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Representative Jared Huffman of California, the only self-declared “humanist” in Congress, writes in a new book that the separation of church and state is in grave danger.

When next the Tennessee Titans take the practice field, they'll be sharing it with the San Francisco 49ers. In the meantime, let's check in with The Tennessean's training camp Week 2 edition of the stock report.Last week the inside linebackers, center Austin Schlottmann and running back Tyjae Spears were on the way up with backup QBs and receiver Chimere Dike on the way down. This week let's dive a little bit deeper into some of the competitions that matter, some of the standouts and some of the broad disappointments before the Titans get ready for joint practice with the 49ers (Aug. 11) and the ensuing preseason game (Aug. 13, 8 p.m. CT, WKRN-2).Here is The Tennessean's weekly Titans training camp stock report.Titans stock report: Winners, losers, most important trends on Titans roster, depth chartStock up: Fernando Carmona Jr.What once looked like a two-way battle for the starting right guard job between veteran Cordell Volson and second-year contributor Jackson Slater now looks like a true three-headed competition. The offense moved well when Fernando Carmona Jr. was on the field on Aug. 9, particularly in the red zone. The fairest thing we can say at this point is that Carmona hasn't played his way out of the battle, which is a big win for a fifth-round rookie who started camp as the odds-on favorite for a No. 3 backup job.Stock up: The tight endsWith Wan'Dale Robinson installed as Cam Ward's safety blanket from the slot, practice started off looking like the tight ends would barely register as pass-catching threats in Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll's offense. That idea took a turn this week. Gunnar Helm looks like he could be a force in the red zone, David Martin-Robinson is starting to make the kinds of plays he always does this time of year and rookie Jaren Kanak even made a nice contested catch in practice on Aug. 9. Maybe there's some use here after all.Stock down: Special teams stabilityThe Titans worked out three kickers, two punters and two long snappers on Aug. 8. The kickers ― Younghoe Koo, John Hoyland and John Parker Romo ― feel like a response to the rough week incumbent kicker Joey Slye had, culminating in two missed kicks during the team's Blue and White Scrimmage. Special teams coordinator John Fassel is the one major beacon of continuity on this staff, and if his unit is in need of a shake-up, that's saying something.Stock down: Run defense depthThe second- and third-team offenses look really good running the ball. And while we could be optimists here and call that a stock up for Nick Singleton and Julius Chestnut, among others, what we really have to acknowledge is how necessary the defensive front seven depth is under Robert Saleh. The Titans figure to rotate nine or 10 defensive linemen on gamedays. If the backup O-line and backs are cooking, that doesn't instill a ton of confidence about Week 1 and 2 games against Breece Hall and Saquon Barkley. Life's going to look different when tackling is legal, but the point remains.Stock up: Carnell TateIt's evergreen, but Tate just looks so smooth. He's making the job look easy, and he's pretty clearly the Titans' best receiver already. The coaches trust him. Ward trusts him. Titans fans should trust him. Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Whose stock is up for Tennessee Titans? Fernando Carmona, for starters

Photo Credit: Randy Sartin.Toyota has had an up-and-down weekend at Iowa Speedway, but one driver has separated himself from the rest of the group heading into Sunday afternoon’s Iowa Corn 350.Ty Gibbs looks like Toyota’s best shot at a victory.Gibbs will start fifth in the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, putting him near the front of the field and in a strong position to capitalize on the speed he has shown throughout the weekend.The No. 54 showed strong pace during Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions, making Gibbs the standout Toyota as the field prepares for 350 laps around Iowa’s 7/8-mile layout.While several other Toyota drivers have struggled to find the same speed, Gibbs has consistently looked comfortable around Iowa. Starting inside the top five gives him an immediate advantage, allowing him to begin the race with valuable track position rather than having to fight through traffic.The contrast within Joe Gibbs Racing has been especially noticeable.Denny Hamlin battled brake issues throughout Saturday before qualifying 29th and is expected to take the green flag from 28th after Brad Keselowski drops to the rear. Gibbs, meanwhile, will begin the afternoon at the opposite end of the field with a chance to fight for the lead early.For Gibbs, the biggest challenge will be turning Saturday’s speed into a complete race.Iowa can change significantly over a long run as tires wear and drivers begin searching for different grooves. Having a car that remains strong throughout a full fuel run will be critical if Gibbs wants to stay near the front.But everything the No. 54 team has shown this weekend suggests Gibbs should be in the conversation.With strong speed and a fifth-place starting position, Ty Gibbs enters the Iowa Corn 350 as Toyota’s leading contender and one of the drivers to watch when the green flag drops Sunday afternoon.It’s Gibbs and a string of variation on Sunday.Check out the latest articles from EasySportzCheck out the latest FIFA World Cup scores

In the midst of a sterling season for the Atlanta Braves, Chris Sale was not going to let a perceived slight from an umpire go without a fight. On Saturday, the Braves ace was called for a fifth-inning balk that allowed the New York Yankees to score a go-ahead run, given that they had a man on third base. Sale, to put it mildly, did not agree with the call that effectively allowed the Yankees to eventually win 5-4 over the NL East leaders, while assigning responsibility to him for the loss (three earned runs allowed). With Sale not pitching in Sunday's series finale, he decided to throw his hands up from the dugout and continue pleading his case. He argued with the same umpire, Dan Bellino, who gave him the balk call a day before. Hilariously, he got himself ejected in the process. Honestly, since Sale was almost certainly not going to pitch right after giving the Braves six innings the day before, I suppose he thought the (ultimately fruitless; what was he going to accomplish, really?) dialogue was worth the risk.I can't blame him:Chris Sale was ejected before the start of today's Braves-Yankees game after voicing his frustration over yesterday's balk call.The BravesVision broadcast showed Sale making his case today.pic.twitter.com/fYm0O7UZGvhttps://t.co/tB8TmX791d— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 9, 2026Let's think about this from a logical perspective. Who's the real winner here: The umpire who has to stay in the 90-plus-degree heat at the stadium in New York, or Sale, who wasn't going to pitch on Sunday anyway, getting to go sit in an air-conditioned locker room for all nine innings? Hmm, what a tough one here, even if a balk initially hurt Sale much more. How many times has Chris Sale been ejected in his MLB career?This is the fourth ejection of Sale's MLB career. His last one came in August 2019 as a member of the Boston Red Sox. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Chris Sale got ejected after still arguing controversial balk call 1 day later

Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history who won five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics, died Sunday. He was 86.Nelson’s death was announced by the Golden State Warriors, one of the teams he coached. They did not release details.Nelson is one of two coaches in NBA history to have at least 250 wins with three different franchises — Milwaukee, Dallas and Golden State — also serving as general manager for all three franchises. He was a three-time coach of the year and made the playoffs 18 times in 31 seasons. He went to the conference finals three times with the Bucks and once with the Mavericks, never winning a title.Nelson introduced what is now known as the point forward, and his up-tempo style of offense created a buzz. He said the idea of shifting from the dominant big men of the 1970s to an offense focused on speed and the fast break came from his playing days under Celtics Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach.“The league really hadn’t seen an offense like the one we were running, and the results were undeniable,” Nelson wrote in 2016 in The Players’ Tribune.Nelson said that “without Red Auerbach teaching me the mechanics of running the fast break, none of it would have been possible. He deserves all the credit for Nellie Ball, and for how fast the game of basketball is played today.”Nelson played 11 of his 14 seasons in Boston and was on five Celtics championship teams under four different coaches. He became an assistant coach in Milwaukee after retiring as a player, then took over after coach Larry Costello resigned 18 games into the 1976-77 season. Nelson coached the Bucks for 11 seasons starting in 1976 and won seven straight division titles.In Nelson’s second season, Milwaukee overcame a 29-point fourth quarter deficit to beat Atlanta 117-115 in regulation.“I coached the team as though I was still playing for the Celtics, while implementing a few of my own strategies,” Nelson wrote. “I knew I wanted to play unconventional basketball and use speed to my advantage.”His fast-paced offenses were probably best on display with Golden State in the “Run TMC” era featuring future Hall of Famers Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. Nelson said he wanted them on the court at the same time.Nelson spent 11 seasons over two stints with Golden State. The first one was punctuated by a rift with rookie star Chris Webber, who was traded away a month into his second season. Nelson, demoralized by the trade, missed nine games that season due to illness and resigned under pressure three months later in February 1995.In between, Nelson was fired after less than one season in New York in 1995-96, then coached in Dallas for eight seasons, missing 21 games with the Mavericks starting in December 2000 to recuperate from prostate cancer surgery.Nelson’s son, Donnie, joined his father as an assistant coach with the Mavericks in 1998, later became general manager and remained with the organization until 2021. Together they persuaded 20-year-old German star Dirk Nowitzki to pass up European basketball and join the Mavericks. Don Nelson also developed Steve Nash into one of the NBA’s top point guards before Nash went on to win back-to-back MVPs with the Phoenix Suns in 2005 and 2006.At Golden State, Nelson’s “We Believe” Warriors led by Baron Davis upset Nowitzki and the top-seeded Mavericks in the first round of the 2007 playoffs in one of the biggest shockers in NBA history. In his final season as a coach, Nelson mentored rookie Stephen Curry in 2009-10. Nelson retired as the NBA’s career coaching wins leader with 1,335, just ahead of Lenny Wilkens’ 1,332. Nelson kept that top spot for nearly 12 years before close friend and now-retired San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich passed him in March 2022.Nelson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2025 he received the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association. Miffed that the Mavericks sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster trade, Nelson wore a pair of Doncic’s signature Jordan Brand sneakers to the awards ceremony. He called the trade a “tremendous mistake.”Born in Muskegon, Michigan, Nelson attended high school in Rock Island, Illinois, and averaged a double-double in college at Iowa. He spent his retirement years living on the Hawaiian island of Maui and owned several short-term rentals on the island. ___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

🚨Vlahovic, Leao, Lukaku: Serie A stars at a crossroads ⚠️ Turkey or bench?A year ago, they were three of the main faces of Serie A. Today, Romelu Lukaku, Dusan Vlahovic and Rafael Leao are facing a scenario that would have been unthinkable just a few months ago: move to Turkey to remain key players, or accept a backup role in Europe’s biggest leagues.Follow Napoli’s pre-season training camp up close! The friendly against Aris Thessaloniki will be broadcast live on OneFootball! Click here to check the match schedule and how to watch.Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş and Galatasaray are ready to welcome them as superstars.The big clubs in the Premier League, La Liga and the Bundesliga, on the other hand, seem willing to take them only under very different conditions: lower wages, more competition and no guarantees of a starting spot.An unthinkable scenario for three players of their caliber, all of them standout stars in the Italian league.Lukaku: from title-winning talisman to Hojlund’s backupThe fastest decline is probably Lukaku’s. In the summer of 2025, the Belgian was coming off a title-winning season as a key figure, but a serious rectus femoris injury virtually wiped out the following campaign: just seven appearances off the bench and only one goal for Napoli.Meanwhile, the Azzurri invested heavily in Rasmus Hojlund. Sporting director Manna admitted that the presence of both strikers would have to be made to “fit together,” while agent Pastorello was far more direct: imagining Lukaku as the number two would be very hard to accept.And then there is Fenerbahçe. The Turkish club is said to have already reached a basic agreement with the player and is now in talks with Napoli after an initial offer of around six million euros was rejected. Napoli’s asking price is believed to be close to ten million.The paradox is clear: a year ago, Lukaku was the centre-forward for the champions of Italy; today, if he wants to remain the focal point of a team, he may have to leave one of Europe’s top five leagues.Staying in Naples would mean battling Hojlund for the spot. Istanbul, on the other hand, would offer him what Big Rom has always looked for: responsibility, trust and a team built at least in part around his characteristics.Vlahovic: worth 70 million yesterday, a free agent todayVlahovic’s story is even more striking from an economic standpoint. He joined Juventus in January 2022 as one of Europe’s most sought-after strikers, and ended his time in black and white with 68 goals in 168 appearances, without ever fully becoming the dominant forward many had imagined when he was signed.Last season he scored seven goals in 19 Serie A matches and three in four Champions League appearances. Respectable numbers, also highlighted by the goal he scored after just ten seconds against Lecce, Juventus’ fastest league goal since statistical tracking began in 2004.But it was not enough to earn a renewal. His contract expired and, despite the chance to sign him without paying a transfer fee, Europe’s top clubs have still not made a serious move.The issue remains his salary: Vlahovic wants to maintain wages close to the 12 million euros net he earned in his final year at Juventus. That demand has cooled interest from the Premier League, La Liga and even Italian clubs themselves. By mid-July, according to La Gazzetta, Beşiktaş was the only club to have shown truly concrete interest.In Istanbul, he would reunite with Vincenzo Italiano, who coached him during the final part of his time at Fiorentina and contacted him personally. The Serbian initially asked for time while waiting for a top club, but Beşiktaş came back strongly, putting technical centrality and a salary on the table that nobody else seems willing to guarantee.Vlahovic is only 26. And yet his crossroads already resembles that of a big name in the downward phase of his career: starter and star in Turkey, or an alternative option in a top-tier European side.Leao wanted the Premier League, but only Istanbul is callingLeao’s case is different. The Portuguese is not a free agent, he is not 33, and he is not coming off a season completely ruined by injuries. But his output has dropped: in 2025/26 he made 31 appearances, scoring ten goals and providing three assists in all competitions, after finishing the previous season with ten goals and eleven assists.Leao has told Milan he wants to try a new experience. His preferred destination would be the Premier League, to the point that his entourage reportedly sounded out Arsenal, Manchester United and even Leeds. None of those tracks, however, turned into a concrete offer.The club that has truly made a move is Galatasaray. The Turkish side offered a loan with an option to buy, a formula rejected by Milan, who want a permanent transfer and value the player at around 50 million euros.On the salary front, Istanbul can be far more persuasive: Galatasaray is reportedly ready to allocate to Leao the budget freed up by Mauro Icardi’s departure, offering around ten million euros net, almost double the fixed portion he earns with the Rossoneri.That is the most significant detail for Milan and for Rafa himself: the player who for years was linked with PSG, Chelsea, Barcelona and Manchester City is now receiving his most concrete offers from the Super Lig.The market’s verdictFenerbahçe, Beşiktaş or Galatasaray can offer packed stadiums, high wages, a title race and European competitions, but not the same appeal as Europe’s top five leagues.And the truth for Vlahovic, Lukaku and Leao seems undeniable: Turkey appears to be the only market left willing to treat these players as outright superstars.In the major leagues, Lukaku would have to accept competition from a younger striker. Vlahovic would have to drastically lower his financial demands and probably start without any certainty of a place. Leao would find already established wingers at England’s top clubs and pecking orders he would have to climb.In Istanbul, on the other hand, they would arrive as poster boys.A year ago, they were the faces of Serie A. Today, the market is offering them two possibilities: accept a less central role in the elite, or start over as protagonists on the shores of the Bosphorus. And perhaps the real problem is not that Turkey wants Lukaku, Vlahovic and Leao. It is that, right now, only Turkey seems to want them.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

2026-08-09T18:51:31Z Don Nelson, the second-winningest coach in NBA history who won five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics, died Sunday. He was 86.Nelson’s death was announced by the Golden State Warriors, one of the teams he coached.Nelson is one of two coaches in NBA history to have at least 250 wins with three different franchises — Milwaukee, Dallas and Golden State — also serving as general manager for all three franchises. He was a three-time coach of the year and made the playoffs 18 times in 31 seasons. He went to the conference finals three times with the Bucks and once with the Mavericks, never winning a title.Nelson introduced what is now known as the point forward, and his up-tempo style of offense created a buzz. He said the idea of shifting from the dominant big men of the 1970s to an offense focused on speed and the fast break came from his playing days under Celtics Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach. Nelson played 11 of his 14 seasons in Boston and was on five Celtics championship teams under four different coaches. He became an assistant coach in Milwaukee after retiring as a player, then took over after coach Larry Costello resigned 18 games into the 1976-77 season. Nelson coached the Bucks for 11 seasons starting in 1976 and won seven straight division titles. His fast-paced offenses were probably best on display with Golden State in the “Run TMC” era featuring future Hall of Famers Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin. Nelson said he wanted them on the court at the same time. Nelson spent 11 seasons over two stints with Golden State. The first one was punctuated by a rift with rookie star Chris Webber, who was traded away a month into his second season. Nelson, demoralized by the trade, missed nine games that season due to illness and resigned under pressure three months later in February 1995. Read More In between, Nelson was fired after less than one season in New York in 1995-96, then coached in Dallas for eight seasons, missing 21 games with the Mavericks starting in December 2000 to recuperate from prostate cancer surgery.Nelson’s son, Donnie, joined his father as an assistant coach with the Mavericks in 1998, later became general manager and remained with the organization until 2021. Together they persuaded 20-year-old German star Dirk Nowitzki to pass up European basketball and join the Mavericks. Don Nelson also developed Steve Nash into one of the NBA’s top point guards before Nash went on to win back-to-back MVPs with the Phoenix Suns in 2005 and 2006. At Golden State, Nelson’s “We Believe” Warriors led by Baron Davis upset Nowitzki and the top-seeded Mavericks in the first round of the 2007 playoffs in one of the biggest shockers in NBA history. In his final season as a coach, Nelson mentored rookie Stephen Curry in 2009-10. Nelson retired as the NBA’s career coaching wins leader with 1,335, just ahead of Lenny Wilkens’ 1,332. Nelson kept that top spot for nearly 12 years before close friend and now-retired San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich passed him in March 2022.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Fred Richard competes in the men's rings event during the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)2026-08-09T18:28:40Z PHOENIX (AP) — The CEO and founder of Frederick Flips is a busy man. So busy it’s easy to wonder sometimes how interested Fred Richard is in keeping the main thing the main thing.The underlying tone of the social media content the 22-year-old gymnast and the rest of his five-man business team produce for Richard’s growing legion of followers gives off the vibe of someone who doesn’t take himself — or his sport — too seriously.Most of that is by design. The athlete who has made it his mission to bring gymnastics to a new audience knows making it seem like fun is a vital part of that process.It’s hardly the only part. And any questions about how invested Richard is in this whole thing were answered Saturday night, when he became the second Black gymnast to win a men’s all-around title.Richard pulled away from Shane Wiskus and Danila Leykin with six polished and professional routines, offering tangible proof that underneath goofing around on TikTok, his plan to be the face of the men’s Olympic program in Los Angeles in two years is very much in full swing.“Winning matters to show that your process is working,” Richard said late Saturday. Making a statement in more ways than oneThat’s even if Richard’s process can sometimes be at odds with the norms of a sport that has looked a certain way since long before the Massachusetts native was born.When Richard saluted the judges this weekend, he did it while wearing a uniform that ran afoul of the rules. And we’re not talking about the singlet that featured his trademark across his chest. Rather than don stirrup pants — long the de facto uniform on events like pommel horse — Richard opted for shorts with white compression leggings underneath. It’s something he began experimenting with during the later stages of his college career at Michigan, and one he has no plans of abandoning in domestic events even if it means receiving a three-tenths neutral deduction each time.On Thursday night, that meant his lead over Leykin was slimmer than it had to be. That didn’t stop Richard from taking the same deduction at the start of the competition on Saturday, admitting he was more than willing to potentially jeopardize his shot at a national title to make a statement. Read More “I told you I’d laugh if that happens,” Richard said. It didn’t come to that. He put together an energetic and confident performance to win by more than two points over Wiskus, a 2020 Olympian, and the promising 19-year-old Leykin.When Richard landed his vault during the final rotation — one that remains a work in progress as he tries to get his power under control — to seal the victory, he turned toward the crowd inside the Mortgage Matchup Center and flashed the “No. 1” sign before posing for a selfie atop the medal stand while asking the fans in the background to join in.Hey, the brand is the brand. And Richard doesn’t believe he has to choose between being a funny, charismatic and remarkably self-aware influencer and a champion. Yes, his uniform choice was a conversation starter. He doesn’t think it should distract from what he does while wearing it.“When you come to a competition, nothing else matters besides staying in your zone, focusing on the details and going for those skills,” he said. “That’s all I came here to do, get better under pressure.” Returning to the world stageWell, that and earn a spot on the national and world championship teams, roles he surprisingly missed out on a year ago that seemed to mute the glow from helping the American men win their first team medal in 16 years at the 2024 Olympics.He promised in the aftermath to get back to work, and with Olympic teammates Brody Malone and Asher Hong out this week — Malone is taking a break while Hong, a two-time national champion, is recovering from an ankle injury — Richard spent his time in the desert showing he’s ready to lead in something other than clicks.The teenager who announced himself by earning a surprise bronze in the all-around at the 2023 world championships is evolving. He served as a captain at Michigan, and as the window opens on his prime, he seems ready to pick up the mantle as a U.S. leader.“I feel like I’m not like, OK, there’s older guys that are like veterans, but I feel I’m entering that veteran territory,” he said. “It’s not my first worlds. It’s not first Olympics.” Even if there is plenty to do to assure himself of a place on the team that will step into the spotlight only a home Olympics provides two summers from now. He knows he needs to upgrade the difficulty in some of his routines to become a legitimate medal threat in Los Angeles.He’ll get a litmus test on where he currently stacks up when the American men take the floor at the world championships in the Netherlands in October. As encouraged as he is at how things are going, he’s hardly satisfied.The man who has a team of five working for him to keep his website and social media accounts booming understands there are a lot of 30-plus-hour weeks in the gym ahead. It’s a grind, one he embraces when the camera isn’t on.He’s hardly the only athlete who considers themselves an influencer. But the reality is anybody with a camera can become one. Not everyone can be a champion. As Los Angeles draws ever closer, Richard is leaning into the difference between the two. “The No. 1 trait of the most successful athletes, athlete creators, people growing their sports, people hitting icon status is winning,” he said. “And I want to keep winning and pushing myself to see how much better I can get.”___AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports WILL GRAVES Graves is a national writer for The Associated Press, based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NFL, MLB, NHL, the Olympics and major college sports. twitter facebook mailto

England have received a boost ahead of their three-match Test series against Pakistan, with opener Emilio Gay reportedly expected to recover in time for the first Test at Headingley, beginning August 19. Gay suffered a shoulder injury while playing for Durham against Middlesex on Friday, but scans have reportedly shown no serious damage.Gay made his Test debut against New Zealand earlier this year and scored two half-centuries in the three-match series. Despite some inconsistency, his partnership with Ben Duckett impressed England’s management, who want to give him more opportunities after dropping Zak Crawley.According to the Daily Mail Sport, Gay’s scan on Saturday revealed no major injury, meaning he should be available to resume his opening partnership with Duckett against Pakistan.The series will also be Joe Root’s first official assignment as England’s Test captain since returning to the role. Newly appointed head coach Stephen Fleming has been involved in selecting the squad, while Marcus Trescothick will oversee the team as interim head coach for this series before Fleming takes full charge. 133071954England face injury concernsEngland will be without top-order batter Jacob Bethell, who has been ruled out after suffering a knee injury during the team’s recent 2-1 ODI series win over India.England enter the series after losing 2-1 at home to New Zealand, while Pakistan drew their recent Test series in the West Indies.England squad for first two Tests against Pakistan: Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, and Josh Tongue.

Football is simple at its very core, but it is a very complex game to evaluate and analyze because 11 men try to work in harmony roughly 60 times per game, while 11 other men make it their job to disrupt that harmony. Pro football is not pro basketball in that a team can clear out one side of the court when things break down and the offense can still score. Pro football is also not pro baseball in that one player can defeat a pitcher and eight other fielders by timing his swing just right. In football, every player needs some help to accomplish their goal. Even as great and elusive as Barry Sanders was, he never beat a defense all by himself. That is part of what makes football so great and part of what makes it so highly unpredictable. The violence of the game - even by the tamer standards now - adds another element to the equation that is difficult to quantify. Regardless, it does not mean we should not try. Over the last month, I have evaluated the weekly matchups for 500-plus players. Analyzing matchups alone requires me to make more than 8,000 "decisions". Each year, my goal is to give those who put their faith in my evaluations the confidence that they have the best draft-day tool at their disposal. Even if my matchup-grading process is only 70% accurate, that is still a significant advantage over any analyst who does not consider it at all. It is more of a tiebreaker than anything else, although it has been very successful in helping me (and others) avoid potential busts over the years. Fantasy football is a stock market game, and the job of an analyst is to identify when stocks are poised to skyrocket or ready to tank. While last year's results help fantasy managers/analysts set the table for the following season, they are merely a starting point. Fantasy rankings and drafting need to be predictive, not reactive. I have taken this approach for roughly 20 years. While some of my processes have changed in that time, the main goal has not. The Success Score Index (SSI) below is powered in large part by my target and carry projections. As always, the matchup grades are included in the formula. SSI allows me to compare apples to oranges across positions. Perhaps just as importantly, I have been able to eliminate most of the guesswork across different scoring systems (PPR, standard, etc.) by adjusting the weights I place in the formula. For anyone unfamiliar with my Big Boards, allow me to explain the color-coding system before we start: Red – For lower-level players, a red matchup is the most difficult one a player can face. For a second- or third-tier player, drop your expectations for them at least one grade that week (i.e., from WR2 to WR3). For elite players, expect them to perform at least slightly worse that week. Yellow – For lower-level players, he is a borderline start at best. For a second- or third-tier player, the slight edge goes to the defense in what is essentially a toss-up. For the elite players, expect slightly better than average production. White – This one can go either way, but I favor the player over the matchup. Generally speaking, these matchups are winnable for all levels of players. Green – For non-elite players, the stage is set for a player to have a productive day. For the elite player, this matchup could produce special numbers. Over the next two weeks, I will release my first Big Boards for 0.5 PPR, superflex and standard leagues as well as the FFPC Big Boards. These boards will be updated regularly for the remainder of the preseason. Notes: Each Big Board will be appear on Google Sheets. Player names in red have some degree of injury/character/holdout concern. In addition, I have added distinct tiers for this round of Big Boards (represented by the different colors in the "Pos" column).Click here to download my 2026 PPR Big Board.This article originally appeared on The Huddle: Top 250 PPR Big Board

Demi Vollering claimed her third stage win on this year's Tour de France Femmes - and fifth overall [Getty Images]Demi Vollering showed her prowess on the final stage of the Tour de France Femmes to become the race's first two-time winner.The Dutch FDJ-Suez rider won the penultimate stage to snatch the leader's yellow jersey from Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney and carry an eight-second lead into Sunday's finale.The fifth edition of the race culminated with a 99.2km mountain stage, beginning and ending in Nice, which featured four ascents of the Col d'Eze and totalled 2,100m of climbing.Niewiadoma-Phinney's British team-mate Zoe Backstedt pushed the pace in the early stages before former race leader Marlen Reusser crashed on the second descent of the Col d'Eze.Reusser was third in general classification, 72 seconds behind Vollering, and although the Swiss rider could finish, she was unable to get back in contention.That left previous race winners Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney to battle it out and, just as Vollering did on Saturday, she pulled clear of her Polish Canyon-SRAM rival just before cresting the final climb and stretched her lead on the descent.The 29-year-old went on to finish more than a minute ahead of her rivals as she claimed her third stage win from nine in this year's race."I've never won wearing the yellow jersey before," said Vollering. "It's not only the dream to win in yellow here, to win a second Tour de France, but it's the dream to live this life, to work hard together with people with a lot of passion. I think that's the whole dream. It's incredible."Niewiadoma-Phinney felt Vollering's team-mate Celia Gery delibrately blocked her during stage eight, so Vollering wanted to prove a point with Sunday's emphatic victory."I went alone because I wanted to make it clear that we didn't win because of an incident yesterday," she added."That's not what I believe, and I wanted to make it clear that we, as a team, deserve to win a beautiful Tour de France Femmes, with humility and pride."Vollering and Niewiadoma-Phinney, 31, kept up their record of being on the podium in every edition of the race, while Italy's Elisa Longo Borghini, 34, claimed her first top-three finish.Money problems, spooked sponsors and broken dreamsAn iconic climb, followed by iconic fall-out - analysisThis Tour de France Femmes has been a classic – thanks largely to some excellent course design by organisers ASO.Each year race organisers have France - and various Grand Depart options elsewhere - as a blank canvas to work out which chateaus on which hills the peloton will wind its way around, which picturesque cities play host to time trials and which brutally steep mountain will be climbed and when.And the race's first visit to Mont Ventoux in the women's event since its re-incarnation as a stage race in 2022 late in a nine-day race, set the scene for an epic effort by the likeable Niewiadoma-Phinney.She beat new demons with every breath and grimace up to the iconic, moon-like dusty rock formations of a mountain which once tragically claimed the life of Briton Tom Simpson on the 1967 Tour.It was enough to put the Pole into the yellow jersey, before, and just 24 hours later, she found herself yelling at one of Vollering's team-mates after having been ridden towards the crowd in what she felt was a dangerous attempt to unsettle her and allow Vollering to pull away.Whether it was poor form or simply part-and-parcel of modern bike racing will be debated. But, given Niewiadoma-Phinney more or less inherited the yellow jersey from favourite Vollering when she crashed in 2024, it may quell any broader sense of injustice.Either way, the course, and the riders who suit that specific design, came together in the kind of thrill that men's cycling, at times, can only dream of in an exhaustingly uncompetitive Tadej Pogacar era.Tour de France Femmes stage nine resultsDemi Vollering (Ned/FDJ-Suez) 2hrs 44mins 43secsPaula Blasi (Spa/UAE Team ADQ) +1min 4secsKasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Pol/Canyon-SRAM) Same timeNiamh Fisher-Black (NZ/Lidl-Trek) "Antonia Niedermaier (Ger/Canyon-SRAM) +1min 6secsIsabella Holmgren (Can/Lidl-Trek) +1min 8secsElisa Longo Borghini (Ita/UAE Team-L'imad) +1min 14secsFemke de Vries (Ned/Visma–Lease a Bike) +1min 57secsDominika Wlodarczyk (Pol/UAE Team-L'imad) Same timeCedrine Kerbaol (Fra/EF Education-Oatly) "Final general classificationDemi Vollering (Ned/FDJ-Suez) 30hrs 54mins 51secsKasia Niewiadoma-Phinney (Pol/Canyon-SRAM) +1min 18secsElisa Longo Borghini (Ita/UAE Team-L'imad) +4mins 29secsAntonia Niedermaier (Ger/Canyon-SRAM) +5mins 10secsPaula Blasi (Spa/UAE Team ADQ) +6mins 13secsCedrine Kerbaol (Fra/EF Education-Oatly) +6mins 41secsDominika Wlodarczyk (Pol/UAE Team-L'imad) +7mins 53secsIsabella Holmgren (Can/Lidl-Trek) +9mins 12secsKim le Court (Mau/AG Insurance-Soudal) +14mins 4secsNiamh Fisher-Black (NZ/Lidl-Trek) +15mins 14secs

For most coaches, the issue of player concussions requires sympathy. Moving forward, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan will easily be able to empathize with players who have suffered head trauma.In his first training-camp press conference following a July 11 automobile accident, Shanahan was asked if the severe concussion that he sustained will change his perspective on players who are dealing with the effects of brain injuries.“Yeah, no doubt," Shanahan said. "I've been told so much by these guys, don't compare a sports concussion to an accident like this. I'm starting to realize that now. Just little things, like when they label things, like whether it's severe or mild. You hear someone has a mild one, I'm like, ‘Oh, alright. It might be one game, but usually that's two.’ Then you kind of learn those are just words. Each one's a little bit different. I definitely can relate to how scary it is when you don't know if you will feel right again. It's definitely made me more educated on it. Usually I just listen, and like, ‘Tell me when, OK?’ and I move on, but I understand it a lot better and what guys got to go through and the protocol to get back. There’s not a protocol for me on paper, but it's really cool to be in a profession that knows what to do with those things. All the people that I need help from, it was already built in here. They’ve got a lot of experience with it, and it's been really good for me.”If anything, players need to be encouraged to not return until they're fully back to normal. Some players will try to hide their symptoms. Some will resist being evaluated. Some will tank the baseline cognitive exams so that it will be easier to be cleared to return. (Peyton Manning once admitted to doing that, before walking it back as a joke.)Starting in 2009, when Congress got involved in the issue of brain health, the NFL began to take concussions very seriously. For the most part, it does. (There are still periodic lapses in the concussion-spotting process.)Moving forward, Shanahan will have a better understanding of the challenges created by a concussion. And while very few players use a concussion as a crutch to avoid practicing and/or playing, Shanahan could be a valuable resource when it comes to encouraging players to take their time. It also could make him less likely to allow a player to lose his prior spot in the depth chart due to missing time because of a head injury.

Motorsport photoAlessandro de Tullio went flag-to-flag from pole to claim a dominant Indy NXT victory at Portland International Raceway.The Argentine led all 35 laps in the No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing entry to win by 2.169 seconds around the 12-turn, 1.964-mile natural road course. It marked de Tullio’s second win of the season. “Yeah, it wasn’t easy,” de Tullio said. “I had to take care of the tires; there was quite a bit of deg there towards the end. I went for the fastest lap at the end, but I didn’t get it by almost nothing. But yeah, it was a good race, the start was a bit gnarly with Lochie (Hughes). He really charged into Turn 1, but we were able to hold that off. We were able to get a good restart after the safety car. The car was great. I can’t thank the whole team enough.”The Andretti Global duo of Hughes and Max Taylor finished second and third, respectively. Tymek Kucharczyk, driving the #71 entry for HMD Motorsports, finished fourth. Jacob Abel, making his first series appearance since finishing runner-up in the 2024 championship, completed the top five.The championship picture took another turn as Enzo Fittipaldi (HMD Motorsports) and Nikita Johnson (Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR) finished seventh and eighth, respectively. As a result, Fittipaldi vaulted back into the championship lead, holding a one point lead over Johnson (476-475) with three rounds to go. Kucharczyk sits third in the title race at 18 points back. The RaceIt was a clean start for de Tullio, but there was contact between Andretti teammates - second and third starters - Hughes and Taylor. HMD Motorsports’ Jack Beeton, who started deeper in the field in 14th, spun after contact in Turn 1 but continued on. On Lap 3, however, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Carson Etter spun on the exit of Turn 12 and brought out the race’s first caution. The restart came on Lap 5, with de Tullio getting a good jump on Hughes and the rest of the field. The field began to string out over the next few laps, with the closest battle on track coming between a pair of championship rivals in Fittipaldi and Johnson, in 10th and 11th, respectively. Myles Rowe (Abel Motorsports) spun moments later in Turn 1 after contact with Niels Koolen (Chip Ganassi Racing) as the two battled for seventh; Rowe fell to 15th while Koolen continued on and took seventh. Race Control handed Koolen a drive-through penalty for avoidable contact.By Lap 15, the lead for de Tullio stood at 1.8785s over Hughes. Five laps later, de Tullio had extended the margin to 2.5 seconds.The top five with 15 laps to go were de Tullio, Hughes, Taylor, Kucharczyk, and Abel. The field remained strung out, with Fittipaldi and Johnson, now running seventh and eighth, continuing to be the closest battle on track. Hughes closed to 2.6 seconds with three laps remaining and trimmed another 0.3 seconds from the gap one lap later.In the end, though, De Tullio ultimately controlled the final laps to win by 2.169 seconds over Hughes. Read Also: Jacob Abel returns to Indy NXT grid with Abel Motorsports for Portland Grand Prix Matteo Nannini leads Cape Motorsports 1-2 in Nashville Indy NXT race Indy NXT has a new points leader after Mid-Ohio sweep To read more Motorsport.com articles visit our website.

A new study has found that healthcare professionals are not doing enough to screen trans patients who have had top surgery for breast cancer. Published July 29 in the Breast Cancer Research and Treatment journal, the researchers emphasized the “dearth of available data” on cancer risk profiles of people who have had gender-affirming mastectomies, “including a lack of consistent guidelines that are infrequently implemented in practice.” Related New study diminishes right-wingers’ claim that gender-affirming care harms kids’ bones The study explained that top surgery differs from a standard risk-reducing mastectomy performed on people who are genetically predisposed to develop breast cancer. Unlike the risk-reducing mastectomies, gender-affirming mastectomies do not remove all of the breast tissue but instead leave some tissue in place to “construct a masculine chest contour.” As such, the researchers explain that while trans top surgery patients have a lower risk of breast cancer than cisgender women who have not had mastectomies, they are still at higher risk than cisgender men. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today They also recommend trans people undergo a “pre-surgical risk assessment” for breast cancer before receiving top surgery, the results of which “could inform surgery technique, providing a key avenue to close precision oncology care gaps” for trans people. A pilot study suggested that about 50% of patients will choose the full risk-reducing mastectomy over traditional gender-affirming top surgery if they are found to be at elevated risk for breast cancer. The study also revealed a lack of education among patients on the importance of breast cancer screening after top surgery. In addition, healthcare professionals reported “discomfort and limited knowledge” about breast cancer screening for trans people, as well as confusion over whose responsibility it is to conduct the risk assessment: “While a primary care provider noted reliance on surgeons for screening decisions, a surgical oncologist deferred to primary care to initiate risk assessment while acknowledging a need for dedicated attention.” “Combined with conflicting guidelines for [Trans and gender diverse]-specific care, this discomfort may exacerbate care gaps in precision medicine in ways that specifically impact” trans people, the researchers wrote. The study called for “coordinated structural initiatives that prioritize equity and precision.” These findings are consistent with the overall lack of information and consistent guidelines on health care for trans men. For example, a first-of-its-kind study published in July in the journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica found that pregnant trans men may be more likely to miscarry than pregnant cis women, with researchers emphasizing that much more data is needed to draw any strong conclusions. Similar to the breast cancer study, the review concluded that pregnancy in transmasculine people is woefully understudied, and OBGYNs are also severely underprepared to treat transmasculine patients. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 09: Julio Rodríguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on Saturday, August 9, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Rod Mar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images Go Rays!Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!

Roma’s see €25 million bid for Mora rejected by PortoRoma are keen to sign Gian Piero Gasperini with a much-needed attacking winger. In recent hours, a name that has been hotly debated within the Giallorossi is Rodrigo Mora. The Portuguese has been in the sights of the Roman club, but negotiations are still in the early stages. The player was offered by Jorge Mendes despite ongoing negotiations with Galatasaray. The Trigoria club, as reported by Fabrizio Romano and Matteo Moretto, has decided to take a decisive stance. The Dragoes are asking for a full package worth €50 million. At this stage, the Roma’s management is trying to determine the feasibility of the deal: the initial offer from the capital is no more than €25 million.Roma’s initial offer is an attempt to demonstrate their willingness to begin official negotiations to close the deal. Currently, the valuation is widely divergent, and the clubs will maintain contact in the coming hours. It remains to be seen whether the Roman club intends to raise its offer closer to €50 million or whether it will remain at its current level.

Andoni Iraola’s plan for Ronaldo Araujo could end up being a masterstrokeRonald Araujo's Liverpool move is now not that far away from being confirmed. The defender will be joining the Anfield outfit on a season-long loan with a €55 million option to buy.He can be used as a centre-back or a right-back and, even though his injury history leaves a lot to be desired, just a couple of years ago, he was seen as one of the world's best centre-backs.Of course, things have changed since then but if the defender can manage to get back to his best for Liverpool, he could end up being one of their most important signings of the season.However, since this deal came out of nowhere, it's unclear what Andoni Iraola's exact plans are for the Uruguayan, however, now that everyone has had a couple of days to think things through, Araujo's move could end up being a masterstroke.Ronald Araujo could be a stop-gap option before Liverpool re-sign Jarell QuansahAs everyone knows, Liverpool's defence has been a major concern for them over the last couple of years.And, now that Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate have both exited, they're even less stable at the back.On the face of things, bringing Araujo in makes a lot of sense but, when he's been described as the Darwin Nunez of centre-backs, it does add a bit of worry to the thoughts of fans.However, the fact that it's only a season-long loan deal with an option to buy rather than an obligation is certainly reassuring.So, if things don't go to plan and Aruajo ends up flopping, they won't have any commitments.This deal also opens Liverpool up to being able to re-sign Jarell Quansah.The Reds have a buy-back clause included in his deal with Bayer Leverkusen and, if he has another season of performing well for the Bundesliga outfit, it's something that the Reds would certainly have to consider.He can play as a centre-back or a right-back and, since he'd be homegrown at the club, he'd be a perfect signing.Quansah is also younger than Araujo so he'd have more time to develop into an even better player than he already is.Liverpool should have never sold Jarell QuansahBet £10, Get £30 in Free BetsOpen an account and place a qualifying bet of £10 at min odds of 1/5 (1.2) or greater.18+New UK/ROI customers. Min £5 deposit. Bet Credits available on settlement of qualifying bets, capped at £10 stake. Min odds 1/5 (1.20). Bet Credits expire in 7 days. Excl. Cashed Out/Free Bets/Boosted odds. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org£30 FREECLAIM NOW18+Gambling can be addictive — please only bet what you can afford to lose. For free support visitBeGambleAware.org or call 0808 8020 133 (free, 24/7). Self-exclude at GAMSTOP.co.uk. AnfieldWatch is not a licensed betting operator. Offers subject to change.The fact that Arne Slot rarely trusted anyone outside of his starting XI has really messed things up for Liverpool.As per the Premier League's rules, in order for clubs to be able to have a full 25-man squad, eight of those players need to be homegrown.At the moment, Liverpool don't have enough homegrown players to fill those spots which means that they could end up being a player or two down going into the start of the 2026-27 Premier League season.And, since homegrown players such as Elliott Anderson and Morgan Rogers are both being sold for over £115 million, it's clear that the English tax on players is going to be high this season.However, if Liverpool kept hold of Quansah last summer, he'd have probably replaced Konate and would've allowed Liverpool to use their last non-homegrown spot on someone other than Araujo.Hindsight is obviously a wonderful thing but, even when players such as Quansah and Tyler Morton were sold, fans questioned why Liverpool were doing it.There's now obviously less than a month left of the summer transfer window so deals need to be confirmed soon but, if the Reds had just kept hold of some of their first-team squad last season, they'd be in a much better position than they find themselves in now.

Reminding some of the once viral Techno Viking, Kasper Hogh is already earning rave reviews after recording his first goals - and first hat-trick - for Celtic.Big-money signings come with big expectations and the Scottish champions' record-breaking summer recruit put in a statement performance in Saturday's thumping 5-1 win over Kilmarnock.The £11m striker had his side ahead in just 64 seconds and, with little more than half an hour played, he had already earned the match ball, a firm back-post header having been followed by a precise low finish before a diving finish completed a rapid-fire treble.Although Daizen Maeda had managed the feat in cup ties, this was the first hat-trick from a Celtic forward in the league since October 2022, when James Forrest hit three against Hibernian. Unsurprisingly, it's already drawing comparisons between the new number nine and the heroes of the past.The Danish forward has only played 175 minutes of competitive football for Celtic so far, but the signs are already hugely encouraging and Premiership defences have been put on notice that a proven goalscorer has arrived.'A total and utter natural goalscorer'Hogh had drawn some criticism for failing to show a finishing touch against Dundee in Celtic's Premiership opener, but he didn't take long to put that experience behind him when he rose to nod in Arne Engels' cross from close range while some fans were still taking their seats at Rugby Park. The goal impressed BBC pundit Pat Nevin, who noted it as "an easy goal, but a good goal and that's where strikers want to live".The former Scotland winger watched Hogh find space to add two more and believes there's already evidence that the defending champions have a real talent on their hands. "Hogh is a new star," Nevin said. "And the Celtic fans have got someone they are going to fall in love with because he looks to me like a total and utter natural goalscorer, as well as a good technical player as well."Celtic loved Daizen Maeda with his workrate, and before that Kyogo Furuhashi, but this guy looks like he can fill those shoes with some ease."I can remember watched Kyogo in his first game and thinking 'Oh, my word, you could be the new Larsson' because of his movement and he's that good. "After 45 minutes, I'm looking at Hogh and thinking this isn't a fluke. Some players can come in and get a hat-trick and it's a bit lucky because you find yourself in the right position."No, this is a player, this is a striker who knows where the goal is, knows where to go, has intelligent movement and there's his link-up play as well."BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter, Tom English, was equally impressed and saw a striker who can "tear up this league"."Hogh is looking more ruthless than he did on Monday, when he had chances and didn't take them," he said."In my opinion, he is the most proven goalscorer that Celtic have signed since Chris Sutton. I'm talking about pedigree, who has done it before he got to Celtic. "Look at the goals he's scored in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Inter Milan and for Bodo/Glimt against Sporting, Olympiacos and Porto."I think it's £11m very well spent and this guy is going to get buckets of goals this season. He's a six-yard-box striker, not exclusively, but he gets a lot of his goals there and in this league against the defenders he's coming up against, he's going to tear up this league."Tougher tests lie aheadSpeaking to Sky Sports after the final whistle, Hogh laughed as he put his exploits down to "shooting practice", but he already had a strong scoring record from his time in Norway, where he was Bodo/Glimt's top scorer in the last two seasons and built a wider reputation as Kjetil Knutsen's side made a splash in Europe. It's that balance of sustained goalscoring across both domestic and European football that Celtic are hoping to get from the 25-year-old. After the goals that drew him level with St Mirren midfielder Killian Phillips as the top scorer in the Premiership at this early stage, his next challenge is to help his side progress in the League Cup before the crucial Champions League play-off tie against LASK.Sunday's hat-trick is a start on repaying the record outlay that Celtic made to bring him to Glasgow, but the club is eyeing progress in Europe and the riches the Champions League can lavish on the club will easily exceed what was paid for the forward.If Hogh can help the team to success at the elite level, where he has already shone against the biggest names, comparison with great Celtic strikers of the past is guaranteed.

At his NBA peak, Monta Ellis was a relentless, rim-pressure guard who enjoyed four separate seasons in which he scored at least 20 points per game. At his NBA peak, Steph Curry was the greatest 3-point shooter in the history of basketball; a bona fide pioneer who permanently changed the way one of the world's most popular sports is played, while serving as the MVP-caliber talisman for four Golden State Warriors championship teams. He is a franchise legend, an icon the Warriors will almost certainly construct some sort of statue out of his likeness years after he retires. Yet Ellis, apparently, thinks their talent is comparable. While talking about his background after becoming Alcorn State's new basketball general manager on Friday, Ellis claimed the only real difference between himself and Curry during their respective Warriors careers was that Curry played with stacked teams capable of making NBA Finals runs year in and year out. Whereas the best Golden State team Ellis ever played was a 42-win squad that upset the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 2007 playoffs. At a surface level, Ellis does have a point. In his prime, Curry shared the floor with three other surefire Hall of Famers in Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant. That definitely helped Curry be himself and focus on what he does best. Ellis never played with anyone like that in Golden State. What's funny is that the Warriors didn't think Ellis and Curry were comparable. If anything, they clearly thought Ellis would get in Curry's way as he blossomed, which is why they traded Ellis in 2012 as Curry was finishing up his third NBA season. And again, Ellis was a dime-a-dozen rim-pressure guard we've seen so many times before. Curry, even now at his older age, sometimes remains unguardable because of his transcendent shooting ability that another player may never replicate. I'm sorry, but there's no way, shape, or form that these two would've ever been interchangeable on Golden State teams that reached the NBA's tallest summit. More from ESPN:"Real people that know basketball and all that, they know that. They know the [Warriors] team that I was dealt with. If you switched me and Steph [Curry] out with the [Warriors] team that won the championships, it'd be the same thing. So you've got to take the good with the bad, and that's cool. It put me in a position to make money for me and my family. I ran with that."I'm so curious to learn who "real people that know basketball" are in this case because I'd venture to guess no one with a big name would attach themselves to an opinion asserting Ellis's talent was ever comparable to Curry's in any way. Or, really, anyone who likes and knows basketball. Kudos to Ellis for the new gig and for parlaying his still-successful NBA career into the life he's built. He can't get what happened between his tenure with the Warriors and what happened in Curry's twisted, though. Not one bit. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Monta Ellis made laughable statement about his interchangeability with Steph Curry

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Harris II opened the 10th inning with an RBI single, and the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Yankees 2-1 on Sunday to prevent a three-game sweep.Matt Olson homered off Cam Schlittler’s 100-mph fastball to give Atlanta the lead in the seventh. Trent Grisham hit a tying homer in the eighth off Didier Fuentes before Atlanta regained the lead against Paul Blackburn (3-2).Harris snapped the tie by grounding a 2-2 pitch into right field as automatic runner Ha-Seong Kim easily scored.Raisel Iglesias (1-2) struck out two in the ninth and Tyler Kinley struck out Ryan McMahon to finish a perfect 10th and secure his first save.The Braves won for the ninth time in 11 games after getting dominated by Schlittler, who allowed Olson’s 34th homer among three hits in seven innings. Schlittler struck out 11 for his third career double-digit strikeout game and threw nine pitches at 100 mph or faster.Olson connected after Grant Holmes held the Yankees to three hits in six innings. Holmes had his fifth scoreless start this season and was aided by his defense.Shortstop Jim Jarvis started a double play in the third and Holmes got rookie George Lombard Jr. to line into a double play to end the fifth. Harris also made a leaping catch on Grisham in center field to end the third and Ronald Acuña made a strong throw from right field with runners at second and third to prevent the Yankees from scoring in the sixth.The Yankees fell to 2-9 in extra innings and were held to one run for the 20th time. New York also finished with four hits or fewer for the 17th time.Up NextBraves: RHP Bryce Elder (8-6, 3.69 ERA) opposes Mets RHP Christian Scott (3-3, 3.15) in the opener of a three-game series in Atlanta on Monday.Yankees: LHP Ryan Weathers (5-7, 3.79) opens a three-game series against visiting Seattle on Tuesday.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has stepped away from football.“His biggest worry was letting us down, that’s the type of guy he is," Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said Sunday, when Bridgewater was placed on the reserve/retired list.The 33-year-old journeyman had signed a one-year deal with the Lions in March after spending 2025 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also spent 2023 and part of 2024 with Detroit.“So I’ve known Teddy a long time. As a human being he is unbelievable. Certainly as a player, everything that he’s about, the type of teammate he is, the way he prepares. He always played the game up here," an emotional Campbell said, pointing to his head. “He had a huge heart. He’s going to be missed."Campbell, who was assistant head coach with the New Orleans Saints when Bridgewater played there in 2018 and 2019, has maintained a close relationship with the quarterback.“I’ll never forget 2019 when Drew (Brees) got injured. We’d just gone out to the Rams, got beat out there and Drew got his thumb and we lost him for five weeks," Campbell said. “Teddy stepped in and we won five in a row. That was Teddy. His time being with us meant a lot, and it meant a lot to our guys. He’s going to be missed."Bridgewater had been signed to back up Jared Goff. Undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer, the only other QB on the Lions roster, had been getting more reps in training camp earlier this week when Bridgewater was absent, and again on Sunday.“I thought he did some really good things," Campbell said. “He was put in some tough positions for a young player that you absolutely have to be put in, you just do, you’ve got to be thrust in, you need to fail, you need to make mistakes so you can grow and we thought he handled it really well.”Altmyer said he has learned so much from Bridgewater.“It was a joy to spend some time with him, but it brings about opportunity for myself, and the standard is to play good football no matter how many reps and or whatever my role is, I have a job to do and my job is to do that very, very well at a high level," Altmyer said. “I’m thankful. I believe in my abilities and I’m going to go cut it loose whatever that looks like for me.’’The Lions plan to sign a veteran quarterback as soon as Monday.Campbell said Goff will not play in the preseason game Thursday in Cincinnati.“Certainly Altmyer will take a heavy load and anybody else we get we’ll get them up to speed as fast as we can and give them some reps," Campbell said.Bridgewater was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 and started 28 games his first two seasons. Before the 2016 season he tore his ACL and suffered more structural knee damage that kept him out of action into the 2017 season. Bridgewater also played for the Dolphins, Broncos, Panthers and Jets.In 2024, before he re-signed with the Lions in December, Bridgewater coached Miami Northwestern Senior High, his alma mater, to the Florida Class 3A state championship. But he was suspended for the 2025 season after revealing that he personally paid for meals, ride-share services and treatments for some players.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Keegan Bradley’s season came to an end Sunday with a 2-under 68 at the Wyndham Championship. Bradley began the week 72nd in FedExCup points and is projected to remain outside the playoff cutline.That ends a run of 15 consecutive appearances in the playoffs, which was the longest-active streak after Jason Day missed the cut this week to snap his stretch of 18 straight.“Yeah, it was a tough year. It was a tough – it's been a tough like year and a half,” Bradley said. “I'm looking forward to getting home and resetting and coming out next year a little fresher maybe. I got off to such a terrible start this year. Next year hopefully will be better.”Coming off a year in which he won once and captained the U.S. Ryder Cup team, Bradley missed three of his first five cuts in 2026 and didn’t have a finish better than T-12 all season.He needed a low score Sunday at Sedgefield Country Club to have a shot at Memphis, and birdied Nos. 5, 6, 8 and 9. Unfortunately, he also made double bogey at the par-3 seventh. The back nine consisted of two birdies and two bogeys, including a dropped shot at the last.He was outside the top 40 when he signed his card in the early afternoon and was projected to lose ground in the points standings.The top 70 will qualify for the first playoff event, next week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind. The top 50 will then make it to the BMW Championship, before the top 30 compete at the Tour Championship.As for Bradley, he’s not sure if and when he might play in the fall series. His status is secure for 2027 thanks to his victory at last year’s Travelers Championship. But he does have the Presidents Cup, Sept. 24-27 at Medinah, where he will serve as one of U.S. captain Jim Furyk’s assistants.“I'm excited to be vice captain at the Presidents Cup, looking forward to getting back in there with the guys and enjoying that team atmosphere,” he said. “Then really need to just kind of move on from all this stuff and hopefully have a better next year.”

Image Credit: lelandsauctions / Instagram.Hope Solo is opening part of her personal soccer archive to collectors, including the uniform she wore when the United States defeated Japan in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup final.The former U.S. goalkeeper has placed more than 45 career items in Lelands’ 2026 Summer Classic Auction. The collection includes her signed, match-worn red goalkeeper jersey and shorts from the championship match, along with her 2015 World Cup championship ring as a separate lot.Solo’s Golden Glove from the same tournament is also available, as are match-worn jerseys from the U.S. victories over China and Germany during its run to the final. TMZ reported on the collection as bidding continued in August.The auction opened July 26 and is scheduled to close August 15, giving collectors a chance to bid on items spanning Solo’s international career from 2000 to 2016.Solo’s World Cup Final Uniform Was Photo-Matched to the Japan Victory View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lelands Auctions (@lelandsauctions)The featured uniform consists of the Nike goalkeeper jersey and shorts Solo wore on July 5, 2015, at BC Place in Vancouver. The United States defeated Japan 5-2 that night to capture its third Women’s World Cup title.Lelands’ official listing says both pieces were conclusively photo-matched to the final through distinctive wear characteristics visible in photographs from the match. The auction house says the jersey shows multiple pulls that correspond to those seen in game images.Solo made three saves in the final. The jersey and shorts were consigned directly by her and are both signed. Lelands says the lot comes with a Davious Photo-Matched letter of authenticity for the jersey, a letter from Solo and PSA authentication.Her Golden Glove and Championship Ring Are Separate LotsSolo’s championship ring from the 2015 tournament is being offered separately from the final-worn uniform. Another major lot is the Golden Glove she received as the tournament’s top goalkeeper.She allowed three goals across seven matches during the U.S. title run and recorded five clean sheets. The collection also contains signed, match-worn and photo-matched jerseys from the quarterfinal victory over China and semifinal win against Germany.Other pieces include Solo’s 2014 CONCACAF Women’s Championship Golden Glove, her 2016 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Golden Glove, a match-worn jersey from the 2016 Olympics, the team-signed and match-used ball from her 100th international appearance, and the dress she wore to the 2015 ESPY Awards, according to Auction Report.Solo Says the Timing Felt Right to Sell View this post on Instagram A post shared by SportsCollectorsDigest (@sportscollectorsdigest)Solo said increased attention around soccer in the United States influenced her decision to make the memorabilia available. “With soccer’s popularity in the U.S. reaching new heights around this World Cup, it felt like the right time to let these pieces of my career become part of this sport’s history in new hands,” she said.She added, “I hope whoever adds these pieces to their collections feels the same connection to this game that I have.” A portion of the auction proceeds will benefit SheBelongs, a soccer-centered nonprofit focused on leadership and community building for refugee and underserved young women. The Collection Spans a Record-Setting USWNT CareerSolo made 202 appearances for the U.S. women’s national team and recorded 153 victories and 102 shutouts, all U.S. goalkeeping records. She won Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012 and was the starting goalkeeper when the United States captured the 2015 World Cup.She was also awarded the World Cup Golden Glove in both 2011 and 2015. Solo was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame as part of its 2022 class but deferred her induction ceremony until the following year. The Hall of Fame formally inducted Solo in May 2023.

The Tennessee Titans finished off their second week of training camp with the annual Blue & White scrimmage on Friday night at Nissan Stadium. In what was a competitive contest, the defense eventually prevailed using the modified scoring system.As with the performances early in training camp, there have been some ups and downs, and that was the case throughout the second week of training camp, with both good and bad performances.Here's a look at the players who are rising or falling in the training camp stock report.Stock up: LB James WilliamsWilliams has consistently made plays throughout training camp and in the scrimmage. The former college safety has reshaped his body, looks explosive, and has made plays at every level of the defense. He has been one of the biggest surprises during the early stage of training camp.Stock down: LB Cody BartonBarton is being pushed by rookie second-round pick Anthony Hill Jr., who continues to gain traction in the defense, and has not made the impact many would have expected. Barton struggled in 2025 and has not taken a step forward during training camp. The veteran linebacker looks stiff in coverage and is being outplayed by Williams, Hill, and Cedric Gray through the first two weeks of camp. No one knows how many linebackers the Titans will keep, and Barton needs to pick up the pace.Stock up: RB Nick SingletonSingleton got some extra reps in the scrimmage when both Tyjae Spears and Kalel Mullings left with injuries, and the rookie running back took full advantage. Singleton looked decisive and explosive, and proved he could be a solid complement to Tony Pollard in the backfield.Stock down: RB Kalel MullingsMullings is fighting for one of the final roster spots; he needs to perform, and leaving the scrimmage early does not help his cause. He finished with two carries for eight yards, but missed a golden opportunity with Tyjae Spears also getting banged up.Stock up: Edge Jaylen HarrellLike Williams, Harrell is making a strong case to be on the roster in 2026. The third-year edge appears to be coming into his own in Robert Saleh’s system and makes plays daily in practice. It will be fun to see if he can carry that over into the preseason games.Stock down: QB Will LevisLevis went viral calling himself one of the top 32 quarterbacks in the league; unfortunately, his training camp performance has not backed that up. If anything, Levis lost ground to Mitch Trubisky in the battle to be Cam Ward’s backup throughout the week, and would clearly be on the outside of the roster if the preseason ended today.Stock up: DT Khalen SaundersTennessee signed Saunders one week ago, and the veteran defensive tackle has been visible and made plays throughout the week. With the Titans planning to use waves of players along the defensive front during the season, Saunders has a chance to stick if he keeps up this performance.Stock down: K Joey SlyeSlye has always been known for having a strong but erratic leg, but now, after a disappointing scrimmage where he missed multiple kicks, that comes into question. Slye came up short on a 50-yard attempt and missed wide on two others. Tennessee worked out three kickers on Saturday, and although none were signed, it definitely sends a message that Slye needs to pick it up.This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Titans training camp: Week 2 Stock watch

The Bald Range wildfire, that has forced people out of their homes in the south Okanagan region, burns in Summerland, B.C., late Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)2026-08-09T20:11:31Z Wildfires burning across the western U.S. and Canada on Sunday left some residents keeping a weary eye out for possible evacuation orders while others already forced to flee their homes waited to see what would be left on their return.In western Canada, over 20,000 people were forced to flee communities along Okanagan Lake in British Columbia over the weekend as a fast-moving wildfire destroyed homes and dozens had to be rescued by aircraft.Anette Boulet was among residents who fled Summerland, home to about 12,000 people. As she and her family left around 4:30 a.m. Saturday, their home was shrouded in smoke.“You couldn’t see barely. It was, it was just dark, and the ridge, the ridge of fire just coming towards you,” said Boulet, who evacuated to a center in Penticton.“There’s no words to express it,” she said. “The fear.”Besides the evacuations in Summerland, the Bald Range fire, first reported Friday evening, has also led to the evacuation of about 8,000 people in and around nearby Peachland. British Columbia declared a state of emergency Saturday because of the wildfires.Eleanor Olszewski, Canada’s minister of emergency management and community resilience, said Sunday on social media that she’d approved a request for federal assistance from British Columbia to provide shelter and accommodations for those forced to flee. Residents on edge as wildfires burnIn the U.S., residents in some areas north of Spokane, Washington, were being advised Sunday to leave their homes. Residents in the rural towns of Malden and Rosalia, located about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Spokane, saw their evacuation level downgraded Sunday after being urged to leave the previous day after two fires started nearby. The area, though, is on alert. John Goyke, mayor of Rosalia and the water operator for Malden, said that he saw the trees on the rolling hills burning Sunday morning. He put Malden on a water restriction Saturday night so water could be saved for fire trucks, and Malden’s fire department began trucking water from Rosalia. Read More “The wind is fairly calm. The fire is not progressing,” Goyke said, “but we’re using social media and Facebook to keep in contact with everyone.”In 2020, Malden was was mostly destroyed by a wildfire, losing its fire station, post office, city hall and library. Two killed fighting wildfire when helicopter crashesIn Utah, two helicopter pilots were killed when their aircraft crashed while they were fighting a wildfire Friday morning in the Fishlake National Forest. Crews were finally able to get to the site Saturday to confirm the deaths. Officials said Sunday that fire activity had prevented them from quickly reaching the area amid steep, rough terrain. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. “When we first got there we could see two different plumes of smoke, one from the crash site, one from an active fire coming towards us,” Sevier County Sheriff Nathan Curtis said.The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.___Associated Press reporter Holly Ramer contributed to this report. WUFEI YU Yu covers national news and the Southwest for the Associated Press. He is based in Phoenix. twitter instagram mailto

Detroit Lions quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater (5) talks with Jared Goff (16) during practice at the NFL football team's training camp, in Allen Park, Mich., Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)2026-08-09T20:18:22Z ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has stepped away from football.“His biggest worry was letting us down, that’s the type of guy he is,” Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said Sunday, when Bridgewater was placed on the reserve/retired list.The 33-year-old journeyman had signed a one-year deal with the Lions in March after spending 2025 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also spent 2023 and part of 2024 with Detroit.“So I’ve known Teddy a long time. As a human being he is unbelievable. Certainly as a player, everything that he’s about, the type of teammate he is, the way he prepares. He always played the game up here,” an emotional Campbell said, pointing to his head. “He had a huge heart. He’s going to be missed.”Campbell, who was assistant head coach with the New Orleans Saints when Bridgewater played there in 2018 and 2019, has maintained a close relationship with the quarterback. “I’ll never forget 2019 when Drew (Brees) got injured. We’d just gone out to the Rams, got beat out there and Drew got his thumb and we lost him for five weeks,” Campbell said. “Teddy stepped in and we won five in a row. That was Teddy. His time being with us meant a lot, and it meant a lot to our guys. He’s going to be missed.”Bridgewater had been signed to back up Jared Goff. Undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer, the only other QB on the Lions roster, had been getting more reps in training camp earlier this week when Bridgewater was absent, and again on Sunday. “I thought he did some really good things,” Campbell said. “He was put in some tough positions for a young player that you absolutely have to be put in, you just do, you’ve got to be thrust in, you need to fail, you need to make mistakes so you can grow and we thought he handled it really well.” Read More Altmyer said he has learned so much from Bridgewater.“It was a joy to spend some time with him, but it brings about opportunity for myself, and the standard is to play good football no matter how many reps and or whatever my role is, I have a job to do and my job is to do that very, very well at a high level,” Altmyer said. “I’m thankful. I believe in my abilities and I’m going to go cut it loose whatever that looks like for me.’’The Lions plan to sign a veteran quarterback as soon as Monday. Campbell said Goff will not play in the preseason game Thursday in Cincinnati.“Certainly Altmyer will take a heavy load and anybody else we get we’ll get them up to speed as fast as we can and give them some reps,” Campbell said.Bridgewater was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 and started 28 games his first two seasons. Before the 2016 season he tore his ACL and suffered more structural knee damage that kept him out of action into the 2017 season. Bridgewater also played for the Dolphins, Broncos, Panthers and Jets.In 2024, before he re-signed with the Lions in December, Bridgewater coached Miami Northwestern Senior High, his alma mater, to the Florida Class 3A state championship. But he was suspended for the 2025 season after revealing that he personally paid for meals, ride-share services and treatments for some players.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

SEATTLE (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays placed pitcher Griffin Jax on the 15-day injured list Sunday with right elbow discomfort.The move, retroactive to Thursday, comes a day after Jax was scratched from his scheduled start against the Seattle Mariners. Reliever Casey Legumina made the start instead, as the Rays employed a bullpen day in their 3-2 win over Seattle.The 31-year-old right-hander has appeared in 29 games this season, with 18 starts, and is 6-9 with a 3.63 ERA and 100 strikeouts and 30 walks.Rays manager Kevin Cash said Saturday that initial tests indicated Jax’s injury wasn’t ligament related, and that he was already showing improvement.“He’s going to go see a doctor (Monday) and we’ll probably know Wednesday or Thursday on something,” Cash said. “He feels better today, which is very encouraging.”RHP Michael Grove was recalled from Triple-A Durham to replace Jax on the active roster.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

NEW YORK — Chris Sale didn’t see a single pitch from the dugout during the Atlanta's 10-inning, 2-1 win over the New York Yankees on Sunday, as the Braves’ ace earned himself an ejection before the series finale even began.The Cy Young winner was tossed by Dan Merzel as the third base umpire and the rest of the umpiring crew took the field. Yankees starter Cam Schlittler was still finishing his first-inning warmups.Sale, who was never going to pitch on Sunday, was presumably still angry after Merzel called a balk on the lefty in the fifth inning of Saturday’s contest. With the game tied at two, Spencer Jones on third and Austin Wells up, Merzel, working home plate, determined that Sale’s right leg twitched before informing the umpire that he was going to pitch from the windup. That call brought in the go-ahead run.It also enraged Sale and Braves manager Walt Weiss. After several minutes of arguing, the latter was ejected from what became a 5-4 Yankees win.Per MLB.com’s Bill Ladson, Weiss said that Sale told the umpires he was going to pitch out of the windup when José Caballero stepped up to the plate before Wells. Sale is considered a hybrid pitcher — his foot placement makes it unclear if he’s going to pitch out of the windup or stretch — so he has to declare if he’s going to pitch out of the windup with runners on. He did not do that before the Wells at-bat.“Chris Sale failed to declare that he was going to pitch out of the windup for the second batter and he’s required by rule to make that declaration as a hybrid pitcher,” crew chief Dan Bellino told a pool reporter, per The Associated Press.“Hybrid pitchers are held to a different standard because you can’t tell what they are based on their foot placement at the start,” Bellino added. “It needs to be very clear. It’s not something that we can assume.”Sale, who ultimately allowed three earned runs over six innings, didn’t want to discuss the rule in depth with reporters on Saturday. However, it looked like he wanted to share a few thoughts on it with Merzel and Bellino on Sunday before getting a pregame hook.____

The Mets had everything working in Sunday's series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates and won the rubber game, 11-1.Here are the key takeaways...-- A day after getting shut out, New York’s offense broke out in a big way and returned to its recent form on this road trip with an 11-run and 15-hit performance. Bo Bichette led the pack by going 5-for-5 (his second five-hit game of the season) with two doubles, a walk, three RBI and three runs scored. His bases clearing double was the big hit that blew the game wide open in a four-run fourth inning.-- Before that, the Mets had already mounted a big lead thanks to two runs in the first and three more in the third where Luis Robert Jr., who entered the day as a career .406 hitter in 18 games against the Pirates, unloaded a two-run shot to put New York ahead, 4-0. The home run traveled 408 feet to right center field – a rare spot for a right-handed hitter at PNC Park.Robert finished 2-for-5 with a game-high four RBI and a run scored. He drove in three of the Mets’ first four runs after lifting a sacrifice fly in the first inning and he knocked in the team’s final run with an RBI single in the sixth.-- Jared Young also had a great day at the plate with a three-hit performance, including a triple (his second three-bagger of the road trip), that was aided by a defensive miscue. He also drove in a run and scored a run.-- Carson Benge, back in the lineup after a day off on Saturday to recover from wrist soreness after crashing into the left field wall on Friday, seemed completely unaffected by the injury scare and stayed hot, getting things started for New York in the first with a bases loaded check-swing single through the massive hole on the left side of the infield.The rookie went 2-for-5 and has had multiple hits in his last three games and at least one hit in every game he’s started on the road trip. He’s up to a .272 average on the season with a .744 OPS.-- Francisco Alvarez got in the mix with a solo shot, his 13th of the year, in the fifth for his only hit of the game, although he walked and scored twice. Marcus Semien also drove in a run with a single and went 1-for-4 with a walk.-- A.J. Ewing went hitless in six at-bats at the top of the lineup but scored two runs on two walks. Behind Ewing, Francisco Lindor also didn’t have a hit until he singled in the ninth, but like Ewing he scored twice. In the first inning, Lindor was hit by a pitch on the foot and was briefly looked at by trainers before being good to go.-- On the mound, Sean Manaea pitched like an ace. The left-hander went seven innings and allowed one run on three hits while striking out a season-high 11 batters and walking none. At one point Manaea struck out six in a row before it was broken up by Jake Mangum’s solo home run, the only run the Pirates scored.It was Manaea’s best start of the season and he looked like the 2024 version of himself. The veteran southpaw has looked a lot better lately and lowered his season ERA to 4.13 in 25 games (11 starts).-- Jack Weisenburger made his MLB debut and pitched the final two innings where he struck out two and allowed one hit.Game MVP: Sean ManaeaManaea gets the nod for his dominant performance and because the Mets offense split the vote between them.HighlightsThat'll play!Carson Benge gives the Mets an early lead with an RBI single pic.twitter.com/dcC4EOTNrz— SNY (@SNYtv) August 9, 2026A Luis Robert Jr. sac fly puts the Mets up 2-0 pic.twitter.com/whUVfB7W7Q— SNY (@SNYtv) August 9, 2026Luis Robert Jr. goes boom! 💥 pic.twitter.com/zP47iSHa9V— SNY (@SNYtv) August 9, 2026Jared Young with a triple as the ball gets past Jake Mangum in center field pic.twitter.com/nbcpwVsbFe— SNY (@SNYtv) August 9, 2026Marcus Semien is swinging 3-0 and giving the Mets a 5-0 lead pic.twitter.com/nBOXWd8N5i— SNY (@SNYtv) August 9, 2026Bo Bichette clears the bases! pic.twitter.com/DcKRmgDJLH— SNY (@SNYtv) August 9, 2026Jared Young extends the Met lead! pic.twitter.com/ocZMk1kVej— SNY (@SNYtv) August 9, 2026Francisco Alvarez launches his 13th home run of the year! pic.twitter.com/IhlCzLI4Q9— SNY (@SNYtv) August 9, 2026What's nextThe Mets continue their road trip on Monday night when they begin a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves starting at 7:15 p.m. on SNY.RHP Christian Scott (3-3, 3.15 ERA) takes on RHP Bryce Elder (8-6, 3.69 ERA).

BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 9: Willson Contreras #40 of the Boston Red Sox hangs his head after making a wide throw to second base on a pick off attempt during the ninth inning against the Athletics at Fenway Park on August 9, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Red Sox are playing a few men short, and it’s come at a difficult time. The 13-inning, marathon game on Thursday night required Brayan Bello to throw three innings, limiting his availability today. It also led to Greg Weissert being optioned to bring up Raymond Burgos to provide length, which he did for two days before being optioned for Seth Martinez. Martinez isn’t exactly a trusted arm at this point; bringing him in to a close game would only be done by necessity. On Sunday (and Saturday), the lack of rotation depth caught up to the Red Sox. With no starter available, the Red Sox needed six pitchers to get 27 outs. It nearly worked, as the Red Sox led the game after eight innings. Unfortunately, Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman are human, and both scuffled on Sunday. Whitlock nearly pitched a scoreless inning, but a bloop single and double just out of the reach of Jarren Duran tied the game. In the ninth inning with the game tied and two outs, Aroldis Chapman had Donovan Walton picked off, but Willson Contreras’ throw to second wound up in the outfield, and the inning continued. Max Muncy promptly doubled, and the Athletics had a lead. While the defense let Chapman down, he wasn’t particularly sharp. Whitlock and Chapman are each in the top five in appearances since the second half began, and pitch exclusively in high-pressure situations. Those two will continue to be effective, but the Red Sox need more length from the rotation to navigate a difficult stretch of the schedule. Of course, the offense can bail out the bullpen on any given day. Today, that didn’t happen. They managed to score four runs on Sunday, but lacked any power and primarily moved station to station, taking extra bases with their speed. Small ball has shown up in big moments for the Red Sox, but it’s actually the home run ball that’s propelled the turnaround. Since the All-Star break, the Red Sox have 33 home runs, the third most in baseball over that span. Today, Wilyer Abreu hit a ball that looked like it had a chance, but was caught in right field for a sacrifice fly. Besides that, the contact was mostly weak, and Boston didn’t record a single extra-base hit. That meant the team couldn’t turn to Seth Martinez for a reprieve, and the high-leverage arms faltered on the same day, giving the A’s a 5-4 victory. It’s the first time the Red Sox have lost on back-to-back days since June 21st and 22nd, and the first series they’ve dropped since the end-of-June series against the Nationals.Sonny Gray will go tomorrow against the Toronto Blue Jays. The next off day is still a week away, but Adley Rutschman could be returning to add some thump to the offense. Three StudsBrayan Bello (4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 K)Eli White (3-4)Tyron Guerrero/Jovani Moran (2 IP, 0 ER)Three DudsWillson Contreras (0-2, 2 HBP, Error)Jarren Duran (0-3)Ceddanne Rafaela (0-5)

The Philadelphia Eagles have spent years preaching patience with young players, but few recent examples illustrate that philosophy better than Cooper DeJean. Before becoming one of the NFL's most important defenders, the 2025 First-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler spent much of his first training camp working his way back from injuries and playing catch up.That experience is exactly why general manager Howie Roseman recently pointed to his 2024 PFWA All-Rookie Team member when discussing rookie wide receiver Makai Lemon.It's been one of the most discussed topics at training camp so far. The most recent NFL draft's 20th overall selection has been sidelined for an extended period with a hamstring injury during training camp, creating understandable concern among fans eager to see the first-round pick take the field.Roseman, however, offered a reminder that an interrupted summer doesn't have to define a rookie season. While appearing on a recent episode of Up & Adams, Roseman shared the message he recently delivered to Lemon."I talked to him the other day, and I reminded him of a rookie who was banged up in training camp a couple of years ago. His name's Cooper DeJean. You know him? He didn't play until our third preseason game. He didn't practice until then. He got hurt. He was hurt through the draft process. [He] got hurt during our minicamps, and [he] turned out to have a phenomenal rookie season."Cooper DeJean's Eagles journey offers perspectiveRoseman's point wasn't that Lemon and DeJean are identical players. It was that rookie development rarely follows a perfect script. DeJean entered the NFL as the Eagles' second-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft and missed significant time during his first offseason because of injuries. He didn't make his first NFL start until Week 6, but once he earned a larger role, he quickly became one of Philadelphia's most valuable defenders.His emergence helped stabilize a secondary that was searching for answers. By season's end, DeJean had earned PFWA All-Rookie Team honors, finished fourth in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, and was graded as the NFL's top cornerback by Pro Football Focus. More recently, he landed at No. 38 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2026 list.Today, DeJean's versatility allows Philadelphia to deploy one of its most talented defensive lineups, whether he's aligned at nickel corner or moving around the formation to help the Eagles get their best 11 defenders on the field.That success story is precisely why the organization isn't panicking over Lemon's current setback. Hamstring injuries aren't issues teams can afford to treat casually, particularly for explosive skill-position players. The Eagles understand that rushing Lemon back onto the field now could create larger problems later. As Roseman noted, the focus isn't simply on getting the rookie ready for the next practice."Let's make sure he's in a great spot to play really well in the first game and last game and contribute to this team because we're going to need him."Philadelphia isn't evaluating Lemon based on a handful of missed training camp practices. If DeJean's rookie season taught the organization anything, it's that development isn't measured by where a player starts in August. This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Howie Roseman points to Cooper DeJean as a blueprint for Makai Lemon

Golden State Warriors' Baron Davis, right, hugs coach Don Nelson in the fourth quarter of an NBA Western Conference first-round basketball playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks in Oakland, Calif., May 3, 2007. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)2026-08-09T20:29:31Z By The Associated Press (AP) — Notable reaction to the death of Don Nelson, the NBA’s second-winningest coach:“Don Nelson was one of the most innovative and influential coaches in the history of the NBA and an iconic figure in Warriors history. During two memorable stints as head coach, ‘Nellie’ left an indelible mark on our franchise with his approach to the game. From the Run TMC era to the ‘We Believe’ team in 2007, his teams captivated Bay Area basketball fans and created some of the most memorable moments in Warriors history. That 2007 team made NBA history by defeating the 67-win Dallas Mavericks in the first round, overcoming a 25-win regular-season difference that remains the largest ever by a team to win a playoff series.Don was a true basketball visionary whose impact stretched well beyond Golden State. He saw the game differently and was never afraid to challenge conventional thinking. His approach helped shape the game and paved the way for generations of players and coaches who followed. More than anything, Nellie will be remembered for his authenticity, larger-than-life personality and incredible passion for basketball. His influence on the Warriors franchise will endure for years to come.On behalf of the entire Warriors organization, we offer our sincere condolences to his wife, Joy, his family and countless friends.” — Golden State Warriors statement. ___ Read More “During his 11 seasons as Milwaukee Bucks coach from 1976-87, Nellie won two of his three NBA Coach of the Year awards and established himself as one of the most innovative and visionary leaders in basketball history, pioneering the concept of the point forward. He helped define one of the greatest eras in franchise history and built a standard of excellence that endured long after his tenure.Nellie’s 540 regular season wins remain the most by a head coach in Bucks history, and he led the franchise to seven consecutive division titles from 1980-86, during which the team won at least 50 games each season.Selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012, Nellie was known not only for his basketball brilliance, but also for his authenticity and bigger-than-life personality, often punctuated by his trademark fish ties on the sideline. We extend our deepest sympathies to Nellie’s family, friends, former players, colleagues, fans and all who knew him. He will always be a treasured part of Bucks history and one of the most influential the game has ever known.” — Milwaukee Bucks statement.___“Don Nelson was a true original whose impact on the Dallas Mavericks and the game of basketball will endure for generations. Nellie helped transform this franchise, bringing an innovative spirit, a belief in doing things differently and, most importantly, a winning culture to Dallas. His influence can be seen throughout Mavericks history and across the NBA today.“On behalf of the entire Mavericks organization, our thoughts are with Don’s family, friends, former players and coaches, and the many people whose lives he touched. We are grateful for all he gave to the Mavericks and to the game he loved.” — Dallas Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont.___ “Don Nelson was a true innovator whose influence on the game of basketball is still felt today. He consistently challenged conventional thinking, experimented with different lineups and styles of play and saw possibilities in the game that others often did not. So much of what is now commonplace in the modern NBA can be traced back to the way Nellie approached the game. His impact on the Warriors is just as significant. He helped shape some of the most memorable teams and moments in franchise history and built a lasting connection with generations of Warriors fans. His legacy will always remain an important part of this organization. My thoughts are with the entire Nelson family.” — Warriors coach Steve Kerr.___“One of the big reasons I was drafted by the Warriors was because of Don Nelson. The story is he never liked rookies, but from Day 1 he challenged me and gave me an opportunity to be my best self on the court. He taught me a lot during our one season together and I’ll never forget the night he became the winningest coach in NBA history in Minnesota. We were so happy for him. He had an immeasurable impact on the sport and will go down as one of the greatest minds in the history of the game. He’s a true icon and will be missed by the countless number of people he touched, including myself, during a legendary career. Sending my love to Joy, his family and all those who were fortunate enough to know him.” — Warriors guard Stephen Curry.___ “It’s a sad day for basketball with the passing of Don Nelson. I have so much respect for him and everything he did for the game, especially the way he believed in international players. I’m grateful for the time I spent with him. Thinking of the entire Nelson family today. I loved getting to know you, Coach.” — Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic.___ “Nellie… You didn’t just draft me. You believed in me. You saw things in my game before I ever realized I could do them. I’ve said it a million times and I will always say it: I don’t think my career could have turned out how it did without you being my first coach and giving me the freedom to play my game. I can only say THANK YOU. For everything.” — NBA champion and Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki, who played for Nelson with the Dallas Mavericks.___“Don Nelson had an impact on my life that went far beyond basketball. At a time when I needed it, Nellie was there for me. He cared about me as a person first, and I’ll never forget the support, honesty and belief he showed me during a difficult time in my life. We shared so much together over the years, and I’ll always be grateful for the role he played in my life and career. Nellie was more than a coach to me; he was someone who truly cared. I loved him, and my thoughts are with Joy, Donnie and his entire family.” — Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist Chris Mullin, who played for Nelson with Golden State.___“Some of my favorite memories in basketball came during those years with Nellie in Golden State. He brought so much personality and passion to everything he did, and I’ll always have a tremendous amount of respect for him. He made the game fun, and the memories we created together are ones I’ll always cherish. Nellie was a special person who meant a lot to so many people in basketball. My thoughts are with the entire Nelson family.” — Hall of Famer Mitch Richmond.___“When I think of Nellie, I’ll always think of the ‘We Believe’ team and our incredible run in 2007. He understood what made us go and made us believe we could beat anybody, ultimately helping us make history as the first No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in a seven-game series. That time in my life and career was truly special, and Nellie was a huge part of making it possible. I’ll always be grateful for the memories, the laughs and everything we accomplished together. I’m thinking of Joy and the entire Nelson family, remembering the happiness he brought to so many.” — Two-time All-Star Baron Davis, who played for Nelson with Golden State.___“Don Nelson meant so much to me, both as a coach and as a person. Nellie believed in me from the beginning and gave me the confidence and freedom to play my game. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity he gave me and the special years we shared with Run TMC. Nellie was ahead of his time and there was nobody else like him. He had an incredible impact on my career and on the game of basketball. I’m going to miss him, and my thoughts and prayers are with Joy, Donnie and the entire Nelson family.” — Five-time NBA All-Star Tim Hardaway.___“Nellie believed in me more than any coach I ever played for. He embraced me from Day 1. He understood me, trusted me and gave me the freedom to be myself on the court. That’s all I ever wanted from a coach, and Nellie gave me that. I loved playing for him, and I loved the relationship we had. He brought the best out of me and helped make that ‘We Believe’ run one of the most special times of my career. I’ll always be grateful to Nellie, and I’ll always love him and his family.” — Former Warriors player Stephen Jackson.___“Don Nelson revolutionized NBA basketball through his fearlessness, ingenuity and deep conviction. He spent nearly 50 years in the NBA — winning five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics before building one of the most successful and pioneering coaching careers in league history. He brought an unmistakable personality to everything he did, and his impact on our sport will continue to be felt for generations.“I send my deepest condolences to Don’s family and many friends throughout our league.” — NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA