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Los Angeles Dodgers former pitcher Tommy John praises his late friend, Dr. Frank Jobe during a memorial service at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, April 7, 2014. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)2026-08-16T18:15:43Z LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tommy John, who won 288 games during a 26-year big league career and became the first pitcher to successfully return following groundbreaking elbow surgery that later was named after him, has died. He was 83.He died at his home in Bradenton, Florida, on Saturday night, agent Mike Maguire said Sunday. He had been in hospice care.On Aug. 8, the New York Yankees released a social media post in which John wrote that he wanted to say goodbye to everyone, including friends and fans who followed him throughout his career, saying, “I will never forget you.”John was a four-time All-Star with a record of 288-231 and a 3.34 ERA during a career that stretched from 1963 to 1989. He pitched for Cleveland, the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Yankees, the California Angels and the Oakland Athletics. The left-hander was 31 years old when he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow in 1974, a death knell for pitchers’ careers to that point. John allowed Dr. Frank Jobe, the Dodgers’ team physician, to replace the ligament with a tendon from his right forearm. Jobe gave the surgery 100-to-1 odds of being successful. John was a great pitcher, but his elbow surgery made him a baseball legendThe procedure had been done on others before, although it was usually performed on wrists and hands. John was the first pitcher to have it done on his elbow.More than 2,600 big leaguers and thousands more amateurs have since had UCL reconstructions, better known as Tommy John surgery. It’s been a godsend for many of baseball’s greatest stars, including two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani, three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander and even Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper.“If you put it in dollars and cents, I think there’s no question that Tommy John is the most valuable reconstructive procedure there is,” Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache told The Associated Press in 2024. Born Thomas Edward John Jr. on May 22, 1943, in Terre Haute, Indiana, he was a top baseball and basketball player at the city’s Gerstmeyer High. He graduated in 1961 as valedictorian but did not give the commencement speech because of a stutter. Despite being recruited by the University of Kentucky to play basketball, John chose baseball and signed with Cleveland. Read More “The day I left for my first job as a pitcher, my father looked at me & said, ‘Good luck, Tommy. Just remember one thing: whether you make it big in the big leagues or you don’t, you’ll always just be Tommy John from Terre Haute, Indiana.’ I’ve never forgotten those words,” John wrote in his Aug. 8 post.John recorded 2,245 strikeouts but never led either league in wins or strikeouts. John had the second-most wins of any pitcher since 1900 not to be elected to the Hall of Fame. From 1995 through 2009, John was on the Hall of Fame ballot, but he never received more than 31.7% of the votes, falling well short of the 75% required for election. John won more games after his eponymous surgeryKnown for his longevity, John was the opening day starter for both the 1966 Chicago White Sox and the 1989 New York Yankees. He won 124 games before his UCL repair and 164 after. His final appearance came days after his 46th birthday.He made his major league debut on Sept. 6, 1963, pitching one inning in relief for Cleveland. He was traded to the White Sox in 1965 and worked his way into the starting rotation. The following year, he tied for the American League lead with five shutouts and in 1967, his six shutouts led the AL.In 1971, he was traded to the Dodgers.In 1974, John had a 13-3 record and led the National League in victories going into the All-Star break. He was pitching against the Montreal Expos when he permanently damaged the UCL in his left arm. After a month, the injury had not improved.During the four-hour surgery on Sept. 25, 1974, Jobe made holes in the humerus and ulna bones of John’s left arm and used anchors to insert the tendon in a figure-eight pattern.At first, John’s left hand was shriveled and he lacked feeling in several of his fingers because of damage to the ulnar nerve. Jobe performed a second procedure to reroute the nerve that was necessary to John’s full recovery.John’s arm was in a cast for four months. He had recovered the full range of motion in his left arm by spring training of 1975, and spent that season resting, healing and rebuilding strength in his arm. John worked with fellow Dodgers pitcher Mike Marshall, who had a doctorate in kinesiology, on learning a different grip. That September he made five appearances during an offseason instructional league, working his way up to seven innings by his final game.John resumed pitching for the Dodgers in 1976 as the fourth starter in their rotation. He allowed three runs in five innings and took the loss in his first start against Atlanta, the first time any pitcher had started a game following UCL reconstructive surgery.John donated the original cast from his surgery to the Smithsonian Institution in June 2022. His teammates on the 1974 Dodgers signed it, as well as Jobe and the team’s Hall of Fame announcer Vin Scully. The procedure has become so widely known that in 2019, Merriam-Webster added the term to its dictionary.John made 31 starts for the Dodgers in 1976, posting a 10-10 record, a 3.09 ERA, 91 strikeouts, 61 walks and 207 hits allowed in 207 innings.In 1977, he won 20 games for the first time in his career, finishing with a 20-7 record. He finished second behind Philadelphia’s Steve Carlton in voting for the NL Cy Young Award.John and his family had mixed feelings about the legacy of his operationOver 50 years later, Tommy John surgery is as much a part of baseball as peanuts and hot dogs. Advanced training methods are helping pitchers of all ages throw harder than ever. They take comfort knowing a torn UCL won’t necessarily end their careers.“I am sick my name is attached to a surgery happening in kids more than pros,” John tweeted in July 2018.John’s oldest son, Tommy III, became a chiropractor who wrote a book suggesting ways to prevent young athletes from having to undergo major sports-related surgery similar to what his father endured.After his pitching career ended, John worked as a broadcaster for the Minnesota Twins and Yankees in the 1990s. He managed the Bridgeport (Connecticut) Bluefish from 2007-09.John was hospitalized in December 2020 due to COVID-19 and later had Guillain-Barré syndrome in which a person’s immune system attacks their nerves. John told the New York Post in May 2022 that he was paralyzed in his lower extremities for several months.John and his wife Sally Simmons had four children: Tamara, Tommy III, Travis and Taylor, who died of a prescription drug overdose at 28 in 2010. The couple divorced in 2013.Besides his children, he is survived by his second wife, Cheryl, and son-in-law Patrick Mannelly, a retired NFL long snapper who played 16 years for the Chicago Bears.___See AP’s full MLB coverage here 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A lingering weather system has brought severe flooding and intense winds — including a few tornadoes — to Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, killing at least seven.

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Police investigate the scene of a shooting on the campus of Virginia State University on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026 in Petersburg, Va. (WWBT via AP)2026-08-16T18:35:48Z ETTRICK, Va. (AP) — Authorities were seeking additional people who fired weapons during a shooting at Virginia State University that left five people wounded, police said Sunday, as a 19-year-old suspect remained in custody and investigators sought to unravel what happened.Investigators were trying to determine what led to Saturday’s shooting and if the others who fired did so in self-defense or if they were among the aggressors, said Lt. James Lamb, commander of the Chesterfield County Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit. He did not say how many others fired weapons.“We don’t have specific locations that we are looking (at) yet as we are working on identifying them,” Lamb said in an email response to questions from The Associated Press. The shooting, at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, prompted a campus lockdown and came as students were getting ready for the new school year. It happened near the university’s Quad Annexes, where campus police and Chesterfield County officers found five people with gunshot wounds outside campus dormitories. Many students had just completed the university’s “New Trojans Experience” for incoming students. Classes resume Monday.A suspect was found in a dormitory closet and arrested more than 14 hours after the shooting — and several hours after university officials already had lifted a campus lockdown, saying that law enforcement did not believe there was an immediate threat. The AP left email and telephone messages with Virginia State University administrators. Read More Camron Harris, 19, of Henrico, Virginia, was being held without bond in the Chesterfield County jail. He is due in state court Monday to face four counts of malicious wounding and four counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. It could not be immediately determined if Harris has an attorney who could speak on his behalf, and efforts to reach his family by phone were unsuccessful.Virginia State University is a historically Black university located in Ettrick, Virginia, about 24 miles (39 kilometers) south of the state capital of Richmond. The public university has about 5,700 students and was the first fully state-supported four-year college for Black Americans. Most of its students are undergraduates. The victims ranged in age from 17 to 23 and only one of them was a student at the university, according to police. Harris was not a student, police said.

United States' Tyler "TD" Davis celebrates a touchdown during the Flag Football World Championship men's final game between Italy and USA in Duesseldorf, Germany, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)2026-08-16T17:34:20Z DÜSSELDORF, Germany (AP) — The United States successfully defended the men’s title at the flag football world championships on Sunday but lost the women’s title to Canada, while Mexico’s women and Canada’s men earned qualification spots for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.The U.S. men beat Italy 46-26 to secure a sixth straight title and the women missed out on a fourth straight title after losing 27-20 to Canada.“Gold is the only standard,” said men’s quarterback Nico Casares, who threw two touchdown passes. “That’s our motto. That’s what we play by, that’s what we live by.” The U.S. women started strongly but it was tied 14-14 at the break after Caroline Moquin-Joubert caught quarterback Sara Parker’s pass at the end of the first half. Parker set up Frederique Morneau at the start of the second half as Canada took control. The U.S. had a fourth down, yards from the line, with three seconds left, but could not make the final play count. It was Canada’s third title and first since beating the U.S. in the 2014 final.“I feel so happy, I can’t believe it,” Parker said after hugging her mother. ”Literally the best day ever.”The International Federation of American Football ran the championship tournament, which doubled up as a qualifier, in the German city of Düsseldorf. The top two men’s and top two women’s teams earned a spot at the 2028 Games, along with the U.S. men’s and women’s teams because they already qualified as hosts.Sunday’s two other finalists — the Italian men and Canadian women — earned an Olympic spot by reaching the final against the U.S. teams, meaning that the bronze-medal games decided who joined them. Read More Mexico women cried with joy after a 20-19 win over Great Britain — which rallied from 20-6 down — for the women’s bronze and an Olympic spot.But Mexico’s men lost 34-26 in overtime to Canada, which claimed an Olympic spot. Rules of the gameFlag football was among five sports given Olympic status for the 2028 Games back in 2023, with the game played five-on-five in two 20-minute halves, no tackling and an emphasis on speed and elusiveness.The NFL has said it plans to launch women’s and men’s professional flag football ahead of the Olympics. ___See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Is Rodri going to Barcelona? How Man City star's proposed Real Madrid transfer has taken shocking twist originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona may be fierce on the field, but the battle between the Clasico foes now extends to signing Spain's best midfielder.Following Rodri's return to global prominence at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, leading Spain to victory and winning the Golden Ball on the way, the Manchester City midfielder had placed himself back in the spotlight after an ACL tear had cut down his top-level stardom.This summer's performances had placed Rodri on the wish list for Real Madrid, who hoped to capitalise on his return to prominence and his reported desire to return to his home country.Now, there's been a major twist in his transfer saga, with all signs pointing towards a move to the Santiago Bernabeu until their Clasico rivals appeared to swoop in and change the narrative.MORE:Where Yan Diomande fee ranks in Real Madrid history | Diomande's development in the USAIs Rodri going to Barcelona?Multiple reports on Thursday, August 6 first indicated that Rodri has made a sensational flip-flop in his summer transfer saga, now leaning towards joining Barcelona instead of Real Madrid.A report by Pol Ballus and Mario Cortegana of The Athletic has claimed that Barcelona are "exploring a deal" for Rodri and that the player's preference is to join the Catalan club. Sky Sports have followed that as well, saying that Barcelona "are set to approach Man City" to discuss a move for Rodri, and are "hopeful" they can beat Real Madrid to the punch.Jose Felix Diaz of AS went one step further, claiming that Rodri has "made a definitive decision" to join Barcelona and has informed Real Madrid officials of that fact.That report was supported also by Gerard Romero of Jijantes FC in Spain, who posted on social media that Rodri had given the go-ahead to a move to Camp Nou.On August 7, multiple reports including from James Ducker of The Telegraph claimed that Barcelona had a bid of €45 million rejected by Manchester City, considered "not a serious bid." The report claims that Barcelona must "substantially increase their offer" to complete the deal.As the days then continued to tick on, the two clubs were locked in negotiations for an agreeable fee. However, two weeks later, whispers that the gap was closing began to emerge, and on August 16, Fabrizio Romano reported that the clubs had agreed to a deal for the Ballon d'Or winner.According to reports in Spain, Barcelona will pay €65 million for the 30-year-old midfielder, plus add-ons on top of that base fee.MORE:Predicting the 2026/27 La Liga seasonCould Rodri still go to Real Madrid?For a while, it still felt possible that Rodri could end up a Real Madrid player at the end of all this, but once Barcelona entered the mix, the opportunity seemed to have largely passed for Los Blancos.According to multiple reports over the past few weeks, Rodri had agreed to personal terms with Madrid quite some time ago. However, with club-to-club talks with Manchester City stalling, Los Blancos struggled to get the deal over the line.Given the vitriolic rivalry between the two clubs, it's hard to imagine Rodri flirting with a move to Barcelona only to flip back to Real Madrid, and the capital club being okay with that taking place. This feels much more like a point of no return for Rodri.Additionally, on August 7, Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport reported that Real Madrid had ended talks with Man City over Rodri, making it seem as though their pursuit was over, or at least on hold while Barcelona negotiate.Now, with a move to Barcelona reportedly agreed, Real Madrid are out of the race for good.MORE:Cristiano Ronaldo says he will "probably" retire after 2026/27 seasonWhy would Rodri choose Barcelona over Real Madrid?The recent success for Barcelona under Hansi Flick has vastly outpaced that of Real Madrid over the last few years and could have convinced Rodri that he is better suited to join a more complete team like Barcelona.Additionally, Rodri may have decided he fits better in the Barcelona system under Flick than he would under Jose Mourinho's watch at Real Madrid. This was suggested by the Athletic report, which stated he prefers Flick's style of play at Barcelona and also would prefer to join a dressing room full of his Spain national teammates from the World Cup this past summer.One wrinkle in this saga has been the position of Madrid president Florentino Perez, who, according to multiple reports, has not felt a move for Rodri should be prioritised, despite the interest from fans and other executives at the club. It's possible that Rodri felt he was not coveted by Real Madrid enough to be deterred by new Barcelona interest.However, often these things are about money. It's entirely possible that Barcelona came in with a better offer than Real Madrid proposed, and thus Rodri made the decision to switch his destination.How can Barcelona afford Rodri?The financial constraints at Barcelona over the past decade have been well publicised, and fans are well aware of the club's limited coffers.However, those burdens have eased considerably over the last few years, as Barcelona slowly climb out of the COVID-induced emergency.Most importantly, the club have escaped the constraints imposed on them by La Liga based on the 1:1 rule, which basically states that, for every €1 a club in good standing earns or saves, they can spend €1 on player wages and transfers. Essentially, this is a squad cost ratio rule, requiring clubs to spend within their means.With Robert Lewandowski departing the club and freeing Barcelona of his enormous wages, that has allowed them to spend more this summer. Yet after the arrivals of Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, Barca have likely spent what they had available to them. Further sales are likely needed to fund a move for Rodri, and they would also potentially have to give up their aggressive pursuit of Julian Alvarez as well, unless they could guarantee further income through outgoing transfers.

Do the UCLA Bruins have a star running back on their hands? Expectations continue to grow for James Madison transfer Wayne Knight, who followed head coach Bob Chesney out west to join UCLA this offseason.Knight starred last year with James Madison, being the most dynamic player on an offense that reached the College Football Playoffs. The incoming senior will be facing stiffer defenses in the Big Ten Conference than he did in the Sun Belt Conference but the talent is still apparent.Knight is a small but sturdy back, standing at 5’7” and 193 lbs. In 2025, Knight totaled 1,373 rushing yards and added another 397 yards through the air, finding the end zone 10 times. California Post writer Ben Bolch wrote about Chesney singing Knight’s praises during training camp last week.“He’s explosive, he’s just hard to put a pad on,” Chesney said of Knight. “He gets his pad level down, he sees it really, really clean. Then, he’s a threat out of the backfield and he does a great job in the protection game. So, you know, he’s complete.”UCLA needs to find more consistent success on the ground aside from Nico Iamaleava scrambles. Knight and an improved offensive line might be capable of doing just that.“He looks unbelievable,” Chesney said of Knight, before highlighting the rest of the Bruins’ running back room. “A lot of those guys are, though, too, so it’s one of those things that that’s not a group we’re feeling like we don’t have any depth in.”Chesney and the Bruins will have options out of the backfield for the 2026 season, even if Knight ends up as the focal point.This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Bob Chesney knows he's got a star in running back Wayne Knight

Bundesliga 2026/27 Tactical Previews | TSG 1899 HoffenheimOur next Get German Football News Bundesliga 2026/27 Tactical preview takes us…to Sinsheim. Right. All 18 clubs means all 18 clubs. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim belongs to the Bundesliga field whether we Germans happen to like it or not. The author can only promise the most level-headed analysis his gritted teeth will allow. One would think he got most of his grievances off his chest last year. Regrettably, the political situation at the Kraichgau club over the course of the 2025/26 campaign only produced more grievances.This time, the Hoffenheim fans themselves demanded more of a voice in club affairs. That definitely merited extensive coverage. In point of fact, such protest actions constituted the very definition of what can and should be newsworthy on the Bundesliga beat. Some disagreed. The chronicler makes no apologies. Dietmar Hopp promised to turn this project over to the burgeoning fan-base that’s been supporting it for the past two decades. Potentially reneging on that promise counts as a story. Period.When it comes to the actual football produced by these Badeners, all coverage remains even-handed. TSG sporting director Andreas Schicker did a fabulous job reducing the roster last summer. The team supplied many memorable performances. Ahead of this season – were it not for the collapsed Fisnik Asllani transfer – Schicker would have produced nearly €100m in summer sales. The author concedes that such skillful administrating deserves praise as it would have theoretically negated the need for another Dietmar Hopp cash infusion.Alas, we’ll likely be reading about more direct benefactor financing next year.TSG 1899 HoffenheimFrom a straight footballing perspective, things are once again looking up for the 2026/27 Europa League participants. Schicker again put together a stellar offseason, cutting up transfer bait, and recruiting plenty of young promising talent. Dammit. The author literally can’t get through the next section quickly enough. There’s far too much to report. At least the sheer scale of the activity gives us an excuse to dispense with the rhetoric. Suffice to say that the squad planning and administrative enforcement was simply top-notch. Merely consider yourselves forewarned that this grouchy writer can only contain his disdain to a limited extent.Major personnel shifts, HoffenheimEstimated Summer Transfer Balance = +€5mBazoumana Touré and Grischa Prömel are the only two genuine regulars to have left the side that qualified for Europe. Instead, Andreas Schicker has effectively used Touré’s €50m move to Newcastle to make an already functional squad younger, deeper, and considerably more competitive. Roughly €68m has been reinvested into the team, with that additional Europa League workload very much in mind. The headline investment is teenage Anderlecht midfielder Nathan De Cat. Close behind, we have a €12m left-back in Mats Rots. Wouter Burger has promised to look after his two younger Dutch speaking “little brothers”.Schicker rescued Patrick Wimmer from the sunken ship that was VfL Wolfsburg before dumping Muhammed Damar there at the player’s own request. Adam Daghim (a Wolfsburg player last season) arrived from his parent club Salzburg on a €13m transfer. Daghim, Wimmer, and 21-year-old Swiss striker Alessandro Vogt constitute the new attacking additions. Farther back, die Kraichgauer ended up winning the sweepstakes for defensive midfielder Cajetan Lenz (20) and also brought in 1860 München center back Sean Dulic. Lenz cost €10m. Dulic arrived on a free.There has been plenty of cleanup around the edges besides Damar as well. Haris Tabakovic, Hennes Behrens, Stanley Nsoki and others have been moved on permanently, while Hoffenheim continue to use the loan market aggressively for younger players and surplus squad members. The result is a Hoffenheim squad that has changed substantially without actually losing much of its established spine. Baumann, Kabak, Hajdari, Avdullahu, Burger and Kramarić remain. The summer has been less about replacing the team than making Ilzer’s version of it harder to break.The author needs to mention that Schicker secured loan fees for Tohumcu, Gift Orban, Deniz Zeitler, Erencan Yardimci, Kelvin Frees, and Nahuel Noll. In other words, every last player parked in a different locale. Were it not for the collapse of the Asllani deal, Schicker would have completed the “perfect” summer transfer window everyone at Bayern is crowning Max Eberl with. The roster – with 30 paid professionals – is already in infinitely better shape than it was around this time last year. Schicker silenced effectively all of his detractors, including this one.Notes from pre-season, HoffenheimMuch to the author’s chagrin, Christian Ilzer’s Jungs delivered another undefeated pre-season. That is, until Gladbach woke up to score four goals in the final 45 minutes of their 120-minute Austrian scrimmage. Tim Lemperle, Rots, and Zeitler all got their names on the scoresheet in an away victory in Heilbronn. The team worked in an inchoate 4-4-2 diamond that had its issues, yet appeared stable throughout. Practically everyone in TSG blue (and their respective mothers) scored in the 21-0 rout against some village club west of Heilbronn known as “SV Massenbachhausen”. Yikes! The author confesses he doesn’t know if Lemperle’s four-goal haul had anything to do with the fact that the opponent featured farm animals working the back line or not.If we can sustain a more serious note, the Kraichgauer then proceeded to dominate two more serious opponents. SpVgg Greuther Fürth and Holstein Kiel both competed at Bundesliga level within the last five years. The Sinsheimers dispatched them both easily. Wins against 2. Bundesliga opponents happen to count for a lot as the opponents are much closer to the start of their season. In the 120-minute scrimmage against the Kleeblätter, Max Moerstedt – working atop a 4-2-3-1 – quickly put the top-level side ahead. Umut Tohumcu and some kid named Alex Honajzer padded the final tally in the final hour, in the end ensuring that the team received a well-deserved 4-1 scoreline.In stark contrast to whoever handled the Union Berlin pre-season scheduling, Hoffenheim cruised through their next well-set-up test fixtures against 2. Bundesliga sides. Back in the 4-4-2 diamond (albeit with Deniz Zeitler clearly attempting to mimic the departed Bazoumana Touré), Lemperle again bagged a brace en route to a 3-1 victory over Holstein Kiel. Once again, however, the former Köln striker proved way too profligate in front of goal. Lemperle’s misses and some midfield lapses (the team struggled to maintain shape) led to the Storks hanging around for longer than they should have. Eventually, Lemperle’s second just before the stroke of halftime put the TSG back in control. Former Kiel loanee Tohumcu set up a Moerstedt poke-in to seal the deal late.Tohumcu, Conté, and Burger then scored in Hoffenheim’s healthily-paced 3-0 win over Badener rivals, the Karlsruher SC. Much of what transpired in the next friendly has already been covered in Borussia Mönchengladbach’s section. The tactical diamond employed against KSC, a thin one, worked great in the upside transition play. The wider 4-4-2 in use against Gladbach, frankly, did its job for a solid 90 minutes as well. The biggest takeaway from the team’s pre-season campaign led us straight smack dab into the old “embarrassment of riches” cliché. Do excuse the author as he retreats to a dark corner to sulk and grumble at no one in particular for a few minutes.Will return……back!The author confesses that – much as was the case with Leverkusen – he wanted to have this installment wrapped up ahead of the weekend in order to avoid having to watch not one, but two Hoffenheim friendlies. Alas, there simply wasn’t enough scouting information on hand to justify a well-informed piece by the time Friday evening hit. Imagine the author’s delight when Spurs politely placed the asses of their guests on a silver platter in the Saturday afternoon game. Juchu! Ahem. In the interest of fairness, it wasn’t quite as one-sided as the 0-3 scoreline might suggest.The first dress rehearsal in London offered up some mixed signals. The Kraichgauer initially defended compactly enough and very nearly took the lead themselves early on. Richarlison scored first, but Adam Hlozek, Wouter Burger, and Adam Daghim had their first-half chances. Tottenham deserved their halftime advantage, but this wasn’t exactly a first-half slaughter. Mats Rots had two opportunities to level matters after the break. Patrick Wimmer also looked lively later. Max Moerstedt eventually forced another save.Hoffenheim had their phases. They simply didn’t make them count. Once Spurs escaped the early second-half pressure, the additional goals came. This time around, Ilzer kept the squad in a 4-2-2-2 throughout. The first Tottenham friendly furnished some great clues to how the TSG might line up this season. The second, not so much. Ilzer shuffled the deck for a behind-closed-doors meeting on the Spurs training ground the following day, handing Hranac, Rots, Wimmer, and Conté starts while several of the previous afternoon’s regulars either dropped out or were held back.Hlozek converted a penalty won by Avdullahu for an early lead before Ben Davies and Luca Williams-Barnett turned the score around prior to halftime. Ilzer then replaced every outfield player at the break, and the new group promptly equalized when Alex Honajzer supplied Valentin Gendrey for the 2-2. Kramarić and Asllani remained on individualized programs, while Baumann, Kabak, Machida, and Prass were also spared. A perfectly respectable response to the previous day’s defeat, then, but we’ll resist pretending that a private Sunday-morning second helping fundamentally alters anything observed above. The first Tottenham fixture remains the more useful tactical dress rehearsal.Winners from camp, HoffenheimTim Lemperle, LSThe author’s enduring respect for 1. FC Köln academy products makes this selection at least slightly less painful. Lemperle’s first season in Kraichgau already confirmed what many expected when Hoffenheim picked him up on a free. The 24-year-old worked his way in, starting 24 of his 29 Bundesliga appearances and scoring eight goals while functioning as Ilzer’s “Chefanläufer” at the tip of the press. With Touré gone and Asllani’s return prompting a rethink as to where he might fit in after Ilzer spent the summer planning without him, Lemperle appears poised to take full advantage of the chance accorded him. Goals arrived regularly throughout this summer, including another brace against Kiel. The pressing, running, and ability to work either centrally or as a slanted striker remain exactly what Ilzer wants.What the author finds irritating concerns how much more productive he could be. Against Kiel alone, the former Köln striker generated five major opportunities inside 45 minutes and converted only two. That essentially summarizes the next stage of his development. Eight Bundesliga goals last year were respectable, but he might have reached double figures. The chances keep coming because Lemperle keeps arriving in the correct spaces. With Europa League football adding another layer to the schedule, Hoffenheim need exactly that sort of relentless runner in the attacking rotation. Lemperle looks ready for another step forward. As the player’s still obvious broken nose illustrates, Lemperle nevertheless exhibits a tendency to be something of a slow learner.Below the belt? Bear in mind that footballers must be held to a high standard. The author is also just in a damned mood today. Discussing Hoffenheim simply touches all manner of raw nerves. In Lemperle’s defense, the battered face rather neatly symbolizes one of the qualities that makes him so valuable to Ilzer in the first place. He throws himself into duels, runs defenders into the ground, presses without mercy, and generally treats the concept of self-preservation as optional. If the finishing ever catches up with the rest of his game, there may not be much left for even this particularly hostile chronicler to complain about.Max Moerstedt, LSLet the crankiness continue! What did we tell you? This very column had Moerstedt down as one of Hoffenheim’s winners from camp last summer, only for Ilzer to spend much of the subsequent campaign keeping the highly decorated academy product trapped behind the established attacking hierarchy. By December, the author was already calling him “completely underutilized”. Twenty-two league appearances eventually followed, but 21 came from the bench. The one proper opportunity nevertheless furnished an excellent reminder of what everyone had been waiting for. GGFN named Moerstedt Player of the Match in Hoffenheim’s 3-1 win at Frankfurt after the 20-year-old scored the equalizer, helped create three more shots, touched the ball an absurd 71 times, and completed 50 passes while cycling through the right attacking lane.This isn’t some static 1.94-meter penalty-box telephone pole! Moerstedt can drop, combine, drift into the half-spaces, press, and still arrive where a proper No. 9 should. Moerstedt has officially been awarded the No. 9 tricot, has added loads of muscle mass, feels more explosive, and looked significantly more assertive this summer. Against Fürth, he won the penalty, took responsibility for it himself with Kramarić absent, and converted. He later scored against Kiel and continued getting himself into useful areas throughout the prep phase. Moerstedt has spent the past few years collecting medals at youth level and waiting patiently for this exact moment. At some stage, Hoffenheim actually have to find out what they possess.Naturally, this being Hoffenheim, the problem remains the frankly irritating quantity of alternatives. Hložek finally looks fit again after an injury-ravaged year and should still gobble up heavy four-figure minutes across all competitions if his body cooperates; something in the 1,500-2,000 range hardly feels unreasonable. Daghim represents a €13m investment, started the first Tottenham test, and possesses enough pace and positional versatility to collect 2,000-plus minutes without necessarily blocking Moerstedt directly, since the Dane can work off either attacking axis. Alessandro Vogt constitutes another positional rival. Add Lemperle’s entrenched status, Asllani’s return, and Kramarić’s continued presence, and the competition remains just plain absurd.Wouter Burger, CMIt’s a little redundant to call someone who was already one of Hoffenheim’s best players last season a “winner” from camp, but Burger somehow managed to strengthen his position anyway. The former Stoke man started all 30 of his Bundesliga appearances in 2025/26, contributed four goals and eight assists, and saw his estimated market value explode from €4.5m to €20m. Hoffenheim consequently moved quickly to reward him with a long-term contract extension before this campaign got underway. Burger remained a fixture throughout camp, found the net against Karlsruhe, and occupied one of the two central slots alongside Avdullahu in the initial 4-2-2-2 deployed against Tottenham. Newcomers De Cat and Lenz can crowd the midfield room all they like. Burger enters the season as one of the first names on the teamsheet.There happens to be a second reason for placing him here. With Prömel gone, the 25-year-old appears prepared to inherit Prömel’s role as a locker room leader. Burger has already volunteered to look after new arrivals Mats Rots and Nathan De Cat as his two younger ‘Dutch-speaking “little brothers”, a role that rather neatly illustrates how much his standing has changed in barely twelve months. None of this should require him to sacrifice the attacking freedom that made him so dangerous last season. Ilzer already learned that Burger becomes considerably more useful when permitted to break forward rather than merely sit alongside Avdullahu. The Dutchman’s box-to-box qualities remain uncanny. Leadership responsibilities, a fresh contract, established tactical importance, and two younger compatriots to boss around. Annoyingly enough, everything seems to be going rather well for Wouter Burger.Nathan De Cat, CMThe raw minute count provides the clearest reason for inclusion here. De Cat went virtually straight from signing his Hoffenheim contract into Ilzer’s working rotation, starting the opening test against Freiberg and subsequently receiving substantial blocks against Kiel and Karlsruhe, among others. Against the latter two 2. Bundesliga opponents alone, he logged 46 and 60 minutes respectively. Hoffenheim originally presented the 18-year-old as someone who would be afforded time to adjust to Bundesliga football. Instead, Ilzer spent most of the summer treating the €17m-plus newcomer like a player expected to contribute immediately. De Cat accumulated far too many serious preseason minutes to be viewed as some decorative development project.De Cat may well begin the season on the right-hand side of the attacking line rather than in his nominal central-midfield home. That would say plenty about how quickly Ilzer has come to trust him. Hoffenheim certainly did not spend north of €17m on an 18-year-old merely to plug an immediate hole out wide, but the youngster’s ability to interpret different spaces gives the trainer another convenient excuse to get him onto the pitch. Burger and Avdullahu remain difficult to dislodge centrally. Shifting De Cat higher up therefore offers a way of accommodating the new investment without disturbing the set-up. Just watch this kid. There’s more than the author’s intuition at work here. Alex Honajzer, CMEr…who? Precisely. The 20-year-old Czech attacking midfielder has been in Hoffenheim’s academy system since arriving from Baník Ostrava in 2022 and spent last season collecting senior experience with TSG II in the 3. Liga. That hardly placed him near the front of anyone’s Bundesliga preseason notebook. Ilzer nevertheless brought Honajzer into the first-team work and the youngster made the invitation count, popping up with a goal during the 4-1 Fürth test while more established names rotated around him. There is obviously an enormous distance between scoring in a July scrimmage and forcing one’s way into this absurdly deep Hoffenheim attack. That’s not really the point. Preseason winners don’t always have to win jobs. Sometimes they merely have to force Bundesliga chroniclers to stop writing “some kid named Alex Honajzer” and actually learn who the hell they are. Kudos, kiddo!Mats Rots, LBAnother expensive newcomer who looks as if he may have skipped the customary settling-in period altogether. Hoffenheim paid €12m for the 20-year-old left-back, and Ilzer spent the summer giving him every opportunity to justify the investment immediately. Rots scored in the Heilbronn friendly, accumulated substantial minutes throughout camp, and remained heavily involved once the opposition quality increased. Against Tottenham, he twice found himself in position to equalize after the break, a useful illustration of how aggressively he can attack the left side rather than merely hold it. The trajectory is obvious. Rots already looks less like a long-term project and more like the player expected to make the left flank his own. Wouter Burger may have volunteered to look after his new Dutch-speaking “little brother.” Judging by preseason, the kid doesn’t appear to need much babysitting.Losers from camp, HoffenheimFisnik Asllani, CFThere probably isn’t a more obvious loser from camp than a player who spent most of it preparing to leave. Asllani had mentally packed his bags, skipped friendlies as a precaution, left Hoffenheim’s Austrian preparations behind, and appeared set to celebrate his 24th birthday as an RB Leipzig player before the transfer collapsed at the eleventh hour over medical concerns cited by Leipzig. Hoffenheim had already constructed the attacking department on the assumption that he would no longer be part of it. Lemperle, Hložek, Moerstedt, Vogt and eventually Kramaric were all being apportioned minutes while Asllani was effectively off the board. Now Ilzer has one more established striker than he planned for, while Asllani himself must make up conditioning work and establish relationships with newcomers after missing a significant chunk of the collective preparation.There is, however, a rather compelling argument that this particular “loser” could end up winning rather quickly. Hoffenheim reported no acute medical problem, Asllani returned to team training without visible restrictions, completed virtually the entire session upon his comeback and was only held out of the final exercise for load management. The Kosovo international already knows every tactical demand placed upon him. More importantly, he wasn’t some disposable fringe piece before Leipzig came calling. If Asllani quickly restores his fitness and headspace, Ilzer may discover that the striker he reluctantly penciled out of his plans is simply too useful to leave there. The transfer collapse undeniably makes him one of preseason’s losers. Whether he remains one once the competitive football starts remains another matter entirely.Arthur Chaves, CBBack from his semi-heroic spell in Augsburg, Chaves is back to being a nobody with his parent club. That sounds harsh, but the summer hierarchy offers precious little evidence to the contrary. Ozan Kabak and Albian Hajdari remain ahead of him. Even newcomer Sean Dulic (1860) has received more meaningful consideration in Ilzer’s defensive rotation. Chaves simply hasn’t logged enough serious preseason work to suggest that the Augsburg loan materially improved his standing back in Sinsheim. There is still a useful Bundesliga defender in there somewhere, and Augsburg certainly got enough out of him to prove that point. Hoffenheim, however, currently look like the wrong place for him to demonstrate it.Robin Hranac, CBAn odd one this. Hranac experienced a total renaissance last year, making 29 league appearances (26 starts) and going the full 90 minutes on all but three occasions he was included in the starting XI. In the process, the Czech international pumped his estimated market value from a nadir of €3.5m to a career high €10m within nine months. What happened? The author isn’t entirely sure, but preseason offered precious little indication that Ilzer still regards him as one of the first names in the defensive hierarchy. Kabak and Hajdari increasingly looked like the preferred pairing once the serious tests arrived. No calamity, no obvious collapse, and certainly nothing resembling the confidence crisis that defined his first year in Sinsheim. Just an oddly quiet summer for a player whose stock had risen so dramatically. For someone coming off such a strong campaign, merely slipping back into the crowd qualifies as a loss.Tactical Scout, HoffenheimThe first of the Tottenham friendlies at least give us a reasonable idea as to how Hoffenheim will line up in the Pokal fixture next weekend. German sympathies remain with opponent Erzgebirge Aue, but, unlike with Augsburg, an “Ossie Upset” appears unlikely. Based on the lineup we’re about to project, a rout seems much more plausible. With Andrej Kramaric still likely to be unavailable for the cup encounter, the only real question left is who lines up behind the strikers in a 4-4-2 diamond/4-2-2-2 set-up. Ilzer lords over no shortage of attacking weapons. The author thus projects a stacked forward front capable of ending this one early.Lineup–TSG (PROJECTED)Adam Hlozek serves as the best bet to start behind the striking tandem of Tim Lemperle and Max Moerstedt. The Czech forward actually brings with him extensive experience working as a service striker. By all means, it remains possible that Ilzer will opt not to deploy some of the names listed above. After all, he absolutely doesn’t require his best XI to take the Pokal match. Mats Rots may start over Bernardo. Valentin Gendrey may get the nod over Vladimir Coufal. Adam Daghim or Alessandro Vogt may pop up anywhere along that forward line. Only Fisnik Asllani appears to be not quite far along yet.Above, we basically have Hoffenheim’s best XI entering the season. The system itself proves as impressive as the actors listed. A 4-4-2 diamond can easily shift into a 4-2-2-2 whenever more offensive thrust is required. The Kraichgauer appear destined for a top-four finish, just as they were last year. Ahem. Why didn’t Hoffenheim capture Champions League football? The writer will actually broach what, at first, appears to be a crazy idea. Hear him out. Trainers responsible for running this team simply get bored. Look it up if you must.The author stands by a statement backed by seven years of covering tactics on this specific beat. Julian Nagelsmann. Alfred Schreuder. Sebastian Hoeneß. André Breitenreiter. Pellegrino Matarazzo. Now Christian Ilzer. Hoffenheim repeatedly possess enough talent that coaches become tempted to devise increasingly elaborate solutions when simpler ones would do just fine. The author knows a little something about that, by the way.He also knows boredom when he encounters it. Let’s close the book on this club and move on.GGFN | Peter Weis

Since he was designated for assignment earlier this season by the Arizona Diamondbacks, Carlos Santana has been biding his time with the Atlanta Braves’ Triple-A affiliate, hoping to return to MLB at age 40.Santana will continue to bide his time outside the Braves’ organization. According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Braves will grant Santana his release from his minor league contract. In 27 games with the Gwinnett Stripers, Santana slashed .292/.385/.382.MORE: Yankees send message to Tommy John’s family after pitcher’s deathSantana has played 2,212 big league games in a career that began with the Cleveland Guardians in 2010. He is MLB’s active leader in walks (1,332), a skill that still surfaced after he signed a minor league contract with the Braves on June 28.Santana had never been designated for assignment in his professional career before the Dbacks cut him on June 24. He was hitting .083 (2 for 24) with eight strikeouts in eight games at the time he was released.MORE: Umpire ejects starting pitcher before Braves-Yankees game beginsIn order to be included on any team’s postseason roster, he has to have a major or minor league contract with that organization before Sept. 1.In a career that began in 2010, Santana has a .240/.351/.424 slash line, 335 home runs and 1,136 RBIs in 2,212 games. He is the oldest active position player in either league, and the oldest to appear in a game for a National League team in 2026.MORE: MLB executive suddenly out after 27 seasons with one teamIn addition to the Diamondbacks and Guardians, Santana has played at the MLB level for the Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, and Chicago Cubs.More to come on this story.

When is the next international break? How September, October dates have changed for 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.As the 2026 FIFA World Cup now fades in the rear view mirror, and champions Spain now look into the future along with the rest of the global international community, players eye their chance to impress in the first window of the 2030 cycle.National federations will reset and look towards the next World Cup four years from now, to be held in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco.Their first chance to advance their squads to the next four-year cycle will come at an unusual time, and for an unusual length, as the traditional September and October international breaks have been scrapped and combined into one big window.The Sporting News explains why FIFA has made this slight change to the international match calendar, and what it will look like for the next few months.When is the next international break?The next international break will begin on September 21, 2026 and continue through October 6, 2026.Because of the significant length of this international break, which spans 16 days, national teams are afforded the chance to play as many as four games across the two weeks.Why have the September and October international breaks merged?In the recent past, the FIFA international match calendar has allocated one week in September and one week in October for two different international breaks.However, in 2026, that has changed in a significant way.Due to the length of the World Cup in 2026, which expanded to 48 teams for the first time in history and took six weeks to contest through the summer, FIFA has decided to give players a little more time for recovery and re-integration at their club teams before returning to international duty.To do so, they combined the September and October international breaks into one, giving national teams two weeks for camp across the two months during which they will play four games.National team coaching staffs will love the chunk of time with their players, as they rarely get so long to implement their philosophies with a squad.Is there an international break in November?There is still the regular international break in November 2026.From November 9 to November 17, national teams will convene across the globe to play up to two matches.

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The Athletics lost another slugger when they placed outfielder Tyler Soderstrom on the 10-day injured list on Sunday with a left hip impingement.The 24-year-old Soderstrom is batting .245 with 19 homers and 56 RBIs in 109 games this season. He set career highs with 25 homers, 93 RBIs and a .276 batting average in 158 games last year.The Athletics already were playing without first baseman Nick Kurtz and catcher Shea Langeliers. Kurtz is on the IL with a right thumb injury that could sideline him for the rest of the year. Langeliers had season-ending surgery on his right knee last month.Also Sunday, the A’s claimed left-hander Joe Rock off waivers from the Chicago White Sox and optioned him to Triple-A Las Vegas. Infielder Darell Hernaiz was recalled from the minors, and right-hander Justin Sterner was transferred to the 60-day IL.___See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Devdutt Padikkal said his maiden Test century against Sri Lanka was the result of two years of hard work and preparation, after the left-hander scored a career-best 167 in the first Test at Galle.Resuming from an overnight score of 131, Padikkal batted for 230 balls and hit 15 fours and a six to help India reach 460/9 on a rain-hit second day. The Karnataka batter said he had long prepared himself to make the most of an opportunity at the international level.“Definitely. I've dreamt of this moment. For the last two years, I've been working really hard to try and make sure that when I get that opportunity, I can do something special like this, and I'm really happy to do that," Padikkal said.How Padikkal Took on Sri Lanka’s SpinnersPadikkal played with positive intent against spin, using confident footwork and attacking shots to put pressure back on the bowlers."I think we have discussed that at length, especially when you're playing spin, it's important that you have certain plans in your head.“You cannot go out there and expect to react all the time. It's important that we have a couple of shots in your head that you want to play as soon as you go out there, so that you can put some pressure on the bowler as well. So, I think over the last year or so, we have really worked on trying to find ways in our own strengths that you can really implement to make sure that you put pressure back."He said clarity and complete commitment to every shot had improved his footwork and confidence.The Hunger to Keep ScoringPadikkal did not stop after reaching his century and converted it into 167. He said staying focused immediately after reaching a milestone was crucial."I think honestly, it's just the hunger to score more runs. I just enjoy batting out there, and the moment you get to 100, it's easy to relax and feel that relief. But it's important that for me, the next 20-30 balls are the really important phase that I try and make sure that I'm completely focused, completely there.“I think when I get past those first 10 balls after 100, I think it makes my job a whole lot easier and over the years, I've seen so many cricketers get big runs, get big hundreds, especially back in Karnataka. So just watching them bat makes me want to do the same."Padikkal expects the Galle pitch to become more challenging over the next few days. After his long innings in humid conditions, however, his celebration plans were simple: "Not really. I think I'm tired, so I'm just going to go back to bed now," he concluded.

Barcelona’s latest signing gets the ‘Here we Go’La Liga champions Barcelona have this weekend closed an agreement to reinforce the club’s defensive ranks. This comes amid long-awaited confirmation of João Cancelo taking his talents back to Catalunya’s capital, this time round on a permanent basis.Full-back Cancelo has of course seen his name dominate the media headlines surrounding Barcelona throughout the summer to date.After impressing during a loan stint at the Camp Nou during the 2nd half of last season, the 32-year-old was not shy in making his desire to reunite with Hansi Flick’s side known.Barca, in turn, had long been working towards an agreement to make Cancelo’s Blaugrana wishes come true…And as alluded to above, this weekend, the reigning Spanish champions are finally understood to have landed their man. As per a report from transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano:‘João Cancelo to Barcelona, here we go! Agreement done on contract termination with Al Hilal. Cancelo has authorization to travel early next week, as revealed overnight.’Conor Laird – GSFN

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Cameroon faces tournament debutant Malawi in the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, when one of the teams will win the trophy for the first time.Cameroon, which missed the last edition, defeated host nation Morocco on penalties in the semifinals, where Malawi overcame Algeria thanks to starring performances from the Chawinga sisters, Tabitha and Temwa.They both scored in the 3-1 win against Algeria and together have scored nine of Malawi’s 12 goals in the tournament.Cameroon is making its fourth appearance in the final after losing three – all to 10-time winner Nigeria.___See AP’s full soccer coverage here

The Seattle Seahawks have a need at right guard, and free agent guard Kevin Zeitler may be the player that they need to address that.Seahawks starting RG Anthony Bradford dealt with his share of struggles in 2025 despite helping Seattle win the Super Bowl at the end of the season, which has put him on the hot seat entering the upcoming season.Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton listed the Seahawks as the best landing spot for Zeitler ahead of the 2026 season.“At 36, with 213 career starts, Kevin Zeitler would be a decent plug-and-play option for the reigning Super Bowl champions,” Moton said. “In 2025, he allowed just 16 pressures over 590 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. The 14-year pro has played most of his snaps at right guard, which makes him a viable replacement for Bradford.”Bradford is approaching the final year of his rookie deal with the Seahawks in 2026. The Seahawks have Beau Stephens, who is in line to give Bradford a run for his money at the right guard slot next season. Zeitler may be a veteran equipped to offer the Seahawks stability at the position, as he gave up only 14 total pressures in 2025 with the Tennessee Titans, which was exactly half that of Bradford, who allowed 28 total pressures on the year.This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Is Kevin Zeitler a fit for Seahawks in free agency?

Migrants gather on a hill as they attempt crossing from the border town of Fnideq to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026. (AP Photo)2026-08-16T19:05:59Z CASABLANCA, Morocco (AP) — Hundreds of migrants trying to reach the Spanish exclave of Ceuta by land and sea were arrested by Moroccan security forces, Moroccan state television reported Sunday, as authorities tightened security along the border following calls for a new mass crossing.Moroccan state broadcaster Medi 1 TV said 294 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were arrested Saturday while attempting to enter Ceuta. Authorities also arrested 61 Moroccans accused of facilitating the migration attempts, the broadcaster reported.The attempted crossings followed a surge in social media posts calling on migrants to make their way to Ceuta, a Spanish city on Morocco’s northern coast. In response, Moroccan and Spanish authorities beefed up security presence and limited movement toward the area.The latest attempt comes two weeks after tens of thousands of would-be migrants, driven by poverty and misinformation, rushed toward Ceuta in one of the deadliest migration crises to hit the region. At least 90 people died on both sides of the border, according to official numbers, while human rights groups reported higher figures. The interior ministry did not respond to AP’s questions about the latest arrests or the number of security personnel deployed around the border to prevent a new migration push.A senior Moroccan diplomat previously said that more than 20,000 Moroccan security personnel are deployed along the border with Ceuta each day, at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars. The diplomat was not authorized to be publicly named speaking about the issue and spoke on condition of anonymity. Read More Thousands of migrants from across Africa and beyond travel to Morocco each year, fleeing conflict, poverty and instability and seeking a route into Europe. Many attempt to reach Ceuta or Melilla, another Spanish exclave on Morocco’s northern coast, hoping eventually to make their way to mainland Spain and better economic opportunities. 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The Opinion contributing writer Molly Jong-Fast is not about to feel bad about her face-lift.

Philis Hamandise, center, is embraced through a gate by a colleague at a victim identification center after losing her 9-year-old daughter and 6-year-old nephew in a ferry capsizing on Lake Kariba, in Kariba, Zimbabwe, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Mkhululi Thobela)2026-08-16T19:44:57Z HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Authorities on Sunday searched for more bodies from an over loaded ferry that capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe last week as the death toll in the disaster rose to more than 80 people. The ferry capsized in strong waves on Tuesday. Police on Sunday said the death toll had risen to 84, from 72 the previous day as more bodies were recovered. Zimbabwe’s disaster management agency has said 77 people were rescued.Estimates had put the number of passengers as high as 153 on a ferry authorized to carry 90 people, but the latest official figures now suggest the number of passengers could be even higher.Police in the southern African country said “search efforts are still underway in a bid to recover victims identified as missing.”The aging ferry was traveling from the town of Kariba to rural and fishing communities in the country’s northwest, where roads are damaged and public transportation is scarce. Among the dead are 18 children, with the youngest just 1 year old. According to police, 16 of the victims were aged 10 or younger.Kariba is the world’s largest human-made lake by volume, created by damming the mighty Zambezi River in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It stretches more than 200 kilometers (124 miles) and is up to 40 kilometers (25 miles) wide in places.Zimbabwe and Zambia share the lake, with their border running through its middle.

Rodri, Spain’s World Cup-winning captain, appears to be heading back to Spain after Manchester City and Barcelona reached an agreement over the midfielder’s transfer.The clubs have agreed to a deal for Rodri worth 76.5 million euros ($88.5 million), a person with knowledge of the transaction confirmed to The Associated Press on Sunday.The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the details of the deal have not been made public.Neither City nor Barcelona have made any official comment about the transfer.The 30-year-old Rodri has played for City since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2019. He scored the winning goal in the Champions League final victory over Inter Milan in 2023 and won the Ballon d'Or as the world's best player the following year after being part of Spain's European Championship-winning team.He was an integral member of Spain's team that won the World Cup last month and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.Rodri had one year left on his contract with City.His departure would further weaken City's midfield, with Bernardo Silva having left and joined Real Madrid this summer.Rodri is currently recovering from minor back surgery that he underwent after the World Cup.___See AP’s full soccer coverage here

HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 15: Ronel Blanco #56 of the Houston Astros pitches in the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park on August 15, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images Today, the Houston Astros have optioned SP Ronel Blanco to Triple-A Sugar Land, and recalled RP Miguel Ullola.Blanco pitched 4 innings in yesterday’s loss to the Seattle Mariners, allowing 5 ER and 7 H and a walk while striking out 3. He allowed one HR while throwing 42 of his 59 pitches for strikes. Since returning from the IL, Blanco has been hit hard. In 5 appearances (including 4 starts) Blanco is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA. While his velocities are in line with his career norms since becoming a full time starter, and spin rates are consistent with his career norms as well, his command has been notably off. Command being off is often extrapolated as being wild outside of the zone, however Blanco has been wild inside the zone. He has been missing his spots but still in the zone, with his pitches in better places to be hit hard. Also of note, Blanco’s pitch mix and pitch performance is different. While he is throwing his fastball about the same rate as a year ago (slightly less than 2024), his changeup use is way up and slider rate is way down from last season and his career historically.Blanco’s slider was his best put away pitch in 2025, generating a 42.4% whiff rate. In 2026, that same pitch is only generating a 17.9% whiff rate. Last season, he threw the slider 31.5% of the time. This season, it is down to 17.7%.Meanwhile, Blanco’s reliance on his changeup has spiked. Throwing the pitch only 12.5% of the time in 2025, he is leaning on it to the rate of 29.2% this season. His 36.3% whiff rate is similar to last season’s 35.8%.It would seem he has lost faith in his slider, especially vs. RH hitters. Historically, Blanco has leaned hard on his slider vs. righties as his primary weapon. This season it is second to his fastball. Meanwhile Miguel Ullola has worked solely as a one inning reliever since being optioned back to Sugar Land following his July 26 outing for the Astros against the White Sox in which he was charged with 3 ER in 1 inning on a walk and 2 homers. Since that time, Ullola has made 7 appearances for the Space Cowboys. He has thrown 7 innings, allowing 3R (2 ER) on 3 hits, walked 4 and struck out 9. He has gone 3-0 in those 7 games, with every appearance coming in the 8th or later. So far this season at the big league level, Ullola has no record and a 5.40 ERA across 3 appearances. In 5 innings, he has allowed 3 runs and 4 hits, with 1 walk and 7 strikeouts.

The Cleveland Browns' first preseason game is officially in the books, with head coach Todd Monken's squad dropping the game against the Chicago Bears, 34-10.While the score tells one story, there were plenty of takeaways from the recent matchup that could shake up the 53-man roster heading into Week One. Here are the biggest winners and losers from the Browns' preseason matchup against the Bears.Winner: Denzel Boston, KC ConcepcionThe Browns' rookie wide receiver duo of KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston was on full display in Chicago this weekend.Monken was not afraid to unleash Concepcion in his first preseason game, as the most recent first-round pick recorded three catches for 27 yards, while also picking up a 14-yard rushing touchdown. Boston did not see as much action, but still managed to finish with one catch for 15 yards to convert on third down.The rookie KC Concepcion is in for 6!CLEvsCHI on @nflnetworkStream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/fC7gG5NpsM— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026While it's the first preseason game of the year, Monken's early usage of the rookie playmakers on offense should be a positive sign for fans.Loser: The quarterbacksIf you thought we would gain clarity on the quarterback battle this week, you would be completely wrong.Veteran Deshaun Watson received the first preseason start out of the bunch, and despite a solid start to the contest, he would lose momentum by the end of the first half. As for the pair of second-year quarterbacks in Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, both would throw an interception, while Sanders had numerous balls batted down at the line of scrimmage. There were some flashes of potential from Sanders, as he connected with wide receiver Luke Floriea for a 35-yard completion, but the lack of help from the offensive line also played a key factor in the quarterback's woes.deep shot through pressure 😮‍💨#CLEvsCHI on News 5 and NFL Network pic.twitter.com/QzfpBciGE0— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 15, 2026Winner: Michael Coats Jr.General manager Andrew Berry has knocked it out of the park once again in the UDFA department with cornerback Michael Coats Jr.The former West Virginia standout did an excellent job in coverage during Saturday's contest, finishing the day with two pass deflections and one interception in the middle of the second quarter. However, Coats departed from the game after sustaining an ankle injury, cutting his impressive showing short.Michael Coats Jr. reads it like a book for the INT CLEvsCHI on @nflnetworkStream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/rrP4mGhxgb— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026Outside of star defensive backs Denzel Ward and Tyson Campbell, the Browns' cornerback unit lacks depth. But the sudden rise of Coats could be significant help for the defense this year.Loser: Offensive pace/operationsOne of the biggest issues the Browns have dealt with this offseason is the offense picking up the pace and operations of Monken's scheme. Unfortunately, the issues were put on blast in the first preseason contest.In the first quarter, Cleveland was forced to take a timeout because the play clock expired, and they also picked up a delay-of-game penalty on the same drive. This continued into the second half, with Sanders under center and multiple plays coming down to the wire.The quarterback battle is one issue to worry about, but regardless of who wins the job, the offense will hold the unit back in 2026 if it isn't quickly addressed.Winner: Winston ReidWith plenty of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, third-year linebacker Winston Reid made a strong case for himself to make the 53-man roster on Saturday.Reid ended his first preseason matchup with 6 total tackles, three solo tackles, and three pass deflections. The 27-year-old played in 16 games for the Browns during the 2024 season, finishing with 23 tackles and a half-sack. Now, Reid has an opportunity to make the 53-man roster if he can continue his dominance throughout the rest of the preseason.Loser: Run gameThe passing game was not the only element that was impacted by the offensive line.Cleveland had a total of 108 rushing yards on 27 carries for an average of four yards per rush. If it weren't for rookie Davon Booth's impressive stint on the last drive (four carries for 54 rushing yards), the Browns' leading rusher would have been Concepcion, whose lone carry was his touchdown run in the second quarter.This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Winners and losers from Browns' preseason game against Chicago Bears

Rodri captained Spain to World Cup glory this summer [Getty Images]Barcelona have agreed a deal to sign Spain captain Rodri from Manchester City for about £65mThe 30-year-old, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2024, is set to sign a four-year deal with the Spanish champions. The transfer is expected to be completed in the coming days.Rodri made 298 appearances across seven trophy-laden seasons at City after joining them from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then club record £62.8m.He missed much of the 2024-25 campaign after sustaining a serious knee injury, and parts of last season were disrupted by a hamstring issue.However, he was back to his best at the World Cup in the summer, leading Spain to their second title and being named player of the tournament.Rodri leaves City having won 12 major honours, including four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League in 2022-23.Chelsea say no Fernandez move as deadline passes - but is it really over?Could Fernandez replace Rodri?Man City's desire to replace Rodri with Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez is no secret, despite not submitting a bid for the Argentine before the Blues' Friday deadline.Chelsea told interested parties they had until 17:00 BST on Friday to make an offer for the 25-year-old - with them wanting £120m for his signature.But they are not thought to have received any bids and Xabi Alonso's side now hope to keep their vice-captain.However, it is understood City do not see the potential transfer as being over and still think Chelsea want to do a deal.A £120m move would be the fourth-biggest football transfer ever.Man City boss Enzo Maresca is clearly a fan of Fernandez, having made him Chelsea captain when Reece James was injured, and he played the Argentine in 79 of his 92 games in charge at Stamford Bridge.Fernandez is, by nature, a defensive midfielder but Maresca played him further forward many times last season when Cole Palmer was injured, leading to him scoring a career-best 15 goals.That means there are several places Fernandez could fit into Maresca's City team - if a deal does happen.The Abu Dhabi-owned club also signed England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Forest this summer.So that would give Maresca some flexibility when naming a team - and means Anderson and Fernandez would be capable of playing together.Whether a deal can be agreed or if Chelsea will stick to their guns remains to be seen.Latest Manchester City news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Man City - what do you want to know?

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers put pitcher Justin Wrobleski on the injured list Sunday because of left forearm irritation.Wrobleski, who is 11-5 with a 3.56 ERA in 20 starts this season, is second on the team in wins and innings pitched (126 1/3). He gave up four runs on four hits and one walk in six innings in a 4-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday, allowing two two-run homers. Wrobleski has allowed a homer in four straight games, giving up a total of 11 in that span. He had conceded eight homers in his first 17 appearances.The Dodgers recalled right-handed reliever Kyle Hurt from Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move. Hurt is 3-1 with a 4.46 ERA in 37 games this season.___See AP’s full MLB coverage here

The new head of the Justice Department said on “Meet the Press” on Sunday that the president had never asked him to prosecute specific people — and never would.

Amy Hunt of Britain prepares to compete in the mixed 4 X 100 meters relay final at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, England, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Morgan Harlow)2026-08-16T11:56:20Z BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Amy Hunt won a record fourth gold medal in a single edition of the European championships when Britain clinched victory in the mixed 4x100 relay on Sunday.Hunt had already won two individual titles -- the 100 and 200 -- and added a third gold Saturday in the women’s 4x100 relay at Alexander Stadium.Britain won Sunday in a time of 39.97 seconds. Germany was second in 40.11 and Spain third in 40.42.___See full AP coverage of European sports here

Spain's Rodri poses with the tournament's best player award at the end of the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)2026-08-16T19:59:08Z Rodri, Spain’s World Cup-winning captain, appears to be heading back to Spain after Manchester City and Barcelona reached an agreement over the midfielder’s transfer.The clubs have agreed to a deal for Rodri worth 76.5 million euros ($88.5 million), a person with knowledge of the transaction confirmed to The Associated Press on Sunday.The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the details of the deal have not been made public.Neither City nor Barcelona have made any official comment about the transfer.The 30-year-old Rodri has played for City since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2019. He scored the winning goal in the Champions League final victory over Inter Milan in 2023 and won the Ballon d’Or as the world’s best player the following year after being part of Spain’s European Championship-winning team.He was an integral member of Spain’s team that won the World Cup last month and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. Rodri had one year left on his contract with City.His departure would further weaken City’s midfield, with Bernardo Silva having left and joined Real Madrid this summer.Rodri did not play Sunday in City’s 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield. He is currently recovering from minor back surgery that he underwent after the World Cup.___See AP’s full soccer coverage here STEVE DOUGLAS Douglas is a Europe-based sports writer who has covered some of the world’s biggest events for The AP over the last 15 years, notably the men’s soccer World Cup final in 2022. As well as soccer, he handles a range of other sports including golf, cricket and rugby. mailto

Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson left Sunday’s game versus the St. Louis Cardinals in the third inning with what the team announced as “left side discomfort.” Swanson came out after swinging and missing at a 96 mph Hunter Dobbins fastball on the outside middle of the strike zone. After missing, Swanson immediately threw his helmet down and squatted outside the batter’s box in pain. Chicago Cubs SS Dansby Swanson left the game with an injury after an awkward swing. pic.twitter.com/1jDI1tnjYn— ESPN (@espn) August 16, 2026Replay appeared to show that Swanson appeared to hurt his right hand, squeezing and releasing it after he dropped his bat. He may have also twisted his wrist on the follow-through. But the Cubs soon confirmed that Swanson injured his side, possibly an oblique.After the team trainer and manager Craig Counsell came out to check on Swanson, he left the game and was replaced during the plate appearance by James Triantos. Triantos then drew a walk. Pete Crow-Armstrong's 2-run blast makes it a 1-run ballgame! pic.twitter.com/gmi0DGF6d5— MLB (@MLB) August 16, 2026Dobbins recovered to retire Michael Conforto on a pop-up to shortstop and Miguel Amaya on a strikeout. His next pitch, a 94 mph fastball to Pete Crow-Armstrong, was low, but caught the middle of the zone and the Cubs center fielder hit it out for a 2-run home run. That cut the Cardinals’ lead to 3-2.Triantos stayed in the game to play second base, while Nico Hoerner moved over to take Swanson’s place at shortstop.Swanson came into Sunday’s game with a .216/.300/.404 slash line with 18 home runs, 16 doubles, 66 RBI and 17 stolen bases in 458 plate appearances this season.

Manchester Super Giants denied Trent Rockets the chance to win both men's and women's Hundred 2026 titles [Getty Images]The Hundred men's competition: Final, Lord'sTrent Rockets 158-8 (100 balls): Donald 38 (19); Noor 3-33Manchester Super Giants 162-5 (98 balls): Seifert 72 (38); Amir 3-29Manchester Super Giants won by five wicketsScorecardManchester Super Giants survived a late wobble with the bat to beat Trent Rockets by five wickets and win the franchise's first Hundred title at Lord's.Super Giants needed a straightforward three off the last nine balls in pursuit of 159, before Mohammad Amir dismissed Heinrich Klaasen and Michael Bracewell and Ben Sanderson bowled two dot balls to bring the equation down to three off three. But Liam Dawson held his nerve to hit the winning runs with a six over mid-wicket, sealing victory with two balls to spare.The chase had been set up by New Zealand's Tim Seifert, who struck a magnificent 72 off 38, featuring seven sixes and four fours in a brutal display of power. Rockets had the chance to dismiss Seifert on 33, but Finn Allen's astonishing relay effort on the boundary was ruled out because his foot had touched the boundary rope before he had jumped over, denying him a sure contender for the catch of the tournament.The result meant the Rockets, who finished top of the table and so progressed straight into the final from their last group game on Monday, failed to become the first franchise to win both men's and women's competitions in the same edition of The Hundred.Ben Duckett's 31 gave them a solid platform, but, in the space of four deliveries, captain Sam Billings was run out for seven and Tim David fell first ball to Noor Ahmad as Super Giants took control.Aneurin Donald blitzed 38 off 19 before quickfire cameos of 20 from Mitch Santner and 32 from Lewis Gregory lifted the Rockets to 158-8.But it proved to be below-par as Seifert and Paul Walter, the Super Giants' star in the Eliminator, added 66 off 31 balls for the first wicket before Jos Buttler briefly entertained a crowd of 27,416 with three sixes in his 23 off 14.The Old Trafford-based side, renamed the Super Giants from this season having preivously been the Originals, lost two previous men's finals, including to the Rockets in 2022, which remains their sole men's title.What has been the impact of new owners on The Hundred?Soaring heat, falling crowds - The Hundred's peculiar summerThe Hundred 2026 tables, top run-scorers & wicket-takersSuper Seifert seals successDespite the late Super Giants wickets, Seifert's knock proved the difference, as Rockets' batters were left to rue plenty of promising starts but none were able to kick on in the same destructive manner. Duckett was caught behind off a beauty from Ahmad but Allen holed out to long-off for 15, Billings was clumsily run out and Donald showed glimpses off brilliance before he frustratingly played on to his own stumps off Dawson. But Seifert went on to equal Will Jacks for the highest score in a Hundred final and finished as the tournament's second highest run-scorer behind Mitchell Marsh, ending with 394 runs at an average just shy of 50. In Super Giants' last five games, he has formed a formidable partnership with Walter at the top of the order - though Seifert fell for a duck in the Eliminator, their other stands have been 74, 119, 128 and this 66. Several of Seifert's sixes were struck with such force that spectators in the second tier were cowering for safety, though it felt cruel that Allen's spectacular boundary effort went in the book as a drop.With the cameos from Walter amd Buttler, as well as Leus du Plooy reaching 27 not out, they appeared to be making light work of the chase before the latter could only watch the carnage unfold from the non-striker's end in the closing stages.Klaasen was superbly caught by a diving Donald on the boundary before Bracewell was pinned lbw, and the crowd came to life at Dawson's swings and misses at his first two balls.Even the winning six delivered a tantalising wait, hanging in the air, teasing the chance of a catch, but it just crept over the rope to spark Super Giants' celebrations.Get cricket news sent straight to your phone

Amy Hunt studied English Literature at Cambridge but clearly prefers making history in her spare time. In 90 years of the European Championships, no athlete has ever won four gold medals at a single edition — but Hunt is now just one winning race away. After completing a stunning sprint double in the 100m and 200m, Hunt joined forces with Dina Asher-Smith, Success Eduan and Imani-Lara Lansiquot to storm to 4x100m gold at the Alexander Stadium in 42.05 seconds, the fastest time in Europe this season. “I'm having the time of my life,” said Hunt. “I'm standing next to some amazing women — Dina wins these medals for fun, Success delivers babies for a living and Imani wrote a play. They are just special and talented people. “This week has been a whirlwind and it's not finished yet. I think next week the emotions are going to hit me and I'll be crying every day.”Tears can wait and, regardless of what happens in Sunday's 4x100m mixed relay, Hunt is the story of these championships. But she was not the story of this night. There is now no more decorated athlete at this event than Asher-Smith, who has won ten medals since her debut in Amsterdam ten years ago, level with Polish sprinter Irena Szewińska. Seven of them are gold, the joint record with Croatian discus thrower Sandra Elkasevic and Norway's middle-distance superstar Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Asher-Smith is now the most decorated athlete at European level (Reuters)And Asher-Smith did study history, at King's College London - this is a quartet of brains and speed. “I've had a good week but Dina, she's the GOAT,” added Hunt. Asher-Smith might be adjusting to no longer being the star turn of British women's sprinting, but you don't need to spend long on her Wikipedia page to realise the scale of her achievements. She is perhaps the best example of Seb Coe's promise to 'Inspire a Generation' at the London 2012 Olympics, where she volunteered as a kit-bag carrier on Super Saturday. Within a year, she'd won the first of 25 career championship medals with a 4x100m bronze at the World Championships in Moscow. “I hear the stats but they can go in one ear and out of the other,” said Asher-Smith, who had admitted disappointment with her bronze in the 200m. “Maybe it will sink in one day, perhaps in ten years' time when I can look back and actually appreciate it. GB won a golden double in the relays on Saturday night (Reuters)“It's just an honour to be in the position to win these medals. It's a privilege to do this and be part of this team. Some of the medals I won individually but lots have been won with a team and that just means so much.”A few moments earlier, Britain's Jeremiah Azu, Louis Hinchliffe, Zharnel Hughes and Romell Glave nailed their changeovers to scorch to victory in the men's 4x100m for the fifth time in the last six championships. “They start it, we like to finish the show,” joked Hunt. They also came in as favourites and calmly embraced the pressure, 100m champion Glave powering down the anchor leg as Germany and Belgium could only chase his fumes. “We knew we could deliver. This team is incredible. Privately, we've set some big goals for the next two years and we are ticking them off one by one,” said 100m silver medallist Azu. “We've a great relationship between us. The days when you hated your rivals from your country are gone. We lift each other up. It feels special to win this with your friends, especially in front of our own fans.”Jeremiah Azu, right, hugs Amy Hunt as they celebrate their relay gold medals (Annabel Lee-Ellis/PA) (PA Wire)There was a time when you watched Britain's men in relay action expecting spills, not thrills, especially at the Olympics. With the exception of their gold medal in Athens, they failed to finish in Atlanta and were disqualified in Sydney, Beijing and London. But these two relays were a masterclass in speed and technique. Check marks were extended to the very limit and exchanges were slick. And when these two quartets are combined for Sunday's mixed event, they'll be tough to stop if they can repeat this magic. Novuna is the Official Finance Partner of British Athletics and proud sponsor of the GB & NI Athletics Team. From everyday goals to world-class dreams, Novuna backs the ambition of millions across the UK — from supporting British businesses and individuals’ plans, to powering British Athletics on the global stage. Find out more at www.novuna.co.uk

Detroit Lions guard Tate Ratledge (69) practices during mini camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co The Detroit Lions were back in pads on Sunday, slowly ramping things back up in their 13th training camp practice of the 2026 preseason. A couple of unexpected absences popped up at Sunday’s practice, but we also saw some injured players return, like Juice Scruggs and Derrick Moore. The pair took to the field in pads for the first time as they continue to build back up after soft-tissue injuries.Juice Scruggs and Tate Ratledge split reps at center; IOL shuffleBecause this was Scruggs’ first practice in pads, the Lions appear like they want to keep his acclimation tempered a bit. He started most “team” series—save the final few—but at the halfway point, Scruggs went to the sidelines. That decision let the offensive line adjust its interior combination and test other options.When Scruggs exited, Tate Ratledge stepped in at center with Christian Mahogany shifting from left to right guard to accommodate for Ben Bartch at left guard. With this combination, they could see where Ratledge is at in his development at center, make room for Bartch to get reps with the first team, and give Mahogany some looks from the right side.The difference between the two combinations was drastic. When Scruggs was at center, the offensive line looked solid, but when they shifted to Ratledge inside, they appeared more vulnerable to blitzes, and Ratledge botched at least two snaps. While the second combination arguably puts the Lions’ five most talented linemen on the field at the same time, the cohesion was clearly absent, illustrating how important it is to find the “right” combination and “fit.”Jahmyr Gibbs’ dynamic in passing gameGibbs has shown off his running skills since returning to the field after his holdout, but on Sunday, his pass-catching prowess was on display. During one-on-ones, Gibbs worked in with the wide receivers, and then found himself on the positive end of several catches on the day. His best came during the first offensive rep of an “unscripted” series, when he ran a wheel route against Derrick Barnes for an easy 20+ yard touchdown. Once Gibbs got the angle on Barnes, he cleared him in an instant and then his speed took over, presenting a large target for Jared Goff to drop the pass into.This part of Gibbs’ game looks like it will be a weapon for offensive coordinator Drew Petzing this season.Tay Martin continues to show up in multiple waysIn the battle amongst the reserves, Tay Martin continues to make a name for himself.“Tay Martin showed up again, blocking, made a one-on-one catch, separated, special teams,” coach Dan Campbell said of Martin’s performance against the Bengals last Thursday. “He forced a penalty, and that was just one play on special teams. He made more than that.”On Sunday, with Jameson Williams absent, Martin and Tom Kennedy rotated in JAMO’s spot with the first team. When the kick coverage units took the field, Martin was once again with the special teams starters, and then on punt coverage, Martin was part of the top four at the gunner position, working with Keith Abney on the second unit.“It was great to get out there with the ones,” Martin said after practice. “To get a chance to go against the ‘one’ defense, get some reps with Jared, it’s a great opportunity for me.” When the conversation turned to special teams, Martin noted that his experience playing defensive back has given him an advanatge—similar to what we see with Sione Vaki.“My whole life I played DB, safety and corner,” Martin continued. “So that gave me a physical edge because on ’teams,’ you’ve got to be physical. Each play is about who wants it more. You need a whole lot of effort to be where you need to be.”Aidan Hutchinson dominates, Derrick Moore shows rangeWe don’t always talk about the superstars in observations because the best players in this league typically don’t surprise; they just play great every day. However, today was an exceptional day for Hutchinson, even by his standards. Hutchinson opened the 11-on-11 drills with two sacks in the first three plays. On the second, he collapsed the left side of the line, driving his blocker (not sure if it was Penei Sewell because of my angle of the play, but it would make sense based on where Hutchinson lined up) all the way back to Goff, creating a massive pileup of bodies that drew a big reaction from the crowd.Hutchinson continued to be disruptive when matching up against Blake Miller, routinely forcing the rookie to work at every step. Eventually, Hutchinson would get his third sack of the day, putting an end to the first-team final series of practice.While Hutchinson had a monster day, fellow edge rusher Derrick Moore showed well in his first padded practice in the NFL. While he didn’t register a sack, he did find ways to create pressure from the rush end position. But even more impressive was when the Lions shifted Moore to a stand-up, pass-rushing linebacker role, which allowed him the range to roam and threaten interior gaps. It’s a new wrinkle for the rookie, but also something we suggested the Lions might consider given his college tape at Michigan.Linebacker blitzes resulting in pressuresSpeaking of linebackers, we saw a lot of variance from them in this practice. Beyond shifting Moore to linebacker for a few reps, we also saw dual SAM linebackers, double A-Gap blitzes, and pressure throughout the day. Derrick Barnes took advantage of Ratledge’s first rep at center, forcing a quick pressure with an A-Gap blitz. Later, he got another pressure during red zone drills. Erick Hunter also found a lot of daylight when he blitzed the A-Gap and was in clean for a sack.Then, in the final drill of the day, the Lions sent a lot of pressure at Luke Altmyer, and while Sione Vaki consistently picked up the blitzing linebacker, it opened up windows for the edge rushers to get home. NB competition down to Christian Izien and Keith AbneyThe Lions have seen as many as four players taking first-team reps at nickel corner throughout camp, but over the past week, the competition looks to be narrowing down to Christian Izien and rookie Keith Abney. On Sunday, both rotated through reps with the starters, while Ennis Rakestraw and Roger McCreary have only been taking reps at outside cornerback.This competition is far from over, and both look in great spots to make the 53-man roster, but the Lions appear to be keeping their options wide open in this position battle.Quick hitters:TeSlaa continues to work through a rough patch, but on a fourth-down play during an “unscripted” series for the first team, Jared Goff delivered a 24-yard jump ball for him in the end zone, and TeSlaa elevated over Ennsis Rakestraw and Thomas Harper for a wonderful contested touchdown catch.Priestly continues to get emergency reps in OL/DL run drills and made two notable plays that opened big holes, one alongside Mahogany and another on a pull.Skyler Gill-Howard and Ahmed Hassanein continue their momentum from the preseason. Both stood out in “run fits” drills, and then combined for a pressure/sack during 11’s. By the end of practice, each got some rotational work with the first team.Ben Stille has a tough path to make the 53-man roster, but he routinely makes plays (including pressures and sacks) in practice, and it feels like it may only be a matter of time before he gets more reps.Greg Dortch made a veteran returner play during special teams drills, fielding a kick near the sidelines, but making sure to put his foot out of bounds before catching the ball, which would have resulted in the offense getting the ball on the 40-yard line.Anthony Lucas closed out the day with a bang. In the final unscripted series for the second team, Lucas registered two pressures and a sack in a wildly impressive performance.

The Philadelphia Eagles didn't get the result they wanted in their preseason opener, but there were still individual performances worth highlighting.Philadelphia fell 24-7 to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night, struggling to generate much offense for most of the evening. The Eagles finished with only 159 total yards, six first downs, and went 0-for-9 on third down. Baltimore controlled the game for more than 41 minutes. That makes it difficult to find many positives from the overall performance.But that's not really the point of the preseason.With most of Philadelphia's starters watching from the sideline, the game provided an opportunity for young players, backups and roster hopefuls to establish themselves. A handful of Eagles took advantage of that opportunity.Here are six players who stood out against Baltimore.1. Jeremiah Trotter Jr.Trotter was the easiest choice at the top of this list. The third-year linebacker was one of Philadelphia's most active defenders throughout the first half, finishing with five tackles, a sack and a quarterback hit.His sack came early, when he tracked down Tyler Huntley and prevented the Ravens quarterback from escaping the pocket. Trotter consistently showed the instincts that have made him one of the more intriguing young linebackers on Philadelphia's roster. The most encouraging part wasn't simply the statistical production.Trotter looked comfortable diagnosing Baltimore's running game, getting downhill and making plays before they had time to develop. He's entering an important season in his development, and this was exactly the kind of preseason performance he needed.2. Cole PaytonIt took until the fourth quarter, but Payton finally gave the Eagles' offense some life. The rookie quarterback completed 4 of 9 passes for 37 yards and a touchdown, but his impact went beyond his passing numbers. He also rushed three times for 45 yards, including a 17-yard scramble that helped keep Philadelphia's lone touchdown drive alive.Payton eventually connected with Erik Ezukanma on a six-yard touchdown pass after escaping pressure. That drive accounted for Philadelphia's only touchdown of the night. The overall numbers weren't spectacular, but Payton displayed the athleticism and playmaking ability that made him an intriguing fifth-round selection.More importantly, he created something when the offense desperately needed it. That's worth remembering as the Eagles continue evaluating their quarterback room.3. Kelee RingoRingo's night was a perfect example of why preseason evaluation requires context. There were some negatives. He gave up a touchdown early and was flagged for pass interference later in the half. Then he made one of the Eagles' best plays of the night. Ringo stepped in front of a Ravens receiver in the end zone and intercepted a pass from Joe Fagnano, making an impressive play on the football while getting both feet down.The interception was Philadelphia's only takeaway through the air and showed off the physical traits that made Ringo such an intriguing prospect when the Eagles drafted him.It wasn't a perfect night. That's actually what makes it a useful evaluation. Ringo showed both the areas he still needs to improve and the high-end ability that could eventually make him an important part of the Eagles' secondary.4. Ty RobinsonRobinson provided one of Philadelphia's best plays at the line of scrimmage. The defensive tackle exploded through the Ravens' protection and dropped Huntley for a seven-yard loss early in the game. It was a big play because it immediately put Baltimore behind the sticks and helped force a missed field goal. Robinson finished with five tackles and a sack, continuing what has reportedly been an improving stretch after a difficult start to training camp. The Eagles need depth along the interior defensive line, and Robinson is competing for a larger role.His performance against Baltimore was a good reminder that he remains part of that conversation.5. Will ShipleyShipley didn't produce huge numbers, but he showed some of the qualities that could make him a valuable piece of Philadelphia's running back depth. He carried the ball seven times for 22 yards, averaging 3.1 yards per attempt.The numbers don't jump off the page. The tape was more encouraging. Shipley showed patience on outside-zone concepts and demonstrated an ability to find lanes when the offensive line gave him opportunities. He also received the majority of Philadelphia's running back workload among the reserve backs.With Saquon Barkley established at the top of the depth chart and Tank Bigsby competing for touches, Shipley's path to a significant role isn't necessarily straightforward.But performances like this can reinforce his value as a reliable No. 2 or No. 3 option.6. Joshua WeruWeru might have been the most intriguing player on the field from a long-term perspective.The Eagles' international edge rusher was playing in his first-ever football game, having only begun playing the sport earlier this year through the NFL International Player Pathway program. He immediately made an impression.Weru recorded a quarterback hit on his first NFL play and generated another pressure later in the same drive. That's remarkable context for a player still learning the fundamentals of American football.The athletic ability is obvious. The Eagles now have to see whether they can continue to translate that athleticism into production on the field.Weru isn't a finished product.Honorable mention: Uar BernardBernard deserves a mention alongside Weru.Like Weru, Bernard is an international player who only recently began playing football. He made his NFL debut against Baltimore and showed flashes of his ability to shed blocks and adapt to the speed and physicality of the game.It's far too early to make any roster predictions based on a handful of preseason snaps.But Bernard's debut was encouraging enough to make him a player worth following throughout the rest of August.The bigger takeawayThe Eagles didn't play well. There's no reason to dress that up.Philadelphia was outgained 440-159, couldn't convert a single third down and committed 10 penalties for 96 yards. Baltimore had 31 first downs compared with six for Philadelphia. But preseason football is ultimately about figuring out who can help the team when the games start counting.This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: 6 standouts from Eagles' preseason loss to the Ravens

Since last week, hazardous weather has caused seven deaths, forced people from their homes and required some to be rescued by boat. The region was at risk for more flooding on Sunday.

Amy Hunt and Dina Asher-Smith made history and Georgia Hunter Bell claimed a commanding 1500m gold as Great Britain maintained their bid to top the final medal table at the European Championships.Sprint sensation Hunt held up four fingers to the camera after holding off Germany's challenge on the home straight of the mixed 4x100m relay as another sell-out crowd roared the 24-year-old on to an unprecedented fourth gold of the week.The world silver medallist completed victory for the quartet in a European record 39.97 seconds to add to her triumphs in the 100m, 200m and women's 4x100m in Birmingham.With her eighth gold and 11th medal overall, Asher-Smith is unparalleled as the most successful athlete in the competition's 92-year history, with a team also featuring Jeremiah Azu and Zharnel Hughes extending the hosts' domination of the sprint events.Hunter Bell expertly controlled the women's 1500m final before bursting clear to continue her golden year by adding to world indoor and Commonwealth glory.That represented the 32-year-old's seventh international medal in two years as she continues to build momentum on her fairytale return to the sport which she quit for five years following a promising junior career.That was Great Britain's ninth gold medal, taking them above Italy at the top of the standings - and the team's 16th overall.The 'GOAT' and an 'icon' combine again for GBLess than 24 hours after combining with their respective men's and women's quartets to win 4x100m golds, Azu, Asher-Smith, Hughes and Hunt - in that order - made it six golds out of a possible seven across the sprint events.Hunt described team-mate Asher-Smith as "the real life GOAT" [greatest of all time] after the 30-year-old won a record-equalling seventh gold on Saturday night, a decade on from capturing her first.Despite feeling "absolutely terrified" during the event's inaugural mixed 4x100m relay, Asher-Smith, world 200m champion in 2019, leaves Birmingham a 22-time international medallist in her senior career.Based on her performances this week, Hunt is only just getting started with her growing medal collection.The Cambridge University graduate boldly stated her intention to take all four sprint titles this week in her bid to be "iconic".The weight of expectation has increased with each success, but she has risen to the moment in front of her home crowd on each occasion and few expected her to falter once she took the baton and began her battle with Germany's Gina Luckenkemper.Cheering his team-mate on after handing over to Hunt, Hughes matched Matthew Hudson-Smith, Mo Farah and Roger Black as the most successful British man with his fifth gold at the championships.More to follow.

The Hundred Helix trophy was named by fans online [Getty Images]The Hundred will award a trophy to the top combined team across the men's and women's formats for the first time this weekend.The fan-named Hundred Helix trophy will go to the team who have earned the most points across the two competitions, which have been played alongside each other since 2021.Trent Rockets are guaranteed to pick up the 2026 Helix trophy after qualifying automatically for both the men's and women's final. They have 60 points - 16 more than Sunrisers Leeds in second.Rockets won the women's final but could not become the first team to win both competitions in the same year as the men's side were beaten by Manchester Super Giants later on Sunday at Lord's.The combined trophy concept has got us thinking though - who would come out on top using a similar award in other sports?Super Giants survive late wobble to win men's HundredRockets crush Sunrisers for first women's Hundred titlePremier League and Women's Super LeagueDespite Manchester City's Women's Super League win, it's Arsenal who would come out on top in a combined 2025-26 Premier League and WSL table.The Gunners get over the line by three points thanks to their seven-point advantage over Man City at the end of the Premier League season.A formidable strikeforce of Erling Haaland and Khadija Shaw is a scary thought though - the pair netted a combined total of 48 league goals last season.Despite a 10th-placed finish in the Premier League, Chelsea are fourth thanks to finishing third in the WSL.West Ham are bottom of the clubs that competed in both competitions, amassing a total of 58 points.Six NationsIt's perhaps no surprise that Men's Six Nations champions France top the combined Six Nations table for 2026. Les Bleus lost just two matches across both competitions, racking up eight wins and 21 points in each.England's flawless record in the women's Six Nations is only enough for second in the combined table due to just a single win in the men's competition.Wales are bottom of the combined rank with 11 points after finishing at the foot of the table in both competitions.Ryder Cup and Solheim CupWe have to merge the points from two different golf competitions across two years to get a picture of how a combined European side would fare against a combined USA team.Europe's two-point victory in the 2025 Ryder Cup isn't enough to get them over the line, with the US just edging it thanks to their three-point win in the Solheim Cup in 2024.So, what do you think? Is this a good idea, and could it be adopted for other competitions as a fun aside? Let us know in the comments.All our Hundred Who Am I? quizzes in one placeThe Hundred 2026 tables, top run-scorers & wicket-takersGet cricket news sent straight to your phone

LeBron James has added a new venture to his growing list of off-the-court interests: a YouTube channel dedicated to golf.James, the 41-year-old who recently signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, released his first vlog-style video Aug. 15. The 96-minute video features James and several members of the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2016 championship team during a golf trip to Scotland in June.Former Cavaliers Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Channing Frye and Richard Jefferson joined James at Cabot Highlands Resort's Castle Stuart Links. Matthew Dellavedova and Iman Shumpert also attended the reunion but were not featured in the video.The group played in a 3-on-3 format while laughing and reminiscing about the Cavaliers' championship run. The 2016 team overcame a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA championship.Cavs schedule: LeBron James chose 76ers over Cavaliers. Don't boo him for itThe channel's first video description says James will bring fans along as golf takes him to courses around the world, with local food, wine and plenty of laughs along the way.“I’m looking forward to people seeing this first episode, which was the trip of a lifetime with my teammates. We got to play golf and catch up in some of the most beautiful settings I’ve ever been in,” James told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s been a lot of fun out on the course, learning and loving all the nuances of the game, and I’m excited about bringing everyone along with me on this journey through my channel.”According to The Hollywood Reporter, the plan is for a new video to be released each month on a Saturday.James has previously discussed his growing interest in golf on his podcast, "Mind The Game," with Steve Nash."The (golf) bug is real. I've heard about the bug for so many years and I was like, 'Well, it's not gonna get me. I don't like golf at all. Who wants to be outside all day walking around?'" James said. "Nah, it's real. I am into it. My algorithm on social media, every other post, every other video is some type of golf video now."The first video has already topped one million views, and James has garnered nearly 400,000 subscribers.CONTRIBUTING: Marcus D. Smith, USA TODAYThis article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: LeBron James leans into new passion with YouTube golf channel

The first round could fairly be called a decision in favor of Deshaun Watson. Shedeur Sanders, though, has a chance to deliver the equalizer with the second round this week.No one believed that the Browns' quarterback competition was going to be settled in their preseason opener at the Chicago Bears. It was just the latest piece of a much bigger puzzle that will eventually provide enough evodence for coach Todd Monken to make a final decision."Well, again, I did feel going in the last game that it was relatively close in terms of both having an opportunity at the starting position," Monken said on a Zoom call Aug. 16. "So it would be unfair to not go into the next game and allow Shedeur that opportunity, albeit a different team, certainly at home. There's no guarantee that the same players will be playing this game, but it's the closest you have. And we owe it to both players who have really handled it well and have competed at a high level."Subscribe to Browns Insider newsletterTo that end, Watson did well, completing 10 of his first 11 passes, with the one incompletion being a drop. He finished 11-of-15 for 126 yards with a fumble on a sack and a 98.2 passer rating.This week provides Sanders with plenty of opportunities to make his own case. He played just the third quarter against the Bears, completing 6-of-11 passes for 79 yards with an interception and a 39.6 rating."Oh nah, I'm just excited getting reps," Sanders said after the Bears game. "Just excited getting reps. Definitely. I'm excited for this week. I'm excited to see the game. I love being able to see stuff and be able to recognize it and get it in person. That's what makes me so excited about. And it opened up a new perspective, so I'm extremely happy.Sanders, in some ways, gets a bit of an advantage this week because of the fact there will be both a joint practice Aug. 20 and a preseason game he will start and play a full half against the Bills on Aug. 22. It's also a week where he's slated to get the No. 1 offensive reps in two of the three practices leading up to the joint practice as they continue their alternating series.Monken pushed back slightly on that notion, much the same way he did when he made the well-documented switch for the Aug. 8 training camp practice to give Watson No. 1 reps. The Browns have been charting the specific snaps of each quarterback, and he added conversations with quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian have played a large role as well."We're pretty balanced at this point, within reason," Monken said. "I mean, it's not going to be perfect. So if you're going to alternate it, well, first of all, tomorrow we'll be in shells, we'll go an hour and 45 minutes. Wednesday, we'll go in shorts and get a lot of red zone work. So really Deshaun going Tuesday in a longer practice, we'll get a few more reps in those days. And then we're going to try to split the reps."So there wasn't really a concerted effort. It's just you were going to have to decide who goes what days and who goes the others and how we get it as close as we can again to giving them an opportunity to let their talent shine."Monken said he was going to be speaking with Buffalo coach Joe Brady shortly after he ended the Zoom call to discuss the format of the joint practice. The one day means there's only so much that can get accomplished because of time contraints, making the planning of the practice even more important, especially when you're looking at a quarterback competition like the one the Browns have going on.An advantage for that planning is that both Monken and Brady are offensive-centric head coaches. Monken already had an idea for how they could maximize the reps for both quarterbacks, basically drilling down within each practice period and alternating at that level.That makes each snap even more valuable in some ways for the quarterbacks."Yeah, just again, take advantage of those opportunities," Watson said after the Bears game. "Whenever my number is called and I'm the guy out there leading the group, you’ve got to continue to just find ways to get better, find success and be positive with it. So yeah, you just got to take it one day at a time."Sanders' biggest opportunity comes two days later when the Browns play the Bills in a preseason game. That's where the roles will flip from what they were in Chicago, where Watson started and played the full first half before Sanders replaced him for the third quarter.Buy Cleveland Browns ticketsThe last week-and-a-half or so, if you were going to describe the competition in terms of vibes, the vibes have trended toward Watson, basically since Aug. 5. That's after Sanders had them both as the offseason program was ending in June and the first week of training camp.Sanders, though, has a real chance to make up ground this week. If he does, then it certainly extends the competition into the final week of the preseason, which includes a Thursday night prime time home game against the New England Patriots."Well, he's improved so much," Monken said. "I mean, he really has in terms of climbing the pocket, working through his progressions. I think that's a big thing. … And then the operation. It's still a part of it. Getting in the huddle, getting lined up, getting the call. So does Deshaun. They're both in the same manner, so we can stack plays together. We did a good job."Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ. Sign up for Browns Insider newsletter at https://profile.beaconjournal.com/newsletters/browns-insider/This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Where Shedeur Sanders' opportunity exists this week in Browns QB derby

TORONTO (AP) — Ben Rice hit a tiebreaking home run in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.New York’s four runs were twice as many as they had scored in the previous three games, all losses.Rice's first hit of the series was a two-run homer, his33rd this season, off Braydon Fisher (3-4). Tim Hill gave up an RBI single to Andrés Giménez in the bottom of the 10th but held on for his second save in six chances.Toronto erased a 2-1 deficit in the bottom of the ninth but David Bednar (6-3) stranded the winning run at second base.Josh Smith reached on Rice’s fielding error to begin the ninth and Alejandro Kirk walked to put the tying run in scoring position. Brandon Valenzuela ran for Kirk and, one out later, both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Ernie Clement tied it with a sacrifice fly. Bednar sent it to extras by retiring Kazuma Okamoto on a grounder. The blown save was Bednar's third.Yankees left-hander Ryan Weathers allowed one run and six hits in 7 1/3 innings, retiring the first 10 batters in order. He walked one and struck out four.Toronto's Dylan Cease allowed two runs and three hits in 6 1/3 innings.Cease struck out 10, reaching double digits for the ninth time in 23 starts and boosting his AL-leading total to 201. Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski leads the majors with 210.Cease has fanned 200 or more in each of the past six seasons.Up nextYankees: RHP Will Warren (8-6, 4.42 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday at Baltimore.Blue Jays: RHP José Soriano (9-6, 3.16 ERA) is scheduled to start at Tampa Bay on Tuesday.__See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Indiana head football coach Curt Cignetti said he’d like the Hoosiers to play Notre Dame, but under certain conditions. “Yeah, I’d like to play Notre Dame. They ought to come to our place twice, and we’ll go up there once, since they’re not in a conference,” Cignetti said during an interview on Big Ten Network with Dave Revsine on Friday.“I’d love to play them,” he added. “It’d be a great in-state game.”Notre Dame might scoff at having to play twice at Indiana, where Memorial Stadium has a capacity of 53,524. Meanwhile, Notre Dame Stadium seats 77,622 spectators. "I'd love to play them. It'd be a great in-state game."🗣️ Curt Cignetti on Notre Dame and future non-conference schedules pic.twitter.com/f6V9F02OIz— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) August 15, 2026Indiana and Notre Dame were set to play each other in a home-and-home series during the 2030 and 2031 seasons. But the Hoosiers decided to back out of the agreement, The Athletic’s Pete Sampson reported.To replace Indiana on its schedule, Notre Dame then renewed its series with USC, agreeing to a four-year contract that begins with the 2030 and 2031 games that were vacated by the Hoosiers. The games with Notre Dame were originally arranged in 2021, three years before Cignetti became Indiana’s head coach and eventually led the team to the 2025 national championship. However, Indiana athletics officials and Cignetti have stated that the preference is for the Hoosiers’ non-conference schedule to be filled with non-Power 4 opponents. This season, Indiana will play North Texas from the American Conference, FCS program Howard and Western Kentucky from Conference USA. Next year, the Hoosiers will face Kennesaw State (CUSA), Indiana State (FCS) and UMass (Mid-American Conference) before beginning Big Ten play. As has become typical for Cignetti, he took the opportunity to tweak the SEC, saying “We figured we would just adopt an SEC scheduling philosophy.” That preceded the Indiana coach touting the Big Ten’s strength as a conference, taking another swipe at the SEC by saying “When we fall short, we say we fell short. We don't cry a river, whine and complain. All right? And that's why we're the best."Conference pride appears to also be a factor in the decision not to play Notre Dame, based on Cignetti’s “since they don’t play in a conference” remark. That’s a sentiment shared by other Big Ten coaches including Illinois’ Bret Bielema. However, several Big Ten programs can’t resist the prestige of playing a nationally recogized opponent and the exposure that a matchup with the Fighting Irish brings. This season, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Purdue will play Notre Dame. Indiana and Cignetti obviously don’t share the same philosophy. Facing the likes of Ohio State and USC while traveling to Michigan, Nebraska and Washington is tough enough in their view.

Aaron Donald has worked out for the Los Angeles Rams for a second time as the clock ticks on the future Hall of Famer's decision on whether or not to return to football.The Rams listed Donald as a workout participant on Sunday's NFL transaction wire, a day after their preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. No other information about his workout was initially released.Donald previously worked out with the Rams on Aug. 5, confirming reports that he was considering coming out of retirement. Rams head coach Sean McVay has since spoken glowingly of Donald’s first workout while attempting to temper expectations on whether or not he actually plays again.Following Saturday’s 20-12 win over the Chiefs, McVay emphasized that he’s not putting deadline pressure on Donald to make a decision.“What I don't want is to sit here and do is put a timeline on it, then something comes up where I have to push it back,” McVay told reporters per the team transcript. “What I have said to him is that we have some loose things that I have identified, like dates that we would like to hit. “But what I don't want to have is any unnecessary pressure on him if there are some unforeseen circumstances.”Play Yahoo's new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!McVay also acknowledged the obvious. He’s hopeful for a decision from Donald “sooner than later.”“We are not at that point quite yet,” McVay continued. “I am hopeful that it will be sooner rather than later, but I also want to respect when he does feel that clarity will come, I think there is a chance we will be closer to that than not.”“But again, I don't want to say too much or put some sort of invisible deadline on something that doesn't exist in my mind for him.”When will Aaron Donald make his decision?Thus is McVay’s dilemma. And to be clear, it’s an enviable dilemma to have. The greatest defender of his generation is considering returning to football at 35 years old, two seasons removed from retirement. He’s considering doing so for a Rams team that’s the preseason favorite to win the Super Bowl with or without him.If he does return, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year will join the NFL’s current sack king, Myles Garrett, to form what projects as not only the best pass rush in football but one of the best in NFL history.The Rams, meanwhile, have a season and a roster to plan for. Knowing whether or not Donald will play makes preparing for Week 1 against the 49ers on Sept. 10 that much easier. McVay will surely find room on the roster when and if Donald decides to return, whether it’s Monday or in the middle of the season. But, as McVay said Sunday night, the sooner Donald figures out his plan, the better for the Rams.

Jezelle ‘GG’ Banks is already one of the nation’s top high school basketball prospects regardless of classification. The five-star combo guard will enter her senior season at The St. James Academy (Va.) later this year.This summer, she’s competed in OT Select, Overtime’s women’s basketball league. The team captain of YGE, Banks went viral this weekend during the league’s playoffs. In a semifinal win over ISO WRLD, she dropped 27 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and five steals in a 77-66 win. $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage The stat line is impressive enough, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Overtime released a highlight reel showcasing Banks’ elite handles, passing and ability to get to the cup. Those who aren’t familiar with high school hoops or recruiting are now getting familiar with the No. 4 overall prospect.My goodness… Take a minute and watch GG BANKS pic.twitter.com/uJwkPPELt5— Overtime (@overtime) August 15, 2026Banks would go on to deliver 27 points, nine assists, eight boards and a steal in the championship game on Saturday. YGE lost 79-76 to Cold Hearts despite another massive showing from the five-star. She’s long been a top talent and her stock remains on the rise heading into the fall.“I’m a shifty player,” Banks told Rivals’ Talia Goodman last summer. “I take some chances on the court. I take a lot of risks with my passes and stuff, and some schools like that, and some don’t. The ones that are recruiting me, they explain to me what they can do to help grow my game and help it be more efficient. I want to go somewhere where I’m comfortable and the school isn’t trying to change my game. They’re just trying to help me be more efficient. So just being comfortable and having that environment where, off the court, I still feel just as comfortable.”On the recruiting front, Banks recently told Goodman that she’s set official visits to South Carolina, Texas, Ohio State and LSU. Those visits will be crucial as she continues to whittle down her list of top contenders and work towards making a commitment.Last year, she transferred to The St. James Academy from Ursuline Academy (Del.), where she earned Gatorade Delaware Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors as a freshman and sophomore. This year she helped Team USA earn a gold medal at the FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup, averaging 13.8 points and 6.2 assists.“Definitely my midrange,” Banks said when asked what she’s working on with her game. “I feel like it’s coming along very well. Also my off-ball defense and offense. I just want to get better at those things and work on a lot of stuff.”

Cameroon have won their first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with an emphatic 3-0 victory over tournament debutants Malawi on Sunday evening at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.A brace from Marie Ngah Manga and a goal from Naomi Eto, all scored in the first half, secured the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon’s first continental trophy. They previously made the WAFCON final in 2004, 2014 and 2016, but lost all three to Nigeria.Cameroon will receive $2 million in prize money from the Confederation of African Football, double the prize pot from 2025 WAFCON. Malawi will receive $750,000 as finalists.Despite expectations of a dual Malawian threat of Chawinga sisters Temwa and Tabitha, the Scorchers were unable to match Cameroon’s technical precision in the midfield nor their tenacity in front of goal.Cameroon’s unique and wholly unexpected journey to the WAFCON final began long before their first match. They did not initially qualify for the tournament but were admitted last November as the result of a spontaneous decision by CAF to expand the WAFCON format from 12 teams to 16 for the first time. Mali, Ivory Coast and Egypt were also admitted by way of expansion due to their high FIFA rankings.That finish. That's how you double a lead in a final. ⚽️🇨🇲#TotalEnergiesWAFCON2026pic.twitter.com/genyUEwRUZ— CAF Women Football (@CAFwomen) August 16, 2026Grouped with Ghana, Mali, and Cape Verde, Cameroon were undefeated in the preliminary stage of their WAFCON campaign, beating Mali 2-1 and Ghana 1-0 before drawing Cape Verde 1-1 to top Group D and reach the knockout stage.They faced Nigeria in the quarterfinals. On top of being 10-time and reigning WAFCON champions, Nigeria had also won a vast majority of its meetings with Cameroon; out of 40 games, Cameroon had won just two before Aug. 9. But Cameroon were not to be denied in the quarterfinal match, scoring a goal in the 19th minute and holding their lead in a shock 1-0 upset win over the Super Falcons of Nigeria that also crystalized their qualification to the 2027 World Cup.Cameroon’s quarterfinal performance also served as a coronation for goalkeeper Michaely Bihina. The preternatural instinct and composure from the 22-year-old Benfica product was hugely instrumental in Cameroon’s ability to deny Nigeria the chance to equalize, but their next match against Morocco in the WAFCON semifinals vaulted her into superlative territory.The semifinal was a predator derby of sorts between the Indomitable Lionesses and the Atlas Lions of Morocco. The latter, who’ve now hosted three consecutive WAFCON tournaments, were favored to win this edition after being two-time finalists in their last two attempts. Like Cameroon, Morocco were also undefeated in the group stage and were coming off a hard-fought win over South Africa in their quarterfinal fixture.Bihina recorded three saves in Cameroon’s scoreless draw with Morocco, including a crucial penalty save at the end of regulation to send the match into extra time. She followed that up with three more saves in the penalty shootout to send Morocco to the third place match as they booked their spot in their first WAFCON final since 2016.This article originally appeared in The Athletic.NWSL, Women's Soccer, FIFA Women's World Cup2026 The Athletic Media Company

French Champions' TrophyLens 1 - 0 Paris Saint-Germain FTBradley Barcola was in the France squad which finished fourth at this summer's World Cup [Getty Images]Liverpool target Bradley Barcola was left out of Paris St-Germain's squad as they were narrowly beaten by Lens in the French Super Cup.Barcola has been linked with a move to Anfield this summer, with Liverpool reportedly prepared to pay somewhere in the region of £100m for the 23-year-old.The France forward, who has also been interesting Arsenal, was an unused substitute in his side's Super Cup win over Aston Villa on Wednesday.Without him on Sunday, Ligue 1 champions PSG fell to defeat as Lens' Florian Thauvin scored the only goal in the 32nd minute when he turned in Matthieu Udol's mis-hit shot.Coupe de France winners Lens played most of the game, which they hosted, with 10 men after teenage defender Kyllian Antonio was shown a straight red card in the 39th minute for a studs-up challenge near the halfway line on Maghnes Akliouche.PSG also lost substitute Nuno Mendes to a late sending-off after he came off the bench to replace recent signing Lucas Digne.Why Liverpool are ready to make Barcola third £100m signing

The Wahweap Marina floats on Lake Powell at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Wednesday, July 15, 2026, near Page, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)2026-08-16T21:18:27Z The water level at Lake Powell, the United States’ second-largest reservoir, has fallen to a record low, heightening concerns about the ongoing crisis in the Colorado River system.The alarming milestone at Lake Powell, reached Saturday, comes about a week after the river’s other major reservoir, Lake Mead, also hit a historic low. Plummeting water levels pose a major threat to the Colorado River Basin, which is a key resource for wildlife, hydropower and more than 40 million people in seven U.S. states.The historic lows come as the federal government and states that rely on the river — California, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado — struggle to reach agreement on a long-term management plan for the dwindling resource. Persistent overuse combined with a record-dry winter and rising temperatures have been depleting both Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Lake Powell’s elevation dropped to 3,519.91 feet (1072.9 meters) above sea level on Saturday, dropping just slightly below a previous record set in April 2023, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The lake is more than 20 feet (6.10 meters) lower than it was at the start of the year, USBR data shows.The reservoir is now about 30 feet (9.1 meters) away from the point at which turbines would stop producing hydroelectric power. Federal officials warned in April that a “major intervention” would be necessary to avoid reaching that threshold by the end of this year. USBR in July proposed a 10-year plan that includes major potential water cuts for Arizona, California and Nevada. Read More The crisis has been in the making for years. Both reservoirs are at the lowest they have been in nearly seven decades, and levels may continue to drop, USBR data shows.The last time their combined storage was this small was in May 1957 when Glen Canyon Dam that holds back Powell was being built, according to a recent paper published by a group of academics and retired water officials. Powell began to fill in 1963.The depletion has also impacted Lake Powell’s substantial tourism industry, forcing marinas in the reservoir to adapt. Boat ramps have closed or moved, new ones are being added and marinas have been temporarily relocated to deeper waters.

Cameroon's Marie Ngah celebrates after scoring her team's third goal against Malawi during the Women AFCON 2026 final soccer match, in Rabat, Morocco, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (AP Photo)2026-08-16T19:13:46Z RABAT, Morocco (AP) — Cameroon finally won the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday with a 3-0 victory over tournament debutant Malawi.Marie Ngah Manga headed two goals and Naomi Eto scored the other while Cameroon kept Malawi’s Chawinga sisters in check to claim its first win in the final at the fourth attempt.The Indomitable Lionesses, who failed to qualify for the previous edition of the tournament, had lost on their last three appearances in the final – all to 10-time winner Nigeria.FIFA’s under-fire president, Gianni Infantino, attended the game along with CAF President Patrice Motsepe. Cameroon too strongMalawi made the better start but suffered a double blow when Ngah Manga headed the opener from close range in the 21st minute, eight minutes before Eto – who had her back to goal – turned brilliantly to send the ball inside the right post.Samuel Eto’o, now the president of the Cameroon Football Federation, celebrated enthusiastically in the stands.Eto was also involved in the first goal, forcing a save from Malawi goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo before Ngah Manga scored.Malawi failed to muster a response and Ngah Manga effectively sealed the result on a break when Eto got to the ball before Sikelo and produced a perfect cross for her teammate to head her second goal of the game and fifth overall in the tournament.Cameroon substitutes ran onto the field to celebrate with their teammates. The Chawinga sisters had pushed Malawi after the break. Tabitha Chawinga felt she should have had a penalty, but a VAR check deemed otherwise. Then she drew a good save from Michaely Bihina, and her sister Temwa went close from the rebound.___See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Scottie Scheffler picked up his second win of the season on Sunday afternoon in Memphis to open the FedExCup playoffs.Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesFinally, Scottie Scheffler has won on the PGA Tour again.The top-ranked golfer in the world, after months of finishing short in frustrating fashion, ran away with the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He posted a 4-under 66 in the final round at TPC Southwind in Memphis and ended up taking a massive eight-shot win over the rest of the field to kick off the PGA Tour’s postseason.The win also earned him a $3.6 million check. Scheffler entered the week with five runner-up finishes under his belt this season, two of which were playoff losses. Though the 11 top-10 finishes he had racked up are hard to be disappointed about, Scheffler was getting close to completing a one-win season for the first time in years. But quickly, Scheffler got back to old form and absolutely dominated the field in Memphis. By the time he reached the final stretch, after a birdie at the 13th, Scheffler’s lead was up to seven shots. The tournament was over early, and he was back to winning without any doubt whatsoever.Scheffler has now won 21 times in his career on Tour. He’s just hte fifth golfer in the past four decades with multiple wins of eight or more strokes, too.The top 70 golfers in the FedExCup standings qualified for the first postseason event this week, though only 68 golfers ended up finishing the week. Daniel Berger opted out, ending his season early, and Robert MacIntyre withdrew from the tournament after the first round. Now, the top 50 golfers will advance to the BMW Championship outside of St. Louis next week.Here's a look at how much Scheffler and the rest of the field earned this week in Memphis.FedEx St. Jude Championship Payouts1. Scottie Scheffler — $3.6 million2. Si Woo Kim — $2.16 millionT3. Alex Noren, Sam Burns — $1.16 millionT5. Wyndham Clark, Sungjae Im — $760,000T7. Ludvig Åberg, Xander Schauffele, Hideki Matsuyama, Tommy Fleetwood, Jake Knapp — $582,800T12. Bud Cauley, Matt Fitzpatrick, Patrick Cantlay, Nico Echavarria, Adam Scott, Kurt Kitayama, Tom Kim — $369,571T19. Pierceson Coody, Patrick Rodgers, Maverick McNealy, Jordan Spieth, Viktor Hovland — $243,20024. Alex Smalley, Max Homa, Harry Hall, Ryan Gerard, Jackson Koivun, JT Poston — $162,500T30. Russell Henley, Jacob Bridgeman, Chris Gotterup, Brian Harma — $127,500T34. Sepp Straka, Nicolai Højgaard, Keith Mitchell, J.J. Spaun, Rickie Fowler — $103,640T39. Justin Rose, Cameron Young, Nick Taylor — $86,500T42. Harris English, Ben Griffin, Sam Stevens, Michael Brennan, Gary Woodland — $70,500T47. Corey Conners, Michael Thorbjornsen, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Matti Schmid, Justin Thomas — $53,420T52. Shane Lowry, Collin Morikwa, Ryo Hisatsune — $47,800T55. Min Woo lee, Michael Kim, Jordan Smith — $46,200T58. Kristoffer Reitan, Eric Cole, Ryan Fox —$45,000T61. Alex Fitzpatrick, Aldrich Potgieter — $44,000T63. Matt McCarty, Ricky Castillo, Aaron Rai — $43,00066. Rory McIlroy — $42,20067. Sahith Theegala — $41,80068. Akshay Bhatia — $41,400