DENVER — Brent Burns may be on the verge of his 1,500th NHL game, but in some ways he doesn’t feel as though he’s had so long of a career.
“It’s probably like raising kids a little bit. They say like every day feels like it’s 10 years, but 10 years goes in the blink of an eye too,” the Colorado Avalanche defenseman said Friday. “I definitely feel like I just started, but also at the same time, it’s been a long grind too.”
Burns, whose career has spanned 22 seasons and four teams, is set to become the 23rd player and eighth defenseman in NHL history, as well as the only active player, to reach the milestone when the Avalanche host the Dallas Stars on Saturday (9 p.m. ET; Victory+, KTVD, ALT).
The other seven defensemen are Zdeno Chara (1,680), Chris Chelios (1,651), Scott Stevens (1,635), Larry Murphy (1,615), Ray Bourque (1,612), Nicklas Lidstrom (1,564) and Ryan Suter (1,526).
“It’s incredibly impressive,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “Eighth defenseman to ever do it. And if you look at the guys on that list, I remember looking at it, glancing at it, it’s pretty impressive guys. Hall of Famers. It’s impressive to hit 1,000. Every game after that’s a bonus, I’m sure.
“Now he’s at 1,500 and it’s hard to do, especially like, they’re not easy minutes that he plays. He’s an older guy now, and to me, the streak he has of games he’s played in a row, it’s part of the reason why he’s hit 1,500. But to be able to play the way he does, as physically as he does, and to be able to stay healthy for as long as he has, it’s amazing.”
The 40-year-old, who was the oldest player on an NHL opening night roster this season, is also in the midst of the fourth-longest consecutive games played streak in NHL history, and the longest active. He’s skated in 927 straight, a feat that’s a testament to his longevity, last missing a game in November 2013.
“I think it’s a lot of luck. It’s definitely timing of different things that have happened,” Burns said. “You hear guys say it all the time, but you’re pretty lucky to have great people that take care of you and get you through the 2 1/2 hours you’ve got to get through. And a lot of times it’s just been very lucky with different schedule breaks and when different things have happened.”
Burns, who has 910 points (261 goals, 649 assists) in 1,499 games with the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes and Avalanche, and 80 points (24 goals, 56 assists) in 135 Stanley Cup Playoff games, has made a career out of learning from those around him, absorbing as much as he can from teammates and opponents. Two key figures who helped him early on are former San Sharks teammates Patrick Marleau (1,779 games played) and Joe Thornton (1,714).
“They’re both very different guys, but [I] learned a ton from both,” Burns said. “’Patty’ was just so even-keeled and so professional in the way he took care of himself. And ‘Jumbo’ just had an unbelievable mentality. He always used to say, ‘Just play 82. You’ve got to play 82. There’s no nights off.’ His mentality was just unbelievable to see and be a part of and learn from, and definitely, both those guys were huge for me in many ways.”
Now, in his first season with the Avalanche, the Barrie, Ontario, native is the one inspiring his new teammates with his ability to still regularly play 20 or more minutes per game. He has averaged 20:49 of ice time through two games this season after averaging 20:57 in 82 games with the Hurricanes last season.
“A guy like that, I think everybody kind of looks to him and watches him and sees how he prepares,” Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog said. “Fifteen hundred is absolutely crazy. There’s so many games, like, so many games. I don’t think people understand, to play 1,500 games, like, you have to play hurt and banged up so many times. And I think just getting to know ‘Burnsie’ over the last month plus, he takes really good care of himself and does everything he possibly can to make sure he’s in the best spot come puck drop.
“He’s played for a long time, and I think the one thing that has helped him play for that long is the joy he’s got for the game and how much he really enjoys coming to the [rink] and loves competing. So I don’t think you play 1,500 games, or [have] a long iron man streak like that, without really loving the grind and loving the camaraderie and everything that comes with it.”
On Friday, Burns wasn’t getting ahead of himself just yet. He said he wasn’t even thinking too much about Saturday and the milestone.
“Still got to make it through another night,” he said. “Obviously, everything’s a lot harder as you get older. But I just love it. Even a day like today, the body doesn’t feel too good, but you get going in practice, and you get seeing guys get the sweat going, and you just start laughing. Those are things you can’t take for granted.
“I think you’ve got to enjoy it.”
Burns set to reach 1,500 NHL games when Avalanche host Stars
How Rangers’ Mike Sullivan is approaching first return to Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH — At a time when NHL coaches are discarded and recycled at an alarming rate, Mike Sullivan established himself in Pittsburgh.
The city welcomes him back at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday night, when Sullivan returns for the first time as head coach of the Rangers to take on the team he led for the previous 10 years, the Penguins.
It is sure to be a meaningful night for all involved.
What Sullivan was able to accomplish with the Penguins — building a culture and fostering relationships that induced his longevity — is exactly what the Rangers had in mind when the organization hired the veteran coach four days after he became available.
“Obviously, you know, it’s different,” Sullivan said after coaching against the Penguins for the first time in the Rangers’ season opener earlier this week. “It’s different. I knew that was going to be the case. But I’m excited about the group we have here in front of me with the Rangers. I’m looking forward to working with this group.”
Sullivan wrapped up his Penguins tenure as the winningest head coach in franchise history (409), the all-time leader in games coached (753) and playoff games coached (82).
Sullivan became the first coach to lead the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cups, doing so in his first two seasons at the helm.
He was also the third bench boss in franchise history, as well as just the sixth in the NHL, to win the Cup following a mid-season coaching change, joining Scotty Bowman (1992) and Dan Bylsma (2009).
To this day, Sullivan is still the only American-born head coach to win the Stanley Cup multiple times.
“You always have to look at the history of any place you’ve gone into,” said new Penguins coach Dan Muse, who coincidentally worked as an assistant coach under ex-Rangers coach Peter Laviolette the previous two seasons. “Obviously, Mike Sullivan was here for 10 years, two Stanley Cups, ton of success. The way I approached the job was, you know, we put together a coaching staff and we’re going to have a plan. We’re going to make it as well-thought-out as we possibly can.”
The Penguins are off to a 2-0 start after shutting out the Rangers at Madison Square Garden to start the season Tuesday, which spoiled Sullivan’s debut behind the Blueshirts bench.
After such a performance, the Rangers look to make it up to their new head coach.
Pittsburgh knocked off the Islanders at home Thursday night, 4-3.
Sullivan will field several questions about his return Saturday morning, presumably before the 57-year-old is honored with a video tribute mid-game that night.
He’ll probably reiterate similar sentiments as he did before the season opener, like maintaining his focus on the Rangers.
Ten years, however, is a long time for anyone — let alone an NHL coach in this day and age.
It’ll be a meaningful night for all involved, but a Rangers win would mean the most to Sullivan.
“He’s a very demanding coach,” said Conor Sheary, who was on both of the Penguins’ Cup-winning teams under Sullivan. “I think he has the ability to captivate a whole room when he speaks. He makes guys listen. When he coaches, you want to make sure you’re doing the right thing because you’re going to hear it if not. I think that really brings a team together and makes sure everyone is pulling in the same direction, trying to do the same thing.
“I think he does a really good job with his systems, it’s obviously worked in the past. It’s worked throughout his whole career. I think if he can implement that quickly, this can be a really good team.”
See which Dallas Stars player others in NHL view as a potential breakout superstar
NHL Media asked players around the league for predictions on who will be the next breakout star in the leauge.
One Dallas Stars player was mentioned as a possible breakout star: Wyatt Johnston. You could make the argument Johnston has already broken out in his first three years in the NHL. His point total has increased each year, from 41 points in his rookie campaign in 2022-23, then reaching 65 points in 2023-24 before notching 71 points in 2024-25. Johnston has scored at least 32 goals in each of his last two seasons.
However, is there another level the 22-year-old forward can reach? New York Rangers forward Will Cuylle thinks he can.
“He could hit 100 points, I think,” Cuylle told NHL.com. “He’s really good and it seems like he just gets better and better each year.”
His teammates are buying stock, too. Just ask Stars goalie Jake Oettinger.
“He’s shown flashes of being crazy special, and now I think he’s going to have a bigger role,” Oettinger said. “He’s going to be on one of the best lines in hockey. I expect him to fill that role, play great and be the superstar that we all know he’s going to be.”
Johnston is off to a nice start to his 2025-26 campaign after finding the back of the net in Dallas’ season-opening win over the Winnipeg Jets.
Fans Call Out NHL Over ‘Absurd’ Scheduling Fail as 2026 Season Kicks Off: “F*****G Weird”
What do we want as hockey fans? To have as much NHL action as possible, of course! In light of that common goal, it’s understandable that fans wait eagerly for the schedule of the new season to be unveiled. This year, when the league announced its 1,312-game calendar, two dates stood apart from the rest. On October 11 and 28, all 32 teams were slated to hit the ice simultaneously and all across the US. But while that oddity was definitely a source of glee initially, fans are now realizing what the North American hockey apex body had to trade off to make it happen.
Oilers Daily took to X on October 10 to vent their frustration over the NHL’s weekend plans. “Whoever is in charge of the NHL scheduling needs to be fired,” fumed the Edmonton fan-account. Why, you ask? Well, it seems like the fact that the NHL’s gutsy move to play all of the franchises on the same date is taking away the chances of an exciting Friday night, something some fans could have done without.
“Sure, all 32 teams playing on Saturday is going to be great, but having not a single game on the first Friday night of the season is absurd,” you can almost envision the person behind the social media update rolling their eyes. While most fans were clamoring over how they’d have to spend a quiet start to the weekend, others were even more agitated over how there wouldn’t be a lot of hockey on the day before they got back to work. “Then only 1 game again on Sunday. F*****g weird scheduling,” one fan was definitely feeling the lack of action already.
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How to Buy New Jersey Devils lululemon Collection: Shop NHL Hats, Shirts, Hoodies, Joggers
With the NHL season officially underway, the league has teamed up with lululemon once again, expanding its collection to include all 32 teams.
The NHL and lululemon launched a partnership exactly one year ago to create a premium apparel line blending lululemon’s performance‑driven design with NHL team branding.
The collaboration initially featured gear for 10 hockey teams, featuring lululemon’s best designs such as the Scuba Hoodie, Define Jacket, Align Pant, Steady State Crew, and Everywhere Belt Bag.
The partnership is now expanding to include all 32 NHL teams, featuring more than 20 new apparel styles, as well as accessories such as bags, bottles, and hats. The extended line aims to give fans elevated options to represent their teams.
Click on any of the images or links to order now and check out the entire collection. Place your order before it is too late. As one of the most popular brands in the game, this drop will be in high demand. Fanatics has you covered with the officially licensed NHL x lululemon apparel.
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How to Buy St. Louis Blues lululemon Collection: Shop NHL Hats, Shirts, Hoodies, Joggers
With the NHL season officially underway, the league has teamed up with lululemon once again, expanding its collection to include all 32 teams.
The NHL and lululemon launched a partnership exactly one year ago to create a premium apparel line blending lululemon’s performance‑driven design with NHL team branding.
The collaboration initially featured gear for 10 hockey teams, featuring lululemon’s best designs such as the Scuba Hoodie, Define Jacket, Align Pant, Steady State Crew, and Everywhere Belt Bag.
The partnership is now expanding to include all 32 NHL teams, featuring more than 20 new apparel styles, as well as accessories such as bags, bottles, and hats. The extended line aims to give fans elevated options to represent their teams.
Click on any of the images or links to order now and check out the entire collection. Place your order before it is too late. As one of the most popular brands in the game, this drop will be in high demand. Fanatics has you covered with the officially licensed NHL x lululemon apparel.
Shop: St. Louis Blues lululemon Collection
Shop: St. Louis Blues lululemon Collection
How to Buy Minnesota Wild lululemon Collection: Shop NHL Hats, Shirts, Hoodies, Joggers
With the NHL season officially underway, the league has teamed up with lululemon once again, expanding its collection to include all 32 teams.
The NHL and lululemon launched a partnership exactly one year ago to create a premium apparel line blending lululemon’s performance‑driven design with NHL team branding.
The collaboration initially featured gear for 10 hockey teams, featuring lululemon’s best designs such as the Scuba Hoodie, Define Jacket, Align Pant, Steady State Crew, and Everywhere Belt Bag.
The partnership is now expanding to include all 32 NHL teams, featuring more than 20 new apparel styles, as well as accessories such as bags, bottles, and hats. The extended line aims to give fans elevated options to represent their teams.
Click on any of the images or links to order now and check out the entire collection. Place your order before it is too late. As one of the most popular brands in the game, this drop will be in high demand. Fanatics has you covered with the officially licensed NHL x lululemon apparel.
Shop: Minnesota Wild lululemon Collection
Shop: Minnesota Wild lululemon Collection
How to Buy Dallas Stars lululemon Collection: Shop NHL Hats, Shirts, Hoodies, Joggers
With the NHL season officially underway, the league has teamed up with lululemon once again, expanding its collection to include all 32 teams.
The NHL and lululemon launched a partnership exactly one year ago to create a premium apparel line blending lululemon’s performance‑driven design with NHL team branding.
The collaboration initially featured gear for 10 hockey teams, featuring lululemon’s best designs such as the Scuba Hoodie, Define Jacket, Align Pant, Steady State Crew, and Everywhere Belt Bag.
The partnership is now expanding to include all 32 NHL teams, featuring more than 20 new apparel styles, as well as accessories such as bags, bottles, and hats. The extended line aims to give fans elevated options to represent their teams.
Click on any of the images or links to order now and check out the entire collection. Place your order before it is too late. As one of the most popular brands in the game, this drop will be in high demand. Fanatics has you covered with the officially licensed NHL x lululemon apparel.
Shop: Dallas Stars lululemon Collection
Shop: Dallas Stars lululemon Collection
Kevin Durant Named the NBA Player He Likes to Watch the Most
Kevin Durant is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. With his lengthy frame, he’s almost impossible for defenders to guard and has the ability to score at will. He’s achieved some incredible things over the years, such as multiple NBA championships and an MVP award. He’s cemented his legacy as a legend, but is still going strong at the age of 35.
So, how does someone like Durant stay motivated after so long? Well, it’s largely down to the fact he’s still a huge basketball fan and truly loves the sport. When he’s not on the court, he’s watching the NBA and he once revealed which current player he enjoys watching the most. It’s not someone he’s ever had the chance to play with before.
Durant Enjoys Watching Anthony Edwards More Than Anyone
While there are some exceptional players in the NBA right now, including the likes of Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic, Durant recently revealed that he enjoyed watching Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard Anthony Edwards over anyone else in the association right now. The two men have never teamed up, but have faced off on multiple occasions.
Edwards was drafted into the NBA in 2021 and has been threatening with greatness ever since. He took his game to a whole new level during the 2024 playoffs, though, leading his franhise to the finals and it was during that run that Durant revealed how much he liked watching Edwards. Speaking to the media after a playoff game in April 2024, Durant was asked about his thoughts on the shooting guard’s growth in the NBA and he said:
NBA Legend Allen Iverson Makes Announcement on Friday After Big News
Allen Iverson is widely regarded as one of the best guards in NBA history.
Iverson played for several teams throughout his NBA career, emerging as one of the flashiest players the game has ever seen. He was mainly known for his time with the Philadelphia 76ers where he led the team to an NBA Finals appearance.
Deep into retirment, Iverson has been vocal on social media and in the online landscape.
He recently joined Stephen A. Smith to discuss a major turning point in his life. Iverson announced that he is six months sober.
The former NBA star revealed that alcohol had taken a huge toll on his life and he hit his lowest point when his wife, Tawanna Turner, divorced him.
Amid the news, where Iverson revealed his sobriety, he took to social media to announce his new craft soda. Iverson shared the news with over 14 million followers online.
“It’s time to Drink Different,” Iverson said. “My new craft soda is on the way.”
Allen Iverson’s announcement on the Viola craft soda came after he shared intricate details on his past and a turning point in his life.
“One of my best decisions that I ever made in my life was to stop drinking,” Iverson said, per Jenna Lemoncelli at The New York Post. “The more and more I see it on other people, the more and more it makes me happy about the decision. And the more and more I see how the people around me appreciate it, I love it.”
Throughout his career in the NBA, Allen Iverson played for the following teams: the Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and Detroit Pistons.
Iverson finished his career as an 11-time All-Star and a three-time First-Team All-NBA member and a three-time Second-Team All-NBA member.
The NBA is making its comeback as the biggest U.S. soft power in China
MACAO — It’s been a six-year-long wait for Yun Hui, who arrived in the Chinese gambling hub to watch the Phoenix Suns take on the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, as the NBA returned to China after a political firestorm that saw it effectively banned from one of its most lucrative markets.
“Every time we turn on the TV and we don’t see NBA games, it’s kind of sad,” Beijing-based Yun told NBC News, wearing the jersey of his favorite player, Brooklyn Nets’ Zeng Fanbo.
“It means a lot to me,” the 28-year-old risk manager said.
The NBA has long been one of the most popular U.S. cultural exports to China, where basketball is tremendously popular, with the league saying an estimated 300 million people play the sport there.
In 2019, the league’s deep ties to China imploded over a tweet by Daryl Morey, the then-general manager of the Houston Rockets. Morey posted a message in support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong at a time when the often-violent demonstrations brought the city to a standstill.
Beijing responded furiously by canceling game broadcasts on the state media CCTV, stores pulled Rockets merchandise and sponsorships were cut as the NBA was all but frozen out of its most lucrative international market outside the United States.
Over the last three years, the NBA has gradually returned to the airwaves in China.
That return culminated when Macao, a former Portuguese colony that is one-third the size of Manhattan and best known for its sprawling casinos that earn more gaming revenue than Las Vegas, became all about basketball Friday.
Fans reveled as the Nets and the Suns marked the league’s return by playing a preseason game in the Venetian Arena, which is owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp., which is also a casino operator there.
The game was attended by notable names such as former NBA great Yao Ming, as well as former England soccer captain David Beckham, action star Jackie Chan and billionaire Jack Ma.
The league also set up the NBA House at the Venetian, a 150,000-square-foot fan zone, which was also open to those who were not ticket holders.
It was packed with dozens of booths, including by sponsors, hoop practice, digital art, merch stores and a Nets-themed photo booth.
Fans swarmed two former NBA stars, Stephon Marbury, who spent nearly a decade playing in China, and Shawn Marion, for autographs and selfies when they showed up at the fan zone. Long queues also stretched just for a photo with a lifelike figure of Stephen Curry.
The league said Shaquille O’Neal and rapper MC Jin will also be attending the event.
3x-NBA Champion’s Trade Suggestion Protects Giannis Antetokounmpo’s ‘Cheap’ Habits That Knicks Cannot
$94.4 million. That’s how much Giannis Antetokounmpo reportedly has sitting in his bank account. Yet, he chooses to shop at Target. So, if you’re ever strolling through the aisles, don’t be too surprised if you catch the Greek Freak haggling for a few discount vouchers! But maybe this “cheap” way of living says more about Giannis than we think. Talks of him getting traded out from the Bucks are growing, and while he says he is “locked in” with the Bucks, his sole aim for being on a team is to win. And what better option do you have than playing alongside Wemby in San Antonio for a title run?
Danny Green answered the “If I was Giannis” question and gave a pretty bold take. His top pick? “The San Antonio Spurs and playing with Victor Wembanyama, Dylan Harper, De’Aaron Fox, who I don’t know if they’ll be able to keep all of them, but if you want to win, and I know it’s in the West, but you need to be playing with the San Antonio Spurs, that atmosphere. And of course, Giannis likes to keep his money, less taxes in Texas. I know he likes to be cheap.”
Wembanyama has already played two seasons for the Spurs, averaging 22.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.7 blocks in 117 regular-season games. In the preseason game on Monday, as per analysts, Wemby even channeled Giannis in his offense, leading the team to a 119–88 win. So yeah, it would be pretty interesting to see Giannis play alongside a younger version of himself.
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The 3x NBA champ didn’t just talk about why Giannis should go to San Antonio; he broke down how it would actually help the Spurs too. According to him, “they do have to give up a good amount, but they still get to keep a lot.” And it looks like he’s not alone.
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ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks also named the Spurs, along with the Houston Rockets, as one of the few team that could really put a tempting offer to the Bucks if Giannis hits the market. Marks even pointed out that San Antonio still holds valuable trade assets, including the Atlanta pick, a 2027 swap, and movable contracts like Devin Vassell.
Backing that up, salary-cap expert Yossi Gozlan from The Third Apron newsletter explained that the Spurs are in a perfect financial position to pull this off. He mentioned they’re well below the first apron, meaning they could use the 125% expanded trade exception to match Giannis’ massive $54.1 million salary by sending out just $43.1 million.
Players like Devin Vassell, Harrison Barnes, and Keldon Johnson could help balance that out. With up to four first-round picks to trade (2026, 2028, 2030, and 2032) plus multiple pick swaps and a flexible roster, GM Brian Wright has more options than most teams in the league.
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A player trade could also be on the table, and Athlon Sports came up with one that might work for both sides. They suggested sending Giannis Antetokounmpo and Gary Trent Jr. to the Spurs, while the Bucks would receive Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan, and multiple first-round picks in return.
Is Giannis Antetokounmpo really staying loyal to Milwaukee?
“I want to be in a team that allows me and gives me a chance to win a championship.” And that’s why he’s still choosing to stay with the Bucks—the team that helped him lift the title in 2021.
But lately, three straight first-round playoff exits have raised serious questions about the Bucks’ future. Cue the trade rumors. Still, the franchise seems determined to keep Giannis happy, reshaping the roster around him instead of moving on. Within a year, they saw Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Pat Connaughton depart, while new faces like Myles Turner, Gary Harris, Cole Anthony, Amir Coffey, and a re-signed Kevin Porter Jr. joined the lineup.
Among the trade chatter, the New York Knicks stood out as a serious contender for Giannis. Reports from Shams Charania suggested they were the only team to have direct talks with the Bucks about a possible deal. But things quickly fell apart. The player who drew the most attention during these talks? Jalen Brunson. The Knicks made it clear that Brunson was completely off-limits.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst pointed out, “The Bucks’ intention and Giannis’ intention is to make the best of this season.” He added, “The East [Conference] is not strong, the Bucks could make their move.”
It’s not far-fetched to expect the Bucks to exhaust every option to keep their franchise cornerstone- the superstar who brought championship glory to Milwaukee- rooted in the small-market city. Antetokounmpo has long expressed how much small markets mean to him. His situation isn’t about loyalty; it’s about longevity. With age and injuries gradually stacking up, and league-wide competition only intensifying, Giannis understands the stakes better than ever.
After two seasons sharing the load with fellow All-NBA talent Damian Lillard, Milwaukee appears ready to test its final card: “Point Giannis.” The plan is to put the ball in his hands as the primary creator- a shift that could redefine their offense despite Giannis already posting a 30.5 PER and 35.2% usage rate last season. As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst noted, this season could be the ultimate litmus test for Giannis’ long-term future in Milwaukee.
If the “Point Giannis” experiment works, it could dramatically alter Milwaukee’s standing- potentially turning their +7000 title odds (17th-best, per Fox Sports) into one of the season’s biggest surprises. But with just two years remaining on his contract, the margin for error is razor-thin.
As Windy pointed out, “He [Giannis] would have some control, and part of me believes— the reason he didn’t go full bore into the trade demand this summer, where he sort of sat around and didn’t make noise about it in June and July. And didn’t make a move until August was because he knew he would have much control next year.”
Fans adore him, and trading him even for a superstar like Giannis would have sparked chaos. While the cleanest possible swap: Brunson and Josh Hart for Giannis, technically works under the salary cap, it’s a non-starter. The Knicks won’t part with Brunson, and the Bucks aren’t looking for veterans; they want young players and picks to build for the future.
That’s why a mid-season trade for Antetokounmpo and his massive $54.1 million salary seems nearly impossible not just with the Knicks, but for any team.
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The real drama could unfold next offseason when Milwaukee can offer him a four-year, $260 million extension. If Giannis decides to turn it down, the entire league will start buzzing.
And given his own words, “Now, if in six, seven months, I change my mind, I think that’s human too. You’re allowed to make any decision you want,” fans should be ready. If he ever chooses to walk away, it won’t be a shocker.
Nikola Jokic’s brother learns fate after punching fan during NBA playoff game
Nikola Jokic’s older brother, Strahinja Jokic, pleaded guilty on Friday to charges stemming from a fight he was involved in during a playoff game in April 2024.
Strahinja pleaded guilty to one count of trespassing, along with one count of disorderly conduct. He was sentenced to one year of probation, according to the Denver district attorney’s office.
The altercation, which occurred during the Nuggets’ Game 2 victory over the Lakers, quickly became viral on social media after fans realized that both of Nikola Jokic’s brothers were involved.
A clip of the incident showed what appears to be a verbal exchange between the two brothers and a fan quickly escalating after Strahinja punched the man in the face.
According to police documents, the elder Jokic told officers that he “felt he’d done nothing wrong because he was ‘defending an older man that he has known for a long time.’”
After initially being charged with third-degree assault, Strahinja pleaded guilty to lesser charges as part of a resolution to the case.
Strahinja has previously faced legal trouble in Denver, getting arrested in 2019 for allegedly choking a woman during an incident in an apartment.
He was charged with second-degree assault, false imprisonment, and obstruction of phone service, but later pleaded guilty in 2020 to felony trespassing and a misdemeanor count of obstruction.
In the arena, the Jokic brothers have seen themselves at the center of some altercations tied to Nikola Jokic’s squabbles on the court.
During the 2021 season, the two got into a social media beef with Marcus and Markieff Morris following a heated exchange between Nikola and Markieff.
That same year, the brothers were also seen shouting at Suns players from the stands after a player issued a hard foul to Nikola in the playoffs.
LeBron James’ Ex-Teammate Takes Issue With Stephen Curry’s Top 5 Ranking by Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson is on a media tour to promote his memoir ‘Misunderstood’. During which he also revealed being 6 months sober, and called it one of his best decisions. The 76ers legend would then touch upon a subject that is hotly debated among the fans. Not the ‘GOAT Debate’, but ranking his top 5 players ever to play in the NBA. And it was Stephen Curry’s name that a former champion recently questioned on his podcast.
“But I would expect I expected more not more from him, but I expected him to pay more homage to the older guys because he’s an older guy himself.” Danny Green, on his podcast, made it clear why he dislikes the top 5 rankings by AI. “Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Shaquille O’Neal,” Iverson told CBS News when asked to give his opinion on the best NBA players in history. Replying to Iverson, Green added, “Steph for me is in the top 10, but I don’t know if I could put him in the top five. Like him and Magic is a conversation.”
The former teammates of LeBron James opined that Michael Jordan, Kobe, and Bron are part of the top 3 players, no matter how one would individually rank them. But the next two picks of Allen Iverson of Shaquille O’Neal, and Stephen Curry, Green was not aligned with. Especially the latter one. Being an undersized guard and yet dominating the big names is something only a few could do. That’s why AI had no problem with Curry being in his top 5, but Green did.
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“Steph to me is a very good player, and I’m not trying to pick on Steph, but because I think he’s one of the greatest to ever do what he’s done, and he’s definitely a top 10 because of that. If he wasn’t the greatest to do it, he wouldn’t be in the top 10 if he wasn’t. Because if you look at everybody else that’s normally in the top 10, they were juggernauts, not on just offense, but both sides of the ball or they they dominate the game in multitude of ways.”
Danny Green, on his Inside the Green Room podcast, pointed out that he was never doubting the abilities that Curry brings to the hardwood. Shooting from any distance, being an offensive general, making plays for teammates, and being a master of floor spacing are all those qualities that push the Warriors‘ superstar to the top 10 spot. But Green would have picked the older guys who could dominate the game on both ends of the floor.
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“Again, this is his (Allen Iverson) opinion, so I don’t think this is a terrible one, but I just thought he would pay more homage to the older guys. And I thought for sure Magic would might be in there. You got Kareem, Bill Russell, Wilt, Larry Bird, there’s a, you know, even, you know, Tim Duncan, like guys that I think of that are my top 10.”
Other stars who celebrate Stephen Curry
Creating dynasties, changing the culture with three-point shooting, and overcoming constant ankle injuries push Stephen Curry‘s stock to be in the top 10 in the league. In fact, long-time rival and now an Olympics teammate, LeBron James previously shared high praise about the Warriors superstar’s impact. “Steph and Allen Iverson are the two biggest influential guys in our game since I’ve been watching and covering…They were so relatable…Kids felt like they could be them.”
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In fact, there is also a debate where people often discredit or downplay the work of the current stars in the league. Some of the former stars have felt that Curry’s success is tied to the era he’s playing in, as the court is way more spaced out and the game is less physical than it was in the ’90s. However, despite this what-if scenario, one of the greatest to play in that period, Magic Johnson, isn’t the one to doubt the Baby-Faced Assassin.
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“He’s one of the greatest of all time… He’s definitely on my dream team as the greatest that’s ever played this game.” So, no doubt, there will be opinions on personal preference while ranking the top 5 or 10 players in the league. But Allen Iverson isn’t going to change his ways any time soon. “You’re in my top 5 all day long.” After all, he previously made a heartfelt stance about Curry.
Knicks, Raptors drop lawsuit over alleged stolen information
After going scorched earth in court filings, the Knicks decided not to sue the Raptors and the NBA, after all.
According to ESPN, the Knicks “voluntarily dismissed” their lawsuit against an NBA rival despite allegations of a Raptors employee stealing thousands of confidential files.
The Knicks, in multiple court filings, claimed the Raptors poached their former video coordinator, Ikechukwu Azotam, and ordered him to give them confidential internal scouting information.
Azotam is a former Knicks video coordinator who was hired by the Raptors.
The Knicks had asked for $10 million in the lawsuit and explosively accused NBA commissioner Adam Silver of being a biased arbiter because of his close relationship with Raptors owner Larry Tanenbaum.
Earlier this month, Knicks owner James Dolan and Silver were spotted together in Abu Dhabi, where the pair were watching a Knicks-Sixers preseason contest.
The Knicks accused the Raptors and Azotam of criminal behavior, filing the initial lawsuit in 2023.
According to ESPN, it was dropped on Thursday with no public explanation.
The Raptors had filed a countersuit, alleging the Knicks were just looking for attention.
That was also dropped.
Emotional A’ja Wilson Shares Bam Adebayo Embrace After Aces WNBA Finals Win
With their 97-86 win over the Phoenix Mercury on October 10, the Las Vegas Aces 2025 WNBA Finals champions, thus marking the third WNBA championship they’ve secured in the past four seasons.
It will come as no surprise that two-time reigning WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson was fantastic during Friday’s win, which made it so the Aces swept the Mercury in the best-of-seven series. She finished the game with 31 points on 7 of 21 shooting from the field (while also making a whopping 17 of 19 free throws), to go along with 9 rebounds and 4 assists.
Wilson averaged 28.5 points per game during these WNBA Finals. And if she wasn’t already considered one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time before securing this fourth WNBA championship (although she certainly was in most people’s books), this performance surely puts her on the Mount Rushmore of WNBA GOATs.
A’ja Wilson Shares Wholesome WNBA Finals Winning Moment With NBA Boyfriend Bam Adebayo
While Wilson tried to keep her relationship with Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo under wraps for much of 2024, this basketball power couple eventually did a hard launch to make things official, thus ending the worst-kept secret in the basketball community.
Now Wilson and Adebayo are constantly being seen with each other. And he was there for Wilson’s WNBA Finals winning moment on Friday night. ESPN’s X account posted a video of an emotional Wilson going up to hug Adebayo in the court shortly after she won her third WNBA championship.
Cameras caught her saying,
Dwyane Wade Sends Message to A’ja Wilson & Aces After Historic WNBA Win
Last season A’ja Wilson was the MVP, but couldn’t secure the championship for her team. But this season, the Aces superstar was back with more hunger, and as the season ended, she stands at the top of the mountain with a championship, alongside being the MVP, Finals MVP, and also the DPOY. Her achievements this season were a rare phenomenon in the world of W, but also a feat very few achieved in the NBA. Naturally, the praise from former and current NBA stars would fall in.
Dwayne Wade, being the Chicago Sky’s minority owner, made sure to keep the rivalry aside in order to celebrate Wilson. He shared the post from WNBA, “RARE COMPANY 👑 A’ja Wilson joins Bill Russell as the only players in WNBA or NBA history to win 3 MVPs and 3 championships in a 4-season span!” with a motivating message of his own. The Heat legend added, “Legendary at 29! Congrats @ajawilson and Aces on their 3rd 🏆.” As a girl-dad, it is important for Wade that his daughters resonate with athletes to perform at the top level.
That’s why he was eager to make an investment in the WNBA in the first place. And A’ja Wilson’s performance today and throughout the season proves why she deserves the flowers. After all, she became the first player to simultaneously win the title of leading scorer, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP. Even in the final game, her display was majestic, and she led from the front on both ends of the floor.
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Wilson scored 31 points, grabbed nine rebounds, dished out four assists, had three blocks, and two steals. All this in 36 grueling minutes of action, where she made 7-of-21 field goals. This was on the back of her game-ending bucket in game 3, which helped the Aces stay ahead 3-0.
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With just 5 seconds remaining, the 4x MVP had the possession and had all the intentions of scoring. Making it difficult for her was the double-team of Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner. However, Wilson found nothing but net with her last-second midrange bucket. And this season was never perfect for the Becky Hammon-coached team.
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They were .500 on Aug. 2 following a 53-point loss. Despite that, the resurgence kicked in and the Aces went on to a subsequent 16-game winning streak to end the regular season as the No. 2 seed. That’s why even Pau Gasol, a close confidant of the WNBA, and another girl-dad was celebrating this Finals win. “Congratulations Champs!! 🏆,” wrote the former 2x NBA champion and the Lakers icon.
This is a developing story…
Warriors’ Steph Curry Breaks Silence on NBA’s New Foul Rule:
One of the biggest changes to how referees will call NBA games this season is the addition of the “high five” or “hot stove” foul. Now, if a defender makes contact with a shooter’s hand or arm after the shot has been released, it will still be called. Of course, this rule change will greatly benefit Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry.
During a recent news conference, Curry shared his thoughts on the new wrinkle to how shooting fouls are called.
“To me, it’s kind of overdue because it was a conversation of when you’re shooting, how you protect the shooter,” Curry said. “I flail a little bit because I don’t want to roll my ankle. It’s kind of like the natural instinct side. But when it became something where people were attacking hands, doing not just a closeout but a second motion, going in arms and hands and stuff like that, it’s not basketball. It has nothing to do with affecting a shot. It’s more just putting people in danger, that type of thing. And it’s avoidable; you can still play great defense and avoid doing that.”
Curry continued.
“So I got that one, and I knew it was coming as soon as Kamara came across. It’s like they call it the second action. You can have a contest and do what’s kind of normal basketball defense, normal shot contest. But the second act, when you’re coming through or delivering a blow or whatever, that s–t we’ve been trying to get that call for years. So I do appreciate that, as I’m sure I’ll argue one if it happens again. That’s just part of basketball.”
Curry Will Benefit From Rule Change
Curry is the best shooter in NBA history. And while the new rule change will ensure offensive players are safer when taking contested looks, it will also provide them with more space to get their shot off. Defenders won’t want to give up easy fouls by being overzealous in shot contests.
As such, Curry could see his already incredible shooting numbers (solid efficiency on high volume) trend even further upward this season. Of course, Curry won’t be the only player to reap the benefits of this rule change. Fortunately for the Warriors, Buddy Hield, Seth Curry and Al Horford could also benefit.
Whenever a new rule is implemented ahead of a new season, game officials make a point of calling it early in the year. It will be interesting to see how consistent those calls become as we get deeper into the basketball calendar, and then again once we hit the postseason.
Warriors Will Hope To Contend This Season
Golden State’s front office has done a solid job of rounding out Steve Kerr’s roster ahead of the new season. The franchise now has solid balance, in both scoring profile (shooters, slashers, floor spacers, cutters, etc) and defensive versatility. When you couple that with a potential big season from Curry and Jimmy Butler, who is currently in his first preseason with the franchise, there’s a lot to be excited about.
The Warriors will undoubtedly be coming into the new campaign with hopes of contending for a championship. The new shooting foul change will give them further confidence that they can be one of the bigger threats in the Western Conference.
However, only time will tell whether their veteran core can sustain a deep postseason run and potentially put the franchise in a position to hang another championship banner as we near the end of the Curry-led Warriors era.
European Soccer League Takes Crucial Salary Decision Amid NWSL’s Promised Future Commitment
The tussle among domestic soccer leagues to outdo one another is a never-ending tale. While the men’s game sees a much broader competition, the women’s side, on the other hand, is largely dominated by two major branches, the United States’ National Women’s Soccer League and the United Kingdom’s Women’s Super League, both constantly striving to stay ahead. On that note, the latest development sees the WSL implementing a significant change in player salaries after taking note of what the NWSL has promised its players for the future.
Apparently, the senior players in the Women’s Super League will now be guaranteed a minimum annual salary of £40,000 ($53,000) under new financial regulations introduced this season. At least, an exclusive report from Matt Hughes of The Guardian says so. This entire criterion is based on the player’s age and whether their club competes in WSL1 or WSL2.
So those who are aged 23 and above in the top division shall be liable to receive no less than the aforementioned number. As for those players who fall below this bracket, i.e., below 23 and competing in WSL 2, will pocket an undisclosed amount above the national living wage. That way, the stakeholders will be able to ensure that all players across the top two tiers can finally be fully professional.
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This is quite a relieving update for all the WSL players, considering several Championship clubs reportedly paid below the minimum wage, forcing players to take on multiple jobs just to get by. One can recall the time when former Chelsea boss and current USWNT manager Emma Hayes revealed what she used to earn as a coach. “I worked in this job for six grand a year at one point, then 12 grand. Money’s never been my motivator in life.”
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In fact, there have been countless stories from other players and coaches as well about actually finishing off with their training and quickly starting another job later in the day. But now, at least the players don’t have to make their lives hectic. Heck, the change is so drastic for them that the salary of a senior player is even higher than the minimum wage in the United States’ NWSL, which is $48,500 (£36,100) this year.
This only reinforces the WSL’s position at the top, making it a pre-eminent women’s league. So, in short, consider it a new bare minimum standard set for the sake of the players from the European league. Then again, they shall enjoy this title while it lasts!
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NWSL has some promises too, despite key concerns
While it’s good to see WSL bring such a revolutionary change, the NWSL isn’t keen to stay behind. The Guardian also stated that the American women’s soccer league has committed to increasing its minimum salary to $82,500 by 2030. Not surprising, honestly, considering they are taking such kinds of initiatives only because of certain challenges that are ahead of them. For starters, English clubs are increasingly competing with their American counterparts to sign top players.
Like Chelsea breaking the bank twice this year to first sign Naomi Girma from San Diego Wave for $1.1 million and later Alyssa Thompson from Angel City for a club record fee of $1.4 million. Even rival clubs like Arsenal signed Canada’s Olivia Smith from Liverpool for $1.2 million in July before London City Lionesses raised the bar by paying close to $1.8 million to bring in Grace Geyoro from Paris Saint-Germain last month.
While mostly the players leave because of the grace the European league offers, there have been arguments multiple times that NWSL’s salary cap limits them from keeping hold of its players. Last year, it was $2.4 million, and this year it is set to $3.5 million per team. So, how can one expect the NWSL teams to retain players with a lucrative contract? Regardless, the only argument that Commissioner Jessica Berman had was, “We are quite confident that the value proposition that we offer to players is compelling, and we’ll continue to attract and retain the best players.”
Unlike other leagues, the WSL doesn’t have a strict salary cap. Instead, it follows a soft cap, allowing clubs to spend up to 40% of their revenue on player wages — including income from their parent men’s teams. However, these new minimum salary standards come with tighter financial regulations, restricting how much money owners can inject into their clubs. In fact, a report shared last month stated that the 2025-26 WSL will see clubs spend up to 80% of their women’s team’s revenue, plus a capped contribution from owners.
Now, many might believe that this might give an unfair advantage to wealthy clubs like London City Lionesses, who are backed by a billionaire and philanthropist, Michele Kang, also the owner of French champions OL Lyonnes, as well as NWSL’s Washington Spirit. However, that’s exactly why the WSL has set such rules in order to balance spending power between smaller teams and clubs backed by wealthy men’s sides.
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But to also retain the interest of these rich owners to keep promoting investment, an additional funding cap of £4 million has been set by the WSL. This will allow independent owners to strengthen their squads without turning the league into a financial free-for-all. Quite an initiative. Then again, it’s no secret that the NWSL won’t be looking to make things better for its own good.
For now, the WSL players shall enjoy the benefits of this latest development. Don’t you think? Let us know in the comments below.
Fired Zamboni driver Al Sobotka gets his day in court
Sobotka claims he’s a victim of age discrimination.
He also said he has a prostate condition that makes bladder control difficult.
Longtime Zamboni driver Al Sobotka wiped away tears as he described what happened to his life after he was fired for urinating in an ice drain at Little Caesars Arena in 2022.
Out of 32 NHL Teams, Florida Panthers Reign Above 12 Others With Full House on Opening Week
“I’m back on the market,” read the post by the official Stanley Cup account. Hockey is officially back, and there has been no shortage of excitement in just a handful of days. Leon Draisaitl scored his 400th career NHL goal. Matthew Schaefer, 18, became the youngest NHL player to record a point, assisting Jonathan Drouin against the Penguins. And three-peat hopefuls, the Florida Panthers, are already on the front foot with a 2/2 record, and fans are showing up in big numbers.
On opening night, they handily beat the Chicago Blackhawks. Then on Thursday, the Philadelphia Flyers flew into the Sunshine State, only to leave with a 2-1 loss. It wasn’t the biggest or highest-scoring win of the night, but it was the most attended. In a summary shared by NHL News on X, the Panthers recorded attendance numbers of 19,431 (100.9%), topping the list. What’s also interesting is that the Panthers have overachieved; the Amerant Bank arena only has a capacity of 19,250 when it comes to hockey (it changes with sport), so it wasn’t just a full house; it was more than that. Literally.
As for the game, Anton Lundell gave the Panthers an early lead in the second period, but the Flyers weren’t backing down. Noah Cates was quick to score early in the third period, tying the game. Then, Brad Marchand, replacing an injured Matthew Tkachuk on the first line, sealed the deal. He found the back of the net at 2:19 of the third period. Between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky was steady, stopping 19 of 20 shots, while Dan Vladar stood tall for Philadelphia, turning away 32 of 34 attempts to keep the game tight until the final buzzer.
The 19,431 fans surely must have enjoyed the show, though it wasn’t just the Florida Panthers that had more than a full house. At Rogers Arena, 19,012 fans packed in to watch the Vancouver Canucks crush the Calgary Flames 5-1, overflowing the 18,910-seat arena. At PNC Arena, 18,404 fans cheered as the Carolina Hurricanes took a 6-3 win over the New Jersey Devils, 0.6% above the 18,380 capacity. Bridgestone Arena saw 17,244 fans (0.5% more than the capacity) as the Predators narrowly beat Columbus 2-1, and at Ball Arena, 18,087 fans roared as the Avalanche edged out the Utah Mammoth 2-1, topping the standard 18,064 capacity.
Interestingly enough, the top 5 teams with packed arenas all won their games too. Rounding out the list were the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Buffalo Sabres, and St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, and Seattle Kraken, all recording full houses while the Jets and Penguins narrowly fell short. But despite the overflowing arena, the Florida Panthers actually did one better in their season opener.
The Florida Panthers recorded better figures on opening night
While 19,431 is not at all a bad number—it’s actually great—the Panthers broke the record for their home opener. 19,655 fans (102.1% attendance rate) showed up to the Amerant Bank Arena to see the defending champions kick off their season with a triumph over the Chicago Blackhawks. This was also the highest attendance among NHL teams for that night, surpassing the Los Angeles Kings’ 18,145 and the New York Rangers’ 18,006.
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What also made this game special was that it featured a special pregame ceremony where the Panthers raised their 2025 Stanley Cup championship banner in front of a sold-out crowd. It’s a testament to the hockey culture that the Panthers have helped instill in Sunrise, because the Panthers weren’t selling out arenas even a few short years ago.
Even as recently as the 2021-22 season, the Panthers were in 24th place for average league attendance, while their cross-state rivals, the Lightning, were topping the list or hanging out in the top five. It’s a figure that has only improved along with their performances, with the Panthers entering the top ten in the 2023-24 season (the season they won their first Cup) and climbing into the top five last year, just narrowly behind the Lightning in fourth.
Of course, it’s not just the hockey culture; their two Cups and general dominance have also helped matters greatly. This is a historic season for the Panthers as they chase the first three-peat in the league for over forty years, all but guaranteeing a packed arena all season.
Festival for car lovers at Texas Motor Speedway adds Halloween flair in 2025
Engines will roar and car culture will take center stage as Fuel Fest rolls into the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
“It’s getting everybody together that enjoys cars of all makes, all models and people from all walks of life,” said Cody Walker, actor and founder of Fuel Fest.
Fuel Fest is a celebration of the car culture, its inspiration drawn from a goal to create a fun event that would be not only be sustainable, but able to donate a portion of proceeds to organization Reach Out Worldwide. The organization was founded by Cody Walker’s late brother, actor and producer Paul Walker, in 2010. It assists in bringing first responders to disaster areas to help increase local relief efforts.
This marks Fuel Fest’s fourth year at Texas Motor Speedway and the first time it will be held in the fall.
The festival is Halloween-themed, and attendees can wear their costumes a week early. There will be a costume contest for both children and adults, and the winners will receive a prize on the main stage. Plus, festival goers can also decorate their trunk and bring candy for trunk or treaters.
The show will also feature more than 700 top custom, exotic, rare and exclusive cars and trucks, plus drift ride-alongs and Fast and Furious screen-used movie cars, various interactive fan racing activities and attractions.
Taste of Tokyo will be giving fans a Japanese underground car meet vibe with a variety of cars you’re likely to see cruising through the streets of Tokyo.
Furious franchise stars Tyrese Gibson and Cody Walker will be making appearances as well. Conway The Machine and MADDS will be performing live music.
“It’s not just a car show. It’s a live, breathing event,” Walker said. “We’re mixing live-action motorsports, along with a car show and stage.”
DETAILS: Oct. 25 from 1 to 8 p.m. at the Texas Motor Speedway,3545 Lone Star Cir, Fort Worth. Admission tickets start at $35, and kids 12 and under are free.
The Go See DFW calendar is a partnership between KERA and The Dallas Morning News.
Arts Access is an arts journalism collaboration powered by The Dallas Morning News and KERA.
Regent University breaks ground on 31-acre athletic complex to include 2,000-seat arena and stadiums
VIRGINIA BEACH — Regent University broke ground Friday on its latest — and most tangible — step toward a massive upgrade to its athletic facilities: a 31-acre sports complex that includes an arena, multi-use stadium, fitness center, outdoor track and baseball and softball stadiums.
Regent, a Christian school founded by Pat Robertson, has in the past two years made measured advances for its fledgling 11-sport athletic department, including pursuit of NCAA eligibility, introduction of a new mascot and varsity teams and conference affiliation.
The $50 million capital campaign to build the on-campus sports complex began last September, dubbed the “Royals Rise” campaign. On Friday, Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer, Regent Chancellor Gordon Robertson and Regent board chair Phil Walker were among those turning dirt on a sports complex slated to include:
a 2,000-seat NCAA championship arena for basketball, volleyball and other sports
a varsity weight room and fitness center
an atrium with a café, student lounge, banquet room and outdoor seating
a fully equipped sports medicine clinic for treatment and rehab
a 400-meter outdoor track and field
baseball and softball stadiums
a multi-sport stadium and soccer field
tennis courts, basketball courts and pickleball courts
A release from Regent early Friday said the athletic and fitness center “will serve Hampton Roads as a world-class venue for sporting events, high-school athletic tournaments, career fairs, and other events.”
Friday’s groundbreaking was the latest step taken by Regent since the school announced in 2023 it would pursue NCAA membership — joining nearby Virginia Wesleyan and Christopher Newport in Division III. The process requires a four-year onboarding phase, including one year of exploration and three years of provisional membership status.
Regent University announces $50M campaign to build athletic facilities, inks partnership with NBA star Jonathan Isaac
Last year, Regent unveiled a new mascot — Rex the Royal, a white horse — and announced that Orlando Magic star and former NBA first-round draft pick Jonathan Isaac was partnering with the school to sponsor the men’s and women’s basketball teams and provide their shoes through his apparel brand, UNITUS.
Regent’s teams this school year became members of the Coast-To-Coast Athletic Conference, joining schools such as CNU, Mary Washington of Fredericksburg, Salisbury University in Maryland, Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina, and its only West Coast member, the University of California Santa Cruz.
Baseball became Regent’s 11th varsity sport this school year.
Pat Robertson — founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network — established Regent, originally called CBN University, in Virginia Beach in 1977. He died in 2023 at 93.
Regent has more than 13,000 students, and according to the school is the largest private nonprofit university in Hampton Roads and the second-largest in Virginia.
Jami Frankenberry, jami.frankenberry@pilotonline.com
Oliveira, who said kiss caused positive test, gets 4
LONDON — A professional tennis player who said a kiss caused a positive methamphetamine drug test was suspended for four years by the International Tennis Integrity Agency on Friday.
Goncalo Oliveira, who represents Venezuela, was provisionally suspended in January following a positive test in November 2024 while competing at the ATP Challenger event in Manzanillo, Mexico. Both his A and B samples contained the banned substance.
The Portuguese-born player denied taking the drug and made his argument at a hearing with an independent tribunal, which decided Oliveira couldn’t prove the drug’s presence was unintentional.
Oliveira receives credit for time served from his provisional suspension, meaning he will be eligible to compete professionally again on Jan. 16, 2029.
Oliveira reached a career-high world doubles ranking of 77th in August 2020.
This is not the first time an athlete has said a positive drug test happened because of kissing.
French Olympic fencer Ysaora Thibus was cleared in July by the Court of Arbitration of a doping allegation after judges accepted she was contaminated with the anabolic substance Ostarine in 2024 by kissing her American partner over a period of nine days. She was later cleared by an International Fencing Federation tribunal weeks before the Paris Olympics, which let her compete there.
Here’s the matchups for 2025 Nebraska high school state tennis
KEARNEY, Neb. — Lincoln East in Class A and Elkhorn Mount Michael in Class B are the top seeds for the state dual championships.
Class B competes on Saturday and Class A on Monday in the event that is separate from the NSAA state championships that begin Thursday in Lincoln.
In each class, 12 teams were invited to compete. Class A has only 11 participating. Each dual consists of two singles matches and three doubles matches.
Class A first round Monday: Lincoln East, bye; Lincoln High vs. Papillion-La Vista South; Millard West, bye; Lincoln Southeast, bye; Kearney, bye; Millard South vs. Papillion-La Vista; Bellevue West vs. Grand Island; Omaha Creighton Prep, bye.
Class B first round Saturday: Elkhorn Mount Michael, bye; Gretna East vs. Alliance; Scottsbluff vs. Adams Central; Lincoln Pius X, bye; Elkhorn North, bye; Elkhorn vs. Omaha Skutt; Omaha Brownell Talbot vs. Grand Island Central Catholic; Lincoln Christian, bye.
stu.pospisil@owh.com, twitter.com/stuOWH
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No jinx to worry about as Glenn and Garber earn bids to tennis state finals
John Glenn showed its skill and grit and mettle.
But very little patience.
Competing like mad for a second consecutive trip to the state finals, the Bobcats knew they were on the bubble at the Division 3 regional tennis tournament at Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood. And they wanted the answer now.
“The boys kept asking me if we were going to make it and I said ‘I’m not going to look until we leave.’ I didn’t want to jinx anything,” Glenn coach Kevin Miller said. “But they went behind my back and asked the (tournament director). He told them ‘Don’t worry, you’re going to states.’”
By scoring 15 team points, Glenn secured the third and final qualifying spot for the state finals, set for Greater Midland Tennis Center on Oct. 24-25. One year after qualifying as a team for the first time in program history, the Bobcats did it again.
Tom Dwan and Patrick Dwan led the charge, reaching the championship match before settling for runner-up honors at No. 1 and No. 2 singles. Both ran into the host team, which ran the table by winning all eight flights.
“They’re cousins and they were playing right next to each other on those stadium courts, and it was so cool to watch,” Miller said. “Tom always rises up to the competition. I’ve never seen him so intense.”
No. 3 David Ferrio and No. 4 Jack Pfeiffer in singles and No. 1 Corbin Sanborn and Dylan Werner, No. 3 Nolan Waibel and Brandon Wood, and No. 4 Aiden Hellebuyck and Landon Debo in doubles all won a match and reached the semifinals for Glenn.
Bay City Central scored two team points in the regional as No. 2 singles Jose Costilla and No. 4 doubles Marti Wernigan and Michael Briggs won matches.
D4: GARBER EARNS STATE BERTH
Essexville Garber scored a pair of semifinal upsets, and that was the margin of difference that propelled the Dukes on to the state finals.
Garber scored 14 points for third place in the Division 4 regional hosted by Traverse City St. Francis, edging Saginaw Nouvel for the final qualifying spot. The Dukes advance to the state finals at Greater Midland Tennis Center on Oct. 20-21.
It wasn’t exactly scripted that way, but the Dukes made it happen. No. 2 singles Colton Pritchard and No. 4 doubles Finn Murphy and Maxwell D’Archangel came through in the clutch, each scoring semifinal upsets of the No. 2 seeds to earn those crucial team points.
Garber finished as regional runner-up at both of those flights, leading the way to its first state berth in two years – and 45th in program history.
Garber also got semifinal appearances from No. 3 Matthew Pawlaczyk in singles and No. 1 Leo Branigan and Ben Nickerson, No. 2 Carter Radtke and Owen Lewis and No. 3 Henry Campbell and Adam Howard in doubles.
Brailyn Martin scored a first-round win for the Dukes at No. 4 singles.
D2: WESTERN SPARKED BY SEMIFINALIST
Bay City Western closed out its season at the Division 2 regional hosted by Midland Dow, scoring six team points.
Luke Abraham highlighted the day for the Warriors at No. 4 singles. He scored a quarterfinal victory then battled in a three-set loss in the semifinals.
The Warriors also posted first-round wins from No. 3 singles Aidan O’Dell, No. 1 doubles Ben VanTol and Grant Reder and No. 2 doubles Merrick Young and Logan Gillis.
Oswego East wins SPC tennis team title; Oswego’s Savannah Millard wins No. 1 singles crown
The Oswego East tennis team, with championships at No. 1 doubles and No. 4 doubles and runner-ups at No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles, won the Southwest Prairie Conference championship this week.
Oswego East was also the overall champion when factoring in regular-season results. At the tournament the Wolves scored 39 points, beating out regular-season champion Plainfield North (37) with Minooka third (31) and Oswego fourth (20).
Oswego East’s Ainsley Shahady and Emma Smith beat Minooka’s Lydia Michalesko and Juliet Michalesko 6-1, 6-2 in the No. 1 doubles final. At No. 4 doubles Oswego East’s Tessa Koutsogiannis and Audrey Reible beat Plainfield North’s Madi McEwan and Serena Sud 6-1, 7-5 in the final.
At No. 1 singles, Oswego’s Savannah Millard beat Ysabella Seeto 6-2, 6-4 in the final. At No. 2 doubles Yorkville’s Callie Ferko and Alana Hogan, who won their semifinal match in a third-set tiebreaker, beat Oswego East’s Olivia Coffin and Shivani Manu 6-3, 6-1 in the final.
Oswego’s Melanie Imbronjev took second at No. 2 singles, losing to Plainfield North’s Peyton Blew in the final.
Tennis player who claimed positive methamphetamine test was caused by kiss suspended four years
Goncalo Oliveira, a professional tennis player representing Venezuela, was suspended for four years Friday by the International Tennis Integrity Agency after testing positive for methamphetamine, an agency statement confirmed. The 30-year-old Portuguese-born athlete argued that the positive result came from a kiss, but an independent tribunal rejected his explanation.
Oliveira was provisionally suspended in January after an in-competition test at an ATP Challenger event in Manzanillo, Mexico, in November 2024 revealed the banned stimulant in both his A and B samples. Methamphetamine is classified as a non-specified substance under the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List, which carries a mandatory suspension for positive findings.
Oliveira’s four-year ban, which takes credit for time already served under provisional suspension, will run through Jan. 16, 2029. He forfeited prize money, results and ranking points from the event where he tested positive, as well as from subsequent tournaments prior to the provisional suspension.
Olympic fencer Ysaora Thibus cleared of doping ban after court determines accidental contamination by kissing
Carter Bahns
The tribunal reviewed Oliveira’s claim that the substance entered his system unintentionally, either through kissing or environmental contamination. The panel concluded that he failed to provide
Tennis player who used kissing as anti-doping defense banned
October 10 – A tennis player who blamed a tainted kiss for a failed drug test received a four-year suspension on Friday.
Venezuela’s Goncalo Oliveira, 30, who competes on the ATP Challenger Tour, was originally suspended in January after testing positive for a banned methamphetamine at a November event in Manzanillo, Mexico.
Friday’s suspension, issued by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, includes credit for his time on provisional suspension. Oliveira is eligible to return in January of 2029.
Oliveira denied taking the drug and presented a witness statement from the woman involved in the incident at his hearing with an independent tribunal.
The woman testified that she met Oliveira at a bar in Manzanillo and they kissed after she had
Nikola Pilic, Whose Wimbledon Boycott Helped Shape Modern Tennis, Dies at 86
Nikola Pilic, a magnetic Yugoslav tennis star of the 1960s and ’70s who helped change the sport irrevocably when his suspension from Wimbledon in 1973 led to a widespread boycott in the men’s bracket, strengthening the rights of players to compete when and where they wanted, died on Sept. 22 in Rijeka, Croatia. He was 86.
His death was announced by the Croatian Tennis Association. No other details were given.
At 6 feet 3 inches, Pilic, who was left-handed, played during the transition from the amateur to the Open era, reaching a world ranking of sixth with a powerful forehand and a potent serve. He finished as runner-up to Ilie Nastase of Romania in the 1973 French Open, and won a doubles title at the 1970 U.S. Open with his partner, Pierre Barthès of France, over the Australian stalwarts Roy Emerson and Rod Laver.
As a coach, he was the first man to lead three countries — Germany, Croatia and Serbia — to Davis Cup titles. He also served as a mentor to a young Serb, Novak Djokovic, who is a 24-time Grand Slam champion and who often referred to Pilic as “my tennis father.”
That year, he advanced to the final of the French Open while battling two opponents — Nastase and the Yugoslav Tennis Federation, which had provisionally suspended him for nine months for refusing to play in a Davis Cup match against New Zealand. (He acknowledged decades later that he couldn’t fit the match into his busy international schedule.)
The sport’s global governing body, the International Lawn Tennis Federation — now the International Tennis Federation — upheld the suspension but reduced it to one month. That month included Wimbledon, the sport’s most prestigious tournament.
A power struggle for control of tennis, between the international federation and a fledgling players’ union (the Association of Tennis Professionals formed the year before), reached a showdown when 81 male players boycotted Wimbledon in support of Pilic, known as Niki.
Among those refusing to play were Rod Laver, a four-time champion; John Newcombe, a three-time winner; Stan Smith, the 1972 Wimbledon champion; Arthur Ashe, who would win in 1975; and Ken Rosewall, an eventual four-time finalist.
“In that time, I thought, maybe Niki Pilic is not that important,” he said of himself to The New York Times in 2023, as players marked the 50th anniversary of the boycott. “But we were the products and you cannot have the tournament without the products. People could not believe that we did it. But we proved in that moment that we were a very strong group. We lost that year, but the war was won.”
Some stars opted to play, including Nastase and Jimmy Connors, who would win Wimbledon in 1974 and 1982. So did Björn Borg, who was then 17 and would win five consecutive titles between 1976 and 1980. Jan Kodes of Czechoslovakia won the 1973 tournament against a weakened field and told The Times a half-century later that he was “not sure if the boycott was really necessary.”
But the impact was longstanding. It solidified the Association of Tennis Professionals, which now governs the men’s professional tour; unified a ranking system; fostered greater communication between players and tournament organizers; and helped bring a wider distribution of prize money.
The Wimbledon boycott “changed the game forever” because officials who ran the sport were put on alert “that it could happen again, depending on how the players are treated,” Cliff Drysdale, the A.T.P.’s first president, told The Times in 2023.
He added: “We were professionals, and we wanted to stay that way. Niki had the right to play wherever he wanted to.”
Nikola Pilic was born on Aug. 27, 1939, in Split, in what was then Yugoslavia but later Croatia following its independence in 1991. His father, Krsto Pilic, was a metalworker. His mother, Danica Tomic-Feric, belonged to a prominent family that had lived in Split for four centuries.
When Niki turned 13, he bartered a ride on his rickety bicycle for a chance to use a friend’s racket on one of the city’s two tennis courts at the time. It was, he said in 2011 in a first-person article in Blic, a Serbian news outlet, “the most important trade of my life.”
When he stepped onto the court that first time, he said, “I felt an energy that has not left me.” Over six months, he pilfered small amounts of money from his mother’s purse to buy a decent Italian-made racket of his own, even if it was 11 years old.
The 1973 Wimbledon boycott heightened existing tension between players and the International Tennis Federation. In 1968, a group of stars called the Handsome Eight, which included Pilic, signed to play on a professional circuit called World Championship Tennis that was backed by the Texas businessman Lamar Hunt and became a rival of the I.T.F.
In 1971, the global federation voted to ban all competitors participating in the W.C.T. from major events in 1972, including the French Open and Wimbledon, which lent urgency to the formation of the A.T.P.
“We started thinking we had to do something because of the way they treated us; it was simply unacceptable,” Pilic said of the I.T.F. in the 2024 documentary “Niki Pilic — The Legend,” directed by Zeljko Mirkovic and produced by Vladimir Gasic.
After retiring from professional tennis at 39, Pilic became a highly regarded coach. He operated a tennis academy in Oberschleissheim, a suburb of Munich, where the future Wimbledon champions Michael Stich of Germany (1991), Goran Ivanisevic of Croatia (2001) and Djokovic (seven wins between 2011 and 2022) trained as young players. He coached Germany to Davis Cup titles three times, two of which featured Boris Becker.
Stich said in the documentary that Pilic “was a person that would have got up for you at midnight to practice your forehand or your serve. He conveyed to you, ‘I will do anything in my power to make you better.’”
Pilic is survived by his wife, Mija Adamovic, an actress whom he married in 1971; a daughter, Danijela Pilic; and a son, Niko Pilic.
He has acknowledged that his career was essentially defined by a tournament in which he did not play. “It was a war between us and the International Tennis Federation,” he said in the 2024 documentary, “because they thought they could do everything and they couldn’t.”
Final wrap of two-day state Class AA girls tennis tournament
SIOUX FALLS — A strong second-day performance helped Rapid City Stevens repeated as the state Class AA girls tennis champions.
The Raiders took a 10-point lead into the final day and won going away with 486.5 points in the two-day tourney that concluded on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.
Stevens won three of the six singles flights and also two of the three doubles flights to easily outdistance runner-up Sioux Falls Lincoln (417.5).
Team Standings
Final Scores — 1. Rapid City Stevens 486.5; 2. Sioux Falls Lincoln 417.5; 3. Harrisburg 381.5; 4. Mitchell 287; 5. Yankton 257; 6. Sioux Falls Jefferson 233.5; 7. Aberdeen Central 176; 8. O’Gorman 163.5; 9. Watertown 153; 10. Brandon Valley 145; 11. Sioux Falls Washington 40.5; 12. Brookings 27.5; 13. Sioux Falls Roosevelt 20; 14. Rapid City Central 5.5.
Singles Championships
First Flight — Eloise Geraets, SF Lincoln, def. Nora Krajewski, Yankton, 6-2, 6-4. (Krajewski was two-time defending first flight champion).
Second Flight — Sylvie Mortimer, RC Stevens, def. Madelyn Von Wald, Harrisburg, 6-1, 6-0. (Mortimer repeated at second flight champion).
Third Flight — Ella Potvin, RC Stevens, def. Momo Welch Okawa, SF Lincoln, 6-3, 6-4. (Potvin repeated as third flight champion and also won fourth flight title in 2023).
Fourth Flight — Hope Gabel, Harrisburg, vs. Lauryn Gohl, SF Lincoln, 6-2, 6-1.
Fifth Flight — Bella Nelson, RC Stevens, def. Angela Ge, SF Lincoln, 6-2, 6-4. (Nelson repeated as fifth flight champion).
Sixth Flight — Jessi Muth, Harrisburg, def. Kaia Carlson, RC Stevens, 6-2, 6-3.
Doubles Championships
First Flight — Nora-Sabrina Krajewski, Yankton, def. Eloise Geraets-Lily Statema, SF Lincoln, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 10-8. (Krajewskis repeated as first-flight champions).
Second Flight — Arabella Scott-Ella Potvin, RC Stevens, vs. Momo Welch Okawa-Lauryn Gohl, SF Lincoln, 6-2, 7-5. (Scott also played on the second-flight champions in 2024).
Third Flight — Bella Nelson-Elena Braun, RC Stevens, def. Hannah Frye-Jessi Muth, Harrisburg, 6-2, 6-2. (Nelson also played on third-flight champions in 2024).
Watertown-Aberdeen Central Highlights
Aberdeen Central finished seventh (176) and Watertown ninth (153) out of 14 teams.
Jennika Kettwig took fifth at No. 6 singles to lead Watertown. Leyla Meester (No. 1) finished sixth. In doubles, Meester and Jade Smith (No. 1) and Kettwig and Elly Dingsor (No. 3) each placed sixth and Savannah Sovell-Grace Pesek (No. 2) lost in the consolation championship.
Estelle Riggs (No. 4) placed fifth and Chloe Ladner (No. 3) and Mady Holman (No. 5) each sixth in singles. Sarah Knie won the second-flight singles consolation championship and Avery Tennant lost in the consolation championship at No. 1.
In doubles, Knie and Riggs lost in the semifinals and eventually finished fourth in the second flight.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
Pickleball world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters advances to semis amid Va. Beach upsets
While Anna Leigh Waters continued her march through the draws at the Professional Pickleball Association’s Virginia Beach Cup, there were plenty of surprises elsewhere as the tournament headed into the weekend.
Waters, ranked No. 1 in the world in singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles, won all three of those titles at last year’s inaugural tournament at Pickleball Virginia Beach and has a shot to repeat before a packed crowd at the massive facility off Birdneck Road.
The 18-year-old Floridian advanced to the mixed final alongside Ben Johns. They will take on No. 2 JW Johnson and Jorja Johnson, a brother-sister combo, who beat No. 4 Parris Todd and Christian Alshon 11-8, 11-4.
In men’s singles, No. 4 Alshon — a former Virginia Cavaliers tennis player — is the highest seed left in the semifinals. All four men who made it lost the first of their best-of-three-games quarterfinal but won the last two.
No. 5 Jaume Martinez Vich of Mallorca, Spain, ousted world No. 1 Hunter Johnson 6-11, 11-6, 11-3 to gain a spot against Alshon, and No. 6 Jack Sock — once the world’s top doubles tennis player — will take on No. 15 Christopher Haworth.
Haworth beat No. 8 John Lucian Goins 4-11, 14-12, 11-3, Alshon rallied past No. 7 Michael Loyd 5-11, 11-6, 11-2; and Sock upended No. 3 Connor Garnett 10-12, 11-5, 11-2.
In women’s singles, Waters overcame an 8-1 deficit in the second game to oust No. 5 Catherine Parenteau 11-4, 11-8. Waters will face No. 3 Parris Todd, and No. 2 Kaitlyn Christian will take on No. 4 Brooke Buckner. None of the women’s quarterfinals went to a third game.
In men’s doubles, No. 8 seeds Jay Devilliers and Ben Wright upended No. 2 Hayden Patriquin and Federico Staksrud 2-11, 11-4, 11-9 to advance to a semifinal against No. 4 CJ Klinger and JW Johnson. The other semi will pit No. 1 Gabriel Tardio and Ben Johns against No. 3 Alshon and Andrei Daescu.
In women’s doubles, the highest seeds all made the semis. No. 1 Waters and Anna Bright will play No. 3 Parenteau and Jade Kawamoto, while No. 2 Jorda Johnson and Rachel Rohrabacher face No. 4 Todd and Tyra Hurricane Black.
Action resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday on PickleballTV and also will be on the Tennis Channel at 1 p.m.
Coco Gauff Surpasses Serena and Venus Williams Before Jasmine Paolini Clash at Wuhan Open
In a performance that felt both historic and inevitable, Coco Gauff added another shining chapter to her burgeoning career at the Wuhan Open. With a commanding 6-3,6-0 win over the German star, Laura Siegemund, the 21-year-old American didn’t just secure another semi-final spot—she etched her name into tennis history, surpassing the legendary Williams sisters in one remarkable stat.
Coco Gauff grew up around tons of sports, but tennis stood out to her because of two very inspirational women. Guess who they were? Well, Gauff deeply respects both Serena and Venus Williams, crediting them for paving the way for her career and for inspiring her as a Black woman in tennis. For example, in March 2024, while talking about the impact on the community and where she took inspiration from, Gauff revealed, “I saw myself in Serena and Venus. And so it made me believe that I could do something. I am a product of the strong community — and the village it took to get me to where I am now.” From a rising star, she has now become a superstar in women’s tennis!
Currently ranked third in the world, Gauff already has ten singles titles in her career, and that also includes her two Grand Slam triumphs (the 2023 US Open and the 2025 French Open). Earlier this year, Coco Gauff became the youngest American woman to win the French Open title since Serena Williams (in 2002). So, after accomplishing this feat, she said that it “means a lot” to follow in Serena Williams‘ footsteps and lift the French Open title. And now, she has surpassed both Serena and Venus Williams by becoming the American with the most semifinal appearances at WTA 1000 events before turning 22. Since 1990, only Martina Hingis (33) and Maria Sharapova (15) have reached more Tier 1/WTA 1000 semi-finals before turning 22 than Gauff (12). The Williams sisters did it 11 times each.
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Gauff will turn 22 on 13 March 2026, meaning she has still got a lot of time to match Sharapova. However, it will be impossible for her to touch Hingis’ astonishing record. But what makes Gauff’s achievement even more impressive is the manner in which she reached it. She is yet to drop a set in this tournament, and Gauff showed a level of poise and tactical intelligence that belies her age. Powerful serves, precise baseline strokes, and an uncanny ability to read her opponent’s game combined to produce a performance that seemed effortless yet deeply calculated.
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If we take a look at her performances in the WTA 1000 events this season, her best results came in Madrid and Rome, where she reached the finals. But she felt one step short of a title triumph on both these occasions. Can she change her fortunes this time? Well, at first, she needs to win her SF match against the in-form Italian, Jasmine Paolini. But before setting things up for that blockbuster contest, let’s first take a look at what Gauff did say after securing a spot in the semis.
Coco Gauff shares her thoughts about her dominating performance against Laura Siegemund
Coco Gauff met expectations in her QF match against Laura Siegemund. It took her just 1 hour and 26 minutes to secure a spot in the semis. With this 6-3,6-0 margin, Gauff has now scored 20 sets 6-0/6-1 in 2025, and that’s the third consecutive season she has done that. Only two other players (Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek) have achieved this milestone in each of the past three seasons.
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For fans and analysts alike, this is a defining moment. It’s a statement that Gauff isn’t just another young talent—she’s a generational force, bridging the gap between the legends of the past and the champions of tomorrow. Now with every win, she continues to challenge the records set by those who inspired her. Quite extraordinary, isn’t it?
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During her on-court interview, Coco Gauff showcased her satisfaction with her performance, saying, “I am happy with how I played today. She is a tricky player. Back to the semifinals, so I am happy to be back here in this position. I think I had chances in the first set to have a greater lead. I think I just capitalized on those chances more in the second set. No. I am just happy to be back in another round. Just enjoying my time and taking it one match at a time.”
Last year, she was knocked out in the SF by Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set thriller. Can she beat Paolini in the next match and secure her spot in the final for the very first time in Wuhan? Currently, the Italian has a 3-2 lead in their H2H record, and guess what? Paolini has won all three matches that they have played against each other this season. She will be entering this contest following a 6-1,6-2 triumph over the world number two, Iga Swiatek. So fasten your seatbelts for yet another action-packed tennis match in Wuhan.
PGA Tour Pro Reveals Why He Doesn’t Want to Play With Justin Thomas Amid His Form Resurgence
As we have seen in the 2025 Ryder Cup, Justin Thomas can get a bit too intense when in competition. He seeks reactions from the fans and thrives on putting pressure on his opponents. During a professional tournament, he is a great teammate to have and probably one of the worst opponents. So when Bud Cauley is thinking of calling someone for a round of golf to practice before an event, Thomas is not his first choice. Even if he brings in a ton of experience with his major titles and being a former world #1.
During an interview on The Golfer’s Journal on YouTube, Cauley was asked who his preferred choice for a pre-tournament warm-up round of golf is. He told Tom Coyne, “(Daniel) Berger gets the chirpiest out there. Sometimes it’s nice, he gets into it and plays really well. But when he has to pay you too, sometimes, that’s fun also. So it’s always good to get out there with Berger and see what kind of mood he is in,” as he is enjoying a great run of form in 2025, thanks to his intense practice rounds with Berger.
For anyone who doesn’t know, Daniel Berger & Bud Cauley are close friends and have been since their college days. Since both of them were born in Florida, they spent a lot of their junior years together before Bud moved to Alabama for college. Berger & Cauley also often travel together. And since both of them also reside in Jupiter, Florida, they also connect and practice golf together every opportunity they get. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that Cauley prefers Berger’s company when practicing for a PGA Tour event, even if he is the chirpiest pro to play with out there.
But that doesn’t mean the 35-year-old didn’t even mention Justin Thomas. In fact, when the host, Coyne, questioned whom does he hangs out with or plays with when in Florida, Cauley said, “JT and I play a lot together. Berger’s out here. He’s always good for a game. Lucas Glover, we have the same coach, so we spend a lot of time together. Camilo (Villegas) is out here a lot. We’ll play. Akshay (Bhatia) just joined; Cameron Young, you never know. It’s like, you never know. You might go on the range just to hit a couple of balls, and then you kind of fall into a game. So that’s pretty fun.”
While Thomas might not be Cauley’s preferred playing partner, he was certainly the first pro that came to the 35-year-old’s mind when the question was first raised. So maybe they do play together more often than Bud suggested. Even if JT isn’t as chirpy as Berger when playing with friends. Having said that, are Justin Thomas and Bud Cauley also really close with each other? Let’s take a closer look at their friendship.
Is Justin Thomas a close friend of Bud Cauley?
Unlike Daniel Berger, Justin Thomas wasn’t born in Florida. So he might not have had the opportunity to connect with Bud Cauley during the early stages of his career. However, they must have certainly met each other during their college years, as both of them graduated from the University of Alabama. In fact, their bond grew so strong that the two also decided to be roommates when they moved to Jupiter after their college years. They lived, hung out, and practiced together for three years before getting their own places.
In fact, Thomas also spoke about this during The PLAYERS Championship 2025 press conference, as he was hoping for Cauley to win the tournament. He said, “When he was going through everything, just trying to be a friend, just like I would to anybody, let alone just a peer out here,” talking about the early years they spent together, as reported on SB Nation. In the end, Bud Cauley finished at T6 in the tournament, only 3 strokes away from Rory McIlroy. Still looking for his first PGA Tour win, he would receive a lot of support from Justin Thomas & Daniel Berger to achieve his goal soon, as he is enjoying a spectacular season with four top-10 finishes already.
2026 may see another PGA Tour rival challenging Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy
Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are the clear top two in the world right now, but there is someone else starting to close that gap.
Across the last two years, especially over the past 12 months, McIlroy and Scheffler have been the standout players on the PGA Tour.
In 2025, McIlroy won The Masters along with two other events. On the other hand, Scheffler picked up six wins of his own, including The Open.
Schauffele might have had his year interrupted by injuries, but he is still holding onto the world number four ranking, and recent performances are showing why he belongs there.
He played a vital role for Team USA at the Ryder Cup, picking up three points, including a standout singles win over Jon Rahm.
Since then, Schauffele has stayed active as he builds towards 2026. This week, he has been competing at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan and has made an impact.
His second-round 63 put him right in contention heading into the weekend. Combine that with his strong Ryder Cup showing, and it is clear why he was ranked third in the world not long ago.
If he can keep this level of play going into next year, we could be looking at more than just a two-man race at the top of golf. There could be three players vying for supremacy in 2026.
Schauffele’s highlights from the 2025 season
Despite grappling with injuries, Schauffele has maintained a respectable performance record, even though he has not secured a win since his Open victory in 2024.
He started the year well, finishing T8 at The Masters, then added two more top-20 finishes at the RBC Heritage and Truist.
He also placed T12 at the US Open, and after a T61 finish at the Travelers in June, he wrapped up the season on a high note.
Phil Mickelson Faces Scrutiny for Misleading Jon Rahm as His Career Hits Rock Bottom
Did Greg Norman & Phil Mickelson trick Jon Rahm into joining LIV Golf? Sure, the Spanish giant received a lot of money for jumping ship from the PGA Tour. And he has been immensely successful in LIV Golf as well. In the two seasons he has played so far, he has won the Individual Championship in both of them and got the Legion XIII squad the Team Championship this year. But outside the world of LIV Golf, Rahm has been nowhere close to as dominant as he used to be. And Brandel Chamblee thinks Norman & Mickelson are to be blamed for that.
The analyst joined Trey Wingo on his YouTube channel to discuss the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, among other things. They also talked about why Donald Trump thinks the PIF is not going to abandon LIV Golf. But long before that, Chamblee told Wingo, “A lot of players out there were misled, thinking that they were going to be the impetus to change. Amongst them and at the top of that heap was Jon Rahm.”
“Jon Rahm was misled, probably by Phil Mickelson, maybe by Greg Norman, that he was going to be the impetus to change. That he was such a monumental star, that if they got him, that’s it. Everything would collapse, and they would be forced to come together. That didn’t happen. There are very few people in the game of golf who stop people from mowing their lawn and rush inside to watch golf. Tiger (Woods), Rory (McIlroy), Spieth, when Jordan Spieth was playing like Jordan Spieth, and Phil Mickelson, eons ago.”
After winning the Masters Tournament and three other titles in 2023, Jon Rahm certainly had a lot of momentum going for himself. He was the top star on the PGA Tour and was a huge attraction in the world of golf. So Greg Norman’s huge offer to sign him for half a billion seemed valid at that point, as he had essentially stolen the world #1 player from Jay Monahan & Co. However, despite his success, Rahm hadn’t achieved the status of players like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, or even Phil Mickelson. So for him to be made to believe that he would be the one to draw the crowd to LIV Golf was certainly misleading. And it hugely backfired on Rahm’s form.
As Jon Rahm endures a tough run away from LIV Golf, let’s see what he has achieved on the DP World Tour and in the majors since he joined the Saudi-based promotion.
Jon Rahm’s form outside LIV Golf since joining LIV Golf
In 2023, apart from winning the Masters Tournament and three other titles, Jon Rahm also had a runner-up finish in the Mexico Open and The Open Championship. A year later, the Spaniard saw a major drop in form in the majors as he missed a cut for the first time in 5 years in the 2024 PGA Championship. Rahm also registered his worst-ever finish at Augusta National, ending the Green Jacket event at T45.
This season, Rahm failed to win a single event on LIV Golf, despite capturing the Individual Championship and the Team Championship. He didn’t miss a cut in the majors and also got two top-10 finishes. However, in these two seasons, Rahmbo has also not been able to capture a single title on the DP World Tour. He did perform well for Team Europe in the 2025 Ryder Cup. But overall, Jon Rahm’s form has clearly gotten progressively worse. It will be interesting to see what he achieves in the DP World Tour play-offs and in the 2026 season. But it’s evident that the Spanish giant is not that big of a giant in golf anymore.
Brandel Chamblee Takes Jab at Phil Mickelson After His Absurd PGA Tour-LIV Golf Comparison
Ever since Phil Mickelson joined LIV Golf, he hasn’t been able to catch a break. Critics, fellow pros, and fans have all had something to say. Above all, Brandel Chamblee has never shied away from speaking his heart out about the 45x PGA Tour winner. He’s called out Mickelson for everything from his controversial 2014 Ryder Cup behavior to his recent ‘insanely idiotic comments.’ Chamblee never misses a chance to take a jab at LIV Golf.
His latest remarks about Phil Mickelson on a recent podcast cut especially deep. The remarks come in the context of Phil doing the bidding for LIV Golf in early 2022 to recruit new players. The host, Trey Wingo, mentioned how he was playing with Phil at the Sentry ProAm in January 2022. There, Brandel was quick to share his story of why the 6x major winner was there. “Yeah. And he [Mark Rolfing] went out to say hi to Phil, and Phil openly told him that he was there recruiting players to go to LIV,” said Chamblee.
The outspoken golf analyst dismissed Mickelson as “persona non grata” in professional golf, claiming the six-time major champion has become irrelevant. “So there are a lot of reasons why Phil is persona non grata,” said Brandel Chamblee in a conversation with Trey Wingo.
Mickelson was in the field for the Sentry Tournament of Champions. He finished tied 30 at 14 under par with rounds of 71-69-70-68. Shortly after this, he openly expressed his unhappiness with the PGA Tour. However, there was more to the story than just this, according to Chamblee. The first reason for him was that he was doing the bidding for LIV and Greg Norman. Secondly, he was also involved in a lawsuit directed against the PGA Tour for suspending licenses after participation in LIV Golf events.
There was one other major reason why Brandel called Mickelson irrelevant, and it was a direct comparison to his demeanor on the field. On the podcast, Trey Wingo hinted at what Phil told him about him being more relaxed at LIV Golf compared to on the PGA Tour. Chamblee replied, saying, “I could say that golf really only matters when people care. And by Phil saying he’s relaxed out there, I think just underpins the fact that it doesn’t matter.”
For many followers, this isn’t a new sight. For a while now, Brandel Chamblee has taken jibes at Mickelson on multiple occasions since he joined LIV Golf. For instance, when he passed this comment about LIV being more relaxed, Chamblee called out Mickelson’s comments as “insanely idiotic.”
While Mickelson called it relaxing, many golfers have said that the LIV global schedule has hidden challenges. Kevin Na spoke about how the LIV circuit’s global schedule takes a physical toll on the body. The extended travel, extreme climates, and the sheer number of transitions between tournaments can become hectic.
Statistically speaking, there has been some truth to this. It’s not just limited to Phil Mickelson. Several LIV golfers have struggled to maintain top form, with inconsistent results and missed cuts fueling criticism of the league’s demanding schedule.
LIV Golfers struggle to keep performing
Many golfers who joined LIV Golf did so with an outlook to take on a new challenge. Despite other factors, the concern was always around performance, too. Yet, since the move, they’ve experienced a notable decline in their performance. This is clearly visible when they participate in major championships. A report shared on X by PGA analyst Ron Klos shows that out of 18 golfers who participated in at least three majors after joining LIV, 14 performed worse on average in those majors compared to their three-year strokes gained averages before joining LIV.
Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington among leaders after SAS 1st round
Two PGA Tour major winners are among a group of four players who shot a 4-under-par 68 on Friday to finish tied atop the leaderboard after one round of the PGA Tour Champions’ SAS Championship in Cary, N.C.
And none of them finished hotter than Stewart Cink, who finished with three consecutive birdies and played the back nine in 4-under 37 at Prestonwood Country Club.
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington wasn’t as clean as Cink down the stretch, bogeying the par-4 15th before getting that shot back with a birdie on the par-5 17th. Those two are joined by Chad Campbell and Sweden’s Robert Karlsson in first place, one shot better than a trio of golfers.
The SAS Championship is the final event before the Champions’ three-event playoff to determine the winner of the Charles Schwab Cup. The top 72 players in the Charles Schwab Cup points standings after this weekend will advance to the first playoff event, the Dominion Energy Charity Classic next weekend in Richmond, Va.
Cink and Harrington combined to win The Open Championship in three consecutive years, with Harrington winning it 2007 and ’08 before Cink won it in 2009 in a famed playoff with then-59-year-old Tom Watson.
Echoing the sentiments of most of the field, Harrington quickly pointed out the biggest challenge on the course: the greens.
Xander Schauffele Opens Up About One Thing He’s Trying to Find After Rib Injury Derailed Form
After a spectacular 2024 saw him win two majors, it looked like Xander Schauffele was ready to take over the PGA Tour this season. However, the world #4 was only a shadow of himself as he couldn’t replicate the form from the previous year. The one big reason he lost momentum is because of the serious rib injury he sustained at the end of 2024. It has been 7 months since he returned from that injury, and it finally looks like the 31-year-old might have found his rhythm again, with good performances beginning to add up. Schauffele recently revealed the secret behind his current run.
Sitting at T2 after a spectacular second round at the Yokohama Country Club, he paused to reflect. He was asked about his goals for the FedEx Cup Fall season. Schauffele told the reporter, “Yeah, just confidence is kind of the biggest thing. Every Tour pro knows there’s times when you’re playing well and things are flowing, and you don’t really think a whole lot about your swing or technical things at all. Just trying to get back to a little bit more of that the rest of this year and the new year.”
Confidence is the key for Schauffele, it seems. And it is certainly doing wonders as he plays in Japan. While he may be 4 strokes away from the top of the table, if there is anyone on the course who can cover that deficit, it’s him. Especially since he’s just come off a spectacular run at Bethpage. Despite Team U.S.’s loss, he and Cameron Young were the only two real threats for Team Europe in the 2025 Ryder Cup. Both of them scored 3 points each in the 4 matches they played for the American side without ever being paired up. Hence, they accounted for nearly half the points Team U.S. scored.
Having said that, how consistent has Xander Schauffele been lately? Is he in the midst of a strong run of form? A quick look at his recent results might show just how he’s regained his confidence. In his current trajectory, he could be a threat in the upcoming events.
Has Xander Schauffele returned to form?
After the performance in the second round on Friday, Xander Schauffele has certainly got fans excited for the weekend. He ended the first round on par and was sitting at T25 before teeing off today. However, after scoring eight birdies, he has jumped up 23 spots to second place. As soon as Schauffele joined the field for the event, he had also confirmed making another cut.
That’s because the 2025 Baycurrent Classic is a limited field event. That meant that he had now crossed the halfway mark to Tiger Woods‘s record 141 consecutive cuts and recorded 72 cuts. The great performance at Bethpage would have certainly helped boost his morale to deliver such a great performance. That being said, the Ryder Cup run was only one of the better performances Schauffele displayed recently.
During the PGA Tour’s trip to Europe, Schauffele delivered a great T8 finish in the Genesis Scottish Open. He followed that up with a T7 in The Open at Royal Portrush. The 31-year-old may not have won a title yet, but looking at his form, he may have found his confidence to grab a win. With the way things are going, Xander Schauffele might just achieve that feat in the 2025 Baycurrent Classic.
Who Is Max Greyserman’s Caddie? Lifestyle, Relationship With PGA Tour Pro & More Explored
Not many had predicted a bright career for Max Greyserman when he decided to step into the bright spotlight of the PGA Tour. The Duke University alumnus, who turned professional in 2017, had to spend years grinding on the Korn Ferry Tour before he could finally earn his PGA Tour card in 2023. He ended up finishing ninth on the points list, which is by no means a bad score. Greyserman’s journey is defined as much by those who walked beside him as the shots he’s hit. And one name among them is a standout: Adam Parmer.
By the end of 2024, Greyserman switched to Parmer after a solid rookie season with his former caddie, James Moreno. The decision paid off almost immediately when Greyserman secured a string of top finishes and achieved his career-high rank of 34. So, who is this Adam Parmer, the man behind Max Greyserman’s renewed success?
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Caddying in blood? From Tyson Alexander to Max Greyserman
Adam Parmer’s career as a professional caddie gained attention when he teamed up with Tyson Alexander in mid-2022. Their relationship had several foundations—a strong rapport, mutual respect, and Parmer’s gifted ability to mellow down the emotional chaos that often comes with competitive golf. Alexander is a two-time Korn Ferry Tour winner and has often praised Parmer for this unique skill set.
“He’s [Parmer] a very good dude, well-rounded, and very likable by a lot of people. He keeps me in check when I’m acting like a baby out there. He has the green light to whip me back into shape,” Alexander once told Jacksonville.com.
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This entire package of emotional sensibility and discipline is now a trademark of Parmer’s caddie resume. One look at him on the course will further substantiate it. He is calm, has a controlled temperament, and possesses a sharp understanding of course strategies. During his time with Alexander (2022-24), he attended various prestigious events like The Players Championship, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and the Honda Classic, the best of which was at the Valero Texas Open with a T14 finish.
Eventually, their relationship ended as Alexander struggled on the PGA Tour, a move that ultimately forced him to return to the Korn Ferry Tour. But Parmer did not have to wait too long for his new job.
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During that time, Greyserman was coming off a promising season, but he was looking for a new voice on the bag after parting ways with James Moreno. Parmer saw the chance, and he stepped in. In their early tournaments together, Greyserman finished T2 at the Zozo Championship, followed by a fourth-place finish at the World Wide Technology Championship. The duo began their 2025 season with another top-10 finish, a T7 at The American Express.
The results reflected the chemistry the two shared in the course. Parmer’s insights helped Greyserman assume a new confidence through which he played on the course, something easily visible to those following his game. With Parmer behind him, the 29-year-old was climbing new heights. As of October 2025, Greyserman is a reckoning name in the top 50 of the OWGR list.
And while all this can be attributed to Adam Parmer, the caddy, on a personal front, he had some other significant responsibilities to look after.
Adam Parmer’s off-course duties: a legacy to carry
What makes Adam Parmer’s story even more remarkable is not just his success but also what it represents. In 2025, Parmer became the only African American caddie to appear at the Masters Tournament, where he and Greyserman finished T29. His presence was symbolic in a tournament that had a complex racial history.
Over time, as the tournament came to be associated with white men, Black men had seen themselves on the fringes. Historically, they had an expert role to play in the past in reading greens and managing players and navigating pressure. But now, with professionalization and commercialization, this tradition has faded.
Parmer, when asked about the same by African American Golfers Digest, humbly acknowledged his representation for the minorities. Hiram Sapp, writing the article, notes, “However, he [Parmer] is quick to speak of the opportunities that he sees. Of his love for the sport and for what he does. While he acknowledges that being a caddy is much more than carrying clubs, he raises attention to the fact that golf is a tough sport for African Americans to succeed in.”
Yet, Parmer has always remained hopeful.
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On the personal front, Adam Parmer’s life is private. He has a small private Instagram account with only a few hundred followers. But from what his colleagues say, the caddy is known to be grounded, humble, and deeply professional. Insiders have often described him as “one of the best on tour.”
Overall, Parmer continues to thrive on course—the successes achieved with Greyserman are proof of that. Their momentum shows no signs of slowing. With the added responsibility of carrying forward a legacy, one could only hope for Parmer to persevere. And if one knows him, he surely will.
Is Si Woo Kim South Korean? PGA Tour Pro’s Ethnicity, Background & More Explored
In Seoul, South Korea, a father and son shared a golf course, building not just a swing but a legacy. Twenty-nine years later, that son—Si Woo Kim—stands as one of the PGA Tour’s most accomplished Korean golfers, carrying his heritage proudly from TPC Sawgrass to the international stage.
The professional golfer was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, on June 28, 1995. His race and ethnicity are Korean (East Asian), and his heritage remains central to his identity both on and off the course. His Korean name, 김시우 (Kim Si-woo), carries deep cultural significance.
“Si-woo” (시우) means “begin/start” and “divine intervention/protection/rain” in Korean. Interestingly, it ranked among the top 5 most popular names for newborn boys in South Korea in 2011, 2013, and 2017.
Kim’s educational journey took place entirely in Seoul. He attended Sinsung High School before pursuing a degree in Physical Education at Yonsei University. Throughout his development, one constant remained: his father, Kim Doo-young, served as his only golf instructor.
His professional achievements have reflected immense pride in representing South Korea. After winning the Asian Games gold medal in 2022, Kim was proud.
“I am so proud to represent the country and win this gold medal. I always think the biggest key for me is to keep my emotions under control.”
The gold medal carried enormous significance beyond just athletic achievement. As a Korean citizen, Kim was required to serve South Korea’s mandatory 21-month military service. However, the Asian Games victory earned him an exemption from the army, allowing him to continue his PGA Tour career uninterrupted. “I figured it was gold or nothing for us, and that stressed me out quite a bit,” he revealed about the pressure.
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Kim has consistently represented South Korea in major international competitions. He played for the International team at the Presidents Cup in 2017, 2022, and 2024. Additionally, he represented his country at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he finished 32nd.
His career milestones have elevated Korean men’s golf on the global stage. Following his historic 2017 Players Championship victory, Kim expressed:
“Korean female golfers are doing so well in the LPGA, and I wanted to show that male golfers also have what it takes to play competitively in the U.S. tour.”
At just 21, he became the youngest Players Championship winner in history. More importantly, he became only the second Korean to claim the PGA Tour’s flagship event, following K.J. Choi’s 2011 victory. “K.J. has become a really good model, so because he had won before, I am kind of confident that a Korean can win one of these tournaments,” Kim acknowledged.
His professional achievements have translated into substantial career earnings and endorsement deals with major brands like Callaway. Currently, he boasts four PGA Tour victories, with his most recent coming at the 2023 Sony Open in Hawaii.
Si Woo Kim’s family legacy – father-son golf partnership in Korean tradition
The relationship between Si Woo Kim and his father represents traditional Korean family values in action. Kim Doo-young remains his son’s only golf teacher throughout his entire career. “He is the only teacher I have ever had,” Kim has stated repeatedly.
This exclusive father-son partnership emphasizes the traditional Korean approach to mentorship and development. Rather than seeking multiple coaches, as most professionals do, Kim maintained a singular relationship. His father’s wisdom extended beyond technique into life philosophy.
“My dad keeps talking to me, you’re not the top player, so don’t try to act like a top player,” Kim shared. This humble approach shaped his perspective, even after he broke records. He admitted: “I think I was not good enough for the top level… But somehow I got lucky.”
Today, Kim maintains his Korean identity while residing in Dallas, Texas. He married Ji Hyun Oh, also a Korean professional golfer, in December 2022. Together, they have a son named Theo.
Si Woo Kim exemplifies the modern Korean athlete who maintains strong cultural roots while achieving international success. He proudly represents South Korea in global competitions while building his career in the United States. What aspects of his Korean heritage do you find most inspiring?
Denny Hamlin’s Crew Chief Chris Gayle Calls for NASCAR’s Clarity After Roval Radio Confusion
Ross Chastain’s aggressive racing against Denny Hamlin, with the veteran pushing back, could have been avoided altogether if Hamlin had known what the stakes were. Chastain’s car passed the line in reverse, and thanks to Joey Logano’s crew chief’s genius, the three-time NASCAR champion made it through. While Hamlin clarified his stance after the race, it’s his crew chief now who is clearing the air.
This has led to Chris Gayle, Denny Hamlin’s right-hand man in the car, talking about NASCAR setting what can be said over the radio. Speaking on the NASCAR SiriusXM Radio, he said, “In some areas, yes. And in others, no, I think it’s still a little grey, specifically related to, I thought maybe we knew…And I think that NASCAR will give some clarity on that this week. I think, you know, you’ve alluded to a few tweets and podcast notes where people have talked about this and NASCAR saying they’re going to talk to the team. So, you know, I think that’ll be what’s needed. We’ll see what’s said in those meetings and hopefully walk away from there with a clear understanding of what can and can’t be said.”
NASCAR needs to spell it out to the teams in order to avoid such incidents. In the final laps, Ross Chastain and Joey Logano were virtually locked in a tie for the final transfer spot, swapping positions lap after lap. Then Denny Hamlin, unaware of the tiebreaker stakes, took over Chastain on the last lap, which pushed them into a point where Joey held the tiebreaker. Chastain’s desperate countermove ended in both his and Hamlin’s spin at the finish, plus handing Joey the spot in the Round of 8.
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But NASCAR holds strong to the belief that any communication over the radio about the playoff situation can lead to race manipulation, essentially outlining the outcome before it even happens. This doesn’t make things interesting for the audience at all. Moreover, Cole Custer was caught in the mix as well. And Mike Forde, NASCAR’s communication director, laid it down thick, saying, “If we do see something or hear something we don’t like, we are going to step in, which we have done now several times.”
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And Gayle’s call for clarity stems from his regret at not telling Denny Hamlin. He added, “I wish I had warned him a little more that, like, you know, the one’s going to be desperate here and he might come and wreck you. But outside of that, I’m not sure what I could and shouldn’t have said necessarily, whether I would have gone over the line on something or not, or if I could have just told him that point situation of the one specifically, you know, in the last couple laps. So I just kind of moved on from that and, you know, wish I had warned him so he would have known not to get wrecked, but that’s about it. One is allowed under NASCAR’s rules.”
And with Steve O’Donnell laying down the process on how NASCAR picks up on “controversial radio communications,” the teams had best be warned heading into Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but before that, Hamlin wants to clear the air on any type of race manipulation.
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Denny Hamlin downplays any race manipulation at the Roval and insists that it naturally played out
Joe Gibbs Racing‘s star didn’t mince words on this week’s Actions Detrimental podcast; he flat-out shut down any talk of race manipulation during Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte. Then he laid it all out, point by point, making it hard to argue otherwise.
He said, “If these guys are battling, it would give me a much better understanding to prepare if I’m going to attack the No. 1 [Chastain]. I need to know that he’s going to be really aggressive blocking him. That could have been a simple message.
Hamlin admitted he was mentally crunching the numbers in the closing laps, weighing who he’d rather see move on. Sure, it was a little self-serving, but that is race strategy. Plus, he also admitted that it wasn’t his main goal to wreck Chastain and has settled it with him.
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He added, “It then allows me to say to myself, ‘Who do I want to race?’ And it’s not race manipulation if I’m trying to get the best result for me. I’ve got no allegiance to Ford or Chevy or Joey or Ross, but I have interest in myself winning a championship.”
With Logano still in the mix and very capable of playing spoiler at Phoenix, if he makes it, every title contender is on alert. And all eyes now turned to Hamlin, chasing both his 60th win and his elusive 1st Cup Series title.
Carson Kvapil looking to cap rookie season with a championship
Carson Kvapil’s rookie season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series has been understandably overshadowed by that of his rookie teammate at JR Motorsports in Connor Zilisch.
Zilisch’s 10-win campaign has quieted the noise surrounding Kvapil, who has put together a solid, albeit winless, rookie campaign in his own right.
Thirteen top-10 finishes and six top-fives in 29 races have propelled Kvapil to the penultimate round of the 2025 Xfinity Series playoffs, where he enters Saturday’s Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway 11 points below the cut line.
Carson Kvapil looking to add to family trophy case
Should Kvapil advance to the Championship 4 and bring home the title in Phoenix on Nov. 1, he’ll become the second member of the Kvapil family to win a championship in one of NASCAR’s top-three series.
Carson’s father, Travis Kvapil, won the 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship before building a career in the NASCAR Cup Series.
The younger Kvapil is facing an uphill climb to the 2025 Xfinity Series championship. He’ll have to face three of his JRM teammates, including the aforementioned rookie phenom in Zilisch and the defending series champion in Justin Allgaier.
He’ll also be dealing with a relative lack of experience at all three Round of 8 tracks in Las Vegas, Talladega and Martinsville.
Kvapil’s lone start at Las Vegas ended with a 17th-place finish. He has a best finish of 17th in two Talladega starts.
The final Round of the 8 race at Martinsville could be Kvapil’s opportunity to strike. He finished fourth in Martinsville in the spring of 2024, and as a short-track ace, he’ll likely be near the front again.
It could take a heroic effort from Kvapil at ‘The Paperclip’ for the No. 1 team to get to Phoenix and battle for a championship.
Joey Logano Reveals How Next-Gen Parity Has Redefined NASCAR’s Playoff Order
“What you’re actually doing is handcuffing all the drivers and all the teams into an execution battle.” Joey Logano uttered these words of criticism a month after clinching the 2024 Cup Series title. The Team Penske driver is usually known for defending the NASCAR playoff format. He advocated for the drama each elimination round creates. This opinion has landed him in the bad books of veterans like Dale Jr. However, Joey Logano can agree with others about one thing.
The Next-Gen car, introduced in 2022, has been the subject of controversy. From unexpected crashes to aerodynamic challenges, the car’s faults have left drivers scratching their heads in confusion. And Joey Logano stands by the majority of the Cup Series garage in this regard. And he recently expressed his opinion amidst the building playoff tensions.
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The NASCAR playoffs are ‘harder’ now
Shane van Gisbergen, who got eliminated after the Round of 16, won last weekend. He left 12 playoff drivers desperately trying to secure a Round of 8 berth. The tension was particularly high in the lower end, which comprised Chase Briscoe, Joey Logano, and Ross Chastain. Yet Briscoe, from Joe Gibbs Racing, and Logano, from Team Penske, managed to outsmart Chastain, from Trackhouse Racing. This shows that the ‘Big Three’ – Gibbs, Penske, and Hendrick – are reigning the playoffs. Hendrick and Gibbs are dominating the front row of the Round of 8 anyway. Nevertheless, Logano doubts this dominance.
In a recent interview with Rubbin’ Is Racing, Joey Logano reminisced about earlier times. Before the Next-Gen car’s spec parts flooded into the garage, teams could work on individual cars and raise their speeds. Now, none of that is possible, making the NASCAR playoffs formidable. Logano said, “There’s more parity than ever, is what I’m saying. Like when they went to the next-gen car, I mean, that’s brought everybody a lot closer together. All you gotta do is stats to see the parity. There used to be drivers that would win nine races a year and have 20-something top-five finishes.”
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There is a peculiar aspect of the Next-Gen – fuel mileage. Since cars cannot pass each other easily, they optimize on fuel and run half-throttle through long races. Joey Logano himself has taken advantage of it during his wins at Nashville and Las Vegas in 2024. Yet he denounces that method: “The next-gen era, especially as we’ve all been racing the same car now for a few years, the fuel just keeps getting tighter and tighter…It’s harder to get a top-five finish. It’s harder to win a race because you can’t. We used to have enough speed in our car that we can go out there and make a mistake and still drive through the field and get back into the top five, no problem. Now you make a mistake and you put us back in 20th, you’re probably going to finish 20th, maybe 15th, right?”
Joey Logano declared his opinion, saying that “the best racing is when cars have different speeds. And the tire fall-off lately has been helping that piece a lot.” With NASCAR ramping up the horsepower from 670 to 750, maybe Logano and his peers would feel a bit at peace.
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While criticizing NASCAR’s speed-disabling innovation, Joey Logano also felt grateful. For that, he went back to his childhood.
Gratitude for the primary mentors
Long before Joey Logano fell into controversy with the NASCAR playoffs, he was a much-loved upcoming racer. Known as ‘Sliced Bread’, Logano’s skills as a young speedster received accolades from veterans like Mark Martin. A part of the Team Penske star’s early career involved racing in the ARCA Series for Venturini Motorsports. Bill and Cathy kicked off their enterprise in their native Chicago in 1982, and the Venturinis gave countless young drivers a break, primarily in ARCA. The couple served as great teachers and cheerleaders, imparting their wisdom and knowledge to young speedsters to make them better on and off the racetrack.
Now, Bill and Cathy Venturini are preparing to retire. This elicited heartfelt messages from their former mentees, including Joey Logano. “Hey, Bill and Cathy, congratulations, what an incredible career, what an incredible business you built, and what an incredible legacy you built in the motorsports industry,” he said. “I hope you guys enjoy your retirement and have fun for a change, just have fun.” Logano dug up a bit of his past: “The funniest thing I remember most was the kiss from Big Bill in victory lane. I’m not a real kissy kind of guy, so I was like ‘Ahhhh!!’ …It was always fun going to the shop because they were always trying to look for the next thing, working on their cars, working on what was next.”
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While saluting his former mentors, Joey Logano is gearing up for the tough NASCAR playoffs. And he will need all the luck he can get due to the Next-Gen parity.
Connor Zilisch Breaks Down Why NASCAR Cup Move Outshines Max Verstappen’s F1 Rise
“When you recognise that you’ve got that in a package, you have to run with it. We’ve seen it. I mean, Max to happen and there’s been other drivers that have gotten sort of thrown into the top level at a young age and all of those guys kind of demonstrate the same thing.” It was Trackhouse Racing’s Justin Marks who couldn’t help but compare his future employee and racing star Connor Zilisch to the four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen. And it is no secret that Zilisch is enamored by the world of F1, even expressing that one day he would like to race in the open-wheel series.
Verstappen made his F1 debut in 2015 at the age of 17. He won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix at the age of 18 years, 228 days, becoming the youngest ever F1 race winner. And Zilisch seems to have the same recording DNA with his 10 wins this season alone. But amid Texas dinners with RedBull’s F1 champion, the jump to the Cup series will be harder than expected for the Xfinity ace as he hesitates to lean on the Verstappen parallel.
With a background in open-wheel racing, Connor recognizes the difference in the cars and believes that F1 is more reliant on car feedback than the driver’s ability. He said, “Obviously, Max Verstappen is a once-in-a-generation talent, and it’s hard to say, yeah, I’m going to be like him and have as successful as a jump to the highest level as he did, but obviously I know the jump to the Cup Series is nothing easy, and it’s going to be tough no matter what and no matter who you are, and I feel like just the way he was brought up, it might be a little bit easier for him, and especially in F1 with how car-dependent it is, I feel like it’s easier to rise to the occasion.”
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By the age of 28, Verstappen‘s dominance has shone through, with him winning titles from 2021 to 2024. But Zilisch is sounding weary of his Cup dominance as he constantly gets compared to his hero. Justin Marks wasted no breath in signing Connor for the vacant Trackhouse Racing seat, amid Daniel Suarez’s departure, for the 2026 season. And the 19-year-old’s relationship with Shane Van Gisbergen only strengthens their bond as they become full-time teammates next year. And maybe SVG can play a leader and help out Zilisch when it is needed.
And Zilisch has already gotten a taste of the Cup car this year. Zilisch made his Cup Series debut in March at the Circuit of The Americas, driving the No. 87 Chevrolet for Trackhouse. He was involved in a crash mid-race and finished 37th. However, his run at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte proved to be better. He finished 23rd after being caught in a multi-car wreck on lap 113.
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Zilisch is used to finishing at the front of the grid, but the reality of the Cup cars and racing against NASCAR veterans only made Zilisch realize that the Cup series is a different ballgame altogether. But with Connor Zilisch’s road course mastery, many can see the clash amid the team, with SVG already breaking records this year. The three-time Supercars champion has also recently sounded off on his road course plans amid Zislich’s joining next year.
He added, “In NASCAR, I feel like, you know, when you go from XFINITY to Cup, the car completely changes, and the way you drive it, and everything out at the, you know, independent rear suspension, the gearbox, there’s just a lot of differences, so I think it is going to be a bit of a harder jump than, you know, maybe a guy like Max Verstappen going to F1, but, you know, it’s definitely possible, and I get confidence from a guy like him who was able to do it at my age. I feel like there have been guys in the past who, at the jump, really struggled, but I just hope that I’m able to kind of adapt quicker, and I feel like my background and all the different cars help with that transition.”
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Moving to the Cup Series is definitely no joke. Take Joe Gibbs Racing‘s No. 54 driver, Ty Gibbs, for example. Fresh off an Xfinity Series title in his first full season in 2022, he jumped full-time into the Cup Series the following year. He hasn’t yet translated the dominance into a cup. As of the 2025 season, he may have taken home $1M, courtesy of the in-season challenge, but he has yet to win a point-paying Cup race despite multiple top tens and flashes of competitiveness.
But with new rules and regulations regarding an increase in horsepower and the playoff format changes, next year could easily become Zilisch’s playground amid seasoned veterans. However, for now, Zilisch has a more important ambition weighing on his shoulders.
Connor Zilisch’s Xfinity championship hunt gets real
The playoffs are a whole different beast, and Zilisch understands that better than anyone. A 57-point cushion above the cut line heading into Las Vegas Motor Speedway might look reassuring on paper, but seasoned NASCAR fans know how fast that kind of safety net can vanish.
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One flat tire, one small collision, or a single pit call gone wrong can turn a comfortable advantage into a nightmare, leaving your title hopes fading in the rearview. What adds to the intrigue is that Zilisch’s limited track time at the venue is ahead. Back in March in Las Vegas, he started third and came home ninth. At Talladega, he was a lap away from victory lane before a blue crash nearly ended his season.
NASCAR 25 Patch Notes: First Update Fixes Last Lap Cautions and Other Gameplay Issues
Highlights
First PS5 patch arrives before NASCAR 25’s full launch
Fixes last-lap cautions, crash bugs, and wheel feedback
Xbox updates to be announced soon
If there’s one thing NASCAR fans know, it’s that no race starts perfectly—especially when there’s fresh asphalt and new engines in play. NASCAR 25’s early access rollout proves the same point: the Gold Edition players are already on track, but a few dents in the fender showed up early. Thankfully, the dev team is working like a pit crew under pressure to tighten every bolt before the green flag drops.
It’s been a long wait, but the green flag has officially waved — NASCAR 25 is finally here. Early access is now live for players who purchased the Gold Edition, giving fans a first lap with the new iRacing-powered experience. But like any debut on a freshly paved track, it hasn’t been without a few bumps and bruises along the way.
After nearly four years since the last NASCAR console release, this new entry marks a major comeback for the franchise. With iRacing at the wheel of development, expectations are high for a more authentic, competitive experience built for the long run. From enhanced physics and updated visuals to a revamped career mode, the groundwork has been laid for what could be the most complete NASCAR title yet.
Still, it’s launch week — and even the best pit crews need adjustments. To their credit, the developers are already making mid-race corrections. The official NASCAR 25 X account posted a message confirming that a PS5 patch is being deployed ahead of the October 14 worldwide release.
A Patch for PS5 will soon be available that will address the following:
▪️Force Feedback Improvement for Wheels
▪️Crash Fix: Paint Kit
▪️Fix for cautions on the last lap. Race ends instead of GWC
▪️Fix to ghost player car immediately when cutting track in Online Races
▪️Other minor fixes and improvements
Additional updates for Xbox will be communicated in the coming days.
This update focuses on quality-of-life improvements — the kind of tuning that matters most to early adopters logging laps during the Gold Edition period. Wheel users should immediately notice more responsive force feedback, while online racers will appreciate fixes to track-cutting detection and ghosting behavior. The patch also addresses a paint kit crash issue that caused frustration among creative players trying to design custom rides.
The most notable fix may be the last-lap caution bug, which previously caused races to extend unnecessarily instead of ending under yellow. That’s now corrected, restoring a more realistic race finish structure and avoiding those unplanned overtime surprises.
The early release window gives the iRacing and Motorsport Games teams a crucial opportunity to gather player feedback before the game’s full retail rollout. By addressing these key fixes early, they’re signaling a commitment to polishing NASCAR 25 into a stable, community-driven racer ready for the long season ahead.
With more updates on the way for Xbox players and likely future tweaks across platforms, the developers are putting in work before the lights officially go green on October 14. If this first patch is any indication, NASCAR 25 may finally be steering the series back in the right direction.
NASCAR Insider Details Behind-the-Scenes Coordination in $7.7 Billion Multi-Network TV Partnership
The NASCAR Cup Series grid is set for the Round of 8 playoffs. The 2025 regular season saw many thrilling moments, like Ross Chastain’s victory at the Coca-Cola 600 crown jewel race or Chase Briscoe’s steady rise in a new team and a new OEM. Now, the thrill will dial up a notch with heartbroken drivers trimmed out and hopeful rivals en route to a title battle. All this excitement has been showcased by the sport’s unique TV deal.
NASCAR signed a $7.7 billion media rights deal in late 2023, stirring a buzz among fans. What resulted was a mixed result, featuring both notable highs and lows. Despite the varied reception and consequences, a top executive highlighted the camaraderie that made it all happen.
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NASCAR’s partners thrived on cooperation
Diehard NASCAR fans experienced novel experiments in 2025. For instance, the sport’s collaboration with Amazon Prime introduced streaming to NASCAR fans. Despite initial forecasts downplaying Prime’s impact, the media giant had a phenomenal reception. The reasons lie in unique features like a double-box commercial format or a comprehensive post-race coverage. In contrast to the major cable ecosystem of Fox Sports 1 and USA Network, NASCAR wanted to diversify its content distribution strategy. And the secret to success in implementing this was good teamwork.
NASCAR joined hands with five media partners – Fox, Amazon Prime, Warner Bros., TNT Sports, and NBC. This medley of different media giants initially seemed tricky in handling a 38-race Cup Series schedule. Brian Herbst, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Media & Revenue Officer, broached this topic recently. “It’s been pretty rewarding to see it come together, frankly,” he said. “2023 was the rights negotiation itself. 2024 was all the parts and pieces on the production side, divisional responsibilities, like how do these five partners work together from a marketing and promotion perspective?”
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At the end of the day, what resulted was a meticulous collaboration that led to cool moments. Like the wildly popular Coke 600 or the In-Season Tournament, where Ty Dillon stole the spotlight. Herbst continued, “I think seeing it come together this year, with handouts to Fox to Amazon, Amazon to TNT, and now TNT to NBC and USA – a lot of choreography and details behind the scenes to get that right. When you get cool moments like the Amazon launch at the Coca-Cola 600, for instance. That set right behind the fans…The In-Season challenge from Atlanta…was pretty rewarding from the fans’ perspective. So it’s been fun.”
Yet frankly, the sport has not fared very well in terms of viewership this season. One reason for that also lies in the diversity of options that NASCAR had.
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Looking forward to a solution
Granted, the availability of unique TV options can be exciting. For instance, Amazon Prime roped in younger fans – the average age of Prime watchers was 56.1, nearly 7 years younger than audiences who watched the first 12 races of 2025. However, the downside of having too many options for viewers is also heavy. The move to split races among broadcast partners led to an average viewership of 2.445 million viewers across 32 points races. That is a 17.6% decrease from the 2.966 million average through the first 32 points races of 2024. Significant low points were the Pocono race, which saw a 22% drop, and the New Hampshire event, which registered a 28% drop.
Hence, fans have severely criticized NASCAR’s eclectic media deal featuring multiple partners. And Jessica Forrest, Group VP of Nielsen Sports, was candid about this situation. “Today’s sports are more accessible than they’ve ever been, but it’s also harder to watch sports than it’s ever been – bouncing back and forth between the apps and the subscriptions, regional networks, streaming, linear. I think what I’m anxious to see is how does the industry adapt to that and how does the industry alleviate some of that frustration for the viewer, and make it easier to watch sports and know where to go to find sports?”
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Evidently, all is not hunky dory with NASCAR’s media rights deal. With criticism ramping up among fans, let’s see if any moves are on the way for the next season.
Michael Jordan’s 23XI Claps Back at NASCAR’s ‘Massive’ Finance Increase Claims Amid Charter Lawsuit Drama
October 21 couldn’t come sooner. After nearly a year of legal back-and-forth, the NASCAR lawsuit is edging toward resolution. What began as a dispute over alleged monopolistic practices has highlighted internal tensions over the charter system, with emails and texts revealing disagreements within NASCAR. But now 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are going to make a run for it, using every trick up their sleeves to get the best deal out.
Earlier this week, NASCAR was ready to swap the gavel for a handshake. Judge Kenneth Bell scheduled a judicial settlement conference 10 days from now. While NASCAR initially sought a new mediator, the court has decided to proceed with the current mediator, Jeffrey Mishkin, who is ready to help everyone find some common ground. However, the two teams against NASCAR couldn’t help but point out the finances of the charters.
NASCAR insider Adam Stern confirmed 23XI and FRM’s filing, stating, “What NASCAR bizarrely calls a ‘massive’ increase in payments to the teams will barely keep up with inflation over the life of the 2025 Charter Agreement and is less than the average per charter payments that NASCAR offered the teams in October 2022.”
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NASCAR’s recent adjustments to charter payments have sparked discussions among teams, particularly 23XI and FRM. Last month, NASCAR paid the two teams a combined total of $25,146,300 in fixed owners’ and performance payouts for the first 20 races of the 2025 season.
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If the court rules against the two teams, NASCAR plans to redistribute these payments to the remaining 30 charter teams. This would result in an average additional payment of approximately $1.5 million per charter. And the NASCAR charter agreement initially stipulates an average payment of $12 per team over the season, equating to about $333,000 per race.
And the teams against NASCAR are arguing that the purported “massive” increase in payments will barely keep pace with inflation that fails to enhance the teams’ real purchasing power. Moreover, they believe that the jump isn’t massive. However, earlier in August, NASCAR announced that charter payments had increased by 62% under the latest agreement, which was introduced in September 2024. This contract is set to run through 2029 and has become the focal point of the ongoing dispute.
A year ago, after more than two years of stalled negotiations, 13 of the 15 teams chose to resign rather than gamble on a potentially worse outcome. The other two, 23XI Racing and FRM, opted for a courtroom battle instead.
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For months now, the 13 teams that started the course, quietly raised concerns that the lawsuit was casting a shadow over NASCAR’s future. That silence finally ended last week as several of the biggest organizations issued public statements, urging both sides to find common ground while reaffirming their support for the charter system that keeps the business of racing running smoothly.
But as the NASCAR president dropped the hammer on why he isn’t on team ‘Trial,’ one of NASCAR’s most respected drivers is done with the entire debate that has turned ugly in the course of this year.
Dale Jr. feels that the legal dispute has been “detrimental” to NASCAR’s success
While Dale Junior has his doubts about NASCAR’s settlement statement, he expressed a clear desire for the lawsuit drama to end before reaching trials. The Hall of Famer has never been a fan of the litigation, and this week, both he and fans saw a potential light at the end of the tunnel.
On the broader impact of the lawsuit, Dale Junior believes it has cast a negative light on the sport. A year of legal wrangling without a trial has fatigued everyone involved, and the potential consequences of a trial remain a concern.
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Junior said, “I think there is some concern that this is actively, as we speak, been detrimental to the success of NASCAR. It’s turned a bunch of people off; I think it’s turned a bunch of people away. It has not done NASCAR, or, it’s not done either side any favors. It’s kind of got a little ugly and personal at times. It’s not been a great look at certain times for both sides. I’m on the boat that absolutely wishes this would get settled soon. Everybody’s tired of this, and I don’t know what it would take to get both sides happy. I think everybody’s got their heels dug in and there’s some pride, some ego involved.”
It is clear that the lawsuit is wearing thin on everyone involved, and the fans. Talk of a settlement is gaining traction, and perhaps, where there is smoke, there might be fire soon.
Joey Logano Downplays Championship Format Debate With Bold 4-Word Verdict
For years now, the NASCAR playoff format has been the sport’s favorite argument starter. Whether it’s fans debating “true champions” or former drivers calling for a return to the old full-season points system, the chatter never really stops. And with NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell confirming that a new playoff format is officially in the works (to be revealed after the 2025 season), the speculation has only ramped up.
A playoff committee featuring insiders and ex-drivers has already weighed in, and let’s just say the “back to basics” crowd is feeling hopeful. But while everyone’s busy predicting what comes next, three-time champion Joey Logano isn’t losing sleep over it. In fact, his four-word response to the entire debate might just end the argument altogether.
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Joey Logano shrugs off format drama with simple truth
Joey Logano has spent much of his career fending off criticism over his championship wins, with detractors often noting that his titles came after winning just a handful of races each season. “I know everyone’s going to say, ‘Well, that’s because you won them all this way.’ I know. I know. I hear it all the time,” Logano remarked, fully aware of the doubters questioning the playoff format’s legitimacy. His 2018, 2022, and 2024 championships, achieved with a smaller win tally than some rivals, remain hot-button topics among purists who favor a season-long points approach.
The scrutiny Logano receives stands in contrast to drivers like Ryan Blaney, whose championship run in 2023 drew praise and excitement rather than skepticism. Even though Blaney won just three races that season. This disparity only fuels his resolve to prove his consistency and value as a champion in any environment.
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Asked whether winning under a new playoff system would change his feelings about a title, Logano didn’t hesitate. “If you change the format next year, would it be great to win it? Absolutely. Wouldn’t it be any less great than winning it this year, though, or more great, you know, it’s still the same. It’s still a championship.” This bold, clear-eyed response encapsulates his mindset. A championship is a championship, regardless of the process.
Logano’s career numbers speak for themselves. With three NASCAR Cup Series championships (2018, 2022, 2024), he’s one of only 10 drivers to claim three or more titles, joining names like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. His 37 Cup Series wins, Daytona 500 triumph, and ongoing streak of playoff berths underline his status as an elite, credible competitor. For Logano, debate or not, his legacy is built on results, not asterisks.
As Joey Logano himself summed it up when he asked the reporters: “You guys watch a lot of other sports, obviously. What’s the question people always bring up? – How many rings you got.” And with that, Logano made it clear. No matter how the rules evolve or how loud the critics get, the only number that truly matters is the one etched next to his name in NASCAR’s record books.
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Joey Logano fires back at critics
Joey Logano isn’t backing down. Not from the boos, not from the critics, and definitely not from the playoff pressure. After snagging last year’s Cup Series title, the Team Penske driver is heading into Las Vegas this weekend with one goal in mind: to remind everyone exactly why he’s a champion.
On the Rubbin’ is Racing podcast, Logano opened up about the loud reaction he got after the Charlotte ROVAL race. Denny Hamlin’s last-lap move on Ross Chastain had indirectly helped Logano advance to the Round of 8, and fans weren’t too thrilled about it. “I’m like, ‘That’s for me?’ People hate me. And I thought, ‘What did I do?’ I was confused. And then I was like, ‘Well, screw you. I’m still in. If you hate me now, watch this,’” he said with a grin.
That confidence isn’t misplaced. After all, it was this very race at Las Vegas that sent him to the Championship 4 in 2024. You can bet he’s thinking about another encore performance. But beyond the tough exterior, Logano admits he’s tried to understand the hate.
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“I look at comments on social media to try to figure out why, and people say, ‘Oh, it’s just your smile.’ I’m like, ‘What do you want me to do? Not smile? Not be me?’” he joked. For Logano, it’s simple. The opinions that matter come from his family, his team, and the people who actually know him. “If you’ve never really met me, I hate to say I don’t care, but I care less,” he added.
Unlike Denny Hamlin, who happily claps back at haters, Logano’s not about to feed the negativity. “I’m just not that guy,” he said (smiling again, of course) before sending a quiet message to his doubters: his answers come on the racetrack. And this Sunday, the No. 22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse is ready to roar.
Shane Van Gisbergen Weighs Tire Wear Battle After Gritty NASCAR Performance
When Tyler Reddick rolled into the Charlotte Roval, he knew that the No. 45 Toyota had to win. It was 29 points below the cutline, and this was his final chance to break into the Round of 8. So Billy Scott, Reddick’s crew chief, prepared with an aggressive car set-up and pitted midway through the opening 25-lap stint. Sadly, none of the strategies fell in place for the polesitter. That was due to the Goodyear tires. And race winner Shane van Gisbergen also dealt with them.
The Kiwi speedster was eliminated from the playoffs after the Round of 16. And yet Shane van Gisbergen roared back at the Roval, clinching a five-win streak on consecutive road courses. He finished 15 seconds ahead of his nearest rival. Yet despite this dominance, SVG recently divulged a point of difficulty.
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Shane van Gisbergen tones down Goodyear’s impact
Ever since the tire management Bristol race in spring 2024, NASCAR has relied on Goodyear. The brand’s heavily worn tires acted as band-aids for the Next-Gen car’s monotonous racing. However, the 2025 Bank of America Roval race did not look so promising. Teams saw a lap-time fall-off of roughly four seconds over the course of the tire life. And this dramatic slowdown shuffled previously laid strategies wildly. Some teams chose to pit twice during the final stage, and some opted for three stops. Who chose what was dependent on car strength and track position, in which Shane van Gisbergen emerged most powerful.
Nevertheless, the Trackhouse Racing star highlighted the difficulty of having drastic tire wear. In a recent Dale Jr Download episode, Shane van Gisbergen said that too much attention went into the tires. “You don’t want to make it too much of a tire conservation where everyone’s just, you know, moping around at half speed trying to save tires,” he said. “I think the amount of tires we had and how much falloff there was. There was two stoppers, three stoppers, and stuff like that. I think that keeps it interesting.” He added, “Yeah, it’s funny. You know, you’re driving and we’d start a stint doing a 28 128, you know. And you could do a 26 if you wanted, but you’d be in the 30s pretty quick.”
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Nevertheless, SVG beat his rivals. The two biggest competitors whom Shane van Gisbergen faced were Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell. And both of them fought a long battle with tires. The Kiwi continued, “I felt like you could still push and make moves. At the start of stage three, those guys went way harder and passed me, and then they paid for the price for it later.”
Adam Stevens, crew chief of Bell’s No. 20 Toyota, said the tire falloff “certainly us off guard.” He also observed how the tires could have lasted if teams had been allowed more flexibility in car setups. “Most of the setup decisions are made before you leave for the track. And the car’s impounded after inspection, and the list of things you can change is pretty small. So if you feel like you’re way off, there’s just not a lot you can do to remedy it.”
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Evidently, the tire wear presented challenges to most teams at the Roval. But the Next-Gen car’s challenges are greater – and Dale Jr. wanted a clear-cut solution.
Dale Jr. is not satisfied
NASCAR recently rolled out a heartwarming piece of news for fans. It will raise the horsepower from 670 to 750 for short tracks and road courses in the Cup Series in 2026. This comes after long, drawn-out demands on the part of fans and drivers to increase the horsepower and thus improve the racing. The new change is similar to the final years of the previous generation of cars. They had utilized a 550-horsepower package on intermediate tracks and a 750-horsepower package on short tracks and road courses. However, Dale Jr. is not satisfied.
In order to get rid of the Next-Gen car’s faults, he boldly demanded tearing apart the car. Teams used to get really creative in trying to maximize downforce beneath their cars. But in the interest of parity, NASCAR sealed the underbody of the Next-Gen. So Dale Jr. suggested, “The underbody and all of that stuff. I would really tear this car apart and strip it down, get rid of some shit. I would not touch it in its current form for the mile-and-a-half and stuff.” He continued that he wants to strip it of the rear diffuser as well. “But for the car I’m gonna take to Martinsville, it would be like the unplugged version instead of the full band…You don’t need all that shit. It’d be so basic and dull, you’d beat the shit out of it.”
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Clearly, problems exist both in the Next-Gen car’s body and Goodyear’s tires. Hopefully, the following season can be an upgrade from the 2025 challenges.
Carlos Mendoza Faces Uncertain Future as Mets 2026 MLB Managerial Plans Revealed
Just as the Mets wrapped up their season with a 3-0 loss to the Miami Marlins, officially missing out on the playoffs, the fallout was immediate. Steve Cohen wasted no time in dismantling the coaching staff. He parted ways with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, hitting coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes, and third base coach Mike Sarbaugh. While many New York veteran reports hinted that massive changes are incoming, few could’ve predicted the front office would go this far.
The Mets are likely to part ways with manager Carlos Mendoza if they suffer a slow start in 2026, per the New York Post.
That means things could get a little difficult for Mendoza moving forward.
For starters, he will have to rebuild the Mets’ coaching staff almost entirely from scratch. In fact, beyond hiring replacements, it’s about rebuilding trust and bringing back a sense of direction to a locker room.
Mendoza, too, realizes that it’s his responsibility.
“I’m responsible. Since Day 1, when you take this job, you are on the hot seat. When you are managing a team that has a lot of expectations and you go home, questions like this are going to come up, and that’s part of it.” He’s aware that his performance will fall under some serious scrutiny moving forward.
Mendoza has made quite a few questionable decisions, too.
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He was largely called out by Mets Nation this season for pulling starters too early in games. But then again, it’s hard to blame him when his starters couldn’t go more than five innings.
All the while, his bullpen was unreliable. In fact, this Wednesday, the Mets’ already weak bullpen depth took another hit. The right-hander Reed Garrett underwent Tommy John surgery, which means he won’t be able to pitch again until 2027.
Now, we might as well say Mendoza only did so much with what he has at his disposal.
Mets to target this $56 million Marlins closer to overcome rotation collapse
The Mets are looking to make a big trade to fix their pitching woes.
Dan Bartels from the New York Post recently urged the Mets to bring in the following pitchers.
“The Mets should be all over Sandy Alcantara this winter. He’s making $17.3M in 2026 with a $21M club option for 2027. The Marlins have shown willingness to trade within the division in December when they dealt Jesús Luzardo to Philadelphia.” Bartels noted on X.
Marlins’ $56 million ace Sandy Alcantara is a two-time All-Star and the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner. He showed that he was back to his old self after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He had posted an average ERA of 3.13 in his last 12 starts, which included seven games of seven innings or more.
The Marlins are said to have dangled him at the trade deadline, which shows that they are willing to trade the right-hander.
In return, the Mets could send their fourth-best prospect, right-handed pitcher Jonah Tong, and veteran infielder Jeff McNeil. This package would give Miami both a rising MLB-ready talent and a promising pitcher to rebuild the roster.
On the other hand, the Mets’ bullpen is not any better, and Edwin Diaz’s future is still up in the air.
The team needs to completely rebuild its relief corps, which makes it even more important for them to get Alcantara to stabilize their entire pitching system before 2026.
Yankees Clash With MLB Rivals for Next Aaron Judge as Cody Bellinger Opts for Free Agency
The secret to the Dodgers’ success surely lies in tapping Japanese talent. Take the names of Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto; the list goes on. And with the 2025 season pretty much done and dusted, it looks like the Yankees might be taking a page out of the Dodgers’ playbook… They’re reportedly heading to Japan in search of some serious talent to finally snap their 16-year title drought.
The core reason surely is Cody Bellinger, who just wrapped up a solid season, hitting .272 with a 5 WAR, and is heading into free agency. He’s definitely going to attract some big offers. And while the Yankees would love to keep him in pinstripes, they’re also exploring new options. According to reports, the team is checking out a potential Aaron Judge 2.0, who’s tearing up the NPB with a .286/.392/.659 slash line this year.
“The Yankees are among the teams interested in 1B/3B Munetaka Murakami. He’s hit 22 HRs in 56 games this year with a 1.043 OPS.” Fireside Yankees cited Nikkan Sports in breaking the news.
Murakami could be just the kind of bat the Yankees need if Bellinger walks in free agency. Notably, the 26-year-old slugger has been a cornerstone for the Yakult Swallows since debuting in 2017, splitting time between third and first base. He has played just 69 games this past season, and crushed 24 homers with a .286/.392/.659 slash line. And he’s the same guy who, back in 2022, launched 56 home runs, posted a .710 slugging percentage, and won the Triple Crown.
So, it’s no surprise that the Yankees aren’t the only ones circling Murakami. Reports indicate that the Red Sox and Mets are also in the mix, setting the stage for a fierce offseason battle. With Boston seeking a true middle-order threat and the Mets potentially losing Pete Alonso to free agency, New York will have serious competition if it hopes to bring Japan’s power phenom to the Bronx.
Japanese stars have already paved the way for blockbuster MLB moves. Hideki Matsui signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Yankees in 2003, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s record-breaking 12-year, $325 million contract with the Dodgers in 2024 reset the market. Given Murakami’s age, power, and international profile, he could command a deal worth between $150 and $200 million once posted.
While his offensive ceiling is sky-high, scouts have noted a few question marks. His strikeout rate has climbed in recent seasons, and his limited range at third base could push him toward a full-time first base or designated hitter role in MLB. Still, for teams craving left-handed power, Murakami’s bat easily outweighs those concerns.
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And the comparisons to Aaron Judge aren’t far-fetched. With a 1.043 OPS and a swing built for long ball dominance, Murakami mirrors Judge’s presence in the lineup. He holds the single-season home run record for a Japanese-born player with 56 blasts in 2022, while Judge set the American League mark that same year. Few hitters—Japanese or otherwise—have reached that level of raw power.
Only legends like Hideki Matsui and Shohei Ohtani have topped 30 home runs in MLB, placing Murakami squarely among Japan’s most elite sluggers and perhaps the next big superstar destined for Yankee pinstripes.
But talent like his doesn’t come without competition. As word spreads across the league, front offices are already preparing their bids and scouting reports—setting up what could become one of the most closely watched pursuits in recent years.
The Yankees will face an intense sweepstakes for Murakami
With some of the top teams, like the Red Sox and Mets, pursuing Murakami, it’s an impending sweepstakes in the offseason.
Now, for the Red Sox, they’ve a track record of bringing in Japanese talent. For instance, they have Masataka Yoshida, who hasn’t really delivered as a DH, and first base was a revolving door for most of the season. Yes, Triston Casas should be back from his knee injury by spring. But the lineup could really use another big bat.
Moreover, this year, the Red Sox’s top home run hitter was Trevor Story with just 25. So, that’s not exactly the power numbers you expect from a top-tier team. Murakami thus could fit as a power enhancer for the Red Sox’ lagging offense.
On the other hand, the Yankees got a challenge from the Mets, also. The Mets might be in the mix as Pete Alonso is reportedly hitting free agency. The Mets’ President David Stearns even traveled to Japan back in August to scout Murakami. And just so happened to be there when he hit a walk-off homer. And with Steve Cohen’s deep pockets, the Mets won’t hesitate to make a serious push.
So once the 2025 postseason wraps up, fans should gear up because the battle for Murakami could turn into one of the biggest free-agent chases in years.
Tarik Skubal Poised for Historic MLB Payday Leaving Paul Skenes Behind After ALDS Heroics
Garrett Crochet led the Red Sox rotation all the way to the Wild Card, finishing the year with an impressive 2.59 ERA. Paul Skenes was right there with him, putting up a Cy Young–worthy 1.97 ERA. But now, both of their seasons have come to an early end in 2025. Meanwhile, there’s one guy still lighting up the mound in the ALDS, and that’s the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal.
With a 2.21 ERA, he’s been dominant, and in this ongoing Game 5 against the Mariners, he’s on the verge of breaking records. If rumors are true, he’s going to be one of the hottest names on the market once Skubal hits free agency next year. And honestly, with the way he’s pitching right now, becoming the highest-paid pitcher in baseball wouldn’t surprise anyone.
“Tarik Skubal is doing his Bob Gibson impersonation. That’s 13 strikeouts. And, oh, by the way, he’s a free agent a year from now. He should get the richest contract for a pitcher in baseball history.” MLB insider Bob Nightengale shared.
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On Friday night, Skubal struck out seven batters in a row, setting a new MLB postseason record. The old mark was six, shared by eight different pitchers. He ended the night with 13 SOs over six innings, giving up just two hits and no walks. And that’s not all: in their first Wild Series game against the Guardians, Skubal struck out 14, setting a Tigers’ record.
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And here’s the kicker: Skubal is on a one-year, $10.15 million deal with Detroit. A year from now, he’ll hit free agency, and you can bet every big-market team will be lining up for him. Why not, when the man is standing with only a 1.74 ERA in this postseason?
For comparison, Spotrac projects Skenes could land around $120 million over three years once he becomes eligible, though that won’t happen until 2029. Skubal, on the other hand, will be on the market next year. And according to Nightengale, he could be in line for the richest pitching contract in MLB.
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Skubal is also heating the Cy Young award race
The AL Cy Young race has basically boiled down to Tarik Skubal vs. Garrett Crochet. According to MLB, Skubal is poised to win his second consecutive Cy Young, grabbing 32 first-place votes. For the unversed, Crochet only edges him out in strikeouts (255 to 241), but in ERA, runs allowed, and WHIP, Skubal is clearly on top.
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And now that the Red Sox are out of the picture and Skubal is still lighting up the mound, the race has basically become a one-man show. On the NL side, Paul Skenes is set to take home the Cy Young. So, fans who are excited to see him make waves in free agency might get the same thrill with Skubal. Or you can expect even better.
With Skubal, Crochet, and Skenes all having more than five years of service time left, plus rookies like Jacob Misiorowski starting to emerge, it looks like pitchers are about to dominate the next few seasons. And after years of sluggers ruling free agency, a pitching-focused era seems to be on the horizon.
MLB playoffs 2025: Offseason questions for eliminated teams
The 2025 MLB playoffs are here — and for some teams, October has lasted a lot longer than it has for others.
Starting with the wild-card round, the Cincinnati Reds became the first team eliminated from postseason contention — on the very first day of the month, no less. They were followed the next day by the Cleveland Guardians and, ultimately, the San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox.
In the division series, the New York Yankees were first to go, followed by the Philadelphia Phillies and Detroit Tigers.
What’s next for the teams and towns that won’t be celebrating a World Series parade this fall? As each contender is eliminated, ESPN MLB experts Bradford Doolittle, Alden Gonzalez and David Schoenfield will list that club’s key free agents and biggest offseason questions and make their predictions for the long, cold winter ahead.
Teams eliminated in division series
Detroit Tigers
Eliminated by: Mariners
Key free agents: RHP Jack Flaherty (player option), RHP Jose Urquidy (club option), RHP Paul Sewald (mutual option), RHP Alex Cobb, 2B Gleyber Torres, RHP Rafael Montero, RHP Tommy Kahnle, RHP Chris Paddack, RHP Kyle Finnegan
Biggest offseason priority: Restocking the rotation. The Tigers have a tremendous foundation in ace Tarik Skubal and midrotation standout Casey Mize. But with health concerns surrounding the likes of Ty Madden, Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson, the Tigers will need more. Most of the top-ranked prospects in a talented system are on the position player side, which will allow GM Scott Harris to target the pitching side this offseason, though you can always talk yourself into a splurge on a middle-of-the-lineup hitter. The Tigers’ focus on building out their depth with veterans on short-duration contracts gives the club all kinds of flexibility this winter. Signings. Trades. It’s all on the table for an organization just a move or two away from becoming an American League front-runner by the time next season begins.
How can the Tigers diversify their offense? Detroit’s offense was above-average this season but it was uneven stylistically in ways that might have contributed to its demise in the postseason. Strikeouts are a big problem. Against Cleveland, the lineup stalled as the Tigers had so much trouble simply making contact with runners in scoring position, much less bringing those runners home. The offense was even worse against Seattle. The Tigers laid down five sacrifice bunts all season and finished last with 61 stolen bases. Detroit has two ideal solutions for this problem at the top of its prospects list in infielder Kevin McGonigle and outfielder Max Clark. The question the Tigers have to answer in the short term is how soon these young stars — who both topped out in Double-A this season — will arrive in Detroit ready to boost a contending team. Whatever the answer, the Tigers are an organization ideally positioned to contend in the short and the long term.
Offseason prediction: The Tigers will go hard after multiple free agent starters — think Framber Valdez and Dylan Cease — in free agency. The time to make a splash has arrived. — Doolittle
Philadelphia Phillies
Eliminated by: Dodgers
Key free agents: C J.T. Realmuto, DH Kyle Schwarber, OF Max Kepler, LHP Ranger Suarez, RHP Jordan Romano
Biggest offseason priority: Replacing the free agents. The Phillies aren’t going to enter into a soft rebuild, a hard rebuild or any kind of rebuild. The Phils have a star-studded group of free agents, but assuming the payroll remains in the same neighborhood — a luxury neighborhood at that — it’s safe to say the Phillies will remain a top-heavy team with expensive stars. It just might not be the same group of stars.
At the same time,
How to Buy Seattle Mariners ALCS Tickets: Blue Jays, Schedule, Location, Shop Best MLB Postseason Seats
The Seattle Mariners are headed to the American League Championship Series after beating the Tigers, and tickets to the series are now available.
How to Buy ALCS Tickets
Start Date: Sunday, October 12, 2025
End Date: Monday, October 20, 2025 (if necessary)
Buy ALCS Tickets: Vivid Seats (Shop Now)
Buy ALCS Tickets: Seat Geek (Shop Now)
This division series was a hard-fought battle, going the distance to a Game 5 that needed plenty of extra innings to finally determine a winner. Next up is the Toronto Blue Jays, who are coming off a series in which they dominated the Yankees.
This is a great opportunity to see some of the top players and teams live in one of the most famous ballparks in the sport. The atmosphere at the stadiums is going to be out of control now that we are this deep into the postseason.
Click on any of the links in this post to claim your seats now. Act quickly, as these tickets will be in extremely high demand, and prices may rise.
Browse ALCS Tickets on Vivid Seats
Browse ALCS Tickets on Seat Geek
Click on any of the links to order your tickets to the ALCS or any other upcoming MLB Postseason games.
Vivid Seats Promo Code
Use promo code NEWSWEEK20 to get $20 off your first Vivid Seats order of $200 or more (before taxes and fees). Offer valid for new customers only.
ALCS Schedule
Game 1: Sunday, October 12, 2025
Game 2: Monday, October 13, 2025
Game 3: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Game 4: Thursday, October 16, 2025
Game 5: Friday, October 17, 2025
Game 6: Sunday, October 19, 2025
Game 7: Monday, October 20, 2025
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Mariners Advance, Reach ALCS: Shop Seattle MLB Postseason Gear
The Seattle Mariners knocked out the Tigers and are headed to the ALCS for the first time since 2001. Get your MLB Postseason gear now on Fanatics!
The Mariners are moving on and have a chance to win their first World Series in franchise history. Now one step closer to their goal, you can start to feel the energy, and this feels like a special team. Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez have been fantastic all season long and give Seattle two stars that are capable of taking them all the way.
Get Your Mariners Postseason Gear on Fanatics
To celebrate this moment, Fanatics has dropped exclusive Mariners playoff gear with commemorative hats, t-shirts, jackets, and accessories. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just caught up in the hype, now’s the time to rep your team heading into the ALCS.
Click through any of the links to explore the full collection on Fanatics and guarantee delivery before the next round begins.
Shop: Mariners 2025 American League Division Series Champions Hat – $37.99
Shop: Mariners 2025 American League Division Series Champions Locker Room T-Shirt – $41.99
Shop: Mariners Fanatics Women’s 2025 American League Division Series Champions Locker Room T-Shirt $39.99
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Mariners vs Blue Jays schedule for ALCS series in MLB playoffs
The Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays will meet in the ALCS, with four wins separating each team from reaching the 2025 World Series in the MLB playoffs.
The Mariners outlasted the Detroit Tigers on Friday night, 3-2, in 15 innings in Game 5 of the ALDS, the longest winner-take-all MLB playoff game ever. Seattle last played in the ALCS in 2001.
The Blue Jays washed out the New York Yankees in four games to reach their first ALCS since 2016. The Blue Jays last appeared in a World Series in 1993, defeating the Philaelphia Phillies on Joe Carter’s walk-off home run in Game 6 for back-to-back titles.
Here’s the Mariners-Blue Jays schedule of games in the 2025 ALCS.
Mariners vs Blue Jays schedule ALCS
Best-of-seven series; *if necessary
Game 1, Sunday, Oct. 12: Mariners at Blue Jays, 8:03 p.m., Fox.
Game 2, Monday, Oct. 13: Mariners at Blue Jays, 4:38 p.m. or 5:03 p.m., Fox/FS1
Game 3, Wednesday, Oct. 15: Blue Jays at Mariners, Fox/FS1
Game 4, Thursday, Oct. 16: Blue Jays at Mariners, Fox/FS1
*Game 5, Friday, Oct. 17: Blue Jays at Mariners, Fox/FS1
*Game 6, Sunday, Oct. 19: Mariners at Blue Jays, Fox/FS1
*Game 7, Monday, Oct. 20: Mariners at Blue Jays, Fox/FS1
Mariners vs Blue Jays season series head-to-head
The Blue Jays won the 2025 regular-season series head-to-head over the Mariners, 4-2.
Toronto swept the Mariners in Seattle from May 9-11. Seattle won two of three in Toronto from April 18-20.
NLCS schedule 2025
Best-of-seven series hosted by the higher seed.
*If necessary
Game 1, Monday, Oct. 13: NL low at NL high, 8:08 p.m., TBS
Game 2, Tuesday, Oct. 14: NL low at NL high, 7:08 p.m. or 8:08 p.m., TBS
Game 3, Thursday, Oct. 16: NL high at NL low, TBS
Game 4, Friday, Oct. 17: NL high at NL low, TBS
*Game 5, Saturday, Oct. 18 NL high at NL low, TBS
*Game 6, Monday, Oct. 20: NL low at NL high, TBS
*Game 7, Tuesday, Oct. 21: NL low at NL high, TBS
World Series schedule 2025
Best-of-seven series hosted by the team with the better record.
*If necessary
Game 1, Friday, Oct. 24: (Low at high), Fox
Game 2, Saturday, Oct. 25: (Low at high), Fox
Game 3, Monday, Oct. 27: (High at low), Fox
Game 4, Tuesday, Oct. 28: (High at low), Fox
*Game 5, Wednesday, Oct. 29: (High at low), Fox
*Game 6, Friday, Oct. 31: (Low at high), Fox
*Game 7, Saturday, Nov. 1: (Low at high), Fox
MLB playoff takeaways: Mariners outlast Tigers to reach ALCS
Here are some key takeaways from their ALDS win.
The Mariners’ pitching staff was the star of this game
While Polanco will be the hero that is remembered for delivering the game-winning hit, they do not get into that position with the work of their pitching staff, which included a mix of starters and relief pitchers over the marathon game.
The only issue they had was Gabe Speier giving up a two-run home run to Kerry Carpenter in the top of the sixth inning, representing the only Tigers runs of the game.
But other than that one mistake?
The Mariners’ pitching staff completely shut the door with five additional pitchers (including starters Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo) combining to allow zero runs over the final nine innings of the game.
They pitched out of jams. They did not allow a run. They were clutch in every major moment.
The bullpen performance came after starting pitcher George Kirby threw brilliant innings, striking out six and being left on the hook for one run (which scored on the home run allowed by Speier).
Tarik Skubal was incredible… and the Tigers couldn’t take advantage of it
Skubal was the ultimate X-factor in this series. Not only because he’s the best pitcher in the American League, and at worst the second-best pitcher in all of baseball, but because the Tigers knew they were going to be able to throw him two times if needed.
They needed him. And he was everything they could have hoped for him to be.
They were unable to take advantage of it.
He pitched six innings on Friday, allowing one run and striking out 13 batters while walking none. It was the most strikeouts ever by a starting pitcher in a winner-take-all postseason game. In the series, he allowed just three runs in 13 innings while striking out 22 batters in his two starts.
The Tigers won neither of those games.
Even worse, if you go back to the end of the regular season, the Tigers won just one of his final six starts, despite him allowing just 10 earned runs in 36 innings during that stretch. That’s still an incredible 2.50 ERA. And the Tigers couldn’t win with that.
The Mariners’ pitching staff deserves credit for matching him pitch-for-pitch and shutting down the Tigers.
But the Tigers also have a long offseason of questions ahead to make sure their offense does not waste more brilliance from Skubal in big moments.
The other winner from this game: Toronto Blue Jays
Do you know who really loved watching this game?
The Toronto Blue Jays.
While they were sitting back home in Toronto awaiting the winner, they watched their next opponent for Sunday absolutely burn through their pitching staff in a manner that will no doubt leave them shorthanded for Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday.
It could be an early series problem for Seattle.
They had to use three starting pitchers (Kirby, Gilbert and Castillo) on. Friday and their top relief pitchers. They combined to throw 209 pitches, and several of them may not be available for Game 1. If nothing else, they might be a little more worn down.
Chytil nets 2 as Vancouver Canucks thump Flames 5-1 to open NHL season
The Vancouver Canucks opened their 2025-26 NHL season in style.
Filip Chytil scored twice, lifting the Canucks to a 4-1 win over the visiting Calgary Flames at Rogers Arena. Kiefer Sherwood and Jonathan Lekkerimäki also scored foe the Canucks, while goalie Thatcher Demko made 17 saves to pick up the win in goal. Morgan Frost had the lone goal for Calgary.
Vancouver opened the scoring at 14:53 of the first period, when Sherwood capitalized after Calgary defenceman Joel Hanley lost the puck. Sherwood fired a shot from the right wing past Flames goalie Dustin Wolf.
There was no scoring in the second period, with Vancouver emerging from the middle frame with a 15-13 advantage in terms of shots on goal.
Early in the third, the Canucks killed off a penalty and Chytil scored off a lucky bounce. His initial shot hit Flames defender Kevin Bahl in the head. The puck bounced right back to Chytill who found an empty net as Wolf was looking down at his fallen teammate.
Chytil made it 3-0 at the 8:53 mark, taking a nice breakaway feed from Surrey’s Arshdeep Bains and beating Wolf.
Three minutes later, Lekkerimäki finished off a nice three-way passing play with Conor Garland and Evander Kane to give Vancouver a 4-0 lead.
Frost broke Demko’s shutout attempt off a broken play at 13:06, throwing a shot at the net that eluded Demko after the Canucks failed to clear the zone.
Boeser finished off the scoring at 17:06, taking a drop pass from centre Elias Pettersson and ripping a shot high over Wolf’s right shoulder. It was Boeser’s ninth career goal in a season-opening game, a club record.
The Canucks return to action Saturday when they visit the Edmonton Oilers.
Jonathan Toews returns to NHL with hometown Jets after sitting out 2 seasons
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — The spotlight was on Jonathan Toews when the Winnipeg Jets stepped on the ice for their season opener against Dallas on Thursday night.
The Winnipeg-born Toews received a loud, long cheer from the sold-out crowd when he was introduced before the Jets’ 5-4 loss.
The 37-year-old Jets center, who was playing his first NHL game since April 13, 2023, with the Chicago Blackhawks, logged 18:19 of ice time in his 1,068th career regular-season game. He had one shot on goal.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion and former Chicago captain missed the past two seasons for health reasons related to Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome and long COVID-19.
“Just a lot of energy. A lot of excitement. I’m just trying to contain myself there,” Toews said about the crowd’s welcome.
Toews aid he felt “close” to being in game form. He played on the second line with wingers Gustav Nyquist and Nikita Chibrikov.
“But a lot of room for improvement, a lot of little things I can do better,” Toews said. “Definitely trying to start the play with the puck off the faceoffs. Didn’t really get that going for my line out there. But other than that there were some situations where the three of us created and had some chances, even on the power play as well.
“I was pretty close to making things happen, getting us on the board, so I think there are some positives I’m excited about. (I’ll) just keep trying to build on it.”
Jets coach Scott Arniel said Toews was a lot like his teammates — it took a while for everyone to get going.
“I thought I saw changes in his game in that second period,” Arniel said. “He started to have the puck a little bit more, had some looks, that line started to do some things.
“At the end of the day, that’s a tough one because our whole group wasn’t good. And for him, certainly would’ve liked for it to be a better first game.”
The Dallas Stars also appreciated Toews’ effort to return to NHL action.
“It’s great to see him back,” Mikko Rantanen said. “I think it’s good for the league to have a player like him back in the lineup and back in the NHL, so happy for him.
“It was kind of long journey back and I thought he looked good out there, so just great for the league to have a face like that back on the ice.”
Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan, making his debut behind the bench in his second stint with the franchise, also tipped his hat to Toews.
“I felt good for him, you know,” Gulutzan said. “I’ve watched him and, you know, still a big body, strong on pucks. And you can see his, just some of his ‘headsiness’ around.
“And for a guy who hasn’t played for a while, boy, he’s a great player. He still looks good, and you watch him a little bit because he was one of the big guys in the game.”
Marchment scores, Lambert wins Kraken coaching debut against Ducks
Vince Dunn and Jared McCann each had a goal for the Kraken in their season-opening game. Joey Daccord had 35 saves and coach Lane Lambert won his first game with Seattle.
Beckett Sennecke scored in his NHL debut for the Ducks, who also played their season opener. Lukas Dostal had 28 saves. Joel Quenneville, who coached the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups (2010, 2013, 2015), was coaching his first game for Anaheim.
Dunn made it 1-0 at 2:21 of the first period, taking a feed from Adam Larsson at the top of the left circle and snapping it over Dostal’s right shoulder.
Sennecke, the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, tied it 1-1 at 4:11 of the first after Mason McTavish intercepted Dunn’s attempted breakout pass and found Sennecke open at the right post. Sennecke redirected it into an open net behind Daccord for his first career goal.
Marchment, playing in his first game for the Kraken since being traded by the Dallas Stars on June 19, made it 2-1 with a one-timer from the slot at 3:50 of the second period. Brandon Montour forced a turnover in Seattle’s zone, then won a race for the puck and found Marchment, who slapped it over Dostal’s blocker.
McCann pushed it to 3-1 at 4:25 of the third period with a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle after Matty Beniers tapped a one-touch pass to him from the left corner.
Ducks lose season opener to Seattle Kraken
Mason Marchment scored in his Seattle debut, Joey Daccord made 35 saves, and the Kraken beat the Ducks 3-1 on Thursday night to win their season opener for the first time in team history.
Vince Dunn and Jared McCann also scored for the Kraken, who had gone 0-3-1 in their previous four openers, including a 5-4 overtime loss to the Ducks in 2022.
Daccord, who last Friday became the first player in Arizona State hockey history to have his number retired, made 16 of his saves in the first period on 17 shots.
Beckett Sennecke scored for the Ducks in his NHL debut and Lukas Dostal made 28 saves.
Marchment, acquired from Dallas in an offseason trade, gave the Kraken a 2-1 lead at 3:50 of the second period. Brandon Montour, after missing all six preseason games recovering from ankle surgery, took the puck away at mid-ice on the right side and went all the way to the corner. He passed to Marchment coming toward the net from between the circles and he drilled it past Dostal.
Dunn put Seattle on top with a wrister from just above the left circle just 2:21 into the game.
Sennecke, who scored 36 goals in major juniors last season, tied it at 4:11, coming around the right post and tucking Mason McTavish’s pass behind Daccord.
The Ducks had a goal disallowed with 2:50 left in the first when it was ruled that Olen Zellweger poked the puck out of Daccord’s glove after Daccord had clear possession.
McCann’s goal that made it 3-1 at 4:25 of the third, was his fourth in five season openers.
Lane Lambert won his head coaching debut after taking the helm on May 29. Joel Quenneville lost his debut with the Ducks.
Up next
Ducks: Visit San Jose on Saturday night.
Kraken: Host Vegas on Saturday night.
Jessica Pegula Branded “Wonder Woman” as Gritty Wuhan Open Win Marks Rare Feat
Is there anything Jessica Pegula can’t do? On court, you can never count out the American WTA star who knows how to make a comeback from the brink of defeat. She has been at it lately. On Friday, the 2025 US Open semifinalist and World No.6 once again proved her mettle, in her seventh straight three-setter this season, to create history for herself at the Wuhan Open. In doing so, she went on to achieve a rare career milestone too.
Pegula overcame the threat of Katerina Siniakova in the quarterfinal round in Wuhan. After losing the first set 2-6, the American tennis icon made a stellar return in the second set with a bagel. Then in the decider, she gave Siniakova no breathing space and won the match with a score line of 2-6, 6-0, 6-3 in an hour and 39 minutes. With that, Pegula has entered her maiden semifinal at the Wuhan Open. This win marks her 50th singles victory this season. After 2023, when she won 59 matches, it is the second season where she has clinched 50 or more wins in a year.
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Obviously, the heroic win left social media in awe of Pegula. Fans were mesmerized to such an extent that they drew stunning parallels of Pegula to DC’s Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. It appears the fan following is growing fast for her thanks to impeccable performances.
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Jessica Pegula called “Wonder Woman of Wuhan”
One fan admired Jessica Pegula while calling her “The Wonder Woman of Wuhan” before mentioning how she “has shown sensational energy, relentless resiliency and incredible stamina in every round. Well deserved victory. I’m getting a little rest before Sabalenka plays. But Pegula. Wow! Brilliant once again.”
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Meanwhile, another person echoed a similar sentiment, saying, “I’m convinced Jess loses the first set just so fun now”. They pointed how Pegula has managed to win six of her last seven matches that went into three sets. And in most of them, she initially lost the first set before making a comeback. Seems like she deliberately loses the first set just for the thrill of it.
This is a developing story…
Fans Rip Off NASCAR’s Playoff Marketing Bid Amid Declining TV Ratings
NASCAR thrives when its marketing hits the right notes, drawing crowds to the edge-of-your-seat action that defines stock car racing. The playoffs, with their elimination drama, depend on strong promotion to pull in viewers year after year. Yet 2025 has seen a sharp slide in those numbers, leaving many to scratch their heads. Efforts like the fresh Driver Ambassador Program, where drivers earn points for media gigs and fan meet-ups, aim to spark more buzz.
Still, the massive $7.7 billion media rights deal through 2031 promised big exposure, but playoff races tell another tale. Take the Charlotte Roval event; it pulled in 1.544 million viewers on USA Network, a 36% drop from 2.419 million on NBC last year. New Hampshire’s playoff stop fared worse at 1.29 million, down 31% from 1.88 million in 2024. These stats highlight how even bold moves, from network partnerships to driver-led outreach, haven’t stemmed the tide.
Fans are calling out NASCAR’s playoff marketing push, frustrated that glossy campaigns and big promises haven’t reversed the viewership freefall. Just take the Driver Ambassador Program for example, where Joey Logano topped the program’s first term, pocketing $1 million for his media and appearance efforts, yet overall playoff averages sit at 1.544 million viewers, a 29% plunge from 2024’s 2.173 million. This gap stems from shifts like fewer races on major networks, down to just eight in 2025 from 20 last year, forcing more onto cable and streaming, where audiences fragment.
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Digging deeper, the decline ties to broader woes, including fierce competition from the NFL, which dominates Sundays with games drawing over 25 million eyes while NASCAR scrapes below 1.3 million. An aging fan base, among the oldest in U.S. sports, compounds this as cord-cutting hits cable hard; subscriptions fell to 68.7 million households in 2024 from 105 million in 2010.
Denny Hamlin nailed this in a critique of past TV deals: “In each one of the TV deals that we’ve signed over the last few years or the past few agreements that we’ve had, we’ve always just taken the most amount of money. It’s not been about ‘What’s going to put us on in the most households.’ We were the guinea pigs to get Channel X off the ground, Channel Y off the ground. And you’re asking so much of your fans to just keep chasing you around all these different networks.”
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His words spotlight how prioritizing cash over accessibility has left races buried on lesser channels, eroding casual interest built during the early 2000s boom when consistent network slots fueled growth.
Insiders echo these gripes, pointing to format tweaks that dilute the playoffs’ appeal. Eric Estepp, a key voice in the community, summed it up: “Fans often blame the car or playoff format, but the issues run deeper.” This reflects a “perfect storm” of structural hurdles, from three-hour race lengths causing burnout to the playoffs’ artificial resets, which started in 2004 amid fan polls that overwhelmingly rejected them.
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NASCAR ignored that feedback, alienating loyal supporters who cherished season-long consistency, much like the backlash to venue shifts from gritty Southeast tracks to uniform speedways that prioritized expansion over excitement. These choices, rooted in Brian France’s era, have fueled a steady slide, with 2025’s 17.6% overall viewership drop underscoring the need for real fixes beyond surface-level hype.
With tensions running high, the conversation spills over to social media, where every day, fans share raw takes on what’s gone wrong. Their voices cut through the noise, offering a ground-level view of the frustrations.
Fan reactions unleashed
One voice cuts straight to the chase: “Because they’re not equivalent, they know it, everyone knows it, and it would just make them look even dumber if they tried.” The playoffs draw stretched comparisons to sports like the NFL, stemming from the 2004 format that abandoned fan votes in favor of a gimmick that resets the season. Cases like Harrison Burton qualifying 34th in points after one win dilute the Chase, fueling the 29% playoff ratings fall as loyal fans tune out artificial drama.
Another fan added, “Because there is no auto racing and stick n’ ball comparison. Brian France’s c*ked-out brain couldn’t comprehend that NASCAR fans didn’t need NASCAR to be something it wasn’t.” France’s mid-2000s push copied team sports, swapping Southeast tracks for cookie-cutter speedways by 2004 that favored big teams and dropped on-track action, sparking the slide from 2005 peaks when broadcasts broke for endless ads.
Spotting local misses adds to the pile. Take this from a race-goer: “I am in Vegas for the race, and there is zero marketing along the Strip. I have seen 3 shops selling F1 merchandise. If NASCAR can’t figure out how to market one race in that market, how can they figure out how to market a playoff system?”
Las Vegas, a playoff staple, highlights missed chances against rivals like F1, which surged with 1.4 million average viewers in 2025, up from prior years. NASCAR’s lack of street-level push there mirrors broader trends, with only five races on Amazon Prime this season scattering visibility, while F1’s consistent ESPN slots drew 24% more for events like Azerbaijan, underscoring how poor on-site and broadcast strategies let competitors steal the spotlight.
Shifting to sponsor woes, another fan spells it out: “NASCAR can’t figure out how to market. That’s been the problem for years. There is a reason why Lowe’s, Home Depot, Havoline, FedEx, and all these sponsors left. From big-time drivers too. It’s funny, and so fans won’t like it; NASCAR is slavery, similar to pro wrestling. Heck, its rise and fall in popularity are damn near identical.” The wrestling parallel fits the 2008 Indy tire mess that tanked trust, with sponsorships dipping as races hit three-hour burns, turning off viewers, unlike shorter Trucks or Xfinity events.
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This reaction sums it up: “They are not equal; there’s 6 weeks of di—ingaround involved in the NASCAR system vs. 1-2 weeks for an MLB championship.” The 10-race stretch, with resets every third race, breeds fatigue against baseball’s tight series, rooted in 2014’s elimination shift that overlooked consistency, like Jeff Gordon‘s top points in 2004, 2007, and 2014 without titles—leading to 17.6% overall drops.
NFL Thursday night: Giants’ Cor’Dale Flott foils Philadelphia Eagles
New York cornerback Cor’Dale Flott’s fourth-quarter interception proved a key play as the Giants upended the Philadelphia Eagles 34-17 on Thursday night.
The former Saraland High School standout picked off Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts at the New York 9-yard line and returned the interception 68 yards to the Eagles 23 with 11:25 to play.
The takeaway set up running back Cam Skattebo’s 1-yard touchdown run that set the final margin with 9:41 to play.
The touchdown was the third of the game for Skattebo, all coming after Philadelphia took a 17-13 lead with 6:56 left in the second quarter, when the Eagles’ fourth consecutive quarterback sneak got Hurts into the end zone from 1 yard out.
While Skattebo ran for 98 yards on 19 carries, fellow rookie Jaxson Dart completed 17-of-25 passes for 195 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions and ran 13 times for 58 yards and one touchdown. The New York quarterback ran 20 yards for a touchdown and threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson as the Giants took a 13-3 lead with 5:37 left in the first quarter.
Flott’s interception was his first of 2025 and the third of his career. Hurts had passed 305 consecutive times in regular-season play without an interception. Flott also made three tackles and recorded one tackle for loss on Thursday night.
Hurts completed 24-of-33 passes for 283 yards with one touchdown and one interception and ran for 13 yards and one touchdown on seven carries. The former Alabama QB flipped the football underhanded to tight end Dallas Goedert for a 3-yard touchdown pass with 1:49 left in the first quarter.
While the Giants improved to 2-4 in the 2025 NFL season, the Eagles lost for the second time in five days to drop to 4-2.
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In addition to Flott and Hurts, 10 other players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field during the Philadelphia-New York game:
Eagles wide receiver Javon Baker (Alabama) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett (McGill-Toolen) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Eagles wide receiver Tank Bigsby (Auburn) returned two kickoffs for 37 yards.
Reed Blankenship (West Limestone) started at safety for the Eagles. Blankenship made six tackles.
Jihaad Campbell (Alabama) started at linebacker for the Eagles. Campbell tied for the team lead with seven tackles.
Eagles guard Landon Dickerson (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive. An ankle injury kept Dickerson out of the lineup.
Eagles tight end Cameron Latu (Alabama) made one tackle on special teams.
Eagles cornerback Mac McWilliams (UAB) was designated as a game-day inactive.
Eagles wide receiver John Metchie III (Alabama) did not record any stats.
Giants offensive lineman Evan Neal (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.
Giants defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Central-Phenix City) made four tackles.
Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks (Alabama) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton (Auburn) was designated as a game-day inactive. A hamstring injury kept Slayton out of the lineup.
DeVonta Smith (Alabama) started at wide receiver for the Eagles. Smith had four receptions for 49 yards.
Eagles outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith (Greenville) made one tackle.
Tyler Steen (Alabama) started at right guard for the Eagles.
Byron Young (Alabama) started at defensive tackle for the Eagles. In his first NFL start, Young made four tackles.
Eagles wide receiver Quez Watkins (Athens) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Jameis Winston (Hueytown) was the Giants’ emergency third quarterback. He could play only if Jaxson Dart and Russell Wilson could not.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
New York plays the Denver Broncos at 3:05 p.m. Oct. 19 CDT at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver.
Philadelphia plays the Minnesota Vikings at noon Oct. 19 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Eagles ran rampant with Tush Push in first half as vaunted play stymied Giants
If one can’t stop it, vote against it.
The NFL’s most controversial offensive play took center stage Thursday night when the Eagles ran four consecutive Tush Pushes to get the ball from the 3-yard line across the goal line for the go-ahead points in a back-and-forth first half against the Giants at MetLife Stadium before Big Blue rolled to a 34-17 win.
It was boring to watch and drew boos from the home crowd, but it was effective in converting a fourth-and-1 and then a second-and-goal as the Eagles took a 17-13 lead on Jalen Hurts run.
Hurts leads the NFL in rushes for a first down on third- or fourth-and-1 since 2022, according to the broadcast on Prime.
The Giants were one of 22 teams in favor of banning the Tush Push in May, but the vote fell two votes shy of the necessary threshold (24 of 32) to be outlawed. It seems to be a safe bet that there will be another vote next spring.
The NFL says that the play does not lead to an unusually high injury rate — the reason given by most coaches who want the Tush Push banned is player safety rather than just an inability to stop it. Try telling that to defensive tackle D.J. Davidson, who injured his knee on the fourth straight scrum and was carted back to the locker room.
Trailing 13-10 in the second quarter, the Eagles moved the ball 68 yards with relative ease, including a 16-yard completion to A.J. Brown on a third-and-7.
Faced with third-and-1 at the 3-yard line, the Eagles went to their signature play rather than dial up something creative for Brown or Saquon Barkley — or go back to the shovel pass to Dallas Goedert that resulted in a 3-yard touchdown earlier in the game.
Here’s how the run of Tush Pushes looked:
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No. 1: Hurts was stood up by Dexter Lawrence for no gain as Brian Burns flew over the top of the offensive line.
No. 2: Following a Giants timeout, Hurts squeezed through the middle for a 2-yard gain and a first down, with a forceful shove in his back from Goedert.
No. 3: Hurts was stuffed by the combination of Rakeem Nunez-Roches and a head-over-heels Kayvon Thibodeaux.
No. 4: Hurts churned his legs across the goal line and scored before he could be turned and tossed to the ground by Roy Robertson-Harris.
The other controversy in the league right now is whether the Eagles are committing false starts on the Tush Push.
It sure looked that way when slow-motion replay showed the fourth-down conversion, though officials argue that can’t be seen by the naked eye.
The ugly truth: The Eagles are virtually unstoppable if given multiple shots in those situations.
Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo Shine as Jalen Hurts’ Costly INT Headlines Eagles vs Giants Takeaways
The NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants, have opened Week 6 of the 2025 NFL season. The Birds entered the game without their star defensive tackle, Jalen Carter, and the result at MetLife Stadium showed why his presence matters for Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the Giants seem sorted with their starting QB, Jaxson Dart, who had another remarkable game.
Now, as the NY Giants hand the defending champions their consecutive defeat, here are the 5 takeaways from the highly anticipated TNF clash.
1> Eagles need a better offensive line
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Jalen Hurts usually doesn’t have over-the-top numbers, but he carries his team pretty well. This year, however, the Eagles have failed to protect their signal-caller. Even in the Week 6 game, the Giants sacked Hurts 3 times for 17 yards, while the rookie Giants QB Jaxson Dart was sacked twice for a 1-yard loss. The New York team even recorded an interception, which turned the game in their favor.
Until Week 5, the rivals have sacked Hurts 15 times for 80 yards. But the Birds have only sacked their opponent’s QB 7 times for 45 yards. On the other hand, the Giants have lost 81 yards to 14 sacks, while sacking their rivals 10 times for 79 yards.
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2> Rushing game difference surprises the NFL
The Eagles carry a well-rounded rushing offense with Saquon Barkley, while Hurts also chips in at crucial moments. But in this game, the Giants’ RB Cam Skattebo came with a better rushing average (3.8 in 63 rushes for 240 yards and 2 scores) than Barkley (3.2 in 83 carries for 267 yards and 3 TDs). Sirianni ignored the rookie’s threat level and paid the price. Skattebo finished the game with 19 carries for 98 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Barkley’s struggles continued with another lackluster game, logging only 12 rushes for 58 yards and no scores. He hasn’t played a 100-yard game yet. Skattebo became the first Giants rookie since Charlie Evans in 1971 to have 3 rush TD in a game.
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Overall, the Eagles’ rushing corps recorded only 20 rushes for 73 yards and 1 TD, while the Giants recorded 39 carries for 172 yards and 4 scores.
3> Giants completed more chances
The Eagles created chances, but they lost momentum as the plays moved forward. The Birds recorded 20 first downs, but in the end, they only had 11% 3rd down efficiency, completing 1 of 9 3rd downs. On the other hand, the Big Blue had a better conversion rate of 68.8% in 11 of 16 third downs.
The Giants came into the Week 6 matchup as 16th among 32 teams in receiving yards (1099), while the Eagles rank 30th (889 yards).
4> Jaxson Dart is ready for the NFL
Jaxson Dart stepped up when Russell Wilson failed to win a game. Boy oh boy, he won his first NFL game. Though they lost the Week 5 game, the rookie QB made sure they were always one step ahead of the Eagles in the Week 6 matchup. The Giants scored more than seven points in the first quarter for the first time in 81 regular-season games. It’s the second-longest streak in NFL history.
Dart also became the first rookie with a pass TD and rush TD of 20+ yards in the same quarter since Josh Allen in 2018. He is ready for Primetime now, finishing the game with more than 250 yards combined and 2 touchdowns.
5> Injuries are becoming a crucial factor
The Birds already had defensive worries coming to the MetLife Stadium as their DT Jalen Carter dealt with heel issues. LB Jihaad Campbell recorded 7 tackles (4 solo) also didn’t look his best. The Birds rested their hopes on CB Quinyon Mitchell, who also injured his hamstring and was out of the game. So, the Eagles failed to manage their injury chart.
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Even their receiver, AJ Brown, who has openly wanted more ball, sat out because of mental health issues. On the other hand, even the Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll was furious when Brian Daboll went to the medical tent in the 4th quarter. He wanted the trainer to send him out at the earliest.
However, Wilson held on to the lead, and the New York team won 34-17. It was the Birds’ worst loss since Arizona in 2023. As the scoreboard reflected, they lost in every department.
Shane van Gisbergen Reveals How Grassroots Racing Helps Him Catch Up on Short-Track Skills
Shane van Gisbergen’s mastery of road courses just hit legendary status. The Kiwi sensation extended his incredible streak to five straight road course wins after dominating the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Behind the wheel of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, SVG led 57 laps, won by over 15 seconds, and made the Roval look more like his personal playground than one of NASCAR’s trickiest tracks. But while his dominance on road courses seems effortless, SVG knows there’s still one area he’s playing catch-up in – short tracks.
And instead of waiting for experience to come to him, he’s been out there earning it the old-fashioned way. Yes, it was by going back to the grassroots level and getting his basics right.
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Shane van Gisbergen sharpens short track craft
With the Round of 8 looming and a pivotal showdown at Martinsville on the horizon, short-track skills couldn’t matter more for NASCAR drivers. Martinsville, though known for its chaos, is not just another stop in a pressure-packed playoff round; it is going to be a decider.
For Shane van Gisbergen, adapting to American-style ovals (especially short tracks) has been an ongoing trial by fire, reflected in steady but modest stats. His finishes average around 29th at short tracks in 2025, underscoring the challenge. Determined to close the learning gap, SVG jumped into Tuesday night’s Legends car races at Charlotte. On the PRNLive podcast, he was asked, “Was that just for fun or was that for working on turning left a little more?”
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The Kiwi explained, “It’s a bit of everything. It’s just more experience and all these guys, they did this when they were kids.” The grassroots interest, fueled partly by Bubba Wallace, gave SVG the chance to hone car control, left-foot braking, and close-quarters racing. In July, Shane van Gisbergen celebrated his first oval victory at the Charlotte Summer Shootout in the Pro Legends A-Feature, a testament to the practical value of these midweek sessions.
“They came and raced those Legends cars when they were 10-12 years old. So, I’m just so far behind on that stuff. I need experience and plus it was a lot of fun doing it every Tuesday,” he further explained. Shane van Gisbergen’s late start stands in contrast to the backgrounds of many NASCAR stars. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, William Byron, and others all cut their teeth in the Legends series from a young age, shaping racecraft that still pays off at the Cup level.
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As October’s playoff grind intensifies, SVG’s commitment to grassroots racing helps sharpen the edge he needs to stay competitive on ovals while being hailed as one of NASCAR’s greatest road course racers. His journey proves that it’s never too late to embrace the basics, and it’s authentic practice (not just big-race glory) that forges NASCAR’s most adaptable competitors. And with thought, he enters Las Vegas.
Shane van Gisbergen’s livery for Las Vegas revealed
Shane van Gisbergen is turning heads with his striking New Zealand-inspired livery for the upcoming Las Vegas NASCAR Cup Series race. The #88 Trackhouse Chevrolet will don a sleek black base, adorned with silver ferns and red stars. These are symbols that are deeply rooted in the New Zealand sporting tradition. The Silver Fern, carried by iconic teams like the All Blacks and Silver Ferns, serves as a proud badge of Kiwi identity.
“It’s an awesome paint scheme, so special to have some influence on the design,” SVG shared, visibly moved. “It’s super cool to be able to show some of my Kiwi heritage on the track this weekend in Las Vegas. To have the Southern Cross, Silver Fern, and the colours of New Zealand on my car. I was speechless when I first saw it. Just really special to me, and I’m excited to be carrying huge momentum with my team into the weekend.”
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While the oval at Las Vegas presents fresh challenges, SVG’s attitude has been relentlessly positive. His progression on mile-and-a-half ovals reflects a steady learning curve, starting the year near the back, but now regularly competing for top-ten finishes, as he said, “Vegas is a pretty tough one with the speed and the bumps… Every week I’m out there, I learn something and have thoughts on how to be better again. I know I have a long way to go, that’s for sure, but I’m enjoying that process.”
The new livery is more than cosmetic. In fact, it’s a statement of pride and international ambition, making SVG a symbol of NASCAR’s global reach. As the engine roars at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Kiwi colors of van Gisbergen’s car offer a fresh burst of national pride for fans at home and a reminder of how far SVG has come in his rookie season.
After 57 years at Speedway 95, owner Del Merritt is ready to pass the torch
Del Merritt admitted that it was “emotional” at first when he decided to sell Hermon’s Speedway 95 to former NASCAR Cup Series winner Ricky Craven this summer.
He knew it was bringing an end to a 57-year relationship with the auto track, which began when friend Dana Crockett invited him to be an assistant flagman there in 1968.
Merritt had never even attended a race but said he liked being involved with the sport “right away” and still has passion for it.
“If someone had told me 57 years ago that I would still be doing it, I would have told them they were nuts,” said Merritt.
He has come to terms with his decision to sell to Craven.
“I feel more comfortable with it now,” said Merritt. “I’ve seen what he has done out there. I see his interest in it so I’ve relaxed some.”
Merritt will be involved in his final race weekend as the owner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the annual Paul Bunyan Speed Weekend.
“We’re going to have a super weekend. We always do,” said Merritt. “I think I’ll go out with a bang. Rick will do a great job.”
He has nothing but positive thoughts about the ownership change.
“If I thought something different, I never would have sold it,” said the 80-year-old Merritt, a 1964 graduate of Bangor High School.
“Did I want to sell it? No. Did I have to sell it? No. But I think it’s time. Everything has its time,” he said.
After serving as flagman and working in the pit area, Merritt eventually became a part-owner when he, Maynard (Red) Baker Sr. and wife Alice Baker, John Michaels and some minor investors bought the track for $200,000.
Michaels would eventually sell his share to the Bakers and Merritt and, when Red Baker died in 1991, Merritt and Alice Baker co-owned it until she sold her share to him in 2011.
“It has been fun. If I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t have stayed in it as long as I have,” said Merritt, a Maine Motorsports Hall of Famer. “I enjoy the people and the racing.”
Merritt also owns two restaurants, Judy’s in Bangor and Cap’s Tavern in Brewer, along with several apartments.
“For me, it has never been a big profit item,” Merritt said about the track. “I have other businesses that do far better.
“It’s a hobby,” he added.
And he knows he will miss it.
“But I will be able to go there any time until Ricky throws me out. And I don’t think he’s going to,” Merritt said about Craven. “We talk every day. I’m just going to try to keep him out of trouble. Or get him in trouble.”
Craven, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner from nearby Newburgh, has a long history with the track.
“Del is a wonderful human being,” said Craven, who raced at Speedway 95 as did his mother, Nancy, and late father, Alan. “He has been a tremendous guardian and asset to me. We talk every morning.”
Alan Craven raced in the track’s debut on July 3, 1966.
“He is 100 percent behind me,” Ricky Craven said about Merritt.
Craven said the most enjoyable part of making the purchase has been getting to know Merritt and confiding in him.
Kim Baker Allen, Red and Alice’s daughter and the track’s long-time office manager, said Merritt has put “blood, sweat and tears into this thing. Literally.”
Baker Allen called Merritt “an amazing guy.”
Unity Raceway owner Ralph Nason, who is the only driver to ever win three consecutive Oxford 250s (1998-2000), said Merritt has done an “excellent job” running Speedway 95 and pointed out that he had several offers from construction companies who wanted to buy the track to use the land.
“But he was adamant that he wanted it to remain as a race track and he stuck to that,” Nason said about Merritt.
Craven has promised to keep it as a track for at least the next 10 years.
Baker Allen said drivers and other people who enjoy Speedway 95 “have come out of the woodwork” to thank Merritt for keeping it a race track by selling it to Craven.
“It has been amazing,” Baker Allen said. “He cares deeply about the track.”
Nason said Merritt has always been reputable to deal with.
“He has always done what he said he was going to do,” Nason said. “He’s a good guy. I’m glad for him and I’m glad for Rick.”
Racing is a passionate sport and tempers can flare.
When Merritt was inducted into the hall of fame in 2022, Baker Allen said that he has taken his share of abuse from drivers, but never holds a grudge and will always welcome them back if they leave.
“If we don’t have employees and drivers, we’re nobody,” Merritt said at the time. “You have to have thick skin. Everybody loses their temper once in a while.”
Merritt admitted this week that the track has “had its ups and downs,” with both bad years and good years along the way.
But he said he has no regrets.
“Not one,” said Merritt.
Division Series Game 5 history
There have been 39 winner-take-all Game 5s in Division Series history since the best-of-five series was added to the postseason docket in 1995, when MLB expanded to allow a Wild Card team from each league. That includes two that are on tap for Friday, when the Tigers and Mariners will meet in Seattle for the right to go to the American League Championship Series, and for Saturday, when the Brewers and Cubs will meet in Milwaukee to determine who goes to the NLCS to face the Dodgers.
There’s no shortage of storylines for the battle between Seattle and Detroit. For the Mariners, they have a chance to play in their fourth ALCS in franchise history and the first since losing in the 2001 ALCS against the Yankees. And if the Mariners come out victorious on Friday, they’d then look to defeat the Blue Jays in the ALCS and advance to the franchise’s first World Series appearance. For Detroit, a Friday win would mark the first time the Tigers have advanced to the ALCS since 2013. It’s also yet another start for Tarik Skubal in Seattle after watching his club fall short in a Game 2 loss last Sunday.
Over in the NLDS, the Brewers and Cubs will play their most important head-to-head matchup in the history of these two NL central rivals. After going down 0-2 in the series, the Cubs have the chance to 11th team to come back from an 0-2 deficit and win the Division Series. All hands will be on deck for both clubs as they look to advance to the championship series to face Los Angeles.
The best-of-five slate has created a real sense of urgency. The narratives shift so drastically with every LDS game, and as such, it’s led to some of the most memorable October moments.
With that as a backdrop, MLB.com reviewed every LDS Game 5 in history.
2024 ALDS: Guardians 7, Tigers 3
Appropriately, the first-ever postseason meeting between longtime AL Central rivals was unusually fraught, even compared to other series that have made it all the way to a winner-take-all Game 5.
After an authoritative 7-0 victory in Game 1 in which they knocked Tigers opener Tyler Holton out of the game before he’d even recorded an out, the Guardians were shut out 3-0 in Game 2 in Cleveland and Game 3 in Detroit, an enormous swing of momentum in favor of the Tigers. Faced with the prospect of elimination in Game 4, the Guardians eked out a gritty 5-4 victory in Game 4, sending the series back to Progressive Field, where against all odds, eight Guardians pitchers, with the support of a Lane Thomas grand slam, out-dueled likely AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to move on to the Championship Series against the Yankees, a familiar postseason rival. That victory also ended the franchise’s eight-game losing streak in winner-take-all games stretching back to the 1998 ALDS.
2024 NLDS: Dodgers 2, Padres 0
For the second time in three seasons, the two NL West and intrastate rivals faced off in the NLDS and the two clubs did not disappoint. There was no shortage of headlines in this matchup, with star power on both sides and a recent history of bad blood that spilled over into the series.
After the Dodgers had a thrilling Game 1 win, the Padres dominated in a 10-2 victory in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium before the series shifted to San Diego. The Padres won another thriller in Game 3 and the Dodgers won in an 8-0 rout in Game 4, forcing a winner-take-all Game 5 back in Los Angeles. The Dodgers blanked the Padres for a second straight game in Game 5, relying on five scoreless innings from Yoshinobu Yamamoto and a pair of solo home runs from Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández to secure an NLCS berth.
2022 ALDS: Yankees 5, Guardians 1
After falling behind 2-1 in the series, the Yankees made a hard-fought comeback to take a hotly contested series against the Guardians.
The Bronx Bombers made Cleveland go to the bullpen after just one out in the first inning thanks to a three-run home run from Giancarlo Stanton. American League home run king Aaron Judge added a solo shot an inning later, and that was more than enough to take the game and series.
2021 NLDS: Dodgers 2, Giants 1
It was an epic series between two storied rivals — the first of its kind, in fact. Prior to the 2021 NLDS, the Dodgers and Giants had never squared off in a postseason matchup. In the first postseason series in history between two 105-plus win teams, the hype was justified, and the series lived up to it. It went the full five games and ended in a one-run decision that was dripping with drama to the final pitch.
Thanks to a go-ahead single by Cody Bellinger in the top of the ninth inning at Oracle Park, and Max Scherzer earning his first career save after 431 Major League appearances, the Dodgers won, 2-1, to advance to the NL Championship Series for the fifth time in six years.
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2020 ALDS: Rays 2, Yankees 1
To truly respect the drama of this one, we have to illustrate the heated history that led to it. Weeks before the AL East rivals met in the postseason for the first time, tempers flared in the Bronx over back-and-forth hit batters that culminated with Mike Brosseau dodging a 100 mph fastball from Aroldis Chapman that led to a benches-clearing incident.
Fast forward five weeks — after Tyler Glasnow started on just two days’ rest and Gerrit Cole proved why the Yanks paid him — Brosseau and Chapman were tangled in a 1-1 tie in the eighth inning of ALDS Game 5. What followed was a tense, 10-pitch showdown, a momentary matchup that felt like ages. Brosseau overcame an 0-2 hole, fouled off four pitches, spit on a heater inside for ball three then connected on a 100.2 mph fastball that went sailing into the San Diego night and sent Tampa Bay to its first AL Championship Series since 2008.
2019 NLDS: Nationals 7, Dodgers 3
The win and series were there for the Dodgers’ taking, until they weren’t. With a two-run lead after Walker Buehler delivered 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball, Clayton Kershaw entered in relief and gave up consecutive homers — on consecutive pitches — to Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto that tied the game in the eighth inning. Then in the 10th, Howie Kendrick sparked his postseason magic with a grand slam off Joe Kelly to stun the 106-win Dodgers in Los Angeles and send the Nats to the NLCS.
This was the third of five elimination games that the Nationals played in and won — and perhaps their most dramatic — en route to the 2019 World Series title.
2019 NLDS: Cardinals 13, Braves 1
After Yadier Molina roped a walk-off in Game 4 to even the series, the Cardinals put their offensive stamp on an otherwise competitive NLDS by running away to a series-clinching win in Game 5 — and they did so in historic fashion.
St. Louis scored 10 runs in the first inning before many in Atlanta’s sold-out crowd had reached their seats. That 10-spot was manufactured by 14 hitters that the Cards sent to the plate, and it tied the record for the most runs scored in a single inning by any team in postseason history.
“I don’t know that I’ve seen that many guys hit in the first inning that quick in my entire life,” Braves manager Brian Snitkner said.
The 12-run loss for Atlanta was the largest by any team in postseason history facing elimination, and it marked the Braves’ ninth straight postseason series defeat dating back to 2001.
2017 ALDS: Yankees 5, Indians 2
The Yanks fell into a seemingly insurmountable two-game deficit to an Indians club that seemed to be on a course of destiny. The Tribe were recently riding an MLB-record 22-game winning streak that extended into September and were playing with a devastating, seven-game World Series defeat the postseason prior on their minds.
Which made the Yanks’ comeback all the more incredible. New York won two games in the Bronx to force the decisive Game 5 at Progressive Field, then chased a short-rested Corey Kluber in the fourth inning. The Tribe crawled their way to within one, but Brett Gardner delivered a two-RBI dagger — in a 12-pitch at-bat — in the ninth that propelled New York to its fourth ALCS in a nine-year stretch, where it fell to Houston in an epic seven-game clash.
The ’17 Yanks are one of just 10 teams — and the most recent — to overcome an 0-2 deficit in the LDS since it was added to the postseason in 1995.
2017 NLDS: Cubs 9, Nationals 8
Stephen Strasburg authored one of the most epic pitching performances in Game 4, dazzling with seven shutout innings despite pitching with the flu. That set the stage for a return to Washington, where the Nats and Cubs played a four-hour, 37-minute marathon over nine innings, featuring just about everything.
Max Scherzer, pitching out of the bullpen on just two days’ rest, surrendered a seventh-inning force out from Kris Bryant that gave the Cubs enough cushion to hold off a Washington rally over the final two innings. Everything pointed to a rally in the works, but Wade Davis pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to send Chicago to its third straight NLCS.
2016 NLDS: Dodgers 4, Nationals 3
The Dodgers overcame a 2-1 series deficit to force a Game 5 back in Washington, then fell behind, 1-0, until a fateful seventh inning. Joc Pederson hit a leadoff homer, Yasmani Grandal drew a four-pitch walk, Carlos Ruiz followed with an RBI single then Justin Turner hit a two-out, two-run triple to create a 4-1 lead.
But Washington wouldn’t go quietly. The Nats plated two in the seventh, then drew a pair of walks from Kenley Jansen to lead off the ninth, prompting Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to turn to Clayton Kershaw, who locked up his first career save — capping it off by inducing a popout to Daniel Murphy, that year’s runner up for the NL MVP Award.
2015 ALDS: Blue Jays 6, Rangers 3
After Toronto dropped two straight at home, the Blue Jays were on life support in their first postseason appearance in 22 seasons. But the club conjured a pair of road wins that set up one of the most memorable Game 5 clashes in LDS history.
Trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Jose Bautista stepped to the plate and uncorked a dramatic, three-run homer — capped with a now famous bat flip — that will remain on Blue Jays highlight reels for ages, sending the Blue Jays to the ALCS.
This series — and Game 5 in particular — sparked a heated rivalry between these clubs that carried over into a benches-clearing brawl the following season, with Bautista at the center of it all.
2015 NLDS: Mets 3, Dodgers 2
Daniel Murphy’s October heroics of 2015 were in full swing when the Mets marched into Dodger Stadium for an upset over the favored NL West champions. Murphy went 3-for-4 with a homer — his second in what wound up being a postseason record six straight games — while Jacob deGrom, then in just his second year in the Majors and in his first postseason, outdueled NL Cy Young runner-up Zack Greinke.
2015: Royals 7, Astros 2
When Kansas City acquired Johnny Cueto at the Trade Deadline, it was explicitly to pitch them through big postseason games, and that’s exactly what the impending free agent did in an elimination game against the then up-and-coming Astros. Cueto gave up two runs in the second inning, but that was all, as the big righty threw eight total frames, struck out eight and retired 19 in a row at one point. This was also the only elimination game that the Royals played in during their run to the 2015 World Series title.
2013: Tigers 3, A’s 0
After Max Scherzer pitched a gem in Game 4, Justin Verlander followed with one of the October masterpieces that will likely be on his Hall of Fame highlight reel. In a hostile environment at the Coliseum, Verlander pitched eight scoreless innings and struck out 10 of the 27 batters he faced while giving up just two hits to send Detroit to the ALCS. It marked the second straight postseason in which the Tigers eliminated the A’s at the Coliseum in a winner-take-all game.
2013 NLDS: Cardinals 6, Pirates 1
The Cards eliminated their division rivals on the shoulders of one of their most significant October catalysts in their storied franchise history. Over a brisk game played in under three hours, Adam Wainwright tossed the first and only complete game of his storied postseason career, giving up eight hits and one run while striking out six.
For Pittsburgh, an up-and-coming Gerrit Cole delivered five strong innings, but NL MVP Award winner Andrew McCutchen went 0-for-4 as part of a quiet offensive effort club wide. The loss ended the Pirates’ first postseason appearance in 21 years after the club reached the NL Wild Card Game with 94 wins.
2012 ALDS: Yankees 3, Orioles 1
The Yankees got home-field advantage by winning the AL East by two games over Baltimore, which proved to be paramount. Raul Ibanez and Ichiro Suzuki each had RBI hits, and Curtis Granderson crushed a solo homer in the seventh to back CC Sabathia’s complete game, one-run gem, in which he threw 121 pitches.
Of Sabathia’s decorated postseason career, this series-clincher was the lone of his 24 playoff starts in which he went the entire distance.
2012 ALDS: Tigers 6, A’s 0
The A’s forced a Game 5 at home after winning Games 3-4 there, but momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher. Justin Verlander tossed a four-hit, 11-strikeout shutout to lead Detroit to the ALCS.
2012 NLDS: Cardinals 9, Nationals 7
Down to their final out, the Cards — as they often do at this time of year — came up in the clutch.
Daniel Descalso, a .227 hitter in the regular season, roped a line drive that caromed off Ian Desmond’s glove at shortstop and scored two to tie the game. Pete Kozma then followed with another two-run single that stunned the Nats. This all on a night where October ace Adam Wainwright gave up six earned runs and lasted just 2 1/3 innings to start the game.
The defeat ended the Nats’ first postseason appearance since the franchise moved to Washington, and it was the first of many October heartbreaks over a six-year stretch in the Bryce Harper era.
2012 NLDS: Giants 6, Reds 4
On their way to the second of three championships in five seasons, San Francisco recovered from losing the first two games at home by taking three in a row in Cincinnati. Buster Posey’s grand slam off Mat Latos capped a six-run fifth inning that broke a 0-0 tie.
2011 ALDS: Tigers 3, Yankees 2
Don Kelly and Delmon Young hit first-inning homers off Ivan Nova, and Doug Fister pitched five strong innings, as the Tigers went into the Bronx and upset the Yanks to extend their first postseason berth since losing the ’06 World Series to the Cardinals.
2011 NLDS: Brewers 3, D-backs 2 (10 innings)
The home team won every game in this series, which wound up playing into Milwaukee’s favor. In the club’s series-clincher, Nyjer Morgan sent Miller Park into a frenzy with an NLDS-ending walk-off single in the 10th. The win would set the Brewers up for an epic NLCS showdown with the division-rival Cardinals.
2011 NLDS: Cardinals 1, Phillies 0
The juggernaut Phillies — with their four-headed All-Star rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt — couldn’t close out St. Louis after establishing a 2-1 lead, but they liked their chances heading home for a pivotal Game 5 behind Halladay.
Rafael Furcal led off the game with triple, Skip Schumaker drove him in one at-bat later and Chris Carpenter pitched a complete-game shutout of three-hit ball to lead St. Louis to a remarkable upset over the heavily-favored Phils. The Cards had no margin for error, either — Halladay allowed just five baserunners after that opening frame as part of an eight-inning gem.
2010 ALDS: Rangers 5, Rays 1
Who said anything about home-field advantage? The road team won each of the five games in this back-and-forth series, with the Rangers coming out on top to help them along the way in clinching their first AL pennant.
In Game 5 at Tropicana Field, Cliff Lee’s 11-strikeout gem over a complete game lifted Texas past David Price, who was that year’s runner-up for the AL Cy Young Award.
2005 ALDS: Angels 5, Yankees 3
The Yanks gave the Halos a scare by tallying three hits against lights-out closer Francisco Rodriguez during the ninth inning. But the AL saves leader that season worked his way out of a jam with runners on first and second by inducing a sharp groundout to Hideki Matsui to end the game.
Matsui three times left runners stranded in scoring position with two outs, and the Yanks were just 2-for-10 with RISP, spoiling three-hit days from Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield and Jason Giambi.
2004 NLDS: Astros 12, Braves 3
The Braves scored a go-ahead run in the ninth inning of Game 4 to send the series back home to Turner Field, and Atlanta trailed by just one run after five in the decisive game.
But the Astros tagged Braves relievers for six hits and five runs in the seventh en route to reaching the NLCS, where the division-rival Cardinals awaited.
2003 ALDS: Red Sox 4, Athletics 3
Boston staved off elimination in Games 3-4 at Fenway Park after falling behind in the series, 0-2. And in Game 5 at Oakland, Pedro Martinez outdueled Barry Zito, with Manny Ramirez hitting a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning. Boston became just the fourth team to overcome an 0-2 deficit in the LDS.
2003 NLDS: Cubs 5, Braves 1
The red-hot Cubs stormed into Atlanta and stunned the 101-win Braves with a major upset in a dominant win. Kerry Wood pitched eight innings of five-hit ball, while Alex Gonzalez and Aramis Ramirez homered.
2002 ALDS: Twins 5, A’s 4
The Moneyball A’s saw their dream season cut short after their ninth-inning rally came up one run short. Minnesota plated three in the top of the ninth — including a two-run homer from A.J. Pierzynski and an RBI double by David Ortiz before his Boston days — and Oakland followed with a one-out, three-run homer from Mark Ellis a half-inning later. But the Twins were able to induce a pair of popouts to secure the series.
Game 5 had initially been shaping up as a starting pitcher’s duel, as Brad Radke turned in 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball against Mark Mulder, who tossed seven innings and struck out nine.
2002 NLDS: Giants 3, Braves 1
Barry Bonds crushed a fourth-inning homer off Kevin Milwood in a tightly-contested game that the Giants held an edge in throughout. The Braves wound up blowing a 2-1 series lead, and despite reaching the postseason eight times since, they did not take another playoff series lead until the 2019 NLDS against the Cardinals.
2001 ALDS: Yankees 5, Athletics 3
The Yanks are no stranger to winning the last three games in an ALDS. In this case, Games 3-4 came on the road and in Game 5 at home, Mariano Rivera completed a six-out save to shut the door in the Bronx in front of an emotional crowd, just weeks removed from the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York.
2001 ALDS: Mariners 3, Indians 1
The 116-win Mariners found themselves on the cusp of elimination against an Indians club that had won 25 fewers games in the regular season before Seattle forced — and won — a decisive Game 5 at Safeco Field.
Mark McElmore, Edgar Martinez and Kenny Lofton each roped RBI singles, while Jamie Moyer gave up just one run and three hits over six strong innings to keep the Mariners’ record season alive.
2001 NLDS: D-backs 2, Cardinals 1
The ’01 World Series champs would’ve never reached the pinnacle if not for a walk-off single by Tony Womack in their NLDS-clinching win over the Cardinals at Chase Field. Curt Schilling struck out nine and pitched a complete game, the first of his storied postseason career.
2000 ALDS: Yankees 7, A’s 5
After Oakland outslugged New York by 10 runs in Game 4, the Yanks responded immediately with a six-run showing in the first inning of the decisive Game 5. A’s starter Gil Heredia failed to make it out of the opening frame after walking two of his first five batters and giving up a bases-clearing double to Tino Martinez. Oakland would claw its way back to within a run, but the Yanks ultimately held on in what wound up being their only elimination game during their run to that year’s World Series title.
1999 ALDS: Red Sox 12, Indians 8
Cleveland fans, cover your eyes. The Tribe grabbed a 2-0 lead at home, then lost three straight, including Game 5 back in Cleveland. The Indians’ pitching staff allowed 44 runs over those three defeats, including Troy O’Leary’s go-ahead three-run shot in the seventh inning of the finale.
1997 ALDS: Indians 4, Yankees 3
The Tribe pulled off an epic upset against the defending World Series champs by overcoming a 2-1 series deficit and winning the final two games at home by one run apiece. Manny Ramirez hit a two-run ground-rule double in the third and then scored on a Matt Williams single against Andy Pettitte, as Jaret Wright and the Cleveland pitching staff limited the Yanks’ 12 hits to just three runs.
1995 ALDS: Mariners 6, Yankees 5 (11 innings)
Here, the Yanks were on the other end of an ALDS comeback, losing the final three at Seattle’s Kingdome. New York grabbed a one-run lead against Randy Johnson in the 11th inning of Game 5, but Edgar Martinez’s walk-off two-run double scored Ken Griffey Jr. to end the series.
Rams Third-Year Player Named Top Candidate For Award
Wide receiver Puka Nacua is off to an incredible start for the Los Angeles Rams this season.
Nacua leads the league with 588 receiving yards and the most receptions with 52 and has been a threat in the running game, rushing for 52 yards and a touchdown.
“If you’re a defense and you’re going up against him, but you’ve got to defend all the blades of grass,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said of Nacua, via Rams Wire.
“Are we going to hand it to him? Are we going to throw it to him? Is he going to lead block for us in a run play or is he going to slip out into the flat, catch it and run for another 15? I think it’s his versatility, his ability to affect the game in a number of different ways and help our team.”
One NFL writer believes it puts the player in a prime position to win an award, given the impressive performance of Puka.
Puka Nacua Named MVP Candidate
Puka Nacua had a hot first four games of the season in which he hauled in over 500 receiving yards. In the Week 5 match-up, Puka had his worst game of the season so far with 85 receiving yards.
Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano names the Rams’ wide receiver as the third top MVP candidate after five weeks in the 2025 season so far.
“I’ll address Matthew Stafford’s absence here. He’s certainly playing like an MVP, but history tells us that whenever there are two candidates on the same team, one tends to get pushed more than the other. As for another downside, it usually hurts both candidates because they’re splitting votes,” Manzano wrote.
“But I’m sure Stafford would gladly rave about how vital Nacua has been to the Rams, especially this season. Last week, it was easy to see how much the [San Francisco] 49ers’ defense paid attention to Nacua, allowing Stafford to take advantage of the beneficial matchups for the other guys. It’s somewhat of an insult to refer to Davante Adams as one of the other guys, but he, too, has benefited from Nacua’s dominance to start the season. ”
If Nacua were to win the MVP, he would be the first non-quarterback player to win the award since the 2012-13 season, when running back Adrian Peterson won the award.
On Track For Historic Achievement
In Adrian Peterson’s MVP season, he rushed for over 2,000 yards while recording 12 TDs.
For Puka Nacua to win the most valuable player award, he would need to haul in 2,000 receiving yards, something he is on track to do.
Matthew Stafford has been the quarterback behind the two most receiving yards in a season by Calvin Johnson and Cooper Kupp.
Puka recorded 1,486 yards as the second wide receiver in his rookie season. Now, as WR1, Puka could achieve the historic milestone of 2k yards, which will lead him to win the MVP.
Giants QB Jaxson Dart Joins Patrick Mahomes in Achieving Rare NFL Feat
The New York Giants appear to have found something real in rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, and the numbers early in his career back that up.
Dart struggled in New York’s Week 5 loss to the New Orleans Saints, tossing two interceptions and losing a fumble. However, he also beat the then undefeated Los Angeles Chargers in his NFL debut, who boast one of the better defenses in the league.
The Giants turned around on a short week after losing to the Saints, hosting the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles on
Deion Sanders Has Only One Wish From Son Shilo After NFL Rejection as He Turns Down Coaching Shedeur
Poor Deion Sanders! His son, Shilo’s NFL leap, did not turn out to be the way the proud dad had envisioned. The former Colorado Buffaloes safety went undrafted out of college, was cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after their preseason finale back at the end of August. While there was still some hope for Shilo from the Baltimore Ravens, the NFL giants shut the door to Deion’s son and instead signed two other safeties. But Deion ensured to keep Shilo cheered up amidst this heartbreak. Well, Papa Prime had only one wish for his 25-year-old.
On the October 9th episode of the Home Grown with David & Derek Carr podcast, Deion was invited as the guest. He was asked, “So if you weren’t coaching right now, what would you be doing?” Coach Prime talked a little about his hobby, which he used to enjoy sharing with his former player, Travis Hunter: “Fishing. I love that.”
Then he had a message for his sons, “Probably encouraging my kids, Shilo, to live his life. Shedeur, I can’t wait to go see him play.” After all, Deion has always seen Shilo being the life of the room he walks in, playing pranks on his brother and dad. Talking about the safety’s spirit? Nothing could ever dull Shilo’s aura. Do you remember when, at the beginning of last year, Deion’s son had to undergo surgery to fix his pinky finger?
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Shilo did not allow himself to get scared. Instead, he made fun of himself and the situation, “They put horse tranquilizer for real,” minutes after he jokingly claimed that he would need some high dosage of anesthesia, probably the one used for horses.
The ex-Buffs safety got cut by the Buccaneers. Back in September, this year, news broke that Shilo could be heading to San Francisco, as he had a workout for the 49ers. While his second chance still hangs in the balance, he did not forget to live every moment, having fun with his dad, Deion. Shilo’s financial standing has hit a low as he is yet to earn a fat check from the league. But his comment about being broke seems to have been a tongue-in-cheek reply.
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“You have too much money to be getting all these surgeries,” Shilo jokingly messed with Deion before his surgery to fix his blood clots. To which Papa Prime asked how he could help. That’s what Shilo might be waiting for. “If you give me $5 million just to have, I will make sure that you don’t have to get surgery,” he did not think twice before replying. He further tried to lure Deion, promising, “Yes, I’ll make sure you have the best care.” Yes, that’s the spirit Papa Prime wishes for Shilo, forever. With so many things happening in the Sanders fam, what about Deion’s chances of making a debut in the NFL coaching?
Deion Sanders stays loyal to Colorado Buffaloes
Earlier, Deion had turned down NFL head coaching offers in the past. However, the situation at present is different. With Shilo’s NFL future uncertain and Shedeur falling behind Dillon Gabriel in the Cleveland Browns’ depth chart, his sons might need their dad to be around. However, Deion is not ready to make the big leap as yet. “No. No. Not at this point. No. No. I don’t want to coach in the NFL,” confirmed the Buffs head coach. The justification?
“I would because the grown men… like it’s already enough dealing with college kids who are making money who may not love the game but they love the check. You think I’m going to want to deal with a grown man who’s doing that, and I can’t get rid of them?” stated Deion. Looks like the Buffaloes are still his true and only love.
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During Colorado’s face-off against the TCU Horned Frogs, Deion was spotted wearing one shoe. And it was enough for fans to be worried about Coach Prime. After all, over the past few years, Deion has undergone 11 surgeries to treat his blood clot. Eventually, their fear turned out to be true. The Buffs’ head coach made the painful announcement, “It’s a long procedure, but I’m having it today. Prayerfully, I’ll be right back tomorrow. I don’t like missing practice. We knew what it was, and I’ve got a great team of doctors and trainers making sure I’m good.”
The procedure, aspiration thrombectomy, lasted for four hours. Did Deion Sanders take a long break? Absolutely not. He was back at the field within 16 hours of the surgery. The only wish for him right now? To enjoy the calm, watch his sons’ NFL dreams unfold.
NFL scores indirect win, with dismissal of
The NFL has one less thing to worry about.
Not that the league had any potential liability arising from Kendrick Lamar’s performance during the Super Bowl halftime show of “Not Like Us,” with lyrics that dub Lamar’s rival, Drake, as a “certified pedophile.” But the NFL won’t have to spend any time, effort, or money preparing and presenting witnesses during discovery or at trial.
Via Bill Donahue of Billboard.com, a judge dismissed Drake’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group for defamation. Judge Jeannette Vargas issued the ruling that the lyrics reflect the “hyperbole.”
“Although the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that ‘Not Like Us’ imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff,” Judge Vargas wrote.
Drake will appeal the dismissal of the case. For now, though, the NFL won’t be dragged into the middle of the fight.
During the discovery process, Drake would have (and still could, if the appeal is successful) questioned NFL witnesses involved in the decision to revise the lyrics of the song for the halftime show, which omitted the word that triggered the lawsuit. The argument would be that the league’s decision to scrub the lyrics proves the impropriety of the use of the phrase.
For now, the case is over. The “heated rap battle” inevitably will continue.
Josh Allen’s Wife Hailee Steinfeld Announces Personal News on Thursday
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills saw their chances at an undefeated 2025 NFL season end in Week 5, falling to Drake Maye and the New England Patriots 23-20. Despite the loss, Allen still had a nice game, throwing for 251 yards and two touchdowns. Now, the Bills look to bounce back in Week 6, hitting the road to face the Atlanta Falcons on “Monday Night Football.”
Allen is entering his first season as a married man after tying the knot with actress Hailee Steinfeld in May. Steinfeld has had a busy year herself as her hit movie “Sinners,” co-starring Michael B. Jordan, was released just a month before the wedding. And in February, the Academy Award nominee also partnered with Premium Beers Group to launch her own cocktail brand called Angel Margarita.
Angel Margarita offers four flavored beverages, including lime, grapefruit paloma, ranch water and wild berry. The brand primarily sells in retail stores across California and Mexico, but was recently picked up by a location in Rochester, New York. Steinfeld hopes to expand to more markets, including Buffalo and New York City, where she hosted a launch party in September.
And sure enough, on Thursday, Steinfeld revealed that Angel Margarita will be in the Big Apple soon.
“See you soon New York…” Steinfeld wrote on her Instagram Story, sharing a photo from the New York City launch.
Ahead of Angel Margarita’s arrival in NYC locations, Steinfeld opened up about her motivation behind the brand, wanting to create something “real and authentic.”
“There is so much importance in only aligning with things that feel truly authentic to me,” Steinfeld said. “I launched two brands this year, Angel Margarita and my newsletter Beau Society, and before that, I helped found Prevé Reveau, which is an eyewear brand that was acquired and, well, we’re here to talk about Angel today. I mention those because those are two things that have given me the chance to build something that I actually wanted in my own life and then to share with the world.
“And I’m so, so lucky and so grateful to have partners that understand that there really is something so special that comes with creating from that place of purpose. And we all feel the same way. We understand that and understand the importance of that. And with Angel, it was all about creating something that felt real, that felt authentic, that felt like it could enter your life in a very special moment and represent something meaningful.”
While Steinfeld prepares for the big expansion, Allen and the Bills get set to face the Falcons on Monday at 7:15 p.m. ET.
Ex-ASU football star Cam Skattebo has career-high game in Giants upset
The legend of Cam Skattebo is growing by the game. His hard-nosed style of play and passionate nature have made him a New York Giants crowd favorite already.
Skattebo, who turned cult hero in his two years at Arizona State, is now generating a buzz — along with fellow standout rookie, quarterback Jaxson Dart — in the NFL. The two led the New York Giants in a decisive upset of the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday Night Football.
The Giants won, 34-17, with Skattebo rushing for a career-high three touchdowns.
His first touchdown came on a 4-yard run with 1:19 left in the second quarter and gave the Giants a 20-17 lead. He added 1-yard runs in the third and fourth quarters, the latter rounding out the scoring. He finished with a career-high 98 yards on 19 carries, and added two catches for 12 yards.
Skattebo’s previous high was 79 yards against the Los Angeles Chargers. He now has 338 yards and five touchdowns and has become the team’s primary back after an injury to Tyrone Tracy.
During the postgame show, Dart challenged analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick to take off his shirt, saying that Skattebo would do it, too. The two then did just that, and the remaining crowd at MetLife Stadium erupted one last time.
Giants RB Cam Skattebo Bracing For Punishment After Win Over Eagles
Cam Skattebo and the New York Giants have found their stride, securing their second straight win and jumping to 2-4 on the 2025 NFL season after a 347-17 win over Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6’s edition of “Sunday Night Football.” Skattebo had the best game of his rookie season, recording 98 yards and three touchdowns on the ground while adding two catches for 12 yards through the air.
Skattebo has become known for his powerful running, constantly delivering big hits on defenders. However, with 5:05 remaining in the fourth and the game ultimately sealed, Skattebo took a hard shot from Eagles safety Andrew Makuba, sending the rookie flying out of bounds. But after the former Arizona State running back got up, he had some words for Makuba, forcing the officials to throw a flag for taunting.
With his taunt, Skattebo can expect a hefty fine coming his way. In the NFL, players can be fined up to $11,593 for a first taunting offense, with the amount increasing to $17,389 for a second.
So far in the 2025 season, the NFL has issued 13 fines for taunting. In Week 4 alone, three players, including Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean, Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker and Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, were each fined $11,593 for the offense. Even Giants star Brian Burns was fined the same amount for his taunt in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Through the first five games this season, only two New York players have been fined. Outside of Burns, offensive tackle James Hudson was hit with a $12,172 penalty for striking the helmet of Cowboys defensive end James Houston.
Chargers Named Landing Destination For 31 Touchdown Player
The Los Angeles Chargers are on a two-game losing streak after starting the season off with three straight wins.
The passing game for the Bolts has not been up to the usual par the last two weeks, with quarterback Justin Herbert having more interceptions than passing touchdowns. Herbert has thrown for 369 yards in the span with only two touchdowns and three interceptions.
In the first three weeks of the 2025 season, Herbert had 860 passing yards with seven touchdowns and only a single interception.
The main targets for Herbert have been the wide receivers, who account for more than half of his passing yardage and the majority of his touchdown passes, while the tight ends on the roster have not seen much production.
Needing a big body threat in the redzone, an NFL analyst reveals his trade proposal to get a high-scoring tight end to the City of Angels.
David Njoku To Los Angeles?
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay drops a trade idea that will land the Bolts’ tight end David Njoku from the Cleveland Browns. The trade proposal will require the Bolts to give up a 2026 fourth-round pick to receive Njoku’s talents.
“Tight end David Njoku continues to be one of Cleveland’s most reliable offensive players, but he is also one of the Browns’ most sensible trade chips,” Knox wrote. “Harold Fannin Jr. has impressed and appears poised to take over as Cleveland’s long-term starting tight end. Through five weeks, the rookie has caught 21 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown.”
“While there’s value in having two pass-catching tight ends—especially for a team trying to support a young signal-caller—the Browns have to be thinking long-term… Njoku is set to be a free agent in 2026, and Cleveland should be able to get, at worst, a middle-round pick for him.”
The possibility of joining the Chargers should intrigue Njoku. He would join the 3-2 team while leaving behind the Browns, who are currently 1-4 and don’t currently have a solid answer on who will be the long-term answer at quarterback for the organization.
Knox also notes that rookie tight end Harold Fannin is currently seeing a rise in usage in Cleveland that could bump Njoku out of the starting role.
Tight End Room
The Los Angeles Chargers currently have three tight ends in the position group. Adding David Njoku would give the Bolts a packed group.
LA signed Tyler Conklin in free agency and selected Oronde Gadsden in the 2025 NFL Draft, showing how much they prioritized the tight end position.
The team will likely move one player off the roster to trim the group down, with the possibility of trading a tight end to the Browns.
Adding David Njoku would give the Chargers a reliable player and a threat to the endzone for Justin Herbert.
Mark Sanchez’s Alleged Victim Says ‘Faith Guided My Hands to Protect Myself’ in Indianapolis Stabbing
Perry Tole, the victim of an assault allegedly perpetrated by former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez, reportedly said that his
Cam Skattebo is a Giants force of nature who can’t be denied
Here is a message to the NFL officials who are just getting to know about Cam Skattebo:
Do not — repeat — do not blow the whistle and signal the play dead while Skattebo’s legs are still churning and his heart is still beating.
The irrepressible rookie running back is listed as standing 5-foot-11 and he is not that. He is 5-9, tops. After what he gave the Giants and their happiness-starved fans Thursday night on a perfect autumnal evening, go ahead and list Skattebo as 10 feet tall.
In a game that also included Saquon Barkley, it was another running back who helped lead his team to victory. In a game where the narrative certainly might have been Barkley returning and shredding his former team, it was a different running back who plunged and muscled his way into the end zone. Not once, not twice, but three times.
Matthew Schaefer turned 18 last month. The Islanders rookie hardly looked his age in his NHL debut
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Matthew Schaefer jumped onto the darkened ice at PPG Paints Arena and, along with New York Islanders teammate Max Shabanov, took the traditional solo lap every player makes before their NHL debut.
It’s the only time the 18-year-old Schaefer looked like a rookie all night during New York’s 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh.
Confident and poised from the opening faceoff, the top overall pick in the June draft wasted little time showcasing why the Islanders coveted him after the balls bounced their way during the draft lottery.
Schaefer needed all of 12 minutes to collect the first point of his career, making a deft pass from the half wall to Jonathan Drouin in the slot. Drouin’s knuckler fluttered by Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry to pull New York even.
“Our team is so easy to make plays with, everyone is in the right spot,” Schaefer said with a shrug. “I found (Drouin) there, and it was an easy pass to him and of course he puts it in the back of the net.”
Islanders coach Patrick Roy didn’t waste time going to Schaefer, who played more than seven minutes in the opening period alone. Schaefer finished with 17:15 of ice time in all, including some with the New York net empty late as the Islanders tried to tie it.
“I thought he was really good,” Roy said of Schaefer. “He was good at the end. Throwing pucks at the net. I thought that he seemed very comfortable, very confident out there. So I’m very pleased with him.”
Schaefer, who had around 30 friends and family in attendance, admitted there were some jitters during his first couple of shifts but he didn’t exactly genuflect in the direction of Penguins icons Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The club’s Big Three are entering their 20th season playing alongside each other, a run that began before Schaefer was born.
While Schaefer isn’t entering the league with the same external expectations that followed Crosby to the NHL two decades ago — when Crosby himself arrived in the league at 18 as the top pick in the draft — Schaefer understands how important his arrival and development are for a team that hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in more than 40 years.
Yes, it’s cool that he made the club out of training camp barely a month after turning 18. He’s not here to sell tickets and generate interest, but to help the Islanders take a step forward in the competitive Metropolitan Division sooner rather than later.
Near breathless as he talked after becoming the second-youngest NHL defenseman to make his debut in 70 years, Schaefer wasn’t particularly interested in trying to put the moment in perspective as he was regretting the result.
The Islanders controlled the game for extended stretches and threw 38 shots at Jarry. Save for a couple of costly breakdowns in front of their own net — which allowed Malkin and Crosby to work their magic — New York played with speed and purpose, which the Islanders hope offered a blueprint for what’s to come, the new kid included.
“I thought we brought it tonight,” Schaefer said. “Wish we could have got the win. Hate losing. Now we know and we’re going to learn from it and focus on our next game. But I thought it was a great first game for us. I just wish we got the win.”
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Matthew Schaefer lauded by Patrick Roy, Isles after ‘confident’ NHL debut
PITTSBURGH — Matthew Schaefer jumped onto the darkened ice at PPG Paints Arena and, along with New York Islanders teammate Max Shabanov, took the traditional solo lap every player makes before their NHL debut.
It’s the only time the 18-year-old Schaefer looked like a rookie all night during New York’s 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh.
Confident and poised from the opening faceoff, the top overall pick in the June draft wasted little time showcasing why the Islanders coveted him after the balls bounced their way during the draft lottery.
Schaefer needed all of 12 minutes to collect the first point of his career, making a deft pass from the half wall to Jonathan Drouin in the slot. Drouin’s knuckler fluttered by Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry to pull New York even.
Stars hold off Jets despite Connor’s hat trick, spoil Toews NHL return
Connor’s third goal of the game cut it to 5-4 with 3:03 remaining in the third period for the Jets, who scored three times in the period after trailing 5-1. He signed eight-year, $96 million contract with the Jets on Wednesday.
Jonathan Toews had a shot on goal and a takeaway in 18:19 of ice time in his debut for his hometown team Winnipeg, his first NHL game since April 13, 2023, after health issues prevented him from playing the past two seasons.
Toews played for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2008-23, winning the Stanley Cup three times as their captain (2010, 2013, 2015).
Jason Robertson and Nils Lundkvist each had a goal and an assist, and Thomas Harley had two assists for the Stars. Jake Oettinger made 21 saves.
Glen Gulutzan won his debut in his second stint as Dallas coach after being hired on July 1. He previously coached the Stars from 2011-2013.
Morgan Barron scored, and Mark Scheifele had three assists for the Jets, who were also playing their season opener. Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves.
Rantanen made it 1-0 Dallas at 3:15 of the first period when the rebound from Roope Hintz’s shot from in close went off Hellebuyck’s mask and to Rantanen alone in front.
Connor tied it 1-1 at 6:19, collecting Scheifele’s cross-slot pass and shooting it under Oettinger’s glove.
Lundkvist put the Stars back ahead 2-1 at 15:24, scoring with a snap shot from the high slot.
Dallas made it 4-1 with two goals in a span of 34 seconds in the third. Robertson scored on the power play at 1:01 before Tyler Seguin’s goal at 1:35.
Wyatt Johnston then pushed it to 5-1 at 3:23.
Winnipeg responded with two short-handed goals in a span of 1:16.
Barron stole the puck in the Jets’ end while killing a 5-on-3 Stars power play and skated the length of the ice to score on the breakaway and cut it to 5-2 at 9:53.
Connor’s second goal of the game came on a partial break, scoring short-handed on his own rebound to make it 5-3 at 11:09.
Matthew Schaefer’s Islanders debut was a moment for those who got him there
PITTSBURGH — It was 6:23 p.m. on Thursday and some 20-30 friends and family of Matthew Schaefer were gathered behind the Islanders bench.
They would soon migrate up to a suite to watch Schaefer’s NHL debut but for this, for Schaefer’s rookie lap, they had gone to ice level to take it in, to try and burn it into their memories forever.
“I’m so proud of him,” Todd Schaefer, Matthew’s dad, told The Post minutes before his son flew around NHL ice, sans-helmet, for the first time before a regular-season game. “It’s exciting and nervous. As a dad, you’re always thinking stress and nerves. Some people say to me, ‘You don’t seem like you’re enjoying it. I say, ‘No, I’m having a blast, but as a dad, as a parent, you get worried. You get stressed, you get nervous.’
“I’m just happy for him. He’s excited. He’s pumped and we got a great support system around him, whether it’s at home in Canada, whether it’s in New York, whether it’s on the road.”
2026 NHL Draft Diary: Tynan Lawrence
It was a tough decision to leave home and go to Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Minnesota), but they have a great program there with a lot of players who have moved on to the next level and found success. It was kind of the same situation with my decision to sign in Muskegon (in 2024-25) after my time at Shattuck. They gave me a great opportunity and focus on development a lot. They really care about their players and how they succeed in their own way with the team’s success as well. They really take their time and know what they’re doing with their players, and they’ve shown that in the past.
Before I tendered, Sacha Boisvert (2022-24) was there. He got drafted high (Chicago Blackhawks, No. 18, 2024 NHL Draft). Matvei Gridin was there (2022-24), and he also got drafted high (Calgary Flames, No. 28, 2024 draft), so it’s kind of they’ve been there and done that, so that was a big influence on the decision. They have a great culture and a great team, so it was an easier decision to make.
When it came time to commit to a college, Boston University just felt right. I went there and looked at the school, the city and the players who had been through there. I felt like it just felt right for me to go there. They have a strong past and a bunch of high-end players who have gone through there and found success in the NHL. That’s what I want to do, and they really know how to develop their players.
Personally, I feel my game resembles (Montreal Canadiens captain) Nick Suzuki a lot. Even though he is a right shot. He’s a very strong two-way forward who is very smart and can make players around him better. I think that is one of the main comparisons I can make to myself. My speed is another key part of my game.
As for this season, obviously, everyone has their own personal goals where they want to be and what they want to do by the end of the year. I want to focus on developing every day as a player and as a person off the ice. Another goal is for us as a team to keep growing, getting closer and getting better so that by the end of the year, we are a tight-knit group and can give ourselves the best chance at success.
Before the season started, I had a bit of a freak accident during training camp. I should be back in a couple of weeks. Obviously, it’s difficult not being able to play hockey and be with the team on the ice all the time, but I feel like it’s also a good learning experience for me. I get to find other ways to help lead the team off the ice or wherever they need me. Just keep trying to learn and build more character, so when I do come back, I am ready to go.
I do believe I can be a top 10 pick in the draft this summer. With all of the work I put in during the offseason and continuing into the season, I feel like if I play like I know I can, I will give myself the best chance to go high in the draft.
Thank you for reading this month. I hope everyone enjoys their Halloween. I will talk to you again in November.
NHL players give predictions for next breakout star in League
Macklin Celebrini was outstanding as a rookie with the San Jose Sharks, but he will be even better this season, according to his peers.
Celebrini was the most popular answer when 30 NHL players were asked in September at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour to identify who they believed will have a breakout season.
Celebrini was named by nine of the players. No other player got more than two votes.
Trophy Tracker: McDavid of Oilers favorite to win Hart Trophy for 4th time
To mark the beginning of the 2025-26 regular season, NHL.com is running its first installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Hart Trophy, given annually to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team selected in a vote by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.
Connor McDavid’s desire to win appears to be at an all-time personal high after losing in the Stanley Cup Final two straight years, making it possible that the 2025-26 version of the Edmonton Oilers captain will be the best the NHL has seen to date.
If so, McDavid likely would run away with the Hart Trophy that he is considered the favorite to win for a fourth time in 11 seasons, according to a panel of 15 NHL.com voters.
McDavid received nine first-place votes and 62 voting points. Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon was second with three first-place votes and 54 voting points.
Jonathan Toews returns after two years, gets huge welcome
After sitting out the previous two seasons and looking like his NHL career was over, three-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews made his return to the NHL on Thursday night as a member of his hometown Winnipeg Jets. Toews, who is from Manitoba, had spent the first 15 years of his career with the Chicago Blackhawks where he was the centerpiece of their mini-dynasty in the early 2010s.
The Jets are hoping he can recapture some of that magic and bring much-needed championship experience to their roster.
He was held off the scoresheet in Thursday’s 5-4 loss to the Dallas Stars, logging 18:19 minutes of ice-time and recording one shot on goal.
Jonathan Toews gets huge welcome in Winnipeg debut
Even though Toews is new to the Jets’ roster, he is still a huge star in Winnipeg. Not only for the fact that he is from there, but also because he has represented Team Canada on an international level and been a hockey superstar across the country.
When he was introduced as part of the team’s home-opener on Thursday, he got one of the loudest and biggest ovations of the pregame ceremony.
At his peak in Chicago, Toews was one of the best two-way players in the NHL, combining shutdown defense with top-line scoring ability. As he got toward the end of his career, however, his effectiveness rapidly declined. It will be interesting to see what he still has left in the tank this season, not only as a 37-year-old forward, but also one who has not played NHL hockey since the 2022-23 season.
The Jets are hoping to be a serious Stanley Cup contender in the Western Conference. Toews is one of their biggest offseason additions. They need him to still able to contribute something, because as exciting as moments like these were for the fans, this season is not about the local kid returning home. It is about competing for a championship.
Schaefer makes family, friends ‘super proud’ in NHL debut with Islanders
PITTSBURGH — The historic moment wasn’t lost on Todd Schaefer, the father of New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer.
In Matthew’s NHL debut, Todd, his eldest son, Johnny, and 25 other friends and family members were all cheering him on against the Pittsburgh Penguins from their section at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday.
Sure, he’s watched his son do this so many times before, but this was different.
It happened on his sixth shift of the game. That’s when Matthew skated down wing and dumped the puck into the right-wing corner, allowing New York to go on the attack. He ultimately found himself with the puck in the left face-off circle, found a seam, and passed to Jonathan Drouin in the slot for the Islanders first goal of the season, in what would end in a 4-3 loss.
The assist enabled Schaefer (18 years, 34 days) to become the youngest defenseman in League history with a point in his first career game, a mark previously held by Scott Niedermayer (18 years, 46 days on Oct. 16, 1991).
The goal tied the game 1-1 at 12:02 of the first period. It also turned Todd into an emotional wreck.
He was standing up at the time, and Johnny was sitting in the first row of the suite. They were overcome by the moment but eventually found each other and embraced to provide some sort of emotional support.
Former NBA player Paul Pierce found asleep in car, arrested for alleged DUI
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former NBA player Paul Pierce was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of driving under the influence on a Los Angeles highway after he was found asleep behind the wheel, state police said.
California Highway Patrol officers responded at about 10:40 p.m. to an unrelated car crash involving multiple vehicles on the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101, closing four of the six lanes to investigate, the agency said in a press release.
When they reopened the lanes about an hour later, they saw a Range Rover SUV stopped in the road, south of the crash. Officers saw Pierce asleep at the wheel and “noticed signs of alcohol impairment,” so they conducted a DUI investigation, the press release said.
He was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, which will be reviewed by the Los Angeles city attorney.
Pierce did not immediately respond to a message for comment, and additional contact information for him could not be immediately found.
Pierce played for the Boston Celtics for 15 seasons, and most recently for the LA Clippers before retiring in 2017. He also played for the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards.
The 10-time All-Star and the MVP of the 2008 NBA finals was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Pierce was recently a cohost of Speak, a sports talk show on Fox Sports that was canceled in July 2025.
Stephen A. Smith Gave his Final Verdict on NBA GOAT debate
The 2025-26 NBA regular season is less than a couple of weeks away, and L.A. Lakers forward LeBron James will be the first athlete ever to play a 23rd year in the league.
The all-time great is still among the best players in the world, and with a franchise with high expectations in the Western Conference. For years now, the NBA GOAT debate has largely revolved around two legendary wings: James and Michael Jordan.
Michael played 15 years in the NBA, building one of the league’s most dominant dynasties with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. MJ ultimately won six Larry O’Brien trophies in eight years and was named Finals MVP for all of those championship runs.
LeBron, on the other hand, has fewer championships, Finals MVPs, and regular-season MVPs to his name, but he’s made a record 21 All-NBA teams and is the NBA’s current all-time leader in points.
These two titans have ultimately compiled staggering resumes, which is why public discourse over the GOAT debate has mostly narrowed it down to just them.
Stephen A. Smith has been one of the most prominent voices in this debate. While the famed ESPN analyst hasn’t drastically changed his opinion on who he believes is the greatest player of all time, he did make a recent eye-opening admission on this topic.
In fact, Smith tried to end this conversation once and for all, giving his final verdict on the GOAT debate after LeBron hit another unimaginable milestone.
Stephen A. Smith gave his final take on the NBA GOAT debate
Stephen A. Smith has long been one of the most prominent media personalities in professional sports, offering his candid and often-controversial opinions on a wide range of topics.
On an episode of ESPN’s First Take, Smith reacted to LeBron James becoming the first player in NBA history to score 50,000 career points.
While Stephen A. has a very checkered past with the Lakers’ star, the longtime sports pundit gave an honest acknowledgment of this unprecedented milestone.
Exjugador de la NBA Paul Pierce es arrestado tras hallársele dormido en su auto
Los agentes de la Patrulla de Caminos de California respondieron alrededor de las 10:40 de la noche a un accidente de tráfico no relacionado, que involucró a múltiples vehículos en los carriles hacia el norte de la autopista 101 de Estados Unidos. Las autoridades cerraron cuatro de los seis carriles para investigar, informó la agencia en un comunicado de prensa.
El basquetbolista jugó para los Celtics de Boston durante 15 temporadas, y más recientemente para los Clippers de Los Ángeles, antes de retirarse en 2017. También jugó para los Nets de Brooklyn y los Wizards de Washington.
Why LeBron James Is Missing the Start of the NBA Season
The Los Angeles Lakers’ NBA season will start differently this year.
LeBron James, 40, will be sidelined for at least three to four more weeks due to sciatica on his right side, the Lakers announced on Thursday, Oct. 9, per ESPN. James has already missed the Lakers’ first two preseason games.
If the basketball star is sidelined for the entirety of the projected period, he will miss his team’s season opener game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Sciatica
Charles Barkley Sends Blunt Warning to WNBA Players About CBA Negotiations
While it has been one of the biggest stories in the women’s basketball community for the past year, the ongoing Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations between the WNBA league office and the league’s players are going to take center stage in a major way once the 2025 WNBA Finals conclude.
Both sides have been negotiating for months, and there’s no indication that they’re anywhere near a deal, despite the deadline (which can always be moved back) being on October 31.
This back-and-forth taking center stage has brought a ton of attention from the mainstream sports world. The most recent person to offer their opinion on what’s going on is NBA legend turned television personality Charles Barkley, who gave powerful advice during an October 9 appearance on the Rich Eisen Show.
Charles Barkley’s Advice to WNBA Players
NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce Found Asleep Behind the Wheel
Former Boston Celtics small forward Paul Pierce was arrested for DUI on Tuesday night after being found asleep behind the wheel. California Highway Patrol officers found his Range Rover SUV stopped in northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101 that had been closed as the result of a separate crash and approached the vehicle, only to discover Pierce asleep behind the wheel and showing signs of alcohol impairment. The 47-year-old, who retired from the NBA in 2017 after 19 seasons, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. While Pierce did not return requests for comment from ESPN, he did upload a photo of standstill traffic ostensibly taken the night of his arrest on Instagram. In the caption, Pierce wrote, “Imagine being stuck in stand still traffic for 45 mins and falling asleep 🤦🏾♂️ I took this picture that night because I never been in stand still traffic for this long. I’m old, I’m tired, and I fell asleep 🤷🏾♂️ I’m good y’all thanks for the love.”
Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group was thrown out on Thursday by a judge who said that Kendrick Lamar’s characterization of Drake as a pedophile in his 2024 hit “Not Like Us” was his personal opinion. The rapper was attempting to sue Universal, which owns Republic Records–a label he has a contract with–over what he argued was the defamatory content of Lamar’s diss track against him that took the world by storm. Drake claimed that Universal, which Lamar is also signed to, intentionally published and promoted the song despite knowing it contained defamatory allegations against him, adding that the song had damaged his reputation and tarnished his brand. In dismissing the case, the judge argued that the song was “replete with profanity, trash-talking, threats of violence, and figurative and hyperbolic language, all of which are indicia of opinion” and that any reasonable listener “would conclude that Lamar is rapping hyperbolic vituperations” and not making an earnest comment about Drake’s character. UMG said in a statement to Variety: “From the outset, this suit was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day. We’re pleased with the court’s dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career.”
Sweater weather is finally here! Refresh your wardrobe with one—or three—of these cozy and comfy picks from HSN. From classic knits to pullovers, these sweaters will be your go-to for crisp morning strolls, casual evenings out, and everything in between.
Turtleneck Tunic Sweater
Price reflects 20% discount
This chunky sweater is a fall and winter essential. The elegant shaker-stitch detail and luxe faux fur cuffs give it an eye-catching look. Layer on your favorite necklace and pair it with your go-to pants for a chic, polished, and preppy outfit.
V-Neck Cable Knit Sweater
With glamorous sequin stripes and cable knit patterns, this soft and lightweight V-neck sweater is a statement maker. Featuring long sleeves, drop shoulders, and a semi-fitted style, this sweater is designed to flatter your silhouette.
Colorblock Pullover Poncho Sweater
Price reflects 30% discount
This poncho-style pullover channels laid-back western vibes. Oversized and stretchy, it feels luxuriously soft—almost like cashmere but without the price tag. Throw it on with jeans and boots for an effortlessly stylish weekend look.
If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission.
Former NFL hopeful Julian Fleming has been charged with homicide by motor vehicle for the May 2025 death of his girlfriend, Alyssa Boyd. Fleming, 24, was driving an ATV in Columbia Township, Pennsylvania, on May 23 with Boyd as his passenger when the pair crashed. Boyd, 23, was pronounced dead at the scene. Fleming, who played four seasons as a wide receiver for Ohio State and one season at Penn State, was seriously injured. Neither had been wearing protective gear. According to his lawyers, Fleming crashed after swerving to avoid a deer. However, a blood alcohol test revealed the wide receiver’s level was between 0.10 and 0.16, well above the legal limit. He has also been charged with driving under the influence. Fleming’s defense attorney told NBC News on Thursday, “Regardless of whether there was alcohol involved or there wasn’t alcohol involved, this was an unavoidable event. He hasn’t done anything wrong.” Though once named ESPN’s #1 college football recruit, Fleming went undrafted in the 2024-25 NFL season. The Green Bay Packers offered him a contract that year, but rescinded the offer after he failed a physical exam. Fleming surrendered to Pennsylvania state police on Wednesday and was released after posting $75,000 bond. A hearing is scheduled for later this month.
Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Mike Greenwell died this week at the age of 62 after a battle with medullary thyroid cancer. Greenwell, who played on the Boston team for the entirety of his 12-year MLB career, made his diagnosis public in August. After his 1996 retirement, he went on to serve in the public sector. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Greenwell as a Lee County commissioner in 2022. Lee County officials wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday, “He was a strong advocate for the people and businesses of Lee County and will be remembered for seeking meaningful solutions to the challenges his community faced.” Greenwell’s son, Bo, also took to social media to comment on his father’s passing. “It has been a long year for him through a lot of pain and suffering. Now he can finally rest in peace. Thank you to everyone who has been keeping him in your thoughts and prayers,” he wrote on Thursday. Greenwell is survived by his wife, Tracy, and his two sons, Bo and Garrett.
Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.
The most challenging part of any fitness program isn’t always just getting started; it’s staying consistent. Many give up when the progress is slow or not visible. That’s where the Tonal 2, an all-in-one home gym system, comes in. Designed to keep you moving forward in your strength training journey, the Tonal 2 provides support in three key areas for real results: progressive overload, training to failure, and perfecting your form.
Progressive overload is the idea of gradually increasing weights over time to stimulate growth. But with free weights, hitting that sweet spot can be tricky, leaving you feeling stuck. The Tonal 2 eliminates this annoyance by fine-tuning the resistance in exact one-pound increments, ensuring every lift challenges you at just the right level. It also introduces smart drop sets. As your muscles fatigue, the system automatically lowers the weight so you can push to failure. According to Tonal, this builds muscle up to two times faster.
Tonal 2 Smart Home Gym
Includes wall installation
Proper form is crucial for real progress, as poor technique can hinder muscle activation and increase the risk of injury. The Tonal 2 takes the guesswork out of form with its built-in camera, analyzing your movements and offering real-time cues, like keeping your back straight during Romanian Deadlifts. It’s basically like a virtual personal trainer. After your workout, the Tonal 2 provides a breakdown, using clips from your session to highlight areas for improvement.
Aside from strength training, the Tonal 2 is also equipped with 15 other fitness modalities, including Aero HIIT, yoga, and mobility. This allows you to mix up your workouts so you never get bored. It’s a fitness splurge that truly pays off.
An experienced skydiver has died after a fatal injury suffered when crashing mid-air into another experienced skydiver in Massachusetts. Robert Szabo died three days after the Saturday collision at the age of 62, according to local authorities. Szabo, originally from Connecticut, landed in the small Massachusetts town of Orange’s airport with a “fully functioning parachute,” according to the skydiving company, Jumptown Skydiving. Szabo was taken from the airport “by ambulance to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, where he remained until he died Tuesday evening,” authorities said. “Despite the best efforts of his medical team, and with MRI results confirming a grim prognosis, Rob’s decision was made to allow nature to take its course,” the obituary read. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death, while local police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding it. Szabo first skydived in 1981, according to Connecticut Parachutists, where he was a staff member. He took part in over 5,000 jumps all around the world, according to his obituary. “He passed away peacefully in the arms of his close friend, Bryce Painter,” according to his obituary.
Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ Kylie Jenner will make her acting debut in pop star Charli XCX’s newest A24 film, The Moment. The Brat singer announced her newest project with a flashy video on Instagram, warning audiences that the video “contains strobing light could cause seizures.” Without mentioning much else about the film, the post announced Jenner and Charli would be starring in the movie, alongside a slew of famous faces including Alexander Skarsgård, Rosanna Arquette, Rachel Sennott, Kate Berlant, and Jamie Demetriou. The caption, reading “based on an original idea by charli xcx. The moment. coming 2026,” teased the film, which is purportedly a mockumentary following the rise of a pop star preparing for her first headlining tour. As a member of the famous Kardashian clan, Jenner has historically faced accusations of being a talentless nepo baby. The new film, which will be written by Aidan Zamiri and Bertie Brandes, will be the 28-year-old Kylie Cosmetics CEO’s chance at unveiling potential acting prowess. Record producer A.G. Cook will create original music for the feature film, which is also being produced under Charli’s Studio365 label in collaboration with film producer David Hinojosa of 2 AM.
Chicago Sky player Angel Reese announced on Instagram that she will be walking the upcoming Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. “Stepping into a dream: From Angel to a Victoria Secret ANGEL. I’m finally getting my wings,” the 23-year-old WNBA star posted on Instagram Thursday, sharing photos of herself in the iconic Victoria’s Secret pink robe and wings. Shortly after, the official Instagram page for the lingerie brand welcomed Reese to the runway, writing: “The first professional athlete, Angel… major is an understatement.
NBA games in Macau test waters for China comeback
HONG KONG, Oct 10 (Reuters) – The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) games in Macau on Friday and Sunday are a test for a broader China comeback, experts and state media said, as Chinese fans swarmed to the world’s biggest gambling hub to get a glimpse of the sport.
The NBA is playing two pre-season games, dubbed the
LeBron James will miss opening night of his record 23rd NBA season due to sciatica
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James will miss opening night of his record 23rd NBA season due to sciatica that will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks, the Los Angeles Lakers announced Thursday.
The 40-year-old superstar will be sidelined at least until the end of October with sciatica — pain in the nerves running from the buttocks and down the back of the legs — on his right side.
James has yet to participate in a full practice since the Lakers opened training camp last week, and coach JJ Redick said James was “on his own timeline” Thursday after practice. An hour later, the Lakers announced an injury timeline that means James is likely to miss at least their first five or six games, and possibly several more.
The Lakers open the regular season at home Oct. 21 against Golden State. They have eight games in a 13-day span beginning Oct. 24.
James began camp for his unprecedented 23rd NBA season last week with the lower-body nerve injury keeping him off the court. The Lakers held their sixth full practice of camp Thursday without the top scorer in NBA history, who also missed both of their first two preseason games while he worked to get back into competitive condition.
“You’ve got to play the cards you’re dealt,” Redick said. “That’s a shame, but that’s just the reality. … No one has got any time with LeBron. That’s not just (new center Deandre Ayton), but everybody. (James) hasn’t been on the court with the team, but that’s just the reality.”
Redick and the rest of the Lakers expressed excitement last week about the chance to have their first full training camp together with James and Luka Doncic, who scarcely ever got to practice with his new team after joining Los Angeles in the middle of last season.
Instead, the Lakers are installing their offense and building court chemistry during this camp largely without James on the court. They’re also getting limited time so far with Doncic, who is making a deliberate return to full speed after his participation in EuroBasket during a busy summer.
The Lakers return to the court Sunday at home against Golden State.
Doncic participated in some full practices last week, including scrimmages, but Ayton said Wednesday that he would love to get more practice time with the Lakers’ two biggest stars.
“It’s something I’ve just been waiting on,” Ayton said. “Just got to prepare. JJ and the coaching staff probably have something where they can put stuff together for all of us to really grow chemistry.”
James traveled with the Lakers on their preseason trips to Palm Desert, California, and San Francisco, but he has been performing individual drills and doing his own workouts.
James made news and scared his fans earlier this week when he teased “The Second Decision” on social media — for what turned out to be an advertisement for a cognac brand.
James has repeatedly said he doesn’t know whether he will retire after this season, only saying that the end to the longest career in NBA history will be “sooner than later.”
Redick had said he was hopeful that James and Doncic would participate in at least one preseason game that could be used as a “dress rehearsal” for the regular season, but that won’t happen.
Redick still expects Doncic to play in the preseason at least once. The Lakers have four preseason games remaining, including two in Los Angeles.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
IMSA Petit Le Mans Start Time & How To Watch Live
Throughout its glorious history that began in 1966, Team Penske has represented excellence on the race track in all forms of racing. But the 2025 NTT IndyCar Series season was one of the most challenging and frustrating years for the Roger Penske’s IndyCar team this century.
But in this weekend’s IMSA WeatherTech season finale in the Petit LeMans at Road Atlanta, the misery of a disappointing IndyCar Series season can be replaced with another IMSA Championship for Porsche Team Penske in Sports Car Racing.
It would be another racing championship in the top form of North American Sports Car Racing for the 88-year-old Penske.
Porsche Penske Focus
Porsche Team Penske is attempting to defend all titles in the IMSA finale at Motul Petit Le Mans in the 10-hour race. Porsche leads the manufacturers championship and the team and drivers’ standings entering the race weekend.
Catalano, Porto seal titles in VP Racing Challenge Race 1
Provided they started the first of two IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge races Thursday at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Valentino Catalano and Kiko Porto would unofficially clinch their respective championships. The class leaders in Le Mans Prototype 3 and Grand Sport X did so with ease in the first of two 45-minute races at the track, although only one of them won the race itself.
In P3 and overall, Catalano, driving the No. 30 Gebhardt Intralogistics Motorsports Duqueine D08, finished second to his teammate Oscar Tunjo in the sister No. 31 Gebhardt Duqueine.
“It’s the first year for me in America to be able to race here, and to win straightaway in my first year and in such a cool place like here in Road Atlanta, is really amazing for me,” Catalano said. “I really enjoyed the race here and it’s really cool to be back. Special to win as a German driver with a German team.”
Tunjo, back after missing the VIRginia International Raceway tripleheader due to a schedule conflict, finished ahead by 5.389 seconds after leading the entire race from the pole. Series debutante Lucas Fecury finished third in the No. 80 Toney Driver Development Ligier JS P320, with the team making its first start since the Daytona opener in January.
“We were a bit unlucky at CTMP, so it was good to be back here and deliver the win for Gebhardt,” added Tunjo, who scored his second win of the year, first since Mid-Ohio in June.
The battle in Grand Touring Daytona X continued as Jake Walker (No. 6 Turner Motorsport BMW M4 GT3) kept his hot streak alive with his fifth consecutive victory, eighth this season, leading home Adelson in the No. 24 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 R by 3.714s.
Adelson led the opening 17 laps but ran wide exiting Turn 7, which opened the door for Walker to scythe through. Nonetheless, Adelson will wrap the GTDX title so long as he starts Friday morning’s second race of the weekend.
“Yeah, Adam and I had a great battle,” Walker admitted. “He’s super quick. I really had to work hard to try to get around him. He made a mistake, unfortunately, so that ended that battle. But tomorrow will be really good, I’m sure.”
Porto was the one presumptive champion to take the checkered flag first on Thursday, taking the No. 8 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 to his eighth victory of the season en route to winning in GSX by 14.714s. Porto passed Steven Clemons’ No. 76 BSI Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2 on lap 3 and took control of the race.
“It feels amazing. It feels a consequence of everything the boys from RAFA Racing to put it all together,” Porto said. “I remember getting in the car at Daytona for the first practice. The amount of work they’ve done since then to give me this bullet of a car, all this year. It just a pleasure to be the chosen one to drive the No. 8 car from RAFA Racing. Not much mistake this year from them, so it’s just absolutely an honor to represent this group.”
Bronze Cup winners Thursday included Brian Thienes (No. 77 Forte Racing Ligier JS P320, P3), Samantha Tan (No. 38 ST Racing BMW M4 GT3, GTDX) and Allen Patten (No. 21 Thunder Bunny Racing BMW M4 GT4 EVO, GSX). Thienes, Tan and Ian Porter (No. 68 RAFA Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2) have unofficially clinched the Bronze Cup titles in their respective classes, as well.
Patten finished second among all GSX entries ahead of fellow VP Racing Challenge first-timer Jon Brel, another Bronze Cup-entered driver in the No. 53 Kingpin Racing Toyota GR Supra GT4 EVO2.
The race had three full-course cautions, two for a GSX car off course and one more for debris on track.
The final race of the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge season is Friday morning at 8:30am ET.
Infantino: Italy deserves the ‘best stadiums’ but World Cup depends on players
FIFA President Gianni Infantino says Italy deserves the ‘best stadiums in the world’ and calls for rules on league games played abroad, like Milan-Como.
Infantino spoke to Italian media after the general EFC assembly in Rome on Thursday.
“I’m Italian, so I’m always happy to come here, especially in Rome. It’s always beautiful,” said Infantino via TMW.
Milan and Inter have just acquired the San Siro area to build their new co-owned stadium, but Roma are also working to build their new home in the capital in the coming years.
Just a few clubs in Italy actually own their stadiums, increasing the financial gap with the richest clubs in the world, especially in the Premier League.
‘Italy must have the best stadiums in the world’
Italy will co-host Euro 2032 with Turkey, and the city of Milan needs a new stadium, given that the Stadio Meazza has not met the UEFA requirements to host games in the competition.
“If we don’t make it in Italy, we have to close down and go home, but surely we’ll make it. Italy is a country full of resources and creativity,” noted Infantino.
“I’ve seen the project in Milan and heard nice words from the Rome Mayor. Italy is the country of football, and it must have the best stadiums in the world. The World Cup depends on those who go on the pitch.”
Last but not least, Infantino discussed the recent approval for the Serie A match Milan-Como to be played in Australia in February 2026, as San Siro will be occupied by preparations for the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games.
Infantino calls for rules on games played abroad
“In football, there is a structure, international and national. It’s a structure that has made football the first sport in the world, but it’s just a game, and I think assessments must be broader,” said the FIFA President.
“We want everyone to play where they want, but we want rules too. It was a request from the Italian Federation, but I still think it must be regulated; deregulation in this field helps nobody.
“FIFA is quite determined in this aspect,” Infantino added via Gazzetta.
“A system of rules that takes into account everybody’s interests is needed.
Luke Combs Announces International Tour for 2026
Luke Combs gave fans across the world reason to rejoice Thursday when he announced where he will be playing his particular brand of country music live in the coming year.
The “My Kinda Saturday Night Tour” is set to begin in March and continue through the summer with stops in the United States, Canada, Sweden, France, the Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Presale tickets will go on sale Oct. 14 with members of Combs’ fan club able to sign up for a presale code.
North American Tour Details
Before going on tour next spring, Combs is set to play the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Oct. 10.
Next he will join the Bootleggers Bonfire event in Miramar Beach, Fla., on Oct. 23-25.
After that, Combs is set to tour stadiums throughout the United States beginning in March with eight stops.
March 21—Las Vegas, N.V.: Allegiant Stadium
April 4—Charlottesville, VA: Scott Stadium
April 11—Ames, IA: Jack Trice Stadium
April 18—South Bend, IN: Notre Dame Stadium
April 25—Columbus, OH: Ohio Stadium
May 2—Knoxville, TN: Neyland Stadium
May 9—Norman, OK: Memorial Stadium
May 16—Green Bay, WI: Lambeau Field
Foreign Tour Plans
Combs will end May with the first of two shows north of the border then head across the Atlantic Ocean for six more shows.
May 30—Montreal, Quebec—Parc Jean-Drapeau
June 6—Toronto, Ontario—Rogers Stadium
July 4—Gothenburg, Sweden—Ullevi
July 7—Paris, France—Accor Arena
July 11—Amsterdam, Netherlands—Johan Cruijff Arena
July 18—Ireland—Slane Castle
July 25—Edinburgh, U.K.—Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
August 1—London, U.K.—Wembley Stadium
Special Guests Coming Along
Direks Bentley and Thomas Rhett are set to join Ty Myers, The Script, The Teskey Brothers, Jake Worthington and Thelma & James as guests along the way as Combs returns to the road for the first time since 2024.
Bentley, Myers, Worthington and Thelma & James are scheduled to be part of the shows at the football stadiums in North America according to Entertainment-Focus.com.
“This year has been awesome,” Combs said in a press release according to EF. “We’ve gotten to play some of the most iconic festivals in the world and promote country music in ways that it normally isn’t.
“That said, while the festivals are awesome, there’s nothing like a headline show on a full tour with all of my fans. It’s hard to beat! I can’t wait for March 2026 for the ‘My Kinda Saturday Night Tour’. We’re going to eight different countries, bringing along a ton of great support, and by then will have a lot of new music to play.”
More About Luke Combs
The concert announcement came a week after Combs released an EP called “The Prequel.”
It includes three songs: “My Kinda Saturday Night,” “15 Minutes” and “Days Like These.”
When that dropped, Combs wrote on Instagram he is still working on a new album that will be released next year.
“Three songs from it are ready now, and I couldn’t wait to get y’all some new music,” he added.
Combs’ last full-length album, “Fathers and Sons,” was released in 2024.
That was his fifth, following “This One’s For You,” “What You See Is What You Get,” “Growin’ Up,” and “Gettin’ Old”.
Combs is a two-time Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year from Asheville, N.C.
Savannah Bananas coming to Tallahassee, FSU football, baseball stadiums
Get your party hats ready.
The Savannah Bananas are coming to Florida State’s campus with games at Dick Howser Stadium and Doak Campbell Stadium in February.
The Bananas will be joined by five other teams. The Firefighters, the Texas Tailgaters and the Party Animals are joined by two currently unnamed teams that will play in Tallahassee.
In a press release distributed by the university, FSU’s Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford shared his excitement for Banana Ball coming to Tallahassee.
“I’m extremely excited that the Savannah Bananas are coming to Tallahassee,” Alford said.
“This is significant because it will be the first non-football event in the refurbished Doak Campbell Stadium, putting one of America’s top entertainment brands into one of the nation’s most famous venues, but also bringing an elite product into Dick Howser Stadium, which has provided a platform for some of the best players and teams in college baseball history. We’re thrilled to be chosen as the site of the Bananas’ season opener and excited to bring a family-friendly event to Florida State and Tallahassee.”
Games will take place from Feb. 26-28, with the first two games played at Howser. The first game is on Feb. 26, the Firefighters vs. Team 5, and Feb. 27 the Party Animals vs. Team 6, before the Bananas play the Tailgaters at Doak on Feb. 28.
There are multiple local connections to the Bananas, with former Chiles baseball head coach Corey Pye as a pitching coach for the organization and former FAMU baseball star Ty Jackson on the Bananas team.
This is the second non-football event that Doak will host following its $265 million renovation, with the stadium set to host Professional Bull Riding in March.
The popular independent baseball team known for its creative dance routines and modified baseball rules has taken the country by storm, selling out NFL and college football stadiums regularly. The Seminoles’ two stadiums are now added to the list of venues that the Bananas organization is scheduled to play at.
The Bananas will open a ticket lottery on its website for the 2026 games.
Savannah Bananas announce new teams and 2026 Banana Ball schedule
Long before the Savannah Bananas became a worldwide sensation, drawing thousands to a selection show to see where they would be playing next, the barnstorming Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League were entertaining fans with a mix of baseball prowess and comedic gags. Known as the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball they were the inspiration for the 1976 movie “The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings,” which was partially filmed in Savannah.
On Thursday night before 5,000 fans at Historic Grayson Stadium, the Indianapolis Clowns made their return as one of the two newest Banana Ball teams. “They were pioneers on this way of entertainment and baseball mixed together,” said Jesse Cole, owner of the Savannah Bananas “Three years ago, we started having conversations. What if they came back? What if we could bring back this team and celebrate the history of what they meant for this game and being pioneers to truly bring the entertainment and the fun?”
Go Nuts!
The second team is one that Cole feels may be “the most fun brand we’ve ever created,” the Loco Beach Coconuts―a team that will be taking the beach with them wherever they play. Both teams will make out the new six team Banana Ball Championship League that will kick off in late February at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla. For the first time, all six teams will play over the course of three days, with games on Thursday and Friday at the baseball stadium, then Saturday they will move over to the Doak S. Campbell football stadium.
Throughout 2026 Banana Ball teams will play in front of 3.2 million fans at 75 stadiums in 45 states. The tour will stop at 10 football stadiums, including two of the biggest college stadiums, Neyland Stadium, at the University of Tennessee with 101,000 fans and Kyle Field, at Texas A&M with 102,000 fans. There will also be two games at the Superdome in New Orleans. A pair of games at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, and three games at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
Headlining Party Animals
For the first time the Party Animals will be the home team at three major league stadiums in Milwaukee, Detroit and Cleveland without the Bananas. They will also be the home team at their first ever football stadium without the Bananas, playing on the blue turf at Boise State.
Fans in Savannah need not worry, because the Savannah Bananas will host around 24 games at Historic Grayson Stadium, including the Banana Ball Open in April and the Banana Ball playoffs in October.
“The way we see it, each team is national. We want to go where others won’t go. We want to go to North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Oregon,” Cole stated. “If you look at Banana Ball USA, fans at any place in the country can drive to a Banana Bowl game within five or six hours, and that’s something we’re tremendously proud of.”
Richard Burkhart is the photojournalist for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at RBBurkhart@gannett.com.
Banana Ball coming to Alabama as Savannah Bananas announce 2026 schedule: 2 games set
Banana Ball is coming to Alabama.
Montgomery and Birmingham were announced as stops on the 2026 Savannah Bananas season tour.
Montgomery and Birmingham will each host two nights of the super-popular league. The announcement was made during Thursday night’s Banana Ball City Selection Show, which included the unveiling of two new teams, the Indianapolis Clowns and the Loco Beach Coconuts.
The Clowns and the Coconuts join the Savannah Bananas, Party Animals, Texas Tailgaters and Firefighters in the six-team league.
On March 21 and March 22, Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery will host the Firefighters as they compete against the Indianapolis Clowns.
Then, on Sept. 19 and Sept. 20, the Indianapolis Clowns will take on the Loco Beach Coconuts at Rickwood Field in Birmingham.
The newly announced scheduled will be the inaugural Banana Ball Championship League season, where all six teams will compete to be the final two with a chance to participate in the Banana Bowl in October 2026.
In total, the barnstorming league will be visiting 75 stadiums in 45 states throughout the course of the season.
Savannah Bananas announce trips to Texas A&M’s Kyle Field, Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field
Banana Ball is coming to Texas in 2026.
The entertainment-first version of baseball made famous on social media by the Savannah Bananas, will make its way to Texas A&M’s Kyle Field and the Rangers’ Globe Life Field next season.
Jesse Cole, the founder of Fans First Entertainment and owner of each team in the Banana Ball league, announced on Thursday what 2026’s tour would entail. In summary, it includes 14 MLB parks, 10 football stadiums.
The Bananas will face the Texas Tailgaters on May 2 at Kyle Field, which has a capacity of over 100,000.
Banana Ball makes its way to Arlington at Globe Life Field for a three-game series between the Bananas and Tailgaters from Sept. 25-27. Officials from Globe Life Field announced there will be a limited number of premium lower concourse tickets available, which fans can access by registering for their Globe Life Field Newsletter. Limited premium lower concourse tickets will go on sale Oct. 21.
Presale for the Globe Life Field series will include two options. Priority presale is available on Monday Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for fans who place a deposit on a Rangers 2026 season ticket package by Oct. 15. The regular presale will be available Oct. 20 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
If you want to join the Banana Ball ticket lottery list for the 2026 tour, you can enter on the league’s website. The lottery list will close on Oct. 31.
Find more Texas A&M coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Frederick’s Josiah Brittenham beat Dawson’s Cole Cohen at No. 1 singles.
NIWOT — Over the past couple of seasons, Frederick’s Josiah Brittenham has been a surefire bet to qualify for the Class 4A state tournament at No.1 singles. This year, however, he met a tough challenge in the 4A Region 5 tournament finals from Dawson’s Cole Cohen.
He won out anyway with a 6-4, 6-3 performance.
“He came out really fast, very consistent, really made me work for every point,” Brittenham said. “Once I got the hang of him being consistent, he started coming in net more and challenging me there. I tried to keep him deep and really go for those winning shots when he was up at the net, down the line or cross court, or just high and heavy to his backhand.”
Brittenham has been nearly unbeatable in his final campaign with the Golden Eagles, winning all but one of his matches heading into Thursday’s regional tournament held at Niwot High School. He credited his consistency and stellar serve for his victory over Cohen, and believes his mental game helped him survive the match.
“It really dictates who wins 100% for sure,” Brittenham said. “If I would have gotten in my head, I would have lost that match for sure.”
Cohen, likewise, has been a force on the court for the Mustangs as a young sophomore, coming into Thursday’s competition with a 17-4 record. He said that Brittenham’s rallies at the baseline complemented his own style of play well, and looks forward to his second experience at the 4A state tournament at Pueblo City Park next week.
“He played my game really well,” Cohen said. “He does everything that I do well, just better. The shots that I like to hit, he also likes to hit, so it’s really hard. I had to kind of change up my game a lot, and it was really hard to adapt to him. He’s a really good player and he’s really smart.
“I was really uncertain going into this tournament of where I would be and kind of ending up this way after last year. I was 2 singles last year, so I wasn’t really sure how it would go at 1 singles. Having the same level of success, a line up, it’s really nice.”
In the 2 singles finals, Niwot senior Oskar Hansen made quick work of Palmer Ridge’s Victor Struski with a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Hansen, who missed out on 3 singles regionals last year due to an illness, said that it felt like “a comeback” to be able to secure his spot back at state.
He’s taken reps at 1 singles, 2 singles and 1 doubles this season.
“I wanted to just play consistent, play solid, no ups and downs,” Hansen said. “I’ve played tennis for a long time. I like to say I’m pretty decent at hitting the ball back and forth, and that’s all I really did. At some point, some people are more consistent than others, and I just thankfully was more consistent today than he was. He played really well.”
Full list of local state qualifiers:
1 singles: Josiah Brittenham, Frederick; Cole Cohen, Dawson
2 singles: Oskar Hansen, Niwot; Miles Lacis, Silver Creek (alternate)
3 singles: Nick Steinkamp, Dawson; Mataeus Duart, Niwot (alternate)
1 doubles: Cooper Herchert/Rex Baxter, Silver Creek; Colin McLeod/Bassam ElHoury, Dawson
2 doubles: Claude Leonard/Zuming Haratsaris, Niwot; Leo Barrett/Mason Otten, Silver Creek; Kareem ElHoury/Reid Eisenhard, Dawson (alternate)
3 doubles: Chayse Rawsky/Samuel Price, Dawson; Gryffin Lawrence/Rylan Hayes, Niwot; Tate Kostelecky/Elijah Tulich, Silver Creek (alternate)
4 doubles: Lex Lomanov/Rahul Agarwal, Niwot; Walker Karp/Ashwin Kothari, Dawson; Ethan Worrell/Aiden Sarris, Longmont
CC tennis goes about its regular business … another title trophy
EBENSBURG — When Jeff Livermore and Jim White took over as associate head coaches of the Central Cambria High School girls tennis team this fall, they took over a program that had won a District 6 Class 2A team championship last season.
That situation can sometimes create a little bit of pressure to live up to expectations for both the coaches and players, but instead, this year’s Central Cambria team approached its title defense with a sense of calm but deliberate resolve.
That resolve paid off handsomely Thursday afternoon at the Ebensburg Tennis Center, when top-seeded Central Cambria won its second straight district team title with a 5-0 championship victory over second-seeded Westmont Hillltop.
Central Cambria, which now boasts a 15-4 season record, earned the right to advance to state competition on Tuesday, Oct. 21, when the Lady Devils will host the second-place team from District 3 in a first-round match.
“As a team, I don’t think that we thought much about the need to repeat this year,” Livermore said. “The players just worked hard to get better every week. We had a number of good wins during the regular season, and we earned the number one seed for this tournament, so we hoped to continue what we accomplished during the regular season in the district tournament.
“Westmont is a really good team that deserves a ton of credit,” Livermore said. “Our girls were ready to compete today. It was a very competitive match, and we’re obviously happy with the win.”
Lydia Paskowski, the only senior on this season’s Central Cambria team, got the ball rolling for the Lady Devils by defeating Westy junior Isabella Parrish, 6-2, 6-3, in the number one singles match. At number two singles, junior Taryn Ream outlasted sophomore Lilly Evans, 6-4, 7-5, and in the number three singles match, junior Madison Dietz topped sophomore Sophia Dixon, 6-4, 6-2.
Central Cambria’s two young doubles tandems also held up their share of the bargain with victories. In the number one doubles match, the Lady Devils team of sophomore Kat Kubat and freshman Ireland DeBalli scored a 6-4, 6-2 win over the Westmont team of senior Caridy Arnold and junior Anne Dill. In the number two doubles match, Central Cambria’s sophomore team of Chloe Sandoval and Daisy Smith logged a 7-5, 7-5 victory over the Westmont senior team of Addison Arnold and Allison Buettner.
Paskowski won a District 6 2A singles championship two weeks ago, and said that she rode that momentum to her victory Thursday.
“I think that winning district singles gave me more confidence going into today, and I played a pretty good solid match today,” Paskowski said. “My serves were good, my slices were good. Overall, it was just a pretty good match for me today.”
Livermore said that Paskowski has been a leader for this year’s team.
“Lydia has just played a really high level of tennis all season,” Livermore said. “She’s good with a variety of her shots, and she’s a really intelligent player. She got our first win to get us on the board today, and I think that was important in getting our momentum going.”
Ream won a hard-fought match with Evans in the number two singles bout.
“I had never played against her before today, but I knew that she is a good player because I’ve seen her play at events and clinics,” Ream said of Evans. “It was important for me to stay positive because it was a close match. I knew that if I didn’t stay positive, I would end up messing up.”
Like Paskowski and Ream, Dietz also won her number three singles match in straight sets.
“I felt really good today – it was the best that I played all year,” Dietz said. “I had confidence and trust in my shots today.”
Livermore said that both Ream and Dietz have been strong contributors on this year’s team.
“Taryn and Madison are both juniors, but this is really the first full season playing singles for both of them,” Livermore said. “Both of them had good records during the regular season, and the Westmont players that both played today are very good.
“Those matches were challenges and battles, and both Taryn and Madison played very well to win those matches today,” Livermore said.
The Central Cambria doubles teams of Kubat and DeBalli at number one doubles and Sandoval and Smith at number two doubles helped add an exclamation mark to Central Cambria’s victory. Both teams scored straight-set wins.
“Our doubles teams are both very young, and this is the first year for both of them playing together,” Livermore said. “They were focused on working on their shots, working on their techniques, and achieving continual improvement this season. For both teams to come through with victories today is really impressive.”
Central Cambria hopes to continue its success when it begins state competition in 12 days.
“We feel really good about both our singles players and doubles teams,” Livermore said. “We believe that they all can compete very well, and that we’ll give a battle to whoever we play at the state tournament.”
Central Cambria 5, Westmont Hilltop 0
SINGLES: 1, Paskowski, CC, def. Parrish, 6-2, 6-3. 2, Ream, CC, def. Evans, 6-4, 7-5. 3, Dietz, CC, def. Dixon, 6-4, 6-2.
DOUBLES: 1, Kubat-DeBalli, CC, def. C. Arnold-Dill, 6-4, 6-2. 2, Sandoval-Smith, CC, def. A. Arnold-Buettner, 7-5, 7-5.
Records: Westmont Hilltop (12-3); Central Cambria (15-4).
Staten Island HS girls’ tennis: Emily Agushi is lone bright spot in Hill’s loss
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Regular season CHSAA champion Archbishop Molloy defeated St. Joseph Hill, 4-1, Thursday at the College of Staten Island courts.
Despite the loss, Hill’s top player, Emily Agushi, continued to shine with an impressive 8-2 victory over Molloy’s Emma Palacio.
Palacio started with a break of serve for a 1-0 lead and was able to hold serve to tie the score at 2-2 but then it was all Agushi who pounded ground strokes into both corners. Agushi ran off six straight games and with the win cemented herself as the top player in the league.
Omaha Westside’s Troy Shefsky wins the Metro Conference tennis tournament
Troy Shefsky is on a par with his older brother.
But, the new Metro Conference tennis champion said, “I’m trying to one-up him. It’s a little joke in the family.”
The Omaha Westside junior will get the chance to be a two-time winner next year after defeating Alex Liu of team champion Omaha Creighton Prep 4-6, 6-4, 3-2 (retired). The No. 1 singles final lasted 2 hours, 48 minutes Thursday at Koch Tennis Center.
Liu, a senior, was in his third consecutive final, all against the Shefsky brothers. AJ Shefsky won in 2023 and Troy lost in 2024.
Liu was treated three times for leg cramps – the first time between the first and second sets — before he landed hard on the court from trying to reach a high return by Shefsky in the 10-point tiebreaker.
“He’s a tough competitor,’’ Shefsky said. “He’s never going to give me anything easy.
“I tried to work on my movement consistency. He’s a great player, and when he gets down like that, I got to keep my foot on the pedal.”
In the second set, Shefsky said he felt the match was slipping away when Liu broke his serve at 3-2.
“When he broke me there I thought it was over and then I realized, I’m already out here, might as well give him my all to go get it,’’ Shefsky said.
Prep coach Jerry Kowal said he, not Liu, decided to end the match.
“As the head coach, it is my decision, yeah,’’ Kowal said. “Also, I’m also a school teacher, so I care about my kids and I’m going to make the decision on what’s best for his health.
“He didn’t want to quit. He kept saying, ‘No’ (about quitting). I’m like, ‘No, you’re done.’”
Prep won the other divisions for a 44-29 edge over runner-up Millard North. The Junior Jays had clinched their third consecutive Metro crown after Wednesday’s semifinals.
Junior Jay junior Blake Goeken stayed undefeated and repeated as No. 2 singles champion by outlasting Millard West senior Patrick Berry 7-6 (6-4), 6-4. Seniors Ben Clausen and Rowan Lunning defeated Millard West senior Jake Smiley and sophomore Jackson Skiko 6-2, 6-2 to repeat. At No. 2 doubles, senior Daniel Jurrens and junior Matt McGill defeated Millard North senior Tyler Epstein and junior Nishanth Kandala 6-0,6-0. McGill won the division last year with older brother Luke.
“Blake had a good match. He battled. Tie-break first set and then came back and was pretty close to even in the second set,’’ Kowal said. “No. 1 doubles had Millard West and that was a revenge match, because we lost to them in a duel. So we avenged that loss and then our No. 2 doubles is pretty darn good.”
Team scoring: Omaha Creighton Prep 44, Millard North 29, Millard West 27, Elkhorn South 26, Omaha Westside 22.5, Papillion-La Vista 14.5, Bellevue West 12, Omaha Westview 12.25, Papillion-La Vista South 10, Millard South 2.5, Omaha Bryan 2.25, Omaha Burke 2.25, Bellevue East 1.75, Omaha South 1.25, Omaha Central 0.5, Omaha Benson 0.5, Omaha Northwest 0.25, Omaha North no team.
No. 1 singles – Final: Troy Shefsky, OWS, def. Alex Liu, CP, 4-6, 6-4, 3-2 (retired, injury). Third: Jackson Mu, MN, def. Jason Dubrow, ES, 6-0, 7-5/ Fifth: Micah Cortinas, OWV, def. Henry Fredericks, MW, 8-1.
No. 2 singles – Final: Blake Goeken, CP, def. Patrick Berry, MW, 7-6 (6-4), 6-4. Third: Ryan Thomas, ES, def. Taylor Tauber, OWS, 6-2, 6-4. Fifth: Arun Rao, MN, def. Cade Wills, PLV, 8-4.
No. 1 doubles – Final: Ben Clausen/Rowan Lunning, CP, def. Jake Smiley/Jackson Skiko, MW, 6-2, 6-2. Third: Anuraag Ganti/Austin Gong, MN, def. Nick Fischer/Ethan Day, ES, 6-4, 6-4. Fifth: Jacob Feekin/Noah Lozier, PLV, def. Sergio Davila Sans/Brooks Mullen, OWV, 8-2.
No. 2 doubles – Final: Daniel Jurrens/Matt McGill, CP, def. Tyler Epstein/Nishanth Kandala, MN, 6-0,6-0. Third: Ethan Mechals/Abe Hustad, ES, def. Lucas Askew/Davis Schulte, MW, 6-2, 6-4. Fifth: Travis Andringa/Tommy McCann, PS, def. Colton Peters/Easton Mahnks, PLV, 8-4.
stu.pospisil@owh.com, twitter.com/stuOWH
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State Class AA high school girls tennis tournament
SIOUX FALLS — The race for the team championship could go down to the wire in the South Dakota state Class AA high school girls tennis tournament.
Four teams separated themselves from the pack during the opening day of the tournament on Monday, Oct. 9, 2025. The tourney concludes on Tuesday, Oct. 10.
Defending champion Rapid City Stevens leads the way with 276 points, followed by Harrisburg at 266, Sioux Falls Lincoln 265 and Mitchell 247.5.
Stevens and Harrisburg each advanced all six singles players into the semifinals and also have two doubles teams in the semis. Sioux Falls Lincoln and Mitchell each have four players in the singles semifinals and two teams in the doubles semifinals.
Team Standings
Opening-Day Scores — 1. Rapid City Stevens 276; 2. Harrisburg 266; 3. Sioux Falls Lincoln 265; 4. Mitchell 247.5; 5. Sioux Falls Jefferson 187.5; 6. Yankton 176.5; 7. Aberdeen Central 166.5; 8. O’Gorman 154; 9, Watertown 136.5; 10. Brandon Valley 127; 11. Sioux Falls Washington 37; 12. Sioux Falls Roosevelt 27.5; 13. Brookings 20; 14. Rapid City Central 5.5.
Singles Semifinalists
First Flight — Eloise Geraets, SF Lincoln, vs. Mckenzie Vickery, Harrisburg; Arabella Scott, RC Stevens, vs. Nora Krajewski, Yankton.
Second Flight — Sabrina Krajewski, Yankton, vs. Sylvie Mortimer, RC Stevens; Madelyn Von Wald, Harrisburg, vs. Afton Keller, SF Jefferson.
Third Flight — Ella Potvin, RCS, vs. Kathleen Morgan, Mitchell; Noa Lovro, Harrisburg, vs. Momo Welch Okawa, SF Lincoln.
Fourth Flight — Hope Gabel, Harrisburg, vs. Mia Larson, Mitchell; Madison Marsh, RC Stevens, vs. Lauryn Gohl, SF Lincoln.
Fifth Flight — Angela Ge, SF Lincoln, vs. Hannah Frye, Harrisburg; Bella Nelson, RC Stevens, vs. Elliot Smith, Mitchell.
Sixth Flight — Kaia Carlson, RC Stevens, vs. Jude Houck, O’Gorman; Ava Prunty, Mitchell, vs. Jessi Muth, Harrisburg.
Doubles Semifinalists
First Flight — Nora-Sabrina Krajewski, Yankton vs. Megan Mastel-Matteah Graves, Mitchell; Samantha Smith-Afton Keller, SF Jefferson, vs. Eloise Geraets-Lily Statema, SF Lincoln.
Second Flight — Arabella Scott-Ella Potvin, RC Stevens, vs. Sarah Knie-Estelle Riggs, Aberdeen Central; Momo Welch Okawa-Lauryn Gohl, SF Lincoln, vs. Nora Lovro-Hope Gabel, Harrisburg.
Third Flight — Bella Nelson-Elena Braun, RC Stevens, vs. Ruby Bender-Jude Houck, O’Gorman; Ava Prunty-Elliot Smith, Mitchell, vs. Hannah Frye-Jessi Muth, Harrisburg.
Watertown-Aberdeen Central Highlights
Leyla Meester (2-1 at No. 1) and Jennika Kettwig (2-1 at No. 6) each will play for fifth place in singles for Watertown. Jade Smith (No. 2), Savannah Sovell (No. 3) and Elly Dingsor (No. 5) each went 1-2 and Grace Pesek (No. 4) 0-2.
In doubles, Meester-Smith (No. 1) and Dingsor-Kettwig (No. 3) each split matches and are in the fifth-place semifinals. Sovell-Pesek (No. 2) won two matches after losing their opener to advance the consolation championship.
Chloe Ladner (No. 3), Estelle Riggs (No. 4) and Mady Holman (No. 5) each went 2-1 and will play for fifth place in singles for Aberdeen Central. Avery Tennant (No. 1) and Sarah Knie (No. 2) each were 1-1 and will play for consolation championships. Anneliese Wells went 1-2 at No. 6.
In doubles, Knie and Riggs advanced to the semifinals at No. 2 doubles with two wins. Tennant-Ladner (No. 1) and Holman-Wells (No. 3) each went 1-1 and are playing in the fifth-place semis.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
Fieldcrest finishes strong to top Tremont: Thursday’s NewsTribune roundup
Girls volleyball
Fieldcrest def. Tremont 25-21, 10-25, 25-22: The Knights finished strong to claim an HOIC victory at home Thursday.
Leaders for Fieldcrest (12-14-2) were TeriLynn Timmerman with three aces, Macy Gochanour with 18 digs and 18 assists, Kelani Armstrong with 14 digs, Pru Mangan with six kills ,and Kelani Armstrong and TeriLynn Timmerman with five kills each. Jersey Modro added three blocks.
Seneca def. St. Bede 25-11, 26-24: The Bruins fell in Tri-County play at the Academy.
For St. Bede, Nelle Potthoff had five kills and seven digs, Kijah Lucas had four kills, Ava Balestri had six assists and five digs, Lily Bosnich had nine digs, and Jillian Pinter had three blocks.
Boys soccer
Byron 3, Princeton 1: Byron won the battle of the Tigers in Byron.
Cross country
At Kewanee: The Bureau Valley boys placed fourth, while the Storm girls took fifth in the Lincoln Trail Conference Meet.
Only 15 points separating the first and fifth teams in the boys field. The Storm tied ROWVA Williamsfield for third with 70 points, but lost the tiebreaker and took fourth overall.
Maddox Moore (7th, 16:44.36) and Adrian Gallardo (10th, 17:16.39) both posted new personal records on their way to winning all-conference honors.
Gemma Moore paced the BV girls’ squad with a 20:47.23, good for 14th place. She was followed by Summer Hamilton (24th, 22:34.49) and Kynzleigh Garza (25th, 22:57.43).
Girls tennis
Rochelle 3, Princeton 2: Winners for the Tigresses on their home courts were the doubles teams of Anna Ellis and Ava Munson (6-0, 6-4) and Lilly Mabry and Piper Hansen (6-3, 7-5).
SportScene 13 for Thursday, October 9th
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) – Division 2 girls tennis players punched their ticket to the state championships today at sectionals.
It was a thrilling night of prep volleyball, loaded with rivalry matchups Thursday.
In a 5-set thriller, Eau Claire North rallied for the win over crosstown rival Eau Claire Memorial. In a battle of the top-2 ranked teams in Division 4, McDonell shook off a Set 1 loss for a 3-1 win over Regis. Eau Claire Immanuel topped Dairyland rival Eleva-Strum.
On the soccer pitch, Eau Claire Memorial took on Rice Lake, Eau Claire North battled River Falls and Altoona squared off with Saint Croix Central.
Colfax/Elk Mound girls golf prepares for their trip to state next week.
Bureau Valley’s Maddox Moore, Adrian Gallardo named Lincoln Trail All-Conference: Thursday’s BCR roundup
Cross country
At Kewanee: The Bureau Valley boys placed fourth, while the Storm girls took fifth in the Lincoln Trail Conference Meet.
Only 15 points separating the first and fifth teams in the boys field. The Storm tied ROWVA Williamsfield for third with 70 points, but lost the tiebreaker and took fourth overall.
Maddox Moore (7th, 16:44.36) and Adrian Gallardo (10th, 17:16.39) both posted new personal records on their way to winning all-conference honors.
Gemma Moore paced the BV girls’ squad with a 20:47.23, good for 14th place. She was followed by Summer Hamilton (24th, 22:34.49) and Kynzleigh Garza (25th, 22:57.43).
Girls tennis
Rochelle 3, Princeton 2: Winners for the Tigresses on their home courts Thursday were the doubles teams of Anna Ellis and Ava Munson (6-0, 6-4) and Lilly Mabry and Piper Hansen (6-3, 7-5).
St. Bede 4, Kewanee 1: The Bruins won at home with wins from Josie Trujillo (6-2, 6-4) in singles and Emerald De La Torre and Lily Soliman (6-2, 6-3) and Chipper Rossi and Elsie Soliman (6-2, 6-2) in doubles.
Seneca def. St. Bede 25-11, 26-24: The Bruins fell in Tri-County play at the Academy. Nelle Potthoff had five kills and seven digs, Kijah Lucas had four kills, Ava Balestri had six assists and five digs, Lily Bosnich had nine digs, and Jillian Pinter had three blocks.
Boys soccer
Sterling volleyball sweeps Rock Island: Thursday’s Sauk Valley roundup
Volleyball
Sterling d. Rock Island 25-20, 26-25: Sterling improved to 13-13 and 3-8 in Western Big 6 Conference play as Alasia Harris-Rascon (seven digs) led the team with eight kills. Nia Harris (seven kills) and Mya Lira had 10 digs. Madison Birdsley had 12 assists and Sydney Giffin added 10. Kasey Weeks had two aces and four kills.
Fulton d. Polo 25-23, 20-25, 25-11: The Steamers picked up another NUIC South win in three sets as Averi Bush (four aces) led the team with 10 kills. Kerby Germann added seven aces, 14 digs and two blocks. Fulton had a whopping 20 aces in the win as Jada Schaver had six. Laynie Mandrell had seven kills and Reese Mekeel had four kills, two aces and two blocks.
Lena-Winslow d. Eastland 15-25, 28-26, 25-18: Trixie Caroll led the Cougars (16-5) with 22 kills and three blocks with 17 digs in the setback. Morgan McCullough had a team-high 20 digs and Keara Kaus had 40 assists.
Milledgeville d. Amboy 25-12, 25-9: The Missiles (19-5, 6-3 NUIC South) had seven kills each from Kendra Kingsby (seven digs) and Kennedy Livengood. Lexis Grenoble had 14 assists and three aces. Natalie Pilgrim also had three aces for Milledgeville.
Boys soccer
Harlem 5, Dixon 2: Nolan Valk and Jack Redell scored goals for the Dukes in the home loss. Dixon is 8-8 this season.
Oregon 6, Faith Christian 1: Steven Guardado and Aidan Hammer each had two goals for Oregon in the win. Ivan Hernandez and Irvin Acosta also found the net for the Hawks (13-9). Deryk Withers had six saves for Oregon.
Girls tennis
PGA Tour welcomes massive hitter who can smash drives past 400 yards and defy Rory McIlroy
There may be a new challenger to Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy for the title of longest driver in professional golf.
Standing at 6’8”, Christo Lamprecht is the tallest player on the PGA Tour, and he has just earned his Tour card. He is also a player who is sure to catch fans’ attention every time he steps up to hit.
His power off the tee is something that puts him right alongside McIlroy and DeChambeau, thanks to his impressive swing and ball speeds. Lamprecht has already played in majors and other professional events, first turning heads with a 400-plus-yard drive back in 2023.
Christo Lamprecht’s 418-yard drive turned heads around the golf world
Lamprecht’s 418-yard drive at the 2023 Dunhill Links Championship quickly got people talking. Coming off an Amateur Championship win, he was already clocking ball speeds near 200mph throughout the event.
At the 2024 Masters, he opened with two drives of 353 and 366 yards. He also averaged over 323 yards off the tee at The Open in 2023, second only to one other player. But there is more to his game than just distance.
Lamprecht’s victory at the 2023 Amateur Championship secured his entry into major championships. Notably, at The Open in 2023, he was ranked as the second-highest amateur and even contended for the lead after the first day of the tournament.
The South African’s impressive 5-under-66 display tied him for the lead after Thursday’s play.
He made his professional debut in 2024, starting on the Korn Ferry Tour before claiming his first win at the Pinnacle Bank Championship in August 2025. Now, with a PGA Tour card, there is no doubt that he can hold his own with any of golf’s big hitters.
What Christo Lamprecht needs to work on
For a player with Lamprecht’s power off the tee, it is no surprise that his short game still has some catching up to do. If he wants to make a real impact at the top level, that part of his game will need attention.
While his putting has been decent, gaining +0.2 strokes on the greens, it is his approach play that holds him back. Data Golf shows he has lost 1.5 strokes when approaching greens over his career.
Lamprecht’s scrambling also needs improvement. He loses 0.4 strokes around the green, which only adds pressure given how often he finds himself relying on recovery shots due to inaccurate approaches.
Even in driving, where he excels most, there are trade-offs. He gains 2.3 strokes with distance but loses 1.4 with accuracy, leaving him just +0.9 overall off the tee.
Lamprecht is undoubtedly exciting to watch from the tee box, but until he rounds out other parts of his game, consistency on the PGA Tour may remain just out of reach.
Three Americans share lead after opening round in Japan
Last year’s runner-up Max Greyserman is back atop the leaderboard following the first round of the Baycurrent Classic on Thursday in Yokohama, Japan.
Greyserman was tied with fellow Americans Bud Cauley and Brian Campbell at 4-under 67 at the Yokohama Country Club in the PGA Tour’s only stop in Japan.
Greyserman finished one stroke behind Colombia’s Nico Echavarria last year when the event was known as the Zozo Championship and held at Narashino Country Club in Chiba, Japan.
PGA Tour Pros Release Statement After $8 Million Event Changed Venues: ‘Will Penalize’
When a major golf event suddenly changes its location, even the pros feel the pressure. Many PGA Tours have stayed at familiar locations, even for decades in some cases. The Colonial Country Club has hosted the Charles Schwab Challenge since 1946. Ponte Vedra Beach has hosted The Players Championship since 1982. But the Baycurrent Classic broke the mold, moving from Narashino Country Club to the much tougher Yokohama Country Club.
This new venue is one of the most challenging courses in Japan, and golfers are experiencing additional difficulties because of the wind and rain from a typhoon passing through the south of the country. Golfers, including Sahith Theegala and Bud Cauley, have already shared their honest thoughts after the first round, revealing just how much the change is shaking up the competition.
Sahith Theegala was asked to share his thoughts on the course, to which he replied, “Yeah. Really, really cool spot, different than Narashino for sure. I think this is a lot shorter. At first look, felt a lot easier, but you can get some really tricky pins out here. I think if the rain stays away, if the greens get a little firmer, you can definitely see some tough scoring out there. I do think if the greens stay soft, it’s very doable to shoot low out there, but it will penalize bad shots. I think it’s a great venue. It’s actually tough to gauge what the actual scoring’s going to be like. The greens are super pure. Fairways are, I think they’re all Zoysia, so it’s as pure as it gets. Really cool golf course.”
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Japan has been a regular stop for Theegala since 2022. He started in the 2022 Zozo Championship, where he finished T5. Then it was T19 in 2023 and T56 in 2024. But this year, he has started well. After Round 1, he stands tied at 4 alongside the likes of Nicolai Hojgaard, William Mouw, Takumi Kanaya, Kevin Roy, Adam Scott, Sam Ryder, and Rico Hoey. He got 5 birdies on holes 4, 6, 9, 13, and 17. However, Theegala struggled on the 18th hole, where he ended up with a double bogey, bringing him down from 5 under par to 3 under par.
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Besides Theegala, Bud Cauley, who is tied at 1 with a 4-under par score, also shared his thoughts. “It’s a great golf course, for one. No, I mean, it’s fun to play. It gives you a little space off the tee, but if you miss, you’re really penalized. And the greens are difficult, especially in the wind today. I just think it’s a good test,” said Cauley.
Unlike Sahith Theegala, this is Cauley’s first time playing in the Baycurrent Classic or the Zozo Championship. Bud made a comeback to the PGA Tour in 2021. He met with a car accident in 2018 and has suffered many injuries because of it. He continued for a while, but took a break from professional golf for a couple of years.
At the 2024 WM Phoenix Open, he returned to the PGA Tour, but things haven’t been great for him in recent years. Of the 17 events, he finished in the top 10 only once in 2024. But this year looks a bit different for him. From the 20 tournaments he entered so far, he made the cut in 16 and finished in the top 10 4 times. His bogey-free Round 1 at the Baycurrent Classic shows that he is in top shape this season and may maintain his spot at the top of the leaderboard.
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Besides Sahith Theegala and Cauley, the World No. 9, Collin Morikawa, also said that, “The greens are some of the best greens I think we’ve played on on Tour, and just the way the design of the golf course with a lot of bowl greens, sloped edges, it makes the green complexes a lot smaller than what we see. So it’ll be a great test.”
This is coming from the second-highest-ranked golfer on the field after Xander Schauffele. It is not the first time Morikawa has played in Japan, but the venue change, combined with weather conditions, makes it challenging for him, too. Japan is a regular stop on the 6x PGA Tour winner’s schedule, and he even won the 2023 event.
PGA Tour’s Collin Morikawa at the Zozo Championship 2023
Collin Morikawa’s family on his father’s side left Japan to move to Maui. This makes it even more special for the 2025 Ryder Cup American team member. “There’s obviously a little bit more meaning to this tournament for me,” he said during an interview in 2023. “But look, a win’s a win, I’ll take a win anywhere, right. I’m doing everything I can the next three days and kind of tonight to make sure I give myself the best opportunity to do that,” he continued.
He intended to win the tournament, and he did. He finished with a 14 under par score to beat the runner-up, Eric Cole, who finished at 8 under par. Just before the tournament, Collin also went to have dinner at the world’s most famous sushi restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro, in Tokyo. Because of his ties with Japan, the owner, Chef Jiro, was making the sushi himself for Collin and his wife, Katherine Zhu.
Currently, though, Morikawa is not having a great time at the Baycurrent Classic. He is tied 25th with a par score after Round 1. Although he did manage to get a birdie on holes 4, 6, 13, and 17, he also had four bogeys on holes 3, 5, 15, and 16.
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The 6x PGA Tour winner has had a difficult Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. He only won half a point for his team. Moreover, he is also going through some caddie changes. These factors could be affecting his game.
Although one is left behind after Round 1, there are 3 more to go. Collin would be looking to cover the gap in the next round and aim to get some lead to rise on the leaderboard.
This Tour pro took a psychedelic drug. It led to a new business
PGA Tour veteran Beau Hossler has made a name, and a career, for himself on the golf course. And despite plans to continue his quest for pro-golf greatness, he also launched a new side gig as a coffee entrepreneur.
But the wildest part of Hossler’s story is how this all came about. That’s because Hossler came up with the idea in an unconventional way: by spending Masters week in Costa Rica tripping on the hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca.
How Beau Hossler earned a ‘scratch handicap’ in coffee
Hossler had his breakthrough pro golf moment before he was even a professional. At the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic, a teenage Hossler wowed the crowds by holding the solo lead during the second round and eventually finishing T29.
He turned pro in 2016, and played his way onto the PGA Tour in 2018, where he’s competed ever since.
The origins of the 30-year-old’s career as a coffee entrepreneur stretch back five years.
In a new video released by the PGA Tour, Hossler explained how he got into coffee in the first place.
“I’m going to give you a little inside track. This is something I haven’t disclosed yet,” Hossler began.
Five years ago, Hossler was looking for something to keep his mind off of golf while away from the course, and to bide the time during lengthy tournament weeks.
He found what he was looking for in coffee.
“It kind of became my refuge on the road from our freaking crazy lifestyles sitting at the golf course all day,” Hossler said. “I was like alright, let me get away. Let me immerse myself in something different that I actually really like.”
Hossler turned his attention to coffee and went all in. He preferred a golf analogy to describe the transformation, describing himself at the beginning of his journey as a “49-handicap coffee drinker.”
But how did Hossler’s love of coffee evolve into a second career in the coffee business?
He credits his recent experience with ayahuasca as the catalyst to turn a self-described “entrepreneur at heart” into a real-life entrepreneur.
Beau Hossler’s ayahuasca trip leads to coffee business
Earlier this spring, Hossler was feeling out of sorts on the golf course and in his life, as he explained in the video.
“April comes around this year, I’m just like not feeling myself. I don’t feel like me,” Hossler explained. “I’m not playing good golf, but it’s not just that… something’s off, I’m just not feeling great.”
So Hossler decided to follow some friends’ advice and make a big risk in an attempt to re-orient his mind: travel to Costa Rica and take ayahuasca, a psychoactive substance that triggers strong hallucinations. Having not qualified for the 2025 Masters, that seemed like the perfect week to give his plan a shot.
“I’m like, I’m going to Costa Rica. Ayahuasca, for a week. During the Masters, because I had the week off,” Hossler said. “I have some friends that have done it, and they’ve all had an amazing experience, and they told me that you’ll know when it’s time to go. And I was like, it’s time to go. So I went.”
The story gets even more bizarre. Having lost his wallet the night before his trip, Hossler convinced his cab driver to lend him $1,000 in cash, which is all he brought with him to Costa Rica.
“Lost my wallet the night before I went. So I went to Costa Rica, I borrowed a thousand bucks from my driver who took me to the airport. So I had my passport and $1,000, cash,” Hossler explained.
Ayahuasca is an ancient psychoactive concoction originating from South America that’s made from the combination of two different plants. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “At a chemical level, Ayahuasca is similar to psychedelics like LSD, mescaline and psilocybin. But — unlike those psychedelics — it’s rare to see Ayahuasca in use outside of South America.”
Hossler described his own experience with the hallucinogen in detail.
“I go down there have this like amazing experience, felt like I learned a lot about myself,” he said. “For the first time was really proud of myself for my golf and the work I put in and gave myself credit. You can’t hide from it. It just shows you like who you are, what you’re about.”
The trip left him with two big takeaways: first, that he loves golf and will continue striving in his pro career; and second, he needed to find something else to get involved with to add balance and counter the “lonely” lifestyle of a Tour pro.
“I think I just realized that I love golf, I’m going to freaking be great at golf, but also I need my mind to be challenged in other ways as well. I need to be more well-rounded, and frankly, honestly I think it’s going to help with my golf.”
The experience also helped Hossler realize exactly what his non-golf outlet would be: a coffee business.
“That’s what spurred me into action.”
With that, Hossler’s new coffee company Beaurista was born.
Hossler said his business is not a licensing deal; he runs the operation himself.
“It’s for real, like, it’s not a joke,” he said. “It’s not like a ‘Oh, I just put my name on someone else’s coffee.’ I literally labeled the bags all myself, stamped them all myself. I’m doing it. All of it… I’ve got the people around me that really care about me, and they do their own thing, but they’re involved and they’re advisors and when I need help, they help me, and they bust their butt to help me. But as far as truly doing it, I’m doing all of it. Then I would called advisors to help me strategize, get stuff done, etc.”
To hear more about the process of starting Beaurista, check out the full PGA Tour interview below.
Golf Veterans Stand Against New PGA Tour CEO’s Policy as $2M Pension Cut Sparks Dispute
Brian Rolapp is making some cuts, and it’s the PGA Tour veterans who are paying the price for it. For many years, the top players on the Champions Tour have been benefiting from a policy that allowed them to dip into their pension benefits for retirement. Every year, players who finish in the top 48 in Senior Tour events receive a pension fund for their continued contribution. However, as per the latest reports, Rolapp has decided to narrow down the total amount allotted to the veterans.
As confirmed by Golfweek’s Adam Schupak on X, the PGA Tour Champions pension pool has been cut by 20% from $10 million to $8 million. The funds were awarded to all players who played at least 12 events in a season and finished inside the top 48 in one of them. That means, quite a huge number of senior players received paychecks from the PGA Tour for continuing to play. However, their compensation will now be narrowed down by 20% from next season onwards.
Tiger Woods’s Constant Absence from PGA Tour Rings Alarm About His Halted Career, Analyst Warns
The last time Tiger Woods played in more than 10 PGA Tour events was during the 2018-2019 season. He played in 12 and won what could be said was the most important one, the Masters. But since then, he has only been in and out of a few tournaments, especially after his severe car accident in 2021. His constant absence from golf has made fans wonder if they could ever see him regularly on the PGA Tour, or if he will say goodbye to professional golf without that.
Discussing this very topic that is on the minds of millions of fans, a golf analyst has finally predicted that, ‘He’s going to retire.’ The hosts and analysts, Trent Ryan, Frankie Borrelli, and Sam Riggs Bozoian, were discussing whether Tiger Woods will have a proper golf tour before retiring, or if he will just go ‘wishy-washy’ and make the announcement suddenly.
“I think we are living in a wishy-washy Tiger Woods world and have been living in that since you know it’s been a couple years now and I just don’t see him coming out and saying I am retiring that just doesn’t to me feel like a Tiger Woods thing I think it’s going to be ah maybe I’ll tee it up here maybe I won’t until he’s like 75 I really think that and he was so great that he still probably thinks it’s in there somewhere,” said Trent Ryan on the Fore Play podcast.
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It may sound brutal, but it’s not wrong of Trent Ryan to say something like that. Woods will soon turn 50 and has already made multiple attempts at a comeback, but failed miserably. He has had six back surgeries and four knee surgeries over the years. Recently, he even ruptured his left Achilles tendon and had surgery for the same in March 2025. Although he was seen swinging at the practice range at Liberty National before the Nexus Cup 2025, it seems like his body simply cannot keep up with the game.
Reflecting on that very thing, Frankie Borrelli pointed out how it not only affects him but also other players in the tournament. “The guy can barely walk, but he literally, it’s exhausting for the people around him to play an event,” said Frankie. “It must be, got to be a nightmare when he’s like, I’m playing in the US Open,” he continued.
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We have all witnessed this phenomenon at numerous tournaments now. In the 2024 Masters Tournament, he could barely walk the entire course. He has also withdrawn from many events, including the 2022 PGA Championship. Woods opened with a 74 on Thursday and then bounced back with a phenomenal 69 on Friday. But when he carded a 9 over par 79 on Saturday, he withdrew from the tour as his body could not keep up. The same thing happened at the 2024 Genesis Invitational, where he withdrew after just six holes in the second round.
Woods himself has openly said how painful it is for him to prepare for these tournaments. “Lots of treatments. Lots of ice. Lots of ice baths. Just basically freezing myself to death. That’s just part of the deal,” Woods once said in 2022. He understands the challenges his body faces just to be able to complete all four rounds. Reflecting on the same, Frankie said, “As much as I don’t want that to happen, it’s like he’s going to retire him.”
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It’s not just Frankie, or any other host of a podcast, for that matter; many professional golfers think that it’s time for Tiger Woods to end his professional career. The Scottish golfer, Colin Montgomerie, had said that it’s “past time” for him to retire. “I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him,” Montgomerie told The Times. “There is none of that now. At Pinehurst (for the U.S. Open), he did not seem to enjoy a single shot and you think, ‘What the hell is he doing?’ He’s coming to Troon, and he won’t enjoy it there either.”
The reason is that Tiger’s injuries have never allowed him to build any momentum. He would participate in tournaments, play well in the first couple of rounds, and as his body gave up, he would just look to finish the tour or simply withdraw. That’s pretty much how it has been during his recent comeback attempts. It’s basically like a “hit or a miss.”
Paul McGinley, the Irish golfer who is now associated with Sky Sports, has said that “We’re certainly coming to the end of Tiger’s career. In his last 19 starts since that big car crash injury, he’s had only one top 10.”
Although many people predict that Tiger Woods may retire soon, probably in a year or two, some optimists encourage him not to do so. And there is a good chance that he could continue.
Tiger Woods’s probable comeback in 2026
Tiger Woods was asked why he keeps putting his body through so much pain. And he gave a similar response to what he has been giving for years. “I’ll play as long as I can play and I feel like I can still win the event,” said Woods.
Woods is only turning 50, and many others have won on the PGA Tour after that age. Phil Mickelson, for example, became the oldest major champion by winning the 2021 PGA Championship. He was close to becoming 51 years old when he achieved that feat. Davis Love III also won the 2015 Wyndham Championship when he was over 51. Another name that comes to mind is Fred Funk, who won the 2007 Mayakoba Golf Classic when he was 50 years and 8 months old.
If there’s anyone who can do it like these veterans, it has to be Tiger Woods. Bernhard Langer, who defeated the 15-time major winner and his son Charlie Woods at the 2024 PNC Championship, also said the same. “He’s got a lot more game than most of us. Even when he is 70 percent, he’s still a force to be reckoned with. He was moving fairly good. I was watching his swing and he was going after it,” said Bernhard, who himself made a surprising return after the Augusta farewell.
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The only thing that is holding him back is his health. It’s not just one surgery; he has been dealing with them one after the other. His most recent Achilles tendon surgery was successful, and he appears to have made a full recovery.
Tiger Woods’s Constant Absence from PGA Tour Rings Alarm About His Halted Career, Analyst Warns
The last time Tiger Woods played in more than 10 PGA Tour events was during the 2018-2019 season. He played in 12 and won what could be said was the most important one, the Masters. But since then, he has only been in and out of a few tournaments, especially after his severe car accident in 2021. His constant absence from golf has made fans wonder if they could ever see him regularly on the PGA Tour, or if he will say goodbye to professional golf without that.
Discussing this very topic that is on the minds of millions of fans, a golf analyst has finally predicted that, ‘He’s going to retire.’ The hosts and analysts, Trent Ryan, Frankie Borrelli, and Sam Riggs Bozoian, were discussing whether Tiger Woods will have a proper golf tour before retiring, or if he will just go ‘wishy-washy’ and make the announcement suddenly.
“I think we are living in a wishy-washy Tiger Woods world and have been living in that since you know it’s been a couple years now and I just don’t see him coming out and saying I am retiring that just doesn’t to me feel like a Tiger Woods thing I think it’s going to be ah maybe I’ll tee it up here maybe I won’t until he’s like 75 I really think that and he was so great that he still probably thinks it’s in there somewhere,” said Trent Ryan on the Fore Play podcast.
It may sound brutal, but it’s not wrong of Trent Ryan to say something like that. Woods will soon turn 50 and has already made multiple attempts at a comeback, but failed miserably. He has had six back surgeries and four knee surgeries over the years. Recently, he even ruptured his left Achilles tendon and had surgery for the same in March 2025. Although he was seen swinging at the practice range at Liberty National before the Nexus Cup 2025, it seems like his body simply cannot keep up with the game.
Reflecting on that very thing, Frankie Borrelli pointed out how it not only affects him but also other players in the tournament. “The guy can barely walk, but he literally, it’s exhausting for the people around him to play an event,” said Frankie. “It must be, got to be a nightmare when he’s like, I’m playing in the US Open,” he continued.
We have all witnessed this phenomenon at numerous tournaments now. In the 2024 Masters Tournament, he could barely walk the entire course. He has also withdrawn from many events, including the 2022 PGA Championship. Woods opened with a 74 on Thursday and then bounced back with a phenomenal 69 on Friday. But when he carded a 9 over par 79 on Saturday, he withdrew from the tour as his body could not keep up. The same thing happened at the 2024 Genesis Invitational, where he withdrew after just six holes in the second round.
Woods himself has openly said how painful it is for him to prepare for these tournaments. “Lots of treatments. Lots of ice. Lots of ice baths. Just basically freezing myself to death. That’s just part of the deal,” Woods once said in 2022. He understands the challenges his body faces just to be able to complete all four rounds. Reflecting on the same, Frankie said, “As much as I don’t want that to happen, it’s like he’s going to retire him.”
It’s not just Frankie, or any other host of a podcast, for that matter; many professional golfers think that it’s time for Tiger Woods to end his professional career. The Scottish golfer, Colin Montgomerie, had said that it’s “past time” for him to retire. “I hope people remember Tiger as Tiger was, the passion and the charismatic aura around him,” Montgomerie told The Times. “There is none of that now. At Pinehurst (for the U.S. Open), he did not seem to enjoy a single shot and you think, ‘What the hell is he doing?’ He’s coming to Troon, and he won’t enjoy it there either.”
The reason is that Tiger’s injuries have never allowed him to build any momentum. He would participate in tournaments, play well in the first couple of rounds, and as his body gave up, he would just look to finish the tour or simply withdraw. That’s pretty much how it has been during his recent comeback attempts. It’s basically like a “hit or a miss.”
Paul McGinley, the Irish golfer who is now associated with Sky Sports, has said that “We’re certainly coming to the end of Tiger’s career. In his last 19 starts since that big car crash injury, he’s had only one top 10.”
Although many people predict that Tiger Woods may retire soon, probably in a year or two, some optimists encourage him not to do so. And there is a good chance that he could continue.
Tiger Woods’s probable comeback in 2026
Tiger Woods was asked why he keeps putting his body through so much pain. And he gave a similar response to what he has been giving for years. “I’ll play as long as I can play and I feel like I can still win the event,” said Woods.
Woods is only turning 50, and many others have won on the PGA Tour after that age. Phil Mickelson, for example, became the oldest major champion by winning the 2021 PGA Championship. He was close to becoming 51 years old when he achieved that feat. Davis Love III also won the 2015 Wyndham Championship when he was over 51. Another name that comes to mind is Fred Funk, who won the 2007 Mayakoba Golf Classic when he was 50 years and 8 months old.
If there’s anyone who can do it like these veterans, it has to be Tiger Woods. Bernhard Langer, who defeated the 15-time major winner and his son Charlie Woods at the 2024 PNC Championship, also said the same. “He’s got a lot more game than most of us. Even when he is 70 percent, he’s still a force to be reckoned with. He was moving fairly good. I was watching his swing and he was going after it,” said Bernhard, who himself made a surprising return after the Augusta farewell.
The only thing that is holding him back is his health. It’s not just one surgery; he has been dealing with them one after the other. His most recent Achilles tendon surgery was successful, and he appears to have made a full recovery.
He was not part of the field announced for the 2025 Hero World Challenge, which he himself hosts. However, three names were still to be announced. Many people are hoping to see his name in the remaining three. But if not, he could very well be saving himself for something bigger in 2026.
Ryder Cup Looper Reveals Max Homa Gave Him a Hard Time for Not Caddying for an American Pro
It must have been hard enough to be a European at Bethpage, but imagine what Joe Skovron must have been through being an American caddying for a Team Europe player. The crowd in New York was certainly ruthless. And it’s a surprise that the veteran caddie doesn’t have that many stories of heckling. But considering his experience playing the Presidents Cup in 2024, he must have learned a thing or two about how to be a looper for the away team. And he would have Max Homa to thank for that.
Skovron joined Shane Bacon & Patrick McDonald on Golf on CBS recently. During their interview, the caddie was asked if it was awkward to carry the bag for Ludvig Aberg in the 2025 Ryder Cup. After confirming that this was his first Ryder Cup with Aberg, Skovron told the hosts, “It’s definitely a unique situation to be in. I had been in that situation with Tom at the Presidents Cup, and that was my first time not wearing U.S. stuff.”
Skovron caddied for South Korean pro, Tom Kim, during the 2024 Presidents Cup when he & the rest of the International side took on Team U.S. However, the competition at the Presidents Cups is far different from the atmosphere in the Ryder Cup, and Joe admitted that: “That was a lot more playful atmosphere, like the guys giving me a hard time. Max requested to play us in singles because he told me he really wanted to play against me more than Tom. He didn’t talk to me the whole day. He’s one of my best friends. He said one thing about how bad one of the pins was.”
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Caddying for the opposition team, Skovron didn’t have to worry about heckling from the fans. The atmosphere of the Presidents Cup is a lot more friendly and fun than the Ryder Cup. So everyone was enjoying themselves rather than targeting the caddie for being a traitor. However, there was still one particular individual who made sure Joe knew that he was rooting against his country. And that was Max Homa.
“We laughed about it later. He’s like, I purposely didn’t talk. I was like, I know. So there was a lot of fun with it. It’s a different environment. But I also had to balance there… When you’re working for Rickie (Fowler) or Phil (Mickelson), did something, or Jimmy Walker did something, or Justin Thomas did something, you could get a little bit more fired up. But you know how guys look at it when you’re on the other side, and you just be the calm guy, do the thing. It’s my style anyway, but you’re very conscious of it.”
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Skovron was the long-time caddie for Rickie Fowler, and they played a few Ryder Cups together. During their time, Fowler was featured alongside many players like Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, & Co., and when any of them made an excellent play, Joe could afford to celebrate along with them. But with Tom Kim, he learned that he can’t afford to celebrate for Team International. Even if the Presidents Cup atmosphere is not as nerve-racking as the Ryder Cup. And that helped him maintain his composure at Bethpage.
“It’s a whole other step up at the Ryder Cup. The emotions, how much people care, and how much more it feels like representing Europe versus the U.S. But I was aware of it when I took the job. There’s been a lot of talk about it.” Skovron understood that if he wasn’t comfortable celebrating for Kim at the Presidents Cup, then he definitely wouldn’t be cheering for his boss, Aberg, at Bethpage. Even though he was rooting for Team Europe to win, he couldn’t express it in a way that other European caddies could because of their citizenship status.
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Even then, Joe Skovron would have certainly been targeted had he been paired with certain players from Team Europe in the event. But if Max Homa were around, he wouldn’t have let that happen. Especially considering how good friends they are.
Max Homa’s friendship with Joe Skovron
Max Homa may have pulled a prank on Joe Skovron at the 2024 Presidents Cup. But the fact is, the two are really good friends, whether they play for the same team or as rivals. The PGA Tour pro’s former caddie, Joe Greiner, shared the kind of dynamic they share with each other. “When we’re not at a tournament, Max will hit me up, asking for videos of my putting stroke. You come to town and he’ll pick you up at the airport. And, like, Joe Skovron will be shooting 80, and Max will be grinding on Joe’s golf swing or consulting on one of his putt reads.”
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The article on Golf.com also revealed that Skovron counts Homa as one of his closest friends. During an interview, he had said, “What’s so unique about Max, and one of the things I like most about him, is that he feels zero entitlement, but he also has this growth mindset. He’s a guy who constantly wants to get better. He doesn’t have to pretend to be humble; that’s just who he is. But then he has this killer instinct, this need to accomplish things, and he wants to go work for them. That combo just isn’t true of many people in any walk of life.”
While Joe Skovron never caddied for Max Homa, they always seemed to share a friendship far beyond the usual looper and pro dynamic. And that’s why he enjoyed the heckling from the PGA Tour pro in the Presidents Cup. However, it is understandable why the veteran caddie would have been a little more tense at the Ryder Cup at Bethpage. Wouldn’t you agree?
Reports of LIV Golf’s Negotiations With 2 PGA Tour Heavyweights Spark Frenzy Among Fans
When a single social media post racks up over 120,000 views in hours and sends the golf community into speculation overdrive, you know something big is happening. And this time, the rumor mill isn’t just spinning—it’s on fire.
NUCLR Golf dropped a bombshell on X that has fans buzzing. The post cited Golf Digest sources claiming representatives of “two recent tour winners” are in active discussions to join LIV Golf. But here’s the kicker—these aren’t marquee names like Jon Rahm’s blockbuster $500 million deal. Instead, they’re “recognizable enough to trigger another cycle of ‘What is the state of the game?’ handwringing.” The vague nature of the report immediately sent fans into detective mode.
The timing couldn’t be more interesting. LIV Golf continues to battle for legitimacy on multiple fronts. The league submitted a new application for OWGR points on June 30, 2025, marking its second attempt after being rejected in October 2023. Meanwhile, no LIV player currently occupies a spot in the top 20 of the world rankings for the first time since the league’s inception. Bryson DeChambeau, the highest-ranked LIV player, has slipped to 21st place. Former world No. 2 Jon Rahm now sits at a stunning 73rd. Performance data revealed that this competitive gap continues to widen, making major championship qualification increasingly difficult for LIV players.
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Additionally, the league faces mounting transparency issues. Former LIV player Hudson Swafford didn’t mince words about his experience: “Things I didn’t like, you know, the lack of transparency, the rule changing… You never knew where we stood week to week.” These organizational challenges may affect future recruitment efforts. LIV also announced it will stop paying DP World Tour fines after 2025. That’s significant considering they’ve already shelled out approximately $20 million in fines, with another $10 million outstanding. The financial pressure adds another layer to LIV’s recruitment strategy as they seek to fill roster spots following the relegation of six players, including former Open Champion Henrik Stenson.
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The cryptic Golf Digest report immediately triggered a social media frenzy, with fans divided between wild speculation and outright skepticism.
LIV Golf fans divided on potential recruits
One fan immediately threw out high-profile names: “I would guess either Fleetwood or Rose (or both), maybe Rory? Wouldn’t put it past him after the Ryder Cup fiasco.”
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Tommy Fleetwood won the 2025 FedExCup Championship, making him an unlikely candidate given his recent success. Justin Rose captured the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship at 44 years old. Both seem settled on the PGA Tour. Rory McIlroy has recently softened his stance against LIV, urging both sides to “get over it” in February 2025. Still, his three wins this season suggest he’s not going anywhere. The Ryder Cup reference likely refers to ongoing tensions within European golf, although McIlroy remains firmly committed to the PGA Tour.
Other fans pointed to less obvious targets. One speculated about recent lower-profile winners: “Aldrich Potgieter (2025 Rocket Classic Winner)” and “Garrick Higgo (2025 Corales Puntacana Championship).”
Aldrich Potgieter, a 20-year-old South African, won the 2025 Rocket Classic in a breakthrough performance. Garrick Higgo claimed the 2025 Corales Puntacana Championship after losing his PGA Tour card. Both fit the “recent winner” profile without being household names, making them logical targets for LIV’s recruitment strategy.
Another fan raised an interesting angle: “Wonder if Wesley Bryan is one after his PGA suspension for doing a YouTube game that LIV backed.”
Wesley Bryan, the 2017 RBC Heritage champion, received an indefinite suspension for appearing in “The Duels: Miami,” a LIV-affiliated YouTube event. That demonstrates the Tour’s continued hardline stance against any LIV involvement. Bryan’s suspension makes him a realistic candidate, as he has already crossed the line in the eyes of the PGA Tour.
However, skepticism ran equally strong. One fan demanded accountability: “‘Sources’ Really? Like who exactly. Or, if they insist on anonymity, what distinguishes them and their reports from those of any other LIV supporter who wants to trash the PGA Tour?”
The lack of concrete names has fueled doubts about the report’s credibility. Without named sources or specific players confirmed, many fans remain unconvinced this represents genuine news rather than speculation. Anonymous sourcing in LIV recruitment stories has become a pattern, leading to increased skepticism.
Another fan took a broader view: “No one of significance went last year, and no one of significance is going this year. The brutal international travel schedule is a major factor, no OWGR points, and a one sided lack of transparency contracts by LIV Golf aka @PIF_en are awful. In addition, this year players like Bryson, Brooks and others are leaving LIV Golf.”
This fan accurately identifies LIV’s structural challenges. The league faces brutal international travel, with events spread across multiple continents. The absence of OWGR points remains unresolved, despite their application in June 2025. Contract transparency issues are real, as Swafford’s comments confirmed. However, the claim about Bryson and Brooks leaving is premature. DeChambeau confirmed that his contract expires at the end of 2026, with negotiations planned, while Koepka’s situation remains unclear, despite rumors.
One fan expressed doom-and-gloom sentiments: “Golf is going to implode soon, tiger retirement is eminent… liv BS… Saudi money…. Ball roll back ….Whole sport is about to be a shit show.”
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These concerns reflect broader anxiety about the state of professional golf heading into 2026. Tiger Woods has reduced his competitive schedule significantly, though “eminent retirement” remains speculation. The golf ball rollback is a real phenomenon, with implementation scheduled for 2028 among professional golfers. Saudi money continues fueling LIV despite reported financial losses. The sentiment captures legitimate frustration about the sport’s uncertain direction.
The truth? We won’t know until the names are actually announced. Meanwhile, talks on PGA Tour-LIV reunification remain completely stalled. For now, golf fans are left playing the speculation game, with everyone asking the same question: who’s actually jumping ship?
PGA Tour Ignites Backlash With Constant Tech Failures During $8 Million Event in Japan
If fans were hoping to track the 2025 Baycurrent Classic in Japan from the comfort of their homes, they were in for a different kind of thrill — watching literally nothing happen. The PGA Tour’s lone stop in Japan, an $8 million event held at Yokohama Country Club, was supposed to bring global fans closer to the action. Instead, the tech united them in the dark, and now, they’re not holding back on X.
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A few hours ago, social media lit up with angry posts over the PGA Tour’s malfunctioning shot tracker and broken scoring updates. “The shot tracker for the @Baycurrent_Clsc this week is so tilting. Can’t follow anything at all, so hard to sweat the plays!” one user posted. Another vented, “According to the PGA Tour’s shot tracker, Xander Schauffele is still waiting to tee off on the 1st hole. His tee time was 20 minutes ago…”
The frustration didn’t stop there, with one account declaring, “This shot tracker is absolutely pathetic.” Another account, attempting to follow Danish golfer Rasmus Højgaard, wrote, “2 hours in and Rasmus has played 5 holes surely he has played more than that, but the shot tracker has been a disaster so far this week.”
For an international event carrying an $8 million purse, expectations were high. But with updates crawling in so slowly and with multiple technical glitches, it left fans frustrated. The PGA Tour hasn’t yet responded to the outrage, but if they want to avoid more issues from piling up, they might need a fix soon.
This is a developing story…
NASCAR Confirms Horsepower Boost Coming in 2026: ‘We Listen to Fans’
NASCAR has confirmed a horsepower boost on the Next Gen car for the 2026 Cup Series season at short oval tracks less than 1.5 miles in length and on road courses. The power output will be raised from the current 670 to 750 HP on select tracks, a point fans and drivers have been suggesting for quite some time.
The Next Gen car, launched in 2022, has faced significant criticism from drivers for being underpowered, a problem most pronounced during overtaking in dirty air. As a result, NASCAR has now taken the much-needed step for the next season, allowing teams to bump up the horsepower on road courses such as at the Circuit of the Americas, Watkins Glen, San Diego, Sonoma, and Charlotte Roval.
Speaking of short tracks, teams will be allowed to increase power at the Bowman Gray Stadium, Phoenix, Darlington, Martinsville, Bristol, Dover, Nashville, North Wilkesboro, Iowa, Richmond, New Hampshire, and World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.
The list won’t stop here, as NASCAR confirmed that teams may be allowed to unlock more horsepower on their cars at other tracks in the future. Speaking on how the sport takes fan feedback seriously, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, John Probst, said:
“I would say, like any other change that we are considering to the cars, we listen to the fans a lot. We listen to the drivers. We have stakeholders in the broadcast, OEM (manufacturers) and team competition and team business folks, so there’s always no shortage of feedback that we get. Our fans are very passionate, they provide very candid feedback, so that all is very important to us.”
Probst explained the need to proceed with caution before expanding the horsepower bump to tracks longer than the 1.5-mile ovals. The first five races of the 2026 season are the ones where cars will produce 750 HP. He added:
“That gives us an opportunity to sample some of the short tracks, road courses early in the season, get a look at the engines after we’ve raced them at the new power level. If that all looks good, I would not rule out looking at increasing that horsepower at the mile and a halfs and above.
NASCAR 25 Deemed
NASCAR fans have been buzzing about NASCAR 25 for months. Every teaser, every trailer has sparked debate. The hype has proven to be heating up as the release date of October 14th nears. Fans have been waiting since NASCAR 24 for improvements in realism, especially in how drivers are rated and how their in-game performance mirrors real-world stats. The game’s rating system uses real racing data, including finishing consistency, cornering, drafting, and late-race strategy. Even before an official release, fans have been debating possible ratings, and a recent leak has stirred up this very debate.
Driver ratings have always mattered. They shape who gets an edge in the game and who becomes a fan favorite online. Rumors about leaks have been swirling for weeks. Almost everyone wants their driver to top the charts. With NASCAR’s latest video, many think that the highest score is going to a certain Hendrick Motorsports driver nobody expected to see. This has led many to be dismissive of what’s about to come.
NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar accidentally shared a screenshot recently showing several driver ratings. The number one immediately caught attention. William Byron was listed at 100 OVR. In response, a Reddit post titled “Hocevar leaking some NASCAR 25 Driver Ratings!” quickly spread across the community. Fans immediately started questioning the rating. For the most part, this appeared to be too high, especially compared to other elite drivers like Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson, both at 99. Even before any deeper analysis, the number itself sparked debate about whether Byron truly deserves a perfect score.
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Byron’s 100 OVR is more than just a number. It signals how the game will portray him on every track. The rating raises questions about fairness and methodology. Many fans think it exaggerates his performance. The situation highlights the delicate balance the developers face in translating real-world skill into in-game numbers. With the release date approaching, the discussion is only set to grow, and the rating itself may be one of the season’s hottest topics.
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Fans in disbelief over the NASCAR 25 ratings system
The moment the leak surfaced, fans immediately weighed in. Byron’s 100 OVR rating seemed disconnected from his on-track performance in 2025. The first reaction highlighted the skepticism about his results this season. One fan tweeted, “He wasn’t done anything this year since like April lmao.” This comment pointed to Byron’s perceived lack of impact in recent races. It suggested that many feel the rating does not reflect his actual achievements.
Another common sentiment questioned the credibility of the entire rating system. Compared to other game ratings, this didn’t align. “This is pure comedy. Took some legitimacy off the game already.” This reaction went beyond Byron himself. It highlighted how a single high rating can cast doubt on the fairness of the game. The fan implied that if the top score feels unearned, it diminishes confidence in how all drivers are evaluated.
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Some fans went on to exaggerate that Byron’s rating might not have been entirely merit-based. Though it was said in humor, it highlighted a clear disbelief. As one commented, “Was Byron a consultant or something for this game? lol.” This playful take hinted at the idea that insider influence could be at play. It reflected the disbelief that a driver with mixed results could be given the game’s highest score.
While many dismissed it, some approached the rating analytically. They provided alternative assessments of Byron and other drivers. One fan argued, “More like a 92 or 93. They inflate the ratings across the board here… There should be like 5 guys ranked above 90 overall. Id say in no particular order Blaney, Larson, Bell, Hamlin, and Byron… Guys like Reddick, Elliott, and Logano should be a 90. Chastain and Briscoe somewhere between 89 to 86… Wallace, Bowman, Buescher should be in the 85 to 82 range. Then there’s like 10 guys id put in the 81 to 75 range. Everyone else is low 70s and 60s. Herbst in the 50s. Ware at like 49.” This detailed breakdown showed how some fans are engaging deeply with the data, attempting to rationalize the ratings.
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Finally, there were reactions that were short but summed up the overall frustration around NASCAR 25. One simply stated, “Absolutely ridiculous…” This blunt reaction reflected how Byron’s 100 OVR has sparked an emotional response that goes beyond statistics or methodology. Fans are clearly divided, with the extreme rating leading to questions about the game itself.
Overall, these reactions show that fans have been deeply invested in how NASCAR 25 represents real-world drivers. Byron’s 100 will now also raise important questions about other aspects of the game in the coming days. After all, a number this high is bound to be controversial.
Carson Hocevar Needs ‘Attitude Adjustment’ Insinuates NASCAR Veteran
Carson Hocevar has been making waves in NASCAR, but rarely for the right reasons. The young driver’s daring and aggressive racing style surely has flashes of speed that grab attention, but they also bring a lot of problems with them.
In June, Hocevar caused an uproar after comments he made about Mexico City during a livestream, which cost him a $50,000 fine. At Kansas, Hocevar revved and spun his tires while safety workers were attending to his car, earning him a fine again. At Atlanta, he upset several drivers with his driving style after finishing second. These incidents haven’t gone unnoticed by NASCAR broadcasters, who commented on his ‘attitude’ hindering his success at NASCAR.
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Carson Hocevar needs to be guided the right way
During an episode of Door Bumper Clear, Tommy Baldwin laid it out plainly. He praised Hocevar’s talent first. “He is so good … you watching him drive a race car …dude, put it together! You’re capable of running in the top 10 every week,” the praise ended with that plea.
Baldwin added, “I’m mad because nobody’s helping him…You need like a Dale Earnhardt to- None of you guys got grabbed by the back of the neck. I did, I got grabbed in the back of the neck by Dale Earnhardt once. That’s what you need. That’s what he needs.”
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The point was clear. Talent isn’t enough. Hocevar needs guidance and accountability. And from someone he himself respects. He needs someone with experience to push him, to challenge him, and to make sure he stays on the right path. Co-host Freddie Kraft explained the reasoning: “We’ve been hard on them all year … the reason … is because you (Leigh) know how good he is.”
The problems with Hocevar have continued on the track. At Kansas, NASCAR fined Hocevar $50,000 after he spun and then revved his tires while safety workers were nearby. It was another moment showing that raw talent can’t cover for lapses in control or awareness.
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Even so, not all feedback has been critical. Some veterans notice growth when he tempers his aggression. Tommy Baldwin Jr., after a clean race at New Hampshire, had kind words for him. “He didn’t run into anybody … he ran in the top 10 all day … did a good job.” That comment highlighted the potential when Hocevar balances skill with discipline. So, the conclusion? It’s all there, he just needs some guidance to bring that side out.
Hocevar responds to the latest $50,000 fine
“I fired it up just to throw it into neutral,” Hocevar explained. “It’s sometimes hard to get these things into neutral so I fired it up. Honestly, I didn’t know it spun the tires. Obviously, there’s a tow truck in front of me so I’m not going anywhere.” He stressed that the action was unintentional and part of a routine procedure, not an attempt to disobey safety protocols.
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Hocevar acknowledged the lesson learned. “It’s educational for me. It’s expensive too. It’s educational for our guys too … I was sitting there in third gear doing a burnout so it’s on me not thinking about the tires spinning,” he said. He also noted NASCAR’s limitations. “They don’t have the intent. They can’t know the plan and story behind everything and judge everything and sometimes they have to call it the way they see it.”
Despite the costly penalty, Hocevar maintained a professional perspective. “It got to like 1200 RPMs right? I just fired it up, threw it into neutral and shut it off, and I didn’t even realize the tires were spinning. They called it right,” he said. The incident was quite the talking point, but Hocevar seems determined to learn and move forward, hopefully taking in some of Baldwin’s advice.
NASCAR’s $7.7B Media Deal Labelled
When NASCAR inked its seven-year media rights deal with FOX, NBC, Amazon Prime Video, and TNT Sports (Warner Bros. Discovery) starting in 2025, it looked like a slam dunk for the sport’s future. The $7.7 billion pact promised stability and growth, splitting the Cup Series’ 38 events across the partners.
FOX and NBC each grab 14 races, but the catch is the broadcast breakdown, only five of FOX’s and four of NBC’s hit over-the-air networks, with the rest shunted to cable like FS1 and USA or streaming giants. It was billed as a forward-thinking move, but as 2025’s ratings tank, fans and insiders are calling it a bust that’s chasing cash over crowds.
The deal’s roots go deep. Before 2025, NASCAR’s TV landscape was already fragmented, but this one cranks it up. The Pocono race, now on Prime Video, drew 1.87 million viewers, a 22% drop from 2.4 million on USA Network last year.
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The Coca-Cola 600’s streaming debut peaked at 2.92 million, solid for digital but a shadow of broadcast highs. With practice and qualifying mostly on streaming too, Prime for early season, TruTV and Max later, fans are juggling apps and channels just to catch a lap. It’s a far cry from the days when a single network owned the weekend.
The broadcast drop is the real kicker. In 2024, FOX and NBC aired 20 of 36 Cup races over the air; now it’s just nine. That’s the fewest since NASCAR took the reins from tracks, and it’s got casual viewers tuning out. The New Hampshire playoff race scraped 1.29 million, down 28% from 2024’s 1.88 million.
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Overall Cup average? 2.52 million, a 13% slide. Analysts like Eric Estepp blame the shift to less accessible channels, where guaranteed fees trump household reach. NASCAR prioritized the payday, 40% up from the old deal, but at what cost?
Fans feel the pinch too. The weekly scramble, “Is practice on Prime or TruTV?” turns watching into work. It’s like the 2001 multi-network mess, but with streaming fatigue piled on. Households shell out $90 monthly for bundles, and NASCAR’s spread across FOX, NBC, USA, FS1, TNT, Prime, and The CW for Xfinity feels like a subscription scavenger hunt. The Coca-Cola 600’s 2.72 million on Prime was decent, but it’s no broadcast blowout.
As the sport fights for eyes in a world where NFL Sundays pull 17.5 million, this deal’s looking like a shiny trap. Reddit’s been a firestorm, with fans ripping the “bust” that’s chasing dollars over delivery.
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Fans have labeled NASCAR’s media deal as ‘bust’
“laughs in races being on CBS, ABC, NBC, ESPN, TBS, ESPN2, TNN, and qualifying being on Fox Sports Net and CNN: SI, all in one season,” one user posted, mocking the old patchwork that made finding a race a hunt. Back then, fans flipped channels like mad, but at least it was mostly free over-the-air. Now, with streaming and cable silos, it’s a hassle that’s pushing viewers away.
“This year, there are only 2 Cup races on network TV from March 2nd to October 19th. Say what you will about the modern TV landscape, but broadcast network television is where you find sports on the weekends,” another vented. The nine over-the-air races are a joke compared to 20 in 2024, and weekends are NFL and MLB territory. Fans who rely on antennas for free sports are left out, and the deal’s focus on cash over reach feels tone-deaf.
“7 Billion dollar bust,” a user quipped. The $7.7 billion windfall was hyped as NASCAR’s golden ticket, but with Pocono’s 22% drop and New Hampshire’s 28% plunge, it’s a bust that’s fragmenting the audience. BlackBook Motorsport called it a “landmark,” but fans see it as prioritizing fees over fans.
“I think it’s just a by-product of NASCAR taking dollars over terms. They could have asked for more network races, but didn’t. They could have sold streaming rights separately, but didn’t. They wanted the big chunk of money over having a deal that best served existing fans and helps cultivate new ones,” one fan nailed.
Pre-2001, fans juggled six networks for a race, but cable was king. Now, with streaming costs rivaling cable, the chase across Prime, TruTV, and USA is exhausting casuals.
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“The weekly ‘which channel is showing practice/ quali this week?’ ‘Okay, and is the race on the same channel?’ … I can’t even hate on Prime because those races were done so well, but with the actual TV channels, it’s a mess. It also makes it harder for the average earning American at this point because it’s much easier to bunny ears a Fox, NBC channel, but by making it on so many different channels, it costs the consumer much more,” another gripe.
Cord-cutting was supposed to save money, but NASCAR’s spread forces bundles that hit wallets hard. Prime’s quality is top-notch, but the hassle of tracking races across platforms is killing the vibe.
Kevin Harvick Makes Shocking Admission Years After Escaping Permanent NASCAR Ban
Permanent bans in NASCAR are like a black flag that sticks, rare, but when they drop, they end careers in a heartbeat. In 1970, Henry “Smokey” Yunick, the rule-bending genius behind oversized fuel lines and aero tricks, got indefinitely suspended after clashing with inspectors one too many times. It was a fitting end for a man who lived to push boundaries, but it sidelined him for good.
Tim Richmond’s 1988 ban was darker. NASCAR cited substance policy violations, but Richmond called it a botched handling of his AIDS diagnosis, a controversy that shadowed the sport. Jeremy Mayfield’s 2009 lifetime suspension for methamphetamine, a claim he still fights, cost him millions and his livelihood. Kevin Harvick danced close to that edge early on, and years later, he’s owning up to how close he came to a permanent boot.
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Kevin Harvick’s near-miss ban
On Happy Hour with Kenny Wallace, Harvick got candid about the 2002 Martinsville incident that nearly ended his career before it peaked.“I remember when I got thrown out at Martinsville in ’02 for spinning Coy Gibbs out, and NASCAR had had enough of all the antics from the previous year and the beginning of that year. First one to call me, two guys called me, Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, and Rusty was just adamant about how things worked and how it needed to g,o and the politics that went with it.”
The 2002 Martinsville Truck Series race was Harvick’s breaking point. After spinning Coy Gibbs in retaliation, NASCAR suspended him for the next day’s Cup race, capping a year of feuds like his Bristol Truck clash with Greg Biffle and Rockingham’s $15,000 fine. Helton’s warning that Harvick’s actions were “detrimental” had him on thin ice, a rookie fresh off replacing Earnhardt Sr. at RCR.
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“And those guys, I mean Rusty and Jim Hunter and Richard Childress and Dale Jarrett, those are the guys that kept me from getting kicked out of the group because next thing you know I was on the NASCAR trips and going to learn how to play the politics and to learn how the sport worked and how to sell the sponsorship,” Harvick said.
Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett, Cup vets with clout, pulled him aside, schooling him on the game. Jim Hunter, NASCAR’s comms VP, and owner Richard Childress lobbied hard, framing it as a wake-up call, not a death sentence. Charlotte Observer reports from 2002 show Hunter and Childress convinced NASCAR to lift the ban, turning a potential career-ender into a lesson. Harvick hit sponsor summits and driver councils, learning the corporate ropes that shaped his 2014 title and media empire.
“And you know Rusty was obviously really good and tied in with Fred Wagner and all the folks from Action, but he was always the one to just flat out tell you when you did something wrong,” Harvick added. Wallace’s ties to Fred Wagenhals of Action Performance, the diecast kingpin, opened doors to NASCAR’s business side.
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Wallace’s bluntness helped Harvick temper his fire, evolving him from hothead to statesman. Motorsport.com and RacingOne from 2003 note Wallace’s role as a garage advisor, and for Harvick, that honesty was gold, guiding him from Martinsville’s mess to Budweiser deals and a legacy as the sport’s voice.
Harvick’s admission is a time capsule; 20 years later, he’s reflecting on how close he came to Yunick or Richmond’s fate. It’s a reminder that NASCAR’s bans, though rare, hit hard, and the mentors who pull you back are the real MVPs.
Harvick’s near-ban tale ties to today’s playoff pressure, where one mistake can end a season
Kevin Harvick warns Joey Logano’s a playoff threat
He’s calling out Joey Logano as a “dangerous” wildcard, thanks to Paul Wolfe’s gutsy calls. On Happy Hour, Harvick broke it down: “I still believe that the (threat) with the No. 22 car, with Joey Logano, is exactly what happened this week. You’ve got Paul Wolfe sitting up on the pit box, and he made an absolutely gutsy call to bring that car to pit road. The whole strategy was theirs, right? You saw the No. 20 come to pit road before the No. 22 car, put tires on it, and it forced everybody else to follow.”
Wolfe’s Charlotte Roval pit call had Logano stay out longer, flipping the script on the field. “That’s why I say the 1 car could’ve just come down too, they were off strategy and didn’t follow suit with everyone else. But Paul Wolfe, guts. He has the guts, the knowledge, the brains to just do something that, Big Ball Paul. He made the call, and it put them in position for everything that happened after,” Harvick said.
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Logano’s 2024 title, sparked by Bowman’s DQ, shows his knack for turning chaos into gold. Wolfe’s strategy at the Roval kept him in the Round of 8, a move that could land him a fourth ring. Harvick’s Logano warning connects to his own near-miss; playoffs demand that razor-edge risk, where a wrong call or hot temper can cost everything.
Just like Harvick’s 2002 Martinsville spin nearly banned him, Logano thrives on the format’s high-wire act. It’s a full-circle reminder that NASCAR’s biggest threats are those who learn from the brink and come back swinging.
NASCAR President Explains How Officials Draw the Line on Team’s Controversial Radio Communications
“Easy with it. Take care of your tires here.” This is the radio message that rang over Alex Bowman’s radio twice while he was locked in a tense pursuit with Ross Chastain during the closing laps of the Charlotte race. On the surface, it sounded routine. But given the mistakes, those repeated reminders carried a weight far heavier than they seemed. And almost immediately, the sanctioning body jumped into action mode.
In fact, Alex Bowman wasn’t the only one under the microscope. Cole Custer, too, drew NASCAR’s attention for a familiar radio chat. Reflecting on the same, Managing Director Mike Forde said, “If we do see something or hear something we don’t like, we are going to step in, which we have done now several times.” But it wasn’t the end of it. The radio controversy has now prompted NASCAR to summon all teams for a sit-down meeting, signaling that the organization wants to tighten up the reins before things spiral again.
On the Dale Jr Download podcast, NASCAR’s president, Steve O’Donnell, peeled back the curtain on the fine line between strategy and manipulation when it comes to radio communications: “Sometimes I would say that some of the race teams should be a little smarter and in what they communicate, right? Uh, because it sometimes makes it easy to look at things.”
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“But they’ve certainly gotten smarter on, you know, different code words or whatever it may be. But it’s tough… You know, we kind of set our right on this one, but it’s a tough line to draw. We got a lot of smart folks that kind of beat everything up, look through all the facts… That if got to be damn sure we’re right because there’s so much riding on this.”
This heightened scrutiny didn’t appear out of thin air. It traces back to last year’s Martinsville playoff elimination race, a knife that reshaped how NASCAR learns. There, what was said over the radio became the center of a storm. Nine individuals from three different teams were suspended, and a staggering $600K fine was issued for manipulating race outcomes.
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In the final laps, Austin Dillon and Ross Chastain trailed fellow Chevrolet driver William Byron, both knowing that Byron couldn’t afford to lose another position without missing the championship race. On the Toyota side, Bubba Wallace was told about Christopher Bell’s desperate push to snatch that final transfer spot from Byron.
When the dust settled, NASCAR came down hard, suspending a team executive, a crew chief, and a spotter from each of the three camps. The drivers, however, walked away unpunished.
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Emphasizing the importance of it, O’Donnell added, “And so all the communication and everything, you know, we better be able to go in and stand in front of our peers and say, ‘Here’s at least why we did this.’ And if we lose or get overturned, okay, um, but we need to be able to stand up against it. And so, a lot of work goes into those things. We don’t take it lightly when we’re issuing a penalty or having those conversations.”
Last weekend’s Roval had the same storyline. In a last-ditch effort through the final chicane, Chastain just tried to reclaim the spot but ended up spinning both himself and Hamlin, sealing his own elimination. After the race, Denny Hamlin revealed he hadn’t been clued in about Chastain’s playoff chances: “I wish I would have just known what the last-lap scenario was, and then I make the best decision I can for me. I was surprised. No one told me anything. I absolutely had no idea.”
The single lost position knocked Chastain out of the final transfer spot to the Round of 8, handing the reigning champion, Joey Logano, the advancement instead. And what came out of it? Hard racing. NASCAR doesn’t want any predetermined race manipulation.
However, as Hamlin settles his relationship with Ross Chastain, NASCAR did in fact talk to all teams, but radios aren’t the only thing they listen to… They make sure to hear out fans and drivers and are prepping for huge changes in the 2026 season…
“Started with the fans”: NASCAR official reveals what sparked the 2026 horsepower boost
According to Steve O’Donnell, the NASCAR Cup Series is set to unleash more horsepower at select tracks in the 2026 season, a move that is already sparking major buzz across the garage. NASCAR EVP and chief racing development officer John Probst weighs in on one of the sport’s hottest talking points, confirming that the long-awaited boost is indeed on its way. However, this upgrade won’t apply everywhere.
It will be exclusive to road courses and ovals under 1.5 miles in length, a deliberate choice aimed at tightening the competition. Probst credited the fans for pushing this forward: “Certainly something that started with the fans and obviously a lot of our stakeholders within the industry from the engine builders…you know…you’ve had some of them on your show talking about it. Obviously, we meet with the drivers regularly as well, so it’s been something that we’ve been considering for quite a while, and now we feel like we’ve done enough of the research to go ahead and pull the trigger, if you will, to implement this into the 2026 season.”
This increase will give drivers greater throttle control, better tire management, and more chances to make passes, something fans have been craving for seasons. To get it right, NASCAR has scheduled a test session in early December at North Wilkesboro to fine-tune the higher horsepower setup.
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Next year, 21 out of the 38 car races will see the bump in power, including stocks at Bowman Gray, Circuit of The Americas, Phoenix, Darlington, Martinsville, Bristol, Watkins Glen, Dover, Nashville, the San Diego Street course, Sonoma, North Wilkesboro, Iowa, Richmond, New Hampshire, Charlotte and World Wide Technology Raceway, among others.
The 2026 season seems to be shaping up to be faster, fiercer, and a whole lot more thrilling. And now NASCAR is on the right side of the fans, and all eyes will be on the up-and-coming speed races.
Why a win in Round of 8 opener at Vegas can lead to a NASCAR title
As the NASCAR Cup Series prepares for a trip out west to Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday (5:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, HBO Max, PRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App), the first spot in the Championship Four will be up for grabs.
Denny Hamlin, who is still in search of his elusive Cup Series title, holds a slim eight-point advantage above the cutline as the remaining eight drivers enter the penultimate round of the postseason.
While the points are as tight as ever, history suggests a win on Sunday bodes well for a title-clincher three weeks later in Phoenix.
A win at Las Vegas can set the stage for a title at Phoenix
In the 11 years of the playoff elimination format since its debut in 2014, the winner of the opening race in the Round of 8 has gone on to win the championship five times, including three of the last four, per NASCAR.com.
Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson (2016) was the first to do so when he won at Martinsville on his way to a record-tying seventh title. Joey Logano (2018, 2022, 2024) has won the opening race in the Round of 8 each time he won the championship and Kyle Larson (2021) was victorious at Texas before claiming his first title.
The winner of the Las Vegas race has proceeded to win the championship two of the last three years since it was put in this spot on the playoffs schedule. Logano has won the two while Larson was runner-up in 2023.
Three of the five instances occurred at another track altogether, but the success drivers have had after winning the Round of 8 opener speaks to its importance, especially this season with the unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 19) and the drama of the elimination race at Martinsville (Oct. 26) lurking afterward.
Regardless of which track has played host to the Round of 8 opener, it is hard to ignore the benefits that come with winning the race and having two extra weeks to prepare for the championship race. With the competitiveness throughout the field and the difficulty that comes with finding an edge, any advantage a driver and team can get could be the difference between winning or losing the title.
The current playoff format lends itself to the last-lap drama that unfolded at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval last weekend and could be facing some major changes during the offseason in an effort to reward drivers more for their season-long consistency instead of it coming down to one race.
With that said, the 2025 champion will be determined the same way since the current format was implemented in 2014. If history repeats itself, the winner of Sunday’s race could be in the driver’s seat to take the championship at Phoenix.
NASCAR Legend Outlines the Path to Ultimate Stock Car Racing Glory Amid Next Gen Struggles
When Martin Truex Jr. hung up his firesuit in 2024, Joe Gibbs was not worried. The stellar Cup Series team owner roped in a worthy driver to fill in Truex’s No. 19 Toyota seat. And within a year, that decision has churned out phenomenal results. Chase Briscoe has wheeled his car to two victories, 17 top tens, and 13 top fives already – posing a legitimate threat in the championship battle. Yet his dusty roots may be driving this excellence more than the present.
Chase Briscoe, although a highly successful Cup Series driver at present, has his roots in dirt racing. What is more, Joe Gibbs relaxed his team’s rules about racing on dirt during weekdays after Briscoe’s arrival. A racing legend with similar roots recently divulged the right way to learn stock car racing, especially at a time of Next-Gen struggles.
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A ‘dirty’ path to NASCAR
After driving in the NASCAR Cup Series for 29 seasons, Ken Schrader has been a fan-favorite icon. The four-time Cup race winner has left his fans in awe by competing at a senior age – Schrader ran 64 races in 2024, at 69 years old. And behind Schrader’s NASCAR journey lies a rich dirt racing background. Beginning his career on the dirt tracks of Missouri, the legend went on to achieve several crowns, like the 1982 USAC Silver Crown Series championship. Hence, in a recent interview with Frontstretch, Schrader said, “You learn a lot on the dirt.” Yet it is far from easy, as Schrader continued, “a lot of habits you gotta break to start going asphalt racing.”
Yet Chase Briscoe achieved the same trajectory, as he started his racing career on the dirt tracks of Indiana. Like his family, he raced sprint cars on the rough and tumble bullrings of the Midwest. So Ken Schrader continued that he would have initiated his son, Sheldon, on the same path if he had been interested in racing. “I think that if…luckily, my son didn’t like anything about it, and that was great. And if son did, and you’re going on an unlimited budget, then you start him out on the asphalt, get him running on some dirt, get some laps, learn some different things there about car control and that.”
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Having a solid background in dirt helps Chase Briscoe navigate the difficulties of NASCAR’s Next-Gen car. He successfully transitioned from Ford to Toyota, although he keeps facing similar issues. Ken Schrader talked about Briscoe’s views: “I’ve heard Chase Briscoe talking to Christopher Bell about how this stuff drove before when he was at Stewart-Haas…Chase said, ‘Oh no, this is gonna drive just as bad. It’s not gonna drive good, you’re just gonna go fast.’ I’m a pretty big fan of those guys. I know that they got their hands full.”
NASCAR raced at Bristol’s dirt track between 2021 and 2023. The Craftsman Truck Series also tore through the Eldora track from 2013 to 2019 during the Eldora Dirt Derby. In an interview in July, Chase Briscoe had expressed enthusiasm in bringing back that thrill: “I definitely think we need a dirt track just because we run on every discipline. We have superspeedway, short track, intermediate, road course, and you know, growing up, you’re either a road course guy, a short track racer, or a dirt racer.”
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We do not know yet if Ken Schrader and Chase Briscoe’s wishes would be fulfilled. However, we do know that Briscoe got a bitter reality check last Sunday.
A sick day stole his streak
As aforementioned, Chase Briscoe adapted to Joe Gibbs Racing with stellar speed. Wheeling a car from a different OEM towards a potential title is no mean feat. Briscoe has led 808 laps this season, more than his previous four Cup seasons combined. Yet that is not all – After winning the NASCAR Cup Series playoff opener in Darlington, Briscoe embarked on a top ten streak. Through five races, he clinched three top fives and five top tens, displaying an average finish of 5.2. However, this brilliant record screeched to an end in last Sunday’s race at the Charlotte Roval.
Chase Briscoe battled nausea inside the No. 19 Toyota and asked his team for medication at the end of Stage 1. NBC Sports announcer Leigh Diffey said on the broadcast that Briscoe’s team gave him an ice pack to help. Eventually, he could finish in 14th place, breaking his top ten streak. Briscoe could beat both Joey Logano and Ross Chastain for the 7th berth in the Round of 8. He had outlined his goals before the race: “If we can go and outrun them in both stages and the race, then we can move on no matter what…But it all comes back down to the regular season and not performing in the first half of the season to get all the stage points and playoff points to put ourselves in a better position.”
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Evidently, a dirt racing background is helping Chase Briscoe stay true to his ambitions. Let’s wait and see if Ken Schrader can watch his favorite driver grab the title!
Kenny Wallace Warns NASCAR’s ‘Clean Image’ Has Cost It Fan Connection
“I didn’t mean to turn him around; I meant to rattle his cage, though,” said Dale Earnhardt Sr., addressing his crash with Terry Labonte during the 1999 Cup Series at Bristol. That’s how unfiltered NASCAR was! Back in 2011, in the Truck Series, Kyle Busch intentionally wrecked Ron Hornaday Jr. at Texas. The result? He was black-flagged and parked, but the fans sure had a field day. These acts that once defined intensity and bravado barely unfold in the present-day NASCAR, and it has caused much worry.
Speaking on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, Kenny Wallace called out NASCAR’s preference for controlled races over unpredictable ones: “All our heroes in NASCAR are gone. And we love these racers today, but they’re scared to death. Yeah, I love Jeff Gordon. He’s a good friend of ours. But Jeff is scared to death… I mean, all his drivers are not allowed to speak, and if they do, they’re just toting the company line.”
“Nobody can relate. You know, they miss you. They miss Kevin Harvick jumping across the hood of that car, and you getting ready to beat Greg Biffle’s a*s. That was showmanship, man. They miss that. They can relate to that. NASCAR is so clean right now because these young kids have been taught, you know, and they’ve been taught, don’t say nothing wrong, you’ll be fine.”
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Nowadays, the fans don’t get to see Kevin Harvick’s 2002 WWE-style dust-up. During the Channellock 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kevin Harvick, known for his fiery temperament, found himself on the receiving end of a late-race incident with Biffle, making contact and sending the 2014 champion hard into the wall.
Kevin Harvick decided to take matters into his own hands. After the race ended, he waited for Biffle to finish and park his car. As the 55-year-old made his way down pit road, Harvick launched himself over Biffle’s car in a move reminiscent of a WWE stunt, landing directly in front of his rival.
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The confrontation was intense, with Harvick grabbing Biffle by the collar and delivering a very pointed message. This act of retaliation was not just about getting a score. It was a statement that NASCAR was a sport of passion, while drivers wore their hearts on their sleeves. While that’s that,
Harvick was fined ($15,000) and placed on probation for the remainder of the season, underscoring NASCAR’s commitment to maintaining order while acknowledging the sport’s fiery roots.
When Harvick asked why NASCAR’s once loyal fan base is drifting away, Wallace kept it simple: ” For some reason, the NASCAR fans feel like they were done wrong. Give them a free hat. Yeah. Give them something to engage to love NASCAR. There are some mistakes, and you know, NASCAR has admitted it before. You listen to, you know, Steve O’Donnell on some podcast, and Steve’s like, ‘You know, we’ve done some things wrong. We’re trying to make it right…’ This is cliché, what I’m saying. You don’t really give them a free hat. Yeah. Maybe, but they want to feel loved again. Their heart is broke.”
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More than the reliability factor, it is also the Next-Gen cars and the current playoff formats that are upsetting fans. With Dale Jr. pushing for a return to the Golden Era, it is no secret that the NASCAR Cup Series racing is in a major TV rating slump this postseason. None of the past six playoff races has cracked 2 million viewers, sparking questions about whether NASCAR’s current broadcast strategy and win-and-you’re-in playoff format are losing their punch.
With Harvick getting nostalgic about the good old days and revealing how he escaped a permanent ban, the veterans have shifted focus to the newer fans and the generation at hand. Additionally, the TV numbers recently have not helped NASCAR’s case of losing its fans. With numbers and analysis in place, Kevin Harvick’s Mamba Smith puts things into perspective.
Kevin Harvick and Co. appreciate Xfinity numbers amid the Cup Series’ devastating TV numbers
Ironically, while the Cup Series struggles, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is quietly building momentum. During the same Charlotte weekend, Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal shared the numbers: NASCAR Cup (USA Network) drew 1.45 million viewers, Formula 1 (ESPN) 931,000, and NASCAR Xfinity (The CW) 808,000. And Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast’s co-host, Smith, can see it.
Mamba Smith couldn’t help but express his views. Putting it bluntly, he said, “Why isn’t this getting talked about more?? The Xfinity Series is almost doing the same numbers on the CW as F1 is doing on ESPN.”
It is definitely a striking contrast. The Xfinity Series, often seen as NASCAR’s minor league, is pulling nearly equal viewership to the global F1 broadcast, largely because of consistency. The CW has offered fans a stable home for Xfinity races, while the Cup Series has scattered across six different platforms this season—FOX, USA Network, Prime Video, TNT, and more—with only nine races on major networks.
From Darlington to Charlotte, the trend has been unmistakable. The Roval race pulled just 1.54 million viewers, down sharply from 2.42 million last year when NBC added it to its main channel. The shift to cable and streaming has clearly hurt reach, and many believe the highest-stakes playoff system no longer carries the same thrill it once did.
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This sort of fragmentation matters. FOX Sports 1 reaches 73% of FOX’s main audience, USA Network 79% of NBC’s, and TNT 78%. With NBCUniversal reportedly rethinking NASCAR commitments, USA Network could soon exit the picture altogether. Meanwhile, the CW’s steady nationwide coverage has made it an unlikely hero, giving fans easy access and making NASCAR one of the network’s prime attractions alongside college football.
Kenny Wallace Blames Fans for NASCAR Regrets While Divulging His ‘Tough Love’ With Elder Brother
In February 2025, NASCAR did not approve Mike Wallace’s Daytona 500 entry. Yet 14 years earlier, the retired driver’s family made history in the sport. In 2011, the Wallace family became the first to have four members race in the Daytona 500. They included the three brothers, Mike, Kenny, and Rusty – and also Steve Wallace, Rusty’s son. That state of camaraderie has lasted through time, in spite of the rough treatment of fans.
Kenny Wallace has probably been in the spotlight for the longest time. After carving out a name for himself in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he was quite successful and popular as a TV broadcaster for Speed TV and later FOX Sports. Yet memories of his racing career still haunt him, although not to the extent of being bothered by fans’ expectations.
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Kenny Wallace defies the popular trajectory
One reason why the NASCAR community loves Kenny Wallace is his quality of statesmanship. His cheerful personality goes hand-in-hand with careful opinions backed by facts. He is well aware of the disparity in achievement between him and his brother Rusty. The latter clinched the 1989 Cup Series championship, besides roping in 55 Cup race trophies. On the other hand, Kenny fetched nine Xfinity race trophies across a 25-year career. Yet Wallace is not bothered and instead blames fans for making him feel less. “My brother is one of the greatest race car drivers in the history of NASCAR. But it’s the people that remind me of it…I just love Rusty. It’s the fans that go, “Man, you’re not your brother.”
Kenny Wallace appeared in a recent ‘Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour’ episode and gave insights into his fraternal dynamics. Rusty, being the older brother, has been a strict influence on Kenny’s life. The latter shared, “Rusty has what they call tough love. Him and Schrader, they were born in the 50s. They can be pricks to the maximum peak. And if you’re not ready to get your ass chewed out by Rusty…but I mean there’s times he’s he’s put me in tears, but Rusty calls it tough love. So Rusty has made me stronger, made me tougher, and I love him beyond belief.”
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Yet Kenny Wallace‘s deep love for his brother was not the only reality check for him. The NASCAR veteran also had two great individuals who reminded him of his worth amidst fans’ doubts. The first was Don Prudhomme, a renowned drag racing icon. Wallace recalled, “Prudhomme is a very good friend of mine. We talk just about once a week right now. But he helped me in life. He looked at me and he says, “You know, your brother Rusty is just damn good.” I said, “No doubt.” He said, “But you’re Kenny Wallace.” He saved my life because when I was down on myself that.”
The second great individual was none other than Jeff Gordon, a four-time Cup Series champion. Kenny Wallace continued, “I wanted to be Jeff Gordon…me and Jeff were dear friends. And he even admitted that. I told him one time I said, “Man, I wish I had your talent”…He looked at me after winning three championships. He looked at me dead serious and he goes, “God, I wish I could laugh like you.” It just hurt my heart.”
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Evidently, Kenny Wallace is living his life fully now, without regrets about his NASCAR career. While he navigates the question of worth in his own life, Wallace also broached the merit of NASCAR’s title runs.
The sport was always unfair
The 2025 NASCAR championship runs are heating up. Corey Heim is dominating in the Craftsman Truck Series, having picked up 10 trophies, 16 top fives, and 18 top tens. Meanwhile, Connor Zilisch is in the same boat, heading towards a title with 10 victories, 18 top fives, and 20 top tens. However, Kenny Wallace let out a stream of skepticism on a recent episode of ‘Coffee With Kenny’. He made it very clear to fans not to bet the farm on either driver winning their respective championship.
And the basis for his conclusion was a championship run back in 1993. Kenny Wallace said, “In 1993, Rusty Wallace won 10 Cup races and lost the championship to Dale Earnhardt Sr.” Indeed, Kenny’s brother won five of the last eight races that season, but still wound up losing to Dale Earnhardt, who picked up 6 wins, by 80 points. There was no playoff format back then. The driver with the most points earned over the 30-race season won the title based primarily on consistency.
So Kenny Wallace continued, “So it is very easy to have the most wins and not win the championship. On Saturday, somebody said, ‘Wouldn’t it be a shame for Corey Heim to go to Phoenix and lose the championship with the most wins?’ I said, ‘What’s that got to do with NASCAR? That sounds to me like the New England Patriots when they won the most games and lost the Super Bowl.’”
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Clearly, the question of merit extends beyond just the number of trophies that one has in NASCAR. With Kenny Wallace dialing down fans’ opinions, let’s see how the finales play out in 2025.
LA Dodgers move on in MLB postseason after beating Phillies in NLDS matchup
After a scoreless start and extra innings, the Los Angeles Dodgers have eliminated the Philadelphia Phillies from the postseason with a 2-1 win.
The NLDS matchup remained scoreless until the top of the seventh inning, when Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos hit a double to left field and brought in left fielder Max Kepler for the first run of the game.
The Dodgers joined their opponents on the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh after Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran walked shortstop Mookie Betts while the bases were loaded.
LA held their momentum at the top of the eighth inning after pitcher Roki Sasaki retired the heart of the Phillies lineup without allowing a single hit. He remained efficient through the 10th inning, throwing 26 strikes on 36 pitches and keeping the two teams level at 1-1.
Pitcher Alex Vesia kept up the stellar play from the Dodgers’ bullpen in the 11th, ending the inning by striking out Harrison Bader.
In the bottom of the 11th, pitcher Jesus Luzardo struggled against the Dodgers’ batters, allowing two runners on the first and third until being pulled out for Orion Kerkering.
However, the defensive woes for the Phillies didn’t end there, with Kerkering walking Kike Hernandez and loading up the bases for center fielder Andy Pages. With two outs and one strike, Pages grounded a ball straight at Kerkering, who failed to get a handle of it.
Kerkering tried to get the out at home plate, but missed his catcher as Hyeseong Kim scored the walk-off run.
Los Angeles Dodgers Advance, Reach NLCS: Shop Dodgers MLB Postseason Gear
The Los Angeles Dodgers knocked out the Phillies and are headed to the NLCS for the second time in as many years. Get your MLB Postseason gear now on Fanatics!
The Dodgers keep on rolling, having yet to lose a postseason series over the last two seasons. They look like the team to beat right now, thanks to the star power at the top of their lineup with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, and also the depth to their starting pitching that features Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow.
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Phillies On Wrong Side of Brutal MLB History in NLDS Loss
The Philadelphia Phillies lost Game 4 of the National League Division Series in one of the most brutal ways imaginable.
Right-handed pitcher Orion Kerkering entered the bottom of the 11th inning in a 1-1 game with runners on the corners and two outs. He then walked Kiké Hernandez to load the bases, bringing up Andy Pages.
More news: Yankees Trolled by Dodgers After Getting Eliminated in ALDS
Pages hit a soft comebacker to Kerkering, but the reliever struggled to field the ball, and then panicked and threw it home. The throw went awry, and the Dodgers were moving onto the NL Championship Series.
The Athletic’s Jayson Stark revealed that the Phillies made unfortunate history with the loss. This is the first postseason series in MLB history to end on a walk-off error.
This story will be updated…
NLCS history: Winners, key stats on the MLB playoff series
MLB altered its playoff structure in 1969 and established the League Championship Series. The LCS is a showdown between the winners of the division series to determine which team will represent its respective league — American League and National League — in the World Series. Baseball expanded both the ALCS and NLCS in 1985, from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven series.
In the 2024 NLCS, the Los Angeles Dodgersdefeated theNew York Metsin a six-game series. On October 9, the Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS to punch their ticket to the 2025 NLCS.
Here’s a look at notable stats from NLCS history:
Franchise with the most appearances
Los Angeles Dodgers, 17
Franchise with the most games played
Los Angeles Dodgers, 87
Franchise with the most wins
Los Angeles Dodgers, 43
Franchise with the most series wins
Los Angeles Dodgers, 9
Player with the most games
Terry Pendleton, 38
Player with the most at-bats
Terry Pendleton, 135
Player with the highest batting average
Lloyd McClendon, .625
Player with the most hits
Pete Rose, 45
Player with the most home runs
Albert Pujols, 10
Player with the most RBIs
Albert Pujols, 27
Player with the most runs
Albert Pujols, 25
Player with the most stolen bases
Ron Gant, Davey Lopes and Joe Morgan are tied with eight apiece
Pitcher with the most games
Mark Wohlers, 19
Pitcher with the most wins
Tom Glavine and John Smoltz tied with six apiece
Pitcher with the most losses
Tom Glavine, 10
Pitcher with the most saves
Brad Lidge, 10
Pitcher with the lowest ERA
Dave Dravecky, 0.43
Pitcher with the most strikeouts
John Smoltz, 89
Manager with the most wins
Bobby Cox, 28 (5-5 in 10 NLCS appearances with the Atlanta Braves)
All-time winners
2024 – Los Angeles Dodgers
2023 – Arizona Diamondbacks
2022 – Philadelphia Phillies
2021 – Atlanta Braves
2020 – Los Angeles Dodgers
2019 – Washington Nationals
2018 – Los Angeles Dodgers
2017 – Los Angeles Dodgers
2016 – Chicago Cubs
2015 – New York Mets
2014 – San Francisco Giants
2013 – St. Louis Cardinals
2012 – San Francisco Giants
2011 – St. Louis Cardinals
2010 – San Francisco Giants
2009 – Philadelphia Phillies
2008 – Philadelphia Phillies
2007 – Colorado Rockies
2006 – St. Louis Cardinals
2005 – Houston Astros
2004 – St. Louis Cardinals
2003 – Florida Marlins
2002 – San Francisco Giants
2001 – Arizona Diamondbacks
2000 – New York Mets
1999 – Atlanta Braves
1998 – San Diego Padres
1997 – Florida Marlins
1996 – Atlanta Braves
1995 – Atlanta Braves
1993 – Philadelphia Phillies
1992 – Atlanta Braves
1991 – Atlanta Braves
1990 – Cincinnati Reds
1989 – San Francisco Giants
1988 – Los Angeles Dodgers
1987 – St. Louis Cardinals
1986 – New York Mets
1985 – St. Louis Cardinals
1984 – San Diego Padres
1983 – Philadelphia Phillies
1982 – St. Louis Cardinals
1981 – Los Angeles Dodgers
1980 – Philadelphia Phillies
1979 – Pittsburgh Pirates
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Rare Walk-Off Error Strikes Again in MLB Postseason
Highlights
Phillies were eliminated after Orion Kerkering’s game-losing error in the 11th
Dodgers advance to NLCS amid widespread sympathy for Kerkering
The Dodgers became just the second team in MLB history to clinch a series on a walk-off error
The Philadelphia Phillies’ 2025 season ended in the most brutal way possible Thursday night, undone by a single mistake in extra innings. Reliever Orion Kerkering, once the rising star of the bullpen, committed a fateful error in the 11th that handed the Dodgers a 2–1 walk-off win and sent Los Angeles to the NLCS.
What Went Wrong
It was the kind of play pitchers practice endlessly in spring training.
With two outs and the bases loaded, Andy Pages hit a routine comebacker to the mound. Kerkering gloved it cleanly, but instead of taking the sure out at first, he rushed a throw home that skipped past catcher J.T. Realmuto. Hyeseong Kim crossed the plate with the winning run, and in a blink, the Phillies’ season was over.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sympathized, calling it “brutal,” adding, “It’s a PFP, a pitcher’s fielding practice. He’s done it a thousand times. Right there he was so focused on the hitter he just forgot the outs and the situation. Kerkering is a stud. You definitely feel for a player.”
The images were heartbreaking. Phillies manager Rob Thomson placed a consoling arm on his pitcher as they walked off. His teammates were consoling him in the dugout after the game.
Rare Company in Postseason History
According to OptaStats, the Dodgers became only the second team in MLB postseason history to clinch a series on a walk-off error. The only other time came exactly nine years ago to the day, when Rougned Odor’s errant throw to first base allowed Josh Donaldson to score, sealing a Blue Jays sweep of the Rangers in the 2016 ALDS.
Philadelphia’s season didn’t just end, it ended in a way so rare it had happened only once before in playoff history.
From Breakout to Breakdown
This was not Kerkering’s first taste of October.
He made his MLB debut in September 2023 after climbing rapidly through the Phillies’ farm system. Just weeks later, he earned a surprise spot on the postseason roster, where he delivered fearless innings as a rookie. That brief run cemented his reputation as a bullpen piece for the future — a flamethrower seemingly unfazed by pressure.
That is why Thursday night’s collapse hurt so deeply. The same pitcher who looked so poised on the big stage two years ago now stands defined by one catastrophic lapse.
Phillies’ Broader Failures
Kerkering’s mistake was the final punctuation on a series of mistakes and failures for the Phillies.
Philadelphia’s offense sputtered all series, leaving runners in scoring position and failing to manufacture timely hits. In Game 4, Nick Castellanos supplied the only RBI double before the bats went quiet. Earlier, a bases-loaded walk from Jhoan Durán erased a lead and set the table for heartbreak.
What might have been a minor miscue in April became a season-ending error in October.
Reaction Around Baseball
Across baseball, reaction skewed toward empathy.
Even Mets broadcaster Howie Rose posted on X: “I don’t care who you root for, but if you can’t find even an ounce of compassion for Orion Kerkering you are undoubtedly devoid of a soul.”
Roberts echoed that sentiment, insisting Kerkering’s talent and future remain unquestioned despite the misstep. Phillies players and staff visibly rallied around the 24-year-old, determined to shield him from the harsh spotlight. Still, the image of Kerkering head bowed as the Dodgers erupted will be seared into postseason lore.
The Legacy of the Loss
MLB playoff takeaways: Dodgers advance to NLCS, Cubs force Game 5
The 2025 MLB playoffs continued on Thursday with both National League Division Series matchups in action. The Los Angeles Dodgers edged out the Philadelphia Phillies in an 11-inning thriller, winning 2–1 to advance to the NLCS. The Chicago Cubs secured their second straight victory, dominating the Milwaukee Brewers, 6–0, to force a Game 5.
Here are key takeaways from Thursday’s games:
Dodgers survive in extras, punch ticket to NLCS
In a pitchers’ duel that culminated in late-inning drama, the Dodgers outlasted the Phillies in 11 innings to claim a 2–1 victory and punch their ticket to the NLCS.
Trailing 1–0 in the seventh, the Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs after the Phillies intentionally walked Shohei Ohtani. The strategy backfired when Jhoan Duran issued a walk to Mookie Betts, forcing in the tying run.
Tied in the bottom of the 11th with the bases loaded and two outs once again, Phillies reliever Orion Kerkering mishandled a routine grounder from Andy Pages. His rushed throw to home sailed over catcher J.T. Realmuto, allowing the winning run to score.
Cubs dominate Brewers to force Game 5
Facing elimination, the Cubs turned to lefty Matthew Boyd, who redeemed himself after a rough Game 1 outing in which he lasted just two-thirds of an inning and surrendered six runs (two earned). Boyd bounced back with 4 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out six and allowing only two hits.
Chicago’s offense ignited early to help Boyd, with Ian Happ launching a three-run home run in the first inning — marking the fourth straight game in the series where the Cubs have scored in the opening frame.
MLB Umpire Apologizes to Phillies for Game-Changing Mistake as Orion Kerkering Spills on Heartbreaking Error
The Phillies, trailing 2-1 in the NLDS, needed a win to stay alive against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The game was 1-1 at the end of the night and stretched deep into extra innings. With no margin for error, the game already hits its fever pitch. Then, in the bottom of the 11th inning with the bases loaded and two outs, reliever Orion Kerkering induced a weak ground ball back to the mound to save the inning. Kerkering couldn’t notice his catcher, J.T. Realmuto’s signal to throw to first in the heat of the moment, and made a wild throw.
The ball sailed away, the Dodgers scored the winning run, and the Phillies’ season was over.
The final throw may be the moment that ended the season, but the first domino fell four innings earlier. Starter Cristopher Sánchez had Dodgers hitter Alex Call in a 2-2 count in the bottom of the seventh and delivered a perfect sinker that appeared to catch the corner for strike three. But home plate umpire Mark Wegner called it a ball. Call walked on the next pitch and eventually scored the tying run. Until then, the Phillies had a 1-0 lead in the game.
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The veteran umpire later admitted his mistake, and according to a tweet from Philadelphia Inquirer writer Lochlahn March, “Cristopher Sánchez said the umpire apologized to him for missing the 2-2 pitch to Alex Call in the seventh. What should have been a strikeout became a walk, and that runner went on to score the tying run.” And at the end, where everything will be under scrutiny, it’s a massive mistake that directly changed the course of the entire game.
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And after the game, the rookie pitcher Orion Kerkering was brutally honest about his season-ending error. “Shit off my foot. Um, just kind of, once the pressure got to me, just thought it was a faster throw to J.T. [Realmuto], a little quicker throw than trying to cross-body to Bryce [Harper], so. Just a poor, shit throw,” Kerkering said. And about hearing his catcher signaling for the safe play at first base, Kerkering said, “Just in the moment. Just kind of looking up, just be ready to get it.”
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But his teammates are well aware of the heat of the moment and support him after the mistake so early in his career. So he said, they said, ” ‘Just keep your head up.’ It’s an honest mistake, just it’s baseball, shit happens, and ‘Just keep your head up, you’ll be good for a long time to come.’ It’s not my fault that we had opportunities to score.” And about a visit from the manager, Rob Thomson, he said, “Means a lot. Shows they care a lot. Um, just means everything, for sure.”
Story is still developing….
Yankees Threatened to Take Drastic Anthony Volpe Action by Travis Kelce’s Ex-Teammate After Blue Jays Disaster
The New York Yankees have just been knocked out of the postseason after losing Game 4 of the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays. The whole Yankees offense seemed to struggle to get into a groove. Yet only Anthony Volpe is held accountable.
One such fan is a Super Bowl champion and Travis Kelce’s ex-teammate, Gehrig Dieter. After the game ended, Dieter posted, “If Volpe is the Yankees’ starting SS next year, I’m retiring from being a fan.” And looking at the performance Volpe has put up offensively, most would have the same feeling.
Anthony Volpe’s 2025 regular season has been a challenge, both offensively and defensively. He played 153 games at shortstop, committing 19 errors, resulting in a .963 fielding percentage overall. Fans noticed his struggles, especially since the league average fielding percentage for shortstops is .975, highlighting his defensive inconsistencies. Offensively, he managed just a .217 average with a .608 OPS, striking out excessively and producing minimal contributions.
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Despite frustrations, manager Aaron Boone kept Volpe in the lineup, which intensified fan scrutiny and debate across social media.
Fans expressed disappointment, especially as Volpe’s 10-game slump produced a historic .031 on-base percentage with 36.4 percent strikeouts. Comparisons to Yankees legends only heightened the pressure, leaving supporters questioning if loyalty outweighed performance considerations.
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Yet Boone defended him publicly, emphasizing Volpe’s potential and the long-term investment in his development.
Then, in the postseason, Anthony Volpe showcased noticeable defensive improvement, handling six games at shortstop flawlessly with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage. Offensively, his struggles persisted, though, striking out 14 times in 24 plate appearances, barely raising his batting average.
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Even with defensive brilliance, Anthony Volpe’s ongoing offensive struggles left Yankees fans equally exasperated. Gehrig Dieter’s viral reaction perfectly captures the disbelief felt by loyal supporters across New York. If Boone keeps Volpe at shortstop, history might record patience as both heroic and borderline masochistic.
What are the questions hanging over the Yankees in the offseason after Game 4 loss?
The Yankees are staring down the offseason like a pitcher staring at a bases-loaded jam: Tense, uncomfortable, and full of decisions that could define the next chapter. Aaron Boone, Brian Cashman, Aaron Judge, and the rest of the Bronx Bombers now have to answer uncomfortable questions about contracts, roster moves, and whether their 2025 campaign was a misstep disguised as dominance. The answers won’t be pretty or easy.
The Yankees’ early exit against the Blue Jays leaves fans restless, wondering what comes next. Aaron Boone’s future as manager is the first question weighing heavily over the Bronx.
With two years left on his contract, Boone retains support from Hal Steinbrenner and Aaron Judge. Still, his postseason record without a World Series ring raises concerns among even the most loyal fans.
Roster decisions form the second major puzzle, as eight Yankees enter free agency this offseason.
Paul Goldschmidt, Austin Slater, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, and Ryan Yarbrough are unlikely to return next year. Paul Blackburn, Amed Rosario, and Trent Grisham could come back, each bringing different risks and upside. These choices will shape bench depth and fielding options, influencing how competitive the team can be in 2026.
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The biggest question remains how aggressively the Yankees pursue big-name upgrades like Cody Bellinger or Nolan Tucker. Bellinger offers versatility and high fWAR, while Tucker could transform the lineup but carries a high financial cost.
Decisions here may determine whether the Bronx Bombers challenge for a pennant or settle for another early exit. Fans will watch anxiously, hoping this offseason delivers clarity, talent, and a real shot at redemption.
Toronto Maple Leafs show Blue Jays’ ALDS win in arena
The NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Montreal Canadiens, 5-2, on Wednesday night in their home opener at Scotiabank Arena. The crowd was thrilled, to be sure. But the fans in attendance weren’t ready to leave the venue after the game ended.
That’s because there was some other business to attend to. On the scoreboard, the Maple Leafs played the final few innings of Game 4 of the American League Division Series between the Blue Jays and Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
With the Jays leading by three in the bottom of the ninth, those who had just cheered on the Maple Leafs in their victory were ready to celebrate another win — one that would send their beloved Blue Jays to the AL Championship Series for the first time since 2016.
When reliever Jeff Hoffman struck out Cody Bellinger for the final out, Scotiabank Arena erupted in jubilation. It was a good day to be a Toronto sports fan.
The final score of ALDS Game 4 in the Bronx? The same as in the Maple Leafs’ win in Toronto: 5-2.
Interestingly, according to OptaSTATS, the last time the Maple Leafs had won a game on the same day the Blue Jays won a postseason game was Oct. 23, 1993.
History doesn’t repeat itself. But it does often rhyme. The Blue Jays certainly hope that will be the case as they continue the quest for their first World Series championship since that one 32 years ago.
Flames rally to beat the Oilers 4-3 in shootout to spoil Draisaitl’s 400th NHL goal
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Nazem Kadri scored in the eighth round of a shootout to give the Calgary Flames a 4-3 comeback victory over Edmonton on Wednesday night, spoiling Oilers star Leon Draisaitl’s 400th NHL goal.
After Draisaitl and Morgan Frost each scored in the second round of the tiebreaker, the next 11 shooters failed before Kadri slipped a backhander past Stuart Skinner to end the season opener.
Playing his 791st regular-season game, Draisaitl gave the Oilers a 3-0 lead at 8:32 of the second period. He tapped in David Tomasek’s cross-crease feed, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also assisting.
Draisaitl also had an assist to push his points total to 958. The 29-year-old German star is the 111th player in NHL history to score 400 goals.
Matvei Gridin scored in his NHL debut to start the Calgary rally and Connor Zary and Blake Coleman added goals. Dustin Wolf made 32 saves.
Nugent-Hopkins and former Calgary forward Andrew Mangiapane also scored for the Oilers, coming off consecutive Stanley Cup Finals losses to the Florida Panthers. Mangiapane played for Washington last season after seven years with the Flames.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins opened the scoring on a power play at 9:53 of the first period, poking the puck in to cap a nifty passing play with linemates Connor McDavid and Draisaitl.
Mangiapane made it 2-0 with 3:49 left in the period, beating Wolf with a snap shot from the left side. McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins assisted.
After Draisaitl made it 3-0, Gridin countered for the Flames with 7:40 left in the second, firing a centering pass that deflected off Edmonton’s Noah Philp and past Skinner. The Flames took the 19-year-old Russian forward with the 28th overall pick in 2024.
Zary pulled Calgary within one on a power play with 5:13 left in the period, batting the puck in for a goal that survived a video review for a high stick. Coleman tied it 40 seconds into the third, poking the puck between Skinner’s legs after the goalie fumbled Zary’s lob from the blue line.
Edmonton killed off a penalty late in regulation that spilled over into overtime. Calgary then fended off a power play late in OT.
Up next
Flames: At Vancouver on Thursday night.
Oilers: Host Vancouver on Saturday night.
___
LeBron James, Kendrick Perkins Show Love To A’ja Wilson After ESPN’s Finals MVP Forecast
“A’ja Wilson will be Finals MVP if the Aces are to clinch this title. Yeah, listen. She has broken so many records this year, I can’t even remember them, so I have to read them,” said Ari Chambers, backing Wilson for the Finals MVP. And she’s far from the only one showing her love after Game 3 of the WNBA Finals.
Wilson set a Las Vegas Aces franchise Finals record with 34 points, surpassing Jackie Young’s 32-point mark, and delivered what will likely go down as one of the greatest buzzer-beaters in WNBA Finals history. After the Mercury erased the 17-point lead the Aces had built late in the fourth quarter, the Aces turned to Wilson on the final possession–and she delivered.
With just five seconds remaining, Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon called a timeout while Jackie Young scrambled for the final shot. But Hammon had other plans. She drew up a play to put the ball in A’ja Wilson’s hands for the decisive possession. Driving left from the elbow, Wilson rose, turned, and released a short jumper over Alyssa Thomas’ outstretched arms. The ball hung on the rim for a heartbeat before dropping in, giving the Aces a two-point lead with just 0.1 seconds on the clock.
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Unsurprisingly, Wilson’s clutch performance drew plenty of acclaim, with NBA stars like LeBron James and Kendrick Perkins rushing to show their admiration. “The greatest to ever do it. Yes, I’m talking about A’ja Wilson. She’s one win away from being the 🐐,” Perkins said on X.
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Meanwhile, LeBron shared a tweet from Nike, which had the caption, “She is who she thinks she is,” praising A’ja for her performance, and added his own reaction: “FACTS!!!!!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥”
All You Need to Know About NASCAR’s 750 Horsepower Gamble in the 2026 Season
NASCAR is all about cars, and cars are all about horsepower, and NASCAR’s history with horsepower rules kicked off in the late 1980s after Bobby Allison’s crash in 1987. This led to the introduction of restrictor plates in 1988 to curb speeds and enhance safety on superspeedways. Fast forward to 2022, when the Next Gen car rolled out with a baseline of 670 horsepower at most tracks, a deliberate drop from previous levels to prioritize parity and cost control. But that adjustment sparked ongoing debates in the garage about throttle response and on-track action.
But recent comments from NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell have ignited fresh excitement, hinting at adjustments that could redefine the Cup Series landscape. Shared on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, his insights into power dynamics have teams and fans buzzing about potential evolutions in competition. With the 2026 season on the horizon, questions swirl around how these developments might address longstanding gripes from the pits. So, what’s driving this renewed focus on horsepower?
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What is the logic behind the sudden 750-horsepower jump?
The push for a horsepower boost stems from widespread feedback highlighting the need for more dynamic racing, especially where current setups limit passing and throttle control. Drivers and teams have voiced frustrations with the 670-horsepower baseline, arguing it hampers excitement on certain layouts, prompting NASCAR to explore increments that enhance performance without overhauling the entire system. Engine builders see the jump to 750 as manageable, noting it aligns closely with existing capabilities and avoids extreme modifications that could strain resources.
This calculated step reflects a broader effort to respond to stakeholder input while maintaining economic viability for the sport. As NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell explained on the Dale Jr. Download, “So, why 750? Why not 800? Why not 1,000? So, if you look at where we are today, where can we go without completely changing over the industry?” His point underscores the balance between innovation and practicality, ensuring the change builds on the Next Gen framework rather than disrupting it entirely.
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With the rationale clear, attention turns to the venues set to feel this power surge firsthand. How will the track selection shape the 2026 calendar?
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Which tracks will feature the 750 HP package?
NASCAR has specified that the 750-horsepower setup will apply to all road courses and ovals shorter than 1.5 miles, targeting environments where additional power can amplify competition and passing opportunities. This includes circuits like Watkins Glen International, Sonoma Raceway, and the Charlotte ROVAL, alongside ovals such as Martinsville Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, and Dover Motor Speedway. The selection prioritizes layouts where throttle finesse plays a bigger role, aiming to elevate the racing product without affecting longer intermediates or super speedways.
Among the likely candidates are short tracks like Richmond Raceway and Iowa Speedway, plus mid-length ovals, including Nashville Superspeedway at 1.33 miles, where the boost could transform strategies around tire management and acceleration out of corners. John Probst, NASCAR’s chief racing development officer, noted in discussions, “We’ve been doing a lot of work with the tires, and we think we’ve put on some pretty good short track races. These engines will work the tires more.” This approach ensures the package fits tracks, emphasizing power over aerodynamic dominance.
As the track list takes shape, it’s worth examining the influencers who steered this decision. Who stepped up to make it happen?
Who were the key players who helped in finalizing this change?
Driver input proved crucial in finalizing the horsepower adjustment, with voices from the cockpit emphasizing the need for better throttle response to improve overtaking and overall race quality. Teams and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota also weighed in, supporting a modest increase that aligns with their engineering priorities and long-term investments in the sport. Potential entrants such as Dodge added to the conversation, favoring changes that foster stability.
NASCAR executives, particularly President Steve O’Donnell, played a central role in synthesizing this feedback into actionable policy. Backed by figures like John Probst, the process involved extensive consultations to ensure broad buy-in. Probst highlighted the collaborative nature, stating, “We listen to the fans a lot. We listen to the drivers. We have stakeholders in the broadcast, OEM (manufacturers), and team competition and team business folks, so there’s always no shortage of feedback that we get.” This inclusive strategy helped lock in the update for 2026.
With the decision-makers aligned, the focus shifts to execution. When will we see the first tests, and what’s the rollout look like?
When & where will testing happen? What is the timeline expectation?
NASCAR has firmly stated that no horsepower modifications will occur before the 2026 season, allowing teams ample preparation time to adapt without mid-cycle disruptions. The 750 package is slated to debut in select events that year, specifically at the designated road courses and shorter ovals, marking a phased introduction to gauge real-world impacts.
While full details on testing venues and schedules remain limited, an offseason tire test with Goodyear is planned at North Wilkesboro Speedway to refine compounds suited to the higher output. This step ensures compatibility across components, building confidence ahead of the season opener. As O’Donnell shared, the emphasis is on a measured rollout to support ongoing partnerships.
Beyond the schedule, broader implications loom large. What hurdles and upsides might this shift bring to the table?
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What are the anticipated challenges and benefits, and what to watch for
The horsepower hike could transform competition by enabling more aggressive passing, varied car setups, and a greater premium on driver skill, particularly in managing throttle through corners. Benefits include heightened excitement for fans, as the added power tests finesse and creates unpredictable battles, potentially revitalizing short-track action that has drawn criticism in recent years.
Challenges center on durability, with increased stress on engine internals raising concerns about wear under the league’s two-race engine rule. O’Donnell cautioned, “If you went beyond 750, we looked at almost $40-50 million in costs to the industry,” highlighting risks like higher transition expenses and the need to balance speed with reliability. Watch how teams navigate these factors, from engine longevity to cost controls, as the change unfolds.
NASCAR President Sets Record Straight on ‘Misunderstood’ Charter Lawsuit Chat
After a year of jostling in the courtroom, the NASCAR lawsuit is approaching a climax. The fear of losing the charter system made nine Cup Series team owners root for a resolution. And that made an impact on the sanctioning body and the plaintiff teams. So, NASCAR may be finally settling with 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports. However, memories of animosity still linger.
Michael Jordan and Co. filed the lawsuit last October, accusing NASCAR of ‘monopolistic practices’ in the sport. They demanded a ‘discovery’ of crucial files and evidence which would prove this claim. As part of the process of discovery, some unpleasant exchanges came to light in late August. Yet NASCAR’s top brass dialed down one such exchange recently.
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A bitter chapter of the NASCAR lawsuit
A court hearing in late August turned acrimonious. It involved the disclosure of expletive-laden emails and text messages of both parties. On the NASCAR executive fold’s part, the topics were changes in the charter system. Commissioner Steve Phelps was concerned about the proposal, saying that it “must reflect a middle position or we are dead in the water.” However, President Steve O’Donnell’s messages were more unfiltered. He apparently did not like an early proposal because it would return NASCAR’s model to 1996 terms. He wrote that it shows an attitude of “F— the teams, dictatorship, motorsport, redneck, southern, tiny sport.”
In a recent episode of The Dale Jr Download, the NASCAR head cleared things up. Steve O’Donnell laid down the actual context of his text message. “I’m a passionate guy. I wear my emotions on my sleeve probably too much, right? The way it was presented in court was that I said, “F the teams.” Um, I didn’t say that…the context was if we did this deal the way it was, I felt like it would be an F to the teams. I was defending the teams to my boss, which was which was Jim France. So that was a little disappointing that it came out initially without the context.”
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The text messages discovered on the part of Michael Jordan and Co. were also inflammatory. “Teams are going to regret not joining us,” Jordan wrote in a text message to Curtis Polk, his business manager and 23XI Racing’s co-owner. Then Denny Hamlin, another co-owner of the team, also wrote, “my despise for the France family runs deep… (but) please let’s not sabotage our own business.” Unfortunately, both 23XI and FRM lost their charters soon after and are presently running as open teams.
So Steve O’Donnell emphasized the movement towards an amicable settlement of the NASCAR lawsuit. He urged the need to forget the past animosity: “I feel like, all that’s out there, I knew it’s out there. There’s no surprises. The other side’s kind of emptied their bucket of here’s all our text messages. It sucks getting deposed…I stand by the fact that, you know, I was trying to put a deal together that worked for everybody. We made some changes since I said that before we got to the end deal. I feel like we got to a place that other teams, you know, got their arms around.”
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While the NASCAR lawsuit rages on, Michael Jordan is actively involved in his business.
Dropping some snazzy kicks
Despite the cloud of controversy in the NASCAR lawsuit, Michael Jordan’s fame is unparalleled. The legend is so much more than a Cup Series team owner, as people all over the world praise the six-time NBA champion. Jordan’s time under the Chicago Bulls is hailed as extraordinary and is remembered with pride by fans who wear Air Jordans, the iconic sneaker line. Notably, the champion debuted the Air Jordan 11 model when he returned from playing Minor League Baseball. And since then, that has been the most popular model from the entire sneaker line.
So, fans were indubitably thrilled to see Michael Jordan debuting the upcoming Air Jordan 11 “285” colorway. He wore the smooth kicks while attending the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course. The “285” colorway pays homage to Atlanta with a new design that nods to Interstate 285, which encircles the city and embodies its vibrant culture. The kicks will officially be released for $250 in adult sizes on Saturday, November 22. However, they will be sold exclusively in-store at select regional retail partner locations in North America.
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Michael Jordan’s fame never ceases to soar above the clouds. However, we are waiting to see how far his fortunes will go in the ongoing NASCAR lawsuit.
Rams rookie TE Terrance Ferguson staying patient
LOS ANGELES — Lined up on third-and-4 in the slot, Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson was set to line a fade route in the Rams’ game against the San Francisco 49ers. Facing man coverage as expected, he tried to get an outside edge on the slot corner and keep the route vertical.
When he turned around, quarterback Matthew Stafford had put the ball up for the 6-foot-5 tight end to go get. The rookie jumped and came down with it, a 21-yard gain and his first career reception.
“Super excited obviously to get out there and be able to make an impact for the team,” Ferguson said. “Super blessed. Always pray about it, work in the dark, think about those type of things, make those type of plays. Just happy to be up there.”
The team’s top pick in this spring’s draft, Ferguson’s rookie season has been on hold for most of the first five weeks. Prior to the loss to the 49ers, Ferguson had been inactive two games and played only four offensive snaps in the other two.
The second-round pick’s development was derailed in training camp when he suffered a groin injury. He missed several weeks of practice and the first two preseason games as he tried to make the transition from Oregon to the NFL.
“It definitely is,” Ferguson said Wednesday when asked if that was frustrating. “Especially being a new guy, trying to learn the offense, get your feet underneath of you and start to become the player you want to be and you were in college and you felt comfortable and you knew the plays and you knew the speed of the game, having that setback definitely doesn’t feel good. No one wants to be off on the sideline watching. But honestly I take it as something that’s going to make me stronger in the long run.”
Transitioning to the pros is difficult enough at any position, but particularly so at a spot as hybrid as tight end is in the Rams’ offense. Players have to understand route running while lining up at different spots across the field, in addition to pass protection and run blocking.
“We do so many things, especially in this offense,” Ferguson said. “So just having to learn those little nuances I think is the biggest thing, too.”
Ferguson has done extra work with coaches while asking questions of the veterans in the tight ends room to try to make up the lost ground.
At practices, he’s been asked to help with the scout team. Ahead of the Colts game in Week 4, he played the part of Tyler Warren. On Wednesday, he was in a No. 88 jersey as he imitated the Baltimore Ravens’ Isaiah Likely.
“I think the big thing is just going out there every time and whether it’s a scout rep, a rep with the ones, whatever it is, just trying to get better each rep,” Ferguson said. “Taking those reps and not just going through the motions but really getting better through those reps and trying to learn and apply our offense to the scout-team things and give the best look I can and get better at those things because all football has that little bit of carryover.”
With the depth of the Rams’ tight end room, head coach Sean McVay and his staff can afford to slow-play Ferguson’s involvement until they feel like he is ready for more responsibility. But McVay hinted that day may be coming soon.
“We have to be able to figure out a way to be able to get him going,” he said. “It was such a weird game. … The plays were so limited early on and then you’re kind of playing from behind, but got in there in some of the third-down, known passing situations. He’s going to be a really good player for us, I believe. I thought he did an excellent job with the opportunity that he had [last week].”
Injury report
Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein (ankle), tight end Tyler Higbee (hip) and linebacker Omar Speights (high ankle sprain) did not practice Wednesday.
Speights is not an injured reserve candidate, McVay said, adding that Troy Reeder and Shaun Dolac will split reps in practice this week to determine who will replace Speights in the rotation.
Safety Kamren Kinchens (knee soreness), linebacker Nate Landman (ankle soreness) and tight end Colby Parkinson (concussion protocol) were partial participants in practice Wednesday.
Patriots Named Potential Suitor For 2,800 Yard Receiving Threat
The passing game for the New England Patriots is off to a hot start.
Drake Maye continues to improve and show that he can become the franchise quarterback for the historic organization, after his performance in the upset win over the Buffalo Bills, in which he threw for 273 yards and made some agile plays.
Major signing Stefon Diggs has recently become more involved in the offense as he led the receiving core in yards the past two weeks. Outside of Diggs, no other wide receiver has contributed much to the Patriots’ offense.
Kayshon Boutte has the second-most receiving yards (208) as a wide receiver in the offense after having an impressive season opener, logging 103 yards on 6 receptions. Boutte recorded three straight games with less than 30 receiving yards before getting 43 yards in the Week 5 matchup.
Tight end Hunter Henry has the second-most receiving yards (250) on the team and the most receiving touchdowns (3). No other Patriots wide receiver has more than 42 yards.
One NFL analyst believes the Patriots could get more production from their WRs if the team were to make a trade.
Patriots Trade For Former First Round Pick
The New England Patriots have two running backs on the roster with more receiving yards than the multiple members of the wide receiver group, outside of Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox released a trade idea that would see New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave land in Foxborough to help with the lack of yards from the back end of the wide receiver cast.
Knox’s reasoning for the trade is to get Olave out of New Orleans while the team in the NFC South is in a rebuild.
“If the Saints are looking to cash in veteran talent as part of their rebuild, wideout Chris Olave would likely be their top trade chip. The 25-year-old has two 1,000-yard seasons on his resume and appears to again be healthy after injuries limited him to eight games in 2024,” Knox wrote.
The future of the Saints is questionable as the team figures out who will be the starting QB. In New England, Olave will have Drake Maye, who is playing well for the team after five weeks.
Acquiring Chris Olave
So far this season with the Saints, Chris Olave has hauled in 244 yards on 33 catches. Compared to the Patriots’ receiving room, that would be second among WRs and third most yards on the team.
In Knox’s trade proposal, New England would give up a 2026 1st-round pick for the wide receiver.
Adding Olave would give the Patriots an immediate threat to the passing game. Putting Olave next to Stefon Diggs would open up either receiver, depending on which player opposing defenses would like to double-team.
The Patriots are currently 3-2 with the current passing game. If they add Olave, Maye and the offense could reach a new level.
Browns Linked to Making Extremely Strange Trade Deadline Move
The Cleveland Browns once again have a new-look quarterback room. After trading veteran signal caller Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this week, Dillon Gabriel remains the starter moving forward.
Behind Gabriel, the Browns have Shedeur Sanders and Bailey Zappe currently on the roster. Kevin Stefanski has not committed to either quarterback. Deshaun Watson has also been working his way back from the torn Achilles he suffered last season and could become a factor in the room when he’s cleared to play.
No one knows what the future has in store for Cleveland under center, but fans want to see the young guns play.
Read more: Ravens Star Derrick Henry Emerging as Possible Trade Candidate
With that being said, the Browns have been connected to an extremely strange idea ahead of the trade deadline. That idea would see Cleveland make a move to bring in another quarterback.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox has suggested the Browns as a potential trade destination for New York Giants veteran quarterback Russell Wilson. That move would not make any level of sense for Cleveland.
Wilson was benched earlier this season by the Giants to get Jaxson Dart on the field. Why would the Browns make a trade for a 36-year-old quarterback who would simply take valuable reps and playing time away from Gabriel and Sanders?
In the four games he has played in this season for New York, Wilson has completed 59.5 percent of his pass attempts for 786 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also ran for 94 yards.
Those numbers would not be enough to power Cleveland back to being a borderline playoff contender. There is no reason to give up any level of draft capital for a piece like Wilson. Even thinking about that suggestion seems off.
Read more: Bears QB Caleb Williams Makes NFL History With Latest Feat
Instead, the Browns should go all-in on finding out what they have in their two rookie quarterbacks. Cleveland has two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft and will need to know what the two youngsters are capable of before making their pick. If either Gabriel or Sanders seems ready to be the guy, the Browns could use those picks on rounding out the roster.
Expect to continue hearing rumors surrounding the Browns as the trade deadline draws closer. However, it’s much more likely that they will become a seller rather than trying to acquire a player like Wilson.
A list of all 33 players from DeSoto, Duncanville who made it to the NFL
Duncanville vs. DeSoto stands as one of Texas’ greatest rivalries, showcasing a legacy of talent that dominates college football and impacts the NFL.
The two national powerhouses that are nine miles apart meet again at 7 p.m. Friday at Duncanville.
Ahead of their matchup, here’s are the 24 DeSoto players and nine Duncanville players who have made it to the professional level.
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DeSoto NFL players
1. Tatum Bell, RB
He ran for 2,773 yards and 16 touchdowns in five years in the NFL. He was a second-round draft pick in 2004 with his best season coming in 2006, where he ran for 1,025 yards for the Denver Broncos.
2. Jalen Mills, CB
He has a Super Bowl ring with the Philadelphia Eagles and has eight career interceptions in the NFL. He was an All-American at LSU. He last played for the Houston Texans this season.
3. Von Miller, LB
The pass-rusher was selected with the the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft and has 132.5 career sacks, tied for 14th in NFL history. He has seven seasons with 10 more sacks and has 173 career tackles for loss. Miller is a two-time Super Bowl champion and a Super Bowl MVP. He’s been selected to the Pro Bowl eight times and is a three-time All-Pro selection.
4. Byron Hanspard, RB
He ran for 4,135 yards and 29 touchdowns during his three-year All-American career at Texas Tech, finishing sixth in Heisman Trophy voting in 1996. Hanspard, a second-round pick in the 1997 NFL draft, ran for 718 yards in two professional seasons.
5. Ed Ingram, OL
A second-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft, Ingram started the first 36 games of his NFL career for the Minnesota Vikings. He was part of DeSoto’s 2016 state championship team and later played on LSU’s 2019 national championship team, where he blocked for Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. He has started four games for the Texans this season.
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6. Ellis Hobbs, DB
Hobbs played six seasons in the NFL, recording 10 career interceptions and returning three kickoffs for touchdowns.
7. Patrick Crayton, WR
He played eight seasons in the NFL, spending six of them with the Cowboys. He finished his career with 247 catches for 3,650 yards and 25 touchdowns.
8. Laviska Shenault Jr, WR
He was a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. Shenault has played five seasons in the NFL. He has 163 catches for 1,587 yards and six touchdowns. He last played in 2024 for the Los Angeles Chargers.
9. Marcus Tubbs, DT
He was a first-round pick in the 2004 NFL draft and had a four-year NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks before retiring due to injury. A two-time All-Big 12 defensive tackle at Texas, Tubbs earned first-team honors as a senior in 2003.
10. Byron Murphy II, DT
The Seattle Seahawks selected Murphy with the 16th pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. At DeSoto, he became one of Texas’ top 50 recruits, recording 177 tackles, 34 tackles for loss, and 22 sacks in his final two seasons. As a senior, he broke the school record for sacks, previously held by Von Miller, with 14. After only two career starts in his first two years at UT, Murphy had a breakout junior season, earning Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. In a little over a year with Seattle, Murphy has 3 sacks and four tackles for loss in 19 games.
11. Cyrus Gray, RB
Gray was selected in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft. As a senior at DeSoto, he rushed for 1,975 yards and 28 touchdowns. The previous year, he ran for 1,482 yards and 31 touchdowns while catching 38 passes for 436 yards and two more scores. Over his junior and senior seasons, Gray totaled 67 touchdowns. He appeared in eight games for the Detroit Lions between the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
12. James Proche, WR
Proche was drafted in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. During his time at SMU, he set school records for career receiving touchdowns, receptions, receiving yards, all-purpose yards, single-season receiving touchdowns and consecutive games with a receiving touchdown. Across five NFL seasons, he caught 28 passes for 299 yards and no touchdowns. He last played in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, appearing in nine games in 2024.
13. Xavier Newman-Johnson, OL
Newman-Johnson was an undrafted free agent signed by the Tennessee Titans during the 2022 season. He played 47 career games with 37 starts at Baylor and earned Big 12 Honorable Mention honors as a senior. He has appeared in two games this season for the New York Jets.
14. A.J. Green, DB
Green, an undrafted free agent signed by the Cleveland Browns during the 2020 season, recorded two interceptions in his NFL career. He played college football at Oklahoma State, where he was named a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist in his senior season.
15. Chris Orr, LB
Orr, an undrafted free agent out of Wisconsin, signed with the Carolina Panthers in 2020. He played just one season in the NFL for the Carolina Panthers, appearing in three games mostly on special teams.
16. Chris Lacy, WR
Lacy, an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State, played two seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions, recording three catches for 60 yards.
17. Marcus Murphy, RB
Murphy was selected in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL draft. He played four seasons in the pros and had 291 career rushing yards.
18. Zach Orr, LB
Orr, an undrafted free agent out of North Texas, signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2014. He played three seasons in the NFL, recording 163 tackles and three interceptions. He is in his second season as the Ravens defensive coordinator.
19. Tony Jerod-Eddie, DT
Jerod-Eddie signed with the San Francisco 49ers out of Texas A&M as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He played five seasons in the NFL and had 66 tackles, including seven quarterback hits.
20. Mike Thomas, WR
Thomas was selected in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played four seasons in the pros and had 176 catches for 1,796 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
21. Brian Jackson, DB
Jackson, an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma, signed with the New York Giants in 2010. He played in two NFL seasons, tallying 9 total tackles in 13 games played.
22. Jimmy Wyrick, DB
Wyrick, an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota, signed with the Detroit Lions in 2000. He played five seasons in the NFL, amassing 84 tackles.
23. Tim Hendrix, TE
Hendrix signed with the Chicago Bears in 1987 as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee. He played one season in the NFL, which included a stint with the Cowboys during the strike-affected 1987 season.
24. Shemar Turner, DL
Turner was selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears. The Texas A&M product has appeared in just two games so far, accounting for two total tackles including a tackle for loss.
Related
Duncanville NFL players
Related
1. Barry Foster, RB
A two-time Pro Bowler with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Foster earned first-team All-Pro honors in 1992 after finishing second in the NFL with 1,690 rushing yards. That year, he trailed only Cowboys Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, and outgained Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders.
2. Ray Crockett, DB
A two-time Super Bowl champion, he played 14 seasons in the NFL, finishing his career with 36 interceptions.
3. Adam Butler, DT
Now in his eighth NFL season, he won a Super Bowl ring with the 2018 New England Patriots and has recorded 27 career sacks. He is currently playing for the Las Vegas Raiders.
4. Ricky Williams, RB
This isn’t the former Texas star who won the Heisman Trophy in 1998 and played 11 NFL seasons. Duncanville’s Ricky Williams was a standout at Texas Tech, rushing for 1,582 yards in 1998 and scoring 42 career touchdowns. In 2001, he led the Big 12 with 92 receptions and ranked second in the conference in rushing yards in 1998. He went on to play two seasons in the NFL with the Colts.
5. Ennis Rakestraw Jr., DB
The 2019 Dallas Morning News All-Area Defensive Player of the Year didn’t allow a touchdown pass that season, as Duncanville finished as the state runner-up. A standout at Missouri, he was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft by the Detroit Lions. He was ruled out for 2025 season with a shoulder injury suffered in training camp.
6. William Glass, OL
The 6-foot-4 guard was drafted in the fourth round of the 1980 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He only played one season in the NFL.
7. Josh Harris, RB
After a promising redshirt freshman season at Wake Forest, Harris went on to battle injury throughout the rest of nis college career. He finished his career at Wake Forest with 2,230 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was an undrafted free agent in 2014 and played one season for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
8. William Powell, RB
Powell signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2012 as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas State. In his lone NFL season, he rushed for 217 yards on 60 carries.
9. Dashaun Phillips, CB
Phillips signed with the Washington Commanders in 2015 as an undrafted free agent out of Tarleton State. Over two seasons in the NFL, he recorded 14 total tackles and one fumble recovery.
On Twitter/X: @RonKnowsSports
Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
Former NFL Star Secretly Welcomes Baby No. 9
Former NFL star Cam Newton is a father once again.
Newton, 36, secretly welcomed his ninth child — his second with girlfriend Jasmin Brown.
In a preview clip from the Thursday, October 16, episode of the Tamron Hall Show, obtained by Us Weekly, the former quarterback revealed the big news.
“He’s already here,” he told the host.
The couple — who began dating in 2022 — are already parents to a baby girl, whom they welcomed in March 2024.
Newton previously joked about his desire to continue expanding his family.
“Did I tell you I want more?” he said to People in February. “But jokingly, and not jokingly, they really give me my purpose and there’s so many different things that I look at to say, they’re my refuge. They’re my peace. They’re my encouragement.”
The happy couple announced the news in a Mother’s Day post, showing off Jasmin’s baby bump.
“Feeling ALL the Love, kicks and elbows,” she wrote. “Cheers to our growing tribe.”
Newton is also shares sons Chosen, Camidas, and Cashmere, and daughter Sovereign-Dior, with ex-girlfriend Kia Proctor. He is also the father to daughter Shakira from a previous relationship.
Anytime touchdown scorer parlay at DraftKings: Use these Week 6 NFL anytime TD picks for almost 50-1 payout
The Week 6 NFL schedule features 12 games on Sunday, including the Green Bay Packers and Cincinnati Bengals at 4:25 p.m. ET. Green Bay is the heaviest favorite of the week, as the Bengals turn to veteran Joe Flacco at quarterback. The Bengals have gone 0-3 with Jake Browning starting after franchise quarterback Joe Burrow (toe) was placed on the IR. Wide receiver Tee Higgins found the end zone last week against Detroit, and he is +320 to score against the Packers on Sunday.
Check out the SportsLine Projection Model’s picks in this exclusive anytime touchdown scorer parlay available at DraftKings Sportsbook.The model is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. It is on a sizzling 41-21 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024.
NFL Week 6 anytime touchdown scorer parlay
Marvin Harrison Jr. +190 vs. Colts
AJ Barner +295 vs. Jaguars
Tee Higgins +320 vs. Packers
Parlay odds: +4711 (wager $100 to win $4,711) at DraftKings Sportsbook
Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals) +190, DraftKings
Harrison opened the season with a touchdown against New Orleans and added his second against Seattle two weeks ago. He came up less than a yard short of scoring against Tennessee last week, after replay officials overruled the call on the field of a touchdown. The second-year wideout has been targeted at least five times in every game this season, as he continues to develop chemistry with quarterback Kyler Murray. SportsLine’s model has Harrison scoring in 50% of simulations on Sunday, creating value at these odds.
AJ Barner (Seahawks) +295, DraftKings
Barner has been a touchdown-scoring machine in recent weeks, scoring four total touchdowns across his last four games. He found pay dirt against Arizona two weeks ago before scoring twice against Tampa Bay in Week 5. The 23-year-old was targeted three times or less in his first four games, but he commanded a whopping seven targets against the Buccaneers last week. Barner has implied odds of 25% to score a touchdown against Jacksonville, while the model has him scoring 36% of the time.
Tee Higgins (Bengals) +320, DraftKings
Cincinnati’s offense should receive a boost from Flacco after deciding to bench Browning this week. The Bengals have struggled with consistency since Burrow went down, but Higgins scored a touchdown against Detroit last week. Teammate Ja’Marr Chase added two touchdown receptions, so their passing attack started to move the ball in the second half of that game. Higgins is scoring 37% of the time in the model’s simulations, while his implied odds to score are 23.8%.
Week 6 NFL underdog parlay on DraftKings Sportsbook pays over 28-1: Back Dolphins, Ravens, Saints to win
Last week’s NFL schedule started and finished with underdog victories, with the injury-riddled 49ers defeating the Rams, 26-23, in overtime on Thursday Night Football and finishing with the Jaguars taking down the Chiefs, 31-28, on a final-minute touchdown by Jacksonville on Monday Night Football. The weekend included other significant upsets, including the Patriots over Bills, Titans over Cardinals and Broncos over Eagles, in a wild week. The NFL truly gives merit to the notion of
Bears’ Tyrique Stevenson set to return to Washington year after embarrassing loss
Last year, the Chicago cornerback had his back turned to the field, then rushed in and tipped Jayden Daniels’ 52-yard desperation pass to Noah Brown for a winning touchdown.
“Just use it as motivation to come out and stay focused on all tasks and definitely, definitely learn to wait until the clock hits double-zeroes,” Stevenson said. “Just use that as a learning curve to mature and be the cornerback that this team needs.”
Coming off two of his best games to date, the third-year cornerback remembers the sting still. He was interacting with the crowd while his back was turned to the action, then rushed back in and tipped the ball back to the man he was supposed to be covering in the end zone for an 18-15 loss.
“It was harsh, it hurt my feelings,” Stevenson said. “That’s the best way I can explain it — it just hurt my feelings being a football player and having one of those mistakes that’s going to linger around. Even when my son grows up, I’ve got to explain that to him. It definitely hurt. But just use it as fuel.”
The loss started a 10-game losing streak that resulted in the firing of Matt Eberflus and staff, leading to Ben Johnson’s hiring as new head coach.
Stevenson felt he held up during the wake of the loss as best he could, considering his gaffe cost the Bears a sure win after they had rallied in the closing minutes for a 15-12 lead.
The end result was a constant barrage of jokes through social media memes.
The play was even named at NFL Honors as the season’s top moment.
“At the end of the day I’m a man and I stand on integrity,” Stevenson said. “The best thing I could do was go address it and let the guys know and the world know that that’s not who I am, but that’s who I showed.
“The only thing I can do from then on is show my actions have changed so I can become a better man and a better football player on the field.”
Teammates supported him, by and large.
“Being honest, I got a couple side-eyes,” Stevenson said. “But that comes with … this is what we do for a living. This is who we are in some cases.
“And the best thing we can do is go out there and make great plays. And I put a bad play on film. The best thing they could do was come around and put their arm around me and be like, ‘we got you.’ That’s what they showed me all last year.”
Teammates have to admit it wasn’t an easy thing to get past and there is still some lingering pain, but quarterback Caleb Williams said it isn’t enough to make this into a “revenge” game.
“Obviously, you don’t want to lose, especially in that fashion of a Hail Mary,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “So does it bother me? I’m not going to speak for everybody else. Does it bother me? Yeah, in the sense that I want to go out there and I want to win every single game that I’ve got.”
Stevenson had a slow start and had the worst possible passer rating against of 158.3 when targeted following two games this season.
However, he has since turned it around by stealing the football from Dallas’ Javonte Williams from behind to start a 31-14 Bears win over Dallas, and then making an interception and fumble recovery in a 25-24 win over the Raiders.
Stevenson has a forced fumble, two recoveries, an interception and five pass breakups, but is certain he’s going to hear it from Commanders fans Monday even if he says has put this in his past.
“Going back to a hostile environment, they’re going to do their best job to rattle me as much as they can,” Stevenson said. “But like I was saying earlier, the best thing I can do is come out here and show these 10 (teammates) I’m locked in and ready to go.”
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Why Mike Vrabel isn’t concerned with Patriots’ penalty issues
The Patriots are on the rise this season.
But even with the emergence of Drake Maye and tangible results put forward after an upset win over Buffalo on Sunday, New England still has plenty of work to do when it comes to establishing itself as a legitimate contender in a wide-open AFC.
One thing that New England has to clean up is the number of flags directed toward them, as the Patriots have been knocked for 43 penalties through five games — the second-highest mark in the NFL.
But speaking on Wednesday at Gillette Stadium, Vrabel dismissed some of the concerns regarding his team’s habit of drawing plenty of flags.
While Vrabel noted that pre-snap penalties are lapses that do need to be corrected, he said that he has no qualms with his players also being aggressive out on the field — even if that might lead to some infractions doled out by the officials.
“It’s not that we don’t care about penalties,” Vrabel said. “We want to make great decisions. I also understand that team fouls are ones that happen before the snap that we have to be better on. … We don’t want to line up offsides, we don’t want to extend drives. Competition fouls, and we ask them to play full tilt to the tackle, but then there’s a line there.
“We have to play by two things: the whistle, I just don’t understand how a professional athlete could assume that anybody in his league was down, and we’re going to play to the whistle. We’re going to play to two feet in the white.”
The Patriots have several penalties against the Bills on Sunday that were a result of actions after the whistle.
Special-teams ace Brendan Schooler was whistled for unnecessary roughness after Bills’ receiver Khalil Shakir was brought down out of bounds by Marcus Jones, while an ill-advised move by rookie Joshua Farmer loomed large over a fourth-quarter drive that ended with a Buffalo touchdown.
On that fourth-quarter drive, Buffalo gained 30 yards in short order — starting when defensive tackle Cory Durden was whistled for roughing the passer after he made contact with Josh Allen’s face mask.
On the very next play, Bills running back James Cook was brought down for a 4-yard loss. It looked as though Cook attempted to flick the football back over to Allen as he was brought down, with Farmer then delivering a hit that came after the whistle that led to another 15-yard penalty.
But Vrabel opted to absolve Farmer on Wednesday, given the circumstances of the play.
“It’s hard for me to sit here and fault Josh from last week,” Vrabel said. “There’s no whistle, and running backs acting like he’s going to flip the ball back to the quarterback, and I mean certainly would have liked him not had a penalty called, but I can see it both ways. Just ask that they, you know, blow the whistle, and it’s the easy way for us to say that the play is over and our efforts need to stop.”
Even though New England can’t continue to rack up 50-plus yards in penalties every game, Vrabel stressed that context must be added when it comes to just how his players are racking up those penalties.
“I don’t know how else to coach professional players on defense in this league with the type of athletes that you’re going against,” Vrabel said. “It’s hard to bring them down. One guy, they keep running, they bounce in. So again, we’ll keep coaching it. It’s not that it’s not important. It’s important, but there’s something behind it.”
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is No Longer the No. 1 QB in the NFL
The Kansas City Chiefs had a rough evening, to say the least, in Florida on Monday, October 6, because the team lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in what was really a surprising upset. Pretty much every outlet had the Chiefs winning this Monday Night Football matchup, but the team struggled through the entire game, and they left the Sunshine State with a 2-3 record.
While quarterback Patrick Mahomes is absolutely considered one of the best signal-callers in the league and a few losses won’t change that, he’s down a bit this season. That’s what happens when your team is 2-3, even with that great history of wins for years with the franchise.
Now, what we’re about to share by no means belittles what Mahomes continues to bring to the Chiefs or changes that he’s one of the greatest quarterbacks of his generation, if not the greatest. But, for someone who’s used to being on top of every tally, it’s surprising to see where he lands going into Week 6 of the NFL season.
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs Falls Behind 2 Quarterbacks
Following Sunday’s loss to the Jags and ahead of the team’s Sunday, October 12, game against the Detroit Lions, Mahomes is in an usual spot on USA Today’s tally of the best quarterbacks heading into Week 6.
Jack McKessy of USA Today has released his roster of Week 6 power rankings, out on Wednesday, October 8, and in it, he notes that Week 5 was filled with upsets in the NFL, because both of the league’s remaining undefeated franchises, the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills, lost their games. That had to make the Chiefs smile a little.
In his tally, he places Mahomes as the No. 3 best quarterback in the league. It’s pretty wild to see him below not only Josh Allen of the Bills, who’s No. 2, but also Mahomes’ upcoming opponent, Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions, who’s No. 1.
“Mahomes’ end zone interception that was returned for a touchdown was not entirely his fault – the Jaguars designed an excellent concept to force the error – but it did give Jacksonville the lead and major momentum at home,” McKessy says in the piece. “The Chiefs’ quarterback also threw for 318 yards and once again led his team in rushing yards in Week 5.”
Of Goff, he says, “Goff’s 19-of-23 outing with three touchdowns against the Bengals moved him into the league lead in completion percentage (75.2%) and touchdown passes (12). He’s also No. 1 in passer rating and QBR among quarterbacks to have started all five games – only Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was ruled out in Week 5, has higher marks.”
Kansas City Chiefs Take On the Detroit Lions
In ESPN’s power rankings for all of the NFL teams heading into Week 6, the publication gives the Detroit Lions the No. 1 spot on the tally.
The Chiefs are No. 10. “Isiah Pacheco was supposed to give the Chiefs better balance on offense after missing most of last season because of a broken right leg,” Nate Taylor of ESPN notes in the piece. “But he is in a funk, averaging just 7.2 fantasy points per game and 32.6 rushing yards per game.”
So, Mahomes is going to have some stiff competition come Sunday. It helps that the game is at home at Arrowhead Stadium, but the Lions are road warriors, so the Chiefs better watch out.
Leon Draisaitl scores his 400th NHL goal in the Oilers’ opener against the Flames
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl scored his 400th NHL goal Wednesday night in the Edmonton Oilers’ regular-season opener against the Calgary Flames.
Playing his 791st regular-season game, Draisaitl gave the Oilers a 3-0 lead at 8:32 of the second period. He tapped in David Tomasek’s cross-crease feed, with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also assisting.
Draisaitl also had an assist to push his points total to 958. The 29-year-old German star is the 111th player in NHL history to score 400 goals.
Edmonton led 3-2 after two periods.
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Cavs To Cut Ties With Ex-All-Star as $149M NBA Punishment Looms – Reports
The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming off a successful regular season where they won an Eastern Conference-high 64 games. That success has come with a significant financial cost, placing them in a unique and challenging position within the league. The team built around stars like Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley now faces intense scrutiny as the new season begins, with their roster decisions under a microscope.
This scrutiny is amplified by the team’s current financial commitments, which have positioned them as the only NBA team operating at almost $22 million above the restrictive second apron. This level of spending triggers severe penalties and limits how the front office can improve the team.
Reports from Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated indicate that this pressure could lead to a significant roster move. He noted that teams are “monitoring how Cleveland starts the season” and that center Jarrett Allen “could be available for the right mix of rotation players.” This sentiment is echoed around the league as the Cavs weigh their options with the former All-Star.
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His $20 million salary (rising to $28 million next year) makes him a trade candidate to add shooting or perimeter defense without gutting the core. Allen, a 2022 All-Star, is seen as the “odd man out” among the “Core Four” (Mitchell, Mobley, Darius Garland, Allen) due to overlap with Mobley’s versatility.
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Potential suitors like the Charlotte Hornets or Brooklyn Nets have been floated in mock trades, often involving wings or picks to ease Cleveland’s cap crunch.
The financial incentive to make a move is substantial. The Cavaliers are projected to pay a massive $149 million luxury tax penalty this season due to their $226.3 million payroll. This staggering figure directly results from $38.4 million over the luxury tax line, creating a total roster cost nearing $375 million.
Owner Dan Gilbert has historically been willing to pay for contenders, but this level of expenditure is unprecedented.
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This financial reality makes a core adjustment increasingly likely, setting the stage for a difficult decision regarding a key player as the season progresses.
The $149 Million Reality Check
Cleveland’s $226,287,886 payroll exceeds the $187.9 million luxury tax line by $38.4 million, resulting in a staggering $149 million penalty—the highest in the NBA for 2025-26. Combined with payroll, this pushes their total “roster cost” to nearly $375 million. It’s a direct byproduct of max deals for Mitchell, Mobley, Garland, and Allen’s extension, plus supporting contracts like Max Strus’s.
This financial hit is compounded by the team’s position above the second apron, which is set at $207.8 million for the 2025-26 season.
Being above the second apron triggers immediate and harsh restrictions on team operations. The Cavaliers cannot use the mid-level exception to sign free agents and are limited to veteran minimum contracts.
They are also prohibited from aggregating multiple player salaries in trades, meaning they cannot bundle several smaller contracts to match a larger one. Additionally, they cannot use pre-existing trade exceptions or include cash in transactions.
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If the Cavaliers remain above the second apron for three out of five seasons, they face even more severe consequences. Their first-round draft pick would be automatically moved to the end of the first round, a devastating penalty for team building.
This long-term risk, combined with the immediate cost, creates immense pressure on the front office to reduce salary before the trade deadline.
Stephon Marbury & James Dolan Reunite X Years After Knicks’ Legal Controversy
Given the history between James Dolan and Stephon Marbury, this is going to take a lot to sink in. The New York Knicks owner and the manifestation of some of his most controversial decisions were in the same space recently. As fans know, the NBA is kicked off preseason in Abu Dhabi with a double header. The Knicks vs 76ers was the game to watch. But Dolan and his franchise had one more extra business in the city. Joining them were some unexpected Knicks legends. Is this a sign of the past being forgotten?
Maybe that’s what the new basketball court in Abu Dhabi symbolizes. The Knicks unveiled their international court in this city before the preseason exhibition. Among Abu Dhabi’s dignitaries with Dolan, John Starks and Stephon Marbury represented the Knicks.
“A beautiful Knicks basketball court in the heart of Abu Dhabi 🧡💙🏀,” the Knicks posted on social media. “The court was inaugurated at an event attended by His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi. His Excellency was joined at the court unveiling by Madison Square Garden Sports Executive Chairman & CEO James Dolan, as well as Knicks greats John Starks and Stephon Marbury. The project embodies DCT Abu Dhabi’s commitment to creating experiences for the community to enjoy and connect.”
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The court, designed by an Emirati designer, features the Knicks logo. But it stands out for drawing inspiration from the ‘mandoos’- a traditional furniture that safeguarded family treasures. Patterns from the mandoos frame the logo and the sidelines, reflecting Emirati culture blending with their love for sports.
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This was one of the few tasks on the Knicks’ to-do list. The players took in Abu Dhabi’s sightseeing offerings and got some R&R before the regular season grind.
The relaxed but robust Knicks squad took on the understaffed 76ers later. Realistically, this game was an eye-test for the Sixers without some of its firepower in Joel Embiid and Paul George. Predictably, Tyrese Maxey emerged as the Sixers’ scoring hope but his 16 points wasn’t enough against the well distributed offensive load among Jalem Brunson, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks won 104-113 and set the tone for the current lineup.
None of the current Knicks players were present at the court opening. Marbury, in his celebrity favorite Chamelo eyewear, and Starks played hoops with kids on the new court at a local park. But perhaps the most standout was seeing Dolan and Marbury within the same proximity.
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Stephon Marbury’s rift with Knicks on the mend?
Stephon Marbury is your regular NBA journeyman who went overseas. When he does come to Madison Square Garden, it’s a big deal to fans. Marbury had some of his best years in the limelight of the Garden. But offcourt drama overshadowed it.
Most of the feud had to do with Isiah Thomas who had a controversial head coaching tenure for the Knicks. The Pistons legend also faced a lawsuit. Marbury testified against Thomas in that lawsuit which worsened the tension. There were reports that Thomas and Marbury came to blows in the team plane. Fan sentiment was more on Marbury’s side. But when Zeke was close to taking the guard out of the roster, he was fired himself.
That didn’t protect Marbury. According to reports at that time, Dolan seemingly felt Marbury’s testimony damaged the Knicks’ reputation. Thomas’ replacement, Donnie Walsh’s first order of business was getting rid of Marbury. In controversial fashion too. Marbury was banned from Knicks practices and games before he was traded. In fans’ perspective, Isiah Thomas, Donnie Walsh, and James Dolan were the cause for Marbury’s promising career spiralling.
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When it looked like a thing of the past, 2020 brought a fresh new twist. Knicks superfan, Spike Lee was locked in a feud with Dolan. Surprisingly, Marbury backed the filmmaker. “Spike always deserved the red-carpet treatment, because he spent millions — probably $10 million — on floor seats going to the Garden all these years. I think they will figure it out,” Marbury said then.
Starbury became symbolic of some of the worst decisions Dolan made in the early ’00s. Fortunately that ban on his attendance ended with the buyout in 2009. Today Stephon Marbury returns to MSG as a Knicks great and still revered by New Yorkers. Inaugurating that Knicks court in Abu Dhabi might be another step to reconciling with the franchise.
NBA China can’t risk the tiniest misstep as it returns to its most important overseas market
As soon as he learned the NBA was returning to China, diehard fan Buke Liu scrambled to get his hands on tickets, paying almost a thousand dollars – a price you might expect for an NBA Finals game – for a ticket to a preseason match-up.
One of America’s most successful sporting exports, the NBA is hugely popular in China, and a rare cultural touchpoint between two nations increasingly seen as geopolitical rivals.
For Liu, and many Chinese fans, it’s been a long wait to go to a game. NBA teams, packed with global stars, have effectively been banned from setting foot in one of basketball’s largest overseas markets since 2019, following a political firestorm that drew the ire of Beijing.
And the pent-up demand has made seats at this weekend’s Phoenix Suns – Brooklyn Nets preseason matches particularly hard to come by. The teams play on Friday and Sunday at The Venetian Hotel in Macao, the glitzy gambling hub in southern China known for its casino-powered entertainment.
Liu forked out $980 to a scalper for his seat at the Sunday game and access to fan activities. Tickets to see the same teams face each other in Phoenix for the Suns’ home game in January are on sale for as little as $15, but the university student has no regrets about paying top dollar for his tickets.
“It’s worth it. They are playing in China,” the Suns fan told CNN. “I am very happy about the return of the NBA China games because it allows (Chinese) fans … to watch the games in person.”
The return, after a six-year absence, packs more than just fanfare: it bears symbolic significance. In 2019, a social media post from then Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey in support of Hong Kong protesters angered Beijing, culminating in televised games being pulled and sponsors in China severing ties with the league.
While NBA games have gradually returned to state-owned television and commercial activities have slowly trickled back over the years, Chinese fans being able to see players in person once again marks the culmination of the comeback.
Ticketing revenue, merchandise sales and sponsorship opportunities, backed by a massive fanbase which spends big without batting an eyelid, are what the NBA stands to gain from its return to the country, where basketball is booming among its population of 1.4 billion, experts and insiders tell CNN.
But greater opportunities also come with greater risks, Paul Argenti, professor of corporate communication at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, told CNN, cautioning that the NBA will now have to tread carefully to avoid the tiniest misstep.
“It’s a thaw, but it’s also a test of how far the NBA and Chinese authorities are willing to rebuild ties,” he said.
Tapping into the vastly lucrative Chinese market and playing by Beijing’s rules can be a perilous tightrope for international brands, like the NBA – especially when it comes to issues that clash with their corporate values.
“One misstep by a player or a coach, (an) offhand remark like the one Daryl (Morey) made, could reignite those tensions,” said Argenti.
Too big to walk away from
The Chinese market has plenty to offer, especially at a time when the league is exploring opportunities beyond the fanbase back home. The NBA’s TV ratings in the US have declined slightly over recent years – though, according to the league, Game 7 of the 2025 Finals series recorded the biggest TV audience for a single Finals game in six years.
David Carter, adjunct professor at USC Marshall School of Business, told CNN that the global market can be “vital” for growing revenue.
“Any concentrated focus on China, one that is successfully positioned and rolled out, should enable the NBA to drive this revenue and franchise value growth,” he said.
The NBA’s popularity in China exploded after Yao Ming was drafted by the Houston Rockets as the No. 1 pick in 2002. Before the 2019 fallout, nearly 500 million people, more than a third of China’s population, were tuning in to watch the league’s content, according to an estimate by Chinese social media giant Tencent, which currently holds the league’s digital broadcasting rights.
In 2019, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told Reuters an estimated 300 million people in China played the sport. That number has likely climbed since then, with viral videos on Chinese social media showing how the love for the sport has spread to rural areas, sparking huge rivalries in village tournaments. The game has also inspired the popular reality show Dunk of China, which featured former NBA players Jeremy Lin and Stephon Marbury coaching skilled amateur players.
The value of NBA China, the arm of the league that manages all its operations in the Greater China region, is estimated at approximately $5 billion, according to an analysis commissioned by ESPN in 2022.
“China is the NBA’s most important market outside of the United States, with hundreds of millions of fans, huge media rights sponsorship potential,” said Dartmouth professor Argenti. “Walking away is never going to be a long-term option.”
Some of the biggest names in the NBA have already taken steps before the league to reconnect with their Chinese fans in person. LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokić toured China to promote sneakers earlier this year.
NBA players are also popping up on a range of Chinese social media platforms – from the X-like Weibo to Douyin, China’s version of TikTok – to share snippets of their lives and maximize their exposure to Chinese fans.
Matthew Spalter, chief operating officer at East Goes Global, an agency that specializes in helping localize social media content for a Chinese audience, said his company has been helping at least 10 NBA players and one third of all teams to formulate marketing strategies to break into the Chinese market.
“We’ve never seen the demand higher than we’ve seen since really diving into sports,” Spalter said. “It’s like an open pool of opportunity.”
Walking on eggshells
Before the relationship turned sour, the NBA was warmly welcomed in China, where it regularly staged games. But it took just one comment to jeopardize the seemingly friendly dynamic.
Andrew Spalter, CEO at East Goes Global, says his company prepares clients for sensitive questions that come their way.
“We simply ask them high-level questions,” he said, adding that they would advise clients not to talk about things they would normally avoid in public.
But the reality is more nuanced.
Argenti said the NBA’s comeback is a masterclass in how to navigate the Chinese market amid intensifying geopolitical tensions.
But he warns that things could get more complicated again in President Donald Trump’s second term.
“They’ve (got) trouble at home and trouble abroad because, if they get it wrong, Trump will amplify it, make it worse than it already is,” said Argenti. “That makes it even more of a tightrope.”
The NBA can’t risk a foul as it returns to its most important overseas market
By Chris Lau, Fred He, CNN
Hong Kong (CNN) — As soon as he learned the NBA was returning to China, diehard fan Buke Liu scrambled to get his hands on tickets, paying almost a thousand dollars – a price you might expect for an NBA Finals game – for a ticket to a preseason match-up.
One of America’s most successful sporting exports, the NBA is hugely popular in China, and a rare cultural touchpoint between two nations increasingly seen as geopolitical rivals.
For Liu, and many Chinese fans, it’s been a long wait to go to a game. NBA teams, packed with global stars, have effectively been banned from setting foot in one of basketball’s largest overseas markets since 2019, following a political firestorm that drew the ire of Beijing.
And the pent-up demand has made seats at this weekend’s Phoenix Suns – Brooklyn Nets preseason matches particularly hard to come by. The teams play on Friday and Sunday at The Venetian Hotel in Macao, the glitzy gambling hub in southern China known for its casino-powered entertainment.
Liu forked out $980 to a scalper for his seat at the Sunday game and access to fan activities. Tickets to see the same teams face each other in Phoenix for the Suns’ home game in January are on sale for as little as $15, but the university student has no regrets about paying top dollar for his tickets.
“It’s worth it. They are playing in China,” the Suns fan told CNN. “I am very happy about the return of the NBA China games because it allows (Chinese) fans … to watch the games in person.”
The return, after a six-year absence, packs more than just fanfare: it bears symbolic significance. In 2019, a social media post from then Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey in support of Hong Kong protesters angered Beijing, culminating in televised games being pulled and sponsors in China severing ties with the league.
While NBA games have gradually returned to state-owned television and commercial activities have slowly trickled back over the years, Chinese fans being able to see players in person once again marks the culmination of the comeback.
Ticketing revenue, merchandise sales and sponsorship opportunities, backed by a massive fanbase which spends big without batting an eyelid, are what the NBA stands to gain from its return to the country, where basketball is booming among its population of 1.4 billion, experts and insiders tell CNN.
But greater opportunities also come with greater risks, Paul Argenti, professor of corporate communication at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, told CNN, cautioning that the NBA will now have to tread carefully to avoid the tiniest misstep.
“It’s a thaw, but it’s also a test of how far the NBA and Chinese authorities are willing to rebuild ties,” he said.
Tapping into the vastly lucrative Chinese market and playing by Beijing’s rules can be a perilous tightrope for international brands, like the NBA – especially when it comes to issues that clash with their corporate values.
“One misstep by a player or a coach, (an) offhand remark like the one Daryl (Morey) made, could reignite those tensions,” said Argenti.
Too big to walk away from
The Chinese market has plenty to offer, especially at a time when the league is exploring opportunities beyond the fanbase back home. The NBA’s TV ratings in the US have declined slightly over recent years – though, according to the league, Game 7 of the 2025 Finals series recorded the biggest TV audience for a single Finals game in six years.
David Carter, adjunct professor at USC Marshall School of Business, told CNN that the global market can be “vital” for growing revenue.
“Any concentrated focus on China, one that is successfully positioned and rolled out, should enable the NBA to drive this revenue and franchise value growth,” he said.
The NBA’s popularity in China exploded after Yao Ming was drafted by the Houston Rockets as the No. 1 pick in 2002. Before the 2019 fallout, nearly 500 million people, more than a third of China’s population, were tuning in to watch the league’s content, according to an estimate by Chinese social media giant Tencent, which currently holds the league’s digital broadcasting rights.
In 2019, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum told Reuters an estimated 300 million people in China played the sport. That number has likely climbed since then, with viral videos on Chinese social media showing how the love for the sport has spread to rural areas, sparking huge rivalries in village tournaments. The game has also inspired the popular reality show Dunk of China, which featured former NBA players Jeremy Lin and Stephon Marbury coaching skilled amateur players.
The value of NBA China, the arm of the league that manages all its operations in the Greater China region, is estimated at approximately $5 billion, according to an analysis commissioned by ESPN in 2022.
“China is the NBA’s most important market outside of the United States, with hundreds of millions of fans, huge media rights sponsorship potential,” said Dartmouth professor Argenti. “Walking away is never going to be a long-term option.”
Some of the biggest names in the NBA have already taken steps before the league to reconnect with their Chinese fans in person. LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokić toured China to promote sneakers earlier this year.
NBA players are also popping up on a range of Chinese social media platforms – from the X-like Weibo to Douyin, China’s version of TikTok – to share snippets of their lives and maximize their exposure to Chinese fans.
Matthew Spalter, chief operating officer at East Goes Global, an agency that specializes in helping localize social media content for a Chinese audience, said his company has been helping at least 10 NBA players and one third of all teams to formulate marketing strategies to break into the Chinese market.
“We’ve never seen the demand higher than we’ve seen since really diving into sports,” Spalter said. “It’s like an open pool of opportunity.”
Walking on eggshells
Before the relationship turned sour, the NBA was warmly welcomed in China, where it regularly staged games. But it took just one comment to jeopardize the seemingly friendly dynamic.
Andrew Spalter, CEO at East Goes Global, says his company prepares clients for sensitive questions that come their way.
“We simply ask them high-level questions,” he said, adding that they would advise clients not to talk about things they would normally avoid in public.
But the reality is more nuanced.
Argenti said the NBA’s comeback is a masterclass in how to navigate the Chinese market amid intensifying geopolitical tensions.
But he warns that things could get more complicated again in President Donald Trump’s second term.
“They’ve (got) trouble at home and trouble abroad because, if they get it wrong, Trump will amplify it, make it worse than it already is,” said Argenti. “That makes it even more of a tightrope.”
Allen Iverson Reveals His One Major Regret from NBA Career
Allen Iverson is one of the greatest guards in NBA history, who captivated audiences with his relentless stype of play. The Hampton, Virginia native was a terrific player at Georgetown University before being selected No. 1 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1996 draft.
Iverson went on to revolutionize the league with his exceptional talent as both a scorer and ball handler, becoming a cultural icon in the process.
One of the reasons why
Former All-Star Revealed Player Who Was Better Than Both LeBron James and Michael Jordan
The 2025 NBA season is only a few weeks away, and L.A. Lakers superstar LeBron James will enter his 23rd year in the association.
Shockingly, the 40-year-old small forward is still one of the best players in the world and continues to add to his extraordinary basketball resume.
James’ name frequently comes up when it comes to the GOAT debate, and this conversation is largely dominated by both him and Chicago Bulls icon Michael Jordan.
The two basketball immortals have achieved everything in the sport, and James’ cement is still not dry.
While LeBron has long been seen as the only active player who can catch Michael Jordan in this debate, a former All-Star once believed there was another player with a larger upside than both of these legendary wings.
Stephon Marbury revealed an active player who was better than Michael Jordan and LeBron James
Stephon Marbury played 13 seasons in the league, earning two All-Star appearances and two All-NBA team selections. The former point guard has offered his perspective on the modern game many times since his retirement, giving some hot takes in the process.
One of Marbury’s more eye-opening statements came in 2018, when then-Duke freshman Zion Williamson was just about to begin his college career.
Stephon was very high on the physically dominant power forward, and asserted on Instagram Live that Williamson was on an unprecedented trajectory.
“The reason why I would say LeBron is not the best basketball player is that he can’t shoot. Only Zion Williamson has the opportunity to be better than Michael Jordan. Zion is going to destroy the whole planet. Mt. Rushmore by himself. Zion is way better than LeBron; it’s not even close. Better than Michael Jordan.”
Zion Williams is looking for a breakout season with the New Orleans Pelicans
Zion Williamson went on to become one of the greatest freshmen in college basketball history, winning the 2019 National College Player of the Year award.
The Salisbury, North Carolina native was subsequently selected No. 1 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2025 NBA Draft. Since then, Williamson has had an uneven career, only appearing in 214 of 482 games due to injuries.
Nevertheless, Zion has demonstrated his massive potential on several occasions, which explains his two All-Star appearances and impressive career averages.
The 25-year-old is currently in the midst of a five-year, $197 million extension with the Pelicans, and trying to finally live up to his contract during the 2025-26 season.
Williamson reportedly weighs 264 pounds, which would be the lightest he has been since being drafted. During the Pelicans’ NBA Media Day, Zion discussed what led to this body transformation and how he feels with the season on the horizon.
“We came up with a plan. From boxing to working out on the football field a lot. It’s just different, random workouts, and during that time frame last year, I really felt the shift in my body to where I was looking and going, ‘Yo this feels good. This feels good.’ I haven’t felt like this since college, high school, just where I can walk in the gym and I’m like, ‘I feel good.’”
Overall, the Pelicans’ star power forward is surely no longer chasing any kind of greatest of all-time status. But Marbury’s statement highlights how Williamson was once seen as a generational talent.
If he stays healthy and in shape, Zion should still have his best basketball ahead of him, and that should be a concern for every team in the Western Conference.
Lakers to Benefit in Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade as Knicks to Cut Ties With $212.5M Star – Reports
Throughout the off-season, Giannis Antetokounmpo has kept the rumors about his move from the Bucks an open ended conversation. Bunch of speculations have built up around the reigning face of the Bucks franchise. The two-time MVP, was absent from the training camp due to covid but idle chatter about his search for a “bigger market” never stopped brewing.
Then came ESPN’s insider reports by Shams Charania. The Bucks front office reportedly met with Giannis and his representatives in person back in July. And one name that Giannis ultimately circled out, as multiple reports have pointed, New York Knicks as his preferred option. Should he ever decide to move on, there will be a ripple of changes happening, not just in the Knicks or Bucks roster, no, there is another team involved.
If the move does happen, it could potentially benefit the Los Angeles Lakers in multiple ways. NBA insider Anthony Irwin noted on The Lakers Lounge show that Shams Charania had “pinpointed the 20-25 game mark” as the point when conversations between the Bucks and Knicks might turn serious again. According to Irwin, they’ll likely “try to figure out who they can offload to get more draft capital to send to Milwaukee.” In simple terms, the Knicks need to clear the decks for Giannis, and explore their roster. However recently, one major name on that list is OG Anunoby, can be considered.
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Anunoby who joined the Knicks since 2024, is on a 5 year $212.5 million contract extension. Despite putting up a strong show in the 2024 season where he averaged 18 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, the Knicks might want to trade him. Especially now that he carries a strained left hand injury.
That’s where the Lakers come in. If New York begins exploring ways to unload Anunoby or other high-salary players to stockpile picks, the Lakers could be one of the biggest beneficiaries. “Maybe the Lakers can benefit from that,” Irwin said. “If it takes like a first-round pick to acquire OG Anunoby, I’d be interested in that.”
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The logic is simple: if the Knicks want a full pursuit of Giannis, they’ll have to cut the cost elsewhere and the Lakers, could be waiting to scoop up valuable players at a discount. Los Angeles has already shown restraint this offseason, opting not to overspend or make panic trades, and instead banking on a healthy roster anchored by Luka Dončić.
Irwin added, “Maybe it does make more sense for the Lakers to hold on tight and see what they can possibly do with the roster as it is currently constructed. Until they find out without a shadow of a doubt that Giannis is definitely not coming. And even then, if he’s coming, and it probably will be after this season, when the Lakers would have more draft capital to be able to move.”
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New York would likely add significant contracts and multiple first-round picks, possibly cutting ties with Anunoby or even other rotation pieces like Mikal Bridges. Should that happen, Los Angeles could use its cap flexibility and 2027-2030 draft leverage to grab players who suddenly become available.
Here’s how it gets tricky for the Milwaukee Bucks though. Giannis still has multiple years left on his deal, but insiders like Brian Windhorst have hinted that his “days in Milwaukee are probably numbered.” That uncertainty puts pressure on the Bucks to stay competitive, even without Damian Lillard, who was waived and stretched this offseason after an Achilles injury.
They’ve added Myles Turner and retooled defensively, but it’s clear the next few months will determine whether Giannis truly remains. For now, it’s a waiting game, but in a league where timing means everything, the Lakers might be perfectly positioned to benefit from someone else’s gamble.
Giannis responds to trade rumors with clear message on his future
In a recent turn of events, Giannis Antetokounmpo has given a thoughtful yet revealing response. According to Eric Nehm on X, he has finally spoken about all the rumors.
“First of all, I haven’t read that story. When the season starts, I try to get off social media and I try to focus on my craft and the team, but yeah, I’ve said this many times, I want to be in a situation that I can win and now I’m here. I believe in this team. I believe in my teammates. I’m here to lead this team to wherever we can go and it’s definitely going to be hard… I’m locked in to this team, this group, and this coaching staff and to myself.”
This comes after Giannis had previously admitted about his ambition to remain with the Bucks and win championships. Giannis however has reaffirmed his faith in Milwaukee while leaving a subtle window open, “if in six, seven months, I change my mind, I think that’s human too.” That again leaves it open for assumptions about the uncertain reality the Bucks face.
Meanwhile, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has grown increasingly frustrated with the constant speculation. When asked again about the latest round of trade rumors, he blasted.“Another one? It’s unbelievable,” Rivers said, according to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm.
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“I don’t. I really don’t. I mean, what are you supposed to say? Like I don’t know how many more times… I’ve been coaching 26, 27 years and one thing that I know is that 30 teams call 30 teams, all right. ‘Hey, would you like to trade Chris Paul?’ And you say no. That does not constitute a conversation.” Rivers went on to clarify that the so-called “multiple conversations” being reported were nothing more than standard front-office calls.
Highlights: Jazz rookie Ace Bailey impresses in NBA preseason debut
This Ace Bailey kid just might be for real.
In his NBA preseason debut, matched up for much of the game against new Houston Rockets acquisition Kevin Durant, Bailey scored 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting, adding six rebounds, three assists, and two steals in his 31 minutes.
The Jazz, however, lost to the Rockets by a 140-127 score.
But for the team’s future, it was Bailey finding success from all over the court that stood out. He had four baskets around the rim, including a dunk. He hit five of his seven midrange shots, and went 2-for-5 from deep. In general, he moved decisively, catching the ball and swiftly getting into an action to keep the defense off balance.
Two moments stood out among Bailey’s highlights.
First, the rookie drove and used his stop-start athleticism to spin and get open for a jumper that wowed fans in the opening quarter.
But a second-half pick-and-roll pass finding center Jusuf Nurkic — starting in the place of the injured Walker Kessler — might have been the moment where Bailey showed the most expansion of his game. It was an excellent read and delivery.
The 19-year-old Bailey earned the start for the Jazz in their first time on the court this season. He also looked like the Jazz’s first scoring option, albeit for a team without a healthy Lauri Markkanen, who was out due to a left wrist contusion.
Before the game, Jazz head coach Will Hardy said he watched rookie-year footage of Durant (along with Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum) this summer in order to learn how to coach Bailey.
“It was good for me to go back and watch a lot of that film and try to understand what the beginning of that road looked like,” Hardy said. “Like, there’s things to take away. I think understanding play types and what that diet is —maybe not as many ISOs when you’re super young, doesn’t mean none — but what can we do to try to make Ace’s life a little bit easier, without making the team about Ace?”
The Jazz’s Brice Sensabaugh came off the bench to score 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting. Taylor Hendricks, making his first NBA appearance since breaking his leg early in the 2024-25 season, also played well, with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting in his 27 minutes.
Kevin Durant’s Rockets debut provides glimpse of what could be NBA’s next great trio
Kevin Durant made his Rockets debut on Wednesday night and he looked … well … like Kevin Durant, finishing with 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in 23 minutes as Houston defeated the Jazz, 140-127.
Durant missed his first three shots. Not to worry. He made his next seven and closed his night with 12 third-quarter points. His first bucket as a Rocket was the elbow pull-up we’ve seen him make thousands of times.
There isn’t too much to say about Durant. He did his normal thing. He looked exceedingly comfortable playing with his new teammates, and why wouldn’t he? This is one of the most malleable superstars the NBA has ever seen. He fits anywhere. With anyone.
But this particular combination of teammates in Houston is super intriguing for the different things they all bring to the table, notably what looks like the NBA’s newest Big 3 in Durant, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.
Do the math, and that’s a combined 52 points, 20 assists and and 14 rebounds on the night. Barring injury, all three of these guys could be All-Stars. But again, more than that, it’s about all the different things they do. This isn’t a situation like Durant and Kyrie Irving or James Harden or Devin Booker, where they are all, for the most part, on-ball scorers who occupy similar areas of the floor.
Thompson, the all-world athlete and perhaps the most uniquely gifted player the league has seen since young Ben Simmons, is nothing like Durant, who in turn is nothing like Sengun — something of a Nikola Jokić lite. With Sengun’s ability to handle the ball and orchestrate offense from any spot on the floor, the pick-your-poison two-man actions with Durant stand to be deadly.
Why Amen Thompson is in prime position to turn into the player Ben Simmons could have become
Brad Botkin
What are you supposed to do when Sengun is backing you down in the post with Durant one pass away? Play Sengun one-on-one and he cooks. Double down on Sengun, and he kicks to Durant for the jumper. Cover them both, and Thompson cuts down the lane while your collective attention is understandably distracted.
More Durant and Sengun:
And one more:
Sengun has racked up 32 points and 19 assists through 45 minutes of preseason action so far after opening a lot of eyes at FIBA EuroBasket this summer. He could be in line for a monster season, particularly as a facilitator, with Durant occupying so much attention and a bunch of long athletes exposing the cracks these two will create.
Meanwhile, Thompson, who now has 30 points, nine assists, nine rebounds, four steals and a block through two preseason outings, is going to be doing things like this on the defensive end and in the open floor.
Cincinnati FC game scenarios for home field in the MLS playoffs
FC Cincinnati has clinched a home-field advantage for the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
A win in their final regular-season game against CF Montréal will secure the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The team is competing with Inter Miami CF for the second seed, holding a tiebreaker advantage due to more wins.
FC Cincinnati’s final seeding will impact potential home-field advantage in later playoff rounds, including the MLS Cup Final.
FC Cincinnati doesn’t play this week, but the Major League Soccer team will continue training for their regular-season finale, which is Oct. 18 against CF Montréal at TQL Stadium. That will be Decision Day in the league, with all 15 Eastern Conference teams playing at 6 p.m., and 14 of the 15 Western Conference clubs playing at 9 p.m. (Seattle plays NYCFC at 6 p.m.).
Cincinnati, 19-9-5 for 62 points, has clinched home-field advantage for the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs, which is a best-of-three series that runs from Oct. 24 to Nov. 9. Cincinnati will host Game 1 and then Game 3, if necessary.
Philadelphia has won the MLS Supporters’ Shield and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Cincy has a chance at the No. 2 seed in the East. With the second seed, Cincy would host everyone else in the Eastern Conference playoffs except Philly in the conference finals. The Orange and Blue could potentially have home field in the MLS Cup Final against every team in the Western Conference. A lot will depend on what happens on Decision Day.
Most of the league has this week off from games, but there are a handful of makeup games that will affect things.
With a win over Montréal, Cincinnati clinches the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and also clinches home-field advantage in the MLS Cup final over every team in the Western Conference except Vancouver. However, with a loss or draw against Montreal, things could get more complicated.
What is the MLS playoff schedule?
After the best-of-three first round, the rest of the tournament is a single game per round. The conference semifinals are Nov. 22-23, the conference finals Nov. 29-30, and the MLS Cup Dec. 6. The team with the better record hosts each game.
What are the MLS playoff tiebreakers?
The first tiebreaker for seeding in the Major League Soccer playoffs is the total number of wins, followed by goal differential (GD). That is good news for FC Cincinnati because they have the second-most wins in MLS (19) behind Philadelphia (20), but their goal differential of plus-9 is much worse than any team that they could end up tied with.
How does FC Cincinnati clinch the No. 2 seed in 2025?
FC Cincinnati is battling Inter Miami CF for the No. 2 seed in the conference. Cincy has 62 points with one game left, and Miami has 59 with two games left. Cincy can be no worse than No. 3. Miami can drop as far as fifth.
The No. 2 seed faces the No. 7 seed in the first round of the MLS playoffs, and the No. 3 plays the No. 6. The standings are tight to determine those seeds, and won’t be settled until Decision Day.
Cincinnati wins any tie with Miami, who currently has 17 wins, two fewer than them. In any tie between them, Cincy would have one more win.
Miami hosts Atlanta in a makeup game Oct. 11, then plays at Nashville on Decision Day Oct. 18. If Miami loses to Atlanta, the best they can finish is tied with Cincinnati with 62, and Cincy wins second. If Miami beats Atlanta, then Cincinnati must have the same result or better than Miami on Oct. 18 to claim the two seed. If Miami draws with Atlanta, Cincy must get at least a point against Montreal to take second place, or else hope Miami takes a loss or draw on Decision Day.
How does FC Cincinnati fare against Western Conference foes?
The top four in the Western Conference: 1. San Diego and Vancouver 60, 3. Minnesota 58, 4. LAFC 56.
Cincy will finish ahead of Minnesota, which has one game left and can get as high as 61 points. Cincinnati would win any tie with Vancouver or LAFC by ending up with more wins, and would lose to San Diego on goal differential. San Diego (60 points) has one game left, at Portland Oct. 18. With a San Diego win and a Cincy draw, they tie on points with 63, then both teams would have 18 wins and SD claims the tiebreaker on GD.
LAFC (56 points) has three games left, and 16 wins, three fewer than Cincy. This week, LAFC hosts Toronto Oct. 8 then plays at Austin Oct. 12. Then they end at Colorado Oct. 18. With one loss, LAFC can do no better than 62 points and a tie with Cincinnati, and Cincy would have more wins.
If LAFC wins all three of their games to finish with 65, Cincy would have to beat Montreal to tie them with 65, and Cincy would win the tiebreaker with 20 wins. With two wins and a draw, LAFC finishes with 63 points, and Cincy would need at least a point against Montreal to finish with 63 and win the tiebreaker.
Vancouver (60 points) has two games left, at Orlando Oct. 11, then hosting Dallas on Decision Day. Vancouver has 17 wins, two fewer than Cincy. If the Whitecaps win both games, they finish with 66 points and end up ahead of Cincinnati. If they draw both and finish with 62, Cincinnati would have more wins and claim the tiebreaker if needed.
With a win and a draw, the Whitecaps end with 64 points and Cincy would have to beat Montreal to finish ahead of them. With a win and a loss, Vancouver finishes with 63 and Cincy wins home field with a draw against Montreal, because that would give Cincy 63 and the Orange and Blue would claim the tiebreaker with more wins, 19 to 18.
Is FC Cincinnati in the 2026 Champions Cup?
FC Cincinnati has unofficially clinched a spot in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, which begins in February. Cincinnati played in that tournament this year, losing to Tigres in the Round of 16.
There are four spots awarded in the tournament based on regular-season points. Philadelphia claimed one by winning the Supporters’ Shield. The top team in the Western Conference gets one, then two “wild-card” berths go to the next best in the league in points, regardless of conference. The MLS Cup playoff champion also gets a berth.
Miami and Vancouver already have berths in the 2026 Cup based on performance in other tournaments this season. So LAFC and San Diego are the only teams that could finish ahead of Cincinnati who don’t already have a berth, and there would be three spots available, one reserved for a Western Conference team. If Minnesota wins the West, that means Cincy will finish ahead of all three of those clubs.
‘What About When She Pulled Off that Ring?’: Gilbert Arenas Sparks Outrage After Defending Ayesha Curry’s Marriage Confession – Fans Say He’s Ignoring the Real Issue
Former NBA player Gilbert Arenas has officially gone on record siding with Ayesha Curry following her recent, controversial interview in which she revealed she never “had plans on being a wife or mother.”
Curry has been going viral for weeks following her comments about life before marriage with Steph Curry, marking her most viral interview yet since that infamous 2019 “Red Table Talk” interview where she admitted craving more “male attention.”
Ayesha and Steph first met as teenagers in a church youth group in Charlotte, North Carolina. They reconnected years later in Los Angeles while Steph was in town for the ESPY Awards. Their friendship quickly turned romantic, and by 2011, the two tied the knot — long before either became household names.
‘She Ain’t Tired of Putting Her Foot in Her Mouth’: Ayesha Curry’s Latest Comment Leaves Fans Wondering If She Secretly Regrets Her Marriage to Steph
The viral interview clip from Ayesha’s August 2025 appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast sparked widespread backlash on social media, as she told host Alex Cooper that her 14-year marriage to Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry was not part of her original life plan.
“No. So I didn’t want kids. I didn’t want to get married,” Curry said. “I thought I was going to be a career girl’ and that’s it.”
While social media has been in an uproar since her comments — with some interpreting her words as expressing dissatisfaction with her life — Arenas claims he completely understood her perspective.
“I might be the only person that might be on his wife’s side because I understand what she is actually saying and the fact that so many people are hating this woman,” Arenas said in a video shared to his Instagram. “Y’all are lost. I’m sorry. Y’all are not understanding what she is really saying.”
He added, “She is saying she didn’t see herself with kids. She didn’t see herself married. She seen herself as a career woman.”
The former Washington Wizards star went onto praise Ayesha for not “considering herself as a basketball “groupie” or as what it traditionally means to be a basketball wife.,
He applauded her for not having the same “preconceived” idea as some women looking to be attached to an NBA baller.
He continued to defend Curry’s stance, claiming her genuine intentions — simply being with Steph without knowing what his future in the NBA would hold — set her apart from other women who purposely sought out players for their money and lifestyle.
“Think about the rest of these hoes that are intentionally wanting to be hoes. They want. your money. They want to be NBA wives to live the NBA wife life. That’s what she’s saying. That’s what I’m listening to,” Arenas concluded.
Fans sounded off in the comments after the athlete passionately defending another man’s wife
“Yea I saw it as a woman that grew up with goals that she didn’t get to reach because her husband [is] the greatest shooter that ever lived lol but that’s jus me. I’m sure she don’t hate her kids or her life, it’s just not the life she saw for herself at a younger age,” said one follower in agreement with Arenas.
Another added, “When men say the same thing and then get married, have children, it’s not a problem. They want women silenced — sit next to your husband, raise those kids, f*** your dreams and shut up. Thank you for this, Gil.”
However, not everyone saw the conversation in a positive light.
“If you’re married, you represent your spouse publicly. It’s just that simple! She out of pocket,” one user wrote, offering a different perspective.
Another person chimed in, “Yeah I hear you Unc but what about when she pulled off that ring you don’t play like that.”
During Ayesha’s 2017 interview on “The Real,” the actress was seen tugging on her wedding ring to take it off after a shirtless man brought out a tray of champagne in glasses for each lady to drink.
The man walked around to each host to give them a drink before approaching Ayesha, who playfully covered her eyes and grabbed a cocktail. Despite being a joke, many called it rude and disrespectful to the foundation that she and Steph built together.
Several followers expressed empathy for Curry’s point of view. Still, they suggested that she keep such revelations private, between herself, her husband, and a therapist, rather than sharing them on national platforms. Others, meanwhile, couldn’t move past a previous comment she made about craving attention from other men.
In 2022, Curry appeared on Red Table Talk and explained to Jada Pinkett Smith that the lack of outside male attention — especially compared to the groupies who surrounded her husband — made her feel as if something was wrong with her.
“Something that really bothers me, and honestly has given me a sense of a little bit of an insecurity, is the fact that yeah, there are all these women, like, throwing themselves [at him], but me, like the past 10 years, I don’t have any of that,” Curry said. “I have zero — this sounds weird — but, like, male attention, and so then I begin to internalize it, and I’m like, ‘Is something wrong with me?’”
Over the years, Curry has faced criticism for oversharing in interviews and alluding to internal or marital issues, but the couple appears to remain strong.
In a previous interview with People, “The Seasoned Life” cookbook author shared that the secret to maintaining balance in their marriage was prioritizing their relationship.
“I think for us, our relationship always comes first. Then we’re parents,” she said in February, later adding, “And that works for us because then you have two happy people raising the kids in the house. So the family sector in our lives always comes first.”
Her most recent Instagram post on Oct. 7 reflects that sentiment, featuring snapshots from her “life lately,” with images showing her cozying up with her family, enjoying mother-daughter time, and sharing candid moments of affection and playfulness with her longtime love.
Follow the 2025/26 CORR season free on the RACER+ app
Championship Off-Road Racing (CORR) is returning bigger than ever with a five-event 2025/26 schedule, and you can catch every minute of it free on the RACER+ app.
The schedule retains multiple stops at Firebird Motorsports Park on the outskirts of Phoenix, Arizona, while California is represented with the return of Glen Helen Raceway and a trip to the San Bernadino County Fairgrounds.
The RACER Network will broadcast 10 one-hour highlight episodes throughout the season, each recapping a full day of racing action, in addition to CORR’s free livestream on RACER+, featuring all classes and rounds from each event.
“We couldn’t be more excited to reveal everything we’ve been working on to make the upcoming CORR season our best yet,” said CORR’s Jason Ramsay.
“As our series continues to grow, the time was right to expand both our schedule and staff with exciting additions on both fronts, in addition to an all-new television package with RACER Network. With our combined efforts, CORR will offer racers of all ages and skill levels a professional experience and an exciting place to race.”
Area 27’s Radical Cup Canada West puts Okanagan on the racing map
Known for its wineries, fruit orchards, pine forests and scenic lakes, the Okanagan region in British Columbia can now also boast about having one of the largest Radical Cup grids anywhere in the world. The picturesque valley is home to the luxury motorsports club Area 27.
A gearhead’s paradise, Area 27 features a 3-mile, 16-turn circuit designed by Formula 1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve with high-downforce cars in mind. And that’s where the Radical Cup Canada West comes in, allowing members to take full advantage of 357 ft of elevation change, long straight and a mixture of both high-speed and technical corners. Their recent season finale race saw a record 26 cars take to the track.
Area 27’s series – one of 20 Radical series around the globe – features the Radical SR3 model, a high-revving British race car with carbon fiber and aerodynamic lines that quickly up conjure memories of the iconic Ferrari 333SP. However, the Radical is an accessible racing car for the everyman, and a complete novice will find themselves equally at home as the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris and Sebastian Vettel – all whom have sampled the car over the years.
“Confidence inspiring” is the term that’s often used by the Area 27 club members who are living out their own dreams after typically owning a high-end GT road car, before realizing a purpose-built racing car like the Radical is both more fun and economical to operate.
So who is the average Radical racer at Area 27? The cars capture a wide customer base. Take Max Lytvyn, the founder of Grammarly, who is a self-made billionaire who has spent the last five years working on his race craft rather than his golf game, and is now at the pointy end of the field. Then there’s Ty Fisher (14) and his sister Autumn (16), both hoping to emulate Villeneuve to the upper echelons of the sport.
And where can drivers go when they conquer Area 27? Well, there’s the Radical Cup North America series, which ran alongside IndyCar three times in 2025. The Radical World Finals, which this year will be hosted at VIRginia International Raceway Nov.6-9, following years prior at Yas Marina, Portimao and Las Vegas.
And if you look at Radical’s alumni, it could take them all the way to Le Mans. CrowdStrike’s CEO George Kurtz started his racing career later in Radicals in the local series at Spring Mountain Motor Resort and Country Club in Nevada. He progressed to the national Radical Cup, before winning the LMP2 Pro-Am class at La Sarthe in 2023. Similarly, the 2024 LMP2 Le Mans winner Bijoy Garg is also a Radical Cup graduate.
But for now, drivers are already making preparations for next season having recently wrapped up the 2025 Area 27 championship.
Paul Buchmann was crowned series champion for the third year in a row. However it was youngster Ty Fisher, who took the first win of the final weekend, beating Buchmann by a convincing eight seconds, with Max Lytvyn third. In Race 2, Fisher again challenged the soon to be champ, but had to settle for second place, with Chris Beith finding the podium.
Championship runner-up Danny Chase made his way back to the podium in the final race of the season. Mitchell Cooper shone, finishing second, while Buchmann celebrated his title win from the top step of the podium. John Hughes took a win on his way to seal the Masters class championship, with Dan Viskari and Dave Saruk also taking class wins. Autumn Fisher finished out the year with a top six result, and wasn’t the only female competing, with fellow rookie driver Sydney Cassels equally impressing in the 26 car field.
Radical Canada West President John Hughes anticipates an even bigger grid in 2026. “The goal has always been to see 30 Radical SR3 1340 cars on track. That should easily happen next year given we’ve consistently broken record after record for the largest Radical grid in Canada.”
Area 27 President Bill Drossos, whose vision created the high-octane playground, shares the sentiment. “Not since the Formula Atlantic days at Westwood has there been such high-speed excitement in Western Canada. This series has become the club’s crown jewel, and we’re proud to be cultivating car culture alongside the vines and resort life here in the Okanagan”.
NASCAR antitrust case looks like a messy divorce
Monday afternoon, there was a glimmer of hope that NASCAR appeared to be bending to the possibility of mediation with 23XI and FrontRow Motorsports, asking the court to appoint a judicial officer — such as the assigned magistrate judge — to preside over the settlement conference.
NASCAR filed the request giving way that “the parties have indicated a willingness to resolve this case and have attempted to do so through mediation and settlement conferences.”
And as quickly as it seemed NASCAR was handing a legal “olive branch” to the 23XI and FrontRow lawyers, 23XI and FrontRow responded with a “not so fast, my opponent” response, calling it “another effort to play to the court of public opinion” rather than a genuine move toward resolution.
ICYMI
Charter showdown | NASCAR legal battle features revealing messages from both sides
NASCAR | Legal spat with 23XI, Front Row Motorsports reaches boiling point
Court denies 23XI Racing request for rehearing in NASCAR charter case
The teams filed their response Monday night to NASCAR’s motion, asking the Western District Court of North Carolina to mandate the settlement conference.
Yes, the dispute remains unresolved, even after an in-person mediation session was held on Aug. 5. That mediation was overseen by Jeffrey A. Mishkin, a full-time sports disputes arbitrator and mediator who previously served as the executive vice president and chief legal officer of the NBA.
In its original Monday night filing, NASCAR had asked the court to appoint a judicial officer — such as the assigned magistrate judge — to preside over the settlement conference. NASCAR argued that “the parties have indicated a willingness to resolve this case and have attempted to do so through mediation and settlement conferences.”
NASCAR also cited the fact that other charter holders have expressed a desire for the litigation to be resolved. The organization suggested that a facilitated discussion with a member of the bench could offer “unique insight into a jury trial” in a complex matter. NASCAR noted the court’s past willingness to offer a judicial settlement conference at a similar stage in proceedings: after private mediation efforts and following the close of discovery and the filing of summary judgment motions.
Letters from Joe Gibbs, Richard Childress, Rick Hendrick and Brad Keselowski, just to name a few, were submitted in hopes that “peaceful solution” could be reached before the end of the season and the Dec. 1 court date.
ICYMI
NASCAR files for a summary judgement in the 23XI/Front Row Motorsports lawsuit
NASCAR charter suit update | Judge denies 23XI, Front Row injunction
With this recent development, it appears that 23XI and FrontRow are dug into the legal trenches ready to come out with barrels blazing.
Any hope NASCAR had of solving this amicably seems to have disappeared as we head toward Vegas, Talladega and Martinsville.
I’m hoping for a solution to be reached on Championship Weekend in Phoenix, but I’m not about to hold my breath on it.
Like Denny Hamlin alluded to in a press conference earlier this year, “all will be revealed.”
Unless things change soon, those revelations will be put into court on Dec. 1, which could be a lengthy and messy case, very similar to a divorce case.
The only questions? Who will win, and who gets the gold mine and who gets the shaft.
It seems in this messy “divorce style” case, no one will come out a winner.
EXCLUSIVE: Lindsay Brewer Reflects on Racing Rise With Powerful Danica Patrick, Katherine Legge Message
Motorsports has long been a male-dominated arena, but Lindsay Brewer, who is 28 years old, joins a lineage of women who challenged the male dominance, joining the league of figures like Danica Patrick and Katherine Legge who have led the charge. Patrick, often overlooked as a female driver, grabbed an eighth-place finish in the 2013 Daytona 500, proving women could certainly thrive in NASCAR. “It’s ironic that I’m passionate about that because I was a girl in a guy’s sport,” Patrick said about her equality fight. But how do these breakthroughs echo today?
Katherine Legge amplified that impact with a 19th-place run at the 2025 Chicago Street Race, facing intense scrutiny. “Being a woman racing in NASCAR… comes with a level of scrutiny and harassment,” she noted. These veterans inspire others to break gender barriers and get behind the wheel. So, just like them, how is Brewer paving the way?
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Lindsay Brewer’s inspiration and trailblazing path
In an exclusive interview with host Andrew Whitelaw, Lindsay Brewer opened up about the figures who motivated her in motorsports. She credits veterans like Katherine Legge, Danica Patrick, and Susie Wolff for breaking ground.
“I mean, there’s some great people have paved the way, like Katherine Legge is a big inspiration of mine. Obviously, Danica Patrick has done a lot for women in the sport and like just showcasing that you can be at the top levels. And I really like Susie Wolff. I think she’s amazing in what she’s doing with F1 Academy now is great,” Brewer shared.
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This acknowledgment stems from her own climb, starting in karting at age 11 and progressing through the Skip Barber Formula Race Series in 2021, where she earned her first podium. Brewer’s journey reflects how these role models fueled her determination in a tough field. Legge’s resilience, despite facing death threats after crashes, and Patrick’s record seven top-10 Cup finishes encouraged Brewer to pursue Indy NXT with Juncos Hollinger Racing in 2025.
She draws from their examples to overcome doubts, much like Patrick’s push against stereotypes in a masculine sport. Brewer’s motivation ties back to seeing women succeed, driving her to compete in series like the Lamborghini Super Trofeo with RAFA Racing. Now, Brewer aims to motivate the next generation of female drivers.
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“And I mean, I would like to say I’m paving the way for girls and women who want to get into the sport as well. Just by having the following that I’ve been blessed to have, I think I’m showcasing that, look, it doesn’t matter what you look like. It doesn’t matter if you want to have fake nails or like to be glamorous; you can still be in a male-dominant sport. You can still do anything. You set your mind to,” she explained.
This message resonates amid her strong 2025 runs, including a top-10 at Road America, proving glamor and grit coexist. Her path hasn’t been without hurdles, like limited funding early on, but Brewer’s social media presence has built sponsorships, echoing how Patrick leveraged visibility. By embracing femininity while racing hard, she challenges norms, much as Wolff does through F1 Academy. Brewer’s efforts show young girls they can very well belong in the driver’s seat.
As Brewer honors her inspirations, one stands out for recent team support. Let’s look at how Katherine Legge’s owner stepped up for her.
McLeod’s seat sacrifice for Legge
B.J. McLeod, co-owner of Live Fast Motorsports, chose to share his No. 78 Chevrolet with Katherine Legge in 2025, prioritizing her growth. This came after Legge’s solid outings, including a 17th at the Brickyard.
McLeod explained, “I enjoy helping Katherine and splitting the time with her…To see the team succeed with her, and I still drive some, like, I don’t want to be the driver all the time ‘cause it’s way harder to succeed with two people than it is with one.” His decision reflects a commitment to building the team around Legge’s talent.
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This sacrifice followed Legge’s rookie-like season in Cup and Xfinity, where she logged Live Fast’s first back-to-back top-20s. McLeod noted the challenges, “Our stuff’s gotten pretty good because it’s hard to do that, especially when someone hasn’t seen a NASCAR roval and never been in a Cup car.” By stepping aside for races like the Charlotte Roval, he aimed to boost consistency for the non-chartered entry.
The move has paid off, with Legge delivering the team’s best campaign yet, surpassing prior seasons’ top-20 counts. Locked into fields like Daytona alongside other open cars, Live Fast benefits from this shared approach. McLeod’s choice underscores support for women in NASCAR, helping Legge chase her Indy 500 dream while strengthening the squad.
Riley confirms switch to GTD wIth Mustang for 2026 IMSA season
Riley Motorsports will renew an historic family connection with Ford’s Mustang with a 2026 IMSA GTD program fielding a new Mustang GT3.
The Mooresville, N.C. operation took delivery of their new steed at Dearborn, Mich.’s Henry Ford Museum, the car presented in a white base, red-striped livery inspired by the Motorcraft-sponsored 1985 Roush/Protofab Mustang GTO, which captured an IMSA class championship the same year.
But the Riley family connection goes back earlier still with the Blue Oval, Bill Riley’s legendary car designing father Bob, who passed away last year, had engineering input on Ford’s GT Mk IV and was lead designer on the 1983 front-engined Mustang GTP.
“We’re really excited to have Bill Riley and his team on-board with Ford Racing,
Ari Emanuel Launches MARI After Buying Tennis Tournaments, Frieze and Majority Stake in Barrett-Jackson Car-Collector Brand
Longtime Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel has launched MARI, his events and experiences company after it closed its acquisitions of IMG’s portfolio of international tennis events and art organization Frieze along with a majority ownership interest in Barrett-Jackson, a premium collector car auction and automotive lifestyle brand.
Emanuel, founder and principal investor of MARI, remains chairman of WME Group (which went private earlier this year in a deal with Silver Lake) and CEO of TKO Group, the parent company of WWE and UFC.
MARI’s tennis portfolio includes two premier ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournaments — the Miami Open presented by Itaú and Mutua Madrid Open — alongside WTA events such as the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open, Mubadala Citi DC Open, and SP Open. It also features exhibitions such as Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic and MGM Macau Tennis Masters, as well as the management of major ATP tournaments including the Chengdu Open, Hong Kong Open, Japan Open and Rio Open.
As part of the Miami Open acquisition, MARI is bringing on the ownership group behind the Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, and the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, as principal investors. The group includes majority owner Stephen Ross, along with Joe Tsai, Oliver Weisberg, and funds managed by Ares Management. Since 2019, the Miami Open has been hosted at Hard Rock Stadium.
Emanuel previously disclosed his acquisition of Frieze from Endeavor Group Holdings. Predecessor company WME-IMG had acquired the art fair, magazine and digital media outfit in 2016. According to MARI, Barrett-Jackson founder and CEO Craig Jackson will remain in his role.
With MARI, Emanuel is teaming with longtime Endeavor and TKO exec Mark Shapiro — who also is a principal investor and will serve as a board member — to lead its strategy and growth. MARI’s executive team includes Matt Cohn as managing partner and Ben Enowitz as CFO.
In addition to Emanuel and Shapiro, MARI’s investors include funds managed by Apollo, RedBird Capital Partners, Qatar Investment Authority, HSG, IMI media group and Ares Management. Others include Los Angeles Times owners Patrick Soon-Shiong, a16z Growth, Nancy Zhang, FORTA Advisors, Main Street Advisors, Causeway Media Partners, Gannet Capital, Eric Schmidt, FMZ Ventures, Sideline Group, Curated Wealth Partners, Gaurav Kapadia, Bulat Utemuratov, and Sanjay Govil, as well as athletes including Luka Dončić, Anthony Edwards and Sabrina Ionescu.
“Live events and experiences have never been more powerful,” Emanuel said in a statement. “As people increasingly value experiences over things — and as hybrid work and AI give us more time to enjoy them—sports, art, lifestyle, and entertainment are becoming even more essential. At MARI, we’re building on the global impact of Frieze and the success of the Madrid and Miami Opens to create new ways for audiences to come together and share their passions.”
“RedBird has enjoyed a multi-decade partnership with Ari and Mark, and we are excited to join them again in creating MARI,” said Gerry Cardinale, founder and managing partner of RedBird Capital, in a statement. “Anchored by the iconic Miami and Madrid Tennis Opens and Frieze, MARI is well positioned from inception to capitalize on the secular growth and convergence of premium intellectual property across sports and live event Entertainment — areas where RedBird brings domain leadership and business building expertise.”
Apollo partner Rob Givone added, “We are excited to be a key partner to Ariel Emanuel, Mark Shapiro, and their team as they build out a portfolio of experiential assets in the sports and live events industries—two key areas where our firm sees strong, continued growth. Apollo Sports Capital will work closely with the MARI team to help unlock value across the existing asset base, as well as explore additional opportunities in live events and experiences.”
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld acted as legal adviser and Goldman Sachs & Co. and LionTree Advisors acted as financial advisors to MARI in connection with the transactions.
Makayla Hecht records 1,000th career assist as Princeton tops Kewanee: Tuesday’s BCR Roundup
Volleyball
Princeton def. Kewanee 25-20, 25-15: Makayla Hecht had 16 assists, nine points and four digs, while recording her 1,000th career assist, as the Tigresses captured a Three Rivers East win in Kewanee.
Also for Princeton (13-13, 5-3), Caroline Keutzer had 10 kills, 10 points, an ace, three digs and a block, Keely Lawson had seven points, an ace, six digs, six kills and a block and Camryn Driscoll had 13 digs.
St. Bede def. Parkview Christian 25-18, 22-25, 26-24: Nelle Potthoff had 11 kills, six digs, three blocks and two aces to lead the Bruins to a nonconference victory in Yorkville.
Hanna Waszkowiak had five kills, four blocks and an ace for St. Bede, while Lily Bosnich contributed nine digs and two aces.
Girls tennis
Princeton 7, Kewanee 1: The Tigresses won one singles match and swept six doubles matches for a runaway victory on senior night at PHS.
Daphnie Grant was a 6-3, 6-2 winner with doubles wins coming from Ava Munson and Anna Ellis (6-3, 6-0), Alice Scruggs and Uli Schneider (6-0, 6-0), Lilly Mabry and Piper Hansen (6-4, 6-2), Sylvie Rutledge and Gracelynn Hansen (6-2, 6-2), Kaylee Tanner and Lydia Hardy (6-3, 6-1), Karlie Schultz and Isla Bayer (6-4, 6-1).
Cross country
At Erie: The Princeton girls finished second with 54 points behind Riverdale (50) in the Panther Invitational at Lake Erie Country Club while Bureau Valley (87) placed fourth.
Ruby Acker led the Tigresses with a third-place finish in 20:08 with Payton Frueh right behind her in fifth in 20:12, both running season bests. Also for PHS, Alexandra Waca was 11th (21:05), Avery Waca 20th (22:41), Susanna Bohms 25th (23:10), Natalie Meyer 23rd (23:34), Lily Simpson 41st (24:40) and Emma Dye 44th (24:53).
Gemma Moore ran a new personal best 20:27 to place sixth for Bureau Valley. Also for the Storm, Summer Hamilton was 19th (22:41), Ella Wilt 23rd (23:06), Kynzleigh Garza 29th (23:35), Leah House 34th (24:04), Autumn Roth 47th (26:03), Mya Nugent 51st (27:10) and Autumn Hamilton 56th (29:07).
The Bureau Valley boys placed third with 84 points behind host E-P (42) and Riverdale (74) while Princeton (176) took seventh.
The Storm had two top 10 finishers in fourth-place Maddox Moore (16:45) and ninth-place Adrian Gallardo (17:26.19). Also for the Storm Alex Gallardo was 16th (17:47), Alex Attig 25th (18:26), Lucas Hartz 37th (19:10), Kayne Richter 48th, (20:02), Kyle Velazquez 49th (20:06), Andrew Roth 53rd (20:30), Reid Kalapp 63rd (21:19), Morgan Mahnesmith 67th (21:57), Dawson Hulsing 68th (22:06), Joe Siri 70th (22:23) and Jaden Macklin 83rd (29:05).
The Princeton boys finished seventh with 176 points led by Augustus Swanson’s 14th place finish with a season best 17:38. Also for the Tigers, Brady Gross was 34th (18:58), Allister Swanson 56th (20:39), Jackson Drozda 71st (22:43) and Cruz Rodriguez 75th (23:44).
Boys soccer
DePue-Hall 4, Earlville 0: The No. 6-seeded Little Giants shut out the No. 7 Red Raiders in a Little Ten Conference Tournament consolation semifinal in DePue.
The Little Giants will play No. 4 IMSA in the consolation final at 4 p.m. Thursday at Hinckley-Big Rock.
Preps: Golf season ends at state as regional play is underway for tennis
The Aspen and Basalt high school boys golf teams competed on Monday and Tuesday in the Class 3A state championships, hosted by Eagle Ranch Golf Club.
The Skiers finished fourth as a team with a two-day collective score of 454 (34-over-par), while the Longhorns finished sixth at 457 (37-over). Taking the team championship was Lutheran, which shot 436 (16-over) to win by 11 strokes over Timnath (447), with Mullen taking third (448). Resurrection Christian was fifth (456).
Individually, Lutheran senior Nicholas Brooks made easy work of the competition, shooting 134 (10-under) with rounds of 66 and 68 to beat runner-up Jack Brayman, a Peak to Peak senior, by seven strokes (141). Eaton’s Dayne Schmidke was third (142), and Timnath’s Greysen Kilburn was fourth (144).
The top area golfer was Aspen senior Houston Benvenuto, who tied for ninth overall with 149 (5-over). He had rounds of 75 and 74. Basalt junior Hudson Arnold tied for 13th (151), with Aspen junior Oliver Pullis and Basalt sophomore Parker Strelecki each finishing at 152 and tied for 16th overall.
Also competing for Aspen were senior Leo Roennau (T31, 156) and junior Colton Jones (T36, 159). Basalt’s roster included seniors Elijah Kelley (T25, 154) and Brady Luetke (59th, 166). The Longhorns are a district-wide team that includes players from Roaring Fork and Glenwood Springs high schools.
Tennis regionals underway
Aspen and Basalt boys tennis teams are competing at regionals this week in Grand Junction. Originally scheduled for Thursday and Friday, the start was moved up to Wednesday due to forecast rain later in the week.
Both local teams are competing in Class 4A, Region 8, with updated results being posted at CHSAANow.com. State qualifiers will be known by Thursday evening, with the 4A individual state championships scheduled for Oct. 16-18 in Pueblo.
BHS football on road
Basalt football returned to the train tracks last week with a 14-0 homecoming win over Delta on Oct. 3. It was the Class 2A West league opener for the Longhorns, the win snapping a two-game losing streak.
Now 3-3 overall (1-0 league), BHS will play on Thursday this week at Coal Ridge. Game time is 7 p.m. in New Castle. The Titans have been impressive and surprising this season with a 5-1 overall record, including last week’s 49-8 rout of Moffat County to open league play. Their only loss came in the season opener against Steamboat Springs, 39-16.
Aspen (1-3 overall) is coming off a bye week and will open league play on Friday night with its homecoming game against Moffat. Kickoff is 7 p.m. on the AHS turf.
The Skiers began 1-0 with a win at Grand Valley but have since lost three straight, most recently a 49-19 loss to Kent Denver on Sept. 26. The Bulldogs are 1-5 overall and 0-1 in league play.
Delta (4-2, 0-1) has a bye this week. Class 3A Glenwood Springs (3-3 overall) opens league play on Friday night at undefeated Eagle Valley (7-0 overall). Kickoff is 7 p.m.
In regard to the CHSAA seeding index, which largely determines postseason seeding, as of Wednesday evening The Classical Academy was No. 1, Coal Ridge No. 14, Delta No. 19, Basalt No. 23, Aspen No. 29, and Moffat County No. 34 out of 41 teams in 2A. Only 16 teams will make the playoffs, with the WSL champion earning an automatic spot.
Soccer hits key stretch
Basalt soccer’s two-game high that included back-to-back wins over Aspen and Roaring Fork ended Oct. 2 with a 6-0 loss at Vail Mountain. Now 3-6-1 overall and 1-2 in 3A Western Slope League play, the season continues on Thursday with a 4 p.m. game at Rifle (4-6-1, 1-3).
Aspen fell short in another nail-biter on Tuesday, losing 2-1 to Roaring Fork. The Skiers are 2-4-4 overall and 0-3-1 in league play. They are off until traveling to Basalt on Tuesday.
Roaring Fork (7-2-1, 4-1) will host 4A Glenwood Springs (2-6, 0-4) at 6 p.m. Thursday in a non-league game.
The CHSAA seeding index, as of Wednesday afternoon, has Roaring Fork at No. 11, Basalt at No. 35, and Aspen at No. 37 in Class 3A. Only 32 teams will make the state tournament.
AHS volleyball sitting cozy
Aspen volleyball fell 3-0 at Battle Mountain in a non-league game on Tuesday. Set scores were 25-20, 25-9, 25-20. The Huskies are now 10-0 and one of the best teams in 4A. The 3A Skiers, 13-3 overall and 4-0 in WSL play, will return to league play with a game on Thursday at Gunnison.
Basalt (4-5, 3-2) last played Oct. 2, a 3-1 league win over Moffat County. The Longhorns play at Coal Ridge on Thursday.
Roaring Fork (5-11, 3-3) won 3-0 at Grand Valley on Tuesday. The Rams next play Thursday at Moffat County; they host Basalt this coming Tuesday.
The CHSAA 3A seeding index, as of Wednesday afternoon, has Aspen ranked No. 9, Basalt No. 37, and Roaring Fork No. 46.
Softball regionals on deck
Softball’s regular season is down to only a few more games this week before regional pairings are announced. Basalt (5-16, 3-7 league) will close out play with two games at Gunnison on Saturday.
Aspen (1-14, 0-12) has a single home game against Battle Mountain on Thursday remaining (3 p.m. first pitch). BHS remains right on the cutoff to make regional play, while AHS is likely too far on the outside to get the invite.
Aspen XC strong at home
Aspen hosted its annual Chris Severy Invitational on Saturday, with both the AHS boys and girls winning the team titles.
In the boys race, the Skiers took the top three spots. Junior Jack Diaz won in 19 minutes, 2.6 seconds, followed in second by sophomore Boston Jennings (20:07.7) and in third by junior Dominic DiMaria (20:19.2). AHS junior Vlad Loboda was fifth in 20:46.4, and freshman Yaroslav Loboda was eighth in 20:57.1.
In the girls race, Aspen junior Avila Jennings (running unattached) won in 21:57.7, while junior teammate Annabelle Case was fourth in 22:50.2. AHS freshman Molly McPhee was seventh (23:25.5) and junior Edyn Roy was eighth (23:56.1).
Basalt did not compete in Aspen but did send a few runners to Rifle on Tuesday. In the boys race, Glenwood’s Diego Ostorga Torres was fourth (18:48.9) and Basalt’s Kaden Werth was eighth (19:31.9). Basalt’s Scarlett Jones was third in the girls race (21:09) with Caroline Cole finishing fourth (21:48).
The regional race for both Aspen and Basalt is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 24 at Loudy-Simpson Park in Craig. The state championships are Nov. 1 in Colorado Springs.
5 BVSD and SVVSD preps events to watch this week
The regional tennis tournaments started Wednesday, offering players from around the state a chance to qualify for next week’s individual state championships.
Class 4A Region 5 featured seven teams from the Longmont and Lafayette area. On Wednesday at Niwot High School, Frederick’s Josiah Brittenham and Dawson’s Cole Cohen made their way through the No. 1 singles bracket and will face off for the regional title on Thursday. Niwot’s Oskar Hansen (2 singles) and Dawson’s Nick Steinkamp (3S) also reached their respective finals.
At 5A Region 6, Fairview ace Luke Treleaven is in the 1-singles final after beating Boulder’s Patrick Harvey and Mountain Vista’s Trey Armstrong in the opening two rounds. The Knights sent all three singles players to Thursday’s championship match as neither Treleaven, Adhrit Sundaresan (2S) or Itay Kazatcker (3S) dropped a set on Wednesday.
Here are this week’s five things to watch from the local preps scene.
Our game of the week is Broomfield-Holy Family softball on Saturday.
Regional tennis; finishes Thursday and Friday
The top two placers in each bracket at regionals will move onto the individual state championship, which is played in Pueblo (4A) and Denver (5A) on Oct. 17-19.
In 4A Region 6, locals Dawson, Frederick, Longmont, Mead, Niwot, Silver Creek and Skyline are all competing. Peak to Peak is the only other area team in the class and the Pumas are in Region 4 in Loveland, where they sent their top two singles players to the finals, with Vivaan Bhardwaj advancing at No. 1 singles and Shreyas Sundaresan No. 2.
In 5A, Region 1 (which includes Monarch) hadn’t reported results as of Wednesday afternoon, while Region 2 (Broomfield and Centaurus) and 4 (Legacy) start Thursday. In Region 6, Fairview also sent its 2, 3 and 4 doubles lines to the finals. Its No. 2 pairing of Rafa Cortes and Colin Ryan rallied to beat Mountain Vista in three sets in the semifinals.
Monarch at Legacy volleyball; Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
The Lightning (13-3, 7-0 Granite Peaks League) shook off an abysmal fourth set against Niwot to beat the Cougars in five sets last week, taking sole control of their league.
Monarch (9-2, 5-1) can shake things back up in the standings with a win on Thursday.
Aislin Oldach has 212 kills for Legacy, 15th-most in the state. Ava Maliawco has 80 kills to lead the Coyotes.
Frederick at Silver Creek football; Thursday at 7 p.m.
The Golden Eagles (4-2, 1-0) are looking for their fourth straight win over the Raptors (4-2, 1-0).
Sonny Delpizzo has 10 touchdowns for Frederick, which has won four in a row after an 0-2 start to the season.
Silver Creek QB Nolan Gaccetta rushed for two scores in last week’s win over Greeley West. The senior has thrown for 11 TDs and rushed for six more this fall.
Monarch at Loveland football; Friday at 7 p.m.
The Coyotes (4-2, 1-0 4A North 1 League) are averaging 38 points through their first six games of the season. Malakhi Payne has broken 100 yards on the ground in three straight weeks, including in a Week 5 win over Boulder where he ran for 121 yards and two scores on just 10 carries.
Loveland (2-4, 0-1) has struggled offensively since putting up 72 points in a win over Mountain View in Week 2, averaging just over 6 PPG in its last three games.
Last year, Monarch ended a streak of four straight losses against the Red Wolves with a 16-13 win.
Granite Peaks League and Rocky Mountain League XC championships; GPL at Margaret Carpenter Park (boys varsity 3:30 p.m.; girls varsity 4:10) and RML at Northwest Open Space (boys 3:10; girls 3:40)
Niwot is expected to sweep the GPL championships, with Hunter Robbie and Ady Ritzenhein predicted to bring home individual honors. Boulder is the favorite to win both races in the Rocky Mountain meet led by Lucas Wik and Calia Vaughn.
Creighton Prep sweeps way to Metro Conference finals, team title
With four No. 1 seeds, a perfect day was expected for Omaha Creighton Prep.
The Junior Jays didn’t falter.
They didn’t lose a set in scoring the maximum 36 points Wednesday to clinch their third consecutive team title in advance of Thursday’s 2:30 p.m. finals at Koch Tennis Center.
Millard West, in second with 27 points, meets Prep entries at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles but the Wildcats’ maximum is 35 points.
Prep senior Alex Liu faces Omaha Westside junior Troy Shefsky in the No. 1 singles final. It’s the third successive year Liu faces a Shefsky for the title,
Liu lost to Shefsky’s older brother, AJ, in the 2023 final before beating Troy Shefsky, the No. 2 singles champion at the 2023 Metros, 6-0, 6-1 in the 2024 final.
Liu is 2-1 against Shefsky this season. The loss was on an injury retirement at the Westside Invitational when the match score was 6-6.
In No. 1 doubles, Prep seniors Ben Clausen and Rowan Lunning have split matches this year with Millard West’s Jake Smiley and Jackson Skiko.
Team scoring (through semifinals): Omaha Creighton Prep 36, Millard West 27, Millard North 24.5, Elkhorn South 24, Omaha Westside 18.5, Papillion-La Vista 13.5, Bellevue West 12, Omaha Westview 11, Papillion-La Vista South 9.5, Omaha Bryan 2.25, Omaha Burke 1.75, Millard South 1.75, Omaha South 1.25, Omaha Central 0.5, Omaha Benson 0.5, Omaha Northwest 0.25, Omaha North no team.
No. 1 singles – Quarterfinals: Alex Liu, CP, def. Owen Arko, BW, 6-0, 6-0; Jason Dubrow, ES, def. Micah Cortinas, OWV 6-4, 6-3; Jackson Mu, MN, def. Henry Fredericks, MW, 6-2, 6-0; Troy Shefsky, OWS, def. Samuel Boudreau, PLV, 6-0, 6-2. Semifinals: Liu def. Dubrow 6-2, 6-4; Shefsky def. Mu 6-1, 6-4. Final: Liu vs. Shefsky.
No. 2 singles – Quarterfinals: Blake Goeken, CP, def. Tommy Emery, BW, 6-0, 6-0; Taylor Tauber, OWS, def. Arun Rao, MN, 6-2, 6-1; Ryan Thomas, ES, def. Cade Wills, PLV, 6-1, 6-1; Patrick Berry, MW, def. Jonah Cooley, PS, 6-0, 6-1. Semifinals: Goeken def. Tauber 6-2, 6-0; Berry def. Thomas, 6-4, 6-2. Final: Goeken vs. Berry.
No. 1 doubles – Quarterfinals: Ben Clausen/Rowan Lunning, CP, def. Andrew Johnson/Mason Frill, 6-0, 6-0; Nick Fischer/Ethan Day, ES, def. Jacob Feekin/Noah Lozier, PLV, 6-2, 6-0; Jake Smiley/Jackson Skiko, MW, def. Tyler Andringa/Jackson Willer, PS, 4-6, 6-2, 10-6; Anuraag Ganti/Austin Gong, MN, def. Sergio Davila Sans/Brooks Mullen, OWV, 6-2, 6-0. Semifinals: Clausen/Lunning def. Fischer/Day 6-0, 6-4; Smiley/Skiko def. Ganti/Gong, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). Final: Clausen/Lunning vs. Smiley/Skiko.
No. 2 doubles – Quarterfinals: Daniel Jurrens/Matt McGill, CP, def. Skyler Towne/Tytus Glotfelty, BW, 6-1, 6-0; Ethan Mechals/Abe Hustad, ES, def. Colton Peters/Easton Mahnks, PLV, 6-2, 6-0; Lucas Askew/Davis Schulte, MW, def. Travis Andringa/Tommy McCann, PS, 6-0, 6-3; Tyler Epstein/Nishanth Kandala, MN, def. BingYi Wang/Calder Wetjen, OWS, 6-1, 6-2. Semifinals: Jurrens/McGill def. Mechals/Hustad 6-1, 6-0; Epstein/Kandala def. Askew/Schulte 6-3, 7-6 (7-4). Final: Jurrens/McGill vs. Epstein/Kandala.
stu.pospisil@owh.com, twitter.com/stuOWH
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Hollidaysburg girls tennis beats State College for title
STATE COLLEGE — A season of preparation and hard work can all be undone by one uncontrollable factor — injuries.
But creating depth and making sure players who currently aren’t in the starting lineup are getting better in practice along with their teammates can be the way to conquer that adversity.
Enter Katherine Wang — who played in a match for Hollidaysburg for the first time in the Lady Tigers’ postseason opener against Altoona and, along with partner Olivia Panaro, clinched the District 6 Class 3A girls tennis championship over top-seeded State College Wednesday at No. 2 doubles.
Panaro and Wang fell down 2-0 in both sets before rallying in each to defeat Kazie Dingwell and Natalie Labosky, 6-2, 6-3, and help Hollidaysburg win the match, 3-1.
“They were very resilient,” Hollidaysburg coach Brian Denis said. “They very easily could have gone down 3-0 in both sets. They really battled back. In the first set, there were definitely a lot of nerves. Katherine, we just kind of threw her into the doubles mix last week. She’s a freshman and a great worker, but Rina Stiffler, who is normally one of our doubles players, got hurt about 10 days ago. We scrambled to throw someone in there — so for Katherine especially — I’m sure she was nervous. Her first two matches were playoff matches.”
Denis helped Wang along by pairing her with the player — Panaro — that he considers his best doubles player.
“I’m super proud of Olivia Panaro,” Denis said. “She’s been with every different partner this year. She’s never complained. She’s by far the best doubles player out there. Wherever I put her, she has no complaints and goes out and puts her head down and works hard. It’s fitting, I thought, that she had the winning shot today. She’s really matured the last couple years and turned into a leader.”
Panaro said she also had some help.
“Katherine and I have never played together in a match before,” Panaro said. “It was really exciting to play with her, and we did really well together. I was just thinking — this was all Jesus.”
The pair spent the last week-plus preparing for Wednesday’s moment.
“These past couple practices, we have been playing together a lot,” Panaro said. “We have learned how to communicate well, and we bonded super fast. We made sure to talk to each other, say ‘nice shot’ every time and Coach Denis really did help. We could hear him cheering for us every time, even when we were down or missed a shot. It kept our spirits up.”
In the second set, State College was threatening to pull within 5-4 up 30 to love. Panaro and Wang battled back, and after both teams had an opportunity to take the point, Panaro’s shot grazed the line to State College’s left to clinch No. 2 doubles and the match for Hollidaysburg.
“I came over in one of the last games, and it was very intense,” Hollidaysburg No. 2 singles player Grace Muriceak said. “But they pulled through, and I knew they would.”
Muriceak cruised to a 6-2, 6-0 victory despite playing next to teammate Crosby Denis, who was struggling against State College’s Joanna Liu. Denis defeated Liu in the District 6 3A individual semifinals, but Liu got the best of her Wednesday, 6-4, 6-2.
“(It added pressure) a little bit,” Muriceak said. “But honestly, it kind of motivated all of us, because we wanted this so bad and worked so hard for it.”
Coach Denis was thrilled to see Muriceak, No. 3 singles player Emma Moritz and Panaro and Wang step up.
“We’re a team,” Coach Denis said. “Crosby has carried us for three years now, and it was time for someone else to step up. You talk about a total team effort — our No. 1 doubles team battled. Grace and Emma have been rock solid at No. 2 and No. 3 singles. They haven’t lost all year. We have the three best singles players in our area.”
Each victory was critical as it appeared State College’s Isabella Terrones and Jessica Lee were on their way to a win at No. 1 doubles with a 6-4, 4-1 lead when the match ended.
“There’s five matches,” Coach Denis said. “Everyone wants to watch No. 1 singles play. That match is just as valuable as the No. 2 doubles match. That’s why we talk about being a team. The girls get along so well, and we don’t have any seniors. I wondered who would step up. Everyone stepped up. The girls cheered for each other.”
Hollidaysburg, which will play the third-seed from the WPIAL on Tuesday, Oct. 21 in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A team playoffs, improved to 17-0 and won the District 6 team championship for the third year in a row — all played at State College.
“State College has 40 or 50 girls on their roster,” Denis said. “We’re the little engine that could sometimes where we are so much smaller than them but keep stepping up. We have a bunch of winners. That’s one of the things we have learned the last three years. Every tight match or big match, we pull it out.”
SINGLES: 1, Liu, SC, def. Denis, 6-4, 6-2; 2, Muriceak, H, def. Navayanan, 6-2, 6-0; 3, Moritz, H, def. Brush, 6-1, 6-1.
DOUBLES: 1, Terrones-Lee, SC, led Eardley-Klingner, 6-4, 4-1; 2, Panaro-Wang, H, def. Dingwell-Labosky, 6-2, 6-3.
Records: Hollidaysburg (17-0); State College (13-2).
Where to watch Aryna Sabalenka vs. Liudmila Samsonova today: Tennis free stream
Aryna Sabalenka will face Liudmila Samsonova in the third round of the Wuhan Open Thursday at 12:30 a.m. ET. Sabalenka has won eight consecutive matches, as this is her first tournament since winning the US Open.
Sabalenka vs. Samsonova will air on Tennis Channel, which you can stream on DirecTV (free trial).
Here’s what you need to know:
What: Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open, Round 3
Who: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. Liudmila Samsonova
When: Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025
Time: 12:30 a.m. ET
Where: Optics Valley International Tennis Center, Wuhan, China
TV: Tennis Channel
Live stream: DirecTV (free trial), fuboTV (free trial), Hulu + Live TV, Sling
Here’s a recent tennis story, via The Associated Press:
WUHAN, China (AP) — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka overcame an early scare to beat unseeded Rebecca Sramkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 at the Wuhan Open on Wednesday.
The defending champion has had an amazing run in Wuhan — her record is 18-0 while winning titles in 2018, 2019 and 2024.
The U.S. Open champion Sabalenka broke her 68th-ranked opponent in the opening game of the final set and went on before converting her second match point to win in almost two hours.
“I knew that after that little break … it will be not that easy to get back in my rhythm,” Sabalenka said in her on-court interview. “I’m really gland the in the second set I found my game and stepped in and I think I played really great.”
Sabalenka started her rally by breaking her 68th-ranked opponent in fourth game of the second set and jumped to a 4-1 lead. She saved four break points in the seventh game.
She faces next No. 16 seed Liudmila Samsonova who rallied to beat 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Sramkova broke Sabalenka twice in the opening set.
Sabalenka, who took a Greek holiday after her second consecutive win at Flushing Meadows, withdrew from last week’s China Open, another WTA 1000-level event.
Jessica Pegula was twice broken while serving for the match in the third set but recovered to edge Hailey Baptiste in a tight tiebreaker and advance.
Sixth-seeded Pegula beat her fellow American 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (6) on her seventh match point to reach the third round.
Pegula, who lost in the China Open semifinals last week, will next play ninth-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova, who beat American Ann Li 7-6 (5), 6-2.
No. 3 Coco Gauff, coming off a semifinal loss to eventual champion Amanda Anisimova at the China Open last week, breezed into the next round with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Moyuka Uchijima in 51 minutes.
Also, qualifier Kateřina Siniaková beat Maya Joint 6-3, 6-1.
Eleventh-seeded Naomi Osaka was upset by unseeded Linda Noskova 7-6 (2), 6-3. The 20-year-old inform Czech was defeated by Amanda Anisimova in the final of the China Open on Sunday.
Noskova, ranked 17th, will next face either Jaqueline Cristian or Elena Rybakina.
City Harvest celebrity golf tournament raises funds for 1.5M meals
City Harvest, New York’s first and largest food rescue organization, was back with its sixth annual Celebrity Chefs & Friends Golf and Tennis Tournament to help raise money for an amazing cause.
Montclair Golf Club in West Orange, New Jersey was the site for some friendly competition on the course and courts, but also a miniature food and wine festival afterward – all put together to impact those in need across the five boroughs.
Felix Kammerer Teases 8-Month ‘Break’ Tennis Training Process
Following his WWI drama All Quiet on the Western Front, Felix Kammerer‘s next starring role takes him to Nazi-occupied Germany
At Monday’s Los Angeles premiere of Guillermo del Toro‘s Frankenstein, debuting Oct. 17 in select theaters and Nov. 7 on Netflix, the actor revealed to Deadline that he’s already begun training for his upcoming WWII-era tennis biopic Break.
“We’re just in the last moments of developing and getting ready to have a plan. I think we’re aiming to shoot it next year,” said Kammerer on the red carpet at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. “It’s a fantastic film, an amazing story, and we’re just bringing back the same team from All Quiet: costume, music, set design, production. And Daniel Brühl directing is something I would have never imagined, but is, I think the perfect choice for that film.”
Directed by Brühl, who co-starred with Kammerer in 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front and Ron Howard’s new film Eden, Break tells the story of real-life German tennis champion Gottfried von Cramm (Kammerer), who found himself in the crosshairs of the Nazi regime as his sporting star rose in the 1930s.
Although Kammerer is far from Olympic-ready, he noted, “I have started training for that, just occasionally, but I will start training really hard about January, for let’s say, seven, eight months, just playing tennis all day, all week.
“Because I’ve never held a tennis racquet before, I’ve never really played,” he admitted. “I’ve had three or four lessons. Otherwise, I have no idea about tennis. I need to get into that now.”
Carlos Alcaraz Enters a League of His Own as He Joins Icons Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in an Exclusive List
Ahead of the 2025 US Open men’s singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Nike unleashed the thrilling “Opposites Attack” short, setting the young titans against each other in a cinematic showdown. After six hours and four grueling sets, Alcaraz triumphed, claiming his sixth major title and soaring to the coveted world No. 1 ATP ranking. Nike celebrated him as “cut different,” a nod to his relentless drive and fearless style, echoing the brand’s philosophy: “Just Do It.” Now, that mindset is immortalized as Carlos Alcaraz joins Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the exclusive Nike club, complete with his own iconic logo.
According to Manuel G. Tallón of Murcia Plaza, Nike plans to unveil Carlos Alcaraz’s signature logo during the 2025 ATP Finals in Turin, Italy. The design, reportedly finalized and approved by all parties, is being kept under wraps to maximize its impact when revealed during the season-ending showdown.
After months of anticipation, Nike is set to launch a custom logo for the six-time Major champion, creating a personal brand mark that signals the company’s full investment in tennis’s next generation. Alcaraz, already the world No. 1, now stands at the center of Nike’s vision for the sport’s future.
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With Roger Federer retired and Rafael Nadal stepping away, Nike has shifted its focus to the rising stars. Alcaraz, having joined Team Nike in 2019 as a teenage prodigy, leaving Lotto, has grown into one of the brand’s most high-profile tennis ambassadors. The logo, finalized but hidden from public view, is set to debut at the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals from November 9–16, an event that gathers the top eight players of the season and provides the perfect stage for a grand reveal.
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Nike’s secrecy is deliberate. The company hopes to replicate the marketing impact of past logo unveilings for icons like Federer and Nadal, moments that became etched in tennis history. The brand has created signature marks for global stars across sports, including LeBron James, Erling Haaland, and Tiger Woods, and Alcaraz is now joining that elite circle.
In 2024, he reportedly signed a long-term extension worth $15–$20 million annually, cementing him among the sport’s highest-paid athletes and running into the mid-2030s.
The move places Alcaraz alongside Jannik Sinner, whose signature ‘Fox’ logo debuted subtly last year at the ATP Finals during practice sessions before fans could purchase limited-edition gear. While Sinner’s logo and gear have gradually reached fans, Alcaraz’s signature collection is still shrouded in mystery, with no images or details leaked. Clearly, both players now form the backbone of Nike Tennis on the men’s side following Nadal’s retirement.
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Nike’s recent releases, including t-shirts for Alcaraz and Sinner earlier this year, hint at the beginning of a broader strategy, though much remains to be done. Unlike Adidas Tennis, which dominates social media, Nike Tennis lacks an active online presence, leaving its stars underexposed outside Grand Slam stages. Still, the foundation is set, and the coming logo reveal will mark a defining moment for the Spanish phenom.
For Alcaraz, the focus is clear: carve out his name, cement his legacy, and elevate his brand to match his on-court dominance. The stage is set, the world is watching, and Nike is ready to shine a spotlight on tennis’s next superstar, turning potential into icon status.
Carlos Alcaraz to join million-dollar Australian Open bid
The 2026 Australian Open promises to dazzle fans with a groundbreaking opportunity: a “world-first” tennis experience where one point could make someone a millionaire. This January, it won’t just be the pros chasing glory and prize money: aspiring players will get their shot at fame and fortune, too. The opening week will feature the extraordinary ‘Million Dollar 1 Point Slam,’ a spectacle where a single, perfectly struck point could earn $1 million.
Tournament director Craig Tiley told the Australian Open website on October 7, “It is going to be a thrilling new initiative where one point could win you $1 million.” The event will also feature elite singles stars, ensuring high-octane entertainment for fans and competitors alike.
Six-time Major winner Carlos Alcaraz, fresh off his Japan Open triumph but sidelined from the Shanghai Masters due to injury, has already committed to participating. More top professionals are expected to join, adding firepower and prestige to the unique contest.
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Alcaraz, meanwhile, is gearing up for his return at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Riyadh before contesting events in Paris and Turin, where Nike’s big reveal awaits.
His journey continues to be one of anticipation and spectacle. And we are here for it!
One spot out of PGA Tour card, Mitchell Meissner grateful for opportunity at KFT Championship
What a different a year can make.
Following his T-33 finish at last year’s Korn Ferry Tour Championship, Mitchell Meissner hopped in his rental car and drove two hours from French Lick, Indiana, to Indianapolis. It was there that he met with a wrist surgeon, and five days later he was undergoing a second procedure on his right wrist in three years.
Now, he’s on the cusp of earning his first PGA Tour card, as he enters this week’s KFT playoff finale at Pete Dye Golf Course ranked No. 21 in points, just one spot out of the graduation cutoff.
“I’m trying to have a lot of gratitude being in the position that I am,” Meissner said on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old Meissner, whose younger brother, Mac, competes on the PGA Tour, wasn’t always planning on a career in professional golf. Plagued by the putting yips while in college at Rice, he spent the fall of his senior year lining up a consulting job with Accenture in Dallas. But that winter, he tried one last putting experiment – the righty grabbed and left-handed putter and the putts began dropping – and the decision reignited his game. He’s putted from the opposite side ever since.
Meissner’s pro breakthrough came on PGA Tour Latinoamerica in 2022, as he finished second three times to help lock up his KFT card. Later that year, however, Meissner was playing a boxing game at a bar when one punch ruptured his ECU tendon, requiring surgery.
After his second wrist operation last year, Meissner knew not to rush back like he did the first time. But he also couldn’t afford to wait too long. His mid-October surgery was the same procedure as Jordan Spieth, who was out from September to February.
“When you’re on the PGA Tour in his position, you are probably in a position where you can wait a little longer,” Meissner said. “When you’re on the Korn Ferry Tour and not getting paid when you’re not playing, you have to rush back a little bit.”
Not that Meissner didn’t expedite things smartly. After his surgery, his mom drove him back home to San Antonio. They made a pit stop in Kansas City to watch his sister perform in a ballet rendition of Alice in Wonderland; with Meissner on pain killers, one could imagine the experience. A week later, he couldn’t fit his casted arm in his suit jacket for his cousin’s wedding, where he was required to read a passage during the ceremony.
By December, Meissner was hitting golf shots, and when the KFT season started in the Bahamas in January, Meissner teed it up and finished T-39. He followed with three straight finishes of T-11 or better to build a nice, early cushion in the standings.
In July, Meissner was among the KFT pros to pledge money for every birdie made to victims of the devastating flooding in Kerrville, Texas. Meissner grew up attending and working at Laity Lodge, a Christian camp less than an hour from Camp Mystic, where 27 campers and counselors died in the flooding. While tying for ninth at the NV5 Invitational, his last tournament of the pledge, Meissner birdied the last hole to end the week with 25 birdies and an eagle (27 shots gained). The event ended on July 27 as well.
“That was pretty poetic,” said Meissner, who still wears a green ribbon on his hat to honor the lives lost. “That was one of the first times where something so worldly and very tragic happened that really affected me. I was really devastated.”
Meissner hasn’t finished better than T-22 since that tournament, missing three of six cuts in the process. He’s had to lean on the putter more as his usually elite ball-striking and distance control has waned.
While he’s slipped from No. 11 in points to begin August to now just outside the bubble, Meissner will also lean on his faith.
If he’s supposed to be on the PGA Tour in 2026, he will be.
But he’ll be grateful no matter the outcome on Sunday.
McKinney approves agreement to host CJ Cup Byron Nelson through at least 2030
The city council of McKinney voted Monday to extend an agreement to host the CJ Cup Byron Nelson through 2030, securing the tournament’s presence at TPC Craig Ranch golf club in Collin County.
The PGA Tour event, held annually in May, first came to TPC Craig Ranch in 2021. Local leaders hope to turn the event into an economic asset.
The PGA announced earlier this year it would continue hosting the Byron Nelson in McKinney for the next five years.
McKinney will enter the extended agreement with the Salesmanship Club Charitable Golf Club of Dallas, which hosts the tourney.
The agreement has an optional three-year extension that could keep the tournament in McKinney through 2033, according to Assistant City Manager Steve Tilton.
The cup has provided “both economic and recreational value to the City of McKinney,” according to city documents.
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Phase II of a $22.5 million reinvestment project at TPC Craig Ranch began this summer. Work is scheduled to be completed before next year’s tournament.
The McKinney Community Development Corporation voted earlier this year to award a $1.5 million grant to Invited, TPC Craig Ranch’s owner, to address erosion at the golf club.
This summer, the corporation also agreed to a $10.25 million loan and $25 million grant for JW Marriott Resort McKinney Craig Ranch, a luxury resort planned near TPC Craig Ranch.
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Craig Ranch founder David Craig worked for more than a decade to bring the tournament to Collin County, according to previous reporting. The tournament also has been played at Preston Trail, TPC Las Colinas and Trinity Forest.
This year, Dallasite Scottie Scheffler won the cup in McKinney.
“For McKinney, it’s really a source of pride to be able to host this tournament. It’s big time,” Councilmember Patrick Cloutier said. “We view it as a great opportunity to promote McKinney, and [as] a good economic tool for us.”
Baycurrent Classic odds, picks, predictions from proven model
There are just five PGA Tour events left this year, starting with the 2025 Baycurrent Classic. It tees off at 5:45 p.m. ET on Wednesday from Yokohama Country Club in Japan, marking the first time this course will host this event. Many of the tour’s best players are being joined by those from the Japan Golf Tour, with this tournament being an unofficial event on the latter. Unlike many other FedEx Cup Fall events, the Baycurrent Classic 2025 field is stacked with big names like Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark and Hideki Matsuyama.
It is Schauffele who tops the 2025 Baycurrent Classic odds board at +1000. Both Morikawa (+1600) and Matsuyama (+1800) are past winners of this tournament, while Clark is a +3500 golf longshot, as is Max Homa. Nico Echavarria, who won this event last year, is a massive PGA longshot and comes in at +8000 to utilize in Baycurrent Classic bets. Before locking in any 2025 Baycurrent Classic picks, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
New users can also target the latest Underdog promo code, good for $100 in site credits when you play $5 with the promo code CBSSPORTS2 in select states.
SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June 2020. In fact, the model is up over $8,000 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.
This same model has also nailed a whopping 16 majors entering the weekend, including the 2025 Masters — its fourth Masters in a row — as well as this year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship. Anyone who has followed its sports betting picks could have seen massive returns on betting sites.
New users can also target the DraftKings promo code, which offers new users $200 in bonus bets instantly if your initial $5 wager wins:
Now that the 2025 Baycurrent Classic field is locked in, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard.
2025 Baycurrent Classic predictions
One major surprise the model is calling for at the 2025 Baycurrent Classic: Kurt Kitayama (+2000), who is one of the favorites, stumbles this week and barely cracks the top 10. While Kitayama has strong iron play and excels in both the long game and short game, it’s often his first and last shots which are a bit off. He ranks 123rd in driving accuracy percentage and 141st in strokes gained: putting. What he does in between those strokes can only do so much when there are struggles with both the driver and putter.
Arguably the closest course comp to Yokohama Country Club is Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina. Both courses were remodeled by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw and have similar bunkering, and Kitayama struggled in his lone start at Pinehurst. That course hosted the 2024 U.S. Open, and Kitayama missed the cut and shot 7-over-par over his two rounds. His lack of precision off the tee will be magnified at a course like this which is a big reason why the model sees better options with PGA bets. See who else to fade here, and then use FanDuel to get $300 in bonus bets instantly.
Another one of the model’s surprising Baycurrent Classic picks: Min Woo Lee (+3000) makes a strong run at the title. He had a top-25 at that U.S. Open at Pinehurst and has posted strong recent results on the DP World Tour. Lee had a fifth-place finish, which followed an 11th-place finish, in a pair of September events in Europe, and he notched his first PGA Tour victory earlier this year at the Texas Children’s Houston Open. Lee is a target for anyone looking for a huge payday at the Baycurrent Classic.
At 7,315 yards, Yokohama Country Club is middle-of-the-pack when it comes to length of 2025 PGA Tour courses. So, someone like Lee, who ranks 15th on tour in driving distance should be able to take advantage of his length off the tee and put himself into advantageous second shots. Few players are better with their short game as the Australian is 13th in strokes gained: around-the-green. Add in that he ranks among the top quartile of golfers in both overall putting average and putts per round, and he’s someone who can make a run up the leaderboard in Japan. See who else to pick here.
How to make 2025 Baycurrent Classic picks
The model is also targeting one other golfer with odds of 30-1 or longer who will make a strong run at the title. Anyone who backs this longshot could hit it big. You can only see the model’s picks here.
Who will win the 2025 Baycurrent Classic, and which longshot will stun the golfing world? Check out the 2025 Baycurrent Classic odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 16 golf majors, including three in 2025.
2025 Baycurrent Classic odds, favorites
Get full 2025 Baycurrent Classic picks, best bets and predictions here.
(FanDuel odds subject to change)
LPGA Pro Grabbed Tiger Woods’s ‘Attention’ With Unexpected Gesture at PGA Tour Event
It’s not every day that you play alongside Tiger Woods on the fairway and it’s you who is getting the loudest cheers from behind the ropes. That’s what Joe LaCava was experiencing in the 2012 Deutsche Bank Championship. No, he wasn’t making some crazy golf swings trying to beat his boss in the FedEx Cup playoffs. He was simply carrying the big cat’s bags as they tried to beat Rory McIlroy for the title. But instead of cheering Woods, a 13-year-old Megan Khang and her friends thought they would support LaCava. And that really paid off for them.
Khang joined Claire Rogers of Golf.com for an exclusive interview on THE SCOOP. During the closing segment, she was sharing pictures from her Instagram of her different encounters with other pros. One of them had her and the 82-time PGA Tour champion together. That’s when Khang told Rogers that she and her golf friends had received tickets to TPC Boston for the Deutsche Bank Championship.
“I remember walking down 16, Tiger’s then caddie Joe LaCava, used to work at a chocolate factory that one of our close friends’ families had. Instead of chanting Tiger’s name, we started chanting ‘Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe’. Joe started giggling a little, and Tiger looked over at us like ‘Hello?’ Then Joe was super nice cause he noticed our friend, Mia, and Joe brought us to the parking lot and got us to meet Tiger, and take a picture with Tiger. It was the coolest thing ever cause it was funny because we were just chanting Joe and not Tiger. So it caught their attention perfectly.”
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Their little trick certainly paid off, as despite Woods’s reaction, he seemed to have found it hilarious. At least that is what it looks like, considering how broadly he was smiling, taking a picture with Khang in the parking lot of TPC Boston. And it certainly wasn’t because of his performance, considering that Woods finished at T3 in the tournament, 2 strokes behind McIlroy.
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Over the years, Megan Khang & Tiger Woods seemed to have formed a great friendship. After becoming a pro, the 1 time LPGA Tour winner has collaborated with the big cat in one huge opportunity earlier this year as well.
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How did Megan Khang & Tiger Woods stay connected?
Megan Khang had expressed that she always found inspiration from Tiger Woods when she was growing up. That interaction at TPC Boston must have helped her connect with her idol. And it seems that they have certainly formed a great friendship in the past 13 years. In fact, she might also be friends with the winner of the 2012 Deutsche Bank Championship, Rory McIlroy. Only that can explain what happened earlier this year.
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Golf Glance: PGA, LPGA tee it up in Asia; Champions final push for playoffs
Field Level Media’s Golf Glance provides weekly news and storylines from each of the major North American golf tours.
PGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: Sanderson Farms Championship (Steven Fisk)
THIS WEEK: Baycurrent Classic, Yokohama, Japan, Oct. 9-12
Course: Yokohama Country Club (Par 71, 7,315 Yards)
Purse: $8M (Winner: $1.44M)
Defending Champion: Nico Echavarria
FedEx Cup Champion: Tommy Fleetwood
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Wednesday-Saturday: 11 p.m.-3 a.m. (Golf Channel)
X: @Baycurrent_Clsc
NOTES: Only the top 100 players in the FedEx Cup standings following the seven fall events will secure fully exempt status for 2026. Those who began the fall series in the top 70 have already clinched their top-100 eligibility, with Nos. 51-70 still working to secure spots in the first two signature events of 2026. … Yokohama Country Club is playing host to the event for the first time. The course is about 25 miles south of Tokyo. … The event is co-sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour Organization and the field includes 14 JGTO members who earned entry. … Max Homa is in the field as he attempts to improve on his current No. 99 ranking in the FedEx Cup Fall standings. … Kazo, Japan, native Keita Nakajima will make his 17th start on tour on a sponsor exemption. His best finish in three previous Baycurrent Classic starts was a T12 in 2022.
BEST BETS: Xander Schauffele (+1000 at DraftKings) is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 4, but is still seeking his first victory of 2025. … Collin Morikawa (+1600) is making his 43rd start since his most recent win on tour at this event in 2023. He has a pair of runner-ups among four top-10s this season. … Hideki Matsuyama (+1800) has a win in 2021 and a runner-up in 2019 among six previous event starts. … Chris Gotterup (+2000) tees it up for the first time since his T10 at the Tour Championship, which came five starts after his maiden PGA Tour win at the Scottish Open.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Bank of Utah Championship, Ivins, Utah, Oct. 23-26
LPGA TOUR
LAST TOURNAMENT: Lotte Championship (Youmin Hwang)
THIS WEEK: Buick LPGA Shanghai, Oct. 9-12
Course: Qizhong Garden Golf Club (Par 72, 6,703 Yards)
Purse: $2.2M
Defending Champion: A Lim Kim
Race to the CME Globe leader: Jeeno Thitikul
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday: 7-11 p.m. ET; Friday-Saturday: 9-11 p.m. (Golf Channel)
Streaming: Wednesday-Friday: 11 p.m.-4 a.m. ET; Saturday: 11 p.m.-4:30 a.m. (NBC Sports App)
X: @BuickLPGAShanghai2025
NOTES: This marks the start the five-event Asia swing, with the tour returning to the mainland United States in November. … The field includes World No. 1 Thitikul, No. 4 Minjee Lee and No. 7 Ruoning Ying. … Two-time event champion Danielle Kang (2018-19) is in the field as one of four sponsor invites.
NEXT TOURNAMENT: BMW Ladies Championship, Haenam-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea, Oct. 9-12
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
LAST TOURNAMENT: Constellation Furyk & Friends (Tommy Gainey)
THIS WEEK: SAS Championship, Cary, N.C., Oct. 12
Course: Prestonwood CC (Par 72, 7,237 Yards)
Purse: $2.1M (Winner: $315,000)
Defending Champion: Jerry Kelly
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Miguel Angel Jimenez
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Friday-Sunday: 7-9 p.m. ET (All times tape delayed on Golf Channel)
X: @ChampionsTour
NOTES: This is the final event before the start of the three-tournament Charles Schwab Cub playoffs. The top 72 players in the standings after this week will qualify for the first leg at next week’s Dominion Energy Charity Classic. … The field includes each of the top 13 players in the standings. … Two-time winners of the event who are in the field are Kelly (2019, ’24) and Bernhard Langer (2012, ’18).
NEXT TOURNAMENT: Dominion Energy Charity Classic, Richmond, Va., Oct. 17-19
LIV GOLF LEAGUE
LAST TOURNAMENT: Team Championship (Legion XIII)
THIS WEEK: Season Complete
Season Winners: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Legion XIII
NEXT TOURNAMENT: LIV Golf Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 5-7
Tiger Woods urged to invite Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm to Hero World Challenge
Tiger Woods now has a chance to help bring the game back together, by making a move toward LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm.
Even though it’s been over a year since he last played, Woods is still the PGA Tour’s biggest name. DeChambeau and Rahm are without doubt the top attractions on the LIV circuit.
It’s frustrating for fans that we don’t get to see these players go head-to-head regularly outside of the four majors. A merger between the PGA Tour and LIV doesn’t seem any closer now than it did two or three years ago.
LIV is said to be holding firm on keeping its team format as part of any joint arrangement with the PGA Tour, which remains one of the major roadblocks.
The formation of LIV Golf also helped lead to bigger purses for those who chose to remain with the PGA Tour. Although LIV defectors are still banned from competing in tour events, this could become a key talking point down the line if there is ever another attempt at merging both sides.
Tiger Woods has a chance to bring golf together by extending an offer to Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm
Seventeen players have already been confirmed for the Hero World Challenge, which begins on December 4th, including 11 of the top 20 in the world.
There are still three spots up for grabs though, known as ‘tournament exemptions’. Those are picks Tiger gets to make himself. So why not use them to send a message? He could invite DeChambeau, Rahm, and another LIV name—maybe Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Joaquin Niemann or even Phil Mickelson.
It’s worth noting that the Hero World Challenge isn’t a PGA Tour sanctioned event. While it’s listed on the PGA Tour calendar, the event is organised and run by Woods’ TGR Live.
The Hero World Challenge does provide world ranking points though, which would certainly appeal to players like DeChambeau and Rahm.
There doesn’t appear to be any rule stopping LIV players from taking part in this event. And if Tiger wants them there, he has every bit of power needed to make it happen.
The professional game needs something new. A fresh start. Maybe bringing DeChambeau and Rahm into the Hero World Challenge could be exactly what sparks it all off again under Woods’ leadership.
Could LIV players join the field at the Hero World Challenge?
With tensions still running high between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, adding DeChambeau and Rahm to the Hero World Challenge would undoubtedly stir up some controversy.
Even so, there’s a real chance here to take a meaningful step towards uniting the two sides. Right now, it doesn’t look like either camp is ready to back down.
The PGA Tour didn’t allow DeChambeau to play in the Procore Championship last month, even though it was an exhibition event that included many of his Ryder Cup teammates.
Now Woods has a chance to make a statement by inviting DeChambeau and Rahm to play at Albany Golf Club in December.
READ MORE: Colt Knost reveals his pick for 2027 Ryder Cup captain — and it’s not Tiger Woods
The buzz around Woods’ tournament would be massive if DeChambeau and Rahm were in the same field as Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.
TV ratings would likely skyrocket, giving everyone involved with golf a preview of what could be possible down the line.
Justin Thomas Hesitates to Confront Tommy Fleetwood Due to a ‘Very Scary’ Factor
One of the most-loved formats of golf is returning to the PGA Tour after 17 years. After the 2025 Thanksgiving, fans will be treated to an exciting match of the Skins Game for the first time since 2008. Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele, and Tommy Fleetwood were already confirmed for the tournament. Reports also revealed that Justin Thomas was also roped in at the end to join the group. As all of them prepare for a format they have never played in their pro career, Thomas reveals one thing that he won’t do if the competition gets too intense.
The 2-time major winner joined the SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio with Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz. During one of the segments, he was talking about his competitors when he mentioned, “Tommy is one of those guys, even playing him on Sunday in singles, I wanted to dislike him, but he and (Ian) Finnis, they’re the best. Even if I didn’t like Finnis, I wouldn’t say that because he might decimate me. He’s very scary. But he’s such a good dude. He’s more of a ‘kill you with kindness’ kind of thing and throws in those subtle digs every once in a while, as we’ve learned on TGL.”
The gentle giant, Ian Finnis, is certainly quite intimidating. Coming in at 6 feet & 7 inches, he stands quite tall in front of most of the players on the Tour. Apart from having a great height, he is also quite fit, which makes him seem even more frightening to confront on the course. But in general, he is a very kind soul and complements Fleetwood’s personality well. The two often enjoy a healthy banter with their pairs on the course, as long as no one crosses the line. Even in tense situations like the one on the second day of the 2025 Ryder Cup, the Englishman and his bagman have managed to remain composed and ignore the noise around them.
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While remaining cautious about Tommy Fleetwood and Ian Finnis, Justin Thomas didn’t have such strong feelings about avoiding confrontation against his other opponents. Let’s see what he said about them.
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Justin Thomas is more cautious about Tommy Fleetwood than his other Skins rivals
Keegan Bradley won the Travelers Championship this year. Tommy Fleetwood came off a win in the TOUR Championship. Most recently, Xander Schauffele delivered a near-perfect performance at Bethpage for Team U.S. While all three opponents pose a huge threat to Justin Thomas in the Skins Games, he was only more cautious about playing with Fleetwood.
When it came to Bradley, Thomas said, “Keegan definitely has that side to him when he’s in a comfortable and familiar setting like that, being with guys that he knows and plays with it a decent bit.” Bradley was quite threatening to his rivals when he could read their game. That’s why he was able to make that excellent comeback to steal Tommy’s first PGA Tour win at TPC River Highlands from him.
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As far as Schauffele goes, Thomas said, “Xander, he will just be talking to himself. He may be talking to you, he may talk to himself, or he may be talking when no one’s listening. But he will definitely bring the most volume of chatter and trash-talking.” While most fans viewed him as calm and modest, his more vibrant personality has been showing up a lot recently during interviews and events.
Justin Thomas Hesitates to Confront Tommy Fleetwood Due to a ‘Very Scary’ Factor
One of the most-loved formats of golf is returning to the PGA Tour after 17 years. After the 2025 Thanksgiving, fans will be treated to an exciting match of the Skins Game for the first time since 2008. Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele, and Tommy Fleetwood were already confirmed for the tournament. Reports also revealed that Justin Thomas was also roped in at the end to join the group. As all of them prepare for a format they have never played in their pro career, Thomas reveals one thing that he won’t do if the competition gets too intense.
The 2-time major winner joined the SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio with Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz. During one of the segments, he was talking about his competitors when he mentioned, “Tommy is one of those guys, even playing him on Sunday in singles, I wanted to dislike him, but he and (Ian) Finnis, they’re the best. Even if I didn’t like Finnis, I wouldn’t say that because he might decimate me. He’s very scary. But he’s such a good dude. He’s more of a ‘kill you with kindness’ kind of thing and throws in those subtle digs every once in a while, as we’ve learned on TGL.”
The gentle giant, Ian Finnis, is certainly quite intimidating. Coming in at 6 feet & 7 inches, he stands quite tall in front of most of the players on the Tour. Apart from having a great height, he is also quite fit, which makes him seem even more frightening to confront on the course. But in general, he is a very kind soul and complements Fleetwood’s personality well. The two often enjoy a healthy banter with their pairs on the course, as long as no one crosses the line. Even in tense situations like the one on the second day of the 2025 Ryder Cup, the Englishman and his bagman have managed to remain composed and ignore the noise around them.
While remaining cautious about Tommy Fleetwood and Ian Finnis, Justin Thomas didn’t have such strong feelings about avoiding confrontation against his other opponents. Let’s see what he said about them.
Justin Thomas is more cautious about Tommy Fleetwood than his other Skins rivals
Keegan Bradley won the Travelers Championship this year. Tommy Fleetwood came off a win in the TOUR Championship. Most recently, Xander Schauffele delivered a near-perfect performance at Bethpage for Team U.S. While all three opponents pose a huge threat to Justin Thomas in the Skins Games, he was only more cautious about playing with Fleetwood.
When it came to Bradley, Thomas said, “Keegan definitely has that side to him when he’s in a comfortable and familiar setting like that, being with guys that he knows and plays with it a decent bit.” Bradley was quite threatening to his rivals when he could read their game. That’s why he was able to make that excellent comeback to steal Tommy’s first PGA Tour win at TPC River Highlands from him.
As far as Schauffele goes, Thomas said, “Xander, he will just be talking to himself. He may be talking to you, he may talk to himself, or he may be talking when no one’s listening. But he will definitely bring the most volume of chatter and trash-talking.” While most fans viewed him as calm and modest, his more vibrant personality has been showing up a lot recently during interviews and events.
This is not the first time Justin Thomas has spoken about Xander Schauffele’s trash-talking. He also revealed it to the world back during the TGL final, calling him an ‘Energizer bunny.’ While that personality may not always come out in front of the fans, the 2-time major winner certainly keeps his peers on their toes.
The Ultimate Proving Ground: Everything You Need to Know About This Week’s Korn Ferry Tour Championship
If you think the pressure at a major championship is intense, try playing golf when your entire livelihood hangs in the balance.
That’s exactly what’s happening this week at the Pete Dye Course at French Lick Golf Resort, where 73 of the world’s most determined golfers are battling for something that can’t be measured in prize money alone: a ticket to the PGA Tour.
The Korn Ferry Tour Championship represents the culmination of a grueling 26-event season. When the final putt drops on Sunday, only 20 players will have earned 2026 PGA Tour cards. For everyone else, it’s back to golf’s most unforgiving grind.
The Stakes Couldn’t Be Higher
Let’s be clear about what’s on the line here.
This isn’t about pride or a trophy. This is about the difference between competing against the world’s best on golf’s biggest stages versus spending another year hustling through developmental tours, Monday qualifiers, and the constant uncertainty of conditional status.
The format is simple and brutally unforgiving: the top 20 players on the season-long Korn Ferry Tour Points List after this week earn PGA Tour membership. The top player also gets exemptions into the 2026 Players Championship and U.S. Open. Those are the kind of opportunities that can define a career.
Everyone ranked 21st and below? They’ll be watching from home, or more likely, preparing for another shot at Q-School’s Final Stage.
The Course: Pete Dye’s Monster
French Lick’s Pete Dye Course isn’t doing anyone any favors this week. Stretching to a beefy 7,791 yards, this par-72 layout is exactly the kind of demanding test you’d expect from the legendary architect. It’s the perfect stage for an epic showdown. Picturesque Southern Indiana scenery masking a course that will expose any weakness in your game.
Last year’s champion, Braden Thornberry, won’t be defending his title. But the course record of 59 (set by Sam Saunders in 2017) and the 72-hole tournament record of 260 (Jonathan Byrd, also 2017) prove that low scores are possible when everything clicks.
Who’s Already In?
The good news? Eleven players have already mathematically locked up their PGA Tour cards regardless of how they perform this week. Leading that group is rookie sensation Johnny Keefer at No. 1, who’s already earned exemptions into next year’s Players Championship and U.S. Open.
Also safely in the top 20: fellow rookie Neal Shipley (No. 3), Emilio Gonzalez (No. 4), Austin Smotherman (No. 5), Adrien Dumont de Chassart (No. 6), Chandler Blanchet (No. 7), S.H. Kim (No. 8), Zach Bauchou (No. 9), Davis Chatfield (No. 10), and Christo Lamprecht (No. 11).
Seven of these 11 players will be earning PGA Tour cards for the first time. A testament to the fresh talent constantly flowing through the Korn Ferry Tour pipeline.
The Bubble Boys: Dreams on the Line
Now for the drama.
Players ranked 12th-16th have better than 99% probability of staying inside the top 20, but nothing is guaranteed until the final putt drops. The real nail-biting action happens from No. 17 down.
Zecheng “Marty” Dou (No. 19) is clinging to the second-to-last projected spot. The 27-year-old Chinese player, who represented his country at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is looking for his third return to the PGA Tour. He showed timely form with a runner-up finish at last week’s Compliance Solutions Championship — exactly the kind of momentum you want heading into a week like this.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju (No. 20) holds the final projected card spot. The 24-year-old Canadian’s journey is the stuff of underdog movies. He couldn’t afford college, turned pro at 19, and struggled mightily as a rookie in 2024. But after grinding through all three stages of Q-School to earn eight starts this season, he broke through with a win at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic. Now he’s one good week away from the tour.
Mitchell Meissner (No. 21) is the first man out, and his story is equally compelling. The Rice product underwent his second wrist surgery just days after last year’s championship at French Lick. He famously battled the putting yips in college and was lining up a consulting job before switching to putting left-handed in a desperate move that saved his career. His younger brother Mac is already on the PGA Tour. Imagine the family narrative if Mitchell can join him.
Julian Suri (No. 22) is a 34-year-old journeyman who surged into contention with a win at the Utah Championship, firing a closing 63 to rocket from No. 56 to No. 16. That victory marked his first Korn Ferry Tour win in 39 starts. The former Duke standout and Jacksonville native will likely need a top-12 finish to punch his ticket.
Jeremy Gandon (No. 23) has been a revelation in his rookie season. The 28-year-old Frenchman captured the Club Car Championship and stands on the brink of becoming just the second French player to win on the Korn Ferry Tour (after Paul Barjon). A top-five finish would likely seal the deal.
Justin Suh (No. 24) knows exactly what it takes to win this event. He dominated it in 2022 en route to being named Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year. The former world amateur No. 1 regained his winning touch earlier this year at the VISA Argentina Open, but he’ll likely need a T3 or better to complete his road back to the tour.
The Math Gets Crazy
The winner this week earns 600 points, meaning every player ranked No. 66 and higher can mathematically finish in the top 20 with a victory. That’s right. Sixty-six of the 73 players in the field have a legitimate shot at a PGA Tour card.
For players ranked No. 35 and lower, only a win will do. But a chance is a chance, and that’s all these competitors need.
What Happens to Everyone Else?
The silver lining? All 73 players in this week’s field have already secured fully exempt status for the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season by finishing in the top 75 on the points list. So while missing out on a PGA Tour card stings, they’re not starting from scratch.
Players who finish Nos. 21-50 will advance directly to Final Stage of Q-School (Dec. 11-14), where the top five finishers will also earn PGA Tour cards. Those ranked 51st-75th will begin at Q-School’s Second Stage.
Rookies, Veterans and International Stars
The field is a fascinating mix. Rookies Keefer and Shipley are already locked in as multitime winners this season, joining Smotherman in that exclusive club. If any of them win this week, they’d become eligible for the remaining 2025 FedExCup Fall events via the Three-Victory Promotion.
Nine international players currently sit in the top 20, representing Belgium, South Korea, South Africa, Japan, Sweden, China, Canada and Mexico. A reminder that the path to the PGA Tour is truly global.
The field also includes three PGA Tour winners: Russell Knox, Tyler Duncan and S.Y. Noh, all trying to reclaim their place on golf’s biggest stage.
How to Watch
Golf Channel will broadcast the action from 3-6 p.m. ET Thursday through Sunday. And there’s something special happening this year: immediately following Sunday’s final round, the annual PGA Tour card ceremony will air live on Golf Channel during Golf Central, with a standalone broadcast also streaming on YouTube.
There’s something uniquely emotional about watching players achieve their dreams in real time, or seeing the heartbreak of falling just short. It’s raw and authentic, and it reminds us why we love this game.
The Bottom Line
The Korn Ferry Tour Championship isn’t just another golf tournament. It’s a crucible where careers are made or broken, where years of sacrifice either pay off or require another year of grinding: 73 players, one course and 20 golden tickets to the show.
When Sunday’s final groups make the turn at French Lick, the math will be clear and the pressure will be suffocating. Some players will achieve their lifelong dreams. Others will come agonizingly close.
That’s what makes this week so compelling, and so very human.
Golf World Reacts Strongly as Video of PGA President Don Rea Singing Karaoke Goes Viral
Golf has always been the sport of polished executives in crisp suits. They shake hands firmly. They speak in measured tones. They maintain decorum even during crises.
Well, not anymore. A video emerged from Bethpage Black during the 2025 Ryder Cup that shattered every expectation. Don Rea, the 58-year-old PGA of America President, grabbed a microphone Saturday night. He belted out Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” in a hotel lounge. The moment went viral for all the wrong reasons.
The Shotgun Start posted the footage on X. Tom Kershaw was the first to report the incident. The video racked up massive views almost immediately. Rea stood there, phone in hand, rapping Eminem lyrics with enthusiastic conviction. Team supporters filled the room around him.
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The irony here is. Team USA was drowning at 11.5-4.5 when this happened. European players had endured homophobic slurs all day. Someone threw beer at Rory McIlroy‘s wife, Erica. The event was spiraling into chaos. And the PGA President chose that moment to perform rap karaoke.
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The timing couldn’t have been worse. Europe had dominated Friday’s sessions 5.5-2.5. Saturday brought more pain with back-to-back 3-1 drubbings. Scottie Scheffler went 0-4 in team matches. The world’s top player couldn’t buy a win. Meanwhile, Rea was losing himself in Eminem’s lyrics instead of addressing the crisis.
The internet exploded with reactions. One fan captured the absurdity perfectly: “This…. this is the good stuff.” They appreciated the raw, unfiltered moment of executive chaos. Golf’s corporate polish had finally cracked.
Another fan wondered about the timing: “Why did he have to wait until Saturday to do this? If he does it on Thursday USA wins in a blowout.” They had a point. The Americans struggled mightily on opening day. Maybe Rea’s motivational anthem would’ve helped earlier.
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The career commentary hit different: “This guy is in charge of things. I can’t even get a promotion.” Rea had spent 22 years climbing the PGA ranks. He became the 44th President in November 2024. Now he was karaoke-ing during golf’s biggest crisis.
Then came the statistical observation: “All I’m saying is the U.S. team was 4.5-11.5 before he did this and 8.5-3.5 after.” Actually, they weren’t wrong. Team USA delivered a record-tying Sunday singles performance. They won 8.5-3.5 in individual matches. Cameron Young clinched on 18. Justin Thomas followed with his own birdie bomb. Scheffler finally beat McIlroy. The comeback nearly worked.
PGA President Don Rea faces mockery as fans weigh leadership failure
The hyperbole ramped up: “This is bigger than watergate.” CNN covered it. ESPN ran segments. International golf media couldn’t resist. Fans shared strange reactions that captured both humor and outrage about the incident’s timing.
Finally, the ultimate comparison: “My personal opinion is this video might be better content than Rory winning the Masters.” Golf fans crave authenticity over corporate polish. They got it in spades with Rea’s performance.
The irony cuts deep. “Lose Yourself” became a sports anthem due to its powerful message. Seize your moment. Rise to pressure. Make the most of crucial opportunities. Eminem won an Academy Award for writing about not missing your shot.
Rea had his shot Saturday night. His organization faced unprecedented fan abuse. Players needed protection. Families deserved safety. Instead, he chose karaoke over crisis management.
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He later compared the Bethpage crowd to a “youth soccer game.” That BBC interview on Sunday morning made things worse. His LinkedIn post declared he wasn’t “bothered” by criticism. Eventually, mounting pressure forced a formal apology on October 3.
Europe won 15-13 despite the American surge. Shane Lowry’s half-point with Russell Henley sealed it. The golf was spectacular. The leadership wasn’t. Don Rea’s “Lose Yourself” moment will define his presidency. He literally lost himself in the music while his organization burned. Sometimes the most memorable moments are the ones you’d rather forget.
Dale Earnhardt Jr Makes Feelings Clear on NASCAR’s Radio Crackdown
Playoff races in NASCAR are already intense, but recently, the spotlight has shifted to something off the track. Of late, heavy emphasis is laid on what drivers and spotters say over the radio. Teams are being warned or penalized for simply mentioning points, standings, or giving strategic guidance. NASCAR says it’s about preventing race manipulation, but many insiders like Dale Earnhardt Jr. feel that the rules are becoming too strict.
The controversy isn’t new, but recent events have made it more visible. During the Charlotte race, Denny Hamlin passed Ross Chastain on the final lap, which helped Joey Logano advance to the next playoff round. Hamlin himself said he “would not have passed him” if he’d known the points situation. On his podcast, Dale Jr used Hamlin’s example to spotlight a deeper issue within NASCAR’s rule enforcement.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. voices concerns over radio policing
Junior explained that Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, told him afterward that the team had been “sensitive” on the radio because of what happened at Martinsville last year, where NASCAR handed down penalties for ‘race manipulation’. He cited another incident where “Zilisch’s team got warned for merely mentioning what the point situation was,” adding that NASCAR immediately shut it down.
For him, that’s where the sport is overreaching. “I have zero problem with any spotter saying, ‘Here’s the point situation,’” he argued, pointing out that strategy and awareness are part of racing itself.
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He added how small actions, even ones that affect points, are a normal part of racing. For example, consider Cole Custer and Alex Bowman trailing Joey Logano at Charlotte. Their positioning and radio talk sparked discussion. According to Earnhardt Jr., this was exactly the kind of on-track calculation that has always been part of the sport.
“And honestly, there’s all these videos. Was Cole Custer not trying to pass the 22? Was Bowman not trying to race the 1? Who cares at this point?” he said. “Let whatever happen… as long as it ain’t super egregious.” His concern shed light on how NASCAR’s current policing may overreact to routine strategy.
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History, Junior argued, shows these gray areas have always existed. He then brought up a famous example: The 1991 Winston 500 at Talladega. Harry Gant had run out of fuel on the final lap. “Harry Gant ran out of gas… Rick Mast pushed him around the track, probably at a decreased speed of maybe 10, 15, 20 miles an hour, and Harry wins the race. Nobody cared,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
He also pointed to how subjective enforcement has become. “It is a judgment. There’s no line. There won’t be a line in this situation. It’s just… if it feels like sh-t, it’s sh-t,” he said. NASCAR officials review transcripts, deliberate in small groups, and decide if anything crossed the line. But there’s no objective measure, just interpretation.
Ultimately, Dale Jr compares it to baseball: every umpire sees a play differently. This subjectivity explains why teams like Connor Zilisch’s Xfinity squad were warned for simply reading points over the radio.
Dale Jr. identifies what’s missing from NASCAR’s playoff format
For many drivers and fans, the playoffs amplify tension. Historically, the long season allowed multiple drivers to build recognition over time, creating stars gradually. But Dale Jr. feels that this is not the case today. The narrative often revolves around just a handful of playoff contenders, leaving consistent performers and star power in the shadows.
Dale Jr. also admitted he doesn’t have all the answers. “I am not sure what is right,” he said, framing the discussion with honesty. He then laid out how a season-long format would function differently.
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“If you have a season-long format, you basically start the season with everybody in the bucket at Daytona,” he explained. “After about 10 races you are talking only about five or six guys. Three, four guys going for it with a few races left. That is how you basically are putting the focus on specific individuals for a sustained period of time throughout the year…And those guys typically tend to be the same ones year after year after year, and that does in turn create a star.”
He even suggested applying psychology studies to understand fan behavior. “I think there’s a university somewhere with some psychology majors that would be able to help us understand this.” By framing the problem through both performance and fan experience, Dale Jr. pointed out that the issue is more than numbers.
NASCAR Schedules Team Meeting After Bowman Slides Past Charlotte Penalty Line
Many know that deliberate moves through radio talk could mean a NASCAR penalty, as officials closely monitor team communications to prevent any kind of unfair manipulation. Despite this, or rather due to this, HMS driver Alex Bowman’s held-up speed and radio talk came under the spotlight.
In the final laps, when Bowman found himself chasing Trackhouse’s Ross Chastain, who was defending his playoff with his life, the former’s radio chatter suggested caution. “Easy with it. Take care of your tires here,” and later, “Take care of your tires.” These repeated instructions seemed routine, but in this critical context, they could have delivered a message.
After a thorough review, NASCAR has scheduled a meeting after announcing its decision.
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NASCAR’s decision
Insider Steve Taranto tweeted, “This week’s Hauler Talk confirmed that NASCAR reviewed both Cole Custer & Alex Bowman’s radio comms in the final laps at the Roval and did not feel what was said rose to the level where a penalty was necessary.”
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Alex Bowman surely escaped this one, and so did Cole Custer, whose communications had gathered similar interest from the officials. Managing Director Mike Forde said, “If we do see something or hear something we don’t like, we are going to step in, which we’ve have done now several times.”
But it didn’t end here. This incident has prompted NASCAR to schedule a meeting with all teams. Reason? To remind them of the seriousness of the issue, and that a leeway like this might probably not be given again.
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The stakes in the Round of 8 get even higher which is why NASCAR feels this is an important moment to remind teams that race manipulation is taken seriously. “Let’s not put yourselves or ourselves in jeopardy here,” they said.
Forde also noted the new reality for teams under a microscope, saying, “The beauty of social media in this era is we have thousands of officials sitting at home and reviewing HBO Max cameras, and listening to radio transmissions.”
NASCAR’s awareness of fan and media scrutiny has made even subtle instructions a potential talking point. These always have the risk of being misinterpreted, especially in tight situations like these. It is a lesson teams cannot afford to ignore as they navigate the closing races of the season.
With this decision, NASCAR is sending a clear message. Playoff races are meant to be earned on the track. “Fans should be coming to the race track and expecting a straight-up race where each position is fought for as hard as possible, especially at the end of a race,” Forde stated.
The Charlotte Roval incident reinforces the fine line teams walk between strategy and manipulation. However, not everybody has been in favor of NASCAR’s rulings on the matter. Recently, Dale Jr. addressed these decisions.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. gives his verdict on NASCAR radio policing
In a recent episode of The Dale Jr. Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed his concerns over NASCAR’s radio policing following the Charlotte race. He highlighted incidents where teams were penalized for merely discussing point standings over the radio. According to him, he finds no problems in a spotter sharing a points situation.
“And honestly, there’s all these videos. Was Cole Custer not trying to pass the 22? Was Bowman not trying to race the 1? Who cares at this point?” he said. “Let whatever happen… as long as it ain’t super egregious.”
Dale Jr. argued that as long as team communications don’t lead to overt race manipulation, they should be permissible. For him, there had to be clear signs of intentionally causing a caution or deliberately slowing down. He cited historical instances, like Harry Gant’s 1993 Talladega victory with assistance from Rick Mast, as examples where strategic collaboration was accepted and celebrated.
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He further criticized NASCAR’s current approach, which feels like the governing body is over-policing and creating an environment of fear among teams. Dale Jr. thought that this could be detrimental. For him, teams should be trusted to make informed decisions without the constant threat of penalties for discussing race scenarios.
With the final stretch of the season in action, Dale Jr. called for a more nuanced understanding of team communications. He advocated for a system that distinguishes between strategic discussions and actual race manipulation.
Dale Jr. Reveals Growing Dislike For Joey Logano After Comments on Playoffs
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has spoken about his growing dislike for Joey Logano after the Team Penske driver revealed his liking for the current NASCAR playoff format. The topic surrounding the playoff format has been gaining traction as several drivers have revealed their preference for reverting to the old format.
Newsweek Sports reported Logano’s comments about the current playoff format, which he believes helps
Kevin Harvick Warns Joey Logano Will Be ‘Dangerous’ in the NASCAR Playoffs
Former NASCAR driver and commentator Kevin Harvick thinks Joey Logano’s progress into the playoffs Round of 8 after the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval could be
Steve O’Donnell Warns of Next Gen’s ‘Durability’ Risks as NASCAR Approves 750HP Plans
The NASCAR gods have finally heard Brad Keselowski and a million others’ wishes. Remember when the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion hopped onto the podcast with Corey Lajoie? Keselowski didn’t shy away from believing NASCAR is planning to up the horsepower for 2026. He also criticised the fear of the current next-gen car, saying that it has “ changed me in some ways for worse as a driver,” and he didn’t hesitate to compare it to “an old pickup truck.” And now hopefully, with the NASCAR president stepping in, all drivers and fans who have been against the 670 hp can all let out a collective sigh
NASCAR just dropped a bombshell for 2026. Competition officials confirmed Wednesday that Cup Series cars will roar at 750 hp at road courses and ovals under 1.5 miles. The news broke on this week’s Dale Jr. Download when NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell revealed the long-anticipated boost, bumping power from the current 670 baseline used across the top division.
However, change doesn’t come cheap or easy. O’Donnell explained the balancing act NASCAR faces. He said, “Why not 800? Why not 1,000?” O’Donnell said on the podcast. “So if you look at where we are today, where we can go without completely changing over the industry…..If you went beyond 750, we looked at almost $40-50 million cost to the industry. So, if you look at our job is, yeah, you want to make a call right away. But you have to think about the out years.”
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While acknowledging the increase in speed, O’Donnell pressed on a bigger issue. Pushing beyond 750 hp isn’t off the table because of the tapered space, but the real problem lies in the NASCAR engine use rules. This requires each engine to last for at least two races.
Once horsepower climbs higher, the extra stress on internal components starts to threaten durability. In other words, more power means parts wear out faster, and replacing or rebuilding engines more often would drive costs through the roof.
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But the change is altogether slight, about a 12% increase in horsepower. The move comes after months of growing pressure from all corners. Drivers are craving more throttle response, teams want better race balance, and fans simply want the old-school punch back in the Next Gen era.
Moreover, Brad Keselowski, who started the rumor about the increased horsepower, can finally kick his feet up with a smile. Speaking on the Stacking Pennies podcast a few weeks ago, he said, “I am definitely Team Horsepower.” And now everyone on team horsepower can let out a deep sigh.
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The 2026 jump is expected to test drivers’ throttle finesse, push tire management to the forefront, and spark more on-track action with varied throttle times and passing zones.
Manufacturers such as Dodge, Chevrolet, Ford, and Toyota have already given the thumbs up to the bump, though they are also exploring potential new engine designs that could shape NASCAR’s next power era.
To back it up, a Goodyear tire test is set for early December at North Wilkesboro, where data will guide tire development for the 2026 season. And yes, the new 750 hp setup will include Nashville Superspeedway’s 1.33-mile concrete oval. Moreover, with changes being made to the playoff systems as well, NASCAR has really been looking out for its fans, and NASCAR insiders have taken notice of it.
However, beyond the horsepower bump, NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell had plenty more to tease, from potential tweaks to the championship format to reopening the cup garage for fresh waves of innovation.
NASCAR President admits to hating the winner-take-all finale amid playoff and horsepower changes
When it comes to the playoff system, O’Donnell was firm but measured, saying that fans shouldn’t expect any sweeping announcements until the 2025 season wraps up. O’Donnell said, “We got rules in place for this year. What I don’t want to do is take away from whoever wins the championship this year. Those were the rules. Everybody knew them. Let’s go race, and whoever wins that championship, I’m going to stand behind that driver and team and say that’s our champion.”
He stopped short of revealing exactly what changes are on the table, but one thing is clear—NASCAR seems ready to move beyond the fun race, winner takes all. O’Donnell even mentions that he’s been having some eye-opening talks with at least one driver about how the format could evolve.
He added, ” So what gets me to think about it is Christopher Bell. The guy who will come in and have a conversation with me behind closed doors, doesn’t go out and tweet about everything and say, ‘hey, here’s what I think. Here’s what.’ He just gives me an honest opinion, which I agree with, of, ‘hey, man, if I roll off 10 wins in a year, and I go to one race and couple other guys get into me or whatever, I’m not the champion.’ Four years in a row, that happens. I don’t want the next Christopher Bell, who is ten years old right now, thinking about NASCAR, wanting to go to NASCAR, wanting to be a champion, and say, ‘huh, this is a little bit more of a chance on a one race, right?’ .”
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As the discussion unfolded, O’Donnell admitted he had grown wary of how the playoff date seemed to hijack every race weekend. Too often, great storylines like Harrison Burton’s emotional win after losing his ride get buried under endless chatter about playoff math. Even Shane van Gisbergen’s remarkable run of road and street course victories couldn’t escape the noise, with talk shifting to whether he truly belonged in the postseason mix.
However, one thing is definitely certain: NASCAR has been keeping tabs on all the issues raised by teams and fans. Better late than never, and NASCAR is on its way to redemption.
‘No shenanigans’: NASCAR warns playoffs teams about race manipulation
NASCAR did not find anything in its review of the Charlotte Roval that warranted a penalty for race manipulation, but a reminder will be given to teams before the Round of 8 begins.
“We are planning on making teams aware that our eyes and ears are open to any shenanigans,” Mike Ford, NASCAR managing director of communications, said on this week’s edition of Hauler Talk.
NASCAR’s official podcast spent the majority of the episode reviewing the elimination races from the Charlotte Roval and explaining that all radio communication was reviewed. There were two spotters who had been warned during the Xfinity Series race for discussing points over the radio. Both of those teams were already guaranteed a spot in the next round. Freddie Kraft, the spotter for Bubba Wallace, said earlier this week on the podcast he co-hosts, Door Bumper Clear, that spotters have been told not to mention points on the radio.
“To my knowledge, there was no formal communication to spotters following Martinsville that told them they could not talk about points,” Amanda Ellis, NASCAR senior director of racing communications, said on Hauler Talk. “It did come up during the Xfinity race on Saturday, where two specific teams were warned related to some of the conversations that they were having, and NASCAR communicated to them via the IM chat capabilities that we have… They were just given a warning that if the points didn’t have to do with them, their specific car, and then we did not want to see them talking about points.
“To take that one step further, it’s not a message that you can’t talk about points; it’s more of a message that if you’re talking about points, it should be about your car and not other vehicles that are in play.”
NASCAR and the garage have been on high alert for potential race manipulation since the fall of 2024, following the elimination race at Martinsville Speedway. In the aftermath of the Cup Series race, NASCAR penalized three Cup Series teams for radio communication and actions on the racetrack where drivers were helping manufacturer teammates.
In the Cup Series race at Charlotte, there were late-race communications on the radios of Ross Chastain and Joey Logano about their points situations. NASCAR not only reviewed those communications but also reviewed how others were racing around them, such as Cole Custer around Logano and Alex Bowman around Chastain.
“We did review it, and the beauty of social media in this officiating era is we have now millions, or at least thousands, of officials sitting at home reviewing HBO Max cameras and listening to radio transmissions,” Forde said. “So, it’s very, very difficult for anything to slip by. We have folks in remote race control listening to radio transmissions. We have people in race control itself listening to them. We have a lot of it covered, and there are some things that are going to slip through the cracks, no doubt about it, but it seems like they are always going to be caught by the fans who are as tuned in as any sport. I will die on that hill; very impressive work by our fans.
“So, we did review it, and nothing rose to the level of a penalty. I think we have some meetings with teams at a certain point this week/weekend… if they need a reminder, ‘Let’s not put ourselves in jeopardy here.’ Fans should be coming to the racetrack and expecting a straight-up race where each position is fought for as hard as possible, especially at the end of the race. If we do see or hear something we don’t like, we are going to step in, which we have done several times now.”
Las Vegas Motor Speedway begins the Round of 8 in both the Xfinity Series and Cup Series. It leads to the final elimination race of the postseason at Martinsville Speedway, the weekend of October 24-26.
NASCAR President Reveals Why Series Wants to Avoid Charter Trial as Court Orders Lawsuit Mediation
The charter system sits at the very core of NASCAR’s modern business structure, and right now it’s the centerpiece of a high-stakes legal showdown. NASCAR is at risk of losing the concept of a charter system as a whole if both parties (NASCAR on one side and Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing on the other) go to court to settle it, and NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell isn’t here for it.
Speaking on the Dale Jr. Download, O’Donnell couldn’t help but praise the current charter system and how it’s playing out for the rest of the NASCAR teams. He said, “Now, we’ve seen the value grow for teams, which is awesome. And what we wanted to come out there because you go to trial, and we saw it written, was the charter system could be up in the air. That’s not good—that’s a lot going on there. So, I think the teams are saying, ‘Hey, there’s a concern here if this goes to trial that anything could happen to the sport, including charters going away.’ That’s a concern… If it goes away, that’s not a win for NASCAR—that charters went away. We support charters. We’ve got 13 teams that signed up with them.”
Steve O’Donnell has made it clear; he doesn’t want to set foot in the courtroom for a trial, especially when NASCAR’s version of the franchise model, a charter, secures teams a guaranteed grid spot and steady stream of annual revenue, and according to the sanctioning body, it has generated more than $1.5 billion in equity value for its members since its inception in 2016.
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A year ago, after more than two years of stalled negotiations, 13 of the 15 teams offered to re-sign rather than risk a worse outcome. The remaining two, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, took a different path and headed to court.
For months, the 13 teams that stayed in line have quietly voiced concerns that the lawsuit has clouded NASCAR’s future. But that silence finally broke last week, and several of the biggest organizations released public statements, urging both sides to find common ground and reaffirming their support for the charter system that keeps the business of racing afloat.
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Reinforcing his point, Steve doubled down, saying, “So what I think that did, Dale, is it helped. You know, it’s being positioned that NASCAR wants the charter system to go away. You know, Jim France—the one thing about Jim is—the charter system is in place and said, ‘I will live by whatever we signed.’ He had a choice, right? He could have said, ‘You know, we don’t want charters in the future.’”
NASCAR Rumors: Ford’s Xfinity Star Likely to Join Toyota Camp After Heartbreaking Playoff Exit
The Xfinity drivers have been changing teams like the changing seasons. Sheldon Creed, one of the 8 drivers heading into the playoffs, had already packed his bags from Toyota after racing for Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of the 2024 season and has settled in comfortably with a Ford team, aka Haas Factory, and drives the No. 00 car. And it’s time history repeats itself, but in reverse…
Harrison Burton, who is turning 24 this Thursday, after a rollercoaster year, is leaving fans with plenty to remember. The son of former Cup Series champion Jeff Burton jumped back into the Xfinity Series this season after three years racing with Wood Brothers in the Cup. Behind the wheel of the No. 25 Ford, Burton had 10 top tens, two top fives, and two stage wins, steering AM Racing into the playoffs for the first time. Sure, his championship dreams came to a halt at Charlotte ROVAL; he was one of the four drivers cut from the playoff, but the season was packed with moments to celebrate.
However, with NASCAR rumors in the air, one source has broken the news about Harrison’s next steps. Taking to X, one parody NASCAR account says that Harrison Burton is heading to Sam Hunt racing for 2026, returning to Toyota after four seasons behind the wheel of Fords—first with Wood Brothers Racing in the Cup Series, then with AM Racing in Xfinity.
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This may just be homecoming for the young ace. And let’s not forget Burton’s resume in the Xfinity: In 104 career races, he’s racked up four wins, all in 2020 with Joe Gibbs Racing, finishing eighth in points that year and the next before heading to the Cup in 2022. His first and only win came last August at Daytona International Speedway, a victory that punched his ticket into the Cup playoffs.
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Heading into Saturday’s race at Las Vegas, he sits 12th in the points, ready to show the world he is far from done. AM Racing dropped the news on social media on Wednesday: Burton won’t return for the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts season.
Burton didn’t leave without a heartfelt sendoff, saying, “I want to thank AM Racing, Tim Self, and Wade Moore for the opportunity and trust at a pivotal moment in my career after I lost my Cup seat entering 2025,” Burton said in a statement posted to social media. “This season reminded me why I love competing; the teamwork, the focus, and the fight. I’m super excited about the next chapter and will announce my plans at a future date.”
With Burton getting knocked off in the Round of 12 at Charlotte, where Connor Zilisch could flex his road-course mastery, earning his 10th win of the season, Burton has yet to confirm his next step. Harrison Burton’s story this season wasn’t just about stats; it was about heart, grit, and showing that even after a setback, a young driver can light up the track and make history.
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And now, as Burton steps away from AM Racing, he gets more time with his newlywed wife, Jenna Petty. However, the show must go on, and the Xfinity field looks tighter than ever, heading into Las Vegas.
Las Vegas playoff showdown promises chaos and breakthroughs
Las Vegas Motor Speedway has earned a reputation for chaos and excitement with seven different winners in the last seven Xfinity Series races. That streak only adds to the feeling that this weekend, a fresh face or a savvy veteran could strike at just the right moment.
The playoff picture is right and historic. Connor Zilisch, the rising star, holds a record 57-point cushion above the cutoff. Meanwhile, the remaining seven playoff contenders are packed together, separated by just 35 points, with drivers third through eighth, from Brandon Jones to Sheldon Creed, all within 15 points of each other.
Since Las Vegas debuted as a playoff venue in 2020, the stakes have always been high. Any driver who wins the Round of 8 opener instantly punches their ticket to the Championship 4, while at least one spot is earned purely on points.
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Looking at the teams, JR Motorsports leads the pack with four cars in the Round of 8, followed by Haas Factory with two and single entries from Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing. Despite all this, no driver in the Xfinity Series has ever won the Round of 8 opener at Las Vegas and gone on to claim the overall title, a testament to just how unpredictable this track can be.
Of the eight playoff drivers, only Justin Allgaier and Sam Mayer have previously reached the Championship 4, highlighting the enormous mistakes for both newcomers and seasoned veterans alike. As the Focused Health 302 rolls into action on Saturday at 7 pm ET, all eyes will be on the one who can master the madness and tame the track.
NASCAR President Admits ‘Fear of Losing’ Future Stars in Current Championship Format
Last weekend, the NASCAR community witnessed a spectacle. Shane van Gisbergen extended his road course winning streak to five trophies, only one race away from tying Jeff Gordon’s record. As a cherry on top, SVG finished a full 15 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor. Despite his glory, the Kiwi speedster was eliminated from the playoffs after the Round of 16. The irony of these two realities created ripples in the sport, the impact of which reached the NASCAR executive fold.
It’s official: NASCAR is moving towards a tweaked playoff format. It took long waves of criticism after Joey Logano won the 2024 Cup Series championship with the worst average finish of 17.1. And the need to change is getting more serious in recent times.
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NASCAR yields to the conversation
In previous playoff formats, including the ‘Chase’, wins did not lead to automatic postseason berths. There were no playoff rounds as well. So dominant drivers could fully showcase their abilities without the hindrance of points resets or a one-race championship. That is what led to the star power of legends like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon. There are so many stars at present as well, like Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, and Denny Hamlin. Yet all of them have slipped out of the title conversation several times due to petty reasons. And this has elicited concerns from NASCAR’s president.
Steve O’Donnell recently appeared on a Dale Jr. Download episode, and he outlined his worries about the future. He does not want to make aspiring racers feel disadvantaged: “I don’t want the next Christopher Bell, who is ten years old right now, thinking about NASCAR, wanting to go to NASCAR, wanting to be a champion, and say, ‘huh, this is a little bit more of a chance on a one race, right?’”
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Christopher Bell, who currently sits four points below the cutline, is a big threat to his rivals. He made it to the Championship 4 consecutively in 2022 and 2023. Steve O’Donnell continued how the 13-time Cup race winner is already a legend: “Christopher Bell, to me, is a superstar in our sport. You roll off four championships in a row with eight wins and a body of work, whatever that may be, that’s good for our sport. People are talking about him.” Bell recently said publicly that he is in favor of a full-season points format, which NASCAR has not utilized since 2003.
Despite O’Donnell paying heed to Christopher Bell‘s opinions, he admitted that nothing is changing for now. The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season will go on under the current format: “We got rules in place for this year. What I don’t want to do is take away from whoever wins the championship this year. Those were the rules. Everybody knew them. Let’s go race, and whoever wins that championship, I’m going to stand behind that driver and team and say that’s our champion.”
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Nevertheless, changes are underway, and many drivers are banking on them. Like the playoff format, even the Next-Gen car is up for some tweaks.
Time to welcome more thrill
Ever since the Next-Gen car debuted in 2022, fans and drivers alike have complained. The single-spec parts reduced parity, and the aerodynamic challenges made it hard to pass on track. An overarching point of scrutiny has been the excessive use of fuel mileage, as drivers often go half-throttle throughout races to capitalize on their track position. All these concerns have been piling up for ages, and now NASCAR is finally willing to yield. President Steve O’Donnell announced something on the Dale Jr Download podcast that is music to fans’ ears.
NASCAR will increase the power limit for Cup Series cars from 670 hp to 750 hp on road courses and ovals shorter than 1.5 miles. What is more, the sanctioning body may open the door to more engineering and innovation again. O’Donnell said, “The ability for a team to maybe tweak on the car, find an advantage, do something cool. What’s the next iteration of that that can come from a race team? Now that we’ve got the parts and pieces, I think long-term, you can look at maybe a race team making parts again. Maybe some different things you can open up. Could you ever look at a cost cap, right? So, you open those things up.”
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Clearly, the winds of change are rustling NASCAR’s checkered flags. With 2026 only a few months away, we cannot wait to see what the future holds!
Joey Logano Remains Committed to His Ultimate Career Goal Despite Evolving NASCAR Format
It’s official. NASCAR is moving towards a tweaked playoff format. After the turbulent waves of criticism crashed on Joey Logano’s 2024 championship, the sport is yielding. Logano’s third title registered the worst average finish of 17.1. His teammate, Ryan Blaney, had set the earlier record – fetching an average finish of 14.1 en route to the 2023 Cup Series championship. Nevertheless, Team Penske looks as committed as ever.
Although Austin Cindric was eliminated after the Round of 12, both his teammates slipped through. Ryan Blaney won in New Hampshire, and Joey Logano clinched the last Round of 8 playoff berth. They are yet again hoisting the flag of opportunity for Team Penske – and that is all that matters to Logano.
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Joey Logano does not care either way
Since 2022, Hendrick Motorsports may have reigned in terms of race trophies, fetching 39 so far. Yet the stellar Cup Series team could not clinch the one trophy that mattered – the Bill France Cup. That prize has gone into the coffers of Team Penske for the past three years, courtesy of Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. And Logano has wiggled his way through somehow. In 2024, Alex Bowman’s technical disqualification threw Logano a lifeline after he was eliminated from the Round of 8. This year as well, Logano marginally beat Ross Chastain in Charlotte after the latter tangled with Denny Hamlin.
Hence, Joey Logano aims for the championship no matter how hard the situation is. And he intends to apply the same philosophy to NASCAR’s changed playoff format. He said in a recent interview, “I’ll tell you, I am as simple-minded as it comes when it comes to what the goal is. It’s always to win the championship. It doesn’t matter what you did last year. Doesn’t matter how many you have. The goal is still the same, and you have to do whatever it takes to get there. Until I am done driving race cars, that is forever going to be the goal. No matter the format, no matter anything else, the goal is always to win that, because that is the biggest prize, period.”
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Joey Logano has clinched three Cup Series titles – in 2018, 2022, and 2024. His record is the highest in the elimination-style playoff era. Yet Logano hardly cares about that number, as he wants it to go higher. Logano continued, “Hands down, the championship is what it’s all about. It’s what you’re measured by at the end of your career. How many championships do you have in any sport. How many rings do you got, right? That’s what they always ask. And for me, one, two, three — I just want four or five, you know? Like, I don’t care.”
Joey Logano made it into the Round of 8 just on a single point, spelling immense risk in losing his spot. Despite the unpredictability of his own fortunes, Logano recently bashed critics of the current format. “The playoffs create drama,” declared Logano in a post-race media scrum at the Charlotte Roval. “It creates storylines. It creates awesome moments like that. I don’t understand what people don’t like about it. I really don’t get it.”
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This bold defiance of the playoff criticism is typical of Joey Logano, who always stands out. Yet his different view recently elicited frustration from a NASCAR veteran.
Ignoring the glaring evidence
NASCAR’s previous formats prioritized merit. Unlike the current system, the older formats did not allow single wins to translate into postseason berths. Plus, in the absence of playoffs, the legendary racers could fully showcase their skills without the fear of elimination. The importance of merit is missing presently – evidence of which was available just last weekend. Shane van Gisbergen extended his road course trophy streak to five and is one race away from tying Jeff Gordon’s record. The Kiwi speedster’s glory, however, came after he was eliminated from the Round of 16.
Joey Logano strongly restated his support for the playoffs in his response to SVG’s win. He said, “If you don’t have cutoff races and things like that, what are you even talking about today? How Shane waxed everyone’s butt? That’s what you want? I’m just saying, this playoff format is wicked.”
And that irked Dale Earnhardt Jr., who fervently supports a return to NASCAR’s older 36-race format. Dale Jr. bluntly said, “The more Joey Logano gets out of his car and talks about the playoffs, the more I don’t like the playoffs. The more he talks about and I know he’s defending it, and he and I know he believes what he believes, and I’m good with that for him, but the more he tells me why I should like the playoffs, the less I like him.” Other veterans like Richard Petty, Brad Keselowski, and even Ryan Blaney are rooting for a format change.
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What we know for sure is that Joey Logano has an unflinching ambition. Even if his unpopular opinion about the playoffs does not gain followers, we know that Logano will still target the title.
How to buy Toronto Blue Jays ALCS tickets, 2025 MLB playoff tickets
The Toronto Blue Jays have advanced to the American League Championship Series after defeating the New York Yankees.
Toronto will have homefield advantage for the ALCS, hosting the first two games starting Sunday, Oct. 12.
Tickets for the Blue Jays’ home games in the ALCS are now available, with prices starting at $203.
The Toronto Blue Jays are headed to the American League Championship Series.
Toronto bounced back in the Bronx as they eliminated their AL East rival and defending AL champion New York Yankees in four games.
The Blue Jays rebounded nicely to earn a 5-2 win in Game 4 after losing a 6-1 lead when the Yankees scored eight unanswered runs to prolong their season in Game 3.
SHOP: Toronto Blue Jays 2025 ALCS tickets
Toronto will host the winner of the Seattle Mariners vs. Detroit Tigers ALDS series, which will be decided in Game 5 on Friday night.
Toronto will host the first two games of the ALCS north of the border, no matter the team’s opponent, beginning Sunday, Oct. 12. Here is everything you need to know in order to buy Toronto Blue Jays ALCS playoff tickets.
Toronto Blue Jays 2025 ALCS tickets
The Blue Jays are headed to the ALCS, and thanks to being the No. 1 seed in the American League, they will host Game 1, Game 2 and hypothetical Game 6 and Game 7 should the series require it.
Game 1: Starting at $203
Game 2: Starting at $219
Game 6*: Starting at $249
Game 7*: Starting at $276
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Blue Jays 2025 ALCS schedule
While the exact times are not yet set, here is the schedule for the 2025 American League Championship Series
Game 1: Detroit/Seattle at Toronto on Sunday, Oct. 12 – Shop tickets
Game 2: Detroit/Seattle at Toronto on Monday, Oct. 13 – Shop tickets
Game 3: Toronto at Detroit/Seattle on Wednesday, Oct. 15
Game 4: Toronto at Detroit/Seattle on Thursday, Oct. 16
Game 5*: Toronto at Detroit/Seattle on Friday, Oct. 17
Game 6*: Detroit/Seattle at Toronto on Sunday, Oct. 19 – Shop tickets
Game 7*: Detroit/Seattle at Toronto on Monday, Oct. 20 – Shop tickets
Toronto Blue Jays 2025 World Series tickets
Blue Jays fans might not let themselves dream of a their first trip to the World Series in more than 30 years, but at this stage of the postseason they are just one series away! Homefield advantage in the World Series goes to the team with the better regular-season record. If Toronto plays Milwaukee or Philadelphia, they will open on the road, before hosting Game 3, Game 4 and a potential Game 5 should the World Series require it. If the Blue Jays play against the Dodgers or Cubs, the Rogers Centre would host Game 1, Game 2 and a hypothetical Game 6 and Game 7.
Home game 1: Starting at $1,051
Home game 2: Starting at $796
Home game 3*: Starting at $1,058
Home game 4*: Starting at $1,313
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What’s next for Yankees after MLB playoff elimination? Aaron Judge’s team faces questions as drought continues
NEW YORK — Add another year to the second-longest World Series drought in New York Yankees history. The Yankees dropped Game 4 of the ALDS (TOR 5, NYY 2) Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, sending them packing for the winter by the AL East rival Toronto Blue Jays. The Yankees remain titleless since 2009.
Excluding their time as the New York Highlanders prior to 1913, the longest World Series drought in Yankees history is 17 years from 1979-95. Their current drought is up to 16 years, the sort of gap that makes fans of other teams roll their eyes while simultaneously driving Yankees fans crazy. Last year’s World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t help matters.
Objectively, the Yankees had a great season. They won 94 games, tied for the most in the American League, and had the circuit’s best run differential by 54 runs. The Yankees did that despite losing Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery and reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil to a lat strain, both in spring training. Cole missed the season. Gil returned in August and was diminished.
The Yankees also lost the season series and thus the tiebreaker to the Blue Jays, which cost them the AL East title and sent them to the Wild Card Series. They got through the Boston Red Sox, then wasted Aaron Judge’s heroic Game 3 effort in the ALDS loss to the Blue Jays. The Yankees got outscored 34-19 and outhomered 9-4 in the four games.
Judge will turn 34 in April and another season of his historically great peak has come off the calendar. The clock is ticking on the Yankees’ window to win a World Series while their franchise player is the best hitter since Barry Bonds. Like every other team, the Yankees have questions to answer this offseason, include a few big ones. Here’s a look at what the Yankees face this winter.
Where did the bullpen magic go?
And, more importantly, how do they get it back? That might be the single biggest question facing the Yankees this offseason. The team’s shaky bullpen cost them an AL East title and Wild Card Series bye during the regular season, and it cost them Game 1 in the first round. It is really, really hard to win the World Series with anything less than a good bullpen these days.
For much of what we’ll call the Aaron Judge era, the Yankees have had one of baseball’s best and deepest bullpens, but that has not been the case the last few years. Here are the bullpen’s ranks since Judge’s rookie season in 2017:
ERAWARWPA
2017
3rd in MLB
1st in MLB
11th in MLB
2018
4th
1st
3rd
2019
9th
1st
5th
2020
16th
20th
20th
2021
4th
3rd
8th
2022
3rd
4th
5th
2023
1st
14th
6th
2024
6th
20th
6th
2025
23rd
21st
20th
Other than the 60-game 2020 season, the Yankees perennially had one of baseball’s best bullpens from 2017-23, if not the best. The cracks began to form in the second half of 2023 and in 2024 though, as the bullpen’s WAR didn’t align with its ERA and win probability added. The results (ERA and WPA) were strong. The underlying performance (WAR) carried red flags.
Things collapsed this year. Devin Williams did not meet expectations in what is likely to be his only season in New York, though he was hardly the only culprit. Luke Weaver, who was so good in 2024, regressed in 2025. Tim Hill gave up almost as many home runs in 2025 (eight) as he did from 2022-24 combined (10). Mark Leiter Jr. was ineffective. Fernando Cruz was inconsistent.
The Yankees tried to address their bullpen at the trade deadline, and pretty aggressively at that. David Bednar took control of the closer’s job and was very good overall. Camilo Doval struggled and was demoted out of high-leverage work though, and Jake Bird was so bad he wound up in Triple-A almost immediately. Others like Paul Blackburn, Yerry De Los Santos, and Brent Headrick barely moved the needle.
Major injuries (Jake Cousins, Jonathan Loáisiga, etc.) took bullpen depth and impact away from the Yankees, but that’s baseball. No team gets through the season with a fully healthy bullpen and the Yankees know that. Their moves to address those absences were not enough to compensate, be it internal promotions (De Los Santos, Headrick) or outside additions (Bird, Doval).
To fix the problem — an unreliable bullpen, in this case — you have to first understand the problem. Are the Yankees no longer good at identifying bullpen talent? Are they no longer able to coach up relievers and make them better, a strength of theirs from 2017-23? It is likely a combination of both: not bringing in the right guys and not improving the guys they have.
Bullpens are inherently volatile. It is a bunch of imperfect pitchers (that’s why they’re relievers in the first place) performing in small sample sizes. After the impressive run of bullpen-building from 2017-23, the Yankees were bound to run into a down period at some point. That point has arrived. Bullpens are just so important though. They have to get this unit back on the rails. It is a must.
What does the outfield look like in 2026?
By any measure, the Yankees had the best outfield in baseball in 2025. It wasn’t close, really. Of course, Judge played a major role in that, but a flexor strain limited him to only 822 ⅓ innings in the field and 425 plate appearances as an outfielder. He made up just 19% of the outfield’s defensive innings and 20% of their plate appearances. Judge spent the rest of his time at DH.
Here are the numbers on New York’s outfield this season:
NYY OFRunner-up
AVG
.276 (1st in MLB)
Red Sox (.265)
OBP
.363 (1st)
Mets (.341)
SLG
.507 (1st)
Cubs (.464)
OPS+
140 (1st)
Cubs (120)
HR
112 (1st)
Angels (96)
WAR
16.6 (1st)
Red Sox (14.4)
Judge was Judge. Trent Grisham slugged 34 homers, double his previous career high (17 in 2022), and went from fourth outfielder to starting center fielder. Cody Bellinger had a 5-WAR season, his best since his 2019 NL MVP year. Jasson Domínguez performed well against righties (113 OPS+) before Bellinger stopped moving around and took over as the everyday left fielder in September.
The outfield was the strength and most productive part of the Yankees this season. The good news is Judge will be back next year, and the next five years after that too. Domínguez still has five years of team control remaining. Grisham will be a free agent though, and Bellinger seems likely to join him by declining his $25 million player option for 2026 to seek a long-term contract.
Depending who you ask, top prospect Spencer Jones is knocking on the door of the big leagues after finishing second in the minors with 35 homers. The 25th overall pick in the 2022 Draft also stole 29 bases and nearly became the first non-veteran journeyman minor-leaguer to have a 30-30 season since Kyle Tucker (34 HR and 30 SB) and Luis Robert Jr. (32 HR and 36 SB) in 2019.
At the same time, Jones struck out in 35.4% of his plate appearances this season, the highest rate among the 209 players with at least 500 plate appearances in the minors. At minimum, Jones’ career-long strikeout issues create questions about his ability to help the 2026 Yankees in a meaningful way. Longer term, prospects who strike out this much have higher-than-average bust rates.
The Yankees know they can start their 2026 outfield with Judge in right and Dominguez in left. That’s a pretty good foundation. The question is who plays center? Is it Jones, who is a gifted defender despite his size (6-foot-7 and 240 lbs.)? Do they attempt to bring back Bellinger and/or Grisham? If not, that’s an awful lot production walking out the door that won’t be easy to replace.
Tucker will be the top free agent on the market this winter, though he would be an imperfect roster fit for the Yankees as another natural right fielder. It’s one thing to play Judge in center for one season to accommodate Juan Soto. It’s another to do it long-term as he gets deeper into his 30s. Is Tucker in left, Dominguez in center, and Judge in right doable? A wonky alignment, it would be.
Other potential center field free agent (Harrison Bader, Cedric Mullins, etc.) and trade (Robert, Alek Thomas, etc.) candidates aren’t especially appealing. From where I sit, the Yankees should just re-sign Bellinger. It’ll be too many years and too many dollars, but he brings so much to the table (contact, power, defense, baserunning) and fits their roster and ballpark so well. It just works, you know?
One way or another, the Yankees will have to rebuild baseball’s most productive outfield this offseason. It will be difficult, but not impossible. Replacing Soto seemed impossible, but the Yankees finished with the same record, a better run differential, and with more runs scored without Soto in 2025 than they did with Soto in 2024. Rebuilding the outfield will again be a winter priority.
Are any changes coming higher up in the organization?
The Yankees have had impressive organizational stability and continuity. General manager Brian Cashman has been at the helm since 1998 (and was a longtime front office member before that) and the Yankees have had only three managers in the last 30 years (Joe Torre, Joe Girardi, Aaron Boone). This is the same team that changed managers 11 times from 1978-82 under George Steinbrenner.
It has been 33 years since the Yankees last had a losing season, and they’re in the playoffs almost every year. Based on that, the organizational stability is justified. At the same time, the Wild Card Series was the first time the Yankees beat a non-AL Central team in a postseason series since 2012. No disrespect to the AL Central, but against teams more on their level, the Yankees bow out consistently in October.
Roster changes are coming this offseason because they always do, and chances are the Yankees will swap out a member of their coaching staff or two as well. Almost every team has some level of coaching staff shuffling each winter. But are any bigger changes coming? Is there any heat whatsoever on Boone and/or Cashman after a relatively quick postseason exit?
My hunch, and I emphasize this is only a hunch, is no. Cashman is about as secure as any head baseball operations executive in the game. Frankly, given the Yankees’ successful Plan B pivot after losing Soto, I would not be surprised to see him get some Executive of the Year support. I’m not saying he’ll win it, but successful offseason pivots like this typically get some votes.
Boone signed a two-year contract extension in February that won’t even begin until 2026. He is held in high regard by Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner, and those are two people you want in your corner. And, frankly, you can only blame so much on Boone this year. No one pitched well in the ALDS and, for long stretches of time this year, he had no one reliable in the bullpen. Boone could only play who was available to him.
You can never rule out a managerial change, even after a 94-win season, though Boone does seem secure. I would say a Boone firing would qualify as a surprise. Cashman is more likely to be elevated to, say, a team president position than he is to be pushed out the door. And if he is elevated, he would have a say in picking his replacement, if not make the pick outright (vice president of baseball operations Tim Naehring has been viewed as Cashman’s eventual successor).
The Yankees would be justified sticking with the status quo. It is also fair to question whether this leadership group can win a World Series given the outcome of their last 15 seasons. There’s a lot of great regular seasons and bullying overmatched opponents in October, then quick exits when facing other the league’s other top teams. At some point, it’s not a coincidence. It’s the result of a flaw in the process.
Yankees eliminated from MLB playoffs: Could Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone’s stability be part of the problem?
The franchise of George Steinbrenner, who once changed managers 11 times in a five-year span from 1978-82 and cycled through eight general managers in 11 years from 1978-88, is now a model of stability. In the last 28 years, the Yankees have had one general manager (Brian Cashman) and three managers (Joe Torre, Joe Girardi, Aaron Boone). That’s almost unheard of continuity.
On one hand, the continuity is justified. The Yankees have not had a losing season since 1992 and they’ve made the postseason eight times in the last nine years. They won the AL East title in 2022 and 2024, and finished tied for the division’s best record this year, but lost on a tiebreaker. It’s not as easy as spending money = winning (see: The Mets), yet the Yankees consistently win.
On the other hand, the Yankees were again eliminated by a team they should be measured against this postseason. Wednesday’s loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 4 of the ALDS (TOR 5, NYY 2) sent the Yankees home for the winter and the Blue Jays to the ALCS. It was a lopsided series. The Blue Jays outscored New York 34-19 and outhomered them 9-3 in the four games.
What’s next for Yankees after MLB playoff elimination? Aaron Judge’s team faces questions as drought continues
Mike Axisa
The Yankees have consistently won in the regular season and against AL Central teams in the playoffs, but too often in the Boone/Cashman era have short against other top high-spending clubs (Blue Jays, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, etc.). Some numbers on New York’s postseason success in Boone’s eight years as manager:
Postseason record: 25-27 (.481)
Record vs. AL Central teams: 15-4 (.789)
Record vs. all others: 10-23 (.303)
I don’t mean to pick on the AL Central, but the fact of the matter is that division houses five teams that do not run large payrolls and are often the underdog in a postseason series against non-division rivals. The Yankees have bullied the Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, et al in October. Against teams more on their level, they consistently come up short.
The Yankees were eliminated by the Astros in 2017, the Red Sox in 2018, the Astros in 2019, the Red Sox in 2021, the Astros in 2022, the Dodgers in 2024, and the Blue Jays in 2025. When it happens two or three times, it’s frustrating, but it’s baseball. We now have almost of a decade of evidence that against top competition on the game’s biggest stage, the Yankees aren’t up to the task.
Stability is a good thing and something teams crave. It works for the Yankees because they’re in the race just about every season. It also hasn’t worked because their season keeps ending the same way. The Yankees will never be judged by their regular season and early October success. After this many years, it’s fair to ask whether this leadership group can get them over the hump.
There is not much reason to expect the Yankees to replace Boone, who in February signed a two-year contract extension that begins next season. There are a lot of careless mistakes with this team though, and a lot of questionable decisions in October. That reflects poorly on the manager. Eight years is a long time for any manager and yet Boone seems likely to get a ninth.
Cashman is about as secure as any head baseball operations executive in the game (his last name might as well be Steinbrenner). It’s hard to see him going anywhere. The team’s stability and continuity also applies to Cashman’s department heads, including scouting director Damon Oppenheimer (in place since 2005) and analytics department head Michael Fishman (hired in 2005).
The notable front office hires the Yankees have made from outside the organization in recent years are baseball lifers Cashman considers among his mentors, including former general managers Jim Hendry, Omar Minaya, and Brian Sabean. They’re all with the Yankees as advisors. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Yankees to branch out a bit and make more outside hires just to bring in new voices and new perspectives.
To be sure, the Yankees have hired bright people away from other organizations in recent years. Pitching coach Matt Blake and director of pitching Sam Briend overhauled the team’s pitching development, which is now among the best in the game. Jarret DeHart was brought in to do the same on the hitting side last winter. Countless others have cycled through over the years.
At some point, though, you do have to ask yourself why your process leads to the same result year after year. The Yankees love to tout their process (so does every team), but it is a results-based business, and the results aren’t there, at least not in October. The Yankees can get there. How do they go further? Can they while maintaining the status quo? Evidence is mounting they can’t.
Yankees-Blue Jays Fans Outraged as Kylie Jenner’s MLB Playoff Vibe Sparks Online Fury
It’s not exactly unusual for big MLB games to draw some star power from Tinseltown. Celebrities showing up in the stands has become almost part of the experience, especially for high-profile playoff matchups. And the Yankees-Blue Jays’ latest matchup is no exception.
“Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner are front row at Yankee Stadium tonight,” MLB shared via X.
Game 4 of the Yankees-Blue Jays ALDS just got a major celebrity boost with Timothee Chalamet and his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, spotted right behind home plate in the front row. Fans were definitely surprised to see the A-list couple at a baseball game. But some weren’t exactly wowed by Jenner’s body language.
For diehard Yankees and Blue Jays fans, the focus is usually all about the game. Hence, seeing someone just chill in the front row without seeming that invested isn’t something normally expected at a playoff matchup like this.
Between the two, Chalamet seemed more into the game, cheering on the Yankees from the very first pitch. He even made it onto the video board at Yankee Stadium, giving a shoutout to his hometown team.
“Yanks in 5!” he was seen talking to the camera, rocking a Yankees hat and leather jacket while holding up his fingers.
Jenner, on the other hand, was pictured sitting quietly under her hoodie, just watching the action, and that’s enough for fans to notice. Is she bored, just not that into it, or is this her way of enjoying the game? Either way, for baseball fans, enthusiasm is key, and it usually should be a bit more on display.
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Kylie Jenner’s MLB attendance gets called out by the Yankees-Blue Jays fans
One fan thinks, “Uh… she is hiding!” Reportedly, on Monday night, the couple hit an after-party in NYC following the premiere of Chalamet’s latest film, Marty Supreme. Chalamet kept it low-key in an all-black jacket and hoodie, while Jenner tried to keep her face hidden from the paparazzi.
It’s classic Tinseltown behavior, and honestly, it’s similar to how she was sitting at Yankee Stadium. So, rather than being disinterested in the game, Jenner seemed more focused on enjoying her own personal space. “Does Kylie Jenner know that there’s a baseball game going on?” Another fan added. Probably, from her private space.
“Guessing Kylie isn’t a Yankees fan?” One user predicted. With how the Yankees performed in the game, losing out by 2-5 against the Jays, likely, Kylie isn’t impressed. With no Aaron Judge show as such like Game 3, Yankees fans surely are disappointed.
“Timothee, a Yankees fan, Kylie clearly a Jays fan,” another added. There’s no doubt that Chalamet is a Yankees fan with a bomber jacket and jumping out of seats every time an opportunity comes. But Jenner? We’re not sure! But what we know is that Jenner is a New York sports regular.
“She would be at Dodgers Stadium right now if he were a Dodgers fan, lmfaoo first the Knicks games now,” another comment read. Back in May, Chalamet was spotted at Madison Square Garden with Kylie, going all out as the Knicks beat Boston in the NBA. He was jumping, pacing, while Jenner stayed relaxed, sipping her drink.
So, her calm and composed demeanor at sporting events is pretty typical. And it probably has nothing to do with the Yankees-Blue Jays game. But if Jenner is a Yankees fan, she surely would be disappointed by how the Bombers ended their 2025 ride.
MLB playoff takeaways: Blue Jays eliminate Yankees
The divisional round of the 2025 MLB playoffs continued on Wednesday with all four series taking place. The Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies each staved off elimination while the Toronto Blue Jays sent the New York Yankees packing in four games.
Here are some key takeaways from Wednesday’s games.
Tigers rally to force Game 5
Entering the bottom of the fifth inning, the Tigers faced a 3-0 deficit to the Seattle Mariners and could not get anything going offensively. After a three-run fifth and a trio of home runs, Detroit’s bats caught fire in a 9-3 win in Game 4 to stave off elimination once more.
The game swung in favor of the Tigers in the sixth when outfielder Riley Greene hit a 454-foot homer to right center to give Detroit a 4-3 lead.
Shortstop Javier Baez and second baseman Gleyber Torres added to the home run party as the Tigers scored nine consecutive runs to keep their season alive. With ace Tarik Skubal expected to pitch in Game 5 on Friday, the Tigers have to like their chances as they look to overcome what was once a 2-1 series deficit.
Cubs maintain early lead this time to avoid sweep to Brewers
After blowing an early 3-0 lead in Game 2, the Cubs got out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth and held on for a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 to extend the series at least one more game.
Shortly after first baseman Michael Busch hit the leadoff homer, center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong delivered with this two-run single off Brewers starter Quinn Priester to put the Cubs up 3-1 early as part of a four-run first inning.
Pitching continues to be an issue for the Cubs after only getting four innings from Jameson Taillon, but the four runs were all they needed on Wednesday to keep the series alive.
Blue Jays finish off Yankees to advance to first ALCS since 2016
First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continued his torrid pace in the ALDS with an RBI single in the first as the Blue Jays proved to be too much for the Yankees in a 5-2 win to take the series in four games and advance to their first ALCS since 2016.
Guerrero was 9-for-17 (.529 average) with three home runs, nine RBIs and a 1.609 OPS in the series as Toronto collected 50 hits and scored 34 total runs across the four games. Outfielder George Springer tacked on the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the fifth, but it was Jeff Hoffman who closed the game out with this strikeout of Yankees OF Cody Bellinger.
The Blue Jays await the winner of the Tigers-Mariners series, but if their offense stays on its current pace, they will be a hard out regardless of their opponent.
Kyle Schwarber’s two-homer night helps Phillies stave off elimination in Game 3
After dropping each of the first two games of the series at home, the Phillies responded in a must-win situation with an 8-2 win to force a Game 4 on Thursday.
After falling behind in the third following a home run from Dodgers infielder Tommy Edman, the Phillies hit three home runs, two of which were from Schwarber. While his second one extended Philadelphia’s lead to 8-1, his first one went 455 feet and nearly left the park.
NFL Week 6 MVP Ladder: Josh Allen Tops, Baker Mayfield, Dak Prescott, Jared Goff Enter the Debate
Thwarted expectations, surprising upsets, and comebacks; Week 5 had a little bit of everything. And as we head to Week 6 now, the first impacts of October have left the MVP leaderboard shaking. The biggest names are jockeying for position, but it’s still too soon for anyone to be running away with it yet. From veterans staking claims to rising stars challenging the order, Week 5 blew the MVP race wide open. Here’s the latest EssentiallySports MVP ladder, with a quick look at players lurking just outside.
5. Patrick Mahomes
Last week, Patrick Mahomes held the 4th slot on our MVP ladder. But no one expected a 31-28 loss at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sure, a lot of that had to do with the penalties the Kansas City Chiefs faced (13 flags, with 10 of them in the second half). But Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd hauled in a 99-yard touchdown as Mahomes’ Pick-6, and that wasn’t pretty. But Mahomes’ magic has still kept him in the race.
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Five weeks into the season, Mahomes ranks 6th in passing yards (1,257) and 4th in QBR (75.1). His 8:2 TD:INT ratio doesn’t quite do justice to the severity of those picks, but he has married the run game with the passing game beautifully in Week 5, rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown. The O-Line is also finding synergy around him, making this the only game so far where Mahomes wasn’t sacked.
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The odds on Mahomes have tightened for now. But with a key weapon like Xavier Worthy back and Rashee Rice’s return on the horizon, too. Mahomes could push back higher on the leaderboard. When he’s on, he’s almost impossible to stop. For now, it’s just a matter of finding that old spark.
4. Dak Prescott
Last week, Dak Prescott was on the cusp of our MVP talk. Not anymore. Dak’s locked in at the right time. If you need a reason to believe that, just watch him running down the field after handing the ball to Javonte Williams. Dak’s got the wheels, he’s showing an elite level pre/post-snap reads, and even without his most trusted target on the field, there are fireworks.
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Let’s talk stats for a bit. Prescott now ranks second in passing yards (1,356), holds the 3rd spot (tied) with 10 passing touchdowns, and is third in QBR (76.5). If there was anything else that could make his case this week, it was his season-best passer rating of 127.4. With that old injury in the rearview, Prescott’s looking like he means business every single week. If the team can keep up with his elite plays, he’s only going to climb higher on the leaderboard.
3. Jared Goff
The Detroit Lions look sharper than ever, and with a 4-game win streak under his belt, Jared Goff makes the third spot on our MVP rankings. Week 5’s 258 yards and three touchdowns against the Cincinnati Bengals have reinforced his solid start. While he did take 4 sacks, he still managed to go 19 for 23 and carved out a 153 passer rating. But that’s just the numbers from Week 5. Goff has been more surgical than ever before. And with no shortage of targets, the mismatches will probably continue to bring the Lions more victories.
Overall, Goff now leads the league with 12 passing touchdowns. And with just two picks holding him down, Detroit’s offense has soared to new heights with Goff’s calm decision-making and growing chemistry with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs. Detroit is currently leading the league in points per game with its average now at 34.8. Goff’s steady start now paints him as a prime MVP candidate riding a surge few saw coming.
2. Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield is smashing expectations with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 4-1 ride. With 10 touchdowns, just one interception, and 1,283 passing yards, Mayfield leads the league with four game-winning drives in the fourth quarter. His Week 5 masterclass against the Seattle Seahawks has reasserted him as a clutch performer. Mayfield showed extreme precision with a 29-for-33 pass game for 379 yards and two touchdowns. And then there’s the matter of Emeka Egbuka’s explosions…
Mayfield’s rise is as much about his attitude as his stats. The swagger, combined with Tampa’s grind-it-out wins on the road, has lit a fire in the Bucs. When Mike Evans and Bucky Irving return, Mayfield’s numbers could level up and maybe even carry the team deep into January.
1. Josh Allen
Not undefeated anymore, but still the one to beat. Josh Allen remains the favorite atop the MVP ladder, carrying the Buffalo Bills with an unrelenting blend of arm strength and agility. He’s piled up nine touchdown passes, three rushing touchdowns, and 1,429 total yards through five games, guiding Buffalo to a 4-1 record. Despite the team’s recent stumble against the New England Patriots (those turnovers really cost them), Allen’s impact is unmistakable, as he combines pinpoint passes with bruising runs.
Granted, the Bills have not been the best when it comes to the wide receiver room, with tight end Dalton Kincaid leading the team in receiving yards (287). But Allen’s connection with running back James Cook has helped the Bills log 153 points so far (just behind the Lions and the Colts). That’s enough to keep him as the frontrunner as the season moves into mid-October. The only hitch? It’s not 100% guaranteed anymore.
Players on the cusp
Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold, Trevor Lawrence, Matthew Stafford, and Drake Maye lurk just outside the top five, ready to stake their claim in the coming weeks. Jones’ command has the Indianapolis Colts racking up wins above expectations. Darnold’s sturdy leadership makes it look like the Seahawks are ready to take flight this season. Meanwhile, Lawrence’s late-game heroics against Mahomes are pushing the Jaguars into the conversation.
Stafford was making a strong case for himself last week. But his 26-23 loss against the San Francisco 49ers has hurt his stock a little now. But he leads the league with 1,503 passing yards right now and holds second place behind Goff with 11 passing touchdowns. We might just see him back on the board soon enough.
Maye, for one, has made some absolutely beautiful plays with Stefon Diggs. His progression in New England and the fact that he defeated the last remaining undefeated team in the NFL in Week 5, has drawn eyes. Each of these players needs a string of dominant performances to leap into conversation, but their posture signals the MVP race won’t just be about the usual suspects.
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Every game until now has shifted the narrative. As we head into Week 6, the MVP chase has no clear runaway favorite. Whether Josh Allen can maintain his lead, or if Mahomes, Prescott, Goff, or Mayfield shift into another gear, is going to be the story we look out for.
Stay locked in. The next week promises highlight moments, madness, and, of course, more MVP-worthy magic.
NFL Reporter Erin Andrews Makes Taylor Swift Album Admission
NFL sideline reporter Erin Andrews added a playful twist to her usual football coverage after sharing her latest “Calm Down” podcast episode with co-host Charissa Thompson.
The two reporters celebrated Taylor Swift’s brand-new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” by unboxing Swift’s “T.S.” collector’s boxes, all while dressed in sparkly, showgirl-inspired outfits.
“LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL💃🏼 A huge congratulations to Taylor Swift & her team for an amazing album and THANK YOU for the incredible gifts,” the official “Calm Down” Instagram account posted a short clip of the episode with the caption.
Andrews later reshared the post on her Instagram Story, clearly showing her excitement for Swift’s music.
In the episode, the duo opened their T.S. album boxes like two kids on Christmas morning. They admired every detail, from the glossy cover to the packaging.
“She looks great,” Andrews said, smiling as she looked at the album art. Thompson agreed, pointing out how shiny the album was before the two revealed their favorite songs from the record.
When Thompson suggested they each name their top track on the count of three, the two hosts answered almost at once: “Canceled,” said Thompson. “Father Figure,” replied Andrews, a song Swift’s fans have noted reflects themes of strength and personal growth.
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Era Wins Over Fans
Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” has become a global sensation since its October 3 release. The album, which dives into the idea of women reclaiming power, creativity and control in their careers, has been praised for its mix of storytelling and modern pop flair.
Swift’s fiancé, Travis Kelce, even joined in the celebration. On his “New Heights” podcast, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end called the album “absolutely amazing.”
“She’s done it again. She’s put the world on tilt,” he added.
For Andrews, who recently interviewed Kelce after his romantic proposal to Swift, the album’s success feels extra special. Just weeks ago, she was one of the first to ask Kelce about how the pop star has changed his life. Kelce told her Swift had “brought excitement and joy” that made him a better person.
Now, with Andrews herself joining the fan excitement, the sports and pop culture worlds seem more connected than ever.
Odell Beckham’s NFL return on hold amid six-game suspension
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Odell Beckham Jr. has ambitions of playing in the NFL in 2025. But if the free-agent wide receiver does sign with a franchise this year, he will have to sit on the sidelines for at least six weeks.
During a recent sitdown on
Senate confirms Herschel Walker as U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Herschel Walker as U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas.
Walker, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump who unsuccessfully ran for a Senate seat in Georgia three years ago, was confirmed along with more than 100 other nominees in a 51-47 vote that fell along party lines.
Walker will be the first U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas in nearly 15 years. The U.S. embassy there has been led by a series of chargés d’affaires since 2011.
Walker is a former NFL player who played with Dallas, Minnesota, Philadelphia and the New York Giants. He won the Heisman Trophy while at the University of Georgia.
He lost his Senate campaign in 2022 to Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in a runoff. Walker’s campaign was marked by turbulence and scandal, including financial troubles, micromanaging and questions about Walker’s past that he struggled to address. Weeks before the election, a report revealed that Walker, who ran on an anti-abortion platform, had paid for an abortion in 2009.
He acknowledged having given a $700 check to an ex-partner, but denied knowing it was for an abortion, in a 2022 interview with NBC News.
Trump defended Walker amid the abortion report that rocked his campaign. Walker later stumped for Trump in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.
Trump nominated Walker for the diplomatic post in December 2024, praising him in his announcement as “an Ambassador to our Nation’s youth, our men and women in the Military, and athletes at home and abroad.”
The ambassadorship has been vacant since Nicole Avant, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, left in 2011.
Obama nominated Cassandra Butts, who had served as deputy White House counsel during his presidency, to the post in 2014, but the Senate did not act on the nomination. He re-nominated Butts a year later, but she died while her nomination was pending.
Judge Again Rules in Brian Flores Favor in Lawsuit Against NFL
Afederal court has denied the NFL’s request to force the Brian Flores discrimination case into arbitration, meaning the case is set to be litigated in open court.
In August, a three-judge panel ruled that Flores’ claims against the New York Giants, Denver Broncos, and Houston Texans could not be compelled to arbitration overseen by the NFL, though his claims involving the Miami Dolphins could proceed through that process. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on Tuesday declined to grant a full-court rehearing, affirming that those claims must move forward to trial.
The NFL has been involved in a number of legal battles lately, but the ramifications for Flores’ suit going to open court could cause major shockwaves among the league’s majority-Black players.
What is Brian Flores Alleging in His Lawsuit?
Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL and three teams in 2022. In the suit, he accused the league of being “rife with racism” in its hiring practices and claimed he faced racial discrimination during his tenure as head coach of the Dolphins. Flores alleged “systemic racial discrimination in the hiring, retention, and termination of NFL coaches and executives.” He further contended that the Broncos and Giants subjected him to “sham” head-coaching interviews, and that the Dolphins and Texans retaliated against him. The Texans were later added to the case after coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton joined the lawsuit as co-plaintiffs.
After filing the lawsuit, Flores acknowledged that taking legal action against the NFL could have jeopardized the coaching career he loves. Still, he said the risk was worth it if his efforts could help bring lasting change and challenge systemic racism in the league for future generations.
The NFL has rejected Flores’ allegations as “without merit” and maintained that his claims should be resolved through arbitration under the league’s constitution. That provision grants Commissioner Roger Goodell the authority to decide certain disputes or appoint an independent arbitrator to handle them. Because coaches agree to the NFL constitution when signing their employment contracts, the league argued the arbitration clause applies to Flores’ case.
In 2023, Judge Valerie Caproni’s ruled that the clause does cover Flores’ claims against the Dolphins, since he was employed by the team at the time. However, she determined it does not extend to his claims against the NFL or the other teams. The appeals court upheld that decision, finding the arbitration process unfair because it allows Goodell to influence who oversees disputes involving the league—or even himself personally.
In the ruling, Caproni wrote that the coaches’ accounts of racial discrimination within the NFL were “deeply troubling,” noting the league’s “long history of systemic discrimination against Black players, coaches, and managers.”
“Although the clear majority of professional football players are Black, only a tiny percentage of coaches are Black,” she said.
Flores’ Attorneys Argue the NFL Stalling
In September, Flores’ legal team filed a motion asking the court to reconsider the 2023 order that had sent parts of the case to arbitration.
At the time, Flores’ attorneys told ESPN that “Any attempt by the NFL to further delay and avoid litigation of these claims should respectfully be rejected.”
But the arbitration process has not moved since legal briefs were exchanged in December 2024. “As such,” Flores’ attorneys said, “the entire arbitration has been in a complete standstill and effective stay.”
Flores Considered One of Best Coordinators in NFL
Flores spent the 2022 season as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers before taking over as the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive coordinator in 2023. Under his leadership, Minnesota’s defense has ranked among the league’s best this year, allowing just 1,449 yards through five games—the sixth-fewest in the NFL. Known for his highly aggressive play-calling, Flores has turned the Vikings into one of the league’s top blitzing defenses. After the 2024 season, he interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Jets but did not advance past the initial round of interviews.
Flores has had two former quarterbacks publicly express disdain for him. Tua Tagovailoa characterized him as a “terrible person” who frequently told him that he “suck[ed].” Based on this account, it appeared that Tagovailoa viewed Flores’ termination as linked to his performance rather than his race. While Ryan Fitzpatrick said Flores had become a “dictator” by the end of his tenure with the club and that he “broke” Tagovailoa. Both quarterbacks could be witnesses if and when the case goes to trial.
Jonathan Gannon Suffers 6-Figure Loss After Punching Cardinals RB Emari Demercado
There have been quite a few bottle jobs this season in the NFL. But no one has yet thrown the game away like the Arizona Cardinals did in what resulted in a 21-22 loss to the Tennessee Titans. What made the loss even uglier was Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon losing his cool and punching his own running back Emari Demercado on the sideline. Naturally, the Cardinals were not going to let that slide.
According to reporter Adam Schefter of ESPN, Gannon is going to get hit with a 6-figure fine. “Cardinals are fining HC Jonathan Gannon $100,000 for his sideline altercation with RB Emari Demercado, who dropped the football before crossing the goal line Sunday on what would’ve been a 72-yard touchdown run. There will be no further discipline for Gannon,” he wrote on X.
The incident went down early in the fourth quarter.
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Demercado broke loose and sprinted 72 yards downfield, untouched, seemingly about to give his team a 27-6 lead. Then came the disaster.
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Just before stepping into the end zone, he let go of the football before what would’ve been a touchdown that would’ve given the Cardinals a 27-6 lead. You could argue that would’ve ended the game right there. Instead, everything unraveled from there. The Titans possessed all the momentum, scored 16 points to the Cardinals’ zero, and won it on a last-second field goal. It was just the latest meltdown for the Cardinals, who’ve now managed to lose three straight games in the same fashion.
Following the play, Demercado was on the sideline exchanging words with left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and guard Will Hernandez. Johnson later said he was trying to cheer him up, telling him to “wipe it off” and get on with it. That’s when Gannon came in. After yelling at Demercado’s face, Gannon punched near his right shoulder pad as he stormed away.
Now, we’ve seen fiery coach-player moments before. Even Andy Reid and Travis Kelce were practically nose-to-nose earlier this season. But a head coach punching his player out of frustration? That’s a different level. To his credit, Gannon owned up to it the next morning.
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“I woke up this morning and didn’t feel great about it, honestly, so in the team meeting I addressed it,” Gannon said. “I apologized to Emari, I apologized to the team, and I just told them I kind of let the moment of what happened get the better of me there.” Now, punching your own guy is never going to look good, but you could tell why frustration was boiling over. And it won’t get any easier.
Jonathan Gannon faces a difficult road ahead
Sunday’s game was basically a highlight reel of self-destruction: a fumble off Kyler Murray’s facemask in the red zone, an interception that turned into a Tennessee touchdown after the ball got kicked loose in the end zone… it was chaos. The Titans pulled their first win of the season. As for Jonathan Gannon and the Cardinals, the road ahead is only going to become harder.
The season started off looking like a redemption arc for Arizona after an 8-9 finish last year: two straight wins against the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, and it felt like maybe, just maybe, the Cardinals had figured something out. But that optimism didn’t last long. Three straight losses later (all by field goals), it all fell apart.
And it won’t get any easier next week. Because next up? The Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback Daniel Jones, whose 1,290 passing yards have him at 3rd in the league, has led them to 163 total points (2nd behind the Detroit Lions). They are, as things stand, legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
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Defensively, the Cardinals are still holding up their end of the bargain. They’re allowing just 19.2 points per game, which ranks fourth in the league. But there’s a clear split personality issue with this team. The offense? Not so much. They’re averaging 20.6 points per game, which puts them all the way down at 23rd.
Gannon and Murray have to figure things out fast.
Big Ten Should Get 4 Teams in Each College Football Playoff, Former NFL Head Coach Says
The Big Ten conference added four teams, UCLA, USC, Washington and Oregon, to its roster before last season in hopes of shaking up the college football landscape.
What followed was seismic shift in conference perception that had fans proclaiming commissioner Tony Petitti’s conference as the best in all the land with the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in second place, a wholly unfamiliar spot.
The success of the Big Ten’s expansion has carried over into 2025-26 with Oregon, Ohio State, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and other Big Ten teams experiencing a high level of success.
The Big Ten isn’t guaranteed more than one spot in the College Football Playoffs this season, but one former NFL and current league coach thinks that should change.
Matt Rhule Speaks Out on CFP
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule spoke out on his own personal proposal for the Big Ten and the College Football Playoff going forward.
“In the Big Ten, we have to go into someone else’s stadium in our league five times and duke it out,” Rhule said.
“But I think we’ll have a lot of access to the College Football Playoff. I think four teams should get in every year because this is the best league. This is the NFL of college football in my mind. It stretches from coast to coast, different time zones, different weather.”
Nebraska Building Case for Playoff Berth
Nebraska knocked off the visiting Michigan State Spartans last weekend in Lincoln, Neb., giving Rhule’s team its fourth win in five tries so far this season.
The Cornhuskers will next travel to College Park, Maryland to take on coach Mike Locksley’s Terrapins in what should be a challenging but winnable game.
Rhule’s team doesn’t play Ohio State or Oregon this year, widely regarded as the top two teams in Petitti’s conference, giving them a potential inside track to the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, December 6.
Rhule’s plan isn’t likely to drum up a whole lot of support but it speaks to the confidence that Big Ten coaches have in their league.
The Cornhuskers boast a former five-star QB in Dylan Raiola and several talented playmakers including running back Emmet Johnson, who starred against MSU, but still aren’t being seen as a legit College Football Playoffs favorite because of the logjam of strong teams ahead of them in the standings.
Eagles GM Implored To Add To Core Position After Struggles
The Philadelphia Eagles lost their much-coveted unbeaten streak in the NFL on Sunday when they fell to the Denver Broncos.
Coming into the year, the Eagles were looking to rebuild their edge-rushing corps with young, ascending talents like Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith, both of whom came of massively during last postseason’s Super Bowl run, as Josh Sweat and Milton Williams both departed in free agency, and Brandon Graham retired after a behemoth 15-year career in the NFL – the entirety of which was spent in Philadelphia.
Now facing season-ending injuries to Smith, in addition to offseason addition, Ogbo Okoronkwo, the team are having to go with more of a committee-style approach to the position.
This past weekend, four outside linebackers played at least 1/3 of defensive snaps, Hunt, Azeez Ojulari, Josh Uche and Za’Darius Smith, with Patrick Johnson also chiming in on 11%.
Howie Roseman Encouraged To Find Another Edge Rusher
However, according to The Philly Special’s Anthony DiBona, writing on Monday, the team – i.e. general manager, Howie Roseman, should look to make additions to the unit before the trade deadline in a month’s time.
“Philadelphia’s edge rusher rotation has shown signs of life, yet it hasn’t been nearly consistent enough.” DiBona wrote. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman likely isn’t happy with the lack of pressure that Philadelphia’s pass rush has generated through the first five weeks of the regular season.
The Eagles have recorded just seven sacks in 2025, which is 25th in the NFL. Za’Darius Smith is the only edge rusher that has registered a sack for the Eagles this season. Philadelphia’s pass rush off the edge needs to improve and Roseman likely has to make a trade to fix the issue.”
The Eagles’ Pass Rush Has Not Lived Up To Expectations In 2025
Part of the disparity between the Broncos and Eagles in week 5 was in getting to the quarterback. The Eagles – sans Nolan – managed just 2 sacks, whilst the Broncos got to famously mobile Jalen Hurts 6 times, in what is admittedly one of the better defensive fronts in football.
If the Eagles are to compete, they will need to up their game up front despite having lost key players in free agency in March, and more recently to injury over the past few weeks.
Philadelphia are ranked joint 25th in the league in sacks per game, tied with teams like the New York Jets and the Tennessee Titans, who have a combined 1-9 record to start the season. And whilst their grading out by ESPN’s “pass rush win rate” metric is a little better than their sack totals, coming in at 41%, it still has them as only an average team in the league (17/32).
Predicting Detroit Lions’ Next 4 Games Against Chiefs, Buccaneers, Vikings and Commanders
Summary points:
The Lions have a tough four-game stretch coming up
Terrion Arnold is out but the Lions have a strong defense
Detroit is out for revenge against the Commanders
The Detroit Lions have won four of their first five games to start the 2025-26 NFL season and are coming off of a solid road showing in Cincinnati.
The Lions’ win over the Bengals didn’t come without a cost as starting quarterback Terrion Arnold went down with a shoulder injury that was initially feared to be season ending.
Arnold posted a positive message (‘God is good…’) on Tuesday as he sparked hopes of a return at some point this season.
The former first round draft pick won’t play in the Lions’ next game against the Kansas City Chiefs, but Detroit still has a strong chance to win considering their impressive road performances so far this season.
Chicago Bears’ $5Billion Bet: Is the NFL Now in the Real Estate Business?
When the Chicago Bears first announced their $5B vision for Arlington Heights, they weren’t just drawing up blueprints for a football stadium. They were trying to redraw the playbook for what an NFL team could be. But every big plan comes with a big ask.
To turn this dream into a 21st-century reality, the Bears now want $855M in public funds to cover infrastructure upgrades. And that’s where the state of Illinois finds itself, in the familiar tension between big vision and bigger bills.
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The $855M ask: What’s it for?
Team President Kevin Warren calls it transformational. “The Chicago Bears belong to more than just Chicago. We belong to the entire state of Illinois,” Warren said. “We are at a pivotal juncture of the Chicago Bears franchise to build a new stadium,” and it’s hard to argue with the ambition. The plan centers on a 65,000-seat domed stadium (expandable to 77,000) built on the old Arlington Park racetrack, designed to host everything from Super Bowls to international soccer. Despite the scale, the Bears insist the stadium itself, projected to cost $2B, will be entirely privately financed.
But the stadium is just the anchor. Surrounding it would rise a live-work-play neighborhood:
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1,150 apartments
300,000 sq. ft. of retail
200,000 sq. ft. of office space
Two hotels with 400 rooms
Arlington Heights expects $15M in annual local tax revenue, while Warren projects a $10B economic impact during construction and $256M annually once it opens. Yet every delay costs $10M a month, turning ambition into anxiety. The question is: can this investment become a win, or will taxpayers be left holding the playbook?
Here’s where the math gets messy.
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If the Bears stay at Soldier Field, taxpayers stand to earn roughly $259M over 40 years in rent, plus $240M more from state and local taxes. That’s about $67M a year in steady revenue, money that Arlington Heights may never match. Yet the Chicago Bears insist their shiny new deal will net the community $28M annually, conveniently overlooking what taxpayers already earn. But the question arises: when did the game start favoring the owners over the fans?
Why every NFL owner is suddenly in real estate
Across the league, billionaire owners are realizing the real money isn’t inside the stadium, it’s in everything around it. The modern playbook isn’t just about selling tickets; it’s about owning the entire experience, from where fans park, eat, shop, and sleep, to where they stream the highlights later. Stadiums are no longer standalone arenas; they’re anchors for billion‑dollar entertainment districts that never take an offseason. For instance:
SoFi Stadium & Hollywood Park (Rams/Chargers): A $5.5B mega‑project privately funded by Stan Kroenke, surrounded by 2,500 homes, offices, retail, and parks. Estimated annual revenue: $139.4M.
Allegiant Stadium (Raiders): A $1.9B venture split between $1.15B private and $750M public funding. The Raiders pay just $1 a year in rent while pulling in $77.9M annually.
For owners, the logic is simple: eight home games can’t sustain a billion‑dollar business, but 365 days of shopping, dining, concerts, hotels, and office leases can. These developments turn stadiums into living, breathing cash machines that fund themselves long after the final whistle. And if the returns are this lucrative, one has to wonder: why is the public still being asked to play investor when the owners have already scored?
The public debate: Dream or handout?
The Chicago Bears are asking for $855M in public funding to support roads, utilities, and transit access around their new Arlington Heights stadium, about 17% of the overall $5B project. Naturally, this has sparked a debate.
Supporters say:
Infrastructure serves the community, not just football fans: smoother roads, better transit, and modern utilities help everyone.
Bears project 56,000 construction jobs, 9,000 permanent jobs, 370 events per year, up to $1.3B in new state tax revenue over 40 years.
Hosting global events (Super Bowl, Final Four, World Cup games) could cement Chicago as a true sports capital.
Skeptics say:
Taxpayers are footing the bill while a mega-wealthy team and league reap the most profit.
The Bears’ last stadium deal (Soldier Field in 2003) still costs the city: over $525M in debt remains.
Historical evidence suggests public investments in stadiums often fail to deliver promised returns. For instance, the Marlins’ stadium was funded with $2.4B in public money but faced criticism for not delivering the expected returns.
It’s a debate Chicago knows well and one Washington, D.C. is living through right now. The Commanders’ $3.7B RFK redevelopment, with $1B in city funds, drew heavy backlash but still passed an 11-2 Council vote this year. History says stadium math rarely adds up. And yet, history keeps repeating itself.
Beyond the scoreboard
Forget wins and losses, what’s happening in Arlington Heights is about building empires, not just end zones. The Chicago Bears aren’t settling for football glory; they’re auditioning for the role of urban powerhouse, flipping the script on what it means to own an NFL franchise. With the team’s value sitting at $8.2B (and climbing), they’re proving that stadium districts can be as transformative to a skyline as they are to a balance sheet. Just ask the LA Rams.
In 2025, Forbes tagged them at $6.6B, more than double their worth a decade ago, not because of touchdowns, but thanks to a playbook heavy on real estate savvy. Stadiums used to mean eight blockbuster Sundays and a long off‑season. Now, they’re year‑round ATMs: apartments with skyline views, office leases, shopping plazas, hotel nights, and even streaming deals that keep the scoreboard glowing in the offseason. The question is: can the Bears pull off the same play without fumbling public trust?
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For the Bears, leaving Soldier Field isn’t just a move up the road. It’s a leap into the next era of sports, real estate, and round-the-clock entertainment. But before the ribbon cutting, there’s the October 14 state legislature showdown. The Bears want lawmakers to greenlight public funding, part of $855M ask. Infrastructure help? Fine. A taxpayer‑backed fortune for a private venture? That’s a Hail Mary that taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to catch. This isn’t civic love, it’s a cash grab dressed in team colors.
If Arlington Heights works, the Bears won’t just build the next great NFL stadium. They’ll set the template for building the next great American city, one with a football team at its heart.
Satou Sabally Defends Napheesa Collier After Adam Silver’s Comment on CBA Tensions
It’s been a week since Napheesa Collier dropped major allegations against the WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert. The aftermath of those remarks led to a league-wide fallout, with players like Satou Sabally speaking against the WNBA. The situation’s intensity compelled even the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, to weigh in. He stated the WNBA went through some “growth pains” and defended Engelbert by saying, “it’s become too personal and we’re going to have to work through those issues.” Well, players like Satou Sabally couldn’t agree more or care less.
Media members interviewed Sabally during a practice session held a day before Game 3 of the WNBA Finals. Adam Silver’s comments remained in her memory as it led the 3x WNBA All-Star to say, “It is very personal because the WNBA wants to forbid us to make a lot of more money than we’re ever going to make here, what it seems like in other leagues. So, it’s very personal. People have families. This is our job. We make more money in China, Russia, Turkey, than here. So, it is very personal, and I don’t think why it should become personal.”
The WNBA has never been a profitable league. Adam Silver once said in 2018 that the WNBA’s losses were roughly $10 million yearly. Reports last fall said the WNBA was due to lose $40 million in 2024. Despite that, several factors, especially the ‘Caitlin Clark Effect’, have increased game viewership, attendance, and merchandise sales.
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Additionally, the 11-year, $2.2 billion media rights deal that Cathy Engelbert brought in boasts a projected revenue of $1 billion this year. Even though the league has yet to churn out profit consistently, the players looked to take advantage of the expiring CBA deal and negotiate a better pay package. The players stand united, from speaking out on the issue separately to donning the ‘Pay Us What You Owe Us’ T-shirts during the WNBA All-Star game.
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However, while this fact has been known for quite a while, Napheesa Collier’s comments added a significant dose of fuel to the mild fire. From saying the WNBA has the “worst leadership in the world” to highlighting Cathy Engelbert allegedly saying stuff like ‘Only the losers complain about the refs’ and that Caitlin Clark should be ‘thankful’ for the platform the league has given her, Napheesa Collier put down the WNBA commissioner right smack in the middle of negotiations.
Despite her previous statements, Collier stands firm, as demonstrated by her decision to call off an upcoming meeting with the WNBA commissioner. Several WNBA players have supported Collier, including Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. Therefore, the players refuse to budge even as Adam Silver looks to resolve things before the October 31 deadline for the current CBA.
In such situations, knowing who holds the upper hand is hard. Despite that, every bit of support towards Napheesa Collier counts. After all, even after a week, not everyone has publicly thrown their support behind the 29-year-old.
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Rachel A. DeMita highlighted Caitlin Clark’s teammates’ silence on Napheesa Collier’s remarks
A few days ago, WNBA analyst Rachel A. DeMita hosted an ‘impromptu’ episode of her ‘Courtside Club’ show. During the segment, she highlighted the list of players who serve as representatives of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA). Amongst them were the Chicago Sky’s Rachel Banam and Ariel Atkins, who had yet to speak up supporting Napheesa Collier’s allegations against Cathy Engelbert. Also on the list was Aliyah Boston, a surprise since she is Caitlin Clark’s teammate.
“Yes, we have heard players be super vocal, but even if you look at…. okay, New York. Sabrina Ionescu is the voice for the New York team. If we look at the Indiana Fever, it’s Aliyah Boston, and then the alternate is Lexie Hull,” said DeMira. “Now, Lexie Hull was somebody who came out and supported Phee, and said that she made a lot of good points. Aliyah Boston was someone who kind of skirted around these questions and tried to make light of everything.”
A major reason why Napheesa Collier’s allegations have garnered attention is that she claimed Engelbert privately told her that Caitlin Clark and other young stars “should be on their knees” in gratitude for the opportunities the league has provided them. From Sophie Cunningham saying, “The disrespect is just crazy to me” to Stephanie White accusing Clark of being used as a ‘pawn’, several Indiana Fever stars’ peers have come out to support her.
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Even Clark came out in support of Phee. Therefore, what is stopping Aliyah Boston? Not everyone can win everyone over to a specific issue. However, if a rival player is willing to speak up against the viewpoint of the NBA commissioner for you, then that means something.
Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys Admit They “Can’t Function” Like Serena Williams After Motherhood
The grind of professional tennis never truly softens, but when motherhood enters the story, it reshapes everything. Caroline Wozniacki’s triumphant return, toppling Tatiana Prozorova, and Belinda Bencic’s victorious comeback at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Open prove that fire never fades; it only burns differently. Yet, no comeback echoes louder than Serena Williams, who redefined greatness by conquering slams, turning resilience into legacy. Now, eyes turn to the next generation: Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys, as the question lingers like a rally that never ends: can they summon the same hunger, the same fight, when motherhood calls? Well, they’ve made their stance clear.
In a sport where the grind never truly ends, the question of returning after motherhood cuts deeper than any forehand. In a recent episode of The Player’s Box Podcast, two of America’s finest, Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys, spoke candidly about whether they’d ever consider coming back to the tour after maternity.
Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, didn’t hesitate when asked. “I don’t see that happening,” she said bluntly, before admitting, “I also feel like I have a hard enough time traveling and like keeping myself on a schedule. I can’t imagine adding a baby to that like for all people involved.” The honesty in her words painted the picture of a life already stretched thin, a world built on constant flights, shifting time zones, and never-ending physical demands.
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She continued, her tone mixing admiration and exhaustion. “I just feel like it would be really really hard,” Keys added. “And I’m so impressed at all of the moms on tour who do it. Especially like there’s a few that have multiple children and everything and it’s just like yeah it’s totally fine like no problem and I’m like I can’t function like how are you managing playing like jet lag training enough all of the things and then it’s like you’re also a mom like all of the time how do you do that.”
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*** NUR FUeR REDAKTIONELLE ZWECKE *** EDITORIAL USE ONLY ***OMR 23. Online Marketing Rockstars Festival in den Messehallen. Conference. Openinmg von OMR Gruender Tennis Legende Serena Williams Foto: Marcelo Hernandez/ Funke Foto Services Hamburg Copyright: MarceloxHernandezx/xFUNKExFotoxServices *** FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY p OMR 23 Online Marketing Rockstars Festival in the exhibition halls Conference Openinmg of OMR founder tennis legend Serena Williams Photo Marcelo Hernandez Funke Foto Services Hamburg Copyright MarceloxHernandezx xFUNKExFotoxServices Copyright: MarceloxHernandezx/xFUNKExFotoxServices doc7q57vvhtr6s55n9h9z4 ,EDITORIAL USE ONLY
Jessica Pegula, too, kept it straight and simple. “No,” she said. “There’s no chance I would come back after having a kid.” Her voice carried no hesitation, only respect. “I admire and respect the ones that do, but that’s just not in the cards for me. I cannot see myself doing that at all.” Both women spoke from a place of realism, not rejection of motherhood, but recognition of its weight in a sport that demands complete devotion.
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That’s where the conversation circles back to the legend who changed the conversation entirely: Serena Williams. She returned to professional tennis just eight months after giving birth to her daughter, Olympia, battling through health complications that included a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Even before that, she was two months pregnant when she defeated her sister Venus in the 2017 Australian Open final, sealing her 23rd major and breaking Steffi Graf’s Open Era record.
Serena once said, “I never questioned my return.” Her belief became the blueprint for what was possible, proof that motherhood could coexist with greatness. Today, players like Taylor Townsend, another American balancing tour life and motherhood, carry that torch forward.
Yet, as Pegula and Keys made clear, not every path is meant to mirror Serena’s. The grind is relentless, the balance unforgiving, and in the end, every woman writes her own story, in tennis and in life.
Taylor Townsend reflects on juggling motherhood and her tennis career
Just like Serena Williams, Taylor Townsend stands at the crossroads of two relentless worlds: motherhood and professional tennis. And does it sound easy? Hardly. Before this year’s US Open, Townsend peeled back the curtain on her daily chaos, revealing the tug-of-war between chasing trophies and raising her young son, Adyn. “And then on top of that, it’s like pick up from school and got to wake up at 6 am, then you gotta leave, pack a lunch box, pack a snack, I need a uniform, where are my shoes, like I am tired,” she confessed. Her exhaustion was raw, her words real. “And oh, on top of that, remember when I got here and I said Oh, I gotta unpack. Oh what? Pack! My suitcases are so packed from the last couple of weeks, so I gotta unpack that and then for New York again.”
Her voice carried both humor and truth, the portrait of a mother fighting time, fatigue, and expectation. Yet, beneath the weariness, there was steel. Townsend’s determination to keep going, to make room for both her dreams and her son, echoed that of Serena before her, women redefining what strength means in sport.
Even earlier this year, in June, Townsend spoke candidly about the emotional toll of juggling both worlds. Through a series of Instagram stories, she wrote, “I’m always a positive person, but you know I always pride myself on being real.” That day, she admitted feeling low, confronting moments of personal struggle, especially when it came to those she loves most.
She didn’t sugarcoat the battle. “We don’t have the luxury as athletes to kind of, like, bring that sh-t out and, you know, feel it,” she said, underlining the constant pressure to stay composed, to perform, to endure.
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For Townsend, like Serena, the journey is a balancing act between heart and hunger. Each day brings a new challenge: a school run, a flight, a forehand. Yet, the fire remains.
And as the tour grinds on, perhaps one day, stars like Jessica Pegula and Madison Keys might feel that same pull, that chance to return after motherhood. Because if there’s one thing motherhood in tennis has proven, it’s that love and ambition can share the same court, even when the odds don’t.
Glen Powell Brings Hollywood Heat to the NASCAR Playoffs
Highlights
Glen Powell has been confirmed as the grand marshal for the South Point 400.
The actor admitted that he couldn’t be happier with the opportunity as a lifelong race fan.
The Las Vegas race will kickstart the Cup Series Round of 8.
Hollywood magic will head to Sin City this weekend. “Top Gun: Maverick” star Glen Powell will bring his charming charisma and love for speed to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway to serve as the Grand Marshal for Sunday’s South Point 400. A lifelong race fan, Powell had no second thoughts when the invitation for the role came.
He quipped elatedly, “I’ve grown up around a love of speed and competition, and NASCAR racing embodies that passion like no other. To be part of this tradition in Las Vegas, with all the energy and excitement of the fans, is going to be an unforgettable experience.”
Powell will also serve a major role in the pre-race festivities as a part of the promotions for his upcoming movie, “The Running Man”. Other celebrities who have been honored with this position as grand marshal at Las Vegas previously include Morgan Freeman, Kim Kardashian, Tim Allen, and UFC President Dana White.
Powell is a licensed pilot and a star known for playing adventurous characters on the screen, from fighter pilots to storm chasers. He has a genuine connection with the world of speed and the thrill of competition, and this makes him a perfect match to be a NASCAR grand marshal.
Powell Comes to NASCAR at a Pivotal Moment
The upcoming event is the first race of the Cup Series Round of 8. It will provide the remaining eight drivers in the hunt for the championship an opportunity to lock themselves in the Championship 4, which will confirm their eligibility to race for the title at the Phoenix Raceway.
It was a year ago at this juncture that Joey Logano won at Vegas to launch himself into the Championship 4 and win the championship. It is yet to be seen who among the current crop can emulate that feat. Logano himself is one of the eight drivers and could very well follow in his own footsteps.
As the Round of 8 roars to life under the bright lights of Las Vegas, Powell’s presence brings a touch of Hollywood magic to a Sunday already powered by high stakes.
NASCAR Fans Left Reeling as Ross Chastain’s Roval Move Triggers Penalty Calls
The last Sunday at the Charlotte Roval will haunt Ross Chastain for months (maybe longer). You could see it written all over his face as he climbed out of his battered Trackhouse Chevrolet. He remarked, “It’s heartbreaking for almost 200 employees at Trackhouse, for our teammates, for ECR Engines — everybody that helps make this go round.” With the checkered flag within sight, he sat one precious point ahead of Joey Logano. One singular point. This prompted a desperate move from him, which didn’t just cost him a playoff spot; it reignited a fiery debate that would follow him long after the race ended.
As the drivers started the final lap of the race, Ross Chastain needed to pass Denny Hamlin by the end of it to secure his spot in the playoffs. And his spotter’s urgent call, “Get to the No. 11,” was all the motivation Chastain needed. So, Chastain dove into the final chicane with everything he had. What followed was chaos.
Both Chastain and Denny Hamlin spun out, scattering cars behind them and reshuffling the entire finishing order. As others raced past the carnage, Joey Logano slipped through unscathed, and Chastain’s playoff dreams vanished in a cloud of tire smoke. The final results? Joey Logano (20th) finished ahead of Denny Hamlin (23rd) and, most importantly, Ross Chastain (21st). But truth be told, this wasn’t just one bad moment for Ross Chastain.
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The cracks had started showing earlier in the race. A pit road miscue during the first stage dropped Chastain 15 spots, a costly blunder that forced him to claw his way back. Then came a speeding penalty with fewer than 30 laps to go, another gut punch in a race where every second counted. Yet somehow, he fought back into contention, even passing Logano with 11 laps left for 13th place to reclaim hope.
For a fleeting moment, it looked like ‘The Watermelon Man’ might just pull off another miracle. But with Logano on fresher tires and Chastain fading fast, the gap tightened. Each lost position was another nail in his playoff coffin. By the time the white flag waved, it was all slipping away. The final dash and the resulting spin were just the exclamation point on a cruel afternoon.
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As the dust settled, fans were divided. On one hand, fans were sad about Chastain being knocked out of the playoffs. But another section debated whether Chastain’s bold move was a racer’s instinct or a reckless mistake deserving of a penalty (irrespective of the outcome)? That’s where the real storm began.
The NASCAR community is divided over Ross Chastain’s moves
Ross Chastain’s bold final-lap attempt at the Charlotte Roval ignited passionate debate among fans and experts alike. One fan emphasized that Chastain did not intentionally wreck Denny Hamlin. “There is a difference between trying to make an overly ambitious move that doesn’t work and just straight up wrecking someone for the win,” they commented.
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If you look at it, Ross Chastain went for a desperate “Hail Mary” move. It was a last-ditch, high-risk pass on worn tires, meant to snatch a playoff spot with everything on the line. He needed to overtake Hamlin, no matter what! In doing so, Chastain spun himself out as well, showing reckless ambition rather than malice.
Addressing the same on his Actions Detrimental podcast, Denny Hamlin said, “I would appreciate NASCAR or someone sending me a text. They don’t have to say it publicly, but just let me know whether that will be allowed. Certainly, I don’t think you’re going to be allowed to just wipe someone out to move on. I mean, it’s an intentional wreck, isn’t it?”
Another fan reminded everyone to “always remember the fine print: At NASCAR’s discretion.” And they are correct. The NASCAR rule book currently has Section 10, which deals with violations and disciplinary actions and evaluates such behavior on a case-by-case basis upon video review. Still, NASCAR allows last-lap aggression, and actions like the ‘bump-and-run,’ with penalties coming only on major violations. Another fan rightfully cited a similar incident involving Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch.
“Harvick got away with a similar move on Busch in 2020,” the fan commented. In the 2020 Martinsville race, Kevin Harvick found himself in a desperate battle to advance in the playoffs. With just one position needed to qualify, Harvick attempted a risky move by intentionally nudging Kyle Busch from behind on the last lap.
However, the move backfired as Harvick lost control and spun himself out, crashing into the inside wall. Despite Busch spinning, he managed to continue, while Harvick’s race (and playoff run) ended in disappointment. And at the end of it all, Harvick escaped without any penalties from NASCAR.
One heated question came swirling online. “Is it okay to come from five or more car lengths behind, with little chance of making a turn, then crash another driver?” Many view Chastain’s move as a desperate, understandable risk to stay alive in the playoffs. However, some fans felt Chastain was reckless and are asking for a penalty, arguing it’s dangerous and unfair to crash into another driver from too far back with no realistic shot at making the corner cleanly.
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Others believe NASCAR embraces these chaotic moments (and lets drivers go) because they generate viral content and social media buzz, helping attract a younger audience. “They like those moments to play in clips on social media. Don’t love it, but at least it’s a reason to hate the playoffs more,” one fan summarized.
Chastain’s Roval move encapsulates the harsh realities of NASCAR’s playoff system: split-second decisions, enormous pressure, and a patchwork of rules that leave drivers and fans debating fairness long after the checkered flag waves.
Penguins spoil old coach Sullivan’s Rangers debut with shutout win
Muse was an assistant with the Rangers the past two seasons and was hired on June 4 to replace Mike Sullivan, who coached the Penguins for 10 seasons before parting ways with the team on April 28. Sullivan was hired by the Rangers on May 2.
Arturs Silovs made 25 saves for the Penguins (1-0-0) for his first NHL shutout. Silovs, who was acquired in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on July 13, had a shutout in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Canucks in 2023-24.
Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves for the Rangers (0-1-0), who were shut out in their season opener for the first time since the 2020-21 season (4-0 against the New York Islanders).
Brazeau gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 19:28 of the first period. He took a pass from Evgeni Malkin after Malkin won a face-off and scored with a backhander up high.
Kopitar receives loud ovation from Kings fans before final home opener
Anze Kopitar had a greeting fit for a king.
The Los Angeles Kings captain received a warm ovation from fans during player introductions before what is slated to be his final home opener at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.
Kopitar saluted the roaring crowd as he skated on the ice before the Kings faced the Colorado Avalanche.
In September, the Kings star announced he will be retiring after the end of this season.
Kopitar is entering his 20th NHL season. He was drafted by the Kings with the 11th pick in the 2005 NHL Draft. He helped the franchise to two Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014.
In 2016 and 2018, Kopitar won the Selke Trophy, as the League’s best defensive forward.
The veteran forward was named the captain of the Kings in June 2016. Born in Slovenia, he is the first player from the country to play in the NHL.
Langley’s NHL draft pick on way to Vernon Vipers
One more player in, three moved out.
The Vernon Vipers, off to a 1-4-2 start in the 2025-26 B.C. Hockey League season, have acquired another player from the league’s Langley Rivermen while releasing three players.
The Snakes nabbed 20-year-old forward Sebastian Bradshaw, a Dallas Stars’ National Hockey League draft pick, from the Rivermen in exchange for a player development fee.
Hutson’s next contract; expectations for Canucks, Rangers
With Jackson LaCombe and Luke Hughes re-signing at $9 million per, where do you see Lane Hutson landing? — @kavanyoung
Those contracts give Hutson more leverage in his contract negotiations with the Montreal Canadiens than he already had coming off a Calder Trophy season as NHL rookie of the year. Hutson is in the last of his entry-level contract. It makes all the sense in the world for the Canadiens to sign him long-term. His AAV in that next contract could be $9.5 million or more considering Hughes is making $9 million per on a seven-year contract with the New Jersey Devils and LaCombe is reportedly getting the same AAV on an eight-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported on Monday that Hutson had been willing to take slightly less than $9.5 million on an eight-year contract before Hughes and LaCombe reset the market for young defensemen. She reported the Canadiens couldn’t get it done.
Montreal is still in a good position even if Hutson gets north of $9.5 million annually because its top three forwards — Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky — are all making less than $8 million per season on long-term contracts. Noah Dobson currently has the highest AAV on the team at $9.5 million. The expectation is that Hutson’s AAV on his next deal will beat that.
With Brock Boeser returning, how much pressure is on the core in Vancouver? If they can’t get it done, what happens next? — @punmasterrifkin
The pressure point on the Vancouver Canucks is Quinn Hughes’ contract, which expires after the 2026-27 season. Like Connor McDavid with the Edmonton Oilers, Hughes, the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman and Canucks captain, will want to know he will have a chance to win with Vancouver before he signs to remain there. There has to be progress toward that this season, so it’s up to Hughes, Boeser, forward Elias Pettersson, coach Adam Foote and Canucks management to push toward that goal of being a contender again this season. It was just two seasons ago when Vancouver was seen as a real Stanley Cup contender. Last season went off the rails and was filled with drama. If the Canucks can avoid that this season, stay healthy and be more dynamic offensively, they’ll be right there. Hughes led them with 76 points in 68 games last season; Boeser and Conor Garland were tied for second with 50 each. Pettersson had 45 points in 64 games. They have to become a more dangerous offensive team. If they fall flat again, the noise around Hughes and his future will get louder and it could lead to some massive changes next summer.
Realistic projection on how the Rangers will finish this year; no playoffs, playoffs and how far they go if they do make the playoffs? — @Commish43
The Rangers will bounce back after last season, not to where they were in 2023-24, when they won the Presidents’ Trophy by setting team records for wins (55) and points (114), but enough to get into the playoffs.
You’ll see below that I have them as the first wild card into the playoffs from the Eastern Conference, finishing fourth in what should be a tightly contested Metropolitan Division behind the Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals, but with enough points to qualify.
They have a loaded top-six forward group with J.T. Miller centering the top line between Mika Zibanejad and Will Cuylle, and Vincent Trocheck back between regular linemates Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Vladislav Gavrikov and Adam Fox have the potential to be one of the top defense pairs in the League this season, and without question Igor Shesterkin is one of the elite goalies in the NHL.
Depth, however, is the concern; can the Rangers get consistent scoring from their bottom-six forward group? Will their second and third defense pairs of Carson Soucy and Will Borgen, and Urho Vaakanainen and Braden Schneider, respectively, hold up? Will they get anything out of a second power-play unit that as of now, does not feature a center or a player who had 50 points last season? Those are real questions, and the uncertainty is the reason why I have them fourth in the division entering the season.
Every year I pose the same question for Canadian hockey fans: Which of the seven Canadian NHL teams is closest to winning the Stanley Cup? Edmonton has reached back-to-back finals while Toronto remains, well, Toronto. The last Canadian victory in 1993 feels like a distant legend told to inspire hope. So, when will a Canadian team finally lift the Cup? — @theashcity
It won’t be this season, at least in my opinion. Our NHL.com staff predictions came out this week. I was one of five of the 15 staff members who participated in the predictions to pick the Golden Knights to win the Stanley Cup. Four picked the Dallas Stars, three picked the Colorado Avalanche, and the Oilers, Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes were each picked one time.
The Oilers are clearly the best positioned to become the first Canada-based team to win the Stanley Cup since the Canadians in 1993 considering they’ve been to the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons. Connor McDavid’s new contract that kicks in next season, a two-year, $25 million deal he signed Monday, extending his $12.5 million cap charge through the 2027-28 season, gives Edmonton a three-year window to win a championship before No. 97 has another decision to make.
But will the goaltending hold up and will the power play make a difference when it matters most to win a championship? Those two areas have been problematic against Florida the past two seasons. Edmonton has been good enough to get to the Stanley Cup Final, but once there, its power play was inconsistent (7-for-47 in 13 games) and the goaltending deteriorated with untimely — and at times, admittedly — unacceptable goals against. It has prevented the Oilers from getting the job done. Last season, a 2-2 series after four games quickly ended in the Panthers’ favor thanks to a 5-2 win in Game 5 and a 5-1 victory in Game 6. Calvin Pickard started Game 5 and Edmonton trailed 2-0 in the first period. Stuart Skinner started Game 6 and, well, the Oilers were down 2-0 in the first. Each time, the second goal came in the final two minutes of the period. They were 0-for-3 on the power play in Game 5 and did not have a power play in Game 6.
Beyond the Oilers, there’s obviously hope for the Winnipeg Jets, who won the Presidents’ Trophy last season with 116 points, and the Toronto Maple Leafs, who continue to be a perennial playoff contender. Maybe one year, the Maple Leafs will break through. The Canadiens and Ottawa Senators are up and coming; each made the playoffs last season, but it would be going out on a big limb to say one will come out of the East this season and play for the Stanley Cup. The Canucks and Flames have to get back in the playoffs before we even think about one of them being the team that ends Canada’s Cup drought.
One team in each conference that made the playoffs last year but won’t this year. One team in each conference that missed the playoffs last year but will make it this year. If it’s too much, you can shrink this only one team who won’t make it and one team who will. — @FrankBrodka
In the Eastern Conference, I have the Rangers in and the Montreal Canadiens out.
Montreal made it last season and could do so again this season. Continued growth is expected. But my worry is that the Canadiens grabbed a hold of too much too soon last season, going 15-5-6 coming out of the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, playing to a .692 points percentage after playing to a .491 points percentage through 56 games going into the break. It got Montreal into the playoffs but it also accelerated their process to a degree that maybe they’re not ready for. It’s not uncommon to see regression before further growth when a team makes as big of a jump as the Canadiens did last season. If the Canadiens level off and the Rangers get back to being closer to what they were two seasons ago, 91 points, which was enough to get into the playoffs last season in the East, won’t be this season.
In the West, I have the Flames and Mammoth in, and the Kings and Wild out.
Los Angeles and Minnesota missing the playoffs are my boldest predictions. There were flashes from Calgary and Utah last season. I have concerns about the Kings getting back to being what they were last season, which was the second-best defensive team in the League with 2.48 goals against per game. Their power play doesn’t dominate and they’re not a shot quantity team. Regression defensively and in net could spell some trouble for the Kings. It’s really the same for the Wild, though a full season from Kirill Kaprizov (he played 41 games last season) might give them enough offense to get in provided they stay stingy defensively. The Flames and Mammoth both have some depth, some more scoring punch, quality goaltending and cap space to make moves later in the season.
NHL On Tap: Ovechkin closing in on 900 goals
There are four games on the NHL schedule Wednesday, and all are nationally televised. Here are five things to watch:
Related: How to watch and stream NHL games
Ovechkin chases 900
Alex Ovechkin needs three goals to become the first player in NHL history to score 900. The Washington Capitals captain became the League’s all-time leading goal-scorer last season, surpassing Wayne Gretzky (894). Ovechkin, 40, scored 44 goals, to go along with 73 points, in 65 games last season and will look to add to his total when the Capitals host the Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena (7:30 p.m. ET, HBO MAX, TNT).
Matthews eyes Sundin
Auston Matthews is 20 goals away from surpassing Mats Sundin (420) for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ franchise record, and he will continue the chase against the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN). Matthews scored 33 goals and had 78 points in 67 games last season, and he has 401 goals and 727 points in 629 career games. Matthews will be looking to win his fourth Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the League’s top goal-scorer this season.
New look for Marner
Mitch Marner will play his first game for the Vegas Golden Knights, who acquired him from the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1 after he signed an eight-year, $96 million contract ($12 million average annual value). The 28-year-old forward had 102 points (27 goals, 75 assists) in 81 games for Toronto last season. Marner is expected to play right wing on Vegas’ top line alongside center Jack Eichel and left wing Ivan Barbashev against the Los Angeles Kings at T-Mobile Arena (10 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT).
Dobson debut
Noah Dobson will make his debut for the Montreal Canadiens against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN). The defenseman was acquired in a trade with the New York Islanders on June 27 and signed an eight-year, $76 million contract ($9.5 million AAV). Dobson had 230 points (50 goals, 180 assists) in 388 games with the Islanders over six seasons and is expected to play on Montreal’s top defense pair alongside Mike Matheson.
Draisaitl looks for 400
Leon Draisaitl can become the fourth-fastest active player to reach 400 goals when the Edmonton Oilers host the Calgary Flames at Rogers Place (10 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN). The Oilers forward has scored 399 goals in 790 career games. Draisaitl will start the season on Edmonton’s top line alongside Connor McDavid, who signed a two-year, $25 million contract ($12.5 million AAV) on Monday that begins next season.
The schedule
Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN
Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals, 7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT
Calgary Flames at Edmonton Oilers, 10 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN
Sturm discusses path to Bruins coaching debut in sitdown with NHL.com
BOSTON — Marco Sturm found his future in the in-between time, when he was done playing, but had not yet looked beyond. He had come home to his family, in Florida, after his final year of playing in 2012-13, come back to regular dad life, and started coaching his son’s youth hockey team, before moving on to prep school.
Which was when, without expecting it, he hit on his new path.
He was coaching with a pair of former Florida Panthers, Tomas Vokoun and Radek Dvorak, all of them both underqualified and overqualified to lead the team. He remembers what they said.
“These guys are like, ‘Oh wow, you’re a coach,” Sturm recalled in a sitdown with NHL.com last week. “And I felt it too. I just had fun. I don’t know, the way I’m on the ice, off the ice, I don’t know. I think from that point on it kind of clicked.”
He reached out to the national team in his native Germany, not because he expected to be handed anything, not because he thought he was ready. He simply wanted to be involved.
“Then all of a sudden [they] offered me that [head coach] job, like caught me off guard totally, but I also — because I had that little experience with prep school and the hockey thing and the coaching — I didn’t hesitate,” Sturm said. “I said, ‘I’ll do it.’ Because I knew I will be good at it. Right away, I was confident enough that I can do it.”
It’s that confidence, that sureness in his own skills, his own ability, that suffuses Sturm’s words. He knew. He knew. He knew that he could be a head coach in the National Hockey League. And so he set out, single-minded in his pursuit of the goal, with no other options.
“When he decided to be a coach, he threw himself into it,” said Geoff Ward, who both coached Sturm on the Boston Bruins and served as an assistant coach under him on the German national team.
“He’s a very goal-oriented person and that was certainly one of his goals. He would talk about it and you knew that’s what he wanted to do.
“He marked out his path and he went along it, and now here he is.”
Sturm spent seven seasons in Los Angeles, between his work as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings and as a head coach with the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League, seven years away from his family while his kids were in middle and high school, seven years taking big and little steps toward becoming the coach he knew he could and should be.
He achieved that goal on June 5, when the Bruins opted to make Sturm the 30th head coach in their history, handing him the reins to a team in transition, a team whose history and run of recent success has left it searching for an identity and a new era.
That new era kicks off on Wednesday, when Sturm, veteran of 938 NHL games over 14 seasons, will stand behind the bench as head coach of his first, against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena (7:30 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, TNT).
It’s a moment, he admitted on Tuesday, that he expects to be “emotional.” But it is also, he believes, a moment he’s ready for, beginning this second career with a calm, unshakeable certainty in himself.
“I’m confident enough that I’m going to do the best that I can and be the same Marco Sturm that I’ve always been,” Sturm said on his first day of training camp. “At the end of the day, I want to get better. I want to get my players better. I want to win.”
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Coaching was not something he had ever really thought about before, not something that most who had coached him or played with him or seen him in his playing days had thought was his destiny. None of them saw this coming. (Or almost none.)
“I don’t think so,” former Boston Bruins coach Claude Julien said.
“I agree with what Claude said, I don’t know when he made the decision that he wanted to be a coach, but we never talked about it,” Ward said.
“No, no idea,” former teammate Dennis Seidenberg said.
“Honestly, as a teammate, I never thought he would be a coach,” former teammate Nate Thompson said.
Apprised of those statements, Sturm considered. He agreed. He didn’t think so either.
There is one person who could see it, though. Sturm remembers a conversation with his former teammate Shawn Thornton, when the pair were hanging out with a neighbor in Florida. The friend said that he, too, couldn’t see Sturm as a head coach.
Thornton disagreed.
“He’s like, damn right he is,” Sturm said. “So I ask him how come? He’s like, you don’t even realize how [much of] a leader you were as a player. I was not vocal. But he said, like, we all looked up to you.”
It was, for Sturm, simply natural.
Thornton confirmed the conversation in a text message. As he recalled, “I said it because Marco was always such a mature, quiet leader that managed people in the locker room well. Thought the game well. Had zero ego.”
He started as coach of the German national team, in 2015-16, a position even he admits he wasn’t quite ready to take on, but he didn’t hesitate.
He looked back, to Julien, to Ward, to coaches he had played under in the NHL, recalling ways of teaching, drills. He built his own system, adding in experienced voices, like Ward, to help him along, culminating in a silver medal for Germany at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, a massive moment for a country that had not won a hockey medal since West Germany took bronze in 1976.
It had been a steady path to that point, as he set out to ensure his own success, his own opportunities for professional development. He decided to do the same.
“I saw other coaches — good coaches, like really good coaches — volunteer, hey, can I be around for a month or a week or two, even for Bayern Munich, and they always allowed it,” Sturm said. “So I was always curious about that.
“I think I’m a goal-getter. I heard that name before and I like it. That’s why I say it. If I have something in mind, I really go for it, and I’m all in.”
He had gone to the draft, paying his own way, just to see people, to take meetings. He had remained in touch with Bill Guerin, then with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and John Hynes and Ward, then with the New Jersey Devils. He asked if he could come, listen, learn, build the foundation he might need when — not if — he advanced in the profession, as he had seen those soccer coaches do. He attended the Penguins’ development camp in 2018, acting as a guest instructor.
It wasn’t about learning X’s and O’s. Those, he knew. Instead, Sturm focused on watching coaches, the way they worked, their meeting style, how they handled their players in practice. He was, as Ward put it, “a sponge.”
“I already had the NHL in my mind,” Sturm said. “I want to be in this League. And I want to learn as quick as possible. I’m not afraid to do some tough work, dirty work, visiting and going to the minors. I didn’t mind that at all actually.
“But if I have something in mind, I want to get it. I want to get it done.”
He joined Todd McLellan’s staff in Los Angeles, getting experience as an assistant coach in the NHL, learning at the feet of someone he admired. But to become a head coach, Sturm believed, he needed to be a head coach.
“The confidence just grew, right?” he said. “And I was really confident and that’s why I made that step to the minors because, OK, now I only have one goal, to be a head coach. I don’t want to be an assistant. I really don’t. I’d rather probably go back to Germany and do the national team, I can do [it] in Europe, whatever, but I’m like, I’m going to do everything I can do to be a head coach in the NHL.”
So he headed to the minors, to the American Hockey League, for the first time in his career.
Midway through his second season as the head coach with the AHL’s Ontario Reign, Sturm sat down with Thompson, a player he had come to know as a teammate, as a player when serving as his assistant coach, and now as a member of the same coaching staff. Sturm had been, as Thompson put it, “a big influence on my career and me as a person,” a guiding hand and mentor.
In this moment, back in 2023-24, Thompson’s first year as the Reign’s skills coach, Sturm had intended merely to have a conference, to find out what Thompson might need from him, how he could help with the transition, help aid, as he always had.
“We were talking about everything and he said, ‘Well, what do you need from me?’” Thompson recalled. “And I just said, ‘Marco, I want you to be more you.’”
It was a revelation, a moment that Sturm pointed to, later, as a turning point, as something he took to heart. He had so venerated McLellan, the former coach of the Kings and now coach of the Detroit Red Wings, that too much of McLellan had slipped into what he was trying to do.
“It’s no knock to Todd McLellan — Todd McLellan’s a great coach — but I thought at the time he was being like Todd a little bit too much,” Thompson said. “After I talked to him, I just said, just be you. It wasn’t like he was being a bad coach or anything, it was more of his spin on it, his pizzazz, I guess you could say.”
Sturm listened.
“Before I was probably trying to copy Todd, and then my coaches helped me to be back to me because [Thompson] said, you’re brilliant, be yourself, and yes you learned this and this and that from these guys but at the end of the day you have to be yourself,” Sturm said.
They could see him working through the advice, could see him find the fun and the passion, the joking and the hard work, all wrapped together into the person he had always been as a player, the person who helped mold the Bruins culture alongside luminaries like Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron, one of those players that the 2011 Bruins most missed not having on the team that ultimately raised the Stanley Cup.
It’s why Reign assistant coach Chris Hajt referred to Sturm as “beloved,” why Ward said his players would “go through the end wall for him,” the way they watched him marry hard work with a fun environment, the care he always showed, the communication, the positivity.
“I think the one thing about Marco is I don’t think he’s changed his personality as a coach [from] when he was a player,” Ward said. “I think that’s probably a really good thing. I think players — and he played long enough to know — but if you’re not true to your style as a coach the players see through it pretty quickly.
“I think Marco just kind of grew into the coach he is out of the player that he was.”
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There is so much confidence when it comes to Sturm. In the man himself, in what he has built in getting to this point, in the future he is creating for himself and for the Bruins. Those who know him best believe he will succeed, believe he will be good at this path he never envisioned until he was already doing it.
But it will not be easy. There is work to do with this Bruins team, a team for which Sturm’s main goal is not winning but growth, at least to start.
The Bruins have been pleased with the way that Sturm has led the team through training camp, a time they have seen be more detailed and more cohesive than it was last season under former coach Jim Montgomery.
“You’ve heard his voice throughout training camp and I think that’s really important for our players, to understand that he’s in charge of this and he’s running it,” general manager Don Sweeney said. “Our guys know who’s at the head of the boat in this situation and they’re on board. He’s going to hold to the standard that he holds himself to and wants to as a coach. He wants to have success. He’s going to demand it of each and every one of us.”
It will come from his past, from his passion, his dedication to believing in each of his players, even if that means he’s hard on them, his understanding of when to keep things light and when to “lay the hammer down” well honed, as Thompson explained.
“Marco, he’s played in the NHL for a long time, he’s seen it all,” Thompson said. “He’s played on the fourth line, he’s played on the first line, he’s dealt with injury. He has been a superstar, he’s been a guy that’s played with top lines. He’s seen every single angle of the team. He’s seen it as an assistant coach, he’s seen it as a head coach, he’s seen it in the minors, he’s seen it internationally. I think now he’s a guy that has been in so many different situations that as a player, if you’re that guy, if you have a coach like that … that’s only going to help the player.”
On Tuesday, as his team held their final practice before Sturm’s NHL debut as a coach, he was vocal, directing the practice in a voice that echoed through the empty TD Garden. The control was there, the command, the attention to detail that has been notable throughout training camp.
He will be tasked with getting his team to play hard, to play physical, to exceed expectations that were lowered with last season’s exodus of longtime players. It was not a position he thought he would ever be in.
But here he is, in a job that — once he decided he wanted it — he strove for with a laser-like focus.
Once, they didn’t see it. Now, though, they believe.
“I was super impressed with what he did in his time in Ontario and how he developed a lot of those guys that are now on the Kings,” Thompson said. “And I think sky’s the limit for him in the NHL as a head coach.”
‘Youthful energy’ helps Penguins usher in new era
NEW YORK — They stood on their blue line together as John Brancy sang the National Anthem, a vision of the Pittsburgh Penguins past, present and future on opening night.
There were the three almost graybeards, 38-year-olds Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang, and 39-year-old Evgeni Malkin. They were starting their 20th season together, becoming the first trio of teammates in the history of North American pro sports to reach 20 seasons.
With them were 18-year-old Ben Kindel, who wasn’t yet born when Crosby, Letang and Malkin played their first game together on Oct. 18, 2006, and 19-year-old defenseman Harrison Brunicke, who was less than six months old when the trio’s historic run started.
For a team that is trying to slowly usher in a new era while keeping the old one going for as long as possible, the Penguins’ starting lineup against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday was basically a metaphor for what this season and this team is all about.
And if the Penguins can consistently play like they did in a 3-0 win, this season, this blending of eras, might yield some better-than-expected results, although it is way too soon to predict that.
Mike Sullivan’s debut spoiled by Penguins
The Rangers and Penguins, two teams who swapped coaches in the offseason, earned the prime time slot on the NHL’s Opening Night slate on Tuesday.
New Blueshirts head coach Mike Sullivan made his official return to the bench at Madison Square Garden in the 3-0 defeat, with his former team of 10 years, the Penguins, on the other side of the ice.
“Obviously, it’s different,” Sullivan said. “I knew that was going to be the case, but I’m excited about the group we have here with the Rangers, and I’m looking forward to working with this group.”
The previous time Sullivan stood behind the Rangers bench was on May 25, 2013, in Boston. It was the second round of the 2013 playoffs and Sullivan was in his fourth season as an assistant on John Tortorella’s staff.
The Rangers lost 3-1, which led to the coaching staff’s dismissal four days later.
Coincidentally, the Penguins hired ex-Rangers assistant coach Dan Muse to replace Sullivan.
Muse worked under former Blueshirts coach Peter Laviolette the previous two seasons in New York. The two also worked together for three seasons in Nashville.
CHECK OUT THE LATEST NHL STANDINGS AND RANGERS STATS
During the offseason, and through the interview process in Pittsburgh, Muse said he spoke to Laviolette a lot and will continue to lean on him.
“I think every place you go, you learn some new things,” Muse said when asked to reflect on his time with the Rangers after the Penguins optional skate Tuesday morning. “I’m very grateful to have had an opportunity to coach here those two years. Got to work with some amazing people. Got to work with some great players, some great relationships that I’m going to carry with me for a long, long time. Enjoyed the experience, and it’s a little ironic that we’re back here for the first game for us.”
The 43-year-old Muse added of Laviolette: “He’s a great mentor to me. He’s a great friend. … I’ll continue to always lean on him whenever I can. Once he is back in the league, which I’m sure will happen, maybe he won’t be giving me as much advice.”
Sullivan on rookie Noah Laba, who logged 13:40 of ice time: “I thought Labs brought some real good energy. You can see his skating ability. He played with conviction. There’s some areas where we’d like him to manage the puck, be a little bit more digital in some of the critical areas of the rink. But that’s a learning process. For his first NHL game, I thought he played very well for us.”
This was the fourth time in franchise history that the Rangers opened a regular season against the Penguins (2024-25 at MSG, 2009-10 at Mellon Arena, 1987-88 at MSG).
— With Zach Braziller
How to Buy Los Angeles Kings 2025-26 Alternate Jerseys: Shop Officially Licensed NHL Gear
The Los Angeles Kings have officially released their 2025-26 NHL alternate jerseys, which are now available for purchase.
The Los Angeles Kings enter the 2025–26 season looking to take the next step after back-to-back playoff appearances that ended early. With a strong veteran presence in Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty, plus emerging stars like Quinton Byfield, the core is balanced and deep.
Goaltending stability and improved special teams will be key in a tough Pacific Division. If the Kings can stay healthy and consistent, they’re poised to push deeper into the postseason.
These jerseys are now available to the fans and can be ordered in generic style, by specific player, or with a custom name and number.
Click on any of the images or links to order now and check out the entire collection. Place your order before it is too late, as these will be in high demand. Fanatics has you covered with the officially licensed Los Angeles Kings 2025-26 Alternate Jerseys.
Shop Now: Los Angeles Kings Alternate Jerseys
Shop Now: Los Angeles Kings Alternate Jerseys
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Heat Would Land Zion Williamson in Blockbuster Trade Proposal
After finding themselves at the center of offseason conversations for most of the last two decades, the Miami Heat had a somewhat underwhelming summer in 2025.
The Heat let free agent sharpshooter Duncan Robinson depart for the Detroit Pistons in a sign-and-trade deal, bringing back Simone Fontecchio and a trade exception. Miami also retained Davion Mitchell, a throw-in piece from the team’s midseason Jimmy Butler trade who flourished in South Beach.
More news: Major Hold Up in Lakers, Heat Trade Talks Revealed
Miami’s biggest move, however, was its three-team deal for former LA Clippers combo guard Norman Powell. The Heat offloaded veteran forwards Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love to the Utah Jazz. The Clippers flipped cash considerations and a 2027 second-rounder to Utah, who also nabbed a trade exception. LA brought back forward John Collins from Utah.
Powell is a significant upgrade over any of Robinson, Anderson or Love, and will bring back some of the on-ball creation and scoring Miami lost when Butler forced his way to the Golden State Warriors last year. But Powell is no Jimmy Butler.
For now, this Heat squad is a bit stuck in the mud. With Powell joining incumbent sometime All-Stars Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, Miami is too good to miss the postseason. But the team also doesn’t seem to necessarily have a path towards true title contention without a more major roster shakeup.
In a new piece, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report pitches just such a possible deal for the Heat — along with bold trade proposals to reshape all 29 other NBA franchises, too.
Swartz suggests that one not-quite-superstar, oft-hurt two-time All-Star forward Zion Williamson, could be the exact kind of reclamation project to cure what ails the Heat.
More news: Heat Receive Massive Tyler Herro Prediction
Although he has struggled to stay healthy amidst questions of his commitment to fitness and some troubling off-court rumors, the 6-foot-6 Duke product is still just 25, and still has incredible upside. He’s the kind of masterful scorer and unstoppable physical presence that Adebayo, Herro and Powell are unlikely to ever become.
Swartz posits that Williamson, who has noticeably dropped some weight ahead of the 2025-26 season, is the exact kind of bold superstar swing that it may behoove 80-year-old Heat team president Pat Riley to take.
Williamson’s Pelicans are going nowhere fast, as they seek to pick up the detritus of a doomed 21-61 run in 2024-25.
Health has been a long-running deterrent to Williamson’s success in the league. He has played just 30 or fewer games in four of his six NBA seasons. Last year, he did produce when healthy — but he missed 52 regular season games and plunged his team into the lottery. Williamson averaged 24.6 points on 56.7 percent shooting from the floor and 65.6 percent shooting from the charity stripe, 7.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks a night.
More news: Heat Urged to Make Blockbuster 6-Player Trade to Focus on Future
How to Watch Pacers vs Timberwolves: Live Stream NBA Preseason, TV Channel
A pair of teams coming off deep playoff runs meet on Tuesday night when the Indiana Pacers visit the Minnesota Timberwolves (1-0) in NBA preseason action at the Target Center.
How to Watch Indiana Pacers vs Minnesota Timberwolves
When: Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Where: Target Center
TV Channel: FanDuel Sports Network Indiana, FanDuel Sports Network North
Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)
Minnesota played in its second consecutive Western Conference Finals, falling to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder in five games after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in the first two rounds. The Timberwolves kept free agent Julius Randle while also retaining Bones Hyland, Joe Ingles, and Naz Reid and drafting French big man Joan Beringer with the 17th overall pick. Anthony Edwards is the driving force for the team after averaging 27.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists and earning his second straight All-NBA nod.
Indiana faces challenges in its quest for another deep playoff run. After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals as a No. 6 seed in 2023-24, the Pacers made it to Game 7 of the NBA Finals last season. But point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles’ tendon in Game 7 and won’t play this season, and longtime center Myles Turner signed with the Milwaukee Bucks. The club re-signed free agents Isaiah Jackson and Quenton Jackson while bringing back big man James Wiseman and adding guard Delon Wright.
The Timberwolves won their preseason opener on Saturday, beating the Denver Nuggets 126-116 in San Diego without Edwards, Randle, or Mike Conley.
This is a great NBA matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
Live stream Indiana Pacers vs Minnesota Timberwolves on Fubo: Start your subscription now!
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Word Verdict on Adam Silver’s ‘Personal’ WNBA Stance
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has made several comments about the ongoing negotiations between the WNBA league office and its players. He has also addressed the growing rift between WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league’s players, which has been a huge story in the sports world ever since Napheesa Collier’s scathing comments about Engelbert last week.
Lakers Trade Idea Swaps LeBron James for $50 Million NBA Champion
LeBron James failed Tuesday to deliver on his so-called
New Bull Isaac Okoro not getting caught up in NBA storylines in debut
CLEVELAND — The NBA is never short on storylines.
The Bulls’ Isaac Okoro was in the latest casting.
Traded in late June from the only NBA franchise he knew, guess where Okoro would find himself for Tuesday’s preseason opener? Of course it was back in Cleveland, the place he called his home for five seasons after being selected No. 5 overall in the 2020 draft.
“A little bit of mixed feelings,” Okoro said after the 118-117 Bulls win. “Like coming into the away locker room, I’ve never been there before. Stepping on the court with the away team, so it was definitely different.”
But Okoro wasn’t the only player in this hardcourt melodrama.
In acquiring Okoro, the Bulls had to part ways with Lonzo Ball. Not as easy as it would seem considering Ball was seldom available in his Bulls tenure, suffering a horrific knee injury that almost cost him his career and sidelined him for two-and-a-half seasons.
Even now, the Cavs are operating with a strict plan in maintaining Ball’s health. He did play in the opener, putting in just under 12 minutes of work, but he will not play in back-to-back games to start the season and will operate with a minutes restriction.
A very similar sounding plan.
Then again, the Cavs are operating in a much different space than the Bulls (1-0) are. Cleveland was the top seed in the Eastern Conference last season, before flaming out below expectations in the second round.
They want to keep Ball up and running for the regular season but be able to unleash him come playoffs. Coach Kenny Atkinson made that very clear.
“Really with (Ball), more than anyone, our goal with him is to have him ready for the playoffs,” Atkinson said. “There’s a reason this guy was a second overall pick in our league. He’s one of those guys that makes other players better, which is a coach’s dream, right?”
Donovan wouldn’t argue that.
And while it would seem that an underlying reason for moving Ball for the more available Okoro was because the Bulls and Cavs are in such a different place of expectations, Donovan said that wasn’t necessarily the case.
“When I spoke to the front office about (the trade), it was, ‘Hey, this is an opportunity and what do you think about Issac?’ “ Donovan recalled. “I think the trade in my opinion was good (for both teams). We needed a physical defender and some physicality and Isaac brings that to the table. Where (Cleveland is) as an organization now in terms of trying to make a deep playoff run, they had some (backcourt) injuries last year and this shores up their backcourt a little bit more.”
Okoro and all that expected physicality or not, what Donovan witnessed the first five minutes of Tuesday’s opening quarter did not exactly leave him pleased in being forced to call a timeout.
Turnovers, bad fouls, an unwillingness to defend, and free passes to the rim put the Bulls in an 18-6 hole and forced the coach to gather the troops for a little heart to heart.
“There was definitely more opportunities to be physical at the basket,” Donovan said. “I just felt we were constantly shooting ourselves in the foot.”
It would get cleaned up late in the game in pulling out the win, and now the same two teams will do it again on Thursday, this time at the United Center.
“It’s a funny way in the business,” Okoro, who finished with 11 points, said of the schedule out of the gate. “But at the end of the day I’m on the Chicago Bulls and I’m trying to bust Cleveland’s ass any day.”
Not LeBron James, but Allen Iverson Trusts Luka Doncic & More to Rewrite NBA Legacy
17 seasons. Over 24,000 points. 11× NBA All-Star. 4× scoring champion. Hall of Famer. Allen Iverson’s résumé speaks for itself. Yet, the cultural icon never won a championship. He doesn’t carry regrets, but he believes his legacy might’ve looked different had he played alongside true pros. Iverson often felt surrounded by players still finding their way, pointing to Jerome Williams as someone who became a pro later. So when given the chance even hypothetically to build his dream superteam, he didn’t think twice, even if it meant less ball time for “The Answer” himself.
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On The Stephen A. Smith Show, Allen Iverson didn’t hold back. He dropped names that could break the game: “Obviously, Shaq. I would love to play with a healthy Embiid. I would love to play with Joker.” But when Stephen A. pressed him about a guard, Iverson’s answer was instant—“Luka.”
Smith couldn’t help but challenge him: “He’s a killer, but he holds on to the ball. How you gonna get it?” Yet, AI stayed unfazed. With that trademark confidence, Iverson smiled and said, “I know what to do with it when I get it. I’m gonna touch it, man. I’m not using that excuse. You put me on the court with that serial killer, right? You got problems.” Yes, the pick is Luka and not LeBron James to change AI’s legacy. That’s definitely an interesting choice.
Let’s start with Shaq—Iverson’s big brother in business and beyond. The two have shared more than just a Reebok partnership; they’ve shared genuine brotherhood. Iverson once broke down in tears while talking about his bond with Shaquille O’Neal, calling him “a big brother, a mentor, and just everything you’re supposed to be as a man.”
Their friendship would’ve been pure magic on the court. And it’s not just Iverson who believes that. As Shaq once said back in 2016, “If I had played with him in Philly, we would definitely have two or three.”
It’s only natural that a 76ers legend like AI would pick a current Philly star. Joel Embiid was his second choice, though health remains a key concern. Since tearing his meniscus against the Warriors nearly a year ago, Embiid has battled injuries, surgeries, and limited game time.
Before that, he was unstoppable, even joining Iverson as the only Sixers to score 7,000 points in their first 300 games. As Embiid himself admitted, “I wish I was healthier. I probably would have had at least 15,000 points by now.” Healthy, this duo would be truly championship-worthy.
While many still question Allen Iverson for never winning a championship, Nikola Jokic shows a different kind of calm even after claiming one. Remember the memes from 2023 when the Joker celebrated by just wanting to go home?
That low-key reaction echoed Iverson’s famous “practice” moment. Jokic is a champion in his own right, having made history last year by surpassing Allen Iverson (2,111 points) and others on the all-time playoff scoring list. Together, they would form an unstoppable scoring duo with unmatched offensive firepower.
And the trump card? Luka Doncic. This isn’t the first time Allen Iverson has been a fan of the Slovenian star.
When Luka joined the Lakers earlier this year, Iverson gushed about his style, saying, “I don’t want nobody to take this the wrong way… he plays like a Black guy. He’s got swag. He’s so cool out there.” The admiration is well-founded—the Lakers are building around Luka as the future face of the franchise after LeBron James.
Even LeBron has acknowledged it, saying that for the team to function at its best, the ball needs to be in Luka’s hands. Notably when James said to Doncic before his first game with the Lakers: “Luka, be your f—ing self. Don’t fit in, fit the f— out.” This message was meant to encourage Luka to play authentically and confidently without trying to conform to the team’s style or expectations but rather to stand out and express his unique game.
With the highest usage rate on the team at 34.7%, LeBron is more than happy to let Doncic take the lead.
Respect and Rivalry: LeBron James vs Allen Iverson
“LeBron ain’t got none of my game… but his heart is all mine.” That’s the one thing Allen Iverson has ever said he shares with LeBron James, and it’s maybe why he didn’t pick him for his dream superteam.
Still, there’s plenty of mutual respect. James never got the chance to play alongside Iverson, but they faced off plenty of times when LeBron was starting out with the Cavaliers and Iverson was leading the Sixers.
Here’s how their head-to-head matchups played out:
Total games played against each other: 18
Iverson led the series 10-8
Nov 15, 2003: James scored 22, Iverson 19
Mar 18, 2005: Iverson 31, James 16 (76ers win)
Apr 4, 2006: Iverson 38, James 37 (Cavs win 124-91)
Overall average points per game: LeBron 28.6, Iverson 25.8
Even though LeBron had the better scoring average, he’s admitted he would’ve loved to be on Iverson’s superteam.
Growing up, MJ was his favorite, but if size didn’t matter, LeBron believes Allen would’ve been the best ever. At just 6 feet and 165 pounds, Iverson wasn’t exactly a basketball giant, but his heart and will to win made him unstoppable.
“A.I. was like my second-favorite player growing up, after MJ,” LeBron said, calling him a true warrior whose competitive fire could never be questioned.
NBA Insider Reveals When Warriors Could Enter Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Mix Amid Rumors
The Golden State Warriors are set to enter the 2025-26 NBA season as a team expected to be a contender in the Western Conference behind their star trio of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.
Of course, it was an underwhelming first few months of the offseason for the Warriors as they failed to make any additions to their roster as they continued to have a contract dispute with Jonathan Kuminga.
That all changed on September 30 as Golden State signed Kuminga to a new two-year contract, ending the ongoing saga between the two sides.
After signing Kuminga, the Warriors then signed Al Horford, Seth Curry, Gary Payton II and De’Anthony Melton in free agency to upgrade their roster ahead of the start of the new season.
With these moves, the Warriors are looking to clinch a top seed in the West and make a run at another championship.
Warriors Continue to be Linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo
While Golden State tries to make another title run this season, they continue to be in trade rumors surrounding Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
It was reported on Tuesday by ESPN’s Shams Charania that the New York Knicks emerged as the only team Giannis desired outside of the Bucks this offseason and that his future in Milwaukee is still uncertain.
While the Knicks were revealed to be a team that Giannis was interested in, the Warriors continue to be one of many other teams linked to the superstar forward, though an NBA insider recently revealed that a trade this season is highly unlikely.
Insider Reveals Potential Timeline for Warriors’ Pursuit of Giannis
According to ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel, the Warriors would have to give up either Green or Butler in a trade for Giannis due to salary reasons and with them likely not looking to move either one of them, a trade is unlikely to happen this season.
Siegel did point out that the Warriors could enter the mix for Giannis in the offseason if they choose to do so but it is unlikely they would pull off a trade for him ahead of the trade deadline this season if he becomes available.
This is a massive report by Siegel and one that is not a surprising one as it is likely that the Warriors will keep their core of Curry, Green and Butler together this season.
Despite this, that could change in the offseason if Giannis is still available, especially if Golden State fails to make a deep playoff run this season.
Either way, it appears as though the Warriors’ chances of acquiring the two-time NBA MVP is unlikely to happen, especially with many other teams around the NBA having more tradeable assets to offer the Bucks in a potential deal.
While that may be the case, Golden State could still enter the Giannis sweepstakes next offseason to try and add the star forward next to Curry to chase another championship.
Indiana Pacers
Pacers’ T.J. McConnell Exits Preseason Game vs. Timberwolves Due to Injury
Nathaniel Holloway
NBA Back In China After Six-year Absence Sparked By Democracy Tweet
The NBA returns to the lucrative China market this week with two pre-season games following a six-year absence after a team official tweeted his support for pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
The Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns will play sell-out games on Friday and Sunday in Macau, a special administrative region of China close to Hong Kong.
China, the world’s second-biggest economy, effectively cut ties with the league in 2019 after NBA executives stood behind then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey.
About 125 million people play basketball in China, according to official statistics, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said the league lost
Michigan Sportswatch Daily Listings
(All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsThursday, October 9NBA BASKETBALL8 p.m.
Detroit at Milwaukee — FDSN Detroit, FDSN Detroit Extra, FDSN Wisconsin, Fubo Sports, NBA League Pass
NHL HOCKEY7 p.m.
Montreal at Detroit — FDSN Detroit, ESPN+, ESPN app, Fubo Sports
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.
(All times Eastern)Schedule subject to change and/or blackoutsThursday, October 9NBA BASKETBALL8 p.m.
Lakers Announce Project With Billie Eilish on Tuesday
The Los Angeles Lakers and pop superstar Billie Eilish are collaborating on a brand-new project that combines music, fashion and basketball.
The Lakers’ official Instagram account announced the news Tuesday with a post showing Eilish and other Lakers players flexing the customized apparel.
“Billie X Lake Show ⭐️ The Billie Eilish league collection is available now,” they captioned.
The announcement marks a major moment for the Lakers as they become one of the featured teams in Eilish’s latest collaboration with Mitchell & Ness, the heritage sportswear company known for its vintage-inspired apparel.
The collection, officially titled the Billie Eilish x Mitchell & Ness NBA League Collection, includes limited-edition snapback hats for 17 NBA teams, including the Lakers, Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors. Each hat features custom patches designed by Eilish herself.
Each hat from the collection retails for $60 and is available through Complex Shop and Mitchell & Ness. The hats are designed with what Eilish describes as an “OG Fit.”
The Lakers edition stands out with its purple and gold color scheme, team logo patches and Eilish’s name embroidered on the side. Known for her love of baggy jerseys, sneakers, and sporty streetwear, Eilish has often been spotted courtside at NBA games and has worn various team jerseys on stage during her concerts.
Lakers’ Moment Before Tip-Off
The Lakers’ participation in this collaboration comes at an interesting time for the franchise. With LeBron James recovering from a nerve irritation in his glute, the team is being cautious as the NBA preseason continues.
New head coach JJ Redick said the Lakers are taking a “long-game” approach to make sure the 40-year-old superstar is ready for Opening Night on October 21, when Los Angeles hosts the Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers are using the preseason to give minutes to younger players while fine-tuning chemistry with Luka Doncic, who signed a contract extension this offseason. The pairing of Doncic and James, even for one more season, remains one of the biggest storylines heading into the year.
The Eilish collaboration, then, offers the team a softer, off-court spotlight, a creative crossover that keeps Lakers fans engaged as they await the start of competitive play.
Columbus Crew star and St. Edward and Akron alum to retire after postseason
The Philadelphia Union beat New York City FC 1-0 to clinch the 2025 Major League Soccer Supporters’ Shield. It’s the club’s second Shield victory since its MLS debut in 2010.
The Shield is one of MLS’s most prestigious trophies. It’s awarded each year to the team with the best overall record at the end of the regular season; the better-known MLS Cup, meanwhile, is awarded each year to the winner of the postseason tournament. Winning the Shield speaks to consistent, dedicated performance over the course of the 34-game MLS season, and that’s exactly what Philadelphia delivered in 2025. It’s racked up a club-record 66 points in the fiendishly difficult Eastern Conference with one game still remaining on its calendar.
Why the Union winning the Supporters’ Shield matters
Winning the Shield guarantees Philadelphia home-field advantage and a superior draw in the 2025 MLS playoffs. It will face the winner of the Eastern Conference wild card game—likely either Columbus or Chicago—in the opening round’s best-of-three series.
Philadelphia clinched the Shield in the 40th minute when midfielder Jovan Lukic latched onto an NYCFC ball fumble and delivered a cross to the underrated (and oft-maligned) Danish striker Mikael Uhre. Under intense pressure from the NYCFC defense, Uhre fired a shot into the penalty box. It ricocheted off NYCFC defender Kevin O’Toole and into the back of the net.
But while Lukic and Uhre combined for the goal, Philadelphia’s Shield win was truly a team effort. Jamaican keeper Andre Blake delivered a stellar season in goal, even by his high standards. Defender Frankie Westfield played well enough to earn himself a spot on the United States Men’s National Team U-20 roster. Forward Tai Baribo carried the team through its opening matches and made a real run at the MLS Golden Boot in the process. And a trio of American midfielders—Quinn Sullivan, Indiana Vassilev and Milan Iloski—proved that Philadelphia didn’t need big names to deliver a big impact.
Indeed, Vassilev and Iloski might just be the two most fascinating members of Philadelphia’s Shield-winning squad. Both arrived in the summer transfer window; both came from other MLS clubs who deemed them dispensable; both provided trophy-winning performances for Philadelphia while their former teams stumbled without them. Securing their services in the middle of the season was a shrewd bit of business from the notoriously stingy Philadelphia front office.
The 2025 season isn’t over yet. Philadelphia will close out its regular season on Saturday, Oct. 18—Decision Day—away against Charlotte FC before kicking off its opening playoff series in late October. While it remains a favorite for the MLS Cup, it’s fighting extreme odds to get it: in 29 years of competition, just 8 teams have won both the Shield and the Cup in the same season.
It’s tough to bet against Philadelphia at this moment, though. The team is rightfully flying high under the direction of coach Bradley Carnell and looks capable of anything…even making MLS history.
Columbus midfielder Darlington Nagbe to retire at 35
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The upcoming Major League Soccer postseason will be the last act for one of the most decorated players in league and Columbus Crew history.
Columbus Crew captain and midfielder Darlington Nagbe announced today he will retire following the club’s competition in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, ending a distinguished 15-year professional career that includes four MLS Cup championships.
An alum of St. Edward and Akron, the 34-year-old Ohio native has served as the Crew’s leader since joining the team in 2020 after previous stints with Portland Timbers (2011-2017) and Atlanta United FC (2018-2019). During his tenure with Columbus, Nagbe helped guide the team to two MLS Cups in 2020 and 2023, the 2024 Leagues Cup, the 2021 Campeones Cup, and the organization’s first Concacaf Champions Cup Final appearance in 2024.
“After years of incredible memories, I’ll be finishing my career at the end of this season. I’m more than grateful for my family, for all my teammates, coaches, teams, staff members, supporters and friends that have helped me along this journey,” Nagbe shared via social media.
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In his retirement message, Nagbe thanked each of his three professional clubs. “Thank you, Portland, for giving me the first opportunity to play this game professionally, and I’ll never forget lifting the MLS Cup together. Thank you, Atlanta, for a short but incredible two years, filled with trophies, an MLS Cup and an opportunity to be part of an amazing atmosphere. Columbus: Thank you for welcoming an Ohio kid home and the opportunity to represent you for the past six seasons!”
Haslam Sports Group CEO and Chairman Dee and Jimmy Haslam praised Nagbe’s impact both on and off the field. “Darlington is one of the best people to represent the Crew and Major League Soccer over our 30-year history, both as a player and a person. His talent, leadership, work ethic and toughness are only matched by his team-first mindset, endearing personality and passion for his family and giving back to the community,” they said in a statement.
Crew Investor-Operator Dr. Pete Edwards highlighted Nagbe’s character beyond soccer achievements. “Darlington has consistently been an exceptional player on the pitch, but most importantly, he’s an even better person,” Edwards said in a statement. “Within and beyond soccer, Darlington is an incredible role model for everyone through his professionalism, the way he prioritizes the team and others above himself and how he keeps family first in everything he does.”
Nagbe’s career accomplishments place him among MLS elite. He is one of only five MLS players to claim championships with three or more teams and one of only 10 players to win four league titles. His 444 regular season appearances rank fifth-most in MLS history, while his 37,145 minutes played rank seventh-most in league history.
The three-time MLS All-Star earned recognition beyond team success, winning the 2024 Audi Goals Drive Progress Impact Award for dedication to fostering equity and inclusion. He also received multiple MLS Fair Play Awards throughout his career.
Before his professional career, Nagbe starred at the University of Akron, winning the 2010 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer championship and earning the Hermann Trophy. He was selected second overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft by Portland.
Nagbe also represented the United States Men’s National Team, earning 25 caps and helping capture the 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup championship.
The Crew will honor Nagbe during their Decision Day match against New York Red Bulls on Saturday at Lower.com Field. The team will host an official retirement press conference after the 2025 postseason.
Columbus midfielder Darlington Nagbe to retire at age 35 after 15 MLS seasons
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Columbus Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe plans to retire at the end of the Major League Soccer playoffs, the team announced Tuesday.
The 35-year-old has won four league titles in 15 MLS seasons, with Portland (2015 ), Atlanta (2018) and Columbus ( 2020, 2023 ). He has been the Crew captain since 2020.
His 444 regular-season MLS appearances are fifth behind Nick Rimando (514), Kyle Beckerman (498), Dax McCarty (488) and Kei Kamara (463).
Nagbe scored nine regular-season goals for Portland (2011-17), Atlanta (2018-19) and Columbus (2020-25), plus two in the playoffs.
He had one goal in 25 international appearances, scoring for the United States in a friendly against Ecuador in 2016. Nagbe started in the 2-1 loss at Trinidad and Tobago in 2017 that ended the Americans’ streak of seven straight World Cup appearances.
Born in Liberia, Nagbe left with his family for the U.S. when he was 5 months old, played for Akron and won the 2010 Hermann Trophy as the top men’s college soccer player. He became a U.S. citizen when he was 15.
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Jordi Alba announces retirement from professional soccer at end of Inter Miami’s 2025 playoff run
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Columbus Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe plans to retire at the end of the Major League Soccer playoffs, the team announced Tuesday.
The 35-year-old has won four league titles in 15 MLS seasons, with Portland (2015 ), Atlanta (2018) and Columbus ( 2020, 2023 ). He has been the Crew captain since 2020.
His 444 regular-season MLS appearances are fifth behind Nick Rimando (514), Kyle Beckerman (498), Dax McCarty (488) and Kei Kamara (463).
Nagbe scored nine regular-season goals for Portland (2011-17), Atlanta (2018-19) and Columbus (2020-25), plus two in the playoffs.
He had one goal in 25 international appearances, scoring for the United States in a friendly against Ecuador in 2016. Nagbe started in the 2-1 loss at Trinidad and Tobago in 2017 that ended the Americans’ streak of seven straight World Cup appearances.
Born in Liberia, Nagbe left with his family for the U.S. when he was 5 months old, played for Akron and won the 2010 Hermann Trophy as the top men’s college soccer player. He became a U.S. citizen when he was 15.
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Inter Miami star Jordi Alba to retire after MLS playoffs
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Jordi Alba has announced that he will retire from professional soccer at the conclusion of Inter Miami’s run in the Major League Soccer playoffs, making him the second of Lionel Messi’s longtime teammates to say this year will be his last.
Alba revealed the news Tuesday, three days after Inter Miami held a retirement ceremony for Sergio Busquets. Alba was under contract with Inter Miami through 2027.
“The time has come to close a truly meaningful chapter in my life,” Alba said on social media. “I’ve decided to bring my professional football career to an end at the conclusion of this season. I do so with complete conviction, with peace and with happiness because I feel I’ve walked this path with every ounce of passion I had, and now it’s just the right moment to open a new chapter and close the previous one with the best possible feeling.”
The 36-year-old Alba came to Inter Miami not long after Messi announced he was headed there in June 2023. Messi’s arrival led to Busquets, Luis Suárez and Alba — all teammates in Barcelona — joining MLS.
Alba helped Barcelona win six La Liga titles, five Copa del Rey trophies and the Champions League in 2015.
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Copyright © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
Farewell to Darlington Nagbe, one of MLS’s undisputed greats
Jordi Alba has announced that he will retire from professional soccer at the conclusion of Inter Miami’s run in the Major League Soccer playoffs, making him the second of Lionel Messi’s longtime teammates to say this year will be his last.
Alba revealed the news Tuesday, three days after Inter Miami held a retirement ceremony for Sergio Busquets. Alba was under contract with Inter Miami through 2027.
“The time has come to close a truly meaningful chapter in my life,” Alba said on social media. “I’ve decided to bring my professional football career to an end at the conclusion of this season. I do so with complete conviction, with peace and with happiness because I feel I’ve walked this path with every ounce of passion I had, and now it’s just the right moment to open a new chapter and close the previous one with the best possible feeling.”
The 36-year-old Alba came to Inter Miami not long after Messi announced he was headed there in June 2023. Messi’s arrival led to Busquets, Luis Suárez and Alba — all teammates in Barcelona — joining MLS.
Alba helped Barcelona win six La Liga titles, five Copa del Rey trophies and the Champions League in 2015.
NASCAR seeks new mediator in antitrust suit as Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing pushes back
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – NASCAR has asked a federal court for a judicial settlement conference so that an independent judge can mediate the antitrust suit filed by Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.
The two teams pushed back in their own late Monday night filing that it wants to continue working with mediator Jeffrey Mishkin, the former executive vice president and chief legal officer of the NBA who has been negotiating between the two sides this year.
“Mr. Mishkin has invested a great deal of time learning this case and meeting with the parties,” 23XI and Front Row said in the filing.
Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing opposes NASCAR’s request
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR has asked a federal court for a judicial settlement conference so that an independent judge can mediate the antitrust suit filed by Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports.
The two teams pushed back in their own late Monday night filing that it wants to continue working with mediator Jeffrey Mishkin, the former executive vice president and chief legal officer of the NBA who has been negotiating between the two sides this year.
“Mr. Mishkin has invested a great deal of time learning this case and meeting with the parties,” 23XI and Front Row said in the filing. “Plaintiffs have thus requested that NASCAR continue to engage with them via Mr. Mishkin or to make a settlement offer directly to Plaintiffs’ counsel, but NASCAR has not responded to those requests and instead filed this motion.
“It seems NASCAR is not happy with the diagnosis and wants to seek a second opinion.”
The teams argued Mishkin “has significant expertise in complex, sports-related antitrust disputes and has served as an arbitrator or mediator for the international Court of Arbitration for Sport, the America’s Cup, FIFA, and the NFL, among others.”
The teams also argue that “starting over” with a new mediator is “less likely, not more likely, to lead to resolution.”
The dueling motions come as NASCAR seeks a summary judgement to dismiss the case before the scheduled Dec. 1 start of trial. A hearing on that motion is scheduled for Oct. 21.
At issue is the protection of the charter system that is at the heart of NASCAR’s business model and the focal point of the court fight. The charter system is NASCAR’s version of a franchise model. A charter guarantees owners spots in the field, a base amount of revenue each year, and according to NASCAR, has created more than $1.5 billion in equity value for its teams since 2016.
A year ago, 13 of the 15 teams re-signed when they believed two-plus years of negotiations would not lead to a better deal. 23XI, co-owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins, went to court instead.
For months, the other 13 teams have privately complained that the lawsuit is creating uncertainty over the future of NASCAR. Mishkin has made no progress toward a settlement and NASCAR now wants a federal judge other than U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, who is presiding over the case, to hear both sides and advise on a resolution.
Most of the top teams in NASCAR last week submitted declarations calling for a settlement and protection of the charter system, which NASCAR noted in its Monday night filing to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.
“The parties’ readiness to resolve this matter, along with the interests of others in the sport and the Court to see this case resolved, suggest a judicial settlement conference would be a meaningful way to facilitate a settlement,” NASCAR wrote.
Both sides have shown a willingness to talk, but no progress has been made.
Through a judicial settlement conference, NASCAR hopes to bring in a judge who can help direct the talks and offer insight into how a jury might interpret the complex NASCAR antitrust case.
The court must approve NASCAR’s request.
All sides have said they are open to settlement, including Jordan, who also added after an August hearing he was willing to take it to trial if necessary.
“I look forward to going down with the fire. If I have to fight this to the end, for the betterment of the sport, I will,” he said outside federal court. “We’ve always been open to a settlement. Always have been. We’ve never taken that off the table.”
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Jason Anderson signs with Suzuki for 2026, joins Ken Roczen on team
Jason Anderson will race for Pipes Motorsports Group in the 2026 SuperMotocross League Championship as a teammate to Ken Roczen in a return to racing on a Suzuki.
Anderson made his professional debut on a Suzuki from 2011 to 2013, racing an RMZ 250.
“Super excited to be back on yellow,” Jason Anderson said in a news release. “My first experience with factory support I ever had was from Suzuki in 2003, so 23 years later it’s pretty cool to be with them at the top level of the sport.”
Anderson won the 2018 Supercross championship with the Husqvarna factory team before moving to Kawasaki in 2022. Anderson finished second in Supercross that season and was third in Pro Motocross. Since then, he has finished as high as fifth in both series, but has struggled with injury and health issues in recent seasons.
Anderson finished 12th this year in Supercross and 19th in Motocross, which seeded him for the SuperMotocross playoffs. Anderson did not compete during the 2025 playoffs and finished 25th.
“Bringing Jason Anderson back to Suzuki is another big moment for us,” said Chris Wheeler Motorsports Manager at Suzuki Motor USA. “Jason has always had that rebel spark—flashy, gritty, and fearlessness on the bike. It’s a full-circle story that honors Suzuki’s history, but it also feels like the start of something new. With Ken Roczen’s precision and Jason’s creativity, we’ve got a 1-2 punch that’s as dangerous as it is stylish. Fans are going to love the energy these two bring when the gate drops.”
The deal includes the 2025 and 2026 World Supercross Championships.
“Everyone at the team is excited to have Jason on board starting at the Buenos Aires World Supercross event,” said Dustin Pipes, Team Principal of Pipes Motorsports Group. “Getting the opportunity to bring a former Supercross champion to the team is one we don’t take lightly, and we feel like the environment and structure of the team will bring the best out of Jason. We’re very excited to see what we can accomplish together.”
More SuperMotocross News
Renegades moving as Arlington-based UFL calls audible: ‘Right markets, right stadiums
A restaurant may have great food, but if 19 of 20 tables are available…
“You feel like you have food poisoning before you walk in, right?” said billionaire sports drink mogul Mike Repole.
“But when the place is packed, and you got a 10-minute wait for a table, you probably feel pretty confident the food’s good.”
Repole isn’t actually talking about restaurants. He’s talking about a new era for the United Football League. One with new teams, new names and, most importantly, new stadiums that better serve up what the UFL’s been cooking.
Starting in 2026, the Arlington Renegades will become the Dallas Renegades and move from Choctaw Stadium (the former Globe Life Park) to FC Dallas’ Toyota Stadium in Frisco.
Similarly, the Houston Roughnecks will become the Houston Gamblers when they move from the University of Houston’s TDECU Stadium to Shell Energy Stadium, another soccer stadium.
Finally, after announcing the end of the Memphis Showboats, Michigan Panthers and San Antonio Brahmas, the UFL revealed the teams replacing them.
Welcome, the Columbus Aviators, Louisville Kings and Orlando Storm. All three will be playing at — you guessed it — soccer stadiums that hold around 15-20,000 people.
The strategy: the right stadiums in the right markets. And what makes a place the right stadium? They maximize the audience the league has now, instead of looking empty, like the cavernous stadiums the UFL used to play in.
“These stadiums are so compact that you’re going to feel like, for football, you’re right on top of the players, and the energy is going to be great,” Repole said.
The co-founder of Vitaminwater and founder of Body Armor, Repole recently joined the ownership group of the UFL. Now, he’s reshaping its future as the leader of the league’s business operations, including finding the eight teams of the UFL the right homes.
Last year, in its second year of existence since the USFL merged with the XFL, the UFL drew around 12,000 fans on average per game, according to The Sports Business Journal. That’s a strong showing for an upstart league, especially one that plays the same sport as the NFL.
But as Repole explained, most of the eight teams in the UFL played in massive stadiums, and that made the venues look empty.
“It has the wrong energy, the wrong environment,” he said. “Big arena football, outdoors. That’s what we’re trying to do here.”
To pull that off, tough decisions had to be made.
Arlington, San Antonio, Detroit — all the right markets, but wrong stadiums, Repole said.
For example, the Michigan Panthers played in Ford Field. Even the Detroit Lions only just sold out season tickets for the third time since Ford Field opened in 2002. The Panthers, meanwhile, averaged just short of 12,000 people per home game, in a stadium that holds 65,000.
It was a similar story for the San Antonio Brahmas. They played in the Alamodome, which seats over 70,000 people, but drew about 11,000.
In those cities, there wasn’t a suitable stadium to move into, hence the decision to axe the teams.
However, in D-FW and Houston, there were, as the growth of Major League Soccer has led to the construction of smaller, but state-of-the-art stadiums. And the UFL believes the move to smaller stadiums actually gives them the opportunity to earn larger fan bases.
“When you go to a game, you get a better culture and a better environment with more energy because of the capacity of the stadium,” Repole said. “I think it’s going to add to the momentum of the league.”
The UFL isn’t done in Arlington, though. The league is headquartered there, and its new UFL HQ serves as both a corporate office and a football hub for all eight teams. It’ll still be the center of the UFL world as the league looks towards its next phase of growth.
Repole joined TV company Fox, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia, and RedBird Capital Partners among the UFL’s ownership group, and he hopes to see the league grow under his tutelage.
“Football is king,” Repole said, and there are compelling reasons to think an appetite for even more football is there. The UFL averaged about 650,000 TV viewers per game in 2025, a drop from its inaugural season, but still outpacing that of the NHL and Major League Soccer.
The league will kick off its third year on March 27 playing a 10-week season that runs through early June. The Columbus Aviators will play at Historic Crew Stadium, the Louisville Kings at Lynn Family Stadium and the Orlando Storm at Inter&Co Stadium.
Head coaches and uniforms for the new teams will be revealed at a later date, but information about season tickets for the new teams, and teams moving venues, is available on the UFL’s website.
If Repole gets his way, you may be hearing that sentence a few more times. He says he’d like the league to hit 16 teams in the next 10 years. With a new crop of appropriately sized stadiums, that’s possible.
“To leverage football during the spring, versus the other sports,” he said, “in the right markets with the right stadiums, I think we have an incredible opportunity.”
UFL changes feature relocated teams, smaller stadiums
The St. Louis Battlehawks will travel to a few new cities next spring and play in some smaller, more intimate venues as the United Football League announced several franchise relocations and venue changes on Tuesday.
Three of the eight teams in the league will move to new cities, and two more will move to new stadiums within the same metropolitan areas. St. Louis, the league’s lone attendance success story, is one just of three teams staying in the same city and venue.
The three relocated franchises will now play in Columbus (Ohio), Louisville (Kentucky) and Orlando (Florida). Those teams replace Memphis, Michigan and San Antonio (Texas).
The Houston Roughnecks will become the Houston Gamblers and move to that city’s Major League Soccer stadium. The Arlington (Texas) Renegades will become the Dallas Renegades, though they still won’t play in Dallas. They’re moving to the MLS stadium in Frisco, in suburban Dallas.
The move to smaller stadiums is intentional after the team has struggled with attendance in all of its non-St. Louis markets. The three new teams will also play in stadiums built for soccer.
“It’s going to feel real, real different, and it’s going to show better on TV,” said Mike Repole, the league’s newest investor. “The sound is going to be better, and the experience and the engagement is going to be better.”
Repole, a billionaire who made his money in sports beverages, joined the UFL ownership group in July and one of his chief complaints then was the enormous swaths of empty seats and quiet environments at the league’s cavernous venues.
Timothée Chalamet’s ‘Marty Supreme’ electrifies in surprise screening
NEW YORK — The atmosphere Monday night before the New York Film Festival’s annual surprise screening felt like a movie-world version of Game 7 of the NBA championships. Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall was where everyone who gets deeply nerdy about cinema wanted to be: film critics; guys who can be counted on to declare something a “masterpiece” on X seconds after they’ve seen it; and a smattering of hip, famous people such as Myha’la of HBO’s “Industry,” Christopher Abbott of “Poor Things,” “Eddington” director Ari Aster and SNL’s Sarah Sherman.
Waukee Northwest, Xavier win Iowa girls tennis state titles
The Iowa high school girls tennis season, which moved from the spring to the fall for the 2025-26 academic year, is in the books.
It officially wrapped up on Oct. 7, with the team state championships taking place following individual and doubles titles being awarded last week. Similar names were on the top of the podium after last week’s championships, with Waukee Northwest sweeping the Class 2A titles and Cedar Rapids Xavier winning all three 1A crowns.
Here’s a look at how the IGHSAU team tennis tournament played out.
Waukee Northwest earns sweep of Class 2A
For the first time since Ames did it back in 2012, the Waukee Northwest girls tennis program has clinched the Class 2A singles, doubles and team state tennis titles all in one season.
The Wolves secured the triple crown on Oct. 7, winning the team title on their home courts with wins over Clinton, Iowa City West and West Des Moines Valley. It is the second team title in program history after winning the first in June, before girls tennis became a fall sport.
Waukee Northwest began the tournament on Oct. 6, with a persistent rain moving Class 2A competition indoors at Genesis Health Clubs. Even so, they won five singles matches against Clinton to advance to the semifinals. The Wolves returned to their home courts the following morning to down Iowa City West, 5-0, to advance to the title match against Valley.
The Wolves claimed four of six singles matches against Valley and needed only one doubles point to claim the crown. The pair of Riley Hilton and Mia Deines were the first to win their doubles match against Valley’s Sophie Sing and Grace Wang to secure the team championship, 5-2.
Deines and Hilton both pointed to the team’s chemistry as the reason they achieved as much as they have in the last 12 months.
Inside NJ Celebrity Chefs and Friends Golf and Tennis Tournament
The Celebrity Chefs and Friends Golf and Tennis Tournament is an annual food and sporting event held to benefit City Harvest; a NYC-based food rescue organization.
This year’s tournament welcomed over 100 acclaimed chefs and athletes, and raised funds to feed 1.5 million people.
It took legendary chefs and iconic athletes fewer than 12 hours to raise enough money to feed 1.5 million people at the Celebrity Chefs and Friends Golf and Tennis Tournament in Montclair on Monday night.
And, if you suffer from FOMO, that’s all you need to know — because, when I recap what it was like to taste melt-in-your-mouth wagyu prepared by the teams of Michelin-starred restaurants, sip wine as the sun faded behind TV personalities or indulge in desserts while trodding gorgeous, manicured grounds, you’re going to wish you were there.
Or, of course, you could just rewire your brain to read this as what you’ll experience next year when you finally spring for that coveted ticket (the event will certainly be back).
Either way, Karlitz & Co’s annual
Final wrap of state A high school girls tennis tournament
SIOUX FALLS — After a year off, Sioux Falls Christian has return to the top of South Dakota’s Class A high school girls tennis.
The Chargers won four of the six singles and all three doubles flights while rolling to the team championship in the two-day state Class A tourney. The tourney concluded on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.
Anna Westenberg (No. 1), Mackenzie Boyle (No. 2), Eisely Roark (No. 3) and Piper DeBoer (No. 6) each won singles titles for SFC, which also got doubles championships from xxxx.
The Chargers finished with xxx points compared to xxx for runner-up Rapid City Christian. St. Thomas More was third at 290.5, followed by Vermillion 289.5, Madison 281.5, Pierre 264.5, Huron 156, Lennox 134, Milbank 119.5, Aberdeen Roncalli 93 and Spearfish 81.
Singles Championships
First Flight — Anna Westenberg, SF Christian, def. Amity Strand, St. Thomas More, 3-6, 6-2, 10-5.
Second Flight — Mackenzie Boyle, SF Christian, def. Evie Biers, RC Christian, 6-1, 6-2.
Third Flight — Eisley Roark, SF Christian, def. Elliya Strand, St. Thomas More, 7-6 (5), 6-1.
Fourth Flight — Hanna Doelger, Madison, def. Amara Dell, Pierre, 2-6, 6-4, 10-8.
Fifth Flight — Adrian Hand, Pierre; def. Ellie Holdhusen, Vermillion, 6-2, 6-2.
Sixth Flight — Piper DeBoer, SF Christian, def. Norah Beckloff, RC Christian, 6-3, 6-1.
Doubles Championship Matches
First Flight — Anna Westenberg-Mackenzie Boyle, SF Christian, def. Addie Palmer-Evie Biers, RC Christian, 6-0, 7-6 (2).
Second Flight — Alex Love-Marissa Heidecker, SF Christian, def. Evie Reinicke-Elliya Strand, St. Thomas More, 6-1, 6-2.
Third Flight — Sophia Heynen-Piper DeBoer, SF Christian, def. Ellie Holdhusen-Katelyn Profrock, Vermillion. 4-6, 6-1, 10-6.
Aberdeen Roncalli/Milbank Highlights
A fourth-place finish at No. 6 singles by Roncalli’s Abby Andersen led the two teams in the tourney. Jenna Kjorstens (No. 1) and Charlotte Swanson (No. 4) each finished sixth along with Molleigh Hofer (No. 5) of Roncalli.
Gianna Cihak of Roncalli (No. 3) and Caitlyn Frerichs of Milbank (No. 6) each advanced to the consolation finals before losing.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
Where to watch Coco Gauff vs. Moyuka Uchijima today: Tennis free stream
Coco Gauff will face Moyuka Uchijima in the second round of the Wuhan Open Wednesday at 12:30 a.m. ET. This is Gauff’s first match since losing to Amanda Anisimova in the China Open semifinals.
Gauff vs. Uchijima will air on Tennis Channel, which you can stream on DirecTV (free trial).
Here’s what you need to know:
What: Dongfeng Voyah Wuhan Open, Round 2
Who: No. 3 Coco Gauff vs. Moyuka Uchijima
When: Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025
Time: 12:30 a.m. ET
Where: Optics Valley International Tennis Center, Wuhan, China
TV: Tennis Channel
Live stream: DirecTV (free trial), fuboTV (free trial), Hulu + Live TV, Sling
Here’s a recent tennis story, via The Associated Press:
WUHAN, China (AP) — Iga Swiatek powered her way to the third round of the WTA’s 1,000-level Wuhan Open on Tuesday with a straight sets win against Marie Bouzkova.
Wimbledon champion Swiatek bounced back impressively after her fourth round exit at the China Open last week, winning 6-1, 6-1 against the Czech opponent.
The victory was the six-time grand slam winner’s 60th this year and the fourth year in a row she has reached that figure.
“Every tournament I go to, I want to play my best game,” said Swiatek. “Sometimes I deliver, sometimes not, but, yeah, my expectation is to just do my best.
“Honestly, I don’t set goals like semifinal or whatever — just really making it step by step.”
No. 2 seed Swiatek will play Belinda Bencic or Elise Mertens in the next round.
Earlier Emma Raducanu retired ill from her first round match.
The British No.1 and former U.S. Open champion had her blood pressure checked and temperature taken in her match against American Ann Li.
Li was winning 6-1 4-1 when Raducanu retired and will play No.9 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the second round.
Naomi Osaka dropped the first set before rallying to beat Leylah Fernandez 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 to advance to the second round.
Osaka was back in the central Chinese city for the first time since 2017 and, in the day’s first match on center court, facing the player who produced a major upset to beat her at the 2021 U.S. Open.
Fernandez, who was defeated by Raducanu in the U.S. Open final four years ago, converted one of her two first-set breakpoint chances and served consistently. But Osaka stepped up pressure on the service returns in the second set, which featured five service breaks, and finished over the top of the 2021 U.S. Open finalist.
In other early matches, Sofia Kenin edged Anastasia Zakharova 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 to set up a second-round meeting against No. 16 Liudmila Samsonova, who beat Emiliana Arango 6-1, 7-5.
No. 2 Iga Swiatek was scheduled to make her Wuhan tournament debut in a second-round match against Marie Bouzkova in the night session.
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and No. 3 Coco Gauff were due to open Wednesday. No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, the runner-up at both the U.S. Open and Wimbledon this year, withdrew from the Wuhan Open citing a left calf muscle injury after winning the China Open title.
Staten Island HS tennis: SIA stops Hill’s CHSAA Island title streak at five
Staten Island Academy overcame St. Joseph Hill, 3-2, in a dramatic two-day match, consisting of three master tiebreakers, to win the Staten Island CHSAA title Tuesday, stopping the Hilltoppers title streak at five.
The match began on Monday at the SIA courts and Hill’s Emily Agushi (12-1 record) continued her dominance throughout the year, topping Yuriko Perpetua for the initial point for Hill.
Meanwhile, the second singles and first doubles matches were proving to be tremendous battles. SIA’s Simone Feldman and Hill’s Cassandra Trinidad were trading groundstroke rallies before Feldman broke serve to capture the first set 6-4. However, Trinidad upped her game and blazed through the second set 6-2 to force the tiebreaker. Both players were on their game through the first 10 points and a 5-5 score. Feldman eventually ran through the last five points to even the team score at 1-1.
Red Bank Cath. tops Moorestown Friends in SJ, N-P quarters – Girls tennis (PHOTOS)
Kenadi Egan, Maddie McConnell and Adrianna Murino swept the singles matches to lead third-seeded Red Bank Catholic past sixth-seeded Moorestown Friends 4-1 in the NJSIAA South Jersey, Non-Public quarterfinals in Red Bank.
The Caseys improved to 13-3 and advanced to the sectional semifinals for the first time since 2022. They will face either second-seeded Wardlaw-Hartridge or 10th-seeded Notre Dame.
Red Bank Catholic also got a point from its second doubles team of Nola Geffen and Victoria Hare.
In the only match of the day that went to a third-set tiebreak, Makenna Wakahia and Peyton Zauber of Moorestown Friends (10-3) outlasted Elise Hartigan and Olivia Rich 6-0, 4-6, 1-0 (10-6).
Somonauk/Leland/Newark tops Serena on PKs in Little Ten Tournament semis: The Times Tuesday Roundup
Boys soccer
Somonauk/Leland/Newark 3, Serena 2 (OT/PKs): In the semifinals of the Little Ten Conference Tournament at Hinckley, the top-seeded Bobcats outshot the No. 5-seeded Huskers 3-2 in penalty kicks after the teams were tied 2-2 through regulation and two overtimes Tuesday.
Serena received regulation tallies from Easton Bucs (assisted by Justin Delgado) and Ethan Stark (unassisted). S/L/N took the lead early in the second overtime, but Payton Twait tied the game with 1 minute, 30 seconds left off an assist by Joey Tuftie.
Serena (8-13-3) now plays No. 3-seeded Indian Creek, which fell 6-2 to No. 2 Hinckley-Big Rock, in the third-place match at 5:45 p.m. Thursday.
The Bobcats will follow playing the Royals in the championship match.
DePue/Hall 4, Earlville 0: In the consolation bracket of the LTC Tournament at Hinckley, the Red Raiders fell short against the Little Giants.
Manteno 6, Streator 0: At Manteno, the Bulldogs dropped the Illinois Central Eight Conference match to the league champion Panthers.
Mooseheart 6, Sandwich 1: At Mooseheart, the Indians fell to the Red Ramblers.
Girls tennis
Ottawa 4, Pontiac 1; Ottawa 3, Coal City 2: At the L-P Sports Complex, the Pirates improved to 12-0 on the season with wins over the Indians and Coalers in La Salle.
Against Pontiac, Zulee Moreland (6-4, 4-6, 10-3) and Reese Purcell (6-1, 6-0) earned wins at singles, while the duos of Yaquelin Hernandez-Solis/Savannah Frederickson (6-2, 6-3) and Gracie Polancic/Caitlyn Trettenero (6-1, 6-3) were also victorious.
Ottawa swept the doubles matches against Coal City, with Moreland/Hernandez-Solis (6-1, 6-2), Brooklyn Byone/Rylee Harsted (6-4, 6-3) and Polancic/Trettenero (6-3, 6-2) swinging to triumphs.
Girls cross country
Newark’s Creps 6th at Baker Lake: At the La Salle-Peru Mini-Meet at Baker Lake, Norsemen sophomore Anna Creps placed sixth in a time 23 minutes, 23 seconds.
Sandwich 2nd at own 5-team meet: At Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area, the Indians scored 33 points to place behind only first place Yorkville (27).
Sandwich was led by Karlee Henkins (4th, 22:05.3), Emily Urbanski (5th, 22:06.8), Isla Stevens (6th, 22:13.9), Kayla Kressin (7th, 22:25.9) and Olivia Agajanian (11th, 23:08.3).
Boys cross country
Newark’s Britz 3rd, Reibel 4th at Baker Lake: At the La Salle-Peru Mini-Meet at Baker Lake, Norsemen freshman Teagen Britz (18:48) placed third (18:48), and junior Austin Reibel (19:25) finished fourth.
Sandwich runner-up at own 5-team meet: At Silver Springs State Fish and Wildlife Area, the Indians posted 46 points to place behind only IMSA, while Somonauk (83) finished fourth.
Sandwich was led by Alex Walsh (6th, 17:33.5), Logan Trigg (8th, 17:37.2), Nolan Minard (9th, 17:42.5) and Alan Parkison (10th, 17:45.5).
Somonauk’s Caden Namer (17:23.3) placed fourth and Gunnar Swenson (17:35.2) seventh.
Girls volleyball
Ottawa d. Rochelle 21-25, 25-21, 25-19: At Kingman Gym, the Pirates (7-13-2, 1-4) regrouped after dropping the opening set to top the host Hubs in the Interstate 8 Conference match.
Ottawa was led by Ashlyn Ganiere (seven kills, 10 assists, nine digs), Belle Markey (six kills, two blocks, two aces), Savannah Markey (five kills), Emily Snyder (five kills), Bella Knoll (three blocks), Meredith Waldron (12 digs), Kendall Biba (four aces), Bailey Etscheid (three aces) and Jordyn Allen (16 assists).
Seneca d. Putnam Co. 25-9, 25-20: At Seneca, the Fighting Irish – behind 12 kills from Brookly Sheedy and five kills and 16 assists from Graysen Provance – defeated the Panthers in the Tri-County Conference match.
Fieldcrest d. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 25-16, 25-18: At Minonk, the Knights defeated the Falcons in the Heart of Illinois Conference match.
Fieldcrest received solid outings from Pru Mangan (eight kills, 10 digs), Kelani Armstrong (six kills, two blocks), Macy Gochanour (10 digs, 15 assists) and TeriLynn Timmerman (three aces).
2025 TAPPS state team tennis: Find championship results for Dallas-area programs
The 2025 TAPPS state team tennis championships started Monday and will wrap up on Thursday.
Programs like Fort Worth All Saints and Argyle Liberty Christian had athletes competing at Waco Regional Tennis Center. Find results from the competition below:
TAPPS TEAM TENNIS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
(at Waco Regional Tennis Center)
High School Sports
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TUESDAY’S RESULTS
LARGE SCHOOL/LARGE SQUAD
ADDITIONAL MATCHES
Bull. Brook Hill d. SL Logos Prep, 7-6
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SA Antonian JV d. Tomb. Concordia, 7-6
Hou. British Int’l d. Aus. Hyde Park, 7-2
Waco Vanguard d. Mid. Trinity Chr., 8-3
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Lar. St. Augustine d. Grapevine Faith, 7-5
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Bull. Brook Hill d. SA Antonian JV, 7-2
Tomb. Concordia d. SL Logos Prep, 7-6
Mid. Trinity Chr. d. Aus. Hyde Park, 7-6
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Waco Vanguard d. Hou. British Int’l, 7-1
SEMIFINALS
SA Antonian d. Laredo St. Augustine, 7-6
FW All Saints d. Grapevine Faith, 7-2
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CHAMPIONSHIP
SA Antonian d. FW All Saints, 8-5
LARGE SCHOOL/SMALL SQUAD
(at McLennan Community College)
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ADDITIONAL MATCHES
Midland Chr. d. CC Incarnate Word, 5-3
Arl. Grace tied Argyle Liberty, 4-4
FW Nolan d. Tyler Grace, 5-4
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CC Incarnate Word d. Arg. Liberty Chr., 5-1
Midland Chr. d. Arl. Grace Prep, 5-1
SEMIFINALS
Hou. Second Bapt. d. Tyler Grace Comm., 5-0
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Lub. Trinity Chr. d. FW Nolan, 5-0
CHAMPIONSHIP
Lubbock Trinity d. Hou. Second Bapt. 5-2
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Baycurrent Classic prop bet picks and PGA Tour predictions
As the FedExCup Fall continues, the PGA Tour is in Japan this week for the 2025 Baycurrent Classic at Yokohama Country Club. This event was formerly known as the ZOZO Championship, changing sponsors and locations this year. The 1st round begins Thursday.
Below, we search for the best value prop bets for the Baycurrent Classic from BetMGM Sportsbook’s odds and make our PGA Tour picks and predictions.
Even with it being a fall event, the field in Yokohama is still fairly strong. Xander Schauffele (+1100) is the betting favorite, followed by Alex Noren (+1600) and Collin Morikawa (+1600). Hideki Matsuyama, who won the ZOZO in 2021, is among the favorites as well, coming in with pre-tournament odds of +1800.
Yokohama Country Club is hosting this event for the first time. It’s 7,315 yards long and plays as a par 71, and was redesigned by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw in 2015 after opening in 1960. It’s a traditional layout with tree-lined fairways.
Baycurrent Classic: Best outright winner bets
Baycurrent Classic – Top-5 picks
Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 6:42 p.m. ET.
Garrick Higgo (+600)
Higgo was squarely in contention last Sunday at the Sanderson Farms Championship before Steven Fisk fired an 8-under final round to claim the title, putting Higgo in second. He also finished T-7 at the Procore Championship a few weeks ago to kick off his fall schedule, continuing to trend in the right direction.
Rasmus Hojgaard (+400)
Hojgaard was on Europe’s team for their Ryder Cup win and after claiming that title at Bethpage Black, he finished T-3 at the Sanderson Farms Championship. He’s another player in good form who could play well in Japan this week.
Hideki Matsuyama (+333)
Matsuyama was the 2021 champion of this event, albeit at a different venue. But regardless of the course, he’s back home in Japan where he should be very comfortable. In his last start, he finished T-13 at the BMW PGA Championship on the DP World Tour.
Baycurrent Classic – Top-10 picks
Gary Woodland (+350)
Woodland had a T-19 finish to start the fall at the Procore Championship, giving him 3 straight starts of T-23 or better.
Matt Wallace (+350)
Wallace finished tied for second at the Omega European Masters at the end of August after playing well during the summer. It’s a new course for him and everyone else, leveling the playing field.
Baycurrent Classic – Top-20 picks
Ryo Hisatsune (+190)
Hisatsune has made two cuts in a row, finishing T-48 at the Sanderson Farms Championship last week and T-13 at the Procore last month.
Michael Thorbjornsen (+110)
Thorbjornsen is ready for a breakout this fall and he’s gotten off to a good start with finishes of T-13 and T-29 in 2 starts so far.
Michael Kim (+130)
Kim won the French Open last month, breaking through with a monumental win on the DP World Tour. He’s been in great form all year and is always a player to watch, especially at a course that isn’t terribly long.
WATCH: PGA Tour is live on ESPN+! Get ESPN+
Baycurrent Classic – Matchups
Suggested play is golfer in bold.
Hideki Matsuyama (-110) vs. Alex Noren (-110)
Matsuyama and Noren are both playing well at the moment, with Noren recently winning the BMW PGA Championship. But at level odds, take Matsuyama and his short-game prowess, as well as his experience playing in this event over in Japan.
Michael Thorbjornsen (-105) vs. Kevin Yu (-118)
Yu is a long-ball hitter but that may not give him as much of an advantage at Yokohama where there are tree-lined fairways. Thorbjornsen is trending up and shouldn’t be the underdog.
Baycurrent Classic – Top South American
Emiliano Grillo (-120)
Grillo is a well-rounded player who suits just about every course. He missed the cut at the Sanderson Farms Championship last week but he finished T-4 at the Procore last month.
Baycurrent Classic – Top South African
Garrick Higgo (+125)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+138) and Aldrich Potgieter (+350) are the only other South Africans in the field, but Higgo has a clear advantage in overall talent and recent form.
Baycurrent Classic – First-round leader
Michael Thorbjornsen (+3300)
Thorbjornsen fired an opening-round 67 last week at the Sanderson Farms championship and now ranks 26th in Round 1 scoring average this season.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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Alligator Keeps Close Eye on PGA Player Vince Whaley
PGA Player Vince Whaley had his own private audience at the Sanderson Farms Championship. The 30-year-old pro removed his shoes, rolled up his pants, and stepped into the water to play his shot on the 11th hole of the final round this Sunday. Seen lurking behind him in the waters of the Country Club Jackson, in Jackson, Mississippi, is an alligator, who keeps a close eye on him as he swings.
Whaley Saves Par
Despite the alligator watching him from just 20 feet away, Whaley found the concentration needed to hit the ball. He came up just shy of the green but still managed to save par. At the time, Whaley was one shot outside of first, and the pressure was on.
“Well, thankfully, my back was to him so I could focus on the shot for a second,” Whaley said, when asked about the play. He added that he had “a lot of trust” in his caddie, who was monitoring the situation.
When asked what he would have done had the alligator made any movements, Whaley responded with a playful, but serious sentence. “The plan was to get the hell out of the water.”
Impressively, Whaley keeps his composure during the shot. He is able to focus on the ball, despite the water and the gator, and doesn’t seemed too fazed by the lingering danger. The gator seemed to enjoy the up close show, and never moved from his spot. Luckily, no was injured, gators and people alike.
Even after this impressively close call, Whaley wasn’t able to secure the win at this event. The PGA professional has yet to win on tour. Currently, he has 5 top-5 finishes, 11 top-10 finishes, and 1 runner up position.
Sanderson Farms Championship
At the final round of the Sanderson Farms Championship, Vince Whaley came in T3 overall. The American finished 19 under, and tied alongside fellow American Danny Walker and Danish professional Rasmus Hojgaard. Garrick Higgo came in second at 22 under and Steven Fisk took home the win at 24 under par.
Fisk shot an impressive 8 under for 64 for his final round. He became the 4th rookie to win on the PGA Tour this season. Having lost his father earlier this year, the moment was bittersweet for Fisk, who stated,
“I think he nudged a couple putts in for me for sure, maybe him or Grayson. I had a couple of helpers out there,” Fisk said. “I miss him very much, and I know he’d be really proud of how I played all week and especially today to keep my composure and just kind of go about my business the best way I know how.”
Notably, Fisk’s caddie Jay Green had previously caddied for the late Grayson Murray during his 2024 win at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
After the win Fisk went on to say to Golf Channel, “I came out today with an attitude that nothing was going to stop me, I just felt like I’d be standing right here, right now, before the round started. I know I’m good enough. I thought I could do it.”
The win secures Fisk’s PGA Tour card through the 2027 season.
Hideki Matsuyama and Co. Face Major Delay as Typhoon Halong Hits Baycurent Classic
A typhoon warning isn’t the usual start to a PGA Tour event—but that’s the reality at Yokohama Country Club, where Typhoon Halong is spinning dangerously close to the Baycurrent Classic. With 30 mph gusts, sheets of rain, and pressure falling fast, Thursday’s tee times could turn into a game of survival. The storm sits roughly 150 miles south of Tokyo, but its outer bands are already sweeping through Kanagawa Prefecture, soaking fairways and turning a serene setup into a tactical storm test.
And while play remains on schedule for now, the threat is real. Tournament officials are walking a weather tightrope, monitoring radar every hour as Hideki Matsuyama and the rest of the field brace for crosswinds, delays, and the kind of chaos that can turn a round on its head. For some, it’s disruption — for others, an unexpected chance to prove control amid the tempest.
Limited PGA Tour cards up for grabs at 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Championship
The good and bad of LPGA parity
Paige Mackenzie joins Golf Central to talk about the positives and negatives of the LPGA having no repeat winners in 2025.
Kuchar’s confidence shows with play in Jackson
Matt Kuchar
Tiger Woods’s Struggling Comeback is Raising Alarm on Champions Tour’s Future, Warns Ex-PGA Tour Pro
Back in the 1980s and 90s, the Champions Tour wasn’t just a continuation of golf careers—it was a celebration of them. Fans flocked to see Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Lee Trevino light up leaderboards once again. They weren’t just playing; they were redefining what golf after 50 could look like.
But that was then. Today, the once-golden circuit faces an identity crisis. Crowds have thinned. Sponsors have pulled back. And now, even insiders are beginning to question whether the tour can survive at all.
That concern came sharply into focus when Johnson Wagner, a former PGA Tour pro turned SiriusXM analyst, raised the alarm on The Wagyu Filet Show. He didn’t sugarcoat it. “If Tiger doesn’t play, can it sustain itself on the names that are out there right now? It was built for Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino—these legends of the game.”
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His words struck at the heart of the issue. The tour, once powered by star wattage, now faces an uncertain future with its biggest potential draw, Tiger Woods, still sidelined.
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Wagner’s fear isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about economics. Without star power, television audiences have plummeted. The average 2025 Champions Tour broadcast draws around 129,000 viewers, a far cry from the six-figure peaks of its heyday. The sponsors who once invested millions in senior golf are slowly shifting their attention elsewhere.
And there’s another concern Wagner shared: the money. Today’s pros are richer than ever. The average PGA Tour player earns about $1.84 million a year, and stars like Scottie Scheffler made nearly $30 million in 2024 alone. That kind of wealth changes incentives. “I worry about these young players now,” Wagner said. “They’ve made so much money that they’re like, I want to play golf after I’m 50? My body hurts. I’m beat up.”
He has a point. Golf’s next generation doesn’t need the Champions Tour to make a living—or a legacy.
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Then came the next blow: the elimination of Q-School in October 2025. For decades, it was the gateway for dreamers and grinders to earn their way onto the senior circuit. Now, that door is closed. Only PGA Tour veterans or past Champions Tour winners can secure full-season status. For everyone else, it’s Monday qualifiers and sponsor exemptions. That move, while framed as modernization, has thinned the pipeline of fresh stories and hungry newcomers—the very lifeblood of a tour trying to stay relevant.
Tiger Woods and the missing magnetism the Champions Tour desperately needs
Meanwhile, the one man who could change everything isn’t close to returning. Tiger Woods, the player who redefined golf’s global reach, hasn’t teed it up competitively in 2025. Following Achilles surgery in March, after undergoing back and ankle procedures in previous years, his comeback looks increasingly unlikely. He turns 50 on December 30, 2025, making him technically eligible for the Champions Tour, but readiness is another matter.
His absence looms large. The Champions Tour’s future, as Wagner sees it, may depend on whether Woods ever decides to show up.
Recently, Woods sparked hope online with a defiant message about his recovery—saying he “can execute anything” again. That post reignited talk about whether he might test the waters on the senior circuit next year. But for now, it’s talk.
And as for Phil Mickelson, who might have been the other saving grace? His LIV Golf commitments keep him away. At 55, he’s eligible but unavailable—more businessman than competitor these days. So, where does that leave the Champions Tour? Somewhere between its glorious past and an uncertain tomorrow.
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Wagner’s worries aren’t misplaced. A tour once “built for legends” now searches for the next one. Until it finds a new identity—or a new hero—the Champions Tour may continue to walk a fine line between survival and history.
Only time will tell if the legends of yesterday can still inspire the fans of tomorrow.
Tiger Woods’s Struggling Comeback is Raising Alarm on Champions Tour’s Future, Warns Ex-PGA Tour Pro
Back in the 1980s and 90s, the Champions Tour wasn’t just a continuation of golf careers—it was a celebration of them. Fans flocked to see Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Lee Trevino light up leaderboards once again. They weren’t just playing; they were redefining what golf after 50 could look like.
But that was then. Today, the once-golden circuit faces an identity crisis. Crowds have thinned. Sponsors have pulled back. And now, even insiders are beginning to question whether the tour can survive at all.
That concern came sharply into focus when Johnson Wagner, a former PGA Tour pro turned SiriusXM analyst, raised the alarm on The Wagyu Filet Show. He didn’t sugarcoat it. “If Tiger doesn’t play, can it sustain itself on the names that are out there right now? It was built for Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino—these legends of the game.”
His words struck at the heart of the issue. The tour, once powered by star wattage, now faces an uncertain future with its biggest potential draw, Tiger Woods, still sidelined.
Wagner’s fear isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about economics. Without star power, television audiences have plummeted. The average 2025 Champions Tour broadcast draws around 129,000 viewers, a far cry from the six-figure peaks of its heyday. The sponsors who once invested millions in senior golf are slowly shifting their attention elsewhere.
And there’s another concern Wagner shared: the money. Today’s pros are richer than ever. The average PGA Tour player earns about $1.84 million a year, and stars like Scottie Scheffler made nearly $30 million in 2024 alone. That kind of wealth changes incentives. “I worry about these young players now,” Wagner said. “They’ve made so much money that they’re like, I want to play golf after I’m 50? My body hurts. I’m beat up.”
He has a point. Golf’s next generation doesn’t need the Champions Tour to make a living—or a legacy.
Then came the next blow: the elimination of Q-School in October 2025. For decades, it was the gateway for dreamers and grinders to earn their way onto the senior circuit. Now, that door is closed. Only PGA Tour veterans or past Champions Tour winners can secure full-season status. For everyone else, it’s Monday qualifiers and sponsor exemptions. That move, while framed as modernization, has thinned the pipeline of fresh stories and hungry newcomers—the very lifeblood of a tour trying to stay relevant.
Tiger Woods and the missing magnetism the Champions Tour desperately needs
Meanwhile, the one man who could change everything isn’t close to returning. Tiger Woods, the player who redefined golf’s global reach, hasn’t teed it up competitively in 2025. Following Achilles surgery in March, after undergoing back and ankle procedures in previous years, his comeback looks increasingly unlikely. He turns 50 on December 30, 2025, making him technically eligible for the Champions Tour, but readiness is another matter.
His absence looms large. The Champions Tour’s future, as Wagner sees it, may depend on whether Woods ever decides to show up.
Recently, Woods sparked hope online with a defiant message about his recovery—saying he “can execute anything” again. That post reignited talk about whether he might test the waters on the senior circuit next year. But for now, it’s talk.
And as for Phil Mickelson, who might have been the other saving grace? His LIV Golf commitments keep him away. At 55, he’s eligible but unavailable—more businessman than competitor these days. So, where does that leave the Champions Tour? Somewhere between its glorious past and an uncertain tomorrow.
Wagner’s worries aren’t misplaced. A tour once “built for legends” now searches for the next one. Until it finds a new identity—or a new hero—the Champions Tour may continue to walk a fine line between survival and history.
Only time will tell if the legends of yesterday can still inspire the fans of tomorrow.
Phil Mickelson Under Fire for Speaking Out Against PGA Tour Experience With Scathing LIV Golf Comparison
Phil Mickelson is in yet another controversy, and this time it is about how he pointed out the difference in playing on the LIV Golf circuit and the PGA Tour. He expressed his feelings on how “he felt more relaxed” playing on the LIV Golf. What began as a simple comment has now turned into a major point of discussion, with one analyst delivering a very sharp response to his comments.
Trey Wingo recently took to social media on Phil Mickelson’s claim on how the LIV Golf environment feels much easier and stress-free than the PGA Tour. Trey’s response: he criticized the LIV Golf environment and added on how it’s “not real competition. “You know, Phil Mickelson a few weeks ago said, ‘I feel much more relaxed when I play the LIV Tour as opposed to the PGA,’” “You know why? ’Cause it’s not real competition,” he added on his YouTube channel. This is largely due to how the LIV Golf format is; the circuit’s no-cut, team-based 54-hole format has attracted a lot of criticism for how it lacks the intensity and the spirit that the PGA Tour does.
Many of Wingo’s arguments and criticisms are also shared among analysts, including Brandel Chamblee. He has criticized many of Phil Mickelson’s comments on numerous occasions regarding his justification for moving from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf. Now he calls out Mickelson’s comments as “insanely idiotic” as he tries to change the narrative of how the PGA Tour is more stressful.
Mickelson has argued many times that LIV Golf’s format provides players and the audience with a more enjoyable experience, highlighting the music, the family area, and the three-day shorter format. However, many critics argue that these are precisely the points that fail to capture the essence of golf. Their main point of contention is that the essence of golf lies in the mental endurance required to make the cut, play all four rounds under immense pressure, and, for glory, in all the elements that are actively missing from the Liv Golf circuit. Wingo accurately points out these points as comfort instead of competition.
This is far from the first time Mickelson has been caught under fire for his comments on the PGA Tour. In 2022, his now-infamous comments, in which he called the PGA Tour a “dictatorship,” caused a huge backlash and led to confrontations with many golfers, including Rory McIlroy, resulting in the loss of many of his key sponsors. Since this comment, every comment Phil Mickelson makes about LIV or the PGA has carried the weight of that controversy.
Phil Mickelson’s argument emphasizes how the LIV Circuit represents golf’s evolution, one that provides unique entertainment to fans while giving players more control. However, critics like Wingo and Chamblee argue that the LIV Circuit is more akin to an exhibition than a competition. As Wingo noted, “You’re not as relaxed when you play in majors and don’t play very well, because that’s real competition.”
Mickeson’s comments reveal a growing rift between those who view Liv Golf as an innovation and those who see it as a dilution. For critics like Wingo, the sport isn’t about fan zones and fireworks; it’s about the intensity of the sport and whether the fight to win still matters. And in his eyes, Mickelson’s comfort says more about what he’s left behind than what he’s found.
The Hidden Challenges of LIV Golf’s Global Schedule
Even though Phil Mickelson argues that the LIV Circuit is a relaxing environment, many veteran players in the circuit have openly criticized the schedule as taxing and demanding. Kevin Na spoke about how the LIV circuit’s global schedule takes a physical toll on the body due to the long travels, extreme climates, and the sheer amount of transitions between the tournaments. “We went from Saudi Arabia to Australia… literally, we have a 20-hour travel day,” Na said, emphasizing the pace at which they operate. While the LIV circuit may have fewer events than the PGA Tour, it presents its own challenges, including stamina, recovery, and mental resilience, which Phil Mickelson rarely addresses.
These are some of the factors that highlight the growing tension in the golf world right now. While critics like Wingo argue that the sport has more to offer than fanzones, fireworks, and spectacles, he argues that the sport is more about intensity, competition, and the fight to win. The LIV Golf’s demanding circuit, as expressed by players like Kevin Na, shows that even though the LIV Golf might offer comfort in different ways, it also provides new pressure and certain trade-offs that contradict Phil Mickelson’s comment on how the circuit is relaxed.
Ultimately, while LIV Golf may have less competitive pressure, the combination of the travel and the lack of breaks adds up to the fatigue that showcases a different set of challenges. While Mickelson’s “relaxation” may be relative, the game still tests its players in unexpected ways.
Justin Allgaier chasing consecutive titles under little pressure
There may not be a driver in the penultimate round of the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs feeling less pressure than Justin Allgaier.
Justin Allgaier is building a legendary Xfinity Series career
Allgaier, 39, is less than a year removed from winning his first Xfinity Series championship after 16 years of trying. In his title defense season, the 28-time Xfinity Series winner has once again looked every bit the Xfinity Series legend he’ll one day go down as, winning thrice this season and easily advancing to the Round of 8.
Since the Xfinity Series instituted the NASCAR playoff format in 2016, Allgaier has made the postseason in all 10 years. In all 10 of those seasons, he’s never been eliminated in the first round.
His inclusion in the Championship 4 this season would be no surprise. In nine seasons of Xfinity Series playoff racing, Allgaier has made the Championship 4 an astounding seven times — more than any other driver in any of NASCAR’s top-three series.
Justin Allgaier has excellent chance to repeat
Perhaps most importantly, Allgaier already has a title under his belt. He and the No. 7 team know exactly what it takes to bring home the hardware, and he also doesn’t have the pressure of potentially going another year without winning the big prize.
But even Allgaier can’t afford to put the cart before the horse. If he is to win his second consecutive Xfinity Series championship, he must first get to the Championship 4. Going into the opening race of the Round of 8, he’s 24 points above the cut line.
The round begins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Oct. 11. Perhaps no driver in Xfinity Series history has been as good at LVMS as Allgaier, who won at the 1.5-mile track in March and has 19 top-10 finishes and 12 top-fives in 22 Las Vegas starts.
A win at Las Vegas would take a substantial amount of pressure off Allgaier’s shoulders at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct 18. JR Motorsports Chevrolets are always fast at superspeedways, but Lady Luck has rarely shined on Allgaier at the 2.66-mile behemoth. In 19 Talladega starts, Allgaier is yet to win and has only eight top-10 finishes, though he did finish fourth at Talladega on April 27.
Martinsville is the final race of the Round of 8, and similar to Las Vegas, there may not be a better driver in Xfinity Series history at the half-mile paperclip than Allgaier. He only has one victory at the track (fall 2023) but has nine top-10 efforts in 10 starts, including seven top-five finishes.
Talladega certainly has the potential to upend Allgaier’s dreams of winning consecutive championships, but if he runs like he usually does at either Las Vegas or Martinsville, he has an excellent opportunity to make it to Phoenix and become only the eighth driver in Xfinity Series history to win back-to-back championships.
Denny Hamlin Asks Jordan Bianchi to ‘Shut up’ in Road Course Driver Debate
NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin has called out reporter Jordan Bianchi for his views about Shane van Gisbergen (SVG) not being on par with Jeff Gordon when it came to dominating road courses. Hamlin believes SVG is the best road course driver the sport has witnessed, and revealed reasons why Gordon falls short.
Chairman of Hendrick Motorsports, Gordon won four Cup Series championships and is considered one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers. SVG, who made his Cup Series debut this year, has already secured five consecutive road course victories, his most recent win coming from the Charlotte Roval last weekend, making him a highly versatile driver.
A lot has changed in NASCAR since Gordon’s peak racing era in the late nineties and early 2000s, especially with the addition of more road courses and new cars that are nearly equal in terms of performance. However, Bianchi thinks Gordon was the greatest of all and ranked him above SVG in a debate with Jeff Gluck on The Teardown podcast. He said:
“Gordon was all-time, and he was so good that at that era, there were people thinking that he could have moved to Formula One and been competitive. No offense to SVG, that conversation has been had. I’m not saying that SVG isn’t the greatest, but look at Gordon’s body of work, look at what he did, the number of wins. And it would have been interesting to see if there had been more road courses at the time, what his stats would have looked like even more.”
Now though, Hamlin has ridiculed Bianchi for his comments, emphasizing that Gordon wasn’t dominating road courses like SVG. He said on his Actions Detrimental podcast:
“Jordan Bianchi is absolutely out of his mind. Yeah, he’s [SVG] on the short-list for the best NASCAR road racer ever. What is he talking about? Does he really think that Jeff Gordon, in his prime, would beat SVG today in a Next Gen car? Not a chance. Not a remote chance.
Denny Hamlin Addresses Growing Calls for NASCAR Penalty Against Ross Chastain
It was an unforgettable finish by all means. Ross Chastain, on the last lap at Charlotte, needed a single point to maintain his playoff qualification. He attempted a Hail Mary move that nearly resulted in a collision with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin’s Toyota Camry XSE. Chastain, however, didn’t make it to the Round of 8, unlike Hamlin. But after voicing concerns about the “radio silence” from his team, Hamlin has now called on NASCAR to take action against Chastain.
After the race, Hamlin voiced that his team had not given any information on Chastain’s position. “We just didn’t say much all day. I run, and I run, and I run. I’m like, I’m not catching anyone. Suddenly, the 1 (Ross Chastain), you can see he’s slow. He’s fighting his car and whatnot. At that point, again, I have no idea. Never did I get any update on what position we’re in, never did I get an update on the points, anything,” said Hamlin recently about the incident. Now, after calling out his team, Hamlin has appealed to NASCAR to take action against Chastain.
Hamlin appeared on his podcast ‘Actions Detrimental’ with co-host Jared Allen and opened up about how he felt “vulnerable” in the last lap and called for penalties. “Do you think, had that move worked, that they probably would have been penalized by NASCAR?” asked Allen. Denny Hamlin, without any hesitation, replied in affirmation that the incident should be constituted as “intentional wreck.”
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“I would hope so. If not, then what? I mean, yeah, I think they should set a precedent on that. It would be interesting, and I would appreciate NASCAR or someone sending me a text. They don’t have to say it publicly, but just let me know whether that will be allowed. Certainly, I don’t think you’re going to be allowed to just wipe someone out to move on. I mean, it’s an intentional wreck, isn’t it?” said Hamlin. Although Hamlin’s car didn’t spin too much out of control and he was safe with his lead. Still, upon video review, the maneuver would have come under scrutiny.
The NASCAR rule book currently has Section 10, which deals with violations and disciplinary actions and evaluates such behavior on a case-by-case basis upon video review. Still, NASCAR allows last-lap aggression, and many actions like the ‘bump-and-run’ are widely tolerated, with penalties coming only on major violations. Still, trying to spin or manipulate the outcome of the race or championship is strictly enforced.
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“Attempting to manipulate the outcome of the Race or championship… Wrecking or spinning another vehicle… shall be subject to a penalty from NASCAR,” reads the NASCAR Rule Book. However, whether Chastain will be given a penalty or not is yet to be seen, but it has surely opened a debate.
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Denny Hamlin backtracks after approving Ross Chastain’s last-lap move
The maneuver that Chastain pulled in the last moment, before the finish line, largely falls under NASCAR’s tolerance for heat-of-the-moment aggression. Even Ross Chastain announced after the race that it was a last-ditch Hail Mary attempt. “I had to try something crazy,” said Chastain, who had a one-point deficit. As for NASCAR, it reviewed the last finish and later decided to issue no penalties, classifying it as “admitted but not egregious.” Hamlin, too, had defended it post-race,” I don’t fault Ross at all… because of what was at stake.” But why demand a penalty then?
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Hamlin’s appeal is not exactly for Chastain, but for the risks the moves carry, as they have been attempted earlier, too. “This is going to come up certainly in the lower series. We know at Martinsville this every year. Every single year. We saw it with Kevin Harvick when he wrecked Kyle Busch on the final corner of Martinsville. Surely, just for the sporting aspect, we’ve got to say that that’s not going to be allowed, intentional wrecking to advance. It’s no different than someone intentionally not passing someone,” said Hamlin.
What Hamlin is essentially demanding here is a rule change from NASCAR where incidents like Chastain’s are outright banned. Surely, with the current state of things, drivers would try to do such maneuvers when faced with a do-or-die battle. But with a rule change, more drivers would be discouraged from attempting them, making tracks relatively safer, at least on turns. However, how that would fit into NASCAR’s playoff system that encourages desperate racing is a puzzle.
Ryan Blaney continuing to blossom into modern superstar
Over the last three years, Ryan Blaney has found a way to consistently perform in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs when it matters the most.
The latest example of that was his victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sept. 21, which locked him into the penultimate round of the postseason — a win that was especially important given his finishes of 24th and 13th in the final two races of the Round of 12.
Blaney is in the Round of 8 for the fourth consecutive season and is searching for a third consecutive Championship 4 appearance. If he makes it to Phoenix as one of the four drivers still in contention for the championship, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him listed as the title favorite.
Ryan Blaney is having another good season
2025 has been another solid season for Blaney in a long line of them since he joined Team Penske in 2018. It’s the third consecutive season in which Blaney has at least three victories and has led 560 laps. One more top-10 finish would give Blaney 18 on the year, which would mark the third consecutive season in which he’s finished top-10 in half of the races on the Cup Series schedule.
Perhaps Blaney’s biggest strength compared to his Round of 8 peers is the fact that none of the three tracks in the round — Las Vegas, Talladega and Martinsville — serve as a major weakness. In fact, one could argue that Talladega and Martinsville are Blaney’s best two racetracks. Las Vegas is somewhere in between, but it’s certainly not a liability for the No. 12 team. In 18 Las Vegas starts, Blaney has 10 top-10 finishes, and a Penske-affiliated car (Josh Berry with the Wood Brothers No. 21) won at Las Vegas in March.
Talladega will be inherently chaotic as always, but Blaney is a master of finding his way through the chaos and leading the pack at the end of races. Blaney won the most recent superspeedway race at Daytona on Aug. 23, and he’s a three-time Talladega winner, including a clutch playoff win at the track in 2023.
But it’s Martinsville where Blaney has really made his mark as of late. In both 2023 and 2024, Blaney entered the penultimate race of the season needing a victory to advance to the Championship 4. Both times, Blaney put together two of the most clutch performances that the fabled walls of Martinsville Speedway have ever seen.
Blaney led a combined 177 laps in those victories, both of which propelled him to Phoenix. In 19 Martinsville starts, he has 10 top-five finishes, so even if he doesn’t need a win at Martinsville to advance to the Championship 4, a good points day is certainly within reach.
Blaney has not had a flashy season like Denny Hamlin, who is tied for the series lead with five wins. He didn’t have to bounce back after a summer slump like Kyle Larson. Blaney made it to the Round of 8 by simply being a steady presence near the front of the pack, and that same characteristic could be what takes him to Phoenix as a championship contender for the third year in a row.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Doubts NASCAR’s Motive Behind Latest Settlement for Charter Lawsuit
On Monday, NASCAR filed a motion with U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell requesting the appointment of a judge to oversee a settlement conference that, if successful, could prevent the trial set for December 1. The motion referenced Michael Jordan’s recent remarks that 23XI Racing, which he co-owns with Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk, “has always been open to a settlement.” But Dale Jr. thinks something is fishy.
However, Dale Jr. believes that it’s all for public view. Speaking on his latest Dale Junior podcast, he said, “Was this more was this really nothing more than NASCAR going by the way we do want a settlement, if that you know not not that we think one’s going to happen, but we just want people to know that we’re, we’re not against the settlement. I think that’s a big thing is public perception.”
More eyes on the “settlement” bid will definitely gain NASCAR more brownie points as they put up a front of negotiation. NASCAR has also shown that there is a path to resolution before the trial with the summary judgment, though it is unwilling to renegotiate the charter agreements. And although Michael Jordan said after the last hearing in August that he was open to a settlement, the attorney representing 23XI and Front Row Motorsports indicated that the clients are prepared to go to trial.
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Backing up NASCAR’s “gameplan,” Dale Jr. added, ” And so, you know, it’s just a reminder, I think, more than anything of by the way, like, you know, we’re not over here. We will settle under the right terms, right? We’re totally down with that. Not even expecting it to happen, but just so that the public knows. Um, and that maybe could be what this is.”
Dale Jr. Calls Out Joey Logano’s Repeated NASCAR Playoff Defense With Bold Confession
Call it luck or fate, but Joey Logano was always meant to be in the Round of 8. We saw it last year, where Alex Bowman’s disqualification post-race led to his advancement, and this year, thanks to Ross Chastain and Denny Hamlin at the Charlotte Roval race, the three-time Cup Series champion gets a free ride again. However, this time, the magic of a strategy was in play as well. But the NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn’t here for it…
Joey Logano, with his big classic smile, didn’t hold back on commenting on the playoff system that has helped him get 3 Cup titles (2018, 2022, and 2024). Post-race, the defending champion said, “The playoffs create drama; they create storylines. They create awesome moments like that. I don’t understand what people don’t like about it. I really don’t get it.” But Dale Jr., the longtime supporter of the Chase format, has let his frustration be known.
Speaking on the latest Dale Jr. Download, the veteran didn’t hold back on Joey Logano’s long-standing support for the current playoff format: “You know, yeah. I mean, and I’ll tell you this, too. The more Joey Logano gets out of his car and talks about the playoffs, the more I don’t like the playoffs. Oh, my gosh. The more he talks about it, and I know he’s defending it, and I know he believes what he believes, and I’m good with that for him, but the more he tells me why I should like the playoffs, the less I like him.”
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Dale Jr. has always been on team “full-season points,” always urging NASCAR to return to it. The full-season points format rewards consistency over one-time wonders. The “win-and-you’re-in” doesn’t really apply to the type of full-on dominance Dale Earnhardt Sr. showed while clinching the 1987 Winston Cup championship with a 515-point lead, becoming the third-ever driver in NASCAR history to clinch the championship with two races to go. But with massive changes over the decades to the playoff systems, it has been deeply scrutinized. And the Charlotte race was no different.
Joey Logano’s crew chief, Paul Wolfe, made a bold call to pit from 13th with just 11 laps to go, sacrificing a slim points lead over Ross Chastain, which paid off big. On fresh tires, Logano charged forward as Chastain lost ground. Tied at the cut line entering the final chicane, Chastain’s desperate move to spin Denny Hamlin for the last playoff spot sealed Logano’s advancement instead.
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Adding to Dale Jr.’s frustration, he admitted, “I’m not going to be, oh, darn it, pounding the table if the full season thing comes don’t come back, ’cause I really don’t think that they’re that that’s where NASCAR is going to go. But, so I’m ready for that mentally, but man, I am exhausted. Uh, something about something about this particular year’s playoff is just not—it’s just not doing it for me.”
But Jr. isn’t alone on this. Having led through the shift from the old 36-race-point championship to today’s race format, Brad Keselowski knows the system inside out. Earlier this week, he didn’t mince words, saying, “The whole playoff thing has to go away. The nuance of having 10 races that are more important than 20-some others is very unhealthy for the sport. It’s demeaning to the other tracks and races.” And after that Charlotte race, frustration boiled over even more.
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However, Junior will have to hang tight until the season finale next month at Phoenix, as Mike Forde, NASCAR’s director of communications, has made it clear that NASCAR will announce its plan for the playoff system next year. The discussions continue over the 2026 championship performance, with ideas ranging from a four-race finale featuring up to 6 contenders to a call for a return to the traditional season-long points system. NASCAR hasn’t used a full-season format since 2003, and its playoff structure has seen multiple revisions, the latest coming in 2017.
But with changes being made and Joey Logano’s playoff comment generating backlash, the defending Cup Series champion is definitely a threat heading into the Round of 8.
Why Joey Logano’s return to the Round of 8 spells trouble for the rest of the Playoff field
In 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024, Joey Logano opened the Round of 8 with a win, and each time it carried him straight into the Championship 4. Three of those runs ended with him bagging the title. Historically, the No. 22 driver’s path to the finale has always hinged on victory, making Las Vegas a pivotal test.
Then comes Talladega, a wildcard race that might seem like a blessing for the rest of the playoff field. The unpredictable nature of the track could derail Logano’s momentum, unlike Homestead, which used to occupy that calendar spot and suited him better.
Still, The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi warns that overlooking Logano is a mistake. In the Teardown podcast, he said, “I just want to say this, too. You let Joey Logano onto the next round. They are going to regret this. You picked them to be in the Championship 4, Jeff, you called it. This guy’s one of those horror movie monsters that you can’t put down, and he just finds a way to get in, and they did it again.”
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And he’s not wrong; Logano came within inches of a win earlier this year at Dega, with teammate Austin Cindric snatching victory. Team Penske’s drafting strategy has long made them a powerhouse at superspeedways.
Whether the 35-year-old’s will win a fourth championship remains uncertain; others have shown stronger form this season, but if history is any indication, counting him out is risky. As the Round of 8 begins, all eyes will be on the No. 22 in Las Vegas.
Richard Petty Drops 4-Word Honest Verdict on NASCAR Roval Race Amid Calls for Change
Chaos unfolded on the final lap of the Charlotte Roval race. After getting passed by Denny Hamlin, Ross Chastain knew that he was losing the fight against Joey Logano. So he drove deep into the final corner, running into Hamlin’s car and spinning it out. Unfortunately, Chastain also spun, as he put the car in reverse while crossing the finish line. Logano escaped with a Round of 8 playoff berth. Yet Richard Petty is ready to do without this climactic story twist.
The 7-time Cup Series champion belongs to an era when drivers in the middle of the pack rarely caused so much chaos. All the drama belonged to the frontrunners, who were contending for a win. Hence, Richard Petty sounded off on NASCAR’s Roval racing, agreeing with other veterans of the sport.
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Richard Petty was not bothered at all
The 17-turn, 2.28-mile hybrid oval road course debuted in 2018. Since then, drivers and fans have been scratching their heads about the layout. From the surgical turns rattling racers to the obstructed views reducing excitement for fans, the track has many concerns. During the last-lap chaos on last Sunday’s race, Denny Hamlin confessed he “had no clue” about what position he was running, whether it was 10th or 25th. “The right thing to do is to put us on the oval,” Hamlin declared about shifting to Charlotte Motor Speedway’s traditional course. Even Jeff Gluck agreed: “The Roval might have run its course.”
Now, Richard Petty also added to this debate. In a recent video uploaded on his official Instagram account, ‘The King’ confessed to his utter apathy about the Roval race in four words: “I wasn’t even interested.” He continued, “‘Cause to me, nothing was interesting in it. At the end of the race, it all settled. And the ones that had run up front wound up being up front. I’d like to see a race finished like that.”
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And the stage racing made things even more confusing. Ross Chastain and Joey Logano were hardly contending for the trophy – and yet ended up creating jaw-dropping chaos just in the hope of scoring more points. Hence, Dale Inman, Petty’s former crew chief, declared: “They still don’t need to have them stages on a road course.” Richard Petty unequivocally agreed, as that situation makes the Roval more chaotic and unpredictable. “That’s gotta confuse a regular guy sitting there watching the race,” He said.
This falls in line with Richard Petty’s views just a month ago, when he bashed NASCAR for trying to mimic other sports. He said, “When they give points for leading different (stages) in the race and they give points for all this other stuff, that’s a bunch of crap, OK? If you’re sitting there and watching a football game and the team has been behind the whole game, and they kick a field goal and they win the game, the guys who lost got a zero. That should be the same way in NASCAR racing. I don’t care if you lead 499 laps of a 500-lap race — if you get beat, then you’re not the winner, and you shouldn’t have any (extra) points.”
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The King has rolled out his verdict about the Charlotte Roval. Meanwhile, the track’s latest winner is biting his nails about other tracks.
Admitting to the steep learning curve
Despite Richard Petty’s criticism of the Charlotte Roval, nobody can doubt its winner’s prowess. Shane van Gisbergen put up a flawless streak of five consecutive road course race trophies. What is more, he won the Roval with a 15-second margin from his nearest competitor, Kyle Larson. Fans are already comparing him with legends, with Denny Hamlin setting him above Jeff Gordon. Nevertheless, SVG’s difficulty with ovals is no secret.
The Kiwi speedster recently admitted to his queasy feelings about the following races. SVG said, “All tracks are difficult. Like Vegas next week, going there and having to hold it wide open at 320 and 190, probably, whatever miles that is, it’s a crazy feeling and something I’m not comfortable with.” He continued, “It’s just taking time. Martinsville, the short tracks, they’re getting better for me, and finally starting to get results at them too. Martinsville, I think I did a decent result last year, and hopefully we just build on that. We had a bit of a shocker at the start of the year with wheels falling off literally, so hopefully we can be better.”
Yet SVG is on the path to improvement. While competing in the Cook Out Summer Shootout Series in July, he captured his first pavement oval win in a Legends car. Then, a few small steps: he qualified 11th at Indianapolis, snagged the pole at North Wilkesboro, and started 10th at New Hampshire. In Kansas, he climbed from the rear to claim his first-ever top-10 finish on an oval.
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Hence, the Charlotte Roval winner is slowly but surely matching up to NASCAR’s traditional tracks. Let’s see if SVG can excel on a track better loved by Richard Petty and others.
NASCAR Wins $76 Million Sponsorship Lawsuit as Miami Jury Rejects Crypto Claims
There is no secret to the NASCAR lawsuit. Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, along with Front Row Motorsports, had sued the sport for ‘monopolistic’ practices in the charter system. The legal battle had been raging since October 2024, with several exchanges of blows. Now, however, things seem to be clearing up with the hope of resolution.
On that note, things are also brighter for NASCAR in another lawsuit. Three years ago, the sanctioning body was sued by a cryptocurrency brand in a $76 million case. The sport’s rejection of the brand’s sponsorship of Brandon Brown’s Xfinity Series car apparently deflated the digital currency’s value. But like NASCAR, the court has no sympathy for it.
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One legal battle ends happily for NASCAR
Soon after Brandon Brown won his first NASCAR race in Talladega in October 2021, he fell into a cultural war. An NBC Sports reporter incorrectly interpreted a political slogan as ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ – and those three words became more popular than Dale Earnhardt or Richard Petty slogans. Right-wing NASCAR fans used the wrong slogan for merchandise, souvenirs, and political campaigns. What is more, a cryptocurrency brand emerged, called the LGBCoin. But as soon as Brown accepted that brand’s sponsorship, NASCAR rejected its legitimacy. Then, LGBCoin launched a lawsuit, which went on for three years.
Now, that story has reached its climax. The lawsuit went to trial in September and was overlooked due to two other cases – the 23XI/FRM one and the Legacy Motor Club one. While those battles are seeking resolution, NASCAR achieved a definite victory in the LGBCoin case. Law360 posted the update on X: “A Miami jury returned a defense verdict late Monday in favor of NASCAR in a $76 million suit by the LetsGoBrandon Foundation accusing the league of destroying the value of its cryptocurrency LGBCoin after it revoked approval of a sponsorship of a racing team.”
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This marked the end of a long, drawn-out battle between the two parties. Although the case has lost its relevance for Brandon Brown and his Xfinity Series team, Brandonbilt Racing. Brandonbilt ultimately raced the full 2022 season, but without LGBCoin on the car. And Brown would only pilot the No. 68 in 23 of the series’s 33 races. Austin Dillon and Kris Wright took his place for the other 10 races. The three drivers finished no better than Brown’s third-place finish at New Hampshire. The team has not entered another race since the 2022 season finale.
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Evidently, NASCAR can now breathe easy in one legal battle. Stay tuned for more updates!
Fans Rip Off NASCAR’s $7.7 Billion TV Deal as Playoff Viewership Flatters
NASCAR’s TV viewership has been on a bumpy decline for well over a decade, and 2025 has brought some of the lowest numbers in its history. Just five years ago, regular Cup races averaged nearly 4 million viewers. Now, that figure has dropped to 2.5 million – a 13% decrease from 2024’s numbers and a staggering drop from NASCAR’s 2005 peak when a single Daytona 500 could command more than 18 million fans.
This season’s first four playoff races averaged just 1.56 million viewers, far short of the sport’s glory days. As cable subscriptions shrink and younger fans drift away, the issue has become impossible to ignore. Beneath these numbers lies a deeper debate about whether NASCAR’s multi-billion-dollar media deals and dramatic playoff formats are helping (or hurting) the future of stock car racing.
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NASCAR playoffs TV ratings drop for Charlotte Roval
The press box was buzzing after the Charlotte Roval, but it wasn’t just the daring passes or dramatic playoff heartbreaks making headlines. Adam Stern’s tweet revealed the Bank of America Roval 400 drew a 0.80 rating and 1.54 million viewers on USA Network. So what? Well, this means that viewership was down a staggering 35% from last year’s 2.4 million, which aired on NBC.
Jeff Gluck quickly highlighted the elephant in the room. Remember the $7.7 billion TV deal NASCAR signed earlier this year? FOX, NBC, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Amazon will split 38 races across their channels each year, starting with the 2025 season. Well, thanks to it, NBC is only showcasing four races this season. Yep, it’s just the Daytona cutoff event and the final three playoff rounds airing on NBC. In contrast, most playoff action moves to cable, a network with less reach and weaker numbers.
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The intent behind the premium media contract was clear: secure NASCAR’s future, generate massive revenue, and ensure high-profile exposure for key events. But reality has set in. Playoff viewership, once the crown jewel of NASCAR’s season, is now routinely struggling to break two million viewers. It’s no secret that fall Sundays mean competition with the NFL, but several insiders and fans suggest the network shuffle is also to blame.
And in 2025, NASCAR’s ratings slide is evident across the board. Playoff races have tumbled by nearly 29% year-over-year, now rarely breaking 1.6 million per event. Per an X post of Jeff Gluck, the Kansas playoff race on USA Network only reached 1.49 million viewers, compared to 1.79 million in 2024. On the other hand, the New Hampshire opener was also only 1.29 million, compared to 1.88 million the previous year. In-house rivalries, such as the current contract war between NBCUniversal and YouTube TV, are at risk of causing blackouts to major races, forcing fans to scramble and damaging engagement.
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With skepticism growing on social media and forums, the next chapter is all about the ‘why.’ Does this new TV landscape serve long-time supporters or leave many behind? That’s the debate racing through the paddock, direct from the heart of NASCAR’s online community.
Fans vent frustration
The outcry from fans was swift as soon as the 2025 Roval ratings hit social media. “2.419 million last year. Down 36%,” one pointed out, referencing the 2024 Charlotte Roval race that aired on NBC. Kyle Larson’s victory drew more than 2.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched Roval race since 2021. This year’s telecast, on USA Network, reached just 1.54 million viewers, reinforcing how shifting high-profile races off major broadcast networks can have immediate negative effects on audience size.
Anger quickly shifted to NASCAR’s $7.7 billion broadcasting deal. “NASCAR absolutely shot themselves in the foot with this TV deal. Money man France only cares about the dollars and not about growing the sport…” The reality: NASCAR’s new media deal was designed to secure the sport’s financial future, guaranteeing billions through 2031. However, it has left many questioning whether sacrificing broad visibility and growth for short-term earnings is wise by shifting to multiple broadcasting partners (including streaming services like Prime Video).
Another fan gave three main reasons for flat playoff viewership:
“USA Network = a lot don’t have it.” Many households lack access compared to NBC’s nationwide reach.
“Playoffs = too many hate them.” The win-or-go-home drama appeals to some, but traditionalists dislike a champion decided by just a few races rather than season-long consistency.
“SVG = why bother.” With Shane van Gisbergen dominating yet again on a road course (his fifth win, most ever by a rookie in a modern season), some fans felt the suspense was gone, and the race was a foregone conclusion.
“What’s worse, USA Network isn’t easily accessible. Why not put them on Peacock also?” wrote another. With streaming growing, many felt putting playoff races on Peacock, too, would have helped. This comment echoes calls for NASCAR to embrace a broader, more modern digital approach for younger and more mobile fans. Prime Video alone averaged around 2.16 million viewers across five Cup Series races, marking a shift as more fans embrace digital platforms. What is more, the streaming platform’s post-race coverage was also a point of appreciation for the fans.
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For some, the only consolation (sarcastic) was: “At least less people were disappointed by the terrible points format, lol.” As mentioned earlier, dislike of the current playoff system remains deep. Many fans and NASCAR veterans want a return to the old format, which crowns a season champion based on consistency, not just clutch performances in knockout rounds. This debate has gained further heat after Joey Logano’s 2024 championship, where we were initially eliminated, but Alex Bowman’s post-race inspection failure gained him entry into the Round of 8, and we all saw how he cruised from there.
As NASCAR prepares to navigate the future of its TV deal and championship structure, it’s clear the sport must balance financial strategy with the passion (and frustration) of its loyal fanbase. The debate rages on: is NASCAR chasing dollars at the expense of its roots, or is this the new normal in a rapidly changing sports media world?
NASCAR Team Owner Sends Emotional Message After Shutting Down 43 Years of Legacy
“Arrivederci! End of an Era.” That’s how Venturini Motorsports framed its announcement of the sale to Nitro Motorsports, set to take effect on October 15, 2025. The team built by Bill Venturini and his wife, Cathy, first hit the tracks in 1982, turning into a cornerstone of ARCA racing with a family-run operation based in North Carolina. Bill, a former driver who kicked off his ARCA career that same year, racked up 12 wins and two championships in 1987 and 1991, setting records at Daytona and Talladega that still stand. As the longest-running ARCA team, it shaped the series with consistent presence, but now with the handover looming, attention turns to how this shift feels from the inside.
Over the decades, Venturini Motorsports became a launchpad for talent, grooming drivers like Joey Logano, who scored his first ARCA win with them in 2008 at Rockingham, and others such as Ryan Blaney, Alex Bowman, and William Byron, who all climbed to NASCAR Cup Series success. Bill Venturini, now 72, has seen it all, from driver to owner, blending personal grit with family involvement. With the final race under the Venturini banner wrapped up, his reflections after watching the team compete one last time carry real weight.
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The emotional farewell of Bill Venturini
Bill Venturini opened up right after the checkered flag: “I never thought this day would come, but as it got closer, I kind of looked forward to it, but at the same time, I really didn’t want it to really happen. But it’s time. I’m okay. I’m not really. I’m not as emotional as I thought I would be, mainly because I think it’s time; my health is still good, right? I’m 72 years old, you know,” he told the reporter.
In the Owens Corning 200 Presented by CGS Imaging at Toledo Speedway, Venturini and his wife were presented with ARCA Gold Card lifetime memberships during pre-race activities by ARCA president Ron Drager. A rather fitting honor for a driver who not only won titles but also innovated with an all-female pit crew in 1987, including Cathy, pushing boundaries in a male-dominated sport. Even as his son Billy handled much of the load, Bill wanted to retire without financial worries after building a team that amassed 107 victories.
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Diving deeper, Bill highlighted his pride in the family legacy: “I’m very proud of my son and what he’s done with the company. I mean, he put me in a position where I could retire, not have to worry about anything, and he’s kept the door open if I want to go to any races, I can get on the team plane and still go.”
His son, reflecting on the sale earlier, noted, “The last 20 years have been very rewarding, but also incredibly demanding. I love what this sport has given to me, but in return, I gave it everything I had. So the time has come to be able to prioritize other things ahead of racing.” For Bill, it’s about closing a chapter that began in the 1950s with his father, Tony, yet keeping ties alive through a small museum he’s building at the shop to house trophies and memories.
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The garage feels the loss, as the reporter put it: “The garage is losing legend right here, a great man, like the world of it, I mean that.” Bill responded with thanks, underscoring the impact on ARCA, where Venturini fielded multiple cars and expanded to East and West series in 2020.
Looking back, he added, “Yeah, you’ll have to; I’m building a little museum right down in the shop next to where the race team is, and when I get it finished, you guys will have to come down to see it.” This nod to preservation stems from a career that included broadcasting stints and mentoring, with recent drivers like Corey Heim and Jesse Love poised for Cup futures, ensuring the over 4 decades of influence endures even as ownership changes hands.
While the handover marks a big shift, Bill’s plans show he’s ready to embrace life beyond the track, keeping one foot in racing.
Bill Venturini’s road ahead
Bill made clear he’ll stick around the sport casually, saying, “Yep, I’ll be around, but yeah, it’s time for me not to worry about anything… I’m still going to come to the races; I can’t not come. I mean, it’s been my life for 50 years, so it’s just going to be a little different, I think.” Though his son Billy steps into the general manager role at Nitro Motorsports for 2026 to smooth the transition, Bill himself focuses on retirement without daily responsibilities.
This setup builds on the family’s long Toyota alliance, which Nitro will continue, allowing Bill to visit spots like Daytona on the team plane as a guest, much like how he supported Billy’s one win as a driver in 2006 at Salem Speedway.
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Travel tops the list for Bill and Cathy, with specific trips lined up: “Oh gosh, South America in March, Mississippi River Cruise in July, I think Ireland in October, and in between that, now those were my wife’s plans. Now, in between that, my bucket list was to drive Route 66 from Chicago to LA, so I’m going to fit that in somewhere in the schedule next year, and of course, go back to Sturgis.”
Wrapping it up, Bill affirmed his lasting connection: “Fly the V, I’ll always fly the V.” Even as Nitro takes over the operations, including potential drivers like Isabella Robusto and Lawless Alan, who ran full-time in 2025, Bill’s presence at select events keeps the personal touch alive.
How the Yankees’ Cam Schlittler and other rookie pitchers took over MLB playoffs
Cam Schlittler started the season at Double-A.
So did Jacob Misiorowski.
Trey Yesavage began the year in the Florida Complex League before skyrocketing up the Toronto Blue Jays’ system, pitching at four minor-league levels before making his MLB debut less than a month ago.
Yet all three have left major marks on this MLB postseason, as have a number of other rookie pitchers in a compelling youth movement that’s sweeping the sport.
“It’s a lot of weight on your shoulders as a rookie,” Schlittler, 24, said Tuesday at Yankee Stadium of being entrusted on the postseason stage.
“I think the guys that separate themselves are going to be the ones that are confident in themselves and [are] just going out there and treating it like another game.”
In his postseason debut last Thursday, Schlittler propelled the Yankees to the ALDS by hurling eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts against the Boston Red Sox in a do-or-die Game 3 of the Wild Card round.
That was the 15th MLB appearance by Schlittler, who made his debut in July.
Three days later, Yesavage threw 5.1 no-hit innings against the Yankees, striking out 11, in a Blue Jays victory in Game 2 of the ALDS.
Yesavage, 22, made his MLB debut on Sept. 15 and boasted only three games of big-league experience before Sunday’s gem.
“I feel like for the most part, I’ve always had [poise]. I would say in college is when I really learned that, just talking about the mental game and not getting too high, but not getting too low,” said Yesavage, whom Toronto took out of East Carolina in the first round of last year’s draft.
“If something goes bad, just brush it off. But if something goes really good, still being able to brush it off and move on to the next pitch.”
Misiorowski, 23, made his MLB debut for the Milwaukee Brewers in June and pitched in 15 regular season games, including 14 starts. The flame-throwing right-hander earned a controversial All-Star selection after only five career starts.
But Misiorowski looked every bit the All-Star on Monday, when he tossed three scoreless innings — and threw 31 of his 57 pitches at 100+ mph — in an ALDS Game 2 win over the Chicago Cubs.
And Misiorowski is hardly the only rookie to dazzle with his stuff in these playoffs.
Schlittler’s sinker averaged 99.0 mph during his 4-0 win over Boston, during which he became the first pitcher in MLB history to throw at least eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts and zero walks in a playoff game.
Yesavage, meanwhile, disarmed the Yankees with baseball’s highest release point and devastated them with his mid-80s splitter, eliciting 11 swings-and-misses with that pitch alone.
“We’ve all, I think, marveled to some degree at the stuff these pitchers have over the last five, seven, eight, 10 years, right?” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.
“I think more so even this year, it feels like it’s even gone to another level. You turn on every game, and this guy is throwing a 99-mph cutter. This guy’s got a 95-mph split.”
And there’s more.
In his fifth MLB appearance, 23-year-old left-hander Connelly Early started Wild Card Game 3 for Boston and traded zeroes with Schlittler through three innings. Boston’s defense let Early down in the fourth, however, and he was charged with four runs (three earned) in 3.1 innings with six strikeouts.
Another Red Sox rookie lefty, Payton Tolle, retired the only batter he faced in Wild Card Game 2 in his eighth MLB appearance.
Roki Sasaki has emerged as a much-needed late-inning bullpen weapon for the Los Angeles Dodgers, hurling 2.1 scoreless innings over three appearances in the playoffs thus far.
Sasaki, 23, closed out both of the Dodgers’ wins in Philadelphia to go up 2-0 in the NLDS, earning a save both nights behind a fastball he dialed up to 101 mph.
Los Angeles won the sweepstakes last offseason to sign Sasaki out of Japan, but the right-hander pitched to a 4.46 ERA over 10 appearances, including eight starts, during an injury-riddled regular season.
“They have nasty stuff,” Yankees catcher Austin Wells, who caught Schlittler’s dominant playoff debut, said broadly of the rookie revolution.
“A lot of it is maybe some stuff guys haven’t seen before. For example, the Yesavage guy’s splitter from that angle. Not many guys throw like that. So I think there’s definitely a bit of an element of surprise, and not a lot of data backing what their stuff actually does and what to expect.”
The Mets, too, relied heavily on rookie right-handers during the playoff push.
Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat made their MLB debuts in rapid succession, none earlier than Aug. 16, and remained part of the rotation until the regular season ended with the Mets missing the playoffs.
The best of the bunch was McLean, 24, who went 5-1 with a 2.06 ERA in eight starts, demonstrating the elite spin rate that made him a prized prospect.
“With what they’re able to do now with optimizing pitchers with the high-speed cameras, with grips and what a ball does, and how an individual pitcher’s body composition works to optimize them with what they should be throwing and can be throwing, I think you’re seeing that probably at a younger age,” Boone said.
“It’s remarkable, the amount of young, impactful people that come up and, right away, you can trust in big situations.”
How to Watch Blue Jays vs Yankees ALDS Game 3: Live Stream MLB Postseason, TV Channel
The Toronto Blue Jays battered the New York Yankees again in Game 2 on Sunday, looking to complete an American League Division Series sweep on Tuesday night as the scene shifts to Yankee Stadium for Game 3.
How to Watch Blue Jays vs Yankees
When: Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Time: 8:08 PM ET
Where: Yankee Stadium
TV Channel: FOX Sports 1
Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)
The Blue Jays battered 19-game winner Max Fried in Game 2 and poured it on against reliever Will Warren, taking a 12-0 lead after just four innings and cruising to a 13-7 win on Sunday night in Toronto. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. broke the game wide open with a grand slam in the fourth inning, Daulton Varsho homered twice, and Ernie Clement and George Springer also went deep.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old rookie Trey Yesavage set a club postseason record with 11 strikeouts in 5.1 no-hit innings before giving the game over to the bullpen. The Yankees struck for two runs in the sixth and five in the seventh, but got no closer. Cody Bellinger clubbed a two-run home run in the sixth.
Toronto has piled up 23 runs in the first two games of the series and will face left-hander Carlos Rodón (18-9) on Tuesday night. He worked six innings, allowing three runs on four hits, against the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of New York’s AL Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox.
The Jays go with veteran Shane Bieber (4-2) in Game 3. The right-hander made seven starts late in the season in his return from Tommy John surgery after he was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians on July 31.
This is a great MLB baseball matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
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Red Wings support Tigers at Game 3 of ALDS
The Detroit Red Wings were seeing stripes on Tuesday.
The team cheered on their neighbors, the Detroit Tigers, against the Seattle Mariners during Game 3 of the ALDS at Comerica Park.
Pictures of the Red Wings rocking Tigers apparel in a stadium suite were posted to the team’s social media account.
On Thursday, the Red Wings begin their season against the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena, a short walk from Comerica Park.
They weren’t the only team spending their day off at the ballpark this week. On Sunday, the Toronto Maple Leafs supported the Toronto Blue Jays during their Game 2 ALDS win against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre.
Maple Leafs forward John Tavares enthusiastically waved a rally towel in the stands alongside his teammates.
Cam Schlittler’s bicep encapsulates his rise to Yankees X-factor
To understand the overwhelming nature of the stuff, check the faces of baffled Red Sox hitters, the 18 whiffs, the fastball that averaged — averaged — 98.9 mph and exceeded 100 mph 11 times.
Cam Schlittler’s postseason debut was a masterpiece in which he blazed his way through the Boston lineup for eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks — the first pitcher in MLB postseason history with that statline.
To understand the willpower behind the person, check Schlittler’s bicep.
“I still feel it now,” Schlittler said, running his left hand over his right arm. “I got a little bump.”
Derek Jeter phone call interrupts MLB pregame show
Mr. November wasn’t going to let a little rain stop his coverage of October baseball.
Derek Jeter, during his Fox MLB analyst duties on the pregame show for Tuesday’s Mariners-Tigers ALDS Game 3, ran into a bit of a dilemma when the game in Detroit was pushed back three hours due to rain.
Jeter, in the middle of talking about the Yankees-Blue Jays series, had his phone go off when he told the folks on the panel — and those watching at home — that he was supposed to be attending a parent-teacher conference. Instead, though, he was still talking baseball and not so much about school.
“Sorry, it’s a rain delay,” Jeter, who has four children with his wife Hannah, said. “I had an appointment, a parent-teacher conference that I’m gonna miss. So sorry, guys.”
When the rest of the panel, including Red Sox legend David Ortiz, urged Jeter to take the call, the smiling Yankees Hall of Fame shortstop said, “I might, I might.”
It’s not clear if Jeter took the call once the crew went to a commercial break.
Earlier in the year, Jeter missed a baseball-related function for a family commitment when he skipped the Yankees’ Old-Timers’ Day celebration that honored the 2000 World Series championship squad.
He explained in a video that played on the Yankee Stadium scoreboard that he felt bad for missing the early August event.
“Sorry I couldn’t be in person this year, but I did want to reach out to say what’s up to my teammates on the 2000 World Series championship team,” Jeter said. “It’s been hard to believe it’s been 25 years. Twenty-sixth title in franchise history. The last team to win three in a row. Quite frankly, it might be the last team you see a team win three in a row. And we beat the Mets on top of it.
“To the Yankees fans, thank you as always for being so passionate and energetic and undoubtedly the greatest fans in the world.”
As for the current Yankees, they sit in a 0-2 hole and would see their season end with one more loss in the ALDS.
After they lost Game 2, 13-7, on Sunday, Jeter spoke on the postgame show that they should be happy with the “positive” of the offense waking up, but made clear there needs to be one major improvement if they want to turn the series around.
“They have to find a way to shut down the Toronto Blue Jays’ offense,” Jeter said.
That task will fall on lefty starter Carlos Rodón on Tuesday night. He’ll go against Blue Jays righty Shane Bieber in The Bronx.
Cubs on Wrong Side of MLB Postseason History in Recent Years
The Chicago Cubs have certainly had some woeful performances in recent playoff games.
To put it into perspective, the Cubs’ recent statistics in the postseason have put them on the wrong side of MLB history.
According to a post on X from Just Baseball, Chicago’s .178 team average in its last 18 postseason games is the worst in the history of MLB during any 18-game stretch. To go along with that, the Cubs have a measly on-base percentage of .249 and worrisome .548 OPS in that span.
On top of that, the Cubs made more unfortunate history during Monday’s 7-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. It was the team’s 13th straight game scoring three or fewer runs in a postseason game. The last time Chicago scored more than three in a playoff game was Game 5 of the 2017 NLDS against the Washington Nationals.
The lack of offensive production has been a major reason for the lack of postseason success since the 2016 World Series victory. Coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the NLDS against the Brewers will be nearly impossible without production from a lineup that was at one point this season, the best in the league.
Dodgers’ Nemesis Hit With $3.7M Setback After Losing Fight for Young MLB Stars
“Preys on young, unsophisticated athletes, offering lump-sum advances in exchange for significant portions of their future earnings.” The words used by the Dodgers’ nemesis in his lawsuit highlighted a troubling system. A decision he made at the age of 18 has now come back to haunt him, especially since Fernando Tatis Jr. has become a cornerstone player for the Padres.
The player at the center of this legal storm is Fernando Tatis Jr., whose $340 million contract with the Padres seemed like a dream come true. But it carried a price—one he agreed to pay seven years earlier when Big League Advance Fund gave him $2 million in exchange for 10% of his future baseball earnings. Now 26, Tatis is discovering that walking away from that deal is far more complicated than he anticipated.
On September 11, arbitrator Anthony J. Carpinello made a decision. As per that, Tatis owes Big League Advance $3.74M. The total breaks down to $3.23 million in unpaid earnings, $240,515 in interest, $250,000 in attorneys’ fees, and $14,349 in costs. Carpinello denied Tatis’ claim that the investment firm was acting as an unlicensed lender, focusing on young players who are in need.
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The arbitrator saw it differently.
Big League Advance “has ‘loaned’ nothing” to Tatis, Carpinello wrote. They made an investment in him. If Tatis had never made it to the majors, he wouldn’t have owed a cent. That deal, according to Carpinello, made this an investment deal, not predatory lending.
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But Fernando Tatis Jr. pushed back hard.
He argued the contract broke California’s financing laws and that its language was too vague about what he actually owed. He regularly made payments throughout 2023 but stopped last year. Tatis Jr. said the terms were unclear and that giving up 10% of a $340 million contract—about $34 million—was too high a return on a $2 million investment.
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Meanwhile, BLA isn’t waiting around. They’ve asked a Washington, D.C. court to officially confirm what the arbitrator decided, moving them closer to collecting what they’re owed. Courts usually respect arbitration decisions, which puts the firm in a strong position even as Fernando Tatis Jr. continues fighting in California to have the entire contract put to an end.
Now, while the courtroom drama continues to unfold, Fernando Tatis Jr. hasn’t let the legal pressure affect his performance. And that just got recognized.
Batting brilliance of Fernando Tatis Jr. amid a legal storm
Fernando Tatis Jr. is getting praise for one thing he can still control: How he plays. Tatis was nominated for a Hank Aaron Award this season, which is given to the greatest offensive players in each league. Even with all the turmoil going on, his bat has made him one of the best hitters in the league.
This was one of Tatis’s most balanced seasons yet.
He had the highest walk percentage of his career at 12.9%, which means he was more patient in the strike zone. He also stole 32 bases, which is a personal best, and hit 25 home runs with an OPS of .814. While they might not be as flashy as they were in 2021, he has improved his game by blending power, contact, and aggression smartly. That change in game plan and being consistent on the field has paid off.
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Tatis’ defense has also been noticed. While many thought he was only going to talk about Gold Gloves, the Hank Aaron nod changes that story: He’s still a dangerous player at the plate and still making plays in right field.
Yankees stay alive; Mariners inch closer to ALCS
The 2025 MLB playoffs continued on Tuesday with both American League Division Series matchups in action. The Seattle Mariners dominated the Detroit Tigers with an 8–4 victory, taking a 2–1 lead in the series. The New York Yankees stayed alive against the Toronto Blue Jays, rallying from a five-run deficit to win 9–6 and trim the series gap to 2–1.
Here are key takeaways from Tuesday’s games:
Mariners jump out early and never look back
The Mariners wasted no time taking control in Game 3, plating four runs in the first two innings, immediately putting the Tigers on their heels.
J.P. Crawford opened the scoring with a third-inning single that brought home Victor Robles, aided by a throwing error from Riley Greene. Detroit never recovered from the early miscue, as Seattle set the tone for a commanding offensive performance — posting its highest run total in a road game since Sept. 17.
The long ball was present in the win for the Mariners, with Seattle launching three home runs. Eugenio Suárez struck the first homer with a solo shot in the fourth inning, and Cal Raleigh capped Seattle’s scoring with a ninth-inning blast that landed in the hands of a Mariners fan.
On the mound, Logan Gilbert was sharp, tossing six strong innings while allowing just one run and striking out seven.
With the win, Seattle takes a 2–1 lead in the series and moves within one victory of its first AL Championship Series appearance since 2001.
Aaron Judge earns his moment in historic comeback win
Facing elimination at home, the Yankees roared back from a five-run deficit — the largest comeback in franchise history in a postseason elimination game, per Fox Sports — to stun the Toronto Blue Jays, 9–6.
Trailing 6–1 after the top of the third inning, the Yankees ignited a rally with two runs in the bottom half to narrow the deficit to three. In the fourth, Judge delivered his long-awaited postseason moment, blasting a three-run home run off the left foul pole to tie the game at 6–6.
Wednesday’s TV/Radio listings (Oct. 8)
See Wednesday’s TV/radio listings below:
EVENTTIMETVMLB playoffsSeattle at Detroit2:00FS1Milwaukee at Chicago Cubs4:00TBSToronto at NY Yankees6:00FS1Philadelphia at LA Dodgers8:00TBSNBA preseasonSan Antonio at Miami6:30NBAPortland at Golden State9:00NBAWNBA FinalsLas Vegas at Phoenix7:00ESPNNCAA footballMissouri State at Middle Tennessee6:30ESPN2Liberty at UTEP7:00CBSSNCollege golfNB3 Collegiate Match Play3:30GolfNHLBoston at Washington6:30TNTLos Angeles at Vegas9:00TNTMen’s soccerGibraltar vs. New Caledonia11:50aFS2U-20 World Cup: Argentina vs. Nigeria2:18FS2U-20 World Cup: Paraguay vs. Norway5:48FS2
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NFL Monday night: Jacksonville jumps up to beat Kansas City
The first time the Jacksonville Jaguars got to the Kansas City Chiefs 1-yard line on Monday night, quarterback Trevor Lawrence fumbled away the football on fourth down.
The last time, Lawrence fell down. But this time, with the Jaguars out of timeouts, he got up and ran for a touchdown with 23 seconds to play to lift Jacksonville to a 31-28 victory.
Right guard Patrick Mekari stepped on Lawrence’s foot, causing him to sprawl onto the backfield turf on the Jaguars’ final snap. But the quarterback’s quick recovery around left end capped a seven-play, 60-yard drive that featured Lawrence’s 33-yard completion to wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and a pass-interference penalty in the end zone against Kansas City.
Jacksonville’s final drive countered the Chiefs’ 12-play, 86-yard series that running back Kareem Hunt ended with his second touchdown run of the fourth quarter for a 28-24 Kansas City lead with 1:45 remaining.
Lawrence completed 18-of-25 passes for 221 yards with one touchdown and one interception and led the Jaguars with 54 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes also led his team in passing and rushing. He completed 29-of-41 passes for 318 yards with one touchdown and one interception and topped the Chiefs with 60 yards and one touchdown on six carries.
The victory improved Jacksonville to 4-1, tied for the best record in the AFC. Kansas City slipped to 2-3. The Jaguars have gone to the playoffs twice in the previous 17 seasons. The Chiefs have played in the past seven AFC Championship Games and the past three Super Bowls.
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One player from an Alabama high school or college got on the field during the Kansas City-Jacksonville game:
Jaguars quarterback Carter Bradley (South Alabama) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Josh Hines-Allen (Abbeville) started at defensive end for the Jaguars. Hines-Allen made two tackles and registered one tackle for loss.
Chiefs defensive lineman Brodric Martin (Northridge, North Alabama) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Jaguars linebacker Jalen McLeod (Auburn) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens (Spain Park) dressed for the game but did not play.
Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (Samford) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Jaguars defensive back Caleb Ransaw (Sparkman, Troy) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Jaguars safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig (Fultondale) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Kansas City stays in prime time for its next game when it takes on the Detroit Lions at 7:20 p.m. CDT Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
Jacksonville plays the Seattle Seahawks at noon Sunday at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.
Former NFL QB Takes Strong Mark Sanchez Stance Amid Legal Development
A surprising voice has entered the conversation surrounding Mark Sanchez’s legal troubles. After the former Jets quarterback was involved in a violent parking lot incident and charged with multiple misdemeanors, fellow NFL veteran Kurt Warner spoke out publicly.
Warner’s tweet didn’t name Sanchez directly, but the timing and message made his support clear. He urged the media and fans to show compassion. “So today the media is going to fire a young man for one mistake (albeit a BIG one)!!! Can we just be better & remember that BIG mistake we made that we learned from so it wouldn’t happen again & made us who we are!!!,” he wrote on X.
Following the incident, Sanchez was replaced on FOX’s broadcast by Brady Quinn. There are talks that Sanchez might not return to on-camera duties, though FOX has yet to make an official statement.
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Former NFL quarterback and FOX analyst Sanchez was in Indianapolis to call the Raiders vs. Colts game on Sunday, October 5. But on Friday night, he got into a physical fight with a 69-year-old truck driver over a parking spot near a hotel loading dock.
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According to police reports, Sanchez appeared intoxicated and confronted the man about where his truck was parked. When the man tried to call his manager, Sanchez allegedly blocked him and entered the truck without permission.
The situation escalated, Sanchez shoved the man, who then used pepper spray in self-defense. The fight continued, and the man stabbed Sanchez multiple times, fearing for his safety.
Sanchez was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. After being treated, he was arrested and charged with three misdemeanors. Now, there’s a new development.
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Sanchez faces new & serious charges
On October 6, prosecutors added a Level 5 felony charge against Mark Sanchez for battery causing serious bodily injury. If convicted, he could face 1 to 6 years in prison.
This new charge came after graphic photos of the 69-year-old victim were released publicly, raising concerns about the severity of the incident. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears confirmed the felony was added based on a new affidavit from police.
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Before this, Sanchez had already been charged with three misdemeanors: Battery causing injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.
He has waived his initial court hearing, which was scheduled for Tuesday. With the felony now added, the legal case has taken a much more serious turn. It’s no longer just about Sanchez’s future in broadcasting but also about whether he could face time behind bars.
Penguins will see familiar face across the ice in NHL season opener
The NHL season begins tonight with a tripleheader that includes the Florida Panthers raising a Stanley Cup banner for a second consecutive year and Mike Sullivan making his New York Rangers coaching debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins team he spent much of the past decade with.
This is the final 82-game season before the schedule expands to 84 apiece for each of the league’s 32 teams beginning in 2026-27. It’s also expected to be the final October start before training camp and exhibition play shrink and opening night gets moved up to late September.
The league will take a two-week break in February so players can compete at the Olympics in Milan.
What to know
The Panthers are looking to become the first NHL team to threepeat since the New York Islanders won four championships in a row from 1980-83. They likely won’t have captain and top center Aleksander Barkov all season after surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right knee from a noncontact injury during training camp.
NHL players are back in the Olympics for the first time since 2014 when Canada won its second consecutive gold medal. It’s the first full-fledged international tournament featuring the world’s best since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. The 4 Nations Face-Off with the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland provided a taste of the kind of quality and pace that can be expected.
Connor McDavid, widely considered the game’s best player, is still chasing the Stanley Cup in his 11th season in the league. After his future was the talk of the sport, McDavid signed a contract extension with the Edmonton Oilers on the eve of the season at a bargain rate of $12.5 million annually over two years.
The favorites
Edmonton and Vegas are 8-1 co-favorites at BetMGM Sportsbook to hoist the Cup in June. Carolina and Colorado are 17-2, Dallas is 9-1 and Florida and Tampa Bay are each 14-1. The longest shots on the board are rebuilding Chicago and San Jose at 500-1.
How to watch
ESPN and TNT air games nationally in the U.S., with Sportsnet as the rightsholder in Canada.
There are 100 exclusive games between ESPN, ABC, ESPN+ and Hulu, including all three on opening night and the Stadium Series when Tampa Bay hosts Boston outdoors at the home of the NFL’s Buccaneers. ESPN also has the Stanley Cup Final in June.
TNT has 72 games, including Washington’s season opener with Alex Ovechkin at 897 goals after breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record, and the Winter Classic between the Panthers and Rangers on Jan. 2 at the home of Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins.
The outlook
More than 900 games will take place between October and Feb. 4, including Pittsburgh and Nashville playing twice in Sweden in November. The league will then pause for the Olympic break.
The men’s hockey tournament in Milan begins Feb. 11 with Finland vs. Slovakia and Sweden against host Italy. The gold-medal game is set for Feb. 22.
NHL play resumes on Feb. 25. The trade deadline is March 6 and the final day of the regular season is April 16. The playoffs begin April 18 and the last possible day for the Stanley Cup Final is June 21. Free agency begins July 1.
Maine’s NHL players aim for comeback in 2025
Two players seeking bounce-back campaigns headline the list of four former University of Maine players who are on NHL rosters as the season gets underway on Tuesday night.
Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman and Winnipeg Jets winger Gustav Nyquist are looking to erase the memories of last season and put together a strong 2025-26 season. Veteran defenseman Ben Hutton has returned to the Vegas Golden Knights and winger Ryan Lomberg is back with the Calgary Flames.
The 26-year-old Swayman missed training camp due to a contract holdout a year ago and then had the worst year of his pro career, turning in a 22-29-7 record, a 3.11 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage.
But he got rejuvenated by leading Team USA to its first gold medal in 92 years in the International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Championships. He went 7-0 with a 1.69 GAA and a .921 save percentage including a shutout overtime win over Switzerland in the gold medal game.
Swayman will come into the season with a career record of 101-62-22, a 2.58 GAA and a .910 save percentage.
The 36-year-old Nyquist signed a free-agent, one-year deal worth $3.25 million with the Jets, who won the Presidents’ Trophy last season for accruing the most points during the regular season (116). He played for Nashville and Minnesota last season and had just 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 79 games after posting a career-high 75 points (23 goals, 52 assists) the previous year in Nashville.
Nyquist is in his 15th NHL season and has tallied 209 goals and 322 assists for 531 points in 863 regular season games. Winnipeg is his sixth NHL team.
Hutton appeared in only 11 games for Vegas last season due to an early-season upper body injury and a deep Golden Knights defense corps that left him as a healthy scratch on most game nights.
The 32-year-old Hutton has appeared in 520 career games for five teams and has produced 24 goals and 100 assists for 124 points.
The 30-year-old Lomberg notched three goals and 10 assists for 13 points in 80 games for Calgary a year ago. He has 337 NHL regular season games to his credit and has 31 goals and 32 assists.
Swayman told reporters in September that he is a “completely different human being” entering this season.
“I’m in a great spot and I’m really excited about that. To have that approach of creating the culture, creating my self-culture to be elite and, hopefully, it’ll bleed into this [Bruins dressing room] and have guys follow that way.
In a story in NHL.com, Nyquist said he had several options “but this was a great opportunity for me to come to a great team.” He has never been on a Stanley Cup-winning team and he feels he will have that opportunity in Winnipeg.
Other former Black Bears have shots to appear during the year. Despite leading the Carolina Hurricanes in scoring during the preseason with three goals and two assists in five games, Bradly Nadeau was sent down to the American Hockey League Chicago Wolves.
He had 32 goals and 26 assists for 58 points in 64 games for Chicago last season. He was just the sixth teenager since 1940 and third since 1950 to score 30 or more goals in the AHL.
Another former Black Bear, Jim Montgomery, is returning to coach the St. Louis Blues after guiding them to a Stanley Cup playoff berth a year ago. After being fired by the Bruins, Montgomery was hired by the Blues and he led them to a 35-18-7 record after they had gone 9-12-1 to start the season under Drew Bannister, who was fired.
The former NHL coach of the year (2022-23) has compiled a career record of 215-102-40 between Dallas, Boston and St. Louis.
Who Is Chris Youngblood? Oklahoma City Thunder Guard’s Net Worth, Parents, Ethnicity & NBA Contract
Imagine going undrafted in the NBA, despite carrying one of the most promising college basketball resumes. That’s the path Chris Youngblood walked. Known as CY, this young gun’s journey to the NBA has been extraordinary. He started from Kennesaw State, where he helped the Owls reach the NCAA Tournament, and brought them to South Florida, where he ruled as a floor general, a clutch performer, and a leader. He guided the Bulls to record wins and conference success until 2024, but went undrafted.
His name wasn’t on the display board when the NBA Draft occurred. In June 2025, the Oklahoma City Thunder offered him an Exhibit‑10 contract, a foot in the door with the reigning champions, and a chance to prove his experience. Chris Youngblood showcased his skills during the 2025 NBA Summer League with the Oklahoma City Thunder, with 12.4 points per game, on average.
Now, he has everyone’s attention. In a 135-114 preseason win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday at South Carolina, he scored 20 points in just 21 minutes, including five three-pointers, showing the confidence and scoring ability that marked his college career. Oklahoma City is set to face the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, and fans will be eager to see what Youngblood does this time. But for now, let’s explore more about the talented guard.
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Who is Chris Youngblood?
Chris Youngblood is a 6-foot-4 guard from Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He was born on February 9, 2002. He moved from west Alabama to central Georgia for his high school basketball years and was rated a 3-star prospect in the 2020 recruiting cycle. Youngblood signed to play for head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim at Kennesaw State, where he quickly became a standout player.
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He averaged 13.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game at Kennesaw State, showcasing his scoring ability and versatility. “Chris is a great basketball player, no doubt about that,” Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, said. “But even more than that, he’s a phenomenal human being.”
During his high school and college days, Youngblood faced bullying for his poor vision. The giggles on the court were due to his goggles, which resembled Kareem’s. He took recourse in contacts to avoid facing such issues and built his confidence around it. “I feel like I have a solid foundation … and I thank my parents and coaches for that,” Youngblood said. “I like to say that, no matter what, I never blink. When I was younger, I was blinking all the time. I was nervous. I doubted myself. Now I feel like I have confidence. Big confidence.”
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Who are Chris Youngblood’s parents & siblings?
Chris Youngblood’s father, Dupree Youngblood, is a mechanical engineer, and his mother, LaDonna Youngblood, is a housewife who supported the family and instilled strong values in her children. The OKC star also has a sister, Lydia, with whom he shares a close bond. Chris has often mentioned that caring for his family remains one of his top priorities. “He wants to take care of his parents and his sister (Lydia), although that’s not really necessary,” said Youngblood’s father.
What is Chris Youngblood’s Ethnicity & Nationality?
Chris Youngblood is of African American heritage. There is no publicly available information confirming his specific religious beliefs or practices. As for his nationality, Youngblood is American and was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, while raised in Sharpsburg, Georgia. His background reflects a blend of Southern roots and a diverse cultural heritage.
What is Chris Youngblood’s Net Worth?
Chris Youngblood signed a one-year, $1,272,870 contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder on September 26, 2025. Under this Exhibit 10 contract deal, he gets a standard minimum-salary agreement that is non-guaranteed. However, depending on his performance and training, the contract could get converted into a two-way contract, or the team could assign him to the G League.
What is Chris Youngblood’s NBA Contract & Salary?
As mentioned before, since Chris Youngblood was undrafted, OKC picked him up through an Exhibit 10 contract. It is essentially a one-year, minimum-salary deal that isn’t guaranteed but comes with a potential bonus of up to $75,000 if the player, after being waived, spends at least 60 days with the team’s G League affiliate. Introduced in the 2017 NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, it’s designed to let teams bring in players to compete in Summer League, training camp, or for a roster spot. These contracts can also be converted into two-way deals, which is Youngblood’s goal.
What are Chris Youngblood’s NBA career highlights?
Chris Youngblood has yet to play a regular-season NBA game officially. Still, his early professional journey shows he is a worthy contender, especially given the many hats he carries as a scorer, playmaker, and leader. At South Florida in the 2023-24 season, he averaged 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, shooting 41.6% from three-point range and 82.4% from the free-throw line. His standout performances earned him AAC Co-Player of the Year, First-Team All-AAC honors, and a spot on the NABC All-District First Team.
He brought that experience into Alabama for his stay in 2024-25. He posted 10.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game, shooting 45.1% from the field, including a season-high 27 points against Mississippi State. Then came the professional dawn. Youngblood showcased his talent during the 2025 NBA Summer League with the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game, while shooting an efficient 57.9% from the field and 52% from beyond the arc in over five games, playing about 21.6 minutes per contest. There’s a hidden talent unexplored by NBA teams, and the young blood looks to impress the naysayers.
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It is the 2025 NBA preseason now, and he is making a statement. The 135-114 win over the Charlotte Hornets on October 6, 2025, gave him the push and attention he needed. He scored 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting, including five three-pointers in 21 minutes. Now he’s expected to start the season with the Oklahoma City Blue. Youngblood could be one of the team’s most promising talents and someone to watch as the regular season approaches.
Gator Motorsports captain races against the clock in his last year on the team
Daniel Patel has one more chance to bring his Gator Motorsports team to the podium. He’s not leaving anything on the circuit.
Gator Motorsports, a student organization founded in 1991, designs, builds and manufactures formula-style cars in its garage across from Gator Corner Dining Center. Members work all year to complete a car for the annual Formula Society of Automotive Engineers competition in Brooklyn, Michigan.
Patel decided to join the team at his freshman orientation in Summer 2022 after nervously browsing different organizations looking for people to meet. Four years later, the 21-year-old UF materials science and engineering senior is the team captain.
Patel is looking to lead the young group to its first podium finish since 2021 at the upcoming FSAE competition in May 2026. It’s his last chance to do so, as he plans to retire after this season to focus on school. He’s one of the youngest captains in the team’s history — but still the oldest among a freshman- and sophomore-dominated roster.
Patel said he’s on a mission to overcome recent struggles at the FSAE tournament, such as when last year’s car was unable to make it through the endurance test.
To support his fresh team, Patel is establishing monthly lectures for new members while growing personally as a leader and setting the foundation for future teams.
ATP open to heat policy after string of retirements in Shanghai sauna
BENGALURU, Oct 7 (Reuters) – The governing body of men’s tennis could consider a formal heat rule after a string of retirements at the Shanghai Masters this week blew the draw wide open, with top players wilting under soaring temperatures and punishing humidity.
World number two Jannik Sinner’s title defence ended in agony on Sunday when the Italian struggled to walk due to cramp in his right thigh before he retired in the deciding set of his third-round clash with Tallon Griekspoor.
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Novak Djokovic vomited during his encounter with Yannick Hanfmann while Holger Rune was heard asking an official during a medical timeout in his meeting with Ugo Humbert if players had to
Rod Mullins reports to us from the weekend in Charlotte
Shane van Gisbergen, shocker, took the win at the Charlotte Roval, notching his fifth road-race win of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Rod Mullins was down in Charlotte for us this past weekend, and reports back on van Gisbergen’s road-course dominance, and the scramble among the 12 drivers still in the playoff hunt to get to the cutline for the Round of 8.
Also on this week’s show: we go into detail on the latest in the antitrust case in which two teams are challenging the NASCAR charter system.
Los Angeles Dodgers go up 2-0 on Philadelphia Phillies in MLB playoffs
PHILADELPHIA — Blake Snell had yielded to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen after a masterful start and was just a bystander when the Phillies — without any help from their All-Star trio at the top of the batting order — finally mustered a rally in the ninth inning.
A leadoff single. A two-run double. A headfirst slide — safe!
Phillies bats and a previously silenced crowd both finally rising to the occasion and their feet.
Through all the drama, Snell’s confidence in the playoff-tested Dodgers never wavered.
“We know we’re going to win,” the pitcher said.
Snell allowed one hit in six shutout innings, striking out nine, and the Dodgers made a couple of clutch defensive plays to barely turn back Philadelphia’s late rally Monday night for a 4-3 victory in Game 2 of their NL Division Series.
Freddie Freeman made a game-saving pick at first base and Shohei Ohtani delivered an RBI single that helped the Dodgers take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five playoff. The defending World Series champs can reach their 17th National League Championship Series with a Game 3 win Wednesday in Los Angeles.
“Thankfully, I was able to catch it and stay on the base,” Freeman said. “I told (my wife) Lauren after the game, `My gray right here might be up to my sideburn now.’”
Will Smith had a two-run single in a four-run seventh, and the Dodgers took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth.
That’s when the Phillies finally mounted a major threat.
Nick Castellanos slid headfirst into second base, narrowly eluding a tag, for a two-run double off Blake Treinen that at last sent the Philadelphia crowd of more than 45,000 into a frenzy and made it a 4-3 game.
Alex Vesia came in to face Bryson Stott, who tried to advance Castellanos with a bunt. But third baseman Max Muncy wheeled and threw to shortstop Mookie Betts sprinting over to cover the bag in time to get Castellanos.
Pinch-hitter Harrison Bader singled and Max Kepler grounded into a fielder’s choice that left runners at the corners with two outs.
Roki Sasaki entered and retired NL batting champion Trea Turner on a groundout to second for the rookie’s second career save — both in this series. Freeman went to his knees to pick Tommy Edman’s poor throw on his backhand, keeping his right toe on the bag before rolling over onto his back with the ball.
Yanks face long odds
NEW YORK — The Bellinger babies are among the few Yankees fans not stressed about New York’s 0-2 deficit to Toronto in their AL Division Series.
Caiden is 3 years old and sister Cy is 2.
“They were at the game yesterday, and they said that it was very loud,” dad Cody recalled Monday. “That’s about all they were aware of.”
New York was blown out twice in Toronto, 10-1 and 13-7, as the Blue Jays scored the most runs of any team in its first two postseason games.
Teams taking a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five postseason series have won 80 of 90 times, including 54 sweeps. New York has accomplished the comeback twice, in 2001 led by Derek Jeter and his backhand flip to the plate in Game 3 against Oakland, and in 2017 vs. Cleveland. Among teams ahead 2-0 in the current 2-2-1 format, 31 of 34 have advanced.
“We approach it like we have really all season, but even more specifically, the last six, eight weeks where we feel like we’ve been playing with a lot on the line every single day,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “We’ll go into our hitters’ meeting, and it’s about win today, period, and not getting ahead of that and even keeping it smaller than that. It’s about going up and trying to win every pitch. Keep it small. Keep it simple.”
Left-hander Carlos Rodón (18-9) starts tonight at home for the Yankees in Game 3, and 2020 AL Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber goes for the Blue Jays.
Tigers get to host
DETROIT — When the Detroit Tigers walked off the field following their last home game two-plus weeks ago, no one knew if they would play another game at Comerica Park this year.
“We had to earn it,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Monday. “It took a lot to get back home.”
The Tigers dropped a seventh straight home game against Atlanta on Sept. 21.
The Tigers bounced back well enough to have another game in the Motor City this afternoon against Seattle in Game 3 of their AL Division Series.
Detroit opened in Seattle with a 3-2, 11-inning win and the Mariners beat Tarik Skubal 3-2 on Sunday to even the best-of-five series.
Phillies’ stars go missing in MLB playoff losses to Dodgers in NLDS
Phillies on the verge of another first-round exit down 2-0 vs. Dodgers in NLDS.
Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner have been unable to deliver so far.
Dodgers can clinch with win in Game 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 8.
PHILADELPHIA — A few players sat around in small groups Monday night in the Philadelphia Phillies clubhouse. Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos huddled, talking in hushed tones. Bryce Harper departed quickly to be with his newborn baby. Phillies manager Rob Thomson sat behind a podium trying to explain his rationale for late-game decisions.
This is a new year, an improved team, with lofty expectations and even bigger hype – but the results are the same.
The powerful Phillies, who came into October as perhaps the World Series favorites, are about to pack everything up for an early exit and a long winter.
Loudly booed most of the night by their sellout crowd of 45,653 at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies staged a frenzied ninth-inning rally, only to be beaten by the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-3, going down 2-0 in the best-of-five series.
They are on the brink of elimination.
Once again.
The Phillies, who ran away with the NL East title, are now 2-9 in their last 11 postseason games.
They were supposed to have a huge home-field advantage with their fierce and intense crowd, only to have now lost five of their last six postseason games in Philadelphia.
This is a team loaded with All-Stars, but they have been almost completely shut down.
Once again.
This is a team that was in the World Series in 2022. They were one game away from returning to the World Series in 2023.
Now, they’re one game away from their second consecutive first-round exit, leaving Thomson’s future in jeopardy, while debating what personnel changes need to be made.
“We’ve got to flip the script,
Brewers Fans Explode After MLB Umpire’s Blown Calls Marr Cubs Game: ‘How Do You Miss This’
Regular-season mistakes get absorbed by 162 games. Playoff blunders echo forever. And so, in Game 2 of the NLDS between the Cubs and the Brewers, an error not from the players but from behind the home plate has ignited the Brewers fans.
In the second inning with the score knotted at 3-3, Brewers pitcher Aaron Ashby delivered what appeared to be a textbook strike to Cubs hitter Matt Shaw. However, Mike Estabrook, who was behind the plate, stayed down, calling it a ball. What should have been a strike became the topic of discussion among MLB enthusiasts.
The reaction was immediate and volcanic.
Milwaukee fans flooded social media platforms, dissecting the missed call frame by frame. Screenshots circulated showing the pitch squarely in the strike zone according to tracking data. The frustration wasn’t just about one call—it was about timing and the high stakes.
But it’s not something happening for the first time between the two clubs.
On June 19, 2025, at Wrigley Field, fans saw the Brewers win 8–7 in a close regular-season game. There, an umpire made some “pretty bad calls,” as Trevor Megill recalled it. People in Milwaukee remember that game as one where the team overcame problems in the strike zone. But when there is a contentious call in the playoffs, it brings up the outrage.
And there were other games, too. Remember back in May 2025?
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Estabrook made a call in a Red Sox–Mets game that caused a lot of talk. He called what replays showed was a borderline pitch over the inner edge a ball. That call got Walker Buehler and manager Alex Cora thrown out of the game.
While those were regular-season games, now, we are into the division series. So, obviously, the stakes are higher!
But despite the blown call, the Brewers demonstrated resilience. By the bottom of the sixth inning, Milwaukee had seized control and had a 7-3 lead. Their bats answered, turning frustration into fuel. Thanks to Andrew Vaughn’s 3-run homer and Contreras’s homer.
Yet, fans watching from American Family Field and living rooms are not shying away from calling out the decision.
Voices of fury questioning the umpire
The aftermath on social media revealed the depth of Milwaukee’s frustration, with supporters expressing everything from bewilderment to outright accusations of bias. The historical context between these franchises amplified the first wave of criticism.
When one fan wrote, “How do you miss this call? Every time the @Brewers play the @Cubs this happens,” they captured a sentiment extending beyond Monday’s game. This fan recalled the June 19 game.
The elevated stakes of playoff baseball separate October from the regular season. And so, another fan declared, “This CANNOT happen in a playoff game.” Umpires have higher expectations during the elimination period, and these errors can cost the game. The pitch tracking data indicated that Ashby’s delivery to Shaw with a full count (4-2) went straight into the middle column of the strike zone. So, the erroneous call even led to glimpses of sarcasm with a grit.
One comment reads, “The home plate umpire showing his Cubs jersey after the game is over.” The Brew Crew was clearly not happy, and they aren’t hiding away from stating that it was a biased decision. While there’s no evidence supporting claims of bias or misconduct, the intensity reveals how deeply fans invest in fairness.
Another calculative remark said, “The @Brewers should already be out of this inning. Thanks ump.” This comment got to the heart of baseball: Outs decide innings, innings decide games, and games decide seasons. Shaw’s at-bat should have ended, but the missed call kept the Cubs’ surge going. While this time, the Brewers didn’t give them a chance to hit, you never know how a single swing can be a game-changer.
Then there was a direct question about the man behind the plate’s ethics. “Chicago getting every edge. Milwaukee not getting a single one. Is it that hard for an umpire to be ethical!?” This perspective questions not just Estabrook’s accuracy but his credibility as an umpire.
Milwaukee’s offense surged despite the controversial call. However, brought up baseball’s never-ending debate: How long will these errors go on that might cost teams opportunities in October?