils (2pm); No. 2 Jannik Sinner vs. No. 25 Learner Tien (4pm); No. 11 Daniil Medvedev vs. No. 14 Jack Draper (8pm); No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz vs. No. 27 Cameron Norrie (10pm).
Women: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 10 Victoria Mboko (2pm); No. 14 Linda Nosková vs. Talia Gibson (4pm); No. 2 Iga Świątek vs. No. 9 Elina Svitolina (5:30pm); No. 3 Elena Rybakina vs. No. 5 Jessica Pegula (8pm).
More to watch:
🏒 NHL: Capitals at Sabres (7pm, ESPN+) … First-place Buffalo (40-19-6) goes for its ninth straight win.
🏀 NCAAM: No. 7 Iowa State vs. No. 16 Texas Tech (12:30pm, ESPN); No. 1 Duke vs. FSU (7pm, ESPN); No. 5 Houston vs. BYU (7pm, ESPN2); No. 6 UConn vs. Xavier (7pm, FS1) … Big 12, ACC and Big East quarterfinals.
🏀 NCAAW: McNeese vs. Stephen F. Austin (5pm, ESPNU) … Southland championship.
Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events happening in your city. Get tickets now!
WBC TRIVIA
Flags are displayed between a Pool B game in Houston. (Houston Astros/Getty Images)
Question: Can you rank the eight WBC quarterfinalists by population (largest to smallest)?
The quarterfinalists: Canada, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Puerto Rico, South Korea, USA, Venezuela
Answer at the bottom.
PHOTO FINISH
A's prospect Henry Bolte signs autographs before a spring training game. (David Becker/Getty Images)
A friendly reminder that while the World Baseball Classic has gotten most of the attention, MLB spring training is still in full swing, and remains a criminally underrated part of baseball's calendar. This kid's reaction says it all.
Trivia answer: USA (349M), Japan (122.4M), Italy (58.9M), South Korea (51.6M), Canada (40.5M), Venezuela (28.6M), Dominican Republic (11.6M), Puerto Rico (3.2M)
CINCINNATI, OH - JANUARY 04: Cleveland Browns punter Corey Bojorquez (13) punts the ball during the game against the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals on January 4, 2026, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Whether it is enough or not will be decided when the season gets started.
Cleveland still has needs as NFL free agency rolls on. Deciding not to tender three contributors potentially opens roster holes. Punter has been an underdiscussed need, as fans and media have noted the offensive line, wide receiver, and quarterback positions over and over again.
P Corey Bojorquez hit free agency on Wednesday, with uncertainty if new special teams coordinator Byron Storer was hoping to get him back. Wednesday night, Bojorquez indicated that he was returning to the Browns via a social media post:
#Browns P Corey Bojorquez, who was set to enter free agency, posted a photo of Cleveland's specialists on Instagram: "The boys are running it back."
K Andre Szmyt and LS Rex Sunahara had already been tendered by the team, bringing them back for the 2026 season. pic.twitter.com/RbWqLYYM2E
In 2025, Bojorquez was near the bottom of the league in Net Punting Yards and tied for the most punts that went into the endzone for touchbacks. Overall, Cleveland’s special teams under Bubba Ventrone struggled last season, which could account for Bojorquez’s down year.
Punter news hardly gets the headlines, but Bojorquez’s post was the only report about his return Wednesday night. Thursday morning, Mary Kay Cabot confirmed Bojorquez’s post:
#Browns P Corey Bojorquz has agreed to terms with the club and is re-signing his contract today, league source tells clevelanddotcom. The #Browns will have their kicking triumvirate back.
The reason for the cut was strictly financially-related. Diggs' cap hit was going to balloon to $26.5 million this season and the Pats didn't want that on their books. After failing to rework his deal, New England decided to cut Diggs loose.
Diggs is long in the tooth at 32 years old, but he showed he's got plenty left in the tank after a season in which he broke the 1,000-yard mark once again. Diggs also played a massive role in the development of Drake Maye.
Things didn't end well between Diggs and the Bills, but the veteran wideout and quarterback Josh Allen revealed last season that there is no bad blood and the veteran wideout even admitted he misses Buffalo.
“I love y’all, I know I’m far gone, but I do miss you, I have a great relationship with y’all,” Diggs said. “Keep hanging your hat on that quarterback. That quarterback is a Hall of Fame quarterback."
"Parts of me wish things were different because I do got a lot of love and respect for that team... I know they’re not huge fans of me at this point, but... I got a lot of love and respect for that organization and that fan base," Diggs added.
With the Bills needing more firepower for Allen, even in the wake of the trade for DJ Moore with the Chicago Bears, it's conceivable they could give Diggs a one-year deal to get the band back together.
In Washington, the Commanders have yet to add the impact receiver they need and Deebo Samuel remains unsigned and isn't guaranteed to be back.
The belief is that Brandon Aiyuk will be going to Washington once he's released by the San Francisco 49ers, but depending a guy who hasn't played a snap since 2024 to be the WR2 behind Terry McLaurin would amount to a major gamble.
ESPN's Adam Schefter has also reported that the Niners are "not planning to release" Aiyuk anytime soon, which makes that situation very murky.
The Chiefs are another team that needs to add a wide receiver.
Their group is currently headlined by Rashee Rice, who is facing more legal trouble, and Xavier Worthy, who is coming off a disappointing season and is considered unproven.
Diggs will no doubt be looking to join a contender and all three teams could fit that bill.
Well, it’s official. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce announced he will be back for his 14th and perhaps last season.
Kelce said on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday that it was his fiancée, Taylor Swift, who influenced his decision to come back to football.
"We share the same love for what we do, and fortunately, we've had this desire since we were kids in our selective professions," Kelce said of Swift. "It's amazing to see her keep going to the table, keep finding new things to write about, keep finding new melodies and, on top of that, still seeing her have that love and joy in what she does.”
Kelce said seeing her continue motivated him to keep doing what he loves.
"Of course, that's motivating. That's motivating for anybody to see, let alone my fiancée, knowing that I'm going through something where I'm trying to figure out exactly what the future holds for me. Something like that definitely motivates me to say, 'You know what, I'm not done, either.' I've still got some ideas in the back of my mind and still got some juice left to play this game,” he said.
That’s obviously good news for Chiefs fans who weren’t quite ready to part with their favorite tight end either.
TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon’s offseason fun included attending weddings and visiting Linden, California, where his wife and Aaron Judge grew up. Natalie McMahon graduated a year after Judge and was a classmate of No. 99’s wife, Samantha.
There was also a lot of searching for answers.
As usual, McMahon’s third-base play made him a Gold Glove finalist for a fifth consecutive year, but McMahon batted .214 with 20 homers in 154 games. His 33.5% strikeout rate was the highest in the majors.
After being traded by the Rockies on July 25 and leaving one great hitting ballpark for another, Coors Field for Yankee Stadium, the lanky left-handed hitter batted just .208 in 54 games with the Yankees.
McMahon — and the Yankees — expect more from the third baseman with a career .239 average. So they went to work.
With all of that clouding McMahon’s mind, he did his “own homework,” studying video from when he hit well for the Rockies. He was an All-Star in 2024 and had several seasons in which he hit around .240-to-.250 with 20-to-24 homers and a slightly better K rate.
“The at-bats should be over,” McMahon said. “When I get a good pitch to hit, I should hit it. It’s all about getting a good pitch to hit and making sure I’m in a good spot to hit it.”
In early November, McMahon was asked to participate in a Zoom call with Yankees hitting coach James Rowson and the Yankees’ two assistant hitting coaches, Casey Dykes and newcomer Jake Hirst.
During his 90-minute meeting, McMahon was shown videos of his swing and then videos of two other left-handed hitters with power, Yankees first baseman Ben Rice and Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper.
“It wasn’t necessarily a direct reflection of a comparison of any player,” Rowson said, “but when you go back and you look through things, you’re trying to find certain things that a player may do that you can show somebody.”
This video call was eye-opening for McMahon.
“They would show me my swing, then show me theirs,” he said. “I wouldn’t say our swings are identical, but the basic swing mechanics are … step, hips, hands, that order of operations, getting the barrel there. Basically, how you want to get the barrel there were all similar and this was an example of how Rice and Harper were doing it a little bit better than I was.
“I would look at old videos of myself and be like, ‘Oh, wow!’ After seeing the things they pointed to, it was pretty clear as day. It showed me where I was kind of losing it. My hips weren’t getting there, so my hands were just dropping.
“I was doing some things that were holding me back. The habits I created were pretty bad.”
McMahon said he’s “(cleaned) up” his bat path and hip movement and created a shorter stance to “put more balls in play.”
Four months later, McMahon feels like he’s a better hitter even though it hasn’t shown in Grapefruit League results.
After McMahon’s 0-for-2 with a strikeout, weak comebacker and walk in Wednesday night’s 8-1 win over Blue Jays, he’s batting .120 with two RBI and six strikeouts in 27 plate appearances over nine games.
“I know the numbers are what they are in spring training, but I feel like I’ve been hitting the ball good, making good swing decisions,” McMahon said. “I feel like I haven’t been swinging and missing as much.”
At this point, the Yankees are more encouraged than discouraged.
“I feel like his at-bat quality every day has been pretty good, and for the most part, he’s squaring balls up,” manager Aaron Boone said.
In time, the changes will work out, Rowson predicts.
“I can literally see some of the things that Mac is putting into play this spring,” Rowson said. “Some people talked a little earlier in camp on how he looks like he was a little more narrow in his setup, so obviously that’s a visual that you can see.
“It’s not to create a different hitter. It’s to create the right feel. ... There are certain aspects of the swing that I feel like he’s in a better position to repeat a good swing consistently now.”
Pull that off, and the strikeouts should drop some.
“Let’s attack him being in a good position, identifying those pitches that he can do damage with,” Rowson added.
“I’m not necessarily locked into any strikeout percentage. I’m more locked into how often does he take a swing at a good pitch, how often is it a hard-hit ball somewhere on the field.”
McMahon still has to show that he can hit outside of Colorado. Since his 2017 MLB debut, he has been a much better hitter a mile above sea level at hitter-friendly Coors Field than he was in Rockies road games. He’s a career .263 hitter with 87 homers in 515 games at Coors and a .216 hitter with 57 homers in 549 games everywhere else.
But this trend doesn’t overly concern Boone.
“I don’t think there’s a huge adjustment once they leave (Coors) and go somewhere,” Boone said. “I think it’s in-season for those guys. When you’re seeing consistency of pitches looking different at home, and then going and playing a week on the road, that’s why guys have always had such striking differences. But then they go to another place and they kind of are who they are because that’s what they’re doing every day.
“We saw that with DJ (LeMahieu), for example. He hit great at Coors Field. He had the regular Coors Field road splits, but then came to us and was a stud anyway. Once you get out of that environment, usually you are who you are.”
It didn’t play out that way last season. Yankee Stadium is also a hitters’ ballpark, especially for lefties because of the short right field. But McMahon batted just .198 with two homers in his 29 games in the Bronx.
“I’m still getting my timing back, but I have noticed there have been a lot of at-bats where I’m getting a pitch to hit and I hit it,” McMahon said. “I’m starting to see that and it feels good. I’m excited, man.”
The Yankees gave up two ranked prospects to acquire McMahon, left-hander Griffin Herring and righty Josh Grosz. They also took on the final two seasons and two months of his six-year, $70-million contract, $16 million salaries for this year and next. They don’t want to pay that much just for elite fielding.
“Personally, I’d like to make the Yankees look like really smart people for making that trade,” McMahon said.
Arne Slot and Liverpool are licking their wounds after a 1-0 defeat at Galatasaray in their UEFA Champions League last 16 first leg on Tuesday. They are in sixth place in the Premier League table heading into this weekend and their spot in the Champions League for next season is in real danger following their shock defeat at Wolves last time out in the league.
We can't sugarcoat it: Spurs are in a relegation scrap. Igor Tudor has lost his first four games as their manager, including a humiliating 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid in their Champions League last 16 first leg on Tuesday. With Spurs just one point above the relegation zone heading into this weekend, and winning just two of their last 20 league games, they have no confidence and don't appear to be up for the relegation scrap they find themselves in.
For live updates and highlights throughout Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur, check out PST's live blog coverage below.
How to watch Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur live, stream link and start time
Kick off time:12:30pm ET Sunday (March 15) Venue:Anfield — Liverpool TV Channel: Peacock Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
Liverpool team news, focus
Alisson missed the midweek defeat at Galatasaray but could return for this game, while Federico Chiesa is a doubt. Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni, Alexander Isak and Wataru Endo remain long-term absentees. Slot may have to rotate due to a taxing encounter in Istanbul with Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and Alexis Mac Allister all looking sluggish. The likes of Curtis Jones, Jeremie Frimpong, Andy Robertson and Cody Gakpo could start.
Tottenham Hotspur team news, focus
Tudor's decision to drop Guglielmo Vicario for Antonin Kinsky was a disastrous decision in midweek and Vicario will start this game. Spurs have plenty of injury concerns with James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Wilson Odobert, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Bergvall and Ben Davies all out. Destiny Udogie is a doubt, while Micky van de Ven is suspended and duo Cristian Romero and Joao Palhinha collided at the end of their defeat at Atletico and suffered nasty head injuries, as Spurs' availability issues worsened. Tudor will set Spurs up to defend, probably in a 4-5-1 due to a lack of fit center backs, and hope for a miracle. Dominic Solanke, Xavi Simons and Conor Gallagher should all start after being on the bench in midweek with Radu Dragusin and Kevin Danso at center back.
Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur prediction
This could get very ugly very early for Spurs. Liverpool will run riot. Liverpool 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur.
So there it is - probably the biggest selection of Gregor Townsend's time in charge of Scotland.
We wondered who would partner Grant Gilchrist in the second-row and thought it might be Alex Craig. It's not.
It's something of a surprise that it's Max Williamson given that the big man - huge talent but not at his best right now - was hauled off early in Cardiff and wasn't in the 23 for France. Massive show of faith in him by Townsend.
Zander Fagerson also starts after playing a bench role against France. What's the thinking there? After so many poor starts in their 11 straight losses against Ireland perhaps Townsend is giving his team the best chance to stay in the hunt early on rather than keeping heavy artillery like Fagerson for later in the day.
D'Arcy Rae is still an excellent operator to have on the bench. They might play close to 40 minutes apiece just like last weekend. Empty the tanks and then come off.
Craig is on the bench and offers plenty of oomph. So is Magnus Bradbury and that looks a shrewd call. Bradbury is a seriously hard nut.
Kyle Rowe makes his first squad of the championship as part of a 5-3 bench. It was 6-2 last weekend. Rowe deserves it. He's been a terrific force in the Glasgow team. Feel for Josh Bayliss and Freddy Douglas who miss out.
TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 10: Shohei Ohtani #16 and Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of Team Japan leave the field prior to the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game presented by dip between Team Czech Republic and Team Japan at Tokyo Dome on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
From here on out, it’s win or go home in the WBC, with quarterfinals coming on Friday and Saturday in Miami and Houston.
WBC quarterfinals schedule
Friday, 3:30 p.m. PT (FS1): Dominican Republic (Pool D winner) vs. Korea (Pool C runner-up)
Friday, 5 p.m. (Fox): Canada (Pool A winner) vs. United States (Pool B runner-up)
Saturday, 12 p.m. (FS1): Italy (Pool B winner) vs. Puerto Rico (Pool A runner-up)
Saturday, 6 p.m. (Fox): Japan (Pool C winner) vs. Venezuela (Pool D runner-up)
Friday’s winners play against each other in Sunday’s semifinal, Saturday’s winners play each other in Monday’s semifinal, with the championship game coming Tuesday night.
The Dominican Republic has the deepest lineup in the tournament, led by Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Junior Caminero, and more. As a team they are hitting .313/.458/.672 with 13 home runs in four games.
Team USA has a deep lineup as well, hitting .293/.430/.514 as a team in pool play, and their pitchers had 57 strikeouts against only six walks in pool play, both best in the tournament. They play on Friday against Canada, playing past pool play for the first time in the WBC.
Puerto Rico allowed only seven runs in four games in pool play, with Japan second at nine runs allowed thus far.
All five Dodgers on the 40-man roster in the tournament are still active. Japan has Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the latter likely starting on the mound on Saturday. Edwin Díaz and Puerto Rico plays Italy on Saturday. Will Smith is splitting catching duties for Team USA with Cal Raleigh. Hyeseong Kim plays in the first quarterfinal game on Friday for Korea, against the stacked Dominican Republic lineup.
Pitchers in the quarterfinal can through up to 80 pitches in a game in the quarterfinals, after being limited to 65 pitches in pool play. In the semifinals and finals, pitchers can throw up to 95 pitches in a game.
Today’s question is which of these eight teams will win the World Baseball Classic?
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh in April, and until then, mock drafts will continue trying to project how teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could address their biggest roster needs. With free agency reshaping rosters across the league, early projections are beginning to reflect some of those changes as analysts look ahead to the first round.
CBS Sports analyst Chris Trapasso recently released a new 2026 NFL mock draft following the first wave of free agency, and it has the Buccaneers addressing a major need in the secondary. In his projection, Tampa Bay selects Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood with the No. 15 overall pick, adding a potential replacement for veteran corner Jamel Dean, who Trapasso notes departed for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Trapasso highlighted Hood’s playmaking ability as one of the reasons the Tennessee defender stands out among cornerback prospects in this class. During the 2025 season, Hood was responsible for two defensive touchdowns, returning both an interception and a fumble for scores. He was also the only SEC defender last season to record at least four tackles for loss while also breaking up eight or more passes.
The Volunteers' cornerback also brings the athletic profile teams look for on the outside. Trapasso pointed to Hood’s long speed to stay with receivers on deep routes and his quick reactions when driving on the football in zone coverage.
If Tampa Bay looks to reinforce its cornerback group early in the draft, Hood could be one of the names to watch.
Borussia Dortmund’s Niko Kovač on Nico Schlotterbeck, Felix Nmecha and Augsburg
Borussia Dortmund host Augsburg on Matchday 26 of the Bundesliga as they look to secure successive wins. Speaking at Thursday’s press conference, head coach Niko Kovač discussed several topics from their personnel situation, and their upcoming clash.
Kovač on the personnel situation…
“[Carney] Chukwuemeka is training partially. Nico Schlotterbeck is fully back. Filippo Mane is making progress in his rehabilitation and Julian Brandt is ill.”
Kovač on Felix Nmecha’s new contract…
“I’m convinced we’re all happy. We as a team, but also our fans. He’s a key player, he’s steadily improved but he can still improve more. Felix is at a good age. He’s slowly reaching his peak and does many things well. He has good dribbling skills, good vision and can finish but he can become even more of a goal threat. As a person, he’s a fantastic guy.”
Kovač on Maximilian Beier…
“His development is going in a very positive direction. He doesn’t always play the full 90 minutes, but that’s because he always plays at his limit. He has an excellent chance of being at the World Cup. He can still become more of a goal threat, but his hard work is paying off.”
Kovač on Nico Schlotterbeck…
“It’s a different situation than with Felix, but I hope that Felix’s contract extension sends a signal to our current players, and potential new players.”
Kovač on Augsburg under Manuel Baum…
“The team has absorbed what the new coach has asked of them. They’ve organised themselves very well in all areas. They’ve achieved this through focused hard work. It will be difficult, but we want to win. We want two wins before the international break.”
18 February 2026, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Sassnitz: The lighthouse on the tip of the pier on the Baltic Sea island of Rügen is still covered in a thick layer of ice. The pier, which is covered in a thick layer of ice, is closed for safety reasons. With temperatures around zero degrees and some sunshine, the winter weather in northern Germany is showing its friendlier side. Photo: Jens Büttner/dpa (Photo by Jens Büttner/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Hi everyone, I hope your weeks have been going well.
Welcome to your off topic open thread for Thursday, March 12. This is the ideal spot to talk about your week. What’s gone right? What’s gone wrong? What are you looking forward to this weekend?
Let us know!
Or tell us whatever you want. I’ve also collected a few things from the interwebs that I’d love to discuss.
MMA ADJACENT
Best MMA movie ever? Not much competition, right?
The way he lands these with no telegraphing is crazy.
TOTALLY OFF TOPIC
Dream vacation for me.
Here, now you can scam your friends.
GAME TIME
This is fun.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
This was wild: Check out Anton’s coverage of last night’s Hype Brazil — FULL STORY
The 2026 Ivy Madness Men’s Tournament bracket in logo form. | Chris Dobbertean using logos from SportsLogos.net
2026 Ivy League Men’s Basketball Tournament Basics
Format
Traditional bracket. You don’t need a PDF for four teams.
Site
Cornell is the penultimate Ivy League member that will host for the first time, with only Dartmouth (2027) left to complete the rotation.
Participants
The Ivy League wisely limits its conference tournament to the top four teams, which means Columbia (16-12, 5-9, t-5th), Princeton (9-20, 5-9, t-5th), Dartmouth (11-6, 5-9, t-5th), and Brown (9-18, 3-11, 8th) did not qualify.
Schedule
Semifinals (Sat. 3/14)
Gm. 1: (1) Yale (23-5, 11-3) at (4) Cornell (15-12, 8-6), 11 a.m. (ESPNU) Home split: Bulldogs 102-68 on 1/17 and Big Red 72-69 on 2/27. Gm. 2: (3) Penn (16-11, 9-5) vs. (2) Harvard (17-11, 10-4), 1:30* (ESPN News) Home split: Crimson 64-63 on 1/19 and Quakers 64-61 on 2/28.
Championship (Sun. 3/15)
Gm. 3: Semifinal winners, 12 (ESPN2)
Mayhem Potential
Data originally posted by Bob Vetrone Jr. on Twitterin 2020 with my own additions for the seasons beyond.
With only four teams participating, there’s no chance a team can earn a bid out of truly nowhere. Still, the No. 2 seed has had a significant advantage in this still small sample size of Ivy postseason tournaments. Note that there were one-game championship playoffs in both 2011 (Princeton over Harvard) and 2015 (Harvard over Yale) that helped lead to the establishment of the conference tournament.
2 seed (5): 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
1 seed (2): 2017, 2025
NCAA Seeding Record In The 68-Team Era
Years with an NCAA win are in bold.
12 seed (5):2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017
13 seed (4): 2011, 2015, 2024, 2025
14 seed (3):2013, 2019, 2022
15 seed (1): 2023
16 seed (1); 2018
The Ivy champ had recorded wins in consecutive NCAA Tournaments, as Yale took down Auburn in a 13-over-4 upset in 2024 after Princeton matched 2010 Cornell’s Sweet Sixteen run as a 15 in 2023. But the Bulldogs couldn’t make it three in a row, falling to Texas A&M in last year’s First Round.
Yale is 65th in the nET as of Wednesday, so they’re right on the 12/13 seed bubble. Once again, their three title rivals are further down the table: Cornell is 74 spots lower at 139, while Penn and Harvard are sitting right next to each other at 149 and 150. Given what’s happened in other conference tournaments, any team other than the Bulldogs is looking at a 14 or 15 seed.
While all eight Ivy League teams have appeared in the NCAA tournament, Columbia (1968, Sweet 16) and Dartmouth (1959, Elite 8) haven’t reached the field in the seeded era. Both need to wait to change that, along with more recent qualifiers Princeton (2023, 15 seed, Sweet 16) and Brown (1986, 15 seed, 1st Round).
PREVIEW | Girona vs Athletic Bilbao - team news, lineups, predictions
Girona host Athletic Bilbao this Saturday at the Estadio Municipal de Montilivi for matchweek 28 of the La Liga.
Girona currently have 31 points and lie in 15th position. In their last outing, Míchel's team drew 1-1 against Levante (La Liga 2025/26).
Athletic Bilbao have 35 points to their name this season and occupy 10th position in the table. In their last fixture, Ernesto Valverde's team suffered a 0-1 reverse against Barcelona (La Liga 2025/26).
The last meeting between the two teams ended in a 1-1 draw.
Míchel has faced Ernesto Valverde on nine occasions, recording three wins, two draws, and four losses
Ernesto Valverde has faced Girona on 11 occasions, recording five wins, three draws, and three losses
Míchel has faced Athletic Bilbao on nine occasions, recording three wins, three draws, and three losses
TEAMS
Away from home, Athletic Bilbao has gone ten consecutive games conceding goals.
Away from home, Athletic Bilbao has gone two consecutive games without winning.
Athletic Bilbao has gone 17 consecutive games conceding goals.
Athletic Bilbao has gone three consecutive games without winning.
Athletic Bilbao has suffered two consecutive defeats.
At home, Girona currently has two losses in the last ten games.
At home, Girona has gone four consecutive games scoring goals.
At home, Girona has gone three consecutive games conceding goals.
Girona currently has two losses in the last ten games.
Girona currently has one win in the last seven games.
Girona has gone five consecutive games scoring goals.
Girona has gone seven consecutive games conceding goals.
Girona has gone three consecutive games without winning.
HEAD TO HEAD
Girona and Athletic Bilbao have faced each other 11 times, with Athletic Bilbao having the advantage: five wins, against four victories for Girona.
At the Municipal Stadium of Montilivi, Girona has an advantage in the clashes against Athletic Bilbao: three wins in five games. Athletic Bilbao has one victory.
In the Spanish League, 11 matches have been played between the two teams, with four victories for Girona, two draws, and five wins for Athletic Bilbao.
Max Williamson and Grant Gilchrist form a new-look second row, and Zander Fagerson is back in the starting XV, as Scotland chase the victory away to Ireland that could lead to a first Six Nations title.
Scotland's sensational 50-40 win over France at Murrayfield has put them in contention for a first championship since their 1999 triumph in the old Five Nations.
However, the Scots have lost their past 11 matches against Ireland, have not won in Dublin since 2010, and have never won four games in a Six Nations campaign.
They also need defending champions France to slip up at home to England.
Head coach Gregor Townsend insists his squad are "fresh" and "loving playing together" after an incredible display against the French but played down questions referencing the Dublin showdown as a cup final.
"We've not talked about that," he said of the various title permutations. "It's the final opportunity for this group to go out and play. It's out of our hands, really. We can only do a certain amount and that's good in a way.
"It's a game against an opponent that's had the upper hand on us for years. They've got a brilliant record at home.
"It's a challenge, but an opportunity for us to go and deliver an even better performance than we did last week."
Locks Gregor Brown and Scott Cummings, who started in the wins over England and France, are ruled out through injury.
Gilchrist will win his 88th cap, becoming Scotland's all-time record appearance maker for a second row. Williamson is given a second chance after his early removal in the comeback victory in Wales.
Having come off the bench at the halfway stage against France, Zander Fagerson reclaims his place from D'Arcy Rae.
Winger Kyle Steyn, who has scored three tries in the tournament, is fit after going off with a gashed leg last weekend.
There are changes on the bench as back-row Magnus Bradbury, lock Alex Craig and winger/full-back Kyle Rowe make the matchday 23 for this first time in this campaign.
Winger Duhan van der Merwe is among those sidelined, along with back-up fly-half Adam Hastings and props Elliot Millar Mills and Nathan McBeth.
Jamie Ritchie and Jamie Dobie picked up injuries earlier in the tournament.
If Scotland beat Ireland at Aviva Stadium and England win away to France, the title will be theirs.
A Scotland bonus-point win and a regulation four-point victory for France would also be enough for the Scots to top the table.
A draw would do the job if France lose without collecting two bonus points.
'Massive show of faith in Williamson' - analysis
So there it is - probably the biggest selection of Townsend's time in charge of Scotland. We wondered who would partner Gilchrist in the second row and thought it might be Craig. It's not.
It's something of a surprise that it's Williamson given that the big man - huge talent but not at his best right now - was hauled off early in Cardiff and wasn't in the 23 for France. Massive show of faith in him by Townsend.
Zander Fagerson also starts after playing a bench role against France. What's the thinking there?
After so many poor starts in their 11 straight losses against Ireland, perhaps Townsend is giving his team the best chance to stay in the hunt early on rather than keeping heavy artillery like Fagerson for later in the day.
Rae is still an excellent operator to have on the bench. They might play close to 40 minutes apiece, just like last weekend. Empty the tanks and then come off.
Craig is on the bench and offers plenty of oomph. So is Bradbury and that looks a shrewd call. Bradbury is a seriously hard nut.
Rowe makes his first squad of the championship as part of a 5-3 bench. It was 6-2 last weekend. Rowe deserves it. He's been a terrific force in the Glasgow team.
Feel for Josh Bayliss and Freddy Douglas who miss out.
Scotland line-up
[BBC]
Scotland: Kinghorn, Graham, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt), Steyn, Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Z Fagerson, Williamson, Gilchrist, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.
Nathan Opoku has scored five goals in 23 League Two appearances for Newport this season [Shutterstock]
Leicester City prospects Nathan Opoku and Kevon Gray have signed new deals with the Championship club.
Ghanaian forward Opoku, 24, is yet to make a first-team appearance for the Foxes since joining the club in January 2023 from Syracuse University in the United States.
He is on loan at Newport County in League Two this season, playing under decorated former Leicester defender Christian Fuchs, having previously had a spell in Belgium with OH Leuven.
Foxes academy defender Gray, 19, has been named on the bench a number of times for Leicester this season but is yet to make his senior debut for the East Midlands side.
Gray's new deal will run until 2029, while Opoku's contract has been extended until the summer of 2027.
Foxborough, MA - January 18: Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud holds his throwing hand in the first quarter. The New England Patriots played the Texans in the Divisional Round at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
It’s been a whole three days of free agency signings across the NFL. To parse through the craze, let’s identify some of the most-impacted individuals in the AFC South.
Free Agency Winners
Robert Saleh
The Boys Are Back! With a flush amount of cap space, newly hired Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh has brought the band back together to spark a culture reset and roster revitalization.
Step 1 was to address the defensive line. T’Vondre Sweat was traded for Jermaine Johnson, John Franklin-Meyers happily accepted $42 million guaranteed, and Solomon Thomas was acquired in a late-round pick swap. All three played for Saleh’s Jets from 2022-23. While they may not carry significant weight individually, their chemistry — combined with Jeffery Simmons’ dominance — will absolutely be a problem for opposing offenses in 2026.
Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll must’ve put in a good word to spark moves for former Giants wideout Wa’Dale Robinson and cornerback Cor’Dale Flott, and cornerback Alontae Taylor decided to return home to Tennessee — now known as New New York.
With Saleh captaining the ship, a potential Year 2 jump from quarterback Cam Ward on deck, and several starting-caliber players already added to the depth chart, the Titans seem bound to make the division that much tougher.
Tyler Warren
Several members of the Indianapolis Colts stand out as early “winners” of free agency. Quarterback Daniel Jones signed a historically rich two-year contract, wideout Alec Pierce inked a top-dollar deal, and general manager Chris Ballard managed those two extensions (plus the Michael Pittman Jr. trade) as well as he could have.
An under-the-radar “winner” of all that recent activity is last year’s 14th overall pick, tight end Tyler Warren. He ranked second on the Colts behind Pittman in target share (19.4% vs 20.9%), first-read targets (64 vs 73), and receiving touchdowns (4 vs 7) in Weeks 1-13 before Jones was hurt, per Fantasy Points data.
Warren figures to be the clear No. 1 target in Indianapolis’ post-Pittman offense. And though the now-available receiving volume won’t just be absorbed by one player, Warren should command the bulk of short-to-intermediate targets over the middle of the field that Pittman previously dominated.
Warren’s best box scores will always be the product of schemed-up targets more so than game-breaking talent, but fortunately for him, there should be no shortage of action for him in the Colts 2026 pass attack.
Free Agency Losers
C.J. Stroud
National faith in the trajectory of Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has waned. The 2023 second overall pick and Offensive Rookie of the Year hasn’t made much of a leap from his first pro season, and our latest on-field impression of him cannot be described as anything other than a disaster.
That said, it’s hard to see Houston’s vision for maximizing Stroud. Its biggest moves in the past week include re-signing several defensive linemen, adding Braden Smith to replace right tackle Tytus Howard (who was shipped to Cleveland), and packaging backup lineman Juice Scruggs and draft picks for veteran rusher David Montgomery. Is this what Stroud needs, or what head coach DeMeco Ryans wants?
The Texans brass seems to think twice as highly of its offensive infrastructure as the outside world does. Until both the front office and coaching staff put their franchise passer in a better position to succeed, no “Super Bowl sleeper” discourse regarding Houston should be taken seriously.
The Texans are also losers in that they’re now the only AFC South team yet to roster outside linebacker Arden Key. Or does that make them winners?
Jaguars fans
The Trent Baalke Era created an expectation for “winning the offseason” in Duval County, and last year’s Travis Hunter acquisition was an absolute thrill. However, splashy moves of the past have put the current Jacksonville Jaguars front office in a tricky position. Flying under the radar is unfamiliar for the Jags.
Second-year general manager James Gladstone is best known for the Hunter gamble, but he’s made plenty of shrewd moves throughout his still-early tenure (e.g., fleecing the Lions in draft-day trade-down last year). In the past week, he re-signed glue guys Montaric Brown, Dennis Gardeck, and Quintin Morris to team-friendly deals while letting non-premium position players Travis Etienne and Devin Lloyd land paydays elsewhere. The losses of Etienne, Lloyd, and Greg Newsome in free agency are projected to net Jacksonville three compensatory picks, per OverTheCap. And the Chris Rodriguez Jr. pickup checks out, given his fit in the current backfield and previous playing experience under Liam Coen.
Jacksonville’s early approach to free agency was sound, albeit unexciting. Where’s the big fish? Give the people what they really want: more reasons for hope.
Here’s a look at how the divisional betting odds on FanDuel Sportsbook have shifted since the start of the NFL legal tampering period.
Before
+165: Houston Texans
+165: Jacksonville Jaguars
+340: Indianapolis Colts
+900: Tennessee Titans
After
+165: Houston Texans
+190: Jacksonville Jaguars
+270: Indianapolis Colts
+900: Tennessee Titans
Who else in the AFC South was impacted by the initial wave of 2026 NFL free agency?
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.
Muhammad Mokaev has made it clear he will not be making another big jump in weight class after being choked unconscious by Arman Tsarukyan in Brazil.
Mokaev, who holds the Brave CF flyweight title and fights at 125lb, remains unbeaten in his natural division. But when Tsarukyan’s bout with Georgio Poullas was rescheduled for the March 28 RAF Wrestling event, Mokaev stepped up on short notice to fill in against the UFC lightweight.
Despite holding his own for most of the first eight minutes, the size difference eventually caught up with him. ‘Ahalkalakets’ secured a rear naked choke late in the first round, and while the 25-year-old refused to tap out, he ended up being put to sleep as a result.
Muhammad Mokaev returns to flyweight after one-sided loss to Arman Tsarukyan
Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images
Mokaev has been a dominant force in MMA since his days as an amateur. He even went undefeated during his time in the UFC, only leaving the promotion because of disagreements with matchmakers.
Although he did lose a split decision at ADXC in 2024, the defeat to Arman Tsarukyan on Wednesday night was his first truly convincing loss. Footage shared by Red Corner MMA showed him visibly emotional as he left the cage.
Afterwards, he seemed to take it all in good humour. Posting on X, he said: “Back to flyweight,” adding a laughing emoji and a shrug. “Never give away 25kg anymore.”
The actual weight gap was not quite that large. Tsarukyan usually weighs in at 156lb while Mokaev fights at 125lb, making it a 31lb difference (roughly 14kg).
Tsarukyan’s exact weight was not listed for this bout – the broadcast graphics simply marked it as ‘X’ – but there was no mistaking who was the bigger man when they squared up.
Mokaev later posted again on social media: “Zero excuses. If I get another opportunity like this in my life, I will take [it] again and again. Competed against one of the best lightweights on 2 days notice, 45lb difference. Win or learn, go out there and challenge yourself, that’s the message to all youth. See you at the top!”
There were no hard feelings between them after the fight but Tsarukyan admitted that his next opponent needed to be more of a physical match for him.
He called out Charles Oliveira for a rematch of their UFC 300 fight and also challenged controversial black belt Dillon Danis.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 19: Chief Baseball Officer of the Boston Red Sox Craig Breslow looks on before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on August 19, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
All my homies hate Craig Breslow, but I don’t. I think he’s done a good job under constraints that seem to be slowly lifting as the years go by, as witnessed by the big-money signing of Ranger Suarez this winter, which woulda been unthinkable a few years ago. The team made the playoffs last year and seems pretty damn solid heading into this one, even if it could use a bit more power hitting in the absence of Triston Casas and Rafael Devers (and Kyle Schwarber, if we want to go even further back). But yanno, it’s cool enough.
To be sure, I don’t want to pooh-pooh the lack of oomph, but this is the best Red Sox team heading into a season since probably 2019 and I really, really don’t want to miss the forest for the trees. The team is fun again, even if the guy in charge isn’t very fun and has paid the price for it in the public’s opinion. “Aloof” has rarely been more correctly applied as an adjective. You probably wouldn’t want to hang out with Breslow, nor would I, but you probably would want to chill with Chaim Bloom (as would I), just to show you how much that particular metric is worth. And while I was always likely predisposed to be positive toward Craiggers simply because he’s not his nihilist, Baseball Prospectus-writing alum predecessor, I think he’s earned it.
There’s just one problem: He looks too much like prosperity gospel preacher Joel Osteen for me to take him fully seriously. Through no fault of his own, I can’t help but see him as a con man even though I know he’s not. I’d say I hate it, but it’s kind of funny. It’s also kind of scary. I mean, look at this shit:
Jesus Christ!
Here’s the wild part: Osteen is 18 years older than Breslow (who’s younger than me, for fuck’s sake), though a good portion of Joel’s face is considerably younger. (In fairness, that photo is from 2015.) Growing up, I was obsessed with informercials of all kinds, as growing up on the Vineyard it presented me with a type of weirdo I wasn’t likely to encounter in our little Russillovian society. I didn’t take the bait – I own zero Shams-Wow, nor did I accept whom Osteen implored me to accept as my savior – but televised hucksters have always fascinated me, or did before they moved to YouTube, where now I swat them like flies as my son scrolls thru Shorts.
Back on topic, I really think the resemblance is uncanny enough that Breslow knows about it. Though as a Jew and seemingly not of feeble brain, I don’t think he’s taken Osteen’s bait. I just find it hard to disbelieve my lyin’ eyes on this one. Something is amiss. I just can’t quite figure out what. I’ll get to the bottom of it and report back. Stay tuned.
When it was announced on Wednesday that the New York Giants were bringing back 2022 draft bust Evan Neal on a one-year deal, Giants Nation was not only perplexed, they were forewarned.
This new regime, led by head coach John Harbaugh, is going to make a lot of "out-of-the-box" moves. In fact, that old box has been blown up. Welcome to the new box.
But the decision to keep Neal, the seventh overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, who looked clueless more often than not on the field, is a head-scratcher. Neal just didn't cut it, and not even a Harbaugh can likely salvage him. But that doesn't mean Harbaugh won't try.
If John Harbaugh can somehow save Evan Neal then he deserves a statue outside of MetLife. pic.twitter.com/NXIZV6yKkj
Harbaugh said that he believes in "clean slates" as he takes on his new assignment with the Giants. It has been reported that he is even looking forward to working with Neal, who needs a clean slate more than any Giant in recent memory.
That leads us to believe that Harbaugh has no regard for the coaches who went before him, even though they did everything they could to make something out of Neal. He must see something they didn't.
There's no word on how the Giants plan on using Neal and where he stands when it comes to making the final roster. One thing we do know is that Harbaugh sees a 25-year-old, 6-foot-7, 340-pound young man who possibly can rekindle a once-promising career.
How that will play out is where followers of this team are getting lost. Neal washed out as a tackle and was switched to guard last year. He could not outplay 35-year-old Greg Van Roten and watched every game from the sidelines.
Van Roten, who was in attendance for Harbaugh's introductory press conference, is a free agent again and is awaiting the Giants' call. He is the only Giant to play every offensive snap the past two seasons. If Neal busts again, GVR could be summoned off his couch again -- assuming he's not signed beforehand.
But, as stated, the Giants' tastes and goals have changed. Neal was such a public bust that it stuck in general manager Joe Schoen's craw. Perhaps he convinced Harbaugh into taking Neal on as one final chance to prove he wasn't wrong on draft night back in 2022.
It's a low-risk move, no matter what. If the Giants can make something of Neal, power to them. If they can't, they move on. Let's not make too much of this.
“Shoutout to my little brother, going to Purdue, that’s a big thing,” Pierce told reporters Wednesday during his press conference two days after inking a new four-year deal worth up to $116 million to stay with the franchise that took him in the second round in 2022. “I can’t leave the state when I’ve got my little brother down the road.
“It’s going to be his last year of college basketball, so that’s going to be pretty special.”
The younger Pierce committed to Purdue nearly a month ago after choosing to sit out the 2025-26 college season in order to preserve his remaining year of eligibility following a three-year stint at Princeton.
The 2023-24 Ivy League Player of the Year as a sophomore, who two years ago averaged 16.6 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, continues to attend Princeton and is set to graduate in May with an undergraduate degree in economics. Purdue was his first major Division I visit as Caden mulled his transfer options over the fall and winter, taking in West Lafayette for a Nov. 28 game against Eastern Illinois.
He also visited fellow powerhouses Duke, UConn, Louisville and Gonzaga – with UConn, in particular, having potentially offered a short stint from another NFL option for his brother, as the Patriots were reportedly extremely interested in pursuing the older Pierce before Alec re-signed with the Colts.
"I was ultimately going into every visit fully with an open mind," Caden Pierce told IndyStar last month. "l felt when I was on campus at Purdue with the coaches and the guys on the team, it felt like home and a program I wanted to be a part of. Being from the Midwest, Purdue is an unbelievable basketball program and has that history that's part of the program and culture."
Pierce spent the days at home with his father, Greg, while his mother, Stephanie, traveled to Thailand with Alec’s other brothers as they represent Team USA in 3-on-3 FIBA Champions Cup action starting Friday. Half a world away, the middle Pierce brother will be watching, all while his own sports career takes off in a way he could've only ever dreamed.
Just don't ask the 50-50 ball master to lace up against his brothers.
“You don’t want to see me play basketball,” said Pierce, who at 6-foot-3, is four inches shorter than his brothers. “They’re a lot taller than me.”
The best thing the Seattle Seahawks did last offseason was sign quarterback Sam Darnold to a three-year contract worth $100.5 million. Getting Darnold on a multi-year contract worth an annual average salary around $33 million proved to be a steal. It's a huge reason why the Seahawks captured Super Bowl 60.
Darnold will possess interest in renegotiating that contract next offseason. He'll have one year left heading into the 2027 campaign, which is typically when players start talking about extensions. The latest quarterback deal in free agency just provided him with even more leverage.
The Indianapolis Colts signed Daniel Jones to a two-year contract worth $88 million. Jones will earn $44 million annually, roughly $11 million more than Darnold's 2026 salary. It's safe to assume Darnold's representation is anxiously awaiting their opportunity to meet with John Schneider.
By the way, QB Daniel Jones getting $44 million per for two seasons to stay with the Colts must make Sam Darnold (currently $33.5M base per yr) grin.
The Super Bowl winner should get $50M-plus annually next offseason to stay with the #Seahawks.
Jones played admirably for a small sample size in 2025. His campaign ended prematurely due to a season-ending Achilles injury. He still managed to get considerably more money than Darnold did last offseason.
Assuming the 2026 season isn't a disaster, Darnold will be positioned to command more than $50 million annually from the Seahawks. It's partially why Schneider has taken a more conservative approach to free agency this offseason. He knows a big-money extension with Darnold is coming down the pipeline.
The move comes as a surprise to many, as Neal has struggled immensely throughout his first four seasons in the NFL. Neal was originally a Top 10 draft selection by the Giants, but the former Alabama star has been unable to play at a high level consistently, despite thriving as a member of the Crimson Tide. Neal last appeared in just nine games for the Giants in 2024, but the big man could find himself having a bounce back campaign in 2026 following his new deal with New York.
Neal was a crucial component to the Tide’s offensive line from 2019-21. The former Alabama lineman won a national championship with the Tide in 2020, as Neal will look to get back to playing like the former version of himself during his fourth season in the NFL.
Neal will officially get yet another chance with the Giants following four disappointing seasons, as the former Alabama star will undoubtedly need to prove himself in 2026.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.
Miami has had the historic season the entire college basketball world is talking about. A 31-0 record completed just the sport's fifth undefeated regular season in 35 years. Already a presumptive lock for the NCAA Tournament, the 20th-ranked RedHawks hope to pair their regular-season conference title with a tournament championship.
Massachusetts, on the other hand, squeaked into the tournament after snapping a six-game losing streak with a win against Ohio March 3. Despite finishing the regular season just one game above .500, UMass pushed Miami to the brink in both regular-season contests.
Follow along for live updates as the undefeated Miami RedHawks begin their quest for their first conference tournament title since 2007.
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Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. UMass Minutemen odds
Per BetMGM, Miami is a 7.5-point favorite against Massachusetts in the MAC quarterfinals. The RedHawks are listed as +240 favorites straight-up, and the total for the game is set at 164.5.
Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. UMass Minutemen prediction
After Miami won two close games against UMass in the regular season, what's the outlook for their matchup in the MAC tournament?
Most predictive metrics expect a similar outcome to Miami's 86-77 win in Amherst, Mass. KenPom.com projects an identical 86-77 win for Miami, giving the RedHawks a 78% chance to win outright. BartTorvik.com, another metric used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee, forsees a similar result. With a projected final score of 87-79, Torvik gives Miami a 74% chance to win their quarterfinal showdown with Massachusetts.
Johnson has been a versatile asset throughout his career, even playing linebacker while moving around the defensive formation as required. Johnson does project as a slot defender for the Raiders in 2026, however. That's where he played 541 snaps a year ago for the Bills.
Pro Football Focus credited Johnson with allowing 42 receptions on 63 targets for 398 yards and two touchdowns. Those are fairly stellar numbers. Johnson allowed just 9.5 yards per reception, indicating he was keeping completions in front of him.
Johnson had just three pass breakups. He was defending with reliability, making tackles after allowing short completions. The Raiders could benefit from having that bend-don't-break mentality at nickel.
Jeremy Chinn played the majority of snaps for the Raiders in the slot last season. Darnay Holmes and Jamal Adams also chipped in. With Johnson projecting as a full-time nickel cornerback, Chinn should be allowed to play his more traditional safety role in 2026.
After the latest round of Championship games, it would now be a major surprise if the two clubs to join Sheffield Wednesday in League One next season are not from the five sides currently immediately above them.
Back-to-back wins followed Michael O'Neill's appointment as Blackburn head coach but one draw and three defeats in their past four games has left Rovers a point above the trap door.
His team now have nine games to salvage their second-tier status.
They were 90 seconds or so away from four straight defeats, had Hayden Carter's late header against Portsmouth not earned them a point last Saturday.
Make no mistake, they are in trouble – big trouble.
It was nowhere near the level required for the Championship, particularly in the first half. Chants of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" came from the away supporters.
A lack of leadership on the pitch, a formation that did not look particularly in sync from one side to the other, some defensive frailties and the absence of any real threat in the front line.
Two attempts on target, following one attempt on target on Saturday, is a far cry from O'Neill's first match in charge when they scored three on the road at QPR.
I said when Rovers made their managerial change that if they kept their go-to players fit, I thought they had enough quality to stay up.
The reality is they haven't kept them fit. And the proof has been in the pudding since they went out of the team.
From the 20-man squad that went to Loftus Road on Valentine's Day, they were without Sondre Tronstad, Lewis Miller, Andri Gudjohnsen, Connor O'Riordan and Kristi Montgomery at Oxford.
The loss of Tronstad is enormous and felt in every game. Miller is certainly someone you would look at in your dressing room and back to roll his sleeves up and give you absolutely everything.
Gudjohnsen, prior to his pre-Christmas injury, was a striker in form. Two of those three mentioned above have had season-ending surgeries, with Gudjohnsen soon to follow suit.
The squad is boosted by the return to fitness of captain Todd Cantwell and long-serving Scott Wharton. For me, both are in the best XI O'Neill has got.
It's a time for everyone to stand up and be counted. For every player to realise what relegation will mean for a club like Blackburn Rovers.
For those who have been around the block a few times, it is up to them to make the rest aware of the situation and how serious it is.
The remaining nine games include meetings with the top three and home matches against two of the five they are up against in the battle to survive.
The Detroit Lions managed to retain one of their familiar defensive contributors this offseason, and it turns out another team had interest before the deal was finalized.
Wilson reported that Rodriguez was on Houston’s list of potential free-agent targets, but the veteran linebacker opted to remain with the team that drafted him.
“They were in on Malcolm Rodriguez from the Detroit Lions,” Wilson said. “Malcolm Rodriguez was on their list too. But he opted to stay with the Lions on a one-year deal.”
Loyalty to the team that drafted him
Rodriguez has quietly become one of Detroit’s most recognizable depth defenders since entering the league.
The Lions selected the former Oklahoma State Cowboys football standout in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he quickly carved out a role on defense and special teams.
Since joining Detroit, Rodriguez has appeared in 50 career games and made 25 starts, providing versatility and high-energy play whenever his number has been called.
A valuable special teams presence
While Rodriguez initially saw time as a starting linebacker early in his career, his role shifted in 2025 as Detroit’s defense evolved. Last season, Rodriguez appeared in seven games and played a significant role on special teams
That type of versatility likely made him appealing to Houston, which reportedly viewed Rodriguez as a depth linebacker and special teams contributor rather than a full-time starter.
Why Rodriguez staying matters for Detroit
For the Lions, bringing Rodriguez back provides valuable continuity and depth at linebacker.
Rodriguez is widely respected inside the locker room for his effort and toughness, traits that align perfectly with the culture head coach Dan Campbell has built in Detroit.
Even if he isn’t projected to start, Rodriguez remains the kind of player every contender needs: a reliable depth piece who can contribute on defense and play a major role on special teams.
And as it turns out, the Lions may have quietly fended off interest from another team to keep him in Honolulu blue.
In those brilliant breakaway goals, you also saw how so much Premier League financial power devolved into its teams desperately chasing ties, with a lot of ground to make up.
An unprecedented six clubs in the last 16 may yet become an unprecedented wipeout, an unparalleled humiliation. Three first-leg thrashings were bad enough.
A lot can change in a week, of course, but there’s also a lot to do. A competition with more than double the revenue of any other league ended up with no victories, two draws and four defeats – three of them emphatic.
Erling Haaland’s Manchester City were one of two Premier League teams to be thrashed on Wednesday night (Action Images via Reuters)
It was hard not to think of Michel Platini’s old quote, that The Independent this week reported is being trotted out at the top of European football.
“The English are like lions in the autumn but like lambs in the spring.”
Some of them went to the slaughter.
Tottenham endured a nightmare evening at Atletico Madrid on Tuesday (PA)
English hubris met nemesis, as the Premier League may have also started to eat itself.
As ever with these kinds of generalisations, there are some individual explanations.
Out of all that, though, there were common problems that potentially point to wider trends.
Two teams conceded from set-pieces, with the added irony of Premier League norms finally being punished. Half of them endured goalkeeping issues. At least four saw further calamitous individual errors, especially at key moments.
Chelsea stopper Filip Jorgensen joined Spurs’ Antonin Kinsky in making a calamitous error on the biggest stage (AFP/Getty)
And all of them faced very different kinds of matches – much more open matches – than they have become used to, that directly resulted in those two images of Dembele and Alvarez.
The last point perhaps leads to a bigger question for the Premier League as a whole. Debate over the style of football has been a theme of the season, leading to a trend where expensively assembled teams have become obsessed with all of the margins around the actual play – diamond pressing, counter-pressing, set-pieces. A quip made after many matches this season is that these clubs have spent well over a billion pounds each to produce this.
It might be high-end tactics but it’s also low on expressiveness.
All of a sudden, as the stakes rise, they find themselves in very different type of games. They’re up against quality teams that seek to keep and use the ball.
Is there an argument that English clubs have “forgotten” how to play this kind of match, especially when the group stage was so forgiving?
It’s been said all season that the opening league phase can’t possibly create the intensity of knockouts, but it barely mattered, perhaps allowing English sides to become too immersed in their own tactical entanglements.
So, this week, they were suddenly left looking to set-pieces when set-pieces weren’t allowed work in the same way.
English sides weren’t able to use set-pieces in the way they’ve become conditioned to (Arsenal FC via Getty)
At least one prominent Premier League coach privately believes this has also created a “complacency”.
Maybe too many teams expected games like the group stage – even subconsciously.
And what of Pep Guardiola’s approach against Real Madrid? Despite the apparent advantage of the Spanish side missing big stars, the City manager went for a strikingly open midfield that played directly into the feet of Madrid’s most technical players. Federico Valverde more than used that, with one of the great individual Champions League performances.
Federico Valverde (centre) delivered one of the great individual Champions League performances (AP)
The Uruguayan is one of those high-class players that Madrid always seem to have, someone often overshadowed by stars but who underpins everything they do. Here, without Kylian Mbappe or Jude Bellingham, Valverde had the stage.
There are many Premier League executives who believe such players reflect one crucial difference between the top English sides and the best European teams, the clubs who very much do have the revenues to compete. All of Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, after all, were the four on top of Deloitte’s Football Money League of income.
That also means three of them – with the exception of Bayern – bring in the game’s genuinely elite players, the box office stars the Premier League is largely missing.
There may be some merit to this, and it may explain some differences in the latter stages. As PSG showed against Chelsea, they just have the players that can go further. Liam Rosenior almost seemed in awe of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s late double gave Chelsea a mountain to climb in the second leg (Reuters)
There is much less merit to the argument that this should see Premier League financial rules further loosened, since they already spend enough. Maybe just spend it better?
A superior argument is that the Premier League’s same lucrative selling point – its competitiveness – also acts as a necessary counter-balance to the huge money it brings in. This is probably good for European football as a whole, especially with how English money just absorbs most of the rest of the talent.
But that does raise another crucial factor, that will be cast as a flailing excuse, but is so obviously true.
English clubs have to build bigger squads – often at the expense of “stars” – because they face a much more gruelling schedule.
English clubs often build bigger squads at the expense of bringing in the biggest names (PA)
It’s not just about games, either. It’s about intensity. The very presence of six clubs in this last 16 proves this – even if one of them is Spurs.
La Liga only has three clubs at this level. The Bundesliga and Ligue 1 only one apiece. The Premier League also has Manchester United, Aston Villa and on down through a gradient that is not exactly as steep as other leagues.
That in turn makes every weekend much more demanding, while other leagues give their teams breathing space.
Madrid and PSG were able to play on Friday. They only have one cup competition.
Look, also, at how every single match becomes a psychodrama for Arsenal. Bayern don’t face that.
Every Arsenal match becomes a psychodrama, a problem title-chasing clubs on the continent don’t have (AFP via Getty)
All of this builds up, especially as the season gets to its most demanding point. You can see it in the straining of a burgeoning star like Cole Palmer.
Players are fatigued, physically and mentally. Even if it’s by a small amount, that can erode a crucial edge at this level, especially when stars on the form of Kvaratskhelia can punish you in an instant.
The English clubs are not yet put to death, though. There are still second legs to come, five of them at home. Premier League clubs have the wealth. Arsenal are still in a strong position. Liverpool remain favourites for their tie. There are meanwhile enough examples from modern Champions League history to show how even a three-goal lead can evaporate in minutes.
Maybe much of this will be reversed, so all of the issues raised here will end up being re-interpreted as strengths.
For Platini’s lambs to actually become lions, though, there is so much to claw back. The Premier Leagues clubs are going to have to go to extremes of their own.
Ohio State Buckeyes guard Bruce Thornton (2) reacts after becoming Ohio State men's basketball's all-time leading scorer in the first half of the NCAA game at Value City Arena on Saturday, March 7, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Bucketheads” is LGHL’s men’s basketball podcast, hosted by Connor Lemons and Justin Golba. In every episode, they give you the latest scoop on the Ohio State Buckeyes and everything else happening in college hoops.
On episode 195 of the Bucketheads Podcast, Connor and Justin are back to preview Ohio State’s rematch against the Iowa Hawkeyes and preview the conference tournament as a whole.
First off, we break down the Iowa matchup on Thursday afternoon. What can Ohio State do to change the outcome from the blowout loss two weeks ago? Will having Christoph Tilly and possibly Brandon Noel back make a difference, and is it ever okay to root against your favorite team for the greater good?
After that, we break down the conference tournament bracket and make our predictions for who will be playing for a trophy on Sunday in Chicago.
Remember to like and subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen, leave a comment, and review! We have episodes every Thursday morning.
Nebraska baseball (11-5) welcomed North Dakota State (2-14) for a single-game bout on Wednesday afternoon. The Huskers earned a run-rule win, taking down the Bison 11-1 in seven innings.
The Bison scored on the first pitch, blasting a solo shot well over the left field wall. But Nebraska allowed just one more hit the rest of the game, all the while tallying nine on the day. North Dakota State also suffered three errors. The Huskers took the lead in the second by scoring six runs before adding five more across the next five innings.
Jett Buck led the way for Nebraska, batting 3-for-3 with a walk, two doubles and three RBIs. Mac Moyer hit 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Case Sanderson finished 2-for-2 with two walks and an RBI. Dylan Carey and Preston Freeman each added an RBI.
Cooper Katskee (2-0) earned the win on the mound in his start, pitching 5.0 innings. After the opening pitch, he struck out eight batters and allowed only one more hit. Caleb Clark pitched in the sixth and produced three strikeouts. Pryce Bender closed out the game by pitching the seventh and going three-up, three-down.
Nebraska continues action at home this Friday when it faces Maine for the start of a three-game series. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.
One of the most sought after safeties in the 2027 class has listed Notre Dame as one of his final contenders.
Defensive back Tavares Harrington has trimmed his recruitment to 10 schools, and Notre Dame fans be excited that their school is on the list. He’s four-star prospect and ranked No. 109 in the class of 2027 according to the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-3, 180 pound defensive back from Chicago’s Mount Carmel High School has a long, rangy frame that could fit either corner or safety position at the next level.
Harrington holds offers from a national profile of programs, and recently trimmed his list to 10. In addition to the Irish he also listed Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Nebraska and Arkansas all made his latest list. Recent reporting indicates the Cornhuskers and Wolverines are pushing hard with scheduled visits and in-home contact which shows how sought after he is.
Notre Dame moved early in the recruitment of Harrington, offering him last spring, and have hosted him several times on campus. He also was present for the Texas A&M game last season. Harrington has repeatedly cited the Irish atmosphere and defensive back development as reasons the program stands out. He has indicated he plans on returning to campus this spring, yet another strong indicator of Notre Dame’s positive chances in this recruitment.
NEWS: Four-Star Safety Tavares Harrington is down to 10 Schools, he tells me for @Rivals⁰ The 6’3 180 S from Chicago, IL is ranked as the No. 8 Safety in the 2027 Rivals300
This is a recruitment for Irish fans to follow and the next step to look for is to see if Notre Dame can get Tavares on campus and make him envision himself as the next great Notre Dame defensive back.
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.
Paxton Lynch last played on an NFL roster in 2020 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and in an NFL game in 2017 with the Denver Broncos. But he's still putting in work. Currently, Lynch plays for the Colorado Spartans in the National Arena League, and last weekend, he threw his first touchdown pass.
Dropping back from inside his own 20-yard line, Lynch dropped an absolute dime to his wide receiver for his first score in the NAL. And although Lynch did not have the length of a traditional football field to travel, the throw that he completed showed that his arm talent should definitely keep the lights on.
Lynch was selected by the Broncos with the 26th overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, but only started four games, going 1-3 with four touchdowns and four interceptions before being cut. He hasn't given up on his football career, though, turning to arena football, earning $600 per game.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 24: Brad Holmes of the Detroit Lions speaks to the media during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 24, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been an unsatisfying start to free agency for Detroit Lions fans. After a frustrating offseason that involved saying goodbye to David Montgomery and Taylor Decker—plus legal trouble in the secondary—the hope was that free agency could provide some hope that the Lions were ready to bounce back from a tough 2025 season.
Instead, the first three days of free agency have been mostly defined by losses. The scoreboard as of Thursday morning was:
Six Lions free agents signing elsewhere
Three Lions players released
Two Lions players re-signed
Four new additions, two of which are depth pieces you hope will never see the field
That’s nine departures, and only six signings.
The outlook on defense is currently looking especially dire, as they’ve lost four significant contributors from 2025 and have added exactly zero. Their defensive end room is basically empty, and their secondary is full of questions with little answers.
So, what the hell is going on?
On a special mid-week episode of the PODcast, we try to wrap our heads around the start of free agency. The most important point is quite simple: free agency is not over. While many of the more popular names are off the board, there’s still a ton of talent left. And if you look at Lions general manager Brad Holmes’ biggest free agency successes, many of them have happened in the second and third waves of free agency. Just look at last year, where the Lions added Roy Lopez, Rock Ya-Sin, Grant Stuard, and Avonte Maddox all in the second and third waves of free agency.
But also, maybe something else is going on. Maybe the Lions are shifting their strategy. There’s an apparent youth movement underway, and maybe that enigmatic quote from Dan Campbell about adding competition and getting back to their old selves is a hint toward them doing that.
We discuss it all on this week’s PODcast. In addition to that, we break down our thoughts on Cade Mays, Isiah Pacheco, Larry Borom, and the return of Teddy Bridgewater. Plus, we ask ourselves if we would’ve paid the contract terms to some of the players the Lions lost got with their new teams.
You can listen to the entire show using your favorite podcasting platform or via the Spotify embed below:
Brian Rolapp announced sweeping changes to the PGA Tour, including a much-needed alteration to the playoffs.
Speaking at a press conference prior to The Players Championship, the PGA Tour CEO announced plans to introduce a promotion-and-relegation system, shorten the schedule to just over 20 events, and change the postseason format.
Rolapp said he plans to change the Tour Championship, or the entire playoffs, to a match-play format, with the best players in the world going head-to-head in the final events of the year. He added that there were no finalised plans, but this was his wish.
This change has been called for by golf fans for years, and it’s exciting to hear that they could be implemented. The Tour Championship has felt less like a grand finale and more a regular PGA Tour event in recent years, so this would be a welcome change.
But what do the players think? Speaking after Rolapp’s press conference, Max Homa shared his thoughts on the PGA Tour’s plans.
Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
Max Homa says Tour Championship has been a “tough watch”
Six-time PGA Tour winner Homa welcomed the potential changes to the PGA Tour playoffs, and he’s happy the fans are being listened to.
Speaking to Kay Adams on Up and Adams, he said, ““I just look at it from the golf fan’s perspective, and I would like that. I know it’s hard on TV, and it can be tough to watch at times if you only have one group going out there.
“Because golf’s slow, we’re going to have to walk in between shots. If they wanna give us a cart, I’ll take one!
“I like it. Sports fans, in general, like the finality of things. You look at the Super Bowl, it’s two teams, it’s so easy to digest. Golf, at times, when it’s at its best, there’s 10 guys around the lead, and you don’t know what’s going to happen.
“Something about the build-up of two guys going head-to-head on a Sunday in the same group, I think there’s a joy to that. So I look forward to that if it does come.
“They’ve got to do something. Just lean into whatever the fans want to see. Let’s try that. I think the Tour Championship has been a bit of a tough watch, which is sad as of late, because it’s the last event of the year.
“It hasn’t been very exciting, especially with the stagger, because at best you’re going to have two guys on the weekend, and when Scottie was going, you couldn’t get close. But this, no matter what, will be exciting on the last day.”
Brian Rolapp agrees with Max Homa about PGA Tour fans
It’s no wonder that Rolapp’s press conference has gone down well with the fans after he explained his approach to his role as CEO.
In his press conference, Rolapp said, “There are all sorts of models being talked about: Medal match play, other things. Nothing has been decided, and it would be a waste to debate that here.
“I think a lot of the motivation comes from our fans and our partners who want to see more drama in the events that they attend. I mean, again, the sports business is not that hard; just think like a fan, and nine and a half times out of ten, that’s probably the right answer.
“I think we’ve heard that consistently, but what’s important, and I don’t know why it hasn’t worked in the past, and I won’t comment on that, but I think what is important, and I’ve had some conversation with players about this, it has to feel authentic.
“If it’s not authentic to them, if the competition isn’t authentic to them, if it is, for lack of a better word, gimmicky, it’s not going to work for anybody, including our fans.
“So I think those are a lot of the debates we’re having in the committee about how to do that. There’s certainly places in the golf world where match play does work and that competitors and fans like it. So we’re working through that.”
The message from Rolapp is clear: fans first. That should be music to everyone’s ears.
The double challenge that awaits Barcelona forward against Sevilla
After their demanding 1–1 draw against Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League, the attention of Barcelona quickly turns back to domestic competition.
The Catalan side now return to La Liga, where an important fixture against Sevilla awaits them.
The upcoming match could carry special significance for Ferran Torres, who is expected to return to the starting lineup after beginning the Newcastle match on the bench.
According to AS, the Spanish forward enters the game with two objectives.
The first one is to rediscover his scoring touch and the second is to score against Sevilla for the first time in his career.
A goal drought Ferran wants to end
It must be noted that Ferran has not found the back of the net for more than a month, as his most recent goal came on January 31 against Elche.
Since that day, the forward has appeared in nine matches without scoring. For an attacker who usually thrives on confidence and rhythm, the drought has been noticeable.
However, this is not unfamiliar territory for Ferran. During his career, he has gone through similar phases, yet he has often managed to respond strongly.
Season numbers still respectable
Ferran Torre has huge tasks at hand. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
Despite the recent drop in goals, Ferran’s overall statistics this season remain respectable.
The Barcelona forward has already scored 16 goals in 38 official appearances across all competitions.
It is also worth noting that Ferran is not the only Barcelona attacker experiencing a quieter period in front of goal.
As such, Robert Lewandowski has also gone through a similar phase recently, which has placed additional attention on Barcelona’s attacking efficiency.
Chance to change the story
The clash against Sevilla now represents a perfect opportunity for Ferran to change that narrative.
Beyond simply ending his current goal drought, the match presents another personal challenge.
Interestingly, Ferran has never scored against Sevilla during his professional career.
Across four matches with Valencia and six more appearances for Barcelona, the forward has yet to find the net against the La Liga side, making the upcoming match quite special for the Barcelona player.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic has officially delivered the chaos, drama, and bat flips we all crave. After a whirlwind round of pool play that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very last out, the tournament has been whittled down to an elite eight. Now, the margin for error is zero as the single-elimination knockout stage begins.
Host cities Miami and Houston will split the quarterfinal duties, transforming loanDepot Park and Daikin Park into global battlegrounds. The stage is set for a frenetic two days of baseball on Friday, March 13, and Saturday, March 14. Team USA managed to survive a serious scare in Pool B, dodging elimination thanks to Italy, and now faces a tough Canadian squad that boasts a sparkling 1.50 team ERA from the opening round. Meanwhile, the reigning champion Japanese squad, led by Shohei Ohtani, is gearing up for a massive showdown against Venezuela.
It is win-or-go-home baseball at its absolute finest. Every pitch carries the weight of a nation, and the electricity in the stands will undoubtedly bleed right through the television screen. Fans can catch every inning of the quarterfinal clashes across the Fox Sports family of networks.
Here is how the elite eight will square off on the road to the semifinals.
Japan vs. Venezuela
Mar 20, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (16) looks on during his at-bat in the fourth inning against Mexico at LoanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
This is the heavyweight bout of the weekend as the defending champions collide with a loaded Venezuelan squad. Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan look to continue their dominance, but Venezuela has the firepower to turn this into a shootout. Stats: Japan has the third-best odds (+420) to win it all, while Venezuela trails just behind them (+500).
Date: Saturday, March 14
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Location: loanDepot park, Miami
Broadcast: FOX
United States vs. Canada
Mar 7, 2026; Houston, TX, United States; United States pitcher Tarik Skubal (27) throws a pitch against Great Britain during the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Americans survived a near-disaster in pool play, advancing only after Italy defeated Mexico. Now, they must figure out a red-hot Canadian pitching staff if they want to keep their title hopes alive in Houston. Stats: Canada heads into the knockout stage having posted a stellar 1.50 team ERA during their 3-1 run in pool play.
Mar 6, 2026; Miami, FL, United States; (left to right) Dominican Republic third baseman Junior Caminero (13), third baseman Manny Machado (3), first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27), right fielder Juan Soto (22) and second baseman Ketel Marte (4) participate in pregame ceremonies before the game against Nicaragua at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Two baseball powerhouses meet in Miami with a trip to the semifinals on the line. The Dominican Republic remains a massive threat to win the entire tournament, but they will have to get past a disciplined and dangerous Korean lineup first. Stats: The Dominican Republic currently holds the second-best odds to win the WBC (+290) behind Team USA.
Date: Friday, March 13
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: loanDepot park, Miami
Broadcast: FS2
Puerto Rico vs. Italy
Mar 4, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Puerto Rico pitcher Gabriel Rodriguez (69) throws a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the seventh inning during spring training at Lee Health Sports Complex/Hammond Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Italy played the role of giant-slayer to help Team USA advance, but now they face a hungry Puerto Rican squad that finished second in tough Pool A. This Houston matchup has all the makings of a classic underdog-versus-established-powerhouse scrap. Stats: Puerto Rico looks to bounce back after a 3-1 pool play finish, where their only loss came against Canada.
Date: Saturday, March 14
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Daikin Park, Houston
Broadcast: FS1
The Road to Miami Gets Steeper
Mar 10, 2026; Houston, TX, United States; Italy center fielder Jakob Marsee (5) celebrates right fielder Jac Caglianone’s (14) run against the United States in the sixth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
As the dust settles in Houston and Miami, only four teams will pack their bags for the semifinals. The intensity will only ratchet up from here, so lock in and enjoy the weekend, because the crown is well within reach for these final eight powerhouses.
21 February 2026, Hesse, Frankfurt/Main: Jürgen Klopp comes to the Ball des Sports. The Sports Ball is a charity event in aid of Sporthilfe. Photo: Hannes P. Albert/dpa (Photo by Hannes P Albert/picture alliance via Getty Images)
The World Cup can be considered a make or break tournament for any coach.
For former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, it could mean everything. According to Sport Bild (as captured by Get German Football News), former Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, and Mainz 05 boss Jürgen Klopp could be thinking of leaving his post with Red Bull in favor of taking over the German national team:
Sport Bild reports that Red Bull are concerned that Jürgen Klopp will leave his role as Global Head of Soccer.
In recent weeks, there has been speculation that the Energy drinks company are unhappy with the work of the former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund head coach, and that he could be removed from his role as Global Head of Soccer, which he began in January of 2025.
While Klopp won’t be leaving his role to manage Real Madrid, there are discussions internally that he could leave Red Bull in the summer to replace Julian Nagelsmann as the German national team head coach, and this is considered a real possibility.
Of course, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester United and others will all want to lure Klopp to take another club post, but Klopp is at the age (58) where he could be looking for a vocation — something he can really dive into for the love of what he does rather than any monetary reward (though, the money would surely be nice, too).
Nagelsmann’s deal with the DFB runs through the EURO 2028 competition.
BFW Analysis
Klopp is not a house cat. Sticking him in an office and having him examine spreadsheets never seemed like it was going to be a long-term gig with Red Bull. While the 2026 World Cup is the ultimate “Judgement Day” for Nagelsmann, the head coach’s recent Kicker interview has led some to believe that he could be going down the same road he did at Bayern Munich — which was not ultimately successful.
Klopp would seem to be the perfect coach for the German national team and at a stage of his career where it truly would be a move that would be based on his love of his country and the for the love of the game.
If the DFB moves on from Nagelsmann or the coach resigns to take a club job, Klopp would be the ideal person to take over.
Aston Martin's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso attends a press conference ahead of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai on March 12, 2026. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
This was supposed to be a dream season for Aston Martin.
A sweeping set of regulations changes — the biggest in the long history of Formula 1 — gave Adrian Newey, arguably the greatest designer in the sport, a blank canvas to work with. Factor in the investments made behind the scenes, including a state-of-the-art facility for the team in Silverstone, and 2026 was going to be the year that Lawrence Stroll’s vision truly took shape.
But that dream has gotten off to a rocky start, and the team is in “survival mode” at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.
Pre-season testing uncovered substantial problems with the team’s challenger for the 2026 season, and ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix Newey outlined just what the team is facing. A severe vibration in the team’s Honda power units was causing parts to malfunction on the AMR26, with components literally falling off the car. “That vibration into the chassis is causing a few reliability problems, mirrors falling off, tail lights falling off, all that sort of thing, which we are having to address,” noted Newey.
Even worse, the vibration left drivers Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso at risk of significant, and permanent, nerve damage if they ran more than a handful of laps.
“Fernando is of the feeling that he can’t do more than 25 laps consecutively before he will risk permanent nerve damage to his hands,” Newey added at the Australian Grand Prix. “Lance is of the opinion that he can’t do more than 15 laps before that threshold.
“To me I think there’s no point in not being open and honest on our expectations. We are going to have to be very heavily restricted on how many laps we do in the race until we get on top of the source of the vibration and improve the vibration at source.”
Those issues, and a lack of backup components, led Aston Martin to treat the Australian Grand Prix as an additional testing session. Alonso completed just 21 laps, and Stroll 43, and both drivers spent extensive periods of the race in the garage as the team worked on both cars.
Meeting the media ahead of this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix in the FIA Press Conference, Alonso cautioned fans to expect more of the same as Aston Martin tries to work the problem.
“The situation unfortunately didn’t change within four or five days since Melbourne, so yeah, I think it’s going to be another difficult weekend, trying to understand as much as possible on the car and, you know, eventually limit the laps in a couple of the sessions because we are short on parts, and yeah, try to get something positive out of the weekend,” began Alonso.
As for what “something positive” might look like, Alonso indicated that a “normal” weekend would be a positive for the team.
“I think obviously when we can do laps without any issues, I think they are very important laps because even now here with Esteban [Ocon] and Pierre [Gasly], they were not optimised for Australia, and apparently it was the same case for everybody, and they are, I don’t know, maybe ten times ahead of us,” outlined Alonso. “If they completed 1,000 laps since Barcelona test, we completed maybe 100, so we are nine or ten times behind. So, if they are still not perfectly optimised, imagine ourselves.
“We are at square one, so we really need the laps, we really need to be able to practice and to find the window on the car and the chassis side. That will obviously be very important for the weekend, and I will be happy if we leave China with a more or less normal free practice, more or less normal quali, accumulating laps and probably attempting the full race on Sunday, if we are allowed.”
Unfortunately for Aston Martin, what complicates matters is that this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix is the first F1 Sprint race of the 2026 season. While that offers a shorter race on Saturday — and two chances to score points — it also means just one hour of practice before sprint qualifying.
Asked whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, Alonso noted that the team is simply in “survival mode” at the moment.
“I think, yeah, it will not change much to us,“ said Alonso. ”We are in survival mode, so let’s see if we can capitalise on some other issues that may happen in front of us.“
However, despite the tough start for Aston Martin, Alonso noted that the season has not been as tough as us on the outside might expect, both for the team and for the veteran driver personally.
“Less tough than what you think,” said Alonso when asked whether he was in a hard mental place.
“I mean, not ideal. We all want to win. We are 22 drivers this year. One will win, 21 will be in a difficult and tough mental state, because for me to finish third or fifth or 17th, it really doesn’t matter much.
“I was lucky enough and privileged enough to live different eras n Formula 1 and to have fun driving, and eventually super lucky to have competitive cars for half of my career and achieving more than 100 podiums in the category. So now to finish, as I said, in any other position that is not first, for me it’s the same pain and the same struggle,” continued Alonso. “Obviously, we are now in this journey with the team, which is not the ideal start, but it’s the first year of this collaboration between Aston Martin and Honda and we have to go through this moment in time, and I’m ready to help as much as I can.”
MIAMI, FL - MARCH 11: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the Dominican Republic reacts to a play during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool D game presented by Capital One between Team Dominican Republic and Team Venezuela at loanDepot park on Wednesday, March 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Wednesday marked the final day of pool play in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and it was not short on excitement. The first two of the three-game slate were elimination games, while the final was a star-studded matchup between two already-clinched powerhouses. Here’s a look at how things finished up, and how we stand headed into quarterfinal play this weekend.
Pool A: Canada (3-1) 7, Cuba (2-2) 2
In a messy win-or-go-home contest down in San Juan, the Canadian squad made history by advancing past pool play for the first time with a win over Cuba. The Cuban squad made history as well, as the loss kept them from advancing for the first time in the Classic. The Cuban squad simply made too many mistakes to overcome, as Canada took full advantage of it.
Beyond just taking advantage of mishaps from Cuba, Canada benefitted from a terrific start by Cal Quantrill. The 31-year-old tossed five innings in his start, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out five. The veteran Canadian came through in perhaps his country’s biggest WBC game to date.
The trouble started from the beginning for Cuba, as pitch clock violations and interference calls had them on the ropes in the first inning, though starter Livan Moinelo was able to escape unscathed. Canada did eventually get on the board in the third, when Owen Caissie hit a sac fly, before an Abraham Toro solo shot extended their lead to 2-0 in the fifth.
Cuba was able top remain in this game until the late innings, but their three errors and the big inning for Canada in the fifth sent them home. In that inning, RBI hits from Bo Naylor and Otto Lopez did the job, and another Caissie RBI in the ninth gave them all the insurance they needed. As mentioned, Canada advancing and Cuba being eliminated this early are firsts in the history of the World Baseball Classic. Could they also check off the “firs semifinal” milestone? They’ll duke it out with Team USA beginning tomorrow night.
It was all Italy in the final game of their perfect run through Pool B. It was a game that carried consequences not only for the two teams involved, but also the United States squad, whose fate depended on the outcome. If Italy won, the US was in, if Mexico won, it would be either the U.S. or Italy eliminated depending on the final score. Luckily for the Italians and the U.S., it was all bene.
On the offensive side, Vinnie Pasquantino undoubtedly led the charge for the Italian bats. He started his historic evening with a solo homer in the first inning, did the same in the sixth, and capped off his massive ballgame with another in the eighth. The big lefty, in the process of helping to save his own squad and the U.S., put together the WBC’s first ever three-homer game.
He was just one of five Italian batters to tally an RBI in the resounding win, but the pitching was excellent as well. Starter Aaron Nola struck out five batters in as many innings in his terrific outing, as he and the rest of the Italian pitching staff limited a Mexico lineup to just one run on five hits.
The win puts Italy alongside Japan and the Dominican Republic as the undefeated teams to this point in the tournament. It also eliminates a good Mexican team, while helping the United States advance into the quarterfinals, with plenty of hope in tow.
Pool D: Dominican Republic (4-0) 7, Venezuela (3-1) 5
Although the consequences for this game were not as dire as the previous two on Wednesday, the clash of talent here is hard to beat. Both squads had already punched a ticket to the quarterfinals, but this one wasn’t short on excitement, as the Dominican bats were loud to start things off, and those fireworks carried them to their 4-0 finish in pool play.
In the first three innings, home runs from Juan Soto, Ketel Marte, and Vlad Guerrero Jr. had loanDepot Park rocking and the Dominican Republic up early.
Venezuela was far from out of it, as big hits kept them within one run through three innings, thanks in part to a big double from WBC-loving Luis Arraez. An inning later, however, a booming three-run blast from Fernando Tatis Jr. put the D.R. squad firmly back in the driver’s seat, and sent the stadium into a frenzy once again.
The Venezuelan squad kept things interesting to the end, despite the lopsided feel of the game. They had the bases loaded with no outs int the ninth, and scored a pair of runs in the inning to close the gap, as Dominican pitcher Elvis Alvarado added to the pressure with a throwing error to second base as part of the rally. Nonetheless, the stacked Dominican Republic squad escaped with a win, and will enter quarterfinal play as perhaps the team to beat.
They will play Korea, while Venezuela draws defending champion Japan (and Yoshinobu Yamamoto). Elsewhere, the United States squares off with Canada, and Italy with Puerto Rico in an exciting slate of quarterfinal games that kicks off on Friday.
Fenerbahce manager seeking reunion with struggling Juventus forward
Juventus striker Lois Openda has reportedly been offered the opportunity to revive his career at Fenerbahce under the tutelage of a familiar face.
The 26-year-old joined the Bianconeri last summer after completing a deadline-day transfer from RB Leipzig. He is currently on loan until the end of the season, but the Old Lady has the obligation to buy him for €45 million in June.
Lois Openda has so far failed to impress at Juventus
While a permanent transfer to Juventus looks inevitable. the Belgian’s future doesn’t necessarily lie in Turin, especially following a disappointing first season.
Openda has only scored two goals in all competitions since the start of the season, and he currently finds himself at the very bottom of Luciano Spalletti’s pecking order.
According to Tuttosport, Juventus are hoping to find a way to offload Openda next summer, but the management realises that finding a buyer won’t be easy. After all, the attacker’s hefty book value doesn’t correspond with his actual value on the market.
The Bianconeri faced a similar situation with Arthur Melo, who remains on the club’s books, even though his last appearance for the club dates back to 2022.
Nevertheless, Juventus could be given a helping hand from Turkiye.
Domenico Tedesco wants Openda at Fenerbahce
The Turin-based newspaper reveals that Domenico Tedesco would like to reunite with Openda at Fernerbahce.
The 40-year-old had often relied on the pacey forward during his tenure with the Belgian national team.
The Italo-German tactician took over the Istanbul-based giants in September following Jose Mourinho’s departure, and he could be destined to stay at the club beyond the current campaign.
It remains to be seen whether the Turkish giants will be willing to satisfy the wishes of the young manager and submit an offer for the unwanted Juventus man.
Feb 25, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Titans will probably make 1-2 additional notable signings. The rest will be depth players and back-end signings to compete for 53-man roster spots. Then it’s full-steam ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft. With so much already accomplished, we’re resetting the Titans’ offseason needs by analyzing the five biggest remaining holes.
EDGE
The Titans entered the offseason with multiple holes at EDGE. They traded T’Vondre Sweat for Jermaine Johnson II, but haven’t done anything else at the position. Johnson is a Robert Saleh guy, but is coming off a disappointing season. Surely the Titans don’t trust Femi Oladejo and Jaylen Harrell opposite him. More is needed.
Right Guard
The Titans remain interested in bringing Kevin Zeitler back, according to Paul Kuharsky. The whole at right guard is glaring otherwise and probably relies on them agreeing to terms with Zeitler. Sophomore guard Jackson Slater is the alternative in-house option.
Center
Mike Borgonzi cut Lloyd Cushenberry at center. Now what? Schlottmann is the mid-tier veteran addition who previously played for Brian Daboll. The aforementioned Slater has enough versatility to compete at center. This feels like the riskiest position on the offense heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. Most good free-agent options are already off the market.
Wide Receiver
Wan’Dale Robinson, Chimere Dike, and Elic Ayomanor. Is Calvin Ridley getting cut? If Ridley stays, this room still needs an investment via the 2026 NFL Draft. If he gets cut, the need becomes even bigger. Investing in Cam Ward’s development is important.
Linebacker
The Titans were rumored to be interested in linebackers. Most options like Devin Lloyd, Quincy Williams, and Tremaine Edmunds have already signed elsewhere. A few veteran options remain available who have ties to the coaching staff.
Mikel Arteta's Arsenal hold a seven-point lead over Pep Guardiola's Manchester City at the top [Reuters]
It's tense at the top and nail-biting at the bottom.
With fewer than 10 rounds of games left, we take a look at how the Premier League title race, the fight for Champions League places and the relegation battle are shaping up.
At the summit, Arsenal enjoy a seven-point lead over Manchester City but have played a game more.
Looking at the remaining fixtures, the Gunners have a slightly easier run-in on paper, although their eight remaining games include what could be a title-defining trip to the Etihad on 19 April.
Beyond that, it is worth noting that four of Arsenal's next five league games are at home against mid-table sides while four of Manchester City's next five are away, including a trip to Chelsea.
While some have questioned Arsenal's ability to go on and win the league, it's clear that Manchester City haven't been the terrifying force of seasons past.
In fact, only twice under Pep Guardiola have they had fewer points after 29 games than their haul of 60 this term – in their first season under him back in 2016-17 (58) and last season (48).
If we look at both teams' expected goals numbers, neither has been as dominant as the title winners in recent years – whether due to their own flaws or the Premier League being more competitive than ever – so there's a chance of both sides slipping up in their remaining games.
Good news for Arsenal fans is that the most dominant team statistically - in terms of goal difference per game, excluding penalties - have won the Premier League in three of the past four seasons.
The exception came when Manchester City pipped the Gunners to the title two years ago.
With fifth place likely to lead to Champions League qualification again, just three points separate Manchester United, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool for a place in the top five, with one of those sides looking set to miss out.
Some would say Aston Villa have the easiest run-in of the quartet. After a tough trip to Old Trafford this weekend, they face four of the bottom six in their next six games, although whether playing sides fighting for survival is an advantage at this stage is debatable.
Liverpool are the team currently outside the top five. They have the chance to build momentum against a run of mid-table sides before tackling a daunting series of games in May when they play all three of their Champions League-chasing rivals in succession.
A couple of months ago Aston Villa looked almost nailed on for a top-five finish as they sat at least eight points clear of the other three teams despite their underlying numbers being much worse.
They were even portrayed as possible title contenders, but a spate of injuries to key players and a drying-up of the xG-defying screamers they scored from outside the box earlier in the season allowed their rivals to make up ground.
In the battle at the bottom, Wolves and Burnley are all but down barring a footballing miracle, which leaves one spot that is likely to be filled by one of Leeds, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and West Ham.
With the most points on the board already, Leeds have the kindest run-in on paper, with just one game against a side from the top six (Manchester United on 13 April) and home games against both of the bottom two.
Meanwhile, it would seem like West Ham are the most likely to be relegated as not only do they currently sit in the bottom three, they also have the toughest run-in of the four sides.
However, the reason why Tottenham and Nottingham Forest fans have reason to be nervous is that West Ham's performances have improved considerably under Nuno Espirito Santo's guidance in recent weeks.
Only four Premier League teams have taken more points from their past eight games than the Hammers (14) and only four teams have a higher expected goal difference in that time, suggesting the upturn has not been down to luck.
While fixture lists and statistics give us a great idea of what's to come, there are sure to be many twists and turns in the battle for the prized places in the Premier League before the final ball is kicked.
🤖 Opta algorithm backs Madrid, Barça and Atleti to reach the quarter-finals
The landscape of the Champions League has been defined following the latest update of Opta’s statistical model. The data leads to a clear conclusion: Spanish football is regaining its status of dominance on the continent.
While Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are consolidating themselves as the strongest candidates to reach the quarterfinals, other major European projects, such as Manchester City, are going through a critical situation.
Real Madrid boasts a 82.95% probability of qualifying, a figure that reflects their reliability in knockout rounds.
For its part, FC Barcelona maintains an upward trend with 68.15%, consolidating its current sporting project in the face of international metrics.
Both clubs—along with Atlético de Madrid, the top Spanish team with a 96.68% chance—are positioned at the top of the table, only surpassed by the numerical efficiency of Bayern Munich (99.96% chance) and the (increasingly less surprising) Bodo Glimt.
Premier League clubs on the edge
The discordant note of the round comes from the Premier League teams. Manchester City has seen its chances plummet to a worrying 17.05% after last night’s defeat at the Bernabéu.
The situation in London is especially delicate according to the algorithm; both Chelsea and Tottenham are in the lower part of the table, with 7.04% and 3.32% respectively, which virtually leaves them out of the next round.
Liverpool finds itself in a much more balanced situation; the Anfield side maintains a 51.36% probability, which suggests a nail-biting finish to their tie, placing them right at the threshold that separates European success from failure.
LSU baseball needed a lift to its struggling offense midway through Tuesday's game against Creighton. Omar Cerna answered the bell, delivering the go-ahead runs on a grand slam in the fifth inning. He propelled the Tigers to an 8-4 win.
The freshman catcher is getting real time behind the plate, along with chances to showcase the bat. He's earning the trust of head coach Jay Johnson while working behind starting catcher Cade Arrambide.
"I think he's a mature player and I think he's only going to get better," Johnson said of Cerna. "When I think about the amount of experience he's getting, Cade's getting, and the talent that they both have, I mean it makes you feel great about that spot. Obviously, there's some growing pains, you know, it's a tough position to play, but I think his improvement is remarkable."
Serna dealt with a few wild pitches and a plethora of LSU pitchers in the early goings against the Bluejays. He struck out and grounded out in his first two at-bats. When he came up for the third time at a critical spot, the freshman delivered the first home run of his collegiate career.
"I think it's a really good sign of maturity," Johnson said. "He grounded out, I think, with runners in scoring position and two outs and then struck out in the first one with runners in scoring position and two outs to really slow the game down right there. So, obviously, big swing and proud of him for that. He's improving a lot."
LSU can only play one catcher at a time, but if Serna continues to swing the bat like this, he'll earn at-bats in LSU's DH spot.
On Saturday 14 March at San Siro, Cristian Chivu's side host Atalanta in a 15:00 CET kick-off on matchday 29 in Serie A – a fixture that rarely lacks intensity or entertainment.
The clash at the Meazza has traditionally favoured the Nerazzurri and sees two of the league's most prolific sides go head to head. In the reverse fixture – Inter's final match of 2025 – Lautaro's strike proved decisive.
HEAD TO HEAD
Saturday's clash between Inter and Atalanta will be the 130th Serie A meeting between the two sides. The record clearly favours Inter: they have won 71, Atalanta 24, with 34 draws. La Dea are the team Inter have scored the most goals against in the competition, while for Atalanta, Inter are the side they have lost to most often (71 times) and conceded the most goals against (233).
Recent encounters have been particularly favourable to the Nerazzurri. Inter have won all of their last seven league meetings with Atalanta, scoring 19 goals and conceding just five. Only once in their history have our Nerazzurri managed eight consecutive Serie A wins against La Dea, between 1964 and 1967 under Helenio Herrera.
Inter are also unbeaten in their last 14 league matches against Atalanta, with nine wins and five draws. Across all competitions, Atalanta have failed to score against Inter in five successive games – four in the league and one in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final – and have lost nine matches in a row to the Nerazzurri. In the second half of the Serie A season, La Dea have not beaten Inter in eleven encounters (four draws and seven losses) since their 2-1 victory on 23 March 2014.
STATE OF PLAY
Inter continue to lead several Serie A statistical charts. Chivu's side have scored the most goals from corners this season (15), with Atalanta in second place on eight, level with Roma.
Defensively, Inter are also the team with the most clean sheets (ten). Our Nerazzurri also stand out for their aggression in the final third: no team has recovered more balls in the attacking third.
Going forward, Inter (512) have taken more shots on goal than any other side in the league. They also lead the way for touches in the opposition box (987), while conceding the fewest in their own (399).
DIMARCO: THE KING OF ASSISTS
Federico Dimarco continues to be one of the standout performers for the Nerazzurri this season. Only Michael Olise (16) has managed more assists than the Inter wing-back (14).
Dimarco is one of only five players since 2004/05 to register over five assists from open play (eight) and more than five from set-pieces (six) in a single Serie A season.
PIO ESPOSITO'S GROWTH
Francesco Pio Espositohas scored four goals in Serie A this season. In the three-points-for-a-win era, only four Inter players have managed at least five goals in the league before turning 21: Nicola Ventola, Obafemi Martins, Mario Balotelli and Mateo Kovacic.
BONNY'S NUMBERS
Ange-Yoan Bonny has scored four of his five goals this season at home. In total, he has been involved in seven goals in twelve home appearances so far this campaign, after finishing last season with just four goal involvements in 19 appearances on home soil.
OPPONENTS: ATALANTA
Atalanta arrive in solid league form ahead of the clash. Since Raffaele Palladino took over in the dugout on 11 November, only Inter, AC Milan and Napoli have collected more points in Serie A: 33 from 17 games, the same as Como.
During this period, Palladino’s team have shown great defensive solidity, conceding just 15 goals – fewer than all teams except Inter and AC Milan.
In the league, Atalanta have lost only one of their last 11 matches (seven wins and three draws): a 2-1 defeat to Sassuolo on 1 March. After that match and their 2-2 draw with Udinese last time out, La Dea could go three games without a win for the first time since the period between September and November.
On the road, their record is perfectly balanced under Palladino: three wins, two draws and three defeats. Tactically, Atalanta have registered more direct attacks than any other Serie A team this season (60). This figure contrasts with Inter's defensive solidity, with only AC Milan, Cagliari and Udinese conceding fewer.
Atalanta's most recent match was in the Champions League, where they lost 6-1 at home to Bayern Munich in the first leg of the round of 16.
For the match against Inter, Palladino is expected to send his team out in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Carnesecchi in goal, Kossounou, Hien and Kolasinac at the back, Zappacosta, de Roon, Pasalic and Bernasconi in midfield, and Samardzic and Zalewski supporting Scamacca up front.
SERIE A, MATCHDAY 29
Friday 13 March
Torino vs. Parma, 20:45 CET
Saturday 14 MarchINTER vs. Atalanta, 15:00 CET
Napoli vs. Lecce, 18:00 CET
Udinese vs. Juventus, 20:45 CET
Sunday 15 March
Verona vs. Genoa, 12:30 CET
Pisa vs. Cagliari, 15:00 CET
Sassuolo vs. Bologna, 15:00 CET
Como vs. Roma, 18:00 CET
Lazio vs. AC Milan, 20:45 CET
Monday 16 March
Cremonese vs. Fiorentina, 20:45 CET
DISCIPLINARY SITUATION
SUSPENDED
Inter: -
Atalanta: -
ONE BOOKING AWAY FROM SUSPENSION
Inter: -
Atalanta: Palladino (coach)
REFEREE
The referee for Inter vs. Atalanta will be Gianluca Manganiello.
Inter vs. Atalanta, scheduled for Saturday 14 March at 15:00 CET, will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN. The match can be followed via the DAZN app on smart TVs, or streamed on mobile devices such as PCs, smartphones, and tablets.
UPDATES ON INTER TV
You'll find all the usual updates and pre-match coverage on Inter TV, with the latest from San Siro ahead of the clash. Our Livematch show before Inter vs. Atalanta will go live at 13:45 CET and will also be available on the Club’s official YouTube channel until 14:50 CET. After the game, stay tuned for full post-match coverage, including analysis, insights, and interviews.
The Ravens are releasing quarterback Cooper Rush one day after the official start of the NFL's new league year. Baltimore's decision to re-sign Tyler "Snoop" Huntley to a two-year deal worth up to $11 million likely signals the end of Cooper Rush's brief time with the team. With Huntley returning as Lamar Jackson's primary backup, Rush is headed back to free agency as the Ravens finalize their quarterback depth chart.
In the two starts during which Jackson was sidelined, Rush completed 25 of 39 passes for 251 yards, with four interceptions and no touchdowns. He threw for just 72 yards against the Los Angeles Rams before the bye.
The Ravens signed Cooper Rush as their new backup during the 2025 offseason. When Lamar Jackson sustained a hamstring injury against the Chiefs, Baltimore initially turned to Rush, who finished that game and started against the Texans and the Rams. However, after some struggles, the team decided to switch to Tyler Huntley. Huntley started and won games against the Bears in Week 8 and the Packers in Week 17, keeping the Ravens' playoff hopes alive. Rush was under contract for $2 millionthis year, but will now hit the open market.
Organisers of Formula 1's 2026 Spanish Grand Prix have revealed brand-new renders detailing key areas of the 5-4 hybrid Madring circuit.
Madrid has won the right to take over the Spanish GP from Barcelona, building a brand-new venue near the Spanish capital's Barajas airport that will combine public streets with a purpose-built road course section.
With just six months to go until the first race at the so-called Madring circuit, organisers have revealed the latest selection of renders bringing F1's newest circuit to life, detailing key areas of the track including a high-banked half-oval.
Dubbed La Monumental, Turn 12 is a 550‑metre corner boasting a 24% banking, which organisers say is inspired by a traditional bullring. The high-banked corner should be a flat-out blast in theory, although the heavy energy-harvesting requirements of 2026 F1 cars may change that. In any case, the 180-degree corner will be one of the key spectator areas, with an arena-style stadium section being built to host 45,000 fans.
Another fast and flowing section is the Valedebebas sequence, which runs adjacent to Real Madrid's training complex. Following a heavy braking zone in Turn 13, cars will head into a rapid corner sequence of Turn 14, 15 and 16. The inside area of this high-speed section hosts the Pelouse fanzone, one of the circuits' main entertainment areas for up to 50,000 fans.
Madring circuit rendering
Madring circuit rendering
To start the 5.4km lap, cars will navigate a tight Turn 1-2 chicane after just a 200-metre blast from the start-finish line, which could lead to a chaotic start given the complicated start procedures of the 2026 cars and the variance in performance between the different power units. Turn 3 leads onto the urban section of the circuit which takes cars over a roundabout and underneath the adjacent motorway towards the Monumental area.
Organisers say 70% of the Spanish GP's ticket allocation has already been sold, but have released additional tickets for the above areas in both grandstand and hospitality areas.
The CSU vs. Colorado State game can be heard on FM 99.1 with play-by-play from Brian Roth and analysis by Adam Nigon.
Who are the coaches?
San Diego State is led by Brian Dutcher, who is in his ninth season leading the Aztecs. He's 218-78 all time.
CSU is led by Ali Farokhmanesh, who is in his first season as a head coach. He had been a CSU assistant since 2018 under former head coach Niko Medved. Farokhmanesh is 21-11.
What are the records?
San Diego State is 20-10 overall and the Aztecs are the No. 2 seed in the Mountain West tournament.
CSU is 21-11 overall and the Rams are the No. 7 seed in the Mountain West tournament.
The teams split two games in the regular season, with each winning at home. San Diego State beat CSU 73-50 Jan. 28 in San Diego. CSU won 83-74 on Feb. 21 in Fort Collins.
Mountain West bracket
The winner of CSU and San Diego State advances to the semifinals to face the winner No. 3 New Mexico and No. 11 San Jose State. Those teams follow CSU and San Diego State on March 12.
Colorado State is No. 84 in KenPom's rankings and San Diego State is No. 47. KenPom's metrics project a 75-70 win for the Aztecs. CSU is No. 88 in Bart Torvik's T-Rank and San Diego State is No. 43. Torvik's metrics project a 73-68 win for the Aztecs.
In the NCAA's NET rankings, San Diego State is No. 47 and CSU is No. 87.
Who are key players to watch?
SAN DIEGO STATE
Myles Byrd: The 6-foot-6 guard was recently named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. He averages 1.9 steals per game while scoring 10.6 points and grabbing 4.5 rebounds per game.
Reese Dixon-Waters: The 6-foot-5 guard leads the team in scoring at 13.2 points while hitting 36% of his 3-pointers.
BJ Davis: The 6-foot-2 guard is second on the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game while shooting 40% from 3-point range. He averages just over two free throws per game.
COLORADO STATE
Jevin Muniz: The 6-foot-6 guard was named third-team All-Mountain West. He had seven assists in a first-round win over Fresno State.
Jase Butler: The 6-foot-4 guard poured in six 3-pointers and scored 20 points in a first-round win over Fresno State.
Kyle Jorgensen: The 6-foot-9 forward is second on the team in scoring at 12.1 points per game and is shooting 55% from the floor and 44% from 3-point range.
The Maxx Crosby trade saga that left us with so many questions is over -- for now. He was a Baltimore Raven and then he wasn't, and it seems like he's sticking with the Las Vegas Raiders for now.
So while the Raiders could turn around and trade him again, he's got a message for fans in Vegas that he posted early Thursday morning on Instagram: "Everything Happens For A Reason. Believe Nothing You Hear & Half Of What You See. Im A Raider. I’m Back. Run That [expletive]."
That should make Raiders fans pumped and ready for Crosby to resume his pass-rushing duties for the rebuilding team.
The wide receiver position continues to evolve in the modern era of football, and the 2026 NFL Draft class showcases just how dynamic the next wave of pass catchers could be. Evaluating this class, veteran draft analyst Rob Rang of Fox Sports highlights a group of prospects who bring a diverse mix of skill sets, athletic traits, and production that should translate well to the professional level. NFL teams are placing greater value on receivers who possess a combination of route-running precision, athletic versatility, and big-play potential. The upcoming draft class appears to offer a strong blend of those traits, with several prospects emerging from powerhouse programs and rising schools alike.
This group of receivers features a diverse range of skill sets that could translate well to the professional level. Some prospects have built their reputations as polished route technicians who consistently find ways to separate from defenders. Others bring elite speed and open-field explosiveness, capable of turning routine plays into long touchdowns. Meanwhile, a number of these players stand out for their physicality, size, and ability to win contested catches in critical moments. Together, they represent the evolving prototype of the modern NFL receiver.
Programs like Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, and USC continue to produce elite receiving talent, and this class is no exception. However, the depth of the group also highlights emerging programs that are developing high-level offensive playmakers capable of competing with traditional recruiting powers. As the 2026 draft approaches, evaluators will closely analyze these receivers’ production, athletic traits, and development to determine who can make the biggest impact at the next level.
With playmakers such as Carnell Tate, Zachariah Branch, Antonio Williams, and several others leading the way, the 2026 class has the potential to deliver multiple future NFL starters. Their performances over the upcoming season will ultimately shape how this talented group is viewed when draft day arrives.
Carnell Tate has developed into one of the most polished receivers in college football at Ohio State. He combines smooth route running with strong hands and excellent body control along the sideline, allowing him to consistently win contested catches. Tate shows advanced awareness against zone coverage and is particularly effective on intermediate routes where he can exploit defensive spacing. His technical refinement and reliable production project him as a high-floor NFL receiver.
2. Makai Lemon
Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) celebrates after catching a 32-yard touchdown pass against the UCLA Bruins in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Team: USC
Makai Lemon brings dynamic playmaking ability to the wide receiver position with explosive acceleration and open-field creativity. At USC, he has thrived in space, showing the ability to turn short receptions into chunk plays thanks to his agility and balance. Lemon’s quickness off the line allows him to separate early in routes, particularly on slants and option routes. His versatility as a slot weapon and potential return threat makes him especially intriguing to NFL offenses.
3. Jordyn Tyson
Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (0) against the Arizona Wildcats during the 99th Territorial Cup at Mountain America Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Team: Arizona State
Jordyn Tyson is a productive and physical receiver who excels in contested-catch situations. Arizona State has relied on his ability to track the ball deep and finish plays downfield, where his strong hands and timing stand out. Tyson’s size and toughness allow him to work effectively along the boundary and through contact over the middle. His play style suggests he could transition well into an NFL offense that values physical perimeter receivers.
4. KC Concepcion
Texas A&M Aggies wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Kyle Field. Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
Team: Texas A&M
KC Concepcion is a versatile offensive weapon who can line up across multiple receiver spots and create mismatches. At Texas A&M he has shown strong instincts with the ball in his hands, displaying sharp cuts and the ability to make defenders miss after the catch. His quickness allows him to separate in tight coverage, particularly on short and intermediate routes. Concepcion’s adaptability and playmaking instincts make him a valuable chess piece for creative offensive coordinators.
Washington Huskies wide receiver Denzel Boston (12) celebrates after he makes a reception in the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Team: Washington
Denzel Boston offers an intriguing blend of size, athleticism, and vertical ability. Washington has used him as a downfield threat capable of stretching defenses with long speed and leaping ability. Boston’s catch radius and physical frame allow quarterbacks to trust him in one-on-one matchups. If he continues refining his route tree, he could develop into a prototypical outside NFL receiver.
6. Zachariah Branch
Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Zachariah Branch (1) gestures after a first down against the Mississippi Rebels during the 2026 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Caesars Superdome. Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Team: Georgia
Zachariah Branch is one of the most electric athletes among college receivers. Known for his elite speed and return ability, he can instantly change the momentum of a game with one touch of the ball. Georgia utilizes his explosiveness on screens, jet motions, and deep routes to stress defenses horizontally and vertically. His dynamic athletic traits give him major upside as a big-play threat at the next level.
7. Omar Cooper Jr.
Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) against the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Team: Indiana
Omar Cooper Jr. has quietly built a reputation as a dependable and productive receiver for Indiana. He displays strong concentration at the catch point and an ability to adjust to off-target throws. Cooper’s size and physicality help him work effectively in contested situations and along the sideline. His reliability and toughness make him a valuable possession receiver with upside.
Malachi Fields stands out for his impressive frame and ability to dominate physically against defensive backs. Notre Dame has frequently targeted him in high-leverage situations, trusting his size and catch radius in tight coverage. Fields uses his length well to shield defenders and secure difficult receptions. With continued development in his route running, he could become a highly effective red-zone target in the NFL.
Chris Brazzell II brings speed and vertical explosiveness to Tennessee’s offense. He is particularly dangerous on deep routes, where he can track the ball well and separate late in the play. Brazzell’s athleticism allows him to stretch defensive coverages and create space for teammates underneath. His big-play ability gives him the potential to develop into a dangerous deep threat at the professional level.
Antonio Williams is known for his smooth route running and natural receiving instincts. Clemson frequently relies on him as a dependable target who can create separation through precise timing and technique. Williams shows excellent awareness when working between defenders and consistently finds soft spots in coverage. His polish and football IQ make him one of the more pro-ready receivers in this class.
11. Josh Cameron
National wide receiver Josh Cameron (34) of Baylor and National cornerback Chandler Rivers (0) of Duke battle for a pass during National Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images
Team: Baylor
Josh Cameron has emerged as a major playmaker in Baylor’s passing attack. He combines speed with strong ball-tracking ability, allowing him to threaten defenses both deep and after the catch. Cameron’s versatility enables him to align in multiple receiver spots, creating favorable matchups. His explosive traits and improving route detail give him significant upside heading toward the NFL.
12. Deion Burks
Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Deion Burks (4) runs the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide running back Ak Dear (0) during the first half at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Credit: Gary Cosby-Imagn Images
Team: Oklahoma
Deion Burks is a highly athletic receiver known for his burst and open-field acceleration. Oklahoma’s offense has utilized him in a variety of ways, including quick passes designed to let him create yards after the catch. Burks’ ability to separate quickly makes him difficult to cover in man-to-man situations. His big-play potential and versatility could make him a valuable offensive weapon at the next level.
Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Germie Bernard (5) runs the ball in the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family OK Memorial Stadium. Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Team: Alabama
Germie Bernard brings speed, agility, and playmaking instincts to Alabama’s receiving corps. He is particularly effective on intermediate routes where he can accelerate out of breaks and gain separation. Bernard also shows strong awareness with the ball in his hands, often turning routine catches into explosive gains. His combination of athleticism and competitiveness gives him intriguing upside as an NFL receiver.
Conclusion
Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) scores a touchdown against Northwestern Wildcats defensive back Josh Fussell (13) during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The 2026 NFL Draft wide receiver class offers a compelling mix of speed, athleticism, and technical refinement. Many of these prospects have already demonstrated the ability to produce at a high level against top collegiate competition. As they continue to develop, this group could ultimately become one of the more exciting receiver classes in recent years.
Thibaut Courtois rages at press pack – ‘Real Madrid is not a nursery, nobody set Xabi Alonso up’
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has responded at length to a number of narratives in the press, following their excellent victory over Manchester City on Wednesday night. The Belgian shot-stopper was keen to dispel the notion that his teammates were indisciplined and held more power than the manager.
“They know I have a great long-range shot. Obviously, I’m not Ter Stegen, but I have a good long-range shot; we’ve worked on it, especially against teams that leave a lot of space at the back. And this, with a good ball like the ones in the Champions League, makes those passes come out,” he told Cadena SER after the game.
‘You think this is a nursery, but we’re professionals’
Courtois was also keen to to respond to a number of narratives in the press, claiming that much the speculation around the club in recent months is just that.
“We don’t read what you say (laughs). I’m at home and I analyse what I need to analyse with Llopis [Luis Llopis, goalkeeping coach]. Some things gets through, we’re not on Mars, but we’re not always looking at what you say. You say things you think are true, when they’re not. Obviously, nobody’s going to come out and say otherwise, but I’ve read things that… oh my god (laughs)! It’s your job and I respect that,” he commented later to Diario AS.
The Real Madrid dressing room has been painted as a group of stars that need to be treated as such by their manager, whomever it is, for fear of rebellion. Courtois claimed that he and his colleagues follow the manager’s instructions to the letter.
“You think this is a nursery and that we do whatever we want. That’s not the case. We respect the coaches, the technical staff, everyone. Many criticisms are unfair. Others are valid, and that’s fine. Sometimes we play poorly: against Celta, Getafe… We’re partly to blame, and I accept that. But today was a step forward as a team, and we have to remember that. If we fight for each other, things will work out.”
“I feel that in my first year we were much worse off than now, and there wasn’t this toxic atmosphere. There needs to be more respect for the dressing room. Saying things like we have more power than the manager or that we didn’t want to play in Albacete is unacceptable. We’re professionals and we always do what the manager tells us. That doesn’t exist here; this is Real Madrid.”
‘Nobody set Xabi Alonso up’ – Courtois
After Alvaro Arbeloa’s arrival saw similar results early on, the fingers of blame swivelled towards the players at Real Madrid. Yet there was a consistent string of stories that they did not get on with predecessor Alonso, feeling his approach involved too much video analysis
“I don’t think that’s the case. Nobody set Xabi up. To say we don’t like the tactics, that we don’t like the videos… I had Antonio Conte, and you’d spend an hour there (watching videos). And I didn’t care, because we’re professionals. It’s my job. It’s one thing to play with your friends. There, it’s normal not to want to watch a half-hour video. But if I have to watch a video, I watch it.”
“We prepare for matches. I spoke with the NFL in the summer, and they’re watching videos all the time. Our professionalism has been questioned. The first few months with Xabi went very well. And we had a rough patch, we couldn’t find our rhythm, but we’re not in charge, the manager is, and we have to respect that.”
It’s been a tricky season at the Bernabeu, with two managerial changes in the space of seven months. Trailing Barcelona by four points in La Liga, their victory over City was one of the few times that Los Blancos have put in a cohesive performance in recent months, and with Arbeloa the third manager to try to get the best out of the current squad with mixed results, changing the coach no longer looks like a definitive solution.
The pressure is ramping up on Igor Tudor after a difficult start to his tenure, with the Spurs boss still searching for his first win in charge of the club.
Tottenham team news vs Liverpool
We’re likely to see Tudor favour his usual formation, despite their disappointing performances, especially with little room to manoeuvre given their injury situation.
Tottenham’s injury list remains lengthy. Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, and Mohammed Kudus are among those with long-term issues.
Destiny Udogie could be fairly close to returning to action, but he’s unlikely to be fit enough for this one.
Rodrigo Bentancur and Ben Davies also remain out, while Micky van de Ven is suspended. The Dutch defender was sent off in the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace last time out.
Cristian Romero is available after Premier League suspension, but he is a doubt through injury. The centre-back clashed heads with Joao Palhinha against Atletico Madrid in midweek. There’s no guarantee that either are available should they be judged to have suffered concussion.
Pressure ramps up on Tudor
Tudor was brought in to replace Thomas Frank last month. But he’s not had the impact the hierarchy at the club would have expected. Spurs have lost all four of Tudor’s games in charge, suffering an embarrassing defeat against Atletico Madrid this week.
Tottenham conceded four first-half goals, and Tudor even made the controversial decision to substitute Antonin Kinsky after just 15 minutes, with his side 3-0 down at the time.
The decision may well have been the right one. But it was Tudor who brought Kinsky into the starting XI, having not played at all in 2026.
The young goalkeeper looked distraught as he walked off the pitch, with multiple teammates rushing to console him. Tudor’s man-management was certainly questionable in that situation, failing to acknowledge him as he headed down the tunnel.
Tottenham’s recent winless run, failing to secure a victory since the turn of the year, means they currently sit just one point above the relegation zone. Many supporters are now fearing the worst as they desperately try to find a win from somewhere.
Major questions are being asked of the manager, who was appointed until the end of the season, and he’s struggling to find the answers. The former Juventus boss was brought in with the sole aim of steering the club away from the relegation zone, but he’s been unable to get a tune out of his players.
Coming up against an inconsistent Liverpool side this weekend could throw up a surprise, but even the most optimistic of Tottenham supporters won’t be expecting too much. Spurs might have a decision to make on Tudor if their poor form continues, but as we edge closer to the game at Anfield, it appears that he’s going to remain in charge for their trip to Merseyside.
Feb 25, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Jake Diebler reacts during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
The 9-seeded Iowa Hawkeyes (21-11, 10-10) took care of business after a shaky start against Maryland and will take on the 8-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes (20-11, 12-8). OSU bounced back from their loss to Iowa with wins against Purdue, Penn State, and Indiana to both jump the Hawks in the conference standings and strengthen their case as a tournament team after being pretty bubbly at the time of the matchup.
In Iowa’s win, they held them to their fourth least efficient game offensively. The other 3? Two against Michigan and their first Power 4 game of the season vs. Notre Dame. If Iowa can put together another strong defensive performance, that’ll go a long way.
Bruce Thornton had just 10 points on 3/8 shooting in the first matchup as Iowa contained him well. John Mobley, Jr. (the league leader in 3-point shooting) & Amare Bynum hit early threes during the Buckeyes 14-2 run but the Hawks put it away early with a 33-4 run which spanned nearly 12 minutes of the first half.
That’d be nice to replicate as Ben McCollum looks to get his 32nd straight win in a conference tournament. Outside of the Iowa game, OSU is playing their best basketball of the season as Bart Torvik has them as 6 of their last 7 game scores are over 90.
#9 Iowa Hawkeyes (21-11, 10-10) vs Ohio State Buckeyes (20-11, 12-8) Same bat time: Today, 3/12, at 11:00 AM, Big Ten Network (Jeff Levering, Don MacLean, Rick Pizzo) Same bat place: United Center, Chicago, IL Hawkeye Radio Network Live Stats (StatBroadcast)
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — After Federico Valverde single-handedly got Real Madrid back in Champions League domination mode with his hat trick against Manchester City, the 15-time European Cup winner must take a brief dip back into La Liga this weekend.
Valverde’s memorable three-goal first-half explosion on Wednesday fueled a 3-0 win over City and coach Pep Guardiola, a nemesis of Madrid from his years in charge of the best Barcelona squads.
The treble by Valverde came after his last-gasp goal snatched Madrid a 2-1 win at Celta Vigo in the Spanish league’s previous round.
Now Madrid must refocus, albeit it just for a game, on the domestic competition where it has struggled of late and trails leader Barcelona by four points after 27 of 38 rounds.
Álvaro Arbeloa’s side hosts Elche on Saturday, then three days later heads to England to try and finish off City and advance to the Champions League quarterfinals.
Barcelona hosts Sevilla on Sunday.
Key matches
While Elche looks like easy pickings for Madrid, the small southern club did hold the powerhouse to 2-2 at home in November.
Elche was in eighth place just two months ago but has plummeted to 17th and the edge of the relegation zone.
Prior to that Valverde-inspired win at Celta, Madrid lost twice in the league to Getafe at home and away at Osasuna.
Barcelona will also be looking to avenge a 4-1 loss at Sevilla in October, its worst defeat in the league this campaign. In that loss, Barcelona was without injured attackers Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
Players to watch
Valverde has emerged as the leader of an injury-hit Madrid. All six of his goals this season have come since January with Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham both injured.
Yamal is also in fine form for Barcelona. The 18-year-old has seven goals over his last seven La Liga appearances, and he converted a pressure-filled penalty to salvage a 1-1 draw at Newcastle in the Champions League round-of-16 on Tuesday.
Out of action
Mbappé hasn’t played since Feb. 21 because of a knee problem and remains a doubt for Madrid, which is also missing Bellingham and Éder Militão, out with a long-term injury.
Barcelona’s injured list includes starting full backs Jules Koundé and Alejandro Balde.
Off the field
Barcelona will hold an election for club president on Sunday, when incumbent Joan Laporta seeks another five-year term.
Southampton boss Tonda Eckert has said the race for the play-offs is now in their hands after his side snatched a late equaliser against West Brom on Wednesday night.
Cyle Larin's injury time goal extended the Saint's unbeaten run to 11 games in all competitions, and moved them to within touching distance of 6th placed Wrexham.
"It was very important to get that late equaliser because we have yet to play Wrexham, so from now on it's in our own hands," Eckert told BBC Radio Solent.
"It was important to dig deep and tonight showed the character of the team.
"There will be more games that look more beautiful, but today we showed we can play better, but we played a good team who are fighting for everything.
"Today we have to be happy to take the point and move on."
Southampton head to the league leaders Coventry on Saturday for what will be their fourth consecutive away game in all competitions.
"Four on the bounce was always going to be tough," he said.
"It is not easy to maintain the energies, but we are pushing. Now we have to recover and go strong again against Coventry.
"There were things today that didn't go in our favour, but it is what it is. It was a big and important character test for us."
SOUTH BEND, IN - NOVEMBER 06: Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly reacts to a play during a game between Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen on November 6, 2021, at Notre Dame Stadium, in South Bend, IN. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s funny how in the most technologically advanced time in human history, with the ability to record and store seemingly every moment of life, that public figures continue to lie their asses of to rewrite recent history. Sure, the masses have proved to be sheep in many aspects, and will buy the nonsense right away — but only for a short time.
This brings me to former Notre Dame head coach, Brian Kelly.
Brian Kelly has always been referred to as a “politician” because of the way he supposedly talks about certain issues surrounding him or the teams he has coached. I think some people believe this to be some type of compliment that credits Kelly for knowing what the right thing to say in the moment just so happens to be.
It’s utter bullshit.
Brian Kelly “talking like a politician” just means that he lies. He lies — and then lies some more. He lies to bend the narrative surrounding him at the time, and nothing makes that more clear than his recent interview on College Sports on SiriusXM.
— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) March 10, 2026
Kelly talks about how he had no intention of leaving and mentioned they were building their dream house (which I used as a big reason why he wasn’t leaving ND in a story I published just 20 seconds before the news of him leaving ND broke). But then… he says that he felt his job was finished. Not just done — he completed the task he had of bringing Notre Dame back to being an elite program — national championship be damned.
So, he was either lying back then about his reasons or he’s lying right now — right?
No. He was lying BOTH times, because Brian Kelly is a liar.
Every bit of this is him trying to rewrite the events that HE brought on by himself. There’s no one to blame, but himself, and so he makes it about “his truth” like some entitled 19 year old sophomore who he probably sneers at when he passes them on the corner in his Prius.
Obviously, Notre Dame is in much better shape than the Excuse Maker In Chief. Marcus Freeman has flipped the narrative surrounding the Irish — even so far as having them be the betting favorites to win the national championship. So while it shouldn’t bother me that Kelly is out there running his mouth and twisting history — it does.
He made Notre Dame out to be a stepping stone program as he fled for LSU, but as it turns out, he’s just a stepping stone coach — and that’s the truth.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 13: Former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is seen in the corner of Gabriel Benitez of Mexico during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on January 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) | Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
It’s been a rough time for former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, who has spent the last four years in and out of jails and prisons on an attempted murder charge.
There’s still various criminal and civil cases winding their way through court related to the 2022 revenge shooting, but Velasquez was released from prison on February 15th and is now back at home with his family. In a new video uploaded to his Instagram account, Cain thanked his followers for their support through the life-altering ordeal.
“Now that it’s been a couple weeks since my release, I’ve had some time to kinda get back into things, get back into a normal way of life,” Velasquez said. “Get used to just doing the normal things, being in the home with the family, being there for my kids. And I just wanted to thank everybody for their love and support. Your words of inspiration, of encouragement constantly just lifted me up, myself and my family.”
“You have no idea what your words and your encouragement and your love has meant to me and my family,” he continued. “So just thank you. I’ll keep doing the work to get back to everyone. And just for myself now, to slowly get back out there. I didn’t want to overwhelm myself with the pace of life that I was getting used to, to now all of a sudden, a new way of life, a new way of living, a new rhythm. So for myself, I just had to kind of get used to it, and I’ve been doing that.”
“So again, just thank you. Thank you. Thank you everyone. And it’s good to be out.”
The moment Cain Velasquez walked free, bookies started putting up odds on whether the big man would return to fighting despite being 43 years old (and his well-documented history of really bad injuries). Velasquez was also building up a nice little pro wrestling career with runs in WWE and Lucha Libre AAA that he could go back to. And the first hint that he’d be freed from jail came from a social media post gauging interest in a potential breathwork seminar.
For now, coming up on the one month mark since his release, Velasquez is just focused on re-integrating into his own life again.
Following a huge payday, Indianapolis Colts' wide receiver Alec Pierce is ready for the increased role and expectations that come with a big contract.
Just after the NFL's free agency negotiating window opened, it was reported that the Colts had signed Pierce to a four-year deal worth $116 million.
By average annual value, Pierce is the 11th highest-paid wide receiver in football entering the 2026 season.
Now being paid like a WR1, Pierce will need to produce like one.
"That's something that I know I can do, I believe in it," Pierce said of getting more opportunities, via Colts.com. "And the opportunity is now, and it's there for me to take it. That's going to be something that I knew was going to come with getting this type of contract, and that was probably the biggest thing I was excited about."
After leading the NFL in yards per catch the last two seasons, Pierce is known for the home run ability he brings to the Colts' offense. However, as we saw last season, he can provide much more than that.
During his time with the Colts, Pierce's route-running abilities have greatly improved, and with that, have come more opportunities to attack other levels of the field while doing so in a variety of ways.
While that may reduce his overall yards per catch figure, Pierce's impact on a game will grow.
Pierce is coming off his most productive season, eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career. With a new contract, he will now look to build upon that performance and do so with an expanding role and more opportunities.
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It has been suggested that Man Utd could be in the market for a new centre-back, while others believe that the full-back slots are a more pressing need. Interestingly, Kalulu is capable of filling both roles, as evidenced by his Juventus exploits this season.
Liverpool join Man Utd in the race for Pierre Kalulu
The 25-year-old is a youth product of Olympique Lyonnais who made his mark in Serie A after joining AC Milan in 2020. Four years later, he made the switch to Juventus and is now considered an integral part of Luciano Spalletti’s tactical scheme.
The Frenchman was only absent from the starting lineup on one occasion this season, while serving a ban against Como, a match that the Bianconeri went on to lose.
On Thursday, the Daily Briefing confirmed that United have indeed scouted the OL academy product, but they weren’t the only Premier League giant on the heels of the ‘elite’ defender.
The source reveals that Liverpool are also following the versatile player closely, and both clubs received ‘positive’ scouting reports.
Juventus keen to maintain Kalulu
According to Transfermarkt, Kalulu’s current value is estimated at €28 million (£24m). Nevertheless, the Lyon native would certainly cost more, as Juventus have no desire to part ways with one of their most important assets, so only an irresistible offer could sway the Serie A giants.
While the Frenchman isn’t the most technically gifted defender, he has been making major strides on this front, as illustrated by his stats this season.
Moreover, Kalulu would certainly be an upgrade on Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui from a defensive perspective, and he would offer the Man Utd manager a new centre-back option should Harry Maguire or another defender leave the club in the summer.
But between Juve’s desire to keep the player in Turin and the reported competition from Liverpool, landing Kalulu could be a daunting mission for the Red Devils.
Eintracht Frankfurt duo Younes Ebnoutalib and Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab set to be called up to the Moroccan national team – opening the door for the 2026 World Cup
Bildreports that Eintracht Frankfurt duo Younes Ebnoutalib and Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab will be called up to the Moroccan national team.
The pair are both born outside of Morocco, with Ebnoutalib born in Frankfurt and Amaimouni-Echghouyab born in Spain, but both can play for the Atlas Lions through their parents.
New Morocco head coach Mohamed Ouabhi has included the duo in the preliminary squad for the upcoming international break.
Despite these nominations, Ebnoutalib could still play for Germany as only friendlies will be played in the March international break. Morocco are set to play Ecuador and Paraguay in the final international break before the World Cup.
If the pair perform well, then there is a possibility that they could head to America to play for Morocco at the 2026 World Cup.
The Frankfurt duo’s season so far:
Both moved to the Waldstadion in the winter. Ebnoutalib joined from Elversberg for €8m where he scored 12 goals in 17 games. The 22-year-old played twice for die Adler, scoring on his debut, before an injury has sidelined him since.
While Amaimouni-Echghouyab moved from Hoffenheim’s second team for €200k. In the 3.Liga, the winger, had nine goals and six assists in 18 games. Since moving to the Bundesliga, he has played nine times, scoring twice and assisting once.
The 2026 F1 Academy season will begin with the first round in Shanghai, China, from 13-15 March.
The all-female racing series will feature as a support race to the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix and will comprise a 40-minute practice session followed by a 30-minute qualifying on Friday. Saturday and Sunday will host a race each day, both of which will be 13 laps.
Here is everything you need to know to follow the F1 Academy series in China live.
Chloe Chambers, Campos Racing, Doriane Pin, PREMA Racing, Maya Weug, MP Motorsport in Parc Ferme
Chloe Chambers, Campos Racing, Doriane Pin, PREMA Racing, Maya Weug, MP Motorsport in Parc Ferme
How to watch F1 Academy in Shanghai
Fans from all regions will be able to follow the 2026 F1 Academy season live on F1 TV and the official F1 Academy YouTube channel. For fans watching in the UK, Sky Sports F1 will be broadcasting the races live and for those watching in the US, it will be broadcast on Apple.
Full list of F1 Academy broadcasters
Antena – Romania
Apple – United States (including Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa)
beIN – South East Asia; MENA
Bell Media – Canada
Canal+ – France, Monaco, Andorra, Switzerland, Mauritius, Haiti, DROM COM, POM and Sub-Saharan Africa
DAZN – Portugal; Spain & Andorra
DigitAlb – Albania
Digiturk – Turkey
ELTA / Videoland – Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
ESPN – Caribbean Territories; Latin America
FanCode – India
Fox Argentina – Argentina
Fox Sports – Australia
Globo (HL only) – Brazil
Guangdong (HL only) – China
Nova – Bulgaria
ORF – Austria
Rush Sports – Caribbean
Sky – UK & Republic of Ireland
Sky Deutschland – Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg & Liechtenstein
Sky Italia (HL only) – Italy, San Marino & Vatican State
Sky NZ – New Zealand
Supersport – Pan-regional Africa
Tencent (HL only) – China
TV Nova – Czech Republic & Slovakia
Viaplay – Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands & Iceland
Eleven Sports – Poland
F1 Academy: 2026 teams and drivers
The 2026 F1 Academy will feature six teams, each comprising three drivers. Each Formula 1 team supports at least one driver, and the remaining drivers are supported by key sponsors of the series.
Prema Racing
Mathilda Paatz - Supported by Aston Martin Payton Westcott - Supported by Mercedes Natalia Granada - Supported by SEPHORA
He stressed the importance of staying calm and trusting the experience within the squad after City were beaten 3-0 by Real Madrid thanks to three goals from Federico Valverde.
“We still believe,” he said. “I feel like we’ve got top players in the team who can change the game and turn it around very quickly. We just have to play our game and when we get the chance, take it.”
“It doesn’t matter really. Early would be great, but it’s obviously not going to be as easy as that. So we will just have to wait and see.”
Semenyo also pointed to the leadership and experience within the dressing room as key factors in helping the team reset mentally ahead of the decisive second leg.
“100%. I feel like I just said in that interview that we’ve got a lot of experienced lads, so they know what it feels like to be three nil down or losing in the first leg. Just going off them, we need to hit the reset button. Make sure we play well on Saturday and Tuesday and hopefully rectify it.”
Reflecting on the game itself, Semenyo felt the opposition capitalised on key moments rather than City suffering a complete loss of confidence.
“I wouldn’t say the confidence dipped, but they had their moments. They kept the ball really well and exploited a bit of space we had in the middle of the park. It’s obviously a bit tough, but then again that happens. It’s a top team and if you give them the chance, they will take it.”
On a personal level, the occasion also marked another significant step in Semenyo’s journey to the top level of European football.
“It’s surreal, but I also have to be sharp. As a player I’m learning on the go and have to keep on my toes no matter what. It’s just great being around world class players and it’s only making me better.”
The forward also spoke warmly about his previous club and the path that helped shape his career.
“It definitely means a lot. Bournemouth has a special place in my heart and I’m forever grateful for everyone there. My teammates as well, I love them all and still keep in contact with them. But yeah, it’s a new experience and I’ve enjoyed it.”
The Tigers have a No. 2 seed in the Sacramento 2 Regional. They are projected to face No. 15 Loyola Marymount in the first round. The Lions fell to Oregon State in the West Coast Conference Tournament semifinals. No. 7 Baylor and No. 10 Clemson would play the other first-round game inside the PMAC.
UCLA holds the top spot in LSU's corner of the bracket, per Northam's projections. UConn, Texas and South Carolina are the other No. 1 seeds. Duke, Iowa and Vanderbilt join LSU as two seeds.
The Tigers finished the regular season with a 27-4 record with all four losses coming to Quad 1 teams in the SEC. As the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament, they defeated No. 5 Oklahoma then fell to the Gamecocks in the semifinals.
Iwan Roberts reckons a testing run of fixtures could scupper Swansea City's play-off chances despite their "really big win" at Portsmouth.
Swansea are within five points of the Championship's top six after claiming just a fifth away triumph of the season at Fratton Park.
Vitor Matos' team go to Wrexham, who currently occupy the final play-off spot, on Friday (20:00 GMT).
Former Wales striker Roberts believes that game is tough to call given Swansea's good form and Wrexham's midweek home loss to Hull City – but says Matos' men face a succession of stern challenges in the next month.
"Before the game last Saturday, I think Swansea were 11 points from the bottom three and I said they were still looking over their shoulders," Roberts told this week's Feast of Football podcast.
"All of a sudden they win two games and we are talking about them getting into the top six. It shows how quickly the Championship can change.
"But have you seen their games? After Wrexham, [they have] Coventry at home, Sheffield United away, Middlesbrough at home in the next three. They have some tough games coming up."
Swansea head to north Wales having won six of their past 10 games, with Matos inspiring an upturn in fortunes since taking the reins in November.
The majority of their recent successes have come on home soil, making the 2-1 triumph at Portsmouth all the more satisfying.
"They were going to Fratton Park, a tough place where you have to fight and scrap and roll your sleeves up, I didn't see that result coming when you think they'd lost nine of their previous 11 away games," Roberts added.
"It was a big win, a really big win. I don't think they have won three in a row since last April but they have a chance now of doing that on Friday night."
On this day 20 years ago, newly-acquired White Sox starter Javier Vázquez kept Puerto Rico undefeated in the WBC, with a win over Bartolo Colón, Dámaso Marte and the Dominican Republic. | (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
1921 All eight Black Sox (Joe Jackson, Eddie Cicotte, Lefty Williams, Swede Risberg, Fred McMullin, Chick Gandil, Happy Felsch and even Buck Weaver) were suspended for life by commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. None will play in the Major Leagues again. Jackson is banned for life, despite hitting .375 in the sordid 1919 World Series; Weaver is banned not for throwing the Series, but simply for knowing of the plot and not reporting it.
Thus, the only club capable of fending off the emerging New York Yankee dynasty was destroyed.
1951 Commissioner Happy Chandler was fired by MLB owners in a 9-7 vote. Part of the reason stemmed from a botched trade a year previous, between the White Sox and Yankees. On April 28, the Yankees traded outfielder Dick Wakefield to Chicago for Johnny Ostrowski and cash. Wakefield, however, refused to report to the White Sox unless the club restored a $5,500 cut in pay that New York gave him for the 1950 season. White Sox GM Frank Lane called the deal off, to the objection of his Yankees counterpart, George Weiss.
The White Sox prevailed in the matter, so it’s safe to say that Yankees brass had been drumming up support for Chandler’s ouster ever since.
1973 White Sox third baseman and former 1971 AL home run champ, Bill Melton, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The headline read “Chicago Comes Out Swinging.”
Melton had a nice comeback season in 1973, hitting .277 with 20 home runs and 87 RBIs, after missing most of 1972 with a herniated disc. After two more seasons in Chicago after 1973, he was dealt to the California Angels.
1983 Speaking to reporters during spring training in Sarasota, Fla., Carlton Fisk expressed his hopes for the future.
I have at least three more years, and hopefully a couple of more after that,” he told the Sun-Times. “Right now, I could easily play that long. Well, I guess I don’t mean easily, but I could.”
Fisk was in the third year of his five-year contract signed when he originally flipped Sox from Red to White. The future Hall-of-Famer would end up playing another 11 years and 1,190 games — amazingly, at a time when “age was catching up,” 1983 turned out to be virtually the midpoint of Fisk’s career. In the intervening 11 seasons with the White Sox before his release during the 1993 season, Fisk had 1,043 more hits and tallies that added 185 doubles, 193 homers, 652 RBIs, and 47 steals to his career ledger. (The 193 home runs after 1982 were in fact more than Fisk had clubbed in the seasons leading up to 1983!)
In retrospect, the craziest quote from the story comes from Fisk’s heir apparent, Joel Skinner:
“I don’t know what [Fisk] has planned, but it’s obvious he’s at the tail end of his career. I can’t see too many more years, but I have to be patient.”
Surely you know where this is going … not only did Fisk have the superior 1980s career, but he actually played longer than Skinner (who retired in 1991), who felt it was “obvious” Fisk was at the “tail end” of his career.
2006 In a WBC game featuring numerous White Sox connections, Puerto Rico started Round 2 in its home ballpark (Hiram Bithorn Stadium) and knocked off the Dominican Republic, 7-1. Javier Vázquez got the start and led four total Puerto Rican pitchers in a six-hitter; for the D.R., Bartolo Colón got the start and kept Puerto Rico down by giving up just one run on four hits over five innings, but reliever Dámaso Marte took over the 1-1 game in the sixth and gave up three, which would be all the Puerto Ricans would need. It was the first loss of the tournament for the Dominican Republic, while Puerto Rico remained unbeaten.
Vázquez had just been acquired by the White Sox in December 2005, and would play on the South Side for three seasons. Colón was three years removed from his sole season on the South Side, but would rejoin the White Sox for another single season, in 2009. Marte had just been traded from the White Sox (a week before the Vásquez acquisition), ending his four-year career on the South Side.
2015 Will Ferrell became the first White Sox player to be traded in-game, during an exhibition against the San Francisco Giants.
Ferrell’s attempt at the majors was in support of the “Cancer for College” charity that sends survivors to college. The White Sox snapped him up after the Cincinnati Reds placed him on waivers, and Ferrell was so dedicated to his new team that he arrived via a helicopter that landed in center field during the bottom of the ninth inning. Ferrell was immediately inserted into the DH spot for the White Sox — pinch-hitting for Tim Anderson.
After he struck out — fouling off one pitch, making it the more impressive at-bat of his two that day — Ferrell was immediately dealt to the Giants, for whom he was inserted at catcher to finish out the game. Ferrell ended up playing all 10 positions on the field during his 10-team whirlwind through the Cactus League.
His day was filmed for an HBO special, Ferrell Takes the Field.
Jim Margalus provided pre- and postgame coverage for South Side Sox.
Moves included Daniel Jones re-upping with the Indianapolis Colts, Jaelan Phillips signing with the Carolina Panthers and Mike Evans ending a long run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in favor of a deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
The biggest news of the week, though, was a trade that went down — until it didn’t. That, of course, was the Las Vegas Raiders’ trade of Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens. The plug was pulled on that blockbuster on Tuesday, setting in motion a chain of events that could reverberate for some time.
We’ll get into that a little bit more in this week’s quiz. We hope you enjoy. Feel free to drop your score in the comments, and be sure to take our daily Connections: Sports Edition, as well.
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He skated through the neutral zone, took the overtime pass in stride and delivered his Blackstone Valley Schools hockey team a championship berth. Dorgan curled left after depositing the winner past Portsmouth in the Division II boys hockey semifinals at Schneider Arena.
His turn took him away from the Blackstone Valley bench, but his teammates and the entire coaching staff were quick to his side to celebrate the senior that has suffered more than anyone could imagine this winter.
His mother and brother — Rhonda Dorgan and Aidan Dorgan — were killed in the Feb. 16 shooting at Lynch Arena in Pawtucket. Days later, his grandfather Gerald Dorgan succumbed to his injuries from the same shooting. Colin Dorgan has started in each of Blackstone Valley’s playoff games since the team returned to the ice. The winning goal in the 3-2 double-overtime victory against the Patriots on Wednesday, March 11 is his third score in the last two games.
“It’s absolutely surreal what’s been happening,” Dorgan said. “I really love my boys, my team and I think we’re really bonding together. And I think now, out of all times, is a perfect time to just bear down together and push through. And I think these goals aren’t coming just for myself. I got to get the pass before I could shoot the puck. I think it’s really a team effort, and I think we’re all there for each other truly.”
Dorgan helped BVS finish off a series sweep of the Rogers/Middletown/Tiverton/Mt. Hope/East Providence co-op with two goals in a 6-2 victory on Saturday, March 7. Dorgan entered the playoffs with just two goals in his entire high school career. It’s been an emotional three weeks for Blackstone Valley, and its leader has supported the group throughout.
“He’s just a complete grinder,” goalie, Jacob Faria said of Dorgan. “Our team wouldn’t be the same without him. Honestly, I love that kid to absolute death and he’s just such a positive person on our team. He’s never down, he’s never yelling at anybody. Sometimes we’re down, we’re yelling at each other, but he calms everyone down. He’s the glue of our team.”
Dorgan continued his celebration to the left corner of Schneider Arena. The BVS’ student section owned that side of the semifinal rink and swarmed the glass to revel in the moment. Students are supposed to keep the first two rows of seats clear in front of the glass. But there wasn’t anything that could stop the excitement – everyone knew what they just witnessed.
“I’ve never felt something like that in my life,” Dorgan said. “From the rush, all the way up to the celebration after, I had to go to the stands because I know all the people over there love me so much. I want to give back to them, give them a goal, give them something to cheer for.”
"No matter what we do now in the final game, that right there, he's going to remember that for a lifetime," BVS coach Chris Librizzi said. "We're not done, there's a destiny for us.”
Librizzi was the fastest to the ice from the coaching staff. With his arms up, sliding across the ice, Librizzi was looking for Dorgan. Blackstone Valley’s celebration was that of disbelief in how Wednesday night transpired – but not that it won. The co-op has believed that it would end this season with a championship since the moment it returned to the ice. The semifinals are just part of the story that’ll never be forgotten.
“All of us had that collective goal that there was only one thing on our mind and that was to win,” Faria said. “We knew we had to win for Rhonda [Dorgan], Aidan [Dorgan] and Gerald [Dorgan]. There was just so much more to win for than just getting a championship. There was just so much more that is kind of fueling us.”
“It is infectious and we’ve had so much confidence building with this team because of the element of us staying together as a tight-knit family over the last three weeks,” Librizzi said. “I think there was only two days out of the last three weeks where we weren’t together every single day. I believe that made all the difference in the world for us. We’re here to support the Dorgan family, Colin and Ava [Dorgan], to make sure that they’re well taken care of going forward in the future. We love them because we are a hockey family.”
Blackstone Valley meets Lincoln in the championship on Wednesday, March 18 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. It’s the first championship appearance for this iteration of the co-op, which includes St. Raphael/Providence Country Day/North Providence/North Smithfield. Puck drop is slated for 4 p.m. in Providence.
“It’s all love, absolute love,” Dorgan said. “It’s my senior year, it’s my last year of hockey and it’s really bringing me back through all my years. This is my last year, I got to show out for it.”
The notion of tampering in the college football world has become a hot-button topic over the past year, with coaches starting to become vocal about how rampant an issue it has become, particularly in the transfer portal.
However, according to a report from ESPN's Pete Thamel, the Big Ten is trying to get the NCAA to lay down its arms when it comes to punishing teams for tampering. Thamel says that the Big Ten has sent a letter to the NCAA, asking it to “impose a moratorium on investigations and infractions proceedings” related to tampering, and “comprehensively reevaluate” rules.
Tampering came back into the limelight earlier this offseason when Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney accused the Ole Miss Rebels of contacting his player, LB Luke Ferrelli, illegally in the portal. In a fiery press conference, coach Dabo Swinney laid out the timeline for Ferrelli's commitment and subsequent decommitment. He accused Ole Miss coach Pete Golding of tampering by communicating with Ferrelli after he signed with Clemson.
In the letter from the conference, the Big Ten argued the House settlement – which ushered in the revenue-sharing era in college athletics – has made current rules unworkable.
“The fundamental structural problem is this: the current framework has chosen to impose significant negative consequences on student-athletes who enter the transfer portal – loss of scholarships, NIL arrangements, facilities access, academic support, and relationships with coaches – while simultaneously prohibiting the pre-portal communication that would allow those student-athletes to determine whether risking those consequences is worthwhile,” the letter reads.
This will undoubtedly turn into a bigger story over the course of the offseason as the rest of the college football world reacts to the ask from the Big Ten.
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Tekeio Phillips (left) and X'Zavion McKay have helped Birmingham reach the state Division III championship game. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
When Birmingham High's Tekeio Phillips and X'Zavion McKay were asked if they are surprised that the Patriots are playing for a Division III state boys' basketball championship on Friday at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento after losing in the first round of the City Section Open Division playoffs, the answer was unanimous: Yes.
The Patriots (22-7) have won four consecutive state playoff games to earn a spot against Antioch Cornerstone Christian (28-8) in a 4 p.m. final. Fellow City Section member Sylmar (24-12) is playing San Marin (21-13) for the Division V title at noon. On Saturday, Palisades' girls' team plays Faith Christian at 10 a.m.
Birmingham lost to Fairfax 66-58 on Feb. 11 in the City playoffs and didn’t play another game until March 3. How do you get your team motivated for state playoffs after three weeks off?
“We didn’t do anything the rest of the week and took the next week off,” Halic said. “We rested our bodies and emotionally refreshed.”
Most importantly, Patriot players decided they wanted to win in the state playoffs.
“It definitely helped us offensively connect better,” Halic said. “We’re playing a better game these last four games. When you lose you’re disappointed and sometimes going into state, people don’t care. It’s such a great opportunity for us.”
Phillips is averaging 22.8 points. McKay is averaging 12.6 points and 10.5 rebounds. Phillips has twice played at Golden 1 Center when he was a member of the Alijah Arenas-led Chatsworth team.
“It’s just a bigger gym,” Phillips said. “I feel comfortable.”
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Thursday’s reports claim that Atalanta are hoping to hand a new and improved contract extension to head coach Raffaele Palladino, despite his side’s 6-1 thrashing at the hands of Bayern Munich earlier this week.
Palladino set for Atalanta contract talks despite Champions League thrashing
Palladino was appointed head coach of La Dea in November following the dismissal of Ivan Juric. At the time, he put pen to paper over a contract that runs until the end of the 2026-27 season, but Atalanta are now considering handing him a new, longer-term deal, potentially until the summer of 2029.
That is because the club is pleased with the work that Palladino has done so far.
Despite the recent thumping by Bayern Munich, La Dea appreciate the fact that Atalanta were able to overcome Borussia Dortmund in a particularly memorable Champions League victory in February, and the fact that the club are now back in the mix for a potential spot in Europe next season after an underwhelming start to the 2025-26 Serie A campaign.
Atalanta are also still involved in the Coppa Italia semi-finals, which means that they are the only Italian side left standing in Serie A, the cup and the Champions League, even if their round of 16 tie against Bayern Munich has practically already been settled.
ROME, ITALY – MARCH 04: Atalanta BG head coach Raffaele Palladino looks on during the Coppa Italia match between SS Lazio and Atalanta BC at Olimpico Stadium on March 04, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Palladino was also named as the Serie A coach of the month for February following a string of victories against Cremonese, Lazio and Napoli.
According to reports from TMW, Atalanta are now hoping to sit down with Palladino to discuss a potential extension of his deal until 1019 as a sign that they trust him as the right man to take the project forwards.
It is known that the German has long been admired by figures inside the Real Madrid hierarchy, and his reputation as one of the most successful modern coaches naturally placed him on the club’s radar.
However, the possibility of Klopp arriving in Madrid now appears increasingly unlikely.
National team role emerging for Klopp
According to a report from Bild, relayed by Mundo Deportivo, Klopp could be heading toward a very different role in the near future.
The German outlet claims that executives at Red Bull GmbH are concerned the Real Madrid target might eventually leave his current position as the company’s director of football.
Jurgen Klopp might not join Real Madrid. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
Instead of returning to club management, Klopp is reportedly being linked with the possibility of taking charge of the Germany national football team.
The move would potentially take place after the next FIFA World Cup, where the current Germany manager, Julian Nagelsmann, remains under contract until 2028.
Not keen on club coaching pressure
One of the main reasons behind this scenario relates to Klopp’s personal preferences.
Sources close to the German coach suggest he is not currently interested in returning to the intense routine of club football.
Managing a club like Real Madrid requires constant involvement, from daily training sessions to weekly matches and heavy media pressure.
Klopp, after years of high-intensity work in the Premier League and Bundesliga, is believed to prefer a role with less day-to-day stress.
Because of this, a national team position could be more appealing at this stage of his career.
Germany's Johannes Rydzek competes in the men's Nordic Combined team Sprint cross-country competition during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina. Daniel Karmann/dpa
Multiple world and Olympic champion Johannes Rydzek will end his Nordic combined skiing career at Sunday's World Cup season finale in Oslo.
Rydzek, 34, said in a German Ski Federation (DSV) statement on Thursday that the competition at the famed Holmenkollen venue will be his last.
"It's time to say goodbye! It feels like the right moment, I am completely at peace with myself," he said. "I am taking a lot of emotions with me to Norway, including a touch of melancholy," he said.
"I spent more than half my life travelling around the World Cup circuit. I will miss this journey, these moments and the people I had the privilege of meeting and experiencing."
Rydzek competed at five Olympics and won double gold in 2018. He has seven world titles, including a sweep of all four titles in 2017, and 18 medals overall at worlds and Olympics. He also won 18 World Cup races between 2011 and 2024, and was a World Cup runner-up twice.
Rydzek said he planned to stay in the sport in a new role, saying: "Because the sport has given me so much it will always have a big place in my heart."
Germany coach Eric Frenzel said: "Being able to perform at such a high level for so many years, always being ready for major events – that's not easy, it was great.
"I am grateful to have spent so many years with him. As an athlete, but also as a coach: working with an athlete who was always ready to give his all with determination and ambition, day after day, with enormous motivation, over so many years – not many people can do that, Johannes is an exception. He can be proud of that."
The Washington Commanders remained active during the second day of the NFL's legal tampering period. General manager Adam Peters continues his quest to make the defense younger and faster by signing Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal.
Chenal was drafted by the Chiefs in 2022 and played out his rookie contract with the team. In the process, he became a two-time Super Bowl Champion, and it's clear that he left a solid impression on his teammates. Chiefs' defensive tackle Chris Jones shared a message with Chenal after the signing was announced.
Jones has been with the Chiefs since they drafted him in 2016 and is entering his 11th season in the NFL. He is a three-time Super Bowl Champion, three-time First-Team All-Pro selection, three-time Second-Team All-Pro selection, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, and he set a record for the most consecutive games with a sack (11). He is a well-respected member of the Chiefs' organization, a respect that extends throughout the league.
If Chenal made this kind of impression on an elite defensive tackle, it's clear that the Chiefs' defense is going to miss him. By the looks of it, Chenal is going to miss his former teammates as well. Their loss is Washington's gain, though, and it looks like the Commanders have gotten themselves a locker room leader on defense.
Find out everything you need to know ahead of City's Premier League clash with West Ham United.
Pep Guardiola’s side travel to the London Stadium on Saturday 14 March, with the game scheduled for kick-off at 20:00 (UK).
The match will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate, discovery+, discovery+ app and Amazon Prime Video.
You can also keep across all of the action via mancity.com and our official app, as well as the key moments on X/Twitter: @ManCity.
Supporters living around the world can find out how they can tune in via our global TV listingsbelow, courtesy of liversoccertv.com.
Opposing manager - Nuno espirito santo
During his career, Espírito Santo first made a name for himself in Spain, before starting his coaching career at Greek club Panathinaikos as an assistant.
He later became a coach in 2012, leading Portuguese club Rio Ave to both domestic cup finals in 2014. After brief spells at Valencia in La Liga, and a return to Porto, he managed Wolverhampton Wanderers for four years.
In 2021, he took over as manager of Tottenham Hotspur, before moving to Al-Ittihad in July 2022 where he won a league title and Saudi Super Cup.
In December 2023, he returned to the Premier League as head coach of Nottingham Forest, who he guided to seventh in the Premier League last season - their highest finish since 1994/95.
Before being appointed head coach at West Ham in September 2025.
Pep Guardiola preview
The City boss will address the media on Friday 13 March from 12:30 (UK).
You can follow along live on mancity.com and our official app, with a full video and written recap available shortly after its conclusion.
Danger men
Jarred Bowen has been instrumental in attack, proven with his winning goal when they won the Conference League.
Bowen took over the captaincy from Declan Rice after the England international made the move to Arsenal. He has also formed a strong partnership with Niclas Fulkrug this season and his ability to score and provide assists is proving vital.
Lucas Paquetá’s skills and contributions to the midfield have also been pivotal for the Hammers, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka contributes to their defensive stability.
Callum Wilson signed from Newcastle in the summer and has brought in valuable experience and a strong goal scoring ability to the Hammers.
Previous meeting
City moved top of the Premier League - at least for a few hours - after a comfortable 3-0 win over West Ham United.
First-half goals from Erling Haaland and Tijjani Reijnders gave the Blues a comfortable 2-0 lead at the break.
And though the Hammers improved markedly after the restart, Haaland settled the victory with his second of the game midway through the second-half to wrap up a seventh win on the trot.
Last time out
Manchester City fell to a 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the first leg of the Round of 16.
Pep Guardiola’s side were left stunned by a first half hat-trick from Federico Valverde who scored his first goals in the European competition this season.
The home side had a huge opportunity to extend their lead from the penalty spot in the second half but Gianluigi Donnarumma kept out Vinicius Junior’s effort.
Nico O’Reilly almost pulled a goal back late on but was denied by Thibaut Courtois’ instinctive save from close range to leave City with an uphill battle when we meet in the second leg at the Etihad on Tuesday, 17 March.
Global TV listings
Supporters around the world can find out how to tune in to watch the match live by clicking here, courtesy of livesoccertv.com.
Guardiola pessimistic about Man City’s comeback chances vs Real Madrid – ‘It’s complicated’
Real Madrid pulled off a major surprise last night as they defeated Manchester City 3-0 in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Los Blancos rode on the brilliance of Federico Valverde, who scored a stunning first-half hat-trick to put the game beyond Manchester City’s reach.
Vinicius Jr. could have made it 4-0 after the break, but failed to convert from the penalty spot, leaving the door slightly open for the Cityzens to mount a comeback in the second leg next week at Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola speaks
Speaking to the media after the match, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was not optimistic about his team’s chances of making a comeback in the second leg.
“There aren’t many chances, but we’re going to try, knowing that it’s complicated. We’ll look for it with our people because we know we can do better,” said the manager.
Talking about the result and the performance of his team, Guardiola added: “A 3-0 result is better than 4-0. There’s no denying that I feel it’s difficult to control their transitions. But I think we played quite well, we got to the back line many times.
“The passing worked well, but we didn’t defend the first goal well. It’s a difficult result, but there are six days left and with our fans behind us, we’ll give it a go.”
On whether he was able to see the Manchester City he wanted to see on the pitch, he remarked:
“Most of the time, yes. Madrid deserved it, they have Vini, Arda, Fede… We played better in the second half, we had to defend better for their first goal, but the second was a great goal.”
“Our game wasn’t as bad as a 3-0 score suggests. Madrid played well, if they win 3-0,” he added.
Man City suffered a heavy defeat vs Real Madrid. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Further discussing his team’s performance, Guardiola added that his team did well to enter into the Real Madrid box but failed to test Thibaut Courtois enough.
“I don’t feel helpless, we’ve been what we want to be in my teams, we haven’t created chances for Courtois, but we’ve got into the box a lot and just needed one more pass. When they can run, they’re always dangerous,” he claimed.
“Courtois hasn’t had much to do, but we’ve got into the box a lot, we just lacked that little bit extra. And that means we haven’t done too badly.”
Regarding Real Madrid’s tactics, Guardiola said: “In the first 15 minutes, there was no question of changing anything. It was a long ball, the fourth that Courtois was looking for Fede, Nico misjudged it and Fede controlled it brilliantly.
“Madrid always play well, they’ve always had those transitions. It was my 50th game against them and they’ve always had these strengths. But my feeling is that we didn’t play that badly.”
Continuing, he explained: “They usually play 4-4-2, but today they placed five players in midfield. They stretched the pitch a lot with Vinicius and Brahim Diaz and defended with five, to have more players in midfield.
“We tried to push Ruben and Marc higher, but there were very good movements from Valverde that finished very well. And in situations like that, you have to congratulate them.”
It took a basketball player who had played in the NCAA Tournament — three times — to get Tennessee State basketball in March Madness for the first time in 32 years.
Graduate transfer Dante Harris, a former Tennessee Mr. Basketball finalist, stood out in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament, with TSU's NCAA Tournament hopes on the line, and staged one of his best performances of the season.
Harris, who reached the NCAA Tournament at Georgetown (2020-21 season), Virginia (2023-24) and Memphis (2024-25) with his 3-point shooting, set in motion the 93-67 victory over Morehead State, the most lopsided win in OVC championship history. It earned the Tigers (23-9) their third automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Harris finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three steals.
"I knew all along we had a great group of guys that could do anything and everything we put our minds to, and I knew we were capable of making it to the NCAA Tournament," Harris said. "I know what it's like to play in March Madness, and I wanted everyone on this team to have that same feeling. It's something you remember for the rest of your life. Everybody on this team deserves that."
Harris' big game came five years after he was the Big East Tournament's Most Outstanding Player when he led Georgetown in a 73-48 rout over Creighton in the conference title win. The Hoyas have not reached the NCAA Tournament since.
Dante Harris reminds TSU coach Nolan Smith of himself
When TSU coach Nolan Smith arrived in Nashville after serving as an assistant with the Memphis Tigers during the 2024-25 season, he checked the transfer portal looking for a point guard. He was happy to see that Harris, who was with Smith in Memphis, was still in the portal. Smith made one call, and Harris, with one year of eligibility left, joined him at TSU.
"For everything to go the way we needed it to go, we needed a point guard," Smith said. "We had all the other pieces. Dante knew my offense. He had the same vision that I've always had. With us being together at Memphis, he knew that I liked coach Penny Hardaway's style. He had a feel that we would play up-tempo."
Like Harris, Smith played in multiple NCAA Tournaments, all at Duke. He led the Blue Devils to the 2010 national championship as a junior. As a senior, he was the ACC Player of the Year.
Smith saw a lot of himself as a player in Harris and knew that would benefit TSU.
"If you watched me play, you would think we were coached in the same system," Smith said. "It definitely was a good feel as we put this offense in at Tennessee State. They say the point guard should be an extension of the coach on the court, and that's the way it is for us."
Harris, who played at Lakeway Christian Academy in White Pine, Tennessee, after transferring from Alcoa, surpassed the 1,000-career points mark during the OVC Tournament.
Dante Harris was overshadowed by TSU's other players
In other games, Harris did not make the type of splash he did in the OVC championship game. In a 68-55 win over UT Martin in the semifinal, Harris had six points and three rebounds.
The Tigers are loaded with good players. They're mostly holdovers from the 2024-25 team, which went 17-16 and advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament. Aaron Nkrumah was the OVC Player of the Year, and fellow senior guard Travis Harper II joined him on the All-OVC first team.
But it was Harris who came up big this season when the Tigers needed him the most.
"I made some big shots in the (OVC) championship game; once the first one went in, I felt like it was going to be a good night," he said. "But also, my teammates put me in position to get some great shots off. So credit to them, too. They've done that all season. And I think they knew I was going to have a good night after those first two 3's, and that's something else about us. We've gotten to know each other so well."
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
It's hard to be a prisoner of history if you weren't around for any of it.
Nashville SC has played Inter Miami 12 times since Lionel Messi came to MLS in summer 2023. The club's record in those games: seven losses, four draws and only one win.
Defender Maxwell Woledzi got his first taste of Inter Miami on March 11 in the first leg of the teams' CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16 series, an 0-0 tie at Geodis Park. While it's an out-of-the-ordinary result in the series' larger scope, it hardly felt like that to Woledzi, who signed with Nashville this offseason.
"I've been hearing a lot about Miami and Nashville," he said. "If this is how we play all the games, and they said we only won one game, I'm surprised. The way we play today, I feel like it shouldn't be only one game. But what can we say? We have to just build it from now."
Nashville SC and Inter Miami have now faced off in four different competitions during the Messi era. All ended in Miami wins: the 2023 Leagues Cup final, the 2024 Champions Cup round of 16 and the first round of last season's MLS playoffs. The Herons are by far Nashville's most frequent opponent during that stretch.
But are the two clubs really "rivals"? Miami defender Ian Fray, though otherwise complimentary, cited his team's record against Nashville as evidence to the contrary.
"We’ve beaten them a lot, so in terms of rivalry, I don’t know if that's the right way to put it," Fray said. "But it felt like a game. They’re always gonna bring the heat, and they’re a good team."
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano, speaking to reporters before Leg 1, warned of Nashville having "blood in their eyes" and a "great thirst for sporting revenge" after last season's playoffs. Unlike Fray, though, Mascherano was willing to use the word "rival."
Speaking afterward, Mascherano thought Nashville didn't look much different from last season — he anticipated Nashville's wingers being able to cut inside and Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar playing as versatile strikers. With so much familiarity between the teams, there are fewer deficiencies to exploit.
"Sometimes when the game finishes nil-nil, it’s because both teams were thinking about how to disturb in attack to the opponent," Mascherano said. "We were playing, in the last three months, five games. Normally, you start to know where can I stop them, and they know how to stop us."
If competitiveness is a prerequisite for a true rivalry, Nashville-Miami is trending in that direction. Nashville looked like the more dangerous team for most of the first leg, outshooting Miami 15-8 and forcing goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair into four tough saves. Mukhtar and Warren Madrigal both had open shots from short range in the second half but missed the net. Messi had Miami's only shot on goal, which Brian Schwake saved in the 57th minute.
"The players we have are confident enough," Woledzi said. "The fans also made it clear to us that this game is not just a game. From the warmup, from when they came in, from when we came in, you could hear the roar, you could hear that everyone is ready."
Leg 2 is set for March 18 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Should Nashville keep that same confidence and energy away from home, the status of Nashville-Inter Miami as a rivalry will become a lot harder to dispute.
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on X/Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman forged a series-defining partnership in the Eden Gardens Test to script one of the greatest turnarounds in cricket. Talking to TOI, the former India captain reflects on the tactical calls, the marathon stand and how the victory proved to be a turning point for Indian cricket.
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How was your form leading up to the Eden Test?
It was patchy, to be honest. I had scored runs in the series against Zimbabwe leading into this Australia series. In domestic cricket, I got some runs. So, from that perspective, I was feeling quite good. In the first Test in Mumbai, I batted for a long time in the second innings but got out to Shane Warne. The same happened in the first innings at Eden. But in the context of the series, there was so much hype and noise around it that it almost felt like I was really out of form. In reality, I hadn’t made runs in three innings.
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Considering all of that, was it extra special that the hundred came off Warne’s bowling?
Warne was a phenomenal bowler and an absolute legend of the game. There were times I felt that he had the wood over me because I hadn’t really put up a big score against him. Against bowlers like him, you want to get a big score, so it felt good to be able to score runs and to be able to play him as well as I did.
What was your reaction when you were told that you would have to bat at No.6 in the second innings?
It was John Wright and Sourav Ganguly’s decision. They came to me and asked for my thoughts about it. It seemed pretty reasonable because Laxman had batted beautifully in the first innings. It made sense to put the guy who was in form up ahead of me at that stage. It did feel a bit odd because it had just been a couple of low-scoring innings for me, so it did cross my mind whether we were overreacting. But the conversation was about putting a bit of pressure back on the Aussies and I realised that maybe that is the best thing to do. And it worked out brilliantly.
You have had some amazing partnerships with Laxman.
I’ve always really enjoyed batting alongside Laxman because, firstly, he’s a fantastic player and a great batsman to watch. So, you’ve got a really good seat in the house. He did not get frazzled or hassled by too many things. We played a lot of cricket together for the South Zone and some junior cricket as well. We’d communicate a little bit, but we’re not like out-and-out big talkers in the middle. So that suited my game as well. He was one of those players who had skills to play all around the wicket and it didn’t feel like there was any kind of bowling that could trouble him. So, when you bat alongside a player like him, it gives you confidence and belief.
You batted for 446 minutes with Laxman. What was the one routine you followed?
I had a personal routine that I followed before each delivery, which was just two taps of the bat while moving my feet in a particular way. I took a couple of breaths and sometimes said to myself, ‘Watch the ball.’ Laxman had his own routine and he liked to draw a lot of lines on the pitch and tap the bat. I would pull his leg at times and not put my bat out for him to tap and he would get a bit grumpy about it.
Was your reaction after getting the ton directed towards anyone in the press box? People never saw you react that way before...
That’s been blown out of proportion a little bit. I think in some ways, there was a lot of pressure on me. You can’t really react to everything people say. I understand that better now because I’m a bit wiser, more mature and have seen a fair bit of life in 25 years. But I genuinely felt that there was a lot of negativity around the team and a lot of criticism, which was a little bit uncalled for at that stage. Also, some of that criticism directed towards me was a bit unjustified. I’d only gone three innings without scoring runs. I was young and feeling the pressure. As a young man fighting for your place in the side — for your career and the team — you don’t always have the maturity to fully understand the situation. I’m happy enough to admit 25 years later that maybe I did let things get to me, which I should not have. But it wasn’t meant for anyone in particular. It was a relief and a sort of outlet for the pressure I was feeling. Whatever may be my reputation, so to speak, I have always been human.
What was the chat in the dressing room after each session?
It was about continuing to put pressure back on them. Just being in the moment and not trying to think too far ahead. Until the last session of Day Five, we weren’t even thinking about winning. In fact, we had to bat for a while the next day, and we bowled them out. The runs we piled up in the second innings (657/7 decl.) in some ways were a backhanded compliment to the Australians because they were such a strong team that we believed that we had to put up so many runs on the board.
Did the declaration come late?
People felt that way. There can always be different opinions on that. But the thinking in the team was to put them under pressure so that they had to defend rather than attack and never force us to push fielders back. Having men around the bat all the time created constant pressure and, in turn, chances. If we had given them even a sliver of an opportunity to attack, the game could have looked very different.
What was the belief on Day 5?
There was a certain sense of belief because we knew the ball was keeping low and the wicket was turning. Harbhajan Singh bowled beautifully and was at the top of his game.
While you, Laxman and Harbhajan were the headline acts, there were other heroes too...
Some people made a really incredible impact. Sachin’s wickets were absolutely critical after tea on Day Five. We don’t get those wickets often, and especially getting Adam Gilchrist out was a huge one. Venky’s (Venkatesh Prasad) 42-run stand with Laxman in the first innings, (Sadagopan) Ramesh’s catches, were all crucial. Also, really good captaincy by Sourav. He also got a crucial 48 in the second innings. It felt like a total team effort. But of course, when you have a couple of big performances like that, then people tend to recognise and remember only those
Did the Eden Test make captains wary of enforcing the follow-on?
I think that’s true. In some ways, I was not surprised that Australia gave us a follow-on. After the Eden Test, I think in some ways, you started seeing teams being more circumspect about giving the follow-on. Teams were a bit more wary of enforcing the follow-on, especially in subcontinental conditions. I think we started doing that less. I think as an Indian team, we started recognising that there’s probably no need to enforce the follow-on that much when you have so much time left in the game. Time is a crucial factor in these things. I think people have looked at the follow-on differently after that Test.
What did the Eden Test do to Indian cricket?
It did a lot, because it gave us a certain stability. John Wright was our first foreign coach and there were some doubts and criticism about whether that would work and what might happen. If we hadn’t won the series, I couldn’t answer what might have happened. But certainly, the pressure would have been on the whole team. But the fact that we were able to go on to win that series and play some very good cricket, it gave us as a group a little bit of breathing space. It also allowed us to build from there and steer the team in a certain direction. Even without that win, I believe Indian cricket would eventually have reached where it needed to. But it might have taken a little longer. That victory also triggered a phase when we began winning the odd Test and series abroad.
Have you retained any souvenirs from that Test?
I have the bat tucked in somewhere and a couple of other souvenirs.
Twenty-five years, does it feel like a lifetime?
People keep reminding me of the innings. I always cherish it because I think in some ways people remember what they were doing then. For me, that’s really nice because it gives me a feeling that I was able to be a part of someone’s memory for doing something that I’m expected to do, which is just part of my job.
Where would you rate the win in your career?
I’ve probably batted better in other tougher situations, and there have been other knocks that have been better in terms of just pure batting satisfaction. But, in the context of everything that happened and what it did for Indian cricket, and to so many of our careers, I’d certainly say that it’s high up there.
At the start of Day 2, Australia were 291/8. But Steve Waugh and Jason Gillespie frustrated India with a big partnership, adding 133 runs for the 9th wicket. After Waugh’s dismissal for 110, Gillespie and Glenn McGrath shared 43 runs for the final wicket. The last two wickets contributed 176, taking Australia from 269/8 to 445.
The Wisconsin Badgers continue to be on a hot streak when it comes to class of 2027 recruits.
Not only did four-star running back Da'Jon Talley-Rhodes place the Badgersin his top six schools, but Wisconsin recently extended an offer to a legacy quarterback who had just decommitted from Louisville.
Now, three-star defensive lineman Eli Thornton has Wisconsin in his top five.
According to 247Sports, Vanderbilt is the lone team he doesn't have a visit set up with. Thornton will be visiting Madison on May 29, which happens to be the first of the four visits he has set up.
The 6-foot-3 defensive lineman is 315 pounds and currently plays for Valley View High School in Jonesboro, AR. He's the No. 3 player in his state and is a top 100 DL in the class of 2027.
NEW: Jonesboro (Ark.) Valley View DL Eli Thornton is down to five schools. Thornton has official visits booked to Wisconsin, Arkansas, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State, and a spring visit set for Vanderbilt https://t.co/Y38NxeJobmpic.twitter.com/dCeh23T51o
Currently, Wisconsin only has an EDGE rusher and a safety coming in next season. There's plenty of time to add to their class of 2027, but the battle for Thornton is getting down to the wire, and the Badgers have stiff competition against the in-state Razorbacks.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.
On December 4, 2024, Reading announced Ruben Selles would be leaving his role as first-team manager to take over at Hull City in the Championship, but three sackings later, it’s safe to say the Spaniard’s career hasn’t quite gone the way he imagined since leaving RG2.
Background
Selles began his coaching career at the same club he started his playing career: his local side Parreta CF, where he managed their youth team from 1999 to 2003.
He would spend time as an assistant coach after this, jumping from club to club, working for the likes of Qarabag, AGF, Copenhagen and Southampton, to name a few.
The Saints were the first club to allow Selles to take full control of the first team, as caretaker/interim manager, following Ralph Hasenhuttl’s sacking, and then again after the sacking of Nathan Jones, where he would see out the remainder of the 2022/23 season.
During his time in charge, Selles would win 1-0 away at Stamford Bridge, as well as drawing 4-4 with Liverpool on the final day, but he could only muster up two wins from 17 and the Saints were relegated into the Championship.
Reading: The Royal charge
Reading appointed Selles on June 26, 2023 and he initially struggled in his first full-time role as a manager, but he gained his first win at Millwall, 4-0, in the League Cup.
Selles joined Reading during a turbulent time, with the club recently relegated from the Championship and stuck with an owner who had lost interest but stayed reluctant to sell.
Reading faced many sanctions and embargoes, meaning the club had to rely on free transfers and loan signings only, and were handed multiple points deductions due to Dai Yongge’s failures as an owner.
Selles would stay with the Royals until December 5, 2024, having managed 78 games, leaving the Royals battling for a playoff position after guiding Reading away from the drop zone in his first season. In his time at RG2, Selles had a points-per game (PPG) rate of 1.53 – the best in his career to date.
Hull City: Mauled by the Tigers
The Tigers were in the midst of a relegation battle when Selles was appointed after just missing out on the playoffs the season prior.
Selles would be successful in guiding Hull to safety, keeping them up on goal difference, but this was not enough for the Spaniard to keep his job. He was sacked after just 206 days in charge, managing just 28 games with nine wins to his name. He left Hull with a PPG of 1.21, his best post-Reading.
In my opinion, with the knowledge Selles had at the time, I understand why he took the Hull job. Selles was growing increasingly frustrated with the higher-ups at the club, losing key players and coaching staff during his tenure.
Hull offered Selles security and a good transfer budget to help keep the team up and hopefully build (we know now that he would not get a full season).
Sheffield United: Battered Blades
Despite being sacked by Hull, his time at the KCOM was seen as a success by many, with Selles managing to complete the job he came in to do. Because of this, playoff finalists Sheffield United decided to gamble on the Spaniard and offer him the job following Chris Wilder’s dismissal.
The 42-year-old (at the time) oversaw a major overhaul at Bramall Lane, with 15 first-team signings made, including bringing Tyler Bindon in on loan after the success they had previously at Reading.
During this overhaul, 10 first-team players would leave the club, including key players such as Kieffer Moore, Jack Robinson and Anel Ahmedhodzic.
Selles’ tenure at Bramall Lane was nothing short of a disaster, with the Blades losing all six league matches, leading to his sacking after losing 5-0 at Ipswich Town, leaving the club sitting bottom of the league.
Sheffield United were impressed with what they saw from Selles at Hull, which is why they offered him the job, despite his sacking from Hull.
Again, in my opinion this was a good move for the young manager. Going off league position in the previous season, Sheffield United were set up to give Selles the chance to battle for promotion to the Premier League.
Real Zaragoza: Homeward bound
On October 20, 2025, Selles was announced as the manager of Real Zaragoza in the Spanish second division. He came into the club with aspirations of being able to challenge for a playoff spot after an 18th-place finish last season.
Selles would face the sack for the third time in 10 months, having managed just 20 matches and lasting only 133 days. Real Zaragoza were bottom of the league after suffering three defeats and two draws in their last five games, averaging a PPG of just 1.05 in Selles’ short tenure.
To rub salt in the wound, Los Blanquillos announced Selles’ departure in a 53-word statement. It read:
“Real Zaragoza announces the termination of its contractual relationship with sporting director Txema Indias and coach Ruben Selles.
“The club thanks Txema Indias and Ruben Selles for their professionalism, dedication and hard work during their time with the club and wishes them the best of luck in their future endeavours.”
The timing of this job does feel rushed on Selles’ part, and in my opinion he could have done with some time away from football – and not risked damaging his reputation, especially by joining a club that has expectations far above their means, expecting a playoff push despite finishing 18th in the previous season.
Final thoughts
Selles’ career has struggled to lift off after leaving Reading, with three sackings in 10 months, but he is still in the infancy of his managerial career and perhaps could benefit from not rushing into another position and risking doing more damage to his name.
But what will Selles do next? Where will he end up? Could he ever return to Reading? And would you take him back?
Today in Boston Celtics history, Hall of Fame Boston big man Bill Russell's jersey was retired during a ceremony at the former Boston Garden in 1972. The event was a modest and subdued one, lacking in the usual fanfare and attendance one expects at such events. Russell, a legendary player for the Celtics, was reluctant to hold the ceremony due to his complex relationship with the city.
Having faced significant racism from a segment of the fan base throughout his career, Russell was disinclined to share this moment with those who had hurled insults and worse at him during his time with the Celtics. “He had animosities toward Boston, as most people know,” said Tom Heinsohn, former teammate, and fellow champion via the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. “And they were well-founded animosities, I might add.”
Russell would have his jersey retired a second time in 1999 in a much more public manner with a much wider swath of teammates, friends, and peers in attendance, such as lifelong foe on the court and friend off it, Wilt Chamberlain. “The man is greedy,” Chamberlain said with a smile at that second retirement via the Buffalo news. “He has 11 rings and 10 fingers.”
Historic milestones
It is also the date of a 60-point performance in 1985 by legendary Celtics forward Larry Bird, a career-high for the Hick From French Lick. It is also a franchise record for single-game scoring by a Boston player that stands to this day (tied by Jayson Tatum), which came in a 126-115 win over the Atlanta Hawks played at a neutral site in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The offensive eruption came just nine days after Bird’s teammate Kevin McHale put up 56 points in a win over the Detroit Pistons.
Birthdays
It is also the birthday of former Boston assistant and head coach Jimmy Rodgers. Rodgers was born on this day in Oak Park, Illinois in 1943, and followed Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Bill Fitch to the Celtics in 1979, winning titles in that role under Fitch and later K.C. Jones. He’d take over the role of head coach in 1988 after Jones stepped down that year, and coached Boston for two seasons, fired after his second season ended in a first-round loss to the New York Knicks.
Rodgers shares that birthday with guard Carsen Edwards, who came into this world on this date in 1998 in Houston, Texas. The Purdue alum was drafted by Boston 33rd overall in 2019 and played 68 games over two seasons with the Celtics, averaging 3.6 points per game before he was dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies for Juan Hernangomez and draft assets in 2021.
Rodgers and Edwards share their day of birth with center John Richter, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1937. An alum of NC State, Richter was selected with the eighth overall pick of the 1959 NBA draft and played 66 games for Boston before joining the Eastern Basketball Association’s Sunbury Mercuries of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, winning a title as a reserve player in 1960. Richter logged 4.3 points and 4.7 boards per game while with Boston.
The trio shares their birthday with power forward Grant Long, who was born in Wayne, Michigan in 1966. Long played collegiately for Eastern Michigan, and professionally for the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, and Vancouver and Memphis Grizzlies before joining Boston in the last season of his career. The Wayne native recorded 1.8 points and 2 boards per game with the Celtics.
Maurice King also shares their birthday, and the Kansas City, Missouri native was drafted 48th overall out of Kansas by Boston in 1957. The future grandfather of NBAer Ish Wainwright deferred to spend two years in the army, making him a teammate of Richter’s as well as sharing a birthday. King’s time with the Celtics was short, appearing in just 1 game for Boston before being cut. The Jayhawk alum put up 10 points, 4 boards, and an assist in that game.
That foursome evidently has a popular day of birth, given they share it with Cal State Los Angeles small forward Johnny Jones, born this day in 1943 in Washington DC. Drafted by the Baltimore Bullets that are today’s Washington Wizards, Jones instead sat out a season to join the Celtics, winning a title in a reserve role in 1968. It was his sole NBA season before leaving the league for the competing American Basketball Association, averaging 4.2 points and 2.2 rebounds a contest with Boston.
Bob Houbregs brings the total of Celtics born today to six, coming into the world in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1932. The Washington alum played for the (then) Milwaukee Hawks (now, Atlanta) and the defunct Bullets before he was drafted by Boston in the Baltimore dispersal draft. The big man logged just an assist per game in the 2 contests he played for the Celtics before he was waived.
Center Clarence Henry “Kleggie” Hermsen brings the tally to seven, born today in Hill City, Minnesota in 1923. The Minnesota alum came to the Celtics in the penultimate stop of a long career, appearing in 27 contests for Boston before his rights were sold to the now-defunct Indianapolis Olympians in 1952. Hermsen logged 5.6 points and 4.6 boards per contest over his four-game stint with the Celtics.
The eighth and final Celtics alum with a birthday today is wing Chris Carr, who played for Boston in the final stop of his NBA career. Born in Ironton, Missouri on this day in 1974, the Southern Illinois alum would be drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 1995, and would play for them, the Minnesota Timberwolves, (then) New Jersey (now, Brooklyn) Nets, Golden State Warriors and Chicago Bulls before signing with the Celtics in 2000. Carr played 35 games for Boston in 2000-01, averaging 4.8 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.
Gone too soon
Finally, it is the day we lost Enoch Eli “Bud” Olsen III in 2018. Born in Hobart, Indiana in 1940, the 6-foot-8 center played collegiately for Louisville, from which he was drafted 13th overall by the (then) Cincinnati Royals. Olsen played for that team, the Warriors, and the Seattle SuperSonics before he was drafted from that team in the Milwaukee Bucks expansion draft, only to be cut and picked up by Boston.
Olsen appeared in just 7 games for the Celtics before being waived again, logging 2 points and 2 rebounds over that stretch. Rest in peace.
On the 'Chiefs Wire Podcast Interview Series', we showcase new players, celebrities, and prominent NFL players with unique takes and stories about the Kansas City Chiefs.
Watch as Senior Writer Ed Easton Jr. speaks with the President of the NFL Alumni Kansas City Chapter and Kansas City Chiefs legend J.C. Pearson. He recalled a memorable game in his playing career at Arrowhead Stadium against the Buffalo Bills.
"That 1991 Monday Night Football game against Buffalo (Bills). Buffalo was in its heyday, going to four straight Super Bowls. They were running the AFC at that time, and they came in here. That stadium was the beginning of Arrowhead Stadium, and the mystique that it now has, and man, the electricity in that stadium," said Pearson, "You hear guys talk about the atmosphere being electric; that was the first time that I really felt that. There was something from the crowd as soon as we came out for warm-ups; you could feel it. There was a buzz in the air, and we put it on them that night, on Monday night, in front of the whole nation. That led to where it is now, or the beginning of it."
Fans can follow the Premier League Darts 2026 action live on FanDuel Sports Network with the sixth night set for coverage on FanDuel TV Extra.
NBCSN will also be showing the action while Peacock has now picked up the rights to show every Premier League Darts meeting through until the final.
Premier League Darts will also be shown on subscription service PDC TV. As a PDC TV annual member, fans can enjoy perks like gaining access to PDC tickets before anyone else and more.
Bengals mascot Who Dey rings a bell while making an appearance at the Salvation Army Kettle Kick-off on Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, in Over-The-Rhine. The event marked the start of kettle season at local stores. In 2020 the Salvation Army raised $470,000 and is hoping to increase that amount by 50 percent due to great need. In Cincinnati last year the Salvation Army provided more than 400,000 meals as well as 40,000 gifts for children and families.
The Cincinnati Bengals started off the legal tampering period pretty well landing safety Ryan Clark and defensive lineman Boye Mafe. However, it has been crickets since then. We have seen countless players they “should” have been targeting land elsewhere.
It isn’t the end of the world, but it certainly isn’t the Offseason that was expected given how bad the defense was this past year. You would have certainly liked to see some more aggressiveness in bringing in some possible starters.
What are your thoughts so far?
Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson drama doesn’t end, it merely changes shape After years of contentious negotiations, and with the wounds of a publicly ugly final stanza still fresh, Trey Hendrickson left the Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday and leapt into the arms of the archrival Ravens after the shocking cancellation of the Maxx Crosby trade created an opportunity in Baltimore.
Not only are top options like Devin Lloyd and Devin Bush off the board, ideal fits such as Leo Chenal and Kaden Elliss have also found new teams. Chenal and Elliss specifically were pegged as players who fit what defensive coordinator Al Golden was looking for in a complementary backer next to Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr.
Bengals Miss Out on Golden Opportunity to Bolster Their Biggest Weakness It’s no secret the Bengals need defensive tackle help. The Cowboys restructured Kenny Clark’s contract on Tuesday and were willing to move Odighizuwa. The Bengals desperately need interior pass rush and Odighizuwa is one of the best in the league at getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Bengals’ next move after losing Trey Hendrickson is blindingly obvious Bosa is still just 30 going on 31 this summer, so it’s not like he has nothing left in the tank at this point. The Bengals need a veteran floor raiser with the likelihood that they are going to be breaking in young players off the edge one way or another.
Sep 14, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Adam Trautman (82) receives a pass from quarterback Bo Nix (10) (not pictured) to score a touchdown during the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Good morning, Broncos Country.
Another day has passed in free agency and the Denver Broncos have stood pat on outside additions. Over the course of the offseason, the Broncos’ brass hinted at being aggressive. Much to the chagrin of fans across Broncos Country, that hasn’t happened yet.
To date, the Broncos’ biggest moves have been retaining their own. After falling short in the AFC Championship game to the New England Patriots, the Broncos had a lot of self-reflection to engage in over the past few months. Whether you agree with it or not, it appears to be clear that continuity and keeping their roster intact has become a priority over making big outside splashes.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean Denver wasn’t interested in making upgrades. They were in on several high profile free agents, most notably running back Travis Etienne. Even though the Broncos are clearly the better franchise with tremendous ownership, sometimes that isn’t enough to sway players.
I think we often forget the player’s agency when it comes to free agency. They have a right to sign wherever they feel is best for them. So no matter how much we or the front office may be enamored with the idea of a potential player coming to our favorite team, that doesn’t mean they are going to feel the same way.
Do I wish that the Broncos would have been more active early on? Sure. Do I feel they missed out on some upgrades and top talent? Absolutely. However, nothing that has transpired to date precludes them from getting better. There are plenty of quality players in free agency, and the franchise has a slate of nine picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. And whose to say they don’t take a swing on a big trade prior to or during April’s draft festivities?
It floated this idea a few days ago, but it’s important to keep in mind that over the past few years that Denver’s new ownership and front office have been extremely diligent in extending and rewarding their best players. The teams you see spending big right now had a lot more cap space. And a lot of them don’t have star plays like Patrick Surtain II, Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, Quinn Meinerz, etc.
There’s no doubt it’s been all quiet on the Western front for Denver thus far. Though it’s important to be reminded there is a lot of time before now and training camp. I’m confident those leading the franchise will find a way to impress and have the Broncos poised to compete at a high level again next season. Perhaps you disagree, but I feel they’ve earned the benefit of the doubt.
As always, thank you for reading. Here’s today’s slate of articles for Horse Tracks.
SANT JOAN DESPI, SPAIN - MARCH 06: Gavi during the training day of FC Barcelona ahead the Spanish League, Laliga EA Sports, football match against Athletic Club at Ciudad Esportiva Joan Gamper on March 06, 2026 in Sant Joan Despi, Barcelona, Spain. (Photo By Javier Borrego/Europa Press via Getty Images) | Europa Press via Getty Images
History on Barça’s side after a 1-1 draw away from home – FC Barcelona In the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 tie, Lamine Yamal’s last-minute penalty handed Barça a valuable 1-1 draw at St James’ Park in one of their most difficult encounters of the season so far. Despite being held, however, the Blaugranes have history on their side after just such a result in the first leg.
Tests rule out an injury to Eric Garcia – Mundo Deportivo Tests carried out in Barcelona determined that the defender is suffering from a slight muscle strain, and it is possible he could play against Sevilla depending on how he feels in the coming days.
ORLANDO, FL - MARCH 11: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic looks on during the game on March 11, 2026 at Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Gary Bassing/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
In many ways, the Cavs as a team find themselves in a similar situation.
“Nights like this are very tough,” Harden said. “It’s a game we should’ve won.”
Harden is right. The Cavs did enough offensively to do so, but at the same time, the attention to detail wasn’t there. That’s going to cost when going up against a Magic team that is playing its best basketball of the season.
This would be a chippy first-round series if this game was any indication of things. Orlando is a physical team, and one that isn’t afraid to stir the pot when needed. Mo Wagner and Desmond Bane were the primary instigators on Wednesday.
The Cavaliers responded well to the challenge. They were physical on the glass and never seemed intimidated. That wasn’t why they lost the game. Their poor defense is to blame for that.
The Cavs miss Jarrett Allen defensively.
Orlando doesn’t have a good or imaginative offense. They do, however, have big, physical players at basically every position that were able to take advantage of Cleveland’s lack of size.
The Cavs don’t have good starting guard defenders, but a frontcourt of Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, and Allen can alleviate some of those issues. When all three are in there — particularly the two centers — the Cavs can just funnel players to their bigs in the paint and recover out to shooters on the perimeter. That formula falls apart if Allen isn’t in there.
The Magic, led by Bane and Paolo Banchero, were able to attack Cleveland’s smaller defenders inside. Mobley tried to provide help defense, but because there were so many open lanes inside, he was often getting there too late, resulting in shooting fouls.
“This team did a really good job…of forcing the ball in the paint, and we just didn’t have any resistance,” Harden said. “They shot an unbelievable percentage by the basket and got to the line too many times.”
That they did.
The Magic finished in the 92nd percentile for both finishing at the rim (84%) and free-throw rate (32.9). It’s difficult to win games when you’re being beaten this decisively defensively.
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While the Cavs’ lack of size hurt them on defense, it helped their offense.
Orlando has been playing great defense since the beginning of February. They’ve posted the fourth-best defensive rating during that stretch (109). This performance won’t help those numbers.
Cleveland did a great job of spreading the floor and attacking in space. This led to them converting 20-24 (83.3%, 91st percentile) of their shots at the rim and posting a 128.4 offensive rating (86th percentile).
There are things to nitpick with the offense, but that wasn’t close to why they lost. This is an elite attack, and they proved that again against a formidable defensive opponent.
Keon Ellis continues to show he deserves playoff minutes. He poured in 20 points on 5-8 shooting and had his second consecutive strong shooting game.
Ellis can change a game with his disruptive defense. He once again had a block and a steal while being Cleveland’s best defender for long stretches. However, those skills can only come through if he’s also a positive contributor offensively, like he has been the last two games.
Dennis Schroder is going through a rough patch. He provided no points while going 0-5 from the field and committing four fouls in less than 18 minutes. This is also the third game in a row he’s struggled to have a positive impact.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson has talked about the role players needing to step up to secure playoff minutes. Schroder is no different.
He will likely get some playing time in the postseason unless things really nosedive from here. They need a point guard they can pair with Donovan Mitchell when Harden sits. That said, there’s no guarantee he gets minutes other than when Harden is on the bench if he’s playing like this in the playoffs.
The Cavs can find creative ways to use Mobley as a roller. We know that Mobley isn’t the best pick-and-roll big because he’s not a physical screener. There are some band-aid solutions around that issue. This play is a good example of one.
Here, the Cavs run a Spain pick-and-roll with Dean Wade screening for Mobley’s defender. Wade’s pick creates, which allows Mobley to roll hard to the rim.
This isn’t a set you can spam like you can a regular pick-and-roll, but it is proof that there are some ways around Mobley’s screening if you’re creative.
Harden played his best offensive game as a Cavalier. This was the first time he’s reached 30 points in a Cavalier uniform. He was able to do so by continually getting by his defender and attacking inside. And doing that opened up room for his patented step-back three, which he was able to get to seemingly at will.
Harden had his most success targeting Orlando’s weakest defender, Paolo Banchero. He worked to create this mismatch and attacked every time he got it.
Harden is a great advantage manipulator. This is seen most in how he can operate in the pick-and-roll with a physical screener, but he’s also one of the best in league history at exploiting a mismatch when he finds one, as he did here.
For as good a scorer Harden was, he wasn’t the one taking shots down the stretch. Mitchell went 2-8 from the field in the fourth quarter on a night he struggled to find his rhythm. Meanwhile, Harden had only two attempts in the final frame.
The offense wasn’t why the Cavs lost the game. And it’s worth pointing out that they scored 32 points in the fourth quarter and continually created clean looks in the closing minutes. Still, you would’ve ideally liked to see a better balance in a game like this. This was the first time it felt like the shot distribution was off with the backcourt.
Nights like this are a reminder that the Cavs are a work-in-progress. Atkinson is trying to figure out the rotation with three new pieces, an injury to the starting center, and will need to find a way to fit Max Strus back into the rotation. That’s a difficult task, and there’s only a month until the playoffs.
The Cavs have a higher ceiling now than they did before the deadline. But there’s no guarantee they can consistently come close to reaching it in the biggest games. Especially when they’re going against teams who’ve had their core in place for multiple seasons, and aren’t just trying to put it together in the final two months of the season.
Harden said that he was still living in a hotel. In many ways, it feels like this team still is as well. They’re also trying to unpack their bags and figure out who and what they actually have in the suitcase. And they’re running out of time to do so.
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 11: Robert McCray V #6 of the Florida State Seminoles reacts in the first half against the California Golden Bears during the second round of the men's ACC Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 11, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Basketball
Florida State stormed out to an early lead vs. Cal and never looked back, holding off a failed comeback attempt late by the Golden Bears to advance in the ACC Tournament.FSU’s 95 points set a new school record in tournament play, with Robert McCray’s 30 points the most scored by a Seminole in an ACC Tournament game since Jamir Watkins scored 34 in 2024:
The Seminoles will now face off against Duke tonight at 7, with the Blue Devils currently listed as a 19.5-point favorite.
Director of Football Strategy/offensive assistant Gabe Fertitta, offensive lineman Andre’ Otto and safety Ashlynd Barker spoke after the second day of FSU spring practice:
No. 7 FSU beach volleyball beat No. 15 Stetson and Texas A&M –Corpus Christi on Wednesday, handing head coach Brooke Niles her 300th win:
With Niles at the helm, FSU has produced 19 AVCA All-Americans and had three athletes selected for the 2025 Beach Collegiate National Team. The Noles have also thrived in the classroom under Niles’ leadership. Carra Sassack became beach volleyball’s first recipient of the Elite 90 award in 2025, honoring athletes with the highest GPA at the NCAA Championships. Niles is also the all-time wins leader in the NCAA and was named AVCA National Coach of the Year in 2016.
The Seminoles entered double digits in wins this season with their 4-1 victory over the No. 15 Hatters. Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig notched the first dual point for FSU, with two quick sets on court one at 21-7 and 21-16. The final two courts followed soon after with Gella Andrew and Maddie Trusty returning as a pair on court four. They clinched each set at 21-15 and 21-11, locking in the win with a third dual point.
The match that sealed Niles’ 300th win was a 5-0 triumph over Texas A&M – Corpus Christi. Kenzie Hultquist and Iane Henke took court four, closing out set one 21-15 and set two 21-13 in their first pairing of the season. Bailey Higgins and Myriah Massey continued to dominate on court five, recording sets at 21-17 and 21-13 for a fourth Nole point.
Florida State continues its season by taking on T-No. 13 FAU and No. 3 Southern California, before facing UTampa and conference rival No. 6 TCU at the Florida Atlantic Beach Invitational. Live stats will be available on Seminoles.com.
Sophomore Carlos Vargas earned a qualification in the platform event on the final day of the NCAA Zone B Diving Championships in Athens, Georgia.
Senior Max Wilson and sophomores Michel Arkhangelsky and Logan Robinson each earned individual selections for the Seminoles.
FSU also qualified in each relay event: the 200 freestyle relay, 200 medley relay, 400 freestyle relay, 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay.
The men’s national championships are scheduled for March 25-28 at McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta.
Wilson earned three individual selections and will contribute to four relays, while Arkhangelsky also punched his ticket in three individual events and will be a part of four of the five relays. Robinson will compete in two individual events and swim on all five qualifying relays.
A top-20 ranked win in singles play against the defending National Champions, Wake Forest? 👀
— Florida State Women's Lacrosse (@FSU_WLAX) March 11, 2026
Kaelyaah Liburd is headed off to her second consecutive NCAA Indoor National Championship, representing Florida State in the women's 400-meters.
Liburd is the only person in program history to own the indoor and outdoor national records (British Virgin Island) in the 400m 🍢… pic.twitter.com/yssriRY1iY
The creation of an integrated academic health center to serve the capital city region moved a step closer on March 11 when the Tallahassee City Commission voted to approve the transfer of city-owned Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare assets to Florida State University. #FSUHealth… pic.twitter.com/cSe5wFU9zZ
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 28: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears throws out of bounds whole Maxx Crosby #98 of the Las Vegas Raiders pressures during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ian Maule/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The draft capital the Bears would have to give up in order to trade for Crosby is merely one piece of the equation, though. They’d have to be reasonably confident in his health and in their ability to fit his contract into their future plans.
The Chicago Bears are losing one of their playmakers on defense after safety Kevin Byard III has reportedly agreed to terms with the New England Patriots.
With the Baltimore Ravens backing out of their trade with the Raiders for Maxx Crosby on Tuesday night, the Chicago Bears must look into how a deal can get done for the star pass rusher.
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Feb 21, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Missouri Tigers guard Mark Mitchell (25) drives against Arkansas Razorbacks forward Malique Ewin (12) during the second half at Bud Walton Arena. Arkansas won 94-86. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
Kentucky Basketball survived and advanced on Wednesday afternoon, outlasting LSU 87-82 in the First Round of the SEC Tournament. In a game that featured 15 lead changes, Kentucky used a 15-6 run to mark the difference in the first game of the SEC Tournament.
Now, we’re onto the Second Round, where the Cats will face another Tigers team. This time, it’s Missouri.
Missouri is a good team. They started SEC play 2-0, with wins over Florida and Kentucky. Those two teams were picked to finish first and second in the SEC. The Tigers beat both of them in the regular season.
Coming into the SEC Tournament, the Tigers have won six of their last 10 games. However, they lost their last two games in the regular season.
Remember, March Madness and conference tournaments are random. You never really know what can happen on any given day and in any given game. Yes, the Cats’ defense wasn’t good against LSU on Wednesday. But their defense could be good on Thursday against Missouri. Plus, they’re looking for revenge against the Tigers.
This is a really good Missouri team. They can shoot, and they can score. But they’re beatable. If Kentucky can make a difference on the glass, they can match Missouri in scoring and eke out another win here in Nashville.
Let’s look at the players to watch on the Tigers and keys to Thursday afternoon’s Second Round matchup in the SEC Tournament.
Players to Watch on Missouri
1. No. 25: Mark Mitchell — 6-9, 230 lbs. Sr. Guard/Forward; KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Duke Transfer) Stats: 17.9 pts, 5.2 rebs, 113 ast.-60 TO, 54.7 FG%, 32.6 3-PT FG%, 66.7 FT%, 33.5 mpg Jan. 7 at Kentucky: 21 pts (7-15 FG, 1-1 3-PT FG), 5-7 FT, 4 ast, 37 mins
A member of the All-SEC Second Team, Mitchell is a really good scorer and shooter, and he can also distribute the ball. He has six games with five+ assists in SEC play, and he has eight games with 20+ points. Against Arkansas Saturday, Mitchell scored a season-high 32 points.
Eleven times in SEC play, Mitchell shot 50 percent or better from the floor. He’s also durable, playing less than 30 minutes just once in SEC play, including 43 minutes against Arkansas on Saturday.
2. No. 17: Jayden Stone — 6-4, 185 lbs. Gr. Guard; PERTH, Australia (West Virginia Transfer) Stats: 13.5 pts, 5 rebs/gm., 48.4 FG%, 38% 3-PT FG, 80.2 FT%, 30.3mpg Jan. 7 at Kentucky: 20 pts (6-10 FG, 3-6 3-PT FG), 7 rebs, 26 mins
With 12 games in SEC play making multiple three-pointers, Stone is one of Missouri’s best three-point shooters. He also has five games with 20+ points in SEC play, including against Kentucky.
Nine times in SEC play, Stone took 10 or more shots. He’s a pure shooter, and Kentucky must contest all of his shots.
Another good shooter, Pierce didn’t make his season debut until SEC play started. Since then, he has scored in double figures 10 times. He’s also reached double figures five times in six games.
Pierce has six games with three or more three-pointers and has made multiple three-pointers in all but five games. In addition, he has started each of Missouri’s last 10 games.
4. No. 0: Anthony Robinson II — 6-3, 185 lbs. Jr. Guard; TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Stats: 9.1 pts, 3.1 rebs, 48 stl, 41.1 FG%, 30% 3-PT FG, 67% FT, 26.8 mpg Jan. 7 at Kentucky: 9 pts (4-9 FG), 4 rebs, 10 ast, 2 stl, 36 mins
Robinson is a quick defender with a knack for going after the ball. He was on the SEC’s All-Defensive Team last year, ranking second in the SEC with 2.03 steals per game.
This season, Robinson has 14 games with multiple steals. He also has five games in double figures in SEC play. Since mid-January, Robinson has been coming off the bench but still thriving.
Barrett has started each of Missouri’s last 12 games, playing 30+ minutes seven times. In that stretch, he has nine games scoring in double figures. That includes 28 points in a win over Tennessee two weeks ago. Over the past 12 games, Barrett has raised his scoring average by nearly three points per game.
6. No. 35: Jacob Crews — 6-8, 215 lbs. Gr. Guard/Forward; HILLIARD, Fla. (UT Martin Transfer) Stats: 8.7 pts, 3.8 rebs, 48% FG, 45.1 3-PT FG%, 80.7 FT%, 21.1 mpg Jan. 7 at Kentucky: 3 pts (1-3 3-PT FG), 1 reb, 1 stl, 16 mins
Crews leads the Tigers in three-point shooting, although he wasn’t really a three-point shooter during SEC play. Most of his three-point shooting came in non-conference play, where he had five games with four or more three-pointers.
Still, though, Kentucky can’t let him get into a rhythm from beyond the arc in this game. Contesting his shots and not letting him get open looks will be key on Thursday.
Phillips is a beast inside. He has three double-doubles this season, including on Saturday against Arkansas. He has just three games shooting below 50 percent from the floor in SEC play.
Most importantly, Phillips is a beast at shot blocking. He had four against Arkansas Saturday and 13 other games with multiple blocks this season.
Head Coach: Dennis Gates (4th Season, 75-57; 7th Season Overall, 125-97) — 46 years old
Gates is a terrific head coach. He has done a really good job at Missouri, with the Tigers on the verge of their third NCAA Tournament appearance in four seasons. Considering the Tigers were 0-18 in SEC play in 2024, that makes the job Gates has done even more impressive.
Prior to Missouri, Gates led Cleveland State for three seasons, taking them to the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Gates was a two-time Horizon League Coach of the Year and led the Vikings to two Horizon League regular-season titles.
Before becoming a head coach, Gates was on Florida State’s staff, led by Leonard Hamilton. The Seminoles won the 2012 ACC Tournament and advanced to the Elite Eight in 2018. Florida State also went to another Sweet 16 in the following season.
As a player, Gates played four seasons at California and was on the Golden Bears’ 2002 NCAA Tournament team.
Jan. 7 vs. Missouri: Tigers 73, Wildcats 68
This was a really disappointing loss. Kentucky led 66-58 with 4:37 to play, after Otega Oweh nailed a three from the corner. What followed was an epic collapse. Missouri finished the game on a 15-2 run, dropping the Cats to 0-2 in the SEC.
Oweh had a great game that night, even nailing a three-quarters court shot at the first half buzzer. It should have been the catalyst to a win, considering he had 20 points on 6-11 shooting and made three three-pointers.
What doomed the Cats in this game were turnovers. They had 13 to 16 assists. Missouri had 20 assists to just 12 turnovers.
This was also the last game the Cats had a completely healthy roster. Jayden Quaintance hasn’t played since, and Jaland Lowe re-injured his shoulder in the next game three nights later.
This game had eight ties and 11 lead changes.
Keys to the Game
1. Contest every shot
Kentucky cannot give Missouri too many open looks, if any at all, on Thursday. They must be there on every ball catch and contest every shot.
2. Ball pressure
The Tigers thrive on moving the ball, as evidenced by their 20 assists against Kentucky back in January. Kentucky has to make it tough for the Tigers to move the ball and get into an offensive rhythm. Do that, and this is a very winnable game.
3. Taking care of the ball
It’s simple. The Cats can’t turn the ball over 13 times against Missouri this time. Keep the turnovers under 10, much like Wednesday against LSU, and the Cats will be in a very good position to win this game.
4. 40 minutes
Play the best 40 minutes you’ve had all season. That should be the message from Mark Pope to this team. If they can do that, they can absolutely win this game.
Score Prediction: Wildcats 87, Tigers 86
I’m expecting a high-scoring battle Thursday afternoon. Kentucky’s defense is worrisome right now, especially against this Missouri team. However, if the Cats play like they did offensively against LSU, they can win this game against Missouri. In a classic, I think Kentucky edges Missouri to get to Friday and a third shot at Florida.
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 23: Micah Parsons #1 of the Green Bay Packers reacts during the first quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on November 23, 2025 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I was originally going to get up a 53-man roster projection for Thursday morning (stay tuned for that tomorrow), but while doing the exercise, I realized that I was doing a lot of work trying to figure out when guys were expected to return from injury after the chaos that happened at the end of last season. So instead of a Green Bay Packers roster projection, let’s talk about the team’s notable injuries going into 2026 and the timelines that we can expect from these players.
Here is my disclaimer that I am in no way a doctor, nor have I ever had any experience in injury recovery, other than tearing my knee up twice. Here is all of my “expert” knowledge: Tearing your knee up sucks; Don’t do it. I will be leaning on the knowledge of others.
Tucker Kraft, TE
We’re going to have to make some assumptions here. For the ACL tears, I want to work with the Christian Watson timeline, since it’s most recent example in the minds of Packers fans. As far as we know, the ACL injuries that Green Bay’s players have suffered are clean ACL tears.
Watson tore his ACL on January 5th, 2025. He returned to action on October 26th, 2025. This is fairly common, as clean ACL tears are considered to have around nine-ish-month recovery timelines for NFL players. Thank God for modern medicine. Watson’s return to game action took 294 days, about 9 months and 21 days.
Tucker Kraft tore his ACL on November 2nd, 2025. 294 days from that date is August 23rd, 2026, so he should be game-ready for the Packers at some point during training camp. For what it’s worth, Watson first practiced with Green Bay on October 6th, almost 9 months to the day from his ACL tear, so we can expect Kraft to return to the practice field some time in early August, even if he’s not working full-speed by then.
Micah Parsons, OLB
We’re going to work with the same Watson timeline assumptions here for Micah Parsons. Parsons tore his ACL on December 14th, 2025. Nine months from that day, the Watson return to practice timeline, will be mid-September.
The obstacle that Parsons will face is that mid-September is after the cutdown deadline, meaning that he’ll still be on the physically unable to perform list, but that players who start on the physically able to perform list in the regular season must miss the first four games of the season.
On paper, he should be good to go by Game 5 of the the Packers’ season. The issue is that he won’t have the same two-week ramp up of practice (when he’ll still be locked on the PUP list) before a game week like Watson had. Because of the mechanics of the PUP list, there’s a good chance that Parsons will be ready to start practicing with the team before he’s actually allowed to practice with the team, due to league rules. I’m sure Green Bay has some sort of plan for him in this regard, where they can simulate a practice with him individually, and that this won’t be coming to them as a surprise in September.
Zach Tom, RT
Zach Tom stated to the press after the season that he had a partially torn patellar tendon, and that after his surgery there will be a six-month recovery process. As long as he had the surgery by mid-February, he should also be able to be good to go for the regular season (I’m giving him some time on this injury timeline for a Watson-like ramp-up period before the regular season).
Devonte Wyatt, DE
Devonte Wyatt’s broken fibula and torn ankle ligaments will take three-to-five months to recover from, according to his post-season media availability. Based on that timeline, he should also be good to go by the regular season, and there’s a chance that he’s ready to go by minicamp in June. Minicamp should be happening right around the later end of his estimation.
Jordon Riley, DE
Jordon Riley tore his Achilles tendon, a pretty brutal injury. Generally, these injuries take at least nine months to recover from and could take up to a year. He had his injury on December 27th, 2025, so at minimum he shouldn’t be counted on to return to action until Game 5 (because of the PUP rules and the quickest end of the injury timeline projection) and might not play in 2026 at all, depending on the situation.
Kamal Hadden, CB
Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Kamal Hadden said after the season that the cornerback was told his ankle injury will take four to five months to recover from. On that timeline, Hadden could be ready to go by minicamp, too.
—
This honestly wasn’t as bad of an outlook as I thought it would be. Devonte Wyatt and Kamal Hadden are in play to return around minicamp in mid-June. I wouldn’t be surprised if the team was a little conservative and waited a bit later for them to start ramping up, since games still won’t be played for several months.
Tucker Kraft and Zach Tom should start practicing with the Packers in August and be ready to go by Week 1. Micah Parsons, unless he’s some sort of medical marvel, will probably be ready by Game 5 of the season, depending on how much practice time the team believes that he needs before he’s able to contribute in games.
Along with Parsons, defensive lineman Jordon Riley will also probably start the season on the PUP list, too. At absolute best, Riley will return around the same time as Parsons, but I just would count on him hanging on the injury list until we’re told otherwise. When it’s Riley time, they’ll let us know he’s getting closer to returning to the field.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Dominican Republic celebrates with teammates Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27, Geraldo Perdomo #2, Manny MacHado #3 , and Julio Rodríguez #44 after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against Venezuela at loanDepot park on March 11, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well, Aaron Judge and company won’t be returning to the Yankees just yet. After shocking Team USA on Tuesday, Italy did the Americans a solid by thumping Mexico at the World Baseball Classic, avoiding any of the weird tiebreaker scenarios that were floated over the past 36 hours or so. They’ll face Canada on Friday night. Congrats to Mark DeRosa, I guess.
So now that we have an actual bracket, we can have some March Madness-esque fun! Considering that we won’t know the actual college basketball March Madness brackets until March is just about halfway done, maybe this is the real March Madness. Anyway, here’s what the WBC version looks like:
Quarterfinals Dominican Republic over Korea USA over Canada Puerto Rico over Italy Japan over Venezuela
Semifinals Dominican Republic over USA Japan over Puerto Rico
Finals Dominican Republic over Japan (MVP: Fernando Tatis Jr.)
Today on the site, Sam will recap the end of WBC pool play as we await the knockout round beginning tomorrow. Peter will preview Ryan Yarbrough’s 2026 season, Jeff will celebrate Darryl Strawberry’s 64th (yowza) birthday, and Josh will look at what’s ahead for the nemesis Astros, who could be in their twilight after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Today’s Matchup
New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers
Time: 1:05 p.m. EST
Video: N/A (audio available via MLB.tv on Tigers radio, WXYTAM)
Venue: Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, FL
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 01: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Egor Chinakhov (59) skates with the puck against Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin (15) during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vegas Golden Knights on March 1, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Grab the coffee because it’s going to be late night if you’re a fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins and plan to stay up and watch them do battle with the Vegas Golden Knights out in the desert. This will be the second meeting between the two sides in less than two weeks after the Golden Knights visited Pittsburgh to open March and left licking their wounds after the Penguins battered them 5-0 behind and Artur Silovs shutout.
Puck drop tonight is scheduled for 10:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
Pens Points…
Evgeni Malkin is out of the lineup until Monday and Sidney Crosby’s return is still to be determined, but without the two superstars who have powered them over the last two decades, the 2025-26 Penguins continue to dig deep and scratch out every point they can seemingly get. [Pensburgh]
It was a tough weekend for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, dropping a pair of games but still rescuing a point out of the contests with an overtime loss in the latter. Despite the defeats, the Baby Pens remain firmly in second place in the Atlantic division. [Pensburgh]
Back in January, Sidney Crosby played a starring role in a surprise engagement outside of the team practice facility in Cranberry. After traveling from Montreal and attending a team practice, fans Mathieu and Sandra got engaged as Crosby drove by, giving the couple a thumbs up through his window. [Penguins]
As bodies fall, replacements are needed and the Penguins have dipped into the talent pool to refill the ranks as of late. One of these recent call ups was Ville Koivunen who is still fighting for a permanent spot in Pittsburgh and is doing his best to learn from every opportunity. [PPG]
Playing 10 games in a row was a big moment for Connor Clifton this season as he’s battled injuries and scratches for most of the campaign thus far. Healthy and proving his worth on the ice has helped lead Clifton to a regular starting role as the season enter the final stretch. [Trib Live]
NHL News and Notes…
What was once a strong looking free agent class loses a little more luster this week with forward Nick Schmaltz inking a new long term deal with the Utah Mammoth that will have him forego free agency this summer to remain in the Beehive State for the next eight years. [NHL]
Barcelona set budget for number nine signing to replace Robert Lewandowski
Amid plenty of doubt over their spending capacity this summer, Barcelona have set a budget for their pursuit of a number nine this summer. The Catalan giants have been over their salary limit for the past three years, but there is hope that this summer they could move back under their limit. If they do so, they would be able to spend 100% of the money that they save/earn beyond their costs, while currently they can only allocate 60% of those funds to signing and paying new players.
The need for a new number nine has been on the horizon for some time, with Robert Lewandowski now 37 years of age. It has not been ruled out that he could be offered a one-year extension to his contract, but it seems he will be relegated definitively to a secondary role if that is the case. By the same token, the loss of form of Ferran Torres, seems to have put the Catalan off moving forward with the former Manchester City man as their first choice.
Barcelona set €100m budget for forward
According to MD, Barcelona have set a budget of €100m to bring in their next number nine. The Catalan giants will not go above that figure between a fixed fee and variables. A number of names have been linked with the Blaugrana, including most recently Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush and Hoffenheim’s Fisnik Asllani, but no clear path of action has emerged for the time being.
Julian Alvarez deal looks impossible
No forward has been linked to the Blaugrana more than Julian Alvarez, but with the budget set by Barcelona, that deal looks impossible. Atletico Madrid are not interested in selling to Barcelona, and would only consider a sale that doubled their money from the Premier League. Bearing in mind Atletico signed Alvarez for €75m plus €15m in variables, that would put him well beyond Barcelona’s means anyway. The only avenue for Barcelona to bring Alvarez in is for the Argentina international to push for a move to Camp Nou specifically. Even if his non-committal answer on his future was ‘celebrated’ in the Barcelona offices, the current chances of a deal happening are slim.
For years, when Colin Simmons stuck his hand in the dirt on a key third down, sat down to study film or pushed himself for one more rep on the squat rack, the Texas football defensive end knew exactly why he was doing it.
Simmons wanted better for his family.
That meant moving his mom, Monica McCarley, and his 11-year-old brother, Clayton, to a new home. Clayton, Simmons explained Wednesday, has autism. McCarley often spent between 60 and 90 minutes driving Clatyon to his treatment sessions from the family's Dallas home.
Texas Longhorns linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith (26) lifts the trophy with head coach Steve Sarkisianas the Longhorns celebrate after winning the Citrus Bowl 41-27 against the Michigan Wolverines at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, Dec. 31, 2025. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
Last year, Simmons moved his family to the Austin area. Now, he said, those commutes are no longer necessary.
Texas Longhorns linebacker Colin Simmons (1) celebrates a sack during the Red River Rivalry between the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday Oct. 11, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
“The programs down here are better than the programs up in Dallas,” Simmons said. “And my mom also had to travel about an hour-and-a-half, an hour out, just to get those good resources. So moving here down here was a big thing for our family, with my brother going to a school that’s good for him, that he’s getting the right attention and the right treatment.”
Until 2021, when court rulings allowed college athletes to begin profiting from their names, images and likenesses, college athletes often could not support their families financially until they reached the professional ranks — if they ever got there at all.
Simmons is also leveraging his NIL opportunities to support a nonprofit he started with McCarley while in high school. The organization, called Clay’s Color Crew in celebration of Clayton’s love for colors, strives to “bring autism resources and facilities to underserved and lower-economic areas in South Dallas and beyond,” according to the nonprofit’s website.
Last summer, Simmons hosted Clay’s Color Crew’s first annual football camp for children with special needs at Duncanville High School.
Now entering his junior season with the Longhorns, Simmons said he hopes his achievements have made his mom proud.
“She tells me she’s proud of me every day, but I just feel like I’m not done yet,” Simmons said. “I’m not done making her proud, my little brother proud. It’s still more to do, still more for me to go get for them.”
On the field, just how far can Simmons push his dominance? He collected just half a sack from his first three games last season, but finished with 12 sacks to lead the SEC. He got to the quarterback at least once in the final five games of the year to give him 21 total sacks through the first two years of his career.
Now, he’s set to play for a new defensive coordinator, Will Muschamp, who produced elite pass rushes in his first stint with the Longhorns. From 2008-10, no program in the country collected more sacks than the Longhorns’ 119. Simmons’ role in Muschamp's defense, he said, will include “a lot that’s different.”
“When you turn on the tape, then you’ll see,” Simmons said.
Before that tape starts rolling, Simmons has some contemplating to do. The goal he chased for years has been achieved. His family has the resources it needs.
Speaking to a member of the Texas coaching staff Tuesday, Simmons said he admitted that he doesn’t know what his next ‘Why’ will be.
“While I look for what’s next, I’m just going out here and having fun,” he said.
With an extra day between games and preceding a rare home back-to-back, it’s a good day to sit back and relish the joy, the rarity and surreal fact that the Islanders are 10-0 in games decided in overtime this year. Mathew Barzal’s streaking goal in St. Louis was the latest addition to the chronicles, largely made possible by a consistent dose of Matthew Schaefer and Ilya Sorokin.
Islanders News
Takeaways: The Isles know they were close to a bad road trip, but proud of their comeback. [Isles]
On that note, newcomer Brayden Schenn loves the Isles’ “no quit” attitude. [Newsday]
Mic’d Up: Two very brief clips of Schenn. [Isles YouTube]
Drouin on departure: There’s been lots of Schenn this, Schenn that, but here’s a bit from newest Weird Islander Jonathan Drouin’s perspective on being dumped and having to adjust in St. Louis. [Post | Newsday]
The 12th forward continued as Max Shabanov got his first appearance since nine games ago. [THN]
Elsewhere
Just two games last night (14 tonight), but Montreal’s regulation win put a dent in Ottawa’s playoff chase.
The eternal “who caused the goalie collision” debate adds a new chapter as Connor Ingram leaves the game after a collision that got Nathan MacKinnon five and a game ejection. Avs coach not pleased. Martin Biron weighs in. [TSN]
Bourne: Many, many thoughts on the captains of the Canada-based teams. [Sportsnet]
Speaking of which, the Leafs are winless in eight and “just need more.” Losses? [TSN]
NEW YORK – Dan Hurley will share the sideline at Madison Square Garden with at least one Pitino during this week’s Big East Tournament.
Xavier, in its first year under Richard Pitino, son of back-to-back league champion, Rick, edged Marquette in a thrilling first round matchup on Wednesday night, 89-87. The win for the No. 10 seeded Musketeers set up Thursday’s quarterfinal, which will tip off at 7 p.m. and air on FS1.
Asked what he’ll tell his team ahead of the matchup on the Peacock broadcast, Pitino said: “Do everything the opposite of what we did the first two times we played them.”
Everything went UConn’s way in the regular season series.
The Huskies sent a message on New Year’s Eve when they went to Cincinnati and left with a 90-67 victory behind 19 points from Alex Karaban and 17 a piece from Braylon Mullins and Solo Ball. The scoreboard was even more lopsided when they met again at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford; that one a 92-60 runaway win for UConn, which shot nearly 60% from the field and saw a combined 25 points from Eric Reibe and Jayden Ross off the bench.
But it has been a year with some surprises for the Huskies, who are coming off a loss at Marquette that cost them a share of the regular season title on Saturday.
“We’re taking it one game at a time,” said point guard Silas Demary Jr. “You can’t look ahead or past your opponent. I think you’ve got to worry about whoever you play Thursday. Play that game and obviously we want to win and then worry about the next one.”
Xavier was led by a 21-point effort from forward Jovan Milicevic on Wednesday night. Tre Carroll, the Big East’s leading scorer at 18.0 points per game, matched his season average with 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists, and guard Malik Messina-Moore added 18 of his own as the Musketeers shot over 51% from the field.
The Huskies’ frontcourt will be light without junior wing Jaylin Stewart, who will miss the entire Big East Tournament with what was described by the team as right knee inflammation. Hurley could potentially turn to a bigger lineup as UConn looks to limit turnovers, play tough defense and hit shots coming off of its worst shooting performance since 2017.
“I feel like a lot of people have already doubted us. They threw dirt down on us, said we’re not deserving of all this. So I feel like we’re coming with a mindset where it’s like, people don’t even believe in us, but we believe in ourselves and that’s a crazy powerful, powerful gift right there,” said center Tarris Reed Jr. “Having self-confidence in ourselves and our team and what we can do this year. We were just talking the other day like, our non-con, that energy, that joy, that fire, that passion we were playing with was – you could hook me up to a lie detector test now, I was like, ‘Yo, we’re the best team in the country.’ I feel like a lot of teams go through adversity and once you really just find that passion, that drive back… I feel like it started with the loss at Marquette, learning from that, and just finding that fire back.”
Report: Juventus tracking unsettled Aston Villa veteran
Juventus are reportedly considering a move for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, whose future in Birmingham is far from certain.
The 33-year-old has been a stalwart for the Villans since making the move from Arsenal in the summer of 2020.
In addition to his exploits in the Premier League, ‘Dibu’ also played an integral role in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph. His last-gasp save on Randal Kolo Muani is now considered one of the most iconic stops in the tournament’s history.
Juventus enter the fray for Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez
At the end of the previous campaign, an emotional Martinez appeared to be bidding the fans farewell at Villa Park. The Argentine was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United, but they instead opted to buy the younger Senne Lammens, so the veteran ended up staying in Birmingham.
Nevertheless, the goalkeeper is expected to leave Aston Villa this summer, at least if a suitable offer were to arrive.
According to Tuttosport, Juventus have identified Martinez as a potential solution for their goalkeeping dilemma.
Luciano Spalletti has recently dropped Michele Di Gregorio, who committed a few blunders in recent weeks, replacing him with Mattia Perin.
How the circumstances could help Juventus sign Martinez
Juventus have been linked with several other goalkeepers, but Giuglielmo Vicario hasn’t entirely convincedthis season at Tottenham, while signing Marco Carnesecchi remains a tall order due to Atalanta’s hefty asking price.
Therefore, the reliable yet affordable Martinez represents an appealing profile. The Argentine reportedly earns circa €5 million per season, which is a considerable figure for a Serie A club, but not necessarily out of reach.
Moreover, the Turin-based newspaper notes how the Bianconeri would be able to capitalise on their good relationships with Aston Villa to secure an agreement that might also include Douglas Luiz’s permanent return to the Premier League club.
The Brazilian midfielder returned to Villa Park on loan in January, and the English club has the option to buy him for €25 million.
MADRID, SPAIN - MARCH 11: Federico Valverde of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Real Madrid CF and Manchester City FC at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on March 11, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The UEFA Champions League never lacks drama, but after Wednesday’s result, the narrative surrounding the clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid has shifted dramatically. Following Real Madrid’s emphatic 3–0 victory in the first leg, the question now becomes whether Manchester City can produce a miracle in the return leg—or if Real Madrid is already destined to move on and potentially set up a blockbuster meeting with Bayern Munich.
The star of the night was unquestionably Federico Valverde. The midfielder delivered a stunning performance at the Santiago Bernabéu, scoring a first-half hat trick with goals in the 20th, 27th, and 42nd minutes to give Real Madrid complete control of the tie.
Valverde’s remarkable display stunned Manchester City and put the European giants in a commanding position heading into the second leg. By halftime, Real Madrid already held a three-goal cushion, and the hosts comfortably managed the remainder of the match to secure the clean sheet.
For Manchester City, the task ahead is enormous. Pep Guardiola’s side still possesses elite attacking talent, particularly through players like Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, but overturning a three-goal deficit against Real Madrid in the Champions League is about as difficult as it gets.
Real Madrid’s history in this competition only makes the challenge steeper. Time and time again, the Spanish giants have shown an uncanny ability to manage knockout ties and capitalize on decisive moments. Whether through moments of brilliance from players like Vinícius Júnior or the composure of experienced stars like Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid rarely lets a strong position slip away.
That said, Manchester City’s best hope lies in the return leg at the Etihad Stadium. If Guardiola’s team can grab an early goal and build momentum, the pressure could shift quickly. Champions League history is full of improbable comebacks, and Manchester City has the quality to make things uncomfortable if they start fast.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich continues to quietly handle its own business on the other side of the bracket. If the German giants advance and Real Madrid finishes the job against Manchester City, fans could be treated to another classic European heavyweight clash between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid—a rivalry that has produced some of the competition’s most memorable ties.
So the Question of the Day becomes even more intriguing after Real Madrid’s dominant first-leg performance:
Can Manchester City pull off a Champions League miracle at the Etihad, or did Federico Valverde’s unforgettable hat trick already seal Real Madrid’s path toward a potential showdown with Bayern Munich?
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…
Today we’re talking about postseason Mizzou Basketball
Missouri’s matchup in the 2nd Round of the SEC Tournament has been set. As expected, it’s 8-seed Mizzou vs 9-seed Kentucky with an 11:30 a.m. CST tip-off on the SEC Network (though, UK didn’t make it easy in an 87-82 win over LSU).
This was the best-case scenario for Mizzou — as it gives the Tigers another Quad 1 opportunity. Facing the Wildcats in a pro-Kentucky crowd with revenge on their minds? Sure, it will be a tough task. Though, Mizzou should have the confidence in already beating Kentucky in Lexington. They should also have the fresher legs and the more desperate team with more to play for.
A win over Kentucky should put Mizzou firmly in the Round of 64. A loss shouldn’t knock the Tigers completely out — but it could very well ship them to the First Four.
Drinkwitz is yet to secure a four-star during this cycle but Aleu marks the highest rated three-star the team has added so far. It’s a solid start to add protection for Warren but it will take some time before we know how strong this class ends up being.
Beefing up the offensive line is always a necessity in a recruiting class.
The Tigers shine in resume metrics, where they lead the group in strength of record and are tied for the second-most wins against both Quad 1 competition and Quads 1 and 2 combined. But most importantly, MU ranks second among the group in wins above bubble, a stat the committee has indicated will be a significant factor in its decision making.
This stands out. It’s also important to note that Mizzou doesn’t have a Quad 3 or 4 loss.
As much as Missouri would surely love to make a surprise run to its first SEC Tournament title, the Tigers have more realistic goals that can be reached and have an impact on their standing with the selection committee.
#Mizzou softball got back in the win column in dominant fashion, run-ruling UT-Martin 8-0.
Cierra Harrison pitched one of her best games of the season while the Tigers’ depth shined on offense. Read more with @RockMNation.https://t.co/g53V2Rz9jJ
Rock M Radio’s Dive Cuts: Goodbye regular season and HELLO SEC Tournament
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Rory McIlroy finally arrived at TPC Sawgrass on Wednesday after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week due to back spasms.
McIlroy arrived on the property not long after PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp delivered his speech outlining some potential changes that could soon be implemented on the Tour.
Rolapp raised some eyebrows after the sheer extent of the proposed changes became clear.
And while McIlroy is not as involved behind the scenes of the PGA Tour as he used to be, he is still the face of the Tour, so to speak.
The five-time major champion is one of the PGA Tour’s most valuable commodities.
And with that in mind, it was very interesting to hear his response to Rolapp‘s comments on Wednesday.
Brian Rolapp’s proposed changes to the PGA Tour
Rolapp made the following statement at TPC Sawgrass on Wednesday.
“While no decisions have been made, I want to walk you through six themes that are beginning to emerge,“ he said.
“This remains a work in progress, and it is by no means a baked cake. These are simply areas we are starting to see a meaningful consensus.
“Number one, as we look at the calendar, there is an emphasis on playing our season from late January to early September. In terms of overall structure, inclusive of the majors, THE PLAYERS, and the post-season, we are looking at roughly 21 to 26 tournaments on a first track of elevated events with the best players competing for higher purses.
“Let me break that down. Today we have eight Signature Events. We are effectively looking to at least double that number. Add the four majors, THE PLAYERS Championship, our post-season, and the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup, and you get to the 21- to 26-event range. To be clear, we will have a second track of PGA TOUR tournaments which will ladder up to those elevated events. I will touch on that shortly.
Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
“Number two, a key consideration has been establishing more consistent fields to the PGA TOUR. This means moving away from small fields and no-cut events. Our best events will have larger fields. Ideally, we are targeting something closer to 120-player fields with a cut. That consistently matters. It helps fans know who they will see and showcases who they want to see, the most competitive players. It helps partners know what they’re investing in, and it helps players better understand the competitive landscape in their schedules, all while embracing meritocracy.
“Number three, we want to open big with a marquee event at an iconic venue in the west, among other things, allowing us to finish on network television in primetime on the East Coast.
“Number four, we are also looking closely at where we play. Today the PGA TOUR competes in only four of the top 10 largest U.S. media markets. That is an opportunity. We are evaluating markets like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington DC, Boston, and many others, places where there is a strong fan demand for our sport, and a chance to reach new fans.
“As I mentioned earlier, our work is not just about those elevated 21 to 26 events, which brings me to number five. There has been a lot of discussion about scarcity. Ultimately, scarcity is not about the number of events we have, but rather scarcity is about making every event we have matter. This is why we are evaluating the role of promotion and relegation between these two tracks within our competitive model, an added element that we would bring to life in the second track of events I described earlier. What we envision is a merit-based system that leans into what makes professional golf so compelling, players earning their way to the top, with every event having greater meaning.
“You see this work powerfully elsewhere, including in English football, where clubs move between the premier and the championship based on their performance. Applying elements of that approach to the PGA TOUR creates real consequence, lifting the competitive standard across the entire platform. For our members, the message is pretty simple: Play well and you earn the opportunity to compete in our biggest events and for more money.
“Lastly, number six, we are exploring ways to enhance the post-season. We have heard from our fans and our partners, they want more drama. We are considering the potential integration of match play, either at the TOUR Championship or across the post-season as a whole, bringing win-or-go-home moments to the conclusion of our season.“
How Rory McIlroy feels about Brian Rolapp’s proposed PGA Tour changes
McIlroy was unsurprisingly asked what he thought of Rolapp’s comments on Wednesday.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
“I spoke to Brian for about an hour,“ the Northern Irishman said.
“I was supposed to meet with Brian on Monday night up here, so I spoke to him for about an hour on the phone on Monday.
“So he just sort of took me through everything that he was going to say to you guys today.
“Yeah, I think it’s all — yeah, it’s all pretty positive. I think he’s got into this job and realized how difficult it is to turn this big ship around, and there’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen and a lot of opinions.
“So he’s obviously navigating that. But, yeah, I think what he said today was — it’s obviously a really good direction of where the TOUR should be going, I think.“
McIlroy is clearly on board with the new direction the PGA Tour is seemingly headed.
Now it’s up to Rolapp and co. to implement the changes correctly.
Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, co-owners of Wrexham, are set to provide commentary for their club's Championship clash against Swansea this Friday.
This is everything you need to know about the show.
What’s going on?
Wrexham AFC owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac are set to offer a unique, partisan commentary experience for their club's upcoming match, airing this Friday on Sky Sports Football.
Sky is promoting the event as a "first-of-its-kind broadcast," promising insights from the Hollywood duo that will be "anything but impartial."
Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds (left) and Rob Mac celebrate their club scoring against Chelsea (Nick Potts/PA Wire)
The celebrity owners are also expected to host a number of guests during the live coverage.
While regular commentary will be provided by Daniel Mann and Andy Hinchcliffe, the focus will undoubtedly be on Reynolds and McElhenney.
The famous owners attended last weekend’s extra-time FA Cup defeat against Chelsea, with Reynolds also present at Tuesday’s 2-1 home loss to Hull.
What have they said?
Announcing the broadcast, Reynolds and Mac said: “As with our decision to take over Wrexham five years ago, we genuinely have no idea how this is going to go, but we will give it our best.
“Neither of us have called a sporting event of any variety, let alone a sport we basically learned the rules of five years ago.
“Either way, it will be another unpredictable day at the Racecourse and we can’t wait. We’re grateful to our partners at the EFL and Sky Sports, the latter of which we hope is ready with the bleep button.”
What’s the background?
Hollywood stars Reynolds and Mac bought Wrexham for around £2million in 2021, and the club has undergone a transformation since then.
Wrexham have made English football history with three consecutive promotions taking them from non-league football to the Championship, and they are in contention to make it four in a row (PA Wire)
Their progress has been documented in the popular series Welcome to Wrexham, which has won 10 Emmy Awards and put the club in the global spotlight.
All-Wales clash
The match is Swansea’s first visit to the Racecourse Ground for a league fixture since Wrexham beat the Swans 4-0 in the old Division Three in 2002.
But earlier this season City beat Phil Parkinson’s side 2-1 in south Wales.
Swansea are the second Welsh side to visit the Racecourse this season after League One Cardiff upset them in the Carabao Cup in October.
No Snoop Dogg?
Swansea have plenty of star power in their own boardroom, with hip hop star Snoop Dogg, AC Milan playmaker Luka Modric and American billionaire and television personality Martha Stewart all holding minority shares in the club.
Swansea co-owner Snoop Dogg caused a huge stir last month when he pitched up at the Swansea.com Stadium for their home game against Preston (PA Wire)
Snoop caused a huge stir last month when he pitched up at the Swansea.com Stadium for their home game against Preston last month, whipping up the crowd and, according to visiting boss Paul Heckingbottom, leaving the “smell of weed in the tunnel”.
But unless Snoop is one of the promised special guests, Friday night’s broadcast will be a one-sided affair.
CEO of Volkswagen AG Oliver Blume speaks at the Volkswagen Group's annual press conference in Autostadt. Julian Stratenschulte/dpa
Planned savings and job cuts at Volkswagen could also spill over to the car maker's Bundesliga football club Wolfsburg, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume has said.
"We also need to make improvements at VfL Wolfsburg. We are already doing that, and we will review everything at the end of the season. I think it's only fair to do so," Blume told broadcasters RTL/ntv.
Blume did not say whether the savings would also impact their sponsorship of the German national team.
The Volkswagen Group said in its latest financial report that it plans to cut 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030.
The Wolfsburg club is fully owned by the Volkswagen AG. The team won the Bundesliga in 2009 and the German Cup in 2015 but is now struggling in second last place in deep relegation trouble.
"We are in a critical situation with VfL Wolfsburg. The team is better than its position in the table; we have lost many games very unluckily," said Blume.
"We have to think positively now and then, at the end of the season, we will of course consider how to proceed. VfL Wolfsburg is a Volkswagen club and will remain so in the future."
Wolfsburg parted ways with coach Daniel Bauer and managing director for sport Peter Christiansen on Sunday. Dieter Hecking returned as their third coach of the season on a contract until June 30, having previously been in charge 2013-2016.
Now, as we embark on the third day of free agency, who are the best available players still out there?
Focusing on positions that the Colts should still be looking to address, here are Pro Football Focus' best available free agents heading into Wednesday.
Best available free agent defensive ends on Day 4
What's the need? The Colts have added to the depth of this unit, signing Clemons and Arden Key. However, those additions addressed the Colts' rotational need at the position. Adding a high-end defensive end to pair with Laiatu Latu would be quite valuable.
Joey Bosa
Arnold Ebiketie
AJ Epenesa
Haason Reddick
Cameron Jordan
Al-Quadin Muhammad
Best available free agent linebackers on Day 4
What's the need? This room is short on experience after trading Zaire Franklin. Jaylon Carlies, who has played just over 200 career defensive snaps, is the most experienced player on the Colts roster at this position.
Bobby Wagner
Germaine Pratt
Eric Kendricks
Bobby Okereke
Best available free agent safeties on Day 4
What's the need? With Nick Cross now in Washington, the starting role next to Cam Bynum is available. Hunter Wohler could be an option on the roster to take over, but banking on a former seventh-round pick who missed his entire rookie season to step into a larger role comes with risks. After signing Bynum to a big deal last offseason, we may not see the Colts be big spenders at this position.
Jabrill Peppers
Jaquan Brisker
Chuck Clark
Kyle Dugger
Geno Stone
Best available free agent tight ends on Day 4
What's the need? With Tyler Warren leading the way, this isn't a pressing need, but both Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Ogletree are currently free agents. Depth and another blocking presence are needed.
Dallas Goedert
Darren Waller
David Njoku
Jonnu Smith
Mo Alie-Cox
Tyler Conklin
Best available free agent wide receivers on Day 4
What's the need? I doubt we see the Colts spend much, if anything, at wide receiver, but without Pittman, this unit could use an addition. However, my guess is that Chris Ballard accomplishes that in the draft.
UNITED STATES - MARCH 04: College Basketball: ACC Tournament, Duke Jim Spanarkel (34) victorious with net after winning game and tournament vs Wake Forest, Greensboro, NC 3/3/1978 (Photo by Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (SetNumber: X22171 TK2)
Going into the 1977-78 basketball season, Duke had won four ACC Tournaments, all in the 1960’s, when only one conference team got to advance to the NCAA Tournament. The ACC was unique at the time because no other major conference had a tournament to decide its champion, and either you won it or if you were lucky, you went to the NIT. And even though the NIT still had some juice then, it wasn’t on par with the NCAA. That was where you wanted to be.
Bill Foster got to Duke in 1975, after Bucky Waters retired and Neil McGeachy spent a season as interim coach. For some inexplicable reason, then-Duke AD Carl James thought it was a good idea to make a run at retired Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp. He only turned the job down because there had been a crisis at his farm and he didn’t think he could leave.
So James ultimately hired Foster, who had a reputation as a master builder. And build he did.
He found Jim Spanarkel in his first freshman class, Mike Gminski in his second, and in his third, struck gold with Kenny Dennard and Gene Banks.
Those four formed the core of Duke’s 1978 team, a youthful group that got all the way to the national championship game, losing to Kentucky, 94-88.
Along the way, they got to the ACC Finals, where they faced a really good Wake Forest team that featured Frank Johnson, Larry Harrison, Leroy McDonald, and Rod Griffin. It wasn’t easy, but Duke won, 85-77.
This was pre-ESPN, and there wasn’t promiscuous video everywhere. Still, there’s some posted around, and this little clip shows you some of the joy of that team and that season.
There have been better Duke teams since then, but as great as everything has been, no Duke team has had that team’s sheer level of exuberance, joy, and passion.
Running back got a lot stronger in the blink of an eye for the New Orleans Saints at the start of free agency. On Monday, the Saints agreed to a contract with former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne. The deal is for four years and $52 million dollars, making him the sixth highest paid running back in the NFL according to annual salary breakdown.
Etienne is expected to be the new featured weapon for a New Orleans running game that ranked 28th in the league last year. He'll join Alvin Kamara, the franchise's all-time leading rusher, and second-year back Devin Neal. Running back was considered a major need for the Saints going into the offseason. They checked off that need with a local star. Here's a closer look at his career.
Travis Etienne
Position: Running back
Age: 27
Height: 5-feet, 10 inches
Weight: 215 pounds
NFL experience: 5 seasons
Etienne grew up near Lake Charles and attended Jennings High School, where he was a four-star recruit and the nation's 15th ranked back coming out of high school. He'd take his talents to the Clemson Tigers, where he'd lead the 2017 squad with 766 rushing yards as a freshman. In 2018, Etienne was a vital figure for the Tigers undefeated national championship team, leading the ACC with 1,658 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns while earning 2018 ACC Player of the Year and 1st Team All-American honors.
Clemson again advanced to the national championship game in 2019 before losing to LSU. Etienne had 1,614 rushing yards that year, leading the ACC with 23 total scores on his way to a second consecutive ACC Player of the Year award and 2nd Team All-American. His production dipped a bit in 2020, but Etienne's 914 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns were still good enough for a third straight All-American honor.
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Etienne with the 25th overall choice in the 2021 draft, making him the second back chosen. After missing his rookie year to a preseason Lisfranc injury, Etienne came back strong in 2022 and rushed for 1,125 yards and 5 touchdowns with 35 receptions and 316 yards. He'd follow that in 2023 with 1,008 rushing yards and 11 scores while catching 58 passes for 476 yards and another touchdown. His production took a major drop in 2024, as he managed only 558 yards on the ground but did record 39 receptions for 254 yards, scoring just twice.
Etienne rebounded for the Jaguars last season. He had 1,107 rushing yards, another 292 on 36 receptions, and reached the end zone 13 times with a career-high 6 receiving scores. Through his four seasons, Etienne has 3,798 rushing yards and 25 scores while averaging 4.2 per carry. He's also caught 168 passes for 1,338 yards and 7 touchdowns. If Etienne can match that kind of production in New Orleans, then the Saints got a free agent bargain in improving their offense.
David Ornstein: Liverpool in talks over deal for French defender
Konate Contract Talks Continue as Liverpool and Player Seek Common Ground
Konate Contract Situation Raises Summer Questions
Liverpool face a delicate moment in their defensive planning as discussions continue over the future of centre-back Ibrahima Konate. The France international is approaching the final stretch of his current contract, a situation that inevitably draws attention from Europe’s elite while placing pressure on Liverpool to secure a resolution.
Negotiations between club and player have been ongoing for some time, but a definitive breakthrough has yet to arrive. That uncertainty has fuelled speculation about potential interest from abroad, with Real Madrid among the clubs reportedly monitoring developments closely.
Liverpool have experienced similar contract tension in recent years, and the scenario surrounding Konate carries echoes of those situations. When a player of his profile approaches the end of a deal, the transfer market tends to sharpen its focus quickly. Yet the mood around the discussions suggests a breakdown is far from imminent.
Ornstein Provides Insight Into Ongoing Negotiations
One of the most reliable voices in football journalism, David Ornstein recently addressed the Konate contract situation during an appearance on the Athletic Podcast.
His assessment suggested that the dialogue between Liverpool and the defender remains constructive rather than confrontational.
“I think there’s constructive conversation around that one,” Ornstein explained.
“I do think there’s a will on both sides, player and club, to try and find an agreement. It’s not there yet, but the conversations, from what we hear, are continuing and are pretty cordial.”
Those words matter. In the language of transfer reporting, “constructive” and “cordial” negotiations usually signal that neither party has closed the door on a renewal.
For Liverpool supporters, that distinction is important. While the absence of an agreement inevitably sparks speculation, Ornstein’s update indicates that the process remains active and cooperative.
Defensive Planning Around Konate Future
Liverpool’s approach to the Konate contract cannot be viewed in isolation. The club’s defensive structure is currently undergoing subtle change, with long-term planning clearly underway.
Experienced figures such as Virgil van Dijk are approaching the latter stages of their careers, while other defenders face uncertain futures. These shifting dynamics increase the significance of securing stability at centre-back.
Konate has developed into a key component of Liverpool’s defensive system. His blend of pace, aerial dominance and physical presence offers balance to the back line, particularly when dealing with the Premier League’s increasing emphasis on transitions and direct attacking play.
Allowing a player of that calibre to run down his contract without resolution would represent a major risk. Not only would Liverpool potentially lose an elite defender, but they could also do so without receiving a transfer fee.
That is precisely why negotiations remain ongoing. Retaining Konate would provide continuity during a period when Liverpool are gradually refreshing their squad.
Summer Transfer Interest Adds Pressure
Whenever a player enters the final year of a contract, interest from other clubs becomes inevitable. Konate’s situation is no exception.
Real Madrid have frequently positioned themselves as opportunistic operators in the transfer market, particularly when elite players approach the end of deals. Their ability to secure high-profile free transfers has been well documented.
The mere possibility of such interest adds urgency to Liverpool’s negotiations. Clubs are keenly aware that waiting too long could weaken their negotiating position dramatically.
At the same time, Liverpool’s willingness to continue discussions signals that they remain hopeful of finding common ground with the defender.
Football negotiations often move slowly before suddenly accelerating once key terms begin to align. Ornstein’s update suggests that the Konate contract talks may still be travelling along that familiar path.
For now, patience remains the dominant theme. Liverpool want Konate to stay, the player appears open to staying, and conversations are still taking place. In modern football, those three factors often provide the foundation for a successful agreement.
On the 535th Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including a shocker in the NBA, where Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo exploded for 83 points on Tuesday night.
The hosts talk about the feat, the second highest-scoring game in league history behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 in 1962. They also talk about the general reaction to the accomplishment from NBA fans, many of whom were quick to downplay Adebayo’s night or add caveats to the box score.
Commissioner Adam Silver has spoken often about how he would like to see fans celebrate the game more than they currently do, and the hosts debate whether fans in another sport would have reacted the same. If a journeyman MLB pitcher struck out 23 batters in a game, for example, would baseball fans downplay the feat?
Next they talk about changes underway at the PGA Tour. Commissioner Brian Rolapp, who was hired last year, spoke Wednesday about some potential changes to the golf circuit in the coming years. They include the possibility of promotion and relegation, more condensed fields, a tighter calendar and a big season-opening tournament. Some of those things sound similar to what LIV Golf proposed when it launched a few years ago.
The hosts also talk about changes at the New York Giants, where co-owner Steve Tisch and his siblings are reportedly transferring all of their remaining ownership in the NFL team—about 23%, according to ESPN—to their children. The hosts talk about how much of that decision might be a result of Tisch’s newly-exposed involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, and how much might be standard, run-of-the-mill succession planning for aging NFL owners.
They close by talking through a few other items, including Syracuse men’s basketball’s disappearance from national relevance.
(You can subscribe to Sporticast through Apple, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts.)
A new era in New England: Boston Legacy FC prepares for inaugural NWSL season
Fall colors, maple syrup, and wicked weather are typically the first things that come to mind when you think of New England. But a new phrase is quickly associating itself with the region: soccer expansion.
The beautiful game is on the rise, and Boston Legacy FC is ready to lead New England into this next major sporting arena.
Returning to the national stage
From the MLS to the USL, New England has consistently showcased its regional pride and top-tier talent. Now, as the 2026 season kicks off, the NWSL is sparing no expense to bring world-class women’s soccer back to the area. Boston Legacy FC is ready to make a statement — and they plan to do it in the most Bostonian way possible.
Taking a quick trip down memory lane, longtime NWSL fans will remember the Boston Breakers. That historic franchise helped shape the women’s soccer scene stateside from the early 2000s until they folded in 2018.
As the league shifted over the years, the Breakers eventually dissolved. But thanks to strong regional demand for women’s soccer, a new club has emerged to take up the mantle.
Integrity, belonging, style and grit
Diving into the club’s identity, four key pillars encompass the mission of Boston Legacy FC: integrity, belonging, style, and grit. These core values provide a clear viewpoint of the team’s focus as they step onto the pitch.
To highlight the area, the club recently dropped a secondary kit that perfectly captures their second pillar of belonging. The “Common Ground” kit features an outline of Boston’s 23 distinct neighborhoods. This design signals that the community isn’t only ready to support the club but also coming together for a shared cause. It’s a vivid reminder that everyone is here for connection and standing on common ground.
Building a roster of trailblazers
The club’s roster features several names that NWSL fans will immediately recognize, both on and off the pitch. Goalkeeper Casey Murphy and forward Nichelle Prince are two standout players preparing to tackle the upcoming schedule. Both athletes are highly decorated in their own right, bursting with potential to make a difference in this inaugural season.
Off the pitch, the team’s athletic advisory board includes two U.S. Women’s National Team veterans and trailblazers: Sam Mewis and Kristine Lilly. With an all-women-led advisory board and ownership group, Boston Legacy is setting the bar high for the impact they will bring to both the league and the community.
Kicking off a new legacy
The historic debut season officially kicks off on Saturday, March 14. Boston Legacy will host last year’s champions, Gotham FC, under the lights at Gillette Stadium. To ring in the festivities, hometown legends New Kids on the Block will perform a halftime show to keep the crowd on their feet. With over 20,000 tickets already sold, the excitement for this new endeavor is undeniable.
While Gillette Stadium will serve as a temporary venue for the first season, the club will move to its permanent home at a newly renovated White Stadium in 2027. Between their deep regional roots, a star-studded roster, and a fanbase hungry for a championship, Boston Legacy FC isn’t just joining the NWSL — they’re looking to conquer it.
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Report: Man United eyeing move to sign Premier League defender
Man Utd Target Murillo as Defensive Plans Begin to Take Shape
Manchester United’s defensive planning for the summer is already taking shape, and attention is turning toward a name quietly building a reputation in the Premier League. According to reporting from iNews, Nottingham Forest centre-back Murillo has emerged as a potential option as the club reassesses its defensive depth.
Photo IMAGO
Recent injuries have forced a rethink within the hierarchy at Old Trafford, with the club now considering reinforcements in an area that previously appeared stable.
Injury Concerns Shift Transfer Focus
Manchester United’s defensive situation has been complicated by the absence of key players. As reported by iNews, Lisandro Martinez is currently sidelined with a calf problem and “is set to miss his fourth consecutive match on Sunday against Aston Villa with a calf injury he picked up last month.”
Photo IMAGO
That absence has been compounded by uncertainty around Matthijs de Ligt’s fitness. The Dutch defender “has been out for three months with no return date in sight,” leaving the club exposed at centre-back.
Photo IMAGO
Originally, the recruitment strategy had prioritised other positions. iNews notes that strengthening at left-back, left wing and central midfield had been higher on the agenda for the upcoming transfer window. Yet injuries have altered that thinking, prompting Manchester United to consider defensive additions.
Murillo Emerges on Shortlist
One of the names under discussion is Nottingham Forest’s Brazilian defender Murillo. The 23-year-old has impressed since arriving in England and has developed into one of Forest’s most reliable performers.
According to iNews, the defender offers the “perfect blend” of youth and Premier League experience. One source added that the player possesses those qualities “without the ego”, something that appears to align with the recruitment philosophy being shaped by the club’s co owners at Ineos.
Photo IMAGO
That description speaks to a wider shift in how Manchester United intend to build their squad. Instead of targeting headline grabbing signings, there appears to be an emphasis on players capable of thriving in the Premier League environment while maintaining the right mentality.
Transfer Situation Could Develop
Murillo’s current situation at Nottingham Forest adds another layer to the story. The defender signed a new contract only last January, tying him to the club until 2029. That deal suggests there is no immediate pressure to sell.
However, iNews reports that Forest’s position could change if relegation becomes a reality. Should Manchester United or another interested club move for him, “it is thought his mind can be changed.”
Interest is not limited to Old Trafford either. Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid are also believed to be monitoring the Brazilian’s development, highlighting how quickly his reputation has grown across Europe.
For Manchester United, this is an early stage process rather than a formal pursuit. Yet it underlines how quickly transfer priorities can change when injuries disrupt carefully laid plans.
Our View – EPL Index Analysis
United fans have watched defensive instability derail seasons before, and the current injury issues only reinforce the need for reliable depth.
A centre-back who already understands the Premier League would appeal to many supporters. Murillo’s performances for Nottingham Forest have shown composure on the ball and aggression in duels, qualities that often translate well at bigger clubs.
The description of him having the “perfect blend” of youth and experience “without the ego” will resonate strongly with fans who have grown weary of expensive signings arriving with heavy expectations but limited consistency.
United supporters will also recognise the wider context. If Martinez continues to struggle with fitness and De Ligt’s recovery remains uncertain, the club cannot enter another season relying on fragile availability in defence.
There is also a strategic element to consider. Targeting a player who is improving rapidly rather than a fully established superstar fits with the new recruitment direction under Ineos.
For many fans, Murillo represents the type of signing that feels sensible rather than spectacular. That approach may not generate immediate excitement, but after years of uneven squad building, sensible might be exactly what Manchester United need.
Asian Cup: Australia and South Korea play out six-goal thriller in front of record crowd
A record crowd of 60,279 for a Women’s Asian Cup match saw Australia snatch a last gasp draw with South Korea in Sydney.
Going into the game, the Matildas knew only a win would be enough to see them top the group and play all their remaining games in Sydney. Anything else would mean a trip back across to Perth. However, it would mean avoiding Japan until the final, should both teams make it that far.
Australia were able to claim a late draw in a six-goal thriller against the South Koreans, thanks to an equaliser deep into stoppage time courtesy of Alanna Kennedy.
South Korea took a 13th minute lead to send shockwaves around Stadium Australia. Jeon Yu-Gyeong broke down the left-hand side and crossed in for Mun Eun-Ju, who slid home past the returning Mackenzie Arnold.
The hosts were dealt another blow when Steph Catley was forced off with a suspected concussion five minutes later.
Kennedy brought the hosts level just after the half-hour mark. Mary Fowler’s corner wasn’t dealt with by the South Korea defence. It was then Fowler who eventually sent the ball goal-wards, where Kennedy was on hand to bundle it in.
That goal galvanised Joe Montemurro’s side and chances started to flow with more regularity. Sam Kerr fired into the side netting and Caitlin Foord saw an effort deflected wide.
Not to be denied, Kerr gave the hosts the lead on the stroke of half-time. She took Foord’s slide rule pass into her stride to sweep past Kim Min-Jung.
If the sea of green and gold in the stands thought the momentum was back with them as the second half began, South Korea quickly set about putting those hopes to bed.
With five minutes of the half played, they were awarded a penalty for a handball against Courtney Nevin. Kim Shin-Ji stepped up and calmly sent Arnold the wrong way to level the score.
Three minutes later, the tide had turned completely. Kang Chae-Rim was afforded the freedom of Olympic Park on the right-hand side and she made Australia pay with precise finish across the face of goal. That quick-fire double seemed to completely nullify an Australia side that struggled to create much all evening.
Chances were at a premium and South Korea seemed more than happy to sit in and frustrate their opponents.
Kerr had huge appeals for a penalty waved away as the game entered stoppage time before Kennedy was denied by a fine save from Kim Min-Jung to claw her header away.
With time running out, Kennedy was in the right place to blast in an equaliser, clearing up after Kerr had split the centre backs and then did even better to avoid Kennedy’s thunderbolt from a couple of yards out.
The draw ensures South Korea will stay in Sydney for the rest of the tournament and will meet one of the two best third-placed sides.
For the hosts, however, its a trip back west to Perth where they will meet the Group B runner-up. That means a quarter-final tie against either the holders China or a strong-looking DPRK as they look to keep their dreams of a home tournament win alive.
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LILLE, France (AP) — Aston Villa travelled to Lille to kick off the Europa League round of 16 on Thursday boosted by the return from injury of captain John McGinn.
McGinn was absent for seven weeks since a knee injury in a Premier League loss to Everton in January.
“It’s massive to have him back,” teammate Morgan Rogers said. “He puts a smile on people’s faces, he plays with that smile, wears the badge on his sleeve and he brings a lot to our team.”
Villa and Lille also met in the Conference League quarterfinals two years ago, when Unai Emery’s men advanced on penalties.
Another English side, Nottingham Forest, needs to put relegation worries aside when it hosts Danish club Midtjylland.
In an all-Italia derby, Bologna hosts Roma.
The Europa League format launched last season — 36 teams in a single-standings league format then a tennis-style knockout bracket — lets teams from the same country meet at any point in the knockout phase. Previously, national derbies were possible only from the quarterfinals.
Celta Vigo hosts the first leg against Lyon, the league phase winner.
Real Betis travels to Panathinaikos while Stuttgart meets Porto at home. Another Bundesliga club, Freiburg, is away to Genk.
In the Conference League, Crystal Palace faces AEK Larnaca in London.
The Premier League is in a dominant position for the extra places in the Champions League and Europa League [Getty Images]
With the knockout phase of all three European competitions having started, how is the race for the extra places in the Champions League shaping up?
The two nations which perform best across the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League this season will be handed European Performance Spots (EPS) by Uefa.
That means fifth place in the Premier League table could go from being a Europa League place to a ticket into the Champions League - Newcastle benefited this way last season.
But will an English club get that reward again?
What does the table look like?
ENGLAND
England is the only country to still have all teams active - there are nine of them into the last 16 across the three competitions.
It will be very hard for England to throw it away from this position, even with Tottenham, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City losing in the first leg of the Champions League last 16.
However, further bad results for the teams in the Europa League and Conference League on Thursday, and it could get interesting.
But the real damage can only be done next week if teams are eliminated.
Nothing should be completely taken for granted, as England seemed destined to get an EPS slot in 2023-24 only to suffer a terrible set of results in the quarter-finals.
As a picture of how far England is ahead, German clubs are effectively 16 wins behind, for Spanish sides it is 18 wins. Then for the Italian teams it is also 18 victories.
SPAIN
Spain moved up into second place on Wednesday. But it will be a close battle as each win is worth less to the coefficient than those of Germany.
Atletico Madrid and Barcelona could meet in the Champions League quarter-finals, plus Celta Vigo and Real Betis in the Europa League semis. This could affect their chances.
With three England v Spain fixtures in the Champions League last 16, La Liga is going to have to do it the hard way.
But wins for Atletico (v Tottenham) and Real Madrid (v Man City), and a draw for Barcelona (at Newcastle) mean they are very much in contention.
GERMANY
The Bundesliga is well placed to take an EPS slot alongside England with five of its seven teams active.
Germany's chances have been aided by its four teams in the Champions League and Europa League being placed in opposite sides of the brackets. It means they cannot meet until the final.
Bayern look sure to progress in the Champions League after winning 6-1 at Atalanta.
ITALY
Serie A has lost three of its seven teams and now only has a slim chance of making the top two.
Bologna and Roma will face each other in the Europa League last 16, so another team will go out.
With Atalanta losing heavily at home to Bayern in the Champions League, it is looking like a three-horse race for the two spots.
PORTUGAL
Portugal's chances of making the top two were effectively over when Santa Clara were knocked out of the Conference League in the qualifying rounds.
It still has three teams active but will need all of them to go deep to trouble the top two.
POLAND
It will come as a surprise to many to find Poland so high up in the table, and that it was in the top two for a while. But Poland does not have a realistic chance.
All four of the country's teams have been playing in the Conference League, while over a third of its points were picked up in the qualifying rounds.
Its final two teams are in the same half of the bracket.
FRANCE
It has been a disappointing season for Ligue 1 teams, starting with Nice's failure to make it through Champions League qualifying.
It did not get much better from there for Nice, as they were theneliminated from the Europa League.
France does have four teams still active but seems unlikely to bridge the gap.
GREECE
Greece has only two teams left in Europe so will not be able to mount a challenge.
No other country has a mathematical chance of the top two.
How do European Performance Spots work?
To work out who are the successful nations, Uefa takes into consideration the overall performance of clubs in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League.
It creates an average by taking the total coefficient score and dividing it by the number of clubs each league has in European competition.
So let's say the Premier League has a total score of 185. Divide that by nine clubs and you get an average of 20.56.
The top two leaguesin the table get an extra place in the Champions League.
Each win - regardless of the competition - is worth two coefficient points, with a draw worth one.
The key differential is in bonus points awarded based on clubs' finishing positions in the league phase and knockout rounds, as these are much higher in the Champions League.
By way of an example, the teams that finish 25th-36th in the Champions League got six bonus points - even though they were eliminated.
Yet the team who finished top of the Conference League table - Strasbourg - received just four points.
Bonus points for progressing through the knockout rounds are also weighted. In the Champions League it is 1.5, Europa League 1, and Conference League 0.5.
This means it is almost certain that one of the top European leagues will get the extra places each season because they have more clubs in the Champions League.
What are the key future dates?
Last season, the Premier League's extra place in the Champions League was confirmed on 8 April.
Such has been the high level of English clubs' performance in the top competition this season that it could come earlier this time.
Here are some key dates for the diary:
17-19 March: Second-leg ties for the round of 16 take place in each competition, with another 24 teams knocked out.
14-16 April: Quarter-final ties are completed. It is possible that the extra places will be confirmed.
5-7 May: Semi-final second legs take place, with the finals being held at the end of the month.
How does the Premier League race for Champions League places look?
Premier League leaders Arsenal (67 points) are seven points ahead of Manchester City (60) and these two teams are looking locked for the Champions League.
Manchester United (51) are third, ahead of Aston Villa (51) on goal difference.
Right now, the extra place in the Champions League would go to fifth-placed Chelsea (48). Liverpool are in sixth place but level on points.
Brentford (44) and Everton (43) are outside bets in the race for fifth.
This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.
Aiden McGeady unconvinced Roberto Martinez is right fit for Celtic job
Former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady has cautioned the club against appointing his ex-Everton manager Roberto Martinez as their next boss…
Martinez – who currently manages Portugal – has emerged as one of the bookmakers’ leading candidates to take over at Celtic once Martin O’Neill is expected to step down at the end of the season.
The Spaniard has strong links with Celtic assistant Shaun Maloney, having first signed him during his time at Wigan before later adding him to his coaching staff with Belgium.
Celtic v Falkirk 29.10.2025 Scottish Premiership. Martin O’Neill, Shaun Maloney, Gavin Strachan and Mark Fotheringham Photo Kenny Ramsay IMAGO
Maloney recently acknowledged that he has been in contact with his former mentor but stressed that their discussions have centred on preparations for the upcoming World Cup in North America rather than any club role.
Martinez has previously indicated he could be open to returning to club football after the tournament concludes. However, a deep run for Portugal – particularly if they reach the World Cup final on 19 July – could significantly disrupt pre-season planning for any club hoping to secure his services.
Aiden McGeady celebrates after scoring as Maxi Pereira of Benfica looks on during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic and Benfica at Celtic Park on November 6, 2007 (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
McGeady – who worked under Martinez at Everton after joining the club in 2014 – remains unsure whether the 52-year-old would be the right appointment for Celtic.
While he acknowledges Martinez’s qualities as a coach, the former Ireland international pointed out that the Spaniard’s managerial record includes relatively limited success in terms of trophies and also raised concerns about the timing of any potential arrival.
Belgium assistant coach Shaun Maloney and Belgium’s head coach Roberto Martinez pictured during a training session of the Belgian national soccer team Red Devils, in Tubize, Tuesday 15 June 2021.
Discussing the managerial situation at Celtic during an appearance on Open Goal, McGeady said: “Martinez? Potentially. I don’t know, because obviously Portugal have got the World Cup, don’t they? He is a top manager.
“The career he’s had and the jobs he’s had would suggest that. I’ve always found with Martinez; I could be wrong here because Portugal could win the World Cup.
“I just think with the teams that he’s had, Belgium with that squad, you should have really won something there. You should have and that was always the thing I found with Martinez at Everton.”
McGeady added: “I thought he was a really, really good coach with really good ideas but I just wasn’t sure he had enough about him to go and win things. Which he still hasn’t done.”
“I think he is a good coach. Based on my time at Everton with him, it was always the two midfielders, where it was always James McCarthy and Gareth Barry.
Aiden McGeady of Celtic in action with Sean Dillon of Dundee United during the Premier League match between Dundee United and Celtic at Tannadice Stadium on May 22, 2008. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
“They would literally do 13k a game because they were the ones required that if the ball was coming wide to a fullback, they would always be the ones to get out and put that fire out, and the wingers would just stay up.
“So he was a pure attacking and loved his attacking players. Just not me, right enough. He loved his attacking players and he was all about attacking. He was very, very possession-based, to the point where it would be sometimes in games you would have to get a certain number of passes before you could really pass forward and go out the other side.”
“The Everton fans didn’t really buy into that because they were used to David Moyes going to get the ball forward, balls in the box, headers. We finished fifth under him when we should have finished fourth in the Premier League”
Marseille executive reportedly filed police report after clash with Medhi Benatia over Mason Greenwood signing – La Provence
An investigation by La Provence has claimed that a senior Olympique de Marseille executive filed a police incident report following an internal dispute with sporting director Medhi Benatia during the summer of 2024.
According to the report, tensions escalated between Benatia and Cécilia Barontini, who at the time was part of the club’s senior leadership structure after being appointed to oversee the administration alongside Alban Juster by then-president Pablo Longoria.
La Provence claims that Barontini opposed several sporting decisions taken by the club’s hierarchy during the transfer window, including the signing of Mason Greenwood. She is also said to have objected to a potential move for Youcef Atal, who had previously received an eight-month suspended prison sentence and a €45,000 fine from a Nice court after sharing an antisemitic video following the 7 October 2023 attacks.
The outlet adds that Barontini also raised concerns regarding the conduct of Ali Zarrak, a figure close to Benatia within Marseille’s sporting structure.
According to La Provence, the dispute between the two executives intensified over several weeks and culminated in a heated confrontation in Longoria’s office at La Commanderie. The publication reports that Barontini subsequently filed an incident report recorded by police — following the altercation.GFFN | George Boxall
Sverre Olsbu Roeiseland, co-coach of the German women's biathlon team, stands on the course during the Women's sprint 7.5 km of the Biathlon World Cup. Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
Biathlon coach Sverre Olsbu Røiseland plans to be with the German women's team again for this week's World Cup events in Estonia after undergoing surgery following a testicular cancer diagnosis.
Røiseland told the Verdens Gang paper in his native Norway that he will be back when the women start their Otepää programme with a sprint race on Friday.
Røiseland made the illness public in an Instagram post on Wednesday night and followed up in the VG interview.
"I had symptoms throughout the Olympic Games and then got myself examined after I returned," he said, with surgery following in Norway shortly after the end of the Milan/Cortina Games on February 22.
"The word cancer is definitely nothing nice. It was a mental challenge, especially before I knew whether there were metastases or not," Røiseland said.
He described the relief after receiving the all-clear that the cancer had not spread as “wonderful” and added: "I received excellent support from the Norwegian health system and the local hospital in Arendal. They responded very quickly."
Røiseland said he was still feeling a little bit weak but that he was doing well overall.
The husband of triple Olympic champion Marte Olsbu Røiseland has been working with the German team since 2022 and is women's coach together with Christian Mehringer. The World Cup season ends next week in Oslo.
Estimated injury recovery timeline for Alphonso Davies revealed
Alphonso Davies left the pitch in tears during Bayern Munich’s 6-1 win over Atalanta earlier this week äs he was forced off due to another injury setback.
Late Wednesday afternoon, FC Bayern provided an update on the Canada international, confirming he has suffered a muscle strain in his right hamstring.
The club did not specify when Davies is expected to return, but German tabloid Bild reports that the left-back could be sidelined for up to three weeks.
Davies has already faced significant time on the sidelines this season and had only recently returned from a torn muscle fiber injury.
So far in the 2025/26 campaign, he has made 13 appearances for Bayern.
Along with adding Rodriguez, the Jaguars have retained a few of their own free agents in recent days, including cornerback Montaric Brown. But overall, it's been a quiet start to free agency for Jacksonville.
As we embark on the third day of free agency, who are the best available players still out there?
Focusing on positions that the Jaguars should still be looking to address, here are Pro Football Focus' best available free agents heading into Wednesday.
Best available free agent defensive ends on Day 4
What's the need? The Jaguars are positioned well here with Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. However, bolstering the rotation at this position is needed. We may not see Jacksonville spend big at this position, but a low-cost addition could be made.
Joey Bosa
Arnold Ebiketie
AJ Epenesa
Haason Reddick
Cameron Jordan
Al-Quadin Muhammad
Best available free agent linebackers on Day 4
What's the need? With Lloyd in Carolina, the starting job next to Foye Oluokun is up for grabs. Ventrell Miller or Jack Kiser are options already on the roster, or perhaps James Gladstone chooses to explore free agency and the NFL draft to bolster the depth and competition.
Bobby Wagner
Germaine Pratt
Eric Kendricks
Bobby Okereke
Best available free agent defensive tackles
What's the need? This is arguably the biggest positional need the Jaguars have. Improved depth and more pass-rush juice are needed.
Calais Campbell
DJ Reader
Da'Shawn Hand
DaQuan Jones
Sebastian Joseph-Day
Best available free agent interior offensive lineman
What's the need? The Jaguars are experiencing almost no roster turnover along the offensive line. So, is there a pressing need? Not really. However, for a team that stresses competition up front, I can't rule out an addition either, as Jacksonville looks to be more effective in the run game this season.
Feb 28, 2020; Dayton, Ohio, USA; Dayton Flyers head coach Anthony Grant (left) reacts with forward Obi Toppin (1) during the second half against the Davidson Wildcats at University of Dayton Arena.
The John R. Wooden Award will celebrate it’s 50th anniversary this season. Leading up to the award ceremony on April 10, 2026, The Sporting Tribune in partnership with the Wooden Award and the Los Angeles Athletic Club will highlight past winners of the Wooden Award and the Legends of Coaching Award.
In a college basketball world where it now seems like only power conference teams get any respect, it’s hard to believe we’re just six seasons removed from a Brooklyn-born kid named Obi Toppin leading the Atlantic 10’s Dayton Flyers on a historic regular-season run that quickly turned into one of college basketball’s biggest “what ifs” in recent history.
Of course, as fate would have it, those Flyers never got their chance to compete for the national title after the NCAA Tournament was canceled in the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a heartbreaking finish to a dream season for the Flyers that would have seen them earn an unprecedented No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but what the unfortunate ending didn’t take away from was Toppin’s dominance throughout Dayton’s season.
Toppin led the Flyers to a 29-2 overall record and an undefeated 18-0 mark in Atlantic 10 play, only losing to No. 4 Kansas and then-Pac 12 foe Colorado during the non-conference slate. Toppin reliably stuffed the stat sheet for Dayton all season, averaging career-highs of 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.2 steals and one block per game.
In recognition of his efforts, Toppin became the first mid-major athlete to win the Wooden Award since St. Joseph’s Jameer Nelson did so 16 years earlier in 2003-2004. Toppin nearly swept all of the other relevant National Player of the Year honors as well, only falling short to Iowa’s Luka Garza for the Sporting News National Player of the Year award.
Although Toppin’s collegiate career ended with a sudden cancellation announcement from the NCAA, the sophomore had done enough to put himself in a favorable enough position to become a top pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. He was drafted by his childhood team, the New York Knicks, eighth overall and was with the organization until he was traded to the Indiana Pacers in 2023.
Toppin’s big game demeanor was ever apparent in Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals, where he scored a team-high 20 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point range to push the Oklahoma City Thunder to Game 7. Toppin, who was a regular on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays for highlight reel jams during his Dayton days, also won the NBA Dunk Contest in 2022.
While their class of 2027 still needs a lot of work, the Wisconsin Badgers are already setting their sights on some talent in the class of 2028.
Class of 2028 tight end Jake Mau is set to visit Madison on April 11. The in-state recruit would be a huge get for this Badgers squad as they continue to look ahead to the future.
Offensive line coach Eric Mateos has been recruiting Anderson, a 6-foot-4, 260-pounder, who is the No. 1 offensive lineman in Pennsylvania. He currently plays for Kiski Area High School in Vandergrift, PA.
Anderson currently only has four D1 offers, so the Badgers clearly see something special in the First-Team All-Conference tackle.
Sadly for Wisconsin, the competition is much tougher for Coellner. The No. 1 safety in Indiana has 13 offers and counting from the likes of Oregon, Ole Miss, Michigan, and he currently has a visit scheduled with Ohio State.
The Badgers already have a commitment from in-state safety Dustin Roach, though one safety in the class of 2027 isn't going to get them anywhere in the long run. Coellner is listed at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds, but his most impressive feat is the fact that he can reach speeds of 20+ mph.
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Real Madrid midfielder raises new injury concern after Man City victory – ‘Don’t know if I have anything wrong’
Real Madrid delivered an impressive performance against Manchester City, securing a convincing 3-0 victory in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16.
The result gives the Spanish giants a strong advantage heading into the second leg, and several Real Madrid players reflected on the importance of the performance after the final whistle.
One of them was midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, who spoke about the team’s collective effort and the mentality required to succeed in big matches.
Tchouameni stressed that Real Madrid are capable of beating any opponent when the entire team works together on the pitch.
“When we all work together as a team, we can win every game.
“There are games that we haven’t played our best, but we try to give our best in every game, and I think we played a big game.
“We have to keep it up if we want to win titles this season,” he said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
Praise for Valverde’s incredible performance
One of the standout performers of the night was Federico Valverde, who produced a remarkable display by scoring the first hat-trick of his professional career.
Aurelien Tchouameni picked up a potential injury. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Tchouameni was full of admiration for his teammate and highlighted Valverde’s versatility as one of his biggest strengths.
He praised the great game played by Uruguayan Fede Valverde, who scored the first hat trick of his career.
“It’s incredible what he’s done. He played on the right wing, but he can play in any position on the field with world-class skill.”
Concern over ankle injury
Despite the positive result, the match ended with a small concern for Tchouameni himself. The midfielder revealed that he finished the game while dealing with pain in his ankle.
He explained that further medical tests will determine whether there is a serious issue, although he remained focused on the importance of the victory rather than his personal situation.
“I really don’t know if I have anything wrong with me.
“We’ll talk on Thursday, but the most important thing isn’t how I am, it’s the victory and how we played as a team,” he concluded.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — They didn’t talk about it, but they both knew.
Back at the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia, both Oksana Masters and Aaron Pike made a point to get away from their U.S. teammates so they could have a moment alone together. Headed toward a gondola to their next destination, that meant a very fast pace for Masters, who was on the same page as Pike.
“He’s on wheels, so he has no idea how hard I have to work to keep up with him,” Masters said. “I did my best speed walk to try and catch that gondola so it would just be me and him.”
Luckily, both are pretty dang fast.
“It was just like a moment on the gondola and just like this pure hug of just being together in this moment, at that time not knowing where our future was going to be,” said Masters, now 36.
Having both competed in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, the pair met for the first time in 2013 in Utah as they both tried out para Nordic skiing, bonding over sport and a shared love of coffee — Pike’s French press sparked a conversation. But it was at the Sochi Games where they found a quiet moment together, and the relationship took a more serious turn. When it came time to depart and they were set to head to the airport, they ended up becoming a couple.
“I think that’s when we both kind of realized that it was something more than just friends,” said the 39-year-old Pike.
Since then, including the 2012 Games, both are eight-time Paralympians. Pike competes in cross-country and biathlon in the winter, and wheelchair racing in the summer. Masters is one of the most prominent Paralympians thanks to her sheer domination, along with her backstory. In addition to five total Summer Paralympic medals, in cycling and rowing, she’s become the most decorated U.S. Winter Paralympian, competing in cross-country and biathlon.
That title has only been further bolstered by these Games, with Masters picking up three gold medals in four events so far to bring her tally to 22 Paralympic medals (12 gold) across the Summer and Winter Games.
But even for an athlete as dominant as Masters, these most recent medals were not a certainty. A few days ahead of the Games, Masters revealed that the same infection that knocked her out of last year’s winter season had come back in her leg. On top of the infection, Masters also suffered a concussion. It meant scaling back on training in the lead-up to the Games.
“My mom’s like, ‘This is your MO. If you had a smooth sail into the Games, (I) would be worried.'” Masters said. “This is all I know.”
Combine that with the constant back-and-forth of sport seasons, and it can be a lot. But Masters says she knows how to compartmentalize the nerves and anxiety. Once she hears the beeping in the countdown, she can “just block out and just let (her) body go on autopilot mode.”
Despite the most recent setbacks, Masters won Team USA’s first gold medal of the Games, claiming her sixth Winter Paralympic title in the women’s sprint sitting event in para biathlon. Post-victory, Masters said, “I did not expect a podium finish, to be honest, let alone a gold.”
At her next event, Masters finished fourth. So did Pike in his second event. Both had missed a shot in their biathlon races.
“I was like, ‘Aaron, like, we don’t need to be twins like this. I don’t want you to copy all that.'”
But Pike knew she had a rough race, so he made her a coffee and hugged her.
“Just those things that aren’t necessarily words and (are) just small little actions of love and makes me smile … so happy to be on this journey with him,” Masters said.
Pike loves the little rituals too, like waking up in all of the different places they travel to together. And naturally, it circles back to their favorite beverage, with Pike saying, “Those slow mornings where nothing’s even said, you’re just hanging out having coffee. That says that stuff’s great.”
And of course, they’re there supporting each other when it comes to the competition. Even in her continued dominance in these Games, Masters is most excited for Pike. She admires Pike’s ability to shake the bad races off and pivot to the next. And her ultimate gold medal in these Games would be watching Pike win his first one: “That’s my biggest dream of those Games,” she said.
Post-Games, the two plan to celebrate regardless.
In summer 2022, Pike went back to that first gondola ride, proposing on a ride up the Tetons mountain range in Wyoming. One quad later, the pair will celebrate the next step of their lives together. After some time at home, and re-packing without the fear of a wedding dress being lost amid the close to 20-plus suitcases along for the Paralympic ride, the couple will marry later this spring in Italy.
“Our journey started because of snow,” Masters said. “We met in the mountains, and this is the perfect way for us to (go back) where it all started for us and continue our next, new chapters of our lives together.”
Changing the entire dynamic for Manchester City against Real Madrid failed spectacularly
Manchester City entered last night’s match against Real Madrid unbeaten in their last eleven matches in all competitions. Across that run, Pep Guardiola had discovered a system that worked for his team. Nico O’Reilly, Bernardo Silva, and Rodri formed City’s midfield unit across the majority of that run. O’Reilly’s legs and athleticism covered Bernardo Silva’s aging body, and Rodri isn’t fully back to his athletic best, although his performances have resembled him at his best of late. Matheus Nunes and Rayan Ait-Nouri had provided width from the full-back positions, which suited this City team.
Last night, Pep Guardiola strayed from what has worked so well for his team. The result was that Manchester City put in a disjointed display as Real Madrid swept City aside with a 3-nil win to take firm control of their Champions League Round of 16 tie.
After a bright beginning Manchester City and their frailties were swept aside and exposed by Real Madrid.
Pep Guardiola named an attacking starting eleven for last night’s clash with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, Jeremy Doku, and Savinho were all named in the City starting eleven. Nico O’Reilly moved to left-back, a position he played so well earlier this season. Throughout Manchester City’s eleven-game unbeaten run, O’Reilly had played a key role in City’s midfield with Bernardo Silva and Rodri. Abdukodir Khusanov started at right-back in place of Matheus Nunes. The thought was that Khusanov could contain the threat of Vinicius Junior with his pace and trickery.
Manchester City did begin last night’s match brightly. Jeremy Doku played in several low crosses across the Madrid area that none of his teammates anticipated. Having said that, Real Madrid’s threat in possession and on the break was ever-present well before Federico Valverde scored the first of his three goals of the evening in the 20th minute. With Bernardo Silva and Rodri in midfield, without Nico O’Reilly, the pair were up against it. The younger and more energetic Madrid midfield were up for the occasion last night. When Nico O’Reilly stepped up from left-back to help, it left a void in City’s defense. The entire fabric of City’s play felt off last night. Defensively, Manchester City were at sixes and sevens. Their midfield was routinely bypassed as Fede Valverde scored a hat trick. Up front, Haaland, Semenyo, Doku, and Savinho looked like a quartet that hadn’t played together before. By the time Pep Guardiola made changes at halftime and later in the second half, the damage was done.
Changing the entire dynamic of the City lineup backfired, and that decision contributed to Real Madrid taking a 3-nil lead, and may have ended Manchester City’s chances in this season’s Champions League.
Pep Guardiola explained his team selection after his team’s defeat at the Bernabeu.
Speaking after his team’s heavy defeat to Real Madrid, Pep Guardiola explained his selection for last night’s match. The Manchester City explained that the changes he made were subtle. He told the media: “Listen, how many times did Nico O’Reilly play left-back this season? How many? The only adjustment was [Abdukodir] Khusanov because Vinicius moves in that area, and we wanted a guy who doesn’t think much to attack. The rest? (Wingers?) Yeah, injured two months, yeah. And they played incredible; Savinho in Newcastle, Jeremy [Doku] always is an incredible threat. And people with experience, Bernardo [Silva] and Rodri, runners with Nico [O’Reilly] and Antoine [Semenyo], the sense of goal that all of them , set-pieces – that was the idea.”
“Rotation? I’ve done it in Newcastle, nine players different. I understand what I’m saying; the target is wingers to try to drop them, people in the middle in pockets to arrive close to the box, control second structures with experienced players, fast players behind – that was the idea.”
Final thoughts.
Pep Guardiola’s explanation clarifies what he was trying to achieve with his starting lineup against Real Madrid last night. With Real Madrid missing seven key players, the opportunity was there for City to challenge the La Liga giants. Unfortunately, Pep Guardiola’s selection changed the dynamic of his team. Real Madrid had a game plan and executed it superbly. Federico Valverde was superb, scoring a hat trick. Having said that, perhaps if the changes weren’t so drastic, City might not have fallen into the hole they did in the first half of last night’s match. It also felt like City’s starting lineup and play fell right into Real Madrid’s hands.
Hindsight is a marvelous thing, but Manchester City’s performance at the Bernabeu does open itself up to criticism. It also felt like it was no coincidence that City’s final 20 minutes of last night’s match were their best spell of the game, and it came with a familiar shape and dynamic having returned to their lineup.
NEW DELHI: India head coach Gautam Gambhir has strongly defended pacer Arshdeep Singh following his on-field altercation with Daryl Mitchell during the final of the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, saying he would have been “absolutely fine” even if the bowler had not apologised after the incident.
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The flashpoint occurred in the 11th over of New Zealand’s innings at the final in Ahmedabad. After Mitchell smashed Arshdeep for two consecutive sixes, the Indian pacer fielded the ball on his follow-through and threw it back towards the batter, with the ball striking Mitchell on the pads.
Although Arshdeep apologised to the New Zealand vice-captain after the match, the International Cricket Council later fined the pacer 15 per cent of his match fee for a Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct. One demerit point was also added to his disciplinary record.
Arshdeep was found guilty of breaching Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to throwing a ball at or near a player in an inappropriate or dangerous manner during an international match. The charge was levelled by on-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Alex Wharf, along with third umpire Allahuddien Paleker and fourth umpire Adrian Holdstock. Match referee Andy Pycroft imposed the sanction, which Arshdeep accepted, eliminating the need for a formal hearing.
However, Gambhir played down the controversy and insisted the bowler’s reaction was a natural expression of competitive spirit.
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“That is okay. You're representing your country. You're bound to show aggression. There's nothing wrong with that. No bowler likes to get hit for two sixes. And that is the kind of response I want to see from my players. And that there is nothing wrong. Or in fact, even if sorry is not said, I was absolutely fine with it. I was absolutely fine. He doesn't need to say sorry. Yes, it's good on him that he apologised. But on a cricket field, there are no friends. Neither are there any enemies,” Gambhir said in an interview to ANI.
He also suggested that such moments are often exaggerated in the modern era due to social media scrutiny.
“Your job is to represent your country. Your job is to win a game of cricket for your country. And you don't want to get hit for two sixes. And that was fine. I thought we should not blow all these things out of proportion because these things used to happen before. Today, because of social media, things escalate a lot,” he added.
The incident came in a match that ultimately ended in historic fashion for India, as the hosts crushed New Zealand by 96 runs to lift their third T20 World Cup title — becoming the first side to defend the trophy and win it on home soil.
BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres host the Washington Capitals after Jack Quinn recorded a hat trick in the Sabres' 6-3 win against the San Jose Sharks.
Buffalo has a 40-19-6 record overall and a 21-8-3 record in home games. The Sabres are third in league play with 228 total goals (averaging 3.5 per game).
Washington has a 12-16-4 record in road games and a 32-27-7 record overall. The Capitals have a 15-6-0 record in games they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponents.
Thursday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season. The Sabres won the previous meeting 4-3 in a shootout.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tage Thompson has 34 goals and 36 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has six goals and three assists over the past 10 games.
Tom Wilson has 24 goals and 26 assists for the Capitals. Pierre-Luc Dubois has four goals and three assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Sabres: 8-1-1, averaging 4.1 goals, 6.7 assists, 4.7 penalties and 12.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game.
Capitals: 5-5-0, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.5 assists, 3.3 penalties and 7.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
INJURIES: Sabres: None listed.
Capitals: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: The Philadelphia Flyers hit the road against the Minnesota Wild aiming to continue a three-game road winning streak.
Minnesota has a 38-16-11 record overall and a 19-7-7 record on its home ice. The Wild are 34-3-6 in games they score three or more goals.
Philadelphia has a 15-12-4 record in road games and a 30-23-11 record overall. The Flyers rank seventh in NHL play serving 10 penalty minutes per game.
The teams meet Thursday for the second time this season. The Flyers won the previous matchup 2-1 in overtime.
TOP PERFORMERS: Matthew Boldy has 36 goals and 37 assists for the Wild. Kirill Kaprizov has eight goals and four assists over the last 10 games.
Owen Tippett has 21 goals and 18 assists for the Flyers. Jamie Drysdale has four goals and two assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Wild: 7-2-1, averaging 4.1 goals, 6.6 assists, 3.4 penalties and 8.8 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game.
Flyers: 6-3-1, averaging 2.3 goals, 4.2 assists, 3.4 penalties and 7.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game.
INJURIES: Wild: None listed.
Flyers: None listed.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
“He can’t beat me an anything we do,” Chace said of his older brother. “He can say what he wants. But we know the truth.”
The truth is, the Fords are better together. As long as they aren’t battling head-to-head in board games, Uno or NBA2K. Together, they are the engine that drives this Brebeuf Jesuit basketball team, which will play in the Class 3A regional for the first time in four years when the No. 10 Braves (18-6) take on No. 3 Cathedral (21-5) on Saturday at Martinsville.
Austin, a 5-11 senior, is a lead-by-example type. He has the most varsity experience in the Brebeuf roster, playing a full-time varsity role since his sophomore year.
But there is a notable difference in Austin this year, coach Allen Glunt said. He was never shy about trying to take over and make a play when his team needed one.
“It’s been incredible to watch him lean into this group a little bit more as we’ve developed and gotten better,” Glunt said. “He’s taken on a lot of hard stuff because he is the senior leader of this group. It’s not always the fun stuff but leaning into that has changed him. This year has proved he is a great winner.”
Austin’s scoring numbers have dropped off slightly from last year, going from 12.9 points per game to 11.6. But almost everything else – shooting percentage, assists (3.5) and steals (2.3) – are up from last year.
“We all lean on him to lead us through adversity,” Chace said of his brother.
Chace’s scoring numbers, in large part due to his brother’s playmaking, have jumped this year to 12.6 points per game. He also averages 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals.
“Chace has the bigger personality of the two,” Glunt said. “It comes out in a more competitive sense. He’s more fiery. But his willingness to evolve as a player has been great to see. He’s super coachable and he’s not even done yet. Chace has made great strides figuring out how to win games vs. trying to be the best player. Everybody has moments like that. But figuring that out has completely changed the dynamic of our team.”
The Fords were the only two starters back from a team that finished 14-9 last year and lost in the sectional semifinal to Guerin Catholic. At the start of the season, Glunt knew he had a deep team with the potential to play 10 players in the regular rotation. There are challenges with that, however. “There are some challenges to playing 10 guys,” Glunt said. “Everybody wants to play more. Everybody wants to do more.”
There were some positive signs early. A win over Hamilton Southeastern. A blowout win over Southport. A competitive loss to Pike in the Marion County Tournament. But after a nine-point loss to Guerin Catholic on Jan. 23, the Braves dropped to 7-6.
After that game, Glunt had a conversation with the Ford brothers. It was not a bad conversation, just an assessment of what he was asking them to do.
“Early in the year, we relied on them to do most things because we didn’t know who was able to do what,” Glunt said. “As we went, we evolved and changed. They learned that there were different ways to drive the ship. It didn’t need to result in them doing everything.”
The result speaks for itself. The Braves are 11-0 since that loss to Guerin, including avenging that loss to Guerin with a 48-47 victory in the sectional championship. Brebeuf led by 11, lost the lead entirely in the fourth quarter, then rallied to win.
“At no point in the game was I worried,” Austin said. “I trust my guys. Even when we were down, I trusted my guys to continue to fight. Even when we’re down, we’re not out of any game.”
Which is probably the spirit Brebeuf needs going into the matchup with Cathedral. The Irish have mostly dominated this series over the years, bringing a 25-game winning streak against the Braves into Saturday’s regional. “We’re going to take a big ol’ swing,” Glunt said.
There is some familiarity between the teams. The Ford brothers played on the same middle school team at St. Lawrence Catholic School, a group that also included Ethan Roseman (started at Bishop Chatard, now at South Bend St. Joseph) and Chris Hill (Lebanon).
“We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing,” Austin said. “We like to play fast; they like to play fast. We want to keep that pace the whole game.”
Brebeuf is a junior-heavy team. Joining Chace coming back next year will be Dylan Logan (11.0 ppg), Jayden Washington (7.3 ppg, 2.7 assists), Chase Edmundson (6.6 ppg, 3.0 rebounds), Antonio Harris (4.1 ppg, 2.7 rebounds) and Cooper Edmundson (3.9 ppg) are among those back next season.
But Austin’s high school career is now day by day. And one more day playing with his brother is something he appreciates more all the time.
“He’s a great motivator to our team,” Austin said. “He makes it easy on me. I see him in the post, and I throw it to him. He’ll get me assists. I can lean on him.”
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
Expert opinion: What adjustments for DR Congo ahead of the 2026 World Cup playoffs?
With just one game standing between them and World Cup qualification, the situation is especially delicate. If issues arise within the squad or the tactical setup, it’s extremely difficult for any coach in the world to find solutions just days or weeks before such a crucial encounter. The pressure is immense, as an entire nation is behind the team, with just one expectation: qualification.The players themselves are fully aware of what’s at stake. The Democratic Republic of Congo hasn’t appeared at a football World Cup in over fifty years. The opportunity before them today is truly exceptional, even if some aspects of their play are not yet working perfectly.Since the last Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, a major issue has surfaced: attacking play. DR Congo’s offense is still struggling to find its rhythm. During that AFCON, the team didn’t score many goals, especially against the top nations. Against Senegal, the attack found it very difficult to pose any real threat. Versus Algeria—who ultimately knocked Congo out—the same problems persisted.Of course, DR Congo netted three goals against Botswana, a weaker side, which was to be expected. But against stronger opponents, the team’s attacking struggles are evident. Even against mid-level teams like Benin, the Congolese only managed to score once. This lack of attacking efficiency remains a costly problem for the squad.This situation is also explained by the current form of several forwards. Many are not performing at their peak for their clubs. Théo Bongonda, for example, has only played a few minutes since returning to his club after AFCON, without any real run of games. Meshack Elia, for his part, is still struggling to regain his sharpness and hasn’t delivered what’s expected of him on the pitch.Fiston Mayele’s case has also raised concerns. The striker had been silent since November 2025 before recently finding the net with Pyramids. Simon Banza is gradually regaining his form, which is somewhat reassuring, even if he’s not yet at 100%.At the moment, the only Congolese striker who truly seems confident is Cédric Bakambu. With Real Betis, he’s put in some strong performances over his last three or four games and even scored twice. That’s a positive sign for the national team. However, when a team can only rely on one in-form striker, it becomes difficult to expect great things in attack.Despite everything, for this playoff, it’s clear that all the players are aware of the magnitude of the moment. They know just how decisive these matches are. Even though attacking play remains the main issue for DR Congo, the team still has plenty of strengths.Tactically, the Congolese side remains solid. It’s a disciplined team that generally follows the manager’s instructions. On the pitch, the players are well organized—whether in defense, midfield, or build-up play. The real issue comes in the attacking phase, where the team still struggles to be effective.Otherwise, there’s little to criticize. DR Congo concedes very few goals, even if they don’t score many either. This shows that their defensive balance is well-established. So, improving the attacking setup remains the main task for the coach.There is, however, a glimmer of hope. The return of Yoane Wissa to the squad is good news for the team. Even if he’s not at his best at club level, his talent and experience can give a boost to the Congolese attack. Add to that the return of Gaël Diangana, another interesting option to strengthen their offensive firepower.These returns bring new energy to the squad, reminding everyone that DR Congo has talented players capable of making a difference. Every match is unique, and for this crucial clash, every player will arrive with a single goal: secure qualification for the World Cup.In these kinds of showdowns, qualification often comes down to a win. And to win, you have to score. The players know that perfectly well and will have to be clinical in front of goal. Their mission: give everything to deliver qualification to the Congolese people and shine the spotlight on DR Congo football on the world stage.
“I’m expecting…” – David Ornstein outlines where Slot stands at Liverpool after latest setback
David Ornstein has outlined how Arne Slot is being viewed by the Liverpool hierarchy after the latest setback in a dismal season for the Reds.
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The outgoing Premier League champions face an uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League next term, having lost to Galatasaray in the latter competition on Tuesday and sitting sixth place domestically.
The nature of LFC’s performances has also come in for widespread criticism, with Jermaine Pennant saying that he’s “done with” the Dutchman after the meek display in Istanbul earlier this week.
Ornstein: Slot still retains the backing of Liverpool hierarchy
However, Ornstein has explained that Slot retains the backing of Liverpool chiefs, who would most likely hire someone of the 47-year-old’s profile if hypothetically they were looking for a new head coach.
The journalist said on The Athletic FC Podcast: “Liverpool, from what we hear, are steadfastly behind Arne Slot. He’s under contract until 2027 and they want him to be their coach. The hierarchy are determined that he is the man to get things right.
“If they were looking at a recruitment process for coaches, he’s said to be the exact profile that they would be looking at and that there’s not people on the market that they think better suit what they’re looking for, that they’re happy with him.
“Of course the situation needs to improve and they think he can be the man to do that, and he’s happy there. I’m expecting this to go on and that the club get to the summer in whatever shape, either with a success or a lack of… I don’t think taking out the head coach is on Liverpool’s agenda at all, even though it might be what some fans want to see.”
Slot has plenty to prove between now and end of the season
Slot’s popularity among the LFC fan base at large has plummeted over the past nine months, with the euphoria of last year’s Premier League title triumph giving way to genuine question marks as to whether he’s the right man for the job at Anfield.
It isn’t just the more vocal echo chambers in social media who’ve questioned the Dutchman’s future, either – after a horrific run of nine defeats out of 12 in the autumn, Liverpool Echo journalist Ian Doyle claimed that the head coach had ‘one week’ to save his job.
A wintertime revival followed as hopes of Champions League qualification were restored, but a lengthy unbeaten sequence was populated by several frustrating draws, and the number of genuinely convincing performances this season (even in victory) has been miniscule.
Slot will almost certainly be given until the end of the current campaign, but if the Reds miss out on a top-five finish and don’t win a trophy, the case for him to see out the final year of his contract would become increasingly difficult to make.
Less patient boardrooms may have already jettisoned the 47-year-old by now, but hopefully LFC’s continued faith in their head coach will ultimately be vindicated.
Manchester manager Pep Guardiola in his news conference after defeat at Real Madrid: "I don't think we have much chance, but I have to say, of course, we're going to try. We'll be there, we'll try with our people, and, again, we'll do our best to be more active in the final third, and we'll try. Obviously 3-0 is better than four. A tough result. We cannot deny it. The quality they have with Valverde, a difficult result. Six days, we recover and we will try again."
Speaking to TNT Sports after the 3-0 defeat: "I had a feeling that we were better than the result said... But the result is here. We have one week and then we will see them at the Etihad."
On his side's chances of mounting a comeback: "Now we recover mentally and physically and go to West Ham. We will see. We will be with our people - I'm pretty sure they will come - and in football you never know. We will try."
Did you know?
Manchester City have lost six of their 10 away games in the Champions League since the start of last season (W3 D1) – only Club Brugge (7) have lost more in the competition in this period.
Pep Guardiola saw his side concede three first half goals for just the fifth time in his managerial career (4x with Man City, 1x Bayern Munich), with this the first time since April 2022 in the FA Cup versus Liverpool (3).
Former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington expected to be part of the UFC White House fight card. After all, he's been one of President Donald Trump's biggest supporters on the UFC roster.
When the fight card was officially announced, Covington's name did not appear. Instead, he was offered a fight against the eventual UFC Fight Night 273 main event winner.
"I really wanted the fight. I was campaigning with the UFC. I thought they were holding me out for the fight specifically, but they couldn't find anybody to fight me at that event. I asked for multiple names. I left it in their court many times. I said, 'Hunter [Campbell], I'll fight any man alive. I'd prefer to fight at 170 on a full camp, but if it's a short-notice fight, I'll fight at middleweight,'" Covington told MMAJunkie.
"If it's going to be a full camp like this then I need to fight at my natural weight, but they didn't have anybody involved. The only person they've offered me is the winner between [Mike] Malott versus [Gilbert] Burns. So, I accepted. I said, 'Okay, I'll wait until the end of the year to fight them if that's what you guys want."
Being left off the UFC White House event was a bitter pill to swallow for "Chaos," who considers himself a 'company man.'
"I wouldn't say bothered, but I'd would just say more like bummed, just a little bummed," said Covington. "I thought I was a shoo-in for that spot. I'm the one that brought Trump into UFC back in 2018 when no one was supporting him. There wasn't an athlete alive walking around Times Square supporting him like I was, wearing a MAGA hat through Times Square with my belt and going to media tours at Sports Illustrated, ESPN and everybody calling me the white elephant in the room because I was supporting Trump and wearing a MAGA hat," said Covington.
"I thought that I was going to be able to get that call to represent the U.S. and be on the White House card. But unfortunately it wasn't in their cards. Hunter didn't give me the opportunity. The UFC didn't give me the opportunity. I wasn't going to go to Trump," Covington continued.
"Everybody was like, 'Oh, you should have went to Trump and you should have asked for a favor.' Man, he's got way more important things to worry about like keeping world peace right now. We don't want to see a world war, so I'm not going to bother him ... I think the ship sailed for me going to the White House."
While Covington wanted nothing more than to fight at the historic event, he wasn't impressed with the bouts the fight promotion chose.
"It's piss-poor at best," he said. "I think the fans have said it. I think the fans have spoken. The fans said they hate it. It's a terrible card. They promised six or seven title fights. They have one title fight and an interim title fight that they just put together last minute. The thing was just so disorganized. They put it together last minute. There wasn't any high-ranking American fighters.
"I think they have two (American) guys on there. Michael Chandler, who is Iike 40 years-old. And then Sean O'Malley, who is a great fighter. Love Sean, but besides that, who's the guys representing America on the 250th birthday of America? It doesn't seem like there's that guy there. It just seems like they just don't care anymore. They made all that money with Paramount and they're just happy. It is what's it is. The fans have spoken. It's unfortunate."
Ben Gannon-Doak is sitting in a chapel with St Michael the Archangel around his neck.
"He protects you and keeps you safe from anything that might pull you away from God," the Scotland international explains.
Temptations may have, unsurprisingly, caught the eye of the young boy who left home to become a Premier League player at 16 in days gone by.
But now, having reconnected with his faith, Bournemouth attacker Gannon-Doak says he feels "grounded".
"I think it's very easy to fall into the flash, social media side of things the higher the level," the 20-year-old revealed in a film for BBC Scotland's A View from the Terrace.
"I think God just keeps you grounded and humble because he always tells us that we wouldn't have any of this without him.
"I heavily rely on God to keep me strong."
'I heard God call me with urge to get back into it'
Strength is a non-negotiable in this game. Gannon-Doak found that out the hard way.
As an injured teenager, living away from home, he discovered football can be a lonely place. Then, he rediscovered God.
Brought up a Catholic, Gannon-Doak admits he "strayed away from it" for a while, before "hearing God call me, with an urge to get back into it".
Currently on the sidelines with his third major injury in as many years after one of the tendons in his hamstring was left "hanging on by a thread" on the night Scotland qualified for the World Cup - his faith has kept him "strong, grounded and humbled".
"I've had a lot of struggles with injuries and it can get quite lonely at times," says Gannon-Doak, who first tore his meniscus when playing for Liverpool Under-21s.
"I just felt God calling me. I realised I started to feel a bit better and stronger and started coping better with things, and I just thought, 'oh, that's not a coincidence'. I think that's the way it happened for me."
Since then, his outlook has shifted. Instead of viewing his three major operations as incidents to have "plagued" him, he views them as ones to "prepare".
"It's made my body and mind stronger - I just feel like that's part of God's plan to prepare me for something," Gannon-Doak, who had to pull out of Steve Clarke's squad for Euro 2024 added.
"What that something is, I don't know, but it's made me who I am, the player I am.
"With every injury I've got I've coped with it better and better, and as I've grown into my faith it's got a lot easier because I know what's important now.
"Football's not the be all and end all. I'd love to play for as long as I can, but if it ever feels like everything in my path is stopping me, maybe that's just the plan for me.
"It's got a lot easier to cope with setbacks because setbacks aren't really setbacks anymore. It's just part of the plan.
"When you have God on your side, you know he's never going to forget about you, he's not going to abandon you."
'I pray before games & read the bible on my own'
So what does it look like in practise?
For Gannon-Doak, it's a private devotion, which intensified due to an increase of passages and scriptures coming up on his phone. He's not "praying for hat-tricks".
"I started off just praying - I didn't really know what else to do - and then all of a sudden my phone's just full of stuff with God and passages," he explained.
"Then my gran got me my own Bible and I started reading that. If I ever saw something I didn't understand I'd look it up and write it down in a way that I better understood it and then I just kept doing that.
"I'm praying before games, I read the Bible on my own - I won't really do that in the dressing room because there's a lot of different faiths in football.
"It's also just better to do it in private as you can really focus. A dressing room can be quite chaotic at times, but it's at the root of everything, including my football."
Though it's a personal reflection, Gannon-Doak is conscious it's his role - especially given his platform and fans' tendency to "worship" players - to "spread the word".
"It's got easier and easier to be a bit bolder with my faith, because that's what God tells us to do," he added.
"God tries to teach us humility. Obviously we're in the public eye, we've been blessed with a platform to do the right things, to be good role models and to spread the word of God.
"I wouldn't say we're idolised and worshipped, but I'd say we've got a platform to be good role models and for people to look up to."
'I had to just shut up and trust God'
Many will be hoping to look up to the winger when Scotland make their World Cup return this summer, in Group C with Brazil, Haiti and Morocco.
Though Gannon-Doak only lasted 20 minutes in that epic match with Denmark in November, he more than played his part by lifting in the inch-perfect ball for Scott McTominay to score, arguably, Scotland's greatest goal of all time.
"It felt brilliant that he made me look decent... and made himself look even better," he said of the Napoli star's overhead kick.
"I couldn't believe what Scotty had done. When all the lads just looked at each other we were like, 'that's unbelievable'."
From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in just over 15 minutes, he recalls in being a "rollercoaster". But one which God ensured was a safe ride.
"My faith is my biggest support, so while I had one million things going through my mind - mostly 'why is this happening?' - I just had to shut up and trust God," he explained.
"It's almost a kind of fight against myself to keep my mind on God and to remember all the things he tells us. But it was a rollercoaster, I must admit."
It's a ride he believes he's coming to the end of, as the exciting live-wire insists he will "definitely" be fit come Clarke's tournament-squad announcement, but he will "not be rushing anything" by putting pressure on a return date.
"I just want to make sure everything's good and that I'm fit and ready for the summer," he said. "Hopefully I can finish the season strong to set myself up for it.
The top four seeds seem to be locked up, but the bubble is as unstable as ever. It seems like no one wants to grab a spot in both hands. It should make for a nervy few days.
When does 2026 NCAA Tournament start? March Madness schedule
The 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament will take place over the next three weeks, which will end with the Final Four and the national championship game in Indianapolis.
Here’s a rundown of the schedule for the 2026 NCAA Tournament:
SOUTH BEND —Jevaughn Codlin spent about two months as the safeties coach at North Texas, but his U-turn back to Notre Dame football's coaching staff last month was met with resounding approval.
“That’s my dog,” freshman cornerback Khary Adams said recently. “When I was getting recruited, he was really involved. One of the reasons why I came here is we had a strong relationship.”
Codlin, who worked with Irish defensive linemen as an analyst in 2025, was rehired in mid-February to coach Notre Dame safeties.
A former defensive back at Kansas Wesleyan, an NAIA program in Salina, Kan., Codlin was credited with 145 tackles and 45 pass breakups from 2016-19. He later played in the Indoor Football League with the Spokane Shock, Quad City Steamwheelers and Bismarck Bucks before going into coaching.
He spent the 2022 season at Emporia (Kan.) State before a two-year stint at West Virginia under then-coach Neal Brown. It was Brown who hired him upon his arrival at North Texas, but Irish coach Marcus Freeman was able to steal Codlin back from his previous mentor.
Casey McHugh, Notre Dame’s senior analyst and assistant defensive backs coach the past two seasons, left in mid-February for Western Michigan.
Codlin’s return helps ease the transition from defensive pass game coordinator Mike Mickens, who left in late January after six seasons for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, to former Illinois co-defensive coordinator Aaron Henry.
'Contagious' energy makes Jevaughn Codlin a pivotal re-hire
Multiple 2026 signees with the Irish credited Codlin for his work in forging strong bonds during the recruiting process.
“Just the energy,” Adams said. “He brings it every day. He's always trying to meet and get us better.”
That takes some of the burden off Henry, who will serve as co-DC alongside his career mentor, Chris Ash.
Ayden Pouncey, a midyear enrollee as a defensive back from Orlando, is a second cousin of twins Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, who starred at Florida and played in the NFL.
Two of Ayden Pouncey’s older brothers played major college football.
Jordan Pouncey, a wide receiver who de-committed from Notre Dame, played at Texas and later at Florida from 2018 to 2022. Ethan Pouncey, a defensive back, played in 14 total games over two seasons at Florida (2021-22) before transferring to Georgia Southern.
“I still never thought I would end up here,” Ayden Pouncey said. “Then I had a conversation with J-Cod. He called me one day, and I just talked to him for like an hour. He pretty much convinced me and my mom (Erica) to come on a visit. My mom was definitely a big fan.”
Freshman safety Nick Reddish, a Charlotte, N.C., product, had a similar experience with Codlin.
“We call him J-Cod down here,” Reddish said. “He recruited me for the most part. He was my main recruiter. Great guy.”
The roles were reversed in February as Codlin weighed an offer to return.
“He had told me, ‘I don’t know if this is the right decision,’ “ Reddish said. “I’m like, ‘Coach, we miss you so much. We need you. Everything about you.’ The first day back, he felt a little iffy.“
Any misgivings soon gave way to the comfort of being among recruits and returning players who had already grown to trust Codlin.
“He just knows so much football,” Reddish said. “It’s just amazing. We have a meeting with him almost every other day.”
And Codlin’s peripatetic nature on the practice field?
“Contagious,” Reddish said. “That’s the biggest word. It’s contagious. If you feel somebody’s energy, you know you have to step it up. You just have to keep it going.”
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
“Chelsea didn’t deserve to lose 5-2, but they’ve only got themselves to blame,” he told CBS Sports Golazo.
“You know what, I’ve been critical of Chelsea for a long time and we’ve had debates, but I’m being deadly serious. They can’t go any further until they sort the goalkeeper situation out.
“The new ownership have come in and spent billions and right now, looking at the team, they’ve got some great players in the team.
“And I think in these early stages that Rosenior has been brilliant. I thought Rosenior tonight, as a manager, and how he set the team up caused PSG real problems.
“They didn’t deserve to lose, as in the way the game was set up and how they played.”
Chelsea centre back issues exposed again
Centre back has been an issue for the Blues all season, and Carragher feels it’s just as a big an issue as the goalkeeping situation.
“But big mistakes cost them, at centre-back and goalkeeper,” he added.
“And that has been an issue and will continue to be an issue for any Chelsea manager going forward when they’re trying to win the Premier League and the Champions League.”
Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:
Ibrahim Sangare: Man United’s thoughts on potential deal revealed
Manchester United have earmarked the midfield area as a key department to strengthen this summer.
The Red Devils spent lavishly in the summer on numerous attackers, and they have seen the fruits of this as the team has risen from fifteenth to third this season.
Midfield targets
With Casemiro departing the club at the end of his contract this summer and the likely sale of Manuel Ugarte, Manchester United are on the lookout for at least two midfielders.
They have been frequently linked with Premier League midfielders such as Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton, and Sandro Tonali.
There have also been reports that the club could look to sign Portuguese star Mateus Fernandes and Brazilian Joao Gomes.
Another potential target who has been linked to the club is Nottingham Forest’s Ibrahim Sangare.
It has been suggested in some reports that Manchester United see the Premier League star as an ideal successor for Casemiro this summer.
Back-up
Football Insider argues that this is not really the case, though, and that the Forest man is more of a fallback option should Manchester United be unable to secure their top targets this upcoming window.
The website reports that, “United have got the Ivorian on their radar at the moment as an option to strengthen their midfield, but he is not one of their main priorities for the upcoming summer window.”
The site continues, “Man United’s recruitment team have identified the 28-year-old as a player who could make the step up to play for an elite club, and sources say that Forest may even be forced into offloading him if they are relegated.”
Nonetheless, despite impressing alongside fellow target Anderson, Sangare is reportedly only seen as an option to return to later if Manchester United are unable to secure any of their preferred options earlier in the summer window.
Sangare will likely be in action later on tonight when Forest face FC Midtjylland in the Europa League.
Liverpool look to finally sign €80m long-term target to replace Mo Salah
The future of Mohamed Salah has been one of the biggest talking points at Anfield this season.
After delivering one of the greatest individual campaigns in football history last season, the Egyptian King has failed to live up to the high standards he has set across his Liverpool career.
The Reds’ system has caused problems for all of their wingers, but it does feel as though Salah’s time in Merseyside is almost at an end.
Replacing one of the best players the Premier League has ever seen will be no easy task, but according to a fresh report Liverpool have already identified the man for the job.
Liverpool reignite pursuit of former target to replace Salah
Talk of Salah leaving Anfield has been rife for years, especially with the unwavering interest from Saudi Arabia over the past few seasons, and so his replacement has been speculated about for a long time.
Now, according to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the Premier League champions are ready to returned for Kubo and are complete a near €80 million deal for the Japan international this summer.
The report states that the Reds’ recruitment team feel that Kubo fits the profile of right-winger they are searching for, and that Salah's exit could accelerate the club’s long-held interest in the 24-year-old.
Despite missing a sizeable chunk of the season, Kubo has contributed to almost a quarter of Real Sociedad’s La Liga goals this campaign.
The winger finished last season as the club’s second highest goalscorer and is regarded by some in Spain as one of the league’s top attacking talents.
Real Madrid targeting Manchester City’s Rodri as part of €100M summer transfer spree
Real Madrid have identified Manchester City midfielder Rodri as a priority transfer target for the summer, according to a new report.
The Spanish heavyweights are considering a big maor in midfield ahead of the 2026-27 campaign and Rodri heads their wishlist. The 29-year-old has become one of Manchester City’s most important players since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2019, holding Pep Guardiola’s tactical structure together with his positional discipline and stellar ball control.
As the team’s deep-lying pivot, the Spain international controls the pace of the game, disrupts the other team’s transitions and often starts attacking phases with progressive distribution.
Rodri’s role has been vital to City’s continued success on the domestic, European and global fronts over the years, with the midfielder notably score the winner that clinched the Blues’ maiden UEFA Champions League title in 2023. That consistency has inevitably drawn attention from other elite clubs.
Rodri considering Real Madrid transfer from Manchester City, confirms Fabrizio Romano
What has been reported on Real Madrid’s interest in Manchester City star Rodri?
According to Spanish journalist Alberto Pereiro, speaking on Onda Cero’s Radioestadio Noche, Real Madrid view the Spaniard as a cornerstone target for their next phase of squad evolution.
“The first €100 million that Real Madrid want to spend this summer is on Rodrigo Hernández and (Nico) Schlotterbeck,” Pereiro said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo and relayed by Sport Witness. “Whether Madrid makes more signings depends on what they sell this summer.”
Pereiro stated that Madrid have put aside about €100 million to pursue Rodri and strengthen their defence. However, the report hasn’t specified the fee Real Madrid have allocated to offer Manchester City for their midfield maestro.
At first, Borussia Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck was one of Real Madrid’s top targets in defence but subsequent reports from Sport Witness suggested the La Liga outfit could be more interested in Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté.
Could Rodri really leave Manchester City this summer?
Real Madrid’s long-term recruitment strategy has mostly focused on finding new talent but signing Rodri would be a visible shift from that approach. Although the City midfielder will turn 30 in June, executives at the Santiago Bernabeu view his experience, leadership and tactical intelligence as qualities that can quickly improve the midfield balance.
Rodri’s contract situation at Manchester City may also affect the circumstances. His current deal at the Etihad Stadium expires in 2027 and if talks over an extension do not progress, the situation could theoretically open up a window for negotiations. It is worth nothing that the Spaniard’s father recently said he “doesn’t know anything” about his son’s future.
Manchester City, however, are under little financial pressure to sell Rodri. The club possesses the resources to keep important players until the very end of their contracts. This situation is especially true for players who are important to Guardiola’s tactical system. So, any possible transfer would depend a lot on what Rodri wants and the financial limits set by City.
Real Madrid target €50 million deal for Manchester City midfielder
What would Manchester City’s valuation of Rodri be?
Rodri’s current market value is around €75 million, as per Transfermarkt, which is less than what Madrid are reportedly willing to spend on a transfer. It’s not clear if the Spanish giants will actually spend a significant amount of that money on the midfielder, especially since their focus on reshaping their defence may affect how they spend it.
For now, the situation is still in the exploratory stage. The fact that Real Madrid are interested in Rodri highlights that he is still one of the best midfielders in Europe but any move would require alignment between the player, Manchester City and the Spanish club’s long-term planning.
Until such a situation arises, the Etihad Stadium remains the stage where Rodri continues to shape games and define Manchester City’s rhythm.
General manager Mike Borgonzi continues to be active in his attempt to add competition and talent to the Tennessee Titans’ roster.
Moments after the new league year officially opened, the Titans signed former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Malik Herring to a one-year contract.
Herring appears to be a potential rotational piece who could come into Nashville and push for a depth role along the new-look defensive line. The former undrafted free agent out of Georgia missed his entire rookie season in 2021after tearing his ACL at the Senior Bowl, which tanked his draft stock.
Sources: The #Titans are signing former #Chiefs DE Malik Herring to a 1-year deal.
Herring was an undrafted free agent out of Georgia and spent four years developing in Kansas City and seeing some action. Titans GM Mike Borgonzi was in KC when Herring was originally signed. pic.twitter.com/078eiY5LVj
He returned to action in 2022 and made the Chiefs roster in the next four seasons, where he developed into a solid rotational depth piece, recording 38 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble over four seasons.
Herring adds an experienced defender to their edge unit, but his addition does not lessen the need to upgrade the talent at the position during the offseason.
The Greater Binghamton Sports Hall of Fame announced that Pro Football Hall of Famer and former New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson will be the keynote speaker at the 11th annual induction dinner honoring the 2026 Greater Binghamton Sports HOF inductees.
Greater Binghamton Sports HOF founder and president Tony Quagliata expressed his gratitude in having the former NY Giants captain speak at this year's dinner, especially with 10 of the 13 inductees having a football-related background. "We're very happy to (have) Harry Carson," Quagliata said. "He's an NFL Hall of Fame great, and he's just a tremendous player."
Carson played from 1976-1988 and was named the seventh greatest all-time Giants player in 2024 by the organization. He's an inductee of several Hall of Fames, including the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2006), the New York Giants Ring of Honor (2010) and the College Football Hall of Fame (2002). Carson was a star at South Carolina State before being drafted in the fourth round (105th overall) by the Giants in 1976.
Carson will be the fifth former Giants player to be featured as a speaker at the dinner. Previously featured Giants players include Chris Snee (2015), Phil Simms (2017), Tiki Barber (2020) and Carl Banks (2024).
SOUTH BEND — Selection Sunday, the sport’s biggest/best day, will mark eight days since the curtain closed on the 2025-26 Notre Dame basketball season.
Without a trip to the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament to put a period on everything, it still doesn't seem real. For the first time in 31 seasons ― 18 in the Big East, the last 13 in the ACC ― there was no conference tournament trip for Notre Dame (13-18; 4-14). No closing chapter to write. Just the end.
The following is a look back at the 2025-26 Notre Dame basketball season from a different perspective, one that doesn’t wonder what it means or why it happened, just that it did. There was some good worth remembering. Also, the not so good for a Notre Dame program that has staggered through four straight losing seasons overall with a combined ACC record of 22-56 since a program best 15-5 in 2021-22.
That’s the last time Selection Sunday mattered. When will it again?
What was the best moment?
Optimism oozed out of the visitor’s locker room at Schollmaier Arena in early December in Fort Worth, Texas. It helped ease concern for leading scorer Markus Burton, who suffered a broken left ankle early in the first half against TCU that sidelined him for the final 21 games.
Without Burton on this night, Notre Dame went next level when many figured next level wasn’t possible. The Irish roared back from a nine-point halftime deficit for an 87-85 overtime win in a game that featured 10 ties and 13 lead changes. They got 20 points each from sophomore Cole Certa (on six 3s) and freshman Jalen Haralson, who added five rebounds and nine assists. Graduate student Carson Towt added 13 points, nine rebounds and four assists. He also embraced his inner road villain, playing to the crowd while playing at a won’t-lose level.
Notre Dame moved and passed like never before and finished with a season-high 27 assists. This, everyone insisted afterward, was what this team and this season could be.
We never saw it again.
Biggest win?
Four days after having its ACC soul stomped in an historic 44-point loss to top-ranked Duke, Notre Dame showed it still had a pulse with a 96-90 overtime victory over North Carolina State.
Notre Dame trailed by six at halftime and spent most of the day ― 38:38 in all ― playing catchup. The Irish were down nine with 4:46 remaining and down seven with 3:23 left, but got it to overtime and won it in overtime. Certa scored 32 points. Haralson returned from a three-game injury absence with 25 points, 23 after halftime. Notre Dame celebrated as if it had just won the league tournament. It was part joy, part frustration release.
It was also the final win of the season.
Toughest loss?
On Jan. 27 at home, Notre Dame was 20 minutes away from its first win over a ranked team under Micah Shrewsberry after shredding Virginia while shooting 57.7% from the field and 61.5% from 3 to lead by as many as 19. That first half was fun.
The real Virginia team then appeared. Notre Dame disappeared. It shot 28 percent from the field, 10 percent from 3 in the second half. That half wasn’t fun. Still, it got a game that featured nine ties and 14 lead changes to double overtime. Virginia won 100-97. A night of what should have been was another of what might have been. It kickstarted a slide of five straight and seven of eight league losses. The Irish were never the same.
How about a do-over moment?
That late night in early January in the Bay Area when Notre Dame was 4.4 seconds from beating California and going 2-0 in ACC play for the first time since 2017.
The Irish were up four with 29 and 16 seconds left. They were up three with nine seconds. Notre Dame lost its poise before Shrewsberry lost his mind. The Irish allowed a four-point play from guard Dai Dai Ames with 4.4 seconds left in a 72-71 loss. Shrewsberry then chased official Adam Flore off the floor. It was an awful look all around, one that Irish needed three weeks to recover. They ― players and head coach — lost their edge that night, then lost their next four.
Was there a doomed-to-lose game?
Purdue Fort Wayne, which Notre Dame did, 72-69, on Dec. 21, the last non-league game and last before Christmas break. Shrewsberry said it ruined Christmas. Blame the ACC.
The league went from a 20-game league schedule to 18 this season. Teams were forced to scramble late to fill their schedules with two non-league games. One of the last added to Notre Dame’s schedule? Purdue Fort Wayne, which Notre Dame beat by 37 points in an exhibition in October 2024.
Lesson learned.
Which Irish deserved more flowers this season?
In the year of the freshmen in college basketball, the 6-foot-7 Haralson deserved more love for his effort. In any other year, in any other conference, he might have been favored to win rookie of the year. This season, he was just another talented first-year guy.
Haralson averaged a team-high 17.4 points with 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 27.8 minutes over 15 league games. Over the last eight, he scored 20, 26, eight, 15, 23, 25, 19 and 21 points. Over the final five, he went 39-for-49 (.795) from the foul line, including two games of a combined 22-of-25. What was a liability in his game became a strength.
The highest-rated recruit in program history, Haralson promised Shrewsberry that he would sign a “nine-month lease” in South Bend before possibly becoming the second one-and-done in program history. Every sign is that Haralson, an honorable mention all-league, will sign a second nine-month lease and return for his sophomore season. He’s just scratched the surface.
Anyone go all effort all the time?
Undersized at 6-foot-8, 250 pounds and overmatched by all the athletic bigs of other ACC teams, nobody played harder than graduate student Carson Towt. That didn’t always translate to success, but you could rarely fault the effort of Towt, one of two Irish to start every game, who averaged 5.9 points and 9.0 rebounds (fourth in the ACC) in 26.0 minutes.
Other one-year transfers (Paul Atkinson, Dan Miller) had bigger impacts, but on a team that lacked a leader, Towt ran with the role. He maxed out his only season at the college game’s highest level. Every day he played college basketball was a good day.
What's the most tired narrative?
That a certain shooting guard played a lot of minutes and took a lot of shots and scored a lot of points based solely on the fact that his mother is married to the head coach.
Enough already about junior Braeden Shrewsberry, the other Irish to start all 31 games. He averaged 11.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in a team-high (yeah, we know) 32.7 minutes. He became the 69th player in program history to score at least 1,000 points. He finished third in the league in 3-point percentage (.402) and in 3s made (88). He’s one of 10 in program history to make at least 238 threes. He's on track to be one of four Irish to make at least 300 3s in his college career.
You don’t do any of that because you share a last name with the head coach. You do that because you're a good college basketball player. Accept it.
What Irish was most self-aware?
Certa offered after his third 30-plus point game (32 against North Carolina State) that he must do a better job when it comes to reacting to calls ― or non-calls ― by officials.
Had Notre Dame won more, Certa (12.8 ppg., 26.8 mpg., .367 from 3, a league-best .892 FT %) would’ve made a serious run at the league’s most improved player. To earn respect in this league, you just play. Don’t worry about whistles. Don’t react. Yes, you get fouled. Yes, you fouled. Sometimes it doesn’t get called. Sometimes it does.
It’s become a distraction, and not just for Certa. For a lot of the Irish, including the head coach, who needs to worry more about what his team does ― or doesn’t do ― in a getable league game and less about the officials.
Who didn't make good on a great chance?
One reason many were intrigued by what Notre Dame might be the final 21 games without Burton was sophomore guard Sir Mohammed, a Top 50 recruit who was as natural a pure point guard as it gets. Or so we thought
We should have known better when Mohammed opened the season as ... the backup power forward. Without Burton, this was Mohammed’s time. Instead, the spotlight was too bright. It bottomed out for Mohammed when he tried to press break against first team all-defense swingman Dame Sarr in the Duke game. Sarr stripped Mohammed of the ball, and his pride, and did what a lot of opponents did against Mohammed. He ran the other way for an easy score.
Twenty-eight games into a season for someone touted by the head coach for his lead guard skills, that cannot happen. That it did said a lot. Mohammed (48 assists to 46 turnovers) may feel it best for a restart elsewhere.
Best observation from an outsider?
Unprompted, Missouri coach Dennis Gates opened his post-game presser following Notre Dame’s 76-71 victory Dec. 2 by commenting on seeing so many empty seats in Purcell Pavilion (attendance that night was 4,980).
“This building, I’m shocked,” Gates said. “I’m shocked because it didn’t look like it did 10 years ago when (Mike) Brey had his program rolling. The crowd was the difference in his tenure. The Notre Dame crowd (then) was unbelievable.”
In 2015-16, Notre Dame went 17-2 and averaged 7,715 fans in 9,149-seat Purcell Pavilion. In 2021-22, Notre Dame went 24-11 overall, 15-5 in the ACC and 14-1 at home. It hosted two home sellouts. Stop with the “win and we’ll show up” nonsense. No, you won’t.
Notre Dame basketball fans prefer to shout from the shadows instead from the arena seats. It’s OK to admit it.
Biggest oversight?
Someone on staff not noticing that graduate transfer power forward Matthew MacLellan’s name was not in the official scorebook for the Feb. 4 game at Louisville was junior high school stuff. Notre Dame was assessed a technical foul (and one Louisville free throw) when MacLellan checked in late in the first half.
By season’s end, Notre Dame had two assistant coaches checking the book at the scorer’s table. Too late.
What one number says a lot about Notre Dame basketball?
Notre Dame had 38 dunks. In 31 games. A few, like Haralson’s drive in transition and tomahawk throwdown at Syracuse, were memorable. In comparison, North Carolina freshman Caleb Wilson played in 24 games because of injury and had 66 dunks.
In an era where the game is played above the rim, athletically challenged Notre Dame spends too much time below it. That makes everything it wants to do more difficult because ...
What one number must change?
Start with assist/turnover ratio. Notre Dame continues to so devalue the basketball as we do a penny today. Notre Dame ranked last in the league (18th) and 268th nationally in assist/turnover ratio (1.07).
Notre Dame once finished top four nationally in assist/turnover four straight seasons (2007-11), including 2008-09 when it led the nation. That A/T trophy once sat prominently displayed on a shelf in the locker room lounge. Today, it might as well be in a back closet. In three seasons under Shrewsberry, Notre Dame is 337th, 240th and 268th in assist/turnover.
If that number isn’t far better next season, don’t expect much else to be either.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com
Simon Grotenhuis had the dream of playing college sports.
The Holland Christian senior was an impactful player in football and basketball, but his future is in football.
Grotenhuis committed to Calvin University for football.
"It means a lot to me always having the dream of playing college sports," he said. "That it's now actually going to happen and excited for what the future holds"
The wide receiver will join an up-and-coming program that likes to pass.
"I would say the coaching staff played a big part and always reaching out to me and seeing how I'm doing," Grotenhuis said. "Being a part of a new program and being able to be a part of taking this program to the next step was another reason."
Grotenhuis caught 41 passes and scored five touchdowns in the fall.
"Simon is one of the toughest matchups in the OK Conference. He
is tough as nails and never comes off the field. Our QB situation was quite different this season and so his numbers were not what we expected but he was an incredible teammate and worked incredibly hard," Former Holland Christian football coach Dave Abberger said.
Numbers expose Barcelona’s decline as key attacking duo failing to match own standards
While Barcelona have often been criticised for their defensive weaknesses under Hansi Flick, the German has usually relied on the team’s attacking power to balance things out.
Barcelona’s high-energy attacking system has often compensated for the problems at the back, producing goals even in difficult matches.
However, recent performances suggest that this attacking edge may be starting to fade, especially from those who have shouldered the responsibilities in the past.
Over the last few weeks, the numbers show a clear drop in productivity from two of Barcelona’s most important forwards.
The only consistent bright spot in attack has been Lamine Yamal, who recently reached an impressive milestone when he scored his 20th goal of the season with a penalty against Newcastle United.
Beyond Yamal’s contributions, Barcelona’s attack has lacked the sharpness that defined their play last season.
The Brazilian forward has endured a challenging season both in terms of fitness and scoring return.
Since returning from his most recent injury, the winger has struggled to regain his precision in front of goal.
Raphinha and Lewandowski have struggled for consistency. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
In fact, across the last six matches since his comeback, Raphinha has managed to score only once, and that goal came from the penalty spot.
The situation is similar for Robert Lewandowski, who returned to the starting lineup in the recent Champions League clash against Newcastle.
Over the past month, Lewandowski has scored only once, and that goal came in Barcelona’s comfortable 4-1 win against Villarreal.
The obvious perspective
This slowdown becomes even more striking when compared to last season’s numbers.
At the same stage of the La Liga campaign last year, Lewandowski had already scored 22 league goals. This season, after matchday 27, he has managed just 11.
Raphinha, on his part, has scored eight goals in La Liga this season, which is noticeably lower than the 13 goals he had already recorded at the same stage in the 2024/25 season.
The decline becomes even clearer in Europe. Last season, Raphinha was Barcelona’s top scorer in the UEFA Champions League, scoring nine goals before the round of 16. This year, he has managed only one.
Overall, the contrast between seasons is difficult to ignore. At the equivalent point in the 2024/25 campaign, Lewandowski and Raphinha had combined for nearly 60 goals across competitions.
This season, the pair have produced just 26 goals at the same stage.
DUBLIN, IRELAND. JAN 13: Launch Press Conference for Jazza Dickens v Anthony Cacace at the Gibson Hotel, Dublin, Ireland on the 13th January 2026 ahead of their WBA World Super Featherweight Championship fight as part of Queensberry Promotions St Patricks Day Weekend boxing show scheduled in Dublin on the 14th March 2026. Credit: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney | Queensberry/Leigh Dawney
Newly minted WBA super featherweight champion Jazza Dickens will look to continue his improbable career revival this Saturday against the surging Anthony Cacace atop a DAZN show in Vegas.
Bad Left Hook will have LIVE coverage of the card starting at 3:00 pm ET.
Dickens (36-5, 15 KO) went from interim to full titlist after the sanctioning body stripped Lamont Roach Jr, while Cacace took the IBF title from Joe Cordina in 2024 before vacating it in the face of an ordered bout with Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez.
Will Dickens rattle off a third straight upset, or will Cacace knock off yet another domestic rival and rejoin the ranks of boxing’s active titleholders?
Who will win Dickens vs Cacace?
If Dickens was just a little bit bigger and hit a little bit harder, I’d call for the upset. For as much as Cacace likes to move, he’s got two key problems that play into Dickens’ hands: a lack of upper-body movement and a tendency to rush in a straight line. Dickens’ defensive prowess and sharp combinations give him a clear edge on the inside, and while he may not be particularly swift on his feet, that’s not as big an issue when your opponent regularly hurls himself into the pocket.
Dickens’ issue, however, is that he needs to either force protracted phone booth exchanges or meaningfully hurt Cacace in the brief times they do mix it up. Cacace showed off his ability to avoid the former against Josh Warrington, sharpshooting on the outside and quickly tying up when his momentum carried him into his opponent’s preferred distance. Though Dickens is better-suited for 130 than Warrington, he’s still significantly smaller than Cacace, limiting his ability to initiate the sort of forehead-to-forehead exchanges where he thrived against Batyrgaziev.
He’ll thus have to outshine Cacace’s long-range bursts in the time between Cacace charging in and him tying up, which is easier said than done. He’s better on the inside than Cacace, but not so much so that he can swing the fight’s momentum his way in such limited windows. Cacace’s physicality is a lot to overcome, especially when Dickens is at a clear power disadvantage.
For all his laudable skill, there’s just too much going against Dickens here. The hometown ref should give Cacace plenty of leeway to roughhouse when Dickens tries to trade in the pocket and what licks Dickens does get in figure to be the sort that even neutral judges might miss or fail to appreciate. Eye-catching flurries at a distance and strategic neutralization on the inside should carry Cacace to a win that’s wider on the scorecards than in reality.
Courtois, Alexander-Arnold react after Real Madrid 3-0 Man City – ‘Many expected us to get thrashed’
Real Madrid \delivered one of their strongest performances of the season as they defeated Manchester City 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16.
After the match, the Belgian goalkeeper spoke to the media to reflect on the victory and also looked ahead to the difficult challenge waiting for the team at the Etihad Stadium.
Courtois made it clear that despite the strong result, the job is not finished yet.
“We played a great game, but the return leg is going to be difficult. We have to play with confidence, they will come out very strong,” said the Belgian goalkeeper.
“The Bernabeu has been incredible. After the Celta game, I asked them to be like this and they have gone even further.
“I’m very happy to have been able to return the favour with a great game, I hope for the same on Saturday,” he said.
Real Madrid still believe in La Liga race
During the interview, Courtois was also asked about the team’s chances in La Liga this season.
The goalkeeper remains confident that Real Madrid can still compete for the title, even though the challenge in the league is very different from European competition.
“Yes, we can, we’ve proven it. You can’t compare the league with the Champions League.
“Some teams play more openly, we find more space and we’re better. In LaLiga, they defend a little lower and that’s where we struggle.”
Courtois praises Valverde’s impact
Another important talking point from the match was the outstanding performance of Federico Valverde, who scored all three goals for Real Madrid.
Courtois highlighted how dangerous the Uruguayan midfielder can be when he runs into space behind the opposition defence.
“Very happy. He’s very fast, very strong, and shoots well. We practised that a bit and it worked out really well. And the third goal was beautiful.”
Finally, Courtois highlighted his assist by stating, “I’m looking for assists. Looking behind the defence, Fede is lethal and he’s done very well.”
Alexander-Arnold reacts to big win
Trent Alexander-Arnold was very proud of the performance. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Real Madrid full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold also spoke after the game and addressed the doubts that surrounded the team before the match.
The English defender admitted that many people expected Manchester City to dominate the game, especially considering the recent form of both sides.
However, he praised the mentality shown by the Real Madrid players on such a big stage.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Real Madrid full-back, said that many people expected them to be “thrashed,” but that “at this club there are no excuses and, whoever we’re up against, we have to win.”
Speaking after the final whistle, Alexander-Arnold reflected on the strong team performance at the Bernabéu.
“We played a great game. There has been a lot of noise in recent weeks because of the way we have been playing.
“Many people expected us to get thrashed, but we showed great mentality. This competition means a lot to this club. We executed our plan perfectly.”
The defender also pointed out that despite Manchester City being seen by many as favourites before the match, Real Madrid never doubted their ability to compete.
“A lot of people said they were favourites, and given the way we had been playing, that might have been true, but this is the Champions League, and anyone can win.
“At this club, there are no excuses. You have to win. It doesn’t matter who you’re up against, you have to win.”
Lastly, Alexander-Arnold also had strong words of praise for Valverde after his incredible performance.
On Valverde, who scored all three of Real Madrid’s goals, Alexander-Arnold described him as “the most underrated player in the world. When you play with him, you can see that.”
The Carolina Hurricanes will welcome the St. Louis Blues to the Lenovo Center on Thursday, which will close out their season series against them. The last time they played was January 13th, where Blues goaltender Joel Hofer shut them out three-to-zilch.
The game is scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT.
The team Carolina faces will be different from their last meeting, as the Blues will be without captain Brayden Schenn after he was dealt to the New York Islanders at the deadline. Additionally, former Hurricanes co-captain Justin Faulk also departed St. Louis at the deadline, as he was sent to the Detroit Red Wings.
Of the four players received in the trades, only Jonathan Drouin and Justin Holl have experience in the NHL.
Tuesday, the Hurricanes played a notably wild game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, in which both teams exchanged the lead throughout the night until the Penguins overcame a two-goal deficit with six skaters in the final minutes to force overtime. I blame Neil Diamond!
Nonetheless, the Hurricanes managed to defeat them in the shootout, and Alexander Nikishin made history as he broke the franchise’s goals record for rookie defensemen.
Between the Pipes
Wednesday was a much-needed day off for the Hurricanes, so there were no practices to base a true projection on. However, that doesn’t stop me from doing my best to give you a well-thought-out guess. I care about you guys, and I know this is a big topic we all want to know more about.
Tuesday, Frederik Andersen took the crease against the Penguins, and honestly did well. The Hurricanes have utilized him more since the Olympics, likely allowing him more time to play to build his confidence and condition his body for the postseason. With that being said, Brandon Bussi has been good, but his game has been a little shaky since the return from the Olympic break, as anticipated. Momentum is one heck of a force, and the three-week break disrupted that. Now he faces a new point of development in overcoming these struggles at the top level, something that every netminder deals with early in their NHL career.
If the alternating tandem continues, Bussi should start unless they opt to play him versus the high-speed, high-pressure Tampa Bay Lightning, whom he performed well against in the first game back from the Olympic break. His save percentage this season is .898, with a goals against average of 2.38 across a 25-4-1 record.
As for the Blues, they’ve leaned pretty heavily on Joel Hofer as of late. However, I don’t imagine he will be the starter. He has played two games in a row, and Thursday’s game will be the start of a back-to-back set, which includes travel. With the second team of the set, the Edmonton Oilers, being a Western Conference rival, it is logical to think that they will want Hofer to play that game.
Jordan Binnington will likely start against the Hurricanes. This season, he has a save percentage of .868, with a goals against average of 3.55 across a 9-18-6 record.
Expected Carolina Hurricanes Lines
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook
William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson
Defense
Jaccob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller – Sean Walker
Mike Reilly – Alexander Nikishin
Goaltenders
Brandon Bussi / Frederik Andersen
Expected Blues Lines
Dylan Holloway – Robert Thomas – Jimmy Snuggerud
Jake Neighbours – Dalibor Dvorsky – Jordan Kyrou
Jonathan Drouin – Pavel Buchnevich – Otto Stenberg
St. Louis Blues power play: 17.1% (25th) St. Louis Blues penalty kill: 74.3% (29th)
Hurricanes Game Notes
Ahead of Tuesday’s tilt against the Penguins, Rod Brind’Amour spoke with Hurricanes analyst Tripp Tracy about the status of Shayne Gostisbehere, who has missed the past two games due to injury:
“I was hoping it wouldn’t be for too long. I’m not sure it’s going to be an extended period, but it certainly doesn’t look like he’ll be in tonight or possibly the next couple of games…he’s been kinda battling this all year.”
Additionally, in the last game, Nikolaj Ehlers left the ice in the first period after sustaining a knee injury. However, he did return at the start of the second period and played the rest of the game. Nonetheless, he remains someone to keep an eye on going into the game against St. Louis.
Meanwhile, Nicolas Deslauriers has not yet debuted for the Hurricanes. It is unclear when he could enter the lineup. Nonetheless, he continues to practice with the team and even took warmups before Tuesday’s game.
How To Watch
TV: FanDuel Sports Network South Streaming: ESPN+ Radio: 99.9 The Fan
Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool FC controls the ball during the match. Galatasaray SK and Liverpool FC faced each other at UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Round of 16 - 1st leg. The match took place in Ali Sami Yen Rams Park Stadium on March 10th, 2026. (Photo by Burak Basturk / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
In the same podcast where The Athletic’s David Ornstein claimed that FSG were still “steadfastly behind Arne Slot”, the transfer insider dropped an update on Ibrahima Konaté‘s ongoing contract situation:
“I think there’s constructive conversation around that one. I do think there’s a will on both sides, player and club, to try and find an agreement. It’s not there yet, but the conversations, from what we hear, are continuing and are pretty cordial.”
It’s a nothingburger of an update, but in contrast to Paul Joyce’s reporting last week, in which the club-connected journalist wrote that it was almost a foregone conclusion that Konaté would be leaving, as no progress had been made in talks between the two parties, it seems downright encouraging.
Konaté, like most of the squad, has been up and down this season, but at his best, he’s an elite space-defender and aerially dominant. If Liverpool do manage to retain his services, they’d be in a really good place to face a post-Virgil van Dijk future with potential young cornerstones in Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni already in tow.
Brighton & Hove Albion head coach Dario Vidosic says his father will be missed as a "coach and a human" after his death at the age of 64.
Rado joined the Seagulls club in January 2025, six months after his son Dario, and became head of women's and girls' coaching, helping Albion to their best finish of fifth in the Women's Super League.
He passed away in January 2026, with Dario taking a period of compassionate leave in Australia before returning to take charge of the side against West Ham in the FA Cup last month.
Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex before the final seven games of the season, Dario said he has found "harder and easier" times in trying to cope with his grief.
"I was travelling to watch the men face Nottingham Forest and there was a moment where I was like, I could be here with Dad," he said.
"We were here together and living together, but it's about keeping him in memory and remembering the good times."
The father and son duo first joined up at Melbourne City in Australia, where Dario was working with the under-16 boys' side and Rado in charge of the senior women's team.
"I asked him if I could become his assistant, just to learn from him and try to take those learnings with me," Dario explained.
"It was always the goal to follow in Dad's footsteps - when he was a player and then when he was a coach, I wanted to copy him too."
When Rado took over the senior men's side, Dario stepped into his father's role with the women's team and led them to the A-League title in his first season in charge.
It was that success that prompted Brighton to seek his services and Dario credits his dad's influence in setting up his career.
"He left a large legacy - and it was the person he was," he added.
"Without him, I wouldn't be where I am and he's helped me out tremendously."
Draper last played Djokovic at Wimbledon in 2021 [Getty Images]
Britain's Jack Draper produced a superb fightback to beat Novak Djokovic and reach the Indian Wells fourth round - a result he believes could be "a real big moment" in his season.
Defending champion Draper regrouped impressively to beat 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-5) in a "real physical battle" of two hours and 35 minutes.
Djokovic, a five-time winner at Indian Wells, had beaten Draper in the only previous meeting between them at Wimbledon in 2021.
The victory is an important one for Draper as he rebuilds after a torrid eight-month spell plagued with an arm injury.
"I've watched him since I was a kid, idolising him. Unbelievable respect for the player that he is.
"I still want to play better, and feel better on the court, but I think for how long I have had off the court to come here and play three tough matches already and play that one, it's huge for me.
"It's something I will probably look back on in a few months and think this is a real big moment for me."
World number 14 Draper is joined in the quarter-finals by fellow Briton Cameron Norrie, who will play world number one Carlos Alcaraz next.
Djokovic, runner-up to Alcaraz at January's Australian Open, won 87% of points on his serve as he clinched the opening set.
However, Draper levelled to force a decider as the quality rose, with Djokovic winning a gruelling 26-shot rally in the opening game at 30-30 on the Serb's serve.
The Briton broke his rival's next service game but, serving for the match at 5-4 up, was broken back as the match went to a tie-break.
Once again, Draper regrouped impressively to advance and set up a quarter-final against former world number one Daniil Medvedev.
"It was a real physical battle, there were definitely a lot of ups and downs in the match," Draper, 24, said.
"To come through that match is something I will never forget."
Djokovic, playing his first tournament reaching the final of the Australian Open in January, believes he paid the price for the 26-shot rally.
"It cost me a break after," he said. "It was great winning that point in that game, but I just ran completely out of the gas.
"I got the crowd backing me and I felt the energy. It was, like, 'maybe I'm going take this one'.
"It was so close, so close. I mean, just unfortunate few mistakes from my side."
"He is playing at a great level. Just, overall, a great player, great guy."
Draper reminds world's best of his threat - analysis
Draper lost an exhilarating 26-shot rally, was broken back when serving for the match and won one less point than Djokovic - but still came out on top.
The rally - full of extraordinary drop shots, lobs and smashes - will take some beating this year.
Djokovic won it to hold serve in the opening game of the deciding set, but the effort contributed to him dropping serve next time and Draper appeared in control - until he played a very poor game when serving for the match.
Both players were virtually bent double with exhaustion before the match point, which sealed Draper's victory.
For the first time since his comeback to the tour, he will now have to play matches on back to back days.
But whatever happens against Medvedev - who has the most wins on tour this season - Draper has recorded a victory which will mean a lot to him personally, and remind the world's best just how big a threat he could once again be.
Norrie sets up Alcaraz meeting
Cameron Norrie won the title at Indian Wells in 2021 [Getty Images]
Norrie is yet to drop a set at this year's tournament and backed up his win over sixth seed Alex de Minaur in the previous round with an impressive 6-4 6-2 victory over world number 117 Rinky Hijikata in one hour and 16 minutes.
Norrie has a good record at the hard-court event in California, having won the title in 2021.
He faces a formidable challenge against Alcaraz, who is yet to lose a match this year and breezed past Casper Ruud 6-1 7-6 (7-2).
However, Norrie has won three of his eight previous tour-level matches against the Spaniard, including their most recent meeting at the Paris Masters in October.
Norrie told BBC Sport he has gained confidence from his results at Indian Wells so far - and also from an "unreal" pre-tournament practice session with world number two Jannik Sinner.
"We had the centre court and it was meant to be two hours, but we were both having an unreal practice and both enjoying it," Norrie said.
"He's like, 'No, come on man, let's keep going'. I had something to do for the tournament and he had a photoshoot to do, and he was just like, 'Cancel that'.
"I had to text my agent and postpone my thing and we kept going. I think we played about three hours and 20 minutes.
"That really got me going for the tournament and that set the tone really high."
AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 26: Madison Booker #35 of the Texas Longhorns is introduced as a starter before a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Moody Center on February 26, 2026 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Scott Wachter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Texas women’s basketball star Madison Booker is about to get… paid.
Earlier this week, Booker became the first athlete to sign with former Texas men’s basketball standout and future NBA Hall of Fame honoree Kevin Durant, who recently decided to dip his toes into the name, image, and likeness business space.
“Through the program, announced by Texas on Tuesday, Longhorns athletes will get early access to KD player exclusives and apparel. Booker became the first UT athlete to come aboard as part of the program and is now a Nike athlete, according to the press release. Texas said future athlete signings will be on the way across basketball and other sports. In addition, Boardroom – the media network co-founded by Durant – will host a sports business summit later this year that will be open to all UT athletes. The event will help educate the athletes on the business space with ‘marquee speakers’ and financial literacy planning sessions.”
In Round 2 of the Hana Bank K League 1 season, unbeaten Gwangju FC take on yet-to-win Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, unbeaten Bucheon FC 1995 host a returning-to-action Ulsan HD, yet-to-win but still unbeaten Daejeon Hana Citizen entertain Gimcheon Sangmu, while Pohang Steelers welcome Incheon United to the Steel Yard for their home opener in what will be seen as the pick of the action.
Match of the Round: Unbeaten Start vs. Yet to Win
Gwangju FC vs. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
In Round 3, unbeaten Gwangju FC will face Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, who are still looking for their first win of the season. In the last five meetings between the two teams, though, Jeonbuk hold the advantage with two wins, two draws, and one loss.
Home side Gwangju currently have a record of one win and one draw. In Round 1 against Jeju SK, they failed to secure victory despite having a man advantage after Italo's red card. However, in Round 2 against Incheon United, they found the back of the net three times, first through Choi Kyung-rok, followed by and a brace from Shin Chang-mu. Thanks to a penalty save by goalkeeper Kim Kyeong-min just before the final whistle and deep into added time, Gwangju secured a 3–2 win. Shin Chang-mu has been particularly impressive this season, recording two goals and five key passes and playing a central role in the team’s attack under new head coach Lee Jung-kyu. Gwangju will be aiming to maintain their early momentum, despite hosting last season's champions.
Jeonbuk, on the other hand, have had a somewhat sluggish start to the season. They lost 3-2 at home to Bucheon FC 1995 in Round 1 and drew 1-1 with Gimcheon Sangmu in Round 2, meaning they are still searching for their first win of the season. Having conceded goals in both matches, defensive stability seems to be an issue following key departures from the back line. On a positive note, Lee Dong-jun has scored two goals this season, starting the new season as he ended the last. Midfielder Maeng Seong-ung has also been active on both ends of the pitch, recording a 93.9% pass success rate and 13 successful tackles. Jeonbuk will be looking to turn their early-season form around by claiming their first victory of the season. Both teams began the new season under new head coaches, making this the first meeting between Gwangju’s Lee Jung-kyu and Jeonbuk’s Chung Jung-yong.
Team of the Round: Rebellious Bucheon
Bucheon FC 1995 drew 1–1 with Daejeon Hana Citizen in Round 2. After defeating defending champions Jeonbuk 3-2 on their K League 1 bow, they followed it up with apoint against last season’s runners-up Daejeon. Bucheon have been steadily collecting points with impressive performances early in their first season after promotion.
The player leading Bucheon’s rise is Jefferson Galego. After registering two goals and one assist in the opening match, Galego also converted a penalty against Daejeon, bringing his tally to three goals and one assist in just two games. Last season, he scored six and assisted four in 28 K League 2 matches, including the promotion playoffs. This season in K League 1, he has shown even sharper attacking ability, raising expectations for a career-best year.
Defensively, veteran Baek Dong-gyu anchors the back line, forming a compact defensive block with Hong Sung-wook and Patrick William, demonstrating solid organization. Veteran midfielder Yoon Bit-garam, who joined Bucheon this season, has also quickly integrated into the team and is contributing both offensively and defensively. With a strong team structure early in the season, Bucheon are determined to continue their unbeaten run in this round as well. This weekend they host Ulsan HD.
Pohang Steelers earned a point with a 1-1 draw against Gimcheon in the season opener. In that match, Jakob Tranziska stood out by scoring on his K League debut, signaling a promising season ahead.
Tranziska is a forward standing at 189 cm tall, and despite being only 23 years old, he has experience of playing several European leagues, including Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic, before joining Pohang this season. Coming on as a substitute in the second half against Gimcheon, Tranziska energized Pohang's attack with his work rate and link-up play, and scored a point-securing equalizer in the 55th minute.
Tranziska is a versatile attacker capable of playing both as a central striker and as a winger. With Jorge Teixeira sidelined due to a hamstring injury, Tranziska’s quick adaptation has become a major boost for manager Park Tae-ha. Strong in duels and with bold dribbling, Tranziska will be one to watch this weekend.
2026 K League 1 Round 3 Fixtures
Gwangju FC vs. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors - Saturday, March 14, 2:00 PM [ENG]Daejeon Hana Citizen vs. Gimcheon Sangmu - Saturday, March 14, 4:30 PM [ENG]
Bucheon FC 1995 vs. Ulsan HD - Sunday, March 15, 2:00 PM [ENG]
Jeju SK vs. FC Seoul - Sunday, March 15, 2:00 PM
Gangwon FC vs. FC Anyang - Sunday, March 15, 4:30 PM
Pohang Steelers vs. Incheon United - Sunday, March 15, 4:30 PM [ENG]
via K League press release
Where to Watch
Watch live onTV.KLeague.com, English commentary provided where indicated.
‘We will win the league next year’ – Phil Thompson makes bold Liverpool claim
A difficult run of results has led to growing scrutiny of Liverpool this season, but former captain Phil Thompson believes the club will emerge stronger and could even win the Premier League next year.
Arne Slot’s side have endured an inconsistent campaign despite still competing in multiple competitions and remaining in the race for Champions League qualification.
The Dutchman has won 62 of his first 100 matches in charge of Liverpool, matching a record previously set by legendary manager Kenny Dalglish.
Despite that impressive statistic, some supporters have questioned the direction of the team after a series of uneven performances.
The former Liverpool defender believes the circumstances surrounding the squad have made this season particularly difficult.
Thompson said: “We don’t know what is going to happen between now and the end of the season. We could win two trophies, you just don’t know. I’m not in agreement that this guy should be under pressure.”
Thompson backs Slot despite Liverpool criticism
Our former skipper acknowledged the season has not been perfect but argued that the broader context around the squad must be considered.
According to the ex-centre-back, injuries and major changes within the team have played a significant role in Liverpool’s inconsistent performances.
He said: “He has done well. I’m not saying it’s been perfect this year… No, it’s been difficult. I was not expecting anything different from this, from what’s happened.”
The former Liverpool assistant manager also referenced the impact of difficult moments around the squad and the disruption caused by injuries.
Thompson added: “So all the things that have gone on have been difficult, it has been quite traumatic.”
Bold prediction for Liverpool’s future
Despite the challenges, the Scouser believes Liverpool’s long-term outlook under Slot remains extremely positive.
Thompson even made a striking prediction about what could happen once the squad fully settles.
He said: “I’ll predict something now; I don’t care what happens, we will win the league next year. Because I think once this is all settled down, this team will win the league.”
That optimistic view contrasts with some of the criticism surrounding the current team.
Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant recently criticised Slot’s decisions after the defeat to Galatasaray, writing: “Ok I’m done with slot now… please anyone tell make it make sense please.”
Former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson says Manchester City had "no reply" to "clinical" Real Madrid in Wednesday's 3-0 Champions League round of 16 first leg defeat in the Bernabeu.
"Manchester City were in a lot better place going into this game than Real Madrid were," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast.
"You look at the injury list for Madrid, they are ravaged. Their bench is almost like an academy side.
"We spoke to Spanish media before the game and the word was the club are not in a great place at the moment and nowhere near the place a club like this is expected to be at. Then they turn in a performance like that.
"It certainly wasn't the squad the manager would have liked to pick from but they approached this in a way where they were clinical.
"They sat in their defensive shape at times and hit City on the counter-attack and they had no reply to that.
"A comeback would be spectacular but we have seen them do it before. They have got the ability but at the Etihad they are going to have to be open, expansive, and chase the game.
"By doing that they leave themselves susceptible on the counter and we've seen tonight how Real can exploit those City weaknesses."
Madrid's three goals were all scored by Federico Valverde, who doubled his tally for the season in one night.
"Valverde is the type of player who can play in any position," Robinson added.
"If your left-back didn't show up you wouldn't be worried because he can slot in. He is so versatile, he's got everything and showed his quality tonight."
Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston could be available via trade this offseason.
Earlier this week, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler revealed there is speculation that the former first-round pick could be dealt ahead of the 2026 season.
"Also, Brown isn't the only receiver potentially available. Baltimore's Rashod Bateman, Los Angeles' Quentin Johnston and Green Bay's Dontayvion Wicks have come up in my talks," Fowler writes.
NFL analyst Brett Kollmann believes the Bolts should part ways with the wideout, whose fifth-year option with the team will likely be declined.
"If we know they’re not bringing him back long term anyway… let’s be honest, they’re not. Get something out of it," Kollmann said on the Bootleg Football Podcast.
"I think he's really become a better football player over the years. He's startable."
“If we know they’re not bringing him back long term anyway… let’s be honest, they’re not. Get something out of it.” 👀 Should the Los Angeles Chargers trade him? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/YygU9fi69H
In 2025, Johnston recorded 51 receptions for 735 yards with eight touchdowns. The Chargers drafted him No. 21st overall in the 2023 NFL draft, but he has not lived up to expectations in the powder blue.
Johnston has not come close to surpassing 1,000 yards in a single season as he's struggled to become a consistent target for quarterback Justin Herbert. As he enters his fourth NFL season, a change of scenery may be beneficial for the 24-year-old.
In return for Johnston, the Chargers could perhaps receive a fifth or sixth-round pick.
David Ornstein confirms Liverpool’s plans for Arne Slot
Liverpool Back Arne Slot Despite Growing Pressure After Galatasaray Defeat
Liverpool’s season has drifted into uneasy territory, and the mood around Anfield has grown more restless following the defeat to Galatasaray. Results shape perception in football, and when defeats arrive at the wrong moment they can amplify every doubt surrounding a manager. For Arne Slot, the scrutiny has intensified.
Yet inside Liverpool’s corridors of power the picture appears rather different. While frustration bubbles among supporters, the club’s hierarchy remain convinced that their head coach is the right figure to guide the team forward.
Liverpool Hierarchy Maintain Confidence
Recent insight into Liverpool’s thinking suggests there is little appetite for drastic change. Despite the external noise, the club’s leadership continue to support Slot and the project he represents.
David Ornstein explained the club’s position clearly, outlining that Liverpool’s owners have not wavered in their belief. Speaking on The Athletic podcast, he said: “Liverpool, from what we hear, are steadfastly behind Arne Slot and he’s under contract until 2027 and they want him to be their coach. The hierarchy are determined that he is the man to get things right.”
This backing reflects the modern structure at Liverpool under Fenway Sports Group, where decisions tend to follow a longer strategic arc rather than reacting to short term turbulence. A difficult run of results, even one that stings as sharply as defeat in Istanbul, does not appear to have shaken that outlook.
Coaching Profile Liverpool Wanted
Slot’s appointment in 2024 was never meant to be a temporary fix. The Dutchman was chosen because his footballing philosophy aligned with Liverpool’s broader vision for the squad and the club’s recruitment model.
According to Ornstein, that logic still holds strong within the club.
He added: “If they were looking at a recruitment process for coaches, he’s said to be the exact profile that they would be looking at and that there’s not people on the market that they think better suit what they’re looking for. That they’re happy with him.”
Names such as Xabi Alonso and Enzo Maresca often circulate whenever pressure builds on a manager, but internally Liverpool do not appear to see those alternatives as better suited to their direction.
Fan Frustration Growing
Patience inside a boardroom can feel distant from the mood in the stands. Liverpool supporters have watched performances fluctuate, and the defeat to Galatasaray has sharpened anxieties about the team’s trajectory under Slot.
Football remains brutally simple in this respect. Results dictate confidence. If wins return, belief tends to follow. If the struggles continue, debate will only grow louder.
Ornstein’s expectation suggests Liverpool’s hierarchy will hold their course regardless of how uncomfortable the season may become. He said: “I’m expecting this to go on and that the club get to the summer in whatever shape. I don’t think taking out the head coach is on Liverpool’s agenda at all”.
For now, Arne Slot remains Liverpool’s chosen architect. The months ahead will determine whether the belief behind the scenes can eventually be matched by results on the pitch.
The Chargers' run game was named one of the most improved units through NFL free agency by Pro Football Focus.
"The Chargers reached the wild-card game for a second straight season, yet their offense — and especially their run game — held the team back. Indeed, Los Angeles slotted 22nd in rushing EPA per play and 24th in rushing success rate, prompting the firing of offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
"After hiring Mike McDaniel as Roman’s successor, it’s clear that the Chargers are making a deliberate effort to improve on the ground, and their early signings follow that trend," PFF's Bradley Locker writes.
The Chargers have signed a handful of players who are poised to contribute to the run game. The team agreed to terms with center Tyler Biadasz on a reported three-year, $30 million contract.
Biadasz, who will serve as Bradley Bozeman's replacement, posted a 71.2 PFF run-blocking grade, which was the 11th best among qualified centers.
The Bolts then agreed to terms with fullback Alec Ingold and tight end Charlie Kolar.
Ingold has previously paved the way for four 1,000-yard rushers, including Josh Jacobs, Raheem Mostert, and De'Von Achane.
Kolar's 71.5 run-blocking mark last year ranked sixth among qualified tight ends. Kolar will serve as the replacement for Will Dissly.
The Chargers are putting an emphasis on the rushing attack in 2026 and the addition of Biadasz, Ingold and Kolar should help the team find success in that area this season.
🥐 Valverde shines, Champions League night... 5️⃣ stories to start your day
The European epic and the office maneuvers are an intense cocktail to start Thursday's journey. Yesterday's match at the Bernabéu is already football history, with Fede Valverde reaching legendary status, but what will happen today at the Metropolitano promises to change the structural course of our League forever.
Meanwhile, Hansi Flick is studying how to rejuvenate an exhausted Barça. And keep an eye on tonight when Betis, Celta, and Rayo Vallecano take the continental baton in the Europa and Conference League, aiming to keep the Spanish flag flying high.
Fede Valverde topples City with a historic hat-trick
The Bernabéu experienced another night of white mystique. Fede Valverde became a legend by scoring a hat-trick that crushed an unrecognizable Manchester City (3-0). Despite Vinicius missing a penalty, the Uruguayan's performance was total, confirming that Real Madrid remains the absolute king of the competition when the lights go out and the anthem plays.
Apollo takes control of Atlético de Madrid
A pivotal day at the Metropolitano. Today, the Extraordinary General Meeting is held to officially announce the entry of the American group Apollo, which will acquire 55% of the club's shares. Although the capital changes hands, the sports structure remains: Enrique Cerezo and Miguel Ángel Gil Marín will continue to lead the management of the red-and-white entity.
Goal fests in Paris and Bodo Glimt's dream
The Champions League gives no respite. PSG defeated Chelsea 5-2 in an electric duel where Kvaratskhelia scored a legendary goal. Meanwhile, the tournament's Cinderella, Bodo Glimt, continues dreaming and thrashed Sporting de Portugal 3-0. Meanwhile, a controversial penalty by Havertz in the 89th minute salvaged a dramatic draw for Arsenal (1-1) against Bayer Leverkusen.
Flick prepares massive rotations at Barça
Thinking about the return leg against Newcastle, Hansi Flick has decided to give his squad a breather. After an exhausting load of minutes, key players like Raphinha, Lewandowski, or Marc Bernal might start from the bench in the next league match. The German coach prioritizes physical freshness to not compromise the continental objective against the English team.
Betis, Celta, and Rayo face the European challenge
Today the excitement shifts to the Europa and Conference League. Betis seeks redemption against Panathinaikos after their stumble in Getafe. Celta reunites with their nemesis, Endrick, now at Lyon. Lastly, Rayo Vallecano travels to Turkey to face Samsunspor with Ilias as the big news to keep dreaming awake.
It took a little bit, at least according to the armchair GMs, for Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters to warm up in free agency. On Monday, the opening day of the NFL's legal negotiating period, Washington agreed to terms with two players: undersized, scrappy cornerback Amik Robertson and edge rusher Odafe Oweh.
Things were quiet on Tuesday until the Commanders reached an agreement with linebacker Leo Chenal. However, Peters kicked things into overdrive on Wednesday, agreeing to deals with four new players. Most of the early days in free agency have focused on fixing a terrible defense, but Washington did add its first offensive free agent: Titans tight end Chig Okonkwo.
Here's how we graded Washington's Day 3 free-agent moves:
What's not to love about this move? First, the Commanders added a second edge rusher. While Chaisson's agreement is for only one year, it takes pressure off Peters to force an edge rusher pick at No. 7 in the 2026 NFL Draft. Chaisson, Odafe and Dorance Armstrong comprise a pretty solid trio at the edge position. Chaisson is 26 and has been playing his best football over the last two seasons. He was phenomenal in the playoffs. Chaisson is versatile, too, making him a good scheme fit for new defensive coordinator Daronte Jones' defense.
Titans TE Chig Okonkwo: A
While tight end wasn't an urgent need, it was a need. Zach Ertz turns 36 next season, is a free agent and coming off an ACL tear. Ben Sinnott and John Bates are back, but neither has proven to be a top receiving option. Both will be heavily involved in the offense, but Okonkwo is now Washington's top tight end. He can work the middle of the field, is explosive after the catch and will run over defenders. Okonkwo just gives the Commanders' offense something it has lacked from this position. He's been productive through four NFL seasons despite quarterback instability. Now, he gets to catch passes from Jayden Daniels.
Another terrific move. We didn't hear enough about how much Washington needed to add a safety. Cross helps the Commanders get younger and faster. He's only 24 and ran a 4.3 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 2022. He also plays fast. Cross is at his best attacking downhill. He's relatively cheap (2 years, $14 million) with plenty of upside. Washington's tackling will certainly be much better when Cross is on the field in 2026.
Who saw this one coming? Peters wasn't done adding to his revamped defense, signing the 6-foot-5, 280-pound Omenihu to a one-year deal on Wednesday night. Omenihu enters his eighth NFL season in 2026. He possesses length and versatility, making him another good fit. Omenihu can play on the edge or slide inside to tackle. Washington's defensive line now has depth, so it will be interesting to see how this offseason plays out. The Commanders added Tim Settle and Omenihu to play some serious snaps up front.
Haas Formula 1 driver Oliver Bearman has praised Ferrari’s openness and help regarding the optimal operation of its new power unit.
F1 has switched to new engine regulations with much greater emphasis on electrical power, meaning energy management has become a key way to achieve lap time.
Teams need to figure out the ideal timing to deploy energy on the one hand and to lift and coast on the other, which Mercedes seems to have mastered, taking pole position with an eight-tenth margin on Red Bull and Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix. The closest Mercedes-powered customer car, Oscar Piastri’s McLaren, was 0.862s off.
Williams team boss James Vowles admitted “what Mercedes are doing on the power unit is something that caught us off guard”, while McLaren’s Andrea Stella suggested there may be ‘systemic factors that a customer team can’t control’.
Asked in that context how Haas was looking at Ferrari to try and learn, Bearman replied: “I must say that Ferrari has been incredibly open and incredibly helpful with us in terms of the deployment strategy and giving us as much info as they can to help us. I think it's a different situation that we have with Ferrari relative to McLaren and Mercedes.
“They've been incredibly helpful, but of course there's a bigger difference between our cars. They're almost a session ahead of us in terms of their quali. Their FP3 time was our quali time almost, if that makes sense.” Bearman was the lead Haas driver in qualifying, taking 12th place on the grid, 0.954s away from the faster Ferrari and 0.642s slower than the Scuderia’s FP3 benchmark.
“As the lap time goes up, the demands of energy change a lot,” the Briton continued. “The amount of lift-and-coast, the gear usage, all of these things you have to pre-empt and have a look towards qualifying for. A corner might be flat out for them or a corner might be a lift for them, whereas it's a brake for us or a downshift. Then we need to adjust it in our own way.
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team
“Australia, we went in and figured it out as we were going. Now, having done that weekend, we have two or three points. We expect to be slower in these corners, maybe we're geared down in these corners. Also, when you're slower at apexes, obviously you have to deploy more power as well on the exit. It's all a big knock-on effect. That's useful to know and info to bring forward for the future races.”
Asked if Haas knew what the delta was with Ferrari and could adjust, Bearman said: “I think so. We gained info already in Australia. Turn 5 was an example where Ferrari were flat from the beginning, just looking at their GPS speed, whereas for us it wasn't flat until the end of FP2 or even FP3. In terms of strategy, you have to change the way that you approach things. Now, just looking at the track, as an engineering group, we identify some corners where we expect to see some differences, then take that forward into the race. That info is good to have.”
As for the team’s prospects for the Shanghai weekend, Bearman insisted Haas would focus on the main qualifying and race given how likely the top four teams – Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren – were to lock out the eight points-scoring positions in the sprint event.
“The top four teams seem to be in a different race”, the 20-year-old said. “Given a normal weekend or a normal sprint race, that's the top eight. Only the top eight score points. Obviously, it's really important to have a good sprint qualifying and try everything you can for the sprint race, because there's still possibilities, anything could happen like we saw last week. It's going to be important to take the info and focus.
“The priority for us is still going to be the main race because that's the biggest likelihood of scoring points, which is what we need. I would say the info that we've taken forward from Australia has helped. Also, the fact that, to be honest, in Australia we started already in FP1 at 95%. We didn't really have to change too much. It means that I hope we can start on the right foot again here this weekend. Just stress-test the car, stress-test all of the systems in sprint qualifying. Priority one is to have a good main qualifying.”
Photos from Chinese GP - Thursday
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lars Baron / Getty Images
Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari
Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari
Lars Baron / Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Alexandra Leclerc
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Alexandra Leclerc
Jayce Illman / Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Dom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team
Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team
Lars Baron / Getty Images
Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team, Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team, Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team
Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Dom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Lars Baron / Getty Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Alex Bierens de Haan / Getty Images
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Dom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group
Lars Baron / Getty Images
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
Mark Thompson / Getty Images
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Lars Baron / Getty Images
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Lars Baron / Getty Images
Lando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Dom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Franco Colapinto, Alpine
Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images
Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing, Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing, Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac Racing
Glentoran captain Marcus Kane said that he initially thought the introduction of video assistant referee [VAR] for Sunday's BetMcLean Cup final against Linfield "was a joke".
The Glens will face rivals Linfield for the silverware in their first cup final against each other for 16 years.
The decider is also the first time that VAR will be used in domestic football in Northern Ireland.
"No, I didn't have a clue," Kane said when asked if he knew the decision had been made to introduce VAR for the final before the announcement.
"I still thought it was a joke and I thought it was AI [artificial intelligence]. Loads of things go through your head but you have a final to think about.
"For me, it feels like it has been sprung on everybody, not just Glentoran but Linfield [too]."
Despite the final being officiated by match officials from the Irish FA set-up, those in charge of VAR will be referees from outside of Northern Ireland and the Irish Premiership.
However, Kane added that thoughts are VAR will be put to the side when he takes to the pitch on Sunday.
"As a player, you have to try not think about it and get caught up and end up making a mistake if you're overthinking about the VAR," he continued.
"If you do overthink, you are second guessing yourself, so you just have to go out and play your game and not worry about what the officials are doing."
'Any chance to play your rivals is a fiery affair'
The Glens will be looking to secure the BetMcLean Cup for the eighth time but have not lifted the trophy since 2010, when they beat Coleraine in a penalty shootout.
They were last in the final last season, but lost against Cliftonville after Joe Gormley netted the winner in extra time.
"If everyone and Paul McLean [managing director of BetMcLean] was to choose a final at the start, they would have chosen Glentoran v Linfield," Kane continued.
"Any chance to play your rivals is a fiery affair. Last time I played in a cup final between the two was against Glentoran for Linfield which just shows how long ago it was.
"For the crowd and fans, it will be an amazing spectacle. For me, it is about bringing my aggression and style of play to the final and hopefully that rubs off in the boys and we get through together and we can win."
Glentoran assistant manager Tim McCann is no stranger to big finals and played for the Glens against Linfield in the 2001 Irish Cup decider.
The east Belfast side were the victors after scoring in extra time in front of a sell-out crowd.
Now, McCann hopes that his experiences as a player can help guide the side to another trophy after they lifted the County Antrim Shield last season.
"The Irish Cup final win was one of the greatest things I have ever experienced and I still sit down with my daughter and show her some of the highlights from it," McCann told BBC Sport NI.
"My advice would be to go out, give everything you have.
"Just go play your normal game and don't try do something you wouldn't normally do."
Barcelona may have discovered their new unbeatable defensive duo after Newcastle clash
The draw against Newcastle United may not have been the result Barcelona were hoping for, but the match still produced a few encouraging signs for the Catalan side.
One of the most positive aspects of the game was the performance of the defensive partnership between Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin.
The young centre-back pairing handled the pressure of a demanding Champions League match with impressive maturity and coordination despite the fact that Martin is not a natural centre-back.
Despite their limited time playing together, the two have developed a strong understanding on the pitch.
In fact, whenever they have started together under Hansi Flick, Barcelona have remained unbeaten.
Growing chemistry at the back
So far, Flick has used the pair together in 13 matches, and the record speaks for itself – 12 wins and one draw, with that lone draw coming against Newcastle in this Champions League encounter.
What makes their partnership even more remarkable is their age and experience.
Cubarsi has just turned 19, while Gerard Martin is only 24. Yet neither player showed signs of nervousness in such a difficult environment.
Gerard Martin played an important role. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
The pair have already shared the pitch in several victories across competitions. In La Liga, Barcelona recorded wins against teams such as Athletic Club, Alaves, Atletico Madrid, Real Betis, Osasuna, Villarreal, Espanyol and Oviedo with the duo involved.
They also played key roles in European victories against Eintracht Frankfurt and Copenhagen in the UEFA Champions League, as well as important matches in the Copa del Rey, including games against Racing and Atlético Madrid.
Adapting to difficult circumstances
The match against Newcastle required Barcelona to work extremely hard defensively because the English side pushed the Blaugrana for long periods.
Cubarsi and Gerard Martin responded well to the challenge, showing great awareness, remaining disciplined in their positioning, and rarely making mistakes under pressure.
Throughout the match, the duo displayed strong communication and a willingness to help each other whenever needed.
They stayed alert to Newcastle’s attacking threats, avoided unnecessary risks and reacted quickly during transitions.
Despite facing physically strong attackers, they also performed well in aerial duels and managed to limit many of the dangerous situations around Barcelona’s penalty area.
Rather than looking like an inexperienced partnership, the two defenders performed with confidence and composure, something that Barcelona need right now.
Real Madrid MVP reflects on magical night after hat-trick against Man City: ‘You dream of nights like this’
It was a night to remember at the Santiago Bernabeu as Real Madrid produced a commanding performance against Manchester City in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 clash.
The biggest story of the match was the incredible display from Federico Valverde, who scored a sensational hat trick to lead Real Madrid to a dominant victory.
His performance not only decided the game but also placed Los Blancos in a very strong position ahead of the second leg in Manchester.
With three goals on the night, Valverde delivered one of the best performances of his career and ensured Real Madrid took a huge step toward the quarterfinals.
Reflecting on his performance
After the final whistle, Valverde could not hide his emotions as he reflected on a night that will remain special in his career.
“Incredible. You dream of nights like this. I want to thank my teammates for giving me confidence, the coaching staff, and the fans, who support us in a difficult season,” said Valverde.
He also acknowledged that “It was one of the best games of my career. I really enjoyed myself today; it had been a long time since I enjoyed a game like this.”
Tactical plan worked
Although Manchester City had a bright start and created danger in the opening minutes, Real Madrid gradually took full control of the match.
Federico Valverde was unstoppable against Man City. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Much of that control came from the tactical preparation of Alvaro Arbeloa. According to Valverde, the team had worked on specific situations during training that eventually helped them exploit City’s pressing system.
“We had trained a lot when we took goal kicks, as they pressed man-to-man. There were spaces, and we’re fast, so it worked well.”
He emphasised that getting into the box “Is what the coach asks of me. To get there from the second line, to attack. Today we had more players to keep the ball and I tried to attack.”
Calls for unity before Etihad clash
Beyond the impressive scoreline, the midfielder also stressed the importance of team unity during a demanding season.
Real Madrid have faced difficult moments during the campaign, but the performance against Manchester City showed a group that remains fully committed to fighting for major trophies.
“We have to treat each other like brothers, protect each other’s backs. You could see that the team is united, so we can fight for great things,” said the Uruguayan.
He warned that “We know that games in Manchester are very difficult, we have to go there as if it were a goalless draw.”
Matheus Cunha: United star reveals frustration he encounters in Brazil
Manchester United attacker Matheus Cunha has certainly made a big difference since signing in the summer.
The Brazilian has helped transform the attack from being one of the worst in the league to one of the most potent, alongside fellow summer signings Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.
Cunha has rarely been shy about his love for the club and has already spoken about how he wants to help awaken the sleeping giant that is Manchester United Football Club.
Experiences of leaving Brazil
In an interview with Caze TV, Cunha discussed his experiences of leaving his native Brazil at a young age.
At just 18 years old, he left his country to move to Switzerland to play for FC Sion, before spells at RB Leipzig, Atlético Madrid, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and now United.
He claimed, “I left Brazil very young. When we go to the national team sometimes you feel a bit lost. In Europe, especially in England, people recognise you a lot. They shout ‘Cunha, Cunha.’ In Brazil it can be different.”
Cunha opened up on how this can make him feel and he stated, “Of course sometimes it gives you a little frustration. You think: ‘I do so many things and it’s not always that clear.’ But I understand Brazilian fans completely.”
Position switch
The United man revealed that while playing in Brazil he was always a midfielder, but a sudden growth spurt resulted in him being moved further forward.
He explained, “There came a moment when I was too skinny and then I grew a lot. I stretched out and suddenly everyone said: ‘You’re too big now, go play up front.'”
It was clearly the right career move, as he recalled, “I started scoring goals there and it just kept going. In Switzerland [FC Sion] they told me to play as a striker and I scored ten goals in three months.”
He explains he was a striker in the Brazilian team that won the Olympics and for Atlético Madrid, so playing further forward for United is no big deal for him.
As a result of switching between number 10, midfielder, winger and striker over the years, he explained, “It helped me understand other positions and the game as a whole. Today I feel like a much more complete and versatile player because of that.”
Interests outside of football
Cunha revealed that he likes to learn not just on the pitch but off it, and stated that he studied some law and that languages have always interested him.
He explained, “My aunt was a Portuguese teacher, and my parents were always very close to me. They always taught me that you have to learn and go through things in life. I’m close to opening the institute now. So I go and talk to people who already have institutes and ask what the best projects are.”
Cunha elaborated, “I speak languages, so I’m thinking how we can contact language schools and maybe make them partners of the institute. That way young people can learn better than I did.”
Matheus Cunha 25/26 season stats
Source: transfermarkt.comFeatured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images
Would 5th place still be enough for Liverpool to qualify for UCL after England’s nightmare week?
All six Premier League participants qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League, but not one of them managed to win the first leg of their respective ties.
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Indeed, only Newcastle and Arsenal came away with draws, with Liverpool losing away to Galatasaray while Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Chelsea all shipped three-goal beatings to leave them with a near-impossible task at home next week.
England had looked a near-certainty to take one of the two European Performance Spots (EPS) for next season’s edition of the tournament, but after the chastening results of the past two nights, could that status now be at risk?
Is England still on course for fifth Champions League place?
As explained by Dale Johnson for BBC Sport, England still leads the UEFA coefficient table for 2025/26 as all nine of its European participants are still involved in their respective tournaments, with its average of 22.513 ahead of Spain (18.031) and Germany (18.000).
With English participation in the Champions League set to heavily dwindle for the quarter-finals, the fate of Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest in the Europa League, and Crystal Palace in the Conference League, could be crucial to the Premier League holding into its projected EPS.
At present there appears to be little danger of England losing its extra place, but if several of their clubs fall at the last-16 hurdle and their Spanish and German counterparts go deep into their respective competitions, that could come under threat in the latter weeks of the season.
What does that mean for Liverpool’s Champions League hopes?
Domestically, Liverpool are locked in a four-way battle with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Chelsea for what currently looked like being three Champions League places, although the likely elimination of several English clubs from Europe could yet shift the goalposts.
Gary Lineker recently predicted the Reds to just about hold off Liam Rosenior’s side for fifth, which at present would be enough to qualify for the flagship European tournament, although that’s not as much of a racing certainty as it had seemed a week ago.
Ideally, Arne Slot’s side would muster the consistency to finish inside the top four and make absolutely sure of being in the Champions League next term, although their results in various competitions this month (and throughout the campaign) would make that difficult to bank upon.
The most recent Opta simulations give Liverpol a roughly 50-50 chance of securing fourth or fifth, so qualification for Europe’s premier club tournament could be in the balance right up to the final weeks of the campaign.
The Reds will do their chances of qualifying via domestic placing the world of good if they can overturn the first-leg deficit against Galatasaray at Anfield next week, and they could do with a bit of help from their English colleagues in their round-of-16 ties in Europe as well.
Other games such as their 4-1 defeat to PSV or their 3-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest have caused many questions to be raised.
Despite all of this, fans are still split about what the best course of action is for Liverpool, however, it seems like the Dutchman's future has already been decided upon.
Arne Slot has met with Nico Schlotterbeck about joining Liverpool
Since the January transfer window slammed shut without Liverpool buying anyone, rumours about the next player the Reds are going to sign have been rife.
And, of those three names, it seems like Schlotterbeck is the closest to joining, especially since Slot has now met with the German.
"Borussia Dortmund has presented him [Schlotterbeck] with a very good offer to renew his contract (which ends in 2027) and they're regaining hope that he'll stay with the club," Spanish journalist Jorge C Picon wrote via his personal X account.
"Real Madrid is following the German's trail, who they like a lot. He's among the options to bolster the centre of the defence depending on the departures this summer.
"The other club that wants him is Liverpool. Arne Slot even met with him to tell him about the project and try to convince him."
Arne Slot's future lies with Liverpool for now
Even though Slot meeting with Schlotterbeck isn't a guarantee that he's going to stay as the Reds' manager, it's the clearest indicator fans have had about his future yet.
If FSG were looking to move the Dutchman on either now or at the end of the season, it would be rather strange for the former Feyenoord boss to be meeting with potential transfer targets.
Of course, rumours have been rife about managers who could replace Slot such as Xabi Alonso but, when Liverpool's managerial history is taken into account, they've always given their managers time to figure things out.
So, since Slot has met with Schlotterbeck, it feels like his future lies with Liverpool, no matter what happens this season.
At the moment, that seems like the complete wrong decision from FSG but, since he did manage to win the Premier League last season and since he still has a chance of winning the Champions League this term, it's clear that he's here to stay.
In a legal filing posted late on Wednesday night, Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson detailed his long personal relationship with Chris Gabehart and expressed deep disappointment in the lawsuit filed against them by Joe Gibbs Racing.
Prior to team ownership, Dickerson served as an ex-grassroots racer, sports agent and spotter, whom eventually co-founded the Spire Sports+Entertainment agency alongside TJ Puchyr in 2010. Dickerson has thorough relationships that run the gamut of sports and entertainment.
That is a constant theme over much of his legal rebuttals in this matter with Joe Gibbs Racing over Spire.
Dickerson said he proposed a trade with JGR over what he considered a player to be named later type of agreement. He found out that JGR had already been in contact with Smith over future employment so this arrangement could have been mutually beneficial.
Dickerson writes:
"Given JGR’s interest in Mr. Smith, and given that he was under an active contract with a term that did not expire for many months and also subject to a non-compete that would not allow for the immediate relief JGR was seeking for Ty Gibbs, I told JGR that if it made an offer to Mr. Smith that was acceptable to him and he accepted that offer, Spire would agree to mutually terminate Robert Smith’s contract, which would allow him to begin working for JGR immediately—in exchange for JGR extending the same waiver for an employee that Spire would identify in the future.
"Mr. Gabehart, at the direction of Coach Gibbs and Heather Gibbs, insisted that JGR have the option to fulfill the agreement by making a $100,000 payment as an alternative to extending a waiver for an employee that Spire would identify in the future. I agreed to that proposal, with the understanding that JGR would make good on our deal by the end of 2025."
Dickerson said Gibbs never did pay the fee or let a similar employee out of their contract to join Spire. Over the course of last summer, JGR effectively replaced Tyler Allen with Gabehart as crew chief of the No. 54 team.
Spire asked JGR if it would let Allen out of his contract so they could hire him in the same way it released Smith so he could join JGR. Dickerson said JGR refused and Spire countered with Ryan Towles, the car chief replaced upon the hiring of Smith, but that was also rejected.
More from Dickerson, italicized:
“Importantly, Robert Smith, as a car chief, was part of the competition leadership arm at Spire, and JGR understood that Spire’s next attempted hire from JGR under the Trade Understanding would come from the competition arm, if not leadership, from JGR. That did not stop JGR from entering into the Trade Understanding.”
By October 2025, Dickerson said he met with Gabehart to 'catch up' but also to see who from JGR might be available to complete the agreed-upon trade agreement.
But first, some backstory, as Dickerson says he and Gabehart have been friends for nearly two decades. While working as spotter and agent for Kyle Busch, Dickerson says he put together the first contract for Gabehart to work at the nascent Kyle Busch Motorsports team.
At the time, Gabehart was a championship-winning Super Late Model driver with an engineering degree from Purdue University.
“I worked hard to recruit Mr. Gabehart to Kyle Busch Motorsports and also assisted with negotiating his first crew chief contract. I knew that he had a bright future because of his technical expertise combined with business acumen. I stayed in contact with Mr. Gabehart from that time to the present day with periodic phone calls and informal meetings at various racetracks. Over the last 16 years, I have also regularly enjoyed meals with Mr. Gabehart to catch up about our careers and life more generally. I always had a particularly strong bond with Mr. Gabehart because both of us were working diligently to help start up Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2009 and 2010.”
So over the course of that dinner in October 2025, Dickerson said they discussed their kids, pavement late models, the current state of the motorsports industry and their personal experiences.
The latter is where, according to Dickerson, that Gabehart confided concerns about the status quo at Joe Gibbs Racing, both with the No. 54 car and how he was being deployed compared to his expectations upon agreeing to the competition director role.
“I could tell that Mr. Gabehart did not take pleasure in the possibility of leaving his long-time employer. I knew that Mr. Gabehart had devoted most of his career across more than a decade to serving JGR. I could tell when he spoke that it pained him to consider the possibility of leaving. I knew then that the workplace environment at JGR must have been toxic and unsustainable.”
Dickerson said he left dinner that night with no resolution on who could be sent back to Spire as part of the agreement to release Smith from his contract earlier in the season, either.
Dickerson said that Gabehart informed him on November 11 that Joe Gibbs Racing had agreed to a mutual separation on November 6 subject to a one-week non-compete clause. Dickerson expressed interest in hiring him.
“Mr. Gabehart stated that any future role he took would not be a lateral move. Instead, he said that if he left JGR, he would be looking for a completely different role that would present a new challenge for him. He most certainly had no interest in doing what he was doing for JGR at the time.
“My interest in Mr. Gabehart arose from the fact that I needed an experienced lieutenant to help me manage Spire’s wide-ranging business affairs. Prior to hiring Mr. Gabehart, I (as co-owner of Spire) had been managing the day-to-day operations of our racing programs and varied ancillary businesses. This included everything from accounting to human resources, travel, and competition-related tasks across a number of different teams, racing series, and businesses. I also had the role of interfacing with TWG Motorsports, the organization that owns a majority stake in Spire.”
Dickerson recounted a story in which driver Daniel Suarez asked 'who is Chris Gabehart replacing,' and the co-owner said, 'me.'
In the declaration, Dickerson wrote that Gabehart told him ‘sometime in mid-November’ is when Joe Gibbs Racing had stopped paying him. Dickerson thought JGR would keep Gabehart on some kind of ‘gardening leave’ and keep him on payroll subject to the conclusion of their separation agreement negotiations.
Dickerson said he felt compelled to ‘act fast’ to sign Gabehart , especially if he was no longer being paid by Joe Gibbs Racing, or risk losing him to another organization. This led to the meeting on December 2 that was captured by a private investigator under the employ of Joe Gibbs Racing.
The dinner took place at the Barcelona Burger and Beer Garden in Mooresville, North Carolina adjacent to the Toyota Gazoo Racing Garage.
Why is that an important distinction to Dickerson?
"The Toyota GR Garage is a high performance motorsports testing garage used by Toyota, which is in a technical alliance with JGR. Workers from the Toyota GR Garage routinely eat lunch at Barcelona Burger and Beer Garden. I had absolutely no concerns about any of those workers seeing me eating lunch with Mr. Gabehart because I understood that there was no applicable non-compete in place at the time I met with Mr. Gabehart. And, even if a non-compete had been in place, there is nothing that prevents me from eating lunch with a friend.
Unbeknownst to me, JGR had hired a private investigator to follow Mr. Gabehart around. The private investigator apparently took photographs of me eating lunch with Mr. Gabehart. I was surprised and, quite frankly, disturbed to learn that a competitor in our industry had hired someone to follow its former employee around. I cannot stress this enough: It is extraordinary for an organization in our business to hire a private investigator to follow around any employee, let alone a former employee. In my twenty-five years of experience in this industry, I have never once heard of a team doing so.
"Despite JGR being well aware that Spire was recruiting Mr. Gabehart as early as December 2, 2025, no one at JGR ever contacted me to claim that Mr. Gabehart was subject to an applicable non-compete (until JGR filed this lawsuit). Even during the forensic examination process described below, no one at JGR ever contacted me to claim that Mr. Gabehart was subject to an applicable non-compete."
Dickerson said that no one from Joe Gibbs Racing ever contacted him in December to inform Spire that Gabehart was under any kind of non-compete agreement nor were any conversations initiated following the implementation of a forensic analysis.
Gabehart has previously said that he paid out of pocket for JGR to examine his personal devices for any evidence that he continued to store trade secrets obtained from company servers.
Joe Gibbs Racing, for its part, did not pay out the remaining balance of what it appeared to owe Gabehart because it instead filed a lawsuit alleging a 'brazen scheme' to steal proprietary competition secrets with the potential of sharing it with Spire.
Dickerson says he doesn’t want nor need any data from Joe Gibbs Racing due to what his team pays for and receives from Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet.
“To be clear, Spire never asked for, did not want or need, and does not want or need any information from Mr. Gabehart that was the property of JGR. Spire has its own technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports, who holds the Cup Series record for wins at 320 and 15 championships, and otherwise has no need for JGR’s information. Spire also works with General Motors for data purposes. Spire also has its own drivers, its own equipment, its own crews, its own engineers, its own crew chiefs, its own vehicle and engine manufacturers, its own sponsors, its own funding sources, and its own strategy.
“Spire is a Chevrolet team with a different body and different engine from what JGR races in. The outerbody and underbody work together, such that information from JGR would not be an easy carry over for performance. Spire receives support from General Motors which supplies all of Spire’s aerodynamics data, tools and simulation. Spire is not in control of these programs and can only make recommendations for improvements. As a result, any data from JGR would be almost impossible to use. Additionally, in the Cup Series in particular, optimal engineering changes on a day-to-day and week-by-week basis, such that information that is not current would not be relevant or useful to Spire. Spire obtains its engines from Hendrick Motorsports and is not in control of any development, which is another reason why information and data from JGR would not be useful or relevant. General Motors and Hendrick Motorsports are the most recent champions in the Cup Series, so Spire believes that it already has access to the best information available. Spire, therefore, believes that it already has access to any information that will allow it to be a successful team, and is not looking for information from JGR. Ultimately, I believe that any JGR information available could actually harm Spire—we have absolutely no way to validate outside information because in this sport the manufacturers control aerodynamics and tire testing data.”
As has been previously stated, Dickerson said Gabehart signed a non-disclosure agreement with Spire that prevented him legally from sharing any protected trade secrets from JGR with anyone at Spire. Mutually, Spire signed a similar agreement with Gabehart that it would not solicit him for proprietary or protected information.
“Spire would never use a competitor’s trade secrets for its benefit, and would aggressively protect its own trade secrets in the event they were distributed to or shared with another team. That is not a line that I or any of my fellow owners in the Cup Series garage are willing to cross. As a result, I have never even conceptualized of the possibility of using another team’s trade secrets for Spire’s benefit. To date and as far as I know, no one at Spire has ever seen the documents that Mr. Gabehart allegedly took from JGR.”
Dickerson said he waited for the forensic investigation of Gabehart’s devices to play itself out before making the hire, with on-boarding taking place over the course of February 16-17.
Spire also sent a letter to Joe Gibbs Racing’s legal team on February 11, offering a forensic analysis of pertinent Spire files to show it had not retained any proprietary data. That overture never, seemingly, received a response and JGR instead sued Gabehart the very next week.
Overall, Dickerson takes extreme exception to being sued, and is offended at the allegations and assertions.
“JGR’s repeated attacks on Spire’s integrity are not well taken. Spire and JGR are colleagues in this industry. Both teams are entitled to respect. Both teams are on an equal footing and have the same charters that allow them to compete.
“This lawsuit is an effort to stifle Spire as it attempts to build a team that, one day, could rack up the number of wins that JGR touts. Rather than allowing that competition to play out on the track, and rather than considering what brought JGR here in the first place, JGR has chosen to attack, disparage, and demean Spire.
“JGR’s loss of talent and potential loss of sponsorships is an internal problem, not a Spire problem. That is a difficult proposition for JGR to accept. Ultimately, JGR lost a star employee because it could not deliver him the workplace experience and role that he desired. And, in the end, as I understand JGR’s publicly-filed contract with Mr. Gabehart and the facts, he was free to take employment anywhere at the time Spire hired him.”
Dickerson took similar exception to the claims that Spire was attempting to poach Joe Gibbs Racing sponsors. Spire filed several exhibits on Wednesday that characterized overtures from the likes of COO Stephen D’Hondt and Business Development Manager Sieradzan as networking check-ins.
He then accused Joe Gibbs Racing as being one of the most proficient entities at poaching sponsors from smaller teams.
“JGR frequently pursues sponsors who it knows are already under contract with other teams. In fact, just this past weekend, JGR was openly pursuing a sponsor who currently sponsors a different team in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. If JGR obtains that sponsor and gets the sponsor to move to JGR, it will present an existential threat for that team.
“As an example, I am aware that JGR called one of Spire’s anchor sponsors within the last year and offered to match what the sponsor was paying to Spire or to allow them to pay less if they chose to sponsor JGR. Ultimately, that sponsor chose to remain with Spire.
“This conduct is part of the racing business. It may be viewed as overly competitive, but there is nothing untoward about it. Sponsors are free to choose which teams they sponsor, and teams are free to pursue their preferred sponsors.”
One of the many files that Gabehart had synced to his personal Google Drive involved JGR’s sponsorship pricing structure and strategy, something Dickerson said he also doesn’t need due to his years owning a team and double that owning an agency that has funneled sponsors to teams that include Gibbs.
“To be absolutely clear, Spire does not need any sponsorship information from JGR. Spire has its own sponsors and its own strategic sponsorship initiatives. Also, we have eyes—we can see on the side of cars and at tracks and in advertising which sponsors are sponsoring JGR. We don’t need Chris Gabehart to tell us anything about who JGR’s sponsors are, just like JGR does not need Robert Smith to tell JGR who Spire’s sponsors are.”
You can read the full declaration from Jeff Dickerson below.
Verstappen predicted his Red Bull probably couldn’t go any higher than fifth place this weekend in the Chinese Grand Prix — even if he starts much closer to the front in Sunday's race in Shanghai — because of the big gap between Mercedes and Ferrari and all the other teams.
“Honestly, it’s such a jungle out there at the moment," Verstappen said Thursday at the driver news conferences in Shanghai. “I mean, I would hope that it gets a bit closer ... but it’s clear that at the moment we cannot fight with those cars.”
It's not the first time Verstappen has taken a swipe at the sport's new regulations, which he thinks are anti-fun, anti-racing and could potentially be dangerous.
F1’s new cars are complex, with unprecedented changes across the chassis and power unit, which now feature an almost 50:50 output split between the turbo 1.6-liter V6 engine and electrical energy harvested from the brakes — one that requires a new, often counterintuitive driving style.
One of Verstappen's concerns is starting the race with empty batteries in the hybrid cars. Franco Colapinto only very narrowly avoided Liam Lawson at the start of the Australian Grand Prix, with the Racing Bulls car was slow off the line with minimal battery power — many drivers started with depleted batteries among the teething issues with the new rules.
“There are a few simple solutions, but they need to be allowed by the FIA, with the battery related stuff, because, yeah, starting with the 0% battery — not a lot of fun and also quite dangerous,” Verstappen said. "You can see, I mean, we almost had a massive shunt in Melbourne in the start.
“This is something that I think can be easily fixed.”
As for speculation he may quit if reforms aren't made quickly, Verstappen said: “I don’t want to leave, but I also hope, of course, that it gets better.
“I’ve had discussions with F1 and FIA and, I think, we are working toward something, hopefully, and, hopefully that will improve everything," he said, without elaborating on what the changes might be. “I hope already for next year we can already make a decent improvement.”
A 24-hour switch
In the meantime, in the search of more “fun,” he has confirmed this week he'll be driving his first 24-hour sportscar race at the historic Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in May. F1 hasn’t used it since 1976, when then-reigning champion Niki Lauda suffered severe burns in a crash.
“It’s one of the best races in the world, it’s one of the best tracks. I mean, honestly, in a GT car for me that’s like the perfect speed round there," Verstappen said. "I think if you go anything faster it can be a bit dangerous in places."
“I mean, I’ve been watching it, of course, for a long time. I know a lot of my friends, of course, that have been racing in it already. They say it’s one of the best things ever, and I like racing other cars as well.”
The 28-year Verstappen says he still has career ambitions.
“I don’t need to be only a Formula 1 driver, I can also do other things," he said. "I’ve done this for a while and I’ve achieved everything that I wanted to achieve, so that’s why I want to explore other things, and I don’t want to do them when I’m 40 years old. So now I think this is the perfect age to do it.”
Reece James gives honest opinion on Filip Jorgensen after PSG defeat
Reece James has thrown his support behind Filip Jorgensen after Chelsea’s Champions League defeat to PSG on Wednesday night.
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The Blues were in the game for large parts, but fell apart towards the end and slumped to a 5-2 defeat in the first leg.
Chelsea now face a huge uphill task to advance in the second leg at Stamford Bridge next week, needing to score three times to just to level the scores.
It was a bold call from Rosenior, who came out and defended Jorgensen after the game, but it’s once again called into question his decision to drop Robert Sanchez.
However, his decision to select Jorgensen will once again come into question, as well as the way Chelsea once again failed to manage a game in the correct way.
Next up for the Blues is a home game against Newcastle on Saturday evening before the return leg against PSG on Tuesday night.
Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:
Chelsea’s Liam Delap problem: Why Strasbourg loan could revive striker’s career
Chelsea signed Liam Delap from Ipswich Town last summer for £30 million to replace Nicolas Jackson, but he has failed to live up to expectations.
His latest display in Chelsea’s 5-2 loss to Paris Saint-Germain perfectly encapsulates his disappointing time with the club.
Brought on for a surprisingly tame Joao Pedro, Delap’s only two notable actions were scuffing a shot from a decent position and being flagged for offside.
Delap’s struggles in Chelsea colours
The decision to sign Delap as a replacement for Jackson raised eyebrows. He was not a notable upgrade on his Senegalese counterpart.
However, Delap showed promise in his early displays in the FIFA Club World Cup.
He set up a goal on his debut against Los Angeles FC and scored in his third appearance against ES Tunis in the group stage of the tournament, which Chelsea won.
His buccaneering runs and ability to get shots off from tight angles impressed the fans.
Unfortunately, Delap then suffered a serious hamstring injury against Fulham in August, ruling him out for two months.
He came back, but then sustained a shoulder injury that sidelined him for over a month. He hasn’t been able to get going since then.
Joao Pedro’s form keeps Delap off the pitch
Another reason Delap has struggled for game time this season is because of Pedro’s form.
He has settled into the striker role after joining Chelsea last summer, bagging 18 goals and nine assists in 40 appearances.
While Delap is a battering ram, Pedro is a technical assassin blessed with refined technique, an excellent touch, and masterful finishing.
The variety of goals he scores is also worth noting – left foot, right foot, headers, chips, tap-ins – the lot.
Pedro’s impeccable form under Liam Rosenior means Delap has had to settle for a second-string role. The lack of playing time and rhythm has not helped Delap find his groove.
Delap is now at a crossroads. He can stay and try to take the starting berth from Pedro while competing with new signing Emanuel Emegha, or head elsewhere in search of playing time.
A move to Chelsea’s BlueCo-owned sister club RC Strasbourg Alsace could provide Delap with the ideal reset. A new environment will do him a world of good.
Strasbourg will lose Emegha to Chelsea this summer. His departure leaves a sizeable gap in the attack.
They need a counter-attacking striker to replace him, and Delap fits the bill perfectly.
During his breakout spell at Ipswich, the English forward was at his most dangerous running into space, using his pace and physicality to punish teams on the counter.
Strasbourg’s direct, transition-heavy approach plays to those strengths far more consistently than his current situation.
Just as importantly, the move will provide the regular minutes he has struggled to find this season.
A year leading the line in Ligue 1 will allow him to rebuild rhythm, confidence and sharpness without the relentless pressure that comes with playing for a club of Chelsea’s stature.
Strasbourg will also likely be in Europe next term, giving the former Manchester City academy star the platform to prove his mettle on the world stage.
The arrangement is equally beneficial for Chelsea. The Blues can easily monitor Delap’s progress before any potential return to Stamford Bridge, ideally as a far more complete striker.
BROMLEY, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 23: Lize Kop and Charlotte Grant of Tottenham Hotspur celebrate their team's win following the Adobe Women's FA Cup Fifth Round match between London City Lionesses and Tottenham Hotspur at Copperjax Community Stadium on February 23, 2026 in Bromley, England. (Photo by Sally Rawlins - The FA/The FA via Getty Images) | The FA via Getty Images
We’re only a few days away from the beginning of the Major League Baseball season, which means it’s time for many of the teams to one-up each other in creating some of the most gut-busting concessions you can find in America’s (and two of Canada’s) ballparks.
This is also the sport that sells nachos by the helmet.
The Seattle Mariners will likely be the winners for most outrageous food offerings for 2026. Not necessarily because of the food, but because of the container in which it’ll be served.
The M’s announced that, in honour of the 75th anniversary of the Washington State Ferries System and 50th season of the Mariners, T-Mobile Park will offer a souvenir ferry food boat for the 2026 season.
Here it is in all its glory:
The Mariners will have a souvenir ferry food boat at home games in 2026 ⛴️
You can get chicken tenders, fish and chips, crab nachos and more in the exclusive ship container
This comes in celebration of the 75 years of the Washington State Ferries system and 50 seasons of the… pic.twitter.com/CUoZFngQb8
The ferry features dipping sauce stations on its hull and stern (that means front and back in boating terms), bus space at the top for the main meal.
There are seven options you can order with this ferry container:
Crab nachos
A ‘dockside douple dip’ that has chips, beer cheese crab dip and artichoke crab dip
Crab fries or old bay fries
Chicken tenders and fries
Regular fries or garlic fries
More fries, this time shoestring
Fish and chips, a classic.
If that isn’t good enough for you, then you could order some sushi (I’d avoid this), a chocolate moues moose (soft serve in a cone or helmet with moose cookies), or you can try their new churro flavours (or just have the original).
Fitzie’s track of the day: Promontory Rider, by the Jerry Garcia Band
And now for your links:
Matt Law: “Tottenham Hotspur players have no faith in Igor Tudor to halt tailspin”
Alasdair Gold: “The ridiculous Igor Tudor problem Tottenham face and the strange Cristian Romero moment”
The Athletic ($$): “A goalkeeper’s view on Kinsky’s 17-minute horror show: The shock, the betrayal and the scars it will leave”
The Standard: “Igor Tudor is out of his depth – Tottenham must sack him before it’s too late”
CBS Sports: “Tottenham have become the team you can’t look away from as downward spiral continues with UCL blowout loss”
Much like free-agent moves can alter the trajectory of a franchise, a player's decision on where he chooses to sign can change the narrative of his career (in a good or bad way) and have a huge impact on his potential fantasy impact.
The Huddle will provide an extensive breakdown of every meaningful reported signing (at the four primary fantasy positions) and detail what it means from a fantasy perspective. Please check out our recaps on what was a very busy day on March 9 - the first day that teams were allowed to negotiate with free agents - and a much more mellow day on March 10.
Note: Free agents can officially sign a contract now (as of 4:00 PM ET on March 11). Deals (including trades, such as what happened to Maxx Crosby on March 10) will occasionally fall apart, which is why it is important to note that some of the players moving forward will be in the “signed” phase while others will be in the “agreed to terms” bucket.
RUNNING BACKS
Chris Rodriguez Jr., Jaguars (reportedly agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth $10 million)
This one might feel inconsequential, but it is always important to remember how vital connections are in the NFL. The connection here is that Rodriguez served as Liam Coen's workhorse back during the first of his two one-year stints as the offensive coordinator at the University of Kentucky in 2021. Does that mean Rodriguez moves to the front of the line in Jacksonville's backfield following the departure of Travis Etienne? Of course not. For all the improvement that Rodriguez made in 2025, he is still a non-factor in the passing game, so LeQuint Allen's role in this offense is safe. Rodriguez is also nowhere near the explosive athlete that Bhayshul Tuten is, so Tuten's ascension to the lead role is probably safe - so long as the fumbling issues he had in college don't rear their ugly head again in 2026.
What Rodriguez provides is power, which was lacking from this backfield a year ago. That makes Rodriguez the overwhelming favorite to be the preferred option at the goal line in Jacksonville. The size of the contract suggests Coen probably has more in mind for Rodriguez, such as serving as Tuten's clear change-of-pace back.
Early fantasy prognostication: Barring a surprising amount of positive press regarding how Rodriguez looks in camp (or how Coen intends to use him above and beyond what was laid out in the previous paragraph), the ex-Commander will probably be drafted no earlier than the final few rounds of most drafts. While much of Rodriguez's workload will depend on how sharp Tuten looks in the preseason, the general expectation should be roughly six to eight carries per game for the former - including most of the work in short-yardage situations. Since he offers virtually nothing in the passing game, Rodriguez's upside is likely no higher than a nice flex option even if Tuten misses time due to injury. With that said, he should emerge as the clear handcuff to Tuten, which is where most of his fantasy value should lie in 2026.
TIGHT ENDS
Chig Okonkwo, Commanders (reportedly agreed to terms on a three-year contract worth $30 million)
It is mildly surprising that the 26-year-old Okonkwo finds a new home before the 29-year-old (and much more accomplished) David Njoku, although age usually plays a key role in which players are scooped up more quickly in free agency. (Njoku's price tag may also be too high for the team's tastes.) For now, this signing provides the team with a viable alternative early in the season as unrestricted free agent Zach Ertz continues his rehab from a torn ACL late last season. Beyond 2026, he appears set to occupy Ertz's role in the offense. In some ways, he is a much younger version of Ertz in that he brings little as a blocker but can be a very nice weapon in the short and intermediate passing game. Where Okonkwo differs the most from Ertz is the amount of damage he can do after the catch.
New offensive coordinator David Blough has seen similar tight ends in recent years (he played with Sam LaPorta in his final year as an NFL player and was on the Commanders' coaching staff over the last two years with Ertz around) to have a good idea of what he wants at the position as he prepares for his first job as a play-caller. Still, it is a curious move for Washington to add a one-trick tight end considering the offensive line is still coming together. Furthermore, the team has no sure thing at running back and Deebo Samuel appears unlikely to return.
Early fantasy prognostication: The Commanders have much work to do on their offense this spring, so it is difficult to ascertain at this point how impactful Okonkwo can be in 2026. The addition of a player like Brandon Aiyuk would make Okonkwo no more than the third-best option in the passing game. There is also a question about the 30-year-old Blough's competence as an NFL play-caller. He is entering his third season as a coach (his first two were as Washington's assistant quarterbacks coach) following a brief NFL playing career. Barring the addition of a receiver like Aiyuk, Okonkwo could conceivably push for low-end TE1 production for however long Ertz is sidelined (and that assumes he re-signs at some point), but the much safer bet is to view him as a solid TE2 option with a fair amount of upside should Jayden Daniels stay healthy and Blough exceed expectations.
‘My intel…’: Journo shares what Man Utd are now ‘definitively thinking’ about signing £90m England star
Manchester United won’t concede defeat prematurely in the race for Elliot Anderson’s signature this summer, despite being fully aware that Manchester City can offer a more lucrative financial package.
The two Manchester clubs are preparing to go head-to-head in pursuit of the star at the end of the season, and Nottingham Forest will certainly be looking to make a hefty profit on the £35 million they shelled out for him in July 2024.
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How Anderson has fared since leaving St. James’ Park
At the time, Newcastle United were desperate to keep hold of Anderson, but were cornered into a sale in order to avoid any PSR violations; given he’s a product of their academy, the fee generated from his sale counted as pure profit for the Magpies.
He has since flourished at the City Ground, becoming a mainstay for Forest as they defied all odds and qualified for Europe last season after spending a large portion of the season amongst the top four.
Anderson’s stellar form saw him earn his maiden England call-up – and subsequent cap – in September 2025.
Even amidst Forest’s struggles over the last seven months since 2025/2026 got underway, it’s highly anticipated that the 23-year-old, valued in the region of £90m, will be a shoo-in for the Three Lions’ World Cup squad in the summer.
However, that may mean that United and his other suitors will have to wait until the culmination of the tournament to really advance in negotiations.
What one reporter is hearing about Anderson and United/City
Weighing in on the speculation that City could easily trump United financially in talks for Anderson, Ben Jacobs told The United Stand: “My intel from within the club at the moment is not that Manchester United definitively think they’re going to lose the race for Elliot Anderson or that he’s going to go off to Manchester City or that the player is only going to make a decision based on finances.
“There is an appreciation that Man City will be able to offer more money, but Manchester United are certainly going to be able to improve upon his current Nottingham Forest package as well. So this is one I think is going to run into the late April/Early May period before we get real clarity.”
Tudor's Tottenham side were humbled in the 5-2 defeat at Atletico Madrid in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday [Getty Images]
Igor Tudor was hired by Tottenham as a last-ditch attempt at surviving what would be a catastrophic relegation from the Premier League.
Despite being capable of turning the form of his previous clubs around, the firefighter coach has lost his first four games in charge, with the Champions League humiliation at Atletico Madrid a new low in Tottenham's desperate season.
Admittedly, it isn't easy to put out fires without a hose.
Between Ange Postecoglu's final season and Thomas Frank's spell this term, Spurs have been one of the worst teams domestically over a significant period of time.
Their troubles extend beyond just the coach, with injuries and recruitment clear challenges.
But the appointment of Tudor and the tactics he has used appear to have somehow made the situation worse.
Against Arsenal in February, Tudor was repeatedly shouting at Spurs' captain Micky van de Ven and his defence to "push up". [Getty Images]
A big challenge so far has been in trying to fix Spurs' approach off the ball.
Under Tudor, Spurs play in a shape that changes between a 5-2-3 and a 5-3-2 depending on whether one of the wingers drops into the midfield line.
The idea is for players to apply man-to-man pressure across the pitch, jumping from this initial defensive shape.
This was the defensive tactic Tudor has used in past jobs, looking to win the ball back high and attacking quickly.
Tudor's version of Juventus set up in a similar 5-3-2 shape with man-to-man principles [BBC]
In less intense leagues, an aggressive man-to-man approach can provide quick wins when the opposition are less used to the tactic, especially if they are not physically and technically able to bypass such pressure.
The money spent by Premier League sides, however, has improved the level of technical quality, which helps players escape markers through dribbling or quick one-twos. Teams have prioritised physicality in their transfer business, too.
This is in response to shifting trends in English football. In February, Pep Guardiola said the game has more "man-marking" and is "more aggressive".
As a result, teams are figuring out how to deal with this problem tactically, even if that means going long and skipping the press more often.
Why Spurs are struggling defensively
For a man-to-man press to work well, it has to be done in a co-ordinated, aggressive manner. If any player is late to apply pressure, the opposition player has time and space on the ball, essentially giving them a man advantage.
Under Frank, Spurs' defensive approach was more passive, often defending in a more rigid defensive block.
But as they lost to Arsenal in his first game in charge, Tudor was seen urging Micky van de Ven to step upfield. The Dutch centre-back and his team-mates were reluctant to do so at times – a potential hangover from Frank's style of defending.
Spurs' 5-3-2 shape lacks coverage in the wide areas with the wing-backs the only constants here.
The logic behind the 5-3-2 is that attacks through the middle of the pitch are more dangerous, so the three midfielders and two attackers are tasked with blocking this area.
When Spurs pressed from this central shape, Atletico, Fulham and Palace smartly placed players in wide and deep areas, increasing the distance Tottenham's players had to run to apply pressure.
This gave them time on the ball but also stretched Spurs' shape, out of possession, opening up gaps to exploit up-field.
Palace were able to find time and space on the ball in deep areas, with Spurs taking longer to press their wide defenders [Getty Images]
In the build-up to their second goal on Tuesday, Atletico were able to find a free man positioned deep on the right side of defence.
With Mathys Tel unable to apply pressure quickly enough, a long ball was played in behind to Marcus Llorente, running off the back of his marker.
Van de Ven slipped, which allowed Antoine Griezmann to eventually score, but the goal was created by exploiting Spurs' man-marking vulnerabilities.
Atletico's attackers were able to run in-behind off the back of the Spurs defenders as they stepped up to mark them. Marc Pubill had the time to play a long pass into that space. [BBC]
How position-less players are undoing Spurs defence
Both Fulham and Palace utilised unorthodox shapes and movement against Spurs to exploit their defensive approach.
With Tudor's side blocking the centre of the pitch, Palace were able to find their wing-backs positioned slightly deeper.
With Spurs' back five often playing in a flat line, their wing-backs took longer to go from their starting position to applying pressure, which gave time for Daniel Munoz to find Evann Guessand.
Oliver Glasner likely gave Guessand, Palace's left-sided attacking midfielder, license to roam. With Spurs' players asked to man-mark, Guessand was able to drag his marker, Joao Palhinha, to the other side of the pitch with the midfielder slow to recognise this to begin with.
Spurs' players struggle to get close enough to press effectively. Palace play out with ease [BBC]
This same freedom of movement was afforded to Fulham's players, with Alexander Iwobi moving from the left side of midfield to the right on occasion.
Palhinha began this move marking Iwobi but as space opened up at the back, he was caught between marking his man and dropping in to form the back five. In the moment, he dropped in rather than man-marking, allowing Iwobi to drive with the ball.
Against Spurs, Iwobi moved around the pitch in a free manner, dragging different players into zones they weren't comfortable in [BBC]
Another way Spurs' implementation of Tudor's defensive tactics were countered came in the Fulham game.
In possession, Fulham played with a wide defensive line with the remaining players in attack, vacating the midfield at times.
Marco Silva's men emptied this space in order to pull the Spurs players marking them deeper.
The Fulham attackers then burst into the large space in midfield when the pass from the centre-back was on.
Spurs' midfielders were second to the ball when these 'vacate-to-arrive' movements happened as they were reacting to movements of players starting behind them.
An example of Fulham's 'vacate-to-arrive' tactic that worked well to get them on the ball against Spurs [BBC]
There is obviously the topic of Spurs' in-possession tactics, and the execution of them, which come with their own problems. Under Frank, Spurs built almost exclusively down the flanks, playing direct. In the Premier League this season, they sit 15th for line-breaking passes.
In the past four games, Spurs' players have been asked to take more risk in their build-up, particularly through the centre of the pitch. Although well-intentioned, it has led to turnovers which have resulted in goals.
On Tuesday both teams struggled to keep their footing on a slippy Metropolitano pitch but Spurs, and Kinsky, gifted the Spanish side two goals through trying to pass it out from the back.
With the tactical pendulum swinging so drastically from Postecoglou's short build-up to Frank's cautious and direct passing down the wing, then to Tudor's riskier build-up, it is fair to assume these changes in tactics will have contributed to Spurs' inability to execute a plan well.
Can 'good' managers be bad hires?
Prior to Tudor's appointment, there were clear principles he held throughout his managerial career. Any hiring decision therefore should have had these rigid principles in mind: the formation, an aggressive man-to-man defensive approach, unique rotations, and a willingness to attack more directly.
Coaches, like players, can be platformed correctly or incorrectly. A good example is Vincent Kompany who, correctly platformed by Bayern following a poor season with Burnley, has dominated the Bundesliga.
The club, players and environment there suit his qualities as a manager and the principles of play he uses.
Being able to predict whether the conditions at a hiring club match the principles a coach uses is a specific and incredibly valuable skill, but especially given Spurs' squad make-up, suspensions and injuries, it appears Tudor and Tottenham aren't aligned.
Prior to the Atletico Madrid game Tudor said: "Old habits need more time than you expect to change."
In the midst of a relegation battle, part of the job requirements are to work with those old habits to put points on the board now.
Best league? Premier League sides endure Champions League nightmare
Is the Premier League the best league in the world? Very likely, yes. Was there any evidence of that in the first legs of the Champions League Round of 16? Nope!
Things didn't go well at all for the five English representatives. While Newcastle held their own against Barcelona (1:1), the rest disappointed. Arsenal's 1:1 draw in Leverkusen and Liverpool's 0:1 loss at Galatasaray were definitely below the expectations of top teams. For three teams, it went much, much worse.
Both Chelsea (2:5) and Manchester City (0:3) and Tottenham (2:5) lost by a three-goal margin. By the way, it's unprecedented for two or more English teams to lose by such a margin on a CL night.
Premier League fans must currently feel like they're in a terrible nightmare from which they can't wake up.
What do you think: How many PL teams will make it to the quarter-finals next week?
The 18-year-old from Bath is set to compete at her first Winter Paralympics in the giant slalom on Thursday and the slalom on Saturday.
Pickle gave little away during an impromptu press conference in Cortina [BBC Sport]
Pickle has already starred in her own official team headshot and, in Cortina, was presented with canine-adapted kit.
"Empathetic and attuned to human emotions", in many ways she is the perfect team-mate for an elite sporting event like the Paralympics.
She enjoys playing with her ball and was even spotted joining a game of volleyball during the team's training camp.
While Great Britain's athletes follow strict nutritional regimes, Pickle is more flexible, preferring "pretty much anything she can find on the floor".
And although nobody can question her loyalty to the cause, eyebrows have been raised about Pickle's eligibility.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Poole revealed that her furry companion actually holds a German pet passport.
Six guide dogs are accompanying athletes at the Milan-Cortina Games.
Three are with the Australian team, while Germany, Great Britain and the Czech Republic each have one.
Organisers have set up dedicated areas for guide and assistance dogs at every competition and ceremony venue.
This week, as Poole competes on the slopes alongside her human guide Ali Hall, a "chilled" Pickle will be waiting patiently at the bottom with Poole's mum.
Whatever the result, Poole expects Pickle will be ready for "lots of belly rubs and all the attention".
MAINZ, GERMANY - MAY 17: CEO Fernando Carro of Leverkusen reacts prior to the Bundesliga match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at MEWA Arena on May 17, 2025 in Mainz, Germany. (Photo by Jörg Schüler/Bayer 04 Leverkusen via Getty Images)
Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga not that long ago, and they’re one of the few German teams to make the knockouts of the Champions League. Despite this, their CEO does not think they can catch Bayern Munich any time soon.
“It hurts me that Bayern are dominating the league so much,” said Fernando Carro in an interview with Bild. “Of course, they have three times our budget, but they’ve done a lot of good work over the years. Nevertheless, you have to try to give them a hard time. We managed to do that in 2024.”
Of course, 2024 was a very bad year for the Bavarians, particularly due to the influence of Thomas Tuchel. Few coaches could have managed the abject performances that the current England NT boss harnessed from his team.
Leverkusen, meanwhile, were flying under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso. Players like Florian Wirtz, Alejandro Grimaldo, Granit Xhaka, Jonathan Tah, and even Josip Stanišić (ironically on loan from FC Bayern) made it so that Leverkusen few to an unbeaten Bundesliga title. That team was slowly picked apart in subsequent seasons, and after losing Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, Leverkusen currently languish in 6th place.
Still Carro thinks that Leverkusen can challenge for the title again. Not this year, or even next year, but in “2028 or 2029”, per his own words. For now, they turn their sights on Arsenal, who they face in the Champions League. No one expects them to win. But, if they want to challenge a team like Bayern — maybe putting up a fight would be a good start.
SD Clippers guard TyTy Washington (15) reacts after a three-point shot during a G-League basketball game between the Santa Cruz Warriors and the San Diego Clippers Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025 at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, CA.
OCEANSIDE -- TyTy Washington Jr. delivered a standout performance in the San Diego Clippers’ return home, pouring in 39 points to lead the team past the Rip City Remix as the club begins its final push toward the end of the G League regular season. San Diego now stands with a record of 14-15.
The win came during a period of transition for the Clippers, who have seen significant roster turnover in recent weeks. With new players joining the lineup and chemistry still developing, Washington said his focus was on setting the tone early and helping the team establish rhythm on both ends of the floor. “It feels good, and it feels even better that we got the win,” Washington said after the game. “I haven’t been down here in a little bit, and when I came back it was a whole new roster. I felt like I needed to come out aggressive from start to finish and make winning plays on both ends of the floor. That was the biggest thing — just being consistent and making winning plays.”
The nature of the G League means rosters are constantly evolving, with players moving between NBA teams, international leagues and developmental opportunities. For Washington, who has already spent time in both the NBA and the G League, that experience has positioned him as a steady voice for teammates still adjusting to new systems and environments. As the Clippers work to integrate several new players during the closing weeks of the season, Washington said he has embraced the responsibility of helping teammates feel comfortable as quickly as possible.
“It’s huge,” Washington said of providing consistency within the group. “I’ve experienced both the NBA and the G League, so when guys come in they might be coming from overseas or different situations. I just try to get them acclimated as fast as possible and let them know that at the end of the day it’s still basketball.”
Washington’s offensive production was also fueled by strong chemistry with teammate Zach Freemantle, as the pair combined for 71 points in the victory. Their connection on the court has developed over the course of the season, particularly in two-man actions that have become a reliable source of offense for the Clippers. Washington said the trust between the two guards has grown naturally through repetition and confidence in each other’s decision-making.
“Me and him always have a little two-man game,” Washington said. “From the beginning of the season until now, the trust has been there. He trusts me to make the right play and I trust him to make the right play. One thing about him — if he makes three or four shots in a row, he gets it going. When that happens, we can be a pretty deadly combo together.”
On the defensive end, the Clippers also had to contend with Rip City’s (and Portland's first-round draft pick) center Yang Hansen, who showcased his offensive versatility throughout the night. The Clippers’ strategy focused on limiting his playmaking ability, even if it meant allowing him to take more shots himself. Washington acknowledged the challenge Hansen presented, but emphasized that the team’s overall effort was enough to secure the win.
“We tried to make him a scorer,” Washington said. “He’s a really talented young player and an extremely good passer. We wanted to limit his playmaking and make him take shots. He went out there and did what he did tonight, but at the end of the day we still got the job done.”
With only a handful of games remaining on the schedule, Washington said the team’s message heading into the final stretch is simple: stay focused on the present and continue competing every night. Despite the roster changes and the late-season adjustments, he believes the Clippers can continue building momentum if they remain locked in on playing together and executing the right way.
“Stay where your feet are,” Washington said. “We’ve got seven or eight games left. Just go out there, play hard, play together, and play for each other. Continue to play basketball the right way because you never know who’s watching. Our biggest thing is just going out there and competing every single night.”
NEW DELHI: Jitesh Sharma admits that being left out of India’s ICC Men's T20 World Cup squad was disappointing, but that setback soon felt insignificant compared to the personal loss he suffered shortly after. The wicketkeeper-batter lost his father, Mohan Sharma, on February 1 after a brief illness, a moment that changed his perspective on everything.
"When I got the news of my non-selection, I was a little bit disheartened. I am also a human. I can feel sad and bad. But later on, as time went by, the sad time becomes short," Jitesh told PTI during an exclusive interview.
The disappointment of missing the global tournament soon gave way to a far deeper emotional challenge.
"But later on, my dad got ill. And he passed away on 1st of Feb. So, I was with him for seven days. Afterward, I got to know that my dad needed me more than the World Cup. After that, I didn't have any sad feeling, any regret or anything for anyone or for myself also. I am not angry or anything," he said, with the sadness evident in his voice.
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"I was grateful that God gave me the opportunity to stay with my dad for seven days. So, I was able to take care of him. And I enjoyed watching the World Cup on TV at home. It's a very different feeling. It gives you lots of pressure rather than playing. And I was very happy for the boys."
With his father gone, the responsibility of being the eldest son has become a defining part of his life.
"I can't forget that thing and I don't want to forget that thing because he is not there anymore. When you lose your dad, after a few days you get to know that you are now responsible for taking decisions in your family as the elder son.
"And that's it - to take care of your mother, brother and family. So, I'm someone who can't show my feelings to them and can't be weak in front of them because they are looking at me while playing cricket also. And I have to accept it," Jitesh said while reflecting on how life sometimes delivers its toughest challenges.
Grief, he admits, does not arrive all at once but settles in gradually, leaving behind a permanent void.
"It hits after some time. I'm not coping with anything. I'm just accepting that my dad is not there anymore. There is a portion of my heart that is empty now. It will be empty till my death because of my dad."
Cricket, however, has also taught him resilience, helping him move forward despite the pain.
"And I have learned to carry myself with that sorrow and that hollowness during practice. Because no matter how much I want, I can't forget that thing. Because it's your father, right? He is my hero for my life."
"If he was alive today, he would have told me to go and practice. Don't worry about me. So I always bring this thing to my mind that if I'm in sorrow or pain, what he would have told me? I think he would have suggested me to go and play the game. And I'm very proud of it."
Jitesh also drew parallels with his India teammate Rinku Singh, saying he understands the emotional strength required to return to the field after personal setbacks.
"That's the same thing Rinku must have felt. That's why he was able to come on the ground again. And it's a very big thing."
‘Why can’t three keepers play together?’
On the cricketing front, Jitesh remains pragmatic about team combinations. With wicketkeeper-batters like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan also in contention, he said he would be happy to adapt to any role if it helps the team.
"I think of it from a different perspective. I take it from a different perspective -- that by doing my own work, why not two keepers be in the playing XI and the third play as a finisher? Exactly, that can also happen. Why not?"
Learning from Virat Kohli
Jitesh also spoke about the inspiration he draws from watching Virat Kohli up close at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, admitting that matching the former India captain’s intensity is not easy.
"Just observing small things, you can learn a lot. And it can be a life-turning decision or life-turning observation. Because the way he prepares, starts his day, not just practice, I think it's very impressive. Still, I'm 32 and I can't match his energy."
The U.S. primetime event goes down live this Friday, March 13, in Bangkok, Thailand. But before anyone attempts a takedown or even throws a single strike, every fighter must successfully weigh in and pass their hydration tests to earn the right to compete.
Fans can watch the official ONE Fight Night 41 Weigh-Ins & Hydration Tests by clicking the video below beginning at 6 a.m. ET/5 p.m. ICT on Thursday, March 12.
Sinsamut returns after taking a year away from competition to grow his social media brand and welcome his second child. The 30-year-old Thai veteran is refreshed, refocused, and ready to remind the division why he remains one of its most dangerous threats.
The Thai’s laundry list of big-name knockout victories – including former Glory Kickboxing World Champion Nieky Holzken, WBC Muay Thai World Champion Liam Nolan, and ISKA European Champion Nauzet Trujillo – tells the story of a fighter who performs when the lights are the brightest.
Standing across the ring from him is Jarvis, a 25-year-old British hard-hitter who has never backed down from a challenge in his professional career. After suffering a tough loss to Eersel at ONE Fight Night 34 last August, “G-Unit” spent months in Thailand preparing for this moment. A win over a legitimate contender like Sinsamut would instantly reignite his World Title campaign and prove that last August was nothing more than a temporary setback.
In the co-main event, ONE Welterweight Submission Grappling World Champion Tye Ruotolo puts his gold on the line against Polish phenom Pawel Jaworski in a battle of elite BJJ black belts.
Ruotolo has been unstoppable since joining ONE Championship in 2022, claiming the inaugural welterweight belt, defending it twice, and then submitting two undefeated MMA rising stars to go a perfect 10-0 on the global stage. Now, he returns to his grappling roots, but Jaworski is no ordinary challenger.
The Polish sensation captured the 2025 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship and claimed double gold at the IBJJF No-Gi Europeans, and his devastating leg-lock game makes him a genuine threat to end Ruotolo’s unbeaten run inside ONE Championship.
Take a look at the full card below, and don’t miss the ONE Fight Night 41 Weigh-Ins & Hydration Tests.
Murillo emerges as perfect option as United look to replace injured ace
Manchester United’s defence has taken quite a beating due to injuries to key performers. As a result, INEOS are planning on adding to United’s numbers at the back.
The Red Devils are without three defenders at the moment. Lisandro Martinez was initially supposed to miss only one game, but he is now set to miss his fourth consecutive match, Sunday’s tie against Aston Villa.
Matthijs de Ligt has been sidelined for over three months now, with no return in sight. Patrick Dorgu also remains unavailable.
With two centre-backs out, and Harry Maguire yet to agree a new contract, the co-owners have been forced to scour the market for reinforcements at the heart of the team’s defence.
Injury issues at the back force INEOS to change their transfer plans
Martinez’s injury has affected the team badly, both defensively and while building play from the back. A left-footed defender would be the ideal recruit.
According to i Paper, Nottingham Forest’s Murillo has emerged as a genuine target, due to his “perfect blend” of youth and Premier League experience, attributes INEOS value highly.
The Brazilian is not agitating for a move away from the City ground, but should Nottingham Forest suffer the ignominy of a relegation, the 23-year-old is expected to jump ship.
“Manchester United are starting to draw up a shortlist of centre-backs to provide more reliable cover in the heart of defence with Lisandro Martinez facing another extended layoff.
Murillo perfect replacement for Martinez
“Coupled with the mystery around Matthijs de Ligt’s back injury – the Dutchman has been out for three months with no return date in sight – plans are afoot to address the situation.
“The i Paper has been told that despite centre-back not previously being a priority position to strengthen in the summer transfer window, the focus being a new left-back, left winger and at least one central midfielder – yet more injury setbacks have forced the club’s hierarchy to draw up a list of potential defensive reinforcements.
“The identification process is still in its infancy, but Nottingham Forest’s Brazilian defender Murillo features, The i Paper understands. The 23-year-old has the “perfect blend” of youth and Premier League experience without the ego, one source added, with co-owners Ineos looking for the type of player who can handle the big stage, without the baggage that comes with more marquee names.”
United will not find it easy to sign the former Corinthians ace, given the presence of Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid in the race.
But INEOS should give it their all as Murillo ticks all the boxes, and can be potentially signed for a cut-price fee if Forest go down.
Juventus table offer to sign Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi
Juventus have tabled an offer to sign Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi on a free transfer this summer, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
Federico Gatti and Lloyd Kelly have been underwhelming on the left side of the Juventus defence, prompting the need to sign a new defender to give coach Luciano Spalletti better options.
The Bianconeri are eyeing Senesi, whose contract runs out in June.
Senesi has been one of the most reliable centre-backs in the Premier League, earning plaudits for his displays.
This season, the Argentine has created six big chances in 26 Premier League appearances. He has helped the Cherries keep seven clean sheets.
Juventus could use a reliable partner for Gleison Bremer in the centre of defence, and Senesi fits the bill.
After making their proposal, Juventus expect other parties also to register their interest and make counteroffers.
The 28-year-old will have his pick of clubs this summer, with Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund, Aston Villa, and Chelsea also admiring him.
Juventus face a fight on their hands in their bid to reclaim the Scudetto. While the hiring of Spalletti has been seen as a step in the right direction, the club desperately needs quality players.
Former Italy international Antonio Cassano even went so far as to claim that the club needed 10 players in the upcoming window.
The Old Lady is missing several pieces in their squad from back to front and must use the summer transfer market wisely.
Besides a new centre-back, they need quality in the engine room and in attack to support Kenan Yildiz.
Juventus also need good ball-progressing full-backs, especially on the right flank.
More importantly, they must sign a new centre-forward with Jonathan David, Lois Openda, and Dusan Vlahovic all disappointing to various degrees in the striker role.
ONTARIO, CA. -- For a majority of the season, the two teams that have been in a narrow race for the top of the AHL Pacific Division standings are current first place Ontario Reign and second place Colorado Eagles.
And tonight both teams had the pleasure of playing one another.
So what else could be expected besides fights, chirping and aggressive play for 60 minutes?
The best two teams in the division came to Toyota Arena to battle it out Wednesday night and the Reign endured a 4-3 shootout loss to the Eagles, ending their seven-game win streak.
“They’re obviously chasing us in the standings,” Reign captain Joe Hicketts said in postgame interviews. “They got a good team so we were expecting that push, but to play a game like that is very important for us going forward. We got to learn from our mistakes there in the second (period).”
The Reign had a dominant start with Francesco Pinelli earning their first goal 3:17 into the opening period.
Logan Brown and Glenn Gawdin would assist on Martin Chromiak’s 20th goal of the season, giving Ontario the 2-0 lead heading into the second period.
Gawdin extended his multi-point game streak to nine games, adding two points tonight with an assist and a goal.
While period one was all Ontario, the tables were bound to turn.
And they did - because period two was all Colorado.
The Eagles added three goals on seven shots while the Reign only had five shots, not scoring once.
Alex Barré-Boulet, Wyatt Aamodt and Tristen Nielsen were able to slide their puck past Ontario goalie Erik Portillo, giving Colorado its first lead of the game.
Gawdin’s 13th goal of the season came to tie the game and eventually send the matchup to overtime.
After a scoreless five-minute, 3-on-3 overtime, the game went to a shootout.
Danil Gushchin and Nielsen made a goal for Colorado while only Guttman scored for Ontario, handing the Eagles the victory.
Portillo finished with 17 saves and Ontario went 0-for-3 on the power play.
“(Colorado) is obviously a great team,” Chromiak said. “I think it was two really good teams playing against each other. We started off well, we were the better team in the first, they were better in the second. I just think we have to learn from it and be more consistent.”
Up next:
Ontario Reign (38-16-1-2; 79 points; 1st place) travel to Coachella Valley (30-20-5-0; 65 points; 5th place) to face the Firebirds at 7 p.m. Friday.
Minnesota Timberwolves (40-25, sixth in the Western Conference) vs. Golden State Warriors (32-33, ninth in the Western Conference)
San Francisco; Friday, 10 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Golden State aims to stop its three-game home losing streak with a win over Minnesota.
The Warriors are 22-21 in Western Conference games. Golden State is ninth in the Western Conference scoring 115.2 points while shooting 45.9% from the field.
The Timberwolves have gone 24-18 against Western Conference opponents. Minnesota has a 15-16 record against teams above .500.
The Warriors are shooting 45.9% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points lower than the 46.3% the Timberwolves allow to opponents. The Timberwolves average 118.4 points per game, 4.2 more than the 114.2 the Warriors give up.
The teams square off for the fourth time this season. The Timberwolves won the last meeting 108-83 on Jan. 27. Julius Randle scored 18 points to help lead the Timberwolves to the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Moses Moody is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 3.3 rebounds for the Warriors. Brandin Podziemski is averaging 16.1 points and 8.4 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Randle is averaging 21.2 points, seven rebounds and 5.2 assists for the Timberwolves. Anthony Edwards is averaging 27.9 points, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Warriors: 3-7, averaging 113.4 points, 46.0 rebounds, 31.3 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 44.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.2 points per game.
Timberwolves: 7-3, averaging 112.8 points, 43.2 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 9.3 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.8 points.
INJURIES: Warriors: Jimmy Butler III: out for season (knee), Stephen Curry: out (knee), Moses Moody: day to day (wrist), Seth Curry: day to day (sciatic nerve), Quinten Post: day to day (foot), De'Anthony Melton: day to day (adductor).
Timberwolves: Ayo Dosunmu: out (thumb).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
New Orleans Pelicans (22-45, 12th in the Western Conference) vs. Houston Rockets (40-25, third in the Western Conference)
Houston; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: The New Orleans Pelicans take on Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets in Western Conference action Friday.
The Rockets are 6-6 against the rest of their division. Houston ranks third in the Western Conference with 52.4 points per game in the paint led by Alperen Sengun averaging 13.7.
The Pelicans are 6-7 against the rest of the division. New Orleans is eighth in the Western Conference scoring 115.6 points per game and is shooting 46.5%.
The Rockets average 114.2 points per game, 5.8 fewer points than the 120.0 the Pelicans allow. The Pelicans are shooting 46.5% from the field, 0.6% higher than the 45.9% the Rockets' opponents have shot this season.
The two teams square off for the third time this season. The Rockets defeated the Pelicans 119-110 in their last meeting on Jan. 19. Jabari Smith Jr. led the Rockets with 32 points, and Trey Murphy III led the Pelicans with 21 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Durant is shooting 51.4% and averaging 25.9 points for the Rockets. Reed Sheppard is averaging 3.9 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Murphy is averaging 22.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.6 steals for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 20.7 points and 5.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Rockets: 6-4, averaging 113.9 points, 47.0 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 7.9 steals and 5.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 113.0 points per game.
Pelicans: 7-3, averaging 121.0 points, 46.9 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.9 steals and 6.8 blocks per game while shooting 47.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.0 points.
INJURIES: Rockets: Jae'Sean Tate: out (knee), Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Steven Adams: out for season (ankle), Dorian Finney-Smith: out (ankle).
Pelicans: Bryce McGowens: out (toe).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Orlando will try to keep its three-game home win streak alive when the Magic play Washington.
The Magic are 7-5 against the rest of their division. Orlando is seventh in the Eastern Conference with 32.6 defensive rebounds per game led by Paolo Banchero averaging 7.4.
The Wizards are 2-11 against Southeast Division teams. Washington allows 123.7 points to opponents while being outscored by 11.1 points per game.
The Magic are shooting 46.5% from the field this season, 1.5 percentage points lower than the 48.0% the Wizards allow to opponents. The Wizards average 112.6 points per game, 1.2 fewer than the 113.8 the Magic give up.
The teams square off for the fourth time this season. In the last matchup on March 4 the Magic won 126-109 led by 37 points from Banchero, while Will Riley scored 19 points for the Wizards.
TOP PERFORMERS: Banchero is averaging 22.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and five assists for the Magic. Desmond Bane is averaging 26.1 points and 4.7 assists over the last 10 games.
Alex Sarr is averaging 17.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and two blocks for the Wizards. Riley is averaging 15.4 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 7-3, averaging 114.9 points, 45.8 rebounds, 27.2 assists, 7.7 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.8 points per game.
Wizards: 1-9, averaging 114.8 points, 39.3 rebounds, 24.0 assists, 7.4 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 128.5 points.
INJURIES: Magic: Franz Wagner: out (ankle), Anthony Black: out (back).
Wizards: Jamir Watkins: day to day (foot), Anthony Davis: out (finger), Cam Whitmore: out for season (shoulder), Kyshawn George: out (elbow), D'Angelo Russell: day to day (not injury related), Bub Carrington: day to day (hip).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio comes into a matchup with Denver as winners of five games in a row.
The Spurs are 28-13 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is the NBA leader with 35.2 defensive rebounds per game led by Victor Wembanyama averaging 9.2.
The Nuggets are 24-14 in Western Conference play. Denver scores 120.4 points while outscoring opponents by 4.1 points per game.
The Spurs are shooting 48.1% from the field this season, 1.1 percentage points higher than the 47.0% the Nuggets allow to opponents. The Nuggets are shooting 49.3% from the field, 4.2% higher than the 45.1% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.
The teams meet for the second time this season. The Spurs won 139-136 in the last matchup on Nov. 29.
TOP PERFORMERS: Wembanyama is scoring 24.2 points per game with 11.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists for the Spurs. De'Aaron Fox is averaging 17.3 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 52.9% over the last 10 games.
Jamal Murray is averaging 25.5 points and 7.1 assists for the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is averaging 29.1 points and 12.9 rebounds while shooting 53.9% over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 9-1, averaging 121.6 points, 44.8 rebounds, 30.7 assists, 7.2 steals and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.1 points per game.
Nuggets: 5-5, averaging 121.2 points, 46.1 rebounds, 28.9 assists, 6.9 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.1 points.
INJURIES: Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle), Harrison Barnes: day to day (ankle), Lindy Waters III: day to day (illness).
Nuggets: Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Isaiah Brickner had 23 points and 10 rebounds — his first double-double of the season — and Brody Rowbury scored 12 points to help seventh-seeded Idaho beat No. 4 seed Montana 77-66 on Wednesday night to win the Big Sky Conference Tournament and clinch a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Idaho (21-14), which played its fourth game in five days, has won five in a row and won the Big Sky Conference Tournament for the first time since 1990. The Vandals snapped a nine-game losing streak against Montana and leads the series 113-99.
Kolton Mitchell added 11 points and Trevon Blassingame scored 10 for Idaho.
Under third-year coach Alex Pribble, the Vandals have their most victories since they also won 21 games in 2015-16.
Money Williams and Te’Jon Sawyer led the Grizzlies (18-16) with 19 points apiece and Brooklyn Hicks scored 11.
Williams scored a tournament-record 91 points, breaking the mark of 83 set by Montana's Anthony Johnson in 2010.
The Grizzlies beat No. 1 seed Portland State 75-72 and Idaho knocked off third-seeded Eastern Washington 81-68 in the semifinals.
Up next
Idaho: Looks to Selection Sunday.
Montana: Awaits a potential postseason invitation.
As Aston Martin’s chief trackside officer Mike Krack welcomed the media in the Shanghai Formula 1 paddock, his tongue-in-cheek opening comment set the tone of the ensuing conversation.
There remained a lot of explaining to do for Krack alongside Honda’s trackside general manager Shintaro Orihara, after Fernando Alonso retired from the season-opening Australian Grand Prix last weekend while Lance Stroll finished 15 laps down and therefore was not classified.
Aston Martin’s issues stem from its new engine partner; crippling vibrations from the internal combustion unit damaged all batteries in testing, while preventing drivers from covering a race distance consecutively as they feared “permanent nerve damage” to their hands, team boss Adrian Newey said.
In the Melbourne race, Alonso had a 13-lap stint followed by a 16-minute break and an eight-lap run; Stroll ran 34 laps in a row, then another nine after spending 18 minutes in the garage.
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
There hasn’t been much turnaround time as the Chinese Grand Prix takes places this weekend, but according to Honda, the situation is improving.
“We have found some progress on the vibration situation, and then still we keep working hard to reduce vibration,” Orihara said. “Still, reliability is our challenging point to improve. So still we are working hard in dialogue with Aston Martin, and then we found something, another countermeasure, so maybe we can try something.
“Also, we have accumulated mileage in the race, so we learned something from the race event for the driveability and also energy management. So we implement that learning into our simulation system.”
Given spares have been an issue, Honda has been restoring the only two batteries that were available in Melbourne.
“We are trying to repair the battery,” Orihara said. “We saw some good progress in terms of repairing. I can't say detail point, but we are keeping working hard to repair the battery. So, maybe we can repair the battery, because that battery issue is not relating to vibration, just small things inside the battery.”
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing
However, when asked how many batteries Aston and Honda had at their disposal for the Chinese GP weekend, both Krack and Orihara proved elusive.
“We can't say the exact number, but we keep trying to repair the battery to get more spares. But, sorry, I can't say the number,” the Japanese initially said.
The pair was pressed on whether there were more batteries than in Melbourne, regardless of the exact number; Krack retorted: “I think we should not... What is the point if we go on about the number of batteries? I don't think that this is something that we should try to insist on, insist on and insist on. We have a situation that was disclosed in Melbourne, and I don't think that we should continue on this battery number discussion, if you allow.”
Motorsport understands Honda has three batteries in Shanghai – so one spare.
The duo was then asked how healthy the batteries from Melbourne were; Newey’s comments on finding out about Honda’s tricky staffing situation last November only were also put to them.
“Also, I want to focus to the technical side in this meeting. Is that okay for you?” Orihara simply replied.
As far as the vibrations endured by the drivers are concerned, they haven’t been Honda’s focus, with the manufacturer prioritising its power unit’s actual reliability.
Both drivers have been understandably downbeat, with Stroll claiming the vibrations were like ‘electrocuting yourself on a chair’; compounding their issues is the car’s dire lack of performance. Alonso was two and a half seconds off the pace in Q1; only the Cadillacs were slower.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
However, Krack has been sympathetic to his drivers’ dismay. “You know, it's a difficult situation, obviously,” the Luxembourger said. “Nobody wants to be in that position, but the drivers are part of the team, just like we are, and we are in this together. So we have to try and find ways to work together.
“Sometimes it's more emotional, sometimes it is more constructive, and you have to understand that the drivers are in a unique situation because they have to do what we do all the time here. After every session, they have to answer questions and they have to answer questions that are really difficult to them. And often they do not have a solution or they do not have the right answer to give. So, I think their frustration level is understandably a little bit higher.”
Now, what can Aston Martin aim for this weekend? Is finishing the race a realistic target yet? “Every lap you do is important,” Krack insisted. “When you go racing, that has to be the first target. So, we'll try.
“I think with the steps we have made, with further steps that we are going to try this weekend, it will bring us closer to that, and that will obviously be the target.”
This weekend, a large portion of golf's best will travel to Florida to compete in this year's Players Championship. This year's winner will enjoy a steep $4.5 million of the $25 million Players Championship purse, which is the second largest among PGA Tour events.
The Players Championship will kick off on Thursday at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. This year, a field of 123 golfers will battle for the biggest title outside of the major championships. This season's Players Championship field consists of 46 of the top 50 golfers in the world, who will be needed to combat TPC Sawgrass's world-famous 137-yard, par-3 iconic island green.
Rory McIlroy (2025 winner) and Scottie Scheffler (winner in 2023 and 2024) have been the latest winners of The Players Championship. This weekend, other golfers will look to push the envelope and become the first new winner since 2022.
Here's everything you need to know to watch all the action from TPC Sawgrass this weekend.
The 2026 Players Championship will air across three different platforms. ESPN+ will carry the main feed and coverage of featured groups and holes all four days.
The Golf Channel will have the main broadcast window on Thursday and Friday, while NBC will pick up coverage for the final hours of play on the weekend.
All Golf Channel and NBC coverage can be streamed via DIRECTV and the portions broadcast on NBC will be available on Peacock. See the full day-by-day broadcast breakdown below.
The Players Championship TV, live stream schedule 2026
Listen to The Players Championship live on SiriusXM beginning at 12 p.m. ET on Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, and 12 p.m. ET on Sunday. Coverage will be available on channel 92 for those in vehicles.
New subscribers can enjoy SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.
Harrison Armstrong on being a sponge and reflections on his new role. [Everton FC]
The Toffees are now seriously considering a summer approach for 29-year-old Julian Brandt, who has officially agreed to depart Borussia Dortmund when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign. [Football Insider]
Everton stars feature in new World Cup book drawn by artist inspired by Dixie Dean.
Everton’s chances of European qualification and David Moyes’ management have been assessed by former Blues striker Jermaine Beckford. [Liverpool Echo]
Everton fans will be amazed to hear that Tottenham have remarkably reached out to Sean Dyche as the situation under Igor Tudor goes from bad to worse. [One Football]
Dwight McNeil has spoken publicly for the first time since his transfer from Everton to Crystal Palace collapsed. [Liverpool Echo]
Everton are interested in Watford’s Moroccan winger Othmane Maamma this summer with the Hornets chances of returning to the Premier League dwindling. [Football League World]
Tales of the Mad Dog… 😅🇩🇰
Find out more about the one-of-a-kind career of Thomas Gravesen on the former Blue’s 50th birthday! 🔵 pic.twitter.com/j6hksLcksU
NEW DELHI: Pakistan captain Mohammad Rizwan has come under the spotlight after his earlier remark about not watching India’s matches resurfaced following Pakistan’s heavy defeat to Bangladesh in the first ODI on Wednesday.
During a casual conversation with a reporter at a nets session earlier, Rizwan was asked about India’s impressive performance in the T20 World Cup semi-final against England, where they posted a total of more than 250 runs.
Responding to the question, Rizwan had said, "Sorry, I don't watch their matches."
The comment gained renewed attention after Pakistan suffered a crushing loss to Bangladesh in the opening ODI of the three-match series.
— I_Engr56 (@I_Engr56)
Rizwan himself struggled during the match, scoring just 10 runs off 20 balls, as Pakistan’s batting line-up collapsed under pressure.
Batting first in Mirpur, Pakistan were bowled out for just 114 runs in 30.4 overs, marking their lowest ODI total against Bangladesh.
The collapse came after a steady start, with the visitors losing wickets in quick succession once the first breakthrough arrived.
Young Bangladeshi pacer Nahid Rana was the star of the show, producing a brilliant spell to dismantle Pakistan’s top order.
The 23-year-old returned figures of 5 for 24, claiming his first five-wicket haul in ODIs. Rana removed Sahibzada Farhan, Shamyl Hussain, Maaz Sadaqat, Rizwan and Salman Agha, leaving Pakistan reeling at 69-5.
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Captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz also played a key role with the ball, taking three wickets, while Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman chipped in with one wicket each. Only Faheem Ashraf, who scored 37, offered some resistance for Pakistan late in the innings.
Bangladesh then made light work of the modest target, chasing down 115 in just 15.1 overs to seal an emphatic eight-wicket victory and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Opener Tanzid Hasan led the charge with an unbeaten 67 off 42 balls, sharing an 82-run partnership with Najmul Hossain Shanto (27) to complete a comprehensive win for the hosts.
The Queen dons an extravagant Philip Treacy hat for Ladies Day - Adam Davy/PA
Looking out across the cheering crowds at Cheltenham, the deep male voices reverberate across the stands, but they are interspersed with many female voices, too.
In fact, at least a third of the 46,317-strong crowd (up almost 5,000 on last year’s Style Wednesday) here on Wednesday are women, including the Queen, and that is largely because the Jockey Club has just revived Ladies Day after it was scrapped in 2019.
And judging by the fabulous displays of dresses, from canary yellow to royal blue, and extravagant hats which would not look out of place at Aintree – home of the Grand National – the revival has been very well received.
Many of the women here, in fitted waistcoats, floor-length jackets and elegant headpieces, look as though they have just stepped off a Downton Abbey set whereas the gents with their flat caps look rather more like extras from Peaky Blinders.
Queen Camilla (third right) poses for a picture with (from left) Zara Tindall, Natasha Hunt, Zoe Aldcroft, Aamilah Aswat and Rachael Blackmore - Eddie Mulholland for The TelegraphLots of Peaky Blinders wannabees could be spotted at the Guinness Village - Eddie Mulholland for The Telegraph
The crowd includes Carole Middleton (mother of the Princess of Wales), Made in Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo and, of course, the Queen in a striking Philip Treacy hat.
Georgia Toffolo enjoys the action... and a pint of Guinness
Viv Jenner, founder of The Ascot Milliner, says she thinks the Cheltenham Festival signifies the start of the season and is the perfect excuse to dress up. “I often get orders for hats for Cheltenham around six months in advance and it’s catching up with Aintree and Ascot in terms of style,” she says.
Michael and Carole Middleton, parents of the Princess of Wales, were also in attendance - Andrew Matthews/PA
Whereas Ascot and Aintree focus on bespoke dresses and unique styles, here the aesthetic is largely dominated by one local designer, Jade Holland Cooper.
The designer, who is dressed immaculately in head-to-toe tweed (what else?), has tapped into the Cotswold fashion market and at least two-thirds of the women here are cultivating her traditional look, think neutrals and tailored jackets, including former jockey Rachael Blackmore.
Jade Holland Cooper is dressed head-to-toe in tweed - Andrew Matthews/PA
In an effort to become more female-friendly, the Jockey Club appointed Blackmore in a new ambassadorial role in November, as head of Ladies Day. The decision to reintroduce it followed a lull in last year’s ticket sales, which fell to a 30-year low.
A study by the Jockey Club in 2023 found that women feel racing is “not for them” and that only a quarter of visitors during the racing season are women. So why did they decide to try to become more female-friendly? And, more importantly, has it worked?
Alongside Blackmore’s appointment, Cheltenham has reintroduced the popular Style Awards, where more than £10,000 worth of prizes are up for grabs.
The Jockey Club appointed former jockey Rachael Blackmore head of Ladies Day last November - Michael Steele/Getty Images
The day begins with live music and sparkling tips hosted by model and TV presenter Rosie Tapner. The Centaur, a central area at the heart of the racecourse, has been transformed into a pink paradise with blossom trees and pink carpet alongside cocktail vending machines, a pop-up hair salon and a live panel with Blackmore, England rugby players Natasha Hunt and Zoe Aldcroft, and former National Hunt jockey and ITV presenter Alice Plunkett.
As the women debate the trials and tribulations of sport (“lots of women just don’t think racing is really aimed at them,” says Blackmore) onlookers queue up for champagne and Guinness.
The women I chat with, a group of milliners from Berkshire, Hampshire and Essex, have one minor gripe – you can’t buy champagne or even prosecco by the glass and the cheapest bottle (the house champagne) is £85. They like the fact it comes with a handy little plastic handbag filled with ice though. In fact, Jenner says she used one to cool her aching feet after a day of wearing heels at Ascot last year.
In the Village Champagne Bar, next to the shopping village, which has everything from hats and feather to tweed with a twist, you can get little bottles of Moët for £32. And it is not just the ladies dressing up elaborately. Several of the chaps are sporting some very striking red trousers, too.
Four women pose in striking headwear to match their outfits, but may have been undone by Matilda Been (below) - David Davies/PA/Jockey ClubEddie Mulholland/Getty Images
The other minor gripe is that, unlike at Aintree, the betting stands and racecards are largely male-dominated and they do not offer a “lucky dip” option, which Jenner and her crew think would be more female-friendly.
A group of ladies from popular racing fashion retailer Fairfax & Favour tell me they have been planning their outfits for months. They are excited about the style awards and feel that Cheltenham is up there with Aintree and Ascot.
I also chat with three other ladies – Martina, Milena and Anna from Gloucester, originally from Poland – who tell me they are slightly put off by how expensive the drinks are here, but that they love the sense of occasion and see it as a great excuse to catch up with friends.
The women are not just in the crowds either, they are also racing on the course. As the day ends with the 5.20 race, a number of female jockeys, including Jody Townend, have set their sights on winning. She eventually finishes seventh on 40-1 shot The Wager.
It is clear that when it comes to racing, progress has been made. But just because some women prefer to wear jodhpurs it does not mean others cannot wear fancy hats. And the beauty of Cheltenham is that they can wear both.
"I am delighted that the once-in-a-generation redevelopment of the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre has reached another key milestone with the submission of the planning application for its transformation," the mayor said.
They include a full refurbishment of the Grade II*‑listed building, aimed at improving accessibility, creating larger gym space and boosting club facilities.
Computer-generated images show how the revamped stadium and complex would look [Mayor of London]
Under the plans, there will be a new Padel centre, 3x3 basketball courts, five‑a‑side football pitches and a full‑size multi‑sports pitch.
The 50m pool and diving pool are to undergo a major refurbishment, and all the swimming and diving facilities are to be put on one level for the first time.
The proposals also include upgrading indoor zones to allow year‑round use for local clubs, community groups and elite athletes.
And a new public hub "will combine leisure, play and sport" with a café, 200m running track, basketball court and an outdoor gym.
According to the mayor's office, the project aims for a 97% cut in carbon emissions through measures including photovoltaic roof panels and air‑source heat pumps.
The project is supported by a £23m investment from the mayor's Green Finance Fund to help the centre go fully electric for the first time in its 60‑year history.
The centre will "support the health and wellbeing of Londoners" and be a "centre of excellence" [Mayor of London]
Richard Dobson, area director for Morgan Sindall in London, said the plans showcased "what a modern, sustainable, inclusive and community-centred leisure centre should look like – all while paying homage to the venue's inspiring legacy".
"This combination of driving factors means the site will not only reclaim its original vision of being a 'glass pavilion in the park' that supports the health and wellbeing of Londoners, but we will have laid the groundwork for a centre of excellence where a new generation of athletes can break and set their own records," he said.
In a late Wednesday night series of court filings, Chris Gabehart and his retained attorneys responded to or otherwise addressed the continued legal claims made against him and Spire Motorsports by Joe Gibbs Racing.
The first document filed to the docket was a second first-person declaration in which the former engineer, crew chief and competition director made the case that his role as Chief Motorsports Officer has no overlap with his previous position at JGR.
In this letter, Gabehart detailed in line-item fashion all the things he did last year as Joe Gibbs Racing competition director and his nine-race stint as crew chief for Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 team, which was one of reasons he became dissatisfied with his employment.
Gabehart said Spire already has three crew chiefs and a competition director in Matt McCall. He wrote that Spire has a technical director and head of vehicle optimization and also does not serve in those capacities either.
Instead, the 44-year-old cited how much more expansive the Spire Motorsports umbrella is compared to Joe Gibbs Racing with teams that compete in Cup, Dirt Sprint Car, Dirt Late Models and Pavement Late Models. This is in addition to parent company TWG Motorsports owning Andretti Global and the General Motors Formula 1 team.
His words are italicized below:
“The breadth of Spire’s racing program is central to my role as Spire’s Chief Motorsports Officer. Whereas my position at JGR was confined to NASCAR Cup Series competition, my responsibilities at Spire focus on strategic initiatives and operational oversight across Spire's entire multi-series motorsports enterprise. My job also involves interfacing regularly with TWG Motorsports teams to discuss and develop common best practices amongst the teams. This is currently done through periodic meetings and event visitation by team principals from each discipline that encourage communication and observation of all of the forms of racing in the TWG Motorsports platform.
“My current role at Spire sits at the executive level and encompasses strategic oversight across all of Spire's racing programs, not just the NASCAR Cup Series. This structural difference is significant. At JGR, I reported within the NASCAR Cup Series hierarchy. At Spire, I operate at the executive leadership level with responsibility spanning multiple racing series and organizational functions. The scope and seniority of my position at Spire involves duties of an entirely different character than those I performed at JGR.”
To wit, Gabehart says the role of 'competition director' was 'organizationally parallel' to positions like Production Director, Aero Director and Technical Director.
At Spire, Gabehart says he is working towards big picture initiatives that go beyond NASCAR like targeting disciplines to expand into, maintaining Spire branding and competition standards across all the various teams under the corporate umbrella, working with Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports to acquire resources and become an asset with both.
His salary has been redacted as part of the public facing version of the declaration.
Gabehart also continued to assert that he made clear in writing the reasons he was leaving Joe Gibbs Racing, something JGR said was not made clear enough or in its own individual memo to senior leadership. He maintains the fact that Joe Gibbs Racing even briefly began to work out the details with him on a separation agreement is proof of that understanding.
In other words, Gabehart asserts that JGR was in violation of its contract with him rather than the other way around as they stopped paying him. Gabehart was a free agent as far as he was concerned, legally.
“Mr. Carmichael (Tim, JGR Chief Financial Officer) notes that I have not signed a complete mutual release agreement with JGR. That is accurate only in the limited sense that the parties did not ultimately finalize a separation agreement. After November 10, 2025, I remained engaged in good-faith discussions and then, in December, responded to JGR’s demand letter by agreeing to a comprehensive forensic review designed and directed by JGR. The parties’ failure to finalize a release was the result of JGR’s unilateral decision to change course, not because I failed to proceed under the Section 6, Paragraph 2 pathway we had been following in November.”
That forensic analysis did not show any evidence that Gabehart shared any proprietary trade information with Spire Motorsports but the suspicion that he may have is what prompted this legal action. For their part, the Gabehart and Spire camps maintain this is punitive action 'for daring to leave.'
In fact, Joe Gibbs Racing has also motioned the court to allow for expedited discovery, a more immediate version of the process that allows both parties of a lawsuit to obtain private documents and communications pertinent to the legal complaint.
More on that below.
Gabehart also refuted the declaration from longtime Joe Gibbs Racing competition employee Todd Berrier stating a conversation between them indicating that Gabehart had first met Spire co-owner Dan Towriss about a job last October.
“It asserts that on or about October 21, 2025, I told him that I had a meeting with Spire co-owner Dan Towriss about a potential job and that I later texted him confirming that I had that meeting. Mr. Berrier is mistaken. The first time I met Mr. Towriss was on February 28, 2026, at an IndyCar race in St. Petersburg, Florida. Any contrary statement is incorrect.”
Towriss also submitted a declaration in support of that statement on Wednesday night.
"To the best of my recollection, I did not meet with Mr. Gabehart, either in person or virtually, at any point in time in 2025. And, specifically, I did not meet with Mr. Gabehart in person or virtually on or around October 21, 2025. The first time I ever met Mr. Gabehart in person was on February 28, 2026 at the IndyCar race in St. Petersburg, Florida. The first time I ever spoke with Mr. Gabehart was during a brief phone call on January 9, 2026. During that call, Jeff Dickerson briefly introduced me to Mr. Gabehart.We did not discuss Mr. Gabehart's employment with Spire during that Call."
Gabehart also addressed the declarations by two Joe Gibbs Racing sponsors that Spire had reached out to essentially poach them. Gabehart says he has never met those two sponsor representatives nor shared information about their JGR partnerships with Spire.
As for the revelation that Joe Gibbs Racing had spied on him as he met with Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson over the winter …
“I have also reviewed the declaration submitted by Ryan Simpson. Mr. Simpson is apparently a private investigator who was retained by JGR to conduct surveillance on me. I was unaware that JGR was spying on me. I do not know why JGR was spying on me or for how long. The meeting with Jeff Dickerson referenced in Mr. Simpson's declaration was held in public at a restaurant in Mooresville, North Carolina. I was not trying to conceal that meeting.”
Dickerson also addressed that revelation in his own declaration on Wednesday night. He said that he and Gabehart have been friends for nearly two decades and have met for dinner regularly over that period. He says he brokered Gabehart's first NASCAR job while launching Kyle Busch Motorsports. At the time, Dickerson was an agent and spotter for Busch.
"On December 2, 2025, Mr. Gabehart and I met again, this time for lunch at Barcelona Burger and Beer Garden in Mooresville, North Carolina, which is adjacent to the Toyota Gazoo Racing Garage. We sat down at the table I am known to sit at, at a restaurant that I frequent.
"The Toyota GR Garage is a high performance motorsports testing garage used by Toyota, which is in a technical alliance with JGR. Workers from the Toyota GR Garage routinely eat lunch at Barcelona Burger and Beer Garden. I had absolutely no concerns about any of those workers seeing me eating lunch with Mr. Gabehart because I understood that there was no applicable non-compete in place at the time I met with Mr. Gabehart. And, even if a non-compete had been in place, there is nothing that prevents me from eating lunch with a friend.
Unbeknownst to me, JGR had hired a private investigator to follow Mr. Gabehart around. The private investigator apparently took photographs of me eating lunch with Mr. Gabehart. I was surprised and, quite frankly, disturbed to learn that a competitor in our industry had hired someone to follow its former employee around. I cannot stress this enough: It is extraordinary for an organization in our business to hire a private investigator to follow around any employee, let alone a former employee. In my twenty-five years of experience in this industry, I have never once heard of a team doing so.
"Despite JGR being well aware that Spire was recruiting Mr. Gabehart as early as December 2, 2025, no one at JGR ever contacted me to claim that Mr. Gabehart was subject to an applicable non-compete (until JGR filed this lawsuit). Even during the forensic examination process described below, no one at JGR ever contacted me to claim that Mr. Gabehart was subject to an applicable non-compete."
Gabehart's full declaration letter can be read below.
Typically, the discovery process begins after both parties participate in a Rule 26(f) conference, where all parties involved in litigation meet to discuss settlement options and negotiate the terms of which documents and communications are subject to the process.
To be granted expedited discovery, a party must show ‘good cause’ or ‘reasonableness’ in the interest of justice and the potential for immediate harm in the absence of the process taking place.
Effectively, Joe Gibbs Racing says it has reasons to believe Gabehart may have shared the competitive proprietary information he stored on his devices to Spire Motorsports as part of the change of employment.
The legal team representing Gabehart disagreed with that conclusion in a Wednesday night filing. The separate legal team representing Spire also disagreed. Their reasons were practically the same.
From the Gabehart legal team’s filing:
“The Motion is unnecessary, premature, and seeks to circumvent the orderly discovery process that the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure are designed to ensure. JGR has already received the very information it claims to need: a comprehensive forensic examination of Mr. Gabehart’s personal devices, conducted by JGR’s own chosen forensic examiner, pursuant to a protocol drafted by JGR’s own counsel. That examination established that Mr. Gabehart did not transmit, distribute, or share any JGR Confidential Information (as defined in the Employment Agreement, ECF 8-2). At this time, there is no justification for departing from the traditional discovery timeline.”
From the Spire legal team’s filing:
“JGR misunderstands the legal standard applicable to expedited discovery requests and wholly fails to demonstrate ‘good cause’ or the broad, expedited discovery it seeks in this case. Indeed, although expedited discovery is only appropriate when a movant would be irreparably harmed by abiding by Rule 26’s typical discovery schedule, JGR has utterly failed to articulate how it would be irreparably harmed in the absence of expedited discovery, as required. In fact, JGR affirmatively represents that expedited discovery is not necessary here because its pending Motion for a Preliminary Injunction provides sufficient evidence for this Court to conclude that JGR is likely to succeed on the merits of its claims, even without ‘having any access to expedited discovery.’ Dkt. That concession alone is a sufficient reason to deny JGR’s motion.”
Furthermore, both defendants have asked Judge Susan D Rodriguez, that if she does decide to grant JGR expedited discovery, that they both be eligible for the same on Joe Gibbs Racing over when it understood its agreement with Gabehart to have concluded.
Because, again, both Spire and Gabehart say they acted under the conviction that there was no applicable non-compete clause.
The Gabehart response lists three reasons for reciprocal discovery:
“First, Defendants are entitled to discovery concerning Mr. Gabehart’s compliance with Section 6, Paragraph 2 of the Employment Agreement. JGR has taken the position that Mr. Gabehart did not validly exercise his rights under Section 6, and that his termination was ‘for cause.’ Defendants are entitled to explore JGR’s communications and documents relating to Mr. Gabehart’s written notice under Section 6, JGR’s evaluation of that notice, negotiation of a separation agreement with Mr. Gabehart, JGR’s decision to place Mr. Gabehart on ‘garden leave,’ JGR’s withholding of wages, and records concerning Mr. Gabehart’s employment status. These documents are exclusively in JGR’s possession and are directly relevant to whether any noncompete obligation applies.
“Second, Defendants are entitled to discovery concerning JGR’s internal communications about Mr. Gabehart’s exercise of his contractual rights. The text messages between Mr. Gabehart and Tim Carmichael demonstrate that JGR leadership understood Mr. Gabehart was exercising his rights under Section 6 and did not blame him for doing so. Defendants are entitled to discover what other JGR personnel communicated about this subject, and whether JGR’s after-the-fact ‘termination for cause’ was a pretext designed to avoid the consequences of Section 6.
Third, Defendants are entitled to discovery concerning JGR’s decision to terminate Mr. Gabehart for cause after the forensic examination confirmed no misappropriation occurred. The alleged termination notice was not issued until February 9, 2026—three months after Mr. Gabehart exercised his rights under Section 6, nearly three months after JGR began withholding his wages, and after the forensic examination confirmed no misappropriation. Defendants are entitled to explore the circumstances of this belated termination decision, including what JGR knew and when.”
Gabehart’s legal team writes that if JGR is entitled to expedited discovery from Gabehart, than the inverse is also true.
Spire’s legal team made a similar argument in their own filing:
“If, however, this Court concludes that ‘good cause’ exists to warrant expedited discovery in this case, Defendant respectfully requests discovery be reciprocal in nature and limited to non-privileged documents that bear on the narrow, central issue related to JGR’s pending preliminary injunction motion: whether the 18-Month Non-Compete Provision in Gabehart’s employment contract was applicable at the time Spire hired Gabehart. Instead of the broad discovery JGR seeks, the Court should order limited, targeted discovery concerning the circumstances under which Mr. Gabehart’s employment with JGR ended in November 2025, including internal JGR communications reflecting how JGR interpreted and responded to the November 6 notice and how it decided to stop paying Mr. Gabehart.”
The two sides will once again meet in court, before Judge Rodriguez, in Charlotte, North Carolina on Monday morning to expound on the arguments made in their legal filings over the past week.
Jamie Carragher says Chelsea cannot go any further until they sort out one position
Football pundit Jamie Carragher says Chelsea cannot go any further until they sort out the goalkeeper position.
It was another night of watching Chelsea calamity at the back last night as they were beaten 5-2 against PSG in the Champions League.
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It was a tough one to take for Chelsea fans, because their team were very much in the game for the most part of it, but ended up losing simply down to errors at the back, mostly from goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
It was never going to be an easy game away at PSG, but Chelsea destroyed them in the summer to win the Club World Cup, and until around 75 minutes, they were well and truly in this game at 2-2.
Carragher believes Chelsea were playing well until the mistakes from Jorgensen, and believes they need to address the position urgently.
Carragher reacts
Filip Jorgensen in action for Chelsea. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
In comments picked up on X last night, Carragher said:
“They [Chelsea] can’t go any further until they sort the goalkeeping position out… Tactically they were fantastic tonight. They were let down by mistakes.”
I’m not sure you can say ‘fantastic’ as such, but yes, we were in the game for 75 minutes and went toe-to-toe with PSG once again. We could have scored more goals and certainly played well in chunks of the game.
In other news…
Liam Roseniorrefused to take the blamefor using Jorgensen saying that “players make mistakes.” It’s true, but we could have told you who was going to make this mistake if you picked him today.
Rosenior has also noted his own failings in the game to some degree in terms of game management. He looked a little like a rabbit in the spotlightat times yesterday evening.
Check out the latest edition of Simon Phillips’ SPTC podcast here:
A do-everything performance from Lamine Camara sees him named MVP against PSG
Impressive in his defensive duties, notably recovering 13 balls, and coming close to scoring one of the goals of the season, the Senegalese midfielder was overwhelmingly voted MVP of the great victory on PSG's pitch.
He was once again everywhere at once. In line with his recent performances, as in the Champions League playoffs against PSG, Lamine Camara was once again impressive against the same opponent, allowing the Rouge et Blancto win at the Parc des Princes (1-3). It was also a performance applauded by the fans on the AS Monaco App who awarded him the title of MVP.
A far-reaching display 🐙
It was a well-deserved title, as the Monaco midfielder shone brightly in the middle of the park and dominated Paris Saint-Germain’s, winning 10 out of 14 duels, making two successful tackles, and intercepting three passes. These already impressive figures were further enhanced by a staggering 13 ball recoveries, the most in the match. He was in full attacking mode, and also came close to scoring the goal of the season.
Lamine is having a very good season. He trains very well, and it shows in his weekend matches. He's an ambitious, focused, and very professional player with enormous potential and still a lot of room for improvement, both defensively and offensively. He has all the qualities to become a very important player for the future of the club.
An incredible solo run 🏃♂️
Just as the capital club had narrowed the gap, the reigning AFCON champions seized the ball again at the edge of their penalty area, before embarking on a 70-meter run that culminated in a shot that Matvei Safonov deflected with difficulty for a corner (72′). Camara himself took the resulting corner, which led to the third goal from Folarin Balogun (1-3, 73′).
A second MVP of the season 🏆
Having been instrumental in the decisive goal, the number 15 for Monaco also touched the ball 72 times – the highest total for the club – completed six passes in the final third, delivered four crosses, and drew five fouls – another record. This outstanding performance earned him the MVP award for the second time this season, with 76% of the vote, ahead of Maghnes Akliouche, who opened the scoring, and Balo’.
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) laughs as he and former teammate New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) talk after the Jazz lost to the Knicks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Jordan Clarkson needs no introduction at the Delta Center.
He is likely to go down as one of the two coolest Utah Jazz players of all time (there might be some fighting about who is cooler — Clarkson or Boris Diaw).
He is the only Jazz player to have ever won Sixth Man of the Year honors, the trade to acquire him marked a shift in the Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert era, when the team was really fighting at the top of the NBA, and he endeared himself to Jazz fans swiftly, with good vibes and all love.
He doesn’t need an introduction, but it didn’t stop the team from giving him one of the more heartfelt tributes in his first game back after joining the New York Knicks roster over the summer.
from countless memories, buckets, 𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙣 moments and the endless love showed to UT🖤H, you'll always have our love and respect 🫡
And isn’t it just perfect that on Wednesday night, when the Knicks were flailing and in need of some sort of a spark off the bench, Clarkson was the one to deliver?
He scored 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting, sparking a second-half run for the Knicks in a 134-117 come-from-behind victory over the Jazz. The crowd, which was a surprisingly equal mix of Knicks fans and Jazz fans, was one when Clarkson had the ball and on every point he scored.
Though he’s appreciative of his opportunity in New York, to play for a team that’s contending, Utah, the Jazz and the fans will always hold a special place in his heart.
“They mean a lot, a lot of love,” Clarkson said. “Feel like the whole city is a fan of the Jazz, even the whole state. I feel it even while I’m in New York. Hopefully we’ll see a bunch of double-00 jerseys in here. Just express the love of being back here and being back home.”
And he’s not exaggerating when he calls it home. Clarkson still owns his house in Utah, still has a ton of relationships, came back to Utah before his season with the Knicks started and made of point of saying that he spent half of his 12-year career in a Jazz jersey.
While the Sixth Man award and the Jazz’s league-leading 2021-22 season were career highlights for Clarkson, he appreciated being the lone holdover from the previous era when the Jazz started rebuilding.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) looks to pass with Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) defending as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz forward Andersson Garcia (0) knocks the ball away from New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) under the basket as Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz forward Andersson Garcia (0) drives with the ball as New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) flies past as Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) walk on the court as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) is guarded by New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) holds his position after shooting a three point shot over Utah Jazz guard Elijah Harkless (16) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) tries to draw a call on Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
New York Knicks forward Jeremy Sochan (20) ducks under the defence of Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) grabs at his hamstring after trying to defend New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) on a breakaway as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) and Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talk at the scorers table as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) and Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) battle for the rebound as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) points, trying to influence the official as Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) fouls former Jazzmanm New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) knocks down a three point shot over Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) takes the ball back up around Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (8) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) yells after making a shot as the Utah Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) pushes up a shot as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) knocks the ball away from Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) laughs as he and former teammate New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) talk after the Jazz lost to the Knicks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) pushes up a shot as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz guard Elijah Harkless (16) celebrates after making a shot as the Jazz and New York Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) battles Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy and former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) hug after the game as the Jazz fall to the New York Knicks at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) guards Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) walks back onto the court after a timeout as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz forward Andersson Garcia (0) tries to knock the ball away from New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) pulls up and shoots a three point shot over Utah Jazz guard Elijah Harkless (16) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) just misses a steal on Utah Jazz guard Elijah Harkless (16) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) and New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek (13) shake hands in the final moments of the game as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) grabs a rebound between New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) and New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) works against
New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) celebrates with teammate New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) after shooting a three point shot over Utah Jazz guard Elijah Harkless (16) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) grabs at his hamstring and heads directly into the locker room after trying to defend New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) on a breakaway as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
After draining a three point shot, Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) celebrates with teammate Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
After draining a three point shot, Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) gestures back toward the bench as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz forward Andersson Garcia (0) knocks the ball away from New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
New York Knicks forward Mohamed Diawara (51) and Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love (42) grapple for the ball as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) looks around the court as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) takes the ball to the hoop as former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) looks on as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) celeberates hitting a three point shot as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) guards Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz center Oscar Tshiebwe (34) guards former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) looks for help as he is guarded by New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) as the Jazz and Knicks play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
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Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
“My time here has just been great, period,” he said. “Even when we went through tough seasons the last two, three years — it’s all been great. It’s all been a highlight for me ... it’s all love."
Clarkson found value in learning to be a veteran mentor and redefining the kind of player he could be.
He also enjoyed helping head coach Will Hardy learn the ropes and find his footing in his first years at the helm of an NBA team. And without really knowing it, he gave Hardy much-needed perspective.
“He had such a big impact on me coming in as a first-time head coach,” Hardy said. “He taught me about when to let go of control, and that our players in this league are so talented and gifted, and there are moments as a coach where your responsibility is to help them and to guide them, and then there’s also moments where your responsibility is to get out of their way.
“I feel like I spent a lot of my time trying to get out of Jordan’s way, because he has unbelievable instincts. But you know, as JC is, sometimes he sees it a little bit differently than everybody else. I had so much fun coaching him.”
There are a number of players in Jazz history that have better stats, or that had bigger impacts on the trajectory of the team. There’s a long list of Utah Jazz greats that you would have to get through before landing on Clarkson’s name. But he is, without a doubt, one of the coolest and one of the most beloved players that this team has ever had.
And on Wednesday night, he held back his emotions during the tribute video, then came alive to put on another show for Jazz fans, and remind them of why they love him.
Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) congratulates Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) following Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Travis Kelce took his time shutting down the retirement talk, but once the decision was made, the veteran tight end made it clear the fire to compete never really left.
After weeks of speculation, the future Hall of Famer confirmed he would return to the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2026 season on a one-year deal reportedly worth up to $15 million. And while the announcement excited fans in Kansas City, it also drew praise from around the league, including from Jalen Hurts.
Hurts, who has faced Kelce in some of the NFL’s biggest matchups in recent years, had nothing but respect for the veteran tight end choosing to keep playing. “He is a great player,” Hurts said when asked about Kelce returning for another season.
For the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, the decision ultimately came down to passion, something he believes should always be encouraged in professional sports.
“He has a love of the game,”Hurts explained.“Anything you are passionate about, I am all for him living out his dream.”
Hurts added that Kelce’s competitiveness is still evident even deep into his career.
“You still have that fire in his heart to compete,” Hurts said. “They’ve got a great team. They’ve done great things over the years. A lot of respect for them and the organization.”
Interestingly, Kelce later revealed the decision to continue playing wasn’t something he arrived at during the offseason. Speaking on the New Heights podcast, the 36-year-old said he actually made up his mind midway through the 2025 season.
“About midway through the season,” Kelce said when asked when he knew he would return. However, he deliberately waited before making the news public because he didn’t want emotions to drive the decision.
“I was taking Jason Kelce’s advice,” Kelce explained. “You gotta let the emotions clear and you gotta have a clear head. I’ve made decisions based off emotions, and they haven’t always played out the right way.” Once the dust settled, he realized the competitive hunger was still there.
“It still felt like I was hungry enough to get back at it,” Kelce said. “I hated the way that s
** ended last year and I wanna make it right.”*
Kelce will return to an offense still led by Patrick Mahomes, his longtime quarterback and one of the biggest reasons he chose to stay in Kansas City. Despite entering his 14th NFL season, Kelce continues to produce at a high level. In 2025, he recorded 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns while once again leading the Chiefs in receiving.
His consistency has also placed him among the greatest tight ends in NFL history. Kelce recently surpassed 13,000 career receiving yards, reaching the milestone faster than legends like Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten.
🚨Official: Carlos Vela joins LAFC’s ownership group
Through their social media, Los Angeles FC confirmed that Carlos Vela, a former player of the team, will join the club of owners.
"LAFC has been more than a club for me, it's my home. From day one, we set out to build something special for Los Angeles, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together. Becoming an owner is an honor and a responsibility that I take very seriously. I am excited to continue supporting the club, our players, and our fans as we keep building towards the future," mentioned Vela.
During six seasons with the Black & Gold, Carlos established himself as one of the most decorated footballers in history. In addition to establishing himself as the MLS MVP after scoring a league record of 34 goals in one of the best individual campaigns in the history of the competition.
"Carlos's impact on LAFC goes far beyond goals and trophies. Simply put, this club would not be what it is today without him. He helped shape our identity, our style of play, and our connection with the city from the beginning," said co-president John Thorrington.
The Mexican will be presented on March 14th, at a press conference to be held at 8:00 PM Central Mexico time at the BMO Stadium.
ELIDA - Junior Tyson Bailey had his best game in a Margaretta uniform.
On offense and defense on a huge stage. Bailey scored a game and career-high 22 points and he had to guard Walt Plantz as the Polar Bears defeated Genoa 70-58 in a Division V regional semifinal.
"Tyson played amazing on both ends," Margaretta coach Steve Keller said. "He was ready to go and it showed. I'm thankful and blessed to coach guys like that. (He had his best game) on both ends."
Keller would have been ecstatic with Bailey's game had he only got the contribution on offense or defense. Bailey gave him both.
Margaretta plays the winner between Gahanna Columbus Academy and Columbus Africentric at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 14 at Ohio Dominican for a regional crown.
Bailey dropped in a bucket as the Polar Bears took the lead for good at 17-15. He had a putback and jumper for consecutive baskets and an eight-point lead as Margaretta led 42-32 after three quarters.
"I want to rise to the occasion every week," Bailey said. "When the stage comes, I'm ready. It was a great team win. We'll keep moving forward."
Plantz and Ryan Routson led the Comets with 14 points apiece. Plantz, who was player of the year in the Northern Buckeye Conference, had six points in the first half and made 4 of 11 shots.
"Obviously, they'e a good team," Bailey said. "It was a tough game. Guarding Walt is a tough job. I had to be physical and push him away from the basket. I was at a big disadvantage, him being tall. I'm getting used to it."
Bailey is 6-foot-2 and Plantz is 6-8.
"Tyson's battled his whole career," Keller said. "He plays so much bigger than he is."
Bailey averages 7.7 points this season and made 63% of his shots inside the arc. He's more confident and he made 10 of 13 shots against Genoa.
"A lot of these guys, it takes a while to get football our of their system," Keller said. "He came into his own as the season progressed and that benefitted us."
Julian Washington scored 18 points and Kale Bailey added 15 for the Polar Bears.
Despite the circumstances, Routson made it a point to thank Genoa fans.
"Since last year, even sophomore year, they're a good team," he said. "We've never been scared of them. They made shots down the stretch. This community showed out for four years and has been here for us and we appreciate them."
Margaretta beat Genoa in a district final the last two years.
"We have tremendous respect for them," Keller said. "That's a very good team. We were fortunate to make plays when we needed in the tournament the last three years."
After three straight trips to regional, the Polar Bears wish to extend their run this season.
"We're hungry," Bailey said. "We want to play for a state title."
The Cleveland Browns were active in the market for offensive line help, but ultimately came up short on one big-name target as free agency got going around the league.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the New England Patriots came to an agreement with former New York Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker on a free-agent deal. She added that Cleveland had interest.
“Good morning. Lots of moves overnight, including the Patriots agreeing to a three-year, $42 million deal that can be worth up to $48 million with former Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, per sources,” Russini wrote.
“The New York Giants and the Cleveland Browns were also aggressively in the mix,” Russini added.
For Cleveland, missing out on Vera-Tucker means the team may need to continue exploring other options to strengthen its offensive line. Protecting the quarterback and improving the run game has to be at the top of the list during the offseason.
The Browns' line was nowhere near good enough at times last season.
While they didn’t land one target, their reported interest shows the front office was actively trying to address a key area of need, which is a good thing.
Quarterback and receiver chemistry often plays an important role in determining how successful an offense can be. That dynamic will be something to watch closely for the Buffalo Bills after acquiring wide receiver DJ Moore in a trade with the Chicago Bears.
With Moore now joining quarterback Josh Allen, one former NFL quarterback believes the duo might not be as good as it seems on paper.
J.T. O’Sullivan recently spoke about how Allen’s play style might require Moore to adapt.
“We kind of saw this a little bit in Chicago with Caleb (Caleb Williams) — Josh has the capacity to extend and create, and when you extend and create, you have to keep playing. You can’t quit on routes,” O’Sullivan said.
“You have to play through the whistle. You’ve got to extend. You’ve got to have a feel down the field,” O’Sullivan continued.
He added that playing through the whistle hasn’t always been considered a major strength in Moore’s game.
“And that just hasn’t proven to be something that as a strength for DJ Moore. That doesn’t mean he can’t develop it. Maybe they just practice scramble drill every day in Buffalo. I doubt it. I think we’re going to see Josh probably get a little frustrated with a guy who maybe doesn’t give full effort all the time.”
Now that Moore is officially in Buffalo, how quickly he adjusts to Allen’s style could become an important storyline for the Bills’ offense.
Emotions ran high during the game between the Toronto Raptors and the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on Wednesday.
It was Brandon Ingram’s first return to New Orleans, where he spent six seasons, since being traded to Toronto last season. The Pelicans played a video tribute for the veteran forward in the first quarter.
But in the fourth quarter, the vibe turned tense after Dejounte Murray sank a three-pointer against Jamal Shead. Afterward, Murray stood over Shead, who was on the floor, and screamed at him. Immanuel Quickley stepped in and argued with Murray, who was whistled for a technical foul.
“I don’t give it too much over there. Guys are competitive. It was probably over the board, what he did there. I got to see it on film. But I don’t want to make anything more than it is,” said Rajakovic in the video posted by Raptors reporter Omer Osman.
Darko on the Jamal Shead – Dejounte Murray incident:
“I don’t give it too much over there. Guys are competitive.”
Perhaps at the prodding of Rajakovic, Shead hounded Murray on defense all evening, and the latter probably wanted to let out steam after his three-pointer.
Murray finished with 27 points, five rebounds, six assists, and two steals, as he continues to play well since returning from an Achilles injury that kept him sidelined for over a year.
Shead, meanwhile, had nine points and three assists in 20 minutes off the bench.
Quickley led the Raptors with 25 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
They fell to 36-29 and will host the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
Feb 7, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) controls the ball during the second half against the BYU Cougars at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images | Aaron Baker-Imagn Images
It’s just three games, but BYU is playing its best post-Richie Saunders injury. Just 12 days after losing at West Virginia, BYU controlled the game wire-to-wire versus WVU in a 68-48 victory. The competition steps up significantly as BYU matches up with Houston, who is well rested while BYU will play its third game in three days.
The game tips off Thursday at 6:00 CT on ESPN2.
BYU and Houston by the Numbers
Houston KenPom: 6
NET ranking: 7
Record: 26-5 (14-4 Big 12)
Best Wins: Auburn (N), Arkansas (N), Cincinnati (A/H), Texas Tech (H), Baylor (A/H), West Virginia (H), ASU (H), TCU (A), UCF (H), BYU (A), Utah (A), Kansas State (H), Colorado (H), Oklahoma State (A)
Kansas State and West Virginia are both bottom two in KenPom offensive efficiency, and Houston is #1 in the Big 12. Houston is middle of the pack in shooting, but control the turnover battle. They have the lowest turnover rate in the Big 12 and are second in defensive turnover percentage.
Houston won the first game in Provo 77-66 back on February 7. AJ Dybantsa had 28 points and Rob Wright had 17, but Richie Saunders shot just 1-8 and no one else stepped up. BYU led 52-50 with about 12 minutes to go before Houston pulled away.
BYU did some things good that matchup; they had just 6 turnovers, held Houston to 7-20 shooting from three, and had 14 offensive rebounds compared to 13 from Houston. Two things really sank BYU — BYU shot just 16-28 (57%) from the foul line and Houston came up with key offensive rebounds down the stretch to ice the game away. Kingston Flemings had 19 points and fellow freshman Chris Cenac scored 16 and was a mismatch for BYU as a 6-foot-11 faceup four. Khadim Mboup had just 2 rebounds in 16 minutes, Dominique Diomande played 1 minute, Kennard Davis scored 5 points, and Alexsej Kostic had 0 points in 9 minutes.
Kingston Flemings and Emanuel Sharp made All-Big 12 First Team while Sharp and starting center Joseph Tugler made All-Defensive Team.
Prediction
BYU probably needs to do at least three of these four things well to have a chance to win: 1) Get to the foul line and make free throws (Houston fouls more than any team in the Big 12), 2) keep the turnover count close, 3) keep the rebound battle even, and 4) AJ Dybantsa needs to consistently score in isolation situations to limit Houston turnovers and traps.
The first game BYU did 2 and 4 well, but didn’t make foul shots and weren’t good enough on the glass in key moments.
A factor will be rest versus rust. BYU is playing its third game in three days while Houston is playing its first game of the tournament. This BYU team is also different than the last time these teams played a month ago. Richie Saunders isn’t around for BYU, but Khadim Mboup, Dominique Diomande, and Alexsej Kostic have bigger roles. The first two are especially notable since they give BYU more length and athleticism than they did before Richie got hurt.
A win for BYU would in all likelihood secure a 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament and put BYU in the conversation for a 5 seed. It would also continue AJ Dybantsa’s March moment as he looks to put his stamp on college basketball in his lone season.
While BYU has shown great effort defensively these last three games, I think Houston is the better team and will be able to wear BYU down in the second half.
The Cleveland Browns should be exploring ways to upgrade their offense as the offseason gets going. With many teams around the league searching for elite playmakers, the wide receiver market has become an area where it makes sense to win.
According to Tony Grossi, Cleveland might already be actively pursuing an option.
Grossi reported that the Browns are pursuing a trade to acquire wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. from the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“(GM Andrew Berry) also is pursuing a trade for Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who is drawing interest from multiple teams, per reports,” Grossi wrote.
Thomas getting traded doesn’t seem very likely, but it’s impossible to never say never in this league. If the Jaguars were to get a decent return, it wouldn’t be shocking to see something happen.
Acquiring a receiver with Thomas’ skill set would provide a major addition to the offense. The Browns have been searching for playmaking from their receiving group, and adding an elite playmaker would change a lot.
However, the fact that multiple teams are reportedly interested means it’ll be tough, if the Jaguars even decide to trade him. If the Jaguars seriously consider moving Thomas, Cleveland would likely need to compete with other suitors to land the talented young receiver.
IRONI KIRYAT SHMONA head coach Shay Barda and his displaced squad resumed training in Shefayim while preparing for the Israeli league’s restart amid the ongoing conflict. (photo credit: Assaf Hoffman/Israel Sport)
Kiryat Shmona, which sits on the northern border just a stone’s throw from Lebanon, has suffered from almost nonstop rocket and drone attacks, forcing many of its residents to evacuate the city.
As the Israeli soccer league tried to return to some sort of normalcy, with teams beginning to train once again since the outbreak of the war with Iran, one club has no doubt suffered the most over the past few years. That team is Ironi Kiryat Shmona, which has been nomadic ever since the October 7 massacre by Hamas and the subsequent entry of Hezbollah into the conflict.
Kiryat Shmona, which sits on the northern border just a stone’s throw from Lebanon, has suffered from almost nonstop rocket and drone attacks, forcing many of its residents to evacuate the city during the ongoing conflict. While the citizens of the city returned a number of months ago when a ceasefire agreement was reached, that unfortunately came to a loud and booming end when Israel and the United States launched preemptive strikes on the Islamic Republic at the end of February.
Shay Barda’s squad, which has been playing in Netanya ever since the fall of 2023, has been unable to return to playing in the northern town due to damage to the pastoral municipal stadium. While many of the players and staff had lived in Kiryat Shmona over the past few months, they have now had to move back to the center of the country in order to begin preparations and train properly for the restart of the season. The league is provisionally slated to begin again for the weekend of March 21, or perhaps even a few days earlier, pending the Home Front Command’s directives.
The club’s foreigners are on their way back to the Holy Land, while some remained in the country even after the outbreak of the war, as Barda begins in earnest to get the team back up and running as best as possible during these trying times.
“I’ve been here for three years and unfortunately we’ve become refugees in our own country again,” Barda began just before the start of the training session that was taking place at the Israel National Team Headquarters in Shefayim.
The Israeli Premier League match between Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Shmona at the Turner Stadium in Be'er Sheva on January 24, 2026. (credit: Danny Maron/Flash90)
“I live in the center of the country, but until now, I was always in the north, and there is a significant difference. In the center you have a window of time between six and eight minutes to reach a protected space; in Kiryat Shmona, it’s just 15 seconds. Just when we managed to lift our heads up and dream about returning to Kiryat Shmona, unfortunately it’s not happening, but again – exactly like I said three years ago – there is a very strong staff here doing amazing work.”
A soccer club with resilience
“The club has resilience,” Barda continued. “Moving the team here is a whole operation, and I don’t know how we’ll manage because there are players who live in the north and are experiencing the sirens. Just like we’ve done over the past three years, we have no right to make excuses. Just as we achieved our goals in the past two years, I’m sure we’ll achieve them this year as well.”
One of the team’s senior players, Yair Mordechai, who was born in Kiryat Shmona and whose family still lives in the city, shared his thoughts on the difficult situation.
“The feelings are unpleasant. We felt that the date of returning to our home stadium was approaching, but now we were once again forced to move our base to Shefayim. It’s disappointing that it didn’t happen, but this is the situation in the country, and we have no right to complain when our soldiers are fighting in Lebanon.”
The winger continued about how the team will be able to reach its goals as it faces major difficulties that other clubs are not dealing with.
“I don’t think it should make things harder for us for the rest of the season. We lived like this for two full years. One year we were promoted from the Leumit League and the year after we had a good season in the Premier League. This is the situation; we’ll deal with it and meet our goals.”
Barda knows that both the state and the Israel Football Association and League Administration will do their utmost to help Kiryat Shmona make it through this challenging situation.
“We must say more than just a good word to the Football Association, to chairman Shino Zuaretz, and to the league administration whenever this situation happens. This is the mutual responsibility that exists in the nation. I assume there are people handling this, including the Ministry of Sports, and I hope it will truly be resolved. You have to understand, the operation starts with equipment managers and people who live in Kiryat Shmona and have to travel very early and make the entire trip back. This is far from an ideal situation. I’m a football coach, but I know the management is working on it, and I hope there will be a solution.”
Barda also spoke about his expectations and how he sees his team being able to play its best.
“I said it two years ago as well, this is the situation we found ourselves in. Three years ago it was after October 7 that we evacuated our homes and we managed to win promotion with many difficulties. Last season we had a good year even when we trained here. Whether our facility was good enough or not, in the end it was home and now we’ve been taken away from that again.”
“We are not making excuses,” Barda added. “We need to know how to make the people who are sitting at home and who are being attacked with rockets happy. If I showed you the videos from the people of Kiryat Shmona and what they experience every day, it’s simply sad.”
Mordechai, who is from the city, shared more insight into what it’s like to live in Kiryat Shmona right now.
“For me personally it’s especially difficult because my family is still there. My parents have had some very tough nights where it was impossible to sleep; every second there were rockets and sirens. A siren caught me off guard last week at the stadium while I was working out. First you hear a boom and then there’s a siren. It’s not like in the center of the country where you get a warning and you have time to enter a safe room. In Kiryat Shmona it’s more dangerous and that’s why we can’t return there as a team. I hope this ends as soon as possible.”
The head coach also spoke about what it’s like in Kiryat Shmona.
“Seeing the rockets landing above the homes and the heads of the club’s people is very tough. It’s 15 seconds from the siren with no warning. But the real difficulty is for our soldiers. I want to take this opportunity to say I’m proud to be Israeli and to be a part of this country with our incredible army. Hopefully, it will end once and for all. Am Yisrael Chai.”
See more Israeli sports coverage at www.sportsrabbi.com/en
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 01, 2026: Germán Márquez #33 of the San Diego Padres throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training game against the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on March 01, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The San Diego Padres entered the 2026 season knowing they would have to address needs in the starting rotation, but with a limited budget, doing so through free agency proved to be difficult. San Diego re-signed Michael King, who could easily be considered the ace of the staff and that was the one “big signing” that was made to address the rotation. At the very least, King would be considered a co-ace with Nick Pivetta, who finished sixth in Cy Young voting following the 2025 season.
The return of Joe Musgrove gave the Padres a solid top of the rotation, and if Randy Vasquez could continue to improve throughout Spring Training and into the season, the top four spots in the rotation would be set. San Diego would need to address the fifth starter in the rotation and general manager A.J. Preller attempted to do so by bringing in several veteran pitchers on minor league deals to compete with JP Sears, Matt Waldron and potentially Kyle Hart, who were already on the roster. Hart has been used more as a long-relief bullpen arm and seems to be out of starter consideration.
Preller signed German Marquez to a major league deal and Walker Buehler, Marco Gonzales and Triston McKenzie to minor league deals. They all came to Spring Training with a chance to win a spot in the rotation. Each pitcher has had positives and negatives this spring, but only McKenzie seems to have played himself out of consideration due to control issues. The right-hander has good stuff and a high-velocity fastball, but his ability to command his pitches could be what keeps him off the roster.
Marquez seems to have the liveliest arm in the group of rotation contenders, but he has not been able to stand out from the group and take control of the competition. Buehler, who was previously known as a fastball pitcher, is re-inventing himself and becoming more of a “pitcher,” relying on movement to keep hitters off balance. Gonzales has had a spring similar to Marquez. He has not been bad, but he has not done anything to separate himself from his competitors.
Sears continues to have trouble with the home run ball. He has been a flyball pitcher for his career, but the problem he runs into is that too many of those flyballs land beyond the outfield wall in the stands.
With Opening Day approaching March 26, Preller, manager Craig Stammen and pitching coach Ruben Niebla will have to decide who will make the roster and fill the final rotation spot. With news in recent days of Pivetta missing a start due to arm fatigue and Musgrove’s return to the mound after one spring start in question, perhaps multiple candidates will make the Padres roster.
For this week’s Padres Reacts Survey, Gaslamp Ball asks readers which candidate they think will win the fifth and final spot in the rotation. For this exercise, let’s assume King, Pivetta, Musgrove and Vasquez are all healthy and on the Opening Day roster. Results will be published later in the week.
FREIBURG IM BREISGAU, GERMANY - MARCH 7: Alejandro Grimaldo of Bayer Leverkusen reacts during the Bundesliga match between SC Freiburg and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Europa-Park Stadion on March 7, 2026 in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany. (Photo by Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Alejandro Grimaldo generally played pretty well in Bayer Leverkusen’s most recent Bundesliga game against SC Freiburg, even scoring Die Werkself‘s second goal on the night in a 3-3 draw. But he will not be putting in such a performance on the next matchday against Bayern Munich. In the 51st minute of the match against Die Breisgrau, Grimaldo attempted to turn with the ball in midfield but took a heavy touch that allowed a Freiburg player to steal in. Grimaldo then attempted to win the ball back but his effort to do so was clumsy and very late, resulting in the Spaniard being shown a yellow card by the referee. Grimaldo was visibly disgusted by the decision, throwing up a hand in disgust and grinning sardonically.
That yellow card was his fifth of the Bundesliga season, resulting in a one match ban which will rule him out of Leverkusen’s upcoming match against Bayern in the Bundesliga. Asked about the yellow card, Grimaldo said it was all about anger.
“I was angry because I didn’t understand why the referee showed me the yellow card,” he explained, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “These referees are really bad. I’ll try to support my team from the sidelines against Bayern.”
Grimaldo has developed even further this season and has become arguably the most important player of a Leverkusen side that were shorn of many their best players in the 2025 summer transfer window. He will be a big loss to the team when they host Bayern, looking to do better than their disappointing performance versus the Bavarians in the Hinrunde.
The quarterback situation for the Cleveland Browns remains one of the biggest questions in the NFL, something that’s sadly been said for too long. With many options at the position, Cleveland could even look to land others if needed.
Dillon Gabriel’s future seems to be the most questionable, despite being drafted in the third round just last season.
According to Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns could even look to trade Gabriel if they decide to bring in another quarterback.
“If they bring in another guy, then I think they would be open to trading Dillon Gabriel,” Cabot said. “So, I think that's something to watch for over the next week.”
Gabriel has had chances to show what he can do in Cleveland’s system, starting in multiple games. However, the team’s plans at quarterback remain in question, and another addition to the room could shift the situation even more.
Cabot suggested that if the Browns receive a reasonable return, they could consider moving on.
“If they can get something for Dillon, maybe they've seen enough of him,” she said. “And, maybe Todd Monken has seen enough of him.”
The Browns will have multiple options to land a quarterback now and in the future. Depending on what they’d be willing to give up or if there’s an option they like in the draft, the Browns could move on from Gabriel if something happens.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Portland Trail Blazers traded the court for the game room, hanging out with kids at the Boys & Girls Club in northeast Portland.
Cheers and laughter filled the center as players joined in a little friendly competition.
“So just being able to come out here and make these kids smile, and give them something to remember for the rest of their lives, it means a lot to all of us,” said Blazers center Donovan Clingan.
From a cookie challenge to balloon games, players like Clingan spent time simply hanging out.
It’s a big deal since organizers say many of the kids at the club face challenges like housing instability, food insecurity, and even mental health struggles.
“It’s almost kind of a magical moment because they get a chance to interact with the players that they look up to,” said Terry Johnson, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro Area.
Johnson said the club provides free after-school programs for kids 6 to 18.
But this club is the only one in the country named after an NBA team, giving it a unique opportunity for kids.
“It gives them a sense of hope, and it’s really something special and good,” Johnson said.
The club’s roots go back to 1996, when former Trail Blazers Terry Porter and the late Jerome Kersey had a vision to create a safe place for kids.
Thirty years later, that dream is thriving.
“That’s what our programming is all about, is creating spaces for kids to dream, to have access and exposure to different opportunities that they wouldn’t have otherwise,” Johnson said.
The students come to learn and practice the skills they use in school, but they’re also here to just be kids.
The professional athletes had no problem joining in.
Sports are a core goal at the Boys & Girls Club.
Kids have fun with the Blazers while learning teamwork, confidence, and skills for life.
KOIN 6 is a proud partner of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Portland Metropolitan Area.
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HOUSTON — Vinnie Pasquantino, walking though the corridor with a half-empty can of beer Wednesday night, lifted up his blue suit jacket, smelled it, and wrinkled his nose.
He has worn the same suit every day, to day games and night games, with Team Italy at Daikin Park, maintaining the tradition Italy manager Francisco Cervelli established for his team in this World Baseball Classic.
But Pasquantino may have made a serious wardrobe miscalculation.
Team Italy, which was supposed to be dismissed from the World Baseball Classic after four games in pool play, is sticking around for awhile, and perhaps may have another flight to catch. It pulled off a second consecutive stunning upset Wednesday, 9-1, over Mexico.
The team that was supposed to be an afterthought, suddenly is on everyone’s forefront, sweeping all four games in the WBC to win Pool B and be a No. 1 seed for the first time in Italy history. It will play Puerto Rico on Saturday afternoon at Daikin Park for the right to play in the semifinals in Miami.
“There’s another team in the world that can play baseball,’’ Cervelli proudly said.
And there’s another slugger in the world who can hit three home runs in a single game, becoming the first player to achieve the feat in World Baseball Classic history.
So, is there a nickname Pasquantino wants after his feat, considering Reggie Jackson earned his monicker after hitting three homers in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series for the Yankees?
“Mr. March,’’ he said, laughing.
“It’s just a good night. That's it. This will be forgotten very soon. But you know, anytime you can just say Reggie Jackson's name to me is cool.’’
When was the last time Pasquantino, the Kansas City Royals first baseman, hit three homers in a game?
“I've never done it before,’’ he said.
College?
“No.’’
High School?
“No.’’
Little League?
“Never.’’
And never had the Hall of Fame ever reached out and requested anything from him to be displayed in Cooperstown.
Then, again, he might become the first one to flatly turn them down. Well, at least delay them a bit.
“They liked the bat,’’ Pasquantino said. “I said, 'I need the bat for a few more days.’’
When you go hitless in the first three games of the WBC, and get so desperate that you actually attempt a bunt in your first at-bat Wednesday, you’re sure not going to hand over the bat that made you an overnight WBC legend.
“Just nice to be involved and help the team offensively,’’ Pasquantino said. “It's no secret how I'd been doing prior. So, you know, we worked really hard to try to get right, and tonight was a good night.’’
Pasquantino’s struggles were so pronounced that simply laying off a 2-and-2 slider in the eighth inning, instead of chasing a slider that was low, was his proudest moment of the night. He hit the next pitch 337 feet over the right-field fence.
“I had been chasing quite a bit to the point that, you know, I wanted to just cry,’’ said Pasquantino. “Just like, 'Hey, stop chasing balls. Just take balls.' And I took that pitch. And I think I was about as happy as I could be.’’
Pasquantino, their leader who orchestrated the espresso shots after homers, parading in the dugout with an Armani jacket and passing out celebratory bottles of wine after victories, refused to let his struggles carry over into the clubhouse. His teammates will tell you he was the same guy, clowning around, keeping everyone loose.
“He's been the happiest player on the team,’’ Italy second baseman Jon Berti said. “Trust me.’’
Yet, Pasquantino's struggles were burning inside, and only Italy’s victories kept his sanity.
“Francisco and I had talked about it, and I said, 'Skip, if you need to drop me in order, do it because I understand,’’’ Pasquantino said. “It's been bad. But I felt like I was still competing and giving it my best. (USA pitcher) Nolan McLean made me look like I'd never hit a baseball before last night.
“So, I'm glad we were able to do something productive tonight.’’
Yes, for the first time in the WBC, he actually got to keep a bottle of the fine wine for himself. He also presented one to Marco Mazzieri, the Italian Baseball Federation president, for making this all possible.
“I'm like weirdly emotional tonight,’’ Pasquantino said, “to the point I'm thinking about crying. Which is funny for a tournament in March.’’
Pasquantino thinks about the players on the team who risked losing their jobs in spring training to come play for Italy. He thinks about the guys who may wind up in the minor leagues instead of the big leagues because of the time away from their team. He thinks about players like White Sox catcher Kyle Teel, who will be out four to six weeks with a strained hamstring after stretching a single into a double against the USA.
And he gets emotional about playing for Cervelli, GM Ned Colletti, Mazzieri and Yankees great Jorge Posada.
“I'm so thankful for those guys for allowing me to be myself,’’ Pasquantino said, “and to lead this team the way that I've kind of seen from a player perspective. They have to do what they need to do from a leadership side, from a coaching staff. But to kind of give me the reins to say, 'All right, this is your team, what do you want it to look like?’
“It doesn't mean that I'm making decisions or anything, but it just means, like, what can we do to get the best out of every player? And honestly, like the 'C' on my chest, which we argued about if I was going to wear or not, that's what that means to me. It wouldn't matter. What matters is trying to get the best out of my teammates, and they've given me the freedom to try to do that, whether it's taking mound visits or talking to the group.’’
Cervelli, who was mentored by Hall of Famer Joe Torre, and brings the great Yankees tradition to the team, knows the value of leadership, being around Derek Jeter, CC Sabathia and Posada during his playing days.
Pasquantino may not have the Hall of Fame resume, but those leadership qualities, they are all there.
“I think leaders, they're born like that,’’ Cervelli said. “This guy, everybody follows him. He respects everyone. He can be loud sometimes when he needs to. He doesn't talk that much. Everybody follows him.
“That's a leader. He put himself before everyone to protect everyone, not because it's Vinnie, that's what a captain is. This is amazing to have. It's a pleasure for me to have a player like that because it makes my job very easy.’’
It was Pasquantino’s leadership that prevented Italy from having an emotional letdown after beating the USA in the biggest victory in Italian history just 24 hours earlier. They sat around and talked about the tiebreakers. They were told they could actually lose to Mexico, but as long as they didn’t give up more than four runs, they’d earn a tiebreaker over the USA.
They talked about all of the scenarios, and then Pasquantino put a stop to it.
“Just being realistic, there was a lot of conversation if different scenarios arise,’’ Pasquantino said, “what do we do? Then finally, we just got together and said, 'You know what? Let's just win the game.’
“So last night when we were celebrating, we had a good time in the locker room. But I said to the guys, 'Once midnight hit, guys, we've got to get going.' We stayed and we hung out and we had a good time. But it was a lot of hanging out and just, 'What are we going to do tomorrow? How are we going to win this game?'"
They won the game by jumping on Pasquantino’s back as he hit the three solo homers, the arm of Aaron Nola who pitched five shutout innings, and the contributions of seven different players producing hits, and six different pitchers getting outs.
“Tonight, we just handled business,’’ Pasquantino said. “That was the expectation. And it was awesome.’’
Next stop: vs. Puerto Rico on Saturday afternoon.
Win, and they have a flight to Miami for the semifinals, going where no Italy team has gone before.
So, considering Team Italy will be sticking around for awhile, perhaps it could be time to grab a new suit, particularly since the Italians have the next two days off.
But, hey, as long as Team Italy keeps winning, and the suit is working, how in the world can Pasquantino change the wardrobe now?
And, if someone wants to buy him a nice Italian designer suit, he knows just the guys who owe him.
Yep, Team USA, which staved off elimination in the WBC thanks to Italy’s victory.
“You're welcome, USA,’’ Pasquantino said on the field. “We were thinking of you guys over at your hotel. We were thinking of you guys, so glad you guys can join us in the party.’’
Quarterback depth continues to be a major storyline for the Cleveland Browns as the team looks to fix the position. While the organization has several QBs competing for roles, not every quarterback on the roster is in line for a starting opportunity.
Dillon Gabriel, whose future with the team remains a topic of discussion, could be the odd man out.
According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns still believe Gabriel has potential despite his current position on the depth chart.
“I know the Browns still like Gabriel and believe he has good upside potential,” Cabot wrote.
Gabriel has already seen some action with Cleveland, starting six games for the team. That experience gave the Browns a look at what the youngster can do at the professional level, both in his decision-making and his ability to run the offense.
However, Cabot added that Gabriel doesn’t seem to be in a spot for the starting job this season.
“But he’s started six games for them and he’s not really in the mix to start for them this season,” she added.
It’s tough to say what the Browns should or shouldn’t do, given they don’t have much of an option. It’s either giving one of the young guys a chance or finding someone else.
The Toronto Raptors are stumbling at the exact moment they need to be sprinting. After a disappointing 122-111 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night, All-Star forward Brandon Ingram didn’t mince words about the team’s current state.
Returning to the city where he spent six seasons, Ingram put up a valiant effort, finishing with 22 points, six rebounds, and five assists. He even reached a major milestone, surpassing 11,000 career points during the contest. However, his individual success couldn’t mask the collective struggle of a Raptors squad that has now dropped six of its last eight games.
“We’re going through a little rough patch,” Ingram admitted after the game. “But I think that’s going to make us come together even more. We just got to figure it out. Figure out what’s best for us offensively and defensively, and just play a little harder.”
Brandon Ingram on if the team is matching the urgency/intensity needed at this point of the season, where the standings are constantly changing:
The “rough patch” is proving costly in a crowded Eastern Conference. This latest defeat slid Toronto from the fifth seed down to seventh, leaving them a half-game behind both the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. Despite 25 points from Immanuel Quickley and a gritty showing from Scottie Barnes, the Raptors couldn’t contain New Orleans’ duo of Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray.
Murphy caught fire from deep, scoring 28 points on 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc, while Murray added 27 to spoil Ingram’s homecoming. The Raptors struggled with efficiency, shooting just 31.8 percent from downtown compared to the Pelicans’ blistering 48.3 percent.
Toronto briefly cut an 18-point deficit to just two early in the fourth quarter, but a lack of defensive urgency allowed the Pelicans to pull away with an 8-0 run. For a team with championship aspirations, the margin for error has officially evaporated. If Ingram and the Raptors don’t “figure it out” soon, they might find themselves fighting just to stay out of the Play-In tournament.
#KLUpod | K League 1 Round 2 Recap + Round 2 Preview [From Outside The Box]
The drama continued into Round 2 of the 2026 K League 1 season with more late goals. There were some surprise results, some of which may mean a reevaluation of the season predictions. This week's From Outside The Box takes a look at the pick of the action from the second match week of the season and previews Round 3.
Paul, Matt, and Alex are back from the commentary box to talk about how their commentary prep and approach have changed over the last few years, and the pros and cons of attempting to go paper-free.
They recap the pick of the action from 2026 K League 1 Round 2, following plenty of late drama and some surprising results for teams that had been written off by some. Gwangju FC survived a late, late Incheon United penalty to seal their first win of the season, Gimcheon Sangmu earned a very credible draw at home to champions Jeonbuk, Bucheon FC 1995 remain unbeaten following a 1-1 draw at home to title contenders Daejeon Hana Citizen, and FC Anyang left it very late to earn a home win over Jeju SK.
Attention then turns to Round 3 with Daejeon hosting Gimcheon, Gwangju taking on Jeonbuk, Pohang Steelers back in action against Incheon, and Ulsan returning to the field to travel to Bucheon.
Where to Listen
From Outside The Box is a relaxed, insight-driven podcast from K League United, proudly sponsored by Record Pizza and TNT FC.
Join K League TV commentators Matthew Binns, Paul Neat, and Alex Jensen as they draw from their weekly notes, observations, and offer peeks into their behind-the-scenes experiences from the commentary box to break down K League 1, offering honest opinions, tactical talk, and real stories from outside the commentary box, every week.
The first few episodes of this new initiative will also be available on The K League United Podcast stream before switching over to the new channels which you can find below:
The Toronto Blue Jays have continued to monitor the health of several pitchers as Spring Training continues, including some of the better arms on the staff. With the long season approaching, the organization is focused on keeping guys healthy.
According to Arden Zwelling, multiple Toronto pitchers are currently moving through different stages of their recovery and preparation.
“Blue Jays pitching updates Ricky Tiedemann (elbow) resumed throwing on Tuesday Trey Yesavage is scheduled to throw a two-inning simulated game vs minor-leaguers on Wednesday Shane Bieber (forearm) and Yimi Garcia (elbow) continuing throwing on flat ground,” he wrote.
Ricky Tiedemann, who resumed throwing on Tuesday as he continues working his way back from an elbow issue, is expected to be an elite arm one day.
Another young pitcher, Trey Yesavage, is also progressing in camp. Yesavage ended up throwing on Wednesday and as long as everything goes well, there doesn’t seem to be too much of a worry about how he’ll look.
Shane Bieber has been injured for a lot of his career, so he’s a bit more questionable in the long and short-term than most of these other guys. Bieber, when healthy, has shown that he’s as good as it gets.
“First baseman Dominic Smith finds job with Atlanta, signing one-year minor-league contract,” Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote.
Shortly after the signing, shock spread throughout the Braves’ entire Spring Training facility when it was announced that Jurickson Profar had once again been suspended for PED use.
“Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time in the last year, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Profar, 33, is the sixth player to receive a 162-game ban for PED use since Major League Baseball increased the penalty for two-time offenders to a full season in 2014. He will forfeit the entirety of his $15 million salary,” Jeff Passan wrote for ESPN.
With that news, Atlanta has been scrambling to find a solution. One positive for the Braves is that they also signed Mike Yastrzemski, who has been hitting extremely well this spring. When it comes to the designated hitter role, the initially questionable signing of Smith may now become exactly what the Braves need to begin the season.
“Dom Smith is having a strong spring with the Atlanta Braves, hitting .421 with a 1.132 OPS. He’s coming off a successful stint with the Giants last season and now with the absence of Jurickson Profar, could have a role with regular at-bats in 2026 with Atlanta,” FanSided’s Robert Murray wrote.
There is no denying that the Braves may have struck gold with the Smith signing, as he now appears to have a legitimate chance to make the Opening Day roster. Atlanta is trying to make its lineup work despite the void left by Profar.
This is the second time Profar has put the organization in a difficult position after a similar situation a little over a year ago. The Braves outfielder clearly did not learn from his first offense, and it now looks likely that Smith could begin the season handling designated hitter duties.
South Bay Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) attacks the rim and finishes with a slam during an NBA G-League basketball game against the Iowa Wolves, Wednesday March 11th, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — A collective effort helps the South Bay Lakers capture their 10th consecutive win Wednesday night, defeating the Iowa Wolves, 123-116, at UCLA Health Training Center.
Seven South Bay players collected double-digit points, including Arthur Kaluma, Chris Manon, and Nick Smith Jr. who all came off the bench. Drew Timme led the way offensively for the Lakers, leading the team with 20 points and nine rebounds.
Despite a late surge from Iowa in the 4th quarter, the Lakers held off the Wolves to claim its 20th win of the season.
2025 first round pick Joan Beringer would be the loan player to pick up a double-double in the contest, scoring 20 points and adding 15 rebounds in 35 minutes. Zyon Pullin found success offensively for the Wolves, totaling a team-high 29 points in 41 minutes.
Guard Bronny James, who was assigned to South Bay Lakers Wednesday morning, ignited the crowd with a powerful driving dunk, giving South Bay a 14-12 lead with 5:21 left in the first quarter.
South Bay’s edge came from beyond the arc, where the Lakers buried 13 three-pointers and shot 39% from deep, creating separation as the Iowa Wolves converted just eight threes on 33% shooting.
The Iowa Wolves struggled at the charity stripe, shooting just 63% (15-for-24) from the free throw line. Against strong teams surging on home court, those missed opportunities can prove costly.
Forward Adou Thiero matched James' vicious slam with a posterizing dunk in transition, soaring over an Iowa Wolves defender to give the South Bay Lakers a 19-point lead in the early stages of the third quarter.
With the win, South Bay move to just half a game behind the Mexico City Capitanes (21-8) for the best record in the Western Conference.
South Bay continues to impress on home court this season, improving to 11-1 at UCLA Training Center this season. The South Bay Lakers will look to make it 11 straight wins and complete the two-game sweep Friday night when they face the Wolves in the second game of a back-to-back set.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 45 points and the Los Angeles Clippers routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 153-128 on Wednesday night, moving above .500 with their third straight victory and sixth in seven games.
Eighth in the Western Conference at 33-32 after opening 6-21, the Clippers had their highest points total of the season. They blew out Minnesota after beating New York on Monday night to open a five-game homestand.
Leonard was 15 of 20 from the the field, 6 of 9 on 3s and made 9 of 10 free throws. Los Angeles made 19 of 37 3s.
Bennedict Mathurin scored 22 points for Los Angeles. Clippers newcomer Darius Garland had 21, hitting five 3-pointers.
Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 36 points and Naz Reid had 18.
Minnesota dropped to sixth in the tight Western Conference, but only a half-game behind the third-place Lakers. The Timberwolves have lost three in a row after winning five straight. They lost to the Lakers on Tuesday night to open four-game trip.
Leonard scored 18 points in the first quarter to help Los Angeles take a 38-27 lead. He had 28 at the half, with the Clippers up 74-65, and went to the fourth with 39 and LA ahead 109-98. Los Angeles had a 44-30 edge in the fourth.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 3: Kaden Powers #3 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights holds the ball during the second half of a game against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion on February 3, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jordan Teller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) | ISI Photos via Getty Images
After defeating Minnesota 72-67 in the second round of the Big Ten tournament, largely thanks to a 29-point performance from guard Tariq Francis, Rutgers will take on UCLA in the third round of the Big Ten tournament. Both teams have already squared off once this year, with the Bruins blowing out the Scarlet Knights 98-66 in Los Angeles.
UCLA avoided the first two rounds of the Big Ten tournament because they went 13-7 in conference play, which earned them a double-bye. They closed out the regular season on a two-game winning streak, beating No.11 Nebraska by 20 points, before beating their cross-town rival USC 89-68.
The Bruins are led on offense by forward Tyler Bilodeau, who is averaging 18 points per game. UCLA has five players in total who are averaging 11 points or more per game. Bilodeau also leads the team in rebounds per game with 5.8. Another player to note is guard Donovan Dent, who averages the second-most points per game on the team with 13.6, while providing 7.5 assists per game.
As a team, UCLA averages 78 points per game, 32.5 rebounds per game, and 16.1 assists per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the field, 76.3 percent from the line, and 38.2 percent from three. Rutgers, in comparison, averages 70.9 points per game, 33 rebounds per game, and 11.9 assists per game while shooting 41.8 percent from the field, 73.9 percent from the line, and 32.4 percent from three.
For Rutgers to pull off a win in this game, it will likely require some heroics like what we saw from Francis in the Minnesota game. On top of that, they will need to find a way defensively to throw the Bruins’ scorers off their game, or they could simply pile points on the Knights as they did in their last matchup. It should be noted that the Knights are playing like a much better team as of late, compared to the first game these two teams played. However, that doesn’t mean that knocking off UCLA won’t be a tremendously tall task for the Knights.
Rutgers-UCLA will tip off 25 minutes after the conclusion of Purdue-Northwestern, at approximately 9 pm, inside the United Center in Chicago. Live coverage for the game will be available on the Big Ten Network.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 11: David Punch #15 of the TCU Horned Frogs tries to lay the ball up against Christian Coleman #4 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys in first half during the second round of the Big 12 Tournament at T-Mobile Center on March 11, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Securing the No. 6 seed in the Big 12 Tournament gave the TCU Horned Frogs a first-round bye and a spot in the second round. Waiting there was the No. 11 Oklahoma State Cowboys, who advanced after defeating Colorado to set up a third meeting with TCU.
Despite the familiarity, the Horned Frogs got the better of the Cowboys once again, defeating Oklahoma State 95–88 in an offense-heavy contest.
TCU struck first when Xavier Edmonds knocked down a corner 3-pointer to put the Horned Frogs ahead. The game was briefly halted, however, when Edmonds received a technical foul for turning toward the Cowboys’ bench after the basket. Oklahoma State capitalized, scoring four points to take the lead before David Punch answered to put TCU back in front, 5–4. The Cowboys then scored on back-to-back possessions to go up 8–5, and the teams traded baskets over the next few minutes.
Oklahoma State pushed its lead to seven at the 11:46 mark, but the Horned Frogs responded by cutting the deficit to one just two minutes later, 25–24. The Cowboys maintained the advantage for the next five minutes until a Punch three-pointer gave TCU a two-point lead at the 4:19 mark.
Oklahoma State quickly tied the game and took the lead less than a minute later. The Cowboys maintained that advantage for the rest of the half, taking a three-point lead into halftime, 46-43.
TCU opened the second half with five quick points to take the lead, but the Cowboys quickly answered. Oklahoma State tied the game moments later and reclaimed the advantage for the next several minutes. The lead grew to a game-high 10 points at the 13:48 mark when Anthony Roy drilled a three-pointer to make it 67–57.
Following a TV timeout, Oklahoma State’s Jayden Curry picked up his fourth foul, opening the door for a TCU comeback. The Horned Frogs responded with a 14–5 run over the next five minutes to cut the deficit to one at the 8:17 mark. TCU regained the lead at 5:40 when Jayden Pierre knocked down a 3-pointer to make it 81–80.
Oklahoma State briefly retook the lead, but TCU controlled the final minutes. Tanner Toolson pushed the Horned Frogs’ lead to its largest of the game at 1:56, making it 92–86. Strong defense down the stretch helped TCU hold off the Cowboys and secure a 95–88 win.
TCU shot 50.7 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from beyond the arc, also knocking down 19-of-27 free throws. Despite shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and cashing in on 16-of-17 freebies, the Cowboys shot merely 21.0 percent from downtown.
All-Big 12 Honorable Mention David Punch led the way with a game-high 26 points, shooting 9-of-14 from the field. Tanner Toolson added 19 points and seven rebounds off the bench, while Xavier Edmonds recorded another double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Jayden Pierre finished with 13 points, and Micah Robinson chipped in 10.
Anthony Roy led the Cowboys with 25 points and nine rebounds. Christian Coleman added 15 points, while Kanye Clary finished with 14.
Up next, TCU takes on the No. 14 Kansas Jayhawks in the Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinals at 8:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, March 12.
“Dončić being just 26 gives the Lakers a far longer timeline to build a championship-contending team, but that doesn't mean they can slow down and take their time. Dončić told Lakers president Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick in May that he's not interested in taking the slow approach in building a contender,” Jasmyn Wimbish of CBS Sports wrote.
The Lakers currently feature a big three of LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Doncic. However, when the trio shares the court, the results have not been particularly impressive.
“That doesn't sound radical. And based on eye test alone, it feels like a safe assumption. But so far, the data doesn't really back that up. Non-five-player lineup data is never an exact science, so keep that in mind, but in the 316 minutes LA's Big 3 have played together, it's their 109.4 offensive rating that stands out. That mark would rank 29th in the NBA. Meanwhile, the team's defensive rating of 110.5 with all three on the court would be a top-five mark in the league,” Quinn Everts of Lake Show Life wrote.
Reaves is set to become a free agent this summer, and details about his potential next contract have already surfaced.
“The Los Angeles Lakers plan to offer Austin Reaves a five-year, $240 million contract this offseason once unrestricted free agency begins, sources told Lakers Daily,” Ashish Mathur of Lakers Daily wrote. “The Lakers have ‘no fear’ of losing the talented undrafted guard, who wants to spend his entire career with the Purple and Gold.”
The Lakers know that Reaves wants to return to Los Angeles, as he has clearly embraced the organization and the city. However, his free agency could still become competitive, as other teams may attempt to offer him significant money.
Los Angeles will likely do whatever it takes to keep Reaves, though committing that much money could make things difficult when pursuing other free agents. Still, Reaves has been highly productive alongside Doncic, so giving him a major contract could make perfect sense for the Lakers’ long-term plans.
While the daffodils may have been tentatively popping their heads above ground, there was little evidence of spring reemerging in Sunderland’s step as the club tried to successfully navigate the closing months of its first-ever Division Three campaign.
After a slowish start that saw just three wins from the opening nine games, the team had quickly hit its straps, winning 15 and drawing three of their next 19 league fixtures. However, a few of the more recent performances hadn’t gone down too well with the supporters, with a more exciting style of play and new recruits demanded in the Echo letters pages.
A midweek win over Fulham at Roker Park had seemed the perfect stabiliser, but another home game on the Saturday, against Blackpool, saw the game end in a draw, thanks to a controversial refereeing decision that left boss Denis Smith furious and Sunderland with only a point.
The lads, therefore, headed to Wigan with a sense of injustice hanging over them. The Latics were at Springfield Park in those days, rather than their more salubrious setting of today, and on a wet and muddy afternoon Sunderland would have been hoping for a quiet, routine win devoid of any controversy whatsoever.
Of course, it didn’t turn out that way at all.
The pitch was barely playable – if you thought Port Vale’s pitch was bad last weekend, it was pristine Wembley in comparison to this mudbath on which the players were barely able to keep their feet, and any shoots of green grass were cut up in the early exchanges.
Sunderland’s sense of injustice after the Blackpool draw was magnified early on, when they should have had a penalty after 15 minutes. John Kay and Eric Gates played some flowing one-touch football that belied the conditions to set Gary Owers away down the right. His cross was aimed in the direction of Gordon Armstrong, making a surging run into the box, only to be sent sprawling by Wigan’s Stan McEwan. The referee, Michael Peck from Cumbria, gave a free kick outside the box for obstruction, much to the annoyance of the Sunderland players.
Five minutes later, a strong foul by Wigan’s Paul Beesley – who’d later go on to play for Sheffield United and Leeds – on Eric Gates earned the defender a yellow, while moments later Reuben Agboola got the same punishment for a late on on Wigan’s Dave Thompson.
The home team’s striker Paul Jewell, who of course would go on to manage Wigan as well as sully the Mercedes brand in later years, hit the woodwork as the home team went close to breaking the deadlock – which they did just after the half hour. Paul Cook, the man of a million voices, shooting home from close range after Gary Bennett made a mess of clearing a free kick.
Gabbiadini thundered a header off the bar as the first half came to a close, but the teams went in at the interval with Wigan one up.
Smith’s teamtalk must have fired the lads up a bit as Marco equalised moments after the break – holding off former Sunderland defender Alan Kennedy before rounding the keeper and sliding the ball home.
The second half’s opening exchanges had been just as competitive as the first half, but the game exploded just a couple of minutes later – Beesley once again clattering Gates, giving Peck an easy decision to issue a second yellow. The Wigan team and coaching staff were furious, as was Gates, who also got a yellow, presumably for something he said.
Shortly after that, Jewell went in hard on Armstrong – no foul, but Gordon got a yellow for retaliating, while in the following passage of play Chris Thompson of Wigan should have seen red for an awful two footed challenge on Owers.
Sunderland tried to make their numerical advantage count, and Paul Lemon forced an excellent save from Hughes in the Wigan goal. Dave Thompson was brave/stupid enough to clatter John Kay, and from Kay’s resulting free kick Hughes fumbled and had to be rescued by McEwan.
Off the field, the Sunderland supporters behind the goal took to sliding down the muddy away end (a penny for the bus drivers’ thoughts as they got back on the coach after the game!) On the pitch, it looked like a matter of time before Sunderland would score, and that was proven to be the case on 69, with Gates controlling Agboola’s nice ball in from the left, turning on the edge of the box and firing home.
Iain Hesford hadn’t had to do much, but he made a great save from a long range effort to keep the lead in tact – and he was to play a central role in what transpired in the game’s closing stages.
Hesford gathered a ball in from the right in the dying moments of the game, the ball somehow broke loose, and Senior scored a last-gasp equaliser. Then it all kicked off.
Hesford was adament the ball was kicked out of his hands, which according even to the Wigan players post game it was, and he and the Sunderland team were apoplectic at the decision to allow the goal. The final whistle blew, Sunderland surrounded the referee – Bennett saw yellow, Hesford threw his gloves down in disgust, called Mr Peck a cheat, and jostled and pushed him, depending on which reports you read.
In the tunnel, however, things became lawless. Wigan manager Ray Mathias wasn’t happy with Gates’ role in Beesley’s sending off, and ‘went wild’ in the tunnel, ‘attacking’ the former England striker. A mass and prolonged brawl ensued, with a number of Sunderland players coming to Gates’ rescue. Armstrong was punched in the head, and Gates was left shaken and upset by the incident.
Hesford too was still furious about the equalising goal.
I had clearly caught the ball. The next thing I knew was that Steve Senior had kicked it out of my hands. I couldn’t believe it when the referee awarded the goal.
It was a terrible way for the match to end for us and now I will have to wait and worry to see if I’m going to be banned.
After the match, Senior and Wigan’s assistant boss Roy Tunks both told me that it shouldn’t have been a goal. Senior explained that he had to go for the ball with his side chasing an equaliser, but he knew that he had kicked it out of my grasp.
It was no consolation to hear both of them admit that the referee had made a mistake.
It was little consolation for Sunderland, with the draw leaving them in second place – with top of the table Notts County the next visitors to Roker…
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: A general view of the stadiu during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Fulham at Stadium of Light on February 22, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Gav says…
In the podcast that I recorded with Dom Shaw, we actually talked about this and as I said there, I feel like this is a landmark moment in our season.
The next two games will probably decide whether we’re going to push on for a finish in the top eight or if the season is going to peter out and we’ll mill around somewhere in the middle.
I reckon we’ll win on Saturday.
With players coming back from injury that we’ve really missed and the response that usually follows a disappointing performance, I reckon the Lads will be fired up to put the Port Vale performance right. Then against the Mags…who knows? I’d rip your arm off for a point.
Realistically I think two points would be fine, but four would be a huge statement of intent going into the international break.
Alex Charlton says…
We have to target a minimum of four points from our next two games.
Brighton have picked up of late but they’re the sort of team we should be beating at home. A draw wouldn’t be the worst result in the world, but it would tee us up nicely heading into the derby.
It goes without saying that a draw is the bare minimum expected from the short trip to Newcastle. Granit Xhaka said it after the game at the Stadium of Light — he and the players understood they couldn’t lose that match, and they’ll be thinking the same heading into this one.
If Europe is the ambition, four points is a must.
When we’ve underperformed before this season, the Lads have put it right and I’m sure they’ll be up for the next couple of games.
John Wilson says…
As much as “doing a Sunderland” raised its ugly head again last week in chats — and like myself, many supporters hate the phrase — here we are back in league action, wondering about the mindset of the players.
I’ve talked to many fans of many different clubs and to varying degrees, they all think their club has a tendency to “Do an (insert club name)”. It actually comes down to human and/or sports psychology — when are athletes at their peak to perform, or when might they underperform?
After the Port Vale disappointment, I know the fans are expecting the players to turn up against Brighton but in all honesty, I don’t know what their attitude is right now.
Are they eager to kick on for a top ten spot or are they content with forty points and a job well done? I suspect we’re about to find out but make no mistake: whatever happens now, it’s been an uplifting season.
Sometimes I get a gut feeling about how the team will react — both this weekend and for the derby —and I don’t know what to expect.
Nothing would surprise me, from zero points to six, and anything more than two would be a bonus. Steadying the ship at home with a draw against Brighton and a gutsy draw away to ‘the visitors’ would be decent enough. In fact I’d take two points in total, as opposed to three from the Brighton game and a defeat to the barcodes.
Predicting is foolish at the best of times, so hoping is my default position. I’ll be hopeful of six but satisfied with two.
Malc Dugdale says…
As has been the case with other losses this season, we need to see a refreshed appetite and attitude from the Lads.
Cup upsets happen and life goes on, but we can’t allow standards to slip in the Premier League — this is what we’re about now.
There were a number of changes for the cup game and let’s be frank: it was like playing in the local park given the pitch was so bad, but we weren’t good enough at all.
The best way to draw a line under all that is to get a win on the board, and I think we have a good chance of that at home to Brighton.
If we get that win, anything other than a beating at St James’ Park will do. I think we’re good enough on our day to beat them, but we can play away from home and struggle, as we saw at Manchester United, Burnley and other places. The Mags will be on another level, though, and we hope the squad all get that.
Equally, we went to Anfield and got a point while deserving probably more, the same at Chelsea (but in that case we got what we deserved).
Get a win against Brighton to blow away the cobwebs, and take a point off the Neanderthals. Four from six from these two games, and the same haul from the two games against our uneducated brethren.
Pakistan all-rounder Imad Wasim praised India’s performance after their T20 World Cup 2026 triumph, saying the team proved its dominance despite criticism about pitches or alleged advantages.
India successfully defended their title by defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, continuing their strong run in global tournaments.
Some critics had earlier suggested that conditions favoured India during the tournament, but Wasim dismissed those claims and said the pitches were fair for all teams.
According to him, there were even moments when the conditions did not favour India, yet they still performed strongly throughout the competition.
"We always hear people saying that umpires favour India or that they prepare spin-friendly pitches, but you have to agree that in this tournament, the pitches were very well balanced. Sometimes, the conditions were even against India, but they still managed to deliver a dominating performance," Imad said on a Pakistani TV show.
Wasim added that instead of questioning India’s success, other teams should acknowledge how well they played. He said their consistent results show how strong they currently are in international cricket.
"So, we should not always nitpick or claim that India are looking for an escape route. As a cricketing nation, we have to praise them for their performance and accept the fact that in terms of cricket, they are bigger than us (Pakistan) and many other teams," he added.
India’s victory also made history as they became the first men’s team to retain the T20 World Cup title.
The Suryakumar Yadav-led side also became the first host nation to win the tournament and the first team to lift the trophy three times.
LEEDS, ENGLAND - MARCH 03: Granit Xhaka and Omar Alderete of Sunderland celebrate victory in the Premier League match between Leeds United and Sunderland at Elland Road on March 03, 2026 in Leeds, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images
European football is an exciting dream for Sunderland fans, but unless you’re of a certain age and vintage, it’s only ever been just that.
It’s been 53 years since Sunderland’s last foray into the continent, when we were knocked out in the second round of the European Cup Winners’ Cup by Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon. We had an outside chance of European competitions at the turn of the millennium, and when we were fourth at Christmas in 2010, hopes were on the rise.
This season, the optimists among us have been looking up rather than down, even during what was a rough run of form in February. Sunderland recovered very well from three straight defeats to take a point from Bournemouth and then three from Leeds.
Ahead of welcoming Brighton to Wearside on Saturday, Sunderland are on 40 points with nine games left. There is a scenario in which teams as low as eighth place could qualify for European football. Should both winners of the FA Cup and League Cup finish in the top six, this could then free up 7th and 8th to be in the reckoning.
At this moment in time, we’re four points off 7th and just three off 8th with 27 points left up for grabs. In our remaining games, we still need to play Everton, Newcastle, and of course Brighton, three teams who are in this middle table pack and in with a sniff of Europe.
Three of the other games are against the current bottom five, and two of these are at home. Another match is a trip to Wolves, who, despite their upturn in form, look destined for the Championship.
The next aim within the club will be more grounded, such as hitting 50 points. In doing so, we’d secure our third-highest points tally in the Premier League era. It’s smaller targets like this that players and coaches alike will have mapped out, just like with how many times reaching the 40-point mark was mentioned in interviews.
We’ve reached that with nine games to go, opening up what could be an interesting final quarter of the campaign. With players coming back from injury and a three-week break coming up soon, that will help with the recovery of any other players who aren’t ready yet. We might end up having a much stronger squad for the run-in, and some games we’ll fancy ourselves to do well in.
Yes, this piece could have me strung up for being a loony optimist, but I’m not too bothered. I’ve said before that football is for the optimists, and after what we’ve achieved in the last two years in particular, why the hell can’t we keep on dreaming big?
If we do fall short, it’s important for us to feel it’s not through the lack of trying, and just falling short of the top 8 could still see us with a top half finish, signalling a superb first year back in the big time.
If we succeed, I’ll hopefully be spending the summer dusting off my passport and learning how to say ‘where’s the nearest pub’ in various Eastern European languages.
HETTON-LE-HOLE, ENGLAND - JANUARY 25: A detailed view of the Barclays WSL2 sleeve patch on a match shirt inside the Sunderland dressing room prior to the Barclays Women's Super League 2 match between Sunderland and Southampton at Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground on January 25, 2026 in Hetton-le-Hole, England. (Photo by Molly Darlington - WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images) | WSL Football via Getty Images
There are matches that feel like checkpoints in a season and there are matches that feel like crossroads — and Sunderland’s trip to The Valley to face Charlton Athletic sits somewhere between the two.
It’s not a title decider and it’s not a game that’s taking place during a relegation scrap, yet it carries a sense of importance that goes beyond the three points on offer.
Sunderland arrive in South London after a recent run of performances that’ve demonstrated promise, resilience and flashes of attacking quality. Charlton, meanwhile, arrive on an unbeaten streak that’s become one of the defining narratives of the WSL2 season — and the contrast between the two sides creates a compelling backdrop for a match that could shape the tone of the weeks ahead.
Sunderland’s recent form has been steadier than the early months of the campaign.
The dramatic 3–2 comeback win over Durham injected belief into the squad. The 3–0 loss to Bristol City was a setback but not a collapse, and the 1–0 win over Southampton was a reminder of their ability to manage tight contests.
Elsewhere, a narrow 0-1 defeat to London City Lionesses in the FA Cup was respectable and competitive. These performances have shown that Sunderland are beginning to find their footing, but what they’ve not yet shown is the consistency required to climb the table with conviction.
Charlton, meanwhile, have become one of the most reliable sides in the division.
Their recent run includes a composed 1–0 win over Oxford United in the FA Cup, a 1–1 draw with Ipswich Town that surprised many observers, a 4–2 win over Durham and a controlled 2–0 win over Nottingham Forest. They haven’t lost in weeks and have learned how to manage matches, how to stay calm under pressure and how to turn difficult challenges into points.
They’re not invincible, but they’re resilient and against a side with that level of consistency, Sunderland will need clarity, conviction and a willingness to impose themselves. With that in mind, here are four things I want to see from Sunderland Women against Charlton.
A strong and structured start
If there’s one thing Charlton have mastered this season, it’s the art of controlling the early phases of matches.
They’re not always explosive, but they are composed, settling quickly, dictating the tempo and forcing opponents to react to them. Sunderland can’t afford to spend the first twenty minutes chasing shadows or adjusting to the rhythm of the game — they need to start with structure, purpose and a clear plan.
A strong start doesn’t necessarily mean scoring early, although that would certainly help. It means being organised out of possession, confident in possession and proactive in the way they approach the match.
Sunderland have shown in recent weeks that they can be disciplined and composed. The win over Southampton was built on a foundation of control whereas the comeback against Durham was sparked by a shift in intensity and belief. Against Charlton, they need to combine those qualities from the first whistle.
The hosts’ midfield is one of their greatest strengths.
They recycle the ball efficiently, they maintain their shape and they rarely allow matches to become chaotic. Sunderland will need to disrupt that rhythm, pressing intelligently, closing passing lanes and preventing Charlton from settling into their preferred patterns.
A strong start isn’t about frantic energy. It’s about clarity and showing that Sunderland haven’t come to contain — they’re visitors who’ve come to compete.
A structured start also means avoiding the kind of early setbacks that can shape the psychology of a match. Sunderland have shown resilience in recent weeks, but they don’t want to be in a position where they’re chasing the game against a side who thrive on control.
If Sunderland can reach the twenty-minute mark with composure, confidence and a foothold in the match, they’ll give themselves a platform on which to build.
Ruthlessness in transition
One of the most encouraging aspects of Sunderland’s recent performances has been their ability to create chances in transition. The comeback against Durham was fuelled by quick, incisive attacking play and thenwin over Southampton included moments where Sunderland broke with purpose and clarity.
Against Charlton, those moments will be crucial.
They’re a disciplined side, but they’re not immune to being stretched. Their full backs push forward and their midfielders commit to controlling possession. Their centre backs are strong, but can be exposed if the ball is moved quickly into wide areas or if Sunderland can break through the lines with pace.
Transitional moments are where Sunderland can hurt them, and to take advantage of those moments, Sunderland will need precision; to move the ball quickly, make intelligent decisions and commit numbers forward when the opportunity arises.
Too often this season, promising counter attacks have broken down due to hesitation or a lack of support. Against Charlton, hesitation will be punished but precision will be rewarded.
Ruthlessness in transition also requires bravery. It requires players to trust their instincts, to take risks and to believe that they can impose themselves on a side that has built their season on control. Sunderland have shown in flashes that they have the attacking quality to trouble any defence in the division — and this is a chance to show it consistently.
Charlton’s unbeaten run has been built on structure, but structure can be disrupted.
If Sunderland can transition with speed and conviction, they can create the kind of chances that change the momentum of a match. They can force Charlton to retreat, to adapt and to feel uncomfortable. That’s. where the match could turn.
Defensive concentration and collective discipline
If Sunderland are to take something from The Valley, they’ll need a defensive performance built on concentration and collective discipline. Charlton aren’t the most explosive attacking side in the division but they’re efficient, taking their chances, managing matches punishing lapses.
Sunderland’s defensive performances in recent weeks have demonstrated signs of improvement. The win over Southampton was built on resilience and the narrow defeat to London City Lionesses was a match in which Sunderland defended with organisation and commitment. The challenge now is to produce that level of concentration for ninety minutes against a side that’ll test them in different ways.
Charlton’s attacking patterns are varied.
They can build through midfield, attack down the flanks and play directly when required. They also have players who can drift into pockets of space and players who can stretch the pitch. Sunderland will need to communicate constantly. They’ll need to track runners, close spaces and avoid the kind of individual errors that can shift the momentum of a match.
Collective discipline also means managing transitions.
Charlton are dangerous when they win the ball in midfield, breaking quickly and committing numbers forward. Sunderland will need to be alert to those moments. They’ll need to recover quickly, maintain their shape and avoid being dragged out of position.
Set pieces will also be important. Sunderland have been dangerous from dead ball situations this season, but they’ve also conceded goals from them. Against a side as organised as Charlton, concentration in these moments is essential — and a single lapse can undo ninety minutes of hard work.
If Sunderland can defend with discipline, they’ll give themselves a chance. If they can defend with belief, they’ll give themselves more than that.
A performance that reflects our identity
Perhaps the most important thing I want to see from Sunderland at The Valley is a performance that reflects who they are.
Sunderland are built on resilience, intensity and belief; a club that’s developed young talent, competed with heart and refused to be defined by budget or expectation.
When Sunderland play with clarity and conviction, they can trouble anyone in WSL2 and recent weeks, there have been glimpses of that identity.
The comeback against Durham was a reminder of their spirit. The win over Southampton was a reminder of their discipline, and even the defeat to London City Lionesses was a reminder of their competitiveness. What Sunderland need now is a performance that brings those qualities together — a performance that reflects their identity.
This means pressing with purpose, attacking with belief, defending with commitment and showing Charlton that Sunderland aren’t just a mid-table side passing through — they’re a side with ambition, pride and something to prove.
This also means embracing the occasion.
The Valley is a stage. Charlton are a strong side and the match carries weight, but Sunderland should’t shirk that. Instead, they should rise to it. They should play with the confidence of a team who know they can compete and the freedom of a team who have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
A performance that reflects their identity doesn’t guarantee a result. Football rarely offers guarantees but it does offer moments, opportunities and the chance to shape the narrative of a season.
Sunderland have that chance today.
A match that could shape the weeks ahead
Sunderland’s trip to Charlton isn’t season-defining but it is season-shaping.
It’s a chance to build on recent progress, to test themselves against one of the most consistent sides in the division and to show that they’re a better team than their early-season inconsistencies suggested.
Charlton will be organised, disciplined and confident — and Sunderland will need to be structured, ruthless, disciplined and true to themselves. If they can start strongly, transition with purpose, defend with concentration and play with the identity that defines them, they’ll give themselves every chance of taking something from The Valley.
This is a match that feels bigger than its billing. It’s a meeting of momentum and ambition; of resilience and belief, and a meeting that could shape the tone of the weeks ahead.
For Sunderland, it’s a game that offers an opportunity. An opportunity to continue their upward trajectory, to disrupt Charlton’s momentum and to show that they’re side who can compete, challenge and grow.
Four elements. Four pillars. Four ways to shape a performance. If Sunderland can deliver them, The Valley may yet become a turning point.
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