The New York Giants have not had many good seasons recently. They have commenced their training for the next season. One player is returning to the team and is well-known after a long time. Few come back with the drive to win a ring. The NFL career took off at Odell Beckham Jr.’s home, and he’s headed back.Odell Beckham Jr. Shares ‘Super Bowl’ Goal After Giants ReturnApr 6, 2025; New York, New York, USA; NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. sits courtside during the second half of the NBA game between the New York Knicks and the Phoenix Suns at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn ImagesBeckham Jr. officially rejoined the Giants. He is setting up one of the most notable reunion stories of the 2026 offseason. Beckham said his sentiment alone would not secure his place on the roster. The veteran receiver acknowledged he must earn every opportunity in his comeback attempt.“So I know I got a lot of work to do. I came here to earn anything, you know, everything in my life. Nothing was given to me.”WHOLESOME: Odell Beckham Jr. spoke about returning to the #Giants and his goal of winning a Super Bowl in NY.“So I know I got a lot of work to do. I came here to earn anything, you know, everything in my life. Nothing was given to me.“Great attitude. pic.twitter.com/QeKFkcOjV0— MLFootball (@MLFootball) June 4, 2026During Beckham’s first media availability after returning to New York, he made that comment. The three-time Pro Bowler described the experience as surreal. Beckham Jr. also pointed to time with family and his son as a major reason he felt prepared to return.Beckham Jr. did not hide his expectations for the next chapter of his career. He immediately pointed to winning a Super Bowl. Beckham said bringing a championship to the Giants was always his objective during his first stint with the franchise. That still remains the priority today.The Giants have an overloaded wide receiver room, fighting for available slots. But first, Beckham Jr needs to earn his way back into that conversation. Beckham ranks second all-time in franchise history with 5,476 receiving yards. He is still one of the most productive receivers in Giant history. The ex-LSU star also won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. A season-ending ACL tear in Super Bowl LVI altered the trajectory of his career.Beckham Jr. gets a rare second chance with the Giants. The veteran is not returning for nostalgia. He is returning with a championship in mind. Beckham ultimately secures a significant role is remains to be seen. The veteran returns to New York with unfinished business and a desire to contribute to a winning culture.The post Odell Beckham Jr. Sends Strong Message After Giants Return and Super Bowl Goal appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.

A demonstrator carries an image of Elijah McClain during a rally and march, June 27, 2020, in Aurora, Colo. Two paramedics were convicted Friday, Dec. 22, 2023, in the 2019 killing of McClain, who they injected with an overdose of the sedative ketamine after police put him in a neck hold. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)2026-06-04T19:51:37Z FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — A Colorado court reversed homicide convictions against two paramedics on Thursday in the ketamine overdose death of Elijah McClain after the Black man was pinned down by police.The appeals court ordered new trials for Aurora Fire Rescue paramedics Jeremy Cooper and Peter Cichuniec. McClain, 23, had been forcibly restrained by police, who stopped him in response to a suspicious person complaint as the massage therapist walked home from a convenience store in 2019.McClain’s final words — “I can’t breathe” — foreshadowed those of George Floyd a year later in Minneapolis.A jury in 2023 found Cooper and Cichuniec guilty of criminally negligent homicide following a weekslong trial in state district court. The jurors also found Cichuniec guilty of second-degree felony assault.Cooper avoided prison and was sentenced to 14 months in jail with work release and probation. Cichuniec received five years in prison. The appeals court upheld Cichuniec’s assault conviction, but faulted the instructions given to jurors with respect to the criminally negligent homicide charges before they deliberated. Thursday’s ruling sends their cases back to a lower court for a new trial on that charge. Cichuniech was released early from prison in 2024 after a judge reduced his sentence to four years of probation. That judge, Mark Warner, cited “unusual and extenuating circumstances,” a part of Colorado’s mandatory sentencing law that allows a court to modify a sentence after a defendant has served least 119 days in prison. Warner said that Cichuniec had to make quick decision the night of the arrest as the highest-ranking paramedic at the scene.The Associated Press left a voice mail seeking comment with the attorney for McClain’s mother, Sheneen McClain. Other requests for comment were left with the paramedics’ lawyers and their union.___Gruver reported from Fort Collins and Brown from Billings, Montana. MATTHEW BROWN Brown is based in Billings, Montana. He covers breaking news, the environment, politics, energy, crime and more.

Nebraska is primed to host its biggest recruiting weekend of the summer, with the Huskers looking to build on a top-20 recruiting class nationally. More than a dozen prospects will be on campus in Lincoln, headlined by five-star lineman Albert Simien, four-star offensive tackle commit Jordan Agbanoma, and top-100 wideout Matthew Gregory, as well a host of other pledges. Maybe the most underrated visitor of the weekend is Rivals300 defensive lineman Nehemiah Ombati, one of the Midwest’s top big men out of Shakopee (Minn.). The Huskers already a commitment along the line from three-star Jayden Travers, but would love to pair him with Ombati. Heading into his visit, Missouri and Nebraska look to be the top two teams, with Michigan State running third, according to Rivals’ Greg Smith. HuskerOnline.com insider Bryan Munson has his eye on NU though, logging a prediction for the Huskers on Thursday. Ombati is set to announce his commitment on June 10 between those three programs and knows what he needs to see from Nebraska this weekend. Huskers battling with former Big 12 rival for Ombati“I think what Nebraska has to bring to the table, that I hope they do is that relationship and the long-term development,” Ombati told Smith. “It’s just a fit, you know what I mean? I don’t want to show up to the campus and one of the first few things they talk about is the package that they’ll bring to me if I commit to them. … Like, it’s obviously that’s a serious conversation to have, but if I can tell they’re more serious about showing the love they have for me and their plan, and I can compare and contrast it going in from Mizzou. It can really help my decision.”The Huskers will have their chance to do that, getting the final visit before his expected decision next week. Ombati, who stands at 6’3 and 270 pounds, ranks as Rivals’ No. 250 overall prospect and No. 28 defensive lineman in the class. He is coming off a junior season where he finished with 70 total tackles, 6 TFLs and 1.5 sacks.

Follow Caller.com for live updates between London and Boyd in the Class 3A Division I baseball state championship game at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.More: London baseball holds off Huntington to punch ticket back to Round RockLondon 2026 playoffsBi-district: Def. Odem 12-6, 11-1Area: Def. Ramondville 9-0, 8-0Region semifinals: Def. Goliad 3-0, 8-6Region final: Def. Falfurrias 10-2, 4-0State semifinals: Def. Huntington 9-4, 1-5, 7-6More: London baseball set to play for state championshipBoyd 2026 playoffsBi-district: Def. Dallas Madison 31-0Area: Def. Winnsboro 10-0, 12-0Region semifinals: Def. Tatum 5-0, 6-2Region final: Def. Gunter 4-0, 2-8, 12-2State semifinals: Def. Iowa Park 4-0, 4-3This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: London, Boyd baseball UIL State Baseball championship live updates

PHILADELPHIA — New Eagles cornerback Tariq Woolen is hard to miss at practice. Woolen, who is 6-4, 210 pounds and has elite speed, has made a ton of plays during the Eagles’ organized team activities (OTAs). He has made a strong impression on his coaches and teammates. Everybody on the team seems excited about him. “Well, he’s a rare guy in that you don’t see many corners in the league that are 6-4...,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said last month. “It’s hard to find guys at those heights that can move and mirror receivers that are hard to cover. He can do that for a guy his height. ... He obviously has good downfield speed and his length is more of an asset than a detriment in his case.”Woolen, who signed a one-year deal with the Eagles in free agency, is entering his fifth year in the NFL with a mission: to play with better focus and reach his full potential. During his four seasons with the Seahawks, Woolen had a reputation for being an extremely talented but frustrating player. He made poor decisions on the field, including drawing unnecessary penalties, and that cost him money this offseason. Philadelphia guaranteed only $12 million of his one-year deal.Woolen can change that narrative this year if plays at a high level consistently and cuts out the mistakes. If that happens, the Eagles’ defense will be elite.“Kind of surprised that he was one of those guys that didn’t get a lot of action for a long-term deal,” Fangio said. “I was thrilled to get him. I think he’s going to play [well] for us.”Woolen, who turned 27 in May, is just entering his prime. During his rookie season in 2022, he was one of the NFL’s best cornerbacks, tied for the most interceptions (6) in the league. That was his best year, and the Eagles still see that type of potential in him.“Riq is really special...,” Eagles defensive backs coach Joe Kasper said last Thursday. “I know you guys were at practice yesterday. The play where Saquon (Barkley) breaks through and Riq runs him down. You just see that pure speed is really amazing. ... So we’ll take advantage of it every way that we can schematically.”Woolen ran a 4.26-second 40 yard dash at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. He has looked every bit that fast during the Eagles’ practices. “Just watching him get in and out of breaks, it’s crazy to see how explosive he is and how he can catch up to routes when guys are getting out of their breaks,” Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean said after Tuesday’s practice. The Eagles regular season wins line is currently set at 10.5 on BetMGM. Our comprehensive BetMGM Sportsbook will show you how to sign up and use their app. Also, our NFL futures betting guide has you covered if you’re interested in learning more about betting on NFL futures.DeJean, Woolen and Quinyon Mitchell could emerge as the best trio of NFL cornerbacks in 2026. Mitchell and DeJean both made the All-Pro team last year, and Woolen has unique talent. “Each and every day, we have conversations about techniques, the receivers,” Mitchell said Tuesday about his relationship with Woolen. “So we both just want to push each other to get better.”Woolen racked up 41 tackles and one interception last season. He was Seattle’s third-best cornerback. The Seahawks trusted Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe more than Woolen and paid Jobe this offseason.MORE BY CAYDEN STEELE‘Evil genius’: Eagles players rave about new coach they call a football ‘wizard’Jun. 3, 2026, 6:00 a.m.Eagles players react to star player's trade: ‘It hurts’ but ‘thank God it’s over’Jun. 3, 2026, 6:00 a.m.The Eagles are betting on Woolen’s upside. They want to maximize his potential more than Seattle did. “He’s got to be coached different, a different technique than you coach Q with, right?” Kasper said. “Like they’re two totally different body types. So you do talk to them differently. And that’s why you’ve got to be able to, when you work in the secondary, be able to have a multitude of different pitches. The pitches that Riq throws are going to be different than the pitches that Q throws. Just like [Phillies pitcher] [Zack] Wheeler is going to throw a different game than [Phillies pitcher) [Christopher] Sanchez. “It’s very parallel to that, especially at the corner position. So you want to be able to give those guys different tweaks and technical elements to be able to enhance their game. Riq has a nice fastball. The length is real, the speed is real.”Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

If the Detroit Lions plan to put even more on Jahmyr Gibbs’ plate in 2026, don’t expect the Pro Bowl running back to blink.Speaking with reporters following Thursday’s OTA practice in Allen Park, Gibbs was asked about the possibility of taking on an even larger workload this season. His answer made one thing abundantly clear.He doesn’t see it as anything new.After emerging as one of the NFL’s most explosive offensive weapons in 2025, Gibbs sounds more than ready for whatever responsibilities come his way this fall.Jahmyr Gibbs Isn’t Worried About More CarriesFor years, Lions fans have debated whether Gibbs could handle the responsibilities of being a true feature back.The 2025 season certainly helped answer some of those questions. Gibbs totaled 1,839 yards from scrimmage and scored 18 touchdowns while earning Pro Bowl honors.Now, with David Montgomery no longer on the roster, many expect Gibbs to become the focal point of Detroit’s rushing attack.The Lions star doesn’t appear concerned.“It’s nothing I’m not used to.”Gibbs explained that carrying the offensive workload has been a familiar role throughout his football career.“Growing up, I’ve always been the guy getting the most carries and handling that workload.”Because of that experience, he isn’t treating 2026 any differently.“I’m not looking at it any differently than any other year.”No Special Preparation NeededOne of the follow-up questions centered on whether Gibbs would need to change his offseason routine if he is expected to touch the football more often.His response was simple.“No.”Instead of overthinking things, Gibbs plans to stick with the routine that helped turn him into one of the league’s most dangerous playmakers.“I just need to stay consistent with what I do.”That confidence should be encouraging for Lions fans.The last thing Detroit needs is a player trying to reinvent himself after a breakout season. Gibbs appears focused on maintaining the habits that have already made him successful.Gibbs Proud of How Lions Responded to AdversityInterestingly, when asked where he improved the most last season, Gibbs didn’t point to a statistic or individual accomplishment.Instead, he talked about the team’s response to adversity.Despite finishing 9-8 and missing the playoffs, Gibbs believes the Lions grew stronger as a group.“I think we grew as a team.”The running back praised the locker room for staying united during a frustrating season.“We didn’t have the season we wanted, but nobody broke down or started pointing fingers.”That mentality remained consistent regardless of the results on Sundays.“We kept our heads down and kept working, whether we won or lost.”For Gibbs, that may have been the most important lesson of the season.“I’m proud of the team for that.”Why This MattersThe Lions are counting on Gibbs to be one of the driving forces behind a return to playoff contention in 2026.If his comments are any indication, he is embracing that challenge rather than running from it.Whether Detroit gives him 15 touches per game or 25, Gibbs sounds like a player who believes he has been preparing for this moment his entire life.And that’s probably exactly what Lions fans wanted to hear.

Ohio State athletics administrator Kevin Griffin is leaving the school to become the athletic director at Oregon State.He’ll begin his tenure at Oregon State on July 6, replacing Scott Barnes, who is retiring after nearly a decade at the helm of the athletic department.In a statement announcing the hire on June 4, Oregon State president Jayathi Murthy praised Griffin for his "track record in business strategy, revenue generation and marketing"Griffin had been at Ohio State since 2022 as an associate vice president for brand engagement, services and partnerships and associate director of athletics business strategy. He recently led a department committee that began exploring renovations to Ohio Stadium with a survey of fans released in April.Before joining the Ohio State athletic department, Griffin was the senior vice president for marketing and brand strategy for D.C. United of Major League Soccer. He also worked in management in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns and Seattle Seahawks.Griffin was a wide receiver for the Buckeyes from 1995-98 and is the nephew of Archie Griffin, the two-time Heisman Trophy-winning tailback.Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow him on @joeyrkaufman on X.This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State's Kevin Griffin named Oregon State athletic director

The biggest question surrounding the Detroit Lions right now is whether they will make running back Jahmyr Gibbs the NFL’s first $100 million running back. What is no longer in question, however, is his importance to the offense following David Montgomery’s departure.Fantasy football managers may have received even more encouraging news on Thursday. Lions head coach Dan Campbell spoke with reporters and showered Gibbs with praise. More importantly, he officially anointed Gibbs as the unquestioned bell-cow back of the offense.MORE: Jacksonville Jaguars star Brian Thomas Jr. appears ready for massive bounce-back seasonThat designation means Detroit plans to build its offense around Gibbs. Few players possess his combination of explosiveness, versatility, and playmaking ability. Many around the league already view him as the NFL’s top running back. For fantasy football players preparing for drafts, Gibbs has a legitimate case to be the No. 1 overall pick.Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) runs for a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys safety Markquese Bell (14) during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025.Dynasty fantasy football managers should be especially excited. Gibbs’ trade value has skyrocketed, and his outlook extends well beyond the 2026 season. He remains under contract through 2027, and Detroit could eventually reward him with a record-setting extension to keep him in town for the long haul.The Lions selected Gibbs with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. During his first two seasons, he shared the workload fairly evenly with Montgomery. The duo became known as “Sonic and Knuckles” and helped power Detroit to one of the franchise’s most successful stretches in recent memory.MORE: A.J. Brown’s arrival in New England is bad news for one playerBy 2025, however, Gibbs began separating himself from Montgomery. He emerged as Detroit’s featured back late in the season and averaged nearly 70% of the offensive snaps. His rise may have helped convince the organization it could move forward without Montgomery.Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) celebrates a touchdown against Chicago Bears during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.Now, Gibbs’ floor could realistically sit around 70% of the team’s offensive snaps moving forward. Detroit still has a capable complementary option after signing Isiah Pacheco. The former Kansas City Chiefs starter and two-time Super Bowl champion can spell Gibbs when needed while still providing quality production.Gibbs is poised to become one of the most coveted offensive weapons in both fantasy football and the NFL as a whole. The only questions remaining are how high he will be drafted in fantasy leagues? And whether the Lions will lock him into a long-term deal in the near future.

Red Sox pitcher and Nick Offerman lookalike Payton Tolle has been one of the few bright spots for Boston this season. And even when the rookie makes a mistake on the mound, he turns it into an absolute delight. Tolle pitched six scoreless innings in the Red Sox's 8-1 win over the Orioles on Wednesday. But Tolle did have a moment where he briefly forgot how to baseball. With Coby Mayo on first base in the sixth inning, Tolle opted to pitch to Tyler O'Neill from the windup rather than the stretch despite that base runner. Mayo smartly took off to second once Tolle started the windup, and that movement was enough to distract the lefty mid-delivery. Tolle stopped as if he was going to attempt a pickoff (which he couldn't at that point) and then lobbed a pitch over Mickey Gasper's head. Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle threw the ball over his catcher’s head and Orioles manager Craig Albernaz thinks the baserunner should have been allowed to go to third pic.twitter.com/556vaSksep— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) June 4, 2026Mayo wanted to take third base, but the balk had the play ruled dead. The umpires convened and had Mayo return to second base. After the game, Tolle was asked about the balk. And let me tell ya — his answer did not disappoint. "There's no brain ... there!"Payton Tolle might be the funniest Red Sox player of all time lmaoooo pic.twitter.com/EI23UwZ7Jc— Mike (@GMagz_420) June 4, 2026Tolle was like everyone else who wasn't sure exactly what happened there. He said, laughing: "I wish I could tell ya! There's no brain ... there. Just we're in a groove with the windup. Let's go back to it, ya know. I haven't had a balk this year, so I thought this is a perfect time for it. I was in disbelief at myself. Creates good TV, I guess. I don't know."Just amazing. Honestly, a press conference answer doesn't get much better than that. And for what it's worth, Mayo ended up getting stranded on second. This article originally appeared on For The Win: 'There's no brain!' Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle hilariously explained his balk

The Philadelphia Phillies came into Thursday's series finale against the San Diego Padres having not scored more than four runs in a game since May 18. It had been 17 days.In large part thanks to a revitalized Phillies pitching staff, the team went 7-6 in that 13-game span, which included reigning NL Cy Young Award runner-up Cristopher Sánchez stretching his scoreless innings streak to 50 2/3 innings. That run from Sánchez broke a 115-year-old franchise record and gave him the most consecutive scoreless innings spun by an MLB left-handed pitcher in a single season since the mound moved to its current distance in 1893.On Thursday at home against the Padres, the Phillies got superb pitching and a long-awaited burst of offense. Right-hander Zack Wheeler, another Philadelphia ace, didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning against the Padres. While he eventually gave up a two-run homer in the seventh, the Phillies staved off a potential comeback with a three-run seventh. Philadelphia (33-29) held on for a 6-4 victory, completing a sweep of San Diego (32-29) for the second time in eight days.And, so, the Phillies finally broke the four-run threshold.Wheeler bounced back from an uncharacteristically rough outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 29. In that loss, he gave up four home runs. Before that start, he had only conceded on big fly all season.That said, Thursday did mark just his eighth major-league start since returning from thoracic outlet decompression surgery. He wound up tying his season high with eight strikeouts, a punchout total he'd logged twice before this spring. Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentWheeler threw 104 pitches, 69 of them strikes in the win over the Padres. He allowed only two hits, and only one cost him. After issuing a four-pitch walk to Gavin Sheets, Wheeler left an 0-2 fastball over the plate. Manny Machado feasted on it, launching a 435-foot dinger to left-center field.Fortunately for the Phillies, they had more offense in the tank on Thursday.Earlier in the afternoon, Philadelphia had staked itself to a 3-0 advantage, courtesy of an RBI single from Bryson Stott in the fourth inning and a pair of runs in the fifth, the first provided by an Adolis García solo shot to left-center.But in the seventh, the Phillies bolstered a then-3-2 lead with a trio of more runs. Their baserunning came in handy. Justin Crawford scored on a Trea Turner single after swiping second and then advancing to third on a throw-down error. Then Turner stole second, and Bryce Harper reached base on an infield single. Both ended up scoring, with Harper racing home on an Alec Bohm RBI single.Jackson Merrill delivered the Padres a two-run tater in the ninth; however, José Alvarado eventually secured the victory and the sweep for a Phillies team that mixed another masterful pitching performance with a welcomed offensive flurry.

Subscribe to the College Football EnquirerApple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeAre the Big Ten and SEC under attack? That is what it looked like on Wednesday at the Senate hearing for the Protect College Sports Act. One thing that was made very clear was the that parts of the bill that are aimed directly at the SEC and the Big Ten are not going to be changed. Andy Staples, Ross Dellenger and Steven Godfrey discuss the hearing and what the fallout may be. Could this be another nudge for the Big Ten and SEC to separate from the NCAA?Then, the guys discuss another prominent figure who was at Wednesday's hearing. Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua. Bevacqua openly spoke about the idea of a super league and what that would actually look like. He discussed how the pooling of rights would really only involve the top brand-name programs getting together and the schedules would be stacked with huge matchups. Andy and Ross discuss the enticing aspect of this and what would happen in the world of this specific type of super league.Later, the guys shift to the feud between Texas and Texas Tech. Recently, Texas Head Coach Steve Sarkisian called out Texas Tech's weak schedule. Tech responded by offering to buy out both teams' Week 1 opponents so they could play each other. Texas did not accept this offer. As a response, Texas Tech Head Coach Joey McGuire called Texas scared and said in 2027 and 2028 they will be scheduling a big non-conference opponent. Andy and Ross discuss all of the drama going on in the state of Texas.All of this and more on today's College Football Enquirer.Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty ImagesPhoto by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images0:00:00 - Big Ten & SEC under attack in the Senate11:14 - Big Ten commissioner shuts down the idea of a super league15:54 - Notre Dame athletic director discusses the potential of a super league27:38 - How would a super league change the sport?39:13 - Texas and Texas Tech taking shots at each other46:53 - Latest update on Brendan Sorsby🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTubeCheck out all episodes of the College Football Enquirer and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

Will Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty be an elite fantasy football option in 2026? Jeanty is expected to take the next step in his career next season after flirting with 1,000 yards rushing as a rookie in 2025, making him a player to watch for next season.According to NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry's Positional Rankings for the 2026 fantasy football season, Jeanty will be the sixth-best running back in 1QB re-draft leagues with full points per reception scoring.Jeanty is projected by ESPN Fantasy Football to record 1,137 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 2026, as well as 494 receiving yards on 65 receptions, on his way to earning 281.4 fantasy points per game in the PPR format, which ranks No. 6 at the position.Next season will present Jeanty with an opportunity to become one of the best volume rushers in the league. The Boise State product will benefit from the play-calling of Raiders coach Klint Kubiak in 2026. With his projected rise in productivity all across the board, Jeanty figures to be a strong selection in 1QB PPR leagues next season.This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Will Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty be fantasy football darling in 2026?

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to journalists during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)2026-06-04T20:10:03Z KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday called for face-to-face negotiations in a public letter addressed directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The letter, the first public message Zelenskyy has written directly to Putin since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, was a sweeping critique of the Russian leader’s 26 years in power. Zelenskyy acknowledged shifting U.S. priorities, saying it would be wrong to simply wait for the Trump administration to return its attention to ending the Ukraine war while it remains heavily focused on the Iran war. “I am proposing a meeting,” Zelenskyy wrote. U.S. President Donald Trump said it “would be great” if Putin and Zelenskyy met. “They should get it done,” Trump said.Asked what concessions he had urged Putin to make to end the war, Trump declined to provide details but said both sides would need to compromise. “They’re going to both make compromises,” he said. “I suggested those compromises.”Zelenskyy appeared to be trying to seize a pivotal moment in the war, as Ukraine has begun to regain some battlefield leverage largely through improved long-range strike capabilities that have complicated Russia’s advances. At the same time, Moscow has intensified its deadly aerial campaign across Ukraine, seeking to exploit Kyiv’s shortages and continued vulnerability to ballistic missile attacks. He said the talks could be hosted by a neutral third country, ruling out both Moscow and Kyiv as venues and suggested Switzerland, Turkey or Arab states as possible hosts for negotiations. Read More “It is leaders who resolve the key issues. That has always been the case, and it always will be,” he wrote. “I propose to set a clear date for such a meeting.”He said Ukrainian intelligence indicated Russia was considering plans to prolong the war into 2027 and 2028, while increasingly relying on ballistic missile strikes to achieve what its ground campaign had failed to accomplish. Zelenskyy also accused Moscow of seeking to draw Belarus deeper into the conflict and of attempting to destabilize the situation around Transnistria, the breakaway Moldovan region backed by Russia.The Ukrainian leader argued that Russia was increasingly feeling the costs of the war, pointing to drone attacks deep inside Russian territory, economic strain, fuel shortages, rising prices, and the necessity of more military mobilization.Zelenskyy claimed Russia suffered more than 30,000 soldiers killed or seriously wounded in May alone, saying Ukraine had “video confirmation” of the battlefield losses and that such casualty levels had been sustained month after month.He added that Ukraine also continues to suffer painful losses despite what he described as a favorable casualty ratio.He said Ukraine was prepared to implement a full ceasefire for the duration of negotiations and proposed an all-for-all prisoner exchange as a first step toward ending the conflict.Zelenskyy also called for the return of civilians and children taken from Ukraine during the war.“The world has not grown tired of Ukraine, as you long hoped it would. But there is growing fatigue with Russia,” Zelenskyy said.

Jamie Dimon himself is planning to pitch investors on the offering of Elon Musk’s rocket company, as banks prepare to reap huge fees from the largest I.P.O. ever.

The Trump administration’s efforts to tighten the economic noose on Cuba appear to be working, as more international firms announced they would leave the island.

New England Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf still views contract extensions for both quarterback Drake Maye and cornerback Christian Gonzalez as top priorities for the team. This comes after the Patriots spent a lot of money for a second straight offseason to build a winning roster. However, the two most important contracts in the building are coming due. Gonzalez is already eligible for a contract extension, and his decision not to attend voluntary OTAs might be a protective measure for no new deal being on the table. Whether he decides to skip out on mandatory minicamp or not remains to be seen. The Patriots picked up the fifth-year option on his contract, and if they choose to exercise it, he will be under contract with the team through the 2027 season. Maye, on the other hand, is in the third year of his rookie deal. So the team still has a little more time to get his situation figured out before shelling out a blockbuster extension. “That's our No. 1 priority," Wolf said, via Yahoo.com’s Jori Epstein earlier in the week. "Obviously we have other priorities, but that's our No. 1 priority and I think it just gives you some advantages, especially as we were kind of restocking in free agency last year, we spent the most money in the league, and then again this year when we kind of went heavy again. That's not necessarily sustainable, especially when we have guys like [Christian] Gonzalez and Drake coming down the pipe here. But having that now gives us the flexibility in these, call it the next two years, to be able to do something like this.”The Patriots have struggled in the past locking up their young talent and retaining stars. It would be refreshing to see the team make an aggressive pitch to keep both Maye and Gonzalez. Both players have the chance to be long-time cornerstones of the franchise. If the Patriots want to keep their Super Bowl window open, it would be wise to lock down the players who helped get them to the big game. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Eliot Wolf's honest take on Drake Maye, Christian Gonzalez contracts

In a season filled with setbacks, Jalen Williams' glass-half-full mentality was tested to the max. The 25-year-old had his year absolutely ruined with injury after injury. Any hopes of salvaging things were ruined with another setback that was right around the corner.Williams was limited to 33 regular-season games and played just two whole NBA playoff games. Two wrist surgeries delayed his start. And four hamstring strains in five months torpedoed any shot of him leaving his imprint in OKC's back-to-back ambitions.After suiting up in a Hail Mary attempt in OKC's Game 6 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Williams begrudgingly sat out the Thunder's biggest game of the year in their Game 7 loss to get booted out of the NBA playoffs and finish five wins shy of their ultimate goal.In his exit interview, Williams kept a full perspective on his injury-riddled year. He hopes this is just a blip on the radar and not the start of a disturbing trend. We know how tricky hamstring injuries can get. Especially when it's happened several times in a small frame of time."I think in my head before the year and every year since I've been playing, basketball has been my identity. So when that's not at the forefront and I can't do it, it was kinda eye-opening a little," Williams said. "So that was a reality check, I would say. So I think that was the most difficult part because this is what I do. Everything I do revolves around me playing basketball."Williams later detailed his excruciatingly long rehab process. He'd spent entire days at the Thunder practice facility. From the early morning to late at night. All just for a shot to suit up for games. His iron-man-esque streak his first three seasons is something he learned to appreciate even more as his body kept failing him."It was extremely frustrating throughout the year to not be able to play. The summer was just as frustrating. Because I won, I was excited to get back on the court. Obviously, I couldn't," Williams said. "It was a lot. I think I dealt with it pretty good. I think the people around me and just the organization, I think if I was somewhere else it might be very different on how I approached it. But we have a really good team. I have really good people around me."Now, the Thunder and Williams both hope they can flip the page from this chapter. Nobody knows for sure if playing through an injured wrist during last year's championship run eventually snowballed into this year's injuries, but they hope that a summer's worth of time helps him return to his trajectory of being an All-NBA talent.This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Jalen Williams opens up about 'frustrating' injury-riddled 2025-26 season

The Washington Huskies' lone commit along the offensive line in the 2027 class, Reis Russell, is an intriguing study in national recruiting rankings.The 6-foot-3, 290-pound product of Valor Christian High School, who holds 35 offers from some of the nation's elite programs, and picked Jedd Fisch's team out of a group that also included Georgia, Florida, Miami, Oregon, and USC, is ranked outside the top 1,000 players nationally by the 247Sports Composite. However, that should change soon.In ESPN's latest recruiting rankings, the Worldwide Leader in Sports placed Russell as the nation's No. 11 interior offensive lineman, which lines up much closer with the evaluation process that most major Power 4 programs went through before extending a scholarship to him.Big thanks to @espn for the 4 star ranking! pic.twitter.com/M21BFmt3Ez— 4⭐️ OL Reis Russell (@Reis_Russell54) May 29, 2026While center isn't the most coveted position on the recruiting trail, which is what several national analysts have leaned on when determining Russell's ranking, his film (and expansive list of offers) shows that he has all the traits needed to succeed at the college level.On film, Russell displays tremendous power and explosiveness out of his stance. No matter where he's lined up along the offensive line, he shows fluid athleticism as he climbs to the second level and routinely disposes of opposing defenders with ease, while displaying the physicality that offensive line coach Michael Switzer desires along the interior of the offensive line.Now that he's committed, Russell is expected to become one of the vocal leaders and peer recruiters of the class. When the Huskies hold their final massive week of official visits, which is set to begin on June 19, he will be one of six offensive linemen on campus, with four-star prospects Gecova Doyal, Lincoln Mageo, and DaJohn Yarborough on campus, along with three-stars Tye Kennedy and Tristan Dare.This article originally appeared on Huskies Wire: Top 2027 Washington Huskies OL commit receives four-star bump

Are Football Fan Channels Victims Of Their Own Success?Online banter has come under the microscope recently.Despite being the Premier League Champions of England, Arsenal are being mocked by fans, pundits and even ex-players more than any of the 19 clubs they finished above in the division. For years, going 22 years without winning the Premier League was the stick used to beat the Gunners with, but now the focus has suddenly shifted to the fact that Arsenal have never won the Champions League.Simon Jordan this week blamed AFTV for creating a culture on the internet where much of the content surrounding Arsenal appears to be driven by negativity and, at times, outright hatred.Credit to talkSPORT for allowing callers to ring the station and challenge opinions, while also having an employee admit that the morning show remains one of the few programmes that still offers genuine sports debate rather than relying on manufactured characters.Unsurprisingly, AFTV founder Robbie Lyle was quick to defend both himself and those who have worked for him.I have always found it ironic how sensitive some of these individuals become when faced with criticism.They make their living standing outside someone else’s business and often telling a club everything it is doing wrong.Yet look at how they react the moment their own business is questioned.The Double Standards Of Online Football ContentTroopz feels that Mr Jordan addressed him as a “mouthy little twit” because of the colour of his skin. In doing so, he fails to realise that his reaction only reinforces the accusation that he struggles to present a calm and articulate argument.All Mr Jordan has ever said regarding Troopz’s style is that he dislikes the shouting and swearing. He is entitled to that opinion, just as Troopz felt entitled to verbally abuse Arsenal players and managers over the years.For a long time now, content creators have accused the mainstream media of feeling threatened by a new wave of journalism and attempting to suppress them.The reality is that Sky Sports and traditional broadcasters operate under policies and procedures that many social media personalities do not.Roy Keane cannot swear on live television.On YouTube, you can.One is expected to maintain a degree of neutrality. The other is not.AFTV RobbieHas The Audience Moved On?I sense that Robbie Lyle is intelligent enough to read the room and adapt, but several of his peers may struggle because the genre itself appears to be losing momentum.When you watch former players, many of whom never came close to winning major honours themselves, mock footballers for losing a European final, it starts to look desperate and sad.When people genuinely try to argue that Spurs and West Ham can sing “Champions of Europe” because they won secondary European competitions, while simultaneously claiming Arsenal’s secondary European trophy does not count, it becomes difficult to take seriously.When bottles are being brought into conversations because Arsenal supposedly bottled a final by supporters whose clubs were not even competing in Europe this season, the joke simply stops making sense.The Overlap, The Club and Mark Goldbridge have become more successful not because of race, snobbery or even production values.They succeed because hosts and guests can discuss football without excessive tribalism and without constantly feeling the need to perform.The belief that any attention is good attention may bring subscribers in the short term, but over time that approach often leads to decline rather than growth.Source:https://youtube.com/shorts/c8-7GBFtWcc?si=J1AqU3YQIKS7eJ7QDan Smith _____________________________________________________________________________________________ADMIN COMMENTSo here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us through this link…More Stories / Latest NewsAre Football Fan Channels Victims Of Their Own Success? 4 June 2026, 22:00Pat Nevin says Champions League winner is the perfect player for Arsenal 4 June 2026, 21:00Arsenal gets a boost as Spanish club finds a replacement for their target 4 June 2026, 20:00

Spain 1-1 Iraq: Doski holds La Roja to stalemate with stunning first international strikeIraq held Spain to a 1-1 draw at the Estadio de Riazor in their final friendly on home soil ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Ferran Torres opened the scoring after latching onto Dani Olmo’s pass and dashing towards goal from the halfway line, but it was Merchas Doski’s stunning strike that will be replayed over and over as the 26-year-old’s first-ever international goal dragged Iraq level.Spain remain unbeaten in regulation time across their last 29 matches, but will be looking to improve on back-to-back draws when they face Peru in Mexico next week.As it happenedThe first men’s international match at the Estadio de Riazor since September 2009 was cast into doubt when the stadium suffered damage during Deportivo La Coruña’s promotion celebrations, although it was deemed safe by authorities ahead of Thursday’s kick-off.Spain started well in their final friendly on home soil ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Alex Baena’s right-footed strike testing Ahmed Basil inside the opening 10 minutes.La Roja found the breakthrough soon after when Dani Olmo’s pass from within his own half sent Ferran Torres through and into space. The Barça forward darted beyond the Iraqi defence and rolled a fine finish underneath the outstretched arms of Basil, moving above both Sergio Ramos and Alfredo Di Stéfano in Spain’s all-time goalscorer charts in the process.Iraq had been second-best throughout the opening stages but made Spain pay when, with 27 minutes on the clock in Galicia, Merchas Doski dragged the visitors level with a tremendous lobbed shot from the left flank. The 26-year-old German-born defender latched onto Akam Hashim’s long ball over the top, opting to take a couple of touches and lob Joan Garcia from range to score his first-ever goal for his country.Thursday’s hosts sought to regain their lead immediately when Olmo beat the Iraqi offside trap but shot directly at Basil, and Baena nodded a header over the crossbar from an Alex Grimaldo cross moments later. Ferran could have completed a first-half brace too, though he was also denied by Basil, who tipped his strike from the edge of the box against the woodwork.After a flurry of changes at the break for both sides, Spain continued to search for their second goal of the night – and it didn’t look like they’d be made to wait long, as substitute Jesús Rodríguez dashed towards the edge of the box before unleashing a fierce effort that flew a couple of inches wide of the target.Crystal Palace’s Yéremy Pino saw his strike deflected behind for a corner, which was swung into a dangerous area by Baena but ultimately spurned. The full-back saw yet another teasing delivery come to nothing just before the hour mark, when his well-placed cross was fired wide of the target by substitute Gonzalo García under pressure from the Iraqi defence.The remainder of the second half played out at a considerably slower pace, in part thanks to non-stop substitutions. Ali Jasim was the only player to complete a full 90 minutes, with both managers making use of their benches in a bid to avoid costly injuries so close to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Iraq’s Graham Arnold will be – by some distance – the happier of the two head coaches as Spain stutter to a second consecutive draw following their stalemate with Egypt back in March.Iraq analysis: These moments of magic are all they needThursday’s pre-tournament friendly was always going to be a difficult test for Iraq against the reigning European champions, who also happen to be the favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.The gulf in quality between the sides was apparent. Iraq were sloppy in possession at times – although they looked rather dangerous on the counterattack, and were able to haul themselves level when a moment of magic from Merchas Doski caught Joan Garcia off guard.Thrust into a tricky group that also includes Norway, France and Senegal, those moments of magic will be exactly what Iraq hope to replicate this summer as they make their first appearance at the FIFA World Cup since losing all three of their group stage games in 1986.Drawing from behind against Spain – albeit only in a friendly – will offer significant confidence to Graham Arnold’s men, who have had a rather unusual path to their first World Cup in four decades.As the 62-year-old Australian told World Soccer, Iraq’s preparations for their intercontinental playoff against Bolivia were disrupted by the ongoing conflict in Iran, which forced the Lions of Mesopotamia to endure a two-and-a-half-day long journey to Mexico, via the Jordanian border and a stopover in Lisbon.But that will not matter anymore to Iraq, who now have the World Cup firmly in their sights and will be buoyed by what is, on paper, an impressive result against the tournament favourites.

Americans should think big about shaking up how we vote.

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WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 17: Baltimore Orioles third baseman Coby Mayo (16) reacts after his home run during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals on May 17, 2026 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Sometimes you eat the road, and sometimes the road eats you. I’m not totally sure how relevant that is to today’s Orioles-Red Sox game, but what I mean is, this was a total inversion of Wednesday’s lopsided, 8-1 loss. As the O’s unsuccessful starter that night, Chris Bassitt, said after the game, “When your starter goes three innings and gives up three runs, that’s pretty much a recipe for disaster, so this one’s on me.” Today, however, Orioles starter Trevor Rogers looked just fine, thanks, and it was a recipe for a win.An easy win, at that. Boston starter Brayan Bello has had a curiously bimodal 2026 season: when he starts games, he has a 9.68 ERA, but he’s under 1.00 when he comes in after an opener. Well, the Sox played with fate, and Bello got rocked in the first inning, to the tune of six runs. It wasn’t much of a nailbiter after that.It started with the leadoff pitch, which leadoff hitter Taylor Ward did something predictable to—he doubled—and a Bello cutter hit Gunnar Henderson on the foot. Adley Rutschman singled to the gap, and Ward made it 1-0. Then, oh no!, Pete Alonso hit into a double play. I confess thought the rally was over.I was very wrong. Samuel Basallo took a very grown-up walk. Leody Taveras singled through the infield and Gunnar scored. 2-0, Birds. Still not done: Colton Cowser walked to load the bases for Coby Mayo. Bello threw him a bunch of sweepers—one too many: Cowser skied a ball three-fourths of the way off The Monster, and all the little Orioles came home.Baltimore had one more trick up their sleeve, still with two outs: Jackson Holliday walked, and leadoff man Taylor Ward came back to the plate, and singled up the middle, his second hit of the inning. 6-0, Orioles, after one.Then, an improbable lull—or, a streak, I guess, if you’re in the Brayan Bello fan club. I can’t say many of us on this blog are. The 27-year-old recovered after that disastrous first inning to retire ten Orioles in a row. It was a gutsy effort to get some length for his team, give him that. At one point in the fifth, Brian Roberts, from the booth, said, “You might think this was a 0-0 game considering how these guys have been pitching since [the first inning].” Ohhh, Classic Roberts. (I have no idea if Brian Roberts is a jinx.) Right then, Pete Alonso singled to left, after which Sam Basallo torched a ball, 112.4 mph to right field. Surprising to me, this was the hardest-hit ball of Basallo’s young career. The Polar Bear chugged home to make it 7-0. Basallo, on third base after a groundout, came home and scored when Cowser hit a deep sac fly. 8-0, Orioles.An 8-0 score tells you that things were going pretty well for Trevor Rogers. The Orioles lefty, who’d struggled in his first ten outings this season but may be turning a corner, had himself an easy shutout through five innings, in fact a no-hitter until into the fifth. His control was pinpoint, and his fastball had movement! The only sour note was it looked, if we’re being honest, that he seemed to lose gas after that. He allowed three straight singles in the sixth inning, plus his first run of the game, and he couldn’t close out that frame against the Red Sox. Instead, manager Craig Albernaz lifted Rogers for Yennier Cano, who got one out and called it a day. Still, overall, progress for Trevor Rogers, who’d had an era of nearly eight on the season: one run in 5 2/3 innings will do. As MASN pointed out, Rogers now has five-inning-shutout starts in back-to-back appearances. Not much suspense after that. Andrew Kittredge had a five-outing scoreless streak entering this one, but he served up a home run to Willson Contreras. There are worse things one can do. The veteran righty kept it suspense-free after that.Any team can look great or terrible on any given day. Yesterday was the Orioles’ turn to be cannon fodder; today they were … the cannon? Either way, this team been stacking more of the good days instead of the bad days. Let’s see if it continues north of the border against Toronto.Who is your Most Birdland Player of the game? Trevor Rogers, with a stabilizing outing of 5 2/3 and one run? Coby Mayo, with a three-run double? Taylor Ward with a casual 3-for-5 day, including a double?

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 04: Stuart Fairchild #17 of the Cleveland Guardians prepares for a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 04, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images It was a great series for the Guardians in New York and we cannot be surprised their old nemesis Carlos Rodon shut them down yet again, and they lost 2-1Stuart Fairchild is a major league player, after all! Slade Cecconi pitched extremely well!Personally, I am a bit relieved the Guardians did not sweep because otherwise I would have been forced to create another reverse jinx series preview. I am happy with a series win against the Yankees. Let’s do that again next week

The fan who ran onto the court in a bid to take a photo with Victor Wembanyama during the NBA Finals has been banned for life from all NBA arenas (Ronald Cortes)A fan who crashed the court in San Antonio in a bid to take a selfie with Spurs star Victor Wembanyama during game one of the NBA Finals has been banned for life from all league arenas, an NBA spokesperson said Thursday."The individual who entered the court area during Game 1 of The Finals was arrested and will be banned for life from all NBA arenas," the spokesperson said."A second individual will also receive a lifetime ban for his role in the incident," the spokesperson added.The incident briefly halted play midway through the fourth quarter of the New York Knicks' game one triumph at Frost Bank Center.The fan ran onto the court holding up a cellphone, stopping in front of a bemused Wembanyama and Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson before security guards pushed him away then hustled him off the court.The Bexar County Sheriff's Office told the San Antonio Express-News that that the selfie-seeker was a juvenile, so his name would not be released.But he was arrested on charges of intentionally interfering with a lawful gathering and criminal trespass for entering the court area despite having notice that such entry was prohibited.Wembanyama admitted after the game he was non-plussed by the whole situation."I've never been in that situation," Wembanyama said. "I didn't know how to act."It really surprised me, almost as much as that time (when) a bat crossed the court," added the French star, who experienced the bat fly-by during a game at the Frost Bank Center in his rookie season.Spurs coach Mitch Johnson downplayed the incident after the game."I don't think it was an event at all," Johnson said. "I thought security got him out of there. I think everybody moved on to the next play."US media reported Thursday that the NBA is also looking into a fan's interaction with Knicks star Jalen Brunson during game one that led Brunson to complain to referee Scott Foster about the fan's behavior.The broadcast of the game showed Brunson in a heated exchange with a fan at courtside in the final minute of the game. The Athletic reported that the league was investigating whether the fan inappropriately taunted the player.bb/amz

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober was placed on the injured list this past Sunday with a mild flexor strain in his right elbow. However, the six-year MLB veteran says he hurt his elbow because the baseballs used during his May 24 start against the Boston Red Sox were too slick and not rubbed down with mud properly. “I haven’t dealt with poorly rubbed up baseballs to that extent ever,” Ober told the Minnesota Star-Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale. “The only way to be able to throw slick baseballs is to grip them harder, so you can execute your pitches. If not, you’re not going to know where the ball is going, especially with breaking pitches.”By rule, MLB requires new baseballs to be rubbed down with Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud before games to take the gloss off the ball. Umpires were first tasked with rubbing the baseballs with the mud, but clubhouse attendants have typically done so for years. Umpires are still required to check the baseballs before they’re used in a game.Major League Baseball requires game balls to be rubbed down with mud before being used in play. (Photo by Chuck Solomon /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) Chuck Solomon via Getty Images“I threw my warmup pitches, and I immediately asked for a new one,” Ober added. “I got that one back, and it was the same thing. Every ball that I got after that was the same thing.”Exacerbating the condition of the baseballs during the Twins’ 6-5 win on May 24 was the game being played in cold, rainy weather. Ober filed a complaint with the MLB Players Association after the game, while Minnesota manager Derek Shelton lodged a complaint with MLB on Ober’s behalf. Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentMLB investigated the baseballs used in that game, following Ober and Shelton’s complaints and determined they were up to league standards, according to the Star Tribue.Ober’s issue with the baseballs was supported by Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray. Speaking to the Boston Globe afterward, Gray did not complain about the baseballs but said the conditions made pitching very difficult. “Brutal. Brutal. Brutal. Absolutely brutal [conditions],” Gray said, via the Globe’s Tim Healey. “It is what it is. It was brutal for everyone.”Gray allowed three runs and six hits with two walks in four innings, throwing 75 pitchers. Ober gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings with 82 pitches. In his next start on May 30, Ober allowed seven earned runs on 12 hits (three of them home runs) over 4 2/3 innings in a 10-9 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. He told the Star Tribune that his arm felt “beat up” after the start against the Red Sox, but felt better going into his next appearance until the second inning.Gripping a baseball too tightly can lead to injuries like forearm strains, elbow tendinitis and stress to an elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament. Ober underwent Tommy John surgery in 2015 while pitching for the College of Charleston. An MRI showed no ligament damage in his right elbow, but Ober will be shut down from throwing for 10 to 14 days because of the mild flexor strain. This is the first time he’s been on the IL.

SAN ANTONIO — Jalen Brunson delivered in the clutch, but Rick Brunson saved the day.The Knicks watched the Spurs march to the free-throw line time and time again in the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, and they began to lose their cool, beginning with head coach Mike Brown, who admitted as much during his postgame press conference after the victory.“I didn’t do a good job of keeping my mind present in the game, and neither did our players,” he said. “We were all b------ too much at the officials.”Brown credited his assistant coach for keeping the team in line.“Rick Brunson was great. He told me to shut the hell up — sorry, Mom — he told me to shut up, or be quiet, and he told the rest of the team to be quiet and leave the officials alone,” Brown continued. “It was great of him because we were all kind of losing our mind, and I did it. Rest of the guys did it, and it helped us put our energy elsewhere, especially in the second half.”The Spurs took six free throws in the first quarter while the Knicks did not take a single trip to the foul line. By halftime, the Spurs led the free-throw margin, 12-3.“Honestly, [he said] we’ve just gotta stay solid. We can’t let that get in the way of what we’re trying to accomplish,” Miles McBride told the Daily News. “We’re in a hostile environment, and there’s a human aspect to it all, so we’ve just gotta stay solid and play our game.”The Knicks trailed the Spurs 55-48 at the half and were down 14 midway through the third quarter. They responded with a 25-11 run to tie the game entering the fourth quarter and outscored the Spurs 29-19 in the final frame.“[He said] just leave the refs alone, focus on what we’ve gotta get done, and that’s what we can control,” Jordan Clarkson said. “Those are uncontrollable situations that we’re in. We just wanna come in here, keep continuing to put our will in the game and stay locked-in.”The Knicks ultimately shot 16 of 18 from the foul line, attempting seven fewer free throws than the Spurs, who missed five, in Game 1.Hand it to mitchMitchell Robinson played 13 minutes with protection around his surgically-repaired right hand and logged two points and six rebounds in Game 1 on Wednesday. Brown said he didn’t think his backup center was limited by the fracture to the fifth metacarpal in his dominant hand.“He caught a lob. He was still a vertical threat. If you don’t pull in to tag him, it’s a dunk, and when he rolls like he rolls and creates that weak side to pull in, our guys have to spray the basketball,” Brown said. “And then defensively, I thought he was pretty good, defensively, as well, trying to rebound, keeping those guys off the glass.”Court jesterRobinson was on the floor when a fan stormed the court in the fourth quarter and took a selfie next to Victor Wembanyama. Security quickly grabbed the fan and escorted him off the floor.“I’ve never been in that situation,” Wembanyama said. “I didn’t know how to act. It really surprised me, almost as much as that time where a bat crossed the court.”

A new poll conducted by GLAAD ahead of Pride Month shows that large majorities of Americans support companies that support Pride as well as politicians who oppose anti-LGBTQ+ attacks. The poll found that 68% of registered voters agreed that companies and brands should be able to show support to the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, 61% believe public corporate support of the LGBTQ+ community has a positive impact on the community’s acceptance, and 76% are more likely to trust a brand that sticks to its values and stands up for what is right, even if it is controversial. Related Pride returns to Budapest after dictator was voted out The poll was conducted by GLAAD in partnership with MRI-Simmons between March 16 and April 2, 2026. The poll included a nationally representative sample of 5,010 U.S. adults who were surveyed online. The survey addressed questions focusing on the midterm elections as well, finding that large majorities of respondents favor candidates who stand up for LGBTQ+ rights and against discrimination. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Approximately 70% of registered voters are more likely to support a midterm candidate who says, “We should focus more on lowering the cost of living and creating jobs, than on issues about transgender people, like restricting government IDs or healthcare for transgender people,” the poll found. Among respondents, 74% said they are more likely to support a midterm candidate who says, “We all deserve the freedom to live our lives without fear of discrimination.” Approximately 65% of those respondents believe politicians are using transgender issues as a distraction from more important priorities, like affordability. Only 8% of registered voters say that “Transgender issues are a top concern.” “These results confirm what most Americans already believe: we are at our best when we treat our friends, family, and neighbors with basic dignity and respect,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said. “Voters are tired of divisive culture wars that distract from the real issues keeping families up at night, like the skyrocketing costs of housing, fuel, healthcare, and groceries,” she added. “This Pride season, let’s recommit to the core values of freedom and community, and call on elected leaders and companies to focus on the practical solutions that actually move our country forward,” Ellis continued. “True leadership,” she said, means “fairness for everyone.” Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel, second left, and Raul Castro's grandson Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, center back, take part in a rally in support of former President Raul Castro in front of the U.S. Embassy in Havana, Cuba, Friday, May 22, 2026, after U.S. prosecutors filed an indictment accusing him of ordering the 1996 shootdown of civilian planes flown by Miami-based exiles. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)2026-06-04T21:03:32Z WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has imposed sanctions on Cuba’s President Miguel Díaz-Canel, along with his wife and three other individuals, according to a filing on Thursday from the U.S. Treasury Department.Also included in the sanctions are Alejandro Castro Espín, the sole son of former President Raúl Castro and Vilma Espín. He served as an advisor to Cuba’s Defense and National Security Commission and was present when Raúl Castro met with former U.S. President Barack Obama in Havana during a historic March 2016 meeting.The sanctions come after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order expanding sanctions against the island and has been threatening military action ever since ousting Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January and then ordering an energy blockade that choked off fuel shipments to Cuba. That has led to severe blackouts, food shortages and an economic collapse across the island. It took on new weight after the U.S. announced criminal charges against the island’s former leader, Raúl Castro. Trump has ratcheted up talk of regime change in Cuba after pledging to conduct a “friendly takeover” of the country if its leadership did not open its economy to American investment and kick out U.S. adversaries. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Trump’s preference is to reach a deal with the island’s socialist leadership, but has said he is doubtful the U.S. can reach a diplomatic resolution with the island’s current government. Read More Last month, Rubio defended the Trump administration’s decision to slap new sanctions on Havana, the largest of which is against Grupo de Administración Empresarial S.A., a business conglomerate operated by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces.The Associated Press reached out to Cuban authorities and did not receive a response. The new sanctions boost pressure on the Cuban government, but are far from the first time the U.S. has imposed sanctions against heads of state or government and their relatives. The U.S. hit former Sudanese President Omar Bashir and former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in the early 2000s and more recently targeted former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife with sanctions.___Associated Press reporter Danica Coto contributed to this report. Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america FATIMA HUSSEIN Hussein reports on the U.S. Treasury Department for The Associated Press. She covers tax policy, sanctions and any issue that relates to money. twitter mailto

President Donald Trump signed an executive order for AI companies to provide the federal government early access to their newest models, an effort to weigh national and cybersecurity risks before they reach market. What do you think? “He should also require Frito-Lay to give him early access to new Doritos flavors.” Bertha Monk, Avocado Pitter “There’s no one I’d trust more with something I understand less.” Rudy Porihis, Canister Filler “Yeah, I heard he’s got the new Xbox, too.” Antoine Duffield, Boat Christener The post Trump Orders Advanced Federal Review Of Frontier AI Models appeared first on The Onion.

Real Madrid President Florentino Perez has announced the first three new signings of what he expects to be his next reign ahead of winning the election on June 7. Furthermore, he promised his club will also bid $174 million for another player next week, in what will be an all-time highest offer from the Spanish giant.AFP via Getty ImagesReal Madrid President Florentino Perez has announced the first three new signings of what he expects to be his next reign ahead of winning the election on June 7. Furthermore, he promised his club will also bid $174 million (€150 million) for another player next week, in would be an all-time highest offer from the La Liga giant in the transfer market.Perez made his claims while appearing on the Horizonte show on Spanish television Thursday night.“[Jose] Mourinho and [Ibrahima] Konaté are coming... and now I say [Denzel] Dumfries,” Perez stated, when asked about new signings. “[Dumfries is] a very good right-back. But we’re going to have good players in other positions. I’m going to make an offer to a Champions League club soon, on Tuesday, which will be the biggest payment Madrid would have made for a player in their history, €150 million at least,” Perez vowed. "It’s not [Jeremy] Doku and it’s not [Erling] Haaland... But he plays up front, he’s a striker. But first we will talk to the club, we will not do what this man has done," Perez concluded on this, in a dig at ballot box rival Enrique Riquelme.FORBES | By Tom SandersonReal Madrid President Perez Announces Jose Mourinho As New ManagerReal Madrid boss Perez has kept his wordThough he attempted to deflect attention away from Riquelme’s appearance on El Hormiguero by announcing Mourinho via X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday evening, Perez has kept his word in previously stating he would announce a new signing.In addition to this, Mourinho’s current employers Benfica have confirmed via an official statement that Real Madrid will pay his $17.4 million (€15 million) release clause if Perez wins the most votes on Sunday.Riquelme claimed during his TV outing to have Rodri and Erling Haaland signed, which has seen him face the threat of legal action from Manchester City. When contacted by Cadena SER, Haaland’s camp also denied knowledge of any agreement.Perez hasn’t named his mystery $174 million man in order to not upset other clubs and also keep his cards close to his chest.Remember this is a figure that delivered on his word to land Luis Figo when he was the star player of bitter rival FC Barcelona at the turn of the century, in what proved to be his first election win.Riquelme has followed the Perez blueprint by promising that he will pay Real Madrid members’ fees if he doesn’t keep his word on bringing Rodri and Haaland to the Bernabeu after becoming president.This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Ivory Coast full-back Guela Doue, the French-born older brother of France international Desire Doue, equalised on 53 minutes (Loic VENANCE)Amad Diallo scored a late winner as Ivory Coast stunned France 2-1 in a World Cup warm-up match in Nantes on Thursday.France captain Kylian Mbappe had been hoping to break Olivier Giroud's record of 57 goals for Les Bleus in what was his 97th appearance for his country but had a fruitless evening and was replaced by head coach Didier Deschamps at half-time, leaving him stuck on 56 goals in second place.Rayan Cherki had given France the lead in the last minute of the first half with a powerful low strike after some neat footwork in the box.But Guela Doue, the French-born older brother of France international Desire Doue, equalised on 53 minutes.And Manchester United winger Diallo, who came on as a second half substitute, gave the Elephants victory with an instinctive finish six minutes from time.France, who are one of the World Cup favourites, will play another friendly against Northern Ireland in Lille on Monday before beginning their bid for a third world title on June 16 against Senegal in East Rutherford.A largely second-string Spain were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by Iraq, preparing for their first World Cup appearance since 1986, in A Coruna.The European champions opened the scoring through Ferran Torres, their captain for the night, on 16 minutes.But a cross from German-born left-back Merchas Doski surprised goalkeeper Joan Garcia just 11 minutes later.Spain dominated possession and Torres hit the bar five minutes before the break but Spain, whose coach Luis de la Fuente gave seven players who are not part of his World Cup squad their international debuts on the night, could not find a winner.Meanwhile, Iran finished off their World Cup preparation with a 2-0 victory over Mali in Turkey.They are due to leave for their tournament base in Mexico on Saturday having finally received their entry visas this week.However, they are yet to receive US visas and are due to play all three of their group matches in the United States, starting with New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 16.Someone who did receive his US visa, though, was Switzerland forward Breel Embolo.He had been prevented from flying to the US with the rest of the squad on Tuesday as his electronic travel authorisation was placed under review.However, the Swiss federation announced on Thursday that his visa had been approved and that Embolo would travel on Friday to join his teammates.bur-bc/

Under the shadow of the Rock of Gibraltar and in front of just 300 fans, Northern Ireland's game with Guinea may not be their biggest game of the international window. But it does show the continued direction of travel and development of Michael O'Neill's side.When Northern Ireland played Luxembourg in November 2024 it was their youngest starting team on record since the end of World War Two. With the likes of Shea Charles, Isaac Price, Justin Devenny and Trai Hume having another 18 months of experience and caps, Northern Ireland surpassed that tally again on Thursday.In La Linea, O'Neill's young side started with an average age of just 22.1 against the African opposition.Liverpool teenager Kieran Morrison was handed his debut, while fellow 19-year-old Tom Atcheson of Blackburn Rovers impressed with the decisive goal before he was sent off in the second half.At 28, Ciaron Brown and winger Paul Smyth would almost be classed as elderly by comparison, but the youthful team got the job done despite playing the final 25 minutes with 10 men after Atcheson was dismissed for a last man tackle.Just like in a victory over Iceland a year ago, a 1-0 home win after Brodie Spencer was sent off, it showed resilience beyond their years. While there was some short-term pain back in 2023, Northern Ireland and manager O'Neill have seen the benefits of introducing players to senior international football at a young age.Those youngsters have blossomed into seasoned internationals, and the next generation are starting to get their chance.In the second half, Arsenal teenager Ceadach O'Neill was handed his debut off the bench, and while Everton's 18-year-old Braiden Graham did not get on the pitch in Spain, it will only be a matter of time before he earns a senior cap.Goalkeeper Pierce Charles - only 20 and linked with a move away from Sheffield Wednesday - got another 45 minutes under his belt and, like many of his team-mates, is wise beyond his years.With O'Neill's future as manager now certain after he signed a new deal until 2032, the trajectory of the team is clear. "It's really good, I feel like one of the old ones now, which is a bit mad," said Southampton midfielder Charles, Pierce's older brother, who has 35 caps at 22 years of age."It's a really good group and it has been for a few years now. "It's really important to get the younger ones to mould into the group well and playing games is only going to help that."Charles also praised Atcheson despite his red card, saying he will "bounce back" from his dismissal.Justin Devenny, fresh from Crystal Palace's Uefa Conference League success, agreed with Charles and said "there is some real quality coming through"."They have been great in training all week and they totally deserve their chance," the 22-year-old added."You could see their quality on the pitch, with them getting used to the system but they have fitted in brilliantly. "There is a lot more to come because there is some real quality there."Atcheson scores and is sent off as NI beat GuineaNI 'showed great character' in Guinea win - O'NeillQuiz: Can you name every country Northern Ireland have faced?'No fear' against FranceDespite the introduction of highly-rated teenager O'Neill, the age profile increased in the second half as Jamie Reid - who missed a chance from six yards - and Josh Magennis both played a part, while Trai Hume offered Premier League experience and Luke Southwood was handed a long-awaited chance in goal.The 28-year-old, who made his debut against Luxembourg in 2022, finally got his second cap as a half-time substitute.Southwood played his role in the win as he tipped Lass Kourouma's powerful drive onto the crossbar in injury time to secure the win for 10-man Northern Ireland.As Charles said, "we had to grind it out towards the end".After missing out on the World Cup, Northern Ireland's biggest game this summer will come on Monday as they take on France, in what will be their send-off game in Lille.Having faced Germany and Italy in the past eight months, and Spain two years ago, Northern Ireland are getting experience against the best players in the game.Charles says that enables them to play with "no fear".The long-term goal, and certainly in the hope, the high-profile fixtures will provide lessons for a return to a first major tournament for Northern Ireland since Euro 2016."Playing a team like France, they are probably the favourites for the World Cup so it will be a really exciting test for us," Charles added."We'll be able to see where we are at. It will be a really fun game so I am looking forward to it."With the young team we have there's not much fear here. There's more excitement than nerves or fear."Devenny added that he hoped Northern Ireland "can show our quality" despite being huge underdogs against the star-studded side."It's very exciting playing against one of the best teams in the world, if not the best," he said."Even when their starting XI comes off you know their XI is going to be different class as well."It will be a great occasion and it will be good to challenge ourselves. I'm hoping we can show our quality as well."

Donald Trump has confirmed reports that he will attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday, when his hometown New York Knicks will take on the San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. He may even stick around for Game 4 later in the week. “I’ve been a Knicks fan for a long time, and I’m also a Jim Dolan fan,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday, nodding to the team’s longtime conservative owner. “He has invited me, I’m going,” the president continued, adding “maybe I’ll do both” when asked about potentially attending Game 4.Trump on going to the NBA Finals: Wemby's a great player. He's going to be a great player and he is already a great player. I’m going. Could be Monday. Maybe I’ll do both. pic.twitter.com/SBeDujD3vt— Acyn (@Acyn) June 4, 2026 The high-profile series kicked off Wednesday night, with the underdog Knicks erasing a sizable deficit in the third quarter to take Game 1 in San Antonio. Trump said on Thursday that he caught the first part of the game, but missed the middle because “I talk to generals all night long now.” He did catch the end of the game, he says, when the Jalen Brunson-led Knicks were “dominant” and “really amazing.” “Wemby is a great player,” Trump added of the Spurs’ budding superstar. “I say how do you guard this guy? He’s seven-foot-five and he’s got a great shot, right? But they find a way to do it. They’re really great. They’re a great team. I’m happy for Jim because Jim has been fighting hard to produce such a team.” Game 3 will be the first Finals game in Madison Square Garden since 1999, when the Knicks lost to the Spurs in five games. Trump will be only one of the celebrities in attendance. Big names like Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Tracy Morgan, Fat Joe, and, of course, Spike Lee have been court-side fixtures during the Knicks’ playoff run. If you’re a normal person who wants to watch Game 3 in person, it will cost nearly $10,000 just to get inside the building. More from Rolling StoneJames Comey: 'Justice Can't Be a Political Force' House Votes to End Iran War in a Bipartisan Swipe Against Trump'This Cruelty is Intentional': The New Jersey Lawmakers Fighting to Shut Down Delaney HallBest of Rolling StoneThe Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential CampaignAnatomy of a Fake News ScandalThe Radical Crusade of Mike PenceSign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Dec 21, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) warms up before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Fantasy football players, rejoice! The Detroit Lions are going to let Jahmyr Gibbs run free in 2026.During his press conference ahead of Detroit’s sixth OTA practice, coach Dan Campbell revealed that they plan on Gibbs being their “bell cow” back this upcoming season. “He’s going to be our bell cow now. He really became more of that last year, but we’re going to hang our hat on him quite a bit,” Campbell said. “We’re going to do a lot of things we feel like he does well. Now, I’ve mentioned this before. He can run everything that we’ve got. He can run every scheme that anybody’s ever run. He’s not just an outside runner. He is not just a space runner. He can create his own space in the middle. And some of his biggest runs have been gap scheme right down the pipe where he’s had patience and found it and guys blocked it up well. So, we’re going to ask a lot of him.” Last year, Gibbs set a career-high with 320 touches (243 rushes, 77 catches), played the most snaps of his three-year career (737), and earned his third straight Pro Bowl trip. With the Lions trading away David Montgomery this offseason after the veteran back requested a trade to a team that could give him a bigger role, the path is cleared for Gibbs to take another step. And the fourth-year back does not seem fazed by the task ahead of him.“It’s not nothing I’m not used to,” Gibbs said. “Growing up I’ve always been the person that’s always had the most carries and stuff like that. I’m not looking at in any different (way) from any other year.” As for where he can grow in this offseason in 2026, Gibbs said his game just needs to be more consistent on a week-to-week basis. He’ll also have the help of new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing to forge a more impactful role for him in 2026. As for what that increased role will look like, that depends on what this team does well over the next few months before the season begins. “A lot of it’s going to be dictated by what we’re good at as a unit,” Petzing said of Gibbs’ role in 2026. “Where are we the best, where are we the most effective? Who are we playing and how do we utilize his skillset to build on that? “I mean, he does so many things at a high level that I don’t think there’s necessarily a ceiling or a cap on what that could look like, but I think that’s going to be dictated a lot by the people around them and how the pieces all fit together.”Obviously, Gibbs won’t be completely alone. The Lions did sign Isiah Pacheco this offseason to help take some of Montgomery’s role. And Gibbs has come away impressed with the former Chiefs seventh-round pick. “A lot of juice. He’s very energetic,” Gibbs said. “He’s a fun person to be around. He plays really hard. He wants to do anything for the team that Dan calls him to do. He’ll do it.” Still, it is clearly now the Jahmyr Gibbs show in the Detroit Lions backfield, and that’s only going to add to the hype around a back who is already getting some Offensive Player of the Year consideration.

As part of Yahoo's 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One, you pick one player to score the most goals in the World Cup group stage this summer. Choosing from the list of 12 provided, you get three points for each goal that player scores in his team's first three games of the tournament.The major and obvious difference between picking a top player here and picking a Golden Boot winner is that this contest is for the group stage only. That means players whose teams are less likely to make a deep run can be more valuable, and group matchups are more important, since a tough group can't be overcome simply by playing more games.You're still going to want a top team's player who ideally takes penalties, since one or two extra goals in the group stage are even more valuable than in a tournament-long competition.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentHere's a rundown of the Pick 'Em choices, beginning with my least-favorite pick and working up my list of preferences to my first choice …Lamine Yamal (Spain)Were he fully healthy, Yamal would be a much stronger candidate. Even though head coach Luis de la Fuente has said he could be fit for the opener, it's hard to see Yamal playing the majority of all three games. He's also only taken one penalty for Spain, so he may not be the first option if he's on the field.Romelu Lukaku (Belgium)He did score his 90th international goal in a warm-up against Croatia, and he might take penalties if Kevin De Bruyne does not. But how much is he actually going to play as Belgium transitions to a new generation led by Jeremy Doku? Not enough for me to choose him.Christian Pulisic isn’t a lock to lead the U.S. in scoring this summer.Omar Vega/USSF via Getty ImagesChristian Pulisic (United States)The Americans are Group D favorites, but only because they're playing at home. The teams of every other player on this list are much heavier favorites, so as much as I'd love to choose the U.S. penalty-taker, my head won't let me. The U.S. will face two defense-first teams in Paraguay and Australia, then a better team in Türkiye. Pulisic looked great in a tune-up against Senegal, but it's hard to see him getting more than two or three goals at best. Ousmane Dembélé (France) & Bakayo Saka (England)The argument against both of these attackers is the same. Neither is the first-choice penalty-taker, and neither is the focal point of his team's attack. Each is capable of racking up shots and goals, but I'm not picking either one straight up.Cody Gakpo (Netherlands)Four years ago, Gakpo scored a goal in each group game as Netherlands made a run to the quarterfinals. He somehow keeps scoring goals for the Dutch, with 19 through 49 caps. Memphis Depay's injury concerns make Gakpo more appealing as a possible penalty-taker, but I think Depay will steal enough scoring opportunities from Gakpo to make me look elsewhere.Vinícius Júnior (Brazil)For whatever reason, Vinicius Junior hasn't been able to replicate his club form on the international stage, with nine goals through his first 48 caps, including two in 11 qualifiers this cycle. He's taken only one penalty, so even though Brazil has two tasty matchups with massive underdogs Haiti and Scotland, I'm passing on Viní.Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)Ronaldo is the only man to score at five World Cups, but he had exactly one goal in four of those five tournaments. He did lead Portugal with five goals (one penalty) in qualifying, and he could certainly pad his stats against Uzbekistan and Congo, but I'd rather choose someone I expect to play more than the 41-year-old is likely to do.Lionel Messi (Argentina)Messi nearly won the Golden Boot four years ago, and he led Argentina with eight goals in qualifying, double the total of any teammate. Surprisingly, none of those goals were penalties. Messi could easily bang in a few goals against minnow Jordan, or the 38-year-old could sit out that game and let his talented teammates handle things. I don't hate picking Messi for this, but I'm looking elsewhere.Kylian Mbappé (France)With a hat trick in the 2022 final, Mbappé walked away with the Golden Boot, and he has a total of 12 goals in two previous World Cups. However under head coach Didier Deschamps, France tends to favor a defensive style, despite its overwhelming offensive firepower. Because of that, I'm not convinced France will be at full power right out of the gate. I like Mbappé more as a Golden Boot winner than as the scoring leader after the group stage.Erling Haaland (Norway)The world's best striker is certainly an appealing pick after scoring 16 goals (no penalties!) in eight qualifiers, especially in a contest like this one that doesn't require a long tournament run. But he didn't face a defense like group opponents France or even Senegal in any of those qualifiers. I don't begrudge anyone who wants to pick him, but he's my second choice here.Harry Kane (England)Eight years ago, Kane won the Golden Boot with six goals (three penalties), all in the group stage, including a hat trick against Panama. He again faces Panama this year, plus an aging Croatia and a Ghana side with defensive question marks. Head coach Thomas Tuchel has said he wants to play an aggressive style rather than the conservative approach of his predecessor, Gareth Southgate. England did just that in qualifying, outscoring opponents 22-0 in eight games, led by Kane with eight goals (one penalty). He's chalky, but he and England check all the boxes to make him my first choice.

Former Southern Miss football quarterback and radio color analyst James Victor "Vic" Purvis died on May 31 following a years-long battle with Alzheimer's. He was 82."He was a great person," Purvis' longtime broadcast partner John Cox told The Hattiesburg American. "He would do anything for anybody. The guys he played with always told me he was a great teammate. He was a great guy to be around."Purvis was born on Nov. 17, 1943, in Rankin County, Mississippi. He attended Puckett High School and played football, basketball and baseball excelling in all three. Purvis, the quarterback for Puckett, stood out the most in football, earning all-state honors and a scholarship to play at Southern Miss."We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former Golden Eagle Vic Purvis," Southern Miss football wrote on social media. "Vic was an outstanding football player and radio analyst at Southern Miss. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time."We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former Golden Eagle Vic PurvisVic was an outstanding football player and radio analyst at Southern Miss. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this difficult time💛💛 pic.twitter.com/Ejfh9BaQvN— Southern Miss Football (@SouthernMissFB) June 1, 2026Purvis spent five years with the Golden Eagles, redshirting his second season. Purvis started at quarterback in all but one game Southern Miss played in from 1963-65. In 1964 and 1965, Purvis led Southern Miss in rushing, running for 422 yards and 633 yards, respectively. Also in 1964, Purvis threw for a career-high 802 yards and five touchdowns.In 1965 against Memphis, Purvis ran for 238 yards, which remains the third-most rushing yards in a single game by any Southern Miss player. The next week, he ran for 203 yards against Richmond. He had a brief professional stint in the American Football League, playing defensive back and special teams for the then-Boston Patriots. After two seasons, a shoulder injury put an end to his playing days. He finished his professional career with 228 return yards as a punt and kick returner.Purvis returned to Hattiesburg and started his radio career with Southern Miss' radio network, appearing on air with former play-by-play man Bill Goodrich for a few games in 1974. He started as the full-time color analyst for the Golden Eagles in 1975 and continued until his retirement in 2014."He was very knowledgeable about the game of football," Cox said. "One because he played at Southern Miss and two because he continued to do it professionally. He was very prepared. Even as the game changed from when he played in the '60s, he kept up and new the nuances of the game. He was a part of 471 broadcasts over his career, many of which were alongside Cox. Cox also joined the booth in 1974, acting as a spotter for Purvis and Goodrich, and officially took over play-by-play duties in 1979."There was no doubt, when you listened to Vic, that he was a Southern Miss guy and rooting for the Golden Eagles," Cox said. "Not overboard where he'd be a homer, but you could tell by the way he did ballgames that he would hurt when the team wasn't winning, and he would enjoy it when the team was winning. He loved Southern Miss."Funeral services were June 3 at his longtime church, Temple Baptist. Instead of requesting flowers, Purvis' family asked for donations directed to the Southern Miss Athletic Department.He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Gaye Purvis and his brothers Don and Russell. Purvis was also the father of four daughters, Kim Purvis Speed, Staci Purvis Maddox, Bari Purvis Oglesbee and Victoria Purvis Miles."He always talked about his family," Cox said. "He was always proud of any accomplishments that his daughters would have. When we were on road trips together, he'd keep us up to date on what his girls were doing and he'd let us know if there were new members of his family coming along. His family was a big part of his life."Davis Wilson covers Southern Miss athletics and Hattiesburg news for the Hattiesburg American. Email him at DWilson@hattiesb.gannett.com or find him on X at @Davis_Wilson.This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Former Southern Miss football QB and radio color analyst Vic Purvis dies at 82

To a man, every member of the team walked out of HSBC Arena that night 20 years ago believing the Buffalo Sabres would win Game 7 and earn a trip to the Stanley Cup final.Why wouldn’t players be confident? A tight-knit group that started the season with little or no expectations had come this far, taking the post-lockout NHL by storm.When the Sabres began losing defensemen at a startling rate — three were injured by Game 6 of the Eastern Conference final on May 30, 2006 — the league’s best ensemble bent but never broke.So after co-captain Daniel Briere scored in overtime to give the Sabres a 2-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes and force Game 7, it felt like destiny.“We’re losing defenseman one by one each game that series, and we find a way to win,” former Sabres winger J.P. Dumont told GNN Sports. “And everybody was like, ‘Oh my God, boys, we got this.’ Now the pressure’s on them.”Following the game, as raucous fans made so much noise the home dressing room shook, Sabres goalie Martin Biron said he noticed the special look in the eyes of coach Lindy Ruff, Briere and co-captain Chris Drury.That told Biron they knew the Sabres would win Game 7.Biron had seen that same look in Ruff’s eyes when the Sabres reached the final in 1999.“It was no doubt we’re getting there after Game 6,” Biron told GNN Sports.Biron had won gold medals playing alongside Briere for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship and World Championship. Drury had won the Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2001.“Look, we had great leadership, right?” Biron said. “We had Chris Drury, who had won a Stanley Cup, who knew what it takes. You could see him after Game 6 in the locker room, and Dru wasn’t a vocal guy, but you could see it in his eyes, and he’s walking around like, ‘I’m going to have a chance to win a Cup again because we have that type of team to get it done.’”Briere and Drury set the tone and established an inclusive culture. For example, Dumont said every player attended every team function that season.“That year, I’m not joking, everybody was there for everything,” he said. “It was amazing. It was amazing. It was something really special.”The Sabres displayed their special bond on the ice. They possessed loads of confidence. Everyone contributed up and down the lineup.“Everything was fitting,” Dumont said. “Everybody accepted their role. Everybody was playing. … Everybody was looking ahead like we’re all going to do this together, right?“And every game, if you look back, every game was a different line, big goals by defensemen, right? It was not just one guy who had to do everything. This was what was so special for us.”When the blue line started getting thin, the Sabres, who possessed depth everywhere but defense, turned to players they had utilized little during the regular season.After Dmitri Kalinin suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Game 2 of their second-round upset of the Ottawa Senators, Rory Fitzpatrick moved into the lineup.When Teppo Numminen suffered a hip flexor in Game 2 against Carolina, Doug Janik played his first NHL game in more than two years.Henrik Tallinder broke his arm the next game, forcing Jeff Jillson, who had played two regular-season contests that year, into action.Having lost half of their regular corps, the remaining regulars – Brian Campbell, Toni Lydman and Jay McKee – absorbed more minutes.After skating 26 minutes, 19 seconds in Game 6, McKee said he “went home knowing in my heart we were winning the Stanley Cup.”“It was just a moment I had,” he said on Jan. 15 when members of the 2005-06 team reunited for a 20th anniversary celebration. “I just had that feeling going to bed.”The next day, a staph infection that became systemic forced McKee to be hospitalized. His teammates had no clue as they waited for him on the plane.McKee usually played cards with Biron, Briere and Dumont during flights. When a trainer told them McKee was in the hospital, Dumont thought he was joking.“When we saw the door shutting down, and it was like, ‘Oh man, this is serious,’ ” he said.Still, the Sabres believed McKee could join them in Carolina.“I’m like, ‘Where the hell is Jay?’” Biron said. “And they’re like, ‘He’s going to meet us in Carolina. He had to go get some stuff done at the hospital or whatever.’ and we’re like, ‘OK.’”But McKee never made it.Nathan Paetsch, who had played his first NHL game months earlier, was forced to replace McKee. The rookie had been rehabbing from a high ankle sprain he suffered with the Rochester Americans and hadn’t played in 62 days.As much as McKee’s loss jolted the Sabres, Biron doesn’t believe it rattled them.“You’re such in that mode at that moment, right, that you could lose 10 guys, you still think you’re going to win,” he said.Of course, on June 1, 2006, the Sabres fell 4-2 in Game 7 after taking a 2-1 lead – Janik and forward Jochen Hecht scored late in the second period – into the third.After Doug Weight tied the game 1:34 into the third period, Rod Brind’Amour’s power play goal following Campbell’s delay of game penalty put the Hurricanes up for good.“We had that 2-1 lead, and … there was still a sense of belief in our structure, the way we were playing, that I don’t think we ever counted ourselves as underdogs or ever thought for one minute we weren’t going to win that series,” Janik told GNN Sports.Twenty years later, the loss still stings. Maybe it doesn’t bother some guys every day, but they occasionally feel it.After the Montreal Canadiens eliminated the Sabres in the second round of the playoffs last month, Ruff mentioned he wanted another crack at the Hurricanes in the conference final.Blowing that lead in the third period still plays in winger Ales Kotalik’s head.“I will always remember that third period that we lost in Carolina,” he said on Jan. 15. “We were told in the locker room that we have it all to win it, and it was so unfortunate, and the biggest empty feeling that I felt when the game was over, that the chance is gone.”If the Sabres had advanced, they would’ve faced the Edmonton Oilers, a team, on paper at least, that the Sabres appeared more than capable of defeating.Instead, the Hurricanes won a seven-game series over the Oilers to capture their first Stanley Cup.Dumont felt cheated — “By the game, by the hockey gods,” he said — that night as he processed the injuries the Sabres endured and the bitter loss.“I remember everybody looking at each other in the room, it was the feeling we came so close,” he said. “Now we know. If it happens again, we know what we’re going to have to do. But there were no regrets.”Dumont never received another chance in Buffalo because the Sabres walked away from his arbitration award that summer. He signed with the Nashville Predators.During the Sabres’ recent playoff run, when broadcasters mentioned a potential rematch with the Hurricanes in the conference final or their 2006 Cup win, Dumont said he groaned.“It’s like a little pinch, right?” he said. “… That could’ve been the year for us.”Meanwhile, McKee inked a big contract with the St. Louis Blues as a free agent that offseason.He said missing Game 7 “will always wear at me, dig at me when it’s brought up or I think about it.”“It’s a hard one because I believed in my heart we were winning,” he said. “Even with all the injuries we had, the room felt like we were winning. But the sport has a funny way of picking or choosing bad bounces or injuries here or there. It’s an unfortunate one, but it’s really one that will stick with me forever.”

In addition to the usual celebrities sitting courtside, some other major names are expected to be at Madison Square Garden next week.President Donald Trump will attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, June 8. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also expected to be in attendance for the game.Game 3 will mark the first time the Knicks host an NBA Finals game since 1999, as the squad currently holds a 1-0 series lead after a late surge on June 3 to win Game 1 in San Antonio. Some of the usual names seen up front at Knicks games, including Timothee Chalamet and Ben Stiller, made the trip to Texas to see the team for Game 1.This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Trump and Mamdani attending Knicks vs Spurs NBA Finals Game 3

Tommy Kahnle could force the Red Sox into a major bullpen shakeup after debut originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Today, the Boston Red Sox got demolished in a rubber match against a division rival in the Baltimore Orioles. The first inning sealed the game, as the Sox were shut out for most of it, and scored a couple of runs near the end. However, one good thing did come from this: the Red Sox got a good look at Tommy Kahnle, a veteran MLB reliever who had been sitting in AAA Worcester, waiting for a call. Kahnle was great in AAAThe Sox signed Kahnle to a minor league deal back in March, and he spent a full two months on their roster as a late-game reliever and closer. In 18 games, he posted a 1.40 ERA, 21 Ks, a WHIP of 1.293, and five saves. With those stats, it would be hard to ignore putting him on the big league roster. So, when he gave Boston an ultimatum to either promote him or he walks, they chose the former.Kahnle’s still got it at the Major League level © Eric Canha-Imagn ImagesKahnle was recalled today, and he didn’t disappoint. Albeit he did get handed a game that was already out of hand, he made sure the damage didn’t get any worse.He went two innings, gave up two hits, two walks, and got a strikeout without giving up any runs. This leaves his ERA at a perfect 0.00 for the season, even if it was just one game.Kahnle could have a permanent spot in the bullpen © Dan Hamilton-Imagn ImagesBecause of this performance Kahnle could have a permanent spot in the bullpen. The Sox did option star rookie reliever Tyler Samaniego down to AAA to get Kahnle up, so getting him back is a must as well.This would mean the Sox would have to either option or cut someone else. It’s not like they don’t have some easy choices either; both Greg Weissert and Danny Coulombe have been nuisances in the bullpen, blowing games that could have been easy wins. Hopefully, Kahnle becomes a very useful reliever for Boston, and the Sox get Samaniego back on the roster as well.MORE MLB NEWSRed Sox keep paying for their Brayan Bello decision as rotation struggles continueWilyer Abreu has company as Ceddanne Rafaela breaks out for the Red SoxFranklin Arias' rise could pair perfectly with Marcelo Mayer in Boston

A worker loads equipment on a flatbed truck outside The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Thursday, June 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)2026-06-04T21:20:12Z WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kennedy Center is beginning the process of removing references to President Donald Trump a week after a federal judge ruled that his name had been illegally added to the performing arts center.Roma Daravi, the Kennedy Center’s vice president of public relations, said in a statement to The Associated Press that “we are complying with the court’s order while evaluating all legal options to preserve this revitalization and recognize President Trump’s leadership.”In a Thursday memo to staff from the Kennedy Center’s Office of General Counsel, the institution’s lawyers said email signatures, letterhead and other documents must reflect the name as “The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts” or “Kennedy Center.”The changes, the memo said, must be completed by June 12. In a May 29 decision, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper also blocked the administration from closing the cultural and arts venue for major renovations that had been planned to start in July. Hours after the ruling, Trump said he was backing away from the revamp and making arrangements to relinquish control to Congress of what, until the Republican president’s second term, had been known as the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The next day, Trump on social media branded Cooper as “an anti Trump Hater” and predicted that the performing arts center that he wanted to shutter for a two-year overhaul will “soon be closed, probably never to open again.” Read More Clearly angered by his latest legal setback, he said it was “impossible for me to be treated fairly,” tying Cooper’s ruling to earlier losses, including the Supreme Court’s rejection in February of his sweeping tariffs.The removal marked a setback in the president’s second-term plans to remake many of Washington’s landmarks — and add new ones.On Thursday, his administration said renovations had been completed on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, painting the bottom what Trump has called “American flag blue.” The White House East Wing was demolished to build a large ballroom, and Trump plans to build an arch between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. ___Associated Press writer Hillel Italie in New York contributed to this report. Kinnard reported from Columbia, S.C. STEVEN SLOAN Sloan is the Washington correspondent at The Associated Press. He managed the AP’s coverage of the 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns. twitter MEG KINNARD Kinnard covers national politics for The Associated Press. She lives in South Carolina. twitter instagram mailto

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump, a longtime New York Knicks fan, said he plans to attend an NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden next week at the invitation of the team's owner.Describing himself as a “big fan” of the team and owner James Dolan, Trump said Thursday that he will be in the arena for at least one game next week. The NBA believes it would make him the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.“The answer is yes — he’s invited me, I’m going,” Trump said of Dolan's invitation. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he was eyeing Game 3 on Monday but didn't rule out Game 4 on Wednesday. “Maybe I'll do both.”Trump, who is simultaneously contending with a war in Iran, strife in Congress and looming midterm elections, said he made sure to catch some of Game 1 on Wednesday as the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs and took a 1-0 lead in the series.“I missed the middle because I talk to generals all night long now, but I watched that end of the game and they were dominant,” Trump said. “Really amazing.”Asked about his plans for next week, Trump went on to offer his own game recap, giving nothing but praise for the Knicks. Taking questions after an event on his administration's efforts to promote the U.S. coal industry, Trump said it “wasn't looking good” for the Knicks early on but commended them for holding back Victor Wembanyama, the towering Spurs center.“I say, how do you guard this guy? He's 7-foot-5 and he’s got a great shot, right? But they find a way to do it. They're really great.”The NBA said it believes no other sitting president has attended an NBA Finals game. Earlier Thursday, Commissioner Adam Silver said some former presidents had attended. He recalled Trump as a Knicks fan long before his political career.“Donald Trump, before he ever ran for office, he was a big Knicks fan,” Silver said. “I was there at many Knicks games with him in the old days. He attended many of our drafts when they used to take place at Madison Square Garden."Silver reiterated a message he conveyed Wednesday amid reports that Trump might attend — that sports can be unifying, even in deeply divided political times.“We can emphasize what we have in common, not what pulls us apart,” Silver said. “We’re seeing that in New York and I think President Trump is very much a New Yorker, and I’m thrilled that yet another New Yorker wants to participate in the enthusiasm and the joy around this Knick team.”The commissioner acknowledged that Trump’s presence will require extra security in and around Madison Square Garden. That would almost certainly mean longer transit times and logistical issues for fans.“I think the fans are very understanding of that,” Silver said. “I think they recognize that it adds to the bigness of the event."___AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in San Antonio contributed to this report.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Casey Schmitt homered on the game's first pitch, Eric Haase hit the Giants' fifth grand slam in a 17-game span as they opened a nine-run lead, and San Francisco beat the Milwaukee Brewers 12-9 Thursday for a a four-game split.Jung Hoo Lee had four of the Giants' 20 hits, and Chapman and Bryce Eldridge three each. San Francisco scored six times in the seventh inning, opening a 12-3 lead.The Giants' five slams in 17 games is the shortest span in team history; they hit five over 23 games from April 14 to May 10, 1970.Jackson Chourio homered twice for Milwaukee and David Hamilton once.Schmitt set his career with his 13th homer with his drive on a fastball from Coleman Crow (0-1), who allowed six runs and nine hits in 2 1/3 inning. Crow, whose ERA rose from 3.14 to 5.94, had not allowed more than two earned runs in each of his three previous major league starts.Sam Hentges (1-0) got the final two outs of the fifth inning in relief of Adrian Houser for his first big league win since Sept. 2, 2023, for Cleveland against Tampa Bay. Caleb Kilian entered after Wilkin Ramos' bases-loaded walk with no outs in the ninth, struck out Andrew Vaughn, got Sal Frelick to ground into a forceout at second, gave up Luis Rengifo's RBI single, then retired David Hamilton on a flyout to the center-field warning track for his fourth save.San Francisco improved to 25-19 against the Brewers since 2019. The Giants built a 3-0 lead in the first on Schmitt's homer, Eldridge's RBI single and Chapman's run-scoring double. William Contreras' sacrifice fly cut the deficit in the bottom half and Lee, Chapman and Schmitt drove in runs in the third for a 6-1 lead.Haase hit his first grand slam, a drive off Jake Woodford.Up nextGiants: LHP Robbie Ray (3-6, 4.45) starts Friday at the Chicago Cubs.Brewers: Milwaukee RHP Brandon Sproat (1-4, 6.24) starts Friday at Colorado, which send RHP Ryan Feltner (2-1, 4.85) to the mound.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) dribbles during Game 6 in a first-round playoffs series Thursday, April 30, 2026, in Atlanta. | Brynn Anderson, Associated Press Jordan Clarkson feels right at home in the NBA Finals. It’s because he literally gets to be at home.The New York Knicks guard and former Utah Jazzman grew up in San Antonio, not far from where the Knicks and Spurs are battling it out for an NBA title.And Clarkson isn’t the only one on the Knicks roster that is familiar with the surroundings in San Antonio. Teammate and two-way player, Kevin McCullar Jr. went to the same high school as Clarkson — Wagner High — though many years later.“Definitely feels amazing, kind of unreal, honestly, just growing up in this city, having a teammate that went to the same high school as me,” Clarkson told the San Antonio News Express. “Playing the state championship games, just a lot of growth here as a kid. So this definitely feels great and seeing my family members, them being able to come to a finals game. It’s just amazing.”“Jordan’s an amazing player. When you talk about sixth men, you have to bring his name in to the conversation. He’s been a spark on whatever team he’s been on. It’s a testament to all the work he puts in. He’s honed his craft. He’s an exciting player to watch. I just tip my cap to him.”Spurs forward Keldon JohnsonClarkson’s brother, Bear, and other family members have been posting regularly on social media about the excitement in San Antonio with the return of the NBA Finals, but make no mistake, the Clarkson family are all wearing blue and orange and are full-fledged Knicks fans (for now) hoping that they’ll be able to see Clarkson and the rest of the New York squad raise the Larry O’Brien trophy.Though Clarkson has played across the country, for the Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz and now New York Knicks, he has always kept a strong base where his roots are. His parents still live in San Antonio and when Clarkson’s daughter is not with him, she also lives in San Antonio.He spends a lot of his offseason down in Texas and has always maintained a good relationship with the community and his alma mater.Across the court, on the Spurs roster, there’s a lot of respect for the San Antonio native as well.“Jordan’s an amazing player,” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson, the 2026 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, told the San Antonio News Express. “When you talk about sixth men, you have to bring his name in to the conversation. He’s been a spark on whatever team he’s been on. It’s a testament to all the work he puts in. He’s honed his craft. He’s an exciting player to watch. I just tip my cap to him.”Of course, Clarkson won the Sixth Man of the Year award while with the Jazz back in 2021. Since then, he helped guide young players through the Jazz rebuild before joining the Knicks roster last summer. His role has diminished, compared to what it once was, but at times he’s helped the Knicks in big games off the bench.When Clarkson was a kid, he used to hang around at the hotel where his mom worked and he has mentioned watching the Spurs championship parades from there and enjoying the excitement of the city celebrating the hometown team. Although Clarkson enjoys being able to play in San Antonio and have his family all there supporting him, he’s hoping that he can take that excitement back to New York and end up in parade with the Knicks rather than watching another one roll through San Antonio.The Knicks started out things the right way, winning Game 1 of the Finals in San Antonio on Wednesday night. Game 2 is set to tip off at 6:30 MDT on Friday on ESPN. Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) drives the ball during an NBA game against the Sacramento Kings held at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. | Tess Crowley

Florentino promises galáctico signing, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká levelThe days leading up to Real Madrid’s presidential election have been lively.Florentino Pérez has reached an agreement with José Mourinho and has the signings of Konaté (on a free after leaving Liverpool) and Dumfries, from Inter Milan, well advanced. His rival, Enrique Riquelme, stirred controversy by claiming he will sign Haaland — something denied by the striker’s camp — and Rodri if he wins Sunday’s election (7). Then, this Thursday (4), Florentino once again grabbed the spotlight during an interview on the program Horizonte.The current Real Madrid president revealed that he will make a €150 million offer for one of the standout players in the Champions League if he remains in charge of the club.And, in Pérez’s words, it will be a player on the level of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaká — who arrived at the club together in 2009.Pérez indicated that the possible new “galáctico” would not be a defender and does not play in the Premier League. Kane and Olise were also “ruled out.”The player who currently holds the record as the most expensive signing in Real Madrid history is Jude Bellingham, who left Dortmund for €127 million.Hazard (€120.8 million) and Bale (€101 million) complete the top three.It will be the first election at the Spanish capital club since 2000, when Florentino was elected.He was only away from the presidency for three years after resigning in 2006. And he was elected unopposed in 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2025. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

Usman Nurmagomedov says his brother, Umar, is unfazed by drawing lower-ranked David Martinez.Umar Nurmagomedov (20-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) takes on No. 9 bantamweight Martinez (14-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 282 co-main event on July 25 from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.Umar continues his climb back up the ladder after losing to Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title at UFC 311. He has since picked up back-to-back unanimous decision wins over Mario Bautista and Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 324 but now finds himself matched up with a lesser-known opponent."I was talking about his next fight just an hour ago, we were at dinner together, and he said, 'They send a contract, I said yes,'" Usman told MMA Junkie of Umar. "'If they will send me all top 10, I will beat all top 10. I just want to be active, and I just want to beat all of these guys until they give me a title shot.'"Dvalishvili is expected to complete his trilogy with Petr Yan after losing his belt to him at UFC 323. So, where would that leave Umar?"I understand he has a goal," Usman said of Umar. "He has very good focus, and if Umar is going to show his best performance, if he's going to finish this guy, I think the UFC has to give attention to that."This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Usman Nurmagomedov on why brother Umar is fighting David Martinez

Former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele implied on Thursday that President Donald Trump is obese and lying about his weight. Steele also noted a recent YouGov poll in which 66% of Americans said that an “average American” could beat Trump in a fight. In an MS NOW column, Steele noted that military troops hoping to attend the June 14 Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) cage match on the White House lawn have been told they must meet specific height-to-waist standards and all fitness requirements. Related Medical expert gives surprising sign Trump may have a heart issue “The president has spent years cultivating an image of himself as a peak specimen of physical vigor,” Steele wrote, but noted that Trump’s latest White House physician report said that Trump is 6’3″ and weighs 238 pounds with a body mass index (BMI) of 29.7. “Trump sits just shy of the obesity cutoff. It’s very convenient math,” Steele wrote. “Trump might think of himself as a UFC champ, but in real life he’s more of a McDonald’s guy,” Steele added, noting that a recent YouGov poll showed that 66% of respondents thought an average American would defeat Trump in a physical fight. Approximately 31% said they thought an eight-year-old boy could beat Trump in a fight. “So while the administration is reportedly checking troops’ waistlines, the public appears unconvinced about the physical prowess of the man hosting the event,” Steele wrote.

On Tuesday, we published an article about an internal Microsoft strategy document that explained the company wanted to “make people addicted” to its new AI assistant, Scout. Thursday, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told staff that he was “not sure what this document is or who is writing and leaking this nonsense,” according to a message obtained by The Information. The document we reported on was not some random document. As we wrote at the time, the strategy document was written by Microsoft executives Omar Shahine, Jakob Werner, and some sort of AI writing tool. This information is in our original article and is readily available to Nadella. We wrote: “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.’” Shahine is the leader of Microsoft’s Scout project, as he has written numerous times on his own blog, on his LinkedIn, and on Microsoft’s own announcement of the software. In attempting to distance himself from his own company’s executives and strategy documents, Nadella has revealed that he either does not know how to read or does not know what is happening with some of the company’s highest-profile products. Phase one of the company’s launch plan for Scout, which was previously called ClawPilot internally, was to “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.”In Nadella’s message to staff reported by The Information Thursday, he wrote “this is absolutely a non goal! If anything we are doing the exact opposite. We want to make sure AI empowers and adds real value to human endeavor and broad economic growth! We should make sure that our teams are clear about this. Not sure what this document is or who is writing and leaking this nonsense! They may want to go work elsewhere…..” Nadella then linked to an aggregation of our article published by Futurism.As mentioned, the document was written by Shahine. Shahine is not some random Microsoft employee, he is the person who imagined, pitched, and brought Scout to fruition, as he has tirelessly documented over and over and over again in many, many LinkedIn posts and on his personal blog. His job title is “Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Scout,” and he is the person who announced the product on Microsoft’s official blog. His biography on Microsoft’s website is “Omar Shahine is a Corporate Vice President at Microsoft where he leads Microsoft Scout.” Again, Shahine’s name is listed as the author at the top of the document we reported on.Nadella’s message and a statement given by Microsoft to The Information by a spokesperson are instructive in showing in the ways that big tech deals with journalists who deign to write articles that the companies would rather not exist. A Microsoft spokesperson told The Information Scout is for “helping people accomplish tasks more effectively—not encouraging dependency. Our goal isn’t more screen time. It’s more time back.” Microsoft did not say this to us; Microsoft said nothing to us.Before we published this article, as we do with almost every article that mentions any company, we reached out to Microsoft for comment. We specifically said that we were writing an article about the “make people addicted” language and asked for comment, context, and more information about that language. Microsoft did not answer our questions, ignored the fact that we asked about “addiction,” and simply sent us a link to its public announcement for Scout. The company then attacked our report internally and externally to another media outlet. If Nadella is Looking For the Guy Who Did This, maybe he should read the documents his own company produces, or ask the guy who made it.

Nick Bilton said he had consulted with the program’s remaining correspondents: Lesley Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Bill Whitaker. All three were deliberating whether to stay with the show, two people said.

The president is claiming without evidence that the lengthy counting process in California, which could help determine control of Congress, means Democrats are stealing the election.