In December, a group of fans were captured on video at a Dallas Stars game performing what looked like a Nazi salute. The 12-second video was posted to Reddit, then deleted, but resurfaced on X on March 31.

After some outcry from offended fans and an investigation, the Stars announced they had identified the person who purchased the tickets April 7 and banned him indefinitely from American Airlines Center.

MORE: Woman delivers baby while attending NHL game

“We identified and spoke with the individual that purchased the tickets and will be banning the individual indefinitely from American Airlines Center,” a Stars spokesperson said in a statement. “Additionally, we are increasing in-arena messaging regarding the Fan Code of Conduct and how our fans can report violations, along with prioritizing staff training to identify and handle situations that arise. Any type of discriminatory or hateful behavior will not be tolerated and has no place in our arena. Creating and sustaining environments that are inclusive, safe and respectful is a non-negotiable for the Dallas Stars.”

The gesture was captured during the Stars’ December 21, 2025, game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

According to the Reddit user who posted the video to the social media platform, it was not a one-off incident.

MORE: NHL, Wild mourn shocking death of 37-year-old content creator and her three children

“These boys were sitting in front of us doing a Nazi salute every time the Stars scored,” the original poster wrote. “I’ve been to several games and never seen anything like this before. I recorded them and sent it to arena management, but they said they couldn’t find the boys despite me giving them their exact seat numbers.”

The NHL Fan Code of Conduct states: “Language, gestures, behavior, clothing, signs, or other personal expressions that negatively reference or demean a specific race, ethnicity, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability status, or other identity-based characteristic will not be tolerated.  Such conduct is strictly prohibited regardless of whether it directly or indirectly references a particular individual or a group of individuals.”

According to the Dallas Morning News, the Stars could only identify the fan who purchased the tickets, not the others shown in the video.

Jaguars' Liam Coen makes eyebrow-raising Trevor Lawrence comment fans will love originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a good first season with Liam Coen at the helm, as the franchise posted a 13-4 record and made the playoffs.

Trevor Lawrence had a good season also, throwing for over 4,000 yards, 29 TDs, and 12 interceptions, as the Jaguars looked to have turned a corner.

Yes, the playoff loss to Buffalo wasn't ideal, but it was a good first step for Jacksonville under Coen, and there is surely more to come.

As for Lawrence in Year 2 with Coen? The head coach thinks there is a lot more in Trevor's locker.

"Look, four new systems, multiple different head coach situations, OCs, whatever it is. Go throughout the season, and you find out, I mean, doesn't miss a single practice, doesn't miss a single throw in practice, played the whole season. Obviously, MVP finalist, Comeback Player of the Year finalist, did some great things," Coen said via NFL.com. "There is so much room to continue to improve."

More: Giants' sending confusing Dexter Lawrence message

What are Jaguars' expectations in 2026?

Well, winning 13 games again looks to be a tall order, but say another double-digit win season, and this time, winning a playoff game would be considered an improvement.

As for Lawrence, more of the same in 2026, but perhaps cutting down on the turnovers, as he had 12 interceptions and five fumbles.

So, tidying that up will be on Coen's wishlist, but otherwise, led by the stellar defense, the Jaguars appear poised to be among the AFC elite in 2026.

But they will only go as far as Lawrence goes, so in Year 6, the hope is that we see the best Trevor yet in the NFL.

More NFL news:

• Analyst questions Lamar Jackson's latest Ravens decision
• Chargers named landing spot for 3-time Pro Bowler
• Chiefs reveal key reason for Justin Fields signing
• Ravens' Lamar Jackson makes big offseason statement of intent
• Analyst reveals best outcome for Eagles' A.J. Brown amid trade rumors
• Analyst details why Lamar Jackson offseason attendance is huge for Ravens
• ESPN's biggest Saints' question aimed at 5-time Pro Bowler

Watch: Michael Malone press conference live updates, highlights as UNC introduces new head coach originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The North Carolina Tar Heels will introduce Michael Malone as the next head basketball coach on Tuesday evening. 

One of the most unconventional moves in recent years puts the former NBA championship-winning head coach in Chapel Hill for the foreseeable future. Malone is scheduled to address fans and the media alongside UNC officials at the Dean E. Smith Center. The event will be at 6 p.m. ET. 

Malone won an NBA Championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023. He's part of the league's 500-win club between two stops as an NBA head coach. 

What channel is Michael Malone's UNC press conference on today?

Michael Malone's UNC press conference How to Watch

Date: Tuesday, April 7
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Dean E. Smith Center- Chapel Hill, North Carolina
TV: ACC Network, ESPN+

Stream: GoHeels YouTube

Live updates, highlights from Michael Malone Introductory Press Conference

6:31 p.m. ET- Malone says Hubert Davis called upon him for advice and says he's a friend.

6:29 p.m. ET- Malone on building a team: "We over me."

6:26 p.m. ET- Malone about selling UNC Basketball "I'm here to motivate those around me." 

6:24 p.m. ET- Malone asked about the differences between NBA and UNC. "Basketball is basketball." 

6:23 p.m. ET- Malone says he want to be more than a coach, but also a mentor to his players at Chapel Hill. 

6:22 p.m. ET- "I love this game." Goes on to say his father was a huge UNC fan and loved Dean Smith and honors his memory as well. 

6:20 p.m. ET- Malone is asked about the transfer portal. He said there is an effort to try an save player in the portal in the coming days. Will also look elsewhere. 

6:19 p.m. ET- Malone is asked about understanding the UNC family aspect. He talked about the 15 former NBA players in attendance and knowing they came back for a reason. 

6:17 p.m. ET- There is a 'DES' pin on Malone's suit to honor Dean Smith, the late legendary coach for UNC Basketball. 

6:16 p.m. ET- Michael Malone shouts out Bill Belichick, who is on hand for the presser. 

6:14 p.m. ET- Michael Malone say UNC officials flew to his house on Easter Sunday to seal the deal. 

6:13 p.m. ET- Michael Malone thanks his daughter, Bridget, says he didn't come to watch her play volleyball. 

6:11 p.m. ET- Michael Malone steps up to the podium. Thanks UNC's staff and Antawn Jamison and Kenny Smith on the search committee. "I'm coming from outside the family to be a part of the family."  

6:06 p.m. ET- UNC AD Bubba Cunningham says the program looked both in the NBA and college for the next head coach.  

First images of Michael Malone touching down in Chapel Hill after becoming the Tar Heels next head coach #TarHeels#GoHeelspic.twitter.com/QtG2tFe0BD

— Sammy Profeta (@profeta_sammy) April 7, 2026

The legendary Roy Williams will be there to usher in the Michael Malone era at UNC. 

In the front row for tonight’s news conference: The Malone family, Tina Cunningham, as well as Roy and Wanda Williams. pic.twitter.com/95NosLGDyP

— Spencer Haskell (@sdhaskell68) April 7, 2026

An hour out from Michael Malone's first press conference as @UNC_Basketball's head coach 🎙️

Tune in at 6pm ⬇️
📺 @accnetwork
📱 https://t.co/8isVbg9ywzpic.twitter.com/ysnn9zhLfY

— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) April 7, 2026

Malone will become the second highest-paid coach in college basketball with a 6-year, $50 million contract, per reports. This puts him right under Kansas' Bill Self at $8.8 million per year, and likely the highest-paid ACC coach. For UNC to get a coach who was at the NBA's highest level is a hit.

An extra fact: Bridget Malone, Mike's daughter, is a freshman outside hitter for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels volleyball team, making this move one with family ties.

Malone will be the 20th head coach for UNC Basketball and the first without ties to the program since Dean Smith was hired in 1961.  

More UNC basketball news:

• Hubert Davis releases statement after UNC firing
• Warning to UNC fans: Michael Malone doesn't want to 'Be Like Mike'
• Here's Coach K's unfiltered reaction to UNC hiring Michael Malone
• Why UNC hiring Michael Malone over Billy Donovan was a better fit
• UNC basketball is special but still not close to powerhouse

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Árbeloa confessed to Marca after their 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich that Jonathan Tah should have been red-carded for tackle on Kylian Mbappé. – 

“I don’t understand why the Bayern player [Tah] wasn’t sent off for the foul he committed against Mbappé. These are decisions that are hard to understand," he said after the game. 

The 43-year-old was alluding to an incident involving the Bayern defender, who appeared to rake his studs down the ankle of Mbappé in a non-malicious manner. 

While Tah avoided punishment, Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouameni picked up a yellow card which will rule him out of the second-leg next Wednesday.

“It’s a big loss because of the card the referee showed him, but we have faith in our substitutes," Árbeloa said, before going on to discuss Jude Bellingham's brief involvement.

“It’s not that I don’t want to play Jude, it’s just that he’s been out of action for a long time. I have no doubts about my confidence in him. It makes sense to bring him back gradually.

“We need a player like him who can dribble and get past opponents. He has a strong character, and I can see he’s improving; he’ll be a great asset to us in Munich,” the Spaniard added.

As for their hopes ahead of the second-leg in Munich next Wednesday, the Galacticos' coach has full faith in his team that they can overturn the one-goal deficit and reach the semi-finals.

“If there is one team capable of winning in Munich, it is Real Madrid. We are Real Madrid, and we know how difficult it is to win there, but we will do our very best,” he said. 

Rory McIlroy seeks a historic repeat victory starting Thursday at the 90th Masters, while world number one Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau lead a host of challengers in firm and fast conditions.

Second-ranked McIlroy completed a career Grand Slam by capturing the green jacket at Augusta National last year, but only Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods have won back-to-back green jackets, Woods the most recent in 2001-2002.

"Maybe not the largest field in golf but it's the strongest," McIlroy said. "I know that I can do it now, so that should make it a little easier for me to go out and play the golf I want to play."

McIlroy suffered an injury scare last month when back pain prompted his withdrawal at Bay Hill. But he competed the following week and has rested since.

"I've taken the last three weeks to make sure I'm 100 percent coming in here, which I am," McIlroy said.

"I feel comfortable on the golf course, feel comfortable with my game. It has been a good three weeks at home getting ready physically and mentally and just trying to prepare for everything this week is going to throw at me."

Scheffler, last year's British Open and PGA Championship winner, has failed in two Masters repeat bids.

"Defending can always be difficult, but I think that's mostly just the odds of winning a tournament in back-to-back years," Scheffler said. "That's just extremely challenging, especially when you look at these major championships."

Scheffler, the 2022 and 2024 Masters winner, has been off for three weeks as wife Meredith gave birth to son Remy on March 27.

"Game feels like it's in a good spot," Scheffler said. "I feel rested and ready to go this week."

DeChambeau, who edged McIlroy for the 2024 US Open title, was in the final Sunday group last year at the Masters when the Northern Ireland star made history.

"It's great if we can continue to have a rivalry," DeChambeau said. "It kind of helps create more buzz around the game of golf.

"It's one of those things like I got him at Pinehurst, he got me here, and I hope there's more of those to come because it's great for the game."

DeChambeau, ranked 24th, won LIV Golf titles in Singapore and South Africa last month and likes speed at Augusta.

"If it's firm and fast, the greens are going to be even more difficult to hit than they already are," DeChambeau said. "I feel really good. It's just about going out and executing."

- 'Be more precise' -

Precision will be at a premium with no rain in the forecast to soften the course.

"You have to be more precise when it's firm," American Kurt Kitayama said. "Whenever it's firm and fast makes any course difficult, and especially with how sloped the greens are, it's going to be even more penalizing missing your spots."

Dustin Johnson, the 2020 Masters champion who holds the 72-hole Masters record score of 20-under par 268, is already seeing strong bounces on the course.

"Makes it a little bit more difficult," Johnson said. "You have to be spot on with pretty much all your clubs and where they're going, especially if it gets firm. The landing areas get really small."

Other contenders include world number three Cameron Young, who won The Players Championship last month; England's fourth-ranked Tommy Fleetwood, last year's Tour Championship winner, and England's ninth-ranked Justin Rose, last year's Masters runner-up.

js/rcw

After a disappointing end to Monday’s game when the bullpen imploded, the St. Louis Cardinals will try again Tuesday night as Matthew Liberatore will start against the Washington Nationals who will send Cade Cavalli to the mound. Start time is 5:45pm central time as the game is scheduled to be viewable on Cardinals.tv. Here’s the starting lineup shared by the Cardinals.

The Tuesday after the men’s college basketball championship might as well be known as some variation of “Way Too Early Day,” as publications around the country already look forward to how next season might pan out, even as the transfer portal will widely reshape teams over the next few weeks and months.

BYU, as has been well-chronicled, entered the 2025-26 season with incredibly high hopes and were delivering on those hopes the first half of the season before largely crumbling down the stretch and losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

So how are prognosticators feeling about a 2026-27 Cougars team that will almost surely be losing its two best players from this season in AJ Dybantsa and Richie Saunders, as well as starting center Keba Keita?

Seldom-used big man Xavion Staton has already announced his intention to transfer.

Eleven national outlets released way-too-early rankings either late Monday after the title game or on Tuesday. Of those, seven have BYU in their top-25 rankings and four do not.

Longtime college basketball analyst Seth Davis’ rankings have the Cougars at No. 13, while Jon Rothstein has them sneaking in at No. 25. The remaining five have BYU ranked between No. 15 and No. 22.

Some of the various publications have written blurbs about each team ranked, while others just have teams listed or notes about projected rotations.

Like several publications, Davis highlighted incoming elite freshman Bruce Branch III as a reason to be excited about the Cougars next season, writing “Branch is not quite as good as Dybantsa, but he is a one-and-done talent who will make an instant impact.”

Others noted question marks about point guard Robert Wright III potentially departing and the need for BYU to get better in the frontcourt.

Wrote Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller, “... if Robert Wright III comes back to join third-generation forces with Bruce Branch III, the Cougars should still be in darn good shape.”

Here’s a rundown of where all 11 publications have BYU ranked:

• Seth Davis — 13
• USA Today — 15
• Bleacher Report — 18
• FOX Sports — 20
• ESPN — 22
• On3 — 22
• Jon Rothstein — 25
• The Athletic — unranked
• Sports Illustrated — unranked
• Sporting News — unranked
• Yahoo — unranked

Arsenal do what is required, and maybe what they really needed.

They don’t just have a 1-0 win away against Sporting in this Champions League quarter-final first leg, that puts them on the brink of a second successive semi-final for the first time in the club’s history

They just have a win again, a good feeling. You could see it in the joy of the players after Kai Havertz’s finely taken goal. You could see it in the relief of more superb David Raya saves.

All of the noise from the recent domestic cup defeats is drowned out by celebration, and that just before the match that really matters to them: Saturday in the Premier League at home to Bournemouth.

The mood will be transformed.

There is something of a lesson in that, too, beyond what was a classically educated European away performance and yet another productive use of the bench. The substitutes again made the difference, to show the value of squad depth at a time when so much talk is of fatigue.

But there was also more.

This victory came from one of their attackers finally stepping up. After a match in which they had again looked to be playing within themselves, and often as if they were too intent on control to really press, substitute Gabriel Martinelli changed the pace and the tone.

He received the ball in the Sporting half and turned, before just going for it. There was the intent of the run and then the incision of a fine pass, playing in Havertz beautifully. The goal was all the better because of the way the German forward just fluidly continued to move, to slide it past Rui Silva.

It also looked all the better because of how different it had been to most of the Arsenal display.

They seemed content to get the 0-0. It could be said that was an entirely fair approach after the travails of recent games, that they just needed to stabilise, but it’s hard not to wonder whether there is more to that, too.

With everything now so dependent on the end result, the question is whether Arteta is now playing results-based football, without the same processes that actually produce it.

That can manifest in different ways, and often subtle ways, such as taking the conservative option to maintain control rather than the more assertive one to seize the game. Hence the importance of Martinelli’s assertiveness.

Hence so much of the midfield play, especially the once imperious Martin Zubimendi. How many times did he and Martin Odegaard go for the safe option?

Such approaches foster the perception of a team playing within themselves and getting through it, without getting people up off their feet.

Again, they won’t care about that if it all ends with the team celebrating the title or the Champions League.

Figures at Arsenal would also point to the very relevant fact that, up to now, and as will be the case until the FA Cup semi-final, they have been the only English team to play in every possible fixture this season.

That matters.

You can see it, above all, in a player like Zubimendi.

That admittedly isn’t always perceptible, except for surprisingly huge moments. Despite being rightly renowned for his exceptional passing ability – and a very Spanish passing at that – there have been a few times this season where he has suddenly given an astonishingly bad ball back to create an opening for the opposition. It happened twice here. Raya was out for it once, with an effort wasted for another.

There is a fair question over whether this propensity has been influenced by a corresponding lack of mobility further up the field. On a number of occasions throughout the game, but especially in the first half, Zubimendi was on the ball in the centre and looking to play it forward only to find the front line very static. Again, Martinelli changed that. That’s the importance of those substitutes.

Arsenal immediately looked more mobile. Viktor Gyokeres again battled earnestly, but he didn’t really hurt his former team, whose fanbase naturally ended up applauding him. The Swede could also have been more mobile for the offside that disallowed Zubimendi’s strike.

This wasn’t all about Arsenal, of course.

Sporting were defensively well marshalled. They also forced three good saves from Raya.

And that’s why there is another perspective on this.

This was actually a throwback in precisely the right way – a classic European away performance. Arsenal did a tactical number on the opposition, before taking their chance.

They couldn’t play anything close to their maximum because of the various issues around this season, so they displayed a vintage Champions League minimalism. They also used that depth, the greater numbers. It helps when one of them is Havertz, who has his own rich history in this competition: he’s been a matchwinner in the final. He showed why here. Arsenal showed an old quality.

The modern dynamics of the sport may have ensured such performances aren’t as visible any more, but recent reversions could mean they become newly important again.

It could be decisive in other ways.

After a week when all the talk has been about how results in other competitions are intertwined with the title challenge, and may well influence it, what will this do?

Arsenal will feel good again – and at the best time possible.

That tends to be the case with last-minute winners. There’s very little like them, and there aren’t too many that tend to be as exquisitely executed as this.

As with everything else with Arsenal right now, it's all about the end result.

No Champions League away goals rule in 2026: What happens if teams are tied on aggregate goals after second leg? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

In June 2021, UEFA abolished the away goals tiebreaker starting with the 2021/22 season, and it proved to be a massive change that has altered the way coaches and players approach European competitions played over two legs.

In the past, away goals scored served as the first tiebreaker and only when teams were level on away goals did extra time and penalties become an option. The away-goals tiebreaker rule was around for over 50 years (since 1965), but the European governing body UEFA indicated that it made the move to nix it based on sporting justice and feedback from the football community.

The first Champions League match to be affected by the rule change was a 2021/22 first qualifying round matchup between Welsh club Connah's Quay Nomads and Armenian side Alashkert, who went to extra time even though Alashkert had scored more away goals. Alashkert still advanced after scoring in extra time.

MORE: No away goals in the Champions League, good or bad? | New UCL format a smashing success

What happens if teams finish tied on aggregate goals in the Champions League?

There is no longer a need for fans to do calculations about how many away goals each team has scored in a two-leg series in order to figure out who goes through or how many goals a team needs to advance.

As the rule stands, if the aggregate score after two legs is level, there will be two 15-minute periods of extra time. And if no further goals are scored during extra time, a penalty shootout will take place to determine which team advances.

Essentially, every goal scored during the 180 minutes will count the same. No more away goals "counting double" as the common refrain used to go, though it was never factually true (they only served as the tiebreaker).

MORE: Who has scored the most goals in UEFA Champions League history?

Why did UEFA get rid of the away goals rule?

The away goals rule had been in place since the 1965/66 season and the idea was to incentivize road teams to attack instead of merely sitting back and defending for their lives. With the knowledge that away goals would serve as a potential tiebreaker, road teams in theory had something to gain by coming out of their shell and taking more chances, presumably leading to more open matches.

But many had been advocating for the removal of the away goals rule from UEFA club competitions, with former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone among those who wanted to see it scrapped. Their argument was that the rule was overly punitive for teams playing at home, especially in the first leg of a knockout series. Conceding a goal at home set a team back significantly in the overall series.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin agreed and pointed out how the away goals tiebreaker ran "counter to its original purpose" and he felt it actually discouraged teams from playing attacking football nowadays.

"It now dissuades home teams — especially in first legs — from attacking, because they fear conceding a goal that would give their opponents a crucial advantage," he said.

"There is also criticism of the unfairness, especially in extra time, of obliging the home team to score twice when the away team has scored. It is fair to say that home advantage is nowadays no longer as significant as it once was.

"Taking into consideration the consistency across Europe in terms of styles of play, and many different factors which have led to a decline in home advantage, the UEFA Executive Committee has taken the correct decision in adopting the view that it is no longer appropriate for an away goal to carry more weight than one scored at home."

The 2024 quarterfinal first legs showed Ceferin might have had a point. Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund were the teams on the road and scored nine goals between them.

UEFA competitions impacted by rule change

UEFA stated prior to its 2021/22 competitions that all of its club tournaments, including men's, women's and youth tournaments, would no longer feature the away goals tiebreaker.

That means the Champions League, Europa League, Women's Champions League, UEFA Youth League, UEFA Super Cup and the relatively new Conference League no longer use away goals as an aggregate-goal tiebreaker.

The rule change by UEFA obviously did not directly impact other international competitions organized in other regions or by FIFA, but other leagues have also adopted a similar modification.

For example, South America's Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana also adopted a penalty-kick shootout in lieu of the away goals tiebreaker for its knockout rounds. But the CONCACAF Champions Cup in North America still maintains away goals as a tiebreaker for the Round of 16 through to the semifinals.

The Dodgers finish off their six-game road trip with an afternoon start on getaway day against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

Shohei Ohtani gets the ball in the series finale, the rotation maneuvered such that his next two pitching starts will come the day before a scheduled team off day. Since his last pitching start, last Tuesday against the Cleveland, Ohtani hit three home runs, through Monday’s series opener in Toronto.

Dylan Cease, who signed a $210 million, seven-year contract with the Blue Jays in the offseason, starts the series finale. He has 18 strikeouts in his first two starts for Toronto, with a 2.79 ERA in 9 2/3 innings.

Wednesday game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Blue Jays
• Ballpark: Rogers Centre, Toronto
• Time: 12:07 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Manuel Neuer celebrated his 40th birthday on March 27, 2026. Less than two weeks later, he pulls out a MOTM display in the quarterfinals of the Champions League against Real Madrid and helps Bayern Munich to a 3-1 away in the Bernabeu. Class is permanent, after all.

Speaking after the match, Neuer talked about the danger the home side posed and the many saves he had been forced to make:

“We knew how dangerous Real Madrid can be going forward. They created many chances,” Neuer admitted, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “We’re happy with this away win, but we’re also aware it’s going to be a tough task in Munich next week.”

Neuer was even asked about how he felt about the performance considering his age: “I’m having fun with the team, at the club, with the coaching staff. It’s true that I’m 40, but I’m still here.”

Age is just a number. As long as Neuer feels healthy and can put in these kinds of performances, it is doubtful Bayern will deny the legendary goalkeeper a new contract.

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…

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

• New, improved notifications system!
• Fewer ads
• Create community posts
• Comment on articles, community posts
• Rec comments, community posts

It's that time of year when mock drafts are everywhere. The 2026 NFL draft is just over two weeks from now and every prognosticator has a mock draft out. But every mock draft carries some level inherent bias, often for your favorite team or players.

This is where AI comes in. They have no bias, no emotion and nothing but the data. So we asked Gemini, Google's own AI to put together a one-round mock draft using only the current order. No trades. And here is what they put together. The results are surprisingly solid and nothing jumps out to us as so far off base as to be laughable.

1 Las Vegas Raiders Fernando Mendoza QB Indiana

2 New York Jets Arvell Reese EDGE Ohio State

3 Arizona Cardinals David Bailey EDGE Texas Tech

4 Tennessee Titans Jeremiyah Love RB Notre Dame

5 New York Giants Sonny Styles LB Ohio State

6 Cleveland Browns Carnell Tate WR Ohio State

7 Washington Commanders Rueben Bain Jr. EDGE Miami

8 New Orleans Saints Mansoor Delane CB LSU

9 Kansas City Chiefs Francis Mauigoa OT Miami

10 Cincinnati Bengals Caleb Downs S Ohio State

11 Miami Dolphins Spencer Fano OT Utah

12 Dallas Cowboys Dillon Thieneman S Oregon

13 L.A. Rams (via ATL) Kenyon Sadiq TE Oregon

14 Baltimore Ravens Olaivavega Ioane IOL Penn State

15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Keldric Faulk EDGE Auburn

16 N.Y. Jets (via IND) Makai Lemon WR USC

17 Detroit Lions Blake Miller OT Clemson

18 Minnesota Vikings Omar Cooper Jr. WR Indiana

19 Carolina Panthers Jermod McCoy CB Tennessee

20 Dallas Cowboys (via GB) Monroe Freeling OT Georgia

21 Pittsburgh Steelers Jordyn Tyson WR Arizona State

22 L.A. Chargers Kadyn Proctor OT Alabama

23 Philadelphia Eagles Akheem Mesidor EDGE Miami

24 Cleveland Browns (via JAX) T.J. Parker EDGE Clemson

25 Chicago Bears Emmanuel McNeil-Warren S Toledo

26 Buffalo Bills Caleb Lomu OT Utah

27 San Francisco 49ers Denzel Boston WR Washington

28 Houston Texans Cashius Howell EDGE Texas A&M

29 Kansas City Chiefs (via LAR) K.C. Concepcion WR Texas A&M

30 Miami Dolphins (via DEN) CJ Allen LB Georgia

31 New England Patriots Colton Hood CB Tennessee

32 Seattle Seahawks Anthony Hill Jr. LB Texas

This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: We let AI make a one-round mock draft

Here’s what that means for when fans may see him on a mound again.

Today, the Houston Astros announced SP Hunter Brown has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 shoulder strain.

Here is what that likely means:

Often times, a Grade 2 shoulder strain involves partial tearing of a muscle/muscles in the “shoulder stabilizers” – usually the rotator cuff.

Grade 2 sprains typically involve the posterior rotator cuff – they are usually caused by the deceleration process after the release of the baseball. These muscles keep the ball joint of your shoulder in place while throwing.

It can also involve the muscles of the shoulder blade.

Grade 2 strains are usually treated with rest and anti-inflammatories early (First 2 weeks), followed by range of motion exercises and band work (next two weeks), then increasing to light weights and movements (next 2 weeks).

Next would be starting a light throwing progression around week 6. For a Starting Pitcher like Brown, this is a 6 week injury in a perfect world, 8-10 week injury in a more realistic world.

As long as he gets through all his stages with no pain, he should be able to fully recover without surgery.

CHICAGO (AP) — Gunnar Henderson hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in Baltimore's three-run eighth inning, and the Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox 4-2 on Tuesday for their eighth straight victory over the South Siders.

Henderson, Tyler O'Neill and Blaze Alexander each had two hits for Baltimore, which left 14 runners on base. Yennier Cano (1-1) got three outs for the win on a chilly afternoon, and Ryan Helsley handled the ninth for his fourth save.

Alexander started the eighth-inning rally with a one-out double off Jordan Hicks (0-1). Ward followed with another double, tying it at 2.

White Sox manager Will Venable then brought in left-hander Chris Murphy to face Henderson, a lefty batter. Henderson responded with his fourth homer, a line drive that hit the top of the wall in right-center on its way to the seats.

Henderson also connected during Monday night's 2-1 victory at Chicago, stopping a three-game slide for Baltimore. The Orioles are 23-5 against the White Sox since the 2022 season.

Chase Meidroth had two hits for Chicago, which dropped to 3-2 on a six-game homestand. Shane Smith struck out eight and walked five in 3 2/3 scoreless innings in his third start of the year.

Chicago jumped in front with a two-out rally in the third. Derek Hill singled and scored on Meidroth's double, a liner to left that landed in front of a tumbling Ward. Lenyn Sosa added a run-scoring single to center for a 2-0 lead.

Baltimore got one back on pinch hitter Ryan Mountcastle's grounder to shortstop in the fifth, driving in Samuel Basallo from third. But Sean Newcomb limited the damage by striking out Coby Mayo swinging, stranding a runner on second.

Up next

Kyle Bradish (0-2, 6.23 ERA) starts for Baltimore on Wednesday, and fellow right-hander Sean Burke (0-1, 3.60 ERA) pitches for Chicago in the finale of the three-game series.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Bucks’ Doc Rivers comments raise eyebrows about future with team originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The future of Doc Rivers as the Milwaukee Bucks' head coach is uncertain, and a recent report from ESPN's Shams Charania doesn't help his cause. 

In Charania's recent appearance on NBA Today on Tuesday, he reported that Rivers delivered some pointed remarks to his team during a meeting in early March.

"Doc Rivers called for a team meeting that day and to my understanding is in that team meeting, Doc Rivers implored his team, according to six people in the room to look at my resume and quote 'Google me.' 'I took teams to the playoffs and championship that weren’t supposed to be there. I thought this was one of them.'"

Charania went on to say that the team did not receive Rivers' comments well. 

Doc Rivers' Era in Milwaukee Nearing Breaking Point

The Bucks have had a tough season from top to bottom. There's been a lot of drama surrounding their best player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and his uncertainty with the franchise. 

Now, there is the uncertainty of Rivers and his future with the team. The Bucks were certainly one of the most underwhelming teams this season. 

Milwaukee will miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade, since the 2015-16 season. That snaps a nine-game postseason appearance run, and it comes at the hands of Rivers. 

The addition of Rivers was supposed to help the team get over the hump. Instead, it's only led to back-to-back first-round exits in the past two playoffs and now missing the playoffs altogether. 

A deep disconnect between the coach and players marks this disastrous failure by both the Bucks and Rivers. Rivers' leadership, particularly this season, has splintered the locker room, resulting in the team's poor play. 

At this point, it's a matter of when, not if, Rivers gets relieved of his duties. 

The second half of Bayern Munich’s 2-1 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League at the Bernabéu had to be to tense for head coach Vincent Kompany.

With his team clinging to a one-goal advantage, Bayern Munich was tired and reeling late in the match. Meanwhile, Real Madrid was trying its best to get the game knotted. It did not happen as the Bavarians sealed a 2-1 victory, while under duress.

“You had the feeling the game was always on a knife’s edge. It could go either way. We felt we had more and better chances. I hope that if we get them again next week, we’ll score more goals at Allianz Arena. Two goals here are good though, and we’ll take that,” said Kompany (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).

Now, the drama will build for a week as the two teams will steamroll into the second leg next week at the Allianz Arena. Can Bayern Munich finish the job?

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…

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

• New, improved notifications system!
• Fewer ads
• Create community posts
• Comment on articles, community posts
• Rec comments, community posts

Champions League bracket, explained: Possible knockout opponents for every team in Round of 16 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The change in UEFA Champions League format has altered the way the knockout stage is structured in a significant way.

After the thrilling conclusion to the 2025/26 league phase, which saw clubs jockeying for position until the final kick of the final match, the spotlight now turns to the knockout stage where 24 teams will battle for European supremacy.

The top eight finishers in the league phase advanced straight to the Round of 16, while the sixteen teams below them contested a two-legged playoff round to determine the other eight qualifiers.

The Sporting News details exactly how the matchups are decided, who can play who, and where each team's pathway to Champions League glory can be drawn.

MORE: Why the Premier League looks set to keep five Champions League spots

Champions League bracket, explained

In the new Champions League format, which follows what is known as the Swiss Model, the knockout-stage bracket is largely predetermined by final league-phase positions, although not entirely.

There was a draw following the league phase (taking place on Friday, January 30 this year) to set the playoff-round matchups and another prior to the Round of 16 to set the entire rest of the bracket.

In both the knockout playoffs and the Round of 16, each qualifier has only two possible opponents against whom they can be drawn.

MORE:Mbappe chasing Cristiano Ronaldo's single-season Champions League goal-scoring record

Possible opponents for every team in knockout playoffs

In the Champions League knockout playoffs, the top qualifiers from the league phase are drawn against the lowest-finishing qualifiers, and so on.

The matchups are as follows:

• 9th & 10th vs. 23rd & 24th
• 11th & 12th vs. 21st & 22nd
• 13th & 14th vs. 19th & 20th
• 15th & 16th vs. 17th & 18th

The table below shows how the ties were drawn.

League-phase position in brackets

Possible opponents for every team in Round of 16

In the Champions League Round of 16, the eight winners from the knockout playoffs are drawn against the top eight finishers from the league phase, again according to those final positions.

The matchups are as follows:

• 1st & 2nd in league phase vs. winner of 15/16 vs. 17/18
• 3rd & 4th in league phase vs. winner of 13/14 vs. 19/20
• 5th & 6th in league phase vs. winner of 11/12 vs. 21/22
• 7th & 8th in league phase vs. winner of 9/10 vs. 23/24

The table below shows how the seeding worked in the Champions League Round of 16 for the 2025/26 season. The teams in bold are those who were drawn against that particular seeded opponent.

Champions League knockout bracket, matchups for 2025/26

The schedule and matchups for the 2025/26 Champions League knockout playoffs were set at the draw on Friday, January 30.

Following that round, the schedule and matchups for the rest of the Champions League knockout phase were determined at the Round of 16 draw on February 27. There are no further draws from that point on, as the entirety of the bracket will be set at that point.

2025/26 Champions League knockout stage schedule

Playoff Round — 1st leg

Playoff Round — 2nd leg

Round of 16

The draw to map out the Round of 16, and the rest of the knockout bracket, took place on February 27.

Round of 16 — 1st leg

Round of 16 — 2nd leg

Quarterfinals

The quarterfinal ties are scheduled to be played over April 7-8 and April 14-15.

Quarterfinals — 1st leg

Quarterfinals — 2nd leg

Semifinals

The semifinal first legs are to be played on April 28-29, with the second legs over May 5-6.

Semifinals — 1st leg

Semifinals — 2nd leg

Champions League final

Will 5th place in Premier League qualify for Champions League? How UEFA decides extra spot for 2026/27 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The expansion of European competitions has afforded some of the biggest leagues in the world even more entries into the continent's top club tournament.

Two associations each year earn an extra qualifier into the UEFA Champions League, and the Premier League has recently been a main beneficiary of this bonus.

Teams from the English top flight are enjoying a level of dominance across all three European competitions in the 2025/26 season, and that has set the league up well to remain the most represented next term.

The Sporting News explains how leagues earn the coveted fifth Champions League place, whether the Premier League is in contention, and how things look around the rest of the leagues.

MORE:Champions League top goal scorer 2025/26 season | All-time UCL goal scoring leaders

Does 5th place in Premier League qualify for Champions League?

The Premier League will have a fifth Champions League place for a second consecutive season in 2026/27.

Arsenal's 1-0 win over Sporting CP in the first leg of their quarterfinal on April 7 secured a so-called European Performance Spot.

Even the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Tottenham getting dumped out in the Round of 16 did not affect the Premier League's status as one of the two leading leagues in terms of coefficient score.

Spain is the only nation with a mathematical chance to surpass England's coefficient average and is the favourite to take second spot ahead of Germany and Portugal. Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona all reached the quarterfinals, with the latter two playing one another.

MORE:List of teams through to Champions League knockout phase

How is the fifth Champions League place determined?

UEFA uses its club coefficient ranking to determine who to award the additional Champions League places to each season. The system is based off each country's performance in Europe the previous season, averaged by the number of clubs participating.

From the group stage on, a win is worth two coefficient points, while a draw earns one. If a match goes to extra time, the result at the end of the 120 minutes is logged, regardless of the penalty shootout winner.

There are also bonus points for reaching particular rounds of competition. In addition, as of the 2024/25 season, bonus points are awarded for those clubs playing in the Champions League as opposed to the other two. There is a more detailed breakdown of this below.

Points gained by all clubs in a given association are added together, and then divided by the number of clubs participating in Europe that season to give an average.

Once the qualifying positions are awarded, the clubs to take the positions are the highest in the league table not to have qualified via other means.

UEFA club coefficients rankings 2025/26

As it stands, England would earn one extra Champions League place while Spain would earn the other. However, that is subject to change.

Clubs with many qualifying clubs in European play suffer what looks like a penalty, as their average score is divided amongst more participants. As the season plays out though, those countries also have more opportunities to gain points, so the cream usually rises to the top in the end.

Projected table for UEFA Champions League extra qualifier

The table below ranks all European leagues based on UEFA coefficient score in 2025/26 competitions. The table is ranked by max possible score, showing the teams most likely to finish at the top of the rankings by the end of the season.

The current average column shows where the clubs would stand if the season ended today, but as explained above, this is not always the best identifier of the eventual finish.

Figures updated as of April 7, 2026, via UEFA. Max possible score via BBC.

How does the UEFA coefficient points system work?

UEFA coefficient rankings are worked out based on the performances of each association (league) in European club competitions in a particular season.

Each league is awarded points based on how well their teams do in Europe, which are all added into a final total.

Points are awarded as follows:

* Every club is guaranteed to earn the minimum bonus points even if their results earn fewer. Champions League participants do not earn a minimum, as their bonus points below guarantee such award.

In addition, the following bonus points were added to the mix in the 2024/25 season based on a club's final position in each competition's league phase:

Which Premier League teams will qualify for Champions League?

The top two teams chasing the Premier League title, Arsenal and Manchester City, are considered almost virtual locks at this point to qualify for the Champions League next season. Manchester United and Aston Villa are given a chance of greater than 50 per cent.

Table updated as of all matches on April 7. Percentage chance to reach Champions League via Opta.

Rosario Central and Independiente del Valle face off this Thursday at the Estadio 15 de Abril in Copa Libertadores. Rosario Central mark their 14th participation in the competition, whilst Independiente del Valle go into their 12th.

In their last fixture, Rosario Central won 2-1 against Atlético Tucumán (Torneo Apertura 2026). Last time out, Independiente del Valle triumphed 2-0 against Orense SC (Ecuador League 2026).

Unavailable

Rosario Central

Independiente del Valle

• Patrik Mercado - Cruciate Ligament Tear
• Guido Villar - Knee Injury
• Jean Arroyo - Tibia And Fibula Fracture
• Richard Schunke - Cartilage Damage

Last starting XIs

Rosario Central ( vs Atlético Tucumán 2026-04-05): Jorge Broun, Enzo Giménez, Alexis Soto, Luca Raffin, Agustín Sández, Vicente Pizarro, Franco Ibarra, Gaspar Duarte, Pol Fernández, Jaminton Campaz, Alejo Veliz

Independiente del Valle ( vs Orense SC 2026-04-04): Aldair Quintana, Daykol Romero, Mateo Carabajal, Juan Viacava, Layan Loor, Justin Lerma, Jordy Alcívar, Matías Perello, Júnior Sornoza, Emerson Pata, Charli González

Did you know...by playmaker stats

MANAGERS

• Jorge Almirón has faced Independiente del Valle on two occasions, recording one draw and one defeat

TEAMS

• Independiente del Valle currently have one defeat in their last seven games.
• Independiente del Valle are on a run of two consecutive matches unbeaten.
• Independiente del Valle come into this match on the back of two consecutive wins.
• At home, Rosario Central currently have one defeat in their last six games.
• At home, Rosario Central have conceded goals in three consecutive home games.
• At home, Rosario Central are on a run of two consecutive matches unbeaten.
• At home, Rosario Central come into this match on the back of two consecutive wins.
• Rosario Central currently have two defeats in their last 12 games.
• Rosario Central come into this match having conceded goals in three consecutive games.

HEAD TO HEAD

• Rosario Central and Independiente del Valle have faced each other zero times; there is no advantage between Rosario Central and Independiente del Valle: zero wins for each team in zero games.
• In the Copa Libertadores, the two teams face each other for the first time

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany hailed goalkeeper Manuel Neuer after his team secured a 2-1 Champions League quarter-final first leg win at Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Luis Diaz and Harry Kane's goals gave the Bundesliga leaders a strong lead on a dominant display but Kylian Mbappe pulled one back for Madrid, with Neuer making a string of impressive saves to keep the record 15-time winners at bay.

The veteran stopper thwarted the competition's top goalscorer Mbappe on several occasions and was named man of the match.

"If he was the best player, then I'm also happy with that, it's not a problem," Kompany told reporters.

"I think you need special performances always at this level in these type of games.

"I think today we had also some chances to score more goals, so let's hope we continue this form next week, and let's hope that our strikers are the best players next week."

Kompany praised two-time Champions League and 12-time Bundesliga winner Neuer's longevity.

"Manu is one of the very few -- he's not just able to do it for a very long time, but for a very, very long time," said the Belgian coach.

"To still perform like he does now, I think that is something that not many goalkeepers, even the top ones, are able to do."

Kompany said that despite Mbappe's goal in the 74th minute, he was happy with his team's win ahead of the second leg next Wednesday.

"We're happy with the result. It's a win, and any win in the Bernabeu in Madrid is an important result," added Kompany.

"It's something that we can build on. And then we play at home the next game, so I think, of course, we have respect for the quality of Real Madrid...

"It's normal that they create some moments as well, they were incredibly dangerous at times. But most importantly, we stayed really dangerous as well, so the idea is when we go and play the next game at home, to try and go and win the game."

Bayern's match-winner Kane scored his 49th goal of a superb season and was pleased with the win, but warned his team to stay on their toes in the second leg.

"I thought we played some really good stuff today," Kane told Amazon Prime.

"We're in a good position but as always, it's a one-goal lead and that can change quickly. We'll try to perform as we did today."

- 'If any team can do it' -

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa backed his team to mount a comeback in Munich.

"I think it's a defeat that maybe, with a bit more luck in the second half, we could have avoided," said the Spaniard.

"We scored a goal that gave us hope -- the pity is we weren't able to put away any more of the chances we had.

"It's not going to be easy, but if any team can win in Munich, it's Real Madrid."

Jude Bellingham impressed as a second half substitute for Madrid, as he continues to find fitness after a hamstring injury, and Arbeloa highlighted the England international's contribution.

"We've talked a lot about how his return to the team should be, about getting back to his best level, and I think doing it progressively is just logical to me," said the coach.

"It's true he gave us a huge amount, because we need a player like him, who can evade that very aggressive press Bayern put on, carry the ball, get past opponents.

"And I'm very happy with the energy he showed us, with what we always talk about -- his character and personality.

"I see him looking much better, and I'm sure in Munich he's going to help us a lot."

rbs/bc

Bayern Munich defender Jonathan Tah was naturally pleased after his side secured a 2-1 first-leg win over Real Madrid at the Bernabéu in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday.

“It’s something special to win here, it’s not easy," said Tah via FC Bayern’s website, adding that he's eager to carry the momentum into the return leg in Munich next week.

“We know there’s still a second game, and that one will be in front of our fans. We’ve prepared everything to deliver a very good game in Munich and to give everything to progress. We’re very happy, also with the way we came here – with a lot of courage and conviction. We could even have scored one or two more goals.

“We’ve put ourselves in a good position for the second leg. In the end, it’s about getting our game onto the pitch, and we managed that very well in phases. But you also have to respect the opponent – they can create dangerous situations, and even there we did well because we defended together," the centre-back concluded.

An epic win for FC Bayern at the Bernabéu! In the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final at Real Madrid, the Munich men triumphed 2-1 thanks to a strong performance. “We’re glad about the win here first of all, but it’s still going to be a hard task in Munich,” said captain Manuel Neuer, who was named ‘Player of the Match’ after some brilliant saves, with a view to the return leg at the Allianz Arena next Wednesday, 15 April. Coach Vincent Kompany was proud of his team and optimistic for the second match: “I want our boys to know that they’ve won at the Bernabéu. That’s worth something, we have to take that with us. It shows we can achieve a lot.” fcbayern.com rounds up the rest of the post-match reaction for you.

Reaction to the match at Real Madrid

Vincent Kompany: “Everyone’s still very calm in the dressing room, we still need to win again to progress. But I want our boys to know that they’ve won at the Bernabéu. That’s worth something, we have to take that with us. It shows we can achieve a lot. We have to take the belief into the next game. You always had the feeling the match was in the balance and could swing one way or the other. I felt that we had more and better chances. These Real players are incredible, though – their pace in the one-v-ones. We needed some strong spells of defending and Manu (Neuer) also made some unbelievable saves. But when I see the chances we had, that has to give us confidence that we can score more goals. That’s what we need to try at home. We want to make the difference with our fans at the Allianz Arena. I hope that if we get those chances again, we’ll score the goals. Two goals are good, though, we’ll take that.”

Manuel Neuer: “It’s a shame that it wasn’t 2-0. We know how dangerous Real Madrid are. They also had some good chances and let some go, so we’re glad about the win here first of all. It’s still going to be a hard task in Munich. They have some of the best players in the world, who have a lot of pace, are good at dribbling and strong finishers – that’s very difficult to defend. If we stick close to each other, it’s easier but when they have space one-v-one, it’s very hard. It’s just fun to play with this team and coaching staff. Anything is possible.”

Jonathan Tah: “It’s special to win here, it’s not an easy thing to do. However, we know there’s still a second leg, although it’s in front of our fans. We’ve prepared everything to deliver a good performance in Munich and will give everything to go through. We’re very happy also with the way we performed here, with a lot of courage and conviction. We could’ve even scored another goal or two. We’ve put ourselves in a good position for the return leg. At the end of the day it’s about imposing our game, which we managed very well in spells tonight. You also have to respect the opponents – they can get into dangerous situations – but we also did well there because we defended as a unit.”

Tah on Neuer: “Are you surprised? We’re grateful to him every match. He has a special aura, also with the saves he repeatedly makes. You shouldn’t take it for granted, but it’s normal for him.”

Serge Gnabry: “We’ll certainly take the win. We came here to win. We had further chances that we should’ve converted, then perhaps we could’ve killed them off. But they had chances too, we have to admit. We’ll take the win and go into the second leg with confidence. We need to go into it with complete conviction at home. We deserved the victory today. In the second leg we have to try to summon a tick more.”

Reaction from Real

Álvaro Arbeloa (coach): “Unfortunately we wasted a few chances, but we’re still in it. It won’t be easy but we can win there. Bayern are a great team with very good players. Manuel Neuer had a fantastic game. We came up against a very good side, the most consistent in Europe. It will be far from easy there.”

The match report:

Advantage Bayern after victory in Madrid

Donovan Mitchell reveals how Cavaliers changed to accommodate James Harden originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The NBA Playoffs loom over the Cleveland Cavaliers. As of the moment, they are one of the heavy-hitters in the Eastern Conference and will likely go far in the postseason. A lot of this can be attributed to Coach Kenny Atkinson's schemes and Donovan Mitchell's leadership on the court. However, there is one change that came from James Harden which might give them a shot at the Larry O'Brien trophy.

Cavaliers change training methods for Harden

What's the big change? Well, the Cavaliers do not prefer shootarounds anymore since Harden landed on their roster. Instead, Coach Atkinson has been leading ballroom walk-through sessions to help the squad familiarize his schemes. So far, this has landed the squad a net rating of +4.3 which is ninth in the league. Their offensive rating is also fourth heading into the NBA Playoffs and is valued at 119.6.

Mitchell unveiled his initial doubts about the practices that Harden brought. He and the rest of the Cavaliers eventually started to love these ballroom walk-through sessions before games, via Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

"You don’t got to go full speed, and you can be in your socks for all we care. Being able to be in certain positions in the morning so that way your brain remembers it at night, I think, that’s something I’ve done my whole career. And every coach is different, right, everybody’s different. But I think Harden bringing that, I think is special," Mitchell declared.

As of the moment, the Cavaliers' seeding in the NBA Playoffs is not yet final. Coach Atkinson still has to lead his team to three more regular season games. But, the Cavaliers do have a fighting chance to usurp the New York Knicks if they extend their win streak up until the 82nd game of the season. Mitchell noted that a big part of that was Harden's veteran acumen and how he shaped the team's culture in such a short time.

"I think that’s a testament to him. We’ve also adjusted, and we knew that when we were gonna make the trade, we’re going to have to adjust, for sure. And for him, you see how easy it is for him to make these plays, right? So it's kind of being able to stay in our spots, not as much movement. And then when I’m in the second unit, it’s like, all right, we’re going," the Cavaliers star added.

The media may not show it a lot but Harden is arguably one of the best veterans in the league right now. Will he be able to help this Cavaliers squad make a deep NBA Playoffs run?

More NBA News:

• James Harden reveals not-so-known Cavaliers NBA Playoffs preparation scheme

• Steve Kerr hypes up Warriors' NBA Playoffs hopes after Stephen Curry's return

• How Dave Chappelle helped Darius Garland, Clippers' late NBA season comeback

Marlins are finally finding the power to match their elite pitching originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Coming into the 2026 season, the pitching staff was not a concern for the Miami Marlins. Even after trading Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers over the offseason, the starting rotation was still going to be strong. 

Sandy Alcantara has looked elite in his first few starts, but he is not the only one. Eury Perez still has some issues to work through, but he has been generating a good amount of strikeouts, just like Max Meyer. 

But with an elite starting rotation must come an elite bullpen, and Miami's stable of arms has been one. With Pete Fairbanks in tow, they are leading the NL with their 2.86 ERA.

MORE: Marlins have 'baseball's most lucrative trade chip' amid Yankees, Dodgers rumors

Marlins are finally finding the power to match their elite pitching

What has held this team back in the past is the state of the offense. However, with a few new additions, the offense is finally catching up to the state of the pitching staff. 

Xavier Edwards currently leads the club with his .432 batting average and .462 OPS, while Liam Hicks leads the club with three home runs and 12 runs batted in. 

This has been a reason for their 6-4 start heading into Tuesday, which is good enough for a tie for first place in the NL East. 

This isn't a team you will want to sleep on, and Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter currently ranks them as the 11th-best team across MLB.

"The Marlins ranked 20th in the majors in slugging percentage last season, and finding enough offensive thump to support a quality pitching staff has been an issue for years. It's no coincidence that they have climbed to fourth on that leaderboard so far this season, and are now knocking on the door for a spot inside the top 10 as a result."

Miami has not been to the postseason since 2023, but if they keep this up, it's going to be hard to deny them a spot.

More MLB news:

• Low expectations aren't stopping the Cardinals from competing early
• Low expectations aren't stopping the Cardinals from competing early
• Athletics' pitching troubles have made a Gage Jump call-up inevitable
• Rockies' bullpen is thriving despite a massive early-season workload
• Nationals' rotation under the microscope after rough opening stretch

The University of Utah added a talented edge rusher to its 2027 recruiting class Tuesday.

247 Sports’ Blair Angulo reported that Jack Henderson committed to Morgan Scalley’s program just days after he received a scholarship offer from the program.

Beyond blessed to receive an offer from the University of Utah. I want to thank Head Coach Morgan Scalley, Coach Inoke Breckterfield, Coach Jordan Gross, and Coach Luther Elliss, for making me and my family feel at home. #GoUtes#Big12@Utah_Football@RSNBUtes@CoachNokesDL… pic.twitter.com/Gcuk83GpAn

— Jack Henderson - #4 ⭐⭐⭐ (@HendersonJack27) March 29, 2026

Who is Jack Henderson?

Henderson is a 6-foot-3, 230-pound edge rusher from Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho.

He is rated a three-star prospect with an 0.8600 overall rating in 247 Sports’ composite ratings and is the top recruit from the state of Idaho in the 2027 class, according to 247 Sports.

At the time of his commitment to Utah, Henderson also held offers from a half dozen other FBS schools including Washington State, San Diego State, Fresno State, New Mexico, San Jose State and Air Force, per 247 Sports.

He is rated the No. 77 overall edge rusher in the 2027 class by 247 Sports.

“I loved visiting with the coaches and just getting a feel for everything they’re hoping to continue doing there with the new staff,” Henderson told 247 Sports. “There is obviously a lot of stability and continuity with coach Morgan Scalley taking over, and I really believe in their defensive identity and I think it’s a perfect fit for me from a football sense and also just in general. I loved being around the program.”

pic.twitter.com/qdQWhQAWWV

— Jack Henderson - #4 ⭐⭐⭐ (@HendersonJack27) February 26, 2026

How does he fit into Utah’s 2027 recruiting class?

Henderson is the second player to verbally commit to the Utes’ 2027 class.

He joins wide receiver Kingston Parks, a three-star talent out of Texas.

If the first ten games of the season didn’t resemble a flaming trainwreck, the conversation going into tonight’s affair would be centered around everybody going gaga over the sensational pitching match up, and for good reason. Not only do we have Garrett Crochet taking on Jacob Misiorowski, but we’ve got a cold night at Fenway with the wind blowing in from the northwest threatening to further suppress any offense. It could almost disguise itself as a World Series Game 1 type slate if you completely ignored everything else going on.

And oh boy, is there other stuff going on. Roman Anthony is back at DH after another concerning throw from left field in the eighth inning yesterday, Jaren Duran reenters the lineup hitting second following a day off, and Willson Contreras, who was ready to fight the entire Brewers team last night (and threatened to do so tonight if he’s hit again) will bat third.

Missing from the lineup are Caleb Durbin and Masataka Yoshida, and as Over The Monster’s own Jacob Roy points out, that could be a mistake.

Here’s the full lineups for what could be yet another eventful evening at Fenway Park:

⚾️ First Pitch: 6:45 pm – Fenway Park

📺 TV: NESN

📻 Radio: WEEI

Raptors playoff standings: Updated scenarios, schedule for Toronto in 2026 NBA bracket originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For the first time in four years, the Toronto Raptors look like a potential playoff team. While the play-in tournament may be an option forced upon them, the Raptors are nonetheless looking like a strong contender.

Currently, Toronto sits in a logjam, right on the bubble between the playoffs and the play-in. As of the completed results on April 6, four teams are all within half a game of one another, ranked from No. 6 to No. 9 in the Eastern Conference.

Thankfully for Raptors fans, this half game falls their way, as Toronto has one fewer loss than the Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic.

This means that the last few games are make or break for each of these teams, should they hope to avoid both the play-in tournament and a matchup with the No. 1 ranked Detroit Pistons.

SN's NBA HQ: Live NBA scores | Updated NBA standings | Full NBA schedule

Raptors playoff scenarios 2026 

The Raptors have a few too many scenarios to recount, but the majority of them fall into one of two categories. 

Category A is a guaranteed playoff spot. In this case, the Raptors would need to end the season as either Seed No. 5 or Seed No. 6. Should they pull this off successfully, they are likely to meet the New York Knicks or Cleveland Cavaliers for an opening round playoff matchup. 

Category B is a spot in the play-in tournament. In this case, the Raptors would need to win one of two games if they remain as the No. 7 or No. 8 seed. However, should they fall to the No. 9 or No. 10 seed, they would have to win two consecutive games.

If the Raptors clinch the first play-in spot, they will likely match up with the Celtics in the opening round. However, if they have to play the final play-in matchup, they'll have an even more uphill battle with the Detroit Pistons. 

MORE: Updated NBA playoff bracket, clinching scenarios

Raptors standings 2026 

Through April 6, the Raptors sit at No. 6 in the Eastern Conference. They've confirmed a spot in the play-in tournament at the very least with the potential to remain in the guaranteed playoff field. 

MORE: NBA awards eligibility tracker, updated with stars' total games

Raptors remaining schedule

Raptors playoff opponent

The Raptors are in such a fluid position that they could match up with virtually any other top 10 Eastern Conference team by the season's end. 

The Raptors are simply in a spot where they have no clue who their playoff or play-in opponent might be. 

MORE: When do the NBA playoffs start? Key dates, schedule

UCV FC and Libertad go head-to-head at Estadio Olímpico de la UCV this Thursday in the Copa Libertadores. UCV FC mark their 2nd participation in the competition, whilst Libertad go into their 25th.

In their last game, UCV FC won 2-3 against Academia Anzoátegui (Liga FUTVE Triunfobet 2026). In their last encounter, Libertad were beaten 1-0 by Guaraní (Paraguayan League Apertura 2026).

Unavailable

UCV FC

• Jovanny Bolívar - Called Up To National Team

Libertad

• Robert Rojas - Fissure Of The Fibula
• Hugo Fernández - Ligament Tear
• Alexis Duarte - Ligament Tear

Last starting XIs

UCV FC ( vs Academia Anzoátegui 2026-04-03): Giancarlo Schiavone, Kendrys Silva, Alfonso Simarra, Williams Velásquez, Yohan Cumaná, Samuel Sosa, Alexander González, Francisco Solé, Juan Cuesta, Juan Zapata, Yeiber Murillo

Libertad ( vs Guaraní 2026-04-06): Rodrigo Morínigo, Alexis Fretes, Matías Espinoza, Thiago Fernández, Estiven Villalba , Néstor Giménez, Diego Viera, Lucas Sanabria, Amin Molinas, Álvaro Campuzano, Lorenzo Melgarejo

Did you know...by playmaker stats

TEAMS

• Away from home, Libertad are on a run of two consecutive matches without a win.
• Away from home, Libertad are on a run of two consecutive defeats.
• Libertad currently have a draw in their last 14 matches.
• At home, UCV FC currently have one defeat in their last five matches.
• At home, UCV FC have conceded goals in four consecutive matches.
• At home, UCV FC are on a run of two consecutive matches without a win.
• UCV FC currently have two defeats in their last ten matches.
• UCV FC have conceded goals in eight consecutive matches.

HEAD TO HEAD

• UCV FC and Libertad have faced each other zero times; there is no advantage between UCV FC and Libertad: zero wins each in zero matches.
• In the Copa Libertadores, the two teams face each other for the first time

Speaking at the NFL Owners Meetings in Arizona last week, Jeffrey Lurie made it known that the Eagles are exploring options for their future home, which could see them moving out of Lincoln Financial Field within the next decade. Their lease for the stadium ends in 2032. While Lurie didn’t say anything definitive about his plans, the topic will own heat up in the next couple of years.

Setting aside the debate that will eventually rage on about the possibility of public money being used for the stadium or Lurie’s non-committal stance last week about the team even remaining in South Philadelphia, which has been the site of the team’s home games for 55 years, I continue to find myself believing this type of undertaking is ultimately unnecessary.

I understand the business of why Lurie would want it and the optics it’d bring to his franchise’s residence. The Linc will play host to the FIFA World Cup this summer, but if the team’s next stadium is a dome or has a retractable roof, which I would certainly bet on, the global reach of the stadium would continue on. They could bring in the Final Four or the Super Bowl or winter mega-concerts. More eyes could be on Philadelphia in the sporting world than ever and I’d assume that would all play out quite well for Lurie financially. If this is all in the name of delivering the best in-stadium experience for Philadelphians, however, does it really matter?

I have no qualms with Lurie. He’s been a model professional sports owner in his three-plus decades running the show for the Birds and has overseen a quarter of a century of unprecedented success for the franchise. Philly sports fans should wish the city’s other organizations are as well run from the top down as this teams. I do question whether a new nest for the Eagles is a true need for the average fan who spends their Sundays (or Mondays or Thursdays…) watching the team play in person.

If we were talking about, say, a baseball stadium, I’d be a little more inclined to think this is important. A ballpark and it all brings on a summer day is just as much a part of the experience of attending an MLB game as is the on-field product. People want to try the latest viral food sensations, walk around the concourse, allow their kids to take part in some little games and perhaps even meet up with friends in standing room areas. A baseball team could lose a handful of games in a row without that streak cratering its season. For any given day, it’s not the most serious affair.

That’s the complete opposite of an afternoon at an NFL game. As long as the sight lines are good and the drinks are cold, everything else is negligible. No one’s walking around a football stadium, schmoozing and casually taking it all in, at least not in Philadelphia. It’s all about the action on the gridiron, living and dying with each snap. As long as it’s not a collapsing dump like Veterans Stadium (though it was our collapsing dump…), it’s fine. I’m going to an Eagles game as a psychological endurance test, not as merely an excuse to get outside for the day.

On top of it all, how could you want this team to give up their home-field advantage and play inside after seeing some of this team’s monumental home postseason wins over the years?

Whatever. I’d imagine that 15 years from now, I’ll be paying even more than I have recently to go to an Eagles home game or two per season. I’d imagine that the games will no longer be played outdoors in the cold in the elements. I’d imagine I won’t even care that much about all of that as long as the Eagles are winning and contending, but a small part of me will miss what once was. That’s the nature of growing up, getting older and time passing you by, but, hey, I don’t have to like it.

In anticipation of the 2026 NFL Draft, The Lead writers have come together to provide quick-hitting draft previews for all 32 NFL teams. These previews feature a refresher on each team’s standing amongst the league, some offseason happenings, each team’s draft picks in the 2026 Draft, their positions of need and a handful of targets they should be on the hunt for.

Are you a 49ers fan who is curious about what positions the Raiders are targeting? Or perhaps you’re a Notre Dame fan who wants to see which teams are targeting Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price? Whatever cut of NFL fandom you fall under, The Lead has your draft questions covered:

NFC North Draft Previews

The Chicago Bears had a magical 2025 season. Who should they target in the 2026 NFL Draft? The Lead’s Bears draft guide has the answers: Chicago Bears Preview

The Detroit Lions want back in the NFL Playoffs. The 2026 NFL Draft provides the path to getting there. Who should the Lions target?: Detroit Lions Preview

The Minnesota Vikings want to rebound after a down year in a loaded NFC North. Who from the 2026 NFL Draft can help them do so?: Minnesota Vikings Preview

The Packers have limited capital in the 2026 NFL Draft. With expectations still high in Green Bay, who should Gutekunst take a chance on?: Green Bay Packers Preview

NFC East Draft Previews

The New York Giants suffered a handful of heartbreaking losses last season. How can they use the 2026 NFL Draft to rebound?: New York Giants Preview

The Washington Commanders are trying to return to the NFC Championship game. Who should they take in the 2026 NFL Draft?: Washington Commanders Preview

The Philadelphia Eagles and Howie Roseman have found Super Bowl-level talent in recent drafts. Will 2026 be any different?: Philadelphia Eagles Preview

The Dallas Cowboys had an elite offense and a terrible defense last season, which should make some of their 2026 Draft decisions simple: Dallas Cowboys Preview

NFC West Draft Previews

The Arizona Cardinals fired their head coach and dropped their franchise QB. They must have a productive 2026 NFL Draft: Arizona Cardinals Preview

The Los Angeles Rams were a few plays away from another Super Bowl appearance. With the Falcons’ top-15 pick, how can they improve using the 2026 Draft?: Los Angeles Rams Preview.

The San Francisco 49ers overachieved in 2026, but still were far from a title. The Draft is where they can round out their Super Bowl roster: San Francisco 49ers Preview

The Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX, but lost a handful of key pieces from the team. The 2026 NFL Draft will be where they retool: Seattle Seahawks Preview

NFC South Draft Previews

The Atlanta Falcons have a few premier players, but in order to build sustained success, they need to hit on later picks in the 2026 Draft: Atlanta Falcons Preview

The Carolina Panthers were surprise darlings in 2025. To build on a successful year, they need to hit on their picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Carolina Panthers Preview

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell short of the playoffs last season. They’ll need to retool in the 2026 NFL Draft in order to get back there: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Guide

AFC North Draft Previews: 

The Baltimore Ravens had a season from hell in 2025. The 2026 NFL Draft could help them address a couple glaring weaknesses for next year: Baltimore Ravens Preview

The Cleveland Browns are looking for a fresh start with a new head coach. Who will the new regime select in the 2026 NFL Draft?: Cleveland Browns Preview

The Cincinnati Bengals have their quarterback and wide receivers, but they’ll need to find more franchise pieces in the 2026 NFL Draft: Cincinnati Bengals Preview

Pittsburgh is hosting the NFL Draft on a good year for the Steelers, who have 12 picks to play around with heading into the Mike McCarthy era: Pittsburgh Steelers Preview

AFC East Draft Previews:

The Buffalo Bills continue to fall short in the playoffs. Who in the 2026 NFL Draft can help them attain the ultimate goal?: Buffalo Bills Preview

The Miami Dolphins are starting clean over. To lead them into a new era, who will the Dolphins select in the 2026 NFL Draft?: Miami Dolphins Preview

The New England Patriots were on the verge of another Super Bowl. The 2026 NFL Draft is their ticket to continue contending: New England Patriots Preview

The New York Jets struggled in their first year under Aaron Glenn. They’ll need all the high-end talent they can get in the 2026 NFL Draft: New York Jets Preview

AFC West Draft Previews:

While the Denver Broncos fell short of a Super Bowl appearance, they still had a groundbreaking season. How can they use the 2026 Draft to improve?: Denver Broncos Preview

The Kansas City Chiefs just had an unconventionally down year. How can they use the 2026 NFL Draft to get back to their dynastic ways?: Kansas City Chiefs Preview

The Las Vegas Raiders are on the clock for the 2026 NFL Draft. Their first selection is simple, but who should they target after Mendoza?: Las Vegas Raiders Preview

The Los Angeles Chargers made the playoffs, but were thwarted immediately. LA is hoping the 2026 Draft can provide some help in the trenches: Los Angeles Chargers Preview

AFC South Draft Previews

The Houston Texans had an All-Pro defense that was held back by its offense. The 2026 NFL Draft provides opportunities to round out the team: Houston Texans Preview

The Indianapolis Colts thought they had something magical last season, then it all fell apart. The 2026 Draft can help them regain that magic: Indianapolis Colts Preview

The Jacksonville Jaguars had one of the franchises best seasons in 2025. Now they’ll look to address some roster flaws in the 2026 NFL Draft: Jacksonville Jaguars Preview

The Tennessee Titans snagged their franchise QB in the 2025 Draft. Now with a new head coach, who will they select in the 2026 NFL Draft?: Tennessee Titans Preview

The post 2026 NFL Draft Previews for All 32 NFL Teams appeared first on The Lead.

A Harry Kane goal just 20 seconds into the second half earned Bayern Munich a 2-1 win in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie with Real Madrid, as the German side laid down the gauntlet for their European rivals.

Bayern travelled to the Spanish capital among the favourites to win the competition after the 10-2 aggregate demolition of Atalanta in the round of 16, and while they only take a slender one-goal lead back to Bavaria ahead of next week’s second leg, they could well have won by three or four after a frantic 90 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The visitors should have been ahead in the opening 10 minutes – with Kane laying off for Jonathan Tah only for the German defender to scuff his effort from a few yards – and they had yet another golden chance on 26 minutes, with an inexplicable backpass to Lunin intercepted by Serge Gnabry only for the Bayern man to fire straight at the keeper from point-blank range.

Madrid had chances of their own in a frenetic first half – with Manuel Neuer making two good saves from Kylian Mbappe – but it was Bayern who began to dominate, with the hosts forced to put all 11 men behind the ball on occasion as Vincent Kompany’s side started to exert control.

And it was the visitors who grabbed the first goal in an end-to-end first half, with Luis Diaz opening the scoring after making a clever run and slotting a low finish past Lunin.

It was no less than Bayern deserved, and while they would have felt disappointed to go into the break only one goal ahead, that mattered little just 20 seconds into the second half.

The Bernabeu collectively held its breath as they saw Kane preparing to latch on to Michael Olise’s lay-off on the edge of the ‘D’, and it felt inevitable from there as the England captain side-footed an accomplished finish past a sprawling Lunin.

The Bundesliga leaders looked to kill the tie from there, with Olise going close, but the hosts eventually grew back into the game, with Neuer forced into a brilliant low save from Mbappe’s effort before the ‘keeper did well to shepherd Vinicius Jr away from goal when the Brazilian was clean through.

Madrid did eventually find a lifeline, with Trent Alexander-Arnold bursting through with an overlapping run before fizzing a brilliant ball across Neuer for Mbappe to bundle in at the far post.

The Bernabeu was full of belief once more, but while Madrid briefly threatened to bring the game level, it was instead the visitors who looked more likely to extend their lead, Jamal Musiala going close and combining with Olise and Alphonso Davies to create plenty of openings on the left wing.

Madrid fans briefly thought they would get back into the game but instead they were left breathing a sigh of relief as Bayern once again missed chances to extend their lead. At the final whistle there was a sense that they are all but out of this season’s Champions League despite only trailing by a goal, such was the manner of Bayern’s performance at one of the most difficult away grounds on the continent.

This is not a Bayern side who were flawless on the night, as evidenced by the goal they conceded and a couple of mistakes they were lucky to get away with, notably when Dayot Upamecano mistakenly cushioned a header into the path of Vinicius to send the Brazilian clean through.

And overall, it is clear that the German side’s main defensive issues come when trying to deal with direct, pacy forwards such as Mbappe and Vinicius, with the likes of Ousmane Dembele potentially causing problems if they are to get through and face PSG in the semi-finals.

But while the defensive side of things will be what worries Kompany over the coming days as he prepares for the second leg at the Allianz Arena on 15 April, the Belgian knows that this was a performance that was impressive in many areas.

Some of Bayern’s attacking patterns and combinations in and around the Madrid box were certainly some of the most inventive on display in the competition so far this season, and they can call upon the obvious goalscoring threat offered by Kane and the constant creativity and attacking nous of Olise. Diaz offers a different kind of threat from the left, while the similarly dangerous Jamal Musiala is still working himself back to full fitness.

And though there are some worries at the back, Bayern can also still call upon Neuer, the German legend having made several good saves and a couple of brilliant ones when he was called upon.

It all so nearly perfectly clicked into place at the Bernabeu, and though Bayern return to Germany with a slender aggregate lead ahead of the second leg, they will be heavy favourites to progress at the Allianz. They were not able to land the convincing win this evening, but a wider margin on Wednesday could well mark them out as favourites to win this season’s Champions League.

David Raya was hailed as the world's best goalkeeper by Arsenal's Kai Havertz after the pair inspired Tuesday's 1-0 win at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.

Raya made a trio of vital saves to keep spluttering Arsenal in the game at the Jose Alvalade Stadium.

The Spaniard tipped Maxi Araujo's drive onto the crossbar and kept out Geny Catamo's low effort before making another fine stop to parry Catamo's header late in the second half.

Below their best for long spells, Arsenal capitalised on Raya's man-of-the-match display to end their two-game losing run.

Havertz calmly converted a pass from fellow substitute Gabriel Martinelli in stoppage-time, making Arsenal firm favourites to advance to the semi-finals when they host Sporting in the second leg on April 15.

Raya's return to the team was vital after he was rested for Arsenal's League Cup final loss to Manchester City and their embarrassing FA Cup quarter-final defeat against second-tier Southampton.

Raya's deputy Kepa Arrizabalaga made a costly mistake that led to City's opener at Wembley -- a stark contrast to the former Brentford star's heroics in Lisbon.

"Unbelievable. I think still underestimated in the world of football but for me, the last two seasons, the best keeper in the world," Havertz said. 

"He's outstanding, he's saved us so many times and we're very glad to have him."

- 'He's phenomenal' -

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta echoed Havertz's verdict after Raya's seventh Champions League clean-sheet this season.

"At the moment he's phenomenal and extraordinary since he joined us. We are very lucky to have him," he said.

"He had two moments where he made two big saves. And that's the Champions League, the Champions League is always decided in the boxes and because there's so much quality here."

Raya felt his first save from Araujo was the decisive moment in the game as it kept Arsenal afloat in a difficult period.

"I think that's a turning moment. It was a quick transition from them, great strike but I managed to get a fingertip to it to hit the bar. It's one of those moments that can change games," he said.

"It's something that I'm there for. I'm trying to help the team as much as possible in any single action, not just defending but commanding and on the ball.

"You have to be focused no matter what you're doing, whether you're touching the ball or not. So delighted with myself and, of course, the win."

Arsenal's mentality has been questioned during their recent wobble.

But the Premier League leaders remain on course for a first English title in 22 years, and are still in the hunt for their first ever Champions League crown.

"We believe 100 percent that we can win the Champions League. We go game by game and show what we can do," Raya said. 

"We just have to focus on the present, that's the most important thing, but of course we have full belief.

"We've come from two losses, learn from those moments, that pain when you lose a game.

"Use that pain in the belly to go out there and express yourself, be yourself and try to be better every single day. That's the main message we have to send out there."

smg/nf

CHICAGO (AP) — A day after the Chicago Bulls fired their top two basketball executives, president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf made it clear: He wants coach Billy Donovan to remain in his job.

Reinsdorf said Tuesday that candidates can forget about bringing in their own coach, assuming Donovan chooses to return after this season.

“If I interview someone and they're not sold on Billy and they're not sold on a Hall of Fame coach, they're not sold on a person who has won championships in college, who has gone deep in the playoffs with Oklahoma City, who I believe every year with the Chicago Bulls given the team he was given I think he achieved really good results," Reinsdorf said. “Not the results that we wanted, but that’s not because of Billy. If someone’s not interested in Billy as our coach ... then they’re probably not the right candidate for us.”

The Bulls made sweeping changes to their front office on Monday, firing executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley after a six-year run produced just one playoff appearance.

The 60-year-old Donovan has consistently said he still has a passion for coaching. He will meet with ownership after the season to discuss his future.

Donovan could seek another NBA coaching job or return to the college game, though the most prominent opening is off the table with North Carolina hiring Michael Malone. The Bulls could also give him a bigger say in basketball operations while continuing as coach.

“I don’t think it’s going to take Billy a long time to come to a conclusion on what he wants to do,” Reinsdorf said. “I don’t think the draft or any of that’s going to come into play. The season ends next week. We’ll sit down with Billy as soon as possible, and we’ll find out where his head’s at.”

Donovan had a 467-411 record in 11 seasons as an NBA head coach with Oklahoma City and Chicago entering Tuesday's game at Washington. He led Florida to back-to-back NCAA championships during a 19-year run, and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in September.

Donovan was arguably the top candidate on the market when the Bulls hired him in September 2020, a few months after Karnisovas and Eversley got their jobs. Chicago was 224-254 during their tenure. The Bulls entered Tuesday at 29-49 and missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year.

“We want to build this for the long term, so I don’t want to be just good for one or two years,” Reinsdorf said. “I want it to be year in and year out, we have a chance to be competitive and win. Maybe some of those years we can go all the way. But it's about long-term success, not just one- or two-year windows.”

Reinsdorf said he is looking for someone who is “process-oriented” and “not afraid to pull the trigger” to lead the basketball operation. He also wants a better communicator.

“I want someone who's really strong in communication not just internally within the organization, but also externally when he’s talking to people like you, talking to our fans," Reinsdorf said. "I think that’s really important. What are we trying to accomplish? What is the plan? Our fans have a right to understand what we’re trying to accomplish so I think that's incredibly, incredibly important.”

Reinsdorf said the Bulls will hire a search firm. He's not sure if the chain of command will remain the same, with a basketball operations chief and a general manager reporting to that person.

“I’m not making that decision now,” Reinsdorf said. “When we start talking to candidates and we start talking to people, I want to hear what their thoughts are. How are they going to build out their organizations? I think that’s really important.”

___

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

The value of name, image and likeness deals that can avoid review by the College Sports Commission has risen from $600 to $2,500, providing an athlete doesn't make more than $15,000 total, according to guidance the commission issued Tuesday.

The CSC, formed to oversee NIL payments to athletes in college sports, sent out a four-page reminder to Division I schools, timed with the opening of the transfer portal in college basketball.

The memo said that the CSC board approved the increase last month. At first, any deal worth $600 or more had to be evaluated for whether the athletes were being paid a fair amount for what they were providing.

The raised amount is expected to allow the commission to act faster in approving deals and focus more on the big-money arrangements between players and third parties that need more scrutiny. The $15,000 total cap was added to ensure schools and athletes don't enter multiple four-digit deals and avoid all scrutiny.

“The CSC will evaluate the effect of the new policy in the coming months to determine whether further adjustments are needed,” the memo said.

The CSC also reminded schools that third parties cannot make payments on behalf of athletes to cover agent fees or buyouts from contracts with previous schools. The CSC said it had received reports of both things happening.

“This conduct is not permitted and, if discovered, may result in discipline for both the institution and the student-athlete,” the memo said, adding it will soon require schools to provide additional information about paying agent fees.

The commission said it would also be reaching out to schools and athletes about deals that were cleared “in which it appears that student-athletes never performed the obligations required under those deals.”

A key part of the House settlement, which was approved last year and set the parameters for how college athletes can be paid, was the rule that athletes received money for their NIL, not simply to play a sport.

Schools are allowed to spend up to $20.5 million to pay athletes, but the CSC's major task is evaluating deals struck between athletes and third parties that do not count against the $20.5 million cap.

Those deals, according to the rules, must be “for a valid business purpose related to the promotion or endorsement of goods or services provided to the general public for profit.”

___

AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on the brink of contention. While they just missed the playoffs last season, now it’s up to general manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles to ensure they don’t do so again in 2026.

They already have their work cut out for them after losing a pair of locker room leaders, one on offense in Mike Evans, and one on defense in Lavonte David. The Buccaneers have one of the game’s great young receivers in Emeka Egbuka, but replacing David won’t be easy, but free agent signee Alex Anzalone will give it his best shot.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers are preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft, where they hold the 15th overall pick in the first round. The Bucs could use that pick to help replenish an offense that won’t have Evans anymore. Or, they could use it to build their defense back up after losing a defensive leader like David.

Knowing the Buccaneers’ weaknesses, The Athletic‘s Nick Baumgardner projected Tampa Bay to select edge-rusher Keldric Faulk out of Auburn. Baumgardner went on to suggest that the 6-foot-6, 276-pound prospect has “pretty wild potential.”

“Faulk is 2025 first-rounder Mykel Williams without the injury history,” Baumgardner wrote. “One of the youngest players in the class, Faulk’s potential (at 6 feet 6 and 276 pounds with nearly 35-inch arms) is pretty wild. Todd Bowles could have fun with this pick.”

Keeping with the theme, Faulk is viewed as a bit of a wild card with his draft projection, but he’s expected to land anywhere from the top-15 to the late first. Though, pretty much everyone agrees he’ll hear his name called on the first night of the draft, possibly even by Tampa Bay.

Related: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Interested in 25-Year-Old Former First-Round Pick

Related Headlines

• Report: Las Vegas Raiders Re-Sign Charles Snowden, Jordan Meredith
• Miami Dolphins Projected to Land ‘Very Intriguing’ Prospect with 11th Pick in NFL Draft
• Washington Commanders Tied to Speed Freak with No. 7 Pick in NFL Draft

The Miami Dolphins completely revamped their special teams group this offseason, signing two long snappers, two kickers and two punters to replace Joe Cardona, Jason Sanders and Jake Bailey.

Of the two punters they signed, only Seth Vernon was given a two-year deal. According to Over the Cap, the contract is worth $1.94 million with base salaries and cap hits of $885,000 in 2026 and $1.05 million in 2027.

With no guaranteed money in either year, the Dolphins could cut Vernon at any point and save the entirety of the contract without taking on any more dead cap.

Vernon has bounced around the NFL but has never booted in a real game. He does, however, have experience in the UFL, averaging 45.4 yards per punt with the Michigan Panthers in 2025.

If he wants to earn the job, he'll have to beat out Bradley Pinion, who has 750 career punts in his 11 years in the NFL thus far.

More Dolphins: Former Dolphins RB continues to bash coach for not demanding respect

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: NFL free agency: Contract details revealed for new Dolphins punter

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers were awaiting results Tuesday of an MRI on Jacob deGrom's right knee, though the two-time Cy Young Award winner said after his last start that everything checked out OK.

DeGrom experienced some mild knee discomfort before he pitched Monday night against Seattle, and was limited to 78 pitches over five innings because the Rangers didn't want to push the 37-year-old right-hander too hard. He allowed only one hit in his 250th career start, a first-inning homer to Cal Raleigh in the Rangers' 2-1 win. He struck out six and walked one before leaving with the game tied 1-1.

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Tuesday before the second game in the series against the Mariners that he expected to have an update on deGrom after the game.

As for the pitcher, deGrom was moving around in the clubhouse and on the field Tuesday with no apparent limp and had nothing on his knee. He indicated while chatting with reporters that he felt fine, after saying Monday that that his knee was “a little tender, but I think we'll be OK.”

DeGrom went 4 2/3 innings while throwing 78 pitches on March 31 at Baltimore in an 8-5 Rangers win in his only other outing this season. He was scheduled to make his first start three days before that at Philadelphia but was a late scratch because of neck stiffness.

He was voted the AL Comeback Player of the Year last season, going 12-8 with a 2.97 ERA, after returning late in the 2024 season from a second major reconstruction surgery on his pitching elbow.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

The Matchup: New Jersey Devils (40-34-3) versus the Philadelphia Flyers (39-26-12)

The Time: 7:00 PM EST

The Broadcast: TV — ESPN; Radio — Devils Hockey Network

The Game Preview: Matt had it here.

The Rules: If you have been a reader here, you already know the rules. But for the rest, a reminder: please do not swear in the comment section, and keep comments relevant to the hockey game going on. Beyond that, do not attack any other commenters, and do not ask for or pass along illegal streams on this board.

LGD!

After snapping their losing streak with a comeback win last night, the Nats are looking to win their second series of the season tonight. The Nationals bats have been red hot to start the season, while the pitching staff has been hot garbage. Hopefully the Nats arms can put up more zeroes tonight.

With a lefty on the mound, the Nats have made a few lineup tweaks. March legend Joey Wiemer is back in the lineup and in right field. Curtis Mead will get the start at first base and hit second. Daylen Lile will move to DH, while Keibert Ruiz gets the start behind the plate. Despite his heroic play last night, James Wood will slide over to left field. Nats ace Cade Cavalli will look to give the Nats length in his third start of the season.

The Cardinals are rolling with a similar lineup, but with a couple tweaks. Pedro Pages will be behind the plate, which slides Ivan Herrera to DH. That means Nolan Gorman will be at third base, replacing Ramon Urias. Jordan Walker will be a man to watch. He looks like he may finally be figuring it out this year. Matthew Liberatore will be on the mound for the Red Birds.

Game Info:

Stadium: Nationals Park

Time: 6:45 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

Last night was a ton of fun, and this offense is really rolling. The pitching is very much a work in progress, but it is great to see the boys mashing. This is the opposite of what we saw in Spring Training, which shows how little those results really matter. I can’t wait to watch CJ Abrams, James Wood, Brady House and the boys mash. Follow along in the comment section below and let’s go Nats!

Bayern Munich attacker Serge Gnabry expressed satisfaction with his side’s 2-1 Champions League quarter-final first-leg win over Real Madrid, while also acknowledging a bit of frustration at conceding after going two goals up.

“We’ll definitely take the win with us. We came here to win. At the end of the day, we even had more chances that we should have scored. Maybe then we could have killed the game. But they also had chances – you have to admit that,” said Gnabry, who set up Luis Diaz’s opener, in quotes published on FC Bayern’s website.

“Still, we take the win and go into the second leg with confidence. We have to approach the home game with full conviction. We deserved the win today, and we take that with us. In the return leg, we have to try to give just a little bit more.”

Bayern now turn their focus to their Bundesliga game against St. Pauli at the weekend before next week’s second leg against Real Madrid.

Tommy wasn’t the only Fury taking part in a staredown earlier today, as big brother Tyson also faced off against his upcoming foe Arslanbek Makhmudov, whom he go up against this Saturday (April 11, 2026) in London, England.

The two men had their face off at The Dare Skywalk, which is located at the very top of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, site of the big man collision. Of course, the two giants were strapped with safety harnesses to avoid any catastrophic mishap.

Have a closer look:

“I don’t know how I will beat [Fury], but of course I believe I will win. This guy, he is a legend, one of the best heavyweights in history,” said Makhmudov. “Tyson Fury is the professor of mind and boxing. A lot of boxing is mental and he is a master. But boxing is also spiritual. I am going to be strong, spiritual and smart. You can say this is a war between mental and spiritual and we’ll see who is more successful. Inshallah it is spiritual.”

Also, Conor Benn (24-1) and Regis Prograis (30-3) shared their first staredown ahead of their pivotal 154-poud showdown in the co-main event of the evening.

The event will stream live on Netflix beginning at 12 p.m. ET with the “prelims,” while the main card is set to start at 2 p.m. ET.

For more boxing news and notes click here.

A win is a win, but…

It could have been so much more. With the chances they had, Bayern Munich should have put this tie to bed in the first half itself. Real Madrid were there for the taking, and somehow they live to fight another day.

Under normal circumstances, a 2-1 win at the Bernabéu is nothing to scoff at. It is the first time that FC Bayern have beaten Madrid in the Champions League since 2012. But when you’re 2-0 up by the 46th minute, you expect a little more out of the final result.

There were two issues on the night, fatigue and mentality. In the second half, Bayern Munich stopped playing after the first goal. Stats give the Bavarians over 59% possession in the first half, while Madrid dominated the 2nd half with over 57%. The last time this happened to FC Bayern, they were down to ten men vs PSG.

Let’s address the first factor: FATIGUE. Bayern Munich came into this game after a heroic 100th minute comeback against SC Freiburg. Many of the squad members played long minutes on international duty. Serge Gnabry and Luis Díaz seemed the worst affected, fading as the game went on.

Tactically, gegenpressing was the biggest casualty of the tired legs. In the second half, Bayern often sat deep, employing a low-mid block and letting Madrid dominate the ball. You can say it worked, because they did generate a number of chances and kept the Spaniards down to a single Mbappé goal, but it wasn’t the normal game that Vincent Kompany wants to play. The loss of momentum could have been costly if not for Manuel Neuer.

However, there is another reason Bayern Munich couldn’t close out the game: MENTALITY. If you go 2-0 up with 45 minutes left to play, you at least take a 2-0 back home with you. When the opposition player passes the ball to your feet, you put it in goal. You don’t miss gifted chances in the first 10 minutes. You don’t fail to score from 11 corners, many of them back to back. You don’t let Vinícius Júnior make a fool out of your right-back.

Madrid lacked a lot of quality on the night, but they made up for it with sheer grit and determination. In the second half, they brought the game to Bayern and the Bavarians were powerless to respond. Federico Valverde turned it up a notch. Mbappé grew into the game. Trent Alexander-Arnold stuck to Díaz like glue. As for Bayern, second balls were not chased down, counterattacks fumbled at the last hurdle. Lunin barely had to make a save.

Vincent Kompany can rotate aggressively vs St. Pauli on the weekend to fix the fatigue issue, but the mentality problem is a serious concern. Madrid gave Bayern Munich all the chances they needed to end this tie, and they weren’t taken. You just cannot do that in the UEFA Champions League.

Who are the big game players?

We learned their names tonight.

Manuel Neuer has still got it. The Bayern Munich captain earned a deserved Man of the Match award from UEFA for his exploits, which says something about how much pressure his team was under. He turned back the clock, putting in a true vintage performance. It’s a shame he didn’t come out of it with a clean sheet, because he deserved it.

Michael Olise would be the 2nd candidate for MotM, all he needed was another goal or assist. The Frenchman dominated Carreras on his side of the pitch, winning his duels so often the Madrid defender was forced to foul to stop him. The assist to Harry Kane was his least impressive contribution on the night, which is saying something.

Luis Díaz and Serge Gnabry played tired, but did their part in scoring the opening goal. Díaz, who has gained a reputation for being wasteful with his chances, scored on the biggest stage against the biggest opposition. Between this and the PSG game, he’s proving himself a big game player.

Finally, we have Aleksandar Pavlović. What a performance by the youngster! It’s honestly hard to believe he’s only 21 years old, he plays like someone much older. He faded somewhat near the end, perhaps due to a lack of fitness after his injury, but he gave an excellent account of himself against a formidable Madrid midfield that dismantled Man City.

As for the other end of the spectrum, Dayot Upamecano. It’s hard to explain what happens to him, but he consistently makes massive errors in big games like this. His massive mistake to let in Mbappé in the second half sums up his night, whether fairly or not. It is the kind of calamitous error we’ve come to expect from the Frenchman at this point. Fans just have to be thankful that it didn’t lead to a goal.

Michael Oliver, we see you

It’s rare to see a Real Madrid game officiated fairly, but you can say this one was relatively fair. Hats off to Oliver, he carded Aurélien Tchouaméni when he needed to, which will see him miss the second leg due to yellow card accumulation.

As for the rest of the game, he allowed the game state to flow with few interruptions, but called fouls where appropriate. He was especially strict with Vinícius Júnior, which was refreshing to see. The Brazilian spent most of the game complaning about non-existent fouls, which the English referee ignored.

After so many games where Bayern Munich have been robbed by the match officials, getting a relatively fair referee seems like a blessing. Of course, there was the penalty shout by Olise at the end which he ignored, but we can forgive that one. It’s not coincidence that the first time a ref decides to do his job properly, Madrid end up losing to Bayern Munich.

Miscellaneous observations

• Díaz not being able to get past his ex-Liverpool teammate TAA messed up the tactical makeup of the system. The attack became far too reliant on Olise to find the key passes.
• Corners and free kicks remain abysmal. At this point, Bayern Munich should just let the opposition take them and work on scoring from a counterattack, it seems more likely than doing anything with these awful corners.
• Alphonso Davies may have to play in the 2nd leg. Stanišić had a hard time against Vini, so putting Konrad Laimer there could make the difference.
• There needs to be heavy rotation against St. Pauli if Bayern Munich are going to make it through this tie.
• For the first time in a long while, Madrid’s luck abandoned them. Mbappé missed multiple chances that he normally wouldn’t, and they made numerous errors at the back (which, unfortunately, did not turn into goals). A small crack in their aura appeared today, which Bayern Munich may exploit — IF the second leg goes better than the first.

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…

Join the conversation!

Sign up for a user account and get:

• New, improved notifications system!
• Fewer ads
• Create community posts
• Comment on articles, community posts
• Rec comments, community posts

Shakhtar Donetsk and AZ Alkmaar face each other this Thursday at the Stadion Miejski im. Henryka Reymana for a match of the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League. The match will be broadcast live at 20:00 on TNT Sports.

In their last game, Shakhtar Donetsk won 3-0 against Rukh Vynnyky (Ukrainian Premier League 2025/26). In their last fixture, AZ Alkmaar won 2-0 against Fortuna Sittard (Eredivisie 2025/26).

The last meeting between the two teams ended with AZ Alkmaar winning 2-1.

Unavailable

Shakhtar Donetsk

• Marlon Gomes - Unknown Injury
• Dmytro Kryskiv - Unknown Injury

AZ Alkmaar

Last starting XIs

Shakhtar Donetsk ( vs Rukh Vynnyky 2026-04-05): Dmytro Riznyk, Marlon, Irakli Azarovi, Yukhym Konoplia, Valeriy Bondar, Artem Bondarenko, Egor Nazaryna, Pedrinho, Prosper Obah, Eguinaldo, Lassina Traoré

AZ Alkmaar ( vs Fortuna Sittard 2026-04-04): Jeroen Zoet, Wouter Goes, Alexandre Penetra, Billy van Duijl, Denso Kasius, Sven Mijnans, Kees Smit, Elijah Dijkstra, Weslley Patati, Mexx Meerdink, Isak Jensen

Did you know...by playmaker stats

TEAMS

• Away from home, AZ Alkmaar currently have one draw in their last 24 games.
• AZ Alkmaar currently have one defeat in their last five games.
• AZ Alkmaar currently have one draw in their last 16 games.
• At home, Shakhtar Donetsk currently have one defeat in their last 12 games.
• At home, Shakhtar Donetsk are coming off five consecutive games scoring goals.
• Shakhtar Donetsk currently have one defeat in their last 17 games.
• Shakhtar Donetsk are coming off seven consecutive games scoring goals.

HEAD TO HEAD

• Shakhtar Donetsk and AZ Alkmaar have already met twice, with AZ Alkmaar holding the advantage: two wins
• At Stadion Miejski im. Henryka Reymana, AZ Alkmaar hold an advantage in their head-to-head matches against Shakhtar Donetsk: one win in one game.
• In the Conference League, the two teams meet for the first time

• Use 'watch & listen' tab for live coverage
• Champions League quarter-finals first leg
• LIVE: Sporting 0-0 Arsenal - Zubimendi opener ruled out
• LIVE: Real Madrid 1-2 Bayern Munich - Diaz opens scoring & Kane doubles lead; Mbappe pulls one back

Champions League: Mbappe pulls one back against Bayern, Arsenal opener ruled out

A baseball legend recently revealed the lengths to which the Los Angeles Dodgers will go to get the most from their stars.

Speaking with Abriendo Sports, Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz said when the New York Yankees were in town to play the Dodgers, Mark Walter gave Big Papi, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter a tour to show “what we’ve done around the stadium.”

In the video, which was posted and translated by Master Flip on X, Ortiz said he pointed out to Walter a construction area and asked what was being built.

“He replied, ‘It’s for Ohtani. After the season, we sat down with him and asked what we could do to help him get even better,'” Ortiz explained.

The two-way superstar then told Walter something that’s likely to strike fear in the other 29 teams in the MLB.

“Ohtani told them, ‘If we had more batting cages, I think I could be a better hitter,'” Ortiz said.

Dodgers Shelled Out to Help a Superstar Get Even Better

Ortiz noted he was surprised by that answer, which makes sense, as Ohtani has hit 54 and 55 home runs in his last two seasons with the Dodgers.

But Ohtani was insistent, telling Walter that “being limited on the batting cages, I think if I had more space and more time to practice, I could become a better hitter.”

So the team invested more than $100 million into the clubhouse and “turned it into a Four Seasons,” Ortiz said.

“As we toured the new space, I looked over at Alex and Jeter and said, ‘And you guys are over here talking about the Yankees. The Yankees what?'”

Fortunately for the Dodgers, they’ve been able to recoup their massive investment in Ohtani already.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Noel Sanchez (@noisebynoel)

Could Shohei Ohtani Get Even Better?

Ohtani is already an outstanding hitter.

According to Baseball Savant, Ohtani is in the 98th percentile in barrel percentage, 97th percentile in expected weighted on-base average and 96th percentile in expected slugging.

He’s also in the top 10% of MLB players in categories like launch angle-sweet spot percentage and average exit velocity.

Do you think Shohei Ohtani can get even better?

Irish Premiership leaders Larne's hopes of a third title in four years were dented as they were thumped 4-1 by Coleraine at Inver Park.

Two goals from Matthew Shevlin, a header from Ben Wylie and a penalty from Will Patching helped the Bannsiders to the emphatic win after Dan Bent was sent off for Larne.

Glentoran took full advantage of Larne's slip-up as they narrowed the gap to three points at the top with a nervy 2-1 win over Cliftonville at Solitude.

In the race to avoid the drop, Lloyd Anderson scored a 94th minute equaliser to rescue a 1-1 draw for bottom side Crusaders against Bangor at Seaview as Glenavon drew 1-1 with Ballymena United at the Showgrounds.

Linfield came from behind to beat Dungannon Swifts 3-1 at Stangmore Park while Portadown and Carrick Rangers played out a 1-1 draw at Shamrock Park.

Clinical Bannsiders see off Larne

The visitors raced into the lead inside the opening two minutes thanks to Shevlin's 15th league goal of the season.

Midfielder Mark Coyle spotted the run of the striker and played the ball in behind a hesitant Larne defence and Shevlin raced clear of Matthew Ridley before rounding Larne goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson and firing into an unguarded net.

Shevlin passed up a great chance to double his and his side's advantage moments later but Rohan Ferguson produced a smart save to deny him while, at the other end, Ryan Schofield brilliantly saved from Andy Ryan after being set up by Sean Graham.

Both goalkeepers continued to impress – Ferguson blocking Zane Okoro's low shot with an outstretched foot while Schofield got his body behind an ambitious volley from Ronan Doherty.

Larne's frustrations were compounded when they were reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of Bent following a challenge on Shevlin in the 35th minute.

But they regrouped and drew level on the stroke of half-time when top goal scorer Ryan slotted home his sixth penalty of the season after Dylan Boyle handled inside the penalty area.

Rohan Ferguson came to the home side's rescue shortly after the restart when he touched Shevlin's goal bound header onto the post.

However, he was powerless to prevent the visitors regaining the lead just before the hour mark when Wylie was left unmarked six yards out to glance a header into the bottom corner of the net from a pinpoint Levi Ives delivery.

It was 3-1 with 20 minutes remaining when Patching netted his ninth goal of the season from the spot after Tomas Cosgrove was adjudged to have handled inside the area.

The scoring was completed with seven minutes remaining when Shevlin capitalised on some slack Larne defending to rifle home from 12 yards for his second goal of the night.

Glens stay in title hunt with hard-fought win

Cliftonville made much of the early running with Ryan Curran flashing a shot narrowly wide of the target.

Brian Healy fizzed another effort wide of the visitors' goal on 36 minutes, but within 60 seconds it was Declan Devine's side who found the opening goal as Jordan Stewart raced onto Josh Daniels' pass and drilled a low shot across PJ Morrison into the far corner of the net.

Three minutes before half-time Glentoran doubled their lead when Pat Hoban headed in his fifth goal in his last three games against Cliftonville.

The game turned again on 62 minutes as ace marksman Joe Gormley came off the bench to halve the deficit.

Glentoran were twice denied by the woodwork late on as James Singleton and Hoban both went agonisingly close to a crucial third goal.

The Reds turned the screw in the closing stages with Shaun Leppard going closest to grabbing a share of the spoils, but his glancing header sailed wide of the net as Glentoran held on for a vital win.

Blues battle back to beat Swifts

The visitors dominated the majority of the first half, but it was the home side who hit the front against the run of play in the 36th minute as Cathal McGinty had the easiest of tap ins after Adam Glenny's cross slid all the way across goal to the Dungannon skipper.

Just minutes later the Blues were awarded a penalty after Dane McCullough was bundled to the ground, with Kyle McClean stepping up to equalise with a cool penalty into the top left-hand corner.

The Blues then went ahead on the hour mark as Darragh Leahy netted his first goal since signing in January, firing home from point-blank range.

Ten minutes later the visitors extended their lead. McCullough's pass from the byeline found McClean just inside the box, with the midfielder finding the bottom corner for his second goal of the evening.

Substitute Robbie McDaid did have the ball in the net late on for the Blues, but referee Tim Marshall signalled for offside in the build-up.

Where to watch Blue Jays vs. Dodgers today: Time, TV schedule, channel, live stream for World Series rematch originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

One of the most anticipated matchups of the 2026 MLB season comes early, as the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Toronto Blue Jays this week.

The rematch of the epic 2025 World Series will unfold in Toronto, where Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Dodgers pulled out a pair of narrow wins in Games 6 and 7 to repeat as champions. 

After getting the win in relief in the Dodgers' 11-inning Game 7 clincher a day after his Game 6 start, the World Series MVP Yamamoto is expected to get the ball Tuesday for the second game of this series ahead of countryman Shohei Ohtani's start in the finale. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer and Co. are once again tasked with solving the Dodgers' imposing staff, and the Jays' pitchers with handling an even deeper L.A. lineup that added Kyle Tucker during the offseason. First among them is Max Scherzer, who will start Monday's opener for Toronto. 

However it plays out this time, some of baseball's brightest stars will be on display in Toronto. Here's everything you need to know to watch the games. 

Where to watch Blue Jays vs. Dodgers today

• TV channels: FS1, TBS, SportsNet LA
• Live streams:DIRECTV (all games), fubo (Monday and Wednesday)

The first two games of the Blue Jays-Dodgers series will be televised nationally, with Monday's contest on FS1 and Tuesday's on TBS. The Wednesday afternoon finale will air regionally on SportsNet LA. See the full broadcast schedule below.

Fans across the country can stream the first two games via DIRECTV and the Monday game on fubo. Both services offer a free trial for new users so you can try before you buy. Those watching in the LA market can also stream the Wednesday game on DIRECTV or fubo. 

Blue Jays vs. Dodgers series TV schedule

Here's the schedule for this week's series, with all games set to be played at Rogers Centre in Toronto:

Blue Jays schedule 2026

Here are Toronto's upcoming series: 

Dodgers schedule 2026

Here are L.A.'s upcoming series: 

Related Links

• Latest MLB news and rumors
• 2026 MLB schedule and scores
• MLB standings 2026
• How to bet on MLB

The story of Peter Schrager’s mock draft isn’t just that the Rams took Makai Lemon, it’s the player who ESPN’s analyst didn’t have L.A. connected to at all. Actually, Schrager doesn’t have any team taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round, a sign that his ESPN colleague Dan Orlovsky’s ploy to drum interest there has backfired.

The spotlight that Orlosky attempted to put on Simpson last month by calling him better than Fernando Mendoza has inspired more and more draft analysts to examine the prospect and come back with the same answer: He’s not a first round pick.

Schrager’s opinion is perhaps the most notable at all however because no historically no insider has been more plugged into what the Rams are doing than the former Sean McVay podcast co-host.

“Until I have a team that tells me, ”We love Ty Simpson”’, said Schrager on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, “it doesn’t do anyone any good just throwing him in there.”

Unless you want to call that a smokescreen for the Rams, Schrager is making it 100% clear that the Rams are not interested in Simpson. Not in the first round.

Simpson’s inability to rise up draft boards means that Mendoza’s value as the only rock solid first round quarterback has skyrocketed. The Las Vegas Raiders are sure to be picking Mendoza and leave the other 31 teams, most of whom would love to develop a young quarterback, searching for answers on day two and three.

Others, like Robert Mays, have come out in agreement that Simpson doesn’t have a first round resume.

Another ESPN analyst, Matt Miller, also says there are no teams in the Ty Simpson market in the first round.

Orlovsky won’t back down, saying that the Raiders should pick Simpson as recently as Monday.

NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said that he has not talked to a single team that has Simpson with a first round grade. We know that makes Simpson a major reach at pick 13, potentially even at pick 31.

“Obviously, you can talk to different people, but I have not talked to anyone that has that,” Jeremiah said. “That’s not saying that he’s saying anything untrue, he’s just talking to different folks, apparently, than the folks that I’ve been talking to. And that goes from the Raiders, and a bunch of other teams too, and it wasn’t particularly close.”

The Rams would like to add a quarterback behind Stafford who could develop for 1-2 years, but there are 0 signs that there is a single avenue towards doing that in the first round.

And if it’s a quarterback at the end of the second round, that doesn’t leave much room for hope that L.A. wouldn’t have to go back to the same well again in the 2027 draft looking for a signal caller. Which makes you wonder, why didn’t Ty Simpson just transfer?

Cubs' Craig Counsell reveals awful Cade Horton season-ending news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Cubs are off to a slow start this season, and sit in last place in the NL Central with a 4-6 record. But things aren't getting any better.

Cade Horton, their star pitcher who was the runner-up in the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year race, is dealing with an injury to his forearm. But there was initial hope he could return at some point this season.

That hope is no more, as Craig Counsell announced to reporters, including Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network, that Horton will undergo season-ending UCL surgery.

Cade Horton to miss rest of 2026 season with UCL surgery

"#Cubs Cade Horton will have surgery on his UCL and miss the rest of the season," McGregor reports.

This is some awful news for Horton and for the Cubs. Not only is Horton out for the year, but his recovery is going to be a long and uncertain one.

This is about the worst news that the Cubs could've gotten on Horton's injury, which was known to be trending in the wrong direction earlier this morning.

More: Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award

But on Tuesday afternoon, they were dealt the crushing news that Horton will miss the rest of the 2026 season.

He was off to a solid start to the season as well, as he had a 2.45 ERA in 7.1 innings pitched with a 1-0 record and four total strikeouts.

Now, the Cubs' 24-year-old righty is going to miss the rest of the 2026 season as he's undergoing UCL surgery. The Cubs will need to find a starter or two to replace Horton this season.

More MLB news:

• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Giancarlo Stanton has an absurd 2-for-4 streak going on for Yankees
• Mets didn’t want to trade Brett Baty while White Sox didn’t want Mark Vientos in Luis Robert Jr. trade
• How Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto is connected to Rockies' Tomoyuki Sugano
• Marlins suggested to sign Max Kepler after Phillies’ OF was suspended for 80 games
• Red Sox never close on Astros’ Isaac Paredes trade
• Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

There's a distinct possibility that new Syracuse head coach Gerry McNamara may have to find a replacement for the Orange's leading scorer from this past season. Forward Donnie Freeman announced Tuesday that he is entering the transfer portal.

Freeman has been a major part of Syracuse's attack in the last two seasons, starting 34 out of a possible 37 games for the program. He's a career 15 points per game scorer who also brings in over seven rebounds per game.

It's going to be interesting to see what, if anything, McNamara and Syracuse can do to change Freeman's mind if they want to keep him around. Freeman was a five-star recruit coming out of high school in Washington, D.C.

View this post on Instagram

Freeman is bound to garner interest from major programs across the country, with Kentucky being one possible suitor.

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

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Syracuse Basketball: Donnie Freeman enters transfer portal

Even before the transfer portal window for NCAA Division I men’s basketball opened Tuesday, over the past several weeks reports about players who were planning on entering the portal had spread in the news and on social media.

The shakeup of rosters around the country will continue to be a major storyline as the offseason rolls on.

Here’s a running list of players from the state of Utah’s seven Division I men’s college basketball programs — Utah, BYU, Utah State, Weber State, Southern Utah, Utah Valley and Utah Tech — who are reportedly entering the portal during the spring 2026 window, as well as transfers who commit to those seven schools.

Various reports have been used to create this list, with aggregation news service Verbal Commits serving as the primary source, unless otherwise noted.

The 15-day spring portal for men’s basketball officially opened Tuesday and closes April 21.

Players are permitted to withdraw from the portal at any time — and conversely can commit to a new school at any time — but may only enter the transfer portal during those dates. The portal will close at midnight EDT on April 21.

The list will be updated as players announce their intentions.

BYU

ENTERING TRANSFER PORTAL

• Xavion Staton, center

Utah

ENTERING TRANSFER PORTAL

• Terrence Brown, guard
• Keanu Dawes, forward
• Seydou Traore, wing
• Ibi Traore, forward (per The Runnin’ Hoops podcast)
• Josh Hayes, forward
• Alvin Jackson III, guard
• Jahki Howard, forward
• Elijah ‘Choppa’ Moore, guard

Utah State

ENTERING TRANSFER PORTAL

• Adlan Elamin, forward
• Jordy Barnes, guard
• David Iweze, forward

Utah Valley

ENTERING TRANSFER PORTAL

• Jackson Holcombe, guard
• Trevan Leonhardt, guard
• Tyler Hendricks, guard

Weber State

ENTERING TRANSFER PORTAL

• Tijan Saine Jr., guard
• Malek Gomma, forward
• Trevor Hennig, guard
• Jace Whiting, guard
• David Hansen, forward
• Edwin Suarez, forward

Southern Utah

ENTERING TRANSFER PORTAL

• Tanner Hayhurst, guard

TRANSFER PORTAL ADDITION

• Dylan Sanders, guard ➡️ Old school: Colorado State-Pueblo (Division II)

Utah Tech

ENTERING TRANSFER PORTAL

• Chance Trujillo, guard
• Samuel Ariyibi, forward

In the second inning, Rookie of the Year candidate Carter Jensen crushed a belt-high cutter to the empty right field bleachers for a line drive home run. The homer was Jensen’s third of the year, and put the Royals ahead 2-1 against their divisional rivals, the Guardians.

But that hit turned out to be the only Royals hit all afternoon. When you only get one hit, you’re gonna lose the game, and lose the game the Royals did in a 2-1 final score.

Granted, today’s game was a little odd. The Royals are speedrunning weird weather games, with their 13-run rainfest victory against the Twins last Wednesday an unusually wet and foggy contest as one example. Today’s contest was another example, and Nick Kappel—the Royals’ Director of Media Relations—pointed out that this was the third-coldest first pitch temperature at a balmy 33 degrees. Cleveland, baby!

Royals batters weren’t totally barred from the experience of running the bases. Kansas City actually drew eight walks, with seven different batters netting their free pass to first base. But no one could get a hit. A little of this was bad luck, as other than Jensen’s home run the Royals had four batted balls with an expected batting average of .570 or better and all of them turned into outs. Of course, the Guardians—miserable little luck merchant gremlins that they are—got hits on all six of their batted balls with an expected average of .570 or better.

Kansas City had their best chance in the eighth inning with one out, Bobby Witt Jr. walked and stole second base. Vinnie Pasquantino walked, and then Witt and pinch runner Lane Thomas executed a double steal. But Salvador Perez had popped up just before, and Jensen struck out immediately after.

And with Matt Strahm and Lucas Erceg unavailable today, and with Carlos Estevez on the injured list, manager Matt Quatraro was forced to turn to his fourth-best reliever in the ninth inning. Predictably, Cleveland was able to do damage against John Shcreiber, effortlessly sandwiching a walk between a pair of singles to squeeze a runner across and excite all 16 remaining fans in attendance.

Hey, Noah Cameron was really good! He threw 5.2 innings, striking out five against one walk and one run. Unfortunately, the Kansas City offense seems intent on forcing their starters to throw near-perfect games for a chance at winning; they came into today with a .653 OPS with runners in scoring position and a .589 OPS in high-leverage situations. Sooner or later, they’ll need to do some damage.

Also, whoever replaced Bobby Witt Jr. with Alcides Escobar, please put them back. It’s getting a little old.

In the wake of a sensational season on the Forty Acres that concluded with a trip to the Elite Eight, Texas Longhorns junior forward Dailyn Swain is declaring for the 2026 NBA Draft, according to his agents.

Because Swain’s agents are NCAA certified, the 6’8, 220-pounder could still opt to withdraw from the draft after participating in the NBA Draft combine next month, an invitation he’s certain to receive.

The Xavier transfer was the breakout star for Texas, averaging 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, three of the five major statistical categories in which Swain led the Longhorns. Excellent off the bounce, Swain showed the ability to get into the paint and finish around the rim, make plays for his teammates, and improved his three-point shooting from 25 percent to 34.4 percent while shooting over 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Swain’s improved shooting stroke from distance is a major catalyst in his rise up NBA Draft boards, although he’s still considered a polarizing prospect — some mock drafts have him as a lottery pick, but others don’t believe that he’s a first-round selection.

NIL and revenue sharing have changed the calculus for productive college players with questionable NBA Draft upside, but there remains plenty of upside for Swain if he chooses to enter the NBA Draft with the No. 14 pick, the last in the lottery, guaranteed $10 million over two years in the 2025 NBA Draft.

However, it’s still early in the pre-draft process, which will be influenced by how many players declare and how well players in the same range as Swain test and perform at the NBA Combine.

Swain signed with Texas head coach Sean Miller at Xavier as an under-recruited member of the 2023 recruiting class over offers from Arizona State, Cincinnati, Kansas State, Ohio, Ohio State, and Virginia Tech because of an undeveloped frame and undeveloped shooting ability.

A Big East All-Freshman team selection in 2023-24, Swain played in 29 games (three starts) and averaged 4.6 points and 3.0 rebounds in 18.9 minutes per contest before showing improvement as a sophomore by leading the team in steals (53, 1.56 spg) and ranking second in rebounding (5.5 rpg) and assists (89, 2.6 apg), third in scoring (11.0 ppg), and fourth in minutes (28.5 mpg).

One of the most coveted players in the NCAA transfer portal, Swain followed Miller to the Forty Acres and continued a positive trajectory that could help him become a first-round pick in this year’s draft.

Caitlin Clark volunteers for the sweetest job in Chicago after Cubs’ fan contest post originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Sometimes all it takes is one simple tweet.

That’s exactly what happened when Caitlin Clark jumped into a post from the Chicago Cubs and instantly made it better.

Caitlin Clark just found the most fun job opening in Chicago

The Cubs were promoting a fan contest asking people to submit their best cookie recipes for a chance to have them served at Wrigley Field this season. It was a fun idea on its own. Then Clark saw it.

Her response?

“Would love to be the taste tester.”

That’s it. No overthinking. No trying too hard. Just a perfectly timed line that felt exactly like something you’d say while scrolling your phone and thinking, yeah, that actually sounds like a great gig.

Would love to be the taste tester https://t.co/LqmnUnqr6I

— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) April 7, 2026

The perfect response at the perfect time

What makes it land is how natural it feels. Clark didn’t try to turn it into a big moment. She just leaned into the joke, and fans immediately ran with it. Because honestly, who wouldn’t want that job?

Try a bunch of cookies. Hang out at Wrigley. Call it work. And if anyone’s qualified to handle pressure situations, Clark probably fits the bill. She’s spent the last few years making high-stakes decisions in packed arenas.

Judging cookies might be the least stressful thing she’s done in a while.

MORE: Angel Reese gets a fresh start in Atlanta after two turbulent seasons in Chicago

Why this is so very Caitlin Clark

This is part of why Clark connects the way she does. Sure, she’s one of the biggest stars in basketball, but she never feels distant. Moments like this make her feel like someone you’d actually know. Someone who sees the same post you do and has the same immediate reaction.

It also says something about where sports culture is right now.

A WNBA superstar casually jumping into a Cubs promotion and stealing the spotlight for a minute just feels normal. That crossover energy is everywhere now, and Clark fits right into it.

Someone get her to Wrigley

No, she probably isn’t actually submitting a cookie recipe. And no, the Cubs haven’t announced an official “taste tester” role. But now it kind of feels like they should. Because if Clark showed up at Wrigley Field sampling fan-made cookies, it wouldn’t feel random. It would feel exactly right.

And if nothing else, she just reminded everyone that sometimes the best moments in sports don’t come from games at all. Sometimes they come from one quick tweet that makes you stop, laugh and think, yeah… sign me up for that job too.

More WNBA news:

• Angel Reese gets a fresh start in Atlanta after two turbulent seasons in Chicago
• Caitlin Clark effect is already changing everything for Chicago Sky vs. Indiana Fever
• Sophie Cunningham turns heads with offseason post as WNBA return nears

According to CeltsAreHere, Celtic’s interest in Hibernian midfielder Miguel Chaiwa has moved well past the stage of silent admiration. The two clubs held talks as early as the January window, though those initial negotiations have stopped due to Hibs’ valuation of the player.

The story didn’t end there, though. Fresh contact in recent weeks confirms Celtic’s interest in the 21-year-old remains genuine. While no deal is in place, neither side have walked away. Importantly, Chaiwa is reportedly open to the move, seeing it as a chance to test himself at the top of the Premiership and in Europe. The Zambia international is currently under contract at Easter Road until 2028, with Transfermarkt valuing him at €1.1m.

Is the Interest in Chaiwa a Sound Idea for Celtic?

To understand the link, you have to look at the chaos at Parkhead this season. Since Brendan Rodgers resigned in October, the club have cycled through Wilfried Nancy’s disastrous 33-day tenure to Martin O’Neill’s current interim role. Celtic are a club in total transition, rebuilding their identity while searching for a permanent boss.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – FEBRUARY 10: Miguel Chaiwa of Hibernian battles with Claudio Braga of Hearts during the William Hill Premiership match between Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian at Tynecastle Park on February 10, 2026 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)

Chaiwa’s 2025/26 stats, 19 matches and a single goal, aren’t exactly attractive, but his profile is interesting. WhoScored notes his strengths in dribbling and interceptions, balanced against weaknesses in discipline and tackling. He’s a high-energy, aggressive player who shines when the pace picks up, even if his decision-making remains raw.

Do Celtic actually need him right now?

It is probably not a priority. With a massive squad rebuild looming, they need a plug-and-play defensive midfielder. Reports suggest FC Cologne’s Eric Martel is a more seasoned, physical option. Asking a 21-year-old in his first full senior season to anchor a Celtic engine room under European pressure feels like a stretch.

Ultimately, this depends on the next permanent manager. Hibs hold the control with his long contract, and they won’t sell cheap. Given the financial fallout of a turbulent year, Celtic might find the price too steep. The more likely scenario will be Celtic looking for a more immediate impact elsewhere, revisiting Chaiwa in a year once he’s matured further at Easter Road.

Unless Dexter Lawrence finds a kumbaya with his current employer, the New York Giants, he’ll play for a new team in 2026. The three-time Pro Bowler requested a ticket out of town on Monday. So, here’s where he might realistically land.

Minnesota remains an easy team to connect to Lawrence after his trade ask.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted, “ESPN sources: Giants All-Pro defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade and he will not be participating in the team’s off-season workout program that opens Tuesday.”

“Lawrence and the Giants have been through two offseasons attempting to negotiate a contract reflecting his value to the Giants over the last three years, but there has not been any progress, per sources.”

The Most Logical Trade Destinations for Lawrence

Ready for the common-sense Lawrence trade destinations?

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

During Lawrence’s formative years in New York, a man named Patrick Graham served as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. Graham has since bounced around the NFL a bit, but is now employed by the Steelers as the defensive coordinator.

Indeed, the Steelers already have prominent defensive tackles in Cameron Heyward and Derrick Harmon, but Lawrence could swoop in and take Keeanu Benton’s nose tackle job. Benton is young and a decent DT, but Lawrence is a superstar. Pittsburgh would instantly showcase one of the best defensive fronts on the planet.

5. Minnesota Vikings

Let’s get this out of the way: Minnesota has no tangible ties to Lawrence in the front office or on the coaching staff. This connection is solely based on the fact that the Vikings cut two starting defensive tackles last month: Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave.

Surely, Minnesota would sign another defensive tackle, perhaps a younger, more affordable option from free agency, right? Nope. Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski signed zero defensive tackles in free agency.

Therefore, Minnesota has a DT need as the draft gets underway in two weeks. In theory, it could ship its 18th overall pick to New York in exchange for Lawrence and a draft pick.

The Vikings would then feature a defensive front that includes Lawrence, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jalen Redmond, Dallas Turner, and Jonathan Greenard. Unbelievable.

4. New England Patriots

Zak Kuhr worked as a defensive assistant for the 2024 Giants, crossing paths with Lawrence for a season in New York. Now, he’s the Patriots defensive coordinator.

New England’s nose tackle heading into the draft is Cory Durden, a youngster with a positive trajectory after one season, but obviously a footnote compared to what Lawrence could bring to Mike Vrabel’s squad.

The Patriots ranked 19th in pass-rush win rate in 2025, an unusually unflattering mark for a team led by Vrabel. Lawrence could help repair that.

3. Chicago Bears

Anthony Blevins spent five seasons on the Giants’ coaching staff, overlapping with Lawrence for four of those campaigns. Blevins is a special teams coach, so he has no direct affiliation with Lawrence, but he probably knows the guy after spending four years on the same Giants team.

The Bears now employ Blevins as an assistant special teams coach.

Chicago could trade for Lawrence and schedule an off-ramp for Grady Jarrett, who isn’t known for youth. In 2025, the Bears ranked 31st in pass-rush win rate and 26th in run-stop win rate, two terrible marks for a team that claims to be trending up.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars

Speaking of run-stop win rate, the Jaguars ranked second-to-last in the NFL one year ago. Liam Coen’s team needs defensive tackle help. The current depth chat features DaVon Hamilton and Arik Armstead. Hamilton isn’t overly productive, and Armstead is getting old. It’s why folks see defensive tackle as a frequent mock-draft need for Jacksonville.

The Jaguars could possibly center a deal around a 2027 1st-Rounder; they don’t have this year’s because of the Travis Hunter trade.

1. Carolina Panthers

Lawrence is from North Carolina. Often, the hometown angle plays a part when a player joins a new team.

And the Panthers have big dreams after reaching the postseason last year and winning the NFC South. They could package the 19th overall pick to New York and end up with Lawrence.

Remember a moment ago when this article revealed that the Jaguars had the league’s second-to-worst run defense? Only the Panthers were worse in 2025. Fast forward to the 2026 offseason, and Carolina’s defensive tackles next to Derrick Brown are Bobby Brown III and Tershawn Wharton. Bobby Brown and Wharton don’t really move the needle.

The team closest to Lawrence’s hometown needs extreme and immediate help at the defensive tackle position. The Panthers are a frontrunner to nab Lawrence by a mile. They just need to find the cap space.

Event: Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven
Date: Sat., May 23, 2026
Location: Pyramids in Giza, Egypt
Start Time: DAZN PPV main card start time at 2 p.m. ET

Usyk vs. Verhoeven Main Event on DAZN PPV:

Heavyweight: Oleksandr Usyk (24-0) vs. Rico Verhoeven (1-0)

Usyk vs. Verhoeven Undercard on DAZN PPV:

168 lbs.: Hamzah Sheeraz (22-0) vs Alem Begic (29-0-1) for vacant WBO super middleweight title
147 lbs.: Jack Catterall (32-2) vs Shakhram Giyasov (16-0) for WBO welterweight title
Heavyweight: Frank Sanchez (25-1) vs Richard Torrez Jr. (14-0)
115 lbs.: Mizuki Hiruta (10-0) vs Mai Soliman (10-1) for WBO super flyweight title
200 lbs.: Basem Mamdouh (10-2) vs Jamar Talley (6-0)
200 lbs.: Mahmoud Mobark (0-0) vs Michael Kalyalya (3-4-1)
147 lbs.: Omar Hikal (0-0) vs Ali Ssurunkuma (2-3)

For more boxing news and notes click here.

The squad of players called upon by Atlético Madrid boss Diego Simeone to face La Liga rivals Barcelona on Wednesday has been unveiled online.

And it features a quartet of noteworthy absences.

Atlético are of course currently in the midst of final preparations for a return to action on the continent tomorrow evening.

Put to the sword by Barcelona in La Liga this past weekend, the Rojiblancos will hope to fare better in a Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash with Hansi Flick’s side in 24 hours’ time.

As alluded to above, though, in efforts towards as much, Atlético will be forced to make do without several important players.

The travelling group chosen by Diego Simeone for the trip to the Spotify Camp Nou was unveiled online on Tuesday.

And absent were all of Jan Oblak, Johnny Cardoso, Pablo Barrios and José María Giménez.

As per an ensuing statement across Atléti’s social media platforms:

Conor Laird – GSFN

The New York Jets have a chance to land several blue chip piece early on in the 2026 NFL draft.

Thanks to trades, general manager Darren Mougey made, his team holds four picks in the top 44 selections at the 2026 draft at Nos. 2, 16, 33 and 44.

A prospect that could attract the Jets is Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. His dynamic ability helped Indiana win the National Championship last season, and he could help Garrett Wilson at wideout on the Jets offense moving forward. In 16 games played last year, Cooper had 69 catches, 937 yards and 13 touchdowns.

However, Essential Sports NFL draft insider Tony Pauline has reported Cooper is currently only enticing the Jets with one of those three top-44 selections: At No. 33 overall.

According to the report, if Cooper remains on the board all the way until the start of Round 2, then the Jets might pounce:

“New York Jets are also high on [Omar Copper Jr.], though they would only consider him with the 33rd pick.”

- @TonyPaulinepic.twitter.com/9wcFk1nQac

— SleeperJets (@SleeperJets) April 6, 2026

Considering mock drafts have Cooper being picked all over the first round, the report might be indicating Cooper is unlikely to end up in New York when the first day of the draft is all said and done. Time will tell.

Jets Wire will continue to provide updates throughout the 2026 offseason.

This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: 2026 NFL draft: Jets interested in top WR Omar Cooper Jr. in one case

LSU’sBella Hines plans to enter the transfer portal, her agent Daveed Cohen of Young Money APAA Sports told On3.

The 5-10 combo guard freshman from Albuquerque (NM) averaged 4.2 points per game this season with the Tigers. She was ranked as the No. 24 recruit in the nation out of high school and was named Player of the Year in New Mexico for two consecutive years.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal tracker. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter (X) account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

The New York Giants 2026 offseason got turned on its ear when star nose tackle Dexter Lawrence requested that the team trade him.

There was really only one question we could ask for this week’s fan survey: Should the Giants trade Dexter Lawrence?

The question isn’t an easy one to answer.

Lawrence is considered a foundation piece for the Giants’ defensive front, and a vital for their defense to rebound after a pair of bad seasons under Shane Bowen. While Lawrence had a down season (by his standards) in 2025, playing through a lingering elbow injury and seeming to be overweight, he was still the Giants’ best defensive tackle.

If Lawrence is able to return to the level at which he played from 2022 until suffering the dislocated elbow in 2024, he and Darius Alexander could be a very good starting duo. In that case, Lawrence would be well worth a pay raise.

On the other hand, the Giants could quickly come to regret giving Lawrence more money if Lawrence is truly in decline. Its possible that this is the highest his trade value will ever be if he has another down season as he approaches 30 years old.

Replacing a healthy and motivated Dexter Lawrence is difficult at best, however replacing a declining and malcontent Lawrence might be in the Giants’ best interest. That could be particularly true if the team is able to get a good return for him.

So we put it to you Giants’ fans: What should the Giants do?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Giants fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Michigan State hockey has added to its recruitment pipeline, adding a new commitment from the junior ranks. Tyler Challenger has made the announcement that he will be headed to East Lansing to play his collegiate hockey.

A 6-foot-2, 200 pound forward from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, he is a left-handed shot that spent this past year with both the Erie Otters and Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League. A 2008-born player, he is draft eligible in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

A North York Rangers AAA player in 2023-24, he scored 83 points in 68 games. Since then, he moved on to the OHL for the past two seasons, where he has compiled 17 goals and 11 assists.

He is expected to join the MSU program for the 2027-28 season.

‼️🚨BREAKING🚨‼️

The Michigan State Spartans have received a commitment from Tyler Challenger!
🟢⚪️⚔️

The ‘08 born Forward from Ontario has 18 points in 68 GP during the 2025-26 season for @StingHockey & @ErieOtterspic.twitter.com/SOsME9GgKo

— College Puck NXT (@CollegePuckNXT) April 7, 2026

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Rex_Linzy

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Michigan State hockey picks up 2008 OHL commit

NEED TO KNOW

• Dan Hurley and his wife, Andrea, were scrambling before UConn's Final Four game
• The UConn head coach said he was "freaking out" because he didn't have the beaded bracelet he's worn for every game
• UConn went on to beat Illinois 71-62 to advance to the March Madness championship game, where they lost to Michigan

Dan Hurley is superstitious — and isn't afraid to admit it.

The University of Connecticut men's basketball head coach is attached to one item in particular: a beaded bracelet that he's worn his entire coaching career, which almost didn't make it to team's Final Four game against Illinois on Saturday, April 4.

Hurley and his wife Andrea Hurley recounted the "insane" journey to get his bracelet to the court on her Instagram Stories before UConn's national championship game on Monday, while giving a breakdown of their outfits.

"So I got to the arena and my one job was to fix his lucky Jesus bead bracelet," Andrea, Dan's wife of more than 25 years, recalled, while explaining that the bracelet sometimes needs extra beads that she had brought along with them to Indianapolis for the tournament.

"Right before the game's going to start, I've worn these beads every game I've ever coached my whole career. And I noticed like 12 minutes before the game was about to start that I had no beads," Dan said.

"I wish noticed that an hour and 12 minutes before the game started," joked Andrea.

Dan, who added that he had worn the bracelet during his high school coaching days over 20 years ago, said he was "freaking out," and had his assistant coach, Luke Murray, call Andrea to get the bracelet and bring it to the game.

"You wanna know how the beads got there?" Andrea asked viewers in the video. "I actually was going to my seat and had to leave the arena, get somebody to send me an unused ticket... drove me to the hotel where I had to grab the beads... I actually have extra beads to string them."

"Then, we got a police escort back to the arena to get the beads because the game started," she continued. "So I was actually watching it on the TV in the hotel as I was there. I'm sweating... so the beads made it back thanks to me, but I ran in the rain. That's why I look crazy."

While Dan recalled being "down one point when the beads got there," he ultimately coached UConn to a 71-62 victory over Illinois to advance to the national championship game. That, though, was where his luck ran out as the University of Michigan beat them 69-63.

Take PEOPLE with you! Subscribe to PEOPLE magazine to get the latest details on celebrity news, exclusive royal updates, how-it-happened true crime stories and more — right to your mailbox.

“They're legit," Dan admitted after the game, per ESPN. "They definitely deserved to win the national championship. They're clearly the best team in the country this year."

Hurley’s squad proved resilient through the season and the past two weeks as they fought their way to the national title game — the team’s third in the last four seasons.

"Proud of the guys," Hurley said at the post-game press conference, according to the AP.

Dan has been married to Andrea since 1997, and the pair have two children. They welcomed their first son, Danny, in 1999, and their second son, Andrew, three years later.

Both of their sons followed in Dan's footsteps, with Danny attending his parents' alma mater Seton Hall University and Andrew playing basketball at UConn under his dad’s coaching.

“I don’t have a lot of friends, to be honest. Andrea and my boys are who I have, and they’re my world,” Dan told FOX Sports in January 2023.

Read the original article on People

Fluminense make their debut in the 2026 Conmebol Libertadores this Tuesday (7), at 7 p.m. (Brasília time).

The first challenge on the road to a second intercontinental title is Deportivo La Guaira, at the Estadio Olímpico de la Universidad Central de Venezuela.

The Rio Tricolor were drawn into Group C alongside the Venezuelans, Argentina’s Independiente Rivadavia, and Bolivia’s Bolívar.

Compared to the last match (a 1-1 draw with Coritiba in the Brasileirão), coach Luis Zubeldía chose to bring in Samuel Xavier, Jemmes, Renê, Lucho Acosta, Savarino, Canobbio, and John Kennedy in place of Guga, Ignacio, Guilherme Arana, PH Ganso, Serna, Soteldo, and Castillo, respectively, for Fluminense.

📅 Road to the second title

• Matchday 2 - 04/15 - Fluminense vs. Independiente Rivadavia (Maracanã)
• Matchday 3 - 04/30 - Bolívar vs. Fluminense (La Paz - Bolivia)
• Matchday 4 - 05/06 - Independiente Rivadavia vs. Fluminense (Mendoza - Argentina)
• Matchday 5 - 05/19 - Fluminense vs. Bolívar (Maracanã)
• Matchday 6 - 05/27 - Fluminense vs. La Guaira (Maracanã)

📋 Check out Fluminense’s lineup

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

New Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese is happy to be a part of the franchise.

On Tuesday, April 7, Reese was in New York to promote a new Victoria's Secret campaign when she was asked about joining her new team. The Atlanta forward gave a perfect response to the question and included perfect puns about her new destination.

"Yes, Atlanta Dream, what's up? I really dreamed of this moment. I'm just living in my Barbie Dreamhouse. I'm just having so much fun," Reese said. "Life is good. Life is great. I'm excited for this new journey and this new city and more to come."

Angel Reese discusses her trade to the Atlanta Dream at her Victoria Secret campaign in NYC. 🩷 pic.twitter.com/s5rmFIueXp

— E! News (@enews) April 7, 2026

On Monday, April 6, the Chicago Sky traded Reese to Atlanta for a bevy of picks, ending the forward's time in the Windy City after two seasons. "This trade is designed to achieve roster balance and represents a great opportunity for all parties," Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca said in a statement.

Reese, who reportedly did not request the trade, posted a heartfelt Instagram tribute to Chicago and its fans. "To the city of Chicago, you showed me real love from day one," Reese said. "Thank you, Chicago. Always Chi-Town Barbie."

The Dream star will now turn her sights to preparation for the 2026 season, which begins on Friday, May 8. Reese will also return to Chicago on Wednesday, April 29, for a Dream-Sky preseason matchup at 7:30 p.m. ET.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Angel Reese makes Dream pun about joining Atlanta after WNBA trade

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Two of the worst teams in the NBA clash on Tuesday night as the New Orleans Pelicans host the Utah Jazz.

My Jazz vs. Pelicans predictions are backing Utah forward Kyle Filipowski to put up big numbers in a game that should have little defense.

Here are my best free NBA picks for this showdown on April 7.

Jazz vs Pelicans prediction

Jazz vs Pelicans best bet: Kyle Filipowksi Over 19.5 points (+100)

It's that time of the year when teams eliminated from the playoffs shut down starters and put embarrassingly little effort into defense.

That puts the betting value on props for marginal players getting increased opportunities. That includes Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski, who has scored at least 20 points in five of his last six games. 

Filipowski is coming off a 20-point performance against OKC's elite defense, where he took a season-high 25 field goal attempts in 38 minutes. He'll have another productive night against the New Orleans Pelicans, who rank 23rd in the league in ppg allowed (119.4).

Jazz vs Pelicans same-game parlay

Cody Williams is another Jazz player who has seen his playing time and usage rate surge down the stretch. Williams is logging 35.0 minutes and 4.6 assists per game over the last month. He should drop 5+ dimes in what's expected to be a shootout tonight. 

Pelicans wing Saddiq Bey is averaging 20.5 ppg over the last 34 games. He's been taking even more shots than usual with Trey Murphy III and Dejounte Murray sidelined.

Jazz vs Pelicans SGP

• Kyle Filipowski Over 19.5 points
• Cody Williams Over 4.5 assists
• Saddiq Bet Over 19.5 points

Our "from downtown" SGP: Youth movement

With the total sitting at a whopping 242.5 between two teams that don't care about playing defense, let's back another hungry young player in Pels point guard Jeremiah Fears. The seventh pick in the 2025 draft has racked up 13 assists over the last two games. 

Jazz vs Pelicans SGP

• Kyle Filipowski Over 19.5 points
• Cody Williams Over 4.5 assists
• Saddiq Bet Over 19.5 points
• Jeremiah Fears Over 6.5 assists

Jazz vs Pelicans odds

• Spread: Jazz +10.5 | Pelicans -10.5
• Moneyline: Jazz +400 | Pelicans -550
• Over/Under: Over 242.5 | Under 242.5

Jazz vs Pelicans betting trend to know

The Jazz have gone Over their Team Total in 12 of their last 15 games (+8.60 Units / 50% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. Pelicans.

How to watch Jazz vs Pelicans

Jazz vs Pelicans latest injuries

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

Cody Ponce set to undergo knee surgery with lengthy return goal for Blue Jays originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Toronto Blue Jays have been dealt some tough news when it comes to their starting rotation this season.

Bowden Francis, Trey Yesavage, Jose Berrios and Shane Bieber started the season on the injured list. But after his first start, Cody Ponce suffered a freak accident, with an ACL strain that will keep him out for a while.

As Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports, Ponce is going to undergo surgery and is now slated for a lengthy six-month recovery timeline.

Cody Ponce faces six-month recovery amid knee surgery

"Cody Ponce (right ACL sprain) will have knee surgery next week, John Schneider says," Matheson reports. "Recovery estimate: 6 months. #Blue Jays."

This update from John Schneider on Ponce is a tough one. His injury was always going to be a long recovery, and this update confirms it.

Ponce, after signing a $30 million deal with the Blue Jays following a successful stint overseas, is going to be out for quite some time.

MORE: How Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto is connected to Rockies' Tomoyuki Sugano

If Ponce were to return in exactly six months and not simply be ready to begin warming up for a return, he'd return in early October, just in time to pitch in the postseason for the Blue Jays.

Technically, his 2026 season isn't over yet. His regular season is all but over, but he could be a playoff hero if his recovery goes very well.

The Blue Jays shouldn't rely on such a return happening, as it's far too risky to hope for Ponce, coming off knee surgery, to be ready to pitch, let alone in the postseason or the World Series, just six months after this ACL injury.

More MLB news:

• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award
• Giancarlo Stanton has an absurd 2-for-4 streak going on for Yankees
• Mets didn’t want to trade Brett Baty while White Sox didn’t want Mark Vientos in Luis Robert Jr. trade
• Marlins suggested to sign Max Kepler after Phillies’ OF was suspended for 80 games
• Red Sox never close on Astros’ Isaac Paredes trade
• Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

USA TODAY noted the sizeable opportunity Kansas freshman Bryson Tiller had to become a frontcourt star for the Jayhawks once center Flory Bidunga entered the transfer portal. However, Tiller appears poised to follow Bidunga out of Lawrence, as he has also entered the transfer portal.

Tiller started 31 out of 35 games for the Jayhawks, averaging just under eight points and just over six rebounds per game. The 6'10", 240-pounder also swatted one shot per game on average.

Kansas head coach Bill Self benched Tiller in a mid-March contest for a perceived lack of effort, which may or may not have factored into Tiller's decision.

NEWS: Kansas' Bryson Tiller will enter the transfer portal, Seros Partners told DraftExpress.

The 6'10 power forward started 31 games as a freshman in the Big 12, averaging 7.9 points and 6.1 rebounds.

A former five-star recruit, he'll be in high demand. pic.twitter.com/Bj5sv3rRhD

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 6, 2026

Given his frame and physical style of play, Tiller should have no shortage of suitors for programs that are looking to bolster their athleticism in and around the paint.

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

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Kansas Basketball: Bryson Tiller enters transfer portal

Patriots Drafting WR In First Round Would Be Huge Misstep originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

I understand analysts and fans' eagerness to look at this New England Patriots depth chart and feel the need to pencil in a wide receiver selection in the first round of this month’s NFL Draft.

However, this board just does not justify the selection. There are only four wide receivers that analysts can come to a consensus on using a first-round selection, and that is Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, USC’s Makai Lemon and National Champion Omar Cooper Jr.

But when you get down to the Patriots' selection at No. 31, the field becomes a little bare. 

There is Texas A&M wide receiver K.C. Concepcion, who is knocked for inconsistent hands (20 career drops) and unwillingness to make catches through contact, and Washington’s Denzel Boston, whose lack of elite athleticism is impossible to get by on film. 

The prospects are exciting enough, but with their limitations, there is not as much separating the top of the class from the more than 10 other receivers expected to go in rounds two and three alone. 

When looking at the edge rushers, however, there is a much steeper fall-off when you get past the first nine-or-so prospects, who could all be first-rounders.

This is why selecting a receiver at the end of the first round could be a massive misstep for the Patriots. Top draft analyst Todd McShay explained further on Monday’s episode of “The Todd McShay Show.”

“The other wide receivers are really good… but I can get a wide receiver in the second round,” McShay said. “I can get guys in the second and early third who can come in and play. I’ve got to get offensive tackle, I’ve got to get edge (in the first). That’s driving the bus, bud.”

More NFL: Patriots Suddenly Trade Linebacker To Texans Instead Of Releasing Him

Liverpool are reportedly in talks to complete an incredible deal.

Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards are expected to prioritise midfield reinforcements this summer, and it appears they are looking to complete a really exciting deal.

There has been minimal progress regarding new contracts for Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, despite negotiations stretching on for over six months. Both players remain under contract until 2027/28, and while there is optimism that Szoboszlai will eventually commit his future, the situation surrounding Mac Allister is far less certain.

The Argentine has reportedly drawn interest from Manchester United and Real Madrid, with the latter also keeping a close eye on Szoboszlai. That external attention only adds further uncertainty to Liverpool’s midfield planning.

Meanwhile, Curtis Jones represents another key situation, as he approaches the final year of his deal and could potentially depart.

With Ryan Gravenberch already secured on a long-term basis, the focus now shifts toward finding the right partner for him in midfield. Whether that means replacing Jones, preparing for a possible exit for Mac Allister, or simply adding depth, Hughes and Edwards faces a crucial task in reshaping the squad.

Part of Hughes' and Edwards' mission will be self preservation. They will have entered the final year of their contracts at the club when the summer comes rolling around.

This season has had a significant impact on their reputations. This was the season when they were supposed to make their mark on the team but instead their mark has left the club reeling.

The £450m investment Liverpool made in the summer may prove to be money well spent but right now it looks like it was the wrong decision to pursue hefty moves for Alexander Isak, without replacing Luis Diaz.

The decision not to fire Arne Slot sooner, has also become a very apparent mistake which has made Liverpool be in a far worse state than they would have been otherwise.

So, Edwards has a lot of damage to repair and it looks like he is doing that by looking to pull off an incredible deal for Liverpool's midfield.

According to a report in Caught Offside, the Reds have entered talks with the representatives of Mateus Fernandes.

The report claims that the Reds have the most 'advanced' interest in Fernandes who is valued at around £55m, and who is viewed as the ideal addition to the club's midfield.

The interest of Edwards and Hughes stretches so far that they actually held talks with Fernandes' agency Gestifue according to the report.

Now, this would be Edwards very much going back to what he does best - unearthing gems in the market.

Fernandes would be an incredible signing for Liverpool. The 21-year-old Portuguese international is exactly what the Reds need right now.

Manchester United are reportedly set to accelerate their pursuit of Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson this week.

Top target

United are prioritising midfield reinforcements in the upcoming window, having spent most of last summer’s budget on bolstering the attacking department.

Casemiro’s confirmation that he will leave United in January upon the expiry of his contract, combined with the uncertainty surrounding Manuel Ugarte’s future, has made the club’s need for additions in the middle of the park even more urgent.

United are looking at a number of options, including Anderson, Sandro Tonali (Newcastle) and Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace). However, Anderson appears to be the club’s priority target. He has emerged as one of the best and most consistent midfielders in the Premier League over the past two seasons.

Anderson has also broken into the England team and seems poised for a prominent role under Thomas Tuchel at the World Cup.

United are not alone in their admiration for City. His former employers, Newcastle, are also keen on a reunion, while Manchester City are widely seen as favourites to secure his signature.

But the Red Devils have not given up hope and are still firmly in the hotly-contested race to snap up Anderson.

According to UtdDistrict, United are set to hold discussions with Anderson’s camp this week to try and steal a march on their rivals.

Anderson update

UtdDistrict claim, “With United currently behind City in the race for Anderson, they have legwork to make up.”

“Roundtable understands that Michael Carrick’s club are due to hold fresh talks with the England international’s representatives this week via intermediaries as they continue to explore the possibility of securing his signature at Old Trafford.”

The report notes that Anderson is valued at north of £100 million.

Anderson has made 31 Premier League appearances this term, contributing two goals and as many assists. Meanwhile, United return to action on 13 April when they welcome historic rivals Leeds United to Old Trafford.

Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images

online polls

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

Legendary manager Mircea Lucescu has died at the age of 80, five days after stepping down as Romania's head coach.

Lucescu resigned on Thursday after falling ill before a training session.

He received treatment in hospital after reportedly suffering a heart attack on Friday morning.

"The Romanian Football Federation expresses its boundless regret following the death of the one who was, is and will remain an absolute legend: Mircea Lucescu," the country's federation said in a statement.

"Our football loses not only a brilliant tactician, but a mentor, a visionary, and a national symbol who carried the tricolour to the highest peaks of global success."

He managed Romania between 1981 and 1986 before returning for a second spell in charge in 2024.

His last game in charge was a 1-0 play-off defeat by Turkey on 26 March that meant Romania missed out on qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Lucescu also took charge of Inter Milan, Galatasaray, Besiktas, Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit St Petersburg, Dynamo Kyiv and Turkey in a long and varied managerial career that began 47 years ago at Corvinul Hunedoara.

"We are deeply saddened to hear the passing of Mircea Lucescu, the winning manager of our Uefa Super Cup and 15th Turkish league titles. Rest in peace Luce, we will never forget you," Galatasaray posted on X.

Inter Milan said: "The entire Inter family mourn the passing of Mircea Lucescu and extend heartfelt condolences to his loved ones."

As a player, Lucescu made 64 appearances for Romania and captained his country at the 1970 World Cup.

"It is a black day for Romania and for world football. A man who lived through and for football in every second of his existence has left us," said Romanian Football Federation president Razvan Burleanu.

"Mircea Lucescu was not just a coach, but a life teacher for entire generations of players. He was a man who loved this sport more than anything in life, and his impact on our football is immeasurable."

• Follow your club with BBC Sport
• Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast
• Get football news sent straight to your phone

Michigan championship parade 2026 time, route and how to watch Wolverines' CBB title celebration originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Around 37 years ago, the Michigan Wolverines won their first basketball championship by one point over the Seton Hall Pirates. Finally, Dusty May has led them back to their winning ways.

On Monday night, the Wolverines defeated Dan Hurley's UConn Huskies 69-63 in Indianapolis, and the team is arriving home today. The program just announced its championship parade schedule, along with an indoor celebration at Crisler Center.

The parade will follow the 2024 Michigan football championship path, and Wolverine fans have reason to celebrate yet again.

Here’s what to know about Michigan's celebration plans after winning its first basketball championship since 1989.

MORE: Full stats from the Michigan-UConn championship game

When is Michigan's championship parade?

• Date: Saturday, April 11
• Start time: 10 a.m. ET

Michigan announced on Tuesday that it will be hosting a championship celebration on Saturday, April 11, starting at 10 a.m. ET  at the President’s House on Central Campus. This parade will follow the same route as the 2024 football team's national championship win, which ended in just under an hour.

According to the team, there will also be an indoor celebration at Crisler Center starting at 1 p.m.

Join us on Saturday for our championship celebration!

Details » https://t.co/w75JydHmzJpic.twitter.com/hJKLzTIMsx

— Michigan Men's Basketball (@umichbball) April 7, 2026

Michigan parade route

Michigan’s basketball championship parade will follow the same route as the football team’s 2024 championship parade. The parade will start at the President’s House at 815 S. University Ave. on Central Campus and travel through State Street. It will conclude at Yost Ice Arena on South State Street.

The city of Ann Arbor will close streets along the parade route at 8 a.m. The university expects fans to line South University outside the President’s House, west to the Student Union, and south down State Street to Yost Ice Arena.

What is the weather for the Michigan championship parade?

Here's a look at the forecast for the afternoon of Saturday, April 11, for Michigan's title celebration in Ann Arbor, per Accuweather.

• High: 56° F
• Low: 37° F
• Chance of Precipitation: 9%

How to watch, stream Michigan's championship parade

• TV channel: Big Ten Network
• Live stream: FOX Sports

Michigan's indoor championship celebration at Crisler Center will air live on Big Ten Network and stream on FOX Sports, according to MLive.

NBA general managers and scouts are heading home from the 2026 men's NCAA Tournament with plenty to think about after three weeks of incredible action on the court. Now they have to figure out which March Madness performances are indicators of future greatness and which are more of a mirage.

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY's latest mock draft, Texas's Dailyn Swain  is expected to go in the first round. Here's how USA TODAY currently projects his draft night will play out.

Our draft order is based on ESPN's projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Dailyn Swain 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 29 overall, Cleveland Cavaliers

Kalbrosky's Analysis:

After transferring from Xavier to Texas during the offseason and then leading his team to the Sweet 16, Dailyn Swain became one of the more intriguing breakout players in college basketball. The All-SEC forward is versatile and contributed a little bit of everything for the Longhorns on both sides of the ball, scoring well both in the paint and on fastbreaks. Another element that is notably compelling is that Swain is efficient one-on-one in isolation against his defenders.

See USA TODAY's full mock draft 9.0 here

Dailyn Swain player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

• Position: Guard-Forward
• Current Team: Texas
• 17.7 points per game
• 7.6 rebounds per game
• 3.4 assists per game
• 54.3 field goal percentage
• 34.5 three-point field goal percentage

Cleveland Cavaliers 2026 projected draft picks

• No. 29 (via SA)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dailyn Swain NBA mock draft projection: Where Texas star is expected to land after March Madness

Today Most Valuable Promotions have officially announced an MVPW-03 card set for May 30, which will feature Amanda Serrano (48-4-1, 31 KOs) returning to the ring to take on Cheyenne Hanson (17-2, 13 KOs) in a featherweight unification in El Paso, Texas. The card will stream live on ESPN and also be headlined by a fight between Stephanie Han and Holly Holm.

Serrano, who is most recently coming off a decision win over Reina Tellez this past January, shared some of her thoughts on this outing via a press release.

“When MVP told me that Han and Holm were going to rematch in Stephanie’s home town of El Paso, I said I want to get on the card to support these two queens,” said Amanda Serrano. “Women’s boxing is growing on a global level, and fights like this, now on ESPN and contested in three-minute rounds, are proof of how far we’ve come. I respect every opponent who steps in the ring, and I know Hanson is coming to win and she has KO power.

“I’m also continuing to hunt the all-time knockout record, so that’s always on my mind, but everything starts with discipline, execution, and performing at the highest level on fight night. Stephanie Han is all class, and it is my pleasure to come to her city and make the walk before her on Saturday, May 30th. See you soon El Paso.”

Hanson, for her part, expresses her excitement for this opportunity on a big, televised stage.

“I’m really excited and grateful for this fight,” said Cheyenne Hanson. “It means a lot to be representing Germany on this stage. Training camp is going to be hard but I’m focused. I respect my opponent, but I’m coming to make a statement.”

The Atlanta Falcons enter the 2026 NFL Draft with a completely new regime in charge. How might Atlanta’s draft strategy change under new general manager Ian Cunningham? Kevin Knight and Tre’Shon Diaz give their thoughts on what Cunningham might bring to the Falcons and discuss what they’d like to see from Atlanta’s draft. Fellow Falcoholics, welcome to another episode of the Dirty Birds and Brews podcast!

You can also listen to all of our video shows in an audio-only podcast format, available on all your favorite podcast platforms or by using the player below.

If you’re interested in supporting the show, check out our Patreon page to unlock access to exclusive perks including Patron Q&A sessions, Discord perks, live shout-outs and more!

Be sure to check out the new community Discord server here! Come chat with your fellow Falcons fans about the show, the team, the NFL draft, and more.

You can watch the show here on The Falcoholic, but we recommend watching on YouTube for the best experience—including full 1080p HD video and access to the live Q&A in the chat. You can also access the show using your smart TV or device using the YouTube app for the real big-screen experience!

We hope you enjoy the show! If you have comments, we’d love to hear them. Send them to us on Twitter (@FalcoholicLive), leave them below, or e-mail the show at falcoholiclive@gmail.com.

Thanks for watching!

The 2025-26 NBA MVP race has been a relatively contested one, with four players standing out from the rest of the pack.

We have already looked at the cases made by San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wemanyama, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (pre-injury) and the one for three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.

Today, we're going to tell you why, despite the cases you can make for those players, the strongest argument is still in favor of the reigning league MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been simply magnificent in 2025-26.

The case for Gilgeous-Alexander

The case for Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP candidacy is simple: He’s by far the best player on the team with the best record (and best net rating) in the league.

The Thunder are 62-16 this season, 2.5 games ahead of the Spurs and 11.5 games ahead of the third-place Nuggets. In addition, Oklahoma City's net rating is +11.6 is likewise the most dominant mark in the NBA. Team record is a huge factor in MVP voting every year, so the Thunder’s regular-season success will, without a doubt, help Gilgeous-Alexander's case to a huge extent.

Some of the advanced analytics also favor the Canadian superstar, as Gilgeous-Alexander leads the NBA in Win Shares (15.0) and Win Shares per 48 Minutes (0.328). Gilgeous-Alexander also leads the league in our own Global Rating metric (27.45), which uses individual and team factors to rank players.

Gilgeous-Alexander is also the most efficient high-volume scorer in the NBA today, as not only is he putting up 31.4 points per game, he’s doing so at a 55.2 percent scoring mark. In NBA history, only four players have put up at least 31 points per game while shooting over 55 percent from the floor. And the other three, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Giannis Antetokounmpo, combined to attempt 214 total threes in those respective seasons. Gilgeous-Alexander has attempted 290 threes this campaign by himself, showing how ridiculously efficient the Thunder guard has been in 2025-26.

SGA is also shooting an astounding 60.2 percent on two-pointers this season, no easy feat considering the number of short midrange jumpers he attempts on a nightly basis. For comparison's sake, for his career, dominant big man Shaquille O'Neal only had two seasons in which he shot better than 60.2 percent from two.

Gilgeous-Alexander even leads the NBA in total clutch scoring, putting up 175 points in clutch situations this season, giving him yet another important factor in MVP decision-making for voters. We recently wrote about how the Canadian phenom is having one of the most clutch seasons in league history:

What's more, looking at the annals of NBA history - at least dating back to the time frame for which we have clutch time stats - Gilgeous-Alexander's 2025-26 season has produced the second-highest clutch scoring average in league history. SGA is averaging 6.50 points per game in clutch situations this season, trailing only Russell Westbrook's 2016-17 campaign (6.52 points per game) for the most clutch points per game in recorded history. In third place is James Harden's 2018-19 Houston Rockets season, in which he put up 5.95 clutch points per game.

Gilgeous-Alexander probably put a bow on his 2025-26 MVP campaign last Thursday night when, in a much-anticipated matchup against Doncic and a rolling Laker squad, the Thunder superstar put up 28 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as OKC rolled to a 139-96 win. Award voters love big moments, and as far as the MVP race goes, SGA's performance against Doncic and Co. is probably the biggest of the season.

The case against Gilgeous-Alexander

What could hurt Gilgeous-Alexander’s MVP candidacy might be a bit of voter fatigue, along with other players campaigning for themselves pretty hard. Because truly, when a player puts up a season like Gilgeous-Alexander is, i.e., being the best player on the best team in the league while ranking second in the NBA in scoring (while also being the most efficient high-volume scorer in the league), it’s usually a no-brainer that they are going to win MVP. 

Gilgeous-Alexander could get hurt by how strong the team around him is, too, but even then, it’s not like Jalen Williams is lighting it up this season. Williams has missed a lot of the campaign with injury, and even when he did return, he hasn't quite been at his All-Star form.

The four-time All-Star does play alongside some elite defenders (the Thunder has the best defense in the league this season by a decent margin), but it’s not like Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t a very impactful defender himself, averaging 1.4 steals per night this season.

All in all, Gilgeous-Alexander should probably be the heavy favorite to win MVP again, but narratives might get in the way of that. If not for narratives, we believe the Canadian has the strongest all-around case to retain his prestigious award.

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: If you don't pick Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for 2025-26 NBA MVP, you're overthinking it

The New England Patriots were initially reported to be releasing linebacker Marte Mapu on Tuesday, via ESPN's Mike Reiss. However, an updated report suggested that the team was trading the former third-round draft pick to the Houston Texans, according to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle.

The team later confirmed the news on Tuesday.

New England is shipping Mapu and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick to the Texans in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick. It's a move that leaves the Patriots with another hole at linebacker. They'll also need to find another personal protector on special teams.

Mapu's usage on defense dropped off dramatically under Patriots coach Mike Vrabel considering he was only used on 12 percent of the defensive snaps.

Update: As @jonmalexander said, the Patriots and Texans have now agreed to a trade for LB Marte Mapu.

I'm told the Patriots will receive a 2027 sixth-round pick in exchange for Mapu and a 2027 seventh-round pick. https://t.co/gRXj9L6nBO

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) April 7, 2026

Mapu started in 10 games during his run with the Patriots and racked up 89 tackles, three interceptions, 12 passes defended and five forced fumbles during his run with the team. While he saw a decrease in snaps on defense, his snaps on special teams were increased to 58 percent.

He will now have an opportunity to carve out a role with arguably the best defensive team in the league in Houston. As for the Patriots, they will likely look to fill another hole on their roster in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots trade Marte Mapu to Texans, compensation reportedly revealed

The Washington Commanders can’t run from the fact that they dropped the ball last season. While injuries played a major factor, the players who were healthy didn’t live up to the standard set in 2024, when Washington reached the NFC Conference Championship.

The good news is that the Commanders’ ugly season set them up to land a blue-chip prospect with the seventh overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. In roughly two weeks, the Commanders will be adding a potential star talent to the roster. So, who could the Commanders add?

Recently, Essentially Sports’ NFL insider Tony Pauline used his intel to predict what the Commanders might do with their first-round pick. While doing so, he said LSU’s cornerback Mansoor Delane “could end up being drafted as early as the seventh pick.”

Though, Pauline also cautioned that Delane could be a target of the Kansas City Chiefs, who hold the ninth overall pick in the first round. Of course, if Delane is truly the Commanders’ top target, the Chiefs would have to leap ahead of Washington, but Kansas City also has the 29th overall pick to use as ammo.

Delane is viewed as the best cornerback prospect in the draft class, and a status he cemented after clocking a blistering 4.38-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. He’s viewed as a likely top-15 pick, so Washington selecting him seventh could certainly be in play, as Pauline hinted at.

Related: Washington Commanders Urged to Target All-Pro Defender

Related Headlines

• Houston Texans Trade for Linebacker From Super Bowl Team
• NFL Analyst Highlights Two Likely Choices for Cleveland Browns’ No. 6 Pick
• Projected Top 5 Pick Falls Into Dallas Cowboys Lap in ESPN’s New NFL Mock Draft

Michigan State saw their season come to a crushing end with an overtime loss to Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament, where the Spartans fell just short of a Frozen Four appearance. Now, in the days following, the roster has been poached by professional teams.

Obviously, professional development is outstanding for the program, and it is awesome to see Spartans get their chance at the next level, especially seniors.

One senior that just inked his first professional contract is Tiernan Shoudy, who has signed with the Wheeling Nailers for the remainder of the 2025-26 season. The Nailers are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Playing in 150 games in his MSU career, Shoudy scored 25 goals and added 40 assists in his career. He is a native of St. Clair, Michigan.

Congratulations to Tiernan Shoudy on signing a deal with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL for the remainder of the 2025-26 season!

Shoudy put up a career-best 20 points as a senior and won 310 faceoffs, good for a 54.4% win percentage! pic.twitter.com/gOzbNseQl6

— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) April 7, 2026

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Rex_Linzy

This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Tiernan Shoudy signs first pro contract with Penguins organization

There may not be a prospect in this year’s class who has been more closely and frequently linked to the Los Angeles Rams in mock drafts than USC receiver Makai Lemon. The 2025 Biletnikoff Winner as the top wideout in the country is one of the top playmakers in the 2026 draft and given the Rams’ need for a receiver, the connection is easy to make.

And it’s very possible the Rams will take him at No. 13 overall, especially after Les Snead attended his pro day at USC.

Peter Schrager of ESPN projected Lemon to the Rams in his first mock of the year this week and later appeared on the Pat McAfee Show to explain what makes him a perfect fit.

“Makai Lemon is everything Les Snead, Sean McVay and wide receivers coach Eric Yarber love,” he said. “He is tough as nails, he has never met a center of the field that he doesn’t like. One of these guys that is absolutely a dog.”

With Matthew Stafford nearing the end of his career, the Rams seem to be going all-in as a push to win one more Super Bowl with their franchise quarterback. They acquired Trent McDuffie in a blockbuster trade, signed Jaylen Watson in free agency and brought back Kam Curl, taking care of the defense.

Now, it could be time to give the offense some love.

“To me, Makai Lemon to the Rams makes a ton of sense, especially if we’re going all-in and we’re pushing all our chips to the middle of the table and we’re saying, ‘Let’s go win this one for Stafford,’” Schrager added.

Whether it’s Lemon, Carnell Tate, Jordyn Tyson or Kenyon Sadiq, it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising if the Rams take an offensive playmaker with their first pick.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: NFL draft: Makai Lemon to Rams 'makes a ton of sense,' Schrager says

Chicago Bears predicted to trade for All-Pro defensive wrecking ball originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Bears took a significant leap forward last season with Ben Johnson taking over as the team’s head coach. 

The offensive savant was able to help second-year QB Caleb Williams flip a switch in his second NFL season and the Bears averaged nearly 26 points per game. The quick turnaround from a (5-12) finish in 2024 led Chicago to win the NFC North in 2025 with an (11-6) record. 

After beating the Packers in the Wildcard round, the Bears were knocked off in an overtime thriller in the Divisional Round against the Rams, but for the first time in a long time, Chicago appears to be a genuine contender in the NFC for the foreseeable future. 

While it’s easy to see the improvements the Bears have made on the offensive side of the ball with Williams and other young emerging standout players like Colston Loveland and Luther Burden, the defensive side of the ball is a different story. 

The final four teams in the 2025-26 playoffs all finished the year with a defense ranked in the top 10 in the NFL, which clearly states the importance of that unit even in the modern game where teams are throwing it all over the field. 

The Bears need help on defense and are predicted to trade for All-Pro DT Dexter Lawrence 

If the Bears are going to take another leap forward in 2026, they are going to have to get better on the defensive side of the ball. Chicago finished last season with the No. 29 overall defense in the league, giving up 361.8 yards per game in the regular season and 380.5 yards per game in the playoffs. 

The Bears struggled particularly against the run, allowing 134.5 yards per game and a whopping five yards per carry to opposing running backs. 

With struggles against both the run and the pass, the Bears need a dominant defensive linemen who can stuff the middle while also creating havoc for opposing quarterbacks. 

Dexter Lawrence has been the focal point of the New York Giants defense over the last few seasons and the 28-year-old All-Pro recently asked for a trade as he’s currently compensated as the No. 12 interior DL despite massive production. 

Lawrence’s 27 QB hurries were 15 more than the next Giants DT in 2025, according to PFF. Even with one of the highest double-team rates for any DT in the league, he was also first in total tackles (32) in the run game for the interior group.

Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton lists the Bears as a contender to trade for the Giants big man. In Moton’s scenario, the Giants would receive a 2026 2nd-round pick and 2026 4th-round pick in exchange for Lawrence. 

“The Bears need more help on the defensive line,” Moton said. “Lawrence can provide that and complement Gervon Dexter Sr., who's emerged as a pass-rusher with 11 sacks over the last two seasons.”

“Between Lawrence and Dexter, the Bears would have over 650 pounds of manpower on the interior of their defensive front. Chicago's run defense could improve from 27th in yards allowed to one of the league's most stout units with that big-man combination at defensive tackle.” 

Giants new head coach John Harbaugh came out to publicly state he believes the two sides can come to an agreement and keep Lawrence in New York, but if the Bears can find a way to get him to Chicago, it would be an instant significant boost for the defense. 

The Wraparound is here with rapid-fire NHL and hockey discussions and debates.

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Adam Kierszenblat discussed in this episode:

0:00: Reacting to the New Jersey Devils' firing of GM Tom Fitzgerald

5:20: Breaking down the candidates for the GM position with the Nashville Predators

9:44: How will the Edmonton Oilers adapt to potentially playing playoff hockey without Leon Draisaitl?

13:14: Making sense of the Vancouver Canucks' struggles at home

17:21: Will Nikita Kucherov be remembered as the best player in Tampa Bay Lightning history?

21:21: Which rookie goaltender from this season has the brightest future?

24:27: Has John Tavares proved that he can still be a second-line center for the Toronto Maple Leafs?

27:44: Which trade deadline acquisition has proved to be the most valuable?

Breaking Down The Predators' GM Candidates by The Wraparound

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Podbean

iHeartRadio

Amazon

Ann Arbor — The University of Michigan's championship-winning men's basketball team got a hero's welcome as they returned to Ann Arbor's Crisler Arena Tuesday afternoon, greeted by hundreds of fans.

About 200 people of all ages gathered to greet the team as they returned from Indianapolis. Most of them were decked out in blue and maize. One fan raised a flag; another held a sign that said “Morez 4 Prez," referring to UM forward Morez Johnson Jr.

"You guys are amazing," said Coach Dusty May when the team finally appeared before the crowd. "You made this year very, very special for me and for us."

Diane Gross, 66, graduated from the University of Michigan in 1981 and was among the crowd who greeted the team. She was in town from Fort Collins, Colo. on Tuesday to visit her mother and decided to welcome the team home with the rest of the fans.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Gross, who watched the Wolverines win the 1989 title. “We love the ‘89 team, but we’re happy to have a new team.”

The players and coaches emerged on top of the roof between the football stadium and Crisler Arena around 3:30 p.m. to cheers from the crowd. Some addressed the crowd. One player, L.J. Cason, wore what appeared to be ski goggles as he held the championship trophy.

“Thank you for supporting us all these years,” said guard Nimari Burnett. “You guys made my time here so, so special. I cry just because I’m so grateful to share this with you.”

The Wolverines defeated the UConn Huskies 69-63 on Monday in Indianapolis to win the university's first national title in 37 years. In Ann Arbor, thousands of fans poured into the streets to celebrate after the game, some climbing on trees or hanging on light poles.

Sophia Liao, 19, a UM freshman, was also among the crowd that waited Tuesday afternoon to welcome back the team. She and her friends made the last-minute decision on Monday to go see the team play in Indianapolis.

“It was totally worth it, just being able to witness history for our school,” said Liao.

As she waited for the team's bus, Liao said she was hoping to take pictures with the players and congratulate them in person. She said it means more than posting support online.

Even though it’s only Liao’s first year at the university, she said the championship was “the highlight of my four years.”

“I don’t know if anything is going to top last night, but I hope there will be more championships,” Liao said.

Cory Price of Canton is 38 — almost as many years as it’s been since Michigan last won the championship.

“My dad is a fan, so just naturally, I became a fan,” he said.

Price said Monday night and Tuesday have been “a lot to take in.”

“It seems like you only get this once in a lifetime, maybe twice in a lifetime if you’re lucky … those guys worked hard, and it’s cool to support them,” he said.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: UM men's basketball team gets jubilant welcome in Ann Arbor

The transfer portal news for the Kentucky Wildcats is coming in fast now that it has officially opened. Mark Pope and his staff have begun to make contact and set up calls with some of the top available players, and are set to host a Zoom meeting with Washington point guard Zoom Diallo, according to Kentucky Sports Radio.

Diallo is a 6'4", 180 lb point guard who was a four-star member of the 2024 recruiting class. He committed to the Washington Huskies over schools like Arizona and Gonzaga, and started 22 games as a freshman.

Last season, Diallo was terrific, averaging 15.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He was only a 31% shooter from three-point range, but he drastically improved from year one to year two, so there is potential for more growth in that area as well.

Kentucky will be talking to Diallo either Tuesday night or Wednesday, and would be a good fit. Pope has made finding a point guard a priority after things went south last year. Diallo has two years of eligibility remaining. We will update this story as it develops.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky basketball eyes Washington point guard Zoom Diallo

After one season with Texas basketball, Dailyn Swain will enter this year’s NBA draft, the junior announced Tuesday via his Instagram account.

Swain, a 6-foot-8 wing, projects as a late first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which takes place June 22 at Barclays Center.

After following coach Sean Miller from Xavier to Texas last offseason, Swain enjoyed a career season during the 2025-26 campaign. He led the Longhorns with averages of 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as well as 129 total assists and 59 total steals while earning second-team All-SEC honors. He also led Texas in total minutes with 1,178 and played in all 36 games for a Sweet 16 team that ended the season with a 21-15 record. Swain also emerged as one of the best on-ball defenders on the roster.

MORE: Texas basketball's NCAA Tournament run is over, but Sean Miller's rebuild is here | Golden

“I don't know if any of us really understand, truly, what a great individual season he's had,” Miller said after his team’s 79-77 loss March 26 to Purdue in the Sweet 16. “He’s carried us from start to finish, and he's been able to check the box in a lot of big, big ways. That’s another thing I'm really proud of, just watching how far he's come as a player, as a leader, as a teammate.”

Swain currently projects as a late first-round pick in various mock drafts. Such a selection would come with a significant pay raise. The entire Texas basketball roster combines to reportedly make more than $3 million although athletic salaries aren’t publicly available, which means Swain’s payout is likely below $1 million.

USA Today’s latest mock NBA draft projects Swain going to Denver with the 24th overall pick. Nique Clifford, last season’s 24th pick, signed a four-year, $15.77 million rookie contract with the Sacramento Kings that includes roughly $6.37 million guaranteed, with team options for the 2027-28 and 2028-29 seasons.

The 2026 NFL Draft is less than three weeks away, and there’s plenty of speculation around our beloved Buffalo Bills and what they may do in the first round. While there are plenty of talented prospects to consider, I believe the Bills are in prime position to trade down from pick number 26.

Before I get into my rationale, I understand what some of you may be thinking. “How can you advocate for trading down when you have no idea who’s on the board?” That’s a valid question and of course something that would come into consideration on draft night. Heck, if Carnell Tate falls out of the top 10 I’ll be pulling up trade charts to see how much Buffalo’s decision maker would have to give up to get him. But outside of these extreme circumstances, I’m all for making a trade back.

The Bills may be in a favorable spot to trade back, as multiple clubs could look to move up in hopes of drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. The Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and Pittsburgh Steelers could all be jockeying to land the second-ranked quarterback in the draft class. If that’s the case, Brandon Beane could be in an advantageous spot at the draft.

Regardless of who the other teams are looking to select, I’m a fan of trading down. Fans are well aware that the team shipped away pick 60 to acquire wide receiver DJ Moore. That leaves the Bills without a second-round pick, and a major gap before the club’s third-round pick (number 91).

Hypothetically, if the Bills traded their first-round pick, a package including a second- and third-round pick would be an expected return. With some holes on the roster at wide receiver, defensive tackle, defensive end, an extra Day 2 pick would be welcomed. One could also argue that the Bills have future needs at safety and offensive guard —- with C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Geno Stone, Austin Corbett, Alec Anderson, and O’Cyrus Torrence all playing on expiring contracts.

The 2026 edition is considered a relatively deep draft, and the Bills could also look at trading back from pick 91. Adding selections in the fourth or fifth round could address some of the needs for depth, in hopes of developing young talent that can contribute in the future.

Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below regarding some trade-back options for the Bills heading into the draft.

Gary Woodland will have special security this week at the Masters as he battles anxiety and stress following 2023 brain surgery.

Woodland had not won since the 2019 US Open until two weeks ago at the Houston Open, taking the title just two weeks after going public with his mental health struggles.

The 41-year-old American underwent surgery to remove part of a brain tumor and has since battled post-traumatic stress disorder that made him want to run off golf courses at times.

Just as with his PGA Tour events, Woodland will have extra security measures this week at Augusta National, qualifying after his Texas triumph.

"I've met with Augusta. I've met with their security team," Woodland said Tuesday. "Just like on tour, I'll have security with me. The main deal is they were showing me where security is.

"The whole deal for me is it's visual, right? If I can see somebody, then I can remind myself that I'm safe constantly.

"So I have a good idea now where security is on every hole. The big deal for me, my caddie knows too, so he can constantly remind me."

Woodland never knows what might cause an episode, so even with 12 prior Masters starts, it's a new challenge.

"I don't have control when this thing hits me, and it's tough," Woodland said. "It can be a fan. It can be a walking scorer. It can be a camera guy running by me, just any startlement from behind me can trigger this pretty quickly.

"Knowing where the security is is a constant reminder that I'm safe."

Woodland said speaking publicly about his issues has brought him greater strength to deal with them.

"Speaking about it and how I feel afterwards made me a lot stronger," he said. "I didn't know that releasing this battle was going to make me stronger, and it has done that. I feel a lot stronger now than I did three weeks ago, I can tell you that.

"No matter how hard it is out here, I know I have someone I can talk to, that I can have security."

Even his victory at Houston did not come without having to fight down his feelings.

"I had a big battle Friday of Houston. I got hypervigilant on the ninth hole and I battled the last 10 holes thinking people were trying to kill me," Woodland said.

"I talked to tour security that night and I told them what I was going through, and every time I looked up on the weekend, my security team was behind me.

"Last year I didn't talk to tour security. I fought this on my own. It was awful. Turning around and knowing that I'm safe, having somebody there with me, it's the only reason why I won two weeks ago."

Woodland has received messages from several people who has had their own struggles to overcome and been inspired by his story.

"It just shows that everybody is going through something," he said.

js/rcw

North Carolina has officially hired NBA championship-winning coach Michael Malone to lead the Tar Heels’ basketball program.

The school announced Malone's hiring on Tuesday and scheduled an introductory news conference for later in the day. Malone will replace Hubert Davis, who was fired March 24 after five seasons as the successor to retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams.

In a statement, UNC executive associate athletic director Steve Newmark described Malone as a “selfless teacher and innovator.”

"He is a brilliant coach who will deliver a modern and disciplined approach to leading our men’s basketball program, which is critical in the current landscape of college athletics," said Newmark, who will succeed Bubba Cunningham as AD on July 1. "Carolina Basketball is unique and special — and we have hired a leader well-suited to continuing our championship tradition.”

The 54-year-old Malone spent 12 seasons as a head coach in the NBA, including a 10-year run in Denver. He led the Nuggets to the 2023 championship behind three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic.

The Nuggets fired Malone last spring with less than a week left in that regular season. Almost a year to the day, in another surprise move, Malone is taking over a blueblood program with six national titles, a record 21 appearances in the Final Four and alums including Michael Jordan, James Worthy Vince Carter and Atlantic Coast Conference career scoring leader Tyler Hansbrough.

“Carolina is one of the most historic programs in college basketball, and I am honored to be the head coach of the Tar Heels,” Malone said in a statement. “It is humbling to follow so many legends in Chapel Hill.

“I know from the many Tar Heels in the NBA how special the Carolina Basketball Family is, and I will do everything I can to continue UNC’s championship legacy while preparing our players for professional careers and life after basketball.”

Davis’ firing opened one of the top jobs in college basketball for only the fourth time since the late Hall of Famer Dean Smith’s retirement after 36 seasons in October 1997. The job had stayed in the “Carolina Family” ever since. Longtime assistant Bill Guthridge replaced Smith, followed by former UNC player Matt Doherty, former Smith assistant Williams and then Davis, who played under Smith and worked on Williams’ staff.

Malone has never been a college head coach and has spent most of his career in the NBA. His primary connection to UNC athletics is the presence of daughter Bridget on the Tar Heels’ volleyball team, while he told the UNC athletic department’s “Carolina Insider” podcast in October that he had attended multiple recent basketball practices — with Davis even asking him to speak to the team at least once.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin has struggled to keep quarterbacks healthy or produce many points lately.

None of that bothers new Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph, who believes his success at Old Dominion can translate to the Big Ten. Joseph heads a list of 34 transfer newcomers — 27 from Football Bowl Subdivision programs — eager to help Wisconsin bounce back from consecutive losing seasons.

“I don’t really like to think about what happens in the past,” Joseph said after Wisconsin’s Tuesday morning practice. “That already happened. I’m really here to show what I can do in the future and show what we’re building towards and what plays we can make, and the offense that we’re going to build here.”

He will try to spark a Wisconsin offense that scored just 12.8 points per game and gained 253.1 yards per game last year to rank ahead of only UMass among FBS schools. Wisconsin went 4-8 last year after finishing 5-7 in 2024, ending what had been a Power Four-leading streak of 22 consecutive winning seasons.

Joseph was convinced he could succeed here after seeing highlights of quarterbacks working with Jeff Grimes, who is back for his second season as Wisconsin’s offensive coordinator on Luke Fickell’s staff.

He particularly took note while watching Zach Wilson, who led BYU to an 11-1 record in 2020 when Grimes was BYU’s offensive coordinator. Wilson was the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

“I saw some of the things (Wilson) was doing,” said Joseph, who threw for 2,624 yards and rushed for 1,007 at Old Dominion last season. “I thought, ‘Man, if I could get in that offense, I could probably do those things, too.’"

Fickell likes the way Joseph has adjusted to the challenge of leading a team he has just joined.

“There’s a guy with high expectations coming in and you can see a little bit of a natural tightness, that he wants to lead but he’s got so much to learn,” Fickell said. “Each and every day, especially practice-wise, you’re seeing him become a little bit more loose in what he’s doing.”

Fickell could use some better luck at the quarterback position as he begins his fourth season at Wisconsin. The Badgers’ intended season-opening starting quarterback has been available for the entirety of only 11 of their 37 games the last three years.

Tanner Mordecai came over from SMU in 2023 but missed 3 1/2 games with a broken hand that season. Tyler Van Dyke arrived from Miami the following year but tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the third game of the season.

Fickell added multiple transfer quarterbacks with starting experience as an insurance policy a year ago, and it still didn’t work out.

Maryland transfer Billy Edwards Jr. left with a sprained knee in the second quarter of the Badgers’ season-opening victory over Miami (Ohio). He returned to lead a couple of series Sept. 20 against Maryland but didn’t play again the rest of the season.

Danny O’Neil, who started 11 games at San Diego State, took over for Edwards and started three games but struggled and eventually suffered a leg injury. Southern Illinois transfer Hunter Simmons and freshman Carter Smith each started multiple games after Edwards’ injury.

While Edwards has since transferred to North Carolina, O’Neil and Smith remain on Wisconsin’s roster. But the Badgers expect Joseph to be their starting quarterback for their Sept. 6 opener with Notre Dame at Lambeau Field.

His status as a dual-threat quarterback makes him an injury risk if the offensive line doesn’t adequately protect him, but it also should produce a more dynamic Wisconsin offense as long as he stays healthy.

“Our coaches really emphasize scrambling,” Joseph said. “When the first play’s not there, there’s always a second play that’s within the play. I think I add an element that helps make explosive plays.”

Joseph passed for 4,251 yards with 32 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while rushing for 1,654 yards and 24 more scores at Old Dominion the last two years. He completed 59.7% of his passes and averaged 6.4 yards per rush in 2025.

He showcased how his rushing ability could make an impact against elite competition when he ran for 179 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries in a 27-14 loss to eventual national champion Indiana, though he also threw three interceptions and had just 96 yards passing in that game.

What impresses Fickell the most is the 9-3 record Old Dominion posted in the games Joseph started last season.

“It doesn’t matter what level it is,” Fickell said. “Winning is winning.”

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

John Harbaugh said on Monday that “the prospects are going to be high” that star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who is skipping voluntary offseason workouts while seeking a contract extension, will continue to be a member of the New York Giants.

“We want Dexter here and I believe Dexter wants to be here,” Harbaugh said after conducting his first voluntary workout as Giants head coach. “That’s a good formula, but there’s business involved. It’s a business proposition.”

Harbaugh said at the NFL Scouting Combine that he believed Lawrence was “excited” about the prospect of being with the Giants in 2026. In recent weeks, though, Harbaugh sensed that Lawrence might do this.

“We know it’s pro football and these things happen every year, pretty much on every team, so not surprised by it,” Harbaugh said. “Saw it coming a few weeks back, probably, and good conversations with Dexter’s agent, Joel Segal, and understood what they were thinking. This is where we’re at, so we’re just trying to work through it and see what we can get done.

“When I first got hired for a few weeks we had great conversations, but once it moved into this type of conversation it got to be about business and we knew it was going to be an issue.”

The 28-year-old Lawrence is in the third year of a four-year, $90 million contract extension he signed in 2024. He is the longest-tenured Giant, having been selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Harbaugh said he will “get as involved as the head coach should” in the Lawrence situation.

“I’ll be in conversations with, with Dawn [Aponte] and with Joe [Schoen], but they’ll be leading the negotiation.,” Harbaugh said. “It’s not something I’m going to be, it’s not my expertise area. So I won’t be involved as far as any kind of negotiating, but I know we’ll talk about it and I’ll probably throw my two cents in where I can, but trust them to do a great job. And I know they will. They always do.”

• Dexter Lawrence trade request explained: How did Lawrence, the Giants get here?
• Dexter Lawrence trade request: How would the NY Giants replace him?
• What if I traded Dexter Lawrence in the SB Nation Writer’s Mock Draft?

“We’ll see what happens.”

In response to a question about keeping or trading Kayvon Thibodeaux, Harbaugh had said “everybody’s tradeable.”

So, would the Giants grant Lawrence’s trade request should it become apparent a deal could not be reached?

“I don’t know if granting a request is really the right way to say it because it doesn’t really work that way,” Harbaugh said. “It’s not like a Christmas gift. It just doesn’t work like that.

“It’s business. So the business is to be the best football team that we can be. And the business for him, I’m sure, is to be the best player he can be. And then there’s financial obligations, restraints, opportunities, all those things that go around that because it’s pro football. I guess there isn’t college football now, too. It’s just, it’s different a little bit in the way it works for the contracts in this league. So that’s, that’s really what it boils down to. We’ll see what happens.”

Cleetus McFarland does want to race in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series race on April 25 at Talladega Superspeedway and says he will find out on Tuesday if he did enough over the weekend at Rockingham Speedway to be approved.

He spoke to the topic on Monday in his Bald Eagles podcast.

“Now we’ve got to wait for an approval for Talladega which will come (Tuesday) whether we’re approved or not for me to run the O’Reilly car,” Cleetus said on Bald Eagles. “Really want to, but it’s in NASCAR’s hands.”

The 31-year-old YouTuber and amateur racer also added ‘I don’t care’ either way as a more realistic target were always the summer races at Daytona and Talladega.

“I didn’t ruin anyone’s race. Whatever they come back with, it is what it is,” McFarland said. “I think a lot of people on the internet are thinking I shouldn’t be approved. I don’t care whether I’m approved or not. I did not come into this opportunity saying, ‘NASCAR needs to approve me.’

“I never, in any instance, thought they should approve me. I just got this opportunity and said, ‘Great, what can we do?’ If they approve me to run ‘Dega, I’m running it.”

Cleetus McFarland says see you at Talladega; RCR says 'we need to be better'

Cleetus McFarland earns impressive top five finish in ARCA East Rockingham

Why Cleetus McFarland is a sound investment for Richard Childress Racing

After the NOAPS race on Saturday, one in which Cleetus finished six laps down, but did make it to the finish after one spin and several half-spins, Richard Childress Racing executive Danny Lawrence told Motorsport.com he wasn’t sure that enough was done to warrant a superspeedway license.

“Well, they’ll look at everything,” Lawrence said. “They might ask us to run another race because the thing about it is we didn’t get to do a live pit stop. There were a lot of things they wanted to see happen that didn’t happen.

“When he got sideways early, we automatically went into this conservation mode of just keep rolling and don’t push it too hard. So, it’s going to be close, but I would not be surprised if NASCAR didn’t want us to run another race before we got to Daytona and Talladega. Everything happens so fast there that we all want to be prepared when we do take him there.”

If he does not get NOAPS approval, Cleetus is still planning to race in the ARCA Racing Series event at Talladega this upcoming April race weekend. 

To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone hailed departing forward Antoine Griezmann ahead of the club's Champions League quarter-final first leg clash at Barcelona on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old French striker, Atletico's all time top goalscorer, is leaving at the end of the season to join MLS side Orlando City.

Simeone addressed Griezmann directly before a press conference they were giving Tuesday before the clash against Barca at Camp Nou.

"I want to thank you for your work, your humility, and your exemplary attitude for all the kids, in a society that really needs people like you," Simeone told the forward.

"Thank you for everything you've given us, everything you continue to give us... you're a player, but I also consider you a friend.

"We still have a Copa del Rey final, and if God wills it, we’re going to play five more matches in the Champions League. Enjoy it, I care about you a lot."

The coach, known to be extremely demanding with his players' work-rates, joked that Griezmann was not off the hook just because he was leaving.

"That said, I'm still your coach, so you know that tomorrow if you don’t run, you're coming off," said Simeone.

Griezmann, who won the 2018 World Cup with France, thanked Simeone and said it was an "honour" to play for the Argentine.

"I hope people will remember my performances and my efforts. A guy who works hard for the team and who scores goals from time to time," said Griezmann.

However the forward did not want to speak about his move to the United States, and instead was focussed on the clash with his former side Barca, whom he joined for a troubled two-year spell between 2019-2021.

"We know what they’re capable of at home. They're a team that attack very well and defend a bit less well -- but their calculations are perfect -- if they concede one goal, they score three."

rbs-ati/dmc

Mircea Lucescu, the Romanian football great who was a serial trophy winner as a player and a coach, has died aged 80.

Bucharest University Emergency Hospital confirmed Lucescu’s death Tuesday. The football legend had been hospitalized after reportedly suffering a heart attack Friday morning.

“Mr. Mircea Lucescu was one of the most successful Romanian football coaches and players, the first to qualify the Romanian national team for a European Championship, in 1984,” the hospital said in a statement.

“Entire generations of Romanians grew up with his image in their hearts, as a national symbol.”

Lucescu had a lengthy coaching career and was in his second spell with the Romanian national team until stepping down last Thursday after falling ill during training.

Three days earlier, Romania had missed out on qualification to the World Cup after losing to Turkey in a playoff.

As a player, Lucescu captained his country at the 1970 World Cup. During a well-traveled coaching career, he led Romania to the European Championship and managed teams across Europe, winning multiple titles.

He returned to coach Romania after a 38-year gap to try to qualify for the World Cup.

More to follow....

One of the many things that makes the Masters different compared to other major golf tournaments is that cell phones are not allowed on the course. So instead of breaking out a phone to take photos, patrons will bring handheld digital cameras of a bygone era.

For Charleston native Chandler Fields, her camera of choice is a Canon PowerShot SD750, a device that was originally released in early 2007. The 2026 Masters is Fields’ fourth. She only uses the camera for this event. It sits in her center console the other 51 weeks out of the year.

While walking around without her phone leaves Field with a constant feeling of missing something, she says being without it helps her stay “present” instead of being constantly glued to her mobile device.

“You kind of get used to it,” Fields said. “It makes Augusta, Augusta.”

Fields’ main assignment with her digital camera this year is to document her mom’s first time at the tournament. After their time is done, she plans on printing out the photos before putting them in a scrapbook and in a memory box.

Shannon Collett hadn’t used a digital camera since 2010, the year after she bought her first iPhone. Coming to the Masters this year forced her to buy one 16 years later. The Canton, Georgia, native shelled out about $200 for two cameras, one for her and one for her daughter.

Collett’s teenage daughter had to help her remember how to use it again after years of simply tapping the screen to take photos on her iPhone. Deborah and Ralph Limbrick have had their digital camera since 2016. It had been a while since the Houstonians had used it, though, and they had to resort to Google to figure out the controls.

One patron opted to borrow a camera from a friend. They hadn’t used one since 2005, but said it was “like riding a bike” in terms of remembering how to use it. 

One of the more popular cameras that was spotted throughout the course was the Fujifilm QuickSnap 135 Flash 400-27exp Camera. It goes for $20 at Target, and the four-step instructions on the back make it a cost-effective and accessible option for patrons.

After talking to a handful of patrons, the overwhelming consensus is that using digital cameras is just another part of what makes the Masters so special for them compared to anything else. And because cameras are only allowed during the practice rounds on Monday-Wednesday, it adds to the exclusive feel that comes with being at Augusta National Golf Club in any given year.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Masters 2026: Digital cameras get their annual moment in the sun at Augusta

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are signing former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver David Sills V, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday. Sills appeared in 17 games for the Falcons last season, recording career highs in receptions (18), receiving yards (191) and touchdowns (two).

The 29-year-old will reunite with former Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson in Tampa Bay next season. Sills wasn't considered one of Atlanta's top free agents, but some felt he would return due to the team's lack of depth at the wide receiver position.

Sills, a former undrafted free agent, made his NFL debut with the New York Giants in 2021. Over four seasons, Sills has recorded 31 catches for 314 receiving yards and two touchdowns for the Giants, Falcons and Denver Broncos.

The Falcons hired head coach Kevin Stefanski during the offseason, and while he retained defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, the team did not bring back Robinson as offensive coordinator.

The Bucs hired Robinson as a replacement for Josh Grizzard. Robinson and Sills will get to face off against Atlanta twice in 2026, taking the NFC South rivalry to another level.

Check out the Falcons' updated roster as the team kicks off voluntary workouts (recent additions in bold):

Quarterbacks (3)

• Michael Penix Jr. (9)
• Tua Tagovailoa (1)
• Trevor Siemian

Running Backs (5)

• Bijan Robinson (7)
• Carlos Washington Jr. (23)
• Nathan Carter (25)
• Brian Robinson Jr.
• Tyler Goodson

Wide Receivers (7)

• Drake London (5)
• Chris Blair (19)
• Dylan Drummond (81)
• Casey Washington (82)
• Deven Thompkins (83)
• Jahan Dotson
• Olamide Zaccheaus

Tight Ends (4)

• Kyle Pitts (8)
• Charlie Woerner (89)
• Joshua Simon (47)
• Austin Hooper

Offensive Linemen (11)

• Jake Matthews (70)
• Matthew Bergeron (65)
• Ryan Neuzil (64)
• Chris Lindstrom (63)
• Kaleb McGary (76)
• Andrew Steuber (62)
• Kyle Hinton (68)
• Jack Nelson (69)
• Michael Jerrell (72)
• Storm Norton (77)
• Corey Levin

Defensive Linemen (8)

• Brandon Dorlus (53)
• Ruke Orhorhoro (98)
• Zach Harrison (96)
• Elijah Garcia (91)
• Ben Stille (95)
• LaCale London (94)
• Da'Shawn Hand
• Chris Williams

Linebackers (7)

• Divine Deablo (0)
• JD Bertrand (40)
• Malik Verdon (43)
• Troy Andersen (44)
• DeAngelo Malone (re-signed)
• Christian Harris
• Channing Tindall

EDGE (6)

• Jalon Walker (11)
• James Pearce Jr. (27)
• Bralen Trice (48)
• Azeez Ojulari
• Samson Ebukam
• Cameron Thomas

Cornerbacks (10)

• A.J. Terrell (24)
• Mike Hughes (21)
• Billy Bowman Jr. (33)
• Cobee Bryant (37)
• Clark Phillips III (22)
• C.J. Henderson (39)
• Mike Ford Jr. (28)
• A.J. Woods (30)
• Natrone Brooks (35)
• Darnay Holmes

Safeties (6)

• Jessie Bates III (3)
• Xavier Watts (31)
• DeMarcco Hellams (23)
• Jammie Robinson (34)
• Tysheem Johnson (41)
• Sydney Brown

Special Teams (4)

• LS: Liam McCullough (49)
• P: Gil Trenton (32)
• K: Nick Folk
• P: Jake Bailey

This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Former Falcons WR David Sills signs with Buccaneers

Just five American men have claimed the Monte Carlo Masters title in the tournament’s 120-year history.

The most recent of those came all the way back in 1956, when Hugh Stewart beat fellow American Tony Vincent in four sets: 1–6, 8–6, 6–0, 6–2.

Bill Tilden was one of the game’s icons during the 1930s. The American took home a remarkable ten Grand Slam titles and also added a Monte Carlo win to his CV with a victory over Bunny Austin in the final.

Frank Parker won his title in 1949, and two years later, former world number four Straight Clark became just the fourth American player to add his name to this exclusive list.

Fred Alexander: The first American man to win the Monte Carlo Masters

Fred Alexander was the first American man to win the Monte Carlo Masters, defeating Great Britain’s Laurence Doherty 7–5, 6–4, 6–1 in the 1909 final.

Alexander, who was also the first non-Australian player to win the Australian Open, went on to capture eight Grand Slam titles – seven of which were in doubles.

Alexander [pictured below, centre], reached a career-high singles ranking of world number seven and was also a Davis Cup finalist in 1908.

He would go on to retire around eleven years after his triumph in Monaco.

The nation has struggled at Monte Carlo since Hugh Stewart’s victory in 1956. Only six Americans have reached the final since then: Budge Patty, Vitas Gerulaitis, Jimmy Connors, Mel Purcell, Jimmy Arias and Aaron Krickstein.

Krickstein was beaten by French Open champion Thomas Muster back in 1992.

In another notable moment from American men’s history at this event – Connors never got the chance to play for what would have been his only title there. He had been scheduled to face Guillermo Vilas but rain forced organisers to abandon it entirely before a ball could be played. It remains one of only two finals not completed due to weather across all ATP Masters tournaments ever held (alongside Rome in 2012).

Is it time for another American success story?

This year doesn’t look promising for US tennis fans hoping to see that streak end anytime soon. None of America’s top eight ranked players – Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, Learner Tien, Alex Michelsen, Brandon Nakashima and Sebastian Korda – are taking part in Monaco this year.

Instead it’s just Ethan Quinn [pictured below], ranked number 54 in the world rankings; along with world number 103 Emilio Nava who will be representing America at this year’s tournament.

Ethan Quinn found himself a lucky loser into the main draw and is set to face Cincinnati Open semi-finalist Terence Atmane on Tuesday. Meanwhile Nava came through qualifying before falling to Jiri Lehecka (6-7/7-6/2-6) in round one.

Read more:

The Indiana Fever opened WNBA free agency by placing a core designation on guard Kelsey Mitchell.

Per the league's transactions page, on Monday, the Fever sent a core qualifying offer to Mitchell. It should come as no surprise that Mitchell is a top priority for Indiana. The front office has made it clear for months that retaining her is the goal. Mitchell's teammate, Fever star Caitlin Clark, also reinforced the same thought process in March during an appearance on NBC.

"You know, our first priority is to sign Kelsey Mitchell back. She was first-team All-WNBA last year. Kind of my running mate in the backcourt. She makes it really easy for me," Clark said.

Now that Mitchell has a core designation, she is eligible for a supermax contract (worth $1.4 million) in exchange for exclusive negotiation rights. Mitchell receives an automatic one-year contract, and she and Indiana can work towards a long-term contract should they so choose.

This year's core designation is the second for the Fever guard, and she can no longer be cored following the designation. (Players are only to be cored twice. Beginning in 2027, only players with less than seven years of experience can be cored.)

Mitchell's core designation doesn't automatically mean she will be back with the Fever for the 2026 season. She could still request a trade, like former Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum did to move to the Sparks or as former Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally did to move on to the Phoenix Mercury last season.

Mitchell had a stellar year in 2025, averaging a career-high 20.2 points on 45.6% shooting from the field, 39.4% from deep and 3.4 assists per game. She also earned first-team All-WNBA honors, helped lead Indiana to a second-round playoff appearance and was among the top five candidates for the league's MVP trophy.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fever start WNBA free agency with Kelsey Mitchell core designation

A busy campaign ahead

The Colorado Buffaloes were ultra-active in the transfer portal this offseason, bringing in 43 incoming transfers after 36 players departed. 247Sports ranked Colorado's transfer class as a top 24 group in their 2026 Transfer Football Team Rankings, while On3 had the Buffaloes at 29th. Those are solid marks considering Colorado won just three games in 2025 and clearly needed to reload talent heading into 2026.

ESPN's Bill Connelly released his favorite 2026 transfer portal classes today, and Colorado landed surprisingly high on the list.

We here at Buffaloes Wire have been high on this portal class since day one, as Colorado and head coach Deion Sanders finally seem to have brought in proven production on both sides of the ball. Seeing ESPN acknowledge what we've been saying for months is a refreshing shift.

Connelly ranked Colorado's portal haul as the No. 3 overall class and pointed to the addition of linebacker Gideon Lampron, Bowling Green, wide receiver Danny Scudero, and wide receiver Kam Perry as his favorite transfers.

As always, Deion Sanders needed a lot from the portal. Too much, perhaps: Last year's top 18 defenders are gone. But this is the first time in his four seasons where it seemed like there was a genuine plan in place -- at least, as much as you can hope for from a 43-man class. Colorado really leaned into known production this time around and added players who produced more than 3,600 receiving yards, more than 1,100 rushing yards, almost 1,000 tackles and more than 110 tackles for loss. The Buffs also brought in five offensive linemen who started games at the power-conference level (plus two big FCS starters). They landed three 300-pound (or more) defensive linemen, and Lampron is exactly the type of sideline-to-sideline force Colorado's defense has lacked.

We've been saying all offseason that a direction was apparent with the players the Buffs brought in. Production and leadership were two traits that nearly every addition checked. Connelly backs up that premise with plenty of stats on the incoming talent.

Colorado's transfer class ranks behind those of Indiana and Oklahoma State. CU brought in a strong mix of proven on-field production at all levels, along with recognizable names from major programs. Adding four-star talents like Texas wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr., Tennessee safety Boo Carter and Texas linebacker Liona Lefau shows that SEC-caliber players were willing to come to Boulder and play under Sanders and his new staff. Meanwhile, more under-the-radar additions along the offensive and defensive lines help replace key departures and provide stability.

There is real talent on this Colorado roster, and arguably as much as we have seen since the Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders era in 2024.

Now it becomes a matter of whether it all translates. If Connelly is right about this group, Colorado could take a meaningful step forward. Either way, for the first time in a while, it is both interesting and encouraging to see the national media giving Colorado football some real respect.

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

This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football transfer class ranked No. 3 by ESPN

FOX is reportedly nearing a deal to reacquire the 2026 Big Ten football championship game from NBC for between $45-55 million, according to the Wall Street Journal’s Joe Flint. NBC had subleased the game from FOX, which is now effectively buying it back.

NBC had reportedly been seeking to offload the game for several months, and was seeking upwards of $70 million from various streaming services, including Amazon’s Prime Video and Netflix, to acquire the game, according to Awful Announcing. As part of its agreement with FOX, NBC will receive additional regular-season Big Ten games.

This report will be updated

Browns trade proposal moves a first-round pick for polarizing star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Cleveland Browns clearly aren't in a position to start moving on from multiple draft picks at any moment, but if this team wants to be as good as it hopes to be in the future, it could require them to get creative and even move on from first-round picks. I wouldn't agree with doing so, but we can never count anything out in this league.

Sports Illustrated’s Mark Morales-Smith proposed a trade that would do just that. His deal would have Cleveland land A. J. Brown, while the Philadelphia Eagles receive a 2026 first-round pick.

“Cleveland has been trying to establish a legitimate passing attack since they returned to the league all the way back in 1999. Adding a stud receiver could be a huge step in the right direction. They've tried similar moves with players like Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry, which didn't really pan out, but they have to try something.”

Making this trade would be a perfect scenario for the Eagles, but I don't love it for the Browns. Brown is a very good player and is one of the best in the NFL when it comes to making plays at the wide receiver position.

However, his attitude mixed into what is already a shaky offense just feels like a nightmare waiting to happen. It's also important to note that the Browns don't even have a clear quarterback situation figured out, so trading a first-round pick for a wide receiver in that situation would bring a lot of backlash.

More NFL news:

• Broncos have perfect free agent option from Browns who still shockingly remains unsigned
• Seahawks already linked to 49ers star in what could be a replacement for Cooper Kupp
• Former Eagles star backs Jalen Hurts after ridiculous comments
• Broncos given worst possible news on potential trade target who once played for Sean Payton
• Execs reportedly furious about Ravens handling of Maxx Crosby Raiders trade
• Raiders’ Mark Davis admits that No. 1 pick has been a failure in the past ahead of Fernando Mendoza decision

Jurgen Klopp could return to the club in a surprise role.

For supporters around the world, the German has been far more than just a manager. He became a father figure, someone fans looked up to for inspiration, belief, and guidance.

When Klopp arrived, the club had drifted away from its identity and was no longer competing at the very top.

He didn’t just steady the ship, he reignited belief. Turned all of us from doubters to believers.

With his passion and authenticity, he fully embraced the ethos of Liverpool: resilience, unity, and the refusal to give up in the face of adversity, it felt like the Reds became invincible.

Klopp didn’t simply rebuild a squad; he restored the club’s soul. He forged a powerful connection with supporters, grounded in his charisma and his deep understanding of what Liverpool means to its people.

Under his leadership, Liverpool returned to the summit of world football, lifting the Champions League in 2019 and ending a 30-year wait for domestic glory by winning the Premier League title in 2020. Yet his legacy goes far beyond silverware.

Those iconic fist pumps to the Kop came to symbolise something deeper, a bond between manager, team, and fans. With Klopp at the helm, Liverpool didn’t just start winning again, they rediscovered their identity and stood tall once more among football’s elite.

It seemed like the Reds would be able to weather the storm of his departure. Winning the Premier League in the first season Klopp left showed just what an excellent state he left the club in.

However, things are starting to turn dark very quickly.

Arne Slot's tenure has started to turn fans into doubters again. Not since Jurgen Klopp arrived at the club had Liverpool lost 15 games in a single season - and that was under Brendan Rodgers.

Now, Slot has achieved that feat and he's on course for even more defeats before the season concludes.

Long-term Slot is unlikely to be the Liverpool head-coach. But it might not only be him who gets the sack. Others who are equally culpable for this season also face uncertain futures in the Reds' hierarchy and beyond.

A lot of fans yearn for the return of Klopp. But realistically, even though it's clear that the German misses Anfield and its allure that chapter is closed.

Liverpool would be taking a step backwards. Klopp won't be around forever and Liverpool need to find the right successor.

However, there is a way Klopp can return to the club behind the scenes. In his current position at Red Bull, he has taken on more of an executive role - being part of the management of an entire network of clubs around the world and also playing a role in recruitment.

Among his greatest signing so far for RB Leipzig has been bringing in Yan Diomande to the German side, who has become the revelation of the current campaign.

Now at the same time, Michael Edwards' role at FSG is under threat. He will have just one year left on his contract come the summer and there are no signs of negotiations to renew his deal. At the same time, FSG's multi-club model, one of the main reasons Edwards returned has become dormant.

Edwards' time at FSG may soon be up and who better to replace him than Klopp?

In this surprise role at Liverpool he wouldn't have as much pressure on him as he did when he was a coach but he could still use his football knowledge and charm to attract the best talents and personnel to Anfield.

It's a dream scenario and the only way to make Klopp's extraordinary return to Liverpool a reality.

Drew Rasmussen scratched from Rays start for heartwarming reason originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Tampa Bay Rays are playing their first home series back at Tropicana Field this season, and they began with a 6-4 win over the Chicago Cubs.

But, for Game 2 against the Cubs, Drew Rasmussen, their top pitcher this season, was scheduled for his third start of the year. But he was scratched.

The reason, according to Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times, is a heartwarming one. Rasmussen's wife is delivering their baby early.

Rays' Rasmussen misses start for heartwarming reason

"Rays Rasmussen scratched from start as his wife is delivering their baby early," Topkin reports. "Englert will open in likely a bullpen day."

The Rays righty is not pitching today against the Cubs, as he's headed to be with his wife, who is delivering their baby today.

While pitchers can be late scratches for many different reasons, this is certainly the most heartwarming reason possible.

More: How Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto is connected to Rockies' Tomoyuki Sugano

After posting a 1.80 ERA in his first two starts this season with 10 strikeouts and a 0.70 WHIP, Rasmussen was scheduled to face a struggling Cubs lineup.

Instead, he's no longer in the fold to be with his wife during a big moment in their lives. Mason Englert, the 26-year-old righty reliever, will be opening the game for the Rays.

Englert has a 12.00 ERA in three outings this season with only two strikeouts and a 1.67 WHIP. He will open the game, and Tampa Bay will go through a few relievers to get through the nine-inning matchup against the Cubs.

More MLB news:

• Braves predicted to trade Bryce Elder for Lars Nootbaar
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award
• Giancarlo Stanton has an absurd 2-for-4 streak going on for Yankees
• Mets didn’t want to trade Brett Baty while White Sox didn’t want Mark Vientos in Luis Robert Jr. trade
• Marlins suggested to sign Max Kepler after Phillies’ OF was suspended for 80 games
• Red Sox never close on Astros’ Isaac Paredes trade
• Shohei Ohtani deemed more valuable than Aaron Judge in recent ESPN discussion piece

Washington State has officially named its next full-time athletic director, nearly six months after Anne McCoy’s departure. President Elizabeth Cantwell has promoted interim athletic director Jon Haarlow into the permanent role.

Haarlow has been with Washington State since 2021, serving as senior associate athletic director and chief financial officer. He played a key role in the hiring of new head football coach Kirby Moore, working alongside President Cantwell and the search firm employed by the university.

His fundraising background, combined with his leadership during his time as interim AD, made him a clear choice for the position. According to reports from Jonn Canzano, and echoed by WSU linebacker Keith Brown, Haarlow has been a visible presence around the program, regularly attending early-morning workouts with student-athletes.

Haarlow’s hands-on approach, community engagement, and overall leadership style have made a strong impression across the athletic department.

“I would like to thank President Cantwell for the opportunity to lead Cougar Athletics,” said Haarlow. “Washington State is a special place, with special people. My family and I could not be more thrilled to remain home here in Pullman and continue to serve the Cougar community. It is truly an honor to lead such an outstanding group of student-athletes, coaches, and staff—one I do not take lightly.

“Under President Cantwell’s leadership, Cougar Athletics has made significant progress in a short time, and I’m incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together. Now I’m excited for Coug Nation to join us as we move forward.

“There is still work to be done to provide a championship-level experience for our student-athletes. They are the reason we are here. I’ve experienced firsthand the impact college athletics can have—not only on individuals, but on families and communities. That impact is at the heart of everything we do, and it will continue to guide us moving forward.”

Full press release from Washington State Athletics:
https://wsucougars.com/news/2026/4/7/wsu-athletics-jon-haarlow-to-lead-washington-state-athletics

The Alabama Crimson Tide's final AP Poll ranking of the 2025-26 college basketball season has been revealed.

Released on Tuesday afternoon, Alabama finishes the season ranked as the nation's No. 16 overall team, according to the final AP Poll. The Crimson Tide jumped two spots in the final update following the NCAA Tournament, and were the fourth highest-ranked SEC team behind only No. 9 Florida, No. 12 Tennessee, and No. 13 Arkansas.

Drawing a No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region, Alabama's time in the NCAA Tournament lasted three rounds, with the Crimson Tide's season coming to an end in the Sweet 16 against eventual national champion Michigan with a 90-77 loss. The Crimson Tide also defeated Hofstra and Texas Tech in the first two rounds by at-least 20 points each.

Alabama's season also came to an end with a 25-10 overall record, marking the fourth consecutive season that the Crimson Tide have won at-least 25 games.

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

This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama basketball final AP Poll ranking following March Madness run

Manchester United have quite a conundrum to solve with regard to their goalkeeping department.

Andre Onana and his future are causing INEOS the most consternation. The Cameroonian, signed by former manager Erik ten Hag due to his ability with the ball at his feet, proved to be a disastrous signing.

Big mistakes in both the Premier League and Europe cost the Red Devils big time, and the previous head coach, Ruben Amorim, finally had enough after United’s humiliating Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Grimsby Town.

The former Inter Milan ace was sent out on loan to Trabzonspor, who are keen to keep him permanently.

Andre Onana wants United stay

However, Andre Onana still harbours ambitions of reclaiming his No.1 spot at Old Trafford. According to The Daily Mail, the 20-time English league champions have no desire to welcome the error-prone keeper back into the fold.

They plan to meet the goalie’s representatives this month with a view to arranging another loan or finding a new permanent home for him.

However, his wage demands mean not too many clubs will be able to afford him while United will also look to recoup as high a fee as possible having spent £47.2 million to sign him in 2023.

There is interest from Besiktas, Monaco — who were suitors in January—and Saudi Arabia, with SC Neom among his admirers last year.

Meeting with United on the cards

“Manchester United want to offload Andre Onana this summer despite the Cameroon goalkeeper’s desire to resurrect his Old Trafford career.

“Onana is on loan at Trabzonspor in Turkey for the season, but still has two years left on his £120,000-a-week contract at United. The 30-year-old wants to return to the club in June and fight for his place with Senne Lammens, who has established himself as United’s first choice after joining for £18.2million last summer.

“But Confidential understands United have no plans to bring him back as they try to drive down the wage bill, and see it as unrealistic to have a high-earning No 2 keeper on the bench, with Lammens backed as their No 1.

“Onana’s representatives are expected to hold talks with United this month to discuss his future, but another move away – either permanently or loan – is the most likely outcome. United would hope to recoup as much as possible of the £47.2m they paid Inter Milan in 2023.

Andre Onana should be sold immediately

“Trabzonspor would be keen to keep Onana, and there is also interest from their Turkish rivals Besiktas. Monaco, who were quoted a fee of £30m by United in June, may well try again, and Saudi Arabia is still an option after he was linked with FC Neom last year.”

Interestingly, Andre Onana will see his wages rise if United qualify for the Champions League, further complicating the exit process.

Hopefully, United will find a suitor willing to permanently take the Cameroon international off their hands.

Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images

online polls

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

Mets lineup

1. Francisco Lindor – SS
2. Bo Bichette – 3B
3. Jorge Polanco – DH
4. Luis Robert – CF
5. Brett Baty – RF
6. Mark Vientos – 1B
7. Marcus Semien – 2B
8. Carson Benge – LF
9. Francisco Alvarez – C

SP: Freddy Peralta – RHP

Diamondbacks lineup

1. Ketel Marte – 2B
2. Corbin Carroll – RF
3. Geraldo Perdomo – SS
4. Gabriel Moreno – C
5. Adrian Del Castillo – DH
6. Nolan Arenado – 3B
7. Ildemaro Vargas – 1B
8. Alek Thomas – CF
9. Jorge Barrosa – LF

SP: Zac Gallen – RHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 4:10 PM ET
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

FC Porto and Nottingham Forest face each other this Thursday at the Estádio do Dragão for a match of the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League. The match will be broadcast live at 20:00 on TNT Sports 1.

In their last fixture, FC Porto shared the spoils 2-2 with FC Famalicão (Primeira Liga 2025/26). In their last game, Nottingham Forest won 0-3 against Tottenham (Premier League 2025/26).

Unavailable

FC Porto

• Nehuén Pérez - Achilles tendon rupture
• Samu - Rotura de ligamentos do joelho
• André Oliveira - Cruciate Ligament Rupture
• Luuk de Jong - Rotura parcial do ligamento cruzado
• André Miranda - Injury

Nottingham Forest

• Willy Boly - Knee Injury
• Jair Cunha - Injury
• John Victor - Knee Surgery
• Nicolò Savona - Knee Injury

Last starting XIs

FC Porto ( vs FC Famalicão 2026-04-04): Diogo Costa, Alberto Costa, Jakub Kiwior, Jan Bednarek, Zaidu Sanusi, Alan Varela, Victor Froholdt, Rodrigo Mora, Pepê, Terem Moffi, Oskar Pietuszewski

Nottingham Forest ( vs Tottenham 2026-03-22): Matz Sels, Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, Neco Williams, Ibrahim Sangaré, Elliot Anderson, Omari Hutchinson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Igor Jesus

Northwestern’s offensive line is looking to continue last season’s success, but will do so with some new guys up front.

New offensive line coach Tim Drevno brings 33 years of coaching experience, mainly in college but also a three-year NFL stint, in which he has led six offensive linemen to being selected in the first round of the NFL draft, five of those coming in the last six years. Ryan Olson also returns, albeit in a more supplementary role. Rounding out the offensive line coaching staff is Paul Grattan, who served as Duquesne’s running backs coach the past two seasons. Altogether, this group brings experience to a group of players that hasn’t played together at all.

“It’s about development because you have 18 guys in the room, and then you got three quality line coaches that are coaching them,” Drevno said. “I think if anybody in America wants to come to a place to get developed, this is a top notch place to do that because you got three quality line coaches to do it.”

The Wildcats will need to lean heavily on more developed players, mainly Ezomo Oratokhai. The now-redshirt sophomore had a tremendous 2025 campaign, in which he started all 13 games and was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.

What makes the 2026 season so vital for Oratokhai is his move from guard to center.

“This is my first time snapping,” Oratokhai said. “It’s a lot harder than it looks, but you get the hang of it, get the rhythm.”

Drevno spoke about how he views Oratokhai moving positions, touting how he’s a center at the next level and that his positional change will help his draft stock in the future. Drevno has the experience and results of developing offensive lineman, especially recently, that Oratokhai could be due for an even more impressive 2026 campaign than what he showed in 2025.

The question of who will play on either side of Oratokhai still looms. The Wildcats brought in three 6-foot-7 transfer tackles, Grant Seagren, Arkel Anugwom and David Anchondo, plus five first-years who are listed as offensive linemen. This doesn’t even mention the number of returners on the O-line who are looking to carve out roles and show more of the development that Drevno preaches about Northwestern football.

“Dennis [Rahouski] is doing great.” Drevno said. “A really athletic guy and he’s done a nice job at the guard position, playing tackle, playing a little bit of center. You can really see his athleticism on the film.”

Rahouski is entering his redshirt sophomore season after making just two appearances across his first two collegiate seasons. Even with his limited playing time, both Drevno and Oratokhai mentioned him as someone who could see the field often. Another name brought up by them was redshirt junior Anthony Birsa, who Drevno said is a “really good technician” and “really smart” player who “understands the blocking schemes.”

As for the transfers, Seagren brings Power Four experience from Oklahoma State, and is a somewhat similar situation in terms of the revamping of the offensive coaching staff for when he played in Stillwater.

“[Mike] Gundy cleared house on all coordinators when I got there,” Seagren said. “You have to do their extra little meetings and figure out who you’re playing for, especially in the recruiting process, but once you get there, it’s a lot of figuring out ‘this is how they coach and how do I get the most out of somebody that knows what they know.'”

Seagren’s past experiences with a new coaching staff brings an advantage for him in navigating it all, and could be a direct ticket to emerging as a leader on the offensive line alongside Oratokhai, who has been spoken about highly by his teammates and coaches. The culture and history for Northwestern’s offensive line is big, considering that Caleb Tiernan is projected to be a Day 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and both Rashawn Slater and Peter Skoronski were first-round selections this decade.

“Consistently, you hear these guys were there every day,” Seagren said. “Consistently, they’re doing the extra things, they’re doing the little things right. You hear a lot about the processes that took them where they are now.”

Combining this history of producing strong offensive line talent with Drevno’s experience, and it’s a recipe for success. While it will be a new-look group with only one Northwestern stalwart in Oratokhai, the ceiling is through the roof for this group if it all can be put together.

Florida baseball is going for the season sweep against Florida State on Tuesday in Tallahassee.

Gators pitchers have performed well against the Seminoles, and Cooper Walls is looking to keep that trend going with a midweek start. Walls has struggled in a relief role since exiting the weekend rotation, so giving him a start will hopefully get him right.

Florida is dealing with several injuries, including starting right fielder Cash Strayer and infielder Colton Schwarz. Brendan Lawson missed two games over the weekend against Ole Miss with an illness, but he could return on Tuesday. Florida has also been without one of its top relievers, right-hander Ricky Reeth, who has dealt with a shoulder injury for the last month.

Florida State has its own injury woes. Star first baseman Myles Bailey is out for the year after suffering a gruesome ankle injury last week. That should impact the lineup significantly.

Here's everything you need to know before Tuesday's game.

Projected Starting Lineup: Florida Gators

Probable Starters

NOTES: Cooper Walls is on the mound for Florida. Walls was removed from the weekend rotation to get Russell Sandefer in the mix, and he has struggled in a bullpen role. Kevin O'Sullivan giving him a chance to start against Florida State shows the confidence he has in Walls' stuff, but the Hawaii transfer has to figure things out to stay part of the starting staff.

Junior left-hander Cooper Whited gets the start for Florida State again. Whited has a 3.31 ERA over 16 1/3 innings in four appearances this year. He went 3 2/3 innings against Florida two weeks ago, giving up just one earned run on three hits and no walks while striking out four. He's strikeout-heavy with 19 to just three walks, and opposing bats are hitting just .222 against him on the year.

Other Players to Watch

First baseman Myles Bailey suffered a major injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season. The next most-consistent bat in the lineup is freshman Kelvyn Paulino Jr. (.880 OPS), who has a .341 batting average. Outfielder Brayden Dowd (.984 OPS) and catcher Hunter Carns (.980 OPS) are the two lineup regulars with an OPS over .900.

Series History