Samsung is expanding the One UI 8.5 beta program, this time for the Galaxy S23 series, Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5, and Galaxy S23 FE. Along with these, the company also joined Galaxy A36 5G, the first from the A-series.

Samsung is allowing these phones to enter the beta program and test the latest features before the stable release. Before these phones, Samsung also introduced the Galaxy S24 series in the test pool.

One thing to notice here is that the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Flip 5’s One UI 8.5 beta is limited to certain markets. Samsung has announced that these two phone users in the U.S. and Korea can participate in the beta program. We don’t know the reason for these limitations, but that’s how it is. On the other hand, the Galaxy A36 5G’s beta is limited to Indian users.

First opened in December, the One UI 8.5 beta program inducted the Galaxy S25 series. Following a four-month run, the company is still testing One UI 8.5 for the lineup. Earlier today, the S25 series, along with the S24 series, received the 9th and 8th beta updates, respectively.

The first thing that these phones are getting is AirDrop support for Quick Share to send and receive files. That said, users just need to weaken the visibility setting, and you can turn your Galaxy smartphone into a cross-platform device for AirDrop file sharing.

Furthermore, the new betas add new camera improvements as well as bug fixes for a smoother user experience.

More to come

Samsung has confirmed that the One UI 8.5 beta program will not end here and will be expanding to more devices later this month. You can stay connected with us to know more about these phones when the program opens.

The post Samsung keep on expanding One UI 8.5 beta and it’s not the end appeared first on Sammy Fans.

Recently leaked marketing materials of the Motorola Edge 70 Pro revealed its design. Now we are looking at the leaked renders of the Edge 70 Pro, showing the smartphone in three new colors. One of these models features a wooden design on the back cover, but there's no confirmation on whether it's a real wood texture or just a design. The name of this model isn't known either. Motorola Edge 70 Pro's leaked renders However, the source reports that the other two models are called Pantone Titan and Pantone Zinfandel. It also claims that the blue version's back panel has a...

Cristiano Ronaldo and Ivan Toney were both expected to define the direction of the Saudi Pro League title race this month, but few imagined the latest twist would come from outside the pitch. The English forward at Al-Ahli is now at the centre of a storm that could hand Ronaldo and Al-Nassr a sudden boost in both the scoring charts and the Saudi Pro League title chase. What’s more, his future has been clouded by the threat of a potentially career-altering suspension following his explosive remarks about refereeing.

The controversy erupted after Al-Ahli’s tense meeting with Al-Fayha, a match that was overshadowed by two denied penalties that left Toney and the coaching staff seething. The frustration boiled over when the referee refused to overturn either decision, even after VAR checks, which pushed emotions toward a breaking point. Toney did not hold back after the final whistle, setting the stage for the disciplinary saga that followed.

His post-match interview, aired by Thamania, remains the source of the biggest shock. “The referee clearly overlooked two clear penalties, despite consulting VAR, but decided to deny Al-Ahli their rights,” he said, already sounding braced for trouble. Moments later, he escalated the accusation, adding, “The referee told us to focus on the AFC Champions League. Is that normal?” 

Furthermore, the 29-year-old responded without hesitation when asked who these purported effects helped: “The team we’re chasing.” That suggestion leaves a little to the imagination, considering the fact that Al Nassr, Ronaldo’s team, is now four points ahead of his side, and with a game in hand.

How long could the ban really be?

It was these accusations that alerted investigators and triggered the most serious disciplinary threat of Toney’s career. According to Goal, the English forward is now facing the possibility of a lengthy suspension, one severe enough that it could keep him out of club soccer for an extended period and disrupt any hope of representing England at the 2026 World Cup.

The Saudi Arabian Football Association (SAFF) has yet to confirm any sanction, though Goal claims that sources close to the case suggest the charges include matters beyond his referee comments, including alleged betting-related violations.

Legal adviser Salman Al-Ramali underscored the gravity of the situation, telling Okaz: “Toney’s statement casts doubt on the integrity of refereeing and is detrimental to the Saudi League.” Citing Article 5/50 of the SAFF regulations, he added that penalties can include disqualification of up to 12 months, along with significant financial punishment of up to 300,000 riyals ($80,000).

How a possible ban could affect England at 2026 World Cup

This midpoint is where the scale of the suspension becomes clearer: Toney could be banned for as long as a full season, potentially keeping him sidelined long enough to derail his World Cup dreams entirely. The timing could hardly be more daunting for England manager Thomas Tuchel, who has been monitoring Toney closely amid uncertainty over striking options.

With Harry Kane’s fitness fluctuating and other forwards battling inconsistent form, the Al-Ahli star had been considered a strong candidate for upcoming call-ups. Should the suspension be enforced, his international pathway would be blocked at a moment when England needs depth more than ever.

What it would mean for Ronaldo’s Golden Boot chances

Even though Ronaldo was nowhere near the fixture, his name inevitably entered the conversation due to the title implications. With Toney potentially removed from competition for an extended period, the Portuguese superstar’s chances of winning both the Golden Boot and the league title have instantly improved. The 41-year-old trails Toney by four goals, but the latter’s absence would significantly open the door for Ronaldo to step up his game in the final seven league games.

Christian Pulisic’s international teammate Patrick Agyemang was expected to shape the United States’ attacking identity heading into the 2026 World Cup, yet he is now facing a heartbreaking setback. The USMNT suffered a major blow when the Derby County striker sustained a serious injury that immediately ruled him out of the tournament.

Agyemang’s injury came during Derby’s 2-0 win over Stoke City in the EFL Championship, a match that had initially looked routine for the club. The 25-year-old was stretchered off after landing awkwardly, with staff and teammates immediately sensing the severity of the moment. Derby later confirmed in a statement that he had suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury.

The club announced, “Patrick will be undergoing a further assessment of the injury later today.” It continued with a message of support, saying: “The club will provide Patrick with the highest level of medical care and rehabilitation throughout his recovery. Everyone at Derby County is fully behind Patrick at this difficult time and will continue to support him every step of the way.”

The United States had penciled Agyemang into its plans after he impressed in recent windows. He featured during March’s friendlies against Belgium and Portugal, scoring in the 5-2 defeat to Belgium, and had become one of the more promising attacking options under Mauricio Pochettino. The striker’s return of six national-team goals from 14 games, paired with his ten league strikes this season, made him a strong contender for the final roster.

Pochettino now faces a significant tactical decision as he reassesses the player pool. The absence of Agyemang, who had recently fit seamlessly into the coach’s plans, leaves a noticeable gap in the attacking rotation. His progress since leaving the MLS for England’s second division had positioned him on the rise, making the setback even more devastating.

What did Agyemang say on social media?

The most touching moment came when Agyemang finally addressed the situation publicly. In a heartfelt Instagram post, he opened up: “Man, words can’t really describe the moment I realized what happened. You can only imagine the thoughts going through my head… but that’s life sometimes.”

He continued with gratitude, saying: “First, I just want to thank God for everything He’s done in my life and for all that’s still to come. Also, [I] wanted to say thank you all for the love, messages, and support. It’s been amazing and truly touched my heart. “I’ll be back soon, don’t worry.”

Who steps in for USMNT now?

Folarin Balogun is expected to lead the line, with the striker delivering consistently for the national team. Ricardo Pepi remains another reliable figure due to his form for PSV, while Haji Wright’s strong Championship record of 16 goals for Coventry makes him almost certain to be included. Wright also brings experience from the 2022 World Cup, giving him an edge in squad discussions.

As per football360, Mauricio Pochettino may even consider shifting Christian Pulisic or Timothy Weah centrally if he wants to adjust the balance of the squad. Such a move would open space in the wide areas while maintaining firepower up front.

Enzo Fernandez has been under the spotlight in recent days following Chelsea’s decision to sanction him for comments deemed inappropriate regarding a potential future at Real Madrid. However, things now seem to have been clarified, with the controversy resolved in a way that works for all parties.

“We’re on the same page with Chelsea. We made peace yesterday,” said Javier Pastore, Fernandez’s agent, in an interview published by Top Mercato on Thursday. “There were never really any problems. We cleared the air.”

The main controversy arose when the Argentine midfielder said that Madrid was his favorite city in Europe because it reminded him of Buenos Aires. That was interpreted as a nod toward a potential move to Real Madrid, which led Chelsea to sanction him by leaving him out of the FA Cup clash against Port Vale last weekend.

“We explained to the player that, even though he hadn’t done anything wrong, he shouldn’t have said that,” Pastore added. “He naturally apologized to the club, his teammates, the coach, the sporting director, everyone. We’re all on the same page. We simply had to clear up the misunderstanding.”

At the same time, the agent and former Paris Saint-Germain star made it clear that Fernandez’s focus is 100% on performing at the highest level with Chelsea: “Enzo still has six years left on his contract and we need to work together, which is what we’re doing.”

Will Chelsea lift Enzo Fernandez’s sanction?

When Liam Rosenior addressed the Fernandez situation during a press conference last week, he said the sanction involved leaving the midfielder out for the next two matches: against Port Vale in the FA Cup—where the Blues won 7-0—and against Manchester City in the Premier League.

That match is still on the horizon: it will take place on Sunday at Stamford Bridge. With the latest updates regarding the peace reached between the club and the player, the question now is whether Rosenior and the executives will reconsider and lift the sanction early.

This could be decisive for Chelsea’s chances, as Enzo Fernandez is one of the team’s top performers, and his presence on the field would provide a significant boost. The stakes are even higher considering Manchester City are direct rivals in the fight for a UEFA Champions League spot.

Enzo Fernandez’s other major goal

Beyond his desire to reintegrate with Chelsea and contribute to the team in Premier League and FA Cup, one of Fernandez’s key motivations to resolve the conflict quickly is his international career.

“Enzo needs to play because he has a World Cup coming up,” Javier Pastore said in the same Top Mercato interview. With just over six weeks until Lionel Scaloni announces Argentina’s final roster, the midfielder seems likely to make the squad—but he cannot afford to miss game time at such a crucial stage.

Throughout the 2025–26 season, Real Madrid have shown themselves to be quite limited offensively, as Vinicius Jr. has not been at his best and Kylian Mbappé faced physical issues. In this context, Michael Olise emerges as the ideal solution to their problems, being a target for the next season. In fact, the Spanish side is reportedly considering making a $185 million offer to Bayern Munich for the Frenchman.

According to Christian Falk, via CF Bayern Insider, Michael Olise’s brilliant performance at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium has caught Real Madrid’s attention. As a result, president Florentino Pérez is determined to pursue his signing, preparing a €160 million offer (around $185 million) to Bayern Munich. Far from being competition for Mbappé or Vinícius, the Frenchman would be an ideal complement.

With a contract until 2029, the German side are in no rush to sell Olise, as he does not have a release clause. In addition, they have made it clear that they would not sell him even for an offer exceeding $200 million, labeling Michael as untouchable. With this, Bayern Munich aim to establish him as the cornerstone of their future project, ahead of Lennart Karl or Jamal Musiala.

While Michael Olise is quite comfortable at Bayern Munich, Real Madrid’s interest could push him to consider a departure from the club. However, this is far from simple, as he is unique in his position within the German side and is the future star of the squad—something he would not necessarily have at the Spanish side. Moreover, coach Vincent Kompany has brought out his best version, being a key factor in maintaining his continuity at the Bundesliga side.

Michael Olise emerges as Bayern Munich’s most influential player

Vincent Kompany has managed to establish Bayern Munich as one of the best sporting projects in Europe. With his imposing style of play, Harry Kane and Luis Díaz have been able to bring out their best versions, leading the team in scoring. Nevertheless, Michael Olise stands out as the most decisive player in the entire squad, delivering masterclass performances throughout the season.

Unlike Kane or Díaz, Olise is a player capable of shining both centrally and out wide. With his tactical intelligence and pace, the Frenchman has managed to become the most decisive player on the team. In addition, he consistently finds space to break on the counter, being the focal point of the attack against Real Madrid. Alongside this, he has been highly productive, scoring 16 goals and providing 25 assists.

Top Rank’s Bob Arum has been involved in boxing since the 1960’s and has been a true servant to the sport, sure to go down as one of the most influential figures in its long history. More than anyone else, he perhaps has the claim to have seen it all. Arum’s first fight as a […]

The post Bob Arum names his favourite fight after 60 years in boxing: “It was a street brawl” appeared first on Boxing News.

’s latest win appears to have tee’d up a clash with the inactive , and one of boxing’s top trainers believes that the fight may end in disaster for the latter, who has not fought since 2023. Spence outpointed Albania’s Denis Nurja on Sunday, overcoming a cut to set up a summer showdown with ‘The […]

The post Errol Spence will lose comeback fight against Tim Tszyu warns top trainer appeared first on Boxing News.

Galatasaray'ın eski Brezilyalı yıldızı Felipe Melo, 2012 yılında kazandıkları şampiyonluğun her sene kutlanması gerektiğini söyledi.

Galatasaray'ın eski Brezilyalı yıldızı Felipe Melo, A Spor'a açıklamalarda bulundu.

İşte Felipe Melo'nun sözleri;

Son düzlükteyiz, şampiyonluk yolunda gidiyoruz. O yüzden dün bizim olmazsa olmazımız 3 puandı. Alınan 3 puan çok çok önemliydi. Biraz acı çekmiş olabiliriz ama kazanan biz olduk. Biz emin adımlarla şampiyonluğa gidiyoruz.

BENİ DAHA DA MOTİVE ETTİ

Ben derbileri hep farklı bir gözle baktım ama Türkiye'ye geldikten sonra buradaki insanların bu maçlara bakış açısı beni daha da motive etti. Derbilerde aldığın her galibiyet sanki bir kupaya bedelmiş gibi. Bu ortama girdikten sonra Fenerbahçe maçlarının önemini görüyorsunuz. Futbolu bırakmama rağmen bütün maçları bu motivasyonla izliyorum. Çünkü Galatasaray-Fenerbahçe maçları normal bir derbi değil; dünya çapında tanınan bir derbi. Bu yüzden benim için çok büyük bir anlam ifade ediyor.

HER YIL KUTLANMALI

Kadıköy'deki şampiyonluk o kadar anlamlı ki her yıl kutlanmalı. Eğer rakibimiz aynı şekilde bizim sahamızda böyle bir şampiyonluk kazansaydı, herhalde bütün sene kutlarlardı. Belki de hala kutlamaya devam ediyorlardı.

Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu (TFF) Yönetim Kurulu Üyesi Ural Aküzüm, önceki günü vefat eden Rumen teknik direktör Mircea Lucescu için Romanya'nın başkenti Bükreş'te düzenlenen cenaze ve anma programına katıldı.

TFF'den yapılan açıklamaya göre Aküzüm, Bükreş'teki Ulusal Arena'da gerçekleştirilen anma etkinliğinde Mircea Lucescu'nun oğlu Razvan Lucescu başta olmak üzere ailesine ve yakınlarına taziyelerini iletti.

Anma programı kapsamında Ural Aküzüm, TFF eski başkanlarından ve UEFA'nın bir önceki dönem icra kurulu üyesi Servet Yardımcı ile Romanya Futbol Federasyonu Başkanı Razvan Burleanu'ya da taziye ziyaretinde bulundu. Görüşmede, Lucescu'nun Türk ve Rumen futbolu arasında kurduğu güçlü bağlara ve iki ülke futboluna bıraktığı kalıcı mirasa vurgu yapıldı.

Aküzüm, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Bükreş Büyükelçisi Özgür Kıvanç Altan'ı ziyaret ederek törenlere ilişkin değerlendirmelerde bulundu.

Ural Aküzüm, TFF adına anma alanında Lucescu için açılan hatıra defterine ise şu satırları yazdı:

"Bilge, filozof ve entelektüel kişiliğinle Türk futbolunda bir kuşağı etkiledin. Futbolu yalnızca bir oyun değil; disiplin, zarafet ve düşünceyle yoğrulmuş bir kültür olarak ele aldın. Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu adına, ülkemizde sayısız futbol insanının yetişmesine katkıların ve iki ülke arasında kurduğun güçlü köprü dolayısıyla en derin sevgi ve saygılarımızı sunuyorum."

Trabzonspor, Trendyol Süper Lig'in 29. haftasında 11 Nisan Cumartesi günü deplasmanda Corendon Alanyaspor ile yapacağı maçın hazırlıklarına devam etti.

Mehmet Ali Yılmaz Tesisleri'nde teknik direktör Fatih Tekke yönetiminde gerçekleştirilen antrenmanın ilk bölümünde teknik ısınma gerçekleştirdi. 5'e 2 pas çalışmasıyla devam eden antrenmanın son bölümünde ise taktik çalışması yapıldı.

Bordo-mavililer, Corendon Alanyaspor maçının hazırlıklarını yarın tamamlayacak.

Trendyol 1. Lig'in 34. haftasında Özbelsan Sivasspor, Boluspor'u 2-1 yendi.

Stat: Atatürk

Hakemler: Burak Demirkıran, Harun Reşit Güngör, Batuhan Bıyıklı

Boluspor: Türker Dırdıroğlu, Ömürcan Artan, Işık Kaan Arslan, Kouagba, Lima, Barış Alıcı, Balburdia, Harun Alpsoy, Devran Şenyurt (Dk. 46 Mustafa Alptekin Çaylı), Doğan Can Davas (Dk. 84 Baluta), Arda Usluoğlu

Özbelsan Sivasspor: Mehmet Göktuğ Bakırbaş, Uğur Çiftçi, Okan Erdoğan, Appindangoye, Murat Paluli, Yusuf Cihan Çelik, Kamil Fidan (Dk. 75 Mert Çelik), Avramovski (Dk. 88 Özkan Yiğiter), Ethemi (Dk. 66 Feyzi Yıldırım), Malle (Dk. 76 Emre Gökay), Okoronkwo

Goller: Dk. 3 Avramovski, Dk. 28 Okoronkwo (Sivasspor), Dk. 31 Doğan Can Davas (Boluspor)

Kırmızı kart: Dk. 90+3 Balburdia (Boluspor)

Sarı kart: Dk. 27 Yusuf Cihat Çelik, Dk. 90 Göktuğ Bakırbaş (Sivasspor)

Trendyol Süper Lig'de 29. haftanın açılışında yarın oynanacak Beşiktaş-Hesap.com Antalyaspor maçında hakem Adnan Deniz Kayatepe düdük çalacak.

Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu (TFF) Merkez Hakem Kurulundan (MHK) yapılan açıklamaya göre, müsabakada Adnan Deniz Kayatepe'nin yardımcılıklarını Furkan Ürün ve Murat Altan yapacak.

Müsabakanın dördüncü hakemi ise Süleyman Bahadır olacak.

Tüpraş Stadı'nda oynanacak müsabaka saat 20.00'de başlayacak.

Trabzonspor Kulübü Başkanı Ertuğrul Doğan, MHP Genel Başkanı Devlet Bahçeli'yi makamında ziyaret etti.

Bordo-mavili kulübün sitesinden yapılan açıklamaya göre Ertuğrul Doğan, Bahçeli ile bir araya geldi.

Ziyarette Bahçeli'ye, kulübün tarihindeki önemli dönüm noktalarından biri olan 1975-1976 sezonunu simgeleyen retro beyaz formanın yanı sıra işlemeli bir kılıç hediye edildi.

Doğan, misafirperverliği dolayısıyla Bahçeli'ye teşekkür etti.

Nazik ziyaretleri için memnuniyetini ifade eden Bahçeli ise takıma başarılar diledi.

Ertuğrul Doğan'a ziyareti sırasında asbaşkan Zeyyat Kafkas ve Şalpazarı Belediye Başkanı Refik Kurukız da eşlik etti.

Futbol üzrə Azərbaycan milli komandasının məşqçisi Elnur Çodarov “Valerenqa”da bir həftəlik təcrübə proqramında iştirak edir.

Arena.az bu barədə AFFA-nın rəsmi saytına istinadən xəbər verir.

Bildirilir ki, Çodarov UEFA Pro lisenziyası üzrə təhsil proqramı çərçivəsində Norveçin aparıcı klublarından biri olan “Valerenqa”nın düşərgəsinə yollanıb. O, təcrübə müddətində “Valerenqa”nın əsas komandasının baş məşqçisi Geir Bakke ilə görüşüb. Görüş zamanı tərəflər müxtəlif mövzular ətrafında fikir mübadiləsi aparıb, məşq prosesinin təşkili və iş prinsipləri ilə yaxından tanışlıq baş tutub.

Proqram çərçivəsində millimizin məşqçisi komandanın məşqlərini izləyib və iş prosesi ilə yerində tanış olub. Elnur Çodarov “Valerenqa”nın baş məşqçisinə üzərində adı yazılmış Azərbaycan millisinin formasını hədiyyə edib.

The post SIREN Price Jumps 27%—Is This a Recovery Rally or Another Rejection Ahead? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The SIREN price is back in focus, with a significant rise of over 25%, rebounding from the lows around $0.54 and reaching $0.72. Although the volume is dropping, the price has posted this sharp move, catching attention after a prolonged period of inactivity. However, the move appears driven more by liquidity and technical positioning than any confirmed fundamental catalyst, making it important to assess whether the trend is a continuation or a short-term spike.

In the last few days of Q1 2026, the Siren price experienced a remarkable increase of over 400%, followed by a correction of more than 97%. However, the bulls triggered a strong rebound from the crucial support range around $0.078, backed by a huge buying volume. The token is now attempting to reclaim a previously traded zone near the $0.70 to $0.80 range, which acted as a key consolidation area before the last breakdown. 

Structurally, SIREN is attempting a recovery after a classic blow-off top and a sharp correction. The recent bounce is approaching a critical supply zone marked in the $0.80–$1.00 range, where price previously consolidated before breaking down. Momentum indicators remain mixed, with MACD still in negative territory while RSI is near neutral. However, MACD is showing signs of a bullish crossover, and RSI is showing a bullish divergence, hinting at fading bearish momentum. 

Key Levels to Watch:

• $0.80 – $1.00: Immediate resistance zone (supply area)
• $1.80 – $2.20: Major overhead resistance from prior rejection
• $0.50 – $0.55: Short-term support
• $0.07 – $0.08: Macro base support

The current move appears to be a reaction bounce into resistance, and until it secures the pivotal resistance, it may not be considered a confirmed breakout. The Siren price is now approaching a key decision zone where continuation depends on whether it can sustain above immediate resistance. If it secures $0.8 and reaches $1, a move to $1.8 could be imminent; meanwhile, a failure could drag the levels to $0.55 initially, which may extend to $0.5 and below $0.1. 

The post Top 3 Altcoins to Hold Until the Next Bull Run appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

There are way too many altcoins today, and most will not survive into the next bull run. Instead of chasing hype coins, analysts are focusing on projects quietly building real infrastructure. Three altcoins that stand out are Chainlink (LINK), Sui (SUI), and Hedera (HBAR).

Altcoin 1: LINK

Chainlink (LINK) acts as the “backbone” for smart contracts. It has already powered over $28 trillion in transactions and secures tens of billions of dollars in DeFi. Large institutions like Euroclear are using Chainlink to automate complex financial tasks, which shows it is becoming core infrastructure. The price can be slow, but if tokenization and DeFi keep growing, LINK is likely to grow with them.

Altcoin 2: SUI

Sui (SUI) is a fast‑moving layer‑1 blockchain built for speed and scalability. It can handle many transactions at once and already has hundreds of millions of dollars locked in DeFi. 

Developer activity is surging, and Sui is expanding into stablecoins, payments, and AI‑driven apps. Its Hashi solution also lets Bitcoin work in DeFi without wrapping it, opening a huge market that is still mostly unused. Sui is a higher‑risk, high‑growth play, but it sits at the center of DeFi, AI, and scalable systems.

Altcoin 3: HBAR

Hedera (HBAR) is directed at institutions and big companies, not meme‑coin traders. Its network is governed by a council that includes Google, IBM, Boeing, and McLaren, all of which use it for real‑world projects. 

Hedera is energy‑efficient, fast, and focused on compliance and governance, making it attractive to big money. It already has an ETf holding over 1% of its supply, and it’s building tools for AI agents and post‑quantum‑secure systems. If the next bull run is driven by institutions, HBAR is positioned to surprise many investors.

Together, these three altcoins cover data (Chainlink), growth (Sui), and institutional adoption (Hedera), making them solid long‑term holds into the next bull market.

The post XRP News: Iran’s Hormuz Fees in Crypto? PetroDollar Architect Says ‘Could Be Ripple’ appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

Jim Rickards has spent decades at the intersection of intelligence, finance and geopolitical strategy. He was involved in the construction of the PetroDollar system in the 1970s. 

Which makes what he said this week particularly interesting.

Discussing which currencies Iran might be using to collect its reported Bitcoin toll from oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Rickards paused before answering. “Could be Bitcoin. Could be Tether. Could be, I mean, you know, Ripple.”

He listed Ripple alongside Bitcoin and Tether as a plausible medium for sovereign energy settlement. 

The Context Matters

Rickards was discussing breaking news from the Financial Times reporting that Iran had begun charging vessels a toll to transit the Strait of Hormuz, with payment demanded in cryptocurrency. The exact currency was not specified in the original report. Rickards was working through the logical candidates in real time.

His analysis went further than just naming currencies. He pointed out that regardless of which cryptocurrency Iran uses, it is still pricing the toll in dollars. One dollar per barrel of oil is a dollar-denominated transaction settled in crypto, not an escape from the dollar system.

“You can hit on the dollar but you can’t get away from it,” he said. “Cryptocurrencies have a dollar equivalent. So you’re always back to the dollar no matter how hard people try to get away from it.”

He also raised a pointed question about Tether specifically. The largest stablecoin by market cap counts Howard Lutnik, the US Secretary of Commerce, as a significant investor. If Iran is settling oil tolls in Tether, it is arguably routing payments through an instrument with direct ties to the US government it is trying to circumvent.

“Iran is going to use Tether? They’re going to charge a toll on the oil in Tether?” he said, letting the irony speak for itself.

Why Ripple Matters in This Conversation

According to supporters, Ripple’s inclusion in Rickards’ list was not random. XRP and the XRP Ledger are specifically designed for fast, low-cost cross-border settlement between institutional counterparties. Transactions settle in three to five seconds. The network has over 300 financial institutions using its payment infrastructure. 

Whether Iran is actually using Ripple is unknown. Rickards was speculating, not confirming. But the fact that a former CIA contractor and one of the architects of the PetroDollar system reached for Ripple as a natural answer to the question of what replaces dollar-denominated oil settlement is a data point worth noting.

The post Can XRP Price Reach New All-Time Highs Above $4 in Six Days? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

A prediction making rounds on social media this week claims XRP could hit new all-time highs above $4 within six days, pointing to a weekly chart squeeze as the primary signal. The claim has picked up traction in the XRP community, though analysts who follow the token closely are offering a more neutral perspective.

XRP is currently trading around $1.34, down 2.39% on the week.

What the Chart Actually Shows

Looking at the weekly chart, XRP has been trading inside a descending channel since its peak above $3.50 in mid-2025. The price has been grinding lower through a series of lower highs and lower lows, with the channel tightening noticeably in recent weeks. The pink highlighted zone on the chart marks the current compression area, with a large green arrow pointing toward a potential breakout above $1.50 and beyond.

The squeeze is real. Bollinger Bands on the weekly timeframe are at their tightest levels in months, a condition that historically precedes a significant move in either direction.

XRP Price Analysis

One measured analyst offered a more structured view of where XRP stands right now.

Analyst Josh of Crypto World said that on the weekly timeframe, the longer-term trend remains technically bearish. A full reversal out of the larger bear market structure has not yet been confirmed. The $1.30 level continues to hold as a significant support, a level the analyst had been flagging as critical since XRP was trading near $3.

Immediate support sits at $1.34 to $1.35, with further support at $1.32 and the key level at $1.30. Resistance is expected at $1.38 to $1.39, a zone where the price has already rejected recently. A clean break above that opens the path toward $1.44 to $1.45.

The post Solana Price Analysis: $80 Base Or $60 Flush Ahead? appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News

The Solana price analysis right now feels like a standoff because institutions are quietly loading up, indicators are hinting at a shift, and yet price… just sits there. Hovering around a critical zone, refusing to make the call everyone’s waiting for. So, it’s one of those moments. Calm on the surface, tension underneath.

Institutional Demand For SOL Is Rapidly Rising

A year ago, ETFs held just 2.15% of SOL, and DATs didn’t even exist. Fast forward to today, and suddenly ETFs control 4.17% while DATs sit at 2.79%. Combined? That’s 6.96% of the circulating supply.

That’s nearly 7%, locked inside structured vehicles. That’s not retail noise. That’s institutional-style exposure scaling fast. And it’s happening while SOL price is still struggling to find a clear direction, which, honestly, makes it even more interesting. Because accumulation rarely looks exciting in real time.

Solana Price Analysis Signals Critical Decision Zone

Now flip over to the weekly chart, and things get… messy. SOL is consolidating right around the $80 region which is a level that previously acted as a strong base back in January 2024. If history decides to rhyme here, this could be the launchpad for a move back toward $200.

But let’s not get carried away. There’s also a descending channel in play, quietly pressing price lower over time. The lower boundary was tested around $67.50 in February 2026. If that structure holds, another visit this time potentially dipping closer to $60 can’t be ruled out.

So, it’s a fork in the road: hold $80 and build, or lose it and flush lower.

Indicators Hint At Momentum Slowly Shifting

Here’s where it gets a bit contradictory but in a good way. Like, MACD is on the verge of a bullish crossover. The AO histogram is already flashing early signs of weekly bullish momentum building up. Even CMF, sitting at -0.20, is starting to curve upward, hinting that money might slowly be flowing back in.

And RSI? Sitting at 32.55. That’s not overheated that’s borderline exhausted.

In other words, momentum indicators are leaning toward a recovery… even if price hasn’t caught up yet.

$80 Or $60 Bottom Debate Intensifies

So, what’s next? Well, it might not even be about Solana itself. Fundamentals aren’t the problem here. Institutional demand is rising, indicators are stabilizing, and the network isn’t exactly lacking momentum.

The real variable? Broader sentiment. Geopolitics. Market mood. If conditions stabilize and $80 holds firm, the path toward $200 starts to look realistic again. But if fear creeps back in and that descending channel stays in control, a sweep toward $60 could be the final shakeout before any meaningful reversal.

Either way, this Solana price analysis isn’t about chasing hype, it’s about watching which level breaks first.

Bu gün Tbilisidə keçirilən yoxlama oyununda futzal üzrə Azərbaycan millisi Gürcüstana məğlub olub.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, baş məşqçimiz Yevgeni Kukseviç görüş barədə açıqlama verib.

Mütəxəssis nəticəni belə şərh edib:

“Yaxşı rəqibə qarşı oynadıq. Gürcüstan millisi bir neçə ay əvvəl Avropa çempionatının final mərhələsində çıxış edib. Güclü rəqibə qarşı gözlədiyimizdən də yaxşı mübarizə apardıq.
Oyuna yaxşı başladıq. Əvvəldən yaratdığımız 2 real imkanı qola çevirə bilsəydik, hadisələr fərqli şəkildə davam edəcəkdi, əhval-ruhiyyə yaxşı olacaqdı. Əvəzində fərdi səhvlərdən 2 qol buraxdıq. Buna baxmayaraq, oyundan qopmadıq. Yenə şanslarımız oldu. Həmin imkanlardan istifadə edə bilsəydik, hesab xeyrimizə olacaqdı. Təəssüf ki, realizə baxımından “axsadıq”. Ümumi götürsək, bu görüş bizə çox lazım idi. Bunun xeyrini gələcəkdə görəcəyik.

Bir məqamı da qeyd edim ki, bu gün bir neçə gənc futzalçıya meydana çıxmaq şansı yaratdıq. Vaxt etibarilə bəlkə də, meydanda az oldular, ancaq millinin oyun həyəcanını yaşadılar, atmosferi hiss etdilər”.

Futzal üzrə Azərbaycan millisi bu gün Gürcüstan yığması ilə yoldaşlıq oyunu keçirib.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, Tbilisi Arenada baş tutan matç meydan sahibi komandanın qələbəsi ilə başa çatıb.

Fasiləyə qədər imkanlardan istifadə edə bilməyən millimiz qapısında 2 qol görüb. İkinci hissəyə isə əskinə, komandamız qolla başlayıb. Cərimə zərbəsindən ötürməni Nihad İsmayılov qapıdan keçirib və fərqi azaldıb. Ancaq 31-ci dəqiqədə rəqib daha bir qol vurub. Sona 2 dəqiqə qalmış qapıçını meydan oyunçusu ilə əvəzləyən komandamız Manafoun timsalında fərqi yenidən minimuma endirib. Ancaq meydan sahibləri yenidən qol vurub. Maraqlıdır ki, qoldan əvvəl hakim fitini səsləndirsə də, birinci referi qolu qeydə alıb.

Bu komandalar arasında növbəti oyun aprelin 11-də saat 14:00-da Tbilisi Arenada keçiriləcək.

Futbol üzrə 2026-cı il Dünya Çempionatının hakimləri bəlli olub.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, FIFA-nın açıqladığı siyahıda yer alan 170 addan 52-si əsas, 118-i isə köməkçi hakimlərdir.

Baş hakimlərin siyahısı aşağıdakı kimidir:

Əbdulrəhman əl-Cassim, Xalid Əl Turays, Yusuke Araki, Ömər Abdulkadir Artan, Pyer Atço, İvan Barton, Dahanye Beyda, Xuan Qabriel Benites, Xuan Kalderon, Rafael Klaus, İsmail Elfat, Espen Eskas, Alireza Fəqani, Yael Falkon Peres, Drü Fişer, Kristian Qaray, Katya Qarsiya, Mustafa Qorbal, Alexandro Ernandes, Dario Errera, Cəlal Cayed, Kempbell-Kirk Kavana-Uo, İştvan Kovaç, Frensua Leteksye, Nin Ma, Ədhəm Mahadmeh, Denni Makkeli, Şimon Marçinyak, Mauritsio Mariani, Ektor Səid Martines, Amin Məhəmməd, Oşane Neyşn, Qlenn Nyübberq, Maykl Oliver, Əmər Əl Əli, Kevin Orteqa, Tori Penso, Joau Pineyro, Ramon Abbati, Sezar Ramos, Andres Roxas, Sandro Şörer, İlgiz Tantaşev, Entoni Teylor, Qustavo Tejera, Fakundo Telyo, Abongile Tom, Klemen Türpen, Xesus Valensuela, Slavko Vinçiç, Uilton Sampayo, Feliks Zvayer.

Xatırladaq ki, Dünya Çempionatı iyunun 11-dən iyulun 19-dək ABŞ, Kanada və Meksikada keçiriləcək.

UEFA Çempionlar Liqasında 1/4 final mərhələsinin ilk oyunlarından sonra həftənin ən yaxşı oyunçusu məlum olub.

Futbolpress.az yarışın rəsmi saytına istinadən xəbər verir ki, bu, “Bavariya”nın qapıçısı Manuel Noyerdir.

40 yaşlı qolkiper “Real”la səfər matçında 9 seyvlə yadda qalıb.

“Bavariya” ilk oyunda 2:1 hesabıyla qalib gəlib. Cavab görüşü aprelin 15-də Münhendə olacaq.

“Şəfa” I Liqanın XXI turunda “Səbail”i məğlub edib – 2:1.

Futbolpress.az matçın icmalını təqdim edir:

Sabah Misli Premyer Liqasında XXVII tura start veriləcək. Birinci gündə autsayder “Karvan-Yevlax” “Kəpəz”i qəbul edəcək.

Lider “Sabah” bu turda “Zirə”nin müqavimətini qırmağa çalışacaq. “Qarabağ” “Şamaxı” səfərinə yollanacaq, “Neftçi” “Araz-Naxçıvan”la üz-üzə gələcək. “Qəbələ”nin rəqibi “İmişli” olacaq. Tura “Turan Tovuz” – “Sumqayıt” matçıyla yekun vurulacaq.

10 aprel, 15:30 Karvan-Yevlax – Kəpəz
Turnir cədvəlində 8 xalla sonuncu olan “Karvan-Yevlax” üçün demək olar, həlledici matçdır. Füzuli Məmmədovun yetirmələri məğlub olacağı halda, liqada qalmaq ümidlərinin üstündən xətt çəkəcək. Komandalar arasında 13 xallıq fərq var və “Kəpəz” daha rahat tərəfdir. 9-cu sıraya yüksələn gəncəlilər üçün bərabərlik də sərfəli nəticə sayıla bilər. Lakin autsayderlər zonasındakı rəqibləri “Qəbələ” və “İmişli”nin bu turda üz-üzə gəlməsi “sarı-göylər” üçün əlavə fürsətdir. Qələbə onları 8-ci sıraya qədər yüksəldə bilər.

11 aprel, 15:30 Şamaxı – Qarabağ
Çempionluq mübarizəsi aparan “Qarabağ” yaxşı forma yığıb. Ötən turda “Karvan-Yevlax”a 7 cavabsız qolla qalib gələn “atlılar” seriyasını Şamaxıda da davam etdirmək niyyətindədir. “Qarabağ” bu mövsüm bu arenada meydan sahiblərinə qarşı son oyunda məğlubiyyətlə üzləşib. Qurban Qurbanovun yetirmələri Şamaxı səfərindən üç xalla dönməklə zirvə yarışını davam etdirmək və kubokdakı məğlubiyyətin qisasını almağa çalışacaq.

“Şamaxı” isə ötən turda “Zirə” ilə heç-heçə etməklə liqada qalacağını rəsmiləşdirdi. Ayxan Abbasov möhkəm kollektiv yaradıb və azlıqda olmalarına baxmayaraq, Zirə səfərindən bir xalla qayıtmaq komandaya əlavə ruh yüksəkliyi verəcək.

11 aprel, 18:00 Sabah – Zirə
Lider “Sabah” qarşısıalınmazdır. 15 oyundur, məğlub olmayan “bayquşlar” yaxşı formadadır. Son turlarda eniş yaşayan və avrokuboklar mübarizəsində mühüm xallar itirən “Zirə”nin liderə qarşı hansı səviyyədə güc göstərəcəyi maraqla gözlənilir. Bu mövsüm bu arenadakı oyunda rahatlıqla qələbə qazanan “Sabah” çempionluq havasındadır və bu görüşdə də büdrəməsi ehtimal edilmir.

11 aprel, 20:00 Neftçi – Araz-Naxçıvan
Ardıcıl üç qələbə qazanan “Neftçi” avrokuboklara vəsiqə uğrunda mübarizəyə qoşulub. Xal fərqinin azalması bakılıları daha da iştahlandırıb. Bu yolda rəqiblərdən olan “Araz-Naxçıvan”ın da məğlub edilməsi komandaya əlavə motivasiya verəcək.

“Araz-Naxçıvan” Demçenkonun gəlişindən sonra hələ tam oyununu tapmayıb. “Sabah”la matçda rəqibin yorğun olmasına baxmayaraq, xal qazana bilməyən və 4 qol buraxan naxçıvanlılarda əsas problem müdafiə ilə bağlıdır. “Neftçi”nin hücum xəttinin keyfiyyətini nəzərə alsaq, “ağ-qaralar”ın ardıcıl dördüncü qələbəsinə daha yaxın olduğunu deyə bilərik.

12 aprel, 18:00 Qəbələ – İmişli
Autsayderlər qrupunda daha bir gərgin oyun Qəbələdə olacaq. İkinci dövrədə qazandığı xallarla sonuncu sıradan qurtulan “qırmızı-qaralar” indi autsayderi 11 xal qabaqlayır və 8-ci “İmişli”dən 4 xal geri qalır. Liqanın 10-cusu pley-off oynayacaq və “Qəbələ” elitadakı yerini təhlükədə saxlamaq istəmir. “İmişli” ilə matç “qırmızı-qaralar” üçün mövsümün həlledici duellərindən biri olacaq.

12 aprel, 18:00 Turan Tovuz – Sumqayıt
“Turan Tovuz” bir neçə aylıq fasilədən sonra yenidən Tovuza qayıdır. Kurban Berdıyevin yetirmələri azarkeşləri qarşısında daha iştahlı oynayacaq və son dönəmlərdə uğursuzluq yaşayan “kimyaçılar”ı büdrətməyə çalışacaq. Görüşün aşkar favoriti meydan sahibləridir. Son turda “İmişli” səfərində xal itirən tovuzlular itkini unutdurmağa çalışacaq.

“Sumqayıt”da isə işlər qaydasında getmir. Komanda 10 oyundur, qələbə qazana bilmir. Turnir cədvəlində 7-ci sıraya qədər geriləyən “kimyaçılar”ın daha bir neçə pillə enmək ehtimalı var. Komandada anlaşılmazlıq hökm sürür. Meydanda futbolçular sanki bir-birinə yaddır və oyun istəyi ürəkaçan səviyyədə deyil. Baş məşqçi Saşa İliç də böyük ehtimal yayda klubu tərk edəcək və indidən günlərini sayır. Problemlər fonunda “Sumqayıt”ın Tovuzdan xalla ayrılması inandırıcı görünmür.

Şahin Cəfərov

Milan have reportedly intensified talks with the agent of Barcelona centre-forward Robert Lewandowski, who could be a free agent this summer.

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It is no secret that the Rossoneri are keeping a close eye on the situation, as they are hoping to replicate the successful swoop for veteran Luka Modric when his Real Madrid contract was allowed to run down last year.

Lewandowski can still deliver for Milan

Despite the fact he will celebrate his 38^th birthday in August, Lewandowski is still banging in the goals for Barcelona, finding the net 17 times with three assists in 39 competitive games this season.

His contract only runs to June 30, although it could be renewed if certain conditions are met.

According to Calciomercato, Milan have stepped up communication with agent Pini Zahavi in order to convince Lewandowski to accept a significantly lower salary.

Their ceiling is set at €7m per season, whereas the Poland international currently pockets as much as €20m at Camp Nou.

That is also a figure that MLS club Chicago Fire would be willing to pay, but Milan hope that the lure of Serie A and their likely Champions League qualification can convince him to remain.

He’d also get to be teammates with former Real Madrid rival Modric, who is finding a new lease of life in Italian football.

Italy will have some more representation at the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the USA, because referee Maurizio Mariani and VAR Marco Di Bello are among those officiating.

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The Azzurri failed to qualify for the third edition of the World Cup in a row, although there will still be some Italian interest in the tournament.

That includes Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti, Turkiye boss Vincenzo Montella, and Uzbekistan manager Fabio Cannavaro.

Italian referee Mariani at 2026 World Cup

Meanwhile, referee Mariani has been chosen from the Italian selection of officials to be part of the selection.

Di Bello has also been included, but he will be in the role of VMO, meaning he’ll be in the VAR booth and not on the field.

Assistant referees Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni are going to the World Cup too.

There are 52 referees in total who will be involved in the tournament, which is bigger than ever with over 100 games being played in three countries.

This includes 15 officials from Europe chosen by another Italian, FIFA’s Chief Refereeing Officer Pierluigi Collina.

“This year’s FIFA World Cup will be the biggest in history, with a 48-team line-up and 104 matches to be contested across the most extensive geographical footprint in the tournament’s history,” said Collina.

“It’ll be the largest FIFA Team One ever, with 41 more match officials than at Qatar 2022. Each of them must be ready to be appointed for a match and to contribute actively to ensuring that the refereeing at the World Cup is a success.

“The fact that six women match officials have been selected continues a trend that was started four years ago in Qatar as we aim to further develop women’s refereeing.”

The group of officials will meet in Miami for a 10-day preparation seminar starting May 31, then the VAR team will relocate to Dallas.

Italy will face France, Denmark and Montenegro in the European Under-17 Championship, which runs from May 25 to June 7 in Estonia.

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While the senior team might be struggling, youth level football is still flourishing, and they qualified for the final phase of the Under-17 tournament.

Who Italy will play in Under-17 Euros

The draw has placed the Azzurrini in Group B and will make their debut against France on May 26, then Montenegro on May 29 and Denmark on June 1.

All their games will be played at the Kalevi Central Stadium in Tallinn.

The top two teams in each group will go through to the semi-finals, while the Final is scheduled for June 7.

Italy qualified by finishing second in their group with six points, one behind leaders Montenegro, then dominated the A2 phase in March with a 100 per cent record, beating Portugal 3-2, Iceland 4-0 and Romania 2-1.

Coach Daniele Franceschini not only qualified them for the final phase of the European Under-21 Championship, but also the Under-17 World Cup, scheduled for November 2026 in Qatar.

Italy won the 2024 edition of the European Under-17 Championship and then came third in the 2025 edition of the Under-17 World Cup.

Former Juventus defender Stephan Lichtsteiner admits that ‘the wound is still there’ with Allegri after a falling out in 2017, and has explained what made Antonio Conte a more enjoyable coach to work under during his time in Turin. 

Lichtsteiner, who was appointed head coach of Basel in January, spoke in an in-depth interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, published on Thursday. 

• Read more: Lichtsteiner reveals Pirlo told him: ‘You do the running, I’ll take care of the rest’

Lichtsteiner on positives with Conte and negatives with Allegri at Juventus

Lichtsteiner spoke in-depth about the lessons he learned during his time working under Conte, but revealed that he is still ‘disappointed’ after being left off Juventus’s Champions League squad list by Allegri in 2017-18. 

“So many memories come to mind,” Lichtsteiner said when recalling his relationship with Conte. 

“I think of all the training sessions spent working on the same plays. Antonio was sure from day one that we’d win it. He’s someone who teaches you that winning is the only thing that matters. And I will take that with me forever. He does everything he can to make you win.
“He taught me, more than anything else, to be mean on the pitch. I was a different person when I played. I knew that the referees couldn’t take to me much, or the coaches. I didn’t talk to anyone, I wasn’t an easy guy to manage.” 

However, Lichtsteiner doesn’t have the same fondness when looking back on his time with Allegri. 

He says that he is particularly disappointed by the fact  that the aforementioned Champions League snub was a result of ‘personal issues’ rather than playing quality.

“That was something that hurt and is a wound that is still there. Especially because it had to do with personal issues and nothing on the pitch. I remember that Allegri called me. There was disappointment. In hindsight, I’m happy that I was included in January.” 

Click here to read the full interview with Lichtsteiner.

Bazoumana Toure has done quite well for Hoffenheim, and he is on the radar of multiple Premier League clubs ahead of the summer transfer window.

According to a report from FussballDaten, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United are closely monitoring the talented attacker, and they could look to make a move in the summer.

The asking price for the player is likely to be around €50 million in the summer, and it remains to be seen whether the Premier League clubs are prepared to break the Bank for him.

Liverpool needs a quality long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, and they have identified the Ivorian as a potential successor. They scouted the player during the international break, when Ivory Coast faced Scotland in March.

Meanwhile, Manchester United are looking to add more dynamism to the attacking unit as well. They believe that the technically gifted attacker could be an ideal acquisition. They have already had initial talks over a potential move.

Arsenal are also looking to add more depth on the flanks. Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze have not been able to live up to the expectations, and Arsenal need more quality in the final third. They are looking to build a team capable of consistently winning major trophies, and they need more cutting-edge in the attack.

The player is reportedly seeking wages of around €5 million per season if he moves to the Premier League. It is fair to assume that the English clubs have the financial resources to accept his demands. It will be interesting to see if they are prepared to pay the asking price for him. He has a contract with Hoffenheim until 2029, and the German club is under no pressure to sanction his departure at a bargain price.

The post Liverpool identify €50m Salah successor as Arsenal & Man United step up transfer talks appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea is looking to sign the Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado at the end of the season.

The 22-year-old midfielder has been a long-term target for the London club, and they wanted to sign him a year ago. However, the player chose to remain with his boyhood club at the time. The situation has changed now, and he has struggled for regular opportunities at the Spanish club this season.

According to reports from Spain, Casado is now open to leaving the La Liga outfit, and moving to Chelsea could be interesting for him. The Blues are looking to add more quality and depth in the middle of the park. They believe that the 22-year-old midfielder could be a reliable backup option for Moises Caicedo.

The player’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is currently working intensively to find a suitable club for his client. It remains to be seen whether the move to Chelsea appeals to the player.

He will want to play regularly at this stage of his career, and Chelsea will need to provide a defined role to the player. Meanwhile, the midfielder is valued at €26 million. Chelsea believes that the asking price is reasonable, and they have the resources to get the deal done as well. The player has the physical and technical attributes for English football, and he could prove to be a solid investment for the London club.

Chelsea is now hoping to capitalise on the uncertainty surrounding his future to get the deal done. It remains to be seen whether they can wrap up the move in the coming months. They are confident that the 22-year-old could be a good fit for their midfield unit.

Chelsea are pushing for Champions League qualification for the upcoming campaign, and a top-four finish will certainly help them attract quality players like Casa Do/.

The post Chelsea ready to gamble with move for €26m La Liga star they wanted in 2025 appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Atletico Madrid stunned Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, and winger Ademola Lookman was obviously happy with the way his team performed. “You get your moments, and when you get them you have to take them. We did that today” Ademola Lookman reacts to Atleti’s huge first […]

The post “Good result, good performance from the team” – Atletico Madrid winger Ademola Lookman on victory over Barcelona (Video) appeared first on Soccer News.

The post “Good result, good performance from the team” – Atletico Madrid winger Ademola Lookman on victory over Barcelona (Video) appeared first on Soccer News.

Liverpool were thoroughly outplayed by Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their encounter in the Champions League quarterfinals, and head coach Arne Slot has admitted his tactics were a mistake. “We were completely ripped apart” 😳 Arne Slot gives his verdict on Liverpool’s performance in their Champions League quarter-final first leg defeat to PSG […]

The post “We will not play the same tactics” – Liverpool boss Arne Slot reacts to PSG defeat (Video) appeared first on Soccer News.

The post “We will not play the same tactics” – Liverpool boss Arne Slot reacts to PSG defeat (Video) appeared first on Soccer News.

Atletico Madrid took a huge step towards the Champions League semi-finals as Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth scored in a stunning 2-0 win over 10-man Barcelona. Barca dominated for long periods in the first leg of their quarter-final tie at Camp Nou, which represented the teams’ fifth meeting of the season and their second in […]

The post Barcelona 0-2 Atletico Madrid: Alvarez and Sorloth goals push Simeone´s men towards semi-finals appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Barcelona 0-2 Atletico Madrid: Alvarez and Sorloth goals push Simeone´s men towards semi-finals appeared first on Soccer News.

According to Florian Plettenberg, Nottingham Forest expect both Manchester City and Manchester United to push hard to sign Elliot Anderson this summer, and that should be direction of his move – should a move happen. However, it is also quite possible that the 23-year-old midfielder stays put, given that Forest’s valuation of his services stands […]

The post Nottingham Forest firm in Anderson valuation amid interest from Manchester clubs appeared first on Soccer News.

The post Nottingham Forest firm in Anderson valuation amid interest from Manchester clubs appeared first on Soccer News.

Jamie Carragher hit out at Arne Slot’s tactics in Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Liverpool remain in with a chance of progressing to the last four of the Champions League, but they were well beaten by the holders on Wednesday. PSG missed several golden chances and had a penalty awarded then overturned by VAR, […]

The post Slot´s Liverpool tactics ´massively wrong´, claims Carragher appeared first on Soccer News.

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Matt Olson is 4 games from history: Braves star quietly chasing MLB’s ironman legends originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

There’s something almost old-school about what Matt Olson is doing right now, and that’s exactly why it hits different today. The Atlanta Braves first baseman played in his 795th consecutive game this week, a streak that dates all the way back to May 2, 2021. No breaks. No maintenance days. No shortcuts.

And now, he’s just four games away from claiming sole possession of the 11th-longest consecutive games played streak in MLB history. In today’s game, that almost doesn’t feel real.

Matt Olson played his 795th consecutive game today, dating to 5/2/21. He’s 4 games from sole possession of the 11th-longest streak in MLB history

1982-98 Cal Ripken Jr: 2,632
1925-39 Lou Gehrig: 2,130
1916-25 Everett Scott: 1,307
1975-83 Steve Garvey: 1,207
2000-07 Miguel…

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 9, 2026

A streak built on consistency, not headlines

Olson’s name isn’t typically the first one mentioned when talking about durability in baseball. That conversation usually starts with icons like Cal Ripken Jr. or Lou Gehrig. But that’s exactly what makes this run so fascinating.

Here’s where Olson currently stands among MLB’s all-time ironmen:

• 2,632 — Cal Ripken Jr.

• 2,130 — Lou Gehrig

• 1,307 — Everett Scott

• 1,207 — Steve Garvey

• 1,152 — Miguel Tejada

• 1,117 — Billy Williams

• 1,103 — Joe Sewell

• 895 — Stan Musial

• 829 — Eddie Yost

• 822 — Gus Suhr

• 798 — Nellie Fox

• 795 — Matt Olson (active)

He’s not just on the list. He’s about to move up it. And once he passes that 798 mark, Olson will stand alone just outside the top 10; a remarkable place for a player still very much in his prime.

More: MLB shows off Pittsburgh’s future as Pirates unveil bold new City Connect uniforms

Why this matters more in today’s MLB

Baseball has changed. Lineups rotate more. Players sit for matchups. Even stars take scheduled rest days to stay fresh over 162 games. The idea of playing every single day for years at a time has quietly faded from the sport.

That’s what makes Olson’s streak feel different. He’s not just staying healthy. He’s producing. Early in the 2026 season, Olson is hitting .280 with a .948 OPS, continuing the same level of impact that made him one of the most reliable power hitters in the league. This isn’t a player hanging on to a streak. It’s a player thriving within it.

And that’s the common thread among the names above him. Durability only matters when it comes with performance.

The next milestone; and what comes after

If Olson plays four more games, he’ll pass Nellie Fox and officially claim the 11th spot all-time.

After that, the climb becomes even more intriguing:

• 822 (Gus Suhr)

• 829 (Eddie Yost)

• 895 (Stan Musial)

Those numbers suddenly feel within reach.

And while no one is realistically chasing Ripken’s 2,632, that’s not the point. The value of Olson’s streak isn’t about breaking records. It’s about preserving something the modern game has slowly moved away from.

Showing up. Every day. Without exception. That used to be expected. Now, it’s rare enough to feel historic.

More MLB news:

• MLB shows off Pittsburgh’s future as Pirates unveil bold new City Connect uniforms
• Walt Weiss reveals why he tackled Jorge Soler during Braves and Angels brawl
• Jacob DeGrom is only 149 strikeouts from 2,000 for his career
• Three ways Pirates' Paul Skenes could lose NL Cy Young Award
• Giancarlo Stanton has an absurd 2-for-4 streak going on for Yankees

The 2025-26 campaign is now in the rearview mirror with the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament on Monday, and it is now time to turn our collective attention toward the upcoming season.

Among the many in the sports media casting their early predictions for the 2026-27 edition of men's college basketball is CBS Sports writer Gary Parrish, who released his way-too-early rankings of the top 26 teams with nearly seven months remaining until the opening tipoff.

Parrish is among the most bullish on the Florida Gators among his peers, placing the Orange and Blue at No. 2 in his initial rankings — just behind the 2026 national champions, the Michigan Wolverines, and ahead of the third-ranked Illinois Illini.

"This ranking is based on the Gators returning five of the top seven scorers — specifically Alex Condon, Boogie Fland, Reuben Chinyelu, Urban Klavsar and Isaiah Brown — from a team that finished 27-8 and advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by 7-foot center Jones Lay," he offers.

Other outlets have also offered their premature prognostications, including ESPN, which has Florida ranked third; USA TODAY Sports and The Athletic both have the Gators ranked fourth in their way-too-early assessments.

Take a look below at the full 26-team rankings offered by CBS Sports.

Men's college basketball way-too-early rankings for 2026-27

1. Michigan
2. Florida
3. Illinois
4. Michigan State
5. Duke
6. UConn
7. Arkansas
8. Iowa State
9. Gonzaga
10. Arizona
11. Virginia
12. Texas
13. Purdue
14. Houston
15. St. John's
16. Texas Tech
17. USC
18. UNC
19. TCU
20. Vanderbilt
21. Iowa
22. Nebraska
23. Kansas
24. Alabama
25. Saint Louis
26. Missouri

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 basketball ranked No. 2 in CBS Sports' way-too-early rankings

Gary Player has a fairly simple solution for Tiger Woods.

Hire a driver.

“I think all he’s got to do is just not drive a car and get a chauffeur,” Player said on Thursday after hitting the ceremonial tee shot to open the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. 

“My reflexes, I think, are as good as when I was 20. But I don’t drive anymore. I get a chauffeur.”

Woods is not in the field this week after he was involved in a rollover crash in Florida and arrested late last month. He was formally charged on Wednesday with misdemeanor DUI and refusing to take a chemical or physical test. He has entered a plea of not guilty.

Woods was driving in Jupiter Island, Florida, when he collided with a pickup truck and rolled his Range Rover. There were no injuries after the incident, and Woods climbed out of his SUV on his own. He told police that he was looking at his phone before the accident, and police found two pain pills in his pocket.

The 50-year-old hasn’t played much in recent years while battling numerous injuries. He ruptured his Achilles in March 2025, and underwent surgery for a lumbar disc replacement in October. That was at least the seventh back surgery he’s undergone in his career. Woods has been involved in multiple car accidents in the past, too, including one in 2021 that nearly cost him his leg in Southern California. 

Player, 90, won the Masters three times in his career, most recently in 1978. He’s won nine major championships in his career, and is one of just six people in history to complete the career grand slam. 

While he has plenty of sympathy for the pain and injuries that Woods has dealt with throughout his career, Player doesn’t want Woods behind a wheel while medicated.

“You know, it's very easy, the human being is so critical of everything,” Player said. “If I or any of you in this room had the pain that Tiger Woods had, think of the excruciating pain that this man has been going through for a long time … He’s in pain. 

“Do I blame him for taking medicine? Hell no. He has sleep deprivation. Do I blame him for taking something to help him sleep? No. But I don’t think he should drive a car. When you’re taking that medicine, it’s dangerous when you’re driving a car, same as it’s dangerous when you look at your cell phone in the car.”

Woods announced last week that he is stepping away from competitive golf to seek treatment, which he is doing outside of the United States. It’s unclear how long Woods will be away from the game.

But in whatever capacity he’s able, Player is among those rooting for him to get back to the sport. 

“There’s nothing worse than living in pain every day of your life,” Player said. “You can’t think of anything worse. I just hope he can get it all sorted out, because he’s such an asset to golf and has done so much for the game.”

The scenarioIn their last eleven matches, Borussia Dortmund have amassed 28 points, making them the best team in the second half of the season. The Black & Yellows have won their last four games against Köln, Augsburg, Hamburg and Stuttgart. Last Saturday, it looked for a long time as if their winning streak would come to an end against VfB Stuttgart: only goals from Karim Adeyemi and Julian Brandt in stoppage time put Dortmund on the path to victory. Thanks to the 2-0 win in Stuttgart, the winning streak continued: Dortmund have scored at least twice in each of their last 14 Bundesliga matches. While a total of 60 goals have already been scored (only league leaders Bayern Munich have scored more goals), Dortmund have consistently kept clean sheets. Gregor Kobel has already kept 13 clean sheets, more than any other goalkeeper. After 28 matchdays, Dortmund have only lost twice. It’s the first time since the 1965/66 season, that they suffered so few defeats.

Personnel situation Karim Adeyemi received his fifth yellow card in Stuttgart and will not be in the squad against Leverkusen. “Felix still needs time, but he’s on the right track. I hope we might see him again this season,” said Kovac about Felix Nmecha, who is sidelined with a knee injury. Filippo Mane continues to participate in parts of team training. Yan Couto sat out training on Thursday due to muscular problems. The players who won with the U23 on Wednesday, participated in either training or recovered. Captain Emre Can remains out due to his cruciate ligament tear.

The opponentBayer Leverkusen is sixth in the table, 15 points behind Borussia Dortmund. In their last eleven Bundesliga encounters, the Werkself (Bayer Leverkusen) only lost once, a 1-0 defeat against Union Berlin, and are unbeaten in six matches. After three consecutive draws, Bayer won 6-3 against Wolfsburg last weekend. Dortmund have already faced Leverkusen twice this season: in the first half of the season, Dortmund won 2-1 away at the end of November. Just three days later, they met again in the DFB Cup round of 16, which the visitors won 1-0 at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. “The cup game is behind us. It was a good game that we unfortunately lost. In Leverkusen's home game, we were perhaps the team that defended better and had that little bit of luck,” recalls Niko Kovac. “These are two evenly matched teams with a lot of quality. We want to win the home game, but we also know that Leverkusen needs points and has ambitions to qualify for the Champions League. It's a 50-50 game and we have to make sure we tip the scales in our favour.”

Champions League qualification possibleLast season, Borussia Dortmund had to stage a late sprint with seven wins in eight games (one draw) to secure UEFA Champions League qualification on the final matchday. Now, after 28 matchdays, Dortmund sit second in the table, 14 points ahead of fifth place, currently held by Hoffenheim. Should Hoffenheim fail to beat Augsburg on Friday evening and Dortmund defeat Bayer Leverkusen, then Dortmund will have secured their Champions League ticket this weekend – their 21st appearance overall and their 11th consecutive Champions League qualification. Christina Reinke

New Zealander cyclist Kiaan Watts has been banned for 25 days by cycling's global governing body after he punched a fellow rider in the head during a race last month.

Watts, 24, hit out at Dutchman Marijn Maas with 33km to go as the pair competed at the front of the peloton at the Salverda Bouw Ster van Zwolle in the Netherlands on 7 March.

He then waved his arm in remonstration at BEAT CC p/b Saxo's Maas, also 24, who suffered a minor wobble but remained upright.

The strike was caught on camera and Watts was disqualified by the race officials and also suspended by his NSN Development Team.

In a statement, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) said Watts acknowledged the "closed fist punch" was in violation of the rules and has accepted his punishment.

Watts will be suspended from 9 April to 2 May, as his one-day team ban for the following Dorpenomloop Rucphen race on 8 March has been credited from the suspension period.

"The UCI issues a reminder that, as holders of UCI licences and members of the cycling community, riders enjoy rights and assume responsibilities aimed at promoting the values of cycling and protecting the integrity of the sport," the statement added.

Before last Saturday's game against San Diego FC, San Jose Earthquakes forward Preston Judd had a premonition.

"I told my girlfriend, my family that there's no way I don't score in this game," Judd tells USA TODAY Sports.

Just before halftime, Judd's vision came to fruition. Beau Leroux played an outstanding low cross from the left flank and Judd, as any good striker does, timed his run to perfection and finished unerringly.

There was still one more act before Judd's full plan could be completed. The striker went to the corner flag, got on his knees, lifted his leg and — like any dog owner would recognize — marked his territory.

A little impolite? Maybe. But there was a deeper meaning behind Judd's antics.

Come for the Preston Judd goal, stay for the celly. 😅

San Jose leads 3-0. pic.twitter.com/VJjH0mFkHf

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 5, 2026

Just days before the game, Judd started a GoFundMe for his dog Poppy, who had been admitted to the ICU in critical condition after visits to several vets.

Poppy was diagnosed with a mesenteric torsion, a "rare and life threatening condition where the intestines twist and cut off their own blood supply," the GoFundMe said.

Judd was prepared to do whatever it took to save Poppy, a three-year-old English Sheepdog/Poodle mix (aka a Sheepadoodle).

"She's really good dog," he said. "She's always around me, she's there for me. She's helped me in multiple situations like dogs do — they're always there for you. They can tell when you're down, when you're happy, when you need somebody, when they just need to be there.

"She's really family to me, and I love her like I love my family."

For Judd, scoring that goal was vital, not just because it helped the upstart Quakes move into third place in the Western Conference.

"I had to use a celebration that would honor Poppy and be sort of fun and get recognized," he said.

"I think some people took it in the wrong aspect, where it was disrespectful, but it was meant to honor my dog and other dogs and create awareness for situations like I was just in."

Some of those who found the celebration to be disrespectful apparently reside in the MLS Disciplinary Committee, which fined Judd an undisclosed amount this week for his "inappropriate gesture" after his goal.

Judd admitted that he found the fine to be "a little surprising."

"After MLS posted the celebration on their Twitter, I thought maybe I wasn't going to [get fined]," he said.

The fine slightly depleted Judd's savings but not nearly as much as Poppy's medical bills, which he said set him back more than $30,000.

That led to the creation of the GoFundMe, which may be seen as a surprise move coming from a professional athlete.

Judd got some financial support from his family but the bill, which was all due upfront, was a shock to his financial system.

"The reality is, not all professional athletes are millionaires. Just like anyone else, an unexpected emergency —especially something as serious as this — can put you in a very difficult financial position," he said in his GoFundMe posting.

As of Thursday, April 9, Judd is nearly at his $13,000 goal, but the response he's received has led him to widen his scope. Judd is launching a nonprofit called Poppy's Promise, which is designed to provide financial assistance to owners making costly life-or-death decisions over their pet's health.

"My love for dogs is just so great and if I can use my platform to help other dogs and other families, I'm going to do it," Judd said.

Thankfully for Judd, he'll get to continue building his foundation — and his burgeoning MLS career — with Poppy by his side.

"She's doing a lot better now, she's improved a lot," he said.

"Her life will change just a little bit with diet restrictions and how she uses the potty. But other than that, she's doing really good. She's making a full recovery. So I'm very happy and relieved."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SJ Earthquakes' Preston Judd explains 'inappropriate' dog celebration

The Justice Department has reportedly opened an investigation into whether the NFL is using “anticompetitive tactics that harm consumers,” according to the Wall Street Journal.

While the exact “nature and scope of the investigation” is not known, per the WSJ, it could involve the league’s ability to allow teams to negotiate their own TV rights packages. Congress has raised concerns in recent months over how difficult it is for fans to watch games due to various rights deals with networks and streaming services.

That’s a stark difference compared to 1961, when the Sports Broadcasting Act was introduced. The statute granted some antitrust protection to the NFL and its teams, allowing them to negotiate media-rights deals.

But television has changed greatly since then, when most games could be viewed on broadcast television. Now, NFL games are split between multiple broadcast networks and streaming services, including Netflix and Prime Video. Those streaming services require subscriptions, making it harder for fans to watch every single game.

In February, Republican Sen. Mike Lee — chair of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights — estimated fans needed to spend “almost $1,000 on cable and streaming services” if they wanted to watch every NFL game last season.

Both the Justice Department and NFL declined to comment when reached by the WSJ. The NFL, however, did release a statement Thursday, claiming it has the “most fan and broadcaster-friendly” media-distribution model in sports.

It’s unclear what the Justice Department is seeking to accomplish with its reported investigation. The government entity, however, could be looking to get ahead of the issue before the NFL’s next opportunity to renegotiate its media-rights deals.

That’s expected to come after the 2029-30 NFL season, when the league can opt-out of its current deals with CBS, Fox, and NBC.

Eddie Hearn has delivered a striking update on Anthony Joshua’s next steps, while also downplaying the level of one of the Briton’s potential rivals.

The Matchroom boss spoke to the media following the Jaron Ennis vs Xander Zayas press conference last Thursday. As Joshua’s long-time promoter, Hearn provided fresh insight into the Briton’s return.

With ‘AJ’ currently recovering and preparing for his next bout, the 46-year-old businessman made it clear that major fights are already being lined up.

Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua could fight Deontay Wilder before Tyson Fury as a ‘warm-up’ fight

Hearn revealed that Joshua could take a fight against Deontay Wilder as preparation for a blockbuster clash with Tyson Fury later this year.

“We need a warm up fight before we fight Tyson Fury, because ‘AJ’ is coming off an accident, he’s rehabilitating his body, et cetera. We’ll take Deontay Wilder as that warm-up fight. And then we’ll fight Tyson Fury in December,” the promoter said (via Fight Hub TV).

The comments come shortly after Wilder’s win over Derek Chisora, where Joshua was present and confronted by Wilder face-to-face moments after the fight. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ was also spotted saying ‘AJ’ is scared of facing him.

Hearn acknowledged Wilder’s recent performance but remained confident in Joshua’s superiority.

“By the way, I respect Wilder and I think he looked much better in that fight than he has done previously.

“But, let me tell you, because I was six feet away: Anthony Joshua will walk through Deontay Wilder within three rounds,” the British promoter concluded.

Read more:

Michael Oliver and Anthony Taylor have been selected as the English on-field referees for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA announced their officiating team for the 48-team, 104-game tournament in the United States on Thursday. In total, 52 on-field referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video assistant referees will be used this summer.

England and the Premier League will have six on-field representatives in total – with Gary Beswick, Stuart Burt, James Mainwaring and Adam Nunn supporting Oliver and Taylor as assistant referees.

The 2026 edition will be Oliver and Taylor’s second World Cup, with both officiating at the last event in Qatar.

There will only be one Premier League representative in the VAR booth, in the form of Australian official Jarred Gillett.

“The selected match officials are the very best in the world,” said FIFA’s chief refereeing officer and 2022 World Cup final referee Pierluigi Collina.

“They were part of a wider pool of officials that was identified and monitored over the past three years. They have attended seminars and officiated at FIFA tournaments. In addition, their performances in domestic and international matches were regularly assessed.

“The selected officials have received, and will continue to receive, comprehensive support from our fitness coaches and medical staff, including physiotherapists and a mental specialist.”

All officials will attend a 10-day preparation seminar in Miami ahead of the tournament.

New rules in force at the World Cup include a 10-second time-limit on substitutions and a five-second countdown on throw-ins and goal-kicks. Referees will also wear body cameras, enhancing the broadcast experience for viewers around the world.

Collina added: “As at previous World Cups, technology will play an important role in supporting match officials in their decision-making.

“Goal-line technology, an advanced version of semi-automated offside technology and connected ball technology will be used, while for the first time in World Cup history, fans will be able to see things from the referee’s on-field perspective thanks to the use of new technologies.”

The New York high school boys basketball 2025-26 campaign has come to a close, with the top team seeing its season end at the Chipotle Nationals.

For most of the New York high school boys basketball season, the Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders, which finished 26-5 on the season, were atop of the rankings as the Empire State’s best hoops squad. Besides the unstoppable Crusaders, but who else should we watch for out of New York when it comes to the state’s final rankings of top high school boys basketball teams?

The Massey Ratings, officially used during the BCS era, is a model that ranks sports teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule, and margin of victory.

Here’s a final look at the top 25 teams in the state of New York according to the Massey Ratings, which ranks teams by analyzing game outcomes, strength of schedule and margin of victory, as of Apr. 9.

1. Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders (26-5)

The Archbishop Stepinac Crusaders (26-5) finally dropped a game, losing to SPIRE Academy, 87-76, at the Chipotle Nationals. This season, the Crusaders senior-laden bunch has led the way and shown off their talent in the front and back court. Senior four-star shooting guard Jasiah Jervis was terrific all season long in getting the Crusaders to the 10-team exclusive invite tourney. The Crusaders were tough to drive to the rim on as they have a pair of USC commits in 7-footers in Adonis and Darius Ratliff, respectively. Fordham commitment Hassan Koureissi paired up with Jervis to create one of the best guard combos in the Northeast.

2. Long Island Lutheran Crusaders (11-11)

The Long Island Lutheran Crusaders (11-11) were hovering around the .500 mark for most of the season, but have played some of the top competition in the country. What is obvious when taking a look at the talent pool the Crusaders possesses, this team can compete with practically anyone in the nation. Long Island Lutheran has multiple five-star talents in senior 6-foot-5 point guard Dylan Mingo and junior 6-foot-8 forward Moussa Kamissoko. Among other players folks need to have their eyes on that lace ’em up for the Crusaders are Cincinnati commitment Kayden Allen and North Texas pledge TJ Crumble. Long Island Lutheran lost a 76-57 decision to SPIRE Academy (OH), but bounced back with a 70-59 win over The St. James Academy (Va.).

3. Cardinal Hayes Cardinals (17-8)

The Cardinal Hayes Cardinals (17-8) recently saw their three-game winning streak snapped against Holy Cross in a 67-52 decision and that was followed up by back-to-back losses to Archbishop Stepinac. The Cardinals most impressive win of the season came against Iona Preparatory School in a 80-74 decision. The Cardinals saw their season come to an end in a 72-59 loss to Archbishop Stepinac for the 2026 New York Diocesan Championship.

4. Albany Christian Brothers Academy Brothers (24-0)

The Christian Brothers Academy (24-0) of Albany moves up a spot in the final Top 5 of our last New York high school boys basketball rankings, with their most last win being a 80-51 decision over Bishop Ludden Jr Sr. The Brothers finished the season undefeated as they rolled by Fairport, 78-67, to win the NYSPHSAA Class AAA state championship.

5. St. Francis Preparatory School Terriers (18-6)

The St. Francis Preparatory School Terriers (18-6) remain one of the more talented teams in the New York City region. Key players returning for the Terriers begins with Oesoemana Sacko, who is already committed to Fairfield University, and 6-foot-3 sophomore Justin DeSena. The Terriers’ only five losses on the season have come against Colorado’s No. 1 ranked Ralston Valley, No. 3 Christ The King Regional (twice), No. 6 Nazareth and No. 22 Msgr Scanlan, respectively. St. Francis Preparatory saw their season come to an end after a loss to Iona Preparatory School back on Feb. 25.

Final Massey Ratings New York High School Boys Basketball Rankings Nos. 11-25

6. Nazareth Kingsmen (17-8)
7. Westhill Warriors (22-2)
8. Christ The King Regional Lions (15-10)
9. Iona Preparatory School Gaels (17-11)
10. Thomas Jefferson Campus Orange Wave (14-7)

11. Albany Academy Cadets (3-1)
12. Penfield Senior Patriots (22-1)
13. St. Raymond For Boys Ravens (12-16)
14. Fairport Red Raiders (21-2)
15. Chaminade Flyers (15-4)

16. Holy Trinity Diocesan Titans (17-3)
17. St. John’s Prep Red Storm (16-3)
18. Mamaroneck Tigers (19-4)
19. Shaker Bison (17-5)
20. Holy Cross Knights (12-18)

21. Archbishop Molloy Stanners (14-13)
22. Columbia Grammar-prep School (9-0)
23. Canarsie Wolfpack (15-6)
24. Green Tech Charter Eagles (18-2)
25. Xaverian Clippers (13-11)

WNBA free agency tracker 2026: Live updates on breaking news, signings and trades originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Armed with a new CBA -- forged by weeks of negotiating and years of labor organizing -- the WNBA is set to be filled with fireworks when free agency kicks off in earnest on April 9.

Sides were already locked in negotiations with restricted, reserved or core-eligible players. Signings won't filter in for good until April 12.

Free agency often is an action-packed affair. In 2025, Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, Kelsey Plum and Jewell Loyd landed in different spots, as did the rights to Storm standout Dominique Malonga. One year on, movers and shakers have already made their presence felt. Angel Reese's trade to the Dream proved the kindling to a spring like no other in recent WNBA history. With more than 100 players set to hit the open market during the offseason, expect free agency -- and all the moves surrounding it -- to be a blazing inferno.

With that, The Sporting News is tracking live updates on all things WNBA free agency. Follow below for an updated list of players to land new contracts in 2026.

MORE: Latest 2026 WNBA mock draft

WNBA free agency news, updates on signings and trades

Sky, Sparks engaged in talks over Ariel Atkins-Rickea Jackson swap

Date: April 9

Source: Annie Costabile, Front Office Sports

The Sky and Sparks are working on a trade that would see Ariel Atkins sent to Los Angeles in exchange for 2024 No. 4 pick Rickea Jackson. The trade hasn't been agreed yet. But an announcement is expected to be made in the next few days.

Atkins averaged 13.1 points, 3.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds in 24 games with Chicago last year. Jackson, meanwhile, averaged 14.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in 38 games in Los Angeles.

Liberty interested in Defensive Player of the Year Team center Alanna Smith

Date: April 9

Source: Madeline Kenney, New York Post

The Liberty are rumored to be interested in Lynx center Alanna Smith, per Kenney. Smith was the league's reigning co-Defensive Player of the Year (alongside A'ja Wilson).

Li Yueru, Grace Berger to return to Wings on qualifying offers

Date: April 8

Source: Meghan L. Hall, USA Today

Dallas will bring back rotation pieces Li Yueru and Grace Berger, per Hall. Yueru averaged 20.0 minutes, 7.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 22 games for the Wings after joining the Wings via trade. Berger, meanwhile, is a former first-round pick who averaged 22.3 minutes per game with Dallas last year.

Nneka Ogwumike to sign with Minnesota?

Date: April 8

Source: Alexa Philippou, ESPN

Source: Former WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike is slated to test the waters in free agency after seeing her contract with the Storm expire. A local balloon company looked to have broke news that Ogwumike was signing with Minnesota. However, the image appears to show the Lynx's pitch to Ogwumike. It is not confirmation of Ogwumike's signing, however.

Satou Sabally not expected to re-sign with Mercury, per report

Date: April 7 

Source: Annie Costabile, Front Office Sports

For the third time in three seasons, Satou Sabally will be on a new roster. Per Costabile, Sabally is not expected to re-sign with the Mercury, the team she landed on via trade last offseason. Sabally immediately becomes one of the most coveted players on the market, with Costabile reporting that the three-time All-Star and one-time All-WNBA first teamer is expected to have a host of meetings in the coming few days.

Core designations filter in

Date: April 7

Source: Underdog WNBA

Ahead of the formal start of free agency negotiations, a slew of players have picked up Core qualifying offers. This is the WNBA's answer to the NFL's franchise tag, giving teams exclusive rights to negotiate with a player on their roster who would enter free agency otherwise. In return, the player lands a one-year deal at the supermax salary (last year, $249,244; this year, $1.4 million). Teams can still iron out long-term agreements with the player in question. The Core designation also serves as a way for teams to protect their assets, helping ensure a team gets something in return for its best player.

Here's a look at the players who have been offered Core qualifying deals by their respective organizations:

• Kelsey Mitchell (Fever)
• Ariel Atkins (Sky)
• Sabrina Ionescu (Liberty)
• Allisha Gray (Dream)
• Arike Ogunbowale (Wings)
• Ezi Magbegor (Storm)
• Napheesa Collier (Lynx)
• Kelsey Plum (Sparks)
• Marina Mabrey (Tempo)
• Bridget Carleton (Fire)

Dream acquire Angel Reese in trade with Sky

Date: April 6

Source: Taylor Rooks, Amazon Prime

The Sky dipped further into their rebuild on April 6, dealing two-time All-Star Angel Reese to the Dream in exchange for a 2027 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick and 2028 second-round pick swap.

MORE: Angel Reese trade grades

The move spells the end of Reese's two-year stint in the Windy City. She emerged as the league's preeminent rebounder during her time in Chicago colors. She'll look to offer similar exploits in Atlanta, where she'll join Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard and Bri Jones.

Jonquel Jones to re-sign with Liberty

Date: April 5

Source: Jackie Powell, The XI Sports

New York is slated to bring back star big Jonquel Jones, according to Powell. The Bahamian-born talent is one of the WNBA's finest players, having captured MVP honors during 2021 and Final MVP honors during the Liberty's title run in 2024. A five-time All-WNBA selection, Jones is one of multiple New York standouts that was slated to hit the open market, although the likelihood remains that Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu will stay in Liberty colors for the long-run.

Fire, Tempo complete expansion draft

Date:

Source: Portland Fire, Toronto Tempo

The Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo forged the building blocks to their rosters over the weekend via expansion draft. The Fire selected Bridget Carleton with the first pick, while the Tempo went with Marina Mabrey. Here's a full look at their rosters following the conclusion of their draft:

Portland Fire roster:

Toronto Tempo roster:

MORE: WNBA Expansion Draft grades 2026

Aces set to offer A'ja Wilson supermax

Date: March 18

Source: Callie Fin, Las Vegas Review-Journal 

Days after the WNBA and its player union announced that it had reached an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement, the Aces are already making plans to lock up four-time MVP A'ja Wilson.

MORE: WNBA supermax contract, explained

Wilson, like many of the league's player population, is slated to his the open market in free agency. It seems unlikely she'll leave, however, with Las Vegas slated to make her the sport's highest-paid player.

Premier League side Bournemouth have reportedly set their sights on Inter Milan outcast Luis Henrique.

According to L’Interista, the Cherries have prepared a formal offer for the Brazilian winger, whose future at San Siro is hanging by a thread.

Inter Milan paid Marseille around €24 million to sign Luis Henrique last summer.

Furthermore, the Nerazzurri fought tooth and nail to beat Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich to the 24-year-old’s signature.

Despite signing a long-term contract until 2030, the former Botafogo star could leave Serie A in the coming months.

Indeed, Cristian Chivu’s men are reportedly open to offloading Henrique if they receive a suitable offer.

Bournemouth Set to Offer €25m for Inter Milan Flop Luis Henrique

However, the Brazilian ace has fallen short of expectations in his first season at San Siro.

Except for occasional flashes of promise, Henrique has largely struggled to replicate his Ligue 1 form, netting just one goal in 36 competitive appearances.

Despite his lackluster campaign, he could earn another big-money transfer this summer, with Bournemouth ready to take him to the Premier League.

Furthermore, the Cherries are ready to put a decent-looking €25 million bid on the table.

Manchester United’s pursuit of their next permanent manager is likely to dominate headlines in the coming weeks. Recent results suggest that caretaker manager Michael Carrick, who took over from former head coach Ruben Amorim in January, could be an option for the role as well.

The Englishman has helped to minimise the disappointments of the Portuguese head coach’s 14-month reign. Carrick has registered seven wins and one defeat in his first 10 games in charge and has powered the Red Devils to third in the Premier League table with seven games left in the season.

While the calls to make the Englishman’s stay permanent are getting stronger by the minute, the Premier League giants have resisted the temptation to give in to public sentiment. United have endured tough luck with managers since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement and are eager to get it right this summer.

INEOS are likely to look for a world-class manager who can manage the dressing-room egos while also delivering results and trophies. Recent reports have suggested that Luis Enrique is among the candidates on their wish list.

Enrique’s trophy-winning pedigree

Enrique became a household name after guiding Barcelona to a treble in the 2014/15 campaign. During his three-season stay at Camp Nou, the Spaniard won 138 of his 181 games in charge, registering a 76.24% win ratio.

Enrique left the Catalans in 2017, having guided them to nine trophies, including two LaLiga titles and one Champions League trophy. After two mixed spells with the Spain national team, the 55 year old took charge at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer of 2023 and has since transformed their fortunes.

Last season, Enrique masterminded a historic treble at the Parc des Princes, which included the Ligue 1 giants’ first Champions League trophy. He has registered a 68.10% win ratio with PSG, recording 111 wins from 163 games.

Luis Enrique Managerial Stats

Source: Wikipedia.

The Spaniard has won 10 trophies at the Parc des Princes so far and has earned admirers at the Theatre of Dreams. A previous report from The Peoples Person, however, states that Enrique is likely to sign an extension with PSG. The latest update could put another dent in United’s plans.

Real Madrid want Enrique

According to Football Transfers, Real Madrid have identified Enrique as a possible replacement for Alvaro Arbeloa. The report states: “Real Madrid want to appoint Paris Saint-Germain boss Luis Enrique as their next permanent head coach, FootballTransfers understands.”

Los Blancos appointed Arbeloa as Xabi Alonso’s replacement in January, but his position remains under scrutiny. It is unclear whether Arbeloa is a permanent appointment, but a review of the situation is expected this summer.

The report states that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has already set his sights on Enrique as the next manager. It adds: “Despite his ties to Barcelona, we have been informed that Real Madrid have earmarked him as a top target for the head coach role, and we understand that PSG have identified the aforementioned Alonso as a potential replacement if Enrique opts to leave the Parc des Princes this summer.”

Final Thoughts

Enrique could have been a fantastic choice for United’s next permanent manager, but his potential arrival at Old Trafford is looking increasingly unlikely. With Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti also unavailable, the Red Devils could be tempted to stick with Carrick if he delivers a strong end to the campaign.

Featured image David Ramos 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

The Arsenal u15s have reached the final of the Next Gen Cup in Beijing, after a faultless group stage from the young Gunners.

Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

The Arsenal u15s have been in Beijing over the last week playing in the Next Gen Cup, the first time the tournament has been held in China.

The tournament is contested between Premier League Academy sides and top Chinese youth teams, kicking off on April 3rd and concluding this weekend.

Arsenal academy coach Craig Smith is leading the team, accompanied by both his coaching staff and Gunners academy manager Per Mertesacker – who is on his last tour with the academy before his summer exit.

The English teams involved on this occasion have been Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Wolves, joining four Chinese academy teams and the Hong Kong China u16 Elite Selection Team at the tournament. The eight sides involved were split into two groups, with the group winners to face each other in the final.

Photo via Arsenal Academy on Instagram

Arsenal were drawn in Group A alongside Aston Villa, Shijiazhuang Gongfu, and the Beijing FA, and they racked up the wins in the group stage.

The Gunners dispatched Shijiazhuang Gongfu 1-0 in the opening game thanks to a close-range finish from Zach Van Der Straaten after a corner, then eased past Aston Villa 3-0 to take control of the group.

Luis Munoz and Jaden Maghoma scored two in the first three minutes of the Villa game to kill the contest almost instantly, and Maghoma made sure of the result with another goal shortly after the half-time break.

Photo via Maghoma on Instagram

Only needing a draw in their final match to finish top, the young Gunners thrashed the Beijing FA team 4-0 to reach the final in style.

The final will be played on Saturday, April 11th against the winner of Group B, whose identity is yet to be formally confirmed.

But the most likely opponent is Zhejiang FC, who defeated Shanghai Shenhua and Wolves in their opening two fixtures, and thus only needed a draw from their final game to top the group.

Arsenal u15 squad at Next Gen Cup

Photo via Arsenal.com

Kendrick Van Djoy, Max Lo Presti, Zach Van Der Straaten, Frankie Wyatt, Hudson Sando, Onye Asiegbu, Isaiah Matthews, Beau Luton, Keyaan Davison, Fletcher McBryde, Mikael Bonaventure Yetna, Noah Laditan, Blake Day King, Emmanuel Ahaneku, Reiss Tweneboa-Kudoa, Jaden Maghoma, Kyron Raymond-Callender, Luis Munoz, Bubacarr Jallow, Leo Aliadiere, Ezra Okafor

Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW), in partnership with INDES (El Salvador’s National Sports Institute), held a workshop on women’s beach soccer during the El Salvador Cup at the beginning of April at Flor Branca Stadium, where the tournament matches took place. The event was attended by representatives from the national teams competing in the tournament, such as Mexico, Denmark, Portugal, El Salvador, and Brazil, as well as officials from local clubs.

CBF’s beach soccer manager, Lavoisier Freire, was one of the speakers and presented the actions the institution has planned for the development of women’s beach soccer in the country.

“We have to think about the future. And that depends directly on the organization of institutions and the qualifications of the professionals developing the sport. By working at the grassroots level, we will have a promising future, following Brazil’s victorious history in beach soccer. CBF is promoting a rebuilding process in the sport, and women’s beach soccer will receive full attention in that process, including the creation of development centers across the country’s five regions, an under-20 national team, and a national competition,” said Lavoisier.

One of the questions from the audience was about the specific nature of working with women. Lavoisier pointed out the importance of understanding the characteristics of the female world so that the work can be carried out more smoothly.

“I believe good management involves a specific analysis of each scenario. With that in mind, we sought to form a coaching staff for the Women’s National Team made up mostly of women, all of them highly professionally qualified, so that communication between management, staff, and athletes can take place more smoothly and effectively. It is still a project very much in its early stages, but it is already showing that we are on the right path,” he said.

Beach Soccer Coordinator at the Portuguese Football Federation, former player Madjer, one of the legends of the sport, spoke about the development of women’s beach soccer in his country and reinforced the need for unity within the sport.

“I spoke with Lavoisier and Chicão (Castelo Branco, head coach of the Brazilian National Team) about how important it is for us to stay in closer contact, to hold these meetings, so we can exchange information and ideas and develop the sport together. It is important for countries to continue developing so that beach soccer becomes more competitive, which will make it a more attractive product,” said Madjer.

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

How old is Jose Maria Olazabal? Where Spanish golfer ranks among oldest Masters players, champions originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The 2026 Masters field, as it is just about every year, is full of former champions.

One of the luxuries of securing a green jacket is that for the rest of a golfer's life, they receive an invitation to the major. While that doesn't necessarily mean the former champion has to participate — Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson won't be at Augusta National for this year's tournament — the "lifetime invitation" rule also opens the door for older stars to return to glory with just one weekend of excellent golf.

At the 2026 Masters, Jose Maria Olazabal falls into that category. The two-time Masters winner hasn't had a top-3 finish at the tournament since 2006, and has missed the cut in seven of his last nine appearances, but Olazabal got off to a nice start in Thursday's Round 1.

Here's what to know about Olazabal's age and where he ranks among the oldest players at the 2026 Masters.

SN's MASTERS HQ:Live Masters leaderboard | Masters TV coverage | Live streaming

How old is Jose Maria Olazabal?

Olazabal is 60 years old. He will turn 61 on Feb. 5, 2027.

When he won his first Masters in 1994, Olazabal was 28 years old. He then claimed the green jacket again in 1999, when he was 33 years old.

MORE MASTERS 2026:

• Ranking the 30 best golfers in this year's Masters
• Odds, betting favorites, expert picks for the 2026 Masters
• Complete list of golfers playing in the Masters

Oldest players at 2026 Masters

Olazabal is one of the very few 60-year-olds playing at the 2026 Masters, but he isn't quite the oldest.

That title goes to Fred Couples, who is competing at 66 years old. Also older than Olazbal is Vijay Singh, who is 63.

Olazabal is the third-oldest player in the field — but he got off to a terrific start in the first round on Thursday.

Rolling back the clock 🕐

José María Olazábal is the solo leader @TheMasters! pic.twitter.com/3j4vGE8FWe

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 9, 2026

MORE MASTERS NEWS:

• Complete list of Masters winners by year
• Why Augusta National always hosts the Masters
• Who has won the most Masters of all time?
• History behind the famous Masters green jacket
• Inside Augusta's iconic Amen's Corner

Who is the oldest player to win the Masters?

The oldest player to ever win the Masters was already a legend by that point: Jack Nicklaus in 1986. In one of the most iconic comebacks in tournament history, Nicklaus, at age 46, won his sixth green jacket and the final major of his storied career.

Nicklaus' win is the only time a player 45 or older has won the Masters. In 2019, when Tiger Woods re-emerged to win the tournament, he was 43 years and three months old, making him the second-oldest Masters winner.

Here's a look at the oldest Masters winners:

MORE:Revisiting Jack Nicklaus' iconic 1986 Masters win, 17th hole putt

We are two weeks away from welcoming 10 new players to the Las Vegas Raiders’ roster with the first round of the 2026 NFL draft coming up in a couple of Thursdays. That being said, there should be plenty of trades on the table for John Spytek, so that number could increase or decrease by the time the weekend wraps up.

For the next couple of mailbags, let’s stay focused on the draft. Just to give y’all a heads up, I won’t be able to do a mailbag the week of the draft, which means this is our second-to-last one before the three-day marathon. I want to make sure I can answer as many of your draft questions as possible, and zeroing in on it over the next two weeks is the best way to accomplish that.

As always, anything Raiders-related is on the table and fire away with anything that’s on your mind. Send your questions my way by either dropping a comment in the comments section below, tweeting at me (@MHolder95) or via email at SBPQuestions1@gmail.com. I’ll follow up with another column in the coming days.

If you don’t have a commenting account already, you’ll need to create one but the steps are pretty easy and it’s a seamless process. Also, we have full-time moderators to enforce the Community Guidelines. 

Thunder just entered historic territory: Only Jordan’s Bulls and Steph’s Warriors have done this originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t sneaking up on anyone anymore. They’ve officially crossed into territory that only a handful of dynasties in NBA history have ever reached; and the names they’re now sitting beside say everything about what this run has become.

With 132 wins across the last two seasons, Oklahoma City has recorded one of the five best two-year stretches the league has ever seen. That list is not filled with good teams. It’s filled with legends.

Think Chicago Bulls. Think Golden State Warriors. Now think Thunder. And suddenly, this doesn’t feel like a fun stat anymore. It feels like a warning.

Most wins in a two-season span in NBA history:

141 wins: Bulls (1995-97)
140 wins: Warriors (2015-17)
140 wins: Warriors (2014-16)
132 wins: Thunder (2024-26)
131 wins: Bulls (1996-98)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are in some elite company 👀 pic.twitter.com/lkoDp5CL6e

— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) April 9, 2026

A two-year run that puts OKC in elite company

Here’s the full list of the most wins over any two-season span in NBA history:

• 141 wins — Bulls (1995–97)

• 140 wins — Warriors (2015–17)

• 140 wins — Warriors (2014–16)

• 132 wins — Thunder (2024–26)

• 131 wins — Bulls (1996–98)

That’s it. That’s the club.

No LeBron-era teams. No Spurs dynasty. No Lakers runs outside of the 80s. Just historically dominant teams that didn’t just win; they controlled entire eras.

For Oklahoma City to land at No. 4 on that list this early in its trajectory is staggering. Even more telling, they’re doing it in an era defined by parity, load management, and deeper talent pools across the league.

This isn’t supposed to happen anymore.

More: Derrick White is on the verge of NBA history and it perfectly captures what makes the Celtics dangerous

Why this feels bigger than just a stat

On the surface, 132 wins across two seasons is impressive. But context matters, and that’s where this becomes something much more significant. The Thunder went 68-14 last season and followed it up with a 64-16 campaign while dealing with injuries and the pressure of defending a title. That kind of sustained excellence is typically reserved for veteran superteams or established dynasties.

Oklahoma City is neither. This is still a relatively young core, led by MVP-level guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, anchored by rising stars like Chet Holmgren, and built on depth, versatility, and defensive discipline.

They don’t just beat teams. They overwhelm them with consistency. And that’s the common thread between every team on that historic list.

The dynasty question is no longer hypothetical

When you’re mentioned alongside Michael Jordan’s Bulls and Stephen Curry’s Warriors, expectations shift immediately. This is no longer about potential. It’s about legacy.

Oklahoma City has already checked several of the boxes that historically predict championships:

• Back-to-back dominant regular seasons

• League-best record and No. 1 seed

• MVP-level superstar

• Elite defensive identity

• Depth that survives injuries

As Gilgeous-Alexander himself put it, regular-season milestones only matter if they lead to titles. But history suggests something important: teams that reach this level of sustained dominance almost always finish the job.

That’s what makes this moment feel different. The Thunder aren’t chasing greatness anymore. They’re already standing in it.

More NBA news:

• Derrick White is on the verge of NBA history and it perfectly captures what makes the Celtics dangerous
• Nikola Jokic is on verge of unprecedented NBA history as season winds down
• LeBron James admits he’s glad he won’t have to face what this NBA star is becoming
• Bronny James caught in tough spot after Lakers loss as G League season ends without him
• Luka Doncic injury suddenly shifts everything for Lakers at worst possible time

It got a little too close for comfort at times, but the Oklahoma City Thunder have officially clinched the NBA's first seed throughout the 2026 NBA playoffs. It's the first straight year that they've sat atop the West standings.

The Thunder grabbed the first seed with a 128-110 win over the LA Clippers. In control of their own destiny, they decided to do it themselves by playing their full cast in a pseudo-playoff rotation. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 20 points and 11 assists. Chet Holmgren exploded for 30 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks.

Considering the San Antonio Spurs morphed into a winning machine, the Thunder needed until the final few days of the regular season to clinch the first seed. Things got a little too close there. OKC was habitually just around two games up on them for most of the post-All-Star break schedule.

Now that the Thunder have clinched the first seed, here's what they said about crossing off the important goal:

Mark Daigneault

"It's a great accomplishment. No two seasons are the same. This season was a lot of different experiences. We obviously started really hot, and then dealt with a lot of missed games, especially in the middle of the season. It felt like two months we were in during that. When you win the championship, that kinda hangs over you as a team the next year. Meaning everybody, including ourselves, you judge yourself against that. It's incredibly hard to be present in the next regular season. I learned so much from this team because of their ability to come in every day and just embrace the day."

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

"It feels better for sure. Not only because we had to weather it a little bit more, but just like repeating something and doing it again is always a little bit harder. It's a little more challenging. The league gets better, players get better. For us to still have the best overall record through that and the ups and downs speaks volumes to the team. Speaks volumes to the guys in the summertime, getting better individually; coaching staff, getting better individually. We always say at the beginning of the season that no matter what happens, we have to earn what we get and make it to the playoffs in our seed. We earned the first overall seed.”

Chet Holmgren

"I'd say adversity is never unexpected. It pops up in different ways and injuries are one of the ways we've seen it this year and you just can't turn them into excuses. I thought we did a good job just fighting through everything that we saw this year. It's paid off."

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: OKC Thunder react to clinching first seed for 2026 NBA playoffs

Retired New York Giants pass rusher and two-time Super Bowl champion Justin Tuck has a new partnership ahead of the 2026 NFL draft. The former third-round pick is teaming up with The Athletic to promote The Beast, a draft guide for the upcoming draft.

The Beast, which was created by lead draft analyst Dane Brugler, is an in-depth guide that includes player profiles, rankings, measurements, and extensive analysis to prepare fans for the draft.

Tuck discussed his involvement in the launch of the guide.

"I'm obviously excited to work with The Athletic on this," he told Giants Wire. "It's something that I think the market—which is our fan base—is going to truly appreciate.

"On April 8th, The Beast, which is the most detailed and comprehensive draft guide, will be released to Athletic subscribers. On April 9th, it's actually going to be free on the Athletic app for everyone."

Tuck also highlighted a special fan event tied to the launch.

"In partnership with The Athletic, you can catch me in Chelsea Triangle on April 17th, where I'll be answering your draft questions," he said. "That will include my draft-day experience, which I still hold as a grudge to this day. Maybe if the Giants—if teams had a product like The Beast—maybe they could have made a better decision than to let me slide to the third round. But we're not even talking about that today."

In conjunction with promoting the comprehensive draft guide, the former Giants captain will be in New York City for an activation where he will field questions from fans about the draft.

Reflecting on his own draft experience, Tuck described how the process has evolved.

"It was a different model then," he said. "When I was coming out of Notre Dame in 2005, the model was you kind of visited teams. They obviously did their due diligence through the film, and then as the draft got closer, there was the combine.

"As the draft got closer, you kind of knew about five teams that needed your position and where you were slotted. I unfortunately had a knee injury that turned a lot of teams off. I slid from a projected top-15 pick to being taken in the third round. So yeah, the draft process for me was a little shocking, I guess that's the right phrase, but it all worked out obviously."

Tuck expressed excitement about the modern draft process for fans and teams.

"I think it’s an exciting moment for our fan bases and our teams to get the opportunity to draft and bring into the fold players who are truly going to hopefully be long-term stays on their franchise and become faces of their franchise," he said. "That's the excitement around the draft."

He noted that the draft feels even more exciting today thanks to advances in technology.

"It definitely was exciting when I came out, but I think it's actually more exciting around the draft now based on the technology, similar to any other sector of the world," Tuck explained. "I think this draft and football in general uses technology to enhance it and make it better. Obviously, The Beast fits right there as one of the most detailed and comprehensive draft guides, not only for the fan base but for front offices throughout the league. So again, I think that's very exciting."

Although Tuck didn't get drafted as high as he had anticipated, he made the most of his career, winning two Super Bowls with the Giants and becoming the first player in NFL history to record multiple sacks in multiple Super Bowls.

The Beast will become available to those with the Athletic app on Thursday, April 9th.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Justin Tuck shares draft grudge as The Athletic releases The Beast

A former Husky is moving on to his next chapter.

Atlanta Falcons offensive tackle Kaleb McGary announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday, ending a seven-year career after being selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.

Congrats to Kaleb McGary on his retirement and an amazing career. pic.twitter.com/Nb9M3Fmlw0

— Collin Roberts (@collinbroberts) April 8, 2026

McGary was midway through a three-year, $30 million extension that he signed in 2025. He missed all of last season for the Falcons with a knee injury that he suffered on the last day of training camp.

Despite the injury, McGary was expected to start at right tackle for the Falcons this season, where he would have protected the blindside of former Husky legend Michael Penix Jr. once the latter returned from his own knee injury. McGary started 92 games over six seasons for the Falcons and was a crucial run-blocking piece in front of star running back Bijan Robinson.

A starter in three and a half of his five seasons on Montlake, McGary was the starting right tackle for Washington's run to the 2016 College Football Playoff. He started every game in 2016, 2017, and 2018 en route to winning the Morris Trophy as the Pac-12's best offensive lineman as a redshirt senior before entering the NFL draft.

The Fife, WA native left a big hole on the Falcons' offensive line, which they attempted to fill quickly on Wednesday with the signing of former Chiefs and Jaguars offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor.

Atlanta could also add an offensive lineman in the draft to try to make up for McGary's retirement. Washington left tackle Carver Willis took a visit to the Falcons after the Huskies pro day in mid-March and could be an option to add more depth at that spot after primarily playing right tackle at Kansas State before transferring to Washington.

The NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 23, and runs through Saturday, April 25.

This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Former UW offensive lineman Kaleb McGary retires from NFL

Tommy Fleetwood Blackstone sponsorship, explained: Golfer becomes first global brand ambassador for investment company originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Tommy Fleetwood has been without an apparel sponsor for much of the 2026 season. The Englishman sought to rectify things at the Masters, however.

Fleetwood, the world's No. 4 player, landed a sponsorship with Blackstone, the world's largest investment manager. His cap will bear the scars of his partnership with the firm; Blackstone's logo is slated to adorn Fleetwood's headgear for the remainder of the season.

With that, here's what you need to know about Fleetwood's latest sponsorship, a deal that has drummed up plenty of interest during major season.

SN's MASTERS HQ:Live Masters leaderboard | Masters TV coverage | Live streaming

Tommy Fleetwood Blackstone sponsorship

Fleetwood agreed terms to a deal with Blackstone ahead of the 2026 Masters, becoming the investment management company's first-ever global brand ambassador.

“Tommy Fleetwood exemplifies the qualities that define our firm and resonate with our clients — disciplined performance, fierce determination, and high ethical standards," said Jon Gray, the President and COO of Blackstone. "That mindset reflects how we try to operate every day. We’re genuinely excited to partner with someone who is committed to winning and doing it in the right way."

Fleetwood's partnership will see him sport Blackstone's logo on the front of his cap for the rest of the season, according to Golf.com.

MORE MASTERS 2026:

• Ranking the 30 best golfers in this year's Masters
• Odds, betting favorites, expert picks for the 2026 Masters
• Complete list of golfers playing in the Master
• Tommy Fleetwood's son Frankie delivers another heartwarming interview at Masters Par 3 Contest

“I’m at that place in my life, where any new partnership that comes up, there’s a bunch of things that go into it,” Fleetwood said. “Sort of have to have shared values. Being able to help each other either way. Like I guess people that I can learn lessons from and gain experience from, things like that, I think that’s always very, very important.”

Fleetwood's apparel free agency has seen him sport myriad logos throughout the season. His contract with Nike expired in Feb. 2026, opening the door for him to mismatch different threads without worrying about infringing on his contractual obligations.

“I have the freedom and the luxury of trying what I want or wearing what I want and seeing what I like,” Fleetwood said during The Players Championship, per The Athletic. “So I think there’s just such a widespread (array) of clothes that I probably never paid attention to for such a long time.”

What is Blackstone?

Blackstone is an American alternative asset manager. With $1.3 trillion worth of assets locked up in the company, it is the world's largest alternative investment firm.

Founded in 1985 by Peter Peterson and Stephen Schwarzman, Blackstone was initially formed as a mergers and acquisitions boutique. It has since become one of the world's largest firms, launching partnership agreements with myriad companies, including Goldman Sachs and KKR. The company operates through four primary departments -- private equity, real estate, hedge funds and credit.

Blackstone has proven a fairly controversial company over the years. Companies owned by Blackstone have been accused of destroying the Amazon rainforest and exacerbating climate change,committing child labor law violations and, in the case of Ancestry.com, violating genetic privacy law.

MORE MASTERS NEWS:

• Complete list of Masters winners by year
• Why Augusta National always hosts the Masters
• Who has won the most Masters of all time?
• History behind the famous Masters green jacket
• Inside Augusta's iconic Amen's Corner

NASCAR is gearing up for the eighth race weekend of the 2026 season at Bristol Motor Speedway, and the Cup Series is bound to put on a show. In 2025, Kyle Larson beat Denny Hamlin for his second win of the year. Now, the sport will head to Bristol with a substantial amount of money on the line.

The purse for the Cup Series race at Bristol will be $11,233,037 on Sunday afternoon. NASCAR doesn't release the earnings for the winning driver anymore, meaning it's impossible to tell how much of the $11,233,037 will go toward the team in victory lane. Last year, the purse for Bristol sat at $11,055,250, which is roughly a $180,000 increase.

It will be fascinating to see which NASCAR driver will earn the most money at Bristol this weekend. Larson is looking to go back-to-back in the spring race at Bristol, but Hamlin and Ty Gibbs had good cars in 2025. Bristol always puts on a show, and this weekend should be no different.

More: How to watch NASCAR live at Bristol in April 2026, full schedule

This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: NASCAR purse for Cup Series race at Bristol in April 2026

Europa League quarterfinal scores: Results, highlights from UEL, Conference League first legs originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

JUMP TO:

• Europa League quarterfinal scores
• Conference League quarterfinal scores
• Quarterfinal first-leg highlights
• Europa League knockout bracket and schedule

The Europa League and Conference League quarterfinal first legs take place this week as teams attempt to progress towards the final in Istanbul.

Braga and Real Betis played out a 1-1 draw on Wednesday, but all other Europa League games will be staged on Thursday. All four Conference League matches are also today.

Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace are all involved, while recognisable big European names such as Fiorentina, Porto and Bologna are all bidding to progress.

The Sporting News will be tracking live score updates and highlights below.

MORE: Latest Europa League news

Europa League quarterfinal scores

Bologna vs. Aston Villa

Freiburg vs. Celta Vigo

Porto vs. Nottingham Forest

Braga vs. Real Betis*

*Game played on Wednesday, April 8

Conference League quarterfinal scores

Rayo Vallecano vs. AEK Athens

Crystal Palace vs. Fiorentina

Mainz vs. Strasbourg

Shakhtar Donetsk vs. AZ

Europa League, Conference League live updates, results, highlights from today's matches

All times ET.

12 p.m.: It's a big day of football on the European calendar, with three Premier League teams involved in today's Europa League and Conference League quarterfinal first legs.

The race to Istanbul is on 🇹🇷#UELpic.twitter.com/dNQzarFQ4c

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 8, 2026

Europa League knockout phase bracket, results

Below is how the Europa League knockout schedule will look in 2025/26.

The bracket is set from the Round of 16 onwards, meaning teams know their possible opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals should they progress.

For the quarterfinals and semifinals, the teams listed first in each fixture will play the first legs of those ties at home, while playing away in the second leg.

MORE:Updated UCL top-scorer standings as Mbappe, Lewandowski chase golden boot

Round of 16

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Final

Europa League 2025/26 round dates

Round of 16

• 1st legs: March 12
• 2nd legs: March 19

Quarterfinals

• 1st legs: April 9
• 2nd legs: April 16

Semifinals

• 1st legs: April 30
• 2nd legs: May 7

Final: May 20: Puskas Arena (Istanbul, Turkey)

Worcester: W, 8-5 (BOX SCORE)

After almost two years of rehab, Patrick Sandoval is back. The idea of paying someone fresh off of Tommy John surgery $18 million to rehab has been met with plenty of criticism, but Sandoval’s 529 strikeouts in 536 career innings with an ERA just over 4 can provide some stability if healthy. I don’t think I want Sandoval in the big league roation, but perhaps some sort of relief role is best for the current club as they deal with injuries and uncertainties in that regard (as our own Jake Roy points out, the current iteration of the bullpen cannot hold a lead).

In his first trip back to a mound, Sandoval dealt with some rust regarding control. Of his 63 pitches, only 35 fell in for strikes. This also led to longevity issues, as he recorded just ten outs, issuing three walks (and letting three runs score from these walks) but striking out three. Seth Martinez brought some balance back to the game, pitching eight perfect outs. This gave the WooSox time to string some runs on the board, resulting from a costly error of the Clippers’ (Guardians AAA) Travis Bazanna on a Braiden Ward grounder. Ward would subseqently break the tie in the eighth, while Kristian Campbell would drive in a run with a bases loaded HBP. A Mikey Romero sac-fly later, the lead was up to three runs, and the WooSox would not let that up.

Portland: L, 3-11 (BOX SCORE)

Franklin Arias continues to start the season strong, as he had two knocks and three RBIs. The team also managed two three-baggers, one each from Marvin Alcantara and Abrham Liendo. That’s about all the good that came from Wednesday night’s game against New Hampshire (Blue Jays AAA).

Four hitters in the Sea Dogs’ lineup are still hitless on the season almost a week in. Also, it doesn’t help that Gage Ziehl, the return for the Jordan Hicks trade, allowed seven runs, five earned, off nine hits in two and a third innings, so this one was done quickly in a fashion in which “get the game to Michael Sansone” doesn’t hit quite the same way as it does with a lead. Sansone was fine, pitching five and a third, allowing the deficit to grow more, but then, since this was the second blowout Portland’s incurred in a week, we were treated to a position player pitching, and, to his credit, Drew Ehrhard put in the best pitching performance of the night.

Greenville: L, 1-4 (BOX SCORE)

Everyone in the lineup had a hit against the Spartanburgers (Rangers High-A) on Tuesday, but it was quite the opposite on Wednesday. Hub City had a no-hitter going against the Drive until the sixth, when Jack Winnay drove into right field to advance Justin Gonzales (who led the inning off with a walk) to third; Gonzales would score on a Mason White sac fly. Winnay had the only hit of the night for the Drive, and, if you’re a math person, you know that one hit is usually never going to beat the two home runs Luis Cohen allowed.

Salem: W, 6-3 (BOX SCORE)

It was a bullpen game in Salem, but no matter. Jacob Meyers, Myles Patton, Brandon Neely and Harry Blum may not be aboard the Artemis II by a long shot, but they navigated this game safely and kept the Warbirds (Brewers A) at bay following some early trouble. All in all, Wilson stranded nine batters. The six hits Greenville got as a team were all concentrated among three hitters, but the hits came at the right times, namely Andrews Opata getting two triples to put himself in scoring position and 18-year-old Avinson Pinto tacking on two doubles.

Have a marvelous Thursday!

The New York Giants made former Baltimore Raven Jordan Stout the highest-paid punter in football this offseason. Special teams coordinator Chris Horton, who had that same role with the Ravens until joining John Harbaugh in New Jersey, explained why earlier this week.

“When you look at all the things that he can do on the field, for us punting is about protecting the punt and flipping the field. Jordan gives you that. He has the leg strength to do that,” Horton said. “When you talk about how the game has changed a little bit now that the drive starts starting a little further down the field from a kickoff return standpoint, Jordan has the ability to pin people down inside the 10, inside the 5. All those things come together.

“Not only that, he’s a great holder. Those three things make up a really good punter. So it’s not so much that you look at him and say, well, he’s the highest-paid punter. He got paid off of production. This is a production-based business. When guys perform well, they get compensated for it.”

Here are more takeaways from Horton’s first media availability with the Giants.

“A shared vision”

Horton has been working with Harbaugh since 2014, when he took a job with the Ravens as assistant special teams coach. He understands the boss well.

“He’s about as authentic as they come,“ Horton said. ”I just think it’s more of you just got to be good at your job at anything you do, right? You’ve just got to understand that he’s not just a special teams coach. He understands the defense. He understands the offense in pretty depth — like with a lot of knowledge.

“For me it’s not so much, hey, I’m working for John Harbaugh. I understand the expectations. I understand the standard. That’s a good thing to be a part of.

“One of the things we talk about is really just being on the same page, having a shared vision. That’s really big on what Harbs is always talking about. Then when you get this opportunity to take this job, you know that you’re working for someone that’s going to give you the time and the opportunity to lay the foundation, because it’s new. It’s not in place.”

What has he learned from Harbaugh?

“Things I learned from him is, one, you have to stay on them. You’ve got to be relentless in your coaching and the techniques,” Horton said. “Sometimes when you feel like guys have gotten it, you have to just continue to just press on, press on. It’s not always going to be good, and you have to understand that.

“Just being able to, you know what, do you believe in what you’re teaching? If you believe in what you’re teaching, you’ll get the job done, and it will start to show itself, and it will come to surface.”

“I embrace this phase of the game”

Horton was a defensive back as a player. Early on in their relationship, Harbaugh gave Horton a choice of coaching defensive backs or special teams. Horton chose special teams.

“Harbs was, hey, what do you want to do? Do you want to stay on defense, or do you want to be the special teams coach? Right away I was, like, hey, I want to be the special teams coach, because I embrace this phase of the game,” Horton said.

I” do feel like sometimes people take it for granted, but it’s just talking to guys and just being able to get them to go jump-start their career or extend their careers. I think it’s very important. If you embrace this phase of the game, you can play a really long time.“

Once a Giant … again a Giant

Horton played for Washington from 2008-2010. He finished his career in 2012 on the Giants’ practice squad.

“Giants were coming off a Super Bowl win. It was different. I was walking into a building where I just wanted an opportunity to play. I remember going up to Albany for training camp. It was hot. Just being here having a great time, just sitting in TC’s meetings and just understanding, okay, everybody says you got a hard-nosed coach and kind of what that was like,” Horton said. “Then being under Tom Quinn, just kind of working through it. Obviously I dealt with injuries, so it didn’t last very long, but I was excited to be here. At that point this had been really a great organization to come into. You hear all the stories. It’s the Giants, you know? You’re going to the Giants, and it proved everything to be. I’m excited to be back.

“As a player, it’s different. Now I’m on the other side. I am the special teams coach, right? I’m hungry from a development standpoint, and I’m hungry in a standpoint of I want to see, one, this team play well, and not only see the special teams excel, so that’s what I’m hungry for, and that’s the feeling that I got going on.”

Lamine Yamal has sent out a defiant message in the wake of Barcelona’s defeat to Atletico in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

Barcelona are 2-0 down to Diego Simeone’s side ahead of the return fixture in the Spanish capital next week, but Yamal isn’t giving up hope yet.

“This isn’t over, culers We’ll give everything in the second leg. All together, always,” he posted on Instagram.

Yamal caused Atletico problems on Wednesday night and drew plenty of praise from manager Hansi Flick after the game for his performance.

“Of course, he’s disappointed – everyone was disappointed,” Flick said. “But Lamine played a fantastic game, from the beginning to the end, in the defence and in the offence.

“He had one-v-one situations, he had three, four, five players around him. It’s unbelievable.””I said it yesterday, he’s 18 years old, and, for me, he’s doing a fantastic job. We have to support him. Not make so much noise about things. 

“He’s 18 years old, come on! For your country [Spain], he will be one of the best players ever.  The referees, they have to protect him. This is why everyone goes to the stadium, everyone wants to see football, from these players. [Kylian] Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Lamine, Pedri.”

Barcelona will need Yamal at his best again next week if they are to prevail, but he’ll also need help from his team-mates – particularly with Raphinha still out injured.

The Michigan Wolverines men’s ice hockey team is back in the Frozen Four. Despite missing the tournament last season, head coach Brandon Naurato has been here three separate times.

The Wolverines most recently faced Denver in the Frozen Four in 2022. You may remember that game, as Michigan lost 3-2 in overtime. It was a heartbreaker, especially given the fact Michigan had a whopping 12 first-round draft picks on the roster.

Now that we’ve put the painful past in the rearview, here’s why this year’s Frozen Four rematch will be different this time around.

Michigan is the No. 1 overall seed

Seeding isn’t everything when you get on the ice and it’s hard for talent to always meet the moment in single-elimination hockey. That said, this team knows what it can accomplish. The Wolverines may not have won the regular season Big Ten title, but they looked the part in the Big Ten Tournament. In the postseason, they’ve come out strong early and haven’t let up. This team is playing like it knows it’s the best. That confidence will help going up against a talented Denver team.

T.J. Hughes is on a mission

T.J. Hughes has been at Michigan for some time. The four-year veteran is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and Big Ten Player of the Year. He’s had 56 points this season, registering 21 goals and 35 assists. He’s out of eligibility after this season and has been to the Frozen Four two times already. His talent and leadership and passion for the University of Michigan could be what it takes to get this team a win in the Frozen Four and on to their ultimate goal of winning a national championship.

Michigan’s depth is different than it was in 2022

Michigan had a VERY talented roster in 2022, which made that loss to Denver a major disappointment. This year’s team may lack first-round draft picks, but it makes up for that with depth. Every line has the potential to net a goal for the Wolverines. If one player isn’t having a great night, another one can step up.

They Wolverines have 178 goals this season, averaging 4.56 per game. They’ve got Hughes and Michael Hage, who can get some offense going for this team. Then you’ve got Will Horcoff and Jayden Perron, who have been able to consistently make plays and get the puck in the net. Michigan had talent across the board in 2022, but this season it seems like every single line works together in a way we just didn’t see in the past.

Postseason Garrett Schifsky

Garrett Schifsky was on the all-tournament squad for a reason. He’s been excellent in the postseason. It’s not just the NCAA Tournament, where he picked up a fantastic short-handed goal. He’s been riding a hot streak since the Big Ten Tournament and it feels like that’s going to continue into the Frozen Four. He has four goals and four assists in postseason play. Having a guy like Schifsky who can take it on his own when necessary and also get the assist will continue to help this squad play together.

Goaltender Jack Ivankovic is different

On the surface, Jack Ivankovic’s stat line looks pretty similar to Michigan’s 2022 goalie, Erik Portillo — Portillo averaged 2.14 goals against, while Ivankovic is at 2.13. When it comes to save percentage, Portillo was at .926 and Ivankovic is at .923.

Ivankovic missed about a month of playing time because of an injury, but he can be the difference for the Wolverines this season. While he’s young, he’s playing like a veteran and while he’s struggled against a few of Michigan’s tougher opponents, he’s going to be a major factor in helping Michigan move on.

Puck drop for Michigan vs Denver in the Frozen Four is scheduled for Thursday, April 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The game can be viewed on ESPN2.

Matt Barnes has taken aim at Patrick Beverley, calling out the former NBA guard’s recent media presence in a blunt and highly critical response.

The comments come as Beverley continues to stay active in basketball conversations despite no longer being in the NBA, often sharing strong opinions and takes that have drawn mixed reactions from players and fans alike.

Barnes, who played alongside Kobe Bryant during his career, did not hold back in addressing that approach. His frustration was clear from the outset, and it only intensified as he continued.

Matt Barnes criticises Patrick Beverley over recent NBA takes

Barnes shared his reaction while driving, where he questioned Beverley’s commentary and how it is being presented.

The criticism focused on Beverley comparing himself and others despite both being role players during their NBA careers.

He said, “Never in my life have I seen an NBA journeyman role player try to call out another NBA journeyman role player.

“Trying to convince himself and whoever else will listen that one role player is better than the other role player. Like, what the f___ are we talking about, bro?”

The remark sets the tone for Barnes’ broader argument about credibility and perspective.

Matt Barnes calls Patrick Beverley a clown over the post-NBA career approach

Barnes went further by contrasting their career paths and how each has transitioned after playing.

“I used my 14 years in the NBA as a platform for the rest of my life. I left under my own accord,” he added. “… You, Patrick, got pushed out of the league and didn’t get to finish the way you wanted to, and had to go overseas and act like it was joyful and fun when you knew you missed finishing your career the way you probably should’ve.”

“You look like a clown. Clickbait, hot take, that’s the guy you’re trying to be instead of bringing value to this space,” Barnes concluded.

The comments underline a sharp divide in how former players approach their post-NBA careers.

For Barnes, the issue is not just what is being said, but how and why it is being delivered.

Read more:

This time last week, wide receiver was perceived by many – myself included – as arguably the greatest position of need on the Kansas City Chiefs’ roster. The uncertainty surrounding Rashee Rice’s availability played a key role in that opinion.

How much does that change now that Rice’s availability is no longer a looming question for the organization?

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last week that the NFL has concluded its investigation into Rice’s possible violations of the league’s personal conduct policy. He revealed the league will close its case without disciplining Rice at this time.

In an additional statement, the NFL declared “there was insufficient evidence” to support any punishable findings. Rice’s attorney also stated that Rice thanked the league and is looking forward to the start of the 2026 season, according to Schefter.

It is important to make the NFL’s stance clear in its conclusion that Rice will not be disciplined “at this time.” That does leave some wiggle room for the league in the event something new comes to light. It is still possible that the league could reopen the case in such an event. But, barring something unforeseen, the Chiefs have some sense of clarity surrounding Rice’s availability for the 2026 season.

There’s no way around it; this is massive news for the Chiefs’ outlook.

Before we proceed any further, this piece is not meant to excuse or dismiss any of the alleged off-field transgressions, but to analyze the impacts it will have on the field for Kansas City.

Rice’s availability is absolutely critical to the Chiefs’ plans for success in the upcoming season. It’s hard to overstate, frankly.

When healthy and available, he’s one of the best slot receivers in the league. His ability to create yards after the catch is nearly unmatched. He’s one of just five players in the NFL with at least 8 yards after catch per reception over the past three seasons (minimum 200 targets). The other four players joining Rice on the list are Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson, New York Jets running back Breece Hall, Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane and Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs.

Notice a trend?

Joining four running backs on such a list proves Rice is a unicorn in today’s game. So much so that the only other receivers to average more than seven yards after contact per reception over the past three seasons are Deebo Samuel, Khalil Shakir and Jameson Williams.

Replacing Rice would have been difficult and costly. He plays a vital role in Andy Reid’s West Coast offense. The entire premise of the scheme is to get players into space and create opportunities after the catch. Very few players fit that scheme better than Rice.

Knowing he is in the plans for the 2026 campaign solidifies the offense.

This time last week, I felt certain the Chiefs would select a wide receiver with one of their top 40 selections. They still could do that, but it doesn’t feel as certain.

Really, it would be perfectly acceptable for the Chiefs to go into the season with Rice, Xavier Worthy, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals, Nikko Remigio and a mid-round selection as their room of wide receivers. Also, the door should not be closed on the potential to sign a free agent after the draft.

Tyreek Hill, Jauan Jennings and JuJu Smith-Schuster are three names that make varying levels of sense from a pure football perspective.

The greatest impact of this news is how much it frees up general manager Brett Veach to draft the best available talent with his first-round selections. I’m still a believer that (at least) one of the first three picks should be utilized on an edge rusher. But, beyond that, the world is Veach’s oyster.

If Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles is the best player available with the ninth overall pick, go for it. There will be plenty of edge rushers available at pick No. 29 to select from. The cornerback class is deep enough to improve the secondary on Day 2. Those are really the only two positions on the Chiefs roster entering a critical mass before the draft.

The first round options suddenly became that much more interesting. The possibility of a trade-up for a blue-chip talent is that much more enticing.

None of this is to rule out the possibility of the Chiefs still selecting a wide receiver in the top 40. The 2026 receiver room is in much better shape today than it was this time last week. The 2027 room, however, still has plenty of questions.

Rice is entering a contract year, and it’s not as if this is the first time he’s dealt with off-field questions, which threw his on-field availability into question. Can he do enough over the course of the next 10+ months to convince the Chiefs he’s trustworthy enough to earn a long-term extension? Will the team stomach the nearly $30 million price tag associated with the franchise tag? These are questions that still loom large. A long-term replacement or insurance policy from this year’s draft could go a long way in alleviating those concerns.

The need to draft a wide receiver is lessened. The willingness to do so remains. Veach is at his best when he has options, and that’s exactly what the Rice news provides.

Few understand the need for a golf ball rollback more than Jack Nicklaus.

He’s seen the development of technology in the sport from the 1950s to the modern game, and how it has completely changed the sport.

Holes that were once par fives are now effectively par fours for the modern-day player. The 13th at Augusta was once a one-iron to reach it in two. For Rory McIlroy, it’s now a seven-iron.

There are plans for a golf ball rollback, which would take distance away from the pros. But Nicklaus shares some concerns about this, explaining why he doesn’t think it will be enough.

Jack Nicklaus shares concerns about the golf ball rollback

Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tom Watson, honorary starters at the 2026 Masters, were asked about the future of golf with modern-day distance. They all expressed their worry about how far players are hitting it.

Nicklaus said, “I first went to the USGA in 1977 when the Titleist came out with the big golf ball, I saw it went further. They said, ‘eh, you don’t know what you’re talking about.’

“But in 1995, when they first brought out the composite golf balls — the golf ball from 1930 to about 1995, the golf ball probably increased maybe 5 or 6 yards just through the skill of the manufacturer to make it more consistent and better.

“From 1995 to 2005, the ball increased about 50 yards. That was just through them being able to circumvent the rules and what they are and allow the ball to go further. Now, obviously, what does that do?”

He continued, “The golf ball needs to be reined in. What they’re doing right now is throwing a deck chair off the Titanic, and it’s not getting enough done. It needs to really come back.

“I know a lot of people don’t like that, but I think Gary is absolutely right. It’s land costs, water, fertilization, the cost to play the game of golf, the time it takes to play — all those things are factors in why the golf ball needs to come back.”

“Now, the program that they have, as I understand it, will amount to about 12 yards for maybe a Rory McIlroy. It will amount to you all out there less than a yard. It really isn’t going to affect you very much, but it will affect the pros a little bit. That’s a little bit close to the bifurcation that Gary was talking about.

“My feeling is that they’re never going to bring it back to the level they need to bring it back to. Bobby Jones and his — I don’t know which book it was, one of his last books, he wrote in and he said, the biggest danger we have in the game of golf today is how far the golf ball goes and where it may go.

“Now, that’s back 1930 sometime, and it really hasn’t changed.

So we need to really — it needs to come back just for the sake of the game and preservation. Augusta’s had the ability to be able to go buy part of another golf course to lengthen the 13th hole.”

Gary Player agrees with Jack Nicklaus on golf ball rollback

Nickluas’ old rival, Player, shared these worries. He said that he’s worried that now that there is real money in golf, what happens when someone with LeBron James’ body type decides to play the sport.

He said, “I believe the ball should be cut back 60 yards, only for professional golf. Leave everyone to golf as it is. They’re the heart of the game, but professional golf is not. With regard to professional golf, cut the ball back 60 yards.

“It’s a tragedy. We got away from the concept of golf when it started originally, a par-5, a par-4, and a par-3. There is no such thing as a par-5 in the world today. We saw Rory with a 7-iron last year when he won the Masters, they’re hitting 8-irons and 7-irons to par-5s.

“Now I remember Jack, who’s as long as anybody playing golf today other than DeChambeau, at the 3rd hole is vivid in my mind. He used to hit a driver and a wedge, and now they drive over the green.

“We were in our infancy. We’ve never had a big man play golf of note. Wait until LeBron James comes out, Michael Jordan, and they are because incentivization is so great. There’s so much money that people around the world are exercising and going to the gym, which originally I was criticized and condemned for doing that.

“They’re lifting weights now. They’ll drive the 1st green here very easily. They’re going to be driving many, many par-4s. So where are we going? Here’s the crucial thing. The amount of money that we’re spending around the world probably rates to $100 million. Whatever the figure is, it’s exorbitant.

“They’re putting that money into making golf courses longer. We’re running out of water in the world, fertilization, machinery is so expensive, labor, oil, whatever cost you want to put in there. Where are we going? That money is being wasted, or if they cut the ball back, we don’t have to make these changes.

“Look what they’ve done here. It’s amazing when you think what this golf course used to play and what it plays now. That money could be allocated to African American areas where they need to be able to play golf and encourage them to play golf, for schools, for hospitals. We’re just wasting the money. That’s the crucial thing for me.

“I don’t know where we go. What’s going to happen in 30 years’ time is going to be beyond one’s imagination.”

Change is coming, but will it be too little, too late?

I think this series is our clearest evidence yet that 2026 should be a better year for the Atlanta Braves than 2025 was. Sure, it’s still very early and 13 games is only a small drop in the bucket of a full 162-game season but the Braves have already just gotten done doing something that they failed to do all last season: Win more than one (1) game in the state of California.

Indeed, the Braves are now back in Atlanta after pulling off a series win in California in order to up their record in the Golden State to 2-1. For reference’s sake, they went 1-12 in every game they played in that state last season. Already, things are looking up for this ballclubs and it’s not just the fact that they got this particular monkey off of their collective backs. There’s a lot to talk about from what was a wild (but successful) series in Anaheim against the Angels. Let’s get into it!

Monday, April 6

Angels 6, Braves 2

This game essentially came down to two bad innings from Chris Sale — two uncharacteristically bad innings, at that. The bottom of the fourth felt like one of those typical implosions that seems to happen with alarming regularity in the state of California for the Braves, no matter who’s pitching or playing. It started with Sale hitting our old friend Jorge Soler with a pitch and that was the start of five of the first six Angels batters in that frame reaching base safely. Despite the fact that only one of those was a hit that made it into the outfield, Sale managed to give up three runs in the process. Two singles, two walks and two hit-by-pitches was the method by which the Angels did their damage. He did strike out seven batters though, so there’s that.

The Braves were unable to respond in the next frame as Jose Soriano continued to absolutely mow down Braves hitters for what would turn into an excellent eight-inning performance from the Angels hurler. The Angels then rudely welcomed Sale back to the mound with a Jorge Soler single and then a two-run dinger from Jo Adell. That was the end of the night for Sale and essentially the end of the contest for the Braves as they were unable to muster up anything outside of a first-inning solo homer from Drake Baldwin and a ninth-inning solo shot from Mauricio Dubón.

Tuesday, April 7

Braves 7, Angels 2

Even when the Braves win one in California, it’s anything but normal. Jorge Soler continued to be a thorn in Atlanta’s side as he hit a two-run shot in the first inning that put the Angels ahead and it would’ve been understandable to think that this would be the start of another long and late night out West for the Braves. The good news is that this time, the Braves got up off of the mat and came back swinging. Eli White doubled in the first run of the night for the Braves in the second inning and then Atlanta took the lead in the fourth inning after rallying to score three more runs. Austin Riley tied the game up with an RBI single, which was lovely to se considering how much he has struggled to start this season

Funnily enough, there weren’t too many post-fight fireworks from both teams and things actually calmed down a bit. Atlanta’s bullpen did a very good job of covering the final four innings of this one after López got ejected, which meant that the runs scored by the Braves later on in the game weren’t sorely needed but were there purely as insurance. A solo homer from Ozzie Albies in the eighth gave Atlanta some real breathing room at 5-2 and then RBIs from Drake Baldwin and Matt Olson in the ninth inning allowed the Braves to pull away in order to make sure that this truculent ballgame ended in victorious fashion for Atlanta.

Wednesday, April 8

Braves 8, Angels 2

If you had told me that Grant Holmes would’ve gotten nearly seven full innings deep into this game after how the second inning went, first I’d be confused about you being a time traveler and using that power to inform me about a baseball game but then I’d be shocked at the result of said baseball game. Indeed, Grant Holmes looked like he was going to have a Sale-like implosion in the second inning of this one but he somehow got out of it by “only” giving up two runs. Those two runs would be all he’d surrender for the rest of his outing, as he quickly regained his composure and clamped down on the Angels from that point forward.

While that was going on, Atlanta’s lineup proved to be a bit much for Reid Detmers and the rest of the Angels pitching staff to deal with on the day. Austin Riley came to life in this one with a hit and two walks and each time he reached base, he scored. Riley even legged out a double in extremely cool fashion (with a swim move at second to finish it) as he looked as dynamic and threatening as he had since Opening Day. Ronald Acuña Jr. picked up a couple of good-luck hits in this one as well, so hopefully this’ll be the start of these two really getting going.

Ultimately, the Braves ended up cruising to victory in this one as Holmes settled down and went deep. Joel Payamps was able to make sure that Holmes’ line stayed looking good once he exited and then Jose Suarez delivered a nice performance over two innings as well. The series win marked Atlanta’s first series victory in California since 2024, which is when they downed this same Angels team over the course of three games in mid-August back then.

Is the California Curse over and limited to just 2025? They still have to go visit their National League foes in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco but for now, this was a huge relief to see the Braves pick up a series win in Anaheim and it was even better to see this team continue to avoid dropping any series so far. They’ve now either won or split each of the series that they’ve played here early on and you don’t need me to tell you that winning every series is a surefire way to rack up some wins across the long haul of a regular season.

A winning road trip in general is a lovely way for the Braves to return home. While they could’ve gotten more from the series in Arizona, taking two-out-of-three against a tricky Angels squad was the perfect way to make sure that this was a productive road trip. While Chris Sale’s performance was disappointing, even the staff ace is entitled to having a bad day now and then. It also helped that Reynaldo López was effective before he joined Fight Club (and they even got some best-case scenario news when it came to his inevitable suspension) and Grant Holmes came up big as well. The offense was also consistent over the course of these three games and hopefully this will get some of the stars like Acuña and Riley going as well.

Meanwhile, things won’t get a lot easier for the Braves once they return home to wear their clean new City Connect uniforms. The Cleveland Guardians won their series over the Kansas City Royals, so we’ll have two 8-5 teams doing baseball battle once the Braves get back in action on Friday night. That’ll certainly be a test for the bottom portion of this Braves rotation and another test to se if this lineup can continue getting it done. For now, they’ll be full of confidence following a productive road trip with a lot of positives to take home with them.

Bayern Munich is no stranger to weird and funky injuries and illnesses that threaten to derail the team by appearing at the most inconvenient time. Manuel Neuer was no exception and recently divulged the root cause of his recent injuries.

“They had a different origin. Because I had some stomach and intestinal issues, my body was a bit weakened,” Neuer explained (Abendzeitung as captured by X account @iMiaSanMia). “That’s why I had these minor problems; it was really like a ‘cold in my calf’.”

If you remember, Bayern legend Arjen Robben once suffered a muscle injury due to two rotten teeth.

The 40-year-old also downplayed talk of getting a contract extension: “I enjoy playing with this team and working with this coaching staff. It’s important to me what the team’s dynamics are like. Anything is possible.” Neuer wants to feel himself out before committing to more years of playing with Bayern.

The GOATkeeper has shown that he’s the best in the business by producing a record-breaking performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League, making nine saves as Bayern went on to win the first leg 2-1.

• There remains a strong belief at Man City that Rodri will sign a new deal
• Ballon d’Or winner approaching the final year of his current deal amid interest from Real Madrid
• City have submitted a formal contract offer to the Spain international in recent weeks

Manchester City remain confident that Rodri will sign a new contract and stay at the club for at least a few more years, as per a new report.

The 29-year-old is approaching the final year of his current deal in Manchester and has attracted considerable interest from Real Madrid, having opened the door to a move to the Santiago Bernabeu in a recent radio interview on Spanish station Onda Cero that sent shockwaves through the City fanbase.

Rodri joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 and has since established himself as arguably the finest holding midfielder in world football, becoming the first player in the club’s history to win the Ballon d’Or in 2024.

Revealed: Manchester City officials’ outlook on Rodri and potential Real Madrid transfer

He has returned to his best since January after an injury-ravaged 18 months on the sidelines, with manager Pep Guardiola insisting earlier this month that the club’s position on his future is unambiguous – stay, stay and stay.

City have submitted a formal contract offer to the Spain international, with a decision from Rodri and his camp not expected imminently as the midfielder continues to weigh up his options as the end of the season approaches.

Report: Strong belief at City that Rodri will sign new deal

According to Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News, there remains ‘plenty of belief’ at the Etihad Stadium that Rodri will put pen to paper on a new deal to keep him around for at least a few more seasons.

The report represents a significant vote of confidence from within the club, suggesting City’s hierarchy remains optimistic despite the noise generated by Rodri’s recent comments and the ongoing attention from Real Madrid.

City officials are planning for next season with the expectation that Rodri will stay put, though they are equally prepared to cash in on the midfielder this summer should he ultimately decide to pursue a move to Spain – rather than risk losing him for nothing in 2027.

What is the wider context around Rodri’s future?

Rodri has clarified his Onda Cero interview and insisted his comments had been taken out of context, with those who had only listened to snippets on social media rather than the interview in full – drawing inaccurate conclusions.

Rodri responds to Real Madrid transfer speculation after bombshell radio interview

Real Madrid’s interest in Rodri has been persistent, though reports suggested their pursuit had cooled somewhat following one particular performance earlier this season.

The Madrid-born midfielder is understood to harbour a desire to return to his hometown as he enters the latter stages of his professional career, though City’s optimism suggests the balance of probability currently favours a renewal.

Guardiola has been open about his personal wish for Rodri to stay as long as possible at the club, acknowledging that no player would turn down the chance to join Real Madrid while simultaneously making clear the affection he holds for the Spaniard.

For City director of football Hugo Viana, securing Rodri’s signature would represent one of the most significant pieces of business City conduct this summer – one that would provide a platform of stability around which the ongoing rebuild can continue to progress.

Welcome back to another year of the SB Nation Community Mock Draft!

As we do every draft season, all 32 NFL sites at SB Nation come together to fill out an entire first-round mock draft leading up to the actual event that takes place from April 23-25. One by one, our site managers will make their picks and provide their reasoning behind the selection. From there, I will provide further analysis on top of giving a final opinion on the pick!

Without further ado, let’s keep things rolling!

With the second overall pick in the 2026 SB Nation Community Mock Draft, Gang Green Nation’s John Butchko and the New York Jets select Arvell Reese, edge rusher, Ohio State!

Here’s Butchko’s analysis:

My analysis: The second pick in this year’s draft is going to be one of the most intriguing of the first round. With the top quarterback off the board, there’s a group of edge rushers that all have a shot at following Fernando Mendoza, but it’s going to depend on what the Jets value most in the position.

Butchko picks Reese here due to his immense level of natural athleticism that tends to transition very well to the next level. However, there’s still a case to be made for Texas Tech’s David Bailey who has much more proven experience and production under his belt. However, Bailey comes with some shortcomings of his own (including some character concerns) and that’s usually enough to help tip the scales elsewhere.

If Aaron Glenn truly believes in his coaching ability to get the most out of Reese as a rookie, then I am fully behind this pick. Guys like Reese don’t grow on trees, especially when it comes to a premium position like pass rusher.

The Pride of Detroit 2026 NFL mock draft—as completed by our commenters—rolls on.

It’s time for the Dallas Cowboys to pick again, which means commenter 1951LION is on the clock. With the Cowboys’ previous pick, 1951LION selected cornerback Mansoor Delane with the 12th overall pick. Now what will they do with Pick 20?

Before we get to the pick, head to our 2026 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft tracker. There you’ll find the previous 19 picks, along with links to each article and a grade for each pick, as decided by you, the readers. Don’t forget to cast your vote for each pick with the poll at the bottom of the articles.

Now, onto this pick:

With the 20th pick in the 2026 Pride of Detroit Community Mock Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Keldrick Faulk, edge defender out of Auburn.

Here’s 1951LION explaining the pick:

The incoming class of rookie pass rushers is an intriguing group, led by Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr., Texas Tech’s David Bailey, and Auburn’s Keldric Faulk.

Faulk is an imposing physical profile at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds with verified elite strength (700-pound squat, 415-pound bench) that translates directly to violent hand usage and anchor ability at the point of attack.

Run defense is already NFL-caliber, as evidenced by his 62 run stops leading all FBS edge defenders over three seasons, consistently dominating at the point of attack regardless of scheme or alignment.

Joseph Acosta had this to say about him last July (2025) in his top ten edge rushers: 

“Faulk is very similar to the freakish prospects who went at the top of last year’s draft like Mykel Williams and Shemar Stewart. Faulk has the size, length and strength to dislodge linemen at the point of attack in the run and passing game. He’s got a good feel for blocking on the inside as a 4i, and as a pass rusher he has the versatility to win from multiple alignments. I would love to see him work more of a pass rush plan going into next season, but for now he’s my top EDGE in the class.”

This year he is much, much, more.

His long-arm stab has become a legitimate weapon that maximizes his reach advantage, creating separation before offensive tackles can establish chest-to-chest contact and control the rep.

Relentless motor from snap to whistle shows up in cleanup sacks and effort plays, particularly in the fourth quarter when opposing linemen begin to wear down from his constant physicality. His 2025 junior season was a different story statistically, with only two sacks and 29 tackles through three games before his draft declaration, though the context matters. Auburn deployed him across multiple alignments, including interior looks at 2-tech through 4-tech on roughly 30% of his snaps, a role far less conducive to pass-rush production than his previous edge-heavy deployment.

The floor here is a high-quality starter who makes the entire front seven better by controlling his gaps and forcing offenses to account for him on every play design.

Oh yeah, he’s only 20 years old.

Time to grade the pick. Vote in the poll below and share your expanded thoughts in the comment section:

Sitting in a display in the Cape Fear Museum in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a Michael Jordan jersey from his time in Chapel Hill.

Jordan, who is a native of Wilmington, has a display there with a pair of his shoes, Wheaties boxes, this jersey and more.

But there's nothing special about the jersey, or so you would think. The museum certainly didn't think so. Until now.

Michael Russo, creator of The Michael Jordan Archive, has successfully photo matched the jersey to the most important moment of Jordan's collegiate career, the 1982 NCAA Championship, where he hit the game-winning shot over Georgetown.

"That was the birth of Michael Jordan," Jordan told TNT's Craig Sager during a 2016 interview. "Before then, I was 'Mike' Jordan. All of a sudden I make that shot, I'm 'Michael' Jordan".

Russo, who collects photo negatives, which have become invaluable in his research identifying Jordan jerseys in museums, exhibits and more, knew in an instant, the white Tar Heel jersey behind the glass was much more than it seemed.

"I saw it right away," Russo said. "I said, 'this is the f****** jersey.'"

And that was without the negatives, simply with an image on Getty.

"The mesh holes were basically completely aligned," Russo said. "The mesh holes in between the North, in between the two and the three."

"The image I had at that moment in time, I had an image of the display case with the North Carolina Jersey in it, and it was the only image I had ever seen of that jersey in that display, that way."

Russo estimates the jersey is a $20 million jersey minimum, stating the only jersey from Jordan's career that would be worth more would be his game-winner over Bryon Russell in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. The shot that sealed Jordan's sixth championship.

Additionally, this jersey is part of a larger ongoing project that Russo is launching with his site, The Michael Jordan Archive. Russo is creating a resource hub for all things game-worn Michael Jordan, with population reports for all jerseys and shoes.

Matt Liberman is a reporter and video producer for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.

Red Sox Look Smart Right Now For Passing On Free Agent Target Who Signed With Rival originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Red Sox had a goal to add some more power to their lineup this offseason, and a right-handed first baseman seemed like a perfect fit.

Triston Casas was injured, so there was an opening at first base, and there was a superstar first baseman available in Pete Alonso. The Red Sox had interest in Alonso, but he ultimately signed with a different American League East squad: the Baltimore Orioles.

The Red Sox were reportedly wary of Alonso's age and reportedly made an offer with fewer years and less money than the Orioles.

The Orioles signed him to a five-year, $155 million deal, and the Red Sox ended up adding Willson Contreras to fill their need for a right-handed power bat. Right now, the Red Sox look like the smarter team.

It's still early, but Alonso is slashing .188/.264/.292 and has just one home run. It's his worst start to a season through 12 games in his career. He has been known to get better as the season goes on, but right now, the lucrative deal he got seems like an overpay.

Meanwhile, Contreras has an .859 OPS and just had a phenomenal series against the Milwaukee Brewers. He has two home runs and five RBIs with 11 walks. He is playing better, all while making significantly less money. It is worth noting that it is still early in the season, and Alonso can still turn things around.

However, the Red Sox's big reason for passing on him was his age, and if he does start to decline, they will be proven right to not meet his hefty contract demands. The Red Sox will see him plenty over the next five years as he looks to help the Orioles get back to the postseason.

The Seattle Seahawks have a visit lined up with Missouri defensive end Zion Young.

According to ESPN’s Jordan Reid, Young’s busy slate of pre-draft visits includes one with the Seahawks later this week.

Young recorded 6.5 sacks as well as 16.5 tackles for loss as a senior at Missouri in 2025. He added two forced fumbles on the year. Young is one of the top edge rushers projected to go late in the first round of the draft this year.

Seattle’s pass rush, led by edge rushers DeMarcus Lawrence as well as Derick Hall, helped the Seahawks silence the Patriots in the Super Bowl at the end of last season, giving the franchise their first win in the big game since the 2013 season.

However, the Seahawks still have room to add an edge rusher to their roster in the draft. Young will get the chance to make his case for the Seahawks to select him in this year’s draft prior to the start of the event.

This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks to have pre-draft visit with Seahawks prior to 2026 NFL draft

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini, senior NFL reporter for The Athletic, really want you to believe that it’s extremely normal for platonic friends to hang out around the pool at a known honeymoon retreat, have a sunset embrace, and lock fingers while staring wistfully into each other’s eyes.

It’s enough to make me jealous that I didn’t get to make pottery with Ron Rivera Ghost style during the five-straight 100-degree Panthers training camps I endured in Spartanburg, South Carolina in the early 2010s. I had no idea that’s how the media was supposed to act with NFL head coaches.

Maybe we have it all wrong? It’s all just a big old misunderstanding, according to the duo, who bless their hearts, are trying to use the “Nathan Fielder Defense,”claiming that they were each at the resort with separate groups of friends and just so happened to run into each other.

The coach told Page Six Tuesday, “These photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable. This doesn’t deserve any further response.”

And Russini told us, “The photos don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day. Like most journalists in the NFL, reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues.”

I don’t pretend to know what other friend groups do with their bonding time, especially given the kind of wealth Mike Vrabel has, but I can promise you “hang out at a couples’ resort” has never once come up in discussion, not even as a quickly shot-down micro-suggestion.

Ambiente, the adults-only resort in question, doesn’t have a golf course, or a bar, or any activities you’d typically ascribe to a group of guys hanging out. They do however, have a “saddle and sip” wine and horseback tour, romantic stargazing, and in-room canvas painting. Meanwhile the branding for Ambiente is extremely geared towards one particular group of clientele, and see if you can guess from the cover photo for the on-site restaurant.

Never has there been a better location for athletic, goateed dads to enjoy a meal with their blonde girlfriends than at Ambiente, Sedona. Let’s just say it makes the notion that Vrabel and his buds were psyched to have a guys’ weekend there a little more questionable.

It’s impossible to discuss this whole debacle without shaming Vrabel and Russini, and there should absolutely be shame involved here. Not because of the fact they’re both married to different people, because it’s impossible to know the relationship dynamics at play here inside the two marriages — but because these two dumbasses intermingled a professional and personal relationship in such a way that it became a public spectacle.

And yeah, it’s extremely icky knowing that Russini has a three-year-old and five-year-old son (both of Vrabel’s children are grown). Nobody in their right mind is buying that this is some platonic get-together at a resort that markets itself on romance, especially when they were photographed on the roof of the most exclusive two-person bungalows on the property. The least they could do is have the decency to own it.

Russini and Vrabel should be independently ashamed of their roles in this. While Russini is catching the majority of the flak on social media as people dig through her social media history and find afrankly staggeringamount of evidence that she didn’t really like her husband, Vrabel clearly owned the power imbalance in this relationship. When you get down to brass tacks, he was the football coach at the center of many of her reports, and he had the ability to turn off the information faucet at any time, impacting her career as a result.

Where Russini should be independently ashamed is by turning into the trope that every internet misogynist has about female reporters, or really any women in a position of prominence at all. Guys like Adam Schefter and Shams Charania are praised for their “grind” while whoring themselves out to sports agents, but if a woman makes it on TV or gets too many bylines in sports there’s a predictable refrain of “who is she sleeping with?” echoed by pathetic, jealous men who assume there’s no possible way a woman could have a high-profile sports job without sleeping their way to the top.

Instead, she’s trying to double down on this being source maintenance, which is a very normal journalistic practice. Yes, you absolutely cultivate personal relationships with people behind the scenes, and you do spend time with them — but normally that’s resigned to having a steak and a drink together, not canoodling at a couples resort and saying you were there with friends. Friends who have about the same level of visibility as Aaron Rodgers’ wife, who absolutely exists; just ask Aaron Rodgers.

It takes two to tango, or in this case, interlock hands. Both became examples of the most harmful tropes in our society: The man with power leveraging it into a relationship, and the woman willing to do anything to further her career. It’s a two-way conflict of interest, because as recently as a month ago Russini was reporting on the Patriots’ interest in A.J. Brown, and this raises serious questions about how the information was gathered, or if there was any alternate motivation behind the reporting.

Russini’s boss, Steven Ginsburg, is echoing the line about this all being a gross misrepresentation, doubling down that The Athletic, and New York Times by extension, support their employee.

“These photos are misleading and lack essential context. These were public interactions in front of many people. Dianna is a premier journalist covering the NFL and we’re proud to have her at the Athletic.”

I’m sorry y’all got got, but you absolutely deserve the scrutiny.

Operation Atlantic, a joint US, UK and Canadian operation, froze more than $12 million tied to crypto approval phishing and identified over 20,000 victims.

Bitcoin avoids major volatility after the first of the week's two key US inflation reports, while a trader sees a "new upwards leg" coming for BTC price action.

Hyperliquid data showed a 145 million Fartcoin position unwound across wallets, with the platform redistributing about $849,000 in gains to opposing traders.

The US Justice Department and commodities regulator asked a federal court to block Arizona’s action against Kalshi, arguing federally regulated event contracts fall under CFTC jurisdiction.

North Korea’s crypto playbook now spans fake developers, conference contacts and major DeFi exploits reaching deep across the industry.

Bitcoin Depot said a hacker stole 50.9 BTC, worth about $3.7 million, after gaining access to internal systems linked to corporate wallets.

Crypto exchanges are seeking market share of TradFi trading venues, but tokenized commodities adoption is limited by pricing and liquidity concerns.

BitMEX said commodity perpetual swaps volume jumped from $38.1 million to $25 billion in Q1 as traders flocked to 24/7 gold, silver and oil exposure.

Traffic from agentic AI sources is rising at Dell, but the impact remains minimal and inconsistent, according to the company’s ecommerce lead.

The details. Dell is seeing increased visits from platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude, according to Breanna Fowler, head of global consumer revenue programs. But the growth isn’t “earth-shaking,” and agentic shopping has yet to deliver meaningful results, Fowler told Digital Commerce 360.

• Dell is still testing how to integrate with LLM-driven shopping, with efforts in early proof-of-concept stages and internal debate over long-term strategy, Fowler said.
• Fowler expects agentic AI to function more like an aggregation layer — similar to travel sites or delivery platforms — rather than a primary purchasing channel.
• Fowler doesn’t expect consumers to adopt agentic shopping en masse for transactions, at least in the near term.

Agentic AI vs. search. Fowler said that, with or without LLMs and agentic commerce, ecommerce sites “can do the most good for their customers” through a “really great search experience.”

• “If I can’t find your products easily and effortlessly, no amount of content and configurator capabilities — nobody really gives a crap about that stuff,” she said.

Why we care. Agentic AI is emerging as a discovery layer, but it hasn’t shown signs of replacing core search behavior. You still win or lose on how easily products can be found, whether by humans or AI agents.

The context. Dell ranks highly in emerging AI-driven discovery metrics, despite not being among the largest ecommerce players.

• That mismatch suggests AI surfaces may reward different product types or content structures than traditional search.

Bottom line. Agentic AI is sending more traffic, but it behaves like a top-of-funnel channel, not a conversion engine. Search — especially on-site — remains the primary driver of ecommerce performance.

The report. Dell use case for agentic AI could revolve around search rather than commerce

YouTube is pushing further into traditional TV-style advertising, signaling a shift that could reshape the viewing experience — and attract bigger brand budgets.

What’s happening. Some TV viewers are being shown ads up to 90 seconds long before they can skip, a significant jump from the 30-second unskippable formats introduced recently.

How it works. The longer ad blocks appear primarily on TV devices and may exceed 90 seconds in total length, with the skip option only becoming available after that initial window.

Why we care. YouTube is creating more premium, TV-like ad inventory that allows for longer, more impactful storytelling on the big screen. This opens the door for brand advertisers to run campaigns similar to traditional TV but with digital targeting and measurement. As Google pushes further into connected TV, budgets may increasingly shift toward YouTube as a core channel for reach and brand awareness.

Zoom in. Early reports suggest the format is not tied to video length, appearing on both short and long content, and is currently limited to TV audiences rather than mobile or desktop.

User reaction. Feedback so far has been largely negative, with viewers criticizing the longer interruptions and exploring alternatives like ad blockers or third-party clients.

Context. The test follows recent efforts to monetize more aggressively, including new ad formats and the rollout of a lighter subscription tier offering reduced ads.

What to watch. Whether YouTube expands the format beyond TV and how it balances ad load with user retention.

Bottom line. YouTube is leaning into its role as a TV platform — and longer, less skippable ads may be part of the tradeoff.

There’s often a disconnect between what a webpage says it’s about and what its audience is actually searching for.

This mismatch has always existed. But the stakes are higher now.

If your page fails to match user intent, it won’t show up in AI-powered search surfaces. Search engines will find a page that delivers.

You can see the mismatch, but it’s hard to quantify. The data to measure it is already in your Google Search Console account. Below, you can analyze your own pages to see how closely your content aligns with what your audience is searching for.

Measuring the gap between positioning and demand

Most web content today is designed to accommodate multiple target audiences, tens or hundreds of keywords, and brand positioning. As a result, it drifts away from the problems people are trying to solve.

I’ve had this argument many times and learned that observations create interesting conversations, but numbers create urgency and action. In this case, the numbers you need are already in your data, and the intent gap analysis tool uses that data to measure them.

Google Search Console captures what your audience searches for when they find each page. The meta description captures what the page says it’s about. One is demand. The other is positioning.

Intent gap analysis scores the distance between your meta description and your audience’s queries. Vector embeddings make that score possible by measuring meaning rather than just matching words. The result is a single intent gap score (0-100) that shows how well your page aligns with what your audience is searching for. 

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Connecting positioning to demand

Google’s Search Central documentation describes the meta description as “a pitch that convinces the user that the page is exactly what they’re looking for.”

The meta description also functions as a machine-readable signal. LLMs and generative engines consume it as a compact summary of what the page claims to deliver.

Achieving “durable visibility in AI ecosystems” requires “consistent metadata, provenance, and trust signals that can be interpreted by search crawlers and generative engines,” IDC’s December 2025 Market Note on brand visibility found.

Scoring a page’s meta description requires an anchor in audience behavior. Google Search Console provides that anchor — the queries where Google chose to surface your page, regardless of whether the page was built for that intent.

The intent gap analysis tool expresses the gap as a score. In the sample analysis below of LumonHR, a fictional SaaS platform inspired by Severance, the homepage scores a 32.

The meta description uses vague aspirational language that doesn’t match the functional, software-focused queries driving traffic. The page isn’t attracting the audience it targeted.

Dig deeper: How to use AI to diagnose and improve search intent alignment

Why intent is measurable now

Search engines now use vector embeddings as a core part of how they match content to queries. Intent matching runs on meaning, not just keywords. When a user searches, the engine embeds the query and compares it against content candidates in a shared vector space. 

Semantic similarity is one of the signals that determines whether your page gets surfaced, cited, or used to generate an answer, alongside authority, trust, freshness, and other ranking factors.

Vector embeddings let you see your page the way a search engine does.

Where existing tools stop

N-gram analysis and TF-IDF have been the standard tools for analyzing search queries. N-grams surface recurring phrases, revealing the vocabulary your audience uses. TF-IDF highlights which terms matter most in your query set. 

These approaches match words, not meaning. “Setting boundaries between office and personal time” and “maintaining employee work-life balance” share zero words. To a word-matching tool, they’re separate topics. To a search engine running on embeddings, they express the same intent. 

When brands match words and search engines match intent, you’re working at a disadvantage.

Measuring meaning, not words

Vector embeddings encode meaning. An embedding converts text into numbers, allowing you to create a map of relationships rather than a list of terms. When two pieces of text mean similar things, their vectors land close together in a shared mathematical space.

Once your meta description and your audience’s queries are plotted in the same space, the distance between them is measurable.

Queries close to the meta description align with the page’s positioning. Queries far from it represent demand the page wasn’t built for. That distance is the intent gap score.

The map below breaks the intent gap into clusters, showing where your page aligns with audience demand and where it doesn’t.

Dig deeper: SEO gap analysis: How to find content and keyword gaps

What the intent gap reveals

Clustering your queries into topics reveals which audiences the page is reaching and which it’s missing. Each cluster has two properties: 

• How closely it aligns with the meta description.
• How much search demand it carries. 

Those two dimensions place every cluster into one of four quadrants: defend, create, optimize, or monitor.

Defend

High alignment, high demand. The audience is finding your page for the reasons you built it, and in volume. This is where your topical authority lives.

Protect and reinforce. Keep the content current, and update the meta description if the language has drifted from how the audience phrases their searches.

Create

Low alignment, high demand. The audience is arriving with intent the page was never built to serve. This is demand you’re visible for but not capturing.

Create new content for the clusters that fit your strategy, using the language your audience is already using. Ignore the ones that don’t. Each cluster that passes the filter is a signal for new content.

Optimize

High alignment, low demand. The page matches what these searchers need, but few are finding it. The content is right. The visibility isn’t.

Investigate the constraint. The alignment is there, but the audience is small. Rankings may be too low, the positioning too narrow, or the topic may need supporting content to grow.

Monitor

Low alignment, low demand. Some clusters may grow into Create or Optimize territory over time.

Watch for growth. This is often where emerging topics are first detected. If demand increases, re-evaluate.

Dig deeper: How and why to ‘be the primary source’ for organic search

Your data, your score: Running the intent gap analysis

Here’s the tool and how to run the analysis on your own pages.

Step 1: Export your page data

In Google Search Console, navigate to Performance > Search results, filter by a single page, and export as a .zip file. 

Step 2: Upload and score

Upload the .zip file to the tool (your data is not stored) to get your intent gap score. The tool scrapes the meta description, scores every query against it, and clusters the results. 

Step 3: Explore the map

Each cluster is plotted by alignment and demand. Click any bubble to see the individual queries with clicks, impressions, CTR, and position.

Step 4: Review the breakdown

Every cluster in one view with its quadrant, alignment score, and performance metrics.

Step 5: Get rewrite recommendations

The tool generates recommended changes to your page’s title and meta description, grounded in the search language from your highest-demand clusters.

Step 6: Share your results

Download the table as CSV or use the “Copy as Image” buttons to share individual views with your team.

Dig deeper: How to master user intent with SEO personas

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Turning the score into a decision

The intent gap score assigns a number to the disconnect, and that number gives it traction. It turns observations into actions you can take in stakeholder conversations, whether that means changing a page or defending it.

Your audience is already telling you what they need. That signal is always shifting. Now you can monitor it, measure it, and close the gap.

The tool featured in this article was created by Robin Tully, co-founder at Forecast.ing.

China’s largest electric SUV, Nio ES9, began domestic presales at 61,440 USD with the BaaS battery rental service. It is a 5.4-meter car.

The post China’s largest SUV Nio ES9 began domestic presales at 61,440 USD with BaaS appeared first on CarNewsChina.com.

TeamCalc helps CTOs and finance leaders model engineering teams and see the true fully loaded cost of every role. It breaks down salary, employer NI, pension, benefits, equipment, office space, recruitment, and management overhead using current UK salary benchmarks. You can compare scenarios like contractor vs permanent or London vs remote, get AI recommendations to optimize structure and spend, and export board-ready PDFs and CSVs. Build headcount plans with confidence and share clear, data-backed reports.

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2paste.io lets you save, organize, and reuse prompts in one place. Add variables with {{variable}} syntax, fill them in fields, and copy the final text to your clipboard instantly. Group prompts with color labels and projects, search and filter fast, and track changes with automatic version history.

Work keyboard-first with shortcuts, star favorites, and export anytime. Use it for client emails, code reviews, documentation, and more to keep your prompt library tidy and ready to paste.

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Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/roomex-launches-insights-pro-to-revolutionise-hotel-spend-analytics-for-corporate-travel-managers-read-to-know-more/

Roomex Launches Insights Pro to Revolutionise Hotel Spend Analytics for Corporate Travel Managers: Read To Know moreRoomex launches Insights Pro...

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Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/austin-usa-abc-kite-fest-sparks-travel-frenzy-as-zilker-park-prepares-for-a-sky-full-of-colour-and-unmissable-festival-moments/

Austin USA ABC Kite Fest Sparks Travel Frenzy As Zilker Park Prepares For A Sky Full Of Colour And Unmissable...

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Source: Travel And Tour World

Original Source: Travel And Tour World
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Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/the-beaumont-project-in-damascus-a-major-step-for-syria-tourism-and-urban-investment/

The Beaumont Project in Damascus: A Major Step for Syria Tourism and Urban InvestmentThe Beaumont, a transformative urban development in...

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Source: Travel And Tour World

Original Source: Travel And Tour World
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Read full article: https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/skip-the-crowds-holkham-beach-offers-pure-natural-beauty-in-the-uk/

Skip the Crowds: Holkham Beach Offers Pure Natural Beauty in the UKHolkham Beach in Norfolk ranks among the UK’s top...

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Indian tech brand Ai+ announced a trio of new smartphones at a big launch event today. Nova Flip is the brand’s first foldable phone, opting for a flip-style design. Nova 2 and Nova 2 Ultra are conventional slab phones with 6,000mAh batteries, 5G connectivity and 50MP main cams. Ai+ Nova Flip This is the first foldable phone from the brand, and at first glance, it sure looks like a Nubia Flip 2. A closer examination of its specs reveals that’s the case, with the only exception being that the Nova Flip runs on nxtQ OS based on Android 15. Outside of the software department,...

Throughout the season, AC Milan have struggled to find consistency in their performances, accumulating a series of draws and criticism of their play. In response, they are targeting radical changes to their squad, identifying Leon Goretzka’s arrival as their marquee reinforcement. Seeking to secure his signing for the 2026–27 season, the Rossoneri are reportedly preparing a formal contract offer worth €5 million.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Rossoneri are determined to pursue the signing of Leon Goretzka as free agent from Bayern Munich, offering him a three-year contract worth €5 million per season. With this, they are making their best possible offer to the German, outbidding his suitors by offering more years and a significantly stronger overall package. Despite this, the 31-year-old midfielder has not made a final decision.

AC Milan are not the only club interested in Goretzka’s signing, as Juventus, Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Napoli, Inter Milan, and Fenerbahçe are also in the race. For this reason, the Rossoneri must not only present a strong salary offer, but also a competitive sporting project. Securing a place in the UEFA Champions League could be a first step, but they would also need to promise further changes to their squad.

Leon Goretzka may boost AC Milan midfield consistency

Massimiliano Allegri has decided to rely on Luka Modrić and Adrien Rabiot as key pieces in midfield. Nevertheless, the Rossoneri have struggled to find consistency, remaining lacking in creativity and attacking threat. Given this, the potential arrival of Leon Goretzka could be a significant boost for the team, as he could bring balance and provide creative freedom.

As a box-to-box profile, Goretzka would arrive to occupy the base of AC Milan’s midfield alongside Modrić. With this, he could offer greater defensive balance during matches, which could relieve Rabiot of responsibilities and allow him to shine more offensively. In addition, the German could be key in counterattacks, offering the kind of offensive contribution that Ruben Loftus-Cheek used to provide at his best.

Goretzka lack of playing time could pose challenge at AC Milan

Unlike previous seasons, Leon Goretzka has become a rotational player at Bayern Munich. In the current campaign, he has played 1,835 minutes, mostly coming on as a substitute for Aleksandar Pavlović, completing 90 minutes only a few times. Given this, he has seen a noticeable drop in his level, showing his lack of continuity. For this reason, AC Milan could face the challenge of restoring the best version of the 31-year-old star.

Trendyol Süper Lig ekiplerinden Kasımpaşa, Bosna Hersekli futbolcusu Haris Hajradinovic ile 1+1 yıllık yeni sözleşmeye imza attı.

Lacivert-beyazlı kulüpten yapılan açıklamada, "Sözleşmesi sezon sonunda sona erecek takım kaptanımız ve başarılı oyuncumuz Haris Hajradinovic ile 1+1 yıllık yeni sözleşme imzalanmıştır. Kaptanımıza Kasımpaşa formasıyla başarılar dileriz." ifadelerine yer verildi.

Ocak 2019'dan bu yana Kasımpaşa forması giyen 32 yaşındaki orta saha oyuncusu, görev yaptığı 246 müsabakada 33 gol kaydetti.

UEFA, FIFA kokartlı hakem Cihan Aydın'ı UEFA 17 Yaş Altı Avrupa Şampiyonası Elemeleri B Ligi 2. Tur 3. Grup müsabakalarında görevlendirdi.

Türkiye Futbol Federasyonundan yapılan açıklamaya göre Aydın, 9-17 Nisan'da San Marino'nun ev sahipliğinde gerçekleştirilecek UEFA 17 Yaş Altı Avrupa Şampiyonası Elemeleri B Ligi 2. Tur 3. Grup müsabakalarında düdük çalacak.

San Marino, Gürcistan, Galler ve Andorra'nın yer aldığı grup maçlarında, FIFA kokartlı yardımcı hakem Mehmet Emin Tuğral da görev alacak.

Beşiktaş'tan Antalyaspor ile oynayacağı maçtan önce bir kadro dışı haberi geldi. Taylan Bulut, rahatsızlığı nedeniyle kadrodan çıkarıldı.

Beşiktaş'ta sağ bek Taylan Bulut, geçirdiği diş operasyonu nedeniyle Süper Lig'de yarın oynanacak Hesap.com Antalyaspor maçının kadrosundan çıkarıldı.

Siyah-beyazlı kulüpten yapılan açıklamada, "Yaşadığı perikoronit problemi nedeniyle diş operasyonu geçiren futbolcumuz Taylan Bulut, Futbol A Takımımızın Trendyol Süper Lig'de Hesap.com Antalyaspor ile oynayacağı müsabakanın kadrosundan çıkartılmıştır." denildi.

Beşiktaş, ligin 29. haftasında yarın saat 20.00'de sahasında Antalyaspor ile karşılaşacak.