Diretório

President Trump’s Air Force One subterfuge pales in comparison to the secrecy surrounding Russia’s president, whose fixation on security has reached new heights in recent years.

Ecuadorean crews plying the waters of the Pacific have been targeted by a mysterious outfit equipped with drones. Some sailors appear to have lost their lives.

Afghan women care for their children in the malnutrition ward at Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Feb. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Siddiqullah Alizai, File)2026-08-12T21:50:32Z UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers have detained two Afghan members of the U.N. political mission in the country, the United Nations said Wednesday,The Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence detained the two staffers in the western city of Herat on Sunday, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told U.N. reporters. He said the U.N. mission has not been informed of the charges against the two men or been able to visit them.The mission has called on the Taliban “to ensure compliance with the privileges and immunities of the United Nations and its officials,” Haq said.The Taliban seized power on Aug. 15, 2021, as U.S. and NATO forces withdrew from the country after two decades of war.Shortly after, it barred girls from secondary schools and later extended the restrictions to higher education, employment and other sectors, effectively excluding women and girls from public life. The U.N. mission’s mandate from the U.N. Security Council includes promoting and supporting humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, promoting human rights, equality for women and girls, inclusive governance and economic stability.The two men were detained as a humanitarian crisis in the poverty-stricken Asian nation is worsening and as Taliban forces are engaged in cross-border fighting with Pakistani forces. Clashes escalated sharply in February when Afghan forces launched a raid into Pakistan in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan. Islamabad later declared it was in “open war.” Fereshta Abbasi, an Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch, said their detention “seriously threatens the U.N.’s work throughout Afghanistan and its ability to deliver lifesaving aid.” Read More “Taliban authorities should immediately release those held and ensure all aid agencies can work without intimidation or interference,” she said.

Former Pakistan Test spinner and ex-chief selector Iqbal Qasim has criticised the current generation of cricketers, saying too many young players are more focused on earning money than improving their skills and understanding of the game.Qasim, who played 50 Tests and served on the national selection committee several times, also questioned the lack of long-term planning and consistency in selection decisions.“I have been a chief selector and member of the selection committee several times and we worked on an honorary basis with no salaries or fees,” he recalled, as quoted by PTI.“Nowadays the selectors get paid handsome salaries for being on the selection committee but I see a lack of vision when making decisions,” he said.Qasim questions players’ prioritiesThe former spinner, who finished his first-class career with 999 wickets, believes Pakistan cricket is being affected by a lack of commitment among young players.“I don’t want to talk about the past or when we played cricket. But seriously I see a general lack of interest or commitment among most of the young players to focus and work hard on improving their game awareness and skills and they seem more focused on earning money,” he said.Qasim said players now have greater financial opportunities, but many youngsters consider success to be mainly about securing Pakistan Super League contracts.“Even now with cricket changing so much over the last few decades the formula to success remains that how much time is a player (s) individually willing to give to improve upon his skill sets and reading the game. And that is not happening frequently now in Pakistan cricket.”“There is too much reliance on young players on coaches, assistants and data; they don’t spend enough time individually on working out things.”He said the best players have always worked independently on their skills, fitness and ability to understand match situations.“I think playing for your country is the biggest reward a player can get. I have always believed the better you improve your quality as a player the more money will come automatically you don’t have to chase it,” he added.Lessons from the pastQasim also recalled Pakistan’s famous Test win over India in Bangalore in 1987, where advice from former India captain Bishen Singh Bedi helped shape his approach.“We met Bishen Sahab at a function on the rest day of the Bangalore test and he was unhappy with his prodigy Maninder Singh’s bowling in the second innings noting on a pitch where there was so much turn he (Maninder) was giving so much turn to the ball that it was impossible to bowl a batsman, get leg before or trap him into giving a catch.”Qasim said he followed Bedi’s advice to bowl in the right areas and use the pitch’s natural turn, helping Pakistan win the match.He also recalled refusing to exclude Shahid Afridi from a West Indies tour despite opposition from captain Misbah-ul-Haq.“I told Zaka Sahab and captain, Misbah who didn’t want Afridi in the team that it is the selectors' domain to pick 16 best players and it is the captain's domain to play the 11 he wanted. So I would not drop Afridi. Misbah told me he will not play him and I said fine that is your prerogative but he will go,” he recalled.Afridi eventually played and took several wickets in his first match. Qasim believes interference between different authorities remains a major problem for Pakistan cricket, creating confusion and controversy.

Former Madison-Ridgeland Academy boys basketball star Josh Hubbard will have his tenure at MRA solidified.MRA announced on Aug. 12 that the program will retire Hubbard's No. 12 jersey. Hubbard will be the first player from MRA to have their number retired for basketball.The ceremony will be during halftime of the MRA vs. Hartfield Academy football game on Sept. 4.Hubbard excelled at MRA under longtime coach Richard Duease and was a four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He broke the Mississippi High School boys basketball scoring record with 4,367 points, was a two-time Clarion Ledger Dandy Dozen selection and the 2022-23 Mississippi Gatorade Player of the Year.The Madison, Mississippi native has now become a star in the college basketball scene at Mississippi State and announced on April 17 that he is returning for his fourth season with the team. Hubbard has led Mississippi State in scoring for three consecutive seasons and is 195 points away from breaking the program's all-time scoring record. He's a three-time All-SEC selection and broke the Mississippi State basketball record for 3-pointers in a game with 10 made.Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X @MikeSChavez or Facebook at Michael Chavez.This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State basketball's Josh Hubbard will have high school jersey retired by MRA

Chicago Bears executives are expected to deliver an update Thursday on the team's stadium plans, which officials in Indiana say continue to center on Hammond where there is ongoing due diligence at multiple locations.Indiana leaders remain optimistic, with Governor Mike Braun saying his administration is in weekly contact with the team and confident the Bears will ultimately choose the Hoosier state.ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watchA crew conducted soil testing Wednesday at one of several Hammond sites under consideration for a new stadium complex. Tire tracks and utility flags were visible in a marshy area near the Wolf Lake Terminal, where additional testing took place earlier this summer.Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott said the activity reflects the team's ongoing evaluation. "And I do know there's extensive testing going on. Even right now, I had one of the local businesses in the new footprint call me and say, 'Hey, they're they're boring holes currently.' So that's the issue of the day between us and the Bears," he said.Braun, who visited Hammond to assess storm damage, reiterated his confidence in the project. "When we get this across the finish line, we're in the due diligence stage. It's going to be one of the biggest things that's ever occurred to our state, not to mention the region. So we're doing everything you need to do to make sure we get it done," he said. The governor added that the process could take a few more months.RELATED |Chicago Bears consider new stadium sites in Hammond as IL Republican lawmakers make new proposalsMcDermott said he was told the Bears plan to make an announcement Thursday."I was told from the Bears, that there would be an announcement tomorrow," he said. "But maybe I'm not presuming anything. I'm hopeful it's going to be good news."Team sources downplayed the significance of the update, describing it as the Bears' usual pre-season availability with Chairman George McCaskey and President Kevin Warren.Meanwhile, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch said discussions continue on the Illinois side of the border. "I do not believe there will be a special session for the Bears. I don't believe there will be a special session," Welch said. "Our goal is to continue to have the conversations, get to something substantive, and if we can get that done, it would be done in veto session."With site testing still underway in Hammond, the Bears appear to be seriously weighing an Indiana stadium option. What remains unclear is how much detail team executives plan to reveal in Thursday's update.

A pitch invader takes a selfie with Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes during a pre-season friendly against Leeds at Croke Park in Dublin (Paul Faith)Normal time in Manchester United's pre-season friendly against Leeds at Dublin's Croke Park on Wednesday ended in bizarre fashion when two young fans ran on to the pitch to take selfies with Bruno Fernandes.When security did not immediately intervene, at least three other pitch invaders joined in and play did not restart before referee Neil Doyle blew for full-time.The match, the first game of association soccer at the home of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 2009, was played in front of a sell-out crowd of more than 80,000.It ended 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes after Joshua Zirkzee gave United a 16th-minute lead before Leeds equalised just before the half-hour mark, with Brenden Aaronson scoring after good work from former United winger Daniel James.Noussair Mazraoui scored the decisive spot-kick as Manchester United won 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out."First half we were really dangerous and could've had a number of goals," United manager Michael Carrick told ITV. "We played some really good football."They came back into the game, and in the second half there were a few changes and it was important to get some minutes in some of our lads."The young lads did well, it was everything we expected of them. Winning the game is always nice."Fernandes missed from the spot before it went to sudden death, but after James Justin's effort struck the crossbar, Mazraoui saw United to victory.Lisandro Martinez, Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford were among those watching on, not involved after only joining the training camp at the start of the week following the World Cup.Before the match, Carrick said he was holding the trio "in reserve" for Saturday's friendly against former boss Ruben Amorim and AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland -- potentially Rashford's first appearance in a United shirt since December 2024."He's our player," said former United and England midfielder Carrick of Rashford, now back at Old Trafford after a loan spell at Barcelona."He's come back great, like any other player. I've known him a long time, he gives us something a bit different."He's been in great spirits since he's come back."After several half-time changes, including a debut for United's new 18-year-old winger Tynan Thompson, Leeds should have gone ahead six minutes in when Joe Rodon's low cross found Harry Wilson, but the summer signing shot straight at Senne Lammens.Fernandes was among six United players to come onto the field on the hour and, having seen one effort ruled out for offside, he hit the crossbar with a curling shot five minutes from time.jdgjc

The former Marquette University men's lacrosse player charged with homicide for his involvement in the Sept. 5 car crash that killed two of his teammates will have the chance to plead his case before a jury.Peter McColgan, 22, of Cincinnati, Ohio, appeared in court Aug. 12 for his preliminary hearing, at which Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Joseph Wall determined the state proved a felony was committed and bound the case over for trial.McColgan now faces two counts of second-degree reckless homicide after Scott Michaud, 19, and Noah Snyder, 20, both sitting in the back seat of McColgan's Jeep, were killed in the crash.McColgan was initially charged with homicide by negligent use of a vehicle before the prosecution upgraded the charges at the preliminary hearing.Wall granted a request from McColgan's attorneys, Nicole Masnica and Jason Luczak, to delay when their client will enter his plea. An arraignment is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Sept. 4."We're obviously disappointed in the state's decision to raise the charges," Luczak told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on July 17.Around 10 people affiliated with Marquette athletics – including three of the four men's lacrosse coaches and multiple players – along with a couple of McColgan's family members attended the preliminary hearing.Several of them could be seen wiping their eyes as Wall explained his decision to bound the case for trial, denying the defense's motion to dismiss. McColgan 'would have had more than enough time to stop'The prosecution called to the stand Milwaukee Police Officer William Hanney, who works in MPD's crash reconstruction unit. Hanney was one of the state's witnesses in the trial for Amandria Brunner, the other driver involved in the crash who was acquitted on all six felony charges in June.Hanney testified during the hearing it was a little after 5 p.m. Sept. 5 when officers were sent to North 27th Street and West St. Paul Avenue. The criminal complaint says Brunner attempted to make a left turn on a yellow light through the intersection when her vehicle collided with McColgan's silver Jeep as it was entering the intersection at a high rate of speed.The two vehicles hit driver wheel to driver wheel before the Jeep spun and hit pole. A reconstruction engineer testified at Brunner's trial that the impact McColgan's Jeep had with the pole after it collided with Brunner's pickup was more powerful than the collision it had with her vehicle.Hanney said McColgan and another passenger in the Jeep confirmed six people were in the vehicle, which is built for five. The criminal complaint said four were in the back seat, including Michaud and Snyder, who the medical examiner determined died of "blunt force injuries sustained in the crash."Hanney testified McColgan told officers he was traveling 35 mph at the time of the crash.But, crash data showed McColgan was actually going 53 mph at the time of the crash, with his foot pushing the gas pedal 100% down to the floor. The posted speed limit for that stretch of North 27th Street is 30 mph.Hanney testified McColgan was approximately 300 feet away from the intersection when the light turned yellow, his Jeep moving at 56 mph. McColgan briefly touched the brakes before putting his foot back back on the accelerator."He would have had more than enough time to stop, had he chose to press the brakes," Hanney said.Jack Albright can be reached at JAlbright@usatodayco.com.This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Arraignment set for Marquette student charged in crash that killed teammates

Plus, takeaways from yesterday’s primary elections. Here’s the latest at the end of Wednesday.

People gathered across the continent to watch the total solar eclipse on Wednesday.

Darline Graham and Ralph Norman emerged from a special election sprint on Tuesday to succeed Lindsey Graham. She will sell her closeness to President Trump. He will tout his conservatism.

Writer Sarah Ingle doesn’t hide the fact that her 10-square-foot kitchen, which she once referred to as a “chaotic corner” in her Brooklyn apartment, made her feel a little overwhelmed when she first moved in.Not only was the fridge outside the room, but the kitchen also had mismatched shelving and cabinetry. She shares that it felt more like “an afterthought.” That wasn’t going to work for her. READ MORE...

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during the team's NFL football training camp, Monday, Aug. 10, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)2026-08-12T22:11:24Z BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Deshaun Watson gets to go first.The polarizing quarterback will start Cleveland’s exhibition opener at Chicago on Saturday — his first game action since 2024 — and Shedeur Sanders will play in the second half as the Browns’ QB competition creeps toward a conclusion. First-year coach Todd Monken informed Watson and Sanders of his plans for the first two preseason games following Wednesday’s practice. The QBs have been battling for Cleveland’s starting job throughout training camp, with every throw, incompletion and interception scrutinized by media and fans — both in person and online.Monken intends to play his starter for the first half against the Bears and hopefully get him a two-minute drill. The second QB will play the third quarter.The roles will be flipped against Buffalo on Aug. 22 in Cleveland.“We’re going to see both of them,” said Monken, who disclosed his plans for the Chicago matchup without offering any explanations behind his rationale for them. “One’s going to start this week and one’s going to start next week.” The Browns will practice against the Bills on Aug. 20 before their preseason game.Cleveland opens the regular season against Jacksonville on Sept. 13. Monken hopes to have his No. 1 QB in place well in advance of Week 1. Time is running out. Watson and Sanders are at different ends of their respective career spectrums.The 30-year-old Watson’s tenure with the Browns has been mired by injuries and turmoil. Cleveland acquired him in 2022 and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract, He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in 2023 and came back the next season only to twice rupture his Achilles tendon. Read More He was also suspended 11 games by the NFL in 2022 after being accused of sexual assault and misconduct by two dozen massage therapists while playing in Houston.When he goes behind center Saturday, it will be Watson’s first snaps in a game since Oct. 20, 2024, a span of 22 months.“I’m super excited,” Watson said before practice. “All the hard work that I put in with the training staff, with my team, my personal team, to get to this stage has been tremendous. I’m super excited for those opportunities and can’t wait for it.” After a terrible start in this camp, Watson has made steady improvement. He’s been more decisive, accurate and shown glimpses of the Pro Bowl-level player he was with the Texans — the one who enticed the Browns to make a monumental investment.Watson knows he can’t retrieve lost time. He’ll never be the same QB. The guy from his days in Houston is long gone.“I’m different, man,” he said. “Ever since I’ve been here early on, bringing up Houston was cool. But I’m 30 now. I had some injuries and things like that. So my game has definitely changed, but the mentality in how I play and how I approach it doesn’t.”While others have varying expectations about Watson can do, he’s realistic about his current abilities. He’s also proud of his resiliency.“I have a clear vision,” he said. “I have a clear mind. The world knows what I went through.”Monken has seen enough positives from Watson to believe he might be able to recapture his old form. The only way to find out is on the field. Monken believes Watson can be special again. He wants him to feel that way, too.“I would never put limitations on a player,” he said. “I’d hate that he would do that. Why can’t he play like that? I don’t know. I haven’t seen it yet. I’m not going to say he can’t until I see it, until we see it. I’ve seen a lot of really good things over the course of the four or five months I’ve been here. I’m not going to put that on him. If he thinks he can’t play like that, that’s on him.”Sanders showed promise while starting seven games as a rookie in 2025. The immensely popular fifth-round pick said he’s made strides in Monken’s offense, but knows he’s an unfinished product.He needs to improve in everything.“It’s like a chart within myself and seeing, OK, if I got 10 different areas to improve, let’s improve each area every day until it gets to max threshold,” he said. “Max threshold, that’ll take some time. That’s going to take a couple years, max threshold. But I think I’m improving in every area overall.”___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl,

Tampa Bay Rays' Richie Palacios (1) and Taylor Walls, right, celebrate after the final out of a baseball game as the Rays defeat the Athletics Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Scott Marshall)2026-08-12T22:22:19Z WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The AL-best Tampa Bay Rays became the second East Coast team in major league history to go 9-0 on a West Coast trip, beating the Athletics 8-4 on Wednesday behind a three-run homer from Liam Hicks and another solid start by Drew Rasmussen.The Rays swept three-game series at Colorado and Seattle before scoring 30 runs in their three wins over the Athletics. Tampa Bay joins the Boston Red Sox, who did it in 1977, as the only teams to go 9-0 out West. The Rays became the 13th team since 1900 to go 9-0 on any trip, and they matched the longest road winning streak in franchise history.The Red Sox also had an unbeaten nine-game trip this year that began with a series at the Los Angeles Angels.Rasmussen (12-5) saw his scoreless streak end at 22 2/3 innings when he gave up a two-run double to Carlos Cortes in the third, but he completed an efficient five innings to win his fifth straight start. Hicks went 3 for 5. His 16th homer capped a four-run fourth against Athletics rookie Jack Perkins (2-9).Jonny DeLuca also had three hits as Tampa Bay (74-46) improved to 33-28 on the road.Zack Gelof hit his 13th homer and Lawrence Butler added his ninth for the Athletics, who have lost three straight and 9 of 11. Richie Palacios had an RBI single in the Rays’ two-run second. Cedric Mullins made it 3-0 in the third with a two-out RBI double.Yandy Díaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero had consecutive two-out singles in the fourth to make it 4-2. Díaz added an RBI single in the eighth.Perkins gave up seven runs — six earned — on 12 hits in five innings. The right-hander is 0-7 in 11 starts. Read More Up nextThe Rays open a four-game series against visiting Baltimore beginning Friday, while the Athletics host Texas for three games starting Friday.___See AP’s full MLB coverage here 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Coverage of the PGA Tour’s FedExCup Playoffs, which begin Thursday, will look a little different for golf fans than it has in recent years.ESPN is broadcasting two hours of first- and second-round coverage for all three postseason events, marking the first time the network has aired live playoff action. The move comes after a successful trial run of sorts in January at the Farmers Insurance Open when Brooks Koepka made his first PGA Tour start since leaving LIV Golf. ESPN averaged 393,000 viewers during its six hours of coverage (12-3 p.m. ET during the first and second rounds), simulcasting the primary PGA Tour Live feed that typically only streams on the ESPN app.At this week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, ESPN anchor Michael Eaves will host the network’s live coverage from 9-11 a.m. ET on Thursday and Friday. Eaves will serve the same role at next week’s BMW Championship and the season-ending Tour Championship. ESPN is planning to roll out enhanced production elements compared to regular PGA Tour Live streams, including extra cameras and drones, enhanced player audio, and 3D hole and course modeling.Amid the shift to linear, the PGA Tour is controlling player pairings like it does during the regular season, as opposed to its traditional postseason model of grouping players based on their FedExCup rankings. That allowed it the flexibility this week to pair top-ranked Scottie Scheffler with Rory McIlroy (No. 6) instead of No. 2-ranked Matt Fitzpatrick. Scheffler and McIlroy tee off at 9:30 a.m. ET in the first round, giving them 90 minutes on ESPN. The PGA Tour will control early-round pairings again at the BMW Championship but will use the traditional FedExCup rankings-based pairings at the Tour Championship.To make way for playoffs coverage, the second hour of Get Up and the first hour of First Take are getting bumped from ESPN to ESPN2 on Thursday and Friday. ESPN programming has been giving the FedExCup Playoffs more promotion, too; Open Champion Ryan Fox was interviewed this week on First Take, which rarely covers golf.Network ShuffleJim Nantz and CBS will broadcast weekend coverage of the FedExCup Playoffs for just the second time ever and first time since 2023. NBC has broadcast the last two editions, but the postseason will now rotate between two networks every other year through 2030 under the PGA Tour’s $700 million annual media rights deals. Before the PGA Tour moved its postseason from September to August in 2019, NBC broadcast the playoffs, as CBS aired college football and NFL games on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in September.Golf Channel, now under Versant ownership after the company spun off from Comcast, will continue its traditional afternoon coverage of the FedExCup Playoffs during each event’s first and second rounds and during early-afternoon TV windows on the weekend.The post ESPN Boosting Coverage of PGA Tour Playoffs appeared first on Front Office Sports.

The Detroit Tigers have suffered a potentially significant setback at a crucial point in the 2026 MLB season.Detroit announced Wednesday that outfielder Riley Greene has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain. Greene left Tuesday’s game after experiencing tightness in the hamstring, and the Tigers have now decided to give him time to recover.The team also made a pair of corresponding roster moves.MORE: 4 MLB teams most likely to win the World Series, not including the DodgersGreene heads to the injured listMay 21, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31) reacts to an inside pitch in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn ImagesThere is currently no indication of exactly how long Greene will be unavailable beyond the minimum 10-day IL stint, but the Tigers clearly believe he needs some time away from the field.That’s particularly concerning given where Detroit sits in the standings.The Tigers have fought their way back into the postseason picture and are now just half a game out of a Wild Card spot. They’re also only 2.5 games behind the White Sox in the Central Division.Losing one of their better players while the playoff race is this tight is far from ideal.MORE: Most dangerous MLB team right now isn’t even in a playoff spotTigers bring up Corey JulksTo fill Greene’s spot on the active roster, Detroit selected the contract of fellow outfielder Corey Julks.The move required another change to the organization’s 40-man roster. The Tigers designated right-hander Troy Watson for assignment to create the necessary room for Julks.For now, the Tigers will have to navigate the playoff race without Greene and hope his hamstring responds quickly to treatment.Detroit has done an impressive job climbing back into contention, but the margin for error is extremely small. Every game carries added importance at this point of the season, and Greene’s absence could make that challenge considerably more difficult.The Tigers will hope their star outfielder can return as soon as he’s healthy enough to do so.— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —

Aug. 12—RAYMOND — On Aug. 7, Jaciel Cardenas celebrated his 17th birthday. On Aug. 8, he pitched the Willmar Indians amateur baseball team to its biggest win in the young franchise's history.Cardenas tossed eight innings, allowing one run, to help the fifth-seeded Indians beat the fourth-seeded Willmar Rails 3-2 in a Region 8B playoff game at Lilleberg Field.After a 14-1 loss to Raymond, the Indians face an elimination game at noon Saturday at Raymond against the Bird Island Bullfrogs. The winner plays the Marshall A's at 3 p.m. Saturday. At stake is the second of two berths awarded from 8B into the state tournament.The state tournament begins Aug. 21 in Chaska, Jordan, New Prague and Shakopee. Plays continues through Sept. 7, when championships in Class A, B and C are determined.The Indians were formed in 2025 with most of their players having hispanic/latino backgrounds and most having never played organized ball before. That wasn't the case for Cardenas, a 2026 Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City High School graduate who played baseball and also wrestled for the Falcons."I'm glad we have him back," said Indians player/manager Jean Carlos Morales, who spearheaded the Indians' formation.Cardenas missed a month of playing time with tendinitis in his right elbow. He has been a key cog for the Indians' success. When he pitches, Willmar has its best chance to win."He's steady and he's worked hard," Morales said.Cardenas struck out five and walked four. Changing speeds and using a curve ball to keep batters off balance."I feel pretty good," Cardenas said, explaining he first noticed arm issues at the beginning of the summer.He said he picked up his curve ball when he was about 12 years old, working with Atwater's Mike Kingery. He then refined it."I was trying different grips by myself," he said.Cardenas isn't sure about his future, besides playing for the Indians. He's talking about getting a business degree at Ridgewater College and continuing his baseball career with the Warriors.As for Bird Island, it's a tall task for the Indians. The Bullfrogs are the second seed and were upset by third-seeded Marshall 7-6. Marshall then lost to Raymond, 11-1. Raymond has sewn up the first state berth in Region 8B.Bird Island beat Willmar 9-6 on June 27 in Bird Island and 17-2 July 26 in Willmar. The Bullfrogs aim for their eighth straight state tournament appearance. Like the Indians, they need two wins Saturday.A look at other regions involving area teams:The Starbuck Stars and Elrosa Saints have huge games Saturday in Regal. Starbuck plays New Munich at 1 p.m. and Elrosa faces Farming at 3:30 p.m. The winners clinch state Class C tournament berths. The losers are done for the summer.Atwater and Richmond play for the 8C championship and a top seed in the state tournament at 6 p.m. Saturday. Atwater is back in the state tournament for the first time since 2024. Before that, it made state in 1994 and 1932.The Starbuck/New Munich winner and the Elrosa/Farming winner play at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The winner of that game then plays the Atwater/Richmond loser at 1 p.m. Sunday.Four teams advance to state from 8C.The Litchfield Blues play the Cold Spring Rockies for the Region 6C championship at 5 p.m. Saturday at Saints Field in Dassel. The winner is the top seed from the region at state. The loser is the No. 2 seed.Litchfield returns to the state tournament for the third straight year. The Blues also made state 14 other times from 1950-2002, winning a state title in 1951.Still alive for one of four state berths are Howard Lake and Pearl Lake, who play at 7:30 p.m. Friday, and St. Nicholas and Luxemburg, who play at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. There's a game between the winners at 2 p.m. Saturday.The Dawson Drakes have an elimination game with the Morris Eagles at 2 p.m. Saturday in Appleton. The winner plays the Clinton Cards at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in a state-qualifying game.The Dumont Saints already are in the state tournament after beating Clinton on Sunday, 7-3 in 10 innings. The fourth-seeded Saints play whoever comes out of the Clinton/Morris/Dawson bracket at 1 p.m. Sunday in Rosen for the top seed at state.

Our countdown to kickoff series has been looking at notable USC players to wear each number from zero through 99. But where do those players rank among all-time college football greats?In a recent story, ESPN’s college football writers selected the sport’s greatest player to ever wear each number. Now that we have looked at all of the Trojans who made the list, let’s examine some notable USC players who were left off of it.Notably, six of USC’s eight Heisman Trophy winners (and retired jersey numbers) did not make the cut. For the No. 5, ESPN passed up on Reggie Bush in favor of another 2000s star running back: Arkansas’s Darren McFadden. One of Bush’s teammates with the Trojans was also snubbed, as Penn State linebacker Lavar Arrington earned the honor for No. 11 over USC quarterback Matt Leinart.With the No. 12, there may have been some recency bias, as ESPN selected Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter over legendary USC running back Charles White. At No. 20, Texas Heisman Trophy running back Earl Campbell got the nod over the Trojans’ Mike Garrett in probably the least controversial USC omission on the list.At No. 32, ESPN selected Johnny Lujack, who played a little bit of everything for Notre Dame back in the 1940s, over USC’s O.J. Simpson. While USC fans certainly never enjoy seeing a Trojan lose out to a member of the Irish, there are obviously other factors that may very well have kept the late Simpson off of the list. Finally, at No. 33, USC running back Marcus Allen lost out to another star rusher from his era in Tony Dorsett of Pitt.Interestingly, the two USC Heisman winners who made the cut (Carson Palmer and Caleb Williams) did not win a national championship with the Trojans, while five of the six who were left off did. Based on ESPN’s selections, then, it seems as though they valued individual statistics more than contributions to team accomplishments when putting together the list.Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion.This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Greatest college football players by number: Notable USC omissions

Kalani Sitake is not going to worry about the resources BYU does or doesn’t have entering the 2026 college football season. While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, the BYU head football coach was asked how he feels about the team’s NIL, recruiting budgets, and facilities heading into the new year.“My agent is going to handle all of that stuff.” Kalani Sitake said, per Jackson Payne of Desert News. “I’m gonna focus on this year’s team. As long as I’m the head coach here at BYU, I’m going to always fight like crazy to get this place so they can be a premier program. I feel like the players deserve that, and the coaches and staff deserve it; most of all, Cougar Nation deserves it.”[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]The comments come after Sitake called for more resources and investments in the football team. In 2025, the Cougars went 12-2 and reached the Big 12 Championship game, where they fell to Texas Tech. Sitake realizes that for BYU to compete with top teams in the country and make a championship run, having more resources is essential. Kalani Sitake reacts to BYU hiring Marc Hill“I said before, I don’t want to be the highest bidder,” Sitake told CougarSports’ Ben Criddle July 30. “But I’d like to have access to stuff like that, and that’s a reminder to the administration of that you can count on us to do things right and be responsible with the finances to get the right program in place. Sometimes, you kind of go through these things. You’re like, ‘Okay, this is going well.’ And I’ve always just been appreciative of everything. But then, when I look back at it, and my agent tells me, ‘Hey, this is the stuff that everybody else has.’ … It just gives me a whole different appreciation for them.”Earlier this week, BYU hired Marc Hill to be the school’s deputy athletic director. Hill, who spent 27 years at Kentucky, will oversee various administrative and operational efforts with the athletic program. On Wednesday, reporters asked Sitake about the addition of Hill.“I don’t know him personally, but I know that he has a great reputation,” Sitake said. He’s been in the business for a long time, so you know he brings some experience and wealth of knowledge from the SEC. We will take all the help we can get in our department.”

New research offers rare insight into our extinct cousins who lived in Asia and who may have towered over petite "Homo erectus"

Legendary NBA point guard Russell Westbrook announced his retirement on Wednesday and social media was filled with an abundance of support and appreciation of the star guard.The former UCLA guard called it quits after 18-years of play in the NBA, as the 2016-17 NBA MVP, nine All-Stars and the All-Time Triple Double leader. Westbrook played for a plethora of teams during his time in the NBA, but he logged a 11-years with the team that drafted him back in 2008, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here were some of the comments that his fans left on social media.From the man himselfSometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end.You had to be there. And now it’s over. pic.twitter.com/6YoOW8WyIV— Russell Westbrook (@russwest44) August 12, 2026One of the best to ever do itRussell Westbrook is undeniably one of the greatest point guards in the history of the NBA. Maybe the greatest human highlight reel we have ever seen, and will ever see. Brodie slander will never be tolerated, and should never have been spoken. A true one of one. pic.twitter.com/TcFZhtoRxE— Tyler (@gswtyler) August 12, 2026Thanks for the memoriesThank you for the greatest MVP season of all time.Thank you for the constant electricity. The rim's are ecstatic that you decided to retire.Stay legendary, Russell Westbrook. pic.twitter.com/QhxjKIzrja— MJ (@MJsburner23) August 12, 2026First to retireRussell Westbrook is the first member of the OKC Thunder's original Big 3 to retire 👋Kevin Durant will be entering Year 20, while James Harden will be entering Year 18. pic.twitter.com/E9pSxrlfe8— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 12, 2026Retire a Thunder?Russell Westbrook deserves a better ending, @okcthunder give him a day to retire where it all began 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/QzMGluaKnB— KevV 🇵🇷 (@KeeVD35) August 12, 2026Most explosive point guardIt sucks seeing players you grew up watching retire. Congratulations to Russell Westbrook on an all-time careerForever will be remembered as THE most explosive PG in history who played with his heart on his sleeve every single minute— Joel Moran (@joelvmoran) August 12, 2026Helping others fall in love with basketballRussell Westbrook was the reason I fell in love with the Oklahoma City Thunder and basketball itselfHe never went any less than 110%, he lifted up the franchise countless times, he won an MVP, and even after he left he deservingly got a standing ovation every time he returned… pic.twitter.com/sa3UjOQrPJ— 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒆 🌩 (@Three_Cone) August 12, 2026No convincing?So nobody in the league , team or player could've convinced Russell Westbrook to not retire ??— 𝗞𝗲𝘃 🤎 (@288Kev) August 12, 2026All-Time Triple Double LeaderRussell Westbrook has retired from basketball. He averaged 21/8/7 across 1,301 games for his career. 2017 MVP9x All Star9x All NBA Player2x scoring champ3x assist champAll Time Triple Double LeaderIf you're wondering why: he just wanted to go out on his own terms. He… pic.twitter.com/nVhLs16QOa— JDJackson (@TheWestWolfPod) August 12, 2026Real legendThat Russell Westbrook retirement announce hurt the soul. He gave so much to the game. Real legend.— Ball Don't Stop (@balldontstop) August 12, 2026Why Not?My favorite player for the last decade plus and maybe my favorite athlete of all time. Thank you, Russell Westbrook. #WhyNot— Damien Barling (@damienbarling) August 12, 2026Greatest everGREATEST POINT GUARD EVER!!!! 🖤 https://t.co/qZcUnpwz0m— Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray) August 12, 2026This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Social media responds to UCLA legend's retirement from the NBA

More than a few fans of the Boston Celtics have been unclear about what it is that Celtics President Rich Gotham does in that role with the team. Especially considering that the lead executive of the team (Boston President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens) has a similar-sounding title. But anyone unclear on what it is Gotham does for the Celtics can lean on a recent interview with the Celtics president by the folks behind the "CORE journey" YouTube channel.Gotham, who has been with Boston in this capacity since 2003, has helped steward the team through two titles and a lot of winning. But it is the financial side of things where he puts in the work that helped make Banners 17 and 18 possible. "My job as president of the Celtics is to oversee the overall operation, primarily the business aspects of it," explained Gotham. "The way a professional sports team works and the Celtics work is (that) you need to generate revenue to pay players to win championships.""If you're the solider – It's an oversimplification of everything we do – but if you boil it down, the business is the engine for it that funds the product, which is the team that consists of a roster of players," he added. "And my job is not only to sort of oversee, sort of fueling the overall business.""But it's also where the business and the basketball come together, which. It's pretty much everywhere, every decision you make," said Gotham. "Whether it's a player transaction, a free agent signing, a draft pick, a trade, you have to take a problem-solving approach to everything.""Every decision you make either opens up another opportunity or closes up another opportunity. You're always balancing short-term with long-term tactics with strategy. So a big part of what I do is try to help balance everything out of the Celtics to make sure ... we're consistently making the best decisions we can, business and basketball. So that's probably not something you see in my job description or my bio, but that's really what I try to do. Tasks with overseeing and leading a bunch of big groups of people who are really good at what they do. Trying to remove obstacles for them so they can do their job as well as possible, trying to help them problem-solve, or course correct where needed. (I) occasionally steer things in a direction that people might not be seeing, but also allow myself to be steered by things that I might not be seeing. But it's a big business. When you walk into our ... business office, there's a big mural of Red Auerbach smoking a cigar, which was his trademark. And it says, 'The Boston Celtics are not a basketball team— they're a way of life'. There's truth in that. We are a basketball team, but ... it's more than that, which is what makes it purpose-driven. We want to win games, but there's a lot more to it, but we're also a pretty complicated big business. We're in the media business, we're in the live events business, we're in the data business, we're in the technology business. We've got so many different aspects of the business that, if you're a fan sitting in the arena, you don't see, but are really critical to making the whole thing work." "So anyway, my job is to look across all of that stuff and make sure it's all aligned and leading us to the winning basketball games and hopefully raising championship banners," said the Celtics president.Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKpiTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Rich Gotham on what the Boston Celtics President does for the team

BEREA, OHIO - AUGUST 03: Head coach Todd Monken of the Cleveland Browns instructs Deshaun Watson #4 during the Cleveland Browns Training Camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on August 03, 2026 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) | Getty Images Day 13 of Cleveland Browns training camp took place Wednesday, August 12. Cleveland finally announced a starting quarterback…for Saturday’s first preseason game.Cleveland Browns Training Camp Report – Day 13 (8/12/26)1. Decision Made: The announcement didn’t come before or during practice, but Wednesday evening, head coach Todd Monken announced that QB Deshaun Watson will get the first preseason start this Saturday against the Chicago Bears. On the surface, one might assume that the guy getting the first start has a leg up on the other. But he also confirmed that QB Shedeur Sanders will start the third quarter against Chicago, and that Sanders will start the second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. If Monken truly had his mind made up about the position, I don’t think he’d waste time starting Sanders next week.2. Drill of the Day: Here are a few of the Browns’ running backs working on their footwork in a competitive drill:Quinshon Judkins and Ahmani Marshall worked their feet in a competitive bag drill on Day 13 of Browns 2026 Training Camp. #Brownspic.twitter.com/1CcphRZcQG— Lance Reisland (Coach Riz) (@LanceReisland) August 12, 20263. Play of the Day, or Play of Camp: One of the best plays of training camp came when WR Isaiah Bond made a diving catch on a deep ball from QB Shedeur Sanders. Bond’s impact in camp continues to show up, as Cleveland has some targets who can really stretch the field if the quarterbacks can lay the ball out for them.#Browns Shedeur Sanders with the play of the day as Isaiah Bond makes a diving catch fully outstretched pic.twitter.com/wg3voem0Dx— Fred Greetham (@FredGreetham9) August 12, 2026This was part of a one-minute drill, with the offense needing any score to win. After killing the clock and two throwaways, the field goal unit came on.4. Dial It Up: Here is a red zone jet sweep to WR KC Concepcion, showing the versatility Cleveland’s offense hopes to have this year to keep opposing defenses guessing with respect to which playmaker might be getting the ball.Red zone end-around for Browns KC Concepcion. pic.twitter.com/QVyhbWEle0— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) August 12, 20265. Floriea Again: QB Deshaun Watson also had a one-minute drive turn out successful, thanks to finding WR Luke Floriea spring open on this play. Watson’s drive also led to a game-winning field goal.4 ➡️ 81 BIG GAIN 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/5jG0pTrDdc— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) August 12, 20266. Try Not to Make a Big Deal: I’m trying not to make a big deal of WR Jerry Jeudy’s drops, but he seems to be having the most of them in camp. Here is another nice deep ball from QB Shedeur Sanders, but it seems to go out of Jeudy’s hands without a deflection, despite tight coverage from CB Tre Avery. Avery has been getting props for his work with the first-team defense, necessitated by injuries and players resting.#Browns QB Shedeur Sanders goes deep to Jerry Jeudy, covered by CB Tre Avery. Tight coverage, but no catch. pic.twitter.com/DVyvTHtER2— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) August 12, 20267. Final Day of Practice Open to Fans: It was the final day of Browns training camp open to the public this year. If you didn’t see it yet, I did my annual training camp video tour (see at the bottom of this post). We also have a final tally on the Puppy Pound:A total of 41 puppies were adopted this year through Geauga Mama Dogs and Pups and Friendship APL at the Browns Puppy Pound, presented by Sugardale. Since the program’s launch in 2015, 855 puppies from Northeast Ohio have been adopted by @Browns fans at training camp practices.— Dan Murphy (@DMurph_BrownsPR) August 12, 20268. Brownies: OL Elgton Jenkins did not practice, and C Luke Wypler was with the ones. … It was George Warhop’s request to see how Austin Barber and Dawand Jones did at the other tackle positions. … CB Tyron Herring left practice early with an injury. … WR Cedric Tillman was idle from practice today.9. Up Next: The Browns are off Thursday and Friday, before playing the Bears on Saturday. Their next training camp session (media only) will be Monday, August 17.

POTTSVILLE — Crimson Tide coach Mike Brennan always likes to see his team playing as a cohesive unit in the early days of summer football camp.Pottsville was at it bright and early on Wednesday morning and Brennan, entering his third year as head coach, is already making sure his team’s execution and tempo are where they need to be by running live game-like simulations“We have to execute. We play a game in two weeks so we have to be competing, executing and be conditioned,” Brennan said. “We don’t know what sort of elements we’ll be facing early in the season and we need kids who are ready to roll for four quarters and I think we have that.”Brennan is a vocal leader, and is now focused on keeping the energy levels up and creating expectations after a 3-8 2025 season that ended with a first round district playoff exit.“This week is more running around and the conditioning part, and teaching on the run a little bit,” Brennan said. “(We’re teaching) a little more tempo and next week will be a little more physicality. The conditioning will amp up as we go along ,and next week it becomes much more physical and game speed as we prepare for our first game.”In Brennan’s eyes, to improve from last season, everyone on the team has to grow into their own roles, take accountability, spend time together away from the practice field and play as a family.“The reason why you lift weights and stay conditioned, go through meetings and everything else is to make plays on the field and be efficient,” Brennan said. “We have to be a lot better defensively this year, create stops and turnovers, and offensively we have to make explosive plays.”Pottsville allowed 30 or more points in six games last season, and the remedy to that begins with making plays at the line of scrimmage and creating havoc in the backfield.Playing a more physical brand of football is also in the cards defensively for the Crimson Tide.Leaders on the defensive side of the ball who have stood out through summer workouts and early practices include Harrison Ciavarella, Colin Klein, Pat Bolich and Nick Huda.“We need to be better than we were last year, and every time we come to practice we think about that and it being unacceptable,” Huda said. “I always keep it in my mind at practice that we have to finish better than that.”Similarly, the offense’s success starts at the line of scrimmage.Offensive linemen Ryan Beltz, Christian Artz and Dmitri Crochunis will block for a talented offense that includes quarterback Andrew Allen, running backs Max Clews and Brody Eroh, and wide receiver Shay Strencosky.Allen is spending the early portions of camp working on his timing and making sure he gets the ball in the hands of Pottsville’s best playmakers.Clews is working on his footwork and reading the offensive line to see where holes open up.“Early on, it’s nice to be able to do things full speed. Earlier in the summer, we were walking through stuff,” Allen said. “Now everything is full speed so it’s lining up a lot better. Being out here with the team every day, we get 1% better every day.”And with two weeks to go before the Crimson Tide’s season opener against Shamokin, every day counts.“Getting up early gets us mentally stronger and being here with the guys keeps us going,” Clews said. “When you first get the pads on it’s tough, and then it becomes second nature, and most of us have been playing football for all of our lives so it all comes back to us now.”

New Castle resident and Detroit Pistons player Duncan Robinson and several current and former pro players, including some from New Hampshire, will be in Manchester later this month.The Robinson Family Foundation will host Hoops for Healing, an evening with Duncan Robinson and Friends, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown on Saturday, Aug. 29.Robinson, Concord's Matt Bonner, an NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, and Bonner's brother Luke, who played at Trinity High and UMass, former MLB pitcher Chris Carpenter, who grew up in Raymond, and former NHL player Tim Schaller, who is from Merrimack, will be at the event alongside former NBA and Tilton School player Georges Niang, former Boston Celtic Brian Scalabrine, former NHL player Chad Ruhwedel and Miami Heat guard Dru Smith.The Hoops for Healing event, which is sponsored by Primary Bank, will benefit the Robinson Family Foundation, which was established after Robinson's brother, Eli, committed suicide last year.The foundation supports programs that promote mental health, heart health and overall wellbeing and focuses on reducing stigma and improving access to care.

2026-08-12T22:27:29Z NEW YORK (AP) — A federal civil rights agency is dropping a subpoena enforcement action against Nike, saying the company has complied with requests for information as part of an investigation into the sportswear giant’s diversity and inclusion policies.The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the motion to dismiss in Missouri federal court Wednesday, seven months after asking the court to order Nike to fully comply with the subpoena. In its court filing, the EEOC said that between March and August, Nike had provided “information and documents responsive to the subpoena,” leaving “no remaining controversy” for the court to resolve.An EEOC spokesperson said the agency is “pleased the company complied without a court order after the filing of our subpoena enforcement action,” but declined to provide more details. Nike declined to comment. Nike is one of the highest companies targeted by EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas’ campaign against corporate diversity and inclusion policies, which the Trump administration claims discriminate against white men and others. The EEOC has also filed a lawsuit against The New York Times alleging that the news organization discriminated against a white editor who was rejected for a role that went to a multiracial woman. In December, Lucas posted a social media call-out urging white men to file complaints if they have experienced discrimination based on race or sex. The investigation against Nike, however, did not stem from a worker charge but from a complaint that Lucas filed herself in May 2024, alleging that the company was discriminating against white employees. Her charge cited Nike’s publicly shared information about mentorship and other programs designed to foster diversity, data showing it had increased the number of minorities in its leadership ranks and its publicly stated goal of achieving 35% representation of racial and ethnic minorities in its corporate workforce by 2025. The subpoena enforcement action against Nike offered a glimpse into an EEOC investigation into a charge, a process that normally remains confidential unless it results in fines, settlements, legal action or other public actions. Read More The EEOC has sought data on Nike’s employment decisions dating back years, including its criteria for selecting employees for layoffs, how it tracks and uses worker race and ethnicity data, and information about programs that allegedly provided race-restricted mentoring, leadership or career development opportunities, according to court documents. It was unclear if Nike had provided all of the information the EEOC had demanded. 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. In February, the company called the court action a “surprising and unusual escalation,” saying it had handed over thousands of pages of information to the EEOC and was in the process of sharing more. In court filings, Nike called many of the requests overly broad and burdensome, saying they amounted to a “fishing expedition” for “information about every employment decision in the “idle hope that evidence of wrongdoing might be uncovered for one of them.” ALEXANDRA OLSON Olson is a business reporter for The Associated Press, focusing on women in the workplace. She has spent many years as a correspondent in Latin America. twitter mailto

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Latin American military leaders gathered in Panama to ramp up their efforts alongside U.S. forces.

The episode casts a spotlight on the army’s struggle to curtail settler violence and protect Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank.

The brother of Jared Kushner is an influential venture capitalist with big bets on A.I. and health insurance.

The spill of Russian crude bound for India compounds the environmental damage from spills in and around the Strait of Hormuz, where tankers and oil facilities have come under attack.

🚨 Messi named on Inter Miami's benchLionel Messi returned to the United States after traveling to Rosario to say goodbye to his father, and tonight he is on Inter Miami’s bench.The player joins the MLS side for their latest match to face León in the Leagues Cup, where they are playing for a spot in the next round.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

Little League Baseball New Jersey District 18 administrator and former Brick Little League President Michael S. Desmond passed away Monday. He was 45.Desmond was the Brick league president from 2021 to 2024 and remained on the board of directors; he began running District 18 in 2025. A district member, Toms River, sent a team to the Little League Softball World Series this year.District 18 covers youth baseball and softball leagues located throughout Ocean County including Brick as well as Barnegat, Beachwood, Pine Beach, Berkeley Township, Jackson, Lacey, Lakewood, Manchester and others."There are simply not enough words to express the immense loss we are all feeling. As an organization and as a community, we are shocked, heartbroken, and deeply saddened by Mike's passing," a statement from Brick Little League leaders said. "In so many ways, Mike was Brick Little League."Toms River girls' top memories of World Series run: 'Got a lot closer as a team'Asbury Park Press reporter Daniel Radel's children played in Brick Little League and he coached teams alongside Desmond."Mike Desmond was a pillar in the community," Radel said. "He led by example. If you watched him interact with the kids at Brick Little League, he knew each one's name, he knew how they did in their last game and he made them feel important. He dreamed big, not just for his two sons, but for all the kids in town. People are not ever going to forget Mike Desmond."Desmond was a lifelong Brick resident who played in the township's Little League as a child and attended Brick Township High School. He graduated from Stockton University in 2004 for marketing and was working as an account executive at GTreasury according to his LinkedIn. His immediate survivors are Maureen, his wife, and sons Brendan and Derek.A viewing will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 18 from 3 pm to 7 p.m. at Weatherhead Young Funeral Home, 885 Mantoloking Road, Brick, NJ 08723. A Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19 at Church of the Visitation.This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore Little League chief administator dies at 45: 'A pillar in the community'

The Chicago Bears returned to the playoffs for the first time in five year last season. They won the NFC North for the first time since 2018. The success of Ben Johnson’s inaugural season in the Windy City is still whirring louder than traffic on Lake Shore Drive. Johnson isn’t satisfied.That’s conveyed vividly in a comprehensive profile The Athletic’s Dan Pompei wrote, a piece that circulated widely on Wednesday, allowing readers a look inside the genius and measured madness of Johnson. Pompei spent a 14-hour training camp day with the second-year head coach earlier this month and gleaned plenty, including Johnson’s pursuit of greatness.“You’ve got 31 other teams coming to training camp saying, ‘Our goal is to win the Super Bowl,'” Johnson said, according to Pompei. “I want more than that. I want to have the highest-scoring offense ever, which happens to be the 2013 Denver Broncos. I know how many points per game they scored (37.9), and I want to surpass them. I want shutouts. I want blowouts.”For reference, the Bears ranked ninth in the NFL during the 2025 campaign with 25.9 points per game. But Johnson’s sniffed the offensive explosion he’s dreaming of — go back to 2024, his final season as an assistant in Detroit, and the Lions’ unit he coordinated averaged a league-best 33.2 points.Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (left) and head coach Ben Johnson (right) are in their second year together. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Michael Reaves via Getty ImagesIn order to dethrone the 2013 Broncos, Johnson’s Bears will have to also surpass the 2007 New England Patriots, who put up 36.8 points per game. That Patriots team was fueled by a seemingly unstoppable connection between Tom Brady and Randy Moss. Together, they combined for 23 touchdowns through the air. In the process, New England famously orchestrated a perfect regular season. But like the 2013 Broncos, the 2007 Patriots also lost the Super Bowl. And the 2018 Kansas City Chiefs, who averaged 35.3 points as the Patrick Mahomes’ rocket ship lifted off, bowed out in the AFC championship. The 2011 Green Bay Packers team that posted 35 points per contest behind NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers and went 15-1 as defending Super Bowl champions? It was bounced in the divisional round of the playoffs.Rolling out even the most potent of offenses doesn’t guarantee reaching the sport’s pinnacle. Falling short with that kind of firepower wouldn’t be acceptable to Johnson, who wants the franchise he’s piloting to set the record for most consecutive victories, a mark of 21 that currently belongs to the 2003-04 Patriots and includes their Super Bowl win over the Carolina Panthers.“Why can’t we do that?” Johnson said, per Pompei. “There has never been an undefeated season (since teams have been playing more than 14 regular-season games). “The moon is the Super Bowl, but we’re shooting beyond that, for the stars. And I want these players to feel that each and every single day they come in.”When Johnson took the Bears’ job in 2025, he entered into a partnership with quarterback Caleb Williams, a Heisman Trophy winner whom Chicago selected with the No. 1 overall pick the year prior.Johnson admitted that when he arrived, he had his reservations about the former Oklahoma and USC star.“Caleb is extremely coachable,” Johnson told Pompei. “I wasn’t sure about that when I came here.”Johnson said that, at this point, he doesn’t have concerns regarding the accuracy and processing speed of Williams, nor does Johnson worry about Williams’ ability to play within a structured offense. “He showed it to me,” Johnson reportedly said of the elusive and creative Williams, currently the face of the “Madden NFL” video game and at the heart of the excitement swarming the Bears.Johnson added, per Pompei: “Now it’s just a matter of time.”

Shedeur Sanders is in a tight competition for the Cleveland Browns' starting quarterback job. However, he was dealt a minor setback on Wednesday evening when the team announced that veteran Deshaun Watson will start the first preseason game against the Chicago Bears on Aug. 15.Watson and Sanders have been splitting first-team reps throughout training camp, with both players having good and bad days, but according to the stats and videos coming out of practice, Sanders has looked better.While Sanders won't get the starting nod this week, he will start the Browns' second preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 22. Head coach Todd Monken did note during his Wednesday press conference that Sanders will likely play most of the second half against the Bears.Through Tuesday's eleventh practice, Sanders completed 173 of his 247 passes for 12 touchdowns and just four interceptions. Watson, on the other hand, has completed 175 of his 270 passes for 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions.Deshaun Watson will start this Saturday's preseason game, with Shedeur Sanders to start next week's gameread more ➡️ https://t.co/thL2C3PQFDpic.twitter.com/JkDNydiVUU— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 12, 2026The interceptions have been a concern for Watson, leading fans to speculate whether Sanders had the edge in the competition. Monken's decision to go with Watson might not mean much in the grand scheme of things and could be just a head coach paying reverence to a veteran player.Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads and Instagram.Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Shedeur Sanders won't start Browns' first preseason game vs. Bears

Why Vikings named Kyler Murray starter before first preseason game and what decision means for J.J. McCarthy originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Any idea that the Vikings' quarterback battle would be one of the biggest storylines of the preseason was quashed on Tuesday, with Minnesota reportedly naming Kyler Murray its starting quarterback over J.J. McCarthy.Murray, signed in March after being released by the Cardinals, earned the job before the Vikings' first preseason game, a sign that Kevin O'Connell and Minnesota's staff have real confidence in his ability to be an upgrade at the position.Murray will be the Vikings' fourth Week 1 quarterback in four years, joining Kirk Cousins (2023), Sam Darnold (2024) and McCarthy (2025).Here's what you need to know about the Vikings' decision to name Murray their starter.MORE:Projecting the NFL's next 10 Hall of Fame QBsWhy Vikings named Kyler Murray starting QB before first preseason gameThe Vikings were reportedly intent on signing a quarterback to compete with McCarthy in free agency before they landed Murray. Given Murray's track record and McCarthy not showing many signs of promise during his time as a starter in 2025, conventional wisdom suggested Murray entered training camp as the favorite to be Minnesota's starter.McCarthy blowing Vikings coaches away could have changed that, but that isn't what happened."Neither Murray nor J.J. McCarthy has performed at a clip that makes the impending decision clear to any objective observer," The Athletic reported Tuesday before the decision was made, adding that McCarthy has made some impressive throws but had trouble "holding the ball and fidgeting in the pocket under duress" in practice.While Murray failed to fully separate himself, the pressure appeared to be on McCarthy to stand out if he wanted to win the job. With that not happening to this point, Murray now has full control of the offense more than a month before the Vikings' season opener.MORE:Ranking the 28 'modern-era' QBs in Hall of FameJ.J. McCarthy, Kyler Murray stat comparisonHere's a look at how Murray and McCarthy stack up statistically since McCarthy was drafted:Kyler Murray (2024-2025)StatJ.J. McCarthy (2024-25)22Starts1010-12Record6-468.7%Comp. rate57.6%4,813Pass yards1,63227TD1114INT1292.4Passer rating72.6745Rush yards1816Rush TD4Murray only threw two more interceptions than McCarthy in 12 more starts over the last two seasons, with a passer rating nearly 20 points higher than his now-teammate.While Murray missed most of 2025, his track record is that of a quality starter. McCarthy, on the other hand, hasn't proven he can be one yet, despite a 6-4 record in 2025.JJ McCarthy reactionIn McCarthy's first comments since the decision, the third-year quarterback expressed his disappointment but mentioned he just wanted to continue getting better."Obviously every competitor wants to play," he said, via ESPN. "But moving forward, it's just about continuing to work hard and just staying ready for when my number's called."McCarthy added that despite trade speculation, he still wants to remain with Vikings moving forward."This is the place I want to be," McCarthy said. "And I love every single person in this building. I love the state. I love the fan base and I'm going to continue to just do whatever I can for this team and this organization."Could Vikings trade JJ McCarthy?This might not be the ideal time to trade McCarthy, given how low his value is at the moment, but it's something the Vikings have the flexibility to explore if they are convinced he isn't going to be their long-term starter.Minnesota has a capable backup on the roster already in veteran Carson Wentz. Max Brosmer is also on the roster, though he looked less than capable in his brief time on the field last season.If the Vikings are sure McCarthy isn't the answer, it could benefit them to trade him while there is still some upside surrounding him. Unless reports say otherwise, though, Minnesota appears to be still be holding out hope that the former first-round pick can turn into a starter at the position. Vikings QB depth chartRankQB1Kyler Murray2J.J. McCarthy3Carson Wentz4Max BrosmerMurray is now the Vikings' No. 1 quarterback, with McCarthy in the backup slot for now and Wentz available as an emergency No. 3 quarterback.If the Vikings keep only three quarterbacks, Brosmer could be on the chopping block. The former University of Minnesota starter was a nice story in 2025 and even won one of his two starts, but he didn't look the part as a starter and likely can't give the Vikings what Wentz could in the emergency role.The wild-card would be a McCarthy trade or an outright Wentz release to save money. The Vikings have until Aug. 30 to make their final roster decision.

Students leave Warner Robins High School as Houston County Sheriff vehicles remain on the scene after a shooting at the school Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, in Warner Robins, Ga. (Joe Kovac/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)2026-08-12T23:18:06Z WARNER ROBINS, Ga. (AP) — A shooting at a Georgia high school Wednesday left one student wounded, and a teenage suspect who fled was later taken into custody, police said.The shooting at Warner Robins High School involving two ninth-graders occurred just one week into the new school year and prompted a response from dozens of law enforcement officers. Warner Robins is about 102 miles (164 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta.“Today a call that we train for every year happened to come to Houston County,” Sheriff Matt Moulton said at an evening news conference.The injured student was taken to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Moulton did not specify the type of injuries the student had. It wasn’t immediately known whether the school has metal detectors in place. Moulton declined to take questions at the news conference, citing the active investigation. The sheriff said a group of students was inside a school bathroom when a verbal altercation between two students escalated into a physical fight. One student was shot at 2:15 p.m., and the suspect fled. A school resource officer arrived quickly, applied tourniquets to the student’s injuries and remained until emergency services personnel arrived.An hour later, the suspect was caught “without further incident” in a neighborhood about a half-mile (800 meters) from the school, Moulton said. “The school threat protocol and our training was followed perfectly today,” Moulton said. “Fortunately what could have been a much-worse incident was minimized to us only having one student injured.” Read More Houston County Schools Superintendent Richard Rogers said the school would be closed for students on Thursday and Friday and for staff on Thursday. Crisis counselors would be available at the school for staff on Friday and for students on Monday.“We’re going to focus on healing,” Rogers said.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Drew Smyly walks on the field before a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds at the Field of Dreams movie site, Aug. 11, 2022, in Dyersville, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)2026-08-12T23:10:10Z Major League Baseball ‘s growth goals have taken the game from a military base in North Carolina to a racetrack in Tennessee, with numerous stops for photo ops around the globe in between.But there’s nothing quite like turning the bright lights on an Iowa cornfield, where home runs disappear into a sea of green stalks and ghosts of old ballplayers just might still be whispering. After playing in 2021 and 2022 at a temporary facility next to the “Field of Dreams” movie site, MLB has returned to stage another regular-season game in what is now a permanent ballpark.The Minnesota Twins host the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday in the small town of Dyersville, where mystique and nostalgia will hop into the pennant races for a night and the pace of the big-city beat can quickly fade into the endless rolling hills.“It’s going to be really cool, having been able to see the movie when I was growing up,” Phillies All-Star Kyle Schwarber said. “I’ve never been out there before, so I’m excited to see the corn.” Schwarber and his teammates sure won’t be disappointed. “It looks awesome this year,” said Keith Rahe, the executive director of Dyersville Events, which owns and operates the complex that now stretches beyond the farmhouse and ballfield that set the 1989 film and hosts a full calendar of youth tournaments as well as high school, college, minor league and senior-level competitions.Rahe’s nephews grew up there and have carefully cared for the corn for more than a decade. Their five-person crew has worked particularly hard on those 67 acres this summer, fertilizing, transplanting and watering so their state’s signature crop looks as lush as can be for Netflix’s worldwide streaming audience. “It’s a big garden,” Rahe said. “It takes a lot of time and energy.” They built it, and MLB came backAfter the 2020 game originally scheduled between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox was pre-empted by the pandemic, the White Sox played the New York Yankees in 2021 with a Fox telecast that was the most-watched regular-season game in 23 years. The Chicago Cubs then faced the Cincinnati Reds in 2022. Read More Rave reviews of the broadcast presentation and on-site experience weren’t enough to guarantee the Field of Dreams an annual place on the MLB schedule, however, like the Little League World Series site in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Building a temporary ballpark from scratch was an unsustainable task.So the people in Dyersville — 2020 census population: 4,477 — and the business community in northeast Iowa went to work on planning and funding a permanent venue that could continue to attract visitors to the area. With a state tourism grant from federal pandemic relief money and a few big contributions from local donors, construction began two years ago on a 3,000-seat ballpark that finished in time for a series of showcase events this summer. “We have some real plumbing that we don’t need to bring in, which is a real positive,” said MLB senior vice president of global operations and events Jeremiah Yolkut.With temporary bleachers added for the major league crowd, there will be seating for about 8,000 people on Thursday. Fans will again enter the complex through the quaint ballfield where the movie was filmed and walk through the corn toward the new ballpark. There will be more amenities than before, but still a vibe of simplicity. More than 25 members of the Hall of Fame are scheduled to be present.“I think it’s the perfect blend of being in the movie, on a farm, watching the baseball game, but having some of the creature comforts that people seek out when they’re coming to big events, and that’s a unique thing for us to be able to do,” Yolkut said. “I’m sure down the road if we’re able to come back to Field of Dreams we’ll learn things this year about having a permanent structure around the ballfield, but everything else remains the same.” Connecting through a game of catchKevin Costner’s character Ray Kinsella welcomed the ghosts of Shoeless Joe Jackson and friends to his farmland ballfield in the fantasy film that received a best picture nomination, with a powerful closing scene during which he reconnects with his baseball-playing late father: “Hey, dad, you want to have a catch?” Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. — both former Reds — tossed the ball back and forth in the outfield in a memorable 2022 pregame ceremony. With that in mind, Twins manager Derek Shelton has invited his father to come to Iowa for the game.“The story is such an interesting story, not only about baseball but about fathers and sons,” Shelton said. “So I think everybody that’s going to have their dad there, it’s going to be a really cool moment to be able to share that with them.” There’s a weather contingency plan just in caseLast year, heavy rain at Bristol Speedway forced the Braves-Reds game in Tennessee to be suspended and completed the following night. With rain in the forecast for northeast Iowa on Thursday, there’s always the chance the game would have to be postponed. In that scenario, both teams would remain in the area overnight and play on Friday night with the previous day’s tickets used for fan admission, but MLB said it will “do everything possible to play the game as scheduled.” The Twins and Phillies are supposed to be off on Friday for travel to Minneapolis before finishing their series at Target Field on Saturday and Sunday.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB DAVE CAMPBELL Campbell is a sports reporter for The Associated Press, based in Minneapolis. He has covered all of the major teams in Minnesota as well as stories of national interest for the AP since 2000. twitter 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The Department of Homeland Security described the gloves as a “de-escalation device,” but critics said they could encourage agents to use more force.

An WNBA anti-hate task force met virtually Wednesday and criticized those trying to create a narrative about transgender women playing in the league.“There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others,” a statement from a WNBA spokesperson said.The league’s collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” but it does not include any more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. Last Friday, two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft, saying they identify as women.The draft isn’t until next April.There has never been a transgender woman — a person assigned male at birth who transitions to align with their gender identity — on a WNBA roster. There have been players in the league who were assigned female at birth and later came out as transgender or nonbinary.The committee was formed last year to deal with hateful and abusive online comments directed at players and the league.“Today’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online,” the statement said. “We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months. We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league.”WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo last Friday to team presidents and general managers saying the league would discuss the subject of transgender women in women’s basketball.“We recognize that this is a complex and nuanced topic, and we will continue to have important conversations with all of you and the Players Association in the weeks and months ahead,” Engelbert said in the memo. “We also plan to convene additional discussions and offer listening sessions for any team leaders who would like to participate. Your perspectives and feedback are invaluable, and I appreciate those who have already reached out to share their thoughts.”In an ESPN article published last month, Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports. Cunningham's comments sparked small rallies and protests in Seattle and Portland when the Fever were on the road last week.Some WNBA players and coaches have come out in support of transgender athletes, including Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve.“We need to protect trans kids,” Reeve said on Aug. 1. “To me, it’s a human rights issue. Every kid has a right to sports.”Many players have declined to comment on the subject.___AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

The Lakers are being sold to American businessmen Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for $12.5 billion, a record-breaking price, multiple sources told ESPN.The businessmen were involved in the expansion process in Las Vegas, but in a stunning turn, they pivoted to make an aggressive offer to buy the Lakers from Mark Walter, who had purchased a controlling interest in the team from the Buss family last year for a then-record franchise valuation of approximately $10 billion.Inside Josh Kushner and Bob Iger's blockbuster $12.5 billion deal to buy LakersThe Lakers are being sold to American businessmen Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for $12.5 billion, a record-breaking price, multiple sources told ESPN."As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honored for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world. We have immense respect for the leadership and vision of Jerry and Jeanie Buss," Kushner and Iger said in a statement. "Our long-term commitment is to build on that foundation, compete at the highest level, and serve this extraordinary team, its fans, and the city of Los Angeles."Walter, the CEO and chairman of diversified holding company TWG Global, has been the Lakers' majority owner since last October when his bid was unanimously approved by the NBA."Owning the Los Angeles Lakers has been one of the great honors of my life -- an extraordinary investment, but what I will carry with me is the community, the fans, and a city that treats this team as family. I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead," Walter said in a statement.WATCH: Bob Iger, Josh Kushner to buy Lakers. What's next for the team?ABC7's Curt Sandoval discusses what's next for the Lakers after the franchise's surprising sale to Bog Iger and businessmen Josh Kushner.Walter and TWG Global have interests in multiple professional sports organizations, including the Dodgers, Sparks, Premier League club Chelsea and the Professional Women's Hockey League. And through TWG Motorsports, Walter owns several auto racing teams, including Cadillac Formula 1.Walter, 66, is only selling the Lakers in this transaction, sources told ESPN.Walter, who built his financial empire in the insurance industry, is under federal investigation for alleged tax fraud by other companies tied to the billionaire.Joshua Kushner, left, and Bob Iger are seen on Day 10 of the 2025 US Open Tennis Championships at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2025. XNY/Star Max/GC ImagesBloomberg reported in July that U.S. prosecutors in Manhattan are examining whether Delaware Life Insurance Co. and Clear Spring Life and Annuity Co., two insurers controlled by Walter, failed to disclose that their private credit holdings backed other Walter-controlled ventures. The Securities and Exchange Commission is running a parallel investigation, according to the Bloomberg report.Kushner, 41, founded and runs venture capital firm Thrive Capital and is the co-founder and vice chairman of Oscar Health. Kushner, who is the brother of President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, runs Thrive Eternal, the investment fund to which FIFA wanted to sell a minority stake to run its World Cup tournaments for $4.2 billion. FIFA president Gianni Infantino withdrew that proposal earlier this month.Kushner holds a minority stake in the Miami Heat and previously was a minority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies. He will have to sell his stake in the Heat to clear the way for the Lakers purchase.Iger, 75, was succeeded this year as Disney's CEO by Josh D'Amaro, ending his second term in the role. In 2024, along with Willow Bay, he became the controlling owner of NWSL team Angel City FC.

The problem with highlighting specific moments from NFL training camp is that one player's good play is another player's bad play.The Eagles' social-media team on Wednesday decided to trumpet an interception made by cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. The errant pass was thrown by quarterback Jalen Hurts."Right on Q," the caption declared.It's a curious decision, given that the pressure seems to be increasing on Hurts. The Eagles, by all indications, expect him to run the offense as designed, and to execute the plays as called. As Derrick Gunn reported last season, internal frustration was growing over Hurts playing "his game" once the ball was snapped.Was it a situation of an intern gone rogue? Or was someone trying to send a message to Hurts, with the notion that it was simply a social-media intern gone rogue providing plausible deniability?Regardless, it happened. The Eagles' 3.7-million twitter followers (and many others) saw the clip that has been viewed 11.2 million times and counting.

Kalshi Promo Code TSNEWS: Get Up to $500 in Bonuses for MLB, NFL Preseason originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Sports fans can gain access to a tiered sign-up bonus that goes up to $500 by signing up with Kalshi promo code TSNEWS and making $25 in trades. Click here to get in on the action.The current MLB slate presents robust trading opportunities on the Kalshi prediction market platform. Key matchups, including the Seattle Mariners visiting the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox taking on the Toronto Blue Jays, offer numerous outcomes for trading. Don't forget about the NFL preseason, which continues this weekend.Collect $500 in Bonuses With Kalshi Promo Code TSNEWSThe Kalshi welcome offer is exclusively designed for new customers eager to engage with prediction markets. Using the special promo code ensures eligibility for the sign-up bonus, which varies based on participation.Kalshi Promo CodeTSNEWSNew User OfferTiered Bonus Up to $500Terms and Conditions18+ and Present in the US (Not Available in MI, NV)Bonus Last Verified OnAugust 12, 2026To claim the sign-up bonus, new users must make a first-time deposit of at least $1 and place a total of $25 worth of trades across any prediction market on the platform, including those centered on MLB outcomes. Kalshi is accessible to users aged 18 and older across all 50 U.S. states.Unlike a flat rate, the Kalshi sign-up bonus is tiered, meaning the amount credited to the user varies based on a randomized distribution model. This tiered structure provides new users with the potential for substantial initial trading capital:$15 Trading Bonus: Awarded to 70% of participants$35 Trading Bonus: Awarded to 24% of participants$75 Trading Bonus: Awarded to 5% of participants$100 Trading Bonus: Awarded to 0.65% of participants$500 Trading Bonus: Awarded to 0.35% of participantsTrading Opportunities in Wednesday's MLB SlatePrediction markets allow users to trade on the likelihood of real-world events. For the current MLB slate, Kalshi provides an accessible way to engage with the outcomes of key games. Below are the consensus market figures for this week's highlighted matchups, presenting the implied probability derived from market activity.MatchupImplied ProbabilitySEA @ NYYSEA 45% / NYY 55%BOS @ TORBOS 53% / TOR 47%KC @ LADKC 34% / LAD 66%The Yankees enter this matchup with a slight advantage according to market consensus (NYY -127). The underlying seasonal statistics provide the evidence, particularly concerning pitching and run prevention:TeamAVGOBPOPSERAK/9WHIPNYY.230.310.7203.289.081.17SEA.228.307.6813.798.651.20The Yankees demonstrate edges in both offensive production and pitching efficiency, boasting a stronger overall run prevention profile: 3.28 ERA compared to 3.79 ERA for the Mariners.Kalshi Promo Code TSNEWS: Getting StartedSecuring your tiered trading bonus is a clear, multi-step process that grants immediate access to Kalshi’s wide array of markets, including those covering the current MLB schedule. Here is the step-by-step guide to activating your special Kalshi welcome offer:Register: Start by clicking on the links on this page and visiting the desktop site. Account creation requires the user to be 18 years or older and physically present in the U.S. You will need to provide standard personal information and proof of identification for regulatory compliance.Enter Promo Code TSNEWS: During the registration process, ensure you accurately enter the specific Kalshi promo code TSNEWS. This code is mandatory to link your new account to the tiered welcome offer and guarantee eligibility for the bonus.Make a Deposit: To fully unlock the potential offer, a first-time deposit of at least $1 is required. Kalshi provides several secure funding options.Complete the Trading Volume: The tiered bonus amount is unlocked once you complete $25 worth of total trading volume. This requirement can be fulfilled through any combination of smaller trades that sum up to $25. Once this trading requirement is met, the randomized sign-up bonus will be credited to your account and ready for use in future market transactions.

Michaely Bihina sent Cameroon back to the Wafcon final for the first time since 2016 [EPA]Michaely Bihina was the heroine as the Cameroon goalkeeper saved an extra-time penalty and three more spot kicks in a shootout to send her side though to the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) final at the expense of host nation Morocco.The 22-year-old pushed away Fatima Tagnaout's attempt from 12 yards in the 118th minute to ensure the game in Rabat finished 0-0 after 120 minutes.Bihina then brilliantly kept out efforts from Kenza Chapelle, Maryame Atiq and Sakina Ouzraoui to leave the Moulay Hassan Stadium in stunned silence.Teenage Cameroon defender Maryam Nyadjou held her nerve to secure a 3-1 win on penalties for the Central Africans.The Indomitable Lionesses will face Malawi in Sunday's final (19:00 GMT) after the southern Africans beat Algeria 3-1 earlier on Wednesday.Cameroon's run to the final is all the more remarkable given they were knocked out in qualifying and only progressed to the finals on the strength of their world ranking after the Confederation of African Football decided to expand the tournament to 16 teams midway through the preliminary process.Morocco suffer heartbreak againMorocco paid the price after Fatima Tagnaout (centre, wearing 11) failed to convert from the spot in the 118th minute [EPA]While the first Wafcon semi-final was littered with chances and incident, the late game in the capital was a far tighter affair.Morocco created little to reflect their dominance of the ball against an organised and disciplined Cameroon side who grew in confidence in the latter stages of the second half.The Atlas Lionesses came close to an opener in the 14th minute when Sanaa Mssoudy diverted Hanane Ait El Haj's right-wing cross against the right-hand upright, and the forward also thrashed into the side-netting on the hour mark.A flurry of late chances came at the end of regulation time, with Imane Saoud shooting straight at Bihina, Mssoudy heading wide and Michaela Abam firing over the Morocco bar.Abam then had a shot blocked towards the end of the first period of extra time and Morocco defender Atiq headed over in the second half.The match's key incident came right at the end of extra time when Morocco were presented with a glorious chance to win the tie following a video assistant referee (VAR) review, with Togolese official Vincentia Amedome deciding Nyadjou had caught Ouzraoui in the face with her arm.Ait El Haj had converted from the spot in the quarter-final win over South Africa but substitute Tagnaout assumed responsibilities and the winger's tame left-footed effort was palmed away by Bihina.There was more to come from the Cameroon keeper, who plays in her homeland for Benfica and had previously made a remarkable nine stops in her side's quarter-final upset against 10-time champions Nigeria.Chapelle put her effort too close to Bihina but two stunning stops followed to deny Atiq and Ouzraoui.Khadija Er-Rmichi had kept her side in the shootout by saving an effort from Grace Mendoua, but the Morocco keeper had little answer to Bihina's heroics.A semi-final defeat comes as a big blow to Morocco, who have invested heavily in football in recent years and hired Spain's Women's World Cup winning manager Jorge Vilda in an attempt to claim a maiden continental crown.The Atlas Lionesses were runners-up in 2022 and reached the final of the delayed 2024 Wafcon last July, but threw away a 2-0 half-time lead against Nigeria and were forced to settle for second place again.Cameroon, meanwhile, return to the final for the first time since losing to Nigeria as tournament hosts in 2016.The Indomitable Lionesses have lost three previous finals and coach Valentine Nguele, who only took charge in June, will need to nullify the threat of the Chawinga sisters Tabitha and Temwa when her side come up against Malawi on Sunday.Whoever comes out on top, it will be a new name on the trophy.On Thursday Ivory Coast take on Ghana (17:00 GMT) and Nigeria meet South Africa (20:00 GMT) in African play-offs for the chance to go into an inter-continental qualifier for the 2027 Fifa Women's World Cup.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth smiles during a forum of The Americas Counter Cartel Coalition in Panama City, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)2026-08-12T23:41:52Z PANAMA CITY (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said the recently inaugurated government of Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has requested U.S. collaboration in joint military operations in Colombia to combat “narco-terrorism.”During a meeting of the so-called Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition in Panama, Hegseth said Colombia would also join the “Shield of the Americas” initiative, becoming its 19th member. The initiative emerged from a March summit with U.S. President Donald Trump and Latin American countries that sought to join forces in fighting drug cartels. Colombia’s then-President Gustavo Petro was not invited to that meeting.“Through the newly inaugurated president, as our president likes to say, President El Tigre, Colombia has already requested that the Department of War join Colombia in its fight against narco-terrorism, authorizing joint military operations to destroy terrorists and terror networks,” Hegseth said. The government of de la Espriella, who was sworn in last week and is known as “The Tigr” or “El Tigre,” did not immediately comment on the announcement in Panama. But the conservative leader has previously said his administration would join the U.S. initiative.Separately, Hegseth urged the Latin American countries at the meeting not to recognize the International Criminal Court, or ICC. The U.S. under Trump has carried out military strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the region, which have raised questions about their legality. Hegseth argued that such efforts “are entirely legal under international humanitarian law.” Read More It remains unclear from Hegseth’s statements what measures, if any, the international court has taken to hinder U.S. operations in the region.He urged the nearly 20 countries in attendance to abandon the ICC and reject its attempts to strip their governments and courts of their “sovereignty.” The Trump administration is pushing a campaign to dismantle the international court in retaliation for arrest warrants issued against senior Israeli officials over the war in Gaza and investigations into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan.

2026-08-13T00:07:17Z QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Norway’s soccer star Erling Haaland ‘s face has appeared on billboards, trading cards and television screens, becoming a social media phenomenon for scoring seven goals across four World Cup matches in July. Now, police in Ecuador have found it in an unexpected place — printed on green rectangular packages that made up a stunning cocaine shipment seized in a truck near the Colombian border. The driver of the vehicle was arrested following the seizure of the stash of 469 kilograms (1,034 pounds) of cocaine on Wednesday, police said but provided no explanation for the stickers with the image of the golden-haired Norwegian striker.However, it is common practice for drug traffickers to label their shipments with the names of well-known sports figures and other celebrities as a way of signaling which criminal network produced the merchandise and which client it belongs to. A news release said anti-narcotics agents were conducting an operation following an anonymous tip received early Tuesday morning on the Pan-American Highway when they noticed a suspicious truck. After searching it, they found 370 packages hidden in a false bottom of the truck. Police released a video showing the packages spilling out from the truck’s false bottom, with the stickers of Haaland — often called a “pretty princess” and “babygirl” by his fans — clearly visible. Haaland was one of the top scorers and most charismatic players at the World Cup held in Mexico, the United States, and Canada, and his imposing stature and goofy sense of humor sparked a wave of creative viral videos and memes. Read More Haaland is not the only soccer star apparently favored by drug smugglers — the image of Argentine national team captain Lionel Messi has also appeared on another seized package.Ecuador is considered to be a logistical hub for drug trafficking, where drugs are stockpiled, stored and distributed via Central American routes mainly to the United States, though narcotics are also shipped to Europe.Police said a woman identified only as María R., with Colombian identity documents, was arrested in Wednesday’s operation in the area of Guagua Negro, near the border city of Tulcan, 246 kilometers (153 miles) north of the capital of Quito. The estimated value of the shipment is nearly $842,000 on the domestic market, and more than $11 million in the U.S. and more than $19.6 million (17 million euros) in Europe. 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. In Ecuador, local criminal gangs allied with Colombian and Mexican cartels manage the routes and ship the narcotics, 80% of which originate in Colombia and the rest in Peru.In the first half of this year, police reported seizing 80 tons of drugs, while in 2025 authorities confiscated nearly 215 tons, primarily cocaine. In 2024, the amount reached almost 295 tons.___Follow AP’s Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Fire crews drop water on a wildfire along Highway 3 in Manning Park, British Columbia, as fires burn throughout the southeastern part of the Provence on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)2026-08-13T00:13:04Z PENTICTON, British Columbia (AP) — A wildfire that forced more than 20,000 people from their homes in western Canada moved so quickly that crews had to abandon firefighting to help residents escape, a pace British Columbia’s premier said Wednesday may represent a “new normal.”The Bald Range wildfire erupted Friday near Summerland, a community of about 12,000 in British Columbia’s Okanagan region. By Wednesday, it had grown to about 184 square kilometers (71 square miles) after destroying homes and killing an 80-year-old woman.“There’s an important set of lessons for us to take about how quickly this moved and that this may be our new normal for fire speed,” Premier David Eby said. He said the blaze outpaced wildfire modeling and left some residents with little time to evacuate.Officials have begun damage assessments, but the area remained unsafe Wednesday and there was no timeline for residents to return. Crews were clearing vegetation to help slow the fire’s spread as officials warned that thunderstorms could bring erratic winds and increase fire activity. Highway 97, a major route through the area, remained closed.Eby visited an evacuation reception center in Penticton, where he said he met people devastated by the loss of their homes. “A lot of emotions in there, obviously,” he told reporters, calling the woman’s death a “tragic loss.”Summerland pharmacist Jonathan Kiesman said he was worried about displaced patients getting their medications and said seeing the fire approach the community “almost brought tears to my eyes.”Officials said they were withholding broader details on property losses until residents could be notified directly. Read More “The last thing that I would want is somebody to have the shock of finding out on social media or on television about their home being lost,” British Columbia Emergency Management Minister Kelly Greene said.Eby said the province would review the response, including whether changes are needed to wildfire planning, building standards and vegetation management near communities. Given the drought and summer heat, he warned, “this is very unlikely to be the last significant fire we see this summer.” 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. Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes warned that recovery would be long and difficult.Canada has endured a series of severe wildfire seasons in recent years, with smoke repeatedly drifting into the United States. In record-setting 2023, fires burned more than 14.6 million hectares (36 million acres), an area roughly the size of Illinois.Canada has warmed faster than the global average in recent decades, while the amount of land burned by wildfires has increased substantially. Much of the country’s forest is remote and dominated by spruce and pine, conditions that can make fires difficult to contain once they become established.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert talks to media at a news conference before a WNBA All-Star basketball game between Team Coop and Team Spoon in Chicago, Saturday, July 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)2026-08-12T23:56:12Z An WNBA anti-hate task force met virtually Wednesday and criticized those trying to create a narrative about transgender women playing in the league.“There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others,” a statement from a WNBA spokesperson said.The league’s collective bargaining agreement states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA,” but it does not include any more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. Last Friday, two former NBA players, Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White, declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft, saying they identify as women.The draft isn’t until next April.There has never been a transgender woman — a person assigned male at birth who transitions to align with their gender identity — on a WNBA roster. There have been players in the league who were assigned female at birth and later came out as transgender or nonbinary. The committee was formed last year to deal with hateful and abusive online comments directed at players and the league.“Today’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online,” the statement said. “We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months. We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league.” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo last Friday to team presidents and general managers saying the league would discuss the subject of transgender women in women’s basketball. Read More “We recognize that this is a complex and nuanced topic, and we will continue to have important conversations with all of you and the Players Association in the weeks and months ahead,” Engelbert said in the memo. “We also plan to convene additional discussions and offer listening sessions for any team leaders who would like to participate. Your perspectives and feedback are invaluable, and I appreciate those who have already reached out to share their thoughts.”In an ESPN article published last month, Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham voiced support for barring transgender girls and women from girls’ and women’s sports. Cunningham’s comments sparked small rallies and protests in Seattle and Portland when the Fever were on the road last week. Some WNBA players and coaches have come out in support of transgender athletes, including Seattle Storm center Stefanie Dolson and Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve.“We need to protect trans kids,” Reeve said on Aug. 1. “To me, it’s a human rights issue. Every kid has a right to sports.”Many players have declined to comment on the subject.___AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Lead Stories says: Spoof AccountDid a real sports journalist named "Marc Jacobs" report that Russell Westbrook was signing with Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel? No, that's not true: There was no evidence that Westbrook, a 37-year-old NBA free agent, had signed with the Israeli professional team as of Aug. 12, 2026. The claim came from a fake sports reporter on a parody account, citing a story that does not exist.The claim appeared in a post and image (archived here) by the @MJacobsLF account on X on Aug. 9, 2026. It read:REPORT: Russell #Westbrook and Hapoel Tel Aviv reportedly have mutual interest, with talks between the two sides continuing to expand. The former MVP is seriously considering a move overseas this season. Per @TheAthleticA deal would mark the first time Westbrook plays professionally outside the NBA.This is what the post looked like on X at the time of writing:Image source: post by @MJacobsLF on X.The Marc Jacobs X profile describes the persona as a "Senior NBA Writer & Reporter for @LakerFilm." Jacobs is not a mainstream, credentialed journalist and has fewer than 4,300 followers as of Aug. 12, 2026. The @LakerFilm account (archived here) had fewer than 40 followers as of Aug. 12, 2026, and had the display name "FOLLOW MJacobsLF."News searchesLead Stories searched Google News (archived here) and Yahoo News (archived here) and did not find any matching reports from credible news outlets reporting that Westbrook was in talks with Hapoel Tel Aviv. The searches used the terms "Russell Westbrook," "Hapoel Tel Aviv," and "Marc Jacobs."However, several publications picked up the claim as legitimate reporting, including the Jerusalem Post (archived here), which later removed the story (archived here) from its website.The post on X also falsely cited The Athletic (@TheAthletic) to substantiate its claim about Westbrook. The Athletic, owned by The New York Times Company, did not report the story (archived here). A Google Advanced Search of the site (archived here) by Lead Stories produced the same results.Image analysisLead Stories ran the image of Westbrook in the post through Google Gemini (archived here), Google's AI assistant. The tool concluded that the image has a Google SynthID:This image has been identified as having been edited or generated with Google AI.The image includes the Gemini icon in the lower right corner. It is circled in yellow below:Image source: post by @MJacobsLF on X.

Sixteen teams entered.After one round, only eight remained.The Detroit Lions All-Time Tournament had already produced plenty of fireworks, including a first-round upset by Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and the No. 14-seeded 2011 Lions. Now the stakes were even higher, with a trip to the Final Four on the line.Our tournament puts the greatest teams in Lions history on a neutral field with every player healthy and available from that specific season. Because we’re comparing teams separated by generations, the matchups are adjusted for era. The goal isn’t to automatically hand the advantage to modern players because of changes in training, size or offensive philosophy. It’s to determine how great each team was relative to its time and imagine what would happen if those strengths translated to one field.The quarterfinals gave us Bobby Layne against Bobby Layne, Barry Sanders against Detroit’s last championship team, one of the greatest defenses in Lions history against Megatron, and a showdown between Dan Campbell’s breakthrough team and his record-setting follow-up.And somehow, the No. 14 seed wasn’t finished yet.Previous Articles in the SeriesDetroit Lions All-Time Tournament: Round of 16No. 1 1953 Lions vs. No. 8 1954 LionsTalk about knowing your opponent.The first quarterfinal featured many of the same stars on both sidelines, beginning with Bobby Layne and Doak Walker.The 1953 Lions entered as the tournament’s No. 1 seed after going 10-2 and winning the NFL championship. One year later, Detroit went 9-2-1, led the NFL with 337 points and posted a massive +148 scoring differential.You could make a case that the 1954 version was actually more dominant during the regular season.Its defense intercepted 30 passes, while Layne and Walker powered an offense that averaged 28.1 points per game. The problem for the 1954 team was that its opponent had already proven it could finish the job when everything was on the line.That championship experience became the separator.The 1954 Lions carried a 20-17 lead into the fourth quarter before the earlier version of Layne engineered one final scoring drive. Walker delivered a 27-yard reception to move Detroit inside the 10, and Gene Gedman eventually punched in the deciding touchdown.Layne’s 1953 version finished 17-of-28 for 226 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.The 1954 Layne was 18-of-31 for 248 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.Walker generated 108 total yards and a touchdown for the 1953 team, while his 1954 counterpart finished with 92 total yards and a score.It came down to one possession.The defending champions survived.Final Score: 1953 Lions 24, 1954 Lions 20Winner: No. 1 1953 LionsThe tournament’s top seed was headed to the Final Four.No. 5 1991 Lions vs. No. 4 1957 LionsThe 1957 Lions had something nobody else remaining in this half of the bracket could claim.They were NFL champions.Detroit rallied past the San Francisco 49ers in the postseason before delivering one of the most overwhelming championship performances in league history, destroying Cleveland 59-14.The defense forced 43 regular-season turnovers, including 25 interceptions.Then there was the problem standing on the other sideline.Barry Sanders.The 1991 Lions had already knocked off Barry’s explosive 1995 team in the opening round. Now Sanders had to deal with a championship defense determined to prevent him from deciding the game.For a while, it worked.The 1957 defense bottled up Sanders early and forced Erik Kramer to make plays through the air.Eventually, Barry did what Barry tended to do.One crease was enough.Sanders exploded for a 63-yard touchdown during the third quarter, changing the complexion of the game. He finished with 148 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.Kramer completed 18 of 27 passes for 231 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Herman Moore caught six passes for 88 yards.The 1957 team refused to disappear.Tobin Rote threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns, although he also tossed two interceptions. Jim Doran contributed five catches for 81 yards and a score.It came down to one final opportunity.Detroit’s 1957 team trailed by four and faced a critical fourth down near midfield.Chris Spielman blew up the play.Ballgame.Final Score: 1991 Lions 27, 1957 Lions 23Winner: No. 5 1991 LionsBarry Sanders had taken down Detroit’s most recent championship team.The 1991 Lions were going to the Final Four.No. 6 1962 Lions vs. No. 14 2011 LionsThis was the matchup football nerds could argue about for hours.One of the greatest defenses in franchise history against one of its most explosive passing attacks.The 1962 Lions surrendered only 177 points in 14 games, an average of 12.6 per contest. Detroit ranked first in the NFL in total defense and rushing defense and allowed just six rushing touchdowns the entire season.Alex Karras and Roger Brown helped form a devastating defensive front.Night Train Lane and Yale Lary patrolled the secondary.And waiting across the line of scrimmage was Matthew Stafford throwing to Calvin Johnson.The 2011 Lions scored 474 points during the regular season. Stafford threw for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns, while Johnson caught 96 passes for 1,681 yards and 16 scores.Trying to run straight into the teeth of the 1962 defense would have been asking for trouble.So Stafford went hunting downfield.The old-school Lions defense fought back. Karras and Brown helped bring Stafford down four times, while the secondary intercepted him twice.Still, there was no historical comparison for trying to defend Megatron.Johnson made the game’s defining play during the fourth quarter, climbing over two defenders for a 38-yard touchdown.Stafford finished 25-of-39 for 309 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.Johnson caught eight passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns.Brandon Pettigrew added five receptions for 58 yards.Ndamukong Suh made his presence felt on the other side with two sacks and three quarterback hits.The 1962 Lions pushed back. Milt Plum completed 18 of 32 passes for 219 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while Gail Cogdill caught six passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. Karras contributed 1.5 sacks.Plum got one final opportunity with his team trailing by three.Then Suh broke through the interior on third down.The Cinderella lived.Final Score: 2011 Lions 27, 1962 Lions 24Winner: No. 14 2011 LionsAnother upset.The No. 14-seeded Lions had now eliminated the 1952 NFL champions and the 11-3 1962 Lions.Stafford and Megatron were heading to the Final Four.No. 7 2023 Lions vs. No. 2 2024 LionsHow much difference can one year make?Enough to produce one of the best games in the tournament.The 2023 Lions changed everything in Detroit.Dan Campbell’s team went 12-5, won the NFC North and defeated the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers before taking a 17-point halftime lead over San Francisco in the NFC Championship Game.Detroit scored 461 points and finally made January football in the Motor City feel normal again.Then the 2024 Lions took virtually the same core and went nuclear.Detroit finished 15-2, scored an NFL-best 564 points and outscored opponents by 222.Jared Goff threw 37 touchdown passes. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 115 passes for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 1,412 yards and finished with 20 total touchdowns.The familiarity made the matchup even better.Both versions of Goff understood the offense.Both versions of Campbell knew exactly when the other guy wanted to roll the dice on fourth down.Both teams knew the personnel across the field.The 2023 Lions actually took a 24-21 lead into the fourth quarter.David Montgomery pounded away at his future teammates, while the 2023 version of Aidan Hutchinson recorded two sacks.Then Gibbs changed everything.The 2024 running back turned a screen pass into a 46-yard touchdown and followed it with a 31-yard run on Detroit’s next possession.Goff’s 2024 version finished 26-of-35 for 312 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.Gibbs rushed 16 times for 104 yards, caught six passes for another 79 and scored twice.St. Brown caught nine passes for 111 yards and a touchdown, while Sam LaPorta finished with six catches for 72 yards and a score.The 2023 offense refused to fold.Goff threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns. St. Brown caught eight balls for 103 yards. Montgomery ran 19 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns.Trailing by four, the 2023 Lions got one final possession.They reached fourth-and-7.The 2024 version of Hutchinson brought the pressure.Goff’s pass fell incomplete.The greatest regular-season team in Lions history survived.Final Score: 2024 Lions 35, 2023 Lions 31Winner: No. 2 2024 LionsThe Final Four Is SetFour eras of Lions football remain.And the semifinals couldn’t offer two more different matchups.No. 1 1953 Lions vs. No. 5 1991 LionsBobby Layne.Doak Walker.Barry Sanders.Chris Spielman.The top-seeded NFL champions will try to stop the greatest running back in franchise history.No. 14 2011 Lions vs. No. 2 2024 LionsThe Cinderella gets its biggest test yet.Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson have already eliminated two of the greatest teams in franchise history.Now they get Detroit’s offensive juggernaut.Jared Goff.Jahmyr Gibbs.David Montgomery.Amon-Ra St. Brown.Jameson Williams.Sam LaPorta.One of those teams will play for the championship.Bottom LineThe quarterfinals left little doubt about what makes an all-time tournament like this so much fun.Detroit’s 1953 champions survived an almost mirror-image opponent.Barry Sanders put together another huge performance and sent the 1991 Lions past the franchise’s last championship team.The 2024 Lions survived a shootout against the team that started Detroit’s modern playoff breakthrough.And then there are the 2011 Lions.A No. 14 seed featuring Stafford and Megatron has now knocked out the 1952 champions and one of the greatest defensive teams Detroit ever fielded.Four teams remain.1953.1991.2011.2024.Next stop: the Final Four.