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The Diamondbacks were hopeful that Ketel Marte would make it to Fenway Park before first pitch, but that wasn't the case.Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesKetel Marte was not with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night in Boston. It turns out that Marte just didn’t show up to Fenway Park.Marte did not make it to the contest between the Diamondbacks and the Boston Red Sox on Monday, according to MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert. The Diamondbacks had hoped that Marte would make it up until close to game time, but that just wasn’t the case. While specifics of his absence are not yet known, and it’s unclear when he’ll be back, the team opted to place Marte on the restricted list. Marte currently holds a .249 batting average with 21 home runs and 67 RBI this season, his 10th with the Diamondbacks. The team entered Monday’s game in Boston with a 66-59 record, which has them in third in the NL West.This post will be updated with more information shortly.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in TCU fans and fans across the country.Which of these program will finish with the most wins this season: TCU, SMU, Baylor or Texas Tech?Currently, FanDuel has TCU’s win total over/under at 6.5 (-178 for over, +144 for under). SMU’s win total over/under is at 8.5 (-140 for over, +114 for under). Baylor’s win total over/under is at 6.5 (+146 for over, -180 for under) and Texas Tech’s win total over/under is 10.5 (-235 for over and +186 for under).TCU’s odds of winning the Big 12 championship game are +1700. The team’s national championship odds are +35000. We still want to know what you’re thinking ahead of the season. Vote below, and head to The Feed to share your reasoning, whether it be logic-based or hate-fueled.Which team will finish with more wins during the 2026 college football season?— Frogs O’ War (@FrogsOWar) August 17, 2026Place your TCU bets on FanDuel at this link.

The 2026 college football season is almost here, and Penn State is looking to wipe the slate clean from last year’s disappointment. They didn’t take the necessary steps to build on their first College Football Playoff appearance in 2024, but they’re trying to leave that in the past now.There has been a lot of love shown to the Nittany Lions in recent months when it comes to unofficial rankings and expectations for the season. Now, one of the most prestigious ranking systems in sports is back.The official preseason AP Poll was released today, ranking the 25 best teams in college football, and Penn State came in at No. 18. That’s about as good as anyone could’ve hoped for after the debacle that last season brought, and it’s almost spot on from where the school was placed on the US LBM Coaches Poll earlier this month.The rankings also give the Nittany Lions another reason to be grateful for their schedule, as they dodge the top two teams — Ohio State and Oregon. Indiana is the one other Big Ten team ranked in the top 10, another school that Penn State avoids, so there is a big opportunity here for the Blue and White.This collection of teams will continue to transform throughout the season, but 18th in the country isn’t a bad start for Penn State. Let’s see if they can keep climbing the ladder once the season begins next month against Marshall.FollowNittany Lions Wire on X and Facebook.If you purchase through our links, the USA Today Network may earn a commission. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may changeThis article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State’s 2025 woes erased after preseason AP Poll results

Things can change very quickly in the NFL, and one former Oregon Duck learned that the hard way.Former Ducks wide receiver Traeshon Holden was cut by the Dallas Cowboys on Monday, according to Dallas Morning News reporter Joseph Hoyt. The Cowboys signed Holden as an undrafted free agent in 2025. The move to release him from the roster opens up a spot for the future Hall of Fame edge rusher Von Miller, who the Cowboys agreed to a contract on Monday.Holden quickly became a fan favorite with the Cowboys in training camp last year. He made some plays in the preseason, but he truly impressed fans and the coaching staff in training camp to earn a spot on the practice squad in Dallas, where he spent all of last season.Coming into his second season, Holden was expected to contend for a roster spot, but he had a tough showing in the team's first preseason game on the road against the Seattle Seahawks. Holden didn't catch any passes and muffed a punt, resulting in a turnover. Undrafted rookie Camden Brown caught two touchdowns as well, making Holden an easier name to let go of.While he won't be staying in Dallas, Holden could catch on somewhere else. His speed and ability to make tough catches intrigued the Cowboys enough to keep him on the practice squad last year, and another team could have a similar feeling and keep him on the roster.Holden spent two seasons with the Ducks after transferring from Alabama. He made 82 catches for 1,170 yards and 12 touchdowns as a Duck and was a reliable target for Dillon Gabriel in Oregon's undefeated 2024 regular season. As teams start to trim their rosters down or make moves to cover for injuries, keep an eye out for Holden as he looks for his next destination.Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Cowboys cut WR Traeshon Holden to make room for future Hall of Famer

The days of recruiting an elite group of players and developing them over the course of a few seasons are mostly gone in college football. There are still a few teams that operate that way, but building through the transfer portal is more of a viable option than it’s ever been before.Penn State will be one of those teams this season, with more than 20 transfers on the roster from Iowa State alone. At least one player in that group is bound to have a massive impact, and USA TODAY's Austin Curtright believes it will be quarterback Rocco Becht.Curtright listed 10 of the most impactful transfers in the Big Ten, and while he didn’t rank them numerically, Becht was placed among some heavy hitters. He became one of the most decorated passers in Cyclones history — finishing top-three in passing yards and touchdowns — and hopes that success will translate to a more talented conference.Becht will have a familiar supporting cast with the Nittany Lions, which should help ease the transition. Wide receivers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen, tight end Benjamin Brahmer, and running back Carson Hansen came over from Iowa State as well as coach Matt Campbell, so there should be a level of cohesion offensively.Penn State has a lot of belief in Becht, and it sounds like Curtright does too. Becht has a chance to do big things with this team if he plays to the standard he set while with the Cyclones.FollowNittany Lions Wire on X and Facebook.If you purchase through our links, the USA Today Network may earn a commission. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State QB lands among top-10 ‘most impactful transfers’ in Big Ten

Transgender CIA agent Julia Curlee spent two decades in the agency, serving four presidents through three wars and travelling to 35 countries. She provided daily intelligence briefs to Vice President Mike Pence during President Donald Trump’s first term, and worked for the first 68 days of Trump’s second term as the White House’s senior CIA official providing morning intelligence briefings to high-ranking officials (even as Trump administration members signed orders to strip her nondiscrimination protections, ban her from federal restrooms, end her insurance coverage for gender-affirming care, and list her passport’s gender as “male” — potentially outing her to hostile foreign governments). Curlee always believed in “service before politics” and “country before self,” she wrote in an essay published Monday in The Atlantic. But around March 29, 2025, the White House chief of staff fired her after influential anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer posted a message on social media asking for the identity of a trans “Biden holdover who hates President Trump” working in a national security office. When she returned to the White House the following Monday, her badge and government accounts had been revoked. Related “We’re in the middle of a trans genocide,” bi comedienne Margaret Cho says Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Curlee — who joined the CIA in 2007 and was first CIA officer to transition and serve as an out trans person — was never given a reason for her dismissal. She wrote in her essay, “The White House had needed me. Trump officials had known I was trans from day one. This hadn’t been an issue until it was public—­and then nothing else I’d done mattered. Not my service, not my war-zone tours, not even which restroom I used. I was the wrong kind of American.” “An internet activist like Loomer doesn’t come up with names on her own, or just walk into the Oval to give them to the president,” Curlee wrote. “Someone in the building had helped her. Most of those fired, including my boss, were rock-ribbed Republicans, experts in their fields, who had been courteous and professional. In her essay, Curlee noted that in 2017, she wrote an pseudonymous essay in The Atlantic under the pen name Jenny Hall about how being out as trans made her a better CIA agent. CIA recruiters shared the essay on college campuses to attract new candidates. She felt “insane” for providing briefings to Pence, someone who “had built his career on public opposition to marriages like mine,” she wrote. She kept her position a secret, noting, “In my community, his name was shorthand for everything we feared. I could imagine the optics, and God help us if someone called a reporter.” “But for all our differences, he was the vice president. He needed the best intel support possible, and this was my country too,” she added. When her time with Pence ended, Pence invited her family to the White House. There, he held the hand of Curlee’s mother, smiled and said, “You must be very proud of your daughter.” On their final day, Curlee gave Pence a letter that stated, “I’m a trans­gender CIA officer, a wife and mother—­and I served the Vice President. Anything is possible in America.” When she said that many CIA members never believed a trans office could serve someone like him, Pence told her, “Well, I’m glad I passed the test.” “No one has affirmed my gender identity quite like Mike Pence,” she wrote. When Trump won the 2024 election, Curlee’s boss told her and her colleagues, “I need to strongly advise you to leave before Inauguration Day. There’s a world in which you’ll be targeted individually.” When she refused to resign, the CIA’s deputy director told her, “You don’t have to do this. You have a target on your back that others don’t.” Days before Trump’s second inauguration, then-President Joe Biden gathered her and other White House staff, and told them “Trump doesn’t know it yet, but he needs you. It’s important for the country.” Biden was the only senior government official who asked her and her colleagues to stay. Working during Trump’s second term, she watched as Trump banned trans people from the military and as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard fired 100 intelligence officers (many of them trans) for taking part in an LGBTQ+ group chat that conservative media dishonestly called “sexually explicit.” “I was offered an untenable bargain: Don’t make trouble. Take the insults—­deviant, diversity hire, man in a dress—­from those who have never faced enemy fire, who asked for my assistance in private and then signed the orders to erase people like me because ‘transgender ideology’ was a threat to Western civilization,” Curlee wrote. After her dismissal from the White House, she considered sending a Pride Month email to her colleagues which read, “Happy Pride. You are not alone.” But the Trump administration banned the CIA’s LGBTQ group in June 2025. If Curlee sent the email, someone could use it to drive her out of the CIA entirely “I deleted the email,” she wrote, “breathing through the urge to do something heroic and stupid. In the screen’s dark reflection, I saw my face—exhausted, angry. That was the moment I knew I had to resign…. The agency that had taught me to tell hard truths was now teaching me to be invisible. It was time to go.” She now writes that she cannot in good conscience advise LGBTQ+ Americans to join the CIA. “The agency has been gutted as part of a deliberate plan, the director of the Office of Management and Budget once boasted, to put the people who defend our country ‘in trauma,'” she wrote. “Analysts have been fired in public or questioned by the FBI; decade-old assessments have been denounced by the CIA director in the press. The president calls analysis ‘virtual treason’ when it contradicts his preferred reality, and uses the CIA to undermine public confidence in American elections.” “I’m afraid too,” she continued. “This administration has already taken most of what I had to lose. I know that the White House and its online mob will come for me. My ancestors fled pogroms; they knew a fear I never expected to feel in the United States.” “Flailing regimes dehumanize minorities to distract from their failures,” she concluded. “When the economy collapses or a war goes badly, they find a tiny group of people, make them the enemy within, and rally the country against them. This is how it’s gone in Iran. Hungary. Russia. I wrote [presidential daily briefings] about it. This will not stop with trans people. It never has.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Seven years ago, President Trump failed to disarm North Korea and walked away. Could the same thing happen with Iran?

FBI Director Kash Patel attends a news conference at the Department of Justice, Wednesday, August 5, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)2026-08-17T23:40:37Z A U.S. judge on Monday blocked plans to move the FBI’s headquarters to a federal office building in Washington, finding that President Donald Trump’s administration illegally tossed out a previously approved plan to build a new facility nearby in Maryland. The ruling is the latest development in a yearslong battle over where to house the main office for the nation’s premier law enforcement agency. A site in Greenbelt, Maryland, was picked during former President Joe Biden’s administration, but Trump appointees sought to reverse that decision last year in favor of repurposing the Ronald Reagan Building, a federal office complex a few blocks from the FBI’s existing headquarters. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang, an appointee of President Barack Obama, ruled that the move was “ not in accordance with law,” and blocked the Trump administration from moving the FBI to the Reagan building, renovating it for the FBI or repurposing funds. Department of Justice and FBI officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The suit was brought by the state of Maryland and Prince George’s County. “Maryland and Prince George’s County committed more than a decade of work to earn the FBI headquarters and pledged hundreds of millions of dollars,” Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, a Democrat, said in a statement. “By blocking the Trump Administration’s unlawful attempt to move the FBI to the Reagan Building and divert the funds Congress set aside for this project, the Court has cleared the path back to Greenbelt.” The FBI’s current Pennsylvania Avenue headquarters, the J. Edgar Hoover Building, was dedicated in 1975. Proponents of moving the headquarters have said the brutalist-style building, where nets surround the facility to protect pedestrians from falling debris, has fallen into disrepair. Read More The Maryland location was selected over nearby Virginia following an intense competition between the two states. JONATHAN J. COOPER Cooper is a national politics reporter based in Phoenix. He previously covered news and politics in Arizona, California and Oregon. mailto

The Washington Huskies brought in an impressive crop of defensive backs in the 2026 class, headlined by a trio of four-star recruits, and it's already paying dividends for Jedd Fisch's coaching staff.With sophomore cornerback Dylan Robinson limited in fall camp, Jeron Jones has assumed a major role with the first-team defense. During the team's first scrimmage on Saturday, he lined up on the outside and made his presence felt right away.On the first snap of the evening, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound cornerback made a perfectly timed break to step in front of a ball intended for wide receiver Rashid Williams and showed off his sticky ability in coverage and athleticism throughout the practice, which has stood out in a big way for Fisch.Washington CB Jeron Jones had a PBU on the first play of the Huskies’ scrimmage tonight. Jedd Fisch talked about the freshman afterwards: pic.twitter.com/zHEPjdWkGm— Nick Lemkau (@nicklemkaucfb) August 16, 2026“Confidence is elite, and when you have elite confidence, you’re able to play man-to-man coverage as a corner and not flinch, and that’s what he has,” Fisch said after Saturday's scrimmage. “He can get beat on a play and not get beat the rest of practice. It doesn’t stick with him at all. He’s getting stronger. He’s gained, I think, 15 pounds since he’s been here, so being in the weight room has made a difference for him."After spending the majority of spring practice working in the nickel, Jones has spent the majority of the fall on the outside and has displayed the technical skills, versatility, and knowledge of the playbook needed to earn a spot on the depth chart for defensive coordinator Ryan Walters ahead of his first season in the Big Ten.“We’re going to continue to build him up, because I think in the spring he was playing mostly nickel," Fisch continued. "With Dylan being down for fall camp, now we’ve gotten to see Jeron out there at the corner spot. So all of that combined gives us a chance to really see his feel for zone, but his ability to play man-to-man coverage.”This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Freshman CB playing at an elite level for Washington football

This story will be updated.AUBURN — There will be a new player with the Auburn football program during its upcoming week of preseason camp, as Tray Taylor, a wide receiver who was granted an additional season of eligibility, has been added to the Tigers' roster.According to Taylor's bio, he was granted his eligibility this month, amid several ongoing legal battles pertaining to the NCAA's updated 5-for-5 eligibility rules.Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn football adds former Troy WR with additional eligibility

Did Diamondbacks DFA Ketel Marte? Explaining odd situation with D-Backs All-Star originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Arizona Diamondbacks are facing off against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night for a big series after dropping one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card race.But they began the series without Ketel Marte, who the Diamondbacks announced went onto the restricted list under 10 minutes before game time. Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic also reports Marte is "ok physically; he just didn't show up to the ballpark."Things took a much more bizarre turn when MLB insider Hector Gomez for @z101digital reported that the Diamondbacks actually designated Marte for assignment. That would be stunning, but did it actually happen, and what is actually going on with Marte up in Boston?What happened with Ketel Marte? D-Backs place All-Star on restricted list, rumored to be DFA'd"BREAKING: The Arizona Diamondbacks designate second base star Ketel Marte for assignment (DFA). @z101digital," Gomez reported Monday night.It's a bombshell report from Gomez that, if true, would be a truly stunning turn of events for the Diamondbacks. Marte is such an important part of this team, and yet the D-Backs might've just designated him for assignment.Piecoro reported that Marte showed up in Boston with the rest of the team, but then didn't show up at Fenway Park for the Monday night matchup."The club hoped until shortly before game time that he was going to show up to the park," Piecoro reports. "He had been expected to serve as the designated hitter for tonight's game."MORE: Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll joins only Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio in wild MLB historyThis season in 469 at-bats, Marte has 21 homers with a .249 batting average, 1.8 bWAR, and a .760 OPS with a 107 OPS+. There is zero reason for the Diamondbacks to DFA him, unless something stunning happened.But since Marte didn't show up to the ballpark, despite being "ok physically" according to Piecoro, there is some real uncertainty about Marte at the moment.So, did the Diamondbacks actually DFA Marte? This is still only a rumor at the moment, and there's a lot of uncertainty about what actually happened with Marte.But if Gomez's report is true and the Diamondbacks did just DFA Marte, it's going to be a massive turning point for the franchise, Marte, and the team's hunt for the postseason.More MLB news:Brewers World Series odds look a bit bleak with MLB HR historyAstros expected to fire Joe Espada if they miss the postseasonDodgers update on Shohei Ohtani pitching again has major MVP implicationsDodgers and Mets predicted to be the only teams active in Tarik Skubal’s free-agent marketCardinals' Joshua Baez just did something never done before in MLB history with a 3-HR debut

On Thursday, reports emerged that the Seahawks had an agreement with free-agent cornerback Terrion Arnold. Four days later, the agreement has yet to become an official transaction.Asked about the timetable for Arnold's arrival on Monday, coach Mike Macdonald told reporters: "No update on his front."On Friday, Macdonald said "the timetable is being worked out" regarding Arnold. Macdonald also used the phrase "if and when he gets here."In the NFL, nothing is done until it's done. Something is keeping the verbal deal from becoming a roster move.Given that Arnold is facing eight felony charges that carry a potential sentence of life in prison arising from February's Fargo-style effort to recover stolen property at gunpoint (Arnold denies any role in the caper), it's possible that the Seahawks are exploring whether the league will put him on paid leave the moment the ink begins to dry on his Seahawks contract.Then there's the looming arrival of new ownership. It would be prudent for current management to know that, if the sale is approved next Tuesday, Vinod Khosla's first order of business won't be to release Arnold.Like the Lions did, after Arnold was arrested.

History was on the line for Islam Makhachev at UFC 330. A win meant that Makhachev would surpass Anderson Silva’s 16-fight win-streak record within the UFC. With such an illustrious record on the line, Makhachev delivered.Winning a unanimous decision over the No. 1 contender, Ian Machado Garry, Makhachev rewrote the history books. Now riding a 17-fight win streak within the UFC, Makhachev has solidified himself as one of the greatest fighters to ever live. MORE: UFC 330 results: Islam Makhachev rides out title defense, Mackenzie Dern dominatesThe only question is where he stands among the greats of MMA. Here are the top five fighters of all time.5. Anderson SilvaAug. 6, 2010; Oakland, CA, USA; UFC middleweight championship fighter Anderson Silva during weigh ins for UFC 117 at the Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)A striker who was ahead of his time. Silva dazzled fans and confused his opponents with his elite footwork and creative striking. 34 total wins and 11 UFC championship wins throughout his career. Silva’s 11 title wins are fourth all-time. Silva also holds the record for the longest UFC title reign ever. Winning the title in 2006, Silva held it until 2013, for roughly six years and eight months. Silva is clearly the greatest middleweight to grace the octagon, and he made fights look easy in his prime. MORE: Dana White shuts down absurd UFC White House weather conspiracy theory4. Islam MakhachevNov 15, 2025; New York, NY, UNITED STATES; Islam Makhachev (blue gloves) acknowledges the crowd after defeating Jack Della Maddalena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Makhachev was already one of the 10 best fighters ever, but his UFC 330 win puts him into GOAT status. Not only did Makhachev break Silva’s consecutive wins record, but he became the fifth fighter ever to defend a title in two weight classes. The records don’t stop there. Makhachev is the most decorated lightweight champion ever, holding the record for most title wins and most title defenses.All that said, Makhachev has plenty more in the tank. Don’t be surprised if he climbs higher on this list within the next few years. 3. Demetrious Johnson2Apr 15, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Demetrious Johnson (red) celebrates following the win over and Wilson Reis. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)The most well-rounded fighter ever. Demetrious Johnson could finish a fight in any way imaginable. Whether through striking or grappling, no one could do anything with prime DJ. As far as records go, Johnson has plenty, including the absurd record of 11 consecutive title defenses — not title wins, but defenses. Johnson’s 12 total title wins within the UFC rank third all time. Known as Mighty Mouse, Johnson held the flyweight title for six years. Longevity as a champion is the hardest thing to do in MMA, and Johnson did it as well as anyone ever. 2. Georges St-PierreJan. 31, 2009; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Georges St-Pierre celebrates with the champions belt after defeating B.J. Penn. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)The best welterweight to ever grace the octagon. Georges St-Pierre is one of the few fighters to have longevity as a champion in one division and to hold a second title. Spending almost six years as welterweight champion, St. Pierre held the title two different times. The second stint was the most impressive, totaling nine consecutive title defenses. St-Pierre is another one of the rare fighters who became truly elite in both striking and wrestling. Early in his career, St-Pierre relied more on his striking, and as he got better at wrestling, he would swarm opponents. St-Pierre also won the middleweight title after a four-year layoff. Even though the middleweight reign never continued after beating Michael Bisping, becoming a champion in two weight classes is almost impossible, and it helps GSP’s case. 1. Jon JonesJuly 29, 2017; Anaheim, CA, USA; Jon Jones reacts following his TKO victory against Daniel Cormier during UFC 214 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Despite the controversies, despite the out-of-octagon issues, there’s no denying Jones’ greatness. Jones holds the record for most title-fight wins ever with a staggering 16. Jones’ record is 28-1-0 (1 NC), but he’s really 29-0 if context is given. Jones never lost a fight; he was disqualified for using 12-6 elbows against Matt Hamill, handing Jones his lone loss. Jones rattled off 14 title-fight wins at light heavyweight, and then, after a three-year hiatus, came back and won the heavyweight title. The heavyweight resume doesn’t compare to the LHW resume, but submitting Cyril Gane and knocking out Stipe Miocic in under five rounds combined is still impressive.There are levels to dominance, and no one dominated like Jones.

Video taken late Saturday night shows Atlanta, Georgia police arresting Jen-Chase Daniels, co-owner of the lesbian bar My Sister’s Room, for a noise violation that she says actually came from Blackjack, a nearby bar with outdoor speakers. “We did nothing wrong tonight. We did nothing wrong,” Daniels says in the video (which has been viewed over 525,000 times on Instagram as of Monday evening) as police handcuff her and lead her towards a squad car. Related Gay principal says school board made up fake pedophilia allegations to fire him In a follow-up post, she said she spent about 12 hours “in an extremely stressful situation” after police apprehended her, took her to Grady Memorial Hospital to check a heart monitor implanted in her chest, and was then transferred to jail. Meanwhile jail and hospital officials reportedly told her friends and family that she wasn’t there as they tried to locate her, Daniels added, even as she asked police officers to inform her family of her whereabouts, Them reported. “I was asked to show my ID,” Daniels wrote. “The officer already knew who I was, and I questioned why I needed to provide identification when we had not done anything wrong. I was willing to show the video footage demonstrating that the noise was not coming from MSR. Instead, I was arrested.” Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today View this post on Instagram A post shared by My Sister's Room Lesbian Bar (@mysistersroom_msr) Daniels said that city ordinances used to require businesses to maintain noise below a certain decibel level checkable through a meter. However, a new ordinance requires businesses not to have any sounds that can be heard 100-feet away after midnight, she added. A week and a half before her arrest, Daniels said that she met outside of her business with the Atlanta police chief, police lieutenant, and the owners of neighboring bars and restaurants to mark the 100-foot area outside of their businesses and clarify the low noise levels required after midnight. Twenty minutes before her arrest, she recorded a video 100-feet away from her business, showing music playing from the outdoor speakers of the nearby Blackjack tapas bar, even though that bar closes at midnight. “You cannot hear anything at MSR and we’re documenting it,” she said in the video. Daniels thanked her friend, Melissa Scott, for “endlessly working on trying to find me and getting me bailed out,” and told her bar’s social media followers, “Thank you for standing with us, supporting us,” but has said she will not make any other public statements on the incident, following advisement from her lawyers. Drag performer Taylor Alxndr called the incident “an unnecessary situation [stemming from a] clear lack of discernment,” Them reported. Alxndr added, “A volume issue or noise violation does not equal an arrest – at most a citation. Was this discriminatory, homophobic, a misuse of power, or just a cop needing to hit a quota? APD’s history of mistreatment of LGBTQ+ bars & venues is long documented and this isn’t helping fix it at all. Transparency is needed around this.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

The president also voted by mail in 2020 and in a Florida special election in March, even as he has railed against the practice and equated it to cheating.

Credit: ESPN, Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesTwo years ago, Bill Belichick was the hottest commodity in NFL media circles, lining up a series of gigs in the short period between coaching stints. One of them was The Breakdown, an ESPN film-room series where he and Peyton Manning broke down the X’s and O’s of upcoming Monday Night Football games.This year, it appears that Luke Kuechly is the hottest name in NFL broadcasting, and he’s moving into the seat previously occupied by Belichick.According to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee will join Manning on The Breakdown on the ESPN app, with an expected start time in October, leading into ESPN’s Super Bowl broadcast.ESPN declined comment.A radio analyst for the Carolina Panthers, Kuechly’s stock skyrocketed in recent weeks as Netflix named him its top NFL game analyst. Per Marchand, who also broke the Netflix news, Kuechly auditioned earlier in July with NBC’s Noah Eagle, who is expected to be the top NFL play-by-play voice for Netflix, and the duo “showed immediate chemistry.”The former NFL linebacker will also call some games for CBS.The Breakdown did not air during the 2025 NFL season after Belichick renounced his media gigs to take the head coaching job at North Carolina.The post Luke Kuechly reportedly replacing Bill Belichick on Peyton Manning’s ‘The Breakdown’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Khalil Poteat, a defensive end transfer from Temple who was recently granted an injunction to play a fifth season, committed to Vanderbilt football for the 2026 season, he announced Aug. 17.AGTG ready to get to work💪🏾 #AnchorDownhttps://t.co/kBMQhoVLhF— Khalil Poteat (@KhalilPoteat) August 17, 2026In 2025, Poteat appeared in 10 games, making 29 tackles with two tackles for loss and one sack. He also forced two fumbles.Poteat, who played at two different junior colleges in 2022 and 2023 before spending the past two seasons at Temple, was one of many players granted injunctions after the NCAA's implementation of the "5-in-5" rule giving everyone five seasons of eligibility. Poteat entered the portal in January, making him eligible to transfer to Vanderbilt.On the idea of adding a player, coach Clark Lea said Aug. 4: "I had conversations with our coordinators about where our needs are, what we'd be looking for. There's still some things that need to be settled, who's covered in the ruling. … There's a lot of restrictions involved in that so we just have to let that sort, but in the meantime, we can prepare for different approaches depending on what's available to us."The Commodores will not need to cut anyone to make room for Poteat.Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Khalil Poteat, Temple transfer, joins Vanderbilt football after NCAA injunction

There’s no contract drama lingering in the San Francisco 49ers’ offseason despite speculation that running back Christian McCaffrey is missing practice for contractual reasons.Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio on Monday pondered whether McCaffrey’s “tightness” was a fake ailment designed to let him hold in while working on a new contract after the Detroit Lions paid Jahmyr Gibbs and Atlanta Falcons paid Bijan Robinson contracts worth north of $22 million annually. McCaffrey, who led the NFL in touches last season, is on a contract with no guaranteed money that averages $19 million per year.NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport countered that speculation by reporting that McCaffrey is actually dealing with tightness and not holding in for a new contract. Rapoport indicated any contract talks earlier in the offseason between the 49ers and their star RB didn’t get far.From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: #49ers RB Christian McCaffrey is actually dealing with tightness. pic.twitter.com/v1wtsEhyP4— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 17, 2026It’s not a surprise the 49ers are being extra cautious with McCaffrey on the injury front given how important he is to their team. That importance is also why McCaffrey might want a little extra money. However, San Francisco has to be careful as McCaffrey enters his age 30 season with a history of missing massive chunks of the year after he leads the NFL in touches. He’s done so twice prior to last season and played a combined seven games in the two ensuing years. It wouldn’t be a surprise if McCaffrey is out most of the rest of the preseason to gear up for the team’s Sept. 10 opener in Australia vs. the Los Angeles Rams. It also won’t be a surprise whenever he does return that he does so without a new deal.This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Christian McCaffrey’s absence not contract-related per new report

Phil Parkinson's Wrexham finished seventh in the Championship last season [Getty Images]Phil Parkinson bemoaned his team's lack of ruthlessness – and the amount of stoppage time at the end of the game – after a 98th-minute equaliser denied Wrexham a Welsh derby victory over Cardiff City.Parkinson's side were on course to begin the new Championship campaign with a hard-fought win after Kieffer Moore's third-minute goal at the Cardiff City Stadium.Wrexham missed chances to extend their lead – and twice hit the woodwork – on a night when they carried greater threat than their hosts only to be denied a win when Rubin Colwill smashed in a free-kick in the last act of the game."We've had chances to kill the game off. We haven't taken them, the keeper's made saves, but we haven't really made him make a top-class save," Parkinson said."We knew we could give Cardiff problems and time and time again we did. Really in the cold light of day, the game should have been out of sight, but it wasn't."Latest Cardiff City news, analysis and fan viewsListen to the latest Cardiff City interviews, news and discussion on BBC SoundsWhile Parkinson suggested Wrexham could have managed the closing stages of the match better, there was frustration over the timing of Cardiff's goal.The fourth official's board showed six minutes of added time, with George Dobson fouling Joel Colwill in the last seconds of that period before Rubin Colwill seized the chance to equalise."I'm not quite sure where they got six minutes from - I'm looking forward to asking [the officials about] that," Parkinson said."However, giving cheap free-kicks away at this level, you can get punished and that's what cost us tonight."All we had to do was stay calm in that moment and we'd be talking about three points."Latest Wrexham news, analysis and fan views

The Buss family will sell its 17.8% stake in the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers to the group led by Bob Iger (MARIO TAMA)An attorney for Jeanie Buss says she will fight her siblings' plan to sell their 17.8% stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to former Disney chief executive Bob Iger's new majority ownership group, according to multiple media reports on Monday.The tale began with reports from The Athletic, ESPN, USA Today and Los Angeles outlets citing a Buss family statement after Iger and Joshua Kushner paid a record $12.5 billion for the team last week from prior majority owner Mark Walter."We have decided as a family to sell the remaining Buss Family Trust shares to the Bob Iger group as part of the ongoing transaction," the family statement said."We love the Lakers, Laker fans and will continue to support Los Angeles; but it is time to use this opportunity to move on and exit gracefully while we still can."But that was not the end of the story as a lawyer for Jeanie Buss, a co-trustee in the family trust that holds the Lakers interest, wrote a letter to her siblings that was obtained by CNBC and ESPN.Attorney Adam Streisand, representing Jeanie Buss, said in the letter to her five siblings that she has not agreed to sell the team and any vote suggesting a sale "would be and is void" because her approval as one of three co-trustees, along with Joey and Janie Buss, is needed for such a move."Co-trustees are bound to vote to ensure that the minimum 15% ownership requirement is maintained in order to ensure that Jeanie Buss may remain controlling owner," the letter said."Any attempt by the co-trustees to aid or abet the co-trustees as such, would constitute a breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty and be in contempt of court."Jeanie Buss has been the Lakers' NBA governor since 2013, taking over after the death of her father, Jerry Buss, and ESPN reported she was the only family member not to vote for the sale.She had a deal with Walter to remain as the team governor but after the sale of the family interest, she would not have the 15% stake needed to remain in that position."On behalf of Jeanie Buss, I demand that your clients make clear publicly that Jeanie Buss is the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and that your clients shall take no action on this supposed 'vote' to sell the 17.8% stake," the letter said.The Buss family sold a majority stake in the Lakers to Walter last year for $10 billion, which was then the record for the largest sale of a US sports team.Iger and Kushner would own about 83% of the Lakers provided the deal is approved by NBA club owners, a decision expected at an NBA board of governors meeting next month in New York.js/md

President Donald Trump returns a salute as he walks from Marine One to his limousine upon his arrival at the Ellipse just outside of the White House, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)2026-08-18T00:18:34Z WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea does not just slight a longtime ally but raises broader concerns about the security interests of the United States in Asia and elsewhere.Trump explained his decision by citing South Korea’s refusal to join his war against Iran and pointing to what he said was his good relationship with North Korea’s reclusive dictator, a transactional and personal approach to foreign policy that has defined the Republican’s presidency.“There is no American interest that I can see in this,” said Dan Fried, an assistant secretary of state for European affairs in the George W. Bush administration. “On all levels it makes no sense. It undermines the South Koreans, undermines the Japanese, frightens the Taiwanese, unnerves NATO and emboldens the Chinese, not to mention the North Koreans.”Danny Russel, former assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific in the Obama administration, said Trump’s decision to side with North Korea, which strongly objects to the annual joint military exercises, is “firmly in the ‘hard-to see-how-it-could-be-worse’ category.”“It is tragically upside-down. Trump is punishing an ally while encouraging an adversary,” said Russel, now a scholar at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York. “He is protecting Kim Jong Un’s sensitive feelings from an unfriendly signal at the expense of U.S.-South Korean security.” The message it sends to South KoreansTrump on Sunday ordered the U.S. military to downsize the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which began Monday as scheduled. It wasn’t known which parts of the training were being scaled back. His announcement baffled many in South Korea, which has been closely allied with the U.S. for decades and where national security is a top priority due to threats from nuclear-armed North Korea. It also drew instant criticism from many Democrats in Congress. Read More “Treating one of America’s closest allies like an adversary weakens our alliances and benefits China and North Korea,” said Rep. Greg Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in a statement. Trump on Monday doubled down, posting a photo of North Korea’s leader speaking on a phone. The caption read: “HEY DONALD ... WE COOL, RIGHT?” Retired U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood, who served under Republican and Democratic presidents, said the joint military exercises are critical to deterring North Korea, which has shunned any talks with the U.S. over its nuclear program and has accelerated weapons testing. “We also don’t want South Korea to draw the conclusion that a nuclear weapons capability is the only guarantee it has to ensure its security,” Wood said. Matthew Kroenig, who previously served in defense and intelligence positions in Republican and Democratic administrations, said polls show that South Koreans have increasingly supported the idea of pursuing their own nuclear weapons. “The United States has been working really hard to try to persuade South Korea that they are protected,” said Kroenig, who is now with the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank. Scaling back the exercises “potentially undermines that message,” he said. Seoul tried to flatter Trump Trump’s turnabout came even after the South Koreans worked to flatter the American president, eager to gain favor on critical issues such as trade and defense.As soon as he sat down in the gilded Oval Office for his meeting with Trump last year, new President Lee Jae Myung praised the room’s elaborate decor. Laying it on thick, Lee affirmed Trump’s assertion that Kim would not have pursued his nuclear ambitions had Trump won a second consecutive term in 2020, while dangling the prospect of an eventual Trump Tower in North Korea.Trump just hours earlier had appeared to show sympathy for Lee’s predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, who had been ousted from office after imposing martial law in December 2024.Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, said Trump’s scaling back of the exercises may prompt longtime allies to think more about their own security without U.S. help. “They are hoping that the American umbrella is there for the future,” said Kupchan, who worked on the National Security Council under Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, “but they have to at least contemplate the idea that Uncle Sam won’t be there for them.” ‘It’s like he wants to burn it all down’ Kupchan said Trump is not mistaken in wanting to have South Korea, as well as the Europeans, contribute more to their defense. But, he said, the president’s unpredictable approach cuts through the solidarity that undergirds those alliances “because he ends up insulting allies.”Fried said Trump seems unwilling to “take a win” after brow-beating NATO members and Asian allies into increasing their defense spending. “NATO is building up, South Korea is building up, Japan is building up. Trump has a problem with taking the win,” said Fried, who is currently at the Atlantic Council. “It’s like he wants to burn it all down.”John Herbst, a former ambassador to Ukraine under President George W. Bush, said the Korea decision shows how inconsistent the Trump administration can be in its policy pronouncements. But in general, he said, the U.S. has maintained long-term alliances. “If these things grow in frequency and in importance, obviously we will be in the process of taking apart the alliance system, which has served us so well since the end of World War II,” said Herbst, who also is with the Atlantic Council. “But despite some statements which seem to head in that direction, we have not headed there in a consistent, strong way.”Kupchan agreed. While the president’s language could be taken as “we’re done with you,” Kupchan said, “the reality is that, at least as of today, Trump has left intact America’s forward bases and its core alliance relationships.”Whether Trump’s message to South Korea will amount to a meaningful policy change or a fleeting social media post is up in the air. “He’s an unpredictable president,” Kroenig said. “If we move on and the exercises go as planned and we never hear anything about this again, I wouldn’t be surprised.”——Associated Press reporters Collin Binkley, Jesse Bedayn, Lisa Mascaro and Seung Min Kim in Washington and Farnoush Amiri in New York contributed to this report.

Some who once championed Arday seem to be trying to deflect from their own embarrassing credulity.

The Auburn Tigers have made a last-minute addition to their roster, signing former Troy wide receiver Tray Taylor. He is already listed on their online roster.Taylor recently received a fifth year of eligibility and is another veteran presence for first-year head coach Alex Golesh. He was a contributor at Troy last year, catching 30 passes for 499 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 55 yards and another touchdown on 10 carries. He started his career at Tyler Junior College, spending two years at the JUCO level before joining the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers ahead of the 2024 season. He was named a Second-Team JUCO All-American as a sophomore after leading Tyler with 39 catches for 850 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023. Taylor caught 18 passes for 262 yards and one touchdown in his only season at Coastal Carolina. He also carried the ball six times for 58 yards. He handled punt and kick return duties for the Chanticleers as well, averaging 13.5 yards per return on punts and 14.1 yards on kickoffs.While he returned just one punt last season at Troy, he could also factor in the return game at Auburn. He is listed at 5-foot-6, 150 pounds and is from Shreveport, Louisiana. Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions.This article originally appeared on Auburn Wire: Auburn adds veteran wide receiver transfer Tray Taylor

Police were called to a high school soccer match in Huntersville last week after a 911 caller reported a large crowd was preparing to fight.ALSO READ: Teacher hospitalized amid multiple fights at Lancaster High SchoolHuntersville police say between 200 and 400 people were at last Thursday’s match between Hough High School and Community School of Davidson when the disturbance was reported.A police spokesperson said officers did not witness any fighting, but they made sure the crowd left peacefully.The 911 caller told police the match had to end early because of the disruption. The game is listed as a 1-1 draw between the two schools.Channel 9 has reached out to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for comment and is waiting to hear back.

Unfinished business gets the Hollywood treatment.Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Flyweight champion Joshua Van defends his title for the second time in a rematch against former 125-pound kingpin Alexandre Pantoja in UFC 331’s main event on Sat., Sept. 19, 2026, inside Crypto.com Arena—formerly known as Staples Center—in Los Angeles, California.In the co-main event, No. 2-ranked Lightweight and almost-title challengerArman Tsarukyan finally returns to action against Brazilian knockout artist Mauricio Ruffy in a five-round fight with major championship implications.Today, the promotion released UFC 331’s official marketing poster on social media.Check it out below:Could the graphic designers make “City of Angels” any harder to decipher? Anyway, cool colors.Pantoja and Van first collided in UFC 323’s co-main event, but the fight lasted just 26 seconds after then-champion Pantoja dislocated his elbow.Van became champion in one of the most unfortunate title changes in recent memory.Since then, Van (17-2) has successfully defended the Flyweight title once, knocking out Tatsuro Taira in the fifth round at UFC 328 (watch highlights).Pantoja, meanwhile, is fully healthy and finally gets the opportunity to reclaim the championship he never truly lost in a fight.Tsarukyan (23-3) is now out of the doghouse and will look to finally lock up his Lightweight title shot when he collides with the surging Brazilian highlight reel.Ruffy (14-2) was last in action at UFC Freedom 250, where he absolutely demolished former UFC title challenger Michael Chandler, knocking him out in the first round.Here is the rest of the card so far:Joshua Van vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2Arman Tsarukyan vs. Mauricio RuffyRenato Moicano vs. Brian Ortega 2Patricio Pitbull vs. Doo Ho ChoiCharles Jourdain vs. Marlon VeraRyan Gandra vs. Ozzy DiazCasey O’Neill vs. Eduarda MouraEdmen Shahbazyan vs. Brunno FerreiraTai Tuivasa vs. Robelis DespaigneGable Steveson vs. Sean SharafIwo Baraniewski vs. Alonzo MenifieldGiga Chikadze vs. Joanderson BritoMichael Aswell Jr. vs. Joo Sang YooTo check out UFC’s upcoming calendar of events click here.

FLUSHING, Queens (PIX11) — Word must not have traveled to the West Coast regarding Carson Benge's arm power.The New York Mets' rookie right fielder achieved a rare feat Monday night in the first of three games with the San Diego Padres. Stay connected with community stories that matter: Visit our homepage In the first inning, Benge became the first Mets player to throw out two runners at home plate in the same inning. He did it on back-to-back hits.New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez (4) tags out San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth (9) at home plate during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)Mets' second-year pitcher Nolan McLLean gave up a hit to Ty France with runners on first and second with one out— Benge threw Jake Cronenworth out at the plate. According to MLB data, the throw was 99.9 miles per hour.No more than a couple of minutes later, San Diego's Jackson Merrill found the right side for a base hit with Manny Machado rounding third. As the aging veteran plastered his eyes on home plate, Benge threw the baseball nearly 104 miles per hour and beat Machado by several steps.New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean reacts after catcher Francisco Alvarez, right, tagged out San Diego Padres' Manny MacHado during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)Those were Benge's eighth and ninth assists of the year; seemingly half have come in the last 14 days.Benge's teammate and fellow rookie outfielder A.J. Ewing followed suit in the top of the second inning by throwing out Xander Bogaerts on a would-be run-scoring single in a close play at the plate.New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) tags out San Diego Padres' Xander Bogaerts at home plate during the second inning of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)No other team in the last century had ever been recorded accomplishing three outfield assists in the first two innings of a game.Spencer Gustafson is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered New York state and city news since 2023. See more of his work here.Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.

Will we see any of the Indianapolis Colts' starters during the preseason this year?In the preseason opener against New England, the Colts' starters did not play. That will also be the case this week against Atlanta. However, in the preseason finale, Shane Steichen is at least somewhat contemplating playing his starters."Most likely Game 3," Shane Steichen said on Sunday, via Colts.com. "Right now, Game 2, we're obviously going to get the two joints against Atlanta; those will be the game for those guys. And then I'll make a decision for Game 3."With most teams taking part in joint practices, that has taken the place of preseason reps for many starters, as Steichen said.The joint practice allows those key players to get game-like reps and see different looks, while being in more of a controlled setting.That said, there is still certainly value in seeing preseason action, even if it is brief. The preparation, going through pre-game warmups, and taking the field for a series or two helps the players get mentally prepared for the regular season.Steichen, of course, could change his mind between now and that third game, and just because some starters play doesn't mean all of them will, like Daniel Jones, for instance. This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Will Colts starters play in preseason? Shane Steichen weighs in

The left-leaning media outlet The Kansas Reflector mocked state Republican gubernatorial candidate Ty Masterson for viewing drag queens as the state’s “greatest threat ever,” despite the fact that, during his time as a state senator, he allegedly helped kill an anti-drag bill. The outlet noted that Masterson criticized Democratic gubernatorial nominee Cindy Holscher in an August 12 post on X because, he alleged, “She mocked Christ to defend drag shows for kids.” In reality her quote, which has been repeated by right-wing media outlets, criticized S.B. 149, a bill that would have criminalized drag performances in front of minors that involve a performer using clothing, makeup, or accessories to present themselves as a gender identity different from the sex they were assigned at birth. Related Gay principal says school board made up fake pedophilia allegations to fire him Holscher’s quote meant to demonstrate that Jesus may have been a member of marginalized queer communities now under attack by Republicans. However, the Reflector claimed that Masterson himself killed the bill that she was criticizing during his time as Senate president. If anyone needs proof that Cindy Holscher is a radical, here it is. She mocked Jesus Christ to defend drag shows for kids, and she's so out of touch, that she doesn't understand why most Kansans find that offensive. That's not your parents' Democrat, that's the most radical… pic.twitter.com/XUr2opbwxk— Ty Masterson (@TyMastersonKS) August 12, 2026 Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today “Masterson, as Senate president, didn’t want to waste time on culture war toxic waste that would have been tossed out by judges as a clear First Amendment violation,” the publication wrote. “But now that the campaign season has begun, Masterson can claim to support bills he smothered in the cradle. Because, as we remember, drag queens are the scariest bogeymen of all,” the publication wrote, adding that Kansas’ US Senate candidate U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall is also running a campaign that opposes “drag queen story times for kids.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) reacts to a foul in the first half of an WNBA basketball game against the Atlanta Dream Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)2026-08-18T00:38:27Z At least three fans were asked by WNBA security personnel to cover shirts that had messages about transgender women participating in women’s sports during Sunday’s game at Atlanta between the Dream and the Indiana Fever.The league said in a statement Monday that the fans should have been free to wear the shirts.“The WNBA is aware of interactions at (Sunday) night’s game in Atlanta in which fans were asked by league security to cover their shirts,” the statement said. “This should not have happened.”Two people wore shirts with a message that women’s and girls’ sports should be restricted to those assigned female at birth, while one person was wearing a shirt in support of transgender people.The WNBA has been the subject of recent debates on whether transgender women — people assigned male at birth who transition to align with their gender identity — should be allowed to participate in the league. There has never been such a player in the WNBA. Although the league’s collective bargaining agreement says the WNBA is restricted to women, it contains no more specific language about gender identity or sex assigned at birth. There have been players in the league who were assigned female at birth and later came out as transgender or nonbinary.Sophie Cunningham of the Fever said in an ESPN profile published last month that she was opposed to transgender girls and women competing in girls’ and women’s sports. Her stance led to small rallies and protests outside Fever games at Seattle and Portland, and Storm minority owner Celeste Keaton was given a five-game ban for confronting two fans who had signs supporting Cunningham. The league has informed the security workers from the Atlanta game that they were wrong to ask that the messages be covered up. Read More The Dream said the team was not involved in the security personnel’s actions.“The Atlanta Dream believes in creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. Unfortunately, at last night’s game, WNBA security took actions that fell short of that standard,” the Dream said in a statement “At no point was Dream personnel involved in the decisions made by WNBA security.”___See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

The Department of Homeland Security said there would be an investigation. But so far little has been disclosed about the killing last month.

Edward Cabrera (30) crouches on the mound before being relieved against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn ImagesIt has been an especially tough year for the Cubs on the injury front, as they have had to weather a veritable monsoon of ailments throughout the season.But things had been trending better in that regard over the last few weeks, with multiple key players working toward a return.And for the most part, the injury woes have hit the pitching staff, while the position player group has been largely healthy throughout the year.Both aspects have now changed, as the Cubs were dealt a pair of injury blows Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals and will have to spend the next few weeks trying to keep the ship afloat in the aftermath.The Cubs made a slew of roster moves Monday afternoon, placing shortstop Dansby Swanson on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain and right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera on the 15-day IL with a blister on his right hand. Rookie James Triantos was also optioned to Triple-A Iowa, with Javier Assad, Kevin Alcántara and Owen Miller coming up from the minors.Cubs roster moves:-Edward Cabrera to 15-day IL with blister on right hand-Swanson to 10-day IL (left oblique strain)-Javier Assad, Kevin Alcantara recalled + Owen Miller selected from Triple-A-James Triantos optioned to Iowa, Daniel Palencia shifted to 60-day IL— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) August 17, 2026The Cubs expect to be without their Gold Glove shortstop for at least the next month.“It’s probably going to be four weeks, is our guess right now and we’ll just go from there,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Dansby’s ready to attack the injury and do whatever he can to make this go as quickly as possible.”Four weeks takes Swanson out of almost the entire rest of the regular season.Six weeks from Monday, the Cubs will have just wrapped their final regular season game in Boston and will either be preparing for the NL Wild-Card Series or the NLDS.That doesn’t leave much wiggle room for Swanson or the Cubs.He is in the midst of a career-worst season in the batting average department, but Swanson is still fourth on the team in homers (18) and third in RBI (66) while playing stellar defense.It’s the glovework that will really be where Swanson’s loss is felt the most. The Cubs boast the best defensive unit in baseball by a wide margin, taking hits and runs away from their opponents to aid a pitching staff that has not been fully healthy since early April.The Cubs’ defense has not only been their strength this season, but it is what sets them apart from every other MLB team.And Swanson is right at the center of that. In the Wild-Card Series against the Padres last October, San Diego manager Mike Shildt said Swanson deserved an MVP for the series strictly for how amazing he was defensively.“You notice [Swanson’s defense] right away,” said starting pitcher Kevin Gausman, who was acquired at the trade deadline. “He’s the quarterback of the infield. That position, there’s so many different things that they have to do.“If you look at the Defensive Runs Saved up the middle, between him and Nico, the next team isn’t very close. That just shows those guys put the work in and when it comes to game time, you can really see it.”That said, the Cubs are better equipped to survive the loss of their starting shortstop than most — or maybe every — other team in baseball.Nico Hoerner will move to shortstop in Swanson’s absence while Pedro Ramírez will see most of the time at second base. Hoerner has played 224 career games at shortstop in his big-league career, including a full season at the position in 2022.Dansby Swanson (7) and second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) celebrate team’s win against the St. Louis Cardinals in a baseball game at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn ImagesHoerner put up 10 Defensive Runs Saved that season, ranking seventh among full-time shortstops (ironically ahead of Swanson, who had 9 DRS).Ramírez has been a revelation for the Cubs this year, growing into a core piece for the team.“Pedro’s a good player — bottom line,” Counsell said. “I told [the media] out of spring training, if Pedro has to come and play every day in April, I’m good with it. This is after 130 major league at-bats where he’s really performed. He’s more than ready for this.”Matt Shaw will also factor into the middle infield picture when he returns. The second-year player is still recovering from a left hand injury that has cost him nearly two months.Counsell said if Shaw came out of Monday’s activity feeling good, he would head to Triple-A Iowa for a rehab assignment beginning Wednesday.Miller was added to the 40-man roster as a backup infielder, essentially swapping places with Triantos.The Cubs like Miller’s versatility more as the Illinois State University product has 303 MLB games under his belt and has seen significant playing time at first, second and third base. He has also played more than 200 games at shortstop in the minors, including 26 this season for Iowa.With Cabrera, this is his third trip to the IL this season — and the second for a blister. He missed two weeks with a blister issue in May and June earlier this year.He then missed nearly two months with a hamstring injury, making his return to the active roster Sunday against the Cardinals. His outing did not go well, allowing seven runs in 3.2 innings and then informing the team after he came out of the start that he was again pitching through a blister.Cabrera now has a 5.68 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 15 starts with the Cubs this season.The Cubs don’t believe Cabrera’s blister issue is serious, but they did not know when he would be available to pitch again and opted to make a move now to help the staff.“Big picture in general, we’ve got to come up with some better answers on the blister,” Counsell said. “The nail, the blister — we keep having some issues there. Frankly, one thing we’re going to talk about is: Is it happening the longer your outings are? Is that causing this? That may be something we consider for the rest of the year.”In other words: Cabrera will work his way back to the Cubs as a reliever later this season, something Counsell admitted is the plan right now.Cabrera’s role is maybe not as important as how effective he is when he’s on the mound. The Cubs traded one of their top prospects (Owen Caissie) to the Marlins for Cabrera in the offseason, but this year has not gone according to plan for the right-hander.He had been a solid starter in Miami, racking up 7.0 WAR and a 3.95 ERA from 2022-25.But this year, with that league-best Cubs defense behind him, Cabrera has taken a major step backwards.“It hasn’t clicked,” Counsell said. “You spend a lot of time figuring those out. I wish every story was a success story. This one right now is not. And we’re certainly going to keep working on trying to find answers there and trying to find solutions.“I know it’s something that’s very important. I wish I could tell you every story is a success story. But we haven’t done it here [with Cabrera].”Cabrera acknowledged this season has been “frustrating” but also said he would absolutely accept a move to the bullpen if the Cubs asked him to.Counsell and the Cubs aren’t ready to announce a pitcher in Cabrera’s place in the rotation, preferring to get through the series with the White Sox first.David Peterson was bumped from the rotation to the bullpen for Cabrera before Sunday’s game and makes the most sense to slot back into the starting fold. Peterson has a 4.19 ERA in eight starts with the Cubs since he was acquired in a trade with the Mets earlier this summer.In other roster news, Daniel Palencia was placed on the 60-day IL to make room for Miller on the roster. But that was simply a procedural move and does not indicate a setback for Palencia, who has already been on the IL for longer than 60 days as he recovers from an elbow injury.Palencia was dominant in a rehab outing with Triple-A Iowa Sunday, striking out three batters in a scoreless inning.

PORTSMOUTH — A trio of familiar feature winners and a West Virginia native took home feature wins at Portsmouth Raceway Park on Saturday evening, with Wheelersburg's R.J. Conley winning the super late model feature, South Webster's Adam Jordan claiming the sport mod feature, Pedro's Brian Skaggs laying stake to the modified main and Poca, W. Va.'s Zach Milbee winning the Ohio Valley Dirt Late Model Series feature on Aug. 15 at the three-eighths mile oval.Super Late ModelThe Conley Motorsports duo of RJ Conley and Justin Cooper proved to be dominant again out front, with Cooper and Conley setting the quickest laps with times of 15.135 and 15.598, respectively in qualifying and both drivers winning their respective heat races.Cooper led the field to the green flag and proceeded to lead the race's opening two laps, but going into the third turn on Lap 3, Cooper jumped the cushion and hit the outside wall.From there, the race proved to be all RJ Conley, who led each of the final 17 circuits en route to a super late model feature win.Behind RJ Conley, Ashland, Ky.'s Kirk Phillips finished second, while Wheelersburg's Rod Conley, Loveland, Ohio's Mike Hildebrand and Wheelersburg's Josh Bocook rounded out the top five finishers.ModifiedsIn a dominating display, Pedro's Brian Skaggs not only set the fastest time in qualifying with a 16.595 in the modified division, but led all eight laps in his heat race as well as each of the 15 circuits from the pole position en route to scoring a convincing win in the mods.Parkersburg, W. Va.'s Colten Burdette challenged Skaggs but ultimately was kept at bay in what was another strong run for the Burdette family at PRP, while Louisa, Ky.'s Mikey Wilson and two PRP regulars who made their season debuts at the track — West Portsmouth's Brayden Berry and Beaver, Ky.'s 'Swervin' Ervin Vance — finished fourth and fifth.Ohio Valley Late Model Dirt SeriesIn the Ohio Valley Late Model Dirt Series, the series point leader, Zach Milbee, showed the way throughout just as Skaggs did in the modified division. Milbee set the quickest time in qualifying with a 15.453, led all eight laps of his heat to start on the pole, and won the 20-lap Premier Precast Products feature to extend his series points lead.The Poca native was followed by Parkersburg, W. Va. talents Corey DeLancey and K.C. Burdette in second and third place, while Coal Grove's Matt Melvin and Wheelersburg's Miles Cook finished fourth and fifth."It was great to get back to PRP," Todd Frohnapfel, owner of the Ohio Valley Late Model Dirt Series, said. "We had a great field of cars and the racing was awesome. It felt good to get the steel blocks back to PRP, where they were a weekly class for so many years. We had an awesome time and hope to be back in the future."Sport ModsIn what has proven to be the most entertaining feature on a weekly basis at PRP, the sport mods didn't disappoint in a rather entertaining set of events on Saturday.At the beginning of the night, it appeared that no one was going to touch Jamey Adams. The Laurelville, Ohio product set the quickest time in qualifying with a lap of 18.072 and also led each of the eight laps in the opening heat race.That same heat race also had the most eventful action of the night. On two separate occasions following restarts after caution flags, the 804 of Williamsport, Ohio's Ridge Colwell intentionally wrecked Vanceburg, Ky.'s Teddy Thayer coming off of Turn 2, then spun the G2 of Charleston, W. Va.'s Josh Gibson going into Turn 3, the latter of which caused a three-car pileup. Colwell was parked for the rest of the evening for rough driving.After the dust settled from the three heat races, it appeared that Adams would check out with the lead. But with five laps remaining, Jordan found a rhythm on the high side of Turns 1 and 2 as well as Turns 3 and 4, and made the pass coming to the line right before a caution flag came out for a stalled car on the track.On the restart, Jordan stayed in a groove, and ultimately checked out from Adams and the rest of the field to win the sport mod feature.Following Jordan and Adams, Salyersville, Ky.'s Scott LeMaster finished third, Waverly's Blake Sheets claimed fourth and St. Albans, W. Va.'s Nick Parsons nabbed fifth.NEXT UPPortsmouth Raceway Park will be back in action on Saturday, Aug. 22 when the Valvoline American Late Model Iron-Man Series visits PRP for a $7,500-to-win purse. The KDRA Super Stock Series will also be visiting in a $1,500-to-win feature, while UMP Modifieds and Sport Mods will also be on the racing card.General admission opens at 3 p.m. with hot laps and qualifying scheduled to begin at 6:45 p.m. Admission is $20 for individuals ages 12 and older and free for kids 11 and younger.

Credit: ESPNAt this point, ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky is just as well known for his peculiar habits, particularly his food preferences, and life-hack hot takes as he is for his football takes.All the way back in May 2022, Orlovsky exposed that he will only tolerate birthday cake if it’s “ice cream cake because normal cake is gross,” much to the disgust of his NFL Live cohorts.Then, in April 2023, Orlovsky appeared on The Dan Le Batard Show and flaunted his love for plain chicken. “For me, I’m just like, yo, just give me chicken, and I’m fine,” he said. “I routinely just eat plain, grilled chicken. Not seasoned. Just give me a piece of chicken, grill it, cook it, and I’ll just cube that up and eat it.”This all came back around on Monday’s NFL Live episode, as host Laura Rutledge presented Orlovsky with bland chicken breasts with a birthday candle stuck in the middle. Orlovsky turns 43 on Tuesday.A cake only @danorlovsky7 can appreciate pic.twitter.com/64SBaAW87e— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) August 17, 2026“I don’t understand the gripe with grilled chicken,” Orlovsky said. “I’m actually gonna eat it.”Rutledge asked him to make a wish, predicting he would “wish for every quarterback to be under center at all times.”Orlovsky confirmed that he wished for “more under center, more play action, more using of the tight ends.”Orlovsky blew out the candle before taking a bite with no condiments or sauces, much less icing, in sight. “It’s cold. It’s good!” he said while eating. “That’s actually pretty good. I don’t understand why people hate.”Mina Kimes alternated between laughing and staring in silence from her remote box. “Happy birthday, buddy,” she said.Orlovsky may welcome playful backlash to his chicken birthday cake after enduring the past week of ruthless criticism for loving Pat McAfee’s new album and publishing his controversial quarterback rankings.The post Dan Orlovsky eats cold chicken as replacement birthday cake on ‘NFL Live’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Michigan football has named its four captains for the 2026 season.Quarterback Bryce Underwood, running back Jordan Marshall, safety Rod Moore and defensive tackle Trey Pierce were elected by a team vote. All four are returning, with a combined 15 years in the program, after being named captains for the spring.Underwood, naturally, is the headliner. The quarterback is still the face of the program entering his second season. He has spent the offseason focused on leadership, he said.HARDCOURT HELP: Michigan basketball legend John Beilein to work with Orlando Magic“For me, the biggest goal was to be more of a leader, which is vocally,” Underwood recently told Big Ten Network. “I feel like I took that role pretty well with the trust of my teammates, so that was my biggest focus going into this year.”Underwood completed 60.3% of his passes last season for 2,428 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He was named starter by Whittingham early in fall camp and has had an "A-plus" fall camp.Marshall, meanwhile, has long been seen as a leader, with two-time captain Max Bredeson saying last season, “Jordan is an unbelievable leader. ... If I were to bet on it right now, I bet you guys we’ll one day be talking to him as 'Michigan captain Jordan Marshall.'”The running back rushed 150 times for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, despite starting the season backing up Justice Haynes, who went down with a foot injury in the final month of the season.He had four consecutive weeks with at least 110 rushing yards and one touchdown, but his season was cut short when he suffered a shoulder injury with two games to play. He tried to gut it out against Ohio State, but lasted just two series, rushing seven times for 61 yards.Marshall, too, comes with high expectations, even as he goes into a season where he's one of the focal points of the offense for the first time. The main one, per U-M RBs coach Tony Alford: "To lead.Whittingham echoed that a few weeks later."Favorite part of Jordan for me is who he is as a person," Whittingham said. "He's a great person, he's a leader in every respect. He is a guy that − the supreme function of a leader is to set the bar and then demand everyone live up to that. That's him, that's Jordan to a T. He is a guy that leads by example. "He's constantly encouraging teammates − everything that you would expect from a leader, you get from Jordan Marshall."Trey Pierce, meanwhile, was one of U-M's three representatives at last month's Big Ten media days (along with Underwood and Marshall) in Chicago. The senior is moving into a starting role for the first time, but he has been praised for his work ethic, gains in the weight room and the consistency he provides on a daily basis.NEXT UP: Led by Savion Hiter, Michigan has freshman group that could be a sparkMoore, meanwhile is a captain for the third time in his career. Moore is U-M's first three-time captain in the modern era, as he enters his sixth season in Ann Arbor.He missed all of 2024 when he suffered a torn ACL in the spring, but was still elected a captain. He tried to come back last season, when he was named a captain for a second time, but played just three games – in the middle of the season – before shutting it down for the year.Prior to his injuries, Moore was a star for U-M; named an All-Big Ten player in 2023, he was most known for his game-sealing interception against Ohio State to send Michigan to the Big Ten championship game in a season that ended with a College Football Playoff championship.Now, he's said to be back at 100% and already emotional about what his final year in Ann Arbor means.“I’ve been sitting here sometimes getting chills about it, because being able to start from Game 1,” Moore recently told reporters. “It being my last year here, [it’s] kind of bittersweet because I’ve been here six years and it’s about be my next part of life. And it kind of depends on what I do here this year that’ll tell me what I’m going to do [next]. So it’s important to me.” Michigan opens its season against Western Michigan on Sept 5 (7:30 p.m., NBC).\Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football names four captains for 2026

OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — Von Miller can help the Dallas Cowboys on the field and their inexperienced group of edge rushers in the locker room.“He’s been in the game for a while. All-Pro, Pro Bowl guy, Super Bowl MVP, Super Bowl champion. He brings a lot of knowledge and experience,” outside linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku said Monday, one day after Miller agreed to terms with his hometown team.The NFL’s active sack leader with 138 1/2 in 203 games over 14 seasons, Miller should bring the attributes on and off the field to further elevate what seems to be a much improved defense under new coordinator Christian Parker.Miller had nine sacks in 420 snaps for the Washington Commanders last season, which would have led a Cowboys unit that was one of the worst in football by nearly any measure. Coach Brian Schottenheimer indicated the 37-year-old Miller would be used in a similar fashion, primarily allowing him to rush the quarterback.“Still got first-step quickness. He still understand angles. He’s still got a great assortment of counter moves,” Schottenheimer said. “And, again, our plan to use him we think will help him be very, very functional. He’s not going to play 60 plays a game. That’s not what we’re looking for.”Miller’s experience might be just as valuable, having played on two championship teams with the Denver Broncos in the 2015 season and Los Angeles Rams in the 2021 season.Ezeiruaku first met Miller last year when the Cowboys drafted him out of Boston College in the second round, and they immediately developed a rapport. Now, Ezeiruaku will get the chance to work with him every day.Miller benefited from the tutelage of Hall of Fame pass rusher DeMarcus Ware early in his professional career, and he indicated to Ezeiruaku he intends to offer the same kind of mentorship.“He said he wanted to be the D-Ware for him to me, if that makes sense,” Ezeiruaku said. “And coming from a guy that’s a Hall of Fame guy — you know he’ll be a first ballot, in my opinion — that means a lot. That means he sees the potential.”Ezeiruaku, who had two sacks and nine tackles for loss as a rookie, shouldn't be the only beneficiary. The Cowboys drafted Malachi Lawrence out of UCF at No. 23 overall, and they have other youngsters still learning how to create pressure.Before bringing in Miller, the Cowboys had two outside linebackers with more than 10 career sacks. Rashan Gary had 46 1/2 sacks from his 106 games with the Green Bay Packers before he was traded to Dallas in March, and James Houston has 14 1/2 in four seasons with the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns and Cowboys.“Adding him is only going to make anything better,” Gary said of Miller. “So, like I said, having a guy that won Super Bowls, that won Defensive Player of the Year, that played at a high level for a very long time is going to be great for me and the whole entire room.”The links between Miller and the Cowboys were apparent long before the deal was finalized. Miller grew up in the suburbs of Dallas and had been working out at the team's complex throughout the offseason, frequently posting photos and videos from those sessions on social media. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones had expressed interest multiple times throughout training camp in adding more impact players by trade or free agency to bolster the defense.Ezeiruaku wasn't surprised when he found out about his new teammate on Sunday.“Did I think it was gonna happen? Yeah, I thought it was gonna happen. Like I said, I've been talking to him, and it was in the air, and we were talking about the possibilities," Ezeiruaku said. ___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

2026-08-18T00:52:02Z More than a dozen people were criminally charged Monday over their alleged ties to a cocaine-trafficking ring in Pennsylvania that involved two fraternities and students.A total of 14 defendants — 13 of which were Penn State University students at or around the time of the alleged crimes in 2023 and 2024 — were charged Monday, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. Four defendants face charges of felony corrupt organizations, conspiracy and other offenses, while a fifth is charged with felony conspiracy and other crimes. Eight other student-aged defendants are charged with misdemeanor counts, like possession. One defendant, who is the father of a student, is accused of tampering with evidence and hindering the investigation.At least four of the defendants are current students, according to the attorney general’s office. Two defendants, who were the main suppliers, made routine trips to Philadelphia and New York to get large amounts of cocaine, according to the office. The cocaine was then packaged mainly at the Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon fraternity houses and distributed primarily to Penn State University students.“This is very serious criminal conduct. There was nothing junior or childlike about this type of conduct,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said Monday at a news conference. “This was an upper level trafficking organization for this region in Pennsylvania.” Sunday said fraternity brothers packaged the cocaine and that authorities found a pattern of some pledges being indoctrinated into both fraternities through cutting and bagging cocaine. Investigators did not hear about drugs being packaged on the Penn State University campus, Sunday noted. Read More Delta Upsilon Executive Director Justin Kirk said in a statement that the international fraternity was aware of the allegations and that those involved who had ties to Delta Upsilon were expelled or suspended if they did not resign.“We will continue to work closely with the university on any investigative efforts,” Kirk added. The Sigma Chi headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The majority of defendants facing felony charges were arraigned Monday morning, Sunday said at the news conference.

Running the course in reverse this year added a new element to the iconic Nevada race. Begin Press Release:Pirelli Claims Victory at 30th Anniversary Vegas to Reno With Hero Racing DucatiHero Racing Ducati earns Vegas to Reno victory as Pirelli-equipped teams deliver strong results across the Nevada desertATLANTA (August 15, 2026) – Pirelli celebrated another standout performance at the legendary Casey Folks Vegas to Reno off-road race, with Hero Racing Ducati claiming the overall motorcycle victory for the second consecutive year. Pirelli-equipped Johnny Campbell Racing Honda secured a hard-fought second place overall, while the FOHSE LED Ducati team added to the brand's impressive results by capturing the Over 30 Pro class win at the iconic event.Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the 2026 Casey Folks Vegas to Reno featured a historic change to one of America's most iconic off-road races. For the first time, competitors tackled the course in reverse, racing nearly 500 miles south from Reno to Las Vegas through Nevada's rugged high desert. The new direction presented teams with an unfamiliar challenge across rocky canyons, mountain ranges, dry lake beds, and fast desert valleys.Hero Racing Ducati riders Ciaran Naran, Callum Norton, and Cody Simpson rose to the challenge, topping a field of 147 entries and completing the grueling course in an official time of 7:44:26 to claim the overall motorcycle victory and secure the team's second consecutive Vegas to Reno win.The winning Ducati relied on a Pirelli SCORPION™ XC Mid Hard 80/100-21 front tire paired with a Pirelli SCORPION™ Rally Race 140/80-18 rear tire, a combination selected to handle the wide range of terrain encountered throughout the demanding Nevada course."It was awesome," said Cody Simpson. "We had some cool moisture for the first 280 miles and a few rain ruts out there. The course was great and had a little bit of everything, which made for really good conditions. Even the dry lake beds had some moisture in them. There were huge battles all day long, back and forth, and it was just an unreal day."Johnny Campbell Racing Honda riders Preston Campbell and Skyler Howes added another strong result with a second-place overall finish, further demonstrating Pirelli's performance at the front of one of North America's toughest desert races.Pirelli also celebrated success in the Over 30 Pro category, where the FOHSE LED Ducati team of Jordan Graham, Travis Damon, Kyle Tichenor, and Brett Stevens raced their Pirelli-equipped Ducati to the class victory."Vegas to Reno is one of those races that puts every part of the motorcycle and tire package to the test, and this year's reverse course added an entirely new challenge," said Josh Whitmire, Director of Sales for Pirelli North America. "To see Hero Racing Ducati win this race is an incredible accomplishment and a testament to the riders, the team, and the performance of our products in extremely demanding conditions. To also come away with the Over 30 Pro victory and another strong overall result makes it a great weekend for Pirelli in the desert."From high-speed desert sections to rocks, hardpack, and changing terrain, the 30th anniversary running of Vegas to Reno provided an extensive test of durability, traction, and consistency. The results continue Pirelli's strong presence in American off-road competition and demonstrate the performance of the SCORPION™ range under some of the most demanding racing conditions in North AmericaPirelli Vegas to Reno ResultsOpen Pro MotorcycleHero Racing Ducati – Ciaran Naran / Callum Norton / Cody SimpsonJohnny Campbell Racing Honda – Preston Campbell / Skyler HowesOver 30 ProFOHSE LED Ducati – Jordan Graham / Travis Damon / Kyle Tichenor / Brett StevensWinning Tire CombinationFront: Pirelli SCORPION™ XC Mid Hard – 80/100-21Rear: Pirelli SCORPION™ Rally – 140/80-18Become a Motorcycle.com insider. Get the latest motorcycle news first by subscribing to our newsletter here.

Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams did not practice on Sunday. Coach Dan Campbell explained why before Monday night's practice.“He’s got a little shoulder [injury]," Campbell said, via Jeremy Reisman of prideofdetroit.com. "He’s good to go, though.” Williams did not practice Monday night, and Campbell did not provide a timeline for Williams' return.Tom Kennedy and Tay Martin received snaps with the first-team offense in Williams' absence.Cornerback Nick Whiteside is out with a minor hamstring injury.“Whiteside’s got a soft-tissue [injury], a hammy," Campbell said. "He’ll be all right, though, I think. I don’t think anything. . . . These aren’t serious.”

Credit: Baltimore RavensO.J. Brigance valiantly endured amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, for 19 years. On Monday, the Baltimore Ravens announced Brigance’s death. He was 56 years old.“We are devastated by the awful news that we have lost O.J. Brigance,” Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said in a statement, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “O.J. was a beloved legend, mentor, and man to everyone who was fortunate enough to know him. His infectious smile and the inspirational way he lived and played endeared him to everyone he touched, both inside our building and across this city. This is a tremendously sad day for Baltimore.”Brigance won the Grey Cup with the Baltimore Stallions in 1995 before beginning his NFL career with the Miami Dolphins in 1996. The linebacker only spent the 2000 season with the Ravens, but he made it count, winning Super Bowl XXXV.Brigance finished his playing career with the then-St. Louis Rams and New England Patriots before retiring after the 2002 season. Upon retirement, Brigance joined the Ravens’ front office. Even as a Super Bowl champion, his lasting impact on the Ravens came in the years he served in his player engagement role.Brigance received his devastating ALS diagnosis in 2007. In 2013, having already outlived his prognosis, CBS Sunday Mornings featured Brigance and his life with ALS.“I learned a life lesson through football early on,” Brigance said then, using a speech-generating device. “I learned that quitting is never an option.”Mourning his death, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta cited Brigance’s resilience.“O.J. inspired us with humility, faithfulness, determination, competitiveness and love for humankind,” Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “We never once saw O.J. angry or frustrated by his disease. Instead, we all witnessed a hero who influenced so many people through his unwavering optimism and grit. O.J. Brigance is the definition of what it means to live like a Raven.”See how the sports media world celebrated Brigance’s life and mourned his death below.No one embodied what it means to be a Raven quite like O.J. Brigance. pic.twitter.com/T57eA5txSY— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 17, 2026Unbelievably sad news. OJ Brigance was a true gentleman and champion who inspired many with how he battled ALS. It’s difficult to put into words how much he will be missed. https://t.co/Wx7q4IKlpL— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 17, 2026Ozzie Newsome on the passing of OJ Brigance:“I am devastated and at a loss for words. O.J. was one of the most genuine, sincere people I have ever known. From the moment he arrived in Baltimore, you could feel his energy. His amazing smile, welcoming nature and infectious…— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 17, 2026#EndALShttps://t.co/3FLgBpTgyG— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 17, 2026There aren’t words to adequately describe the fighter and advocate that is O.J. Brigance. A guy who made any complaint I had pale in comparison to his strength. Rest eternally, O.J. love you always. As much as the disease has progressed, I never anticipated this day.https://t.co/kN7f8OYmht— T.J. Smith (@TJSmithSocial) August 17, 2026O.J. Brigance, a former Willowridge High School and Rice standout who later carved out an unlikely seven-season NFL career, died Monday after a 19-year battle with ALS. He was 56.https://t.co/VP6gLuxPHfpic.twitter.com/hhKxmKOo0P— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) August 17, 2026Former Grey Cup and Super Bowl champion O.J. Brigance has passed away at the age of 56 after a nineteen year battle with ALS.Brigance was a member of the BC Lions from 1991-1993 and the Baltimore Stallions from 1994-1995, with whom he won the Grey Cup. He would go on to play… pic.twitter.com/OyEVQHBFl1— TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 17, 2026I’ll never forget this O.J Brigance moment. pic.twitter.com/Ky4BfUESE8— Nic Mason (@British_Raven19) August 17, 2026“Knowing the type of person he was, he wasn’t just going to allow it to dictate him, he was gonna flip it and indeed he did.”An emotional @IamQadryIsmail reflects on the legacy of his former teammate O.J. Brigance. #Ravens#RavensFlock@wjzpic.twitter.com/vfKq0lvjNO— WJZ Sports (@WJZ13sports) August 17, 2026Former Ravens player/executive O.J. Brigance dies at 56 after long ALS battle. https://t.co/qW3yhCznm1— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 17, 2026O.J. Brigance is one of the few people to have won both a Grey Cup (1995) and a Super Bowl (2001), but he’s the only person to have won them in the same city. RIP https://t.co/MIjhABGeKtpic.twitter.com/9nghoCyWKW— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) August 17, 2026O.J. Brigance, who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens before waging an unyielding battle against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, has died. He was 56.https://t.co/0icv4c3mnw— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 17, 2026Blessed to have known OJ Brigance. When we co-wrote his book “Strength of a Champion,” he was 6 years into his fight with ALS. 12 years later, today’s news is a somber reminder of this disease’s cruelty.Yet – to see him battle all these years…STRENGTH OF A CHAMPION, indeed.— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) August 17, 2026The BC Lions are saddened to learn of the passing of O.J. Brigance.Our thoughts are with his family at this time. pic.twitter.com/mlyU96F0Yl— BC LIONS (@BCLions) August 18, 2026The New England Patriots are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of O.J. Brigance. We send our deepest condolences to O.J.’s family, friends, teammates and all who cared about him during this difficult time. https://t.co/S0uS2APpF5— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 18, 2026Here is a piece I wrote three years ago about the impact of OJ Brigance on the Ravens organization:https://t.co/sNVWYTW9l7— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 17, 2026We at the @CalRipkenSrFdn had the honor of getting to know O.J., Chanda and the @BriganceBrigade. He was a special man and will be greatly missed. Our deepest condolences to the Brigance family and the @Ravens organization https://t.co/k1dKiP6OY1— Cal Ripken, Jr. (@CalRipkenJr) August 18, 2026Prayers up for the family, friends and the entire community in Baltimore after the passing of BELOVED former Baltimore Raven O.J. Brigance. O.J. will forever be an inspiration for not just how he fought ALS, but how he lived and loved on others through it. Rest in Peace brother pic.twitter.com/JxdJ73yben— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 18, 2026O.J. Brigance is one of the single greatest humans to have ever graced our city, if not this earth. I cherished every conversation. When my kids were little, they didn’t know how to approach him. He said “I might be half machine but I can still beat you up.” Love you O.J. pic.twitter.com/Q29mdI4l59— Glenn Clark (@GlennClarkRadio) August 17, 2026We are deeply saddened by the passing of O.J. Brigance, who played with the Dolphins from 1996-99. https://t.co/bVjL4LVvM9— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 17, 2026Baltimore remembers O.J. Brigance, a sports legend. pic.twitter.com/P4jKw1g8Js— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) August 17, 2026We’ll be going live in about 50 minutes. We’ll also be talking about the remarkable legacy of O.J. Brigance, one of the most revered and respected Ravens of them all. https://t.co/vPcfUVs1hG— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 17, 2026“My physical capacities are nowhere near what they used to be, however I am stronger than I have ever been mentally and spiritually due to the lessons learned in our battle with ALS.”Worth rereading this 2023 @kylegoon column on the great O.J. Brigance: https://t.co/crKh1nlV90— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) August 17, 2026Former Rice coach David Bailiff recalled fondly his interactions with O.J. Brigance, who was confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak due to ALS. “We struck up a strong relationship,” Bailiff said. Brigance passed away Monday. “What a fighter,” Bailiff added.— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) August 17, 2026O.J. Brigance may be the bravest-strongest athlete I’ve ever known. He battled ALS for almost 20 yrs. I wrote about him at the Super Bowl in 2013 when he was part of Baltimore’s staff. I never thought the former CFL/NFL player would live this long. He is now gone at age of 56.— Steve Simmons (@simmonssteve) August 17, 2026O.J. Brigance made the first tackle of Super Bowl XXXV just over five years after winning the Grey Cup as a star member of the Baltimore Stallions. I found that to be a wonderful part of Baltimore football lore long before O.J. would inspire in much more significant ways. #Ravens— Luke Jones (@BaltimoreLuke) August 17, 2026Rest in peace, O.J. Brigance, an inspiration to the #Ravens and so many others during his battle with ALS. https://t.co/i2iT4wy2vV— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 17, 2026Through the years, O.J. Brigance remained close to the Rice football program, even attending events in his honor to help raise money for the Brigance Brigade, his foundation to help fight ALS. “His eyes still lit up,” former Rice coach David Bailiff said by phone tonight.…— Joseph Duarte (@Joseph_Duarte) August 18, 2026Very Sad & Heartbroken to hear about OJ Brigance passing today. OJ was a great man & an awesome person to be around. I’m thankful for the years I got to be in Baltimore & while being there, having the opportunity to meet & build a friendship w/ OJ. Praying for my @Ravens family &…— Willie Snead IV (@NEEDivSNEAD) August 17, 2026O.J. Brigance was an extraordinary person and presence around the Ravens, a model of grace and courage. Rest in peace. https://t.co/fqhsYB4Y59— Judy Battista (@judybattista) August 17, 2026Never had the pleasure of meeting O.J. Brigance, but I can’t begin to tell you the amount of stories I’ve heard about his inspirational journey and joy for life.My prayers are with his family, friends, and the rest of our community. He will be missed.— Kyle Youmans (@Kyle_Youmans) August 18, 2026Rest in peace, O.J. Brigance. An incredible person, a true inspiration. Gone too soon. Deepest condolences. https://t.co/Ew9xYccEQu— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 18, 2026Look at the generations of Ravens coaches, players, and fans that O.J. Brigance impacted in this video. His spirit is woven into the fabric of this organization – now and evermore. https://t.co/BebMbfqTxx— Nikhil Mehta (@nikknowsball) August 17, 2026People often forget that O.J. Brigance joined the Dolphins LB room in 1996, the same season that bought us Zach Thomas, Larry Izzo and Anthony Harris. (Our guy, “Psycho” @DFin50 had his hands full as the elder statesman in that group!)O.J. had spent the previous 5 seasons in… https://t.co/or6ZtNV5Ec— TheFishTank (@TheFishTank81) August 17, 2026The first year i interned with the Ravens, he was the host of their online shows. Had the chance to work with and talk to him and he was a fantastic person. By the following year he was in a wheelchair but remained the same. Always positive. Always smiling. RIP https://t.co/Zc2YZd7zxU— BMORE Reeta (@theNFLchick) August 17, 2026OJ will forever be cemented in Baltimore sports history. Won a CFL championship and a Super Bowl here. What a time to be a Stallions fan! Prayers to his family. OJ was special — BMORE Reeta (@theNFLchick) August 17, 2026The post Sports media world reacts to death of Ravens legend O.J. Brigance appeared first on Awful Announcing.

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA - AUGUST 10: Oba Femi enters the ring during RAW at Scope Arena on August 10, 2026 in Norfolk, Virginia. (Photo by Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)WWE via Getty ImagesOba Femi has gone headfirst into his next feud and his opponent will be Bron Breakker. You could make the argument the two young superstars are clashing too early and that having one go over at this point creates a premature established tier. But no one asked me and I'm still hyped for this match which is set to determine who the "future of WWE" will be. Let's talk WWE.Sunday Night's Main Event Key FactsDetailInfoEventWWE Sunday Night's Main EventDateSunday, Sept. 6, 2026Start Time8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PTVenueState Farm Arena, AtlantaHow To Watch (U.S.)PeacockHow To Watch (International)WWE's YouTube channelAnnouncedOba Femi vs. Bron BreakkerAlso AnnouncedCody Rhodes vs. Randy OrtonAnnounced OnRaw, Aug. 17, KeyBank Center, BuffaloAtlanta TiesWWE lists both Breakker and Rhodes out of AtlantaOn Monday Night Raw in Buffalo, Breakker called Oba Femi out. Paul Heyman emerged and confirmed he'd already set the match up for Sunday Night's Main Event in Atlanta on Sept. 6. The event now has two huge matches on the card. Cody Rhodes will take on Randy Orton there as well. We can also expect to see Trick Williams on the card considering he's on the event's poster with his superstar sideman Lil Yachty.Sunday Night's Main Event is the same franchise WWE has run on Saturdays, moved to Sunday of Labor Day weekend for the first time. It streams on Peacock in the United States and on WWE's YouTube channel internationally.Both announced matches carry an Atlanta tie. WWE.com lists Bron Breakker’s hometown as Atlanta and Cody Rhodes' hometown as Atlanta, putting two of the four booked names in their listed home market. The two men first came face to face on Raw after SummerSlam, and Femi has been building toward a moment like this since his run started producing real main-event heat in the spring.More Saturday Night's Main Event CoverageWWE Saturday Night's Main Event XLIV: Date, Location, Time and How to WatchWWE Saturday Night's Main Event NY: Date, Time and Updated CardWWE Saturday Night's Main Event NYC - What Time Does It Start?WWE's Confirmed Event Schedule Through NovemberConfirmed dates and venues from WWE's official event listing.DateEventVenueCityAug. 30NXT HeatwaveBert Ogden ArenaEdinburg, TexasSept. 6Sunday Night's Main EventState Farm ArenaAtlantaSept. 26Worlds CollideAllstate ArenaChicagoOct. 10Money in the BankSmoothie King CenterNew OrleansNov. 28Survivor Series: WarGamesDaikin ParkHoustonThis article was originally published on Forbes.com

The Commanders roster churn continues as we enter the next wave of training camp. Washington added veteran linebacker Krys Barnes, CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported on Monday evening. The #Commanders are expected to sign veteran linebacker Krys Barnes, sources tell @CBSSports.Has posted 303 career tackles. pic.twitter.com/CPWJh6PTlW— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) August 17, 2026The UCLA product has been in the NFL since 2020, with stops in Green Bay, Arizona and Carolina over the past six seasons. He has 303 total tackles, including 16 for a loss and a sack to his credit. This adds depth to an already strong position group, which may portend that there’s an injury to be accounted for within the position group that we don’t yet know about. It could also ramp up competition there and on special teams, where the Commanders are always looking for capable players in the kicking game. This was one of several transactions made by the Commanders in the wake of Friday’s 20-7 preseason win over the Miami Dolphins. The team is expected to announce most of the signings, and at least one corresponding move before Tuesday morning’s practice.

Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema shares a light moment with journalists after casting his vote at a polling station in Lusaka, Zambia, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anita Reed)2026-08-18T01:32:42Z LUSAKA, Zambia (AP) — Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has been reelected for a second five-year term, the Electoral Commission of Zambia announced early Tuesday.He was declared the outright winner of last Thursday’s presidential election without the need for a run-off, having secured 61.4% of the 5 million votes cast.According to the commission, Hichilema won with 2,965,326 votes and his closest competitor was opposition leader Brian Mundubile, who won 1,856,217 votes.“I therefore declare, Hichilema Hakainde S, to be president-elect of the Republic of Zambia this 18th day of August, 2026,” commission chairperson Mwangala Zaloumis said.Hichilema’s victory follows a closely watched election which saw the vote counting suspended last Friday and then restarted hours later under heightened security after the commission said there had been attacks against some polling station officials and some ballot papers had been stolen. The government also confirmed that several leading opposition figures were arrested on the night of the elections, with the police accusing them of posing a threat to state security.Mundubile said his home was raided by the police in what he called an attack on his life. Thursday’s election was seen as a test of Hichilema’s economic recovery plan after the copper-rich nation was plunged into a debt crisis in 2020. Hichilema was elected in 2021 and oversaw the restructuring of Zambia’s sovereign debt while reining in inflation and stabilizing the currency.International observers, including the European Union, said the election was largely peaceful, but said the “broader electoral process took place in an environment that limited fundamental freedoms.” Read More “Late legal changes, legal uncertainty, and unequal campaign conditions distorted the playing field,” said Michael McNamara, chief of the EU observation mission.In a pastoral statement, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed concern over the deployment of the army during the vote counting “The maintenance of order during elections is constitutionally and statutorily the responsibility of the Zambia Police Service,” the bishops said.___Magome reported from Johannesburg. MOGOMOTSI MAGOME Magome is an Associated Press reporter based in Johannesburg, South Africa. He covers a range of topics including general news, politics, and enterprise stories from across the Southern Africa region. mailto

The appearance for Representative Zach Nunn was another departure from previous norms for the defense secretary, whose predecessors kept a greater distance from politics.

Shakira actúa durante el descanso de la final de la Copa del Mundo de fútbol entre España y Argentina en East Rutherford, Nueva Jersey, cerca de Nueva York, el domingo 19 de julio de 2026. (Foto AP/Matt Slocum)2026-08-18T01:55:14Z BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Colombian superstar Shakira committed Monday to help rebuild at least 10 schools in a remote and hard-hit region of her home country after it suffered a devastating earthquake last week that killed hundreds and affected thousands of educational sites across western Colombia. The globally recognized “Hips Don’t Lie” musician made the pledge during a surprise visit to Quibdó, the capital of the Colombian province of Chocó, where she toured damaged schools, hugging students and taking photos with them. “What worries me the most is that schools are not rebuilt once this emergency is over,” Shakira told journalists. “Every day that children don’t go to school is a day they miss out on their future.” She was accompanied by Howard Buffett, son of billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett and longtime donor to Colombia who has helped Shakira set up schools there before. The Howard G. Buffett foundation will collaborate with Shakira’s Fundación Pies Descalzos, or Barefoot Foundation, on the project. “When she calls, I come,” Buffett said during the visit. The singer also announced pledges of $500,000 each from Global Citizen and Live Nation toward the cause.The 7.4 magnitude quake on Aug. 10 struck a vast swath of western Colombia, killing at least 287 people and destroying more than 26,000 dwellings, according to authorities. The government has said 194 people are missing, while other civilian-run databases put the number at more than 4,100. The epicenter was in Chocó, one of Colombia’s poorest regions and where at least 3,100 homes were destroyed and over 265 educational sites affected, according to the regional government latest report Monday. Read More “It’s a place I love, a place where I’ve seen our students grow in our classrooms,” Shakira said in a video posted on X by the Colombian news outlet La FM. Her foundation, which focuses on educational access for youth in Colombia, has been in Chocó for 22 years, running two schools from which hundreds of students have graduated, she said. “I really want to see it rebuild again.”Aid groups have struggled to assess the damage so far in Chocó, an area the size of Switzerland where communication is difficult. The province has few roads linking it to the rest of the country, and its numerous towns and villages are connected mostly by rivers and unpaved roads. Most of Chocó’s 600,000 inhabitants live in poverty, according to figures published last year by Colombia’s national government, and it is largely inhabited by Indigenous tribes and Afro Colombian communities. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. “There is not a way to alleviate the pain of so many, there are no magic solutions,” Shakira said during her visit to a large high school in Quibdó.“But what there is, is commitment to be here alongside those from Chocó, to not abandon El Chocó like it historically has been abandoned, until every Colombian and every person from Chocó can return to their normal lives like they deserve and all the children can return to their schools and dream of the futures they deserve,” she said.The Grammy award winner known for hits like “Whenever, Wherever,” “La Tortura,” and the 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem “Dai Dai” is a longtime supporter of education-related causes. She told reporters Monday she planned to dedicate all her “personal efforts” to rebuilding a local technological university in Chocó. Shakira, 49, attracts massive attention to both her performances and causes: She headlined the halftime show of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final match in July and performed in May on Brazil’s Copacabana Beach to a crowd of 2 million people. After Venezuela’s twin earthquakes in June, Shakira announced the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund would commit $500,000 to education recovery there. Her announcement Monday is the latest of many commitments from prominent Colombians and other Latin American artists to help Colombia and Venezuela. On Sunday, Marc Anthony and Chayanne joined dozens of other artists at a Miami benefit concert and live fundraiser for both countries’ earthquake relief.Colombian singer Karol G pledged to match fan donations to her Con Cora Foundation during her three-night run at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles last weekend. She will also join Maluma, Sebastián Yatra and others at a benefit concert in Bogotá this Sunday. The Colombian Football Federation and South American Football Confederation made a joint commitment last week of $1 million to Colombian First Lady Ana Lucía Pineda’s “Colombia, one heart” recovery fund. ——Gabriela Aoun Angueira reported from San Diego.Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy. GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA Gabriela covers philanthropy’s role in disaster resilience and recovery. She is based in San Diego, California. instagram mailto

In case you missed the news of the day, the Associated Press preseason college football poll was released on Monday, and Ohio State took the No. 1 spot to pair like a fine wine, to go along with landing as the top-ranked team in the US LBM Preseason Coaches Poll.And while that's all good and fine, the real news is that by appearing in the AP preseason poll, the Buckeyes extended a pretty outlandish record streak of appearing in the preseason poll for 38 consecutive seasons. That means many of you reading this weren't even alive the last time Ohio State wasn't a part of the AP poll when first released ahead of actual games being played. In fact, by doing the math, the last time the Buckeyes weren't a part of the AP preseason poll was 1988. That was the first year under new head coach John Cooper, and it was a struggle. The Buckeyes finished the year with a 4-6-1 overall record (2-5-1 Big Ten).The streak continues 🔥After landing at No. 1 in the AP Preseason Top 25, @OhioStateFB extends their record of appearing in 38 continuous ranked preseason polls 💪 pic.twitter.com/jL1NVjOrVy— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) August 17, 2026Other teams with notable streaks behind Ohio State are Oklahoma (26 years), Georgia (24 years), and Alabama (18 years). Clemson's streak of 14 straight years came to an end with the Tigers being outside the preseason AP Top 25 this year.Of course, being included in the poll during the preseason doesn't mean much if the team doesn't perform on the field, but it still speaks to the reputation and staying power of arguably the best college football program of all time.Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State extends record streak of appearing in preseason AP CFB Poll

Photo provided by Matt LynchPITTSBURGH — Carmen Mlodzinski was knocked around and the Pirates couldn’t crawl out of an early deficit, falling 8-5 to the Tigers at PNC Park on Monday night. Scoring PlaysTop 1st, 2-0 DET: The Tigers (61-64) plated a pair of runs off Carmen Mlodzinski (6-6) to begin the game. Zach McKinstry and Hao-Yu Lee delivered two-out RBI singles to give Detroit the early advantage.Top 2nd, 4-0 DET: Kevin McGonigle hit a two-run home run to right-center with two outs. Mlodzinski grooved a cutter over the heart of the plate and the rookie third baseman did not miss it. Top 5th, 5-0 DET: Following a Nick Gonzales error at second base, Max Clark singled home Lee against Isaac Mattson.Bottom 5th, 5-1 DET: With two on and nobody out against Framber Valdez (8-8), Henry Davis looked to have bounced into a double play to short. But Lee delivered a poor throw to first base, allowing Jake Mangum to score from second on the error. Top 6th, 8-1 DET: Yohan Ramírez issued three walks and allowed two hits in a three-run inning for the Tigers. Lee drew a walk with the bases loaded and Brett Callahan drove in a pair with a base hit to center. Bottom 6th, 8-5 DET: Nick Yorke cleared the bases with a two-out double, which knocked Valdez out of the game. Yorke scored on a Henry Davis base hit up the middle off Kyle Finnegan as the Pirates (61-66) cut the deficit to three. Key MomentsThe Pirates twice brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning against left-hander Drew Sommers. With two on and one out, Brandon Lowe grounded out to third base. Rafael Flores Jr. struck out with runners on second and third to end the inning. Player of the GameHao-Yu Lee set a career-high with three hits. He also drew two walks, drove in two runs and scored twice. Stat to KnowCarmen Mlodzinski now has a 5.85 ERA in 12 starts this season, including a 14.14 ERA over his last three. He has a 2.15 ERA in 16 appearances out of the bullpen. Notable PerformancesCarmen Mlodzinski: 3.0 innings, eight hits, four runs, one walk, three strikeouts, 59 pitches/42 strikesYohan Ramírez: 1.0 inning, two hits, three runs, three walks, 44 pitches/27 strikesNick Yorke: 2 for 4, one double, three RBINick Gonzales: 1 for 2, one double, two walks, one runBrandon Lowe: 2 for 4NoteworthyMonday’s game was broadcast on ESPN, marking the Pirates’ first game in Pittsburgh aired on the station since Aug. 7, 2019 vs. Milwaukee. Brandon Lowe extended his hitting streak to six games. Nick Yorke drove in three runs for the second straight game. The Pirates reinstated OF Oneil Cruz from the 60-day injured list and RHP Yohan Ramírez from the paternity list. OF Ronny Simon and LHP Hunter Barco were optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis. OF Johnathan Rodríguez was designated for assignment. Up NextRHP Braxton Ashcraft (12-5, 3.88 ERA) will take the mound for the first time since throwing a complete game in his last outing. RHP Keider Montero (9-7, 3.22 ERA) gets the ball for Detroit. First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh/93.7 The Fan.Around the NetworkPittsburgh Baseball Now:Pirates Injury Updates: Griffin on Track, Johnson Getting Surgery for ‘Traumatic’ Knee InjuryPittsburgh Hockey Now:Top 5 Penguins Undrafted & College Free AgentsSteelers Now:5 Things We Learned From Steelers Training CampPittsburgh Sports Now: College Football Rankings: Preseason AP Poll Top 25 releasedThe post Pirates’ Early Deficit Proves Insurmountable in Loss to Tigers appeared first on Pittsburgh Baseball Now.

Several Shreveport-Bossier area high school cheerleading and dance groups will be headed to Lake Charles later this year to compete in the 2026 Louisiana High School Cheer & Dance Championships after a recent announcement by the LHSAA that it is adding those sports to its championship calendar after more than a decade of silence.“It’s a fantastic idea,” Northwood cheer sponsor Rebecca Galambos said. “I’m glad to see cheer and dance recognized as a sport.”The state championships will be held Nov. 30-Dec. 1 at the Lake Charles Event Center featuring cheer and dance across multiple styles. The contending squads will compete in two rounds on the first day with the third round on Day 2. The LHSAA brought back the championships due to concerted efforts of the Louisiana cheer and dance community through a steering committee led by Louisiana High School Coaches Association director Jessica Barber.“I am very excited for it. I think it’s the perfect chance for Louisiana teams to showcase our talent in a state championship,” said North DeSoto cheer sponsor Emilie Parker, who plans to take her team to the competition. “I know many Louisiana teams hold a national championship title through UCA and NCA, so it only makes sense to see everyone come together.”35 TACKLES: Here’s 35 Shreveport area high school tackles to watch in 2026MAGIC TIME: North DeSoto loss puts a wrap on the KK, Cole Cory campaign in Griffin football programLoyola coach Andy Cline also plans to take his squad south with the intent of bringing home some hardware.“A lot of our athletes in cheer spend hours each week perfecting their craft,” Cline said. “Providing an opportunity for them to compete for a state championship is very rewarding and allows them a chance to showcase their skillset and athleticism at the state level.”Cheer and dance will remain a non-sanctioned activity of the LHSAA and will not operate under the same eligibility requirements, scheduling regulations, competition guidelines or other rules that apply to LHSAA-sanctioned sports. The championship event also does not carry the same official classification as an LHSAA-sanctioned state championship.“We listened to our schools and the spirit community, and we believe this championship provides an opportunity to recognize the tremendous work and dedication of these student-athletes” LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine said. “We are grateful to everyone who helped make this return possible.”Visit Lake Charles has landed the 2026 and 2027 championships after the city previously hosted such events in 2011, 2012 and 2013.Northwood’s cheer group, one of the top in the state, will not compete in Lake Charles this season.“I don’t like it when it is so close to football season. That’s the main reason we’re not competing,” Galambos said. “I’m planning to go watch it to help plan for next year. But we compete nationally, and we’re hoping for a successful football season, so we chose not to compete this year.”The championships are expected to attract more than 100 cheer and dance teams from across the state.“We are excited to bring this event back and grateful to the schools, coaches, spirit community, steering committee and our partners who helped make it possible,” Bonine said. “We look forward to celebrating the athletes and teams who will compete this year.”Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: LHSAA returns cheer, dance championships to 2026 schedule

Sydney Swans coach Dean Cox [Getty Images]Sydney Swans coach Dean Cox has said he is "extremely disappointed" that several players from his Australian Football League (AFL) team have been linked to a sexual assault investigation.The club has confirmed an "alleged incident" involving an unspecified number of players occurred in the hours after the team's win at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday - but have provided no other details.Separately, Victoria Police have said detectives are investigating a report of a sexual assault at a hotel in East Melbourne in the early hours of Monday morning.A spokesperson said officers have spoken to several people who were at the hotel, but no one has been arrested or formally interviewed.Cox told reporters gathered outside the Swans headquarters on Tuesday that there would be further updates as "the day unfolds"."We're working our way through everything with the AFL and relevant parties, and we'll update when we get more information," Cox said.Chief executive Matthew Pavlich on Monday said the club was "still piecing together exactly what's transpired", and would not be drawn on the specific allegations."Safe to say, we're extremely shocked and disappointed that this has taken place, and that the players have found themselves in this situation," he said at a press conference."There's going to be lots of speculation, but given it's a police matter right now, that is all we can say."The Swans are currently placed second on the 2026 ladder after winning 17 out of 22 games played this year.The club is scheduled to face off against North Melbourne on Sunday for the last round before the finals, through which the top six teams are guaranteed to advance.Aussie rules footy players under investigation as police probe sexual assault claim

Apr 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect It’s a new week here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest gathering of night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. We’re so glad you decided to stop by. Come on in out of the heat. There’s no cover charge. We validate parking. We’ve got a few tables still available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.Last week, I asked you who the Cubs second-most valuable player was. The vote wasn’t close as 60 percent of you said it was Seiya Suzuki. Here’s the part with the music and the movies. You can do with that what you want.Saturday was the 101st anniversary of the birth of the great Canadian pianist Oscar Peterson. So to honor Peterson, we have him performing the bossa nova classic “Wave” with guitarist Joe Pass and bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (NHØP) in Italy in 1985.By 1939, the gangster movie genre was pretty close to played out, soon to be eclipsed by the darker (literally and figuratively) film noir genre. But the gangster film never really died and the “golden age” of gangster films had one last gem in it with The Roaring Twenties. Directed by Raoul Walsh and starring James Cagney, Priscilla Lane and Humphrey Bogart, The Roaring Twenties is lighter in tone than the pre-Code gangster films like The Public Enemy where Cagney broke out, but some terrific performances and deft direction make The Roaring Twenties one of the classic gangster films nontheless.The plot of The Roaring Twenties is the standard rise-and-fall of a gangster, who learns in the end that crime does not pay. The film tries to give itself a different twist by adopting a newsreel format that takes the characters from the trenches at the end of the First World War through Prohibition, the Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression. Each new chapter in the life of Eddie Bartlett (Cagney) is introduced by a narration and stock footage of the era. The effect of this is a gangster who doesn’t choose his own demise, but rather he gets swept up in a current of history beyond his control.This all works in nicely with Cagney’s Eddie, who is portrayed in this film as a generally nice guy. Yes, he occasionally has to put the screws on a speakeasy operator, but he’s never cruel and the few people he punches out had it coming. We first meet Eddie in the trenches of France where he serves in a unit with Lloyd (Jeffrey Lynn) and George (Bogart). The characters are archetypes—Eddie is the everyman, Lloyd is an upright person with brains and George is a thug. Eddie is helped through the war by a pen pal, a beautiful young woman named Jean (Lane) who sends him love letters. When the war is over, he intends to marry this woman and return to his job as an auto mechanic.Eddie is in for a rude shock when he returns to ask Jean to marry him. Turns out, Jean’s not a young woman. She’s a girl still in high school. Additionally, despite his boss’s promise that his job as a mechanic would be waiting for him when he returned from France, it isn’t. So he is forced to drive a cab with his buddy Danny (Frank McHugh). Eddie gets arrested when a customer asks him to deliver a bottle of whisky to Panama Smith (Gladys George). Out of gratitude for keeping his mouth shut, Panama bails him out of jail. The two then begin a small-time bootlegging operation together. Panama is the brains and Eddie is the brawn, as well as the salesman. After a few years, Eddie spies a now-grown Jean working as a chorus girl. While he was a bit disturbed by the schoolgirl Jean, he immediately falls head-0ver-heels in love with the adult Jean. He immediately makes her the headlining act at one of the speakeasies he supplies booze to. Meanwhile, Lloyd has become a lawyer and a prosecuting attorney. Despite Eddie’s gangster profession, he and Lloyd remain friends. And when Eddie decides to rob another bootlegger of his supply, who should he meet but his old army buddy George, working for the guy Eddie is robbing. Eddie and George decide to join forces and turn Eddie’s small-time operation into something bigger.Two things conspire to bring down Eddie. For one, Jean no longer has a schoolgirl crush on him. She is grateful for everything he’s done for her, but she falls in love with the respectable Lloyd instead. Eddie is blind to this and thinks that Jean is still going to marry him. (Meanwhile, Panama has an unrequited love for Eddie.) Meanwhile, George is bad news, a heartless mobster who would cut his own mother’s throat for a slice of the action. Without spoiling the ending, Eddie’s partnership with George doesn’t go well and he reacts poorly when he realizes that Jean loves Lloyd and not him. He hits rock bottom before he is redeemed at the end by an act of self-sacrifice. I’ve spent too much time on a plot that really doesn’t deserve it. What makes The Roaring Twenties is Cagney’s winning performance as a good guy driven to being a gangster by forces beyond his control. But unlike his character in The Public Enemy, he never really stops being a good guy. The supporting actresses are great too as Lane plays Jean as someone constantly torn between her respect for Eddie but her love of Lloyd. Lane was also a popular singer of the era, so naturally she gets to perform a couple of songs as well. Gladys George was like the third choice to play Panama, but she’s fantastic as a streetwise moll in love with a man that she knows will never love her back. Bogart is still in his “heavy” period, playing tough-guy villains. The Maltese Falcon, which would break Bogart out of this typecasting, is still two years in the future, George doesn’t have the depth of some of the other characters in the film. But he’s still Bogey, so he’s able to command the screen when he’s on it. The Roaring Twenties certainly has a lot less violence than the pre-Code gangster films from earlier in the thirties. But there are still some shootouts and action scenes. Eddie is a gangster that relies more on charm and the threat of violence than the actual use of it, but George is a killer and the film doesn’t shy away from that.The Roaring Twenties may not have the edge of earlier gangster films like The Public Enemy, Scarface or Little Caesar, but Cagney, Lane, Bogart and George make the film a classic anyways. Here’s the trailer for The Roaring Twenties. It is introduced by journalist Mark Hellinger, whose knew a lot of gangsters of the era and who collected the real-life stories that were fictionalized into this film.Welcome back to everyone who skips the music and movies.After dropping two out of three to the Cardinals this past weekend, the Cubs playoff odds, according to Fangraphs, have dropped down to 97.7 percent. That’s down from the 99.2 percent on Thursday. I bring this up only because it’s extremely likely that the Cubs are going to make the postseason. And along those lines, the Cubs are going to have to start thinking about how to set up their rotation—both for the three-game Wild Card series if they have to play that, or the best-of-five Division Series.So tonight, I’m going to ask you which Cubs starter would you have start Game One? Let’s assume that the Cubs have clinched their seed a few days before the playoffs start, so that no one is starting Game 162 to try to clinch home field or a bye or anything. This is an “all other things being equal” question.I’ll probably ask you this question again in September. But I thought it would be interesting to ask you this now so we have something to compare it to next month.So who would you have start Game One of the playoffs?Thanks you for stopping by. Please get home safely. Don’t forget any personal items. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.

Keenan Allen is headed to Indianapolis.The Colts struck a one-year, $8.32 million deal with the veteran wide receiver on Monday night, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Allen has spent nearly his entire career with the Chargers organization, which first selected him in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He was on a one-year, $3.02 million deal with the franchise last season, and became a free agent this summer.The 34-year-old had 777 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 81 catches last season with the Chargers. He’s earned six Pro Bowl nods throughout his career, and has six 1,000-yard seasons to his name. He earned Comeback Player of the Year honors in 2017, too, after missing nearly all of the 2016 season with a torn ACL.Now that he’s found a home for the 2026 campaign, Allen will get to reunite with longtime Chargers assistant Shane Steichen in Indianapolis. Steichen, who is entering his fourth season as the Colts’ head coach, worked his way up through the Chargers’ coaching staff and was their offensive coordinator for two seasons with Allen as one of their primary targets. Allen will now be a huge piece for the Colts this fall, who are getting quarterback Daniel Jones back after his Achilles injury late last season. Allen should slide in with Alec Pierce and Josh Downs in the starting lineup to lead the receivers room.The Colts went 8-9 last season and missed the playoffs for a fifth straight campaign. They’ll open the season against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13.This post will be updated with more information shortly.