In order for the Jacksonville Jaguars to build upon what was a strong first season under Liam Coen, which players on defense are going to have to play important roles for that to happen?We recently asked that question about the offense, highlighting three key players on that side of the ball.Just like on offense, how the Jaguars' best players on defense perform will be a strong indicator of how successful this team can be in 2026. Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, Travis Hunter, Foye Oluokun, and others must all play at high levels.Every team needs its star players to perform well.But looking beyond that group of players, which others can help elevate the ceiling of the Jaguars' defense in 2026?Any one of the DEs behind Hines-Allen and WalkerWhether it be Wesley Williams, Danny Striggow, BJ Green, or Zach Durfee, the Jaguars need at least one of these players to leave their mark on this season. At a heavily rotated position like defensive end, four or even five players can see regular snaps on a weekly basis, and last season, the pass rush behind Hines-Allen and Walker was inconsistent. More steady pass rush juice is needed from the depth of this position group.DT Ruke OrhorhoroIf Orhorhoro can have a strong season, that could do wonders for the Jacksonville defense. He has been at his best getting after the quarterback, which the Jaguars need more of from the defensive tackle position. Generating pressure is the name of the game, not to mention that a strong interior push is one of the best ways to wreck an offensive play. Beyond filling his own column on the state sheet, a steady interior pass rush presence can benefit the other defenders on the field.LB Ventrell MillerMiller has big shoes to fill, taking over Devin Lloyd's role within the defense, but if he can do so effectively, he'll bring added stability and playmaking to the second level of the Jaguars' defense.The Jaguars have been very bullish about Miller stepping into this role all offseason, hence the lack of major moves at the linebacker position. Also, helping Miller step into a much more significant role will be Anthony Campanile and his defensive scheme. Not only with Lloyd, but going back to Campanile's time in Green Bay and Miami, linebackers have often thrived under his coaching.This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Why these 3 Jaguars players on defense will be vital to team success

[Getty Images]Norwich City striker Mohamed Toure has been called up by Australia for this summer's World Cup.The 22-year-old has been named in head coach Tony Popovic's 26-man squad as the Socceroos kick-off their campaign against Turkey on 14 June before facing tournament co-hosts USA and a final group game against Paraguay.Toure played 80 minutes in Australia's 1-0 friendly defeat by Mexico at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena at the weekend.After arriving from Danish club Randers in the winter transfer window, Toure scored 10 goals in 12 appearances in his first season for the Canaries.His selection follows the news that Toure's Norwich team-mate, Ali Ahmed, was announced in the Canada squad for this summer's tournament on Saturday.

Bournemouth assistant manager Tommy Elphick's decision to turn down the opportunity to become Bristol City boss was "bold and brave", says former Cherries forward Matt Tubbs.The 38-year-old, who played for Bournemouth between 2012 and 2016, rejected what would have been his first role in senior management to assess his long-term options following the departure of Andoni Iraola."I can see both sides of it," former team-mate Tubbs told BBC Radio Solent. "If he has aspirations of going into management, then Bristol City would have been an ideal first club."For him to turn that down is a bold and brave decision, but he is in a very strong position because his options are unbelievable."Turning down Bristol City is a big statement, but if he goes wherever Iraola goes then you can see why, and if he stays at Bournemouth it is a win-win for him."I'm sure he loves the club as much as anyone. He was captain of the club, so I'm sure all of the players are very fond of him as well. He would also get the guarantee of European football next season."If you are Tommy Elphick right now, you have one of the strongest hands going."We all looked up to him as players all them years ago, and I'm sure the current players - the older heads as well as the younger heads - look up to him because of what he has done at the football club [as a player and as a coach]."Hit play above to hear the full conversation or listen on BBC Sounds hereSubscribe to Bournemouth's BBC Sounds feed

🧨 5th World Cup: Neuer, Nagatomo and... some will make it 6️⃣! 🤯Manuel Neuer has been called up by Nagelsmann for the 2026 World Cup with Germany: a surprise decision that will see him play in his 5th World Cup.Watch the entire Serie BKT live on OneFootball for just €9.99 per month. Click here to buy the LaB Channel Monthly Pass with no automatic renewal.An achievement reserved for very few men: let’s see who has managed it and who could reach (and surpass) 5 World Cup appearances in the next edition.Who will reach 5 appearancesMANUEL NEUER As mentioned, at 40 Neuer will guard Germany’s goal (probably as a starter) again in 2026 after first doing so in 2010: the very year he won the World Cup at the age of 24.YUTO NAGATOMOThe video of the former Inter and Cesena full-back (among others) crying after being called up to the World Cup at 39 went viral around the world. And for good reason, because Nagatomo started every one of Japan’s World Cup matches in the 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions.LUKA MODRICLuka Modric could easily have reached 6 World Cups because the Croatian was already in the 2006 squad (as a substitute) at the age of 21. However, Croatia did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup, so Modric will “only” reach 5 World Cup appearances in the next edition.Who didn’t make it because of ageTHIAGO SILVAThiago Silva was included in Carlo Ancelotti’s preliminary squad list, but Brazil’s defense will not have room for the 41-year-old Porto player. It’s worth remembering that Thiago Silva was called up in 2010 but never took the field: so if he had taken part in the 2026 edition, it would have been 5 call-ups but only 4 “editions with actual appearances.”THOMAS MULLERThomas Muller retired from the national team after Euro 2024 with Germany: technically he is still active (MLS with the Vancouver Whitecaps), but his chances of being called up were zero. Also because Germany are not short of attacking options.XHERDAN SHAQIRIAnother true World Cup man: Xherdan Shaqiri announced his retirement from the national team after Euro 2024. At 34 he has not changed his mind, but he still could have had the ability to play a few minutes, especially considering his latest season of 16 goals (including 3 in the Europa League) with Basel. Who is already at 5 World Cups and who will reach 6There are very few retired players who ended their careers with 5 World Cups to their name:Antonio Carbajal (Mexico)Lothar Matthaus (Germany)Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)Rafael Marquez (Mexico)Andres Guardado (Mexico)There are also 3 players who are currently on 5 and, barring surprises, will make it to 6 World Cups played:Lionel Messi (Argentina)Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico)The number of Mexican players in this ranking is incredible: the mix of the national team’s consistency (given the relative ease of qualifying) and the generally low turnover of players at the highest level has resulted in 4 Mexicans out of the 8 total players in history to have played in at least 5 World Cups.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.

Nebraska baseball (43-17), following a weather delay, concluded its showdown against No. 18 Ole Miss (38-21) and then faced No. 22 Arizona State (39-20) on Sunday. The Huskers fell in both, ending their season. Nebraska's battle with the Rebels started on Saturday night, but rain delayed the ninth inning to Sunday afternoon. Ole Miss built a 6-1 lead over the Huskers across the final four innings after Nebraska scored a run in the fourth. The Huskers picked up two runs in the eighth before the delay but came up short on Sunday. Nebraska then had to quickly turn around and battle the Sun Devils less than two hours afterwards in the elimination game. Arizona State built a massive 11-1 lead over the Huskers heading into the seventh. Despite Nebraska closing the deficit to 11-8, it came up short in the end. Nebraska totaled eight hits and one error against the Rebels, then picked up 11 hits and two errors against the Sun Devils. Ole Miss tallied nine hits, and Arizona State snatched 13. The Huskers also earned three home runs across the two games. Max Buettenback and Jett Buck accounted for all three runs scored by Nebraska against Ole Miss. Buettenback struck a two-run home run while Buck launched a solo shot. Joshua Overbeek then delivered a solo home run against Arizona State, finishing the two games batting 4-for-7. Jeter Worthley also finished with four hits, going 4-for-10. Dylan Carey hit 3-of-7.Ty Horn (3-3) took the loss against Ole Miss in his start at the mound following 5.2 innings pitched. He threw nine strikeouts against six hits, three runs and two walks. Gavin Blachowicz (4-4) fell in his start at the mound against Arizona State, throwing two strikeouts and surrendering six hits and five runs. Nebraska finishes the season having hosted its first NCAA regional since 2008 and making its 20th regional appearance. The Huskers also reached 40 wins in a season for the 19th time in program history.Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Nebraska baseball loses to Ole Miss and Arizona State to end season

Nature, Published online: 01 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01728-wClaims about the upper limits to human lifespan are characterized by hype, deficient data and shoddy science, says longevity researcher Saul Newman.

Nature, Published online: 29 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01768-2Magnetic immune cells in a homing pigeon’s liver might help it to navigate. Plus, the first clinical trial of a gene therapy to restore heart muscle and an unusual reptile museum in Ecuador.

Jim Rigby, who rarely uses the word “God,” is a key to understanding the Senate candidate trying to pull off something unusual in Texas.

For years, medicine has tried to eliminate stigma. Now, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is bringing back the language personal responsibility.

The local authorities said the cause was an accident at a warehouse that held explosives for mining operations.

The city’s current savings plan starts with $100. A City Council proposal would make the initial contributions among the highest anywhere.

Congressional primaries in Manhattan, Brooklyn and beyond could test the strength of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist movement and reverberate across the country.

The Indian Premier League 2026 season will be remembered as one of the most explosive and record-laden editions in the tournament's history. From Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defending their title to teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi rewriting record books, IPL 2026 delivered unforgettable moments throughout its two-month journey.RCB End 17-Year Wait and Build a DynastyFor years, Royal Challengers Bengaluru were synonymous with heartbreak. Despite boasting some of the biggest names in cricket, the franchise failed to win a single IPL title during the first 17 years of the competition. That narrative changed dramatically in 2025 when RCB finally lifted their maiden IPL trophy. If that victory ended the curse, the 2026 triumph established their dominance.Under captain Rajat Patidar, RCB defeated Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final to become only the third franchise in IPL history to win consecutive titles after Chennai Super Kings (2010, 2011) and Mumbai Indians (2019, 2020).Teams to Win Back-to-Back IPL Titles:Chennai Super Kings – 2010, 2011Mumbai Indians – 2019, 2020Royal Challengers Bengaluru – 2025, 2026The title also elevated RCB into an elite group of franchises with multiple IPL championships.Most IPL Titles:Mumbai Indians – 5Chennai Super Kings – 5Kolkata Knight Riders – 3Royal Challengers Bengaluru – 2Adding further, RCB became only the fourth team to win multiple IPL finals at the same venue, having lifted both the 2025 and 2026 trophies in Ahmedabad.Winning two IPL finals at the same venue: MI - Kolkata (2013, 2015)MI - Hyderabad (2017, 2019)KKR - Chennai (2012, 2024)RCB - Ahmedabad (2025, 2026)Virat Kohli Delivers on the Biggest StageVirat Kohli once again proved why he remains one of the greatest players in IPL history. The former RCB captain produced a match-winning performance in the final as he scored unbeaten 75 off 42 balls and became the second-oldest player ever to win the Player of the Match award in an IPL final.Oldest Players to Win Player of the Match in an IPL Final:Anil Kumble (RCB, 2009) – 38 years, 219 daysVirat Kohli (RCB, 2026) – 37 years, 207 daysFaf du Plessis (CSK, 2021) – 37 years, 94 daysShane Watson (CSK, 2018) – 36 years, 344 daysThe Qualifier 1 Advantage ContinuesRCB's title run also reinforced a long-standing IPL trend. Since the current playoff format was introduced in 2011, the winner of Qualifier 1 has gone on to win 13 of the 16 IPL finals. Remarkably, every IPL champion since 2018 has come through Qualifier 1.Krunal Pandya Joins Elite IPL Winners ClubRCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya added another remarkable achievement to his decorated IPL career. He became one of only six players to feature in five or more IPL title-winning campaigns.Players Featuring in Five or More IPL Final Wins:Rohit Sharma – 6Ambati Rayudu – 6MS Dhoni – 5Kieron Pollard – 5Hardik Pandya – 5Krunal Pandya – 5Rabada's purple patch creates historyKagiso Rabada enjoyed a sensational season with the ball, finishing as the Purple Cap winner with 29 wickets. In doing so, he became only the fourth bowler in IPL history to win the Purple Cap more than once.Multiple Purple Cap Winners: Dwayne Bravo – 2013, 2015Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 2016, 2017Harshal Patel – 2021, 2024Kagiso Rabada – 2020, 2026The Season of Vaibhav SooryavanshiIf one player symbolised IPL 2026, it was 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The teenager not only dominated opposition bowlers but also swept multiple individual honours.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's IPL 2026 Awards: Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season (Strike Rate: 237.3), Super Sixes of the Season (72 sixes), Orange Cap (776 runs).Other Major IPL 2026 Award WinnersFair Play Award – Punjab KingsCatch of the Season – Manish Pandey (stunning catch to dismiss Tim David)Most Dot Balls Bowled – Mohammed Siraj (172)Most Fours – Sai Sudharsan (75) 131435591IPL 2026: The Most Explosive Edition Ever?Almost every major batting metric reached unprecedented heights in IPL 2026.Tournament Records:Most Runs in an IPL Season – 27,450Highest Runs Per Wicket – 31.26Highest Run Rate – 9.88Most Fours – 2,332Most Sixes – 1,426Most Individual Hundreds – 15Most 200+ Totals – 65Most Successful 200+ Chases – 17

NEW DELHI: At just 15 years of age, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi lit up IPL 2026 like few players ever have. The Rajasthan Royals batting sensation finished the season with a staggering 776 runs in 16 matches at a strike rate of 237.31, smashing 72 sixes along the way. His extraordinary campaign earned him the Orange Cap as the tournament's leading run-scorer and a host of individual honours.Sooryavanshi was named the Emerging Player of the Season, Super Striker of the Season (237.31), Super Sixes of the Season (72) and the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of IPL 2026.One of the biggest moments of the awards ceremony came when Sooryavanshi received the Super Striker of the Season award and was presented with a Tata Sierra car. However, there is one catch - he cannot drive it.The reason is simple. Sooryavanshi is only 15 years old. Under Indian law, the minimum age required to obtain a driving licence for a private car is 18. So while the young batting star has won a brand-new vehicle, he will have to wait a few more years before he can legally take it out on the road himself.Speaking after being named the Most Valuable Player of the season, the teenager admitted he was feeling a different kind of pressure."(How does it feel to win so many awards) No sir, it feels good, but I’m feeling a little pressure because I’m here for an interview. But yes, it’s a proud moment, it feels great, and I’ll try to do even better next season."Asked about pressure, his fearless batting style and even how much milk he drinks every day, Sooryavanshi responded with a smile."(On pressure and his fearless batting and how much milk he drinks every day) Sir, I’m not drinking milk right now (smiles). But yes, I just try to back my game. If I feel that the first ball is in my zone and I can hit it, then I go all-out and try to play that way."The teenager also reflected on the biggest lessons from his breakthrough IPL season."(On what he learnt from the season) This season, I learnt how to play in pressure situations and how to change my game according to the circumstances. You can’t play every game with the same mindset. You have to read the situation of the game and play according to what the team requires. I learned a lot about that, even in the playoff games."— IPL (@IPL) While the records and awards have already started piling up, Sooryavanshi knows that longevity in the sport will depend on maintaining his fitness."(On fitness and longevity) I’ll have to focus a lot on that because I want to play for a long time. I need to avoid injuries and things like that, so I’ll have to work on my fitness and focus even more going forward." 131435507The youngster also credited Rajasthan Royals for creating an environment that has allowed him to flourish."(on Rajasthan Royals and the support he receives) Yes sir, everyone is very supportive and everyone there backs me. All the senior players and the support staff back me a lot, and I get to learn so much because these players have performed at a very high level. So it’s a really good environment to be in."

Stuttgart confirm new contract for Deniz UndavDeniz Undav has officially extended his contract with VfB Stuttgart, the Bundesliga side confirmed on Monday.The Germany forward has signed a new deal running until 2029, which also includes an option for a further year.“Deniz has been a significant factor in VfB’s on-field success over the past three years,” said VfB Stuttgart CEO Alexander Wehrle. “On and off the pitch, he has a central role with us and truly identifies with the club. We’re delighted that we’ve agreed terms on an early contract extension with Deniz ahead of the World Cup and we’re looking forward to the future with him.” Undav, who enjoyed a standout 2025/26 campaign with 25 goals and 14 assists in 46 appearances, said:“I’m over the moon to be continuing my career in Stuttgart. This early contract extension means so much to me. The club and the city have become my second home over the past three years – right from day one, everyone welcomed me and my family with open arms and a lot of love. That’s why it’s always so crucial for me to repay that faith through my goals and my performances.“I’m really looking forward to spending many more years as part of the VfB family and enjoying lots more success with the Brustring on my jersey.”

It is officially the start of Race Week, and we are heading to the absolute jewel in the Formula 1 crown: the streets of Monte Carlo. The Monaco Grand Prix is scheduled for this weekend, June 5th to June 7th, and after a stop-start opening to the 2026 campaign, the grid is ready to tackle the tightest, most unforgiving track on the calendar.Before the weekend kicks off, here is your definitive, cross-checked guide on exactly when and how to catch every single session for both UK and US viewers.The 2026 Monaco Grand Prix Weekend ScheduleMONTE-CARLO, MONACO – MAY 25: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 25, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202505271702 // Usage for editorial use only //Here is the complete schedule for the weekend, fully adjusted for both UK (British Summer Time) and US (Eastern Daylight Time) from the local track time.SessionDateUK Time (BST)US Time (EDT)Practice 1Friday, June 512:30 PM7:30 AMPractice 2Friday, June 54:00 PM11:00 AMPractice 3Saturday, June 611:30 AM6:30 AMQualifyingSaturday, June 63:00 PM10:00 AMRaceSunday, June 72:00 PM9:00 AMHow to Watch in the United KingdomFor fans in the UK, the broadcasting landscape remains the comfortable, familiar standard.Sky Sports F1: Sky retains the exclusive rights to broadcast every single practice, qualifying session, and the race live.Streaming: You can stream all the action live via the Sky Go app or with a NOW TV Sports membership.Free-to-Air: If you do not have a Sky subscription, Channel 4 will continue to provide delayed free-to-air highlights of qualifying and the race later in the evening.How to Watch in the United StatesIf you are watching from the US, you need to pay close attention because the broadcast rights have completely shifted for the 2026 season.Apple TV: Forget ESPN. Apple TV is now the exclusive broadcast partner for Formula 1 in the United States.The Details: This massive 5-year, $150 million-a-year deal means that all practice sessions, qualifying, and the Grand Prix itself will stream directly on the Apple TV platform.Free Sessions: Apple has announced that all practice sessions throughout the season will actually be available to watch for free on the Apple TV app. However, you will need an Apple TV subscription (or the F1 TV Premium package, which is now only available in the US via an Apple TV subscription) to catch Qualifying and the Race.

Will there be an auction before IPL 2027 season? Everything we know about the next mini-auction originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:A mini-auction will be conducted before the 20th season of the Indian Premier League. IPL auction generally takes place in December. BCCI yet to announce the exact dates for the IPL 2027 mini-auction.Will there be an auction before IPL 2027 season?Yes. BCCI will conduct a mini-auction following the tradition ahead of the 20th season of the IPL. This will be the last IPL mini-auction before the mega auction, which will be conducted ahead of the IPL 2028 season. MORE: When is IPL 2027 starting?Everything we know about the next mini-auctionThe IPL auctions generally take place in the third week of December, as we have seen in the last few seasons. However, the BCCI are yet to announce the dates for the IPL 2027 mini-auction formally. Details will be updated once the board formally discloses the date. MORE: RCB trophies: IPL glories, WPL success & full title list revealedMI, KKR, DC and LSG are likely to undergo changes at the IPL 2027 mini-auctionTeams like RCB, GT, RR and SRH, who qualified for the IPL 2026 playoffs, are likely to retain their core team ahead of the new season, however, teams who struggled in the 19th season could go through some major changes in the next mini-auction.LSG captain Rishabh Pant has already stepped down from his role after the failure in the IPL 2026 campaign and thus the franchise is likely to go after a big name in the next auction to replace Pant as their new leader.Teams like KKR, MI and DC will also see a change of guard in their ranks. There have been reports of Hardik Pandya leaving the MI captaincy and the all-rounder might also consider leaving the franchise altogether before the next mini-auction. To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

Totti to meet with Gasperini this week to discuss exec roleFrancesco Totti and Roma are impossible to separate. The Captain’s future, in fact, appears to still be with the Giallorossi, though it’s yet to be determined in what role. The former number 10 is waiting to hear the Friedkins’ intentions, but it’s only a matter of days, as the new sporting director, Tony D’Amico, will soon be announced. Gian Piero Gasperini is in favor of Totti’s return to the club: he would like a managerial role, given his footballing prowess and the internal dynamics between the team and the club.Totti is set to return to Roma. As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, a key meeting could take place this week at Trigoria to formalize the agreement with the Giallorossi. After Ed Shipley’s initial offer (a two-year contract worth €500,000-€600,000 to act as ambassador), the Friedkins could return with a €1 million offer and a broader, more prestigious role. Gasperini hopes Totti can act as a bridge between players and the club in day-to-day management, offering opinions, scouting talents across Europe, and collaborating with him in recovering struggling players or identifying, when necessary, what’s needed for development. In short, a central, not a marginal, figure.

Copa Libertadores 2026 Last 16 Draw: The Road To Buenos Aires Is SetBy Louis Smith.The road to Montevideo, the 2026 location of the Copa Libertadores final, has been set after the group stage concluded last week. The bracket, featuring the last 16 of the tournament, includes six Brazilian sides, four Argentinian sides, two Chilean outfits, two Ecuadorian sides, a Colombian side, and a Paraguayan side, as the hunt for glory intensifies.Estudiantes v Universidad CatólicaThe first pairing sees Estudiantes take on Universidad Católica. The Chilean side won their group, while Estudiantes finished as runners-up. The pair have only met twice, and that came in the competition back in May 1969. On that occasion, it was the Argentinian side who ran out winners in the semi-final of the competition, winning 6-2 on aggregate.Rosario Central v CorinthiansThey will meet either Rosario Central or Corinthians, who will also lock horns for the first time in a while, with their only previous meetings coming in the competition in May 2000 in the quarter-finals, where Corinthians edged out the Argentinian side following a penalty shootout.Flamengo v CruzeiroOn the same side of the draw, it’s Belo Horizonte v Rio de Janeiro, as there will be an all-Brazilian affair between Cruzeiro and Flamengo in what promises to be an exciting encounter. The pair have met before in the Libertadores, most recently in 2018, when Cruzeiro enjoyed a 2-1 victory over their Brazilian counterparts. In more recent meetings this year in the league, Flamengo enjoyed a 2-0 victory over Cruzeiro.Deportes Tolima v Independiente del ValleThe winner of that tie will play Deportes Tolima or Independiente del Valle. Independiente del Valle have been successful in the Copa Sudamericana in recent years, but they would love to go one better. They will play Tolima, with the sides having met more recently in the 2022 group stage. On that occasion, Tolima had the better record of the two. Independiente del Valle drew 2-2 on home soil, despite Tolima playing the majority of the match with 10 men. Then, in the return fixture in Colombia, it was a 1-0 victory for the Colombian side thanks to a goal from Andres Ibargüen.The semi-final on that side of the draw will feature one of those teams, meaning there is the potential for a meeting between last year’s finalists, Flamengo and Palmeiras. However, the rest of the pack will be hoping they can stop them.Mirassol v LDU QuitoIn the second half of the draw, Mirassol will take on LDU Quito. Mirassol are making their debut in the competition, and while they have had a bit of a struggle in the Brasileirão, their form in the Libertadores has been relatively good, especially considering the fact that it’s their first time ever in continental competition.They do remain in the drop zone in the Brasileirão, but the Copa Libertadores has given them something to look forward to. They take on an LDU Quito side managed by Brazilian coach Tiago Nunes, who guided LDU Quito to the Copa Libertadores semi-final last year and almost took them to the final, only to see Palmeiras fight back in historic fashion.They will be hoping that this time around, things will go much more smoothly for them. It’s worth noting that these two sides did play each other in the group stage, and they couldn’t really be separated. LDU Quito won the first match 2-0 before Mirassol won the second match on home soil by the same scoreline.So both sides are familiar with each other. Who knows what will happen?Palmeiras v Cerro PorteñoThey will meet either Palmeiras of Brazil or Cerro Porteño of Paraguay, another pair of sides that featured in the same group. On that occasion, it was the Paraguayan side who stunned Palmeiras by finishing top of the group. First, they drew 1-1 in Asunción before, in the match in São Paulo, Cerro Porteño shocked them with a 1-0 victory thanks to a goal from Pablo Vegetti.The sides have become very familiar with each other recently. They also met in the 2025 Copa Libertadores group stage, meaning this will be their sixth meeting. In total, they will have played each other six times in just two years.Coquimbo Unido v PlatenseCoquimbo Unido of Chile will play Platense of Argentina for the first time in their history. Platense come into the match as group winners, whereas Coquimbo Unido finished in second place. The winner of that tie will meet either Independiente Rivadavia or Fluminense of Brazil in the quarter-finals.Fluminense v Independiente RivadaviaFluminense and Independiente Rivadavia, once again, fit what has become a bit of a theme in this part of the draw, as these sides met in the group stage.It was the Argentinians who stunned the Brazilians over two legs, despite making their debut in the competition this year. They enjoyed a 2-1 victory in Brazil before drawing 1-1 in Argentina.The unique thing about this tie is that Fluminense had to rely on the Argentinian side in the final game of the group to get them through to the next stage of the competition. And they did just that by winning 3-1 away in Bolivia with two stoppage-time goals.Independiente Rivadavia will be hoping that favour does not come back to bite them.

Nottingham Forest in talks to sign ZiolkowskiRoma needs to make capital gains by June 30 to comply with the settlement agreement with UEFA, and among the players who could be sacrificed is Jan Ziolkowski.The Polish defender arrived in the summer for €6 million from Legia Warsaw, but Gian Piero Gasperini didn’t particularly convince him, having used him sporadically throughout the season. Nottingham Forest, however, are serious and have set their sights on the 2005-born player. Roma values ​​him at no less than €15 million.Ziolkowski ended his Roma season somewhat annoyed after being substituted in Verona 26 minutes after coming on at the start of the second half for Ghilardi. As reported by Corriere dello Sport, Nottingham Forest are keen on the Polish defender, so much so that a concrete offer from the English club is expected in the coming hours. The Polish defender played 741 minutes under Gian Piero Gasperini, scoring one goal, the one away to Panathinaikos that secured direct access to the Europa League round of 16.

[Getty Images]Former Aston Villa midfielder James Milner has announced his retirement from playing, bringing the end to a glittering 24-year Premier League career.The 40-year-old, who had a loan spell at Villa Park in 2005-06 before signing a permanent deal in 2008, played for six different teams in England's top flight.After making his Premier League debut for Leeds United as a 16-year-old in 2002, he went on to break the record for the most Premier League appearances.Milner, who could play on the wing, in midfield and at full-back, won three Premier League titles, the Champions League, the Super Cup, two FA Cups, two Carabao Cups, two Community Shields and the Club World Cup throughout his career.He posted a farewell message on Instagram, which read: "After 24 seasons in the Premier League, it feels like the right time to bring an end to my playing career."From making my debut for Leeds United, who I supported growing up, at the age of 16 and becoming the Premier League's youngest scorer, I could never have dreamed of the journey I have been on, right through to not being able to lift my foot last year and then coming back to be part of Brighton qualifying for Europe for the second time in their history at the age of 40."To have gone on to represent Newcastle, Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton - and not forgetting a memorable month at Swindon Town - has been an incredible privilege."Every club has played a huge role in my life and career, and I want to thank everyone involved - the owners, staff, coaches, teammates and supporters who welcomed me and helped me along the way."I have been fortunate enough to experience some unforgettable moments, from fighting for survival to winning trophies, playing in Europe, and representing my country England at two European Championships and two World Cups."But more than anything, it is the people and friendships I have made throughout the game that I'll cherish forever."To the fans, thank you. To those who supported me every step of the way, your encouragement meant more than you'll ever know. And to those who gave me grief along the way, thank you too - you all played your part in making the journey memorable and helping shape me as a player and person."To my family, thank you for every sacrifice, every mile travelled and every moment of encouragement. None of this would have been possible without you."I leave the game with immense pride, gratitude and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Football has given me far more than I could ever have imagined, and I will always be thankful for the opportunities it provided."Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey."As Milner calls time on his playing career, we want your input. What were his best moments in an Aston Villa shirt, and what are your favourite memories?Get in touch with your comments here[BBC]

Milan Momcilovic is returning to college basketball and will spend at least one more season competing for a national title while improving his NBA draft stock.The former Iowa State star averaged 16.9 points per game last year while managing to shoot 48.7% from deep.After pulling his name out of the NBA draft, he has his sights on the state of Kentucky, with both Kentucky and Louisville reportedly being in the lead for his services.Arizona is a wild card that has emerged as a potential suitor, but all signs point to Kentucky and Louisville as the favorites.As of 5 PM on Saturday, neither Kentucky nor Louisville had heard a final decision from Momcilovic, and that appears to remain the same as we enter this fine Monday morning. The expectation was he’d make a decision over the weekend, so it’s possible he’s just waiting to let the entire world know his choice.Stay tuned for where Momcilovic decides to continue his collegiate career, and let us know where you believe he’ll end up.As for the Bat Cats, it was a tough end to the weekend as West Virginia shocked Kentucky with an 11-9 defeat that was primarily fueled by a 5-run ninth inning from WVU.The victory by the Mountaineers forces a third game in the series with the winner of today’s game advancing to the Super Regionals.Game time for tonight’s Game 7 is set for 6 PM ET on one of the ESPN network channels.Tweet of the DayMoved in and ready to get to work. #GoBigBluepic.twitter.com/ytrkVbaSVw— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) May 31, 2026Yes!HeadlinesWest Virginia stuns Cats with five-run 9th to force Monday title game – KSRIt all comes down to this.Gilgeous-Alexander calls MVP year a failure after Game 7 loss – ESPNUnderstandable.Kentucky T&F will be well-represented at the NCAA Championships in Eugene – KSRPretty awesome.Bettors heavily invested in Knicks to win NBA Finals – ESPNWhich team is your pick?Kentucky QB commit Jake Nawrot continues to turn heads at the Elite 11 Finals – KSRLove it.Henley makes four straight birdies to win playoff at Colonial – ESPNCrazy finish.The three biggest questions that will decide the NBA Finals – CBS SportsSeveral Wildcats in the series.Blue Jays OF exits game vs. Orioles after being hit by ball thrown by fan – CBS SportsShameful.

The trial, Austria’s first against Assad regime officials, will be a rare chance for Syrian witnesses to confront two men they have accused of torture.

We look at U.S. boat strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

Soon, the NFL will be back. In 100 days, to be exact.There will be training camp highlights and preseason games, but the regular season officially kicks off Sept. 9. Then the long offseason is officially over.With 100 days until that kickoff game to the regular season, here are 100 things to get excited about, in no particular order:1. Patriots at Seahawks to kick off the seasonLet’s start the list with the reason for the list. It’s 100 days until we get to see NFL action that counts again, and it’s a day earlier than usual. The NFL moved the traditional opener with the reigning Super Bowl champs up a day to Wednesday to accommodate the Rams and 49ers playing in Australia the next day. The Patriots will want to put on a better show than we saw in Super Bowl LX, when the Seahawks buried them. It’s a fun way to get the season going.2. Rams vs. 49ers down underLet’s keep it right on moving to Day 2 of the season, when we get a historic game and a good matchup too. The 49ers and Rams will face off at Melbourne Cricket Ground, which was originally opened in 1853, in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia. It’s a big rivalry game too, which adds to the excitement.3. Josh Allen’s brillianceAllen didn’t win MVP last season, but he has probably taken over as the NFL’s marquee player. Allen’s playmaking is thrilling to watch. The big lingering question is whether Allen can get the Bills to a Super Bowl, which will be one of the league’s key storylines until it happens.4. John Harbaugh tries to turn around the GiantsThe biggest name among the 10 new head-coaching hires is easily Harbaugh, who was fired by the Ravens and landed in an even higher profile job. The Giants are one of the teams the NFL likes to highlight, even thought they have missed the playoffs in 11 of the past 13 seasons. We’ll see if Harbaugh can turn that around right away.5. Patrick Mahomes’ returnLate last season, Mahomes tore his ACL against the Chargers. Mahomes has been one of the NFL’s biggest stars since he took over as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback, and there was concern over whether he’d be ready for the start of the season. It seems he is on track to be ready for Week 1. Whenever he returns it will be a great sight.6. Micah Parsons’ returnMahomes isn’t the only high profile star who will be coming back off a torn ACL. The Packers made a massive trade for Parsons last year and he was playing at his usual superstar level when he tore his ACL in Week 15. The Packers didn’t win another game after his injury. Parsons is a game wrecker on defense, and the Packers will be happy to see him back.7. Bad weather gamesOne of the final games of last season was a blizzard. The Patriots-Broncos AFC championship game wasn’t pretty football, but it was memorable. That first game of the NFL season in which we see the snow flying at opening kickoff is always a highlight of the season.The Broncos and Patriots played the second half of the AFC championship game in a snowstorm. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)8. An improved Cowboys defense leads to …The story of the 2025 Cowboys wasn’t hard to decipher. They had a very good offense and a terrible defense. Multiple personnel changes on defense, including first-round draft pick Caleb Downs, along with a change at coordinator should help turn things around. Will it be enough to get Dallas back in the playoffs?9. Maxx Crosby back in silver and blackThe wildest story of the offseason was the Ravens trading for Crosby, then calling off the trade due to what they said were concerns about Crosby’s knee. The Raiders didn’t expect to have Crosby back, but he is and will be a big part of a Las Vegas team looking to make a big improvement.10. The Bills’ lavish new stadiumIt’s always fun when we get introduced to a new NFL stadium. The Bills’ new palace cost more than $2 billion. The first game at new Highmark Stadium will be a national showcase, on Thursday night against the Lions in Week 2.11. Farewell to the Titans’ old stadiumIt’s also bittersweet to say goodbye to old stadiums that hosted many great games. Nissan Stadium became the Titans’ home in 1999 after a chaotic move from Houston, and it was the site of some historic moments. The most memorable was the “Music City Miracle,” the Titans’ unbelievable kickoff return after a lateral to knock the Bills out of the playoffs at the end of the 1999 season. The final regular-season game is slated for Jan. 3 against the Steelers.12. Packers vs. BearsThis rivalry is great because of the long history and the fans’ dislike for the opponent. It has been rare that both teams have been good at the same time though. They’re both good now, and after the Bears beat the Packers in a wild-card playoff game last season, the rivalry is as hot as ever. The first meeting is in Week 5 and the second one is Week 16, on Christmas.13. A great Christmas tripleheaderSpeaking of Christmas, the NFL did not mess around scheduling some great games for the holiday. All three games are rematches of fantastic playoff games from last season. It starts with Packers at Bears, then we get Bills at Broncos and then the nightcap is Rams at Seahawks. Happy holidays, indeed.14. What does Myles Garrett do for an encore?Myles Garrett had one of the best seasons in NFL history, setting the single-season sack record with 23 in the 2025 campaign. The Browns’ superstar is chasing history. He has two NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards, one short of the record. Can he get another 20 sacks and win DPOY again?15. Mike Tomlin on NBCTomlin’s catchphrases as Steelers head coach, such as “we need volunteers, not hostages,” became famous. In his first year after stepping down as Steelers coach he’ll bring his wit to NBC as a studio analyst on “Football Night in America.” He could be a broadcasting star.16. Can the Seahawks repeat?The Seahawks snuck up on everyone as a dominant champion. They were fantastic all season and finished the job with a decisive win in Super Bowl LX. It’s hard to repeat, but the Seahawks’ dominant defense will have Seattle in the mix to do it again.17. Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr ChaseThe last time Burrow stayed healthy all season he led the NFL with 4,918 and 43 touchdowns two seasons ago, with Chase winning the receiving triple crown with 127 catches, 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns. Appreciate this duo because it’s one of the best we’ve seen.18. Derrick Henry keeps rollingRunning backs are supposed to wear down when they get too many carries. Not Henry. He handled another massive workload at age 31 and rushed for 1,595 yards. With another typical season he should pass Hall of Famers Eric Dickerson, Jerome Bettis, LaDainian Tomlinson and Curtis Martin to get into the top six all time in career rushing yards.19. The Eagles’ nonstop dramaWe can always count on the Eagles to provide a soap opera, even when they’re good. When things are only kind of good, as they were last season, it can get spicy. No matter if the Eagles are great, good, average or terrible, they’ll always give us something to talk about.20. Bears fans’ excitementThe Bears haven’t won a Super Bowl since the 1985 season and have had plenty of down years since. Last season’s NFC North title, with first-year coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams leading the way, allowed Bears fans to celebrate what they hope is a new era of success.21. Matthew Stafford is back againIt’s rare for a player to win MVP and also have to address retirement speculation. Stafford announced when he won MVP that he’d be back for 2026, and we’re all better off for another season of seeing Stafford throw to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.22. Cam Ward’s next stepWard had some fun highlights as a rookie. Now he needs to put it all together. That will be easier with a better Titans team around him. The 2025 No. 1 overall draft pick could be the NFL’s breakout star this season.23. Kyler Murray’s second actMurray is trying to become the next veteran quarterback to revive his career. He signed with the Vikings after the Cardinals let him go, and some have hope that he’ll be much better in Kevin O’Connell’s offense.24. Those Seahawks-Rams gamesThe Seahawks and Rams played three masterpieces last season, none better than a Week 16 overtime game that Seattle won 38-37 with an incredible comeback. This season the Rams play in Week 16 and then again in Week 18. Then if we’re lucky, another game in the playoffs.25. A.J. Brown’s future (probably with Pats)Assuming the Patriots’ long-anticipated trade for Brown happens, we could see an epic season from a motivated Brown with Drake Maye throwing him the ball. Brown wasn’t happy with his role in Philadelphia, but he should have no problem getting the ball often in New England.26. Sam Darnold’s awesome storyDarnold is the rare case of a quarterback who was called a bust and written off as a backup, then turned everything around by becoming a key member of a Super Bowl championship team. The Seahawks are glad they took a shot on Darnold after his big 2024 season with the Vikings, and now we get to see what comes next in this fun story.27. Jahmyr Gibbs in the open fieldNo running back has more home run ability than Gibbs, who can score anytime he touches the ball. There aren’t many players who can break a 60-yard run and make it look easy, which is a good reason the Lions are appointment viewing.28. Jaxson Dart’s next moveDart had an exciting rookie season, giving Giants fans hope that they’ve found their quarterback of the future. Dart needs to protect himself and stay healthy, but his competitive spirit is part of what makes him so fun to watch.Jaxson Dart of the New York Giants was a first-round pick last year and had an exciting rookie season. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)29. Rams try to go furtherThe Rams had a tremendous season but were not even the kings of the NFC West. To get past the Seahawks, the Rams made some big moves at cornerback including a trade with the Chiefs for standout Trent McDuffie. The Rams are Super Bowl betting favorites, and they’re the team to watch heading into the season.30. Thanksgiving week dramaThe NFL put a stronger emphasis than ever on making great matchups for standalone games, including perhaps the best Thanksgiving slate ever. That includes Packers at Rams on Thanksgiving Eve, then Bears-Lions, Eagles-Cowboys and Chiefs-Bills on Thanksgiving and then Broncos-Steelers on Black Friday. What a lineup.31. Aaron Rodgers’ last (?) go aroundAt this time last year we figured Rodgers was entering his final season. So even though he says “this is it” for his 22nd NFL season, you never know. But if we take him at his word, we get a farewell tour from one of the greatest players in NFL history.32. Fernando Mendoza’s first start (whenever that happens)The Raiders signed Kirk Cousins so they could ease Mendoza into the starting lineup. When will that be? It might depend on how well the Raiders and Cousins are playing. We should see the No. 1 overall pick start games this season. At that point the Raiders become a must-watch team.33. Bijan Robinson’s dominanceDon’t blame Robinson for the Falcons’ losing record last season. He set a franchise record and led the NFL with 2,298 yards from scrimmage. Here’s the first overall pick in most fantasy football leagues this season.34. So many international gamesThe NFL is taking the international series more seriously than ever before. There are a record nine international games and the NFL took the scheduling more seriously than ever, booking compelling matchups for practically every slot. You won’t be able to sleep in and miss those early games this year.35. What’s next for the Chiefs?Is the dynasty over or just paused? We’ll hear that question plenty early in the season after the Chiefs had a miserable 6-11 campaign. Even if you hate the Chiefs by now, they’re the most compelling team of this era.36. Drake Maye, Year 3Maye had a second-year breakout that we’ve seen from some other star quarterbacks in recent years. He nearly won MVP, barely losing to Matthew Stafford. Maye had a fantastic season, and there’s no reason he can’t be even better this season as he becomes one of the NFL’s biggest draws.37. ESPN gets the Super BowlBroadcasting the Super Bowl is a massive deal for every network. It’s especially big for ESPN, which gets the biggest game for the first time. ESPN has promised a year-round promotional blitz, and even tasked Andy Tennant with being its vice president of Super Bowl production. It will make the big game seem even bigger.38. Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are backThe 49ers’ defense struggled when Bosa and Warner, two of the NFL’s best defensive players, went down. Bosa and Warner will be back this season and the 49ers’ defense should improve. It’ll be great to see them wreaking havoc again.39. Houston’s nasty defenseDefensive football can be a blast to watch, too. Houston had a fierce defense last season, leading the NFL in yards allowed. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has had a big impact on that group, which will be tough as ever to move the ball against this season.40. Brazil welcomes Cowboys vs. RavensThe NFL is bringing the party to Brazil in Week 3 for the league’s first game in Rio de Janeiro. It is bringing a great matchup too between two marquee teams. The setting should make a good game even more compelling.41. Malik Willis gets his shotWillis had some exciting moments as the Packers’ No. 2 quarterback the past couple seasons. Now he’s a starter for the Dolphins after they signed him this offseason. He’s a bit of an unknown after just six starts, which is part of the intrigue.42. Seahawks’ defensive excellenceMike Macdonald came to the Seahawks as their head coach with a reputation as a defensive wizard. That came to pass, as Macdonald led a fantastic Seahawks defense to a Super Bowl championship. That defense gives Seattle a chance to repeat.43. Ravens at Bills, the rematchLast season, the Ravens and Bills kicked off the season in Week 1 with one of the best games of the year, a thrilling 41-40 comeback win by Buffalo. This season the teams meet in Week 8, and anytime Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson go against each other it has a shot to be the game of the year.44. Trent Williams marches onWilliams made his 12th Pro Bowl last season, and only eight players in NFL history have made more. Williams will be 38 years old this season but there’s no reason he can’t play at a Pro Bowl level for another few seasons for the 49ers. Williams might be the most intimidating player in the NFL, and perhaps the best offensive tackle ever too.45. Arizona will be a shootout circusThe Cardinals won’t win many games, but they’re going to provide a ton of entertainment. Arizona has plenty of skill-position talent like Trey McBride, Jeremiyah Love, Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr., and a defense that’s going to give up a lot of points. We could see some 45-42 games in the desert.46. Brock Bowers being unstoppableNew Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak described Bowers as “a football robot from heaven.” Watch the robot again put up numbers that are silly for a tight end.47. Travis Hunter, both ways again?The Jaguars insist that Hunter will play offense and defense, as he did in a partial way as a rookie. This season might skew more toward cornerback than receiver, but it will be interesting to watch a unique experiment in its second season.48. Justin Herbert behind a healthy offensive lineHerbert continues to develop into one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, but last season wasn’t easy. Offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater suffered season-ending injuries and that led to Herbert being under pressure more often than not. With Alt and Slater back, Herbert and the Chargers’ offense will be much more enjoyable to watch, particularly with new coordinator Mike McDaniel calling plays.49. The Jets’ secretly fun offenseSeriously. The Jets have some talent. Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall are elite talents, and they’ll be joined by first-round receiver Omar Cooper Jr. and first-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Geno Smith was a viable quarterback not that long ago. Hey, at least it’ll be better than last season.50. De’Von Achane’s big playsThe Dolphins refused to trade Achane, giving him a big extension instead. The reason is obvious: Achane makes things happen just about every time he touches the ball. The Dolphins won’t be great this season but Achane will be worth watching.51. Fresh new uniforms for the TitansThe Titans are changing their look in 2026, going back to Houston Oilers colors for their new uniforms.That’s sharp, even if Houston fans won’t be happy about it.52. Commanders throw it back with new uniformsThe Commanders wore a “Super Bowl era” throwback to a previous time (and nickname) last season, and decided to go with it full time starting this season. It’s a massive upgrade.The Falcons, Rams and Ravens also have made updates to their uniforms, but the Titans and Commanders are the two teams that will look much different this season.53. Broncos back-to-back AFC West champs?The Broncos broke the Chiefs’ streak of nine straight AFC West titles last season. Can they make it two straight? Denver was one of the NFL’s best teams last season, and another division title would signify a changing of the guard in the division.54. Jayden Daniels back healthySophomore slumps happen. Daniels’ rough second season had a lot to do with injuries. Let’s wipe the slate clean for Daniels and hope we see the scintillating player who set records as a rookie in 2024.55. The weird NFC SouthThere was an odd curiosity about the NFC South last season, which crowned the Panthers as a champion in a three-way tie at 8-9. Hopefully one team in the division will have a winning record but if not, it will still be entertaining in a dysfunctional way.56. The awesome NFC WestThe Seahawks are reigning Super Bowl champions. The Rams are Super Bowl favorites for this season. The 49ers could be much better with a healthier defense. The Cardinals … well, they should have some really high-scoring games. There are a few strong divisions in the NFL but the NFC West is king.57. Will Anderson Jr. becomes more famousAnderson got a stunning three-year, $150 million deal this offseason. Most fans know the Texans defensive end, but the headlines from his contract will bring even more attention to how good of a player he is. If anyone can knock off Myles Garrett as NFL Defensive Player of the Year, it’s Anderson.58. Dan Campbell tries again with the LionsIf the Lions ever win a Super Bowl, it will be one of the best sports stories in a long time. Detroit has come close to making it to the Super Bowl lately, but their playoff runs have ended in heartache. The Lions missed the playoffs last season but Campbell should have his team back in contention again, which makes for a fun ride.59. Daniel Jones’ returnJones was the surprise star of the first half of last season, but an Achilles injury changed that narrative. The Colts are hoping Jones will be back for Week 1, and we can see if he can pick up where he left off.60. David Bailey’s debutThe Jets had a tough choice with the second overall pick of this year’s NFL Draft and chose Texas Tech edge rusher Bailey, who had 14.5 sacks last season. If Bailey lives up to that draft billing, he’ll be an instant star in New York.61. Week 1Week 1 is a tremendous time to be an NFL fan. We get to see all those rookie debuts, our favorite teams all have hope, and the opening week typically has a few absolutely unexpected results (last season it was the Raiders winning at the Patriots). What surprises will we get on opening weekend this season?62. Christian McCaffrey’s HOF career goes onMcCaffrey came into last season with some injury questions, and at age 29 he led the NFL with 413 touches, gaining 2,126 yards from scrimmage with 17 touchdowns. He’s an all-time great with plenty of great games to come.63. Brandon AubreyIt’s rare to get excited when a kicker comes on the field, but Aubrey is an exception. It doesn’t seem like any kick is too far for Aubrey, who has at least 10 field goals of 50 yards or more in each of his three Cowboys seasons. When the Cowboys get to midfield, they’re in field-goal range.64. The trade deadlineFor many years, there was never much action on the deadline. In recent years the mentality has shifted, and now the NFL’s trade deadline can have some impactful deals. That could increase this year with teams keeping an eye on a stacked 2027 NFL Draft. This year’s deadline is Nov. 3.65. Patriots and Lions go to GermanyGoing with the theme of a strong international schedule of games, Munich is getting a prime game. The Patriots vs. Lions would fit great on a Sunday or Monday night; we get it in the early window of Week 10.66. All those Ohio State rookiesThe first round of the NFL Draft was dominated by Buckeyes. Four of the first 11 picks were from Ohio State, including three defensive players. Any of those players — receiver Carnell Tate, linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles and safety Caleb Downs — could win Rookie of the Year.67. A great Hall of Fame classThere’s some real star power in the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class: Roger Craig, Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri. They’ll be inducted in August, but they’ll be celebrated in the cities in which they starred during the season.68. Jalen Hurts under fireHurts never seems to get a break from criticism. He was Super Bowl MVP at the end of the 2024 season but last season was rough with infighting on the Eagles and a poor offensive scheme. Hurts didn’t play well either, and now finds himself in a positive of having to prove himself again.69. Your fantasy football sleeperYou’ve got less than 100 days to hone in on that mid-round pick who will carry your fantasy team to a title this season. Don’t leave your draft without him (let’s call it now: Jaguars running back Bhayshul Tuten).70. Another Travis Kelce seasonKelce’s potential retirement has been a story for a couple years, but he keeps coming back. After a good 2025 season, Kelce decided to come back for a 14th season as he gets set to turn 37 years old in October. One of the greatest tight ends ever is still productive, and he’s not ready to step away yet.71. Jaguars return to LondonThe Jaguars enjoy their status as London’s unofficial team, and they return for a back-to-back dip in England again this season. Both matchups are compelling too: Jacksonville takes vs. the Eagles in Week 5, then division foe Houston in Week 6.72. George Pickens dramaIt seems inevitable that we’ll see some fireworks with Pickens and the Cowboys, and not just from him making big catches downfield. Pickens is on the franchise tag, not a long-term deal, and he can’t be happy with that. And if the mercurial Pickens is happy all season, we’ll just be entertained by his fantastic highlights.George Pickens had 1,429 yards for the Cowboys last season. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)73. Kyle Shanahan getting his dueA superb coaching job by Kyle Shanahan and then-defensive coordinator Robert Saleh (who is off to be the Titans’ new head coach) lifted San Francisco to the playoffs despite a rash of injuries. Shanahan didn’t get NFL Coach of the Year last season, but he’s solidifying himself as one of the top few coaches in the sport.74. A 70-yard field goal?Kickers have gotten much, much better through the years. Jacksonville’s Cam Little not only set the record last season with a 68-yard field goal, he hit the second longest in NFL history at 67 yards too. The next frontier might be if anyone can hit a 70-yarder. Little and Brandon Aubrey could give it a run if they get an opportunity.75. The loaded 2027 NFL DraftYou heard about it a lot during this year’s draft, but the 2027 draft should be very deep and good. NFL fans, especially of bad teams, should be keeping an eye on Saturdays in the fall too. The race for the No. 1 pick will be a compelling story, and might lead to …76. Will we see tanking?Could we see NBA-level tanking in the NFL this season? The Dolphins might have gotten a head start on it through tearing down their roster. Could other teams put key players on injured reserve in December, like the Raiders did last season? Just because the NFL hasn’t had an epidemic of tanking doesn’t mean it can’t happen.77. Malik Nabers back in actionNabers had a great rookie season but his second season never really got off the ground. He suffered a torn ACL. Hopefully Nabers’ recovery goes well because he’s one of the most exciting players in the NFL when he’s on the field.78. Ashton Jeanty, take twoJeanty was one of the best running back prospects in many years, but the 2025 Raiders weren’t equipped to support him. He had a fairly quiet rookie season, but that should change with an upgraded Raiders roster and coaching staff. Then we’ll see what the hype was all about.79. Penei Sewell crushing peopleWe don’t pay much attention to offensive linemen, but Sewell is hard to miss. He’s a bulldozer for the Lions at 335 pounds. Sewell is expected to move from right tackle to left tackle this season, but the violence in his game shouldn’t change.80. Justin Jefferson gets back on trackWhen the Vikings’ passing game cratered last season, so did Jefferson’s numbers. We didn’t get nearly enough Jefferson highlights and the griddy was mostly put on ice. Hopefully that changes this season because Jefferson is a treat to watch.81. Jeremiyah Love’s rookie seasonLove was the rare prospect nobody seemed to have any problem with. He does it all at running back. The Cardinals were an odd landing spot at No. 3 overall, but Love will put up plenty of numbers and maybe win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.82. Tom Brady’s improvement in the boothBrady’s broadcasting career started slow, but he’s getting more comfortable as the color analyst on Fox’s No. 1 team. When Brady starts talking about quarterback play, it’s fantastic. If he continues to improve, he’ll be the star Fox thought it was paying for.83. Tyler Shough’s encoreShough wasn’t even starting for the Saints as a rookie halfway through last season. He made a push to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after getting the job. Shough was a revelation, and now has No. 8 overall pick Jordyn Tyson to throw to as well.84. The unstoppable JSNJaxon Smith-Njigba entered last season as an ascending third year receiver for the Seahawks. Nobody knew he’d be the league’s most dominant receiver, win NFL Offensive Player of the Year and be the best player on a Super Bowl champion. Everyone knew JSN was getting the ball last season and couldn’t stop it, so expect more of the same.85. George Kittle battles backKittle is one of the NFL’s great characters. It was tough to see his season end with an Achilles injury in the playoffs. We need his recovery to be seamless because the game isn’t as fun without him.86. Lamar Jackson’s reboundLet’s not forget that when healthy and locked in, Jackson is the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history, and one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history period. The two-time MVP was a disappointment last season, but a coaching staff change might revitalize one of the NFL’s unique talents.87. Alec Pierce, $114 million manPierce became a well known name last season and got a massive contract to stay with the Colts, signing for $114 million over four years. That gives him even more fame. He’ll try to lead the NFL in yards per catch for the third straight season.88. Will the Jets finally get an interception?One of the wildest stats in the NFL recently is the Jets getting no interceptions all last season. They’re the first team in NFL history to pull off that feat. The Jets have to get an interception early this season to break the streak. Right?89. The MVP raceAt this time last year, nobody figured Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye would finish 1-2 for MVP. Will it be one of the established former MVPs this season like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson? Or will some young quarterback like Caleb Williams join the fray? We’ll debate the race all season.90. Will Campbell’s redemptionCampbell, the Patriots’ left tackle, was the fourth pick of last year’s NFL Draft and got fame in the wrong way for his struggles in the playoffs and especially the Super Bowl. The Patriots drafted Caleb Lomu, a left tackle, in the first round this year, leading to more questions. Campbell is the rare offensive tackle we’ll be talking about.91. Robert Saleh vs. Liam CoenLast season, when Saleh was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, he made a comment about Coen’s staff stealing signs. After Coen’s Jaguars beat the 49ers, Coen had words for Saleh. Now Saleh is the Titans’ head coach and will face Coen twice a season. The two say there’s no lingering bad feelings, but we shall find out.92. Baker Mayfield tries to regroupMayfield was quite good two seasons ago and pretty bad in the second half of last season. There’s no Mike Evans for the Buccaneers anymore, which will be weird, but Emeka Egbuka, Chris Godwin Jr. and others can help Mayfield rediscover his form.93. Mike Evans in a new placeSpeaking of Evans, it’s always weird to see a legend switch teams late in his career. Evans spent 12 seasons with the Buccaneers but moved on to the 49ers in the offseason. Evans could be a great fit for Kyle Shanahan’s offense, which would add a cool second chapter to a great career.94. Figuring out Bo NixNix was very good as a rookie. He made huge plays in a tense playoff win over the Bills last season. But most of his second season was up and down, despite the Broncos’ 14-3 record, and it ended with an ankle injury suffered late against Buffalo. Will Nix take a step forward in Year 3? That would help the Broncos be a title contender again.Bo Nix is returning from an ankle injury he suffered in the playoffs last season. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)95. Something for Carolina to cheer aboutThe Panthers didn’t have a great 2025 season, finishing 8-9. But they won the NFC South and took the Rams to the brink in a wild-card playoff game. Tetairoa McMillan won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and the Panthers added big free agents Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd to the defense. After years of malaise, Panthers fans have something to be excited for.96. Trevor Lawrence’s star turnIt took a while, but Lawrence finally had a big season. The Jaguars won the division and Lawrence improved as a quarterback under head coach Liam Coen. Will Year 2 with Coen be even better?97. Jesse Minter replaces a legendMinter, the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator last season, was one of the hot names in the head coaching cycle. He landed with the Ravens, who have high expectations. Perhaps new energy from Minter will boost the Ravens and finally get Lamar Jackson to a Super Bowl.98. Aaron Glenn vs. the hot seatGlenn might be on the hottest seat coming into the season. That happens when you’re the Jets’ coach and things don’t go well. The Jets have added some talent and should be more competitive. But all eyes will be on Glenn.99. Clutch Caleb WilliamsThere aren’t many more exciting players in the NFL than Williams with a game on the line. His late-game highlights for the Bears last season were captivating, and there should be plenty more to come.100. Super Bowl SundayMark your calendars: Super Bowl LXI will be Feb. 14, 2027 from SoFi Stadium. That might not excite many couples looking to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but that can wait until Monday.

One of the Indianapolis Colts' training camp competitions was named by ESPN a positional battle to watch this summer.Ben Solak recently put together his list of the top 10 positional battles to take place this summer. Making an appearance was the Colts' defensive end position, specifically, who will be starting opposite of Laiatu Latu?Presumably, that position battle will be taking place between Jaylahn Tuimoloau and Arden Key."Tuimoloau was far less impactful in limited action than the Colts would have hoped, so Key was signed to fill out the rotation," wrote Solak. "The starting job is in desperate need of a splash player, as the Colts will be relying heavily on their line to cover for what will be inexperienced linebacker and safety rooms."The Colts heavily addressed the defensive end position this offseason, but whether or not they found an impact presence to pair with Latu remains to be seen.Tuimoloau played just over 200 defensive snaps in his rookie season, while Key has produced at a steady level during his career, but he hasn't been a high-impact player.As a collective unit in 2025, the Colts' defensive front ranked 30th in ESPN's pass rush win rate. More pass rush juice around Latu is a must this season.After all, the name of the game is getting after the quarterback, and whether or not the Colts' defensive end unit can do that consistently is a big question heading into the 2026 season.This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts' defensive end competition ranked among top position battles of 2026

Official: Davide Ancelotti appointed head coach of LilleDavide Ancelotti, the son and former assistant of Brazil head coach Carlo, has been appointed as the head coach of Ligue 1 side Lille on a contract running until the end of the 2027-28 season, the club has confirmed.Official: Davide Ancelotti takes on first European head coach roleAncelotti has put pen to paper ona two-year contract with the Ligue 1 side and will lead the team into the Champions League in 2026-27 following their third-place finish in the French top flight during the campaign that has just finished.“LOSC is delighted with the arrival of Davide Ancelotti at the dawn of a new 2026-2027 season that will combine Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League,” read a statement on the Lille website.Official: Davide Ancelotti is appointed head coach of LOSC on a two-year contract (via www.losc.fr)“This young technician, who is also experienced thanks to his extremely rich sporting career in the biggest clubs, staff and locker rooms in the world, is also renowned for his ability to develop young talents, while performing at the highest level.”This will be Ancelotti’s second head coach role, following a brief stint in charge of Botafogo in 2025.The 36-year-old has an impressive coaching CV, though, having followed his father Carlo around for the best part of the last 15 years.BERGAMO, ITALY – DECEMBER 10: Carlo Ancelotti, Head Coach of Real Madrid, interacts with Davide, Assistant Manager of Real Madrid, at full-time following the team’s victory in the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD6 match between Atalanta BC and Real Madrid C.F. at Stadio di Bergamo on December 10, 2024 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)He followed his father to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, where he served as a fitness coach, before being promoted to the role of assistant at Napoli, Everton and the Ancelottis’ second spell at the Bernabeu. He also worked with his father in the Brazil set-up both sides of his spell in charge of Botafogo.𝑫𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝑨𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒊 𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊̂𝒏𝒆𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒖 𝑳𝑶𝑺𝑪 🆕🇮🇹 Le LOSC annonce aujourd’hui la nomination de Davide Ancelotti comme entraîneur de l’équipe première. Le technicien italien, passé par les plus grands clubs et sélections du monde,… pic.twitter.com/OPDiyyr5XO

The Seattle Seahawks created a new blueprint for winning a title in the NFL. Their head coach, Mike Macdonald, and former USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold were right at the forefront of this franchise's turnaround. Seattle, year in and year out, will now be looked at as a contender because of its winning duo.In a recent artcile, Matt Legros takes a look at where the Seahawks' new winning duo ranks in the NFL: "Coach Macdonald and Darnold led Seattle to its first Super Bowl victory since the 2013 season in 2025. Under Macdonald, the Seahawks were one of the best defenses in the league last season and also had an elite, balanced offense. As for Darnold, the USC product continued his excellent play after emerging as a late-bloomer in 2024.According to Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame in his appraisal of all 32 coach-QB duos in the league, Macdonald and Darnold ranked No. 7 overall."Darnold will carry over two consecutive seasons passing for 4,000 yards into the 2026 season, with virtually the same receiving corp intact. Macdonald will have another opportunity to put Darnold, as well as reigning AP Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba, rookie running back Jadarian Price and the rest of the offense in position to succeed, along with his standard-setting defense."The Seattle Seahawks were elite at the two most important positions for a football team. Sam Darnold was a winning quarterback, and he showed up in the biggest games. Darnold killed all the old narratives that were placed upon him prior to Seattle. Mike Macdonald set the foundation and turned Seattle right back into a premier organization. Darnold and Macdonald etched themselves as a top duo in the league last season. More winning will come with those two at the helm.This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Sam Darnold and Mike Macdonald give Seattle Seahawks top coach-QB duo

While Tua Tagovailoa may hold the early advantage in the Atlanta Falcons quarterback competition based on his overall health, we wouldn't sleep on Michael Penix Jr.If Penix can win the starting job, he will look to build off his promising yet inconsistent sophomore campaign. The former top-10 pick had some great moments in 2025, and an impressive 3-to-1 TD/INT ratio (nine touchdowns to three interceptions).According to Pro Football Focus, Penix could be in line for an uptick in interceptions this season. PFF's Mark Chichester listed Penix as one of eight quarterbacks likely to regress in interception rate in 2026."Penix threw zero interceptions on non-turnover-worthy plays across 276 pass attempts in his first full season as a starter," wrote Chichester. "League-average rates would project slightly over two for that volume. Combined with a below-average 33.3% conversion rate on his nine turnover-worthy throws, the result was a three-interception season that runs roughly three and a half picks below expectation."While Penix may have gotten a few lucky breaks, PFF went on to highlight the former Washington standout's low rate of turnover-worthy throws last season."The low raw totals make this one of the harder cases to evaluate," added Chichester. "Nine turnover-worthy throws on 276 attempts is actually a genuinely low rate, suggesting real care with ball placement in high-risk situations. But the conversion variance on those plays, and particularly the zero-for-246 on non-turnover-worthy attempts, will almost certainly revert."Quarterbacks who regularly push the ball down the field tend to throw a higher rate of interceptions, making ball placement that much more important. The fact that Penix had just nine turnover-worthy throws is a testament to his underrated accuracy. At the same time, he still needs to improve his completion percentage (60.1 last season), which often comes down to decision making on those early downs. Perhaps head coach Kevin Stefanski can put Penix in a better position to have success.Over his first two NFL seasons, Penix has passed for 2,761 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions for a passer rating of 85.8 in 14 games (12 starts). In 2025, he had a career high 88.5 passer rating before tearing his ACL. Penix will look to keep the pressure on Tagovailoa as the team heads into its third week of OTAs. The Falcons will be back in action on Monday.This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: PFF says Penix will throw more INTs in 2026

Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw’s new four-year contract with Manchester City will see the striker earn a minimum of £1.6million ($2.15m) per year, excluding performance-related bonuses.The deal, signed last Monday, sees Shaw earn a base annual salary of £1m ($1.4m). Guaranteed yearly add-ons will lift it to between £1.6m and £1.7m ($2.3m), according to sources familiar with the matter and documents seen by The Athletic. Shaw’s total yearly package could reach beyond £1.7m if certain performance-related bonuses are met.The 29-year-old winner joined City in 2021 from French side Bordeaux on an initial three-year deal, before signing a two-year extension in May 2023.Shaw’s City contract was set to expire this summer but it was announced on Monday that she would be remaining with the Women’s Super League champions after signing a new deal.The Athletic reported that the contract, signed on the morning of City’s Women’s Super League victory parade on Monday, made the Jamaica international the highest-paid women’s footballer in the world.There has been controversy in recent months over who is the highest earner in women’s football. Trinity Rodman’s new contract with the Washington Spirit was, according to her agent, Mike Senkowski of Upper 90 Sports Group, worth in excess of $2m annually. However, a source with knowledge of three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati’s contract figures said the Barcelona midfielder’s current four-year deal is worth more.The deal reached by City represents a significant increase from the initial offer made by Chelsea, which exceeded an annual salary excluding add-ons of £1m per year.Chelsea never made more than the one offer and, upon being made aware of City’s improved offer in the days leading up to City’s parade, refused to go higher or enter a bidding war for the three-time WSL golden boot winner.The knock-on effects of Shaw’s salary on City’s financial structure remain to be seen. As The Athletic reported this week, negotiations for Shaw’s signature throughout the year were stilted by concerns from the board over reshaping the wage structure around one player, as well as the precedent set by doing so.WSL Football announced new Financial Sustainability Regulations (FSR) for the upcoming season. These include a flexible squad spending cap and strict minimum wage requirements. Total player wage bills are capped at 80 per cent of a club’s standalone revenue, plus owner cash funding up to the limit of £4m or 25 per cent of revenue.City’s most recent accounts for the 2024-25 season saw the club rank third of the 17 clubs in last season’s WSL and WSL2 for total expenditure for which spending figures are publicly available. Only Arsenal (£21.6m) and Chelsea (£20.2m) exceeded City’s budget of £14m. City reported a total revenue of £10.8m, for the same season, representing a £2.8m net loss.Shaw scored the first goal in City’s 4-0 FA Cup final victory over Brighton on Sunday, confirming a domestic double for the 2025/26 WSL champions and lifting Shaw’s total goal contribution for the season to 26 goals and seven assists with 14 goals in her last 10 appearances.City manager Andree Jeglertz praised his striker’s attitude during the contract saga.“I’m very impressed with how she handled that,” Jeglertz told media after Sunday’s win.“She’s never shown any kind of mood that has affected her performance. Of course, she’s a person like everybody else. I’m not saying that has affected her, I don’t know about that, but of course she knows about all the writing.“But at the same time, she has been so professional all the time, always performed, always been a positive person, so no matter what I haven’t seen, I wouldn’t notice any kind of challenges.”This article originally appeared in The Athletic.Manchester City, Chelsea FC Women, Manchester City WFC, Sports Business, Women's Soccer, Women's Super League2026 The Athletic Media Company

NBA legend offers surprising fix for Knicks' biggest Finals concern originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New York Knicks are four wins away from a championship. They also have a problem that opponents will almost certainly try to exploit. Center Mitchell Robinson has never been known for his free-throw shooting, but heading into the NBA Finals, the issue has become even more complicated. Robinson recently underwent surgery to repair a broken pinky finger on his shooting hand and is expected to wear a brace while attempting to play through the injury.That development caught the attention of one NBA Hall of Famer who believes he has the perfect solution. And it's one that most modern players refuse to consider.Rick Barry thinks Mitchell Robinson should go underhandedLong before Steph Curry was revolutionizing shooting, Hall of Fame forward Rick Barry was making free throws look automatic. Barry shot 89.3 percent from the foul line during his NBA career and remains one of the greatest free-throw shooters in league history. His signature underhand technique, often called the "granny shot," became almost as famous as his scoring ability.Now Barry believes Robinson should adopt it immediately. In an interview with CBS Sports, Barry didn't hesitate when asked about Robinson's struggles."He should have switched to shooting underhand before he broke his finger," Barry said.Barry believes the broken pinky actually makes the case stronger. According to him, the underhand motion minimizes the importance of the injured finger because the ball is guided primarily by the other fingers and the motion of both hands working together."The pinky has nothing to do with it," Barry said. "It would be something he could do."The numbers paint a brutal pictureIt's easy to understand why Barry sees an opportunity. Robinson has struggled at the line throughout his career, making just 50.8 percent of his regular-season free throws. The postseason numbers are even worse.Entering the NBA Finals, Robinson has made only 13 of his 43 free-throw attempts during the 2026 playoffs, good for just 30.2 percent. At times, opponents have intentionally fouled him rather than allowing easy baskets around the rim.Barry, meanwhile, shot 87 percent from the free-throw line during his playoff career. The gap between the two players is massive. With the Knicks preparing to face either the Spurs or Thunder in the Finals, every possession will matter. A few missed free throws could swing a game or even a championship.MORE: Victor Wembanyama's emotional moment with father says everything after Spurs reach NBA FinalsThe real obstacle isn't mechanicsBarry doesn't believe learning the technique is the difficult part. He told CBS Sports that Robinson could potentially become comfortable with the shot in just a few days of practice.The bigger issue, according to Barry, is pride. For decades, NBA players have largely avoided underhand free throws because of the perception attached to the style. Many players would rather struggle conventionally than risk being mocked for shooting like Barry did.That reasoning has always frustrated the Hall of Famer."Throw your ego in the freakin' closet," Barry said. "It's all about how often you can make it."Whether Robinson ever considers the idea remains to be seen. But with the NBA Finals approaching and his shooting hand less than 100 percent, Barry's suggestion is likely to spark plenty of debate. It might sound old-fashioned. Then again, making free throws never goes out of style.MORE NBA NEWSGiannis Antetokounmpo just said what Knicks fans have been waiting to hearBlockbuster trade idea involves Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant and the WarriorsNew York is about to become the undisputed center of the sports worldJames Harden reaches another NBA milestone as Cavaliers face elimination

Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully defended their IPL crown by defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final at the same Ahmedabad venue where they lifted their maiden title a year ago. Fittingly, it was Virat Kohli who sealed the victory with the winning six, capping off another memorable night in the franchise's history.Kohli once again underlined his status as one of the IPL's all-time greats with a match-winning unbeaten 75 off 42 balls. His knock earned him the Player of the Match award, making him the second-oldest player to win the honour in an IPL final.Oldest Players to Win Player of the Match in an IPL Final:Anil Kumble (RCB, 2009) – 38 years, 219 daysVirat Kohli (RCB, 2026) – 37 years, 207 daysFaf du Plessis (CSK, 2021) – 37 years, 94 daysShane Watson (CSK, 2018) – 36 years, 344 daysThe award also helped Kohli achieve another significant milestone. He moved past Rohit Sharma to become the Indian player with the most Player of the Match awards in IPL history. Having been tied with Rohit on 21 awards, Kohli's performance in the final took him to 22, drawing level with Chris Gayle in the overall standings.Most Player of the Match Awards in IPL History:AB de Villiers – 25Chris Gayle – 22Virat Kohli – 22Rohit Sharma – 21MS Dhoni – 1 8Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru continued their dominance and clinched back-to-back IPL titles after defeating Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets in the IPL 2026 Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.GT posted 155/8 in their 20 overs, but RCB's disciplined bowling attack kept the dangerous batting lineup in check. Despite a few late boundaries, Gujarat never managed to build substantial partnerships and finished with a below-par total. 131437191In reply, RCB chased down the target comfortably, reaching 161/5 in just 18 overs. Virat Kohli led the charge with a brilliant unbeaten 75 off 42 balls, anchoring the innings and ensuring there were no late hiccups. His knock proved decisive as RCB crossed the finish line with two overs to spare and sealed their second consecutive IPL crown.

How Maxx Crosby impacts A.J. Brown's Eagles to Patriots potential trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.For most of NFL history, the post-trade physical has felt from the outside like just a matter of procedure.Players rarely fail that physical. Deals pretty much always go through as reported.But earlier this offseason, Maxx Crosby happened, and now it looms just a little bit over everything that is to come.No, it's not likely that A.J. Brown would fail his physical en route to a potential deal from the Philadelphia Eagles to the New England Patriots (or any other last-minute suitor).But is it possible? Crosby proved it is.The Las Vegas Raiders' superstar edge rusher was set to be traded to the Baltimore Ravens earlier this offseason for two first-round picks. The deal was reported, and for multiple days, there was nothing to suggest contrary.But then a few days later, it was reported that Crosby had failed his physical, and that the trade was off.MORE: Jason Kelce says the NFL is ruining its most valuable assetThere was speculation that the Ravens got cold feet, but whatever the reason, a trade that had been so widely reported and analyzed was suddenly off the table.Maybe even weirder, Crosby then had to go back and get ready for a new season with the Raiders as if they hadn't just agreed to trade him away.Brown seems to have even more discomfort with the Eagles, so if somehow something fell through, maybe they'd still find a deal with a different team that didn't find his physical as concerning.But it's just a fascinating add-on layer to watch. Before, the physical felt like nothing to worry about. Now, after the Crosby deal, it will at least be worth noting if and when Brown does indeed pass a physical after a trade.More NFL news:The Aaron Rodgers problem no one is talking about for the SteelersCommanders, Brandon Aiyuk are waiting for the same thingStefon Diggs' best free agent landing spot could be in NFCCould the Bosa brothers join forces?Saints still waiting for Cameron Jordan news

From left to right: Welsh Fire, London Spirit, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets, Birmingham Phoenix, Manchester Super Giants, Sunrisers Leeds and MI London unveil their new kits [The Hundred]A new trophy rewarding the combined efforts of the men's and women's teams in The Hundred will be introduced this summer.The two competitions have been played alongside each other since the tournament began in 2021, with matches played as double headers on the same day and at the same venue in a bid to give both equal showing.Results throughout the group stage, plus the eliminator and final, will count towards the new trophy. The current men's and women's trophies will continue as normal.The public can submit a potential name for the new silverware through The Hundred website.England all-rounder Will Jacks, who won three men's titles with Oval Invincibles, told BBC Sport: "I think it's brilliant. "If we look back over the past five years, the Invincibles would have had good success with that. "With the double headers and teams playing on the same day, to then have both of those results counting towards the same trophy is very exciting."Last year, a combined trophy would have been won by Northern Superchargers, whose men's team lost in the eliminator before their women's side won their title.England's batter Tammy Beaumont, who will play for Birmingham Phoenix this year after a spell at Welsh Fire, said: "That will be really fun. "We've always tried to create the 'one club, two teams' vibe and this will bring that even closer together. "The fact the men and women play on the same day, in the same colours, the same teams is one of the unique selling points of The Hundred, trying to push that equality dial even closer. "It's one of the ways the women's game in England has gone from strength to strength and really taken off since the Hundred came in."The Hundred is being revamped in 2026 after external investment into the eight franchises worth around £500m.Teams have revealed their new kits in recent days with the colours for some changing entirely from previous seasons.After investment from Mumbai Indians' owners, Invincibles, now known as MI London, have switched from their aqua colour to the blue and gold worn by their Indian Premier League franchise.Similarly, Sunrisers Leeds, previously known as Northern Superchargers, will now play in orange rather than purple, mimicking the colours worn by the other teams in the Sunrisers family.Southern Brave have changed from black and green to blue and red, given their owners also own Delhi Capitals in the IPL. Manchester Originals, who will be known as Manchester Super Giants, will wear the red and blue of the Lucknow Super Giants franchise.Fixtures in The Hundred have largely followed a double header format throughout The Hundred, with women's matches in the afternoon and men's in the evening [Getty Images]'I owe the city' - Bellingham buys stake in Birmingham PhoenixThe Hundred 2026 - men's and women's squads after auctionPlayers as price tags - behind the curtain at The Hundred auction

Nature, Published online: 01 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01730-2With a summer break looming for many researchers, Nature’s careers team suggests science-themed page-turners.

Nature, Published online: 01 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00507-xIf hiring organizations must ask for references, they should do so closer to the end of the process, argues Bibek Aryal.

The Democratic battle over a House seat in New York City has reignited old tensions over gentrification, identity and who gets to define the left.

Umar Nurmagomedov continues to prove he'll take an all comers.Nurmagomedov (20-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) meets No. 9 ranked bantamweight David Martinez (14-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 282 co-headliner on July 25 from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, promotion officials announced Monday morning.Your #UFCAbuDhabi main and co-main event are official 🤩 🇦🇪Tickets on sale WEDNESDAY 🗓️ Register your interest ➡️ https://t.co/n8Lk8a1KFK@VisitAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi | #VisitAbuDhabipic.twitter.com/EP6FAzF3Bc— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) June 1, 2026Since losing to Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title at UFC 311, Nurmagomedov has rebounded with back-to-back unanimous decision wins over Mario Bautista, and most recently Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 324.Martinez, a Dana White's Contender Series graduate, is on a 10-fight winning streak. He earned his spot in the UFC's 135-pound rankings by defeating former title challenger Marlon Vera in the UFC Fight Night 268 co-main event in February.The current UFC Fight Night 282 lineup includes:Magomed Ankalaev vs. Khalil RountreeDavid Martinez vs. Umar NurmagomedovThomas Petersen vs. Valter WalkerTyrell Fortune vs. Rizvan KunievIsmael Bonfim vs. Axel SolaMagomed Tuchalov vs. Brendson RibeiroGokhan Saricam vs. Louie SutherlandSteve Erceg vs. Ramazan TemirovDustin Jacoby vs. Uran SatybaldievIslam Dulatov vs. Wellington TurmanThis article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Umar Nurmagomedov draws No. 9 bantamweight at UFC Fight Night 282

It’s was a good and bad day for Notre Dame baseball, as they found out the 2027 fate for four of its major players. Starting off with the bad news, Matt Freeman reported that outfielder Bino Watters will move on from the program after being named All-ACC as a sophomore. This is a huge hit to the program as he is viewed as a high draft pick when eligible next season. He was fantastic this season hitting 10 homers with 51 RBI while batting .362.The second defection was pitcher Oisin Lee as reported by Andrew Riedell, who pitched 20.1 innings with three win but did have a 5.31 ERA. He was a big part out of the bullpen, but did have issues with giving up walks. Now onto the good news as Freeman also reported that starting pitcher Caden Crowell will be returning for his sophomore season. He made 9 starts over the course of the year, and while his ERA was fairly high at 7.55, he showed plenty of promise striking out over a batter-per-inning. One of Notre Dame’s top hitters will return, as outfielder Jayce Lee also told Freeman that he will be coming back for his junior season after a big second year in South Bend. He hit 12 homers and drove in 46 while batting .327 on the year. The Irish seem to have a solid core of players that will return, and the hope is that they’ll have a better season and make a run for a bid in the NCAA Tournament. OF Jayce Lee will stay at Notre Dame for his junior season. Lee had a breakout sophomore season in 2026, hitting .327 with 12 doubles, 13 home runs, 46 RBI, .526 SLG% and a 1.039 OPS. He's set to be one of the premier bats in the ACC in 2027. pic.twitter.com/YMrE0jIUS8— Matt Freeman (@mattfreeman05_) June 1, 2026Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.Follow Mike on X: @MikeFChenThis article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Notre Dame baseball saw 4 players made decisions on heir 2027 future

Dallas Cowboys rookie Caleb Downs continues to receive praise from inside the team facility, this time from quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott spoke about how impressed he with by the confidence Downs has displayed, and how he has carried himself since joining the team. With high praise from the top Cowboy on the roster, now Downs will need to show it on the field.While Downs and other Cowboys rookies begins their first OTA practice on Monday, there are still several players around the NFL looking for a new team. The Cowboys could take a look at some of them, and playing the waiting game may not give them the best shot at landing a famed June 1 cap casualty. The front office in Dallas may need to be a bit more aggressive and make a trade to land the player. It's either that or enter into a bidding war with other teams.Here's a rundown of the latest news, notes and headlines for the Cowboys as the summer months take control of the calendar.Dallas Cowboys Top HeadlinesHow Caleb Downs has already impressed Dak Prescott speaks volumes :: Dallas News (Link)‘Wait, see’ may be Cowboys approach as June 1 arrives, but is it wise? :: Cowboys Wire (Link)Cowboys promote two within their analytics department :: Blogging The Boys (Link)Cowboys Tight Ends: Who Should Make the 53? :: Inside the Star (Link)Cowboys keep getting validation for their $24 million investment :: The Landry Hat (Link)Cowboys Predicted to Part Ways With George Pickens After Season :: Heavy.com (Link)Could Caleb Downs be an All-Pro in his Rookie Season? :: Inside the Star (Link)Cowboys OTAs give 1 veteran a chance to prove he still belongs :: The Landry Hat (Link)6 Dallas Cowboys Players Under Most Pressure As OTAs Begin :: Sports Illustrated (Link)Cowboys top 2025 UDFA could disrupt plans in Parker's secondary :: Cowboys Wire (Link)Headlines Around the NFLAnother NFL Insider Makes Major Carson Beck Prediction for Cardinals in 2026 :: Sports Illustrated (Link)49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Called ‘Untradeable' as June 1 Deadline Looms :: The Bellingham Herald (Link)Chiefs rumors: Albert Breer drops hints on A.J. Brown, Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill options :: Clutch Points (Link)Vikings Positioned to Sign Pro Bowler After $11 Million Move :: Heavy.com (Link)News & Headlines from Around the NFC EastJournalist Pressed Jaxson Dart On Trump Support, Giants QB Was Either Unable Or Unwilling To Elaborate: ‘Respectfully, Do You Understand?’ :: BroBible.com (Link)Insider Reveals Price Patriots Are Expected to Pay in A.J. Brown Trade :: Heavy.com (Link)Insider Shares Patriots Mock Trade To Acquire Kayvon Thibodeaux :: NESN.com (Link)The Cleanse: Only 14 Players Remain From the Pre-Adam Peters Era :: Sports Illustrated (Link)This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys Headlines: Downs impressing Prescott, Hunting June 1st cuts?

Nebraska quarterback commit Trae Taylor was named the MVP of the Elite 11 Finals (subscription required) over the weekend. Taylor impressed the scouts in Los Angeles with strong performances over the course of the three-day event. The four-star quarterback heads into 2026 after a strong 2025 season at Carmel Catholic (IL). In 11 games, Taylor threw 3,571 yards, 38 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also ran 77 times for 633 yards and 12 touchdowns.Taylor is transferring to Millard South (NE) this offseason and will join a team that went 12-1 this past season and won back-to-back Class A State championships. He is expected to take over as the starting quarterback, replacing Jett Thomalla, who signed with Alabama.Rivals Charles Power mentioned Taylor's arm strength and consistency as highlights of his weekend performance. The Nebraska commit was the Rivals MVP of day one, flashing a big-time arm, showing the ability to drive the football to all levels of the field during drill work. He continued to show that plus arm talent during his pro day and was aggressive downfield, targeting high-level throws. He capped off the weekend with a seven-touchdown performance in the 7-on-7 period, making a litany of high-difficulty throws.Overall, it was a successful showcase for the quarterback. This should see the quarterback's stock rise, and it should only be a matter of time before he earns that elusive fifth recruiting star. The increased attention has attracted new suitors vying for the prospect. Ohio State recently expressed interest in Taylor, who has remained firm in his commitment to Nebraska.There is still a lot of football to be played over this next year, and still a lot to take place. Nevertheless, the strong returns from this showcase certainly set the table for an exciting senior season.NEW: Nebraska 4-star QB commit Trae Taylor is the overall Rivals MVP of the Elite 11 Finals🌽(via @CharlesPower)Top performers: https://t.co/h6Z7FvI3p7pic.twitter.com/oqrkArjMUq— Rivals (@Rivals) May 31, 2026Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Nebraska football commit Trae Taylor named Elite 11 Finals MVP

STILLWATER — From his early days as a football player, Chris Barnes’ positional fate seemed clear.Small and shifty, Barnes checked all the boxes of a prototypical slot receiver.With elite straight-line speed and lateral quickness packaged in a muscled-up 5-foot-7, 168-pound body, the new Oklahoma State receiver seems built for nothing else.But when Eric Morris lured Barnes to OSU, he presented him with a different plan.Morris had brought with him from North Texas a pair of slot receivers in Wyatt Young and Miles Coleman who already had good chemistry with quarterback Drew Mestemaker.So, despite Barnes’ physical limitations, Morris suggested the Wake Forest transfer move to an outside receiver position.“I’ve been a slot literally my whole life,” Barnes said. “I didn’t have no problem with it, because anywhere I’m gonna play at, that’s where I wanna play.“I’m not gonna back down from it just because I’m a smaller receiver. I got the skill sets to go out there and do what I gotta do.”When the Cowboys wound down spring practice with their final scrimmage in Boone Pickens Stadium last month, Barnes showed his size isn’t going to hinder him on the outside.More: Which Oklahoma State football players could be picked in 2027 NFL Draft?He had 141 yards and a touchdown on five catches that day, giving a glimpse of the connection he has already formed with Mestemaker on a 98-yard TD grab.And while many of the aspects of outside receiver are the same as playing on the inside, Barnes still had a lot to learn about his new role.Perhaps the biggest change he faced was at the line of scrimmage. As a slot receiver, he frequently lined up a yard off the ball, and rarely with a defender directly across from him. That provided space for him to make his first move, and because of his quickness, that was often all he needed.But as an outside receiver, he almost always is aligned on the ball, and often has a defender pressing in tight coverage, ready to hit him as soon as the ball is snapped. “I feel like I've developed the techniques to win versus press,” he said. “At slot, I’m used to running free for at least 5-10 yards.”No one knows Barnes’ skillset better than OSU receivers coach Nick Edwards, who first recruited Barnes to Washington State before the two made the journey to Wake Forest last year.Now, they’re together at Oklahoma State for a third season, and Edwards has seen his young pupil flourish.More: Oklahoma State football spring grades are in for each position. How did Cowboys fare?“Man, he’s the total receiver,” Edwards said. “Ball skills — that's the No. 1 thing. Can you stretch the field vertically when you're on the outside? Obviously, he has the speed to beat any corner in the country, but he has the ability to catch the ball.”Throughout the spring, Edwards saw Barnes take on cornerbacks who were taller with longer arms and bigger bodies. But Barnes held his own with his compact strength and quick feet.“With Coach Edwards and the other coaches, our meeting time has been classroom time,” Barnes said. “Taking notes, all that, it matters, for sure. When you write it down, it’s easier to remember than just hearing it, so that has really helped.“I like learning more about the game of football. And now, when I get moved to the inside, it’s still the same. I feel like being available in multiple areas of the field, that’s how you want to be.”With Young, who went for 1,200 yards at North Texas last year, in the slot and the 6-foot-5 Justin Bowick on the opposite side, Barnes’ unique skills will have room to shine in his new role.“He has the ability to be a complete receiver, not just a gadget guy and all that,” Edwards said. “Some schools were recruiting him just to be a gadget guy. Like, no. I've seen this guy the last two years. “He's an every-down receiver.”Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached at swright@oklahoman.com or on X at @ScottWrightOK. Support Scott’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OSU football's Chris Barnes making smooth transition to outside WR

Adolfo Daniel Vallejo was playing in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time [Getty Images]Adolfo Daniel Vallejo has been fined $65,000 (£48,300) for making "unacceptable" comments about a female umpire following his exit from the French Open.The 22-year-old from Paraguay criticised Brazil's Ana Carvalho in an interview with Clay magazine, saying she was not strong enough to handle the crowd in his second-round defeat by French teenager Moise Kouame and that it was the sort of the match that should have been officiated by a man.Following those comments, French Open organisers said the comments were "unacceptable" and "strongly condemn all sexist remarks".Vallejo has been sanctioned with one of the biggest fines in Grand Slam history."A fine of $65,000 has been imposed, roughly half of his prize money," tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said."This is clearly something that is unacceptable to us, to the tournament and to the Federation even beyond the tournament. This kind of language has no place here."Sabalenka v Osaka in French Open night sessionNo previous French Open champions left - who will seize chance?Fonseca, 19, shows title credentials by backing up Djokovic winPlayers eliminated in the second round of the men's singles receive 130,000 euros ($151,000 or £112,000) in prize money.After organisers said they would fine Vallejo on Friday, the world number 71 apologised on Instagram."I have respect for the umpires and for the job they do, after a five-hour battle I was very heated and felt a lot of emotions, I apologise," Vallejo posted on Instagram.According to the Grand Slam rulebook, Vallejo could have received a fine of up to $100,000 (£74,200) for unsportsmanlike conduct.Live scores, results and order of playGet tennis news sent straight to your phone

[Getty Images]James Milner was just 16 and earning £70 a week as a YTS player when he broke into the first team at Leeds, six months after taking his GCSE exams.On 10 November 2002, his dad Peter was in the away end at Upton Park when boss Terry Venables sent the youngster on for Jason Wilcox, now director of football at Manchester United, in the final minutes of a 4-3 win against West Ham.It was a dream come true for Milner, who had grown up supporting the club and wore shirts with the names of Tony Yeboah and Tony Dorigo on the back.Six weeks after the West Ham game, Milner - aged 16 years and 356 days - became the youngest Premier League goalscorer at that time when he scored in a 2-1 win against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.It was not enough to get the former Leeds season ticket-holder out of his post-match duties, however.Back then YTS players were expected to clean the dressing room after first-team games."Even when I was playing and scoring goals, after games I was helping the kit man pick dirty shirts off the dressing room floor," Milner told the High Performance podcast, external in 2023."I carried on cleaning the under-18 captain's boots. I was playing in the first team but he was still older than me."It was not long, however, before Milner was sent on loan to the third tier of English football to continue his football education.By the time he arrived at Swindon Town, Milner had made 18 Premier League appearances, scored a couple of goals and, despite his tender years, was already revered by Leeds fans.Read more about James Milner here

Boston, MA - October 6: Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and President/CEO Sam Kennedy listen to a question during the Red Sox end-of-season press conference with team leadership at Fenway Park on October 6, 2025. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images Well, that was a little bit better of a week for the Red Sox, I suppose?I mean, 3-3 still isn’t great or anything, but I feel slightly better on the heels of a weekend road victory. I guess The offense is coming around a bit (how sticky that is, who’s to say), guys like Connelly Early and Sonny Gray pitched well, and the team heads into a pivotal week against divisional foes with a pep in their step. Feel like we’ve already seen multiple instances of this team taking a step back (or two…or three) after taking a step forward, so I guess I’m not holding my breath, but we gotta take what we can get.We especially need to take what we can get as the summer begins. There about 100 games left this season, sure, but we’re not going to have the luxury of talking about how many games are left forever. That’s a nice runway into the big topic I want to dive into through the MMBB today, folks.It’s Monday Morning Brushback time, y’all.I can’t help but thinking that Craig Breslow’s time as Boston’s Chief Baseball Officer could be slipping away as the calendar turns to June.When the decision was made to fire Alex Cora and company a few weeks back, I had sort of assumed that Breslow was going to be given a significant amount of time to figure things out and build the organization fully within his vision. I figured he’d be given some grace continue his methods of building the roster, going through his own process of hiring a full-time manager if Chad Tracy wasn’t going to be the answer, all that fun stuff. If that drastic of a call were to be made, I figured it was an endorsement within the walls of Fortress Fenway that Breslow could more or less dictate where the organization would be going moving forward. Regardless of how you felt about the decision—and still feel—Breslow’s running point now, for better or for worse.I’m not as convinced that he has a ton of time left, though. The results of this roster’s construction has been underwhelming, unacceptable, weak, whatever adjective you want to use. Fielder’s choice. Fifty-eight games is no small sample size. Even if the bats have been pretty good in the past week or so, that doesn’t excuse this team having one of the worst offenses in the league when they play more than half of their games in significant hitter-friendly settings. The team’s really bad at home, too; there’s that iconic Fenway experience for ya.Point is: John Henry, Sam Kennedy, and the leadership of the club could make a move sooner than I had initially anticipated.Alex Cora was fired on April 25, after the Red Sox’s 27th game of the season. The molly-whopping they gave Baltimore on that day brought their record to 10-17, eight games back in the division race and 3.5 games out of the final wild card spot. Now, after 58 games, the Red Sox stand at 25-33 and a trio of games back of the final wild card position. Same as it ever was, to quote a wise talking head.This club’s going nowhere fast as things currently stand, but that still hasn’t really changed what Breslow has been talking about in public as of late, according to an article posted in the Boston Herald over the weekend. From what he’s saying, the goal of playing October baseball is still on the table.“It probably goes without saying but people are working really hard to do everything we can to get this turned around and I’m still very confident that we’ll do it,” Breslow said. “It’s taken longer than we hoped, this is not the start that we expected, but we have really good players and fortunately the baseball season is long enough that typically really good players perform really well over the course of the season, and we’re going to do everything we can to help them get there.”While having that sense of belief is all well and good, I do feel compelled to ask if we’re prepared to move off of this mindset moving forward, given the situation the team finds itself in, and given that the trade deadline will be here before we know it. Bres is talking like we’re just on the outside looking in in spite of a solid record. Yes, the difference between having a wild card slot and not right now isn’t massive, but the Sox still have to jump five other teams to get in right now. For what it’s worth, FanGraphs is giving us a roughly 27% chance to make the playoffs. With the amount of money that’s Breslow’s been permitted to utilize, that certainly isn’t gonna cut it. With the managerial question still left to be answered, does FSG just opt for a clean slate sooner rather than later?Barring a huge run, this team is still going to be in a hole come July. Boston’s gonna have to win about 60 games from here on out to even have a chance at sniffing the playoffs. Maybe 85-or-so wins could get you into a wild card slot considering how bad the AL has been, but it’s certainly no guarantee. You’d be asking a team with a winning percentage below .450 to play roughly .570-to-.580 ball just for a shot at the postseason. Do you foresee that happening? I’m pretty sure I don’t.If June isn’t a kind month for us, then why would we want to push more chips into the table and buy at the trade deadline? On the surface, I don’t think it would make sense to do that, but would Breslow feel compelled to do so as a way to try and preserve his own job? Not that other sports are a complete apples-to-apples comparison, but we’ve heard horror stories about NFL front offices making decisions in an attempt to put band aids on an already-maligned product instead of punting for the future. Would it be more worth it to move on before the deadline and start completely from scratch?Unless things change drastically, buying at the deadline would be a mistake—but there’s a chance Breslow tries to do something like that anyways in a bid to preserve his own employment…That is, unless Breslow’s already been assured that he’ll be safe in this position at least through season’s end? I don’t want to get too far into speculation land, but maybe he’s sticking around regardless of how the year ends up. If that’s the case, then I’m not sure I’d want the guy who built a ship that appears to be sinking to build, well, another ship.Ultimately, none of us knows how long of a leash Breslow’s got here. Making the decision to cut him loose is a massive one that shouldn’t be rushed, but I’m wondering if the initial plan of giving Breslow a longer runway in the post-Cora era is changing given the fact that they’re eight games below .500 at the start of June. I’m just starting to question what the direction is here, and I can absolutely foresee myself continuing to question where exactly we’re going if the architect of this team is going to be here until further notice.This month could be quite telling for the future of this organization. More struggles at home against Bal’mer and a nasty weekend in the Bronx could provide that clarity, though not in the way that I’m sure Craig Breslow would appreciate. Let’s find out—and let me know what you think Breslow’s timeline is below.Song of the Week: “Life After Wartime” by Talking HeadsMade a reference to David Byrne earlier, so let’s go with this.Same time and same place next week, folks! Go Sox.

Two people were arrested in connection with a brawl that broke out between football fans minutes after Arsenal were defeated in the Champions League final.Suffolk Police was called to Ipswich Waterfront at about 20:07 BST on Saturday after receiving reports of a "large fight" that it said had left one person injured.Footage shared on social media showed several men punching and kicking one another with one man apparently unconscious on the ground as people in a nearby bar watched.Another video, meanwhile, showed a group of men seemingly goading Gunners fans after they lost 4-3 on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.In an update on Monday, a spokesperson for the force said both people had been arrested on suspicion of affray, while one of them was also arrested on suspicion of possession of a class B drug.Both were released on bail until July.Arsenal have still never won the Champions League [Getty Images]Arsenal, who had recently won the Premier League, had taken the lead within six minutes before the Ligue 1 champions equalised through a penalty with 25 minutes to go.With the score level after full time and 30 minutes of extra time, PSG won on penalties to lift the trophy for the second successive year.Correction 1 June: A version of this story from 31 May said police had arrested four people. This was based on information supplied by Suffolk Police and now been updated.Do you have a story suggestion for Suffolk? Contact us below.Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More on this story PSG beat Arsenal in shootout to retain Champions LeagueHundreds arrested in France after wild Champions League celebrations

Arijanet Muric started his career with Manchester City [Getty Images]Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric is to leave Ipswich Town and join Serie A side Sassuolo.The 27-year-old spent last season on loan with the Italian club, making 32 appearances and keeping six clean sheets as Sassuolo finished in 11th place.Muric, who is a Kosovo international, joined Ipswich from Burnley for an initial fee of £10m in July 2024 but only featured in 18 league games as the Suffolk side were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.He started his career with Manchester City, making five appearances in the League Cup, before spending time on loan at clubs including NAC Breda, Nottingham Forest and Girona.Sassuolo have exercised the option to make Muric's move permanent for an undisclosed fee.[BBC]

Kenny Dobson came out of a work meeting on the morning of April 28 and pulled up live scoring for the U.S. Women’s Open qualifier at Meadowbrook Country Club in St. Louis. He’d – briefly – forgotten that daughter Addie was even playing. When he saw her name in the top 5 after nine holes, he took a screenshot to commemorate the moment.There were no great expectations for the day, though that quickly changed after Addie’s opening 66. By midday, half the town of Jacksonville, Illinois, was on golfgenuis.com checking scores. Even when she’d finished the second 18 and was tied for the lead, Kenny still hesitated to celebrate, fearing there might be a scoring error.Then the phone rang: “Dad, I’m going to the U.S. Open.”Even now, 22-year-old Addie can hardly believe it’s true. For weeks, she has stared at the USGA invitation, marveling at the idea that a small-town girl from Illinois who only took up the game as a high school freshman, would be one of 156 players competing in the first U.S. Women’s Open ever held in Los Angeles County at historic Riviera Country Club. “I feel like the people around me were more excited for me than I was because it was hard for me to even believe that I could – that someone like me could just go to St. Louis and play 36 holes and now I’m going to the U.S. Open,” said Addie.The USGA prides itself on the openness of the Open. That someone like Addie, who was hoping to break 100 at age 15, can tee it up against the game’s blue bloods who have trained their whole lives to win majors. “It’s the one tournament that you don’t need the resume,” said Kenny. Addie is one of 28 amateurs in the field at Riviera, including nine of the top 10 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. This Missouri grad is currently No. 2,075.Jacksonville, Missouri, population 18,000, got its first Starbucks last summer. Addie was one of 25 kids in her high school class at Routt Catholic. With only five boys in that class, she had to go to the public school to find a date for prom. A prolific scorer on the basketball team, she played first base on the softball team and ultimately gave up volleyball to pursue golf. Back then, they didn’t have enough players to field a team, even after she recruited her basketball friends.During her sophomore year, Addie found a beat-up ball on the range at her local public course that had a University of Missouri logo. Though she was trying to break 90 that season, she set a goal of one day playing golf for the Tigers.That ball has been in her bag ever since – from the moment she walked onto the team at Missouri, to the moment she played in her first NCAA Championship last month as a senior, to the moment she qualified for her first U.S. Women’s Open.“It sparked a dream,” she said.And now Addie’s golf career has sparked a dream for many other girls in Jacksonville, where both the public high school and junior high have girls teams. When Addie comes home for winter break, she’ll do a clinic on the simulator for the junior players in town.“That’s the coolest thing to come out of it all, really,” said Kenny. “She just built girls golf in Jacksonville, Illinois.”View this post on InstagramBefore Missouri competed at Stanford at NCAA regionals last month, Addie had never stepped foot in California. After the program qualified for its second NCAA Championship appearance (and first since 2005), she made a second trip to the Golden State for the finals near San Diego. As a freshman, Addie averaged 76.67 for the Tigers and played in three events. By the time the NCAA postseason rolled around senior year, she’d dropped four strokes off that average.Turning professional was never even a thought until this year.“You know, you have those moments where your life feels like it changes just a little bit,” said Addie of the days after her qualifying triumph, “and this is definitely one of those. I feel like people, they look at me just a little bit differently.”Early in her high school career, Kenny took Addie for a lesson with Craig Onsrud, head women's coach at Illinois Wesleyan University and the longtime pro at Ironwood Golf Course in Normal.In April, Onsrud went to the Masters with U.S. Mid-Am champ Brandon Holtz. Now he has a student in the biggest championship in the women’s game.Onsrud’s first impression of the athletic Addie all those years ago was that she had a natural swing and the potential to get good pretty fast. A long-ball hitter with effortless speed, Addie’s struggle in the past has been keeping the ball in the fairway.Now, with improved accuracy and confidence, she has broken through to a new level.Even so, when she reaches out to Onsrud about once a month with a swing video, he generally tells her the same thing, “Girl, you gotta keep them hips back.”The beauty of starting late is that Addie still has a great deal of wonder in her voice. A natural-born leader who likes to be loud, she has thrived in a team environment and maintained a strong desire to get better.Addie will have an “entourage” in Pacific Palisades this week, including a young junior player from Jacksonville. The Dobsons have rented a four-bedroom house for the occasion.“There will be a lot of hillbillies at Riviera,” Kenny cracked.It’s already bigger than anyone dared to dream.This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Meet the amateur who took up golf at 15 and is in the U.S. Open

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 16: Brusdar Graterol #48 of the Los Angeles Dodgers stands on the field prior to a Spring Training game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Camelback Ranch on March 16, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images Dodgers reliever Brusdar Graterol posted a picture of himself from a hospital bed in an Instagram story on Sunday, noting “I fell again, but I won’t stay down here. I will rise. My goal isn’t over — it’s just beginning.”Graterol had back surgery, per Jack Harris of the California Post. Back tightness was the reason Graterol was shut down from his minor league rehab assignment after his May 12 outing for Triple-A Oklahoma City. Graterol pitched in only four games on the rehab assignment, but those represent his only game action over the last two seasons, still working his way back from right shoulder surgery in November 2024.When Graterol appeared in a game for Oklahoma City on May 2, it marked his first game of any kind in 549 days.Graterol’s message in his Instagram story is right in line with his persona, both online and off, always looking for the silver lining. On May 21, for instance, in an IG post Graterol wrote, “I know God has better things in store for me. I am a warrior; I do not give up—I keep fighting. I love you all. This is not goodbye; it is ‘see you soon.’ 🫡 bless”View this post on InstagramLinksThe Dodgers did not face Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez over the weekend, but he’s on one the best runs by any pitcher in baseball history. He just finished off a literally scoreless May, and has 44 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings at the moment. Scott Lauber at the Philadelphia Inquirer caught up with Dodgers broadcaster Orel Hershiser, owner of the MLB record with 59 scoreless innings in 1988.Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic has more on Kyle Tucker’s recent struggles at the plate.

Purdue Boilermakers guard Gicarri Harris (24) talks to media members in the locker room following a NCAA Tournament game against the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. Purdue fell to Arizona 79-64. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images There are some things in life that are only for the Sickos amongst us. Well, waiting for Purdue football to kickoff against UCLA at 11:00 PM in the year 2026 is certainly one of those things. Purdue is largely picked to finish last or next to last in the conference and they are going to make us wait until 11:00 PM (eastern time) just to see the opening kickoff of a football game. In this economy? I guess that’s what you get for being part of a conference that spans the entire continental United States instead of just being the fun Midwestern conference we were always meant to be. Then, after that I discuss Gicarri Harris and how he’s done so far at Purdue and what he will need to work on to earn even more minutes next season. The biggest roadblock for Harris is none other than teammate CJ Cox who seems to have prevented Harris from entering the starting lineup. This despite Harris being remarkably consistent from one season to the next during his time at Purdue. Seriously, look at the stats, or better yet listen to me describe them in this episode of the Boiler Alert podcast. View Link