Bryce Elder’s 2026 season has been one of those reminders that development rarely moves in a straight line. After two uneven years that pushed him toward the edge of Atlanta’s rotation picture, Elder has reemerged as something far more valuable than a depth arm. He is giving the Braves real innings, real stability, and one more reason to believe this rotation may be deeper than it looked a few months ago.Elder entered the season in that familiar, slightly uncomfortable baseball category: useful, but only if you squinted. He was not some failed prospect, and he was not without real success in the senior circuit. He was an All-Star in 2023, after all, which remains one of those facts that is both true and somehow easy to forget after what came next, as the seasons that followed were not especially kind to the 27-year-old Texan. Elder spent time bouncing between Atlanta and Triple-A Gwinnett, searching for the form that once made him one of the better surprise stories in the National League, much like his DH teammate Dominic Smith.Bryce Elder’s Rough Road BackIn 2024, he was mostly unplayable at the major-league level, posting a 6.52 ERA over 10 starts. In 2025, he was more durable than dominant, the kind of arm a team appreciates when the rotation is hastily duct-taped together but does not necessarily want making a postseason start unless the alternative is asking a bullpen catcher to fake a knuckleball. He ate innings. He had his moments. He also looked, more often than not, like a back-end survival plan.Then 2026 happened, and Elder has started pitching like someone who wanted to allay the epithet that he was becoming simply an “innings eater.”Elder’s 2026 Numbers Are No FlukeThrough June 8, Elder is 5-3 with a 2.66 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 71 strikeouts across 84 2/3 innings, which represents legitimate top-end rotation production. He is among the National League leaders in several important pitching categories, including innings, ERA, WHIP, and opponent batting average. On Baseball Reference’s pitching leaderboards, his name is no longer hiding in the polite middle of the pack. It is sitting next to arms with far bigger reputations and far less awkward recent baggage.That is what makes this comeback so intriguing. Elder is not doing this as a flame-throwing reinvention act. He has not suddenly become Spencer Strider without the 1980s mustache. This is still Elder, which means his modus operandi remains: be in command, get the sinker working, focus on pitch sequencing, and ensure you keep your nerve, since living near the edges of the strike zone can sometimes lead to redecorating the steps of the Chop House at Truist Park.A More Complete Version of Bryce ElderThe difference is that Elder’s pitch arsenal looks more complete now. The slider has become a real weapon, the sinker still gives him his identity, and his revamped cutter has helped stop hitters from sitting in one comfortable lane when facing Elder. That last part matters. Elder’s 2023 success always came with the nagging suspicion that hitters would eventually stop being fooled if he could not keep evolving. For a while, that suspicion turned into reality.Now, he is giving hitters more to think about. More shapes. More speeds. More uncomfortable decisions. That does not sound as sexy as “triple-digit fastball with wipeout stuff,” but the Braves do not need every starter to be recent Cy Young Award-winner Chris Sale. Sometimes they need a pitcher who can take the ball, avoid the big inning, and hand the game to a dominant bullpen headlined by Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias.Elder has been following those guidelines perfectly. His June 2 start against the Toronto Blue Jays was a tidy example of “Bryce Elder 2.0.” It was not spotless, and that is fine. He allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings, struck out six, and gave the Braves enough length to let the bullpen finish a 4-3 win.Jun 7, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Bryce Elder (55) pitches the ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn ImagesThen, on June 7 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he allowed just two hits and two runs across six innings in another Atlanta win. After getting roughed up by the Red Sox on May 27, he did not spiral into another “here we go again” stretch. He simply got back to being dependable and rock-solid – descriptors that would not have applied to him the prior two seasons.Now, the obvious caveat: regression can always make an unwelcome appearance during the long MLB season. Elder’s profile will probably always invite skepticism because he is not a huge strikeout monster, and contact-oriented starters tend to live with smaller margins. If the command slips, the charming little contact-management story can turn into a very loud three-run homer due to one regrettable cutter.Why Elder’s Bounce-Back Matters for the BravesBut that caveat should not swallow the larger point: Elder has already given the Braves far more than they could have reasonably expected. He has gone from possible roster squeeze to one of the more important stabilizers on a team with the best record in baseball. He has helped protect the bullpen, covered innings, and turned what looked like a potential rotation soft spot into an actual strength.For Atlanta, that matters. For Elder, it might matter even more. It also might mean that Atlanta should curtail the idea of giving up a king’s ransom to acquire Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline.Two rough seasons can rewrite how a player is viewed. They can turn an All-Star into a shrug. They can make every decent start feel temporary, and every bad one feel like confirmation. Elder is pitching his way out of that box now. Not with fireworks. Not with a reinvention so dramatic it needs its own documentary voiceover. Just with better execution, more complete stuff, and the stubborn insistence that maybe the Braves had not seen his best version yet.But it seems they’re seeing it now. And for a team with October glory on its mind, Elder’s resurgence makes Atlanta feel even more complete than it already did. Main Photo Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

The war of words between ESPN star Stephen A. Smith and President Donald Trump continues to escalate, turning into one of the most talked-about feuds in Sports Media. What started as a controversial comment surrounding Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals has now evolved into a public back-and-forth between two of the most recognizable personalities in America. After Trump responded to Smith’s criticism in a recent interview, the longtime First Take host fired back once again, making it clear that he isn’t backing down from the disagreement.RELATED: President Donald Trump fires back at Stephen A. Smith following Knicks lossHow The Feud StartedBefore Game 3 of the NBA Finals, Smith openly criticized Trump for attending the game and even jokingly suggested that if the New York Knicks lost, he would place the blame on the President. The comments quickly gained attention online, with sports fans and political observers weighing in on the unusual crossover between sports commentary and politics.Unfortunately for Knicks fans, New York went on to lose the game. That result only added fuel to the conversation and opened the door for Trump to respond.Trump Responds, Smith Fires BackThe Enquirer/Sam Greene Presidential candidate Donald Trump thanks the crowd as he wraps up his speech during a campaign rally for the presumptive republican party presidential nominee at the Sharonville Convention Center on July 6, 2016.Following the Knicks loss, Trump addressed Smith’s comments during an interview, pushing back against the ESPN personality’s criticism. The exchange quickly became a major talking point across social media and sports television. Rather than letting the matter fade away, Smith used his platform on First Take to respond directly to the President’s remarks.During the segment, Smith defended his original comments while also making it clear that he would welcome a direct debate with Trump. The challenge immediately generated headlines and intensified what has become an increasingly public dispute.A Battle Of Two Big PersonalitiesPart of what makes this story so compelling is the personalities involved. Both Trump and Smith have built careers around speaking their minds, generating strong reactions, and commanding attention whenever they enter a conversation. Neither has ever been known for backing away from criticism, which makes the possibility of this feud continuing seem highly likely.Whether the disagreement remains a series of media appearances or eventually leads to a face-to-face debate remains to be seen. For now, sports fans and political observers alike are watching closely as one of the most unexpected rivalries in media continues to unfold. And if recent events are any indication, this latest exchange is unlikely to be the last.— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —

New Philadelphia's softball head coach, John Dupke, is stepping down as head coach.According to a news release, Dupke is shifting his focus to family. "I'm stepping away at this time to spend more time with my family,” he said in the news release. “With being a varsity coach there are a lot of sacrifices that are made by more than just myself. My wife and son also have to make the sacrifices throughout the year for softball and it's time for them to be my priority. "I would like to thank the NP administration for giving me the opportunity to work with the NP softball program for the last five years. I have met a lot of great people and amazing kids here at New Philadelphia that I will truly miss.”Dupke was at the helm of Quaker softball for five seasons, accumulating 85 wins.In 2022, he was named the East Central Ohio League Coach of the Year and the East District Coach of the Year after going 20-5 and winning the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference championship.Since joining the Ohio Cardinal Conference, Dupke led his teams to records of 18-8 in 2023, 14-11 in 2024, 20-8 in 2025 and 13-15 in 2026.In 2023 the Quakers were OCC co-league champions and Dupke was named OCC Coach of the Year. This is a breaking news story. Check back often for updates.Jshondel@usatodayco.com; X: @JacoBShondeLThis article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: John Dupke resigns as New Philadelphia softball coach after five years

BYU wide receiver Parker Kingston (11) celebrates with fans after a win over Iowa State in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Ames, Iowa. | Matthew Putney, Associated Press Prosecutors want to disqualify the judge in the Parker Kingston case because they believe the alleged rape victim can’t get a fair trial because the former BYU football star is receiving preferential treatment.Washington County Attorney Jerry Jaeger filed a motion Monday to disqualify 5th District Judge Jay Winward after he declined an earlier request to voluntarily recuse himself. Jaeger wrote that there are “substantial concerns” about the judge’s ability to remain fair and impartial in the case.“The alleged victim in this case has lost all confidence that she can receive a fair proceeding before Judge Winward,” Jaeger wrote. “The victim seeks nothing more than the opportunity to present her testimony and have the allegations adjudicated before an impartial court and jury.”Kingston, 22, faces one count of felony rape. A 20-year-old woman identified in court documents as A.M. reported that Kingston sexually assaulted her on Feb. 23, 2025, in her St. George apartment. She notified police of the assault on Feb. 27 at St. George Regional Hospital, according to a probable cause statement.“At the outset of the proceedings, Judge Winward stated that the defendant’s status as a sports figure would not affect the court’s handling of the case,“ Jaeger wrote. ”Subsequent proceedings, however, have reflected the opposite.”Is Parker Kingston getting preferential treatment?In the motion, Jaeger outlines a pattern of “conduct, statements made on and off the record and repeated actions favoring the defendant’s interests based upon his status as a prominent athlete” that he argues have created concerns regarding impartiality. It includes repeated consideration of Kingston’s athletic career, refusal to accommodate the victim’s medical needs and unequal enforcement of courtroom directives.“Most notably, during this last hearing held on May 18, 2026, Judge Winward expressly stated on the record that he needed to consider the defendant’s athletic sports career in determining scheduling matters. The court relied upon the defendant’s sports career when setting trial dates despite being fully informed of serious medical/mental health concerns affecting the alleged victim,” he wrote.Jaeger contends that the judge relying on Kingston’s athletic career as a factor in scheduling decisions creates the appearance of preferential and privileged treatment not available to ordinary criminal defendants.BYU announced in February that Kingston is no longer a student at the school and was removed from the football team. His future football career is unclear.Are the victim’s rights being recognized?The “triggering” event that led to the motion to disqualify was Winward’s refusal to grant the prosecution’s request for a continuance to give the alleged victim more time for treatment and recovery to be able to participate in the trial, Jaeger wrote.The request, he wrote, was supported by medical professionals who said the woman required about 12 additional weeks before she would be medically and psychologically capable of testifying.Despite that information, Winward scheduled the trial six weeks out from the May 18 hearing. “It was during that hearing that the court made statements and rulings which, when viewed objectively, caused the state and the victim to clearly question the court’s impartiality and necessitated the filing of this motion,” Jaeger wrote.The trial is scheduled to start July 6.The county attorney also noted that during the preliminary hearing, Winward instructed participants that the victim’s real name was not to be disclosed. He wrote that the judge failed to take action or hold Kingston’s defense attorney in contempt for using the victim’s name two separate times.“The victim reasonably perceived this unequal enforcement as further evidence that her interests were receiving less protection than the defendant’s interests throughout the proceedings,” Jaeger wrote.

With the cease-fire proving tenuous, negotiations between the two nations are in flux, but have advanced to outline potential paths forward on difficult questions about Iran’s nuclear program.

Called Claude Fable 5, it is twice as expensive as the company’s previous flagship system.

Giants' Jaxson Dart still has a problem to solve originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The New York Giants saw many good things out of Jaxson Dart in his rookie season.He certainly looked like a player worthy of their trade back into the first round to get him. In a lot of moments, he looked like a franchise quarterback.But then there were the risks.Dart put himself in danger too often. He took big hits. He went to the blue medical tent much more often than any team would want its QB to have to.And so in 2026, Dart's second season, that's his task: Avoid the big ones."He has franchise-quarterback stuff and should continue to improve as long as he can stay on the field," ESPN's Dan Graziano wrote as part of a new article on Tuesday. "But that's the key."MORE: Will they still be called the Chicago Bears if they play in Indiana?This doesn't become about New York's backup QB situation, either.The simple reality is that the Giants want Dart playing, not any QB2 or QB3. And so Dart needs to take care of himself."Dart spent an alarming amount of time in the blue medical tent last season, and the Giants have spent a good amount of their time trying to impress upon him the importance of being available," Graziano writes. "Whether he heeds those lessons and learns to protect himself better -- especially when he takes off and runs -- will determine how long and successful his career can be. And it will determine whether the Giants can finally break out of the dreary cycle in which they've spent the past decade and a half."The Giants don't want Dart to change who he is. He's a special talent capable of immensely impressive things on the football field.They just need him to stay healthy, and he can play a big role in making sure that happens.More NFL news:A.J. Brown and Stefon Diggs have a Patriots, Bills, Drake Maye, Josh Allen linkJosh Allen called out by a coach with a major losing recordLamar Jackson has an obvious reason not to sign right nowMyles Garrett's Browns career comes to the most Cleveland of endingsThere's a risk the OBJ signing is a mistake

Ray Longo was baffled by Belal Muhammad's strategy at UFC Fight Night 278.Muhammad (24-6 MMA, 15-6 UFC) was shut out in a unanimous decision loss to Gabriel Bonfim (20-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) this past Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.The former UFC welterweight champion attempted just two takedowns, which were both stuffed by Bonfim. Longo can't understand why Muhammad opted to stand and trade with Bonfim for the majority of the fight."I thought he was unrecognizable," Longo said on the "Anik & Florian Podcast." "Why would you abandon what got you there? I was definitely confused during that fight. No? Was it me? It was almost like he was medicated. Like he was that calm where he was, it is catatonic? "Is that the word I'm looking for where he didn't look like he was totally present to me, and moving backwards, not pushing the pace at all. I don't know. Put it this way: I expected something completely different out of him."Muhammad, 37, is now on a three-fight losing skid since capturing the welterweight title in July 2024. He opted to predominantly strike in his losses to Jack Della Maddalena, Ian Machado Garry, and Bonfim, which resulted in decision losses.Although Muhammad claims he is not done, he finds himself in a difficult position going forward.This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Ray Longo: Belal Muhammad 'was unrecognizable' in Gabriel Bonfim loss

Packers Executive Vice President/Director of Football Operations Russ Ball talks with a Packers staff member on the sidelines before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field Thursday, November 15, 2018 in Seattle, WA. Uscp 72s90dneczl1mo0plj0d Original The raw numbers were still a good deal. Here at APC, we broke that down last week when Christian Watson signed his new contract extension with the Green Bay Packers, initially reported as a 4-year, $110.5 million extension. That new compensation, combined with his one remaining contract year, made the deal in essence a 5-year, $116 million contract. Or so it seemed.With the full structure of the contract now obtained by ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, it’s an even more team-friendly than it first appeared. Instead of $110.5 million in new money, the deal actually starts with $92 million, with incentives making up the additional $18 million and change. That puts the new-money average at just $23 million per year, down from $27.6 million, and when accounting for the year he still had left that drops the overall average to below $20 million.That’s genuinely an amazing deal for a player of Watson’s caliber, skillset, and efficiency. And between incentives and per-game roster bonuses, the Packers have protected themselves a decent amount from potential future injury issues.Here’s a look at the full contract structure, which :YearBase SalarySigning BonusProrated SBRoster BonusPer-Game RBsWorkout BonusTotal CashCap Number2026$1.425 M$31.0 M$7,413,416$1.825 M$500 k$34.75 M$11,163,416*2027$1.5 M$7,413,416$2.125 M$500 k$4.125 M$11,538,4162028$1.5 M$7,413,416$13.0 M$2.125 M$500 k$17.125 M$24,538,4162029$19.125 M$7,413,416$2.125 M$500 k$21.75 M$29,163,4162030$17.375 M$6,200,000$2.125 M$500 k$20 M$26,200,000* Note that Watson’s actual cap number for 2026 is a bit lower. Only 10/17 of his per-game roster bonuses count towards the cap during the season because he played in only 10 games last season. The actual number for now should be about $10.4 million.Unsurprisingly, this contract is a very Packers-like deal. The only guaranteed money, as expected, is the signing bonus, and there is a heavy use of per-game roster bonuses — particularly relevant given Watson’s injury history (even though his only missed games in 2024/2025 were due to a torn ACL and rest). The Packers also have an easy out before the 2028 season, should they want to take it, as they could move on from Watson prior to paying his roster bonus and still open up some cap space.The more likely possibility is for the Packers to convert that 2028 roster bonus into a signing bonus, which would spread the cap hit out over the following years. They could add no void years to the deal and spread it out over three seasons, dropping the cap number to $15.87 million for 2028. Alternately, the Packers could maximally restructure it over five years by adding two void years. Doing so would drop the cap hit further to about $14.14 million for 2028 season. In any case, if the Packers intend to keep Watson beyond 2028, look for another restructure or extension to come prior to that 2029 season. Watson’s base salaries jump significantly that year, making three years out the logical time frame to look at adjusting the contract.The major unanswered question now about this deal is how the additional compensation is tied to incentives. That’s a secondary issue, however. For now, understanding the general structure of the contract reveals two things that should be familiar to Packers fans: first, how well Green Bay maintains flexibility and a team-friendly contract structure, and second, not to trust the numbers as initially reported.

GREEN BAY – It’s never too early to form good habits.For the Green Bay Packers, the word “finish” will be said a lot this season.The Packers struggled with that in 2025, unable to overcome injuries to key players and ending the season on a five-game losing streak.The team is not dwelling on the past, but hoping to learn from it.Which is why Packers coach Matt LaFleur said the staff is making a point to communicate about it more, even during the offseason program. “It all starts with a mindset and being conscious of that. That’s one thing we’ve definitely emphasized,” LaFleur said. “Finishing every rep. Finishing every drill. Certainly, reinforcing that in those team meetings.“As we get into camp and into more competitive periods, it’ll be another area of emphasis as we move forward.”Here are other takeaways from LaFleur’s June 9 news conference:Packers working on the playbookThe big focuses during the offseason program are conditioning and installing the playbook.While the staff is continually looking to add new wrinkles to the offense, players are also getting up to speed on the new defense under coordinator Jonathan Gannon. “I think the offense is a little bit further ahead of the defense, in regards to just understanding the why behind what we’re doing – which is to be expected, a lot of these guys have been around for a minute,” LaFleur said. “It’s a good opportunity to build on what we’ve done.”Cam Achord bringing energy, new ideas to special teamsWhen the Packers were practicing special teams during OTAs, new special teams coordinator Cam Achord had the kick returners hold a tennis ball in one hand, throw it in the air, and as they field the football attempt to catch the tennis ball.A drill that provides competition while also working on staying focused.Achord replaced Rich Bisaccia this offseason with the goal to revitalize special teams.The new special-teams leader – who wears cleats during practice – has brought a new dynamic to the staff, and LaFleur has been impressed with Achord’s ability to teach and simplify things.“I love his energy that he brings every day,” LaFleur said on Achord. “I think everybody can feel it around here. I think all the drills that he does, they relate exactly to what these guys are going to do in a game.”This article originally appeared on Packers News: Packers coach Matt LaFleur talks finishing games, playbook at minicamp

Donald Trump-Stephen A. Smith beef, explained: U.S. President, ESPN personality argue about who has lower IQ originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Knicks and Spurs' meeting in the NBA Finals has brought about plenty of luminaries. On Tuesday, another two stepped into the spotlight: Donald Trump and Stephen A. Smith.As two of New York's highest-profile supporters, perhaps it's unsurprising to see the two linked. They have been on a collision course for some time, with the latter suggesting that he could make a run for the former's seat in a future election.Trump and Smith have waged a war of words in recent days, one that burst into the public sphere following New York's 115-111 loss to San Antonio in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. With that, here's a look at the Trump and Smith's feud, one of the hottest conflicts in recent sports history.NBA PLAYOFFS HQ:Live NBA scores | NBA playoff schedule | NBA playoff bracketDonald Trump-Stephen A. Smith beef, explainedTrump and Smith locked horns following the Knicks' Game 3 loss. The latter was the first to strike, taking aim at Trump ahead of the game. While appearing on "First Take" on Monday morning, Smith vowed to blame Trump for New York's defeat if it were to fall at the hands of San Antonio on Monday night."This president has no business showing up in New York City," Smith said. "I am dead serious. It is selfish. It is narcissistic. It is ridiculous that he is coming to this game."If it causes the New York Knicks to lose tonight, I'm blaming him. I'm blaming the president of the United States. And damn it, I hope the GOP loses votes because of it if we lose tonight."Following the game, Trump was asked about Smith's pregame comments. He fired back with venom."I think he's a nice guy, but you need a certain aptitude to run for president," Trump said. "You need a high IQ. I'm not sure Stephen has that. I don't think he does, actually."Reporter: Stephen A. Smith said he would blame you if the Knicks lost tonight how do you respondDonald Trump: I think he's a nice guy but you need a certain aptitude to run for president. You need a high IQ, I don't really think Stephen A Smith has thatLLLMMFFAAOOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/8nodMdflUh— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) June 9, 2026Predictably, Smith took to "First Take" to response, delivering an address of sorts directed at the Commander-in-Chief. He had his say about Trump's intelligence. He also launched a tirade on Trump's stated aims, unloading on the president in a three-minute clip that immediately went viral."I thought you were about the economy, I thought you were about helping New Yorkers because you love New York, I thought you were about making money for people," Smith said. "What happened to the parking garages, how much money did they make? What happened to the local restaurants in the immediate vicinity of Madison Square Garden, how much did they make?"MORE: Watch Madison Square Garden's reaction to Donald Trump introductionWhy did Stephen A. Smith blame Donald Trump for Knicks loss?Smith explained that the spectacle of Trump's appearance helped bring about the Knicks' demise on Monday night. He argued that New York didn't benefit from his presence, a cardinal sin for a so-called Knicks supporter.Stephen A Smith responds to Donald Trump calling him a low IQ individual on First Take:“You wanna talk about IQ, I could say I could put my IQ against yours, I got something even better I could ask you why you been running from me for the past year since I asked you to talk to… https://t.co/iI1DpLjkRbpic.twitter.com/Edon6R1fzF— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) June 9, 2026"Brunson played better when you weren't there, Mikal Bridges played better when you weren't there, Karl-Anthony Towns played better when you weren't there, Landry Shamet played better when you weren't there," Smith said. "The crowd was festive, hyped and more intimidating when you weren't there."Businesses were thriving before you showed up. Parking garages were fed before you showed up. There was noise reverberating off the walls of Madison Square Garden before you showed up. And this is what you've done."MORE: Why De'Aaron Fox called Donald Trump's Game 3 attendance "inconvenient"What did Donald Trump say about Stephen. A Smith?Trump bashed Smith's intelligence, claiming that, although the ESPN personality is a "nice guy", he doesn't have the aptitude to be president — an office Smith has pondered running for in recent years."You need a high IQ, I'm not sure Stephen has that," Trump told reporters after Game 3. "I don't think he does, actually."MORE: How Donald Trump's decision to attend the NBA Finals forced New York to relocate a Knicks watch partyWhat did Stephen A. Smith say about Donald Trump?Smith claimed, among other things, that Trump's desire to appear at Monday's game was an affront to his status as a so-called New York supporter. The ESPN analyst argued that Trump wrested attention away from the stage of the Finals, helping forge the conditions for San Antonio's defeat."I thought you were a New Yorker, Mr. President," Smith said. "I thought it mattered to you. Gotham City, the New York Knicks, the erasing of a 53-year drought. Evidently it didn't."Smith also claimed that Trump fell asleep during Monday's game, citing videos that made the rounds on social media."The brother wasn't awake," Smith said. "If it was that important for you to be there, why did you look like you were asleep? Didn't you call former President Joe Biden 'Sleepy Joe'? Well, what should we call you?"Will Stephen A. Smith run for political office?Smith has not yet announced a formal bid to run for political office. He has addressed the idea of doing so in recent months, suggesting he could be open to doing it.In August 2025, Smith appeared on HBO's "Real Time With Bill Maher" and discussed the possibility of a presidential campaign, saying, "I can't imagine myself doing it, but I haven't ruled it out, because I'm disgusted with what I'm seeing on the left."Smith's August comments came with a different tone from statements made in the spring of 2025.In April 2025, Smith told ABC News he had "no choice" to consider running for president, because "I've had elected officials, and I'm not going to give their names, elected officials coming up to me. I've had folks who are pundits come up to me. I've had folks that got a lot of money, billionaires and others that have talked to me about exploratory committees and things of that nature."While Smith said he "never had a desire to be a politician," he added that he would "leave the door open for any possibilities some two-three years down the line." That same month, he also posted this: "Hate the thought of being a politician. But sick of this mess."One month later, Smith told Deadline he has "no intentions" of making a presidential run, adding that "I’m leaving my options open, but in the same breath, I have no desire to be a politician at all."MORE: Complete timeline of feud between LeBron James, Stephen A. Smith

David Ellison told Lesley Stahl, one of three remaining correspondents for the news program, that he would respect the show’s editorial decisions after a tumultuous stretch.

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid said Tuesday the club and coach Álvaro Arbeloa have reached an agreement to part ways.The 15-time European champion now appears likely to hire former coach José Mourinho.Madrid said it was “deeply grateful” to Arbeloa, “who throughout his career at the club, from the time he joined our academy, has always demonstrated loyalty, commitment, and professionalism.”Arbeloa took over the helm in January to replace Xabi Alonso.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Blaize Ward, a rising sophomore transfer from Missouri, committed to Vanderbilt baseball June 9.As a freshman with the Tigers, Ward hit .296 with five doubles and four homers and struck out in just 15% of his plate appearances. The 6-1, 185-pounder from Maumelle, Arkansas, recorded three hits and two walks in a three-game series against the Commodores in May.A second baseman, Ward fills a clear need to Vanderbilt in its quest to replace Mike Mancini. Like Mancini, Ward is a left-handed hitter. Ward is also not draft eligible until 2028, making him a multi-year addition to the Commodores. Many of the most successful transfers during the past few years have been players who transferred in as sophomores, giving them two years in their new program.The Commodores had no clear options at second base with Mancini out of eligibility and Carter Johnstone opting to enter the transfer portal. Both Mancini and Johnstone had previously transferred in, Mancini from James Madison and Johnstone from Cal State Fullerton.Ward joins Wofford outfielder Niko Brini and Maryland outfielder Bud Coombs as transfer commits for the Commodores.Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt baseball lands Blaize Ward of Missouri in transfer portal

📸 Atlético taunts Real after bid for AlvarezThat’s a huge blow!It’s the bombshell of the day in the football world: Real Madrid officially announced on Tuesday evening that they had made a €150 million offer to Atlético Madrid in an attempt to secure the services of their Argentine striker, Julián Alvarez!An offer... rejected by their rival.But Atlético didn’t just stop at turning down the bid!A few minutes after the announcement, the Colchoneros literally trolled Real Madrid on X with this tweet: A nice bit of banter that could well annoy Florentino Pérez and Real...This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

Jets have unique opportunity with Geno Smith thanks to three 2027 first-rounders originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.It's abundantly clear that the New York Jets are going to be looking to draft a quarterback in the 2027 NFL Draft following the upcoming 2026 NFL season.But there is an interesting scenario playing out for the Jets that could present a unique opportunity for veteran QB Geno Smith this upcoming season.As ESPN's Dan Graziano highlighted, even though the Jets might be likely to land a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, they don't actually have to "tank" thanks to their three 2027 first-round picks.Jets don't have to tank in 2026 to land top QB prospect in 2027 NFL Draft"Are all eyes really just on next year?" Graziano writes. "... That inventory means that they don't necessarily have to 'tank' to land the guy they want. Three first-round picks should enable the Jets to move around the draft in any number of ways to finally find their long-term answer."The Jets own three first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft. They own their own pick, one from the Indianapolis Colts, and whichever pick between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers selections is higher.That's more than enough ammo to move up the board to land their quarterback of the future if they, for whatever reason, don't wind up with a very high pick in 2027's NFL Draft.MORE: ESPN analyst says if Cade Klubnik gets on the field for Jets it would mean something went wrongHow would the Jets avoid such a high pick? Well, if Smith and the new-look Jets offense, which underwent significant changes this offseason, perform well alongside a revamped defense, the Jets can win a bit more than they're expected to.Thanks in part to an easier schedule as well, it wouldn't be too big of a surprise if the Jets won a few games in 2026. In theory, the new-look defense should be better than it was in 2025, as should the offense.David Bailey, Omar Cooper Jr., Kenyon Sadiq, D'Angelo Ponds, and all of the free agent and trade pickups should be a big help for the Jets in 2026.Thanks to owning three first-rounders, the Jets don't have to go out of their way to tank. They can, in the scenario that the team wins too many games, use their extra first-rounders to move up the board for their QB of the future.More NFL news:Stefon Diggs linked to Rams, Chiefs, Commanders after Patriots releaseHarold Fannin Jr. will need to prove his worth in Todd Monken’s Browns offenseBengals fans should worry about second-year linebackers in 2026Seahawks’ Nick Emmanwori can be an All-Pro if he plays better in pass coverageTaylen Green has a much higher ceiling for Browns than Shedeur Sanders

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS - NOVEMBER 01: Devin Bale #37 of the Arkansas Razorbacks punts the ball during a game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on November 01, 2025 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The Bulldogs defeated the Razorbacks 38-35. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) | Getty Images The New England Patriots are opening their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and among the participants is one player not under contract with the team. Rookie punter Devin Bale is in town for a tryout.Bale spent his college career at Northern Colorado and Arkansas, but went unselected in this year’s NFL Draft. He did receive an invitation to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie minicamp in early May, but left without being offered a contract.A punter and kickoff specialist, Bale played 45 games at the college level. At Northern Colorado, he punted the ball 103 times and averaged 41.2 yards per kick. Upon starting his Razorbacks career in earnest in 2024 — he redshirted during his first year at Arkansas in 2023 — he improved that average to 45.4 yards on 75 punts. In addition, he was a part-time holder, went 3-for-7 on field goals, and hit 14 of 15 extra point tries.During his redshirt senior campaign in 2025, the 6-foot-3, 205-pounder punted 34 times for an average of 45.6 yards per punt. He finished his final season in college with 11 punts of more than 50 yards, 13 downed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, and 66 kickoff for 4,152 total yards and 47 touchbacks.The Patriots currently have one punter on their roster, Bryce Baringer. A sixth-round draft choice in 2023, Baringer has been New England’s featured punter and holder throughout his three-year career in the NFL so far.

After years of struggling with infertility, Kizzy Jones started considering egg donors. To her shock, her trans brother, Kenny Ethan Jones, offered his eggs. Eighteen challenging months later, Kizzy welcomed a baby, and Kenny became an uncle. “When [Kizzy] mentioned she was looking into egg donors, I knew what I had to do,” Kenny told PEOPLE. “It felt more like a calling than a choice.” Related Gender-affirming care & fertility: A guide to trans family building His sister added that she wasn’t sure if he meant it and knew how much work it would be. “I’d already done the research into other options, and when none of them worked out, I thought… he has offered, let me find out if he actually means it. Because if he did, I’d obviously prefer to have eggs from my own brother.” Kenny had been on hormone replacement therapy for a long time and out for even longer. He came out as trans at 11, changed his name at 16, started puberty blockers when he turned 18, and started testosterone at 19. He had top surgery in his 20s and has been taking testosterone for over a decade. But it pained him in recent years to watch his sister struggle with infertility and endure two miscarriages. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Kizzy is in her forties and had to undergo surgery to remove fibroids. She had been trying to have a successful pregnancy for four years. She realized that she needed to seek out donor eggs if she wanted to have a successful pregnancy. When Kenny heard that donor eggs could take the chances of IVF success from 5-10% to near 60%, he says he “didn’t even hesitate.” He told his sister, “You can have my eggs if you want them.” Kizzy thought he was joking, but after being told there were no black donor eggs available (and being told they had some “quite dark-skinned Greek people” as a potential compromise, she went back to Kenny to see if he meant it. @kennyethanjones Last year, I had the honor of harvesting and donating my eggs to my sister. And now, I’m so happy to share that she’s making great progress! IVF is a deeply personal journey, so I’ll be sharing updates only when Kizzy feels it’s right. But in the meantime, please feel free to leave her your warmest wishes in the comments – she could really use them! #ivfgotthis #ivftreatment #ivfcommunity ♬ original sound – Kenny Ethan Jones But Kenny realized he didn’t know if his decade on testosterone had affected his egg supply. Doctors ran tests and found that he was a viable donor, which aligns with a 2023 study that found trans men and cis women with high testosterone levels can actually have better egg supplies than cis women with normal testosterone levels. Kenny then started the difficult process of limiting his hormone medication to be able to donate eggs. While in years past, that may have meant coming off testosterone for months before egg retrieval, in most cases, the procedure is a lot simpler than it used to be. Kate Steinle, the Chief Clinical Officer from Folx Health previously told LGBTQ Nation that “there’s a bunch of different programs out there that don’t actually require someone to come off of testosterone to be able to do the egg retrieval… it totally depends on their fertility testing and how things are going with their stimulation, but they sometimes can stay on a low level of testosterone, even during the IVF retrieval process.” That was the case for Kenny, who cut his HRT dose down to 25% and stopped his blocker for the two-week egg retrieval process. During that time, he had to take four medications daily with multiple injections into his stomach. He documented the entire process on TikTok. The medications caused him to start menstruating again, which took a heavy emotional toll on him. “It hit me in waves,” he told PEOPLE. “Day six was a real wake-up call. I’d gone into the process deliberately naive. I hadn’t done much research beforehand because I knew that if I understood exactly what was involved, it would frighten me off.” But he was supported throughout the process by both his sister and his medical team, and he knew it would be worth it. “Knowing how happy Kizzy could be if it all worked out was enough to make me put on my big boy pants and get on with it.” “The doctor overseeing my procedure handled everything with real care,” says Kenny. “She was aware of my history with gender dysphoria and prescribed Letrozole to help suppress my oestrogen levels throughout the process.” He also says the health care professionals were fully supportive of his trans identity, noting in one video, “My identity has been completely respected no matter what room I’ve walked into or who I’ve spoken to.” Ultimately, the doctors were able to retrieve 19 eggs, 13 of which were viable. Six then became embryos. Kizzy became pregnant on her first round of IVF, and after an emotional pregnancy, she welcomed her child in December 2025. Kenny became an uncle and shared a video of his first meeting with his nephew. @kennyethanjones Being an egg donor is not for everyone. But for me, it was one of the easiest choices I’ve ever made. People ask me don’t you find it complicated but honestly, it only feels that way if you let it. I love my sister and I feel honoured that I was able to help her have her babyboy #BabyJones ♬ original sound – Kenny Ethan Jones He was worried at first about how it would feel meeting the baby for the first time, that he might feel like it was his own child, but that wasn’t the case. He says when he met his nephew, he felt “mostly clarity.” “He felt like Kizzy’s. I think that says everything about how I see the world. Who you are isn’t defined by biology alone, and neither is being a parent.” Kenny has a long history of spotlighting the reality of being trans. He was the first trans man to front a period campaign, a move which received international attention. Then last year he launched LostFame, a company providing “masc styled period underwear for her, them & him.” In June of 2024, he published Dear Cisgender People: A Guide to Trans Allyship and Empathy, in which he aimed to explain the reality of being trans for cis people in the hopes of “equipping all its readers with the tools to step forward as allies” at a time when trans people are the subject of so much debate. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

NASA’s next mission in its effort to return humans to the moon will be led by an all-male crew. Three of them have extensive experience in space, while the other was a backup on Artemis II.

The Senate race in Maine is a chance to do away with inconsistent standards applied according to political bias.

Experts have been hopeful, but say the agency’s lunar aspirations are largely at the whims of two billionaires, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Summer is a time for travel and leisure. And while Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has been jet-setting for the past few weeks, he's not exactly on vacation.Rather, the reigning Coach of the Year is traveling around the world to visit with some of his players and help them work out this offseason. Mazzulla started last Friday in a place few seek out for summertime fun: Omaha, Nebraska. He got in the gym at Creighton University to join Celtics wing Baylor Scheierman, who grew up in Nebraska and played for the Creighton Bluejays for two years before getting drafted by Boston. Then, on Tuesday, Mazzulla was spotted in Lisbon, Portugal, as he dropped by the home of Celtics center Neemias Queta.Aside from training together, Mazzulla makes sure to learn more about his players' roots while on these summer trips. Last year, he went to Colorado to see Celtics guard Derrick White and dined and played cards with his family. This year, Mazzulla said he checked out the two Portuguese clubs — Barreirense Basket and SL Benfica — Queta played for as a teenager and even met the 7-footer's family."Just being a part of his journey, knowing where he came from," Mazzulla described of his visit in a short video interview with Benfica. "He has some of the same friends that he's had since he was a kid...You're a product of your environment, but really you're a product of the people around you because the people around you put so much into helping you."From going to the capital of "The Cornhusker State" to the capital of an Iberian nation, it's clear that Mazzulla is investing in the future of the Celtics. Scheierman and Queta had breakout seasons with the Green Team during the 2025-26 campaign and their growth will be key to Boston's long-term success.Moreover, Mazzulla is a big proponent of getting to know his guys beyond the X's and O's, and his summer travels seem to be achieving that."It shows a lot about him and just who he is as a person," Scheierman said when asked about Mazzulla coming to Creighton by Hurrdat Sports. "He really cares about the connections and the relationships and, obviously, that's just a big part of life. So, it meant a lot to have him here."Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:Blue Wire: https://tiny.ee/CdKp iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47 YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Joe Mazzulla makes next stop on Celtics world tour in Portugal

Serena Williams has returned to the professional tennis court, and in victorious fashion. She teamed with Victorio Mboko for a doubles match in the first round of the HSBC Championships. Williams and Mboko played against the 3-seed pairing of Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe and won in straight sets. Mboko started the match serving, putting Williams in the front position. After dropping the first two points of the first game, Williams and Mboko stormed back, winning four straight points to take the initial lead in the first set. Williams and Mboko then broke Melichar-Martinez and Routliffe in the second game, which gave Serena her first service of the match. She faulted on her first serve, but then her second serve landed in play, and she won a volley, which led to an unforced error by her opponents and gave her team the point. Mboko and Williams won Williams' serve to take a 3-0 lead in the first set. Melichar-Martinez and Routliffe showed why they were the 3-seed and battled back to a 4-3 deficit in the first set after breaking Williams. After Melichar-Martinez and Routliffe tied the set 4-4, Williams hit a beautiful winner that showed she still has plenty left in the tank to put her team up 5-4. The first set was then tied 5-5, bringing up Williams' third serve. Mboko and Williams won a close game to take the set to 6-5, giving them a chance to win the first set if they could break their opponents. Melichar-Martinez and Routliffe held strong to force a tiebreak. Williams and Mboko played well in the tiebreaker, winning the first set 7-6 (7-2). Mboko and Williams continued that momentum into the second set. The duo was up 5-2, and poetically, Williams was serving for the match win. The veteran showed off her stuff with back-to-back aces to move the game to 40-15 and bring up two match points. She needed only one, as Williams and Mboko won the second set 6-2 and advanced. Williams had been away from professional tennis for 3 years, 9 months and 6 days before returning on Tuesday. She had last played at the 2022 U.S. Open. Williams lost in the third round to Ajla Tomljanović 7-5, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1. In her time away from the court, she had her second child, Adira, in August 2023. Williams and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, now have two daughters. Alexia Olympia Ohanian Jr. was born in 2017, with her younger sister, Adira River Ohanian, coming six years later in 2023. View this post on InstagramThe veteran tennis player spoke about returning at the HSBC Championships. "Queen's Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapterGrass has given me some of the most meaningful moments of my career, and I'm excited to be back competing on one of the sport's most iconic stages."She expanded on her reasoning, noting that one of her main motivators is her kids. "It's really about my kids getting to see me play. Olympia is a little bit older, Adira is very young. But it's also having an opportunity to still be able to possibly do that, one last time, is kind of cool and exciting"Williams is 44-years-old. She is no stranger to playing doubles tennis, as she had a highly successful run teaming with her sister, Venus, from 1999 to 2016. The sisters reached 14 major doubles finals and won every final they entered. The Williams sisters won four Australian Opens, six Wimbledons, two U.S. Opens and two French Opens together. Now that she has made her return to professional tennis, the question becomes whether or not she will try to play doubles at Wimbledon at the end of June. Before that, though, Williams and Mboko will play their next match in the quarterfinals on Thursday, June 11.

Iran said Tuesday that its allotment of World Cup tickets for its three group stage games had been pulled off the market.Iran’s first game of the 2026 World Cup is on June 15. In a statement obtained by Reuters, its soccer federation said that it had begun selling tickets to the three games but those tickets are now no longer available. In that statement, the federation intimated that there was possible political interference behind the move, but did not offer a specific reason why the tickets were no longer for sale or directly blame the United States or FIFA for the removal of the tickets.From Reuters:“This is despite the fact that many Iranian football fans, relying on the officially announced process, had ⁠already made the necessary plans to attend the matches," the FFIRI added in a statement."Depriving Iranian supporters of access to ​their lawful and official allocation of tickets is an action contrary to the spirit governing international competitions and the principle of ​equality among participating countries."This development raises serious questions about the interference of non-sporting and political considerations in the organization of the world's biggest football event."Each country receives a ticket allocation of 8% of a stadium’s capacity for all of its World Cup matches.As the United States, Israel and Iran are in the middle of a war that does not seem to be reaching an end, Iran’s World Cup process has been far from straightforward. The team has moved its base camp to Tijuana, Mexico, even though all three of its group stage games — June 15 and 21 in Los Angeles and June 26 in Seattle — are in the United States. The Iranian team has said it is not staying overnight for any of its games. It’s flying in before the game and then immediately departing back to its base camp.The statement also came days after Iran said the United States had not granted visas to everyone in the team’s traveling party. The team arrived in Mexico on Sunday, several days later than it had originally planned to come to North America for the World Cup because of visa delays.Each Iranian player was granted a visa for the World Cup, but its embassy said that some support staff had been prevented from entering the U.S. The United States has said that it granted visas to all “necessary” support staff. Tuesday, President Donald Trump blamed Iran for shooting down an Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz and said on social media that it was necessary for the U.S. to respond. Trump has been teasing a permanent ceasefire among the countries for weeks after a temporary deal was reached in April.

England news conference before Wednesday's World Cup warm-up match against Costa RicaThomas Tuchel set to speak as England prepare for first group match on 17 June against CroatiaEngland squad took part in training earlier on TuesdayHow to watch the World Cup on the BBC and ITVPlay BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor gameSend us your views in the form News conference with England boss Tuchel before final World Cup warm-up match

Miami Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley is entering his first season as an NFL head coach. Photo by Alex Butler/UPIMIAMI, June 9 (UPI) -- Miami Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley took time to "pick the brain" of Hall of Famer Jimmy Johnson before his first season as an NFL head coach, he said Tuesday.Hafley spoke about the meeting before the Dolphins held their final organized team activity session of the off-season in Miami Gardens, Fla. He met with the former Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys coach last week at Jimmy Johnson's Big Chill restaurant in Key Largo, Fla.Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and former coach Dave Wannstedt also attended the meeting, where they bonded over nachos."I just asked him a lot of questions and listened to him about his first go in Dallas," Hafley said of Johnson. "They had a really rough first year and he went on to win Super Bowls."I asked him about his time here and his time at all the stops and any advice that he could give me, going forward this year, advice with the coaches, advice with the players, advice on game day and just really picked his brain."To have such a good resource and one of the greatest coaches of all time an hour and 15 minutes down the road, getting that opportunity was really cool for me."Wannstedt, who coached the Dolphins from from 2000 through 2004, also was a guest during Dolphins minicamp. Hafley considers him a mentor.He didn't share the specific advice he received from either coach, but said he has communicated throughout his career with Wannstedt when he needs to clear his head or "see big picture." Really impressed with the Dolphins leadership Sullivan & Hafley..nice visit at the Big Chill pic.twitter.com/DK3pnZKxOr— Jimmy Johnson (@JimmyJohnson) June 5, 2026Johnson, who posted a photo from the meeting Friday on social media, said that Hafley has the "right demanding approach." Hafley has said his most important goals are to set the "culture and developing a standard" for the Dolphins.The former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator recently described his coaching style, saying he favors "constant communication.""It's constant feedback and coaching and teaching, because I do think a lot of the times if you get the feedback fast, it sticks longer, right?" Hafley said. "I think going to the film room is really important because then you can really spend the time to teach."And some coaches don't like a lot of teaching on the field because they just want to go, go, go, which is fine. I would just rather give constant feedback and constant communication, as long as it doesn't hold up practice."It's the same thing in practice with coaches. If I see something, I'll ask a coach to come over and have a conversation and ask why he did what he did, or why he called what he called or what he's teaching there, or did he see what happened or say something else that I saw."Hafley examines film to gauge player effort. He follows those sessions with morning meetings, showing players 30 or 40 plays and calling them out for poor or strong effort.While teams around the NFL continue to examine their rosters before entering training camp, Hafley also said he plans to do some self-evaluation of his first off-season as an NFL head coach."It's something that I have thought about," Hafley said. "I think once we finish this week. I think it's very important I take a step back and just re-evaluate everything since I've been here and look very closely at the things I like that i did, the things I didn't like that I did. But i think that will be very important for me to do."I'd be making stuff up right now and giving you answers you want to hear or didn't want to hear. I'm going take some time to think through that, go over the staff, go over the players, kinda like a clear head, because it's been go, go, go, but that's something I'll take some time and do soon."Dolphins players consistently use the word "detail" when it comes to describing their 47-year-old coach.Veteran edge rusher Josh Uche, who signed with the Dolphins in March, said he noticed similarities between Hafley and one of his former coaches, Bill Belichick."Being with coach Belichick for four years, you see the type of detail being a very important part of the game," Uche said. "He brings that same type of energy, same type of detail."With coach Belichick, any little thing he saw, he was pressing you. Coach Hafley is the same. Every little detail matters and that is how you win games."The Dolphins, who experienced an off-season locker room transformation, and now appear to be a team built on physicality, are attempting to snap an NFL-worst 26-year drought without a postseason victory.This off-season, the Dolphins are one of the biggest long shots to win the Super Bowl. They also have the lowest projected win total (4.5 games) in 2026.But the focus isn't on past failures under Hafley, who has one of the best minds in NFL history in his ear."It's open mind, open ears and being focused on learning," said wide receiver Malik Washington, who is entering his third season with the Dolphins. "Not thinking we did it like this last year or having that feeling of any entitlement."It's a fresh start. It's a brand new opportunity. Taking advantage of that. I'm doing whatever I can do to be a part of what [Hafley] wants going on."Dolphins training camp is expected to kick off in late July. They will face the Washington Commanders in their first preseason game Aug. 14 in Landover, Md.

Going into the 2025 season, Ryan Jennings was a rising prospect in the Toronto Blue Jays organization. The Jays’ 2024 minor league pitcher of the year climbed to No. 22 in MLB Pipeline’s preseason rankings ahead of the 2025 season. Jennings, a fourth-round MLB Draft pick out of LSU in 2022, had a 1.93 ERA in 21 games across two minor league levels in 2024. He made 12 starts and tossed 60.2 innings.Since then, Jennings’ baseball career has been a series of fits and starts. It officially ended in May when Jennings retired, a decision he made public on his Instagram account June 8.MORE: Former Blue Jays catcher announces retirement from baseball at 28“A few weeks ago I decided to retire from the game of baseball,” Jennings wrote on Instagram. “What an unbelievable blessing this journey was! From championships to call-ups and everything I between I can’t explain how grateful I am to have gotten this opportunity.”Jennings was a non-roster invitee to the Blue Jays’ major league spring training camp each of the last two seasons. MORE: Former Blue Jays, Yankees outfielder suddenly retires from MLB at 28Jennings’ four-pitch repertoire (a high-90s fastball, slider, curveball and changeup) seldom translated to results in 2025, his first season as a full-time reliever. He went 1-3 with a 4.25 ERA in 34 games last season for the Buffalo Bisons, the Jays’ top farm team, after a midseason promotion last summer.“The hardest part of the transition was getting used to the short burst of energy needed as a reliever,” Jennings told JaysProspects.com in March. “As a starter you are mentally prepared for the long haul whereas a reliever it’s a much shorter competitive window.”MORE: Former Yankees, Blue Jays infielder announces immediate retirement at 34The San Antonio native got into two Grapefruit League games this spring and allowed two runs. The Blue Jays reassigned Jennings to their minor league camp on March 13. He was ticketed for Triple-A again, but never got off the mound for the Bisons.Jennings went on the minor league injured list to begin the season, which ultimately ended his career.In four minor league seasons (2022-25), Jennings went 7-13 with a 3.07 ERA in 83 games.

Tuesday the Raiders took the field for their first practice of mandatory minicamp. And there were some interesting observations that came from it.Kirk Cousins chemistry with top targetsWith the Raiders' offseason practices in their final throes, Cousins is showing his work with his top receivers is paying off. He was dealing today, connecting on several great looking connections to TE Brock Bowers. Bowers has an innate ability to get open and Cousins was enjoying finding him.His first pass was a bullet to Bowers in seven-on-sevens over the middle. The connections continued throughout the day including in 11-on-11s hooking up on quick and intermediate passes.It wasn't just Bowers, though. Cousins found Tre Tucker a couple times as well, including a nice looking out route up the left sideline with perfect timing from Cousins and Tucker tapping his toes along the sideline. Cousins also connected with Jack Bech on a cross over the middle.Couple absences stillJust as with OTA practices, LB Nakobe Dean and CB Jermod McCoy were not at practice. Both are being held out with injury issues and are on the property. Raiders assistant head coach Mike McCoy offered an update on Dean's situation after practice.EDGE Maxx Crosby and G Jackson Powers-Johnson were both on hand and warmed up with their teammates but didn't practice. Crosby wasn't expected to be back at this point. He said last week that he was forcing himself to slow his return to make sure he didn't rush things and risk an injury. Crosby had offseason knee surgery. He is expected back for training camp.JPJ got banged up early in practice last week. His presence at practice suggests his issue isn't serious and his being held out is more precautionary.Offensive line makeupWith JPJ not practicing, it was second-year guard Caleb Rogers who stepped up at right guard with the first team. That put first team offensive line from left to right:LT Kolton MillerLG Spencer BurfordC Tyler LinderbaumRG Caleb RogersRT DJ Glaze2025 Preseason star shinesShedrick Jackson is back to lighting up practice for the Raiders. The grandnephew of Bo Jackson, he has been working his way onto the field for the Raiders over the past couple seasons. This included leading the team in receiving last preseason with seven catches for 104 yards. It looked for a minute liike he might make the squad last season, but then the Raiders signed Amari Cooper and that squashed that idea.Jackson was still added to the practice squad and ended up appearing in five games, catching four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. He caught several passes in practice today including a couple short crosses from Fernando Mendoza and an out route along the left sideline from Aidan O'Connell.This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders mandatory minicamp day one: Notes, observations, attendance

Texas' 99th District Court scheduled Texas Tech University quarterback Brendan Sorsby's trial against the NCAA for Feb. 8, 2027, two weeks after the College Football Playoff title game is scheduled to be played in Las Vegas.The NCAA filed a notice of appeal June 8 in the Sorsby case. Texas judge Ken Curry ruled earlier in the day to block the NCAA from declaring the former University of Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback ineligible.Athletic directors from other schools are debating whether to play the Red Raiders in multiple sports, according to a report from Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger. The Athletic's Seth Emerson reported that Georgia and Nebraska have instructed coaches not to schedule Texas Tech."We had a thoughtful and productive conversation with our athletics directors today as we continue to work through the broader implications of this situation," Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement June 9. "Many of our athletics directors voiced their opinions. We will continue to have open and honest dialogue amongst the group, and until there is something to report these conversations will remain within the conference."Sorsby played the past two seasons for the Bearcats after spending his first two seasons at Indiana University. Sorsby left UC for Texas Tech, which he chose over LSU.UC is scheduled to face the Red Raiders in October at Nippert Stadium, the Bearcats' Homecoming game.The NCAA ruled Sorsby ineligible and denied his request for reinstatement. Sorsby's attorneys sought a temporary injunction allowing him to play for the Red Raiders in 2026.ESPN reported that Sorsby placed at least 40 bets involving IU football while quarterback for the Hoosiers, used sportsbook accounts registered to a family member and friends to wager approximately $90,000 over four years and continued to gamble after transferring from UC to Texas Tech.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Brendan Sorsby trial set for February, two weeks after CFP title game

Former NFL safety Darren Sharper, who pleaded guilty or no contest a decade ago to multiple charges of rape, is moving closer to being released from custody.Via Ramon Antonio Vargas of the Guardian, Sharper was transferred from federal prison on May 27 to either home confinement or a halfway house.Sharper, 50, had allegedly drugged and raped (or attempted to rape) multiple women in Louisiana, California, Nevada, and Arizona. He was sentenced in August 2016 to 18 years, with credit for the time he had spent behind bars following his original arrest in February 2014.A second-round pick of the Packers in 1997, he spent eight seasons in Green Bay, four in Minnesota, and two with the Saints. He was a member of the New Orleans team that won Super Bowl XLIV.A court filing advocating for early release argued that it would allow Sharper “to finally receive treatment for . . . traumatic brain injuries . . . and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy . . . disease developed from his years playing football." That motion was denied in August 2025.Sharper is currently due to be freed on December 27, 2028.

Brendan Sorsby's Texas Tech eligibility makes Big Ten drop hammer on scheduling agreement originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby rocked the college football world after he was granted a preliminary injunction to play for the Red Raiders after undergoing rehab for problem gambling that initially made him ineligible.The NCAA released a statement on the matter, and now the Big Ten is reportedly speaking out, too."The NCAA strongly disagrees with the court’s ruling in Sorsby's case and is deeply concerned about the damaging, far-reaching and broadly destabilizing ramifications of this outcome — which undermines and corrupts the integrity of sports,” the statement read. “The NCAA is committed to supporting student-athlete mental health but must continue to aggressively defend against actions that defraud college athletics and threaten competitive integrity, such as betting on one's own sport."Amongst the fallout thus far, the Nebraska Cornhuskers have apparently made it clear that, regardless of sport, any contest with the Red Raiders would not happen moving forward.MORE: What to know about Lubbock, Texas judge who granted Brendan Sorsby's injunction“Big Ten officials are expected to discuss in the upcoming days a league-wide mandate to not play Texas Tech in any sports, per three Big Ten sources,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel wrote on ‘X’ Monday night. “This is in the wake of Nebraska AD Troy Dannen informing his staff today that they aren't allowed to schedule Texas Tech.”Regarding football, there are no nonconference matchups featuring a Big Ten team vs. Texas Tech. However, transitioning to the hardwood, Illinois is reportedly set to rematch the Red Raiders in Lubbock in a highly anticipated game. Should the Illini move away from that game, they’d still have the Duke and UConn matchups to look forward to, among others, before conference play begins.It will be interesting to see if the entire conference comes together on one unified position regarding whether to play Texas Tech. But certainly, the chords ruling has cast a potential black eye on a situation that was easily avoidable, and now everybody else, even though they were not involved, is paying the price.MORE: Why the College Football Playoff field should expand to 16The Big 12 shared its own statement Tuesday.“We had a thoughtful & productive conversation with our athletics directors today as we continue to work through the broader implications of this situation,” commissioner Brett Yormark said. “Many of our athletics directors voiced their opinions. We will continue to have open and honest dialogue amongst the group and until there is something to report, these conversations will remain within the conference."In the coming days, much more should be known about what the immediate future looks like for the scheduling relationships.More Big Ten newsIllinois 2026 football scheduleMichigan 2026 football scheduleOhio State 2026 football scheduleIndiana 2026 football schedule

Two players going into their senior year of high school are playing in the U.S. Open next week, along with another teenager who is headed off to college.The field for Shinnecock Hills includes T.K. Kim, a 35-year-old who was born in South Korea, raised on Maui, played college golf at Boise State and will get ready for his first U.S. Open by playing two Oklahoma mini-tour events in Muskogee and Duncan.Billy Horschel has 10 worldwide wins and more than $42.5 million in career PGA Tour earnings, not including his $10 million bonus from winning the FedEx Cup. His path to Shinnecock Hills was no different from 17-year-old Miles Russell or Arni Sveinsson, who will make history as the first player from Iceland in the U.S. Open.This is what makes the U.S. Open stand out from the other four majors. It gets called the toughest test in golf — sometimes too tough — but it prides itself on being the most “open” of any Open.David Fay, who spent 21 years as the USGA executive director, once said, "It’s not the best field in golf. It never pretended to be. It’s the most democratic championship.”Fay might raise his eyebrows when he looks at the numbers now.By the time the USGA was done handing out exemptions this year — based on performance at the PGA Tour, European tour and LIV Golf — only 62 spots were available in final qualifying. That included just 43 spots on Monday, which still tries to sell itself as the “Longest Day in Golf” even with the shrinking numbers.Ten years ago, the 156-man field at Oakmont included 80 players who had to earn their way there through 36-hole qualifiers. Twenty-seven of them first had to get through 18-hole local qualifiers, a list that included 19-year-old Sam Burns.For this year at Shinnecock Hills, the qualifiers stand at a mere 62 players. That number figures to go up because the USGA has set aside seven spots for players who potentially can qualify through the top 60 in the world ranking after this week (Memorial winner J.T. Poston is a lock).Even so, it's not close to the U.S Open ideal of a 50-50 split. That had been the sweet spot for years until the USGA responded to the changing landscape in golf and went away from its roots by trying to get all the right players.The only player the U.S. Open probably missed out on over the years was Justin Rose in 2010 when he won the Memorial and moved to No. 33 in the world, two weeks after the cutoff for what was then top 50. The next year, the USGA added a second deadline the week before the Open so that wouldn't happen again.But over the past few years, the USGA felt it should recognize LIV Golf by adding two spots — a leading player from last year (Joaquin Niemann) and this year (Lucas Herbert). Nothing would have kept either one from trying to qualify.It has added five leading players from the FedEx Cup this year (Sudarshan Yellamaraju among them), two players from the Race to Dubai in 2025 (Laurie Canter and Adrien Saddier) and one this year (Jayden Schaper). There's still a 36-hole qualifier in London that offered seven spots.The U.S. Junior Amateur winner began getting an exemption in 2018, the NCAA champion in 2023. There's now a place for the top player on the Korn Ferry Tour last year.Each addition gets the U.S. Open further away from its roots.All of them are quality players, and all of them certainly earned the right to be there based on performance, the key word when golf throws out “meritocracy.” All of them could have qualified, just like four-time All-American Ben James and PGA Tour player Keith Mitchell. “Today is such an important day for us,” John Bodenhamer, the USGA's chief championships officer, said Monday night as the qualifying at 10 sites across the continent were winding down. “Openness and qualifying and earning your way into our national championship is part of our DNA.”It still is. But it's not as evident as it used to be. This should get the attention of the USGA, if it hasn't already. There's no need to go down the path of the British Open from just over a decade go when it established the "Open Qualifying Series” at tournaments around the world. It has been effective in identifying a good field through performance, but it's not the same as proving it over 36 holes. Players show up at tournaments to win — a place in the British Open often is a consolation prize (Poston managed to get both at Muirfield Village on Sunday).Now the British Open offers 20 qualifying spots at four venues, plus something called a “Last Chance Qualifier” to be held over 18 holes on Monday of The Open at Royal Birkdale.The U.S. Open still has a right to boast of being the most open of Open championships around the world. It would do well not to get too far away from that. There's really no risk of missing out on a player whom the golfing public wouldn't know was missing.There would be more opportunity to see Russell and Giuseppe Puebla, Nos. 1 and 2 in the American junior ranking, be among three amateurs who qualified in Florida; to see Andrew Putnam at No. 84 in the world earn the final spot Tuesday morning in a nine-hole playoff in Oregon over Spencer Tibbits, who has no world ranking.Monday brought the joy of Vaughn Harber, an Ohio State sophomore who went 5 under over his last five holes to get into a playoff and advance to his first U.S. Open. There were other stories like him. The U.S. Open needs more moments like that, not fewer. It's part of its DNA.___On The Fringe analyzes the biggest topics in golf during the season. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Barcelona set sights on Neil PierreLa Liga giants Barcelona are considering a summer swoop for up-and-coming American youngster Neil Pierre.This comes amid ongoing efforts on the part of Deco and co. to bring in young talent to be developed, with a view to future first-team prospects.Pierre, for his part, is an 18-year-old defender, who chiefly operates in a central role.The stopper spent the 2nd half of this past season plying his trade in Denmark with Lyngby, on loan from parent club Philadelphia Union.And Pierre went on to play an important role for his temporary employers, chipping in with a head-turning four goals in ten league appearances as Lyngby were promoted to the top tier of Danish football.With such impressive exploits comes inevitable outside interest, with one club to have had their attentions piqued coming in the form of Barcelona.As per a report from Mundo Deportivo:‘FC Barcelona are closely monitoring Neil Pierre,’ with a view to a potential summer proposal for the American’s signature.Conor Laird – GSFN

The Los Angeles Dodgers kept catcher Will Smith out of the lineup for their series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates.Smith has missed the last couple of games dealing with stiffness in his neck.The Dodgers got a rest day Monday following a series win at home against the Los Angeles Angels, and will hope to carry some momentum into their series against the Pirates despite a loss on Sunday.May 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) runs after hitting a solo home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesWho is Starting for the Dodgers?Eric Lauer is making his third start for the Dodgers since arriving from the Toronto Blue Jays, and will look to keep his run of solid form since joining from the Dodgers’ World Series opponents. Through his two starts so far, Lauer has pitched to a 2.53 ERA through 10.2 innings pitched.He’ll look to have another solid showing as the Dodgers look to snag the first game of the series against the Pirates.Who is in the Dodgers’ Lineup?Shohei Ohtani leads off for the Dodgers, and center fielder Andy Pages will keep his spot as the Dodgers No. 2 hitter. First baseman Freddie Freeman will bat third in the series opener, followed by shortstop Mookie Betts and third baseman Max Muncy.Right fielder Kyle Tucker bats sixth for the Dodgers, followed by left fielder Ryan Ward. Dalton Rushing remains the Dodgers’ catcher in Smith’s stead, and second baseman Alex Freeland rounds out the order.Dodgers Lineup vs. Pirates1. Shohei Ohtani, DH2. Andy Pages, CFins3. Freddie Freeman, 1B4. Mookie Betts, SS5. Max Muncy, 3B6. Kyle Tucker, RF7. Ryan Ward, LF8. Dalton Rushing, C 9. Alex Freeland, 2BP. Eric Lauer, LHPToday's lineup for game one vs. the Pirates?Will Smith remains out of the lineup, Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker are back after scheduled off days, and Eric Lauer is making his third start for the Dodgers. Paul Skenes is the expected starter for Pittsburgh ? pic.twitter.com/gCB1htvo9A— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) June 9, 2026Who is Starting for the Pirates?The Dodgers will have their hands full in the first game of the series, as Paul Skenes will get the start for the hosts. Skenes won last season’s NL Cy Young award, and while his numbers haven’t looked quite as good as last year’s, he is still one of the best pitchers in MLB.He has allowed three or more runs in all of his last four starts, though, and the Dodgers will look to get on the board against him early in the season opener.How do you feel about the first game of the series?

Sandro Meira Ricci takes over CBF refereeing commissionThe Brazilian Football Confederation informs that Rodrigo Cintra is leaving the leadership of the CBF Refereeing Committee.The CBF thanks him for his dedication, professionalism, and services provided throughout his tenure, a period in which Brazilian refereeing recorded significant progress as a result of his work, commitment, and leadership.The CBF informs that former referee Sandro Meira Ricci, who in recent years held the position of referees manager at the Professional Referee Organization (PRO), a company contracted by Major League Soccer (MLS), will assume his duties.Until the transition is completed, the activities of the Refereeing Committee will continue normally, without any impact on the competitions currently underway.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

The Jacksonville Jaguars have made a concerted effort to re-establish chemistry between quarterback Trevor Lawrence and wide receiver Brian Thomas, Jr. this offseason. After an incredible rookie season and a disappointing sophomore year, head coach Liam Coen has made it clear that that relationship is the priority this offseason.After the first day of minicamp, Coen spoke to the media in a press conference, and said there has already been improvement with the two, particularly in regards to deep balls. #jaguars HC Liam Coen says Trevor Lawrence & Brian Thomas Jr have connected on more deep balls these past few weeks than they did all last offseason.@BrentASJaxpic.twitter.com/PqmabgKmIb— Action Sports Jax (@ActionSportsJax) June 9, 2026"I would say we've probably hit more of those in these OTAs and mini camp than we did of all last season or last offseason combined — that's being the spring and training camp. I would say we've probably hit more of those than last year combined, which is a good thing," Coen began. "It's something that we wanted to emphasize. We started to emphasize it more after the bye, in terms of trying to push the ball down the field more."He further added that if Lawrence and Thomas can improve together, it will positively benefit the rest of the offense."That chemistry with those two is so important because if we can be explosive with those down the field routes, being able to push the ball down the field with those two specifically, it truly unlocks what everybody else can do," he said. "Not only just what he and BT are able to do, it helps Brent Strange, it helps Parker Washington, it helps Jakobi Meyers, and it helps the run game. Because now it's like, okay, if we keep throwing over your head, now maybe you have to play more two high safeties, be able to lean coverage."If Thomas is able to become the explosive receiver he was in his rookie year, defenses will be forced to devote more coverage to him, which will then give more space to both Washington and Meyers, and force lighter boxes for the run game. Coen has consistently stressed that he wants a strong, versatile receiving corps that gives Lawrence lots of options, as opposed to one star WR1. Yet Thomas becoming a potential threat again in 2026 will be exactly what allows that to happen. Unlocking that deep-threat ability is a way to create opportunities for the entire offense.This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Liam Coen: Trevor Lawrence, BTJ can make Jaguars offense more explosive

The test vote cleared the way for final passage of Republicans’ megabill to fund immigration enforcement through the remainder of President Trump’s term.

The group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, doubled down on its request to a federal judge to issue a formal order stopping the fund from being set up.

Matt Duss, Senator Bernie Sanders’s former foreign policy adviser, argues that Democrats need a foreign policy reckoning.

Subscribe to The Kevin O'Connor ShowApple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeKevin O'Connor & Es Baraheni react to the Spurs' 115-111 victory against the Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals. How did Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs bounce back? What adjustments do the Knicks need to make in Game 4 on Wednesday? The pair also dives into the NBA Draft, Giannis trade destinations and more. Later, NBA Draft prospect Karim Lopez joins the show to discuss his journey from Mexico to Spain to the New Zealand Breakers and how each stop shaped his skill set as an elite player. Lopez shares insights on adjusting to professional competition at age 14 and how facing international talent set the foundation for his projected lottery pick status. (0:32) Spurs beat Knicks at MSG in Finals Game 3 (44:44) What to do with small guards in NBA Draft? (53:06) Giannis trade destinations (1:08:58) Karim Lopez talks his NBA Draft journeyVictor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs shoots the ball over Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks during the second quarter in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images🖥️ Watch this full episode on the Yahoo Sports NBA YouTube channelCheck out all episodes of The Kevin O'Connor Show and the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 14: Dana White presents the Sportsman of The Year award during the GQ Australia Men of The Year Awards Ceremony at The Star on November 14, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images for GQ Australia) | Getty Images for GQ Australia UFC CEO Dana White is one of the most influential people in sports, according to TIME, the once-popular news magazine that continues to hemorrhage subscribers both in print and online. That’s not exclusive to TIME, as many old school publications like LIFE and Sports illustrated also collapsed during the dawn of the digital age.White is responsible for all things UFC, for better or worse, which includes a $7.7 billion broadcast deal with Paramount and a live event on the South Lawn of the White House. More impressive is that White was able to close both deals after this awful incident, which probably would have sank any other executive in sports.The Boss, @DanaWhite has been named to the inaugural 2026 #TIME100Sports List, recognizing 100 of the most influential figures shaping the global sports landscape. @TimeFull story: https://t.co/lIDZZ6yyAKpic.twitter.com/T0iJEewLlC— UFC (@ufc) June 9, 2026Also making the TIME 100 list from the world of combat sports were boxing champions and pound-for-pound greats Oleksandr Usyk and Amanda Serrano. Not surprisingly, MVP c0-founder Jake Paul is taking credit for getting Serrano mainstream attention after spending several years in relative obscurity.I said it in my documentary and I will say it again, being a part of getting Amanda Serrano the recognition she deserves is one of my biggest accomplishments in life. Congrats Amanda on making the first ever Time 100 Most Influential People in Sports list. pic.twitter.com/BeJbzMqz2u— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) June 9, 2026Usyk is definitely influential.He even influenced the judges to give him an undeserved decision against Rico Verhoeven last month in Egypt.

Jaxson Dart and Isaiah Likely | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants will take the field at 1:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday for Day 2 of mandatory minicamp. This will a 2½-hour workout that will serve as the final full practice before training camp begins at the end of July. Wednesday’s workout is scheduled to be a brief one of just more than an hour.Follow all of today’s news and highlights right here in our live stream.Will quarterback Jaxson Dart and the receivers find a little more consistency?How will the highly competitiive battles between wide receivers and cornerbacks fighting for roster spots turn out?Will we see running back Cam Skattebo take reps during team periods as he ramps up following last season’s ankle dislocation?Will we get to see placekickers Dominic Zvada and Ben Sauls duel again?Will there be any surprise guests after Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson showed up on Monday?John Mara here to watch #NYG practice for the second straight day.— Big Blue View (@bigblueview) June 9, 2026Live updatesColton Hood with some redemption from OBJ TD along same sideline in coverage vs Darnell Mooney, steadies at top of route and swats Dart’s throw away for PBU. https://t.co/fpAKjUzLcL— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) June 9, 2026The Odell backpedal and TD catch came right near the sideline where Giants co-owner John Mara is watching practice for second straight day. Had to make Mara smile. https://t.co/y1hcP5OXZ7— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) June 9, 2026Tae Banks just high pointed a ball and picked off Brandon Allen on a deep ball on the right sideline. Mini Camp #2— Brandon London (@BrandonLondonTV) June 9, 2026Looks like @obj just caught Colton Hood with a double move in 11/11 and was wide open, easy pitch and catch with good throw from @JaxsonDart.Beckham backpedaling final 10 yards for TD at Giants minicamp— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) June 9, 2026Cam Skattebo is taking live 11-on-11 reps. First time since his gruesome ankle injury.— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) June 9, 2026Throwing against the wind, @JaxsonDart sweet ball to rookie Malachi Fields and he completes the catch at Giants minicamp pic.twitter.com/OsR0wdVIU4— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) June 9, 2026No sign yet of Abdul Carter, who tweaked an ankle during Monday's #NYG practice.— Big Blue View (@bigblueview) June 9, 2026Players not spotted at the second minicamp practice: RB Tyrone Tracy (?), WR Malik Nabers (knee), WR Darius Slayton (sports hernia), TE Thomas Fidone (?), OL Lucas Patrick (?), OL Jake Kubas (?), DL Roy Robertson-Harris (Achilles), DL Sam Roberts (undisclosed surgery), OLB Abdul…— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) June 9, 2026Odell Beckham Jr. getting vertical. pic.twitter.com/IPQL3BdGt9— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) June 9, 2026Jaxson Dart with a few throws early in Tuesday's #NYG practice, including a couple of on-target deep ones. pic.twitter.com/ceuxZ7tHtU— Big Blue View (@bigblueview) June 9, 2026Odell running a route with Odell and getting technique pointers from WR coach Chad Hall pic.twitter.com/B3rJDsa2Si— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) June 9, 2026Another day at Giants minicamp. A look at Paulson Adebo, Deonte Banks and the Giants CBs. pic.twitter.com/15SlW8mCbT— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) June 9, 2026Cam Skattebo … coming at you. pic.twitter.com/R6QqTYFpcI— Paul Schwartz (@NYPost_Schwartz) June 9, 2026John Harbaugh welcomed Sean McDermott to Giants practice yesterday and the former Bills coach is expected back today. The two worked together on Andy Reid's staff with the Eagles. McDermott also worked with Giants GM Joe Schoen in Buffalo.Harbs plans to get McDermott's…— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) June 9, 2026It's a gorgeous afternoon for Day 2 of #NYG minicamp. pic.twitter.com/VUboe9bDoQ— Big Blue View (@bigblueview) June 9, 2026Settled in at Quest Diagnostics for Day 2 of #NYG mandatory minicamp. The whole Meadowlands complex is turned upside down with last-minute World Cup preparations.— Big Blue View (@bigblueview) June 9, 2026

Chelsea Defender Wants To Seal A Move To Barcelona: Should Alonso Cash In On Him?In a recent report, Mundo Deportivo revealed that Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella wants to seal a move to Barcelona this summer. It is believed that the Spanish full-back is open to parting ways with the Blues in favour of a switch to the Nou Camp this off-season.Cucurella’s Up-And-Down Season In The Premier LeagueCucurella endured an inconsistent campaign at the West London club, but managed to put in a run of impressive displays for them on the left flank. The Spanish defensive ace found the back of the net once and earned four assists in 50 matches for Chelsea last season in various competitions.The 27-year-old is currently one of the most experienced left-backs in the Premier League. Therefore, Chelsea would find it difficult to replace him in this transfer window.Cucurella is under contract at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2029. Thus, the Blues are under no immediate pressure to let him go this off-season.PUEBLA, MEXICO – JUNE 08: Marc Cucurella of Spain arrives at the stadium prior to the international friendly match between Peru and Spain at Estadio Cuauhtémoc on June 08, 2026 in Puebla, Mexico. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)Should Chelsea Boss Xabi Alonso Cash In On Cucurella?Cucurella is a good tackler of the ball and can scan the danger well to make some important interceptions for his side inside his half when he is playing well on the pitch.The Spanish sensation doesn’t mind clearing the danger when the opposition are on the front foot and is a decent crosser of the ball as well. He can even chip in by scoring and creating the odd goal for his team from the left flank. Cucurella is primarily a left-back but can also fill in as a left-sided wide player if asked to do so by his manager. He has got a wealth of experience in the Premier League and remains an important member of Chelsea’s match-day squad.However, the Spaniard has his heart set on a move to Barcelona. Hence, the Blues could struggle to retain his services beyond this summer.Cucurella has been a great servant to Chelsea, so it is only fair to the player if Alonso allows him to leave this off-season. At 27, Cucurella is about to enter his prime. Still, the Blues should consider cashing in on him and using the money acquired from his potential sale to bring in a suitable replacement in this transfer window.

Pirates GM Not Concerned By Paul Skenes' Recent Skid originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Paul Skenes hasn't been himself lately.The Pittsburgh Pirates ace has allowed at least three runs in each of his last four starts, all of which have been losses for the Pirates. During that span, he's 0-3 with a 4.95 ERA.That's a concerning trend heading into Skenes' start tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have the second-best record and third-most runs per game in baseball.However, Pittsburgh GM Ben Cherington isn't worried about the reigning NL Cy Young winner's recent slump.What does #Pirates GM Ben Cherington say about recent Paul Skenes starts as the record-setting righty opens a series against the Dodgers tonight https://t.co/X86yYP4YzR— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) June 9, 2026"The highest level of trust in him for sure," Cherington said during the Pirates Insider Show hosted by Jason Mackey on 93.7 The Fan. "He’s still throwing really hard, we’ve seen some bounces up-and-down with the velo, I haven’t seen any significant change since spring training."Even with his recent skid, Skenes' numbers are still excellent. He enters Tuesday's series opener with a 2.83 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, 82 strikeouts in 70 innings and the lowest walk rate in the National League.Skenes has had rough patches before, so it should only be a matter of time until he puts this one behind him.More MLB: Pirates Ace Paul Skenes Reminds Everyone Why He's An Amazing Human Being

Deep red states across the country have rolled out anti-Pride alternatives to Pride month recently, inspired by so-called Christian values, and riding the Trump administration’s own anti-LGBTQ+ crusade. However, legislation to create a federal “family month” in June has not gained any serious traction, even amongst Republican Congress members. But advocates for the same anti-Pride messaging are coming up short in Congress, after Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) said the quiet part out loud: “Homosexuality has no place in America. Happy Nuclear Family Month.” Related Ted Cruz calls out GOP colleague who said “Homosexuality has no place in America” Overt homophobia is now tied up with legislation for a federal “family month” in June. Over the last several years, “family month” designations have been, by degree, subtler forms of anti-LGBTQ+ animus than Ogle’s, with Republican-dominated states conjuring alternatives to Pride Month in support of “traditional” values. In Arkansas and Utah, June is now Fidelity Month. In Alabama, it’s called Strong Families Month. Both Indiana and Tennessee officially celebrate the antiseptic Nuclear Family Month, Semafor reports. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today For Fidelity Month in Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) collaborated with Princeton-based conservative intellectual Robert P. George, who has been pushing for that designation across the country in state and local governments. Like Moms for Liberty with their book-banning cut-and-paste campaigns, or copycat “Don’t Say Gay” measures in red state legislatures, George provides advice and pre-packaged campaign “toolkits” promoting “practices that encourage virtue, commitment, responsibility, and shared moral foundations,” to quote the Arkansas resolution. In Utah, the Fidelity Month proclamation endorsed “dedication to faith, family and country” as a Pride Month alternative. Gov. Spencer Cox’s signature was not only more evidence of the growing movement to push Pride to the sidelines, but Donald Trump’s toxic effect on previously supportive LGBTQ+ allies. Ten years ago, Cox, a moderate Republican, was lieutenant governor when he addressed a Pride event in Salt Lake City in the aftermath of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting in Orlando. Cox welled up as he apologized for not treating gay people “with the kindness, dignity, and respect — the love that they deserved.” He went on to declare “LGBTQ+ Pride Month” in 2021, 2022, and 2023, as governor. But in 2024, with Trump ascendant on the campaign trail and Cox facing a primary challenge to his right, the governor backtracked, substituting a “Month of Bridge Building” designation for June. Later, he acquiesced to a GOP legislature ban on Pride flags on public property. Cox hasn’t commented on the Fidelity Month designation beyond his signature, but Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) has denied LGBTQ+ animus in his state’s proclamation naming June Nuclear Family Month. “There’s no message, other than that the nuclear family is important,” Braun said. His own lieutenant governor, Micah Beckwith, however, was more transparent: he thanked Braun for “sharing heaven’s truth” and helping to “take back the rainbow.” Others have been even more explicit in their campaigns to quash Pride Month for good; Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s signature on a Nuclear Family Month resolution in April led directly to Ogle’s public declaration week that “Homosexuality has no place in America.” But with midterms looming, that unvarnished take was a bridge too far even for some of the House’s most right-wing members, and a likely setback for a Fidelity Month designation in Congress. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) called Ogle’s post “untoward.” “We’re supposed to love our neighbors, everybody, supposed to treat every single person with dignity and respect, whether we agree with them or not,” he told reporters. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) called the comments “reprehensible” and said the post should have never been shared. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) called the statement “idiotic.” Like Ogles, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), who sponsored the House resolution to designate June as a federal “family month,” sees Pride and homosexuality as an anti-family affront. “The left hijacked June to present perversion, to cause gender confusion, and basically to give license for individuals to be indecent in public,” she’s said. Her resolution is supported by Ogles and 21 other Republicans, but the small number reflects a lack of appetite even among hard-right Republicans to be associated with the overt homophobia now tied up with the legislation. The same measure in the Senate from Utah Sen. Mike Lee (R) has no cosponsors. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A new gender-affirming medical clinic will open in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York City. But the clinic (which hasn’t announced an opening date) won’t serve adults or children under the age of 19, adhering to President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to ban gender-affirming care for the same age group. “We are committed to this issue and want to make sure we provide the services and resources for youth… We are working on this, and we’re trying to figure out how to do this.” New York City Health Commissioner Alister Martin said during a City Council budget hearing last Friday, according to The Advocate. “[Still,] we don’t [want to] expose ourselves to clawbacks from the federal government, which disrupt the rest of the care that we can give.” Related GOP enraged over bill to make parentage laws more LGBTQ+-inclusive: “Woke culture run amok” During the meeting, Democratic City Councilmember Tiffany Cabán (who represents the Queens neighborhood of Astoria) said that parents of trans youth are urgently seeking places to get gender-affirming care, especially since two of the city’s major health networks, NYU Langone Health and the Mount Sinai Hospital System, both stopped providing gender-affirming care to minors. Trans journalist Erin Reed noted that the clinic’s opening represents a “meaningful advancement” of New York City’s Zohran Mamdani’s campaign promises, but it falls short of his pledge to commit $65 million for gender-affirming care and to use “every lever of city power” to protect trans residents from federal intimidation. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today “Since taking office, those promises have largely gone unfulfilled,” Reed wrote. “No enforcement action against the hospitals that shuttered their programs, no fines from the Commission on Human Rights despite complaints open for over a year, and no public accounting of the promised funding.” In a June 2 appearance on WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show, Mamdani mentioned a $15 million investment in gender-affirming care over two years. But Reed noted, “There are virtually no public details” on the funds, “which agency controls it, which patients it serves, or when it will go into effect.” Last March, New York Attorney General Letitia James office ordered NYU Langone Health to resume its youth services, which included counseling and mental health services, puberty blockers, and hormone therapy. The health system decided to end its youth services after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr said that Trump’s executive order would withhold Medicare and Medicaid funding — a large portion of healthcare budgets nationwide — from any hospital that provided gender-affirming care for trans minors. James, however, told hospitals statewide they must conform to New York’s anti-discrimination laws, which require access to services regardless of gender identity. She also accurately noted, “There has been no change in federal law to require the cessation of medically necessary transgender health care.” Really damn tired of our "allies" abandoning trans youth and then turning around saying "we see you, we hear you, we support you as long as you're over the age of 19 to align with Trump's policies!"— Alejandra Caraballo (@esqueer.net) 2026-06-09T13:58:37.266Z In a June 9 post on Bluesky criticizing the New York City clinic’s refusal of care for trans minors, trans activist and civil rights attorney Alejandra Caraballo wrote, “Really damn tired of our ‘allies’ abandoning trans youth and then turning around saying ‘we see you, we hear you, we support you as long as you’re over the age of 19 to align with Trump’s policies!'” “I’m sure the lies they tell themselves about preserving the institutions to help later or this being only for a short while may comfort them in the moment, but they are still lies nonetheless,” she added in a follow-up post. Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.

A mysterious group has spent $500,000 to elevate a progressive candidate in the Democratic primary race for a key House seat.

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The unfortunate realization of the college football recruiting process is that commitments are never guaranteed until the pen hits the paper. Four-star cornerback Semajay Robinson was the first player from the Class of 2027 to commit to Penn State since Matt Campbell was hired and he seemed to be thrilled with his school.Over the past few weeks his intrigue in the school has begun to wane, and since he never shut down his recruitment, people assumed he would decommit or flip his commitment. Robinson proved those people right today after Hayes Fawcett of On3 Sports announced that the cornerback now intends to start his college career with the Virginia Cavaliers. Luckily cornerback is one of the positions that the Nittany Lions have the most stock invested in going forward now that arguably the best one will be with another program next year. There were signs that Robinson wasn’t thrilled with Penn State, and now he officially moves on.BREAKING: Four-Star CB Semajay Robinson has Flipped his Commitment from Penn State to Virginia, his agent tells @RivalsThe 6’2 190 CB had been Committed to the Nittany Lions since March“Virginia, I’m HOME #Wahoowa”⁰https://t.co/IVtki9zZKnpic.twitter.com/or4LSN2y2H— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 9, 2026This move reduces the number of commits for next year by one, but it doesn’t sting quite as bad after the school picked up a pair of commitments yesterday. The Nittany Lions are strong contenders for a number of upcoming recruits set to make their decisions in the near future and already have one of the best 2027 classes in the country. Robinson is a tough loss, but Penn State isn’t going to let this one setback define what has been an unexpectedly great recruiting cycle.Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X and Facebook.This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: 4-star Penn State CB flips commitment to Virginia Cavaliers

Maple Leafs linked to 27-point defenseman trade in loose rumor originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Toronto Maple Leafs seem likely to make some adjustments to the blue line this offseason.So even while the latest trade rumor isn't concrete, Sean Durzi would certainly fit a need.Durzi is a 27-year old defenseman from the Utah Mammoth who had five goals and 22 assists (27 points) in the 2025-26 season.And one prominent Maple Leafs account on social media, which more often aggregates news, has shared that it sounds like Durzi could be involved in trade talks with Toronto:I got this second-hand, but apparently Sean Durzi has heard rumours within the Utah organization that he could be getting traded to the Leafs.— Willyston Riellander (@nylanderthews) June 9, 2026MORE: Dylan Larkin's trade request points out a major NHL flawClearly, with that framing, this isn't news to be taken as religious truth.It does have some intrigue to it, though, and Durzi could be of interest to new GM John Chayka.Durzi was originally a second-round pick of the Maple Leafs in the 2018 NHL Draft.He didn't break into the NHL until 2019 with the Los Angeles Kings, who had acquired him as part of the Jake Muzzin trade.The Kings then traded Durzi to the Coyotes in 2023 for a second-round pick -- it's worth noting that was after Chayka's time in Arizona had come to an end.Durzi has played 302 NHL games and totaled 30 goals and 114 assists (144 points) along with 563 blocked shots and 241 hits.He has two years remaining on a four-year deal that pays him $6 million per season, so he's not particularly cheap for a guy who is far from a top-pairing defenseman.Still, maybe he'd have some intrigue to Toronto as a change-of-scenery candidate to help their defensive unit. If not Durzi, then maybe someone else like him will end up being the answer.More NHL news:Canadiens had a trade agreed to, but they missed by 1 minuteHenrik Sedin's son is excelling in a different sportElias Petersson trade plans may be missing a key pointWould the Maple Leafs trade Easton Cowan?Alex Ovechkin's mom is playing a role in his retirement decision