The Atlanta Hawks and general manager Onsi Saleh have reportedly agreed to a “long-term” contract extension, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Saleh will also be promoted to president of basketball operations.Saleh joined the Hawks in 2024 as assistant GM. Following Landry Fields' dismissal after the 2024-25 NBA season, Saleh was promoted to GM. Before he joined the franchise, Saleh served as the vice president of basketball strategy and team counsel for the Golden State Warriors and spent five seasons as the San Antonio Spurs' director of strategy & process/chief of staff.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentIn Saleh's first season as GM, the Hawks won the Southeast Division for the first time since 2020-21 with a 46-36 record. They would go on and lose to the New York Knicks in six games in the first round.The success during the 2025-26 season led to Saleh being voted runner-up for League Executive of the Year and Nickeil Alexander-Walker winning Most Improved Player -- the second straight season that a Hawks player has won the award after Dyson Daniels last year.Since taking over, Saleh added Alexander-Walker, Jonathan Kuminga, CJ McCollum and Luke Kennard, among others. He heads into this offseason with two first-round draft picks next month, including No. 8 overall.Saleh’s roster management led to the Philadelphia 76ers seeking to speak with him this month for their opening GM position after the firing of Daryl Morey. Atlanta quickly shot down the request.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The only member of Haiti’s national soccer team who is based in the troubled Caribbean country is awaiting a U.S. visa to join the squad in Florida just weeks before the start of the World Cup.Woodensky Pierre is a defensive midfielder who plays for Violette AC in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. An estimated 70% of that city is under siege by violent gangs.The other 25 players on the World Cup squad play outside the country, coming from leagues in places like England, France, Portugal, Canada and the United States.This year's World Cup will be only the second for Haiti in its history — the country’s only other appearance on soccer’s biggest stage was in 1974.Haitian soccer federation spokesman Thecieux Jeanty said all but one player on the 1974 World Cup team was living and playing in Haiti at that time.The U.S. visas for Pierre and nearly a dozen other officials with the Haitian soccer federation have yet to come through as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump continues to expand travel restrictions from countries including Haiti.Pierre continues to train at a field with synthetic grass in Pétion-Ville, an upscale area of Port-au-Prince, as he awaits his visa, “in hopes of being with his team as soon as possible,” Jeanty told The Associated Press in a phone interview Wednesday.“I hope he doesn’t have to live in (Haiti) after the World Cup,” Jeanty said. “It’s an opportunity to present himself to the world and await a contract.”The team’s home stadium in Port-au-Prince — not far from the neighborhood where Pierre is from — was deemed too dangerous, forcing Haiti to play its “home” World Cup qualifiers in Curaçao.Pierre is from Cite Soleil, a seaside slum that has endured violence and hunger for years and serves as a base for powerful gang leaders. Cite Soleil has seen multiple massacres and gang rapes, with violence recently displacing more than 5,300 people, according to the latest report from the U.N.’s International Organization for Migration.“It’s a source of pride for him,” Jeanty said of Pierre being able to play in the World Cup. “It’s satisfying for (soccer) officials and for the public, too. As you know, Haiti is in crisis.”Pierre did not return messages seeking comment, and neither did the team’s coach.Officials for Haiti’s squad arrived in Florida on Sunday, and players began training in Port St. Lucie on Tuesday. Three other players are scheduled to arrive on Wednesday, Jeanty said.There is still time to resolve Pierre’s situation. Haiti will play two World Cup warmup matches, first against New Zealand on Tuesday and then against Peru on June 5, in South Florida.Haiti opens World Cup play on June 13 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, against Scotland, then plays five-time champion Brazil on June 19 in Philadelphia and Morocco on June 24 in Atlanta.Jeanty said he first made contact with Pierre in 2022, when they traveled together to Honduras for a under-20 match.“I saw him as a top-level player,” Jeanty said, adding that “everybody’s very happy” to have Pierre on the team.“There is soccer in Haiti,” Jeanty said. “It’s a country that wants to live.”___AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed to this report.___AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

Patriots' Mike Vrabel Reveals What Kyle Williams Has Done To Improve originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New England Patriots saw Kyle Williams emerge as a big-play threat last season, but Mike Vrabel revealed what he's done to improve in the offseason.Williams' speed stood out in his rookie season, but he still had room to improve and become a complete receiver. While speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Vrabel revealed William's commitment to getting stronger."We always try to give players the things that they've done well and the things that they can try to enhance and their areas of focus," Vrabel said. "Kyle's strength and his ability to manage as a speed player has improved, and he's really talking to the strength coaches. He's embraced that idea of lifting and how critical that is for all players, but especially a younger one as a receiver. You saw him really have some great flashes last year. The other thing that's really critical with receivers is once they can know more than one position, it really opens up their opportunities in what they can do as opposed to just being a one-position player. Kyle's now – you'll see him at different places today."Williams scored three touchdowns last season, all of which were from at least 30 yards out. His speed was on full display during a 72-yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Eliot Wolf noted during the offseason that he wanted Williams to get bigger, and it looks like he has been working to do that."The way we used him was as more of a speed player, which he definitely has," Wolf said on Feb. 24. "He's got more in him that he can show. He's gotta get stronger, and I think he'd be the first one to tell you that. The fact that he was able to play in all 21 games for us is a testament to his ability to be available."With Stefon Diggs gone, Williams could have more opportunities to shine. Romeo Doubs was brought in, but he has never had even an 800-yard season. Even if the Patriots add A.J. Brown, Williams could earn himself a bigger role with the work he put in this offseason.More NFL: Analyst Reveals Favorite Offseason Move By Patriots

Spurs, Mitch Johnson names Victor Wembanyama's top Game 6 need vs. Thunder originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.At certain points of the NBA Playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs looked invincible. There was not a team that could match the prowess of Victor Wembanyama but it seems like the Oklahoma City Thunder have them figured out. All of a sudden, they are in do-or-die Game 6 scenario. They do still have a shot at extending their postseason run but Coach Mitch Johnson knows that one attribute from their star player needs to surface first.Coach Johnson, Spurs urge Wembanyama to be more aggressive vs. ThunderGame 5 was rough for Victor Wembanyama. Coach Mitch Johnson entrusted him to play a team-high 38 minutes for the Spurs but all efforts fell short. They gave up the 3-2 series lead to the Thunder after a horrid 127-114 loss. The Spurs now have to adjust if they want to avoid elimination and all their hopes rest on the hands of Wembanyama.What do they need from Wembanyama in Game 6? Coach Johnson made it very simple. The Spurs superstar needs to assert himself more against the Thunder, via Christian Clark of The Athletic."He has to take more than 15 shots, even with the free throws. He’s going to have to score more than 20 points, for sure," the Spurs head coach said.There is a lot of truth in Coach Johnson's analysis after Game 5. The Thunder sent a lot of bodies to prevent Wembanyama from impacting the game. He was only able to score 20 points with 12 of those points coming from the free throw line. Otherwise, the Spurs superstar had a rough outing highlighted by going 26.7% in all of his field goals.Wembanyama was still able to get six rebounds, three blocks, two steals, and an assist despite his poor shooting night. But the Spurs needed him to pop off on offense. In a pivotal Game 5 during the NBA Playoffs, Coach Johnson only saw four of his players score 15 points or more. None of them were able to break the 25-point mark too.The obvious goal is to win Game 6 and keep their NBA Playoffs hopes alive. It will all have to start with Wembanyama aggressively positioning himself to score, else the Spurs will just have to try again next year.More Spurs News:'No ego': Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reveals what makes Chet Holmgren Thunder's X-Factor'Six more wins': Victor Wembanyama says Spurs won't rest until NBA championshipStephon Castle believes the Spurs are not getting the same luxury to be physical as OKC

Few in Lebanon believe that diplomatic efforts to end the wider war will bring peace to their country, as clashes between Israel and Hezbollah intensify in the south.

WASHINGTON—Proudly declaring that the exam revealed what he had known all along, President Donald Trump boasted Wednesday that his annual physical turned up no signs of pedophilia. “The doctors gave me the most thorough pedophilia testing you can get, and I’m totally clean,” said Trump, who claimed he had not only tested negative on pedophilia blood and urine tests but had also consistently pointed to pictures of adults when asked which persons of various ages he was sexually attracted to. “The doctors said they’d never examined someone with so little pedophilia, and they know exactly what to look for. Of course, the fake news is going to believe whatever they want to about me, even though Obama never took this test. Gee, I wonder why!” At press time, doctors cautioned that the results cited by Trump dealt exclusively with prepubescent girls and that more testing was required to confirm the initially concerning findings regarding girls ages 12 to 17. The post Trump Boasts Annual Physical Turned Up No Signs Of Pedophilia appeared first on The Onion.

Mike Vrabel Makes Feelings Clear On Patriots Facing Seahawks In Week 1 originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New England Patriots will have to go on the road to play the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 in a Super Bowl rematch.New England was blown out by Seattle in the Super Bowl, so it’s a chance for revenge right away for the Patriots. Yet, head coach Mike Vrabel knows Seattle is a great team, so it will be a challenge for New England in Week 1.“Playing in Seattle, playing the Seahawks, the defending Super Bowl champions, that would be a tough game when and wherever we played it,” Vrabel said Wednesday. “But I think that we’ll eventually be ready for the challenge. “We’re clearly not ready for it yet. I don’t think anybody is. But that’s what we’ll build to. We’ll have to, so many times, handle the environment, and that’ll test us early. That’ll be something that we’ll focus on through training camp.The Patriots just began OTAs, and still have training camp and preseason games ahead of them to get ready for Seattle.So, once Week 1 rolls on, the Patriots and Vrabel are confident they will be ready to play and beat the Seahawks.New England is a 3.5-point underdog against Seattle in Week 1 on Wednesday, September 9.More NFL: Patriots' Mike Vrabel Reveals What Kyle Williams Has Done To Improve

The French Open has only just begun, but it’s also time to plan ahead, as tickets to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships in August are going on sale this week, too. The U.S. Open is the last Grand Slam major of the season, and matches begin on August 30 this year at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York. The women’s final is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, and the men’s final is Sunday, Sept. 13. (Here’s hoping 2025 men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz will be back to defend his title after a lengthy absence from this year’s tour due to a wrist injury.)If you want to get tickets to this year’s tennis tournament, an Amex presale is happening today (May 27) until 11:59 p.m. ET, and general on-sale tickets will be available May 28 starting at 12 p.m. ET. Here's everything you need to know about the 2026 U.S. Open,including the tournament schedule and how to get tickets.When is the 2026 U.S. Open?The 2026 U.S. Open tennis tournament begins with qualifying matches that run from August 23-29 (known as Fan Week). The official tournament runs from August 30 to September 13.When do tickets for the U.S. Open go on sale?An Amex presale is happening on May 26 and 27 (until 11:59 p.m.), so if you’re an American Express cardholder, you can sign in at Ticketmaster to search for tickets there. General on-sale ticketing begins on Thursday, May 28, at 12 p.m. ET.Check TicketmasterU.S. Open ticket cost: Ticket prices for this year’s U.S. Open start between $115-$366 for early rounds and go up from there. Fans will also be able to purchase resale tickets through Ticketmaster’s Verified Resale site, and on reliable third-party sites like Gametime or StubHub. Find tickets on GametimeFind tickets on StubHub2026 U.S. Open ScheduleAug. 23: Start of US Open Fan Week & QualifiersAug. 30 - Sept. 1: Men’s and Women’s First RoundSept. 2 - Sept. 3: Men’s and Women’s Second RoundSept. 4 - Sept. 5: Men’s and Women’s Third RoundSept. 6 - Sept. 7: Men’s and Women’s Round of 16Sept. 8-9: Men’s and Women’s quarterfinalsSeptember 10: Women's Singles SemifinalsSeptember 11: Men's Singles SemifinalsSeptember 12: Women's Singles FinalSeptember 13: Men's Singles Final

Liverpool make 'strong' push to sign Premier League star just days after season endsLiverpool have made a strong push for a Premier League star just days after their season ended.Liverpool aren't trying to waste any time in the transfer window and there are a couple of good reasons for that. Firstly, they've just lost two legendary players for free and must replace them in the squad.But there's also a World Cup this summer, getting in the way of dealings for a solid month. Many players will want their futures sorted before the tournament and that means clubs must move now if they're to get involved for the very best.Liverpool, then, aren't surprising many with news that they've made a strong approach to sign Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United. The boyhood Red is expected to move somewhere this summer, though it's not entirely clear where just yet.Mundo Deportivo reports that it's now really between three: Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Gordon is a wanted man, then, and someone who will have his pick of enormous clubs.The report does claim that he's leaning towards Barcelona as things stand. Liverpool, though, sound determined to change his mind and bring him back to Merseyside.Again, we do expect this one to move quickly. The World Cup isn't far off at all and any deal likely goes through before the tournament. Watch this space.Anthony Gordon: Situation SummaryNewcastle Campaign and StatsAs of 27 May 2026, Anthony Gordon is heavily tipped to leave Newcastle United following a turbulent end to the season. The 25-year-old winger enjoyed a highly productive campaign, netting 17 goals across all competitions—including 10 in the Champions League, where he famously scored a historic hat-trick against Qarabağ. However, as transfer rumors intensified, Eddie Howe omitted him from the squad for Newcastle's final six Premier League matches, including a season-ending 2–0 defeat to Fulham on 24 May.Transfer Tug-of-WarA massive European bidding war has erupted for Gordon, whom Newcastle value at roughly £75 million. Fabrizio Romano confirmed today that Spanish champions Barcelona have entered direct club-to-club talks with Newcastle, with sporting director Deco reportedly swaying the winger to prioritize a move to Camp Nou. Barcelona face stiff competition from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich—who previously agreed to personal terms with Gordon but stalled on the transfer fee—as well as long-term admirers Liverpool.International SelectionDespite his late-season club omission, Gordon has been named in Thomas Tuchel’s final England squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup in North America.

Barcelona €80m signing gets the ‘Here we Go’La Liga champions Barcelona have secured a deal to sign Newcastle United star Anthony Gordon this summer.This comes after the Blaugrana saw a big-money offer for the Englishman accepted by those in the boardroom at St. James’ Park on Wednesday evening.Winger Gordon has of course dominated the headlines across all of Europe over the last 24 hours.After word was forthcoming that the aforementioned Barca had set sights on the signature of the 25-year-old, it was swiftly confirmed that Deco and co. had entered into official talks with their Newcastle counterparts.An agreement on the personal terms of a contract was in turn found with Gordon and his entourage.And as alluded to above, late on Wednesday, an accord has also been sealed on a club-to-club basis.As per a report from market expert Fabrizio Romano, marking an explosive opening to the summer on the part of the Spotify Camp Nou hierarchy:‘Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, here we go! Official bid accepted now by Newcastle board and Saudi owners. €70m fixed fee plus add-ons to bring final package over €80m.’Conor Laird – GSFN

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 07, 2026: Carson Whisenhunt #88 of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training game against the Texas Rangers at Scottsdale Stadium on March 07, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images After a lengthy hiatus so I could eat my body weight in pasta, the Minor League Baseball roundup is back! Five of the San Francisco Giants’ six affiliates were in action on Tuesday — the Dominican Summer League season still hasn’t started — so let’s talk about them!Link to the 2026 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)All listed positions in the roundup are the position played in that particular game.NewsMost of the news on the farm is, unfortunately, injury related. AAA Sacramento placed both RHP Gregory Santos and shortstop Christian Koss on the 7-Day IL. Santos and Koss have both spent time in the Majors this year. AA Richmond LHP Jack Choate (No. 37 CPL) was also put on the 7-Day IL, while the ACL Giants placed RHP Dilan Fernandez on the 60-Day IL. The Giants signed 31-year old RHP Christian Alvarado to a Minor League deal and assigned him to AA Richmond. Alvarado had been playing professionally in Venezuela, and last pitched in affiliated ball in 2019. And congratulations to Low-A San Jose RHP Argenis Cayama (No. 13 CPL), who was named the Pitcher of the Week in the Cal League! AAA Sacramento (30-20)Sacramento River Cats beat the Reno Aces (D-Backs) 10-6 (10 innings)Box scoreI’m of the belief that the Giants should not make a change to their rotation yet, other than to welcome back Logan Webb in a few days. But …. the rotation keeps underperforming, and down on the farm, LHP Carson Whisenhunt (No. 8 CPL) keeps shining. And there’s only so long that those things can go in alternating directions before a change is made.Tuesday was another great start for the 25-year old Whisenhunt, who is still looking for his 1st taste of MLB action this season. He went 5 strong innings against the Aces, while allowing just a baserunner per inning: 4 singles and 1 walk. Just as impressively, the 2022 2nd-round pick struck out 7 batters, while ceding just 1 run on the day. Perhaps most notable was how well Whisenhunt’s fastball played. The velocity still is lacking in the improvements that were teased in the opening week of Spring Training — his 93.4 mph average velo on his fastball is just 1.1 mph higher than in 2025, and it’s logical to assume that will drop a little as the wear and tear of the year grows — but the pitch is performing better this year. 3 of his 7 strikeouts came on swings-and-misses on his fastball, and a 4th was a batter caught looking at it. The penultimate plate appearance of his night was a 3-pitch strikeout featuring 3 swings-and-misses … all on fastballs. Last year, AAA hitters had a .330 expected batting average, a .513 expected slugging percentage, a 40.3% hard hit rate, and just a 14.8% whiff rate on Whisenhunt’s 4-seamer. This year? A .252 expected average, a .401 expected slugging, a 38.0% hard hit rate, and a 21.1% whiff rate. Needless to say, those improvements bleed through to his star pitch, the changeup, which plays much better when paired with a competitive heater. It all adds up to a package that’s working very, very well right now: over his last 6 starts, Whiz has thrown 33.1 innings and allowed just 24 hits, 8 walks, and 6 runs, with 34 strikeouts. That’s lowered his ERA to 3.21 and his FIP to 3.53 … numbers that rank 3rd and 1st, respectively, out of the 39 Pacific Coast League pitchers who have thrown at least 30 innings this year. Given that the Giants rotation is 26th in ERA and 20th in FIP, it’s not hard to find reasons why Whisenhunt should maybe get a look in the Majors. What will be interesting to see is how long the Giants want to see Whisenhunt maintain this level of performance. You may recall that last year he had an utterly dominant May, only to really fall apart for most of the rest of the season. Hopefully he gets over that midseason hump more successfully this year.Unfortunately, Whisenhunt was followed by a rough outing from RHP Ryan Walker, who made his 3rd appearance since getting optioned. Walker was dominant in his the 1st pair of games he played in, but couldn’t find the strike zone in this one: he threw just 10 of 23 pitches for strikes, while walking 2 batters, allowing 2 hits, and giving up 1 run while recording just 2 outs … though both outs were by way of strikes.On offense, the River Cats waited until the end to do their damage, as 7 of their 10 runs occurred in the lone extra inning. The biggest hit belonged to one of the team’s newest players, as center fielder Scott Bandura broke open what was then a 4-3 game with a 3-run home run … providing 3 much-needed insurance runs, given that RHP Michael Fulmer would allow 3 runs to score in the bottom half of the inning (after blowing a save by allowing the tying run in the 9th). BANDURA BLASTScott Bandura homers in the 10th to bring 3 runs in during extra innings pic.twitter.com/nTMhd7yRCl— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) May 26, 2026Bandura finished the day 2-5, while also stealing his 1st base at the level, as he continues to look comfortable at his new level. The 2023 7th-round pick has only played 6 games since getting promoted to AAA, and while his numbers are so-so (6-25 with 2 extra-base hits, 3 walks, and 5 strikeouts), his at-bats are competitive. He’s certainly not overmatched out there.Speaking of recently-promoted players, catcher Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL) had a delightful day, hitting 2-4 with a double, a hit by pitch, 2 stolen bases, and a strikeout. The 2023 17th-round pick has picked up exactly where he left off a year ago, when he had a sensational breakout season, seemingly out of nowhere. The early-season promotion hasn’t fazed him in the slightest, as through 10 games the 24-year old lefty is 14-38 with 9 extra-base hits, 3 walks, 7 strikeouts, and 3 stolen bases in as many attempts, good for a 1.155 OPS and a 190 wRC+. Despite the gaudy numbers, Cavanaugh is probably still a ways away from the Majors, given that the Giants have the fairly rare 4 catchers on the 40-man roster. But Patrick Bailey has been traded away, and neither Daniel Susac (No. 20 CPL) nor Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) is a proven entity yet, so Cavanaugh absolutely could work his way into the plans this year.And speaking of depth options, nice games for second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL) and first baseman Buddy Kennedy. Furman hit 3-5 with a double, raising his OPS to .746 and his wRC+ to 108 in his debut AAA season, while Kennedy went 1-5 with his team-leading 8th home run of the year, giving the veteran a .983 OPS and a 157 wRC+.Furman gets one across with an RBI single to break the tie in the 10th pic.twitter.com/E83nN5IQsL— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) May 26, 2026Buddy kicks our game off with ANOTHER home run 🔥(this guy is ON FIRE) pic.twitter.com/R0AO33P6aX— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) May 26, 2026AA Richmond (31-14)Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Akron RubberDucks (Guardians) 5-2Box scoreA poor game all around for the Flying Squirrels, who were uninteresting on each side of the ball. Their pitchers limited damage, but it wasn’t particularly pretty. The starter, RHP Trystan Vrieling, limited the RubberDucks to just 1 run in 3.2 innings … but allowed 4 hits and 5 walks, while striking out 4. That’s how the year has gone for Vrieling, a 2022 3rd-round pick who came to the Giants last year in the Camilo Doval trade. He’s up to 25 walks in just 39.2 innings this year, but has somehow kept runs off the board, resulting in quite a gap between his ERA (3.63) and his FIP (5.23). Things were even uglier at the end of the game, when RHPs Dylan Hecht and Tyler Vogel also couldn’t keep runners off the bases, but had run totals that more properly reflected that (4 baserunners and 3 runs in 1 inning for Hecht, who has as 8.69 ERA and an 8.20 FIP; 3 baserunners and 1 run in 1 inning for Vogel, who has a 2.45 ERA and a 5.09 FIP).But the pitchers in the middle were the lone bright spot of the day, and it was a pair of names fairly new to Richmond: RHPs Ben Peterson and Christian Alvarado. Peterson, a 24-year old UDFA in his 2nd season, made his 5th appearance since a recent promotion, and tossed 1.1 scoreless innings with 1 hit and 2 strikeouts. He’s been excellent so far in AA, with 11 strikeouts in 7 innings, and just 9 baserunners and 2 runs. As for Alvarado, he was playing in his 1st Minor League game since … wait for it … 2019! And he threw a scoreless inning with a hit and 2 strikeouts.Cristian Alvarado has his first punchout in affiliated baseball since 2019 😤 pic.twitter.com/u6i4nVi17v— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 26, 2026Alvarado, who had a solid 2019 in AA for the Orioles before losing 2020 to the pandemic and 2021 to injury, and then heading to Venezuela, was just signed by the Giants. We’ll see if the 31-year old can become a great story for San Francisco.A very quiet day on offense, with Richmond’s stars all having very modest games: center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) went 0-4 and was caught stealing; left fielder Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts; and right fielder Jonah Cox hit 1-4 with a strikeout and his 25th stolen base of the year. It’s certainly notable, though, that the organization has started using Harber in the outfield. The best days belonged to a pair of backstops: catcher Adrián Sugastey and designated hitter Ty Hanchey. Sugastey hit 2-4 with a double, though he struck out twice, while Hanchey hit 1-2 with a double and 2 walks, though he was caught stealing. The 23-year old Sugastey is trying to find a rhythm in his 3rd pass through AA, and while his numbers are modest (.747 OPS, 97 wRC+), they represent significant improvements. Hanchey, a 26-year old UDFA, has bounced around this year (he started the year in High-A, and has briefly filled in with AAA Sacramento), but has excelled during his 9-game stint with Richmond, posting a 1.062 OPS and a 181 wRC+. On the board first this week in Ohio thanks to Ty Hanchey! pic.twitter.com/zZtZS1fKPl— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) May 26, 2026High-A Eugene (34-12)Eugene Emeralds lost to the Vancouver Canadians (Blue Jays) 3-0Box scoreWell, just as was the case for Richmond, Eugene had quite a stinker of a game. And, just as was the case with Richmond, even Eugene’s decent pitching performance wasn’t as good as it looked on the surface. When you only allow 3 runs in a game, you assume that the starting pitcher was strong, but that wasn’t the case for LHP Luis De La Torre (No. 14 CPL), who had another tough go of it. Namely, LDLT once again struggled to find the strike zone. He proved very difficult to hit: in 3.1 innings he gave up just 1 hit, a single, while striking out 3. But he walked a whopping 5 batters on the day, while throwing just 40 of 78 pitches for strikes. In all, he was only tagged with 2 runs, but it’s hard to feel good about a day where you have half as many walks as outs recorded. Walks have been a huge issue all year for De La Torre, who has a 4.94 ERA and a 5.40 FIP in his 1st pass through High-A. The 22-year old has issued a staggering 30 free passes in just 31 innings this year, and unfortunately it hasn’t really been a case of effective wildness. Not only have his walks per 9 innings spiked year-over-year, from 3.3 to 8.7, but his strikeouts have dropped from 13.2 to 10.5, and his ground ball rate from 48.4% to 32.9%. Things just aren’t clicking right now for the southpaw, though he remains one of the top pitching prospects in the system.RHP Cole Hillier had a decent outing, with 4 strikeouts against 0 walks in 2.1 innings and just 2 hits allowed. He did give up a solo home run, though, so it wasn’t an outing that will particularly help his ERA (which sits at 4.76), but a good showing for the 26-year old UDFA nonetheless.A dismal day on offense, with the Emeralds recording just 4 hits and 1 walk while getting shut out. The best day emphatically belonged to right fielder Trevor Cohen (No. 15 CPL), who hit 2-4 with a double, providing 50% of the team’s knocks and 100% of their extra-base hits. After a slow start to his debut full season, last year’s 3rd-round pick has started to figure things out a bit. Check out the splits: First 24 games: 19-91, 1 triple, 8 doubles, 20 walks, 21 strikeoutsNext 18 games: 25-73, 7 doubles, 9 walks, 5 strikeoutsOn the whole, it’s a .751 OPS and a 113 wRC+ for the 22-year old lefty. Low-A San Jose (25-21)San Jose Giants lost to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 8-5Box scoreDown in Low-A, the starting pitching was the same as in High-A and AA: a walk-filled adventure. For the Baby Giants, it was RHP Keyner Martinez (No. 10 CPL), who simply could not find the strike zone, just as De La Torre and Vrieling could not. Martinez threw just 49 of 78 pitches for strikes, while issuing 5 walks in only 3.2 innings. That, combined with 3 hits, tagged him for 4 runs on the day, though he did pile up 6 strikeouts along the way. Like De La Torre, the 21-year old Martinez, who is arguably the top pitching prospect in the system, has seen his walks leap this year, from 2.7 per 9 innings a year ago, to 5.6 this season. But unlike De La Torre, it hasn’t come at the expense of his strikeouts, which have improved, from 12.6 per 9 to a staggering 13.9 this year. The ERA may be a lowly 5.85, and the FIP just 4.83, but Martinez’s K/9 number ranks 8th out of 493 Minor League pitchers with at least 30 innings thrown this year. There’s something special there, even if the total package is still very much a work in progress.Martinez was followed by RHP Ubert Mejias, who tossed 3.2 shutout frames with 4 hits, 0 walks, and 3 strikeouts. The 25-year old Mejias has just a 3.74 ERA and a 5.00 FIP, but has a stunning ratio of 36 strikeouts to just 5 walks in 33.2 innings this year.Unfortunately, another rough go of it for RHP Cooper McGrath, who blew a lead in the 8th inning by allowing 5 baserunners and 4 runs in just an inning of action. McGrath, a 25-year old who was taken in the 18th round last year, has had a brutal start to his career, with a 10.38 ERA and an 8.71 FIP through 13 appearances. Not sure how many of you are aware of this, but “Tuesday” is a day that ends in “Y.” That can only mean one thing: another dominant showing for shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL). Level continues to turn the Cal League into his own personal playground, and certainly looks far too advanced for Low-A … despite being more than 2 years below the league average age. It was another dominant day for the switch-hitter, who went 3-5 and blasted a home run on the 3rd pitch of the game.Another day, another Jhonny Level first inning home run. pic.twitter.com/xDT9HpTJuy— San Jose Giants (@SJGiants) May 26, 2026Let’s contextualize Level’s success a little bit. With that dinger, he reached 10 homers on the year … a mark that just 4 other hitters in all of Low-A have reached this season. Those 4 include Zach MacDonald, an outfielder who is 22 years and 9 months; Jackson Lovich, a third baseman who is 22 years and 6 months; and Easton Shelton, a first baseman who is 20 years and 8 months.Level? A shortstop who is 19 years and 1 month old. The only other Low-A hitter with double-digit dingers who is near Level’s age is José Anderson, who is 19 years and 5 months (and plays the outfield). And really, Anderson is the player who most shows how impressive Level has been … because in order to get his 10 homers, Anderson has completely sold out for power, sporting just a .176 batting average, and striking out 42.9% of the time. Level? He has a .331 average and a 16.5% strikeout rate, stats that rank 11th and 40th, respectively, out of the 282 Low-A hitters with at least 100 plate appearances this year. All while playing awesome defense at shortstop. And hitting from both sides. And, forgive me for repeating myself, being 19 years and 1 month old. There’s a reason that Level jumped into the top 50 in Kiley McDaniel’s recent prospect rankings. On the whole, it’s a .985 OPS and a 136 wRC+ for Level, and it is starting to feel like he may not be in San Jose for all that much longer.The other star was third baseman Dario Reynoso, who hit 2-4 with both a triple and a double. The 21-year, 2-month old righty has been on fire for a while now, and has raised his OPS to .974 and his wRC+ to 144, with a scintillating blend of average, extra-base hits, and walks. The strikeouts remain a mixed bag: with a 30.3% rate, he’s striking out way too often, but also has shown considerable improvement over last year.Reynoso has had a blistering month: since May 2, he’s 21-60 with 4 home runs, 2 triples, 6 doubles, 14 walks, and 20 strikeouts. If he can get the strikeouts in check, he could turn into something special.Also a nice day for left fielder Damian Bravo, who hit 1-4 with a double, a hit by pitch, an outfield assist, and a strikeout. Last year’s 15th-round pick has an .837 OPS and a 103 wRC+ on the season.Damian Bravo with the CANNON to keep this a one-run lead heading into the 7th. pic.twitter.com/xU3jdSegCP— San Jose Giants (@SJGiants) May 26, 2026Arizona Complex League (9-9)ACL Giants beat the ACL Rockies 1-0 Box scorePitcher’s duels aren’t something you usually see on the Complex League, but here we are!It began with RHP Nien-Hsi Yang, who had an awesome start, with just 4 baserunners allowed (2 singles and 2 walks) in 4 shutout innings. Yang, a 19-year old from Taiwan, struck out 4 batters in his 5th game of the season. Injuries limited Yang to just 5 innings in his debut season last year, so it’s nice seeing him healthy and finding a rhythm on the mound. He has some really nasty stuff, and Tuesday was the best display of it in his short career.RHP Samir Chires ended the game with a dominant showing, giving up just 1 hit in 3 shutout frames, while striking out 6 batters. A 22-year old from Venezuela, Chires is in his 4th season in the ACL, so it’s probably go-time for him if he wants his career to continue. This was easily his best outing, and gives him 15 strikeouts in just 10 innings … though funnily enough, despite pitching in just 6 games, Chires has already allowed 6 unearned runs this year, to go with 4 earned runs. A lot of decent days in the batter’s box, despite the low score. Shortstop Luis Hernández (No. 6 CPL) hit 1-3 with a triple and a walk, though he also had a strikeout and his 4th error of the season. It remains stunning what Hernández is doing: at just 17 years and 5 months, with no DSL time, the slick-fielding righty has a 1.057 OPS and a 148 wRC+ Among the 76 ACL hitters with at least 50 plate appearances this year, Hernández is 12th in average (.329), 31st in on-base percentage (.400), 5th in slugging percentage (.657), 3rd in isolated slugging (.329), and 14th in strikeout rate (16.3%). All while being more than 2.5 years younger than league average. He’s the real deal, folks!Catcher Yohendry Sanchez continued his strong season, as the 19-year old from Venezuela hit 1-3 with a double and a walk, raising his OPS to 1.064 and his wRC+ to 185. One of the stars of the the team’s 2024 signing class (he received the highest signing bonus of the Giants’ class, a few hundred thousand above Jhonny Level), Sanchez struggled in the DSL last year, but has put that behind him this year. He’s done it with outrageous contact skills: Sanchez is hitting .433 through 9 games, and has just 2 strikeouts in 39 plate appearances.Second baseman Yulian Barreto and left fielder Oliver Tejada are both very intriguing prospects who are trying to put the pieces together, and they both had good games. The 18-year old Barreto, in his 1st season stateside, went 1-3 with a double and a hit by pitch, boosting his OPS to .787 and his wRC+ to 112. The 19-year old Tejada, who is repeating the ACL, hit 2-4 with a double and a strikeout, raising his OPS to .685 and his wRC+ to 76. Home run tracker10 — Jhonny Level — [Low-A]8 — Buddy Kennedy — [AAA]4 — Scott Bandura — [1 in AAA; 3 in AA]Wednesday scheduleSacramento: 6:05 p.m. PT at Reno (SP: TBD)Richmond: 3:35 p.m. PT at Akron (SP: Matt Wilkinson)Eugene: 7:05 p.m. PT at Vancouver (SP: Yunior Marte)San Jose: 6:50 p.m. PT at Fresno (SP: TBD)Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV

STARBASE, TX—Firing off dozens of messages in less than a minute at 2:30 a.m., Elon Musk reportedly hit up a text thread Wednesday to see if any of his 13 kids had ketamine. “Hey kids, it’s Dad, I’ve just been crashing out hard and need a few bumps of K to get me to the end of the week if you have any hookups,” wrote Musk, who was said to be pale and shaking as he frantically typed out the requests to his children, aged 1 to 22 years, in a chat group he had labeled “Kids?” “Really need to take a trip to the vet if you know what I mean. That’s ketamine, I need ketamine. I’ll pay twice what you normally get if you can get here in a few hours, you know I’m good for it. I can meet you out front of the base by the Astropub. My normal guy disappeared in the Gulf over the weekend and none of your mommies are responding and I’ve been sweating like a factory drone and haven’t slept for three days. Strider? Y? I’ll settle for some coke if that’s all you got. I’ve got a bunch of numbers in here I assume are all of you. There are 11 of you right?” At press time, reports confirmed Musk had promised to “add a zero” to the trust fund of the first child who responded to his pleas. The post Elon Musk Hits Up Text Thread To See If Any Of His 13 Kids Has Ketamine appeared first on The Onion.

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Rest vs. rust. It is an age-old sports debate.Athletes may want more of a reprieve entering something like the NBA Finals, as the playoffs have taxed their bodies at a consistently high rate, but they do not want too much time off, for it could disrupt the rhythm and connectivity that got them this far.In the NBA, there has been no rhyme or reason to the question of whether additional rest matters entering the Finals, as the team with the greater respite is just 13-13 since 2000.But for fans of the New York Knicks, who will have eight days of rest entering the 2026 NBA Finals, there is some reason to believe the additional time off could benefit them.For their part, the Knicks sound more concerned about rust than rest.“We really wanna get back to work,”New York’s Karl-Anthony Towns told reporters this week. “We know what happened last time we had the long layoff, so we already talked after the game right away about preparing, getting to practice, back to the work. That’s what’s made us special and it’s what’s gonna give us a chance to win the next series.”Good news, Knicks fans …Over the past decade, in an era of parity, as the pace and spacing of the game taxes players more than ever, when coaches are digging deeper into their rotations to counter-balance increased concern over minutes and injuries, the team with more rest entering the NBA Finals is 7-3 (including 5-1 over the last six years and 4-0 in the past four years.)Likewise, teams with at least a week’s rest entering the Finals are 8-4 in the series since 2000. They are 4-1 over the past decade and 3-0 in the last three years. More importantly, when one team has at least a week’s rest and the other team has less than a week’s rest entering the NBA Finals, the team with more rest has won 7 of 9 matchups since 2000.And that’s the key, since the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are playing a prolonged series in the Western Conference finals. Considering the Knicks swept their conference finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers, rest vs. rust may never be more apparent.If the Thunder win Game 6, they will earn five days off — three fewer than the Knicks — before a second straight Finals appearance. Teams with three or more days rest than their foes entering the Finals are 9-5 since 2000, including 4-0 in the past four years.Now for the bad news …If, however, the West finals goes to a Game 7, the winner will have only three days off compared to New York’s eight. But teams with five or more days rest than the opponents entering the Finals are just 3-3 since 2000. This lends further credence to the notion that there is no correlation between extensive additional rest and championship success.Perhaps there is something to staying in rhythm, though, as teams that have had two or three days of rest between the conference finals and NBA Finals are just as likely to win the title (7-7 since 2000) as teams with eight, nine or 10 days of rest (4-4 since 2000).Of course, there are injury concerns for both the Thunder and Spurs, as the Knicks get their rest. OKC has been without breakout star Ajay Mitchell (calf) for the past two games and without All-NBA wing Jalen Williams (hamstring) for the past three games (and 39 of their past 52 games). San Antonio standout guards De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper are recently on the mend. There is a sweet spot in the rest vs. rust debate, even if it feels random. Teams with exactly one week off between the end of the conference finals and the start of the NBA Finals are 4-0 since 2000. Counterpoint: Teams with exactly eight days rest are 0-1 this century (though those ‘15 Cavs were hampered by injuries to Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving).Only once in the last decade has a team had a significant rest advantage (of five or more days), and it was the Denver Nuggets in 2023, when they beat the Miami Heat, 4-1. Then again, the Nuggets were pretty significant favorites heading into a championship series.Whether or not the team entering the NBA Finals is favored to win, regardless of rest, is a far better indicator of who will actually win the series, as the favorites have won 18 of the 26 title races since 2000, and most of the “upsets” have been fairly even odds. Only the 2004 Detroit Pistons and 2019 Toronto Raptors won as greater than +200 underdogs (and those Raptors benefited from injuries to both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson).Note: You can get the Knicks at +210 right now, and neither the Pistons nor Raptors had more rest than their opponent. Or maybe a lack of rust won them titles. Who is to say.For the record, underdogs are just 1-2 in the NBA Finals since 2000 when they have had at least three more days of rest than their opponent. It required LeBron James’ comeback from a 3-1 deficit against the 73-win Golden State Warriors to get that one win.

The U.S. Open was first contested in 1895 and J.J. Spaun became the 125th winner when he prevailed, in dramatic fashion, by two shots over Robert MacIntyre at Oakmont Country Club.Here's a look at all the U.S. Open champions and where they won (* = playoff; a = amateur): YEARWINNERSCORESITE 2025 J.J. Spaun 279 (-1) Oakmont C.C. 2024 Bryson DeChambeau 274 (-6) Pinehurst Resort & C.C. 2023 Wyndham Clark 270 (-10) The Los Angeles Country Club 2022 Matt Fitzpatrick 274 (-6) The Country Club 2021 Jon Rahm 278 (-6) Torrey Pines Golf Course 2020 Bryson DeChambeau 274 (-6) Winged Foot G.C. 2019 Gary Woodland 271 (-13) Pebble Beach Golf Links 2018 Brooks Koepka 281 (+1) Shinnecock Hills G.C. 2017 Brooks Koepka 272 (-16) Erin Hills 2016 Dustin Johnson 276 (-4) Oakmont C.C. 2015 Jordan Spieth 275 (-5) Chambers Bay 2014 Martin Kaymer 271 (-9) Pinehurst Resort & C.C. 2013 Justin Rose 281 (+1) Merion Golf Club 2012 Webb Simpson 281 (+1) The Olympic Club 2011 Rory McIlroy 268 (-16) Congressional C.C. 2010 Graeme McDowell 284 (E) Pebble Beach G.L. 2009 Lucas Glover 276 (-4) Bethpage State Park 2008 Tiger Woods* 281 (-1) Torrey Pines G.C. 2007 Angel Cabrera 285 (+5) Oakmont C.C. 2006 Geoff Ogilvy 285 (+5) Winged Foot G.C. 2005 Michael Campbell 280 (E) Pinehurst Resort & C.C. 2004 Retief Goosen 276 (-4) Shinnecock Hills G.C. 2003 Jim Furyk 272 (-8) Olympia Fields C.C. 2002 Tiger Woods 277 (-3) Bethpage State Park 2001 Retief Goosen* 276 (-4) Southern Hills C.C. 2000 Tiger Woods 272 (-12) Pebble Beach G.L. 1999 Payne Stewart 279 (-1) Pinehurst R. & C.C. 1998 Lee Janzen 280 (E) The Olympic Club 1997 Ernie Els 276 (-4) Congressional C.C. 1996 Steve Jones 278 (-2) Oakland Hills C.C. 1995 Corey Pavin 280 (E) Shinnecock Hills G.C. 1994 Ernie Els* 279 (-5) Oakmont C.C. 1993 Lee Janzen 272 (-8) Baltusrol Golf Club 1992 Tom Kite 285 (-3) Pebble Beach G.L. 1991 Payne Stewart 282 (-6) Hazeltine National G.C. 1990 Hale Irwin* 280 (-8) Medinah C.C. 1989 Curtis Strange 278 (-2) Oak Hill C.C. 1988 Curtis Strange* 278 (-6) The Country Club 1987 Scott Simpson 277 (-3) The Olympic Club 1986 Raymond Floyd 279 (-1) Shinnecock Hills G.C. 1985 Andy North 279 (-1) Oakland Hills C.C. 1984 Fuzzy Zoeller* 276 (-4) Winged Foot G.C. 1983 Larry Nelson 280 (-4) Oakmont C.C. 1982 Tom Watson 282 (-6) Pebble Beach G.L. 1981 David Graham 273 (-7) Merion Golf Club 1980 Jack Nicklaus 272 (-8) Baltusrol Golf Club 1979 Hale Irwin 284 (E) Inverness Club 1978 Andy North 285 (+1) Cherry Hills C.C. 1977 Hubert Green 278 (-2) Southern Hills C.C. 1976 Jerry Pate 277 (-3) Atlanta Athletic Club 1975 Lou Graham* 287 (+3) Medinah C.C. 1974 Hale Irwin 287 (+7) Winged Foot G.C. 1973 Johnny Miller 279 (-5) Oakmont C.C. 1972 Jack Nicklaus 290 (+2) Pebble Beach G.L. 1971 Lee Trevino* 280 (E) Merion Golf Club 1970 Tony Jacklin 281 (-7) Hazeltine National G.C. 1969 Orville Moody 281 (+1) Champions Golf Club 1968 Lee Trevino 275 (-5) Oak Hill Country Club 1967 Jack Nicklaus 275 (-5) Baltusrol Golf Club 1966 Billy Casper Jr.* 278 (-2) The Olympic Club 1965 Gary Player* 282 (+2) Bellerive C.C. 1964 Ken Venturi 278 (-2) Congressional C.C. 1963 Julius Boros* 293 (+9) The Country Club 1962 Jack Nicklaus* 283 (-1) Oakmont C.C. 1961 Gene Littler 281 (+1) Oakland Hills C.C. 1960 Arnold Palmer 280 (-4) Cherry Hills C.C. 1959 Billy Casper Jr. 282 (+2) Winged Foot G.C. 1958 Tommy Bolt 283 (+3) Southern Hills C.C. 1957 Dick Mayer* 282 (+2) Inverness Club 1956 Cary Middlecoff 281 (+1) Oak Hill C.C. 1955 Jack Fleck* 287 (+7) The Olympic Club 1954 Ed Furgol 284 (+4) Baltusrol Golf Club 1953 Ben Hogan 283 (-5) Oakmont C.C. 1952 Julius Boros 281 (+1) Northwood Club 1951 Ben Hogan 287 (+7) Oakland Hills C.C. 1950 Ben Hogan* 287 (+7) Merion Golf Club 1949 Cary Middlecoff 286 (+2) Medinah C.C. 1948 Ben Hogan 276 (-8) Riviera Country Club 1947 Lew Worsham* 282 (-2) St. Louis C.C. 1946 Lloyd Mangrum* 284 (-4) Canterbury C.C. 1945 No championship - World War II 1944 No championship - World War II 1943 No championship - World War II 1942 No championship - World War II 1941 Craig Wood 284 (+4) Colonial Country Club 1940 Lawson Little* 287 (-1) Canterbury C.C. 1939 Byron Nelson* 284 (+8) Philadelphia C.C. 1938 Ralph Guldahl 284 (E) Cherry Hills C.C. 1937 Ralph Guldahl 281 (-7) Oakland Hills C.C. 1936 Tony Manero 282 (-6) Baltusrol Golf Club 1935 Sam Parks Jr. 299 (+11) Oakmont C.C. 1934 Olin Dutra 293 (+13) Merion Cricket Club 1933 Johnny Goodman (a) 287 (-1) North Shore G.C. 1932 Gene Sarazen 286 (+6) Fresh Meadow C.C. 1931 Billy Burke* 292 (+8) Inverness Club 1930 Bob Jones (a) 287 (-1) Interlachen C.C. 1929 Bob Jones (a)* 294 (+6) Winged Foot G.C. 1928 Johnny Farrell* 294 (+10) Olympia Fields C.C. 1927 Tommy Armour* 301 (+13) Oakmont C.C. 1926 Bob Jones (a) 293 (+5) Scioto Country Club 1925 William Macfarlane* 291 (+7) Worcester C.C. 1924 Cyril Walker 297 (+9) Oakland Hills C.C. 1923 Bob Jones (a)* 296 (+8) Inwood Country Club 1922 Gene Sarazen 288 (+8) Skokie Country Club 1921 James M. Barnes 289 (+9) Columbia C.C. 1920 Edward Ray 295 (+7) Inverness Club 1919 Walter Hagen 301 (+17) Brae Burn C.C. 1918 No championship - World War I 1917 No championship - World War I 1916 Charles Evans Jr. (a) 286 (-2) Minikahda Club 1915 Jerome D. Travers (a) 297 (+9) Baltusrol Golf Club 1914 Walter Hagen 290 (+2) Midlothian C.C. 1913 Francis Ouimet (a)* 304 (+20) The Country Club 1912 John J. McDermott 294 (-2) C.C. of Buffalo 1911 John J. McDermott* 307 (+3) Chicago Golf Club 1910 Alex Smith* 298 (+6) Philadelphia Cricket Club 1909 George Sargent 290 Englewood Golf Club 1908 Fred McLeod* 322 Myopia Hunt Club 1907 Alex Ross 302 Philadelphia Cricket C. 1906 Alex Smith 295 Onwentsia Club 1905 Willie Anderson 314 Myopia Hunt Club 1904 Willie Anderson 303 Glen View Club 1903 Willie Anderson* 307 Baltusrol Golf Club 1902 Laurence Auchterlonie 307 Garden City Golf Club 1901 Willie Anderson* 331 Myopia Hunt Club 1900 Harry Vardon 313 Chicago Golf Club 1899 Willie Smith 315 Baltimore C.C. 1898 Fred Herd 328 Myopia Hunt Club 1897 Joe Lloyd 162# Chicago Golf Club 1896 James Foulis 152# Shinnecock Hills G.C. 1895 Horace Rawlins 173# Newport Golf Club

The first U.S. Women's Open was contested in 1946, the only match-play edition of the championship. This year's 80th edition was won by Sweden’s Maja Stark.Here's a look at the past champions, scores and venues, per the USGA (* = won in playoff; (a) = amateur): YEARWINNERSCORECOURSE 2025 Maja Stark 281 (-7) Erin Hills 2024 Yuka Saso 276 (-4) Lancaster C.C. 2023 Allisen Corpuz 279 (-9) Pebble Beach G.L. 2022 Minjee Lee 271 (-13) Pine Needles Lodge & G.C. 2021 Yuka Saso 280 (-4) The Olympic Club (Lake Course) 2020 A Lim Kim 281 (-3) Champions Golf Club 2019 JeongEun Lee6 282 (-6) Country Club of Charleston 2018 *Ariya Jutanugarn 277 (-11) Shoal Creek 2017 Sung Hyun Park 277 (-11) Trump National G.C. 2016 *Brittany Lang 282 (-6) CordeValle 2015 In Gee Chun 272 (-8) Lancaster C.C. 2014 Michelle Wie 278 (-2) Pinehurst Resort & C.C. 2013 Inbee Park 280 (-8) Sebonack G.C. 2012 Na Yeon Choi 281 (-7) Blackwolf Run 2011 *So Yeon Ryu 281 (-3) The Broadmoor 2010 Paula Creamer 281 (-3) Oakmont C.C. 2009 Eun-Hee Ji 284 (E) Saucon Valley C.C. 2008 Inbee Park 283 (-9) Interlachen C.C. 2007 Cristie Kerr 279 (-5) Pine Needles Lodge & G.C. 2006 *Annika Sorenstam 284 (E) Newport C.C. 2005 Birdie Kim 287 (+3) Cherry Hills C.C. 2004 Meg Mallon 274 (-10) Orchards G.C. 2003 *Hilary Lunke 283 (-1) Pumpkin Ridge G.C. 2002 Juli Inkster 276 (-4) Prairie Dunes C.C. 2001 Karrie Webb 273 (-7) Pine Needles Lodge & G.C. 2000 Karrie Webb 282 (-6) The Merit Club 1999 Juli Inkster 272 (-16) Old Waverly G.C. 1998 *Se Ri Pak 290 (+6) Blackwolf Run 1997 Alison Nicholas 274 (-10) Pumpkin Ridge G.C. 1996 Annika Sorenstam 272 (-8) Pine Needles Lodge & G.C. 1995 Annika Sorenstam 278 (-2) The Broadmoor 1994 Patty Sheehan 277 (-7) Indianwood Golf & C.C. 1993 Lauri Merten 280 (-8) Crooked Stick G.C. 1992 *Patty Sheehan 280 (-4) Oakmont C.C. 1991 Meg Mallon 283 (-1) Colonial C.C. 1990 Betsy King 284 (-4) Atlanta Athletic Club 1989 Betsy King 278 (-6) Indianwood Golf & C.C. 1988 Liselotte Neumann 277 (-7) Baltimore C.C. 1987 *Laura Davies 285 (-3) Plainfield C.C. 1986 Jane Geddes 287 (-1) NCR C.C. 1985 Kathy (Baker) Guadagnino 280 (-8) Baltusrol G.C. 1984 Hollis Stacy 290 (+2) Salem C.C. 1983 Jan Stephenson 290 (+6) Cedar Ridge C.C. 1982 Janet Alex 283 (-5) Del Paso C.C. 1981 Pat Bradley 279 (-9) LaGrange C.C. 1980 Amy Alcott 280 (-4) Richland C.C. 1979 Jerilyn Britz 284 (E) Brooklawn C.C. 1978 Hollis Stacy 289 (+5) Country Club of Indianapolis 1977 Hollis Stacy 292 (+4) Hazeltine National G.C. 1976 *JoAnne Gunderson Carner 292 (+8) Rolling Green G.C. 1975 Sandra Palmer 295 (+7) Atlantic City C.C. 1974 Sandra Haynie 295 (+7) LaGrange C.C. 1973 Susie Maxwell Berning 290 (+2) Country Club of Rochester 1972 Susie Maxwell Berning 299 (+11) Winged Foot G.C. 1971 JoAnne Gunderson Carner 288 (E) Kahkwa Club 1970 Donna Caponi 287 (+3) Muskogee C.C. 1969 Donna Caponi 294 (+2) Scenic Hills C.C. 1968 Susie Maxwell Berning 289 (+5) Moselem Springs G.C. 1967 Catherine Lacoste (a) 294 (+10) Virginia Hot Springs Golf & T.C. 1966 Sandra Spuzich 297 (+9) Hazeltine National G.C. 1965 Carol Mann 290 (+2) Atlantic City C.C. 1964 *Mickey Wright 290 (-2) San Diego C.C. 1963 Mary Mills 289 (-3) Kenwood C.C. 1962 Murle Lindstrom 301 (+13) Dunes Golf & C.C. 1961 Mickey Wright 293 (+5) Baltusrol G.C. 1960 Betsy Rawls 292 (+4) Worcester C.C. 1959 Mickey Wright 287 (+7) Churchill Valley C.C. 1958 Mickey Wright 290 (-2) Forest Lake C.C. 1957 Betsy Rawls 299 (+7) Winged Foot G.C. 1956 *Kathy Cornelius 302 (+7) Northand C.C. 1955 Fay Crocker 299 (+11) Wichita C.C. 1954 Babe Didrikson Zaharias 291 (+3) Salem C.C. 1953 *Betsy Rawls 302 (+6) Country Club of Rochester 1952 Louise Suggs 284 (+8) Bala G.C. 1951 Betsy Rawls 293 (+5) Druid Hills G.C. 1950 Babe Didrikson Zaharias 291 (-9) Rolling Hills C.C. 1949 Louise Suggs 291 (-9) Prince Georges Golf & C.C. 1948 Babe Didrikson Zaharias 300 (E) Atlantic City C.C. 1947 Betty Jameson 295 (-9) Starmount Forest C.C. 1946 Patty Berg 5 and 4 Spokane C.C.

The Chiefs selected WR Cyrus Allen in the NFL draft. A month ago, he might have looked like rookie bench fodder. Now he has a real path toward fantasy relevance.Rashee Rice’s injury recovery and off-the-field drama make him a long shot to play in all 17 games. In fact, if his outlook doesn’t brighten in the next couple of months, he might become a long shot to play in 14+ games, which would open the door for an otherwise “undraftable” receiver.Travis Kelce will turn 37 in October and might struggle to match last year’s 76-851-5 receiving line. In fact, a 65-750-4 ceiling is more realistic at this stage of his career. Xavier Worthy has not yet stepped up as a consistent producer. Tyquan Thornton is a reclamation project. 2025 fourth-rounder Jalen Royals had only four receiving yards, which was 17 fewer than the mostly unknown Nikko Remigio.If Allen shows well in camp, he could push for the #3 role even when Rice is on the field. If Rice misses time, Allen could become a weekly streamer in a plus offense. Of course, this assumes Patrick Mahomes will return in Week 1 -- a mostly realistic expectation if you’re playing the odds.This also assumes the Chiefs won’t go big and trade for someone like A.J. Brown. However, this franchise might make such a deal only if Rice is expected to miss a decent chunk of the season. In that scenario, there would still be a game-to-game role for Allen to nab two or three catches on three or four targets.At minimum, managers should set an alert for Allen news, as well as Brown and Rice news (and if you’re a foodie, set an alert for new brown rice recipes). Each season, a handful of under-the-radar rookies break through. Allen has as good a shot as any to be in that group.This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Why fantasy managers should keep close tabs on Chiefs rookie WR Cyrus Allen

ToplinePodcast host and UFC commentator Joe Rogan once again criticized the upcoming UFC fight at the White House on his podcast Wednesday, suggesting the outdoor arena, which started construction this week, could leave fighters exposed to heat, rain or bugs.Rogan has been a frequent critic of the upcoming UFC fight at the White House. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)Zuffa LLCKey FactsThis is a developing story. Check back for updates.This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Kenneth Iwamasa injected Mr. Perry with the ketamine that killed him. He is the last of five defendants to be sentenced in the case.

Santiago Rivera is widely credited with creating the “burnt” cheesecake in the 1980s, though he doesn’t love the spinoffs it has spawned. Decades later, he’s preparing to hand over his kitchen to his children.

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Eury Perez made it through four innings of his start against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. Perez did not take the mound for the fifth inning, which was surprising because he had been pitching really well, striking out nine batters on 73 pitches through four. Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentThe broadcast showed that Perez was warming up for the inning with a pitching coach. All of a sudden, the pitcher looked like he had pulled or injured something while stretching and had to immediately sit down. The broadcast then explained that Perez also needed help down the dugout stairs to go to the locker room and undergo testing. He was replaced by Michael Peterson, who pitched only 0.2 innings and allowed one earned run on one hit, while walking two on 23 pitches. The 23-year-old Perez has made 11 starts this season. He has a 3-6 record with a 4.91 ERA. His outing against Toronto on Wednesday looked like his best start to a game this season, with an impressive seven punchouts in four innings. Perez is now considered day-to-day. The hope is that it is just a bad case of cramps, but given the way he was stretching in the dugout and his needing help walking to the locker room, there is concern he may have suffered a groin injury.

Nicolas Jackson open to staying at Chelsea but wants assurances from Xabi AlonsoChelsea striker Nicolas Jackson has admitted that he’s open to remaining at the club but only if he receives certain assurances from incoming manager Xabi Alonso.According to The Sun, Jackson has made it clear he wants to be Chelsea’s first-choice striker as he prepares to return from a loan spell at Bayern Munich, where he helped the club win the Bundesliga.Chelsea have announced Alonso as their new permanent manager following a nightmare campaign that ended with another disappointing 2-1 defeat against Sunderland.That defeat means Chelsea will not play in Europe next season, which has sparked unrest within the club.A number of high-profile Chelsea players are already being linked with a summer exit, with Enzo Fernandez and Joao Pedro among those attracting plenty of interest.While Chelsea have no interest in losing their big names, they could be powerless to stop them, especially without European football to offer.Jackson doesn’t seem to be concerned about the absence of European football.Despite playing second fiddle to England captain Harry Kane throughout the season, Jackson returned 11 goals and four assists in 34 games across all competitions.He scored eight times in 23 Bundesliga games, although he started just 12 times.With Bayern making it clear that they have no interest in retaining his services, the Senegal international is now expected to hold talks with Chelsea over what comes next in his career.Chelsea are reportedly ready to hold talks with Jackson’s camp in the coming weeks.The 24-year-old could stay at Stamford Bridge and fight for his place, head out on another loan move, or even consider leaving permanently if the right offer arrives.However, his future depends more on Alonso’s plans for his attacking set-up than Jackson’s demands.Since his exit, Pedro has stepped up for Chelsea, scoring 20 goals in 50 appearances across all competitions in the just concluded campaign.Those numbers have sparked interest from Barcelona, but .

The Women’s College World Series is here, as the final eight teams head to Oklahoma City to battle to become the 2026 national champion. The regional and super regional rounds saw some exciting matchups and some surprises, as No. 1-seeded Oklahoma missed out on its 10th straight WCWS berth at the hands of No. 5 underdog Mississippi State.Reigning champion Texas is back, as is last year’s runner-up Texas Tech, seeking redemption. Arkansas is in its first WCWS in program history after sweeping the NCAA tournament competition. Nebraska, Alabama and UCLA round out the field.Here’s everything you need to know about the 2026 Women’s College World Series.When is the Women’s College World Series?The Women’s College World Series will run from Thursday, May 28 to Friday, June 5, depending on whether a decisive Game 3 is necessary in the championship series. Where is the Women’s College World Series held?The Women’s College World Series is held at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.Which teams advanced to the Women’s College World Series?No. 1 seeds Texas, Alabama and Nebraska; No. 2 seeds Tennessee, UCLA and Arkansas; No. 3 seed Texas Tech; and No. 5 seed Mississippi State made it out of the super regionals en route to OKC.What is the schedule and broadcast schedule? Play begins on Thursday, May 28, with a quadruple-header (all times Eastern)12 p.m.: No. 3 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Mississippi State (ESPN)2:30 p.m.: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 Tennessee, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)7 p.m.: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 2 UCLA, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)9:30 p.m.: No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 2 Arkansas (ESPN2)Friday, May 297 p.m.: Loser of Texas Tech/Mississippi State vs. loser of Texas/Tennessee (ESPN)9:30 p.m.: Loser of Alabama/UCLA vs. loser of Nebraska/Arkansas (ESPN)Saturday, May 303 p.m.: Winner of Texas Tech/Mississippi State vs. winner of Texas/Tennessee (ABC)7 p.m.: Winner of Alabama/UCLA vs. winner of Nebraska/Arkansas (ESPN)Sunday, May 313 p.m.: Winner of Friday’s Game 1 vs. loser of Saturday’s Game 2 (ABC)7 p.m. Winner of Friday’s Game 2 vs. loser of Saturday’s Game 1 (ESPN)Monday, June 112 p.m.: Winner of Saturday’s Game 1 vs. winner of Sunday’s Game 1 (ESPN)*2:30 p.m.: Necessary only if winner of Sunday’s Game 1 defeats winner of Saturday’s Game 1 (ESPN)7 p.m.: Winner of Saturday’s Game 2 vs. winner of Sunday’s Game 2 (ESPN2)*9:30 p.m.: Necessary only if winner of Sunday’s Game 2 defeats winner of Saturday’s Game 2 (ESPN2)Championship FinalsWednesday, June 3: Game 1 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)Thursday, June 4: Game 2 at 8 p.m. (ESPN)*Friday, June 5: Game 3 at 8 p.m. (ESPN, if necessary)What are the top storylines this year?It’s already been a historic season, thanks to UCLA’s Megan Grant and Jordan Woolery and Oklahoma’s Kendall Wells. With Oklahoma out, Grant and Woolery will have a chance to add to their unprecedented home run totals in this tournament. Nebraska and star pitcher Jordy Frahm head to Oklahoma City on a 26-game consecutive win streak, Texas Tech and NiJaree Canady are looking for redemption (and embracing a villain identity) and Mississippi State is owning its underdog mentality after taking down a giant in Oklahoma.Who won the title last year?Texas beat Texas Tech in last year’s championship finals for the Longhorns’ first title in program history. Both teams are back in this year’s WCWS. Oklahoma, which won four straight titles from 2021 to 2024, was bounced from the super regionals this year.

John McGinn and Thiago Silva came face-to-face in the Premier League [Getty Images]John McGinn is having the time of his life.In the past 12 months, the Aston Villa captain has helped his team lift the Europa League, including two first-class finishes in the semi-final against Nottingham Forest.That's before we even get to the incredible turn of events for Scotland in November that are about to send him and his compatriots to the World Cup.Now the 31-year-old midfielder has managed to appear on the Brazilian radar of icon Thiago Silva.The Champions League winner and former Chelsea man has been keeping a close eye on the Scots, with Brazil due to meet Steve Clarke's side in Miami on 24 June.Despite the star quality of Scott McTominay's bicycle kick and Andy Robertson's guile and grit, it's the industrious McGinn who Silva reckons could cause Carlo Ancelotti's team the most problems this summer."For me, the captain of Aston Villa, McGinn, is an amazing player," the 41-year-old said. "He plays inside the midfield, he plays on the wing sometimes. He has many qualities."I think the Brazil staff and Carlo Ancelotti, they will need to pay attention to this player."I think the match will be played at a good level."Thiago Silva took on BBC Sport's Samuel Ukah for a behind the scenes YouTube video of his A Licence coaching course [BBC]Silva spoke to BBC Scotland while in Edinburgh going through his A Licence course with the Scottish FA, a destination he was pointed towards by Porto president Andre Villas-Boas.The former Paris St-Germain defender now plays at Villas-Boas' club after returning to Europe in the hope of sling-shotting himself into Ancelotti's World Cup plans.Sadly for him, that's not paid off, with Silva unsure what the future may hold for him."A little bit, a little bit," he said when asked if he was disappointed not to be going to the World Cup. "But it's normal. It's decisions, it's football. So I accept this. So now I need to... put my mind to the course as well. It's better for me. After, I need to enjoy it with my family."[Scotland] is a big 11. It's a good team, they play well. But Brazil, for me, is better, in this moment. "But in this level, you need to wait. Speak before, it changes nothing."You can watch behind the scenes of Thiago Silva's A Licence course here on the BBC Scottish Football YouTube channel.World Cup fixtures and group standingsHow to watch the World Cup on the BBCEverything you need to know about the World Cup

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas football will open the Ryan Silverfield era with an afternoon kickoff inside Razorback Stadium.The SEC announced television designations and game-times for the first three weeks of the regular season on Wednesday, May 27. The Razorbacks season-opener against North Alabama will be at 3:15 p.m. on Sept. 5. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network.Arkansas hits the road the following week for a non-conference game against Utah. Silverfield will have to deal with an infamous night game inside Rice-Eccles Stadium with kickoff at 8:15 p.m. on ESPN. The Hogs will open their SEC slate on Sept. 19 at home against Georgia at 11 a.m. That game will be on ABC. The remaining kickoff times will be announced during the regular season.The Bulldogs are one of two College Football Playoff teams on the Arkansas schedule, with the Razorbacks going to Texas A&M on Oct. 3.The Hogs then play back-to-back games against teams from the Volunteer State. Arkansas hosts Tennessee on Oct. 10 and travels to play Vanderbilt on Oct. 17. That leads into the only open week of the season.Arkansas will return to action at home against Missouri in Week 9 on Halloween. The Battle Line Rivalry had been the season finale for both schools since Missouri joined the SEC in 2014.Instead of Missouri, Arkansas will reignite an old tradition by finishing its campaign with the Battle for the Golden Boot against LSU. The Tigers will come to Arkansas on Nov. 28.The other three matchups in the final month of the season are at Auburn on Nov. 7, vs. South Carolina on Nov. 14 and at Texas on Nov. 21. It will be the second straight season the Hogs face the Longhorns in Austin, Texas.Here's a look at the full schedule:Arkansas football 2026 schedule Sept. 5: North Alabama, 3:15 p.m., SEC NetworkSept. 12: at Utah, 8:15 p.m., ESPNSept. 19: Georgia, 11 a.m., ABCSept. 26: TulsaOct. 3: at Texas A&MOct. 10: TennesseeOct. 17: at VanderbiltOct. 24: OPENOct. 31: MissouriNov. 7: at AuburnNov. 14: South CarolinaNov. 21: at TexasNov. 28: LSUJackson Fuller covers Arkansas football, basketball and baseball for the Southwest Times Record, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jfuller@usatodayco.com or follow him @jacksonfuller16 on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: SEC announces kickoff times for first 3 Arkansas football games

The decision marked an end to a significant part of a broader corruption investigation that rocked the soccer world more than a decade ago.

A system of fuzzy borders, in which powerful states treat territory as negotiable and sovereignty as conditional, is not a viable alternative to the liberal world order.

Two U.S. senators announced plans on Wednesday for a bipartisan college sports bill attempting to stabilize an industry dealing with issues such as athlete eligibility, transfers and a spending cap as well as conference power plays.The Protect College Sports Act, written by Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), would restore more power to the NCAA with an antitrust exemption as it has faced court challenges in recent years. The Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that college sports are not exempt from antitrust laws, and the NCAA has had difficulty enforcing rules regulating the marketplace for paying players, such as for name, image and likeness."This is a stability bill, not just an NIL bill," Cruz said.The bill also would give conferences the ability to pool their broadcast rights into one large TV deal and also prevent the possibility of the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences breaking away into a "super league.""The courts have produced a system with unlimited transfers, pro athletes playing college ball, and shady NIL deals," Cruz and Cantwell's offices said in a shared statement about the bill. "Schools and governing bodies need the ability to preserve fair competition, protect student athletes from exploitation, and ensure that programs across the country can survive."Cruz and Cantwell are the highest-ranking members of their respective parties on the Senate Commerce Committee, which could help gain enough bipartisan support to get the required 60 votes for the bill in the Senate.A vote on the SCORE Act, a separate college sports bill that originated in the U.S. House of Representatives, was canceled a week ago after political differences and disagreements over power given to the NCAA and top conferences.A legal settlement last year led to the NCAA and major conferences to abide by a spending cap of slightly more than $20 million annually per school. But multiple reports have revealed that the richest teams are attempting to work around the cap through business partners supplementing payrolls. A top-tier football roster could cost closer to $40 million, per the reports, creating competitive imbalance.The new legislation will provide legal protection for the newly formed College Sports Commission to close such pay-for-play loopholes.The disparity between the conferences at the top — the Big Ten and SEC each reported more than $1 billion in revenue in the 2025 fiscal year — and other conferences also would be addressed. Conferences can share money from future TV deals more evenly as one large group — if 75% of FBS schools join.The Big Ten and SEC, which may not favor such an arrangement, might consider expanding through realignment and creating a super conference with its own rules and media rights deals.The bill allows undergraduates only one immediate transfer without penalty and requires sitting out one season for multiple transfers. There will be a five-year eligibility window that bans professional athletes from competing.Coaches cannot leave their school for another one during their sport's season, in the new bill."Senator Cruz and I have been very concerned about producing a bill that's not just about the 1% of athletes who go on and have a professional career," Cantwell said. "We took care of the entire ecosystem and have opportunities for athletes to continue to have that collegiate experience."The Protect College Sports Act does not define college athletes as non-employees of the school, leading to the possibility of the athletes pursuing collective bargaining in the future.This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Bipartisan bill in Senate aims to stabilize college sports

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 30: Bryce Underwood #19 of the Michigan Wolverines warms up before a college football game against the New Mexico Lobos at Michigan Stadium on August 30, 2025 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Big Ten announced kickoff times and television designations for the first three weeks of the 2026 college football season on Wednesday, giving fans a look at when and where they can watch the Michigan Wolverines early in the year.Michigan’s season opener against Western Michigan on Sept. 5 is officially set for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Michigan Stadium and will air nationally on NBC. It will mark another primetime showcase for the Wolverines under the lights in Ann Arbor, including three in a row to begin the season.The Week 2 game against Oklahoma was previously announced as a noon start time on FOX. But one week later, the Wolverines will return to The Big House against UTEP on Sept. 19. That matchup is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and will be aired on Big Ten Network.I don’t know about you, but I am tired of having Michigan play its first game of the year in primetime. This is the third year in a row the Wolverines will begin their campaign under the lights of The Big House, with the games vs Fresno State in 2024 and New Mexico in 2025 also being in the NBC/Peacock primetime window.As always, each Big Ten team is required to play a certain amount of games in primetime, so the Week 1 matchup will be one of the Wolverines’ for the 2026 season. It’s unclear which other game(s) will be played in primetime at The Big House this fall, but we should know more about that in the months ahead. Kickoff times and TV assignments for the remainder of Michigan’s 2026 schedule are expected to be announced at a later date.

DR Congo soccer federation president, Veron Mosengo-Omba, believes FIFA should reimburse fans who cannot travel to the U.S. due to current restrictions -Credit:AHMED HASAN/AFP via Getty ImagesThe Democratic Republic of Congo has appealed to FIFA to reimburse supporters who bought World Cup tickets, after a recent Ebola outbreak has severely limited travel to the United States.The World Cup gets underway in just 16 days, with millions of fans anticipated to descend upon the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, creating scheduling conflicts with other major sporting events across North America. Political complications have added to the uncertainty, with Iran now set to be headquartered in Mexico, while U.S. visas remain unresolved.Meanwhile, an Ebola outbreak has taken hold across Africa, with authorities reporting more than 900 suspected cases and 223 projected fatalities. The U.S. has swiftly sealed its borders to specific nations across central and East Africa, directly impacting DR Congo ahead of the tournament, as per The Mirror US.Zohran Mamdani takes Philadelphia swipe while announcing $50 World Cup ticketsMauricio Pochettino goes on rant defending decision to cut USMNT players via email223 people are projected to have died thus far following the Ebola outbreak -Credit:Glody MURHABAZI / AFP via Getty ImagesDR Congo secured their place at this summer's World Cup and have been placed in Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan. It marks the nation's first qualification since 1974, yet their supporters face the prospect of missing the tournament entirely with no assurance of a refund.The overwhelming majority of Ebola cases have been recorded in DR Congo, and visa services at the U.S. embassy in Kinshasa have been suspended. The U.S. has subsequently closed its borders to non-Americans who have been present in DR Congo, South Sudan, or Uganda within the previous 21 days.Veron Mosengo-Omba, the president of DR Congo's soccer federation, has called on FIFA to consider reimbursing fans who are unable to enter the U.S. due to travel restrictions. "We asked FIFA if this is possible to take this into consideration, because the tickets are little bit expensive," Mosengo-Omba told BBC Sport Africa."They are punished because they cannot get (in to the U.S.) to see the World Cup to support their team. We don't want our supporters who love football, who love the World Cup, to lose everything."To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HEREFIFA confirmed to the BBC that it would review DR Congo's request, stating it "will look into it in due course." Ticket prices for the FIFA World Cup in North America are the highest ever recorded, with some costing seven times as much as the 2022 Qatar World Cup.The official FIFA resale platform has also driven up costs, with tickets listed for over $1 million following its launch. Several DR Congo residents have put their financial security on the line to follow the national team at the World Cup, with the 52-year absence from the tournament coming to an end this summer.DR Congo faces Portugal in the group opener in Houston on June 11, before taking on Colombia and Uzbekistan. The second match against Colombia will be held in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, which could prompt fans to redirect their travel plans south of the U.S. border.The DR Congo national team has also been affected by the travel restrictions, despite the majority of their players competing across Europe and beyond Africa. Team officials based in DR Congo have already departed the country and are currently serving a 21-day quarantine.The national team was compelled to cancel a pre-World Cup training camp, instead relocating to Belgium to prepare ahead of a friendly against Denmark on June 3. Congo will then take on Chile in Spain on June 9.DR Congo is set to compete in Group K against Portugal, Colombia, and Uzbekistan -Credit:Stringer/Anadolu via Getty ImagesAndrew Giuliani, the White House Task Force director for the World Cup, confirmed that the Belgian training bubble must remain intact. "We've been very clear to Congo that they should maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they can then come to Houston on June 11," Giuliani said."We've made it very clear to the Congo government as well that they need to maintain that bubble or they risk ‌not being able to travel to the ‌United States. We cannot be any clearer."

The Jacksonville Jaguars are in the middle of OTAs, with the first practice having concluded on Tuesday. Afterward, head coach Liam Coen gave updates on injured players, what he is hoping to see from some of his star veterans, and what he's looking forward to as OTAs unfold.One player Coen has previously said he is excited to see this season is Caleb Ransaw, a safety whose rookie season was cut short in 2025 after suffering a foot injury during training camp that required surgery. So while Ransaw is technically a sophomore, 2026 is, for all intents and purposes, his true rookie year. And in his post-OTA interview, Coen said this offseason will have huge implications."To not obviously have a lot of the experience that he was able to get last year, having a quote-unquote red shirt, if you will," he said of Ransaw's rookie season. "So he was in his playbook, he was watching tape and doing all those things, but it's so hard to take a step and really feel comfortable without doing it. This time is huge for Caleb to actually go through those motions, to make those calls, to see the defense work from his vantage point and how things, you know, work together. So I think it's huge for Caleb."There won't be much pressure on Ransaw to become an overnight superstar; safety is a fairly solid position for Jacksonville. Eric Murray and Antonio Johnson will be the starters, with Rayuan Lane and Jalen Huskey providing depth, along with Ransaw.But Coen has also been open about how excited he is to see how Ransaw will contribute to the defense. If Ransaw does earn playing time, it would likely be as third safety, which under Anthony Campanile's scheme, would still mean steady playing time."It's a nice thing where you've got Antonio Johnson who ascended towards the end of season, Eric Murray coming back, Rayuan Lane another year and then you're like, well, shoot, Caleb," Coen said earlier this year. "Who knows what that could look like? We're just excited to see what it could be."This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Important offseason ahead for Jaguars' 2026 draft pick

Nov 1, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian leads his team on to the field before a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images The game time is set for the season opener on Sept. 5 as the Texas Longhorns will host the Texas State Bobcats at 2:30 p.m. Central on ESPN, the SEC announced on Wednesday.The conference also revealed that head coach Steve Sarkisian’s program will close the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 7 p.m. Central kickoff against UTSA at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Sept. 19. SEC Network+ will carry that game.The season opener pits fourth-year Bobcats head coach GJ Kinne against the program where he started his college career as a quarterback before going on to have a standout career for the Golden Hurricane under Gus Malzahn. It’s also just the second meeting between Texas and Texas State — the two programs previously met in 1930, a 36-0 win for the Longhorns against what was then known as Southwest Texas State Teachers College.UTSA and Texas have played twice previously, a 41-20 win for the Horns in 2022 and a 56-7 victory in 2024 when Arch Manning replaced injured starter Quinn Ewers and threw for four touchdowns on 12 pass attempts in addition to ripping off a 67-yard touchdown run.

Matthew Perry poses for a portrait in New York on Feb. 17, 2015. (Photo by Brian Ach/Invision/AP, File)2026-05-27T05:53:17Z LOS ANGELES (AP) — Matthew Perry’s live-in personal assistant, who had a central role in the “Friends” star’s descent into ketamine addiction and injected him with the fatal dose of the drug, was sentenced Wednesday to three years and five months in prison. Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence to 60-year-old Kenneth Iwamasa in federal court in Los Angeles. He was also sentenced to two years of probation and a $10,000 fine.It was the fifth and final sentencing in the 2 1/2-year investigation and prosecution that followed Perry’s death at age 54 on Oct. 28, 2023. “You were privy to his struggle with addiction,” Judge Garnett said before handing down the sentence. “Your conduct was reckless, not just on the day of his death but in the days leading up to his death.”The sentence was exactly what prosecutors had sought, though Garnett disagreed on some of the details. She found that Iwamasa did not abuse a position of trust, which could’ve brought more prison time. and she said “there is no hard evidence that you acted with malicious intent, though some would disagree.”Iwamasa was at Perry’s side through the final days of his life, acting as the actor’s enabler, drug messenger and de facto doctor. He was the last person to see Perry alive, and he was the one who found him dead in his Jacuzzi. He was the first person to reach a deal with prosecutors, pleading guilty in August of 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death, and became their most important witness. Read More Iwamasa’s lawyer Alan Eisner argued for a six month prison term with six months of home confinement, emphasizing he was always acting at the direction of a boss with much more power than he had.“His loyalty to Mr. Perry was paramount,” Eisner told the judge. “He worshipped Mr. Perry, he looked up to Mr. Perry. All he did was please and accommodate Mr. Perry.” When Eisner said Iwamasa was unable to act differently than he did, the judge cut him off and said: “Unwilling. Not unable. He could have said no.”Perry’s family members, some of whom may speak in court, made it clear in letters to the judge that there is no one they blame for his death more than Iwamasa — a longtime friend they thought would help the actor maintain sobriety but instead indulged the worst impulses of a lifelong addict.“Mathew trusted Kenny. We trusted Kenny. Kenny’s most important job — by far — was to be my son’s companion and guardian in his fight against addiction,” wrote Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison. “We trusted a man without a conscience, and my son paid the price.” Perry’s family members, some of whom may speak in court, made it clear in letters to the judge that there is no one they blame for his death more than Iwamasa — a longtime friend they thought would help the actor maintain sobriety but instead indulged the worst impulses of a lifelong addict.“Matthew trusted Kenny. We trusted Kenny. Kenny’s most important job — by far — was to be my son’s companion and guardian in his fight against addiction,” wrote Perry’s mother, Suzanne Morrison. “We trusted a man without a conscience, and my son paid the price.” Perry had hired Iwamasa in 2022, and he was paying him $150,000 a year to live at his Los Angeles home and act as his assistant. The actor had been taking the surgical anesthetic ketamine legally for depression, an increasingly common off-label use. But he wanted more than his doctor would give him. According to Iwamasa’s plea agreement, he bought off-the-books ketamine from another doctor, Salvador Plasencia, who taught him how to inject it. Plasencia was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in July. Iwamasa also began buying ketamine from Perry acquaintance Erik Fleming, who was getting it from a street dealer. Fleming was sentenced to two years in prison two weeks ago. The dealer, Jasveen Sangha, dubbed “The Ketamine Queen,” was sentenced to 15 years on April 8. In the final days of Perry’s life, Iwamasa was injecting him six to eight times per day. On Oct. 23, 2023, he shot the 54-year-old actor full of a large dose and left to run errands. He returned to find Perry dead in the Jacuzzi. The LA County Medical Examiner found that ketamine was the primary cause of death. Drowning was a secondary cause. At first, Iwamasa lied to police, omitting ketamine from the list of medications Perry was using, and saying nothing about his injections. But when investigators served a search warrant in January of 2024, he began coming clean. Perry became one of the biggest stars of his generation along with Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow on “Friends,” NBC’s megahit sitcom that ran from 1994 to 2004. ANDREW DALTON Dalton covers entertainment for The Associated Press, with an emphasis on crime, courts and obituaries. He has worked for the AP for 20 years and is based in Los Angeles. mailto

Fighters are often two-faced in nature. Don’t interpret that negatively because, in a way, they have to be. Shifting gears between being a calculated killer inside the cage and a normal, everyday person outside of it almost becomes a forced skill.China’s Xiong JingNan embodies that duality better than most. The former ONE Championship 125-pound queen has long been a ray of sunshine with the ability to flip a switch into a laser-focused marauder when duty calls. It’s impressed me every time we’ve spoken over the past seven years, but this latest time, Xiong’s smile shined brighter than in previous interactions. Because finally, after several long years, she was a free woman.Xiong is the only fighter to hold ONE’s 125-pound women’s championship in the promotion’s history. But after nearly a decade, 11 wins and seven successful title defenses, she — along with her entire division — was released in March out of the blue.Now, at age 38, Xiong (19-2) is officially a UFC fighter after exclusively competing for ONE and China’s Kunlun Fights promotion since her MMA debut in 2014. She’ll be welcomed to the Octagon by fellow veteran Angela Hill at UFC Macau this Saturday, May 30.To call the journey to this late UFC run tumultuous is an understatement.“We can't [speak] contractually [about the ONE release], but obviously, being released, having the opportunity to fight and be active now, and being signed to the UFC is something I look forward to,” Xiong told Uncrowned through an interpreter.“It's more about being grateful for the opportunities that were awarded. I look at those times as obviously character-building times, and also, I had obviously great times with ONE as a champion. To be able to fight, win that first inaugural belt, and be the first Chinese martial arts champion — a Chinese world champion in MMA — and to win eight title fights, I'm just happy about that part of the journey and looking forward."China's Xiong JingNan (L) makes her long-awaited UFC debut this Saturday.EDUARDO LEAL via Getty ImagesAs one of Kunlun Fights’ homegrown stars from its early days, Xiong wasted no time standing out as a talent to watch upon her professional MMA debut in 2014. She finished seven of her first nine wins before catching ONE’s radar and making the leap in 2017. One more knockout after that was all ONE needed to see to invest — Xiong fought for the inaugural 125-pound strawweight crown in her sophomore bout with the company, battering Tiffany Teo in a spirited effort from both parties. In the bigger picture, it was a highlight performance for the type of reign Xiong was beginning to build.This was ONE’s history-maker. The first Chinese champion in a major MMA promotion. A division was built around her, and she finished four of her first five fights in the promotion spectacularly — the last being an upset win over her blood rival, ONE’s celebrated strawweight champion at the time, Angela Lee, in the arguable best fight of their eventual trilogy.But blockades soon appeared on her golden brick road.That fight didn’t get the love it deserved because ONE didn’t want it to; Lee, a previously undefeated face of the company, didn’t win. Once Lee did win the rematch, the picture from ONE management was painted much more vibrantly, despite the controversy it came with in reality. These two were linked together in the first female champion vs. champion rivalry for a major promotion in MMA history, and Xiong wasn’t supposed to get the last laugh. But the fact that she did never should have been a surprise.Following the rubber match in 2022 — a unanimous decision for Xiong that put her ahead 2-1 in their series — ONE founder Chatri Sityodtong went off. He discredited Xiong by firmly questioning the scorecards and claimed Lee should have won.Xiong no longer refrained. Hearing such words triggered the champion, and she lashed back, calling the promotion biased against her and in favor of Lee.From that point on, Xiong was effectively put on ice by ONE. Nearly three years passed before her next fight, which came in a 115-pound division she couldn’t even make.Despite the Lee rivalry seemingly altering her career trajectory in the eyes of her promoter, Xiong didn’t want to leave ONE, as she told me in 2023 after the third Lee fight. The woman had been a model of entertainment consistency and embodied the entire theme of the “fighting spirit” that ONE so often sold to audiences around the globe since it began in 2011. She just kept winning and throwing wrenches into expectations.“I started in ONE Championship, and I will finish in ONE Championship,” Xiong said at the time. “If you say finish my career life, I feel a little bit sad about it because time is so fast.”Yet these days, relief radiates off Xiong when speaking ahead of her UFC debut. One of the best 125-pound fighters of all time knows she is about to be active again. As she nears age 40, the low fight frequency made her time on the shelf all the more difficult.She hasn’t fought since March 2025. No injuries. No outside drama. No excuses."That was a very difficult time,” Xiong admitted. “Obviously, as an athlete, I wanted to be active, but I believed in myself and my team. We had to put the foot on the pedal just to make sure that if any opportunities arise, I was ready to go."Aside from getting to compete in her home country for the first time since 2018, Xiong’s arrival in the UFC comes at a great time. She’ll join the ranks of the 115-pound strawweight division in a much more ready state than she did for her ONE swan song.If you know about Xiong, you know what to expect. She’s a relentless buzzsaw of punches, almost revving up like a chainsaw as each minute ticks off the clock. Her late-career disappearance has left this final chapter of her run somewhat of an unknown.Xiong JingNan can finally flip the page on the tumutious end to her ONE career.Jeff Bottari via Getty Images"There's still a new level for me to show,” Xiong said. “I hope that everybody doesn't look at my age and think this is the tail end of a career. I feel like I have a lot more to show, and I'm very excited to go out and showcase the improvements I've made over the last couple of years."Over the last few years, I've really had to grow as a person from everything that's happened. I've learned a lot. I feel like a different person now. Obviously, in the fight, I really want to deliver a beautiful performance and a beautiful finish. That's what I'm going to be looking for. But more than anything, I'm going to look to control what I can control and not let these outside factors really affect the fight so that I can put on a beautiful performance."The [UFC] strawweight division also had a Chinese champion [Zhang Weili], so that gives me motivation to go out there and become the second person to do that."Unlike many UFC signings this decade, Xiong isn’t just some card filler off the streets. ONE had no more use for one of the best fighters on the planet, but the promotion’s loss is UFC’s gain, especially in a division that could use a boost to its contender ranks.It’s now or never for the long-reigning champ. And she fully intends to kick this part of her career into overdrive and win one more prize.That all starts with a home game on Saturday."The No. 1 goal at the moment is to go out and fight a fight I'm proud of in that first fight in my [UFC] debut. In my opinion, I can [become champion] in one year or two years, that's the goal,” Xiong said.“If I have three amazing fights, they will have to put me in a position to be top of that ladder. Whatever the bosses or the higher-ups decide for me in the UFC, I'll do. I would obviously like to do it quickly. But again, the first one would be to go out there and put out an amazing performance, try to put away a girl that's never been finished and take it from there."

Let’s get back into things.The national runner-up LSU gymnastics team appears to have locked in their transfer portal class for the 2027 season. The Tigers got commitments from three senior gymnasts at various points, including one during the season itself, who each bring an interesting dynamic to the upcoming season. Two of them are known superstars, and the third is someone who came into college with great expectations. I wanted to wait until a dead spot in the LSU news cycle to talk about everyone, and that’s arrived.Skye KericoSkye Kerico announced her commitment to LSU in March. I’ve never seen anyone announce their transfer destination during the season, but Kerico had good reason to do so. She came from Penn and suffered a season-ending injury in December. Ivy League schools don’t allow grad students to compete, so Kerico decided to get a head start on her grad school application and ended up committing to LSU. For those curious, she graduated from the Wharton School of Business.Kerico was a stud all-arounder at Penn. She holds the school record for vault with a 9.925, a feat she’s accomplished twice, and she has the top four all-around scores in Penn history with a high of 39.450 at the 2025 Pennsylvania Regional. In the 2025 season opener, she became the first Quaker to compete a Yurchenko 1.5, and that’s the vault she stuck with the rest of the year. She has 9.9 potential on all four events, but her best event is bars. She can hit a solid beam set, but it hasn’t been as consistent as it needs to be in her first three years.Kerico should make an impact on bars, an event on which LSU loses more routines than any other. She’ll be a solid depth piece on the other three events, but she’ll need to get better to beat out her teammates.Jordyn LydenOne of the most shocking transfers of the 2026 offseason was Jordyn Lyden. The Minnesota superstar was born and raised in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and her performance in the postseason led a Cinderella run for the ages. Thankfully, LSU managed to snag one of the top transfers to fill big holes.Lyden was a stud for the Golden Gophers on bars, beam and floor. Her three massive scores in the Corvallis Regional Final, including the 9.950 on beam which ended Utah’s 49-year nationals streak, were crucial in pulling off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history. Her 9.9375 on floor and 9.8500 on bars helped pull off perhaps the biggest upset in NCAA semifinal history. LSU has plenty of talent on floor, though they did lose Emily Innes’ tone-setting routine. On bars, LSU has to find who takes Ashley Cowan’s spot and get someone solid in the fifth spot to account for Courtney Blackson retiring. Beam needs more depth than it had in 2026, and there’s one spot in particular that needs to be figured out. I’ll go into that in an article next week.Lyden is going to be a favorite for a spot on bars and in the mix for a spot on beam if she’s consistent. After three years of leading a team that’s in the mix for a regional finals spot, she’ll now be working hard to help a team looking for a national title.Ariel PosenAriel Posen going into the portal in the first place surprised everyone. Posen was a Georgia freshman in 2023, but injuries that season led her to take a medical retirement. College Gym News had her tied for ninth with Olivia Greaves and Faith Torrez in their recruiting rankings. Notable names ranked behind her include Anna Roberts, Kayla DiCello, Gabby Gladieux and eMjae Frazier. After three years off from competing, Posen decided to make a comeback and take a chance on herself, and she’ll be doing so on a stacked roster.I can’t predict anything about what Posen brings to the table because of her situation. Her strengths when she came to Georgia were bars and beam, but it’s impossible to know if that’s going to carry over. If she makes lineups, that’s great. If she doesn’t, that’s fine. It’ll be interesting to see where things go, because she was definitely capable of stardom before her injuries.ConclusionLSU decided to top off what should be a stacked roster for 2027. Most of LSU’s routines from 2026 will be back alongside additions from the freshman class and people returning from injuries. Missing out on a national title by less than a tenth feeds a team to want to get whatever they need to win. This is one of the steps. Next week, I’ll dive into some data that shows where LSU can improve their margins for a better chance at the title.

President Donald Trump may attend an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden next month. Trump said Wednesday at a Cabinet meeting that he was invited to attend the NBA Finals by New York Knicks owner James Dolan. The New York Knicks, after closing out a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals, will host Game 3 and Game 4 of the series at a minimum. “I think I’ll be going to one of the games,” Trump said, via ESPN. “I was invited by numerous people, and [Dolan], and I think I’ll be going.” Trump did not get into specifics, or announce a firm plan to actually attend one of the games. He did claim that he was going to attend Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night before the Knicks swept the series.“I was going to go on Wednesday, but [the Knicks] closed it out very quickly … Boy what a team, they won all their games,” he said. “They have some great players.”If Trump actually attends, he’d be the first sitting United States president to attend an NBA Finals game. Trump has attended several notable sporting events in the past, including the college football national championship game earlier this year in Miami and Super Bowl LIX. Trump attended a session at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black last fall, too.Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for June 3. The Knicks will open the series on the road against either the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder took a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals with a win in Game 5 of that series on Tuesday night. The Knicks, who are now playing in their first NBA Finals since 1999, will then host Game 3 on June 8 and Game 4 on June 10. If necessary, the Knicks would also host Game 6 of the series.

Michigan’s season opener against Western Michigan on Sept. 5 will be a night game, the Big Ten shared in an announcement Wednesday that included kickoffs for early-season games.The Wolverines will face WMU at Michigan Stadium and it will be broadcast by NBC at 7:30 p.m.Michigan’s home game against UTEP on Sept. 19 will air on BTN at 3:30 p.m. FOX previously announced the Sept. 12 game with Oklahoma at Michigan will kick off at noon, and the Nov. 28 Michigan-Ohio State game at Ohio Stadium will also be on FOX at noon.Michigan State also opens the season with a night game against Toledo on Sept. 4 at 8 p.m. on FS1. The Spartans’ game against Eastern Michigan on Sept. 12 at Spartan Stadium will be on BTN at 3:30 p.m. MSU will play at Notre Dame on Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. on NBC. The other kickoff previously announced by FOX will feature Oregon at Michigan State on Nov. 20 at 8 p.m.achengelis@detroitnews.com@chengelisThis article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan, Michigan State football to open 2026 season with night games

The late-season move by the Vegas Golden Knights to fire coach Bruce Cassidy and bring on John Tortorella might have seemed to be out of desperation on the surface. It comes with a history of some success. Tortorella has guided the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final after completing a sweep against Presidents’ Trophy winning Colorado on Tuesday night. He now has a chance to become the eighth coach to win the Cup after taking over in the middle of a season.Five of those previous times have come since 2000 with Larry Robinson's run with New Jersey Devils that year the most similar to Tortorella's as he also took over with just eight games remaining in the 1999-00 season. The others all had much more time to put their imprints on the team. Tortorella took over after the Golden Knights lost six of seven games in March. Vegas went 7-0-1 down the stretch and has rolled through the Western Conference playoffs with a 12-4 record.The last team to win it all after firing its coach during the season was St. Louis in 2018-19 when Craig Berube took over from Mike Yeo early in the season. Kris Knoblauch came one win short of doing it in 2023-24 with Edmonton, losing Game 7 of the Final to Florida that season.A rare accomplishmentIf Tortorella can finish the job and lead the Golden Knights to their second title, the six times that has happened in the NHL since 2000 would equal the total times that has happened in the NFL (0), NBA (4) and Major League Baseball (2) combined in their long histories.It happened just twice in the NHL in the 20th century with Toronto’s Dick Irwin (1932) and Montreal’s Al MacNeil (1971) doing it before becoming more frequent of late.The NBA coaches to do it are Jack McKinney in 1980 for the Lakers, Pat Riley two years later for Los Angeles and again in 2006 with Miami, and Tyronn Lue in 2016 with Cleveland. The two managers to win a World Series after being hired during the season are Jack McKeon with the Florida Marlins in 2003 and Bob Lemon with the Yankees in 1978.Here's a closer look at the five most recent coaches who have led their teams to Stanley Cup titles after taking over during a season:Craig Berube, 2019 St. Louis BluesYeo was fired 19 games into the 2018-19 season and replaced by Berube. St. Louis dropped to last in the standings in early January before putting together an impressive run. The Blues finished second in the Central Division and rallied from a 3-2 series deficit in the second round to beat Dallas in double overtime in Game 7. They then overcame a 2-1 series deficit in the conference final to beat San Jose in six games to make their first Stanley Cup Final since 1970.There, Berube led St. Louis to a seven-game series win over Boston for the franchise’s first championship. Mike Sullivan, 2016 Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Penguins were sputtering early in the 2015-16 season and looked poised to waste another year of Sidney Crosby’s prime when they fired Mike Johnston and promoted Sullivan from the AHL.Fueled by some key midseason additions and brilliant play from Crosby, Pittsburgh surged into the playoffs and didn’t slow down from there. The Penguins lost three games combined in the first two rounds and then rallied from 3-2 down in the conference final to beat Tampa Bay.They overwhelmed San Jose in a six-game series and hoisted the Stanley Cup for the second time in Crosby’s career. Darryl Sutter, 2012 Los Angeles KingsThe Kings were mired in 11th place in the West in December and struggling to score when they fired Terry Murray and eventually brought Sutter off his farm in Alberta for his first coaching job in more than five years.Sutter’s blunt style and attention to detail proved to be just what the Kings needed and helped them reach the playoffs as the eighth seed. They raced through the playoffs, upsetting top-seeded Vancouver in five games in the first round and winning 15 of their first 17 playoff contests.Los Angeles eventually finished off New Jersey in six games for its first championship and the Kings’ four losses were tied for the second fewest in a Cup-winning run since the first round went to best-of-seven in 1987. Dan Bylsma, 2009 Pittsburgh PenguinsAfter making it to the final in 2008, the Penguins were barely over .500 in February the next season, leading GM Ray Shero to fire Michel Therrien and promote Bylsma from the AHL.Pittsburgh went 18-3-4 down the stretch to earn the fourth seed in the East. From there, the Penguins survived tough series against Philadelphia and Washington before sweeping Carolina in the conference final.That set the stage for a rematch against Detroit and Pittsburgh came out on top this time, winning Game 7 on the road for the franchise’s first title since 1992. Larry Robinson, 2000 New Jersey DevilsThe Devils were in first place in the East and had the third-best record in the NHL with eight games left in the regular season when GM Lou Lamoriello made the shocking decision to fire Robby Ftorek and promote Robinson from his role as an assistant.New Jersey had won only one playoff series the previous four seasons and were stumbling late in 2000 when Lamoriello decided a change was needed.Boy, was he right. Robinson increased practice time and stressed a commitment to defense that paid off in a playoff run that featured a comeback from 3-1 down in the conference final against Philadelphia and a 2-1 double-overtime clincher on the road in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against defending champion Dallas. ___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

BOONE, NC—Noting that the troubling signs of a toxic dynamic had become too numerous to ignore, area woman Kara Vasques expressed concern Wednesday that she was in a codependent relationship with the rest of humanity. “Sometimes things will be great with me and the human race, but then I start to worry that I don’t really have an identity outside of how everyone on earth views me,” said Vasques, confirming that her taste in areas such as entertainment, sports, politics, food, and religion had been heavily influenced by the views of human civilization. “I can get really anxious and upset if I don’t accomplish my goals, but then I realize that I’m only doing a lot of this stuff for the benefit of society. I’m basically obsessed, and yet a lot of times I feel like the global population barely knows that I exist.” Vasques added that she might need to cut herself off from the rest of humanity for a while before eventually giving things a shot again with a different species. The post Woman Worried She In Codependent Relationship With Rest Of Humanity appeared first on The Onion.

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Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to rewrite IPL history with a season for the ages. The Rajasthan Royals opener shattered a 14-year-old record held by Chris Gayle during the IPL 2026 Eliminator clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh. Playing in the biggest match of Rajasthan’s season, Sooryavanshi once again produced a breathtaking display of fearless batting. The teenage sensation raced to his half-century in just 16 balls and, in the process, became the batter with the most sixes ever recorded in a single IPL season.Most sixes in an IPL season: 61* - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (2026) 59 - Chris Gayle (2012) 52 - Andre Russell (2019) 51 - Chris Gayle (2013) 45 - Jos Buttler (2022) The record had stood untouched since Gayle’s iconic 2012 campaign, but Sooryavanshi has now surpassed the legendary power-hitter at just 15 years of age. The milestone-filled knock did not stop there. Sooryavanshi also became the youngest player ever to complete 600 runs in a single IPL season, breaking the previous record held by Rishabh Pant, who achieved the feat for Delhi Daredevils in 2018. Even more remarkably, before IPL 2026, no batter in tournament history had scored 550 or more runs in a season at a strike rate above 200. Sooryavanshi has now become the first player to achieve that extraordinary combination of volume and explosiveness. The historic innings came in a high-pressure Eliminator at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium after SRH captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl first.While Rajasthan entered the contest under pressure after losing twice to Hyderabad earlier in the season, Sooryavanshi showed no signs of nerves, taking apart the SRH attack from the very beginning. The knock further cemented his status as the breakout superstar of IPL 2026 and one of the most extraordinary teenage talents the tournament has ever witnessed.

There is no bigger regular season game for the Kentucky Wildcats basketball team than their annual matchup with the Louisville Cardinals. The in-state rivalry goes back decades and is one college basketball's biggest battles every season, with plenty of history, and plenty of hatred.Last season, the game was played early in the season, and Louisville dominated, winning 96-88 early in November. It was their first win against the Wildcats since 2020 and only their third since 2012. Overall, it's a series Kentucky has ruled, and they hold a 40-18 record all-time.Next year's matchup will take place in Rupp Arena, and will see the Cats looking for revenge. It will have plenty of storylines, and now it has a date. They two teams will meet in Lexington on Dec. 12 according to Ben Roberts of the Herald-Leader.The move back to December is a welcome one for fans. Games in November often feature teams that are still trying to find their footing, and can be sloppy. Getting both teams at full strength makes for a more fun game.The time and viewing information aren't available yet, but will be updated when they are.This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky basketball 2026 matchup vs Louisville has date scheduled

The 26 players that will represent the United States at the upcoming FIFA World Cup were revealed this week, and there is plenty of New Jersey representation in the mix.The list released by manager Mauricio Pochettino included two New Jersey natives, two players who spent part of their youth development in the Garden State and two sons of prominent natives of the state.Here are the New Jersey representatives for the United States at the FIFA World Cup:United States' Brenden Aaronson controls the ball during the second half in a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal second leg soccer match against Jamaica Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)APBrenden Aaronson, midfielder (Medford): Known affectionately as “Medford Messi,” the South Jersey native made his USMNT debut at 20 and will now feature in his second World Cup after representing his country in Qatar. He started his career with the Philadelphia Union and is now a regular starter for Leeds United of the Premier League, helping the historic club stay in England’s top flight this season.Goalkeeper Matt Turner, of the United States men's national soccer team, displays his jersey during the announcement of the team's 2026 FIFA World Cup roster, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in New York City. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz AlvarezMatt Turner, goalkeeper (Park Ridge): Turner has started over 50 games for the USMNT, helping his country win the Gold Cup in 2021 and two CONCACAF Nation Leagues, but he lost his starting spot to NYCFC’s Matt Freese at the 2025 Gold Cup and it is yet to be determined whether he could win it back for the World Cup in his home country. Turner starred at Saint Joseph’s Regional in Montvale, played in college at Fairfield, was named the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2021 with the New England Revolution and played for multiple teams in Europe.FILE - Tyler Adams of the United States runs on the pitch during the World Cup group B soccer match between England and The United States, at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, on Nov. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)APTyler Adams, midfielder: Adams has represented the United States more than 50 times since making his debut at 18, serving as the team’s captain during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.A large chunk of the New York native’s development at a player took place at the Red Bulls academy in Whippany. He joined the MLS club’s youth set up at 13, and within three years, he made his debut with the first team. Outstanding performances earned him opportunities in Europe, and he is currently playing for Bournemouth, which finished sixth in the Premier League this season.Timothy Weah of the United States celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the World Cup, group B soccer match between the United States and Wales, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)APTimothy Weah, winger: His connection is looser than anyone else on the list, but it is worth noting: Weah spent a year of his youth development at the Red Bulls academy when he was 13 years old.The son of legendary forward George Weah, he is set to represent the United States at a second World Cup. Weah currently plays for Marseille after representing Juventus in Italy, Celtic in Scotland and Paris St. Germain and Lille in France.U.S. midfielder Gio Reyna (7) celebrates his goal against Trinidad and Tobago during the second half of the first leg of a CONCACAF Nations League soccer quarterfinal Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)APMORE BY BRIAN FONSECARutgers to start 2026 season with multiple weekday games, no early kickoffsMay. 27, 2026, 3:11 p.m.Rutgers’ most consistent team keeps getting ‘stronger’ as it looks to make history at NCAA ChampionshipsMay. 27, 2026, 8:42 a.m.Gio Reyna (winger) and Sebastian Berhalter (midfielder): We will lump these two together because their situations are remarkably similar: neither have any direct New Jersey ties, but their fathers are two of the best players the state ever produced.Claudio Reyna may just be the greatest soccer player to ever grow up in New Jersey. A legendary player at St. Benedict’s in Newark and the University of Virginia, Claudio Reyna earned 112 caps over 12 years with the USMNT, serving as captain for much of that span. After missing the 1994 World Cup due to injury, he featured in the 1998, 2002 and 2006 tournaments, playing a pivotal role in the United States’ Round of 16 victory over Mexico at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea.Gregg Berhalter was also a star at St. Benedict’s Prep before starring in the ACC, playing at North Carolina. He went on to feature 44 times for the USMNT before serving as its manager for four years, including at the 2022 World Cup in which he led his country of the Round of 16 in Qatar.Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Shedeur Sanders already off to bad start compared to Deshaun Watson at Browns OTA's originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Normally, OTAs aren't a massive deal, especially when it comes to player performances. But, in the case of the Cleveland Browns, they are very important.This year, the Browns are having a serious quarterback competition with Shedeur Sanders, Deshaun Watson, and Dillon Gabriel for the starting job in 2026 under Todd Monken.Unfortunately for Sanders, according to ESPN Cleveland, the 2025 draft pick is off to a worse start to OTAs than Watson, as he looks to be a bit behind the veteran in the QB competition after the second day of OTAs.Browns' OTA QB tracker has Sanders behind Watson"Deshaun Watson and Sheduer Sanders are the only QBs that took reps in 11v11 drills," ESPN Cleveland reported. They then shared each quarterbacks statline from Wednesday's OTAs that were open to the media.Sanders went 8-for-14 with one touchdown and one interception. Watson went 11-for-17 with six touchdowns and one interception. Gabriel went 1-for-3 with no touchdowns and one interception. Taylen Green didn't get any reps per this report.Looking at the statistical profile of this OTA session won't instantly determine who the starter will be for Cleveland, but it does show who might have the leg up on the competition, which, so far, is clearly Watson.Unfortunately for Sanders, he had a worse completion percentage and five fewer touchdowns than Watson during Wednesday's OTAs.MORE: Taylen Green has a much higher ceiling for Browns than Shedeur SandersWatson has the advantage at the moment, with Sanders behind him strictly based on this OTA quarterback tracker.Gabriel, meanwhile, looks to be firmly the third quarterback on the roster, with Watson and Sanders getting significantly more reps than him, despite Gabriel being a third-round pick from just one year ago.There's still plenty of time for Sanders to outperform Watson, but after this OTA performance, it appears as if Sanders is a step behind Watson for the Browns' 2026 quarterback competition.More NFL news:Stefon Diggs linked to Rams, Chiefs, Commanders after Patriots release49ers and Chiefs rumored as Eagles trade partner for AJ BrownHarold Fannin Jr. will need to prove his worth in Todd Monken’s Browns offenseBengals fans should worry about second-year linebackers in 2026Seahawks’ Nick Emmanwori can be an All-Pro if he plays better in pass coverage

The CHSAA All-State teams have finally been announced for lacrosse, girls golf, and track and field.After a long year of battling, the players across the state have earned their spots on the All-State team.From big finishes to medal winners, here are the winners for the CHSAA All-State honors.More: All-State, All-Conference teams announced for boys volleyballGirls GolfClass 2AFirst TeamGlorianna Ruiz, Rye High SchoolSecond TeamOlivia Donlon, Rye High SchoolClass 4AFirst TeamGabi Benfatti, Pueblo WestScotlyn Gamble, Pueblo WestClayre Wagner, Pueblo WestBoys LacrosseClass 4ASecond TeamJoseph Welte, Pueblo WestBoys Track and FieldClass 2ASecond TeamCarter Ford, Rye High School, Triple JumpClass 4ASecond TeamLanden Frison, Pueblo South, 110-meter HurdlesGirls Track and FieldClass 2AFirst teamKailey Pearson, Swallows Charter Academy, Long JumpMadison Heasley, Rye High School, Discus ThrowClass 4AFirst TeamReagan Falletta, Pueblo East, 100/300-meter HurdlesMaliyah Sandoval, Pueblo Central, Shot PutSecond TeamLily Nibert, Pueblo County, Triple JumpClass 5ASecond TeamHayden Golden, Pueblo West, 100-meter HurdlesThis article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: All-State Honors in girls golf, track and field, lacrosse

Nature, Published online: 27 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01667-6US science funder once again restricts awards to Harvard University and other research institutions.

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Juventus flop David targeted by Olympique LyonnaisJuventus flop Jonathan David has been linked with a potential return to Ligue 1 with Olympique Lyonnais after arriving as a free agent from LOSC.The striker was out of contract with Lille last summer and had several proposals, but Juve won the race for his signature thanks also to the €12.5m commission payment to his representatives.It proved a disappointment, as he scored eight goals with five assists in 46 competitive games, but largely struggled to make much of an impact and missed several sitters.Juventus hope for David saleTURIN, ITALY – JANUARY 25: Jonathan David of Juventus celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and SSC Napoli at Juventus Stadium on January 25, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)After failing to secure Champions League qualification, the Bianconeri now need to balance the books and are looking to make sales.That could include David, hoping that the Canada international impresses enough to raise his profile at the World Cup this summer.According to Le Progrès, a return to France is the preferred alternative, with Olympique Lyonnais eager to make an offer.There will be competition, but he wants somewhere to regain his confidence after a bruising campaign in Italy.Lyon had already shown interest in January, when it was already evident that David was struggling to adapt to Serie A with Juventus, and again in March.

The countdown to college football is on, as only 100 days stand between fans and another season of Minnesota Golden Gopher football, and we now have kickoff times for five of their games this fall.Head coach P.J. Fleck’s squad will open the season by hosting Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Sep. 3, at Huntington Bank Stadium. The game will kick off at 7 p.m. and streaming on Peacock.The following week, the Gophers welcome the Mississippi State Bulldogs to the Twin Cities on Saturday, Sep. 12. That game, which will be the first meeting between the two programs, will kick off at 2:30 p.m. and air on CBS.Minnesota closes out their non-conference slate with a home game against the Akron Zips at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sep. 19. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.Fast forward a month to a Homecoming matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday, Oct. 24. The battle for the Floyd of Rosedale will start at either 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. The broadcast network is TBD, as well.Finally, the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe will return to Black Friday. The Gophers will head to Camp Randall on Friday, Nov. 27, for a 6:30 p.m. showdown with rival Wisconsin. The game will air on NBC.