ORLANDO, Fla. — A season ago at the Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings, the Mets grabbed a stranglehold on the attention when they landed Juan Soto one night into the proceedings on the richest contract in sports.
It was a massive swing by the Mets front office – one that only netted soft contact during Soto’s first season in Flushing as the team fell shy of the postseason.
As president of baseball operations David Stearns and the Mets descend on this year’s installment of the league’s offseason soiree in Orlando, Fla., there is much work to do with the club’s roster with two months to go before a return trip to the Sunshine State and the beginning of spring training.
The Mets have already made waves early in the offseason, trading Brandon Nimmo and bringing in Marcus Semien. Last week, they signed reliever Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract to plug in one hole in the bullpen.
But the futures of franchise favorites Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz still linger at the top of mind for Mets fans. After last season’s disappointment, there is a need to bolster the top of the starting rotation — either via a signing or trade — and Nimmo’s exit opens up a second gap in the outfield that needs to be filled. And the bullpen, oft a liability a season ago, could stand to add some dependable contributors after a swath of exits from last season’s unit.
All of those needs take center stage as the Mets hit the marketplace at this Winter Meetings. Follow along for updates on all the moving and shaking throughout MLB:
NY Mets live updates from MLB Winter Meetings 2025
MLB Winter Meetings information, key dates, storylines to follow
The baseball world converges on Orlando for a few days of wheeling and dealing.
Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings often become a hot bed of activity to feed the offseason’s hot stove, with all 30 clubs having representatives from their respective front offices within the same area.
The Guardians have a number of ongoing storylines, including the potential trading — or possibly re-signing — of All-Star left fielder Steven Kwan, the legal proceedings and investigations of Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz and the possibility of adding to a roster coming off of back-to-back American League Central titles.
Zooming out to the league, 29 clubs are again chasing the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are trying to further a potential dynasty with Shohei Ohtani and Co.
What are the MLB Winter Meetings?
The Winter Meetings act as the official convention of Major League Baseball. The week features numerous events and meetings and a baseball-centric job fair. This year’s Winter Meetings are being held in Orlando, Florida.
2025 Winter Meetings start date?
The 2025 MLB Winter Meetings are set for Dec. 7-11, though most of the activity often occurs toward the middle of the week.
When is the Rule 5 Draft?
Blue Jays, Red Sox rumors
There’s no nifty little trinket awarded to the team that “wins” the winter meetings. And no, satisfying the media-industrial complex by being the most active team doesn’t count.
Still, as 30 Major League Baseball clubs converge on the synthetic exterior of Orlando for baseball’s annual transactions bazaar, some franchises could stand to make a little noise. Of course, the three-day affair is no hard deadline to add or subtract personnel, and many bold-faced names will loiter on the market, perhaps into the new year.
But proximity can certainly breed activity. With that, we examine five teams who could – or should – shake things up this week:
Boston Red Sox
Their quick strike to reel in Sonny Gray shows evidence of a winter plan they’d like to execute with dispatch. And there’s little ambiguity regarding two of the top free agent targets to which they’ve been consistently linked: Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso.
Both are Scott Boras clients who suffered through a long December a year ago as draft-pick compensation was attached to their free agency. This time around, they are truly free agents, with Bregman bringing the perk of familiarity with the Red Sox.
Bregman’s one season in Boston – he opted out of the final two seasons of a $120 million deal to do this again – was a smash, save for injuries that limited him and his .821 OPS to 114 games. Still, Boston climbed out of .500-ville and made the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
We know Boras clients can linger on the market. Yet there are few secrets with these guys and, after one trip around the sun last winter, agent and players know what’s out there. With Boston’s desperate need to fortify its lineup – and still armed with most of the $250 million cost savings from the Rafael Devers deal – a quick strike for one (both?) of these guys is logical.
Baltimore Orioles
Their money was no good last winter, when Corbin Burnes declined their aggressive offer to stay near his Arizona home and now, the Orioles have no choice but to reel in pitching help.
It stood to reason they might get outbid for Dylan Cease, whose elite strikeout rate earned him a $210 million deal with the rival Toronto Blue Jays. But drop down a tier, and the fit could be just about right.
Left-hander Framber Valdez would be a strong and not thoroughly cost-prohibitive match in Baltimore. Durable, playoff-tested and originally signed by the Houston Astros when current Orioles baseball chief Mike Elias was scouting director, Valdez would provide a crucial anchor for an Orioles staff with several question marks.
The early smoke has indicated Elias has been in on all the key free agent targets – Cease, Valdez, Zac Gallen and Ranger Suarez. In a winter in which the Orioles simply cannot come up empty in their pitcher search, jumping quickly into the market could be particularly important here.
Arizona Diamondbacks
They hold one of the more valuable trade chips this winter: An All-Star hitter on a team-friendly deal who can bolster anyone’s infield. And if and when they deal Ketel Marte, the Diamondbacks will still have an economically friendly core to build around in shortstop Geraldo Perdomo – who finished fourth in NL MVP voting – and right fielder Corbin Carroll.
So, they have options. And they can look around an NL West in which the Dodgers will find it doubly hard to three-peat (that tax bill for October pitcher usage will come due), the Padres are receding financially and the Giants might suddenly grow wary of all the nine-figure deals they’re suddenly carrying and believe they can sneak through the field.
It’s unfortunate they’ll be without Burnes in 2026 due to Tommy John surgery in June, but jumping into the pitching market will both help backfill the likely loss of Gallen but also equip them for a future that includes Burnes. A team with holes to fill and options to create further flexibility.
Toronto Blue Jays
The winter parlour game of free agency got a lot more interesting once these guys jumped in annually. Perhaps their Cease signing will be the loudest noise they make, but it’s not likely.
And it won’t be for lack of effort. The Blue Jays may face an either-or situation with regard to top free agent prize Kyle Tucker and their own superstar, infielder Bo Bichette. Unless they truly want to become New York North, Strong and Free, signing both seems unlikely – it would put total commitments to just three players (including $500 million man Vladimir Guerrero) over $1 billion.
Yet they cannot afford to miss on both if they want to maintain these best of times – and the Cease signing indicates they will try like hell to improve on their runner-up finish in the finals. Always keep an eye on these dudes.
Detroit Tigers
Oh, we’re not expecting Tarik Skubal to move. The public appetite for Big Transaction often tramples over the fact that some teams actually want to win.
Combine that with the fact that there’s no universe in which the Tigers get “market value” for a two-time AL Cy Young Award winner and yep, there’s likely no offer that could move them to move Skubal.
Instead, think of this as their all-in year.
Ownership and baseball ops chief Scott Harris fully realize retaining Skubal is probably impossible. Thus, the Tigers’ “win curve” may never bend more north than it will in 2026. That’s probably why they’ve been connected once again to Bregman, who turned down $171 million from them last season.
If nothing else, the Bregman engagement indicates they’re not willing to trudge to an AL Central title or a third wild card while leaning too hard on the Zach McKinstrys and Wenceel Perezes of the world, whose best usage might be in a lesser role.
No, it makes sense for the Tigers to go for it now. And maybe make a little noise this week.
Nichushkin, MacKinnon help Avalanche increase NHL-best record in 3-2 win over Philadelphia Flyers
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Valeri Nichushkin scored the eventual game-winner early in the second period, Nathan MacKinnon had an assist to add to his NHL-leading points total and the Colorado Avalanche hung on for a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.
Brent Burns and Brock Nelson also scored for Colorado, which improved to 21-2-6 with a league-leading 48 points. The Avalanche were playing their third game in four days while Philadelphia had the last three days off.
Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny had the goals for Philadelphia, which lost for just the third time in the last nine games. The Flyers were playing the third contest of a season-long, six-game homestand.
Burns netted the first of three straight Avalanche goals on a wrist shot midway through the first period. Nelson put Colorado ahead 2-1 with 52 seconds remaining in the period when he scored on a power play on a scrum in front. MacKinnon originally was credited with the goal before being awarded the primary assist. He now has 49 points.
Nichushkin finished a 2-on-1 by beating Samuel Ersson on the blocker side on a wrist shot from the circle to make it 3-1 with 18:13 to play in the second. Ersson made 25 saves.
Konecny pulled Philadelphia within a goal four minutes later when he scored from close range. Philadelphia had a chance to tie it in the third period, but Trevor Zegras missed a penalty shot 4:54 into the period when he shot into Mackenzie Blackwood’s pads.
The Flyers pressured the Avalanche, who were coming off Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win at the Rangers, in the third period but couldn’t connect.
Couturier, playing in his 900th career game, put Philadelphia up 1-0 two minutes into the contest when he deflected Noah Juulsen’s slap shot past Blackwood.
Blackwood had 24 saves.
Up next
Avalanche: At Nashville on Tuesday to end four-game road trip.
Flyers: Host San Jose on Tuesday night.
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Canadian NHL Team Review: Bouchard, Raty & Wolf Shine Saturday Night
Saturday was a busy night for Canada’s NHL teams, and a few made statements that go a long way in both the standings and in building team confidence. The Edmonton Oilers have found their offense and reminded everyone why Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are the league’s most deadly duo. Meanwhile, Vancouver had players step up when Elias Pettersson unexpectedly went missing in action. Finally, the Flames were given another reason to be confident that the season isn’t a write-off.
For fans of Canadian hockey teams, these performances are worth noting.
Oilers 6, Jets 2 – Evan Bouchard Red Hot
The Oilers jumped on a tired Winnipeg Jets team, who were playing in back-to-back contests. Edmonton has exploded for offense, and the Oilers dropped four goals in the first period and cruised to a 6–2 win at Rogers Place. Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard each had a goal and an assist, while Connor McDavid added two helpers.
Edmonton’s first-period dominance—16–5 in shots—set the tone early. As well, Stuart Skinner’s calm play in the crease kept the Jets from mounting any serious comeback.
McDavid and Draisaitl continue to elevate their teammates, but Bouchard’s game has really come on strong of late. The team added scoring from the fourth line, and defenseman Alec Regula played a season high, on the ice for more than 20 minutes. The Oilers appear more balanced and connected, which fans would say is long overdue.
Canucks 4, Wild 2 – Raty Breaks Out
Aatu Raty stole the show in Vancouver, scoring twice and adding an assist in a 4–2 win over Minnesota. His performance suggests that he could become more than a temporary fill-in. The timing of his emergence is nearly perfect. Räty isn’t yet a household name. However, there’s a good chance he can give the Canucks a solid center.
Tom Willander scored his first NHL goal, and young defenseman Elias Pettersson also contributed, helping the Canucks snap a five-game slide. Willander is an integral part of Vancouver’s youth pipeline, which could shape the kind of trades the Canucks are willing to make as they shop veterans and UFAs.
Nikita Tolopilo’s 28 saves provided steady goaltending, allowing Vancouver’s young forwards to take calculated risks and generate offense.
Flames 2, Mammoth 0 – Wolf Stands Tall
Calgary’s Dustin Wolf posted his second shutout of the season, turning aside 27 shots in a 2–0 win over Utah. Yegor Sharangovich scored just 16 seconds in, the Flames’ fastest opener since last April, and Connor Zary sealed the win with an empty-netter. Calgary’s penalty kill has been stellar, going 17-for-17.
Outside of a blip against the Lightning, Wolf has found his game for the Flames. His shutout comes after a .963 save percentage outing against the Wild and a .917 performance against Nashville. He’s bouncing back from a rough start.
Also bouncing back is Sharangovich, whose offensive instincts are finally showing returns.
Trade chatter will continue to surround the Flames, but wins behind a franchise goaltender could change how much the organization is willing to consider.
Nichushkin, MacKinnon help Avalanche increase NHL
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Valeri Nichushkin scored the eventual game-winner early in the second period, Nathan MacKinnon had an assist to add to his NHL-leading points total and the Colorado Avalanche hung on for a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.
Brent Burns and Brock Nelson also scored for Colorado, which improved to 21-2-6 with a league-leading 48 points. The Avalanche were playing their third game in four days while Philadelphia had the last three days off.
Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny had the goals for Philadelphia, which lost for just the third time in the last nine games. The Flyers were playing the third contest of a season-long, six-game homestand.
Burns netted the first of three straight Avalanche goals on a wrist shot midway through the first period. Nelson put Colorado ahead 2-1 with 52 seconds remaining in the period when he scored on a power play on a scrum in front. MacKinnon originally was credited with the goal before being awarded the primary assist. He now has 49 points.
Nichushkin finished a 2-on-1 by beating Samuel Ersson on the blocker side on a wrist shot from the circle to make it 3-1 with 18:13 to play in the second. Ersson made 25 saves.
Konecny pulled Philadelphia within a goal four minutes later when he scored from close range. Philadelphia had a chance to tie it in the third period, but Trevor Zegras missed a penalty shot 4:54 into the period when he shot into Mackenzie Blackwood’s pads.
The Flyers pressured the Avalanche, who were coming off Saturday’s 3-2 overtime win at the Rangers, in the third period but couldn’t connect.
Couturier, playing in his 900th career game, put Philadelphia up 1-0 two minutes into the contest when he deflected Noah Juulsen’s slap shot past Blackwood.
Blackwood had 24 saves.
Up next
Avalanche: At Nashville on Tuesday to end four-game road trip.
Flyers: Host San Jose on Tuesday night.
___
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Hockey 101: How do starters work in the NHL?
In many sports, the designation of “starter” carries a certain level of prestige. The starters are the important players, and everyone else is just a substitute.
It’s not that way in hockey, aside from the goaltenders.
In hockey, shifts are so quick — typically less than a minute each — that starting the game has little to no influence on how much playing time a player will get over the course of 60 minutes.
The Utah Mammoth, for example, often start their third line: Lawson Crouse, Jack McBain and Michael Carcone, as it stands at the time of writing. But they’re seventh, ninth and 12th, respectively, among Mammoth forwards in terms of average ice time per game.
What’s the difference between starting goalies and backup goalies in hockey?
Goalies, on the other hand, typically are decidedly starters or backups, which affects the number of games they play in a given year.
Starting goalies usually play anywhere from 50-65 games, give or take, with the backup filling in periodically. Backup goalies will often take the easier matchup in a back-to-back situation, and if the starter is injured or has a particularly bad start, he’ll sometimes replace him midway through a game.
That happened in the Mammoth’s 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Monday. Starting goalie Karel Vejmelka allowed three goals on nine shots in the first period, so backup Vítek Vaněček stepped in to play the latter 47 minutes of the game.
Occasionally, a team will go with a 1A, 1B system where they trust both goalies equally, and they play them as such. It’s not always the most effective system, but can be a big advantage in the right situation.
What happens if both goalies get hurt in an NHL game?
Both goalies getting injured in the same game is extremely rare, but it has happened on a handful of occasions — and it’s one of the most entertaining situations there is: the EBUG.
EBUG stands for “emergency backup goalie,” and it is exactly what it sounds like: a designated guy sitting in the stands who, if needed, will head to the locker room and change into his equipment.
He typically has some goaltending experience at a somewhat high level, but he can’t have played in the NHL on a standard player contract before. He’ll play for either team in the event that he’s needed.
The most famous instance of this was David Ayres, who suited up for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2020. He allowed goals on the first two shots he faced, but was perfect after that and eventually became the first EBUG to ever be credited with a win.
Beginning in the 2026-27 season, teams will be permitted to carry a third goalie on the roster instead of using an EBUG. It’ll be a full-time position with a full-time salary, though not nearly the league-minimum amount that typical players make.
The rules still dictate that the third goalie may not have played in an NHL game under normal circumstances, so it will still be a big story any time he’s called upon.
Three Potential Landing Spots for Flames’ Blake Coleman
With the Calgary Flames sitting near the bottom of the NHL standings, their roster is increasingly being viewed through a trade-deadline lens. While much of the speculation has centered on Rasmus Andersson and Nazem Kadri, Blake Coleman has quietly emerged as one of the more intriguing names to watch around the league.
Coleman checks a lot of boxes for playoff-bound teams. He brings speed, physicality, and a willingness to play hard minutes, while also offering some finishing ability. Through 30 games this season, the 33-year-old has eight goals and 12 points and ranks near the top among Flames forwards in hits. He is also just two seasons removed from a 30-goal campaign and has two Stanley Cups on his résumé from Tampa Bay.
The contract is the main complicating factor. Coleman has two years remaining at a $4.9 million cap hit and carries a 10-team no-trade list. Calgary isn’t actively shopping him, but as TSN’s Pierre LeBrun noted, it wouldn’t be surprising if contenders circle back closer to the deadline.
If the Flames decide to move him, these three teams stand out as logical fits.
Boston Bruins
When you look at what Coleman brings, the Bruins seem like a great fit. For a while, Boston has liked guys who play with grit but can still get the job done, and Coleman is that kind of player.
Sometimes, Boston’s scoring isn’t great after their best players, and Coleman would give coach Marco Sturm someone who can play different roles. He can play tough defense with a good center, or he can score more when guys get hurt.
Most of all, Coleman knows what it takes to win in the playoffs. He won two Cups with Tampa Bay, which fits what the Bruins are trying to do while David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie are still leading the team.
They’d have to get creative with the money, but if Calgary pays part of Coleman’s salary, the Bruins might think he’s worth it because he’s a playoff-type player.
Vegas Golden Knights
Vegas loves grabbing players who’ve done well in the playoffs, and Coleman would be a great fit for what the Golden Knights are all about: pressure, speed, and scoring from everyone.
The Golden Knights want to use all four lines, but injuries and money issues often mean they have to mix up their bottom two lines. Coleman would provide flexibility right away. He can forecheck hard, kill penalties, and still score when he gets the opportunity.
He’s won championships before, just like many players on Vegas’ current team who aren’t scared of the playoffs. Coleman wouldn’t be brought here to lead a line; he’d be here to make shifts count, wear out the other team, and make life hard in long series.
If Calgary pays part of his salary, Vegas would be in a good spot to grab him, especially if they think Coleman can help in the playoffs for a few years instead of just being a short-term rental.
New York Rangers
Coleman could be a cool fit for the Rangers, who are a pretty interesting team. They’ve got some seriously good players, but how well they do often depends on whether the rest of the team can keep up physically when the playoffs roll around.
Coleman would help with that right away. He’s got that tough edge that GM Chris Drury seems to like, but he can also score enough to not be a drag on the team. He’s good at pressuring the other team, which would work well with the Rangers’ skilled guys. Plus, he’s been around the block, and that could really help a team trying to make a deep run in the East.
Since the Rangers are watching their players closely because of injuries and inconsistent play, Coleman would give them some options and consistency. If the Flames are willing to help out with his salary, the Rangers might see him as a smart pickup for the playoffs, not just an extra luxury.
A Valuable Deadline Chess Piece
Blake Coleman won’t be cheap, and Calgary has no obligation to move him quickly. However, his blend of physical play, scoring touch, and championship experience ensures that his name will stay in trade conversations as March approaches.
If the Flames receive the right offer, contenders will line up — because players like Coleman tend to matter most when the games stop being easy.
Macklin Celebrini helps San Jose Sharks upset Carolina Hurricanes
The San Jose Sharks put together one of their most complete road efforts of the season on Sunday.
John Klingberg and Alexander Wennberg both scored second-period goals, Macklin Celebrini had a goal and two assists, and goalie Alex Nedeljkovic finished with 29 saves to help the Sharks earn an impressive 4-1 win over the host Carolina Hurricanes to snap a five-game road losing streak.
Celebrini, playing his 100th career NHL game, assisted on goals by Collin Graf and Klingberg before he scored his 15th of the season on an empty-net with 1:20 left in regulation time. It was Celebrini’s 12th multi-point game of the season as the Sharks earned their first win away from home since beating the Minnesota Wild 2-1 in overtime on Nov. 11.
Celebrini assisted on Graf’s goal 33 seconds into the first period, and also worked a give-and-go with Klingberg, whose even-strength goal at the 7:54 mark of the second period gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead.
Wennberg then gave the Sharks a 3-1 lead at the 15:44 mark of the second. William Eklund, in his 200th NHL game, took a pass from Klingberg and put a shot on net that Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov stopped, but Wennberg scored his sixth of the season on the rebound.
That was enough offense for Nedeljkovic, who made 16 saves in the third period for his first win since Nov. 7, when he stopped 32 of 33 shots in the Sharks’ 2-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. In five games since, Nedeljkovic was 0-3-0 with a .870 save percentage as Yaroslav Askarov established himself as the Sharks’ No. 1 goalie.
The Sharks (14-13-3) were coming off a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday, in which they allowed three goals in the third period. In their last five away games before Sunday, the Sharks were 0-5-0 while being outscored 20-5.
The Sharks’ road trip continues next week with games in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Toronto on Thursday, and Pittsburgh on Saturday.
Macklin Celebrini has goal and 2 assists in the Sharks’ 4-1 won over the Hurricanes
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Macklin Celebrini set up San Jose’s first two goals to tie for the NHL assists lead and added an empty-netter, helping the Sharks beat Carolina 4-1 on Sunday night for their first road victory over the Hurricanes since 2018.
Celebrini tied Edmonton star Connor McDavid for the assists lead with 28, and moved a point ahead of McDavid for second in the scoring race with 43 — six behind Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado.
The Sharks had lost six in a row in Raleigh since a 3-1 victory Feb. 4, 2018 — when Celebrini was 11 years old.
Collin Graf, John Klingberg and Alexander Wennberg also scored, and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 29 shots against his former team.
Jordan Staal scored for the Hurricanes, and Pyotr Kochetkov made 18 saves in his first loss in five starts this season. The Hurricanes dropped to 3-3-0 with a game left on their homestand.
Celebrini found Klingberg in the slot for a one-timer at 7:54 of second period to give the Sharks a 2-1 lead. Wennberg scored off a rebound on a 4:46 to go in the period.
Nedeljkovic was particularly sharp in the third period with 16 saves. Celebrini capped the scoring with the empty-netter with 1:20 left.
The Hurricanes kicked off a celebration of the 20th anniversary of their 2006 Stanley Cup champion team on Sunday. Most of the players, and former coach Peter Laviolette, were at the game and will be honored on the ice Tuesday night before a home game with Columbus.
Up Next
Sharks: At Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
Hurricanes: Host Columbus on Tuesday night.
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Thompson makes 39 saves for 100th NHL win, Capitals shut out Blue Jackets
It was Thompson’s first shutout of the season and seventh in the NHL. He is 5-0-1 over his past six starts.
Jakob Chychrun and Aliaksei Protas scored for the Capitals (18-9-3), who are on a season-long eight-game point streak (7-0-1) and are 10-1-1 in their past 12 games.
Jet Greaves made 36 saves for the Blue Jackets (13-10-6), who had their five-game point streak (2-0-3) end.
Chychrun gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead 50 seconds into the second period, scoring on a snap shot from the top of the left circle off a pass from Tom Wilson.
Thompson made a series of saves to help the Capitals kill off a double-minor penalty against Hendrix Lapierre midway through the third period.
Protas scored into an empty net at 18:34 for the 2-0 final.
Rangers blow late lead in OT loss to Golden Knights
The Rangers extended the worst home record in the NHL this season, while also continuing another disturbing losing trend.
The Blueshirts now have played five sets of back-to-back games among their first 31 contests, and they have lost on the back end every time after allowing the tying goal in the final minute of regulation before falling 3-2 to the Golden Knights at the Garden on Jack Eichel’s net-crashing goal with eight seconds remaining in overtime.
Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière potted second-period goals about four minutes apart during a 17-shot second period but the Rangers did not receive a power play in the game in falling to 3-9-2 at home this season and to 15-13-3 overall ahead of Wednesday’s visit to Chicago.
Backup goalie Jonathan Quick made 26 saves in his first start since Nov. 22 due to a lower-body injury. He held a 2-1 lead until the Golden Knights pulled goalie Carter Hart during a 4-on-4 in the final minute, with Tomas Hertl burying a rebound in front for a tie game with 51.3 seconds remaining.
Vegas opened the scoring just 36 seconds into the match, taking advantage of Vladislav Gavrikov’s turnover along the defensive-zone boards with a conversion by former Rangers center Brett Howden at the left post for a quick 1-0 deficit.
Howden nearly connected again about seven minutes later, beating Quick’s glove but ringing the puck off the right post.
The sluggish Rangers managed just one shot against Hart over the first 14-plus minutes, despite Sam Carrick attempting to spark the bench and the home crowd with a spirited fight against Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar just before the midpoint of the period.
Quick was needed to gobble up a rebound attempt by Mark Stone from the slot and another from close range on a deflection by Hertl shortly thereafter, giving the Knights a 7-1 shot advantage.
CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND RANGERS STATS
Vincent Trocheck finally managed the Rangers’ second official SOG with a wrister with under six minutes to play, right after Conor Sheary rang one off the crossbar.
Zibanejad finally drew the Rangers even with his 11th of the season on a rebound stuff at the right post off Lafrenière’s deflection of Matthew Robertson’s left-point wrist shot at the 9:08 mark. It was Zibanejad’s fourth goal in his last six appearances and extended his point streak to seven games.
The Rangers carried much of the play in the middle session, with Hart denying Sheary’s backhanded bid in alone shortly after Zibanejad’s equalizer.
The Garden crowd erupted when Lafrenière ripped home his seventh — but first non empty-netter in seven games since Nov. 24 vs. St. Louis — a roofed wrist shot off a feed from Zibanejad that whistled over Hart’s glove for a 2-1 home lead at 13:01.
Artemi Panarin was whistled for a high-sticking call in the final minute of the period, the only power play for either team, but Quick and the Rangers killed it off at the start of the third to maintain the one-goal advantage.
Color of Hockey: Park thriving as freshman at Michigan, ‘going to be a stud’
Some things are just comfortable, like a warm fuzzy blanket on a cold winter day.
And so it is with Aidan Park and his hoodie.
The 19-year-old University of Michigan freshman forward still rocks the white hoodie he wore with shorts when he was famously and unexpectedly selected in the seventh round (No. 223) by the Edmonton Oilers at the 2025 NHL Draft at L.A. Live’s Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on June 28.
“It’s a nice hoodie and I still wear it a decent amount,” Park said. “Whenever I wear it, the boys give it to me a little. A couple of my teammates, they saw an Instagram reel of me wearing the hoodie and sent it to me, and we just laugh about it.”
These days, Park is seen more in highlight reels than in fashion videos. The next-to-last player selected in the draft has 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 19 games with the Wolverines, who are No. 1 in various NCAA Division I men’s hockey polls. Park had a goal and two assists in a 10-2 win against Robert Morris on Oct. 17, the game-winner in a 5-3 victory at Notre Dame on Oct. 31, and scored a power-play goal in an 8-1 win against Ohio State on Nov. 22.
“He’s going to be a stud hockey player,” Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said. “He’s helping us right now, figuring some stuff out, having some success as a freshman. He’s going to be a big-time piece this second half and a big-time player for Michigan down the road. I think his best attribute is his hockey IQ. You’ve really got to watch him and then spend time with him to appreciate it. We see him down the road being used in all situations and a leader on this team.”
Park attributes his start to his ability to find open space on the ice to create enough time to get a shot off.
“I think getting open ice is a really important skill, I think it’s kind of underrated,” he said. “Finding quiet ice, spinning off for guys when you’re covered, having the right timing, I think it’s all like a skill that you can develop.
“And that’s something I’ve had conversations with the coaching staff with…It’s just like a testament to how detailed our coaching staff is. I get a lot of reps in practice, and we do a lot of small area games, that fun stuff. And I think it’s just something I work on a lot, and I’m hoping to continue to get better at.”
Park is one of 11 freshmen on the Wolverines this season and has played multiple roles for the team.
“Our lines change a lot, and I’ve played with a bunch of different guys,” he said. “Some people might not like that, but I really do. I think an important skill is being able to play with anyone. I was with Cole McKinney (San Jose Sharks second round pick, No. 53 in 2025 NHL Draft) and Malcolm Spence (New York Rangers second round pick, No. 43 in 2025 draft) (two) weekends ago. I’m just really lucky because they’re all great players.”
Park is the nephew of retired forward Richard Park, who was the second player born in South Korea to reach the NHL and played 738 games for six teams in the League from 1994-2012. The younger Park was bypassed in the 2024 NHL Draft following a season when he had 93 points (30 goals, 63 assists) in 56 games for storied Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minnesota, four points (three goals, one assist) in five games for the United States at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup tournament, and four points (two goals, two assists) in eight postseason games for Green Bay.
He kept his 2025 Draft expectations low, even after he was fifth in the United States Hockey League with 66 points (33 goals, 33 assists) in 55 games with Green Bay last season and was No. 94 on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters.
He attended the first day of the draft on June 27 to see Ryker Lee, a former Shattuck St. Mary’s teammate, get selected in the first round (No. 26) by the Nashville Predators. Lee was whisked off to Nashville on a private jet the next day, but Park decided to attend the draft’s Rounds 2-7 anyway. Instead of being dressed to the nines like the top prospects, Park came California casual for Draft Day 2, expecting to be a spectator.
“I ended up getting picked,” he said.
A smiling Park calmly walked up to the theater’s stage with a sparse audience looking and swapped his hoodie for a blue Oilers home jersey. It was a viral moment caught by Lee, who was in the middle of a media availability and saw Park’s pick on a television that was in the room.
This pastor fills up arenas by not sugarcoating the Bible
Christian rap and contemporary music blast like a block party as volunteers cheer into megaphones for around 6,000 weekly churchgoers — up from less than 200 in 2023, the church reports. Inside the sanctuary, the atmosphere turns serious. Many drawn to 2819’s riveting worship are hungry for Mitchell’s animated intensity and signature preaching: No sugarcoating the Bible.
After spirited prayers and songs leave many crying, Mitchell ambles onstage in his all-black uniform, sometimes in quiet contemplation or tears, before launching into a fiery sermon. His messages, unpolished and laden with challenges to revere God and live better, often spread quickly online. A recent prayer event drew far more people than State Farm Arena could handle, with many flying in.
Crying, shouting, storming across the platform and punching the air, Mitchell preaches with his whole body — and an urgency to bring people to faith before they die or what he calls Jesus’ impending return to Earth.
“It is life or death for me,” Mitchell told The Associated Press, comparing preaching to the front lines of war. “There are souls that are hanging in the balance. … I think about the fact that in that room somebody might hear the Gospel, and that might be their last opportunity.”
The church — whose name references Matthew 28:19, a Bible verse commanding believers to go “make disciples of all the nations” — is nondenominational and theologically conservative, with beliefs opposing abortion and in support of marriage only between a man and a woman.
The congregation’s growth has attracted people of many races and ages, but it’s predominantly young Black adults. Their youth is notable since Americans ages 18 to 24 are less likely than older adults to identify as Christian or attend religious services regularly, according to Pew Research Center.
Sharp sermons and moving worship
Warren Bird, an expert on fast-growing churches, believes the right leader is key to a church’s growth — along with God’s help — and described Mitchell as “speaking a language” that connects with young people who other pastors haven’t reached.
Churchgoers say Mitchell’s message resonates because he carefully walks them through scripture and talks candidly about his spiritual transformation, including his past dealing drugs, paying for abortions and attempting suicide.
“I’m still a little rough around the edges, right? I still got a little hood in me,” said Mitchell, who still speaks with a regional New York accent.
Many at 2819 want more than motivational speeches and say Mitchell’s sermons are counterweights to the feel-good American preaching he criticizes.
“I’m preaching without watering that down, without filtering out things that we think might be too controversial,” said Mitchell, who wants people to mature spiritually and insists they can’t deal with sin and its consequences without Jesus.
“I think that there is a generation that is gravitating towards that authenticity and truth,” he said. “As a result of that, we are seeing lives being radically transformed.”
Christian podcaster Megan Ashley said she brought a friend to 2819 who had stepped away from her faith, and Mitchell had an impact. The friend told Ashley, “When he speaks, I believe him.”
The tougher messages might hurt some people’s feelings, said Donovan Logan, 23.
“But that’s what it’s supposed to do. If you don’t come to church and want to change, then that’s not the church you’re supposed to be going to,” Logan said.
Elijah McCord, 22, said Mitchell’s sermons about sin touch on what’s happening around him in Atlanta, and Mitchell’s story shows that “there’s life in what God has commanded.” He also values Mitchell’s pleadings to wait until marriage to have sex.
“He biblically talks about sin and repentance and how there’s actually hope in the Gospel,” McCord said.
Churchgoers say 2819’s draw goes beyond Mitchell. It’s the entire worship experience.
Passing the dancing greeters, the Sunday crowd enters the dark auditorium. It’s permeated with prayer and bold instrumental music before the service, which 2819 calls a gathering, officially begins, with hands already lifted amid shouts of praise. Tissue boxes sit at the end of aisles, ready to aid those moved to tears.
“The worship is crazy. The Holy Spirit is just there. Like, tangible presence. You feel it!” said Desirae Dominguez, 24.
Mitchell feels ‘ill-equipped’ to lead 2819
Mitchell spent 10 years preaching, racking up unfruitful notes from church growth conferences, and eventually started struggling with depression. During that time, he took a transformative trip to Israel where he said encounters with God and other Christians changed him. Then, in 2023, he changed the church’s name to 2819.
Mitchell, who has spent three years preaching just from the Book of Matthew alone, said God told him to preach without bringing prepared notes onstage. Although he attended Bible college, he sometimes doubts himself because of his past.
“I shed a lot of tears because I feel often ill-equipped, undeserving,” said Mitchell. “I would not have called me if I was God to steward something like this, and sometimes I don’t know why my preaching is reaching (people). … I’m still shocked myself.”
When preparing to preach, “I’m thinking about the brokenness of the people in the room, the troubled marriages, the one who is suicidal. I’m thinking about the young lady who’s battling crippling insecurities and don’t know that she has a father up there that loves her more than any man she’s going to find down here.”
When not preaching, Mitchell’s demeanor is quieter. He and his staff are “here to serve,” he often says.
His large online platform exposes him and sometimes his family to public critique, pushback, and even threats. Some accuse him of self-righteousness or say he’s too harsh. He also issued a public apology earlier this year for comments in a sermon about obeying authority that were seen as dismissive of police brutality.
At times, he says he is deeply affected by criticism and said he repents for some of what critics decried. But Mitchell also finds solace in better understanding Jesus by enduring it.
Staff constantly adjusts for growth
The church recently moved into its own building, having outgrown the charter school where they held the services, and added a third one. On the first two Sundays at the new location, they added an impromptu fourth gathering because so many people came.
The staff faced similar conundrums at Access, the church’s October prayer event that drew an estimated 40,000 people. State Farm Arena was filled to capacity, as was an overflow space in a nearby convention center, leaving thousands outside, the church reported.
“We’re constantly tinkering. We’re constantly fixing things,” said Tatjuana Phillips, 2819’s ministries director.
Logistical challenges, such as packed parking lots and swamped staff, are common at fast-growing churches, said Bird, the church growth expert.
Despite its size, the church encourages community through its small groups, called “squads,” that give about 1,700 people a place to discuss sermons and support each other’s personal growth. Staff also engage with about 75,000 people weekly who watch gatherings online.
The long lines also yield friendships. Ashley Grimes, 35, said that’s where she’s “met so many brothers and sisters in Christ that I now get to do life with.”
Many of those new friends can be found shuffling into the church’s auditorium on Sundays while volunteers, called servant leaders, pray over each seat before Mitchell preaches.
On a recent Sunday, Mitchell told the crowd that they can turn to Jesus regardless of what they’ve done. It worked for him. God, he said, “used failure to transform my life.”
Messi and Inter Miami Have Completed Their Journey. They Win the MLS Cup, Topping Vancouver 3-1
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi’s legacy was long secured when he came to Inter Miami and joined Major League Soccer. He’d won a World Cup, won dozens of trophies, was generally considered the greatest player in the sport’s history.
He didn’t need an MLS Cup.
But he wanted one — and got it.
Messi and Inter Miami have completed their ascent, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 on Saturday in the MLS Cup final for the franchise’s first championship. It came 2 1/2 years after the legend arrived in South Florida, a move that stunned plenty of onlookers at the time.
He set up the title-clinching goal with a 72nd-minute assist to Rodrigo De Paul, a play where Messi stole the ball and threaded a pass through a tiny gap in a wall of Vancouver defenders. De Paul got it in stride, pushed it into the far corner of the net — and Messi went airborne to hop into his arms a few seconds later, all smiles.
And as the final minutes ticked away, Inter Miami’s pink-clad fans — most wearing Messi’s No. 10 on their backs — stood and stomped and cheered. South Florida has seen NFL and NBA and Major League Baseball and NHL titles in the past.
It’s a soccer town now, too. Messi made that happen. Tadeo Allende scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time — off another Messi assist, of course — to make it 3-1.
Inter Miami became the 16th franchise in the league’s 30-year history to win an MLS title. And this extends a run of parity for MLS, which has seen five different franchises win championships in the last five years and eight franchises claim a title in the last nine seasons — only Columbus has won twice in that span.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Inter Miami schedule, Lionel Messi stats after Herons win first MLS Cup Final
Lionel Messi continues to torch Major League Soccer defenses and now he’s led Inter Miami to a first MLS Cup.
The Herons lifted the silverware following a 3-1 defeat of Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS Cup Final on December 6, as Messi played a part in all three Miami goals with two primary assists.
Messi was instrumental in their 4-0 Eastern Conference semifinal win at FC Cincinnati with a goal and three assists, and then set up Miami’s third goal in a 5-1 shellacking of NYCFC in the Conference Final.
MORE — MLS Cup Playoffs schedule, scores, format
Nothing changed in the final as Messi set up the ball that became an own goal and then assisted both second-half goals as Inter Miami outlasted Thomas Muller and the Vancouver Whitecaps in Fort Lauderdale.
The David Beckham-owned Miami have been among the favorites to win it all in MLS all year, and this year they delivered the goods.
What are Lionel Messi’s stats in MLS with Inter Miami?
2023 season
MLS: 6 games, 1 goal, 2 assists
Leagues Cup: 7 games, 10 goals, 1 assist
US Open Cup: 1 game, 2 assists
All competitions: 14 games, 11 goals, 5 assists
2024 season
MLS: 22 games, 21 goals, 11 assists
CONCACAF Champions Cup: 3 games, 2 goals, 2 assists
All competitions: 25 games, 23 goals, 13 assists
2025 season
MLS: 33 games, 34 goals, 20 assists
Leagues Cup: 4 games, 2 goals, 2 assists
CONCACAF Champions Cup: 7 games, 5 goals, 1 assist
Club World Cup; 4 games, 1 goal
All competitions: 48 games, 42 goals, 23 assists
Leo Messi’s career stats with Inter Miami
MLS: 63 games, 57 goals, 46 assists
Leagues Cup: 11 games, 12 goals, 3 assists
CONCACAF Champions Cup: 10 games, 7 goals, 3 assists
US Open Cup: 1 game, 2 assists
Club World Cup; 4 games, 1 goal
All competitions: 88 games, 77 goals, 44 assists
Leo Messi’s awards with Inter Miami
2023 Leagues Cup
2024 Supporters’ Shield
2024 MLS MVP
2025 MLS Golden Boot
2025 Eastern Conference Champion
2025 MLS Cup champion
Inter Miami 2025 Playoff Schedule
Round one series vs Nashville SC
Game 1: Oct. 24 at Miami — Won 3-1 — 2 goals in 90 minutes
Game 2: Nov. 1 at Nashville — Lost 2-1 — 1 goal in 90 minutes
Game 3: Nov. 8 at Miami — Won 4-0 — 2 goals, 1 assist in 90 minutes
Inter Miami wins series 2-1
Conference semifinals
vs Inter Miami at FC Cincinnati — Won 4-0 — 1 goal, 3 assists in 90 minutes
Conference final
vs New York City FC — Won 5-1 — 1 assist in 90 minutes
Major League Soccer Champions
2025 — Inter Miami CF
2024 — Los Angeles Galaxy
2023 — Columbus Crew
2022 — LAFC
2021 — New York City
2020 — Columbus Crew
2019 — Seattle Sounders
2018 — Atlanta United
2017 — Toronto
2016 — Seattle Sounders
2015 — Portland Timbers
2014 — Los Angeles Galaxy
2013 — Sporting Kansas City
2012 — Los Angeles Galaxy
2011 — Los Angeles Galaxy
2010 — Colorado Rapids
2009 — Real Salt Lake
2008 — Columbus Crew
2007 — Houston Dynamo
2006 — Houston Dynamo
2005 — Los Angeles Galaxy
2004 — D.C. United
2003 — San Jose Earthquakes
2002 — Los Angeles Galaxy
2001 — San Jose Earthquakes
2000 — Kansas City Wizards
1999 — D.C. United
1998 — Chicago Fire
1997 — D.C. United
1996 — D.C. United
Copyright © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
Major League Soccer Championship Scores
2025 — Inter Miami CF 3, Vancouver 1
2024 — LA Galaxy 2, New York 1
2023 — Columbus 2, Los Angeles FC 1
2022 — Los Angeles FC 3, Philadelphia 3, Los Angeles won 3-0 on penalty kicks
2021 — New York City 1, Portland 1, New York City won 4-2 on penalty kicks
2020 — Columbus 3, Seattle 0
2019 — Seattle 3, Toronto 1
2018 — Atlanta 2, Portland 0
2017 — Toronto 2, Seattle 0
2016 — Seattle 0, Toronto 0, Seattle won 5-4 on penalty kicks
2015 — Portland 2, Columbus 1
2014 — LA Galaxy 2, New England 1, OT
2013 — Kansas City 1, Salt Lake 1, Kansas City won 7-6 on penalty kicks
2012 — LA Galaxy 3, Houston 1
2011 — LA Galaxy 1, Houston 0
2010 — Colorado 2, Dallas 1, OT
2009 — Salt Lake 1, Los Angeles 1, Salt Lake won 5-4 on penalty kicks
2008 — Columbus 3, New York 1
2007 — Houston 2, New England 1
2006 — Houston 1, New England 1, Houston won 4-3 on penalty kicks
2005 — LA Galaxy 1, New England 0, OT
2004 — D.C. 3, Kansas City 2
2003 — San Jose 4, Chicago 2
2002 — LA Galaxy 1, New England 0, OT
2001 — San Jose 2, LA Galaxy 1, OT
2000 — Kansas City 1, Chicago 0
1999 — D.C. 2, LA Galaxy 0
1998 — Chicago 2, D.C. 0
1997 — D.C. 2, Colorado 1
1996 — D.C. 3, LA Galaxy 2, OT
Copyright © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami have completed their journey, winning the MLS Cup over Vancouver
Lionel Messi’s legacy was long secured when he came to Inter Miami and joined Major League Soccer. He’d won a World Cup, won dozens of trophies, was generally considered the greatest player in the sport’s history.
He didn’t need an MLS Cup.
But he wanted one — and got it.
Messi and Inter Miami have completed their ascent, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 on Saturday in the MLS Cup final for the franchise’s first championship. It came 2 1/2 years after the legend arrived in South Florida, a move that stunned plenty of onlookers at the time.
“They said soccer would never make it in America,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said during the trophy ceremony. “Inter Miami fans, has soccer made it?”
It has in South Florida, thanks to Messi. He set up the title-clinching goal with a 72nd-minute assist to Rodrigo De Paul, a play where Messi stole the ball and threaded a pass through a tiny gap in a wall of Vancouver defenders. De Paul got it in stride, pushed it into the far corner of the net — and Messi went airborne to hop into his arms a few seconds later, all smiles.
And as the final minutes ticked away, Inter Miami’s pink-clad fans — most wearing Messi’s No. 10 on their backs — stood and stomped and cheered. South Florida has seen NFL and NBA and Major League Baseball and NHL titles in the past.
It’s a soccer town now, too. Messi made that happen.
Tadeo Allende scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time — off another Messi assist, of course — to make it 3-1. And when Messi lifted the trophy surrounded by his teammates, confetti rained down and fireworks boomed.
Inter Miami became the 16th franchise in the league’s 30-year history to win an MLS title. And this extends a run of parity for MLS, which has seen five different franchises win championships in the last five years and eight franchises claim a title in the last nine seasons — only Columbus has won twice in that span.
It was also the culmination of a 12-year odyssey for David Beckham, part of Inter Miami’s ownership group.
He retired as a player in 2013 and his MLS contract said he could start a franchise at a discounted rate when his career ended. Beckham chose Miami and it took him years to finally make it happen; it wasn’t until January 2018 when the franchise was formally born, after he partnered with Miami businessmen Jorge Mas and Jose Mas, and even then the team didn’t have a stadium plan.
The team started play in 2020, and Messi arrived halfway through the 2023 season. Inter Miami was in last place in MLS at the time.
And then Messi arrived. The last-place team then now runs the league.
“It’s been an incredible journey,” Beckham said.
The trophy is Messi’s 47th for club and country, extending his global men’s soccer record, and some say it’s actually 48 because MLS awards a trophy for winning conference titles as well. He’s now won at least 21 titles in one-match final situations, many of them with the core of this team — Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez and Javier Mascherano, his longtime Barcelona teammates.
Busquets and Alba are retiring and got to go out as champions. Suarez’s future is uncertain. Mascherano is the coach now, one who changed Inter Miami’s lineup and tactics halfway through the season — his first one leading the club — with this moment in mind.
And the 38-year-old Messi, the 2024 MLS MVP who seems like a lock to win the award again this season, still is like none other in the biggest moments with a contract that could have him playing with Miami into his early 40s. When next season starts, the team will be playing in a new stadium near Miami International Airport with a back-to-back title in mind.
“He’s not just here to enjoy living in Miami,” Beckham said. “His wife and the kids love Miami, but he’s come here to win, and that’s really what Leo is all about. He wants to win. He’s got that dedication, the loyalty that he shows to his teammates, to the city, to the club. Leo is a winner. It’s simple as that.”
Inter Miami went up 1-0 on an own goal in the eighth minute, before Vancouver tied it in the 60th on a score by Ali Ahmed. Another Vancouver shot hit both posts about two minutes later but stayed out, and Inter Miami got the lead for good when Messi found De Paul.
And not long after the final whistle, Messi went over to the Inter Miami supporters section and threw both his hands in the air. It was a moment 2 1/2 years in the making.
Messi, Inter Miami complete their MLS journey
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi’s legacy was long secured when he came to Inter Miami and joined Major League Soccer. He’d won a World Cup, won dozens of trophies, was generally considered the greatest player in the sport’s history.
He didn’t need an MLS Cup.
But he wanted one — and got it.
Messi and Inter Miami have completed their ascent, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 on Saturday in the MLS Cup final for the franchise’s first championship. It came 2 1/2 years after the legend arrived in South Florida, a move that stunned plenty of onlookers at the time.
He set up the title-clinching goal with a 72nd-minute assist to Rodrigo De Paul, a play where Messi stole the ball and threaded a pass through a tiny gap in a wall of Vancouver defenders. De Paul got it in stride, pushed it into the far corner of the net — and Messi went airborne to hop into his arms a few seconds later, all smiles.
And as the final minutes ticked away, Inter Miami’s pink-clad fans — most wearing Messi’s No. 10 on their backs — stood and stomped and cheered. South Florida has seen NFL and NBA and Major League Baseball and NHL titles in the past.
It’s a soccer town now, too. Messi made that happen. Tadeo Allende scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time — off another Messi assist, of course — to make it 3-1.
Inter Miami became the 16th franchise in the league’s 30-year history to win an MLS title. And this extends a run of parity for MLS, which has seen five different franchises win championships in the last five years and eight franchises claim a title in the last nine seasons — only Columbus has won twice in that span.
It was also the culmination of a 12-year odyssey for David Beckham, part of Inter Miami’s ownership group.
He retired as a player in 2013 and his MLS contract said he could start a franchise at a discounted rate when his career ended. Beckham chose Miami and it took him years to finally make it happen; it wasn’t until January 2018 when the franchise was formally born, after he partnered with Miami businessmen Jorge Mas and Jose Mas, and even then the team didn’t have a stadium plan.
The team started play in 2020, and Messi arrived halfway through the 2023 season. Inter Miami was in last place in MLS at the time.
And then Messi arrived. The last-place team then now runs the league.
Former Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks dies at 79
December 7 – Texas businessman and philanthropist Tom Hicks, who simultaneously owned NHL, Major League Baseball and English Premier League soccer clubs, died Saturday. He was 79.
Hicks formerly owned the Dallas Stars from 1995-2011 and the Texas Rangers from 1998-2010. He also acquired 50% ownership of Liverpool.
A news release from Hicks Holdings LLC early Sunday morning said Hicks died peacefully surrounded by his family in Dallas.
The 2022 inductee into the Texas Business Hall of Fame co-founded Hicks & Haas in 1984 and
Ex-GM Tabs Red Sox to Trade Jarren Duran For 100 mph Ace
As baseball’s winter meetings get underway Sunday, the Boston Red Sox enter with two items topping their shopping list: a power bat, preferably from the right side, and another addition to their starting rotation. While chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has previously said that he hopes to acquire a No. 2 starter after ace Garrett Crochet, he has been less clear about that since making trades to get starters Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals, and Johan Oviedo from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
And while Breslow has not said so, there is at least a 50 percent chance that Boston will trade outfielder Jarren Duran, according to ESPN longtime MLB insider Jeff Passan, and Duran’s name has appeared in numerous trade rumors, frequently for a pitcher.
Former MLB general manager and 1999 MLB Executive of the Year Jim Bowden on Friday proposed a trade that would address both of those concerns, dealing Duran as part of a package for a starting pitcher who once set a record for throwing the most pitches at 100 mph or faster in a single start, as recorded by Statcast.
Bowden’s proposal:
Red Sox Get Good News on $105 Million Trade Target
The Boston Red Sox have been one of the most active teams in Major League Baseball over the course of this offseason. They have made two meaningful trades in the last weeks.
First, Boston acquired starter Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals, and then showed no hesitation in letting one of their top prospects, Jhostynxon Garcia, go in a trade with the Pirates for Johan Oviedo. A new report suggests that the Red Sox have been one of the few teams to inquire about trading for Arizona Diamondbacks‘ infielder Ketel Marte.
More MLB on Heavy: Braves Get Bad News on Potential Two-Time All-Star Trade Target
Could the Red Sox Trade for Ketel Marte?
According to a new report by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Red Sox are one of a new group of teams (Rays, Tigers) that have checked in with the Diamondbacks on Ketel Marte.
The Red Sox now join other big-time offseason players like the Phillies and Blue Jays in the Marte sweepstakes. Arizona has indicated that they are willing to move on from the three-time All-Star, but it will likely take a big haul.
The Diamondbacks trading Marte doesn’t mean they won’t still be competitive in 2026, as they still have Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo to build a team around.
There have also been reports from Nightengale that some members of the Diamondbacks’ clubhouse have grown frustrated with Ketel Marte’s work ethic and attitude towards the season. Marte has become one of the premier second basemen in MLB and is in the middle of a seven-year, $105 million deal.
If there’s one team in baseball that may have a ready package for Marte, it could be Boston. They have a plethora of tradeable outfielders like Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran, and also several starting pitchers on their depth that they could move.
More MLB on Heavy: Yankees-Brewers Trade Idea Sends 2-Time All-Star Starter to New York in Exchange for Will Warren
What Would Ketel Marte Bring to Boston?
Adding Ketel Marte would make the Red Sox immediately one of the top contenders in the AL, if they aren’t already.
As noted, either Abreu or Jarren Duran could be the most attractive pieces for Arizona in a potential deal. The Diamondbacks would also likely want to add a prospect or two. In total, it would likely cost the Red Sox three or more total players to get a deal done.
However, Marte could be well worth it if acquired. He finished top-3 in NL MVP voting last season, and has 89 home runs since 2023.
He’s a back-to-back All-Star selection and has posted an OPS+ of 154 and 145 in the last two seasons. An impressive mark for a second baseman, who also happens to be a switch-hitter.
As MLB’s winter meetings are getting started, it will be interesting to see what rumors surround Ketel Marte and his trade market.
Freddy Peralta’s Brewers Tenure Nears End as Mets to Cut Ties With 3 Stars After Twins Shatter Hopes: MLB Trade Rumor
The Milwaukee Brewers might be one of the toughest teams to beat right now, but behind the scenes, they are staring down at a rather familiar dilemma. Freddy Peralta’s contract just runs through 2026, and if history tells anything, it’s that the Brewers simply are not one to hand out the big checks to their frontline starters.
And this is why trading him makes sense—and it’s an idea that is getting a lot of traction. And the Brewers have done it before with Corbin Burnes and Devin Williams—so it makes sense, right? Because letting Peralta walk away next season for nothing would be a major blow for the team.
Insider Jim Riley put it best: “With free agency on the horizon following the 2026 season, and the Brewers unlikely to pay up to sign him to a long-term deal, now is the logical time to move Peralta.” And the team that needs him the most? The New York Mets!
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See, the Twins just crushed the Mets’ off-season blueprint by putting their players off the table. Everyone from Joe Ryan to Pablo Lopez and even Byron Buxton. Minnesota thinks it can contend in 2026, but honestly, holding Lopez and his $20 million salary feels like a miscalculation.
But now with all the original targets gone, the Mets will have to pivot, and sure, Tarik Skubal is an option, but the price tag would be sky-high. That’s where Peralta enters the picture, and he is the best way forward. The Mets get a true ace without essentially draining their entire farm system. Riley floated a realistic trade idea, Freddy Peralta to the Mets, in exchange for David Peterson plus prospects Eli Serrano and Jonathan Sanucci.
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Now it works for Brewers, given Peterson immediately slides into their rotation behind Woodruff and Misiorowski, while Serrano and Sanucci—ranked No. 12 and 14 in the Mets’ system—bring a long-term upside to the team.
It also works for the Mets because Peralta could become their playoff anchor almost immediately, and they would have a shot at extending him before he ends up hitting the market.
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With Peralta valued at 26.7 and the New York Mets package at 24.3, it’s close enough to get both sides interested. This move just shakes up the entire pitching market.
Mets could make another stunning winter meetings shake-up
There is no doubt that the Mets want to turn the page around this offseason. They cut ties with Brandon Nimmo, then they handed Devin Williams a three-year deal—so they are, one step at a time, reshaping their identity. But it seems like the biggest piece of unfinished business might still be left—and the next move might be bigger than anyone expected.
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Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller predicts that the Mets are ready to trade Kodai Senga before the Winter Meetings wrap on Wednesday. Yes, the same player who came with a lot of hype became a hot favorite among fans and owns a career 3.00 ERA with elite strikeout numbers. But given his 2025 unraveling, the Mets seem ready to move on.
Miller didn’t mince words, writing, “(New York) will trade away Kodai Senga… who ended this past season in Triple-A after a disastrous run through the first six weeks of the second half.” And the teams interested could be everyone except Seattle. Because they need rotation help and might not have the budget for other top-tier free agents.
This is honestly a wild turn for Kodai Senga, but his numbers don’t lie. After the All-Star break, he posted a 6.56 ERA and walked 22 hitters in 35.2 innings. This is a kind of collapse that is hard to overlook.
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But the dilemma sure is that Senga is inexpensive by today’s pitching standards, so if he rebounds, then moving him now could backfire in a big way.
Do Cardinals need MLB’s economics to shift before they can contend again?
Greetings! Welcome back from the holiday. Hope you had an enjoyable, healthy weekend — and …
Bloom leads the Cardinals’ baseball operations into the Winter Meetings for the first time.
Zak Kent, 27, made his major-league debut with Cleveland this past season and appeared in 12 games.
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Lead baseball writer
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Cubs Put 24-Year-Old Star’s Career on the Line as $66M Free Agent Emerges as Key Trade Target: MLB Trade Rumors
The Chicago Cubs are entering this offseason with one of the trickiest decisions as of yet: 24-year-old Matt Shaw. After holding down third base as a rookie in 2025, Shaw’s future in the Cubs suddenly looks a lot less secure thanks to one powerful bat in the market—Eugenio Suarez.
Now, Shaw’s season wasn’t perfect. A .226 average and .689 OPS doesn’t scream a franchise cornerstone, but his second half was a different tale in itself. His .839 OPS after the All-Star break does give a snapshot of what he could be. But can the Cubs wait for a resurgence? is the big question.
If you listen to rumors, maybe not.
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MLB insider Francys Romero reported on Sunday: “The Cubs continue to explore the third-base market in free agency, and Eugenio Suárez is one of the names to watch in the coming days.” And just like that, Shaw’s seat has gotten a lot hotter.
Suarez remains one of the league’s most potent power threats—and he has smashed 36 homers for the Arizona Diamondbacks and added 13 more after the deadline trade to the Mariners. Sure, the strikeouts simply skyrocketed in Seattle by over 35%, but then the power never left him. Chicago needs homers, and Suarez can get them that.
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The problem is that he plays third base, and third base is supposed to be Shaw’s. If the Cubs sign Eugenio Suarez, the $66 million free agent, then Shaw instantly becomes the odd man out. They tried him at second base, but that seat is Nico Hoerner’s.
The question is what comes of Shaw? Does he become a utility guy or a trade chip? On paper, Suarez fits what the Cubs need; he is an affordable pop and way cheaper than Bregman, so the Cubs will be interested. For now, it seems like Shaw’s future with the Cubs might be at risk.
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Cubs’ ace hunt takes a twist as Zac Gallen rumors spiral
The Chicago Cubs have made one thing clear this offseason—they want a frontline starter. They were even in the running for Dylan Cease until his bidding crossed the $200 million mark. Jed Hoyer and Co. apparently tapped out, deciding that $210 million for over seven years was a little too steep for them.
Still, that doesn’t mean the Cubs would scoot over their initial plan. The next wave of arms—Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, Tatsuya Imai, Michael King, and Zac Gallen—are expected to all have smaller and shorter deals. And the Chicago Cubs have been linked interestingly to all of them.
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And things got really interesting on December 6.
Early in the morning, social media lit up with posts claiming that the Cubs had already agreed to terms with Zac Gallen. FOX Sports and some others had made it seem like the deal was done. Cubs fans already went into celebration mode.
He tweeted, “UPDATE: The Chicago Cubs are HOPEFUL of finalizing an agreement with free-agent starter Zac Gallen on a multi-year deal, but the deal is NOT DONE with others still in contention.” Then Jeff Passan also posted, “Zac Gallen does not have a deal and is not close to finalizing one.”
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So, Gallen’s posts to the Cubs simply vanished into thin air. Now, pretty much everyone is in a wait-and-watch mode. If the Cubs are even talking to Gallen, nothing is close enough to lock in.
Cuba confirma su participación en el VI Clásico Mundial de Béisbol con roster preliminar de 50 jugadores
La Federación Cubana de Béisbol y Softbol (FCBS) confirmó este sábado que participará en el VI Clásico Mundial de Béisbol, previsto para disputarse el próximo año en varias sedes internacionales. El anuncio llegó acompañado de un primer listado de 50 peloteros, entre ellos jugadores cubanos contratados en las Grandes Ligas de Estados Unidos, un detalle clave que marca la preparación del equipo rumbo al evento.
Según indicó la nota oficial de la FCBS, el grupo inicial está compuesto por “incluidos afiliados a las Grandes Ligas de Béisbol (MLB), la Liga Japonesa de Béisbol Profesional, otras ligas profesionales y miembros de equipos que participan en la 64 Serie Nacional”.
La Federación también señaló que se encuentran a la espera de la autorización de los clubes de la MLB para la participación de sus jugadores, entre los cuales destacan Andy Pagés, de los Dodgers; Daysbel Hernández, de Atlanta Braves; Lázaro Estrada, de Toronto Blue Jays, y Víctor Labrada, de Seattle Mariners.
En relación con los trámites migratorios necesarios para competir, las autoridades del béisbol cubano añadieron: “Esperamos que las autoridades estadounidenses garanticen los visados que permitan concretar nuestra presencia en el torneo, sin que medien en este proceso cuestiones ajenas a la competencia o contrarias a los principios del deporte”.
La FCBS destacó la relevancia del Clásico Mundial, programado del 5 al 17 de marzo y con sedes en Puerto Rico, Estados Unidos y Japón, de acuerdo con la información oficial del evento. El torneo, considerado la competencia internacional más importante del béisbol profesional, es organizado por la MLB y la Confederación Mundial de Béisbol y Softbol (WBSC).
Con esta confirmación y un pre–roster que mezcla talento de la MLB, Japón y el béisbol doméstico, Cuba inicia su cuenta regresiva hacia una cita deportiva que promete captar la atención de fanáticos alrededor del mundo.
El torneo del Clásico Mundial de Béisbol reunirá a 20 selecciones: 16 que obtuvieron su pase por los resultados de 2023 y otras cuatro que saldrán del clasificatorio de 2026. Japón, vigente campeón, buscará retener la corona en una competencia que tendrá sus grupos en Miami, Houston, San Juan y Tokio, mientras que la fase decisiva se disputará en Miami.
Cuba, presente en todas las ediciones anteriores, firmó su actuación más destacada en 2006 al terminar como subcampeona frente al propio Japón. En 2023 alcanzó el cuarto lugar, año en que por primera vez integró a jugadores contratados de manera independiente en ligas profesionales.
Jeff Kent elected to the Hall of Fame; Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens fall way short
Jeff Kent has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens may be running out of chances to ever join him.
The Contemporary Baseball Era committee voted on Sunday to induct Kent, one of the best offensive second basemen in history, who won an MVP award during a late-career peak with the San Francisco Giants in the early 2000s. Fourteen of the 16 committee members voted in favor of Kent.
Fewer than five voted for either Bonds or Clemens.
Due to a new rule implemented this year, any player who receives less than five votes on an Era Committee ballot will be ineligible for consideration when the ballot is next considered in three years. Furthermore, a player who receives less than five votes on multiple ballots will be ineligible for all future ballots (vote totals before this year do not count toward future eligibility).
That means Bonds and Clemens will not be up for consideration again until 2031, and if they get fewer than five votes then, they will be ineligible for future consideration.
Kent never received as much as 50 percent of the vote on the BBWAA ballot but had been trending upward when he was last eligible in 2023 (he got 46.5 percent of the vote that year). This was Kent’s first time being eligible for an Era Committee ballot.
A good but unspectacular player in the first part of his career, Kent went to the Giants in 1997 and had a breakout season at age 29. He made his first All-Star Game at 31 and won the MVP award at 32 when he produced a career-best 7.4 fWAR and 1.021 OPS. After hitting 107 home runs in his 20s, Kent hit 258 in his 30s, going to All-Star Games as a member of the Giants, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Kent’s induction with 56 fWAR and 45.6 JAWS could open the door to other second basemen — among them: Chase Utley, Lou Whitaker, Willie Randolph and Dustin Pedroia — who have similar if not better numbers, but as a purely offensive second baseman, Kent stands out. He has the most home runs ever at the position and his OPS+ is higher than Hall of Famers Roberto Alomar, Craig Biggio and Ryne Sandberg.
Kent was the only player who got the required 75 percent of the Era Committee’s support. Carlos Delgado got the second-most votes with nine, while Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy got six votes apiece. Bonds, Clemens, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela each received less than five votes, continuing a trend that does not look good for Bonds and Clemens.
Statistically in the upper echelon of all-time greats but tainted by suspicions of performance-enhancing drugs, both Bonds and Clemens last appeared on the BBWAA ballot in 2022 when Bonds got 66 percent of the vote and Clemens got 65.2 percent. Each came roughly 40 votes shy of election and were almost immediately up for reconsideration 11 months later when they were put on the 2022 Contemporary Era ballot, where they got even less support.
The Hall of Fame does not announce exact vote totals for players who get less than 25 percent of support from the Eras Committee, but both Bonds and Clemens were among those who got fewer than four votes in 2022. Fred McGriff was elected unanimously by the 2022 committee, while Mattingly got eight votes and Murphy got six.
This time around, President Trump weighed in with a social media post in August saying Clemens “should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, NOW!” and doubled down on that demand Sunday when he posted that Clemens should “sue the hell out of Major League Baseball” if he’s not elected. It seemingly made little difference to the 16-member committee that voted Sunday at baseball’s Winter Meetings.
The Era Committees have replaced the Veterans Committee as the Hall of Fame’s method of considering candidates who have exhausted their 10 years of BBWAA ballot eligibility. The Contemporary Baseball Era player ballot (for players whose greatest impact came since 1980), Contemporary Baseball Era manager/executive/umpire ballot (for the same time period) and the Classic Baseball Era (for those who mostly played prior to 1980) are considered on a rotating, three-year cycle. The committees elected former manager Jim Leyland in 2023 and former MVPs Dave Parker and Dick Allen in 2024.
Pete Rose will be among the players eligible for the Classic Era ballot in 2027.
This year’s Contemporary Era Committee consisted of Hall of Fame members Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Juan Marichal, Tony Pérez, Ozzie Smith, Alan Trammell and Robin Yount; executives Mark Attanasio, Doug Melvin, Arte Moreno, Kim Ng, Tony Reagins and Terry Ryan; statistician and historian Steve Hirdt, and veteran baseball writers for The Athletic, Tyler Kepner and Jayson Stark.
Jeff Kent elected to Baseball Hall of Fame through Eras Committee
In about a month and a half, the baseball world will learn if there will be any new Hall of Famers from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s 2025-26 ballot. That’s not the only way to earn enshrinement in Cooperstown, though.
The first night of Major League Baseball’s Winter Meetings also marked the convening of the Eras Committee. The 16-member group met to discuss eight retired players from 1980 and beyond who passed a screening to appear on the Contemporary Era Committee ballot. All fell off the BBWAA ballot at one point or another, whether it was because they earned under five percent of the vote, or exhausted all years of eligibility. The Eras Committee offers a second (or third, or fourth, etc.) chance before another electorate, which last year helped put Pittsburgh Pirates icon Dave Parker and underrated Philadelphia Phillies standout Dick Allen into the Hall — albeit posthumously.
Eras Committee members could only vote for a maxium of three players, but if any of them earned at least 12 of the 16 votes (a 75-percent threshold, just like the BBWAA vote), then they’d punch their ticket to Cooperstown. The votes are in and … the committee elected just one Hall of Famer.
No, not the guy with the most homers and MVPs in MLB history.
No, not the guy with the most Cy Young Awards in MLB history.
No, not either of the two sluggers and former MVPs who were among MLB’s most popular players of the ‘80s.
Jeff Kent.
If your reaction is: “Well, okey dokey then,” then we’re right there with you. Kent earned 14 of votes to clear induction with two to spare.
In a vaccuum, Kent is not the most undeserving Hall of Famer. He was a very good ballplayer! He broke through some early-career wanderings through Toronto, Queens, and Cleveland to eventually find himself out west en route to 560 doubles and 377 homers, the most of any primary second baseman in MLB history. He was a key part of the San Francisco Giants teams around the turn of the 21st century that made multiple playoff berths and won the 2002 National League pennant. He made five All-Star teams, won the 2000 NL MVP, earned four Silver Slugger honors, and didn’t miss a beat moving San Francisco to Houston, nearly guiding the Astros to an NL pennant of their own in 2004.
There’s just something … not particularly exciting about Kent considering the other options. (And that’s without exploring Kent’s reputation as a prickly personality, even among teammates.)
That guy with the most homers and MVPs in MLB history? Kent’s superior teammate Barry Bonds, who should have also won Kent’s lone MVP? And Roger Clemens, the guy with the most Cy Young Awards? Neither received more than four votes. Under the Hall of Fame’s revised rules, because the same thing happened to them three years ago, they will ineligible for Era Committee induction until at least 2031. The same fate falls on Bonds’ fellow slugger, Gary Sheffield, and former Dodgers ace Fernando Valenzuela.
Fernando had his own tricky case because the pitching stats weren’t as consistently good and he supporters had to try to point to his status as a pioneer bringing so many Mexican fans into the game. It wasn’t a bad argument, to be clear! But it was harder to make to the 16-man committee, and they didn’t support it.
Bonds, Clemens, and Sheffield all have PED connections, even though they played the vast majority of their careers at a time when MLB (and commissioner—excuse me—Hall of Famer Bud Selig) was looking the other way to try to generate more fan interest in wake of the 1994 strike. None were ever suspended. Various writers have said in the past that there are already other PED users in the Hall of Fame anyway (they said so even before David Ortiz got in). But the Hall has already made it clear in so many words that they want no part of them; against the BBWAA’s objections, they truncated candidacies before them from 15 years to 10 with Bonds and Clemens about to hit the ballot, and few members of these Era Committees have been likely to support them. Rendering them ineligible for the next cycle as a penalty—with the potential of being permanently ineligible if there are no rule changes and get so few votes again.
Have we mentioned how embarrassing it is that Selig got into the Hall of Fame instantly and these guys (not to mention Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and others from that era) are on the outside looking in? Hm.
Kent’s Hall of Fame enshrinement is also partly at the expense of the two previously alluded 1980s stars, Braves icon Dale Murphy and Yankees legend Don Mattingly. Both had amazing careers that petered out a little too quickly to earn BBWAA induction, but they seemed to be making headway. On the last Eras Committee vote (which saw Fred McGriff elected), Mattingly got eight votes and Murphy earned six. This time around, Murphy stagnated and Mattingly lost two votes. The committee members are not identical, but that’s still discouraging. Did Kent have a better career? He played in more games and accrued more WAR, so if that’s your go-to measure—and if it is, no judgments—then yes. In terms of the “Fame” aspect though, Kent is not nearly as important to the story of baseball history or its evolution as Murphy and Mattingly were to up-and-coming ‘80s fans. C’est la vie.
The only other candidate who hasn’t been discussed yet is the most surprising. Carlos Delgado went one-and-done on a very crowded BBWAA ballot in 2015. Before this panel though, he got 9 of 16 votes, the second-most and just three shy of induction. The longtime Blue Jays slugger deserved a longer consideration on the BBWAA ballot and would have fared better if he had appeared just a few years later. So even if you’re not 100-percent sold on Delgado as a Hall of Famer, he’s someone who merits discussion and he’ll get another long look in a few years. If you agreed with the Eras Committee’s call of McGriff as a Hall of Famer a few years ago, you’d likely support Delgado’s case as they have very similar numbers.
Anyway, congratulations I suppose to Jeff Kent, the Hall of Fame’s version of a regular ham sandwich with a few random dabs of hot sauce on it.
Kodai Senga’s Mets Tenure Could Be Over As New York Weighs Two Potential Replacements, per Insider
The Mets won’t say it out loud, but by last season’s end, Kodai Senga had pretty much tested every ounce of their patience. His slow injury recovery, constant need for extra rest, fixation on his mechanics, and that surprisingly blunt September admission, that he wasn’t ready to help their Wild Card push, all added up. So this winter, the Mets haven’t exactly hidden their willingness to move him.
In fact, per The Athletic, Senga recently contacted David Stearns to say he wants to remain in Queens. Yet, per Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report, the Mets are expected to sign either Ranger Suárez or Michael King in the coming days.
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“Shortly thereafter (or maybe even before), they will trade away Kodai Senga, who has two years and $30M remaining on his deal and who ended this past season in Triple-A after a disastrous run through the first six weeks of the second half,” Miller wrote.
“While the Mets might be done with Senga, there should be quite a bit of interest in a very reasonably priced pitcher with a career ERA of 3.00 and career K/9 of 10.1. We’ll get semi-specific here and say he lands with one of the non-Seattle teams in the AL West, all of whom have rotation needs and probably not enough room in their budget to sign a Valdez or a Suárez.”
Michael King, 30, isn’t exactly a newcomer to New York. Born in the city and breaking into the majors with the Yankees, he knows the territory well. His career took a turn in 2024 when the Yankees dealt him to the Padres, a move that turned him into a full-time starter, and he ran with it.
He posted a sharp 2.95 ERA that season and finished seventh in the NL Cy Young race. Injuries cut his 2025 campaign down to just 15 starts, but even then, he managed a solid 3.44 ERA.
When it comes to Suárez, he has been a reliable presence for the Phillies all along. He wrapped up the 2025 season with a 3.20 ERA, a 1.220 WHIP, and 151 strikeouts across 157.1 innings, his second straight season under a 4.00 ERA, and the fifth time he’s pulled that off in his career.
He’s exactly the kind of pitcher Philadelphia would hate to lose. But with reports linking as many as five other teams to him, there’s a real chance he could be wearing a different uniform next year. For the Mets, landing Suárez would be a major win, especially after already bringing in Devin Williams.
After missing the postseason by the slimmest margin, the Mets are clearly pushing hard to upgrade every corner of the roster for 2026. Framber Valdez and Zac Gallen are also reportedly on their radar, and all signs point to New York adding at least one more starting arm before the offseason wraps up.
So, it looks increasingly likely that the Mets will be trading Senga. But will that move benefit the Mets? This question was asked to several MLB scouts and executives this week. And intriguingly, the general answer was no.
Why do MLB scouts and execs think the Mets shouldn’t trade Kodai Senga?
Well, the reason is certainly his proven upside, and not to forget, his relatively affordable contract makes keeping him the smarter move. Referring to his 2023 and pre-injury 2025 seasons, one scout even praised him for pitching at a “high level.”
Trading him now would probably mean selling low. The Mets probably wouldn’t get comparable value in return. He has the talent to help a team win a championship. And so, the consensus is to wait and hope he’s healthy when it matters most.
That was agreed by many responders. Meanwhile, others argued the Mets could use the $30 million remaining on Senga’s contract. However, NY insider Jon Heyman has a different take, which he shared during a December 1 Bleacher Report live stream.
“Senga odds [of getting traded]? I did see that it was reported by The Athletic that he’d prefer to stay with the Mets. I don’t think that will weigh; they’ve got to do what they need to do, what they want to do. He’s obviously being shopped.”
Heyman believes it’ll be odd for Senga to return now. As he sees it, the chances of a trade are actually pretty good. Well, let’s see where Kodai Senga will end up after this year.
Yankees’ winter strategy starts with Cody Bellinger
ORLANDO, Fla. – If the Yankees were to secure Cody Bellinger, then seek to improve on the margins, this might be a largely drama-free winter.
But we’ve only just begun.
On the eve of MLB’s Winter Meetings, Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he spoke Saturday to agent Scott Boras “about his list of clients,’’ including a certain versatile, lefty-hitting outfielder.
Bellinger was “an impact player for us last year and we’d love to have him back if it could fit for us,’’ Cashman said Sunday, as the meetings unofficially began.
Yankees’ open-minded to other outfield scenarios
Overall, “I don’t think there’s as deep of a need of a lot of things as there were last year,’’ said Cashman, whose series of countermoves following the free agent loss of Juan Soto included a trade for Bellinger.
“But there’s things obviously we’re trying to do,’’ including the pursuit of Bellinger in free agency.
“Cody Bellinger would be a great fit for us. A great fit for anybody,’’ said Cashman. “I think our environment was a great one for him.’’
Naturally, the Yankees will say they’ve got some outfield leverage with center fielder Trent Grisham returning, Jasson Dominguez leading the left field depth chart, repeat AL MVP Aaron Judge in right and slugging Spencer Jones in the wings.
Grisham’s presence “gives us some comfort, because I have a lane I can go with if the markets dictate that,’’ said Cashman.
“But if I can find matches, too, that make enough sense whether it’s free agents or challenge trade that pull me in a different direction, then we’re open-minded to that as well.’’
One obvious free agent outfield pivot is lefty-hitting Kyle Tucker, who could net twice as much as Bellinger in this market.
A potential “challenge trade’’ pivot could lead to the Twins’ Byron Buxton, though his availability – at least this winter – is questionable.
Where the Yankees’ payroll situations could factor in
Bellinger’s camp will point to his made-for-the-Bronx persona and swing, his high contact rate and 1.016 OPS against lefty pitching as evidence he’s essential to the Yankees’ winter strategy.
Throw in the potential interest of deep-pocketed contenders, including the Mets, and Bellinger’s asking price might be closer to $200 million than $150 million, and at what price point would the Yankees balk?
Though Hal Steinbrenner feels a $300 million payroll, under the final luxury tax threshold, would be “ideal,’’ the Yankees owner has not given a drop-dead figure to his GM.
“Hal’s exact words to me continue to be, ‘Take everything that’s out there to me,’ which Cashman has pledged.
Still,
Jordan takes the stand in NASCAR antitrust case
Michael Jordan, a lifelong NASCAR fan and now majority owner of 23XI Racing, explained in federal court Friday that he’s suing the sport he loves because the economics are not being handled fairly.
23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports were the only two of 15 teams that did not sign the charter agreement that began in 2025. The joint antitrust lawsuit was filed in North Carolina federal court in early October 2024.
“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan said of taking such action. “I wasn’t afraid.”
Jordan was pitched by Denny Hamlin to start the team that has become known as 23XI Racing. Those off-the-cuff conversations were intriguing enough for Jordan to review the pitch deck Hamlin sent and to want to get involved. The team formed in 2020 and debuted in 2021.
However Curtis Polk, Jordan’s financial advisor and partner in 23XI Racing, did tell Jordan that he felt the venture was “risky to your brand and image.” Jordan smiled on the witness stand when counsel for NASCAR assessed that Polk admitted he didn’t enjoy NASCAR as much as Jordan and that he wasn’t as big a fan.
“Obviously not,” Jordan said.
Jordan estimated he’s invested roughly $35-40 million into the race team, which he does not have a day-to-day role in. Considering himself “more of a fan,” Jordan leaves those details to Polk and Hamlin, but is made aware of what is going on.
Jordan was the one who paid the $28 million to buy a third charter and expand to three teams. Hamlin pitched it as another opportunity to win races and improve chances to compete for a Cup Series championship.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell previously ruled that NASCAR is a monopoly. The teams are looking to show that NASCAR used that power in an anticompetitive manner and that its business model is hurting the race teams. Jordan explained that once he and his partners entered the sport, upon signing the previous charter agreement, they really got to understand the business and the economic model.
“I’m not discrediting what NASCAR has done for the sport,” Jordan said. But he wants to push to improve the sport.
Speaking on the witness stand, Jordan said he believes there needs to be growth and unity across NASCAR and its drivers. He also explained how that has worked in stick-and-ball sports with a business partnership between the league and its participants. And in doing that, he’s come to believe that the ups and downs of growth and finances should be a shared responsibility.
“The thing I’m hoping for is you create more of a partnership between two entities,” Jordan said. “If that’s the case, it becomes a more valuable business. If you can ever compromise on the things that matter, you can grow your business.”
There were multiple reasons why 23XI Racing didn’t sign the charter agreement, according to Jordan: it wasn’t economical; counsel offered advice on the clause about not suing NASCAR; and the ultimatum to sign it didn’t “best suit 23XI.” The lack of a partnership, permanent charters, say in governance of the sport, and the requested money were at the heart of those issues.
Jordan testified for 25 minutes before NASCAR was given the chance to do its cross-examination. During that time, NASCAR asked about previous statements Jordan had made about NASCAR and the charter system, in which he clarified that he can speak highly of the sport and the system, but not the agreement.
NASCAR counsel also asked about messages Jordan and Polk exchanged during the charter negotiations. Polk was more actively involved in those negotiations than Jordan, but he admitted he attended meetings to understand the race teams’ and 23XI Racing’s asks.
In one message, Polk told Jordan, “Our plan is to be a pest and have a mosquito bite every week.” The meaning was to continue conversations with teams/drivers and have things end up in the media. Polk also wanted to meet with some of the smaller teams in the garage to explain why the offer they thought NASCAR was making was not good for their teams.
“We wanted them to understand what was fair and what was not fair (about the economics),” testified Jordan.
Other proceedings from Friday:
The NBA legend and North Carolina native was the third witness of Friday’s proceedings. The day started with NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell finishing his testimony, which began Thursday. Heather Gibbs, a co-owner of Joe Gibbs Racing and the daughter-in-law of Joe Gibbs, was the second witness.
Gibbs testified for about an hour, which led into the lunch break. After giving her background on how she got into racing by meeting and marrying Coy Gibbs in the 1990s, Heather Gibbs spoke publicly for the first time about Coy’s passing in 2022. It was the night Ty Gibbs won the Xfinity Series championship on Nov. 5, 2022.
“He didn’t wake up,” Heather said.
Heather Gibbs said she became a co-owner of Joe Gibbs Racing on Nov. 6. She is involved in strategic decision-making and was part of the charter agreement negotiations.
Gibbs described the sport as “very challenging for the teams” because of its financial model, and said Joe Gibbs Racing does not have outside income. NASCAR racing is its business.
A comment by NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps about reckless spending by the race teams prompted Gibbs to write a letter that was sent to multiple NASCAR executives and the France family. Gibbs said the comment bothered her, and she disagreed with it. The lengthy letter, which became public a few weeks before the trial started, consisted of Gibbs explaining how much NASCAR means to the Gibbs family and the need for a stronger sport, including with permanent charters.
Lesa France Kennedy was the only one who responded to Gibbs’s letter. Gibbs felt it was a nice conversation, France seemed receptive, and Gibbs thought her letter had been impactful. But no other NASCAR executives responded.
“I think (permanent charters) are absolutely vital for the teams,” Gibbs said. One of the main reasons is the stability they provide, as what the organization has built can’t be taken away.
Gibbs would further detail how upsetting the deadline to sign the charter agreement was. NASCAR sent teams a notice on August 30 that the deadline was September 6. Joe Gibbs Racing did sign the agreement, but Gibbs used the “gun to the head” expression that some others involved in the case have used to describe the feeling.
“I did not think it was a fair deal for the teams,” Gibbs said.
But through the emotion, the organization signed it because of its legacy and not wanting that to disappear.
Gibbs also acknowledged during her testimony that some years are profitable for Joe Gibbs Racing and some are not.
‘RIP’: NASCAR World Crumbles in Tears as 39-YO Former JR Motorsports Driver Passes Away
When one leaves a mark in NASCAR, it never washes away. The same can be said about Michael Annett, a racer who made his mark in prominent race teams like JR Motorsports and Richard Petty Motorsports. He brought several jaw-dropping results and one prestigious race victory to those teams. And they remember him ardently today, a date which was the bearer of tragic news for Annett’s family, friends, and colleagues.
Michael Annett passes to the other side
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett. Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today,” JR Motorsports posted on X.
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Michael Annett, who turned 39 earlier this year, has left this world for a heavenly abode. No reasons have yet been rolled out for his untimely death. Annett made his final start at the national level of NASCAR in 2021, finishing eleventh in the Phoenix finale of the Xfinity Series. He also missed a handful of races that year due to a stress fracture in his right femur. Although he stepped away from a car, he remained in touch with industry members. His family company, Pilot Flying J, supported JRM driver Sammy Smith’s debut in 2022.
“Very sad to lose someone who meant so much to me and my family. Michael was a great person to so many, and we’ll miss him a lot. ❤️” Sammy Smith wrote on X. Other NASCAR personalities also remembered the bygone talent. Landon Cassill wrote, “RIP Michael Annett – I was on the radio with him at Hawkeye Downs Speedway the first time he drove a big car on asphalt. Life is precious.”
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Then Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a full-time Cup Series driver, also paid his respects. He remembered his times together with Michael Annett. “Sad to get the news of Big Mikes passing. Raced each other for a long time coming up through ARCA together. Spent a lot of days in the gym together before he retired.”
Having been a full-time Cup driver from 2014 through 2016, Michael Annett started 106 races and placed as high as 13th in the 2015 Daytona 500. As a driver in Xfinity, Annett competed in 321 races between 2008 and 2021, including several seasons with JR Motorsports, notably winning a 2019 Daytona race. Annett only started nine Truck races, earning a runner-up finish at Kentucky in 2008. He also won twice as an ARCA driver, at Talladega in 2007 and Daytona in 2008.
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Former NASCAR winner Michael Annett passes away at 39
Michael Annett, a NASCAR series winner who drove for JR Motorsports for five seasons, has died at 39, the team announced Friday.
In a statement on their X account, JR Motorsports posted, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett. Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”
Annett, a Des Moines, Iowa, native, made more than 300 O’Reilly Auto Parts, formerly Xfinity Series, starts and earned his lone series win in 2019 at Daytona International Speedway.
He retired from full-time competition after the 2021 season.
No additional details about his death were immediately released.
NASCAR Community Mourns Michael Annett, Dead at 39
Michael Annett, a former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver known for his steady rise through the ranks and his memorable win at Daytona, has died at age 39.
JR Motorsports shared the news, confirming the passing of their former driver, who raced with the team from 2017 until his retirement in 2021.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family on the passing of our friend Michael Annett. Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today, JR Motorsports posted. ”
Fans, former teammates, and drivers reacted as the news spread, marking a sad moment for many who followed his career from his early days in Iowa to the national racing stage.
Early Life and Shift from Hockey to Racing
Michael Wayne Annett was born June 23, 1986, in Des Moines, Iowa. Before racing, he played hockey as a defenseman for the Waterloo Black Hawks in the United States Hockey League. He helped the team win the Clark Cup in 2004 and earned the title of “Most Improved Player.” His size, listed at 5’10” and 180 pounds, was considered small for higher-level hockey, which led him to look toward motorsports.
His father, Harrold Annett, CEO of TMC Transportation, supported his early steps in racing. Annett began competing at local tracks, including Hawkeye Downs, before moving into the national series. His first major success came in the ARCA Menards Series, where he won at Talladega Superspeedway in 2007 and at Daytona International Speedway in 2008.
NASCAR Career and Major Achievements
Annett made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut in 2008 with Germain Racing. The following year, he earned Rookie of the Year honors after scoring four top-10 finishes. His Xfinity Series career stretched across 321 starts, producing one win, 95 top-10 finishes, and one pole position. His lone victory came at the 2019 NASCAR Racing Experience 300 at Daytona, a moment that remained one of the highlights of his racing years.
He also competed in the NASCAR Cup Series, running 106 races between 2014 and 2016 with Tommy Baldwin Racing and HScott Motorsports. His top Cup results were 13th-place finishes in the Daytona 500 in both 2015 and 2016.
Annett additionally took part in the NASCAR Truck Series, appearing in nine races. His best Truck Series result was a second-place finish at Kentucky Speedway in 2008.
Throughout his career, injuries interrupted his momentum. In 2013, he suffered a fractured sternum, and in 2021, he dealt with a stress fracture in his femur. The injuries and recovery time played a role in his decision to retire from full-time racing at the end of the 2021 season.
Reaction to His Passing
The message spread fast across social media, leading to many reactions from the NASCAR community. NASCAR.com also reported the news with a statement. “NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett. Michael was a respected competitor whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage. Throughout his career, he represented our sport with integrity and the passion of a true racer. NASCAR extends its condolences to Michael’s family and many friends.”
“Very sad to lose someone who meant so much to my family and me. Michael was a great person to so many, and we’ll miss him a lot. The driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, Sammy Smith, posted.”
Michael Annett, who made 436 combined starts in NASCAR’s 3 national touring series, dies at 39
MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Michael Annett, a former racecar driver who made 436 combined starts in NASCAR’s three national touring series, has died. He was 39.
JR Motorsports, one of Annett’s former teams, posted the news on social media on Friday. No cause of death was announced.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett,” the team wrote. “Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”
According to NASCAR, Annett made 321 starts in the Xfinity Series, 158 of which came with JRM.
In 2019, Annett won the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet for his only win at the national level.
Annett, a native of Des Moines, Iowa, was also a two-time winner in the ARCA Menards Series. He won at Talladega Superspeedway in 2007 and then took the series opener at Daytona in 2008.
“NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett,” the racing body said in a statement. “Michael was a respected competitor whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage. Throughout his career, he represented our sport with integrity and the passion of a true racer. NASCAR extends its condolences to Michael’s family and many friends.”
NASCAR community remembers Michael Annett after Xfinity winner’s death at 39
The NASCAR industry reacted this weekend to the death of former Xfinity Series winner Michael Annett.
In a statement late Friday night, NASCAR’s communications staff confirmed Annett, who turned 39 this past June, had died at 39. No cause of death was provided.
“NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett,” the statement read. “Michael was a respected competitor whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage. Throughout his career, he represented our sport with integrity and the passion of a true racer. NASCAR extends its condolences to Michael’s family and many friends.”
Annett raced in the Xfinity Series from 2008-21, including full time from 2009-13 with Germain Racing, Rusty Wallace Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports. After racing in the NASCAR Cup Series from 2014-16 for Tommy Baldwin Jr. and HScott Motorsports, Annett returned to Xfinity and raced full time for JR Motorsports from 2017-21.
The Des Moines, Iowa, native’s lone Xfinity win came in the 2019 season opener at Daytona International Speedway, driving the No. 1 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. He finished a career-best fifth in the 2012 Xfinity points standings and had 19 top fives and 95 top 10s in 321 series starts. He also had two ARCA victories from 2008-09.
Michael Annett Dead: Former Xfinity Series Race Winner Was 39
Michael Annett, known for winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2019, has died. He was 39.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett,” JR Motorsports wrote on social media on Friday, Dec. 5.
The organization continued, “Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”
“NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett,” the company added in its own statement. “Michael was a respected competitor whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage.
Michael Annett Dead: Former Xfinity Series Race Champ Was 39
Retired race car driver Michael Annett has died. He was 39.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett,” JR Motorsports wrote via Instagram on Friday, December 5, announcing the former driver’s death. “Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”
Annett, who previously won NASCAR’s Xfinity Series, was also memorialized by the racing organization.
“NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett,” a Friday statement read. “Michael was a respected competitor whose determination, professionalism and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage.”
The statement concluded, “Throughout his career, he represented our sport with integrity and the passion of a true racer. NASCAR extends its condolences to Michael’s family and many friends.”
A cause of death for Annett has not yet been publicly revealed.
Annett made his debut in the Xfinity Series in 2008, racing full-time the following year. He previously drove for Turner Sports Motorsports before joining JRM in 2017.
“The [racing] opportunity opened up and I got my parents talked into it,” Annett told NBC Sports in 2017, recalling his entry into the high-speed sport. “[My college hockey team] lost in the playoffs that year in 2005 and a week later [my family and I] were in a Silver Crown car down at Memphis Motorsports Park. My dad wanted to see if I had any talent whatsoever.”
The pro racer ultimately announced his retirement in October 2021 after suffering a stress fracture in his leg.
“I’m just so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had,” Annett said in a press release at the time. “Being able to drive race cars for a living is honestly a dream come true for me. It’s been a privilege to work with some great teams and alongside some of the most talented folks in the garage.”
He concluded, “None of this would have been possible without the support of my partners, and I am happy to call them lifelong friends. It’s those relationships and friendships that are the most rewarding.”
Many of Annett’s former racing colleagues have since taken to social media to offer their condolences in the wake of his death.
“RIP Michael Annett,” Jeremy Clements wrote via X. “Was a pleasure to go door to door with you for so many years. You’ll be missed.”
Noah Gragson, for his part, wrote via Instagram, “Heartbroken. Going to miss you man. Love you Diesel Mike.”
JRM driver Sammy Smith noted that Annett “meant so much” to him.
“Very sad to lose someone who meant so much to me and my family,” Smith, 21, wrote via X. “Michael was a great person to so many, and we’ll miss him a lot.”
Retired racer Brad Keselowski, for his part, recalled Annett’s debut at Daytona in an emotional social media tribute.
“I remember this day vividly. Michael was an up and comer at the same time I was and he was looking really good,” Keselowski, 41, wrote. “In the end, life took us different paths and all of us who knew him and the talent he had are sad to see him go, but glad he is no longer suffering.”
Legal World Obsessed with Michael Jordan’s NASCAR Lawsuit as Case Explodes Beyond the Garage
NASCAR’s antitrust lawsuit just doesn’t stop getting hotter. Right when you sink into an update, another is waiting in line. What started as a simple disagreement between two parties — 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports and NASCAR — has now been the hottest topic in the garage. And the latest update says it’s crossed that boundary too.
NASCAR antitrust lawsuit reaches law schools
Antitrust lawsuits are not uncommon. However, when they include a sport valued in billions and a team co-owned by an NBA legend like Michael Jordan, they can take quite a turn.
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A law school student recently took to social media, revealing that the case is being discussed in their school by people who have never watched the sport.
“As a lot of people who follow me know, I am both attending law school and work at a firm currently. Not only has the suit been discussed in school, now three different attorneys, 0 of whom watch NASCAR actively, have shared this case with me,” Stephen Mallozzi wrote on X.
“This case is way bigger than NASCAR.”
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This purely shows the impact of the case everywhere. Even those having no relation with the sport are vested in it religiously, trying to decode the legal drama in their own ways. In this case, teach it.
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Plus, the case is also one of a kind, as the motorsports world is witnessing a debut one right now with this. Very rarely you get to see two teams suing their own sport for fairness to excel in that very sport.
Last year, in October, 23XI and FRM had filed the lawsuit, alleging unlawful monopolization by NASCAR regarding the Charter Agreement. They claimed that the agreement is anticompetitive and is making the team run at a loss. This was allegedly because of the small share of the broadcasting profits the teams get from NASCAR.
Michael Jordan also shook the courtroom with his strong statements against the sport’s authorities.
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Michael Jordan shakes the court with NASCAR’s risk-takers’ comment
Jordan’s mere presence in the courtroom has been a significant talking point for people outside the motorsports world. They are seemingly engaged with the trial. On the trial’s fifth day, the former Bulls player was in the witness box for over an hour, answering questions and delivering strong statements.
Citing the NBA, Jordan claimed that the sport and teams should be equally responsible and divided for development. At the same time, he claimed that 23XI, which he co-owns with Denny Hamlin, aims to increase teams’ share.
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“We never thought we would get what basketball gets but we thought we could get closer to 45 percent,” Jordan said.
At the same time, some of his statements against NASCAR authorities raised eyebrows across the motorsports world. Commenting on the sport’s CEO, Jordan claimed that the drivers and teams are the only risk-takers.
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“I never saw Jim France drive a car or risk his life,” he added. “Give a little more credit to those who put their life on the line.”
Michael Jordan has put in a lot for 23XI ever since the team’s inception. He is present with the team during races multiple times throughout the Cup Series season. He also told the court that he catches up with all of the races on TV. Seemingly, he is heavily invested in the sport and hence, the lawsuit.
The trial is at a sensitive stage right now. It has seemingly gained global attention in the legal world, as Mallozzi’s X post confirms. If the plaintiffs win the lawsuit, it will benefit teams in the sport, with possible changes in NASCAR’s fundamental rules
NASCAR world rocked by death of second driver during weekend: ‘Lost a great person’
The NASCAR world has been rocked by the death of another driver this weekend as veteran Nick Joanides has died.
Joanides, 55, was a star on the West Coast scene most recently making three starts in the ARCA West Series. He also drove in the NASCAR Xfinity Series when it was called the Nationwide Series.
“Heard today Nick Joanides passed away,” Andy Villanueva wrote on X. “The world lost a great person. Forget all of his championships he won at short tracks across California. Not many people like Nick.”
Villanueva shared a couple of personal stories about the driver and closed with, “The mark of a good person is when they say, ‘You need anything. Call me.’
“I’d call him constantly,” he added. “We’d talk about anything. Mainly to keep me from worrying about life. That was Nick. He will be missed.”
Joanides died on Friday. No cause of death was reported.
He was the second former NASCAR driver to die on the day, joining Michael Annett, 39.
Annett drove for JR Motorsports from 2017 through 2021 and the team shared the news of his death on social media.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett,” the team shared on X. “Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”
“RIP Michael Annett,” NASCAR driver Jeremy Clements wrote on X. “Was a pleasure to go door to door with you for so many years. You’ll be missed.”
“So sad that Michael Annett has passed,” longtime NASCAR reporter Claire B Lang wrote on X. “He was always so nice. Hard to believe he is gone.”
A native of Des Moines, Iowa, was behind the wheel for 106 NASCAR Cup Series races, but never managed to finish in the top 10. While his results at that level were not eye-popping, Yahoo Sports noted he drove for a pair of “underfunded teams” in Tommy Baldwin Racing and HScott Racing.
Annett had more success on the Xfinity Series where he drove in 321 races with 95 top-10 finishes. His lone win came in the 2019 NASCAR Racing Experience 300 at Daytona International Speedway.
He also drove in nine NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races with two top-10 finishes.
NASCAR champion mourns fellow driver’s death at 39: ‘Glad he is no longer suffering’
Former NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski was among those to react to the stunning news of former driver Michael Annett’s death.
Annett, 39, passed away on Friday. No cause of death has been reported, but Keselowski seemed to have some insight on the situation.
“I remember this day vividly,” Keselowski wrote on X while resharing a video of Annett winning the ARCA 200 at Daytona International Speedway. “Michael was an up and comer at the same time I was and he was looking really good. In the end, Life took us different paths and all of us who knew him and the talent he had are sad to see him go, but glad he is no longer suffering.”
Annett drove for JR Motorsports from 2017 through 2021 and the team shared the news of his death on social media.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett,” the team shared on X. “Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”
As the news spread many took to social media to remember Annett.
“RIP Michael Annett,” NASCAR driver Jeremy Clements wrote on X. “Was a pleasure to go door to door with you for so many years. You’ll be missed.”
“So sad that Michael Annett has passed,” longtime NASCAR reporter Claire B Lang wrote on X. “He was always so nice. Hard to believe he is gone.”
“I am just absolutely gutted to hear that we’ve lost Michael Annett!” Brad Doty posted on X. “The more I think about it the harder it gets! Thoughts and prayers are with his entire family.”
“NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett,” the organization said in a statement on its site. “Michael was a respected competitor whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirt were felt by everyone in the garage. Throughout his career, he represented our sport with integrity and the passion of a true racer. NASCAR extends its condolences to Michael’s family and many friends.”
A native of Des Moines, Iowa, was behind the wheel for 106 NASCAR Cup Series races, but never managed to finish in the top 10. While his results at that level were not eye-popping, Yahoo Sports noted he drove for a pair of “underfunded teams” in Tommy Baldwin Racing and HScott Racing.
Annett had more success on the Xfinity Series where he drove in 321 races with 95 top-10 finishes. His lone win came in the 2019 NASCAR Racing Experience 300 at Daytona International Speedway.
He also drove in nine NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races with two top-10 finishes.
His agency, RSMG, also released a statement announcing his death.
“We are sad to have lost a family member,” the post on X read. “Michael Annett will always be in our hearts. Our thoughts are with the Annett family at this time. Rest in peace MA.”
Annett stepped away from racing following the 2021 campaign after a stress fracture in his leg caused him to miss parts of that season.
Who Was Michael Annett? About the Former NASCAR Racer Who Died at 39
Michael Annett built a legacy in the racing world. The late retired NASCAR Xfinity Series driver died at the age of 39 in December 2025, and the sports world has been mourning his death ever since. No cause of death was immediately disclosed.
NASCAR confirmed the news of Annett’s death in a public statement, which read, “NASCAR is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former NASCAR driver Michael Annett. Michael was a respected competitor whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage. Throughout his career, he represented our sport with integrity and the passion of a true racer. NASCAR extends its condolences to Michael’s family and many friends.”
JR Motorsport also paid tribute to the late former racer, writing in an X statement that he was “a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett,” JR concluded in its statement.
Here, learn more about Annett’s life and career.
Michael Annett Was an Iowa Native
Annett was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 23, 1986.
Michael Annett Started Racing in His Childhood
Before he made it to the big leagues, Annett started racing mini-cup events in elementary school. After graduating from high school, Annett kick-started his professional racing career.
His Late Father Sponsored His Racing Efforts
Annett’s late father, Harrold, was the CEO of TMC Transportation, and he helped sponsor his son’s racing efforts in the early days of his career.
Michael Annett Retired From Racing at 35 Years Old
Annett announced his retirement from stock car racing in 2021. In a statement at the time, he called his career a “dream come true.”
“It’s been a privilege to work with some great teams and alongside some of the most talented folks in the garage,” Annett said upon retiring. “None of this would have been possible without the support of my partners, and I am happy to call them lifelong friends. It’s those relationships and friendships that are the most rewarding.”
Carson Hocevar Takes a Sly Dig at NASCAR’s Data-Driven Gimmicks in Honest Dirt Track Rant
As the 2025 NASCAR Cup season is wrapped up, the drivers are chilling in their own ways. Some are resting, some are racing. Among the latter is Carson Hocevar, who’s enjoying himself racing with his friends at the Gateway Dirt Nationals in St. Louis, Missouri. The 22-year-old finished 11th in the race, but his post-race happiness showed he didn’t race for the results.
There is something in dirt racing that he doesn’t find in NASCAR, and he casually expressed that after the race.
Carson Hocevar calls dirt events “real racing”
Speaking to FloRacing, he said, “Yeah, it’s just fun to be back here. These are a lot of my NASCAR guys, guys at the shop that grew up doing this. They get to have fun, with Jeff [Jeffrey Ledford] and Tim Kloss, everybody here. It’s a lot of fun, just happy. Just race, real racing.”
Hocevar had a fun time racing with his friends, which included Jeffrey Ledford, Tim Kloss, Wil Herington, and Jonathan Davenport. As for why he calls it real racing, it’s best to hear that from himself.
“There’s not a lot of aero or engineering. I’m not looking at laptops and data, I’m looking at flow and what lane works, and everything.”
Hocevar basically points out how dirt racing brings the sport down to its most authentic form. It’s more raw, and there’s not much tech involved. It’s more about going with the flow and judging how the car feels. There are no complex simulators, wind-tunnel numbers, or any kind of sophisticated setups as you have in NASCAR.
Instead of data, he’s reading the track more with his eyes and instincts. It’s more about how, as a driver, you handle your car more naturally and adapt to the conditions by yourself.
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“When I walk into this building, I don’t know how many people watch NASCAR, but they sure remember me in a heat, just getting the car drove into my head, almost.”
Whether or not they recognize him for NASCAR, they surely remember him for that 2023 dirt-track clash he had with Jason Feger. Reports say that after a bump, Feger rammed the driver’s side door of Hocevar’s car. “The retaliation part, I wish he would — if he was that mad — full-throttle me from behind and not go for my head,” Hocevar had said.
Nonetheless, after the off-season, the Spire Motorsports driver will retain his spot in the No. 77 for the Cup Series next year.
Bobby Pierce is three-time Gateway Dirt Nationals winner
Bobby Pierce became the first driver to win the Gateway Dirt Nationals three times. He dominated the Kubota Gateway Dirt Nationals at The Dome, as he led all 40 laps and won a record $70,000 prize money, the richest payday ever offered.
Starting from the pole, he finished the race first, beating Ricky Thornton Jr. by 2.15 seconds. He wins his third title after the first two coming in consecutively in 2017 and 2018.
“You just dream of things like this, ever since this event came around,” he said. “It’s been a spectacle from the beginning. I’ve watched it grow into what it is now. They’ve got a packed house. I don’t see it stopping from growing. I think one day this place will probably be full from the tippy top.”
Looking ahead, he will look to cash in on his dominant run in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series starting at the Volusia Speedway Park in Florida in January.
Michael Jordan and NASCAR Executives Take the Stand in Antitrust Trial
The antitrust trial involving 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, and NASCAR opened on December 1 in federal court in Charlotte, setting up a major fight over how the sport operates and who controls its financial future.
The teams say NASCAR uses its power to enforce an unfair charter model, limit competition, and leave teams without enough revenue to stay stable. NASCAR argues the charter system is legal, optional, and designed to support teams.
Across the first week, the courtroom heard from key figures including Denny Hamlin, Michael Jordan, Steve O’Donnell, and Front Row owner Bob Jenkins. Their testimony offered a detailed look at tense talks, failed negotiations, internal emails, and the financial strain teams say they face under the current structure.
Jury Selection and Opening Statements
Day 1 began with jury selection, which took about two hours. A nine-person panel was seated after several prospects were excused for showing support for Michael Jordan.
Opening statements followed. Plaintiffs’ attorney Jeffrey Kessler told jurors they would see internal messages showing NASCAR acting to keep teams financially dependent. He said teams needed permanent charters and a more balanced split of revenue.
Denny Hamlin later explained the financial pressure at 23XI Racing, saying it cost about $20 million each season to operate a single Cup car.
“NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell testified teams asked in early 2022 for an improved revenue model because they were fighting for their financial survival, according to Jenna Fryer of AP News.”
Midweek Testimony and Internal Documents in the NASCAR Antitrust Trial
Testimony on Days 2 and 3 focused on negotiations over the 2025 charter agreement. According to Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, O’Donnell described his meetings with 23XI executive Curtis Polk as “the most difficult meetings I’ve had with an individual in my 30 years in NASCAR.” He said Polk “threatened to kick me out of my own meeting” and came at negotiations from a business-first approach.
Evidence presented also showed NASCAR explored ways to limit the growth of outside series such as SRX. Steve O’Donnell said he became concerned after seeing Chase Elliott race an SRX car that looked similar to his NASCAR entry.
Steve O’Donnell confirmed under questioning that Jim France was “not open to a new model,” despite earlier discussions that suggested otherwise.
Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins told jurors he had lost about $100 million since entering the sport and said NASCAR pushed the 2024 charter extension through as a “take-it-or-leave-it” offer. He added that rising costs tied to the Next Gen car created even more pressure on teams.
Week Ends With Key Testimony
The week closed with Michael Jordan taking the stand. He explained why 23XI refused to sign the 2024 charter agreement, saying it did not include what he called the team’s essential “pillars,” including permanent charters and meaningful negotiation.
Joe Gibbs Racing co-owner Heather Gibbs. She said she begged Jim France not to push through the September 2024 charter offer. Don’t do this to us! But said France answered, If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, I have 30 she recalled saying.”
Judge Kenneth D. Bell said the trial is moving slowly due to long questioning sessions. The trial resumes next week.
Kevin Harvick Son Keelan Silences Critics With Masterclass Comeback to Hunt Down Rivals in Biggest Career Win
If you’ve been keeping up with the weather updates at Pensacola, then you might be aware that for days, teams, drivers, and fans awaited a break from the stormy skies. But when the track finally came alive in the early hours of Sunday morning, a different kind of storm took over. It was none other than 13-year-old Keelan Harvick!
Keelan Harvick didn’t just show up for the 2025 Snowflake 125. Instead, he shut up every critic in the room, delivering a jaw-dropping comeback that rewrote the record books.
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A record-breaking win for Keelan Harvick
13 years, 4 months, and 29 days.
That’s the exact age of the kid who just rewrote one of short-track racing’s most respected record books. Keelan Harvick stormed into history by winning the Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 125 Pro Late Model event at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, on December 7, 2025, to become the youngest victor the race has ever seen.
But this wasn’t some clean, fairy-tale drive from the front row. Nothing about Keelan’s night (or morning technically) came easy. Starting deep in the 15th position, he spent the opening stages carving through traffic with calm precision far beyond his age. After pit stops shuffled the field, Keelan found himself at the point with 50 laps to go, but the race had no plans on letting him cruise.
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A restart with 46 laps remaining nearly derailed everything. One small bobble, one moment of lost grip, and suddenly Harvick slid back to fourth. Critics have long questioned whether he could handle adversity on the big stage. And right here, he answered with his hands on the wheel.
Keelan regrouped, reset, and went hunting again. By 24 laps to go, he powered past Tristan McKee to reclaim the lead, showing the kind of calculated aggression that defines seasoned veterans, not teenagers.
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Still, one final restart loomed with 10 laps left. No mistakes. No panic. No hesitation. Keelan Harvick held firm to capture the biggest win of his young career. McKee finished second, and defending Snowball Derby winner Kaden Honeycutt rounded out the podium.
“It’s really special,” Harvick told Matt Weaver. “Like I said, just to win it for my guys that put in a lot of hours for me to be able to do this. All my family, my sponsors, it just wouldn’t be possible without all of them.”
He credited late-night study sessions with his father, Kevin Harvick, focusing on staying low on corner exits – a detail that proved decisive. Dad Harvick was naturally very happy and proud seeing his son follow his footsteps.
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“Me and my dad watched the Snowflake from last year. We saw everybody coming out of (the turns) low and straight. That’s what I did, ” Keelan added.
Originally scheduled for 6 pm, the race didn’t start until 1:41 am due to the rain showers that took place in the Penascola area.
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Meanwhile, Peltier’s lap sets the stage for the derby
If Keelan Harvick’s win lit up the early hours of Sunday morning, Preston Peltier made sure the buildup to the 2025 Snowball Derby carried its own electricity. The veteran racer stormed to pole position for the 58th annual event, laying down a blistering 16.240-second lap during a qualifying session that was every bit as dramatic as the weekend’s weather.
Persistent rain throughout Derby week pushed the session back an entire day, but when the track finally came to life, Peltier wasted no time reminding everyone that he’s far from done. The 2017 Snowball Derby pole-sitter delivered a lap that blended precision, experience, and a little bit of swagger.
“I’m old, but I’m still fast,” Peltier joked to FloRacing afterward. “I just wanted to give it one more try, and here we are. I can promise you the car is better than me.”
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Behind him, two-time Derby winner Ty Majeski secured second, while Hudson Bulger, Jake Finch, and Spencer Davis completed the top five. This shows a mix of proven talent and rising threats, setting up a fascinating grid for Sunday’s 300-lap showdown.
But not everyone had a smooth night. In a surprising twist, three NASCAR Cup Series drivers — Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, and Noah Gragson — failed to lock themselves into the field through time. That sent them to the Last Chance Qualifier, where only four transfer spots were up for grabs.
Busch showed why he’s a former Derby winner, dominating the 25-lap LCQ from the pole. Stephen Nasse, Derek Griffith, and Jake Garcia also fought their way in. Gragson, meanwhile, never even made it to the green flag, sidelined by issues with his No. 30 entry.
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Two provisionals filled out the final positions: Matthew Craig earned his through Deep South Cranes Blizzard Series points, while Gavan Boschele claimed his via the ASA Southern Super Series. With the lineup set, the intensity surrounding this year’s Derby only continues to climb. And some storylines are just beginning to take shape.
NASCAR racer dies at 39: ‘He is no longer suffering’
Michael Annett, a past NASCAR winner at Talladega and Daytona, has died at age 39.
JR Motorsports announced Annett’s death on Friday.
NASCAR.com reports the Des Moines, Iowa native made 436 combined starts across NASCAR’s three national touring series, with 321 in the Xfinity Series.
In 2019, he took the series’ season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet for his first and only win at the national level.
He retired in 2021 after a stress fracture kept him out for parts of the season.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett,” JR Motorsports shared in a post on X.
“Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”
Annett made his debut in 2008 before going full-time in 2009, entering with Germain Racing before transitioning to Rusty Wallace Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports.
He spent three years at the sport’s top level in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving for Turner Scott Motorsports from 2014 through 2016 and making 106 starts across those three seasons. He then joined JRM in 2017.
Annett was also a two-time winner in the ARCA Menards Series, with a Talladega Superspeedway victory in 2007 before winning the 2008 series opener at Daytona.
In a statement, NASCAR called him a “respected competitor whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage.”
“Throughout his career, he represented our sport with integrity and the passion of a true racer,” NASCAR’s statement said.
Brad Keselowski paid tribute to Annett on social media after his death.
“Michael was an up and comer at the same time I was and he was looking really good. In the end, Life took us different paths and all of us who knew him and the talent he had are sad to see him go, but glad he is no longer suffering,” he wrote.
NASCAR Champ Crushes Rivals to Claim Historic Snowball Derby Feat at Five Flags Speedway
For decades, the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway has been the toughest test in short-track racing. Three hundred laps on a half-mile that eats tires for breakfast and spits out dreams by dinner. One little mistake and the weekend is over.
The field is always loaded with Cup guys, late-model kings, and hungry kids who would sell their truck for a shot at the Tom Dawson Trophy. This year was no different, maybe even deeper, and when the checkered flag finally fell, one name stood taller than the rest.
Ty Majeski proves once again why the Snowball Derby is his playground
Ty Majeski rolled into Pensacola as the two-time defending Snowball Derby champ and left qualifying reminding everyone why nobody wants to see his name on the scoring pylon. He put his car second on the grid, beating almost all his rivals, which he calmly called his fifth career front-row start at the Derby.
“Obviously just the unknown of not quite understanding what the track is gonna have but yea good effort for Menards and iRacing.com, like I said it puts ourselves at a good spot for Sunday, it’s my fifth front row,” he said with the easy confidence of a guy who’s done this before.
He knows the half-mile changes every session. “It’s so hard everybody’s testing the track changes so much,” he explained.
What feels perfect Friday morning can be junk by Sunday afternoon when the rubber is laid down and the tires are screaming. Starting up front just means clean air early, fewer cars to pass, and one less thing to worry about when the long green-flag runs start chewing up equipment.
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Majeski had nothing but respect for the guy who beat him to the pole. “Yea, Preston is a great guy. We talk occasionally and we have a lot of respect for him. His cars are beautiful, and he’s got a really fast car, so he’ll be tough to beat on Sunday.”
That’s short-track talk for “I’m coming for you, but good luck.” Two of the best in the business on the front row, both knowing one tiny mistake Sunday and the trophy goes somewhere else.
He wrapped it up simple and clear: “Start at the Snowball so yea it’s nice to have that track position.”
Because at Five Flags, track position early can keep you out of the wrecks and let you control your own destiny when the real racing starts. Majeski has won this race twice in the last four years by being fast when it counts and smart when it counts more. Another front-row start just means he gets to start the hunt from the best seat in the house.
The weekend started with Preston Peltier reminding everyone he’s still one of the fastest men alive on a short track. He ripped off a 16.240-second lap to take the pole, his second career Snowball Derby pole, and looked like the man to beat all Friday night.
Preston Peltier grabs pole and sets the tone
“I had a perfect car and a good crew,” he said climbing out. “All the puzzle pieces are here.” He knew the hard part was still coming. “I’ve never had a problem going fast for a couple laps, but let’s see how I feel after 300 on Sunday.”
That front row with Majeski told the story before the green flag even dropped: two of the best in the business, both hungry, both knowing one of them would probably lift the trophy. Peltier led early and ran strong, but when the late chaos hit, he couldn’t quite thread the needle the way Majeski did.
The rest of the field was stacked. Cup guys, late-model hammers, everybody chasing the same dream. Some made it, some didn’t. The track stayed brutal and fair in that special Snowball way. When the smoke cleared Sunday night, Ty Majeski was the one holding the trophy again, proving once more that at Five Flags, you don’t have to be fastest every lap, you just have to be fastest on the one that counts.
Racing world mourns NASCAR driver who died at 39
Michael Annett, a past NASCAR winner at Talladega and Daytona, has died at age 39.
JR Motorsports announced Annett’s death on Friday.
NASCAR.com reports the Des Moines, Iowa native made 436 combined starts across NASCAR’s three national touring series, with 321 in the Xfinity Series.
In 2019, he took the series’ season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 1 JRM Chevrolet for his first and only win at the national level.
He retired in 2021 after a stress fracture kept him out for parts of the season.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Annett family with the passing of our friend Michael Annett,” JR Motorsports shared in a post on X.
“Michael was a key member of JRM from 2017 until he retired in 2021 and was an important part in turning us into the four-car organization we remain today.”
Annett made his debut in 2008 before going full-time in 2009, entering with Germain Racing before transitioning to Rusty Wallace Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports.
He spent three years at the sport’s top level in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving for Turner Scott Motorsports from 2014 through 2016 and making 106 starts across those three seasons. He then joined JRM in 2017.
Annett was also a two-time winner in the ARCA Menards Series, with a Talladega Superspeedway victory in 2007 before winning the 2008 series opener at Daytona.
In a statement, NASCAR called him a “respected competitor whose determination, professionalism, and positive spirit were felt by everyone in the garage.”
“Throughout his career, he represented our sport with integrity and the passion of a true racer,” NASCAR’s statement said.
Brad Keselowski paid tribute to Annett on social media after his death.
“Michael was an up and comer at the same time I was and he was looking really good. In the end, Life took us different paths and all of us who knew him and the talent he had are sad to see him go, but glad he is no longer suffering,” he wrote.
Nets playing like ‘different team’ with encouraging signs showing
No longer among the laughingstocks of the NBA, the Nets have gone from winless in their first seven games, with just one victory through a dozen games, and 3-16 as recently as just over a week ago, to having won three of four.
The reasons aren’t complicated: Michael Porter Jr. has been a force when healthy; their defense, which was abysmal in the early going, has improved; and some of their rookies are starting to contribute.
And as they wait to play their next game, Friday at Dallas, the Nets are 4-5 since Nov. 16.
While they’re far from a formidable team, they’ve shown some encouraging signs.
“You can feel, as a group, we’re getting better,” Porter said following their most recent victory, which came at Barclays Center against New Orleans.
“We knew going into the season we had a young group and it was gonna take some time,’’ Porter said of the inexperienced roster after the Nets selected five players in the first round of the NBA draft. “But we’ve done a really good job getting better over the course of the season, and I feel we’re a completely different team right now than we were Games 1 through 7.”
Back then, they were routinely giving up 120-plus points per game and seemed well on their way to a historically bad season.
But coach Jordi Fernández preached patience, and after getting an undermanned Nets team to a surprising 26 wins last year, he’s begun to get the most out of this year’s team, as well.
It helps when the schedule offers up games against a three-win New Orleans team, as well as scuffling Charlotte and Chicago, as has been the case in the three victories, but it beats getting trounced on a regular basis.
“It’s never easy to win an NBA game,” Fernandez said. “This team has played a lot of close games and competed.”
That’s resulted in more productive minutes from rookies like Egor Dëmin, who had seven assists against New Orleans, as well as Danny Wolf (seven points, four rebounds and two assists in 19 minutes) and Ben Saraf (seven points, four assists).
Wolf has put up 12.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game over his past five and impressed Porter in the process.
“Danny has, the last few games, really shown he’s NBA ready,” Porter said. “He’s ready to contribute to winning right now and being depended on.”
Fernández added, “We’re taking positive steps. On both ends of the floor, we played the right way.”
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There also are issues that will take time to fix, like three turnovers apiece from Dëmin and Wolf.
Still, things could be much worse.
Just ask New Orleans, which hasn’t won a playoff series in nearly a decade, even after drafting Zion Williamson with the first-overall pick in 2019.
Williamson is hurt again, and the Pelicans, with the worst record in the league, don’t even own their first-round pick next year, having traded it away in exchange for the pick they used on Derik Queen at No. 13.
And the Nets’ next game comes against a team in the Mavericks that ended up with the first-overall pick, when the lottery fortunes landed in their favor and they selected Cooper Flagg.
So Fernández will continue to try to come up with ways for his young team to succeed and he said he’s “happy with the way we’re evolving,” especially on defense.
But their schedule is about to get tougher, with games upcoming against the Mavericks and struggling Milwaukee before facing Miami, Toronto, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Golden State and Houston.
Which NBA teams have the best Christmas Day records?
The NBA has 30 teams, as noted. A full 29 of them have played at least once on Christmas. The Hornets have never had the pleasure. That includes the original iteration, the Bobcats, and the current iteration. Maybe LaMelo Ball and company will get good enough to earn a Christmas game.
In 2022, the Grizzlies, with burgeoning star Ja Morant, got a chance to face the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors won easily, 123-109. This is the only time the Grizzlies, of Memphis or Vancouver, have played on Christmas.
We don’t know how often the Raptors have played on Boxing Day. What we do know is that the Raptors, Canada’s only extant team, has played twice on Christmas. Both games ended in losses, leaving the Raptors as the third and final team without a Christmas Day win.
The Pelicans’ history began in 2002, since the Hornets got their old history back, a la the Cleveland Browns. Guys like Chris Paul and Zion Williamson certainly have excited the casual NBA fan, aka the perceived Christmas viewer. The Pellies have played four Christmas games, and they do have a win. The article “a” is shouldering the load there.
This is the first team on this list to have played more than a smattering of Christmas Day games. That includes the Seattle SuperSonics era. The Thunder had the Kevin Durant and the Russell Westbrook years, and during that time, they were staples of national TV. Unfortunately, the franchise has also had limited luck. The Thunder are 6-14 on Christmas, putting them in the running for the most futile Christmas performer.
For our money, though, the Pistons hold the title, such as it is, for making things the toughest for their fans on a day of fun and celebration. Detroit has played 32 games on Christmas, which is more than most NBA teams. However, it is also 10-22 on Christmas. Sure, the Pistons’ .313 win percentage is a smidge better than the Thunder’s .300 win percentage, but with another 12 games in the mix, the Pistons feel like they have been a bit worse.
The Nuggets had the Carmelo Anthony era, and Nikola Jokic has three MVPs and has led the team to a title. Perhaps there have been more fallow years than we realized, though, and admittedly, Denver isn’t the biggest market. The Nuggets have only made 10 Christmas appearances, and they haven’t gone great, as the franchise is 3-7.
Even when the Hawks have been really good, they haven’t necessarily been star-studded. Of course, Turner Sports is also based in Atlanta, so the Hawks are a convenient pick for Christmas. Atlanta has actually played in 21 Christmas games, more than we expected, and is 9-12 in those games.
The Knicks are the kings of Christmas. Regardless of how good the team is in any given year, you can pretty much lock them into playing on Christmas Day. Of course, the degree to which success doesn’t play a role has also led to a mixed bag of results. The (St.) Knicks have played in 56 Christmas games, the most of any franchise. They are 25-32.
A dynastic run has made the Warriors recent staples on Christmas. Given the propensity Steph Curry has for going off, that’s just fine. As long as Curry is a Warrior, keep the team in action on X-Mas! Golden State did lose to the Lakers in 2024, though, dropping the team’s record to 15-19.
The Spurs are a bounce or two away from being higher on this list. However, the reason for that is because the team has actually not been a regular on Christmas Day. Obviously, they’ve had some great teams and great players, but not the most exciting personalities. San Antonio is 5-7 on Christmas. Flip that around to 7-5, and it would jump a lot of teams.
Unsurprisingly, one of the iconic NBA franchises has played a ton of Christmas. The Celtics are third in overall games, though a decent distance behind the Knicks and the team in second (which you can guess). All told, the defending champs are under .500, but just barely. Boston is 17-21 on X-Mas.
For years, decades even, there was zero chance of the Clippers getting a Christmas Day game. Even with the Los Angeles market, the Clippers were just such a futile franchise. Then, things got turned around and the Clippers of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin became cool and exciting. Now, the Clippers have played 17 games on Christmas, and even have an 8-9 record on the day.
It turns out when you play a ton of Christmas, it’s hard to rack up win after win. There’s also the fact that these matchups are usually designed to showcase top teams, so easy opponents are hard to find. To that end, the Lakers are just under .500. They have played 51 Christmas Day games, but are 25-26.
We enter the realm of .500 teams. Cleveland has played 14 Christmas Day games, but none since 2017. Huh, we wonder what happened to get the Cavaliers off the Christmas schedule since. With a 7-7 record and the most games played of the .500 teams, we’d argue that Cleveland is the best of the bunch when it comes to mediocrity.
The Rockets were champs a couple of times in the 1990s and had some really good teams with some big names since. Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, James Harden, the list goes on. While a rebuilding stretch has kept Houston off the schedule for a few years, the franchise is 6-6 on Christmas.
You’d think that during the Reggie Miller era, the Pacers would have gotten a chance to face the Knicks a few times on Christmas. The franchise has made rare appearances, though. In fact, Indiana has only played in four Christmas Day games and is 2-2. The Pacers last played on Christmas in 2004, and in a very-2004 game lost to the Pistons 98-93.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (and a title) has made the small-market Bucks a viable option for Christmas. That wouldn’t have been the case for a long time. In 2023, the Bucks hit double digits but lost to the Knicks and thus fell to 5-5.
Kevin Garnett? Karl-Anthony Towns? Anthony Edwards? So far, none of them have been able to make the case to the NBA schedule makers to include the Timberwolves in the process. The team is all of 2-1 on Christmas. It won its second and third games, which is nice for the franchise. Otherwise, it would have been in the winless category.
The Nets are the inverse of the Spurs. They have also played in 11 Christmas Day games. However, while San Antonio is 5-6, Brooklyn is 6-5. Even with the market, the Nets are just starting a rebuild, so it may be a bit before the 12th Christmas Day game arrives.
When Shaq arrived, the Magic quickly became a team the NBA very much wanted on national TV. When Shaq left for Los Angeles, that stopped being the case. Orlando has played in nine Christmas games, none since 2011. The Magic are 5-4, though!
The most-common Christmas matchup? That would be the 76ers versus the Knicks. Those two teams have played 13 times, and the Sixers have the 8-5 lead in that series. That basically makes the difference in the team’s Christmas Day record, as Philly is 20-15 on the holiday.
Of the teams with a winning record, the Mavericks have played the fewest Christmas games. Evidently, neither Dirk nor Luka has had the cache to appear all that regularly (maybe Cooper Flagg will be different). Dallas is .500 at 4-4 after a loss to Minnesota in 2024.
From Charles Barkley to “7 Seconds or Less” to the new (to-date unsuccessful) super team, the Suns have had their era when they were in the mix. Phoenix is just over the 20-game mark, but also a few games over .500. The Suns are 13-9 on Christmas, and what city says the holiday season like Phoenix, Arizona?
The NBA assuredly wanted Michael Jordan playing on Christmas as much as possible, but Jordan left the Bulls a long time ago at this point. Like the Suns, the Bulls have played in 21 Christmas Day games. MJ can rub it in with Barkley once more, as the Bulls are one game better at 13-8.
The Kings are the NBA team with the longest Christmas Day drought. Sacramento hasn’t played on Christmas since 2003. Here’s the thing, though. The Kings must have made a point of being available on Christmas back in the day. Would you believe the franchise has played in 29 Christmas games? At 18-11, the Kings have the fourth-most Christmas Day wins in NBA history.
Washington was once a regular on Christmas, and has a track record of success on the day. With a 16-7 record and a .696 win percentage, some might have the Wizards atop the Christmas Day power rankings. Of the teams that have played more than 20 games, they do have the most success from a percentage perspective.
The Jazz have not played often on Christmas (but have played since the Stockton-and-Malone era, FYI), but the success makes up for that. Utah is 6-2 on X-Mas, making it one of three teams with a winning percentage over .700.
The Trail Blazers and Warriors used to make it a habit of playing on Christmas. In fact, from 1977 through 1980, they played every year. Portland is 5-1 on Christmas when playing Golden State. Though the team has not played on Christmas since 2018, it is 14-4. That’s very good, so much so that fans may hope that the team doesn’t return to Christmas Day until the rebuild is further along. Got to save that record!
How much do four games mean to you? Portland has played in 18 Christmas games, while Miami has played in 14. The Blazers are 14-4, as noted, which is excellent. However, the Heat are 12-2. That’s remarkable. Miami has the best win percentage on Christmas of any NBA team. Portland is close, but has done it over four more games. How you come down on that may decide where you land in terms of the number-one Christmas franchise.
Yang Hansen, rookie from China, makes first NBA start
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Yang Hansen, the 7-foot-1 rookie out of China, made his first NBA start in a game Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Hansen, picked 16th overall in last summer’s draft, moved into the starting lineup after the Trail Blazers primary centers — Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III — missed the game. Williams was a late scratch due to an illness and Clingan missed his second straight with a left lower-leg contusion.
The Grizzlies built a big lead in the first half and defeated Portland 119-96.
Yang entered the game averaging 2.5 points a game and 1.5 rebounds. He had a season-high nine points in a 127-110 home loss to Phoenix on Nov. 18.
He finished Sunday night’s game with four points on 2-of-5 shooting and five rebounds in slightly more than 19 minutes. His four points came in the third quarter, which included a spin move and a dunk over 7-foot-3 Zach Edey.
Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy, Chris Paul reportedly had multiple verbal run-ins
Clippers assistant coach Jeff Van Gundy and veteran guard Chris Paul had multiple verbal dust-ups this season, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.
One of those exchanges stemmed from a late-game moment during Los Angeles’ November 29 loss to the Mavericks.
Haynes said Paul approached Kawhi Leonard during a fourth-quarter timeout and suggested the Clippers switch Leonard off Klay Thompson, noting that Leonard was on a minutes restriction and had just checked back in cold.
The Clippers adjusted the matchup, but the suggestion didn’t sit well with Van Gundy.
“The next day, Jeff Van Gundy called a meeting with Chris Paul on the plane,” Haynes said. “He asked Paul if he changed the defensive assignment. Paul said he hadn’t — only that he suggested someone else guard Klay until Kawhi warmed up.”
According to Haynes, Van Gundy responded by telling Paul, “You might have had leeway in other places… but you don’t have that leeway here.”
Haynes described the moment as one of “a few” verbal incidents between the two.
Paul appeared in 16 games for the Clippers, averaging 2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He was sent home during the team’s recent trip to Atlanta as tensions escalated.
Team sources told Ashish Mathur of DallasHoopsJournal that Kawhi Leonard and James Harden had grown “sick and tired” of Paul’s persistent criticism of players, coaches and front office staff.
To move on from Paul, the Clippers must waive him and absorb his $3.6 million salary, agree to a buyout, or wait until December 15 when he becomes trade-eligible.
Kings Assign Former Lottery Pick to NBA G League
In what should not be too surprising a development, the Sacramento Kings have assigned former 13th overall pick Devin Carter to their G League affiliate in Stockton.
Simply put, Carter has not panned out in Sacramento. Sacramento trounced the Miami Heat, and Carter still received a DNP-CD. All other young players entered the game, and the only other DNPs were veterans Doug McDermott and Dario Saric. Very odd, but it encapsulates just how things have gone for Carter during his first two seasons in Sacramento.
Devin Carter’s Kings tenure has not gone to plan
The former Providence Friar entered the league widely seen as a winning player who could serve as a versatile connective piece that could fill many gaps. Comparisons ranged from Ayo Dosumnu to Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. Comps can vary, but it was undeniable that Carter was viewed as someone who could immediately impact winning as a rookie.
Those expectations did not come close to materializing. Sacramento received a lot of praise for taking Carter 13th, even if there was some positional redundancy with De’Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis, and Davion Mitchell (who was ultimately traded before the season began).
The final first-round pick of Monte McNair’s run as General Manager certainly stayed true to his preferred archetype, placing a premium on multi-year college prospects who improved every year of college. Tyrese Haliburton, Davion Mitchell, and Keegan Murray all fit this bill as well. The idea was that Carter was simply too good a talent, and that his skill set could mold to fit with the talent already present in the Sacramento backcourt.
Just three weeks after the draft, though, Sacramento announced that Carter would undergo shoulder surgery and would be re-evaluated in six months. This brutal development immediately put Carter behind the eight-ball, as he would return right in the thick of the postseason chase, when there was little to no room for error while Carter tried to find his footing.
There is undoubtedly a universe where Carter is a useful player in Sacramento’s rotation this season. Conventional wisdom would probably say that a team starved for perimeter defense would play their young, second-year former lottery pick who has shown the ability to play plus perimeter defense.
However, that universe is probably also the one where Monte McNair is still Sacramento’s General Manager. Once McNair and the Kings mutually parted ways, Carter’s trajectory became far less certain. There was no guarantee the next regime would see Carter as a building block for the next iteration of the Sacrament Kings – regardless of the draft capital invested in him just one season ago.
Scott Perry almost immediately made it clear he did not see Carter as a fit moving forward. Sacramento very publicly courted both Dennis Schroder and Russell Westbrook starting in June, and eventually signed both before the season began. They eventually acquired Schroder on a well-above-market level contract via a sign and trade in July, touting him as their new starting point guard. Schroder started all of 12 games before moving to a reserve role.
After the Westbrook signing just days before opening night, Sam Amick reported that Sacramento’s “need for a more impactful backup point guard was even more glaring after a training camp in which none of their current players impressed enough to win the job.”
So, Perry and the organization got to see Carter in training camp, and did not think he was good enough to run the second unit. This led to Carter being buried in the depth chart, playing in just 8 games this season. He has only played more than 10 minutes twice this season. Regime change aside, it is incredibly rare to see a player this clearly on the outs just 44 games and less than 500 minutes into his NBA career.
Carter may well end up having a long, productive NBA career. However, it seems like the chances that Carter enjoys that productive career in Sacramento are slim to none. At this point, Sacramento would be fortunate to receive second-round picks back from whichever opportunistic team sees this as a chance to nab lottery-caliber backcourt talent for next to nothing.
While not wholly unsurprising, this has been a truly puzzling way to manage a young player and willingly tank any trade value he may have had going into the season. Sacramento does not have much in the way of young, cost-controlled talent. Their unwillingness to provide them with an opportunity to grow on the court – despite the abysmal results from the veteran-laden rotation thus far – is confusing.
The Stockton Kings are a well-run G League organization that has helped develop a lot of good talent. Keon Ellis spent significant time there, as did Neemias Queta, who is now thriving with consistent minutes in Boston. Hopefully, Carter can get some good reps with that team and get his confidence up, should an opportunity arise in Sacramento.
If the season continues down the path it is going, it would be irresponsible not to give Carter some run with Nique Clifford, Keon Ellis, Keegan Murray, and Maxime Raynaud. While Carter may not be part of Perry’s vision for the future of Kings basketball, it is worth seeing (i) how he meshes with the young group he has, and (ii) if Carter can play well enough to create some sort of trade market for himself. Hopefully, a stint in Stockton is the kick-start needed to get this process rolling.
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Podziemski scores 21, Warriors beat Bulls 123-91 for Chicago’s 7th straight loss
CHICAGO (AP) — Brandin Podziemski scored 21 points off the bench, Jimmy Butler added 19 in his return to the lineup and the injury-depleted Golden State Warriors beat the Chicago Bulls 123-91 on Sunday night to extend the longest active losing streak in the NBA.
The Bulls have lost seven in a row, their most since an eight-game skid in the 2019-20 season.
Quinten Post also scored 19 points for the Warriors.
Golden State shot 22 of 47 from beyond the arc with seven players connecting from long range. Post and Podziemski each hit five 3s.
Josh Giddey scored 18 points and Matas Buzelis added 16 for the Bulls, who shot 36% from the field and were out-rebounded 51-38.
The Warriors held an opponent to under 100 points for a third straight game and limited Chicago to its fewest points in a game this season.
Butler started after missing two games (left knee), but Golden State remained without Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Al Horford. Coach Steve Kerr said trio might return Friday against Minnesota.
Buddy Hield and Post each hit a 3-pointer in the first 90 seconds and Golden State led by as many as 16 before taking a 60-46 advantage into the intermission. The Warriors hit their first four 3-point attempts and were 12 for 25 in the first half.
Golden State stretched its lead to 24-points in the third quarter. Chicago used a 17-1 run to narrow its deficit to 87-79 early in the fourth before the Warriors pulled away late.
Chicago played without four regulars: Kevin Huerter, Tre Jones, Isaac Okoro and Jalen Smith. Ayo Dosunmu started despite right thumb sprain and
Curry is expected to resume practice as soon as Wednesday as he comes back from a left quadriceps contusion and muscle strain.
Up next
Warriors: Host Minnesota on Friday.
Bulls: At Charlotte on Friday.
___
Ja Morant linked to a new playoff contender in trade rumors
Ja Morant may be getting a lifeline from the ultimate reclamation project destination.
The Miami Heat have had internal discussions about potentially trading for the Memphis Grizzlies star Morant, veteran NBA writer Jake Fischer reported to Substack on Sunday. Fischer notes that the Heat have discussed how their infrastructure might potentially benefit the mercurial Morant.
With the Grizzlies struggling to tread water at 11-13 this season, trade rumors involving the two-time NBA All-Star Morant, 26, have been widely circulating for weeks now. While Morant has not played since mid-November due to a calf strain, he is said to be unhappy with the team’s leadership and even got suspended by the Grizzlies last month after a confrontation with head coach Tuomas Iisalo.
As for the 14-10 Heat, they are seventh in a wide-open Eastern Conference and sit just 2.5 games back of the No. 2 seed. Miami also has an unbalanced backcourt with no true point guard since Tyler Herro and Norman Powell are natural shooting guards and Davion Mitchell is more of a defense-first role player.
Meanwhile, the Heat have long been known for a heavy emphasis on discipline and conditioning. Dubbed “Heat Culture,” the Miami zeitgeist has helped the franchise turn numerous misfits or otherwise outcasted NBA players into thriving pieces on championship-caliber teams.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Philadelphia 76ers Player Stats, Box Score and Game Recap (Dec 7) – 2025-26 NBA Season
The LakeShow starpower that was missing in Boston is now in Philadelphia. But the 76ers aren’t laidback. With Luka Doncic and LeBron James back alongside Austin Reaves, Tyrese Maxey has gone all out. From tying the first quarter to putting the Lakers on the defensive backfoot, the Sixers are determined to take down another team favored by the odds. After making it very difficult on the visiting team, the Sixers lost 108-112.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Philadelphia 76ers player stats and box score
Los Angeles Lakers
Philadelphia 76ers
Lakers vs 76ers: Game summary and key moments
After the disappointing game against the Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers needed to end this road trip on a high note. The Philadelphia 76ers were not going to make it easy. The first quarter ended in a tie, the second with the Sixers in the lead, and the next half was a neck-and-neck matchup.
Lakers’ Luka Doncic Passes Nikola Jokic on Historic NBA List
Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers took care of business on Sunday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.
While the NBA world will rightfully rave over the superstar takeover from LeBron James in the clutch time, Luka Doncic quietly moved up an NBA historic list, surpassing the Denver Nuggets superstar, Nikola Jokic, and the future Hall of Famer, Russell Westbrook.
With his major night in Philadelphia, Doncic passed Jokic and Westbrook on the 30-point triple-double leaderboard. Only the NBA legend Oscar Robertson has more at this point.
Doncic checked in for 39 minutes on Sunday night. He shot 9-24 from the field and drained 11 of his 14 free throws. The veteran sharpshooter finished the game with a game-high 31 points.
With 11 assists and 15 rebounds, Doncic secured the triple-double on the night.
Heading into Sunday’s game, there was a three-way tie between Doncic, Westbrook, and Jokic, as they all had 48 triple-doubles that involved 30-point outings.
While Doncic is now second on the list, he has a long way to go to catch Robinson. In 387 games, Robinson has 106 triple-doubles under his belt that include a 30-point scoring game.
Beyond the top four, LeBron James is fifth with 42. James Harden is sixth with 37, while Giannis Antetokounmpo is the last active player in the top ten with 25 of his own.
Sunday’s game was just the second triple-double of the season for Doncic this year. Four players are ahead of him on this year’s leaderboard. The list includes Russell Westbrook, Jalen Johnson, Josh Giddey, and Jokic.
Doncic is back in the mix for the Lakers after missing the last couple of games due to personal reasons. Heading into Sunday’s action, the sharpshooter had appeared in 16 games.
This year, Doncic is averaging a career-high 35.3 points per game, while shooting 47 percent from the field. He is producing 8.9 rebounds, 8.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
With their 112-108 victory over the Sixers on Sunday, the Lakers moved to 17-6 on the year. They are set to face the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday for some NBA Cup quarter-final action.
Magic Johnson Names His Clear Favorite for NBA MVP
We’re nearing the two-month mark of the 2025-26 NBA season, and while we’re only about a quarter of the way through with plenty of basketball left, NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson believes there’s already a clear frontrunner for league MVP.
Johnson, who stays very active on X, shared his thoughts after watching his former team—the Los Angeles Lakers—pull out an impressive 112–108 win over a fully healthy Philadelphia 76ers squad. Luka Doncic erupted for a 31-point triple-double in his return after missing two games for the birth of his second child.
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Doncic finished with 31 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 assists, continuing his dominant campaign and helping the Lakers improve to 17–6. Johnson believes Doncic is the clear MVP favorite over Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and several others, while also praising veteran LeBron James, who scored a season-high 29 points, including 10 straight in the fourth quarter.
Texans Stifle Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs in 20-10 Victory to Keep Pace in AFC South Race
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — C.J Stroud threw for 203 yards and a touchdown, the Texans leaned on the NFL’s top-ranked defense to shut down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, and Houston came away from Arrowhead Stadium with a 20-10 victory over Kansas City on Sunday night.
Nico Collins contributed four catches for 121 yards, and Dare Ogunbowale added a go-ahead touchdown run in the fourth quarter as the Texans (8-5) won their fifth straight overall and remained a game back of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South.
Mahomes, operating behind an ailing offensive line, was just 14 of 33 for 160 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions, the last of them late in the fourth quarter when Kansas City was trailing by a touchdown and trying to get the game to overtime.
While the win gave a big boost to Houston’s playoff chances, whether it be a division title or wild-card spot, it dealt a crippling blow to the defending AFC champs. Kansas City dropped to 6-7, its worst record through 13 games since a 2-11 start to the 2012 season.
The Chiefs had won five straight against the Texans, including a divisional playoff matchup last January on their way to another Super Bowl appearance. But they were two different teams entirely when they returned for the rematch on Sunday night.
The streaking Texans were trying to keep their momentum going, and perhaps join a rare club of teams that includes Houston’s 2018 version that started 0-3 and made the playoffs. And the once-dominant Chiefs were simply trying to stay in the postseason fight amid a dismal season marked by injuries, underwhelming performances and too many mistakes across the board.
The first half turned into a microcosm of all of it.
Stroud, who played so well against Indianapolis last week in his return from a concussion, connected with Collins for a 46-yard gain that set up Ka’imi Fairbairn’s field goal, and a 53-yard catch that led to a short touchdown toss to Woody Marks.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs sustained two more significant injuries, this time to left tackle Wanya Morris and cornerback Trent McDuffie, leaving them without their best defensive back and Mahomes working with an offensive line consisting of three backups.
Kansas City wound up with 98 first-half yards and trailed 10-0 at the break, only the fourth time with Mahomes at quarterback and the second time in the regular season that the Chiefs had been shut out in the first half.
The Chiefs’ defense held its own, though, forcing Stroud into eight consecutive incompletions to start the second half. That allowed Mahomes and the offense to pick away at the deficit, first on Kareem Hunt’s TD run and then on Harrison Butker’s tying field goal.
Ultimately, the game hinged on two fourth-down decisions in the first quarter.
With the score still 10-10, the Texans had fourth-and-1 at their own 35 and punted. The Chiefs were then held to fourth-and-1 at their own 31, chose to go for it, and watched Mahomes throw incomplete with just over 10 minutes remaining.
Six plays later, Ogunbowale plowed into the end zone from 5 yards out to give Houston the lead again.
The Chiefs failed on fourth down again moments later, when Rashee Rice dropped a wide-open pass that would have produced a first down. And after Kansas City got the ball back one last time, Mahomes was picked off to end any hope of a comeback.
Injuries
Texans: RB Nick Chubb (ribs) left in the first half.
Chiefs: RG Trey Smith (ankle) and RT Jawaan Taylor (triceps) were inactive. Morris (knee) and CB McDuffie (knee) got hurt in the first half, leaving Kansas City with a patchwork offensive line and without its best defensive back.
Up next
Houston plays the Cardinals next Sunday.
Kansas City plays the Chargers the same day.
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Texans shut down Mahomes and beat Chiefs 20-10
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — C.J Stroud threw for 203 yards and a touchdown, the Texans leaned on the NFL’s top-ranked defense to shut down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, and Houston came away from Arrowhead Stadium with a 20-10 victory over Kansas City on Sunday night.
Nico Collins contributed four catches for 121 yards, and Dare Ogunbowale added a go-ahead touchdown run in the fourth quarter as the Texans (8-5) won their fifth straight overall and remained a game back of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South.
Mahomes, operating behind an ailing offensive line, was just 14 of 33 for 160 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions, the last of them late in the fourth quarter when Kansas City was trailing by a touchdown and trying to get the game to overtime.
While the win gave a big boost to Houston’s playoff chances, whether it be a division title or wild-card spot, it dealt a crippling blow to the defending AFC champs. Kansas City dropped to 6-7, its worst record through 13 games since a 2-11 start to the 2012 season.
The Chiefs had won five straight against the Texans, including a divisional playoff matchup last January on their way to another Super Bowl appearance. But they were two different teams entirely when they returned for the rematch on Sunday night.
The streaking Texans were trying to keep their momentum going, and perhaps join a rare club of teams that includes Houston’s 2018 version that started 0-3 and made the playoffs. And the once-dominant Chiefs were simply trying to stay in the postseason fight amid a dismal season marked by injuries, underwhelming performances and too many mistakes across the board.
The first half turned into a microcosm of all of it.
Stroud, who played so well against Indianapolis last week in his return from a concussion, connected with Collins for a 46-yard gain that set up Ka’imi Fairbairn’s field goal, and a 53-yard catch that led to a short touchdown toss to Woody Marks.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs sustained two more significant injuries, this time to left tackle Wanya Morris and cornerback Trent McDuffie, leaving them without their best defensive back and Mahomes working with an offensive line consisting of three backups.
Kansas City wound up with 98 first-half yards and trailed 10-0 at the break, only the fourth time with Mahomes at quarterback and the second time in the regular season that the Chiefs had been shut out in the first half.
The Chiefs’ defense held its own, though, forcing Stroud into eight consecutive incompletions to start the second half. That allowed Mahomes and the offense to pick away at the deficit, first on Kareem Hunt’s TD run and then on Harrison Butker’s tying field goal.
Ultimately, the game hinged on two fourth-down decisions in the first quarter.
With the score still 10-10, the Texans had fourth-and-1 at their own 35 and punted. The Chiefs were then held to fourth-and-1 at their own 31, chose to go for it, and watched Mahomes throw incomplete with just over 10 minutes remaining.
Six plays later, Ogunbowale plowed into the end zone from 5 yards out to give Houston the lead again.
The Chiefs failed on fourth down again moments later, when Rashee Rice dropped a wide-open pass that would have produced a first down. And after Kansas City got the ball back one last time, Mahomes was picked off to end any hope of a comeback.
Injuries
Texans: RB Nick Chubb (ribs) left in the first half.
Chiefs: RG Trey Smith (ankle) and RT Jawaan Taylor (triceps) were inactive. Morris (knee) and CB McDuffie (knee) got hurt in the first half, leaving Kansas City with a patchwork offensive line and without its best defensive back.
Up next
Houston plays the Cardinals next Sunday.
Kansas City plays the Chargers the same day.
___
Dave Portnoy goes ballistic on ref, Pete Carroll after Raiders-Broncos
Bettors beware.
The end of the Broncos-Raiders game had Dave Portnoy up in arms, calling for “prison” for the officials, Raiders coach Pete Carroll and the NFL after Las Vegas was able to get a field goal late in the game that had no implication on the final outcome — but was big for gamblers.
The game seemed all but over when Raiders receiver Tyler Lockett made a catch and was tackled in bounds with five seconds left on the clock.
Time would have expired right there, except for the fact that Broncos safety Brandon Jones was on top of Lockett after making the tackle, and the officials called a delay of game penalty — allowing the Raiders to get one more play.
Carroll opted to send his field goal unit onto the field and Daniel Carlson nailed the 46-yard kick as time expired, making the final 24-17, meaning the Broncos failed to cover — Denver had been favored by 8.5 points, and the over, which had been set at 40.5, hit.
Portnoy, along with other accounts on social media, alleged there was malfeasance afoot due to the decision-making and the call at the end of the game.
“This is honestly prison,” Portnoy wrote on X along with a roughly two-minute breakdown of the moment. “I’ve never seen a shadier sequence in my life. Prison for Pete Carroll and that ref.”
Warning: Adult Language
“You call that delay of game on the defense with 12 seconds left,” Portnoy said at one point in the video. “You call that delay of game when the game is over? What are you talking about. I’ve seen that 1,000 times where it’s four, three, two, one go home, game is over. And then Pete Carroll runs out the field goal unit and kicks a field goal to end the game with no time.”
“This guy, prison,” he continued when the referee was shown in the video. “This ref, prison. Pete Carroll, prison. NFL, prison. This is the most rigged game I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Disgusting. F–king prison.”
Portnoy had posted another video before that where he crashed out over the play, lamenting that the game was “rigged” and calling for the “murder” of Pete Carroll.
The Raiders coach was not asked about the decision to kick a field goal after the game.
The sequence comes with sports betting under a heavy microscope after a federal probe into alleged illegal gambling practices involving the NBA.
Insider Warns Tiger Woods PGA Tour Pros May Soon Desert His $500M Project Amid Schedule Changes
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods have spent the past two years championing TGL as golf’s bold leap. The two co-founders have flaunted their $500 million project as the big tech-driven entertainment in golf. However, golf analysts Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath suggest that the $500 million venture may be facing a sharper reality than its founders expected.
A recent Fried Egg Golf discussion aimed at the league’s habit of playing it safe for star players. The analysts questioned whether its long-term appeal can survive if design freedom, competitive teeth, and broader player investment remain secondary.
“The players are not going to be there year-over-year. You’re catering to players who are going to be the first ones to bow out or be like, ‘I’m done. I did my time. I’m out.’ The players don’t sustain this for the next 10 years. It’s like getting a product that crabs fans. You know, like how many of these players are going to be that you’re catering to are going to be big TGL heads for the next decade?” Brendon Porath said on the Fried Egg Golf podcast.
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TGL reached a $500 million valuation in a 2024 Series A funding round led by Dynasty Equity and Connect Ventures. Season 1 debuted in January 2025 with quick-paced matches under two hours. TGL’s second season launches on ABC on December 28, 2025, for its network debut, running late December through January. There won’t be any gap left for the PGA Tour pros after the TGL Season 2.
Although the feedback is mostly positive, TGL still has not garnered the kind of traction Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy would have hoped for. Thus, a time may come when PGA Tour pros playing the event may want to get out. Currently, the roster features many elite names from the PGA Tour. This includes stars like Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa, and more.
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The organizers set the TGL schedule during the PGA Tour’s offseason. While these golfers are all in to play for some seasons, they may start to think they need to rest and prepare for PGA Tour events during the offseason. And this may make them set their priorities.
While Brendon Porath discussed no long-term commitment, Andy Johnson hinted at the lack of challenges. And he didn’t even spare the PGA Tour or any other professional golf tournaments.
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“I think the issue, and I think Joseph was hitting on this, is that there are literally no rules, nothing. Like, you could get really weird, but they haven’t done it because they’re still afraid of players, which is stupid. These players are contracted. It’s effectively video game golf, and they’re all doing it for, I’m sure they’re being paid, but like it’s way more relaxed,” Andy Johnson said.
“You can push it, but they haven’t done it. And it’s just this deference to players that is maybe the most poisonous thing in the game of golf, is like, oh, the big bad players, we can’t rock the boat with the big bad players.”
TGL holes blend par 3s, 4s, and 5s with strategic risk-reward elements. This includes narrow landing zones, bunkers, and penalty areas designed by architects, including Beau Welling, Agustín Pizá, and Gil Hanse, to challenge pros’ decision-making.
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Season 1 featured soft, receptive fairways and greens that drew criticism for lacking penalty and realism. Short-game shots proved unexpectedly challenging due to distance control issues on approaches, while full swings benefited from quick pacing under two hours.
In Season 1, most of the holes in TGL tried to reflect real-world courses. However, Andy Johnson says that they could have made it way more challenging. After all, it’s a simulator golf, and there’s no limit to creativity. He believes the big names involved with TGL kept it from happening.
While Season 1 was a little upsetting for some fans and analysts for various reasons, TGL is coming back with some massive updates to improve both fan and golfer experiences.
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Updates for TGL Season 2
TGL is expanding the GreenZone putting surface by 38%, from 3,800 to 5,270 square feet. It will roughly be the same size as that of PGA Tour golf courses.
Additionally, there will be 12 pin locations, up from 7, for greater variety and drama. Bunkers will grow by 50% with added depth. On the other hand, the designers removed one bunker entirely. These changes aim to boost volatility and creativity based on Season 1 data.
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Gil Hanse joined designers Beau Welling, Agustín Pizá, and Nicklaus Design to create new holes that mix links, canyon, desert, and coastal themes. Returning holes like Quick Draw, Temple, Pick Yer Plunder, The Spear, Alpine, The Plank, and Flex received analytics-driven updates for heightened risk-reward and strategy. Six Season 1 holes became official team holes, with customized local backdrops and terrain that reflect each franchise’s identity.
Full Swing upgraded the game engine to create more realistic, immersive virtual environments and improved hole graphics. Fans will see enlarged hitting boxes that enhance playability. Full Swing is also relocating ball-tracking camera towers for better fan sightlines. These tweaks address Season 1 feedback on pacing, volatility, and visuals to elevate competition and broadcast appeal.
TGL’s push into its second season shows ambition. However, the pressure to keep stars engaged while delivering sharper competition won’t fade anytime soon. The league’s future hinges on whether it can move past player-friendly habits and craft a product strong enough to stand on its own.
3x-PGA Tour Champ Shares His Secret Formula for Perfect Chipping
Scott Stallings has spent the last year in a place where no professional golfer wants to be. The three-time PGA Tour winner vanished from the leaderboard completely due to a severe left shoulder injury and missed the entire 2025 season while his peers chased FedEx Cup points and massive checks. But the 40-year-old Tennessee native didn’t just sit on the couch and wait for his body to heal.
Instead, he recently popped up on Blair Wheeler’s YouTube channel to drop some serious knowledge about chipping.
Wheeler first faces a standard chip shot from the fairway grass, where he hits the ball safely and immediately starts begging it to stop rolling near the hole, saying, “Yeah, that’s what I wanted to do. Settle. Settle. Settle. Okay.”
Stallings immediately jumped in to interrupt this celebration and said, ” No, you can do better than that. Especially like when you get into the like a little bit of slope kind of lean into it and then you get a way sharper contact…”
The pro notices Wheeler using a scooping motion that adds loft and kills the spin. That’s why Wheeler admits, “Yeah. So you’re saying like most of short game is all more shaft lean.”
Most amateurs misunderstand shaft lean and try to dig the leading edge into the turf. Stallings corrects this by saying, “You’re not trying to like jam it forward, but lean into it a little bit, and where you can kind of stay so if you were going to swing all with your right hand and you wouldn’t go this way.”
The veteran uses a brilliant visual to help Wheeler feel the correct motion and asks “If you were going to swing all with your right hand… You wouldn’t go this way.” Stallings mimics a flipping motion that amateurs use to help the ball into the air. This motion forces the wrist to stay firm.
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Stallings then drops the most important cue for consistent chipping. He said, “If you had to hit the ball so your chest kind of stays down.” Keeping the chest down ensures the player covers the ball and strikes it before the turf. This prevents the dreaded “early extension” where the body lifts up and ruins the contact. So, one must keep their sternum pointing at the ball until it leaves the clubface.
This “secret formula” is simply doing the basics better than the others, while the amateur mistakes kill your short game
So what are the mistakes most amateurs make?
Amateurs play defense with the “settle” mindset, and they lean back and try to scoop the ball into the air for safety. This defensive motion destroys shaft lean and adds inconsistent loft to the clubface. Stallings, on the other hand, proves that playing safe actually leads to random results.
The second major error is “jamming” the hands forward without moving the body correctly. Players think they are creating a shaft lean, but they are actually just digging a trench. Stallings teaches that you must move your center of mass forward to “lean into it,” and this body movement creates natural compression without forcing the clubhead into the ground violently.
Finally, the “chest up” move is the silent killer of consistency. So Stallings emphasizes that the chest must cover the ball until it leaves the clubface. This discipline ensures the club strikes the ball first and the turf second every single time.
So, what makes Stallings’ advice worth listening to? Well, Stallings tore his labrum and damaged his bicep tendon, which required major surgery last year. He used his time away to train for the 2025 Boston Marathon and finished the grueling race in just over four hours to raise money for charity. Plus, he’s a three-time Tour Champion, including the 2011 Greenbrier Classic, 2012 True South Classic, and 2014 Farmers Insurance Open.
So, the man giving this advice knows a thing or two about rebuilding mechanics and bodies.
Plus, Stallings is currently on a strict “pitch count” protocol to protect his surgically repaired shoulder and is targeting a return for the start of the 2026 PGA Tour season.
Rory McIlroy points out US star who claims the Australian Open tops many PGA Tour events
Rory McIlroy did not mount a serious challenge at the Australian Open, but he certainly seemed to enjoy his time at Royal Melbourne and had no regrets about making the trip.
It was not a smooth week for McIlroy. His hopes of winning were dashed early after he opened with six bogeys in his first round, leaving him well off the pace from the start.
But McIlroy did recover enough to finish inside the top 20, and he seemed pleased with how things turned out overall. At 36, it is clear that experiences like this still hold value for him beyond just results.
And the Northern Irishman was not alone in that sentiment.
Matt McCarty shares thoughts on Royal Melbourne with Rory McIlroy
McIlroy’s final round pairing included Stefano Mazzoli and Matt McCarty, with the latter making the most of his day by shooting a 67 to finish inside the top 10.
After the round, McIlroy spoke to FOX Sports about what McCarty said regarding Royal Melbourne compared to typical PGA Tour courses.
“So yeah, just absolutely, it’s been incredible and even Matt McCarty and I were talking about it out there and I said, ‘oh, what brought you down here?’ He said, the golf course, said ‘I really wanted to play a tournament at Royal Melbourne.’
“And he said, I mean, you compare this to a majority of PGA Tour events, this is so much better.
“So I think everyone really appreciated the atmosphere that they played in this week, and hopefully it’ll be the same next year at Kingston Heath and hopefully the tournament sort of grows from here and sort of gets back to the stature that it deserves,” the Northern Irishman said.
Rory McIlroy’s appearance at the 2026 Australian Open could spark a surge in interest from PGA Tour players
Regardless of where you stand on LIV Golf, it is clear they have made smart decisions in holding events across the globe.
The PGA Tour could take note by looking at the energy around the Australian Open compared to some of their own tournaments.
It may not have matched the Hero World Challenge in terms of field strength, but Royal Melbourne provided a fitting stage for an event that carried the atmosphere of something much bigger than its billing.
If the PGA Tour continues moving towards a smaller calendar, building relationships with established international tournaments makes sense. It is a model already in place with events like the Scottish Open and expanding those connections could benefit everyone involved.
The feeling now is that more PGA Tour players are highly likely to follow the lead of McIlroy and McCarty next year.
What Happened to Sepp Straka’s Newborn Son? Inside PGA Tour Pro’s Family Struggles
Most unfortunate events in life come without a warning. And for Sepp Straka, things could not be any more brutal. In a recent update, the PGA Tour pro has confirmed that he will not participate in the playoff events for the Race to Dubai. The reason? Well, a couple of months ago, Straka and his wife, Paige, welcomed a newborn baby. However, as the boy was premature, the golfer could not bring him home.
Instead, their beloved Thomas was put inside a neonatal intensive care unit. Surely, this was not something that Straka and her partner enjoyed. But finally, after two long months of waiting, the pro-golfer did get some good news. In a recent announcement, the golfer pointed out that he will be rushing home as Thomas is cleared by the doctors to come back home. And in such a sensitive situation, it is only normal for the PGA Tour pro to come back and be with his family.
The official announcement read, “Paige and I are pleased to share that we are preparing for our son, Thomas, to return home in the coming weeks after spending his initial two months of life in intensive care.” He further added, “We are immensely grateful to the dedicated medical teams who have cared for him and helped him grow stronger following his early arrival in August.”
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Rory McIlroy outlines major PGA Tour change he thinks fans would strongly support
Rory McIlroy featured in the Australian Open at the historic Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
The Northern Irishman was impressed by the crowds, who came out in force to watch him play.
The tournament field also included PGA Tour regulars Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott, along with LIV Golf’s Cam Smith and Joaquin Niemann.
Smith had a strong showing, finishing second in front of his home fans, while Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen claimed victory by a single stroke. McIlroy, on the other hand, ended up tied for 14th.
Rory McIlroy outlines PGA Tour idea he believes fans will embrace
The Northern Irishman, who was also the main draw at Royal Melbourne, feels tournaments like the Australian Open could benefit if the PGA Tour season were trimmed down.
He said (via Fox Sports): “Yeah, I think I understand what they’re doing. They’re trying to get their domestic model right before focusing internationally, and they obviously don’t want to go up against football.
“NFL is king in the States, and it makes sense from an American point of view, but then I think it does let international and global golf shine for five months of the year.
“So if the Tour are really thinking about playing from February through to August, that leaves September through to January for here and Europe and wherever else in the world to really be the shining light of golf for those five months. So I think people could really get behind that.
“And you sort of have the American swing with maybe the Scottish Open and The Open in the middle, but the rest of the big international stuff sort of in that September to January time frame, which I think works pretty well, especially for the southern hemisphere, for tournaments like this.”
Rory McIlroy’s proposed change could work very well for golf fans
Reducing the number of events is something PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has openly discussed, though details on what that might look like have not been made clear yet.
As McIlroy mentioned, cutting down the schedule would put more eyes on events like the Australian Open.
That would not be a bad thing, considering how well this year’s event went. The Australian Open drew huge crowds and strong viewership numbers, showing there is a real appetite for golf outside the traditional American calendar.
This was despite it going head-to-head with Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge, which included Scottie Scheffler and many of the game’s biggest names.
Reitan holds on to win in South Africa and earn his first trip to the Masters
SUN CITY, South Africa (AP) — Kristoffer Reitan held on over the back nine Sunday and closed with an even-par 72 to complete a wire-to-wire victory in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, his second European tour title of the year that will send him to the Masters for the first time.
The Norwegian began the final round with a five-shot lead, but he saw the lead shrink to a single stroke when he played the back nine without a birdie.
He held his nerve against Jayden Schaper of South Africa (68) and Dan Bradbury of England (66) for a one-shot victory.
Reitan, who earned a PGA Tour card for 2026 by finishing eighth in the Race to Dubai, also won the Soudal Open. His second victory moves him just outside the top 30 in the world rankings, assuring he will finish in the top 50 with one tournament left this year.
The top 50 earn Masters invitations.
“I don’t know what I’m feeling right now. I had a lot of nerves today,” Reitan said. “But to get it over the line in the end is a better feeling than I can describe.”
Reitan finished at 17-under 271.
Reitan became the second European tour player Sunday who earned PGA Tour status through the Race to Dubai and won a tournament to get into the Masters. Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen won the Australian Open, which came with a spot at the Masters.
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PGA Tour Quietly Responds After Shattering Dreams of Players With Q-School Ruling
In Valdosta, Georgia, hope was supposed to rise with the final round of Q-School. For golfers like James Nicholas, it was one last chance to fight through the pressure and edge closer to a PGA Tour dream. Nicholas pushed hard through the opening holes, climbing into a position that could have changed the course of his career. But golf can often be painfully unpredictable.
While Nicholas had already gained his momentum in the stroke play, the event was forced to stop as a sudden heavy downpour began. When play was halted, some groups were nearly done. But others had barely made it halfway. Everyone waited, hoping the weather would clear. But soon, the players received the news no competitor would want to hear. The entire final round was canceled.
Under PGA Tour bylaws, all scores from Round 4 were wiped clean. This, in turn, reset the leaderboard back to where it stood after 54 holes. And James Nicholas was brutally pushed out of contention in an instant, and took to Instagram and shared “what the PGA Tour is doing by going forward.”
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He then narrated how the day turned out and then shared how the PGA Tour has reached out to him and has shared a few updates.
The American then reflected on what the PGA has shared, “The way that the bylaws state is that on the final round of a tournament, regular season, or Q School, if the rules officials and meteorologists come together and they know for a fact based on time par, which is the expected time you’re supposed to play the round, that the final group will not finish, then they do not allow anybody to start or resume or remain in play. Not remain in play. Resume or restart. So we went out and played. I played 13 holes. The leaders were on hole 8. We got thunder coming in; there was a system passing, so we’re waiting inside.”
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“The Tour reached out, actually, after they saw the Instagram post, and I spoke to a few people, and it looks like they’re open to changing this policy. I know the LPGA Tour and the DP World Tour for Q-School have this policy where you try to play four rounds in five days. That means if one of the days is bad weather, you can push another day. Now, there might be a scenario going forward where there are two bad days, and you have to play three rounds, but at least give us a buffer day for something like this to happen,” he added.
The disheartened golfer also said, “Luckily, I was affected a little less than others. I know I would have been at finals this week, right now playing for a PGA Tour card, but I do have a Korn Ferry Tour card. Other guys were screwed out of a spot at a chance at a Korn Ferry Tour card and a PGA Tour card, and I’m left with no status.”
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Hoping for betterment, he stated, “So the rules need to be amended, but that’s exactly why we got canceled and what might come from it. So we’ll see.”
This was the second consecutive time for the Q-School second-stage tournament to be forced to a stop by rain. Moreover, the LPGA, too, had to tackle a similar scenario.
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How the final round of LPGA Q-School too faced the wrath of nature
Unfortunately for the LPGA Tour as well, the final round of the Q-Series has been affected by significant rain disruptions over the last couple of years. For example, this year’s Q-Series kicked off at the end of September at the Indian Wells Golf and Country Club. Apart from that, the subsequent events have also been held in Daytona Beach and at the Denton Country Club.
But come December 4, when the final round kicked off, the fans and the anticipating golfers were pretty much disappointed. As per the official X handle of the LPGA Media, it was reported that the first round of the final qualifiers was disrupted due to heavy downpour.
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As the course degraded significantly, it was naturally difficult to start the tournament on time. “Due to heavy rain and course conditions, Round 1 of LPGA Q-Series Final Qualifying is further delayed until 10:00 am local time. We will provide more information as it becomes available,” read the statement from LPGA Media.
And this was not the first time that the qualifiers were disrupted due to rain. Last year, too, things were the same. Now, coming to this year’s stoppage, things started to get dark as early as 7 am. As the authorities decided to delay the start by two hours, the rain was still steady at 9:30 am. Thus, with the wrath of nature wreaking havoc, golf fans will pray to the rain gods to stay away next time.
Masters Champ Hits Roadblock as He Closes in on Feat Even Tiger Woods Couldn’t Achieve
With a fifth-place finish in the Crown Australian Open, Adam Scott has booked his ticket for the Royal Birkdale in 2026. And if he’s fit to play, then it will be his 26th appearance in The Open Championship. He has also qualified for the Masters Tournament already. However, he still needs to make the field for the U.S. Open.
That’s what Bob Harig pointed out: “He’s got some work to do for 100 in a row at US Open. He is hovering around 60 now which will be the cutoff in May and June. He could use a couple of good early-season results to make it easy. (USGA might also give him a special exemption). The Aussie Open result has him basically treading water.”
After the great finish in the Australian Open, Scott is hovering around 60th place on the OWGR table. That will be the cutline for pros to qualify automatically for the U.S. Open via their official rankings. If the Australian veteran can finish within the top 60 in the weeks leading up to it, then he won’t need any special qualification criteria to play in the major.
If he does manage to qualify for Shinnecock Hills, then it will be his 25th consecutive appearance in the U.S. Open. And he would be eager to play in the major, considering that’s where he delivered his best performance in 2025. Interestingly, Scott’s amazing run in the majors has seen him surpass Tiger Woods as well.
Even the big cat couldn’t maintain such a long streak in the U.S. Open. While he won the major thrice, his longest streak went on for 16 appearances from 1995 to 2010.
Coming back to making the cut for the majors in 2026, it won’t be an easy task for Adam Scott. Especially considering how things turned out for him in 2025.
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Can Adam Scott avoid the mistakes of this season and turn things around in 2026?
2024 was an excellent season for Adam Scott. He got two runner-up finishes in the Genesis Scottish Open and the BMW Championship. That helped him end the season comfortably as the 18th-best golfer in the world. However, the Australian veteran couldn’t replicate the success this year.
Scott struggled to perform on the PGA Tour throughout the season. He only had three missed cuts, which is great. However, he couldn’t achieve a single top-10 finish throughout the season. He also dropped from 4th to 90th on the FedEx Cup leaderboard.
As far as his OWGR standings go, his ranking went from 18th at the beginning of the year to 62nd before the conclusion of the 2025 Crown Australian Open. He should finish inside the top-60 thanks to his fifth-place finish at Royal Melbourne. But it still won’t be enough to make up for all the momentum he has lost in 2025. If he wants to continue his majors streak, then Adam Scott will need to perform much better on the PGA Tour early next season than he did in 2025.
Tour Confidential: Tiger Woods takeaways, future PGA Tour schedule logistics
Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Tiger Woods’ first public comments in months, the potential for a new PGA Tour schedule, Rory McIlroy’s career major total and more.
Tiger Woods spoke to the media for the first time in several months when he held his annual press conference at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas (won by Hideki Matsuyama). Tiger touched on a variety of topics; which was most interesting to you?
Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): I was most intrigued by Woods’ involvement in the future vision for the PGA Tour; I wrote about that here but what’s fascinating to me is the pairing of Woods — the ultimate insider, and at this point one of the Tour’s longest-tenured figures in any position — and Rolapp — the ultimate outsider with admittedly very little golf-specific knowledge — as the shapers of the Tour’s future.
Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): I don’t think anyone anticipated this particular presser getting so into the rumored schedule changes, but I thought Tiger speaking about it added some legitimacy to it. The health update was both unsurprising and disappointing. I don’t think Tiger can come back and contend regularly these days, but it would be fun to see him healthy and play a few times a year. The watch is on for the Masters.
James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): I was most interested by Tiger’s comment about YouTube. He indicated he felt the infinite video library of swings on the internet was helping to turbocharge golf’s youth movement. Every so often, you’ll hear Woods say something that reflects he thinks about golf on a wholly different plane from most mere mortals. One example was when he started talking about the “cut” and “draw” spin necessary on chip shots at Augusta National. This was another.
As the chair of the Future Competitions Committee, Tiger also indicated the Tour is looking at creating a shortened schedule (and avoiding the NFL) that could begin in 2027, although he was light on details. There’s been much talk about the potential for a new Tour schedule in the future, but what’s the biggest hurdle from making it all happen?
Dethier: Ironically one of the things the Tour wants to change is the same thing preventing it from making that change. There are so many [buzzword alert] stakeholders, so many separate deals with so many different tournaments that it’s challenging to get everything just right for everyone without crossing a dozen can’t-cross lines. Put another way: the Tour is a big boat, and it’s tough to turn a big boat around.
Berhow: Wow, love the boat analogy, Dylan. Good work. But the answer is there’s a lot in the way of making something like this happen. I’d love a schedule that takes the best 70-some players and puts them in the same 20 or so events a year (including majors) and all of a sudden we have some simplicity, continuity, distinction and burgeoning rivalries. But what about the middle class? How many members are there? How does the Korn Ferry Tour factor in? What about the smaller events? It’s frustrating we still don’t have a great way to do this, but I am also happy I’m not the person in charge of this. Because it can’t be easy.
Colgan: Every so often, the history of a major professional sports league comes down to the brute force capacity of its leadership. For baseball, this happened with the pitch clock. For basketball, with the first and second “aprons.” For football, with the 2011 lockout. I think brute force is the biggest hurdle facing the PGA Tour, and we’ll know if Woods and PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp have the gumption for it soon enough.
Six-time major champ Nick Faldo said it will be “tough” for Rory McIlroy to win another major title, saying, in part, “it is like climbing Everest, you don’t turn around and say, ‘Let’s go up again next month.’ There was so much emotion at Augusta, and you cannot reproduce the emotion to win a major like that again.” Do you buy this? And what say you, how many more majors does Rory win in his career?
Dethier: Faldo’s right that you can’t reproduce that emotion. But you can certainly recharge and come back hungry for more. I’ll give Rory two more majors, seven in all, rarified air and one more than Faldo…
Berhow: It seemed like a bit of a cheap shot since technically you could say this about any recent major champ. But that’s what makes these guys great. They find ways to keep that drive and continue to push back the goal posts. Rory wins three more majors. He’ll have enough chances.
Colgan: The very centerpiece of Sir Nick’s argument here is wrong. The emotion was Rory’s greatest obstacle to breaking the major drought — not a superpower. A Rory McIlroy playing more freely, more aggressively, and more self-assuredly would have won eight majors over the last decade — and the freedom to live into that version of himself is what’s going to accelerate the last stage of his competitive life.
The PGA Tour released the finalists for its Player of the Year (Jack Nicklaus Award) with Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Ben Griffin earning nominees. While it seems likely Scottie snags his fourth straight this year, let’s look ahead: which player not on this list will be a nominee at this time next year?
Dethier: Cameron Young. The second half of this season, with his victory and Ryder Cup star show, was a turning point. Cam’s time is coming.
Berhow: Tommy Fleetwood. Another guy who got hot late and will continue to build off it. I also think a healthier Xander bounces back and returns to something closer to that 2024 form.
Colgan: Lots of fun answers to this question, in part because of the number of players who seemed to take a half-step back (due to injury or form or some other reason) in 2025. I’ll go with Ludvig Aberg, who was the trendiest pick in golf to win at Augusta in April. We’ve seen golfers take a step back in their second pro season before, only to bounce back in a severe way in Year 3. Aberg still has all the talent, it’s just a matter of time.
How Much Did Hideki Matsuyama’s Caddie Earn From His Latest Win? PGA Tour Pro’s Bagman’s Net Worth Explored
A second Hero World Challenge for Hideki Matsuyama. After an unexpected weekend in the Bahamas, the Japanese successfully added another victory (second of the year) to his bag. It’s hard to believe the outcome, as Matsuyama was placed among the last spots at the start of the tournament. But as they say, golf is unexpected. And Matsuyama successfully took advantage of that, filling not just his coffers but also those of his caddie.
Hideki Matsuyama’s caddie made a jackpot
The Tiger Woods event came with a massive $5 million prize purse, with the winner taking home $1 million. Not all of this will go into the pocket of Matsuyama. As per golf’s tradition, he will have to pay his caddie, Shota Hayafuji, a share, which is based on the performance of the golfer in the tournament.
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On the PGA Tour, the caddie of the winning golfer earns a 10% share of the prize money. It reduces to 7% if the finish is in the top 10, and 5% for just making the cut. Although it should be noted that the Hero World Challenge was a no-cut event. Hence, each of the 20 players on the field – and their caddies – took home some amount.
So if one applies those standards, Hayafuji will earn 10% of the share. That amounts to $100k.
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That wouldn’t be all, though. Every caddie has a base salary. This amount comes anywhere between $1,500 and $6,000, depending on the prep days. Adding all that, Hayafuji likely earned somewhere around $101k to $106k. This income can actually anchor someone for an entire season, all thanks to Matsuyama.
But his 2025 season does have other credits, too. Although his 2025 net worth is not publicly disclosed, one could make a guess by Matsuyama’s performance. Apart from a win at the Sentry, Matsuyama bagged a T16 in the Sony Open, which gave him $132k. Then came a whopping $384k from the Genesis Invitational’s T13. Overall, he played 23 events and missed only 3 cuts.
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Now, factoring in the traditional 10-7-5 rule of pay and an annual base salary of reportedly $75,000 to $150k, Hayafuji could have earned somewhere around $1 – $2.5 M, boosting his net worth significantly.
One should also note that he did not caddied for Matsuyama in every event.
Earlier this year, in June, Hayafuji had dealt with certain visa renewal issues. This had prompted him to return to Japan temporarily for the summer. For this very reason, it was Matsuyama’s wife, Mei Inui, who caddied for him at this year’s Rocket Classic.
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Hideki Matsuyama’s and Shota Hayafuji’s deep connection
While the money is important, it’s the golfer-caddie relationship that stands out. Hideki Matsuyama and Shota Hayafuji have known each other since their junior high school days in Japan. Back then, Hayafuji himself chased the dream of professional golf. When he competed in the China Tour, his profile famously bore, “My favorite golfer is Hideki Matsuyama.”
It was 2018 when Hayafuji started caddying for Matsuyama. His playing career had been unsuccessful, and caddying for his favorite seemed like the best option. Since then, both have built one of pro golf’s most successful partnerships, with Hayafuji carrying Matsuyama’s bag for the five PGA Tour wins and the 2021 Masters victory.
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If you ask Hayafuji about their dynamic, he’ll call it “senior and junior.” This comes from the Japanese culture of respecting the elders and the more experienced. Shota Hayafuji reportedly refers to Matsuyama as “Matsuyama Pro.” Their deep bond with the sport could be traced back to the time when the golfer won the Masters.
After his victory, he bowed to the course spontaneously. When asked later, he said he did it because he was “thankful.” The image became one of the sport’s most beloved.
NFL mandates new standards for playing surfaces for all stadiums
The playing surfaces at every NFL stadium will have to meet new enhanced standards set through lab and field testing by the start of the 2028 season.
NFL field director Nick Pappas detailed the plans for the program Thursday that will provide each team “a library of approved and accredited NFL fields” before the start of next season. Any new field will immediately have to meet those standards and all teams will have two years to achieve it, whether they are grass, synthetic or a hybrid.
Pappas said the fields will have undergone extensive testing and been approved by a joint committee with the NFLPA. He compared to the testing that has led to new standards for helmets.
“It’s sort of a red, yellow, green effect, where we’re obviously trying to phase out fields that we have determined to be less ideal than newer fields coming into the industry,” he said. “This is a big step for us.”
Pappas said fields have been tested in labs and on site using two main tools with one called the BEAST that is a traction-testing device that replicates the movements of an NFL player and another called the STRIKE Impact Tester that helps determine the firmness of each field.
The goal of the league is to find fields that are as consistent as possible across all 30 NFL stadiums, as well as at each stadium throughout the season. Pappas said the “key pillars” for a field are optimized playability, reducing injury risk and player feedback.
The NFL has no plans to require natural grass fields across the league, with the NFL’s chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills saying there is no “statistically significant differences” in lower extremity injuries or concussions that can be attributed to the type of playing surface or a specific surface despite widespread preferences from players for grass fields and complaints about surfaces such as the one at MetLife Stadium where the New York Giants and Jets play.
“The surface is only one driver of these lower-extremity injuries,” Sills said. “There are a lot of other factors, including player load and previous history and fatigue and positional adaptability and cleats that are worn. So surfaces are a component, but it is a complex equation, and so I’m excited about where we are in the work because I think we’ll get away from a very crude measurement of artificial here and the grass here, and now we can say for any individual surface, let’s look at the biophysical properties of that surface. How might those correlate with injury? And then, obviously, how do we optimize them?”
Pappas also shared plans for the Super Bowl to be held Feb. 8 at the San Francisco 49ers home at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The field has been growing at a sod farm about two hours east of the Bay Area with Pappas making several visits over the last 18 months to monitor the field.
The league will plan to install the field around the third week in January — or later if the 49ers are hosting playoff games.
NFL to implement new playing surface standards at all stadiums
The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to implement a new system for selecting playing surfaces at each team’s home stadium in an effort to enhance player safety.
Under the agreement, each NFL team will be required to select a playing surface from an approved list of both natural and synthetic surfaces. The policy will apply to any teams that plan to replace their fields for the 2026 season, and all teams are required to have approved fields by the beginning of the 2028 season.
All fields approved by the NFL and NFLPA have undergone testing both in labs and on-site using two tools: BEAST and Strike Impact Tester, according to NFL Field Director Nick Pappas.
BEAST — Biocore Elite Athlete Shoe Turf Tester — is a traction testing device that mimics how NFL player move during gameplay to measure field traction, according to NFL Operations. STRIKE Impact Tester, meanwhile, replicates the pressure points a player feels when hitting a playing surface.
The NFL’s new policy on playing surfaces is the league’s latest effort towards ensuring a consistent and safe playing field across all stadiums.
“It’s sort of a red, yellow, green effect, where we’re obviously trying to phase out fields that we have determined to be less ideal than newer fields coming into the industry,” Pappas said Thursday. “This is a big step for us. This is something that I think has been a great outcome from the Joint Service Committee, all the work, the deployment and development of devices, determining the appropriate metrics and ultimately, providing us with a way to substantiate the quality of fields more so than we ever have in the past.”
The NFLPA also issued a statement applauding the league’s efforts to improve the quality and consistency of each stadium’s playing surface. The NFL has 30 stadiums for its 32 teams, with the New York Giants and New York Jets sharing MetLife Field in New Jersey and the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers sharing SoFi Stadium in LA.
“While our player members have been clear about their overwhelming preference for high-quality, natural grass surfaces, we’re encouraged that their demands for more consistent and safer fields across the board are taking a step in the right direction,” the NFLPA wrote in a post to X. “We look forward to continuing this work with the NFL on behalf of our player members.”
As the NFLPA mentioned, NFL players have previously been outspoken about their desire to play on a grass playing surface as opposed to a turf field, which some data points to causing more injuries.
NFL unveils initiative to raise safety standards for all stadium surfaces
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As the debate over NFL playing surfaces continues, the league introduced a plan that aims to bring more consistency to all stadiums.
The new enhanced standards will have to be met by 2028, according to the NFL, and will be set through lab and field testing.
Nick Pappas, an NFL field director, shared some details about the plans for the program rollout.
Each team will be provided with
2026 World Cup schedule: Complete list of group stage games following Final Draw
Following its Final Draw on Friday afternoon, the 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule is now complete, with the full list of games, times, and host stadiums for the group-stage schedule revealed.
While MetLife Stadium will provide the New York City area with some brilliant matches before hosting the Final on July 19, here is a look at how World Cup matchdays will unfold for the other 15 host cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
2026 FIFA World Cup schedule
Group A
June 11, 3 p.m. ET: Mexico vs. South Africa (Mexico City)
June 11, 10 p.m.: South Korea vs. Europe play-off winner (Guadalajara)
June 18, 12 p.m.: Europe play-off winner vs. South Africa (Atlanta)
June 18, 9 p.m.: Mexico vs. South Korea (Guadalajara)
June 24, 9 p.m.: Europe play-off winner vs. Mexico (Mexico City)
June 24, 9 p.m.: South Africa vs. South Korea (Monterrey)
Group B
June 12, 3 p.m.: Canada vs. Europe play-off winner (Toronto)
June 13, 3 p.m.: Qatar vs. Switzerland (San Francisco Bay Area)
June 18, 3 p.m.: Switzerland vs. Europe play-off winner (Los Angeles)
June 18, 6 p.m.: Canada vs. Qatar (Vancouver)
June 24, 3 p.m.: Switzerland vs. Canada (Vancouver)
June 24, 3 p.m.: Europe play-off winner vs. Qatar (Seattle)
Group C
June 13, 6 p.m.: Brazil vs. Morocco (New York/New Jersey)
June 13, 9 p.m.: Haiti vs. Scotland (Boston)
June 19, 6 p.m.: Scotland vs. Morocco (Boston)
June 19, 9 p.m.: Brazil vs. Haiti (Philadelphia)
June 24, 6 p.m.: Scotland vs. Brazil (Miami)
June 24, 6 p.m.: Morocco vs. Haiti (Atlanta)
Group D
June 12, 9 p.m.: USA vs. Paraguay (Los Angeles)
June 13, 12 a.m.: Australia vs. Europe play-off winner (Vancouver)
June 19, 12 a.m.: Europe play-off winner vs. Paraguay (San Francisco Bay Area)
June 19, 3 p.m.: USA vs. Australia (Seattle)
June 25, 10 p.m.: Europe play-off winner vs. USA (Los Angeles)
June 25, 10 p.m.: Paraguay vs. Australia (San Francisco Bay Area)
Group E
June 14, 1 p.m.: Germany vs. Curacao (Houston)
June 14, 7 p.m.: Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador (Philadelphia)
June 20, 4 p.m.: Germany vs. Ivory Coast (Toronto)
June 20, 8 p.m.: Ecuador vs. Curacao (Kansas City)
June 25, 4 p.m.: Ecuador vs. Germany (New York/New Jersey)
June 25, 4 p.m.: Curacao vs. Ivory Coast (Philadelphia)
Group F
June 14, 4 p.m.: Netherlands vs. Japan (Dallas)
June 14, 10 p.m.: Europe play-off winner vs. Tunisia (Monterrey)
June 20, 12 a.m.: Tunisia vs. Japan (Monterrey)
June 20, 1 p.m.: Netherlands vs. Europe play-off winner (Houston)
June 25, 7 p.m.: Japan vs. Europe play-off winner (Dallas)
June 25, 7 p.m.: Tunisia vs. Netherlands (Kansas City)
Group G
June 15, 3 p.m.: Belgium vs. Egypt (Seattle)
June 15, 9 p.m.: Iran vs. New Zealand (Los Angeles)
June 21, 3 p.m.: Belgium vs. Iran (Los Angeles)
June 21, 9 p.m.: New Zealand vs. Iran (Vancouver)
June 26, 11 p.m.: Egypt vs. Iran (Seattle)
June 26, 11 p.m.: New Zealand vs. Belgium (Vancouver)
Group H
June 15, 12 p.m.: Spain vs. Cape Verde (Atlanta)
June 15, 6 p.m.: Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay (Miami)
June 21, 12 p.m.: Spain vs. Saudi Arabia (Atlanta)
June 21, 6 p.m.: Uruguay vs. Cape Verde (Miami)
June 26, 8 p.m.: Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (Houston)
June 26, 8 p.m.: Uruguay vs. Spain (Guadalajara)
Group I
June 16, 3 p.m.: France vs. Senegal (New York/New Jersey)
June 16, 6 p.m.: FIFA play-off winner vs. Norway (Boston)
June 22, 5 p.m.: France vs. FIFA play-off winner (Philadelphia)
June 22, 8 p.m.: Norway vs. Senegal (New York/New Jersey)
June 26, 3 p.m.: Norway vs. France (Boston)
June 26, 3 p.m.: Senegal vs. FIFA play-off winner (Toronto)
Group J
June 16, 12 a.m.: Austria vs. Jordan (San Francisco Bay Area)
June 16, 9 p.m.: Argentina vs. Algeria (Kansas City)
June 22, 1 p.m.: Argentina vs. Austria (Dallas)
June 22, 11 p.m.: Jordan vs. Algeria (San Francisco Bay Area)
June 27, 10 p.m.: Algeria vs. Austria (Kansas City)
June 27, 10 p.m.: Jordan vs. Argentina (Dallas)
Group K
June 17, 1 p.m.: Portugal vs. FIFA play-off winner (Houston)
June 17, 10 p.m.: Uzbekistan vs. Colombia (Mexico City)
June 23, 1 p.m.: Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (Houston)
June 23, 10 p.m.: Colombia vs. FIFA play-off winner (Guadalajara)
June 27, 7:30 p.m.: Colombia vs. Portugal (Miami)
June 27, 7:30 p.m.: FIFA play-off winner vs. Uzbekistan (Atlanta)
Group L
June 17, 4 p.m.: England vs. Croatia (Dallas)
June 17, 7 p.m.: Ghana vs. Panama (Toronto)
June 23, 4 p.m.: England vs. Ghana (Boston)
June 23, 7 p.m.: Panama vs. Croatia (Toronto)
June 27, 5 p.m.: Panama vs. England (New York/New Jersey)
June 27, 5 p.m.: Croatia vs. Ghana (Philadelphia)
For more on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, visit AMNY.com
2026 World Cup schedule: Dates, times, stadiums all confirmed – Full details
The full schedule for the 2026 World Cup has been confirmed, with the kick off times, dates and venues for all 104 games now confirmed.
MORE — Groups confirmed for 2026 World Cup
We now know where you can watch each team play across the USA, Canada and Mexico next summer and you can start making your plans.
This is what it is all about, as we’ve been waiting years for the schedule for this 48-team tournament to be revealed.
MORE — 2026 World Cup hub | 2026 World Cup venues
Below are all the details you need.
2026 World Cup schedule, dates, times, stadiums, full details
Group A schedule
June 11: Mexico vs South Africa – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City – 3pm ET
June 11: South Korea vs UEFA playoff D – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara – 10pm
June 18: UEFA playoff D vs South Africa – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 12pm ET
June 18: Mexico vs South Korea – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara – 9pm ET
June 24: UEFA playoff D vs Mexico – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City – 9pm ET
June 24: South Africa vs South Korea – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey – 9pm ET
Group B schedule
June 12: Canada vs UEFA playoff A – BMO Field, Toronto – 3pm ET
June 13: Qatar vs Switzerland – Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area – 3pm ET
June 18: Switzerland vs UEFA playoff A – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles – 3pm ET
June 18: Canada vs Qatar – BC Place, Vancouver – 6pm ET
June 24: Switzerland vs Canada – BC Place, Vancouver – 3pm ET
June 24: UEFA playoff A vs Qatar – Lumen Field, Seattle – 3pm ET
Group C schedule
June 13: Brazil vs Morocco – MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey – 6pm ET
June 13: Haiti vs Scotland – Gillette Stadium, Boston – 9pm ET
June 19: Scotland vs Morocco – Gillette Stadium, Boston – 6pm ET
June 19: Brazil vs Haiti – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia – 9pm ET
June 24: Scotland vs Brazil – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami – 6pm ET
June 24: Morocco vs Haiti – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 6pm ET
Group D schedule
June 12: USA vs Paraguay – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles – 9pm ET
June 13: Australia vs UEFA playoff C – BC Place, Vancouver – Midnight ET
June 19: USA vs Australia – Lumen Field, Seattle – 3pm ET
June 19: UEFA playoff C vs Paraguay – Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area – Midnight ET
June 25: UEFA playoff C vs USA – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles – 10pm ET
June 25: Paraguay vs Australia – Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area – 10pm ET
Group E schedule
June 14: Germany vs Curacao – NRG Stadium, Houston – 1pm ET
June 14: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia – 7pm ET
June 20: Germany vs Ivory Coast – BMO Field, Toronto – 4pm ET
June 20: Ecuador vs Curacao – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City – 8pm ET
June 25: Ecuador vs Germany – MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey – 4pm ET
June 25: Curacao vs Ivory Coast – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia – 4pm ET
Group F schedule
June 14: Netherlands vs Japan – AT&T Stadium, Dallas – 4pm ET
June 14: UEFA playoff B vs Tunisia – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey – 10pm ET
June 20: Netherlands vs UEFA playoff B – NRG Stadium, Houston – 1pm ET
June 20: Tunisia vs Japan – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey – Midnight ET
June 25: Japan vs UEFA playoff B – AT&T Stadium, Dallas – 7pm ET
June 25: Tunisia vs Netherlands – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City – 7pm ET
Group G schedule
June 15: Iran vs New Zealand – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles – 9pm ET
June 15: Belgium vs Egypt – Lumen Field, Seattle – 3pm ET
June 21: Belgium vs Iran – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles – 3pm ET
June 21: New Zealand vs Egypt – BC Place, Vancouver – 9pm ET
June 26: Egypt vs Iran – Lumen Field, Seattle – 11pm ET
June 26: New Zealand vs Belgium – BC Place, Vancouver – 11pm ET
Group H schedule
June 15: Spain vs Cape Verde – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 12pm ET
June 15: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami – 6pm ET
June 21: Spain vs Saudi Arabia – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 12pm ET
June 21: Uruguay vs Cape Verde – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami – 6pm ET
June 26: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia – NRG Stadium, Houston – 8pm ET
June 26: Uruguay vs Spain – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara – 8pm ET
Group I schedule
June 16: France vs Senegal – MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey – 3pm ET
June 16: Inter-confederation playoff 2 vs Norway – Gillette Stadium, Boston – 6pm ET
June 22: France vs Inter-confederation playoff 2 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia – 5pm ET
June 22: Norway vs Senegal – MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey – 8pm ET
June 26: Norway vs France – Gillette Stadium, Boston – 3pm ET
June 26: Senegal vs Inter-confederation playoff 2 – BMO Field, Toronto – 3pm ET
Group J schedule
June 16: Argentina vs Algeria – Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City – 9pm ET
June 16: Austria vs Jordan – Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area – Midnight ET
June 22: Argentina vs Austria – AT&T Stadium, Dallas – 1pm ET
June 22: Jordan vs Algeria – Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area – 11pm ET
June 27: Algeria vs Austria – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City – 10pm ET
June 27: Jordan vs Argentina – AT&T Stadium, Dallas – 10pm ET
Group K schedule
June 17: Portugal vs Inter-confederation playoff 1 – NRG Stadium, Houston – 1pm ET
June 17: Uzbekistan vs Colombia – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City – 10pm ET
June 23: Portugal vs Uzbekistan – NRG Stadium, Houston – 1pm ET
June 23: Colombia vs Inter-confederation playoff 1 – Estadio Akron, Guadalajara – 10pm ET
June 27: Colombia vs Portugal – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami – 7:30pm ET
June 27: Inter-confederation playoff 1 vs Uzbekistan – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 7:30pm ET
Group L schedule
June 17: England vs Croatia – AT&T Stadium, Dallas – 4pm ET
June 17: Ghana vs Panama – BMO Field, Toronto – 7pm ET
June 23: England vs Ghana – Gillette Stadium, Boston – 4pm ET
June 23: Panama vs Croatia – BMO Field, Toronto – 7pm ET
June 27: Panama vs England – MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey – 5pm ET
June 27: Croatia vs Ghana – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia – 5pm ET
Round of 32 schedule
June 28: Match 73 – Runner up Group A vs Runner up Group B – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles – 3pm ET
June 29: Match 76 – Winner Group C vs Runner up Group F – NRG Stadium, Houston – 1pm ET
June 29: Match 74 – Winner Group E vs 3rd Group A/B/C/D/F – Gillette Stadium, Boston – 4:30pm ET
June 29: Match 75 – Winner Group F vs Runner up Group C – Estadio BBVA, Monterrey – 9pm ET
June 30: Match 78 – Runner up Group E vs Runner up Group I – AT&T Stadium, Dallas – 1pm ET
June 30: Match 77 – Winner Group I vs 3rd Group C/D/F/G/H – MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey – 5pm ET
June 30: Match 79 – Winner Group A vs 3rd Group C/E/F/H/I – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City – 9pm ET
July 1: Match 80 – Winner Group L vs 3rd Group E/H/I/J/K – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 12pm ET
July 1: Match 82 – Winner Group G vs 3rd Group A/E/H/I/J – Lumen Field, Seattle – 4pm ET
July 1: Match 81 – Winner Group D vs 3rd Group B/E/F/I/J – Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco Bay Area – 8pm ET
July 2: Match 84 – Winner Group H vs Runner up Group J – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles – 3pm ET
July 2: Match 83 – Runner up Group K vs Runner up Group L – BMO Field, Toronto – 7pm ET
July 2: Match 85 – Winner Group B vs 3rd Group E/F/G/I/J – BC Place, Vancouver – 11pm ET
July 3: Match 88 – Runner up Group D vs Runner up Group G – AT&T Stadium, Dallas – 2pm ET
July 3: Match 86 – Winner Group J vs Runner up Group H – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami – 6pm ET
July 3: Match 87 – Winner Group K vs 3rd Group D/E/I/J/L – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City – 9:30pm ET
Round of 16 schedule
July 4: Match 90 – Winner Match 73 vs Winner Match 75 – NRG Stadium, Houston – 1pm ET
July 4: Match 89 – Winner Match 74 vs Winner Match 77 – Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia – 5pm ET
July 5: Match 91 – Winner Match 76 vs Winner Match 78 – MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey – 4pm ET
July 5: Match 92 – Winner Match 79 vs Winner Match 80 – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City – 8pm ET
July 6: Match 93 – Winner Match 83 vs Winner Match 84 – AT&T Stadium, Dallas – 3pm ET
July 6: Match 94 – Winner Match 81 vs Winner Match 82 – Lumen Field, Seattle – 8pm ET
July 7: Match 95 – Winner Match 86 vs Winner Match 88 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 12pm ET
July 7: Match 96 – Winner Match 85 vs Winner Match 87 – BC Place, Vancouver – 4pm ET
Quarterfinal schedule
July 9: Match 97 – Winner Match 89 vs Winner Match 90 – Gillette Stadium, Boston – 4pm ET
July 10: Match 98 – Winner Match 93 vs Winner Match 94 – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles – 3pm ET
July 11: Match 99 – Winner Match 91 vs Winner Match 92 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami – 5pm ET
July 11: Match 100 – Winner Match 95 vs Winner Match 96 – Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City – 9pm ET
Semifinal schedule
July 14: Match 101 – Winner Match 97 vs Winner Match 98 – AT&T Stadium, Dallas – 3pm ET
July 15: Match 102 – Winner Match 99 vs Winner Match 100 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta – 3pm ET
Third-place game
July 18: Match 103 – Loser Match 101 vs Loser Match 102 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami – 5pm ET
Final
July 19: Match 104 – Winner Match 101 vs Winner Match 102 – MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey – 3pm ET
Andre Agassi & 29YO Pro Dubbed the Biggest ‘What If’ in Tennis History in Bold Take by Ex-American Pros
Back in the day when tennis was all about big serves and colorful characters, Andre Agassi really stood out, both for his talent and his intriguing personality. He shot to fame not only because of his talent but also for his rebellious vibe—the denim shorts, the long hair, and the catchphrase “Image is Everything.” And recently, some of the standout names in the tennis world, such as Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson, shared their views on Agassi and another tennis star.
Their experiences and insights come from years of competing on tour at the highest level. On their popular show, ‘Nothing Major’, they share untold stories and have some fun chatting with fellow American pros. Recently, they focused on one of sports’ most intriguing themes: the haunting question of ‘what if’.
Steve Johnson thought about a legendary player whose career had its fair share of tough times and amazing comebacks. And yes, Johnson brought up Andre Agassi as a huge ‘what if’, really thinking about how the champion’s well-known break from the sport might have changed things. “Agassi is kind of a what if, if he didn’t go for that mental break… maybe not a mental break, but it was for like four years,” Johnson wondered.
“How many more majors could he have had, you know what I mean?” Agassi had a pretty rough patch in the late 1990s when his ranking dropped below the top 100, and he really started to wonder about his future in tennis. So, when he made a comeback and snagged five of his eight major titles after turning 29, it turned into one of the sport’s most inspiring comeback tales.
On the flip side, when it comes to Sam Querrey, the biggest ‘what if’ isn’t about a global superstar. Instead, it’s about a brief talent who looked like they were on the brink of greatness but then just vanished. Querrey pointed out that Hyeon Chung from South Korea is the biggest mystery in the sport right now.
“I think Chung [Hyeon] is like the biggest one. Just because he made the semifinals of the Australian Open, got that crazy blister on his foot and then like vanished off the face of the earth, and he was like 22 years old,” Querrey said. Chung had an amazing run at the 2018 Australian Open! He scored wins against big names like Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev, and even pulled off a straight-sets upset against Novak Djokovic.
Unfortunately, a foot injury cut his journey short in the semifinals against Roger Federer. Querrey shared a feeling that a lot of people in the tennis community felt back then, saying, “I think everyone had him pencilled in as a guy who was gonna be like top 10 for a while and then, like, where is the dude? I don’t know what happened to him.”
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Chung’s battle with injuries really took a toll, causing his ranking to drop from a peak of 19th all the way down to outside the top 350. It definitely makes you think about what could have been in his tennis journey. However, Agassi did mention his resurgence in tennis.
Andre Agassi once opened up about his comeback in the sport
For Andre Agassi, his incredible comeback from being ranked outside the top 100 to reaching world No. 1 wasn’t just about chasing glory; it was really about reconnecting with the core of who he is. This transformative time really changed how he sees things, and he even said, “When I was number one, I was probably the worst version of myself. When I was 140, I was the best—people just hadn’t seen it yet.”
This deep thought shows that his return wasn’t just about getting a title back; it was really about growing a stronger character from a place of true humility. It all started with one simple question he asked himself every day to help with his recovery: “Can I be better than I am today?” He adopted the view that “Success is how we choose to live in the moments that make us better,” focusing on controllable effort rather than uncontrollable outcomes.
His trainer, Brad Gilbert, summed it up nicely: “There’s a lot of good waiting for you on the other side of tired.” His disciplined, inward-focused approach helped him handle the huge pressure of his return, realizing that “Pressure is really a perspective.”
He decided to concentrate on the present moment instead of getting stuck in the past or worrying about what’s ahead. This choice led to one of the most incredible comebacks in sports history, showing that his true greatness came not from winning, but from the brave decision to start over.
Daria Kasatkina Drops a 1-Word Bomb After 24YO Russian’s Shock Citizenship Switch
When Anastasia Potapova revealed she would represent Austria starting in 2026, it caught the tennis world’s attention immediately. However, it was not only the announcement that was making noise; it was the reaction of Daria Kasatkina that took the stage.
We saw, Potapova shared the news on Instagram, writing, “I am delighted to let you all know that my application for citizenship has been accepted by the Austrian Government. Austria is a place I love, is incredibly welcoming and a place where I feel totally at home. I love being in Wien and look forward to making my second home there…” And within no time, fans realized that something was wrong.
The phrasing of Potapova’s announcement was also very similar to that of a message Daria Kasatkina posted earlier this year when she announced her nationality change. The only difference was that ‘Australia’ was replaced with ‘Austria.’
One fan even commented on the post, “Not she copying Dasha’s words but only replaced Australia with Austria,” leaving everyone wondering how Kasatkina would respond.
Social media exploded with comments, memes, and jokes after Kasatkina responded to the similar phrasing with a single skull emoji. But she didn’t stop there.
Daria Kasatkina further added, “And no, we are not from same agency😂,” she added with a laughing emoji.
The laughing emoji made it clear she found the situation funny and dismissed any idea that the same PR team had written both posts. But it raises the bigger question: why did they decide to switch their sporting nationality in the first place?
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Why did Anastasia Potapova and Daria Kasatkina switch their nationalities?
For Daria Kasatkina, the decision to start representing Australia in March 2025 was a major step in her career and life. The 28-year-old has been a vocal critic of Russia’s military actions in Ukraine and has openly cited safety concerns as a gay woman for leaving the country. She hasn’t returned to Russia since February 2022 and has been living in Dubai in the years leading up to her permanent residency.
Changing her sporting nationality allowed her to continue competing at the highest level while securing her personal safety and freedom. Her action is typical of a larger trend of Russian and Belarusian athletes as well, who have also been banned from participating under their national flags since 2022. Others have sought to acquire new nationalities to preserve their careers.’.
In a similar move, 24-year-old Anastasia Potapova declared that she will compete in Austria beginning in 2026. This move was done by Potapova, who has three singles titles and a career-best ranking of No. 21, almost two years after her ex-husband, Alexander Shevchenko, changed his nationality to Kazakhstan in January 2024.
When Potapova makes the switch, she will be the highest-ranked female tennis player in Austria and will play on the Austrian flag in the 2026 season, becoming part of the list of Russian athletes transforming the tennis landscape by changing nationality.
Tommy Paul’s Coach Hits Back at Tennis Players Over Constant Scheduling Complaints
Carlos Alcaraz made his frustration with the ATP schedule clear last year when he warned, “They’re going to kill us in some way.” His concerns were echoed by many players such as Iga Swiatek and Taylor Fritz. Still, it looks like Tommy Paul’s coach sees things from an entirely different angle.
Brad Stine isn’t buying the idea that players are victims of the calendar. In fact, he’s putting the onus back on the players. “I think the ATP circuit players forget that this is not a team sport,” he stated recently. The 67-year-old further explained that “We are not in a league like the NBA, we are independent entrepreneurs. And it’s a free market… No one threatens them with a weapon to force them to play. They can take all the weeks off they want. Are there any consequences? Of course. And it’s normal.”
Even after his loss at the ATP Finals, Carlos Alcaraz (who had just skipped Spain’s Davis Cup run due to a right hamstring edema) still chose to face two-time US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe in Newark on December 7, then hopped on a flight to Miami to take on rising Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca the very next day, a decision that some question considering his earlier remarks on the scheduling.
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Alcaraz explained that exhibitions simply aren’t the same as tournaments. He said “the biggest difference is that in a tournament you have to stay focused and it is expensive both from a physical and mental point of view. A performance is only one day.”
In other words, exhibitions don’t drain him the way a long tournament week does, which is why he feels comfortable playing them even during a busy stretch.
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Still, the bigger debate remains. Many players argue the schedule is becoming too much, with nonstop travel, quick surface changes, and barely any time to recover. They feel the sport demands more than the calendar allows, leaving little space for proper training or avoiding injuries, while trying not to incur points penalties for skipping mandatory tournaments.
That’s why some believe the system is pushing players into a constant cycle of fatigue and burnout.
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Lower-ranked players benefit from having more events, but top players often feel pressured to compete every week to maintain their ranking and honor commitments. This leads many to question whether the tour is more focused on business than on the athletes’ health. So when Brad Stine says it’s ultimately on players to choose whether or not to play, his point hits hard for a lot of fans and insiders who see both sides of the issue.
But Stine doesn’t stop there. Tommy Paul’s coach also calls for real change to the tennis calendar, arguing that the current setup gives an “advantage for top players.” So what exactly did he say?
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Brad Stine’s bold call to scrap Masters byes
The debate over the ATP and WTA schedules is still raging, and now another issue has joined the conversation. Brad Stine believes that a major change is needed at Masters 1000 events, one that would directly impact the tour’s biggest stars. With growing frustration over the new extended formats at tournaments like Cincinnati and Shanghai, he thinks the system needs to be rebalanced.
Brad Stine’s main point is simple: he wants Masters 1000 tournaments to get rid of byes. Right now, top players automatically skip the first round, something many fans and players see as an unfair advantage. Speaking to The Slice, Stine admitted, “I’m not a fan to be honest with you of the byes in the Masters 1000’s, or in the 250’s. I think that we should fill the draw. Why don’t we?” He believes tournaments should start with a full field so every player begins on equal footing.
He further explained that what bothers him most is the built-in edge that higher-ranked players enjoy. As Stine put it, “I don’t like the idea that any player, regardless of their status, has a slight advantage. I only have to win four matches instead of five matches or whatever it may be in the Masters 1000s.” To him, skipping a match and arriving later in the week gives top players a head start that doesn’t really fit the spirit of competition.
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And in the end, Stine summed up his view, saying, “I personally don’t like that. I think that the draw should be filled and there should not be byes in any draws during the year.” Currently, the top eight seeds receive byes at Masters events, players like Alcaraz, Sinner, Taylor Fritz, and Novak Djokovic. But if Stine had it his way, every player would step onto the court from day one.
‘Incredible’: Kyrgios hails tennis Demon’s divine year
Nick Kyrgios reckons Alex de Minaur need do nothing more to be regarded as a modern-day great of Australian tennis.
After another stellar season, de Minaur will land a fourth Newcombe Medal at Australian tennis’s night of nights in Melbourne on Monday.
Only retired legend Ash Barty, with five gongs, has been crowned Australia’s player of the year more times, with de Minaur set to eclipse Samantha Stosur’s three straight medals from 2010-12.
Alex de Minaur and Ash Barty were named joint winners of the 2018 Newcombe Medal. (David Crosling/AAP PHOTOS)
The 26-year-old joined his mentor Lleyton Hewitt and John Newcombe himself as only the third Australian to make the semi-finals of the prestigious season-ending ATP championship.
After matching his career-high ranking of No.6 in the world in October, de Minaur also remains the only Australian man since Hewitt 20 years ago to crack the top 10.
Even Kyrgios only peaked at No.13 after reaching the 2022 Wimbledon final.
Kyrgios says it is too early to anoint de Minaur as a future grand slam champion, but he places his countryman in the batch of stars ready to pounce – even at next month’s Australian Open – if tennis titans Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner somehow slip up.
Alex de Minaur couldn’t stop Jannik Sinner’s run to the 2025 Australian Open championship. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)
Alcaraz and two-time defending AO champion Sinner have won the past eight grand slam titles.
“Demon’s doing an amazing job, to be honest. He’s a genuine contender, I think,” Kyrgios told AAP.
“Maybe not at a grand slam over best of five with the way Alcaraz and Sinner are playing right now.
“But if one of those guys go down early, I would say that Demon’s one of the other three or four people that genuinely has a chance to do it.
Nick Kyrgios believes compatriot Alex de Minaur has what it takes to win a major championship. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)
“We all know how hard he works. I’ve been around him and his competitiveness and work ethic is literally probably second to none.
“But look, regardless, he may not ever win a grand slam, or he may not ever win a Masters event or whatever it is, but I like what he’s doing now.
“It is still incredible. He’s been top 10 now for years and he’s already done things that are incredible.
“He’s done amazing for Australia, regardless of what happens.”
Hoping to make a comeback from career-threatening knee and wrist injuries that have limited him to six tour matches in more than three years, Kyrgios is urging de Minaur to embrace the pressure and expectation that comes with being Australia’s top summer hope.
The gifted Nick Kyrgios hopes to make a comeback after a string of career-threatening injuries. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)
The mercurial talent also advised de Minaur to savour every moment in the spotlight.
“That’s the one thing I tell athletes now, and not even just tennis, you can’t really take it for granted, being right there,” he said.
“It just goes so quick. Like, one second you have it all figured out and then an injury can happen and your whole career flashes before your eyes.
“We’ve seen these injuries like Holger Rune snapping an achilles. These injuries can happen so acutely and it’s a scary feeling.”
Teenage sensation Maya Joint, who is poised to claim a first-time grand slam seeding at her home major in Melbourne, along with Kim Birrell, Priscilla Hon and Adam Walton are this year’s other Newcombe Medal nominees.
De Minaur, though, is a shoo-in.
ATP and WTA Awards 2025: EssentiallySports Picks the Season
This year’s tennis season has been about so much more than just the champions. It’s been filled with amazing stories, incredible rallies, and some heartfelt moments. When you look past the year-end rankings and trophies, the real essence of a season lies in those unforgettable moments that go beyond the score: a display of sheer determination, a heartfelt nod between past rivals, or a fresh outfit that symbolizes a personal transformation.
The EssentiallySports In-House Awards are all about recognizing those amazing stories, that make tennis such a fascinating sport.
Best Match of the Year – the cousins’ showdown between Valentin Vacherot vs. Arthur Rinderknech
In a season filled with incredible stories, nothing grabbed the attention and passion of tennis fans quite like the 2025 Shanghai Rolex Masters final, where cousins Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech faced off in a memorable showdown.
The whole situation felt like something out of a movie: two unseeded players, with Vacherot, ranked 204th, coming up from the qualifying rounds, and Rinderknech, who was thinking about retirement just a few months ago, taking down some big names like Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev en route to the final. It was quite the match on the court, with Vacherot coming out on top, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The emotions that came after went beyond just the game. With tears in his eyes, Rinderknech referred to Vacherot as his “beloved cousin, my brother,” and said, “Two cousins are stronger than one.”
He reflected on the match, saying, “Such a thing will never happen again, never in history.” The Shanghai final takes the cake for delivering an unforgettable family fairytale, some serious drama, and a moment of pure sporting togetherness.
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Best Moment of the Year – Serena Williams’ tribute to Maria Sharapova during Hall of Fame Induction
One of the defining moments of this tennis year occurred not on a match court, but on a stage in Newport, Rhode Island, when Serena Williams stepped forward to deliver the Hall of Fame induction speech for her storied rival, Maria Sharapova.
Williams referred to Sharapova as her “former rival, former fan and forever friend,” recognizing their intense competitive history, where they were each other’s “biggest obstacle” for more than ten years.
She appreciated how Sharapova’s challenge pushed her to “practice harder” and commended her rival for transforming “how women not only approached tennis, but sports and opportunity.”
In a personal reflection, Williams even mentioned, “She actually reminds me a lot of Venus… the more I get to know her the more I think the things we share… If I didn’t know her better, I think she could have been my sister.”
The moment really captured a journey from being “miles and miles apart” to building mutual respect and friendship. Sharapova even described it as “a gift to find someone who motivates you to reach those heights.”
Best Grand Slam Finale of the Year – Roland Garros: Jannik Sinner vs. Carlos Alcaraz
The 2025 Roland Garros final featuring Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz was an unforgettable match that is the clear winner for the year’s best Grand Slam finale. In an incredible showdown, the world’s top two players, both with perfect records in major finals, put on a thrilling display of strength and skill for five hours and twenty-nine minutes.
This epic match, the longest French Open final ever, wrapped up with a score of 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2), going to Alcaraz. The match was full of twists and turns: Sinner took charge in the first two sets and even had three championship points at love-40 in the fourth, but Alcaraz pulled off an incredible comeback to stay in the match and push it to a final fifth set.
His clutch performance under immense pressure really showed what he thinks a champion is all about: “I think the real champions are made in that situations when you deal with that pressure with that situations in the best way possible. I mean, that’s what the real champions have done in their whole careers.”
Even in a tough loss, Sinner recognized the significance of the moment: “Now I find myself here, playing the longest match in history of Roland Garros in a final. It hurts, yes, but in other way you cannot keep going crying… So, it happens.”
Best Photograph of the Year – Jasmine Paolini
Captured by veteran photographer Ray Giubilo, this viral image shows Italian star Jasmine Paolini with her face perfectly aligned with the strings of her racket, creating an optical illusion that resembles a Halloween mask or jack-o’-lantern. This sports photo was truly one-of-a-kind because of the perfect mix of luck, skill, and timing. The photo was taken during Paolini’s first-round US Open match against Destanee Aiava,
Giubilo pointed out that the shot happened just because Paolini was a bit off-balance and swung her racket in a unique way, with the colors of her Yonex frame creating that amazing illusion. Paolini jumped right into the moment, saying, “Maybe the picture of the year!” She even made an effort to track down Giubilo on the court to give him a shout-out, saying, “Grande photo!”
Best Comeback of the Year – Naomi Osaka
After a long stretch of uneven form following her time away from the sport due to maternity leave, Naomi Osaka made an impressive comeback to the top tier of women’s tennis in 2025. Her journey back wasn’t straightforward at all. It had its ups and downs, like that emotional first-round exit at the French Open, where she openly talked about the weight of her own expectations.
She reflected on her experiences, saying that the time away made her realize, “I love tennis way more than I thought I did, and I learned that I actually really love challenges.”
A key moment happened at the Canadian Open when saving two match points led to a big mental breakthrough. “Ever since then I’ve started thinking anything’s possible,” Osaka said. That mindset really fueled her standout win of the season—a solid 6-3, 6-2 victory against world No. 3 and reigning French Open champ Coco Gauff at the US Open.
On her favorite court, an emotional Osaka shared her thoughts on the full-circle moment, recalling how she watched from the stands as a new mother just two years ago: “This is my favorite court in the world, and it means so much to me to be back here.”
Best Rally of the Year – Alexander Zverev vs. Adam Walton 52 shot rally at the National Bank Open
The 52-shot rally between Alexander Zverev and Adam Walton in the second round of the 2025 National Bank Open was something else to watch. At a crucial 5-5 moment in the first-set tiebreak, both players really pushed each other to the max. Zverev brought some serious power from the baseline, while Walton showed incredible determination with his scrambling defense.
The German ended up winning the tough rally, grabbing a key set point that changed the whole vibe of the match, which he took in straight sets. Zverev really emphasized how crucial it was, saying it was a “very important moment, very important point for me,” and he credited it as the key to his win.
Best Rivalry of the Year – Jannik Sinner Sinner vs. Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek vs. Amanda Anisimova
Well, we’ve got a tie for Best Rivalry of the Year, and it’s all about two thrilling matchups that really stood out in 2025. First up, we have the faces of the ATP, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, going head-to-head. Then, on the WTA side, we can’t forget the fierce and unpredictable clashes between Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova.
The rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz has really hit a high point, with both stars under 25 swapping the world No. 1 ranking and sharing all four Grand Slam titles this year. Their French Open final was quite the marathon—five hours and twenty-nine minutes of intense action, with Alcaraz saving three match points – a possible all-time classic.
Then, in the Wimbledon final that followed, Sinner got immediate revenge. ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi pointed out, “These two guys are really incredible for our sport,” highlighting their different styles. Soon after, Alcaraz reigned supreme once again at the US Open.
On the other hand, the rivalry between Swiatek and Anisimova has been quite the rollercoaster, especially when you look at their two Grand Slam matches. Swiatek completely dominated in the Wimbledon final with a jaw-dropping 6-0, 6-0 win, but then just two months later, Anisimova pulled off an incredible comeback in the US Open quarterfinals.
Anisimova wrapped up their season series by taking down Swiatek at the WTA Finals, which put an end to the Pole’s tournament run. Swiatek, reflecting on the unexpected turn after her Finals loss, said, “I don’t know, maybe I won too much in last year and this is karma.”
Best Partnership of the Year – Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori at the US Open Mixed Doubles Finals
The Best Partnership of the Year award belongs to the Italian duo of Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, whose title defense at the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles Finals was a masterclass in doubles synergy and a powerful statement for their discipline. The reigning champions, being the only real doubles specialists in a 16-team lineup filled with big-name singles players, found themselves up against a tournament that had been revamped to keep players like them out.
They showed up at the event as wild cards, ready to stand for “all the doubles players who cannot compete here.” Even though their singles rankings were much lower—Errani sitting at world No. 291 and Vavassori at No. 306—their chemistry on the court was clear as day. The big moment happened in the final match featuring singles stars Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud.
Vavassori, giving a shoutout to his partner, said to the crowd, “Thanks for the energy, it’s unbelievable for me to play with you. We’ve shown today that doubles is a great product.” After clinching an exciting 6-3, 5-7, [10-6] win to share the $1 million champion’s prize, Errani shared her thoughts on what the victory meant: “I think this one is also for all the doubles players that couldn’t play this tournament.”
Tribute of The Year – Rafael Nadal’s ceremony at Roland Garros
The heartfelt farewell ceremony for Rafael Nadal at the 2025 Roland Garros was a beautiful tribute to a legend, capturing the essence of his incredible 20-year journey. On the 20th anniversary of his debut, a full Court Philippe-Chatrier, filled with “Merci Rafa” shirts, gave the “King of Clay” a warm welcome that had him in tears before he even said a word.
The ceremony really shone with its personal touch and meaningful symbolism: they unveiled a permanent plaque with his footprint and the number 14 right next to the net, which truly touched Nadal’s heart.
“Knowing that it’s going to be there forever is a present I can’t describe in words,” he reflected. The emotional peak came when his three biggest rivals, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray, showed up unexpectedly, sending a strong message about respect and friendship.
“To have my three biggest rivals there in the court with me meant a lot, no? And at the same time it’s a great message for the world, I think, that best rivals, toughest rivalries probably in the history of our sport, are able to be good colleagues, to respect each other. You don’t need to hate the opponent to try to beat him with all your forces,” Nadal said.
It wasn’t just a goodbye; it was the perfect way to wrap up the greatest story ever told at Roland Garros.
Best Outfit of the Year – Taylor Townsend’s Phoenix dress worn at the US Open this year
Taylor Townsend rocked a phoenix-inspired kit that symbolized her amazing personal and professional comeback during her impressive run at the 2025 US Open. It’s not just any tennis dress; this black outfit with those cool flame details on the sleeves and skirt was actually designed by Townsend herself.
She created it under her “TT” apparel line, which she started after having a tough time finding a traditional clothing sponsor, even with her impressive doubles status.
Townsend shared her thoughts on the kit’s deep significance: “One of the reasons why I did the Phoenix kit for myself. A phoenix is a made-up creature, but the premise is that you have to burn or lose your old self in order to emerge as something new. And I feel like that’s indicative of my career, me as a person, me as a woman, me as a player.”
When it comes to turning a fashion statement into a powerful story of empowerment, Townsend’s phoenix dress really takes the crown.
How the Miami Marlins infield transformed into a tennis court
Tennis is experiencing a resurgence, with almost 26 million people playing in the U.S. alone. That number has been on an upward trajectory five years in a row. While the sport’s renewed cultural relevance can be attributed to multiple factors, brands across fashion, entertainment, and even sports leagues like Major League Baseball are capitalizing on the trend through unconventional opportunities.
On December 8, LoanDepot Park, home of baseball’s Miami Marlins, will undergo a temporary redesign to host the Unified Events Miami Invitational, a one-night, first-of-its-kind exhibition featuring top tennis stars Carlos Alcaraz, João Fonseca, Amanda Anisimova, and Jessica Pegula in a city with a strong appetite for elite tennis.
“While they have the Miami Open, there is such a fervor for tennis in the Miami market, especially for those players,” says Molly Pendleton, SVP of MLS, Touring, and Unified Events.
To tap into the market’s enthusiasm, Pendleton and her team originally planned to host the event in a traditional arena, a common choice for these exhibition matches. However, due to scheduling conflicts and the time needed to set up the courts, Unified Events decided not to take that route. Since both United Events and the Marlins work with sports and culture company IMG, the partners explored creative ways to bring tennis to a baseball stadium. They selected LoanDepot Park because it offered optimal sigh tlines and a high-quality fan experience.
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“I was skeptical until I saw the renderings of what it could look like and what the fan experience would be, says Pendleton. [I] got on board with the idea [that] this could be a really unique experience for fans and the players.”
Anthony Favata, Vice President of Operations & Events for the Marlins, and his team created CAD renderings to visualize the transformation, which sealed the deal.
“We have an extremely versatile building,” says Favata. “Tennis was always on the road map.”
A Stadium Built for Adaptation
Historically, LoanDepot Park, formerly known as Marlins Park, was built to accommodate a variety of events. After opening in 2012, it hosted an international soccer game, and over the years, expanded to other entertainment, including concerts. Now, with recent investments in its infrastructure, the organization is reimagining the stadium’s design to expand its non-baseball slate.
For the Marlins’ operations team, months of site visits, engineering assessments, and software modeling informed how they will compress the stadium’s 130,000-square-foot footprint with 37,442 seats into an 8,700-square-foot environment with 12,000 seats for a quality viewing experience.
“It’s very important that you have that intimacy and the premium feel of being as close to the court as you can get,” Favata explained. “One thing that [was] created for us is the need to remove the pitcher’s mound.”
Design Challenges and Transformations
Unlike a tennis court, the typical dimensions of a baseball field is not rectangular but rather a “snow-coned” shape. To achieve the level of intimacy spectators want during a tennis match, the Marlins will place the court in front of home plate. Based on their CAD visualization, the team decided that the court will run diagonally from first base to third base.
One of the most complex design challenges in creating an intimate environment is the full removal of the pitcher’s mound, an undertaking requiring roughly eight hours by a dedicated five-person crew.
“We’ll remove [the] clay, and we’ll make sure it’s flat so that our flooring can come on top of that mound and then we can come on top of it with the cork,” explains Favata. This step ensures the installed court sits at the ideal distance from spectator seats so fans have up close and clear views of play.
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Previously, LoanDepot Park featured a natural grass field. However, the stadium later transitioned to a turf surface. Leveraging the stadium’s in-house flooring system has proven beneficial, allowing adaptability of its turf surface for various events. A team of up to 20 people will lay down a thick, plastic event decking or protective flooring called Terraplas directly on top of the clay comprising the pitcher’s mound. To further avoid impacting the clay underneath, the team will place a cork-rubber blend called Regupol Aktiv atop the Terraplas, followed by another layer of wood. Finally, additional workers will lay down the professional hard court, which will be transported overnight from the Charlotte Invitational happening just before the exhibition match in Miami.
The Marlins’ operations team will get a head start on the mound removal for another event occurring two days prior to the match. However, the majority of the conversion will happen overnight, involving about 37 people across multiple vendors working from roughly 10 p.m. on December 7 into the morning hours of December 8.
Enhancing the intimacy created by removing the pitcher’s mound will be the addition of roughly 600 temporary seats. The team will also recline the foul ball netting. While the main event will occur infield, the Marlins plan to restrict access to the outfield.
As Favata’s team reconfigures the field into a tennis court, ensuring player safety is critical.
“Although it’s an exhibition, we want to make sure that the court is at the highest level of play,” Favata said. “Some of the best in the world are going to be performing. We want to make sure it’s safe for them.”
Creating a Premium Tennis Environment
Beyond the technical build, the team will deliver a complete tennis environment with premium courtside seating, hospitality, and signature cocktails (Miami Ace and Sunset Invitational) inspired by the U.S. Open’s Honey Deuce. Partner brand activations include Segafredo’s specialty desserts and coffee, Geico’s tennis bracelet activation, and Penguin Tennis Apparel’s pop-up retail shop to create an immersive experience.
Depending on its success, Unified Events anticipates this invitational being an annual event in Miami. It’s already nearing capacity with about 9,500 seats sold, with tickets starting at $40.
In the meantime, the Miami Marlins are preparing for other events in the new year, like the Winter Classic in partnership with the National Hockey League.
“We’re very much involved in trying to continue to put this venue at the forefront of the concert and live entertainment business [with] some of those sports that you don’t typically consider in a baseball diamond that are cool, that are splashy, that are global,” Favata said. “[We want to] draw an attendee base to the facility that may not already be familiar with the venue in hopes that we give them a great experience and they return for Marlins baseball.”
20X WTA Title Winner Makes a Comeback After Retirement With a Surprising Twist
Agnieszka Radwanska had an incredible career in Polish tennis, winning twenty WTA Tour singles titles over her thirteen years as a pro. She really changed the game for her country in the sport. She really made history by becoming the first Polish player to win a WTA singles title back in 2007. Then, in 2012, she hit a career-high ranking of world No. 2 and wrapped up that amazing season by finishing as the runner-up at Wimbledon.
She was the first Pole in the Open Era to make it to a Grand Slam singles final! After dealing with injuries, she decided to retire in 2018, leaving a legacy of excellence that set the Polish standard until Iga Swiatek came onto the scene.
In a surprising and heartwarming turn of events, the thirty-six-year-old Radwanska is gearing up to make her comeback to the professional tour. But she won’t be using a racket in any competitions. Instead, she’s taking on a coaching and mentoring role for her longtime friend and peer, Magda Linette.
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Andy Murray Gets Brutally Honest on Life After Tennis: “I Don’t Miss It”
Andy Murray officially retired, marking the end of an incredible journey in one of the most resilient and celebrated careers in British sports history. So, after going pro in 2005, Murray really made a name for himself and joined the legendary ‘Big Four’ in men’s tennis. He picked up three Grand Slam singles titles along the way—first the US Open in 2012, then Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016.
His career highlights really show his relentless drive: he hit the world No. 1 ranking in 2016 and made history as the only player, male or female, to snag two Olympic singles gold medals in 2012 and 2016. He made his last professional appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he decided to represent Team GB one final time before hanging up his boots for good.
Now that he’s been retired for months, Andy Murray has shared an honest and uplifting view on what life is like after tennis. As reported by journalist Scott Barclay on X, shared a surprising sentiment about his life after retirement, stating, “I don’t play tennis now for enjoyment, and I’m really happy about that.” This statement shows a deep and calm change in who he is.
He said, “I feel like my purpose has changed. I was very focused on my tennis career, and now all of that attention goes into my family and my children.” Murray has taken that same relentless drive that helped him win Grand Slam titles and shifted it to things like the school run, family birthdays, and everyday life at home.
He shows he’s content by saying, “So I don’t have any urge to go on the tennis court right now; I don’t miss it. And I think that’s a really positive thing.” He’s found a new purpose in the everyday, sometimes humbling, routines of being a full-time father. Murray, married to Kim Sears and a dad to four little ones, is now the one doing the daily school drop-offs and pick-ups. He’s recognized that this big change in life needed some time to adjust, especially for his oldest daughter, Sophia, who felt a bit embarrassed at first by having her famous dad around all the time at school.
Murray really values this deep connection with family life. Well, Murray’s life after retirement shows us an athlete who’s really found happiness not by trying to relive his glory days, but by enjoying a calm and down-to-earth present. And recently, the Brit shared a memory from his career.
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Andy Murray on his battles with Roger Federer
When Andy Murray thinks about his career, there are definitely some matches that stick in his mind. One memorable match is his five-set showdown with Roger Federer at the 2013 Australian Open semifinal. “Yeah, so I watched him like loads when I was growing up,” Murray said about the Swiss tennis legend.
“I used to took notes from watching matches on watch matches of him on Sky. I had an injury when I was uh 15… I didn’t play for, like, six months, and you know, I really enjoyed watching him (Federer). Like, I loved watching him play, but I also, like, felt like I knew again. This is where it’s, like, from a strategical point of view, I felt like I knew how to play against him.”
He really pulled off one of his biggest wins in that semi-final, going through a tough five-set match: 6‑4, 6‑7 (5), 6‑3, 6‑7 (2), 6‑2. That victory not only took him to the final of the tournament but also marked his first-ever Grand Slam win against Federer. Murray shared his thoughts on the mental aspect of going up against Federer.
“I would feel going into those matches and the pressure that I would feel. Obviously, he would have felt that too… on the court, whereas you know he had this aura about him, and you know was always sort of described as you know he’s the best tennis player of all time that to overcome him,” the Brit said. Absolutely, that mindset really played a big role in shaping his tennis career.
Word Reaction to Ben Shelton After Dramatic On
On Saturday at the Atlanta Cup, Nick Kyrgios made his much-anticipated comeback to the court, going up against American sensation Ben Shelton. After months away from the game due to ongoing wrist and knee issues, the Australian, currently ranked outside the top 600, stepped onto the court for his first match. He saw this high-profile exhibition as a chance to gauge his physical condition for a possible comeback in 2026.
In the end, it was Shelton’s consistent performance that clinched the friendly match, as the American took home a 7-6, 6-3 win. Even though the outcome wasn’t in his favor, the highlight of the night for Kyrgios wasn’t a great shot or an ace; it was actually a funny, awkward fall at the net. He hopped on his Instagram story and shared a quick, two-word response to Shelton about the viral clip: “Hahaha thanks.”
This fun back-and-forth highlights the special and changing relationship between Kyrgios and the younger Shelton. Before the Atlanta exhibition, Kyrgios shared his thoughts about the American player, saying he sees “a lot of myself in his tennis, his risk-taking, and the way he interacts with the crowd.”
He referred to Shelton as an “incredible player,” saying that his explosive energy takes him back to his own younger days. Kyrgios’ social media comment after the net incident really highlights this bond, seeing Shelton not just as a rival but as someone he can share a laugh with.
For Kyrgios, who’s working his way back from some tough injuries, these exhibitions mean a lot more than just tennis. It’s a great opportunity to get back to the excitement of competition and the friendship that comes with being on tour. But you know, the Aussie’s mindset is definitely worth looking into before he makes his full return to the sport.
Nick Kyrgios keeps his mind balanced
Nick Kyrgios’ mindset in professional tennis is shaped by a mix of complex and sometimes conflicting psychological factors. Kyrgios really opened up during a rare moment of vulnerability, saying, “I think when things get tough, I’m just a little bit soft… I don’t love the sport. But, you know, I don’t really know what else to do without it.”
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But this mindset isn’t fixed; he’s shown he can turn criticism into motivation and even respect his competitors. A good example of this was after his tough Wimbledon match against Novak Djokovic in 2022.
The Serb took the match with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6, and the Aussie commented, “Yeah, yeah, he’s a bit of a god, I’m not going to lie. I thought I played well, but yeah, first of all, I want to congratulate Novak and your team, of course. You’ve won this championship, I don’t even know how many times anymore.”
In the end, his way of thinking shows that there’s a constant mental struggle involved, and it takes discipline to really make the most of it at the top level. And 2026 might be an exciting year for the Aussie, owing to his proper comeback to tennis.
Novak Djokovic & Carlos Alcaraz Give Their Verdict on Max Verstappen vs Lando Norris’ Nail
The 2025 Formula 1 season really ramped up to an exciting finish, ending with one of the tightest finales we’ve seen in the sport’s history. Prior to the final race in Abu Dhabi, McLaren’s Lando Norris was clinging to a slim 12-point lead over the ever-persistent Max Verstappen from Red Bull. Plus, his teammate Oscar Piastri was still in the mix, making things even more interesting!
In a nail-biting, strategic showdown, Verstappen pulled off a perfect drive to snag the win. However, Norris was really feeling the heat, having to navigate through traffic and deal with a tough defensive play from Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda, and also an early battle with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who was also chasing him down with his new tire compounds. But he totally stepped up and pulled off an incredible performance to grab that all-important third place.
When he crossed the finish line, just 16.5 seconds behind Verstappen, Norris clinched the title of Formula 1’s new world champion by a super close margin of only two points in the final standings, putting an end to Verstappen’s four-year reign. This incredible match, decided by the tiniest of margins, really caught the attention of sports fans everywhere, featuring two of tennis’ biggest names: Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
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Djokovic, knowing how important legacy is and feeling the sting of a close loss, shared a touching tribute on his Instagram story. He kicked things off by congratulating the new champion, saying, “Congratulations Lando. What a season! You are a World Champion.” His message also paid tribute to the dethroned king, recognizing Verstappen’s fierce determination: “What an amazing finish Max had. Very close to clinch it all again. Champion mentality.”
In a similar vein, the young Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz, who is part of the exciting modern tennis rivalries with Djokovic and Jannik Sinner, had a straightforward yet heartfelt response. Alcaraz shared on his Instagram story, “Many congrats,” giving a shoutout to Norris for his first win. So, the title was pretty spot on.
Before the race, Verstappen secured pole position, and even though Norris was right beside him on the grid, if he dropped to P4, the championship was really his to lose. Norris actually dropped to P2 behind his teammate Piastri right at the start, but he pulled it together and held onto P3, snagging that first WDC he’s been chasing.
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Djokovic and Alcaraz’s reactions really give us an interesting look at what elite athletes think and feel, no matter the sport. So, recently, another tennis star was seen hanging around the F1 paddock.
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Jannik Sinner was also interested in the title fight between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen
Lando Norris said, “Simply lovely, huh,” right after he clinched victory at the 2024 Dutch GP. And you definitely don’t mess around on Max Verstappen’s turf. Even though the Brit couldn’t get anywhere near Verstappen in 2024, this year was a different story. Red Bull didn’t really give the Dutchman a shot at the championship until the first race after the summer break due to the car not being fast enough.
This title fight really caught the attention of tennis stars like Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and even Jannik Sinner. The Italian who had an amazing tennis season in 2025, was spotted in Abu Dhabi enjoying a fun night out with his girlfriend, Laila Hasanovic. But you know what?
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The exclusive Billionaire Dubai dinner show had some F1 superstars in attendance as well. The Italian snapped a photo with two-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso and Alpine F1 team principal Flavio Briatore. “A star-studded evening at Billionaire Dubai last night with champions Fernando Alonso and Jannik Sinner,” Briatore shared.
Later, Sinner was spotted taking a hot lap with Mercedes’ rookie, Kimi Antonelli. Well, Sinner opted to skip the Davis Cup Finals and focus on a lengthier pre-season in order to be in peak condition for his title defense at the Australian Open. This gave him the proper amount of time to spend his time around the F1 paddock.
Jordi Alba es multado por la MLS antes de la final: el español podrá jugar la MLS Cup pese a nueva sanción
A pocos días de disputarse la MLS Cup, el Comité Disciplinario de la Major League Soccer anunció una nueva sanción económica contra el lateral español Jordi Alba, jugador clave del Inter Miami. La liga confirmó que el veterano defensor violó las políticas disciplinarias durante la final de la Conferencia Este ante New York City FC.
Multa por agresión con las manos a la cara/cuello de un rival
Según el comunicado oficial, Jordi Alba fue multado por agredir con las manos la cara o el cuello de un oponente en el minuto 22 del duelo del pasado 29 de noviembre. Esta acción fue revisada por el Comité, que determinó imponer una sanción económica, aunque la liga no reveló el monto exacto de la multa.
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Sin castigo deportivo: Alba podrá jugar la final
A pesar de la falta disciplinaria, el castigo no incluye suspensión. Por lo tanto, Jordi Alba sí estará disponible para disputar la final de la MLS Cup este sábado, en la que Inter Miami enfrentará a los Vancouver Whitecaps.
La noticia llega en momentos decisivos para el equipo de Gerardo Martino, que busca coronarse nuevamente y cuenta con Alba como pieza clave en su estructura ofensiva y defensiva.
Comunicado oficial de la MLS
En el anuncio emitido por la liga se detalla:
“El Comité Disciplinario de la MLS ha multado al defensa del Inter Miami, Jordi Alba, por violar la política de la Liga con respecto a las manos hacia la cara/cabeza/cuello de un rival en el minuto 22 del partido de Miami contra New York City el 29 de noviembre”.
Contexto: otro episodio disciplinario en la temporada
Esta no es la primera vez que Alba se encuentra bajo revisión disciplinaria en 2025. Con su intensidad habitual, el español ha protagonizado varias jugadas polémicas, aunque en la mayoría de los casos ha evitado suspensiones.
Para Inter Miami, la multa representa un aviso más pero no afecta su alineación titular para la cita más importante del año.
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Inter Miami, Whitecaps meet in star-studded MLS Cup final
A pair of international stars will be on Major League Soccer’s biggest stage when Lionel Messi and Inter Miami host Thomas Muller and the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday in the MLS Cup final at Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Both clubs will be chasing their first MLS title, with an opportunity to raise the Philip F. Anschutz trophy.
Messi is all but certain to win a second consecutive MLS MVP after scoring 29 goals and assisting 19 more in the regular season. But Saturday is also the realization of the vision that convinced Messi to make the move to MLS in the summer of 2023.
In addition to a lucrative contract and numerous new American marketing opportunities, joining Inter Miami also has resulted in a club constructed in his own image.
First there were his former FC Barcelona teammates Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and later Luis Suarez who joined the Herons. Then this summer, Messi’s national team colleague Rodrigo De Paul made the move from Atletico Madrid. Promising teenager Mateo Silvetti joined on loan from Newell’s Old Boys, Messi’s boyhood club in Argentina.
Just before the playoffs began, Messi and Inter Miami announced a three-year contract extension that will see him retire in MLS.
While the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has been exceptional this postseason, with six goals and seven assists in five matches, he admits to a sense of contentment.
Lionel Messi is playing for another trophy. Inter Miami to meet Vancouver in the MLS Cup final
By TIM REYNOLDS
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — For Lionel Messi, the MLS Cup final on Saturday will represent some endings. And, quite possibly, a new beginning.
Messi and Inter Miami will take on Thomas Müller — one of his longtime rivals — and the Vancouver Whitecaps for Major League Soccer’s championship. It’s the first final for both clubs, which means MLS is about to have a first-time champion.
But for Messi, it’s the end of a couple eras. It’s the last match planned at Inter Miami’s current home, with the team set to move into a still-under-construction stadium near Miami International Airport next season. And barring some serious changes of heart, it’ll be the last time he gets to play with longtime teammates Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets — they’re both retiring after Saturday — and possibly Luis Suarez as well.
“I’m very grateful for the career I’ve had, the teams I’ve played for, everything I’ve learned, everything I’ve enjoyed, and well, it’s been a privilege,” Alba said in Spanish on Thursday. “Yes, it’s a week with a lot of emotions, knowing that it’s going to be my last game … and hopefully, I end my career in the best possible scenario, in a final and we win.”
It’s not like Messi needs this win for his legacy; Argentina’s star — a winner of 46 championships for club and country worldwide, the most in history — is widely considered the greatest player ever and Saturday’s outcome won’t help or hurt that reputation. Same goes for Müller, the German great who has been on the winning end of a World Cup final in which he played against Messi (and Javier Mascherano, now the Inter Miami coach).
That said, Saturday will bring at least one first: If Vancouver wins, Müller will be the first player to win a World Cup and an MLS Cup. If Inter Miami wins, Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Busquets will become the first trio to say they were both a World Cup and an MLS champion.
“We are going to have four World Cup winners on the pitch,” Mascherano said. “I think it’s very, very interesting for the league.”
Müller — part of more than 30 trophy wins for club and country himself — was asked how the MLS Cup ranks on his list.
“At the moment, I rank it No. 1,” Muller said. “Because it’s the only final that we are talking about. It’s upcoming. At the moment, for me, this final on Saturday is the most important thing in my life.”
He then paused a bit.
“That’s a good line, ah?” he asked, laughing at his joke.
But clearly, the MLS Cup is something that both teams want badly. For Inter Miami, it’s a chance to prove that bringing in the Barcelona foursome — Messi, Alba, Suarez and Busquets — was all worth it. For Vancouver, which beat Inter Miami twice this season in the CONCACAF Champions League, it’s a chance to win a trophy and go through Messi to get it done.
“Obviously, they were much better than us in April,” Mascherano said. “But the situation is not the same. We are in a different situation. We arrive to this final with confidence, with some different players. And we know that they have a very, very good team.”
Of late …
Inter Miami is 10-2-1 in its last 13 matches, going back to the regular season. The team has been particularly dominant in three win-or-go-home matches during these MLS playoffs, winning those by a combined score of 13-1.
Vancouver is 7-1-5 in its last 13 matches and has given up a total of 17 goals in its last 17 matches against MLS opponents.
Home edge
The team playing in its home stadium, or home market, has won 11 of the last 14 MLS Cup titles. Of the three that lost in that scenario, two fell in penalty kicks.
Vancouver won at Inter Miami in April in the CONCACAF semifinals. Inter Miami is 16-2-2 across all competitions at home since.
“We’ve been ready for this this whole season,” Vancouver midfielder Sebastian Berhalter said. “The pressure, it comes with it. It’s a privilege and it’s fun and I think you know our guys are going to lean into it and enjoy it. Home team, away team, I don’t think it matters.”
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Garber doesn’t rule out relegation in MLS but makes clear it’s years or decades away
WASHINGTON (AP) — Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber won’t rule out adopting relegation and promotion while making clear such a decision is years or decades away.
MLS launched in 1996 with 10 teams and currently has 30 in a closed system. The latest team, San Diego, paid a $500 million expansion fee to start play in 2025.
Garber has said relegation and promotion doesn’t work for MLS because of the huge amounts of money owners have spent on stadiums, training complexes and youth academies.
“There’s no real point of saying never because I don’t know what the future would look like. I certainly never thought we would adapt to the international calendar,” he said Thursday night during a news conference at D.C. United’s Audi Stadium in conjunction with the World Cup draw.
“Maybe as the development of the lower divisions continue to grow, as they’ve been doing so well over the years, there will be a proper ecosystem, I’m not sure. Frankly, I don’t believe that ecosystem can exist today, but who knows?’ he added. “I’ve learned never say never. That doesn’t mean we’re having promotion relegation any time soon.”
The United Soccer League said this year it plans to start a top tier league in 2027-28 and a promotion/relegation system. What is now USL’s League Championship has been sanctioned as the second-tier division since 2017 and has 24 teams. The third-tier League One started play in 2019. USL League Two is a semipro level that includes 144 teams in 19 regional divisions and four conferences.
Succession planning
Garber, who turned 68 in October, has been commissioner since August 1999 and in 2024 agreed to a contract through the 2027 season.
“MLS has almost been operating as a startup for 30 years, so we never gave any thought to succession planning, at all,” he said. “High-performing companies need to do that. So the start of this process is to have a proper succession process not just for the next commissioner but for the next leader of our commercial business or the next leader of our sporting business.”
Garber said he hasn’t thought about staying beyond 2027.
“Right now I’m focused on the next couple of years and I’ll think about that and have a conversation with the MLS ownership at that right time,” he said.
MLS owners voted last month to switch starting in 2027-28 to a summer-to-spring schedule similar to the calendar of most European leagues. It has had a yearly season running from February to December in most recent years.
“Certainly I wasn’t thinking about the renewal of my last contract with an eye towards the calendar change because we had no idea back then that we’d be doing it,” he said. “But we’ll figure it out.”
Vancouver stadium
Ahead of Vancouver playing Inter Miami for the MLS title on Saturday, Garber was critical over a lack of progress in stadium planning. The Whitecaps would like to move from B.C. Place, where they are a tenant, to a new stadium.
“The MLS team, its owners, its fans, its players have done everything to earn the support that they’re not getting today from the city and from the province and that’s an untenable situation,” he said. “What we have there has to change. And right now, we’re not necessarily on a path to do that. … We had a very positive meeting with the mayor. We’re looking at getting a better lease at B.C. Place right now. There’s been no movement on that and it’s been a month.”
“We are in the business of delivering for those people that really, really want to have an MLS team that they can love and embrace. And that’s not just fans. They’ve done that,” he added. “You need to have cities and provinces do that, and we’re still waiting to see whether they’ll be able to deliver. And if they don’t, we’re going to have to make some tough decisions.”
Vancouver’s owners announced in December the club was for sale. Greg Kerfoot has owned the team since 2002, 11 years before it started play in MLS. Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett and former NBA star Steve Nash joined Kerfoot in 2008.
Mallett suggested in August that the group’s strategy may have shifted to adding a new partner.
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AP Sports Writer Anne M. Peterson contributed to this report.
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Blackhawks’ top-five penalty kill delivers again in win over Kings
LOS ANGELES — In most ways, the Blackhawks are punching above their weight talent-wise this season.
They absorbed a punch in the form of a five-game losing streak and are now riding another point streak, which they extended to three games Thursday with a 2-1 road win over the Kings. A 12-9-6 record in early December is better than anyone outside their locker room expected.
On the penalty kill specifically, though, the Hawks are punching right at their weight, not above it. They are legitimately stacked with superb killers, and those superb killers are delivering consistent results.
Another five-for-five performance Thursday, including a game-sealing kill for the final 86 seconds of the game, moved the Hawks up to fourth in the league at 85.3% this season. Since Nov. 5, they’re at 90.7%, having killed 39 of 43 opportunities during that span.
“We’ve got really good penalty-killers that have bought into the system, but the system is less important than the buy-in,” coach Jeff Blashill said.
Leading the bunch is Ilya Mikheyev, who has emerged as a truly elite player in those situations — a “one-man machine,” as Blashill put it. He relentlessly hounds power-play puck-carriers all over the ice, not just in the defensive zone.
“Mikheyev is right up there with some of the really good killers in the league,” Blashill added. “And he does it in a different way than some guys. Some guys do it just with their head or the cerebral way. He certainly can think [well], but he’s just so explosive on pucks and wins so many puck battles because his compete level is so high. He takes great pride in it, and he’s been excellent at it.”
Forwards Jason Dickinson and Teuvo Teravainen are also stellar. Teravainen lost teeth blocking a shot during the final minute Thursday; Blashill said he’s in “a lot of pain” but will be fine.
Defensemen Alex Vlasic, Louis Crevier and Connor Murphy, meanwhile, use their length effectively to cover more ground than most men could when shorthanded. Wyatt Kaiser uses his agility to do the same.
Analytically, the Hawks’ penalty kill has allowed the second-fewest goals, eighth-fewest scoring chances and fifth-fewest shot attempts per minute.
“On the entries, we’re really gapping up hard and not really giving [our opponents] a lot of options,” Kaiser said. “It starts there, killing a lot of time, and then you frustrate them. They start trying to force little things. And then in-zone, we’re sticking to doing our jobs.”
The Hawks benefited from an enormous swing late in the second period Thursday. Murphy saved a goal on one end after goalie Spencer Knight misplayed the puck, then Kaiser buried his first goal of the season with five seconds left.
Knight (26 saves) allowed one goal in the third, but the Hawks showed they’ve learned from their lead-squandering mistakes during the past month. They continued to play offense instead of sitting back before eventually letting their penalty kill close things out.
“It’s really important for us to be in those tight games,” Knight said. “It’s the way hockey’s going to be, the longer you play into the season. If you eventually get to the postseason, that’s how it is. [When] all the pressure is on, you have to know how to hold that lead. It was good for us.”
NHL roundup: Islanders end Avalanche’s 17-game point streak
Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists Thursday night and the New York Islanders never trailed as they ended the Colorado Avalanche’s 17-game point streak with a 6-3 win in Elmont, N.Y.
The regulation loss was just the second of the season for the Avalanche, who went 14-0-3 following a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Oct. 25.
New York’s Anders Lee and Bo Horvat each had a goal and an assist. Kyle MacLean, Adam Pelech and Casey Cizikas also scored while Ilya Sorokin made 35 saves for the Islanders, who finished 3-3-1 on a seven-game homestand.
Colorado’s Valeri Nichushkin, Martin Necas and Artturi Lehkonen tallied. Avalanche goalie Mackenzie Blackwood, starting in place of Scott Wedgewood (upper body), recorded 36 saves.
Flames 4, Wild 1
Matt Coronato scored to break a third-period tie and added an assist, pacing host Calgary to a victory over Minnesota.
Rasmus Andersson also collected one goal and one assist while Jonathan Huberdeau and Connor Zary each had a goal for the Flames, who snapped a two-game skid (0-1-1). Dustin Wolf made 26 saves.
Yakov Trenin scored for the Wild, who lost in regulation time for the first time after a 12-game point streak (10-0-2). Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson stopped 27 shots.
Penguins 4, Lightning 3
Evgeni Malkin scored the game-winner late in regulation, and Pittsburgh won in a controversial finish at Tampa Bay.
After the Penguins blew a 3-0 lead, Malkin, who had two goals and an assist, broke the tie by sweeping in a pass from Tommy Novak, who had two assists, at 17:17 of the third period. Ville Koivunen and Ben Kindel also scored for Pittsburgh, and Tristan Jarry made 37 saves.
Brandon Hagel scored twice, Nikita Kucherov had a goal and an assist and Darren Raddysh posted two helpers for Tampa Bay, which got 27 saves from Jonas Johansson. An apparent late goal by Kucherov was overturned when it was ruled that Hagel performed a hand pass in the buildup.
Blue Jackets 6, Red Wings 5 (SO)
Kent Johnson and Kirill Marchenko scored during a shootout and also had regulation goals as Columbus beat visiting Detroit.
Adam Fantilli scored twice, including the tying goal with 1:31 left to send the game into overtime for the Blue Jackets. Ivan Provorov had Columbus’ other goal, Zach Werenski and Sean Monahan each recorded three assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves.
Lucas Raymond and Patrick Kane each had a goal and an assist for the Red Wings. Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat and James van Riemsdyk also scored while Moritz Seider and Andrew Copp registered two assists apiece. Cam Talbot stopped 26 shots.
Bruins 5, Blues 2
Pavel Zacha’s back-to-back tallies capped a three-goal flurry in the second period of Boston’s win over visiting St. Louis.
Six Bruins registered multiple points as Morgan Geekie had a goal and two assists, Viktor Arvidsson and Alex Steeves each notched a goal and an assist, Elias Lindholm dished three assists and Mason Lohrei added two helpers. Joonas Korpisalo made 37 saves to earn his first win since Nov. 6.
Pavel Buchnevich and Pius Suter each scored and Jordan Binnington stopped 22 shots for St. Louis, which has dropped two straight and gone 3-4-3 in its last 10.
Predators 2, Panthers 1 (OT)
Steven Stamkos scored with 57 seconds left in overtime as Nashville defeated reeling Florida in Sunrise, Fla.
Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and an assist for Nashville. Juuse Saros made 30 saves in a brilliant performance during which the Predators never led until the game’s final shot.
The Panthers — the two-time reigning Stanley Cup champions — have lost five straight home games (0-4-1). They have also lost four consecutive games overall (0-3-1) to begin a six-game homestand. Carter Verhaeghe scored for the Panthers, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 27 saves.
Maple Leafs 5, Hurricanes 1
Bobby McMann scored two goals and Matthew Knies had a goal and an assist as Toronto won its third game in a row, beating Carolina in Raleigh, N.C.
Scott Laughton and Auston Matthews also scored for the Maple Leafs, who won for the fourth time in the past five games. Ex-Carolina forward Max Domi and Nicolas Roy each had two assists. McMann scored in the game’s opening minute and again with less than two minutes to play into an empty net, producing his first multi-goal game of the season. The Maple Leafs needed to use multiple goalies as Joseph Woll departed with a lower-body injury stopping 22 of 23 shots through two periods. Dennis Hildeby turned aside all nine shots he faced in relief.
Seth Jarvis scored his team-leading 16th goal for the Hurricanes. Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen continued to struggle, yielding four goals on 22 shots in his first action in three games.
Rangers 4, Senators 2
Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist and J.T. Miller recorded three assists in New York’s win at Ottawa.
Mika Zibanejad, Vladislav Gavrikov and Will Borgen scored for the Rangers, who are 5-1-0 over their past six games and are an NHL-best 12-4-1 in away games this season. Igor Shesterkin stopped 25 of 27 shots.
Ottawa’s Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist, Dylan Cozens also tallied and Jake Sanderson notched two assists. Leevi Merilainen stopped 23 of 26 shots for the Senators, who are 1-3-0 in their past four games.
Oilers 9, Kraken 4
Connor McDavid scored three goals and added an assist as Edmonton routed visiting Seattle.
Leon Draisaitl had a goal and three assists and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard each had three helpers for the Oilers, who went 4-for-5 on the power play. Matt Savoie scored twice and Vasily Podkolzin, Zach Hyman and Mattias Janmark also tallied.
Eeli Tolvanen, Freddy Gaudreau, Jared McCann and Jani Nyman scored for Seattle, which lost its fourth game in a row (0-3-1). Kaapo Kakko registered two assists. Kraken goalie Joey Daccord was pulled in the second period after allowing five goals on 14 shots. Philipp Grubauer didn’t fare much better in relief, giving up four goals on 18 attempts.
Blackhawks 2, Kings 1
Spencer Knight made 26 saves for visiting Chicago in a win against Los Angeles.
Connor Bedard and Wyatt Kaiser scored for the Blackhawks, who had lost six of the previous seven games (1-4-2). Frank Nazar assisted on both tallies.
Trevor Moore scored and Darcy Kuemper made 34 saves for the Kings, who have lost two in a row.
Let’s just enjoy the Flyers’ hot start … however long it lasts
It’s the time of the year to be thankful and Flyers fans have several reasons to be overflowing with gratitude.
Or at least you would think so …
The Flyers, whose front office made clear its desire for the team to take a positive step forward in its rebuild this year and be more competitive, are 15-8-3 under new coach Rick Tocchet, and have the seventh-most points and the seventh-best points percentage in the NHL. If the season ended Thursday morning, the Flyers would occupy the third spot in the Metropolitan Division based on points percentage and be in the playoffs for the first time in five seasons.
“We expect more of a fight internally, and we hope that it’s going to make us better, it’s going to hopefully make us more competitive throughout the season, and maybe push to get closer to the playoffs,” general manager Danny Brière said in September. “At the end of the day, we want to make the playoffs.”
The Flyers might be on course to do that.
» READ MORE: Trevor Zegras has fit in seamlessly and is exceeding expectations with the Flyers. What will it cost to keep him long-term?
Beyond their record, the Flyers have struck gold with inexpensive offseason acquisitions Trevor Zegras and Dan Vladař, the former flashing his puck handling wizardry and superstar potential, and the latter playing like a bona fide Vezina Trophy candidate over the first third of the season. The Flyers’ checkered history between the pipes is well documented, but maybe just maybe, Vladař, who is 28 and signed through next year, can bring some consistency to the position for the next few seasons. And in the 24-year-old Zegras, a restricted free agent at season’s end who leads the team with 26 points, the Flyers hope they have identified part of their long-term solution down the middle.
The positives don’t end there. Zegras’ close friends Cam York (24) and Jamie Drysdale (23) have leveled up after surviving John Tortorella’s wrath, and so had fellow first-rounder Tyson Foerster (23), who had 19 goals in his last 30 games dating back to last season before suffering an upper-body injury Monday on that will sideline him for two to three months. York was banged up on Wednesday but is listed as “day-to-day.”
Owen Tippett, 26, has had more good moments than bad this season as he strives for consistency, while Matvei Michkov, who is still just 20, is coming on strong after a slow start. Noah Cates (26) and Bobby Brink (24) have also picked up where they left off last season, while the exciting Emil Andrae (23) looks to have made himself into an everyday NHL defenseman. In other words, the kids are getting better.
The Flyers have more on the way as they boast a top-10 prospect pool in hockey and probably couldn’t have dreamed up better starts for their potential future stars. Porter Martone, the No. 6 overall pick in June, is dominating college hockey with Michigan State; Alex Bump and Denver Barkey are off to fast starts in their first full pro seasons with Lehigh Valley; and Egor Zavragin continues to put up historic numbers for a 20-year-old goalie in Russia. Even Jett Luchanko got the trade many felt he needed to further his development in the Ontario Hockey League. Martone, Bump, and Luchanko will all be expected to break camp with the Flyers next season.
So all is good in Flyers land, right?
Not if you scroll through X or find yourself wading through the ever dark and gloomy depths of Flyers Twitter:
“I hate Rick Tocchet hockey man…,“ tweeted @aftern_alex earlier this month.
or
“I DO NOT LIKE TOCCHET AT ALL. IF BREIRE AND JONES R ON BOARD WITH MICHKOV GETTING 13 MINUTES A GAME. FIRE THEM ALL,” wrote @Philly4everrr.
So why is a large portion of the fan base so unhappy amid the team’s surprising start? Well, it largely boils down to three things: (1) Tocchet’s style of play; (2) Michkov’s usage under Tocchet; and (3) the Flyers not tanking for a No. 1 center or No. 1 defenseman. Let’s explore those three points further.
» READ MORE: Flyers top 20 prospects: Porter Martone is No. 1, but where do Alex Bump and Jett Luchanko rank?
Boring hockey = winning hockey?
Tocchet’s teams will never be confused with the ‘80s Edmonton Oilers, the ‘90s Pittsburgh Penguins, which he played on, or the Detroit Red Wings around the turn of the century. He’s a defensive coach first and has said as much. The Flyers are 25th in the NHL in scoring (2.85 goals per game) and are fourth-to-last in shots per game (25.2), which matches with previous Tocchet teams’ low volume of shots.
On the other hand, the Flyers are much improved defensively and have taken a lot of the “risk” out of their game. Some of that is thanks to better goaltending from Vladař, who has saved almost 11 goals above expected, per Money Puck. But the Flyers are also conceding fewer shots, high-danger chances, and rush attempts. They have allowed the eighth-fewest shots per game (26) and have surrendered the 13th-fewest high-danger shots at five-on-five (64), per Money Puck. They also rank 10th in the league in fewest expected goals against at five-on-five (54.9).
Sure, everyone would love for the Flyers to score a few more goals and shoot a little more, but there also has to be an expected tradeoff there, as the Flyers last season were historically bad at keeping the puck out of their net (28th in goals against), and partly due to bad goalie environments had the league’s worst save percentage (.879). Tocchet’s philosophy centers around keeping opponents to the outside and allowing his goalies to see the initial shot, and the Flyers have largely executed that plan.
New coaches also tend to focus on laying a defensive foundation first and then building out from there. The Flyers, while improved, are far from a finished product offensively and weren’t this high-flying team that scored a ton of goals last year either — they averaged 2.83 goals per game. Making permanent judgments or broad assertions about Tocchet and the Flyers’ future after 26 games and where the roster stands hardly seems fair.
» READ MORE: The Flyers are in Rick Tocchet’s ‘blood.’ Now he’s tasked with returning the once-proud organization to prominence.
Anti-Michkov bias?
The Michkov dilemma is probably the biggest criticism of Tocchet, as the Russian winger is ninth among Flyers in average ice time at 14 minutes, 51 seconds per game. There’s no way around saying Michkov started the season slowly — one goal in his first 13 games — as his conditioning was not up to par after an offseason ankle injury, and he made several ill-advised decisions with and without the puck. So it was hardly surprising to see him play less than other forwards.
Tocchet clearly wants the youngster to earn his ice time and kick some of his bad habits. He also wants to win games and, at times, has felt that he couldn’t trust Michkov in tight games when the team is protecting a lead. While it’s easy for fans to yell “Play Michkov more!” Tocchet has a responsibility to the rest of his players to hold everyone accountable and look out for the best interests of his team.
“I know he’s the lightning rod for everybody around here. He’s got to relax,” Tocchet said in mid-October. “He’s got to get himself into shape. He’s got to be in positions … you can’t just leave the zone. And it’s OK, he’s gotten better at it.”
Michkov has “gotten better at it” of late and has seen more ice time as a result. His making better decisions with the puck and cheating less has coincided with his offensive uptick; he has four goals and seven points in his last seven games and is playing his best hockey of the season. Tocchet is rewarding Michkov’s improved play, as the Russian winger has skated at least 15:37 in three of his last four games.
While it can be frustrating to see a talent like Michkov playing less, it looks as if the message has been received and the winger will likely be better in the long run for it. That said, there needs to be a balance and Tocchet has to teach Michkov good habits without curbing his creativity or reprogramming such a talented player.
Despite what you may read online, Tocchet has no personal vendetta against Michkov or desire to see him fail. He simply wants him to play winning hockey and learn from his mistakes. While this relationship, language barrier included, remains a work in progress, don’t be surprised to see Michkov continue to get more ice time as the season wears on and for this to eventually become a whole lot of nothing.
Why aren’t they tanking?
Should the Flyers have tanked more and kept rebuilding for at least one more season, especially without obvious solutions for their future No. 1 center and No. 1 defenseman holes? This is a completely reasonable take, if not the most feasible one, considering how the roster is and was constructed.
Could the Flyers have bottomed out more and stripped their roster thinner over the past years to get more/better bites at the draft apple? I guess so, but they did largely do the latter.
Brière inherited many of the team’s salary cap problems and actually did some impressive work to get out from players like Ivan Provorov, Kevin Hayes, and Tony DeAngelo, and net high-end drafts picks and prospects in deals for Provorov, Sean Walker, Scott Laughton, Morgan Frost, Joel Farabee, and Andrei Kuzmenko. The only other three obvious and needle-moving subtractions would have been to trade well-paid veterans Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, and Travis Sanheim. Rasmus Ristolainen is another player they might have moved, but bad injury timing has largely tied Brière’s hands there, not to mention the GM could still move him.
Given Couturier’s contract, which still has 4½ seasons remaining at a $7.75 million average annual value, he was and remains all but impossible to trade. Regarding Sanheim, Brière DID try to move him before his new deal kicked in but that move was nixed due to a St. Louis player opting not to waive his no-move clause. That nontrade might be the best move Brière didn’t make, as Sanheim has blossomed into a top-pairing defenseman and the Flyers’ leader on the backend. Whether the Flyers should have traded Konecny before extending him can be debated, but most teams usually try to hold onto 30-goal, almost-point-per-game players who are in their mid-20s and on an upward trajectory.
In other words, the Flyers largely carried out their rebuild the right way, they subtracted when it made sense, stockpiled assets, and didn’t jeopardize their long-term vision for short-term success, a la trading Walker amid pushing for the playoffs in 2023-24. But what about landing that all-important 1C and a 1D?
Those problems are not isolated to the Flyers, as those two holes, along with the starting goalie, are the three hardest to find. There is a shortage of true No. 1 centers across the league, and the teams that have them don’t usually like to give them up. The Flyers have also drafted centers in the top half of the past two drafts in Luchanko and Jack Nesbitt to try and address the position, and also have several young defensemen — York, Drysdale, Oliver Bonk, Spencer Gill — they believe could one day play in their top four.
Listening to Brière and president Keith Jones, the Flyers were prepared to pay up and probably envisioned finding that No. 1 center in what was once a rich 2026 free agent class. That crop has since dried up, but that doesn’t mean all hope has.
Armed with a deep prospect pool, future draft picks, including Toronto’s first in 2027, and a plethora of young wingers and defensemen, the Flyers have valuable pieces to package in a deal for a top-end center when one becomes available. Wouldn’t Tage Thompson look nice in burnt orange? Could things between William Nylander and Toronto turn sour? Might St. Louis be blown away to move on from Robert Thomas and tear it down? Is Quinton Byfield untouchable? The Flyers can bide their time for now and can feel good that they have the type of assets to compete with most offers.
Or on the backend, Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes, a huge fan of Tocchet from their time together in Vancouver, could soon be available. As could younger options like Bowen Byram, Brandt Clarke, and Šimon Nemec, for the right price.
The Flyers are set up well for the long term, whether they make the playoffs this season or not, so let’s just enjoy them for a while and see where this season goes. It’s been a long time since this city has had a hockey team it could be proud of. The complaining can wait.
Is Heated Rivalry Based On A True Story? NHL’s Real
HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry burst onto the scene as the latest book-to-screen sensation, prompting questions about whether it’s based on real life. Using novels as a source of new material for TV has always been a practice in Hollywood, but that doesn’t mean that they always succeed. Faced with challenges, especially in terms of how accurate its live-action storytelling, some ultimately fail despite the prominence of its source material.
Thus far, Heated Rivalry has deviated from the book only a handful of times. Based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novel series, it tells the story of professional hockey players — Russian Ilya Rozanov and Canadian Shane Hollander — who have maintained a rivalry since they entered the big league. Off-ice, however, the pair find themselves developing an enchanting romance.
Ilya Rozanov & Shane Hollander’s Rivalry Are Inspired By NHL’s Alex Ovechkin & Sidney Crosby
Technically, the whole story of Heated Rivalry is not based on a true story. Reid confirms this on her official website, Rachel Reid Writes Romance, when she is asked if any of her characters are based on real life. The author clarifies that she never directly bases her characters on any real people. That being said, she admits that one of her inspirations for Ilya and Shane’s professional dynamic is
NHL Power Rankings: 1-32 poll, each team’s game of the month
Aside from a loss Thursday, the Colorado Avalanche keep rolling, and their spot atop the NHL standings is equaled by their position in the ESPN NHL Power Rankings.
Beyond the Avalanche, the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers rose up the rankings this week, while the Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils and Utah Mammoth took a tumble.
The month of December includes many games on the schedule, and for this week’s edition of the Power Rankings, we’ve identified the most intriguing matchup on the docket for each club.
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Nov. 28. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
1. Colorado Avalanche
Previous ranking: 1
>Points percentage: 81.5%
Dec. 27 at the Golden Knights. Months remain before the Stanley Cup playoff picture crystallizes into its final form. It’s a decent bet, however, that the Avs and Knights will both be skating into late April and beyond, and this contest is as good of a Western Conference finals preview as we may get before the actual thing — or at least until their next game on the schedule on April 11.
Next seven days: @ NYR (Dec. 6), @ PHI (Dec. 7), @ NSH (Dec. 9), vs. FLA (Dec. 11)
2. Dallas Stars
Previous ranking: 2
>Points percentage: 73.2%
Dec. 13 vs. the Panthers. The Stars have won a great many of their games this season; they are second in the NHL standings behind the juggernaut Avs. But one of the games they didn’t win was against the defending Stanley Cup champs. Can they get a W here, in the last time they’ll see them this season until a possible Cup Final?
Next seven days: vs. SJ (Dec. 5), vs. PIT (Dec. 7), @ WPG (Dec. 9), @ MIN (Dec. 11)
3. Carolina Hurricanes
Previous ranking: 3
>Points percentage: 65.4%
Dec. 20 at the Lightning. There’s a lot of season left. But it looks these two former Southeast Division rivals will be near the top of their respective divisions — and could square off in the Eastern Conference finals in May.
Next seven days: vs. NSH (Dec. 6), vs. SJ (Dec. 7), vs. CBJ (Dec. 9), @ WSH (Dec. 11)
4. Tampa Bay Lightning
Previous ranking: 5
>Points percentage: 63%
Dec. 9 at/Dec. 28 vs. the Canadiens. There were many strange events during the early 2020s. One of them was the 2020-21 NHL season where four new divisions were created, and the playoffs culminated in a Stanley Cup Final pitting one Atlantic Division team against another. Years have passed since then, and now both the Lightning and Canadiens are fighting for playoff position among their traditional division rivals.
Next seven days: vs. NYI (Dec. 6), @ TOR (Dec. 8), @ MTL (Dec. 9), @ NJ (Dec. 11)
5. Minnesota Wild
Previous ranking: 8
>Points percentage: 62.5%
Dec. 27 at the Jets. Around 450 miles separate these two Central Division rivals, but both will be fighting for similar real estate in the playoff race if the Avs and Stars keep dominating as they have.
Next seven days: @ VAN (Dec. 6), @ SEA (Dec. 8), vs. DAL (Dec. 11)
6. Washington Capitals
Previous ranking: 12
>Points percentage: 64.3%
Dec. 11 vs. the Hurricanes. Although the team matchup here is notable — both the Caps and Canes are near the top of the Metro — this comes down to a historical stat angle for Alex Ovechkin. The team against which Ovi has scored the most goals in his record-breaking career is the Winnipeg Jets (58); No. 2 on that list is Carolina (53). Does he close the gap with a tally (or two, or three) in this contest?
Next seven days: @ ANA (Dec. 5), vs. CBJ (Dec. 7), vs. CAR (Dec. 11)
7. Anaheim Ducks
Previous ranking: 4
>Points percentage: 61.1%
Dec. 27 at the Kings. With the Ducks back in the contenders’ mix this season, these Battle of SoCal games take on extra meaning. Anaheim won the most recent matchup, 5-4 in a shootout, on Nov. 28.
Next seven days: vs. WSH (Dec. 5), vs. CHI (Dec. 7), @ PIT (Dec. 9), @ NYI (Dec. 11)
8. Vegas Golden Knights
Previous ranking: 7
>Points percentage: 61.5%
Dec. 23 vs. the Sharks. For the first few years of the Golden Knights’ existence, the Sharks were a bitter rival, including some epic, violent clashes in the postseason. San Jose dropped off a bit, but appears back on the upswing. Will this showdown match the intensity of seasons past?
Next seven days: @ NJ (Dec. 5), @ NYR (Dec. 7), @ NYI (Dec. 9), @ PHI (Dec. 11)
9. New Jersey Devils
Previous ranking: 6
>Points percentage: 61.1%
Dec. 14 vs. the Canucks. With the trade rumor machine running on overdrive when it comes to Quinn Hughes joining his brothers in New Jersey at some point, this is another chance for the Devils faithful to see the eldest Hughes brother in action with his current team.
Next seven days: vs. VGK (Dec. 5), @ BOS (Dec. 6), @ OTT (Dec. 9), vs. TB (Dec. 11)
10. Pittsburgh Penguins
Previous ranking: 15
>Points percentage: 63.5%
Dec. 13 vs. the Sharks. Penguins fans have been blessed to see Sidney Crosby in 1,378 regular-season games (and 180 in the playoffs). On this night, they’ll see Macklin Celebrini on PPG Paints Arena ice, a player whose game has recently drawn Crosby comparisons.
Next seven days: @ DAL (Dec. 7), vs. ANA (Dec. 9), vs. MTL (Dec. 11)
11. Los Angeles Kings
Previous ranking: 9
>Points percentage: 57.4%
Dec. 29 at the Avalanche. The true test for the 2025-26 Kings will be in how far they progress in the playoffs. But this late-December matchup against the current top team in the West will be a good litmus test.
Next seven days: vs. CHI (Dec. 6), @ UTA (Dec. 8), @ SEA (Dec. 10)
12. Philadelphia Flyers
Previous ranking: 21
>Points percentage: 63.5%
Dec. 13 vs./Dec. 14 at the Hurricanes. The Flyers’ current standings position is a moderate surprise to those who did not peg them as a playoff team. This home-and-home series against the perennial playoff-contending Canes is a chance for Philly to make a statement.
Next seven days: vs. COL (Dec. 7), vs. SJ (Dec. 9), vs. VGK (Dec. 11)
13. New York Islanders
Previous ranking: 10
>Points percentage: 58.9%
Dec. 27 vs. the Rangers. Neither of these teams has what could be called a firm grasp on a playoff spot at this point, but the geographic rivals always bring the heat to these games no matter the standings.
Next seven days: @ TB (Dec. 6), @ FLA (Dec. 7), vs. VGK (Dec. 9), vs. ANA (Dec. 11)
14. Ottawa Senators
Previous ranking: 16
>Points percentage: 55.6%
Dec. 27 at the Maple Leafs. Have the Senators surpassed the Leafs? Ottawa didn’t have enough to knock Toronto off in the clubs’ first-round playoff series in the spring but sits ahead of its intraprovince rival currently.
Next seven days: vs. STL (Dec. 6), vs. NJ (Dec. 9), @ CBJ (Dec. 11)
15. Montreal Canadiens
Previous ranking: 17
>Points percentage: 59.6%
Dec. 6 at the Maple Leafs. Is there anything better than a Saturday night matchup between the Canadiens and Maple Leafs? The clubs have split their matchups thus far, and their next tilt after this one isn’t until March 10.
Next seven days: @ TOR (Dec. 6), vs. STL (Dec. 7), vs. TB (Dec. 9), @ PIT (Dec. 11)
16. Detroit Red Wings
Previous ranking: 14
>Points percentage: 55.4%
Dec. 13 at the Blackhawks. These two teams are no longer Norris Division rivals (or even in the same conference), but there’s always something special about a Blackhawks-Red Wings game!
Next seven days: @ SEA (Dec. 6), @ VAN (Dec. 8), @ CGY (Dec. 10), @ EDM (Dec. 11)
17. Boston Bruins
Previous ranking: 22
>Points percentage: 55.2%
Dec. 23 vs. the Canadiens. These two of the Original Six clubs are both in playoff position in the first week of December, which adds some fuel to this rivalry compared to recent seasons when one team was clearly better than the other.
Next seven days: vs. NJ (Dec. 6), @ STL (Dec. 9), @ WPG (Dec. 11)
18. Utah Mammoth
Previous ranking: 13
>Points percentage: 51.8%
Dec. 14 at the Penguins. While the Mammoth and Penguins are fighting for postseason positioning, this game is under more of a spotlight for one Utah skater in particular: Logan Cooley, who grew up in the Pittsburgh area and participated in Sidney Crosby’s
Texas Longhorns’ Michael Taaffe Just Took Major Step Toward NFL Draft
The end of the regular season and a all-but-certain miss on the College Football Playoff means many Texas Longhorns players will have to make some major decisions on their future.
Whether that’s entering the transfer portal, staying with the program or entering the 2026 NFL Draft, these decisions can be tough, though that isn’t the case for safety Michael Taaffe.
Taaffe, who is in his final year of eligibility, would certainly stay at Texas for another season if he could, but fortunately, the former walk-on’s hopes of making it to the NFL are taking a big step in the right direction.
Michael Taaffe Receives Invite to Senior Bowl
According to reports from Chip Brown of Horns247, Taaffe has been invited to play in the annual Senior Bowl in Mobile, AL., where some talented college players will look to impress NFL scouts.
Though Taaffe is not considered to be a major NFL prospect, he will have a chance to show scouts what he can do while also start to build relationships with teams in hopes of being a late-round pick or even an undrafted free agent.
At the least, Taaffe could potentially find his way onto an NFL practice squad down the line if he performs well at the Senior Bowl. Regardless of what happens, it’s been quite a journey for the Austin native.
Michael Taaffe’s Texas Career Stats
During his Texas career, Taaffe has played in 53 games while making 36 starts. In that span, he’s posted 222 total tackles (119 solo), three sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 21 pass breakups and seven interceptions.
He will have a chance to add to that total during Texas’ bowl game in what will be his final game as a Longhorn.
In the 27-17 win over Texas A&M, his final home game at Texas, Taaffe made the game-sealing interception of Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed.
The Loop NFL Picks: Week 14
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Jared Goff Pulled Aside as NFL Procedure Forces Unexpected Postgame Delay After Lions Beat Cowboys
A little over a year after spoiling Jerry Jones’ 82nd birthday in Dallas, the Detroit Lions welcomed the Cowboys to Ford Field on Thursday Night Football and handled business again, winning 44-30. Jared Goff was lights-out all night. But before he could even enjoy the win or make it to the podium for the postgame press conference, the NFL pulled him aside.
In simple terms, his postgame presser got pushed back because the league tapped him for a drug test. And when Goff finally walked in, he kicked things off with an easy apology: “Sorry about that guys, NFL drug testing rules,” he said, per ESPN’s Eric Woodyard.
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It’s a script we’ve seen pop up around the Lions before. We don’t have to rewind that far, just think back to 2023. The Lions’ running back Jahmyr Gibbs lit up the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Eve, stacking 100 scrimmage yards and two scores as Detroit locked up its first division title in 30 years. And right after the game, the league handed him a random drug test. Gibbs even posted the slip on social media with a three-word caption that instantly went viral: “Am I cooked?”
Fast-forward to now, and Goff just put on a show of his own against Dallas. He went 25-of-34 for 309 yards, a touchdown, no picks, and the Cowboys got to him only once. In other words, it was the kind of clean, efficient outing that tends to get the league’s attention, sometimes in ways players don’t exactly expect.
And with that, the Lions picked up their eighth win of the year, nudging themselves a little closer to locking in a playoff spot. The Cowboys, on the other hand… well, their three-game winning streak just slammed to a halt, dropping them to 6-6-1.
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Takeaways from Jared Goff’s eighth win of the season
The Lions rolled into Week 14 with only a 30% shot at making the playoffs. A loss would’ve tanked that number to around 12%. But they didn’t lose. Instead, they flipped the script, and The Athletic now bumps their playoff odds to a solid 45%. And if they can take three of their final four, go ahead and pencil them in for January football, all because they handled business in a must-have game against the Cowboys.
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Detroit’s offense was brilliant. The team piled up 408 yards. Jameson Williams (7 for 96) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (6 for 92) carried the passing game as Goff pushed the Lions to 299 yards through the air. On the ground, David Montgomery set the tone with 60 yards on just six carries, but Gibbs stole the spotlight. 43 yards on 12 carries and three touchdowns will do that, while also hauling in 7 receptions for 77 yards.
Defensively, the Lions were just as solid. Dallas actually finished with more total yardage (417), but Detroit kept the pressure on Dak Prescott (31-of-47 for 376 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions) all night, racking up five sacks. Special teams had a few shaky moments, but none of it mattered in the final score.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, had some brilliant moments, especially from CeeDee Lamb, as the wide receiver caught 6 receptions for 121 yards. However, he went down with a concussion and left the game in the third quarter. And just like that, the Lions walked out of Ford Field with a 44–30 win, and now turn their attention to the Los Angeles Rams as the playoff chase stays wide open.
NFL news: Darius Slay considering retirement after being claimed by Bills
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The Buffalo Bills claimed cornerback Darius Slay off waivers earlier this week in hopes of bolstering their secondary for the playoff stretch, but he appeared to be hesitant to continue his career.
Slay put off reporting to the Bills to take time to contemplate his future, his agent Drew Rosenhaus said on Thursday.
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NFL picks: Browns QB Shedeur Sanders will thrive vs. Titans
LAS VEGAS — In the middle of the third quarter, inside their Huntington Bank Field and trailing only 10-8, the Browns doomed themselves with a horrible fourth-down play in their territory.
Terrible special-teams debacles greased a deficit that would become 23-8, and the 49ers’ eventual 26-8 victory became academic.
Such utter sloppiness, we’d venture, is uncommon even down the road from Huntington at St. Ignatius High School.
Dawg Pound faithful might be howling for the sacking of special-teams boss Bubba Valentine, but offensive coordinator Tommy Rees also must be on the hot seat for that goofball fourth-down call.
Furthermore, the lot of Kevin Stefanski’s staff, including the head coach himself, soon might be unemployed after the defeat guaranteed a fourth losing season in his six years.
The gaffes were many, but the Browns’ whirlpool of misery began swirling after that brutal fourth-and-one call at their 33-yard line.
Stefanski panicked, acting as if 25 seconds remained in a playoff game.
(The Browns won a wild-card game, in Pittsburgh, in Stefanski’s first season, nothing since.)
With the play clock running down, he kept quarterback Shedeur Sanders on the sideline, sending rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. in to take the snap. Fannin had gained nine yards on four runs this season.
In the milliseconds before the snap, though, he swung his noggin left, right and left, appearing bewildered.
Coaches didn’t even opt for Quinshon Judkins, who has had success taking the snap and running in Wildcat formations.
Predictably, the ill-fated snap to Fannin gave the 49ers the ball at the Browns’ 32.
“That’s not the way to play a good team,” Stefanski told reporters, “where you’re giving them short fields.”
And the play that I’m nominating as the worst call of the NFL season?
“I felt good,” Stefanski said. “I think there’s always the obvious risk when you go for it in those situations. If you feel good about the plays you have and your players, you feel good about converting on those distances.
“Just felt good about it. Didn’t get it done.”
Fortunately for the Dawg Pound, the absolute dregs of the NFL, the Titans, visit this weekend. We see the Browns’ fantastic defense, led by Myles Garrett and his league-best 19 sacks, dominating.
Our admiration for Sanders stems from the 94 sacks, the most in college football, he suffered his two seasons at Colorado. Deion’s kid, though, rose from the turf every time, the definition of tough.
Tennessee’s defense has forced only one turnover in its last six games, so we expect Sanders to flourish.
Should the Browns’ coaches continue to stumble, we’ll nominate, to team owner Jimmy Haslam, the St. Ignatius staff as replacements. No way they’d go for it on fourth down from their 33.
Best bet
TITANS at BROWNS
Time: Noon Sunday.
Line: Browns by 4½. Total: 33½.
Records (overall/ATS): Titans 1-11/4-8; Browns 3-9/5-7.
Pick: Browns 17, Titans 3.
Play: Browns -4½.
How Miech’s plays fared
Last week Overall
Best bet 0-1 5-8
Top plays 1-2 19-20
All plays 4-8-2 78-110-4
7-point tease 12-2 134-56-2
Top plays
DOLPHINS at JETS
Time: Noon Sunday.
Line: Dolphins by 2½. Total: 41½.
Records (overall/ATS): Dolphins 5-7/6-6; Jets 3-9/8-4.
Outlook: Winners of four of their last five, the Fins have averaged 168 rushing yards in those triumphs. RB De’Von Achane has 428 rushing yards (three TDs) in his last three. The Jets yielded 142 to Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson last Sunday.
Pick: Dolphins 23, Jets 6.
Play: Dolphins -2½.
BRONCOS at RAIDERS
Time: 3:05 p.m. Sunday.
Line: Broncos by 7½. Total: 40½.
Records (overall/ATS): Broncos 10-2/5-6-1; Raiders 2-10/3-8-1.
Outlook: With an NFL-high eight one-score victories, the Broncos also take the league’s lead in luck. Knowing when that pendulum swings back is the key to thickening the wallet, but it won’t happen here. That smell? The Raiders.
Pick: Broncos 27, Raiders 10.
Play: Broncos -7½.
RAMS at CARDINALS
Time: 3:25 p.m. Sunday.
Line: Rams by 7½. Total: 47½.
Records (overall/ATS): Rams 9-3/8-4; Cardinals 3-9/5-5-2.
Outlook: Victors in nine of their last 10 in the Valley of the Sun, the Rams also get the benefit of playing the team with the worst home record (13-26, .333) since the 2021 season. Nothing about this tilt is good for the Cardinals.
Pick: Rams 33, Cardinals 13.
Play: Rams -7½.
Other plays
SEAHAWKS at FALCONS
Time: Noon Sunday.
Line: Seahawks by 7. Total: 44½.
Records (overall/ATS): Seahawks 9-3/7-4-1; Falcons 4-8/5-6-1.
Outlook: The Seahawks have won four of their last five in Atlanta, including three in a row (by a 13-point average). Even better, they’re 5-1 against the spread on the road, tying them atop the NFL with Arizona and New England.
Pick: Seahawks 21, Falcons 10.
Play: Seahawks -7.
BENGALS at BILLS
Time: Noon Sunday, Fox 32.
Line: Bills by 5½. Total: 52½.
Records (overall/ATS): Bengals 4-8/5-7; Bills 8-4/6-6.
Outlook: Cincy QB Joe Burrow’s return was stellar, as he directed a triumph in Baltimore. He gets another joke secondary to pick apart, but Bills QB Josh Allen’s wheels (155 rushing yards, eight TDs last six games) are the difference.
Pick: Bills 24, Bengals 21.
Play: Bengals +5½.
COMMANDERS at VIKINGS
Time: Noon Sunday.
Line: Vikings by 1½. Total: 41½.
Records (overall/ATS): Commanders 3-9/4-8; Vikings 4-8/4-8.
Outlook: Both are underwater, with negative points-per-play (PPP) margins for the season and over their last three games. QB J.J. McCarthy returns for the Vikes; don’t forget, he led them to victory in Chicago and at Detroit.
Pick: Vikings 20, Commanders 13.
Play: Vikings -1½.
COLTS at JAGUARS
Time: Noon Sunday, CBS 2.
Line: Colts by 1½. Total: 47½.
Records (overall/ATS): Colts 8-4/7-4-1; Jaguars 8-4/6-4-2.
Outlook: The Colts have dropped their last 10 games in Jacksonville. Plus, they’ve lost three of their last four on the highway. This is for the AFC South lead, and the Jags have won four of their last five.
Pick: Jaguars 24, Colts 20.
Play: Jaguars +1½.
SAINTS at BUCCANEERS
Time: Noon Sunday.
Line: Buccaneers by 8½. Total: 42½.
Records (overall/ATS): Saints 2-10/4-8; Buccaneers 7-5/5-6-1.
Outlook: After correcting a three-game skid last weekend at home against the woeful Cardinals, QB Baker Mayfield and the Bucs get the just-as-woeful Saints this weekend, again at home. Grazie, NFL schedule-makers.
Pick: Buccaneers 21, Saints 10.
Play: Buccaneers -8½.
STEELERS at RAVENS
Time: Noon Sunday.
Line: Ravens by 6. Total: 42½.
Records (overall/ATS): Steelers 6-6/5-7; Ravens 6-6/4-8.
Outlook: QB Lamar Jackson might have returned for Baltimore, but that Swiss-cheese secondary remains. Joe Burrow exploited those punching bags in his return, and leave it to sage veteran Aaron Rodgers to keep this one close.
Pick: Ravens 17, Steelers 16.
Play: Steelers +6.
BEARS at PACKERS
Time: 3:25 p.m. Sunday, Fox 32.
Line: Packers by 6½. Total: 44½.
Records (overall/ATS): Bears 9-3/7-4-1; Packers 8-3-1/5-7.
Outlook: The Bears are one of nine NFL teams with negative PPP-margin figures for the season, in their last three games and in their previous game, and they’re on a 3-14 run in Wisconsin. The Packers ride a three-game turnover-less streak.
Pick: Packers 31, Bears 17.
Play: Packers -6½.
TEXANS at CHIEFS
Time: 7:20 p.m. Sunday, NBC 5.
Line: Chiefs by 3½. Total: 41½.
Records (overall/ATS): Texans 7-5/6-6; Chiefs 6-6/5-7.
Outlook: Officially underwater in their last three games, with a negative PPP margin (-.086), the Chiefs now get the league’s best road defense, in points (16.5) and total yards (270). The Texans have won three of their last four on the highway.
Pick: Texans 23, Chiefs 14.
Play: Texans +3½.
EAGLES at CHARGERS
Time: 7:15 p.m. Monday, ABC 7, ESPN.
Line: Eagles by 3. Total: 40½.
Records (overall/ATS): Eagles 8-4/7-5; Chargers 8-4/5-6-1.
Outlook: We’ll take QB Justin Herbert’s sterling history of playing through pain and his own comments Sunday, that a broken bone in his left (non-throwing) hand (requiring Monday surgery) likely won’t keep him out of this game.
Pick: Chargers 24, Eagles 21.
Play: Chargers +3.
“Nobody’s calling us crazy”: Why Myles Garrett breaking NFL sack record against Titans feels inevitable
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The casual confidence is almost jarring. As the Orange and Brown Talk podcast hosts discussed Sunday’s Browns-Titans matchup, they casually predicted defensive end Myles Garrett would break the NFL’s single-season sack record this weekend — and nobody batted an eye.
That kind of prediction — at least four sacks — would normally be dismissed as hometown hyperbole, but when it comes to Garrett this season, the extraordinary has become expected. It’s no longer if he’ll break the record, but when — and this Sunday’s matchup against the league’s most-sacked quarterback presents the perfect opportunity.
“Is Myles Garrett going to break the NFL single-season sack record this weekend? Because he has a chance to,” Browns beat reporter Ashley Bastock said on the podcast. “It’s crazy that we’re saying that because he’s at 19, he needs four more to beat the 22.5 record that was set by Michael Strahan and matched by T.J. Watt. But Cam Ward is averaging about four sacks a game right now. He’s been sacked 48 times. It’s the most of any quarterback in the NFL.”
What’s most remarkable isn’t just that Garrett is challenging the record — it’s that he’s doing it with five games still to play. NFL sack records typically come down to the wire in Week 17 or 18, not in early December. Michael Strahan famously needed Brett Favre to essentially surrender to set the mark at 22.5 sacks. Garrett could surpass it before many teams have even started their holiday parties.
The situation has created a bizarrely confident atmosphere around the Browns, despite their disappointing 3-9 record. As host Dan Labbe noted, there’s something unprecedented about the way people are discussing a potential four-sack performance.
“We’re sitting here two, three days before this football game and we’re just kind of really casually saying, ‘Yeah, Myles will get four sacks on Sunday and break this record.’ And nobody is calling us out and being like, ‘You’re crazy.’ You’re predicting a four sack game for this guy. It feels so normal,” Labbe remarked.
The matchup couldn’t be more perfect for Garrett’s record-breaking aspirations. The Titans’ rookie quarterback has been sacked at least twice in every game, with multiple five and six-sack performances already on his resume. Ward has also lost six of his nine fumbles this season, making him particularly vulnerable to Garrett’s signature strip-sacks.
Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has made it clear he wants more than just sacks — he wants the strips too. Mary Kay Cabot noted that Schwartz “brought that up today, that he doesn’t want these guys just getting sacks. He wants the strips in this game.”
For a 3-9 team playing out the string, individual achievements like Garrett’s have become the rallying cry. As Labbe pointed out: “The one thing this defense can sort of cling to or the couple things this defense can sort of cling to is the sack record, getting Myles defensive Player of the Year.”
If you want to witness potential NFL history this Sunday, tune in to Browns-Titans. You might just see Myles Garrett accomplish something that typically takes a full season in just his 13th game — and based on the matchup, nobody in Cleveland would be surprised if it happens.
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The Mystery of the Missing NFL Score
There was no good reason to be thinking about NFL history when the Dallas Cowboys took on the Las Vegas Raiders a couple of weeks ago. Neither team had a winning record at the time, and the score was never close after halftime. But as the game stretched on that Monday night, the sportswriter and video maker Jon Bois sensed that something unprecedented could be afoot. “I glanced up and realized 36–23 was very much in play,” he told me.
Bois is the mind behind “Scorigami,” a term he defines as “the act, and art, of producing a final score in a football game that has never happened before.” He conjured that portmanteau after a 2014 Seattle Seahawks victory over the Green Bay Packers. That game finished 36–16, the first time those two numbers had ever appeared side by side at the end of an official NFL contest.
In the 11 years since, Scorigami-watching has become a national pastime. Throughout the NFL season, fans of football and whole numbers keep a weekly vigil, hoping for novel combinations. Sometimes, their dedication is rewarded with a score that has never been achieved in any of the 18,000-plus regular-season and postseason games found in official league records. Since Bois’s coinage, we’ve celebrated 78 more Scorigamis, including four this year: 41–40, 40–40, 36–29, and 44–32. In a world suddenly awash with legalized sports betting and its associated ills, tracking these football digits is a comparatively wholesome compulsion. Scorigami is a game within the game that anyone can follow, one in which the teams and players are irrelevant. All that matters is the scoreboard.
For those keeping count, there have now been 1,095 unique scorelines in NFL history. But one never-before-seen Scorigami stands apart from all the others, on account of its maddening elusiveness: 36–23.
Some Scorigamis haven’t happened for a reason: You wouldn’t expect an NFL game to finish 83–12. But the somewhat normal-sounding 36–23—a single touchdown and an extra point off the Seahawks–Packers score that inspired Bois’s whole Scorigami conceit—has also remained out of reach. Indeed, scan across and down the NFL Scorigami grid, and you’ll find that given one team’s score of 23 points, opponents have put up every point total between six and 49. Every total, that is, except for 36.
Dave Mattingly, the programmer behind the NFL Scorigami website and a companion social-media bot with more than 500,000 followers, said the evasiveness of 36–23 has become “something of a meme” among the online score-monitoring community. Mattingly’s bot, which he engineered to spit out live Scorigami predictions for every NFL game, has posted, “Most likely Scorigami: 36–23,” a gobsmacking number of times, to no avail. A few representative replies: “Please 36-23 at long last igami,” “How has 36-23 never happenedigami,” and “36-23 needs to be a national holiday when it hitsigami.”
National 36–23 Day is the NFL’s perpetual broken promise. Bois was primed to celebrate a few weeks back, when the Cowboys were up 33–16 on the Raiders with four minutes to go. The Scorigami was right there—just a field goal, touchdown, and extra point away. But when the Dallas offense stalled deep in Las Vegas territory, the Cowboys went for it on fourth down rather than opting for the sure three points. It was a sensible move strategically but devastating Scorigamically. The final score: that same ho-hum 33–16, for the tenth time in NFL history.
“Man,” Bois told me, “the second it looks like it might happen, 36–23 keeps finding some unexpected way to give us the slip.”
That slipperiness, and Scorigamis more broadly, have been the subject of deep study over the past year. Nate Silver recently analyzed the NFL’s “Scorigami Era,” in which the combination of prolific offenses and placekickers, updated kickoff rules, and aggressive coaches have produced a raft of unusual scores. The academic researchers Liam Moyer, Jameson Railey, Andrew Daw, and Samuel C. Gutekunst—who collectively specialize in computer science, data sciences and operations, and mathematics—published a 2024 paper on a new model to “forecast likely future Scorigamis.” And Bois himself, along with his co-producer Alex Rubenstein, released a four-part Scorigami series on YouTube, culminating in an 88-minute finale on the next frontier of NFL scores.
All of these experts reached very similar conclusions: 36–23 is the “most likely unrealized Scorigami,” according to Silver, who described it as “honestly, not that weird a score” compared with goofier possibilities like 40–19 and 33–11. Daw, Gutekunst, and their colleagues originally had a different score, 32–26, as their top candidate for the next Scorigami triumph; when the Jets and the Dolphins took those numbers off the board last December, 36–23 became their top contender as well.
Exactly how likely is a 36–23 NFL game? Scorigami simulations by both Silver and the academics found that, given modern scoring conditions, it should pop up roughly once every 1,400 games. By Daw and Gutekunst’s numbers, there’s a 50 percent chance that we’ll see 36–23 by the end of the 2028–29 season. There’s also a 0.6 percent chance that it won’t happen by 2050.
Bois and Rubenstein, for their part, have decreed that 36–23 is “overdue.” They’ve also unearthed one very close call—what Rubenstein referred to as “a malfunction in the space-time continuum that clearly was supposed to end 36–23 and didn’t.” Back in 2014, the Steelers were leading the Ravens 36–23 with two minutes to go, and needed just two yards to ice the game and clinch the Scorigami. Instead, Pittsburgh got a 33-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to tight end Matt Spaeth. I think that Spaeth’s knee might have been down before the ball crossed the goal line. But in the record books, the final score was 43–23, for the third time ever.
This agonizing 36–23 drought is strictly an NFL phenomenon. According to the data clearinghouse Sports Reference, there have been nine 36–23 games in major college football since 1968, the most recent coming last November. The Canadian Football League has also played host to four 36–23 games in its 67-year history, including the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ win over the Edmonton Elks earlier this year.
Once you start looking for it, you can find 36–23 pretty much everywhere. In the past five weeks, the score turned up in an NCAA Division III game; in the Texas high-school playoffs; and on a junior-varsity field in California’s Central Valley. Further back in time, 36–23 games have been contested in the Hawaii–Aleutian Time Zone, in a now-defunct, college all-star game called the Challenge Bowl, and in a second-tier arena league. That is, in nearly every football setting ever invented except the National Football League.
There is one caveat: At least two NFL preseason games have finished 36–23. But Bois believes that exhibition football shouldn’t register Scorigami-wise, because it’s essentially a different sport, one in which the main goals are injury avoidance and carving out playing time for backups. “When a 36–23 happens in preseason, it feels to me like we didn’t really come by it honestly,” he said.
So what would it take to come by 36–23 honestly?
The 23 part isn’t really an issue. Twenty-three is currently in the sweet spot for NFL scoring—teams have averaged 22.9 points per game so far this year—and it’s easily achievable with football-friendly sevens and threes: All you need is two touchdowns, two extra points, and three field goals. Scoring 36 on the dot is far more unusual; it’s taken place only 155 times in NFL history and just once so far this year. (That game happened to be a Scorigami, too.) Although you can get to 36 with sevens and threes—three touchdowns plus extra points and five field goals—that exact combination of events is extremely uncommon. When a team hits 36, it’s more likely the result of a missed extra point, a made or missed two-point conversion, a two-point safety, or some mishmash of the above.
Even so, the lack of a 36–23 Scorigami can’t be explained just by the rarity of 36. As Andrew Daw, one of the authors of that 2024 Scorigami paper, put it to me, “There’s a broader story here on dependence between events that seem like they’re independent.”
In football, the scoreboard dictates strategy. A 13-point gap, like the one that separates 36 and 23, has a strong repellant force on NFL coaches. They’re a lot more attracted to 14-point differentials, which will protect them from losing if their opponent happens to score two touchdowns and two extra points. That gravitational pull helps explain why there have been 11 NFL games that ended 36–22 and zero that finished 36–23.
Judging by recent history, when 36–23 does happen, it will be more of a happy accident than the residue of design. Tennessee beat Vanderbilt 36–23 last college football season, with the help of a late safety. This year in Canada, Winnipeg botched an extra point in its 36–23 victory over Edmonton. (For the CFL-curious: No, that game did not feature a one-point rouge.) In the 2022 NFL preseason, the Cardinals missed two extra points in their 36–23 win over the Bengals.
Carolina Panthers predicted to pick freakish Oregon prospect in 2026 NFL draft
It’s been almost a decade now since the Carolina Panthers had a dominant tight end on their roster, or even an above-average starter, for that matter.
Greg Olsen’s injuries caught up to him around 2016, and the Panthers have been at the bottom of the league at this spot ever since.
There have been flashes from rookie Mitchell Evans out of Notre Dame, but the 2026 NFL draft represents a chance to really change the dynamic at this spot.
Enter Oregon star Kenyon Sadiq, who goes to the Panthers at No. 13 overall in a new seven-round mock draft from Pro Football Network.
Cowboy’s Dak Prescott sends warning to NFL after loss to Lions
Earlier in the week, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones acknowledged that his team’s
Patriots bye week as New England has best record
If there’s an unsung reason the New England Patriots have entered their bye week with the NFL’s best record following back-to-back 4-13 seasons, it may be as simple as them enjoying being around one another.
While teams around the league dole out platitudes about brotherhood, these Patriots (11-2) are remarkably close, on and off the field.
Whether it’s been quarterback Drake Maye and rookie left tackle Will Campbell sitting courtside at a Celtics game or having dinner together in Boston’s North End, the weekly dinners shared by the offensive line, or the ways coach Mike Vrabel has given attention to individual players, the bonds of this roster are noticeable.
“This is probably the tightest group of guys I’ve been around in my four years,” offensive lineman Vederian Lowe said.
Creating those connections was not a given after an offseason that saw only 27 holdovers from last season make this season’s initial 53-man roster.
At his introductory news conference in January, Vrabel said he wanted to put the players and their needs at the forefront as he began building the team’s culture.
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He has backed it up at the end of every game, when he shakes hands with the opposing coach, then sprints to the tunnel to ensure he’s at the locker room door to greet each player.
Some get a handshake or a “Nice job.” Others receive a longer embrace and maybe a few words in their ear. It’s varied by design.
“I understand I’m going to have a different relationship with some players than I do others,” Vrabel said. “But I’m going to have a relationship with every single one of them.”
He’s also done smaller things that have resonated, like bringing back individual player introductions before games — something that had been absent for at least a decade in New England. He also selects weekly game captains, which come as a surprise to players. Those picked for the role often have a link with that week’s opponent.
In New England’s win over the New York Giants last week, one captain was linebacker Jahlani Tavai, who missed the team’s game at Cincinnati in Week 12 for personal reasons.
The Patriots dedicated that victory to him and made a video call to him in the locker room afterward. After the win over the Giants, Vrabel asked Tavai to break down the locker room huddle.
“Glad to have you back,” Vrabel told Tavai as teammates stood around him cheering.
Walking to the middle of the group, Tavai said, “I love the brotherhood in here and I’ll ride with any of y’all any day. I love you guys and appreciate you guys.”
Then there are players like 32-year-old wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Along with leading the Patriots in receptions (64) and receiving yards (705), he’s also embraced his role as a mentor to young receivers Kayshon Boutte (23), DeMario Douglas (25) and Kyle Williams (23).
Diggs didn’t score a touchdown over the first seven games, the longest such stretch of his career to begin a season. But he supported his fellow receivers throughout, often being the first in line to give them high-fives.
Williams said the Patriots have a culture of joy.
“It is hard not to feel it,” he said. “As soon as you walk through the building, you see we share a whole locker, so we are always just cracking jokes and uplifting everybody. It is hard to be in a bad mood when you’ve got so many joyful people around you.”
Diggs said a lot of the credit goes to Vrabel, who helped him feel welcome as a free-agent addition coming off knee surgery.
“He is one of my favorite coaches up to this point. I look forward to building off of that,” Diggs said. “It’s been a very, very fun year. … He’s made the transition real seamless as far as helping the team band together, spending time together, getting to know each other, and appreciating him as a man.”
Diggs said the way the Patriots interact with one another is genuine.
“Guys really pulling for each other. It’s not fake out there,” he said. “You want the guys to play well, you want the guys around you to play well. Throwing those extra blocks and doing all that. I think it goes a long way. … We all hold each other accountable.”
Fanatics to sell 2026 World Cup merch at MetLife Stadium
Sports merchandise giant Fanatics has landed the on-site retail license for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will see 104 matches played across 16 stadiums in the U.S., Canada and Mexico next summer, including MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Fanatics will be able to operate retail and merchandising at next summer’s World Cup, regarded as the world’s largest sporting event. Fanatics will offer “world-class brands and official FIFA merchandise,” according to a Dec. 4 announcement.
All told, “Fanatics will have thousands of different products from many official licensees,” said Shannon Donohue, a representative for Berk Communications, which does public relations for Fanatics.
Story continues below photo gallery
Fanatics has overseen other international sporting events such as Major League Baseball’s Tokyo series, where it made $40 million from trading card sales; the National Hockey League’s Four Nations tournament, where fans could buy hockey jerseys from different country teams; and the UEFA’s Euro 2024, where fans could buy collectibles such as trading cards and stickers.
“We’re bringing together our expertise across event and physical retail operations, buying and merchandising, product creation, and rapid production to serve millions of fans in real time,” Fanatics CEO Andrew Low Ah Kee said in a Dec. 4 statement.
The tournament — which kicks off June 10, 2026, and wraps with a final match at MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026 — is the first to take place in three different countries. East Rutherford will host five group stage matches, two knockout round matches and the tournament final.
Buy FIFA World Cup 2026 gear
The official draw — when all 48 teams find out where they will be playing their group stage matches — will be held at noon on Dec. 5 in Washington. That is when teams will be assigned to specific match schedule fixtures, including venues and kickoff times.
The bid for the matches to be played in East Rutherford was part of a partnership between the state of New Jersey and New York City. The host city obligations are the responsibility of both New Jersey and New York City, and officials have previously said costs would be split with New York City.
There is still no formal agreement in place with New York City. Bringing the tournament to the Garden State costs money, and though hosting duties are part of a joint bid with New York City, New Jersey taxpayers have footed the bill so far — roughly $207 million spent or contracted, according to documents obtained by NorthJersey.com.
Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record.
FGCU golf management program offers fairway to the future
Florida Gulf Coast University offers one of only 16 PGA-accredited golf management programs in the nation.
Students are paired with local PGA professionals for mentorship throughout their education.
Many graduates of the program remain in Florida, with 32% working in the Southwest Florida region.
At Florida Gulf Coast University, golf is more than a game. For students majoring in the PGA golf management program, it’s the fairway connecting them to the local workforce through internships, mentorship and hands-on learning.
While some question higher education’s return on investment, this program’s value is reflected not just in student outcomes but in economic benefits to our community.
FGCU’s golf management program is one of 16 in the country accredited by the PGA — and the only one in Florida.
The admissions process is competitive: Not only must students meet FGCU’s academic standards, but they must also have a golf handicap of 12 or lower. To graduate with a four-year degree and earn PGA Class Certification, students must pass a rigorous 36-hole PGA playing test as well as secure full-time employment.
For our students, that’s not a problem. Our program boasts a nearly 100% placement rate, largely due to the 16 months of paid internships required. Half of those internships happen in Southwest Florida during peak season, when employer demand is high but supply is low due to housing challenges. Majority of our students already have housing, making them ideal candidates. Our program provides more than 120 professional interns who work full time in season and about 50 more who work part time.
Southwest Florida’s golf economy is unique, with a high concentration of private clubs, “bundled” communities and distinct ties to real estate development and seasonal residents. With limited public access, the golf climate provides challenges and opportunities for aspiring golf professionals. Surrounded by more than 140 upscale private facilities, our students have a rich training ground in which to work and play. That’s why FGCU’s Eagles enjoy significant opportunities, using Southwest Florida as a living laboratory for golf management.
Our program has collaborated with more than 85% of courses and facilities across Lee and Collier counties, ensuring that students are learning from some of the best professionals in the country. This relationship – in which employers mentor our students and students are eager to contribute – is essential to the golf fabric of our region.
Enrollment has grown dramatically since the current director, Tara McKenna, Ed.D. (PGA/LPGA), took over in 2010. Under her leadership, the program has become a national destination for this field. Since its inception 17 years ago, it has attracted students from 38 states and 10 countries.
From day one, students are paired with local PGA professionals who mentor them through their bookwork, refine their games, guide them in navigating career and internship opportunities in and outside of Florida, and provide early, valuable insight into the broader golf industry.
The success of our graduates continues to grow. Over 400 golf management alums work across the United States, but many choose to stay and enrich this area with their talent. Nearly 40% work in Florida and 32% in Southwest Florida.
In addition to holding management and instructional roles at traditional green-grass facilities, our graduates are also local entrepreneurs. Two excellent examples are Thor Parrish, founder of Thunder Performance and owner of Junior Golf Performance Academy, and Jason Becker, founder and CEO of Golf Life Navigators.
Walk into nearly any private golf club in Southwest Florida, and you’re likely to find either an FGCU intern or alum at work. We are proud of their impact in the golfing community.
We invite you to visit FGCU’s state-of-the-art Swing Lab and see how our students are mastering the technology shaping the future of the game. And don’t forget to stop by our Pro Shop to pick up golf apparel and accessories that support YOUR university.
Aysegul Timur, Ph.D., is FGCU president and Tara McKenna, Ed.D., is director of the FGCU golf program.
Who Can Break LeBron James’ 1297-Game 10-Point Streak? Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic & Others Eye History
Another remarkable chapter in LeBron James’ storied career closed tonight against the Raptors. The Lakers pulled off a 123-120 win, but LeBron couldn’t carry his own streak. One person can carry so much weight, and he has, from being the first NBA player to enter his 23rd season, breaking his own record of never missing the start of a season, and, funnily enough, becoming the first father-son duo to replace his son, Bronny, in the starting lineup.
It’s now time for the 40-year-old to start thinking about passing the torch.
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What makes LeBron’s 10-point streak historic?
A bittersweet moment came late in the game when LeBron James had a chance to keep his legendary streak alive. With the Lakers clinging to a narrow lead, he could have taken the final shot himself, but instead, he passed the ball to Rui Hachimura in the left corner.
Hachimura’s 3-pointer went in as time expired, giving the Lakers the win but leaving LeBron with just eight points.
That meant his incredible streak of 1,297 consecutive games scoring in double digits, the longest in NBA history, finally came to an end.
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The streak was nothing short of legendary, beginning on January 6, 2007. To put it in perspective, Michael Jordan’s 866-game streak, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 787, and Karl Malone’s 575 all small in comparison to LeBron’s extraordinary run.
Even during this historic streak, there were moments when it seemed like it might finally end. Going into Thursday, LeBron had reached double digits by the start of the fourth quarter in 1,266 games, but just days earlier, he struggled.
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Against Dallas on November 28, he had only nine points entering the fourth, and against Phoenix on Monday, he had just six. He managed to extend the streak in Phoenix, but tonight it wasn’t meant to be.
LeBron finished the game shooting 4-of-17 from the floor, missing all five of his 3-point attempts, though he still contributed 11 assists and six rebounds as the Lakers improved to 16-5, sitting second in the Western Conference.
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Despite the streak ending, LeBron didn’t seem bothered. Asked about it afterward, he simply said, “None. We won.”
That mindset captures James’ approach over his career; records matter, but winning matters more. “I was like, ‘Oh, that’s pretty cool,’” James said, referring to passing Jordan’s record. “At first I was like, ‘That’s just another one of those records that’s kind of made up,’ but then I realized it’s not. It’s like a real record. But, I don’t know. I just go out and play.”
Play. That’s it. That’s what he’s here for, even at age 40 in his 23rd season.
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Now the NBA world is left wondering: who could ever match this level of consistency? With 42,268 career points and a streak likely to stand for decades, LeBron’s mark isn’t just a record; it’s a testament to his longevity.
Top candidates who can break LeBron James’ streak
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Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant is the closest player still chasing LeBron’s legendary streak, but the gap is massive. Even with 267 straight games scoring in double digits, he’s still more than a thousand games behind James. Durant’s previous run of 562 consecutive 10-point games from 2009 to 2017 shows he’s capable, but the numbers tell the story.
Durant would essentially need to play into his late 40s to even consider matching LeBron, which seems a bit far-fetched.
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Next in line is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has a streak of 170 consecutive games scoring in double digits. In theory, he could catch LeBron, but only if he keeps it going for another 14 years, until he’s 41. His streak began in 2023, and the man is putting up MVP-level numbers: 32.8 points per game (2nd), 4.7 rebounds (99th), 6.5 assists (15th), and a 54.8% shooting clip (13th).
However, SGA himself has hinted that it would not be something he’d consider pursuing. In a GQ interview, he explained: “I play this sport ultimately to discover the best version of myself. Once I identify that and begin to decline, then it becomes a question of, ‘What am I playing for now?’ The moment that realization hits, I’ll be the first to leave.”
He affirmed that he could play until 40, but “won’t though—a hundred percent,” prioritizing family time over a prolonged career.
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Maintaining that streak shouldn’t be too difficult, but longevity is the real challenge.
Luka Doncic
Then there’s the Lakers’ rising star, Luka Doncic, third in line with a streak of 157 consecutive games scoring in double digits. His run also began in 2023, and he’s putting up eye-popping numbers: 35.3 points per game (1st), 8.9 rebounds (19th), 8.9 assists (4th), and 47.8% shooting (64th).
Luka is the heart and soul of the Lakers right now, and while scoring 30+ points almost every night makes maintaining the streak seem doable, the road ahead is long and challenging.
Simply put, no one in the league is anywhere near LeBron’s streak. His record stands in a league of its own, untouchable for now and likely for years to come.
Which NBA father-son duos have the most points?
Whether it’s Bill Walton and Luke Walton, Arvydas Sabonis and Domantas Sabonis, or Rick Brunson and Jalen Brunson, the NBA has featured several productive father-son duos throughout its history. With the kickoff of the 2024-25 regular season, Bronny Jamesand his fatherLeBron Jamesbecame the first to play alongside each other and the highest-scoring father-son duo in NBA history. On October 30th, 2024, Bronny scored his first NBA points when the Los Angeles Lakers played the Cleveland Cavaliers, his father’s former team.
LeBron’s career total alone is over 2,000 points more than the NBA’s previous all-time highest-scoring father-son duo of Joe
Wizards coach calls out team after blowout Celtics loss
When the Celtics first went up big by 17 points on the Wizards in the first half, the young squad at least responded. It was just a seven-point C’s lead by halftime as Washington went on a big run to cut it to a manageable deficit.
But the game unraveled for the Wizards after halftime. They were outscored 80-42 in the second half to lose 146-101 to the Celtics. The 45-point difference is the largest margin of victory by an NBA team this season. Wizards coach Brian Keefe, a Winchester native, called out his team after the loss.
“We have a certain expectation of how we want to play,” Keefe told reporters after the game. “I think we have seen this lately that we can play physical, we can defend, we can disrupt people. We can really move the ball and share it when we play with a certain pace. I didn’t see those things out there in the game. You can call that what that is, but it’s just the way we play. And I didn’t see how our identity of how we play basketball, and that’s not unacceptable.”
It’s been another tough season in Washington as it dropped to an East-worst 3-18 after Thursday’s loss. The Wizards have the worst defense in the NBA as evidenced by the Celtics scoring at least 32 points in every quarter Thursday. The Wizards just haven’t been competitive this season as they’re trending toward another lottery pick.
The Wizards have some young pieces, though neither Alex Sarr (No. 2 overall in 2024) and Tre Johnson (No. 6 overall in 2025) played Thursday. The Wizards went 18-64 under Keefe in his first full season at the helm last year. It’s looking like another season where Washington will have to hope the lottery balls fall its way, though the 2026 NBA Draft is considered to be loaded with talent.
In the meantime, the Wizards are just trying to develop good habits despite suffering 14 straight losses earlier this season. As seen Thursday, that takes some effort which wasn’t necessarily there in this blowout.
“It was painfully obvious that we didn’t meet the standard that we want to play at,” Keefe said. “Our competitive juice. I thought we made a little bit of a run there at the end of the second quarter. But the second half was not representative of what we want to be and who we have been lately. We have to own that, and we gotta buckle down and get better and get ready for our next game. But was not up to our standard.”
Former NBA All-Star Ben Simmons says he would play for one NBA team for free
Ben Simmons was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and went on to be an all-star three times during his time in Philadelphia.
The 29-year-old is currently a free agent, but he recently made it clear that he would be interested in returning to the 76ers organization.
A former LSU star, Simmons posted several pictures on his Instagram account over the weekend with the caption: “Here and there.”
In the comments, a fan asked if he would come back to the 76ers to play center or power forward on a minimum contract if he was asked to do so.
According to Simmons, he would play in Philadelphia again, even if he wasn’t getting paid.
“It ain’t about the $. I’d hoop there for free,” Ben Simmons said. “It’s deeper than what they make y’all believe, which is why I keep it pushing. (Right now) the focus is getting the body to 100% before putting my health on the line again… like I have been the past few years.”
The comment from Simmons is interesting because he appears to want to return to Philadelphia to play but also said that there is something “deeper” going on.
A former NBA Rookie of the Year, Simmons played college basketball for one season at LSU before beginning his professional career.
In addition to the 76ers, Simmons has also played for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.
He is averaging 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. While he has been a productive NBA player, his lack of a jump shot has kept him from being a regular all-star and is likely why he is currently a free agent.
Conor McGregor Legal Battle Ends as 2023 NBA Finals Lawsuit Dropped: Report
It’s rare for a months-long legal cloud to be lifted in a single filing, but that’s exactly what happened in Conor McGregor‘s world this week. What began as a high-stakes accusation related to the spectacle of the 2023 NBA Finals has now come to a surprising conclusion. The situation, which was once loaded with public scrutiny and uncertainty, has taken a sharp turn.
The tension had been tense for over two years, with questions swirling and speculation growing every time ‘The Notorious’ resurfaced publicly. Yet the shift arrived not with fanfare, but through a simple notice submitted to a Florida court. With that, one of the most controversial legal threads involving the UFC star was ultimately resolved. And the story behind how it unraveled says even more.
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Conor McGregor’s NBA lawsuit closed itself
The pivotal moment occurred when the accuser, only identified as Jane Doe, voluntarily dismissed her civil lawsuit with prejudice, a key legal detail that prevents it from being refiled. What had previously been characterized as a serious claim involving an alleged bathroom incident during a Miami Heat game in June 2023 at Kaseya Center was now officially ended.
When the allegations originally appeared, police investigated, but no charges were filed, and Conor McGregor denied any wrongdoing. Barbara Llanes, his attorney, pointed out the case’s flaws from the start. “After a thorough investigation at the time, the State’s Attorney concluded there was no case to pursue,” she said earlier in the year.
She added, “Almost two years, and at least three lawyers later, the plaintiff has a new false story.” Llanes predicted the lawsuit would collapse, and she was correct; the court accepted the dismissal and closed the file. The complainant, a 49-year-old Wall Street executive who sued anonymously, had previously sought more than $75,000 in damages for unlawful s-xual contact.
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But with the dismissal finalized, the case is permanently closed. So, no trial, no rehearing, no reviewing the claims, and Conor McGregor can avoid losing out on more money. After all, in Ireland, he was previously found liable in a separate legal case stemming from an alleged 2018 incident—a decision he appealed but ultimately failed to overturn on appeal.
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That verdict imposed significant damages and fines and made many question what the addition of the 2023 lawsuit meant for the future of the Irishman. But now, with the case no longer hanging over his head, he can make his return at the UFC’s White House card, like he has been promising to for what feels like forever to his MMA fans. In fact, if Michael Chandler is to be believed, it is already a done deal.
Michael Chandler confirms McGregor’s return fight
Even before the lawsuit vanished from Conor McGregor’s path, ‘Iron’ had already stoked the fire. A few days before the dismissal, Michael Chandler was publicly promoting the idea that the Irishman’s return was real, imminent, and finally happening after years of failed negotiations. So, as the legal dust settled, his earlier confidence suddenly looked less like bravado and more like a foreshadowing of what was to come.
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Chandler gave the news MMA fans had been longing for: “It ain’t a negotiation. It’s a done deal, signed, delivered. McGregor will compete in the White House for America’s 250th birthday.” And while Dana White is yet to give a direct confirmation of it, he did reveal in an earlier interview that there has been a lot of backroom talk with the Irishman about a massive return to the Octagon.
“He and I have been talking nonstop,” White told the Impaulsive podcast on Sept. 16. “And he’s like, ‘I’m dead serious. I want this. You know, I’m training. I’m back in the pool,” indicating that the return was already taking shape behind closed doors. And far from a flimsy return attempt, Conor McGregor is presenting it as something solid and long planned for, as he is finally ready to resurface. “I have eight months until the White House event, and it will be a six-month operation,” McGregor explained in an interview, describing the preparation as a mission rather than a comeback camp.
He highlighted that the return is about addressing past mistakes—“a slight lapse led to an injury; I wish to correct that”—and hinted that the stakes are bigger than any single opponent. Michael Chandler may still be the frontrunner, but McGregor’s focus is obviously on the larger redemption arc, as evidenced by the outlandish $100 million figure he floated for headlining the card. He’s eager to get back, so let’s see what the future holds for ‘The Notorious.’
NBA intel: Next for Clippers? League insiders examine three paths
It has been a downright terrible opening stretch for the 2025-26LA Clippers.
Between the Aspiration scandal, the ensuing salary cap circumvention investigation involving Kawhi Leonard and this week’s messy public breakup with future Hall of Famer Chris Paul, there’s been a steady stream of bad news coming from Inglewood. Not to mention the Clippers are 6-16 and 13th in the Western Conference, a disastrous start given a welcome respite by Wednesday’s blowout victory over the Atlanta Hawks. LA’s spot in the standings has already led to some leaguewide angst.
Remember: The Clippers infamously owe their 2026 unprotected first-round pick … to Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti and the defending champs.
Denver holding itself back in clutch time
The Nuggets are used to finishing strong.
They’re used to walking down their opponents at the end of a close game. They’re used to ratcheting up their defensive intensity when the moment calls for it. They’re used to getting the exact shots they want, imposing their roster continuity, their calmness, their cohesion.
Their clutch-ness.
Three consecutive years, they’ve ranked top-three in “clutch time,” which the NBA defines as any scenario in which two teams are separated by five or fewer points in the last five minutes of a game (regulation or overtime). In five of the last six years, they’ve been a top-10 clutch team, only sliding to 13th when Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. both missed the entire 2021-22 season.
Even then, Denver finished with a positive net rating in the clutch.
Which makes it all the more befuddling for a Nikola Jokic-led team to be stumbling so often in these situations. At the 20-game mark of the season, all six of Denver’s losses had involved clutch time. Its average margin of defeat was 4.8 points, in contrast to a 14.6-point average margin of victory — a trend of missed opportunities to be even better than the record indicates.
It was a source of frustration for Jokic this week after a rare fourth consecutive home loss.
“We were in all four of the games,” he pointed out, “but we just didn’t execute. We didn’t play our best basketball.”
Situational poise does matter, even beyond the standings. In the 2022-23 regular season, Miami ranked second in clutch-time net rating — measured in points per 100 possessions — then made an improbable run to the NBA Finals as a No. 8 seed.
Indiana was the league’s top-ranked clutch team last year, lending credence to the notion that Tyrese Haliburton’s breathtaking highlight reel of playoff buzzer beaters was not an anomaly. Those Pacers also made the Finals despite entering the playoffs as a No. 4 seed.
Nine of the last 15 NBA champions have finished top-five in clutch net rating for the regular season, and none of those 15 teams finished worse than 12th.
The Nuggets were ranked dead last after 20 games.
Their numbers have also been poor in GOLPs (Game On the Line Possessions), a stat invented last year by The Denver Post to arbitrarily track Denver’s execution in the highest-stakes moments.
A quick refresher on what qualifies as a GOLP: Possessions during the last 30 seconds of regulation or the last 30 seconds of overtime in which the team with the ball is either tied or trailing by three points or fewer. In simpler terms, it’s an opportunity to tie or win the game at a point when you aren’t guaranteed to get the ball back. Gulp.
The Nuggets have scored three total points on five GOLPs, all on Aaron Gordon’s go-ahead 3-pointer with 26 seconds to go on opening night at Golden State. That shot went to waste along with his other 47 points, and since then, the Nuggets have come up empty on similarly high-stakes possessions (including Jokic’s missed floater that same night at the buzzer of regulation).
Their offensive rating on GOLPs is 60. Their success rate at tying or taking the lead is 20%. Their shooting percentage is 16.7%. Jokic missed out on another potentially heroic moment against Portland when Gordon completed a Christian Laettner-esque pass to him, but he couldn’t complete the “easy” part of the play. He’s a spectacular 26-for-39 (67%) on shots between 10 and 19 feet deep this season, but when he turned around to release a 15-footer at the buzzer in Portland, his usually soft midrange touch betrayed him.
Nuggets opponents have a 75% success rate and 175 offensive rating on their first four GOLPs. The only “stop” Denver has made on one of these possessions was a play that barely met the subjective qualifications — Alperen Sengun’s half-court shot that was off the mark when Houston had 2.7 seconds to go the length of the floor. Excluding that, the Nuggets have allowed a Steph Curry game-tying 3-pointer and a pair of decisive — if controversial — trips to the foul line at Portland.
They’ve also committed costly errors on a couple of last-minute defensive possessions that didn’t meet the GOLP criteria. Down one point to Chicago and likely to get the ball back in a one-score game, the only shot they couldn’t afford to give up was a 3-pointer, but Nikola Vucevic made them pay for leaving him unguarded on a pick-and-pop. A few days later against Sacramento, they had a chance to get the ball back and draw something up for a game-tying three, but Spencer Jones reached and gave up an and-one to DeMar DeRozan. Both shots all but clinched a loss.
This is all opposed to last season, when Denver succeeded on 53% of its 39 GOLPs (including playoffs) with a 135.9 offensive rating, while opponents were held to an 81.8 offensive rating and 35% success rate. Games overwhelmingly leaned Denver’s way in the most suspenseful moments. That might indicate that the Nuggets weren’t as good as their 50-32 regular-season record, but their knack for the dramatic was also almost enough for them to steal a playoff series from mighty Oklahoma City.
The Thunder, of course, ended up being so good that it didn’t matter if a few buzzer beaters burned them.
“If you’re not in a lot of clutch games, it means you’ve won a lot of games by a lot of points,” Adelman said recently. “I’ll always remember, last year was so crazy with OKC (when) we played them in the playoffs. I had the video guys pull up their late-game situations, and they said there isn’t much stuff (to study) because they just always win by 12 points.”
That’s a difficult level of dominance to achieve, though. The Nuggets have shown flashes of it, but not enough to shrug off the importance of clutch execution altogether. Their 33 clutch minutes were the sixth-fewest in the league as of Wednesday, certainly a sign of their ability to run opponents out of the gym. To return to the OKC reference point, however, the 2024-25 Thunder played 66 clutch minutes the entire regular season — 20 fewer than any other team.
What’s even scarier is that clutch time seems to be an area of growth for Oklahoma City early this season. While winning nine of 10 qualifying games, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been getting wherever he wants on the floor, shooting 54% on a league-leading 46 clutch shot attempts. He also has nine assists and one turnover in those situations.
Jokic and Jamal Murray have combined for five assists and six turnovers in the clutch, when their lethal two-man usually game kicks into high gear, when swagger and nonchalance mix to form maximum composure.
At Denver’s best, it’s thrilling to watch. Nuggets fans are still waiting to experience the sensation this year, to feel like they’re in safe hands.
In their clutches
The Nuggets have been one of the most consistently clutch teams in the sport throughout Nikola Jokic’s prime, until now. This is how they ranked in clutch-time offense, defense and net rating (measured in points per 100 possessions) each of the last six years, compared to where they stood after 20 games this season: last place. Record refers to wins and losses in games that involved clutch time.
Season Record Minutes played Offense (rank) Defense (rank) Net rating (rank) 2019-20 29-16 176 115.4 (7th) 105.4 (12th) 10.0 (6th) 2020-21 18-13 145 116.1 (4th) 108.3 (14th) 7.8 (8th) 2021-22 23-17 160 107.8 (18th) 106.3 (12th) 1.5 (13th) 2022-23 22-15 142 109.8 (13th) 99.3 (3rd) 10.4 (3rd) 2023-24 26-14 135 122.7 (3rd) 98.2 (2nd) 24.5 (1st) 2024-25 21-16 146 126.7 (1st) 109.7 (13th) 17.0 (3rd) 2025-26 2-6 33 101.6 (23rd) 140.0 (30th) -38.4 (30th)
NBA power rankings: Updated championship chances for all 30 teams
The start of the 2025-2026 NBA season has been full of surprises. The Eastern Conference was thought to be a New York Knicks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers showdown, but so far the Detroit Pistons have emerged as the top team with the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat as their biggest challengers. The West always felt destined to be an Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Denver Nuggets slugfest, but the Houston Rockets are making the case that they’re also a legit contender with the Los Angeles Lakers not far behind.
The picture at the bottom of the league also has some surprises. No one expected the Los Angeles Clippers to be this bad, and somehow that means another top draft pick could be going to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who controls their selection. The Pacers wasted no time in entering the tank race, while a team like the Jazz is punching a bit above its weight so far.
It’s time for another league power rankings with the calendar changed to Dec. Let’s dive in.
30. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets have the bleakest future in the league in my eyes. I wasn’t a fan of their five-man rookie draft class, but obviously there’s still plenty of time for them to prove me wrong. There’s a high volume of young players on the roster, but I just don’t think any of them look like long-term franchise pillars. At least Michael Porter Jr. has been fantastic, and should command real interest come February’s trade deadline. Without Houston owning pick swaps in 2027 or 2029, the Nets are desperate to find a franchise player in the 2026 draft. A lot of teams need lottery luck this year, but no one needs it as badly as Brooklyn.
29. Washington Wizards
The Wizards have some things they can be excited about this year: Alex Sarr has taken a substantial leap in his second season, Kyshawn George looks like a keeper on the wing, and they’re once again going to have maximize lottery odds at a top pick. This rebuild would suddenly look promising if it added Darryn Peterson, A.J. Dybantsa, or Cameron Boozer as the new primary option and knocked everyone else down a peg.
28. Indiana Pacers
The value of the Pacers’ gap year will be determined during the lottery, but Indiana has to like its odds of grabbing a top pick. As if losing Tyrese Haliburton to injury and Myles Turner in free agency wasn’t enough, the Pacers have had most of their remaining roster decimated by injuries to start the season. Can Indiana just fast-forward to July already? Next season could be very fun again if Haliburton is fully health — especially if he lands a blue chip prospect next to him.
27. New Orleans Pelicans
The Pelicans are praying they drop on lottery night after sending their unprotected first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for the rights to Derik Queen. Queen has been outstanding thus far as a bulldozer driver with an impressive combination of touch, power, and balance, and his passing already looks a lot better in the NBA than it did at Maryland. Queen and fellow rookie Jeremiah Fears give the Pelicans hope even as Zion Williamson’s value disintegrates, but the good vibes will be dented irrevocably if they hand over a top-3 pick to Atlanta.
26. Charlotte Hornets
Kon Knueppel would win NBA Rookie of the Year if the season ended today, and that alone is enough to mark this as a successful Hornets season. Add in Ryan Kalkbrenner and Sion James, and the Hornets easily boast the best rookie class this season. Unfortunately for Charlotte, there’s still has no further clarity on if LaMelo Ball can be its franchise player, whether last year’s top-10 pick Tidjane Salaun is even an NBA player, and what it looks like to have a fully healthy Brandon Miller. The Hornets are at least showing signs of something, and one extra talented prospect could take this thing to the next level. Please just get rid of Miles Bridges already.
25. Sacramento Kings
About nine out of every 10 Kings seasons are absolutely terrible, and this one is no different. Keegan Murray and rookie wing Nique Clifford might be the only long-term keepers on this roster as a flawed veteran core is just waiting to blow up. It feels like everyone from Domantas Sabonis to Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan to Keon Ellis and Devin Carter could be dealt by the deadline. I’m sorry Kings fans, I want good things for you.
24. Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg is the youngest player in the NBA, and he’s starting to string together great performances after an understandably slow start to his rookie season. The Mavericks are still compiling a lot of losses and just biding their time until an Anthony Davis trade market emerges. This is all going to be worth it if Dallas lands a top-3 pick to be Flagg’s co-star, and there should be some pretty good consolation prizes (Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, Nate Ament) should the Mavs fall. Without control of their first-round pick in 2027-2030, Dallas really needs to make a good pick this year to set up the rest of the Flagg era for success.
23. Utah Jazz
The Jazz’s first-round draft pick is top-8 protected in the 2026 draft, otherwise it is owed to the Oklahoma City Thunder in what would be another nightmare for the rest of the league. I would expect the Jazz to get serious about losing in short order, but there have been some encouraging signs in the early season. Lauri Markkanen is having the best season of his career as a 7-foot scoring virtuoso, Keyonte George is taking a big step forward in this third season, and rookie Ace Bailey has shown some enticing flashes. Give head coach Will Hardy a top-3 pick and look out.
22. Los Angeles Clippers
Almost everything has gone wrong for the Clippers this year. Last season’s No. 3 overall defense has completely fallen off and now ranks near the bottom of the league. Swapping out Norm Powell for Bradley Beal was a massive bust. Kawhi Leonard still isn’t reliable (shocker), and head coach Ty Lue hasn’t figure out how to balance his lineups even with a seemingly deep bench. Just about every move the Clippers made this offseason has gone wrong, and they owe their draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in what’s a catastrophic situation for the rest of the league. At least James Harden has been excellent, and suddenly might have some real trade value. The Clippers have pushed the Kawhi era as far as it could go, and it’s bound to have a morbid ending.
21. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls’ 6-1 start feels like a mirage now. Chicago has clawed out several last second wins thanks to Nikola Vucevic’s clutch shot-making before free-falling down the standings with losses to many of the worst teams in the league (Pelicans, Hornets, Nets, Jazz, Pacers). Blowing these easy games has completely ruined the good work Chicago did at the start of the season without Coby White and Zach Collins, and now it seems like the season is effectively over. The Bulls might end up making the play-in tournament in the soft Eastern Conference, but they shouldn’t be proud of it. There’s
20. Memphis Grizzlies
It’s been a nightmare season for the Grizzlies. This team seems like it’s always decimated by injuries, which again took a toll to start the season. While shorthanded, Ja Morant started beefing with the coaching staff to force their hand on a one-game suspension before suffering his own injury. There is some hope for the future: rookie wing Cedric Coward looks outstanding and could end up being a stud, while Zach Edey has smashed the doubters to become arguably the league’s top sophomore. The Morant situation is hanging over Memphis, and Phoenix’s surprisingly good season means a top 2026 draft pick likely isn’t on the way. I trust this front office to figure things out, but this has been a bummer of a start.
19. Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks’ nightmare scenario is here: Giannis Antetokounmpo is essentially asking out, and he reportedly wants to control his next destination. Milwaukee already took on significant five-year cap anchor by waiving and stretching Damian Lillard in an effort to appeal to Giannis (and sign Myles Turner), but it’s completely blown up in their face. The Bucks started 4-1 and then it all went downhill. A Giannis trade feels inevitable now, and if he gets to pick his landing spot, the Bucks’ future is going to be incredibly bleak without control of their future first-round picks through 2030.
18. Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers were supposed to be a defensive powerhouse this year, but instead they’ve remained competitive by chucking threes, pounding the offensive glass, and playing at one of the NBA’s fastest paces as the defense has struggled to hit its stride. Deni Avdija has taken a massive scoring jump and looks like a worthy first-time All-Star, Jrue Holiday is giving Portland good-looking veteran minutes, and Scoot Henderson should be back from injury before the new year. The Blazers’ playoff fate will ultimately be determined in the play-in.
17. Phoenix Suns
The Suns have been one of the most pleasant surprises of the early season, and they certainly look a lot more competitive than I expected. First-year head coach Jordan Ott has Phoenix playing competent ball around Devin Booker on both ends of the floor, with Dillon Brooks’ defensive bite, Grayson Allen’s shooting, and a deep center rotation all helping keep the team afloat. Phoenix’s schedule is about to get tougher and I’m a bit skeptical it can keep securing offensive rebounds and forcing turnovers at its current excellent rate, but the baseline play is so, so much better than last year, and that’s worth celebrating.
16. Boston Celtics
A gap year will not be in the cards for the Celtics it seems. The offense is top-5 in efficiency right now with a characteristically three-point heavy shot-profile that now includes extra punch on the offensive glass. Neemias Queta looks like a real find up front, Jordan Walsh is starting to emerge as a legit defensive stopper, and Jaylen Brown just never tires as a volume scorer. If Derrick White (who has been dominant defensively) and Payton Pritchard can finally get hot again as shooters, maybe the Celtics really can be a factor if Jayson Tatum eventually rejoins the team from his Achilles rehab later in the season.
15. Philadelphia 76ers
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Sixers are ramping up. Paul George has looked good early into his return from a knee injury knowing he doesn’t have to do the heavy lifting on this team (sorry for calling you one of the NBA’s most underwhelming players). Jared McCain is also back from injury and showing some of the per-minute scoring brilliance he displayed in his limited rookie season. Joel Embiid should be a factor again soon too … at least until his next absence. This is now fully Tyrese Maxey’s team, and he’s playing at an All-NBA level while somehow playing a league-leading 40 minutes per night. If VJ Edgecombe can get past the rookie wall and the veteran stars can give them anything, Philly should be a top-6 East team by the end of the year.
14. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors were the most difficult team to rank in this exercise. Golden State brought a very old roster into this season, and they’re already seeing injuries and age-related decline pile up. The hope for one more vintage Al Horford season hasn’t transpired yet, and maybe that was always a delusional wish at age-39. The offense turns the ball over way to much, doesn’t play with power on the offensive glass, and sits outside of the top-20 in free throw rate. The Warriors just don’t have the athletes to win the possession game on most nights, but there’s enough talent here to be a major pain in the playoffs if they can get healthy. Stephen Curry is still one of the best players in the world when he’s on, but it’s impossible for him to be that player every night over 82 games at 37 years old. Draymond Green’s offense has been just awful with 49.4 percent true shooting, 52.4 percent rim finishing, and a huge turnover rate. Jonathan Kuminga’s feel-good bounce-back story lasted like two weeks as he’s dealt with a knee injury, and a big leap from Brandin Podziemski hasn’t happened, either. The Curry-Green-Jimmy Butler trio is still going to be hell to play against if the Warriors can make the playoffs, but ultimately this team just isn’t good enough.
13. Orlando Magic
The Magic look like a more cohesive team without Paolo Banchero, and now his challenge will be proving he can adapt his game upon his return from injury to give this team the extra offensive firepower it needs. Orlando is off to a 7-3 start without their former No. 1 pick which follows a trend from last season when the team was much better with Franz Wagner on and Banchero off. I’ve always been a believer in Banchero’s talent and he was starting to play really well before he got hurt, but the Magic’s offense just makes more sense when it’s centered around Wagner’s on-ball driving, and Paolo needs to show that he can fit in around it. Orlando hasn’t escaped the bottom 10 in offensive rating in more than a decade, and right now they’re playing at a top-10 level with the slowest offensive pace of any team in the NBA. This team’s identity starts with defense, and they keep getting better on that end, too. With Anthony Black looking like a legit breakout player so far, Orlando could possibly regain East contender status if Paolo and Franz can finally make each other better.
12. Toronto Raptors
Someone from the East’s purported middle tier had to breakthrough this season, and it turns out it might be the Raptors. Toronto’s bold decision to add Brandon Ingram to its already expensive core is paying off nicely, with the veteran’s tough shot-making giving the team just enough offensive juice to complement its very good defense. The Raptors’ defense has been flirting with top-5 status all year and it doesn’t seem like a fluke: they have a ton of length on the perimeter defensively, boast a legit shutdown stopper in Scottie Barnes, and have a plus rim protector in Jakob Poeltl. The offense is near the bottom of the league in three-point volume, and they don’t get much back on the offensive glass, so I fear there’s a chance the bottom could fall out over time. Still, this starting lineup is proving it’s pretty damn good with bounce-back seasons for Barnes and Immanuel Quickley, and the bench led by Sandro Mamukelashvili and Jamal Shead looks solid, too. There’s some fluke potential for the Raptors’ hot start, but I’m buying it more and more.
11. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves are tracking as a solid Western Conference playoff team, but they don’t look fully right yet. The offense has been better than the defense for the first time since the Rudy Gobert trade, benefitting from Anthony Edwards’ efficient scoring explosions and Julius Randle’s continued All-Star-caliber bully ball. Edwards is truly becoming one of the best three-point shooters in the league right now by making 41 percent of 8.8 attempts per game from deep, but his mid-range game and decision-making as a passer will be under a big spotlight come playoff time. Gobert remains really good at age-33, with a +18.9 net-rating for his on/off minutes. The Wolves could really use a real point guard, but the bold trade for Rob Dillingham on 2024 draft night is looking like a bust. After two straight conference finals appearances, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Wolves tried to make a big move at the deadline if they still haven’t hit their groove.
10. Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta has been hot since Trae Young went down with a knee sprain that will keep him out a while longer. It’s no surprise the Hawks’ defense looks more formidable without the diminutive point guard, but the offense’s ability to find new contributors every night is particularly impressive. Jalen Johnson is morphing into Atlanta’s engine as a killer transition scorer who can pass like a point guard and clean the glass as well as any forward in the NBA. The Hawks are constantly finding new co-stars around him, from Onyeka Okongwu turning into a knockdown three-point shooter overnight to Vit Krejci’s occasional scoring explosions to Nickeil Alexander-Walker looking really good on both ends of the court. Young can take this offense to an even higher level upon return as long as he’s shooting the ball well, but a more egalitarian approach is looking good on the Hawks right now. This team is set up really well to trade for Giannis. Will they want to play ball, or prefer keeping the best of the Bucks and Pelicans pick?
9. Miami Heat
The Heat revamped their offense, dug their heels in defensively, and became one of the most pleasant surprises of the early season. Miami went away from screens (not just ball screens, all screens!) and cranked up the pace to league-leading levels for an iso-heavy offense that has lifted them from No. 21 last year to No. 13 this year. The offseason trade for Norman Powell was a brilliant move, giving them an engine who can mix usage and efficiency (66.3 percent true shooting) to keep the offense going even when Tyler Herro was injured. With Herro looking pretty good in his return, Kel’el Ware breaking out in his second season, and Jamie Jaquez returning to form after a down sophomore season, the Heat have some real weapons to work with, and Erik Spoelstra is maximizing every piece. Spo has been considered the best coach in the NBA for years, but he’s still never won a Coach of the Year award. If the defense stays this dominant and the offense can stay in the top-half of the league, the Heat are going to win enough games to finally give him the award.
8. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs have looked nothing like an Eastern Conference front-runner 20+ games into the season, and it’s fair to be at least a little concerned right now. Cleveland remains really beat up with Darius Garland barely playing this season and Max Strus still out with a foot injury, so maybe this is just a case of the team needing to get healthy. Still, the Cavs don’t really have an identity on either end of the floor right now. Evan Mobley is regressing a bit after last season’s breakout, Ty Jerome’s flamethrower shooting off the bench has been missed, and Lonzo Ball doesn’t look like a miracle-worker yet. The Cavs’ regular season success last year proved that less is more with Donovan Mitchell, and this year he’s back to being a massively high-usage guard, and the team has been worse of for it even though Mitchell has been amazing. The Cavs were a Finals-or-bust team coming into the year, and at least to this point most of the signs are pointing to bust.
7. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons are ascending into the next great young team in the Eastern Conference. Detroit’s scorching start can mostly be owed to an elite defense, but there’s to believe this offseason can be built for playoff settings, too. The guard/center battery of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren is built to get tough buckets in the halfcourt. Cunningham is emerging into one of best players in the East, and while his turnovers and scoring inefficiency can be frustrating at times, he consistently delivers in the clutch while also playing on a vital role on defense. Duren is turning into a full-blown monster at age-22, showing improved attacking off the dribble and elite rebounding on both ends. The Pistons also have the best depth in the conference and at this point it’s hard for head coach JB Bickerstaff to give everyone minutes. I think the Pistons are real, but Bickerstaff still needs to prove himself in the playoffs before I say they’re winning the East. For now, this has been an incredible start for Detroit, and it feels like the first step in what should be a sustained stretch of contention.
6. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have kept rolling even with Victor Wembanyama out of the lineup with a calf strain. De’Aaron Fox is stepping into a starring role after missing the start of the year, and he’s earning every penny of his massive extension so far. Fox’s speedy shot-creation off the bounce is something San Antonio has been desperately missing in the Wemby era, and it’s helped that he’s been hot from three so far. The free agent addition of Luke Kornet is also looking like a masterful move, giving the Spurs real rim protection even in Wembanyama’s absence and a high-level reserve when he’s healthy. This team hasn’t even really worked in its two rookie lottery picks yet, and I’d expect No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper to break out soon. If Wembanyama comes back as a top-5 player, it now seems like the Spurs have the horses to not just make the playoffs, but make a little noise once they get there.
5. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are rolling through the first 20 games. Luka Doncic is playing at a top-3 level in the world, Austin Reaves is an easy All-Star who could push for All-NBA consideration, and LeBron James hasn’t even hit his groove yet in his return from sciatica. Doncic is posting the highest usage rate in the league, and he’s operating at very good efficiency to set up scoring chances for himself and his teammates. Reaves is playing the role of the shifty secondary creator next to Luka once mastered by Jalen Brunson and Kyrie Irving, and he’s been every bit as excellent in the job as those two were. Doncic is making players like Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton look better than ever before, and JJ Redick continues to push the right buttons and looks like a long-term fit at head coach. I’m still worried about the Lakers’ defense long-term, but this start has been as good as anyone could have hoped for, and Doncic is such a playoff killer that Los Angeles will always have a puncher’s chance.
4. New York Knicks
The Knicks feel like a sizable favorite to come out of the East after the start of the season. The offense is humming in the early days of the Mike Brown tenure, the glass is getting cleaned at a league-best level on both ends of the floor, and this team just doesn’t beat itself very often. Jalen Brunson remains the workhorse for New York and he’s playing great ball to start the year, but it feels like he doesn’t have to do quite as much because everyone in chipping in. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby look like the best wing combo in basketball once the latter returns from a hamstring strain, with both shooting the lights out and boasting tons of matchup versatility defensively. Mitchell Robinson has been a monster with his rebounding and shot-blocking, and New York has to pray he can stay healthy. Karl-Anthony Towns is the one Knick who hasn’t been at his best yet, but he’s still been fine in his role. The Knicks need to watch out for a Robinson injury and for playoff teams hunting the Towns/Brunson pairing defensively, but it feels like New York has both the highest floor and highest ceiling in the conference right now.
3. Houston Rockets
People who say every NBA team plays the same way these days should look no further than the Rockets (and the other two teams ahead of them on this list). Houston has made itself a legitimate championship contender despite being the lowest volume three-point shooting team in the league, because they’re one of the best offensive rebounding teams in league history. The Rockets are rebounding like 40 percent of their misses, and all those extra possessions are making an elite offense (No. 2 right now) even without shooting. While Houston’s volume is super low, it is making 40 percent of the threes it does take, as good as anyone in the league. Reed Sheppard has started to pop into a real contributor in his second season, Kevin Durant can still carry the team for stretches without having to do too much, and Steven Adams remains one of the NBA’s best role players. With Alperen Sengun making the leap that was predicted and a young roster still better seemingly every month, Houston has a fantastic set up for both this year and the future. The Rockets play with so much physicality and power that the two teams ahead of them on this list should be praying to be on the opposite side of the bracket from them entering the playoffs.
2. Denver Nuggets
How good has the Nuggets offense been so far? If the season ended today, Denver would boast the best offensive rating in league history. Nikola Jokic might still be getting better, and he’s at the controls of a brutally efficiency offense that rips the nets from three, avoids turnovers, gets extra possessions on the glass, and consistently gets to the foul line. Jokic’s dominance is comical at this best as he leads the league in assists and rebounds while scoring nearly 30 points per game, and he has an improved supporting cast around him. Jamal Murray is having a fantastic season and could finally make his first All-Star team. Aaron Gordon’s leap last season was real, and he’s more than just a great fit next to Jokic at this point — he’s one of the best forwards in the NBA. Cam Johnson has gotten off to a slow start as the big offseason acquisition, but Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas have been really good. There should be some concern about the defense here, but Denver feels like the biggest contender to basketball’s undeniable juggernaut right now.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder are even better than last year’s championship team, they’re only going to continue to get better in the future, and that’s terrifying for the rest of the league. Not since the Kevin Durant Warriors has the NBA seen such a dominant front-runner, and this OKC group has run away from the pack in a totally different way. The Thunder have one of the best defenses ever by blurring the lines between fouling and physicality, and their ability to rack up steals that turn into easy layups is unprecedented in this era of the league. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the best guard alive and the most consistent superstar in basketball, and by the way he’s shooting nearly 44 percent from three this year. Chet Holmgren is playing like an All-NBA player, and Jalen Williams has looked good in his return from injury. The emergence of last year’s second round pick Ajay Mitchell has filled arguably the Thunder’s biggest hole as a bench creator when SGA is resting. Isaiah Hartenstein is also having an awesome season and gives them the physicality needed to matchup with Denver and Houston. My prediction that the Thunder would be the third team in league history to cross 70 wins is looking good so far. The fact that they’re about to land a top pick in a loaded 2026 NBA Draft from the pathetic Clippers just feels unfair. Everyone is chasing OKC for the foreseeable future.
Mallory Edens opens up on how ‘harmful’ viral NBA draft moment changed her life
Mallory Edens, the daughter of Milwaukee Bucks owner Wes Edens, reminisced on her viral moment at the 2014 NBA Draft Lottery and the lasting effect harmful comments online had on her.
During a recent appearance on the “Unlike Me” podcast, Edens — who became an internet sensation when she represented the Bucks in the lottery on stage in New York — explained that the wave of online attention made her “so protective” of herself.
“I actually think people actually don’t know that much about me and I think that the biggest misconception — is just that they don’t know that much about me,” Edens said. “I went really viral on the internet at a really young age and it put me in this place where I felt so protective of myself because the things people were saying online about me at that time felt so harmful.
“And I don’t know that I’ve ever if really left that protective casing. So, I think the misconception is just I don’t think people know me that well online.”
Edens became an instant meme when she appeared at the lottery.
Despite the Bucks slipping to No. 2, many were convinced Milwaukee was the real winner of the night due to the stunning then 18-year-old.
“I’ll say it. Mallory Edens is a star,” Michelle Beadle, a FanDuel host and former ESPNer, tweeted at the time.
“The Cavs won the lottery and Mallory Edens won the Internet,” Bill Simmons added.
Her celebrity status only rose from there.
In 2023, Edens was rumored to be dating then Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has since played for the Jets and Steelers while marrying a mystery woman named Brittani.
Edens, a model, founded Little Ray Media, a production company based in Los Angeles with a mission to tell stories by and about women and girls.
When asked if she has any desire to be involved in the Bucks organization in a bigger capacity, Edens said, “Um I’ve had my moments.”
“I have such a deep respect for what the front office does. And I love just getting to be a fly on the wall in their conversations,” Edens said. “I always tell my dad exactly what I think all the time … We have a respectful banter about those things. So we’re not always on the same page but I always let him know exactly how I feel.
“I love basketball. I’m open minded about what my future holds.”
VJ Edgecombe might not be a Sixer without Buddy Hield
Inside the 76ers’ celebratory postgame locker room late Thursday, VJ Edgecombe received a phone call from Buddy Hield.
That would not normally occur between two players who had just faced off in a wild thriller. But it is not hyperbole to conclude that Edgecombe may never have made his game-winning plays against the Golden State Warriors — a steal, then a go-ahead putback in the final 8.2 seconds of a night that swung from Sixers blowout, to disastrous collapse, to chaotic 99-98 victory — without attending Hield’s basketball camps in their native Bahamas as a teenager.
» READ MORE: V.J. Edgecombe’s game-winning shot, Tyrese Maxey’s game-saving block helps Sixers beat Warriors, 99-98
Thursday’s crazy finish capped the first night that Hield, a respected 10-year sharpshooter, and Edgecombe, an electric two-way rookie, shared the floor as NBA peers. Edgecombe finished with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists, and three steals; Hield with 14 points, eight rebounds, and two steals. And as the postgame hubbub continued to swirl around them, Edgecombe and Hield met at center court to exchange jerseys.
“I love Buddy with all my heart,” Edgecombe later told The Inquirer. “ … He always had faith in me, and always was teaching me little points about the game.”
This Sixers-Warriors matchup was coincidentally full of reunions. Hield played 32 games for the Sixers after being acquired at the 2024 trade deadline. Tyrese Maxey’s game-saving block after Edgecombe’s bucket came against former teammate De’Anthony Melton, who spent a couple hours at Maxey’s home Wednesday to catch up as friends before making his season debut following knee surgery. Seth Curry and Al Horford are also former Sixers, and received drastically different receptions from the home crowd. So is Jimmy Butler, who sat out Thursday’s game with a knee injury.
But none of those players’ ties boast the roots of Edgecombe and Hield, who both described their relationship as little brother-big brother.
» READ MORE: Sixers takeaways: Tyrese Maxey is exceptional, Joel Embiid must play better, and more from win over Warriors
Edgecombe first attended Hield’s camp as a 13-year-old, aka the “smallest kid there” amongst a group of mostly high-school juniors and seniors. But Hield immediately noticed Edgecombe’s skill and eagerness to be good. Then, Edgecombe hit a growth spurt and added muscle to his frame.
“The next year, I see him on the rim dunking on people,” Hield recalled to The Inquirer before Thursday’s game. “I was like, ‘Oh, [expletive]. He’s going to be really good.’”
Throughout the years, Hield kept in touch with Edgecombe to “[make] sure I was always good,” the rookie said. Hield would emphasize staying confident and working hard.
Then, Edgecombe and Hield became Bahamas teammates for the 2024 Olympics Qualifiers. On a roster that also included fellow Sixer Eric Gordon and Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton, Edgecombe provided “an aggressive downhill energy that we didn’t have,” Hield said. The team would allow a pre-college Edgecombe to run pick-and-roll after pick-and-roll, trusting that he would either draw a foul while attacking the basket or kick out to an open Hield at the three-point arc.
Edgecombe’s performance in that high-pressure environment, while playing against grown men, helped ignite his ascension to coveted NBA Draft prospect. Then came his successful season at Baylor, an impressive pre-draft process, and becoming to the Sixers’ pick at third overall.
“I was like, ‘Man, I watched this kid grow up,’” Hield said. “That’s kind of dope, you know what I mean?”
Through the first quarter of the regular season, Edgecombe has been one of the league’s top rookies.
He scored 34 points in a historic NBA debut. He has been an impact player on both ends of the floor for a 12-9 Sixers team that is now guard-heavy and stressing a fast-paced style. He regularly ignites the crowd with his high-flying athleticism. He entered Thursday averaging 14.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.4 steals in 17 games, before some recent limitations due to a calf issue.
Before Thursday’s matchup, a grinning Hield vowed he would “go at [Edgecombe] and test that water.” But other than a 27-second stretch to close the first quarter, they were never on the floor at the same time until that wild final frame. They approached each other when they came back to the court following the quarter break. Edgecombe trash-talked Hield’s “fake defense,” before playfully shoving him to create space to receive the inbound pass.
And though Edgecombe struggled for much of Thursday’s game, coach Nick Nurse put the rookie back in for crunch time. Edgecombe has already earned the Sixers’ trust with his knack for clutch plays.
So while preparing for a defensive possession with his team trailing, 98-97, with 10.1 seconds remaining, Edgecombe knew the Warriors were out of timeouts. He tried to read Pat Spencer’s eyes, because “people tend to telegraph their passes a lot.”
“He had to throw the ball somewhere,” Edgecombe said. “Everyone was just in that one little spot, and I just dove on the ball, to be honest.”
That gave the Sixers an opportunity for a final-possession shot, with Edgecombe making the inbound pass. His plan was to “give the ball to Tyrese, and get out of the way.” But when Maxey’s fadeaway jumper was tipped by Melton and began to fall well short of the rim, Edgecombe darted in to secure the putback.
Then Edgecombe sprinted the opposite direction as Melton attempted his own breakaway game-winner, and flexed after Maxey swatted the ball away.
“It’s what he does,” Maxey said of Edgecombe. “ … Whatever it takes for us to win the game, I know he’s going to make a play.”
Hield, meanwhile, had already entered the day proud that Edgecombe had become the latest Bahamian who, by making the NBA, could take care of his family and bring joy to his community and home country.
But after that wild finish — which capped the first time Edgecombe and Hield shared the floor as NBA peers — Hield needed to call his little brother.
“It brings more life to the youth, to uplift them,” Hield said of Edgecombe’s success. “For them to be like, ‘Yo, VJ did it. I can do it, too.’ They’re trying to write their stories, too.
“So I just hope he keeps on inspiring young kids, like I did for him.”
NASCAR antitrust case: Michael Jordan and Joe Gibbs’ daughter-in-law to testify
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Jordan and Joe Gibbs’ daughter-in-law were expected to testify Friday on the fifth day of the federal antitrust case the Basketball Hall of Famer filed against NASCAR over claims the series has acted as monopolistic bullies.
Heather Gibbs, the chief operating officer of Joe Gibbs Racing, wrote an impassioned letter to NASCAR chairman Jim France in May 2024 imploring him to make charters permanent for the sake of strengthening the family business.
Charters are the equivalent of the franchise model used in other sports and in NASCAR it guarantees every chartered car a spot in all 38 races, plus a defined payout from NASCAR. The system was created in 2016 and during the two-plus years of bitter negotiations on an extension teams begged for the renewable charters to become permanent.
When NASCAR refused to make them permanent and gave the teams six hours in September 2024 to sign the 112-page extension, 23XI and Front Row Motorsports were the only two organizations out of 15 to refuse and instead filed an antitrust suit.
23XI is owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row is owned by fast food franchiser Bob Jenkins.
The discovery phase of the trial revealed a letter Heather Gibbs sent to France, who is now chairman of the series his father founded 76 years ago.
“We’ve put 32 years into investing and building a dream, building careers, building families, and building NASCAR. If the financial model made sense, we would not have had to work with an outside investor,” she wrote. “If our teams were financially healthy and did not solely rely on sponsorship, I would sleep better at night, not worrying about when the torch is passed on.
“We have invested not only our time but our family in this sport. We have raised champions and buried their leaders, all while continuing to embrace the historical roots of NASCAR,” she continued in the two-page emotion-packed letter. “So, with all due respect, please understand that when you tell us it doesn’t make sense to partner with us after 7 years is dejecting and truly disappointing.”
The letter came up in Thursday in testimony by NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell, who was called as an adverse witness. O’Donnell in a text message told Ben Kennedy, nephew of Jim France, “Jim is now reading Heather’s letter out loud and swearing every other sentence.”
Pressed by plaintiffs attorney Jeffrey Kessler as to what France was saying as he read the letter, O’Donnell said the chairman never swore. Kessler tried to force O’Donnell to reconcile what he wrote to Kennedy, but O’Donnell maintained that his boss was not cursing.
“That’s what I wrote, but he was not doing that,” O’Donnell testified. “We were all taken aback by the letter. I think Jim was frustrated, as we all were.”
Joe Gibbs ultimately signed the charter agreement, but Jenkins testified his rival team owner apologized for doing so.
On Thursday, Kessler attempted to portray France as “a brick wall” in negotiations. The teams had made specific requests in an attempt to improve their financial position, but the deal ultimately given to them on the eve of the start of the 2024 playoffs lacked most of their asks.
NASCAR was founded in 1948 by the late Bill France Sr. and to this day is privately owned by the Florida-based family. Jim France is his youngest son.
Kessler had a contentious session over more than three hours with O’Donnell and at times was shouting at the executive. He used internal communications among NASCAR executives to demonstrate frustration among non-France family members over the slow pace of negotiations and Jim France’s refusal to grant the teams permanent charters.
The internal communications among executives showed the mounting frustration over the prolonged negotiations. As O’Donnell, Commissioner Steve Phelps and others tried to find concessions for the teams, they all indicated they were met by resistance time and again by France and his niece, vice chair Lesa France Kennedy.
“Mr. France was the brick wall in the negotiations,” Kessler said to O’Donnell.
“Those are your words, not mine,” the executive replied.
Teams told NASCAR they were fighting for financial survival
Earlier Thursday, O’Donnell testified that teams approached the sanctioning body in early 2022 asking for an improved revenue model, arguing the system was unsustainable.
O’Donnell was at the meeting with representatives from four teams, who asked that the negotiating window on a new charter agreement open early because they were fighting for their financial survival. The negotiating window was not supposed to open until July 2023.
O’Donnell testified that in that first meeting, four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, now vice chair of Hendrick Motorsports, asked specifically if the France family was “open to a new model.”
Kennedy, great-grandson of NASCAR’s founder, told Gordon yes.
But O’Donnell testified that chairman France was opposed to a new revenue model.
Both sides speak of financial difficulties
The extensions that began this year upped the guaranteed money for every chartered car to $12.5 million in annual revenue, from $9 million. Hamlin and Jenkins have both testified it costs $20 million to bring a single car to the track for all 38 races. That figure does not include any overhead, operating costs or a driver’s salary, and Jenkins admitted he doesn’t spend that much.
NASCAR has argued it has made huge improvements for the teams as it works to grow the sport. O’Donnell testified that NASCAR lost $55 million in the three years it held a race on the downtown streets of Chicago, and $6 million when it raced in June in Mexico City. But he said those events were critical in widening viewership and signing Amazon as a media partner.
“It was a strategic investment because if not for that, Amazon would not have become a broadcast partner,” he testified.
Odds and ends
Judge Kenneth Bell admonished both sides over the slow pace of the trial, which was initially expected to take two weeks. Kessler said he didn’t anticipate wrapping up the teams’ side until the middle of next week.
NASCAR plans to call Roger Penske as a witness. Penske, who is reluctant to testify, has said he’s only available next Monday. Christopher Yates, lead attorney for NASCAR, asked that Penske be allowed to testify that day but Kessler objected because it would disrupt the flow of his presentation.
Bell sided with Kessler and told NASCAR to figure it out with Penske because “federal trials are an inconvenience.”
The judge also said stretching the trial to three weeks is not acceptable, and while he’s hesitant to step in to push the pace along, he urged both sides to counsel their witnesses to stop being “reluctant to answer even the most harmless questions.”
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MLB Notebook: Depth in rotation may allow Red Sox to bypass pricey free agent market in hunt for offense
Almost from the start, the free agent market has been a model of inefficiency. Bidding furiously against one another, teams pay exorbitant prices for past performance.
The players win, but in the long run, teams often lose — especially on long-term deals which especially tend to not age well.
Sometimes, free agency represents the only option as that’s where the talent lies. Also, the obsession with retaining prospects often steers clubs away from trading them to fill needs.
But this winter, the Red Sox, through two early offseason trades, may have found a way around this conundrum. After adding Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo, the Red Sox have close to 10 legitimate starting pitching candidates and/or well-regarded prospects: Garrett Crochet, Gray, Oviedo, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval, Hunter Dobbins, Kyle Harrison, Payton Tolle and Connelly Early.
This accounting doesn’t begin to take into account the next tier of pitching prospects, including David Sandlin, Luis Perales and last year’s No. 1 pick, Kyson Witherspoon — all of whom have trade value, too.
Not every pitcher, of course, is proven at the big league level and some — notably Sandoval — are coming off major physical setbacks.
But still, that’s far more than most organizations and could put them in deals to address their lack of pop in the lineup.
What if, say, the Red Sox succeeded in re-signing Alex Bregman, then packaged Jarren Duan and a young pitcher to land another power bat? That would upgrade the lineup considerably and would enable them to keep their CBT number in the $250 million or so range.
(Keeping the payroll in that area remains an organizational priority, as has previously been reported).
Instead of spending, say, $35 million per season on a seven-year deal for Pete Alonso to add muscle to the offense, the Red Sox could find a bat on the trade market, using Duran (or Wilyer Abreu) and a young starter as bait.
The bidding for the likes of Alonso and Kyle Schwarber has yet to even get underway, but it’s easy to anticipate those deals spiraling ever upward with the interest from a handful of big market teams (Phillies, Mets and others) all positioning themselves for one of the sluggers.
If the Red Sox were to land a run-producing first baseman in such a trade and bring back Bregman, they could use Marcelo Mayer at second, and then turn their attention to upgrading their DH spot.
With the money saved in largely staying out of the free agent market and freed from the long-term Rafael Devers deal, they could perhaps find a creative way to unload Masataka Yoshida’s remaining salary and fill the DH spot with other options.
By jumping the line early — no other team in the game has struck so quickly for two impact pitchers — the Red Sox have gotten the potentially costly part of their offseason agenda already out of the way.
Now, as they move on to address the offense and the need for more slug, they’re positioned to give themselves plenty of options, with an exit route available if they don’t want to get into bidding wars for the bat they need.
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Just nine months after he signed an eight-year, $60 million deal with the Red Sox, it’s uncertain how Kristian Campbell fits with the organization going forward.
He spent the entire second half of 2025 at Worcester and for now, it’s impossible to know what the team has planned for the future.
One thing is certain: he’s going to play for Caguas, Puerto Rico in winter ball starting soon.
“I think going into the offseason, getting some of his strength back was a priority,” said Brian Abraham, the director of player development for the Sox. “We feel like he’s in a really good spot physically. He’s been working out, spending some time in Fort Myers, which is great. I think a balance of the physical side but also the game-play side (is important this winter), giving him an opportunity to utilize some of the adjustments he’s made – physically and mechanically — in some game action would be to his benefit.
What trade chips do Rangers have left in farm system heading into MLB’s Winter Meetings?
It’s not just cash where the Rangers are a bit short-handed.
As they prepare to tackle a winter to-do-list that is still as lengthy as a Dear Santa letter, the Rangers are also a bit hamstrung when it comes to the barter market. They are thinner than they have been in a while when it comes to tradeable talent. They ended the season with the No. 26 ranked farm system in baseball, according to Baseball America.
The Rangers have one of baseball’s top prospects in Sebastian Walcott, sixth overall, according to MLB Pipeline, but he is the only player they have in the top 100. And he’s as close to untouchable as there is in the system. There is a great dropoff between Walcott and everybody else.
Bottom line: It’s going to create another challenge when it comes to cobbling together deals for major league help. They are short on guys capable of fronting a deal for major league talent. That said, here’s a look at names beyond Walcott the Rangers are likely to get asked about over the next week for any trade conversations to progress.
Alejandro Osuna
The left-handed hitting outfielder impressed scouts last spring with his energetic approach to the game and his disciplined approach to the strike zone. With Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter and Brandon Nimmo, the Rangers seem to have a regular outfield. Carter and Nimmo are both left-handed hitters, which potentially blocks Osuna’s playing time further. Then again, can the Rangers rely on Carter to stay healthy?
A.J. Russell
The second-round pick in the July draft, Russell is now more than a year out from internal-brace elbow surgery, which could put him on a track to make a big leap in 2026. He has first-round talent and could see a jump in fastball velocity his second year out that would make him a tantalizing prospect to bet on.
Caden Scarborough
The lean, lanky 20-year-old right-hander was a breakout star this past season. He’s still a work in progress, but has the ability to be a top-of-the-rotation starter, especially if the changeup he’s started to develop, matures.
Devin Fitz-Gerald
A switch-hitting, heady middle infielder who slashed .302/.428/.482/.910 in the Arizona Complex League and low Class A over 41 games last year due to an injury, Fitz-Gerald draws raves for his enthusiasm, hustle and comprehension of the game. He’s a product of Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, where both Roman Anthony and Colby Mayo played. His father is the coach there. In other words: A great pedigree.
Josh Owens
The Rangers’ third-round pack this past July has two-way ability as a pitcher and a shortstop. He doesn’t turn 19 until January and hasn’t played above low Class A, where he hit .083 in 24 plate appearances and allowed one run over four innings on the mound. So anybody trading for him would be doing a lot of projecting.
Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
MLB winter meetings: Free agency intel from Olney and Passan
MLB’s winter meetings begin Monday in Orlando, Florida, signaling the time when baseball’s offseason activity is likely to take off.
br/>What’s the latest on free agent hitters, including coveted sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Kyle Tucker? Will Framber Valdez find a new home now that fellow top free agent pitcher Dylan Cease is off the board? What’s the latest on a trade market featuring stars such asKetel Marte and Steven Kwan? And which teams could surprise the sport by making a big splash in Florida?
Here is the latest intel Buster Olney and Jeff Passan are hearing on the players, teams and themes that will rule this year’s meetings.
Last year’s winter meetings were all about Juan Soto — is there one free agent or theme on everyone’s mind going into the meetings this year?
Olney: Some agents and execs are saying the money for free agents is generally locked down. There are outliers, of course — the Toronto Blue Jays are doing their thing, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, A’s and Miami Marlins are all angling for a We Are Trying posture.
The very elite guys, such as Kyle Schwarber, will get their money. But there are early indications that a lot of the teams that are traditionally aggressive might be more conservative this winter, perhaps because of the looming labor situation — and that could lead to more trades, rather than investments in free agents, as teams look to plug holes.
Passan: When does the Kyle Schwarber dam break? Several teams’ fortunes — from Philadelphia to Cincinnati to Pittsburgh to Boston to Baltimore to the New York Mets — depend on where Schwarber goes. The belief among teams is that it will take five years to secure the 32-year-old, and once that happens — perhaps sometime during the meetings — teams will start pivoting, and the action will pick up demonstrably.
Which top free agent hitter is most likely to sign during the winter meetings?
Olney: In recent winters, the Blue Jays wanted to spend big and couldn’t entice Shohei Ohtani or Juan Soto to take their money. Now, some free agents could need Toronto, if some of the big-money teams pass on pricey moves. Kyle Tucker has been projected as a $400 million-plus player, but it might behoove him to move quickly if he gets an early, aggressive bid from the Jays (or some other team).
This is not a winter in which you want to be waiting for the big offers to materialize, as they did for Bryce Harper and Manny Machado in past offseasons.
Passan: Schwarber is the best bet. Tucker isn’t close to done yet. Cody Bellinger has a healthy market but is biding his time. Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette are world-class infielders with ample, moneyed suitors. Pete Alonso’ssigning could go down after Schwarber.
What’s clear is that there’s a group of teams that will spend on a big bat (Phillies, Red Sox, Blue Jays), a number surveying multiple options (Yankees, Mets, Cubs) and a handful that would do so opportunistically (Orioles, Tigers, Reds, Pirates). Others could emerge depending on how the market plays out and what trade possibilities emerge.
Which other hitters could move quickly at the meetings?
Olney: Cedric Mullins’ choice to sign for a one-year, $7 million, with the Tampa Bay Rays could be a warning sign for this free agent class. Mullins was not a perfect free agent by any measure, after his struggles with the Mets, but the rapidity with which he agreed to a deal could reflect the general feeling that this market could play out like a game of musical chairs — if you’ve got offers in hand, it’d be best to move fast and grab a spot (and money). Jorge Polanco could be among those who sign sooner rather than later — he’s coveted by the Mariners and some other teams. Harrison Bader set himself up well with a strong performance in Philadelphia.
Passan: If Schwarber goes early, everyone is in play. Otherwise, the second tier of hitters includes infielder Jorge Polanco, catcher J.T. Realmuto and Japanese corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto, and teams believe there could be momentum toward deals with them. Another popular hitter: infielder Ha-Seong Kim, who could return to Atlanta — which still needs a shortstop — on a shorter-term deal or seek longer-term security elsewhere.
Now that Dylan Cease has signed, which big-name aces could move next?
Olney: It depends on your definition of ‘big-name.’ Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, future Hall of Famers, will find landing spots, but they are on the downslopes of their remarkable careers; they can wait, and there is a presumption that Scherzer could pitch for his good friend and new San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello.
If you’re talking about the guys who will be getting paid the most, Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez are next up, and there are clearly teams with which they could fit. The Mets need an ace; the Orioles need an ace. But the perceived expectations for Valdez’s next deal are high early in this offseason, evaluators say, and any team that bids on Suarez has to get comfortable with investing in a guy who doesn’t throw hard — which is not common in this era./p>
br/>Passan: Teams in the mix for Suarez believe he’s the next big-time starter off the board. Though the 30-year-old won’t fetch a Dylan Cease-level deal, he long has been a target for Houston, which balks at deals beyond six years, and Baltimore, which is seeking a top-end rotation piece. Right-hander Michael King has widespread interest because of his frontline potential with a willingness to sign for a shorter term than the top starters. Also worth watching: right-hander Merrill Kelly, who at 37 is in line for a multiyear deal. Arguably the best starter in the class, Valdez is often among the league leaders in innings with a playoff résumé, and his market will unfold alongside the best hitters’.
Will we see a run of reliever signings following Devin Williams and Ryan Helsley getting deals?
Olney: Not necessarily, because there are so many relievers available — more than 100 unsigned free agents. Pete Fairbanks could be among the next to sign, and the 35-year-old Robert Suarez. Edwin Diaz’s free agency is fascinating because he’s the best available pitcher in an offseason in which there are few teams seemingly prepared to invest a nine-figure contract on a short reliever. He has been linked to the Mets, of course, and the Blue Jays, but each of those teams has been filling other holes, so far./p>
br/>Passan: The run on relievers is slowing slightly, though Fairbanks and Kyle Finnegan are the closers who could be had sooner than later. Tyler Rogers is primed to get a three-year deal, as is Brad Keller, who could transition to be a starter. Luke Weaver will get multiple years. The left-handed market is thin and led by Steven Matz, Caleb Ferguson, Taylor Rogers, Gregory Soto and Sean Newcomb. Diaz and Robert Suarez are the two best relievers left, and they are likely to wait for the larger market to shake out.
Which players will be mentioned most in winter meetings trade discussions?
Olney: It makes sense for teams that have trade candidates under team control into 2027 to weigh offers now because they might struggle to get proper value for those players next July, given the labor uncertainty after the season. That means players such as Mackenzie Gore of the Nationals — and Paul Toboni, Washington’s president of baseball operations, said in a
Frances Tiafoe Makes Feelings Clear About Taylor Fritz After Brutal Clash: “Can’t Stand Him”
The crowd at the Charlotte Invitational had barely settled after the final point when Frances Tiafoe threw his head back, a victorious grin spreading across his face. It had been a chaotic, nerve-shredding match – the kind only he and Taylor Fritz seem capable of producing when they’re on opposite sides of the net. Tiafoe’s 4-6, 6-4, 10-8 comeback win wasn’t just another addition to their long rivalry; it was another chapter in a story that began many years before stadium lights and TV cameras.
As he walked toward the net, sweat running down his face, Tiafoe wrapped Fritz in the kind of hug that only comes from years of shared battles. They exchanged a quick laugh, a shrug. Almost like two brothers who’d just fought in the backyard for the hundredth time. Minutes later, standing with a mic in hand and emotions still raw, Tiafoe let the world in on their unfiltered dynamic. “I mean, it’s been amazing… to be honest, I can’t stand him. But truly, it’s been amazing. We’ve played against each other since we were 15. We’re both 30 in a few years. It’s incredible to see the matches we have played against each other from juniors to now.”
But Frances Tifoe didn’t stop there. He dove into their story, one that began long before ATP points and big-stage pressure. “From being great juniors to now being great pros. We’re enjoying our tennis and the year we’ve lot of stories to tell and a lot of memories, all the battles over the years. Yeah, I’m super proud of him and happy to be along the journey for sure.”
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On the ATP Tour, together they’ve faced each other eight times, and guess what? Fritz has gotten the better of Tiafoe 7 times. If we go back a dozen years, a couple of 14-year-old boys arrived in Boca Raton, Fla. They were there for the USTA camp as promising youngsters. One was a Black kid from suburban Washington, D.C, son of refugees from Sierra Leone, while the other was a White kid from Southern California, whose parents were former tennis pros. Two different backgrounds, but still their bond grew stronger with every year.
Even during the press conference, Frances Tiafoe spoke about how respectful they have been with each other’s journey despite a bit of trash talk and fun. On this night, ‘Big Foe’ walked away with the win. But what truly stole the show was the honesty – and the affection -behind his playful admission.
But this wasn’t the first time that we’ve seen him speaking about Taylor Fritz. In September 2024, ahead of their US Open semifinal showdown, Tiafoe recalled a few moments of their incredible friendship.
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“When I first met him (Fritz), Taylor was an odd cat, a different cat. I definitely wasn’t thinking he was going to do what he’s done. He’s changed his body, like, unbelievable. He’s really talented. He was like a part-time player. He played a couple of times a week, and of course, he’ll tell you, he went to a normal high school. He was a normal kid. Then he started putting more time into it.”
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Frances Tiafoe also highlighted the difference in their personalities. “He (Fritz) is like a video gamer, never leaves the room. He’s a goofball. And I’m like, loud, obnoxious at times, but he’s also very funny. He’s got that dry humor, smartass, but at the same time, that’s why we like each other, because we’re so different. That’s why we get along so well. And then, as competitors, we’re very alike. Hate to lose. And we battle hard,”
Their rivalry may have delivered another dramatic finish in Charlotte, but what lingered after the match was the relationship behind it: two American stars who grew up chasing the same future and somehow carved it out side by side. What did Taylor Fritz say about their friendship after the match, though?
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Taylor Fritz reflects on his close bond with Frances Tiafoe
While Frances Tiafoe’s thoughts about their friendship made the headlines, Taylor Fritz’s similar response afterward was more subtle but equally meaningful. The American number one has often spoken about the shared experiences that shaped them – Laver Cup locker rooms, national team pressure, exhibition runs, endless training blocks. Their careers have run parallel, pushing each other to raise the ceiling of American tennis. What did he say about their incredible bond after his recent defeat to Tiafoe at the 2025 Charlotte Invitational?
“I mean, Frances (Tiafoe) is one of my closest friends. We’ve known each other for… well over 10 years, as he said. We’ve got a lot of good times, a lot of memories, and yeah, I don’t know, we always kind of get along the way we can both… joke with each other.”
Now, if we shift our focus back to tennis. Frances Tiafoe didn’t have a great outing in 2025. Currently ranked 30th in the world, Tiafoe failed to win even a single title this season. He had a win-loss record of 26-23. So, the 27-year-old tennis star will be keen to bounce back strongly in 2026. Guess what? He has already signed up for the Kooyong Classic exhibition, which will be held a week prior to the 2026 AO.
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On the other side, the world number 6, Taylor Fritz, had a win-loss record of 53-23, and he won 2 titles in 2025. Fritz will be seen in action alongside Coco Gauff at the United Cup. Both these players will be keen to gain some momentum before heading to the Australian Open. In Melbourne, they could possibly face each other once again; who knows…
As the 2026 season draws near, one thing feels certain – whether they’re facing each other across the net or standing side by side, Tiafoe and Fritz are writing one of American tennis’s most compelling stories.
Russian-born tennis player Anastasia Potapova switches nationality to Austrian
VIENNA (AP) — Russian-born Anastasia Potapova has switched allegiance to Austria, clearing a path for the 51st-ranked player to compete in the Billie Jean King Cup.
Potapova will become Austria’s highest-ranked women’s player, ahead of No. 94 Julia Grabher, with the nationality switch, which she announced on social media.
“Welcome to the team,” the Austrian tennis federation said in a statement that also confirmed her move.
The 24-year-old Potapova played at the Billie Jean King Cup in 2018 and 2019, but Russia has been banned from team competitions since the invasion of Ukraine.
“Austria is a place I love, is incredibly welcoming and a place where I feel totally at home,” Potapova wrote on Instagram on Thursday. “I love being in Wien and look forward to making my second home there. As part of this, I am proud to announce that starting from 2026 I will be representing my new homeland Austria in my professional tennis career from this point onwards.”
Potapova’s highest ranking was No. 21 in June 2023. Her best Grand Slam result is reaching the fourth round at the 2024 French Open. She has won three singles titles.
As a youth player, she was the 2016 girls champion at Wimbledon.
Potapova was criticized in 2023 for wearing a Spartak Moscow soccer club T-shirt during a warmup at Indian Wells.
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born Anastasia Potapova switches nationality to Austrian
VIENNA — Russian-born Anastasia Potapova has switched allegiance to Austria, clearing a path for the 51st-ranked player to compete in the Billie Jean King Cup.
Potapova will become Austria’s highest-ranked women’s player, ahead of No. 94 Julia Grabher, with the nationality switch, which she announced on social media.
Serving up an idea for the PGA Tour’s competitive future that everyone could love
There seems to be conflicting messages.
On one hand, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp argues that the middle class matters. “You cannot build a lifelong sport that outlives your stars if you don’t build a system that works beyond your stars,” Rolapp said last month during a CNBC leadership forum.
On the other, Rolapp and Tiger Woods, head of the PGA Tour’s new Future Competition Committee, preach the need for scarcity in the league’s competitive model, along with simplicity and parity, the latter of which, Rolapp says, the PGA Tour already has in abundance.
But for how long? How does parity coexist with scarcity? How does the PGA Tour, which just trimmed its number of fully exempt members, scale back and simplify its season without also further reducing the number of playing opportunities?
The answers could be found on the tennis court.
This is by no means an endorsement of the Association of Tennis Professionals. I watch four tournaments per year, the Grand Slam events, and maybe the ATP Finals – and I’m surely not alone. Still, I can’t help but find the ATP’s competitive model intriguing when applying it to the PGA Tour.
Here’s the idea I’m serving up:
One tour, six levels of tournaments
The ATP has four levels of tournaments, six if you count the Challenger and Futures events. The Grand Slam events award 2,000 ranking points to the winner, followed by the Masters 1,000 events, 500 events and 250 events. The Challenger and Futures events vary in points, between 50 and 175 for Challenger and 15 to 25 for Futures.
The PGA Tour example would shake out something like this:
Majors and The Players (5 events) – 2,000 points to winner
PGA Tour signature events (10) and playoff events (3) – 1,000
PGA Tour open events (~15) – 500
PGA Tour alternate events (~10) – 250
Korn Ferry events (~25) – 125-175
Americas events (~15) – 50-100
In tennis, there are usually several events per week across all levels, even multiple of the same level, though an emphasis is placed on showcasing the Grand Slam and Masters 1,000 events. Grand Slam and eight of nine Masters 1,000 events are mandatory for top players who qualify. For the PGA Tour, its signature events would be spaced out to about two per month for a total of 10, and there would be a requirement for top players to compete in at least nine of them. This creates a model of scarcity in which there are 18 tournaments that matter most – four majors, The Players, 10 signature events and then three playoff events.
All other events are considered pathways to the levels above.
Seven-month calendar
All tournaments would be played between early February, after the Super Bowl, and early September, before the start of the NFL season. Theoretically, some lower-level tournaments could start earlier, and the fall would feature a playoff series for the lower levels along with Q-School.
There could be scenarios, too, where there are multiple tournaments of the same level in the same week, even as high as the 500-point events. In that scenario, fields would likely split up the exempt membership, but if the PGA Tour truly believes that the gap between the 100th best player in the world and the 300th best player in the world is razor thin, then these fields shouldn’t be too different from what we’d normally see at events such as the Cognizant Classic and CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
More on the fall and Q-School later.
Varied field sizes
Like tennis, field sizes for most of these tournaments can vary. For the signature events, however, fields will be 90 players with a cut. The playoff fields would keep existing structure of 70-50-30.
Rolling ranking that factors only top performances
A new PGA Tour ranking would determine status and would resemble the ATP’s 52-week rolling ranking where players are ranked based on a cumulative point total that factors in only a certain number of top performances. On the ATP, a player’s ranking includes his best 19 performances, 20 if that player qualified for the ATP Finals, the ATP’s playoffs. All mandatory events must be included in the ranking. The PGA Tour’s number could be slightly higher; I’ll go with the best 18 performances plus three playoff starts for a potential total of 21.
Here’s what could factor into a PGA Tour player’s ranking, assuming that player is qualified for all events:
Four majors and The Players (5)
Nine mandatory signature events (9)
Playoff events (3)
Best four other performances (4)
For players who don’t qualify for all the mandatory events, they will count additional performances from other events to reach their 18-event threshold. But if a player skips a mandatory event without reason, like on the ATP, they will have zero points applied to their ranking; for someone like Rory McIlroy, it may matter very little.
Like the ATP, players who miss a cut will still receive points for qualifying for that tournament. For example, any player who qualifies for the main draw of a Grand Slam event receives 30 points automatically. These qualifying points are scaled down by level.
The reason this ranking works is because you can’t game it based on playing too much or too little, like a true cumulative ranking or average-points ranking.
Constant promotion and relegation
One way to think of this new PGA Tour ranking is a form of universal points that can effectively rank players across all PGA Tour levels. Players would earn exempt status for each level based on their end-of-postseason ranking (after the Tour Championship) though unlike the current points races, the ranking will not reset to zero between seasons.
This is a quick thought of who would be exempt for each level for the following season via the ranking, though this could be tweaked upon closer examination:
Majors – existing criteria, though the new PGA Tour ranking could potentially be included
The Players – playoff qualifiers (top 70)
Signature events – top 50
Open events – top 100
Alternate events – top 135
Korn Ferry events – top 200
Americas events – top 300
The rest of the fields will be filled via the current ranking, qualifiers and sponsor exemptions, which creates a system of constant promotion and relegation that will reward players who play well, regardless of what level they’re at. With this model, Johnny Keefer would not have been stuck playing on the Korn Ferry Tour all year; he would’ve likely earned his way into the signature tournaments by the end of the season and the playoffs. This creates parity unlike anything the PGA Tour has seen.
Here’s how a signature event field could be constructed:
Exempt players (50)
Sponsor exemptions (2)
Top available players in rankings (38)
Rankings determine alternate list
Players would be able to play down level at any time should they need the points. I could see the open events getting a handful of top players competing, much like the non-signature events now. But with the ranking only taking your best 18-21 finishes, there won’t be many top-100 players playing a ton of KFT and lower events.
For Year 1, previous season’s performance will determine exempt status and initial ranking.
One more thing: Using a universal ranking to fill out fields could be complicated with players constantly moving up and down, but there is technology to handle the logistics of it. Players can be locked into fields a week in advance should they fall out of eligibility right before a start, while players who play their way into a higher-level event on a Sunday will have the option to change plans and play up right away. With most of these events in the U.S., travel shouldn’t be a hindrance. Players will adapt for the chance to climb the rankings.
Filling out fields is confusing, but it’s not the fans’ jobs to do that – and this still might be easier to comprehend than the current priority lists. Simplicity can be found, however, in the ranking. The better the play, the better the ranking.
Fall schedule and Q-School keep identities, with a twist
Even with football going on, there will still be a demand for golf tournaments in the fall. The PGA Tour season will technically end with the Tour Championship in late August or early September, but there will be a fall slate that includes a lower-level playoff and Q-School.
The lower-level playoff would be series of events each that offer players chances to improve their ranking for the following season. Point values for these events would be 250 winner’s points each. Remember, fields at all levels are filled based on the ranking, and with signature events including a handful of non-exempt players via the ranking, the best performers in these events could play themselves into signature territory in the ranking. Unlike the current fall, this series would be closed to players who are already exempt into the signature events for the next year, so Nos. 51 and beyond in the rankings after the main playoffs are eligible to compete.
Q-School would be unranked and would function as is, offering exempt spots in the 250 events and lower for those who make it to final stage. Once exempt, these players would build their ranking during their rookie season.
DP Word Tour involvement? Potentially
There could still be a pathway from the DP World Tour to exempt status in the 500 events or lower, while co-sanctioned tournaments could still offer ranking points.
Confused yet? Hopefully not.
Moving to this model might not be as simple a concept as Rolapp and Co. would like, but it would not only likely satisfy the goals and desires of much of the membership, but it would allow for an easy transition for existing sponsors and partners. Truncating the schedule within the existing structures would mean some tournaments would be squeezed out. Having essentially one tour with varying levels of tournaments would allow for flexibility with scheduling. And the cumulative ranking will not only accommodate more events, but it will help alleviate the extreme advantages created by the current signature model.
There is so much more to think about with this idea, but considering the current outlook, it’s an idea that, at the very least, holds serve.
Megan Moroney Sets First Arena Tour, Hitting 43 Cities in 2026
Fans will have a chance to further determine just how “okay” Megan Moroney is when the country star embarks on her first headlining tour of arenas, beginning in late May of 2026 in the U.S. and wrapping up in early October in Europe.
The singer is poised to move on from her “Am I Okay?” album era to touring behind a third album, “Cloud 9,” that is due out Feb. 9. Moroney recently stopped by the Variety CMA Awards Lounge in Nashville and talked about what is different about the forthcoming record — including a visual and thematic shift from blue to pink that will surely be reflected in audiences attending the tour.
The “Cloud 9” tour will kick off May 29 at Columbus’ Schottenstein Center, with North American dates running through a hometown capper at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Aug. 21. Other stops in the U.S. along the way include an Aug. 7 date at L.A.’s Kia Forum — the inevitable follow-up to the two sold-out shows she just did at the Greek — and east coast appearances at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on July 9 and a July 10 gig at Newark’s Prudential Center.
After the North American run wraps up in late August, Moroney will reappear across the pond in mid-September, with nine European dates that include shows in London, Glasgow, Paris, Stockholm and Oslo. The tour is slated to conclude Oct. 1 in Belfast.
All tickets for the tour go on sale Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. local time at meganmoroney.com.
Well prior to all this, Moroney will be in Los Angeles this weekend at Variety’s annual Hitmakers event to receive the Storyteller of the Year award, given for her series of outstanding singles — like “6 Months Later,” the first teaser song from “Cloud 9” — as well as the strength of the songwriting on the “Am I Okay?” and “Lucky” albums that has pushed her to the top tier of country singer-songwriters.
For Variety‘s account of Moroney’s recent scream-along shows at the Greek, click here.
The full itinerary for Moroney’s tour:
MAY
29 | Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
30 | Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
JUNE
2 | Chicago, IL – United Center
5 | Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
6 | Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Coliseum
8 | Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
12 | Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center
13 | St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
16 | Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
18 | Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest
19 | Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
20 | Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
JULY
7 | Boston, MA – TD Garden
9 | Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
10 | Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
11 | Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena
14 | Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
16 | Orlando, FL – Kia Center
17 | Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena
18 | Sunrise, FL – Amerant Bank Arena
24 | Monticello, IA – Great Jones County Fair
25 | Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
26 | Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
28 | Denver, CO – Ball Arena
AUGUST
1 | Portland, OR – Moda Center
2 | Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
5 | Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
7 | Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena
11 | Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena
14 | Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
15 | Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
16 | Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
18 | Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
21 | Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
SEPTEMBER
13 | Oslo, NO – Sentrum Scene
15 | Stockholm, SE – Annexet
18 | Cologne, DE – Carlswerk Victoria
19 | Tilburg, NL – 013 Poppodium
21 | Paris, FR – Le Trianon
23 | London, UK – Eventim Apollo
26 | Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo
27 | Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy
Rosalia Announces ‘Lux’ World Tour
Rosalía already surprised a lot of the world with her baroque, classically inspired masterwork Lux but now she’s going even further by bringing it to her fans live. The Spanish pop star has announced a global tour that will take her through Europe, the U.S., and Latin America as she performs the boundary-breaking album in major arenas.
She’ll kick the tour off March 16 in Lyon, France, and then she’ll make her way through places like Spain, Portugal, and Germany before landing in Miami’s Kaseya Center on June 4. She’ll also play Madison Square Garden in New York and the Kia Center in Los Angeles.
Fans are already waiting to see how Rosalía interprets the baroque inspirations on the album, which was originally recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daníel Bjarnason. She’s already brought string musicians and other classical players for short performances on LOS40 Music Awards and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Rosalía’s other collaborators include Björk, Carminho, Estrella Morente, Silvia Pérez Cruz, Yahritza, and Yves Tumor, as well as choral groups like the Escolania de Montserrat i Cor Cambra Palau de la Música Catalana.
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After it’s release in November, the critically acclaimed project broke the record for the most streams in the first 24 hours by a female Spanish-language artist on Spotify. Lux is Rosalía’s first LP since 2022’s Motomami, and it sees her sing in 14 different languages. See Rosalía’s tour dates below.
USC freshman Alijah Arenas could return to action as soon as January
After surviving a fiery car wreck last spring, then injuring his knee last summer, USC star freshman Alijah Arenas could finally return to the court as soon as January, according to Trojans coach Eric Musselman.
Musselman said Thursday that Arenas’ rehab from knee surgery was “going phenomenally.”
The five-star freshman’s return would be significant news for USC, which has started the season 8-0 for its best start since 2022. The Trojans are off to that strong start despite also being without point guard Rodney Rice, who had been leading the team in scoring.
Rice remains “day to day,” but is expected to miss some time. USC has also been without forward Amarion Dickerson due to injury.
But Arenas’ return would immediately change the trajectory of a Trojans season that already looks pretty good through its first eight games.
MLB players union gathers to prepare for potentially contentious labor negotiations in 2026
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Roughly a month after the Los Angeles Dodgers finished a scintillating seven-game World Series triumph over the Toronto Blue Jays, the Major League Baseball Players’ Association gathered in Arizona this week to discuss the future of the game and look ahead to a possible lockout next December.
Japanese stars headed by Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have sparked record international interest, in-game attendance was up in 2025 for the third straight season, and a set of rule changes that began in 2023 has produced a faster-paced game that’s been widely lauded.
MLB work stoppage on the horizon? What MLBPA chief had to say
SCOTTSDALE, AZ – The storm clouds are hovering, with the dire forecast of a work stoppage coming a year from now, but Tony Clark, executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, refuses to sweat.
He spent four days meeting with players at their executive board meeting this week, with the hottest topic the upcoming collective bargaining agreement. He told them to be fully prepared for a potential work stoppage, but to also ignore the noise that the game will be shut down when the CBA expires Dec. 1, 2026.
“Our interest is getting in the room and hammering out a fair and equitable deal,’’ Clark told USA TODAY Sports and the Associated Press on Thursday. “Our commitment is in the room, at the table and getting to an agreement that is fair and equitable. Other stuff is just noise.’’
Is it possible the game will be shut down and disrupt the 2027 season?
Certainly.
This is why the players voted to have their licensing checks withheld since 2024, which is expected to happen again this year and next.
But will the game definitely be shut down?
No.
“We never go into a negotiation trying to miss games,’’ Clark said. “I can’t speak for the other side, but we don’t go into a negotiation trying to miss games. But in our history, we’ve missed games. We go into a negotiation looking to move the industry forward, protect and advance player rights, as a part of that. We’re going to negotiate in that fashion here.
“But we’re going to be prepared for what the other side is telling us they’re interested in doing. We don’t go into the conversation looking to damage the game, particularly in a world where the game is moving in a very good direction.
“We should be celebrating our guys and the game and what we’re seeing. Our guys are doing that, and they’re performing night in and night out, but the noise is suggesting that the sky is falling. We’ll see once we start formal bargaining what that looks like, but our players are ready for whatever that is going to look like.’’
There’s no need for a union fan council, no need to tell the world that teams are making more money than they let on, and no need to join the chorus and predict a lockout.
Really, Clark and the executive board reiterated, they hear the same complaints of the fans and share the same interests.
The players would love to see greater competitive balance, too, among teams, but don’t believe for a second that a salary cap is the way to accomplish the goal.
While no team shares their financial statements except Atlanta, which is a publicly traded company, the union receives private financial information from Major League Baseball that reveals exactly how much money each team generates in revenues each year.
So, the union is just as frustrated as the fans in some of the small markets who have low payrolls, believing that if they really wanted to compete for a World Series, or simply a division title, they would spend more money on their team instead of pocketing profits.
It will be the primary issue when Major League Baseball and the players union begin their formal negotiations, which is expected to commence in spring training, and was emphasized this week. The last time a small-market team won the World Series was in 2015 with the Kansas City Royals, but the Milwaukee Brewers, who reside in the smallest market in baseball, reached the NLCS this year despite a payroll $300 million less than the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“There are teams who have the wherewithal to compete that are choosing not to … that we don’t believe are putting their best foot forward,’’ Clark said. “Competition is central to what happens in our industry and the excitement that is built around it, much like you’ve seen over the course of the last four or five years. The excitement around it has caused a growth in eyeballs and people with butts in the seats. … But in a world, regardless of whether you’re on the left coast or the East Coast, or whether you’re anywhere in between, and independent of the size of your market, you have the wherewithal to compete.’’
There were strides made in the last CBA that assured that teams aren’t rewarded by consistently losing with the draft lottery and other mechanisms. The Chicago White Sox, who set a modern-day record in 2024 with 121 losses, weren’t eligible to have a draft pick higher than 10th in the following amateur draft.
“Teams were benefiting from losing in a way that incentivized losing,’’ Clark said. “That’s not what we wanted to have. It didn’t quite get as far as we would have liked to in some areas, but we were able to do some things that that changed that value proposition a little, or at least put some uncertainty in the equation whereby just losing the highest number of games doesn’t ensure the No. 1 draft picks.’’
The union made great strides in the last CBA with increased salaries for players not yet eligible for salary arbitration with increased minimum salaries, an incentive program that provided bonuses for player performance, and helping severely curtail service time manipulation with teams being rewarded with a draft pick if their rookies on opening-day rosters won individual awards.
There surely will be modifications and proposed minimum salary increases in this CBA, and at the same time, the players want to see changes in the MLB rule competition committee.
The committee, constructed in 2022, consists of six team owners, four players and one umpire. It was responsible for the introduction of the pitch clock, shift restrictions and the automated ball-strike challenge system that will go into effect in 2026. Yet, no matter how the players voted, MLB had the final say with the six owners all voting in favor of the commissioner’s office recommendation.
“The players have a concern about the well-being of the game,’’ Clark said. “They love it. They’ve dedicated their lives to it, and they recognize the window for them to play it is remarkably small. So they want the game to be the best version of itself.
“When you represent that as a part of the committee, even if you have less votes, and it’s either considered … it tells players that their value, their voice, isn’t being valued. So I remain hopeful, with less votes, will at some point in time yield more substantive responses to the input that players are offering. …. It hasn’t manifested itself the way players had expected.’’
While there isn’t a current player who has been part of a major work stoppage, with many not even born the last time the players went on strike in 1994-1995, Clark reiterated that the players’ solidarity is as strong as ever. When the executive subcommittee voted 8-0 against a proposed CBA deal from the owners in 2022, and the full union membership voted overwhelmingly to instead end the 99-day lockout, Clark called it a sign of strength, not a weakness.
There’s also no need to remind the players to be cautious in publicly addressing a potential work stoppage, believing they are much more media savvy than in 1994-95 when popular players like Tom Glavine and David Cone drew the wrath from fans for their stances.
“It’s different now,’’ Clark said. “These young players are equipped and have functioned in a world that’s much different than the one that we came up. In having said that, you standing on principle, there are always people that are going to challenge your principles. … It’s hard to make everybody happy all the time, but I firmly believe that our players and our fans connect better with our players than they ever have before. They can relate to our guys in ways that they couldn’t, and didn’t relate back then.’’
Now, the hope is that the common goal of competitive balance, when the Milwaukees of the world have the same chance as the Dodgers to play deep into October, can bring everyone together without bringing the game to a halt.
“I will tell you that with some of the issues, particularly as those as they relate to competition,’’ Clark said, “there’s a number of moving pieces in there that can be beneficial to everyone involved, and thus move our game forward.
“We’re looking forward to having those conversations.’’
Red Sox trade for Johan Oviedo from Pirates (source)
Outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia (MLB’s No. 85 prospect) and right-hander Jesus Travieso are going to Pittsburgh in the deal, while the Pirates are also sending a pair of prospects — left-hander Tyler Samaniego and catcher Adonys Guzman — to Boston.
The clubs have not confirmed the trade, which comes a couple weeks after the Red Sox acquired veteran starter Sonny Gray from the Cardinals.
Oviedo, who is under club control through the 2027 season, has been effective when healthy, posting a career 4.24 ERA across 81 big league appearances (57 starts). The 27-year-old missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, then suffered a lat strain that limited him to nine starts in 2025, when he logged a 3.57 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings.
MLB players union meets to prepare for potentially contentious labor negotiations in 2026
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Roughly a month after the Los Angeles Dodgers finished a scintillating seven-game World Series triumph over the Toronto Blue Jays, the Major League Baseball Players Association gathered in Arizona this week to discuss the future of the game and look ahead to a possible lockout next December.
Japanese stars headed by Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have sparked record international interest, in-game attendance was up in 2025 for the third straight season, and a set of rule changes that began in 2023 has produced a faster-paced game that’s been widely lauded.
But the big-spending nature of the $500 million Dodgers — who were led by high-priced stars Ohtani, Yamamoto, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman — highlighted baseball’s payroll disparity as the MLBPA prepares for a potentially contentious round of labor negotiations leading to the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement Dec. 1.
Union head Tony Clark said formal bargaining will likely begin in the spring, consistent with previous negotiations.
“As an organization, you start preparing for the next round of bargaining as soon as the ink is dry on the previous one,” Clark said Thursday. “You’re constantly assessing the system, you’re assessing how it is that teams and players are responding to the system.
“A year away, you’re really drilling down on what that looks like.”
The eight-person executive subcommittee consists of 2025 Cy Young Award winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal, along with veterans Chris Bassitt, Jake Cronenworth, Pete Fairbanks, Cedric Mullins, Marcus Semien and Brent Suter.
There are also 30 player reps — one for each team.
“We have an outstanding group of player leaders,” Clark said. “We are better and stronger as an organization when players engage one another and are educated on the issues. We have that. It’s something we’re grateful for and something historically our organization has always had.”
Clark said the MLBPA’s main focus continues to be centered on a few large issues heading into bargaining. One is finding more ways to encourage all 30 teams to spend on the free-agent market to make teams as competitive as possible.
While the Dodgers have spent roughly $890 million over the last two years building back-to-back World Series champions, the Athletics have committed than $150 million over the same period. MLB is the only major U.S.-based professional sports league without a salary cap.
The players association is bracing to resist a renewed push for a cap. Demand for a cap from owners is what led to a 7½-month strike in 1994-95 and the first cancellation of the World Series in 90 years.
Thirty years later, scars from that experience still remain. Clark made his MLB debut with the Detroit Tigers in 1995.
“Knowing that there are teams who have the wherewithal to compete, that choose not to and how that affects the industry,” Clark said. “In an industry where not all 30 teams are committed to that, what does that mean? Are there things that we can do to address those concerns? There are.”
The other major issue is that the MLBPA would like to see more ways for younger players to be paid in a way that’s more consistent with their on-field value. Most players are eligible for salary arbitration after three years of MLB service time and can be free agents after six years.
The union made some gains in compensating younger players in the last round of bargaining. The minimum salary jumped to $700,000 in 2022 and will be $780,000 next year. And a $50 million annual pool was established for prearbitration-eligible players.
Associated Press reporter Ronald Blum contributed.
Analyzing Cubs’ right field options entering 2026
The simplest solution to the outfield situation is to bring Tucker back. But it won’t be easy or cheap, as he’s perhaps the most coveted player in this year’s free-agent class. Consider this: Though injuries limited Tucker’s availability and production (by his standards) each of the past two seasons, he still had a combined 156 OPS+. His 22 homers last season were his fewest in a full season, but he still had an .841 OPS and a 143 OPS+. He also swiped 25 bases for his third 20-20 season. Those are
Ken Rosenthal Doesn’t Hold Back on Kyle Tucker Visiting Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays have already made one big splash, signing Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract after coming off their American League Pennant. Nonetheless, could another major signing be on the way?
On December 3, The Athletic reported, citing a league source, that free-agent hitter Kyle Tucker toured the Blue Jays’ player development complex in Dunedin, Fla.
As a corner outfielder, Tucker offers a blend of speed, power, and reliable contact. With a career OPS of .865, he has topped 20 homers and reached double figures in steals in each of the past five seasons.
“What’s interesting about this is that prior to last night, the Jays’ interest in Kyle Tucker was rumored, but it was never really confirmed or even seemed to be something that the club was prioritizing,” Rosenthal said on the December 4 edition of “Fair Territory.” “We know that they signed the two starting pitchers, Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce.
“We didn’t know exactly what they were doing on the position side, but they had interest, perhaps in Tucker and certainly in resigning Bo Bichette. So this is a clear indication of their interest. Whether it indicates they’re going to sign Tucker remains to be seen.
“And let’s not get carried away with that idea. You remember Shohei Ohtani, a couple of years ago, visiting the Jays Training Complex in Dunedin, didn’t sign. This is a normal thing for players to do. And Kyle Tucker does live in Tampa, which is a short drive from Dunedin. So really for him, hop, skip, and a jump, no big deal to go there. But at the same time, I don’t want to underplay this.”
Blue Jays Send a Message to Bo Bichette
Whether Toronto signs Tucker remains to be seen, but Rosenthal stated that the reported meeting with the all-star outfielder is a message to the Blue Jays‘ homegrown product and free-agent hitter, Bo Bichette.
“The Jays are acting like behemoths in this market, and this meeting with Tucker that took place last night or yesterday, whenever exactly it was, is an indication that they are thinking big,” Rosenthal added.
“It also might be a message to Bo Bichette: ‘Hey, come down a little bit in your price.’ There are all kinds of possibilities here. Fact of the matter is, he was in Dunedin at their complex, and that is news.”
Blue Jays Will Need to Shell Out Significant Money
Despite this visit from Tucker, the sticking point is money. Toronto already pushed out two of the biggest contracts of the offseason, and signing Tucker would take an even heavier financial leap.
Tucker’s bat would be a welcome addition to the Blue Jays’ lineup, considering he’s a four-time All-Star with two Silver Sluggers and a Gold Glove. A move pushes Toronto even higher atop the teams that are the favorites to win the AL in 2026.
Moreover, while any team would welcome Tucker, he fills a real need for Toronto because of his left-handed bat. Last season, the Jays tried a few left-handed options in front of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., giving turns to Nathan Lukes and Addison Barger.
Meet Georgios Frangulis: Aryna Sabalenka’s Gorgeous Spiritual Boyfriend Who Does Motorsports And Owns A Successful Business
As Aryna Sabalenka continues her ascent through the top ranks of women’s tennis, her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis has become a steady presence in her player’s box and a central figure in her personal life.
Sabalenka said in an interview with People that Frangulis supported her during some of the most challenging moments of her career. She described how he helped her step away from tennis mentally when necessary and focus on enjoying life beyond the court. His encouragement, she said, allowed her to stay grounded during difficult stretches.
Their relationship became public in April 2024 when they were first photographed together. Since then, Frangulis has attended major tournaments and celebrated Sabalenka’s victories, including her semifinal win at the Australian Open. A detailed profile in Town & Country described him as a key stabilising force in her life.
A Deeply Spiritual Approach to Life
Frangulis embraces spirituality as one of his defining traits. Speaking to Forbes Brazil, he said that visiting church frequently and maintaining a connection with faith are central to his daily routine. He described spirituality and intuition as values rooted in his family, and he continues to rely on both as guiding principles.
This aspect of his personality has also influenced the way he supports Sabalenka during competition. Frangulis admitted that watching her matches from the player’s box is stressful. He explained that he tries to remain calm and composed because Sabalenka notices every movement from her support team. He chooses to remain quiet during play, clapping only at crucial moments, and focuses on helping her recover emotionally after matches.
A Competitive Side: Frangulis Races in the Porsche GT3 Cup
Beyond spirituality and business, Frangulis is an active competitor in motorsports. He participates in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, a demanding racing series that often overlaps with his responsibilities as CEO of Oakberry. He said the races usually take place on weekends, which allows him to maintain a structured training schedule during the week. Physical preparation and therapy sessions help him manage pressure and stay ready for race days.
Frangulis said that racing offers him moments of complete focus, where everything outside the car disappears. He described those moments as rare and valuable given the intensity of his professional life. Motorsport enthusiasts have noted his steady improvement and discipline within the series.
A Global Entrepreneur With a Growing Sports Network
Frangulis is best known as the founder and CEO of Oakberry, a popular global açaí and smoothie brand. He has expanded the company rapidly across multiple continents, creating a strong international presence. His business success has also connected him to significant figures in the sports world.
His growing friendship with former men’s tennis world number one Novak Djokovic is one example. Frangulis and Sabalenka recently met up in with Djokovic and his wife Jelena in Athens, where Sabalenka and Djokovic trained together at the Tatoi Club before their post–US Open events. The outing was documented by Tennis.com.
Djokovic and Frangulis are also business partners. They invested together in the French football club Le Mans, joining a group that includes racing stars Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen. Frangulis has said that Djokovic inspired him long before they met personally and that their friendship is now built on mutual curiosity about sport, business and global culture.
How Frangulis Became a Quiet Yet Influential Force in Tennis Circles
The new angle emerging from Frangulis’ growing visibility is the influence he now holds within tennis culture despite not being an athlete in the sport. His support for Sabalenka, combined with his business ties and his connection to Djokovic, has placed him in a unique position. He has become part of the inner circle that shapes conversations around elite tennis players while maintaining strong ties to motorsports and entrepreneurship.
Frangulis’ combination of spirituality, discipline and business intellect allows him to move between these worlds smoothly. He brings calm to Sabalenka’s team, business insight to Djokovic’s ventures and competitive energy through his racing career. This blend of roles reflects a modern type of tennis partner: supportive, influential and deeply connected to the global sports ecosystem.
A Partner Who Adds Stability and Ambition to Sabalenka’s Life
For Sabalenka, Frangulis offers both emotional stability and a sense of shared ambition. His presence during her matches, his encouragement during setbacks and his ability to balance demanding responsibilities have strengthened their relationship. Together, they have become one of tennis’ most visible and dynamic couples.
As Sabalenka competes for more major titles and Frangulis expands his influence in business and sport, their connection remains a key part of her personal and professional journey.
Alfredo Tapped to Drive No. 96 for Two
Viking Motorsports is set to expand its operations in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for the upcoming campaign, fielding a second entry in what will mark the team’s sophomore year in the second-tier series.
In addition to the team’s flagship No. 99 Chevrolet, which the organization announced in November would be driven by Parker Retzlaff in 2026, the Don Sackett-owned operation will break out the No. 96 for the complete 33-race campaign, starting at Daytona on February 14.
The driver? Long-time NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series pilot Anthony Alfredo.
The 26-year-old moves to the team’s newly-formed second entry after a year working with Young’s Motorsports – the latest in a line of Chevrolet-backed teams that Alfredo has worked with throughout his 151-race O’Reilly Auto Parts Series tenure (which includes former series champions Richard Childress Racing).
Joshua Graham, who previously worked with Alfredo at Our Motorsports in 2024, will be paired with the Ridgefield, Connecticut-native as the team looks to use their past chemistry to get a kickstart on things with its second entry.
Graham spent last season working in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as a crew chief for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing – working with both Daniel Hemric and Jack Wood.
Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins ‘hurt’ by NASCAR’s ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ charter offer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins testified Wednesday in the federal antitrust case against NASCAR that he was “honestly very hurt” by a “take-it-or-leave-it” offer on a new charter agreement that came with a deadline of mere hours to sign the 112-page document.
Front Row, alongside 23XI Motorsports, is suing NASCAR over antitrust claims for the charter agreement that was presented on the eve of the 2024 playoffs and went into effect this year. He said he was out to dinner with his parents and had no cell signal when the charter offer came in.
Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins, left, and 23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin arrive in the Western District of North Carolina on Monday Dec 1, 2025 in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jenna Fryer)
When he finally got phone service, he had dozens of missed calls and texts about the charter agreement and reached out to several rival owners.
“There was a lot of passion, a lot of emotion, especially from Joe Gibbs, he felt like he had to sign it,” Jenkins testified. “Joe Gibbs felt like he let me down by signing. Not a single owner said, ‘I was happy to sign it.’ Not a single one.”
Jenkins said the charter agreements arrived at 6 p.m. on a Friday with a midnight deadline to sign them. He felt the timing was deliberate as “no attorney on the East Coast was available to read a 112-page document.”
He claimed NASCAR “knew we had to blindly sign it. Some of these owners have $500-$600 million facilities, long-term sponsors. They couldn’t walk away from that.”
Jenkins asked for and received an extension on signing but testified NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps made clear it was for review purposes only and told Jenkins, “negotiations are concluded. We are not re-opening the document.”
Jenkins, a fast-food franchise owner, plans to hand Front Row Motorsports down to his four sons so he testified he spoke to the two eldest about the charter offer. He explained that 13 of 15 organizations had signed — Jenkins said he felt NASCAR believed he would cave to the pressure of the other teams having already committed — but that he really did not believe the charter offer was a good deal and did not want to sign.
When they agreed with him, he joined Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, the owners of 23XI, in suing NASCAR.
Front Row was one of the teams that received original charter agreements in 2016 when the system was created. He didn’t love the deal then but felt it was a step in the right direction in bolstering the health of the top stock car racing series in the United States.
He felt the 2025 agreement went “virtually backward in so many ways.
“It was insulting, it went so far backward. NASCAR wanted to run the governance with an iron fist, it was like taxation without representation,” he testified. “NASCAR has the right to do whatever it wants.”
Front Row and 23XI have accused NASCAR of being a monopolistic bully in violation of federal antitrust laws in this landmark antitrust case that could rewrite the framework of the sport. The teams contend NASCAR is a monopoly that has handcuffed them with a no-win revenue model.
The charter agreement that took effect this year ended more than two years of bitter negotiations in which neither side budged. The deal fell short of the requests made by all 15 teams, but 13 teams still signed under the belief they’d lose their protected status as a charter — which guarantees both entry into every race and a defined share of the purse.
Jenkins has never turned a profit since launching his NASCAR team in the early 2000’s and estimates he’s lost $100 million even while winning the Daytona 500 in 2021. But he said he grew up a NASCAR fan, was a charter member of the Dale Earnhardt fan club beginning with Earnhardt’s rookie season and lived out a dream in becoming a team owner.
He testified he’s fighting for NASCAR to be healthy and stable — for the Florida-based France family that owns it and all the participants.
“This is not about bashing the France family,” Jenkins testified. “They’ve made a lot of great decisions. This charter is not one of them.”
Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, sits in his pit box during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/ Butch Dill, File)
He said his fellow owners agree.
“100% of the owners think the charter system is good,” Jenkins said. “The charter agreement is not.”
NASCAR executive takes stand over alleged illegal monopoly abuses
Scott Prime, NASCAR executive vice president in charge of strategy, testified for a second day to his role in shaping the Cup Series’ charter system when he worked outside the series for a consulting firm.
Prime compiled a 2014 report for the McKinsey firm that stated concerns over the longevity of the sport if NASCAR didn’t act to improve the health of their race teams. One of the suggestions was issuing taxi-like “medallions,” which was the genesis for the charter system.
Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for 23XI and Front Row, said even with charters, NASCAR teams remain stuck in a weakened negotiating state and with unfavorable terms because there are no other legitimate stock car series options.
“You’re a monopoly,” Kessler told Prime. “There’s no place else to compete. There was no place else for them to go, correct?”
“NASCAR is the premier stock car racing series today, yes,” Prime said.
Prime said NASCAR became concerned about the threat of a breakaway stock car series during 2024 charter negotiations. He said at the time NASCAR considered several options that included offering charters to team owners on a “first come, first served” basis and as drastic an option as taking cars in-house for the France family to run and essentially eliminating race teams.
“Only a monopolist has the power to say, ‘Take my offer and if you don’t take it, you will no longer be in this business, and someone else will take your place,’” Kessler said.
NASCAR would present the take-it-or-leave it offer that left Jenkins hurt.
How it got here
The trial is expected to last two weeks.
NASCAR is owned and operated by the France family, which founded the series in 1948.
Kessler told the jury Monday that over a three-year period almost $400 million was paid to the France Family Trust and a 2023 evaluation by Goldman Sachs found NASCAR to be worth $5 billion. The pretrial discovery process revealed NASCAR made more than $100 million in 2024.
NASCAR contends it is doing nothing wrong and has not restrained trade or commerce by its teams. The series says the original charters were given for free to teams when the system was created in 2016 and the demand for them created a market of $1.5 billion in equity for chartered organizations.
The new charter agreement upped the guaranteed money for every chartered car to $12.5 million in annual revenue, from $9 million. But Hamlin and Jenkins have both testified it costs $20 million to bring a single car to the track for all 38 races and that figure does not include any overhead, operating costs or a driver’s salary.
Both testified they don’t have the ability to slash costs and teams are too reliant on outside sponsorship to survive.
“It’s offensive to say I’ve overspent. We have a model that works for us,” Jenkins testified. “I have never turned a profit. And it’s not from malpractice. The level we compete at is just so expensive.”
Prime testified as much and noted in his consulting role he discovered in 2014 that teams lost a combined $85 million, or an average of $1.3 million a car. He also learned that under the system before charters, when cars had to qualify for a race based on speed, a team would lose $700,000 if it failed to make the field.
Behind the scenes
NASCAR’s lawyers were admonished by Judge Kenneth Bell after the jurors were dismissed for the day for violating rulings on what could be introduced in court. The lawyers had been told they could not use text exchanges between Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson and Prime because Dickerson is not a witness, and they could not discuss Jenkins’ income stream from non-NASCAR businesses.
“These will not happen again,” Bell warned the defense.
Christopher Yates, who has been lead attorney in the year since the case began, has through three days let his associates handle all the in-court action.
Meanwhile, as the two sides left court at the end of the day, a spectator waited for Jordan and played the introduction music that always played before Jordan began an NBA game. Jordan, during a break in court, told a reporter he did not watch North Carolina’s win over Kentucky on Tuesday night.
NASCAR antitrust trial: Bob Jenkins testifies about $100M loss and ‘insulting’ charter deal
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins was back on the stand Thursday to testify on the fourth day of the explosive antitrust case that accuses NASCAR of being a monopolistic bully in violation of federal antitrust laws.
Jenkins began his testimony Wednesday and the fast-food franchiser said he was a passionate NASCAR fan who fulfilled a longtime dream when he was finally able to own a car in the top motorsports series in the United States.
But he said he has lost $100 million since becoming a team owner in the early 2000s and that’s even with a 2001 victory in the Daytona 500. His love of the sport and belief that it can be profitable have kept him going, but what he believes is a no-win revenue model led Front Row to join 23XI Racing in a federal lawsuit against NASCAR.
23XI is owned by Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. Jordan has the funding to fight NASCAR and Jenkins joined the battle when he became offended by NASCAR’s “take-it-or-leave-it” offer on charter agreements.
A charter is the equivalent of the franchise model used by other sports leagues, but in NASCAR it guarantees a team a spot in the field for all 38 races plus a designated percentage of revenue. Front Row was one of the teams that received two charters for free when NASCAR created the system in 2016 and Jenkins thought the agreements were lousy then — but a step in the right direction.
All 15 Sprint Cup organizations fought for more than two years for better terms on the charter extensions that began this year. But when NASCAR’s final offer was presented at 6 p.m. on a Friday last year with six hours to sign the 112-page document, Jenkins balked because it went “virtually backward in so many ways.
“It was insulting, it went so far backward,” he testified Wednesday. “NASCAR wanted to run the governance with an iron fist, it was like taxation without representation. NASCAR has the right to do whatever it wants.”
He said he was “honestly very hurt” by the sequence of events and believed NASCAR “knew we had to blindly sign it. Some of these owners have $500-$600 million facilities, long-term sponsors. They couldn’t walk away from that.”
Jenkins testified that Joe Gibbs personally apologized to Jenkins for signing the deal, and most owners reluctantly signed the agreement.
“Not a single owner said, ‘I was happy to sign it.’ Not a single one,” he testified. “100% of the owners think the charter system is good,” Jenkins said. “The charter agreement is not.”
Front Row and 23XI were the only two organizations out of 15 that refused to sign and instead went to court in a trial that could completely rework NASCAR’s framework.
The extensions ended more than two years of bitter negotiations in which neither NASCAR or the teams budged.
Team losses
NASCAR executive vice president in charge of strategy Scott Prime testified Wednesday that a study he worked on as a consultant found the longevity of the sport was in danger if NASCAR didn’t act to improve the health of their race teams.
Prime said NASCAR became concerned about the threat of a breakaway stock car series during 2024 charter negotiations.
Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for the teams, told the jury Monday that over a three-year period almost $400 million was paid to the France Family Trust and a 2023 evaluation by Goldman Sachs found NASCAR to be worth $5 billion. The pretrial discovery process revealed NASCAR made more than $100 million in 2024.
NASCAR contends it is doing nothing wrong and has not restrained trade or commerce by its teams. The series says the original charters were given for free to teams when the system was created in 2016 and the demand for them created a market of $1.5 billion in equity for chartered organizations.
The new charter agreement upped the guaranteed money for every chartered car to $12.5 million in annual revenue, from $9 million. But Hamlin and Jenkins have both testified it costs $20 million to bring a single car to the track for all 38 races and that figure does not include any overhead, operating costs or a driver’s salary.
Both testified they don’t have the ability to slash costs and teams are too reliant on outside sponsorship to survive.
“It’s offensive to say I’ve overspent. We have a model that works for us,” Jenkins testified. “I have never turned a profit. And it’s not from malpractice. The level we compete at is just so expensive.”
Prime testified as much and noted in his consulting role he discovered in 2014 that teams lost a combined $85 million, or an average of $1.3 million a car. He also learned that under the system before charters, when cars had to qualify for a race based on speed, a team would lose $700,000 if it failed to make the field.
The trial is expected to last two weeks with Jordan, Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske still set to testify. Jordan has been in court each day and is occasionally demonstrative, either laughing at funny remarks or shaking his head at testimony he disagrees with.
NASCAR is owned and operated by the France family, which founded the series in 1948.
Olsen, Barker go full-time for Ford Multimatic IMSA GTD PRO team
Ford Multimatic Motorsports has announced a realignment of its two-car GTD PRO effort in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, with Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Dennis Olsen and Ben Barker move into full-time driving roles in 2026.
Olsen, who partnered with Christopher Mies and Frédéric Vervisch in the Ford Mustang GT3’s first global racing victory at Daytona last season, will go from Michelin Endurance Cup specialist to drive the No. 64 Ford Mustang GT3 for all 10 GTD PRO rounds. Barker, who was the Endurance Cup driver for the No. 64 car last season, will be his full-season co-driver.
Mies and Vervisch will continue to drive the No. 65 car, after finishing eighth in the 2026 GTD PRO standings.
Mike Rockenfeller and Sebastian Priaulx, who finished third in points, will become the new Endurance Cup drivers for Ford Multimatic Motorsports. Rockenfeller will join Olsen and Barker in the No. 64, while Priaulx will move to the No. 65 crew to join Mies and Vervisch.
Ford will introduce a new Evo version of the Mustang GT3 in 2026, which ran at the November IMSA Sanctioned Test at Daytona and will make its race debut in the Rolex 24 – featuring bodywork and platform updates.
Today’s announcement was made in an open letter written by Olsen, who will begin his first full season of IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship racing in 2026.
“Driving under the Daytona Beach welcome sign this time around brought back so many emotions. Last time I was here, I was standing on the roof of a Ford Mustang GT3 in victory lane having achieved a lifetime’s ambition. Daytona International Speedway holds so many special memories, but it also is our next challenge as we prepare for the 2026 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship,” Olsen wrote.
“I am looking forward to building on our successes – with Ben Barker and Mike Rockenfeller by my side, joined by Christopher Mies, Frédéric Vervisch and Sebastian Priaulx in the sister car to complete a strong Mustang GT3 roster in the GTD PRO class. Our first target is to leave Daytona with another Rolex watch!
“While last year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona was very emotional – filled with immense pressure and intensity to the final lap – there was a sense of calm returning for November’s IMSA-sanctioned test. For 2026, we will introduce the next evolution of the Mustang GT3, to kick-off the 125th anniversary of Ford Racing, and I will get to do that with some of my closest friends and teammates – our Ford family.
“It’s an honor to be representing Ford Racing and Multimatic Motorsports as a full-time driver in the No. 64 Mustang GT3 this season,” he continued. “While this will be my first complete season in IMSA, I know what to expect. I’ve been to most of the tracks already, except for Virginia International Raceway and the streets of Detroit.
“It is important to show that ‘America’s Race Team’ can win its home series. It’s also one of the most important markets for the brand, as the birthplace of more than 10 million Mustangs that have been delivered to customers globally.”
About the change in driver line-ups, Olsen added: “Some might ask, ‘Why change the formula?’ Here, we have a line-up of true championship contenders – united in maximizing the Mustang GT3. It’s not only for us, but also for everyone included in this project. We are here to showcase the updated Mustang GT3 and reward everyone’s hard work.
“Bringing the Mustang GT3 home to its first global victory was both an incredible experience and journey to get there. I became a father less than one month before the race; my wife and I welcomed Ellie into the world. Many people said that I’d lose a couple tenths of a second as a new father. I sure proved them wrong that weekend and rest assured, I aim to do that this season as a full-timer.
“We are going into January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona confident, because we have all the right pieces to build on our successes in the third year of the Mustang GT3. The target is – and always is – winning the championship.”
Why Did Chris Gabehart Leave Denny Hamlin & JGR? What His Exit Means to Joe Gibbs & Spire Motorsports?
Late on December 3, 2025, the motorsport world got confirmation that Chris Gabehart has departed Joe Gibbs Racing. That is not just a personnel change. It is a seismic shift. Gabehart had worn many hats, from being Hamlin’s long-time crew chief to serving as JGR’s Competition Director. Rumors are already swirling that he is heading to Spire Motorsports for 2026. His exit raises a lot of questions.
Why leave right after JGR had re-established itself at the top of the sport? What does it mean for Hamlin, and for a team like Spire, which seems to be building quietly but aggressively behind the scenes?
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How Chris Gabehart’s exit affects Denny Hamlin’s 2026 outlook
Chris Gabehart and Denny Hamlin were one of NASCAR’s most feared pairings. From 2019 through 2024, they scored 22 wins together, including back-to-back Daytona 500 victories, and brought the No. 11 team to multiple Championship 4 appearances. That consistency was not just about speed. It was chemistry, trust, and a shared language built over hundreds of races.
Even after Chris Gabehart moved into the Competition Director role and was replaced by Chris Gayle on the pit box in 2025, many expected his influence would still be felt across JGR’s cars. Having him leave entirely now leaves a noticeable void.
For 2026, Hamlin loses a person who knows exactly how he thinks, how he drives, and how to extract speed and stability from a car under pressure. No matter how strong Chris Gayle is, that familiarity and rhythm matter. It changes expectations from “contender” to “re-learning each other.”
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In a sport measured in tenths of a second, that loss could be the difference between winning and coming close. But how does it look for Spire?
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Why Spire Motorsports still gains even after Rodney Childers’ departure
Spire recently parted ways with veteran crew chief Rodney Childers. For many teams, losing someone with his resume would signal trouble. Instead, Spire looks like a team thinking long-term. The potential addition of Gabehart signals they are building for structure, depth, and competitive evolution.
Chris Gabehart brings experience, leadership, and a strong engineering mindset. While Childers is known for bold strategic calls, Gabehart is respected for methodical precision, data-driven car development, and long-term competitive planning. For a building team like Spire, that may mean deeper progress than simply replacing one crew chief with another.
In short, Spire is not just replacing what it lost. It may be upgrading.
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How Chris Gabehart’s NASCAR experience could elevate Spire’s driver pipeline
Chris Gabehart began his career at Joe Gibbs Racing as a race engineer, progressed through the Xfinity ranks, and eventually became a Cup-winning crew chief for Hamlin. His rise proves he understands development at every rung of the NASCAR ladder.
Spire has been reshaping its driver lineup with young talent and developing names. Gabehart’s arrival could accelerate their growth. He knows how to translate engineering data into real performance feedback that young drivers can understand. He also knows how to build drivers mentally, not just mechanically.
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That type of environment can turn potential into results much faster than teams that rely on quick fixes or constant lineup changes. For young drivers without access to legacy powerhouses, Spire might quietly become the most desirable landing spot.
Is Spire becoming the new destination for top crew chiefs after the 2025 shakeup?
Gabehart’s departure from JGR might not be an isolated career move. Spire’s recent changes, including the exit of Childers and the arrival of new drivers like Daniel Suárez for 2026, suggest the organization is prioritizing sustainability over short-term panic.
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At a time when crew chiefs juggle heavy demands, sponsor expectations, and constant travel, the appeal of a stable organization investing in infrastructure is growing. Chris Gabehart likely recognized that opportunity.
NASCAR Trial Day 4: NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell Testifies
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell, one of the top executives of the organization, took the stand on Thursday, December 4 in the NASCAR Trial over anti-trust practices in Federal Court in Charlotte, North Carolina.
O’Donnell revealed during his testimony that the France Family that owns NASCAR were against any changes to a new revenue model that was sought by the teams, Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press reported.
A charter is the equivalent of the franchise model used by other sports leagues, but in NASCAR it guarantees a team a spot in the field for all 38 races plus a designated percentage of revenue.
NASCAR is being sued by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports for anti-trust violations claiming it operates as a monopoly. Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner and NASCAR star Denny Hamlin co-owns 23XI Racing. Bob Jenkins is the owner of Front Row Motorsports. Those were the only two organizations of the 15 in NASCAR that did not sign agreements in 2024 on new charters.
NASCAR Triall Details On Day 4
According to the AP report, NASCAR teams went to the sanctioning body in early 2022 asking for an improved revenue model and argued the system at the time was unsustainable, the president of the series testified Thursday.
O’Donnell, who was named president of NASCAR earlier this year, was at that March meeting when representatives of four teams asked that the negotiating window on a new charter agreement open early because they were fighting for their financial survival, according to AP. The negotiating window was not supposed to open until July 2023.
O’Donnell revealed the first meeting included Hendrick Motorsports Vice Chairman Jeff Gordon, a four-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion. Gordon asked if the France family would consider a new business model.
According to O’Donnell, Ben Kennedy, the great grandson of NASCAR founder Bill France told Gordon they were open to a new model.
O’Donnell, an adverse witness by the plaintiffs of the lawsuit, testified on Thursday that NASCAR chairman Jim France was opposed to a new revenue model, according to the AP.
That began a bitter negotiation period for a new charter agreement that was final in September 2024. The teams wanted a deal to be concluded by July 2022. NASCAR presented the new charter agreement on the weekend when the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs began in 2024 and had a six-hour deadline to sign the agreement.
Thirteen of 15 organizations signed with Front Row Motorsports and Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing refusing to the deal. That has led to the lawsuit that is being here in the first week of what could be a two-week trial.
O’Donnell Gives Additional Details On Team Requests In Current Charter Negotiations
During testimony, O’Donnell said team representatives had very specific requests: maximized television revenue, the creation of a more competitive landscape, a new cost model and a potential cost cap, the AP reported.
That began an internal discussion at NASCAR on the approach to the charter renewal, O’Donnell said.
Although NASCAR acknowledged the teams were financially struggling, the main concern was the possibility of breakaway series similar to the LIV golf league. O’Donnell had various options that he told the board at NASCAR including possible race boycotts by teams, building their own race cars instead of the customer-based Next Gen model and competed at tracks that are not owned by NASCAR. He also believed teams could potentially sell their charters to Liberty Media, which owns the commercial rights to Formula 1.
O’Donnell advised the board to lock down an exclusivity agreement with tracks not owned by NASCAR, dissolve the charter system, or partner directly with the drivers.
The extensions that began this year upped the guaranteed money for every chartered car to $12.5 million in annual revenue, from $9 million, according to AP from documents revealed in the trial.
NASCAR Trial Plaintiffs Reveal Financial Details Of Competition
Earlier this week, Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI, and Front Row owner Bob Jenkins said it costs $20 million to bring a single car to the track for all 38 races, no including overhead, operating costs and driver’s salary.
Jenkins continued his testimony when the trial reconvened on December 4. He revealed he has lost $100 million since becoming a NASCAR team owner in 2004 and “held his nose” when he signed the original charter agreement in 2016, according to The AP.
He stated in court that the current charter agreement was “virtually backward in so many ways.” He refused to sign and joined 23XI in filing a lawsuit.
“I’d reached my tipping point,” Jenkins said in court. “Our voice was not being heard. They did put a gun to our head and got a domino effect — teams that said they would never sign saw their neighbor sign.”
Later, Jenkins said, “To add $150,000 to $200,000 to the cost of the car — I don’t think any of the teams anticipated that,” Jenkins testified. “What’s anti-competitive is I don’t own that car. I can’t use that car anywhere else.”
The current Next Gen car was introduced in 2022 and was supposed to cost $205,000 but parts must be purchased from specified NASCAR vendors and teams cannot make any repairs themselves, so the actual cost is now closer to double the price, according to AP.
NASCAR Trial Has Other Interesting Financial Findings
Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports reported that O’Donnell’s testing revealed his salary of $1.2 million plus bonuses, that NASCAR lost $6 million on the Mexico City race and lost $55 million in three years in the spectacular, but troubled race in downtown Chicago.
NASCAR stuck with the Chicago races because O’Donnell said Amazon would not have agreed to sign as a media right partner without those events.
The NASCAR trial continues on Friday, December 5.
Steve O’Donnell Recalls Tense 2022 Meeting in NASCAR Antitrust Case
Steve O’Donnell took the witness stand Thursday as the NASCAR antitrust case brought by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports moved into its fourth day in federal court in Charlotte. His testimony gave the jury a clearer look at the long-running money issues between NASCAR and its teams.
O’Donnell described a tense March 2022 meeting with Curtis Polk, Jeff Gordon, Dave Alpern, and Steve Newmark, where the team leaders warned that the current business system was breaking down. He said they believed the sport’s economics were failing.
According to Kelly Crandall of Racer.com, “O’Donnell acknowledged he had no basis to dispute their estimate that it cost about $20 million a year to run one car. He said he ‘took them at their word.”
Teams pushed for a new model in the NASCAR antitrust case
Kelly Crandall reported that Polk asked for “a fair model and more revenue” and said “he had driver support” for those goals. O’Donnell’s own notes from that meeting listed key priorities such as “maximizing TV revenue, creating a competitive landscape, and considering a cost cap.”
Jenna Fryer of AP News also described how teams told NASCAR the structure was “unsustainable” and that they were “fighting for their financial survival.”
A major exchange came when Jeff Gordon asked if the France family was willing to consider a new approach. “Ben Kennedy first told Gordon yes, but O’Donnell testified that chairman Jim France was opposed to a new revenue model.”
The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi reported the same point, noting O’Donnell confirmed that “as it turned out, Jim France was not open to a new model.”
Tension grew as charter talks stalled
Jenna Fryer reporting said teams wanted a charter deal by July 2022, but the final offer did not arrive until September 2024. Teams were given six hours to sign. Only 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports refused, which led to the current lawsuit.
O’Donnell also faced questions about NASCAR’s concerns that the teams might consider forming a breakaway series. The Athletic said he “thought through a variety of options,” including the idea that teams could build their own cars with help from foreign partners. NASCAR worried teams could attempt something “similar to the LIV golf league.”
These details added to the growing picture of how deep the tension had become between the sanctioning body and its top teams as costs rose and talks dragged on.
Jenkins describes the financial strain on teams
Earlier Thursday, Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins finished his testimony. Gluck and Bianchi quoted him saying, “The median cost is $20 million; the fact I can do it for less helps me reduce my costs,” explaining why that number still matters in the case.
Jenkins told the court he has “lost $100 million” as a Cup owner. He said he “held his nose” when signing the 2016 charter agreements and felt the 2024 extension “went virtually backward in so many ways.” He described the short deadline to sign the new deal as a “domino effect” that pushed reluctant teams to agree. Jenkins also pointed to the rising price of the Next Gen car.
“He testified, To add $150,000 to $200,000 to the cost of the car, I don’t think any of the teams anticipated that,” and added, “What’s anti-competitive is I don’t own that car. I can’t use that car anywhere else.”
With more witnesses expected, the NASCAR antitrust case continues to reveal years of financial strain and disagreements between NASCAR and its teams, supported by detailed reporting from inside the courtroom.
Rick Hendrick’s Loyal NASCAR Star Announces Full-Time Ride
In 2025, the Viking Motorsports team fielded Matt DiBenedetto and Conor Mosack in the #99 Chevrolet. Matt DiBenedetto completed the bulk of the season, but parted ways with the team with immediate effect on October 13th. Mosack took over for the rest of the season, but didn’t find the level of success that DiBenedetto achieved. However, the two drivers will not be returning for the coming O’Reilly Auto Parts season, as the team has made a fresh announcement for their 2026 ride.
Viking Motorsports signs Hendrick’s sim driver
Rick Hendrick’s loyal full-time sim driver Anthony Alfredo will take over the No. 96 car for the new 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts campaign.
Since a single full-time Cup campaign in 2021 for Front Row Motorsports, Alfredo hadn’t run full-time in the Cup Series. However, he did land a sweet gig at Hendrick Motorsports as a simulator test driver. Though that does not mean that he has been idle when it comes to real racing. At the Cup level, he has competed in a handful of races for the erstwhile Live Fast Motorsports and Beard Motorsports.
Other than that, he has competed full-time in the then Xfinity Series for Our Motorsports, BJ McLeod Motorsports, and Young’s Motorsports. However, for the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts season, he moves to Viking Motorsports, replacing DiBenedetto and Mosack. So far, neither Mosack nor DiBenedetto has a contract for the new season. However, both are talented drivers, and there are a few spots available in the O’Reilly Auto Parts driver market.
Alfredo said in his announcement video, “It means a lot to be part of the growing programme at Viking Motorsports. They’re really setting a precedence of being a competitive team and I’m proud to be a part of it. The expectations heading into 2026 is to certainly be competitive and make the Playoffs. That’s our ultimate goal and we’re going to need to win races and run up front to do that and I look forward to that challenge.”
Alfredo confirmed that he will reunite with crew chief Joshua Graham for the new campaign. They last worked together in 2024 at Our Motorsports, picking up two Top 5s and five Top 10s. With that said, ‘Fast Pasta’ is confident of reaching greater heights with Viking Motorsports with a familiar face in his corner. This will also be the second time he works in a team that has another car besides his own, and this time, his teammate is Parker Retzlaff.
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What happens to his duties at Hendrick Motorsports?
The great thing about NASCAR drivers is that they are great at multitasking. Alfredo will definitely be capable of juggling his full-time O’Reilly Auto Parts campaign with his simulator duties with HMS. After all, he was actively racing with Young’s Motorsports while also performing sim duties with the top Cup team. Any data that he gathered definitely proved to be invaluable and probably contributed to Kyle Larson’s 2025 title win.
For the moment, Anthony Alfredo will be eagerly awaiting his new challenge with Viking Motorsports.
Team owner Don Sackett said, “Expanding to a second full-time car is a major moment for our organization. Anthony [Alfredo] brings experience, professionalism, and a tremendous work ethic that aligns perfectly with where Viking Motorsports is heading. Reuniting him with Josh gives us a strong foundation for this new team. Their chemistry, trust, and history together will help accelerate our growth and elevate our entire program.”
The organization was founded in 2024, so it is a relatively young team. In fact, the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series will mark its third year in the competition.
NASCAR chairman Jim France called ‘a brick wall’ in contentious revenue-sharing negotiations
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The attorney for the two teams suing NASCAR portrayed series chairman Jim France as “a brick wall” in negotiations over the new revenue-sharing model that has triggered the Michael Jordan-backed federal antitrust case against the top form of motorsports in the United States.
23XI Racing, owned by Basketball Hall of Famer Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by fast food franchiser Bob Jenkins, were the only two organizations out of 15 that refused to sign extensions on new charter agreements in September of 2024.
NASCAR Trapped in $61M Financial Nightmare as Steve O’Donnell Admits Stripping Team Power to Force Mexico Agenda
Unraveling a multi-billion-dollar enterprise can give goosebumps. That is happening in the NASCAR lawsuit, as the federal court picks apart the stock car racing body’s financial assets. And as the charter trials progress, the more evidence of ‘monopolistic practices’, the primary basis of the lawsuit, we discover. The latest evidence concerns NASCAR’s crippling losses in twin experimental races and also the control of Cup teams.
NASCAR lawsuit exposes authoritarian dilemma
“Steve O’Donnell says NASCAR lost $55 million on the Chicago street race through three years and $6 million on the Mexico City race in one year, numbers Jeffrey Kessler appeared to ask for to suggest to the jury that it’d be hard for a competitor to exist given financial hurdles,” journalist Adam Stern wrote on X.
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NASCAR is owned by Jim France and his family. In the ongoing NASCAR lawsuit, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports have already divulged massive profits incurred by the sport. According to attorney Jeffrey Kessler, almost $400 million was paid to the France Family Trust over three years. A 2023 evaluation by Goldman Sachs exposed NASCAR’s worth as $5 billion. The pretrial discovery process revealed that NASCAR made more than $100 million in 2024.
Seemingly to protect these towering assets, NASCAR works hard to be a monopolistic entity. That involves prohibiting its chartered race teams from participating in rival series. According to NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell‘s testimony, partnering with Speedway Motorsports involved exclusivity clauses preventing other stock car series from racing at SMI’s venues. In fact, one of the demands that the Race Team Alliance presented to NASCAR in 2024 involved a more competitive landscape. However, NASCAR had other plans, as the NASCAR lawsuit revealed.
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“When reminded the Mexico City race came at additional costs to the teams, and that NASCAR removed the three-strike provision that allowed team owners to vote down changes they don’t agree to, O’Donnell said if teams could vote on it, they wouldn’t have went to Mexico and the media rights deal wouldn’t have been as big,” journalist Toby Christie wrote.
This evidence of curtailing the race teams’ power further axed the sport’s defense in the NASCAR lawsuit. As the case divulged more details, the federal judge also issued a warning.
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A call for a faster proceeding
After all, Michael Jordan launched the NASCAR lawsuit back in October 2024. So all the bitter exchanges, animosity, and revelation of jaw-dropping text messages that happened in one year and two months are unraveling slowly. However, the steady release of pent-up emotions is not helping the jury of the lawsuit, as federal judge Kenneth D. Bell pointed out. On the fourth day of the trial, Judge Bell waited for the jury to leave the courtroom. Once they did, he told both sides that they needed to hurry up because a third week of this trial would not work. And the jury would be very upset with everybody.
“Judge Bell has issued a warning to both sides to pick up the pace,” Toby Christie of Racing America reported. “The trial cannot drag to three weeks long, or the jury will revolt. He says both sides need to instruct their witnesses to just quickly answer hard questions instead of trying to deny obvious facts, and that exhibits need to stop beating horses past their death date.”
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The judge may not appreciate witnesses who refuse to answer questions. In response, Judge Bell could even intervene and get witnesses to answer more directly himself. Multiple reports from the courtroom say that he could also institute a clock for witnesses to speed things along.
Evidently, the NASCAR lawsuit is getting more intense by the day. As Judge Bell calls for a faster pace, more jaw-dropping revelations may come to us soon.
Roger Penske’s Testimony Gets Postponed as Judge Bell Bashes Snail-Paced NASCAR Charter Trials
When the NASCAR trials first kicked off, the sides received a warning. Judge Kenneth D. Bell warned NASCAR on one side and 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports on the other to refrain from excessive animosity. After Day 4 passed, however, Judge Bell had yet another instruction to the legal opponents. With their pent-up emotions releasing steadily, the lawsuit’s trial is dragging its feet. And that is delaying one of the key witnesses of the case – Roger Penske.
NASCAR trials postpone key witnesses
“Before dismissing, Judge Bell commented the trial was “not on the pace we’re hoping for.” – It was mentioned that Roger Penske will only be able to appear for witness testimony on Monday – Judge Bell also went on to comment that “some of the examinations are beating a dead horse” and “some witnesses aren’t answering even the most harmless of questions.” journalist Dalton Hopkins reported on X.
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The witnesses who already took the stand include 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin, Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins, and NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell. Several jaw-dropping revelations have spilled out of these testimonies. Hamlin explained why signing the latest charter deal would be a ‘death sentence’ for his team. Jenkins exposed some dire figures that prove his financial struggles. Then, O’Donnell clarified a series of text messages among NASCAR’s executives.
However, the NASCAR trials would not progress without further testimonies from key witnesses. And they include not just Roger Penske. Others are Heather Gibbs from Joe Gibbs Racing, former RFK Racing president Steve Newmark, Legacy Motor Club CEO Cal Wells, and team owners Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick. Yet their attorneys have expressed concern over their organizations revealing their financials in court since they are not parties in the federal litigation.
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Nevertheless, Judge Bell has said, “I don’t like crucial pieces of evidence being excluded from the public.” Journalist Bob Pockrass wrote on X, “Judge also said case wasn’t being helped by witnesses who wouldn’t acknowledge or answer direct questions on the facts/intent of an email or text, which would result in more questioning. Judge Bell said he might get more forceful in telling witness to answer questions.”
Clearly, Roger Penske and others will need to gear up, as the NASCAR trials may speed up. In the meantime, a NASCAR executive took a meaningful stance.
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Admitting to the shortcomings
Whether it be blurry coverage of FOX Sports or a malfunctioning Next-Gen car on superspeedways, several issues have plagued NASCAR in recent years. Add the charter deals to these, and you have the cherry on top of the cake. Despite the vast financial advantage that race teams receive from charters, it is subject to the presence or absence of sponsors. So when NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell said that teams could compete as ‘open’ teams if they do not like the charter deal, Jeffrey Kessler hit back with the economic pitfalls. And O’Donnell agreed, “We knew the industry was challenged.”
The solution to such mounting economic problems was a change in the charter model. In a March 2022 meeting, NASCAR agreed with Curtis Polk’s demands. They involved maximising television revenue and implementing a potential cost cap. In the same meeting, four-time Cup Series champion and Hendrick Motorsports chairperson Jeff Gordon asked NASCAR a question. He asked Ben Kennedy, a member of the France family, if the Frances are open to a new model. And Kennedy said yes. However, O’Donnell recently admitted in the NASCAR trials that Jim France was not so encouraging.
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Clearly, multiple setbacks lined up for race teams to break even in finances. Let’s wait and see what further information comes out in the NASCAR trials.
One statistic tells sad story of Brad Keselowski’s 2025 season
Brad Keselowski didn’t have a great 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, but the veteran driver and 2012 champion did improve greatly from the first half of the campaign to the second.
Keselowski rose from 32nd in the Cup Series standings after the 16th race of the season in Mexico City to 16th by the end of the season finale at Phoenix.
But the way in which Keselowski clawed his way back to relevance was especially heartbreaking.
Per NASCAR Insights, Keselowski was the driver passed for the race win a record-breaking seven times in 2025, a record for a driver who failed to record a win during the season.
That includes a runner-up finish in the season finale at Phoenix that saw Keselowski lose the race to Ryan Blaney in the final corner.
Keselowski also finished runner-up to Christopher Bell in the Bristol Night Race after a late-race restart and runner-up to Chase Elliott at EchoPark Speedway in what was arguably Keselowski’s best drive of the season.
Keselowski, who will be 42 when the 2026 season officially begins on Feb. 15, is entering his 17th full-time season of Cup Series competition and his fourth as a co-owner of RFK Racing. The future Hall of Famer has won 36 Cup Series races and certainly wouldn’t mind getting off the schneid by winning his first Daytona 500 on Feb. 15.
NASCAR’s O’Donnell admits to concerns over SRX Series as antitrust case continues
NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell acknowledged to the court Thursday afternoon that there was concern within his organization over what the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) was turning into.
O’Donnell, testifying in the antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR that was brought by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, admitted as much when he was specifically asked about the series because of text messages that had come to light before the trial started. The chain of messages featured NASCAR executives discussing their displeasure with their drivers and team owners competing in the series. One message from NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps expressed that NASCAR needed to put a knife through “this trash series.”
SRX (main image) only lasted three seasons after debuting in 2021. It was shuttered before its fourth season for what were described as market reasons.
“I recall we all became concerned at the look and feel of the series,” O’Donnell said under questioning from the team’s lead counsel, Jeffrey Kessler.
SRX was founded by Tony Stewart and Ray Evernham. Stewart was a NASCAR team owner at the time, and Kessler honed in on the fact that meant he was a charter holder with Stewart-Haas Racing. This was significant in that NASCAR had clauses in its agreement with the teams expressing that they could not compete or invest in other series.
At the heart of the lawsuit is 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, who are not only arguing that NASCAR’s business model is broken, but that it is anticompetitive. Meaning as a monopoly, which Judge Kenneth Bell has already ruled they are, NASCAR wields its power to keep drivers and teams from competing elsewhere.
As such, Kessler wanted to know how Stewart circumvented that clause. O’Donnell explained that he looked into it and found that, as former Stewart-Haas executive Brett Frood told him, the initial pitch for SRX was a series featuring retired and/or inactive drivers. It was not to be a competition for NASCAR. The series was often compared to IROC (International Race of Champions), which ran from 1973 through 2006, because it featured some of the greatest drivers from across motorsports in similarly prepared race cars.
In its first season, SRX featured Stewart, Tony Kanaan, Bobby Labonte, Helio Castroneves, Ernie Francis Jr., Paul Tracy, Bill Elliott, Willy T. Ribbs, Michael Waltrip, and Marco Andretti. But one active NASCAR Cup Series driver also competed that season: Chase Elliott.
SRX would feature more active NASCAR drivers and owners in its following two years. Denny Hamlin, who co-owns 23XI Racing, was among them, and Justin Marks was another. Kyle Busch, Daniel Suarez, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Blaney, Chase Briscoe, Brad Keselowski, Austin Dillon, and Ryan Preece all competed in the series before it folded.
“I thought this looked more and more like NASCAR,” O’Donnell testified.
Kessler drilled on the message about O’Donnell wanting NASCAR’s legal team to look at SRX. But O’Donnell would only admit that he wanted the legal team to see if they agreed with his stance. Included among the exhibits of text messages on the subject was a screenshot Phelps had shared of a fan comment on an SRX social media page, in which the fan noted that it was starting to resemble NASCAR, the way LIV Golf resembled the PGA Tour.
LIV Golf was founded in 2022 and, with significant funding from Saudi Arabia, signed some of the world’s top golfers. It was a concept that O’Donnell feared seeing repeated in NASCAR.
“I was concerned with what was happening on the racetrack,” O’Donnell testified about SRX.
O’Donnell also admitted that part of his frustration was that the race teams had stated the need to lock hands and be all together as the media rights deal was being put together and charter negotiations were underway, but then they were “out racing in another series.”
NASCAR invoked its exclusivity clause with Speedway Motorsports to keep SRX from racing at one of those facilities. O’Donnell said it was done because “we were in a major negotiation” for the new media rights deal and were focused on retaining the revenue for the teams.
O’Donnell will be back on the witness stand Friday to continue under cross-examination from NASCAR’s lead counsel Christopher Yates.
Kaulig Racing Maintains Wall of Silence as RAM Comeback Triggers Star-Studded NASCAR Line-Up
On June 8 this year, Ram announced its comeback to NASCAR. It officially left the sport earlier in 2012, but now it is leaving no stone unturned in hyping up its five-entry return. The car manufacturer will feature in the Craftsman Truck Series under the Kaulig Racing team banner. And this team unraveled its latest information in relation to this comeback – except for the most-awaited details.
No clue about NASCAR’s star-studded entry yet
“The announcement you’ve all been waiting for since August… 😏,” Kaulig Racing wrote on its post on X. The team has finally revealed its five numbers for its upcoming debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with returning manufacturer Ram Trucks. The three full-time drivers announced are Daniel Dye, Brenden ‘Butterbean’ Queen, and Justin Haley, piloting the No. 10, the No. 12, and the No. 16, respectively. However, the final two trucks, the No. 14 and No. 25, are still unknown to NASCAR fans.
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“The key to that is these fans love the teams, and they love the drivers; these larger-than-life personalities are who they’re attracted to,” Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis said about the Free Agent Driver Program of the No. 25 entry in mid-November. “You know, they can’t get in and drive the car, but they can live vicariously through these people. So we said, how do we expand that past these three drivers, and that’s where the idea of the free agent car came from.”
A pile of rumors has stacked up surrounding Kaulig Racing’s mystery entries. Prime among them are three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and 18-time Cup race winner Kasey Kahne running a car. However, Kaulig officials claimed in November that none of these stars are under contract. Yet rumors also extend to the winner or winners of a reality TV show that has already wrapped filming. Many expect UFC President and CEO Dana White to be involved. Notably, he wore a Kaulig Racing shirt during face-offs for UFC 322.
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Meanwhile, Ty Dillon is coming back to Kaulig’s Cup Series line-up alongside AJ Allmendinger. “This means a lot to me, I’m very grateful, it’s been a wonderful winter, it’s been a little bit of a slow rollout of our announcement, but we’ve kind of all known about it for a couple of months now, and just excited to get it out on the table,” Dillon said.
While Kaulig prepares its line-up, the anticipation is rising. And one of the initially rumored stars, Tony Stewart, also caught attention with a revelation.
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The shiniest of them all
While Tony Stewart‘s appearance under Kaulig would have been a showstopper, the legend’s career keeps mesmerizing fans anyway. Stewart has won 49 races in NASCAR’s premier tier, besides collecting many more accolades in IndyCar, USAC, dirt racing, and NHRA. He also owns championships from multiple series. But of all the awards he owns, Stewart prizes one trophy above the rest. That is Goodyear’s trophy, gifted to the Cup Series champion every year. It is a replica of the champion’s car, with intricate details of every driver’s ride carved on it.
“It’s the one that Goodyear does for the Cup champion each year. They do a gold car, and I think it’s 18th scale. It’s a replica of your car. So, it’s gold-plated, and your number and your sponsor logos are all etched in it,” Tony Stewart said while describing the award. And he even has a trophy on his wish list – the Borg-Warner trophy for Indianapolis 500 winners. “Don’t have one of those yet. I’m not going to have one because I probably won’t ever race the new 500 again. But I think it’s a cooler trophy than that.”
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Tony Stewart’s star-studded career knows no limit. In the meantime, however, fans can only imagine which legend will wheel a Ram truck until Kaulig’s announcement.
2026 NFL Draft OL Rankings: Left Tackle Class Lacks a True No. 1 as Prospects Disappoint
Entering the 2025 season, the belief was that offensive tackle would be one of the strongest positions in the entire 2026 NFL Draft. And while the tackle position leads the offensive line, it’s been woefully inadequate compared to the expectations. Many of the prospects listed at tackle could eventually end up inside at guard on Sundays, which will enhance the strength of that position. As is often the case, center will be the weak link on the offensive line. Here’s a ranking of the top 130 offensive linemen with write-ups on the best 8.
Spencer Fano/T/Utah: Fano has been a terrific three-year starter for the Utes on both the left and right side. He’s strong, fluid, and athletic with the power to drive opponents off the line and enough mobility to block in motion. He’s terrific as a run blocker while holding his own in pass protection, yet the 21-year-old lacks great size, which has many believing a move into guard is inevitable.
Francis Mauigoa/T/Miami: Mauigoa, whose linebacker brother was drafted by the New York Jets last April, has been a starter at right tackle for the Hurricanes since he was a true freshman. He has better size and mobility than Fano and moves well enough to get consideration at left tackle. This offensive tackle moves incredibly well, shows a lot of ability blocking in motion, and shuts down opponents in pass protection. He has room to get bigger, which will only help improve his run blocking.
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Kadyn Proctor/T/Alabama: There’s a variety of opinions on Proctor, but I am of the mind that he’ll be a terrific right tackle on Sundays. Like many of the recent blockers coming from Alabama, Proctor is massive and displays great power that he uses to annihilate defenders, yet he is also very good at blocking on the second level. The 20-year-old struggles with his footwork off the edge and, in my opinion, is strictly a strong-side lineman.
Isaiah World/T/Oregon: While many of the top offensive tackles have disappointed scouts this season, World has done the opposite, elevating his game significantly. Coming to Oregon from Nevada, he’s an outstanding left tackle prospect with quick feet, long arms, and an agile frame. He stood out in an early-season contest against Penn State, shutting down their pesky pass rushers, and he has only gotten better since. He’s also developed a nasty streak in his game, something scouts love to see. World is the top left tackle on my board, and it would not be a surprise if he ended up in the first round.
Caleb Lomu/T/Utah: The two-year starter at left tackle for the Utes has a contrasting style to his teammate Fano. Lomu is slightly more athletic, more mobile, and better in pass protection. Yet he’s not nearly as effective as a run blocker and did not improve his game this season as I had anticipated. Still, he’s just a redshirt sophomore with a large upside who should get better in time.
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Olaivavega Ioane/G/Penn State: The top pure guard in the draft has been mocked in the first round by some, but I’m not so sure. Ioane is a power gap lineman who easily controls one-on-one blocking assignments and annihilates defenders at the point of attack. He’s a devastating run blocker, yet he shows a lot of stiffness and struggles blocking any distance from the line of scrimmage. The one-dimensionality of his game will limit the schemes Ioane can line up in on Sundays.
Evan Link/T/Michigan: Link really caught my eye over the summer and stood out in the early going this season until he went down with a knee injury in the middle of October. He’s a large and mobile left tackle who does a terrific job in pass protection while showing the ability to block in motion. If he returns to health and prior form in 2026, Link is a potential top-45 prospect.
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Xavier Chaplin/T/Auburn: If there’s one prospect who best exemplifies the disappointment at the offensive tackle position, it’s Chaplin. The Virginia Tech transfer entered the season graded as an early first-round prospect by scouts, and justifiably so. Chaplin was a dominant left tackle during the two years he played for the Hokies, showing tremendous ability in pass protection, effortlessly moving his 6-foot-6, 330-pound frame around the field and taking defenders out of the play run blocking.
Yet it was a completely different story this season at Auburn, as Chaplin was a human penalty flag, constantly setting the offense back with infractions. Even when he wasn’t flagged, Chaplin’s plays this season left a lot to be desired, and his game regressed. Who knows what will happen next with the coaching change at Auburn, but if Chaplin decides to enter the draft, he does so with multiple red flags.
Fantasy football Week 14: Four players who could smash projections
Whether you’re fighting for a playoff spot or battling for the No. 1 seed, Week 14 in the NFL is a crucial one for fantasy football managers. The good news is we’re here to help with four under-the-radar players who could smash their projections this week.
New Orleans Saints QB Tyler Shough vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Shough has quietly been a startable fantasy QB recently. The rookie signal-caller has scored 17.36 and 18.98 points in two of his last three games, and he’s thrown for at least 239 yards in three straight.
If you need a fill-in with Drake Maye, Jaxson Dart and Brock Purdy on bye, Shough is a decent option against a Bucs defense that ranks 27th in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to QBs and 29th in passing yards allowed per game (247.5).
Pittsburgh Steelers RB Kenneth Gainwell vs. Baltimore Ravens
Fantasy managers are hesitant to trust Gainwell because he’s behind Jaylen Warren on the depth chart, but this is much more of a one-two punch than a timeshare. Gainwell has actually out-snapped Warren in three of the last four games, so there’s no need to worry about usage. Gainwell has 17 catches on 20 targets over the last four games, while the Ravens give up the seventh-most receiving yards per game.
Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin vs. Minnesota Vikings
McLaurin has been a frustrating player to own this season. He’s missed seven games and has averaged only 12.4 points when he does play, but the arrow is finally pointing up. Last week, McLaurin recorded seven catches on 14 targets for 96 yards and a touchdown—all season-high marks in 2025. The Vikings present a tough matchup, but that usage can’t be ignored.
Jacksonville Jaguars TE Brenton Strange vs. Indianapolis Colts
Strange has emerged as Trevor Lawrence’s No. 2 target since returning from his five-game absence. The Penn State product has recorded eight catches on nine targets for 138 yards and a touchdown in the last two games, giving him back-to-back TE1 finishes. The Colts rank 28th in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to tight ends, so Strange should be ranked as a top-10 option at the position this week.
NFL Legend Leads Calls Against Officials After Jake Ferguson Punished for OPI vs Lions
A stunning officiating moment in the Dallas Cowboys vs Detroit Lions showdown has ignited league-wide backlash. With Detroit leading 44–30, Jake Ferguson faced a controversial call for offensive pass interference on a crucial play, which left the Dallas sideline furious and fans stunned.
Brian Schottenheimer erupted at officials, while Dak Prescott pleaded his case to no avail as the Lions declined the penalty.
The reaction across the NFL was immediate and fierce. Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe blasted the call: ”Not sure I’ve ever seen that called let alone in that situation. That’s some bulljive.”
Cowboys reporter Tommy Yarrish described the sideline chaos in real time, noting Schottenheimer was “hot” after the ruling.
”Brian Schottenheimer is hot on the #Cowboys sideline after pass interference is called against Jake Ferguson. Dak Prescott is also pleading his case to the officials, but to no avail. Dan Campbell declines the penalty, and Brandon Aubrey comes out to attempt the field goal,” he wrote on X.
Retired NFL DT Breiden Fehoko added, ”BRO WHAT IS THIS OFFICIATING??? Bro this is crazy man.”
And Pat McAfee summed up the growing frustration, stating, ”These refs are super dookie right now.”
The controversial call now looms large as Dallas fights in a game they might have already lost.
NFL playoff picture: What Lions win over Cowboys means in Week 14
The Detroit Lions beat the Dallas Cowboys in a 44-30 shootout on Thursday Night Football to open Week 14. The Lions took a 10-3 lead late in the first quarter on a Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown run, and that was the lowest scoring quarter of the game. Detroit took a 27-9 lead early in the third quarter, but the Cowboys fought back and had their chances. They cut the lead to as little as three points, but couldn’t get a stop when they needed it late.
Both teams entered this game on the outside looking in for the wild card race. The Lions improved to 8-5 with the win and sit a game back of the 49ers for the final wild card berth. They are 1.5 games back of the Bears for the NFC North lead. They entered the game with a 30% chance of making the playoffs, per The Athletic’s playoff simulator. The win improved those odds to 45%, whereas a loss would have dropped them to 12%.
Detroit likely would need help to reach the playoffs, although The Athletic suggests they have a 99% chance of making the playoffs if they win out and finish 12-5. They travel to face the Rams next week, and a win would certainly do wonders for their playoff chances. They’ll be keeping an eye on the Bears-Packers game on Sunday to boost their chances at the NFC North.
The loss did not eliminate the Cowboys from playoff contention, but they have a lot of work to do the rest of the way and will need considerable help. They entered the game with a 23% chance of making the playoffs and dropped to 8% with the loss.
Dallas hosts the Vikings and Chargers the next two weeks, and then closes the season on the road against the Commanders and Giants. If they win out, The Athletic projects them as having a 40% chance of making the playoffs. They would have a 10-6-1 record and would need the Eagles to lose three of their remaining five games to secure a playoff berth. Sitting in tenth place for the time-being means they need help from the 49ers, Lions and Panthers the rest of the way.
NFC playoff standings
Chicago Bears: 9-3
Los Angeles Rams: 9-3
Philadelphia Eagles: 8-4
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-5
Seattle Seahawks: 9-3
Green Bay Packers: 8-3-1
San Francisco 49ers: 9-4
Detroit Lions: 8-5
Carolina Panthers: 7-6
Dallas Cowboys: 6-6-1
Atlanta Falcons: 4-8
Minnesota Vikings: 4-8
NFC North standings
Chicago Bears: 9-3
Green Bay Packers: 8-3-1
Detroit Lions: 8-5
Minnesota Vikings: 4-8
NFC East standings
Philadelphia Eagles: 8-4
Dallas Cowboys: 6-6-1
Washington Commanders: 3-9
New York Giants: 2-11
Detroit Lions out-tough Cowboys 44-30 to boost NFL playoff odds
Don’t count the Detroit Lions out of the NFL playoffs yet.
Jahmyr Gibbs caught seven passes for 77 yards and ran for three touchdowns and the Lions forced three turnovers – one more than they had in their five previous games combined – to beat the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday Night Football in a virtual elimination game among NFC playoff contenders, 44-30, at Ford Field.
Al-Quadin Muhammad sacked Dak Prescott three times to help fend off a Cowboys rally despite Dallas losing No. 1 receiver CeeDee Lamb early in the third quarter to injury.
The Lions (8-5) remain just outside of the NFC’s final wild-card spot with four games to play, but they helped their postseason chances dramatically with the victory.
The Lions are eighth in the NFC playoff standings, the first team out with four games remaining, behind seventh-place San Francisco 49ers (9-4).
The Lions now have a 55% chance to make the playoffs, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. It would have been 19% with a loss.
The Cowboys (6-6-1), who had won three straight, have a 9% chance to get to the playoffs, and likely need to win the NFC East to get in the postseason. They trail the Philadelphia Eagles (8-4).
The Lions led 27-9 in the third quarter before the Cowboys cut their deficit to three points in a high-scoring second half. Gibbs scored his second touchdown of the game to give the Lions a 37-27 lead with 7:17 to play, and three plays after Dallas answered with a field goal, he scored again on a 13-yard run.
Jared Goff finished 25 of 34 passing for 309 yards and Jameson Williams (seven catches, 96 yards) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (6-92) had big nights for the Lions, who have alternated wins and losses in their past nine games. Rookie Isaac TeSlaa caught a 12-yard touchdown early in the third quarter.
Here are three thoughts on Thursday’s game between the Lions and Cowboys:
Jahmyr Gibbs rules
Gibbs is the best running back in the NFL right now, and if he keeps this up he could down as one of the best in NFL history.
With three scores against Dallas, Gibbs now has 47 career TDs, tying Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders for the most TDs in NFL history by a player before his 24th birthday. Gibbs will turn 24 in March.
The Lions didn’t try running the ball much against the Cowboys’ big defensive tackles – their running backs had 10 carries through three quarters. But they didn’t need to the way they used Gibbs in the pass game.
Gibbs was a force on the perimeter, playing in packages on occasion with teammate David Montgomery, and showed his rare versatility in a five-play span in the third quarter.
On a third-and-8 play midway through the period, Gibbs ran an out route just short of the sticks and stopped in his tracks on a catch near the sideline. As Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland tried to halt his momentum to tackle Gibbs and tripped on the turf, Gibbs knifed forward for 4 extra yards and the first down.
Five plays later, Gibbs caught a pass in the right flat, stiff-armed Bland, knocking him to the ground, and lunged forward for a 4-yard gain.
Gibbs entered Thursday with 1,416 yards from scrimmage and 13 touchdowns. He has scored at least 10 rushing touchdowns in each of his first three NFL seasons, has two straight 1,000-yard rushing campaigns and is the most unique weapon in the NFL.
Amon-Ra St. Brown overcomes injury
St. Brown has missed two games in his career, one with an ankle injury in 2022 and one with an abdominal injury the following season. He wasn’t about to miss a third Thursday.
With the Lions’ season in jeopardy, St. Brown turned in a gutsy effort playing through a sprained ankle to help the Lions offense put on one of its best offensive displays of football this year.
St. Brown, initially expected to miss a week or two with his injury, had four catches for 46 yards in the first half, and drew a pass interference penalty to help stake the Lions to a 20-9 lead.
He had a 27-yard gain on a slant route that dug the Lions out of a first-and-15 situation and set up Gibbs’ first touchdown. He had two catches and drew that PI call on the Lions’ important two-minute drive just before halftime. He had a 37-yard catch-and-run with just under 3 minutes to play to set up Gibbs’ last score.
Lions coach Dan Campbell explained after St. Brown’s injury last week just how much he does in every facet of the game.
“Everybody knows the production and the versatility he has, but also all the dirty work he does in the run game. All the little things, man,” Campbell said. “The nuances of where you line up to where you go, to who you block if it’s this look, to now if they go here you need to slide back to do that. I mean, he’s so fricking smart, man, and he’s tough. And so there’s a million jobs he does and he does them at a high level.”
Let’s go streaking
The Lions simply don’t lose back-to-back games.
Including Thursday, the Lions have won 15 straight games after a loss, outscoring their opponents by an average of 16.1 points in their wins.
This season, they’ve beaten the Washington Commanders, 44-22, after a loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-9, after a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Chicago Bears, 52-21, after a season-opening loss to the Green Bay Packers, and the New York Giants, 34-27 in overtime, after a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, and now the Cowboys.
The streak covers 57 games and dates to the middle of the 2022 season, Campbell’s second year.
The Lions can’t continue to alternate wins and losses and still make the playoffs, but with games to play – against the Los Angeles Rams next week on Dec. 14, and Pittsburgh Steelers (Dec. 21), Minnesota Vikings (Dec. 25) and Chicago Bears (Jan. 3 or 4) to close the season – there is a comfort in knowing they know how to avoid the ruts that often cost teams playoff spots.
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Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey sets multiple NFL records on ‘TNF’
Brandon Aubrey has had some impressive games in his career, but he might have outdone himself on Thursday night in Detroit. The Dallas Cowboys kicker broke two NFL records against the Lions and he did it all before the game even got to the fourth quarter.
During the first three quarters of action, Aubrey re-wrote the NFL record book when he hit four field goals that came from 42, 55, 57 and 63 yards. He then tacked on a fifth one in the fourth quarter when he hit from 29 yards out, marking just the second time in his career that he’s hit five field goals in a game.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the three NFL records that Aubrey either established or extended.
No. 1: Most field goals of 55 yards or more in a single game
After hitting a 57-yard field goal in the first quarter, Aubrey followed that up by nailing a 55-yard kick in the second quarter. He then added 63-yard field goal in the third quarter, which made him the first player in NFL history to hit three field goals of 55 yards or more in the same game. Several kickers had hit two field goals from 55 yards or longer, but no one had ever hit three until Aubrey came along on Thursday night.
No. 2: Most field goals of 60 yards or more in a single season
Back in 2019, Cowboys kicker Brett Maher became the first player in NFL history to hit two field goals of 60 yards or more in a single season. Aubrey tied that record in 2024, and now, he’s topped it. Aubrey’s 63-yard kick in the third quarter was his third field goal from 60 yards or more this year, giving him the record to himself.
Aubrey hit a 64-yarder back in Week 2 during a 40-37 win over the Giants. (The clutch kick actually sent the game to overtime.) The Cowboys kicker also hit a 61-yarder in Week 7 against the Commanders.
The kick against the Lions was his third career make from 63 yards or longer, which is absolutely absurd, when you consider that there have only been 15 total field goals from 63 yards or longer in NFL history. Unfortunately for the Lions, three of the 15 kicks have come against Detroit with Aubrey, Tom Dempsey and Justin Tucker all hitting from 63 or longer.
No. 3: Most career field goals of 60 yards or more
Going into the 2025 season, Brett Maher held the record for most career field goals of 60 yards or more with four. Aubrey broke that record back in Week 7 when he hit the fifth 60-yarder of his career. He extended that record to six with his 63-yarder against the Lions.
Aubrey has turned into the ultimate kicking weapon. The Cowboys are literally in field goal range as soon as they get to midfield. Although kickers are getting stronger and stronger, no one is hitting 60-yard kicks with regularity like Aubrey. There have only been nine field goals of 60 yards or more in the NFL this year and Aubrey has three of them. No other kicker in the NFL has more than one.
Cowboys Kicker Brandon Aubrey Makes NFL History Against Lions
Even on a night where the Dallas Cowboys may have seen the final nail go in the coffin for their playoff hopes, NFL All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey continued to perform at as high of a level as anyone who has ever played his position.
Aubrey became the first player in NFL history to kick 3 field goals of 55 yards or longer in a single game in a Week 14 loss to the Detroit Lions, hitting field goals from 63, 57 and 55 yards — 3 of 5 field goals he hit against the Lions.
Aubrey also became the first player in NFL history to make 100 field goals in their first 3 seasons. The Cowboys lost 44-30 and saw their record drop to 6-6-1 overall.
“Brandon Aubrey just casually knocking a 63-yarder thru,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote on his official X account. “That was Tom Dempsey’s record distance that stood alone for 28 years.”
“Brandon Aubrey might be more valuable than many NFL QBs,” Kalshi Sports wrote on its official X account.
“In his 3 NFL seasons, Brandon Aubrey has as many career 60-yard field goals (6-for-9, 66.7%) as every NFL kicker from 1960 to 2008 (6-for-82, 7.3%),” Sports! writer Rodger Sherman wrote on his official X account.
Aubrey No Stranger to Making NFL History
It wasn’t the first time Aubrey has made NFL history this season.
Aubrey became the first player in NFL history with 5 career field goals of 60 or more yards after he made a 61-yard field goal in a 44-22 Week 7 win over the Washington Commanders.
“With this 61-yard field goal, Brandon Aubrey has now made the most field goals from 60+ of anyone in NFL history, at five,” Yahoo Sports NFL reporter Jori Epstein wrote on her official X account on October 19.
“We call (Aubrey) Stephen Curry, because his range is pretty much from anywhere,” Fox Sports color commentator and 7-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady said during the broadcast.
Aubrey Former 1st Round Pick .. in MLS
Aubrey has become a sensation for his ability to make long kicks. He could very well end up breaking the NFL record for the longest field goal set by former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who hit a 66-yard field goal in 2021.
Aubrey was an All-American soccer player at Notre Dame and a first round pick (No. 21 overall) by Toronto FC in the 2021 MLS Draft before switching sports in 2019 at his wife’s urging.
Aubrey spent 3 years training before he signed with the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions, where he played in 2022 and 2023 before catching on with the Cowboys in 2023.
“Brandon Aubrey is not a kicker,” Cowboys fan Cameron Magruder wrote on his official X account on October 19. “He is an offensive weapon.”
“How long until Brandon Aubrey is in conversations for the greatest kicker of all time,” Cowboys fan account FergSZN wrote.
There’s a good chance Aubrey could land on another, more pressing list after this season — highest paid NFL kickers. He’s currently in the final season of a 3-year, $2.7 million contract and could see his average annual salary leap to above $5 million.
NFLPA reiterates preference for
The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed on new standards for playing surfaces. Although the new approach counts as progress in the effort to give football players the best possible workplaces, the NFLPA wants more.
“While our player members have been clear about their overwhelming preference for high-quality, natural grass surfaces, we’re encouraged that their demands for more consistent and safer fields across the board are taking a step in the right direction,” the NFLPA said Thursday, after the league announced the change during a media conference call. “We look forward to continuing this work with the NFL on behalf of our player members.”
The league clings to the notion that non-contact injury rates are not significantly different between grass and artificial turf. Players resort to the reality that they prefer the softer surface provided by the real stuff.
And the issue will continue to be tied up in collective bargaining.
It continues to be a strange way to do business for the NFL. Protection of the players, either as human beings or “investments,” takes a back seat to holding the rope when it comes to the concessions the two sides will make within the fuller universe of terms and conditions relative to the labor-management relationship.
But that’s where we are. The players won’t get high-quality grass surfaces unless they give up something else. Even if it’s part of the deal for expanding the regular season to 18 games, the players could have gotten some other benefit from the league, if the owners weren’t insistent on making what should be non-negotiable into a negotiating point.
Richard Sherman rips Cowboys’ George Pickens after Lions loss: ‘Just looked uninterested’
Former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman took aim at George Pickens after the Cowboys’ loss to the Lions on Thursday night.
Sherman, now an analyst for Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football coverage, said Pickens’ effort was the big story from Dallas’ 44-30 stumble. Pickens finished the game with five catches for 37 yards.
“George Pickens throughout the game, especially late in the game, just looked uninterested. Uninterested in playing football,” Sherman said. “That’s what you can’t have. If you’re going to be a superstar, if you want to be the best receiver in the National Football League, you can’t ever be disengaged. It doesn’t matter if the game’s going your way or not going your way.”
Sherman specifically pointed out Pickens’ effort on several routes. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was notably picked off early in the second half when he tried to target Pickens on a slant route.
Sherman said Pickens can’t disappear on cruising routes, especially when CeeDee Lamb is out of the game. Lamb left Thursday night’s matchup in the third quarter with a concussion. He finished the game with six catches for 121 yards.
“You can’t be the guy and half-a– it. It’s unacceptable and if you’re the Dallas Cowboys and you’re looking at it, and you’re looking to pay him big-time receiver money — $40 million — you gotta look at this tape and say, ‘Hey, is this a guy we can trust paying $40 million to show up regardless of circumstance?’
Cowboys’ playoff outlook: Ugly loss to Detroit a major blow to Dallas’ chances
The Dallas Cowboys kept their long-shot playoff hopes alive with wins over the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.
But an uninspired performance in a loss against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night was a major blow to their chances of reaching the postseason.
According to The Athletic’s playoff simulator, a win against Detroit would’ve given the Cowboys more than a 40% chance of making the postseason. Now, after the 44-30 loss, they have a 9% chance of making the playoffs.
The Cowboys should be favored in their remaining four regular-season games, but once again, they are on the outside of the playoff picture.
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Here’s a look at the NFC playoff race and the Cowboys’ remaining schedule:
Division leaders
1. Chicago Bears, NFC North (9-3)
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2. LA Rams, NFC West (9-3)
3. Philadelphia Eagles, NFC East (8-4)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NFC South (7-5)
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Wild card teams
5. Seattle Seahawks (9-3)
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6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1)
7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
In the hunt
8. Detroit Lions (8-5)
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9. Carolina Panthers (7-6)
10. Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
Cowboys’ remaining schedule
Sunday, Dec. 14: vs. Minnesota Vikings (4-8)
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Sunday, Dec. 21: vs. LA Chargers (8-4)
Thursday, Dec. 25: at Washington Commanders (3-9)
Saturday/Sunday, Jan. 3/4: at NY Giants (2-11)
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Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
What’s wrong with ice hockey arena for Italy’s 2026 Olympics?
The problems just keep piling up for Italy’s 2026 Winter Games ice hockey arena that’s still under construction in Milan, raising questions about the participation of National Hockey League players.
Not only are there concerns about whether the arena will be finished in time for the Olympics, there are new reports that the ice surface is some 3-feet short of the NHL standards agreed to in a deal finalized in July.
But Utah Mammoth owner Ryan Smith posted Thursday on X that he’s “confident Italy will solve this ice problem by February.” He also said Utah’s 2034 Winter Games will do better.
Smith promised in the post that the “@nhl Utah Olympic experience will be next level!” Ice hockey will be held on the Mammoth’s home ice at the Delta Center in 2034. The arena, owned by Smith, is being retrofitted to accommodate hockey.
Italy is supposed to welcome NHL players back to the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. But an official has already said that players won’t be there if the arena isn’t completed.
That warning came Wednesday from the NHL’s deputy commissioner, Bill Daly, who was asked by a Daily Faceoff reporter about the chances that league players won’t go to the Games that begin in February.
“Depends on % you want to place on the possibility the rink doesn’t get completed. If there’s no rink completed, there’s no NHL players going to the Olympics,” Daly told the Toronto-based hockey news and betting information site, according to a post on X.
Organizers of the Milan-Cortina Games announced Wednesday the arena will host a pre-Games event next month. The key test event to “officially inaugurate” the 16,000-seat Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena is scheduled for Jan. 9-11.
A test event planned for December had to be moved to a smaller facility in Milan but the chief Games operations officer for the 2026 Winter Games, Andrea Francisi, told The Associated Press last month that if the new arena isn’t ready by Games-time, “there is no plan B.”
The decision to dismiss the possibility a rink in Switzerland could be “a standby venue” came at a mid-November meeting of International Olympic Committee and hockey representatives in Stockholm, The Athletic reported, citing unnamed league sources.
The size of the Milan arena’s ice apparently surprised hockey officials.
When the agreement for NHL player participation was signed in July, Daly confirmed the Olympic games would be played on the league’s standard-sized ice sheet, which is 200 feet long by 85 feet wide, in Milan and likely in the next Winter Games, in the French Alps in 2030.
“I know that’s been speculated on by others in the media that it would be some hybrid,” Daly was quoted as saying then in an article on NHL.com, the league’s official website. “No, it’s 200 by 85. I think that will be the case going forward as well.”
However, Team Canada assistant coach Pete DeBoer said in a radio interview Monday that the ice “looks like it’s going to be smaller than NHL rink standard by probably 3 or 4 feet. I don’t understand how that happened.”
Tuesday, The Athletic reported the International Ice Hockey Federation approved a 60-meter by 26-meter sheet of ice (196.85-foot by 85.3-foot) for the Milan arena, noting that NHL players have competed in past Olympics on ice that was 60 meters long but 4 meters wider.
Where to stream Connor Bedard, Blackhawks vs. Kings NHL game today
One of the best young guns in the NHL today hopes to lead his team to victory on Thursday night, as Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks head to Hollywood for a matchup with the Los Angeles Kings.
Watch the NHL on ESPN+
After many rough seasons, the Blackhawks finally look like a team on the rise. Bedard has been one of the top scorers this season and has helped keep Chicago up near a playoff spot as we head into the holiday season.
Bedard has 38 points so far this season, placing him third in the league behind San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini and Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon. While the Hawks do not necessarily live or die with Bedard, the playmaker’s ability to be a game-changer has been noticeable this year.
Following a shootout loss at the hands of the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday, the Hawks currently sit fourth in the Central Division, sitting just outside of the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
While many around the NHL might not know, the Kings are looking like a tough team to beat once again. With this being Anze Kopitar’s final season, the team wants to make an honest run in the postseason. After losing to the Washington Capitals two days ago, L.A. is third in the Pacific Division.
NHL HOCKEY
Chicago Blackhawks (11-9-6) vs. Los Angeles Kings (12-7-7)
When: Thursday, December 4
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Where: Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Stream: ESPN+
Check out the NHL standings and scores here
2026 Winter Classic taking shape as ‘quite the Florida celebration’ in Miami
The infield at loanDepot park in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami was resplendent Thursday morning.
But in a few weeks, the baseball diamond at the home of Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins will begin to disappear. The NHL will be transforming this ballpark in the tropics into a winter wonderland for the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 2, when the Florida Panthers will face the New York Rangers in the first NHL outdoor game in Florida (8 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SNW, SNO, SNE, TVAS).
“We feel like we are at a great stage to put on this year’s Winter Classic in Miami,” NHL president of content and events Steve Mayer said while sitting in the outfield Thursday. “It’s going to be great.”
As NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said at the Winter Classic last season at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, playing an outdoor game near downtown Miami is “a little unusual.” The Commissioner said this while on the TNT pregame show outside the ballpark, with everyone bundled up against the cold.
Parkas and ski caps do not figure to be the attire of choice for the game in Miami.
“This is an incredible opportunity. These outdoor games are so much fun,” Florida forward Brad Marchand said. “I have been lucky enough to have played in a few of them now.
“Those are some of the best memories that we will ever have as a team. We’re going to be the first teams to play an outdoor game in Florida. How cool is that? It’s going to be a really special time, and we’re going to have a lot of fun together, and there will be incredible memories, not just for us as a team, but for our families and the fans.”
The Winter Classic will be the first of two outdoor games in the Sunshine State within a month. On Feb. 1, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins will face off at Raymond James Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series.
The two games will celebrate the massive growth of hockey in the state as well as the huge success of the NHL’s two Florida teams.
The Lightning have won the Stanley Cup three times (2004, 2020, 2021). The Panthers are the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions and have been to the Stanley Cup Final each of the past three seasons.
The past six Stanley Cup Finals have featured either the Lightning (2020-22) or the Panthers (2023-25).
“I remember when Florida came into the League (for the 1993-94 season), and where the game is right now in Florida,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “Look at the sheer number of people who will be at these two games here in Florida. There will be a lot of Panthers fans, a lot of Lightning fans, and everyone is going to get a little taste of the growth of our game here.
“I think that’s awesome. There are four Stanley Cups in the last handful of years sitting down here.”
Mayer said both the Lightning and Panthers had been clamoring to play in an outdoor game, and the NHL figured this was a great time to allow both teams to hold one in the same season.
“This is a hotbed, in many different ways,” Mayer said. “Miami has become such a hockey town. … This is quite the Florida celebration for the NHL and outdoor games.”
As for how ice can be built in the tropical climate of Miami, loanDepot park is basically a very big arena. Its retractable roof, which is closed most of the time, will help enable the NHL to install the ice surface that will run across the infield and over the pitcher’s mound.
When the sun has set for the Winter Classic, the plan is for the roof to be open, with the large sliding windows that face Miami’s sparkling skyline to the east opened up as well.
“Over the years, we have refined the making of ice to the point where it is quite the science,” Mayer said. “We are comfortable building it in this climate. The game will be played in an open-air stadium. … There are zero plans not to open it.”
With the roof and windows closed, the building can get quite cold. Mayer said the NHL is taking no risks when it comes to lowering the temperature inside the ballpark.
It was 83 degrees in Miami on Thursday, and it could be that warm again for the Winter Classic, so extra air conditioning units are being brought in to help lower the temperature further.
The average low in Miami around New Year’s Day is in the 60s. Humidity, the biggest challenge to ice, is usually low in the region in the winter months.
“Right now, it’s 80 degrees, which probably isn’t good for ice,” Mayer said. “But at night? It’s good. This place deserves an outdoor game.”
Mayer said an announcement is coming soon regarding a major act performing an hourlong concert outside loanDepot park before the Winter Classic, and the 2026 Enterprise NHL Pregame will be a fan fest held just outside the ballpark.
“This is a sports bucket list experience,” Mayer said. “It starts from the second they park their car. The second they arrive, fans are going to be hit with a giant fan fest. … You could spend 10 minutes or two hours here. We have some really cool plans, and it will be an experience from the moment you get here.”
The field will be completely transformed. One half will represent Florida’s beach and water culture, with the other depicting a more traditional Winter Classic setting.
“It’s going to be winter meets summer, fire meets ice, hot meets cold,” Mayer said. “Imagine left field from third base to home plate, that’s summer. That’s the beach, that’s Miami. Everything from right field, first base to home plate, that’s winter. That’s the cold. There is going to be this cool dynamic. … With the mix of the two, we’re going to have some fun.”
A number of Panthers players have been to the ballpark for Marlins games and are looking forward to seeing how the venue is turned into a house of hockey.
“The stadium itself looks awesome, and when it’s dark, you can see the Miami skyline from the windows,” center Anton Lundell said. “It’s just a super-cool place.
“I was watching a baseball game there and could not picture a hockey game, but I know it is going to be great. This is going to be my first time playing in a Winter Classic, and it’s cool that we are going to make some history by doing so.”
Barzal’s goal, 2 assists help Islanders beat Avalanche 6-3
NEW YORK (AP) — Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists, and the New York Islanders defeated the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche 6-3 on Thursday night.
Kyle MacLean, Anders Lee, Bo Horvat and Adam Pelech also scored a goal for the Islanders, who won their second straight. Ilya Sorokin finished with 35 saves and Casey Cizikas added an empty-net goal.
Valeri Nichushkin, Martin Necas and Artturi Lehkonen scored for Colorado. Mackenzie Blackwood made 36 saves.
The Avalanche’s 17-game point streak was snapped and they lost in the first game of their four-game East Coast road trip.
Barzal scored with less than two minutes remaining in the second period to extend the Islanders’ lead to 5-2 when he converted a backhander on the power play.
The Avalanche scored two goals in 85 seconds to cut their deficit to 4-2 midway through the second period.
Nichushkin redirected a point shot, and Necas benefited from a fortuitous bounce off the skate of Islanders defenseman Travis Mitchell at 10:04 of the middle frame.
But Barzal’s highlight-reel goal helped New York regain control and hand Colorado just its second regulation loss in 27 games this season.
Lee buried a cross-ice pass from Barzal with 1:40 remaining in the opening period to make it 2-0 after MacLean opened the scoring at 5:56.
Horvat knocked in a Matthew Schaefer rebound for his team-leading 17th goal, pushing New York’s lead to 3-0 at 6:58 of the second.
Lee has 295 career goals for the Islanders, tied with Brock Nelson for fifth in franchise history.
Nelson, who returned to UBS Arena for his first game since being dealt last winter from the Islanders to the Avalanche, also received a video tribute during the first period.
Up next
Avalanche: Colorado remains in New York to play the Rangers on Saturday.
Islanders: New York visits the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.
___
Barzal’s goal, 2 assists help Islanders beat Avalanche 6
NEW YORK (AP) — Mathew Barzal had a goal and two assists, and the New York Islanders defeated the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche 6-3 on Thursday night.
Kyle MacLean, Anders Lee, Bo Horvat and Adam Pelech also scored a goal for the Islanders, who won their second straight. Ilya Sorokin finished with 35 saves and Casey Cizikas added an empty-net goal.
Valeri Nichushkin, Martin Necas and Artturi Lehkonen scored for Colorado. Mackenzie Blackwood made 36 saves.
The Avalanche’s 17-game point streak was snapped and they lost in the first game of their four-game East Coast road trip.
Barzal scored with less than two minutes remaining in the second period to extend the Islanders’ lead to 5-2 when he converted a backhander on the power play.
The Avalanche scored two goals in 85 seconds to cut their deficit to 4-2 midway through the second period.
Nichushkin redirected a point shot, and Necas benefited from a fortuitous bounce off the skate of Islanders defenseman Travis Mitchell at 10:04 of the middle frame.
But Barzal’s highlight-reel goal helped New York regain control and hand Colorado just its second regulation loss in 27 games this season.
Lee buried a cross-ice pass from Barzal with 1:40 remaining in the opening period to make it 2-0 after MacLean opened the scoring at 5:56.
Horvat knocked in a Matthew Schaefer rebound for his team-leading 17th goal, pushing New York’s lead to 3-0 at 6:58 of the second.
Lee has 295 career goals for the Islanders, tied with Brock Nelson for fifth in franchise history.
Nelson, who returned to UBS Arena for his first game since being dealt last winter from the Islanders to the Avalanche, also received a video tribute during the first period.
Up next
Avalanche: Colorado remains in New York to play the Rangers on Saturday.
Islanders: New York visits the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Copyright © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
Panarin reaches 900 NHL points, Rangers beat Senators 4-2 for NHL-best 12th road victory
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Artemi Panarin reached 900 NHL points with a goal and an assist and the New York Rangers won for the league-leading 12th time on the road, beating the Ottawa Senators 4-2 on Thursday night.
The Rangers have won five of their past six to improve to 15-12-2. They are 12-4-1 on the road.
Panarin has 311 goals and 589 assists in 781 regular-season games.
Mika Zibanejad, Will Borgen and Vladislav Gavrikov also scored, and Igor Shesterkin made 25 saves. J.T. Miller had three assists.
Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist, and Dylan Cozens also scored for Ottawa. Leevi Merilainen stopped 24 shots.
The Senators are 13-10-4. They have three of four.
Up next
Rangers: Host Colorado on Saturday.
Senators: Host St. Louis on Saturday night.
___
Panarin reaches 900 NHL points, Rangers beat Senators 4
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Artemi Panarin reached 900 NHL points with a goal and an assist and the New York Rangers won for the league-leading 12th time on the road, beating the Ottawa Senators 4-2 on Thursday night.
The Rangers have won five of their past six to improve to 15-12-2. They are 12-4-1 on the road.
Panarin has 311 goals and 589 assists in 781 regular-season games.
Mika Zibanejad, Will Borgen and Vladislav Gavrikov also scored, and Igor Shesterkin made 25 saves. J.T. Miller had three assists.
Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist, and Dylan Cozens also scored for Ottawa. Leevi Merilainen stopped 24 shots.
The Senators are 13-10-4. They have three of four.
Up next
Rangers: Host Colorado on Saturday.
Senators: Host St. Louis on Saturday night.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Copyright © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
Artemi Panarin reaches 900 NHL points, Rangers beat Senators
OTTAWA — Artemi Panarin reached 900 NHL points with a goal and an assist and the New York Rangers won for the league-leading 12th time on the road, beating the Ottawa Senators 4-2 on Thursday night.
The Rangers have won five of their past six to improve to 15-12-2. They are 12-4-1 on the road.
Panarin has 311 goals and 589 assists in 781 regular-season games.
Mika Zibanejad, Will Borgen and Vladislav Gavrikov also scored, and Igor Shesterkin made 25 saves. J.T. Miller had three assists.
Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist, and Dylan Cozens also scored for Ottawa. Leevi Merilainen stopped 24 shots.
The Senators are 13-10-4. They have three of four.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Host Colorado on Saturday.
Senators: Host St. Louis on Saturday night.
Surprising Bruins player now one of NHL’s top goal-scorers
If you look at the goal-scoring leaders in the NHL through the first two months of the 2025-26 season you will see a lot of names who make sense there. Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon is at the top. Pittsburgh Penguins superstar and future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby is high on the list. In-their-prime stars like Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild) and Jason Robertson (Dallas Stars) are in the top five. Connor Bedard (Chicago Blackhawks), one of the best young players in the world, is also lurking just outside of the top five.
Then you see one name who might make you do a double-take, and one name who does not seem like it would belong.
That name is Boston Bruins forward Morgan Geekie.
With his goal on Thursday night in the Bruins’ 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues, he is now up to 21 goals on the season and has been one of the league’s best goal-scorers going back to the second half of the 2024-25 season.
It is totally unexpected and a very pleasant development for the Bruins.
Morgan Geekie keeps scoring goals for Bruins
What makes it so unexpected is that going into the 2024-25 season, he had never really shown any sign that he would be a top-line goal-scorer.
He was a third-round pick in by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2017 NHL Draft and spent time with both them and the Seattle Kraken before joining the Bruins at the start of the 2023-24 season. Through his first 256 games, he managed just 39 goals, which averages out to about 12 goals per 82 games. He never scored more than 17 goals in a single season.
Even going back to his junior hockey and minor league days, he was never really an elite goal-scorer at any level. He never scored more than 35 goals as a junior player, and was a 20- to 25-goal player in the American Hockey League.
Solid. Productive. Useful. But never really an elite finisher.
That all started to change for him during the 2024-25 season when he ended up scoring 33 goals for the Bruins in 77 games, earning a six-year, $33 million contract extension in the process. Given how much of an outlier that performance seemed to be, it was a huge risk for the Bruins. It is now looking like it might be a bargain.
Going back to Jan. 1, almost a full calendar year, no player in the NHL has scored more goals than Geekie’s 46, and he has done that in only 72 games.
The Bruins have been lacking impact offensive players for a couple of years now, becoming almost completely dependent on David Pastrnak to carry their offense. They may have stumbled on to a surprising complement to him in Geekie.
Finally given a shot, Steeves looks like impact player for Bruins
Alex Steeves’ belief in himself never wavered, even if that confidence wasn’t reflected on the scoresheet.
“I’ve always, as a player, told myself that if you are getting the chances, it’s going to come,” Steeves said on Long Island last week.
The 25-year-old forward — a Minnesota-born product who spent part of his childhood in New Hampshire — had accomplished plenty both in the collegiate ranks and in the AHL prior to this season.
But a legitimate shot at hockey’s highest level eluded Steeves after turning pro with Toronto in March 2021.
When Steeves put pen to paper on a one-year, $850,000 contract with Boston in July, he held court as the franchise leader in both goals (105) and points (216) for the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.
For those efforts, he logged just 14 career games with the Maple Leafs spread across four seasons — scoring one goal and three points over that stretch.
Amid those several stalled treks to the NHL, Steeves remained resolute. His opportunity was coming.
And on a Bruins team in desperate need of legitimate scoring punch, Steeves has found a spot to thrive.
“When he didn’t like to go down [to Providence], I remember he said’, I will be back and I’m going to do everything I can to show [you],’” Marco Sturm said. “That’s what I like. And the way he said it, I believe that. I knew his time would come.”
An early-season call-up amid a string of injuries, Steeves has cemented himself as one of Sturm’s most reliable forwards in short order. Be it as a fourth-line sparkplug or top-six scorer, Steeves has settled into a groove as of late — scoring five goals and six points in his last five games.
He continued his scoring salvo on Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues — posting two first-period points as part of a 5-1 victory at TD Garden.
A top line of Steeves, Morgan Geekie, and Elias Lindholm carved up the Blues’ defensive structure throughout the night, with the trio combining for two goals and eight total points in the victory.
“Call-ups are fighting tooth and nail, and I feel like I’ve been fighting tooth and nail for four years to be here,” Steeves said. “And to be on a line with the top goalscorer in the NHL [in Geekie] and a world-class, two-way center like Lindy is really special for me, and I want to make good on it.”
Steeves’ emergence as a scoring winger has come at a critical time for the Bruins, especially with David Pastrnak still working his way back from a nagging lower-body injury.
After lighting the lamp twice in a critical road win over the Islanders last week, Steeves has scored another three goals in four games since Pastrnak has been on the shelf — often skating in a top-six spot on Sturm’s shorthanded depth chart.
“That’s the nice part about it, is he can play any line, he can play any side,” Sturm said of Steeves. “Maybe not a centerman, but overall, I can use him. And I think that’s what coaches really like and that’s what I like about him.
“I brought him up from the minors, and I put him in more like a checking rule and a fourth-liner, and now look at him. So good for him. He’s a guy I trust. … It’s tough to get him out of the lineup, I can tell you that.”
It was Steeves’ who jumpstarted Boston’s scoring surge against Jim Montgomery, Jordan Binnington, and the Blues on Thursday.
While Geekie has doled out most of his damage as a goal scorer this year, he played the role of distributor on Steeves’ tally — dishing a cross-slot feed that his linemate one-timed into twine for his sixth goal of the season.
Steeves rewarded the favor later in the period.
Seconds before Geekie snapped home his 21st goal of the season, it was a furious forechecking effort from Steeves that started the sequence — tenderizing both Philip Broberg and Colton Parayko on the end boards and knocking the puck loose.
That skittering puck was gathered by Lindholm and fed into the slot for Geekie, who knocked it home to give Boston a 2-0 lead at the time.
Steeves finished with a game-high six hits in the victory.
“I don’t think I’m an NHL player when I’m not playing physically,” Steeves said. “So I want to be physical every night. And good things usually happen when I do that.”
While Geekie’s shot and Lindholm’s two-way game are well-established at this point, Steeves’ motor and physicality have helped generate Grade-A chances with regularity during their shifts.
In the 42:54 of 5-on-5 ice time that the Steeves-Lindholm-Geekie line has logged so far this season, the Bruins are outscoring opponents, 4-2.
The Bruins are still treading water as they await the return of both Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy.
But amid a season where injuries have plagued Boston’s roster, the Bruins have found no shortage of unsung contributors who are keeping this team afloat — and are poised to pull on the rope even further once more bodies return to the ice.
“Obviously, it’s tough when you’re losing guys the way we seem to have lost them, but I think that’s just kind of where the league’s at right now with the schedule and everything like that,” Geekie said. “But, I mean, for [Victor Soderstrom] to step in tonight and get an assist and play well.
” And guys that have been doing it all year — [Jonathan Aspirot] coming up, and Steever. All these guys mean a ton to us. And to be able to step in to make a difference like they all do, is super important.”
Tiger Woods’ PGA Tour Revamp Plans Pushes Analyst to Call Out Serious Concerns
Imagine a reduced PGA Tour schedule focused on the biggest markets and the best courses. This is how the 2027 season might look. Brian Rolapp and Tiger Woods reportedly gave a 90-minute presentation to the 20-man field at HWC, laying out the vision for these significant changes to the Tour schedule. The proposed changes come after an extended period of players’ and fans’ complaints, but these won’t be without scrutiny either.
In a video shared by Golf Channel on December 4, Eamon Lynch acknowledged what Rolapp and Woods are trying to do but expressed surprise that they had not detailed “what’s broken.”
“I hear a lot of people talking about what needs to be fixed. We’re going to fix it by doing this…I’ve yet to hear anyone articulate what’s broken. That’s the key here…What’s wrong with it that requires all of this conversation about a radical effect, and how radical does that fix need to be?” he said in the video.
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“Well, it’s not a voice they’re going to hear this week. It’s a small constituency of players; it’s a 20-man field in the Bahamas, and these are not 20 players who are going to be adversely impacted by any changes or shrinking of playing opportunities. But it does speak of how seriously Rolapp and the Tour are taking this idea of keeping the players updated,” he said.
Lynch noted that Woods and Rolapp need to engage in discussion with those players who will actually feel the brunt of the changes, and rightfully so. The current field at the ongoing Hero World Championship is elite and limited, and won’t be impacted much by the limited schedule and field. The up-and-coming golfers fighting for their place in events and the OWGR would be affected significantly. Ironically, they aren’t playing in the Bahamas.
Notably, Woods addressed a press conference on Tuesday, sharing details about the potential changes. He declared that the committee aims to prepare a 2027 schedule and that they would eventually have a product better than what they have now. That’s the aim!
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“Hopefully, we get to that point. We’re working with all of our partners to create the best schedule and product to deliver all that in 2027. I don’t know if we can get there, I don’t know if we will get there, but that’s what we’re trying to do,” Tiger Woods mentioned.
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These changes are warranted weeks after the PGA Tour pro Harris English mentioned discussions about starting the golf season in February, not January, to avoid competing with the NFL for viewership.
Amid widespread concern about the potential changes in the Tour, Jordan Spieth and Brian Harman expressed excitement about what is to come.
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Jordan Spieth and Brian Harman Looking Forward to Changes Despite “Ambiguity”
Spieth acknowledged that there was a lot of “ambiguity” when the announcements were initially made, saying, “Well, I think when some of the stuff was announced, I wasn’t sure what it actually meant.” However, he lauded the trio of Brian Rolapp, Tiger Woods, and Andy Weitz for being “pretty clear” about what they are looking to do. He also noted that they are trying to improve the product rather than changing the fundamentals.
“It’s like fine-tuning things with the help of sponsors and networks for how to make it better for the fans and get more engagement from the younger audience. There’s not a ton of detail yet, but they have a few plans that they’re going to work through in the coming months, definitely something we can get behind and be excited about,” he added.
Meanwhile, Brian Harman was glad that initiative was being taken to improve the sport as a whole through discussion. However, he did acknowledge the dual nature of the plans, saying, “Change is hard; it’s not fun, but you have to look down the road and try and figure out what makes our sport the healthiest, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
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Top 3 Takeaways as Tiger Woods & Brian Rolapp Hold Urgent Meeting About PGA Tour Future
Tiger Woods has been away from the limelight for most of this year. But he is back at the Hero World Challenge this week, not to play but to deliver a message to the players: the PGA Tour is about to change, and in a big way. Woods and Brian Rolapp met with the golfers on Tuesday to discuss a major overhaul coming in 2027. We are looking at a much shorter schedule, and Woods hinted that the changes might upset some golfers. From his explanation and the players’ reactions, we are decoding three standout takeaways about where things are heading.
1. Top players are still doubtful and unsure of the changes
Woods emphasized that the motivation behind the new structure is simple. It is to build a better product. “This is fan-based. We’re trying to give the fans the best product we possibly can,” he said. “If we’re able to give the fans the best product we can… the financial windfall could be fantastic for everyone who’s involved.”
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The proposed changes, which include planning the season around the Super Bowl, removing the Hawaiian swing, and adding more co-sanctioned events with the DP World Tour, are already on the table. But players still seem to be sorting out how it will all affect them.
Jordan Spieth admitted that when the changes were announced, he was confused. “I wasn’t sure once some of the stuff was announced what exactly it meant… There was some ambiguity to it,” he told Golf Channel. While he did praise Woods and Rolapp’s efforts for doing a “good job organizing and being pretty clear about what exactly they’re looking to do,” Spieth added that there “wasn’t a ton of detail” on what exactly is going to happen.
Brian Harman, on the other hand, was a bit more blunt about his opinion. “Change is hard. It’s not fun… In every situation, every decision that you make, there’s going to be people that benefit and people that don’t benefit…” he said. He appreciated that everyone was coming together to support this change, but his words hinted that the outcome of this might not be beneficial to many.
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2. Brian Rolapp’s bold ideas are earning player support
One noticeable shift is how players are responding to Brian Rolapp, a key figure driving the new schedule. Despite the scale of his ideas and the massive changes, Rolapp only received support and enthusiasm from the players. Scottie Scheffler was one of them.
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During a presser at the Hero World Challenge, Scottie Scheffler said of Rolapp, “He’s got a lot of ideas. He seems very smart and knowledgeable. He’s working really hard. I’ve been very pleased with the conversations that I’ve had with him and the things that I’ve been hearing. I think they’re looking at things the right way, and I’m excited about some of the changes they’re looking to make…”
Scheffler made it clear he trusts the direction Rolapp is pushing the Tour toward. Sure, they may be looking at some drastic changes in the coming few years, but Scheffler believes that the Tour is finally moving toward solutions that make sense.
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Even Jordan Spieth voiced his support for Rolapp, stating that communication is finally opening up. It was something players felt was lacking during Jay Monahan’s tenure. “I think they’re going to do a good job communicating that (speaking of the changes)…for players, the biggest thing is just open communication, open dialogue, and no hidden secrets,” Spieth said. “They seem open and willing to tell any member anything that was said last night…”
The Tour planning more meetings at upcoming events is another sign that players are being included more often, something that hasn’t always happened during previous changes on the tour.
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3. Some sponsors may be upset, but Tiger Woods says it’s necessary
Tiger Woods made it clear that this would be anything but a smooth process. Cutting or reshaping events means certain tournaments, sponsors, or players will lose out. As Golf Digest put it, “Given all the stakeholders involved, there are going to be hurt feelings and bruised egos. Woods, while again trying to underline that many voices are involved in this decision, did point out the obvious: some folks are not going to be happy…”
But Woods also stressed that transparency is a priority and that the aim is long-term stability. “It’s up to us at the committee to try to put it all together… This is something that’s going to be fantastic for all of the fans, for the players,” he quipped during the meeting.
His message was simple: the Tour can’t keep operating the way it has. And while not everyone will like the coming changes, he believes they’re essential for the future of professional golf.
Scottie Scheffler gives a frank view on The Open’s place in the game
Scottie Scheffler has put together an outstanding 2025 campaign on the PGA Tour, and many now view his Open Championship win as the standout moment of his career.
But at the time, it did not seem like that win meant any more to him than any of his other successes.
Before this year’s Open at Royal Portrush, Scheffler caused a bit of a stir by admitting that he does not get much personal satisfaction from winning tournaments.
He went as far as to say he was not sure why winning mattered to him in the first place.
Still, you could make a good case that this outlook is exactly what drives his success on the course.
Over the past year, comparisons between Scheffler and Tiger Woods have become more common, mainly due to how consistently he has been performing.
The July victory gave the Dallas native his fourth major title. If he continues at this pace – averaging one every two years until age 51, he would tie Woods’ total of 15 majors.
His victory at Royal Portrush in July may have been the most challenging one to secure.
Scottie Scheffler reflects on The Open Championship
Scheffler was in outstanding form at Royal Portrush, and his putting stood out in particular. He went on to win by four shots, never really looking troubled throughout the tournament.
He now has 19 PGA Tour wins under his belt, and he has recently spoken about what that specific win meant to him.
The 29-year-old, currently ranked number one in the world, is now looking to add another Hero World Challenge title to his name. Victory at Albany Golf Course would mark his third consecutive win at the event.
If he does win again, it would be his seventh of a remarkable season.
While speaking to reporters in the Bahamas, Scheffler was asked what memory from 2025 he thinks will stand out most when he looks back a decade from now.
“My fondest memory of this year? I mean, I think any season which you’re able to win major championships I think is very special, especially being able to win multiple majors. I think especially, I mean the PGA and The Open Championship – The Open Championship – the Claret Jug is a pretty cool trophy to have in your possession.”
“I think I underestimated what that feels like, and I’ve really enjoyed kind of having that at home and being able to celebrate with that.
“But I think a lot of times – the consistency that I played with this year I’m extremely proud of. I think for me to be able to put in as many top finishes as I did takes a lot of work and takes a lot of energy and focus to be able to do that.
“So I was proud of the discipline that I had throughout the season, and not only that discipline but also staying patient in the beginning of the year when things weren’t going as I’d hoped they would, I was still able to kind of ground out some decent finishes and keep myself in it, and then I started trending, trending and found myself in a really good spot in the middle of the year.”
Scottie Scheffler surprised with reaction to Open win
Scheffler has always been measured in his post-tournament remarks, and that did not change after his win at Portrush.
When asked about his emotions following his Open victory, he simply said: “Pretty good.”
His response drew a few raised eyebrows, including from Rich Beem, who called it “strange”.
Beem said: “It is a very strange phenomenon to hear someone who has just won that go ‘it feels pretty good’. It’s like really? Just pretty good.
“I think he is just masking some of it a little bit. I think inside there is a little bit more in there. I am assuming when he gets back home to the family and when he gets on the aeroplane they are going to pop some champagne and celebrate properly.”
Even though his reaction seemed subdued at first, Scheffler’s recent comments in the Bahamas show just how much that win meant to him.
He might not have fully realised it right away, but it is clear now that he understands just how significant his achievement was.
PGA hoping to identify 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup captain by first quarter of next year
Tiger Woods revealed Tuesday that he’d not been asked about a potential U.S. Ryder Cup captaincy in 2027.
“No one’s asked me,” Woods said, twice actually while evading whether he’d even be interested in the gig.
The PGA of America wouldn’t confirm whether it planned on reaching out to the 15-time major champion about the lead job at Adare Manor in Ireland. Woods has previously served as a vice captain in 2016, and he also captained the 2019 U.S. Presidents Cup team.
However, a PGA spokesperson did share with Golf Channel this statement: “It’s our hope to identify the 2027 U.S. Ryder Cup captain by the first quarter of next year.”
Keegan Bradley, who captain this year’s U.S. side in its loss at Bethpage, said he’d love a second stint but reckoned that probably wouldn’t happen.
“Of course, I would love to do it again,” Bradley said. “I would love to avenge that loss, but that’s not up to me.”
Bradley added that the 2027 captaincy would be Woods’ if he wanted it.
“I think if Tiger wants to do this, he’s going to do it,” Bradley said. “Tiger is not only a hero to all of us that would be on his team, but he’s also an incredible leader and a person that everyone would love to play for. But I’m pretty sure when he wants to do this, he’s going to get to be able to do it.”
Other potential U.S. captains for Ireland include Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker.
The PGA typically announces its captain the spring of the year prior to the matches, though it didn’t select Bradley until July 2024.
Report: PGA to select Ryder Cup captain by first quarter of ’26
The PGA of America hopes to announce the next U.S. Ryder Cup captain in early 2026, Golf Channel reported Thursday.
PGA Tour Names Rookie Of The Year Finalists
The PGA Tour announced on Wednesday it’s five finalists for 2025 Rookie of the Year. Finalists were nominated by the PGA Tour Player Directors and the Player Advisory Counsel (PAC). Over the next week, PGA Tour members who played in a minimum of 15 official FedEx Cup events will vote and a winner will be announced. Below are the five finalists and some of their resumes from the 2025 season.
Aldrich Potgieter
The odds on favorite to win the award, the long-hitting Potgieter led the PGA Tour in driving distance this season. He used that power to win the Rocket Classic in Detroit. That win was on the heels of a playoff loss at the Mexico Open earlier in the season.
Potgieter was the only rookie on the PGA Tour in 2025 to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs. Although he only made the cut in 9 of his 26 events played, his win and playoff loss will make him the heavy favorite to win the award. Potgieter finished the FedEx Cup fall 56th place in the standings. He currently sits at 79th in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).
William Mouw
Winner of the ISCO Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. Mouw was propelled to a one-shot win with a final round 61 (-9). The former Pepperdine product, Mouw also had two other top 10 finishes this season at the 3M Open and Puerto Rico Open.
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For the season, Mouw made the cut in 14 of his 24 events played and finished the season in 89th place on the FedEx Cup fall standings. He is currently ranked 114th in the OWGR.
Steven Fisk
Steven Fisk had a very solid rookie season on the PGA Tour in 2025 making the cut in 16 of the 27 events he teed it up in. His solid play culminated in a victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson, Mississippi this fall.
For the season, Fisk had one other top 10 finish, which came at the Puerto Rico Open. He finished the season in 73rd place on the FedEx Cup fall standings. Fisk’s currently ranked 105th in the OWGR.
Karl Vilips
Karl Vilips, a Stanford graduate and wearer of Tiger Woods’ Sun Day Red brand, is another finalist for the Rookie of the Year award. Vilips won the Puerto Rico Open for his first PGA Tour victory and made the cut in 12 of the 21 starts he made in 2025 on the PGA Tour.
Besides the win, he also had a top 10 finish while teaming up with Michael Thorbjornsen in New Orleans at the Zurich Classic. Vilips finished the FedEx Cup fall season at number 100 in the standings. He currently is ranked 141st in the OWGR.
Michael Brennan
Michael Brennan took the golf world by storm this fall as he won the Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert. Brennan only played in four events on the PGA Tour in 2025, but still finds himself a finalist for Rookie of the Year after a blistering fall season.
Besides becoming just the seventh player since 1970 to win a PGA Tour tournament within his first three starts with his win in Utah, Brennan made the cut in all four events that he played in. Despite playing in just four events, Brennan finished the season as the 98th ranked player in the FedEx Cup fall standings. He is currently ranked 35th in the OWGR.
PGA Tour Pro Can’t Hide Frustration With Brian Rolapp’s New Vision for the Tour
The PGA Tour spent years fighting LIV Golf’s threat to its identity. Now, under new CEO Brian Rolapp, it faces a different battle—one from within its own membership.
Kevin Kisner made that tension clear during his December 5 appearance on Trey Wingo’s ‘Straight Facts Homie!’ podcast. The four-time PGA Tour winner praised Rolapp’s leadership and acknowledged the Tour’s stability post-LIV. But his language revealed something else entirely. Wedged between optimism and endorsement sat three words that exposed the fracture: “I’m not in love.”
“I’m not in love with the designated or whatever they’re called events, signature events,” Kisner said. “You don’t really need to be having two different levels of the tour. Let’s just have 25 events. They all matter the same, and all the sponsors matter the same.”
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Kisner was talking about signature events. The limited-field tournaments that defined the Tour’s 2024 and 2025 restructuring. And his discomfort wasn’t subtle. His preference was direct. A unified structure where meritocracy still determined outcomes. Not a tiered system that separates the elite from everyone else.
“But I think Brian, I’ve talked to Brian Rolapp, the new CEO, a bunch, and I think he’s a great guy, and he really has some strategic ideas on how to elevate our game, elevate the game to the fans, and uh really take this whole organization to the next step,” Kisner explained about his meetings with Rolapp. He added, “So, he’s got a lot of great guys working for him and with them and and uh I feel good about it.”
To sum it up, that’s the friction Rolapp now faces. He arrived in June 2025 after more than two decades with the NFL as Chief Media and Business Officer. His resume includes creating Thursday Night Football and negotiating media deals worth over $110 billion. His mandate at the PGA Tour is similar: maximize engagement and apply NFL-style efficiency to golf’s traditional structure.
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But the signature events model creates opportunity gaps. Fields feature 70-80 players, $20 million purses, and 700 FedEx Cup points for winners. Five events have no cuts. Three player-hosted invitationals retain 36-hole cuts to the top 50 and ties.
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, who earned over $29 million in career earnings, still feel the squeeze. He represents the Tour’s veteran class—players who thrived under traditional meritocracy but now face limited access to the biggest purses.
And Kisner wasn’t afraid to name the risk. “Now, you’re going to have to lose some title sponsors when you get less events,” he said. “And how many people are you going to frustrate that don’t want to be strategic partners with you? I’m not smart enough to do that, but that’s why Brian’s got the job.”
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It was support. But it was also distancing.
Brian Rolapp’s NFL strategy divides PGA Tour players
Other players have been more direct. Jake Knapp, defending Mexico Open champion, told GOLF’s Subpar podcast he hadn’t heard anyone support the new direction “other than the top 10 dudes in the world that seem to be calling the shots.” Lucas Glover called signature events a “money grab” and “selfish.”
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Even analysts raised alarms. Eamon Lynch from Golfweek warned that Rolapp’s NFL instincts—focused on American football season avoidance—could harm golf’s year-round, global fan base. “Rolapp’s last job involved catering to NFL fans,” Lynch wrote. “He shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking his current job asks the same.”
Yet Rolapp’s strategies reflect his NFL roots. He’s exploring a post-Super Bowl season start to avoid viewership battles with football. The logic is sound. Golf can’t compete with the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl, which dominate U.S. sports media in January and February.
Kisner agreed with the approach. At least partially. “From a weather standpoint, why do we go to California in January when it’s fantastic there in March?” he said. “Obviously, we know we can’t compete with the Giant of the NFL.”
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But he also embraced Rolapp’s broader philosophy. When Wingo mentioned Rolapp’s statement—”We will honor the traditions but we won’t be bound by them”—Kisner didn’t hesitate. “I agree with that totally,” he said. “Just because it’s all the way you’ve always done it doesn’t mean it’s right.”
That’s the paradox Kisner embodies. He supports modernization. He trusts Rolapp’s vision. He acknowledges the Tour is healthier post-LIV. “I think the threat of them taking top players and us losing our product is pretty much gone,” he said.
Yet his reservations about signature events and sponsor fallout reveal the fundamental tension. Can the Tour adopt NFL-style efficiency without losing the meritocratic identity that differentiated it from LIV?
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At a recent Hero World Challenge meeting, Tiger Woods and Rolapp discussed major changes coming in 2027. Scottie Scheffler praised Rolapp’s ideas and called him “very smart and knowledgeable.” But Brian Harman offered a warning. “Change is hard,” Harman said. “In every situation, there’s going to be people that benefit and people that don’t benefit.”
Kisner’s comments suggest he’s caught between those outcomes. He’s vocal enough to express concern. Pragmatic enough to defer to leadership. But uncertain whether the changes will preserve the opportunities that built his career.
“I think they got a huge strategic decision on what the schedule starts to shake out,” Kisner said. And then he placed his faith where it needed to go. “I’m going to trust that he’s going to make the best decisions for the players and our equity stakes in the PGA Tour and we all want them to succeed because then we all make more money.”
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It’s guarded optimism at its finest. Public endorsement wrapped around quiet skepticism. And it reveals the question now facing Rolapp’s leadership: Will his business-first approach strengthen the Tour or alienate the very players and sponsors it needs to succeed?
Tiger Woods: What the Future May Hold For the PGA TOUR
The Man Who Won’t Stop Building
I’ve been in this game for nearly three decades, and I’ve watched Tiger Woods do things that seemed impossible. Winning 15 majors. Coming back from multiple back surgeries. That 2019 Masters win that had grown men crying in sports bars across America.
But here’s what strikes me most about Tiger right now: he’s not done building.
As he approaches his 50th birthday, just weeks removed from disc replacement surgery, Tiger isn’t sitting on a beach somewhere counting his money and reliving past glories. He’s chairing the Future Competitions Committee. He’s in daily meetings about the 2027 and 2028 PGA TOUR schedules. He’s interviewing CMOs, tournament directors, and media partners to figure out how to make professional golf better for everyone.
And I can’t help but wonder: is this the most important thing Tiger Woods will ever do for golf?
The Blank Slate Approach
What fascinates me about the Future Competitions Committee is how they’re approaching this. Tiger said something in his press conference at the Hero World Challenge that really stuck with me:
NFL mandates playing surfaces for all stadiums meet new standards by 2028 to enhance player safety
By JOSH DUBOW
The playing surfaces at every NFL stadium will have to meet new enhanced standards set through lab and field testing by the start of the 2028 season.
NFL field director Nick Pappas detailed the plans for the program on Thursday that will provide each team “a library of approved and accredited NFL fields” before the start of next season. Any new field will immediately have to meet those standards and all teams will have two years to achieve it, whether they are grass, synthetic or a hybrid.
Pappas said the fields will have undergone extensive testing and been approved by a joint committee with the NFLPA. He compared to the testing that has led to new standards for helmets.
“It’s sort of a red, yellow, green effect, where we’re obviously trying to phase out fields that we have determined to be less ideal than newer fields coming into the industry,” he said. “This is a big step for us. This is something that I think has been a great outcome from the Joint Surfaces Committee of the work, the deployment and development of devices determining the appropriate metrics, and ultimately providing us with a way to substantiate the quality of fields more so than we ever have in the past.”
Pappas said fields have been tested in labs and on site using two main tools with one called the BEAST that is a traction testing device that replicates the movements of an NFL player and another called the STRIKE Impact Tester that helps determine the firmness of each field.
The goal of the league is to find fields that are as consistent as possible across all 30 NFL stadiums, as well as at each stadium throughout the season. Pappas said the “key pillars” for a field are optimized playability, reducing injury risk and player feedback.
The NFL has no plans to require natural grass fields across the league with the league’s chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills saying there is no “statistically significant differences” in lower extremity injuries or concussions that can be attributed to the type of playing surface or a specific surface despite widespread preferences from players for grass fields and complaints about surfaces such as the one at MetLife Stadium where the New York Giants and Jets play.
“The surface is only one driver of these lower extremity injuries,” Sills said. “There are a lot of other factors, including player load and previous history and fatigue and positional adaptability and cleats that are worn. So surfaces are a component, but it is a complex equation, and so I’m excited about where we are in the work because I think we’ll get away from a very crude measurement of artificial here and the grass here, and now we can say for any individual surface, let’s look at the biophysical properties of that surface. How might those correlate with injury? And then, obviously, how do we optimize them?”
Pappas also shared plans for the Super Bowl to be held on Feb. 8 at the San Francisco 49ers home at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The field has been growing at a sod farm about two hours east of the Bay Area with Pappas making several visits over the past 18 months to monitor the field.
The league will plan to install the field around the third week in January — or later if the 49ers could be hosting playoff games.
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NFL mandates new playing surfaces for all stadiums by 2028 to enhance player safety
Each NFL stadium will have to install a new playing surface by the start of the 2028 season to meet standards set through lab and field testing.
NFL field director Nick Pappas detailed the plans for the program on Thursday that will provide each team “a library of approved and accredited NFL fields” before the start of next season. Teams will then have two years to install the new approved playing surfaces, whether they are grass, synthetic or a hybrid.
Pappas said the fields will have undergone extensive testing and been approved by a joint committee with the NFLPA. He compared to the testing that has led to new standards for helmets.
“It’s sort of a red, yellow, green effect, where we’re obviously trying to phase out fields that we have determined to be less ideal than newer fields coming into the industry,” he said. “This is a big step for us. This is something that I think has been a great outcome from the Joint Service Committee of the work, the deployment and development of devices determining the appropriate metrics, and ultimately providing us with a way to substantiate the quality of fields more so than we ever have in the past.”
Pappas said fields have been tested in labs and on site using two main tools with one called the BEAST that is a traction testing device that replicates the movements of an NFL player and another called the STRIKE Impact Tester that helps determine the firmness of each field.
The goal of the league is to find fields that are as consistent as possible across all 30 NFL stadiums, as well as at each stadium throughout the season. Pappas said the “key pillars” for a field are optimized playability, reducing injury risk and player feedback.
The NFL has no plans to require natural grass fields across the league with the league’s chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills saying there is no “statistically significant differences” in lower extremity injuries or concussions that can be attributed to the type of playing surface or a specific surface despite widespread preferences from players for grass fields and complaints about surfaces such as the one at MetLife Stadium where the New York Giants and Jets play.
“The surface is only one driver of these lower extremity injuries,” Sills said. “There are a lot of other factors, including player load and previous history and fatigue and positional adaptability and cleats that are worn. So surfaces are a component, but it is a complex equation, and so I’m excited about where we are in the work because I think we’ll get away from a very crude measurement of artificial here and the grass here, and now we can say for any individual surface, let’s look at the biophysical properties of that surface. How might those correlate with injury? And then, obviously, how do we optimize them?”
Pappas also shared plans for the Super Bowl to be held on Feb. 8 at the San Francisco 49ers home at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The field has been growing at a sod farm about two hours east of the Bay Area with Pappas making several visits over the past 18 months to monitor the field.
The league will plan to install the field around the third week in January — or later if the 49ers could be hosting playoff games.
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NFL, union agree to new model for picking playing surfaces
The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to a new model for selecting playing surfaces in stadiums, one that will require teams to choose from an approved set of manufacturers and styles for both natural and synthetic fields.
The policy will apply to any teams that plan to replace their surfaces for the 2026 season. By the 2028 season, all stadiums will be required to have approved fields.
Nick Pappas, the NFL’s field director, described the model as similar to the NFL/NFLPA helmet policy, where players must choose from a list of accredited helmet models.
NFL mandates new playing surfaces for all stadiums by 2028
Each NFL stadium will have to install a new playing surface by the start of the 2028 season to meet standards set through lab and field testing.
NFL field director Nick Pappas on Thursday detailed the plans for the program that will provide each team “a library of approved and accredited NFL fields” before the start of next season. Teams then will have two years to install the new approved playing surfaces, whether they are grass, synthetic or a hybrid.
Pappas said the fields will have undergone extensive testing and been approved by a joint committee with the NFLPA. He compared it to the testing that has led to new standards for helmets.
“It’s sort of a red, yellow, green effect, where we’re obviously trying to phase out fields that we have determined to be less ideal than newer fields coming into the industry,” he said. “This is a big step for us.”
Pappas said fields have been tested in labs and on site using two main tools. One called the BEAST is a traction testing device that replicates the movements of an NFL player. Another called the STRIKE Impact Tester helps determine the firmness of each field.
The goal of the league is to find fields that are as consistent as possible across all 30 NFL stadiums, as well as at each stadium throughout the season. Pappas said the “key pillars” for a field are optimized playability, reducing injury risk and player feedback.
The NFL has no plans to require natural grass fields across the league with the league’s chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, saying there is no “statistically significant differences” in lower-extremity injuries or concussions that can be attributed to the type of playing surface or a specific surface — despite widespread preferences from players for grass fields and complaints about surfaces such as the one at MetLife Stadium, where the New York Giants and Jets play.
“The surface is only one driver of these lower-extremity injuries,” Sills said. “There are a lot of other factors, including player load and previous history and fatigue and positional adaptability and cleats that are worn.
“So surfaces are a component, but it is a complex equation and so I’m excited about where we are in the work because I think we’ll get away from a very crude measurement of artificial here and the grass here, and now we can say for any individual surface, let’s look at the biophysical properties of that surface. How might those correlate with injury? And then, obviously, how do we optimize them?”
Pappas also shared plans for the Super Bowl to be held Feb. 8 at the San Francisco 49ers home at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The field has been growing at a sod farm about two hours east of the Bay Area, with Pappas making several visits over the past 18 months to monitor the field.
The league will plan to install the field around the third week in January — or later if the 49ers could be hosting playoff games.
With Safety in Mind, NFL Mandates New Playing Surfaces for All Stadiums by 2028
Each NFL stadium will have to install a new playing surface by the start of the 2028 season to meet standards set through lab and field testing.
NFL field director Nick Pappas detailed the plans for the program on Thursday that will provide each team
Reps: The World Cup, Olympics and More Are Coming to America-But a Bureaucratic Hurdle Risks Empty Stadiums | Opinion
The countdown to the world’s largest soccer tournament has begun. This week, the United States takes center stage for the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw, where the opening round of matchups will be set. With 48 nations vying for soccer’s ultimate prize—up from 32 countries in 2022—FIFA26 will be the largest in World Cup history.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just one of the major international sporting competitions the U.S. is hosting over the next 10 years, including the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, the 2031 Men’s and 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and the 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. These events are a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the U.S. to deliver lasting economic benefits to communities nationwide while shining bright on the world stage.
The truest measure of a sporting event’s success is a stadium filled with fans from around the world. Yet, as the United States gears up for what is being called the “American Decade of Sports,” a bureaucratic hurdle risks upending our success: delays in issuing traveler visas.
As bipartisan members of Congress from California, the state poised to host the most international sporting events in the coming decade, we cannot overstate the unprecedented economic potential these games bring—or the colossal mistake it would be to let this opportunity slip through our fingers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, both domestic and international tourism accounted for an estimated 3 percent of all U.S. gross domestic product in 2023. We have the chance to surpass that during the American Decade of Sports.
The 2026 World Cup is projected to deliver a staggering $30.5 billion in gross economic output across 11 host cities: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco/Bay Area and Seattle. The tournament is also set to support more than 185,000 full-time equivalent jobs and contribute over $3.4 billion to government coffers.
Just two years later, the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles are expected to generate $18.3 billion in output. The LA28 Games are anticipated to create upwards of 100,000 full-time equivalent jobs, along with more than $7 billion in wages and $1.5 billion in federal tax revenue. These economic impacts go far beyond LA city limits. Already, the Netherlands Olympic Committee has selected Mission Viejo as its primary pre-games training site, and Anaheim will be home to Olympic volleyball.
Combined, these two events alone are expected to generate more economic output than Vermont’s total GDP in 2023.
The key driver of this surge in economic activity is the striking disparity in spending between domestic and international travelers. According to the U.S. Travel Association, overseas visitors spend an average of $4,000 per trip in the United States—over eight times more than domestic travelers.
Securing these benefits for our communities depends on our ability to welcome international fans to host cities. So, you can imagine our alarm when we discovered that our visa system is not equipped for these games to succeed.
Currently, there are major delays in issuing visas for visitors from the 151 countries whose citizens require a visa to enter the United States. Due to high visa demand and limited resources at U.S. embassies abroad—where each applicant must be interviewed and evaluated—visa appointment wait times can extend to several months or over a year.
The scale of this challenge is staggering: An estimated 6 million fans will travel to the U.S. for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, followed by another 15 million visitors for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Of the 42 qualifying nations so far, fans in Algeria, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and Paraguay who wish to travel to the U.S. to cheer on their nations’ teams face visa wait times longer than six months, which is the amount of time remaining before the first 2026 World Cup match. Others who don’t plan their travels months in advance could face similar delays.
The Trump Administration has begun taking important steps toward confronting this challenge. Following a bipartisan letter we led to the administration in May, President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating a federal Olympics Task Force to streamline credentialing and visa processing ahead of LA28. The administration has also launched FIFA PASS to fast-track World Cup visa appointments and cut wait times.
These actions are essential to improving capacity and getting ahead of demand, but we can’t take our foot off the gas.
Approaching the next 10 years as if it were business as usual would be a costly mistake. We risk self-sabotage and failure on the international stage if the State Department cannot manage the surge in visa processing needed to ensure our communities receive the benefits they have worked hard for and were promised.
Tackling this ticking time bomb requires swift and decisive action—the kind America excels at.
The first step is to ensure that our overseas diplomatic missions are adequately resourced to reflect our top priority: encouraging international participation in the World Cup, Olympics and beyond.
The next step is to implement innovative solutions that streamline the visa process. In our May letter, we proposed several key measures: reduce duplicative visa requirements for accredited attendees, expand processing capacity at U.S. consulates in countries with high fan demand and allocate dedicated diplomatic personnel to handle sporting event-related visa applications.
The first 2026 FIFA World Cup game on U.S. soil is just under 200 days away. Whether we’re capable of welcoming the world depends on our next steps.
As lawmakers committed to unlocking the full potential of the American Decade of Sports, we’re ready to work with President Donald Trump, Secretary Marco Rubio and colleagues across the aisle to ensure these historic games are a resounding success. The time for urgent and coordinated action is now. Let’s get to work.
Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove is in her second term representing California’s 37th District, which includes South Los Angeles and Culver City. In Congress, she serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees and as whip of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Congresswoman Young Kim represents California’s 40th District, spanning parts of Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. She chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific and serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
The views expressed in this article are the writers’ own.
NFL mandates playing surfaces for all stadiums meet new standards
The playing surfaces at every NFL stadium will have to meet new enhanced standards set through lab and field testing by the start of the 2028 season.
NFL field director Nick Pappas detailed the plans for the program on Thursday that will provide each team “a library of approved and accredited NFL fields” before the start of next season. Any new field will immediately have to meet those standards and all teams will have two years to achieve it, whether they are grass, synthetic or a hybrid.
Pappas said the fields will have undergone extensive testing and been approved by a joint committee with the NFLPA. He compared to the testing that has led to new standards for helmets.
“It’s sort of a red, yellow, green effect, where we’re obviously trying to phase out fields that we have determined to be less ideal than newer fields coming into the industry,” he said. “This is a big step for us. This is something that I think has been a great outcome from the Joint Surfaces Committee of the work, the deployment and development of devices determining the appropriate metrics, and ultimately providing us with a way to substantiate the quality of fields more so than we ever have in the past.”
Pappas said fields have been tested in labs and on site using two main tools with one called the BEAST that is a traction testing device that replicates the movements of an NFL player and another called the STRIKE Impact Tester that helps determine the firmness of each field.
The goal of the league is to find fields that are as consistent as possible across all 30 NFL stadiums, as well as at each stadium throughout the season. Pappas said the “key pillars” for a field are optimized playability, reducing injury risk and player feedback.
The NFL has no plans to require natural grass fields across the league with the league’s chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills saying there is no “statistically significant differences” in lower extremity injuries or concussions that can be attributed to the type of playing surface or a specific surface despite widespread preferences from players for grass fields and complaints about surfaces such as the one at MetLife Stadium where the New York Giants and Jets play.
“The surface is only one driver of these lower extremity injuries,” Sills said. “There are a lot of other factors, including player load and previous history and fatigue and positional adaptability and cleats that are worn. So surfaces are a component, but it is a complex equation, and so I’m excited about where we are in the work because I think we’ll get away from a very crude measurement of artificial here and the grass here, and now we can say for any individual surface, let’s look at the biophysical properties of that surface. How might those correlate with injury? And then, obviously, how do we optimize them?”
Pappas also shared plans for the Super Bowl to be held on Feb. 8 at the San Francisco 49ers home at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The field has been growing at a sod farm about two hours east of the Bay Area with Pappas making several visits over the past 18 months to monitor the field.
The league will plan to install the field around the third week in January — or later if the 49ers could be hosting playoff games.
2025 Northwest Herald Girls Tennis Players of the Year: Marian Central’s Jenna Remke and Julia Lukey
Marian Central senior Jenna Remke and sophomore Julia Lukey united to win the Chicagoland Christian Conference and Class 1A sectional doubles championships before capping off their standout season with a top-eight finish at state.
Remke (30-5) and Lukey (31-4) were each named to the All-State second team for their efforts this season. The Hurricane doubles duo opened the 1A state tournament with three wins in a row. After a win and a loss on the second day, the two bowed out with a loss in the consolation semifinals to earn a top-eight finish.
As a result of Remke and Lukey’s efforts, along with strong play from sophomore Jordan Cheng at singles, Marian Central took 10th out of 57 1A schools at the state tournament. Both Remke and Lukey were named to the Northwest Herald All-Area first team last year, with Remke also earning All-Area consideration as a sophomore.
For their performance, Remke and Lukey were selected as the 2025 Northwest Herald Girls Tennis Players of the Year from the sports staff, with input from area coaches. Huntley’s Ainura and Gulnura Baidylaeva, Crystal Lake Central’s Evie Johnson, Hampshire’s Isabella Kowalak and Huntley’s Ella Doughty also were considered for the honor.
Remke and Lukey spoke with Northwest Herald sports writer Russ Hodges about their season, favorite moments and more.
Where have you improved the most as doubles teammates from last season to this season?
Remke: As doubles teammates, Julia and I improved the most in our communication and court awareness, allowing us to play more confidently knowing we had each other’s backs in each and every point.
Lukey: Learning how to play with each other. Jenna’s a super good net player, so she can be really good at the net. I was definitely nervous coming into my freshman year, and it was a little scary playing doubles with someone I hadn’t met. We were able to find out connection, and it panned out really well.
How do your skills complement each other on the court?
Remke: Everyone watching us always said I was able to get to nearly any ball, and Jules was able to close out rallies with ease. This dynamic gave us many opportunities to win points and stay in control of the match.
Lukey: She’s a really good net and volley player and she knows when to be aggressive. I’m a pretty good baseline player, so with her being good at the net, it works out because I’m good at rallying it out and she’ll be really good at finishing at the net.
How are the two of you able to maintain good chemistry?
Remke: We are able to maintain good chemistry throughout the season by talking and giving high fives after every point and lifting each other up even in tough matches.
Lukey: Pumping each other up is the main thing. It’s super hard when you’re slowly starting to lose, but when you have a good partner and you know you can play well, we know that we can do it. We pump each other up and stay positive the entire time.
What were your favorite moments from this season?
Remke: My singular favorite moment from the season was saying a Hail Mary with Julia in the middle of our match tiebreaker in the quarterfinals. We always found time to thank the Lord for giving up the opportunity to compete.
Lukey: State. We had so many good matches against so many good girls and we really stepped it up, which was really fun.
What did it mean to be named to the All-State team this year?
Remke: It definitely meant so much to be named to the All-State Team. It was truly a reflection of all the hard work me and Julia put in throughout the season and the support of all of our coaches and family.
Lukey: I didn’t even know if I was going to go to high school or be homeschooled, so to be doing this well in high school tennis means so much to me, especially since I’ve played for so long. Being seen for an accomplishment like that feels unreal.
What’s your favorite thing to eat or drink before a match?
Remke: My favorite thing to eat or drink before a match was an iced coffee. Not super nourishing, but it became a part of my routine before early morning matches.
Lukey: Either Mott’s gummies or Goldfish and some sort of Liquid IV or water.
What kind of music pumps you up before a match?
Remke: On the bus on the way to matches, we would always sing to music as a team, whether it was our favorite country songs or just music to get us excited to play.
Lukey: I’m into all sorts of rock, so people like Deftones and Pink Floyd. I really like Gorillaz. On the more chill side, I really like Amy Winehouse.
Who is your favorite athlete and why?
Remke: My favorite athlete is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone because she dominates the 200 and 400 (meter) races in track and field, winning gold medals at the Olympics and World Championships, and does it all while praising the Lord.
Lukey: Jannik Sinner. I love watching him and I love looking up to him. He’s so amazing and he’s so fun to watch him play. I was in Italy once and I didn’t get to see him play, but I got to watch him practice his serves and it was unreal for me.
What’s an interesting fact people may not know about you?
Remke: An interesting fact people may not know about me is I am chasing the outdoor 400-meter all-time record at my school, following in the footsteps of my sister, who has the 300-meter hurdle record.
Russian Tennis Turns Heads As Players Shifting Allegiance Signals Deeper Troubles
Tennis may look like a solo sport, but it often carries the pride of an entire nation. Yet, sometimes players take a different path and switch nationalities, and that trend has taken hold this season. Four Russian players have already made that move, sparking plenty of debate and curiosity around the sport.
The latest is Anastasia Potapova, who revealed the change on December 4 through her Instagram. With that announcement, she became the fourth Russian star to do so this year, following Daria Kasatkina, Maria Timofeeva, and Kamilla Rakhimova.
“I am thrilled to announce that my naturalization request has been accepted by the Austrian government,” she wrote. “Austria is a place I love, is incredibly welcoming and a place where I feel totally at home. I love being in Wien and look forward to making my second home there. As part of this I am proud to announce that starting from 2026 I will be representing my new homeland Austria in my professional tennis career from this point onwards.”
Potapova’s statement gives a glimpse into her personal reasons, but it also opens the door to a bigger question. What’s driving Russian players to change their sporting nationality? Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began, athletes from Russia have competed without the right to represent their country. That’s a situation that continues to affect many. But is that truly the whole story, or is there more beneath the surface? Let’s dive in.
Daria Kasatkina makes a bold choice to change her nationality
Kasatkina, the World No.37 and former World No.8, made headlines earlier this year when she became the first player to switch from Russia to Australia. She officially began representing her new country in late March 2025, making a bold and emotional move that marked a fresh chapter in her journey both on and off the court. Later, in a candid chat with Sky Sports on April 22, just before the Madrid Open, Kasatkina opened up about the life-changing move. When asked what the experience felt like, she didn’t sugarcoat it.
“Well, that was a bit stressful, I’m not gonna lie,” she admitted. But the real reason behind the switch, she explained, came down to freedom. “Well, I mean, in my situation, I mean I end up in a situation where I had to make certain choices and if I want to live openly and freely as I want to, I had to make this tough, but I think important and the right, decision for my future and Australia, it goes well with my philosophy. The way I see the life, the way I want to live.”
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For Kasatkina, this decision was years in the making. Back in July 2022, she publicly came out in an interview with Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko. She spoke about identifying as non-binary and confirmed her relationship with Russian-Estonian figure skater Natalia Zabiiako. The reaction to that openness was complicated, highlighting the immense pressure of “living in the closet” in a country where LGBTQ+ rights remain a tense issue.
That struggle slowly pushed her away from Russia, and for a while, Kasatkina found herself in a kind of limbo—a tennis player without a flag. But in Australia, she finally felt a sense of belonging. “So Australia, it’s an amazing country. I have been there like couple of times already and it’s a very welcome country where everyone is just, you know, just living all along together and it feels great and I’m really happy to be very welcome there,” she shared with a smile.
For Kasatkina, the change isn’t just about a new flag or a new passport. It’s about finding peace and starting over somewhere that reflects who she truly is. And as she continues her journey in tennis as an Aussie, it’s clear this move is about much more than sport, it’s about finally being free to live the life she’s always wanted. But this isn’t the only reason for the rest!
Family connections play a role for Maria Timofeeva
After Daria Kasatkina’s big leap earlier this year, another player has followed suit! In October, 21-year-old Maria Timofeeva officially changed her sporting nationality and will now compete for Uzbekistan. The Moscow-born player’s switch turned heads across the tennis world, marking another sign of shifting tides in Russian tennis.
“Yes, Maria Timofeeva has officially changed her nationality and is now competing under Uzbekistan’s flag. Her entire family – her mother and father – have been living in Tashkent for over six months. She personally came to the federation and obtained both her foreign passport and ID card,” confirmed Irina Tulyaganova, Vice President of the Uzbekistan Tennis Federation.
Currently ranked No.146 in the WTA standings, Timofeeva reached her career-high of No.93 earlier. Just a day before the news broke, on October 19, she claimed the ITF W75 title in Portugal, sealing the win right before unveiling her new chapter. With the change, she instantly became Uzbekistan’s top female player, overtaking veteran Vlada Ekshibarova, who sits at No.1012.
Maria’s journey has been an interesting one. Trained in Koper, Slovenia, under coach Anež Morel, she burst onto the scene in 2023 with a stunning WTA debut title in Budapest, defeating Ukraine’s Kateryna Baindl in the final. An untimely injury led to a three-month break soon after, but she bounced back strong in 2024, making the fourth round of the Australian Open through qualifying. So far, she’s earned close to $800,000 in prize money.
As for why the move happened, there’s a bigger story beneath the surface. “We have a difficult situation in Russian tennis: no domestic tournaments, no functioning league, and no funding for player development,” Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpishchev told TASS. “Around a thousand of our players are competing abroad, and about 20 may soon start playing for other nations.”
Timofeeva seems to be part of that wave. Having trained abroad for years in Slovenia and Germany, her global exposure made the switch to Uzbekistan a natural step. For the Uzbek Tennis Federation, it’s a huge win, a new star to elevate the country’s growing presence in the sport. Neither Timofeeva nor the federation has made an official statement yet, but the WTA records make it official. And she’s just the latest name joining the list of players finding new homes on the court.
Kamilla Rakhimova eyes Olympics via Uzbek roots
On December 1, the Uzbekistan Tennis Federation confirmed the arrival of a new name under its banner: Kamilla Rakhimova. The 24-year-old, once a Russian representative, has officially switched nationalities and now plays for Uzbekistan. Ranked as high as No.60 in the world, Rakhimova has quietly built an impressive record since making her Tour debut in 2019. Her résumé includes a WTA 125 title in Mexico, two WTA doubles crowns, and third-round appearances in three of the four Grand Slams. Earlier this year, she even stunned Jasmine Paolini at Wimbledon, proving her place among the sport’s rising forces.
Though Rakhimova hasn’t spoken publicly about her decision, her roots tell a clear story. Her mother, Rufina Rakhimova, once played tennis for the Uzbek SSR, while her brother Timur was born in Tashkent. The Uzbek Tennis Federation greeted the switch as a landmark moment.
“The arrival of Kamila Rakhimova to the Uzbekistan national team is an event of historic significance,” said Secretary General Sador Kamilov. “She has already proven herself to be a strong, competitive tennis player capable of playing on equal terms with the world’s top players. We are delighted to welcome Kamila to our team and are confident that she will achieve great victories, go far, and set new records under the Uzbekistan flag.”
Rakhimova has already kicked off her new chapter at the WTA 125 event in Angers, France, where she opened with a dominant 6-1, 6-1 win over Alina Korneeva on Monday. She’s now one of only two top-200 players representing Uzbekistan. Back in Russia, however, the move drew predictable curiosity.
“This isn’t betrayal, but a desire to play. She remains Russian, but is simply changing her sporting citizenship,” Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpischev told TASS. “These moves are happening because of the upcoming Olympics. She (Rakhimova) wouldn’t have made our national team. She might make it for Uzbekistan. But it’s not a given that she’ll make it. To qualify for the Olympics, you have to be in the top 60 or top 70.”
Her switch is part of a wider pattern. Since the war in Ukraine, Russian players have been competing under neutral flags, while Russia remains banned from hosting or entering team events like the Davis Cup. For Rakhimova, the move blends both family pride and professional opportunity. Uzbekistan, meanwhile, gains another solid player to build its growing tennis profile.
And now, with Anastasia joining the list as well, it’s really showing a pattern that these players seem to be making a loud statement through their quiet decisions. What’s your take on it?
Tennis Players Dominate 2025 World Highest
It is almost the end of another year, which means it is time for one of our favorite traditions: poring over Sportico’s list of the highest-paid female athletes of 2025.
For the third consecutive year, Coco Gauff remains the top-paid athlete with $31 million. Additionally, tennis players dominated the list. Four of the top five and ten out of the top 15 earners were tennis players.
However, there were major shakeups. Most notably, our wish for Aryna Sabalenka to get paid more has come true. Sabalenka soared from fifth to a close second, making $30 million.
2025 Highest-Paid Female Athletes
Sabalenka leaped over Iga Swiatek and Qinwen Zheng, both of whom made less money in tournament prize money this year. Skiing legend Eileen Gu remains the only non-tennis player in the top five, but slid from second to fourth.
As Sportico pointed out in its reporting, tennis remains the only major professional sport where women’s pay is comparable to that of their male counterparts. While the WTA Tour still trails the ATP at many tournaments, prize money is the same at the Grand Slams and Masters 1000 events.
Additionally, women are doing better with sponsorships. Six women earned at least $10 million off the court, compared to four active men at $10 million-plus.
Changes From 2024 List
There were other notable shakeups in this year’s list. Elena Rybakina and Madison Keys made major gains, while Naomi Osaka tumbled in the rankings. Emma Raducanu and Jasmine Paolini fell off the list altogether.
Of course, Raducanu has lost key sponsorships over the past year. In April, it was reported that Raducanu lost Vodafone as a sponsor after
College Signings I: Todt Hill resident Bianca Bush will continue tennis career at this Boston school
BRADENTON, Fla. — To Bianca Bush, finding a school where she can continue her tennis career was only part of the equation.
For starters, the Todt Hill resident was adamant about joining a team where she’d fit in nicely. In addition, it was important to find an institution that would support her academic needs.
Enter Emerson College.
“It’s a place that just felt right and I was all in on,’’ Bush said after visiting the Boston school. ”I love the location, I love the team, the coach and there was no doubt it was the right fit for me.’’
Bush recently made her commitment to the Lions’ program official and she’ll be relocating north from her current stay at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, sometime before next fall.
The 17-year-old said an IMG guidance counselor put her in contact with Emerson head coach Burke Paxton and it immediately got things rolling with the Division 3 school.
“My college counselor suggested Emerson and after speaking to (coach Paxton), we got along well right from the start and went from there,’’ explained Bush. ”Again, I just thought it was the right fit immediately.’’
Bush will bring an impressive resume with her to Beantown.
The right-hander, who boasts a strong forehand, qualified for the IMG International Tennis Tournament (16-under, Level 2) and made it to the second round. She competed in the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) Juniors tourney and took part in the J30 Tourney in Brazil.
Paxton hasn’t seen Bush play live yet, but he’s planning to make a trip to Florida soon to see her in person. He did, however, get a good indication of her ability through her Universal Tennis Rating (UTR).
“He recruits by the level and believes I’m good enough to be on the team and top-three on the roster‚’’ said Bush, who has been competing since she was approximately 7-years-old. ”Coach is coming to Florida in a week or so and I’m very excited about showing him what I can do.’’
Bush, who attended Staten Island Academy her freshman year before transferring to IMG, is planning to major in Sports Communication at Emerson.
She also received interest from Occidental College.
“Pathetic”: Top Coach Rips ATP for Obsessively Hyping Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner
The 2025 ATP season really turned out to be all about Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, didn’t it? From the clay of Roland-Garros to the grass of Wimbledon and the hard courts of Flushing Meadows, the story of men’s tennis has been all about the thrilling rivalry between these two young superstars. They shared the four Grand Slam titles, swapped the world No. 1 ranking, and delivered matches filled with high drama that turned every meeting into a must-see event.
This captivated fans around the world and led to record television ratings in important markets like Italy. But this intense celebration of the “Sincaraz” era has really stirred up some strong reactions from people in the sport. Calvin Betton, a well-known coach on the doubles circuit, is the one sharing his thoughts.
According to Swish Tennis on X, Betton expressed his frustration, but it wasn’t aimed at the players. Instead, he took issue with the ATP’s ‘hyper-focus’ on Sinner and Alcaraz, feeling it overshadowed the rest of the tour and especially doubles tennis.
“There is zero marketing for this (doubles). Zero marketing,” Betton stated. “They’re obsessed with, whenever Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner cross each other in a corridor, they’ll stick a camera there and go ‘two legends meet’. This happens every week; there is no reason for you to get it on camera all the time. It’s pathetic.”
The coach’s outburst really brings to light a key tension in today’s sports marketing world.
The ATP sees the Sinner-Alcaraz rivalry as a real treasure. Their matchups in 2025, featuring three big finals, created an engaging story for casual fans and highlighted a significant statistical milestone, showcasing one of the youngest rivalries for the No. 1 spot in decades. This approach is clearly all about making money, aiming to grab as much attention and viewership as possible. But Betton argues that this commercial success has its downsides.
Focusing so much on just two players could really overshadow the other hundred-plus singles players and the whole doubles scene. This might end up hurting the sport’s long-term health and diversity.
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But there were also other voices expressing concerns during the 2025 season about the favoritism in the Sincaraz rivalry.
Zverev feels Alcaraz and Sinner given an added edge
Joining the conversation about the tour’s emphasis on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, world No. 3 Alexander Zverev has openly claimed that tournament directors are tweaking playing conditions to give an edge to the younger players.
After a match at the 2025 Shanghai Masters, Zverev shared his thoughts on the uniformity of court speeds.
“I hate when [court speeds are] the same. And I know that the tournament directors are going towards that direction because obviously they want Jannik and Carlos to do well every tournament.”
But he just couldn’t shake off those memories of how things used to be on the ATP tour.
“We always had different surfaces — you couldn’t play the same tennis the same way on a grass court, a hard court, and a clay court. Nowadays, you can play almost the same way on every surface,” he said.
As we look toward 2026, the sport faces a real challenge in balancing the undeniable charm of its biggest stars with the need to promote the entire competitive field. This will be crucial in deciding whether the tour is creating a lasting legacy or just going after the next viral moment.
Old American Sensation Lands Daniil Medvedev’s Former Coach In Surprise Move
In late summer 2025, the tennis scene saw a big shake-up when Daniil Medvedev and Gilles Cervara decided to part ways after an impressive eight years together. After a season that didn’t quite go as planned for Medvedev, with some early exits at Grand Slams and slipping out of the top 10 for the first time in over two years, the decision was made. Cervara, who helped Medvedev reach World No. 1, win the 2021 US Open, and snag six Masters 1000 titles, shared the main reason in a detailed interview.
“That ‘something’ was the energy around Daniil. So we needed to change the people involved,” he said. “I talked to Daniil after the US Open. He himself raised the idea: ‘After eight years, maybe it’s time for something different.’ I said to him: ’Listen, that’s exactly what needs to happen in my opinion, because I don’t think I can continue to make you perform in the energy state we’re in right now. You need something new, something different, to transform.’”
However, the well-known coach has a fresh player to mentor, focusing his skills on one of the most exciting young talents in American tennis. Gilles Cervara has been named the new coach for 20-year-old American Nishesh Basavareddy, according to Quindici Zero on X. This partnership is an exciting new chapter for both, with Cervara bringing his top-level experience to a rising star who’s on the way up.
Basavareddy went pro in December 2024 after having two amazing seasons at Stanford University, and he’s just coming off a fantastic 2025. He made it to his first ATP Tour semifinal in Auckland, hit a career-high ranking of No. 99, and even managed to take a set off Novak Djokovic in an exciting first-round match at the Australian Open. He’s qualified for the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah for the second year in a row!
It’s such a big deal since it’s the year-end tournament for the top players who are 20 and under. It looks like Basavareddy’s team is really aiming high with this move.
By looking for a coach like Cervara, who has been recognized as ATP Coach of the Year, the American is clearly putting his money where his mouth is to speed up his journey from a promising newcomer to a steady presence on the tour. However, recently, Daniil Medvedev has started to share more about the split with his long-time coach.
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Daniil Medvedev still recalls the days they were together
Do you recall when Daniil Medvedev mentioned, “When people disperse, it can’t be just one reason; there must be many.” This comment was made during the Asian swing, following the end of his eight-year partnership with coach Gilles Cervara.
Recently, when the Russian was asked about his coaching changes and if he still speaks with Cervara, he mentioned, “I keep in touch with my former coach a little. But it will never be daily again. It just so happens that I already know who he’ll be coaching, because we’ll most likely be training with that player during the preseason. And we’ll see each other on tour.”
They’ve been a team since 2017, and their big moment came in 2019 when Cervara was recognized as ATP Coach of the Year for helping Daniil Medvedev rise to prominence. During that season, Daniil snagged his first two Masters 1000 titles. He went on to win the Nitto ATP Finals in 2020, snagged his first major at the 2021 US Open, and claimed the World No. 1 ranking in 2022.
They’ve both experienced everything during their time together. From achieving peak performance in the sport to tumbling in tricky, high-pressure situations. Indeed, the split was definitely tough.
Girls’ tennis players end season satisfied at CIF Individuals tournament
Some of the architects of a special season for Corona del Mar High girls’ tennis gathered in uniform one last time Wednesday at Biszantz Family Tennis Center.
Two singles players and two doubles teams had all been knocked out in either the round of 16 or quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Individuals Tournament. Looking at the larger picture, it was impressive that the Sea Kings had six players among the final 48 still in contention across the section.
Coach Jamie Gresh told the players that their season was rare and extremely special.
“I wish I could play another year,” senior Emilie Lew told him, and he smiled.
“We’ll have you another year,” Gresh joked.
There will be no extended eligibility for the senior group, but their legacy is deep after helping CdM earn the CIF Southern Section Division 1 title, the SoCal Regional crown and advance to the CIF State championship match.
Senior twins Polina and Sasha Briggs, Lew and doubles player Isabel Roytman were all four-year varsity players.
“The season has been really, really fun,” Polina Briggs said. “Just having everyone here, I love hanging out with them. I think we’re just a really good team.”
CdM sophomore Julia Cross and freshman partner Sienna Lynn advanced the furthest at CIF Individuals, to the quarterfinals. They beat a team from Harvard-Westlake 6-4, 6-2 in the round of 16 before succumbing to No. 2-seeded Ava Min and Cassie Blakely of Palos Verdes, 6-2, 6-1, in the quarterfinals.
Cross and Lynn, the Sunset League doubles champions, play United States Tennis Assn. tournaments together often and are good friends. Lynn also was part of a strong freshman class at CdM, along with players like her usual doubles partner Addie DiNicola, Brynn Patterson and Olivia Lew. Those players will likely be future leaders.
“I thought it was really nice,” Lynn said. “I play outside of high school a lot with them, and we’re all really good friends. It was nice that we all got to play with each other and cheer each other on, watch each other. I definitely think that we all got a lot better this season, especially at doubles. It’ll be fun to practice more with them outside of high school.”
Both of CdM’s singles entrants lost in the round of 16. Lew, the Sunset League singles champion, fell to Valerie Machikawa of Whitney, 2-6, 6-4 and 11-9 in a match tiebreaker. Polina Briggs beat Michelle Qi of Westlake 6-3, 6-3 in the round of 32 before losing to No. 4-seeded Aashi Patel of Cerritos 7-5, 6-4 in the round of 16.
Briggs grinded against Patel, as the first set was 5-5 and she battled back from a 5-2 deficit in the second set. Serving to stay in the match, luck was a bit unkind to Briggs. Patel had a pair of shots hit the net cord and fall over during that final game.
“I feel like it hasn’t really kicked in yet,” Briggs said of her high school tennis career ending. “I feel like we’re just going to have another match next week. Next week, I’ll probably be more sad when I realize that the season is officially over.”
CdM’s other doubles team, Sasha Briggs and Roytman, lost 7-5, 6-1 to Sahana Chakravarthy and Payton Nguyen of Portola in the round of 16.
Rebecca MacCallum represented for Laguna Beach High at CIF Individuals. MacCallum, a junior who won the Pacific Hills League singles title, beat Adelaide Games of Mater Dei 6-2, 6-1 in the round of 32 before succumbing to No. 2-seeded Sophia Dimitrascu of Yorba Linda, 7-5, 6-3, in the round of 16.
MacCallum battled back from 5-2 to 5-5 in the opening set against the left-hander Dimitrascu. At that point, Dimitrascu called for a line judge. The final two games of the set were close, but the No. 2 seed won them both.
“I’m always happy as long as I compete well,” MacCallum said. “I think that’s very important, and I’m proud of that. I’m proud that I was able to come from being down so far as well, even though I didn’t end up winning the set. Her calling for a line judge, it didn’t really throw me off. It did halt my momentum a little bit, of course, because I had to wait, but we still had two pretty good and close games afterward.”
It was just the second loss of the season for MacCallum, the third of four tennis siblings to compete for the Breakers. Older sisters Sarah and Jessica both now compete at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, while younger brother Jacob is a freshman who will compete for the Laguna boys in the spring.
Rebecca MacCallum said she enjoys the atmosphere that high school tennis provides.
“I think it’s very nice to be able to play to your fullest potential, just because you don’t have so many stressors on you,” she said. “Even this match, I felt like I was really able to go for my serve and hit my shots, because I’m not worried about ratings and stuff. I think [high school tennis] is really fun and it brings back a love for tennis for a lot of people.”
Inaugural Atlanta Cup will feature tennis stars Naomi Osaka, Ben Shelton
The Gas South event will also include No. 1 women’s player Aryna Sabalenka and Australian men’s player Nick Kyrgios
The new Atlanta Cup exhibition at Gas South Arena will feature popular tennis players Naomi Osaka (left) and Ben Shelton, who was born in Atlanta and competed in the Atlanta Open twice. (AP)
After the ATP Tour killed off the Atlanta Open after 15 years last year, the city known for a thriving tennis culture was bereft of pro tennis.
So Jason Dolan, a former advertising executive, wanted to fill the void.
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Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus is the top women’s tennis player in the world and will be Atlanta on Saturday. (Fatima Shbair/AP)
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FILE – Nick Kyrgios of Australia will play Ben Shelton on Saturday in Atlanta. (Ng Han Guan/AP)
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Coastal Canyon League selects its top performers from fall season
Sophomore Avyn McGugan of league champion Oak Park High was named the Most Valuable Player for the 2025 Coastal Canyon League girls volleyball season.
Selected to the first team were Andrea Mise and Eileen Dresel of Oak Park; Rhyan Muraoka and Mia Giorgi of Camarillo; Jaidan Alexander and Lauren Lacy of Royal; and Samantha Collins and Payton Holliday of Moorpark.
Selected to the second team were Julianna Galstian and Samantha Liba of Oak Park; Neariah Fasavalu and Sophia Addison of Camarillo; Ella Ragland and Emerson Moss of Royal; Lilliana Busch of Moorpark; and Kira Blakemore of Simi Valley.
Josh Giron of Oak Park was named the Coach of the Year.
FLAG FOOTBALL
Mya Rei Smith of league champion Camarillo was named the Most Valuable Player.
Stella Alessi of Camarillo was named the Offensive Player of the Year and Riley Kavanagh of Camarillo was named the Defensive Player of the Year.
Selected to the first team were Riley Scupine of Oak Park; Payton Fraser and Camilla Rosalez of Moorpark; Mikaela Jones and Laila Gutierrez of Royal; Marlirose Demate of Camarillo; and Monique Ruiz and Alexis Scott of Simi Valley.
Selected to the second team were Chloe Joseph and Kyara McCarthy of Camarillo; Sonali Banerjee and Teagan Blakemore of Simi Valley; Hadiah Haidari and Claire Murray of Oak Park; Samantha Olivas and Zara Phillip of Moorpark; and Natasha Paloian and Annabelle Isaacs of Royal.
Michaeltore Smith of Camarillo was named the Coach of the Year.
BOYS WATER POLO
Reynold Owings of Camarillo and Marco Sanfelippo of league champion Royal were named the co-Most Valuable Players and Brent Sanders of Oak Park was named the Goalie of the Year.
Selected to the first team were Callan Kluck-Hodgins and Luca Bazerkanian of Thousand Oaks; Patrick Shea, Noah Conley and Connor Pagels of Royal; Mac Barlow and James Davis of Camarillo; and Trey Williams of Oak Park.
Named to the second team were Asher Mulford and Jacob Lev of Royal; Theodore Huzinschi and Roman Fox of Oak Park; Eric Shea and Hunter Collins of Thousand Oaks; and Matthew Willard and Christian Minero of Camarillo.
Ramiro Saldain of Royal was named the Coach of the Year.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Kean Castaneda of league champion Oak Park earned Runner of the Year honors.
Earning first-team honors were Ethan Marley, Dimitri Natale and Dhruv Kulkarni of Oak Park; Zackary Hatch of Moorpark; Jack Maynard of Camarillo; and Daniel Azcona of Simi Valley.
Earning second-team honors were Isaac Garcia and Saish Nemani of Moorpark; Ashton Curtis, Jaiden Chan and Ari Kalan of Oak Park; Roberto Loza Mendez of Camarillo; and Jesse Allegro of Royal.
Steve White of Oak Park was named the Coach of the Year.
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Kathleen Lambe of league champion Oak Park earned Runner of the Year honors.
Earning first-team honors were Jenna Murray and Caylie Wight of Moorpark; Aine Pitillo and Sophia Perez of Oak Park; and Cecilia Vasquez and Acacia Rojas of Simi Valley.
Earning second-team honors were Michelle Vu, Tabitha Brown and Saoirse Boehm of Oak Park; Angela Busco and Madison Boucher of Royal; and Anabelle Espinoza and Angelica Espinoza of Simi Valley.
Steve White of Oak Park was named the Coach of the Year.
GIRLS GOLF
Nina Xu of league champion Oak Park earned MVP honors after winning the league individual title.
Earning first-team honors were Bianca Magnifico of Oak Park; Mei Li Root and Mason Heite of Camarillo; Ashley Dunbar of Moorpark; and Amanda Rozdial of Simi Valley.
Earning second-team honors were Mylei Chairuttanativech and Alexandra Chen of Oak Park; Brooke Skarie of Moorpark; and Elizabeth Marez and Anjali Suresh of Simi Valley.
GIRLS TENNIS
Niyati Guram of league champion Oak Park earned Singles Player of the Year honors and Reilly Ricasata and Amber Koh of Camarillo earned Doubles Players of the Year honors.
Earning first-team honors were Anya Luo, Melody Tu, Grace Hu, Amilya Chapovsky and Keira Ayivi of Oak Park; and Cookie Young of Moorpark.
Earning second-team honors were Kayleigh Fukumoto, Sofia Beckmann, Holly Herzenach and Nikitha Ashok of Simi Valley; Maddy Ng, Ella Morey and Natalie Ng of Oak Park; Kaci Colby of Camarillo; and Brooke Petritz of Royal.
Adam Nielsen of Oak Park was named the Coach of the Year.
Santa Margarita doubles place second at CIF-SS girls tennis individuals
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CLAREMONT — Santa Margarita’s Emily Gao and Grace Kersenbrock united as gritty teammates and best friends to make school history at the CIF-SS girls tennis individual championships Thursday.
Donned in matching uniforms with white visors, the seniors shared encouraging words, high-fives and plenty of shot making to force a third set in the doubles finals against Calabasas at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center.
Gao and Kersenbrock fell 4-6, 7-5, 2-6 against Alena Koltsova and Giana Mucci but celebrated their backstory and the achievement of becoming the first Santa Margarita girls — singles or doubles — to reach the individual finals.
“We go down in history,” Gao said. “It’s nice. We’ve been at this school for four years so it’s good to have a name here and end on a good note.”
“I really hope this is going inspire everyone coming up,” veteran Santa Margarita coach Eric Michaut added. “They played a great match but the other team just played incredible and you have to give them credit. They earned.”
Gao and Kersenbrock, the Trinity League champions in doubles, showed their desire in the second set.
After dropping a close first set, the tandem rallied from a 4-1 deficit to win five consecutive games to take a 5-4 lead against Koltsova and Mucci, who helped Calabasas capture the Division 2 team title.
The run started with Gao and Kersenbrock earning their first break point of the match. The pair captured the set with another break point.
“We started having fun more,” Kersenbrock said of the second set. “We just work really well together. We’ve known each other for a while. We know what each other needs to do and what each other is good at. Good chemistry.”
Early in the third set, Gao was slowed by a cramp in her leg that limited her mobility but the Eagles made no excuses after the left-handed Mucci ripped a forehand down the line for the championship point.
“It was disheartening,” Gao of the cramps. “Movement is a big part of my game … but we played some good points out there. I tried my best.”
In the semifinals, Gao and Kersenbrock defeated Crestview League champions Huiqing Sun and Zhinan Wang of Crean Lutheran 7-6 (3), 6-2.
After the final, Gao and Kersenbrock recalled how they were foes in the 12-and-under divisions on the local USTA junior circuit.
“I didn’t like her when we were like 12 in junior tennis because she kept beating me,” Gao said. “I was like, ‘Oh, gosh, I don’t like this girl.’ “
Kersenbrock’s father Rick even showed the girls a picture Thursday of their girls holding trophies at Anaheim Tennis Center.
“I had the bigger (trophy),” Kersenbrock said as the girls laughed.
The girls plan to stay close in college.
Gao, who maintains a 4.5 grade-point average, is committed to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Kersenbrock, who holds a 4.6 GPA, will attend nearby Pomona Pitzer.
Both will play tennis for the Division III colleges. And they’re both interested in studying science.
The girls are so close, their Instagram accounted are linked.
“We became best friends in high school and we’ve been best friends ever since,” Gao said. “Hopefully in college, as well, we’ll be best friends.”
In singles final, Louisville sophomore Ania Zabost rallied past Anna Shtrikman of Milken Community 1-6, 6-3, 6-0.
WWE President Applauds Dana White’s UFC 324 as Zuffa Boxing Takeover Heads to Congress
Dana White’s announcement of the UFC 324 and 325 fight cards didn’t include the number one contenders for both the featherweight and lightweight championships. This left most fans scratching their heads. But the WWE President, Nick Khan, was not only excited about the card but is also certain that the UFC CEO has hit the jackpot with the card. So, what does Khan see in the card that the fans can’t?
Nick Khan praises Dana White for putting together a match card where Justin Gaethje goes head-to-head against the ‘Baddy’ Paddy Pimblett for the interim title in the main event, along with the co-main event featuring Bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison and the returning Amanda Nunes. UFC’s historic $7.7 billion era begins on the 24th of January.
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Nick Khan shares why Dana White’s UFC 324 card is ‘special’
During the latest episode of the Daniel Cormier show, Nick Khan had an interesting insight about both the main event and the co-main event.
“The UFC card that was announced at the Paramount+ premiere on January 24th. I love that card, I don’t know it like you know it. I know Nunes vs Kayla, I know Gaethje vs Paddy. These I perceive as matchups that are 50/50 matchups. It’s one of the things that has made the UFC special.” Khan said.
Well, the WWE president actually pointed out the quality of the UFC 324 card being top-notch, and honestly, it is. But it also has to be recognized that Dana White potentially put a halt to 155 lbs contender Arman Tsarukyan and 145 lbs top-ranked fighter Lerone Murphy’s dream to fight for the championship, something many fans who truly understand the sport didn’t appreciate. Still, Khan highlights that the top brass remains the best matchmaking team the UFC could ever have.
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“The champ fights the number one contender. If the number one contender isn’t available, the number two contender comes in. Or whatever that might be. If you look at Dana and Fertitta, and subsequently, Dana with Ari, Lawrence, and Mark Shapiro, everybody has built. That’s the model of what the fight team should look like.” Khan added.
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Now, it’s true that under the TKO umbrella, with Dana White and the top brass leading the way, the UFC has been climbing to new heights. Still, there’s been some scepticism about whether their existing UFC model, including the matchmaking that Nick Khan praises so much, would actually work in Zuffa boxing. Well, as that ongoing debate heats up, TKO’s stakeholders made some moves as they reached Congress with their strong backing of the Ali Revival Act.
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TKO pushes hard for the UBO model in the recent congressional hearing
After turning the UFC into a multi-billion-dollar mega-empire, the head honcho took on the challenge of making boxing great again. He firmly believes his Contender Series model can outperform the current boxing system, which remains tied to four major sanctioning bodies: WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF. To disrupt boxing’s operating model, White, under the Zuffa/TKO banner, pushes hard for their UBO system, which would require amending the Muhammad Ali Act. And they’re pretty serious about making those changes.
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In the recent Congress hearing, UFC COO Lawrence Epstein and California State Athletic Commission executive director Andy Foster strongly advocated for updating the law, pointing out fighter benefits in health protections, anti-doping measures, and much more. And that’s not all. The WWE president, who also sits under TKO’s boxing promotion group, stressed that they would even remove the commissions’ 3 % cut from a fighter’s purse, giving boxers a bigger share of their own earnings.
“We’re not looking at one word of it. We’re not looking to change one comma. But in addition to what exists will be this new option, where you don’t have to use these sanctioning bodies and pay 3% of your purse, and there’s a super champion in recess. All of this chaos and nonsense that we think in part ruined boxing, our effort is going to be to do away with that.” Nick Khan further added in Daniel Cormier’s YouTube interview.
Recently, we witnessed a boxing drama where Terence Crawford was stripped of his undisputed title because he refused to pay the sanctioning body’s fee. So for ‘Bud’, this new model might actually feel far more appealing since he clearly has problems with the current system.
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That said, as TKO looks to take over MMA, boxing, wrestling, and combat sports in general, would this actually benefit the sport more with such great minds pushing behind it? Let us know in the comments section below.
Merab Dvalishvili Slams Petr Yan With Fierce Declaration as Trilogy-Talk Heats Up Ahead of UFC 323
The UFC 323 media day was meant to be routine, with the champion on one side and the challenger on the other, both pretending they hadn’t watched their first fight a thousand times. But this one cracked open quickly. Petr Yan came in calm, discussing changes in his fight game and confidence. Merab Dvalishvili, on the other hand, was not hiding the tension that was boiling behind the polite setup.
And all it took was one sentence to change the mood in the room. When ‘No Mercy’ stated that he fought their first fight “with one arm,” what followed wasn’t trash talk, but the champion’s patience snapping in real time. Suddenly, ‘The Machine’ was defending more than just his title; he was protecting the truth about what took place the last year. And he wanted answers before anyone jumped on the rematch hype.
Merab Dvalishvili goes berserk on Petr Yan
Petr Yan sought to stay focused on the rematch, relying on his track record of performing better the second time around. In an interview just a few days ago, ‘No Mercy’ claimed to have been “100% better” in his rematches with Magomedov and Sterling and predicted that Saturday would follow suit.
In his mind, this is the Petr Yan that fans have forgotten: someone who learns fast, adapts faster, and aims to return the belt to Russia. He also looked beyond Saturday, saying a trilogy would be “cool” if he won, because a guy like Merab Dvalishvili deserves that type of closure. But whatever long-term strategy Yan was devising crashed straight into Dvalishvili’s refusal to give anything up.
When ‘No Mercy’ talked about being injured in his first fight against the champion, ‘The Machine’ interrupted him mid-thought, raising his voice without hesitation: “Petr, you’re better than this, bro. Stop making excuses. What’s going to be your excuse when I beat you on December 6?” This wasn’t a soundbite; it was genuine irritation, perhaps offense, that his decisive victory was being undermined by injury talks.
He pressed harder: “Do you have any injuries now?” “Yes or no?” To this, Yan simply replied with a calm, “On Saturday, we’ll see,” only tightening the tension. Outside of the flashpoint, Yan showed Merab Dvalishvili respect in the earlier interview. He referred to him as a “great warrior,” praised the Georgian’s remarkable run, and admitted that defeating someone so powerful is precisely what makes the rematch noteworthy.
“Imagine this Saturday, ‘No Mercy’ beats this great Merab,” he added, letting it hang in the air as if he wanted it to manifest. However, ‘The Machine’ was not interested in future headlines or hypothetical trilogies. He wanted clarity right now. He didn’t want any excuses on Monday morning. In his opinion, the rematch is either clean or not at all—and the challenger is not allowed to offer justifications for why the first battle looked the way it did.
That’s why he pressed, wanted a yes or no answer, and rejected anything that sounded like injury insurance. ‘The Machine’ wasn’t opposing Petr Yan‘s confidence; he was fighting the narrative that might come after it. And while it is yet to be seen whether Dvalishvili manages to retain his title at UFC 323, one thing we do know is that he won’t be offering Umar Nurmagomedov a shot at it.
Merab Dvalishvili snubs Umar Nurmagomedov rematch
Coming off that demand for a clean, excuse-free rematch with Yan, it became clear why Merab Dvalishvili isn’t looking back at old opponents in 2026. He’s defending his belt on his own terms, and he’s not interested in reliving old bouts. With the division moving quickly and his momentum growing even faster, Umar Nurmagomedov simply does not fit into the picture he wants to paint next year.
Instead, ‘The Machine’ has moved his focus to Aiemann Zahabi. He addressed him without hesitation, citing his seven-fight winning streak and the fact that Zahabi adds something unique to the table. “I’d like to fight a fresh opponent,” he told Aaron Bronsteter, and the message was clear. Even though Nurmagomedov’s side anticipates a rematch after UFC 324, the champion believes Zahabi is the more deserving and exciting test right now.
Other names have entered the mix, including Song Yadong if he beats Sean O’Malley and Payton Talbott if he continues to rise. None of them are fighters he has already faced, which is precisely the point. Merab Dvalishvili’s plan for 2026 isn’t revisiting old battles; it’s clearing new ones. And that is why Umar Nurmagomedov is not on the list.
How Many Kids Does Alexandre Pantoja Have? All About His Sons Cauã and Nicolas
When Alexandre Pantoja wrapped UFC gold around his waist at UFC 290, fans saw a champion celebrating a dream realized. But the real story happened seconds later, when he looked straight into the camera and asked the father who had abandoned him years earlier, “You proud of me dad? You proud of me?”
It was a moment that revealed far more than any highlight reel could. Behind the toughest flyweight in the world is a man shaped by family, both the one that raised him and the one he is now raising with fierce devotion. And as Pantoja marches toward his fifth title defense against Joshua Van at UFC 323, the questions grow louder. How many children does the champion have? What kind of father is he? And how did his past shape the way he parents today? Let’s break it all down.
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Alexandre Pantoja’s children: Cauã and Nicolas Pantoja
Alexandre Pantoja and his wife have two boys, named Cauã Pantoja, who was born in 2011, and his younger brother, Nicolas ‘Nick’ Pantoja, born in 2014. Now in their early teens, both have grown up watching their father turn adversity into a career that has carved his name into flyweight history.
The UFC flyweight champion’s sons haven’t given any indication whether they’ll follow in their father’s footsteps to be an MMA fighter, but they’ve shown their support to Pantoja on several occasions during his fights with their presence in the arena.
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Pantoja has spoken about his deep love for his children, saying that he has dedicated his life to the well-being of his family. ‘The Cannibal’ is a committed family man, and one of the reasons behind his deep love for his family is his own childhood. But to understand why he clings so tightly to his sons, you have to look back at the childhood that shaped him.
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Family life and fatherhood for Alexandre Pantoja
Very few people lead lives without having to worry about any struggles. But things were different for Alexandre Pantoja. He grew up in a family with two other siblings under the care of his mother. His father had abandoned his entire family. Pantoja revealed during an interview that his father had problems with alcohol abuse.
“My dad drank a lot and I see a lot of fights with him and my mom,” ‘The Cannibal’ told Ariel Helwani.
With the struggles he went through because of his father’s abandonment and his mother having to look out for all the kids on her own, Alexandre Pantoja is making sure that the same thing doesn’t happen to his wife and kids, whom he claims are his real family now.
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“My wife, my kids, that’s the real family, you know. That’s the best thing that’s happened in my life,” the 125-pound champion added.
Alexandre Pantoja’s dedication to his sons’ future
Having met each other in 2008 in Rio De Janeiro, Alexandre, and his wife, Gabryella Pantoja, have been a closely knit couple for more than a decade. The UFC champion’s partner is a stay-at-home mother, estimated to be around 29-30 years old, who’s primarily focused on the needs of her children and, of course, her husband.
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Just like her husband, Gabryella Pantoja was also born in Brazil and follows Christianity. Fans have caught glimpses of Gabryella on more occasions than once when she attends ‘The Cannibal’s UFC fights, just like her sons. While Pantoja worked his way to the top, she was there beside him throughout his journey.
When the Brazilian finally reached the biggest point of his career by winning the UFC’s 125-pound gold, he said “I just want the love of my dad” in the post-fight octagon interview, showing the emotional scar his father’s abandonment left in his psyche.
And now, as he prepares to defend his belt at UFC 323, that purpose returns to the forefront. Will Cauã and Nicolas watch their father continue one of the most dominant flyweight reigns ever? Or will the division finally catch up to him?
Aspinall Slams Jones For Continued Trolling – ‘I Thought This Guy Was The GOAT?
UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall has hit back at Jon Jones, who continues to troll him following his no-contest against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in October.
Aspinall’s first defense ended in a no-contest after an accidental double eye-poke in the first round from Gane left him unable to continue. Jones responded by changing his social media profile picture to a cartoon duck wearing an eye-patch, thus suggesting he quit. Jones later appeared at a Dirty Boxing Championship event arriving on a horse, which had one eye covered with an eye-patch.
Bones claimed to have “learned a lot about Tom”, specifically labeling the champion’s grappling “overrated.” Aspinall has since been diagnosed with Bilateral Brown’s syndrome, a rare eye condition that hinders vision, and has told Jones to focus on himself, especially since he had been chasing him for a fight, only for that to fail.
“Good for him, man. Good for him. I thought this guy was the GOAT? Focus on yourself bro, you’ve retired; just do your own thing. If you’re so much better than everyone else, just go enjoy yourself. Don’t worry about what I’m doing. I was trying to get a fight with him, but realized that wasn’t going to happen. But Jon is just doing some damage to himself out there, so I’ll let him do his thing,” Aspinall said
The Perception
And yet, this has raised questions over whether Tom has dealt with it the right way. Arnold Allen, who will face Jean Silva at UFC 324 in January, has had his say on the matter. Arnold is well aware of what it takes to suffer injuries, believing that he had broken his hand during his fight against Giga Chikadze at UFC 304. Should Aspinall have surgery then that is expected to keep him out for some time. Arnold has advised the heavyweight champion to stop complaining, which is only damaging his image.
Dana White’s UFC Commitment Questioned
Former UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley has questioned Dana White’s enthusiasm, noting a lack of excitement when announcing the promotion’s first two major pay-per-view events for 2026.
White’s recent fight announcements for UFC 324 and UFC 325 caught O’Malley’s attention, leading Sean to wonder if White’s passion for matchmaking is waning. UFC 324 features Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett for the interim lightweight title, with some questioning if Paddy deserves this bout, especially since Arman Tsarukyan is the leading contender. UFC 325 is headlined by Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes 2, a rematch scheduled less than a year after Volkanovski defeated Lopes by unanimous decision at UFC 314. O’Malley was surprised by White’s lack of passion when announcing the news, while Ariel Helwani also criticized the UFC’s marketing.
O’Malley Reacts
“I’m just used to Dana being excited, and turning red he’s so excited about the next fight. It’s the halftime show on Thanksgiving, so many people are watching. But I feel like it was supposed to be Paddy vs. Ilia, Ilia vs. Justin, Ilia was supposed to fight. Moving pieces, it kind of falls out, and Dana wants to see the biggest fight. I think maybe it fell through, and now he’s kind of doing [less promotion],” O’Malley said
Granting Pimblett an interim title shot is arguably a promotional decision, not a merit-based one. Pimblett bypassed the clear number one contender, Arman Tsarukyan. Arman’s social media reaction, “Make it make sense,” encapsulates the criticism. The fight is questionable from a competitive standpoint, leaning heavily on Pimblett’s popularity to create a major headline for the Paramount+ debut.
And yet, there is another side to this. The biggest change for 2026 is the end of the traditional PPV model, with numbered events now included in the Paramount+ subscription. White’s excitement may have been focused more on the business model—telling fans, “no more pay-per-view… While the main events have flaws, the undercards are universally praised as “stacked.”
Merab Dvalishvili Reveals Hawaii Vacation Plans With Mark Zuckerberg After UFC 323
With only days left for UFC 323, Merab Dvalishvili is already making plans for his vacation after his title defense against Petr Yan inside the T-Mobile Arena. Maybe it is a well-deserved break for The Machine.
This year, the reigning bantamweight champion stayed insanely busy as he’s preparing to fight four times. To emphasize it even more, the Georgian champ dominated Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 in October, then came back just two months later in December for UFC 323. Insane! But even a machine like Merab needs some time off to recharge. So, how does the Bantamweight Champion relax? How about chilling in one of the most popular islands with a social media juggernaut?
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Merab Dvalishvili receives an invite from Mark Zuckerberg
“I love to be active, but I will take some time because Mark Zuckerberg invited me to Hawaii in a couple of days, and after my fight, I will go there.” Merab Dvalishvili revealed to Kairouz Bros on YouTube.
Well, the current 135 lbs king and Meta’s Chief Executive Officer have built a friendly relationship based on their mutual love for MMA. Zuckerberg has shown up at several of Merab’s fights to cheer him on, and they’ve even teased training together. So it’s definitely going to be an exciting link-up, and this time we might actually see them hit the mats together. However, ‘The Machine’s plan doesn’t stop there, as he’s also going to meet Ilia Topuria in Spain.
“Right after, I’m going to go hang out with Ilia in Spain. But, it’s gonna be training. Training with Mark Zuckerberg, training with Ilia. It’s gonna be an active vacation.” Merab Dvalishvili added.
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Interestingly, Merab has visited Spain before and even met the Topuria brothers there. He once told influencer Nina Drama about a hilarious moment when someone on the streets of Spain mistook Ilia Topuria for Conor McGregor. With that funny incident in mind, we can expect Merab to share something equally entertaining this time as well, along with some solid training footage.
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But as the UFC bantamweight champion looks forward to his vacation, it’s not the only thing on his mind. Merab has already lined up a few upcoming challengers in his head for his next title defenses, and he’s quietly preparing for whoever steps up next.
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‘The Machine’ eyes Aiemann Zahabi and Song Yadong next
At UFC 323, Merab Dvalishvili is definitely going to face a familiar challenge, but it’s pretty clear he would face a better Petr Yan this time. Still, there’s no doubt that the Georgian would have the majority of fan votes to beat his opponent once again and create history. After that, many believed Merab would jump into the featherweight division, searching for new challenges. But it seems he’s actually eyeing some pretty solid contenders in his own division.
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“I’m excited. [Aiemann] Zahabi is coming from a long winning streak, which is good. Song Yadong has a fight against Sean O’Malley. If Yadong wins somehow, of course I’m cheering for Sean O’Malley, but if Yadong wins, I’d like to fight him too. And then there are other guys who have other fights too and if they win, I will have a next contender.” Merab said at the UFC 323 media day.
Well, adding to Merab’s list, Umar Nurmagomedov and Deiveson Figueiredo will also fight at UFC 324, and the winner of that matchup might jump ahead of Zahabi or Yadong. The reason is simple. ‘Deus da Guerra’ is a former flyweight champ, so he might get the shot based on legacy. But the UFC might actually favor ‘The Young Eagle’ more since he and Merab already share a bit of animosity, as ‘The Machine’ defeated him at UFC 311 to defend his belt.
That said, the UFC bantamweight division might be in the best possible position right now with an exciting champion and some really strong matchups on the horizon. So do you think Merab Dvalishvili would return quickly if he beats Yan at UFC 323, maybe even as early as next February? Or would he take more time off? Let us know in the comments section below.
Tom Aspinall warned to not ‘fight’ with Dana White by UFC legend who experienced a similar scenario
Tom Aspinall aired some grievances when speaking for the first time since UFC 321.
The UFC heavyweight champion recently posted his first video and did his first interview since the disappointing end to his title defense.
Aspinall shared medical records which showed the damage that was done to his eyes courtesy of Ciryl Gane’s eye pokes in the main event of UFC 321.
This seemingly put to bed the criticism that the Brit had faced for not being able to continue due to his loss of vision inside the Octagon.
Aspinall may have replied to Jon Jones and the fans that questioned him, but they weren’t the only people whom the champion commented on.
Who should Tom Aspinall fight in his UFC comeback
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Henry Cejudo says Tom Aspinall shouldn’t take Dana White’s comments personally
In a video on his YouTube channel, Tom Aspinall made it clear that he wasn’t happy with Dana White’s comments in the immediate aftermath of UFC 321.
The UFC president’s comments at the post-fight press conference led fans to speculate that White was lashing out at Aspinall by stating that the champion “didn’t want to continue”.
After the Brit shared his thoughts on this without going into too much detail, a former UFC champion who has found himself in similar situations advised him to avoid this.
Henry Cejudo is planning on retiring after his return at UFC 323 this weekend.
Will Henry Cejudo stay retired after UFC 323?
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‘Triple C’ hasn’t always seen eye-to-eye with the promotion, with his initial retirement in 2020 being something that clearly frustrated White.
Cejudo has also been on the receiving end of fight-ending eye pokes, with his last bout against Song Yadong ending in the fourth round due to his compromised vision.
“The biggest thing that Tom [Aspinall] needs to take from all this is he has to remember that Dana White’s a promoter,” Cejudo told Shakiel Mahjouri during fight week. “He’s a fighter. Dana White has never fought in the cage before.
“I don’t think he’d be able to take anything personal because you’re an employee under the boss so don’t fight with him, bro,” Cejudo advised having admitted to being frustrated with the UFC president in the past. “It is what it is. That’s probably what makes Dana a good promoter, he’s gonna say what he feels and more importantly, I kind of appreciate it.”
Henry Cejudo recently contradicted his own advice to Tom Aspinall
Despite telling Tom Aspinall to avoid “fighting” with Dana White, that’s exactly what Henry Cejudo recently did.
Cejudo recently told White and the athletic commissions to “man up” regarding changes to the rules surrounding eye pokes.
“I get a warning, like, that’s not fair, everybody needs to f—— man up and step up and create this, make this (change) official. Someone could lose an eye,” Cejudo stated in an interview with Full Send MMA.
“It needs to be immediate and if not man, people need to be held accountable for that stuff, if I was to lose an eye, dude, f—. Imagine that, like ‘Oh yeah, dude’s a warrior’, oh okay, well who’s going to give my eye back. Everybody needs to step up, including Dana White.”
Merab Dvalishvili aims to extend winning streak against Petr Yan in UFC 323
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Merab Dvalishvili said fighters can win and be respectful at the same time, and even if his opponent Saturday night, Petr Yan, takes an occasional verbal jab, he’s not going to sweat it.
Besides, Dvalishvili will have plenty other things to sweat about, such as making weight, which he sounded confident he would do when he puts his bantamweight belt on the line in UFC 323.
“I never like to make it drama,” Dvalishvili said. “It’s a fight. We are professional fighters. The people will watch anyway.
“I don’t like to talk trash for no reason. I don’t like somebody to disrespect me for no reason.”
This is the last UFC pay-per-view fight because it agreed to a seven-year contract with Paramount Plus under which future bouts will be on the streaming service.
Dvalishvili, who lives on New York’s Long Island and has dual American and Georgian citizenship, is a substantial -425 favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook.
The 34-year-old enters on a 14-match winning streak and is 21-4. A victory over the 32-year-old Yan (19-5) would move Dvalishvili into a tie with Kamaru Usman for the third-longest streak in UFC history. The record holders are Anderson Silva and Islam Makhachev with 16 each.
Dvalishvili seems to be racing toward that record. This will be his fourth title match this year,.
“That was my goal to be busy this year,” Dvalishvili said. “Thank you to UFC for making this happen.”
His last defeat occurred on April 21, 2018 when Ricky Simon won by submission.
Then Dvalishvili began his winning streak, and along the way defeated Yan by unanimous decision in a nontitle fight on March 11, 2023. That bout was known as much for the nasty build-up — the Russian shoved Dvalishvili at the weigh-in — as the fight itself.
“That time, it was personal for me,” Dvalishvili said. “Now, it’s more competition. We fought once and I beat him. Every time he was fighting, I was cheering for him. Look at Instagram. He’s a great father. He’s a good fighter. The only problem I have with him is he was bullying. He was talking trash about me, about (Aljamain Sterling), about our team. He doesn’t give us respect.
“No matter what happens, I will shake his hand and wish him the best.”
Yan was mostly respectful this week, referring to Dvalishvili as “a great warrior” and “a deserving champion.” As the third-ranked challenger, Yan said he thought should have been No. 1 in line for the championship, a point will make clearly if he pulls off the upset victory.
But Yan wasn’t quite over what he thought would be a working relationship with Dvalishvili as coaches for a reality show in Thailand. Yan said Dvalishvili gave every indication he would be there, but decided not to make the trip.
“At the very end, he got scared and didn’t come out and sent Sterling instead of him,” Yan said through an interpreter. “So I was there for a month big-brothering Sterling.”
Dvalishvili said he was advised not to go, but other than that, didn’t offer a lot of details about the supposed snub.
Now they get to put on another kind of reality show when both step into the octagon.
“Just think about this,” Yan said. “I flew across the entire planet. I come back to rematch Sterling or Merab in their hometown. Everything’s against me. Just think about how much pressure that is. Just think about hard that it is. Obviously, it’s much harder for me than it is them.”
In the co-main event, flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja (30-5) of Brazil takes on No. 1 challenger Joshua Van (15-2) of Myanmar.
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Who Is Jan Blachowicz’s Wife Dorota Jurkowska? Manager & Life Partner
Despite never getting a title shot after the draw against current champion Magomed Ankalaev in 2022, Jan Blachowicz remains one of the UFC’s top fighters. While he’s not the kind of fighter who loves too much public attention, there are still a lot of fans who want to know the Polish star from a personal standpoint. So without further delay, let’s explore a bit about his personal life.
By personal life, we mean Jan Blachowicz’s relationship status because the former UFC light heavyweight champion is off the market. The 42-year-old veteran has been married to his wife, Dorota Jurkowska, for a while now. So ahead of his Octagon return this weekend at UFC 323, check out the details of his significant other.
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Meet Dorota Jurkowska, Jan Blachowicz’s wife
They say behind every successful man stands a strong woman, and for Jan Blachowicz, that has certainly been the case. From his girlfriend to his fiancée, and now his wife, Dorota Jurkowska has been by his side through thick and thin since they first met in 2007.
While the exact date of their marriage remains private, what many might not know is that Jurkowska also manages the former UFC champion’s career. On top of that, she is a successful entrepreneur.
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Dorota has been a constant pillar of support for Blachowicz. “She’s a big part of my life, and she’s been with me when I had nothing, no money, nothing. Now, when I have almost everything, she’s still with me… without her, I don’t think I would be the champion, you know,” Blachowicz told RT Sport MMA. Together, they have built both a family and a career, and along the way, they have welcomed children into their lives.
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Jan Blachowicz and Dorota’s relationship: From 2007 to marriage
The exact moment when Jan Blachowicz and Dorota first met remains unknown to many. Still, they have built an incredible journey together, both personally and professionally. Jan Blachowicz not only shares a professional bond with Dorota but also marries her, making their relationship deeply personal.
“One month before the fight, we are just business people, we don’t talk about love and relationships. She brings sparring partners, you know, everything that I need… One month before the fight, we are business partners, after the fight, everything is back to normal, and we are lovers again and a family,” Jan Blachowicz explained in a candid interview.
The couple has one child, Jan Blachowicz Jr., named after his father. In fact, the UFC star introduced his son to the world at birth and even postponed his fight against Israel Adesanya at UFC 259 to welcome him.
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How Dorota Jurkowska saved Jan Blachowicz’s UFC career during his losing streak
Before fighting for the title belt, Jan Blachowicz faced a tough start under Dana White & Co. Although he had already made a name for himself in the Polish MMA scene, his early UFC career was underwhelming. In his first six bouts, he went 2-4, and the promotion seriously considered releasing him. That’s when his then-girlfriend and manager, Dorota Jurkowska, stepped in to help.
Between 2015 and 2017, Blachowicz went through a rough patch, with a losing streak that put his UFC future at risk. At this critical moment, Dorota took charge, leveraging her managerial skills to reach out to the UFC matchmaking team and emphasize that Blachowicz was a major star in Poland.
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“I pushed them so hard to give Jan one more chance. I told them that Jan is a huge star in Poland, and I knew they wanted to hold an event in Poland. I told them, ‘He needs to be on this card!’ That was my last argument for him not to be fired,” Dorota Jurkowska told ESPN.
Now, Jan Blachowicz faces a situation similar to what he experienced earlier in his career. After suffering two consecutive losses in his last fights, he has an opportunity to make a comeback this weekend at UFC 323. Can the Polish star bounce back at the age of 42? Share your predictions below.
NHL roundup: Cole Caufield’s shootout goal lifts Habs past Jets
Montreal goalie Jakub Dobes outdueled Winnipeg’s Eric Comrie by the narrowest of margins, and the host netminder got a little help in the end as the Canadiens pulled out a 3-2 shootout victory over the Jets.
Cole Caufield had the most important contribution of the night, netting the only goal in the shootout. Dobes stonewalled Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele before getting a little help from the post as Gabriel Vilardi couldn’t keep the game going.
Caufield also registered an assist, while Juraj Slafkovsky and Oliver Kapanen buried markers for Montreal. Dobes stopped 29 of 31 shots, and Ivan Demidov, Nick Suzuki and Alexandre Texier tallied helpers as well.
Comrie matched Dobes with 29 saves on 31 shots before blinking first in the shootout. Scheifele and Connor each potted their team-best 14th goals of the season while assisting on each other’s markers, and Vilardi and Dylan DeMelo had a helper apiece. Winnipeg has now dropped six decisions in seven games (1-5-1).
Stars 3, Devils 0
Jake Oettinger made 30 saves for his 14th career shutout and second of the season as Dallas defeated New Jersey in Newark.
Defenseman Miro Heiskanen had a goal and an assist and Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen also scored for the Stars, who extended their point streak to eight games (6-0-2). Jamie Benn and defenseman Esa Lindell each had two assists.
Jacob Markstrom stopped 25 of 28 shots as the Devils lost their third straight game. Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon was honored before the opening faceoff for playing in his 1,000th career game Monday.
Mammoth 7, Ducks 0
Lawson Crouse and Dylan Guenther scored goals in the opening 11 minutes and Utah ended a four-game losing streak with a dominant road victory over Anaheim.
JJ Peterka tallied two goals and two assists, Clayton Keller notched a goal and two helpers and Guenther and Ian Cole each had a goal and an assist. Karel Vejmelka made 27 saves for his first shutout of the season and seventh of his career as the Mammoth earned their first win in the fourth contest of a six-game road trip.
Ducks goaltender Ville Husso got the start with Lukas Dostal and Petr Mrazek out due to injuries, making 17 saves on 21 shots in two periods. Vyacheslav Buteyets turned aside 10 of 13 shots in the third period in his NHL debut.
Flyers 5, Sabres 2
Travis Konecny, Noah Cates and Bobby Brink each had a goal and an assist to guide Philadelphia past visiting Buffalo.
Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett also scored for the Flyers, who won for the sixth time in eight games. Samuel Ersson made 27 saves.
Jason Zucker and Bowen Byram scored for the Sabres, who failed in a bid for their first three-game winning streak of the season. Colten Ellis turned aside 30 shots.
Capitals 7, Sharks 1
Rookie Ryan Leonard scored two goals and had two assists and Alex Ovechkin added two goals as visiting Washington earned its sixth straight victory.
It was the 181st multi-goal game of Ovechkin’s career, second only to Wayne Gretzky’s 189 in the NHL history. The two goals were No. 910 and No. 911 of his career, extending his league career record. Brandon Duhaime had a short-handed goal and an assist, Matt Roy logged three assists and Sonny Milano and Dylan Strome scored a goal apiece for Washington.
Pavol Regenda scored a power-play goal for San Jose, which has alternated wins and losses for eight games. Alex Nedeljkovic, who took over for starter Yaroslav Askarov at the 17:07 mark of the first period, finished with 15 saves. Askarov stopped eight of 12 shots before being pulled.
‘It feels like a dream’: Mammoth beat Ducks 7-0 in Daniil ‘Cheeks’ But’s NHL debut
Everyone knows that Disneyland is where dreams come true, but now you can add the Honda Center, located 10 minutes down the road, to the list.
Daniil But realized his dream of making it to the NHL, while the Utah Mammoth woke up from the nightmare that was the month of November, with the best outcome they could have hoped for.
Here’s the story.
Quick catchup
Utah Mammoth: 7
Anaheim Ducks: 0
Where do we even start?
This game was all Utah, all night long. They scored twice in the first period, twice in the second and three times in the third. All but four of their forwards recorded points, as did three of their six defensemen.
It was an equally big night for Karel Vejmelka, who registered his first shutout of the season after being pulled 13 minutes into Monday’s game.
Liam O’Brien was among Utah’s goal scorers. In 28 games last season, “Spicy Tuna” didn’t register a single goal. Through nine games this year, he already has two.
Utah’s win puts them back into a playoff spot — the first wild card position in the Western Conference. If they can stack a few wins on top of each other, they’ll find themselves in a great position going forward.
Tidbits and takeaways
A deep breath
Questions regarding this Mammoth team have swirled around NHL circles for weeks. The team’s 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Monday seemed to be the final straw for much of the fan base. The team was falling in the standings and confidence was at an all-time low.
Needless to say the Mammoth needed a win.
After that loss in San Jose, head coach André Tourigny hinted that he’d make some changes in the name of accountability. They came in the form of scratches for underperforming regulars Barrett Hayton and Brandon Tanev (who were both at fault for goals against on Monday), replacing them with But and Liam O’Brien.
“We came into this game with something to prove,” said Ian Cole, who had two points and two blocks on the night. “We had a pretty rough meeting after the San Jose game, and guys knew that we needed to step up, and we did.”
Now, the question is whether they’ll roll with the same lineup in Vancouver on Monday. On one hand, you never want to change a winning lineup. On the other hand, they need Hayton and Tanev to succeed, and they can’t do that from the press box.
More than one De-“But”
That subhead pun works for two players in this game: Mammoth forward Daniil But and Ducks goaltender Vyacheslav Buteyets both made their first NHL appearances on Wednesday.
It was also the first contest of the year for Maveric Lamoureux, who saw games’ worth of ice with Utah last season.
But was one of four Mammoth forwards without a point on Wednesday, but don’t take that as any indication of failure. At no point did he look out of place.
“It feels like a dream,” But said after the game. “I don’t think I understand yet where I am, and I need to keep going.”
The same can’t be said about Buteyets, who allowed three goals on 13 shots. You can’t help but feel bad for the guy, who will probably won’t get a wink of sleep tonight.
Lamoureux registered a primary assist in his season debut, teeing up Cole, his defense partner, for the game’s third goal. He also blocked what looked like a sure goal late in the game, keeping the shutout alive for his goaltender.
“I thought he did great today,” Cole said of Lamoureux. “I thought he handled a highly skilled team well over there in Anaheim, and we’re going to keep moving forward, just as he is.”
First-line success
Utah needed a win as a team, and Utah’s first line needed a win as a group.
They got exactly what they needed: Four points for JJ Peterka, three for Clayton Keller and two for Nick Schmaltz. Two of their goals, both scored by Peterka, came on beautiful tic-tac-toe passing plays.
It was a big night for Keller especially, who has struggled on the ice — as most would — since his father passed away on Thanksgiving Day.
“I don’t think I’d be able to do that, and I think that just goes to show how strong he is,” O’Brien said of his captain. “He’s our leader, he’s our captain, and we’re really lucky to have him. I’m really proud of the way he handled all of it.”
Much-needed big night for Vejmelka
Karel Vejmelka’s biggest battle this season has been consistency. He’s had a number of good games, but they’ve been overshadowed by some stinkers.
Monday’s game fell in the latter category. After giving up three goals on nine shots, Vítek Vaněček came in to replace him. That happened just 13 minutes into the game.
Vejmelka came back big time on Wednesday, recording 27 saves for his first shutout since Jan. 23.
As is the case with any shutout, there was a bit of luck involved. In this case, it came in the form of a successful coach’s challenge after the Ducks went a couple inches offside prior to putting the puck in the net. But that shouldn’t take away from Vejmelka’s solid night.
Best nickname in hockey?
Hockey has some lazy nicknames (anything that involves throwing a “Y” or an “S” on the end of someone’s last name) as well as some of the greatest ever:
Larry “Izzy” Goodenough
“The Rempire State Building” (6-foot-8 New York Ranger Matt Rempe)
“The Dominator” (Dominik Hasek)
Another can now be added to the list: “Cheeks,” as Cole referred to But after the game.
Goal of the game
Guenther’s partial breakaway
Dylan Guenther has expressed a desire to be more versatile in his goal scoring. He did that on Wednesday as he put the Mammoth up 2-0 on a speedy partial breakaway.
NHL Awards Watch: Who’s leading for Hart, Norris, Calder?
The story of the NHL season so far, besides inexplicably bizarre off-ice injuries, has been the incredible performances from hockey’s next wave of stars.
Players like Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson and Matthew Schaefer are populating nightly highlight reels and leading their teams into unexpected playoff contention. Could flirtation with the postseason lead to postseason hardware for these young standouts? Or are the NHL awards still on lock for the league’s established stars, like the ones leading the Colorado Avalanche to an historic start in the standings?
Welcome to the NHL Awards Watch for December. We’ve polled a wide selection of Professional Hockey Writers Association voters anonymously to get a sense of where the wind is blowing for the current leaders. We’ve made sure it’s a cross section from the entire league, trying to gain as many perspectives as possible.
Keep in mind that the PHWA votes for the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng finalists, broadcasters vote for the Jack Adams and general managers handle the Vezina.
All stats are from Hockey-Reference.com, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.
Jump ahead:br/>Ross | Richard | Hartbr/>Norris | Selke | Vezinabr/>Calder | Byng | Adams
Art Ross Trophy (points leader)
Click here for the updated point-scoring standings.
Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy
Click here for the updated goal-scoring standings.
Hart Trophy (MVP)
The Avalanche are in the midst of one of the greatest starts to a season in NHL history. Through 26 games, they’re 19-1-6 for a .846 points percentage. For context, the Boston Bruins had a .823 points percentage in 2022-23, when they amassed an NHL-record 135 points and 38 wins. They opened that season 20-3-0. Colorado went 17-1-5 in that span.
The primary reason Colorado sits upon the throne this season with a plus-50 (!) goal differential is MacKinnon, the NHL’s leader through 26 games in goals (22), points (46) and plus/minus (plus-32). Heading into Wednesday night, MacKinnon had more even-strength points (35) than all but six players had total points this season.
MacKinnon earned 82% of the first-place votes after earning 10% of the votes last month.
Yankees free agency targets as MLB Winter Meetings arrive
NEW YORK – Trent Grisham accepted the $22.025 million free agent qualifying offer last month, having a dual effect on the Yankees’ winter strategy.
At least they had some insurance in center field, a thin position in MLB’s marketplace.
But it’s already a hefty 2026 contract for a club that – ideally, per owner Hal Steinbrenner – would like to lower its $319 million payroll of 2025.
That “ideal’’ plan could also “go bye-bye in two seconds,’’ Steinbrenner said recently, based on player recommendations presented by GM Brian Cashman.
“The job right now is to find out what’s available,’’ Cashman said in the leadup to MLB’s Winter Meetings. “And those all have different price points.’’
Let’s examine where the Yankees – who routinely inquire on nearly all impact free agents – might go in this winter’s market.
Yankees’ free agent priority: Cody Bellinger
Asked about Bellinger last month, Cashman said “we’d be better served if we can retain him. If not, we’ll have to look at alternative ways to fill it and see where it takes us.’’
If the deep-pocketed Dodgers, Phillies and Mets are in pursuit, would it be surprising to see Bellinger commanding $30 million annually for at least five years?
After Kyle Tucker, the 30-year-old Bellinger is the best outfield option in free agency, and Tucker’s final price might land above $400 million.
And if Tucker signs first, agent Scott Boras likely gains further negotiating leverage by representing the clear-cut best outfield option remaining in free agency – one with a track record of success in L.A., Chicago and New York.
Yankees potential free agent position targets
Asked about the potential to sign a Japanese free agent, Cashman said he’d “play in those markets if it’s a fit for us.’’
Based on scouting reports, right-handed hitting corner infielder Kazuma Okamoto’s power, plate discipline and plus defense could provide a solid complement to lefty hitters Ben Rice and Ryan McMahon.
By shifting between first and third (if that’s even appealing), Okamoto could get regular at-bats, especially if Rice remains a catching option.
After his bounce back season in Seattle, switch-hitter Jorge Polanco could be a consideration for his versatility and .896 OPS versus lefty pitching in 2025.
A one-year reunion with infielder Amed Rosario can’t be ruled out, with the added benefit of his leadership and New York experience.
Speaking of reunions, Cashman has checked in with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt’s rep (.981 OPS vs. lefties in ’25). Old friend Miguel Andujar has been lethal against lefty pitching, though his defense at third base and left field remains subpar.
And on the high-end side, if the Yanks fail to reel in Bellinger, would they use those savings to pursue first baseman Pete Alonso?
In need of a right-handed hitting backup catcher, AL East veteran Danny Jansen might be a pricey one-year option suited to more regular play, but he’s a solid choice worth exploring.
Yankees potential free agent pitching targets
There’s an acute need to improve the Yankees’ setup relief, but they’re likelier to find relievers via trade – as they did with Devin Williams and Fernando Cruz last winter.
Bidding on big, free agent bullpen arms – led this time by Edwin Diaz – hasn’t been a Yankee trait in recent years, and they’re also likely to see Luke Weaver follow Williams (Mets) to another club.
Steinbrenner’s stated satisfaction with his rotation doesn’t rhyme with a pursuit of big-name starters, a group that includes Japan’s Tatsuya Imai.
Last year, Max Fried ($218 million) made it a trio of expensive, pinstriped free agent starters, joining Gerrit Cole ($324 million) and Carlos Rodon ($162 million).
But Cole, Rodon and Clarke Schmidt will start the season on the injured list, and there’s incentive to add a one-year veteran option – perhaps inviting Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer into the conversation.
Mets’ free agency targets, and where their own free agents might sign
The Mets struck early once again Monday night when they agreed to bring in former Yankees reliever Devin Williams on a three-year deal.
The club’s restoration has started in full force, with Williams now occupying a late-inning role and David Stearns hatching a trade to bring in Marcus Semien at the expense of Brandon Nimmo.
That opened up a need in the outfield that had not been anticipated heading into the offseason.
The work is far from over, with the futures of Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz still up in the air, a need to bolster the starting rotation and several remaining holes in the bullpen. Baseball’s Winter Meetings, which begins Sunday in Orlando, Florida, can begin to provide a roadmap for how the rest of the offseason could play out.
With some moves already made and a few more set to come down the chute, here are some free-agent targets for the Mets in each of their areas of need:
Mets free agency targets: Outfielders
Cody Bellinger
With the trade of Nimmo, the Mets have a clear hole in left field, but Cody Bellinger could provide more than cover for that position. On top of that, he has great bat-to-ball skills and quality pop.
The allure of Bellinger is the 30-year-old could provide elite defense at all three outfield positions — the Mets need some help in left and center — and first base, where there is a noticeable void at this point in the offseason.
Kyle Tucker
A month ago, it did not appear the Mets would be fishing in the pool of top free-agents, but then Nimmo’s departure opened up a glaring need where the top offensive free agent fits.
Kyle Tucker is a toolsy player who is two years younger than Bellinger. Since the 2021 season began, he is a four-time All-Star while slashing a combined .277/.365/.514 in those five seasons. He piles up extra bases, flashes decent power and steals bases.
Adolis Garcia
Beyond the two top outfield targets in free agency, there is a decent drop-off to the next crop.
At one point, Garcia appeared to be a cornerstone piece for the Rangers after winning ALCS MVP on the club’s path to the 2023 World Series. This offseason, he was non-tendered by the team after posting his second straight sub-.700 OPS season.
This would be a gamble on upside. Garcia has two 30-home run seasons and another two 100-RBI seasons since 2021. And he played above average defense with a rocket of an arm.
Mets free agency targets: First Base
Pete Alonso
A departure of the Mets’ homegrown superstar would cut deep into their offensive production. Alonso is coming off one of his best offensive seasons as he provided a .871 OPS with 38 home runs and 126 RBI. He has driven in more than 115 runs in three of the last four seasons with no fewer than 34 home runs.
Alonso is not only an offensive stalwart but one of the most durable players in the game, playing all 162 games in the last two seasons. These factors could make the market more lucrative for Alonso this time around after he was backed into a corner and signed a two-year, $60 million deal last season.
While the defense is a worry, the bat might be too good for the Mets to lose.
Kazuma Okamoto
Kazuma Okamoto is one of two Japanese corner infielders who have piqued the interest of major league clubs, alongside Munetaka Murakami. At 29 years old, the right-handed hitting Okamoto does not have the same upside as the 25-year-old Murakami, but he brings a higher floor.
In Nippon Professional Baseball, Okamoto has better than .800 OPS in each of his last eight seasons, eclipsing 30 home runs six times and five 90-RBI seasons. He has spent an even amount of time between third base and first base over the last few seasons.
Ryan O’Hearn
If the Mets cannot manage to retain Alonso, Ryan O’Hearn would provide a bit of positional versatility and a left-handed weapon in the lineup. In addition to first base, O’Hearn also saw time in the corner outfield spots in 2025 in his two stops between the Orioles and Padres.
O’Hearn produced at least an .800 OPS in two of his last three seasons, including 2025 when he earned his first All-Star selection and finished with 17 home runs and 63 RBI. As the antithesis to Alonso, O’Hearn finished with a +5 outs above average last season.
Mets free agency targets: Starting Pitchers
Michael King
Since transitioning from a spot starter/reliever role with the Yankees to becoming a full-time starter with the Padres, King has proven to be a capable top-of-the-rotation piece. His best season came in 2024 when he finished 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA and 201 strikeouts to finish seventh in NL Cy Young voting.
The 30-year-old righty was impacted by a right shoulder impingement and knee inflammation last season, limiting him to 15 starts. He finished 5-2 with a 3.44 ERA. He won’t command the top dollar that other top free-agent starters will get, but he boasts the potential with his command of a wide repertoire.
Tatsuya Imai
One of the more intriguing starting pitching options is the 27-year-old righthander Tatsuya Imai, who is one of the hardest throwers to come stateside, with a sharp slider and changeup to match.
In the NPB, Imai has not posted an ERA above 2.70 since 2021, and struck out 178 batters across 163⅔ innings for the Seibu Lions last season. His sidearm release would bring a different profile to the Mets’ rotation.
Mets free agency targets: Relievers
Edwin Diaz
The Mets’ course of action might have changed when they agreed to sign Devin Williams to a three-year deal, but Diaz remains one of the top closers in the game, and it would be hard for the Mets to stomach seeing him exit New York.
But Diaz has the track record to draw in the top spenders in MLB to drive up the bidding. He has won the NL Reliever of the Year Award in two of his last three seasons, striking out a combined 218 batters in 128⅔ innings between his 2022 and 2025 campaigns. The 31-year-old right-hander seems intent on seeking a long-term deal for stability into his mid-30s.
Would the Mets be willing to shell out in excess of $35 million dollar per season to form a dynamic 1-2 punch of Diaz and Williams in the late innings?
Robert Suarez
If the Mets cannot bring back Diaz, they might pivot to targeting a handful of the high-end relief prizes to fill in the gap in a piece-meal fashion.
Next to Diaz and Williams, Suarez is arguably the best reliever on the market. The 34-year-old righty, who has spent all four of his seasons with the Padres since arriving from an extended stay in Japan, is coming off his best season. He secured a league-high 40 saves while positing a 2.97 ERA and 0.90 WHIP.
Michael Kopech
In his first two seasons at the helm, Stearns has had a knack for pulling off the risk-reward play to try and cut down some of the team’s cost. It has paid off in the case of reclamation projects in Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and with Clay Holmes’ transition.
Could Michael Kopech be that next gamble?
With a vicious fastball, Kopech is tough to hit at his best. After being acquired by the Dodgers in 2024, he struck out 29 batters in 24 innings, while limiting opponents to three runs. Last season, the 30-year-old righty dealt with a right shoulder impingement and torn meniscus, which could bring down his cost.
Watch:: ‘Drained’ Merab Dvalishvili Talks About Tough Weight Cut Ahead of UFC 323 to Create History
Merab Dvalishvili has established himself as one of the most dominant champions of the modern bantamweight era, extending his run through consistent high-level performances. Ahead of UFC 323, he discussed the challenges of his ongoing weight cut as he prepares to defend his title against Petr Yan. The bout marks another pivotal moment in his championship tenure.
Dvalishvili’s reign has featured decisive victories over multiple generations of contenders, reinforcing his grip on the division’s top spot. He defeated Sean O’Malley and Umar Nurmagomedov in consecutive championship fights. At UFC 320, he added Cory Sandhagen to that list with another disciplined showing. Each win further elevated the standard he set as champion.
UFC 323 positions Dvalishvili to accomplish a rare milestone as he approaches his fourth title defense within a single calendar year. Few fighters have matched this level of activity, especially against elite opposition. This accelerated schedule highlights his durability and competitive drive. His recent comments on his weight cut show the final challenges he must manage heading into fight night.
Its a mental game you know. Right now, I am cutting weight and my weight’s high, I know I will make it but I feel low energy. Its always hard.
Merab Dvalishvili via ESPN MMA
The Georgian’s trademark cardio continues to define his competitive identity, powering the relentless style that earned him the nickname ‘The Machine.’ His ability to maintain pressure across all five rounds consistently overwhelms opponents. This conditioning advantage has become one of his most reliable assets. It remains central to his strategy whenever championship stakes are on the line.
His preparation centers on extreme and unconventional training methods designed to push physical limits. Dvalishvili is known for running long distances in harsh weather, training outdoors in freezing conditions, and drilling relentless scramble sequences. He regularly uses high-intensity circuits, such as rubbing stinging nettles over his body and swimming in running streams.
As UFC 323 nears, Merab Dvalishvili enters a matchup carrying implications that stretch beyond a standard title defense. A win would further solidify his place among the most active and successful champions of the era. It would also influence long-term matchmaking within a crowded division. The stakes undoubtedly underscore Dvalishvili’s expanding legacy in bantamweight history.
Merab Dvalishvili lays out his plans for the 2026 calendar
Merab Dvalishvili has nearly cleared out the top ten of the bantamweight division and currently sits at No. 3 in the pound-for-pound rankings. Despite his dominance, several contenders continue pushing for a title opportunity. Rising prospect Aiemann Zahabi has drawn attention, while Song Yadong remains in contention as he prepares to face Sean O’Malley at UFC 324.
If Dvalishvili successfully defends his belt against Petr Yan at UFC 323, he will wrap up one of the busiest championship schedules in UFC history. His activity has positioned him at the center of long-term planning within the promotion. Dvalishvili recently outlined his vision for 2026, identifying potential new opponents and fresh matchups. His next year appears poised to expand his competitive range.
Just fighting the best contenders in my weight class. Now there is Zahabi on a six fight win streak. There is Song Yadong fighting Sean O’Malley if he will win this fight. I have to keep beating upcoming contenders to change weight class, if the UFC wants me to do that no problem but if not then whoever the UFC puts in front of me.
Merab Dvalishvili via TNT Sports
‘Injection in Eyeball’ – Tom Aspinall Reveals Timeline on When He’ll Return to UFC
Tom Aspinall fought Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 in a heavyweight title bout that unexpectedly ended after an accidental poke. The British champion was unable to continue following the incident, which forced the officials to stop the highly anticipated championship fight immediately.
The bout was ruled a no-contest, leaving fans extremely disappointed as the abrupt ending completely derailed expectations for a decisive outcome. Following the incident, Aspinall consulted doctors who gave a detailed diagnosis, and fully supported his difficult decision to stop fighting.
The UK native felt unhappy with the outcome and remains eager to secure a highly sought-after rematch for the heavyweight championship against Gane. In a recent interview, the champion discussed his recovery progress and addressed possible timelines regarding his determined return to competition.
With eyes you’ve got to be careful. They don’t really know when I’m gonna be back. I’m still not even cleared to train. They’re talking about doing surgery on both eyes. I have to get an injection in the eyeball soon.
Tom Aspinall via The Ariel Helwani Show
According to medical reports, Aspinall was diagnosed with bilateral traumatic Brown’s syndrome caused by severe orbital soft tissue trauma impacting his vision. Doctors also indicated a potential fracture in his right medial orbital wall, adding further concern to his already complicated situation.
Aspinall criticized Gane by calling him a cheater and shared footage allegedly showing repeated attempts to eye poke him intentionally. Tom Aspinall blasted critics for months of harsh accusations, calling them losers who constantly attack elite fighters regardless of circumstances.
The UK native expressed frustration toward fans who labeled him a quitter despite doctors confirming legitimate injuries that required immediate protective action. Aspinall criticized UFC leadership for failing to support his health-first decision, emphasizing that fighters deserve respect when prioritizing long-term well-being today.
He voiced disappointment with CEO Dana White for downplaying his injuries, insisting athletes should never be punished for protecting themselves fully. Tom Aspinall believes that all this has made him more motivated to make a huge comeback and end his rivalry with Ciryl Gane.
Tom Aspinall slams Jon Jones for mocking him
Following the controversial eye poke incident at UFC 321, Jon Jones began relentlessly trolling Tom Aspinall online, seizing every possible opportunity openly available. Jones repeatedly posted sarcastic comments implying Aspinall exaggerated injuries, provoking heated discussions among fans who questioned the heavyweight champ’s toughness.
He shared edited memes depicting the stoppage as cowardly, further fueling tensions and reviving lingering hostility between both heavyweight stars. Jones even referenced their older rivalry, reminding audiences of previous callouts where Aspinall sought a fight Jones never formally entertained.
Through persistent jabs and online theatrics, Jones intensified public interest, pushing narratives portraying Aspinall as vulnerable while elevating himself boldly. In a recent interview, Aspinall took this opportunity to hit Jones with a sneaky jab.
I thought this guy was a GOAT. Focus on yourself. Bro, you’re retired. Just do your own thing. If you’re so much better than everybody else, enjoy yourself. Don’t worry about what I am doing.
Tom Aspinall continued.
Jones used the eye-poke controversy to redirect his full attention toward a matchup with Alex Pereira at the upcoming White House event. Several UFC legends criticized Tom Aspinall heavily, claiming his emotional reactions demonstrated unnecessary vulnerability unbecoming of a rising heavyweight contender.
Henry Cejudo Opens Up Ahead Of UFC Retirement Fight
TMZSports.com
Henry Cejudo is returning to the Octagon at UFC 323 … question is, will it be the last fight for arguably the most decorated combat sports athlete ever?!
That’s what we asked Triple C when he joined the
Former champion gives his UFC 323 main event prediction
Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili captured the 135-pound title by defeating Sean O’Malley in September 2024. He’s defended the belt three times this year and will put it on line for a fourth time in 2025 this weekend in the UFC 323 main event.
Dvalishvili faces former champion Petr Yan in a rematch at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. The two first fought at UFC Fight Night 221 in March 2023. Dvalishvili defeated Yan that night in Las Vegas via unanimous decision. It was the last time Yan lost a fight. Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker believes Dvalishvili will pick up a second win over the Russian.
Tatsuro Taira Ethnicity: Japanese Roots, Parents & Cultural Background
Alexandre Pantoja’s championship train rammed through the old guard and is taking on the new one. If he gets past Joshua Van this weekend, there is another next-gen star waiting for him. Who is it, you ask? Well, it’s none other than Tatsuro Taira. The flyweight star has bounced back from his loss to Brandon Royval in October last year with a win over HyunSung Park in August. Now, in his upcoming match, Taira is committed to maintaining the momentum.
With 17 victories and 1 loss in his professional career, Tatsuro Taira’s record speaks for itself. The 25-year-old is slated to square off against former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 323 on December 6. And ahead of his clash against Mexico’s flyweight sensation, let us have a look at Taira’s nationality, beliefs, and so on.
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Where is Tatsuro Taira from?
Born on January 27, 2000, Tatsuro Taira was always fascinated by the art of fighting. A native of Naha, Okinawa, Japan, he started his fighting career with the security that his parents never forced him to do anything that he didn’t like. Interestingly, Taira played baseball when he was in the third grade of elementary school. However, he was not passionate about the sport.
As of today, Taira is ranked No. 5 on UFC’s flyweight rankings and is about to face the No. 2-ranked contender in a bid to further his title dream. A dominant win could propel him to the top of the rankings and potentially get him a shot at Alexandre Pantoja. That being said, his parents have majorly contributed to Taira’s success.
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Tatsuro Taira’s parents’ influence on his fighting career
Tatsuro Taira is already doing his nation a big service as he is one of the prospects for the flyweight title. Taira believes that Japan has many world-class fighters who could dominate the UFC as well. “There are many fighters from Japan who could compete and do well on the international stage today. I hope more fighters from Japan continue to get opportunities to represent the country in the UFC’s Octagon,” said Taira in a conversation with UFC.
He further added that if it had not been for his parents, then he would not have been here, “I never thought I was fighting like a veteran. This is just me. I have a lot of experience, and my parents did a great job of raising me, and I have a great team behind me. I want to continue competing at the highest level, and truly become a veteran of the UFC.”
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How Tatsuro Taira’s older brother inspired his combat sports journey
Tatsuro Taira’s path to becoming one of Japan’s brightest MMA prospects took root before he ever took his first steps in a cage. And it started at home. When he was in junior high school, the 25-year-old wasn’t involved with MMA or fighting at all. But everything changed when his older brother began learning kickboxing at Palaestra Okinawa.
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Obviously, his brother’s involvement in combat sports piqued his curiosity, and Taira followed him to the gym. While there, he was introduced to a world that would soon shape his future. He initially stepped away from club activities and began training, eventually coming under the guidance of Ryota Matsune. That’s when his true MMA journey took off.
“I started playing baseball at the age of 10 and continued till the age of 15. By then, my older brother brought me to the MMA gym, and that’s where I saw what MMA was, and nine years from then, I am here,” Taira told The Telegraph Online. He hasn’t looked back.
The Japanese star is days away from clashing against Brandon Moreno. Do you believe that the Japanese fighter can continue winning? Will this be the turnaround moment of his career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Paddy Pimblett makes ‘100%’ guarantee about his UFC 324 title fight with Justin Gaethje
Paddy Pimblett says the UFC judges can head home early on January 24 .
‘The Baddy’ will face Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title in the UFC 324 main event.
Whoever wins will go on to unify the division when Ilia Topuria returns to action in the summer of 2026.
Paddy Pimblett believes the big star of UFC 324 will be walking away with a highlight-reel finish.
Paddy Pimblett previews UFC 324
Paddy Pimblett has guaranteed that his fight with Justin Gaethje will not go the full five rounds.
The British fan favorite is confident he’ll score a KO or submission win to realize every MMA fighter’s dream.
“Someone’s getting finished,” Pimblett told CoinPoker.
Does Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett need to rethink his nickname?
The UFC 324 star is being praised by fans after getting ‘knocked out’ in a boxing match.
Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say Comment Like or Comment
“One hundred percent, that’s not going to judges.
“I’m feeling great. I can’t wait. Gaethje is a legend, and to be able to share the cage with him is an honor.
“But that all gets put to one side when I actually get in the cage with him, and I have to put a beat down on him.
“Obviously, I wanted it to be for the undisputed belts against Ilia Topuria.
“But I’m still going to be a world champion once I beat Gaethje and lift that interim belt.”
Is Paddy Pimblett’s UFC record strong enough to deserve a title shot?
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The only downside of headlining UFC 324
Paddy Pimblett is known for his love of junk food and ballooning up in weight between fights.
Christmas is typically the time of year when we all eat a bit more than we probably should.
Until now, Pimblett has never had to worry about his weight during the festive period.
“This is the earliest I’ve fought,” he added.
“I’ve fought in late February before, but I’ve never fought in January.
“So it’s going to be a rough Christmas dinner! There will be no cheese and crackers afterwards and stuff like that. I’m going to have to do a long run that day!
“It’s the biggest fight of my life and my career to date. We’ve still got eight weeks to go, but everything is flying so far.”
Joe Rogan Pressures Dana White to Sign Jon Jones’ Next UFC Heavyweight Champ Pick
The UFC Heavyweight division is yet to find its top prospect, especially after Jon Jones retired. Tom Aspinall might have been the one to fill that void, but following the eye poke incident at UFC 321, he is under medical suspension and will be out for several months. So, who could save the division? UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan might have the answer.
During his recent Joe Rogan Experience podcast episode with Derek from More Plates More Dates, he emphasized that the heavyweight division is struggling. “The heavyweight division is so devoid of talent,” Rogan said. And his solution has everything to do with MMA’s fast-rising prospect Gable Steveson, who is currently being mentored by none other than former heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
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Joe Rogan reveals what he texted Dana White after watching Steveson
“Gable Steveson is the f***king guy. Yeah, that’s the guy. He’s not even in the UFC yet,” Rogan told Derek. Joe Rogan raved about Steveson’s achievements and physicality even at the highest weight division, branding the 25-year-old a “freak athlete” who “moves like a cat.” Notably, Steveson is an Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling (125 kg), winning at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a dramatic last-second comeback against Geno Petriashvili.
He is also a two-time NCAA Division I national champion (2021, 2022) and the 2021 Dan Hodge Trophy winner while wrestling for the University of Minnesota. He also was training to become a WWE Superstar but now, he seems to take a different rout. Clearly, Steveson has a lot of hype around him, which is only amplified by his last appearance in the Octagon. “I sent a text message to Dana White, I sent him a video of Gable’s last fight,” Rogan added, in his effort to convince Dana White to sign the rising heavyweight to the UFC.
“I said, ‘Everyone’s f**ked when this guy comes out,’” Rogan continued during his podcast. “He KO’d this guy with a left hand and then took him down as he was knocked out. Watch this knockout because it’s so f**king crazy, the speed that this guy has.” Steveson improved to 2-0 in his MMA career in November after he knocked out Kevin Hein cold with a left hook 24 seconds into the first round.
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“First of all, really good striking already and he’s only been striking for like a f**king year,” Rogan added. “I mean, that’s just nuts, man. That kind of speed is nuts for a heavyweight… And he can do back flips and s**t. When he fought in Dirty Boxing, he knocked the guy out, and… just leaps over the top rope with like effortless.” At DBX 4 on October 30, Steveson secured a knockout victory just 15 seconds into Round 1 against Billy Swanson.
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The UFC top brass aren’t unfamiliar with Steveson either, having watched the 25-year-old in action live in the audience. So, a contract with the UFC might be in the future. And Jon Jones feels Steveson is going to dominate.
Is Jon Jones mentoring a ‘guaranteed’ future UFC champion?
Jon Jones has touted Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson as a guaranteed future UFC champion, praising the 25-year-old’s potential after watching his rapid transition into MMA. Steveson, who dominated collegiate wrestling before winning his debut at LFA 217 in just 98 seconds, has been training closely with the former UFC champion as both a coaching project and a partner in the gym.
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Jones says there’s no doubt where Steveson is headed. “It’s not a matter of if he can, it’s a matter of when,” Jones wrote on X. “I’ve had many great teammates over the years, but I’ve always said if I [were] ever [to] be a coach, it would have to be a wrestler who was completely committed to success. I found my guy.” Steveson’s path to MMA has included stints in WWE and even an NFL tryout, but under Jones’ guidance, he appears locked in on a future UFC title run.
With backing from people like these, Gable Steveson isn’t far from the day he receives his UFC contract. However, do you think he is really as good as Joe Rogan and Jon Jones claim he is?
Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek Headline Tennis’ Takeover of 2025’s Highest-Paid Women
Money continues to flow into women’s sports, with athletes in basketball, hockey, soccer, softball, and volleyball all benefiting. But tennis still leads the way, thanks to rising prize money and major endorsement deals that WTA stars consistently attract. In 2025, the trend remains the same as Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and other top tennis players dominate the list of the highest-paid female athletes.
Sportico has released its latest list of the top-earning women’s athletes. Once again, tennis players dominated the rankings. Ten of the top 15 highest-paid female athletes in 2025 came from tennis. Coco Gauff led the field with an impressive total.
Gauff earned $31 million in 2025. Of that amount, $23 million came from endorsements. She added $8 million in prize money from her strong season. Earlier in the year, she launched Coco Gauff Enterprises with talent firm WME. This move marked her shift away from Roger Federer’s Team8 after seven years. WME does not own any part of her new business.
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Her biggest endorsement deal is with New Balance. The company signed her when she was only 14. They renewed the contract in 2022, making it one of the richest in women’s tennis. She now works with more than a dozen partners. Her list includes Baker Tilly, Bose, Head, Rolex, Mercedes-Benz, and Chase Bank. The variety of brands reflects her popularity and market value.
Aryna Sabalenka also had a record-setting season. She lost the Australian Open and French Open finals. But she won the US Open and two WTA 1000 tournaments. Her US Open title alone earned her $5 million, an increase from $3.6 million in 2024.
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Her total prize money for the year reached $15 million. This broke Serena Williams’ 2013 record of $12.4 million. Sabalenka has now earned $45.2 million in career prize money. She is second all-time but still far behind Williams’ $94.8 million.
Iga Świątek also delivered a strong year on the WTA Tour. She finished second in the year-end rankings behind Sabalenka for the second straight season. She is also close behind Sabalenka in total career earnings.
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Świątek collected $10.1 million in prize money and $13 million in endorsements this year. Her total reached $23.1 million, securing her place among the top earners.
Many other tennis stars made the list. Zheng Qinwen ranked fifth with $20.6 million. Madison Keys placed eighth with $13.4 million. Elena Rybakina followed in ninth with $12.6 million. Naomi Osaka ranked tenth with $12.5 million. Amanda Anisimova came in twelfth with $10.8 million. Jessica Pegula took thirteenth with $10.5 million. Venus Williams placed fourteenth with $10.2 million.
Because of these results, even Billie Jean King highlighted this achievement with the message, “10 of the Top 15 are tennis players. 👏”
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Yet, tensions between tennis authorities and players remain. Issues like the massive pay gap continue to spark debate, as Coco Gauff has already spoken publicly about these concerns.
Coco Gauff criticises tennis for its significant pay gap
Coco Gauff recently earned a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. She appeared there as a leading figure in both sport and fashion, and also stands out as the world’s highest-paid female athlete. Her influence now stretches far beyond her results on the court.
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And in a newly released video from Forbes, she speaks openly about the pay gap that still exists between the ATP and WTA at combined events.
“In Grand Slams, we’re obviously there when it comes to the prize money, but on the Tour it’s a very big gap. And I think the start is for sure targeting the ATP and WTA combined events, because for me there’s no reason we’re both playing two out of three sets, playing at the same venue, and sometimes there are female players like me, Aryna [Sabalenka], Iga [Swiatek], Jess [Pegula], who are selling out some of these stadiums more than some of the other guys and they’re getting paid way more.”
While Grand Slams offer equal prize money, most other tournaments do not. Even at events hosted together, men often receive higher payouts. This structure has frustrated players for years. Gauff has chosen to challenge it directly.
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Even after she reached the China Open semi-finals, she spoke again about another issue. She called attention to the ongoing revenue-sharing debate between top players and Grand Slam organisers. She chose not to avoid the topic or soften her message.
“For the long run of our sport and kind of the whole ecosystem, I think that it’s really important.” Her comments point to long-term sustainability and equality.
As one of the WTA’s most influential voices, Gauff’s message is gaining attention. More players have begun to echo her concerns.
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With the 2026 season approaching, many wonder what will happen next. Fans and players alike will watch to see if more tennis stars rise into the sport’s top earnings lists.
Taylor Fritz Gets Slapped in Japan After Girlfriend Plans Bold Surprise
Taylor Fritz thought he was in for a calm, cozy night in Tokyo – a simple off-season date with his girlfriend, Morgan Riddle, after a long year on the ATP Tour. The neon-lit streets of Tokyo were buzzing, the air crisp, and Fritz, like any trusting boyfriend, followed Morgan without a hint of suspicion. After all, a bar in Tokyo? Sounds normal enough. But little did he know, Morgan had crafted a plot twist worthy of a travel-comedy series.
As the couple stepped through the doors of what Fritz assumed was an ordinary bar, he froze. Instead of soft music and dim lights, he was greeted by the sight of towering, muscular women flexing proudly, patrons cheering, and an atmosphere that could rival a pro-wrestling weigh-in. This wasn’t just any spot – it was Tokyo’s famous ‘muscle girl‘ bar. Morgan’s face lit up with mischief. Fritz’s face lit up with immediate confusion. She recently shared a video clip on her IG handle with the caption, “(dw they loved it 🫠).” In the video, Fritz looked a bit amused when he was lifted off the ground by a muscular bartender quite effortlessly in her arms.
But the moment the internet can’t get enough came right after. “telling our boyfriends we’re going to a ‘bar‘ in tokyo, but it’s actually the muscle girl bar.” Her playful caption didn’t quite give a hint about what was waiting for her partner, Taylor Fritz. Still holding court in the middle of the bar, the same bartender gently – but theatrically – delivered a playful slap to Fritz’s cheek. Looking at his expression after that, one thing I can say is that it was definitely not a light slap, but a really tight one…
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But Fritz, now fully aware he’d been set up, could only shake his head and laugh along. For a player who has spent the season battling the world’s toughest opponents, it turns out his most unexpected challenge came off the court – courtesy of his girlfriend and a Tokyo bartender built like a superhero. However, talking about challenges, well, Morgan Riddle really got off to a challenging start to this trip. How?
Just a few days ago, “the most famous woman in men’s tennis” shared a screenshot of her search history, and it clearly suggested that she had perhaps suffered from food poisoning that required medical attention. She even added a sarcastic caption to it. “Japan has been great so far.” But this wasn’t the first time she had traveled to the ‘Land of the Rising Sun.‘ Riddle loves traveling with Taylor Fritz during the Tour, and she visited this beautiful country last year, also during the Tokyo Open.
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Looking at their lovely chemistry makes fans perhaps wonder how long she has been with Fritz, though, and how they met each other. Well, we get you covered, but before that, let’s check out some of the reactions that have come in on their recent trip to Japan.
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Tennis world reacts to Taylor Fritz and his girlfriend’s Japan trip
Taylor Fritz thought he was simply signing up for a peaceful off-season getaway in Tokyo with his girlfriend, Morgan Riddle. But somewhere between the bright city lights and Morgan’s mischievous grin, the tennis star unknowingly became the main character of a video that would send the entire tennis world into hysterics.
After seeing Fritz getting playfully slapped, Jessica Pegula commented, “This is incredible lol.” Madison Keys also chimed in. “I’m crying. This is so good. Even Asia Muhammed couldn’t hold her laughter. “Hahahhahah.” Even Desirae Krawczyk commented on that post. For a community used to high-stakes tiebreaks and nail-biting rallies, this unexpected Tokyo adventure was a refreshing, comedic break.
Morgan Riddle even received a special request from Grigor Dimitrov’s girlfriend, Eiza Gonzalez. After seeing a post where Riddle was seen feeding food to deer, she wrote, “Bring me one,” perhaps referring to the beautiful animal.
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However, the most interesting comment about their trip came from renowned tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg. He dropped a very interesting comment on the reel featuring their recent visit to the muscle girl bar. “Hard to overstate how much more enjoyable of an off-season this Fritz Tokyo trip looks like than all those Maldives pilgrims.”
Now, coming to the chemistry between Taylor Fritz and Morgan Riddle, well, they’ve been dating each other since 2020. The couple first met on Raya, a members-only dating app. During a previous interview with People magazine, Riddle spoke about their relationship, which consists of a lot of traveling to different places.
“We travel so well together, which people always ask me, ‘How do you guys spend that much time in a hotel room together without wanting to rip each other’s heads off? But we get along really well, which is why I think we’ve been able to make it work the last couple of years.”
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Even Taylor Fritz has time and again highlighted how Morgan Riddle’s presence has helped him stay focused, be healthier, and push for further excellence in life. What are your thoughts on this beautiful couple?
Thanasi Kokkinakis Eyes Comeback After Risky Surgery No Tennis Player Has Attempted
Injuries are an unavoidable reality in any sport, but in tennis, they cut especially deep, where a relentless “pay-as-you-play” grind forces athletes to stay healthy just to survive. The ATP Tour demands constant presence, yet its physical toll often makes that impossible. And recently, Thanasi Kokkinakis, long battered by the sport’s intensity, has now revealed the ‘risky’ and unprecedented surgery he chose in a desperate bid to extend his career and reclaim his place on tour.
Thanasi Kokkinakis recently spoke openly to the Australian news outlet TODAY about the hardest chapter of his career. He described the major risk he took with his latest surgery. For years, he had struggled with a torn pectoral muscle, an injury that made playing back-to-back matches almost impossible.
“The surgery I did, it’s risky, no tennis player has ever done it. A few surgeons didn’t want to do it, but I had to take a chance and bite the bullet if I wanted to have a crack at the rest of my career. This is my toughest injury I’ve had yet, and it will be my toughest recovery. I’m still optimistic, hopeful that I’ve made the right decision, but yeah, it hasn’t been easy and when you speak to surgeons and tennis players and no one’s seen this injury or had a surgery like this before in tennis, pretty daunting, but I knew I had to have a crack and yeah, why not be the first?”
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Kokkinakis revealed that the surgeons transplanted part of his Achilles tendon into the damaged area. Later, he also stated that without the surgery, his career would likely have ended.
“Yeah, I think so. I could have played one match a week the rest of my career, but in tennis, you can’t do that; you have to be able to string together back-to-back if you want to make any inroads in your career or ranking. So, yeah, for me, it was at a do-or-die point, I was like, I can’t keep going like this. It was mental torture,” he said.
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His last appearance came at the 2025 Australian Open. He battled Jack Draper for five sets in a dramatic match. He lost 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. After that defeat, he disappeared from the ATP Tour. For fans, there were no updates. But behind the scenes, Kokkinakis was fighting just to save his future in tennis.
Throughout his career, injuries have followed him. Shoulder issues, surgeries, and constant setbacks have tested him repeatedly. But he has not lost his determination. Even now, with another major operation behind him, he remains motivated.
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At 29, he still believes he has more to give. He is counting the days until he can return to the Australian swing. He hopes to compete again in front of his home fans. His comeback journey is far from easy, but he refuses to give up.
And as he prepares for the new season, Kokkinakis has also reflected on the areas he needs to improve.
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Kokkinakis reveals focus on improving his serve before returning
It’s almost ironic that both Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios are sidelined at the same time. Their careers have become closely connected, especially after their incredible Australian Open title run in 2022.
Since that success, the demanding tennis schedule has taken a toll on both players. Kokkinakis only played the Australian Open in 2025, while Kyrgios managed just four singles matches throughout the year.
Kyrgios is now preparing for the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ against Aryna Sabalenka. Meanwhile, Kokkinakis is focusing on rebuilding his game and planning a full comeback.
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He admitted that his serve has required the most work after the difficult surgery he underwent. As he said, “The most complicated part is the serve, that’s what I’m working on the most to recover it, we’ll see. My goal is to return to the circuit in 2026, I’m enjoying this moment, the restart from scratch, playing without pain, something I could almost never do in my career,” during a podcast, as reported by Ubitennis in September.
Despite the challenges, Kokkinakis seems motivated and refreshed. He is enjoying playing without pain for the first time in years.
With a new season coming and renewed energy, it will be exciting to see the Aussie return to the tour and try to make some deep runs again.
The 10 most difficult golf courses on the PGA Tour for the 2025 season
All the 2025 PGA Tour events are done and accounted for. That means all the 2025 PGA Tour stats are now complete and we can take a deeper dive into some of the more interesting numbers.
For example, which golf courses played the most difficult. It’s probably no surprise to anyone that the U.S. Golf Association set up the most challenging layout, as Oakmont Country Club played more that four strokes over par on average for the U.S. Open. Weather did play a factor this year but it’s a reminder just how good J.J. Spaun was that week in June.
Where did the four major venues rank in difficulty in 2025?
So again, the U.S. Open had the most difficult golf course. Behing it were Quail Hollow Club, which hosted the PGA Championship, in third; Augusta National, home of the Masters, checking in at No. 7; and Royal Portrush at No. 10 for the Open Championship.
10 most difficult golf courses on PGA Tour in 2025
Both golf courses in La Jolla, California, for the Farmers Insurance Open made the top nine.
Just missing the top 10 was TPC Sawgrass for the Players Championship, which was 13th most difficult in 2025.
In all, 17 golf courses had an average score of over par.
PGA Tour Injury Report: Viktor Hovland Drops Recovery Update Before New Season Kicks Off
Months after a neck injury forced Viktor Hovland out of the Ryder Cup, he’s back in South Africa with a strategy that contradicts everything modern golf demands.
Hovland told Viaplay Golf Norge this week that he has spent the last couple of months working hard to ensure his neck doesn’t get worse. The plan ahead of the Nedbank Golf Challenge? Keep the driver in the bag—or at least limit its use. But there’s reason for optimism: practice sessions over the past two days have been “very, very good,” Hovland said, adding that it will be a matter of getting comfortable during the tournament.
It’s a delicate balance. Hovland sounds confident, but the course in South Africa demands something his body might not be ready to give.
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Hovland’s neck issues first surfaced in June 2025 at the Travelers Championship, where he withdrew just two holes into the final round after his neck “cracked” during a warm-up swing. An MRI in September confirmed the diagnosis: a disc bulge. The injury flared again at the Ryder Cup in late September, forcing him out of both Saturday’s four-ball session and Sunday singles.
He returned at the DP World India Championship in October, finishing tied for sixth. But even that performance came with caveats. Hovland revealed he was still taking painkillers during the tournament to manage the injury, though he noted the pain wasn’t affecting his golf swing since he avoided hitting drivers. The Nedbank Golf Challenge is different. South Africa’s layout demands more regular driver usage than India did, testing whether Hovland can protect his neck while remaining competitive.
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Hovland’s driver-limiting strategy isn’t just a personal adjustment—it’s part of a larger shift happening across professional golf. More players are making difficult choices between competitive advantage and physical preservation, particularly when it comes to the sport’s most demanding club.
The Norwegian admitted the driver causes him the most pain, but he’s far from alone in that calculation.
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The modern game rewards distance above nearly everything else, but the physical cost of generating that power is forcing a reckoning at the highest levels. Players nursing back injuries, shoulder issues, and neck problems are increasingly relying on conservative club selection and short-game excellence to stay competitive.
The driver generates more torque and rotational force than any other club in the bag. That explosiveness separates elite ball-strikers from the rest of the field, but it also places tremendous strain on the body’s most vulnerable points—the lower back, shoulders, and cervical spine. For players managing chronic injuries, every driver swing carries risk.
But the real stakes are more personal. Hovland’s 2024 season was challenging, marked by inconsistency and physical setbacks. His T6 finish in India offered a glimpse of his potential, but that performance came on a course that allowed him to avoid his biggest weapon.
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Viktor Hovland’s Nedbank Golf Challenge strategy tests injury management
Hovland’s approach, that is to rely less on the driver at Nedbank, reflects a growing acknowledgment that sustainability matters as much as performance. This week carries significant weight.
The Nedbank Golf Challenge offers a $6 million purse, with $1.025 million to the winner. Race to Dubai points are critical, and then there are OWGR points matter for major championship access. For European players like Hovland, Ryder Cup points are also on the line.
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Nedbank is the litmus test. Can Hovland contend at a high level while managing chronic injury? Can he protect his body and still chase seven-figure payouts and critical ranking points? It remains to be seen.
NFL Rumors: J. J. McCarthy’s Vikings Career Is All but Over After Kevin O’Connell’s QB Decision
When the Minnesota Vikings took J.J. McCarthy 10th overall in the 2024 draft, the message seemed obvious: this was the quarterback they planned to grow with. But a rookie season cut short by a torn meniscus and a bumpy follow-up year have changed the tone around the building. And it seems like Kevin O’Connell may already be bracing for life beyond McCarthy.
The rumor mill is loud. With McCarthy struggling, the Vikings are being linked to veteran options for 2026. Names like Daniel Jones and even Aaron Rodgers have surfaced as possible targets. None of this is subtle.
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“The likeliest way they can keep [Justin Jefferson], or make him happy, is Daniel Jones,” ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky pushed the thought.
And then there’s former Viking Anthony Barr, who once delivered the hit that fractured Rodgers’ collarbone and created years of tension between the two. Oddly enough, he’s advocating for the Vikings to sign Rodgers next year. Not because he thinks Rodgers is the long-term answer, but because he wants McCarthy to sit and learn.
“Yeah, too early to give up on him… imagine he had a year to learn from… dare I say… Rodgers,” he wrote on X.
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There’s logic to both ideas. Jones has looked reborn in Indianapolis after signing a one-year, $14 million deal this offseason. He’s thrown for 3,041 yards with 19 touchdowns and a 101.3 passer rating, leading one of the more efficient offenses in football. And he hasn’t been shy about crediting O’Connell for helping him grow.
“But going to Minnesota, I saw how Sam [Darnold] prepared. I saw how Kevin [O’Connell] prepared those guys, Josh McCown, Grant Udinski, that crew, and how detailed they were, day in and day out, on every little bit of the plan. How they’re going to study it. What they’re looking for, walking through it, quizzing each other in the quarterback room,” Jones said.
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He claimed that the small tenure behind Sam Darnold and under O’Connell made a big impression on him. So yeah, he’s bound to be a good fit.
Rodgers, meanwhile, practically offered himself to Minnesota last offseason. He pitched the Vikings on a “one-year run at a Lombardi,” even promising to mentor McCarthy. Minnesota passed at the time. Would Rodgers even consider them now after being turned away? It’s hard to know. Add in the constant talk about retirement, and it gets even cloudier.
So, whether it’s Jones or Rodgers, McCarthy’s development just took a major hit.
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What’s next for J.J. McCarthy?
Kevin O’Connell’s message this week is pretty straightforward: he doesn’t want McCarthy drowning in mechanics right now. The footwork, the leg-whip motion, all of that can be cleaned up later. What he wants at this moment is a quarterback who sees the field clearly and makes the right choices. That’s why he keeps stressing decision-making, because the turnovers have piled up, and he knows you can’t win games when you keep giving the ball away.
“It’s purely about decision making at this point,” O’Connell said. “I want him to have a clear head and a clear mind to just go play, but play with an understanding of the decisions that I make…I don’t want him overthinking or worrying about – if the fundamentals need to be changed, if they need to be adjusted, if we need more time on task on that, that’s one thing. But let’s just make the throws. Let’s just throw and catch. Let’s just play with great rhythm and understanding of the plan.”
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It’s hard not to wonder what the season in Minneapolis would look like had the Vikings kept Sam Darnold on the franchise tag instead of turning things over to J.J. McCarthy. At this point, you get the sense the front office might be replaying that decision in its head.
Darnold is steering a Seattle Seahawks offense that’s humming along, while McCarthy’s year has been defined by stops and starts. Injuries have already taken six games from him, including the trip to Seattle after he landed in concussion protocol following the Week 12 loss to Green Bay.
And when he has played, it’s been a mixed bag. There have been a handful of encouraging stretches, but the full body of work isn’t close to what the Vikings hoped for. In six starts, he’s 2-4 with a 54.1% completion rate, 929 yards, six touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
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In this league, flashes don’t get you very far if they don’t last four quarters. Right now, it’s clear he’s still learning on the job. If Minnesota actually pursues Daniel Jones or Aaron Rodgers, McCarthy better hope it’s Rodgers. Jones isn’t signing a one-year patch job, not with the way he’s played in Indianapolis.
If he lands in Minnesota, he’s coming in as the starter for a while, and McCarthy would slide into a backup role with no guaranteed path back. And at this point, it’s hard to imagine another team handing him a starting job.
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Rodgers, on the other hand, would likely arrive on a one-year deal, and that would almost certainly be his final lap in the league. That scenario gives McCarthy a mentor, one of the best to ever play the position, and a chance to sit, watch, and reset.
Kevin O’Connell has always tilted toward long-term thinking, and it’s tough to picture him hitching his plans to a 42-year-old quarterback. Either way, any move in that direction would be a major blow to McCarthy’s trajectory.
Marcus Freeman Potential Candidate to Replace Browns’ Stefanski
The Cleveland Browns might be looking for a new quarterback and a new head coach come next spring if things continue as they have through 12 games this season.
Cleveland in 3-9 and still has zero answers offensively. Zac Jackson of The Athletic outlined why new starting QB Shedeur Sanders deserves a bit more time to prove himself as a viable option, while the rest of the offense — including head coach Kevin Stefanski — does not.
“The story of the day is that the Browns are just bad, have completely wasted a strong defense and embarrassed themselves versus the 49ers,” Jackson wrote November 30. “Last year’s Browns went 3-14 with a horrible offense, a quarterback carousel and long-term worries about roster quality in important areas. This year’s Browns are similar in many ways and worse at punt coverage. This offense stinks out loud, even with Sanders showing some level of promise and [tight end Harold] Fannin and running back Quinshon Judkins putting up strong numbers.”
Quick turnarounds are possible in the NFL, particularly given the parity. Mike Vrabel has the New England Patriots (11-2) with the best record in the league, while fellow first-year head coach Ben Johnson has the recently hapless Chicago Bears (9-3) currently holding onto the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The Browns field one of the better defenses in the sport and have some pieces on offense. As such, hiring the right coach who can find the right QB could have Cleveland competing in a real way come next season, or 2027 at the latest.
It is possible that Marcus Freeman, the lead man at Notre Dame, could be that guy.
Marcus Freeman Getting NFL Buzz Ahead of 2026 Season
Browns fans will no doubt be familiar with Freeman, who has coached the Fighting Irish back to relevancy just a four-hour jaunt down Interstate 80.
Notre Dame is currently projected as the No. 10 seed in the College Football Playoff, per ESPN, and has won 10 games in a row following two consecutive losses to ranked opponents to begin the year. The team made it to the CFP title game last season, losing to Ohio State by in the championship.
Freeman, 39, coached one game in 2021 and took over full-time head duties the following season. He is 43-12 at Notre Dame and 5-2 in bowl games, including three wins last postseason.
“NFL teams, including the Bears last year, have inquired about Freeman in recent years amidst his meteoric rise in coaching, from his first [graduate assistant] job at his alma mater (Ohio State) in 2010 to his appointment as head coach of one of college football’s most iconic programs (Notre Dame) 11 years later,” Tom Pelissero of NFL Network wrote on November 19. “He’s an engaging presence who will win the interview — if and when he’s willing to take one.”
Cleveland Media Calling for Kevin Stefanski’s Job
Stefanski, meanwhile, is 43-53 with the Browns over a six-year span. Cleveland is also 1-2 in two trips to the playoffs on his watch.
Media members in Cleveland have been on Stefanski all season, first for his handling of the quarterback situation and delayed decision to play Sanders, and now some like Tony Rizzo are outright calling for his job.
“Folks, I’m going to tell you something right now. I know owners of sports teams who would have fired these people on the spot yesterday. Enough. Enough of this. You have to be out of your mind to watch this garbage. The Browns are garbage,” Rizzo said Monday on ESPN Cleveland. “How in the hell does Stefanski have a job? … I’m done with everybody. Get out, everybody.”
The Browns have two first-round picks in next year’s draft, theirs and one from the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Cleveland’s own selection should end up somewhere in the top 10. That will put the Browns in prime position to move up in the draft for a top signal-caller in a much deeper class than existed in 2025, during which the team selected two rookie QBs.
If Stefanski is unlikely to finish next season as the head coach absent a drastic turnaround, then logic dictates the Browns move on from him after this year and let his successor — be that Freeman or some other new coach — make the call on the team’s next swing at a franchise quarterback.
It’s getting close to crunch time in the NFL season. Here are 5 things to watch from a loaded Week 14
Week 14 of the NFL season is here, and suddenly everything feels a little heavier.
For some teams, it’s win or wave goodbye to the playoffs. For others, it’s a chance to grab hold of their destiny before the calendar flips to crunch time.
Either way, the stakes are real — and rising fast.
Here are five things to know heading into a loaded Week 14:
Chiefs’ last stand
If the postseason started today, the Chiefs wouldn’t just miss the playoffs – they wouldn’t even be close. At 6-6, Kansas City sits 10th in the AFC, trailing the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6), Houston Texans (7-5) and Buffalo Bills (8-4) for the final wild card spot.
Sunday night against Houston is as close to a “must-win” as the Patrick Mahomes era has seen. A loss drops the Chiefs to 6-7 and hands the Texans the head-to-head tiebreaker. Kansas City has already lost tiebreakers to the Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars, so the margin for error is basically gone.
And this isn’t great timing for a must win if you’re KC. Houston’s defense – powered by Will Anderson Jr. and Derek Stingley Jr. – ranks No. 1 in yards allowed and points allowed per game. The Texans don’t just stop you. They smother you.
Can Mahomes muster enough magic for one last stand? The Chiefs have reached at least the AFC championship game every year he’s been the starter. The last time Kansas City missed the playoffs was 2015.
The dynasty’s back is officially against the wall.
AFC South showdown
The Indianapolis Colts opened the season red hot at 8-1. Now? They’ve dropped three of four and are watching the division slip through their fingers. A loss Sunday to Jacksonville could knock Indy out of first place and potentially out of the playoff picture entirely if the Texans win.
Quarterback Daniel Jones is still battling through a fractured fibula but plans to play. But how well will Jones be able to move around? His mobility was a big reason for the Colts’ hot start.
For the Jaguars, this is one of the biggest home games in recent memory. A win puts them firmly in control of the AFC South before a Christmas-week rematch in Indianapolis. Jacksonville has only won the division twice in its history: 2017 and 2022.
Bears vs. Packers: A rivalry with extra spice
When the Bears and Green Bay Packers renew their rivalry Sunday at Lambeau Field, Chicago has a chance to make history.
In more than a century of battles, the Bears have never won at Lambeau twice in the same calendar year; Chicago beat the Packers on January 5 to end last season.
Green Bay leads the all-time series 107-95-6, but this meeting comes with even more on the line: first place in the NFC North.
The Bears enter on their first five-game winning streak since 2018, and Ben Johnson’s debut season could not be going better. Chicago hasn’t felt this energized since the team’s Super Bowl run nearly two decades ago.
The Packers, meanwhile, are rested and riding momentum after a 31-24 Thanksgiving win over the Detroit Lions. These two teams will be sick of each other by Christmas – Sunday is the first of two matchups in the next three weeks.
Burrow’s Bengals are back (maybe)
Joe Burrow returned last week for the first time since his Week 2 toe injury – and immediately delivered a shocker, leading the Cincinnati Bengals to a 32-14 Thanksgiving night upset of the Baltimore Ravens.
Because the AFC North is currently the worst division in football – no team has a winning record – the 4-8 Bengals are somehow still alive. Barely. To make the playoffs, Cincinnati likely needs to run the table.
That starts with their toughest remaining test: a trip to Buffalo to face the Bills. After that, the schedule softens – Ravens at home, then the Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns.
It’s been a chaotic season in Cincy, but if Burrow rattles off six straight to get the Bengals to 9-8 and into the postseason, it’ll be one of the wildest turnarounds in recent memory.
Ravens vs. Steelers: Old rivals, new questions
The Ravens and Steelers enter Sunday deadlocked at 6-6 and locked in what feels like a season-defining showdown in the AFC North.
Steelers fans weren’t shy about their frustrations last week, booing the team off the field after a 26-7 loss to the Bills – Pittsburgh’s fifth defeat in the past seven games. Mike Tomlin didn’t dodge it, saying he agreed with the fans and the team “has to play better.”
Aaron Rodgers turned 42 this week, and the hits he took on Sunday made him look every bit of it. He’s dealing with an injured non-throwing wrist, and over his past three games he’s totaled just 394 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Is a late-season Rodgers revival still possible? The Steelers desperately need one. Otherwise, their season – and maybe the division – could slip away in Baltimore.
Ravens fans, meanwhile, are still trying to figure out what’s going on with Lamar Jackson. The two-time MVP threw just one touchdown in the entire month of November and never looked fully comfortable. Is he more banged up than the team is letting on?
Baltimore will need a vintage Lamar performance if the Ravens want to beat Pittsburgh on Sunday and keep the Bengals at arm’s length in the AFC North.
Full Week 14 schedule
Away @ home
Thursday
Dallas Cowboys @ Detroit Lions, 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday
Tennessee Titans @ Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m. ET
Seattle Seahawks @ Atlanta Falcons, 1 p.m. ET
Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m. ET
Washington Commanders @ Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m. ET
Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo Bills, 1 p.m. ET
New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 p.m. ET
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m. ET
Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets, 1 p.m. ET
Denver Broncos @ Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Rams @ Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 p.m. ET
Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET
Houston Texans @ Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday
Philadelphia Eagles @ Los Angeles Chargers, 8:15 p.m. ET
NFL quarterback accuracy: Ranking all 32 starters by bad-target percentage in 2025
CLEVELAND, Ohio — There are a number of ways to do quarterback rankings. Usually, it’s based off the eye test, or how many team wins their play led to.
We’ll do things a little differently this time around.
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Kevin Stefanski on preparing for the Titans, Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and more: Transcript
We are going to rank the top 32 NFL starting quarterbacks based off percentage of bad throws.
Every pass isn’t crisp.For every handful of on-target attempts, there is an off-target attempt.
We’ll rank quarterbacks using data from Pro Football Reference, which displays the percentage of poor throws, while excluding spikes and throwaways.
Note: Quarterbacks must have either started half or more of their team’s games through Week 13, or they’re the current starter, and are likely to remain the starter going forward.
QB rankings by bad-target %
J.J. McCarthy
It has been a tough season for McCarthy.
Injury-riddled, lack of wins, and the worst percentage for bad-target passes (24.4%), per Pro Football Reference.
Despite only playing six games, McCarthy’s lack of on-target passes has shown itself in various forms.
From tying for fourth in interceptions (10) to the worst quarterback rating among quarterbacks in the rankings above (24.4).
Daniel Jones
People are still trying to figure out if the credit of Daniel Jones’ rejuvenated season pertains to his work ethic or the Colts’ system in place.
It’s subjective. But the one area Jones definitely holds his own in is within his efficient passing.
Jones currently ranks fourth in lowest bad-target passing rate (12.1%), per Pro Football Reference.
Since entering the NFL in 2019, Jones’ current rate is on track to be his career-best.
His tendency for giveaways in the past stemmed from a higher rate of off-target passes, which contributed to his 22 combined interceptions in his first two years in the league.
Jones put the work in to better his efficiency on passes and it’s led to ranking eighth in completion percentage (67.9%), fifth in passing yards (3,041), and tying for seventh in touchdowns (19).
Spencer Rattler
Some outsiders were surprised when Spencer Rattler beat Tyler Shough, New Orleans’ 40th overall pick, for the starting job.
It’s understandable. The then-rookie Rattler struggled and hadn’t even won a game as a starter.
Yet, there were components that Rattler improved in.
And despite losing the starting job going into Week 9, Rattler still holds the second spot for lowest bad-target percentage (11.0%).
It’s actually a big jump from his rookie year rate of 18.2%, per Pro Football Reference.
And if anything, it’s overlapped in a couple other areas.
Such as his completion percentage jumping from 57.0% his rookie year to a present-day rate of 68.0%, which is seventh among all quarterbacks.
His rookie year, he averaged 2.79 seconds in the pocket. This year, Rattler has the seventh fastest time to throw (2.66 seconds), per Pro Football Focus.
Rattler’s bad-target percentage decreased because of the tangibles he wasn’t perfecting. And though he still has work to do, Rattler’s visibly made progress.
Geno Smith
Analytics can be funny sometimes.
Despite Geno Smith tying for first in interceptions (14), his bad-target percentage of throws is the lowest among all quarterbacks (10.5%).
The interceptions would usually paint a picture of a quarterback making wild throws and just giving it to the other team.
Furthermore, Smith ranks 20th in passing yards (211.0), 31st in completed air yards (4.1) and 32nd in quarterback rating (30.8).
Yet, the Las Vegas quarterback actually holds a higher on-target rate than some might expect.
His passes, per the data, are on point to his target more times than not.
In fact, Smith’s 77.9% on-target percentage is seventh among all quarterbacks, per Pro Football Reference.
While his 10.5% bad-target rate is currently his second-lowest rate through a full season, with his first coming last year at 10.4%.
So if anything, when Smith’s pass is not on-target, it’s most likely an interception.
That’s a dangerous dilemma for a quarterback. No middle ground, just two sides of a coin and nothing in between.
That is more than likely what’s contributed to the Raiders entering Week 14 one of four teams with two or fewer wins.
Full list of Week 14 straight-up picks with confidence levels
The playoff push is officially upon us. The NFL has passed Thanksgiving and moved into December, which means we only have five weeks left in the regular season. Nobody can clinch a playoff berth this weekend, but we’re quickly approaching playoff scenario season.
We did not see a ton of huge upsets, but underdogs had a strong weekend. On Thanksgiving, all three underdogs won their matchups, with the Packers, Cowboys, and Bengals all winning. The Bears secured a huge road win over the Eagles, and that coupled with the Rams loss to the Panthers means we head into Week 14 with Chicago sitting atop the NFC.
Last week was a down week for overall entertainment value, with Sunday in particular being a bit down aside from the Panthers wild win over the Rams. This week, we get a sizable load of matchups with playoff implicatios. Games involving two teams with at least .500 records include Cowboys-Lions on Thursday Night Football, Colts-Jaguars, Steelers-Ravens, Bears-Packers, and Texans-Chiefs on Sunday, and Eagles-Chargers wrapping things up on Monday Night Football.
I’m back after a week that turned out better than expected in spite of some ugly losses. In my weekly confidence picks, I was 2-2 with my high confidence picks, but more than made up for that with my 3-0 low confidence picks. I hit my two upsets, picking the Packers and Jets to win. I was 6-3 on my medium confidence picks, resulting in an 11-5 week.
On to my Week 14 picks!
Buccaneers over Saints
Packers over Bears
Rams over Cardinals
Lions over Cowboys
Seahawks over Falcons
Broncos over Raiders
Ravens over Steelers
Eagles over Chargers
Chiefs over Texans
Dolphins over Jets
Commaners over Vikings***
Jaguars over Colts***
Bills over Bengals
Browns over Titans
Rob Gronkowski Accuses NFL Refs of Ruining Patriots’ 10-0 Streak Against Broncos With Bad Calls In 2015
Even by their own ridiculous standards, the New England Patriots were rolling toward something special in 2015. 10-0 record, playing clean football, winning close ones, looking every bit like a team capable of running the table. Then came Denver and a 30-24 overtime loss in Week 12 that still gnaws at a few people inside that old locker room. Rob Gronkowski, for one, hasn’t let it go.
And he believes it was the questionable refereeing that put an end to their streak.
“We were 10-0, then we lost to the Broncos, which was kind of a BS loss,” Gronk said on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams. “I mean, there were a couple of penalties that went against us. That kind of ruined the streak. We were kind of iffy from there on out after that.”
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Back then, the game devolved into a debate about the officiating. For instance, a defensive holding call on Patrick Chung erased what would’ve been a huge sack in the fourth quarter. Instead of third-and-goal from the 15, the Broncos got a new set of downs and punched in the go-ahead touchdown.
But it wasn’t the call that ‘Gronk’ still gets angry about. His moment came on the third-and-5 in the fourth quarter, when he picked up a 10-yard gain… only to see it wiped out by an offensive pass interference flag. New England punted a snap later. It was the fifth time he had been hit with OPI that season. It was the most in the league that year, and even then, he was publicly wondering why the calls kept finding him.
Gronkowski believed that he was being targeted with all those pass interference calls, and he even tweeted “Agree” on an article making that exact point.
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Patriots fans haven’t forgotten that game either. They watched a perfect season flicker away in a fourth quarter filled with whistles. You’ll still hear arguments about which call was worse: Chung’s hold or the OPI on Gronk. The answer would depend on whom you ask, really.
And yes, all those penalties were just part of a larger, messy night in Denver.
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Why was the loss to the Broncos so difficult for the Patriots?
The Patriots’ first loss of the 2015 season was more than a mark in the standings. It felt like a night when everything that could tilt against New England did. Denver offered the full menu: a loud road crowd, weather that shifted by the minute, shaky officiating, and another key player going down for the Patriots at the worst time.
Snow games tend to invite weird outcomes, and this one fit the bill. The forecast called for a light coating, an inch or two at most, but nothing showed until kickoff. Once it started, it didn’t let up. The field was already painted white during the second quarter. By the time the teams came out for the third, footing was an adventure, and visibility wasn’t any better.
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And then came the moment that mattered more than the calls that frustrated everyone. Late in regulation, Rob Gronkowski took a low shot to the knee and stayed down. He was carted off, ruled out immediately.
The Patriots had already lost Dion Lewis for the season. Julian Edelman was out as well. Danny Amendola was sidelined. New England had been thinning out on offense for weeks, and Gronkowski going down pushed them to the edge. The loss had consequences beyond that night.
The Patriots and Broncos finished the season tied at 12–4, but Denver owned the head-to-head tiebreaker because of this game. That was the difference between the No. 1 seed and the No. 2.
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And when the Patriots dropped their regular-season finale in Miami, that margin became definitive. The Broncos rode it all the way to a Lombardi.
And you can’t help but ask the familiar question in New England: if that snowy evening in Denver had panned out even a little differently, would the rest of the 2015 season look the same?
Every Week 14 window has a high-stakes game
Sometimes, the schedule set in May results in a late-season clunker or two. Sometimes, the NFL nails it.
For Week 14, the schedule couldn;t get much better.
Here’s the key. Each of the five windows for the weekend has a game with very high stakes.
It begins tonight, with the surprisingly surging 6-5-1 Cowboys facing the suddenly slumping 7-5 Lions. Both desperately need a win to remain viable in the chase for their respective division titles, or for one of the three NFC wild-cards. The loser won’t be eliminated, but it will get dicey. For the Lions, 11-6 should be good enough. For the Cowboys, however, a loss would make their best possible record 10-6-1. Anyone with an 11-6 record (obviously) would jump them, without the application of a single tiebreaker.
On Sunday, the 1:00 p.m. ET window has three must-watch games. The 6-6 Steelers visit the 6-6 Ravens for first place in the AFC North. (They play again in Week 18.) The 8-4 Colts, who haven’t won in Jacksonville since 2014, play the 8-4 Jaguars for first place in the AFC South. (The rematch happens in Week 17.) And the 4-8 Bengals, whose slim chances of jumping the Steelers and Ravens are hanging by a thread, visit 8-4 Buffalo, which could still jump for the playoff table — and miss.
At 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, the 9-3-1 Bears and the 8-3-1 Packers renew the NFL’s oldest rivalry at Lambeau Field, with round two set for a Saturday night only 13 days later. It’s the most significant home-and-home for Chicago and Green Bay since the merger, and the biggest game between them since the 2010 NFC Championship.
Rarely are both teams good this late in the season. From the early 1970s through 1988, the Packers were more often than not non-contenders. From 1990 on, the Bears only had sporadic high-level seasons. This year, the black-and-blue planets have aligned perfectly.
On Sunday night, the Texans return to Arrowhead Stadium, where they lost twice in less than a month last season. On a Saturday night in December, Houston kept it within one score, 27-19. In the divisional round of the playoffs, the 23-14 outcome was uncomfortably close for the three-time AFC Champions.
Now, the Texans have won four in a row to get to 7-5. And the Chiefs, at 6-6, have slipped into “run the table” mode. With the first game coming against arguably the best defense in the league.
It all ends on Monday night, when the 8-4 Eagles visit the 8-4 Chargers. Philly has sputtered for weeks on offense, and the Chargers have shown a propensity to step into a periodic pothole. If the Cowboys start Week 14 with a win, the Eagles will be at risk of seeing their lead in the NFC East slip to a half game, 8-5 vs. 7-5-1.
So, yes, December is coming in like a lion. Hopefully, it will go out like a Tyrannosaurus Rex, with four weekends of NFL action setting the stage for one of the craziest final weekends of the regular season we’ve ever seen to start 2026.
What channel is Cowboys vs Lions on today? Time, odds for NFL Week 14
The Dallas Cowboys head to Detroit to take on the Lions in this week’s
Week 14 NFL Survivor pool strategy with safe, value, trap picks
The NFL has made it through Thanksgiving and we’re coming into the home stretch of the 2025-26 regular season. There are five weeks remaining and that means your favorite team is hopefully firming up its playoff position, and you are maybe still battling it out in the closing stages of a Survivor pool.
Last week, I was dealt a crushing defeat thanks to the Rams. I was one of the final 11 entries in a pool of 345. Two got knocked out picking the Eagles over the Bears on Friday. I listed Rams over Panthers as a strong value pick in my column last week. That turned out poorly as the Rams never could quite get things going. Matthew Stafford was a turnover machine, and their defense could not get the stops they needed.
I have two entries in a double-elimination pool where I’m down a strike with each. I took the Dolphins value pick and also rolled the dice with what felt like a trap pick in the Chargers over the Raiders. Those both panned out, so I remain alive heading into Week 14.
Safest picks
Rams over Cardinals
The Rams burned me, but it feels like a nearly obvious result that they handle their business this week. A divisional game pick is not ideal, but I think the Rams bounce back handily.
Best value picks
Bucs over Saints
Seahawks over Falcons
Another divisional pick, but the Saints are awful. Maybe it ends up close, but this is the week you take the Bucs if you have not yet. Their remaining four games against the Falcons, Panthers, Dolphins, and Panthers are all tough ones and the value isn’t there.
The Falcons can be dangerously inconsistent. I think Seattle handles their business, but this could be a game where you’re on the edge of your seat. Seattle has value because I don’t think you use them the rest of the way against the Colts, Rams, Panthers, or 49ers.
Trap picks
Broncos over Raiders
The Broncos keep winning in spite of themselves. There’s not much value left on their schedule (Packers, Jaguars, Chiefs, Chargers), so if you do want to fire them off, this would be the week. But of all the divisional games on the schedule, this is the one I would probably avoid.
Lakers Hit With Reality Check on Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade
The Los Angeles Lakers don’t have the pieces to pull off a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, reckons former NBA player Chandler Parsons.
During Wednesday’s episode of “Run it Back” on Fan Duel TV, Parsons felt that a package built on Austin Reaves won’t be enough to woo the Milwaukee Bucks. Reaves added that the Knicks are in a far better position to pull off a deal with the Bucks.
“The Lakers have nothing that the Bucks will want for Giannis,” Parsons said.
“I guess Austin Reaves would be good, but I’d rather have an All-Star caliber player KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns] from the Knicks and [Mikal] Bridges or someone like that.”
“It’s physically impossible for the Lakers,” added Parsons. “I just don’t see it. I don’t see the pieces coming back to equal Giannis… don’t see this happening.”
Austin Reaves, a Free Agent
It’s worth noting that, since Reaves has the option to be an unrestricted free agent in 2026, the Bucks may not have interest in him unless he and his representation express interest in playing in Milwaukee. As such, he’s likely off the table in a potential deal.
Parsons stressed that teams such as the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and even the Oklahoma City Thunder are better-positioned to pull off a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade due to the abundance of draft picks and young players at their disposal.
The Spurs could potentially build a package around Dyland Harper and/or Stephon Castle, along with multiple first-round picks. The Rockets could similarly build a package around Reed Sheppard or Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and picks.
The Lakers, meanwhile, have only one tradeable first-round pick.
Spurs to Be ‘Aggressive’
Incidentally, the Spurs are fascinated with the idea of pairing Antetokounmpo with franchise star Victor Wembanyama. According to the Dallas Hoops Journal, the Spurs will “aggressively” pursue a potential deal for the two-time MVP.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Antetokounmpo’s days in Milwaukee could be numbered. On Tuesday, the NBA insider reported that Antetokounmpo’s representation began “active talks” with the Bucks on his future with the franchise.
“Giannis Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, are having conversations with the Milwaukee Bucks about the two-time NBA MVP’s future — and discussing whether his best fit is staying or a move elsewhere, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
“A resolution to these talks is expected in the coming weeks, sources said, which will shape whether Antetokounmpo is available ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.”
You don’t need to have fun at work-take it from NBA head coach Joe Mazzulla: ‘Fun is a cop-out’
“I struggle with that, to be honest with you,” Mazzulla said. “I think everyone has a different definition of fun, and you have to find one as a team. I think fun’s a cop-out sometimes when things aren’t going well, everyone likes to say, ‘Well, let’s just have fun.’ Well, what does that mean, you know? So you have to define what fun looks like as a team and you have to go after that. But that phrase can be a cop-out sometimes. So as you get older, kid, don’t use it. You know? ‘I just want to have fun.’ Well, what does that mean?”
The comments, which sparked broader discussions about the role of enjoyment in professional settings, aren’t particularly surprising coming from Mazzulla, whose emotionless nature on the sidelines—never too high, or too low—is well-documented. (Mazzulla’s intensity, including his eccentric practice methods and his esoteric love of things such as European soccer, mixed martial arts and even jiu-jitsu, is also widely known in NBA circles.)
Days later, in an interview with The Athletic, Mazzulla elaborated on his complicated relationship with happiness. “Just in general, I don’t get joy from winning,” Mazzulla said. “Not even a championship … I get the most joy and fulfillment when I feel like it was done right, regardless of if we’ve won or lost. And that’s really it. I’ve left the arena after wins being empty and pissed off.”
This philosophy runs contrary to a growing body of workplace research suggesting fun enhances productivity. A study from the University of Warwick found happy employees were 12% more productive than their less satisfied peers, while research from BrightHR suggested 79% of employees believe workplace fun contributes to increased output. Gallup has also linked engaged, satisfied workers to a 21% rise in organizational profitability.
Yet, Mazzulla’s results are difficult to argue with. He holds a 190-71 regular-season record as Boston’s head coach and guided the Celtics to their record 18th NBA championship in 2024—their first title in 16 years—at age 35, making him the youngest coach to win a championship since (the great Celtic) Bill Russell in 1969. The Celtics went 64-18 that season en route to the title, then followed that up with 61 wins the next season.
Academic research does suggest nuance in the fun-at-work equation. A 2022 study published in Cogent Psychology found that while workplace fun can function as a job resource that activates engagement, its effectiveness depends on context and employee trust. Other research has shown that some individuals react cynically to mandated fun activities, viewing them as “artificial and unauthentic attempts to build unity.”
You can watch Mazzulla’s candid response to the young reporter’s question below.
NASCAR Classic: Relive Dale Earnhardt’s Infamous 6-Word Excuse After Dumping Terry Labonte
NASCAR’s short-track racing action has been unmatched by any other ovals or speedways. It’s a spectacle for race fans to see cars go bumper to bumper and churn out laps while conserving their tires. For some, this is the purest form of stock car racing, and it’s certainly entertaining. However, the 1999 Bristol Night Race is the one that stands out from the rest.
After 1992, the track at the half-mile Bristol was paved with concrete to replace the asphalt, and ever since, this surface has produced some iconic races. The night race from 1999 is famously known as the “cage rattler,” largely because Dale Earnhardt was at the center of a legendary race finish.
Back in the day, Bristol race wasn’t a part of the playoffs. Well, to be fair, NASCAR didn’t have the playoffs. But despite this, the night race at Thunder Valley was a big TV event for race fans.
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Earnhardt didn’t have the best of the qualifying rounds and started 26th. This also meant that he would have to settle for a backstretch pit stall, which was a big disadvantage. But the driver of the #3 Chevy didn’t hold back and mounted a charge. He worked his way up the field, and by Lap 380, he managed to take the lead for the first time.
He wasn’t uncontested. Terry Labonte swapped the lead with Earnhardt multiple times as laps kept ticking to set up late race theatrics. However, after a fierce battle, Labonte got clear of his rival and looked to be on his way to a win. But then came the late caution flag. Instead of racing back to the line under caution, the HMS driver let his foot off the gas and got tagged by Darrell Waltrip. He was spinning on the track and lost the lead for the win.
Labonte was forced to make a call now as his lead just vanished in a split second. He opted for four tires under caution and restarted in fifth place. The guy leading the field was Earnhardt with just 10 laps to go. Committed to getting his lead back, Labonte charged through the field. He passed Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, and even got by Tony Stewart on the next lap. The only car in front of him was the #3 Chevy, and time wasn’t Labonte’s best ally.
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With just 2 to go, he nudged Earnhardt in Turn 3 and got by him in Turn 4 while taking the white flag. Tires played a big role as Earnhardt was on the older tires, and he knew he only had one shot to beat Labonte. Going into Turn 1, the Intimidator just spun the #5 HMS Chevy car and caused a big pile-up.
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Earnhardt took the checkered flag, and what followed next has to be the most iconic post-race interviews of all time. ESPN’s Jerry Punch asked Dale to share his thoughts on the closing laps of the race. To this, the RCR driver responded, “Terry got into me in the middle of 3 and 4. I was gonna get back to him and just rattle him. I wasn’t going to wreck him. But I got to him and turned him around. Didn’t mean to turn him around.”
Then came the kicker: Earnhardt followed this up with, “Meant to rattle his cage, though.”
Years later, Labonte confessed he had planned to T-Bone the #3 car during Earnhardt’s victory lap in Bristol. The only thing that kept Labonte from retaliating against his rival was a mechanical malfunction. However, in the heat of the moment and after a failed wreck attempt, Labonte played it cool in the post-race interview.
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“Wasn’t my night, I passed him down the front straight-away, and he hit me in the corner down there in 1 and 2 and turned me around. That’s about it,” Labonte said. It was a memorable night of Bristol racing, and the announcer Bob Jenkins knew that this was going to be etched in NASCAR history. “They’ll talk about this one for a long time.”
NASCAR accused of being a monopolistic bully in federal antitrust case
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Front Row Motorsports owner Bob Jenkins was back on the stand Thursday to testify on the fourth day of the explosive antitrust case that accuses NASCAR of being a monopolistic bully in violation of federal antitrust laws.
Jenkins began his testimony Wednesday and the fast-food franchiser said he was a passionate NASCAR fan who fulfilled a longtime dream when he was finally able to own a car in the top motorsports series in the United States.
But he said he has lost $100 million since becoming a team owner in the early 2000s and that’s even with a 2001 victory in the Daytona 500. His love of the sport and belief that it can be profitable have kept him going, but what he believes is a no-win revenue model led Front Row to join 23XI Racing in a federal lawsuit against NASCAR.
23XI is owned by Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. Jordan has the funding to fight NASCAR and Jenkins joined the battle when he became offended by NASCAR’s “take-it-or-leave-it” offer on charter agreements.
A charter is the equivalent of the franchise model used by other sports leagues, but in NASCAR it guarantees a team a spot in the field for all 38 races plus a designated percentage of revenue. Front Row was one of the teams that received two charters for free when NASCAR created the system in 2016 and Jenkins thought the agreements were lousy then — but a step in the right direction.
All 15 Sprint Cup organizations fought for more than two years for better terms on the charter extensions that began this year. But when NASCAR’s final offer was presented at 6 p.m. on a Friday last year with six hours to sign the 112-page document, Jenkins balked because it went “virtually backward in so many ways.
“It was insulting, it went so far backward,” he testified Wednesday. “NASCAR wanted to run the governance with an iron fist, it was like taxation without representation. NASCAR has the right to do whatever it wants.”
He said he was “honestly very hurt” by the sequence of events and believed NASCAR “knew we had to blindly sign it. Some of these owners have $500-$600 million facilities, long-term sponsors. They couldn’t walk away from that.”
Jenkins testified that Joe Gibbs personally apologized to Jenkins for signing the deal, and most owners reluctantly signed the agreement.
“Not a single owner said, ‘I was happy to sign it.’ Not a single one,” he testified. “100% of the owners think the charter system is good,” Jenkins said. “The charter agreement is not.”
Front Row and 23XI were the only two organizations out of 15 that refused to sign and instead went to court in a trial that could completely rework NASCAR’s framework.
The extensions ended more than two years of bitter negotiations in which neither NASCAR or the teams budged.
Team losses
NASCAR executive vice president in charge of strategy Scott Prime testified Wednesday that a study he worked on as a consultant found the longevity of the sport was in danger if NASCAR didn’t act to improve the health of their race teams.
Prime said NASCAR became concerned about the threat of a breakaway stock car series during 2024 charter negotiations.
Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for the teams, told the jury Monday that over a three-year period almost $400 million was paid to the France Family Trust and a 2023 evaluation by Goldman Sachs found NASCAR to be worth $5 billion. The pretrial discovery process revealed NASCAR made more than $100 million in 2024.
NASCAR contends it is doing nothing wrong and has not restrained trade or commerce by its teams. The series says the original charters were given for free to teams when the system was created in 2016 and the demand for them created a market of $1.5 billion in equity for chartered organizations.
The new charter agreement upped the guaranteed money for every chartered car to $12.5 million in annual revenue, from $9 million. But Hamlin and Jenkins have both testified it costs $20 million to bring a single car to the track for all 38 races and that figure does not include any overhead, operating costs or a driver’s salary.
Both testified they don’t have the ability to slash costs and teams are too reliant on outside sponsorship to survive.
“It’s offensive to say I’ve overspent. We have a model that works for us,” Jenkins testified. “I have never turned a profit. And it’s not from malpractice. The level we compete at is just so expensive.”
Prime testified as much and noted in his consulting role he discovered in 2014 that teams lost a combined $85 million, or an average of $1.3 million a car. He also learned that under the system before charters, when cars had to qualify for a race based on speed, a team would lose $700,000 if it failed to make the field.
The trial is expected to last two weeks with Jordan, Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske still set to testify. Jordan has been in court each day and is occasionally demonstrative, either laughing at funny remarks or shaking his head at testimony he disagrees with.
NASCAR is owned and operated by the France family, which founded the series in 1948.
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NASCAR Trial Turns to Scott Prime as Emails Reveal Internal Tensions
The NASCAR trial in Charlotte, North Carolina, has continued to reveal how the company handles its charter system and how teams say the process limits their power. The case, led by Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, centers on claims that NASCAR pressures teams into unfair charter deals.
Jury selection earlier in the week of the NASCAR trial removed people who showed clear bias, including fans of Jordan. Opening statements focused on the teams’ lack of alternatives outside NASCAR. Denny Hamlin also testified and talked about the financial strain the current model creates.
By the third day, the attention of the NASCAR trial turned toward internal emails and recorded comments from NASCAR executive Scott Prime.
Scott Prime Pressed on Warnings and the Structure of the System
In testimony reported by Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, Prime said that during his time at McKinsey, he wrote a 2014 report raising “concerns over the longevity of the sport” if team finances did not improve. That report suggested a “medallion” concept, which later became NASCAR’s charter system.
Jeffrey Kessler argued that teams still lacked negotiating strength, pointing to a 2019 request from a team for a better business model. According to Gluck’s reporting, Prime responded on the stand by saying, “We presented the offer, and they accepted it.”
Kessler then stated that teams had “nowhere else to go,” and Gluck wrote that Prime answered, “NASCAR is the premier stock car racing series today, yes.”
Emails, Hardball Options, and Internal Tension
Prime sent an email during the 2024 charter negotiations calling the teams’ demands “quite disappointing.” The teams said that if NASCAR did not agree, they would be “forced to recommit our energy to exploring all our options.” Gluck reported that the message raised concerns inside NASCAR leadership about a possible breakaway series.
Prime’s email laid out possible NASCAR actions, including reducing the number of charters, setting a hard deadline, rewriting charter terms, or even dissolving the charter system. Gluck reported that then-president Steve Phelps replied, “They are playing with fire. Pick a date, and they can sign or lose their charters. It is that simple.”
Kessler argued this language showed monopoly power. Gluck wrote that NASCAR did later issue a take-it-or-leave-it offer on September 6, 2024. Prime had previously described that type of approach as “a gun to your head,” though Gluck noted he said he did not support using it.
Internal tension also came up in court. According to Jeff Gluck, Prime wrote a text saying, “No bueno with Jim on charters… it was a brick wall,” referring to NASCAR chairman Jim France. When asked what France wanted, Prime replied, “I don’t know what he wanted.”
The “goodwill provision” also came under question. Kessler said it operated like a non-compete, since even a minority owner of 10 percent could not join or invest in another stock car series for more than a year. When asked whether he believed it was goodwill, Prime answered, “I do.”
IP Limits, Revenue Debate, and What Comes Next
Prime had previously written that removing intellectual-property protections for the Next Gen car “increases risk… of the creation of a copycat series.” The court also heard Prime say that the rules preventing teams from using the Next Gen car outside NASCAR were standard and, in his words, “It was never an issue with the teams.”
Gluck also reported Prime’s comments against permanent charters. On the stand, he said, “You can’t write a contract today that’s going to last forever.”
Bubba Wallace & Toyota Deliver Life-Changing Miracle on National TV in Emotional BGCA Reveal
The last few weeks in NASCAR have felt like a courtroom drama with no commercial breaks. Lawsuits, charter fights, executives on the stand, drivers tweeting when their lawyers are asleep. It has been heavy, tense, and sometimes downright ugly. Everyone needed a breath of fresh air. And right then, Bubba Wallace walked onto the TODAY Show set with Toyota and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and gave everyone exactly that.
Wallace and Toyota turn a morning show into a surprise party
At first, it looked like a standard celebrity guest segment, where Wallace was smiling in a sharp jacket, a shiny Toyota Tundra parked on set, a bed covered in toys. Then the real magic happened. Wallace and Toyota handed over the keys to that truck, a mountain of gifts, and most importantly, a check for $265,000 to a local Boys and Girls Club.
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The kids lost their minds. The staff cried. The hosts teared up. Wallace just stood there with the biggest grin, soaking it all in. That money is not just a nice photo op number. It is new programs, hot meals, safe places after school, college scholarships, and a thousand little things that turn hard days into hopeful ones. The truck means kids who could not get to the club before now can.
The toys mean Christmas came early for families who thought it might not come at all. Bubba Wallace has been quietly doing work like this for years through his Live to Be Different foundation, but teaming up with Toyota and putting it on national television took it to another level.
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Millions of people watched a race car driver use his spotlight not to talk about himself, but to change lives. In a week when the sport has been arguing over millions in court, Wallace and Toyota handed a quarter million dollars straight to kids who needed it most. No lawyers, no fine print, just pure good.
It was the kind of moment that cuts through all the noise. Fans who have been stressed about charters and contracts suddenly remembered why they fell in love with racing in the first place: the people. One segment showed the whole country that NASCAR drivers can do a lot more than turn left. They can turn hearts, too.
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Ultimately, Wallace’s gesture was a big, warm, feel-good reminder that racing is still full of good people doing great things.
And while he was making kids scream with joy on morning TV, Dale Earnhardt Jr was on a podcast asking NASCAR to make fans scream with excitement at Daytona and Talladega.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. just wants the big tracks to feel magical again
He told the Bussin’ With The Boys hosts that if he could change one thing in NASCAR, he would fix the package at Daytona and Talladega. The Next Gen car has made short tracks tough to watch, and everyone knows it, but Dale Jr says the big tracks are not living up to their old magic either.
Too much pack racing, too little horsepower, cars stuck together like magnets. It is not terrible, but it could be so much better.
“I wish we could figure out a new package for those two places,” he said. “The details of how the cars race and why they do some of the things they do… It’s not as great as it used to be. Or it could be better than what it is today.”
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He does not claim to have the exact answer, no magic horsepower number or spoiler height, but he wants to be in the room when they figure it out. He wants the cars to dance again instead of just following the leader in one giant blob. Two different moments, same sport.
One guy using his platform to change kids’ lives with money and hugs. Another guy begging for the sport to remember how to put on a show that makes fans jump out of their seats the same way those kids jumped when they saw that check.
Wallace gave families hope on national TV. Dale Jr is asking NASCAR to give fans the kind of racing that feels like hope every February and October. Ultimately, both are trying to make racing feel good again, just in their own way.
Jimmie Johnson & Co. Robbed of Millions as Court Exposes Disastrous Fallout of Jim France’s ‘No Bueno’ Decision
Jimmie Johnson-owned Legacy Motor Club might have suffered from a major loss in collateral damage from the ongoing NASCAR charter lawsuit. LMC has been interested in expanding its Cup Series operation with a third full-time entry, and recently finalized a deal with Rick Ware Racing.
They successfully acquired a third charter for the 2026 season for an estimated $45 million. But NASCAR CEO Jim France’s “no bueno” text, which was revealed during the antitrust lawsuit’s trial, hints that the team might have lost millions in terms of the charter value.
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Jimmie Johnson’s undervalued charter purchase highlighted in a major revelation
As the lawsuit trial is full on fire right now, crazy revelations have been coming in every day. Many text conversations from the sport’s top authorities were published before the trial. One of the conversations with NASCAR exec Scott Prime revealed that Jim France had not been in favor of permanent charters for teams.
And when the teams demanded it, he simply responded with “no bueno.”
But that’s not the shocker.
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Interestingly, if those charters were made permanent, which the teams ultimately wanted, today, each charter could be valued up to $100 million, as Scott Prime mentioned. This puts Jimmie Johnson’s purchase of the $45 million charter largely undervalued.
Among other important figures, Joe Gibbs is one of those who has actively voiced out his opinion to make the charters permanent.
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“I have repeatedly expressed my strong desire for the charter system to become permanent in nature, and I continue to hold out hope that will one day be the case. Doing so would, in my view, solidify the financial health and well-being of the Cup teams and the sport as a whole,” Gibbs said.
Nonetheless, as of now, NASCAR doesn’t plan on doing that anytime soon.
Even though teams pay millions to earn a full-time entry in the Cup Series through the Charter Agreement, none of the charters are actually permanent. They are more like limited contracts that can last as long as the current Charter Agreement. This can be up to a few years. Currently, there’s a seven-year extension given to the teams till 2031. The same one that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports have refused to sign.
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And even if the teams wanted to transfer charters, nothing can be done without NASCAR’s approval.
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NASCAR accused of making profits at teams’ expense amidst charter debate
The reason 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed the lawsuit against NASCAR, refusing to sign the new charter agreement, is because of the ‘monopolistic nature’ of the sport, as they claim.
And as for charters, they are essential in the sport ever since their introduction in 2016. They promise teams guaranteed entry in all races during the Cup Series season. Moreover, the teams are also given a part of the profit that NASCAR makes from the media and broadcasting. However, the teams have also asked for a larger part of the cake from the sport, citing the cost of maintaining the cars.
In the trial recently, Jeffrey Kessler (representing the plaintiff teams), claimed that most teams in the 2024 season suffered from losses, while NASCAR enjoyed a major profit.
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“What the evidence is going to show is Mr France ran this for the benefit of his family at the expense of the teams and sport,” Kessler told the court.
This is also understood to be one of the reasons why NASCAR hasn’t made the charters permanent. Because if their value had indeed gone above $100 million, as Prime indicated, the sport would lose the control and authority over the system that they have built all these years.
Is Chevy’s Risky Yet Subtle Camaro Overhaul Enough to Hold Toyota & Ford’s Growing Dominance?
Chevy fans have had a rough couple of seasons. The Camaro has still grabbed some wins, but Toyota and Ford have been quietly taking bites out of that lead. As soon as NASCAR tweaked the cooling rules and race packages, Ford and Toyota rolled out brand-new bodies built just for those changes. Chevy, on the other hand, stuck with small fixes and tried to make the old setup work a little harder.
Now Chevy is finally swinging back for 2026 with a reworked Camaro ZL1. The changes look subtle at first, nothing flashy, but almost every allowed surface has been touched up to help on short tracks and intermediates. At the big places like Daytona and Talladega, the new look aims to cut drag and run straighter.
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Chevy’s Camaro refresh hits every panel, but will it be enough?
For the new changes, every body part NASCAR lets teams touch has been updated in the Camaro. No crazy redesigns, but enough tweaks have been made. The hood outlets have gotten special attention because that’s where cooling air goes in and out, and it’s one of the few spots where manufacturers can make a real difference.
Eric Warren, the big boss for GM Motorsports, owned it straight up.
“We’ve felt like we’ve been a little behind. Short tracks showed it. Aero balance and front downforce were limiting the heights and setups we could run.”
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In plain English, Toyota and Ford figured out how to stick the nose without overheating the engine, while Chevy has struggled to find the sweet spot.
When Next Gen started, NASCAR gave everyone freedom on radiator airflow. Some guessed wrong on cooling, and some overdid the downforce. Neither was ideal, so the league stepped in with minimum requirements. That’s when hood louvers popped up everywhere in 2023.
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Ford and Toyota folded those changes into all-new bodies. Chevy didn’t have a fresh street Camaro coming, so they patched the old one and kept testing. The 2026 version has already turned laps at Bristol with Alex Bowman and will do more at North Wilkesboro. Early talk says it’s more stable in dirty air, grips better on entry, and cuts drag on the straights.
But here’s the million-dollar question: is it enough? Ford’s Mustang and Toyota’s Camry already showed what a full redesign can do in 2025. Chevy’s approach feels like a smart tune-up, not a total rebuild. If they nailed the details, they might claw back the edge. If not, they’ll be chasing two manufacturers who proved they can turn rules into results faster.
The Next Gen era has been a war of small gains, and Chevy is betting that subtlety wins when the field is this tight. Teams are already lining up test days, and the 2026 opener will show whether the Camaro is ready to defend its throne or if Toyota and Ford have already claimed it.
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Chevy’s new Camaro is hitting the track just as NASCAR is rewriting the playbook. Starting in 2026, every Cup car gets A-post flaps at all tracks to stop airborne flips and keep things safer. That’s good for the sport, but it changes how cars handle in traffic and at speed.
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NASCAR drops aero and power rules that could flip Chevy’s script
Bigger news is that Bristol, Darlington, Dover, Nashville, and World Wide Technology Raceway all switch to the short-track and road course package with engines bumping up to 750 horsepower. That’s a healthy jump from the current 670, and it could make those places feel fresh again.
For Chevy, this is double-edged. The Camaro tweaks were built with short tracks in mind, so the package fits like a glove. More power means the new aero can shine without choking the engine. But the flaps add weight and drag, and if the balance isn’t perfect, the car could push or get loose in the pack.
In other words, Chevy isn’t just racing Ford and Toyota anymore. They’re racing a whole new rulebook, too. How well the refreshed ZL1 adapts could make or break the season. If it clicks, Chevy reclaims the throne. If it doesn’t, 2026 becomes the year the other two finally take over for good.
“Premier Means…Only One” – NASCAR Exec Trapped Into Admitting ‘Monopoly Status’ in Disastrous Courtroom Testimony
There are days in sports where the drama on the track feels secondary to what is happening behind closed doors. For NASCAR, this trial has become one of those moments. What started as a legal dispute between the sanctioning body and two race teams has now turned into a public examination of how the sport operates, who holds the power, and whether the system is built to grow racing or control it.
Continuing on that topic, Day 3 of the lawsuit trial had that conversation. And NASCAR exec Scott Prime became a victim of that trap.
NASCAR exec Scott Prime falls into his own trap
More people are watching. More note-taking. More side glances from lawyers who looked like they were waiting for the right moment to land something meaningful. And then Scott Prime walked into the witness chair.
Attorney Jeffrey Kessler began patiently, working through whether the 2025 charter deal was a negotiation or a deadline dressed up as one. Prime tried to soften the language, but eventually admitted what teams had suspected all along. It was a yes or no document, not a collaborative contract.
That was the opening Kessler wanted.
He asked whether that approach existed because NASCAR held monopoly power. Prime responded by calling NASCAR the premier stock car racing organization. Kessler pushed back, asking if Premier meant there were no other viable stock car leagues comparable in size or influence. After a noticeable pause, Prime delivered the sentence that echoed across group chats before lunch.
“Premier means there is only one of them.”
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The courtroom fell silent. No objection. No walk back. Just a statement that landed heavier than any accusation from the plaintiffs.
From that moment forward, the tone changed. Kessler presented emails about how the Gen 6 car lacked intellectual property protections, and how the Next Gen platform was built to ensure NASCAR alone controlled its design. He showed internal discussions where Prime outlined five possible futures.
One option mirrored Speedway Motorsports’ rules. Another kept only the first 32 teams to sign. Others eliminated charters entirely or returned NASCAR to an open-entry model. Then there was the one that made everyone sit up a little straighter: Project Gold Codes, a system where NASCAR would own everything related to competition.
Steve Phelps replied to that message with a warning that felt almost prophetic: “They are playing with fire.”
Then came the detail that will likely be referenced long after this trial ends. The final charter draft was sent just before 5 PM with a midnight deadline. In a private message to colleagues, Prime wrote, “Do not want to put a gun to their head unless they want that.”
By the time the court recessed, one reality was hard to deny. The plaintiffs no longer needed to argue that NASCAR controlled the system. A NASCAR executive had effectively said it himself, on record.
The trial is far from over, but day three delivered something the garage had been waiting for. Confirmation. Clarity. And a moment where years of whispers became a sentence spoken into a microphone.
No matter how this ends, NASCAR cannot put the toothpaste back in the tube. The power structure that once operated quietly behind rulebooks and closed meetings is now being read into the record for everyone to hear.
Denny Hamlin and the whole garage feel every word Prime said
He explained those were promotional appearances, not the full story he’s telling now.
He also told the jury the charter deal came with a twenty-four-hour deadline late last year and would lock teams into a future with no real upside. He and Front Row Racing are asking for two hundred five million in damages because, in his words, the system controls parts, tracks, sponsors, everything.
When he got home after day two, Hamlin did exactly what his lawyers told him not to. He posted on X that he loved the fans and wouldn’t stop fighting. One day later, Scott Prime basically proved why Hamlin felt he had to say it.
Prime’s “premier means only one” moment wasn’t just a slip. It was the whole case in four words. No other series can pay the bills, no other series can run the big tracks, no other series can give sponsors what NASCAR gives. Teams either sign whatever NASCAR hands them or they vanish.
Hamlin has been yelling that from the rooftops. Now, NASCAR’s own executive said it under oath. The trial still has days to go, but Wednesday felt like the turning point. Premier means only one. And now a jury gets to decide what that really means.
Rusty Wallace’s Son Rips Into Denny Hamlin’s ‘Burn It Down’ Approach as $1.5B NASCAR Lawsuit Turns Volatile
The NASCAR lawsuit recently went into trial and has made some crazy revelations so far. We’re seeing the raw side of everybody who’s coming to the witness stands, including Denny Hamlin. In fact, last night, he went overboard and even tweeted outside legal advice just to tell his fans how much he loved them and is fighting for them. And while his words sound very true, one person isn’t convinced.
Rusty Wallace’s son, Greg Wallace, isn’t too happy with the lawsuit. He recently posted on X, revealing the true hidden agenda that he thinks is behind Hamlin’s ’emotional’ tweet.
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Greg Wallace is fed up
Greg Wallace claims that the likes of Hamlin are only fighting for monetary benefits, and claimed that the outcome of the lawsuit could potentially destroy NASCAR.
Hamlin had tweeted, “My lawyers dont want me to tweet, Or X or whatever this is, but they are asleep. I just wanted to tell you that I love you guys and I will not stop fighting for you and what is right.”
Greg Wallace went unfiltered on this, posting a tweet that started with the word “Translation” of Hamlin’s words.
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“Translation: My lawyers told me to tweet this because they know that jurors get on social media. We want to get attention and win public sentiment so we can get more money.
“This isn’t a social justice crusade. At the end of the day, it’s all about money. This whole thing has the potential to destroy the sport that tens of thousands of people spent their entire lives—blood, sweat and tears—building.
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“A lot of people involved in this drama could really care le$$. Shame on all of them. I hate this whole situation so much.”
Wallace begins by making it very clear that everything Hamlin wrote was orchestrated and was under the full guidance of his lawyers, even the line “My lawyers don’t want me to tweet”. According to him, it’s all being done to win the sentiment of the fans to use as their leverage.
He claims that while NASCAR does require some fundamental changes, this lawsuit is not going to help with it. He further claimed that NASCAR has helped people throughout its existence, including Hamlin and his entire career, suggesting that they should be thankful to the sport for the opportunities it has provided.
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“Without NASCAR, would Denny Hamlin, for example, be living in a 25,000 square foot mansion on Lake Norman? Heck, the tax value on that thing alone is 225x the median annual income in the US. Would he even know Michael Jordan? Probably not,” he wrote. “For all of their faults, NASCAR has done a lot of good things for a lot of people and we’re thankful for that.”
Wallace further claimed that Denny Hamlin’s lawsuit is “burning” NASCAR and its system down, and it will not help change the sport’s fundamental aspects that need attention.
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“There are definitely things NASCAR could do better, but I’m just not convinced that Curtis Polk and Denny potentially burning down the whole thing is the best course of action.”
As the lawsuit moves further, however, it is tough to say whose side the jurors agree with. Both the plaintiffs and defendants have been making strong arguments in terms of the sport’s profits and the share they have agreed upon with the teams.
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Could NASCAR be under pressure as the trial moves further?
“What the evidence is going to show is Mr France ran this for the benefit of his family at the expense of the teams and sport,” Jeffrey Kessler told the court, representing 23XI Racing.
The charter system was introduced in 2016 and was supposed to be a way to help teams with a guaranteed entry in all races throughout the Cup Series season. This entry also attracted sponsors, and at the same time, the teams also earned a share of the broadcast profits that NASCAR earns.
However, with the increasing costs of maintaining cars, both FRM and 23XI claim that the deal is unfair, and the sport is making use of its monopoly. Kessler’s statement to the court seems to support the same claim.
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At the same time, the publicized text messages reveal that CEO Jim France was not positive about the idea of permanent charters. The teams apparently wanted this and would have increased their value as well.
At the same time, it is worth noting that the maximum team owners had not signed the new Charter Agreement until NASCAR reportedly gave them a deadline to do so. These aspects could make a strong case in the court of law.
As the trial progresses, there seems to be too much in the hands of the teams to play with against the sport. However, there’s also the public support that NASCAR has gained from entities like Greg Wallace, who are not in favor of the lawsuit.
Ovechkin scores twice as Sharks no-show in blowout loss to Capitals
SAN JOSE – Alex Ovechkin scored the 910th goal of his NHL career at the 8:25 mark of the first period on Wednesday night as the Washington Capitals took an early lead over the San Jose Sharks.
Then the Capitals kept pouring it on, and the Sharks looked helpless to stop them.
Ovechkin’s goal, his 13th goal of the season, opened the floodgates for the Capitals, who scored four first period goals in a span of 8:42 and were never threatened the rest of the way in a 7-1 win over the Sharks before an announced crowd of 15,466 at SAP Center.
The Sharks also allowed first period goals to Sonny Milano and Ryan Leonard before Brandon Duhaime scored while shorthanded at the 17:07 mark to give the Capitals a 4-0 lead.
Duhaime’s goal caused Sharks coach Ryan Warsofsky to yank starting goalie Yaroslav Askarov, who stopped eight of 12 shots, in favor of Alex Nedeljkovic.
The move did little to inspire or wake up the Sharks, as Ovechkin, playing in what might be his final game in San Jose, scored his second goal, again from right beside the Sharks’ net, for a 5-0 Capitals lead at the 2:41 mark of the second.
Dylan Strome and Leonard both added goals to round out the scoring for the Capitals, handed the Sharks their most lopsided home loss of the season.
The last time the Sharks lost by six or more goals on home was on Nov. 2, 2023, when they were hammered 10-2 by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Dmitry Orlov scored hist first of the season for the Sharks’ lone goal at the 12:58 mark of the third period.
The Sharks created a handful of scoring chances in the first half of Wednesday’s game but heir biggest issues Wednesday came in their own end, specifically in front of their goalies.
The Sharks were a mess in their own zone as they failed to pick up sticks on the first period goals from Milano and Leonard. On Duhaime’s goal, defenseman John Klingberg, on a Sharks power play, lost control of the puck inside the Capitals zone. He then could not slow down Aliaksei Protas, who, on a breakaway, passed it back to Duhaime for an easy goal on a nearly wide open net.
The Sharks begin a five-game road trip against the Dallas Stars on Friday.
The Capitals only visit the Sharks once per season, and Ovechkin is in the final year of a five-year, $47.5 million contract. He has not indicated at any point that this will be his last year in the NHL, but he’s also not definitively said that he’ll return in 2026-27 for a 22nd season.
“I just take day by day,” Ovechkin said in October before the Capitals began their season. “You have to have fun, you have to enjoy yourself, and try to do it as best as you can.”
Certainly, Ovechkin hasn’t slowed down much.
Ovechkin scored 44 goals last season – tied for third-most in the NHL — on his way to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals in April.
Except for the pandemic-shortened 2020-2021 season, Ovechkin has scored at least 31 goals every year he’s been in the NHL. A nine-time winner of the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading single-season goal scorer, Ovechkin has scored at least 50 goals nine times.
This year, after a somewhat tepid start with two goals and seven points in the Capitals’ first 12 games, Ovechkin, in his last 15 games, had 10 goals and 20 points, tied for 11th most in the NHL in that time.
Mammoth hand Ducks their most lopsided loss of the season
ANAHEIM — The Ducks were down to their minor-league goalie tandem and they did them few favors defensively in a 7-0 walloping by the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday night at Honda Center.
It was the Ducks’ most lopsided loss of the season; they hadn’t lost by more than three goals. They were shut out for the second time in 2025-26, and this time neither Lukáš Dostál nor Petr Mrázek was available in net.
Ville Husso stopped 17 of 21 shots before being relieved by Vyacheslav Buteyets, who made his NHL debut and nine of 12 saves in one period of action. Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson had their scoring streaks of eight and seven games, respectively, snapped.
J.J. Peterka led the Utah assault with two goals and two assists. Clayton Keller notched a goal and two assists. Dylan Guenther and Ian Cole added a goal and an assist apiece. Lawson Crouse and Liam O’Brien also scored, and Nick Schmaltz and Jack McBain each chipped in two assists. Karel Vejmelka had 27 saves to earn his first shutout of the season.
After scoring first in consecutive games, the Ducks surrendered the first goal again.
And the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh as well.
Despite an early push in the first period and their dominance in the faceoff circle through 20 minutes, the Ducks found themselves down 2-0 at the first intermission. They were aggressive in the second as well, but their hole had only grown deeper, to 4-0, through 40 minutes.
Crouse got the Mammoth moving, 5:59 after puck drop, after they out-worked the Ducks along the walls and below the goal line. There, Michael Carcone’s backhand feed allowed Crouse to traverse the goal crease and score off his backhand.
Jacob Trouba, who was on for five goals by Utah, stepped up in the neutral zone to play a long pass. Guenther skated into the loose puck with speed and zoomed past a diving Pavel Mintyukov. Guenther’s combination of velocity and confident stickhandling opened up Husso’s five hole with ease, 10:30 into the game.
The Ducks contracted low in their defensive zone, leaving Cole space to glide into the left circle for a shot that seared past both Trouba and Husso, 5:43 into the second period.
With 7:04 to play in the middle frame, the Ducks appeared to score off a slick exchange between Cutter Gauthier and Mason McTavish. McTavish’s tally was nullified, however, by an offside challenge by André Tourigny.
Instead it was Utah slathering on another goal, and the hosts headed to the dressing room with one more shot on net but four fewer goals than the visitors.
Off a set breakout, three overcommitted forwards left the Ducks with just two defensemen to defend an odd-man break. Clayton Keller gained the zone with speed, moving the puck to Peterka on the flank. Two cross-ice passes later, the Mammoth held a 4-0 lead at the 14:34 mark.
Immediately after making his first NHL save, Buteyets received a rude reception to the league. His pad save sent the puck off the end boards and directly to O’Brien, whose spinning bid banked in off Drew Helleson’s skate, 1:41 into the third period.
After O’Brien turned down a vociferous invitation to fight from Ross Johnston, who was assessed a roughing penalty. On the ensuing power play, some overly cute penalty killing and a puck that eluded Mintyukov at the blue line exposed Trouba to a three-on-one Utah rush, which culminated in Peterka’s power-play goal with 9:54 left.
Utah kicked the extra point through the uprights 2:46 later, when Keller’s fling in the general direction of the net bounced off LaCombe to pour salt in the Ducks’ wounds.
More to come on this story.
Mizzou Defensive End Accepts Senior Bowl Invite: The Buzz
As senior players wrap up their final collegiate season, the top talent has begun to think about the impending 2026 NFL Draft.
Missouri Defensive End Zion Young has found his name on a couple draft boards and is looking to increase his stock. In order to do so, he accepted an invite to the Panini Senior Bowl that is set to take place on Jan. 31, 2026. He is the first Missouri Tiger to accept an invite to a senior bowl this season.
Young is already joined by other SEC players, such as Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green and LSU defensive end Jack Pyburn. It is expected that other Missouri and SEC players join Young in the Senior Bowl.
In the 2025 season, Young recorded 38 total tackles and 6.5 sacks, two of the sacks coming against Auburn. He also forced fumbles against Kansas and Alabama. The 6.5 sacks in a career-high for Young, who previously topped out at 2.5 in a season last year.
Fellow senior Connor Tollison accepted an invite on Tuesday for the 2026 American Bowl, where he will try to win over scouts.
Here’s the buzz info for Thursday, Dec. 4.
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Former Missouri Tigers quarterback Aidan Glover signed with UT Martin on National Signing Day. After entering the transfer portal last season, he ended playing at Northwest Community College.
Following the conclusion of the Mizzou volleyball’s season, the team lost assistant coaches Cullen Irons and Jhenna Gabriel. They will have two assistant coach vacancies to fill.
Missouri volleyball player Caylen Alexander signed to play professionally in Puerto Rico for the Leonas de Ponce in the 2026 season.
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Winter Meetings usually the time for Rangers to get cooking
On Wednesday, MLB.com Rangers beat reporter Kennedi Landry held an Ask Me Anything on Reddit with Rangers fans at r/TexasRangers ahead of baseball’s annual Winter Meetings next week. This mailbag features questions and answers from there. The full AMA can be read here: https://www.reddit.com/r/TexasRangers/comments/1pckafo/ama_with_beat_reporter_kennedi_landry/
History in the Chris Young era has told us it will be during or around the Winter Meetings, which will start on Monday in Orlando. That’s not indicative of what will happen this winter, but the Rangers have been good at cooking up multiple things at once and dropping the news when you least expect it. It could be a busy week in Orlando as dominoes begin to fall around the league.
It goes without saying, but having an offense that isn’t bottom five in almost every major category would be a good place to start. That’s easier said than done, but the front office is obviously already taking steps in that direction. This roster is already looking a lot different with Adolis [García], Jonah [Heim] and Marcus [Semien] gone. There’s an additional new hitting coach in place on Skip [Schumaker’s] staff as well.
It’s unrealistic to expect the pitching staff to do the exact same thing next season, but if the rotation can remain in the top third of the league and the Rangers can produce a league-average offense, that spells contender to me.
I think Caratini could be a perfect, semi-affordable option for the Rangers behind the plate. He hit .259/.324/.404 in 114 games for the Astros in 2025 and would pair well with Kyle Higashioka behind the plate. It doesn’t hurt that he has a history with new hitting coach Alex Cintrón, who held the same position for years with the Astros.
That being said, he is one of the best catchers on the open market, so that could potentially drive his price up. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Rangers explore trades for another catcher (and further depth at the catching position as well).
How do you feel about some of the younger, maybe looked over in the national media prospects? Anyone that you are a believer in that is a bit under the radar? Also, what is the deal with Paulino Santana? I like everything I’ve read about him but I have not seen him play in a game.
One guy I’m really excited for in 2026 is AJ Russell, the right-handed pitcher out of Tennessee. The Rangers selected him in the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft after a late-season return from Tommy John and seeing him with a starter’s workload will be really fun, especially with Texas’ recent success with developing starting pitching throughout the system.
I haven’t had a chance to see Santana play in person yet, though he dominated the DSL in 2024 and did get a promotion to Single-A Hickory this season. He could shoot up the Rangers prospects rankings as he adjusts to A-ball in 2026.
Which players do you think will need to make the biggest jump in quality in order for us to make the postseason?
Maybe not just, per se, but I think a healthy Evan Carter can go so far for the Rangers. We’ve all seen what he can do when his body is right and he just hasn’t fully gotten there since 2023. He can be an elite leadoff hitter, or really bat anywhere in the lineup, and really provide the plate appearances the Rangers were especially missing in 2025.
I also think Jake Burger figuring out the first half/second half splits — career .232/.277/.433 in the first half and .272/.330/.527 in the second half of a season — could do wonders for putting the Rangers in a position to succeed this season.
Burger also had multiple IL stints in 2025: June 21-July 2 with a left oblique strain, July 16-Aug. 7 with a left quadriceps injury and Aug. 18-Sept. 1 with the left wrist sprain. If he can be healthy and consistent across the entire season, the Rangers could be in a great place come September.
Austin FC Must Be Smart to Improve This Offseason
When the final whistle blows at the conclusion of a star-studded MLS Cup final Saturday afternoon in Fort Lauderdale, the Major League Soccer offseason will officially begin.
Most clubs, though, have been in offseason mode for weeks, and that includes Austin FC. The Verde and Black are coming off a generally encouraging – but by no means satisfying – campaign that culminated in a return to the playoffs for just the second time in club history, along with an ugly first-round ouster at the hands of LAFC. It’s clear Austin’s stock is trending up, and equally clear that the club has a long way to go before it is capable of seriously competing for the league’s biggest prizes.
What is less clear, though, is how Austin FC goes about improving its roster this offseason. With limited salary cap space, zero open DP slots and ironically few positions of obvious need, what can sporting director Rodolfo Borrell do this winter to position Austin FC for another step forward in 2026?
That process began prior to the holiday break when the club announced several roster decisions related to players’ contract options. ATX opted to trigger the 2026 option years for Dani Pereira, Stefan Cleveland, and Riley Thomas, while Brendan Hines-Ike’s option was triggered automatically based on performance metrics.
On the other hand, the club parted ways with one of its inaugural players in Julio Cascante, along with Diego Rubio (who had previously announced his retirement) and Jimmy Farkarlun.
In addition, club captain Ilie Sánchez agreed to a new contract to keep him in Austin next season (with an option for 2027) likely at a significantly reduced salary from the $600,000 figure attached to his previous deal.
All of that leaves Austin FC with 24 players under contract for 2026 – 18 players on the senior roster, and six players on the supplemental roster. If no other departures were to occur, that would leave the club with the ability to sign two additional players to its senior roster, which is capped at 20, per league rules.
The club also has one U22 Initiative slot available, though it does not currently have any available slots for international players. Those, however, can be traded for.
Salary-wise, the club should have a fair amount of flexibility due to the combined $1.1 million in wages freed up from Cascante, Farkarlun, and Rubio, plus whatever the club is saving from Sánchez’s restructured deal. A pair of impactful players should be attainable within that budget.
But if Borrell wants to seriously increase Austin’s cash reserves, his likely only option is to accept an offer for one of the club’s young midfielders, Dani Pereira or Owen Wolff. Pereira seems the far more likely candidate in the immediate term. His departure would free up an additional senior roster spot, while Wolff is still a supplemental player. Pereira, 25, is also five years older than Wolff, and his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2026 season. MLS clubs can convert up to $3 million in transfer revenue to salary cap resources, though it’s unclear whether Pereira would draw offers in that ballpark, whereas Wolff likely would.
Identifying areas of need on the pitch is also not as straightforward as you’d think. Right wing, striker ,and goalkeeper are solidly covered, as is Owen Wolff’s position (be that left wing or attacking midfield… the kid is versatile). Beyond that, there’s a lot of “decent” on the roster: no positions desperate for help, but also no other positions that can’t reasonably be upgraded. A true creative No. 10 in midfield almost certainly would make the biggest difference, but without an open DP slot, it’s very unlikely to acquire a player of that profile.
In all likelihood, this offseason won’t bring the kind of transformational overhaul some Austin FC fans might wish for. But if Borrell can continue making savvy moves on the margins and capitalize on his opportunities, the impact could still be plenty important.
This article appears in December 5 • 2025.
Islam Makhachev-Kamaru Usman Bombshell Drops as Dana White’s Hidden January Plan Emerges
At the Cowboys vs Chiefs halftime show, Dana White announced UFC 324 and 325, kicking off the Paramount+ era. On January 27th, Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will headline the event. Then, about a week later, we’ll see Alexander Volkanovski in action against Diego Lopes at UFC 325 main event in Australia. However, with both fights already stirring controversy, it seems the head honcho had other plans for January, mainly putting Islam Makhachev against Kamaru Usman.
After the Dagestani champ became a two-division king at UFC 322, he immediately called out Kamaru Usman as his preferred opponent on the About Last Fight podcast. The ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ accepted Makhachev’s callout during his conversation with MMA Fighting, saying it would be a fan favorite, while leaving a small door open for Jack Della Maddalena as well. However, all in all, the Nigerian star looks far more interested in fighting for the title, and according to their manager, Ali Abdelaziz, Dana White has pitched them for the January showdown.
Ali Abdelaziz claims Dana White wanted to matchmake Islam Makhachev vs Kamaru Usman in January
“The UFC reached out to me, and they were asking to fight main event on June 27th.” Ali said in an interview with MMA Junkie, which drew a quick response from the reporter Mike Bohn, who asked, “The White House card?”
The reason Bohn asked this question was because Makhachev, in his UFC 322 victory speech, called for U.S. President Donald Trump to receive him and host the fight at the White House. So he assumed that would be the plan, but in a total surprising twist, Abdelaziz corrected himself and revealed White and company actually pushed Makhachev to fight in January with Ian Garry and Kamaru Usman in the mix.
“ No, January 28. No, he thought about it, and then Khabib said, ‘Hey.’ Honestly, Kamaru’s name was in the mix. I can tell you that. For January 28. Honestly, Ian Garry’s name was in the mix, too.” Ali Abdelaziz added during the interview with MMA Junkie.
Well, so far, White has announced UFC 324 for January 24 and UFC 325 for January 31 or February 1 (USA/Australia time), and right now there’s no event scheduled for January 28. So, which event did Abdelaziz talk about? No idea.
Maybe Dana White planned some secret January card we aren’t aware of, or maybe he just didn’t recognize the date. However, it still feels unlikely that Islam Makhachev and his camp would consider fighting Usman or Garry in just two months without a proper training camp.
Also, with ‘The Future’ getting a massive win at UFC Qatar, most fans want to see him face Makhachev down the line. Ali believes that would be a horrible matchup, as he feels Garry would get beaten by both the Dagestani and the Nigerian.
Ali Abdelaziz claims Kamaru Usman will beat Ian Garry
At the UFC’s inaugural event in Qatar, Ian Garry impressed everyone with his performance against Belal Muhammad in the co-main event. He decimated the former champ by using his elite takedown defense and precision striking. After winning the bout, the Irishman called out Makhachev for a title shot, and considering that Garry has a solid reputation in terms of both performance and personality in the UFC, Dana White might grant his wish. But Ali Abdelaziz believes otherwise.
Continuing the MMA Junkie interview, the Dominance MMA CEO said, “He wanna make Kamaru look bad. But he doesn’t have to. If he fights Kamaru, I guarantee you in a five-round fight, Kamaru will beat him. Stylistically, Kamaru is a horrible matchup for him. Islam is the worst matchup for him. He wouldn’t last two more rounds with Islam.”
Here, Ali referred to Garry mocking Usman for having no knees during the UFC Qatar media day, further claiming that he wouldn’t get past Makhachev’s grasp. That might be true, but it’s also true that despite the former welterweight champ posing some level of competition for the Dagestani, he has only one win after three straight losses. On the other hand, Garry is riding a two-fight winning streak, with his latest victory coming against a former champ.
In that case, ‘The Future’ actually makes a better case than Usman. But it will be left to Dana White to decide where he wants to take the division with matchmaking. So, what do you think the future holds for Islam Makhachev and the welterweight division?
Petr Yan downplays Merab Dvalishvili defending title 4 times in 2025: ‘It’s very easy to fight in your backyard’
Petr Yan stands in the way of history this Saturday when he challenges Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title in the main event UFC 323.
Should Dvalishvili win, it would mark his fourth successful title defense of 2025, setting a UFC record for the most successful defenses in a calendar year. It’s undeniably an impressive goal, but one that Dvalishvili believes comes with an asterisk.
Yan’s qualm with Dvalishvili’s achievement stems from the fact that Dvalishvili currently splits time training between New Jersey and Las Vegas. His title defenses this year have taken place in New Jersey, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles (a four-hour drive from Vegas). Yan views that as a home-field advantage of sorts, which takes away from what Dvalishvili is one win away from accomplishing.
“It’s very easy to fight in your backyard,” Yan said via a Russian translator at UFC 323 media day on Wednesday. “Here, or Los Angeles, it’s basically like fighting at home. You can fight at home every single weekend in your backyard, you can fight all the time. When I signed a contract in 2018, I had five fights that year as well, they were not at home. If I could fight at home every one of those fights, I could fight 10 times that year.”
In 2018, Yan made his UFC debut and immediately began a push to a title opportunity, winning five fights from June 2018 to June 2019 and later going on to defeat Jose Aldo for a vacant bantamweight title in 2020. He lost the belt in his first defense when he was disqualified after landing an illegal knee on a grounded Aljamain Sterling. After beating Cory Sandhagen for an interim title, Yan went on to lose his rematch with Sterling via a controversial split decision.
Yan is 1-1 in rematches, having avenged a loss to Magomed Magomedov prior to joining the UFC. He aims to have that same success against Dvalishvili, who defeated Yan in a Fight Night main event in March 2023.
“Obviously, we have a lot of information that we downloaded about each other,” Yan said. “We know each other better, but if you look at my first two rematches with Magomedov and Sterling, you can see that I was 100 percent better in the second fight so I am determined to make sure that I’m much better in this second fight against Merab.
“I’m sure they also watched the rematch against Sterling, this whole sitting behind the back, dragging out the fight, all of that, but I’m sure I got the victory in that fight as well.”
Despite winning three straight fights since his clash with Dvalishvili, Yan is a huge underdog heading into Saturday. He acknowledged that the deck is stacked is stacked against him, which is nothing new for the 11-year veteran.
“Just think about this, I flew across the entire planet, I come back to rematch Sterling or Merab in their hometown,” Yan said. “Everything’s against me, just think about how much pressure that is, just think how hard it is, obviously it’s much harder for me than it is for them.”
Kayla Harrison ‘grudge match’ backed to do bigger numbers than Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Conor McGregor
If her manager is to be believed, an even bigger fight could await Kayla Harrison after UFC 324.
Harrison is just over a month away from her first defense of the UFC bantamweight title, having reached the top of the division after just three fights inside the Octagon.
The two-time PFL title winner and two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo submitted Julianna Pena with ease before facing off with the previously retired Amanda Nunes at UFC 316 this past June.
Facing her former teammate proved to be too enticing for the ‘Lioness’ to resist, and the ex-double champion will return in early 2026. Nunes is set to challenge Harrison at UFC 324, with the pair co-headlining a card topped by Paddy Pimblett vs Justin Gaethje.
While that undisputed title fight was not deemed noteworthy enough to be the main event on January 24, Ali Abdelaziz believes more than just a headliner could be in store for Harrison later in the year.
Will Kayla Harrison become the WMMA GOAT?
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Ali Abdelaziz says Kayla Harrison vs Ronda Rousey could be the biggest UFC fight ever
The Nunes clash is not the only super-fight Harrison has her eyes on next year.
Harrison plans to target Valentina Shevchenko after ‘whooping’ Nunes, hoping to convince the flyweight champ to return to 135 pounds. Wins over both Nunes and ‘Bullet’ in 2026 would move the American closer to her goal of becoming the greatest women’s fighter of all time.
But Harrison also has a more ambitious hope for her second title defense. She would favor a huge fight with fellow ex-judoka and former teammate Ronda Rousey.
If that were to come to fruition, Abdelaziz believes it could surpass the records set by Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor at UFC 229 in 2018.
“Maybe we’ll have Amanda, she’ll smash Amanda, she’ll stop her under three rounds,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “After that, maybe Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano fight and ultimate grudge match: Kayla Harrison-Ronda Rousey, for all the marbles.
“There’s a lot of beef. In the judo days, a lot of bad things happened between these two teams, and I think it’ll be one of the biggest – it’s not Amanda. I think Ronda Rousey-Kayla Harrison is one of the biggest fights in UFC history.
“It might do bigger numbers than Khabib and McGregor because there’s a lot of nasty s— in the closet,” he continued. “I don’t think they like each other. I don’t think they respect each other. Kayla can say whatever she wants, but I know deep down inside she doesn’t like Ronda.”
UFC 229 broke PPV records for the promotion, with Nurmagomedov and McGregor’s feud drawing in 2.4 million buys.
During her career, Rousey surpassed one million buys twice, with her losses to Nunes and Holly Holm both achieving 1.1 million.
Ronda Rousey looks to have her sights on a different fight
Rousey sparked talk of a comeback earlier this year after posting footage of her hitting the pads on social media. In the caption, the former UFC champ revealed she was rediscovering her love for martial arts.
While the focus had been on a potential MMA return, a recent report revealed a much different plan for ‘Rowdy’s’ combat sports comeback.
Rousey is in talks to box Katie Taylor, a two-time undisputed champion in the ring. That crossover super-fight has come as a surprise to many given how the American’s final UFC two fights unfolded. The former Strikeforce titleholder was knocked out by both Holm and Nunes in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
Is it sensible for Ronda Rousey to return to combat sports, no matter how much money she will earn?
Is Petr Yan Muslim or Christian? All About Ex-UFC Champ’s Religion
As Petr Yan prepares for his high-stakes rematch with Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323, conversations around the former champion naturally drift toward fight tactics, conditioning, and legacy. But another question often emerges in fan circles, one that has nothing to do with jabs, takedowns, or scorecards.
It might seem surprising that a man known for his cold precision and iron composure inspires such curiosity about spirituality. Yet ‘No Mercy’s mixed heritage, disciplined upbringing, and rare comments about life outside fighting have pushed many to wonder whether he identifies as Muslim, Christian, or something else entirely. So what’s the real story behind Yan’s beliefs?
What religion does Petr Yan practice?
Born in Dudinka, Siberia, to a Russian-Chinese family, Yan’s cultural and spiritual roots have been a point of curiosity for fans who seek to understand the man behind the fighter. Though Yan does not frequently discuss his faith in public, glimpses into his life suggest a connection to Christianity, a prevalent influence in Russia’s cultural landscape.
Russia, home to Orthodox Christianity, has long been shaped by its religious traditions. Many people, even those who do not actively practice, are culturally aligned with Orthodox values. For Yan, who grew up in a challenging environment, this spiritual framework may have provided a grounding force. His humility, discipline, and respect for tradition, traits evident in his fighting career, are often attributed to such values.
While Yan does not wear his faith on his sleeve, the few instances where he has spoken about his upbringing reflect an awareness of life’s greater purpose. He’s mentioned the importance of hard work, respect, and perseverance, which are principles that resonate with both religious and philosophical teachings.
In moments of reflection after grueling battles, Yan’s demeanor exudes a quiet gratitude, hinting at a belief in something greater than himself as he has been spotted making the sign of the cross across his torso. Let us now take a look at his roots and the background he comes from.
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Petr Yan’s cultural background and how it shapes his faith
Yan comes from a culturally diverse family, with Russian and Chinese heritage influencing his upbringing. This blend of backgrounds instilled in him a sense of discipline and respect for tradition, traits that would later define his fighting style. Despite the challenges of growing up in an isolated region, Yan’s competitive spirit found an outlet in combat sports. He initially trained in Taekwondo, quickly earning a reputation as a fierce competitor with an unwavering work ethic.
His paternal grandfather was Chinese, and his paternal grandmother was Russian; as a result, his father was half-Chinese. Thus, Petr Yan has partly Chinese roots and has a mixed ethnic background. The former bantamweight champion mostly speaks Russian. He used to speak very little English and often required a translator during interviews, although in recent times, he has been showing off a much-improved command of the language!
And as he heads into UFC 323 for another chapter in his rivalry with Merab Dvalishvili, one thing is clear: whatever beliefs shape his worldview, they’ve helped fuel the inner strength behind one of the most technically gifted fighters in the bantamweight division.
Aljamain Sterling predicts Merab Dvalishvili to do something he hasn’t done in four years at UFC 323
Merab Dvalishvili’s teammate foresees another statement-making performance.
The Georgian will make history when he enters the Octagon at UFC 323, as the reigning bantamweight champion makes a record-breaking fourth title defense of this calendar year.
After getting past Umar Nurmagomedov, Sean O’Malley, and Cory Sandhagen, Dvalishvili will face Petr Yan in a rematch of their UFC Fight Night main event in 2023, which ‘The Machine’ comfortably won.
Dvalishvili has already established himself as a leading contender for bantamweight GOAT status, and another of the division’s best ever expects him to further cement his grip on that crown with a rare result on December 6.
Is Merab Dvalishvili the greatest bantamweight of all time?
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Aljamain Sterling is backing Merab Dvalishvili to knock out Petr Yan at UFC 323
The bantamweight king has just one finish in his last seven fights. Dvalishvili submitted O’Malley at UFC 316 to break a streak of decisions, before needing the scorecards again to spoil Sandhagen’s title hopes.
Despite that trend, however, Aljamain Sterling is predicting Dvalishvili to get his first knockout since 2021.
“I am picking Merab to get a finish,” Sterling said on The Weekly Scraps podcast.
“I could see it happening possibly in the third or fourth round…TKO.
“That would be insane,” he continued. “I think Yan is hard to submit. I had that guy’s neck and I was being smart (and couldn’t submit him).
“Whatever happens, win or lose, (Dvalishvili) is officially the bantamweight GOAT.”
Dvalishvili beat Marlon Moraes via TKO at UFC 266 in September 2021. That result came after the Georgian star escaped an early scare and mounted a memorable comeback.
Merab Dvalishvili is clearing out the UFC bantamweight division
Dvalishvili is quickly running out of fresh contenders in the 135-pound division.
The Georgian already began lapping the top contenders when he recorded a second win over O’Malley this past June. Should he get past Yan for a second time at UFC 323, yet another rematch could await ‘The Machine’.
Nurmagomedov is pursuing a second shot at the belt and hopes to secure it by defeating Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 324 early next year.
Who’s the biggest threat to Merab Dvalishvili?
UFC bantamweight rankings:
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Dvalishvili beat Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January 2025, pulling away in the latter rounds of their five-round title showdown in Los Angeles.
In terms of new faces for the champ, both Aiemann Zahabi and Song Yadong are in the mix. While the Canadian is coming off a win over ex-title challenger Marlon Vera, the Chinese contender will fight O’Malley at UFC 324.
No Bets Barred: Will Merab Dvalishvili make history at UFC 323?
The final UFC pay-per-view ever is here.
This Saturday, UFC 323 takes place in Las Vegas, the final pay-per-view of 2025, which means the last PPV ever, as the UFC’s new broadcast rights deal with Paramount will shake things up. And for their final PPV, the UFC is delivering the good, with two title fights and several big names for the penultimate card of 2025, and No Bets Barred is here to break it all down.
This week, host Jed Meshew is joined by the Luke Noseda of Morning Kombat and the Main Card Minute to take a look at all things UFC 323. Topics discussed include whether Merab Dvalishvili can make history against Petr Yan in the main event, Joshua Van’s chances at pulling off the upset over Alexandre Pantoja in the co-main event, whether the publis has simply forgotten about Brandon Moreno and Henry Cejudo, the next step of The Climb, and more.
Tune in for episode 144 of No Bets Barred.
New episodes of the No Bets Barred podcast drop every Wednesday and are available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you find your favorite podcasts. The latest episode can be heard below.
Henry Cejudo admits one fight would end his post-UFC 323 retirement to settle a feud the UFC ’caused’
Henry Cejudo is planning on retiring for the second time this weekend in Las Vegas.
Cejudo’s decision to make this his last fight was mocked, considering that he has done this in the past only to return several years later.
However, his three consecutive losses since coming back in 2023 have led many to believe that this would likely be the case regardless of the matchup that he received.
Fans were then surprised to see Cejudo get paired with Payton Talbott for his last dance, with this being a huge opportunity for the exciting unranked bantamweight.
There is one fight that has eluded ‘Triple C’ that he would still like to tick off the bucket list even if it means cutting another retirement short.
LATEST NEWS: Henry Cejudo tells Dana White to ‘man up’ during impassioned rant ahead of UFC 323 retirement fight
Will Henry Cejudo stay retied after UFC 323?
Do you believe ‘Triple C’ this time? Share your thoughts below.
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Henry Cejudo wants to fight Brandon Moreno on Cinco de Mayo
After beating TJ Dillashaw to defend his flyweight title, Henry Cejudo made the decision to move up to bantamweight where he has remained ever since.
There was always one big matchup that would’ve likely seen one of the top names at 125-pounds move up to face ‘Triple C’ that didn’t happen.
However, if it did, Cejudo told MMA Fighting that it “would make perfect sense” for him to make another UFC return.
The former bantamweight and flyweight champion will share the card this Saturday at UFC 323 with Brandon Moreno, a fighter that he was once very close with.
Which UFC 323 main card fight are you most excited for?
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Their relationship spiraled following Moreno’s introduction to the UFC via ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, where he wasn’t picked to be a member of Cejudo’s team despite their friendship.
In 2023, Moreno called Cejudo out the day after he came up short when challenging for the bantamweight title, urging his former teammate to not retire so that they could “finish business”.
Cejudo said ahead of both men’s matchups on December 6 that he’d want to face the former champion on Cinco de Mayo while commenting on the fact that they could be sitting next to each other at this week’s press conference.
“I don’t know. I doubt it but it is what it is,” Cejudo told MMA Fighting. “This is some of the stuff that happens. It happened a long time ago. That’s also the beauty too… Sometimes that’s the way the journey is made. It’s not always a happy ending.”
Henry Cejudo’s coach says the UFC caused the rivalry with Brandon Moreno on purpose
Henry Cejudo’s coach, Eric Albarracin, believes that the UFC orchestrated the event that led to his falling out with Brandon Moreno as a way of punishing the former champ-champ.
It was ‘Triple C’ that convinced the promotion to put Moreno on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ in the first place.
However, due to the seeded nature of the bracket, when Cejudo selected top seed Alexandre Pantoja to join his team, it meant that his teammate had to join the opposing side.
“They planned it. If you’re putting your own guy in and kicking one of our guys out, you’re going to have to make a choice,” Albarracin theorized when appearing on The MMA Hour in 2023. “If you’re picking your best friend, the No. 1 seed goes to the other side. if you pick the No. 1 seed, Brandon goes to the other side. They planned it all along and they did it on purpose. UFC, they caused the beef. I know they did.”
Is Heavyweight Champ Aspinall Losing His Cool?
UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall has responded to the criticism he received following his no-contest at UFC 321 against Ciryl Gane in October—including the comments from Dana White. The question is: Is he losing his cool?
Aspinall’s first defense ended in a no-contest when a double eye-poke from Gane left Tom unable to continue after the first round. The decision resulted in jeers from the crowd, while fighters such as Jon Jones suggested Tom was ‘looking for a way out.’ At the post-fight press conference, White seemed to suggest Aspinall “didn’t want” to continue, a comment interpreted as questioning the champion’s heart. Aspinall has since then been diagnosed with bilateral Brown’s Syndrome, an eye condition that hinders his ability to move the eye normally. Tom has now shut down Dana’s comments.
Aspinall Reacts
“I didn’t continue, and I’ll tell you why I didn’t continue: because I’m not a f***ing dummy. I’m not going to go out there and fight one of the best strikers in the world if I can’t see. I know, as an MMA fighter, things are going to happen in the fight that compromise you. Go back and watch my fight with Arlovski. At the end of the first round, he punched me right in the eyeball. For the rest of the fight, I couldn’t see him out of that eye.
“That’s fine. If you get punched or kicked in the eye, that’s fine. If you get double eye poked in both eyes and you’ve got no vision because of a foul, why should I carry on? So some dummy can look and say, ‘Oh yeah, Tom just got knocked out’? I ain’t going to fight if I can’t see anything because of a foul. If it’s a legal move, we have to fight through it. That’s what we do as fighters. But when it’s a foul, why am I going to put my health at risk when I cannot see at all?,” Aspinall said
Aspinall stated that Gane was “trying to poke my eyes out all the way through that round” and that the illegal move was Gane’s intended strategy to win. This is a profound shift from the sportsmanlike approach Aspinall previously maintained, and it has drawn criticism from others, such as Ben Askren, who called the constant claims “whiny” and a “bad look.” Aspinall has publicly vowed to drop his “Mr. Nice Guy” persona and go “full bad guy” upon his return. This effort to rebrand suggests a high level of frustration, as Tom must back up his words.
Paddy Pimblett Gets Knocked Out in Unexpected Boxing Debut and Fans Shower Him With Praise
There’s still more than a month before Paddy Pimblett returns to the Octagon to face Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title at UFC 324. The winner, of course, will earn a shot at Ilia Topuria’s championship. But ahead of the January 24 bout, Pimblett has surprised fans by briefly stepping into a different combat sport—making his debut in boxing.
The appearance comes over seven months after ‘The Baddy’ knocked out Michael Chandler in the third round at UFC 314. While Pimblett has taken heat for jumping ahead of No.1 contender Arman Tsarukyan in the title queue, his latest move won’t draw any criticism. Instead, he earned praise after taking part in a disability boxing show.
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Who did Paddy Pimblett fight?
The event took place on Wednesday at The Dome at Grand Central Hall in Liverpool, hosted by the No Limits gym. Paddy Pimblett stepped into the ring with George Goetzee, a fighter with Down syndrome who goes by the nickname ‘GGG’ in tribute to Gennady Golovkin. Ashley from Not Just Boxing shared a clip from the exhibition, offering a glimpse of the exchange.
It wasn’t a competitive bout, of course—Pimblett volunteered to help Goetzee fulfill his dream. The two went back and forth for a couple of light-hearted rounds before Pimblett was playfully knocked out. Ashley captioned the clip, “George ‘GGG’ Goetzee proved too much tonight knocking out Paddy the Baddy. Lovely work to the body champ.”
The No Limits gym has hosted similar events before. Former WBA lightweight champion Derry Mathews fought Goetzee in 2017. And established a boxing class to help people with disabilities stay active—eventually creating a ‘disability boxing squad’ that includes individuals with a range of conditions.
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Regardless, Pimblett’s participation was widely praised, with fans flooding the comment section to applaud the gesture.
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George Goetzee watched David Benavidez before the fight
It’s rare for fighters to fight for free, especially in a promotion like UFC, where pay has long been an issue. So, it didn’t take long for the public to praise Paddy’s gesture. “Really nice to see someone giving back like [Paddy Pimblett], big heart,” the user commented. Notably, Brazilian mixed martial artist Jailton Almeida did something similar in his country in early 2024.
Meanwhile, Goetzee’s moves appear to have reminded this user of an active boxer. “GGG definitely watched Benavidez the other week 🔥 nice work [Paddy Pimblett],” the user commented. Last month, David Benavidez defended his WBC belt against Anthony Yarde in a thrilling boxing match in Riyadh.
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Someone else joked about Pimblett’s beating. “He took a beating. God bless him. Wishing him a quick recovery,” the user commented. After all, ‘The Baddy’ has a pretty big fight coming up, and this one will go on his record.
The boxing match reminded this user of Ilia Topuria. “Damn, Paddy should really stay away from Ilia then,” the user wrote. ‘El Matador’ is known for his boxing skills—some even consider him the best boxer in the promotion.
Another user even had an opponent in mind for Goetzee. “We’ve seen enough. Give him Jon Jones,” the user remarked. Well, Dana White doesn’t want Jon Jones to fight on the UFC White House card. Perhaps Jones would accept the challenge to fight in Liverpool.
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That being said, it appears Paddy Pimblett has won over fans with his appearance in the disability boxing match. But can he win his upcoming fight?
Emma Raducanu Calls Out Carlos Alcaraz & Others’ “Moaning” About Tennis Schedule
The debate had been swirling for weeks – press rooms buzzing, social media sparking, and podcasts dissecting every angle of the ever-growing tennis calendar. But amid the rising noise, British tennis star Emma Raducanu stepped into the conversation with the calm of someone who’d seen both sides of the sport: the spotlight and the shadows.
Talking about hectic tennis schedules, we’ve seen Carlos Alcaraz complaining that the current schedule is pushing players to the brink and that they are probably trying to “kill” them. While Iga Swiatek labelled the tennis schedule as “crazy” and said “we play too much.” Even British star Jack Draper raised his voice on the same. “Injuries are going to happen… we are pushing our bodies to do things they aren’t supposed to in elite sport.” But surprisingly, Raducanu has taken a different stance from these players. She criticized her fellow players for “moaning” about the Tour schedule.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Emma Raducanu offered a reality check that landed like a clean winner down the line. “I think that’s a challenge. I don’t necessarily think it’s something to complain about because it’s what we are given. And we are making a great living as well.” It wasn’t dismissive. It wasn’t careless. It was grounded – and more importantly, honest. Raducanu has lived the highs and lows of the Tour as intensely as anyone: the explosive fame, chronic injuries, surgeries, scrutiny, and the pressure of being the face of British tennis at 23. But still her tone suggested a perspective built from experience, not privilege.
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“I mean, it’s not all glamorous. There are definitely times when it’s very difficult, and we are flagging mentally, physically, and everything hurts. But at the same time, what are we going to do about it? I am sure there are certain people who go to work, and their bosses make them do something, but they have to do it; it’s their job. If we put up a front that isn’t complaining, I think that is a better example to the people watching, trying to get into tennis, the younger people. If they see all the top players moaning about the calendar, I don’t think that’s necessarily inspiring to look up to.”
In a sport where transparency often takes the shape of frustration, Emma Raducanu is offering a different blueprint – one that blends realism with gratitude and toughness with awareness. This year, Raducanu played 50 matches, and guess what? That’s the most she has played in the last five years. She won 28 matches this year. Although she didn’t win any titles this year, Raducanu reached the QFs of the Miami Open, HSBC Championships, and the SF of the Citi Open.
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So, it was more or less a decent season for the Brit, especially considering the challenges she had to go through in terms of physical battles in the last few seasons. But now it’s time to shift our focus to what’s lining up for her in 2026.
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Which tournaments are lined up for Emma Raducanu in the next two months?
Emma Raducanu is not leaving anything to chance in 2026. After a year defined by stop-start momentum, the British number one has pressed reset with a clear mission: build a stronger base level, dictate more matches, and stop worrying about what’s happening to the other side of the net. She had already started her pre-season training with coach Francisco Roig in Barcelona. All she now wants is to see what Roig can add to her game.
“He wants me to focus a lot more on building a better Emma Raducanu and a better base level. It’s something that I don’t think I’ve necessarily done before. I’ve always been more tactical, more just having to exploit their weaknesses if they have any, and trying to be very crafty. And it works. But the ideal is that you don’t have to necessarily think too much about the other players – you can just go and execute your game and know that you can win. He’s trying to build a better quality, not necessarily by changing my physiological capacities, but by using better technique, better timing, and better movement.”
Her goal is now to try dictating the game a lot more. Other than Roig, she has also added Emma Stewart, a physiotherapist, to her team. Emma Raducanu has taken a lot of confidence from being able to play 22 tournaments across 9 months in 2025. Now, with these new additions, she will be keen to find ways to make a good start in 2026.
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If we take a look at what’s coming next for the Brit, well, she has already confirmed her participation at the United Cup, which starts on January 2. Following that, she will be seen in action at the AO and then probably at the Abu Dhabi Open, Qatar Open, and Dubai Tennis Championships in February. Do you think Raducanu can find more successes in 2026?
2025 All-North Jersey girls tennis teams
After an exciting season, these players were selected to the 2025 All-North Jersey girls tennis teams.
The North Jersey Girls Tennis Player of the Year will be announced at the North Jersey High School Sports Awards show in June. All first-team players are nominees for Player of the Year.
FIRST TEAM
Jaime Carlin
Holy Angels junior
Carlin helped the Angels win their second consecutive Bergen County team championship, taking home her second career first-singles title at the tournament. She also reached the semifinals of the inaugural Bergen County Singles Tournament as the No. 4 seed.
The Norwood resident secured a spot on the first team for the third year in a row after advancing to the NJSIAA singles Round of 16 to finish 18-5.
Kylee Hung
Saddle River Day junior
Hung is now a three-time selection, repeating on first team after earning a 2023 second-team nod at Ridgewood. She finished unbeaten in dual matches for the NJIC Patriot champs, including a 6-2, 6-3 victory over fellow first-teamer Sylvie Yao.
Although she did not play in any Bergen County events, Hung earned a 5-8 seed for the NJSIAA singles tournament and made the quarterfinals, where she ran into state runner-up Fiona Hu of Pingry.
Britney Lee
Ridgefield Park senior
The first Bergen County Singles Tournament champion completes her career as a four-time, first-team selection. Lee went unbeaten in dual matches for the Scarlets and topped fellow first-teamers Jaime Carlin and Sylvie Yao on her way to the county singles crown.
One season after being named North Jersey Girls Tennis Player of the Year, she advanced to the NJSIAA singles semifinals to cap a 19-1 campaign.
Sylvie Yao
Dwight-Englewood junior
Yao returns to the first team following her run to the Bergen County Singles Tournament final. Although she played sparingly in the regular season, the Tenafly resident helped the 15-3 Bulldogs defend their NJIC Liberty Division crown.
A 5-8 seed for the NJSIAA singles tournament, Yao emerged as one of three Bergen County players to reach the quarterfinals, where she bowed to three-time state champ Nina Abalos of Montclair Kimberley.
Mia Custodio & Norah Park
Holy Angels seniors (doubles)
For the second time in three years, a North Jersey duo played in the NJSIAA doubles final. Custodio was named to last season’s second team, but after her 2024 partner moved to singles, she joined forces with senior classmate Park to form the state tourney’s top-seeded duo.
Custodio and Park captured the Bergen County first doubles crown, and they went 16-1 in the regular season, scoring a win over the Pingry pairing that needed a marathon 6-4, 4-6, 6-6 (7-5) match to top them in the state final.
SECOND TEAM
Sabrina Chu, Demarest junior
Olivia Lai, Bergen Tech sophomore
Michelle Lee, Ridgefield Park sophomore
Jazmine Natividad, Bergenfield junior
Emily No, Holy Angels freshman
Valerie Sinitsyn, Bergen Tech freshman
THIRD TEAM
Priscilla Chow, Cresskill senior
Lily Cole, Glen Rock junior
Hrystyna Khrupalo, Passaic Tech senior
Faith Schulz, Mahwah junior
Umaiza Shaikh, Emerson sophomore
Amanda Anisimova returns to NJ for first Prudential Center tennis event
New Jersey-born tennis star Amanda Anisimova will face Jessica Pegula at the Prudential Center’s first-ever tennis event.
The
Breakout tennis star Amanda Anisimova set to return to N.J. for exhibition
Amanda Anisimova left Freehold, N.J. when she was 3 because her family wanted her older sister Maria to pursue a tennis career in Florida.
Maria went on to play college tennis at the University of Pennsylvania, while Amanda eventually eclipsed her big sister on the tennis court. Now Amanda is returning to New Jersey for an exhibition on Sunday at Prudential Center.
Anisimova, ranked No. 4 in the world after reaching the finals of both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2025, will meet fellow American and world No. 6 Jessica Pegula in
Adidas Launches New Barricade Tennis Shoe
Twenty-five years later and Adidas is still going strong with the Barricade tennis shoe franchise. The German-based brand launched the 14th iteration of the franchise, continuing to push the Barricade forward to a new generation of tennis players.
Adidas says the fresh design draws inspiration from the legacy models but comes updated for the style and physical demands of the modern game. And updated it is, with Adidas creating an entirely new last for the model and adding something to the construction that the brand has never done in tennis shoes before.
That updated fit comes thanks to a completely restructured midsole construction that features a new last for the Barricade, designed to improve the fit of the shoe while providing midfoot support and increased toe spring. The new internal chassis was meant to create additional stability so players could withstand heavy impact.
To help with the fresh construction, Adidas brought foam into the forefoot of a tennis shoe for the first time. While foam is common in the forefoot across the sport, Adidas has long focused its foam cushioning elsewhere in tennis shoe design. The introduction of the Adidas Lightstrike Pro foam in the forefoot is meant to improve energy return for a more effective toe-off while on the move. The brand’s Repetitor foam appears in the heel, designed to offer shock absorption.
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An updated outsole technology, which Adidas previously debuted in running shoes and calls Lighttraxion, is expected to improve traction and durability while reducing weight from the previous models.
“Extensively tested in collaboration with our elite athletes, insights gathered revealed demand for a lighter and more comfortable design,” says Annette Steingass, senior director specialist for sports apparel at Adidas. “The latest silhouette reaffirms our drive to provide stability and comfort in one foundational shoe, and we can’t wait to see it on courts all over the world.”
The new construction includes an update cushioned collar to help with creating a snug and protective heel fit and a cushioned tongue adds a level of comfort.
“The Barricade is one of our most popular franchises for players of all levels,” Steingass says. “So when it came to developing the 14th iteration of our pinnacle control model, we wanted to make sure it served our whole tennis community in the best way.”
The December launch design of the new Barricade ($170) features a classic black on white look that will debut as the 2026 season starts and be seen at the Australian Open. Players expecting to don the new model includes Daria Kasatkina, Karolina Muchova, Francisco Cerundolo, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Tom Brady’s Ex-GF Joins Miami Dolphins In Celebrations as Tennis Legend Makes Personal Announcement
The sporting world lit up again this week as Venus Williams dropped a major personal update that immediately had fans talking. Fresh off her high-profile return to the WTA Tour at 45, the tennis legend surprised everyone with a post that shifted the spotlight off the court.
She’s officially engaged to Italian actor Andrea Preti.
Celebrating this wholesome moment, New England Patriots legend Tom Brady‘s ex-girlfriend Irina Shayk commented on Venus Williams’ post as she wrote, “❤️🔥🔥.” Similarly, the NFL franchise, the Miami Dolphins, also wished the couple, commenting, “Congratulations 🎊,” on the engagement post.
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Looking at the Instagram post shared by Venus Williams, the four-time Olympic gold medalist shared photos of the couple getting cozy, with her dog, Harry, at a scenic tropical locale. The post had a caption that included their engagement, as it said, “Engaged 1/31/25💫.”
Preti even jumped into the comments himself, joking that 18-year-old Harry is “the real boss,” a reminder that this engagement is as much about the little family they’ve built as it is about rings and dresses.
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From Venus Williams and Andrea Preti, let’s shift focus to Irina Shayk and Tom Brady, who were involved in a brief relationship that ended in late 2023. They were first seen together in July 2023 and kept their relationship private, meeting discreetly as they navigated a casual “no strings attached” dynamic.
After their brief 2023 fling, the pair reportedly rekindled things in early 2025 in a low-key, casual way, but with no public confirmation of anything long-term, Brady’s main focus remains his new life in the broadcast booth. He continues to excel as an NFL broadcaster, anchoring FOX’s lead NFL coverage and rolling out a weekly power-rankings segment that fans now treat as must-watch TV.
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Tom Brady names his hottest team in the NFL
In the latest iteration of Tom Brady’s weekly power rankings, the quarterback extraordinaire picked his former team, the New England Patriots, as the best-performing team in the league so far. The rapid rise of the Patriots boils down to second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who has grown into the franchise centerpiece New England hoped for when they drafted him No. 3 overall in 2024.
Maye has proven his worth with his command of the offense, improved accuracy, and ability to perform in clutch moments have drawn comparisons to early-career Brady. The Pats QB1 has recorded league-leading 3,412 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, which have carried a team that won only four games in 2024.
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Those numbers have powered New England to an 11–2 record and a 10-game win streak, turning last year’s 4–13 disappointment into an MVP-level redemption arc that has the rest of the AFC suddenly watching their backs again.
“After a serious drought, the New England Patriots are number one in the power rankings,” Brady said. “New England hasn’t played the league’s hardest schedule – it’s actually been the easiest – but this team passes the eye test and [Mike] Vrabel had them flying around on all three phases on Monday night.”
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Coming from a coach who won three Super Bowls in New England under Bill Belichick, that kind of praise for Mike Vrabel’s physical, all-phases identity says as much about how the Patriots are winning as it does about how often they’re winning.
Brady also highlighted how the Patriots enter their Week 14 bye with the perfect record: “Good timing to avoid a loss.”
Now with New England continuing to dominate, it’s happy times for Tom Brady, who remains an ardent supporter of his former team.
Hundreds honor the late tennis great Nicola Pietrangeli at Rome memorial
ROME (AP) — Hundreds of people paid their final respects to Nicola Pietrangeli days after the tennis great died aged 92.
A public viewing of Pietrangeli’s body and a brief memorial service were held Wednesday at the tennis court that was named after him. A private funeral was planned later in Rome.
In 2006, the statue-lined Pallacorda court at the Foro Italico — considered one of the most picturesque stadiums on the circuit — was renamed Stadio Pietrangeli.
Two tennis rackets and the Davis Cup won by Italy in 1976 under Pietrangeli’s captaincy were placed next to the coffin, which was decorated in blue and white flowers.
A large screen displayed images of Pietrangeli’s career accompanied by the music of Charles Aznavour, one of his favorite singers.
“My Way,” by Frank Sinatra, played as the coffin was moved from the court — headed to the church where the funeral was to be held.
“Everything just as he wanted, the place and the music,” said his son Marco.
Prominent figures of Italian sport attended, including the former and current president of the Italian national Olympic committee as well as the head of the Italian tennis federation.
Prince Albert II of Monaco, a longtime friend of Pietrangeli, was present at his funeral, at the Chiesa della Gran Madre di Dio in Rome.
“I knew him for many years,” he said. “He was a splendid man. I really wanted to be here also for his family, I am very emotional. He was always there in the most important moments of my life.”
Adriano Panatta and Tonino Zugarelli, who won the Davis Cup with Pietrangeli, were also present as were other former tennis players including Fabio Fognini, who retired earlier this year.
Noticeably absent, however, were current Italian tennis players — especially Jannik Sinner.
Pietrangeli was the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles trophy, at the French Championships in 1959 and repeated in 1960. He also holds the Davis Cup record for total wins and singles wins from 66 ties from 1954-72. His singles record was 78-32 and his doubles record was 42-12.
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Hundreds honor tennis great Nicola Pietrangeli at Rome memorial
ROME – Hundreds of people paid their final respects to Nicola Pietrangeli days after the tennis great died aged 92.
A public viewing of Pietrangeli’s body and a brief memorial service were held Wednesday at the tennis court that was named after him. A private funeral was planned later in Rome.
In 2006, the statue-lined Pallacorda court at the Foro Italico – considered one of the most picturesque stadiums on the circuit – was renamed Stadio Pietrangeli.
Two tennis rackets and the Davis Cup won by Italy in 1976 under Pietrangeli’s captaincy were placed next to the coffin, which was decorated in blue and white flowers.
A large screen displayed images of Pietrangeli’s career accompanied by the music of Charles Aznavour, one of his favorite singers.
Serena Williams says she is not coming back to tennis
Serena Williams threw cold water on the idea that she might be preparing to return to tennis, writing on social media Tuesday that she is “NOT coming back,” after a spokesman for the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said the 23-time Grand Slam champion had registered with the sport’s drug-testing body.
That is the first step that would be required by a player seeking to come out of retirement.
The 44-year-old Williams, one of the greats of the game, has not competed since bidding farewell at the 2022 U.S. Open. At the time, Williams said she didn’t want to use the word “retiring” and instead declared that she was “evolving” away from tennis.
It was not clear when or where — or even if — Williams actually will play again, and she later posted: “Omg yall I’m NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.”
Her agent did not immediately return a request for comment.
In a statement emailed to The Associated Press, U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Brendan McIntyre said: “We are aware that Serena has filed the necessary paperwork with the International Tennis Integrity Agency to reenter the International Registered Testing Pool. If Serena decides to return and compete at the professional level, together with her fans, we will enthusiastically welcome the return of one of the greatest champions in the history of our sport.”
Williams was one of the biggest stars of any sport, a dominant talent on the court and still someone drawing attention away from it. If she were to end up returning to the tour, it would be a significant story line, of course.
Her decision to place her name back in the testing pool with the ITIA, which oversees anti-doping and anti-corruption efforts, was first reported by Bounces.
“She is on the list and back in the testing pool,” ITIA spokesman Adrian Bassett wrote to the AP on Tuesday.
Athletes returning to testing need to provide information on their whereabouts — details on their location when they are not at an official event and times when they are available to give samples. Someone who retires while they are on the list and later comes back needs to be available for testing for six months before they are allowed to return to competition.
Williams’ older sister, Venus, returned to competition this July at age 45 after nearly 1 1/2 years away from the tour; she never had announced her retirement. At the U.S. Open, Venus became the oldest player to play singles at the American Grand Slam tournament since 1981.
When Venus, a seven-time major singles champion, came back at the DC Open, she spoke about wishing Serena would join her back on tour. They claimed 14 Grand Slam doubles titles as a pair.
“I keep saying to my team: The only thing that would make this better is if she was here. Like, we always did everything together, so of course I miss her,” Venus said at the time when asked about a video on social media that showed Serena swinging a racket. “But if she comes back, I’m sure she’ll let y’all know.”
You can now make your own FIFA World Cup trophy out of LEGO
Having previously released models of iconic football stadiums such as Manchester United’s Old Trafford and Real Madrid’s Bernabéu, LEGO is now giving everyone the chance to build their own version of soccer’s most prized artefact: the FIFA World Cup trophy.
The real thing — all 14½ inches and 13½ lbs of its gold and malachite glory — has become a symbol of the game’s grandest achievement since it formally replaced the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1974.
Only a select group of people — World Cup winners, FIFA’s president and heads of state — are allowed to hold the trophy, let alone triumphantly hoist it aloft in a cacophonous stadium full of people with a billion more watching on TVs around the world.
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So for us mere mortals who will never get close to that, FIFA has collaborated with LEGO to give fans the chance to get their hands on an extremely cool brick-based version of the most famous prize in sport.
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States next summer, LEGO has created a brilliant replica of the actual trophy. It is a 1:1 scale model made up of 2,842 individual bricks, including — perhaps unsurprisingly — the highest number of gold-colored bricks ever used in a single LEGO set.
It also features a little hidden feature: a compartment in the globe at the top of the trophy opens up to reveal the 2026 FIFA World Cup logo, and a LEGO figure holding a mini-version of the trophy.
Although it may not be worth quite as much as the real thing, it will still cost a pretty penny: LEGO is now taking pre-orders to ship next March for the price of $199.99.
2026 World Cup Host Countries, Cities, Stadiums
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With the largest World Cup field ever (48 teams), you’re going to need a lot of stadiums to host the 104 matches. That’s why we’ll have three countries (the most ever) hosting the tournament across 16 cities. Here’s what you need to know.
When and Where is the Draw? How to Watch?
The World Cup draw will be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Dec. 5 at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT. The draw will air live on FOX and be streamed on FOX One, FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App. Coverage for the event that will decide the groups for all 48 teams will begin with a live pre-show at 11:30 AM ET/8:30 AM PT.
The draw will take place from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET and upon its conclusion, live coverage on FOX will continue until 3:00 PM ET providing instant analysis, reactions and interviews.
When is the World Cup?
The World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The FOX family of networks and the FOX Sports app are your complete home for World Cup content, including live matches, complete highlights, commentary and analysis, and full-match replays.
Who is Hosting the World Cup?
For the first time ever, there will be three countries hosting the World Cup – the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Only once in the tournament’s history have there been co-hosts, with the 2002 edition being held in South Korea and Japan.
For 2026, the majority of the 104 matches will be held in the U.S., with 78 games spread across 11 cities. Canada (two cities) and Mexico (three cities) will have 13 matches each.
What are World Cup Cities and Stadiums?
In all, 16 cities across the three countries will host World Cup games. You’ll recognize several of these stadiums as they’re home to NFL teams.
Canada
Toronto (BMO Field)
Vancouver (BC Place)
Mexico
Guadalajara (Estadio Akron)
Mexico City (Estadio Azteca)
Monterrey (Estadio BBVA)
United States
Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium)
Boston (Gillette Stadium)
Dallas (AT&T Stadium)
Houston (NRG Stadium)
Los Angeles (SoFi Stadium)
Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium)
Miami (Hard Rock Stadium)
New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium)
Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field)
San Francisco/Bay Area (Levi’s Stadium)
Seattle (Lumen Field)
Scheffler, McIlroy headline PGA Tour Player of the Year ballot
Scottie Scheffler is going for the four-peat.
The PGA Tour released the finalists for its Player of the Year (Jack Nicklaus Award) and Rookie of the Year (Arnold Palmer Award) honors Wednesday, and Scheffler once again headlines the ballot.
Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, Ben Griffin and Rory McIlroy are the finalists for Player of the Year; Michael Brennan, Steven Fisk, William Mouw, Aldrich Potgieter and Karl Vilips are the Rookie of the Year nominees.
Scheffler has won the last three Player of the Year awards, and when he won in 2024 he joined Tiger Woods as the only players to win in three consecutive years. (Tiger won five in a row from 1999-2003 and three in a row from 2005-2007.)
Scheffler is the favorite this year as well. McIlroy might have had the most important win of the season — exorcising his Augusta National demons and claiming the career Grand Slam — but Scheffler won two majors to McIlroy’s one.
Scheffler won six times total, hoisting trophies at The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, PGA Championship, Memorial, Open Championship, BMW and Procore. His two majors pushed his career total to four, and he’s now just a U.S. Open win away from becoming the seventh player to win the career Grand Slam. Besides the Masters, McIlroy won the Players and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am; he also won the Irish Open, although that victory doesn’t count toward his PGA Tour resume.
Griffin won three times in 2025. Tommy Fleetwood won once, claiming the Tour Championship for his long-awaited first PGA Tour victory.
All five Rookie of the Year finalists won once each in 2025. Potgieter was the only rookie to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs and finished 56th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings.
Both awards are determined by a member vote, with ballots closing on Dec. 12 and the winners announced shortly after.
Woods’ 11 Jack Nicklaus Awards are the most ever. Scheffler and McIlroy both have three.
Scottie Scheffler Sets Out His Conditions as Tiger Woods Plans PGA Tour Schedule Overhaul
With the latest meeting between Tiger Woods and CEO Brian Rolapp, the PGA Tour is finally ready to revamp its calendar. And the world’s best player might be affected by it the most. Speaking at the Hero World Challenge press conference, Scottie Scheffler made a demand of the Tour’s officials.
“I’m going to play where the best players are playing,” Scheffler stated. “I don’t know what a perfect schedule looks like for me. I like being able to have a little bit of freedom in the way I play tournaments.”
Ranked first on the OWGR, he had to maintain his stature, and that’s possible only if he plays against good competition.
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“I love competition,” he continued. “I love playing against the best players, so wherever those guys are playing, that’s probably where you’re going to see me.”
Colt Knost elevated to CBS booth for 2026 PGA Tour season
Former PGA Tour player Colt Knost is moving from on-course reporter to the booth as an analyst for CBS Sports’ golf coverage in 2026.
Knost, 40, replaces Ian Baker-Finch, who retired in August after 18 years with CBS. Knost will be in the booth with host Jim Nantz, lead analyst Trevor Immelman and fellow analyst Frank Nobilo.
He just earned PGA Tour membership – thanks to a LIV Golf move
Dan Brown was the bubble golfer. A month ago, 10 pros had earned 2026 PGA Tour cards via the DP World Tour’s points standings — and he was No. 11. He knew it, too. In an Instagram post, he wrote about his standing, also noting other near-misses.
He remembered something, though.
Not too long ago, he would’ve taken No. 12. Or 50.
Or whatever.
“When all is said and done,” he wrote, “I never actually thought ever in my life that I would reach this level.”
And now he’s No. 10.
This week, the PGA Tour confirmed that Laurie Canter, the previous 10th pro, had “declined” his membership, and that Brown had replaced him. The update came after Canter instead signed with the Majesticks team of LIV Golf, where he had played in events from 2022 to ’24.
“Joining Majesticks GC is an incredible opportunity to be part of a team that has helped shape LIV Golf from day one,” Canter said in a press release. “The league’s growth has been remarkable and my experience in the league has led me to become a more complete player and a multiple winner on the DP World Tour. To return to the league with Majesticks GC is a huge honor, and they bring a standard of excellence, ambition and identity that really resonates with me. I can’t wait to get started and contribute to what this team is building.”
The move then sends Brown to the PGA Tour.
This season, Brown posted six top 10s on the DP World Tour, and In July, he won the BMW International Open for his second career DP World Tour title. He’s also ranked 75th in the world. Last year, Brown memorably entered the final round of the Open Championship in a six-way tie for second before finishing tied for 10th. The run sparked a series of stories on the now-31-year-old Englishman, and you can read a few by clicking here and here.
Some takeaways from those? Brown’s father was in the pig business, and his mom was a mortgage advisor. Ping reps were among Brown’s fans, and Brown had forever been an Open Championship fan. And he smoked. After hitting his tee shot on the 18th hole during the third round of the 2024 Open, Brown lit up a cigarette, then took a selfie with some fans.
He also knows where he’s playing next year. On Instagram, Brown shared a few stories noting his move to 10th.
A dream update.
Scottie Scheffler’s ideal schedule: Playing the best players
No matter what future changes the PGA Tour makes or doesn’t make to the schedule, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler knows where he wants to be every week.
Scottie Scheffler & Co. Pose Serious Problem for PGA Tour’s Revamp Hopes, per Insider
With Brian Rolapp‘s Future Committee in place, the PGA Tour has big dreams, aiming for a leaner schedule of 20-22 events per year. The Tour is also working to address its visibility issues, establish a global footprint, and provide opportunities for players worldwide. But what happens when the Tour’s global ambitions collide with its top players’ desire to stay home?
Gary Williams and Todd Lewis joined Golf Today to discuss the potential schedule changes for the 2027 season on the PGA Tour. They highlighted that while players like Rory McIlroy have earned the status of a ‘global golfer,’ playing in events in India and Scotland, Scottie Scheffler isn’t exactly following suit.
“There is an opportunity for the PGA Tour to align with other tours, probably specifically the DP World Tour. But the problem they’re going to run into on the PGA Tour is trying to convince elite American players to step outside the United States and play in these events,” Lewis began.
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Lewis mentioned that tours around the world need to come together for the game to grow. In 2022, the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour signed a 13-year operational joint venture partnership, valid till 2035. While the partnership was designed to create a bigger global footprint, Lewis notes that this goal is jeopardized if top players don’t participate, undermining the very visibility the Tour seeks.
“I don’t understand why these great American players don’t go out and play internationally like Rory McIlroy does brilliantly by the way more than they do… We love Scottie Scheffler. He is a dominant player. Whenever he shows up now, he’s the top draw… but rarely does he step outside the United States to play big events globally,” Lewis noted.
While Lewis has a point, Scheffler has his priorities. Earlier this year, in July, when it was confirmed that McIlroy would be heading to play internationally, Scheffler made it clear he wouldn’t be following a global schedule. He was at the Renaissance Club that week for the Genesis Scottish Open, but he shared that it was the furthest he had gone.
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“I haven’t really played too much golf internationally. I always come over here and try to play this tournament and The Open Championship. I haven’t played in Asia or Australia yet as a professional…” Scheffler told the media.
He emphasized that while most players during the offseason head to Asia or Australia, his priority remains being at home with his family.
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“With the way our schedule is on the [PGA Tour], the thing that’s most important to me is my time at home… My family is my priority, and there will hopefully be times later in my career where I have some free time. But if my wife and son are here, I want to spend time with them instead,” he added.
The challenge is clear: the PGA Tour aims to collaborate globally, elevate international tournaments, and streamline its schedule to focus on the most significant events. Yet, if the top American players don’t buy in, the Tour’s bold vision could stall before it even starts.
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As Lewis put it, the idea is “a great opportunity”, but success depends on convincing Scheffler and other elite players to step out of their comfort zones and embrace events outside their homeland.
But what are the potential changes we’re looking at on the PGA Tour?
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PGA Tour’s potential revamp for the future
As we advance, the PGA Tour could be in for its most dramatic schedule shake-up in decades. According to Golf Digest, the Tour is exploring a streamlined 20–22 event calendar, potentially starting around late February to avoid clashing with the NFL season.
While the plan aims to make the Tour more fan-friendly and globally visible, it introduces significant changes for long-standing tournaments and traditional venues.
Beloved Hawaii events like The Sentry and the Sony Open may be eliminated, and the West Coast swing could be deeply impacted. Historic courses, such as Torrey Pines, could be removed from the schedule entirely. In Florida, longtime events like the Cognizant Classic and the Valspar Championship might also be cut. Alternate-field events, too, may cease to exist entirely. Mandatory off weeks are being proposed immediately following the four major championships.
Tiger Woods confirmed that the changes could start in 2027, though he stressed that a phased implementation is more likely. One possibility is a later start to the season, potentially after the Super Bowl, allowing fans to engage with golf without competing with sports events.
Tiger Woods Expects ‘Financial Windfall’ From Revamped PGA Tour Schedule
Tiger Woods believes the PGA Tour’s forthcoming schedule revamp will deliver a “financial windfall” for players, along with a better product for the fans, aligning with broader conversations about reshaping the season’s timing and structure.
At the Hero World Challenge in Albany, Bahamas, Woods spoke candidly about the Tour’s ongoing efforts to redesign its competitive calendar.
Scottie Scheffler Admits The One Tiger Woods Quality He Still Falls Short On
Between 2000 and 2001, Tiger Woods won 14 PGA Tour events. Scottie Scheffler knows the numbers, even if he missed the moment. At the Hero World Challenge pre-tournament press conference, Scheffler was asked about comparisons to Tiger’s early-2000s dominance. His answer revealed both reverence and distance.
“I was pretty young back then,” Scheffler said. “I’ve got to catch up on a lot of that stuff from YouTube.”
“There were very few spurts throughout his career when he wasn’t the best player in the world,” Scheffler explained. “He was never complacent or satisfied with where he was at with his game, kind of always kept working.”
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But Scheffler identified what set Tiger apart. It wasn’t just peak performance—it was sustainability.
That’s the trait Scheffler admires most. And the one he’s still chasing.
To Be Continued…
Jordan Spieth Drops Honest Feelings on Tiger Woods’s PGA Tour Vision Amid Uncertainty
Three years after the “Delaware 20” restructured the PGA Tour at the 2022 BMW Championship, Jordan Spieth found himself in another room where the Tour’s future was being rewritten — and this time, his tone was more measured.
On Tuesday night at the Hero World Challenge, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp and Tiger Woods presented their vision for sweeping changes potentially arriving in 2027. Spieth, a former player director, walked out cautiously optimistic but with one clear takeaway: “They’re still a lot of things in consideration, so they’re gonna try to make sure they get it right.”
That phrase — “get it right” — matters more than the proposed reforms themselves. Woods spoke of a “financial windfall” and a “fantastic” product overhaul. But Spieth’s emphasis on transparency and deliberation suggests he understands what’s really at stake: whether the Tour can execute ambitious change without fracturing player unity or alienating the fans and sponsors it needs to survive the transition.
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Reports: PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, Tiger Woods pitch
After the PGA Tour’s Future Competitions Committee met on Tuesday, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp and committee chair Tiger Woods met with the 20 players competing in this week’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, according to multiple media reports.
In what was reportedly a 90-minute presentation to the 20-man field, Rolapp and Woods laid out the vision for what is being termed as significant change to the PGA Tour schedule that could be installed as soon as 2027.
The three governing principles guiding the Future Competitions Committee’s work — at Rolapp’s suggestion — have been parity, scarcity and simplicity.
Per reports, the pitch brought to the players in the meeting included a reduced schedule of 20-25 events focused on the biggest markets and the best courses. An English Premier League-esque relegation system for PGA Tour competition also was presented, per reports.
Harris English, the world’s 11th-ranked player, spoke recently at a tournament about how there are discussions about starting the season in February — instead of January — to avoid competing with the NFL for viewership.
2026 Winter Olympics: Could rink issues pull NHL players out of Olympics?
The construction on the main arena where the Milan-Cortina Games are expected to host hockey in a few short months is not completed, raising concerns about whether the NHL will be able to send its players to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
In an interview with Daily Faceoff, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly was asked what percentage the NHL players have of actually not going to the Olympics.
“Depends on the percentage you want to place on the possibility the rink doesn’t get completed,” Daly told the outlet. “If there’s no rink completed, there’s no NHL players going to the Olympics.”
There’s nothing to indicate the league won’t send players come February, according to ESPN, despite the ice reportedly being three feet shorter than the NHL’s usual 200-foot-by-85-foot dimensions.
The Athletic reported the IIHF approved a 196.85-foot by 85.3 ice sheet for Milan.
Despite the rink being shorter, a player who’s already been named to an Olympic team told ESPN he doesn’t believe the ice being shorter will impact the game as much as many may think.
“With the talent level there’s already going to be no time and space,” the player told ESPN. “The games are going to be incredible no matter what. Just give us a sheet of ice we’ll be good.”
The men’s hockey tournament is set to begin Feb. 11.
Where to watch Sabres vs. Flyers (12/3/25) | FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV Channel for NHL game
The Buffalo Sabres face the Philadelphia Flyers in a regular season NHL game on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025 at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Here are your best options to watch the game if you don’t already have cable:
You can purchase a Sling Orange Day Pass for just $4.99. A weekend pass costs $9.99 and a week pass is $14.99.
For a limited-time only, you can get the Sling Orange & Blue plan for half off your first month at $33. ($65.99 per month after).
A subscription to Sling TV‘s Orange plan is just $45.99 per month. Sling Orange gives you access to 34 channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Disney Channel, TNT, TBS and more.
You can also watch for free via a trial of DIRECTV.
Here’s what you need to know:
What: NHL game
Who: Sabres vs. Flyers
When: Dec. 3, 2025 (12/3/25)
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena
TV: TNT
Live stream: Sling, DIRECTV (free trial), HBO MAX
Here’s a preview capsule via the Associated Press:
Buffalo Sabres (11-11-4, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (14-8-3, in the Metropolitan Division)
Philadelphia; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Buffalo Sabres visit the Philadelphia Flyers after Joshua Norris scored two goals in the Sabres’ 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets.
Philadelphia has gone 8-4-2 at home and 14-8-3 overall. The Flyers have a 2-3-3 record in games decided by a goal.
Buffalo is 11-11-4 overall and 2-6-2 in road games. The Sabres have a 5-1-2 record in games they score at least one power-play goal.
The matchup Wednesday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.
TOP PERFORMERS: Tyson Foerster has 11 goals and three assists for the Flyers. Trevor Zegras has five goals and four assists over the last 10 games.
Tage Thompson has 12 goals and 10 assists for the Sabres. Josh Doan has scored four goals with five assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Flyers: 6-3-1, averaging 2.9 goals, 4.5 assists, 3.1 penalties and 6.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.2 goals per game.
Sabres: 6-4-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.2 assists, 2.5 penalties and 6.4 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Flyers: None listed.
Sabres: None listed.
NHL Notebook: Kings and Blues strike a trade, Adam Fox on LTIR, and more
The story of the Vancouver Canucks season has been injuries. They have probably been the most injured team all season, which is one of the reasons they are where they are in the standings – third last, just one point out of dead last. Which, of course, has led trade rumours to take over the market’s focus as fans look toward the future.
However, in this NHL Notebook, we have a trade and injuries that don’t surround the Canucks this past week:
Blues/Kings swap forwards
The St. Louis Blues announced on social media that they acquired forward Akil Thomas from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Nikita Alexandrov.
Thomas, 25, was drafted in the second round (51st overall) of the 2018 NHL draft. He spent the following two seasons in the OHL before heading to the AHL for the 2020-21 season. Since making the jump to the professional ranks, Thomas has dealt with several injuries. Through his first four seasons, Thomas has been in and out of the lineup with injuries, playing 157 of a possible 288 games.
The Toronto, Ontario native’s best season came in 2023-24, where he scored 22 goals and 46 points in 64 games with the Ontario Reign. His efforts earned him a seven-game stint in the NHL, where he scored three goals and four points. Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Kings were hopeful Thomas could run away with a bottom-six role. However, that didn’t pan out as planned, as after his struggles, Thomas was a regular healthy scratch that season. He scored just one goal and three points in 25 games, finishing with a minus-four rating in sub-10 minutes of average ice time.
Through 19 AHL games with the Reign this season, Thomas has four goals and nine assists for 13 points. He will now join the Springfield Thunderbirds, the Blues’ AHL affiliate.
Alexandrov, also 25, was drafted in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2019 NHL draft. His draft-plus-one season with the Charlottetown Islanders of the QMJHL was his best in junior, as he scored 23 goals and 31 assists for 54 points. After playing the following two seasons in the AHL, Alexandrov split his seasons between the NHL/AHL. He played a depth role in his first season, scoring three goals and adding seven points in 28 games in 2022-23, but struggled to contribute offensively in 2023-24, recording just a pair of assists in 23 games.
The German-born centre has not been given another opportunity in the NHL since then. However, he finished 2024-25 with 21 goals and 28 assists for 49 points in 48 games, and is off to a decent start in 2025-26, scoring three goals and 11 assists for 14 points in 18 games with the Thunderbirds.
Just a change-of-scenery move for both players and teams, hoping to prove that they can make the jump to a more consistent NHL forward.
Injuries
Adam Fox
The New York Rangers placed defenceman Adam Fox on long-term injured reserve on November 30.
Palimeri gets tangled up with a Philadelphia Flyers defenceman on a race for the puck in the corner, which is when the injury took place. In agonizing distress, the Islander forward toughed it out, got back to his feet, and glided to the bench.
However, on his way there, Emil Andrae was backpedalling with the puck in his own zone. Palmieri stick lifted him from behind to steal the puck, and sent a backhand saucer pass to Jonathan Drouin, who then drops it for Emil Heineman, who roofs it on Samuel Ersson.
Hockey players are built different.
At the prime age of 34, Palmieri was off to the best scoring pace of his career, with 18 points (six goals and 12 assists) through 25 games, good for a 0.72 point-per-game. The Islanders have not yet announced if this injury will completely end his season. However, the 6-8 month timeline would have Palmieri return at the end of May/beginning of June.
Tyson Foerster
The Philadelphia Flyers announced that forward Tyson Foerster will be out 2-3 months with an upper-body injury.
Where to watch the Mammoth vs. Ducks NHL livestream today for free
The Anaheim Ducks look to maintain their spot atop the Pacific Division on Wednesday night when they play host to the Utah Mammoth.
After years of being a bottom-feeder in the NHL, the Ducks are starting to fly once again. Led by a talented young core, featuring Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson and goaltender Lukas Dostal, the team has been one of the best in the league over the first couple of months of the season.
The Ducks are dealing with a little bit of adversity, as both goaltenders, Dostal and Petr Mrazek, are out due to injury. However, the team still has plenty of talent to power through and get wins, something Anaheim showed on Monday night in a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Blues.
The Mammoth came into the year hoping to be competitive and remain in the playoff picture for a few months. That has proven to be easier said than done. The team has struggled to keep up with many across the Western Conference, leading to a four-game losing streak.
This is the second of three meetings between the interdivisional foes this season. The Ducks outlasted the Mammoth in overtime on home ice last month, 3-2.
NHL HOCKEY
Utah Mammoth (12-12-3) vs. Anaheim Ducks (16-9-1)
When: Wednesday, December 3
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Where: Honda Center (Anaheim, Calif.)
Channel: TNT
Check out the NHL standings and scores here
Where to watch Mammoth vs. Ducks (12/3/25) | FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV Channel for NHL game
The Utah Mammoth face the Anaheim Ducks in a regular season NHL game on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Here are your best options to watch the game if you don’t already have cable:
You can purchase a Sling Orange Day Pass for just $4.99. A weekend pass costs $9.99 and a week pass is $14.99.
For a limited-time only, you can get the Sling Orange & Blue plan for half off your first month at $33. ($65.99 per month after).
A subscription to Sling TV‘s Orange plan is just $45.99 per month. Sling Orange gives you access to 34 channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, Disney Channel, TNT, TBS and more.
You can also watch for free via a trial of DIRECTV.
Here’s what you need to know:
What: NHL game
Who: Mammoth vs. Ducks
When: Dec. 3, 2025 (12/3/25)
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Where: Honda Center
TV: TNT, truTV
Live stream: Sling, DIRECTV (free trial), HBO MAX
Here’s a preview capsule via the Associated Press:
Utah Mammoth (12-12-3, in the Central Division) vs. Anaheim Ducks (16-9-1, in the Pacific Division)
Anaheim, California; Wednesday, 10 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: The Utah Mammoth visit the Anaheim Ducks after Lawson Crouse’s two-goal game against the San Jose Sharks in the Mammoth’s 6-3 loss.
Anaheim is 9-3-0 in home games and 16-9-1 overall. The Ducks have scored 94 total goals (3.6 per game) to rank second in NHL play.
Utah has a 12-12-3 record overall and a 5-9-2 record on the road. The Mammoth have a 4-6-1 record when they serve more penalty minutes than their opponent.
The teams meet Wednesday for the second time this season. The Ducks won 3-2 in overtime in the last meeting.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cutter Gauthier has 15 goals and 15 assists for the Ducks. Chris Kreider has four goals and three assists over the last 10 games.
Nick Schmaltz has 10 goals and 12 assists for the Mammoth. Nate Schmidt has one goal and six assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Ducks: 5-5-0, averaging 3.1 goals, 5.6 assists, 4.3 penalties and 10.7 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game.
Mammoth: 2-5-3, averaging 2.4 goals, 3.7 assists, 3.9 penalties and 8.6 penalty minutes while giving up 3.1 goals per game.
INJURIES: Ducks: None listed.
Mammoth: None listed.
Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin expected to miss rest of NHL season with a torn ACL
NEW YORK — Tyler Seguin is expected to miss the rest of the NHL season with a torn ACL in his right knee, another major injury blow to the already-shorthanded Dallas Stars.
Coach Glen Gulutzan said Wednesday that Seguin would be out a significant amount of time. The 33-year-old forward was injured Tuesday night at the New York Rangers.
“It’s not just us, it’s the league, and it’s very unfortunate,” Gulutzan said. “It’s a tough day for us today with the news. Other guys now have to step in and play.”
Seguin got tangled up with Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavirkov in the first period. Seguin went down in pain, could not skate and needed help from multiple teammates and an athletic trainer to get off the ice and more assistance to get down the tunnel to the visiting locker room area at Madison Square Garden.
Gulutzan said the team did not get positive news about Seguin’s knee after it was looked at more closely.
“There’s lots of injuries piling up and lots of games, so we just got to keep moving forward,” Gulutzan said. “There’s lots of guys that their opportunity is born from some of this misfortune. We just have to take that away: It’s next guy up, next guy’s opportunity and run with it. That’s what good teams do is they just keep pushing forward with the players that they have.”
Seguin missed the vast majority of last season after undergoing hip surgery. He returned for the finale and the Stars’ playoff run to the Western Conference final. He has been with Dallas since joining in a trade from Boston in 2013.
“I didn’t live it with him last year, but I did talk to our leadership group here and what I did know is just how hard he (worked) and the effort that he put in to come back last year and how diligent he was,” Gulutzan said. “He’s a great leader for us, and he’s a great pro and he’s been a guy, quite frankly, that I’ve been maybe the most impressed with – just his leadership ability when I’ve come in here.”
Nathan Bastian was expected to take Seguin’s spot in the lineup Tuesday night at the New Jersey Devils. Long term, the team hopes center Matt Duchene is able to help fill the void once he returns from his injury.
That could come “sooner than later” if Duchene’s current progress continues, according to Gulutzan.
“You’re going to have to have other guys step up,” Gulutzan said. “If Duchy comes back, he’s going to have to take some of that. (Mavrik Bourque is) going to get more opportunity. There’s going to be more opportunity for more guys, and then you’re going to see who takes it. So, you’re not really pigeonholing anybody. You’re just seeing who grabs it.”
Devils honor Dillon after 1,000th NHL game
The New Jersey Devils honored defenseman Brenden Dillon for reaching the 1,000-game threshold with a pregame ceremony on Wednesday at Prudential Center.
Dillon’s wife, Emma, narrated the video tribute that was played during the ceremony.
“You’ve worked for everything you’ve gotten,” she said in the video. “To be where you are and accomplish what you have. I’m forever in awe of the dedication and commitment that you display in every facet of your life. From the locker room to our living room, you make people light up around you.
“1,000 incredible moments. 1,000 times cheering for our guy. And we’d do it 1,000 times over.”
After the video, Emma joined Brenden on the ice with their young daughters, Elowen and Elton, as well as Brenden’s parents, Edward and Debbie.
Emma brought with her a special hat for Brenden with “1,000 NHL games” embroidered on the inside.
Islanders’ Cal Ritchie beginning to make impact at NHL level
The way Matthew Schaefer has upended the development curve has a way of making you forget what it usually looks like for a prospect to adjust to the NHL.
Cal Ritchie’s first month with the Islanders is much closer to the norm. And lately, things have been falling into place for the 21-year-old.
More ice time, more confidence, more assertiveness on the ice — and, on Wednesday, a pretty backhand assist to Anthony Duclair on what eventually became the game-winning goal in a 2-1 Islanders victory over the Lightning.
“I think my game is getting to a point where I’m starting to feel more comfortable,” Ritchie said afterward. “I’m starting to play more offensive hockey, showing my skill a bit more, trying to play with more confidence and stuff.
“And then just building chemistry with my linemates. Been doing a good job with the [offensive] zone and defensively. You don’t have to think as much defensively when you’re playing strong defensively. You can focus more on offense and creating.”
Ritchie’s current line — he’s skating between Simon Holmstrom and Duclair — came together as a necessity after Jean-Gabriel Pageau got hurt. To some extent, so too did his uptick in minutes, as he jumped from the fourth line to the third.
That confidence, though, was hard earned, and without Pageau, it’s been all the more crucial that Ritchie take the next step forward.
His contributions have gone from a luxury to a necessity for the Islanders, whose forward corps is down Pageau and Kyle Palmieri.
“I think at the start, you come up and you don’t want to make mistakes and stuff,” Ritchie said. “You want to be part of the team. So for me it was just a process to get comfortable. I’m starting to build that confidence, starting to play the way that I can. [I’ve] shown my abilities offensively a bit more and not focus too much on trying not to make mistakes.”
CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND ISLANDERS STATS
That is just what the Islanders want, and just what coach Patrick Roy has stressed to Ritchie in video sessions.
“That’s my style anyway,” Roy said. “I let people play. I don’t hold them back. When they make a mistake, I can’t wait to put them back on the ice and give them a chance to — I don’t know if that’s the correct wording — but redeem themselves and find a way to show me they’re ready to go.”
NCAA notebook: Tracy of Minnesota State among top undrafted goalies to watch this season
Finding a goalie from the ranks of NCAA free agents is a challenge. There are a few undrafted goalies currently in the NHL, but not many.
Cam Talbot (University of Alabama-Huntsville) of the Detroit Red Wings and Charlie Lindgren (St. Cloud State University) of the Washington Capitals are established NHL goalies who never were drafted. Brandon Bussi (Western Michigan University) of the Carolina Hurricanes is off to a good start in his first NHL season after playing the previous four seasons in the minor leagues.
Scouts are making the rounds of college rinks each weekend with an eye out for goalies with NHL potential or who could provide organizational depth in the American Hockey League or ECHL.
Here, in alphabetical order, are 10 free agent goalies on the radar of NHL scouts this season.
Albin Boija, Maine
The junior from Sundsvall, Sweden, drew a lot of attention from NHL teams last season but decided to return to school.
He was one of four finalists for the Mike Richter Award as the top goalie in men’s Division I hockey last season after going 23-8 with six ties, a 1.82 goals-against average, .928 save percentage and four shutouts in 37 games.
This season, the 22-year-old is 6-4 with one tie, a 2.55 GAA, .899 save percentage and two shutouts.
Boija attended Boston Bruins development camp in July.
Cameron Korpi, Union College
The sophomore is in his first season at Union after playing at the University of Michigan last season.
He was named to the Big Ten All-Rookie Team after going 7-6 with one tie, a 3.08 GAA and .904 save percentage in 18 games.
This season, the 21-year-old is 8-4 with two ties, a 1.87 GAA, .918 save percentage in 14 games, and he is tied for the NCAA lead with three shutouts.
Korpi also attended Bruins development camp during the offseason.
Joshua Kotai, Augustana University
The 22-year-old junior is 7-5 with one tie, a 1.93 GAA, .936 save percentage and one shutout in 13 games.
He also was selected play for the United States Collegiate Selects at the Spengler Cup in Switzerland from Dec. 26-31.
Kotai attended development camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the offseason.
Daniel Hauser, University of Wisconsin
Hauser is undersized at 5-foot-11, but he piled up wins during five seasons in the Western Hockey League and is doing so this season as a college freshman.
The 21-year-old is 8-2 with two ties, a 2.14 GAA, .914 save percentage and two shutouts in 12 games. That includes 29 saves in a 6-1 win at top-ranked Michigan on Nov. 8.
Hauser is the winningest goalie in WHL history with a 123-36-9 record. He had a 2.58 GAA, .910 save percentage and 17 shutouts in 176 games.
Lassi Lehti, University of Alaska
The 24-year-old senior from Espoo, Finland has the kind of size (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) NHL teams look for in a goalie.
Lehti is 4-5 with one tie, a 2.44 GAA and .926 save percentage in 10 games. That includes leading Alaska to the championship at the Adirondack Winter Invitational in Lake Placid, New York. He made 19 saves in a 2-0 win against St. Lawrence on Nov. 28 and 21 saves one day later in a 3-2 win against Clarkson in the championship game.
Max Lundgren, Merrimack College
A sophomore from Angelholm, Sweden, Lundgren has the size (6-5, 230) NHL teams covet in goalie prospects.
The 23-year-old is 5-8 with a 2.57 GAA and .916 save percentage in 13 games. That includes 40 saves in a 3-2 win against Providence on Nov. 15.
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
Mbereko is 8-6 with one tie, a 2.32 GAA and .916 save percentage in 15 games this season.
The 22-year-old senior is fourth in school history with 53 wins, including a sophomore season in 2023-24 that saw him go 21-13 with three ties, a 2.40 GAA and .915 save percentage in 37 games.
Mbereko’s father played professional rugby in Zimbabwe for nearly two decades.
Shane Soderwall, Clarkson University
Soderwall played two seasons at Division III Curry College before transferring to Clarkson this season, including going 24-4 with a 1.47 GAA and .945 save percentage in 28 games last season. He tied an NCAA record with 98 saves in a four-overtime game against Hobart in the 2024 NCAA Division III Tournament quarterfinals.
This season, the 23-year-old is 5-9 with a 2.91 GAA and .899 save percentage in 14 games.
He attended development camp with the Utah Mammoth during the offseason.
Alex Tracy, Minnesota State University
Tracy was 26-9 with three ties, a 1.42 GAA, .946 save percentage and five shutouts in 38 games last season. He was one of four finalists for the Mike Richter Award, a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top men’s Division I hockey player and was voted the Central Collegiate Hockey Association player of the year and goalie of the year.
The 24-year-old senior is 10-2 with four ties, a 1.78 GAA, .936 save percentage and two shutouts in 16 games this season, and has been named to the U.S. Collegiate Select team that will play in the Spengler Cup.
Seider thriving for Red Wings, excited for Olympics with Germany
DETROIT — Just how good is Moritz Seider? What could the 24-year-old defenseman become not just for the Detroit Red Wings but for Germany?
Listen to Boston Bruins coach Marco Sturm, who had 487 points (242 goals, 245 assists) in 938 games as a forward in the NHL from 1997-2012. No one born in Germany has played more games in the League. Only one such player has compiled more goals and points: Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, who has 987 points (414 goals, 753 assists) in 817 games.
“He could be our Leon Draisaitl, just on ‘D,’” Sturm said before Seider had three points (one goal, two assists) in a 5-4 win against Boston on Tuesday. “He’s just that good. He has that presence on the ice too, and I feel like he’s just getting better and better. I think he hasn’t reached his top level yet, and he’s on his way.”
Seider is playing a key role for the Red Wings, who are third in the Atlantic Division and visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday in a nationally televised game (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+, HULU). He was one of the first six players named to Germany’s roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
The No. 6 pick of the 2019 NHL Draft hasn’t missed a game since debuting with the Red Wings to start the 2021-22 season. He is averaging 24:58 of ice time this season, first among Detroit skaters by a 3:20 margin and eighth among NHL skaters entering Wednesday, playing in all situations against top competition.
“I really think he’s a diesel engine,” Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said. “He just never turns off, and he just keeps going. His stamina is remarkable.”
Seider loves it.
“Who doesn’t?” Seider said with a smile. “I think the game gets easier the less you think about it. Things just come automatic. They happen instinctively. Other than that, I feel like you work so hard in the summer, you’re ready to go either way. If it’s 25 (minutes), if it’s 28, even if it’s 30, you kind of pick your spots even better, and you kind of just flow through the game.”
Seider won the Calder Trophy in 2021-22, voted the NHL’s rookie of the year after he had 50 points (seven goals, 43 assists) in 82 games. That remains his NHL career high. But he’s on pace to eclipse that this season.
He has 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 27 games, first among Detroit defensemen by an 11-point margin and tied for 14th among NHL defensemen with New York Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer entering Wednesday.
That projects to 57 points (12 goals, 45 assists) over a full 82-game schedule.
On a team with a minus-12 goal differential (not counting shootout-deciding goals), he’s plus-5 this season, the best rating among Detroit defensemen and best of his NHL career. The Red Wings are controlling 57.6 percent of the shot attempts when he is on the ice at 5-on-5, the best percentage among Detroit defensemen and best of his NHL career.
“His overall presence on the ice, both offensively and defensively, I think he’s taking strides,” McLellan said. “His … mistakes are being minimized.”
McLellan likes to play aggressively, and Seider likes being on his toes, snuffing out opponents’ plays before they start and turning around in transition. But as he has matured, he has learned to be more patient, and it’s paying off.
“I just try to stay calm,” Seider said. “Try to let the game come to me. Don’t be chasing it. Pick your spots whenever you get a chance. Then just really focus on moving the puck up ice and then kind of join instead of just trying to be ahead of the rush. Sometimes when you force things, you just end up with a goal against. I think that’s been working pretty good.”
In just his fifth NHL season, Seider already ranks fourth in games played (355), goals (33), assists (166) and points (199) in NHL history among defensemen born in Germany. He’s on track to be No. 1 in each category. Dennis Seidenberg leads in games played (859). Christian Ehrhoff leads in goals (74), assists (265) and points (339).
Seider has represented his country several times in international competition, including five IIHF World Championships, winning a silver medal in 2023. He was named the best defenseman in 2021 and to the media all-star team in 2021 and 2023.
Now he will get his first chance to represent Germany in the Olympics with NHL players participating for the first time since 2014 in Sochi. General manager Christian Künast and coach Harold Kreis visited Detroit last month as part of a North American tour, and Seider had dinner with them.
But Seider now serves as an alternate captain for the Red Wings, who haven’t made the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2016 and are in a tight race. The Olympic tournament isn’t until Feb. 11-22.
“It’d be totally wrong and be inappropriate to kind of drift away and think about that,” Seider said. “I think once we head into the new year, I think the excitement gets bigger, and that’s the way it should be. Other than that, I think we have a lot of business to take care of.”
FOX Broadcaster Tom Brady Shares Career News After Accepting New Role With FIFA
NFL broadcasters will tell you they love Thanksgiving football not just for the matchups, but for the guarantee that the country will tune in, no matter who lines up. Still, this year felt different. Fox Sports landed on a slice of history. And no one seemed more pleased than Tom Brady.
“LFG,” he tossed up on his Instagram story after Fox shared what the Lions-Packers game had pulled in.
Green Bay’s trip to Detroit delivered an average of 47.7 million viewers, per Fox, setting a new mark for the most-watched regular-season game the league has ever put on. And fittingly, Brady was right there in the booth, calling the afternoon alongside the rest of the Fox crew.
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Tyrod Taylor embracing his Jets moment after career ‘of perseverance’
Tyrod Taylor is having the kind of fun at the moment he probably should have had throughout his unique NFL journey, spanning 15 years and seven teams.
Who knew this kind of fun would come in his 100th career start on Sunday, against the Dolphins, playing for a young Jets team that’s learning on the fly with a rookie head coach and well out of playoff contention?
“My grandma said something to me years ago that always sticks with me,” Taylor told The Post on Wednesday. “She said the game of football has been teaching me more about life than the will of the game itself. I truly think that it’s taught me to be a better person. It’s shaped my perspective or changed my perspective on not giving up.”
Taylor has had plenty of excuses to give up — the most significant of which was when the Chargers team doctor accidentally punctured his lung trying to administer a pain-killer injection for his cracked ribs before a game in September 2020. Taylor, who was the Chargers’ starter at the time, ended up playing just two games that season as his injury unwittingly accelerated the Justin Herbert era.
Why USC Trojans Makai Lemon Deserves First Round NFL Draft Grade
The regular season has come to an end, the No. 17 USC Trojans have finished out the year 9-3 prior to the postseason. With the culmination of a regular season rises questions for veterans to declare for the NFL Draft.
For one, when discussing which USC players may declare, wide receiver Makai Lemon is often the first name mentioned. The 5-foot-11 playmaker finished the 2025 season with over 1,000 receiving yards, becoming the first FBS receiver to hit that mark this year.
Makai Lemon, Nation’s Best Receiver?
Going into this season, Trojan fans knew they had an elite wide receiver duo Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, who both thrive in different areas that create an elite air raid offense under coach Lincoln Riley. However, if there’s one thing Lemon has done this season is prove his talent.
This season alone, Lemon recorded 1,156 receiving yards on 79 receptions, 11 touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns, numbers that exceeded his 2024 statistics beyond measure. Smith only has 942 receiving yards on 72 receptions and 11 touchdowns.
Lemon has made multiple headlines regarding his future in the league, even seen as up and coming versions of current NFL receivers. Lemon was also named as a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, awarded to the nation’s best receiver.
A Los Alamitos, California product, there’s one thing for certain when Lemon talks about his one and only school he’s ever played for, it’s home.
“This is home. You know, it’s in my backyard. I got my family here. Such a great program. I wouldn’t want to be nowhere else,” Lemon told the media in September.
For Riley, Lemon, who also doubles as a punt returner, has simply been the most efficient receiver in the nation.
Justin Herbert, Davante Adams Among Pivotal Players on Week 14 NFL Injury Report
Injuries can plague your season, especially if they are happening this late in the season. We must stay healthy and if not, we must pivot to the best replacements possible. You cannot be prepared if you do not stay locked in to the news. That is where we come in with our Week 14 Fantasy Football Injury Report. These are updates on all the key injuries through Wednesday.
QUARTERBACKS
Geno Smith (Foot)
Smith is working through a foot injury, but he is expected to play this upcoming Sunday. Brock Bowers and Tre Tucker will remain fine.
JJ McCarthy (Concussion)
He is still in concussion protocol, but the team expects that McCarthy will be cleared and will start this week. He should not even be on your roster.
Baker Mayfield (Shoulder)
This shoulder injury will maintain to have Mayfield on the injury report weekly, but he will go this week.
Justin Herbert (Hand)
He underwent surgery earlier this week and works to rehab back to start on Monday Night. We must stay tuned in as Trey Lance could start.
Jayden Daniels (Elbow)
Daniels is working through practice this week and he will be reevaluated on Friday. Is would be smart for Daniels to be benched, but perhaps they have other plans. I’d be cautious to starting him.
Aaron Rodgers (Wrist)
Rodgers insists that he is improving so we expect that he will play.
RUNNING BACKS
Kyren Williams (Ankle)
His ankle was tweaked in Week 14, but Williams expects to play. The team will limit him and work more of a split with Blake Corum.
Aaron Jones (Shoulder)
He is a true questionable to play this week and Jordan Mason may very well have a notable RB2 role if Jones is out.
Josh Jacobs (Knee)
The Packers will continue to be cautious with Jacobs, but he will very likely play this week.
Alvin Kamara (Knee)
It is suggested that Kamara will be out again this week, paving way to RB2 status for Devin Neal as the teams RB1.
Kyle Monangai (Ankle)
He pops up with an ankle injury. We do not have clarity on his status and it could boost D’Andre Swift into RB1 status if Monangai is out.
Woody Marks (Foot)
Marks is on the injury report, once again. The team will monitor his status. Nick Chubb is a solid RB2 with RB1 upside if Marks is out.
Trey Benson (Knee)
It has been rumored that Benson is falling behind schedule and could end up without a 2025 return. As for now, he missed Wednesday practice.
Omarion Hampton (Knee)
Hampton makes his long-awaited return on Monday Night. He could be a league-winner for the playoffs.
Emari Demercado (Ankle)
The Cardinals are hoping to get Demercado back this week. He was limited in Wednesday practice. He may work in a Flex-worthy role is active, but it will also carry risk.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Davante Adams (Hamstring)
Adams has been held out of Wednesday practice, which is very concerning as he is a WR1 for some surging Fantasy Football teams.
Josh Downs (Hip/Knee)
He is being held out of practice. If Downs is out, it gives a nice boost to Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce.
Mike Evans (Hamstring)
The Buccaneers have opened his 21-day practice window and Evans could return as early as this week, although he would be likely limited.
Chris Godwin (Fibula)
No surprise that Godwin is on this report, but he will likely be good to go. It is maintenance.
Jayden Reed (Foot, Shoulder)
His return is imminent, but we will not be sure of his workload upon his return. I may sit Reed for one week when he returns.
Chris Olave (Back)
Olave has been surging as a WR1 breakout. We hope that he plays. IF not, DeVaughn Vele becomes interesting on top of Top-5 status for Juwan Johnson.
Rome Odunze (Foot)
Odunze sat out on Wednesday, but it appears that he should be fine. Odunze has lagged down to low-end WR2 status and even then, he may be overvalued.
Parker Washington (Hip)
If Washington is out, which it is unknown right now, Jakobi Meyers becomes very lucrative with WR1 upside.
Amon-Ra St. Brown (Ankle)
St. Brown will be a Game-Time Decision. Jameson Williams may trend very highly against a very bad secondary.
Tee Higgins (Concussion)
He has yet to be cleared, but the team expects that Higgins will be back this Sunday.
Drake London (Knee)
London is 50/50 to return and this team will struggle very much so without him.
Marvin Harrison Jr. (Heel)
No sooner does he return, Harrison Jr. has a heel injury that has him a true questionable to play this week.
TIGHT ENDS
AJ Barner (Knee/Shoulder)
Barner is questionable to play this week. Even if healthy, I would bench him given lacking volume.
Dalton Kincaid (Hamstring)
The Bills would certainly like Kincaid to return this week, but he is questionable and will be monitored later in the week.
More Fantasy Sports On SI News:
Lions and Cowboys need a win in Thursday night matchup to improve position in NFL playoff picture
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are the top two teams in the hunt for an NFC wild card and are still holding on to hopes of competing for division championships.
Detroit (7-5) hosts Dallas (6-5-1) on Thursday night and the winner will improve its position in the playoff picture while the loser may not have time to recover from the setback over the last month of the regular season.
“Our margin for error is very small right now,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We’ve got to find a way to win this next one in front of us.
“Time’s running out.”
After starting 5-2, the two-time defending NFC North champions have lost three of five to fall behind division-leading Chicago (9-3) and second-place Green Bay (8-3-1).
The Cowboys, meanwhile, are surging into postseason contention behind a revitalized defense.
They’re over .500 for the first time this year thanks to three straight victories — including one over Philadelphia — to potentially challenge the NFC East-leading Eagles (8-3) for the division title.
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott acknowledged he looked up the NFC playoff picture this week after he saw the AFC rundown on TV.
“We just win and handle our business, we’ll put ourselves in a great spot,” Prescott said.
Call it a comeback
Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson broke his left leg in two places in last year’s 47-9 early-season win at Dallas, ending his season.
Hutchinson has 8 1/2 sacks, a career-high four forced fumbles and 24 quarterback hits this season.
“Knowing how good of a player he is, we’ll have eyes on him and as many hands as we can,” Prescott said.
While Hutchinson has had an impact in most games, he did not have a sack or a QB hit in last week’s loss to Green Bay.
Testing a trend
Detroit has played 56 regular-season games over three-plus years without losing two in a row. If the Lions win on Thursday night, the streak without consecutive setbacks will be the league’s longest since New England’s 57-game run that ended in 2006, according to Sportradar.
Rubber match
The Cowboys and Lions are playing for the third straight year after splitting the last two memorable matchups in Dallas.
Detroit ended a six-game losing streak against Dallas with a 47-9 victory at AT&T Stadium last season. It was the most lopsided loss under owner Jerry Jones, who bought the Cowboys in 1989.
Two years ago, Detroit lost at Dallas 20-19 after a 2-point conversion pass to offensive lineman Taylor Decker was negated because the officials said offensive lineman Dan Skipper reported as eligible and Decker did not.
Each time Skipper has reported as eligible at home games since then, the crowd has roared for a player who has become an unlikely fan favorite.
“He’s reliable, dependable, and he does a lot of jobs for us,” Campbell said.
Potential shootout
Dallas has the NFL’s top-ranked offense, averaging 393 yards a game, and ranks second with 29.3 points per game. Detroit averages 376 yards of offense, ranking third, and 29.2 points to tie for third in the league.
The game will feature teams averaging at least 375 yards and 29 points for just the fifth time since 1970.
Still no Diggs
Dallas’ secondary has enjoyed the return of several injured players, most notably starting safeties Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson. But the Cowboys will have to wait at least another week to see 2021 All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs back on the field.
Diggs was ruled out for the seventh consecutive game with a concussion and issues with both knees, including a left knee that has been surgically repaired twice in the past two years. He was initially sidelined by the concussion, which he suffered in an accident at home.
The former Alabama player has never come close to matching his league-leading 11 interceptions in 2021, and he’s had a tumultuous year that included a workout bonus in his contract being withheld and a brief benching by first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer.
“I know who I am,” Diggs told reporters this week, declining to go into detail on the circumstances of the concussion. “I know what I can do on the field, and I’m going to put that out there and show if they forgot, I’m going to make sure to remind them.”
Patriots Linked to Georgia’s Monroe Freeling in 2026 Mock Draft
The New England Patriots ‘offensive line has been much better than expected this year, but it’s never too early to start planning for the future.
In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Patriots selected Will Campbell in the first round with the fourth overall pick, securing their franchise left tackle. And with that, they also signed veteran tackle Morgan Moses to play on the right side.
However, there’s no ignoring that Moses will be turning 35 in March, calling into question how much longer he will play for.
So with that, NFL Draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his first 2026 Mock Draft and has the Patriots picking Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling with the 32nd overall pick.
“The Patriots’ new team motto: Protect Drake Maye at all costs,” Brugler wrote. “Morgan Moses has played well at right tackle this season, but he turns 35 in March. Freeling would be a great understudy who could provide short-term depth and a long-term answer on the outside.”
Monroe Freeling Already Has A Connection To The Patriots
Freeling, a 6-foot-7 tackle, joined Georgia in 2023, appearing in eight games during his first season, and was part of an offensive line that ranked first in the SEC. Then, in 2024, he played in all 13 games with four starts. During his first two years, Freeling also spent time playing alongside Jared Wilson, who was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft with the 95th overall pick.
Considering how close New England’s offensive linemen are this season, that familiarity with Wilson will allow him to fit right in.
Patriots’ Offensive Line Depth Was Tested On Monday Night
The Patriots were without Campbell and Wilson in Monday night’s primetime matchup against the New York Giants as the two had sustained a knee and ankle injury, respectively, in the team’s win a week prior.
And they were nearly without starting center Garrett Bradbury, who was added to the injury report shortly before the game with an illness. However, he ultimately played.
But without Campbell and Wilson, it meant that the Patriots had to rely on their offensive line depth, turning to tackle Vederian Lowe and guard Ben Brown. And the two stepped up, protecting Maye’s blind side, with head coach Mike Vrabel taking a moment to praise them on Tuesday.
“I thought that they were excited about playing, and I think that that is probably the thing that pleases me the most, is that they wanted it, that Vederian [Lowe] wanted to go out there, play, compete, and block. And Ben [Brown] fought and battled…” Vrabel said. “But they were excited about playing, they were prepared, and they were ready to go. So, that’s kind of what you have to do at this time of the year, or any time in the National Football League, is be ready to go.”
Sean Payton is
Bill Belichick is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Another coach who’s laying the foundation for a bronze bust of his own hopes Belichick will return to pro football.
“I’ll be honest with you, I miss him not being in the league,” Broncos coach Sean Payton told reporters on Wednesday. “I miss him not being in the league, and I wouldn’t be surprised, and I would be somewhat hopeful that he ends up back in the league. We’d all be better for it. He’s something.”
Belichick’s buyout costs a miniscule, for NFL owners, $1 million. But there’s no clear indication that anyone would want to hire him, given the latter years of his time in New England (which included putting a defensive coach in charge of the offense), the pettiness he and his consigliere, Mike Lombardi, have displayed toward the Patriots specifically and the NFL generally, his 2025 performance at North Carolina, the baggage and distractions he’d bring with him in a return to the pro game, and his reputation for hoping to take over the entire football operation in lieu of simply coaching the team.
Belichick should have a no-debate, no-brainer case for Canton. He should automatically gain entry. He’s one of the greatest coaches in NFL history. Failure to put him in immediately would undermine the credibility of the entire selection process.
That doesn’t mean Belichick currently is a viable candidate to become an NFL head coach.
Still, 31 teams can say “no way.” It only takes one to whisper, “Why not?”
The college game clearly isn’t for Belichick. For plenty of pro teams that haven’t won many games in recent years, they could do a lot worse than Belichick. And they have.
It nevertheless feels like an uphill climb. Which creates an interesting irony. It will be much easier for Belichick to gain a spot among the all-time immortals than it will be for him to get another opportunity to coach one of the NFL’s franchises.
Pro Beavs: Nahshon Wright Continues Hot Streak in Bears’ Win Over Eagles
The Oregon State Beavers 2025 season has wrapped up, but former Beavs who are now in the NFL still have a few weeks left in their regular season. Here is how former Oregon State stars fared in week 13 of the NFL season.
Brandin Cooks
Cooks made his first catch as a member of the Buffalo Bills in the Bills win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, reeling in his only target for 13 yards and a first down. The Bills offense will give Cooks a chance to play in a more explosive offense then the one the New Orleans Saints offered, and will allow Cooks to most likely play a role in the postseason. It may take a bit for him and Bills quarterback Josh Allen to build a rapport with one another, but the fact that Cooks is already being targeted is a good sign.
Johnny Hekker
Hekker punted five times in the Titans loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hekker averaged 46.4 yards per punt, and had a long of 57, which was eight yards off his season long. Hekker wasn’t able to down any of his punts inside the 20, and had one punt for a touchback. Hekker is currently tied for third for total punts this season with 56, but is 23rd in the NFL in punting average at 46.4 yards per punt.
Luke Musgrave
Musgrave caught his only target from Packers Jordan Love for 23 yards and a first down in the Packers win over the Detroit Lions on Thanksviging. With Packers tight end Tucker Kraft suffering a torn ACL, it was believed that Musgrave would find himself a bigger role in the Packers offense, but it seems his usage has stayed mostly the same. Musgrave, like Cooks did, might find himself in a better situation on a different team.
MORE: State of the Beavs: JaMarcus Shephard’s First Days At Oregon State
Jordan Poyer
Poyer’s role with the Bills continues to grow as the season progresses. Poyer tacked on another six tackles which took his season total to 46. Poyer currently has two pass deflections on the year, but is still looking for his first interception of the 2025 season. Poyer’s role in the Bills defense should grow as the Bills continue to make their playoff push.
Nahshon Wright
Wright has turned into one of the most important players on the Bears defense, and he showed up again big time in the Bears win over the Eagles. Wright had a forced fumble that he also recovered, which was Wrights first forced fumble of the 2025 season. Wright compiled five tackles in the win, four of which came unassisted. Wright is tied for second in the NFL for interceptions.
More Reading Material From Oregon State Beavers On SI
Cardinals’ Trey McBride Breaks Silence on Snubbing George Kittle From Top 5 NFL TE’s List
McBride, 26, is enjoying a breakout season, leading the NFL in receptions and all tight ends in receiving yards as he pushes toward his first All-Pro honor. Apart from his game, McBride is also being talked about for his choices for the top-5 tight ends in the league. Surprisingly, George Kittle, who has been one of the top TEs in the league, did not make it to McBride’s list. But before the Cardinals’ star faces the heat, he has something to say.
Jordan Schultz, an NFL insider, recently posted Trey McBride’s message on X, where the rising Arizona standout joked, “Great, left Kittle out, now the whole world is hating me.”
This is a developing story!
Roger Goodell says NFL is considering a second Black Friday game
Yes, the NFL will keep looking for ways to stuff more cheese into the pizza crust. And more cash into the coffers.
Via Sam Neumann of AwfulAnnouncing.com, Commissioner Roger Goodell recently told Joe Flint of the Wall Street Journal that the NFL is considering adding a second Black Friday game, among other potential schedule changes.
The Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961 prohibits the NFL from televising games on Saturdays or after 6:00 p.m. ET on Fridays from the second weekend in September through the second weekend in December. That was the quid pro quo for the extremely valuable broadcast antitrust exemption.
Under current federal law, a consecutive Black Friday doubleheader would have to be completed by 6:00 p.m. ET. The first game would have to start by noon ET, at the latest.
An overlapping doubleheader could have one game start at 1:30 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. ET, with the second kicking off at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Then there’s the possibility of working the current Congress and administration for an expanded exception to the SBA. How much would a Black Friday night game hurt high-school football? By late November, every state has made it to the postseason. Folks can attend the local playoff game while monitoring the NFL game on their phones.
Alternatively, the NFL could swing for the fences and try to get rid of the Friday/Saturday prohibition entirely, unlocking the possibility for Friday night and Saturday night games on a regular basis.
Regardless, it’s clear that the NFL wants more standalone windows. It’s still surprising that the league has yet to make Tuesday and/or Wednesday night football a thing, especially after the pandemic showed that such games can be scheduled.
At some point, the Sunday afternoon packages would become excessively diluted. That problem can be solved with expansion. Which feels increasingly inevitable.
One thing is certain. People like to watch football. Many would watch a game every night of the week. It’s foolish not to think the league would love to let us.
Bulls’ Noa Essengue to have season
CHICAGO — Bulls rookie forward Noa Essengue, the 12th pick in this year’s NBA draft, will have surgery on his left shoulder and miss the remainder of the season, coach Billy Donovan said Wednesday night before a game against Brooklyn.
The 18-year-old Essengue, from France, made his debut Nov. 22 against Washington and appeared in two games for Chicago. He totaled just over six minutes, going 0 for 3 from the floor. In four games with the G-League Windy City Bulls, Essengue averaged 23 points, 8.5 rebounds and 30.8 minutes.
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Lakers Get Bad News on Luka as Giannis Trade Rumors Intensify
The Los Angeles Lakers, still recovering from a 120–108 loss to the Phoenix Suns that snapped their seven-game winning streak, absorbed another blow ahead of Thursday’s road matchup against the Toronto Raptors.
The Lakers will be without Luka Dončić, who is listed out due to personal reasons, according to the official NBA injury report.
Dončić, the NBA’s leading scorer, has been nothing short of dominant this season, averaging 35.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 8.9 assists through 16 games. Yet, the Lakers have shown they can survive short-term absences, posting a 3–1 record without Dončić, largely fueled by Austin Reaves’ breakout rise.
In the three games Dončić did not play, Reaves averaged 40.0 points, 10.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds, elevating his value within the Lakers’ rotation and further complicating the franchise’s trade calculus moving forward.
While there is no firm timetable for Dončić’s return, league sources indicate his absence is not expected to be prolonged, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.
Lakers’ Strong Start Fuels Hope — But Trade Questions Loom
The Lakers’ 15–5 record currently stands as the second-best in the Western Conference, marking the organization’s strongest 20-game start since the 2019–20 championship season led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
But the absence of Dončić and the rise of Reaves intersect with an even larger storyline dominating the league — the future of Giannis Antetokounmpo, long rumored as a potential Lakers superstar target.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Future Sparks League-Wide Frenzy
On Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, have formally opened discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks regarding the two-time MVP’s future. The talks come amid Milwaukee’s disappointing 9–13 start, prompting questions about whether the franchise can sustain contention around its cornerstone.
“Giannis Antetokounmpo and his agent Alex Saratsis have started conversations with the Milwaukee Bucks about the two-time NBA MVP’s future,” Charania posted on X. “A resolution is expected in the coming weeks.”
The update reignited Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors, with multiple contenders believed to be monitoring the situation closely.
Lakers Considered Long Shots in Giannis Trade Talks
Despite the Lakers’ star-powered brand attraction, team insiders suggest the franchise is not well-positioned compared to other bidders.
Lakers reporter Jovan Buha said the team would be obligated to explore the possibility if Antetokounmpo requests a trade. However, he stressed that Los Angeles enters negotiations from a clear disadvantage.
“You have to explore it, right?” Buha said on the Lakers Lounge podcast. “But the ideal construction is probably Austin on a max contract plus the three picks.”
Salary Mismatch and Limited Draft Capital Hurt Lakers’ Chances
The Lakers’ most attractive trade chip — Reaves — is under contract at $13.9 million, far below Antetokounmpo’s $54.1 million salary this season. Under league trade rules, the salary gap has to be bridged.
Compounding the challenge, Los Angeles can trade only one first-round pick during the season and a maximum of three in the offseason.
Buha added that the timing alone “isn’t how this is going to play out,” noting that one of those picks is technically spent on draft night before becoming tradeable.
Reaves’ value is rising, but Buha cautioned that Milwaukee — if forced to move on — would seek a blue-chip prospect and multiple assets rather than a win-now contributor.
“If you’re Milwaukee… he is more of a win-now player,” Buha said. “I’d want a 22-year-old blue-chip prospect plus multiple picks, and the Lakers can’t currently offer that.”
Staying Alive Without Dončić — But Eyes Are on Giannis
The Lakers have learned they can compete — and win — without Dončić for short stretches, but his absence underscores the importance of depth and timing as the NBA trade rumor cycles intensify.
Whether Los Angeles is a real contender for Giannis Antetokounmpo remains far less certain.
NBA Champ Rips Clippers for Waiving Chris Paul in His Final Season
A shocking Los Angeles Clippers announcement on Wednesday has drawn the ire of NBA fans, analysts, and former players, as the team chose to part ways with All-Star guard Chris Paul amid his final season.
Paul revealed several weeks ago that he would officially retire at the end of the season, meaning he would retire with the team with which he had his most significant NBA runs. However, the Clippers officially waived the future Hall of Fame guard on Wednesday.
The 12-time All-Star signed a one-year $3.6 million deal to play for the Clippers in July, as he participated in his 21st year in the league. It was also a return to the team he played for from 2011 to 2017. However, it ended with the team’s surprising news that they were parting ways with CP3.
Read more: Lakers’ Luka Doncic Assigns Clear Blame for Suns Loss
That brought many individuals to react to the news, including Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, and three-time NBA champion Danny Green.
Green, now working as an analyst on ESPN’s
Thunder a historic NBA Finals favorite, threatening win record after 21-1 start
The Thunder are off to a historic start.
Oddsmakers are taking notice, to say the least.
Oklahoma City, the reigning champs and a heavy preseason favorite to repeat, are a massive +125 favorite to win the NBA Finals for a second straight season.
If that number holds or improves, the Thunder would be the biggest favorite heading into the playoffs since the 2019 Warriors were -179 to win the championship before Round 1 kicked off, according to Sports Odds History.
In the Western Conference, OKC is a -125 favorite.
Something even more historic than that is becoming more and more realistic by the game.
After moving to 21-1 after a Tuesday night road win over the Warriors, the Thunder are now just +550 at FanDuel Sportsbook to win 74 or more games, which would break the single-season record set by Golden State in 2015-16.
Oddsmakers are giving them essentially a 50/50 shot at reaching 70-plus wins, pegging them at +100 to hit that number.
They’re essentially a shoo-in to finish with the most wins in the NBA this season as well (-1500).
The wild Thunder forecasts aren’t at all surprising given their start to the season.
OKC’s current Net Rating (+15.1) would be easily the best in NBA history.
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They’re just the fourth team in NBA history to win at least 21 of their first 22 games, joining the 1969-70 Knicks, 1993-94 Rockets, and those 2015-16 Warriors.
The former two teams won the championship while Golden State lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
They’ve done all of this so far with Jalen Williams, arguably the team’s second-best player behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, playing in just three games.
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.