Last year, I named Bryan Hodgson, Lennie Acuff and Eric Olen as the three bestmid-major hires. I don’t have quite as strong of a conviction on three of them this year – there are a bunch that I really like – but what I did like about that group was how all three had different backgrounds. They illustrated how you can find good coaches in a lot of different ways. Sure, all three of them were already in a Division-I head coaching job, but they got there differently.

But I’ll do my best to single out three head coaching hires that I really like – all coming from different avenues – and then add a few more.

Kahil Fennell to Western Michigan

In two years, Kahil Fennell revitalized the UTRGV program. In year one, he finished 70+ spots better than KenPom preseason expectation, with the program’s second-highest KenPom finish in 20 years. Then, in his second season, he finished 130 spots above preseason expectation, and 50 spots higher than any team in the last 30 years.

Sure, the drop from the WAC to the Southland made it easier to compete, but he put together better overall teams in a worse overall conference. Fennell’s teams have done a good job preventing rim attempts and threes despite not having a ton of size, and they emphasize catch-and-shoot offense and efficiency at the rim.

If Western Michigan – which recently won the MAC in football and won a men’s hockey national championship – can put investment into basketball, Fennell will have them knocking on the door of the MAC’s upper class soon. He’s been an assistant at a lot of different places, having success in different ways.

The Broncos made a hire that wasn’t based on any sort of regional ties or connection to the school. While there’s nothing wrong with doing that, and there’s a name later on this list that would’ve fit the regional criteria and would’ve also been a home run hire, AD’s shouldn’t be afraid of the out-of-the-box hire. It’ll work for WMU with Fennell.

Tobin Anderson to Tennessee Tech

We don’t need to relitigate the circumstances by which Tobin Anderson was fired from Iona, but we can look at his career as a whole, and the upward trajectory that he had Iona on, to say that Tennessee Tech made a very strong hire.

Anderson won 80% of his conference games over nine years in Division-II at St. Thomas Aquinas after winning over 65% of his games at Division-III Hamilton. He then led FDU to a 17-win improvement in year one, and the famed upset over Purdue in the NCAA Tournament, paving the way for him to land the Iona job. He underperformed program expectations at Iona, no doubt, but Tennessee Tech doesn’t have the expectation to consistently win the SoCon – Tenn Tech’s new conference – the way Iona expects to win the MAAC. He’s not immediately walking into a pressure cooker and will have more time to build.

His style, marked by frenetic full-court pressure defense and forcing turnovers, has played well in the SoCon recently, as Bucky McMillan won with the press at Samford.

Matt Majkrzak to Northern Illinois

When Matt Majkrzak took over as Northern Michigan’s head coach in 2019-20, the program hadn’t won 20 games since 1999-2000. After seven seasons at the helm, he did it four years in a row. He took Northern Michigan to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000 and won the program’s first NCAA Tournament game since 1999.

With a patient attack that hardly ever turns the ball over, Majkrzak led the Wildcats to the second-best offensive efficiency in Division II this past season and three top 25 offenses in the last four years. Majkrzak’s offensive prowess and ability to recruit and develop players helped flip the Northern Michigan program. While his defenses haven’t been great, I don’t think they’re bad enough to offset the strength of the offense at a level like the Horizon.

He’s also a sharp evaluator, especially in his home state of Wisconsin, where his four leading scorers at NMU last season hailed from. At just 36 years old and with over 161 college head coaching wins to his name, Northern Illinois brought in a program builder to guide the Huskies into the new era in the Horizon League after decades in the MAC.

Others I like

Brett MacConnell (Dartmouth): A key piece of Princeton’s success under Mitch Henderson, MacConnell gets the opportunity to be a head coach at what is the hardest job in the Ivy League.

Evan Bradds (Belmont): Not only is Bradds a continuation of the Rick Byrd lineage, but he also brings NBA coaching experience under Brad Stevens and college coaching experience under Jon Scheyer to the Bruins.

Jordan Fee (Lamar): Fee has only been a head coach for one season, but it might’ve been the single most transformative season for a program in the 2020s. The former right-hand man to Jim Crutchfield at Nova Southeastern took Gannon from three wins to 32 in one year and then left to be an assistant at Florida Atlantic. The turnaround he started led to Gannon’s first national championship two years later.

Justin Joyner (Oregon State): Joyner comes off of both the Randy Bennett and Dusty May trees and is hoping to build the Beavers in the image that molded Michigan’s success.

Griff Aldrich (Pepperdine): Aldrich led Longwood to two NCAA Tournament appearances and thre straight 20 win seasons before taking a spot on Ryan Odom’s staff last year.

Wes Miller (Charlotte): Some guys are just better suited to be mid-major coaches than high-major coaches, and Miller – who had great success at UNC Greensboro – is another example.

Ben Jacobson (Utah State): I never expected Ben Jacobson to leave Northern Iowa. He’d been the head coach there for 20 years and only had three losing seasons. He was the dean of the Missouri Valley. Utah State made yet another sharp hire.

Why Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn't playing tonight for Blue Jays after lineup decision originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Toronto Blue Jays' lineup looks different on Tuesday night.

For the first time all season, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn't starting.

The good news for the Blue Jays is that nothing major is going on here.

The slightly bad news is that Vladdy still hasn't found his power stroke, but maybe the night off will help.

MORE: Tyler Rogers is 51 degrees different than every other pitcher in MLB

Why isn't Vladdy playing tonight?

Guerrero isn't out of the lineup due to injury but rather by design.

According to The Athletic's Mitch Bannon, this was the plan:

Just a planned day off for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the #BlueJays today

— Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) May 5, 2026

Guerrero is just 3 for his last 17, so this is a chance for him to refresh and recharge in hopes of getting going a little bit.

Vladdy is hitting .331 this season, but his slugging percentage is only a bit higher, at .431. Of his 43 hits, seven have been doubles and two have been home runs. That's a lot lower rate than he normally has had in his career.

Guerrero isn't hurt, so there's always a chance he enters Tuesday night's game at some point. If not, he'll have the chance to get right back in there Wednesday to start heating up as the weather outside gets warmed up, too.

More MLB news:

• Explaining the absurdity of 2 MLB players named Max Muncy
• NFL QB had one of worst ceremonial first pitches ever
• This was the funniest bunt attempt in baseball history
• Chris Bassitt left the Blue Jays, and his kids are confused
• Yasiel Puig is back in professional baseball

If an NBA season was a theme park, the Boston Celtics' 2025-26 would be its roller coaster. 

As they entered the season, some pundits — myself included — wondered aloud if it'd be better to tank in hopes of securing a high draft pick for next season, when presumably Jayson Tatum would be back from an Achilles tear. 

(We'll get back to Tatum shortly.) 

Instead, the Celtics flourished under Jaylen Brown, remaining thoroughly in the playoff picture and looking like a team no one in the East wanted to play. 

Then they traded a chunk of their team at the trade deadline to get under the luxury tax limit, which seemingly went against their success. 

ASSOCIATED PRESS

On the heels of, well, getting worse in order to save money, Tatum was surprisingly ready to return ahead of schedule. It seemed Boston perhaps found a way to both save money and get better. 

Well, uh, about that …

The second-seeded Celtics then lost in the first round to the Philadelphia 76ers, a team they've been so used to taking behind the wood shed. Boston is now left looking for answers for next season. 

(Yes, Celtics fans. You can exhale now. Lord knows we all need to.) 

What's next? 

Let's get into it. 

2025-26 finish 

Record: 56-26, second in the Eastern Conference. Eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games. 

Highlight of the season 

Jaylen Brown won't like this, given how much he did for the Celtics all year, but the highlight is the return of Tatum, and it's not even remotely close. No one knew what type of condition he'd be in. Whether he'd have physical issues or a slow ramp-up. But he came in, and immediately proved to be very much the same player. That's huge. 

In 16 regular-season games, Tatum averaged 21.8 points, 10 rebounds and 5.3 assists. Sure, it was disappointing he missed Game 7 with knee stiffness, but in his six playoff games he posted 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. He’s going to be just fine next year.

Players signed for next season 

Jayson Tatum

Jaylen Brown

Derrick White

Sam Hauser

Payton Pritchard

Hugo Gonzalez 

Luka Garza

Baylor Scheierman

Key free agents

Nikola Vučević (UFA) 

Neemias Queta (team option) 

Projected salary

$172,968,312

Draft picks 

Nos. 27 & 40

Draft focus: While the draft is never a place to think need, the Celtics must at least consider using their selections on a big man. They're short up front and don't have a lot of depth, so frontcourt size should be a priority. 

Roster-building tools

They should have the Tax-MLE handy, pending no major moves. Vučević hasn't been taken care of yet, and picking up team options on up to six young players will increase the cap hit. The Celtics will need to step carefully here. 

Needs and goals 

The goal is a title, and that remains in play. Boston needs help up front and could stand to find more point guard depth. Given how much money they have on the cap, it's difficult to see them make a big play for someone, however, unless they're willing to attach draft equity. But that could be in play considering how poorly this season ended.

On the surface, just about everything that Cincinnati Reds lefty Andrew Abbott has been throwing this year is the same as it was during his All Star campaign in 2025.

His fastball, never a true heater, is within 0.4 mph of last year’s average, and obviously he’s been pitching in the cooler weather of April. It’s usage is almost identical, and he’s leaned on his curveball and change just about the same exact amount this year as last. He’s virtually abandoned his cutter (just 0.3% of his pitches this year), but even last season it was used just 4.3% of the time.

The only thing that jumps off the page when breaking down his stuff this year is that his velocities on his secondary pitches have been oddly off. While he chucked his curve at 81.0 mph on average last year, it’s nearly two full mph slower in 2026 (79.3 mph). Meanwhile, the speed on his change has bumped up almost a full mph to 85.7 from 84.8 last season.

It should maybe come as no surprise that the pitch values, per FanGraphs, on those two pitches have cratered as he has struggled to begin 2026. However, his fastball last season – a pitch that was valued as one of the 21 best in the sport among pitchers who threw 100+ IP – has lost almost all of its value.

One particularly interesting bit on how his season-over-season stuff has changed, though, is with his arm angle. Per Statcast, his 2025 season saw him pitch with a 48 degree arm angle, yet that’s increased to 52 degrees so far in 2026. Whether that’s by design I do not know, but that seems like a significant enough change that maybe, just maybe, it’s what’s tweaking his ability to locate his pitches.

Abbott’s 4/30 start against the Colorado Rockies was his best since Opening Day, though that, of course, came against the Colorado Rockies. The hope is that on Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs in Wrigley, he’ll be able to once again show that he’s rounding back into form and that the bulk of his April drubbing was the exception, not the rule.

He’ll be up against Jameson Taillon in the second game of the series after last night’s devastating walk-off loss. The Reds are mired in a 4-game losing streak as they road trip through the NL Central, and man, would it ever be nice to see them pick themselves up off the mat and get a victory to shake those trees.

First pitch is set for 7:40 PM ET, with hopefully fewer weather issues than last night.

Here’s how the Reds will line up for the start:

First Pitch: 5:45 PM CDT

TV: Twins.TV

Radio: TIBN, WCCO 830, The Wolf 102.9 FM, Audacy App, LosTwins.com

Know thine enemy:Federal Baseball

The Twins start their road trip in Washington, and will face the Nationals 2022 first round pick, RHP Cade Cavalli. On the mound for the Twins will be Taj Bradley.

May 5—HARTSELLE — Hatsumi Peterson hit a walk-off grand slam Monday night to give Hartselle a 13-9 win over Athens and send the Tigers to the Class 6A, Area 15 softball championship.

Hartselle trailed 9-6 going into the bottom of the seventh but tied the game on three bases-loaded walks. Peterson then stepped to the plate with two outs and delivered the game-winning home run.

Peterson finished with two hits and five RBIs to lead Hartselle, while Aubrey Mize added four hits and three RBIs. Abby Lopez, Lexie Thornton and Paisley Howell all led Athens with a hit and two RBIs.

With the win, Hartselle advances to the area championship which will take place Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Sparkman Park in Hartselle. Athens drops to the losers bracket.

—

Hartselle 11, Decatur 2: Amelia Fox and Aubree Peak both hit home runs as the Tigers rolled to a win.

Fox finished with three hits and four RBIs, while Peak had two RBIs. RC Wolf added a hit and two RBIs.

—

Athens 14, Muscle Shoals 1: Abby Lopez blasted two home runs to lead the Golden Eagles to an easy win.

Lopez finished with three hits, while Rayne Brewer added a three-run home run. Linsley Gillman had three hits and an RBI.

—

Class 4A, Area 15

West Limestone 8, Westminster Christian 2: Katie Lyn Kyle struck out 10 batters as West Limestone claimed the area championship on Monday.

Aubrey Bethune had two hits, including a home runs, and three RBIs. Ella Yarbrough added two hits and two RBIs.

—

Class 5A, Area 15

Lawrence County 13, Russellville 4: Alivia Terry, Bella Cross, LA Norwood and McKinley McCaghren all hit home runs as the Red Devils cruised into the area finals.

Cross finished with two hits and three RBIs to lead the Red Devils, while McCaghren had two hits and two RBIs.

—

Class 4A, Area 14

Deshler 9, Hatton 0: Adley Brackin and Celia Murray each had a hit as Hatton's season came to an end.

—

Class 2A, Area 16

Falkville 14, Decatur Heritage 0: Carley Powers led Falkville with three hits and two RBIs as the Blue Devils won the area championship,

Ally Easter had three hits and an RBI, while Karsyn Echols struck out eight batters and had a hit and two RBIs.

—

Falkville 18, Decatur Heritage 3: Karsyn Echols drove in four runs on two hits and also struck out eight batters as Falkville rolled to a win.

Lily Slayton added three hits and two RBIs, while Peyton Holloway and Carley Powers each had two hits and two RBIs. Stella Simms led Decatur Heritage with a hit and an RBI.

For so many reasons, the San Diego Padres should have won.

The San Francisco Giants were coming off a road trip in which they lost all six games, the Friars had one of their aces on the mound in Randy Vásquez and San Francisco had the rookie Trevor McDonald making his 2026 debut. It all seemed to point toward a needed win for San Diego.

But that’s not how the story went. McDonald pitched seven innings of one-run ball against the Friars. And, although Vásquez was only tagged for three runs in 5 2/3 innings, it was all San Francisco would need.

The Padres attempted a ninth-inning rally with Ramón Laureano hitting a moonshot to make it 3-2, but the Giants got the final three outs after him and ended the rally where it began.

San Diego needs some offense. It hasn’t been for lack of thump, they have six homers in their last five games. But they need to string their hits together. The Padres will hope to scrap something together against San Francisco ace Logan Webb.

Taking the mound

Logan Webb (SF) v. Walker Buehler (SD)

Webb has had a tough time settling into a groove this season, posting a 4.30 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. But what he has done is eat innings for the Giants, pitching 44 innings for the club.

He had an encouraging outing last week, pitching seven innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, giving up only one run in the process. The Friars will hope to tag him for a few more than that in tonight’s game.

On the other hand, Buehler has been a somewhat steadying part of the rotation (though the term steadying is used here with some apprehension). He’s pitched to a 5.40 ERA but has at least been a semi-reliable back end option for San Diego.

He started in last week’s loss to the Chicago Cubs but only gave up two runs to the Northsiders. If he can do just that against the Giants tonight (and go at least five innings), it would start to turn the tides for a struggling Padres club.

Batter up!

Jackson Merrill really seems to be turning things around. After starting the year with an abysmal .220 average, he’s slashed .276/.300/.379 in his last seven games. It’s not earth-shattering, but it’s a step up from the .172/.238/.241 line from the previous 15 games.

His (and Manny Machado’s) return to some form of normalcy could go a long way toward waking up the offense. With everyone on the roster having experience against Webb, manager Craig Stammen will likely go for those who have had the most success in the past.

1. Ramón Laureano, LF
2. Fernando Tatis Jr., RF
3. Jackson Merrill, CF
4. Manny Machado, 3B
5. Xander Bogaerts, SS
6. Gavin Sheets, 1B
7. Miguel Andujar, DH
8. Luis Campusano, C
9. Jake Cronenworth, 2B

Those nine have a combined .297 career batting average and a .730 OPS to go with 18 RBI (200 at-bats). Machado, Merrill and Sheets all have averages above .300, and the latter two have an OPS over 1.000 against Webb. If they can do damage like that tonight, the Padres will have no trouble forcing the rubber match on Wednesday.

Relief corps

Vásquez pitched about as well as he normally does. Though it wasn’t quite the ace form that we’ve come to expect of him this year, he made it through 5 2/3 innings of work, ensuring that the Padres only had to use three relievers (Kyle Hart, Bradgley Rodriguez and Wandy Peralta) to finish the game.

The three used were low-leverage so San Diego will have plenty of options in a close game. Those include Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, Ron Marinaccio, Mason Miller and Adrian Morejon. All but Marinaccio are high-leverage moves for Stammen to make.

Miller leads the league in saves (11) and could notch his 12th tonight. He’s currently on pace to end the season with 53 saves. If he did, it would be just the second time a Padre has saved 50-plus games (Trevor Hoffman, 1998), and the first 50-plus save season in MLB since Edwin Díaz in 2018.

May 5—CADDO — Bottom of the sixth, staring at a 1-0 deficit, Chasity Rikard gathered herself before she stepped into the batters box.

"I was 0-for-2 and right before she threw that pitch," Rikard said. "I thought to myself, 'Hit this ball for your team. Get your team started.'"

Danville's Kate Randolph had just retired nine Rebels straight. But Rikard hit a double to start the inning and sparked three straight West Morgan doubles in the sixth.

The Rebels took the lead 2-1 then Rikard pitched a shutout seventh inning to claim the Class 4A, Area 13 tournament semi-final on Monday.

"Once Chasity hit that line drive in the bottom of the sixth to start the inning, that just changed the whole game for us." said West Morgan head coach Morgan Weatherwax.

With the win, West Morgan punches its ticket to the North Regional tournament in Florence next week. The Rebels will see the winner of Danville and Good Hope on Tuesday at 2 p.m. for the area championship.

"We're really young. We only have two seniors and one starting junior," West Morgan's Payson Terry said. "I think this is only the start of something."

It was a pitcher's duel most of the way.

Randolph and West Morgan pitcher Alyssa Cleveland kept trading scoreless innings to start until the Hawks finally scored first in the top of the third off a Hallie Coker triple.

Cleveland then held Danville scoreless for three more innings. In the top of the fifth, she went 3-up-3-down in only seven pitches.

"Having my defense behind me just gives me a lot of confidence," she said. "I feel like my team trusts me, and they're really good in the field."

Next week will mark the Rebels' first regional appearance since 2024.

"I think this is a really special team," Rikard said. "I mean, you can't find a team that has better chemistry than us."

But Weatherwax said this team doesn't plan on just a regional tournament. They're capable of much more.

"I think if we keep rolling the ball like we have the past couple of weeks, we'll be in Oxford," she said.

Terry was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI. West Morgan's Hatleigh White had an RBI.

Cleveland pitched six innings, allowing only three hits with four strikeouts. Danville's Randolph pitched the complete game with six strikeouts and five hits. — Danville 2, East Lawrence 0: Kate Randolph threw a one-hit complete game with 11 strikeouts and one walk, leading Danville into the area semifinals and sending East Lawrence to the losers bracket in the first game of the day.

Danville's Brooke Wauford drove in a run with a double. Danville's Jada Weaver had an RBI. East Lawrence's Adilynn Nelms picked up the Eagles' only hit. — West Morgan 4, Good Hope 2: The Rebels fought off a final-inning Good Hope comeback to win their first game of the day and advance to the area semifinals against Danville.

Chasity Rikard was 2-for-3 with a double and a home run for two RBIs. On the other side of the plate, Rikard pitched a complete game, allowing six hits and striking out eight. Alyssa Cleveland knocked in two runs on a base-hit. — Good Hope 14, East Lawrence 1: Adilynn Nelms had the Eagles' only RBI, going 2-for-2 with a home run as they fell to Good Hope in the area losers bracket, ending their season.

Lily Claborn, Averie Hargett and Madison Austin had a hit each.

If you've been looking forward to this summer's World Cup and thought to yourself, "You know, I'd really like to watch every match in a public enclosure," Fox Sports has just the job for you.

In a partnership with Indeed, Fox Sports — which has the English-language World Cup broadcast rights for the U.S. — announced on Tuesday that it would be hiring a "Chief World Cup Watcher" to be somewhat a part of its World Cup coverage.

Basically, the job requires the hire to watch all 104 matches in 4K on the Fox One streaming platform while hanging out in a "custom-built viewing space amidst thousands of daily visitors, tourists and commuters in the heart of Times Square."

This job will pay a salary of $50,000.

We've got your dream job--announcing @foxone#ChiefWorldCupWatcher hired through @indeed. Get paid $50,000 to watch every minute of all 104 matches. Go to https://t.co/TxS2OmNzumpic.twitter.com/NqGkRXFeg2

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) May 5, 2026

It's very much a sponsored gimmick that calls for zero work-life balance. But hey, it's a unique idea, and someone will certainly be willing to give up an entire summer for $50,000.

The application steps were listed as:

To be considered for the role of FOX One Chief World Cup Watcher Hired Through Indeed fans should update their Indeed profile now through May 17 exclusively on Indeed.

The opening match of the World Cup is set to kick off on June 11 in Mexico City.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Fox Sports listing 'World Cup Watcher' job with $50K salary

NEW YORK — To hear Nick Nurse tell it, it all came back to those high ball screens.

Time and again in his postgame remarks after a tip-to-tail annihilation to tip off the 2026 Eastern Conference semifinals, the Philadelphia 76ers head coach pointed to a string of defensive possessions early in Game 1 on which it seemed his team had absolutely no answer for what the New York Knicks were trying to do.

“I mean, we had, I think, five or six mid pick-and-rolls in a row that they scored on in pretty much every way they could,” Nurse said. “Came off [the screen], hit a 3. Didn’t get through the screen, got a lob. Hit a couple floaters down the lane. I think they scored six straight times off that, and that kind of extended [New York’s lead] a little bit.”

Nurse was right on. The Knicks scored on six consecutive possessions midway through the first quarter — a lob dunk for Mitchell Robinson, a pair of midrange pull-ups sandwiching a driving layup by Jalen Brunson, a pull-up Brunson 3, and a catch-and-shoot 3 in the strong-side corner by Deuce McBride — to take early control of the game.

“I think, most importantly the ball was going in, and I got a rhythm,” Brunson said of the hot start that propelled him to a game-high 35 points, in a performance reminiscent of the way he torched Philly’s drop coverage in New York’s Round 1 victory in 2024. “My teammates did a good job of setting screens and getting me open.”

When you take a look at how the Knicks got him open and scored on those plays, there’s one common denominator: They all came after involving Joel Embiid in the action, forcing him to prove he could contain the roll, bother the ball-handler or (ideally, for Philadelphia) both.

He could not:

On the possession after McBride’s corner 3, Nurse instructed reserve forward Justin Edwards to intentionally foul Robinson — a strategy that a number of opponents have deployed to try to limit the defensive, offensive-rebounding and rim-running effectiveness of the Knicks’ backup center, a notoriously poor free-throw shooter.

It was also just about the only way the Sixers could get a stop.

“[The opportunity] just presented itself,” Nurse said. “Subbed him in, they were in the bonus, figured … and I think it was right on the end of that famous pick-and-roll series I’m talking about. It was a chance to try to stop their momentum a little bit.”

It worked in the short-term; after four missed free throws on the next two New York offensive possessions, Knicks head coach Mike Brown subbed Robinson out, bringing in lightly-used third-string center Ariel Hukporti for a short stretch. In the bigger picture, though, it didn’t: Robinson checked back in for the final two minutes of the quarter and the Knicks finished strong by, once again, going right at Embiid in the pick-and-roll:

“We were just not physical enough,” Embiid said, which saw him finish with 14 points on 3-for-11 shooting with four rebounds, no blocks and no steals in 24 minutes. “I thought they were too comfortable. We’ve got to do a better job.”

Joel Embiid under attack

Doing a better job of making the Knicks uncomfortable will require Embiid to do a significantly better job of making his presence felt when they attack him in the pick-and-roll. New York’s ball-handlers — chiefly Brunson, who established an early rhythm by hunting Embiid off the bounce, but also Mikal Bridges, among others — drew a bullseye directly on the chest of the former NBA MVP, betting that if they could make him navigate traffic and guard in space, they’d be able to get just about whatever shot they wanted, whenever they wanted. The story of Game 1 was that they were pretty much dead on.

According to Synergy Sports Technology’s tracking, New York shot 11-for-14 from the field on plays after forcing Embiid to defend the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll, scoring 29 points in 16 possessions — a monstrous 1.81 points per possession — when targeting the big fella in the two-man game. That, to put it mildly, is an unsustainable figure for the Sixers if they want to have any chance of pouring some cold water on a Knicks offense that’s been scorching hot for the last four games.

“I just feel like we were a full step slow tonight,” Nurse said. “Defensively, we just seemed like we were chasing everything. Didn’t guard the ball well enough, didn’t contest shooters well enough. They were obviously picking us apart, just moving a lot better than we were.”

They were certainly moving better than Embiid. Whether he was limited by the left knee he banged up in Game 7 against Boston, the right hip contusion with which he was listed on the pre-Game 1 injury report, or fatigue after playing 112 minutes across three consecutive elimination games in five nights just three and a half weeks removed from an emergency appendectomy, Embiid clearly wasn’t covering ground as well, as quickly or as decisively as the Sixers would prefer. That made him a defensive liability for Brunson to exploit early, often, ruthlessly and relentlessly.

“Our guys did a good job of setting screens for him, and Jalen's pace and his change of speed, all that stuff, with the basketball was really good,” Brown said. “You know, they like to play in a drop, and [Brunson] was able to come off and get a couple of pocket 3s because we had good screens. And when he did that, it made them come up the floor a little bit, and then he was able to get by them.”

Nurse opened the series by playing his defensive matchups straight, with Embiid guarding Towns — the sort of center-on-center matchup that has typically allowed the Knicks to unlock the Brunson-KAT two-man game to great effect. Sure enough, New York went right to work, with Brunson rejecting Towns’ screen to go one-on-one against rookie VJ Edgecombe with Embiid out of the play, and Towns stepping back to drill a 3 with Embiid two steps too far off to contest the shot:

After Towns picked up two quick fouls and Robinson checked in, the Knicks stuck with the script, allowing Brunson to walk into a clean pull-up 3 that missed before what Nurse termed the “famous pick-and-roll series” that helped stake New York to an eight-point lead after the first quarter.

When Embiid checked back in midway through the second, the Knicks stayed committed to the game plan. Even when the initial screening action didn’t produce a clean look for the ball-handler or roll man, being able to draw Embiid out of the paint opened up opportunities for dribble penetration and second-side action, which New York capitalized on to generate one-on-one drives out of the corner for Anunoby and Josh Hart with no help defense or rim protection on the interior:

When New York was able to reset quick enough to get Brunson the Embiid switch, he roasted the big fella in space for a runner. When Nurse toggled the coverage, having Embiid try to blitz the pick-and-roll up top, Hart was ready to provide an outlet, reverse the ball to Anunoby in the corner, and create an open catch-and-shoot 3 for Bridges ahead of Philly’s scrambling rotations. When Embiid came up to try to hedge and recover, Brunson just went early, crossed over with another reject, hit the gas and got another paint touch for another finish. And when they went back to drop, Brunson just walked right back into another pull-up 3:

Before Game 1, Brown said he expected the 76ers to cross-match a smaller defender onto Towns and station Embiid on a wing — likely either Hart or Anunoby — to try to protect Embiid in the pick-and-roll. When Nurse did go to that look, New York was prepared for it, patiently and persistently cycling through screeners and moving the ball until they got what they wanted:

“You know, you see a lot of that during the course of the season, and so you keep working with it with your guys,” Brown said of the development of the scintillating read-and-react rhythm with which his Knicks are playing offense right now. “You keep showing your guys film of it, and it's something that you address. We have actions where, if teams are cross-matched, we can try to get the guy that we want in the pick-and-roll. Doing stuff like that throughout the course of the year while showing them film, hopefully, at this point in the season, gets them to a point where they're comfortable enough and they can continue trying to attack it the right way.”

New York repeatedly attacked those looks the right way, and the results were devastating: The Knicks posted a 160.4 offensive rating with Embiid on the court in Game 1, according to NBA Advanced Stats.

“It wasn’t any fun to sit there,” Nurse said. “It wasn’t any fun to be a part of, to be honest, and watch. But it’s 0-1. Doesn’t really matter if it’s six points or 36, or whatever the hell it was. It’s 0-1, and we’ve got to wash that one away and get back, and we’re gonna have to provide much more energy and physicality and that kind of stuff.”

How will the Sixers respond?

Nurse has buttons to push and levers to pull on the offensive end. Embiid and Tyrese Maxey were able to get Towns, Robinson and Anunoby into foul trouble in the first half. That aggressiveness could bear more fruit in Game 2, especially if Maxey — whom, as Brown noted, missed some makeable shots more than the Knicks necessarily clamped him down — can get going early.

The Sixers generated a number of good looks early in the second quarter, with Paul George targeting New York’s bigs in the pick-and-roll; they also made some hay when they finally showed a renewed interest in making Brunson work on defense, whether by putting him in actions or allowing the rookie Edgecombe to attack him off the bounce. If Philly can hit those notes — and if the vicissitudes of shot variance that saw the Knicks dramatically overperform their expected shot quality in Game 1 while the Sixers dramatically underperformed it, according to PBP Stats’ metrics, level out a bit — the scoreboard could, too.

“Yeah, we had breakdowns tonight,” George said. “But they also shot the s*** out of the ball.”

Dismissing what New York did in Game 1 as just an outlier heater, though, would be a step too far. The Knicks — ninth in effective field goal percentage and eighth in true shooting percentage during the regular season, and top-two in bothcategories alongside Oklahoma City in Round 1 — can knock down good looks if they keep getting them like they did in Game 1 …

… and if the Sixers can’t find a way to either hide Embiid or get more out of him on the defensive end, New York’s shot diet very well might remain awfully tasty.

“Our defense was not good today,” Embiid said. “We’ve got to do a better job defensively.”

The Houston Astros have announced the following moves to the active roster:

• RHP Jason Alexander and OF Zach Dezenzo have been recalled from Triple A Sugar Land.
• IF Nick Allen has been reinstated from the 10-day IL.
• C Yainer Diaz has been placed on the 10-day IL today with a left oblique strain.
• OF Dustin Harris has been designated for assignment.
• RHP Ryan Weiss was optioned to Triple A last night.

The Astros used Diaz’ IL placement to recall Alexander, who was just optioned to Triple-A May 1, and would have needed to wait 15 days to be recalled had the Astros not placed someone on IL.

Alexander will slide into a bullpen desperate for fresh arms. He last pitched April 30th, so he is capable of giving the team multiple relief innings if needed.

Harris was 7×31 (.226) with the Astros with a .286 OBP and .576 OPS.

Weiss, after another tough outing yesterday, currently sports a 7.62 ERA and 2.12 WHIP, has just awful numbers and has struggled badly in his last 6 appearances. After allowing only 1 run in his first 3 appearances (covering 6 innings) in which he walked 2 and struck out 7, Weiss has been tagged for multiple runs in each of his six appearances since, inflating his ERA from 1.50 to 7.62. In those 6 outings covering 20 innings, Weiss has allowed 21 ER, 18 walks, and a staggering 7 HR.

Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge and Theo Walcott all praised Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres for his role in taking the Gunners to the Champions League final.

Arsenal defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium to record a 2-1 win on aggregate and reach their first Champions League final in 20 years.

Gyokeres was the main target man for the Gunners and it was his run in behind which kickstarted the move that led to Bukayo Saka’s winning goal.

Sturridge spoke highly of Arsenal’s ‘drive’ and ‘tenacity’ throughout the game but picked out Gyokeres as ‘best player’ on the pitch tonight.

“Myles Lewis-Skelly was brilliant, he was controlling the tempo and position of the play, [Declan] Rice was excellent.” Sturridge said. “[Viktor] Gyokeres, for me, was the best player for Arsenal.”

He went further by explaining: “He caused so many problems, took the stress off the defence. You launch it up top and you’re thinking can it stick? Can he get hold of it for us? Can he advance us up the field? He did it all for them.

“Those are the performances that define top players, he’s been questioned all season for the goals and all these types of things but the performance he put in tonight was a clear reason as to why he signed for the football club.”

Walcott was impressed with how Gyokeres worked the central defenders into different positions and made things difficult for them.

He built on Sturridge’s thought by adding: “He ran into the channels all day and as a centre-half you don’t really want to go out there. He takes players into positions where they’re uncomfortable. The centre-halves today will never have a harder game, ever.”

Rooney praised the ‘dirty work’ Gyokeres has done throughout the season and how his impact on the match played its part in Arsenal reaching the European final.

“He’s been under pressure this season, and he’s maybe not as pleasing on the eye as some of the other centre forwards around the world but what he does is all the dirty work,” Rooney said. “That’s so important to the team and he didn’t get his goal tonight but he played a massive role in Arsenal winning this game.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had the final word: “He was immense. You could see the reaction of the crowd. His work-rate and what he does in the team is incredible."

The practice of paying weaker opponents for a tune-up game is well-documented in college football. Most teams in the Power Four schedule at least one of these games per year. Thanks to an Open Public Records Request, we now know just how much Rutgers is paying two of their future opponents, UConn and LIU.

To start off, the OPRA request revealed that no money is being exchanged for the home and home that Rutgers has scheduled with UConn in 2028-2029. The official wording from the contract states that neither party is entitled to compensation from the other under this agreement and that both parties are responsible for their own costs under this agreement. It does dive into things like how many tickets are designated for the away team, but nothing in the contract says that either team has to provide the other with any financial assistance for either game.

However, that is not the case for the Rutgers home game against LIU in 2027. According to the OPRA request, Rutgers will have to pay LIU $425,000, along with providing them with 50 hotel rooms for the game.

While this may seem like a lot, it is pretty consistent with what Rutgers has paid FCS teams in the past. For example, according to an article by Mike Vorkunov of NJ.com, in 2009, when Rutgers played two FCS opponents, both games in total saw Rutgers pay their opponents $725,000, which breaks down to $362,500 each. With the rising costs of everything, it makes sense that it has gone up a bit, but it doesn’t seem like an unjustified overpay either.

LIU is allotted 2,000 tickets for the game to sell to its fans.

John Spytek talked about the UFL when asked before the draft, and the Las Vegas Raiders haven’t signed a UFL player in nearly 2-3 seasons. UFL players have shown an ability to bounce back to the NFL level, especially on special teams with Jake Bates, Brandon Aubrey, and Kevontae Turpin. Other including Vikings DT Jalen Redmond, who logged 51 pressures & 5 sacks last season, Falcons LB Ronnie Perkins, Patriots T Yasir Durant, and Broncos LB Dondrea Tillman. The Raiders are going to consistently churn their roster, looking for the best possible players that can make an impact, as GM John Spytek has mentioned on numerous occasions. The UFL season lasts till June 13th, and players are eligible to sign at any time, though most sign at the beginning of June till training camp.

* These are not necessarily the top players in the UFL, some players I haven’t listed because of a variety of reasons which include a non scheme/roster fit, better options for the player on other teams, age, or players that likely choose to stay in the UFL *

Stats are as of 4/28 – 4/30

RB Marcus Yarns, Houston Gamblers

• Yarns, a former UDFA in 2025 is just 24 years old and after spending 2025 on the Saints practice squad, Yarns has logged his time in the UFL with 35 attempts, 212 yards, and a touchdown while also forcing 11 missed tackles, a 64% breakaway rate, and another 33 yards as a receiver. He has fumbled twice, but Yarns is an athlete and it shows with the chances at the UFL level. He has a 4.45 40, electric long speed, and shows subtle short area quickness. Las Vegas could look to add Yarns to depth for their runningback core.

WR Lucky Jackson, Louisville Kings

• Jackson originally began his career in the indoor football league, then the CFL, and finally the UFL before spending the 2023 – 2025 season with the Vikings. The 6’0, 180 WR has 4.38 speed and it shows in the UFL where he’s logged 18 receptions, 240 yards, three touchdowns, and an 87.5% contested catch rate (7/8). Jackson didn’t play much for the Vikings, with just 50 snaps. Jackson is deserving of an NFL opportunity after this season, he’s shown good lower body flexibility, fluid hips, and has been a strong route runner.

WR Elijhah Badger, Orlando Storm

• Badger has 17 receptions, 308 yards, and three touchdowns which includes a 81 yard reception. He’s converted 3 of his 4 contested catches, has 0 drops, and averages 9.2 YAC/reception. Badger, just 25 was a UDFA in 2025, he shows fluid hips, is able to sink and run routes, and his YAC is the best quality trait he has. Badger logged a 4.41 40, showed strong route running in his NFL preseason appearances with the Chiefs, and turned down a practice squad role to prove himself in the UFL. Badger projects as a possible bottom of the roster WR at the NFL level, and also can contribute on special teams.

T Gottlieb Ayedze, Maryland

• Ayedze, originally signed with the Eagles in 2024 as a UDFA, before spending 2024 with the Raiders. At 6’4/310, Ayedze has good movement skills, and he’s carved a strong career so far at the UFL level. Ayedze never started playing true tackle till 2022 at Frostburg State, and he’s developing into his body well at just 26 years old. He’s played time at RG and LT, though he’s best at G and should provide an NFL team depth in that role. He’s allowed just one sack, a hit, and 5 pressures through 300 snaps with 5.1 YPC lead blocking as well, ranking among the better UFL offensive lineman. He should earn a chance to return to the NFL this season, and he can provide a team good depth on the interior.

T Armani Taylor-Prioleau, Birmingham Stallions

• Taylor-Prioleau is a massive 6’9, 301 and bounced between teams at the NFL and UFL level. He spent time in 2020 with the Browns, seeing a few snaps, then the Bears, Cowboys, Chiefs, and another stint with the Browns. Taylor-Prioleau then transitioned to the UFL where he’s been the best T in the league and shows NFL potential as a 4th option. He’s logged 1074 snaps the last three seasons allowing just 3 sacks, 3 hits, and 17 pressures with a near 50/50 split at LT & RT. This season at LT, he’s allowed just 1 pressure in 102 snaps. Taylor-Prioleau likely isn’t going to push for real NFL snaps, but he should be a candidate to sign as a free agent in a training camp setting to provide depth and push for a bottom of the OL roster spot. Las Vegas is weak at tackle, and Taylor-Prioleau should be a key candidate to take a shot on.

OL Michael Gonzalez, Orlando Storm

• The youngest on this list, Gonzalez will turn 23 in May and the 2025 UDFA has made his mark in the UFL allowing just 1 sack, a hit, and 3 pressures in 316 snaps at LG for the Storm. He spent some time with the Vikings after being released by the Falcons early into training camp, allowing a hit in 88 pre-season snaps. Gonzalez chose to bet on himself at the UFL level, and looks to be a hot commodity this off-season as a potential depth C/G that can legitimately make an NFL roster. Las Vegas is deep on the interior, but Gonzalez would be able to push for a roster spot, or be a top candidate for the practice squad with a future ahead of him.

EDGE Kenny Willekes, Columbus Aviators

• I don’t know if Willekes goes back to the NFL, the 28 year old will turn 29 in July and it’ll likely be his last shot at the chance. He spent 2020-2022 with the Vikings, 2025 with the Steelers and the rest in the UFL. He’s 6’4/265 and shows an ability to play across the defensive line, but does do best as a 3-4 7-Tech. Willekes, through 6 games, has 28 tackles, 5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 23 pressures, and a UFL leading 27.5% pass rush win rate. Willekes has posted 3 seasons of a 22% or higher win rate, his run defense has remained excellent, and Willekes also has improved each season where he’s on pace in 2026 to have a career high in tackles (55), TFL (8), and Sacks (7). Willekes is a good run defender, he’s got a good frame, and he’s developed his technique. At 28, the margin is closing but I’d expect he gets a look this off-season for an NFL training camp. Willekes plays with an intense motor, is a former walkon, and does have some NFL experience with 17 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 17 pressures, and 6 TFL in 215snaps.

EDGE Cam Gill, Louisville Kings

• Gill, turns 29 in December, and the 6’4/240 EDGE rusher has bounced around between the NFL and UFL spending time with the Buccaneers, Panthers, Lions, and Vikings. He was signed to Tampa while John Spytek was the GM, and handled portions of their UDFA scouting, which could help in bringing him to the NFL for the Raiders. Gill earned a few snaps for the Buccaneers including a sack in the Super Bowl, but injuries derailed his career. He’s remained healthy, and in 213 snaps this season has 21 tackles, 25 pressures, 4.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 17 stops, and a FF for the Kings. His 23.7% pass rush win rate leads the UFL. The former Wagner standout was an athletic monster, and while undersized he shows good bend, twitch, and burst, along with the potential to develop into an NFL caliber situational pass rusher like he did early in his career. Gill is on pace to be the UFL DOPY, or at least a finalist, and he should be a hot target for the Raiders to help build depth off the EDGE competing with Cian Slone, Brennan Jackson, and Charles Snowden.

DT Devonnsha Maxwell, DC Defenders

• Maxwell, turns 27 in May, and the 6’1/290 defensive tackle, is a pure pass rush specialist but has shown a massive improvement in the run game this year largely after bulking up to 305. He’s logged 11 pressures, a 11.8% win rate, 3.5 sacks, 6 hits, and 15 run stops. His sacks, run stops, and hits lead all UFL IDL, and Maxwell should see a chance at an NFL roster this preseason. He’s a limited athlete, and injuries derailed the start of his NFL career, but Maxwell shows a good first step, anchors well, and does a good job getting into the backfield. He’s reminiscing of Jalen Redmond who has seen a massive career revival, and likely a massive payday, after a season at the UFL following his first season at the NFL level.

NT Travis Bell, Louisville Kings

• If the Raiders want to add another NT, I doubt it’s Bell but I’ll touch on him. He spent 2023 and 2024 with Raiders DL coach Travis Smith in Chicago, and so far has 4.5 TFL, 13 run stops, and just 4 pressures in 222 UFL snaps. Bell, 6’2/315 has a solid anchor, good violence in his hands, and plays with pure power. He’s limited athletically, and can be undersized but shows a good understanding of leverage. He’s just 26 years old and would compete for the Raiders depth NT job with Gary Smith, Brodric Martin, and possibly Brandon Cleveland though I don’t see a ton of upside from the former 7th rounder.

LB Jaheim Thomas, Louisville Kings

• The UFL struggles to get talent at two spots which involve the linebackers and offensive line, as fitting with the NFL wanting a plethora of talent there. Thomas, just 23, didn’t’ sign with an NFL team after the draft, and he instantly went to the UFL. He’s 6’3/235 and this season has logged 45 tackles, 3 TFL, 4 PBU, and a FF. He leads all UFL linebackers in stops with 17, has allowed just 82 yards on 13 receptions (19 targets), and also has the lowest QBR allowed among UFL linebackers. He’s shown good athleticism, strong instincts, and Thomas has a good tendency to break on the ball. The former Wisconsin linebacker has great length, 7 ST tackles, and he’s an instinctual linebacker who’s proving his worth in his first year of professional football. He’ll turn 24 in July, and Thomas should be a hot name should he leave the UFL, where I imagine he’ll have a chance to compete for an NFL roster spot with his depth at linebacker and special teams value.

LB Eugene Asante, Houston Gamblers

• Asante is 25, and he’s seen snaps grow during his time with the UFL, the 2025 UDFA is just 6’0/225 but in his first chance to see playtime, after an injury in 2025, Asante has logged 22 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 PBU, and a FF through 5 games. He’s allowed only 1 reception, for -2 yards, and his QBR allowed of 27.1 is the best in the league. Asante has an ability to play weakside linebacker, he’s done well on special teams so far with 5 tackles and one miss, while also only missing 1 tackle on defense for a 4.8% rate. Asante is young, he’ll turn 26 after this season, and despite some size concerns he’s shown good instincts, athleticism, and tackling to at least earn a shot at the NFL for training camp.

CB Shaun Wade, Dallas Renegades

• Wade, a 5th rounder in 2021, has bounced around with the Ravens, Patriots, Chargers, and Bears. He’s logged 28 tackles, 2 PBU, and has allowed a 94.3 QBR, 285 yards, and 26 receptions through 20 NFL games with 7 starts. In his first season at the UFL, Wade, who turns 28 in September, has allowed just 10 receptions, 65 yards, and a 17.5 QBR on 20 targets with an additional 3 INT, and 5 PBU. He leads the UFL in forced incompletions, and still shows the traits to be an NFL depth cornerback. The UFL is deepest on the back seven, and Wade should be a name to jump back to the NFL this off-season. He’s not appeared in an NFL game since 2023, but his UFL film shows the same player that was originally drafted out of Ohio State nearly 5 years ago. He’s a fluid mover, breaks on the ball well, and his run defense has improved with better form. Wade works best in zone, can play the slot and boundary, and would help provide a depth option for the Raiders who also works on special teams.

CB Deantre Prince, Louisville Kings

• Prince has spent some time in the NFL after being a 5th round pick by the Jaguars where he played in 10 games during the 2024 season with 9 tackles, 2 PBU, and allowed 4 receptions, 80 yards, and a touchdown in 101 snaps. He’s been sensational for the Kings opposite of Bryce Hall, with just 9 receptions on 19 targets, 113 yards, a TD, and 62 QBR with 5 PBU and an interception. Prince has struggled in run defense, but he’s shown good athleticism to work in coverage, has fluid hips, and quick feet. He’ll need to get better at tackling to make an NFL impact, but teams should be biting at Prince with his 6’0/185 frame and a 4.38 40 along with notable 3-Cone and Shuttle testing.

CB Bryce Hall, Louisville Kings

• Hall should arguably be in the NFL still. The 28 year old, is 6’1/202 and the former 5th rounder has 122 tackles, 21 PBU, 3 interceptions, and two touchdowns in 40 games (26 starts). He’s struggled with injuries, but is staying healthy this season for the Kings, and it’ll allow with him back into the NFL this season. Hall has great length, size, and physicality, he works best in zone coverage, and he should see a few looks as he still shows good footwork, hip flexibility, and natural instincts. He’s had a lot of boom or bust in his NFL career, but he’s shown a good ability to work the slot, boundary, and stays a solid run defender at both spots. He’s allowing 0 receptions on 2 targets, with an interception and PBU through 88 snaps this season.

SAF Major Burns, Houston Gamblers

• Burns should be the most sought after UFL player this off-season, and he should make an NFL impact as well. The 2025 UDFA signed with the Bears, then landed on the Gamblers after not making the roster during cuts. The 23 year old, turns 24 in less than a month and this season through 5 games has 25 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 INT, 7 PBU, and a FF. He’s allowed just 3 receptions, 11 yards, and a 1.7 QBR. Burns shows good tackling, he has great form, good physicality at 6’2/205, and he works across the field both with a near 30/30/20/20 split between strong safety, free safety, slot cornerback, and nickel defender. Burns has really really good instincts, he uses his length to break on the ball, and despite some struggles his first pre-season, Burns has developed the ability to identify concepts and collapse. You can’t teach ball skills or instincts, and Burns shows a lot of both, which will get him NFL looks.

K Tanner Brown, Louisville Kings

• The Raiders have Matt Gay, and they also have Kansei Matsuzawara, or the Tokyo Toe. That said, Brown spent time with ST Coordinator Joe DeCamillis in 2023, and he could return as another kicker into the mix for 2026. He’s converted 10/11 of his PAT, 14/15 on his field goals which include a 7/8 from 40+ yards including a 57 yarder. Brown has a good leg, and he can hit from deep consistently, he’s shown good accuracy, and despite his lack of true NFL experience, Brown should be a guy that teams look towards to take over their kicking issues. He’ll have NFL looks, especially at just 26 years old, and Browns’ connection with DeCamillis could cause him to end up in Las Veags as a third kicker.

Other Names:

• WR KJ Hamler -> Former 2nd rounder, no NFL game since 2022. Smaller WR with speed, has 8 receptions, 161 yards, 2 TD in three games before a hamstring injury. Has true 4.2 speed, could be a sneaky depth signing with upside for the Raiders looking to add to bottom of their receiver room.
• WR Lawrence Keys -> Keys has just 10 receptions, 118 yards but he’s proven his worth on ST with 32 KR, 757 yards, and a long of 55 yards the last two seasons. He’s spent two seasons in the UFL, and as a below average receiver he’d have to make it solely off his ST value similar to Kevontae Turpin.
• WR Hakeem Butler -> Former 4th rounder in 2019 of the Cardinals, big frame at 6’5/227. Explosive player for UFL level, drop issues, seems to be coming into his full potential but at 30 there’s a very limited ceiling and likely past his window. Could compete for depth role, likely needs to stay in UFL and carve career there.
• WR Erik Ezukanma -> 4th rouner in 2022 for the Dolphins, growing as a receiver this season with 4 receptions, 115 yards, TD. No drops, works as a big slot at 6’3/210. Elite special teams player with 13 tackles and just 2 missed tackles in 6 games. 26 years old, will make a camp roster for ST gunner ability & can work as a bottom roster WR
• T Ryan Nelson -> 6’6, 340 works best at T but has versatility at LT, RG, and LG. Allowed just 0 sacks, and 13 pressures this season. Spent time in the NFL with the Chargers, 26 years old. Moves well for his size, pure power, candidate for low roster or practice squad on the OL.
• EDGE Keshawn Banks -> Productive with 4.5 sacks, 27 pressures, 16.5% win rate. Likely a 4-3 end more than a 3-4 EDGE rusher. Bounced around NFL, younger player. Shows good power, anchor, could push for a roster or practice squad spot as a run defending DE.
• ILB Dyontae Johnson -> 2023 UDFA, spent 2023-2024 with the Giants practice squad with 15 tackles, 2 TFL in his career. 6’2/230, average athlete. Suffered season ending injury in NFL, shown good ability to play at the UFL level. Productive, good instincts, wins on special teams, elite tackler (0 missed tackles in 175 ST & defensive snaps)
• CB Steven Jones Jr -> Former 2021 1st team All American, has 17 PBU & 2 INT in three seasons at the UFL. Only 27 years old, 5’10/190 boundary and slot cornerback. Shows good ball skills, special teams ability, and he’s improved each season. Run defense is a struggle, see a chance to push for a bottom of the roster spot at CB.
• SAF Qwynnterrio Cole -> Former Raiders S, spent time with them in 2022 as a UDFA. Struggled to tackle, has allowed just 3 receptions, 14 yards, and a 49.3 QBR this season with an interception and three breakups. Instinctive defender, has worked well rotating between slot cornerback and free safety. Tackling will prevent him from making a true NFL impact.

Why Luka Doncic isn't playing tonight for Lakers with injury news, potential return timeline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Lakers are heavy underdogs in their series opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.

A big part of the problem as the playoffs reach the Western Conference semifinals is this: Luka Doncic still isn't playing.

LeBron James is great, and Austin Reaves and the rest of the supporting cast are solid.

But the Thunder are a different beast, the defending champions led by reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. OKC isn't supposed to lose, and certainly not to a Lakers team lacking Doncic.

That's the hand the Lakers have currently been dealt, though.

MORE: Why Cade Cunningham is wearing a flak jacket underneath his jersey

Why isn't Luka Doncic playing tonight?

Doncic remains out due to injury as the Lakers-Thunder series begins.

He continues to recover from a Grade 2 hamstring strain that has kept Doncic out for about a month.

The Lakers advanced past the Houston Rockets in the first round without Doncic on the floor.

When is Luka Doncic coming back?

Doncic has been called "week-to-week" by ESPN's Shams Charania.

That implies he could return in this postseason, but also that it doesn't seem to be immediate.

"He's doing more and more on the court," Charania said on Inside The NBA. "But right now, still not full-fledged running or full-contact workouts."

Doncic was shooting by himself during the Lakers' practice on Monday, but he hasn't progressed to any kind of scrimmage work with multiple teammates on the floor with him.

JJ Redick told reporters Monday that there's "no update."

More NBA news:

• Bronny James just did something Michael Jordan never did
• NBA playoffs block record gets confusion from Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell
• The LeBron omen that gives the Cavs hope
• The tricky part of the Toronto Raptors' future has arrived
• Cooper Flagg gets his best NBA news

How to Watch NHL Draft Lottery 2026: Channel, Live Stream & Start Time for Pick Order Show originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The 2026 NHL Draft order will begin to take shape during the annual NHL Draft Lottery, one of the biggest events on the league’s offseason calendar.

The lottery will be held on Tuesday, May 5, in the middle of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, giving non-playoff teams a chance to land a franchise-changing pick while the postseason continues. The event determines the top selections in the 2026 NHL Draft, including which team will earn the No. 1 overall pick.

The draft lottery has helped reshape several NHL franchises in recent years. In 2025, the New York Islanders won the lottery and used the No. 1 overall pick to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

This year, the Canucks enter the lottery in the best position to land the No. 1 overall pick. Vancouver has an 18.5 percent chance to win the first lottery draw, but its actual odds of receiving the top pick are even better at 25.5 percent because of the NHL’s 10-spot move-up limit.

The Blackhawks have the next-best odds at 13.5 percent, followed by the Rangers at 11.5 percent. The  Flames, Leafs’ conditional pick, Kraken, Jets and Panthers are also among the teams near the top of the lottery order.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery.

How to watch NHL Draft Lottery 2026: TV channel, live stream

• TV channel: ESPN
• Live stream: ESPN app, fubo

This year's NHL Draft Lottery will air nationally on ESPN. Hockey fans can stream the event on fubo and the ESPN app.

Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB and college sports, plus "SportsCenter," "First Take" and all your favorite ESPN shows — anytime, anywhere — only in the new ESPN app.

NHL Draft Lottery 2026 start time

• Date: Tuesday, May 5
• Time: 7 p.m. ET

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will be held Tuesday, May 5, at NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.

The lottery is one of the most important offseason events for teams that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It helps set the order for the first 16 picks in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, with all non-playoff teams — or teams that acquired those draft positions through trades — included in the process.

This year’s lottery will again feature a live drawing of the lottery balls, allowing fans to follow along in real time as each number is revealed, teams are eliminated and the remaining odds change. The event has two drawings: one for the No. 1 overall pick and another for the No. 2 overall pick.

There is one important rule to know: a team can only move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins a lottery drawing. Because of that, only the top 11 teams in the lottery order are eligible to land the No. 1 overall pick. Teams lower than that can still win a drawing, but they cannot jump all the way to No. 1.

An explanation for the premature withdrawal of Julián Alvarez from Atlético Madrid’s defeat at the hands of Arsenal has come to the fore online.

This comes amid confirmation that the Argentine was again struggling for fitness.

Frontman Alvarez emerged as a major doubt to play his part in Atlético’s Champions League semi-final return leg showdown with Arsenal at The Emirates over the last week.

The 26-year-old was struggling with a niggling ankle complaint, which proved enough to keep him out of his side’s weekend La Liga victory over Valencia.

In the end, Alvarez was cleared to feature from the off in north London, in a season-defining outing for he and his teammates.

It therefore came as a major surprise when, midway through the 2nd-half, the World Cup winner was hauled off by boss Diego Simeone.

As alluded to above, though, the reasoning for this call has since been revealed online.

As per a report from Marca:

‘After the hour mark, he could go no further. After an attempt to send in a cross that went straight into Raya’s hands, the Argentinian was the first to realize he was feeling the strain.’

Alvarez, after attempting to run the problem off, was from here forced to give in to his ankle pain, calling for an immediate substitution on a night to forget for all of a Rojiblancos persuasion.

Conor Laird – GSFN

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After securing a huge series sweep of Vanderbilt last weekend, Alabama baseball saw a significant jump in the latest seeding projections for the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

According to D1Baseball, Alabama is projected to be the nation's No. 11 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, as of Tuesday, May 5, which would mean the Crimson Tide host a regional in Tuscaloosa. Per D1Baseball, Alabama would be joined by No. 22 overall seed USC, NC State, and Wright State in the Tuscaloosa Regional.

Last week, Alabama was projected to travel for the regional round, with D1Baseball listing the Crimson Tide as the nation's No. 17 overall seed prior to sweeping Vanderbilt.

This past weekend, Alabama swept the Vanderbilt Commodores in Tuscaloosa, a team which is likely on the NCAA Tournament bubble. Over the three games, Alabama outscored Vanderbilt a combined 18-9, and had a walk-off win during Game 1 on Thursday night after a John Lemm home run.

Sitting at 32-16 overall (13-11 SEC), Alabama will play two final SEC series' to close out the regular season, the first of which starts this upcoming Friday at South Carolina. The Crimson Tide will close out the regular season at home against Ole Miss next weekend.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, 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 baseball NCAA Tournament projection after Vanderbilt sweep

Here are the lineups. For the Phillies:

For the Athletics:

Let’s talk about it.

Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has stressed that there is “no chance” of him staying at the club beyond the end of the season, despite fans calling for him to carry on.

Revived

Enjoying a brilliant season, Casemiro is delivering a fitting swansong as his United career edges toward its end.

In January, he announced that he will depart the club at the end of the campaign, once his contract expires. United had the option to keep him for another 12 months but chose not to exercise it, presumably to remove his massive wages from the books.

Casemiro has stepped up to another level ever since Michael Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim in the dugout.

He has started every game under Carrick, regularly delivering decisive performances. He has been pivotal in United’s run to securing Champions League football.

The Brazilian has notched an impressive nine goals in 33 Premier League appearances. It is the most prolific season of his career. On multiple occasions now, especially when he has found the back of the net, United fans have been heard chanting “One more year!” “One more year!”

A model professional, Casemiro’s work ethic has always resonated with supporters and it’s no surprise that they have been calling for an extension of his stay.

However, United are not expected to perform a turnaround. Carrick is on record saying this, and Casemiro has now reaffirmed it, explaining that it’s because he wants to bow out while still at the peak of his powers.

Casemiro confirms stance

Speaking to ESPN, Casemiro explained, “I don’t think there’s a chance [that he stays], there’s no chance.”

“Mostly because of what I said, you know? Go out the big door, I think it was four beautiful, wonderful years and I am eternally grateful not only to the club, but to the fans.”

“But I think I have to leave in good terms, I have to go out on top. I will be an eternal United fan here in England and I just have to thank all the love from the fans.”

Carrick deserves the job

Casemiro threw his full support behind Carrick being handed the United hot seat on a permanent basis.

He told ESPN, “In my opinion, he completely deserves it [the Manchester United job], I think he’s a guy who has already demonstrated that he has very good qualities to be a Manchester United coach.”

“So it’s not up to me to choose, it’s up to the club. But if I could give my opinion, of course he deserves it, and he deserves the club’s total trust. Of course, the season is year-round, but since he arrived, he’s been doing an incredible job and I think that with more time he has everything to be a great manager of Manchester United.”

The five-time Champions League winner added, “He’s a coach who knows the club, he’s a coach who was an idol at the club, he’s a coach who played a lot, won titles here, knows what the club is like, he knows what Manchester United is. So, full credit to the coach and there wasn’t much time, that for me was one of the big surprises, because he entered the middle of a troubled season.”

“And the games, when he arrived, were not so much those games that we say to gain confidence, although in the Premier League there were not so many games like that, but those games, so there have already been difficult games.”

“And the guy arrived and managed to change the club and me in particular, even more so because he was a former player, a midfielder. I’m happy for the person he is, the guy is a sensational person, an incredible person, and he deserves everything that’s happening in his career.”

Titles

While there is much jubilation at United securing being back in the Champions League after a two-year absence, Casemiro believes the club should be aiming for a lot more.

“When it comes to United, I always say that you have to think about titles, you always have to think about winning, about winning titles.”

“Even more so, I’ve always liked to win titles, so I don’t think it’s an ideal season, but it’s a good season, especially because of the circumstance. But, I say again, you have to think about titles — United can’t be content with third place.”

“United must always be thinking about titles and thinking about winning at the top of the table. And that for me has to be United’s thinking, circumstances, third place, very good, playing Champions League next year is another European competition, but it has to be more — United must always be more.”

Casemiro and his teammates are next in action on Saturday when they go away to Sunderland.

Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images

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The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

How to Watch NHL Draft Lottery 2026: Channel, Live Stream & Start Time for Pick Order Show originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The NHL Draft Lottery, one of the biggest offseason events for the NHL, takes place on May 5 and determines the top selections in the 2026 NHL Draft, including which team will earn the No. 1 overall pick.

The lottery is during the middle of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, giving non-playoff teams a chance to land a franchise-changing pick while the postseason continues.

The draft lottery has helped reshape several NHL franchises in recent years. In 2025, the New York Islanders won the lottery and used the No. 1 overall pick to select defenseman Matthew Schaefer.

This year, the Canucks enter the lottery in the best position to land the No. 1 overall pick. Vancouver has an 18.5 percent chance to win the first lottery draw, but its actual odds of receiving the top pick are even better at 25.5 percent because of the NHL’s 10-spot move-up limit.

The Blackhawks have the next-best odds at 13.5 percent, followed by the Rangers at 11.5 percent. The  Flames, Leafs’ conditional pick, Kraken, Jets and Panthers are also among the teams near the top of the lottery order.

Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery.

How to watch NHL Draft Lottery 2026: TV channel, live stream

• TV channel: ESPN
• Live stream: ESPN app, fubo

This year's NHL Draft Lottery will air nationally on ESPN. Hockey fans can stream the event on fubo and the ESPN app.

Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB and college sports, plus "SportsCenter," "First Take" and all your favorite ESPN shows — anytime, anywhere — only in the new ESPN app.

NHL Draft Lottery 2026 start time

• Date: Tuesday, May 5
• Time: 7 p.m. ET

The 2026 NHL Draft Lottery will be held Tuesday, May 5, at NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.

The lottery is one of the most important offseason events for teams that missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It determines the order for the first 16 picks in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, giving non-playoff teams — or teams that acquired those draft slots through trades — a chance to move up the board.

This year’s lottery will again feature a live drawing of the lottery balls, allowing fans to follow the process in real time as teams are eliminated and the odds shift. The event will be conducted in two phases: one drawing to determine the No. 1 overall pick and another to determine the No. 2 overall pick.

Under the NHL’s current lottery rules, teams can move up a maximum of 10 spots if they win a lottery drawing. That means only the top 11 teams in the lottery odds are eligible to land the No. 1 pick.

Only a few days after its Big Ten championship season ended in the NCAA Tournament, Michigan State’s men’s tennis program is making a leadership change.

Michigan State head coach Harry Jadun is stepping away from the coaching ranks after four seasons leading the Spartans’ men’s tennis program, according to an athletic department release Tuesday. His top assistant, Mike Flowers, will take over the program after spending four years as Jadun’s assistant.

The reigning Big Ten coach of the year, the 32-year-old Jadun is pursuing career opportunities outside of tennis and collegiate coaching. He had not responded as of publication when contacted by The Detroit News on Tuesday afternoon.

“I am deeply grateful to Michigan State University, the Athletic Department and the entire Spartan community for the privilege and the opportunity to serve as the head coach of Michigan State men’s tennis,” Jadun said in a statement released by Michigan State, also thanking his wife Rachel and son Rami in the statement. “This University and the Spartan Tennis program has given myself and my family so much since my time growing up in East Lansing. As an alum, student-athlete and coach, I have learned so many valuable lessons and developed relationships here at Michigan State that I will continue to cherish for the rest of my life. This was not an easy decision, as this program means the world to me, but I am so excited for the future of Spartan Tennis and proud of what we have built together.”

An East Lansing native, Jadun played for Michigan State from 2011 to 2015 and earned All-American honors in doubles while leading the Spartans to their first team NCAA Tournament berth in 2013. In 2017, he joined the staff of his eventual predecessor Gene Orlando as an assistant coach. In June 2022, Jadun took over MSU’s program as head coach.

Before he was hired at MSU, Jadun spent a month at Illinois as an assistant coach in May 2022.

“We appreciate and celebrate the leadership Harry Jadun has provided our tennis program, including the last four years as head coach,” Michigan State athletic director J Batt said. “His journey began as an All-American student-athlete for the Spartans, continued as an assistant coach and culminated by directing a historic season for the tennis program. While he's made the decision to step away from collegiate coaching to pursue a new career path and focus on his family, he's clearly a Spartan for Life. We respect his decision and wish him well in his new journey.”

Jadun coached Michigan State to a 70-40 record in four seasons, including a school record 23-7 campaign in 2023-24 and a 19-9 record in 2025-26, 12-1 in Big Ten play to win Michigan State’s first Big Ten championship since 1967, the only two in program history. Michigan State also won the 2026 Big Ten Tournament, but lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to South Carolina on Saturday, its third straight second-round exit.

The past three seasons, three Spartans made the All-Big Ten awards including three first-team selections this season in Ozan Baris, Aristotelis Thanos and Matthew Forbes. Baris and Thanos graduated this year, and Forbes entered the transfer portal Tuesday as announced on his Instagram.

In Flowers, Michigan State keeps continuity with Jadun’s program — Flowers was brought in as Jadun’s assistant coach and played a big role in the program’s recent success. He helped coach Baris, a three-time All-American and the 2024-25 NCAA singles runner-up. Before joining Jadun at MSU, Flowers coached three seasons at Davenport University in Grand Rapids. The Tennessee native is also an MSU alum, having played for the program he’ll now coach from 2004 to 2007.

“Being named head coach for Michigan State men’s tennis is an unbelievable opportunity,” Flowers said in a statement. “Spartan tennis has been a foundational part of my life, both personally and professionally, dating back to my days as a student-athlete. I look forward to providing that same opportunity to current and future Spartans. I’d like to thank President (Kevin) Guskiewicz and AD Batt for their belief in me. I’m grateful to Harry Jadun for bringing me back to East Lansing four years ago. Together, we worked hard to build a program that performs at a high level on the court and in the classroom. This program has seen tremendous growth, and we look forward to continuing that momentum. It's time to get to work!”

cearegood@detroitnews.com

@ConnorEaregood

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Harry Jadun steps down as Michigan State tennis coach

NFL legacy recruits continue to make waves at the high school level. Another name to remember is entering his freshman season this fall.

Adrian Peterson Jr., the son of legendary NFL running back Adrian Peterson, will suit up for Ridge Point (Texas) High School in 2026. The 6-foot-1, 175-pounder still has a long way to go before he signs with a college, but offers are starting to stack.

On Tuesday, Peterson Jr. announced an offer from the Miami Hurricanes:

The ACC program joins Baylor and Missouri State as schools to get in early on Peterson Jr., who plays running back, wide receiver and defensive back. The 14-year-old will be one to watch as his recruitment prepares to take off very early on.

In January of 2025, Peterson Jr. went viral as a 7th-grader thanks to a highlight reel showcasing his talent. The class of 2030 prospect will get a chance to make a splash in the Lone Star State soon enough.

Peterson Jr. obviously will have big shoes to fill when the time comes. His father was a consensus top prospect in 2004, then went on to compile over 4,200 total yards and 42 touchdowns across three seasons at Oklahoma.

The Minnesota Vikings then selected Peterson with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. He proceeded to play 15 seasons for Minnesota, Washington, Detroit, Arizona, New Orleans, Tennessee and Seattle.

Considered one of the top players in the league across his 10-year tenure with the Vikings, Peterson was tabbed with seven Pro Bowl nominations and made All-Pro four times. He won the 2012 AP MVP award after rushing for over 2,000 yards an finished his career with over 17,300 total yards from scrimmage.

WASHINGTON – Joe Ryan got a second lease on the 2026 season. And now the Minnesota Twins hope that applies to them, too.

Ryan threw a scare into the entire organization on Sunday, May 3 when he exited his start against the Toronto Blue Jays after just two batters and nine pitches. Elbow soreness was the report, a nebulous diagnosis that had Twins fans spiraling for two days.

Ryan immediately left Target Field for an MRI and an already depleted organization braced for the worst, just two months after ace Pablo Lopez succumbed to Tommy John surgery in spring training.

But the MRI was clean and Tuesday, Ryan played catch without incident. He will throw a bullpen on Wednesday and, if all goes well, make his next scheduled start Saturday at Cleveland.

All normal stuff – and that’s a huge relief for Ryan given his state of mind after he motioned for manager Derek Shelton and left Sunday’s game under a cloud of uncertainty.

“Any time you dodge a bullet, you’re grateful for every day you get to come in and put the jersey on,” Ryan said Tuesday at Nationals Park, three hours before the Twins opened a three-game series at Washington. “That’s part of being in the big leagues – understanding that. I try to embrace that and not take anything for granted.

“Every day you get to do that, it’s a blessing. I think a little bit extra when you have a little bit of a scare like that.”

Especially when this burgeoning ace avoided major injury at such a key time in his career.

Ryan, who turns 30 in June, was a 2025 All-Star on his way to a career-best season: 194 strikeouts and a 1.04 WHIP in 171 innings over 30 starts. That seemed to increase the likelihood the rebuilding Twins would trade him in the offseason, but he stayed.

He’s posted a 3.72 ERA through his first eight starts this season, his second-to-last before becoming eligible for free agency. Naturally, the Twins would not be able to trade a potential ace rehabbing an elbow injury.

Yet it’s early enough this season that the 15-20 club can appreciate that its ace is structurally sound as it loiters within 2½ games of first in an AL Central where no team is above .500.

“It’s relief,” says Shelton, the Twins' first-year manager. "I think the eternal pessimist in me is like, ‘I’m gonna wait until we get through tomorrow.’

“But today was a really good sign, because he threw well, was able to throw his breaking ball.”

Ryan said he felt the pain Sunday facing the second batter, Kazuma Okamoto. He threw a couple more pitches and it persisted. Not excruciating, he said, though he’s felt lesser pain and it’s turned out to be a more calamitous injury.

“You never know,” says Ryan, who will earn $6.2 million this season, “until imaging comes back.”

Yet Shelton appreciated that Ryan removed himself from the game. Arms, especially elbows, are not to be messed with.

“The one really great thing about Joe is he’s probably as in tune with his body as much as any player I’ve been around,” says Shelton. “He can articulate really well what he’s feeling.”

Now the Twins hope to develop some consistency. They won 11 of their first 19 games, then lost 12 of their next 15, salvaging the final game against Toronto after Ryan departed.

“We’ve played really well, we’ve played not well, and we’ve played well and not won games,” says Shelton. “I think the thing I’m most pleased with is our effort and our ability to play a full 27 outs.

“This is a younger group. There’s going to be times we have ebbs and flows. We just have to keep going.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Joe Ryan injury update, what we know about elbow

Former Patriots Star Stefon Diggs Receives Verdict On Assult, Strangulation Charges originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New England Patriots released Stefon Diggs this offseason, and the former All-Pro wide receiver was just found not guilty of felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault and battery.

Diggs pleaded not guilty to charges brought by Jamila Adams, Diggs' former live-in personal chef. The trial lasted two days, and Diggs was found innocent of all of the charges brought against him.

"Diggs' attorneys said the alleged assault never happened and questioned Adams' credibility and whether the dispute was about money, relationship tensions -- including a disagreement over a planned trip to Miami -- or an alleged assault," wrote Associated Press' Leah Willingham on Tuesday. "They pointed to financial demands she made and testimony from friends and employees who said she did not appear injured in the days after the encounter, while prosecutors argued the case rests on her account of what happened inside the home. Defense attorney Andrew Kettlewell told jurors during closing arguments that prosecutors had not presented 'a single shred of credible evidence' that an assault occurred."

Diggs' release was not said to be related to the charges against him. He was a great leader for the Patriots last year, and his release likely had to do with his contract. The Patriots likely wanted him to restructure his deal, and coming off a 1,000-yard season, he likely felt he deserved the contract he had signed.

The Patriots replaced him by signing Romeo Doubs, and are expected to acquire A.J. Brown after June 1. Diggs' time with the Patriots is likely over, but now that he has been found not guilty, he should get more attention from teams in need of a wide receiver.

More NFL: Insider Reveals How Mike Vrabel Scandal Has Impacted Patriots Trading For A.J. Brown

One of the most magical pitching performances in the University of Hawaii baseball program’s history would not have been possible without a lifelong pitch.

Three days after pitching a one-hit, 16-strikeout complete game against UC Riverside last Friday, right-hander Isaiah Magdaleno was named the Golden Spikes Award/D1Baseball National Player of the Week. He also was selected as the Big West’s Pitcher of the Week.

“I’m honored,” said Magdaleno, who shared credit with his coaches, teammates and a mystifying changeup.

Pitching coach Keith Zuniga said the Los Angeles-reared junior “had an excellent week of preparation. He then went out there with his play and competed his tail off in front of a sold-out crowd. When the ’Bows needed it the most, he went out and delivered, and saved the bullpen for the next two games.”

Magdaleno retired the first 19 Highlanders in order before issuing a one-out walk to Lucas Bonham in the seventh. With one out in the ninth, David Whittle hit a chopper that bounced over third baseman Tate Shimao’s outstretched reach. Shortstop Taylor Takata’s throw was too late to get Whittle at first.

Magdaleno then retired the next two Highlanders to earn the second complete game in Rich Hill’s 253 games as UH head coach.

Magdaleno had seven strikeouts in the first three innings, and 11 through the fifth inning. He threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of the first 22 batters. Although he threw from a menu of six pitches, his most effective were a 92 mph fastball and a knee-buckling changeup. Zuniga said Magdaleno dropped the changeup into the zone for early-count strikes and buried it in the turf to force swing-and-misses.

“It’s always been his pitch,” Zuniga said of Magdaleno’s changeup, which is thrown with the same motion and arm speed as the fastball. “I can’t take any credit. From the moment he showed up on campus (in August 2023), that’s been his best pitch. The way he throws it with conviction, he stays true to himself. So many times guys that age see something on Twitter or TikTok and want to play with different pitch grips. Isaiah’s known he’s had a dominant changeup probably his entire life. … It’s (thrown) the same as as fastball, and that’s what fools people. It doesn’t change the angle or release height. He just lets it rip.”

Growing up as a two-way player, Magdaleno relied on a fastball and forkball. He then adjusted his grip, applying pressure with his thumb and index finger, as the forkball morphed into a changeup. In Little League through high school, those were his primary pitches.

“I guess it’s been my pitch since I was young,” said Magdaleno, who has added a slider, cutter, curveball and sinker.

Zuniga said: “When he’s dialed in and executing pitches and landing two different pitches for a strike, it could feel like a video game at times. We’d love for all our guys to be that efficient and execute pitches like that. It was one of those nights for him. We look forward to getting him back on the horse and seeing if he can do it again.”

After a breakout season as UH’s closer in 2025, Magdaleno did not consider playing anywhere else this season.

“I feel me and Zuni have a really good connection,” Magdaleno said. “I feel I’ve been getting better over the year. I trusted the work we put in and everything we do here at Hawaii. Just being comfortable where I am, knowing the campus and all the staff, just getting to work here. I have a routine I’m sticking to. Just having all the resources here in Hawaii has really been helpful the past three years.”

Magdaleno, who has proven his value as a starter and closer, has improved his draft stock.

“I think the competitor in Isaiah, the way he competes and goes about his business, I definitely think he’s worthy of a shot, without a doubt,” Zuniga said. “But we can’t control who, when and what round that happens. He has to keep taking it one day at a time and let the resume speak for itself.”

ESPN ranked all 68 Power Four football programs heading into next season, factoring talent additions and departures, portal movement and coaching stability into the equation.

For the Florida Gators, 2026 will either mark a step towards relevance or another reset. That outcome hinges on a batch of under-the-radar transfers, returning stars and the supporting hand of first-year head coach Jon Sumrall.

At No. 11, the Orange and Blue have some challenges to overcome. The loss of Caleb Banks and Jake Slaughter to the NFL draft and the exodus of starting defensive backs Jordan Castell and Sharif Denson, who left via the transfer portal. The Gators also lack experience at quarterback, with the current battle taking place between two players with zero combined SEC starts.

Florida doesn't boast the same continuity across its roster as other SEC teams with 50 new additions; however, the returning producers are success drivers. Last year's recording-breaking freshman Vernell Brown III headlines a talented receiving core while 2025 All-SEC running back Jadan Baugh looks to head the conference in all-purpose yards this season.

On the other side of the ball, Myles Graham and Bryce Thornton are expected to be consistent disruptors for Brad White's defense. Five-star 2026 commit JaReylan McCoy honored his pledge to the Gators and is looking to make a name for himself this season. The former 12th-ranked player nationally will join Jayden Woods, who posted 17 pressures and 3.5 sacks in his freshman season.

In the modern college football landscape, transfer portal movement defines upward mobility in many cases. The Gators are relying heavily on a group of transfers that could elevate the program in 2026. Aaron Philo is primed to take the reins of Florida's offense after arriving from Georgia Tech with new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner.

Overall, four players who are expected to be key contributors came over with Faulkner from Atlanta: wide receiver Bailey Stockton, tight end Luke Harpring and center Harrison Moore.

Defensive transfers Emmanuel Oyebadejo from Jacksonville State and Cam Dooley from Kentucky will be game-changing additions for defensive coordinator Brad White. Eric Singleton Jr. adds explosive speed to a receiving room with high potential.

Florida sits in the middle tier of SEC offseason projections and are not yet viewed as elite, but they're in striking distance of the conference's first class. Familiar faces remain at the top, including College Football Playoff participants Georgia, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida football's Power Four, SEC offseason rankings from ESPN

A lot is said about SEC basketball and football, but it may be on the basepaths where there conference reigns most supreme.

The Southeastern usually has a litany of strong programs in both baseball and softball and 2026 is no different. This year, the SEC comprises six of the top 10 in NCAA's RPI softball ratings. The national rankings mirror that sentiment. 

Six of the top 10 teams in the Softball America poll hail from the conference, as of Tuesday. That included longtime powerhouse Oklahoma and defending national champion Texas, both of which recently came over from the Big 12 (which boasts its own superlatives in batted-ball sports). 

But the SEC's immense talent will be on full display during this week's tournament. The action wraps up this weekend before the NCAA Tournament.

Here is the schedule and scores from the SEC softball tournament:

SEC softball tournament: Score, results

Tuesday SEC tournament schedule

No. 14 Auburn beat No. 11 Missouri, 6-2

No. 10 Mississippi State beat No. 15 Kentucky, 4-3

No. 13 Ole Miss vs No. 12 South Carolina: 4 p.m. Tuesday

Just as Indiana’s storybook 2024 season was coming to a disappointing close, the stage was apparently being set for a 2025 campaign that redefined the program’s ceiling.

In a recent interview with Front Office Sports, Mark Cuban wound back the clock to Dec. 20, 2024, when the Hoosiers were losing to Notre Dame in the first round of that season’s College Football Playoff. Cuban, the former Dallas Mavericks majority owner who’s notably an Indiana alum, was in a suite with the school’s athletic director, Scott Dolson, and president, Pamela Whitten.

That’s where a conversation took place that Cuban says led to him providing NIL money that helped the Hoosiers land quarterback Fernando Mendoza in the transfer portal.

Before then, Cuban reportedly had never donated to Indiana athletics.

“We were getting blown out from the beginning,” Cuban said of the 27-17 CFP defeat in the interview, which will appear in a new episode of FOS’ “Portfolio Players.”

“First thing I said to Scott was, ‘Well, at least this year you’re not having to look for another football coach.’ Because that was kind of a time-honored tradition at Indiana, always looking for a football coach.”

At the time, Indiana was on the heels of its first double-digit-win season. Long a Big Ten bottom dweller, the Hoosiers were representing the conference in the first-ever 12-team playoff under Curt Cignetti, who instantly carried over his success from James Madison.

Albeit with a favorable schedule, Indiana went 11-1 during the 2024 regular season. When all was said and done, its only two losses were to Ohio State and Notre Dame, the teams who played for the national title that time around.

In just one season, Cignetti’s impact in Bloomington was undeniable. Finally, the Hoosiers could lean on continuity at the helm of the program.

“So he’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s the positive,’” Cuban said, via FOS, recounting his dialogue with Dolson back then. “And then we started talking, and he’s like, ‘We’ve got this quarterback that we really, really like that we think would be great. …

“Just need a little bit more.’ I’m like, ‘How much is a little bit?’ So he told me, and I’m like, ‘OK, we’re on a roll. I’ll put up the money to get this quarterback.’”

That quarterback, of course, is Mendoza. After spending three seasons at Cal, two as a starter, Mendoza transferred to Indiana, where he took the baton and ran with it.

He piloted the Hoosiers to a Big Ten championship and their first national championship. Mendoza, an unashamedly goofy yet inspiringly gritty signal-caller, was at the forefront of Indiana’s 16-0 season, which also saw him evolve into a Heisman Trophy winner and the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

Cuban explained in the FOS interview that he was already aware of Fernando Mendoza’s younger brother, Alberto, who joined the Hoosiers ahead of the 2024 season.

Cuban and Alberto Mendoza didn’t meet on campus, however. Cuban said that the Miami native is a Heat fan and would sit behind the Miami bench, positioning that precipitated their introduction at a Heat-Mavericks game.

With that prior connection and an aim to help Indiana further its climb up the FBS ladder, Cuban made a commitment to the Hoosiers.

“I’m like, ‘OK, I’ll put up the money, and we can go get Fernando,’” Cuban said, via FOS. “And the rest is history.”

Cuban, a billionaire who owned the Mavs while they won an NBA title in 2011, was asked directly how much Indiana needed to complete its NIL deal for Mendoza.

“They needed enough,” Cuban said with a grin, via FOS.

Cuban has never disclosed how much he’s donated to Indiana for NIL purposes, according to FOS. That said, Cuban is on the record hinting that he upped his financial investment in program this past season.

“I just give Scott money and it’s up to him,” Cuban said, per FOS. “We talk a lot, we talk about approach, understanding how to put together a team. Because I did it for 20-something years. So it’s not like I have to direct him to something specific. I understand how they’re approaching things.”

Indiana was once again a portal magnet this offseason, in part because of Cignetti’s track record and in part because of the program’s growing backing.

Cubs rise in latest power rankings as regulars start to hit their stride originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Cubs did not have the best start to the 2026 season, but they have since bounced back. They are currently leading the most competitive division across MLB at this point, as no team in the NL Central has a losing record. 

This offense has been pretty impressive as they hold the fourth-highest team batting average in the big leagues, while the pitching staff holds a 1.19 WHIP, which is the third-lowest. 

They will look to keep up this momentum, but have a grueling full week schedule ahead of them, starting with the Cincinnati Reds on Monday for a four-game series and then a three-game series over the weekend against the Texas Rangers. 

MORE: Michael Conforto's Cubs walk-off home run is a reminder of the good ol' days

Cubs rise in latest power rankings as regulars start to hit their stride

The Cubs are coming off quite a successful week. They took two out of three in their series against the San Diego Padres and then had a clean three-game sweep over the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

The offense was great last week, as the regulars are starting to hit their stride. Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller has bumped them from No. 6 to No. 3 in his latest power rankings piece. 

"The Cubs have won 15 of their last 18. It's a stretch in which all 10 of the regulars in the lineup have hit better than .250, including both Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch, who have woken up a bit from their sluggish starts."

It has certainly helped that PCA and Busch have come alive at the plate after starting cold. 

Now, if the team can keep Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ going the way they are going, it's going to be hard to deny them a prime postseason spot come October, especially if they can get Justin Steele to move past the recent setback he suffered in rehab following UCL surgery. 

More MLB news:

• Rays move into top five driven by an absolutely dominant pitching staff
• Pirates slotted into top ten after a rollercoaster week of divisional results
• Athletics maintain their rank despite significant home pitching struggles
• Guardians rise in latest power rankings behind red-hot Chase DeLauter
• Cardinals turn heads after dominating the defending World Series champs

A new one-of-a-kind event is coming to Florida this week: a collision of cultures featuring a heavy metal concert intersecting with bare-knuckle fighting. The event, titled Blood4Blood, is billed as “4 Bands with 4 Brawls,” where each bare-knuckle fight is followed by a heavy metal performance. Created by and featuring Alex Terrible of the band Slaughter to Prevail, the showcase will feature the frontman pull double duty by both performing on stage and competing in the ring.

Event: BKFC Blood4Blood: “Terrible vs. Delano”
Date: Weds., May 6, 2026
Location: Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida
Broadcast: DAZN, BKFC+, YouTube PPV
Start Time: Main card: 7:55 p.m. ET

BKFC Blood4Blood Main Event

Alex Terrible vs. Cameron Delano

BKFC Blood4Blood Main Card

Jake Bostwick vs. Roderick Stewart
Sergey Kalinin vs. Brock Walker
Taylor Starling vs. Marisol Ruelas

To checkout the latest BKFC-related news and notes click here.

For years, the NFC Conference of the National Football League has been one of the most competitive, featuring 9 different franchises over the last 15 years. For comparative sake, the AFC Conference has only sent 6 different franchises. With that being said, there seems to be a consensus top 3. Then the rest is a mixture of “1 win max caliber playoff teams” rounding out the top 10.

1. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)

No surprise here. The Rams have the most complete roster. And in some ways, they flaunted that during the weekend of the draft; suggesting that they did not need to use the 13th overall pick to immediately upgrade the roster this year but rather that the pick was a luxury pick. It seems like the only player drafted this year that could see the field is 6th round wide receiver, CJ Daniels.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)

The Eagles made a huge splash on Day 1 of the draft by trading up to Pick 20 in order to select wide receiver Makai Lemon. It would surprise many if the Eagles keep AJ Brown after June 1st. If they don’t the Eagles will arguably have the best wide receiver room in the NFL.

3. Seattle Seahawks (13-4)

The defending champion are third on the list. Am I being too negative towards them? I don’ think so. They lost their offensive coordinator – Klint Kubiak, Kenneth Walker, Tariq Woolen, Boye Mafe, and Coby Bryant. Sam Darnold might have more confidence now but I still don’t consider him to be a top 10 quarterback in the NFL.

4. Chicago Bears (11-6)

Chicago could be one of those teams that regresses in 2026 because they won so many games in the final 2:00 minutes against a soft schedule. Now they will play a first place schedule in 2026. But I do think that Ben Johnson will keep this team in a respectable place. This team could finish 11-6 again since its returning almost all of its offensive pieces and retooled the secondary.

5. Green Bay Packers (9-7-1)

The Green Bay Packers did not have a first round pick this year since they traded for Micah Parsons. If they can get Parsons back, this team will compete with Chicago for the division crown. Offensive line remains a question mark as Matt LaFleur must find a way to protect Jordan Love for a full season. The secondary fell apart at random moments in 2025 but they added Brandon Cisse and Domani Jackson in the draft, while signing Benjamin St-Juste in free agency.

6. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)

I know, I know. But here’s the thing, the Cowboys have a top 5 offense with Dak Prescott, Javonte Williams, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens. The defense was atrocious last year but that was expected with the trade of Micah Parsons. If the defense can just be average in 2026, then the Cowboys will win 10 games. Keep in mind they traded for players like Quinnen Williams mid year and then used resources this offseason to shore up the defense. I think Dallas can improve its win total.

7. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)

San Francisco is a confusing one to grade. Their departures this offseason were defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Bryce Huff, Jauan Jennings, Kalia Davis, Kevin Givens, Jordan Elliott, Dee Winters, Ben Bartch, Spencer Burford, Matt Hennessy, and Kendrick Bourne. However, the team will be relieved to have the return of Nick Bosa and Fred Warner. But my biggest concern is: how will Christian McCaffrey hold up in his age 30 season with a lot of mileage from last year’s season (most touches in a season in his career).

8. Carolina Panthers (8-9)

Carolina spent this offseason retooling the defense; adding Devin Lloyd, Jaelen Phillips, and Lee Hunter (rookie). I think Carolina’s ceiling is 10-7 and their floor is 7-10.

9. Detroit Lions (8-9)

The only reason I am putting the Lions this high is because they get the luxury of playing a last place schedule having finished 4th in the NFC North in 2025. Jared Goff’s limitations prevent them from being a higher ranked team. The Lions are now experiencing the salary cap restraints of paying Jared Goff top money.

10. New York Giants (4-13)

Bringing John Harbaugh into the fold automatically elevates the Giants. They had a huge win on Day 1 of the draft netting Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa. The Giants defense now contains Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, Arvell Reese, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. NFC East quarterbacks will be up all night worrying about getting hit. And if you are worried about the loss of Dexter Lawrence, the Giants just signed DJ Reader to a 2 year deal.

11. Washington Commanders (5-12)

Washington fell off significantly in 2025 after their NFC Championship appearance in 2024. It did not help that Jayden Daniels fractured his non-throwing elbow. The offensive line is still a concern and the defense but Sonny Styles was arguably the best pick of the first round.

12. Atlanta Falcons (8-9)

I really want to put Atlanta higher but it’s just one thing holding them back…the quarterback. Whether its Tua or Penix, the offense will be held back by either of them. Otherwise, the offensive line is a top 5 unit in football and Bijan Robinson is the best running back in the game. Defensively, there is a solid core there but they might lose a handful of games because of incompetent quarterback play.

13. Minnesota Vikings (9-8)

Again, incompetent quarterback play will be the kryptonite here. I actually think there is a strong case that Justin Jefferson gets traded at the midseason deadline.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)

I liked Tampa Bay’s draft but I think this team has gone stale which is why veterans Mike Evans and Lavonte David ended their time in Tampa.

15. New Orleans Saints (6-11)

I’m not sure New Orleans was just another wide receiver away. Jordyn Tyson carries a lot of risk. The Saints are also using a lot of money for Travis Ettiene and Alvin Kamara. But what about giving resources to a defense that allowed 120 rushing yards per game?

16. Arizona Cardinals (3-14)

Whether its Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, or Carson Beck – the Cardinals don’t have a good starting option. Mike LaFleur will have his hands full in 2026 and can’t risk using all the tread on Jeremiyah Love’s tires.

At the end of the day, a power ranking doesn’t get you to the Super Bowl. Any team can win any given Sunday. Sean McVay has always emphasized that you can easily be humbled in this league and not to take any win for granted. But the Rams are the best team on paper. If they can play to their caliber, the NFC should run through them in 2026.

Tuesday notes…

• STREAKING, PART 1: The Cubs have won 12 straight games at home. It is their 19th double-digit home winning streak of the Modern Era, which began in 1901, and their 15th at Wrigley Field, their home since 1916. This is their first such streak since they won 14 in a row, May 18-June 22, 2008. A 13-game streak in 2001 and a 10-game streak in 1998 are their only others of the kind since 1970. Their record is 18 straight, Sept. 4-22, 1935, during a surge that lifted them to the pennant. The 2008 streak was one of five of 14 games. The 2001 streak was the only one of 13. They also had a lone streak of 12, in 1927, for a total now of 10 streaks of at least 12 in a row. The 1927 streak was the only one that ended after 12 games, and did so with a thud: a 12-2 loss at home to the Phillies. The Cubs extended the 2001 streak to 13 by beating the Twins, 5-4. Ricky Gutierrez hit a two-run homer and Sammy Sosa added a solo shot. The 13th win in 2012 was by 3-1 over the Dodgers. Derrek Lee homered with one in the first and Aramis Ramirez homered in the eighth. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• STREAKING, PART 2: The Cubs are 16-3 in their last 19 games, their best 19-game record since they also were 16-3 from July 31-Aug. 20, 2016. They were 16-3 in four overlapping spans that season, in two in 2015, in three in 2001, in one in 1977 and two in 1967. They had an even 100 in 1903-45. The Cubs were 19-0 in three overlapping spans in 1935 and 18-1 in 20 spans, many overlapping, in 1906 and 1935. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• FACING THE REDS: This is the Cubs’ 83rd series vs. the Reds at Wrigley Field since 1994, first season of the Central Division. From 1969 through 1993, the Cubs were in the NL East and the Reds, for reasons that defy logic, were in the NL West. It is only the 17th of the 83 series at Wrigley that was scheduled to be more than three games. The Cubs swept four games in 2018. That is the only time they won even the first two games. They went 3-1 in four series, including the most recent before the current one, in 2023. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• SAVING THE DAY:The Cubs have had six different pitchers record saves already this year. In alphabetical order: Ben Brown, Corbin Martin, Hoby Milner, Daniel Palencia, Caleb Thielbar and Jacob Webb. Thielbar leads the team with two. Twelve different pitchers recorded saves for last year’s Cubs. Only five of those pitchers (Brown, Palencia, Rea, Thielbar and Jordan Wicks) are still in the Cubs organization.

Cubs lineup:

Reds lineup:

Jameson Taillon, RHP vs. Andrew Abbott, LHP

Jameson Taillon has had some good starts this year, some bad, some middling. The last one, last Wednesday in San Diego, was really good — seven innings, three runs, six strikeouts.

Last year against the Reds, he made two starts, throwing 13.1 innings and allowing three runs, with only one home run allowed. More of that would be good. Current Reds are batting .264 (28-for-106) against Jamo with seven home runs, two each by Elly De La Cruz and TJ Friedl. Keep the ball in the yard tonight, please, Jamo.

Andrew Abbott has had three good years for the Reds and has been tough on the Cubs: Seven starts, 2.56 ERA in 38.2 innings.

But this year, Abbott is off to a rough start. He’s allowed four or more runs in three of his seven starts, though the last one, April 30 vs. the Rockies, was pretty good (two runs in six innings).

Current Cubs are batting just .183 (17-for-93) against Abbott, but Seiya Suzuki has homered off him, and Dansby Swanson has taken him deep twice.

Despite a season OPS of .830 vs. LHP this year, the Cubs are just 5-5 vs. LH starters. Hopefully that changes tonight.

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network.

Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Reds site Red Reporter. If you do go there to interact with Reds fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.

You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).

At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.

The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.

You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

The Holiday Bowl and the newly returned Poinsettia Bowl, jointly operated by Sports San Diego, are both looking for a media partner, and The CW might just answer the call.

Late last month, college football insider Brett McMurphy of On3 reported that Fox Sports, which has televised the Holiday Bowl since 2017, would not bid on this year’s game. McMurphy also noted that ESPN, which broadcasts most college football bowl games and was the home of the Holiday Bowl from 1986 to 2016, is not interested.

According to Austin Karp at Sports Business Journal, The CW has emerged as a potential suitor for both games, and Fox hasn’t completely shut the door on the Holiday Bowl either.

“We have not had one group say they were not willing to take the call,” Excelsior Sports and Entertainment’s Tag Garson, who is assisting Sports San Diego in its media search for both bowl games, told SBJ. “When Fox passed on our final offer, it allowed us to go into the marketplace, and we have been talking to everyone. … We’re not leaving any stone unturned. … We’ve only been in the marketplace for a couple of weeks, so this is very new.”

The CW currently has the rights to the Arizona Bowl as well as ACC, Mountain West, and Pac-12 regular-season games.

“Based on the success of the bowl season last year and the Arizona Bowl, we’re taking a look to add to those to potentially add to our college landscape,” CW SVP/Sports Mike Perman told Front Office Sports last March.

Karp says that sources told him there is no animosity between Fox and the bowl games, and Fox could end up submitting a bid for the Holiday Bowl “under the right financial circumstances.”

The post The CW eying Holiday Bowl, Poinsettia Bowl rights but Fox remains in the mix appeared first on Awful Announcing.

The ink is barely dry on the rookie contracts, and the pads haven’t even popped in a padded practice yet, but the 2026 NFL jersey market is already on fire. Following the conclusion of the draft in Detroit, Fanatics and FOX Sports have released the initial retail numbers, offering a fascinating look at which fanbases are most desperate for a new era—and which schools are still dominating the “factory” reputation. 

While we usually expect quarterbacks to sweep the podium, the 2026 sales charts tell a different story. This year, defensive dominance and big-market optimism are driving the revenue, with the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins claiming nearly half of the top spots.  

MORE: 3 NFL players facing the most pressure in 2026

As of today, we are seeing a rare surge in defensive jersey sales. Fans are clearly buying into the “Blue Chip” philosophy, prioritizing lockdown safeties and high-motor linebackers over the usual offensive fireworks. It’s a testament to a draft class that was perceived as one of the most physically imposing in a decade. 

Whether it’s the hope of a rebuilt secondary in Arlington or the arrival of a new franchise savior in the Nevada desert, these ten players represent the biggest financial bets made by fans across the country. Let’s break down the names that are currently flying off the shelves as the NFL prepares for the 2026 kickoff.

1. Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys

The Ohio State standout has officially taken over the Star, with his No. 18 jersey (for now) becoming the most sought-after piece of apparel in the league. Dallas fans are banking on Downs to be the missing link in a secondary that needs an elite eraser to compete for a Super Bowl. His early lead in sales proves that when the Cowboys draft a blue-chip defender in the first round, the marketing machine in Frisco works overtime.

2. Jacob Rodriguez, Miami Dolphins

Miami’s decision to bolster the second level of their defense with this high-IQ linebacker has clearly resonated with a fanbase eager for a tougher identity. Rodriguez may not have been the flashiest name on some draft boards, but his instincts and throwback style have made him an instant darling in South Beach. Dolphins fans are snatching up his threads in record numbers, signaling a massive shift in the team’s culture under the new front-office regime.

MORE: Dianna Russini rumor shares husband’s thoughts on Mike Vrabel scandal

3. Malachi Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys

In a rare feat, the Cowboys have two defensive players in the top three, with Lawrence’s aggressive pass-rushing profile making him a favorite for highlight-reel hunters. The Dallas faithful have fully embraced the UCF product, expecting him to provide immediate edge pressure that can turn a good defense into a great one. Retailers are struggling to keep his size in stock as fans prepare to flood AT&T Stadium with Lawrence’s new colors this September.

4. Drew Allar, Pittsburgh Steelers

Despite being a third-round selection, Allar’s jersey is outperforming almost every first-rounder thanks to the sheer passion of the Steel City faithful. Steelers fans have been waiting for a prototypical big-armed quarterback to develop, and they are putting their money where their mouth is regarding the Penn State star. The hype in Western Pennsylvania is palpable, with supporters already envisioning the 6’5” signal-caller taking the reins of the offense in the very near future.

MORE: Green Bay Packers GM gives massive update on Micah Parsons recovery

5. Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders

As the No. 1 overall pick, Mendoza’s jersey was always going to sell, but the speed at which it hit the top five across American sports is historic. The Indiana product is the new face of the Silver and Black, and his charisma has already made him a marketing goldmine for a team looking to dominate the AFC West. Raiders fans have made his threads the top seller in Nevada, hoping this is the quarterback who finally brings stability to the Vegas strip.

6. Chris Johnson, Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins’ secondary got a major facelift this April, and the arrival of this lockdown cornerback has sparked a retail frenzy in the Florida sun. Johnson represents the “speed and length” philosophy that the Miami coaching staff has been preaching, making him a perfect fit for their aggressive man-coverage schemes. With two Dolphins in the top six, it’s clear that Miami fans believe this rookie class is the key to finally getting over the playoff hump.

MORE: Ranking top 15 NFL quarterbacks on rookie contracts in 2026

7. Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals finally found their explosive home run threat in the backfield, and the fans in Glendale have responded by making Love a top-ten seller. Coming out of Notre Dame, Love brings a dual-threat capability that has fantasy owners and jersey collectors alike scrambling to get a piece of the action. His jersey is the highest-selling offensive non-QB rookie shirt, a nod to his electric playmaking ability that should revitalize the Arizona ground game.

8. Caleb Lomu, New England Patriots

It’s rare to see an offensive lineman crack the top ten in sales, but the Patriots’ fanbase is showing their appreciation for the trenches with the Utah product. Lomu is seen as the cornerstone of the post-Belichick rebuild, a technician who provides the literal and metaphorical support the team’s offense desperately needs. New England supporters are buying into the grit factor, proving that a solid blindside protector can be just as popular as a flashy wideout in Foxborough.

MORE: Met Gala Red Carpet leads to hilarious Travis Kelce-Sam Smith confusion

9. Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears

The Bears’ pick at No. 25 was widely praised as the steal of the draft, and the Chicago market has responded with an absolute deluge of orders. Thieneman’s reputation as a hard-hitting, ball-hawking safety fits the classic “Monsters of the Midway” archetype that Chicago fans hold sacred. He is the first first-round safety the Bears have taken since 1990, and the historic weight of that position in the Windy City is driving these massive sales numbers.

10. David Bailey, New York Jets

Closing out the top ten is the Jets’ new defensive anchor, whose arrival in the Big Apple has given the Gang Green Nation faithful a new reason for optimism. Bailey’s versatility as a linebacker allows him to stay on the field for all three downs, making him an immediate jersey staple for fans at MetLife Stadium. Despite the media focus on the Jets’ offense, the fans are clearly backing the defense, ensuring Bailey’s name is one of the most visible in the city this spring.

MORE: Diego Pavia gets bad news with latest Ravens signing

The battle for the wallet

The early 2026 jersey sales reflect a league that is increasingly valuing defensive identity and strategic depth. While quarterbacks like Mendoza and Allar will always be big business, the presence of five defensive players in the top ten suggests that fans are becoming more sophisticated in their appreciation for the other side of the ball. It’s a snapshot of a league in transition—one where the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins are currently winning the battle for the wallet. As these rookies head into their first professional camps this month, the pressure to live up to these sales figures will be immense.

• Nathan Aké is set to join Bernardo Silva and John Stones in a high-profile summer exodus from Manchester City.
• The 31-year-old Dutch international has set his sights on the Italian top-flight, with Juventus, AC Milan, and Roma currently leading the chase.
• Despite strong interest from Eredivisie’s PSV Eindhoven, sources insist he has no intention of returning to the Netherlands at this stage of his career.

Nathan Ake is set to bring an end to his legendary stay at the Etihad Stadium, making it a minimum of three high-profile departures from the Manchester City squad.

The latest news arrives at a highly delicate time for Pep Guardiola’s squad as Manchester City remain in the midst of a relentless finish to the 2025/26 campaign, chasing down Arsenal in a thrilling title race while preparing for the FA Cup Final against Chelsea on May 16.

However, with Sporting Director Hugo Viana planning yet another major summer overhaul, the long-term makeup of the squad is shifting rapidly behind the scenes.

Nathan Aké, who joined City from Bournemouth for around £40 million in the summer of 2020, has enjoyed a trophy-laden six years at the Etihad Stadium, winning four Premier League titles and the historic 2023 Champions League.

Yet, the current season has seen his first-team opportunities dwindle significantly, and while national team coach Ronald Koeman demands regular club minutes ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup this summer, Aké has decided his future lies away from Manchester.

Serie A giants circle for Ake as PSV ruled out

Now, according to Voetbal International, Nathan Aké is set to leave Manchester City this summer, with the Netherlands international defender said to be attracting serious interest from top Serie A clubs.

Despite being linked to PSV in his home country, the report points to sources close to the player who are adamant that the Eindhoven club ‘stands no chance in the battle’ for the City man, who still wants to play in a top league.

Attracting concrete interest from Juventus and AS Roma, it is further explained that both clubs must first secure European football – in addition to AC Milan – if they are to successfully lure Nathan Ake to the Italian top-flight this summer.

Manchester City’s ongoing defensive rebuild

With Nathan Aké entering the final year of his contract – which runs until June 2027 – Manchester City are likely to be keen to sanction a sale this summer to avoid losing the versatile defender on a free transfer next year.

The Dutchman’s departure, alongside the confirmed exit of John Stones, leaves a significant void in Guardiola’s defence, placing further responsibility on the shoulders of January signing Marc Guéhi, Josko Gvardiol, and Abdukodir Khusanov in particular.

Transfer intermediaries are already offering Aké to various clubs, with Inter Milan also expected to be monitoring the situation, particularly after their success with Manuel Akanji – who joined the recently-crowned Serie A champions on a season-long loan last summer.

For now, Nathan Aké remains focused on helping Manchester City navigate their remaining Premier League fixtures, starting with the fallout from Monday’s dramatic 3-3 draw against Everton.

Match Report and Player Ratings: Everton 3-3 Manchester City (Premier League)

Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid have on Tuesday seen their Champions League hopes brought to an end in devastating fashion yet again.

And in the process, Barcelona star Raphinha has seen his post-quarter-final prediction proven correct.

Atlético marked their return to action a short time ago, making the trip to Premier League leaders Arsenal for a Champions League semi-final 2nd-leg showdown.

When all was said and done, the Rojiblancos were condemned to the wrong side of a 1-0 result, giving rise to a 2-1 aggregate defeat.

This means that Diego Simeone’s troops will finish the 2025/26 campaign without silverware.

Not only that, but it also means that the aforementioned Raphinha has been validated for his recent dig at Atlético.

After Barcelona were sent packing from Europe at the hands of Atléti last month, winger Raphinha was caught on camera assuring the home fans at the Metropolitano that:

“You’ll go home next round.”

And unfortunately for those of a Rojiblancos persuasion, this prediction has since proven to be spot on…

Conor Laird – GSFN

Paul McGinley has issued his verdict on what the future looks like for LIV Golf, with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia set to withdraw their support for the league at the end of the season.

LIV Golf has certainly not been in a more precarious situation at any stage since their very first event than it is right now.

Speculation over the league’s future kicked into another gear in the days following The Masters. While those associated with LIV put on a brave face, there was a time when it appeared entirely possible – admittedly largely due to rumours – that their Mexico City event may not even take place.

Paul McGinley assesses the future of LIV Golf

It has now been confirmed that the PIF will not fund LIV after this year. Meanwhile, their event in New Orleans later this year has been postponed. It is not yet clear whether it will be played at a later date.

Scott O’Neil is now facing a race against time to secure funding for the league heading into 2027. Should he fail, then you would imagine that a number of players could move on.

Speaking on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast, Paul McGinley suggested that he can see big changes coming, whatever happens next behind the scenes.

“I don’t know if it’s a terminal end, but it’s certainly an end in terms of the $30 million purses and signing on fees that we have seen,” he said.

“Even if they do get more sponsors and private equity and keep LIV Golf going forward they are not going to be burning $6 billion in the coming years.

“There is no business model based on the figures they were putting into LIV.

“If it is going to continue it will be in a much different format and much less money involved in terms of signing on fees.

“I can’t see it going on as we know it, but I’m not going to rule out the fact it can’t recreate itself at a much smaller business level and a smaller schedule.”

Current contracts could cause LIV Golf all sorts of problems

The big problem for any future investors surely concerns the contracts that are already in place.

Players understandably held out for huge sums before they made the jump from the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour.

Some will have time left on their contracts. Meanwhile, others may be holding out for sizeable fees before they decide to re-sign with LIV.

There are likely to be players who are prepared to stay put and make big compromises, but some big names will surely decide to move on – particularly if there is a question mark over LIV’s format in the future.

It does appear that LIV has numerous large hurdles to overcome before things start to get a little easier for the league.

Former Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo returned to New York as a visiting player for the first time on Tuesday, and even though he was in the Bronx to face the Yankees, he fielded many questions about his Mets tenure and the current state of the team.

“I want them to do well,” Nimmo said. “I’ve played here before when things aren’t going well, and it’s not fun. I wish the best for them, but also I’m trying to take care of things here and make sure we’re trying to play good baseball here.”

Nimmo, of course, was traded to the Rangers this past offseason in the deal that brought Marcus Semien to the Mets. The trade came just three years into Nimmo’s eight-year, $162 million contract, and he had to waive his no-trade clause to complete the deal. 

Nimmo said that he reached out to a lot of people before making his decision, including Pete Alonso, who told him the Mets hadn’t reached out to him at that point.

“When Pete said they hadn’t even reached out to him, there was definitely a lot of uncertainty as to which direction they were going. But ultimately, I had to make other phone calls and talk to other people and deliberate over it for many more days. So, it wasn’t just his conversation that went into it. I talked to dozens of people. It was just a piece of the puzzle that helped in the decision-making process.”

“I obviously would have loved to have seen Pete retire in a Mets uniform,” he later added. “He’s the Mets’ home run king and has all these titles that go along with it. I think that would have been awesome, but it wasn’t in the cards for what they felt like were the best baseball decisions.”

When president of baseball operations David Stearns traded Nimmo and let Alonso and Edwin Diaz depart in free agency, rumors swirled that there was an alleged rift in the Mets’ clubhouse, particularly between Nimmo and Francisco Lindor. 

Both players have since said there was no truth to those rumors, and Nimmo said again Tuesday that he thought his trade was purely a baseball move.

“I believe it was probably just a baseball decision. Like I said last year and even in these interviews in the spring, I really didn’t see anything wrong with the chemistry between the guys,” Nimmo said. “And if it was happening, I didn’t know about it, so they were keeping it hush-hush, which is kind of tough to do in a clubhouse where you spend most of the day with each other. But from my standpoint, I think it was a baseball decision, and I think it was something that David felt would better the New York Mets and (general manager Chris Young) felt would better the Texas Rangers.”

It’s quite uncommon for an American to start in a Champions League semifinal or play in both legs. It’s also unusual for such a player to advance to the final and even more rare to play in Europe’s crown jewel.

Atlético Madrid’s Johnny Cardoso, whose club career has outshined his U.S. national team tenure, fell just short of the title game Tuesday.

With his Spanish side trailing, the 24-year-old central midfielder was a 57th-minute substitute in the 1-0 loss at Arsenal. The result provided the Gunners with a 2-1 aggregate advantage and a place in the May 30 final against Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest.

Cardoso had started the 1-1 first leg last week in Madrid but lost his place in the lineup Tuesday.

Jacques Feeney/Offside via Getty Images

The loss also denied a championship appearance for Obed Vargas, a native of Alaska and former Seattle Sounders homegrown who represents Mexico internationally. (The 20-year-old midfielder was in uniform for the semifinals but did not play in either leg.)

They were seeking to become the first Americans to reach the final since Christian Pulisic won the 2021 trophy with Chelsea.

The only U.S. national team players to start in a Champions League semifinal are Cardoso, Pulisic and DaMarcus Beasley (2005, PSV Eindhoven). 

Cardoso was bidding to follow in the footsteps of a select group of Americans to start for a Champions League finalist.

In 1996-97, Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jovan Kirovski appeared in two group-stage matches against Atlético Madrid and remained on the bench for the first-leg semifinal against Manchester United. He was not in uniform for the championship victory over Juventus.

In 2012-13, Dortmund center back Neven Subotic played every minute of 13 Champions League matches, culminating with a loss to Bayern Munich. Subotic played on the 2005 U.S. Under-17 World Cup team and represented the under-20s before switching to the Serbian senior squad and appearing in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

In 2020-21, Pulisic was an integral figure in Chelsea’s trophy campaign, starting and scoring in the semifinal’s first leg vs. Real Madrid, coming off the bench and assisting in the second leg and entering in the 66th minute of the final victory over Manchester City.

U.S. goalkeeper Zack Steffen was on Manchester City’s bench that day.

Cardoso, who has not had many strong performances in his 23 USMNT matches, is not certain of making Mauricio Pochettino’s World Cup squad. However, his growing role with Atléti in recent months suggests Pochettino will include him when he unveils his 26-man roster May 26 in New York.

Tyler Adams — who made a second-half appearance in a 2020 Champions League semifinal for RB Leipzig — is the top U.S. candidate in defensive midfield, joined by Tanner Tessmann, Cristian Roldan and Aidan Morris.

The only other USMNT player still alive in European competition is Chris Richards, a starting center back for Crystal Palace, which will carry a 3-1 lead into the second leg of the third-tier Conference League semifinals against visiting Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday.

The winner will face Strasbourg or Rayo Vallecano on May 27 in Leipzig, Germany. Should Crystal Palace advance to the final, Richards would miss the first few days of World Cup training camp in the Atlanta area.

The Baltimore Ravens waived undrafted rookie Trevonte Sylvester on Tuesday, days after the rookie minicamp, according to NFL Communications.

Baltimore's class features a wide range of prospects in every position group, including wide receivers Cortez Braham Jr. and Octavian Smith Jr., edge rusher Ethan Burke, and defensive tackle Aaron Graves. The offensive line was also a focus, with the additions of former Penn State center Nick Dawkins and offensive tackles Diego Pounds and Sylvester.

In 2025, Sylvester missed the first two games of the season due to an injury. He took over the left tackle position full-time during the game against Miami, earning ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors. He achieved his highest PFF grade of the season, 76.0, in the game against Cal. In 2024, Sylvester played in all 13 games at both right and left offensive tackle, starting 7 games at each position. Sylvester played 12 games as a backup left tackle at Houston before joining Louisville, totaling 114 snaps.

Overall, Sylvester appeared in 34 games (16 starts) during his six-year career at Louisville (2023-25) and Houston (2020-22).

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Baltimore Ravens waive undrafted rookie Trevonte Sylvester

The 2026 NBA Draft lottery is on Mother's Day this year, with every team that didn't make the playoffs seeking the gift of the right ping-pong ball combination on Sunday, May 10. A whole batch of franchises tanked this past season just to have a better shot at securing the best choice possible in what's considered a strong draft class. So much so that NBA commissioner Adam Silver is considering radical changes to the NBA draft lottery system.

Teams have been lining up for the top of the draft board. BYU's AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson of Kansas, Duke's Cameron Boozer and UNC freshman Caleb Wilson have largely been considered the best four prospects but in varying orders. The potential prizes extend beyond that this year, though. The latest first-round mock draft conducted by USA TODAY Sports through Microsoft Copilot's artificial intelligence chatbot shows – when compared to one done just two weeks earlier with the same team order – the perception of this draft is fluid before its exact order is known.

The top five picks remained the same, but there was plenty of movement from there. New prospects were elevated into the first round by AI or higher in the NBA draft pecking order with another two weeks of intel. Other players were dropped out of the top 30 selections. More will be decided over the next week or so, when the NBA Draft lottery and NBA Draft Scouting Combine are held in Chicago.

Here's Microsoft Copilot's latest 2026 NBA mock draft heading into the draft lottery, as curated by USA TODAY Sports

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2026 NBA mock draft by USA TODAY Sports

You can compare AI's picks to the latest USA TODAY 2026 NBA mock draft by clicking here.

2026 NBA mock draft: AI picks first round

USA TODAY Sports asked Microsoft Copilot AI to generate a mock draft for the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft featuring only players who could be eligible this year. Microsoft Copilot assigned the draft order based on regular-season NBA records and the latest draft lottery tiebreakers, with the worst record getting the No. 1 pick and the best record getting the No. 30 pick. It used current mock drafts from reputable websites, as well as team needs, prospect analysis and potential pick swaps/protections, to determine the first-round selections for each team in this exercise.

AI models still have issues with accuracy as seen in the mock draft below. Of particular note, Microsoft Copilot had several picks inaccurately assigned to teams based on previous trades and pick swaps.

Here's a 2026 NBA first-round mock draft, according to Microsoft Copilot AI, as of May 5:

• 1. Washington Wizards: AJ Dybantsa, BYU
• 2. Indiana Pacers: Darryn Peterson, Kansas
• 3. Brooklyn Nets: Cameron Boozer, Duke
• 4. Utah Jazz: Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
• 5. Sacramento Kings: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
• 6. Memphis Grizzlies: Keaton Wagler, Illinois
• 7. Atlanta Hawks (via New Orleans): Kingston Flemings, Houston

Note: The Hawks receive the better pick between the New Orleans Pelicans and Milwaukee Bucks through a trade during the 2025 NBA draft. The Bucks get the lesser of the two selections.

• 8. Dallas Mavericks: Mikel Brown, Jr., Louisville
• 9. Chicago Bulls: Braydon Burries, Arizona
• 10. Milwaukee Bucks: Nate Ament, Tennessee
• 11. Golden State Warriors: Labaron Philon, Alabama
• 12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via LA Clippers): Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
• 13. Miami Heat: Isaiah Evans, Duke
• 14. Charlotte Hornets: Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
• 15. Chicago Bulls (via Portland): Koa Peat, Arizona
• 16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Phoenix): Chris Cenac, Jr., Houston
• 17. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Philadelphia): Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
• 18. Charlotte Hornets (via Orlando): Hannes Steinbech, Washington
• 19. Toronto Raptors: Karim Lopez, New Zealand Breakers (NBL)
• 20. San Antonio Spurs (via Atlanta): Aday Mara, Michigan
• 21. Detroit Pistons (via Minnesota): Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
• 22. Philadelphia 76ers (via Houston): Cameron Carr, Baylor
• 23. Atlanta Hawks (via Cleveland): Amari Allen, Alabama
• 24. New York Knicks: Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
• 25. Los Angeles Lakers: Dailyn Swain, Texas
• 26. Denver Nuggets: Henri Veesaar, North Carolina
• 27. Boston Celtics: Meleek Thomas, Arkansas
• 28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Detroit): Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor
• 29. Cleveland Cavaliers (via San Antonio): Ebuka Okorie, Stanford
• 30. Dallas Mavericks (via Oklahoma City): Luigi Suigo (Adriatic League)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA mock draft 2026: AI makes first-round picks for every team

Rangers are bracing for life without James Tavernier, their long-serving captain, who confirmed his departure from Ibrox on 22 April after an incredible eleven years at the club. The 34-year-old will leave as a free agent at the end of the 2025/26 season, and according to Football Insider, a move to Saudi Arabia is now the most likely outcome this summer. Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown, speaking to Football Insider, believes Tavernier is heading for a major payday, suggesting the Saudi Pro League offers him the financial reward that his career honestly deserves.

Rangers set to lose Tavernier as Saudi Arabia emerges as the most likely destination

Brown made it clear that Premier League interest, including from Tottenham, isn’t really there at this point, stating that he would be shocked if any top English club chased a 35-year-old right-back regardless of his free-agent status. Clubs from Greece, including Panathinaikos, and Turkey have also tracked him closely, though Rafa Benitez’s uncertain position in Athens could complicate that route. Brown didn’t mince words. Tavernier’s age makes him unattractive to elite clubs, even on a free transfer, and the Middle East simply makes the most sense for everyone involved.

“James Tavernier has had a fantastic career,” Brown told Football Insider.

“He’s done a brilliant job for Rangers over a period of time, scoring and creating so many goals from right-back and always being a key part of that side.

“He’s very highly regarded in the game, but I would be very surprised if any Premier League club made a move for him, let alone a club like Tottenham.

“He’ll be 35 by the end of the year, and I can’t imagine many clubs are going to their sporting directors saying lets bring in this 35-year-old right-back.

“Being available for free makes it more of an option than it may have been otherwise, but regardless, I don’t see any top club looking to bring him in at this stage.

“I think at his age and after deciding to leave Rangers, Tavernier is going to be looking for a big payday in Saudi Arabia or somewhere like that.”

Does losing Tavernier leave Rangers dangerously exposed going into 2026/27?

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND – APRIL 18: Marcus Tavernier of AFC Bournemouth celebrates his team’s second goal, scored by teammate Adrien Truffert during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Bournemouth at St James’ Park on April 18, 2026 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Rangers face a genuine problem heading into 2026/27 because replacing Tavernier is not simply a matter of finding another right-back. His 14 goals and six assists across 50 appearances this season show he was more of an attacking outlet than just a defender. The club have to figure out how much of Rangers’ attacking threat actually runs through him.

His weakness, getting caught out of position against pacey wide men, is well documented, and Celtic exploited it repeatedly in heavy Old Firm defeats. However, Rangers still built their attacking shape around his energy. Andrew Cavenagh and the recruitment team must act decisively because neither Dujon Sterling nor Max Aarons has really proven they can step into Tavernier’s shoes. Rangers cannot afford a slow start to their summer business.

Rangers supporters will always remember Tavernier as the man who captained their first title in a decade, leading the unbeaten 2020/21 Premiership campaign under Steven Gerrard. Whatever he chooses next, Saudi riches or European competition, his time at Ibrox is set in stone.

Arsenal 1-0 Atletico Madrid (2-1 on aggregate)

Arsenal will play the Champions League final on the 30th of May in Budapest against one of Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain, after narrowly defeating Atletico Madrid in the semi-final. After a first-half goal from Arsenal gave Mikel Arteta’s side the lead, Atletico were unable to convert their meagre openings.

Diego Simeone had to be delighted with his side’s start, with Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez combining to make life uncomfortable for the hosts. Gabriel Magalhaes had to prevent the latter getting off a clean shot, and Declan Rice was required to get a key block on Giuliano Simeone after an excellent ball from the by-line from Griezmann. To the surprise of the English media, Atletico began in hot pursuit of Arsenal, pressing hard and high up.

Yet that balance was redressed as the half went on, with Arsenal spending more time in the Atletico half. Like Los Rojiblancos, their dangerous attacks were largely limited to dangerous balls across the box without working Jan Oblak. Marcos Llorente and Matteo Ruggeri were the best examples of an Atletico that always got a foot in just in time, physical and chippy.

In the final minute of the first half though, Arsenal took the lead. A rare break free of the backline found Viktor Gyokeres down the right channel. Having forced him wide, Oblak retreated, but Gyokeres lofted a ball to the far post, which found Leandro Trossard. His shot was kept out by Oblak, but no more, with Bukayo Saka nipping ahead of Ruggeri and David Hancko to tap into the net.

Like the first half, the second period started off well for Atletico, with Los Colchoneros pushing high and moving into good positions. Only Griezmann managed to force David Raya into action though, and Giuliano Simeone missed the golden chance. After an errant backwards header, Giuliano rounded Raya, but could not wrap his foot around the ball to poke it into the net under pressure from Gabriel Magalhaes.

A string of changes followed, with Arteta and Simeone making eight changes between them in the first quarter of the second period. With Atletico desperate, now without Griezmann, Lookman and Alvarez, the game began to open up in the wrong way for Simeone’s side though. Gyokeres was picked out by Piero Hincapie with a golden chance, but couldn’t keep the bouncing ball down from the centre of the goal.

Moving into the final 20 minutes, the feeling was that Arsenal had the game where they wanted it. Atletico, incapable of founding the composure they needed to sustain attacks, were drawn into an exhausting game of football with little time on the ball, and less craft. The rare opening they did get was caused by Alexander Sorloth, but Gyokeres and Arsenal felt just as threatening on the break, with Marc Pubill on a mission to keep Atletico in the tie.

With five minutes to go, it was Sorloth that Alex Baena layed the ball back to, but he scuffed his shot. Aside from a penalty appeal that was waived away due to a supposed foul on Gabriel, that might have been the moment Atletico fans lamented most – they knew it would be the last chance. Los Rojiblancos finished the game with a single striker on the pitch, and no emergency measures next to Sorloth, unable to instigate an onslaught in search of the equaliser.

A Champions League journey that gave so much to Simeone and Atletico in terms of belief, identity and spirit comes to an end at the penultimate hurdle. Part of the electric feel that Los Rojiblancos had given to their fans was the feeling that when they got up ahead of steam, they could blow apart any opposition in their way. Not only did Arsenal find a way to stick a spanner in the Atletico motor, but Simeone’s side looked short of gas in the closing stages. The frustration will be accompanied by a sense of impotency, as they watched Arsenal celebrate a ebullient victory.

A world-champion Cuban wrestler has dismissed his lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association over rules that he said unfairly barred him from wrestling for Iowa State University.

The lawsuit, filed in December 2025, was voluntarily dismissed late last week by lawyers for Reineri Andreu Ortega, a student and prospective college wrestler at ISU, with no public disclosure as to whether a settlement had been reached.

The lawsuit challenged the NCAA’s so-called “Five-Year Eligibility Clock” and the manner in which the NCAA decides when that clock begins running and thus when a student’s eligibility to compete expires.

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Attorneys for Ortega argued the NCAA’s application of the rule violates antitrust laws and unjustifiably restrained the ability of Ortega and other college athletes to “earn meaningful compensation that is now available to (other) NCAA Division I athletes.”

The lawsuit had its origins in a 2021 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that paved the way for college athletes to receive compensation for use of their names, images, and likenesses. Since then, the market for name, image and likeness compensation opportunities available to NCAA Division I athletes has “exploded into a multi-million dollar industry,” the lawsuit claimed.

However, the lawsuit added, that form of compensation is largely available only to NCAA Division I athletes. Athletes who compete outside of what the lawsuit calls “the NCAA monopoly” have no meaningful opportunity to collect revenue-sharing income or profit from their name, image or likeness, the lawsuit argues.

Under NCAA bylaws, an athlete has five years of eligibility to play four seasons of “intercollegiate competition” in his or her chosen sport. This five-year window is known as the “eligibility clock” and begins to run from the date on which an athlete registers as a full-time student at any “collegiate institution,” regardless of whether the institution is a member of the NCAA and regardless of their participation in sports.

Lawyers for Ortega said the rule has had the effect of barring students from competing in NCAA sports. They say students such as Ortega “can attend a non-NCAA college for three years without playing any sports, take two years off from school for personal reasons, transfer to a four-year NCAA school, and the student will have used all of their eligibility without ever having competed in a college sport for a non-NCAA or NCAA college.”

Ortega completed high school in Cuba in the spring of 2016, and then, beginning in the fall of 2016, he began taking courses at Manuel Fajardo University in Cuba. In 2017, Ortega began training and wrestling for the Cuban National Team, which has no affiliation to a college or university, while continuing to study at Manuel Fajardo University until the spring of 2019.

Ortega is a two-time U23 world champion and two-time Pan American gold medalist, according to USA Wrestling.

In December 2022, Ortega left the Cuban National Team and came to America as a refugee. In the spring of 2023, Ortega enrolled at ISU, where he earned a spot on the wrestling team but without competing during the 2022-23 season.

According to the lawsuit, the NCAA denied Ortega’s request for eligibility beyond the 2022-23 season due to the five-year rule, indicating Ortega’s eligibility clock started while he was attending Manuel Fajardo University, not when he enrolled at ISU.

The lawsuit claimed the NCAA’s application of the five-year rule violates the Sherman Act by restraining the market for NCAA Division I college athletes by barring Ortega and similarly situated athletes from having an opportunity to earn money through revenue sharing and the use of their name, image and likeness.

Ortega claimed the NCAA had effectively excluded him from an NCAA Division I college career, and because, as a 130-pound athlete, he has very limited pro-wresting opportunities open to him after college, a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction barring the continued application of the eligibility rule was necessary.

The lawsuit also sought a permanent injunction that would block the NCAA from applying the five-year rule to students such as Ortega.

The NCAA, which is an association of post-secondary institutions that functions as the governing body of college sports, had sought to dismiss the case, arguing that enjoining the application of the five-year rule would not render Ortega eligible to compete on Iowa State’s wrestling team because there are other factors that bar his competition that were unchallenged in the lawsuit.

The NCAA also argued that only restraints that are “commercial in nature” are subject to provisions of the Sherman Act, and the five-year rule is not commercial.

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Mavs' Masai Ujiri reveals whether he would've traded Luka Doncic originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Dallas Mavericks finally have their replacement for Nico Harrison.

It's only fitting that one of the things the new guy, Masai Ujiri, was asked about in his introductory press conference was the move that got Harrison fired.

Harrison, of course, traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The good news for Ujiri is it'd be almost impossible for him to make a move that bad in his tenure with the Mavs.

And frankly, he may not even have this gig if Harrison had never made such a deal.

But Ujiri is in town, and he was asked Tuesday if he would've made the Doncic trade. After chuckles from the reporters in attendance, this is what Ujiri said:

"I'm going to say it again. We have to respect everybody and everything that's happened here. He is a Hall of Fame player. He's gone. He'll always be a Maverick. We'll celebrate him in the best possible way that we're going to celebrate Maverick players and stars that have been here. But we have to move. We really have to move on. It's not for me to start criticizing what anybody else is doing. It's for me to criticize what I am doing and worry about what I'm going to do. If I continue to hop in on that, I think all of you are going to be asking me about what I am doing. I have to look to the future. Because winning is what we have to do here, and winning is a responsibility of mine."

Ujiri handled that about as well as he could've, and the reality pretty much goes unsaid: Of course he wouldn't have made such a trade.

He led the Raptors for a dozen years, including their championship team in 2019. Ujiri's front office work is among the most renowned in the modern NBA, and his hire is big news for Dallas.

It'll take years to know how it works out, but as Ujiri says, his task is to bring winning back to the Mavericks. 

Maybe it never had to be taken away with Doncic's trade away, but it doesn't matter now. The hand Ujiri was dealt doesn't include Luka, and he knows that.

Florida State has been aggressively recruiting edge rushers lately. A new target has come to the forefront in the form of blue-chip 2028 recruit Brayson Robinson out of Manvel, Texas.

The Seminoles have added their name to his offer list. On Tuesday, the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder announced it.

"I am blessed to receive an offer from Florida State University!!!#Agtg✝️🙏🏾," Robinson said on social media.

Robinson comes in as the No. 244 player nationally and the No. 24 edge in the 247Sports composite rankings. He's also the No. 29 prospect in the state of Texas.

He's coming off a very productive sophomore year at Manvel High School. Robinson racked up 67 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three pass breakups, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.

Robinson isn’t the only player from Manvel High School that FSU has interest in. They have also extended an offer to 2027 three-star safety Karnell "Greedy" James, who is currently committed to the Texas Longhorns.

Some of the other programs that have Robinson include Houston, North Carolina, TCU, Vanderbilt, and SMU. FSU does not have a commit in the 2028 recruiting cycle.

I am blessed to receive an offer from Florida State University!!!#Agtg✝️🙏🏾@FSUFootball@justinallen_13@CoachMIL1@BALLERSCHOICE1@HOTLISTCAMPS@SWiltfong_@adamgorney@samspiegs@TomLoy247@LemmingReport@Rivals@CoachKirkMartin@MrCoachRob@coachhayes23@jeffries_jacobpic.twitter.com/68wEXqOQE0

— Brayson Robinson 4⭐️ (@imbrayrobinson) May 5, 2026

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

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Football: Florida State offers edge Brayson Robinson

The Seattle Seahawks weren’t supposed to sprint to the Super Bowl last year, and they especially weren’t supposed to win the whole thing. But they did — and now NFL.com has sized up five squads that could replicate that path. Wouldn’t you know it? The Vikings are among them.

Minnesota’s path is obvious: defend like crazy, get enough from Kyler Murray, and let Kevin O’Connell steer it.

That’s the word from Tom Blair, who claimed last week that the Vikings could follow a Seattle-like path to Super Bowl LXI.

Brian Flores Gives Minnesota a Real Contender Blueprint

Would you be stunned if Minnesota morphed into a real contender?

Blair on the Vikings as a Super Bowl Dark Horse

Blair named five teams that could follow in Seattle’s footsteps: the Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers — and the Vikings.

On Minnesota, he explained, “Do they have a Dark Side? Brian Flores’ famously formidable defense was as effective as ever in 2025, ranking seventh in EPA per play (-0.14) and points allowed per game (19.6) and third in yards allowed per play (4.7), but the offense could not keep up, with a season-long point differential of plus-11 matching perfectly with Minnesota’s 9-8 finish.”

“Like the Texans, the Vikings have a defense that could drive true dominance, with just a little more support from the offense. Like Seattle, Minnesota has been fitfully competitive over the past few years. The Vikings have plenty of talent, and I have confidence in the coaching regime.”

The Vikings’ defense also added four new rookies in the first three rounds of the draft last month.

Blair added, “If they were also working with the same level of front-office stability that the Seahawks have enjoyed under Schneider, I’d feel better about giving them the top spot.”

“Whoever takes over as full-time GM might knock the job out of the park, but the late-January firing of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah brings some uncertainty to the team-building portion of the equation.”

The Defense Checks the Big Box

Looking for reasons to agree with NFL.com? Look no further than the Vikings’ defense, led by Flores. Flores’s men ranked third in the NFL per defensive DVOA in 2025, fully hitting their groove in December and January — when it should have mattered the most — and propelling Minnesota to a five-game win streak to close out the season on a high note.

In fact, since Flores arrived in the Twin Cities three years ago, he has fostered the league’s second-best defense per EPA/Play, only trailing the Cleveland Browns, a club that somehow has featured great defense with nothing tangible to show for it.

Minnesota’s defense has checked all boxes as a Super Bowl contender — going on four seasons now — so it’s all up to head coach Kevin O’Connell and the offense, which, should, in theory, be O’Connell’s personal baby.

Wait and See at QB

On the offense, well, the Vikings’ quarterback play must improve in 2026. Finishing 9-8 a year ago, Minnesota showcased the NFL’s fifth-worst dropback EPA, a short way of saying the quarterback production stunk compared to the Vikings’ NFL peers. Winning nine games with the fifth-worst quarterback efficiency isn’t a normal outcome. Therefore, the sky could be the limit if Minnesota showcases average-or-better quarterback play in 2026.

Insert Kyler Murray.

Minnesota scooped Murray from free agency for just over a million bucks, and he’s in town to make the Arizona Cardinals look bad. Comically, the Cardinals are paying Murray to play for the Vikings. It’s how Minnesota got away with such a dinky contract. Murray has been compensated for 2026 based on the guaranteed money from his 2022 contract extension.

O’Connell either needs Murray to produce decent numbers or rip the lid off and go full Pro Bowl-caliber. If he achieves the latter, Murray can indeed lead the Vikings deep into the postseason.

Run the Football?

Meanwhile, O’Connell must run the football. Remember the five-game win streak in December? That happened because O’Connell got the memo about running the football. When quarterbacks struggle, a smart playcaller cannot load up and throw the rock 40 times per game. It’s a recipe for utter disaster — Minnesota started 2025 with a 4-8 record, remember?

So, O’Connell must commit to his rushing offense, and even more than last year, when his team ranked 19th per rush playcall percentage. Nineteenth was a step in the right direction for O’Connell — Minnesota ranked 30th in the same metric in 2022 and 2023 — but now that percentage ranking must enter the top half of the league.

If the Vikings play their usual level of defense, empower Murray to play like prime Murray, and run the football, there’s no doubt they’ll reach the playoffs and bring to life Blair’s dark horse Super Bowl contendership talker. It’s actually pretty simple.

The Pittsburgh Steelers' nightmare of Aaron Rodgers having another landing spot may have been realized, as an Arizona Cardinals wide receiver is attempting to recruit him to the NFC West.

Taking to social media in viral fashion, new Cardinals wide receiver Kendrick Bourne made his best sales pitch for Rodgers to sign with Arizona.

"[Aaron Rodgers], come on, we waiting on you," Bourne wrote via X.

𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Cardinals WR Kendrick Bourne makes his pitch to Aaron Rodgers.

Could Rodgers actually land in Arizona? pic.twitter.com/fxBfYZwi7z

— JPA (@jasrifootball) May 5, 2026

The Rodgers-to-Arizona rumors began to heat up after the Steelers placed a UFA tag on the veteran quarterback to protect their compensatory pick in case he signs elsewhere. But there are very few landing spots that would actually be a fit besides the Steelers and Cardinals.

While the noise surrounding Rodgers' potential Steelers exit continues to grow, Pittsburgh is still reportedly confident that the four-time MVP will suit up in the Black and Gold in 2026.

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

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers-Cardinals battle for Rodgers heats up following viral post

Tim Bradley puts his analyst cap on to break down the upcoming super welterweight title defense between Xander Zayas and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, taking place June 27. Here Bradley shares his thoughts on what makes the matchup intriguing, with some highlighted excerpts below.

“Boots is put in a situation in this fight to where he has to show the hell up and show the hell out because there’s been so much hype and so much clout around him and he hasn’t really had the opportunity to showcase,” Bradley said. “I mean, the biggest opportunity he got was when he fought against Stanionis and he passed that with flying colors. And so, it’s like I don’t think we’ve seen the best Boots yet.

“One thing about fighters that have like a really high skill set and have the mentality of a Boots Ennis, the one thing about is us like when the competition gets better, so does our focus, so does our — everything gets sharpened, just put it that way.

“This fight right here has woken up a beast in Boots and Boots has to prove that everything that ya’ll been saying about me is real and I’m going to show you in this fight against this guy right who thinks just because he got two belts and all, that he can beat me.

“I think this is definitely the type of fight that can raise somebody’s game in like Xander Zayas as well. But he’s not afraid, I can tell you that much. Xander is not afraid and he truly believes in his heart that he can beat Boots. And it’s going to be truly amazing to see what happens on that night.”

The Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao rematch won’t be held as initially scheduled this fall after all. 

Mayweather and Pacquiao were initially scheduled for their rematch at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 19, and the fight was going to be broadcast by Netflix. But after several issues have come up, the Sphere has now been booked for another event.

The venue has now booked a pair of “Eagles” concerts that weekend, part of the band’s residence at the Sphere. Neither sides, nor Netflix, commented to ESPN about the status of the fight after the band’s concerts were booked. 

It’s unclear if the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight will still be held on Sept. 19, just at a different venue, or still at the Sphere on a different date. But at least for now, Sept. 19 at the Sphere is officially off the table. 

There have been several roadblocks that have come up since Netflix first announced this fight in February, which the streaming giant called a “one-in-a-generation event” that Mayweather was “officially coming out of retirement” for. But in March, Mayweather said that both the fight wasn’t locked in at the Sphere and that it wasn’t going to be a professional fight. He insisted instead that it would be an exhibition, which wouldn’t threaten his undefeated 50-0 record. 

Pacquiao’s camp has responded and indicated that they would hold Mayweather to the “binding agreement” that was signed. Pacquiao has since set up a base of operations at an old “Mayweather Boxing + Fitness” gym in Los Angeles, too, and rebranded it as his own.

Mayweather has apparently been dealing with financial issues in his post-fight career, and is reportedly even facing a lien from the IRS over unpaid taxes in 2018 and 2023. He does have two exhibition fights announced. One with Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis is on the books in Athens, Greece in June. Another with Mike Tyson was announced, too, but that also does not have a date or a venue set.

While neither side nor Netflix has commented yet on the Eagles show issue, the status of the Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch is very much up in the air. The fact that the fight no longer has a home, and it may potentially be dropped to exhibition status, are not good omens for the once hyped rematch between the two iconic fighters. 

The Los Angeles Rams' nemesis in 2025 was the Seattle Seahawks. They beat the Rams in Week 16 when first place in the NFC West and the No. 1 seed were up for grabs, and then knocked Los Angeles out of the playoffs in the conference title game.

The Rams did win their first meeting with Mike Macdonald's team in Week 11, but when it mattered most, Los Angeles came up short.

There's no doubt they're the top team standing in the Rams' way next season, but Los Angeles has a roster capable of dethroning the defending champs. Byron Young spoke to DJ Siddiqi of R.org recently and explained what the Rams must do to beat the Seahawks in 2026, saying it'll come down to the little things.

“We have to finish,” Young said. “That’s a complete team. That’s a team where you can’t give them a chance, you won’t give them much type of chance, because that’s how you lose. You can’t make mistakes like that, the small mistakes we made, because that’s how you lose.

“Beating a team like that is eliminating the mistakes and capitalizing off their mistakes. Just keep playing that type of football, we could play that brand of football. I think that’s the key to beating teams like that, because they score, they’re going to make big plays, because that is a good team. They’re hungry, they’re trying to continue that repeat, so it’s our job.”

The Rams made too many mistakes down the stretch in their two losses to the Seahawks, whether it was allowing a punt return touchdown in Week 16 or failing to get into the end zone late in the fourth quarter of the NFC title game. And even after coming up short on offense, they failed to get a stop defensively when the game was on the line.

With an improved secondary and the same explosive offense, the Rams are built to beat the Seahawks. They just have to execute.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams OLB Byron Young explains what LA must do to dethrone Seahawks

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76ers' Kelly Oubre Jr. claims Jalen Brunson's 'big head' makes Knicks star so hard to guard originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Jalen Brunson powered the Knicks to a blowout 137-98 against the Sixers on Monday night, posting another dizzying display in a tenure increasingly filled with them.

Brunson led the way with 35 points, anchoring a New York attack that bordered on unstoppable at times in Game 1. Philadelphia sent a wave of defenders to attempt to blight Brunson's influence. Its efforts didn't work. Brunson left a trail of weary defenders -- including Kelly Oubre Jr. -- in his wake.

Oubre tried to offer insight into the trials and tribulations that come with attempting to track Brunson on Tuesday afternoon. He highlighted a unique aspect of his game -- his hulking head.

Here's what you need to know.

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76ers' Kelly Oubre Jr. claims Jalen Brunson's 'big head' is what makes him hard to guard

Oubre had his say on Brunson's gifts while speaking with reporters on Tuesday. Brunson gashed Philadelphia's defense to the tune of 35 points on 12-of-18 shooting on Monday night. He tallied 27 of that total in the first half, helping the Knicks forge a nigh-on impenetrable advantage.

When asked about Brunson's efforts, Oubre was complimentary. He also offered an incisive bit of commentary on what makes Brunson such a tough guard.

Oubre pointed to Brunson's larger than average cranium as one of the reasons for his on-court success. He explained that the size of his head inhibits defenders from getting close to him. When they do, they tend to get struck by his braids.

Oubre says Brunson “has a big head.” Claims he is hard to guard because people get hit by his braids. pic.twitter.com/pR0SQ3UjEP

— Barbara Barker (@meanbarb) May 5, 2026

Oubre isn't the first person to make comments about the size of Brunson's head. His New York teammate, Josh Hart, has made similar comments, once revealing that Brunson was unable to fit into multiple hats he purchased on account of his head size.

“That’s kind of a little embarrassing, because he has a huge head and really little ears," Hart said in 2024, per Page Six.

He expressed similar sentiments when responding to Oubre's comments on Tuesday afternoon.

Hart when asked if he thinks Jalen Brunson has a big head: “I think that’s pretty well documented.” pic.twitter.com/M4VZWlSgq1

— Barbara Barker (@meanbarb) May 5, 2026

"I think that's pretty well documented," Hart said. 

Manchester United’s true feelings on the FA Youth Cup venue confirmation has been revealed.

FA Youth Cup details announced

Earlier on Wednesday, a report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that Manchester City will host United in the FA Youth Cup final at the Joie Stadium.

United booked their spot in the final after overcoming Crystal Palace in the semi-final stage, courtesy of strikes from JJ Gabriel and Chido Obi. City were drawn as the home team for what will be the first Manchester derby to take place in an FA Youth Cup final since 1986.

The overwhelming expectation was that the showpiece event would be held at the Etihad, but an agreement on a date at City’s man grounds could not be found.

The game will therefore be staged at the Joie Stadium, which is reserved for the youth and women’s teams. It can accommodate 7,000 spectators.

The FA released a statement which reads, “The date, kick-off time, venue and broadcast details for the 2025-26 FA Youth Cup Final have now been confirmed.”

“Manchester City will play Manchester United on Thursday 14 May at the Joie Stadium. The Final will kick off at 19:00 BST and it will be broadcast live on TNT Sports 1.”

The Daily Mail have now revealed how United feel about this development.

United’s true stance

According to the newspaper, Darren Fletcher’s side are “disappointed” at the decision to hold the match at City’s academy grounds.

The two clubs had been in talks for long to the point that they will not meet the FA’s deadline of playing the game by May 9.

The Mail further explain, “It is customary that the Youth Cup, the most prestigious tournament in academy football, hosts the final at a first-team stadium and City are the only club this century to use their academy ground for such an event.”

“There have been whispers for weeks that a match beyond the end of the Premier League season was discussed as a potential option, while a switch to play it at Old Trafford was proposed by the FA rather than United.”

“Sources close to United’s Under 18s team have expressed their disappointment to Confidential. They say it’s a shame that the first all-Manchester Youth Cup final since 1986 could not be played at the Etihad, but are keen not to fall out with their neighbours over it.”

It is said that City were not willing to give up home advantage. The Blues insist that the Etihad is not available for use due to ongoing construction on the North Stand ahead of a planned test event on May 20.

When United last appeared in an FA Youth Cup final, they drew over 67,000 fans to Old Trafford, with the squad featuring the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.

Meanwhile, Michael Carrick and his players are next in action on Saturday when they go away to Sunderland.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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Liverpool are in the market for a new forward.

Last summer around £200m went on new strikers - including a British record deal for Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike also came on board.

But it’s been a season to forget for Liverpool’s new strike force. Isak, 26, has spent much of the season injured while Ekitike is currently on the sidelines with a ruptured achilles.

Accordingly it’s been reported that sporting director Richard Hughes is ready to enter the market for a new No9 at the end of the season.

It would be unwise to rely just on Isak as a senior option next season - given the scale of the £125m man’s injury issues. That means acquiring a top-quality forward becomes a priority for the Premier League champions’ sporting director.

Eli Junior Kroupi available for £60m

And one name in the frame to arrive is Eli Junior Kroupi of Hughes’ former club Bournemouth.

The Frenchman has been the breakout star of his top-flight campaign - weighing in with 12 goals and putting himself in the shop window.

A report from Sports Boom now claims that the Cherries would be ready to discuss a deal at around £60m for the France under-21 forward.

Liverpool will be right there for his signature but face competition from Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea as well as Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid for Kroupi according to the report.

“Bournemouth is expected to open the door for the young striker in the €60 million to €70 million bracket,” the report reads. “The player’s long-term contract, running until 2029, significantly strengthens the club's hand at the negotiating table.

“The absence of any release clause allows Bournemouth to play the role of the "stubborn seller" to the fullest.

“[Liverpool] admire Kroupi’s tactical flexibility and his ability to play as a "False 9”, the report continues. “Liverpool seeks a name to add creativity to the attacking line in the post-Mohamed Salah era.”

Eli Junior Kroupi: Situation summary

Eli Junior Kroupi is a 19‑year‑old French forward who joined Bournemouth from Lorient in February 2025 for around €10–13m and has quickly become a key attacker in his first full Premier League season.

He is under contract until June 2030 and does not have a release clause, with Bournemouth exploring an improved “blockbuster” deal, which leaves them in a strong negotiating position.

Stylistically, Kroupi is a mobile, instinctive striker who stretches backlines, attacks space and finishes quickly, drawing comparisons with Kylian Mbappé and Sergio Agüero.

He thrives in Bournemouth’s high‑tempo, flexible attack, makes sharp runs, presses diligently and can play as a central nine or second striker, though he remains heavily right‑footed and is still developing his physical strength and final ball.

After a breakout campaign and rising valuations in the £50–80m bracket, he is attracting strong interest from Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and PSG, with Bournemouth likely to sell only for a huge fee this summer or else keep him as a flagship asset for another season.

When Texas Longhorns head coach Sean Miller is asked about rising junior center Matas Vokietaitis, there’s one reliable anecdote Miller often falls back on to describe the 7’0, 255-pounder.

When Miller was at Arizona and the late, great Bill Walton was around, Walton liked to remind Miller that big men come in two categories — those who play the game because they’re taller than everyone else and that’s what people told them to do, and those who play the game because the love it, a binary perspective perhaps influenced by Walton’s own growth spurt from 6’1 to 6’7 between his sophomore and junior years of high school.

“What I would say with Matas, if he were 6’2, he would play basketball, like, he loves it, and that’s a real gift for a seven-footer, and you can see it in his work ethic every day,” Miller said in November.

It’s a story that Miller recounted during a Monday appearance on the Field of 68 after host Jeff Goodman apologized for previously calling Vokietaitis “the dirtiest player in college basketball” for his frequent hook and holds, going on to recall a story told to him about Vokietaitis picking up 10 technical fouls the season before coming to the United States to play at Florida Atlantic.

Goodman asked the Texas head coach what it’s like coaching Vokitaitis, prompting the Walton anecdote and a note about the six-percent body fat of Vokietatis before addressing the issues with managing his style of play.

“Once you get in the game, he is incredibly physical and then he has the next level, where sometimes that physicality can get away from him,” Miller said.

In getting to the free-throw line 7.9 times per game, Vokietaitis got drew fouls at a high rate as a sophomore — as often as former Purdue standout Zach Edey in his senior season, Miller noted — but also dished out a lot of punishment to opponents, ultimately leading the SEC in fouls while averaging 5.3 fouls per 40 minutes and getting whistled for five technical fouls and one flagrant foul.

“One of the things we’re trying to teach Matas is you don’t want the spotlight to be on you on every play, you just have to pick and choose your your battles, and your physicality can be a gift. Don’t weaponize it every time, don’t be in the fray every time,” Miller said.

More consistently staying out of foul trouble would allow Vokietaitis to better take advantage of his superb conditioning with more playing time than the 26 minutes per game he averaged in 2025-26.

Along with other areas for improvement like the consistency of his free-throw shooting, finishing with his right hand around the rim, and becoming a better defensive rebounder, Vokietaitis has untapped upside that his work ethic can unlock if his emotional maturity and discipline can match it after averaging 15.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

“I believe if he can make some growth in [fouling less], and also just become a little bit better defensively — and part of him being better defensively is not fouling, protecting the rim in a smarter way — I have no doubt he’ll be one of America’s best players,” Miller said.

Back in September, reporter Pablo Torre of the podcast “Pablo Torre Finds Out” exposed the Los Angeles Clippers for using an allegedly fraudulent four-year, $28 million endorsement deal with Aspiration to circumvent NBA salary cap rules and pay superstar Kawhi Leonard more money.

Torre released multiple episodes that included legal documents and quotes from former Aspiration employees to prove his claim against the Clippers.

On Monday, Torre was named the winner of the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting.

“For a pioneering and entertaining form of live podcast journalism that investigated how the Los Angeles Clippers seemingly evaded the NBA’s salary cap rules by funneling money to a star player through an environmental startup,” The Pulitzer Prizes said.

The Clippers have consistently denied the allegations Torre made about the endorsement deal. In a letter he sent to U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer said he was “duped” by Aspiration founder Joe Sandberg.

The NBA is still investigating the claims against the Clippers, and there is no timeline for when a decision will be made. However, it is reportedly no longer expected that Leonard’s contract with Los Angeles will be voided, despite initially being listed as a potential punishment if found guilty.

Possible punishments include million-dollar fines, loss of draft picks and suspension of Ballmer and other franchise staff members.

Photo Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The post Pablo Torre Wins Pulitzer Prize for Report on Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard Scandal appeared first on LA Sports Report.

Napoli will turn Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund's loan into a permanent move, West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville is being monitored by a number of clubs and Chelsea consider appointing Xavi Hernandez as their next manager.

Napoli say they will sign on-loan Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund, 23, on a permanent deal. The Serie A side are close to securing a Champions League spot which would trigger a £38m fee for the Denmark forward. (Mirror)

West Ham attacker Crysencio Summerville, 24, is being monitored by a number of clubs across Europe, with the Dutch winger's asking price set to drop if the Hammers are relegated. (Telegraph - subscription required)

Former Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez is under consideration by Chelsea to be their next manager. (Independent)

Tottenham and Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, 29, and Liverpool's England midfielder Curtis Jones, 25, are on Inter Milan's radar. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)

Liverpool boss Arne Slot is set to stay at the club, despite Ajax being interested in the Dutchman. (Mirror)

Liverpool are weighing up a move for 28-year-old Bournemouth and Argentina defender Marco Senesi, who has verbally agreed to join Tottenham if they avoid relegation from the Premier League. (Talksport)

Barcelona are interested in Bournemouth's 19-year-old forward Junior Kroupi but will face competition from Manchester City and several other Premier League clubs for the France Under-21 international. (Sky Sports)

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe will get the chance to lead the club's biggest rebuild since the 2021 takeover, with significant change expected at St James' Park this summer. (i sport)

Portugal and Juventus forward Francisco Conceicao, 23, is being watched by a number of Premier League clubs. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)

Major League Soccer sides LA Galaxy and Inter Miami lead the race to sign Manchester United's Brazil midfielder Casemiro, 34, when his Old Trafford contract expires, despite interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. (Talksport)

Casemiro's desire to play with Lionel Messi means the 34-year-old is willing to reduce his salary demands to join the 38-year-old Argentina forward at Inter Miami. (Sky Sports)

Real Madrid and Brazil forward Vinicius Jr, 25, wants some things to change at the Bernabeu - not just his salary - before he signs a new contract with the club. (Radio Marca - in Spanish)

Bayern Munich's honorary president Uli Hoeness says Austria midfielder Konrad Laimer, 28, is "not Maradona" as the two parties struggle to agree a contract extension. (Sky Sport Germany - in German)

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Fans have widely expected Islam Makhachev to face Ian Machado Garry in his first welterweight title defence. The matchup has been treated as the most logical next step.

Other contenders remain in the picture, including Carlos Prates and Michael Morales. Even so, most signs had pointed towards the Irishman receiving the opportunity.

That assumption has now been challenged. Makhachev’s latest comments suggest the situation is far from settled as discussions continue behind the scenes.

Islam Makhachev casts doubt on Ian Garry fight plans

Makhachev admitted he is still unclear about his next opponent despite already beginning preparations. The uncertainty reflects a lack of direct communication from the promotion.

The Dagestani star said (via Red Corner MMA): “The UFC hasn’t informed me about it yet, but there’s been a lot of rumors about me fighting Ian Garry next. Yet I haven’t talked with any officials about this fight.”

Makhachev made it clear that several contenders are under consideration, as the division currently offers multiple viable options for a title bout.

“So, I can’t tell for sure who is the next contender. I’ve got 3-4 more possible matchups. Kamaru Usman is also up there, Ian Garry, Morales, Prates. They’re all expecting a title shot,” he said.

Carlos Prates emerges as the most intriguing option for Islam Makhachev

Among those names, Makhachev highlighted a potential bout against Prates as particularly appealing.

That surge follows the Brazilian’s dominant win over Jack Della Maddalena last weekend. The result significantly boosted his standing in the division.

“Well, I think Prates has got the hype now. He’s talked about much more now. So I think a fight with him would be the most interesting,” the champion commented.

In the latest rankings, Prates climbed to number two. Ian Garry, meanwhile, now holds the number one contender position.

Read more:

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse stepped away from the team Tuesday, May 5 so he could attend the funeral of his older brother.

The 76ers coach flew home to Iowa after the loss against the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the NBA conference semifinals following the death of his older brother, Steve Nurse, per The Philadelphia Inquirer. Nurse's brother reportedly died "unexpectedly" on April 29 before Game 6 between the 76ers and the Boston Celtics in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Steve Nurse, who was 62 years old, was the longtime athletic equipment manager for the University of Northern Iowa.

According to The Athletic, the 76ers held a film session but no practice Tuesday afternoon.

Nurse is expected to rejoin the organization in New York Tuesday evening. Game 2 against the Knicks is Wednesday at Madison Square Garden at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Nurse has coached the Sixers for three seasons, beginning with the 2023-24 season, and has taken the team to the playoffs twice, including this year. Nurse began his head coaching career with the Raptors in 2018-19 after five years as assistant in Toronto. He led the Raptors to their first NBA title in his first season with the team.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nick Nurse away from Philadelphia 76ers for older brother's funeral

NBA fans set social media ablaze with takes last week when Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets fell to the Timberwolves in six games, even despite Minnesota star Anthony Edwards missing multiple games in the series, and his backup, Ayo Dosunmu, also missing the deciding Game 6.

The takes, obviously, were giving Jokic a ton of heat for his shortcomings in the series against Minnesota, in which, truth be told, he did not look like his usual self. Naturally, Jokic's subpar, by his illustrious standards, performance in the postseason led to him catching flak once more for a popular anti-Joker talking point: the fact that he has never beaten a 50-win team in a playoff series.

The year Denver won the championship in 2022-23, the Nuggets defeated a 42-40 Timberwolves team in the first round, a 45-37 Phoenix Suns squad in the second round, a 43-39 Los Angeles Lakers team in the Western Conference Finals and a 44-38 Miami Heat group in the NBA Finals.

According to our research back in 2024, that Nuggets title run was the easiest in modern NBA history based on opponent win percentage, as Denver's foes in the 2023 postseason had a combined win percentage of 53.05 percent. The only teams that faced weaker competition on their way to a championship than the '23 Nuggets (based on opponent win percentage) were the '53 Lakers, the '57 Celtics, the '56 Warriors and the '59 Celtics.

In fairness to Jokic, at least with regard to that stat, in the 2019-20 COVID-shortened season, the big man did lead his Nuggets to series victories against two teams - the Utah Jazz (44-28) and Los Angeles Clippers (49-23) - who had win percentages higher than that of 50-win teams in normal years. But because the regular season was shortened by COVID-19, those two teams weren't able to reach 50 wins. A 50-win regular season equates to a 60.9 percent win rate. The '20 Jazz had a 61.1 percent regular-season win rate, while the '20 Clippers had a 68.1 percent regular-season win rate.

Nevertheless, all of that Jokic slander got us thinking about which NBA All-Stars won the most playoff series against teams that had at least 50 wins in the regular season.

The answer is none other than the late, great Kobe Bryant - and comfortably so.

Bryant won an astounding 25 playoff series against teams that won at least 50 regular-season games that same year, three more than the next closest player, Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen. Considering Bryant in total won 33 playoff series in his entire career, for 25 of those playoff series victories, amounting to roughly 76 percent, to come against 50-win teams is nearly unfathomable.

Bryant owns this record courtesy of a long, successful career playing in an era in which the Western Conference was a beast, perhaps even more so than it is today. Let's use 2008 as an example. That year, the Golden State Warriors went 48-34... and they missed the playoffs by a full two games, as the No. 8 seed Utah Jazz went 50-32. That means every single team to make the playoffs out of the West in '08 won at least 50 games.

And who won that West that year?

That would be Bryant and the Lakers.

Among Bryant's top vanquished foes in the playoffs were the 59-23 Portland Trail Blazers in the 2000 Western Conference Finals, the 58-24 San Antonio Spurs in the 2001 Western Conference Finals, the 61-21 Sacramento Kings in the 2002 Western Conference Finals and the 58-24 Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2004 Western Conference Finals.

While it is true that Bryant was not the No. 1 player for many of those playoff series victories, the fact that he kept winning series against 50-win teams after Shaquille O'Neal, who ranks fifth in this same exercise, left L.A. speaks to Bryant's greatness.

Pippen impressively comes in second here. Michael Jordan's sidekick actually had two more playoff series victories against 50-win teams than Jordan, thanks to his career lasting another six seasons after Jordan's second (but not final) retirement.

By the time Pippen left the East in 1998 to join the Western Conference, the power had shifted between the two conferences, as the West had become the juggernaut it is today. As an example, in 1999-00, Pippen and the Portland Trail Blazers had to face a 50-32 Timberwolves team in the first round, followed by a 55-27 Utah Jazz team in Round 2, both series in which Portland was victorious.

Of course, even more so than Bryant, Pippen was not the No. 1 player on those teams. He wasn't when he was playing alongside Jordan, and he definitely wasn't the top dog on those Blazers teams when he had reached the role-playing portion of his career.

Meanwhile, Jordan ranks third here even though he had a shorter career than anyone else in the Top 8. (MJ had just 11 full seasons in Chicago, not counting his 18-game second season due to injury, or his first retirement return in '95.) Among Jordan's most impressive playoff series victories was the '93 Finals, when MJ and Co. took down Charles Barkley's Phoenix Suns in six games. That Suns team went 62-20 in the regular season that year. Jordan and Co. also took down the 60-22 Orlando Magic in the '96 Eastern Conference Finals, a team that was led by a young Shaq, and followed that up by defeating the 64-18 Seattle SuperSonics in the Finals in six games.

Just to reiterate, this exercise is only looking at the NBA All-Stars with playoff series victories against 50-win teams. If we were looking at the players with the most such wins in their careers, the role-playing (and very clutch) Derek Fisher and Robert Horry would be No. 1 among all players, each with 30. Ridiculous.

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The NBA All-Stars with the most playoff series wins against 50-win teams

A true MLS icon, Kei Kamara has decided it's time to hang up his cleats for good, two decades after first joining the league.

The 41-year-old former Sierra Leone international spent most of last season with FC Cincinnati, failing to find the back of the net in 22 appearances across all competitions.

Regardless, Kamara retires as the MLS’s second leading goal scorer to date with 147 in 461 games for 12 different teams. He steps aside just 24 goals behind former U.S. Men’s National Team striker Chris Wondolowski.

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Kamara announced his decision to retire via a video shared on social media. Captioned “#ThankYou #AmSoBlessed #HeartShapedhands,” the clip sees Kamara at the Kansas City Current’s CPKC Stadium, picking up his cleats and kissing them before being reunited with his family on the field.

“I never played for just one crest. I played for the love of the game and the places it carried me,” he said. “From Sierra Leone to America, 20 years of chasing something bigger. Goals fade, records fade, but what you carry forward, that stays.”

As he and his family then walk towards a scoreboard which reads “Thank you” along with the heart-shaped hands emoji, Kamara is asked by his one of his three children, “Dad, where are we going now?” To which he replies, “We're going home.”

The video ends with the caption, “Thank you, football. Kei Kamara. 06’ - 26’. God Bless.”

The home of the NWSL’s Current was a fitting place to make his announcement, given that his 122 appearances for Sporting Kansas City are the most he made for any single club by far.

During his time with Kansas City, Kamara won two Eastern Conference titles and one of his two career U.S. Open Cups.

His best was still to come, however, being named to the MLS Best XI for the first and only time in his career in 2015 after rejoining the Columbus Crew, having also led the MLS in goals scored that season along with Sebastian Giovinco, before leading the MLS Cup Playoffs in goals that year.

The Crew went on to lose the Cup final 2-1 to the Portland Timbers, with Kamara scoring Kansas City’s lone goal.

A two-time MLS All-Star, Kamara would go on to win his second U.S. Open Cup in 2024 with LAFC, marking his last major trophy.

While Kamara retires having spent the vast majority of his career in the U.S., he did also venture abroad, spending part of the 2012-2013 Premier League season on loan with Norwich City, before spending the next year in the Championship with Middlesbrough.

In 2021, Kamara returned to Europe, briefly joining Finnish side HIFK Fotboll, before once again heading back to the U.S.

As for his international career, Kamara made 45 appearances between 2008 and 2025 for Sierra Leone, scoring eight goals and appearing in one Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

Paige Bueckers Just Beat Caitlin Clark in One Major WNBA GM Survey Question originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The WNBA’s future is loaded with star power, but general managers have a new favorite player to build around.

In the 2026 WNBA GM Survey, Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers was voted the No. 1 player GMs would sign if they were starting a franchise today. Bueckers received 33 percent of the vote, finishing ahead of Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson, who tied for second at 20 percent.

That’s a notable shift from last year’s survey, when Clark led the same category with 50 percent of the vote.

Why WNBA GMs picked Paige Bueckers over Caitlin Clark

This does not mean Clark has fallen out of the WNBA’s elite tier. She still received votes as a franchise-building player, finished second to Chelsea Gray in the “best point guard” category and was one of the few players mentioned in the MVP race.

But the survey shows how quickly Bueckers’ stock has climbed entering her second WNBA season.

Bueckers’ case is easy to understand:

• She gives Dallas a true franchise centerpiece.
• She can score, create and play off the ball.
• Her game fits with almost any roster construction.
• GMs also voted Dallas as the team that made the best offseason moves.
• The Wings were picked as the WNBA’s most improved team and most fun team to watch.

Bueckers is not just being viewed in a vacuum. GMs appear to be buying the entire Dallas picture, from the roster moves to the young core to the entertainment value.

Clark remains one of the league’s biggest stars and most dangerous offensive engines. Wilson remains the safest superstar in the sport and was picked by 60 percent of GMs to win MVP.

Still, this category is about one question: If a GM could start from scratch, who would they choose?

In 2026, the answer was Bueckers.

That alone should add even more attention to every Wings-Fever matchup this season.

Liverpool’s number nine missed out at the weekend with a minor injury from the previous match, and Arne Slot was keen to emphasize it’s non-issue before the match:

“Of course, very unlucky and unhappy with the fact Alex picked up a small – really small – injury. That’s why this game came a bit too early.

“It wasn’t much but unfortunately it was too much for him to be able to play.”

With Liverpool looking to secure European football for next season, having Isak available against Chelsea would be a book. Slot has left it open to hope that the striker will be available for Liverpool’s next league game:

“With Alex, it wasn’t much but unfortunately, it was too much for him to be able to play. We are hoping to have him back next week but that is small margins.”

LSU vs. University of Georgia at John Cropp Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky — SECN

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

The Wisconsin Badgers have been heavily involved with several of the top in-state prospects in the 2027 class. Among them is top-40 senior Donovan Davis, who is considered a high four-star recruit in the class.

Davis, a 6’7, 200-pound forward from Kaukana, Wisconsin, has steadily risen in the 2027 class, and the Badgers have fought hard to be in the mix. They were named in Davis’s top 5 last week, alongside Iowa State, Iowa, Nebraska, and Marquette.

Currently, Wisconsin doesn’t have a commitment in the Class of 2027. Davis is set to announce his decision on Wednesday.

Davis is currently considered the No. 7 power forward in the country and the No. 2 player in the state of Wisconsin behind only Dooney Johnson, a five-star guard who committed to the Gonzaga Bulldogs.

Davis had taken official visits to all five of his contenders last month. He started with Wisconsin on April 13th, went to Iowa on April 15th, Marquette on April 17th, Nebraska on April 20th, and capped off with Iowa State on April 29th before announcing a decision date on May 6th.

Wisconsin is also involved with four-star guard Jalen Brown, three-star forward Jack Kohnen, three-star forward Kager Knueppel, three-star guard Deuce McDuffie, among other recruits in the Class of 2027.

But Davis would surely be a huge get for the Badgers as a cornerstone piece for the Badgers in the upcoming recruiting class.

Washington vs. Minnesota at Maryland Softball Stadium, College Park, Maryland — BTN

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

Everton, Brighton, and Sunderland are all keeping tabs on CA Osasuna defender Enzo Boyomo, according to Diario de Noticias de Navarra, via Sport Witness. The 24-year-old Cameroon international has a €25m release clause, and local sources claim at least some of these English sides are ready to pay up, though the report doesn’t specify which ones.

Everton eye a La Liga centre-back with a €25m price tag this summer

Ipswich Town and Italian club Como are also in contention; Sport Witness noted last month that Ipswich even sent a scout to watch Boyomo in person. That same scout was back in the stands against Barcelona last weekend. With Sunderland recently clinching promotion back to the Premier League this season, the race for his signature is getting crowded.

Osasuna, sensing the growing buzz, are already worried about losing him and have started looking for replacements. Any deal hinges on a club meeting his full release clause, a detail also confirmed by AS. Transfermarkt currently values Boyomo at €20m, and he’s under contract until 2029 with the agency All Iron Sports. So far this season, he has clocked 2,305 minutes over 27 games, including a start in the Copa del Rey.

Do Everton actually need Boyomo badly enough to spend €25m on him this summer?

PAMPLONA, SPAIN – MARCH 21: Enzo Boyomo of CA Osasuna duels for the ball with Viktor Tsyhankov of Girona FC during the LaLiga EA Sports match between CA Osasuna and Girona FC at Estadio El Sadar on March 21, 2026 in Pamplona, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Everton are set to kick off the 2026/27 season in their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, and there is massive pressure to put together a competitive squad from day one. As it stands, the club have some big question marks at centre-back heading into the summer. Boyomo reads the game well, holds his own in the air, and is a composed, left-footed defender, the exact type of player most modern backlines are looking for.

However, he is used to Osasuna’s structured La Liga system, and the Premier League’s pace and constant transitions would be a major jump in intensity. That makes this a bit of a gamble for Everton. Since the €25m price tag is non-negotiable, they would be placing a heavy bet on a player who hasn’t been tested in English football yet. Everton simply cannot afford another slow start.

NEED TO KNOW

• A Texas track coach was struck in the head by a shot put during a meet over the weekend
• Blake Crutsinger is in the ICU after the freak accident that happened in Tyler, Texas
• The Ponder High School assistant coach suffered a skull fracture and brain swelling

A high school track coach in Texas is in the intensive care unit after he was hit in the head with a shot put at a state competition over the weekend.

Ponder ISD assistant coach Blake Crutsinger was struck by the shot put during the Region II-3A state University Interscholastic League (UIL) competition in Tyler on Saturday, May 2, according to the Denton Record-Chronicle and NBC affiliate KXAS-TV.

Hours after the “freak accident,” Blake’s wife, Leslie Crutsinger shared in a post on Facebook that her husband suffered a skull fracture and brain swelling.

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“Thank you to everyone who has been praying for Blake and sending messages today,” Leslie wrote, while also urging compassion toward the athlete who threw the shot put.

"Also please pray for the young man from the other school who is taking this accident very hard!" she said.

Leslie later thanked those who were onsite for their immediate response after the shocking accident.

“The term 'coaching family' is a real thing!” she wrote. “The quick actions of the coaches, trainers, and any medical staff that helped at the school and the quick response of the ambulance was a game changer in Blake’s prognosis. The adults and athletes who were there and witnessed what happened were shook to say the least.”

Crutsinger, who also serves as an assistant football coach at Ponder High School, underwent surgery on Monday, May 4 to reduce the swelling in his brain, according to his wife, who joked that she expects her husband to wear “even more ball caps in his future” due to the extent of his scar.

“For the long term plan, he will be in ICU until he can have the flap put back on,” she wrote in a post. “This will be a minimum of 2-4 weeks but could easily be longer. He will then be transferred to inpatient rehab most likely at Baylor in Dallas.”

Amid his hospitalization, the Ponder community, about 60 miles northwest of Dallas, has united in a show of support for the beloved coach.

"Our hearts and thoughts are with Coach Crutsinger and his family during this time,” Ponder ISD Superintendent Dr. James Hill said. “We are in constant prayer for them and ask that you join us in praying for complete healing and a full recovery.”

Read the original article on People

On this episode of The Dodgers Post, Jack Harris and Dylan Hernandez talk about the Dodgers’ snapping out of their recent funk … but also Shohei Ohtani getting even further mired in his.

The two debate the reasons behind Ohtani’s weeks-long slump as a hitter, why his return to a full-time two-way role is proving to be a challenge and how the Dodgers should manage his workload moving forward this year.

They also review Roki Sasaki’s latest start, and discuss whether he should remain in the Dodgers’ rotation as Blake Snell nears his return from injury.

Later, Jack takes you inside the clubhouse to explain the recent vibe shift around the team –– and the origins of their new drop-kick hit celebration.

And, as always, the duo play some Dodgers trivia and make predictions for this upcoming week.

Also, Dylan has a story about an encounter with a roller-derby star in St. Louis.

All that and more, on this latest edition of Dodgers Post.

Is Bukayo Saka overrated or underrated? After scoring the opener in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Atlético Madrid, the Arsenal winger still isn’t winning everyone over on social media. A roundup of tweets.

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

Elijah Hutcheson has been working to make his decision over the last week, and the four-star offensive tackle out of Roanoke (Va.) North Cross came to the conclusion over the weekend.

The No. 91 prospect in the Rivals Industry Ranking has over 30 offers, and he went through a full evaluation process before making his decision. On Sunday night, he let Jon Sumrall know he was committing to Florida.

Hutcheson chose the Gators over Clemson, Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech.

“It really came down to Florida and Vanderbilt,” Hutcheson told Rivals. “I’ve got great relationships with both, and I could see myself at both, but I felt best about Florida.

“I think the development factor at Florida really stood out. They have a great program and a great way of doing things. I trust the coaches and believe in what they can do with me.”

Florida capitalized on the Trautwein connection

Offensive line coach Phil Trautwien played a major role in the decision, building a relationship that dates back years — even before arriving in Gainesville.

“I’ve been talking to him for a long time… he’s one of the best O-line coaches in the country. We have been talking for about three years, going back to when he was at Penn State. The way he breaks down the game makes it like he is a teacher in the classroom. Everybody understands it.”

That connection carried weight.

When the staff transition happened and his primary recruiter landed at Florida, the Gators quickly moved into serious contention.

“It definitely brought attention to Florida,” Hutcheson said. “Before Coach Traut went to Florida, I wasn’t really considering Florida. He went there, we kept talking, and it made me interested in them.

“Then I went down for a visit this spring, and that was huge. I was there for three days, saw practice, meetings… I had a full schedule. You’re working all day, but it’s what I need to get to the next level. It showed me the level I need.”

Head coach Jon Sumrall is the leader of the SEC program. He also made an impression on the visit.

“He’s got great energy… he makes you want to be better,” Hutcheson said. “He cares about you as a person, not just a player. Coach Sumrall is a winner, he works hard and he is going to get the best out of his players.”

In the end, three things separated Florida.

“Development, the area and the level of play,” Hutcheson said. “You’re playing the best every day… that’s what I need. And I will be living in a great place, which I know I will be happy at.”

Now committed, Hutcheson is beginning to settle into the decision.

“My feet are planted, and they are planted at Florida,” he said. “I’m a Gator.”

The magic of UCF’s 2017 season has long since faded.

Back then, Scott Frost was a second-year head coach guiding the Knights to a 13-0 finish behind record-setting quarterback McKenzie Milton, who was just 19 when the unprecedented season began.

Now, Frost enters Year 2 for the second time in Orlando, while Milton, now 28, oversees the team’s signalcallers. No longer an AAC powerhouse, UCF is coming off a 5-7 season and scrambling to gain ground in the Big 12.

As his team enters the offseason, Frost acknowledged that a repeat of 2017 is unlikely — even if that success helped fuel his return after a failed tenure at Nebraska.

Still, he senses something building.

“It’s hard to catch lightning in a bottle,” Frost said Tuesday. “You have to have a little luck and a lot of preparation and the right people. We have the right people, though, and I think the character and talent on this team is going to give us a chance.

“We’ll see how far that carries us.”

Frost set an almost unreachable standard during that perfect season. UCF fans now understand what is possible — even if it’s far less probable in a deeper conference and a more transactional era of college football.

“That was a long time ago, feels like a different lifetime to me,” Frost said. “That doesn’t have much impact on who we are now. I hope we can repeat similar success. But it really has nothing to do with 2016 and 2017.

“It has to do with this team.”

Even so, Frost sees parallels.

The 2016 Knights endured a transition, learn new schemes and culture while finishing 6-7. By the following spring, signs of a breakthrough were emerging.

During his first spring back at UCF, he faced familiar challenges as he did during his debut season as a head coach. A 5-7 season would follow.

Frost experienced similar growing pains his first season back. But after wrapping up spring practices last Saturday, he believes this team could be on a similar trajectory.

“It all kind of came together with the second year of guys being around us and playing for each other and coming together,” he recalled. “We got rid of some guys that didn’t fit what we wanted on the field and off, and everybody else kind of came even closer together — and then something special happened.

“We’re working down that same avenue right now, so we’ll see what it means.”

A major factor will be the health of quarterback Alonzo Barnett III. The James Madison transfer and 2025 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year was limited during the spring after leading the Dukes to the College Football Playoff.

Frost said Barnett could have practiced by the end of spring practice, but the staff chose caution.

Barnett’s talent and experience should allow him to catch up quickly.

“I’ve watched him throw and do a lot of things that make me really confident about where he is, even with the understanding of our offense,” Frost said. “He’s played a ton of football, not really worried about him at all.”

Barnett will benefit from the return of the Knights’ two top receivers, tight end Dylan Wade and receiver Duane Thomas Jr., along with the addition of Monmouth FCS All-American Josh Derry, who “was awesome all spring,” Frost said.

UCF’s offensive line has grown under new coach AJ Blazek, while Frost likes the depth at running back.

Defensively, experience stands out. Linebacker Lewis Carter leads the after he posted a team-high 92 stops in 2025. The secondary returns several players who started games, including cornerback Jayden Bellamy. 

Of concern is replacing All-Big 12 defensive end Malachi Lawrence, whom the Dallas Cowboys selected No. 23 in the NFL draft, and 2025 bookend Nyjalik Kelly.

“It’s going to be tough for the defensive end group,” Frost said. “They can get there, but we lost two really good guys. Other than that position, we’re pretty clearly better at every spot.”

Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com.

Arsenal hardly looked truly dangerous in front of Atlético’s goal in the second leg of the semi-final. At least not until the final minute of the first half. 

Then they struck immediately. Gyökeres runs onto a clever through ball. Oblak first charges out, but then decides to retreat back to his goal. The Arsenal striker uses the space to send in a cross, which is flicked on by Pubill.

Leandro Trossard is in exactly the right place, dances past Giuliano Simeone, and gets his shot away through the Argentine’s legs. Oblak manages to save the close-range effort, but Bukayo Saka is there to bundle the ball over the line. Somehow, it could only have been the young Englishman to break the deadlock. 

In his 14 Champions League appearances at the Emirates, it was already his 14th goal involvement. One that makes the dream of reaching the final for the famous trophy feel very much alive. 

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

Let the game within the game begin.

Chris Finch isn’t satisfied just because his Timberwolves stole Game 1 on the road against the San Antonio Spurs Monday night.

The Timberwolves head coach is not pleased with Victor Wembanyama’s playoff-record tally of 12 blocks in Minnesota’s 104-102 Game 1 win. In fact, he’s not convinced they were all blocks.

Finch expressed his disappointment Tuesday in how officials called — or didn’t call — Wembanyama’s blocks Monday night.

“When we looked at ‘em, at least four of them were goaltending,” Finch told reporters in a a media scrum. “Maybe even a fifth. To me it’s a little alarming that none of them were called.

“Here’s a generational shot blocker who’s 7-foot-6 who goes after everything, and there’s no heightened awareness that these blocks could be goaltends?”

Finch went on to specifically call out Wembanyama’s second called block of the game of a layup attempt by Terrence Shannon Jr.

“The third possession of the game was a goaltend,” Finch continued. “It was a clean, obvious one. So let’s just say there were four. That’s eight points. You know the value of eight points in an NBA game? Massive.”

Finch isn’t wrong. At least in regard to the third possession of the game.

Shannon attacked the basket in transition with Wembanyama trailing. Wembanyama blocked Shannon’s layup attempt after the ball had clearly hit the glass.

This should have been an easy goaltending call. But it wasn’t.

The game remained in a scoreless tie, and Wembanyama was credited with two blocks in two Minnesota possessions after blocking another Shannon layup attempt on the first possession of the game.

This set the tone for Wembanyama’s record-setting night. Finch did his best on Tuesday to ensure that it didn’t set the tone for the entire series.

Gaming the refs through media is a time-tested tradition in the NBA playoffs as coaches seek to gain an advantage wherever they can in a best-of-seven series. It helps their cause when they have video evidence to back up their case, which Finch indisputably does here with at least one should-be goaltend.

Be on the lookout for how Wembanyama’s blocks are officiated going forward in the series. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday in San Antonio (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

The No. 7 Florida State softball team has done nothing but win in recent days, with an overall record of 46-8 and a conference record of 21-3. Having won nine of their last ten games, they remain in a strong position to make a strong run in the ACC Tournament and beyond.

As a result of her excellent performance against Boston College, Jazzy Francik has been named the ACC Pitcher of the Week by the conference. This was a nearly perfect week for her, as she finished the weekend unbeaten while throwing her third no-hitter of the season.

Per the ACC, she allowed no runs and just two hits in 11.0 innings pitched. She posted a 0.0.0 ERA with just one walk, holding batters to a .057 batting average.

For the whole season, Francik has a 1.85 ERA and a 20-2 overall record. She remains an incredibly strong option on the mound that has shut down the very best in the country.

In addition, Jaysoni Beachum was named the ACC Player of the Week for her efforts. This week, her hitting metrics were video-game-like. She hit .667 with four doubles, a home run, and five RBI. She has now reached a base in 42 consecutive games and looks poised to continue her run of dominance.

Florida State continues its season when it travels to Charlottesville for the ACC Tournament, where it will face either Georgia Tech or Notre Dame on Thursday at 11 a.m. ET on the ACC Network.

Showed out😎

Jay earns ACC Player of the Week and Jazzy earns ACC Pitcher of the Week🍢#Team43pic.twitter.com/JETXFOSTup

— Florida State Softball 🥎 (@FSU_Softball) May 5, 2026

Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of FSU news, notes, and opinions. Jacob Smith is a contributor for FSU Wire, part of the USA TODAY Network. You can also follow Jacob on X at @jsmith_sports.

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Softball: Jazzy Francik & Jayson Beachum named ACC POW

The season-long race to see which players can earn the most cash on the PGA Tour is underway. With more than $400 million in combined purses up for grabs in 2026, there's plenty of money to go around.

Scottie Scheffler concluded the 2025 season by leading the Tour with $27.7 million in winnings, followed by Tommy Fleetwood ($18.5 million) and Rory McIlroy ($17 million). Here's a look at where the top pros stand on the season money list as of May 05, 2026.

With his victory at the Cadillac Championship, Cameron Young has taken over the top spot in the season, jumping eahd of Scottie Scheffler and Matt Fitzpatrick.

PGA Tour 2026 Season Money Rankings: See the full leaderboard here

2026 PGA Tour top 25 earners

Earnings are accurate as of Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 11:36 a.m.

See the full PGA Tour career money list here

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: PGA Tour season money leaders on May 05, 2026: Cameron Young leads

Grant Napear’s return to Sacramento radio has ended after just eight months.

The former Sacramento Kings broadcaster announced Monday on social media that his weekday afternoon show on Fox Sports Radio Sacramento has been canceled. The program had been airing from 3 to 6 p.m. on iHeartMedia’s Fox Sports Sacramento since launching in September 2025, marking his first return to the Sacramento airwaves since losing both his jobs in the span of 48 hours back in June 2020.

BREAKING NEWS: I was just informed they are pulling the plug on my show. My thanks to you for your support and @RyaninSactown who did a great job. Join me tonight at 7pm for my show on YouTube and X. Appreciate you!

— Grant Napear (@GrantNapear) May 4, 2026

Napear had been the television voice of the Sacramento Kings since 1988, and a dominant presence in the Sacramento radio market on KHTK before a June 2020 Twitter exchange with former Kings player DeMarcus Cousins ended both careers almost simultaneously. Cousins had asked Napear for his thoughts on Black Lives Matter, and Napear responded by tweeting “ALL LIVES MATTER…EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!”

Hey!!!! How are you? Thought you forgot about me. Haven’t heard from you in years. ALL LIVES MATTER…EVERY SINGLE ONE!!! https://t.co/DfzKl3w0jm

— Grant Napear (@GrantNapear) June 1, 2020

In the ensuing backlash, former Kings players — including Chris Webber and Matt Barnes — publicly called him out, NBC Sports California distanced itself from his comments, the Kings announced his resignation, and KHTK announced on air that he had been fired. Napear was unapologetic about the substance of his tweet, and a subsequent discrimination and wrongful termination lawsuit against KHTK was dismissed.

For years before 2020, Napear’s afternoon show on KHTK had dominated the Sacramento market, and his 32 years as the television voice of the Kings made him one of the most recognizable sports media personalities in the city. He came back to Fox Sports Sacramento, promising to win the afternoons again, and told the Sacramento Bee he was competitive and wanted to talk to Sacramento fans again. The station was a newer entry competing directly against KHTK, and as we noted when Napear launched the show, it’s tough for secondary sports stations in small markets to survive, especially without broadcast rights to major pro or college teams. The show did not survive long enough to mount the kind of challenge Napear had promised.

Since his 2020 firing, Napear had been hosting a Sacramento Kings podcast with longtime broadcast partner Jerry Reynolds. Based on his send-off message to listeners Monday, his YouTube and X show is where he will continue from here·

The post Grant Napear’s Fox Sports Sacramento show canceled after eight months appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Juventus are reportedly targeting Bernardo Silva for a potential move this summer, with the club identifying a need for greater creativity in their midfield. The Portuguese playmaker is expected to bring an end to his highly successful spell at Manchester City, where he has spent close to a decade and collected numerous trophies.

Silva departs as one of the most accomplished players in English football, having remained a consistent presence in Manchester City’s starting line-up. Despite the club’s efforts to convince him to extend his stay, he appears ready to seek a new challenge, creating an opportunity for interested teams.

Tactical need and player profile

Juventus believe that signing a player of Silva’s calibre would significantly enhance their squad. The Bianconeri are particularly focused on improving their ability to control matches in advanced areas, where creativity and composure are essential.

Luciano Spalletti has outlined the type of player his team is currently lacking, describing a profile that closely matches Silva’s strengths. His comments highlight the importance of technical ability and intelligence in breaking down compact defensive structures.

As reported by Calciomercato, the manager said, “We’re missing a playmaker who’s good at playing in tight spaces,” the coach told Sky, ” because in front of the opponent’s penalty area it becomes a quagmire. If you can’t get things right, you force some plays, increasing the nerves and the difficulties.”

Potential impact on Juventus

Silva’s ability to operate effectively in congested areas, combined with his vision and technical skill, makes him an ideal candidate to address Juventus’ current shortcomings. His experience at the highest level would also bring valuable leadership to the squad.

The prospect of signing him as a free agent further increases his appeal, offering Juventus a rare opportunity to acquire a world-class talent without a transfer fee.

If the move materialises, Silva could become a central figure in Spalletti’s plans, providing the creativity needed to elevate Juventus’ attacking play and strengthen their push for major honours.

The Nats are coming off a quiet offensive series against the Milwaukee Brewers, scoring just 4 runs in 3 games. After 2 straight losses, a strong pitching performance from Zack Littell held down the fort for a gritty 3-2 victory in the finale. Washington has kept themself in striking range of .500, and has another chance to even up their record against Minnesota.

The Twins find themself in the same boat regarding their most recent 3-game set, dropping the first 2 games to the Toronto Blue Jays and grinding out a 4-3 win to salvage the series. Their bullpen was taxed with short outings from their starters and an injury scare from Joe Ryan, putting some added pressure on their rotation to hold down a streaky Nationals’ lineup.

Game One – Tuesday 6:45 PM EST

WSH: RHP Cade Cavalli (1-1, 3.82 ERA)

MIN: RHP Taj Bradley (3-1, 2.85 ERA)

Amid the staff-wide pitching struggles the Nats have dealt with, Cavalli has emerged as the main story and star through 7 starts. He’s strung together 3 consecutive solid outings, and his stuff has ticked up in a major way. The 27-year-old looks to be putting it all together after a long road to get to big league success, and has the chance to continue his push to enter the same echelon of the top starters in the National League.

Speaking of putting it all together, Bradley has been a massive win for the Minnesota pitching lab. After a shaky end to his first half-season with the Twins, he’s been nearly untouchable in 2026. With an ERA under 3.00, his fastball and splitter have given hitters plenty of issues. However, if the Nats’ hitters can continue the trend of hitting balls hard off of him, they could get things going early.

Game Two – Wednesday 6:45 PM EST

WSH: RHP Miles Mikolas (0-3, 8.23 ERA)

MIN: RHP Bailey Ober (3-1, 3.55 ERA)

Why Mikolas remains in the rotation at this point in the season is anyone’s guess. He’s been a severe anchor on the back end of the Washington rotation, with any remnants of what once made him effective nowhere to be found. As has been the trend with many of his recent starts, the Nats’ coaching staff has to be hoping for an offensive explosion to offset his struggles.

It’s been smooth sailing for Ober through his first month in 2026, giving up more than 3 runs in just 1 outing. He hasn’t been lights-out, but he’s been a beacon of stability for Minnesota, giving them 6.0+ innings in each of his last 4 starts. He doesn’t strike out many, but the soft contact he induces will be a challenge for the Nats to overcome.

Game Three – Thursday 1:05 PM EST

WSH: Jake Irvin (1-4, 4.93 ERA)

MIN: Simeon Woods Richardson (0-5, 6.49 ERA)

Irvin has had his ups and downs, but over the last 5 starts, he’s looked the part of an adequate back-of-the-rotation starter. A weaker Minnesota lineup bodes well for the veteran, who has, despite some issues, proven he can get outs by both whiffs and easy contact.

Nothing has been going well for Woods Richardson this year, averaging less than 4.5 K/9, and all of his pitches look far below average. Baseball Savant shows that positive regression isn’t a likely outcome at the moment, and the Nats need to strike. Depending on how the first 2 games of the series go, this could be either a great chance to salvage the series or a prime opportunity to win it definitively.

The Yankees offense is flying in the first three games against Orioles. They scored 27 runs across that trio of contests, tallying 37 hits include eight home runs. The standout performer in the third game was Jasson Domínguez — getting a chance to carve out a spot on the big league roster with Giancarlo Stanton out injured — and he delivered with a home run, a pair of doubles, and three RBI. It is the first of his hits — the double to lead off the sixth — that I want to look at for At-bat of the Week.

We join Jasson leading off the bottom of the sixth. The score is tied at three apiece, home runs by Ben Rice and Aaron Judge cancelled out by some small ball by the Birds in the third and fourth. To this point in the game, Jasson had grounded out twice from the left hand side against righty starter Trey Gibson. However, with the lefty reliever Grant Wolfram entering the game in the fifth, Jasson gets turned around to bat from the right hand side in this situation.

Five out of the six pitches Jasson saw from Gibson were fastballs. This, combined with the scouting report noting his propensity to chase breaking balls below the zone explains why Wolfram starts this AB with a first pitch curveball.

This pitch catches a lot of the zone. However, Jasson is way out in front swinging as if it’s a fastball. He’s just able to catch a piece of the top of the ball to tap it foul for strike one.

After seeing how early Jasson was with that swing, the obvious choice is to throw another curveball just a little lower than the last one.

Wolfram does exactly that, executing this curveball to a spot about six or seven inches below the one he just threw. Jasson is overmatched, baited into chasing this breaker that looks a lot like the one that immediately preceded it. The swing is early again and the result is a whiff and a very quick 0-2 count.

There is really no reason for Wolfram to deviate his course. Jasson has yet to show that he can recognize curveball out of the hand nor the ability to adjust his swing timing to something that isn’t a fastball. If Wolfram can command a third curve to the same spot as the previous one if not a little lower, he should get the chase and swinging strikeout.

Jasson finally catches on to what Wolfram is trying to do, plus this pitch is probably a little too low to induce a chase in the dirt. All the same, you can see that Jasson is initially tempted to offer before deciding otherwise. The process is sound from Wolfram — keep throwing the breaker a little lower than the previous one — Jasson is just able to adjust his sights in time not to chase.

Now that the hitter has finally shown that he isn’t going to chase a breaking ball below the zone, Wolfram has the situation teed up to climb the ladder with the four-seamer. Jasson’s eye level is firmly fixated on catching out the low breaking ball, so there is no way he should be anticipating the elevated heater.

Of course, you have to execute your pitches to get them to work, this four-seamer sailing at almost eye level for an easy take from Jasson. Once again, the process by the pitcher is sound — throw a four-seamer down a similar tunnel as the initial aiming point as the curveball and maybe you can get the hitter to swing through it late.

After failing to execute that four-seamer by quite a margin, Wolfram instantly returns to the pitch that worked for him in this AB — the curveball. He just needs to land one a little closer to the zone than the one he wasted for ball one and he should get the outcome he desires.

This is such smart hitting by Domínguez. He realizes the purpose of the waste four-seamer — to reset his eye level so he can throw another curveball — and therefore ends up hunting the curve in this count. He is right on time with his swing, roping a liner down the left field line for a double that proves quite timely as Ryan McMahon drives him home with a single as the go-ahead run two batters later.

Here’s the full AB:

With Stanton on the IL with a left calf strain — and the latest report revealing that he is hitting in the cage but hasn’t started running yet — this is an important moment for Domínguez. The Yankees reaffirmed their faith in him by designating Randal Grichuk for assignment and Jasson needs to make the most of this opportunity. Not including his suspect glovework, the question for Domínguez has always been whether he can hit from the right hand side, the switch-hitter a 120 wRC+ hitter vs. righties while only at a 64 wRC+ vs. lefties — an added issue considering southpaws are the pitchers who Stanton typically obliterates.

It sounds like he has been putting in the work to address this platoon gap to allow himself to stick in the majors even after Stanton returns. According to Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News, Domínguez made a minor adjustment to reduce the size of his leg kick when batting from the right hand side. Hopefully this can help with his timing and pitch recognition with fewer moving parts. Not mentioned in the article was the finish to Domínguez’s right-handed swing — a helicopter finish very familiar to Yankees fans from Miguel Andújar’s 2018 season. Domínguez has varied between this finish and a high one-handed finish to his right-handed swing. I’m not certain what advantage either can confer but it’s worth keeping an eye on while tracking his production from the right side.

Phil Mickelson has confirmed that he will not be playing at the PGA Championship five years on from his record-breaking victory at Kiawah Island.

It has, once again, been a turbulent season for Mickelson. He has only played in one LIV Golf event so far.

And it has to be said that there are probably real doubts about whether he will play in another, simply based on the fact that LIV’s future looks to be incredibly uncertain right now.

Phil Mickelson rules himself out of playing in the PGA Championship

Mickelson has spent time away from the game due to a family matter. He did not play in The Masters for only the second time since 1995 in April.

His place in the PGA Championship was in real doubt after it was confirmed that he would also miss LIV Golf‘s next event this week.

As reported exclusively by Flushing It on X, Mickelson has now revealed that he will not be in the field at Aronimink for the second major of the year later this month.

“I wish I could. I can’t unfortunately. I’m hoping to play the rest of the year after that but I honestly don’t know,” he said.

LIV Golf is certainly missing Phil Mickelson as the league’s future remains uncertain

Obviously, everyone will be hoping that there is positive news from the Mickelson camp soon enough. It has been incredibly worrying to see him disappear almost completely at the start of 2026.

Mickelson remains one of the game’s great entertainers. It is remarkable to think that he continues to play at a very high level with his 56th birthday ahead next month.

He finished in the top five on two occasions on LIV last year. Meanwhile, he won his sixth major title back at the 2021 PGA Championship.

LIV certainly could do with having Mickelson back at a time when they are trying to put on the most united front in the face of incredible scrutiny.

But the priority has to be resolving whatever is happening behind the scenes.

Barcelona back-up goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has reportedly turned down the chance to leave for a “top La Liga club” in favor of staying at Camp Nou and seeing out his contract.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Szczesny was offered the chance to be first choice at another “top” Spanish team but rejected the two-year contract on offer.

The goalkeeper has instead decided he wants to see out his existing deal at Barcelona that runs until 2027.

Szczesny is happy playing back-up to first choice Joan Garcia and is also reluctant to leave Barcelona for family reasons as his wife and kids are happy and settled in the city.

The 36-year-old has played 10 times this season for Barcelona but may have an even more reduced role next year depending on what happens over the summer.

There’s ongoing speculation that Barca want to bring in Alex Remiro, while Inaki Pena and Aron Yaakobishvili are due back on loan. Diego Kochen will also be hoping to force his way into Hansi Flick’s thoughts for the future.

Atletico Madrid have it all to do in the second half against Arsenal at the Emirates, as they will be forced to come from behind. It was the same in the first leg at the Metropolitano, but Diego Simeone will be required to pull a second change of tactics on Mikel Arteta.

The game was in a comfortable spot for Atletico Madrid, with Arsenal doing plenty of attacking, but struggling to break down the Spanish defence. Crucial interventions from Marcos Llorente and Matteo Ruggeri had prevented the Gunners from breaking through, but over the course of the half, Los Colchoneros could argue they had created just as much danger as the home side.

Bukayo Saka gives Arsenal the lead before half-time

That was until the last minute of the first half. Viktor Gyokeres escaped down the right channel, with Jan Oblak coming out to meet him. After forcing the Swedish forward wide, Oblak got back in goal in time to halt Leandro Trossard’s shot at the back post, after Gyokeres’ cross. He could only keep it out though, and remaining in the danger area, Bukayo Saka was quickest to react, tapping home from close range.

• FC Koln are considering a move to sign Man City’s Jahmai Simpson-Pusey on a permanent deal
• The 20-year-old defender joined the German club on loan in January for the rest of the campaign
• Man City are to retain a buy-back clause if Koln exercise the reported €8M purchase option.

Bundesliga side 1. FC Koln are considering offering Manchester City loanee Jahmai Simpson-Pusey a permanent contract this summer, as per recent reports.

The English defender is a product of Manchester City’s academy and began his youth career with the U9s in 2013. He captained City’s U18 side to FA Youth Cup glory in 2024 after a 4-0 victory over Leeds United in the final.

After progressing through the youth ranks, the 20-year-old made his senior debut with the English club in October 2024 as a second-half substitute in a 2-1 away defeat in the Carabao Cup against Tottenham.

Manchester City eye Pumas UNAM star after successful Talent ID visit to Mexico

The 20-year-old made six appearances across competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side in the 2024-25 season, followed by leading City’s EDS to the Premier League 2 title.

Subsequently, he was also named the Premier League 2 Player of the Season, becoming the first defender to ever receive the award.

How has Man City’s Simpson-Pusey fared at Koln?

In August 2025, Simpson-Pusey joined Celtic on a season-long loan deal. However, his loan stint in Scotland was far from ideal, with his first appearance being for their B team in October 2025, followed by his first-team debut in the top-flight in November 2025.

Those also marked to be the centre-back’s only two appearances overall at Celtic, being on the pitch for the first-team for only 64 minutes.

Simpson-Pusey’s tenure at Celtic Park was cut short, followed by his loan move to Koln in the January for the remainder of the ongoing season.

The Englishman has started in nine out of the 10 appearances he has made for the German side in the Bundesliga so far, missing four games due to a muscle injury, two for a red card suspension and another one while being on special leave.

Girona willing to sanction €20M sale for Manchester City transfer target

Following his difficult stint at Celtic, Simpson-Pusey’s loan move to Koln was a crucial one for the City graduate in order to reset his campaign and establish himself as a promising asset.

And it appears the defender has been able to turn things around for himself as the Billy Goats are now considering making a permanent move for him as the season nears its end, as reported by Kicker and relayed by Bulinews.

What are the terms of Simpson-Pusey’s loan deal at Koln?

Earlier in January, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano reported that Simpson-Pusey’s loan deal at Koln includes an option to buy, with Manchester City estimating him at £10 million – while the Bundesliga side are ready to offer around £5 million.

Now, with the loan contract’s expiry approaching, Koln are considering triggering the reported €8 million purchase option and if they decide to offer him a permanent deal, Manchester City will be retaining a buy-back clause. Reports have also suggested that Simpson-Pusey is open to a permanent transfer to the German side.

While any official development with respect to this potential move is yet to be announced, Koln’s decision about the youngster is also reportedly dependent on whether the club are able to earn a significant fee from the sale of 19-year-old winger Said El Mala, who has been linked with a move to England this summer.

With his contract at the Etihad Stadium valid until the summer of 2027, it remains to be seen what’s next for Simpson-Pusey ahead of the transfer window.

This is your one-stop shop for every Dodgers stint on the injured list during the 2026 season. We’ll also include every time a player misses time on the paternity list, bereavement leave, or is on the family medical emergency list as well.

Basically any time a player misses time that requires a roster move, we’ll note it here.

During the 2025 season, 28 different Dodgers players spent time on the injured list, some of them for multiple stints. That matched the team total from 2024, while in 2023 the Dodgers saw 34 players miss time on the IL.

Every injured-list stint is a transaction and will also be chronicled on our 40-man roster page. Both are essentially living documents that will be constantly updated throughout the season as these moves happen.

Injured-list stints for pitchers are a minimum of 15 days, and for position players it’s at least 10 days.

During spring training, the Dodgers placed both Evan Phillips and Kiké Hernández on the 60-day injured list, which opened up space on the 40-man roster for other moves. On opening day, six more Dodgers were placed on the injured list, including Blake Snell and Tommy Edman.

For more information on each specific injured list stint, click on the links on the dates in the list below this table.

Note: if you are on a mobile device, these tables will show up best in landscape mode.

Click on the date below for more information on each transaction:

April 28: Landon Knack moved to 60-day injured list.

April 21: Freddie Freeman activated from paternity leave.

April 20: Edwin Díaz placed on 15-day injured list.

April 19: Freddie Freeman placed on paternity leave.

April 13: Ben Casparius placed on 15-day injured list.

April 5: Mookie Betts placed on 10-day injured list.

April 1: Gavin Stone moved to 60-day injured list.

April 1: Jake Cousins moved to 60-day injured list.

March 25: Blake Snell placed on 15-day injured list, Tommy Edman placed on 10-day injured list, Brock Stewart placed on 15-day injured list, Brusdar Graterol placed on 15-day injured list, Gavin Stone placed on 15-day injured list, Landon Knack placed on 15-day injured list, Jake Cousins placed on 15-day injured list

March 24: Bobby Miller placed on 60-day injured list

February 21: Kiké Hernández placed on 60-day injured list

February 12: Evan Phillips placed on 60-day injured list

The Seattle Seahawks have every reason to be confident in the receiving corps that they have at the present, but the 2027 NFL Draft class has highly-touted wide receivers for the team to take a serious look at over the course of the next year.

According to CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson, the Seahawks select Indiana wide receiver Nick Marsh with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

"At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, he looks like the natural replacement for Elijah Sarratt (and like Sarratt, he lined up outside about 95% of the time)," Wilson said. "Despite his size, Marsh can put his foot in the ground and get in and out of breaks, creating separation at the route stem. Like Sarratt, he won't consistently create separation on vertical routes, but he has legit contested-catch and YAC ability, and he uses his frame to shield defenders."

Marsh went for 662 receiving yards and six REC touchdowns in 2025 at Michigan State before transferring to Indiana. He recorded 649 REC yards the year prior in 2024.

The Seahawks will be in good hands with the 2025 AP Offensive Player of the Year, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as well as Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed at receiver next season. However, Kupp approaches his age-33 season in 2026 after recording his lowest receiving yards total since his second season in the league with 593 REC yards in 2025. He's also suffered multiple injuries since winning the AP Offensive Player of the Year award in 2021.

Marsh is a highly-regarded wide receiver that the Seahawks have the chance to see on the board in the draft next year, prior to Kupp's contract year in 2027.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks take Indiana WR Nick Marsh in CBS' early 2027 mock draft

Midfielder Indy, 16, lives in Denmark, her father’s home country, but chose to represent Brazil, her mother’s country, on the field. In an interview with CBF TV, the player spoke about her dual nationality and how her interest in Brazilian football began.

“My mother is Brazilian and my father is Danish. I always wanted to know what football is like in Brazil. I always knew Brazilian football was really cool, and I kept wanting to watch more and more,” she said.

"I feel very happy to represent my country. I always wanted to play for Brazil, and my parents are happy too. They have always supported me and cheered a lot for me," she added.

Indy started in the match against Peru in the South American group stageCredits: Staff Images/CBF

Indy was born in South Africa and has lived in Denmark her whole life. After choosing to represent the Brazilian National Team, the player had to adapt to some factors, such as the Portuguese language, for example.

She easily understands the coaching staff and her teammates and also expresses herself well in Portuguese, but in some cases, such as personal notes about the style of play and what needs to be done in the match, Indy prefers to use Danish.

Currently, the midfielder plays for FC Nordsjælland in Denmark. Still in her interview with CBF TV, she explained how her interest in football began.

“I started playing football when I was eight years old. A friend from school took me to a practice session, and I really liked it.”

Indy has dual nationality: her father is Danish and her mother is BrazilianCredits: Staff Images/CBF

Finally, Indy also looked ahead to the match against Chile, valid for the semifinals of the South American U-17 Women’s Championship.

“We have prepared a lot, and I hope we can qualify. I expect a good game, but a difficult one," she concluded.

Brazil and Chile will face each other on Wednesday (6) at 8 p.m. Brasília time, at Defensores del Chaco Stadium in Asunción, Paraguay. The match will be broadcast live on SporTV.

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

Arsenal take on Atletico Madrid bidding to reach their first men’s Champions League final in 20 years at the Emirates.

The first leg of the semi-final finished all square in Madrid last week following a tense 1-1 draw, where Arsenal were aggrieved to have been denied a late penalty at the Metropolitano.

• Arsenal v Atletico Madrid LIVE: Team news and line-ups from Champions League

But the Gunners will be flying after their 3-0 win over Fulham on Saturday was followed by Manchester City dropping points against Everton in the Premier League title race last night.

Suddenly, Arsenal’s title hopes are in their hands and Mikel Arteta’s side can start to dream of a memorable Premier League-Champions League double this season.

Diego Simeone’s side will offer fierce competition, though, with the visitors set to arrive at the Emirates with a gameplan to get into Arsenal’s heads and spoil the party.

Here’s everything you need to know

When is Arsenal v Atletico Madrid?

Kick-off at the Emirates is 8pm BST on Tuesday May 5.

How can I watch it?

It will be shown on Amazon Prime Video. New customers to Amazon can take out a free Prime subscription for 30 days; after that, it is £8.99 per month. You can also sign up for just Prime Video for £5.99 per month.

What is the Arsenal team news?

Arteta will be boosted by the availability of captain Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, who has missed the past two games with a knee injury. Bukayo Saka was removed at half-time against Fulham so is fully rested, while Viktor Gyokeres was also taken off before full-time and appears to be in contention to lead the line.

What is the Atletico Madrid team news?

Diego Simeone was able to make 11 changes for last weekend’s win at Valencia in LaLiga. Former Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez, who scored from the penalty spot and impressed last week, could not complete the first leg but looks set to overcome injury to start for Atleti.

Possible Arsenal v Atletico line-ups

Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Zubimendi, Rice, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli

Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Le Normand, Ruggeri; Simeone, Koke, Cardoso, Lookman; Alvarez, Griezmann

What have the managers said?

Mikel Arteta: “We will take to the pitch as beasts tomorrow and enjoy the moment and go for it. I can’t wait. I feel the energy among the team and our supporters. This is the moment that we want to live together. We have worked hard as a club and as a team after 20 years to be in this position again. And we are so hungry to get through to that final.“It is a feeling of huge excitement. It’s difficult to express the desire to live that moment, especially with our people in front of us.“They’ve been waiting for so long to have this kind of night. So let’s push hard tomorrow, because something amazing is going to happen.”

Diego Simeone: “As coaches, we have to think about what could happen but it is down to the players. We have to manage our emotions and play as well as possible. The game changes as soon as it kicks off. Over time, you do become patient. It is not about being passive, but calm, and that is what we need in this type of game.”

The Big Ten has established itself as college football’s preeminent conference on the field over the last three years, and it’s looking to do the same on the recruiting trail.

After back-to-back-to-back College Football Playoff national titles, the league is gaining major steam with top prospects — including at schools outside its traditional powers (Ohio State, Michigan, USC, etc.). Top recruits are flocking to the conference, and it’s showing up on the field and in the recruiting rankings.

With the release of the latest Rivals300 rankings last month, we break down where the top committed prospects in the Big Ten are currently headed:

5-star EDGE David Jacobs Jr. – Ohio State

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 12 (#1 EDGE)
School: Blessed Trinity Catholic (Ga.)
Scouting Summary: “Athletically gifted EDGE defender who thrives as an edge setter in the run game and is a multi-faceted pass rusher. Verified 6-foot-5, 235-pound defender with excellent bend and hand usage. In the run game, he is violent with his hands when shocking blockers at the point of attack. As a rusher, he wins with a great burst off the line of scrimmage that lets him get vertical in a hurry to blow by tackles with speed. But he can also convert that speed to power and bull pass protectors into the quarterback. He will need to continue harnessing his ability to gain leverage due to his below-average length, but Jacobs has the physical tools and tenacity to be an immediate impact player the moment he steps on campus. Possesses the play strength and athleticism to develop into a dominant three-down defender at the next level that can stand up or play with his hand in the dirt along the defensive front.”

5-star QB Will Mencl – Oregon

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 13 (#1 QB)
School: Chandler (Chandler, AZ)
Scouting Summary: “Hyper-accurate passer who looks like one of the more well-rounded quarterback prospects in the 2027 cycle. Measured in at around 6-foot-3, 205 pounds with 10-inch hands prior to his senior season. Turned in a strong finish to his junior season, completing over 70% of his passes for 3,815 yards and 33 touchdowns against five interceptions while leading his team to a state title berth. Touts smooth mechanics. A high-level processor who is able to locate open receivers and read defender leverage. Made tough throws over the middle of the field as a junior. Also proved to be a dangerous run threat on designed keepers, rushing for 741 yards and 17 scores. Turned in the best showing from a quarterback on the national all-star circuit at the Navy All-American Bowl prior to his senior season. Will need to continue gaining key in-game experience throughout the rest of his high school career. Arm strength is good but not overwhelming at this stage.”

5-star EDGE Mekai Brown – USC

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 17 (# EDGE)
School: Greenwich Country Day (Greenwich, CT)
Scouting Summary: “Explosive athlete gifted with a prototypical frame whose motor runs hot from off the edge all game long. Tremendous frame and build with room to fill out at the next level. Bouncy hooper on the hardwood that plays above the rim consistently. Plays with that burst and explosiveness off the edge, getting off the line of scrimmage when rushing the passer. Has the balance and body control to win in space and has tremendous change of direction in the open field. Needs to polish his hand usage and utilize his length more effectively as a rusher. Has the raw strength to shed blocks against the run but can play with poor pad level at times. One of the more gifted physical and athletic specimens for the position, but he needs to develop his technique as a rusher and continue improving his hand placement at the point of attack. Has the ability to develop into a premier three-down defender if he can continue to polish his technique and develop his pass-rush arsenal. One of the older prospects in the 2027 recruiting cycle.”

IOL Kellen Wymer – Ohio State

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 30 (#3 IOL)
School: Liberty Center (Liberty Center, OH)
Scout’s Take: “Wymer is an elite athlete on the offensive line. I think there’s a case to be made that he might be the most natural mover and explosive mover of all the offensive linemen nationally. He can really, really scoot at the second level. This is a guy who is at his best when he’s pulling and getting on linebackers and he runs like a tight end. There’s a ton to like there, and we feel like as he continues to get bigger and stronger, there’s just so much upside just with his natural athleticism and movement skills.” — — Charles Power, Rivals Director of Scouting and Rankings

ATH Honor Fa’alave-Johnson – USC

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 36 (#1 ATH)
School: Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, CA)
Scouting Summary: “One of the more unique athletes to come out of the West in some time and could legitimately play four positions at the college level. He was recruited primarily as a running back and safety but we’ve seen him play receiver and corner and he’s very capable at those two positions as well. He’s a true home run threat at running back with explosive speed and 22.76 MPH on the GPS as a junior. He has some power to him as well, excellent contact balance and can run through would be tacklers. At safety, he’s smart, rangy, has excellent ball skills and plays with a mean streak. He has an edge in his game and is one of those players you love on your team but hate to play against. He brings special teams value as a return man as well and has all the talent to compete for playing time immediately at the college level.” — Rivals’ Greg Biggins

CB Ai’King Hall – Oregon

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 39 (#7 CB)
School: Dothan (Dothan, AL)
Scout’s Take: “Ai’King Hall is a corner that we continue to like at Rivals. The Oregon commit has great feet in coverage, a really good combination of reactive quickness and top-end speed. He consistently runs in the 10.8-10.9 range in the 100-meters and we’re high on his film.”

SAF Tory Pittman – Nebraska

Rivals300 Ranking: No. 43 (#3 SAF)
School: Millard North (Omaha, NE)
Scouting Summary: “Great natural feel for the position with high end football instincts. Not a big framed safety but will hot you and plays a physical game. Ability to quickly read and react jumps out on tape. Really flashes to the football, takes great angles and is one of the better open field tacklers in this year’s class. Strong track profile with back to back top 5 state finishes in the long jump and a personal bet of 23’4.5”. Has some offensive production and shows value in the return game as well. Explosive football player who just makes plays and has the type of all around game where we can see him playing early in his college career. High power 4 prospect with the talent to play for anyone and an NFL ceiling.”

Other notable top committed prospects in the Big Ten

EDGE Rashad Streets – Oregon
WR Braylon Pope – Washington
WR Jamier Brown – Ohio State
CB Monsanna Torbert – Indiana
QB Trae Taylor – Nebraska

CB Kei’Shjuan Telfair – Penn State
CB Danny Lang – USC
SAF Semaj Stanford – Oregon
WR Quentin Hale – USC
QB Blake Roskopf – Washington

DL Stanley Montgomery – Penn State
CB Juju Johnson – UCLA
WR Charles Davis – Cal
QB Kamden Lopati – Michigan
WR Roye Oliver – USC

After firing Luke Richardson in the dog days of the 2024-25 campaign, the Blackhawks led a coaching search that ended in Jeff Blashill’s hiring. With him came some new faces.

Michael Peca and Mike Velucci came along to run the special teams. Anders Sörensen, the previous interim head coach, was retained to coach the defensemen and to keep a familiar face in the room. Jimmy Waite remained as the goaltending coach.

More specifically, Peca worked with the penalty kill while Velucci ran the power play. Both of these coaches also worked closely with the forward group. Sörensen gained plenty of favor for his longtime employment with the Blackhawks and IceHogs coaching staffs. Waite, a former Blackhawks player, has held his position for over a decade and is widely considered one of the best goaltending coaches in the NHL.

Holding it all together at the top was Blashill, a former longtime Red Wings head coach. After spending some time under Jon Cooper in Tampa Bay, the Blackhawks’ front office saw a cohesive vision between Blashill and the rebuild. 

Many questions arose from the quality of the roster, which the fanbase focused on instead of the coaching. Ultimately, great coaches get the best out of their players, and they fell short in their first season as a staff.

Power Play Struggles

Although the Blackhawks had tons of offensive firepower, the unit severely struggled to capitalize. By the end of the season, they ranked fourth to last in power play percentage. This number is simply inexcusable with the young, fast, talented offensive players the Blackhawks have. 

Something the Blackhawks don’t lack in terms of personnel are goal scorers. Many are still young and figuring out the NHL’s pace of play, but they still should be able to score on the man advantage. Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Nick Lardis, and Oliver Moore all saw power-play time. Unfortunately, they struggled to put together consistent zone entries and opportunities.

Even when Anton Frondell entered the first power play unit to end the season, the team simply could not find the back of the net very often. Although, it’s worth mentioning that their structure was solid, and they found plenty more chances.

Velucci would occasionally change who ran the point. Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, and Bedard all took that spot at different points in the season. Ultimately, there was a fundamental issue with the way the unit performed. 

To give Velucci some credit, the power play passed the eye test towards the end of the season. Adding Frondell and going to a five-forward power play with Bedard quarterbacking really helped the first unit. Unfortunately, though, the execution just was not there, and they still struggled to score.

A five percent uptick in production would put them in the middle of the league standings, but would do wonders for the overall success of the Blackhawks. Expect Velucci to really shake things up next season to find a system that works for new faces and the improved young talent. 

Is Sörensen the Guy?

Kyle Davidson has prioritized drafting defensemen. So, the man in charge of those players is one of the most important coaches on the staff. Sörensen led a lackluster playing career as a defenseman, but has carved out a coaching career built on developing players.

He started in the Chicago area as a youth hockey coach before coaching the Chicago Mission some years later. During that time, he would help develop future Blackhawks in Ryan Hartman, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Nick Schmaltz.

After a coaching stint in Sweden, Sörensen was hired by the Blackhawks as a player development coach in 2013. Fast forward thirteen years, and he is now one of the most important voices in the room. So far, his contribution has looked shaky, but hopeful.

Blackhawks D-Core

Rinzel, Levshunov, Wyatt Kaiser, Louis Crevier, and Alex Vlasic were all players who stayed relatively consistent as blue liners. Crevier and Kaiser were both excellent, unlocking pieces of their game that took their contribution to the next level. Not giving Sörensen some credit here would be a misstep.

Rinzel and Lev both have a lot of young player woes to work out. Improved consistency, decision-making, and physical strength will make these two next-level defensemen. With time, Sörensen will really be able to flex his developmental muscle with these two.

Alex Vlasic was disappointing. After a career year, Vlasic signed a deal that felt like a steal at the time. So far, he has seemed timid and simply ineffective in high-leverage areas. Even though he has his money locked up, more is needed out of a guy who is expected to wear an ‘A’ next season. 

The ‘Pronger’ Model

Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Pronger often cites a 300-game benchmark to evaluate defensemen. Across the five players mentioned above, not a single one has passed that threshold. The only player who is even close is Vlasic, who has 260 games under his belt. Ethan Del Mastro, another young hopeful, has played 45 games. Kevin Korchinski, the first draft pick of the rebuild, sits at 105.

Long story short, the defensemen are fine, at least for now. If the opinion of one of the greatest defensemen in league history holds any water, then it could take seasons to know what the Blackhawks have on their blueline. Now’s the time for Sörensen to show what he came to Chicago to do: develop.

Though the defense may be a question mark, the Blackhawks did have a few exclamation points on the year.

Peca’s Penalty Kill

The penalty kill was incredible, and at times, it felt like the Blackhawks almost wanted to be on it. Objectively, this was where the team played their best hockey.

After the trade deadline, speculation swirled on whether the unit would stay solid with Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson, arguably their two best penalty killers, being shipped off. 

Nevertheless, the Blackhawks finished at 83.6%, second-best in the league behind only Colorado. Ilya Mikheyev and Teuvo Teravainen both showed their excellent killing abilities. Ryan Greene and Landon Slaggert joined these two veterans while Vlasic, Crevier, Kaiser, and Rinzel backstopped the effort. Peca worked wonders coaching this group, and it will be interesting to see if any adjustments will be made next season.

Goaltending

Spencer Knight, in his first full season as a starting goaltender, was simply stunning. Having over a year to work with Waite, compounded with his raw talent, made him incredibly reliable. On a contending team, Knight would be in the Vezina discussion. 

Arvid Soderblöm was shaky, but for a backup goaltender on a defensively poor team, he did about the best he could. He made some marginal improvements in his rebound control and positioning, but he failed to stand on his head like Knight could. Again, on a contending team, Sodie would make for a rock-solid backup netminder.

Drew Commesso is another interesting goalie who looked awesome in his three starts. Waite could really bring out the best in him with what he has already shown. If the Blackhawks want to move on from Soderblöm, they know they have their next man up. Adam Gajan could be sneaky in the discussion, too, in a couple of seasons.

Interesting Line Combinations

Where Blashill got the most heat was in his line combinations. For much of the season, Bedard flew alongside Andre Burakovsky and Greene. It was an intriguing experiment, but not at all the answer. With the talent coming up and additions to be made this offseason, this hit to Blashill’s perception could be quickly turned around. 

To close the season, Blash finally put Bedard and Nazar on a line together. Frondell also saw time on Bedard’s wing, and Lardis eventually became a mainstay. Although they never caught true fire the way many expected to, the framework is there. Ultimately, the lines are moving in the right direction.

The Bottom Line

The coaching staff did not do enough to prove they can lead a dynasty, but they didn’t prove otherwise either. There were some bright spots and blemishes, but mostly a lot of unanswered questions.

Blashill believes in the rebuild. He believes in the potential these young players possess. Goal alignment between the coaching staff and the front office was the most important part of the search, and they got just that. Now, it’s time to see that vision turn into reality.

The post The Blackhawks’ Coaching Staff Underperformed in Year One appeared first on The Lead.

May 5—***

The list of available bowl slots following the 2026 college football season has dwindled. Most fans — not me — would say that is a positive thing.

Postseason games in Detroit, Los Angeles and the Bahamas have gone the way of the Bowl Alliance (remember that?)

Will there be more trimming in the coming years? Maybe. It depends on if the folks in charge of the College Football Playoff decide to take a bold step and expand the field to 24 teams.

Some will resist the change, fearing what it will do to the bowl system. By my count, adding 12 teams means the loss of six bowl games. I could get rid of those on the first pass with very little pain to the tradition and history of the sport.

Games in nice stadiums located in destination cities will continue to exist. And the Power Four conferences figure to have landing spots for teams that want to continue playing.

One bowl projection by CBS Sports pits Illinois against Florida State in the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte N.C. After games the past two years in Orlando and Nashville, adding a new state to the list of bowl sites would be a good thing. Illinois has not played a bowl in North Carolina.

Of course, the preference for Illinois and all teams is to be a part of the CFP. If that doesn't work, nice to know the season can still continue.

Anthony Slater: Chris Finch said Anthony Edwards’ left knee came through Game 1 well to this point: “So far, so good.” Edwards will get light work and treatment later today in San Antonio. No word on whether he can up Edwards’ minutes beyond that 25 range in Game 2

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Chris Finch on Anthony Edwards' knee after Game 1: 'So far, so good'

Fred Katz: Josh Hart on Kelly Oubre saying that Jalen Brunson has a big head: "I feel like that's something that's very well documented."

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This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Josh Hart on Kelly Oubre saying that Jalen Brunson has …

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J.R. Smith, 40, was at Madison Square Garden to see the Knicks dominate the Philadelphia 76ers in a 137-98 win on Monday, May 4, giving New York a 1-0 edge in the second-round series. But Smith, who played for the New York Knicks for four seasons, became a victim of the chaos as the celebrations poured into the city streets. As seen in a video shared by New York Basketball, fans became rowdy while celebrating the playoff win, and Smith got caught in the middle of the raucous.

People

“Relax man relax “

JR Smith joined the crowd outside MSG

At one point it got out of hand pic.twitter.com/LCHRWM0EJN

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 5, 2026

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: As seen in a video shared by New York Basketball, fans …

The dream of bringing the Premier League title back to Etihad Stadium may not be mathematically over for Pep Guardiola's squad, but Monday night's chaotic 3-3 draw at Everton felt like the moment when the cold, hard reality of squad transition finally caught up with us.

For all of Manchester City's brilliance at various points this season, they were never quite ready to win the league. The blueprint of their undoing was laid bare in a 13-minute second-half period when those on Merseyside entirely lost their heads.

Under the suffocating intensity of Hill Dickinson Stadium, Guardiola's men showed a clear inability to compose themselves.

Forced mistakes - highlighted by Marc Guehi's costly backpass error - led to a flurry of Everton goals that perhaps a peak, battle-hardened and experienced City side of years gone by would have comfortably blocked out.

But was this defensive collapse just inevitable at some stage?

Over the past 18 months, the squad has changed a lot, with a lack of experience in key positions. Expecting flawless game management in a hostile Merseyside environment was always a big ask.

There is a strong argument to suggest City might have actually overachieved this season.

That might sound far-fetched when looking at the money spent on the squad, but pushing a settled, meticulously built Arsenal side this deep into May is a commendable feat, especially when contrasted with their long-standing, work-in-progress project under Mikel Arteta.

City are rebuilding - and yet they are still competing for the biggest prize in England right until the bitter end.

If anything, a wild night against Everton was another hugely promising pointer towards a bright future, and the very shining light was Jeremy Doku.

The Belgian's performance felt like a true coming-of-age moment. As usual, he dazzled with his one-v-one traits, but he added that end product when the pressure couldn't have been greater.

This season may belong to Arsenal but, with talents like Doku evolving before our eyes, City's transitional phase will be incredibly short-lived.

Whatever the future holds on a managerial front, the greatest of trophy-winning days may only be around the corner in the grand scheme of things.

Find more from Freddie Pye at City Xtra

Cliftonville have confirmed Northern Ireland internationals Danielle Maxwell and Louise McDaniel have returned to the club after spending last season at Burnley.

Both players played a key role Cliftonville's two title winning seasons in 2022 and 2024 before moving to England.

Maxwell scored 11 league goals and McDaniel netted the opener in the 5-0 Irish Cup final win against Lisburn Rangers as the Reds won a domestic treble and enjoyed an 'invincible' Women's Premiership campaign in 2024.

Winger Maxwell, who previously had a short stint at Blackburn Rovers, won the Women's Premiership Player of the Year award in 2023 and 2024.

The 24-year-old scored in Northern Ireland's 4-0 World Cup qualifying win over Malta at Mourneview Park last month.

McDaniel originally joined the Reds in 2021 after spells with Linfield, Hearts and Blackburn Rovers and was part of Northern Ireland's Euro 2022 squad.

Cliftonville, who relinquished the Premiership title to Glentoran last season, opened the new season with a 5-0 win over Lisburn Ladies on Friday.

Nebraska had an eye-opening run to the Sweet 16 during March Madness, and the Cornhuskers are looking to stabilize their coaching staff in order to make another bid for a deep NCAA tournament push next year.

To that end, head coach Fred Hoiberg announced that several key assistants have had their contracts extended.

“The success our program had this year is really a testament to the efforts of our entire staff, and it is important to reward them for all of their work,” Hoiberg said in a release. “The work they pour into our players is evident in their development in our program. Nate, Ernie and Luca have been vital over the last four years in helping us build a winning culture and enjoy sustained success that Nebraska basketball has not seen in a long time.  Pat stepped in seamlessly and made a significant impact on our program with his work ethic and knowledge in recruiting. He is a rising star in the coaching field.”

Nebraska announces contract extensions for its men’s basketball staff.

Nate Loenser has added the official title of associate head coach. https://t.co/lRZFxNTNVE

— Mike Sautter (@MikeSautter_) May 5, 2026

Nate Loenser, Ernie Zeigler and Pat Monaghan will remain by Hoiberg's side for the near future. General manager Luca Virgilio will also be on hand to help the Cornhuskers build for success.

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: Nebraska Basketball: Fred Hoiberg extends several key assistants

The Miami Dolphins, with new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley, made a change at quarterback this offseason, replacing Tua Tagovailoa with Malik Willis.

While they have faith in Willis, who signed a three-year deal, Miami shouldn't stop looking for a long-term solution at the position. And, if things go poorly this year, they'll likely have a top pick in the 2027 NFL draft, putting them in position to grab a franchise quarterback.

In a recent mock draft, CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson projected that the Dolphins will do just that, as he has them taking Oregon quarterback Dante Moore with the first-overall pick.

"Moore would've been the No. 2 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft had he not decided to return to Oregon. He plays with high-end pocket composure, handles pressure well and once the play breaks down, is elite out of structure."

Moore, 20, was a five-star recruit out of Martin Luther King High School in Detroit, Michigan, before committing to UCLA and transferring to Oregon just a year later.

In 29 games between the two schools so far, he's completed 65.9% of his passes for 5,224 yards, 41 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. His 2025 season was his best by far, completing 71.8% of his passes for 3,565 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on his way to All-Big Ten honors.

If Moore has another great year, he'll be around the top of the draft, where the Dolphins will likely be picking, so there's a real chance that this happens. However, there's a lot of time between now and the 2027 draft, and a lot could happen.

More Dolphins: Why Dolphins owner is knowingly sacrificing chance to host Super Bowls

This article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins select franchise QB in new mock for 2027 NFL draft

Former ESPN and Fox host Marcellus Wiley responded to the latest sexual assault allegations against him by four new accusers.

The new allegations were filed in court last month, joining three existing claims of sexual assault against Wiley. The first accuser came forward in 2023, alleging Wiley raped them in 1994 while he was a football player at Columbia University in 1994. Wiley previously called those claims “B.S.,” and his lawyer similarly denied the allegations in a 2024 court filing.

Rolling Stone was first to report the latest accusations filed against Wiley last week. In the new filings, one claim was made by an ESPN production assistant, who alleged Wiley assaulted them in his hotel room while the two were coworkers in 2009. Another accuser in the new filings claimed Wiley raped her on her 18th birthday in Dallas while he was a member of the Cowboys, alleging he had been grooming her since she was 13.

Tuesday morning, Wiley went live on his YouTube channel for his regular show, which generally addresses the more salacious topics and headlines in sports. And Wiley included the allegations against him in the rundown. While Wiley didn’t address any specific allegation against him, he claimed to have evidence that would disprove his accusers.

“Pick a date, pick the encounter, pick the allegation,” Wiley said. “For every one of them, I either saw, communicated through email, text, phone, was invited by these individuals after these dates to engage, to be intimate, or all of the above. After the dates that are in question. It directly contradicts the narrative that they’re trying to present publicly.”

“I got one straightforward question for all the accusers,” Wiley continued. “Why did you continue to see or maintain friendly communication at a minimum, that can be verified, will be verified, with someone that you’re accusing after the alleged incidents?”

Wiley did not provide any records, receipts, or direct evidence during his show, but said there are tons of details he’s refraining from addressing at this time, citing “the burden is not on me to prove innocence…it is on them who are making these accusations to prove their claims are credible, prove their claims are truthful, prove that they’re supported by evidence.”

Wiley insisted he’s going to fight the allegations, noting there are no criminal charges, and claimed his accusers are using him to get to the deep pockets of ESPN and Columbia University. And because the former ESPN host and Columbia football player is not the only party named in the filings, Wiley was careful with how much information he shared. But according to Wiley, he will fight the allegations because of his son, who shares his name.

“To you, it’s about money,” Wiley said. “To me, it’s about my son’s name that he will one day Google and think this is about him, but he’s gonna know it’s about his dad. And how dare you stain the brain of my child and his hero?”

Wiley has not worked in mainstream media since leaving Fox Sports in 2022, but he has built a following on YouTube with over 500,000 subscribers to his channel. And Wiley said he will continue to do his YouTube show amid these latest court filings, just as he has since being hit with the first round of sexual assault allegations a few years ago.

The post Marcellus Wiley responds to sexual assault allegations: ‘How dare you’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Just one point. That is all FC Barcelona need to confirm their coronation as the champions of La Liga for the second consecutive season.

And, Hansi Flick & co. have the golden opportunity to do so against none other than their bitter rivals, Real Madrid, in the upcoming El Clasico on 10 May at the Spotify Camp Nou.

Frenkie de Jong or Gavi in midfield?

Leading up to the match on Sunday, Barcelona manager Flick is staring at a major selection in midfield, reports SPORT.

Indeed, the manager has a decision to make about who partners with Pedri in the middle of the park – Frenkie de Jong or Gavi.

De Jong has been a key figure in the starting line-up since Flick’s arrival at Barcelona. He has earned that role through his performances, not only because of his technical quality but also due to an increase in intensity that had sometimes been questioned in the past.

However, over the past two months, his presence has declined significantly. The main reason for this absence is the muscle injury he suffered in training on 26 February, which led to him missing a series of important games.

Gavi or De Jong in midfield for El Clasico? (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

After missing nine matches, his return has been handled in an extremely cautious manner by Flick & co. In the last five games, he has played only 95 minutes, a limited involvement for a player of his influence.

Gavi has stepped up

Barcelona have not felt De Jong’s absence as strongly as expected, largely because it has coincided with the strong return of Gavi. In recent matches, the La Masia graduate has become indispensable for Flick.

He has taken his opportunity to show that his physical issues are behind him and that he is ready for major challenges, starting in five consecutive matches, all of which ended in victories.

As a result, De Jong’s place in the starting line-up against Real Madrid, which would normally be certain, is far from guaranteed for the upcoming match at Spotify Camp Nou.

The Dutch midfielder is fit to start, and the final decision rests with the coach, but at present Gavi appears to be the more likely option.

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse stepped away from the team on Tuesday to attend the funeral of his brother, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Steve Nurse, 62, reportedly died unexpectedly last Wednesday, the day before the Sixers’ Game 6 against the Boston Celtics in the first round. His brother’s team went on to complete a historic 3-1 comeback to reach the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Nick reportedly traveled from New York to his hometown of Carroll, Iowa, on Monday night, following the Sixers’ Game 1 loss against the New York Knicks. He is expected to rejoin the team later Tuesday.

In Nurse’s absence, the Sixers reportedly held a film session on Tuesday but did not practice. They are scheduled to face the Knicks in Game 2 on Wednesday in New York (7 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Nurse, who won an NBA title with the Toronto Raptors in 2018-19, is in his third season with the Sixers. This is the farthest they have been in the playoffs during his tenure after posting a 45-37 record in the regular season and advancing through the NBA play-in tournament.

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Nate Tice, Matt Harmon & Charles McDonald buy or sell the 6 NFL teams with the most interesting offseason changes. The guys kick things off by deep diving on three teams trying to lift themselves out of the dredges of the NFL: the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants and Tennessee Titans. Did they do enough this offseason to make waves in 2026?

Next, the three hosts look at some potential playoff teams hoping to get over the hump this season. Did the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions do enough to call themselves contenders?

Nate, Matt & Charles wrap things up with Breakout Watch, where they shout out Ashton Jeanty, Josh Downs and Jalen Redmond as potential breakout stars this fall.

(5:40) - Buying or selling offseason plans: non-playoff teams (Raiders, Titans, Giants)

(44:55) - Buying or selling offseason plans: contending teams (Ravens, Chargers, Lions)

(1:20:50) - 2026 Breakout Watch

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🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out all episodes of Football 301 with Nate Tice and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

Mark Cuban had one of the biggest assists in Indiana’s run to the national championship.

In Dec. 2024, Cuban, one of the Hoosier’s wealthiest alumni, was at IU’s first-round College Football Playoff game against Notre Dame, which the Fighting Irish won 27-17 . In the middle of the game, the former Mavericks majority owner found himself talking to athletic director Scott Dolson, a fellow IU alum, and university president, Pam Whitten.

The conversation would lead to Cuban opening his wallet for the most important player in program history: Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza

“The first thing I said to Scott was, ‘Well, at least this year you’re not having to look for another football coach,’” Cuban told FOS in a forthcoming episode of Portfolio Players. “Because that was kind of a time-honored tradition in Indiana, always looking for a football coach. And so he’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s the positive.’” 

Until then, Cuban, who is worth $6 billion, according to Forbes, had never donated to IU athletics. His charity strictly focused on academics. That’s when Dolson made his pitch to Cuban to change that.

“[Dolson]’s like, we’ve got this quarterback that we really, really like that we think would be great in Cig’s system, we just need a litttttle bit more,” Cuban recalled. “I’m like, ‘How much is a little bit?’ And so he told me, and I’m like, ‘OK, you know, we’re on a roll, I’ll put up the money to get this quarterback.’”

It didn’t hurt that both Cuban and IU coach Curt Cignetti both hail from Pittsburgh and are just three years apart. Cuban was also familiar with Mendoza’s family, as Fernando’s younger brother, Alberto, used to interact with Cuban at Heat games when they were facing the Mavericks.

“I knew [Alberto] who was already on the team, was a Heat fan and he would sit behind the Miami bench, and when I would come to go to Mavs-Heat games, he was like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m go to IU and da da da,’” Cuban said. “So we met. And so I’m like, OK, I’ll put up the money, and we can go get Fernando, and the rest is history.”

Cuban has never disclosed how much he’s given to Indiana for NIL, other than saying he increased his amount this past season amid IU’s 16–0 season that ended with a victory over Miami for the program’s first national championship. 

“Let’s just say they are happier this year than last year,” Cuban wrote in a January email to FOS. 

Mendoza was reportedly making $1.6 million in his final season at California in 2024, before netting $2.6 million to transfer to IU, according to Yahoo Sports. In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy, he led the Hoosiers to the national championship in his lone season in Bloomington. Last month, the Raiders selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Cuban reiterated that he doesn’t donate with specifications and instead lets Dolson decide where it’s best used. 

“I just give Scott money and it’s up to him,” Cuban said. “We talk a lot, we talk about approach, understanding how to put together a team. Because I did it for 20-something years. So it’s not like I have to direct him to something specific. I understand how they’re approaching things.”

The post Mark Cuban Says He Paid for Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza Deal appeared first on Front Office Sports.

It’s the night of nights for Arsenal and Atletico Madrid: a place in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League final in Budapest is at stake.

Watch all Serie BKT matches live on OneFootball for just €9.99 a month. Click here to buy the LaB Channel Monthly Pass with no automatic renewal.  

It starts again from the 1-1 draw at the Metropolitano, with the Gunners — also thanks to Manchester City’s slip-up in the Premier League yesterday — seemingly having rediscovered the confidence that had started to waver in recent days.

In the round robin, this clash, played in London, ended 4-0, but beware of underestimating Cholo Simeone’s men: this is a different stage, and what’s at stake is completely different, and we know how formidable the Colchoneros are at annihilating even the strongest opponents. Who will fly into the final? Tell us in the comments!

🔴 Article constantly updated: for live text commentary, click on the match card above.

🔥 RED-HOT atmosphere outside the Emirates Stadium

A red-hot atmosphere at the Emirates for the clash between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid. According to Sky Sports, Atletico’s bus arrived first, with a few objects thrown but no major problems. Then came Arsenal’s arrival, surrounded by red smoke and deafening chants: visibility was almost zero and the atmosphere electric.

✅ The OFFICIAL line-ups

ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Rice, Lewis-Skelly; Saka, Eze, Trossard, Gyökeres.

Unavailable: Timber, Merino.

ATLETICO MADRID (4-4-2): Oblak; Pubill, Le Normand, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Lookman; Alvarez, Griezmann.

Unavailable: Nico Gonzalez, Barrios.

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

The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing a problem. It’s a good problem, but a problem nonetheless.

Which of your starting pitchers gets moved to make way for the returning Blake Snell?

With that in mind, Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain ranked the Dodgers’ rotation based on their performance so far this year.

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1. Shohei Ohtani

It’s hard to argue with the top choice. Ohtani has a 0.60 ERA and was recently named National League Pitcher of the Month.

That ERA would be best in the NL if Ohtani had enough qualifying innings, though he’s at 30 going into Tuesday’s start. Depending on how long he goes, he could take the NL lead outright.

That might be made a little easier by the face that Ohtani will only pitch, not hit, on Tuesday after manager Dave Roberts reversed his decision on Monday.

“Shohei Ohtani, without question, with a bullet,” McKain said. “He’s been the Dodgers’ best starting pitcher. He hasn’t been just the Dodgers’ best starting pitcher, he’s been the best starting pitcher in all of Major League Baseball and definitely the National League.”

2. Tyler Glasnow

Coming in second is Tyler Glasnow, who might be a surprise for some given the pitchers he’s topped on the list.

Through six starts, though, he has a 3-0 record with a 2.56 ERA, WHIP of 0.828 and 47 strikeouts.

“Tyler Glasnow has put together a really good start to the season,” McKain said.

3. Justin Wrobleski

Justin Wrobleski gets the third spot, which some might find odd considering he’s leading the NL with his 1.25 ERA.

Despite that incredible ERA, though, he lags behind Glasnow in other categories, with a WHIP of 1.000 and only 15 strikeouts.

“Three, I’ve got to go Justin Wrobleski. I know Wrobleski’s ERA will say he’s had a better year so far, but I think Glasnow’s bigger stuff is just better, so I’ve got to go with Glasnow,” McKain said.

4. Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Before the season, it would’ve been hard to imagine that the Dodgers’ ace and Opening Day starting pitcher would be in the bottom half of the rotation, but that’s just how strong the Dodgers’ starting pitching is.

“Yama and Glasnow are really close; it’s Yama after Glasnow though,” McKain said.

Yamamoto (3-2) has an ERA of 3.09, WHIP of 1.008 and 40 strikeouts on the season.

5. Roki Sasaki

Now we’re getting into the post-Snell-return danger zone, though Roki Sasaki’s potential puts him slightly ahead of Sheehan, according to McKain.

“I think Roki still has some more upside there,” McKain said.

Sasaki (1-3) has an ERA of 5.97, WHIP of 1.674 and 26 strikeouts.

6. Emmet Sheehan

While Sasaki may have a slightly higher potential, Sheehan’s stats, while not great, are currently better than Sasaki’s.

Sheehan (2-1) has an ERA of 5.23, WHIP of 1.323 and 36 strikeouts.

That said, Sasaki has shown some progression as the season has gone on.

Do you think Sasaki or Sheehan will be moved to make way for Snell’s return?

The Kentucky Wildcats and coach Mark Pope are on the hunt for players to fill out their 2026-27 roster. They still have three spots open, and have a need for another scoring threat and more depth at center. If Malachi Moreno stays in the NBA draft, that second need becomes even greater.

To that end, Pope recently made a trip to Israel to watch forward Marcios Santos, a 6'8" frontcourt player for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Euroleague. He has shown an ability to score and rebound, but has made 40% of his three-point shots, making him a solid fit for Kentucky's offense under Pope.

It seemed likely that Santos would become a Wildcat, but that outlook has changed, and it's now expected that he will land elsewhere. Reports seem to indicate that Santos will take a bigger offer from the LSU Tigers, making another miss for Pope.

If Santos does choose LSU, spuring Kentucky, it leaves Kentucky in a tough situation. A player like Milan Momcilovic pulling out of the draft and heading to Lexington would be a huge win, and there are a few other players available in the portal. However, time is running out, and the list of players who could make a difference is getting short. It's desperation time for Kentucky, and Pope as his seat gets hotter and hotter.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky basketball expected to miss on forward Marcios Santos

Brooklyn Nets rookie guard Egor Demin had a solid rookie season for the Nets as he was able to calm some of the concerns surrounding his three-point shooting and whether that would translate to the NBA. However, Brooklyn wasn't able to get a full season out of Demin as he suffered plantar fasciitis in his left foot and it's possible he may not be ready to play for the Las Vegas Summer League.

"We'll see if I play Summer League," Demin said a recent livestream after being asked by Nets fans if he would be able to play in either of the Summer Leagues. Not only are the Nets playing in the Las Vegas Summer League like every other NBA team, but they will also be playing in the California Classic Summer League that occurs prior to the Las Vegas event.

Demin's statement over whether he'll playing in either of the summer leagues had some fans concerned that he was sitting out for reasons other than those related to his recovery from his plantar fasciitis. Demin clarified that whether he plays in the summer or not will not be entirely up to him as he seems to imply that Brooklyn's medical staff could be a factor in the decision as well.

When the Nets announced in early March that they ruled out Demin for the rest of the season, the press release mentioned that the team is expecting Demin "to return to basketball activity early in the offseason and be a full participant in the summer development program." This statement could mean that Demin should be healthy enough to play in the summer leagues, but there is plenty of time between now and July when those events take place.

Demin, 20, finished the 2025-26 season with averages of 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 39.9% from the field and 38.5% from behind the three-point line in 52 appearances. Demin said during his exit interview that he is looking forward to this summer given that he knows where he'll be next season and that he also wants to improve as a player once his plantar fasciitis subsides.

Egor Demin on if he’ll play summer league: pic.twitter.com/3GjtOQXSih

— 3gor (@3gorDemin) May 4, 2026

Man it’s literally not my decision if I play or no what are you even talking about 😂🤦🏽

— Egor Dëmin (@whoisegor3) May 4, 2026

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Egor Demin addresses fans on status for Las Vegas Summer League

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are just 90 minutes away from a second-ever appearance in a Champions League final, and one of the key figures tonight is none other than Myles Lewis-Skelly.

A Gunner through and through who has brilliantly risen through the club's ranks before breaking into the senior side last season, the 19-year-old England international has been entrusted by his manager in what is one of the biggest nights in the club's history.

Despite questions being raised on whether his future remained in north London amid murmurings that he could be viewed as a sellable asset this summer, his top-class performance in midfield at the weekend against Fulham was enough to see him retain his place in the XI this evening.

With his inclusion from the first whistle tonight, MLS has closed ranks with two iconic football names as teenagers to start in a Champions League semi-final - Spain legend Iker Casillas and Nigerian icon, as well as former Gunner, Nwankwo Kanu.

With a possible place in Thomas Tuchel's England side this summer at the 2026 World Cup also on the line, another brilliant showing tonight at the Emirates could propel Lewis-Skelly to dizzying heights, perhaps he couldn't dream of.

In a recent report, Fichajes stated that Liverpool are ready to launch a move for Tottenham Hotspur star Micky van de Ven. It has been mentioned that the Reds are hoping to make a €95m offer to sign the Dutch defender this summer.

Van de Ven’s Impressive Form In English Football

Van de Ven has enjoyed a good run of form at the North London club after he produced a string of impressive displays for them on the defensive end of the field. The 25-year-old has scored seven goals and grabbed one assist in 42 matches for Tottenham this season in all competitions.

The Dutch talent is still among the best centre-backs in the Premier League when he is playing with confidence on the field. However, it is no wonder that Liverpool are showing interest in him in this upcoming transfer window.

His current contract at the North London club will run out in the summer of 2029, which could make it tough for the Reds to sign him on the cheap later this year.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – MAY 03: Micky van de Ven of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park on May 03, 2026 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Should Liverpool Go For Van De Ven?

Van de Ven is a solid tackler of the ball and can scan the danger well to secure the ball back for his team inside his half. He doesn’t mind clearing his lines when the opposition are on the offensive and is proficient at playing his way out from the back.

Standing at 1.93m, the Dutch talent can use his strong frame to win his fair share of aerial duels. Van de Ven has also got the pace to get back and make some important recovery runs inside his half. He has got a wealth of experience in the Premier League and won’t take much time to settle into life at the Merseyside club.

We can expect Van de Ven to add more bite and steel to Liverpool‘s defence. He has what it takes to fight for a regular first-team spot at the Premier League club.

At 25, Van de Ven has his best years ahead of him, which makes him a worthy target for the Reds to pursue later this year. All in all, Liverpool would be wise to go for a player of his quality and skill set in this summer transfer period.

May 5—The final ranking for the Class of 2026 was published Monday. While Kansas-bound wing Tyran Stokes held on to his spot atop the class, there was some movement in the rankings.

Like future Illinois guard Quentin Coleman vaulting up the rankings to No. 15 — the first player outside the five-star recruits. Coleman became the Illini's highest-profile prospect when he committed on the eve of the Final Four, but Brad Underwood and Co. are adding another high-level recruit in Lucas Morillo, who was ranked No. 34 in Rivals' latest effort.

Coleman and Morillo headline a five-man class that also includes three-star wing and No. 135 overall prospect Zavier Zens and unranked three-stars Ethan Brown and Landon Davis. That group ranks fifth in the Big Ten and 15th nationally, per Rivals, and marks the biggest class of high school recruits for Illinois since 2018.

"I'm really excited about this group," Underwood said. "We've got every position covered in terms of the way we're trying to recruit. I like this group. As usual, we're going to rely on some of these freshmen to be instrumental pieces for us. I always hold it close to the chest a little bit until you coach them and get them on campus, but it's a very talented group and one we like a lot."

"You've got to make sure that we keep freshmen in the mix. I think we've got to make sure we keep guys who are developing, carrying over culture, and guys that keep growing in our program. Not everybody is going to come in here and be a one-and-done or, for that matter, a pro. You've got to find that right balance."

Morgan Gibbs-White might need a "miracle" to be ready for Nottingham Forest's Europa League semi-final second leg against Aston Villa - but his head coach Vitor Pereira is hopeful.

Gibbs-White and Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez both had to come off with their heads bandaged after they collided during Forest's 3-1 Premier League win at Stamford Bridge on Monday.

Forest, unbeaten in 10 matches in all competitions, take a 1-0 lead into Thursday's match at Villa Park.

"He has a deep cut, we will see, he is a fighter and we hope for a miracle," said Pereira.

"We'll see what happens. I really believe we can have him next game. I said to him: Don't head the ball, just play."

The midfielder posted a photo on social media on Monday night, thanking people for their messages and showing the stitches across his forehead and nose.

Sanchez also posted a photo of some stitches at the top of his head and added in reference to Gibbs-White: "Seen that you came out worst [worse] than me, hope you are OK big man."

Pereira said that Gibbs-White's substitution was not related to concussion, so he is not subject to strict protocols surrounding such head injuries.

That means that his availability for Thursday is only dependent on whether the cut on his face heals in time.

Had Gibbs-White been judged to be concussed, he would probably have been ruled out. Players must not return to activity for at least 24 hours before undergoing a 48-hour period of rest and a six-stage "return to play" process.

Premier League teams are permitted to make one concussion replacement per match, which do not count towards their usual substitution limits. Chelsea used that dispensation during Monday's match for youngster Jesse Derry.

The 18-year-old, who was making his debut, clashed heads with Forest's Zach Abbott and was taken to hospital. Chelsea said he was "conscious, talking and undergoing precautionary checks".

Brain injury charity Headway's chief executive Luke Griggs praised the care given to Derry and Abbott but added that the subsequent collision between Gibbs-White and Sanchez "shows that head injury protocols need to go much further".

"The use of concussion substitutions is certainly welcome, though with each team only receiving one permanent concussion substitute per game, clubs are limited as to what they can do when additional head injuries occur and frustration remains with football's unfathomable refusal to allow temporary concussion subs," said Griggs.

"Questions will rightly be asked about Gibbs-White and Sanchez not being subjected to the mandatory return-to-play protocols due to them not being replaced as concussion substitutes.

"This is not about the clubs, which clearly provided first-rate treatment to their players, it's about the laws and protocols of the game - ensuring player welfare drives decision-making."

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May 5—CHAMPAIGN — Tom Michael is returning to the University of Illinois.

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman announced Tuesday that Michael — a former Illini men's basketball standout who is wrapping up his 12th year as athletic director at Eastern Illinois — will join the UI as deputy director of athletics. As the second-highest ranking administrative officer in the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, Michael will have a role in campus, Big Ten and NCAA governance.

He starts May 14, filling a void created by Roger Denny's hiring as the Oklahoma athletic director back in January.

The UI announced that Michael "will contribute to developing and implementing competitive strategy for the athletics program and will work closely with sport programs and student-athlete support services, including daily oversight of football and men's and women's track and field/cross country. Michael also will oversee facilities management and capital projects along with the business office."

The 55-year-old Michael was the longest-serving athletic director in the Ohio Valley Conference. The Panthers claimed 24 conference titles in his watch, including 12 during the last four years. After winning five OVC championships during the 2022-23 season, EIU won four league titles in 2023-24 to capture the OVC Commissioners Cup.

"Tom has established himself as an experienced, respected leader in Division I, having served on various conference and national committees while leading Eastern Illinois for more than a decade," Whitman said in a statement. "As a former men's basketball standout, Tom's passion for the Orange and Blue is unquestioned, and I know he will bring great pride to such an important position. Tom and I have known each other for more than 20 years, and I look forward to working closely with him to continue our program's upward trajectory."

Michael served on the President's Council to EIU President Jay Gatrell. He also served on the FCS Football Oversight Committee and was part of the FCS Playoff Selection Committee from 2021-24.

"There is so much positive momentum right now at Illinois," Michael said in a statement. "As an alum, there is a tremendous amount of pride in the success that is being achieved across the board. And as a professional, I am honored to be able to return to Champaign and work alongside the best teams, coaches and staff you will find in college athletics."

Prior to his work at EIU, Michael spent 18 years in various roles at Illinois, rising to associate athletic director in 2008 and senior associate athletic director in 2012.

Michael was a four-year letterwinner, three-time team captain and two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection in basketball under coach Lou Henson. The Carlye native played for the Illini from 1990-94 after helping lead Carlyle to a 1989 Class A state championship in Champaign. He remains the Illini school record holder for career three-point field goal percentage (.449) and single-season three-point percentage (.493).

He and his wife Shana have three children, Nicholas, Nate and Kylie. All three of his children played high school sports at St. Joseph-Ogden High School, with Nate helping the SJ-O boys' basketball team place fourth in Class 2A in 2013 and Kylie helping the SJ-O volleyball team place second in 2A in 2016. Nate is currently an assistant men's basketball coach at EIU, and Kylie, a two-time News-Gazette All-Area volleyball Player of the Year, played college volleyball at EIU.

Bob Skinner, a three-time All-Star outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates who went on to manage the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, died. He was 94.

MORE: Tributes pour in for Yankees broadcaster who dies at 87

“We are saddened to relay the news of the passing of former Pirates outfielder and coach Bob Skinner,” the Pirates wrote on X on May 5. “Skinner was a member of the 1960 World Series Championship Pirates and a coach on the 1979 World Series Championship team. He made his Major League debut with the Bucs in 1954 and played nine of his 12 seasons in Pittsburgh.”

Skinner played for the Pirates from 1954-63. He was an All-Star in 1958 and again twice in 1960, when MLB staged two All-Star games every summer.

MORE: Angels announce tragic death of 2002 World Series champion at 53

In 1960, Skinner helped Pittsburgh defeat the New York Yankees in a seven-game World Series. He drove in the first run with his only hit in the series early in Game 1, which the Pirates ultimately won. Skinner didn’t play again in the series until Game 7.

By 1964, Skinner had been traded for the second time in as many seasons, this time to the St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis would go on to face the Yankees in the World Series; like the Pirates four years earlier, they won in seven games. Skinner went 2 for 3 with an RBI to collect his second and final World Series ring as a player.

Skinner retired after the 1966 season with a career batting average of .277, 103 home runs, and 531 RBIs for the Pirates, Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds.

MORE: Dodgers announce death of former World Series champion, coach, 4-time All-Star

A La Jolla, California native, Skinner was coaching for his hometown Padres — then a minor league affiliate of the Phillies — when he was promoted to Philadelphia as a midseason replacement for Gene Mauch in 1968.

Skinner returned as the Phillies’ manager in 1969, but he was fired after going 44-64.

As a coach, Skinner went on to work for the Padres (1970-1973), Pirates (1974-1976), the Padres again (1977), the California Angels (1978), the Pirates again (1979-1985), and the Atlanta Braves (1986-1988). He collected another World Series ring as a coach with the Pirates in 1979.

Two-time major champion Jon Rahm revealed he has several years remaining on his LIV Golf contract and doesn't "see many ways out" after agreeing to a new deal that allows him to play on the DP World Tour.

The 31-year-old Spaniard, a former world number one, spoke Tuesday ahead of this week's LIV Golf Virginia event at Trump National Washington.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which had promised long-term support for the series, said last week it will pull funding after the 2026 campaign concludes, plunging the upstart circuit into uncertainty over his future beyond this year.

But while the vexed question of how LIV players may return to the PGA Tour has dominated golf in recent weeks, Rahm said Tuesday he remained locked into his lucrative contract.

"I have several years on my contract left and I'm pretty sure they did a pretty good job when they drafted that, so I don't see many ways out," Rahm said.

"As of right now, I'm not really thinking about it since we still have a season to play and majors to compete for. So it's not something I want to think about just yet."

Rahm did however settle one long-running issue on Tuesday as the DP World Tour announced they reached a deal with the Spaniard that allows him to play on the European circuit this year while paying all outstanding fines since his 2024 jump to LIV.

"There's no longer a standoff. We were able to reach an agreement," Rahm said. "There was some concessions on both sides. I offered some, they extended an olive branch. That will not be a stress anymore."

Rahm will no longer have to worry about his place on the Europe side for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor in Ireland or future stops.

"The Ryder Cup is still really far away, but I'm happy that hopefully I won't have to think about any worries or any predicaments (ahead of) Adare Manor then or hopefully ever," Rahm said.

"I want to support the DP World Tour. There's a lot of events I want to play."

Rahm meanwhile admitted to shock at PIF's decision to pull the plug on LIV Golf, saying players had been assured financing from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund was in place for years to come.

While LIV Golf chief executive officer Scott O'Neil seeks new backers, two-time defending LIV season champion Rahm says players will likely face compromises if the series is to continue.

"I do believe that for the business plan to change, whatever they're coming up with, there will need to be some concessions on our part," Rahm said.

"It's a team effort. It's not about one person agreeing or not. We all, as captains and team owners and players involved in the league, need to in essence have a large majority to agree on for it to work."

- 'Only time will tell' -

Several big names jumped to LIV Golf from the PGA Tour, which banned those players from its events. Some players have made the move back, such as five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, but a return path for others remains uncertain.

Rahm, for his part, said he likes where he is at with LIV.

"We want to be here. It has been a lot of fun. I want to keep competing. I want to keep sharing some time with them," Rahm said.

"But only time will tell. Scott and his team have a lot of hard work to do, but obviously they're experienced in the area, and that's why they've been chosen to take this role."

Rahm, the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters champion, jumped in 2024 and won the past two season crowns.

This year, in his final tuneup for next week's PGA Championship, Rahm has won LIV titles at Hong Kong in March and Mexico City in April.

js/rcw

The NFL has introduced two rule changes this offseason that fans will notice right away. The league has approved a one-year trial allowing the replay center to correct clear errors during referee stoppages, as well as a new kickoff rule that lets teams declare an onside kick at any point, regardless of score. These changes aren’t just procedural; they give coaches new options late in games.

The onside kick rule is a more significant change than people realise

In the past, it was up to the team that was behind to decide when an onside kick could happen. Now, anyone can choose to do it. This doesn’t mean coaches will start taking unnecessary risks, but it does remove the old restrictions tied to the score. Teams will now have to consider unexpected decisions, which changes how special teams coordinators and hands units need to prepare.

Strategy evolves, not just changes

The real shift isn’t about frequency – teams won’t be declaring onside kicks every week. It’s about flexibility. Coaches now have an earlier option if they want to protect a narrow lead or steal a possession, without waiting for the typical late-game scenario. Even if it doesn’t happen often, just the possibility forces opponents to prepare differently.

Replay centre steps in for officiating stoppages

If there is an official work stoppage, the NFL has given the replay centre authority to step in and correct clear errors. This isn’t a constant presence; it’s designed as a backup plan to keep things on track if normal oversight isn’t possible.

Stronger review of ejections

That’s how the NFL finds a bit more control around what it can see and fix, whether it happens on or off the field. It is another small but useful attempt to keep the league’s decisions balanced when an official might miss something like that in the moment.

Why coaches won’t need long to notice the difference

Rules only really matter when they change the choices coaches have to make, and these ones do just that. One widens the window for taking risks with possession. The other gives referees more leeway to clean up big mistakes, even when things are getting chaotic. So, coaches are going to need to adapt early, even before there’s enough game tape to fully understand how teams are using these new rules.

Read more:

Angels' Mike Trout is on pace to break 3 personal single-season records in 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Angels have seen Mike Trout return to form this season, in one of the best developments of the season.

But Trout isn't simply back to playing well; he's actually playing better than he has in any season before in his MLB career. Despite winning MVPs, Trout's start to the season has him on pace for a few personal records.

As Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller highlighted, Trout is on pace to break personal single-season records in three key statistics: walks, runs, and, most interestingly, home runs.

Mike Trout on pace to break personal records in 3 stats

"Trout's career high for home runs in a single season is 45, while his previous best marks in runs and walks were 129 and 122, respectively," Miller writes. "But through 35 team games, he is on pace for 46 home runs, 139 runs scored, and 157 free passes."

The Angels center fielder is on pace to set career highs in a few key statistics, with the home-run record the most impressive.

Trout has 10 home runs this season through 35 games, which would have him on pace for 46.28 in a 162-game season. It's going to be difficult to maintain that pace all year, but if he does, his single-season HR record is within reach.

When it comes to runs scored, Trout has 30 in 35 games, which has him on pace for 138.85 runs scored over a 162-game season.

MORE: Aaron Judge makes baseball history never done before by Yankees player

His previous career-best is 129 runs in a season. He's well on his way to breaking this record, but it's still far from a guarantee.

Lastly, he has 34 walks in 35 games, which is the most in baseball this season, and would have him on pace for a ridiculous 157 walks on the year.

His previous record was 122 walks in a season, so while he's well on his way to breaking this record, it's hard to imagine he would have such a drastic improvement on his previous career-best from his prime.

Trout breaking his personal best in walks and runs might be possible, but his home run record might be a bit of a stretch. As good as he's been this year, the 34-year-old Trout may run out of steam a bit over the course of the year.

More MLB news:

• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award
• Reds' Elly De La Cruz makes baseball history not done in last 126 years
• 5 reasons to believe in Jordan Walker's breakout for Cardinals
• Pete Crow-Armstrong is still struggling to hit well for the Cubs
• Roman Anthony might’ve been overhyped for Red Sox

DELHI, India (AP) — Opening batter Sanju Samson smashed an unbeaten 87 off 52 balls and anchored Chennai Super Kings to an eight-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League on Tuesday.

Samson, who has scored two centuries this season for his new franchise, led Chennai to 159-2 with 15 balls to spare as the five-time champions continued a remarkable turnaround in the tournament with three wins in the last four games.

Delhi was limited to 155-7 with spinners Akeal Hosein (1-19) and Noor Ahmad (2-22) troubling the home team batters on a tricky wicket.

Samson was slow off the blocks and scored run-a-ball 22 before cutting loose in the latter half of the chase and smashing six sixes and seven boundaries. Kartik Sharma made an unbeaten 41 off 31 balls and together with Samson shared a match-winning partnership of 114 runs to leave Delhi at No. 7 with four wins in 10 games.

Chennai is at No. 6 with 10 points from five wins and five losses.

___

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

The Vikings' selection of Caleb Banks is going to be debated for months until he steps on the field in a regular season game. Given the injury concerns, folks will want to see how sustainable his play is, but, of course, they will hope for the best.

The Athletic's Alec Lewis wrote up some additional takeaways from the Vikings' 2026 NFL Draft class. Beyond what the fans are worried about, there is someone throwing their voice into the arena to allow fans to feel better about the selection of Caleb Banks.

His former head coach at Florida, Billy Napier, spoke to Lewis and offered up his two cents on Banks as a player. Napier told Lewis, “I would just tell you that, within the last decade or 20 years, this is a generational height, length, twitch and intelligence type of guy who also has a competitive streak that makes him different.”

Banks earning high praise from his coach should help fans feel better about the pick. Again, if Banks is healthy, this pick is going to be the steal of the draft. Once October rolls around and he has played every game, everyone can look back at this moment and laugh, right?

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Billy Napier offers his praises to Caleb Banks after the NFL Draft

Cuevas Embracing Competition in Tight End Room

There's always competition in an NFL position room—but the best players know how to turn that into something productive. For Josh Cuevas, that's exactly how he's approaching things alongside fellow tight end Matt Hibner.

When asked how the two are being used early on, Cuevas made it clear that this isn’t just about competing; it’s about growing together.

“I can't really say much about that right now. I'm still trying to fit into my role and see kind of where they see me at mostly out here. They're kind of using both of [Matt Hibner and I] everywhere, a little bit in line, a little bit spread out. But one thing's for sure, ‘Hibby’ and I are going to work off of each other, and we're going to help each other out wherever we can and see where that works out.” 

That flexibility reflects Baltimore’s broader offensive approach, where tight ends are often asked to contribute in multiple ways—blocking, receiving, and creating mismatches across the formation. Despite the natural competition, Cuevas made it clear that collaboration will be just as important.

For the Ravens, that balance between competition and cooperation could be key. As both rookies continue to develop, their ability to push each other while growing within the system may ultimately determine how the position group evolves heading into the season.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Josh Cuevas embraces tight end competition with Matt Hibner

Texas head coach Sean Miller is no stranger to the cutthroat world of college basketball recruiting. Some programs seem to have deeper pockets than others to secure the best talent, which is something that Miller was asked about on the Field of 68 show recently.

The Field of 68's Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster wondered how many programs would spend a minimum of $20 million on their rosters next season.

"I would say that I pay close attention to the SEC, and you know, I think we competed at a very high level," Miller said. "The University of Texas is investing in our basketball program to allow us to compete for the top prize, and I think we’re in the company of about seven or eight, where guys are really along the same lines as us. But…educated guess? Sometimes you don’t have all the information. I would say 20 to 25 (teams).”

How many 20+ million dollar rosters are there in college basketball this offseason? Sean Miller's perspective:

"Educated guess? Sometimes you don't have all the information... I would say 20-25." 👀

🎥: https://t.co/kRYnhn5fpCpic.twitter.com/nG8CMfoVOg

— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) May 4, 2026

Miller declined to disclose whether the Longhorns fall into that category, but it's hard to think that they wouldn't push towards that threshold considering the immense competition Texas faces in the SEC.

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

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Texas Basketball: Sean Miller guesses number of $20 million rosters

Liverpool Transfer News: Reds Eye £52m Porto Winger

Liverpool’s search for attacking solutions may be turning towards Portugal, with Record reporting that the Reds are monitoring FC Porto winger Oskar Pietuszewski ahead of the summer transfer window.

The 17-year-old, who joined Porto from Jagiellonia Białystok in January, has made a swift impression in Portugal and is already attracting attention from several major European clubs. Record credit Liverpool with interest, while Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are also said to be watching his development.

Pietuszewski currently has a release clause worth around £52m, though Porto are reportedly keen to offer fresh terms and increase that figure. For a club with Porto’s record of developing and selling elite attacking talent, that is hardly surprising.

Diaz Departure Still Haunts Liverpool

The Luis Díaz angle makes this story particularly relevant for Liverpool. Diaz left Anfield for Bayern Munich last summer, and rather than signing a direct replacement, Liverpool placed their faith in Cody Gakpo to help carry the load from the left side of the attack.

That decision has not aged well.

Gakpo has struggled badly this season, both in terms of output and influence. At his best, the Dutchman offers intelligent movement, clean ball striking and positional flexibility. This campaign, however, he has too often looked short of rhythm, sharpness and authority in the final third.

Photo: IMAGO

Liverpool’s failure to replace Diaz now feels like one of the defining recruitment calls of last summer. Diaz gave the side vertical thrust, intensity, unpredictability and a capacity to beat defenders in moments when structure alone was not enough. Without him, Liverpool’s left flank has lost some of its menace.

Pietuszewski Profile Fits Liverpool’s Need

Pietuszewski has reportedly produced three goals and four assists in 14 Portuguese top flight appearances, impressive numbers for a player still only 17.

Operating mainly from the left, he is viewed as a direct, explosive winger with confidence in one against one situations. Those qualities are precisely what Liverpool have lacked since Díaz’s departure.

This is not to say Pietuszewski would arrive as an instant senior solution. At his age, any move would have to be framed as both a present squad option and a long term investment. Yet Liverpool’s issue is clear. They need more speed, more incision and more natural width in attack.

Photo: IMAGO

Summer Rebuild Requires Conviction

Arne Slot won the Premier League title in his debut season, but Liverpool’s title defence has been disappointing. Despite spending £450m last summer, the Reds sit 4th, and another busy window is expected.

That creates a delicate recruitment picture. Liverpool cannot afford another summer where a major attacking departure is not properly addressed. The Diaz exit left a gap, and trusting internal solutions has backfired.

Pietuszewski may be young, expensive and far from proven in England, but the logic behind the interest is easy to understand. Liverpool need to restore danger to their wide areas, and Record’s report suggests they are already assessing one of Europe’s more exciting emerging options.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

From a Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this report lands with a mixture of interest and frustration. Oskar Pietuszewski sounds exactly like the type of player Liverpool should be tracking, young, explosive, technically sharp and already producing in senior football. But fans have heard enough about long term planning. What they need now is evidence that the club have learned from last summer’s mistake.

Luis Diaz leaving for Bayern Munich was a major moment. Liverpool chose not to replace him properly, trusted Cody Gakpo to step up, and that gamble has failed. Gakpo has looked miles off the required level this season, and the left side of Liverpool’s attack has lacked speed, aggression and spark.

That is why this story matters. Pietuszewski might be an outstanding talent, but supporters will question whether a 17-year-old with a £52m clause is the answer to a problem that already needed fixing a year ago.

Liverpool need certainty this summer, not only potential. Slot’s title win bought him time, but this season has exposed serious flaws in the squad build. If Pietuszewski is part of a wider attacking rebuild, fine. If he is the headline answer, it feels risky.

Interesting player, logical profile, but Liverpool cannot afford another half measure.

Chelsea are not expected to proceed with a move to bring Xavi Hernandez into the Stamford Bridge dugout, according to Ben Jacobs.

The Blues had contacted his camp to discuss the Spaniard replacing Liam Rosenior.

However, even though he is open to a switch to England, the West Londoners will not hire him.

Chelsea are searching for a fourth permanent head coach in four years under BlueCo, after inexplicably dismissing Enzo Maresca, who had salvaged a badly assembled squad.

A little call for backing in the transfer market and a downturn in form prompted the Club World Cup champions to part ways with Maresca and hire Rosenior.

Unfortunately, the English tactician was a disaster, leaving after 106 days with Chelsea now in danger of missing out on Champions League football for the third time in four years.

The club’s hierarchy desperately needs to get its next hiring decision right, or risk plunging this team into even more trouble than it already is.

Xavi is what the squad is crying out for. He is a fine coach who did a stellar job with Barcelona, guiding them to the league title while playing exciting football.

The 46-year-old was renowned for giving opportunities to young starlets such as Pau Cubarsi, Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Gavi, and others.

He has top experience leading the Catalan outfit out in Europe as a player and as a manager. He would be an excellent addition.

Xavi would be a much better choice for the current Chelsea squad than other names like Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva.

He has managed at a much higher level than the Premier League duo and is the kind of big-name winner these players need.

Besides Xabi Alonso, he is the only other name on the Chelsea shortlist that makes sense.

This managerial search remains open with the club hierarchy facing a make-or-break situation.

Things do not seem to be okay at all between Real Madrid and their ace goalscorer Kylian Mbappe.

Since his ill-advised trip to Italy this past week, there has been tension developing between the French superstar and the club, while reports of unrest in the dressing room have also taken centre-stage.

Some players at the Spanish capital outfit are not entirely happy with the 27-year-old forward, his attitude and the privileges he has seemingly been granted at the club.

Meanwhile, Mbappe himself has not taken too well with the club’s decision to sack Xabi Alonso midway through the season, and the club’s mishandling of his knee injury is also seen as a concern in his camp.

Not the best moment, but no exit for Mbappe

Providing the lowdown on the situation, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Real Madrid and Mbappe are not at all considering the possibility of parting ways in the summer.

Not going anywhere. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

While it is true that, at the moment, things are not at their best between the two parties, there is no doubt that the 27-year-old superstar will stay at the club and remain a part of the project next season.

The situation is described as a ‘difficult moment’, exacerbated by the fact that Real Madrid, as a club, are going through a precarious situation.

The disappointing season, the clashes inside the locker room, and the search for Alvaro Arbeloa’s replacement, have all contributed to the situation.

Mbappe’s trip to Italy, while Real Madrid are going through difficult period, was not welcomed.

However, the relationship between the player and the club is not broken and he will continue to remain an integral part of the project next season, with the Merengues set to restart from scratch after an underwhelming campaign.

Patriots' Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Breaks Silence On Mike Vrabel Scandal originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The scandal involving Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini has been a hot topic over the last few weeks, and one New England Patriots legend recently shared his thoughts.

By now, every Patriots fan knows about the pictures released of Vrabel and Russini. The pictures essentially illustrate an affair between the two that has been going on for years. Both are married, and Russini has resigned from her position at The Athletic. As for Vrabel, the NFL has noted that his actions have not violated the personal conduct policy, and the Patriots have seemed to support him as he figures things out.

Vrabel spoke to the media before the NFL Draft and noted that he is committed to coaching the Patriots and being the best version of himself. He missed Day 3 of the NFL Draft to attend counseling, which raised questions about whether the scandal would, in fact, impact his ability to do his job. Vrabel has noted that he has already addressed the team on the matter, and Rodney Harrison spoke on how that message may have been received in the locker room.

“The one saving grace, no matter what goes on in your life, has always been an NFL locker room. Those players are going through some of the same things Mike Vrabel is going through with some of the temptations, some of the things that’s out there, things they struggle with,” Harrison told MassLive's Karen Guregian. “So they have a great deal of empathy. So I think they’ll understand, and they’ll forgive Mike. I think it’ll bring the locker room even closer together.

“You still might have a few holes. A few who might be skeptical, ‘Well he said this, he said that’ but the majority in that locker room, they love Mike Vrabel and they respect him. They know he’s a human being, he’s a good person and he made a mistake. And, they’re going to forgive him.”

Harrison spent 15 years in the NFL and was with the Patriots from 2003 to 2008. He and Vrabel were teammates and won two Super Bowls together. He knows Vrabel better than most media personalities speaking on the scandal, and he also has the perspective of how things are inside a locker room.

More NFL: Insider Reveals How Mike Vrabel Scandal Has Impacted Patriots Trading For A.J. Brown

Why Penguins losing Evgeni Malkin could be especially painful for Pittsburgh originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Pittsburgh Penguins may bring Evgeni Malkin back for another season.

Or, in a move that would be tough for most involved, they could decide to move on. Malkin doesn't want to retire. He's expressed that he'd sign with a new NHL team if needed.

One of those outcomes will feel a whole lot better to Pittsburgh than the other.

The reality, though, is that Malkin is heading for free agency, and the Penguins have played a little tough to get here. They haven't rushed to give the aging Malkin a new contract before he turns 40 this summer.

MORE: Sabres' storybook season is real, and Stanley Cup dreams are valid

It's not obvious yet which way this will go in the end. What's clear is that it'll hurt if Malkin is gone.

First, on the individual level, for the captain Sidney Crosby.

"Crosby, who has one year left on his contract, has publicly said he’d like Malkin to return next season," The Athletic's Josh Yohe wrote in a new article on Tuesday.

But really, this is about so much more than Crosby. Yohe did a great job of capturing why this is a negotiation that will matter so deeply to the entire city.

"It’s worth emphasizing that this isn’t a normal case," Yohe writes. "Malkin isn’t another Hall of Famer. Very few, if any, Pittsburgh athletes have made such a strong connection with local fans. Crosby is beloved, sure, but he’s not as emotional on the ice as Malkin... Malkin is an artist in the most traditional of ways: He makes you feel. Whether you’re in awe, frustrated or right there with him when he cross-checks someone, he conjures strong emotions. So, if this is the end, it will hurt a little bit more. The guy from Russia who speaks limited English is one of us. He’s a Pittsburgher to the core."

MORE: Canadiens win a playoff game like none other in NHL history

When you consider that description, you understand how crucial it is for the Penguins to get this right.

If they let Malkin go, the team they put on the ice without him better be a good one, and he better not flourish too much somewhere else.

Everyone would be a bit happier to see 'Geno' stick around.

More NHL news:

• The trade clock is ticking for Connor McDavid
• Sabres relish in Ryan Whitney's prediction misfire
• Sidney Crosby hints at retirement plans
• How Avalanche won an absurd 9-6 playoff game
• Sabres' fans show they can handle 'O Canada' with no microphone help

Chris Clarke had gone the traditional route, pitching for three years at USC after starring at Newbury Park High, then toiling for six more seasons in the Chicago Cubs minor league system after being a fourth-round draft pick in 2019.

But his big league dream abruptly became a wake-up call last August when the Cubs released him a week before his wife gave birth to their first child. No more paychecks. No more health insurance.

So imagine how jarring it was for Clarke to take the mound in front of a record 102,000 fans in the Texas A&M football stadium Saturday, which had been converted to accommodate (sorry Dodgers) the most popular team in baseball: the Savannah Bananas.

"It was surreal," Clarke said. "In fact, it was so incredible, I didn't feel anything. My body went numb. There was a moment in the third inning when everybody was screaming. I couldn't hear myself talk."

It was the most people ever crammed into Kyle Field, the nation's fourth-largest college stadium, trailing only Michigan (107,601), Oregon (106,572) and Ohio State (102,780).

Texas A&M is ROCKING hours before the Savannah Bananas and Texas Tailgaters start the game at 8pm ET pic.twitter.com/FoY7ydGuwN

— Banana Ball (@BananaBall_) May 2, 2026

Clarke pitched for the opposing team, the Texas Tailgaters, one of five squads created by Bananas founders Jesse and Emily Cole that serve as touring partners to face the yellow-clad star attraction. All six teams practice at a complex in Savannah.

The game in College Station attracted the largest crowd in the Bananas' six-year history, and Clarke shined, striking out five in four innings. He also entertained, as all players in the Banana Ball Championship League are cheerfully required to do.

"The amount of joy it brings to fans and even people online, it's really something," Clarke said. "There definitely is a winner and a loser — which holds some weight — but for the most part, fans are there because it's a really good show."

Clarke, a 6-foot-7 right-hander, was the third overall pick in the inaugural Banana Ball draft held in November. Tailgater coaches contacted him beforehand to gauge his interest and he told them, "Pick me."

That level of bold fits right in. Banana Ball is fast-paced, hilarious and maximizes fan engagement. It features innovative rules: Fouls caught by fans count as outs, for example, and batters who walk get to run the bases until all nine defensive players have touched the ball. Choreographed dances, acrobatic tricks, a pitcher on stilts and other antics keep the entertainment flowing.

"I like to think of every game as a stepping stone to the next show," Clarke said. "Whether it goes well or is terrible, we will make it better for next time. Banana Ball is a relaxed culture, so when it comes to the entertainment stuff, there is no fear of failure. We are seeing what works and what doesn't."

Read more:Going bananas: Why Savannah Bananas tickets cost more than a Dodgers-Yankees rematch

Guest stars are frequent and on Saturday the Bananas sent Texas-grown YouTube sensation Tyler Toney, a member of the sports comedy troupe Dude Perfect, to the plate as a pinch-hitter. Clarke struck him out on four pitches: a called strike, a swinging strike, a ball Clarke purposely launched high into the stands for laughs, then strike three swinging on a cut fastball.

It was a rare humbling moment for Toney, who with fellow Dude Perfect members Cody Jones, Garrett Hilbert, and twins Cory and Coby Cotton generates more than $20 million annually from YouTube, merchandise and tours.

Clarke had watched Dude Perfect videos religiously when he was at USC and was starstruck to meet them in person.

"Dude Perfect is the reason I failed econ twice," he said. "I watched every single Dude Perfect video. To meet them and shake their hands was fun. It was the only moment in my life where I was a fanboy."

He's also a breadwinner again for his family. The burgeoning popularity of Banana Ball has made the gig more lucrative than playing in the minor leagues.

Read more:Banana Ball gets 'biggest partnership to date' with ESPN and Disney, including a trip to Disneyland

"I'm making five times as much and playing half the time," Clarke said. "My contract is also for 12 months of the year. In affiliated baseball, it's only six months. So, there's that. I've never met anyone in baseball who has had the luxury to spend time with a newborn child. To come to Banana Ball and actually feel like there is respect, a culture and guidelines, that was something I hadn't experienced."

It is also giving him notoriety. Twenty-five Banana Ball games this year are being streamed on the ESPN app and Disney+, with select games airing across ESPN networks and ABC. The first Bananas broadcast on ABC will take place at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore., June 27-28. The games have been sold out since October.

Highlights from Saturday's game flooded social media and traditional outlets alike. Family friends and former teammates reached out to Clarke. What was it like pitching in front of 100,000 people? Are you improving your dance moves?

"The entertainment side of it takes pressure off performance," he said. "Performing well is still very much there, but there is a level of relaxation that makes it easier."

Clarke admits he thinks back to USC and the 2019 season when he posted a stellar earned-run average of 1.03. He also occasionally misses the heightened competition and quest to make the major leagues of affiliated baseball.

He pitched two seasons in triple-A and is only 27. Would he leave Banana Ball next year if an MLB team offered him an invite to spring training?

"I'm not in a situation to close any doors," he said. "That's the mindset that got me here. I wanted to investigate Banana Ball and I told them I'd give them a full year for us both to evaluate it. Either way, I think it's a win. Just comes down to what's best for my family."

Meanwhile, more games in packed stadiums await. In addition to a handful in football stadiums against the Bananas, the Tailgaters will play three games a week against other Banana Ball League teams through the summer, mostly in minor league baseball stadiums from Tulsa to El Paso to Nashville to Charlotte.

Exponentially larger crowds than those venues are accustomed to are a given.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Dak Prescott pulled into wild Cowboys fan ‘curse’ on Steelers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Dallas Cowboys are heading into a rebuilding period after a disappointing 2025 season in which they failed to make the playoffs. Dak Prescott and the roster are working to break through their postseason struggles, with a major defensive overhaul designed to support the quarterback better.

In a video posted by ML Football, NFL fans were seen placing and burying a card featuring Prescott on the field at the Steelers’ stadium. The stunt seems to be a superstition-driven attempt to transfer the Cowboys’ long-standing playoff woes onto Pittsburgh. Fan curses are actually a familiar part of NFL culture, but stadium staff usually discover and remove such items during routine field upkeep.

THIS IS WILD…

These #NFL fans buried a card of #Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott at the grounds of the #Steelers stadium inside the field.

😳😳😳

These fans were attempting to curse Pittsburgh for the upcoming season. pic.twitter.com/rbA7UYZpYh

— MLFootball (@MLFootball) May 4, 2026

As for the Cowboys' postseason struggles, they remain a frequent topic of discussion in the NFL. Since their last Super Bowl title in the 1995 season, Dallas has often entered the postseason with strong records and high seeds, only to suffer early exits. The team has one of the highest regular-season winning percentages in the league over the last three decades, but it has not reached an NFC Championship Game since January 1996.

Meanwhile, the Steelers are preparing for the 2026 season under new head coach Mike McCarthy, who returns to his hometown after leaving the Cowboys following the 2024 season. He was named the 17th head coach in franchise history after posting a 49–35 record in Dallas over five seasons.

It is funny and ironic that the fan video attempts to curse Pittsburgh with Cowboys-like playoff struggles, even though the Steelers just hired the coach most associated with that very era in Dallas. Even the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016.

More NFL news:

• Saints still have an Alvin Kamara decision to make
• What's going on with Aaron Rodgers and the Cardinals?
• Eagles might have a DeVonta Smith problem
• Patriots give another A.J. Brown signal
• From Falcons to Cardinals, Tyler Allgeier can't catch a break

British tennis player Emma Raducanu withdrew from the Italian Open shortly after doing her pre-tournament press conference.

Raducanu has been dealing with the aftereffects of a viral illness that sidelined her since Indian Wells. She posted a vague health update last week, but fans were encouraged when they saw her in Rome, spending time practicing and laughing with her peers.

With no clay court match preparation, will Raducanu play the French Open?

MORE: Aryna Sabalenka thinks players might have to boycott a future Grand Slam because of prize money

Raducanu has not been specific about her health issues

She does not owe the fans any explanation for what’s been plaguing her, but it is as perplexing as Emma Navarro‘s situation.

In both cases, we know the players are dealing with prolonged health issues that limit their ability to train and prepare correctly for competitive tennis.

MORE: Tennis players’ issues are much deeper than 2026 French Open purse

Raducanu is a WTA one slam champ

I have previously detailed the group of players who came from relative obscurity to win their one and only Grand Slam. In addition to Raducanu, Bianca Andreescu, and Marketa Vondrousova fall into this category.

All three have dealt with severe physical and mental health issues, and turbulence behind the scenes since their landmark wins.

Hopefully, we see a healthy Raducanu on the court soon, if not at the French Open, during the grass season and particularly at her home tournament, Wimbledon.

Jon Rahm said Tuesday that he doesn’t “see many ways out” of his LIV Golf contract as he spoke openly for the first time about what his options will be now that the league has announced it’s no longer funded by Saudi Arabia’s PIF and is looking for investors for it to continue.

The two-time major champion was asked in Washington, D.C., ahead of their event at Trump National, if he was able to get out of his contract with the league if he feels like it’s not suitable for him beyond this year.

“I have no idea, I couldn't tell you,” he said. “I have very few talents in my life, and reading a contract or business are not two of them.

“As of right now, I have several years on my contract left, and I'm pretty sure they did a pretty good job when they drafted that. So I don't see many ways out, and as of right now, I'm not really thinking about it since we still have a season to play and majors to compete for. So it's not something I want to think about just yet.”

He may not be thinking about it yet, but it’s something Rahm is likely going to have to deal with soon. He’s willing to see what CEO Scott O’Neil comes up with first.

“I don't think he would ask anybody to buy into anything without giving us a business plan first,” Rahm said. “Until we have that, I don't think we can really answer the rest, right? It would just be speculation at that point.”

Rahm said that the league has worked with team captains, of which he is for Legion XIII, about their respective ideas. He’s given his opinion but realizes it’s impossible to make everyone happy in a situation like this where there are 57 players and 13 teams.

For now, he’s trying to focus on playing this week in the nation’s capital. He leads the season’s individual standings, has won twice—including two weeks ago in Mexico City—and hasn’t finished worse than fifth place in six events.

But it’s not easy to focus on the golf course when there are so many distractions off of it. On Tuesday, he squashed one distraction by announcing that he and the DP World Tour have ended their dispute and he’s now eligible to play on Europe’s Ryder Cup team next year. The LIV Golf intrusions, however, do not appear to be going away soon.

“It's definitely extra noise, there's no denying it,” he said. “But I think we deal with it as athletes honestly. I think it's part of the job a lot of times, and sometimes that extra noise is internal for something that may be happening family-wise that's not public, which is much worse than this.

“We practice enough so once you get in competition mode, it doesn't matter. It might be a worry before or after, but it shouldn't be once you get to that first tee. We've said a few times, when it's so uncertain and so out of our control, there's really nothing to think about.”

Tiger Woods is officially out of the PGA Championship. Ditto for Phil Mickelson, who has played only one LIV Golf event this year as he copes with a family health matter and withdrew shortly after the list of 154 players was announced Tuesday for Aronimink Golf Club.

And the big surprise was Dustin Johnson, who was extended one of the special invitations to the PGA Championship next week despite his eligibility running out last year.

“Very excited,” Johnson said from LIV Golf Virginia, “I want to play in all the majors. I feel like my game is still good enough to compete with everyone and still can win. The PGA was nice enough to give me an invitation. So yeah, I'm very, very happy and thankful for that.”

The PGA of America held back two spots in case the winners of two PGA Tour events, the Truist Championship and the Myrtle Beach Classic, are not already eligible.

Scottie Scheffler is the defending champion at the second major of the year, which returns to Aronimink for the first time since Gary Player won in 1972.

Johnson is among 30 players who competed at Aronimink when it hosted the BMW Championship in 2018, when Keegan Bradley defeated Justin Rose in a playoff that didn't finish until Monday because of so much rain.

The PGA Championship committee is the least transparent in filling the field for its major, with 33 players receiving special invitations.

Most of them came from the top 100 in the world ranking. The PGA Championship strives to have the top 100 and often will go a few places outside the top 100 to make sure no one sneaks in in the final week before the major.

It gave invitations to Andy Sullivan of England (102), Angel Ayora of Spain (103), Keith Mitchell (104), Chandler Blanchet (106) and Billy Horschel (107).

It also has a category of its PGA points list — based on official PGA Tour money earned in the last 12 months — to fill the field beyond the top 70.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Canada is the leading player not eligible at No. 80. He becomes the first alternate, with a reasonable chance of getting in because only four players at the Truist Championship — Yellamaraju is one of them — are not yet in the PGA.

The alternates all came from the PGA points list.

Woods not playing was expected. He was arrested Feb. 27 on suspicion of DUI and received permission from a Florida judge to seek treatment outside the country. Woods has not played in a major since the 2024 British Open.

Mickelson has not said publicly what he's dealing with at home. His only LIV Golf event was in South Africa in March. He did not play in the Masters.

The PGA of America also awarded a spot to Ian Holt, a two-time winner this year on the Korn Ferry Tour who leads the points list, and Kota Kaneko of Japan from the Federation Ranking of tours around the world. The PGA Championship takes players from the leading three tours. Kaneko on the Japan Golf Tour was fourth.

Johnson, a former No. 1 player in the world with two majors, has been eligible for every major since the 2009 Masters. He did not play in three of them because of injury or because of taking time away from the game (2014 PGA Championship).

His 10-year exemption from winning the U.S. Open expires after this year. He is not eligible for the British Open, which historically does not offer special exemptions.

Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald of Team Europe received an invitation, which has become a PGA Championship tradition. U.S. captain Jim Furyk is not playing. Vijay Singh, a two-time PGA champion, and 2025 Senior PGA champion Angel Cabrera chose not to play.

___

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

The Pirates’ manager and a pitcher were both suspended during a recent incident during a game against the Cincinnati Reds.

The MLB announced Tuesday that pitcher Chris Devenski was suspended for three games and issued an undisclosed fine for intentionally throwing at Sal Stewart at the top of the seventh inning last Saturday. The throw led to Devenski’s ejection from the game.

The suspension, unless appealed, will begin on Tuesday — which is the start of the Pirates’ road series in Arizona. If Devenski elects to appeal, the discipline will be held until the appeals process is complete.

Kelly was suspended for one game and issued an undisclosed fine for Devenski’s actions. He will serve the suspension on Tuesday.

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Ever since Joe Hortiz stepped foot in the The Bolt as the Chargers’ new general manager, he has spouted about his love for getting the compensatory pick formula rolling as soon as possible. In each of his first three offseasons, that has largely been shown. This offseason specifically, the Chargers had several players go sign sizable contracts elsewhere, providing a nice foundation for the formula heading into 2027.

However, the Charges then went out and made some questionable signings that took those comp picks away, mainly the addition of offensive guard Cole Strange. Strange signed for $6.5 million per year which washed out one of their comp picks while signing a player many do not believe should be a starter if it wasn’t for him being familiar with Mike McDaniel’s offense system.

Add in the signing of tight end Charlie Kolar at $8.1 million (an objectively-good signing), the Bolts are essentially left with a single comp pick for edge rusher Odafe Oweh who signed for $24 million per year in Washington.

Well, even if it’s just the one pick, NFL.com’s Dan Parr currently projects that selection to come in the third round.

“The Commanders did not spend an early draft pick on an edge rusher, so I’m expecting the highly paid Oweh to play enough snaps to ensure the Bolts are awarded a third-round selection.“

As things stand at this point in the offseason, the Chargers only have five draft picks next year. They traded their 2027 sixth-round pick in exchange for offensive lineman Trevor Penning and their 2027 seventh was used to acquire offensive tackle Austin Deculus before he was cut last summer by the Texans.

However, that’s the same amount of picks they began the 2026 draft with before wheeling and dealing their way to eight used picks by the end of the weekend. I wouldn’t be shocked in the slightest if something similar happened a year from now, especially if they have an extra third (or fourth) to use in the process.

Curtis Jones Transfer Latest: Newcastle and Inter Milan Circle Liverpool Midfielder

Curtis Jones Faces Defining Liverpool Summer

Curtis Jones has always carried something more than talent at Liverpool. He carries place, accent, memory and meaning. He is the boy from the city who grew into the shirt, a midfielder shaped by academy pitches, Anfield expectation and the heavy privilege of representing your own.

According to TeamTalk, Newcastle United have now entered the race for Jones, while Inter Milan are emerging as a particularly attractive option should the Liverpool midfielder leave Anfield this summer. That alone gives this story significance. This is not simply squad housekeeping. This is about Liverpool deciding how much room remains for one of their own in Arne Slot’s evolving midfield.

Jones, still only 23, finds himself in a delicate footballing corridor. He is neither a fading veteran nor an untested prospect. He is experienced enough to demand meaningful minutes, young enough to keep improving, and versatile enough to interest clubs with serious ambition.

Photo IMAGO

Inter Milan Interest Adds European Intrigue

TeamTalk report that Inter Milan first explored a deal in January, only for Liverpool to refuse a mid-season departure. That was understandable. Clubs with title ambitions rarely weaken themselves in winter. Summer, though, changes the temperature of every conversation.

Inter’s interest feels credible in footballing terms. Serie A would test Jones differently. It would sharpen his tactical discipline, reward his ability to retain possession under pressure and place him in a league where midfielders are often asked to think before they run. For Jones, Italy may offer reinvention rather than retreat.

Liverpool must be careful. Letting homegrown talent leave can look clinical on a spreadsheet and painful from the stands. Supporters understand evolution, but they also value identity. Jones is one of the few players who visibly links the current squad to the city beyond matchday symbolism.

Newcastle and Villa Monitor Midfield Opportunity

Newcastle’s interest adds a Premier League edge. TeamTalk claim the Magpies are assessing midfield reinforcements, with Sandro Tonali expected to depart this summer. Aston Villa have also made enquiries about Jones’ availability, which suggests the market sees something Liverpool may be tempted to undervalue.

For Newcastle, Jones would bring press resistance, ball carrying and an ability to operate between lines. For Villa, he would offer control and tactical intelligence. For Liverpool, he represents both depth and sentiment, which is where the decision becomes harder.

Liverpool are reportedly targeting Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace and Eduardo Camavinga of Real Madrid. Both names point towards a midfield refresh built on athleticism, technical quality and long term planning. Yet recruitment should not automatically mean removal. Jones has already shown he can contribute at elite level.

Liverpool Must Weigh Value Beyond Transfer Fee

Every successful side must make ruthless decisions. Sentiment cannot pick a midfield three. Yet Liverpool should ask whether selling Jones strengthens the squad, or merely tidies the balance sheet.

If Inter offer the right project, Jones may understandably listen. If Newcastle or Villa promise central status, he may feel the pull of regular Premier League football. But Liverpool should not mistake familiarity for limitation. Sometimes the player already inside the building remains more valuable than the one admired from afar.

Jones’ future now feels open. What Liverpool do next will say plenty about Slot’s rebuild, the club’s midfield priorities and how much space still exists at Anfield for local talent with unfinished business.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a concerned Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this report should set a few alarms ringing. Curtis Jones may not be the flashiest name in the squad, but losing him would feel like another step away from the emotional core of the club. There is a difference between refreshing midfield options and casually allowing a technically gifted, homegrown player to walk away.

Jones has flaws. He can hold the ball too long, he has not always nailed down one fixed role, and injuries have interrupted momentum. Yet when Liverpool are functioning properly, he offers press resistance, composure and tactical discipline. Those qualities are not easy to replace, especially when squad rules and homegrown numbers matter.

Inter Milan would be a fascinating move for him, and perhaps even a smart one. Serie A could polish his game. Newcastle or Villa would be more uncomfortable, because watching Jones mature for a domestic rival would sting. Liverpool supporters have seen that story before with players allowed to leave too early.

The concern is not that Liverpool are planning boldly. They should be. The concern is whether they recognise what Jones still might become under Slot. Selling him should require a very strong fee, a clear midfield upgrade and absolute certainty. Anything less would feel premature.

Does it give you comfort to know that the Jays have the exact record they had last year at this time? No, me neither. If it is going to be like last year, now is the time to turn it around. In May last year they were 16-12.

Eric Lauer wasn’t throwing as hard as he did last year, not that he was the cause of the loss. The lack of offense made it very unlikely we were going to win, but if he wants to be part of the rotation when we get back Shane Bieber (but that’s no until near the end of the month). They could put him and Jose Berrios together I guess.

From Ben Nicholson-Smith game post:

The left-hander sat 90.3 m.p.h. with his fastball Monday, and he wants to see that number climb. With that in mind, he intends to throw a ‘velo pen’ this week — basically a bullpen session in which he’ll try to max out his velocity, “really try to rip it” by “building the power from the ground up.”

This is the question I’ve been asking myself:

If not Piñango, who? Davis Schneider? Normally I’d like to keep the right-handed batter, but he’s off to a really slow start. Sending him down would force another lefty batter into the lineup against left-handed starters, but then they could hardly be worse than Davis has been.

Schneider was a 1.3 bWAR player in about half a season of play, last year. I don’t believe he could have forgotten how to play over the summer. But he’s going to have to show it at some point and maybe it is time he figures it out in Buffalo.

Or Lenyn Jose could be DFAed. Same thing, he’s a right-handed batter, replacing him for a lefty means there would be one less platoon option.

Anyway, we will find out soon. Addison will be back Friday, if not sooner.

Chris Bassitt’s kids are confused about him playing for the Orioles. “They loved Ace.” I’d be confused too: