The Oklahoma Sooners signed a total of 25 players in the 2026 recruiting class. After a 2025 season that saw OU win 10 games and make the College Football Playoff, the '26 class saw a late surge, and the Sooners felt good about their haul.Of those 25 players, 22 enrolled early and participated in spring ball at Oklahoma. Now, the other three member of the class have arrived on campus and will join the team for summer workouts, fall camp, and the 2026 season.Wide receiver Xavier Okwufulueze, defensive lineman Daniel Norman, and defensive back LeBron Bauer are the three summer enrollees for the Sooners. That trio will be added to OU's roster for the fall, and though they'll be getting a late start, they'll begin their collegiate careers looking to make an impact early for the Sooners.The newest members of Team 132 have arrived to #HomeSweetHeadington‼️🏡☝️#OUFamily#OUDNA#ChampU#BoomerSoonerpic.twitter.com/IUTNU0vdQr— Headington Hall (@HeadingtonHall) May 27, 2026Okwufulueze is a local product from Rejoice Christian School in Owasso, Oklahoma. The 6-foot-4, 198-pound wideout was a three-star prospect, according to Rivals.Norman was also ranked as a three-star prospect by Rivals, and he's a defensive end that checks in a 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds. He hails from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.Bauer is another Rivals three-star prospect, who comes to OU by way of Allen (Texas) High School. He was a late addition to the class, signing in February, and the 5-foot-10, 150-pounder will play cornerback for the Sooners.Oklahoma has enjoyed a successful past couple of days on the recruiting trail as all of the attention is fully on the 2027 class. On Sunday, they landed the pledge of running back Jakoby Dixon out of Brenham, Texas. Then on Monday morning, OU landed a commitment from defensive back Gabriel Osborne Jr. out of Mustang, Oklahoma. The pledge of the star cornerback gives the Sooners a sweep of the three-highest rated players in Oklahoma in the '27 cycle. It also brings the total number of commitments in OU's 2027 class to 23 players at this time, with 12 on offense and 11 on defense.Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.This article originally appeared on Sooners Wire: OU's full 2026 recruiting class is now on campus

Renegade was made the 2-1 morning-line favorite during Monday’s draw for the Belmont Stakes, set for Saturday, June 6, at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.The Kentucky Derby champion - Golden Tempo - is in the field but is lightly regarded in the morning line. Golden Tempo is listed at 9-2 odds - the third choice, behind Renegade (2-1) and Chief Wallabee (3-1).Who is Cherie DeVaux? Her horse Golden Tempo just won an historic Kentucky DerbyHow to watch the Belmont StakesPost time is set for 7:04 p.m. Saturday, and FOX will have live coverage from 3-7:30 p.m. 2026 Belmont Stakes position draw results with jockey and oddsVitruvian Man, Antonio Fresu, 30-1Power Shift, Luis Saez, 12-1Chief Wallabee, Junior Alvarado, 3-1Renegade, Irad Ortiz Jr., 2-1 Ottinho, Dylan Davis, 20-1Growth Equity, Manny Franco, 12-1Commandment, John Velazquez 6-1Emerging Market , Flavien Prat, 6-1Golden Tempo, Jose Ortiz, 9-2No one will win the Triple CrownThere will be no Triple Crown winner this year. Golden Tempo won the Kentucky Derby but skipped the Preakness. Napoleon Solo won the Preakness but is skipping the Belmont Stakes. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Belmont Stakes favorite is Renegade vs. Golden Tempo. Post positions, horses, draw

Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has faced plenty of criticism in recent years for some of his decision-making. With the club once again struggling, light has been shed on his reputation in Boston.According to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe multiple people within the Red Sox organization believe Breslow could benefit from having his own interpreter. Part of the problem seems to be Breslow’s issues communicating with players. It is a bit odd given the 45-year-old played in the majors for more than a decade (2005-2017), which seemingly would have made it easier for him to communicate with both active players and scouts.Instead, the Red Sox chief baseball officer seems to largely fall back into another side of his story. He is a Yale University alumnus with a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, and he was well-known during his playing career for his intellect and analytical thinking.“People talk externally about not a ton of diversity within the operation in terms of experience.”Anonymous MLB executive on Boston Red Sox CBO Craig BreslowWhat seems to be the issue in Boston is that not only is Breslow poor at effective communication, but he is also seemingly devoted to analytics to the point of overreliance. He has also surrounded himself with a Red Sox front office that is alarmingly short on experience on the playing side.The hope in Boston was that the firing of manager Alex Cora, along with his top coaches, would turn things around and even make communication more streamlined. Instead, the club still has a losing record under interim skipper Chad Tracy and entered June nearly 10 games below the .500 mark.For now, Breslow’s job seems safe. However, the fact that the club has yet to make a postseason appearance since his hiring does not bode well for his job security. If the club continues to struggle, further reports about issues with Breslow will likely continue to trickle out, and that could lay the groundwork for an eventual firing.Related HeadlinesNew York Yankees Rumors: Insider Predicts Potential Tarik Skubal Trade PackageCan the Astros Continue Their Dominance of the West for One More Year?Tarik Skubal Trade Rumors: Insider Names 2 Surprise Potential Suitors

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry has a new long-term shoe and apparel deal with Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning.The Golden State star's Curry Brand announced Monday the partnership to keep building Curry's global reach in basketball, golf and lifestyle. Curry and Li-Ning will team up on brand creation and product development along with sports culture initiatives with what they called “a shared commitment to inspiring the next generation of athletes around the world.”Curry called it "the partnership of a lifetime.” He wore the Li-Ning shoes of both Dwyane Wade and teammate Jimmy Butler earlier this year during what was considered a sneaker free-agency process.The 38-year-old Curry parted ways with Under Armour last November after more than a decade, then began wearing different shoes almost nightly the rest of the season — pulling pairs from a large crate parked by his locker at Chase Center.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Troy vs Florida baseball box score: Stats from NCAA Baseball Championship Game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Troy baseball has an opportunity to make a Super Regional for the first time in 115 years. If Troy can beat Florida again and advance, they can punch their ticket for a matchup against Little Rock. Kevin O'Sullivan's Gators are well aware of the situation. “I mean, you win: you move on. You lose: the season is over," he said. "We played a tough schedule. We have been through ups and downs. I definitely think they will be ready to play. What else do they have to lose? The alternative is that the season is over."2026 NCAA Baseball Championship 123456789RHETroy (35-30)200220Florida (41-20)000010Troy vs Florida baseball box score: Live stats from NCAA ChampionshipTroyBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP2Aaron PiaseckiSS110010.349.46032Josh Pyne3B211000.293.37534Blake Cavill1B200001.284.4405Jimmy JanickiC101200.349.4211Steven MeierCF100001.312.45322Drew NelsonLF100001.301.38737Sean Darnell2B000010.253.3768Jabe BoroffDH100000.232.36623Houston MarkhamRF100000.317.357Total10222232B: Janicki 1 (23)RBI: Janicki 2 (85)PitcherPOSIPHRERBBSOBFERA16Hayden SmithP2.210012112.8Total2.21001211Smith 44 (23 strikes)FloridaBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP3Kyle JonesCF200001.311.41311Brendan LawsonSS100001.315.5155Blake CyrLF100000.321.40210Ethan Surowiec3B100000.317.41014Karson BowenC101000.263.35413Landon Stripling1B100000.288.3584Cade Kurland2B000010.273.38016Hayden YostRF100000.267.375Total901012PitcherPOSIPHRERBBSOBFERA21Caden McDonaldP2.00000153.638Cooper WallsP1.02222277.2Total3.02222312McDonald 21 (15 strikes)Walls 29 (14 strikes)How to watch: Troy vs Florida 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship GameDate: Monday, June 1Time: 6 p.m. ETTV: SEC NetworkMore NCAA NewsSaint Mary's vs. UCLA baseball box score: Final stats from NCAA Baseball Championship Game 1Milwaukee vs. Auburn baseball box score: Final stats from NCAA Baseball Championship Game 1Arkansas vs. Georgia box score: Final stats from 2026 SEC Baseball ChampionshipBill Belichick, Jordon Hudson at Kentucky Derby leaves everyone saying the same thingDemond Williams bombshell could have resulted in Lane Kiffin fired by LSU

Steph Curry's sneaker free agency is over. After ending his longtime partnership with Under Armour, the Golden State Warriors' All-Star point guard suited up in a flurry of different pairs of kicks throughout the 2025-26 season. Curry wore different pairs of Kobe Bryant's signature Nikes, Anthony Edwards Adidas' AE line and many others. On Monday, Shams Charania of ESPN reported Curry has made a decision on his next sneaker partnership. According to Charania, Curry has signed an endorsement deal with Li-Ning. Curry's new partnership with Li-Ning will extend his personal "Curry Brand" globally. Curry's partnership with Li-Ning will "encompass basketball products, athleisure and the ability for Curry to sign athletes under his brand, and a full golf line." Via @ShamsCharania on X: Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has signed a shoe endorsement contract with Chinese company Li-Ning -- a landmark 10-year deal, sources tell ESPN. Li-Ning extends his Curry Brand venture globally and encompasses basketball products, athleisure, the ability for Curry to… pic.twitter.com/RgXull3PjU— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 1, 2026Players like De'Aaron Dox, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Keisei Tominaga, Davion Mitchell, Jacob Zhu and Quincy Olivari have been under the Curry Brand umbrella with Under Armour. Fox recently released his own signature shoe with Curry Brand. Curry's teammate Jimmy Butler has been signed to Li-Ning since 2020, releasing his own signature model shoe in 2021. Dwyane Wade is also signed with Li-Ning, releasing his own signature line titled "Way of Wade." CJ McCollum and Egor Demin are also signed with Li-Ning. Curry initially signed with Under Armour in 2013 and launched his Curry Brand in 2020. Their partnership lasted 12 years before Curry left the brand in 2025. This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Report: Steph Curry signs 10-year endorsement deal with Li-Ning

Rick Adelman, seen here in 2013, died on Monday. He was 79. (Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)ROBYN BECK via Getty ImagesLongtime NBA coach and Hall of Famer Rick Adelman died on Monday, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced. He was 79. Specifics of his death are not yet known.Adelman spent seven years in the league as a player himself before jumping into coaching. He got his start with the San Diego Rockets in 1968, and he ended up averaging 7.7 points and 3.5 assists per game over the next seven seasons before he retired after the 1974-75 campaign. Adelman joined the staff in Portland as an assistant in 1983, and he ended up spending the next decade with the organization. After six years as an assistant coach, Adelman was hired for his first head coaching job in the league in 1988. He led the Trail Blazers to a pair of NBA FInals appearances, first in 1990 with Clyde Drexler when they lost to the Detroit Pistons. They made it back two years later, but ended up falling to the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls.After his split with the Trail Blazers, Adelman had a two-season run with the Golden State Warriors before he landed in Sacramento, the site of his longest NBA coaching stint. Adelman spent eight seasons with the Kings and got them to the playoffs in every campaign, which easily marked the longest stretch of sustained basketball success for the organization since they relocated to California. They reached the Western Conference finals once in that run. The Kings have been back to the postseason just a single time since Adelman left after the 2005-06 season, too.“The Sacramento Kings are deeply saddened by the passing of former Head Coach Rick Adelman,” the team said in a statement. “Coach Adelman represented the very best of Sacramento basketball, and he will be remembered for the way he inspired those around him – with humility, integrity, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork.”Adelman ended up spending seven more seasons coaching in the league, both with the Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves, before retiring for good in 2014. In total, he finished with a 1,042-749 record. He’s No. 10 on the league’s all-time wins list, and one of just 11 coaches in NBA history to surpass the 1,000-win mark. Adelman was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach in 2021. He was presented the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award by the NBCA in 2023, too. This post will be updated with more information shortly.

The last American has fallen in Roland-Garros, with Frances Tiafoe becoming the latest top player to exit the tournament. Tiafoe, the No. 19 seed, fell to unranked Matteo Arnaldi in the fourth round after five sets, 7(7)-6(5), 6(5)-7(7), 3-6, 7(7)-6(3), 6-4.In a match with three tiebreaks that lasted past 1 a.m. local time in Paris, Arnaldi pushed late in the match to get out of a 2-1 hole and force a deciding fifth set, which he eventually won to advance to his first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinal.A tight, grueling matchup quickly gave way as Tiafoe suddenly dominated Arnaldi in the third set, before Arnaldi came marching back. At one point, it seemed as though the match might stretch past the five-hour mark; then, it looked like Tiafoe might lock things up before the four-hour mark.Instead, the match turned into a marathon, stretching five hours and 26 minutes. Arnaldi won the first set off a tiebreak, before Tiafoe won the second tiebreak, hitting the two and half hour mark before the match was even halfway done.In comparison, the third set came much easier to Tiafoe, who picked up a key break to take a 4-2 lead. The American rode that momentum to take a match lead, and then kept rolling to start the fourth set. But Arnaldi didn’t let up: Spurred on by a small but loud contingent of Italian fans, Arnaldi came back from being down 4-1 in the fourth set to eventually force a deciding set.Tiafoe didn’t back down either, forcing yet another tiebreak, but the wear of the matches started to show: Tiafoe had two double faults in the tiebreak, including one that gave Arnaldi his seventh point and sent the game to a fifth set.The deciding set started evenly, but partway through, Arnaldi started to pull away against an exhausted-looking Tiafoe. For a moment, Tiafoe showed some spark, rolling through a break and picking up some skillful points to bring the game even at 4-4. But Arnaldi pulled back to get within one game of his first quarterfinals appearance.That’s when Tiafoe, with his back covered in red clay after diving for a shot, dug deep to stay alive, denying Arnaldi two match points, before the Italian finally broke through for the win.This story will be updated.

After the Philadelphia 76ers hired a new President of Basketball Operations in the form of Mike Gansey, they now have to figure out what they're going to do with some important free agents.The free agency period will begin on June 30 at 6 p.m. EDT, but the Sixers can begin negotiating with their own free agents once the finals end. That means Gansey and Co. will be able to work with guys like Kelly Oubre Jr., for example, to figure out the best move for each side.Oubre had a solid season in 2025-26 as he shot a career-high 36% from deep and averaged 14.1 points and 5.0 rebounds while also providing some top-notch defense on the other end of the floor. The 11-year veteran out of Kansas did a number of different things on the floor for Philadelphia as he took on the opposition's best scorer on the defensive end while also giving the Sixers some much-needed scoring next to the team's stars and main scorers.The playoffs were tough for him as he shot only 25.6% from deep, but he did average 11.6 points and provide tough defense on Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown while also having to defend New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson in Round 2. Oubre did his best on the defensive end, which takes a lot of energy out of a player, and it seemed to limit him on the offensive end of the floor as well.When Oubre enters free agency this summer, one has to wonder what the Sixers should do. He expressed that he wants to be in a place where he's loved and allows his family to grow and be comfortable. Philadelphia should be that place for him as he is valued within the organization and is important to the success of the lineup. In terms of what the Sixers should offer him, he made roughly $8 million in the 2025-26 season after opting into the player option of his deal. One has to believe that Oubre, entering the later stages of his career, would like to earn a much bigger salary. If the Sixers can keep it somewhere around $13 million, then they would probably be in a good position. He does too many good things for this group on the floor, and is a great locker room presence, for the Sixers to lose him in free agency. Unless the Sixers have a backup plan in mind such as somebody in the draft or looking elsewhere in free agency, then Oubre returning is a no-brainer. He isn't going to demand a huge deal--$13 million per year is reasonable--and he is too valuable as a player and as a teammate. One has to believe Oubre will be in a Sixers uniform on opening night in October.This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: What should Sixers do with Kelly Oubre Jr. in upcoming free agency?

For some college baseball stars, all eyes were already on them in their high school days. For others, earning attention meant proving their talent once they reached the college stage.With the transfer portal now an inherent part of college athletics, the recruiting process no longer ends in high school. Players have more opportunities than ever to develop and work their way onto college baseball’s biggest stages.From Georgia Tech’s Vahn Lackey to Kansas’ Tyson LeBlanc, several of the standout names in this year’s NCAA Super Regional Tournament are players many fans likely never heard of during their high school days.Now, these once-underrecruited players are one series away from a trip to Omaha and the chance to lead their team to become College World Series champions.Vahn Lackey | Georgia TechGeorgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey is a product of steady development.Lackey didn’t draw significant attention from former Yellow Jackets head coach Danny Hall until late into his senior season at Collins Hill High School. Even after arriving on campus, his impact wasn’t immediate. As a freshman, he appeared in 36 games and hit .214 with four home runs and 15 RBI.By his sophomore year, however, Lackey had emerged as one of the top catchers in the country, ranking third among all Power 4 catchers in both batting average and hits.His rise has only continued this year. Through regional play, Lackey is batting .407 with 87 hits and 20 homeruns.His 20th homerun was a testament to his power – a 468-foot blast over the scoreboard in Georgia Tech’s regional win over Oklahoma in Game 2. One day earlier, he launched a 459-foot homerun.Lackey ranks sixth in USA TODAY’s 2026 MLB Mock Draft rankings.Daniel Jackson | GeorgiaIt took Georgia catcher Daniel Jackson until his senior year at North Springs High School to hit his first homerun. Now, he leads the NCAA Super Regional field in long balls with 29.In May, Jackson became the first catcher in NCAA history and the first player in SEC history to reach 25 home runs and 25 steals in the same season. He also captured the SEC regular season Triple Crown, leading the conference in batting average, home runs, and RBI.Just three years ago, that same SEC Player of the Year didn’t have any offers from Power 4 schools. Jackson played his freshman campaign at Wofford and earned All-Southern Conference honors, leading to a call from Georgia head coach Wes Johnson.Jackson enters the NCAA Super Regionals on fire after batting .500 with a double, two home runs, four RBI, and four walks in Georgia’s three regional games.Jackson sits at No. 39 in MLB.com’s 2026 prospect rankings.Aiden Robbins | TexasA three-year letterman at Holy Ghost Preparatory School, Aiden Robbins was ranked outside of the top 500 outfielders in the country by Perfect Game coming out of high school. Robbins decided to begin his college career at Seton Hall and see where it would take him – a decision that eventually led him to the University of Texas.After finishing fifth nationally in on-base percentage and sixth in batting average in his sophomore year at Seton Hall, Robbins joined the Longhorns and quickly emerged as one of the top outfielders in the country.Robbins helped power the Longhorns’ offense through regional play, driving in nine runs and launching four home runs. He enters the NCAA Super Regionals among the tournament’s home run leaders with 23 on the season.Robbins is expected to be a popular target in the MLB draft next month, ranking No. 25 in USA TODAY’s 2026 MLB Mock Draft rankings.Tyson LeBlanc | KansasRanked as Louisiana’s No. 48 prospect after high school at North Vermilion, Tyson LeBlanc stayed close to home and bet on development at LSU Eunice, a junior college.In two seasons, LeBlanc did just that. He rewrote the school’s record books, finishing in the top 10 in 12 offensive categories. But when he entered the transfer portal after last season, Kansas was his only Power 4 offer.Now, LeBlanc enters the NCAA Super Regionals ranked second among remaining players with 24 home runs.LeBlanc is one of eight junior college transfers who helped lead Kansas to its first Big 12 regular-season title since 1949. Of the Jayhawks 34 players, 23 spent at least one season at a junior college. LeBlanc drove in eight runs, hit three long shots and drew four walks in the Jayhawks’ three regional games to help send Kansas to the first Super Regional appearance in program history.LeBlanc is ranked No. 130 in MLB.com’s 2026 prospect rankings.Owen Hull | UNCAfter lettering in baseball and basketball at Bishop Ireton High School, Owen Hull began his college baseball career at George Mason.His first season offered little opportunity. Hull logged just 22 at-bats and recorded four hits.But his sophomore campaign told a different story.Hull broke the George Mason single-season steals record with 42, ranking No. 10 nationally, and earned Second Team All-Atlantic 10 honors as both an outfielder and designated hitter.That breakout season helped send him to Chapel Hill, where he has become a crucial part of North Carolina’s offense. The center fielder leads the team in batting average, RBI, doubles and walks.In regional play, Hull earned four RBI, three hits and drew four walks to help send UNC to its 13th Super Regional appearance.Hull is ranked No. 158 in MLB.com’s 2026 prospect rankings.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: These college baseball stars proved doubters wrong

SEATTLE (AP) — Melinda French Gates, a billionaire philanthropist and businesswoman, will join the Seattle Kraken as a minority investor, pending NHL approval. French Gates, 61, is the ex-wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. She and her $30 billion net worth, according to Forbes, join an ownership group headlined by majority owner and managing partner Samantha Holloway, as well as investors David Wright, Andy Jassy and longtime Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer. “As a longtime Seattle resident, it means a lot to me to have the chance to make this investment in our city and its future,” French Gates said in a statement. “I’m a big believer in the power of sports, and after many years of cheering on Seattle from the sidelines, I’m excited to have an even deeper connection to the Seattle sports community.”French Gates has never previously had an ownership stake in a major professional sports franchise. She will do so at a time when the Kraken ownership group is positioning itself to own an NBA franchise should the NBA return to the Emerald City for the first time since the SuperSonics were relocated to Oklahoma City nearly 20 years ago.In March, the Kraken ownership group announced the creation of One Roof Sports and Entertainment, which serves as the umbrella brand of the organization to “oversee a growing portfolio of properties and fuel new opportunities.” At the time, Holloway announced that One Roof would pursue an NBA team in Seattle, should the league move forward with expansion.Holloway also announced in March that the group had entered an agreement to purchase additional equity in Climate Pledge Arena from Oak View Group, and would make the organization the majority owner of the building. OVG has retained a minority stake.French Gates, who grew up in Dallas and received a bachelor’s degree in computer science and economics, as well as an MBA from Duke, currently heads Pivotal, a group of organizations she founded to accelerate the pace of social progress for women and young people in the United States and around the world. French Gates previously founded and co-chaired the Gates Foundation, the world’s largest philanthropy.“I am excited to welcome Melinda to our ownership group,” Holloway said in a statement. “Melinda is an impressive business leader, philanthropist and importantly, a Seattle sports fan. We share many of the same values, including a deep commitment to Seattle and a belief in building organizations that create lasting impact.”___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

LAWRENCE — To be able to host a NCAA super regional in Lawrence this postseason, Kansas baseball needed Oklahoma to upset Georgia Tech in the Atlanta Regional on Monday.Georgia Tech, the host of its regional, at one point looked assured that it wouldn’t be the case. After Georgia Tech took a 7-3 lead in the top of the sixth inning, Oklahoma’s season looked like it would soon be coming to a close and it appeared KU would be on the road for the super regional in the NCAA tournament. But then Oklahoma started chipping away at Georgia Tech’s lead, and tied it in the bottom of the ninth inning before winning 8-7 with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th.Now, KU’s program and fans will continue to be able to enjoy postseason baseball inside Hoglund Ballpark. The Jayhawks (45-16), who won the Lawrence Regional over the weekend by defeating Northeastern once and Arkansas twice, will have the opportunity to make the most of what has been a raucous home environment this season — especially in the games that have mattered most. And the special season coach Dan Fitzgerald’s squad has enjoyed at Kansas, which includes the Big 12 Conference regular season and tournament titles, can reach even new heights.RELATED: What to know about Rock Chalk Roundball Classic’s 2026 event“Dates, times and broadcast information for the super regionals will be released at" about 9 a.m. (CT) on Tuesday, KU baseball announced in a social media post on X on Monday.Kansas is led by the likes of junior Tyson LeBlanc, the most outstanding player of the Lawrence Regional and an all-regional selection at shortstop, as well as others. KU junior Dylan Schlotterback made the all-regional team at third base, junior Brady Ballinger as an outfielder, senior Dariel Osoria as a designated hitter and junior Dominic Voegele as a pitcher. Voegele is likely going to be the first starting pitcher that the Jayhawks turn toward this super regional.Kansas and Oklahoma have not played this season, but the two programs are familiar with each other. Before moving to the Southeastern Conference, Oklahoma played in the Big 12. So, this super regional will be a reunion of sorts.Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas baseball will host NCAA super regional in Lawrence vs Oklahoma

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the city of Denton for hosting the “Big Gay Swim Day,” a private Pride month pool event scheduled for June 7 at the city’s Civic Center. Paxton alleged that the event’s changing rooms will violate the Texas Women’s Privacy Act. The state law requires publicly-funded sex-segregated spaces — like locker rooms and restrooms — to restrict access to people based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Related Ken Paxton’s first campaign ad calls James Talarico “too low-T” while avoiding policy issues Paxton’s lawsuit targets Denton Mayor Gerard Hudspeth and other city officials to prevent the event from happening and to stop any potential future violations of the law, The Texan reported. Denton’s Interim Director of Marketing and Communications Kayla Herrod noted that the event is a “private rental and is not sponsored by the City,” that such private events commonly happen in the facility up to two hours after the center’s closing time, and that facility rules prevent renters from altering or changing any signs at the center. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today However, the event’s website said the center’s “gendered changing rooms will be converted for the duration of the event.” The organizers, the local LGBTQ+ groups PRIDENTON and OUTreach Denton, didn’t specify how this conversion would be handled. The event website tells attendees not to bring “transphobia, homophobia, fatphobia, racism, [or] ableism,” and adds, “Body-shaming of any kind will not be tolerated and will result in removal from the party.” In his lawsuit, Paxton’s office said, “Regrettably, the City of Denton has dropped the ball and rented a city pool to sponsors who plan to convert the City’s lawful, sex-separated changing rooms into unlawful ‘gender neutral changing rooms.’” “Texas law forbids encouraging men to access spaces prudently reserved for women and girls and likewise preserves the privacy of male changing areas,” the lawsuit continued. “The people of Texas have made themselves clear: We will not abide men invading women’s spaces, or vice versa.” Herrod told the aforementioned media outlet that the city had ensured, prior to Paxton’s lawsuit, that the event would fully comply with state law, “including informing the organizers that certain elements of their advertising conflicted with state law and advising them of the requirement to comply.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by PRIDENTON (@pridentontx) In a joint statement posted to Instagram, OUTreach Denton and PRIDENTON called Paxton’s lawsuit a “frivolous … waste of taxpayers’ time and money.” The groups said the city informed PRIDENTON on May 21 that the groups weren’t permitted to have all-gender bathrooms. “We removed this language from all posts and advertisements about this year’s event in compliance with these expectations,” the groups wrote. The group also said the law Paxton sued under “gives license to harass and surveil any person who does not present or conform within the narrow limitations of an oppressive gender binary.” “It is disappointing that bad actors have attempted to turn queer joy into a political spectacle,” the groups added. “We will not allow these attacks to spread fear, isolation, or shame…. We look forward to celebrating and affirming Texans of all gender identities.” “Happy Pride.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Washington Post reporter Tara Copp saves the name plaques from various news organizations as she and members of the media pack up their belongings in the press area in the Pentagon, Oct. 15, 2025 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File)2026-06-01T23:07:39Z NEW YORK (AP) — In another of a series of moves restricting media access at the Pentagon, the Defense Department has declared that its press office is now a classified space inaccessible to journalists.On X, acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez confirmed the move, saying there was “nothing controversial” about it and that it came because speechwriters, who use classified material, were now occupying the space.“The Pentagon Press Office has been redesignated as a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility due to speechwriters from the Office of the Secretary of War sharing the facility,” Valdez wrote. “These speechwriters routinely handle classified material … as a result, journalists will no longer be permitted to enter the office space. There’s nothing controversial about that.”The latest move, first reported by The Washington Post, took place against a backdrop of escalating tensions between the U.S. media and the second Trump administration, which has played out both in the public arena and at times in the courts. For many years, Pentagon reporters had credentials granting them wide movement in the building as they sought to interact with press officials there. But last October, most news outlets turned in access badges and walked out of the Pentagon rather than agree to government-imposed restrictions on their work, The New York Times sued the Defense Department on May 18 for the second time in five months, arguing that a requirement that journalists be escorted while on Pentagon grounds violates the First Amendment and is “an unconstitutional attempt by the Pentagon to prevent independent reporting on military affairs.” Read More The paper said it had filed the additional lawsuit after first suing the Pentagon in December over new rules imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to challenge an interim policy “that the Pentagon hastily put into place after a federal judge ruled in The Times’s favor in its original lawsuit.” The new policy included the requirement that journalists be accompanied by escorts at all times while in the Pentagon. The policy was implemented in March following a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman that had struck down earlier restrictions. The following month, the judge ruled that the interim policy violated his March order. But the escort policy remained in place when an appeals court stayed part of Friedman’s ruling while the government appeals. The appeals process is ongoing. JOCELYN NOVECK Noveck is an Associated Press national writer specializing in culture and gender, and a film critic. twitter mailto

Scott Pelley, anchor of "CBS Evening News," at the CBS Upfront in New York, May 15, 2013. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)2026-06-01T20:58:50Z NEW YORK (AP) — In a remarkable sign of the turmoil at CBS’s top-rated “60 Minutes,” correspondent Scott Pelley said CBS News head Bari Weiss was “murdering the show” and accused its new producer of having “slender qualifications” for the job, according to reports.Pelley made his accusations in an introductory meeting Monday between the newsmagazine’s staff and Nick Bilton, the new executive producer named by Weiss last week, according to a detailed report on the Status website, which said it had heard a recording of the meeting. Weiss herself was not present, according to the report. Status specializes in media news and analysis.Status reported that Pelley, the longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent, began grilling Bilton at the 10 a.m. meeting about the firings last week of Bilton’s predecessor, Tanya Simon, and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. Status also reported that Pelley told Bilton, a former technology journalist and filmmaker with no traditional broadcast news experience, that his qualifications for the position were “slender.” Pelley also charged, according to Status, that Weiss herself had “no qualifications for her job,” and said the changes she had made to “CBS Evening News,” which Pelley once anchored, “have been catastrophic.”It added that Bilton insisted that “Bari loves this institution” and “she loves ’60 Minutes’” — to which Pelley countered, “She’s murdering ‘60 minutes.’ She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it and she’s doing exactly that.” CBS says leaders tried to reach out to PelleyTwo spokespeople for CBS News did not immediately respond to a request for comment.But a person close to CBS News leadership, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that both Weiss and Bilton had tried to reach out to Pelley late last week when the changes rocked the 57-year-old show to tell him that he was an integral part of “60 Minutes” and wanted him to remain so. Read More The person said Weiss and Bilton felt it was disappointing that Pelley’s accusations were being aired publicly despite efforts to engage with him privately. The New York Times, which also reported that it had listened to a recording of Monday’s meeting, noted that Pelley’s “newscaster’s baritone” was shaking during the exchange. The newspaper also quoted an unnamed executive at the meeting as saying Weiss had been prepared to come, but “we asked her not to.”Argument comes after memo touting ‘new approach’Reports about the contentious meeting came four days after Weiss, who has become a polarizing figure in the media world since taking the reins at CBS last October, told staff in a memo that it was time for a “new approach” at the top-rated newsmagazine.In the memo, Weiss and CBS News president Tom Cibrowski said their goal was “building a show that thrives in the 21st century.”“That requires a new approach,” they wrote, defining that approach as “expanding ‘60 Minutes’ beyond a one-hour television broadcast, deepening its role across CBS News, and holding everything we produce to the ambition, fairness, and fearlessness that have defined ‘60 Minutes’ at its best.” Bilton, they said, “embodies the energy and ambition that animated the founders of the show. We cannot imagine a better fit.”The Status report noted that Pelley was applauded multiple times by other staffers during the meeting. It said Pelley focused on the firings last week, calling them cruel. Bilton reportedly replied that he was not intimidated. “I have been a journalist for 25 years, Scott,” Status quoted him as saying. “I have sat and talked with incredibly powerful people like you have. None of it intimidates me, OK? So you are not going to intimidate me in front of this group of people.” JOCELYN NOVECK Noveck is an Associated Press national writer specializing in culture and gender, and a film critic. twitter mailto

Once widespread in Japan, the colorful birds went from being fairly commonplace in the country to being on the verge of extinction.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been invited to testify before Congress as the league faces increasing federal scrutiny about its broadcast deals and its recent practice of airing games on paywalled streaming services.Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to the commissioner on Monday requesting his appearance at a hearing on June 10 examining the league's TV deals and their compliance with the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961.The 65-year-old law grants professional sports leagues limited antitrust immunity, allowing them to pool their media rights and negotiate as a single entity while protecting them from antitrust lawsuits.The law applies only to broadcast networks. Courts have ruled in the past that it does not apply to other media, including cable, satellite and streaming. There has been bipartisan sentiment in favor of updating the law, and president Donald Trump has been among the critics of the NFL's embrace of streaming.According to Jordan's letter, the hearing next week will “examine the extent to which the antitrust exemption created by the SBA has been used by the professional sports leagues to harm consumers and whether potential legislative remedies may be needed to address that harm.”An NFL spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the letter.The move by Congress comes as the Justice Department is investigating the NFL for potential anticompetitive practices. Speaking in April when the probe was disclosed, a government official, who was not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation by name, said it was “about affordability for consumers and creating an even playing field for providers.”In March, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote a letter to the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission urging them to review whether the NFL’s distribution methods comply with the 1961 law. The FTC has sought comments from the public on the shift of live sports from broadcast channels to streaming services.The NFL has said 87% of its games are available on free television, and games aired exclusively on cable or streaming services remain available over the air in the home markets of the competing teams.The league has broadcast or streaming deals with CBS/Paramount+, NBC/Peacock, ABC/ESPN/ESPN+, Fox, NFL Network, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and YouTube TV. Thursday night games moved to Prime Video in 2022, and the league has since moved a wild-card playoff game, Christmas Day games and a Black Friday game to streamers.This season, Netflix will stream an opening-week game between the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, and a Green Bay Packers-Rams game the day before Thanksgiving.___AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

There's still no reason to believe the Tennessee Titans are interested in trading All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, but days like June 1 are reminders as to why the conversation comes up so frequently.In a span of just a couple of hours, the Cleveland Browns traded defensive end Myles Garrett, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for three draft picks and Pro Bowl edge defender Jared Verse. Then the Philadelphia Eagles punctuated months of speculation by dealing Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots for a pair of picks.Other than the timing, these trades don't have all that much in common. The Eagles are contenders who spent the entire offseason bracing for this deal by drafting and signing Brown's potential replacements. The Browns are in total tear-down mode but now have multiple first-round picks in the much-ballyhooed 2027 draft and one of the league's best young defenders as a cornerstone.The state of the Titans is somewhere between, though closer to Cleveland's than Philadelphia's. And that's fitting because Simmons' value, coming off a year where he was the NFL's unquestioned best and most productive interior defensive lineman, is somewhere, though a little closer Garrett's than Brown's.Jeffery Simmons trade value: How Myles Garrett, A.J. Brown trades relate to TitansIn exchange for Garrett, who is 30, the Browns got from the Rams a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, a 2029 third-round pick and Verse, a 25-year-old two-time Pro Bowler who hasn't yet reached his prime. The Eagles got a 2027 fifth-rounder and a 2028 first-rounder from New England for Brown, who turns 29 on June 30. Split the difference there, and Simmons' value feels fairly identical to what the New York Jets got from the Dallas Cowboys for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in fall 2025: a first-round pick, a second-round pick and a 28-year-old rotational depth piece.Is Simmons more valuable than that? The Titans clearly believe so. That's why he's still wearing Titans blue. But let's indulge the conversation as best we can.The Rams and Patriots are both Super Bowl contenders. Good teams make win-now trades. So let's imagine a world where the Titans trade Simmons, 28, for a first-round pick, a second-round pick and a depth piece, and the team that acquires Simmons ends up winning back-to-back Super Bowls. Even in that worst-case scenario, the Titans would have acquired picks and players roughly equal in value to the No. 19 pick, according to the Jimmy Johnson Trade Value Chart, which is where the Titans took him in the 2019 draft.But the point remains: If we're using the Garrett trade, the Williams trade and the two Brown trades as our guide, Simmons is probably worth the equivalent value of a mid-first-round pick. Which is what it took to acquire Simmons in the first place, and what it'll likely take to replace his production. And all of that's contingent on the Titans hitting on the pick, which charitably is a 50-50 proposition.None of this matters if you don't draft well, obviously. The trade value chart said the Titans should've gotten the equivalent of the No. 16 pick in the draft-day trade that shipped Brown to Philadelphia in the first place in 2022. They famously didn't.Stockpiling early picks is sound business. It worked for great turnaround stories like the Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills. But the hit rate isn't 100%. Just ask the Browns, who made multiple first-round picks in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 and now they're right back to stockpiling. Same goes for the Jets, who doubled- or tripled-up in 2021 and 2022, only to have to double- or triple-up again in 2026 and 2027.The risk-reward meter isn't cut-and-dried here. The Titans know how good Simmons is, and having a top-tier player with strong leadership traits on a rebuilding roster is a priority for this regime. Sure, trading him could help bring in younger players of equivalent value who will hit their primes more according to the timeline of the rest of the team's young core. But it could also lead to draft misses who are far less valuable than even an aging Simmons would be.The calculus hasn't changed, even as more teams have been willing to take the risk the Titans have opted against.Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans trade value of Jeffery Simmons vs Myles Garrett, A.J. Brown

Tennessee's 2026 softball season concluded Monday in the College World Series semifinals. Texas (51-12) eliminated the Lady Vols (49-12), 4-0, at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.Following a season-ending defeat, Tennessee head coach Karen Weekly discussed Monday's contest."First, I'd like to thank everybody involved in putting on this event," Weekly said. "It's absolutely incredible. This venue is unbelievable, the experience, the TV coverage. It's just awesome to see what's happened to college softball and how it grows every year."I want to congratulate the University of Texas. Outstanding, outstanding team. When those seniors on their team were freshmen, they came to our place for super regionals in 2023. Even though we won, I remember saying to Mike (White), your team is going to be a helluva team and going to contend for championships if all those girls stay together, and they've stayed together. They did what they needed to do today. They've got a very veteran team, very experienced team, and they rose to the occasion with their backs against the wall. Incredibly talented, incredibly experienced, and very, very well prepared. Also, I'm really proud of our team, really proud of our team. I think a lot of people counted us out, didn't think we'd get here. We certainly had our ups and downs during the season. Then when we got here, probably thought we wouldn't make much noise, and we made a lot of noise. I told them in the locker room there's never any words to say that's going to ease the pain, but I think for our team the pain is because it's the end of them being together. It's the end of them being together. Absolutely they want to win a national championship, but I think it's just as much they want to be together another day, and that's where the sadness comes from. We're grateful that we're here. We're grateful we're in a position to be sad because a lot of teams aren't."More: Karlyn Pickens' college softball career ends with TennesseeFollow Vols Wire on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Karen Weekly details loss to Texas softball in College World Series

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Two-time WNBA All-Star Caitlin Clark made one thing perfectly clear Monday — she enjoys playing for coach Stephanie White and anyone who infers otherwise is just plain wrong.A few minutes later, White said she also appreciates coaching Clark.Two days after cameras caught the Indiana star and the Fever coach engaged in what appeared to be a brief sideline spat, Clark and White explained the confrontation was not the result of some deep-seeded dispute but rather the result of two highly competitive women fighting to win a game.“I think a lot of those things happen all the time,” Clark said Monday. “I know there's a camera on me and that's how it's going to be, but there are a lot of people out there in the media or on TV that think they know a lot of things and they're just blatantly wrong about a lot of things. I ride with Steph, I ride for these girls. Steph has my back more than anybody.”What fans saw Saturday, though, was White appearing to confront Clark who responded by putting her arms in the air. White then pulled Clark and plugged in rookie guard Raven Johnson for Clark. White has since said she was merely challenging a player to perform at a higher level.But on social media, the fierce postgame reaction focused largely on whether the incident may have exposed a rift between the two and whether White might be fired. They spent Monday taking turns passionately expressing their unhappiness over how the exchange — and their relationship — were characterized by outsiders.“As far as we were concerned, the moment died right then,” White said. “We can’t control the outside narrative. We can’t control where people choose to take a snippet of an instance in a game or whatever it might be and run with it. We know that people are always going to have an opinion about what we’re doing in here, people are always going to have an opinion about Caitlin. It’s the reality of the world we live in, the reality of the job we have. But it’s not the reality of what the relationship is like.”It's been an understandably frustrating start for the Fever and Clark, who missed 31 games last season with an assortment of injuries. Rather than starting this season as the title contenders many expected to see, the Fever fell to 4-4 with Saturday's 100-84 loss at expansion Portland. Clark, the former Iowa star and the NCAA's career scoring leader, has struggled in her comeback, too. She's made just 39.3% of her shots and only 33.3% of her 3-pointers this season and last week's West Coast trip wasn't any better.She finished Saturday's game 1 of 7 from the field with six points and no 3s while trying to play through foul trouble. Clark went 4 of 19 from the field in last week's two games, finishing with 22 points, 12 assists and six turnovers. Her defensive play also has come under fire.Indiana hosts Atlanta and Angel Reese on Thursday.Off the court, Clark has been dealing with a sore back, which kept her out of the first matchup against Portland, May 20, and prompted league officials to warn the Fever about not listing Clark on the team's injury list before the game.Yet White has continued to defend one of the league's most popular players, and Clark said she appreciates the support she's received from the 2023 WNBA Coach of the Year.“When I got hurt at the Connecticut game last year, like I bawled in Steph's arms,” Clark said. “That's somebody I will ride for for the rest of my life. Those are moments that people don't see. People just sit on their phones all day, they don't see those moments. They don't see the moments where we come into work, they don't see the moments that absolutely suck that people have your back. They think they know everything when in reality they don't have a clue.”___AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

For much of his rookie season, Emeka Egbuka looked exactly like the polished, NFL-ready receiver the Tampa Bay Buccaneers believed they were getting when they drafted him. His route running, reliability underneath, and versatility quickly made him an important piece of Tampa Bay’s passing attack.So when his production slowed during the second half of the year, some fans naturally began wondering whether Egbuka hit the rookie wall. But there are several legitimate reasons why the statistical dip should not be viewed as a major concern. For starters, Egbuka battled through hamstring and groin injuries late in the season, two issues that can significantly impact a receiver’s explosiveness, burst out of breaks, and overall movement. Lower body injuries often linger for skill position players, particularly receivers whose games rely heavily on sharp cuts and acceleration.Context around the Buccaneers’ offense also matters. Tampa Bay’s offensive line situation became increasingly unstable due to injuries. At various points, the Buccaneers were forced to operate with multiple starters sidelined while shuffling linemen across different positions just to keep continuity up front. That instability naturally affected timing and protection, often preventing intermediate- and longer-developing plays from coming together. The constant reshuffling up front also impacted quarterback timing and overall offensive consistency, making it difficult for the passing attack to maintain the same rhythm it had earlier in the year.Even with the statistical slowdown, Egbuka’s underlying traits never disappeared. His route running remained pro-ready. His hands stayed reliable, and his football IQ consistently flashed throughout the season. There is also reason to believe Tampa Bay’s evolving offensive structure could benefit Egbuka moving forward. With a larger-bodied receiver, Ted Hurst expected to handle more true X receiver responsibilities, Egbuka could settle more naturally into a movable Z role where his quickness and versatility become even bigger weapons. Egbuka’s rookie season still showed exactly why the organization believes he can become a major long-term part of the offense, their franchise wide receiver to take over for now departed Mike Evans, even if the second-half numbers did not fully reflect it.This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: Emeka Egbuka poised to have a strong 2026 after up-and-down 2025

A militia leader pleaded not guilty on Monday to what prosecutors say is his role in attacks that are part of Iran’s response to the war with Israel and the United States.

BATON ROUGE, LA - NOVEMBER 9: Major Burns #8 of the LSU Tigers in action against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Tiger Stadium on November 9, 2024 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Gus Stark/LSU/University Images via Getty Images) Former LSU Tiger and current Houston Gamblers safety Major Burns reportedly attended a workout invite with the Miami Dolphins on Monday. The Miami #Dolphins are working out Houston #Gamblers safety Major Burns today, per source.Burns was unbelievable this #UFL season, with 47 TKL, 4 INT, & 4 PBU's (9 games). Had an outstanding 90.1 Defensive Grade via PFF. Belongs in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/7VM7YuLgDu— James Larsen (@JamesLarsenPFN) June 1, 2026Burns was a standout player for the Tigers as a four-year player from 2021 to 2024. He accumulated over 200 tackles, ten pass breakups, two and a half sacks, a forced fumble, and two interceptions during his time at LSU. Although Major played a critical role in LSU’s defensive groupings, he was not drafted in 2025 and instead signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent.The athletic defender suffered a knee injury in Chicago’s preseason opener last year, leading to his placement on the injured reserve list. The Bears would eventually waive Burns after both sides agreed to an injury settlement.The safety would use this time to heal and seek out new opportunities, which he found in the United Football League with the Houston Gamblers. Major was a bright spot for the Gamblers, who missed out on the playoffs this year. One of the better defensive players in the league, Burns led the UFL in interceptions and made his presence felt with five tackles for loss.Even with some setbacks and injury history that would cause so many athletes to fold and give up on the dream, Burns has found himself again while staring adversity in the face, seemingly performing better than ever.

Peoria Speedway officials told spectators Saturday that weekly racing at the venerable quarter-mile dirt track was coming to an end under owner Brandon Dean.Saturday's race card was the last under Dean, who put the facility up for sale on Monday, June 1. Dean says if he can't find a buyer, he'll use the 50-acre property for non-racing events.The Central Illinois Flea Market is a tenant at the Speedway and will continue to operate there.A long-planned feature event on June 11 – the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Models and Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals – will run as scheduled at Peoria Speedway. But weekly car divisions racing is halted until the track is sold."Tonight's the last night of weekly racing at Peoria Speedway under Brandon Dean. …" fans heard over a public address announcement Saturday that was posted on social media later. "The track goes on sale Monday. We have one person from down South who has been interested, but nothing has been finalized … or (any) meetings (held) … so tonight will be last night of weekly racing until someone buys the racetrack."Peoria Speedway opened in 1948 in what is now Pioneer Park in north Peoria.In 1965, the track settled down on Farmington Road in West Peoria, where it has been a mainstay on the local racing scene for 61 years.Dean, 43, is a home builder and real estate developer. He previously co-owned and co-promoted the track with Jason Plumer. In 2014, they bought it from Curt Mottaz for $550,000.The co-owners went separate ways in 2019, and Dean bought out Plumer's portion."I have other businesses to concentrate on, and my family," Dean said in an interview with DirtonDirt.com. "It just got to the point where it's too much with everything that I have going on."I want to thank (supporters) and thank the staff who stuck with it as long as they did. It takes a team to do a racetrack. It's not a one-person show."From the archives: Peoria Speedway has weathered its share of storms in 2019Local dirt tracks are struggling in an era of high fuel and equipment costs. As drivers weigh the prize money against the cost of racing, participation levels are decreasing.Lewistown-based Spoonriver Speedway recently canceled its Saturday race card because not enough cars entered."It was not about us losing money, it was because if we even cut the pay down to match the car count, drivers would be spending more money on fuel and tires than they would be getting after racing," Spoonriver posted on its Facebook page. "That is not fair to the drivers or to everyone that came out to watch."We had a total of 16 cars over 4 classes by 5pm. When the end of the draw was at 5:30… We made the decision because we knew if we waited, there would not be any time for drivers to go to another track."The racing world is unfortunately struggling because of the economy. Tough calls are unfortunately happening all over the racing community. We are saddened to hear that Peoria Speedway is closing. We do not want to see anyone close. It is hard to see a track that has given so many people memories shut down."From the archives: When Brandon Dean and Jason Plumer took over Peoria Speedway@ryanmills3181♬ original sound - RyanDave Eminian is the Journal Star senior writer and sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Speedway faces summer of uncertainty

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A few days in early March 2025 changed the course of the NHL. Mitch Marner was at the epicenter of it.Marner was nearing the end of his contract with Toronto, and all signs pointed to him not re-signing. Carolina had just acquired fellow pending free agent Mikko Rantanen from Colorado in a three-way trade in late January, and after several weeks it was also clear that would not be a long-term relationship.The Maple Leafs and Hurricanes discussed the possibility of a Marner-for-Rantanen swap. Marner held the keys with his full no-movement clause, and he preferred staying put and seeing out one more run with the team that drafted him, then went on to choose Vegas, going to the Golden Knights in a sign and trade in late June before hitting the open market.Marner's decision caused a domino effect that led Vegas and Carolina to this stage, where they'll now meet in the Stanley Cup Final beginning Tuesday night. The Hurricanes pivoted to sending Rantanen to Dallas for Logan Stankoven — one of their best players during this run — along with a pick they then used to trade for K'Andre Miller last summer, in the process saving the salary cap space needed to sign top free agent Nikolaj Ehlers.The Golden Knights got Marner, who leads all scorers in the playoffs and left no doubt why the Hurricanes were interested. Asked what the team liked, general manager Eric Tulsky declined comment because Marner is under contract with another team."I can answer that one," coach Rod Brind'Amour said. “What don’t you like about him?”‘What if?’ is not on Marner's mindWhen speculation was building last spring about Marner potentially being involved in a trade for Rantanen, it wasn't just a question of hockey. Marner's wife, Stephanie, was pregnant with the couple's first child. Marner is from the Toronto area.The Leafs reached the second round before blowing a 2-0 series lead to defending and eventual back-to-back champion Florida. The Hurricanes got swept by the Panthers in the East final, still missing something.This season, Marner was a point-a-game player. He has seven goals and 14 assists for a playoff-high 21 points.“Mitch is playing with tremendous confidence,” GM Kelly McCrimmon said. “I think he’s really savoring the moment.”Marner credited the coaching staff for putting him in positions to succeed and teammates for finishing scoring chances. Wearing a Vegas hoodie on Cup final media day, he insists he's not thinking about the alternate reality of playing for Carolina instead.“No, I’m not a guy that lives in the past,” Marner said. “I’m in the present. I’m here in the moment.”The Hurricanes pivoted perfectlyTulsky was referring to Rantanen when he said of taking chances, “Sometimes it doesn’t go the way you hoped, and you’ve got to be ready to figure out how you’re going to move forward from there.” Trading Martin Necas to the Avalanche for Rantanen did not work out, though getting veteran winger Taylor Hall from Chicago in the same deal certainly has.The pursuit of Marner fits in the same category, but plan B worked out swimmingly. Stankoven has been a difference-maker for Carolina centering the second line of Hall and Jackson Blake and is showing why he was the centerpiece of the return from the Stars for Rantanen.Had Marner wanted to go to Carolina, Stankoven could still be with Dallas. Instead, he had to grapple with the strange feeling of getting traded.“I didn’t see it coming,” Stankoven said. “Everything kind of happens for a reason. Obviously, Dallas got their player, and I just want to become the best version of myself here in Carolina. Just how welcoming everyone has been here, the fans, my teammates, I absolutely love the city and couldn’t be happier that I was able to sign long term here.”The same day Stankoven signed an eight-year, $48 million contract, Tulsky used one of the first-round picks from the Rantanen trade to acquire Miller from the New York Rangers and sign him long term. By the end of the week, Ehlers chose Carolina among several intriguing suitors.Miller has thrived with the change of scenery, and Ehlers has, along with Stankoven, given the Hurricanes the offensive finish they lacked in several playoff runs that ended before the final.“(Ehlers) adds things to it that aren’t what we would ask a lot of players to do,” Tulsky said. “Having that kind of ability on the team — someone who could just create scoring chances out of thin air — it always makes you more dangerous.”___AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

One Cy Young Award winner is scheduled to pitch against the Iowa Cubs at Principal Park on June 2. Four days later, another one could toe the rubber in Des Moines.According to the Detroit Free Press,Detroit Tigers star pitcher Tarik Skubal could make a rehab start for the Toledo Mud Hens in Iowa on June 6.The 29-year-old Skubal has been on the injured list since undergoing arthroscopic surgery in May. Skubal is widely considered one of the top pitchers in the game.The June 1 report states that as long as Skubal feels healthy in the "24-48 hours" following Monday's simulated game, Skubal could, repeat, could start in Des Moines.The southpaw is a two-time All-Star and two-time American League Cy Young Award winner. Skubal has pitched parts of seven seasons in the big leagues with the Tigers going 57-39.He may not even be the biggest name to make a rehab start for the Mud Hens in Des Moines this week. Justin Verlander is scheduled to start for Toledo on Tuesday at Principal Park.Verlander, like Skubal, has been one of the top hurlers in the league at times. Verlander is a nine-time All-Star, three-time AL Cy Young Award Winner and two-time World Series champion.This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Detroit Tigers star Tarik Skubal could start in Iowa Saturday

16 Oct 1999: Coach Joe Tiller of the Purdue Boilermakers walks off the field during the game against the Michigan State Spartans at the Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Boilermakers defeated the Spartans 52-28. Mandatory Credit: Tom Pidgeon /Allsport | Getty Images John FinchBioCareer: 2006 – 2009Position: Long SnapperHeight: 6’3”Weight: 250Hometown: Carmel, IndianaHigh School: Carmel High SchoolCareer StatsGames Played: 18Games Started: Long snappers don’t startTackles: 3Perfectly Executed Snap Punt Snaps vs Michigan: 1NotesHigh SchoolHonorable Mention all-conference as a tight endCarmel team captainNationally Ranked Long SnapperAlso played baseball for top ranked CarmelPurdue2006Walk-on2007Appeared in 1 game as a reserve tight end2008Appeared in the final 5 games as the long snapper2009Appeared in all 12 games as a long snapperHighlightsCowboy Joe Tiller’s Last Stand* The fake punt occurs at 1:05:10Hammer and Rails StaffDrew:I did not anticipate having a long snapper on this list, but here we are, with a long snapper on this list. Needless to say, the options for #96 have been limited over the last two decades. The other option was Khordae Syndor, who was a captain on the Vandy defense last season, but Ryan Walters couldn’t find a way to use him, but I digress.Putting Finch on this list goes the credo of every long snapper:The fewer people who know your name, the better.If you know the name of a long snapper, it’s almost always because something went catastrophically wrong at the worst possible moment. You can send the ball back to the kicker with speed and precision 999/1000 times, but your entire career can be defined by the 1/1000 snap where you airmailed the punter in the conference championship game.Luckily for Finch, he earns a spot on this prestigious countdown for executing a perfect snap to upback Anthony Heyward on a 4th quarter fake punt in what turned out to be the last flourish of magic for Cowboy Joe at Purdue. The 2008 season was an abject disaster, and a sad way for a coach who brought so much excitement to West Lafayette to end his tenure. Purdue only won 4 games in 2008, but the home win over Michigan may be one of the wildest college football games I’ve ever witnessed.If you weren’t paying attention to Purdue football in 2008, I highly recommend watching the game I have posted above. In fact, even if you were paying attention to Purdue football in 2008, you should watch the above tape because it will momentarily make you feel good about Purdue football.I’m going to leave it at that. If you don’t have time to watch the entire game, fast-forward it to the 4th quarter and buckle your seatbelt. I’m willing to bet this is one of the few, if not the only, games in the history of college football where one team executes a fake punt for a first down and a hook-and-ladder for a game-winning touchdown in the same quarter.Joe Tiller would win one more game at Purdue after pulling off this miracle, a 62-10 drubbing of the hapless Hoosiers, before riding off into the sunset. This Michigan game was a throwback to the glory days of Boilermaker football under Coach Tiller, and John Finch played a small yet vital role in the final outcome.

Alabama vs. Texas Tech softball box score: Live stats from Women's College Series semifinal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Alabama softball has one mission left at this point. One win and the Crimson Tide will be in the Women's College World Series championship series. The Texas Tech Red Raiders stand in the way.The Tide will face off with the Red Raiders in the WCWS semifinals at 7 p.m. ET Monday at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. 2026 NCAA Softball Championship 1234567RHEAlabama (55-7)0101240Texas Tech (58-8)011250Alabama vs. Texas Tech softball box score: Live stats from NCAA Women's College World SeriesAlabama Crimson Tide BatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP4Jena Young2B200001.349.45015Brooke Wells1B200002.375.49831Alexis PupilloDP200000.387.48434Marlie GilesC111000.386.49121Ana RomanRF101000.309.44612Audrey VandagriffLF000100.331.41236Ambrey Taylor3B100001.296.37447Salen HawkinsSS100001.279.3453Kristen WhiteCF101000.354.424Total1113105RBI: Vandagriff 1 (33)PitcherPOSIPHRERBBSOBFERA23Jocelyn BriskiP3.052204141.4Total3.05220414Briski 44 (32 strikes)Texas Tech Red RaidersBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP1Mia Williams2B200001.436.52242Mihyia DavisCF200001.434.48811Lauren AllredRF211101.391.519Jackie Lis1B201000.431.5446Taylor Pannell3B211001.356.41855Kaitlyn TerryP/DP101000.446.54112Jasmyn BurnsC100000.353.44632Hailey ToneySS101100.310.3967Logan HallemanLF000000.360.4678Desirae SpearmanPH100000.325.461Total14252042B: Toney 1 (8)H: Allred 1 (11)RBI: Allred 1 (50)Toney 1 (37)PitcherPOSIPHRERBBSOBFERA24Nijaree CanadyP2.01000471.9Total3.03110512Terry 20 (13 strikes)Canady 35 (25 strikes)How to watch: Alabama vs. Texas Tech 2026 NCAA Softball Championship Semifinal GameDate: Monday, June 1Time: 7 p.m. ETTV: ESPNMore NCAA NewsSaint Mary's vs. UCLA baseball box score: Final stats from NCAA Baseball Championship Game 1Milwaukee vs. Auburn baseball box score: Final stats from NCAA Baseball Championship Game 1Arkansas vs. Georgia box score: Final stats from 2026 SEC Baseball ChampionshipBill Belichick, Jordon Hudson at Kentucky Derby leaves everyone saying the same thingDemond Williams bombshell could have resulted in Lane Kiffin fired by LSU

College basketball season begins in five short months. With a new head coach and new-look roster, your North Carolina Tar Heels create plenty of excitement and mystery heading into their fall.UNC made a giant but unexpected splash by hiring Michael Malone, a longtime NBA boss who led the Denver Nuggets to their first Championship in franchise history. North Carolina also replaced its entire starting lineup from its 2025-26 campaign, landing guys like Utah guard Terrence Brown and international center Sayon Keita.As the Tar Heels get deeper into their 2026 offseason, predictions will continue. In ESPN's latest Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings, via On3Sports, UNC lands in the final spot.North Carolina is a spot behind Purdue and two slots behind Iowa State. Florida leads the rankings, while Duke, Michigan, Illinois and UConn round out the Top 5.A major key to the Tar Heels' on-court success will be determined how their new guys play together. UNC landed several transfers from other Power Four programs, like Matt Able from NC State, while its 3-man high school recruiting class consists of Kevin Thomas, Maximo Adams and Malloy Smith.Malone is a respectable, fiery coach who players will run through a wall for. He's a first-time guy at the collegiate level, but his ability to recruit talent transitions well from the NBA. Just look at his most recent addition to North Carolina's roster, Greek big man Alexandros Samodurov.Time will tell how good the 26-27 Tar Heels are, with a few early growing pains expected. Talent is scattered across UNC's roster, though, so expect strong results in Year One of the Malone era.Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Top 25 spot secured in latest Way-Too-Early rankings

Just like that, the Oklahoma City Thunder are back to square one. They saw their back-to-back NBA championship ambitions shatter in their home gym. They were booted out of the 2026 NBA playoffs in a Game 7 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. That means now 28 teams have shifted their full attention to this year's draft cycle.For the Thunder, they continue to enjoy the best of both worlds — contending for a Larry O'Brien trophy and doing their homework for a lottery addition. They will enter the 2026 NBA draft with three draft picks — No. 12 via the LA Clippers; No. 17 via the Philadelphia 76ers; and No. 37 via the Dallas Mavericks.One prospect the Thunder reportedly met with in a predraft workout is Howard's Bryce Harris, per Rookie Wire. He played in five collegiate seasons there from 2021-26. He averaged 17.3 points on 47.9% shooting, 6.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 35 games this past season. He shot 39% from 3 on 3.4 attempts.The 23-year-old is a 6-foot-4, 220-pound guard. Most NBA mock drafts have him going undrafted. That means the Thunder could likely add him afterward on some sorta Summer League deal. And go from there to see if he impresses enough to get invited to training camp and beyond.The 2026 NBA draft will take place from June 23-24. The Thunder will look to add more young talent to their roster to keep their contending window open as long as possible around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.A full list of the Thunder's 2026 NBA draft workout tracker can be found here.This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Report: Howard's Bryce Harris had predraft workout with OKC Thunder

Credit: PFT LiveOn Friday, New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart addressed the media for the first time since introducing President Donald Trump at a rally, igniting a media firestorm and raising all kinds of questions about his role in the locker room and responsibilities as a team leader.Dart’s decision to align himself with Trump, whose controversial statements, social media posts, and policies have made him deeply unpopular, prompted a shocked reaction from teammate Abdul Carter, further fueling the situation.Dart said in a prepared statement that his decision to introduce Trump was simply out of respect for the office and in light of his family’s history of military service. While adding that he understands “the world of politics can be a sensitive matter,” he deflected when asked whether he understood why standing with Trump would have been an issue for his teammates and whether he thought he’d made a mistake. In both instances, he said that his statement would be his only response on the matter.PFT’s Mike Florio understands how the PR sausage is made and why Dart stuck to his statement. However, he also thinks Dart did himself a disservice by not answering the question about how his decision impacted his teammates.Jaxon Dart’s statement glossed over the question of whether he considered the impact his political gesture would have on the locker room. pic.twitter.com/pAwNsYtbeB— PFT Live (@PFT_Live) June 1, 2026“Somebody came up with the bright idea, and I don’t mean that sarcastically, like, ‘Well, how are we going to deal with this? All right, let’s just say this isn’t about politics, it’s about the office,'” Florio said on Monday’s PFT Live. “‘I’ve got this long history. Family members fought in wars. Great-grandfather was Secretary of the Treasury. I respect the office of the president. This isn’t political. This is the president, whoever the president may be. I respect the office and it’s an honor to introduce the president. Let’s separate it from politics.’“But then he gets the most important question. ‘Do you realize how this is going to be viewed by your teammates, given the unique, to say the least, personality of this president?’ And he punted. He punted.“That’s the only question that needed to be answered. And well, ‘I’ll refer back to my statement,’ but your statement doesn’t address that. Your statement tries to make it apolitical. You can’t. It’s impossible to make that gesture at this moment, in this time, apolitical. Merely being there and introducing the president is a political statement.“That’s where I think we need to be realistic, and anybody who would say it’s not political is trying to advance their own agenda to excuse Dart and criticize Abdul Carter.”Florio added that anyone who thinks this won’t remain an issue in the locker room, regardless of how much it’s been smoothed over at the moment, “is either stupid or lying.”The post Mike Florio: Jaxson Dart didn’t answer the most important question appeared first on Awful Announcing.

LSU baseball is losing a talented right-handed pitcher to the transfer portal as Jaden Noot announced plans to leave LSU. The portal officially opened on Monday and Noot is one of several Tigers looking for a new home.Noot was a redshirt junior in 2026 and spent four years with the Tigers. He was with the program for both of Jay Johnson's national championships, though he redshirted in 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. But in 2025, Noot was a contributor on LSU's national title team. Noot made two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2025, including throwing a big inning in LSU's thrilling 6-5 win over Arkansas in the College World Series. Noot appeared in 27 games over the last three years, owning a 4.95 ERA over 40 innings. After pitching 32.2 innings in 2025, Noot only tossed 9.1 innings in 2026. With one year of eligibility remaining, Noot will search for more playing time elsewhere. Jaden Noot becomes the third #LSU baseball player to enter his name in the transfer portal today. Here’s his announcement pic.twitter.com/m2wTDevYzo— Andre Champagne (@andrechampagnee) June 1, 2026Noot signed with LSU in 2022 despite being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers. Coming out of high school, Noot was one of the top pitching prospects in California. Johnson took advantage of his West Coast ties to woo Noot to Baton Rouge. LSU baseball disappointed in 2026 as the Tigers missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011. After the letdown, Johnson and staff will look to reshape the roster. This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: Veteran LSU baseball pitcher enters transfer portal after

In a crazy finish to the sectional semifinal game between Greensburg and Jennings County, the Pirates advanced to the championship game with a 6-2, 8-inning victory.Greensburg jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a Colt McCalvin single to left field that scored Hayden Ramsey.The Pirates added a run in the fourth inning with Ethan Bishop singling to center field to drive in McCalvin and push the lead to 2-0.The Panthers got on the board with a run in the fifth inning and tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the sixth inning.Both teams were scoreless in the seventh as Ethan Smith got out of a bases loaded jam with a strike out to send the game to extra innings.The wild ending unfolded in the top of the eighth. With one out, Greensburg’s Chase Walsman doubled to left field. Colt McCalvin drew a walk and Patrick Robbins singled to left field to load the bases.Bishop drew a walk to force in the go-ahead run as Walsman scored to make it 3-2. After a fielder’s choice for the second out, Ayden Sefton walked to force in Robbins. Zayden Miller was then walked to force in Bishop. Smith followed with another walk to force in Luke Hoeing. The fourth bases-loaded walk gave the Pirates a 6-2 lead.Smith retired the Panthers in order in the bottom of the eighth to secure the win.On the mound for the Pirates, Jacob Duerstock started and went 6.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on one hit and four walks while striking out seven. Smith pitched 2.0 innings, allowing three walks while striking out five.Offensively, Walsman had a single and double. McCalvin finished with a pair of singles and one RBI. Bishop singled and drove in two runs. Robbins had the other single for Greensburg. Miller, Smith and Sefton all had one RBI.The Pirates and Batesville played Monday for the sectional title. The game ended after deadline. Watch Thursday’s edition of the Daily News for more on the baseball sectional at Batesville.Batesville 4, South Dearborn 2Four runs through the first two innings for the Bulldogs was enough for Batesville to knock off South Dearborn 4-2 in the sectional semifinal.Batesville got a 3-run home run by Brayden Maple in the bottom of the first inning to take the early lead.The Bulldogs added a Dane Dudley home run in the second inning to lead 4-0.The Knights scored a run in the fourth and a run in the fifth inning to make the final score 4-2.Willliam Huber got the win on the mound for Batesville. He pitched 5.2 innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits and one walk while striking out three. Ronan Post pitched 1.1 innings, allowing one walk.Offensively, Dudley finished with a home run, two singles and one RBI. Maple tallied a home run, single and three RBIs. Rylan Yeager and Huber both had a single.North DecaturThe Chargers earned a right to play for the Morristown Sectional title with a 12-6 win against Tri and a 12-2 win against Waldron.Against Tri, the Chargers scored in every inning except the sixth en route to doubling up the Titans. North pounded out 12 hits.Wyatt Reisman finished with a double and two singles. Matthew Fields tallied two singles and five RBIs. Tyler Dean and Eli Trenkamp both had two singles. Grayson Downey added a single and an RBI. Kipton Ruf and Corbin Thackery both had a single. Henry Kinker had the other RBI.North used four pitchers in the game. Dean pitched 4.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on one hit and six walks while striking out five. Trenkamp pitched .2 of an inning, allowing one earned run on two hits and one walk while striking out one. Reisman allowed one walk and one hit while striking out two in 1.2 innings on the hill. Kinker pitched .2 of an inning with two strikeouts.North needed just five innings to win the semifinal game 12-2 against Waldron. The Chargers scored six runs in the first inning and rolled from there.Fields pitched 4.1 innings, allowing one hit while striking out nine. Kinker allowed two earned runs on five walks. Trenkamp pitched .2 of an inning with two strikeouts.Offensively, Kinker tallied two singles and a team-high four RBIs. Trenkamp finished with three RBIs and a single. Downey had a pair of singles and two RBIs. Ruf singled and drove in one run. Dean added a single.North and Knightstown played Monday for the sectional title. The game ended after deadline. Watch Thursday’s edition of the Daily News for more on the baseball sectional at Morristown.Knightstown 9, South Decatur 1After trailing 1-0 after one inning of play, Knightstown scored nine unanswered runs to knock off South Decatur 9-1 in the sectional semifinal at Morristown.South got on the board in the bottom of the first inning on a Carter Tull sacrifice fly that scored Corey Nugent. The Panthers responded with three runs in the fourth inning, five runs in the fifth inning and one run in the seventh inning.South had six hits in the game. JP Scudder finished with two singles. Tull added a single and RBI. Nugent and Cayden Drake both had a double. Grady Scudder had the other single for South.On the hill, Drake pitched 4.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on three hits and two walks while striking out four. Nugent pitched 2.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out two.

Knightstown’s May Hershberger pitched four innings of no-hit ball against North Decatur in the sectional championship game at Tri. The Lady Chargers got a pair of singles in the fifth inning, but it was too late as the Lady Panthers took the championship 12-0.Hershberger pitched 5.0 innings, allowing two singles and one walk while striking out four.Knightstown scored two runs in the first inning, two runs in the second inning, four runs in the third inning and four runs in the fourth inning.North Ella Wilson opened the top of the fifth inning with a single. With one out, Haylee Schoettmer singled to left field. Hershberger retired the next two Lady Chargers to seal the victory.The Lady Panthers had seven hits and eight walks and took advantage of four errors by North. Hershberger had a double and triple with an RBI. Dylann Fausnaugh singled and drove in two runs. Grace Behny had a single and RBI. Lanee Swindell, Jaycie Cole and Lyla Trigg all had a single for the Lady Panthers.Brooklyn White pitched 2.0 innings for North, allowing three earned runs on four hits and four walks while striking out one. Brynlee Green went 2.0 innings in the circle, allowing three hits and four walks.Knightstown (17-7) travels to Milan (29-4) to take on the Lady Indians in the regional.

There is sad news in former Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald's family. Fitzgerald's brother, Marcus, announced the passing of their father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., on Monday. He was 71 years old. Fitzgerald's post on X/Twitter noted their father passed surrounded by friends and family. It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr. A devoted father, husband, grandfather, and a true pioneer in the Minnesota broadcasting community, he spent his life pouring into the people and the city he loved so much.He left us… pic.twitter.com/NozYgLgwYK— Marcus R. Fitzgerald (@ProfessorMFitz) June 1, 2026He was a longtime journalist in Minnesota, working nearly five decades covering sports. The Minnesota Vikings issued a statement about his passing. Statement from the Minnesota Vikings on the passing of Larry Fitzgerald Sr. pic.twitter.com/jWyONFWyGk— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) June 1, 2026He was able to see his son be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in February. Sadly, he did not make it to his enshrinement, coming in August. Personally, I sat next to him in the press box at State Farm Stadium for years at Cardinals home games when he watched the younger Larry, now a Hall of Famer, play. He was pleasant and professional, and he certainly loved watching his son. We offer our sincerest condolences to the Fitzgerald family. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Larry Fitzgerald's father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., dead at 71 years old

After reaching first base in the fifth inning of the Division 1 softball district semifinal on Saturday, May 30, Northville junior Kennedi Adams clutched her chest, tilted her head back in disbelief and let out a loud sigh of relief.If not for a dropped ball on the Ohio State commit's pop fly, the No. 4 Mustangs (32-4-1) might not be preparing this week for a regional semifinal June 6 against Gibraltar Carlson at Temperance Bedford.As expected, Northville's 5-0 win over ninth-ranked Salem (28-7-1) turned into another pitching duel between Mary Gugala and Shannon McAuliffe, with neither allowing much through five scoreless innings.With two outs and Kendall Kohler in scoring position, Adams caught a break when Salem's defense dropped her pop fly, allowing her to drive in the first of three runs in the inning and swing momentum in Northville's favor. The Mustangs carried that momentum into the district championship game, where they blanked Canton 14-0.RIVALS: Gugala, Northville softball blank rival Salem in KLAA championship“I was really relieved they dropped it,” said Adams, a center fielder. “I was scared I wasn’t going to get a hit to get that third-base runner in. But as soon as they dropped it, it was a sigh of relief, like, ‘Oh, we scored a run! Now we’re going to have so much more momentum from this point.’ We knew that was going to be the starting point of getting our energy going.”It certainly was. Kendall Herron benefited from the same mistake one at-bat later, bringing home Abby Parrinello and Adams on another dropped pop fly to make it 3-0.Northville added two more runs in the sixth. Alyssa Spencer tripled to left to score Sophie Clauson, then scored on a wild pitch to ensure the Mustangs' third victory over the Rocks. The two teams split during Kensington Lakes Activities Association West play before Northville blanked Salem, 6-0, in the KLAA championship game.“We knew whoever got the first run that the pressure would intensify on the team that had the zero,” Northville coach Scott DeBoer said. “But the one thing I felt we had going for us coming in was that we had the advantage with a deeper lineup, 1-9, 1-10. I knew we could utilize a few different people.”Well, sort of.McAuliffe, a Murray State signee, gave up only two hits in six innings, but the six walks she allowed helped Northville manufacture runs. She finished with five strikeouts and surrendered just two earned runs.Gugala, who signed with Wayne State, struck out 10, walked three and allowed two hits while pitching herself out of a jam to preserve the shutout.“Pitching-wise, it was outstanding from two All-State pitchers, but our depth showed a little bit more,” DeBoer added. “But that’s exactly what you would’ve expected from two top-10 ranked teams in the state with two All-State pitchers going at each other. This is the fourth time we’ve played each other, and all of them have been battles just like this one.”The game unfortunately lacked the atmosphere of a top-10 matchup that probably should've been played in a regional final or state quarterfinal. But the MHSAA does not seed the baseball and softball postseasons, leaving matchups to a random draw each spring.That meant Northville and Salem met at 10 a.m. in a postseason opener. There was a sparse crowd at first before fans gradually trickled in. Had the game been played in primetime, it likely would've resembled the packed-house atmosphere of the KLAA championship game two weeks earlier.EVENLY MATCHED: College-bound pitchers show why Northville, Salem are KLAA's best in softball“Our motto is to 'embrace hard,' and if you look at our schedule, we’ve now played 15 top-10 teams, so we’ve ... prepared for moments like this,” DeBoer said. “We knew to get anywhere, you have to beat good teams, whether it’s 10 a.m. on a Saturday or at the quarterfinal. You’ll eventually have to beat a good team, and Salem was a good team.”That's why the Mustangs put a premium on grabbing momentum first. In a battle between two similar opponents, it's all about who can get the ball rolling.In this case, it was Adams, who went 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored against Canton. Also against the Cobras, Jocelyn Burns doubled and drove in four runs, Herron tripled, scored three runs and finished with three RBIs and Gugala struck out seven more batters in 4⅔ innings.“We knew that, as a team, we needed to have higher energy than Salem,” Adams said. “Salem is a really good team, and we’ve played them multiple times. To get that first run in like that, it was inspiring. I build off my teammates’ energy, so knowing that I was the one who started it today just made me feel great. I knew it was going to get us going, and that’s what we needed.”While facing Carlson (21-10-1) shouldn't feel like another heated battle against a conference rival, Adams and the Mustangs will need to bring the energy early again. Their regional semifinal is also scheduled for another 10 a.m. start.But once they get warmed up, expect them to compete, especially if they earn a likely shot at third-ranked Saline in the championship game that follows.Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life and the Detroit Free Press. Follow him on his new X.com account at @folsomwrites.This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: MHSAA softball: Northville beats Salem, Canton, advances to regionals

PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: TJ Shook #89 of the Colorado Rockies gets set to throw a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Colorado Rockies announced today that they have made three moves that affect their pitching staff:Selected the contract of right-handed pitcher TJ Shook (#52) from Triple-A Albuquerque.Optioned right-handed pitcher Zach Agnos to Triple-A Albuquerque.Transferred left-handed pitcher Welinton Herrera to the 60-day injured list.TJ Shook, 28, was selected by the Rockies in the Minor League Phase of the 2025 Rule 5 Draft from the New York Mets and has spent the 2026 season in Triple-A Albuquerque. In 22 appearances, the right-hander has gone 2-0 with a 2.86 ERA that includes seven saves, eight walks and 29 strikeouts. He leads the PCL in saves and is tied for second in appearances.Shook was originally signed by the Milwaukee Brewers as an undrafted free agent in 2020 out of the University of South Carolina, and has a 34-23 record with 20 saves and a 4.30 ERA over six minot league seasons (151 appearances). When he first appears, he will be making his MLB debut.Meanwhile, Zach Agnos was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque. This comes after a terrific start on May 21 that saw him pitch five one-hit, shutout innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Unfortunately, since then, Agnos has allowed 14 earned runs combined over his last two outings (three total innings pitched). Agnos has been up-and-down all season, but given the last two outings, it’s probably a good time for a reset.The most unfortunate news, though, is that of rookie left-hander Welinton Herrera (No. 17 PuRP) being transferred to the 60-day IL after being diagnosed with left elbow inflammation on Saturday. He was originally recalled when José Quintana suffered an elbow injury last Sunday, and made three excellent appearances out of the bullpen (2.1 IP) — allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out two (the first of which was a failed ABS challenge by Dodgers’ catcher Daulton Rushing).This brings Brennan Bernardino back to being the lone lefty in the bullpen.View LinkJoin the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

His teams made the playoffs 16 times in 23 seasons, and he twice steered the Portland Trail Blazers to the league finals.

Also, Serena Williams is making a comeback. Here’s the latest at the end of Monday.

White Sox outfield situation getting messy without injured Munetaka Murakami originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Chicago White Sox's three outfielders, left fielder Tristan Peters, center fielder Edgar Quero, and right fielder Rikuu Nishida, were listed as the bottom three batters in Monday's batting order.They were well-positioned.For all that has gone right for the rebuilding franchise this season, outfield production remains one of the team's problems entering June. Two seasons removed from a 121-loss campaign, the power trio of Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery, and Miguel Vargas, along with AL Cy Young candidate Davis Martin, emerged to provide the White Sox with a promising core. Picked by many MLB insiders to place last in the AL Central, the White Sox provided shock treatment by powering their way to a second-place standing. They entered the start of Monday's series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field one game behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians, who have their own offensive issues. Can White Sox's outfielders pick up offense?With Murakami sustaining a hamstring injury Saturday and landing on the injured list, the White Sox likely will need their current outfielders to begin picking up the offensive slack.Who could it be?Peters, in 56 games, was batting .289, but with his speed and bat control, the second-year big leaguer would be more effective in the top two spots in the order.Rookie left fielder Sam Antonacci was hitting .275, but had just one homer in 42 games.Reserve center fielder Luisangel Acuna was hitting .165 with more strikeouts (21) than hits (17).Another candidate includes recent acquisition Randal Grichuk, who hit .300 in the first 18 games with the White Sox after being released by the New York Yankees in April. In his first 18 games with the White Sox, the 34-year-old right fielder hit .333 with four home runs. He could press for more playing time with Murakami sidelined.The White Sox, who ranked fourth in the league with 80 home runs, may have shocked the big leagues with their power start, but unless their outfield play begins to produce consistently, the prospect of surpassing the Guardians could prove too daunting. More MLB news: Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski matches unique MLB history, yields one run in MayInjured Twins C Ryan Jeffers recovering, prepping for trade deadline moveTwins GM Jeremy Zoll taking time to deal SP Joe RyanMarlins could find Pete Fairbanks' trade market shrinking with widening ERA

The Brooklyn Nets came away from the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery with a disappointing result as they came away from the drawing with the No. 6 overall pick. Brooklyn could still exit the draft with one of the more talented players in the class, but there could be an argument for the Nets to remain focused on taking the best player available as opposed to being concerned with positional needs."Despite making a whopping five first-round selections last year, the Brooklyn Nets should still ignore positional need and take the best player on the board," Greg Swartz wrote of the Nets for Bleacher Report. While the outlet was trying to decide how each team should approach the draft, it seems like the popular belief is that Brooklyn should still be accumulating as much talent as possible, regardless of needs."Egor Demin showed the most promise as a 6'8" point guard, although his height would allow him to play next to a traditional floor general as well," Swartz continued. "There's not a single player the Nets can lean on as a franchise centerpiece yet, although that could change in this draft. The No. 6 overall pick means missing out on AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cam Boozer and others, although the Nets are guaranteed to get a player like Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr. or Brayden Burries."Based on most mock drafts, when the Nets have their turn to pick at No. 6, they will be able to choose from multiple guards with different skillsets, most notably Illinois guard Keaton Wagler and Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. Brooklyn did select four guards in the 2025 NBA Draft, but it seems like Egor Demin is virtually guaranteed to be in the starting lineup while someone like Nolan Traore could be the favorite to be the starting point guard.However, there are frontcourt players in Michigan's Aday Mara and Tennessee's Nate Ament that the Nets have been connected to so the team could look to add to the frontcourt as well. Brooklyn has until Jun. 23 when the first round of the draft comes around to make their decision on who will be part of the franchise moving forward, but general manager Sean Marks will have to decide between best player available and addressing roster needs.This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Should the Nets consider positional need in the 2026 NBA Draft?

Hall of Fame basketball coach Rick Adelman died on Monday, June 1. He was 79.One of Adelman's former teams, the Sacramento Kings, and the NBA Coaches Association (NBCA) announced the news that day. A cause of death has not been revealed.Adelman spent 29 seasons as a coach in the NBA and reached the playoffs 16 times, including two Finals appearances with the Portland Trail Blazers. The coach, known for his stoic nature, had stints with the Kings, Trail Blazers, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves. He is 10th in NBA history with 1,042 wins and 12th in total games coached at 1,791.The Kings said the organization was "deeply saddened" by Adelman's death.“During his eight seasons in Sacramento, he led the team to unprecedented success and helped create some of the most memorable moments in franchise history," the team said in a statement. "For an entire generation of Kings fans, Coach Adelman represented the very best of Sacramento basketball, and he will be remembered for the way he inspired those around him – with humility, integrity, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork."Adelman created a basketball family. His younger son, David, shadowed him growing up and is now the head coach of the Denver Nuggets. His older son, RJ, was an assistant coach for him with the Rockets and then the director of player personnel for the Timberwolves before he was killed when he was hit by a car in 2018. His oldest daughter, Kathy, won a basketball state championship in high school and was a girls high school basketball coach in the Portland area for more than 20 years.Tributes poured in from across the internet mourning the passing of the 2021 Naismith Hall of Fame inductee.Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors pay tribute to Rick AdelmanMany of the teams Rick Adelman coached for mourned his passing on social media. Besides the Kings tribute, the Warriors and Rockets also shared fond memories of the coach."The Houston Rockets and the Fertitta Family mourn the passing of Rick Adelman, one of the most respected and influential figures in NBA history," the Rockets said in an X post. "During his four seasons in Houston, Coach Adelman guided the Rockets with professionalism, integrity, and a deep commitment to the game. His role in leading the team during the 22-game winning streak in 2008 remains one of the most remarkable achievements in franchise history and will always be remembered by Rockets fans.""Rick Adelman left an indelible mark on the NBA during his nearly four decades in the league, both as a player for seven seasons and as a coach for 29 seasons, including two seasons with the Warriors (1995-97)," the Warriors said in a statement. "His creativity and ingenuity led his teams to 1,042 wins during his illustrious coaching career, the 10th-most in NBA history, and earned him entry into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. We extend our thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and the hundreds of lives he impacted, both on and off the court, throughout a legendary career."The Sacramento Kings organization is deeply saddened by the passing of Rick Adelman, a beloved coach whose leadership, character, and vision helped define an era of Kings basketball that inspired our city and captivated fans around the world. During his eight seasons in… pic.twitter.com/nX0848kCW9— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) June 1, 2026Rick Adelman left an indelible mark on the NBA during his nearly four decades in the league, both as a player for seven seasons and as a coach for 29 seasons, including two seasons with the Warriors (1995-97). His creativity and ingenuity led his teams to 1,042 wins during his… pic.twitter.com/AFHYvJIT4z— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) June 1, 2026The Houston Rockets and the Fertitta Family mourn the passing of Rick Adelman, one of the most respected and influential figures in NBA history.During his four seasons in Houston, Coach Adelman guided the Rockets with professionalism, integrity, and a deep commitment to the… pic.twitter.com/p3Zdr60y8s— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) June 2, 2026Journalists celebrate life of Rick AdelmanSeveral journalists paid respects to Rick Adelman and gave insight into his life as an NBA coach and father. Two of his children, David and Kathy, are still carrying on his legacy as coaches.Aside from being one of the winningest coaches of all time, Rick Adelman’s influence on David is obvious to anyone who watches the Nuggets. Erik Spoelstra told me that 10-year-old David would pull film edits in Rick’s home office and eagerly show Spo what Rick was working on. RIP https://t.co/ewsTA2mCkx— Bennett Durando (@BennettDurando) June 1, 2026Rest in peace to a true legend of the game. 🕊️🏀 We're saddened by the passing of Hall of Fame coach Rick Adelman at age 79.A brilliant basketball mind who Spurs fans will never forget for the absolute playoff wars we had against his Kings and Rockets teams. He was a fierce… pic.twitter.com/MM9NYhXiAD— SpursRΞPORTΞR (@SpursReporter) June 1, 2026Adelman's fingerprints are all over the hoops scene here in Portland, both because of his time with the Blazers and his children who also had huge impacts.You know about David, but his daughter Kathy also was a standout with the Portland Pilots and coached at two high schools… https://t.co/fv1R5WkNNY— Brenna Greene (@BrennaGreene_) June 1, 2026This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rockets, Warriors pay tribute to late Hall of Fame coach Rick Adelman

Kevin Keegan in April 2013Credit: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via GettyNEED TO KNOWKevin Keegan revealed his stage 4 cancer diagnosis during an onstage appearance at the Tyne Theatre and Opera HouseThe former soccer star discovered his cancer after a car accident led to scans for an unrelated operationClubs like Newcastle United and Liverpool shared messages of support, honoring Keegan's legacy and wishing him strengthKevin Keegan, the former England captain, has announced his stage 4 cancer diagnosis.During an onstage appearance over the weekend, Keegan, 75, said the disease spread to other parts of his body. The soccer legend's family and Newcastle United announced he was diagnosed with cancer on Jan. 7, 2026, and that he would be undergoing treatment."I was in a car accident and, through that, I had to have an operation," Keegan, who also managed multiple U.K. teams between 1992 and 2008, said at the Tyne Theatre and Opera House, according to the BBC. "Whilst having the scan for the operation, they found out I had cancer. They said they had an absolute top doctor for fighting what you have got, which is stage four cancer."Kevin KeeganCredit: Colorsport/ShutterstockFollow your favorite athletes on and off the field with PEOPLE's free sports newsletter — sign up now!The doctor was a "Liverpool supporter, so I knew I wouldn't walk alone," Keegan said, referring to Liverpool FC's anthem, "You'll Never Walk Alone."The doctor told him, "Kevin, this new treatment, I've got a tremendous strike rate," Keegan recalled."I said, 'What's your strike rate?' He said, '33%'. I thought it would be 80%, 90%. 33%! I'm still here at the moment," Keegan said.Keegan was "recently admitted to hospital for further evaluation of ongoing abdominal symptoms," his family said in January."These investigations have revealed a diagnosis of cancer, for which Kevin will undergo treatment," said the statement. "Kevin is grateful to the medical team for their intervention and ongoing care. During this difficult time, the family are requesting privacy, and will be making no further comment."Kevin KeeganCredit: Mark Leech/Offside via GettyNewcastle United, the team Keegan managed throughout the 1990s and played for from 1982 to 1984, sent its "heartfelt support and warmest wishes" to Keegan following his latest health update."Kevin holds a unique and cherished place in the history of Newcastle United, and in the hearts of our supporters," the team said on Instagram. "His passion, leadership and connection to the club and city have shaped some of our most memorable moments."Everyone at the club is behind Kevin and sends strength and best wishes to him and his family for the journey ahead," the team continued. "Kevin will always be warmly welcomed at St. James' Park and we hope to see him again soon. 🖤🤍"Manchester City offered similar sentiments in its own statement,"We are all thinking of you and we will never forget what you did for this club during your four years here. 🩵," Manchester City, which Keegan managed from 2001 to 2005, wrote.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories."We are all with you, Kevin❤️," Liverpool, where Keegan played during the 1970s, said in an X post.Read the original article on People

With several roster decisions pending this upcoming summer, the Oklahoma City Thunder could add new faces to the backend of their roster. They saw their back-to-back NBA championship ambitions end with a Game 7 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. That means now 28 teams have shifted their full attention to this year's draft cycle.For the Thunder, they continue to enjoy the best of both worlds — contend for a Larry O'Brien trophy and do their homework for a lottery addition. They will enter the 2026 NBA draft with three draft picks — No. 12 via the LA Clippers; No. 17 via the Philadelphia 76ers; and No. 37 via the Dallas Mavericks.One prospect the Thunder reportedly met with in a predraft workout is Indiana's Sam Alexis, per Rookie Wire. He played in four collegiate seasons from 2022-26. He spent his first two years at Chattanooga. He then spent one year each at Florida and Indiana. He averaged 8.8 points on 68.7% shooting, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 32 games this past season.The 21-year-old is a 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward. Most NBA mock drafts have him going undrafted. That means the Thunder could likely add him afterward on some sorta Summer League deal. And go from there to see if he impresses enough to get invited to training camp and beyond.The 2026 NBA draft will take place from June 23-24. The Thunder will look to add more young talent to their roster to keep their contending window open as long as possible around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.A full list of the Thunder's 2026 NBA draft workout tracker can be found here.This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Report: Indiana's Sam Alexis had predraft workout with OKC Thunder

Dec 28, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) exits the field after the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Huntington Bank Field.LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Rams have never been shy about making blockbuster moves, and on Monday they did it again.In a stunning trade that sent shockwaves across the NFL, the Rams acquired reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for former Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick. Multiple reports confirmed the deal Monday, marking one of the biggest defensive player trades in NFL history. The move immediately transformed the Rams from contenders into favorites.According to BetOnline.ag, the Rams' Super Bowl odds improved from +750 (15/2) to +600 (6/1) following news of the trade. Their NFC Championship odds moved from +400 to +325, while their NFC West odds improved from +135 to +105. Meanwhile, the Browns' Super Bowl odds dropped from 250/1 to 300/1.The betting market's reaction mirrored the sentiment across the league: the Rams are all-in on winning a championship in a season that culminates with Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.For general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay, it was another signature move in a career full of them.The Rams acquired Matthew Stafford in a blockbuster trade before winning Super Bowl LVI, traded for Jalen Ramsey during their rise to contention and added Von Miller during their championship run. Now they have landed arguably the most dominant defensive player in football. Garrett, 30, is coming off one of the greatest seasons ever by a pass rusher. The seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time Defensive Player of the Year recorded an NFL-record 23 sacks in 2025 and has accumulated 125.5 career sacks since being selected first overall by Cleveland in the 2017 NFL Draft. The acquisition gives the Rams a defensive centerpiece capable of changing games on his own. He joins a roster that already features NFL MVP Stafford, an explosive offense and a defense that reached the NFC Championship Game last season before falling to the Seattle Seahawks.The trade did not come cheaply.Verse, who won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2024 and developed into one of the league's most promising young pass rushers, was reportedly the key piece Cleveland demanded in negotiations. The Browns were unwilling to move Garrett without receiving a young cornerstone defender in return. Still, the Rams decided the opportunity to acquire a generational talent outweighed the cost.The impact was felt beyond team odds. Garrett's odds to win another Defensive Player of the Year award improved from +475 to +400 at BetOnline, and sportsbooks immediately posted his sack total at 15.5 for the upcoming season after he recorded 23 sacks a year ago.The move also underscores the Rams' aggressive philosophy under Snead and McVay. While many franchises prioritize draft capital and long-term flexibility, Los Angeles has consistently shown a willingness to exchange future assets for elite proven talent.That approach already delivered one Lombardi Trophy.Now the Rams believe Garrett could help deliver another.As ESPN noted following the trade, Los Angeles moved from +800 to +600 to win the Super Bowl and is now the betting favorite in both the NFC and NFC West. With Stafford returning for another season, McVay still in his coaching prime and Garrett now anchoring the defense, the Rams have sent a clear message to the rest of the NFL.The road to the Super Bowl may once again run through Los Angeles.

Why Patriots' Super Bowl Odds Didn't Move After Adding A.J. Brown originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.On Monday, two significant trades shook up the NFL. The Cleveland Browns sent star pass rusher Myles Garrett to the Rams in a blockbuster deal, while the Patriots acquired wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles. However, New England's trade for Brown didn’t seem to boost its Super Bowl odds as much as Garrett’s move helped Los Angeles.ESPN's Doug Greenberg noted that the Rams saw their Super Bowl odds shift from +800 to +600 on DraftKings following the trade for Garrett. In contrast, the Patriots' odds remained steady at 16-1. Greenberg stated that because the trade for Brown had been anticipated for quite some time, the odds had likely already factored in a potential move before the deal was officially finalized."Hours later, the New England Patriots made a long-expected move for wide receiver A.J. Brown," Greenberg wrote on Monday. "Because the trade had been anticipated for some time, the Pats' Super Bowl odds remained at 16-1, tied for sixth on the odds board with Brown's former team, the Philadelphia Eagles."The Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs all have more favorable odds to win the Super Bowl than the Patriots. Yet, New England is the defending AFC champions, and it should only improve with the addition of Brown to its roster.It will be interesting to see how significant a role Brown plays for the Patriots this season, as he could be the key factor in helping them bounce back from last season's Super Bowl loss and emerge victorious in 2027.More NFL: ESPN Projects Big 2026 Numbers For A.J. Brown After Patriots Trade

Calvin Austin III’s answer was simple, but it said plenty about where he believes his career is headed with the New York Giants.After spending the early part of his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Austin is stepping into a crowded Giants receiver room that suddenly has no shortage of recognizable names. Odell Beckham Jr. and JuJu Smith-Schuster joined Big Blue on Monday. Darnell Mooney and Austin arrived after free agency opened. Malik Nabers is already the headliner, Darius Slayton remains in the mix, and Malachi Fields was added in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.Just where does Austin fit? In his eyes, anywhere.“Where do I fit in? I can play inside. I can play outside. And that’s something that people will see,” Austin told Go Long's Ty Dunne.For Steelers fans, that quote should sound familiar in a frustrating way. Austin’s speed was never hard to see in Pittsburgh, but his role did not always match his skill set. In 2023, under then-offensive coordinator Matt Canada, Austin felt he was often treated more like a gadget player than a full-time receiver.His usage leaned toward manufactured touches, motion, and occasional deep shots, rather than letting him develop into a more complete target.That changed over the next two seasons. In 2024 and 2025, Austin was used more like a legitimate wideout, and the production followed. He caught 67 passes for 920 yards and seven touchdowns over that span, proving he could do more than simply stretch the field or take designed touches.Now, the Giants are betting that version of Austin can carve out a role in a deep room. He may not arrive as the top option, but his ability to play inside, outside, and threaten defenses vertically gives New York another flexible piece.Austin gets a new chance to show that his best football was never limited to gadget plays or occasional deep shots. The Giants have options, but Austin believes he can be one of them.This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Calvin Austin III hints he was misused in Steelers offense

A power outage in downtown Detroit that affected Ford Field has postponed the start of the Michigan Girls High School Flag Football League state championship tournament.According to Ford Field's official statement, "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Michigan girls high school flag football championship will be postponed to a later date. Ford Field is currently experiencing power connection issues that are affecting the ability to open the stadium at this time. Participating teams will be made aware of the makeup dates and times for the games."Wyandotte Roosevelt and Wayne Memorial were scheduled to open the tournament at 8 a.m., followed by Goodrich and Flint Carman-Ainsworth at 9:30 a.m., Bloomfield Hills and Warren Woods-Tower at 11 a.m., Gibraltar Carlson and Detroit Leadership at 12:30 p.m., Brighton and Clawson at 2 p.m., Redford Thurston and Plymouth-Canton at 3:30 p.m. and L'Anse Creuse North and Detroit King at 5 p.m.The postponement likely had repercussions for many teams competing.Saturday is one of the busiest days on the Michigan high school sports calendar, with the MHSAA hosting track and field state finals, baseball and softball district championships and other postseason contests in sports such as soccer, lacrosse and volleyball.Many flag football players also compete in track, softball and soccer. Some could be unavailable because the power outage has created scheduling conflicts, particularly in metro Detroit, where athletes were planning to compete in flag football and another sport because of shorter travel times between venues.This is the fourth spring the Lions have sponsored a girls flag football season. The league nearly doubled in size from 41 teams to 80 in 2026.Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life. Follow him on his new X.com account at@folsomwrites.This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ford Field power outage postpones girls flag football championship

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 31: Carson Benge #3 of the New York Mets reacts at home plate after his first inning home run against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on May 31, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images Mets lineupCarson Benge – RFBo Bichette – SSJuan Soto – LFJared Young – 1BA.J. Ewing – CFMJ Melendez – DHBrett Baty – 3BMarcus Semien – 2BLuis Torrens – CSP: Austin Warren – RHPMariners lineupJ.P. Crawford – SSJulio Rodriguez – CFJosh Naylor – 1BRandy Arozarena – LFLuke Raley – RFCole Young – 2BRob Refsnyder – DHMitch Garver – CColt Emerson – 3BSP: Emerson Hancock – RHPBroadcast infoFirst pitch: 9:40 PM ETTV: SNYRadio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

One of the first details to emerge following A.J. Brown's blockbuster trade from the Philadelphia Eagles to the New England Patriots is the number he will wear in his new home. Brown will wear No. 1 for the Patriots, giving the All-Pro wide receiver a fresh look as he begins the next chapter of his NFL career.The jersey change comes after four highly productive seasons in Philadelphia, where Brown became one of the league's premier receivers and one of the most impactful acquisitions in franchise history. During his Eagles tenure, Brown wore No. 11 while helping the team reach two Super Bowls and remain among the NFL's elite contenders. In New England, the No. 11 jersey is one of the most iconic numbers in Patriots history, primarily worn by three-time Super Bowl champion wide receiver Julian Edelman.WR1 pic.twitter.com/prgizq270j— New England Patriots (@Patriots) June 1, 2026The move to New England reunites Brown with head coach Mike Vrabel, who oversaw much of the receiver's development during their time together with the Tennessee Titans. Now, Brown arrives in Foxborough as the centerpiece of a Patriots offense looking to accelerate the growth of young quarterback Drake Maye.For Patriots fans, the No. 1 jersey is fitting.Brown has long carried himself as a true No. 1 receiver, producing at an elite level throughout his career. Since entering the NFL in 2019, he has established himself as one of football's most dangerous playmakers, combining size, strength, and explosiveness to create matchup problems for opposing defenses. The jersey announcement also serves as another reminder that one of the NFL's biggest offseason moves is officially complete.Philadelphia elected to move on from one of its most productive offensive stars in exchange for valuable draft capital, including a first-round pick, while New England landed the proven playmaker it desperately needed.For Eagles fans, seeing Brown in a Patriots uniform will take some adjustment. For Patriots fans, however, No. 1 represents a new era. The franchise has spent the offseason searching for a player capable of transforming the offense, and Brown now arrives with the expectation of becoming exactly that.The number is new. The expectations are not.This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Patriots reveal A.J. Brown's new jersey number after trade