Maple Leafs' Morgan Rielly trade plans take specific shape originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Morgan Rielly still seems like a strong candidate to get traded this offseason.But for the Toronto Maple Leafs to make that happen, a lot of things will have to line up all at once on the trade market.The main reason for that is that Rielly has a no-movement clause. He's in total control of where he ends up.Then you add in Rielly's contract, which is a $7.5 million cap hit through the 2029-30 season, and it could be tough to move him without the Leafs retaining some of his salary.The Maple Leafs are also going to be a bit deliberate about this, according to NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period."It doesn’t sound like the Toronto Maple Leafs will ask Morgan Rielly for a list of teams he’d accept a trade to," Pagnotta wrote on Thursday. "While that could change, the sense I’m getting right now is that Rielly and his camp will review things on a case-by-case basis, should the Leafs find a trade they’re willing to accept."MORE: Dylan Larkin's trade request points out a major NHL flawSome other players, like Dylan Larkin and Darnell Nurse, have reportedly submitted specific team trade lists.Rielly apparently isn't going with that tactic. Instead, Toronto wants to just see what's out there and go from there.That might suggest Rielly is more amenable to being moved wherever. It's been a bit bumpy for him with the Leafs of late, and maybe he just wants a change of scenery.This news certainly means it's not too worth speculating on one or two landing spots for Rielly. It sounds like this could come together more organically.More NHL news:Canadiens had a trade agreed to, but they missed by 1 minuteHenrik Sedin's son is excelling in a different sportElias Petersson trade plans may be missing a key pointWould the Maple Leafs trade Easton Cowan?Alex Ovechkin's mom is playing a role in his retirement decision

Patriots predicted to show interest in Rams $22 million cut candidate originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Los Angeles Rams saw tight end Colby Parkinson blossom into an impact playmaker in 2025.In 15 games last season, Parkinson tallied career highs in catches (43), yards (408), and touchdowns (8). The 27-year-old established himself as a dynamic red-zone threat for quarterback Matthew Stafford, as five of his touchdowns came from 10 yards or less.Though Parkinson enjoyed the best year of his career in 2025, one NFL analyst believes his future in Los Angeles isn't as secure as you may think.Parkinson named Rams cut candidateBleacher Report's Alex Kay listed Parkinson as a possible cut candidate for the Rams as training camp nears in July."While McVay could elect to carry an extra tight end, Parkinson's contract structure and the team's depth at the position make him one of the more notable veterans who could become expendable before Week 1," Kay wrote.With Tyler Higbee still on the roster and 2025 second-round pick Terrance Ferguson ready to break out, there's a chance Los Angeles shocks the world and cuts Parkinson before the season, especially since his base salary isn't guaranteed this year and the team would save $7 million by moving on from him.Patriots named potential landing spot for ParkinsonIf Parkinson does hit the market, Kay believes the New England Patriots will show interest in the veteran tight end to pair with Hunter Henry."Should he reach free agency, the New England Patriots would make sense as a potential landing spot. Despite improvements at wide receiver, New England still has questions at tight end behind veteran Hunter Henry and rookie Eli Raridon. Parkinson would provide an experienced option for a position group that lacks proven depth," Kay wrote.Adding Parkinson to the tight end room would give the Patriots another receiving threat at the position, and the Stanford product would also come for cheap.However, with New England taking tight end Eli Raridon out of Notre Dame in the third round of April's draft, it wouldn't make sense for executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf to invest more resources in the position. Additionally, Henry is coming off a productive 2025 season, as the 31-year-old was one of Drake Maye's top weapons, tallying 768 yards and seven touchdowns on 60 receptions. Replacing Henry with Parkinson wouldn't be a logical move, given the chemistry he's built with Maye over the last two seasons.Overall, Parkinson wouldn't be an awful addition to the Patriots' offense if he becomes a free agent. The former fourth-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks would be another reliable receiving threat for Maye, but tight end just isn't a pressing need for the Patriots right now. The team would benefit much more by using resources on the defensive front or the offensive line.

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission. The FIFA World Cup is officially underway, and while there’s plenty of buzz around players like Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, much of the discussion around the most-watched tournament in the world has been around the controversial ticketing process. From long queues to sticker-shock prices, getting into the games has been anything but straightforward. More from Rolling StoneGet Free Audible Subscriptions Right Now As Part of Amazon's Early Prime Day DealsShakira and Burna Boy Deliver Electric Performance of 'Dai Dai' to Kick Off the FIFA 2026 World CupHow to Watch Mexico vs. South Africa in the First Match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for Free At a Glance: How to Buy World Cup Tickets Direct sale: FIFAResale: StubHub, SeatGeek, VividSeats, GametimeWorld Cup Dates: June 11 – July 19 But as the group stage gets underway, there are still plenty of tickets available for the tournament, with prices varying widely by game. For example, the get-in price for the as-yet undecided final is between $7,000-$8,000, according to SeatPick and Ticketdata, two sites that track resale ticket prices. But not every match is that pricey. Some group stage matches start at under $250 on resale. Unsurprisingly, tickets for some of the most anticipated matchups are very pricey. The get-in price for Mexico vs. South Korea, for example, is $3,000 according to Ticketdata, in no small part because it’ll take place in Jalisco, Mexico. Matchups like Jordan vs. Algeria, meanwhile, start at under $250. Ticket Resale If you’re looking to buy tickets, your options include buying directly from FIFA’s site, which sells tickets directly and also features its own resale platform. You can skip the queue by shopping sites like StubHub and SeatGeek, resale platforms with buyer protection programs (note that buying resale from third-party sites always carries some risk). Here’s how much fans can expect to pay from some of the top resale sites like StubHub, SeatGeek, Gametime, and VividSeats. Planning to watch from home instead? Check out our guide to streaming the games. StubHub Buy Now at stubhub Prices vary considerably by game on StubHub. Tickets for the England vs. Croatia group stage match run around $1,200 for the uppermost sections, while some tickets can be found for under $900. Meanwhile, tickets for Iran vs. New Zealand start at under $350 (slightly less than what they’re listed for directly through FIFA’s site). SeatGeek Buy Now at seatgeek SeatGeek lists the World Cup final starting at $8,160, while some of the cheaper matches include Austria vs. Jordan, which starts at $226. Round of 32 matches range from $763 to $1,900, and quarterfinal matches start at $1,450. VividSeats Buy Now at vividseats On the lower end, VividSeats lists the Jordan vs. Algeria match at around $221, while the final starts at just under $8,000. One of the priciest group stage matches is Colombia vs. Portugal, which starts at $2,883 on VividSeats. GameTime Buy Now at gametime GameTime, a sports-focused ticket resale site, has listings for similar prices compared to other resellers. Iran vs. New Zealand starts at $249, while the Mexico vs. South Korea group stage match starts at over $3,200. The to-be-determined final starts at $7,809. FIFA World Cup Schedule The schedule for the World Cup runs from June 11 – July 19, with the group stage running through June 27. The July 19 final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Group stage: June 11 – June 27Round of 32: June 28 – July 3Round of 16: July 4 – July 7Quarterfinals: July 9 – July 11Semifinals: July 14 – July 15Finals: July 18 – July 19Best of Rolling StoneThe Best Audiophile Turntables for Your Home Audio SystemSign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are holding their breath on Shohei Ohtani.In the seventh inning of their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Dodgers pulled the two-way superstar in a two-run game, pinch-hitting him with Santiago Espinal in the leadoff spot. They soon announced Ohtani left the game with left knee inflammation.Starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski exited earlier with a right hamstring contusion.This article will be updated with more information.

Jun. 11—The last time Dayton faced Maikel Miralles on May 20, the Dragons scored five runs in the first and eight in the second as part of a 22-8 win.Dayton faced Miralles again Wednesday, June 10, and he appeared to have turned things around. Through four shutout innings, he was producing his best outing since the home opener for the Fort Wayne TinCaps.Then Alfredo Duno found his swing and the floodgates opened again.The top prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization helped break the game open in the fifth inning as the Dragons won 14-2 to pull within one game of first place Great Lakes.With two runners on, Duno smashed an 0-1 breaking pitch thrown down the heart of the plate into deep left field. It hit directly next to the clock that sits roughly a few feet below the scoreboard and ricocheted directly back onto the field."Started to make them throw pitches and make them stay over the plate," Dragons manager Julio Morillo said. "Then, you know, Duno hits one off the scoreboard. So that was good."Duno had a rough road trip last week in Grand Rapids against West Michigan. Even though he had two home runs, he went 3-for-26 overall at the plate with 14 strikeouts.The home run Wednesday not only jump-started the offense as a whole, but also a successful evening for himself.He hit a first pitch double down the third base line in his next at-bat. He later came home to score while performing some acrobatics to step over relief pitcher Isaiah Lowe guarding the plate.Duno raced home after a wild pitch grounded itself near the backstop. He had to hop over Lowe as he laid in the dirt trying unsuccessfully to pick the throw from catcher Lamar King Jr. Duno went back and touched home to score the run while the TinCups did not pursue the out attempt further.Duno followed that up with an excuse-me single as he sent a check swing blooper into right to complete his night. He went 4-for-6 and scored three times.Peyton Stovall also had a stellar 4-for-4 night with a game-high three RBIs. He hit three doubles — the third being an opposite field shot hitting off the top of the elevated portion of the wall in left center — before getting a triple in the eighth after the TinCups unsuccessfully attempted to claim the ball was out of play underneath its bullpen bench in foul territory.That performance backs up his two-hit, one-homer game on Tuesday, June 9 for Stovall, who was hitting .227 coming into Wednesday's game."He's been working really hard on, like, his stance and making sure he swings at the pitches he can do damage with," Morillo said."Peyton is just a really interesting player. He takes good at-bats, he plays good defense at second. When he's hot, he will take his walks and he doesn't miss his pitches."Kyle McCoy had another strong start, allowing just one run in his five innings. He began his fourth start with the Dragons by getting a pair of swinging strikeouts in the first with a 15-pitch inning."They stacked with righties since they were facing a left, and he was able to deliver and make his pitches to give us five innings," Morillo said. "We talked about maybe sending him out to the sixth, but it's hot outside now and he had to work harder later."In the third, McCoy gave up a run before catching a break. The TinCaps had runners at second and third and on an 0-2 count, Rosman Verdugo swung and missed. Duno then threw down to third on a pickoff attempt and his throw sailed high into left field.Both runners appeared to be on their way to come around to score easily before home plate umpire Patrick McMorris ruled Verdugo's bat hit Duno's glove after he finished his swing. The runners were sent back to their bases and McCoy got King Jr. to ground out and keep the deficit at 1-0.Dayton got its first extra base hit when Stovall doubled over the outstretched glove of Alex McCoy in right. Victor Acosta then laid down a sacrifice bunt.Miralles threw it past Jack Sotello at first and the ball bounced around enough to allow Stovall to score and Acosta to reach third with nobody out. Carlos Sanchez walked on four pitches to set up Duno's big blast.The Dragons poured it on as Jacob Friend, Alfredo Alcantara and Stovall all hit doubles as part of the seven- run frame in the fifth.Kien Vu hit a two-run home run to left to get Dayton to 12 runs scored for the second straight night.Jimmy Romano, Victory Diaz and Trent Hodgdon combined to close out the final four innings and allowed three hits and one run.

Jun. 11—The Dayton Dragons will have three games televised this weekend on Dayton's CW, starting with the team's Friday, June 12, matchup against the San Diego Padres affiliate Fort Wayne TinCaps at Day Air Ballpark.The Friday, June 12, and Saturday, June 13, broadcasts will begin at 7 p.m. and the Sunday, June 14, telecast at 1 p.m.Dragons director of broadcasting Tom Nichols will handle play-by-play and Jack Pohl, evening news anchor for WDTN-TV, will add color commentary.National anthem performers will be Tipp City's Faye Monroe Young, the Dayton Gay Men's Chorus and the Kettering Adventist Church Children's Choir.The broadcasts are part of a 15-game TV package presented by AES Ohio for the 2026 season. Games are broadcast on channel 26.1, Spectrum channels 13 and 1013 and Direct TV and DISH Network channel 26.Other telecasts on Dayton's CW are scheduled for the following dates: June 26, June 28, July 2, July 24, July 25, July 26, Aug. 7, Aug. 21 and Sept. 4.

Jun. 11—CINCINNATI — Just like they did at linebacker, the front office and the coaching staff showed faith in the production that the team received at slot corner during the final two months of the season.There are a couple of new faces who can provide depth and help at that position. But right now, the most likely outcome is that the Bengals run it back with Jalen Davis as the team's nickel corner."He's a great communicator," defensive coordinator Al Golden said. "He's really bright. He's experienced. He's got a passion for the game. He does exactly what (cornerbacks coach) Chuck (Burks) asks him to do. He made a big difference. He made us better and allowed us to move Dax (Hill) back outside. Dax at the same time was getting healthier and playing faster. Jalen came on and I'm really glad Jalen is going to be with us. I have a lot of respect for him and the way he operates. He didn't pout when it wasn't his time or his turn, but at the same time when we called on him, man was he ready."The 2025 season was a big year for Davis. He had been with the Bengals since 2020, but he had barely played and spent most of his time on the practice squad. Davis was on the practice squad for the entire first half of the 2025 season. But then, when Cam Taylor-Britt suffered a season-ending injury and as Josh Newton was struggling, the coaching staff decided to move Hill from the slot to the outside and added Davis to the active roster to be the team's starting slot corner.During OTAs this spring, Davis has continued to play slot corner with the first-team defense."It shows that they have faith in me," Davis said. "It's up to me to do what I can do."Davis is trying to not get caught up in how different his role on the team feels this spring. Instead of running with the backups or the third-team unit, he can continue to show why he can be a starter on the Bengals."I've always got the same mindset if I'm on the practice squad or whatever," Davis said. "I'll put my head forward and do what I can to help this team."While Davis looks like the best slot corner option on the roster, there could also end up being a committee at that position in 2026.Teams around the NFL have made an effort to get bigger personnel groupings onto the field due to certain trends in the league, and teams are using multi-tight end sets more than they have in years. Free agent signing Kyle Dugger, a very versatile safety, could take Davis' spot on the field in some of those matchups against multi-tight end looks."I'm really impressed with Kyle," Golden said. "Physical player, uses his hands well. He's a good edge setter. He's really, really natural around the box. He can find the football. He sees the ball so he disrupts it really well. You can pressure with him. He's good in the run game in terms of his force and fill. I'm really impressed with him."The Bengals signed 2022 Chargers sixth-round pick Ja'Sir Taylor, who will be competing for a spot on the Bengals' roster. He has played 484 more career snaps than Davis and is a few years younger. Taylor had some good stretches on the Chargers' defense, but he had more bad ones and didn't play much in 2025 before being traded to the Jets midseason.Newton remains an option in the slot, and he enters training camp with a lot to prove.Davis popped in 2025 with his ability to find the football, tackle and blitz, and he also had one of the most impressive interceptions of the entire season for the Bengals.With more experience under his belt now than he has ever had, the 30-year-old Davis hopes to continue to grow and develop."I'm a playmaker," Davis said. "I'll go out there and make plays for us."

CINCINNATI — Just like they did at linebacker, the front office and the coaching staff showed faith in the production that the team received at slot corner during the final two months of the season.There are a couple of new faces who can provide depth and help at that position. But right now, the most likely outcome is that the Bengals run it back with Jalen Davis as the team’s nickel corner.“He’s a great communicator,” defensive coordinator Al Golden said. “He’s really bright. He’s experienced. He’s got a passion for the game. He does exactly what (cornerbacks coach) Chuck (Burks) asks him to do. He made a big difference. He made us better and allowed us to move Dax (Hill) back outside. Dax at the same time was getting healthier and playing faster. Jalen came on and I’m really glad Jalen is going to be with us. I have a lot of respect for him and the way he operates. He didn’t pout when it wasn’t his time or his turn, but at the same time when we called on him, man was he ready.”The 2025 season was a big year for Davis. He had been with the Bengals since 2020, but he had barely played and spent most of his time on the practice squad. Davis was on the practice squad for the entire first half of the 2025 season. But then, when Cam Taylor-Britt suffered a season-ending injury and as Josh Newton was struggling, the coaching staff decided to move Hill from the slot to the outside and added Davis to the active roster to be the team’s starting slot corner.During OTAs this spring, Davis has continued to play slot corner with the first-team defense.“It shows that they have faith in me,” Davis said. “It’s up to me to do what I can do.”Davis is trying to not get caught up in how different his role on the team feels this spring. Instead of running with the backups or the third-team unit, he can continue to show why he can be a starter on the Bengals.“I’ve always got the same mindset if I’m on the practice squad or whatever,” Davis said. “I’ll put my head forward and do what I can to help this team.”While Davis looks like the best slot corner option on the roster, there could also end up being a committee at that position in 2026.Teams around the NFL have made an effort to get bigger personnel groupings onto the field due to certain trends in the league, and teams are using multi-tight end sets more than they have in years. Free agent signing Kyle Dugger, a very versatile safety, could take Davis’ spot on the field in some of those matchups against multi-tight end looks.“I’m really impressed with Kyle,” Golden said. “Physical player, uses his hands well. He’s a good edge setter. He’s really, really natural around the box. He can find the football. He sees the ball so he disrupts it really well. You can pressure with him. He’s good in the run game in terms of his force and fill. I’m really impressed with him.”The Bengals signed 2022 Chargers sixth-round pick Ja’Sir Taylor, who will be competing for a spot on the Bengals’ roster. He has played 484 more career snaps than Davis and is a few years younger. Taylor had some good stretches on the Chargers’ defense, but he had more bad ones and didn’t play much in 2025 before being traded to the Jets midseason.Newton remains an option in the slot, and he enters training camp with a lot to prove.Davis popped in 2025 with his ability to find the football, tackle and blitz, and he also had one of the most impressive interceptions of the entire season for the Bengals.With more experience under his belt now than he has ever had, the 30-year-old Davis hopes to continue to grow and develop.“I’m a playmaker,” Davis said. “I’ll go out there and make plays for us.”

Mr. Clayton, the U.S. attorney in Manhattan and a former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, has been overseeing an office known for prominent cases.

A big key to the Los Angeles Lakers' offseason will be retaining star guard Austin Reaves on a new contract. He will almost certainly opt out of his contract to become a free agent over the next few weeks, and per Tim Bontemps of ESPN, the two sides can begin negotiations on a new deal as soon as the day after the NBA Finals end.There is some debate among Lakers fans about how much Reaves deserves to make on his next contract. He is eligible for a contract worth as much as $239 million over five years if he stays put, and according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times, Reaves and his representation want a max contract.Former Lakers wing Danny Green said on ESPN L.A. radio that Reaves is deserving of a max contract.“I am a big Austin Reaves guy, I think he’s very special,” Green said. “And his market, I think he’s very worthy of a max. I know it’s tough when you’re trying to build a championship team, I think a lot of guys can learn from Jalen Brunson — I know he’s made one other contract before he got his big one — and I don’t expect anyone to take a haircut, but maybe in another place he could? I know the taxes in California are a little steep, so it’s hard to take a cut in California.“But I would love for him to stay a Laker and be with Luka, it would be fun to keep watching them grow together. But I think every superstar, right now it’s not Austin’s time to do that, he needs to go get paid, go get his contract, and maybe later on down the line take a haircut and say alright I want to build this type of group or team around me. But yeah, I would love to see him continue to grow, because each year he gets better and better and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for him next year coming up.”Reaves averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists a game during the regular season, and he increased his scoring average for the fourth straight year. But he also underperformed somewhat during the playoffs after returning from an oblique strain, making it the second straight postseason his scoring numbers have dropped from the regular season.There are concerns among fans about his disappointing play of late in the playoffs, his shortcomings on the defensive end, his lack of athleticism and even his durability (he appeared in 51 games this regular season and dealt with multiple injuries). But his ability to be a major scoring threat, attack downhill off the dribble and put pressure on the rim, handle the ball and facilitate is integral to the Lakers' chances of becoming a championship contender, and replacing those skill sets won't be easy if he leaves.This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Danny Green on whether Austin Reaves deserves max contract

DENVER — Even after Alex Bregman broke through with the type of power that has been lacking too often this season, the Chicago Cubs third baseman still wasn’t satisfied.Bregman’s two-run home run in the seventh inning Thursday was one of four Cubs extra-base hits in a 9-3 win over the Colorado Rockies to avoid a sweep at Coors Field and move back over .500. Seiya Suzuki delivered the first big blow, connecting on an 0-1 slider from Rockies starter Ryan Feltner for a grand slam that put the Cubs ahead 4-1 in the fourth. They added a pair of runs in the fifth inning, and catcher Carson Kelly capped their scoring with a solo home run in the eighth.Bregman’s homer, his sixth of the season, was his first with a runner on base. Still, he wasn’t satisfied. Bregman felt he should have homered on either of the first two pitches left over the plate in his second at-bat that resulted in a popout.“The whole series was better, still missed too many pitches in the heart of the plate,” Bregman said. “Normally I have a 1.000 to 1.200 OPS in the middle of the plate. Right now, it’s not there. It’s god-awful. So today was a step in the right direction.”The Cubs hadn’t slugged three home runs in a game since April 25, part of a four-week stretch to start the season of recording five games with three homers. Their nine runs in the win snapped a five-game streak of scoring three or fewer, which tied their longest such streak of the season. Right-hander Edward Cabrera did his part in the win, tossing 5 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on solo homers.“We have very good offensive players, I think they’ve shown that this year, so the length, yeah, it’s surprising absolutely, and it’s challenging,” manager Craig Counsell said before the victory. “We’re all trying to do our best to put it in the right direction. We haven’t been able to come up with solutions so far.“Our players are the source of the optimism. We have very talented, good players, and that absolutely creates optimism. There’s going to be struggles, and sometimes they confuse you, but the talent of our players is the source of optimism.”It’s arguably a tossup between Suzuki and Bregman as to who needed a home run more. Bregman has looked better at the plate lately, though the power isn’t fully there and he’s missing too many hittable pitches over the plate. After Thursday’s performance, he has reached base in 31 of his last 35 games since May 3 (.327 on-base percentage).“Happy to contribute to help our team win a baseball game,” Bregman said. “We have maybe three guys playing to their potential, so we’ve got a lot of work to do, and we’ve got to be better. We’re way better of a ball club than we’ve shown, so got to look in the mirror and figure out a way to get it done on the field, and that’s my impression, we’ve got to play better. Today was a good step in the right direction, but win tomorrow and it’s a winning streak.”Suzuki’s third career grand slam extended his season-high hitting streak to eight games, during which he has posted a .308/.379/.654 slash line with three home runs and seven RBIs. The relief at coming through in that spot Thursday was quickly apparent as Suzuki let out fist pump as he started his trot toward first base.“I felt like I haven’t been able to help out our pitchers, they’re pitching in tough situations,” Suzuki said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “There’s more sort of frustration that I had towards myself, not hitting in those opportunities, and I was finally able to get that hit.”

WASHINGTON – Kyle Daukaus finds himself on the biggest stage of his career.While the spotlight will remain squarely on opponent Bo Nickal for the time being, Daukaus (17-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) hopes it finally starts to creep his way if he wins Sunday at UFC Freedom 250. The event takes place at the White House."Obviously, you figured he was going to be on the card," Daukaus told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Thursday. "You really didn't know who he was going to get off the card. I feel like they're trying to test him against me to see how well he does, and it's my job to go out there Sunday and prove they're kind of wrong about him. All this stuff is noise to me. It's not anything personal or whatever. Sunday night when the cage door closes, it's just me and him in there. He has the support of them outside, but that doesn't really bother me at all."Daukaus is in his second stint with the UFC. After a 3-3 first one, Daukaus went 3-0 on the regional scene for CFFC in order to earn a short-notice return opportunity in August. He finished Michel Pereira with strikes in 43 seconds and then returned to submit Gerald Meerschaert by submission in 50 seconds. A combined 93 seconds was needed to take out two middle-of-the-pack veterans.If against Nickal he makes it 3-for-3, Daukaus hopes viewers and the promotion start believing in him, as he believes in himself."I think I'll get my appreciation off the win," Daukaus said. "I'm a talented guy. I know I'm very talented. I have the capability to go out there and win. I have stackable proof behind me right now that shows I started out 9-0. I'm on a six-fight winning streak right now. I think I'm very respected in the sport. Am I overlooked? I feel like because I'm fighting Bo and because Bo had a bunch of clout, kind of. But again, I don't take it personally or anything like that. I'm just going out there to perform for myself and make sure I get the job done on Sunday night. After that, I'll potentially have a number next to my name."This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC White House: Kyle Daukaus expects to finally get flowers with win

MONTGOMERY — Owen Wisley made all the difference at last year's boys golf regional when his fifth score won a tiebreaker over Jasper's highest score for the third and final berth to state.The junior was a tipping point again out of the No. 4 spot for Bloomington South at this year's Washington boys golf regional at Country Oaks on Thursday, June 11. Maybe not as dramatic, yet satisfying nonetheless.This time, he and No. 5 man, junior Easton Bellini shored up a season best team score as Wisley shot a 74 and Bellini a career best 75 to help the Panthers take second with a 295 to trail only No. 5 Castle (291) and top the other state qualifier, Evansville Memorial (299).Bloomington North was ninth at 315, seven shots better than sectional champ Brownstown Central (322).More: Walker, Couch work overtime to get Bloomington South baseball to semi-state"It's pretty awesome," Wisley said. "Especially for my two seniors (Colton Watson and Carson Gady), they've been my role models the past few years, so for me to help them, it's a great feeling.""It's amazing," Bellini added. "That's what you hope for. Just do your job, and hopefully you can contribute. And that's what I did today."Wisley's round included a big shot when he holed out on No. 3 (his 12th) from 130 yards for eagle."I had a lesson a couple days ago," Wisley said. "A double lesson and it helped my confidence a little bit. I got a good warm-up and I felt pretty confident. Made a par on the first hole and game over from there."Bellini's been building his confidence all year. A change in his approach to putting, spending less time hanging over the shot and simply trusting his line and hitting it, made a big difference. "I've been hitting the ball well for a while now," he said. "I had a bad start to the season, but it's coming together. I finally started making some putts today. Just mentally stayed in it. I think I did a good job of that."For Bellini, he's sees himself more as an insurance policy, one that the Panthers cashed in on."As a 5 guy, I really get to play free," Bellini said. "If I play well, they're probably going to take my score and it'll help. And if I play bad, I know I have four other great teammates that we can fall back on."7th heaven for SouthWatson (73) and Gady (73), who was six shots better than last year, led the way. Karl Bailey had a 77 in his first regional. It's the best team score South has had at regional since being switched out of the Champions Pointe field in 2023.It was a much more pleasing effort for their coach after coming in second at sectional."It was great," Wisley said. "An off day shows a lot about a team. You know you're a lot better than that. We learned a lot from that off day. So, we came out here and knew what we needed to do and did it."Every Panther shot a 37 or 38 on their first nine, showing they were locked in as their 150 stood second only to Castle. But four teams were just two back and two more four back, meaning South had to stay focused in the heat of the day as temps soared to 90 degrees."I thought it was pretty fearless golf, actually," South coach Dustin Carver said. "We talked about it on the bus. They had it in them. We knew from Day 1 that this team could be pretty special, it was just a matter of this is the one day they all kind of put it together."This is the first time all year that all five guys were in the 70s. It's exciting to go back to state and being able to compete. That was one of our goals to start this year."With Watson a four-year varsity starter and Gady for three years and Wisley his second, that experience had to mean something in the Panthers bouncing back."You have that leadership of the two seniors up front," Carver said. "They've been there, done that. They weren't happy about (sectional), but Monday's in the past and today's a special day."That's now seven state appearances in a row for South (2020 tournament was cancelled due to COVID), second only to the Panthers' run of eight from 1996-2003. Only Carmel and West Lafayette Harrison have more state appearances than BHS/South's 44.The state meet will be at Prairie View in Carmel on Tuesday-Wednesday, June 16-17.Young and old lead CougarsSenior Rex Speer and freshman Ryan Decker each had 77s, as did junior Alec Freund to pace the Cougars.Speer is the only senior in the lineup with four coming back and looking to get North back to state as a team in 2027. Speer struggled in his first nine at sectional and has been more than solid over his last 27. His best shot of the day came on No. 6 (his 15th), where his 3-wood from 270 yards out left him a 20-foot putt."I had a rough nine at sectionals and bounced back, so it feels great to come out and here and put a good score on the board," Speer said. "I finished bogey, bogey on 17-18 but just excited to put a good score up."On the other end is freshman Ryan Decker, who just completed his first high school season at regional."I really struggled on the back nine (41), my front nine, but I was really, really proud of myself with how I turned it around on the front," Decker said. "It's just a been a really fun season, great teammates, great coaches."Obviously want to do better next year, but happy with the first year."Zayan Farzad had been playing in the 70s the last month of the season, but fell to an 84 and Foster Larson opened with a 42 but struggled from there to shoot 93."I think coming back next year, we'll feel pretty positive about things," North coach Harrison Carmichael said. "They just need to stay with it, stay hungry and just come back wanting a little bit more next year.""We've got a lot of young talent coming back," added Speer, who is headed to Notre Dame. "I'm definitely excited to follow long and see who they do."Tournament roundupOwen Valley senior Jake Cunningham shot just 1-over on each side to finish with a 74, while Bedford North Lawrence's Evan Tillett put himself in position to advance with a 72. Hudson Martin had an 81.Individual qualifiers were Mason Mills of Boonville (70) with Ben Schreiber of Evansville North and Val Lenninger of Springs Valley also making it with 71s.Brayden Lamborn of Castle was the medalist at 69.This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington South boys golf second at IHSAA regionals, advances to state

Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesWorld Cup fans were left stunned after a viral stadium menu claimed three tacos cost $20 at Mexico’s opener against South Africa.Mexico’s 2-0 win gave the host nation the start it wanted on the pitch, but the online conversation quickly moved toward prices inside the ground.That matters because World Cup supporters are already paying heavily for tickets, travel, and accommodation. When basic stadium food starts feeling like a luxury purchase, fans notice immediately.Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesWorld Cup food prices spark Mexico vs South Africa angerAs Touchline X posted, three tacos at the World Cup opener were listed at $20, a price that quickly became part of the fan reaction around Mexico vs South Africa.The reaction was sharp because tacos are not just another stadium snack in Mexico. They are part of the country’s everyday food culture, which made the reported price feel even more jarring.One fan summed up the mood with frustration: “Daylight robbery, unfortunately most stall owners will try to make the most of the world cup.”Another response was even more direct: “I’ll just stay hungry.”Supporters also joked that the better option was to wait until leaving the ground. One fan wrote: “I’ll wait till I leave the stadium. This is a robbery 😂”The jokes kept going because the price almost wrote the punchline itself. Another fan posted: “$20 for 3 tacos at the World Cup? Mexico is cooking… the prices, not the tacos 😅”Then came the line that captured how ridiculous the debate felt to many supporters: “At this rate, fans are going to smuggle tacos into the stadium.”Mexico World Cup opener exposes rising fan costsMexico handled the football side of the opener by beating South Africa 2-0 at Estadio Azteca, but the first day also showed how quickly fan costs can become a tournament storyline.This is not only about tacos. Wider reports around the 2026 World Cup have already pointed to expensive stadium concessions, including high prices for beer, water, and snacks in some host venues.That comparison makes the reaction easier to understand. Fans expect World Cup markups, but there is a point where pricing starts to feel disconnected from the matchday experience.The 2022 World Cup in Qatar also had expensive food and drink options, especially around beer, but 2026 is operating across a different commercial landscape in North America.Mexico’s next Group A game comes against South Korea on June 18, and the conversation should return to football soon enough.Still, this opener proved something important. The World Cup can deliver goals, noise, and spectacle, but fans will still call out prices that make the event feel less accessible.Read more:‘I don’t like it’ – USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino hits out a ‘unnecessary’ hydration break ruleThe strongest USMNT lineup Mauricio Pochettino can field at World Cup 2026Alphonso Davies injury update as Canada captain set to miss World Cup opener

Fencing, a historically niche sport, has gained worldwide attention and traction with athletes and fans. Fencing is a dynamic combat sport requiring lightning-fast sword movements via agile athletes, sudden deceptions, and quick-attacks exploiting an opponent’s mistake. Fencing is best described as a tactical match of physical high speed chess.In recent years, a major funding and promotional boost in the U.S. has brought this once reputedly elitist sport to the masses, with efforts like the Fencing the Gap initiative expanding access for previously underrepresented communities.Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, U.S. Fencers who made breakthroughs at the 2024 Paris Olympics will seek to build on their momentum and expand their medal count. Aug 1, 2024; Paris, France; Lee Kiefer, Lauren Scruggs, Maia Mei Weintraub and Jacqueline Dubrovich (USA) celebrate with their gold medals in the women’s team foil competition during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Grand Palais. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images2024 Paris Games SuccessAt the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, U.S. athlete Lee Kiefer became the first American fencer to win multiple Olympic gold medals, and individual silver medalist Lauren Scruggs closed out the team competition for the U.S. to secure America’s first team fencing gold in women’s foil. Now, with preparations for the first U.S.-hosted Summer Olympics in three decades underway, the American team is looking to ride the crest of its recent success and growing popularity at Los Angeles 2028.The history-setting performance at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris has created momentum and attracted new fans, including expanded interest when Lauren Scruggs became the first Black American woman to win an individual medal in fencing in the women’s foil final. “Fencing is largely, certainly has been, a non-Black sport so I hope to inspire young Black girls to get into fencing so that they can have a place in the sport,” Scruggs said after her 2024 win. Another U.S. female athlete, Lee Kiefer, made history at the Paris Games by becoming the first American fencer to win three Olympic gold medals. Kiefer achieved her breakout success after going up against traditionally dominant European competitors.Aug 1, 2024; Paris, France; Lauren Scruggs (USA) celebrates winning the gold medal in the women’s team foil competition during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Grand Palais. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images“My first gold [at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics], I was not expecting myself to be able to compete like that with the Russians and the Italians. So it’s a pleasant surprise,” Kiefer said after her 2024 victory in Paris.Aug 1, 2024; Paris, France; Lee Kiefer (USA) competes against Jessica Zi Jia Guo (CAN) in a women’s foil team semifinal during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Grand Palais. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn ImagesThe Growing Global Popularity of Fencing Fencing has steadily gained ground not only in the U.S. but around the world, reflected in the rise of young international stars like Egypt’s Ziad El Sissy and Japan’s Koki Kano. This has largely come about thanks to increased promotional efforts at the national levels, driven by the “universalization” strategy of the International Fencing Federation (FIE), the sport’s global governing body.Instructor Ziad El Sissy (right) explains a drill during fencing camp at the Gardner Rink at St. Mark’s School, Aug. 16, 2023. An Egyptian fencer, El Sissy just won a bronze medal at the fencing World Cup 2023 in Italy.The globalization of fencing marks a major shift from its traditional role as an elite European sport. While it has been a fixture of the Olympics since their modern revival in 1896, the establishment of the FIE by a group of European powers in 1913 and the subsequent dominance of European players gave fencing an aura of Old-World exclusivity for many years after.International Fencing Federation (FIE)In recent decades, the FIE has led a drive to remove barriers to the sport on a global scale. It has done so through training and financial support programs launched during the presidency of Russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who first took the helm of the Federation in 2008 and has been re-elected as president four times since.Usmanov – a former member of Uzbekistan’s national fencing team who was inspired to take up fencing after reading The Three Musketeers as a child – has been credited with expanding the sport’s geographic footprint and making fencing more inclusive and competitive. As a result of this approach, the FIE today has grown to comprise 156 national federations from countries around the world.Where European countries once dominated fencing competitions, athletes from other regions have now exceled at the highest Olympic level. Venezuela, Norway and Egypt won their first fencing medals at the 2012 Olympic Games. Fencers from Cape Verde, Kenya, Niger, Rwanda and Cyprus made their Olympics debuts in 2024 in Paris, while athletes from Tunisia and Egypt were among the medalists there.Jul 28, 2024; Paris, France; Gold medalist Lee Kiefer, silver medalist Lauren Scruggs (USA) and bronze medalist Eleanor Harvey (CAN) on the podium after the women’s foil fencing competition during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Grand Palais. Mandatory Credit: Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn ImagesThe rise of U.S. fencing has also gone hand in hand with the FIE’s expansion efforts, which have supported the sport’s development in the United States. In April of this year, the FIE and USA Fencing, the sport’s U.S. governing body and an FIE member, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on athlete promotion and raise the visibility of fencing in the run-up to LA 2028.“This agreement puts into writing the collaborative relationship that USA Fencing and the FIE have enjoyed for decades,” said Phil Andrews, CEO of USA Fencing. “The FIE runs fencing around the world, and USA Fencing runs it at home. We have an extraordinary story to tell, and we’re going to tell it better as partners than alone.”Aug 1, 2024; Paris, France; Lauren Scruggs (USA) kisses her gold medal after the women’s foil team gold medal match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Grand Palais. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-Imagn ImagesRussian-Ukraine Conflict Has Impacted FencingThe agreement was signed on the FIE side by Interim President Abdelmoneim El Husseiny, an Egyptian former fencer who has continued the FIE’s universalization drive after Usmanov suspended his duties following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the adoption of U.S. and EU sanctions against him and his relatives (the EU has since lifted sanctions from Usmanov’s two sisters).But sanctions against the head of fencing’s governing body – and its largest patron – raise questions about future funding for the sport.Usmanov was re-elected FIE president in 2024 with the backing of over two-thirds of the national federations but again suspended his powers, saying he took this step to prevent sanctions from affecting its operations.Sanctions against Usmanov are especially critical given that fencing has never been able to boast advertising revenues or mass familiarity comparable to those of other sports, making the fencing community more dependent on the support of a passionate patron. For nearly 15 years, it had advanced in large part due to Usmanov’s personal funding, charisma and his professional ties in the sporting world.In a separate but illustrative case, the United States in 2015 sanctioned the long-serving president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, amid Syria-related restrictions. He kept his title but stepped away from financing and daily operations until FIDE’s bank accounts were frozen several years later, prompting Ilyumzhunov to leave his post for the organization’s sake.In July 2025, the U.S. reversed its decision and lifted sanctions against Ilyumzhunov, giving rise to speculations that he may run for FIDE president again. A similar thing could happen if sanctions against Usmanov were lifted, and the 72-year-old would return to managing the FIE – along with his funding.In the meantime, the FIE appears undeterred in its commitment to show the world the best of what fencing can offer at the upcoming games in Los Angeles. Whether a possible resolution to the sanctions saga will give a renewed boost to the sport’s momentum – both in the United States and worldwide – remains to be seen.

USMNT's Mauricio Pochettino won't say if Chris Richards can start World Cup opener, but his presence is welcome originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.INGLEWOOD, Calif. – As of Thursday afternoon LA time, United States men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino knew the identity of the 11 players he will send out to start the World Cup 2026 opener Friday evening against Paraguay. And eventually, you will, too.And in between, the players will find out.Probably.The man they call Poch was giving away no secrets on matchday-minus-1 at SoFi Stadium, when he addressed the media in the customary press conference. This was particularly true with respect to central defender Chris Richards, the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year and quite possibly the most irreplaceable individual on the USMNT.“I think we celebrate that at the start of the competition we have 26 players available to be selected,” Pochettino said. “He is available to be selected, and then we will decide if he starts from the beginning of the game or is on the bench. But I think we celebrate that our medical state and performance (team) worked really hard on the recovery.2026 WORLD CUP HQ:Latest World Cup news | World Cup draw results | World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup tickets“It’s a really good feeling to have 26 players available."Pochettino said that even though he knew what the lineup would be, he was reluctant to tell his squad because of concern it would be leaked. So even goalkeepers Matt Freese and Matt Turner hadn’t been told who will start against Paraguay. They alternated in those final two exhibitions; Turner was the starter in the 2022 World Cup, but Freese has made 15 starts since the start of 2025; Turner has made three.Richards injured his ankle on May 17 playing for Crystal Palace in the Premier League. He missed his club’s final regular-season league game as well as the championship game in the UEFA Conference League, Europe’s third-tier club tournament. And then Richards sat for each of the two pre-World Cup exhibitions for the USMNT, against Senegal and Germany. Without him, the defense yielded two goals in each game.He has been practicing at least for a week, and Wednesday he told reporters he feels ready to play. He was with the team during the 15 minutes reporters were permitted to view practice Thursday, and he participated fully in drills during that period.MORE WORLD CUP NEWS:Ranking World Cup groups from hardest to easiest10 World Cup teams with best chance to winRanking 7 best matches of the World Cup“When you’re an athlete, you’re always 100 percent healthy,” USMNT World Cup veteran Marcelo Balboa, now an analyst for Apple TV’s broadcasts of Major League Soccer, told the Sporting News. “You have to take into account: Has he played? Is he in training full speed? Is he turning, is he tackling, is he cutting?“If he’s ready … I would think you have to play him. He’s that pivotal a piece for this group. But if he’s not, then maybe we see him in the Australia game. Better to have him long-term than short-term. If he’s not 100 percent and he does twist it again, then he’s out for the rest of the tournament. No one knows, but he seemed pretty confident."Neither Mark McKenzie of Toulouse in France’s Ligue 1 or Miles Robinson of FC Cincinnati in MLS was overwhelmingly effective in the two exhibitions. One of them would be the likely replacement for Richards if he weren’t ready to go.In many cases with an attacking player coming back from injury, the idea might be to start him and see what his sharpness and stamina look like, and if he can provide 60 or 70 good minutes, that’s enough. The back line depends so much on chemistry, however, that it isn’t ideal to be pulling off a player from that position because he’s not ready to go a full 90.MORE: Biggest snubs from the 2026 UNMNT World Cup roster selectionsBalboa suggested if Richards is ready to start, he’ll be fit to go the distance.“It doesn’t matter. It’s a World Cup,” Balboa said. “We know what Richards can do. He does it at Crystal Palace. He does it for the U.S. men’s national team. Great in the air, good leader in the back, good, hard tackler, covers space well. When one of your best defenders is ready to play, then you don’t mess around, you play him. You need that leader in the back line.”

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of Thursday night's game against Pittsburgh due to left knee inflammation.The reigning NL MVP hit his 13th homer of the season, a solo shot, in the third inning. He also had a single and walked twice, reaching base in all four of his at-bats.It was not immediately clear when Ohtani began feeling discomfort in the knee. ___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

South Korea face Czech Republic in Group A at World Cup - listen live at top of pageMatch being played at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, MexicoMexico beat South Africa in Group A openerTwenty players to watch at World Cup; Group standings and schedule; how to watch the World Cup South Korea host Czech Republic after Mexico win opener

Injured Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz watched from the dugout June 11 as the Dayton Dragons hosted the Fort Wayne TinCaps at Day Air Ballpark.De La Cruz is on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain. He took infield June 10, and is scheduled for a followup MRI on June 12.De La Cruz hasn't played since a win May 31 against Atlanta.De La Cruz played for the Reds' High-A affiliate for 74 games in 2022. He batted .302 with 20 homers and an OPS of .968 in 306 plate appearances for the Dragons.The Reds had a day off, and are scheduled to open a homestand June 12 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Elly De La Cruz, injured Reds SS, watches Dayton Dragons from dugout

The unsigned decision for now spares Jeffery Lee, a convicted murderer, and could lead to a broader fight over the relatively new execution method.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) — Brito, a center back on Brazil’s 1970 World Cup-winning team, has died at age 86.The Brazilian Football Confederation announced that Brito died Thursday. It did not provide additional details.Brito played 61 games for the national team from 1964-72, including one at the 1966 World Cup, along the way forming a strong defense alongside Wilson Piazza.“Brito left us as one of the greatest defenders in the history of Brazilian football,” the confederation's president, Samir Xaud, said in a statement. “His contribution to the 1970 World Cup victory will be eternally remembered by all of us.”Brito was also part of Brazil teams that won the Copa Roca in ‘71 and the Taça Independência in ’72.“I pay my respects to this idol of our country,” Xaud said. “May his fighting spirit be an inspiration to our players who will compete in the World Cup.”Brazil, which has won the most World Cups with five, goes for a sixth beginning Saturday against Morocco.___AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Altoona junior Elliot Skinner continues to elevate and develop his golf game. And the proof is in the results.He grabbed a share of the lead after the first round before finishing second overall at the boys state golf championships Tuesday at University Ridge in Madison.Skinner carded a 71 on Monday and was tied for the Division 2 lead with defending champion Vince Sigl of Seymour after the opening day.Skinner shot a 72 on Tuesday to earn runner-up honors. He moved up four spots after placing sixth at state last year as a sophomore.“It was a good tournament for me. I played solid,” Skinner said. “I was pretty happy with how I struck the ball and I felt like I made good decisions.”Skinner finished four shots behind Sigl, a senior who shot a 68 Tuesday to earn his second consecutive state title.Skinner said he has made noticeable gains since the 2025 state meet.“I am happy with how my game has improved from last year,” he said. “I am hitting the ball 20 to 30 yards farther. I lifted three days a week over the winter and I have been getting stronger.“I also have improved with my irons. I am hitting them more consistently.”Skinner also has benefited from the influence of his father, Darrin, who is the director of men’s and women’s golf at UW-Eau Claire.“My dad’s done a lot for me,” Elliot Skinner said. “He helps me a lot with swing work and putting and the mental game. He’s super valuable. He got me into golf and he’s been really helpful.”Skinner is already drawing the interest of college coaches. Playing for his father at UW-Eau Claire also is a possibility.The 5-foot-7 Skinner said he has developed a passion and love for the game of golf.“It is a really fun way to compete,” he said. “It is a challenging sport and it is rewarding to see the hard work pay off.“And there is always room to improve. When you finish a round, you always have something to work on.”For now, Skinner has a busy summer schedule of golf tournaments ahead.And he will have one more opportunity to pursue his goal of winning a state title as a senior.He hopes he can take some familiar faces with him to Madison next year.“I would like to make it to state as a team,” he said. “We were close this year. It would be great to be able to do that.”

OTTUMWA — The best fastpitch softball team in Ottumwa is proving to be the best fastpitch softball team in the state.Come September, the Ottumwa 641s are hoping to prove they are the best fastpitch softball team in the country.The team, representing the City of Bridges, brought home their second championship trophy of the season this past weekend winning the North Starz Iowa Fast Pitch Tournament men's championship in Dubuque. Ranson Alik, the team's sponsor, talked about the pride felt by the squad made up of Ottumwa's Marshallese community."It's not for us. It's for this community," Alik said. "The area code here is 641. That's why we named our team 641. We want people to know about Ottumwa when we show up for every tournament. We are representing this community. Playing softball is really important to us."Coming from the Marshall Islands, an archipelagic country in Oceania, the members of the Ottumwa 641 fastpitch softball squad makes it their mission to use success in the sport to bring pride back to their new hometown. Tournaments like the North Starz brings together teams from around the state that feature players and coaches from different Marshallese communities."Playing softball is really important to us. No one else in the tournament had ever heard of Ottumwa," Alik said. "People were asking us 'where is Ottumwa?' 'Where is that at?' We try to represent the city and let people know all about Ottumwa."The team features almost 20 players and coaches all with Marhsallese ties ranging in ages from near 20s to over 40-year-olds. The sport has provided several people a chance to find a sense of family and community fellowship several thousands miles away from their home country."We've got a couple of young guys that might have gone down a bad path. I told them to come with out and play some softball with us," Alik said. "They really enjoy everything. They're not focusing on the past. They're focusing on going out and trying to win for this team and this community."The Ottumwa 641s won seven games this past weekend in Dubuque, bringing home their first statewide title of the season. The team is making plans to travel to Arkansas for a national tournament, being held Sept. 4-7, featuring fast pitch teams from around the country."If we hear about a tournament being put together in Arizona, we gather each other together and head to Arizona. If there is a tournament in Arkansas, then we go to Arkansas," Alik said. "The main thing for us is that, anywhere we play, we want people to know that we've got a lot of great people from the island here playing this sport and that Ottumwa is the No. 1 team in this sport. We're undefeated here in town, all over Iowa and hopefully we'll be the best team in Arkansas."Alik has mentioned the support of the community already, including the support of Ottumwa Mayor Ben Foote. Besides welcoming members of the team to city hall earlier this year, Foote reached out to congratulate the team after their championship win this past weekend."He let us know how proud he was of us for representing the city," Alik said. "We just have to keep playing hard and keep having fun representing Ottumwa."Those interested in supporting the team can go to the Ottumwa Marshallese Unity page on Facebook or can contact Alik by phone at 641-931-0154. Before they head to Arkansas, the team will be participating in tournament's closer to home including the upcoming Keeva's HomeOne tournament being held June 26-27 in Cedar Falls.

CENTERVILLE — If Kaylee Davis didn't take care of the Fairfield batters on Tuesday, Payden Hoffman did.While the Centerville junior pitcher racked up nine strikeouts over seven innings, not every Fairfield batter went down without making contact. The Trojans put the ball in play 12 times during the contest with four balls headed towards Hoffman.The Centerville shortstop turned the four balls hit in her direction into five Fairfield outs, including all three outs in the second inning of Centerville's 2-0 non-conference win. After doubling and scoring the second of Redette run of the opening inning, Hoffman doubled off Haylee Eklund after snagging a line drive off the bat of Ireland Cranston preventing the Trojans from having an immediate response."That double in the opening inning got us rolling," Hoffman said. "I've always wanted to get an early strike in an at-bat, so I went for it. Getting the double play, with a great stretch at first by Taya (Belloma), was great for us."Davis struck up the first two Trojan batters of the game, setting the tone for a tough night for Fairfield's offense. After getting the big plays from Hoffman in the second inning, Davis came back to strike out the side in the third while carrying a no-hitter into the fifth."It was pretty hot and Kaylee had to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated," Hoffman said of Davis. "She drank more water before the game and did a good job warming up. I knew she was going to have a good game after that."Fairfield, meanwhile, never truly recovered after an high throw on an opening grounder to short by Erin Shinn prevented the Trojans (7-4) from getting the first out of the first inning. The error would ultimately lead to the only two runs of the game as Hoffman delivered a double, putting a pair of runners in scoring position with less than two outs.Ava Pfannebecker grounded a ball back to Fairfield starting pitcher Leah Helmick, who fired to first for what should have been the final out of the inning. Instead, having recorded just the second out at first, Shinn beat the throw back to the plate to score Centerville's first run before Hoffman eventually came around on a wild pitch to Davis, giving the Redettes their 2-0 lead."We played pretty good defense. It's hard to make any bad comments about our defense except for that if we hadn't committed that first error, Centerville wouldn't have scored in that first inning," Fairfield head softball coach Bob Bradfield said. "You can't go back in time and see what would have happened without the error. We played pretty well. We don't have a great hitting team, we just sometimes take advantage of the other team giving up too many walks or committing some errors. If we don't get that, we're not going to score too many runs."Centerville (9-3) played flawless defense behind Davis, recording nine straight outs after a lead-off walk in the second inning that was drawn by Emma Septer with the Trojans hitting just three balls into the outfield during the contest. Hoffman again had the back of her pitcher in the fifth after Eklund and Cranston connected on consecutive two-out hits, putting together Fairfield's best opportunity for a comeback fielding a sharp grounder off the bat of Kayla Morris and firing to first for the final out."Our defense is keeping us in every game and Kaylee is pitching great," Centerville head softball coach Alex Belloma said. "That's one thing that has been different this year. In previous years, we'd be the ones making the mistakes that other teams would capitalize on. Now, it's been a little bit the other way. We're taking advantage of opportunities and capitalizing on it."

After spending nearly two decades as a staunch critic of LeBron James, Skip Bayless has found a new target in San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, who is one loss away from dropping his first career NBA Finals.Wembanyama drew criticism from Bayless after yesterday’s Game 4 debacle, in which they squandered a 29-point lead to lose 107-106 to the New York Knicks. The defeat clearly had Bayless in disbelief, as the Spurs made history for the wrong reasons.“It’s already becoming clear the New Face (Wemby) has this in common with the Old Face (LeBron) … no clutch gene. Late missed game-winners, missed crucial free throws, killer turnovers. Disappeared in last night’s second half: 0 blocks, 0 defensive rebounds. 1-9 career late/close,” Bayless wrote on X.“To me, last night’s Spurs collapse wasn’t quite as painful (or fatal) as the far more condensed collapse late in 2013’s Game 6. Up 5 with 20 seconds left! Heat fans fleeing the arena! Spurs had won another championship! RAY ALLEN,” he added.MORE:Victor Wembanyama blames Spurs’ ‘greediness,’ lack of hunger in NBA Finals Game 4 collapseJun 10, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks during game four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesThe 2026 NBA Finals are a learning experience for Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio SpursOne can argue that the San Antonio Spurs could’ve been up 3-1 if Victor Wembanyama hadn’t made crucial mistakes in Games 2 and 4. In Game 2, the Frenchman inexplicably turned the ball over and fouled Jalen Brunson with the game tied. And in Game 4, he missed two free throws with 1:47 remaining that would’ve extended their lead to three points.If there’s one thing we learned in this year’s postseason, it’s that the Spurs still have ways to go in closing out the big games. They should’ve kept their foot on the gas when they built a seemingly insurmountable lead in Game 4 to turn the series into a virtual best-of-three at 2-2, which Wembanyama alluded to during his postgame presser.To Bayless’ point, LeBron James experienced similar growing pains early in his NBA career. Wembanyama should take notes from the King if he wants to reach his full potential.

The Trump administration cited misspending among the reasons for blocking funds to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Mayor Karen Bass warned that “people will lose their lives.”

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — In the hours before Friday’s U.S. World Cup opener, at the team hotel, on the police-escorted bus and inside SoFi Stadium’s locker room, Mauricio Pochettino will dispense final instructions to a team he has molded for 19 months.As the minutes count down to kickoff against Paraguay, Pochettino will step into a moment worthy of a Hollywood film and have an opportunity to rally his players with a speech that invokes courage and patriotism while also touching their hearts.He could mirror the inspirational speech punctuating one of his favorite movies, “Miracle,” in which Kurt Russell, portraying coach Herb Brooks, rallied the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team.In those final moments, though, Pochettino says he will not say much.“I already talk — too much, too much,” he said Thursday. “I said, ‘Don't expect my unbelievable speech Friday.’ No, I am the opposite. I think now is the moment they need to prepare in an emotional and mental way. Now they don’t need external motivation or inspirational speech.”After numerous training camps and friendlies, tournaments and tuneups, Pochettino believes he and his staff have done everything to get his players in the proper mindframe.“If you are not ready, sorry guys, it's impossible to perform,” he added Thursday at his pre-match news conference.Pochettino believes he has them ready, for not just Paraguay, but for perhaps the deepest U.S. run since 2002 and for the brightest spotlight since the quadrennial jamboree took place in these parts 32 years ago.He said his team has made progress in the way they play and how they’ve seized a winning mentality — even if the results didn’t always pan out in the series of friendlies since last fall.“The mindset starts to change, and I've seen we embrace the culture of the country that is being number one and competitive,” he said. “We need to win games but play with passion and to make the fans [feel] proud about what they are seeing on the field. It’s to create that emotional relationship … but we need to win. The most important thing is to win.”At the 11th hour, that’s probably as close to a tear-jerking sermon as his players are going to get. They understand the weight of the World Cup and what performing well would mean in a country where soccer remains behind football, basketball and others.“This is, for me, the biggest opportunity to really grow the game, to inspire people to show that American players are at the level of the rest of the world,” midfielder Tyler Adams said. “Let's show everyone what we're capable of doing.”Now’s the time. While the pro leagues have helped build soccer’s foundation, the national team’s lack of success has stunted its growth. Since ending a 40-year absence from the tournament in 1990, the Americans have won just six World Cup matches and advanced past the round of 16 once.In that span, they’ve won two of 22 tournament games against European and South American opponents. In Group D this year, they’ll play one of each (Turkey and Paraguay), plus Australia. At least two will qualify for the round of 32.Midfielder Cristian Roldan says the team understands the importance of finally making a breakthrough at home.“There's a huge responsibility on our part to show up and create those long, lasting memories for the next generation,” he said. “We're all excited obviously having the World Cup here in the United States, and in great spots to be able to achieve something bigger than ourselves.”While Pochettino wants the players to understand their potential impact, he also wants them to enter the tournament like “they are a child with no pressure.”They are no children, though. Thirteen of the 26 U.S. players were in Qatar four years ago. At that tournament, only one U.S. player had any World Cup experience and the team was among the two youngest in the field. It showed in the round of 16, where the much more mature Netherlands bounced them out of the competition.“Last World Cup, maybe we're all just a little bit young,” midfielder Gio Reyna said. Consequently, “it's normal to struggle in certain big moments, like we did last tournament. The biggest strength now is everyone is just four years older and has matured as players and as people.”Since training camp opened last month in the Atlanta area, they also seem more relaxed.“You don't want to feel like you're gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles,” captain Tim Ream said at the time.Adams said Thursday that he was “a good nervous. I never get nervous for games, but it feels real in the moment. I’m excited to get out there with this group of guys, because I'm confident in what we can do.”No one will bear more responsibility than Christian Pulisic, the AC Milan forward who, through his talent and commercial endorsements, has become the face of the World Cup squad.“It’s a big moment,” he said. “I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time.”The Hershey, Pennsylvania, native added, “I genuinely don't feel like I have to do anything on my own. They expect a lot out of me, but with the guys I have around me, honestly, it makes it a lot easier.”His colleagues include a dozen others employed in Europe’s five best leagues, including top defender Chris Richards, who will probably start after recovering from an ankle injury suffered May 17.While the focus is on a stubborn Paraguay team that conceded just 10 goals in 18 World Cup qualifiers — “a great team and a really good test,” Pulisic said — the U.S. also sees Friday’s match as the first step in launching not just this campaign but the sport at large.“We want the game to grow,” Pulisic said. “It’s going to keep growing, no matter what happens, but of course we want to put on the best performance we can. We want to get Americans excited to watch this game, to watch our team. That's obviously a big goal of ours. And yeah, of course, being successful would give that the best boost.”

Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese and New York Liberty guard Pauline Astier had a battle on Thursday that ended with Reese receiving a technical foul.At the 8:54 mark of the fourth quarter, Reese was driving to the basket for a layup when she made contact with Astier. The contact sent the rookie to the floor following what was initially called an and-1 opportunity.The play was challenged by New York and was later overturned. Reese was called for an offensive foul, her fourth foul of the game. Reese was also given a technical foul.What Reese received the technical for was not immediately clear. However, it's worth noting that after Reese made the layup, she did a "too small" gesture towards Astier.New York had an 81-69 lead at the time of the play. Reese's potential score would have cut New York's lead down to eight. New York's lead was once as high as 18. Atlanta never led by more than six points.Reese was one of the lone bright spots against the Liberty. Atlanta lost 104-90, falling to 8-4 on the season. It was the first time in head coach Karl Smesko's tenure that a team scored 100 points or more.Reese finished with a game-high 25 points on 50% shooting and nine rebounds, plus three assists, two steals and one blocked shot.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Angel Reese called for technical foul in Dream loss to Liberty

Brazil's 1970 World Cup champion Brito has died at the age of 86, the Brazilian football federation CBF said in a statement on Thursday evening.The cause of death was not disclosed."Brito left us as one of the greatest defenders in the history of Brazilian football. His contribution during the 1970 World Cup to our third world title will be forever remembered by all of us. May his fighting spirit be an inspiration for our players who will compete at the 2026 World Cup," CBF president Samir Xaud said.Brito paired up with Piazza to lead the Brazilian defence during the tournament in 1970. While Piazza was known for his technique, Britto was known for his strenghth and physical form.Brito played 61 games for the national team.Brazil kick off the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada against Morocco on Saturday.

Jun 11, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages (44) greets designated hitter two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) crossing home plate on a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Despite a few scares in the late innings, the Dodgers were in control of this one for the vast majority, taking the lead in the third and holding it all the way into an 8-6 win in yet another high-scoring affair, routine for this series. However, the result takes a backseat to the concerns surrounding Shohei Ohtani and Justin Wrobleski, both having left this game early due to injuries—Ohtani in the seventh inning with what was described as left knee inflammation and Wrobleski with a right hamstring contusion after a collision trying to cover first. However, even in a game he couldn’t complete, Ohtani made sure to leave his mark by starting the scoring with a solo shot in the third, doing this a day after throwing over 100 pitches in a quality start.Back-to-back days with a homer from Shohei! pic.twitter.com/u58rhguWN5— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 11, 2026The scoring in the third inning wasn’t done after Ohtani’s homer, though, as the two sides of batted ball luck appeared. Firstly, Mookie Betts narrowly missed out on a two-run shot with a fly ball that would’ve left the yard in 27 out of 30 MLB parks, only to be robbed of what would’ve been his seventh homer on the year. Then, a couple of hitters later, Kyle Tucker found the right spot to land his 62.1 MPH exit velocity lazy fly ball for a two-run, two-out single. Success with two outs became a regular thing for the Dodgers in this game, as in the fourth, Los Angeles added two more runs with five straight reaching after the Pirates retired the first two hitters to open the frame.Unluckily for the Dodgers, the two-out action seemed to be a factor on both sides. Similarly to what happened in the previous two games, the team trailing pulled a rally out of the hat, and in one inning, the Pittsburgh cut what was a 5-0 deficit into a 5-4 game. The Pirates did so by scoring three of those runs with two outs with a pair of home runs from Rafael Flores Jr. and Brandon Lowe, the latter of whom is number one in baseball among second basemen for homers with 16. Making matters worse, Wrobleski, who before those two homers was sailing along smoothly, injured himself colliding with Bryan Reynolds trying to cover first. Pittsburgh’s rally continued with Will Klein on the mound, but the right-hander was just able to preserve the then-5-4 lead with a bases-loaded strikeout of Jake Mangum.It didn’t take too long for the Dodgers to respond, and despite having Santiago Espinal pinch-hitting for Ohtani—who left the game with left knee inflammation—Los Angeles added a couple of runs in the seventh with a pair of RBI from Miguel Rojas and Espinal himself. Crucial runs as the Pirates’ comeback attempts weren’t over, cutting the lead to 8-6 in the eighth and bringing the tying run up in the form of Lowe. Showcasing the importance of this game, Dave Roberts went to Tanner Scott for a two-out save for only the second time this season, and the left-hander got the job done, punching out the side in the bottom of the ninth.Game particularsHome runs— Shohei Ohtani (13), Rafael Flores Jr. (1), Brandon Lowe (16)WP— Jack Dreyer (3-1): 1 IP, 2 strikeoutsLP— Mitch Keller (5-4): 4 IP, 7 hits, 5 runs, 4 walks, 3 strikeoutsSV – Tanner Scott (7): 1.1 IP, 3 strikeoutsUp nextThe road trip against teams whose 2026 season campaign represents a big step forward from their recent failings continues, as the Dodgers leave Pittsburgh and head to the south side of Chicago to face the White Sox. Starter Roki Sasaki will be on the mound for Los Angeles, with Chicago yet to announce their starter officially. That matchup will start an hour later than the games in Pittsburgh, at 4;40 p.m. PT.

It's safe to say that Red Sox relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman still has beef with Yankees GM Brian Cashman.In an interview conducted by ESPN Deportes, Chapman acknowledged that he's aware of his name circulating in trade rumors. After all, the Red Sox currently sit in dead last of the AL East standings with a paltry 27-39 record, six full games out of a playoff spot."Every day you see social media and also people in the press talking and commenting about it," said the hard-throwing southpaw.Assuming the Red Sox can't right the ship ahead of the MLB's trade deadline on Aug. 3, it's hard to imagine Boston not taking the opportunity to cash in on the stellar form of their 38-year-old closer, who is currently on a $13 million contract set to expire at season's end.The Yankees will likely be in the market for a high-leverage reliever to add to their ranks as the trade deadline approaches, so many have been wondering whether a reunion between Chapman and the Yanks could be in the works.Trading with their archrivals would be a tough enough task for Cashman, but there's another hurdle he apparently would need to clear for this potential deal to become a reality: making amends with Chapman.After two stints with the Yankees, Chapman's exit from the organization was an ugly one. After losing the closer role to Clay Holmes after developing an infection due to a tattoo, then missing a mandatory workout ahead of the 2022 ALDS, leading Cashman to leave Chapman off the team's postseason roster.Chapman is clearly still bitter about that decision from his former GM, telling ESPN that he wants an apology."What happened, happened," Chapman said. "If something like this were to happen, I believe someone from this organization should apologize first."A follow-up asked if that "someone" was Cashman, and Chapman confirmed.In 19.2 innings pitched this season, Chapman has struck out 26 batters and is sporting an incredibly minuscule 0.46 ERA and 0.92 WHIP.For what it's worth, Chapman didn't entirely rule out a trade back to the Bronx, admitting that he'd be willing to "sit down and talk and see what would happen."Chapman arrived in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds in December of 2015, forming the "No-Runs D.M.C" triumvirate in the Yankees bullpen alongside Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller. In July of 2016, ahead of the 2016 MLB trade deadline, Chapman was dealt to the soon-to-be-champion Chicago Cubs for a package of prospects highlighted by Gleyber Torres. Funnily enough, just six months later, in December of 2016, Chapman rejoined the Yankees as a free agent on a five-year, $86 million contract.That second go-around donning the pinstripes spanned six seasons and was tumultuous for Chapman. He was a three-time All-Star selection, but battled injuries throughout.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke about Shohei Ohtani’s knee injury, which led to him leaving Thursday, June 11’s, game vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates. Roberts said that Ohtani possibly injured his left leg when trying to steal a base during the game, though he did make it clear that he was not sure about what led to it. The skipper said his level of concern is “not high” despite pulling him early from the game and feels good about Ohtani being back in the lineup on Friday and feels really good about him making his next pitching start. The Dodgers announced that Ohtani left the game with left knee inflammation, though Roberts said that he thought it was more of a hamstring injury. Jun 11, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) circles the bases on a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesThe hamstring area lies behind the knee, so if the pain is behind the knee, it would make sense that the hamstring is the injured part, not necessarily the knee. “I think that we try to be smart about it and talk to the trainer, and said he had a little pain behind the knee and a little hamstring,” Roberts said. “We just wanted to be smart and not push it. I feel good about him being in there tomorrow, but obviously, with the travel tonight, we’ll just kind of see how he comes in.”May 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) reacts as he walks to the mound for a pitching change against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesWith regard to his pitching, Roberts was relieved that it was only the landing leg rather than the push-off leg.“You could argue that it’s better the landing leg versus the push off,” Roberts said. “Obviously, he hasn’t tried to pitch. “Tomorrow, he’ll get there, do his routine, play catch, push off, or land on it, see how it reacts, and then obviously take swings and then see how that reacts too.”Ohtani’s injury comes at a bad time as he was just starting to figure things out on both ends of the field. His pitching has been elite all year, and his hitting was starting to catch up quickly, with home runs coming fast and furious.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani hit his 13th homer of the season before leaving the game due to left knee inflammation and Los Angeles beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-6 on Thursday night.The reigning NL MVP hit a solo homer in the third inning. He also had a single and walked twice, reaching base in all four of his plate appearances before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh inning.It was not immediately clear when Ohtani began feeling discomfort in the knee. Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski left the game in the fifth inning with a left hamstring contusion. The left-hander was hit by a line drive off the bat of Bryan Reynolds. The ball ricocheted off Wrobleski to first baseman Freddie Freeman. Wrobleski collided with Reynolds while taking Freeman’s toss at first base.Andy Pages also had two hits for the NL West-leading Dodgers, who took two of three in the series. Kyle Tucker hit a two-run single, and Miguel Rojas drove in two more runs.Pirates rookie Rafael Flores Jr. hit his first MLB home run, and Brandon Lowe also went deep. Flores, Nick Gonzales and Spencer Horwitz had two hits apiece.Wrobleski allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings. Mitch Keller (5-4) was tagged for five runs in four innings.Jack Dreyer (3-1) pitched a scoreless seventh inning and Tanner Scott got the last four outs for his seventh save.Up nextDodgers: RHP Roki Sasaki (4-3, 4.03 ERA) pitches against White Sox LHP Anthony Kay (5-1, 4.40) on Friday night in Chicago.Pirates: Host Miami on Friday night with RHP Braxton Ashcraft (5-3, 3.28 ERA) facing Marlins RHP Sandy Alcantara (5-4, 4.33).___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Thursday night was a tough one for the Los Angeles Dodgers.Despite an 8-6 win over the Pittsburgh PIrates, the Boys in Blue had a pair of stars leave early with injury.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)Shohei Ohtani left with left knee inflammation, while Justin Wrobleski left with a hamstring contusion after he was hit by a comebacker, then got tangled up with the runner at first base.For a Dodgers team already dealing with multiple injuries, the timing is terrible, and the worry and despair was palpable among Dodgers fans.How do fans feel about injuries to Shohei Ohtani and Justin Wrobleski?Along with plenty of well wishes and comments we cannot print, many of you offered your own body parts to help get the Boys in Blue back on the field.Aug 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) and starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) watch from the dugout during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images“Take my MCL, PCL, ACL, Kneecap, Meniscus and all my glucosamine, Shohei!!!” wrote @arevwon.“Take my knee Ohtani I don’t need it,” said @colin_516.Others encouraged the players to take some time off to get healthy, especially with so many months left until the playoffs.With two pitchers getting injured, though, fans speculated that the Dodgers could be even more motivated to call up young talent like River Ryan or get big-name players like Tarik Skubal via trade.“And down goes yet another Dodger pitcher. We have a full staff on the IR. Call up River Ryan and trade for Skubal,” wrote @jrichard444.What did the Dodgers say about the injuries?After the game, manager Dave Roberts downplayed both players’ injuries.May 10, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) reacts against the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images“Dave Roberts said his level of concern with Shohei Ohtani’s injury is ‘not high’ and that he feels good about Ohtani being back in the lineup tomorrow,” reports Jack Harris of the California Post.“Roberts also said they don’t believe Justin Wrobleski’s injury is anything major, and that he is confident he’ll be able to make his next start,” Harris added. “He’s fine, more so just frustrated with his performance,” Roberts said.

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, Satou Sabally also scored 19 points and made five 3-pointers, and the New York Liberty beat the Atlanta Dream 104-90 on Thursday night for their sixth straight victory.Sabally made five of her six 3-point attempts and Jonquel Jones added four to help New York go 16 of 31 from long distance. Sabally’s fifth 3-pointer gave the Liberty a 91-73 lead midway through the fourth quarter.New York shot 54% overall and finished with five players scoring at least 16 points in a game for the first time in franchise history.Jones finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for New York (9-4). Marine Johannes added 17 points and passed Cappie Pondexter (236) for the sixth-most made 3-pointers in franchise history. Pauline Astier scored 16. Angel Reese led Atlanta (8-4) with 25 points and nine rebounds. Rhyne Howard scored 24 points and made five of 13 3-pointers, becoming the youngest player in WNBA history to make 400 career 3s, reaching the mark in just 147 games. Allisha Gray added 18 points. Astier banked in a halfcourt shot just before the halftime buzzer to give New York a 51-44 lead. The Dream finished 9 of 29 (31%) from 3-point range and 15 of 27 (56%) at the foul line. Up nextLiberty: Return home to play Washington on Sunday. Dream: Play at Toronto on Sunday. ___AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Salma Hayek, Shakira and J Balvin were among the stars who helped ring in the 2026 World Cup, welcoming the world to North America, where the games will take place this year.Serving as a 2026 World Cup ambassador, the "Eternals" star and Mexican native sported a red pantsuit while delivering opening remarks for the ceremony at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11."Together with Canada and the United States, we welcome the entire world as we receive the flags of the 48 nations that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup Mexico 2026," she said in Spanish before the first match between Mexico and South Africa. "We are deeply honored that the opening match of this wonderful football tradition — which unites us all and lives on in Mexico and in the spirit of the game — is taking place here."Viva México y viva Fútbol," she concluded. Shakira performs official World Cup song 'Dai Dai'Shakira performed the international soccer tournament's official song "Dai Dai" alongside Burna Boy. The "Waka Waka" singer donned a neon yellow bodysuit and sunglasses with dozens of dancers while the Nigerian singer wore a denim outfit. Following the performance, the Colombian pop star took to Instagram to encourage peace, joy and unity around the world this World Cup. "Above all, may we remember our little champions who are waiting for opportunities, such as education, so they can thrive in life. We are ready!" she wrote.Also bringing music to the sports world was J Balvin, who gifted the crowd a lively medley of his hits, including 2018's "Que Calor." He then brought Castro on stage for a duet of their new track "Una A La Vez."Other acts included Tyla, who delivered a rendition of the South African national anthem, and Alejandro Fernández, who sang the Mexican national anthem.Mexico beats South Africa in 2-0 winMexico kickstarted the World Cup on its turf with a triumphant victory over South Africa with a final score of 2-0. Julian Quinones gave Mexico an early lead nine minutes in after finishing past South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams from just outside the box. The team maintained the lead throughout the game, with Mexico's Brian Gutierrez running free toward goal in the second half, only to be taken down by South Africa's Sphephelo Sithole, who was shown a red card.México forward Raúl Jiménez cemented the 2-0 score in the 67th minute as he nodded in a cross from Roberto Alvarado. On Friday, June 12, Bosnia and Herzegovina will face Canada in that country at Toronto Stadium, while the United States will play Paraguay at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, where Katy Perry, Anitta, Future, Lisa and Rema are slated to perform.Contributing: Jon Arnold, Jesse Yomtov, Andrés Soto and Seth Vertelney, USA TODAYThis article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Salma Hayek, Shakira, more stars kick off 2026 World Cup in Mexico

LAS VEGAS – Quinn Priester’s road back from thoracic outlet syndrome has encountered another detour, as the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, June 11 returned the right-hander from his minor-league rehab assignment.Priester remains on the 60-day injured list.The move comes on the heels of Priester's second start for the Brewers' entry in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, which saw him allow three earned runs on a hit and five walks while also hitting a batter over 2 ⅔ innings.The good news was, according to the Brewers, Priester performed "without physical complaint."The bad news, of course, was he made no great strides forward during his time in Phoenix and Priester's next scheduled outing of five innings and 70-75 pitches scheduled for June 13 has now been scuttled as he presumably returns to Milwaukee to discuss next steps with the Brewers and their medical staff."It doesn't bode well to be ready to pitch in the major leagues," said manager Pat Murphy the day after Priester's last outing. "The movement he has on the ball might be a reason why he's walking people, or his receiving or he was dealing with the elements."I think he's still a ways away, but I think it's trending in the right direction in that he felt really good, didn't feel any pain at all. So now, it's a matter of getting that feeling back (in his fingers)."Priester has now pitched five rehab games at Class AAA Nashville, two in Arizona and one at Class High A Wisconsin. In 16 total innings he's posted a 15.75 ERA, a 2.88 WHIP, walked 24 batters, hit four batters and thrown six wild pitches with 18 strikeouts.In that June 10 discussion, Murphy was asked if there will come a point in time where the Brewers will need to seriously reassess Priester's trajectory and begin discussing other options such as surgery."I don't think we're close to (surgery)," said Murphy. "I think we've got to give this guy a chance. When you're dealing with nerve issues, you've got to give a chance for the nerves to calm down or be to the point where he can feel that ball come off his hand the same."That may take some time. But I think it will be a concern (begin improving). Then we have to look at another avenue. But he feels good."While the Brewers have performed arguably much better than expected without the services of Priester, who was a revelation a season ago after going 13-3 with a 3.32 ERA in 29 appearances (24 starts) following his trade over from the Boston Red Sox, there's no question they could use him as they continue to patch together their rotation beyond Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison.Shane Drohan and Brandon Sproat have pitched well recently, as has Robert Gasser, but beyond that the depth has taken a hit with Brandon Woodruff still trying to work his way back from "dead arm" that has sidelined him since April 30.The right-hander's latest step toward that was a 3 ⅔-inning, 68-pitch start on June 10 in the ACL in which he topped out at 93 mph while allowing five hits, three runs and two walks with five strikeouts."I think we're getting closer there," said Murphy, who indicated Woodruff could potentially return to his spot in the rotation in the not-too-distant future.This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers pause rehab stint for Quinn Priester, who remains on injured list

Former NBA champion calls out De'Aaron Fox for bad layup attempt late in Game 4 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.In Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals, the San Antonio Spurs had the biggest collapse in the history of the Finals. They held a 29-point lead at one point, but still lost the game. OG Anunoby is the hero for the New York Knicks, but there is one player who has become the punching bag after Game 4. That player is veteran Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox. He had an opportunity to extend San Antonio's lead late in the game. Fox was in transition, but instead of wasting time to draw a foul, he suddenly went for a layup that was then blocked by Anunoby.Iman Shumpert calls out De'Aaron Fox's layup attemptAs the veteran on the Spurs, Fox is expected to make the big decisions. He is a floor general, so it is normal to expect him to make the right decisions because he has a good head on his shoulders.That was not the case with around 12 seconds left on the clock in Game 4. He could have easily wasted time and dribbled the ball out rather than attempting a layup against one of the league's best defenders.MORE: All the bad plays that De'Aaron Fox had during the second half of Game 4That has led to him getting called out from all directions. This includes Iman Shumpert, a former champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. He could have easily done the Steve Nash dribble to take it out of the paint, but his decision did not pay off."De'Aaron Fox, you need to dunk that. We'd had this conversation before. I'm disappointed in you. That's why you dunk that; you don't leave a little window of indecision. Either you go party or you back out," Shumpert said on ESPN about Fox's blunder.It is hard to argue against Shumpert's point because Fox did have a lot of time to make a good decision. Instead, he went for glory, and it ended up backfiring on him. He thought he had the right decision, but now, he has to deal with it now that they are 3-1 down against the Knicks.More NBA news:Draymond Green surprisingly sends an apology to Jalen Brunson after the Game 4 winKnicks fans have thrown eggs at Victor Wembanyama, leading to an NBA investigationSkip Bayless makes an insulting comparison between Victor Wembanyama and LeBron JamesTyler Adams and USMNT react to the Knicks' Game 4 rally from 29 points downShaquille O'Neal commends the Knicks for having this quality in the Game 4 win

Fever's Caitlin Clark stat combo sums up her already all-time WNBA status originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Caitlin Clark is unlike any player that has come before her in the history of the WNBA.The third-year Indiana Fever superstar isn't perfect, but she is clearly special, and she proved that on Thursday night against the Chicago Sky.Clark finished with 32 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists in an overtime win.She shot 8-for-18 from the floor, and only 1-for-6 from 3-point range, but made up for that by shooting 15-for-15 at the foul line.Most notably, it was the third 30-point, 10-assist game of Clark's WNBA career.There have only been four of those total by every other player in league history.30 Point 10 Assist games in WNBA history:Caitlin Clark: 3Every other WNBA player combined: 4 https://t.co/PJPQP5aUtbpic.twitter.com/tEu2T1kbC3— Clark Report (@CClarkReport) June 12, 2026MORE: Olivia Miles puts Azzi Fudd in a blender in battle of top WNBA draft picksYes, the overtime period helped Clark out slightly, but she was still putting together a remarkable night no matter how long this game went.WNBA games are 40 minutes, as opposed to the 48-minute length of NBA games, which is why 30-10 games are so rare. There's just a little less time to count up all those stats.Clark does it with relative comfort, though. She's a prolific scorer when she wants to be, and she's got some of the best passing vision in the sport.When you put it all together, Clark is simply more potent in those regards combined than anyone has ever been before in the WNBA.When Clark plays, it's always worth watching. There's never been anyone quite like her.MORE: Why Las Vegas Aces aren't getting a White House visit

All Times EDTFriday, June 12MLBMiami at Pittsburgh, 6:40 p.m.Seattle at Washington, 6:45 p.m.San Diego at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.Texas at Boston, 7:10 p.m.Detroit at Cleveland, 7:10 p.m.Arizona at Cincinnati, 7:10 p.m.Atlanta at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m.N.Y. Yankees at Toronto, 7:37 p.m.L.A. Dodgers at Chicago White Sox, 7:40 p.m.Philadelphia at Milwaukee, 7:40 p.m.St. Louis at Minnesota, 8:10 p.m.Houston at Kansas City, 8:10 p.m.Tampa Bay at L.A. Angels, 9:38 p.m.Colorado at Athletics, 10:05 p.m.Chicago Cubs at San Francisco, 10:15 p.m.WNBAToronto at Washington, 7:30 p.m.Golden State at Seattle, 10 p.m.FIFA World Cup - Group StageGroup BCanada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina at Toronto, 3 p.m.Group DU.S. vs. Paraguay at Inglewood, Calif., 9 p.m._____

ST. PETERSBURG, FL - Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after the final out of his save against the Miami Marlins at Tropicana Field on May 17, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)Getty ImagesGiven the scope of Tampa Bay’s craft beer scene combined with the region’s many waterways, it would seem a matter of time before Bryan Baker teams with a brewing company in a manner similar to when he pitched for the Baltimore Orioles. Some of the revenue generated from sales of Shake ‘n Baker went to Blue Water Baltimore, a non-profit that does its part to keep the Charm City’s waterways free of debris. The way the righthander has been closing games for the Rays, one can be excused for thinking Baker walks on water.Indeed, the Florida native has recorded 18 saves, a total that is tied for second in MLB. Six of those saves have come during a current stretch (through June 11) of eight straight scoreless appearances. Not bad for a pitcher who has become a first-time closer this season and was acquired for a draft pick at the 2025 trade deadline.“It’s a pleasure to take the ball at any point, but if you’re given the opportunity to close a game down for your team and secure a ‘W,’ I think it's always special,” he said.It has been a pleasure for his teammates to witness what the bearded No. 47 has done through the season’s first two-plus months. “He has been doing a lot of great things for us,” said Yandy Diaz, the American League’s leading hitter. “Anytime he comes in (during a tight game), I have 100 percent confidence. He’s just been that guy for us.”Baker does not waste pitches, which numbered a total of 25 in two innings and two saves in as many nights against Boston this week. Such economy is sure to have its benefits over the long haul. “It makes for less stressful innings in general,” he said. “It’s such a long year and those outings of 20-plus or 25-plus pitches add up really quick. Being able to bounce back and be ready the next day is a really big part of my job. So, attacking the zone puts hitters on the defensive, but also comes into play keeping the pitch count lower so that you’re ready the next day and the day after that. That has definitely been a focus of mine.”Baker far from alone in bullpen effectivenessBefore Baker took the mound in the ninth inning to close out the Red Sox on Tuesday evening, Kevin Kelly did some outstanding work in the eighth. Nick Martinez, who has been outstanding for the Rays this season, allowed the first three batters in the eighth to reach base. The third batter of the inning, Marcelo Mayer, drilled a two-run double that made it a 4-3 ballgame. Enter Kelly, who stranded Mayer by getting the next three batters to ground out, including Cedanne Rafaela on a sharply hit ball to Richie Palacios with the infield in and one out. While Baker recorded the save, Kelly saved the day. The righthander has blanked opponents in 20 of his last 21 outings (through June 11) and is unscored upon in 15 appearances at Tropicana Field this season. He credits much of his success to adding a changeup to his arsenal and his work with bullpen coach Jorge Moncada for a little added zip to his sinker. “The changeup is the biggest difference from last year, for sure,” said the 28-year-old. “As far as how I feel (about my success), nothing has changed for me. You always want to be in position to help the team win. It doesn’t really matter how I did the last time. It just matters how I do this time.”Righthander Casey Legumina was acquired from the Mariners on April 26 for a minor league pitcher. The 28-year-old’s final three appearances with Seattle were rough (10 H, 6 ER in 4 1/3 IP), though he has been exceptional with Tampa Bay whether it has been logging two innings or needing to retire a single batter. He did the latter Wednesday afternoon at Tropicana Field when the Rays’ 5-0 lead after seven innings turned into a 5-4 close shave in the eighth inning of what was ultimately a 7-5 Tampa Bay win. Legumina was summoned to replace Steven Matz with two outs and nobody on base, and got William Contreras to ground out. A sigh of relief in the home dugout ensued. “Since coming over here, I give him a lot of credit for the way he’s pitched,” said manager Kevin Cash. “I think what’s most impressive is his commitment to the strike zone. He’s really lengthened our bullpen and he’s gotten massive outs. He’ going to continue to do that and (Wednesday) was a big one.”Legumina, who has recorded a 2.04 ERA in 14 appearances with Tampa Bay – 1.46 ERA in last nine outings – and lefty Cam Booser, unscored upon in three appearances (4 IP) since being promoted from Triple-A Durham on May 31, are the latest examples of the wide-ranging success the bullpen has delivered. “It just shows that from top to bottom, when everyone’s rolling, we kind of create matchup nightmares for anybody,” said lefty Garrett Cleavinger, who sported a 2.70 ERA in his first 11 appearances following an IL (calf tightness) stint. “We’ve got a lot of different angles, a lot of different stuff coming out, which is awesome.”This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Ever since she collapsed in a park three and a half years ago, speculation has swirled in Thailand about who could become the next monarch.

AKRON – The Olentangy Orange baseball team’s bid for its first state title ended with a 5-0 loss to Cincinnati St. Xavier in a Division I semifinal June 11 at 7 17 Credit Union Park.St. Xavier pitcher Jack Ryan, a Boston College commit, went the distance, limiting the Pioneers to three hits – all in the first three innings. He struck out eight and walked one.The Bombers (26-5) play Cincinnati Moeller for the championship at 4 p.m. June 12 in Akron.Orange (24-6) was making its third state tournament appearance and first since 2023. The Pioneers also reached state in 2017.In a game that pitted two aces in Ryan and Orange senior Reid Hemrick, an unlikely player emerged as a star at the plate for St. Xavier in sophomore Dominic Dials. A .245 hitter entering the game, Dials hit his first two home runs of the season.The left-handed hitter led off the bottom of the third with a homer to right to open the scoring and hit a two-run homer to right in the fourth for a 3-0 lead.Dillon Brus added a two-run triple in later in the fourth.Hemrick, a Toledo commit, went five innings, allowing five runs on five hits with three strikeouts and four walks. Mason Poulter threw two scoreless innings in relief.(This story will be updated.)High school sports reporter Frank DiRenna can be reached at fdirenna@dispatch.com and at @DispatchFrank on X.This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Olentangy Orange falls to St. Xavier in OHSAA baseball state semifinal

Heat Central: “I don’t think the Bucks want Jaylen Brown…. I think a Giannis deal is probably a lot simpler to Miami. The conversations I’ve had is it seems like it would probably just be Milwaukee and Miami. It seems a more simple deal. Boston I think it would be a bit more complex” — @KevinOConnor on Giannis being linked to Miami and Bostonx.comThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Bucks not interested in Jaylen Brown in exchange for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

The Heat are indeed the favorite to land Giannis Antetokounmpo, so there’s a strong probability that Milwaukee could end up picking in this slot. Some league sources even expect a trade to happen as soon as the NBA Finals conclude, though the longer this series goes the more time there could be for other teams to step up their offers.Yahoo! SportsThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The Heat are indeed the favorite to land Giannis …

Gery Woelfel: A few tidbits on the Antetokounmpo situation: — As I tweeted several weeks ago, Miami is still his preferred destination. — A national report claims Antetokounmpo had concerns about how the Heat roster would look after the trade. Nonsense . With the exception of Tyler Herro, the Heat’s starting lineup would remain in tact. — There have been reports about how the Heat haven’t worked out any lottery prospects because they’ll be sending their pick (No. 13 overall) to Milwaukee. Nonsense. Some of the same prospects the Bucks (10th pick) have worked out have also worked out for the Heat. — The Heat still remain the most likely team to acquire Antetokounmpo, but the draft isn’t until June 23. That means some other teams won’t show all their cards until the last minute in this high-stakes poker game.x.comThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: As I tweeted several weeks ago, Miami is still his …

John Chen, a professional pianist, says his UFC-inspired jiujitsu practice has helped him calm his nerves ahead of major performances at venues like the prestigious Kennedy Center (Oliver Contreras)As workers put final touches to a massive arena for Sunday's "cage fight" on the White House South Lawn, a few miles away, a professional pianist is learning how to choke someone unconscious.Across the same mat, an immunologist-by-day is teaching students how to pin a struggling opponent.They represent the grassroots of a US martial arts phenomenon that has brought the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) from what was once derided as "human cockfighting" to the cultural mainstream -- and now the White House."The rise of the UFC has been a stunning thing to watch," said UFC fighter Ryan Hall, owner and head trainer at Fifty/50 Martial Arts Academy, where the men were training."A UFC event on the White House lawn -- tell me that 10 years ago and I'd laugh at you!" he told AFP.The fighters performing in front of President Donald Trump will blend punching, kicking, grappling, choking and joint locks in contests that frequently leave the mats streaked in blood.Despite -- or because of -- the extreme violence, UFC fights have graduated from obscure, pay-per-view TV spectacles in the 1990s to billion-dollar broadcast deals.But for fans like immunologist Josh Terao, 30, that fighting culture is integral to life on and off the mat."I was never a great student growing up, but I found martial arts really gave me the drive to persevere and do hard things," Terao said.Proof of concept: he's a black belt in judo and jiujitsu -- and also working on a PhD.Likewise, soft-spoken pianist John Chen, 32, says martial arts have helped him calm nerves before big concerts, including at the prestigious Kennedy Center."I watched the UFCs and stuff, and I thought it was really cool, and so... I decided to try jujitsu," he said. "As tacky as it sounds, it gives me more confidence in life."- 'Human cockfighting' -The UFC began with a fight in Denver in November 1993.The event "was so low-profile that neither the Denver Post nor Rocky Mountain News even bothered to send a reporter," noted Brian Trembath in a Denver Public Library blog.One fighter broke an arm, another had to be given supplemental oxygen, and a sumo wrestler had two teeth knocked out -- all on television.Brazilian jiujitsu master Royce Gracie won, but the real winners were the event's producers, who convinced some 86,000 people, according to data on industry site Tapology, to fork over $14.95 (about $34 today) to watch the event on pay-per-view.By UFC 5 that customer base tripled -- and alarm was growing.Then Republican senator John McCain labeled the fights "human cockfighting.""You can understand why he said it," Hall said. But violence is "part of the magic," he said. "I think that's why it speaks to people on such a primal level."A UFC match in March of this year had almost 2.5 million viewers, according to Sports Business Journal, on major free-to-air US network CBS -- a broadcast made possible by a seven-year $7.7 billion deal.- Brand politics -Sunday's fights -- officially to celebrate America's 250th anniversary but also falling on Trump's 80th birthday -- are a unique marketing opportunity both for the UFC and the self-styled political bruiser."The UFC spotlights victory and Trump likes winners," Charles Skuba, a Georgetown University professor of marketing told AFP."Trump is hoping that UFC fans, especially its young fans, will be appreciative of his support."Not everyone in the wider UFC world is convinced about mixing martial arts and politics.Podcaster Joe Rogan, an influential Trump backer, called it "odd" before later cheering it.UFC's current middleweight champion, Sean Strickland, claimed to have been disinvited over remarks about Trump and Israel. Another fighter, Bryce Mitchell, said the government was "desecrating its role in society."But Skuba reckons the South Lawn event is "a true coup for the UFC.""People will politicize everything," Chen, the pianist, said."I just watch it for the fights."pnb/sms

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — William Karlsson left the ice, and the Vegas Golden Knights' night went south.With Karlsson knocked out of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final because of injury, the Golden Knights took four penalties that turned into two power-play goals against. Carter Hart allowed four goals for a fifth consecutive game in the series, and now his team is on the brink of elimination after losing 4-2 to Carolina on Thursday night.Karlsson making his playoff debut at the start of the second round changed everything for Vegas, shifting Mitch Marner to the wing and providing the kind of strong, reliable center depth needed to win this time of year. Karlsson had nine points in 14 games after missing the previous six months because of an undisclosed injury.This time, it appeared to be his left arm or shoulder after getting knocked into the boards by Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker a little over eight minutes into the second period. Karlsson got medical attention on the bench briefly, skated off and never returned.Coach John Tortorella has been unwilling to provide injury updates.But the void left by Karlsson's departure was all too clear, especially on the penalty kill. Carolina's Andrei Svechnikov scored the first of his two power play goals less than four minutes after Karlsson left, then added another in the third. Hart was screened by Jeremy Lauzon on Svechnikov's first goal, and he was hardly to blame for the loss. But Vegas still lost for the 32nd time in 39 times this season and playoffs when allowing four or more.___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Taren Wente’s itinerary is looking rather full for the next few weeks.There are friends to hang out with, important items that need to be accounted for and packed, and possibly a new laptop to procure. Can’t forget about the remaining matches scheduled for the New Mexico United developmental academy, either.All of it needs to be done ahead of the goalkeeper’s cross-country trip to the Northeast — or Midwest, depending on one’s definition of southwestern Pennsylvania.Wente is set to report to summer workouts for Pitt’s soccer program on July 2.“I’ve never lived anywhere separate from Albuquerque, so that’ll be new. I think Pittsburgh will be a bit of a culture shock,” Wente said Thursday at a college announcement ceremony that also featured several of his academy teammates.Kyle Hofmann is going to Gardner-Webb, Grady Gilchrist to Creighton, Ivan Moore to Division II Biola (California), Connor Hanks to Division II Colorado Christian and Charlie Groves will attempt to walk on at UC San Diego.But it’s a move Wente is willing to make. After all, it’s not the first time the Eldorado High graduate decided to bet on himself.That was when he turned down — politely — an offer from Creighton, the only notable school to recruit him during the final year of his high school career. The academics, more than the soccer program, weren’t a fit.Wente plans on majoring in engineering like his dad and older brother during their college days.It was a risk. And doing so left Wente without many options.“It was kind of looking into darkness,” Wente said. “I didn’t know what was ahead of me. There was a future where I didn’t commit to any school because the recruiting situation is really hard here in New Mexico. It was definitely scary for me.“... My mom, one of my biggest supporters, was like, ‘What are you doing? This is what you’ve been working for. You might not get another opportunity.’ My dad was a little more pragmatic about it. He was like, ‘If you don’t like the academics there, you should look for another place.’ But they both supported me in what I wanted to do.”It turned out, Wente received a little bit of support from Valentin Noël, too.The United first-team midfielder played at Pitt from 2019-22 and reached out to the coaching staff on Wente’s behalf. It didn’t take long for the goalkeeper and the Panthers to share a mutual interest in each other.Wente liked that Pitt played in the ACC and had a national championship coach in Jay Vidovich. It certainly didn’t hurt that the school had the engineering program Wente liked.The keeper committed June 1.It hasn’t left a whole lot of time to get ready for the big move. Not that it’s a bad thing. But Wente is managing and checking over his to-do list.That also happens to include making sure he has some future winter attire. Pittsburgh can get a little colder than Albuquerque."I don’t know if I will actually be ready for that,” Wente said with a laugh. “It’s really green up there, but I heard last year they went into negative (temperatures) and had a lot of snow. I’ll have to layer up.”David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at dglovach@abqjournal.com or via X @DavidGlovach.More New Mexico United reading*'You want a hot take?' NM United has plenty of thoughts on soccer's biggest eventPlayers and coaches pick favorites, underdogs, best moments and tournaments heading into World Cup opener*Noël finds himself the popular player to seek out after NM United routMidfielder scores 1st goal of season in USL Cup win over Phoenix Rising FC*Match day: Phoenix Rising FC at New Mexico UnitedUNM gets rivalry matchup as USL Cup play resumes*Hurst believed a 'pretty real talk' was needed after NM United's last match against PhoenixClub sees plenty of benefits from honest conversation entering rematch*NM United sees road draw as 'valuable point'Coming off longest trip of season, NMU leaves Hartford with some positives*Match day: New Mexico United at Hartford AthleticNMU is capping off three games against top Eastern Conference opponents*NM United's road warriors find ways to stay sharpAhead of a 2,100-mile trip, players rely on video games and a relaxed routine to unwind and prepare for the match*Keller's late goal and Griddy dance lift UnitedNMU defender Kipp Keller scored in the 81st minute to secure a win over Charleston Battery, then celebrated with a signature dance move*Match day: Charleston Battery at New Mexico UnitedNMU looks to snap streak against another top club from Eastern Conference*A star is born? A look at the making of NM United's release video for new kitPlayers took on different roles in 'Breakfast Club'-inspired skit

SundayBoxing: Abraham Perez vs. Jonathan Gonzalez, 12 rounds for the WBA interim flyweight world title. 6 p.m., DAZN (subscription service)Abraham Perez’s April 4 victory over Esneth Domingo was a boxing master class — a portrait in time of the skills the Albuquerque fighter had acquired and honed over his many years in the amateur and professional ranks.Perez, the 27-year-old Albuquerquean nicknamed “Hammer,” won every round on all three official scorecards at the Embassy Suites that night, making a quality opponent in the person of Domingo (22-5, 14 knockouts) look helplessly overmatched.Now comes Jonathan Gonzalez, an opponent several cuts above Domingo or anyone else Perez has faced as a pro.Sunday in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Perez and Gonzalez will fight for the WBA interim flyweight (112-pound) title.Gonzalez (29-4-2 14 KOs), 35, a native of Brooklyn, New York but a resident of Caguas, Puerto Rico, is a former light flyweight (108-pound) world champion. Videos of his past fights depict a boxer-puncher with a style either tactical or aggressive, depending on what’s needed at a given time. He’s a southpaw; Perez (14-0, seven KOs) has faced only one other left-hander during his pro career, and that was in his fifth bout, a six-rounder, almost four years ago."He's calm (in the ring), Perez said of Gonzalez during a recent interview. "He's not gonna gas himself out or anything like that. … He's pretty slick, too.“He knows when to get in, when to get out. I guess that’s what I’m expecting.”What Perez expects from himself is an ability to deal with whatever comes.“I do have confidence,” he said, “that my knowledge is going to get me to the level that I need to be at. I believe I have the knowledge, I have the necessities, to deal with a southpaw.”That knowledge, those necessities, were earned through experience.At the height of an outstanding amateur career, Perez won the 2019 Golden Gloves national flyweight title and twice defeated Californian Anthony Herrera in winning the U.S. Olympic Trials.USA Boxing, the amateur sport’s governing body, nonetheless chose Herrera to compete (unsuccessfully) in international box-offs held to determine who’d advance to the Tokyo Olympics.“I wanted to quit,” Perez said of his disappointment. “But I also saw the roster of what was going to be happening for the rest of 2020.”So, Perez filed away any residual bitterness stemming from his Olympic snub and traveled to international amateur tournaments in Spain and France, where he faced both past and future Olympians (and a couple of talented southpaws). He briefly considered remaining in the amateurs with an eye on the 2024 Olympics but, instead followed his older brother, Aaron Angel Perez, into the pros.The Perez brothers have been fortunate in that their father, Aaron Perez, has been a boxing promoter since 2015. Abraham, matched carefully but progressively against fighters with different levels of experience and varied skill sets, has not come close to losing a fight.But, in August 2024, he almost lost his life.Just days away from a highly anticipated showdown against fellow Albuquerque unbeaten Matt Griego-Ortega, Perez blacked out while doing breathing-control exercises in his family’s swimming pool. His heart had stopped.Quick responses by his family and paramedics, followed by advanced care at UNM Hospital, had him back on his feet in a remarkably short time.In coming back to the ring, he made it look like riding a bike.Two fights into his return, Perez found himself in his birth city of El Paso facing a tough and experienced opponent in Angel Geovanny Meza, whose record at the time was 9-3-3 with six knockouts. Perez prevailed by unanimous eight-round decision.At that point, any concerns that effects of the near-drowning had lingered seemed put to rest.Perez himself needed a little more convincing, not totally unchanged by his brush with death. He still has some memory loss, he said, from the few weeks before the incident.“I like to be a little realistic and point out that maybe it did take a little bit out of me,” he said. “Something I don’t know yet what it could be.“But my reaction time is still there. … My reaction, my timing … I didn’t forget how to box, so that’s a plus right there.”On Dec. 12 at the Kiva Auditorium, Perez defeated Adrian Yair Ybarra by fifth-round TKO, claiming the NABF flyweight title. With the victory over Domingo came the IBF international flyweight belt, adding to Perez’s collection of national/regional titles that now stands at six.Far more meaningful is the WBA interim world title, held by Gonzalez since his victory by unanimous decision over Yankiel Rivera on Jan. 3, that Perez will seek to claim in Grand Rapids.Whether a Perez victory on Sunday would lead to a world title shot, and if so when, is unknown. “Interim” means whatever a particular sanctioning body wants it to mean.The WBA flyweight world champion is Ricardo Sandoval (27-2, 18 KOs), who won the title in Japan last July, has not fought since and according to boxrec.com does not have a title defense scheduled.This spring, Perez signed a promotional contract for a world title fight against WBO flyweight champion Anthony Olascuaga of Los Angeles, only to have the Olascuaga camp reject Perez as an opponent.Perez doesn’t believe Olascuaga’s people were afraid of him, more likely that they simply didn’t know enough about him."There's a little bit of footage on me (online)," Perez said, "but not a lot for them to study."Olascuaga (12-1, nine KOs) is scheduled to defend the WBO title against Andy Dominguez on July 11.Among Olascuaga’s 12 victories is a win by first-round TKO over Gonzalez, Perez’s opponent on Sunday. But that outcome was the controversial result of a clash of heads.For Perez, the trip to Grand Rapids will be the first by airplane — largely thanks to the local cards staged by his father/promoter — he’s undertaken as a pro. But his travel as an amateur to Bulgaria, Spain and France should leave him unfazed.Sunday's bout is scheduled for 12 rounds. Perez had never been past 10 rounds; Gonzalez has gone the 12-round distance six times.Something else: impending fatherhood. Perez’s life partner, Megan Almager, is expecting the couple’s first child, due to arrive in late July-early August.New challenges and potential distractions, then, abound.But anyone who watched the Domingo fight in April could attest that total focus is a Perez trademark.