Former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Samori Toure signed with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday morning, just hours before the franchise's much-anticipated trade of A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots.Late last season, Toure joined the Saints' practice squad as a potential depth option after the team's receiving corps was heavily impacted by injuries and in-season departures. After patiently waiting for an opportunity, he was elevated to the active roster ahead of New Orleans' regular-season finale against the Atlanta Falcons.Toure recorded his lone catch of the season in that contest, hauling in a three-yard reception from quarterback Tyler Shough in a hard-fought loss to close out the year.We have signed WR Samori Toure and waived LB Chandler Martin. pic.twitter.com/lnSF9A5Jd8— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) June 1, 2026Just a few months later, on April 27, Toure's time in New Orleans came to an end. The Saints waived the former Green Bay Packers receiver shortly after the NFL Draft, following the team's decision to invest heavily in the wide receiver position. New Orleans selected three receivers, including Arizona State standout Jordyn Tyson in the first round, creating a crowded competition for roster spots.Now, Toure heads to Philadelphia with an opportunity to carve out a role in a receiving room that has just lost its bona fide No. 1 target.This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Eagles sign former Saints receiver Samori Toure after A.J. Brown trade

Summer is here, sort of, and it is everyone’s favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay. Are we going to write about quarterbacks? Offensive tackles? Edge rushers? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans. So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall.FilmMaryland 6.3Penn State 6.5Background InfoListed at 5-11/205 lbs.3-Star recruit according to 247 SportsOriginally from Montreal, Quebec, CanadaFirst-team All-County in high schoolWon the Jon Cornish Trophy in 2025 (Best Canadian football player in the NCAA)Second-team All-Big Ten in 2025Notable career stats heading into 2026344 Carries1,698 Rushing yards4.9 Yards per carry21 Receptions269 Receiving yardsReceived 67.8% of the carries out of the backfield in 2025Notable numbers from PFF heading into 20263.47 Yards per carry after contact100 Missed tackles forcedStrengthsMakes defenders miss in spaceGood visionSturdy in his pass blockingQuick feet at the line of scrimmageDecent contact balancePlayer SummaryAntwan Raymond is a fun running back out of Rutgers who has some tools to make him an interesting piece out of the backfield. He does well creating for himself in space by making defenders miss, but also being patient to find his lane. The vision also showcases itself when he is at the line of scrimmage and his quick feet allows him to hit running lanes efficiently and keep his balance. All in all, he doesn’t strike me as a back who could lead a room in carries but an excellent change of pace to allow for the offense to remain efficient.This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: 2027 NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report on Rutgers' Antwan Raymond

Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price carries major expectations for his rookie season in 2026.According to FanSided’s Jake Beckman, Price is in line to have a big year next season, to the tune of 696 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on the year.“The Seahawks are going to need a lot more out of Price than that,” Beckman said. “Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in January, so it's going to be Price splitting time with Emmanuel Wilson and George Holani.”“700 yards and four touchdowns from Price might be good for where he was drafted, but that team is going to be hurting if that’s all they get from him.”Price has all the talent in the world to put forth a spectacular season for the Seahawks in 2026. He will also have the support of an elite receiving corp to create a balanced offense in Seattle next season.The Notre Dame product has a great chance to exceed those projections by a wide margin. It is justifiable to view him as a way-too-early candidate to win the 2026 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award.This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: NFL 2026: Seahawks RB Jadarian Price projected to have big rookie year

Soccer fans across Massachusetts will soon have a free place to gather and celebrate the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The FIFA Fan Festival Boston is set to take over City Hall Plaza from June 12 through June 27, offering a central hub for fans, residents, and visitors to watch matches and take part in a wide range of events.Organizers say the festival will feature live broadcasts of World Cup matches each day, along with entertainment, food, and cultural programming designed to showcase the region.The event is free, but attendees must register in advance for a pass, and entry will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis, meaning access is not guaranteed.Below is a look at the Fan Festival’s days and hours of operation, as well as matches that will be livestreamed:3:00 p.m. Canada vs. Bosnia Herzegovina9:00 p.m. USA vs. Paraguay3:00 p.m. Qatar vs. Switzerland6:00 p.m. Brazil vs. Morocco9:00 p.m. Haiti vs. Scotland1:00 p.m. Germany vs. Curaçao4:00 p.m. Netherlands vs. Japan7:00 p.m. Côte d’Ivoire vs. Ecuador12:00 p.m. Spain vs. Cape Verde3:00 p.m. Belgium vs. Egypt6:00 p.m. Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay3:00 p.m. France vs. Senegal6:00 p.m. Iraq vs. Norway9:00 p.m. Argentina vs. Algeria1:00 p.m. Portugal vs. DR Congo4:00 p.m. England vs. Croatia7:00 p.m. Ghana vs. Panama3:00 p.m. Switzerland vs. Bosnia Herzegovina6:00 p.m. Canada vs. Qatar9:00 p.m. Mexico vs. South Korea3:00 p.m. USA vs. Australia6:00 p.m. Scotland vs. Morocco9:00 p.m. Brazil vs. Haiti1:00 p.m. Netherlands vs. Sweden4:00 p.m. Germany vs. Côte d’Ivoire8:00 p.m. Ecuador vs. Curaçao12:00 p.m. Spain vs. Saudi Arabia3:00 p.m. Belgium vs. Iran6:00 p.m. Uruguay vs. Cape Verde1:00 p.m. Argentina vs. Austria4:00 p.m. France vs. Iraq8:00 p.m. Norway vs. Senegal1:00 p.m. Portugal vs. Uzbekistan4:00 p.m. England vs. Ghana7:00 p.m. Panama vs. Croatia3:00 p.m. Switzerland vs. Canada / Bosnia vs. Qatar6:00 p.m. Scotland vs. Brazil / Morocco vs. Haiti9:00 p.m. South Africa vs. South Korea / Czech Rep vs. Mexico4:00 p.m. Curaçao vs. Côte d’Ivoire / Ecuador vs. Germany7:00 p.m. Japan vs. Sweden / Tunisia vs. Netherlands3:00 p.m. Norway vs. France8:00 p.m. Uruguay vs. Spain / Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia5:00 p.m. Croatia vs. Ghana / Panama vs. England7:30 p.m. DR Congo vs. Uzbekistan / Colombia vs. Portugal10:00 p.m. Jordan vs. Argentina / Algeria vs. AustriaIn addition to the games, the festival will include a cultural showcase spotlighting local artists, musicians, and performers, reflecting the diversity of Boston and communities across Massachusetts.City Hall Plaza will be transformed into a fan zone with activities, live entertainment, and a curated food and beverage lineup, blending the global excitement of the tournament with local flavor.Organizers are also implementing several policies for attendees. Guests will need to follow a clear-bag policy with size restrictions, comply with a code of conduct, and agree to the event terms during registration.With large crowds expected, visitors are encouraged to use public transportation, walk, or bike when traveling to the festival.The event site will be fully accessible, with accommodations including accessible entrances, seating areas, restrooms, and services for guests with mobility needs.Organizers say the FIFA Fan Festival Boston aims to be more than just a viewing party — creating a citywide celebration of soccer, culture, and community during one of the world’s largest sporting events.Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

Mike Vrabel Reveals When He Expects Christian Gonzalez Back As Holdout Concern Grows originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New England Patriots are starting to get ready for the season, but one of their best players has not joined the team yet.Christian Gonzalez has been absent from voluntary OTAs. When the season ended, both Gonzalez and the Patriots noted that there was a desire to get an extension done, but they did not go into details on negotiations. Gonzalez was at Drake Maye's softball game, and there is now some concern about a holdout.The Patriots' mandatory minicamp will start earlier than expected after Mike Vrabel moved it up, and if Gonzalez is not present, it will suddenly be a problem. His absence right now is not too big of a deal since OTAs are voluntary. Vrabel was asked about a potential holdout as the Patriots continue to prepare for the season.“Well, I think that there’s, the contract is the business and the professional side of this,” said Vrabel in a Tuesday press conference. “The personal side, I don’t want to let anything interfere with that. I want Christian to be ready when he comes back. And I would imagine that he would be here next week. And, if he is, then we’ll coach him and be ready to move on and get him ready and get him ready to help us, and help himself. Contracts are part of professional sports. I understand that. But I also know that those should remain private. And, like any contract, you want to make sure (it’s) a negotiation that everybody feels like they get something out of it. And I’ll leave it at that.”Like many, Vrabel is expecting Gonzalez to show up for mandatory team activities. However, from a business standpoint, it would make sense for him to hold out until he gets the extension he wants.Vrabel acknowledged that the contract situation is a private matter and that Gonzalez is trying to do what's best for him. He did not go into details about where the team and Gonzalez are at, but by all accounts, there is mutual interest in getting a deal done. The only question is, will they get one done in time for Gonzalez to be at the mandatory minicamp?More NFL: A.J. Brown Trade Grades: Patriots Snag WR From Eagles, Give Drake Maye Game-Changing Weapon

An internal Microsoft strategy document says that the plan for its just-announced “Scout” personal assistant AI is to “make people addicted” to the tool before rolling out additional functionality, 404 Media has learned. “Three phases from addictive app to agentic platform,” internal documentation seen by 404 Media reads.Microsoft has been piloting Scout as an internal tool for employees it was calling “ClawPilot,” since March. ClawPilot—and now Scout—are part of “Project Lobster,” which is a Microsoft plan to bring the popular OpenClaw AI tool to its Microsoft 365 suite of products in a way that nontechnical people can use. It is not particularly notable that Microsoft is developing new AI tools—the company has reoriented almost everything it does to focus on AI, and every major AI company has tried to figure out how to bring AI agents into their products after OpenClaw went viral earlier this year. OpenClaw allows users to create AI agents that can act on behalf of the person using it; it can send emails, edit calendars, publish blog posts, and more. What is notable is that the explicit goal of the people developing the product is to addict its users. Microsoft officially announced Scout Tuesday as an “always-on personal agent” that runs on OpenClaw and is integrated into Microsoft 365. The internal Microsoft document, called “ClawPilot: Overview and Plan with Project Lobster,” seen by 404 Media has a subheading called “ClawPilot Overall Plan,” which notes “three phases” to its launch plan. The first phase is “Make people addicted.”“Continue shipping the standalone ClawPilot experience. Pilot the UX, grow the user base, and build the skill and tool ecosystem that makes people depend on it daily. This is already happening organically,” the document says. Omar Shahine, the Microsoft executive leading the project, adds that in its pilot with Microsoft employees, they have seen “Daily Usage with High Retention and intensity of usage (chats, queries, workflows, skills).” The additional phases of the plan involve connecting ClawPilot to other AI tools and eventually adding new features. A Microsoft employee familiar with ClawPilot told 404 Media that the addiction language was “very troubling.” “We’re seeing more and more addiction happening with AI chatbots and agents and overall addiction to me is something no product should be making a part of its build strategy,” they said. “It feels like one of those ‘saying the quiet part out loud’ moments in the document.”Another employee said that, at this point, they feel “isn’t the end goal of all software made by all major technology companies to be addicting? Luckily for us, Microsoft is pretty bad at making addicting products compared to some of the other big companies.” 404 Media granted Microsoft employees anonymity to talk about private internal products and documents.The project is being driven by Shahine, a longtime Microsoft executive who wrote on his personal blog and LinkedIn in April that he created a personal AI assistant called Lobster using OpenClaw, the viral open source AI agent tool. According to his blog, Shahine presented his “Lobster” AI assistant to an internal Microsoft AI accelerator program and was told to turn it into a real product for Microsoft. The document seen by 404 Media lists Shahine and another executive, Jakob Werner, as its authors. The document itself, however, notes that it was “co-created turn-by-turn with AI. Human verified every sentence.” The document describes ClawPilot as “a desktop personal assistant primarily built for knowledge workers: people in finance, legal, operations, HR, and other roles who have never heard of OpenClaw and will never open a terminal. It is a macOS and Windows app that sits alongside you, learns how you work, and acts on your behalf. It manages your calendar, triages your inbox, files expenses, prepares meetings, and runs recurring workflows.” The document states that more than 1,000 employees at Microsoft are using it, including CEO Satya Nadella and that “ClawPilot has organically grown into one of the most requested internal tools at Microsoft. No formal announcement, no marketing, no org-wide push.” Shahine has posted several times on his personal blog and LinkedIn about ClawPilot, including screenshots of the tool. Another Microsoft internal document about ClawPilot explains that it both enhances what employees are doing and acts as an assistant they can hand work to. “It is not a smarter chatbot. IT takes actions on a real desktop, and it keeps working when you are not watching,” the document says. When 404 Media asked Microsoft for comment about the addiction language on its internal documentation, we were sent a blog post by Shahine announcing Scout published Tuesday.Nadella previously said at a conference that he loves OpenClaw, but that Microsoft could not ever integrate OpenClaw into Microsoft products: “I can’t launch OpenClaw as Microsoft. I mean, it, you know, it just wouldn’t work. I don’t have permission to do that because that would be considered Microsoft launching a virus. I mean, that’s just not a thing.”Like OpenClaw itself, ClawPilot requires access to important accounts and files in order to function. The document notes that “security and compliance” are important things to figure out moving forward.Microsoft’s AI products have been a bit of a mixed bag. Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI gave it a huge head start in the AI space, and its coding tool, Copilot, has been very popular but has been surpassed by Claude Code. The company has tried to push AI into many of its products, and users have revolted over AI tools integrated into Windows.

The restrictions outside Delaney Hall immigration detention center were imposed after demonstrators who were protesting the conditions at the facility had clashed with the police.

Look on his works and despair.

Before the Los Angeles Angels drafted Jordyn Adams with the No. 17 pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Adams had signed with North Carolina to play college baseball and football.Then, a deal worth more than $3 million from the Angels led Adams to pursue a professional baseball career and leave behind football. But now, Adams will leave behind his MLB dreams to pursue a collegiate football career at SMU.Adams is reportedly enrolled at SMU and plans to play football there next season, according to CBS Sports.Sep 10, 2023; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Jordyn Adams (39) runs after hitting a single against the Cleveland Guardians during the eighth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY SportsThe 26-year-old was a five-star football recruit out of Green Hope High School in Cary, North Carolina. He was ranked as the No. 3 wide receiver in his class behind current NFL stars Amon-Ra St. Brown and Ja’Marr Chase.As of now, Adams is still eligible to play collegiate football. However, the NCAA has discussed implementing an age-based “five-for-five” model that would limit athletes to five years to compete in collegiate sports immediately after high school graduation or their 19th birthday.If the NCAA implemented that model, Adams would no longer be eligible to play college football.Adams Played Two of Three MLB Seasons With AngelsAfter the Angels drafted Adams in 2018, he went on to make his MLB debut with the Halos in August 2023. He played in 28 games with the Angels across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, recording 13 total hits, five runs, five RBIs and a home run in 74 at-bats.Adams played all three outfield positions during his two-season MLB stint with the Angels.Sep 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Jordyn Adams (39), left fielder Taylor Ward (3) and right fielder Gustavo Campero (51) smile as they come off the field after the final out of the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesAdams signed with the Baltimore Orioles in free agency for the 2025 season. He went 0-for-5 and played right and center field in 10 MLB games with the Orioles that season.He signed a free agent deal with the Milwaukee Brewers ahead of the 2026 season. Adams never made an MLB appearance with the Brewers and most recently played with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds.Adams played his final game with the Sounds on May 20 then Nashville released Adams on May 25.Photo Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY SportsThe post Former Angels First-Round Pick Trades Baseball for College Football at SMU appeared first on LA Sports Report.

Pelé’s 1958 FIFA World Cup final-worn jersey is going up for auction -Credit:Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty ImagesWith the second-ever FIFA World Cup to be held (at least in part) on American soil under two weeks away, it seems only fitting that Brazilian icon Pelé’s 1958 game-worn jersey is set to go up for auction in New York.The first of Pelé’s four World Cups, three of which he won, the 1958 tournament was held in Sweden, with the then Santos star just 17 years old at the time, having made his international debut a year earlier.Pelé, who died in 2022, scored six goals in four appearances in the Nordic nation, including two in a 5-2 final win against Sweden, helping Brazil win the first of five titles, whilst being named the World Cup’s Best Young Player and winning the Silver Ball.FIFA boss Gianni Infantino stands by $2 million World Cup tickets with hot dog promiseWorld Cup participants offering free tickets as high prices continue to drive fans awayThe jerseys worn by the Brazilian national team in the 1958 final were handmade by the players -Credit:UPI/Bettmann Archive/Getty ImagesThe final saw Brazil wear blue jerseys as their usual yellow ones clashed with those of Sweden. The players themselves had to transfer the team badges from their yellow jerseys to the blue ones, whilst creating the numbers out of pieces of yellow equipment bags.Pelé later gave his No.10 shirt from the final to teammate Dida, with the item sticking in the family until it was donated to the Museu dos Esportes Edvaldo Alves Santa Rosa in 1993. It was then auctioned off at Sotheby’s London in 2004 for $105,600 - making it the most expensive Pelé-related item ever sold at an auction. Now valued at around $6 million, the jersey will be made available to bid upon via Sotheby’s between June 29 and July 16 - just three days before the World Cup final in New Jersey.Sotheby’s Head of Modern Collectables, Brahm Wachter, said in a statement, “This is not merely a shirt – it is the garment worn by one of the greatest footballers in history on the night his reign began, passed by his own hand to a friend and preserved with care for more than six decades. Its historical importance is without parallel in the football memorabilia market and is inseparable from the legacy of the sport’s first true global icon.”To listen to the latest episode of 'All Out Soccer' - CLICK HEREThe jersey will headline Sotheby’s ‘The Beautiful Game’ auction, which will include other “significant objects in football history.” Such objects include a 1958 Alifabolaget #635 Pelé Rookie Card, which is valued at an estimated $150,000 - 200,000.Other storied items include Diego Maradona’s captain's armband from the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, which was ultimately won by Argentina, and could go for around $100,000.For Argentinian soccer fans, there will also be more opportunities to acquire items related to the national team’s storied history, including seven jerseys worn by Lionel Messi both domestically and internationally. There will be a public exhibition of the items at the Breuer building in New York from July 1, with the star attraction being Pelé’s jersey.Whether or not this will end up surpassing the existing “record for a game-worn item of football sports memorabilia,” Maradona’s jersey from the ‘Hand of God’ game, which was sold in London in 2022 for $9.3 million, remains to be seen.

Patriots vs. Eagles Tickets 2026: How to Buy Seats for NFL Preseason Game After A.J. Brown Trade originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.A preseason game between the Patriots and Eagles just got a lot more interesting following the trade of A.J. Brown to New England.The Eagles come to Gillette Stadium on August 22. It’s the only meeting of the season between both teams, and the first since a preseason game in 2024.BUY NOW: Tickets for Patriots vs. Eagles via StubHubWhile it’s unknown if Brown will play, all eyes will be on him.Brown spent four years in Philadelphia after three years in Tennessee. He caught over 30 touchdown passes for over 5, 034 yards while winning a Super Bowl with the Eagles. After months of tension and rumors, he got traded to the Patriots for multiple first-round picks.The trade reunites Brown with Mike Vrabel, who coached Brown while with the Titans. He goes from a QB in Jalen Hurts to Drake Maye and a Patriots team that just lost the Super Bowl.Looking to buy tickets? Here's how you can get the best deals for the preseason game.How to buy Patriots vs. Eagles tickets for 2026 NFL preseason gameTickets:StubHubYou can find tickets for Patriots vs. Eagles on StubHub. Click below to view exact costs, seats and availability.BUY NOW: Best ticket prices for Patriots vs. Eagles on StubHubHow much are tickets for Patriots vs. Eagles?Patriots vs. Eagles will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. On StubHub, the cheapest tickets for the Patriots vs. Eagles game start at $31.Prices then range from $40 to $1,129. Patriots vs. Eagles 2026 preseason game details: Date, time and stadium infoDate: Saturday, August 22Time: 7 p.m. ETStadium: Gillette StadiumThe Patriots play the Eagles in a preseason game at Gillette Stadium on August 22. The game starts at 7 p.m. ET.What to know about Gillette Stadium for Patriots vs. Eagles ticketsGillette Stadium seating mapYou can see the full layout for football games below. If you need information on accessible seating for individuals with disabilities, you can check out accessibility resources on the Gillette Stadium website. (Gillette Stadium) Gillette Stadium bag policy All bags must be clear plastic, vinyl or PVC (12x6x12 measurements). You can also bring a small clutch bag into Gillette Stadium (4.5x6.5x2 measurements).Gillette Stadium does not offer a bag valet service, but it does have lockers for guests with bags that don't meet the stadium's bag policy. The lockers are located in trucks around the venue.If you have questions about specific prohibited and approved bags, visit the Gillette Stadium website.Gillette Stadium parking options and costThere are several parking options at Gillette Stadium. Free general parking is available at all stadium-owned lots across from the venue on Route 1. You can also purchase parking passes in advance for events at Gillette Stadium that guarantee stadium-side spots with closest proximity to the gates.Parking lots typically open four hours before the start of Patriots games. Specific times for other events can be found on the Gillette Stadium website.Parking at Gillette Stadium can cost anywhere between $25 and $50 on game and event days, depending on the type of parking and location.Tailgating is permitted in the general parking lots once they are open to the public.Hotels near Gillette StadiumThere are several hotels within minutes of Gillette Stadium. The two closest options are the Renaissance Boston Patriot Place and Hilton Garden Inn Foxborough Patriot Place. The Home2 Suites by Hilton Foxboro is also a good option.Does Gillette Stadium use mobile tickets?Gillette Stadium uses mobile tickets for all events. Guests must display their passes on mobile phones in order to enter. Screenshots and physical tickets will not be scanned or accepted.Where do I enter Gillette Stadium?Guests may enter at any of the general admission gates around the venue, including the Bank of America Gate, CVS Health Gate and Ticketmaster Gate.Can I re-enter Gillette Stadium?Re-entry is not allowed at Gillette Stadium under any circumstances. Guests who leave the venue will not be allowed to re-enter unless in an emergency.Can I bring my purse into Gillette Stadium?You can only bring a regular purse into Gillette Stadium if it's a small clutch bag or meets the clear bag policy.New England Patriots schedule 2026Here is the official schedule for the Patriots for the 2026 season: WeekDateOpponentKickoff time (ET)TV channel1Sept. 9at Seahawks8:20 p.m.NBC2Sept. 20vs. Steelers1 p.m.CBS3Sept. 27at Jaguars1 p.m.CBS4Oct. 4at Bills1 p.m.CBS5Oct. 11vs. Raiders1 p.m.CBS6Oct. 18vs. Jets1 p.m.CBS7Oct. 22at Bears8:15 p.m.Prime Video8Nov. 1at Dolphins4:25 p.m.CBS9Nov. 8vs. Packers4:25 p.m.Fox10Nov. 15vs. Lions (Germany)9:30 a.m.Fox11BYE———12Nov. 29at Chargers8:20 p.m.NBC13Dec. 6vs. Bills4:25 p.m.CBS14Dec. 10vs. Vikings8:15 p.m.Prime Video15Dec. 21at Chiefs8:15 p.m.ESPN16Dec. 27at Jets1 p.m.CBS17TBDvs. BroncosTBDTBD18TBDvs. DolphinsTBDTBDMore PatriotsLatest Patriots newsTom Brady's Patriots legacy: How legendary QB set new standardComplete history of Patriots championships

A.J. Brown Opens Up About Patriots Passing On Him In 2019 NFL Draft originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.After seven NFL seasons and two stints with different teams, A.J. Brown is finally living out his dream by playing for his favorite team, the Patriots. However, he wishes he could have started this dream in 2019 during the draft.Brown spoke with reporters on Tuesday after his first day at the Patriots' OTAs and expressed how devastated he felt that New England passed on him during the 2019 NFL Draft."That night I was looking forward to getting picked going in the first round, and obviously things went another way with the 32nd pick, the Patriots took another receiver," Brown said. "As soon as the pick came in, I was already in my car, leaving my draft party. I went into my closet and tried to gather myself because I was just disappointed. That's somewhere I wanted to be; I wanted to play with Tom Brady."AJ Brown on how devastated he was that the Patriots didn’t draft him in 2019 pic.twitter.com/MCAYdOZV7q— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) June 2, 2026New England decided to pass on Brown in the first round and instead selected Arizona State wide receiver, N'Keal Harry. Brown didn't get drafted until the Titans took him with the 51st pick. He probably hoped that the Patriots would draft him for a couple of reasons: he's a big fan of the team, and being selected by them would have been his last chance to be a first-round pick, especially since New England had the final pick in that round.Brown even expressed to the Titans after they drafted him that he hoped the Patriots would have selected him, according to head coach Mike Vrabel's statement on Tuesday.Mike Vrabel says that when the Titans drafted AJ Brown, he told them he wished the Patriots had drafted him— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) June 2, 2026It seems that Brown is thrilled to play for his childhood favorite team, and this might be the opportunity for him to have the best season of his career.More NFL: Mike Vrabel Reveals When He Expects Christian Gonzalez Back As Holdout Concern Grows

Fifa has been working on ways to improve offside decisions for the World Cup [Getty Images]The delayed offside flag could almost become thing of the past after Fifa unveiled new technology to be used at the 2026 World Cup.Fifa will introduce advanced semi-automated offside for video assistant referees (VAR) which should make decisions faster and mean an assistant can raise the flag rather than wait for a move to play out.A real-time audio alert will be sent to the assistant if a player is more than 10cm offside. Previous versions of the technology tested at the Club World Cup and the Intercontinental Cup only notified the officials if a player was greater than 50cm offside. The official will remain in charge of when to raise the flag and stop play. They may keep the flag down if they suspect there has been a malfunction, but Fifa says a series of failsafe measures are in the technology to prevent errors happening. The technology will still be unable to pick out the closest offsides, while there are limitations if players are on the ground or if there are several too close together.It can only be used for positional offside and not for subjective calls, those which require interpretation around whether a player has interfered with an opponent without touching the ball. Fifa hopes it will remove some of the frustration felt by supporters and players, and reduce the chance of injury due to needless passages of play when an offside flag is going to be raised. In May 2025, Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi had to be placed in an induced coma after colliding with a post when the assistant delayed raising an offside flag.Fifa also confirmed that life-like, AI-enabled 3D avatars of every player will be created to make more accurate decisions.This will mean creating a digital scan of all 1,248 players in the 26-man squads of the 48 teams.Each player will enter a chamber to be scanned, a process that should take just one second and only needs to be done once during their pre-tournament photo shoot.As a result, enhanced, clearer offside animations will be used at the World Cup.Goalkeeper tactical timeouts to be banned at World CupFifa ordered to explain World Cup ticket pricingEvery VAR error: How Arsenal escaped red cards and penaltiesNew 'out of bounds' and 'line of sight' technologyFifa has also approved the use of technology which can determine if the ball went out of play before a goal was scored.In February, Aston Villa had a goal disallowed against Brentford in contentious circumstances when it was unclear if the ball had gone out. A 3D animation will be created, just like with goalline technology, which can show the exact ball position.The chip in the ball will indicate which player touched the ball last, which should enable the VAR to check if a corner was the correct decision as part of new powers.Fifa has also expanded 'Real-time 3D Recreation' to make 'line-of-sight' judgements for offsides quicker and clearer.There are two virtual feeds, available to the VAR and TV viewers, which replicate the perspectives of both goalkeepers.There were several 'line-of-sight' offside incidents this season where there were questions whether the goalkeeper's view had been impacted. This is intended to give the VAR an extra tool to make that decision.World Cup fixtures and group standingsHow to watch the World Cup on the BBCEverything you need to know about the World Cup

An event designed to highlight issues around menstrual equity among trans people as part of Boston’s Pride programming has been forced to relocate after backlash from right-wing voices. A story on Fox News and social media posts have included transphobic attacks and claims that the mayor’s support of the event means that city funds are being misused. “At a time when extremist voices are trying to shame, erase, and isolate transgender people, events like Trans Period Pride are about building community, dignity, and access to essential care,” explained the executive director of Massachusetts National Organization for Women (Mass NOW), Sasha Goodfriend, in a statement to them. “Menstrual equity is a public health issue that affects anyone who menstruates, and no one should be excluded from that conversation because of their gender identity. “ Related Ken Paxton wants to cancel a queer pool party over trans restrooms. Organizers aren’t backing down. The event, titled Mass NOW: Trans Period Pride, was originally scheduled for 6 p.m. on June 17 at the Boston Central Library. The free event is designed to educate the community on the needs of trans people, offering the opportunity to “Learn about trans experiences with menstruation from the MA Trans Political Coalition and participate in a group discussion to connect and share.” The event is catered and offers free period underwear to all attendees. Included among its supporters is the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Advancement. As an organization, Mass NOW seeks to “pursue equity, act for justice, and build intersectional feminism in the Commonwealth.” A major element of that has been their campaign for menstrual equality. That intersectional approach and their goal to “end period poverty” make this event a natural choice for them. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today View this post on Instagram A post shared by Massachusetts National Organization for Women (@massnow) However, right-wing and anti-trans comments have flooded social media posts promoting the event. That escalated after Fox News published a story about Mass NOW’s work (notably not the first time they have covered such an event). Some commenters complained about the support from Boston mayor Michelle Wu, suggesting that tax dollars should not be used to support the LGBTQ+ community. It then appeared that the Trans Period Pride event might have been canceled after the Boston library website updated to include “this event is canceled.” However, organizers have since confirmed that the event will go ahead, but will be moving to a new location. Goodfriend told them: “We have secured a new location and are finalizing a security plan. Details about the venue and event logistics will be announced next week.” It is unclear whether that security plan is due to specific threats of violence or harassment that organizers have received, or simply a cautionary measure given the event’s sudden high-profile nature. Goodfriend did not say whether the decision to relocate the event was Mass NOW’s decision or whether it came from the library. A Boston Public Library spokesperson told the Boston Herald, “This event was booked by an external organization and has been rescheduled to a different location.” LGBTQ Nation reached out to Mass Now and Mayor Vu’s office for clarification. There is often confusion around trans menstruation and period needs, with right-wing voices often jumping to assumptions that this is about trans women. This event, and others like it, are targeted at trans men, nonbinary people, and other gender diverse individuals who have a uterus and still menstruate. Anti-trans voices are often keen to mock trans women and insult them, claiming that trans women believe that they menstruate. While research has determined that trans women going through gender-affirming care can experience period symptoms, they do not menstruate, and that is not what is being discussed here. In response to the hateful comments and the Fox News article, Goodfriend took it as validation of the need for “consciousness-raising discussion” such as this, saying that the “backlash only reinforces why this work—and visibility solidarity—is so important.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

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Red Sox rising ace Payton Tolle is proving he's more than just Garrett Crochet's successor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Red Sox have now spent a good amount of the season without their superstar ace, Garrett Crochet, leading their starting rotation. And now, it looks like he’s going to be out a little longer than expected as well.However, this has not made Boston’s rotation suffer as much as you would think. The rotation is thriving for the most part, being one of the best in the MLB. In fact, one Sox starter in Payton Tolle has been extremely sensational, even putting together a Cy Young-level campaign. Last season Tolle was very volatile Tolle made his MLB debut in a duel against Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates on August 29th, 2025. He got eight Ks, and only gave up two runs in 5.1 innings. After that, though, he fell apart. He finished with a 6.06 ERA, 19 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.592 over 16 innings pitched. His problem was he would lose his top-notch velocity after just a few innings, which led to him throwing hitter-friendly balls quite frequently.This led him to start this season in AAA, where he did pretty well. And when Sonny Gray was put on the IL, Tolle got a chance to return to the big leagues. Tolle has been borderline unstoppable this season May 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle (70) celebrates after a victory over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Tolle's nickname is “The Piglet”, which is a reference to Crochet’s, “The Pig”. Tolle has been seen as Crochet Jr., and rightfully so. While he’s 2-2 this season, he has a 2.61 ERA, 46 Ks, and a WHIP of 0.895 over 41 innings pitched. On top of that, his xERA is a 2.20, which is the second-best in the MLB. xERA is basically taking all outside factors out of the equation: luck, defensive errors, and ballpark factors. By taking those out, Tolle is the second-best pitcher in the MLB.Tolle may have a case for the Cy Young © Eric Canha-Imagn ImagesWhile he’s competing with some big dogs, Tolle definitely has the ability to throw his hat into the ring for the Cy Young race. If he can figure out how to keep his great stats while also getting wins, there’s no reason to count him out. Hopefully, he figures it out and helps the Sox have two Pigs to put on the mound for years to come.MORE MLB NEWSRed Sox may have finally found their offense, but one glaring problem remainsRed Sox may have gotten Jarren Duran back at exactly the right time as blazing hot streak continuesRed Sox finally getting the Sonny Gray they traded for after remarkable turnaround

The Dolphins are adding to their wide receiver room. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that they are signing Jalen Reagor to their 90-man roster. Reagor spent the last two seasons with the Chargers, but did not play in any games during the 2025 campaign. He had seven catches for 100 yards in 2024. The Eagles drafted Reagor in the first round in 2020 and traded him to the Vikings after two seasons. He spent one year in Minnesota and one year in New England. He has 86 career catches and has also returned one punt and one kickoff for touchdowns over the course of his career.

Credit: ESPNIt’s the 21st consecutive season calling the NBA Finals for ESPN’s Mike Breen, and for the last four years, he’s been doing it with a different set of analysts each time.This season, ESPN has settled on Richard Jefferson, in his second year as a lead analyst, and Tim Legler, making his NBA Finals debut, to join Breen on the NBA’s biggest stage. The musical chairs next to Breen has been a source of consternation among fans in recent years, particularly because ESPN’s decision to fire longtime lead analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson back in 2023 caused the inconsistencies in the first place.But Breen, professional as ever, has maintained a high approval rating through it all. And this year, while acknowledging switching partners so frequently can be difficult, Breen is confident the work he, Jefferson, and Legler have put in during the season will pay off for this final series.During a press call ahead of this year’s NBA Finals, Breen admitted the rotating cast of announcers can actually be enjoyable as a challenge.“Part of the fun of the job is working with so many different people, but it is a challenge because you just get familiar with people in terms of how they speak on the air, how they interact with their other analysts,” Breen said.Unlike the previous couple of seasons, where Breen’s reps with his Finals analysts were more limited for a number of reasons, the continuity of this year’s lead booth has Breen excited.“Like in a basketball team, continuity is important,” he said. “Like a broadcast team, continuity is important, and we’ve been able to do a lot of games this year. I’m thrilled with how we started and how we continue to get better every game.”In 2024, ESPN’s first year following the departure of Van Gundy and Jackson, things did not go according to plan for the network. Doc Rivers and Doris Burke were set to form ESPN’s lead team alongside Breen, but Rivers left mid-season to coach the Milwaukee Bucks. That left JJ Redick to slot in at the eleventh hour alongside Burke, giving the lead team very few reps to build chemistry for the Finals.That offseason, Redick took a coaching job of his own with the Los Angeles Lakers, creating more uncertainty with ESPN’s lead team headed into 2025. That uncertainty would continue throughout the regular season as ESPN chose not to formally name a lead analyst alongside Burke, instead rotating various announcers in and out and even experimenting with a two-person team consisting of only Breen and Burke. Eventually, ESPN tapped Jefferson to take the third spot.The lack of chemistry was quite apparent over the seven-game series between the Thunder and Pacers, however, and ESPN opted to send Burke down to the No. 2 team, replacing her with Legler this season. So for the first time since the 2023 NBA Finals, Breen has had a full year of reps with the same booth. The hope is that the experience will shine through on the broadcast.“I give so much credit — and it’s hard for me to publicly say something nice about Richard, but he was so welcoming to Tim and bringing him in … The two play off of each other so well,” Breen said. “They have different perspectives as players. I appreciate listening to them talk about those experiences. They have so much fun together. They knew each other before the season began, but they’ve become great friends.”Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs begins on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.The post Mike Breen on ESPN’s fourth NBA Finals booth in four years: ‘It is a challenge’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

Despite the regime-change and roster overhaul, the Miami Dolphins have one of the deepest linebacker rooms in the NFL at this point in the offseason.Over the last few months, they've added Ronnie Harrison in free agency and rookies Jacob Rodriguez and Kyle Louis to the group which will lead to one of the toughest competitions for roster spots and opportunities throughout training camp.Among those in the competition is Tyrel Dodson, who spent five years with the Buffalo Bills and half of a season with the Seattle Seahawks before joining the Dolphins in 2024. While Dodson started 16 games for Miami in 2025 and recorded a career-high 129 tackles, he could find himself sliding down the depth chart or out of a job completely. However, Dodson appears unbothered by the ongoing battle.“The table’s big enough — I mean look at this table here," Dodson said (via ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques). "There’s seven mics on the table, we’ve got seven linebackers in the room. (The table’s) big enough for everybody.”Dodson may be confident, but his spot on the roster isn't guaranteed, as he's entering the final year of his deal, and Miami could save nearly $3 million by cutting him before Week 1.If Rodriguez or Louis prove themselves ready to take on a large role during their rookie seasons, that could make the Dolphins comfortable enough to move on from Dodson. They could still have solid depth behind Jordyn Brooks and Rodriguez or Louis, as Harrison and Willie Gay Jr. have played a lot of football as well.More Dolphins: Report indicates why Dolphins RB retired quickly after signingThis article originally appeared on Dolphins Wire: Dolphins LB unbothered by new competition at the position

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 22: General manager Les Snead of the Los Angeles Rams on the field before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 22, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images General manager Les Snead rarely made any significant moves after the Los Angeles Rams won the 2022 Super Bowl. Following a pair of blockbuster trades this offseason, highlighted by the Myles Garrett deal, Snead has proven that his aggressive side never went anywhere.Snead was already well-known for his “F them picks” mentality, highlighted by the Rams having just two first-round picks since taking Jared Goff first overall in 2016. Even with the first-rounders he’s selected in the last decade, he’s been willing to deal, which means Ty Simpson, you’re next buddy (probably). Rams first round picks since 2016:2016: Jared Goff. Eventually traded in Matthew Stafford deal2017: None2018: None2019: None2020: None2021: None2022: None2023: None2024: Jared Verse. Eventually traded in Myles Garrett deal2025: None2026: Ty Simpson— Field Yates (@FieldYates) June 1, 2026From 2018-21, Snead had also used several first-round picks to trade for superstars like Brandin Cooks, Jalen Ramsey and Matthew Stafford. The Ramsey and Stafford trades led to the team’s second Super Bowl win, and first since the Greatest Show on Turf era.The Rams’ activity with their own recent first-round picks: 2017 — Traded to TEN to select Jared Goff (2016)2018 — Traded for Brandin Cooks2019 — Traded for draft picks2020 — Traded for Jalen Ramsey2021 — Traded for Jalen Ramsey2022 — Traded for Matthew Stafford2023 —… pic.twitter.com/bpE1senxpK— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) June 1, 2026Despite all the success with those big-time trades, Snead’s aggressive side had seemingly vanished, until recently. Back in February, I questioned whether Snead was under pressure to make a blockbuster move to get Los Angeles over the hump. It was fair to wonder, given he hadn’t acquired a major name via trade since Von Miller ahead of the 2021 trade deadline. Since that season, he only made two trade acquisitions — Kevin Dotson in 2023 and Roger McCreary at last year’s deadline. Sure, he had signed some talented players in free agency like Kam Curl, Davante Adams (albeit past his prime) and Poona Ford, but no one fans would call household names. Now, it’s evident that Snead’s aggressive nature had never vanished.He was waiting for the right time to strike, which ESPN’s Peter Schrager called back during the NFL draft.View this post on InstagramIt’s just what Snead and the Rams’ front office do — they always have something up their sleeves, plotting their next course of action. L.A. fans can attribute all this activity to the Seahawks. The main reason Snead’s been so active this offseason compared to the last few is simply because of how close the Rams were to returning to the Super Bowl. Falling short in the NFC Championship to Seattle in the most wide-open NFL season in quite some time hurt, more so considering L.A. would’ve likely dispatched the Patriots handily, as their division rival had in the big game.That Rams team fell short for a variety of reasons, with lack of depth at cornerback one of the culprits. Snead fixed that by double-dipping with the Trent McDuffie trade and adding Jaylen Watson. The Garrett move further solidified the belief that Snead was not about to watch the team he had constructed miss out on another opportunity to secure a ring.Snead doesn’t make blockbuster moves just for the sake of making them; he does them in response to a roster that was already within striking distance of the Super Bowl.After several quieter offseasons, Snead initially appeared to have shifted from his aggressive approach that defined the Rams’ last championship run. Instead, he was waiting for the right opportunity after the team had proved that it was a legitimate contender once again, and he’s betting that lightning will strike again this season.

Bill Pulte, a Trump loyalist who leads the federal housing finance agency, will oversee the U.S. intelligence agencies. He has no known background in intelligence.

Serena Williams announced she will play doubles at the prestigious HSBC Championships as a wildcard, marking the 44-year-old superstar’s return to professional tennis after a four-year hiatus away from the sport. What do you think? “How can her fans trust she won’t just retire again someday?” Vincent Sayles, Pasta Crimper “Hopefully this inspires Billie Jean King to get her lazy ass back on the court.” Marilyn Bondy, Systems Analyst “Good luck explaining that gap on her resume.” Carl Fronicke, Symposium Scheduler The post Serena Williams Returns To Tennis appeared first on The Onion.

Allen Park — Reuniting with a familiar face in offensive coordinator Drew Petzing did indeed play a factor in wide receiver Greg Dortch's decision to sign with the Detroit Lions this offseason.But that's only half the story. The other part is that he was sick of losing. Over five seasons in Arizona, the Cardinals finished with a winning record just once, his first season in 2021. In the four seasons that followed, Dortch's Cardinals teams went 19-49 combined.Despite the disappointment of last year's 9-8 finish for the Lions, it's well known that this team is capable of plenty more, even though it marked the fourth straight winning season for a franchise that hadn't done so in more than half a century. The standard is now different here. Dortch loves it."The Lions are a good f---ing team. … I played them two years ago, they came to Arizona, whooped our ass," Dortch said, referring to a 20-13 Lions win in Sept. 2024. The Lions that season finished 15-2, nearly totaling the amount of wins Dortch's teams tallied from 2022-25."The coaching staff has the most NFL players on a coaching staff that I've ever been a part of. You can just tell right away that they take care of their players, they know what the f--- they're talking about, and they're serious."Many have tabbed Dortch, 28, as the one-for-one replacement for wide receiver Kalif Raymond, a journeyman who eventually found a home in Detroit in 2021 and spent five seasons as a cultural leader while also making plenty of impact on the field, both as a returner and a depth receiver. Raymond signed a one-year deal to join the Chicago Bears and reunite with his old offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, this offseason.Dortch, likewise, was a journeyman — and even contemplated a transition to the Canadian Football League in 2021 — before sticking with the Cardinals, with whom he also spent five seasons, making an impact as both a returner and depth receiver. Dortch signed a one-year deal to join the Lions and reunite with his old offensive coordinator, Petzing, this offseason.Both are shorter in stature than the average NFL player (Dortch is 5-foot-7; Raymond is 5-8) and have speed to burn. The similarities between their games and stories are undeniable.But, as Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown pointed out, there's only one Raymond — just like there's only one Dortch."Two different people," St. Brown said when asked to compare how the newbie stacked up with Raymond. "I love Kalif. I'll never compare anyone to him. To me, he means so much to me. Like I say, one of the best teammates I've ever had, the best people. On the field, does anything for teammates, and he's a darn-good football player, too, so I think we're all gonna miss Leaf here."That is in no way a putdown to his new teammate, whom St. Brown said he has long admired."I watched Dortch from afar when he was in Arizona, and I love his game. I love the way he plays," St. Brown said. "He's crafty, he has good moves, he understands the game, and he competes. At the end of the day, you just gotta compete. You play for us, that's the biggest thing. … And I think Dortch has that about him."He doesn't just have that about him — it's the whole reason he's here in the first place. Dortch has played 68 career games and missed his only opportunity to play in the postseason after being placed on injured reserve late in the 2021 season. A ferocious competitor, he wanted to surround himself with people who hold the same mentality."I'm excited about that, just to be part of something that's serious and they take pride in winning. Like, losing is not acceptable here, and I haven't really felt that," Dortch said. "When I was in AZ, we won four games two years in a row. It's just been tough."St. Brown isn't the only one who has respected Dortch's game from across the country. Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp, who will likely have a big role for Dortch this upcoming season, said he's liked Dortch since a receiver was at Wake Forest. Fipp was the special teams coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles when Dortch went undrafted and was signed by the New York Jets."He was a down-the-line guy (on the draft board), and I remember thinking, 'I think this guy's got something to him,'" Fipp said. Dortch has since returned 99 punts (8.9-yard average return) and 75 kickoffs (23.6-yard average return). Last season, he set a career high in punt return average (11.6 yards) on 16 returns and tied a career high in kickoff return average (26.2 yards) on 31 attempts."I would say (Dortch is) probably similar to Kalif, right? Kalif did it for us … similar body types. In my opinion, you want a guy who's durable, who is going to be able to take some hits," Fipp said. "Dortch has definitely done it and has been productive and had some production similar to what Kalif has done."Assuming Dortch slides in nicely as a receiver and returner, the only role he'll be left to fill of Raymond's is in the locker room. Some might have worked as hard as Raymond; you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who worked harder, though. He carried a chip on his shoulder, developed over many years of being told he wasn't good enough. Of course, that's part of Dortch's story, too. After entering the league in 2019, he was cut by four teams in two years, leading to his reluctant flirtation with the CFL. The Cardinals called him in for a workout just in time, and he made the most of his opportunity. But despite being settled in his NFL career, Dortch's hunger remains. His chip is still swelling, further inflamed by recent family developments. He got engaged in March and has a baby due in October."I don't know what to expect. First-time dad. But obviously, now, I got like a true purpose," Dortch said. "I have a reason. Obviously, I love football. I love playing. But when you have a kid, a child, it changes everything."Last Friday, following an unpadded practice in Allen Park, Dortch was one of the last players off the field after getting some extra work on the JUGS machine, an automatic pass-throwing apparatus that St. Brown and Raymond have worn out over the years.This is part of the normal post-practice routine for Dortch and many other receivers around the league. But here, it's become symbolic for the way that the Lions' cultural leaders during the Dan Campbell era have pushed their teammates to be better. St. Brown catches 202 passes off the machine after every practice, a habit he's had since before high school. When Raymond got to Detroit, he adopted the routine. "I was never catching 200 (passes on the) JUGS (machine), and then that knucklehead (St. Brown) is catching 200 JUGS, so I was like, ‘Shoot, if he’s that, then I need to be catching 200 JUGS,'" Raymond quipped to The Detroit News last season.Dortch is now carrying on the tradition, one of the first steps toward establishing himself as a positive veteran presence.When the Lions break for the summer after mandatory minicamp later this month, Dortch figures he'll take a week off to spend time with his fiancée before getting right back to the work, splitting his time training between Chicago and Arizona.He's enjoying the cool Michigan weather (for now), a stark contrast from the blistering Arizona temps he's used to practicing and training in. He likely won't feel that way in December, but if the Lions are performing the way Dortch expects, we can't imagine he'll care. Winning is the only thing that matters to him.nbianchi@detroitnews.com@nolanbianchiThis article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Greg Dortch hopes to be at forefront of Detroit Lions' winning culture

CHARLESTON — After winning the 200 meter dash, Danville High School junior D’Mario Jackson held up a sign saying “God Given” along with his winner’s plaque and medal.To understand the sign, one must understand how Jackson used his gifts on Saturday, winning the 100 and 200 dashes and the 400 run in the IHSA Class 2A state championship meet.Jackson won the 100 (10.59 seconds), the 200 (21.33) and 400 (47.53) for the Vikings to become the first athlete in school history to win the triple and the first in Class 2A. He is only the fifth athlete to win three track titles in a state meet.“We had to do a lot of recovery going into the 200,” Jackson said. “I had to keep my blood going, but it was God who made me able to run another race and win.“I don’t think we had an athlete win three for Danville and I am glad to bring that history here. I love it here and I am glad to bring some plaques and medals.”Jackson started with the 100, a very competitive race which saw him edge out East St. Louis’ Myron Johnson-Cook.“We had some great competition going into it,” Jackson said about the 100. “Everyone had pretty strong starts there, It came down to who had that second or third gear and I’m glad I had that.”Jackson had a personal best in the 400, but had about 30 or so minutes to get ready for the 200.“I didn’t feel pressure mentally, but physically I felt it,” Jackson said. “I stood strong, kept being motivated and did not doubt myself even when you feel you can’t run anymore.”“He had a nice PR, but I said recovery was the name of the game,” Danville head coach Tyler Arholt said. “He took care of his body and took care of business and that’s all you can do. This was awesome.”With this accomplishment done, Jackson is hoping for more history for his senior year.“I am looking forward to it,” Jackson said about the prospect of repeating the triple. “It would be a good way to end my career if we can do it again.”Jackson was not the only Viking in action in Class 2A. Senior Victor Jones was in the high jump and while he didn’t get past the second height of 1.90, Arhnolt was pleased with the process of Jones’ career.“He made finals, passed the bar, cleared the bar and missed a bar and that’s how it works out sometimes. But he had never made a final and never cleared a bar but he did it and I am proud of him. I am excited for D’Mario and to see Allante come back with the other kids that were part of the relays and we want more kids coming in next year and that’s the goal for both teams.Jackson’s triple ended two strong weekends for the Danville track team after the girls team took second in Class 2A.“The girls team did great and the boys did great too, but there were some injuries,” Arnholt said. “We had a great team, we had a lot of fun and we were pumped.”The rest of the county’s best participated in the Class 1A meet. For the second straight year, Salt Fork’s Maddax Stine had to settle for second in discus with a attempt of 49.78m, which was behind Dwight’s Graham Meister’s 51.10m.“It stings a bit,” Stine said. “Second place was not was I looking for. It was a shock, I came in and I had high hopes. Graham is a great thrower and it happens.“I was looking to complete that 123 podium finish and I wasn’t looking to get second again, but I am blessed to be in this position again and get another medal.”Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Chrisman’s William Runyan also finished second in the long jump with an attempt of 1.99m, only behind Flora’s Kehlin Crawford’s 2.02m.I think I could have fought for first, but I hit the bar. But I am happy with second,” Runyan said. “I have been trying to prove myself and going for a scholarship. I want to go to Eastern, but whatever school gets me, gets me. I am thankful for my parents and my coach to come here and work my butt off to get second.”Another local second place finisher was Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin’s 400 relay team. The Blue Devils’ time of 42.59 was only ousted by Morrison’s 41.88, which was a new state record.“Before this year, no one saw us coming and we were the underdogs all season and it took being dedicated and not freaking out in the big moments and staying consistent,” BHRA anchor leg Gavin High said. “Nobody sees us coming and we beat them all the time. It was a crazy ride, I would not have wanted to do with three other people. I love my guys.”Westville’s Easton Bolin in the long jump with a jump of 6.95m and BHRA’s Conner Powell in the shot put in a an attempt of 16.61m each ended up fifth.“It took a lot of work, a lot of practice, a lot of time in the weight room and my focus has been perfect for the season,” Powell said. “I won county, conference and sectional and I was fourth in sectional last year and made it to state, but I had a lot better outcome this year and a lot more work with our coaches worked.”“It feels great to come out here and place this season,” Bolin said. “I was consistent and I just worked on being more explosive and when you are more explosive, you jump higher.”The same 400 relay team for BHRA was fifth in the 800 in 1:29.32, while Oakwood’s Lucas Tyas was eighth in the 400 (50.72), Salt Fork’s Xander Swanson was eighth in the 110 hurdles (15.05), Salt Fork’s Eli Reffett was ninth in the 110 hurdles (17.49), Hoopeston Area’s Owen Garrett was 32nd in the 3,200 (10:37) and GRFC’s Aidan Morgan was 38th in the 3,200 (10:50).

DANVILLE — The Post 210 baseball team will be going from meeting up to play in a matter of days.The Speakers will have its first practice today with its first game on Wednesday, but coach Brent Hart said he didn’t have enough players for the team until Friday.“We still have three guys playing for Armstrong-Potomac, St. Joseph-Ogden and Harrison High School in Lafayette,” Hart said. “With IHSA starting a week later for the baseball tournament for smaller schools, it has affected all of the legion teams in the area.”Two members from the team that are from St. Joe-Ogden and Harrison will make an impact when they do show up for the Speakers.“Brycen Houchens for St. Joe will help out in the middle of the lineup,” Hart said. “Lyric Neal is from West Harrison, his dad started the younger teams with his older brother. He wanted to finish his prep career at Post 210. They are both high-level kids and we are looking forward to watching them play.”Even with the issues, Hart does have a starter for Wednesday’s game against Rantoul.“We have Liam Parish from Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin. I think there will be a lot of eyes on him because he will be Game 1 starter,” Hart said. “It will be a short start, but I liked what I saw all spring. I think by the end of the summer, there is going to be a lot of people on him because he’s an athletic kid who works hard and likes to compete.”While there will be some mainstays, Hart had to move some kids up from the Junior Gold to fill out the roster.“We moved some 16-year olds up to add some depth because we lost a lot to age,” Hart said. “Riglee Hart, Xander Wilson, Pedro Rangel V, Jaxon Spicer and Marvin Davis. They are up a year early, but I have had them at certain periods since they were eight and they are guys you are going to hear a lot about in high school.“(Ryan) Edwards won the state title game from us last year and he will be back. We will have Ben Darling, Cruz Dubois, Cole Miller and Easton Barney come back as well.”While the last few weeks have been slow, the next few days will go fast as the team gets into the swing of the season.“We will go out Monday and throw some short games and have a few swings and we will practice on Tuesday. And then Game 1 will be at Rantoul on Wednesday,” Hart said. “They are a little luckier than us because most of their team is tied in Rantoul, but there are some kids from Mahomet-Seymour who play there. (Rantoul team manager) Garry Smith is going to have a great team there and have a lot of college signees. He has been at it for 35 years and he makes Legion baseball fun. We go round-robins this weekend, but we want to see Lyric Neal and it will depend on what happens on Monday.”

MONTEZUMA, Ind. — The Fountain Central baseball team could only get one hit on Monday as they lost to Riverton Parke 5-0 in an IHSAA Class 1A sectional title game.Ayden Batchelor had five strikeouts in six innings and Nolan Acton had the lone hit for Fountain Central, who end the season with a 8-15 record.The Mustangs got to the final with an 10-9 win over Attica on Saturday when Paul Adams got an two-RBI single in the seventh to get the win.Joan Cervantes also had two RBIs, while Ayden Batchelor had two hits and an RBI, Asher Davis, Nolan Acton and Ryan Mitchell each had one RBI.St. Joe-Ogden 10, BHRA 0BISMARCK — The Blue Devils had three hits, but it was not enough as they lost to the Spartans on Saturday in an IHSA Class 2A regional title game.Drew Dubois had two hits for Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin, who end the season with an 19-10 mark.PREP GIRLS SOCCERRule, Morgan get honorable mentionDANVILLE — Danville's Gabi Rule and Aliya Morgan were named to the Big 12 Honorable Mention team on Monday.Rule led the Vikings with five goals while Morgan had two goals.

Last week, Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R., Texas) and ranking member Maria Cantwell (D., Wash.) introduced a sweeping, 111-page bill on college sports called the Protect College Sports Act. Sens. Eric Schmitt (R., Mo.) and Chris Coons (D., Del.) also signed onto the bill.Because the legislation, born from years of negotiations led by Cruz, is bipartisan, it’s the most likely bill to pass of all college sports legislation. The Commerce Committee will hold its first hearing on the bill on Wednesday, with the goal of getting it passed by the August recess. The bill has the formal support of the Big 12, ACC, and the American conference, as well many college sports stakeholders tasked by President Trump to lead policy conversations on the issue, like Texas Tech university board chairman Cody Campbell. But on the eve of the hearing, it’s unclear whether some of college sports’ other biggest stakeholders—namely, the Big Ten, SEC, and NCAA—will endorse it. Still UndecidedOver the past several years, the Big Ten, SEC, and NCAA (in addition to the Big 12 and ACC) have spent several years and millions of dollars lobbying in Congress for a favorable college sports bill. Their priorities: antitrust protections to set and enforce rules around athlete compensation, transfers, and eligibility; and that prevents state laws from pre-empting these rules. The Protect College Sports Act grants the ability to overrule some state laws and offers antitrust protections to enforce rules around athlete compensation, transfers, and eligibility that the bill itself sets. But it doesn’t prevent athletes from becoming employees, and allows FBS conferences to pool and sell media rights together while preventing a Big Ten-SEC merger.When the bill came out, the NCAA and power conferences released statements thanking senators, but said they werestudying it. When asked by Front Office Sports whether the lack of an athlete employee ban would be a dealbreaker, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said it wouldn’t be “a stopping point”—a surprising position given that the power conferences and the NCAA have lobbied for a non-employment provision. The conference did release a subsequent statement specifically addressing the concept of pooling media rights, saying all university presidents and chancellors unanimously opposed “assigning its media rights to a third party.”As of Tuesday, the SEC, Big Ten, and NCAA still have not formally endorsed it. The SEC and Big Ten told FOS they had no further comment; the NCAA did not immediately respond to a comment request.Trump hasn’t formally endorsed the bill either. “President Trump has been relentless in his effort to protect and preserve college sports,” a White House official told FOS on Tuesday. “The WH is reviewing the proposed bipartisan legislation, but it appears that the legislation is moving the conversation on these important issues forward.”Decided DetractorsOn the other side of the spectrum, three college athlete advocacy groups have also come out against the bill: the United College Athletes Association, Athletes.org, and the National College Players Association. They say the bill is unfair because it allows limits on athlete pay and other provisions that would normally be negotiated through collective bargaining with players themselves. “This bill would play athletes and organized labor for fools,” Ramogi Huma, NCPA executive director and a key advocate in securing athlete NIL rights, said. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn ImagesFour current and former UCAA athletes, Oluchi Okananwa (Maryland), Brooke Daniels (Michigan), Jada Williams (LSU), and Grace Slaughter (Missouri), said: “The Senators who drafted this bill without us behind closed doors claim this legislation preserves the opportunity for college athletes to collectively bargain; that assertion is false.” There are detractors on Capitol Hill, as well. Sen. Chris Murphy (D., Conn.), echoed the athletes’ concerns, sayingthe bill “seems like a great deal for the NCAA and the rich guys who run college sports, and a bad deal for athletes.”Meanwhile, Rep. Brett Guthrie (R., Ky.) and Rep. Tim Walberg (R., Mich.) criticized the bill for not being restrictive enough, specifically because it didn’t prevent athlete employment. (Guthrie and Walberg support the SCORE Act, which has failed to reach a House floor vote three times for lack of support.)Staunch SupportersIn the days following the bill’s release, multiple FBS leagues have come out in favor. The Big 12 and American conference have sent letters to senators endorsing the bill, according to copies obtained by FOS. The ACC also reportedly sent a letter in support.In the American’s letter, commissioner Tim Pernetti wrote that the league “sees the moment as an opportunity for our entire industry to come together to set forth a structured future.” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark wrote that the legislation “reflects an important commitment to and a good foundation for greater stability, clearer standards, and meaningful protections for student-athletes.”Multiple members of Trump’s presidential committees on college sports back the legislation, even though Trump himself hasn’t yet. Saving College Sports, Campbell’s advocacy organization, sent a letter Monday with dozens of signatures supporting the bill, including from presidents of several Big 12, ACC, American, and incoming Pac-12 universities. Though the Big Ten hasn’t signed on to support, Michigan regent Sarah Hubbard signed the letter. The SEC hasn’t endorsed the bill, but LSU’s president Wade Rousse and board chair Lee Mallett signed on.However, both LSU officials have since told separatenews outlets they did not authorize the use of their name on the letter. An LSU spokesperson confirmed Rousse’s statement to FOS. An email exchange FOS obtained showed Mallett said he would be interested in supporting the bill before it was publicized; Mallett did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The post College Sports Split on Whether to Support Landmark Senate Bill appeared first on Front Office Sports.

Pattie Gonia, the trail-trekking environmental activist drag queen, is fighting back over a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Patagonia, the company whose name resembles her own. The adventure sports and wilderness corporation, well known for investing its profits to support its own environmental activism, sued the drag queen in January, claiming her use of her two-word moniker on items she sells infringed on their trademark. Related Drag queen Pattie Gonia hikes 100 miles in drag to raise $1 million for inclusive outdoors groups “We’re not against art, creative expression or commentary about a brand,” the company wrote in a statement. “While we wish we didn’t have to do this – and actively engaged with Pattie for several years to avoid this – it has become necessary to protect the brand we have spent the last 50 years building.” Both the company’s name and Pattie Gonia’s are inspired by the mountainous region at the southern tip of South America, known for its unspoiled natural beauty. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today According to the lawsuit filed in district court in California, where Patagonia is based, the drag queen’s creator, Wyn Wiley, violated an understanding first reached with the company in 2022 that restricted use of the “Pattie Gonia” name on fonts or designs that mimic Patagonia’s. In 2025, the drag artist started selling Pattie Gonia-branded apparel online that she believed adhered to the agreement. Patagonia sued. In response, Wiley filed his own trademark application for “Pattie Gonia” for clothing, marketing, and events. In a back-and-forth played out over social media — which has seen an outpouring of support for the drag activist — Patagonia has highlighted its attempts to settle with Wiley amicably.Pattie Gonia “broke her silence” on the behind-the-scenes negotiations last week. “I’m fighting, and I’m inviting you to join me in a simple call to action: Patagonia, drop the lawsuit,” Pattie Gonia posted to Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pattie Gonia (@pattiegonia) A few days later — coincidentally or not on the first day of Pride month — Patagonia responded that they’re still trying to resolve the dispute out of court.“We want to acknowledge any hurt it has caused, especially in the LGBTQ+ community,” the company said of its lawsuit in its own Instagram post. “Importantly, we continue to want to resolve this.” Based on the latest terms, however, Pattie Gonia was unmoved. “No deal,” she replied on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Pattie Gonia (@pattiegonia) Ticking through a list of the company’s three demands — dropping her trademark applications, ceasing use of the company’s mountain landscape logo, and ending her sale and promotion of “Pattie Gonia”-branded merchandise — the drag queen said she had agreed to the first two, but the third was a non-starter. “Patagonia is not just talking about my upcycled t-shirt merch in that bullet point,” she wrote. “They’re talking about the partnership work with other brands that I’ve done for years to pay for the education, advocacy, and activism that me and my team do.“If I can’t do partnerships as Pattie Gonia, it breaks the whole ecosystem of advocacy and community engagement,” she added. “And they understand this because their work is built on the exact same model — advocacy work funded through commercial work.” Wiley has denied ever using the Patagonia brand, logo, or font on his “Patti Gonia” merch site. Patagonia “cherry-picks a few examples of playful parody and fan art and tries to spin those into some kind of vast use of their logo,” the drag artist said in a recent post. Of the 2022 discussions with Patagonia, she added last week, “That wasn’t a broad agreement about my future.” Short of a settlement that allows the drag queen to continue her work, Pattie Gonia has asked for a full jury trial. The drag queen raised over $1 million during a 100-mile backpacking trek through Coastal California last year. Eight outdoor and environmental nonprofits each received over $145,000 to support diversity and inclusion in nature. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Second-round steals come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it’s a two-time college champion like Jalen Brunson, who earned the respect of scouts but his lack of size didn’t convince anyone to take a chance until the 33rd pick. Other times it’s an international mystery like Manu Ginobili, who fell all the way to the 57th pick before becoming a four-time champion and a Hall of Famer. But these are the jackpots. And jackpots are rare. The far more common payoff is a high-level role player who props up winning teams for over a decade. Think Danny Green, the 46th pick who won titles with three different franchises by spacing the floor and guarding the opponent’s best scorers. Think Bruce Brown, the 42nd pick who became the connective glue for a champion in Denver. Think Mitchell Robinson, the raw center who’s helped New York anchor rosters for nearly a decade and now has a chance to win his first ring — right alongside Brunson.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentRole players don’t lead the list of Greatest Draft Steals Ever. But they all contribute to winning basketball. Here are five prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft who are equipped to help teams contend for years to come:Ugonna Onyenso is indeed known for his defense. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)Jacob Kupferman via Getty ImagesUgonna Onyenso, 7-0, Virginia senior centerOnyenso bounced from Kentucky to Kansas State to Virginia, and finally found a home in Charlottesville where he turned into one of the most feared shot-blockers in college basketball. He had 21 blocks across three ACC tournament games, including nine against Cam Boozer in the championship. He lays a brick wall around the basket, and with his 7-foot-5 wingspan he has the tools that should translate to NBA production.Perimeter defense is the real swing factor for Onyenso. Guards will try to pull him out of the paint. And quicker bigs could exploit him too. If he can improve his quickness, he has a long future ahead of him. But even if he doesn’t, his interior play might be enough on defense since he shines at the dirty work on offense. He generates second chances when tasked with crashing the glass, willingly sets hard screens, and he made 69% of his shots at the rim as a senior. Plus as a bonus, there is shooting upside: as a senior he attempted 36 3-pointers while making 10 of them. So there’s some untapped potential there. And even in the worst-case scenario, Onyenso can fill role-player duties for an NBA team, all at the cheap cost of a second-round pick.Richie Saunders, 6-5, BYU senior wingSaunders is a hard-nosed, two-way wing who’s skilled with a quick-trigger jumper, soft touch on floaters and a feel for moving the ball. With less than ideal size and athleticism, he more than likely projects as a solid role player. But he plays with manic energy that is contagious. He hustles around the floor for steals, rebounds and will put his body on the line. The team that gets him knows exactly what they’re gonna get out of him.Saunders is a first-round talent, but he’s going to be 25 as a rookie after a two-year mission as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, followed by a four-year career at BYU. Saunders saw his college career end in disappointing fashion when he tore his ACL in February. So at his age there’s a limited upside, and he’s coming off an injury that only complicates the start of his NBA career. But he’s a good bet to find himself in a rotation for years to come.Ryan Conwell, 6-2, Louisville senior guardConwell is a stocky lefty with broad shoulders, no real first step and exactly one dunk in four years of college basketball. So there’s a reason why he’s a second-rounder after his college career took him from South Florida to Indiana State to Xavier and then to Louisville. But he got better at every stop. By the end of his senior year, he was the leading scorer for the Cardinals at 18.8 points per game, showcasing deep range with a bruising style at the rim.The question is whether the climb continues at the next level, when he can't muscle his way to the cup or shoot over the top of smaller defenders the way he could in college. But he brings a ton of skill and a feel that give him a chance of becoming a fixture of an NBA rotation. Nick Martinelli, 6-7, Northwestern senior forwardMartinelli is a lefty who shot 42% from 3 as a senior, hunts mismatches on the post, and uses footwork and physicality to compensate for his average athletic profile, He arrived at Northwestern as a three-star recruit, got notably better in each season and proceeded to become the back-to-back Big Ten scoring champion. There are no questions about his work ethic. He plays with fire in his belly. The real concern is about whether he can adapt at the next level when he can’t feast on smaller players, and when he’ll be targeted on defense. Martinelli is too slow to defend perimeter guards and not big enough to bang with NBA bigs. He's exactly the player NBA offenses will hunt in switches.But if he makes significant improvements moving laterally to reach a competent level, he has the offensive skill to play in the league for a long time. Martinelli has beaten the odds so far and will receive chances to do it again.Dillon Mitchell, 6-7, St. John’s senior forwardMitchell has been on the draft radar since he entered college as a McDonald’s All-American, and back then it looked like a jump shot was the only thing standing between him and stardom. Four years and three schools later, the jumper is still nonexistent. And yet, he’s played his way onto boards anyway as a left-handed power player who finishes everything around the rim and wrecks games defensively and blossomed into a high-feel passer as a senior at St. John’s.Mitchell could easily be a steal for a team that can utilize him as the only non-shooter in a lineup with a floor-spacing center: Imagine him in Josh Hart’s role in lineups featuring Karl-Anthony Towns during these NBA Finals. The non-shooting is a problem, but on the right team his athleticism on offense and defensive versatility could allow him to carve out a long career.

By most projections, the San Antonio Spurs are ahead of schedule.They drafted Victor Wembanyama with expectations that he would lead them to title contention. But the NBA is a league in which even stars of Wembanyama’s stature are expected to face playoff hardship and pay their dues before reaching that goal. Michael Jordan did. Shaquille O’Neal did. Kobe Bryant did. Wembanyama’s Spurs predecessors David Robinson and Tim Duncan did. None of those multi-time champions and first-ballot Hall of Famers made the Finals in their first postseason. But here’s 22-year-old Wembanyama playing alongside a 21-year-old Stephon Castle and a 20-year-old Dylan Harper, standing four wins away from an NBA title. There was no postseason hardship for this group despite facing the gantlet of the Western Conference bracket with the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder standing in their way. Now that they’ve survived it, they’ll face the New York Knicks as favorites to win the title.Wemby: Finals spotlight ‘doesn’t motivate me’So how does Wembanyama feel about the pressure and the spotlight of playing on basketball’s biggest stage? It’s no big deal. Game 1 on Wednesday will be just another game. So he says.“It doesn't motivate me,” Wembanyama said Tuesday when asked how the spotlight of the Finals motivates him. “At the end of the day, only 20,000 people fit in the arena. So it doesn't really remake a difference.”San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama speaks to the media prior to the start of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Tuesday, June 2, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)AP Photo/Eric GayWemby: Spurs still need to ‘re-center’ from emotion of WCF winBut Wembanyama’s not a machine. This means something to him, as the emotion he demonstrated after Saturday’s Game 7 win over the Thunder made clear. And while he says the spotlight of the Finals isn’t a factor in his mind, he acknowledged Tuesday that the Spurs still need to reset and refocus coming off Saturday’s emotional win.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournament“The emotion was really something I haven't felt in a while, I won't even know since when,” Wembanyama said. “And coming back down from this is a challenge. And it’s not done yet.“We still need to really come back down to Earth and realize that we haven't done the hardest yet. The job isn't done at all. So we’ve still got about — I don't know, what time is it? — 30-plus hours to re-center.”Castle: Spurs’ youth ‘was never a problem’Castle also addressed media on Tuesday. A second-year pro, the Spurs guard is even greener than Wembanyama and will be starting in the NBA Finals. He told reporters that San Antonio’s youth and inexperience hasn’t been an issue so far, and he doesn’t expect it to be one against the Knicks.“I mean, I don't think that was ever a problem for us,” Castle said. “I think for us, that was really just all outside noise. And in house, we have number of confidence in each other.”Like Wembanyama, Castle has played in the spotlight before. Wembanyama led France to the silver medal in the 2024 Olympics in front of a home crowd in Paris. In his only season in college, Castle helped lead UConn to a national championship.That’s got to count for something for both players as they step onto the Finals stage. They haven’t been here before, but they have experienced pressure and the spotlight. And, per Castle, they’re confident in their process.“We take it game by game and try to walk this thing down,” Castle continued. “And, I mean, we've got to this point. I mean, we've been making history with like every game, like, we see something new.“I mean, yeah, we got we got four more to go, and we got this far. But, I mean, we still haven't really done anything yet.”So, on one hand, the Spurs have made history just by getting here. On the other, it won’t mean nearly as much if they fall short of four more wins. And they won’t know what the Finals spotlight truly feels like until it glares down on them Wednesday night.

They set forth August 16 on a 10,000-mile journey that took them through 17 countries, mountains, deserts, harsh weather — and their life savings. But for Vicente Conculini, Yamundu Martínez and Miguel Silio, the adventure was well worth the time and effort in order to follow their national team during the 2026 World Cup."You have to be a little crazy to go on this kind of adventure," Conculini told KQ2 in Kansas City.There was one rule, at least for Silio to abide by."Miguel's wife only gave him one year to be away from home — he can't go beyond that," Conculini said.The three friends hail from Gualeguaychú, Argentina and share soccer, traveling and biking as passions. They traveled through Uruguay, Brazil, and Colombia, among many other countries. But it hasn't all been via bicycle. The Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama gave them no way to get across, so they flew over the border and restarted in Panama before entering Mexico.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentIt wasn't until May 1 that they finally reached the United States through Laredo, Texas, still nearly 1,000 miles from their destination. On Tuesday, the trio finally arrived in Kansas City joined by other riders in the area as they reached Argentina’s team hotel.View this post on InstagramThere was only one thing left to do when they got off their bikes knowing it was mission accomplished: a champagne celebration.There will be six World Cup matches at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. Argentina-Algeria will be the first game to take place at the home of the NFL's Chiefs.The reigning World Cup champions have also set up base camp in the city and will finish group play with two matches at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It is possible Argentina could have a second match in Kansas City in the knockout stages.Planning from experienceLong biking trips isn’t anything new for Silio. In the lead up to the 2022 World Cup he biked from Madrid to Qatar. He rode from Madrid to Moscow for the 2018 tournament.“Like all Argentines, football is a passion, and it’s in our DNA,” Silio told the Kansas City Star in August.. “Having cycled to Qatar and seen Argentina win the World Cup, I almost feel responsible for this. So we’re going to try and do it again.”Conculini and Martínez left their jobs, while Silio, the only married one of the three, still works as a notary remotely. Their collective saving has helped fund this trip, which has been four years in the making.The planning began after Messi and Argentina lifted the World Cup trophy in Dec. 2022. They mapped out the journey, the type of weather they would likely have to deal with, and the safest routes along the way.The three rode about 100 miles a day with 80 pound of gear, which included cooking utensils, sleeping bags, tents, and tools. They didn't always use the sleeping bags. After their story began circulating, people reached out to offer them their homes for a place to stay, a fresh meal and to clean up. Hotels, hostels and churches also provided rest stops along the way."The journey is the road itself. The final destination is only the finish line, but along the way you live, look around, enjoy and discover the places you travel through — that's what it's all about," Silio said.Despite missing holidays such as Christmas, there have been perks, like the time they met up with fellow Argentine Manu Ginóbili and took in a San Antonio Spurs playoff game. There has also been danger, like when they rode close to the site of a car bomb attack in Colombia or when they were stuck near a prison riot in Ecuador before being contacted by the Argentine consulate to leave the area.While their 10,000-mile journey is over. There’s still one important task left for them to do: acquire match tickets.Yes, that’s right. They are not in possession of tickets for the Argentina-Algeria match on June 16. The FIFA lottery was unsuccessful, but given how much their story has blown up, someone out there will surely step up and get them into Arrowhead stadium.The 2026 World Cup will be an historic one. It will feature the largest field with 48 teams and, should the trio’s dreams come true, could see Argentina become the first repeat champions since Pelé’ Brazil in 1958 and 1962.“In Argentina, soccer is part of your identity,” Conculini said. “And this could be Messi’s final World Cup. We couldn’t miss it.”

Jordyn Adams, an outfielder for the Milwaukee Brewers' Class AAA affiliate Nashville Sounds as recently as Memorial Day, will reportedly try to make the jump from baseball to football, headed to Southern Methodist University of play football.It's a heck of a career shift at 26 years old, and also not the first time a former Brewers minor-leaguer has tried it.Adams, a former five-star football prospect out of North Carolina who was among the nation's top receiving recruits, gave his gridiron dreams a rest when he became a first-round pick by the Los Angeles Angels in 2018.He made it to the big leagues in 2023 and was most recently with Baltimore in 2025. He signed as a minor-league free agent with the Brewers before the 2026 season, beginning at Class AA Biloxi and then getting promoted to Nashville, where he flashed his athleticism with a 458-foot homer and a game-saving, homer-robbing catch in the right-field corner.The Brewers released Adams on May 25.In 2024, former Brewers minor-leaguer Monte Harrison also tried a change in sports by joining the University of Arkansas football team at age 28. Harrison, an outfielder who was part of the Christian Yelich trade with Miami in 2018, made a big-league debut in 2020 but ultimately played in only 50 games over three years.Harrison caught two passes in 11 games as a freshman in 2024 and then saw brief action in 2025 before suffering a season-ending injury. He remains on the Arkansas roster for 2026-27.This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers minor-leaguer intends to switch sports, play football at SMU

With the 2026 Cincinnati High School Sports Awards live show, presented by Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, quickly approaching, The Enquirer is pleased to announce winners and finalists for the spring sports, completing the entire slate.That's 79 winners and 546 finalists in 64 categories, making exceptional "dream teams" in each sport.They will be honored on Tuesday, June 16, at Princeton High School. This year's format will offer more personal attention for everyone honored. Doors will open at 5 p.m. for a reception and individual awards presentation for finalists. The Enquirer will take a group photo of all finalists and winners, with athletes heading for the auditorium around 6:30 p.m. The event starts at 7 p.m. with Rocky Boiman serving as a featured speaker. Joe Danneman of Fox19 and Shelby Dermer of The Cincinnati Enquirer will serve as presenters.Everyone is invited to attend the awards show, but only winners will be called to the stage to receive their awards. No tickets are necessary, but we ask the winners to RSVP to Melanie Laughman, mlaughman@enquirer.com, as soon as possible. Check out more details at the bottom of this story on what winners and finalists need to know.Cincinnati High School Sports Awards spring sports winners and finalists for 2026Ohio baseballWinners: Conner Cuozzo, Moeller, and Jack Ryan, St. XavierFinalists: Eli Beck, Madeira; Tyree Chappell, Withrow; Devlan Daniel, Indian Hill; Sam Davies, Mason; Carson Downie, Edgewood; Caleb Driessen, Badin; Braydon Johnson, Lakota West; Wil Kraus, Oak Hills; Nathan McDowell, Moeller; Ryan Murphy, Oak Hills; Drew Oerther, Loveland; Jack Ryan, St. Xavier; Carter Shouse, Fenwick; Chandler Taylor, Badin; and Ben Veletean, SpringboroNorthern Kentucky/Indiana baseballWinner: Tyler Fryman, BeechwoodFinalists: Isaac Amin, Bishop Brossart; Anthony Coppola, Ryle; Cole Reynolds, East Central, Joe Rice, Villa Madonna; Tyler Schumacher, Campbell County; and Camden Tiemeier, Campbell CountyFlag footballWinners: Bella Heile, Badin, and Evie Schoolfield, Mount Notre DameFinalists: Strawberry Blankumsee, Winton Woods; Penelope Bolinger, St. Ursula; SaRyah Cannon, Seton; Alyssa Easter, Cincinnati Country Day; Hayden Elmlinger, Mount Notre Dame; Eternity Foster, Princeton; Janai Hall, Aiken; Charlotte Holm, Seton; Cheyenne Holmes, Spencer Center; Lea Johnson, Mount Notre Dame; Tylee Littlejohn, Purcell Marian; Addy Marshall, Badin; Kisanet Michael, Walnut Hills; Adera Orr, Ursuline Academy; Tabriyia Richardson, Woodward; Aliyah Robinson, Purcell Marian; Blake Sakach, Badin; and Ellie Wegman, SetonBoys lacrosseWinner: Rowdy Scheer, St. XavierFinalists: Carter Alsip, Ryle; Clay Barkimer, Milford; D.J. Berning, Fenwick; Bray Brzygot, Dixie Heights; Kyle Harden, Loveland; Alex Haucke, Lakota East; Will Haugh, Mariemont; Max Henson, La Salle; Nolan Kittle, Moeller; Jacob Lupinski, Mason; and Jonathan Salazar, Indian HillGirls lacrosseWinner: Charlotte Soller, MariemontFinalists: Carson Bahl, Indian Hill; Madi Beach, Ryle; Grace Bevington, Ursuline Academy; Marin Bode, Kings; Reese Brenkert, Sycamore; Elena Ditchen, Milford; Taylor Dunning, Turpin; Ashley Filburn, Springboro; Siena Motch, Seven Hills; Abby Ranz, Wyoming; and Emery Snyder, Cincinnati Hills Christian AcademyOhio softballWinner: Neely McElhaney, KingsFinalists: Bailie Bare, Blanchester; Jayci Barnes, Western Brown; Kaleigh Crawford, Lakota East; Kaitlynn Gambaccini, Sycamore; Khloe Legner, Harrison; Julia Lowry, Kings; Meghan McClellan, Milford; Kaitlyn Pollitt, Williamsburg; Kendall Ponatoski, Badin; Emili Schappacher, Hamilton; Skye Shaw, Goshen; Sophia Sheidler, Lebanon; Ellie Stafford, Taylor; and Annaliese Szabo, Oak HillsNorthern Kentucky/Indiana softballWinner: Kaitlyn Dixon, HighlandsFinalists: Payton Brown, Highlands; Josie Feebeck, Campbell County; Hope Hamilton, Campbell County; Averie Lightner, Conner; and Kiley Patterson, RyleOhio boys tennisWinners: Greg Bernadsky, Mason, and Carson Dwyer and Nihal Narisetty, St. XavierFinalists: Bode Zappin, Loveland; Tyler Lammers, Summit Country Day; Paxton Lesseuer, Mariemont; and Neelan Gandhi and Gareth Kurowski, Indian HillNorthern Kentucky boys tennisWinner: Blake Hussey, Covington CatholicFinalists: Shayaan Ahmad, Villa Madonna; Andrew Dunaway and Neel Reddy, Beechwood; Jacob Kramer and William Tribble, Covington Catholic; Finley Mackay, Walton-Verona; and Cameron and Christopher Wells, Campbell CountyNorthern Kentucky girls tennisWinner: Avery Love and Niveditha Selvaraju, RyleFinalists: Beatrice Chiessi, Scott; Malia Christensen and Isabella McElwee, Notre Dame Academy; Natalie Elleman, Conner; Kayla Johnson, Cooper; and Kaylin Lovell, ScottOhio boys track and fieldWinner: Dom Ellis, St. XavierFinalists: Koa Anoai, Moeller; Teague Boland, Moeller; Jimere Furr, Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy; Jordan Hall, Princeton; Rhys Jacobs, Roger Bacon; James O’Driscoll, Indian Hill; Ryne Reynolds, Little Miami; and Lucas Schnieber, Cincinnati Country DayNorthern Kentucky/Indiana boys track and fieldWinner: Paul Van Laningham, CooperFinalists: Brody Aylor, Beechwood; Corey Freihofer, Cooper; Paul Klosinski, Covington Catholic; Trevor Perkins, East Central; and Max Watson, Villa MadonnaOhio girls track and fieldWinner: Azarae Hawkins, MasonFinalists: Ella Campbell, Milford; Mikaylah Chandler, Lakota East; Delaney Cilley, Loveland; Claire Iaciofano, Turpin; Caroline Murnan, Loveland; Ava Shepard, Lakota West; Saniya Taylor, Lakota West; and Austin White, MasonNorthern Kentucky/Indiana girls track and fieldWinner: Alexis Howard, Simon KentonFinalists: Ari Carter, Dixie Heights;Caroline Nordman, Beechwood; Ava Walters, Bishop Brossart;Lily Parke, Beechwood; and Avery Vanlandingham, ConnerBoys volleyballWinner: Joe Taggart, St. XavierFinalists: Austin Dreher, Lakota East; Bryce Fielman, Milford; Nehemiah Kaai, Simon Kenton; Brady Kelly, Elder; Maxx Kidd, Ryle; Ryota Kondo, Ryle; Gavin McWaters, Loveland; Parker Povse, Fenwick Aydan Williams, McNicholas; Andrew Weigand, Roger Bacon and Tyler Wong, MoellerCincinnati High School Sports Awards Premium Awards winners and finalists for 2026Courage AwardThe Enquirer presents six Courage Awards to athletes who have exhibited resilience and beyond-the-field bravery in the face of adversity. Writers will tell in-depth stories of the following award-winners separately, but here's a summary for each.Leigha Acoff, Woodward - The two-sport athlete in basketball and flag football overcame a family tragedy and a mid-year school transfer her junior year to become her class valedictorian. Despite having to sit out half a season, she never missed practice and became a career 1,000-point scorer. She maintains a 4.7 GPA with college-level classes, which helped her earn an associate's degree.Bradley Bornhorn, Holy Cross - Born with spina bifida, he refused to choose less physically demanding sports. The varsity baseball pitcher practices and competes without seeking special treatment, earning respect from his teammates, opponents and coaches. A highlight for him as a pitcher was getting out the top hitter from a rival team twice. He's known for his relentless competitiveness and inspiring attitude.Joe Mayer, Covington Catholic - He lost his father unexpectedly last June, delivering his eulogy only days later. He stepped up as a leader for his five siblings and the school community. He is the student body president and AP Scholar and National Honor Society member, among other accomplishments. Additionally he volunteers with local charities and church groups. He earned a Class 2A state cross country title after his father's death. During the 2026 track season, he and his teammates won the 4x800-meter state track championship and the Class 2A team title.Parker Sougstad, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy - He lost his twin brother, Dylan, 17, in a car crash March 13. He scored a game-sealing goal in his first lacrosse game after Dylan's death. The 13th goal of the game matched the date of his brother's death. Parker has been a powerful example of resilience, a tribute to his brother.Dillion Taylor, Norwood - A full-time starter since his sophomore year, he's a key leader in rebuilding a struggling basketball program. His work ethic, persistence and team-first attitude helped Norwood to its first winning season in a decade.Lucas Yeager, Clermont Northeastern - He was diagnosed with cancer after a knee injury, enduring surgery and chemotherapy. A multi-sport athlete known for his leadership and resilience, Lucas maintained a positive attitude and stayed on track academically. He stayed connected with his teams by attending, filming and documenting games. He returned to compete in golf during his senior year with approved accommodations.Beacon Comeback Player of the YearThe award, new for 2026, honors an athlete who went from injury recovery to doing great things on the field or court in 2026.Connor Maupin, Moeller - He suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, with a 14-month recovery period in which he relearned to walk. He returned as a starter for Moeller High School's football and baseball programs, giving an exceptional example of overcoming a life-altering injury.Student photographers of the yearAlso new in 2026, this award is sponsored by Kristen O'Brien and family, honoring the students' body of work as photographers.Jacob Gath, Moeller - His portfolio can be found on Instagram, @jdvlsualsBella Wilson, Clermont Northeastern - Her portfolio can be found at https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/uAo6XLY19PyUeBoys Athlete of the YearThis award honors male athletes who excel in three or more sports seasons.Winner: Tyler Fryman, Beechwood (football, indoor track, baseball)Finalists: Devlan Daniel, Indian Hill (football, basketball, baseball), Lorenzo McMullen, Taft (football, basketball, track) and Brady Schmidt, Clermont Northeastern (football, basketball, baseball and track)Girls Athlete of the YearThis award honors female athletes who excel in three or more sports seasons.Winner: Natasha Davis, Madeira (soccer, basketball, track)Finalists: Brooke Androne, Reading (volleyball, basketball, softball); Grace Kellett, Madeira (golf, basketball, lacrosse); Emili Schappacher, Hamilton (volleyball, golf, softball); Rachel Shewmaker, Bishop Brossart (soccer, basketball, softball) and Aleah Coster, Oak Hills (soccer, cross country and track)Boys Team of the YearWinner: Wyoming basketball, coach Matt RooksFinalists: Beechwood baseball, coach Kevin Gray; Princeton basketball, coach Bryan Wyant; St. Xavier bowling, coach Matt Hott; Covington Catholic soccer, coach Jeremy Robertson; Summit Country Day soccer, coach Scott Sievering; Badin baseball, coach Brion Treadway; and St. Xavier lacrosse, coach Nate SprongGirls Team of the YearWinner: Seton volleyball, coach Kelly CrowleyFinalists: Harrison wrestling, coach Chris Baird; Highlands soccer, coach Kelsey Etherton; Kings softball, coach John Schablein; Madeira soccer, coach Dan Brady; Mariemont lacrosse, coach Kevin Ferry; Mason tennis, coach Mike Reid; McNicholas volleyball, coach Darlene Tierney; Mount Notre Dame flag football, coach Desmond Gault; Notre Dame Academy volleyball, coaches Hannah Colvin and Madison Salkowski; and Summit Country Day soccer, coach Michael FeeCincinnati High School Sports Awards winter nominees for the 2025-2026 sports seasonBoys archeryWinner: Ethan Pauciulo, RyleFinalists: Ari Edmonds, Scott; Kyle Kirkpatrick, Cooper; Sawyer McClure, Walton-Verona; Brayden Nevels, Cooper; Michael Turner, Pendleton CountyGirls archeryWinner: Karina Usman, Simon KentonFinalists: Emerson Caravona, Cooper; Lexus Goff, Scott; Joannah Hibbett, Cooper; Rylee Schmidt, St. Henry; Prisha Shah, RyleOhio boys basketballWinners: A’mire Gill, Princeton; Kellen Wiley, WyomingFinalists: Grady Barber, Williamsburg; Jason Caimano, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy; Antwan Hinton, Taft; Max Joiner, Summit Country Day; Isaiah Mack-Russell, Winton Woods; Chase Martin, Loveland; Zevin Sesslar, Waynesville; Eli Stroud, Badin; Josh Tyson, Lakota West; Antonio White, Deer ParkNorthern Kentucky/Indiana boys basketballWinner: Athens McGillis, Covington CatholicFinalists: Anthony Blaackar, Lloyd Memorial; Anthony Coppola, Ryle; Austin Davie, Campbell County; Finn Louden, Conner; Amontae Lowe, NewportOhio girls basketballWinner: Erin Thomas, PrincetonFinalists: Lauren Bain, Seton; Gabby Chadwell, Milford; Braelyn Even, Badin; Katie Fox, Lakota West; Anna Habra, Mason; McKenzie Jones, Springboro; Yaya Parrish, Western Hills; Bella Rogers, Loveland; Bella Swisshelm, West Clermont; Mia Vieth, Mount Notre Dame; Samaya Wilkins, Purcell MarianNorthern Kentucky/Indiana girls basketballWinner: Haylee Noel, CooperFinalists: Emma Holtzapfel, Notre Dame; Izzy Jayasuriya, Campbell County; Jaelyn Jones, Ryle; Brynli Pernell, Simon Kenton; Natalie Stenger, East CentralOhio boys bowlingWinner: Easton Pierani, SycamoreFinalists: Matthew Alvear, Lebanon; Ty Barrett, West Clermont; Jayden Brown, Elder; Randy Eckman, Blanchester; Joseph Geers, St. XavierNorthern Kentucky/Indiana boys bowlingWinner: Maddox Kuryla, Boone CountyFinalists: Tyler Blume, Simon Kenton; Mason Bowman, Covington Catholic; Dylan Davis, Covington Catholic; Aleck Meredith, Simon Kenton; Bryce Sargent, Campbell CountyOhio girls bowlingWinner: Carolyn Edmisten, GeorgetownFinalists: Kiley Comberger, Wilmington; Kendall Cook, Mercy McAuley; Caitlyn Kober, Lebanon; Kenlie Littelmann, Seton; Hannah Weigle, Little Miami; Ella Weinmann, Oak HillsNorthern Kentucky/Indiana girls bowlingWinner: Alyssa Bechtol, Notre DameFinalists: Kree Brewer, Pendleton County; Mary Hollon, Simon Kenton;Hayley Pelstring, Notre Dame; Abby Sargent, Campbell County; Abree Young, Dixie HeightsGymnasticsWinner: Kiera Laite, MariemontFinalists: Leah DeVilbiss, Lakota East; Zoey Ostdiek, Lakota West; Ella Oum, Turpin; Chesnie Weisbrod, Kings; Hayden Zimmerman, Cincinnati Country DayIce hockeyWinner: Trever Bauwens, Northern Kentucky Norsemen (Walton-Verona)Finalists: Colin Custer, St. Xavier; Carter Jung, Elder; Christian Rivard, Moeller; Landon Schroeder, SpringboroOhio boys swimming and divingWinner: Chase Grisi, St. XavierFinalists: Danny Beyerbach, Seven Hills; Brady Campbell, Milford; Tucker Charles, St. Xavier; Liam Clark, Mason; Bryce Cousins, West Clermont; Oliver Erck, Sycamore; Braden Fuller, Lakota East; Owen Gee, St. Xavier; Quinn Heis, Mariemont; Luke Mignery, Ross; Juju Nkhumane, MasonNorthern Kentucky/Indiana boys swimming and divingWinner: Chase Knopf, RyleFinalists: Andrew Boh, Covington Catholic; Noah Gracey, Highlands; Nash Parsons, Ryle; Cono Presti, Beechwood; Isaiah Reinhart, Simon KentonOhio girls swimming and divingWinner: Maya Schweikert, KingsFinalists: Aubrey Buchanan, St. Ursula; Dana Fairbanks, Mason; Isabella Giraldo, Mason; Grier Gordon, Ursuline; Gabby Henz, Indian Hill; Marissa McNerney, Seven Hills; Ansley Neff, Wyoming; Reese Reilly, Roger Bacon; Calli Rieskamp, Taylor; Isabelle Schroeder, Loveland; Quinn Schureck, Walnut Hills; Bella Teply, MasonNorthern Kentucky/Indiana girls swimming and divingWinner: Clare Herfel, Notre DameFinalists: Savannah Bien, Notre Dame;Gabrielle Lee, Beechwood; Chris Nowak, Cooper; Gabriella Stephens, Ryle; Danaka Tucker, Notre DameOhio boys wrestlingWinners: Kane Shawger, St. Xavier; Colin Wooldridge, La Salle Finalists: Greyson Boner, Harrison; Caleb Curry, Elder; Grant Dallio, Harrison; Ryan Hager, Williamsburg; Noah Jackson, Moeller; Jett Manley, Waynesville; Khary McCall Jr., Springboro; Landen Messer, Moeller; Alijah Mohanna, La Salle; Marshall Morency, Anderson; Caden Orr, MoellerNorthern Kentucky/Indiana boys wrestlingWinner: Clayton Badida, ConnerFinalists: Cordion Abernathy, Conner; Cody Blevins, Simon Kenton; Aiden Brinkman, Ryle; Christian Brown, Cooper; Kayson White, HighlandsOhio girls wrestlingWinner: Elizabeth Madison, LovelandFinalists: Caiden Baird, Harrison; Natalie Carlisle, Lebanon; Kimora Carpenter, Princeton; Camryn Gresham, Lakota East; Teegan Herrington, Badin; Liberty Johnson, Clermont Northeastern; Kelsey King, Lakota West; Haylynn Littleton, Harrison; Eleanor Polking, Oak Hills; Kaylee Vera, Little Miami; Leah Willen, Harrison Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls wrestlingWinner: Emma Moore, Walton-VeronaFinalists: Peyton Brinkman, Ryle; Emma Hood, Highlands; McAyla Steffen, Campbell County; Preslee Steiber, Ryle; Aaliyah Svec, CooperMore: Northern Kentucky in your inbox. Sign up for our NKY Briefing newsletterCincinnati High School Sports Awards fall nominees for the 2025-2026 sports seasonOhio boys cross countryWinner: Dom Ellis, St. XavierFinalists: Caleb Anderson, Turpin; Jagger Dollenmeyer, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy; Nate Gockerman, CHCA; Owen Huff, Oak Hills; James O'Driscoll, Indian Hill; Ryne Reynolds, Little Miami; Carson Spencer, Turpin; Caden Winship, Mason; Ronan Wolfer, Loveland; Liam Woodward, Summit Country Day; Paras Yadav, MasonNorthern Kentucky/Indiana boys cross countryWinner: Paul Van Laningham, CooperFinalists: Ethan Mann, Conner; Joe Mayer, Covington Catholic; Joh Nerswick, Covington Catholic; Sam Neuhaus, St. Henry; Ryan Richards, CooperOhio girls cross countryWinner: Ava Shepard, Lakota WestFinalists: Elle Campbell, Milford; Delaney Cilley, Loveland; Aleah Coster, Oak Hills; Campbell Coyne, Seven Hills; Molly Deardorff, Lakota East; Callie Fox, Summit Country Day; Heidi Harmeyer, Seton; Atalia Hawkins, Milford; Havannah Long, Kings; Abra Mills, Talawanda; Lucy Staarmann, St. UrsulaNorthern Kentucky/Indiana girls cross countryWinner: Lily Parke, BeechwoodFinalists: Norah Barker, Notre Dame; Callie Bentley, East Central; Stella Carpenter, Ryle; Lila Dunlevy, Campbell County; Abigail Ford, Villa MadonnaField hockeyWinners: Josie Broenner, Mount Notre Dame;Chloe Castellini, Summit Country DayFinalists: Lexie Burke, Ursuline Academy; Kaydance Givens, Indian Hill; Elizabeth Herzner, Mount Notre Dame; Cat Johnson, Ursuline Academy; Maddie Lanphear, Indian Hill; Anna Lange, St. Ursula Academy; Aubrey Ludwig, Mount Notre Dame; Alison Strang, Mount Notre Dame; Liz Thurnau, St. Ursula Academy; Fay Van de Meulengraaf, Indian Hill and Maddie Wells, Walnut Hills.Ohio football offenseWinners: Lance Cantrell, Talawanda; Ryder Hooks, Lakota EastFinalists: Tommy Becker, Elder; Gage Croley, Goshen; Kaden Estep, Elder; Jackson Frey, St. Xavier; Lem Grayson, Badin; Levi Guttman, Cincinnati Country Day; Marcus Hughbanks, Batavia; Nile Knutson, Lakota East; Matt Ponatoski, Moeller; Griffin Ridner Richard, CHCA; Gray Robinson, Williamsburg; Owen Scalf, Anderson; Monsanna Torbert, Taft; Tysin Weaver, AndersonNorthern Kentucky/Indiana football offenseWinner: Cam O’Hara, CooperFinalists: Kaleb Evans, Lloyd Memorial; Tyler Fryman, Beechwood; Crue Gilmour, Lawrenceburg; Cash Harney, Covington Catholic; Tayden Lorenzen, HighlandsOhio football defenseWinners: Brady Kuhn, Anderson; Derek Uran, ElderFinalists: Kobe Clapper, St. Xavier; Luke Czarnecki, Williamsburg; Jake Dixon, Milford; James Hall, St. Bernard-Elmwood Place; Rihyael Kelley, Winton Woods; Adam Kirtley, Taft; Alex Pate, Badin; Aden Reeder, St. Xavier; Brayden Reilly, St. Xavier; Max Rhodes, Oak Hills; Evan Riggs, Indian Hill; J.D. Singletary, Middletown; Cam Thomas, Lakota West; Jordan Vann, MiddletownNorthern Kentucky/Indiana football defenseWinner: Jacob Savage, RyleFinalists: Brady Ballart, South Dearborn; Ryker Campbell, Cooper; Nyden Euson, East Central; Chase McDaniel, Beechwood; Lincoln Tomlinson, Lloyd MemorialOhio boys golfWinner: Toku Fujiwara, Lakota WestFinalists: Matia Kastner, Seven Hills; Zac McGrath, St. Xavier; Marshall Morency, Anderson; Blake Rohling, Roger Bacon; Griffin Wullenweber, Lakota WestNorthern Kentucky/Indiana boys golfWinner: Talen Beane, Campbell CountyFinalists: Parker Isaacs, St. Henry; Hayden Li, Ryle; Paxton McKelvey, Ryle; Alex Race, Highlands; Jack Woolwine, Dixie HeightsOhio girls golfWinners: Eva Becerril, Sycamore; Ellie Hartung, MadeiraFinalists: Campbell Drum, MND; Sophia Fink, CHCA; Ellie Lamkin, Anderson; Charlotte Soller, MariemontNorthern Kentucky/Indiana girls golfWinner: Anika Okuda, RyleFinalists: Tatjana Andracenko, Dixie Heights; Maria Penaranda, Notre Dame; Rowan Pies, East Central; Kendal Raney, Conner; Sarah Smith, Grant CountyOhio boys soccerWinner: Rowen Arnold, SpringboroFinalists: Ryan Boyd, Lakota West; Rocco Fischer, Wyoming; Paolo Girandola, Walnut Hills; Aidan Gross, Mariemont; Kai Kuebler, Turpin; Karson Lang, Moeller; Brody Sucher, Kings; Jack Sweeney, St. Xavier; Elijah Warner, Summit Country Day; Davion Washington, Seven Hills; Edward Zha, MasonNorthern Kentucky/Indiana boys soccerWinner: Tanner Robertson, Covington CatholicFinalists: Donovan Lameier, Dixie Heights; Grady Noble, Conner; Maddox Pemberton, Cooper; Max Runge, Bishop Brossart; Logan Thoss, St. HenryOhio girls soccerWinner: Mia Stevens, Summit Country DayFinalists: Nina Brandon, Anderson; Ella Cook, Little Miami; Natasha Davis, Madeira; Braelyn Even, Badin; Anna Habra, Mason; Mady Linenkugel, Oak Hills; Allie McCauley, Indian Hill; Bree Reder, Summit Country Day; Abby Smith, Harrison; Emma Yeager, Clermont Northeastern; Addy Zawaly, MariemontNorthern Kentucky/Indiana girls soccerWinner: Ella Smith, Simon KentonFinalists: Kennedy Crowley, Campbell County; Izelee Kerns, Conner; Maria Mayer, East Central; Kylie Smith, Bishop Brossart; Sadie Yapp, Notre DameOhio girls tennisWinners: Adriana Moreno-Saanvi Reddy, MasonFinalists: Addison Cassidy, Mason; Pratyusha Chaudhuri-Emma Wagner, Mason; Renee Harper, Oak Hills; Corrine Labin-Miranda Wang, CHCA; Allison Sayles-Serena Sayles, Sycamore; Sophia Thompson, Indian HillOhio girls volleyballWinner: Callie Combs, SetonFinalists: Kendall Bosse, Ross; Jillian Forrest, Ursuline Academy; Emma Frietch, St. Ursula; Grace Jones, Seton; MaKenna Kirlin, Loveland; Ava McIntyre, Kings; Morgan Meiring, Fenwick; Kendall Northern, Summit Country Day; Cara Richter, Mount Notre Dame; Savanna Stacey, McNicholas; Ali Strange, McNicholasNorthern Kentucky/Indiana girls volleyballWinner: Audrey Dyas, Notre DameFinalists: Morgan Heater, Ryle; Jenna Kitchens, Simon Kenton; Milyn Minor, Scott; Charlotte Patton, Conner; Grace Portwood, Notre DameBoys water poloWinner: Marco Di Loreto Tarot, MasonFinalists: Dan Ahrens, St. Xavier; Dylan Cahill, Mason; Ernie Manders, Walnut Hills; Ciaran Skinner, Sycamore; Dominic Walters, St. Xavier; Aaron Zelvy, SycamoreGirls water poloWinner: Madeline House, MilfordFinalists: Adalynn Dvorak, Mason; Meredith Ehlerding, Princeton; Veronika Khudiakova, Mason; Cameron Kilimnik, Milford; Maisie Moran, Walnut Hills; Claire Ponstingle, MasonWhat the 2026 Cincinnati High School Sports Awards winners need to knowThough tickets are not necessary, The Enquirer asks that all winners RSVP. The Enquirer will request an acceptance video from those who cannot attend.Winners will take the stage to give brief remarks when their category is called.All coaches and athletic directors of winning athletes and teams are welcome to come. No tickets necessary.Be at the venue by 6:30 p.m. for a group photo of all the honorees in attendance.What the 2026 Cincinnati High School Sports Awards finalists need to knowAll finalists will be invited to a reception before the awards presentation, where they can have light refreshments, browse booths and connect with other athletes.There will be several stations, organized alphabetically by last names, where Enquirer staff will present athletes with their certificates and take photos. The photos will be used in a red-carpet gallery on cincinnati.com.They are invited to join a group photo about 30 minutes before the start of the live show.While finalists will not be called to the stage, they may see their names on the screen or memories in the sizzle reel.Families who cannot attend the early reception will have 30 minutes after the show (around 9 p.m.) to take part in the same activities, except for the group photo.Any questions? Reach out to Melanie Laughman at mlaughman@enquirer.com.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati High School Sports Awards winners, finalists for 2025-2026

Flag Football leagues are popping up all over the country. Not only will we see flag football represented at the Olympics in 2028, but the NFL is hosting its 3rd Annual NFL FLAG Championships this summer. Many NFL teams across the league sponsor leagues throughout their demographic, and the Tennessee Titans are no different.In Tennessee, girls flag football has expanded to over 160 participating schools, and with the support of the Titans and "generous financial contributions from Bridgestone," Tennessee officially sanctioned girls flag football as a high school varsity sport, becoming just the 10th state in the country to do so. From their official page:The Titans believe all girls should have the opportunity to play football and experience the game first-hand, learning skills that will enrich their futures. The commitment extends beyond the field, aiming to inform young women about potential career paths available to them throughout the sports industry and other ways to utilize knowledge of the game in life. The Titans Girls Flag Football League provides training in athletics, but most importantly life skills like teamwork and perseverance.Now that the season has come to an end, the Titans have named their 2026 coach of the year.Congratulations to James Smith of Creek Wood High School for being named the @Titans 2026 Girls Flag Football Coach of the Year!Coach Smith led Creek Wood to the Class A state title in just their second year of competing 🏆 pic.twitter.com/aOgYaLfogD— Titans Community (@titanscommunity) June 2, 2026Creek Wood High School is located in Charlotte, Tennessee, and participates in Region 6 with eight other teams. In just their second year of even having a flag football team, head coach James Smith took them all the way to a state title, with a huge boost from Hollee Wilson, who had four interceptions in the championship game to help seal the deal.Congratulations to Coach Smitty on this prestigious award and to the Creek Wood High School girls' flag football team!This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans name girls flag football head coach of the year

Nelly Korda has won three times already this season entering the U.S. Women's Open this week in Los Angeles. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)Dylan Buell via Getty ImagesLOS ANGELES — Nelly Korda isn’t doing anything special. In a way, she makes her weekly routine sound boring.The top-ranked golfer in the world was one of the first people on the course at Riviera Country Club on Monday morning for a practice round, which she knocked out quickly without much information on the famed Los Angeles course ahead of time. That’s typically how she starts a tournament week, especially at a major championship.“If I’m being honest,” Korda said, “I haven’t done research at all … Sometimes too much information isn’t really good.” She doesn’t like to grind on the range or putting green. She isn’t even glued into the sport week-in and week-out. Admittedly, Korda doesn’t “watch too much golf” herself.She just gets in, and gets out.But entering the U.S. Women’s Open this week, the second major of the year, Korda is again on a dominant run throughout golf similar to Scottie Scheffler on the PGA Tour or even Tiger Woods in his prime. And if all goes according to plan, Korda will not only pick up her fourth career major championship win, but she’ll have put herself just shy of historic position not even a decade into her LPGA Tour career. Korda dominating the LPGA Tour againKorda has three wins under her belt already this season. She opened the year with a win at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions, and then she won in back-to-back starts in April. The first in that stretch was a major championship win at The Chevron Championship, an event she won by five shots, and then she cruised the following week at the Riviera Maya Open.And in just the four events she hasn’t won, Korda was the runner-up in three of them. Her worst outing came in her last start, but it was only a T8 finish. Not bad.“There was one movement that I didn’t really like, and I just kept doing it over and over again,” Korda said of her last start in Cincinnati. “Beginners may think that we’re working on something like crazy, but in all honesty, we’re probably working on the same exact things we did when we started the game,” she added.The start to the season is similar to what Korda pulled off in 2024, when she won seven times, six of which came in a seven-tournament stretch. But between then and now, Korda had, by her standards, a pretty average campaign in 2025. While she made every cut, Korda didn’t win once last year. She had three runner-up finishes, including a T2 outing at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills.“I was just hungry for more,” Korda said of her mindset after the season ended. “Last year was just a weird year of kind of not necessarily playing my best, but also when I did, not getting the bounces or just missing by a centimeter here and there. But I also learned a lot about myself. It made me hungrier to be in those positions.”Yet instead of going in for some drastic change during the offseason, Korda kept things as simple as possible. She just took a break, and then got back to work.“Athletes after they’ve had like a tough year, they try to reinvent the wheel and they try to change so much about their games,” Korda said. “I feel like that leads them into trouble. It makes them doubt stuff a little bit more. Maybe you just don’t feel very comfortable in your own skin after you’ve changed a lot about your game, maybe your team as well.“I always just try to be like, okay, this works. I’m putting in the effort every single day, and I know that if I continue this path, like it will change.”Nelly Korda picked up her third major championship win at The Chevron Championship earlier this season in Houston. (Erik Williams-Imagn Images)IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERSKorda, 27, has won three major championships in her career. She’s claimed The Chevron Championship twice, and her first came at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2021. A win this week at Riviera would put Korda on the cusp of joining just seven others who have claimed the Career Grand Slam in women’s golf. As there are five majors in women’s golf, one only needs to win four to actually earn that recognition. Inbee Park was the last to do so back in 2015. But only one golfer, Karrie Webb, has won all five in her career. That gave her what’s called the Super Career Grand Slam. With the Evian Championship and the Women’s British Open still on the schedule for later this season, Korda is already in a fantastic position on that quest.She’s a massive favorite entering the week, too, and is listed at +400 to win on BetMGM. Jeeno Thitikul is the next closest at +850. Korda will tee off alongside Hyo Joo Kim and Hannah Green in the first two rounds this week at Riviera, starting just before 7:30 a.m. local time on Thursday.Obviously, that talk is still premature. Play hasn’t even started yet this week, after all. But after Korda’s first few months of the season, it’s easy to understand why all eyes will be on her in Los Angeles. And as long as she can just be in a spot to make a run at it come Sunday afternoon, Korda will consider the week a success.“All those days, you kind of sacrifice your time at home with your friends or with family, but it’s just so worth it because there’s no better rush of emotions than being in the hunt,” she said.

After racking up a very impressive 28-2 record in the Big Ten Conference this season, the UCLA Bruins will be at home watching two conference rivals in the Super Regionals this weekend, with Oregon and USC both surviving in the NCAA tournament longer than UCLA.It’s a massive shock within the sport, with the Bruinscontrolling the No. 1 spot in the Coaches Poll for the entire regular season, yet losing twice to Saint Mary’s at home in the NCAA regionals this past weekend.Getting bounced in the regionals is a tough pill to swallow for the Bruins regardless of how you look at it, but it gets even worse when you consider that long-time rivals Oregon and USC are still alive, while Roch Cholowsky, Will Gasparino, Roman Martin and the rest of the star-studded UCLA team couldn’t protect their homefield.Oregon will be on the road in Austin to face the Texas Longhorns while USC will travel across the country to face North Carolina in Chapel Hill. UCLA beat both teams in the Big Ten Conference tournament last month, with the Bruins owning a combined 7-1 record against the two teams this season.There’s a legitimate gripe that Saint Mary’s was placed as the No. 4 seed in the Los Angeles Regional due to geographical convenience more so than the Gaels being the weakest team in the regionals, but a Bruins team loaded with MLB Draft prospects should have still been able to deal with Saint Mary’s. Instead, the Cal Poly Mustangs will be facing West Virginia this weekend after their surprising regional win.Even with this year’s disappointing ending, there’s not a ton of moves for UCLA to make. The Bruins could potentially be more aggressive in the transfer portal but a lack of talent wasn’t an issue for this year’s Bruin roster. John Savage has established himself as a premier college coach, and there’s no chance UCLA decides to go in another direction after a 52-win season.It’s a heart-breaking outcome for the loaded 2026 Bruins squad but UCLA will have to re-load and try again next spring to bring home the program’s first College World Series title since 2013.This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA baseball was outlasted by USC and Oregon in the NCAA tournament

When the Tennessee Titans selected Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2025, they knew they had their hands on an elite quarterback. Unfortunately, largely through no fault of his own, his rookie season did not quite live up to expectations.The biggest problem Ward had in 2025 was that he was playing for Brian Callahan and Nick Holz. Having Bo Hardegree as quarterbacks coach was the best thing Ward had last season.In 2026, though, Ward has an entirely new coaching staff, one full of coaching experience across multiple levels. Brian Daboll is going to take Ward's game to an entirely new level this year, and ESPN's Eric Moody agrees. He recently said that Cam Ward is a fantasy sleeper this year.Ward's rookie season was underwhelming, but his future looks brighter after Tennessee's offseason moves. He also showed some late-season growth, scoring at least 15 fantasy points in three consecutive games from Weeks 15 to 17.That's because he threw nine of his touchdowns in the final five games of the season.Ward really elevated his game as the 2025 season wore on, and there's no reason to think that's going to change now. There's always a small backslide when you have coaching turnover, but with the new coaching staff as experienced as they are, that will be minimal and likely resolved before the season starts.During his sophomore season, the one where most players fear a slump, Ward has the potential to have a breakout season. In doing so, he will absolutely rack up fantasy points week after week. And with guys like Calvin Ridley, Wan'Dale Robinson, and Carnell Tate on board, we can expect a variety of downfield bombshells and over-the-middle pitches, resulting in higher completion percentages and yards after the catch that give Ward extra fantasy points.This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Tennessee Titans' Cam Ward is a fantasy football sleeper in 2026

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 10: Corner back coach Mathieu Araujo of the Miami Dolphins looks on against the Chicago Bears during the NFL Preseason 2025 game at Soldier Field on August 10, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Jacksonville Jaguars are used to being labeled “offseason winners.” Just last year, the team brought in an entirely new regime, signed nine veteran free agents, and added 29 rookie players, including No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter.There were far fewer splashes this offseason than Duval County residents are accustomed to seeing. The only free agent pickup from this spring, Chris Rodriguez Jr., was a candidate to pace the backfield in carries before missing the start of OTAs with a mysterious injury. Maybe trade acquisition Ruke Orhororo can carve out a role along the defensive line, but as far as 2026 player acquisitions go, the only other place to look for contributions is within the rookie class.This offseason, Jacksonville’s front office looked to add depth to a roster that already has plenty of penciled-in starters. The same approach was taken with the coaching staff.The head ball coach is Liam Coen, who finished second in NFL Coach of the Year voting last year. His staff is headlined by offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, each of whom completed multiple head coach interviews in January. That Udinski and Campanile are both back is a pleasant surprise; it seems like it’s a question of when, not if, they’ll be given their own opportunities to lead a building. It’s a big win to keep those two on board, but the team wasn’t just looking to run back last year’s group. Jacksonville hired Brian Picucci to coordinate the offensive run game and Mathieu Araujo to coordinate the defensive pass game. Picucci’s hiring is fascinating on several levels. Firstly, he has intimate experience with Coen, having served as his offensive coordinator at UMass (2004-08) before coaching under him at Maine (2016-17) and in Tampa Bay (2024). Picucci would’ve joined Coen’s inaugural Jaguars staff, but the Buccaneers blocked the move by promoting him to offensive line coach. Jacksonville nabbed him this offseason after its 2025 run game coordinator, Keli’i Kekuewa, left for Stanford. And Piccuci has an immediate challenge on his plate: can he help remove the “stink” of last year’s offense?I would assume that Piccuci will coach here until he retires. Meanwhile, Araujo doesn’t figure to stay in his current position for long. He seems to be a rising star.Araujo played defensive back at Bridgewater State for four years before becoming the wide receivers/running backs coach at Maine Maritime Academy in 2015. He racked up small-time promotions over the next three years before settling with Yale from 2019-21 and the Dolphins from 2022-25. Araujo spent time with prominent NFL defensive coordinators Brian Flores and Vic Fangio during his time in Miami, which makes him a natural fit for Campanile’s staff in Jacksonville. Given that he already “speaks the same language,” Araujo ought to start contributing immediately without any kind of ramp-up period.That appears to be the case at Jaguars OTAs. Campanile was asked about recently re-signed cornerback Montaric “Buster” Brown on Monday, and he took the opportunity to hype up the guy who’s been coaching Brown in the background. “Coach Araujo has done an incredible job with those guys. Just overall, those meetings, I wish you could be in them. They’re super detailed. He’s a great young coach and I think the guys are really taking to him, and he’s challenging them every day as you see him here in the individual period, so those guys are getting better each day and that’s what they’re all doing. He’s really kind of come up with a good action plan for each guy that way.”When strolling the sidelines at the Miller Electric Center, Araujo comes to the foreground of attention in a flash. During Monday’s individual drills, when a defensive back failed to harness the football, he barked, “Finish that fucking shit! Finish! Finish! Finish!” The same energy came to light in an ensuing 7v7 drill. As a checkdown was being thrown to a running back on the opposite side of the field, Araujo ran across the grass, following his players in the pursuit drill. “Finiiiiiiiish!”Jacksonville’s top brass prides itself on its acquisition process. At every level of the building, the Jaguars want to bring in individuals with “Jaguars DNA.” People who “elevate the space by being nothing more than themselves.” Folks who are “intangibly rich.” Early indications point to Araujo being exactly that type — so much so that he may already be the top internal candidate to eventually replace Campanile.Jags fans, let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

While many stories show queer people leaving their unaccepting faith communities to maintain their safety, dignity, and mental health, we’ve found a handful of LGBTQ+ films about religion that depict queer people who stay in their spiritual communities, both to push for greater acceptance and to deepen their relationship with the divine. We’ve strived to create a list that includes fictional narratives and non-fictional documentaries and that depict different faiths and segments of the LGBTQ+ community. Because we wanted to be inspiring, we deliberately left out films that are outright tragedies or ones that cover religious conversion therapy. Hopefully, the following list includes titles you haven’t heard of (and we even included a few additional titles here and there, if you’re interested in seeing more). Related These 23 films about conversion therapy reveal its deeply emotional & long-reaching effects The Business of Fancydancing (2002) Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Native American writer Sherman Alexie’s second feature-length film features Seymour, a gay Indigenous poet who confronts his Two-Spirit identity while revisiting his childhood friend on the Native American reservation where they grew up. As the story progresses, Seymour also reveals his struggle to reconcile the psychological and cultural split he feels between his current off-reservation life with his white boyfriend and the literary fame he has gained by writing Indigenous poetry for mainstream readers. Unlike other LGBTQ+ films about religion, this avant-garde film plays like a mockumentary, features some of Alexie’s poetry, and was created with a nearly all-female film crew. Watch The Business of Fancydancing for rent on YouTube, Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Movies, and Fandango at Home Emergence: Out of the Shadows (2021) Kayden, Jag, and Amar are three queer people who grew up in conservative South Asian families and are now just emerging from the loneliness, shame, and fear that haunted their youth. On their own separate journeys, they demonstrate bravery and compassion as they confront the traditions and taboos of their Punjabi Sikh cultures. Ultimately, they advocate for families to have more understanding and compassion for their young, marginalized queer relatives. Watch Emergence: Out of the Shadows for free via YouTube. Eyes Wide Open (2009) In the most ultra-orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem, Aaron, a local butcher and married father of four, takes on Ezri, a 19-year-old homeless Yeshiva student, as an apprentice. As Aaron decides whether his newfound love can co-exist within his current life, the film provides a rarely seen glimpse into a cloistered faith community. If you’re interested in this film, consider checking out the powerful 2001 documentary Trembling Before G-d, one of the few LGBTQ+ films about religion that provides a real-life look at gay and lesbian Hasidic and Orthodox Jews. Watch Eyes Wide Open for rent on Fandango at Home. The Falls (2012) Elder Merrill and Elder Smith are two young adult Mormon missionaries who gradually realize their attraction to one another while proselytizing door-to-door. While other films about gay Mormons sometimes indict the faith’s long history of homophobia, the love story between these two men plays out in a more complex way over a trilogy that includes The Falls: Testament of Love (2013) and The Falls: Covenant of Grace (2016). While we didn’t include HBO’s star-studded 2003 adaptation of gay Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tony Kushner’s Angels in America in this list (because it’s technically a 6-episode TV miniseries), it also features intersecting storylines about a closeted Mormon husband’s affair with a Jewish man who has a dying Protestant partner — they all come to terms with their different faiths during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Watch The Falls for free on Tubi, Plex, and Fandango at Home; via subscription on YouTube, Philo, Amazon Prime Video; or rent it on Apple TV. Fire (1996) Sisters-in-law Radha and Sita both feel immensely dissatisfied with their husbands, two self-absorbed brothers who married them in arranged marriages. But the Hindu women must then decide whether to continue their slavish and humdrum lives or to pursue a relationship together that could wreck their Hindu family. Upon its theatrical release, this English-language film faced violent opposition and censorship in its native country of India, but it also led gay and lesbian Indians to begin speaking out about their social exclusion. If you’d prefer a more lighthearted and modern tale, consider checking out the 2022 Amazon Prime movie Maja Ma, about a model Hindu wife who is seemingly outed just before her son’s high-profile wedding — it’s one of the few LGBTQ+ films about religion that’s also very funny. Watch Fire for free (in select areas) on Kanopy. The Gospel of Eureka (2018) Gay directors Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher provide a comical yet earnest look at Eureka Springs, Arkansas — a town of 2,074 people whose biggest attraction is The Great Passion Play, a regularly recurring two-hour theatrical production about Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. The film contrasts this somewhat campy play with the behind-the-scenes preparations of local queens performing at Eureka Live Underground’s gospel-themed drag show, complete with big hair and Christian-music lip-syncs. Rather than contrasting the two groups as opposed to one another — anti-gay Christians on one side and gay drag queens on the other —The Gospel of Eureka shows a local transwoman and her boyfriend excitedly attending The Great Passion Play, as well as a partnered gay man who believes that his being Christian is the only thing that might save him from burning in Hell. Watch The Gospel of Eureka for free on Tubi, for rent on Amazon Prime Video, or free (in select areas) on Kanopy. Hail Satan? (2019) The Satanic Temple of Salem, Massachusetts, doesn’t actually worship the devil, but it does love challenging Christian nationalism through headline-grabbing stunts, like erecting a Baphomet statue next to religious displays at state capitols and conducting a same-sex “pink mass” over the grave of an anti-gay preacher’s mother to “turn her gay forever” in the afterlife. This documentary recounts the serious theological reasoning behind the temple’s antics and the extreme backlash that only reinforces their raison d’être. Watch Hail Satan? for free on Xumo Play, Pluto TV, Philo, Tubi, or Fandango at Home; by subscription on Amazon Home Video and Sling TV; and for rent on Google Play Movies and Sling TV. A Jihad for Love (2007) One of the most groundbreaking LGBTQ+ films about religion, Jihad for Love was the world’s first film about Islam and homosexuality. In it, Muslim filmmaker Parvez Sharma interviews queer Muslims in 12 countries — including Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, India, South Africa, and France — as they face their personal jihad (that is, “an inner struggle” or “striving in the path of God”) as they refuse to abandon their religion despite facing potentially lethal persecution. He also interviews Muslim leaders and imams who have strict anti-LGBTQ+ stances. Interestingly, Sharma directed an equally amazing 2015 documentary follow-up entitled A Sinner in Mecca, which details his crisis of faith during his pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, a country that punishes homosexuality with death. Watch A Jihad for Love for free on Tubi. Leitis in Waiting (2018) One of the few LGBTQ+ films about religion to cover Pacific Islanders, this documentary follows the leitis of the southern Polynesian island of Tonga, transgender women who fight a rising tide of religious fundamentalism and intolerance with a trans beauty pageant that encourages women to embrace their uniqueness in a society ruled by tradition. These women spar with American-financed evangelicals who threaten to resurrect colonial-era laws that would criminalize the leitis’ lives. While Christianity is the predominant faith in Tonga, the island’s native spiritual tradition embraces unique cultural dress, ritual dance, and unconditional sharing with the larger community. Watch Leities in Waiting for free on the producer’s Vimeo account. You Can Live Forever (2022) Perhaps the only LGBTQ+ films about religion focused on Jehovah’s Witnesses, this film follows Jaime, a teenager who develops a romantic relationship with Marike, a young Jehovah’s Witness woman. The film’s primary tension comes from the threat of their love being discovered as they navigate a secret relationship — but can their desire exist in such a strict faith community? Watch You Can Live Forever for free on Tubi or Amazon Prime Video, or for rent on Fandango at Home, Google Play Movies, YouTube, or Apple TV. LGBTQ+ films about religion are vital to queer spirituality Too often, narratives set queerness in opposition to religion, but that’s only part of the story! The truth is that LGBTQ+ people exist in every faith community — and our presence enriches, deepens, and challenges these communities to acknowledge what real diversity and radical acceptance look like. As such, these LGBTQ+ films about religion are a reminder of our own divinity and worth, no matter what other mainstream narratives try to tell us. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

To Brazilians, the ubiquitous caramel-colored mutts are a national icon. But a Mexican state has adopted them as its own homegrown symbol.

José Mourinho advises Real Madrid on Ibrahima Konaté signingIncoming Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho has already given his full backing to the club’s pursuit of departing Liverpool star Ibrahima Konaté.This of course comes as the Frenchman prepares to take his talents to Spain’s capital.The name of defender Konaté has dominated the headlines at Real Madrid across the day to date. After word was recently forthcoming that the 27-year-old had made the call to depart the aforementioned Liverpool upon the expiration of his contract, Los Blancos sprung into action.Kicking negotiations back into gear with Konaté and his entourage, Florentino Pérez and co. quickly found an agreement on the terms of a four-year contract.And as much came, it is understood, with the blessing of the incoming José Mourinho.As per a report from Marca:‘The operation has the approval of José Mourinho, who is waiting until after the (presidential) elections to be announced as Real Madrid’s new manager.’Conor Laird – GSFN

Seeing his playing time dwindle throughout the season, the writing is on the wall. It feels as if Lu Dort and the Oklahoma City Thunder are heading towards an inevitable divorce. We'll know for sure what happens during this summer.After a career year where Dort was an All-Defense Team member and won a championship ring, he gutted through some brutal regression to the mean across all boards. The perimeter defense was no longer as sharp as years before. And the outside jumper betrayed him as he went from 41.2% from 3 to 34.4% this year.By the time the NBA playoffs rolled around, Dort slowly became unplayable. He only logged 16 minutes in OKC's Game 7 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 Western Conference. Cason Wallace usurped him in the pecking order. That could be a permanent change.Dort has a $17.7 million team option for the 2026-27 season. But considering how the Thunder prefer long-term team control, feels like they've already made their decision on his future in OKC last summer — when they elected against signing him to a new contract extension.Despite all signs pointing toward Dort joining a new NBA team this offseason, the 27-year-old showed his cards in his exit interview. With emotions still raw only 12 hours after their championship ambitions ended, the longtime Thunder starter hopes to be back with this group next year."I have a lot of trust in this organization and in Sam. I'm really grateful for all the stuff that he did for me to this point. Obviously, I want to stay here," Dort said. "This organization and this city have really shaped me as a person and as a player. So the conversation is going to happen. My main goal is to stay here. This is like a home to me."I'm sure Dort feels that way in his heart of hearts, but at the end of the day, the NBA is a business. He knows that. The Thunder do, too. You can hope things work out, but understand that, realistically speaking, it's probably best for both sides to move on after seven seasons.Wallace is ready to be a full-time starter. He's also eligible for a contract extension this offseason. The 22-year-old was one of OKC's best playoff players as his outside jumper returned. He also became a first-time All-Defense member. On paper, it makes sense to graduate him as a starter with his best basketball ahead of him. And in that scenario, Dort would be foolish to accept a reserve role.There's still an appetite for Dort in the NBA. Plenty of suitors would line up for his services. And the Thunder can help facilitate a sign-and-trade that makes sense for both sides. It'd be unfair to expect the 27-year-old to downgrade to a bench role amid his prime — even with his down season.Now, that doesn't make it any less of an emotional gutpunch if Dort ends up leaving OKC. He's one of their best developmental stories ever. Going from an undrafted rookie to an All-Defense member and championship starter. His relationship with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is well-documented. At this point, they're both some of the longest-tenured guys on the team.But that's how the NBA goes. Teams go through roster cycles. Right now, the Thunder are about to undergo some change after having spotless roster continuity over the last handful of years. One guy who's been a popular prediction not to return is Dort."I have the trust in this organization and the relationship that I have built with them. The situation may be different. You never know how it's going to be," Dort said. "Like I said, my main goal is to be here and whatever we got to do to get it done."This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Lu Dort addresses future with Thunder: 'My main goal is to stay here'

Justin Gaethje can't wait for the opportunity to humble Ilia Topuria.Interim lightweight champ Gaethje (27-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) unifies his belt with undisputed champ Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) in the UFC Freedom 250 main event June 14 at the White House in Washington D.C. (Paramount+).Gaethje is a huge underdog against Topuria, who is known to celebrate his victories prior to stepping into the cage. Topuria already predicted a quick knockout of "The Highlight.""I love being the underdog. I love being counted out," Gaethje told TMZ Sports. "I love the fact that my opponent thinks he's some kind of God or king because I get to bring him down and let him know he's just a human like all of us."More: Donald Trump: UFC Freedom 250 might be highest-rated sporting event everTopuria reminds Gaethje of Conor McGregor, who eventually tasted defeat numerous times in the octagon. He plans on handing "El Matador" the same downfall."This is how he approaches many fights," Gaethje said of Topuria. "He's been successful every time along the road. It's similar to how McGregor approached it in that you're going to make yourself this unbeatable, infallible person, and then when you lose, where do you go from there? So, I can't wait to teach him that lesson."This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Justin Gaethje compares Ilia Topuria's arrogance to Conor McGregor

Detroit — A prominent face in the popular YouTube golf space will tee it up at the Rocket Classic.The Rocket Classic, Detroit's PGA Tour stop, is awarding a sponsor's exemption to social-media influencer Brad Dalke to play in the tournament July 30-Aug. 2 at Detroit Golf Club. It will be Dalke's PGA Tour debut. He was previously set to make is debut in the new Good Good Championship in November. Dalke is a brand ambassador for the Good Good Golf team.“We’re always looking for ways to connect with new audiences in Detroit and continue building one of the most fan-friendly events on the PGA Tour," said Mark Hollis, tournament director for the Rocket Classic. “Brad has made a tremendous impact both on the course and through the way he connects with fans across different platforms. He’s a proven competitor, an engaging personality and someone who reflects where the game is headed. "We’re excited to welcome him to Detroit."Dalke, 28, is one of the first social-media influencers to be offered and accept an invitation to play in a PGA Tour event. There have been invitations to others, like Grosse Ile native Grant Horvat, though Horvat has previously declined because of PGA Tour's restrictions on creators being able to film their own inside-the-rope content.The PGA Tour recently lifted many of those restrictions on content creators, finally recognizing the valuable visibility they bring, especially among young golf fans.Dalke has nearly a million subscribers and followers across multiple platforms, including more than 400,000 subscribers on YouTube and more than 300,000 followers on Instagram.“I couldn’t be more excited to make my PGA Tour debut at the Rocket Classic,” Dalke said Tuesday. "I’m grateful to the leaders at Rocket, the Rocket Classic and the PGA Tour for recognizing how golf is evolving and for embracing new ways to connect content creation with the professional game.”In playing the Rocket, Dalke is returning to an area that holds a special place in his golf career. In 2016, he finished runner-up in the U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, falling to Curtis Luck in the championship match. He won the 2015 Junior PGA Championship. Dalke joined the Good Good Golf YouTube team three years ago, and last summer, he partnered with Francis Ellis and the late Cody "Beef" Franke, a Ferris State alum, to win the Internet Invitational and a share of the $1 million first-place prize. In 2025, Dalke's team also won the Creator Classic before the PGA Tour's Tour Championship.Dalke has played three times on the PGA Tour, as an amateur, including the 2017 Masters and 2017 U.S. Open. He also is scheduled to play in the BMW International Open on the DP World Tour in July.Tickets for the Rocket Classic are on sale at rocketclassic.com.2026 Rocket Classic commitmentsKeegan BradleyBrad DalkeTony FinauRickie FowlerRussell HenleyJoe HooksWilliam JenningsAldrich PotgieterAaron RaiXander SchauffeleCameron Youngtpaul@detroitnews.com@tonypaul1984This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Brad Dalke of YouTube golf will play in PGA Tour tournament in Detroit

Sheffield United target summer deal for Manchester City midfielderDefensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips is the subject of summer interest from Sheffield United, following his initial loan in South Yorkshire.Blades manager Chris Wilder has identified the 30-year-old as a potential pillar to spearhead the club’s push for automatic Premier League promotion next season.Manchester City’s sporting director Hugo Viana is eager to find a permanent resolution for the out-of-favour midfielder before pre-season.Manchester City are expected to receive fresh transfer interest from Sheffield United this summer for out-of-favour midfielder Kalvin Phillips, according to reports.Following the historic conclusion of the Pep Guardiola era, incoming head coachEnzo Maresca and Sporting Director Hugo Viana are set to officially take charge as a duo within the City Football Academy in the coming days.While City wrapped up their 2025/26 campaign on a high by securing a domestic cup double, trimming down the fringe elements of the playing squad remains a financial priority before the new season begins.The former Leeds United talisman has endured a deeply complex journey since his £42 million arrival in East Manchester back in 2022, struggling to establish consistency or regular game time in a heavily competitive midfield.Following successive loan moves to West Ham and a spell with Ipswich, Phillips spent the latter half of the recent campaign searching for rhythm under Chris Wilder’s stewardship.With senior figureheads locking down long-term contract extensions at City ahead of the fast-approaching FIFA World Cup, finding a permanent home for the 31-cap England international is viewed as the best path forward for all involved.Kalvin Phillips to be offered Championship revival route?Now, according MailSport’s Simon Jones, Sheffield United are working on a deal to re-sign Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City after his short-term loan spell during the second-half of the 2025/26 season.Having had the Englishman as part of his squad, Bramall Lane manager Chris Wilder is reportedly keen on keeping Phillips for another shot at Premier League promotion next season.Make-or-break season for Phillips?The push from the South Yorkshire outfit indicates a strong level of internal belief in the midfielder’s attributes, despite highly disruptive, stop-start loan experiences and last four years associated with Manchester City.Revealed: Why Pep Guardiola chose to sign Kalvin Phillips for Manchester City over Arsenal superstarWhile Phillips’ temporary stay at Bramall Lane featured challenging physical hurdles – including a straight red card during the Steel City derby against Sheffield Wednesday – Wilder remains thoroughly convinced that his top-flight pedigree and dressing-room presence are invaluable assets.The Blades are likely to initially explore the financial feasibility of a season-long loan structure containing an option to buy, allowing them to shield themselves against heavy financial outlays.Hugo Viana is likely to be keen to navigate negotiations swiftly, avoiding a prolonged saga that could prevent Phillips from having clarity on his own future deep into August and by the start of the new domestic season.

A.J. Brown described being traded to the New England Patriots as a “dream come true” in his “7PM in Brooklyn” interview with NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor that dropped Tuesday. The three-time All-Pro wide receiver also said the moment was “like Christmas.”“I'm truly a kid in the candy store,” he told Taylor. Right in front of them was a Patriots rug that read “MAN CAVE” with the team’s logo sprawled across the navy fiber. Taylor asked Brown when he got it.He said he’s had the rug for a few years. Promptly, Taylor followed up with the obvious question: “While you were an Eagle, you had this rug in your house?”“Absolutely,” he said.“Some things just never change. This is my team. This is my team since I was a kid. It didn't matter. I was doing what I was supposed to be doing as an Eagle, but this is it.”Brown won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles, whom he starred for each of the past four seasons. Before that, he played for the Tennessee Titans, who took him in the second round of the 2019 draft out of Ole Miss. But he grew up rooting for the Patriots, and Brown explained that the fandom he breathed as a child never really went away as he climbed the football ladder. Despite hailing from Starkville, Mississippi, Brown joined the Patriots’ faithful. That quirk was inspired by his older cousin, who also was a Pats fan. Brown said he wanted to be just like him.“And so ever since then, through and through Patriot, Patriot, Patriot,” Brown said.Although Brown also discussed his stay in Philadelphia — which ended with nonstop speculation surrounding his satisfaction with his involvement in the Eagles’ offense and unrelenting conjecture about his relationship with quarterback Jalen Hurts — he appeared most excited to talk about his next chapter.Brown recounted memories of wearing a Tom Brady jersey again and again, washing it each time so he could bring it out the next day. He conveyed to Taylor how upset he was when a previously unbeaten New England team lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2007 season. “Truthfully, anything that the Patriots ever experienced throughout the years, I experienced,” he said. “I went through every high and low with them.”

Sep 28, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Kentucky Wildcats helmet on the sideline during the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images The Kentucky Wildcats have had some fits with West Virginia over the past few days, as the baseball team was sent home by the Mountaineers on Monday night. Now, they have flipped a Wildcat commit.Bryian Duncan Jr., a Cario, Georgia native, committed to the Wildcats in March and has now flipped to West Virginia. The 3-star running back had a recent visit to Morgantown, then announced his commitment to the Mountaineers.Duncan, a 5-foot-9 player who can play out wide and at running back, is the No. 60-ranked ATH in the nation and the No. 89 player in Georgia, according to 247 Sports. He’ll play in the Big 12 with the Mountaineers, giving himself a good opportunity to become a true gadget guy with legit speed.This isn’t a big disappointment for the Wildcats, as they’ll collect nearly 10 commitments as the summer rolls on and already have a pretty loaded RB room for the class of 2027. Kelsey Gerald and Mason Ball are two tailbacks who have already pledged their commitment to the program.Head coach Will Stein and Co. have been stellar on the recruiting trail as they have the 13th-best class overall and the fourth-ranked class in the SEC, according to 247 Sports. Expect the Cats to pick up a few more commits here soon and rise in the rankings.

Welcome to June. This edition of our power rankings seeks to answer a simple question: How is each team feeling about its outlook today compared to on Opening Day? I can’t pretend to speak on behalf of every MLB organization, but consider this my attempt to convey how I believe these teams should be evaluating their situations, based on preseason expectations and what has unfolded since the beginning of the season. Using a spectrum ranging from “better” to “about the same” to “worse,” with some variance sprinkled in, here’s a vibe check for all 30 clubs: Jump to a team by clicking on the links below:AL East: Rays | Yankees | Blue Jays | Orioles | Red SoxAL Central: Guardians | White Sox | Twins | Royals | TigersAL West: Mariners | Rangers | Athletics | Astros | AngelsNL East: Braves | Phillies | Nationals | Marlins | MetsNL Central: Brewers | Cardinals | Pirates | Cubs | RedsNL West: Dodgers | Padres | Diamondbacks | Giants | Rockies1. Los Angeles Dodgers (38-22)About the same. It has been a business-like start to the season for the defending champs, who have yet to get scorching-hot but have also avoided any prolonged slumps prompting any sort of doubt about their status as the prohibitive favorites. Even without any of their offensive stars performing at the peak of their potential, the Dodgers rank third in runs per game and first in OPS. More notable has been the pitching staff, which has shaken off injuries to Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Edwin Diaz, plus an awful April from Roki Sasaki, to form one of the deepest and most effective run-prevention units in the league. That Shohei Ohtani fellow sure has contributed on that front (that’s not to mention his .909 OPS at the plate).2. Atlanta Braves (40-20)Better. There were a lot of reasons for optimism that Atlanta could resurface as a contender this season after last year’s uncharacteristic bout of irrelevance, but thinking they’d build this kind of lead (9.5 games entering play Tuesday) atop the NL East this quickly would’ve been fanciful, considering the projected quality of the foes in their division. But the Braves have taken full advantage of the brutal starts for the Mets and Phillies and played excellent baseball of their own to create the largest cushion of any division leader. Most impressive is how Atlanta has managed to amass baseball’s best record with so many key personnel injured along the way, primarily on the mound to start the season but more recently with star catcher Drake Baldwin sidelined.3. New York Yankees (36-23)Slightly better. The Yankees have yet to prove it against other top teams, and Tampa Bay’s surge has added an unexpected obstacle in their annual quest to claim the AL East. But in terms of roster quality, the Yankees have a lot to feel good about. The starting pitching has been outstanding, and the offense has been plenty productive, even without Aaron Judge performing anywhere near his usual otherworldly peak (not yet, anyway). Questions linger in the bullpen and regarding the health of a few key pieces (Giancarlo Stanton, Max Fried), but on the whole, New York looks to be in great shape.4. Milwaukee Brewers (36-21)Better. Monday’s drubbing of the lowly Giants exemplified the Brewers’ unique offensive identity, as Milwaukee scored 16 runs on 18 hits without hitting a home run. The Brewers rank sixth in MLB in runs per game at 4.98 despite bringing up the rear in long balls, with just 40 dingers in 57 games, but this low-slug lineup is proving plenty good enough. Meanwhile, the performance on the mound has been elite: Milwaukee’s pitching staff ranks second in ERA, third in WHIP, first in FIP, first in K% and first in fWAR.5. Tampa Bay Rays (36-21)Much better. It was tough to get a read on this team entering the season, considering how much the roster changed over the offseason, but Tampa Bay looks to be putting together another vintage “how are the Rays doing this?” campaign. The lack of over-the-fence power (27th in home runs) and an uncharacteristically shaky bullpen (24th in reliever ERA) are ominous indicators moving forward. But the Rays are doing a lot right on both sides of the ball, with three standout hitters (Yandy Diaz, Junior Caminero, Jonathan Aranda) and three above-average starting pitchers (Nick Martinez, Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan) leading the charge.6. Seattle Mariners (32-29)About the same. It’s disappointing that a team considered one of the American League heavyweights entering the season has thus far failed to take advantage of its lackluster division. But Seattle is starting to round into form and deserves credit for doing so with minimal contributions from Cal Raleigh and top offseason addition Brendan Donovan appearing in only 25 games due to injury. There’s still tremendous upside with this roster — about as much as any team in the American League other than the Yankees. Don’t be surprised if the Mariners start to separate themselves atop the division as many expected all along.7. Cleveland Guardians (34-27)Better. The Guardians have benefitted from the severe struggles of their projected rivals in Detroit and Kansas City, and they should be strong enough to fend off the upstart White Sox as they seek a third consecutive AL Central title. Some troubling statistical indicators remain — Cleveland’s underlying slugging metrics remain near the bottom of the league, and the pitching has started to show some cracks — but credit to the Guardians for their consistency: They are one of just three teams along with the Dodgers and Braves that have not been swept in any series this season. Their stellar record — a rarity in this year’s American League — reflects that.8. Philadelphia Phillies (30-29)Worse. Since starting 10-19, the Phillies have gone 20-10 to climb back into the NL postseason picture, an admirable course-correction that several other slow starters across the league surely envy. But that early hole in tandem with Atlanta’s excellence has all but eliminated Philadelphia’s chances of defending its division crown, setting the stage for a more daunting push for a wild-card spot. The Phillies have one of the more top-heavy rosters in the league, but that upper tier of stars is so good that this is still a team to take seriously over the long haul.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournament9. Pittsburgh Pirates (32-28)Better. Owners of the longest active postseason drought in the National League, the Buccos should feel good about arriving in June within striking distance of a playoff spot and with the fifth-best run differential (+31) in MLB. The overhauled lineup has exceeded expectations, and the starting pitching has lived up to the hype, though the shaky bullpen has undone some of those efforts. Considering how challenging the NL Central has proven to be, Pittsburgh will need to battle its way to October, but it has the pieces to do so.10. San Diego Padres (32-26)About the same. This is one of the more difficult clubs to evaluate, as the Padres’ strong record seems to be masking a lot of underlying shortcomings. Sure, Fernando Tatis Jr. finally hit a home run, but the Padres rank near the bottom of the league in most offensive categories, and even a vintage Tatis hot streak won’t change that anytime soon. With an elite bullpen and a sufficient starting staff, there’s a path to continued success if San Diego can keep winning close games, but that’s a delicate tightrope to walk for another 100 contests, let alone in October. The bats have to heat up at some point, or the Padres are going to start slipping in the standings. 11. Chicago Cubs (32-28)Slightly worse. It feels absurd to suggest that a team that has already rattled off multiple 10-game winning streaks could feel worse than it did on Opening Day, but a more recent 10-game skid, a slew of pitching injuries and a hyper-competitive NL Central have combined to put Chicago in something of a precarious position. That said, the high-end talent is intact here, particularly in the lineup, and if enough key arms can get healthy down the stretch, a postseason berth should be well within reach.12. Arizona Diamondbacks (32-27)Better. The Snakes’ offense tends to get the attention because of the high-profile names in the lineup, but it’s the pitching that has stepped up in a big way lately. The D-backs’ 5.09 ERA across March and April ranked 28th in MLB, but they’ve completely flipped the script since, with a 2.91 ERA since May 1, which ranks second behind only the Brewers. Their true talent level on the mound is likely somewhere between those two extremes, but that’s a positive trend if Arizona wants to stay in the mix in acrowded National League playoff race.13. St. Louis Cardinals (31-27)Better. In what many expected to be a transition year for St. Louis in its first season under new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals have emerged as the most surprising competitive club in the stacked NL Central. Only the Nationals boast a younger position-player group than the Cardinals, with star rookie JJ Wetherholt and breakout slugger Jordan Walker headlining a dynamic St. Louis lineup well worth tuning in for. A lack of impact pitching might prove to be this team’s undoing in 2026, but the Cardinals are building something promising.14. Chicago White Sox (32-28)Much better. Munetaka Murakami heading to the injured list with a hamstring strain was the first bit of bad news in a season otherwise filled with encouraging developments and reasons for Sox fans to get excited. Murakami’s splendid rookie introduction has been cause for celebration, and Miguel Vargas and Colson Montgomery give Sox fans two more position-player pillars to enjoy while the Japanese sensation is sidelined. Huge steps forward from pitchers such as Davis Martin also offer optimism on the mound. The bottom of this roster still reflects that of a noncompetitive club, but there’s too much to enjoy at the top right now to worry too much about that.As June begins, some teams, like the Yankees and Brewers, are feeling better than they did on Opening Day, but for other squads, such as the Padres, that's not the case.Bruno Rouby/Yahoo Sports15. Cincinnati Reds (30-29)Worse. The Reds haven’t been below .500 since they were 0-1 after Opening Day, but they followed a 17-9 April with a 10-17 May and are now at the bottom of the NL Central. Shortstop Elly De La Cruz just went on the injured list for the first time in his career due to a hamstring strain, joining sidelined ace Hunter Greene and three top relievers in Emilio Pagan, Pierce Johnson and Graham Ashcraft. This is an unfortunate time to be missing this many key players, as Cincinnati faces a challenging June slate including road series at the Cardinals, Padres, Yankees, Pirates and Brewers.16. Washington Nationals (31-30)Much better. What a roller coaster it is to watch this team: a juggernaut offense combined with a susceptible pitching staff culminating in a boatload of riveting shootouts for the neutral observer to enjoy. But with the pitching staff performing more respectably lately, these chaotic contests have more often ended in Washington’s favor. The overhauled front office and coaching staff have given Nationals fans a lot to look forward to, even if the team’s performance this season regresses to something resembling the preseason projections that pegged them as one of the worst teams in baseball.17. Toronto Blue Jays (29-31)Worse. The Blue Jays aren’t the only team that can point to a crowded injured list as the chief culprit behind their slow start, but their collection of sidelined stars does stand out. Those absences plus several notable offseason additions have made this roster staggeringly different from the one that journeyed to Game 7 of the World Series last fall. That unfamiliarity is disorienting to some degree, but a healthy version of this roster still projects as one of the best in the AL. We’re just not sure exactly when we’re going to see that version.18. Texas Rangers (29-31)Slightly worse. A team that has been squarely average since hoisting the World Series trophy in 2023 is once again floating somewhere in the middle, yo-yoing between hot and cold due to a strong pitching staff that keeps them competitive and a meager offense that can be shut down with ease. Texas should stay relevant in an AL postseason race without many clear-cut contenders, but it will have to meaningfully improve on offense to be considered a threat to do any sort of damage in October.19. Athletics (28-31)Slightly better. Despite never being more than three games over .500, the A’s sat alone in first place in the AL West for a full month before they were swept by Seattle last week and surrendered the top spot to the Mariners. In a lineup loaded with promise, huge production from Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz and Carlos Cortes (!) has been counterbalanced by relative no-shows from Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler. Most pressing for the A’s is finding some stability on the mound, where they rank 22nd in ERA (4.53), 25th in WHIP (1.43) and 26th in fWAR.20. Baltimore Orioles (28-32)Worse. The front office’s attempt to rebuild the pitching staff in support of the promising offensive core has thus far fallen flat, with the Orioles ranking 25th in team ERA (4.65). While injuries have contributed to these struggles, Baltimore is hardly the only team that can lean on such an excuse. At the plate, the Orioles have featured an above-average offense, with offseason additions Pete Alonso and Taylor Ward making a difference. But outside of the terrific catching duo of Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo, not enough hitters have stepped up enough to make up for the inconsistency on the mound.21. Boston Red Sox (25-33)Worse. The Red Sox have played slightly better since the stunning firing of longtime manager Alex Cora at the end of April, but they still find themselves last in the AL East and without much clarity regarding when their two best players, Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony, will return from injury. Rookie left-handers Payton Tolle and Connelly Early have been undeniable bright spots in Crochet’s absence, but this strangely constructed roster does not inspire much confidence.22. New York Mets (26-34)Worse. The Mets quietly put together a respectable May after a pathetic showing in April, but as long as the position-player group is nowhere near full strength, it will be hard to envision the Mets garnering the necessary momentum to make a legitimate postseason push. There is too much impact talent for the Mets to be discounted entirely — Juan Soto has been spectacular lately — but they still have a ton to prove, and they need to get healthier across the board.23. Houston Astros (27-34)Worse. Houston’s pitching was so bad and so injured over the first month that salvaging the season seemed impossible, yet the Astros have done just enough recently to avoid falling completely out of it, winning 11 of their past 18 games. There are still issues to sort out on the mound, but modest strides have been made (Spencer Arrighetti, hello), and having an MVP contender in Yordan Alvarez goes a long way. Things aren’t going great in H-Town, but it’s not nearly as dire as it seemed a month ago.24. Minnesota Twins (28-33)About the same. The Twins have delivered some extended stretches of competence, winning eight of nine in early April and seven of nine in mid-May to climb back toward .500. But overall, this Minnesota roster is still undermanned, even compared to the bevy of other underperforming American League clubs. Another sell-off come deadline time appears likely, with Joe Ryan and Ryan Jeffers both primed to be swirling in trade rumors.25. Miami Marlins (27-34)About the same. With one of the youngest rosters in the league, the Marlins have experienced a mix of breakouts (Liam Hicks, Max Meyer) and frustrating stagnation (Jakob Marsee, Eury Perez) among their core players, but they’ve performed about as expected on the whole. Monday’s victory at the Nationals was a rare road triumph; only the Tigers (9-24) and Royals (8-20) have worse records away from home than Miami’s 9-19 mark.26. San Francisco Giants (23-37)Worse. There was ample intrigue surrounding the hire of celebrated college head coach Tony Vitello as manager, but San Francisco’s player performance has been so poor that it has been difficult to evaluate Vitello’s first year as a big-league skipper. A team that has been mired in mediocrity lately — winning 81, 79, 80 and 81 games the previous four seasons — has sunk to something much worse, leaving larger questions about the direction of the organization. 27. Detroit Tigers (23-38)Much worse. The Tigers were hovering around .500 when ace Tarik Skubal went down with an elbow injury that necessitated surgery, and it seemed plausible that Detroit could tread water in his absence, especially with Skubal undergoing a procedure that could dramatically expedite his return to the rotation. But while Skubal’s unprecedented rehab appears to be on track and he could be back soon, the Tigers tailspinned so badly in May that his pending return is prompting trade rumors rather than optimism for Detroit. The deadline is still two months away, but it will take a heroic stretch of play from the Tigers to dig themselves out of this hole and quiet those Skubal trade rumors.28. Kansas City Royals (23-37)Worse. Despite star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. lapping the field atop the position-player fWAR leaderboard, the rest of the Kansas City roster has done little to support his brilliance, and the Royals find themselves near the bottom of the American League standings alongside fellow mega-disappointment Detroit. Just 12 teams have endured a losing streak of at least six games this season. Just two of those 12 — the Angels and Rockies — have had two six-game losing streaks. The only team with three such skids? The Kansas City Royals. Yikes.29. Los Angeles Angels (23-38)Worse. An ugly loss to the Rockies on Monday was the latest display of baseball’s worst bullpen by ERA, with the Angels’ shoddy relief corps the most problematic attribute on a roster full of weaknesses. As refreshing as it has been to watch a rejuvenated Mike Trout back in center field, his presence isn’t much consolation amid another dismal campaign. Two years ago, the Angels narrowly avoided losing 100 games for the first time in franchise history by eking out a 63rd win down the stretch; we’ll see if they can do the same this September. 30. Colorado Rockies (23-38)Better. Is there a decent chance the Rockies have the worst record in MLB for the second consecutive season? Yes. But this Colorado club has been far more respectable across the board than last season’s historic disaster, and there are enough positive developments in progress on both sides of the ball to believe the new leadership has this organization moving in the right direction, if ever so slowly.

Sunderland Are Among The Clubs Hoping To Land This Aston Villa Forward: Is He Worth The Fight?In a recent report, journalist Fraser Fletcher mentioned that Sunderland are among the clubs hoping to land Aston Villa forward Tammy Abraham. It has been claimed that the Black Cats would have to compete with Everton and Leeds United in the race to sign the English striker this summer.Abraham’s Important Role At Aston VillaSince arriving from Besiktas in January, Abraham managed to prove his worth as an important member of Unai Emery’s squad. The 28-year-old found the back of the net twice in 12 league matches for the Villans last season.The English centre-forward can still serve as a good back-up striker in the Premier League. Therefore, it is no wonder that the Black Cats are in the race to secure his services this summer.His current contract at Villa Park will run out in the summer of 2030, which could make it tough for Sunderland to sign him on a cut-price deal later this year.LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 25: Tammy Abraham of Aston Villa reacts during the Premier League match between Fulham and Aston Villa at Craven Cottage on April 25, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Sunderland Are Among The Clubs Hoping To Land Abraham: Is He Worth The Fight?Abraham can find a yard of space for himself to get some strikes in at goal. He has got the eye to create the odd chance for others around him in the final third and is a powerful runner with the ball.Standing at 1.94m, the English talent can use his strong 1.94m frame to win his fair share of aerial duels. He has got enough Premier League experience under his belt and won’t take much time to settle into life at the Wearside club. However, the Aston Villa striker has to find a way to improve his numbers in front of the opponent’s goal.Abraham would add more firepower to Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris’ attack. He is good enough to challenge for regular first-team football at the Stadium of Light next season. The English striker will also help the Wearside giants to compete across all competitions over the next few years.At 28, Abraham is about to enter his prime, which makes him a worthy target for the Black Cats to consider in this transfer window. He would be well worth the fight, so Le Bris should focus on bringing him on board later this year.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 15: Nick Herbig #51 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins at Pennsylvania on December 15, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) | Getty Images With summer quickly approaching, the Steelers have gathered for mandatory minicamp this week. As is the case for many an NFL minicamp, attention is now turning to which players will receive contract extensions — and which ones won’t. For the members of the Steelers’ 2023 draft class, the time has come for the team to decide which players are worth anteing up for to retain their services. Pittsburgh has seemingly already made that choice on former first-round pick Broderick Jones when they declined to exercise his fifth-year option. But several other players who were selected during Omar Khan’s first draft still await their paydays: cornerback Joey Porter Jr., defensive lineman Keeanu Benton, tight end Darnell Washington, guard Spencer Anderson, and pass rusher Nick Herbig. Herbig’s will-they-won’t-they dance with the Steelers this summer is one of the most anticipated across the NFL right now. With the Steelers already committed contractually to T.J. Watt through 2028 and Alex Highsmith through 2027, teams looking for pass-rushing talent are hoping the Steelers fail to reach an agreement with Herbig, who is already expected to have a competitive market should he reach free agency. While awaiting movement on contract talks, Herbig is at minicamp, but he is not fully participating. Joey Porter Jr. and Nick Herbig, who are seeking contract extensions, began their mandatory minicamp “hold ins.”They both took a handful of snaps during walk-thru speed installs, but not much else. Neither participated in individual periods open for filming. pic.twitter.com/FZyXUpLecL— Mike DeFabo (@MikeDeFabo) June 2, 2026It’s a common tactic for players in his position, and shouldn’t be taken as anything out of the ordinary, at least for now. Football is a dangerous sport, and Herbig is fully within his rights to protect his body — his money maker — while waiting for a financial commitment from the team. In a media scrum after practice, Herbig made his intentions clear. He wants to be a Steeler, but he knows the NFL is a cutthroat business. Nick Herbig says his goal is to “be a Steeler for life”Here is what mentor TJ Watt can show him about navigating contract situations. “Business is business and football is football.” pic.twitter.com/wltd9BtKPl— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) June 2, 2026“I’m a football player. I’m here for football,” Herbig said when asked about his situation, and if he’d received any advice from Watt. “I try to keep business separated from football as much as I can.” The Steelers will make their decision one way or another, and even without a new contract, Herbig is more than likely to suit up for the Steelers in 2026. Under the current collective bargaining agreement, players can be fined for skipping these mandatory minicamps, which is why you see so many players “hold-in.” Fines for absences become even costlier once training camp opens up later this summer, and players risk losing even more money if they drag out holdouts into the regular season. Players typically have very little leverage in these types of negotiations. For what it’s worth, head coach Mike McCarthy has had Herbig’s back, saying the young player is doing what he needs to do to be involved while navigating this tricky side of the business. Herbig has 16 sacks, 81 pressures, and eight forced fumbles in three seasons with the Steelers in a mostly reserve role. Last season, he set career highs in sacks (7.5 ), pressures (47), and snaps (610). Per Sportrac, the Steelers are currently projected to have roughly $39.4 million in cap space for 2027, ranked 16th in the NFL. Should the Steelers re-sign Nick Herbig with a big contract? Will they need to move on from T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith after the season? Let us know what you think in the comments!