Category: Sports

Legendary Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo revealed that he came close to leaving college basketball last year after having substantial conversations about taking the helm of the Phoenix Suns.

During a Wednesday appearance on “The Dan Patrick Show” from his campus office, the 71-year-old coaching icon confirmed the discussions were meaningful. “We talked seriously about it,” Izzo stated during the virtual interview.

Instead of making the leap to professional basketball, Izzo decided to continue his remarkable tenure with the Spartans, marking his 31st season at the helm. His decision helped extend his impressive streak of 28 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, though this year’s run ended with a Sweet 16 loss to Connecticut.

This isn’t the first time Izzo has declined NBA opportunities, having previously passed on coaching positions with Cleveland and Atlanta. Just last week, he mentioned that UConn’s Dan Hurley sought his guidance after the Los Angeles Lakers presented Hurley with a six-year, $70 million offer in 2024.

The Phoenix connection runs deep through Izzo’s Michigan State network. Team owner Mat Ishbia, who played as a walk-on guard for Izzo’s 2000 national championship squad, has filled key Suns positions with former Spartans personnel. Ishbia brought in Jordan Ott, a former Michigan State video coordinator, as the team’s current head coach. He also appointed former Spartans assistant Brian Gregory as general manager and gave former teammate Mateen Cleaves a role in player development.

Under Ott’s leadership, Phoenix has positioned itself for a potential playoff run, a significant improvement from the team’s struggles under Mike Budenholzer, who finished 10 games below .500 in his lone season with the franchise.

MIAMI — Sandy Alcantara refused to let setbacks define his career.

The Miami Marlins ace overcame Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for all of 2024 and a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw him finish 11-12 with a 5.36 ERA. Through it all, Alcantara maintained his confidence.

“I always kept the faith,” the pitcher said.

That faith paid off Wednesday when Alcantara delivered Major League Baseball’s first complete game of the season, dominating the Chicago White Sox in a 10-0 victory that required just 93 pitches.

The masterful performance represents Alcantara’s second career “Maddux” — a complete game shutout accomplished in fewer than 100 pitches, named after Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux. The outing also marked his 13th career complete game and fifth shutout.

“Many negative things happened last year but that didn’t hold me back trying to be better,” Alcantara explained. “This year, I am going to give my best every time, win more games and be more aggressive in counts. Today, as a club, we did a tremendous job.”

Chicago’s offense never threatened, failing to advance a runner past first base against Alcantara (2-0), who allowed just three hits while striking out seven and hitting one batter. Following a strong season-opening performance against Colorado, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner has now thrown 15 consecutive scoreless innings.

Alcantara’s arsenal proved unstoppable, featuring six different pitches. While relying primarily on his changeup and four-seam fastball, he also effectively mixed in his slider, sweeper, sinker and cutter to keep White Sox hitters off balance.

“Everything was working. Everything was good today,” Alcantara noted. “I think I did a great job, trying to not miss much.”

Catcher Liam Hicks provided offensive fireworks while working behind the plate, launching a home run and adding two singles while driving in four runs. His 12 RBIs currently lead the major leagues.

“It was fun,” Hicks said about catching Alcantara’s dominant outing. “He had a lot of pitches working. When you’re back there and he’s rolling like that, it’s cool to see. It makes your job catching easy.”

Manager Clayton McCullough’s decision to let his ace finish became increasingly obvious as Alcantara worked efficiently through the lineup. After needing only three pitches to retire Chicago in the eighth inning, the choice was clear.

“I gave him a thumbs up and he gave me a thumbs up,” McCullough recalled.

The skipper praised the exceptional performance, calling it remarkable.

“It’s hard to do that today, to go nine innings with how you view workload,” McCullough observed. “Hitters are good. He was so efficient and guys played great behind him.”

Complete games have become increasingly rare in modern baseball. Last season featured just 29 complete games across the majors, while pitchers managed only 13 shutouts — the fewest in a full season since 1873.

CINCINNATI — Paul Skenes put his difficult season opener behind him in impressive fashion Wednesday night.

The defending National League Cy Young Award winner bounced back from his worst major league outing to stifle the Cincinnati Reds, surrendering just one run across five innings while fanning five batters in Pittsburgh’s commanding 8-3 victory.

“I’m pretty insulated from a lot of stuff that’s out there. The stuff that I do see or hear, I don’t really care anyway because it doesn’t have anything to do with the play. I’m just thinking about getting back to execution and executing my pitches,” Skenes said. “Nothing matters except for the game and the pitches.”

The right-handed ace issued a walk to Cincinnati’s TJ Friedl before settling into a groove, setting down eight consecutive batters with three strikeouts mixed in. After walking Friedl for a second time in three frames, Skenes surrendered the Reds’ initial hit when Elly De La Cruz connected for a single. Two at-bats later, Nathaniel Lowe drove home De La Cruz with a double, snapping Skenes’ remarkable 31-inning shutout streak versus Cincinnati.

That scoreless stretch ranks as the fourth-longest by any Pirates hurler against a single opponent dating back to 1961. Vernon Law owns the franchise record, blanking the New York Mets across 40 consecutive innings from 1965-66.

Skenes handled four of his final five batters successfully before exiting after 77 pitches, with 51 finding the strike zone.

“Definitely progress. Nice to get some volume and be out there for more than two-thirds,” said Skenes, who now boasts a perfect 5-0 record with a microscopic 0.53 ERA in six career appearances against Cincinnati. He’s accumulated 45 strikeouts against just four walks while limiting the Reds to a .197 batting average.

The Pirates provided excellent offensive backing for their ace, plating three runs in the opening frame on Oneil Cruz’s blast to right field.

“With Skenes on the mound, you hate to give them anything early because you know you’re going to have to fight to get anything you can get,” Reds manager Terry Francona said.

Pirates skipper Don Kelly explained his cautious approach with Skenes’ workload, particularly following the pitcher’s abbreviated 37-pitch, two-thirds-inning performance in last Thursday’s season-opening defeat to the Mets. Skenes surrendered five runs in that 11-7 setback, matching a career-worst while recording two walks and one strikeout.

“When you’re going off one outing and 37 pitches, we had targeted 80 for him,” Kelly said. “It was something that we need Paul for the long haul, and he did a great job getting through five. As we go, he’s going to be throwing more than five (innings) and 77 (pitches).”

Through his initial 57 major league starts, Skenes maintains a 2.10 ERA, which represents the fourth-best mark by any pitcher since 1920. That figure also stands as the lowest by any Pittsburgh pitcher across any 57-start span since Babe Adams posted a 2.06 ERA between 1918 and 1920.

The Philadelphia Flyers have secured defenseman David Jiricek’s future with the organization, announcing a two-year contract extension worth $3 million on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old Czech defenseman became a Flyer through a March 6 trade deal that saw forward Bobby Brink head to the Minnesota Wild. While Jiricek has not yet appeared in a game for Philadelphia’s NHL roster, he remains with the organization.

Since joining the Flyers system, Jiricek has been making his mark with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Philadelphia’s American Hockey League team. In 10 appearances with the Phantoms, he has contributed 10 points through two goals and eight assists.

Originally selected sixth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2022 NHL Draft, Jiricek brings NHL experience to his new contract. Throughout his professional career spanning 84 games between Columbus and Minnesota, he has accumulated 13 points with two goals and 11 assists.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza demonstrated his professional football readiness during Wednesday’s pro day workout, delivering an impressive performance that caught the attention of NFL scouts, particularly from the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Heisman Trophy winner completed an outstanding 53 of 56 passes during his 20-minute throwing session, appearing bigger, stronger and faster than when he first declared for the draft months ago. Mendoza has bulked up to 236 pounds, adding 11 pounds since the national championship game.

“I’m trying to be the best me possible. Whatever team picks me, you only need one team to believe in you,” Mendoza stated. “Whether I’m the first pick or the last pick, I’m trying to be the best quarterback possible in September.”

The Raiders have shown clear interest in Mendoza, with this marking their third meeting. The team previously conducted a Zoom call and formal interview at February’s NFL Scouting Combine. On Wednesday, at least 10 Raiders organization members attended the workout, including General Manager John Spytek and Head Coach Klint Kubiak, who watched intently throughout the session.

Mendoza’s performance was nearly flawless, with only one overthrown pass on a 60-yard attempt to Elijah Sarratt. His precision throw to EJ Williams – launched from one 40-yard line and caught in stride at the 6-yard line – drew audible reactions from watching scouts at Indiana’s indoor practice facility.

“I think the main goal today was to serve my teammates,” Mendoza explained, noting he skipped the NFL Scouting Combine workout to bring more attention to his Indiana colleagues. “I think I was able to do that. Be able to put them in position to be able to make plays.”

Other Hoosiers also impressed during the workout. Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds ran a blazing 4.31-second 40-yard dash, complementing his 43.5-inch vertical jump recorded at the combine.

Running back Roman Hemby, who began draft preparation immediately after the championship game, praised Mendoza’s leadership and character.

“That’s a guy that’s a great leader, a great person,” Hemby said. “He doesn’t have to do some of the things he does. He wanted to go out there and showcase the guys. That shows the type of person he is. That’s why we love him.”

With the Raiders holding the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh later this month, Mendoza’s name appears likely to be called early in the selection process.

A young Baltimore Orioles catcher etched his name in baseball history Wednesday night by becoming the first major league player to end a game with a winning challenge using the new Automated Ball-Strike System.

Samuel Basallo, just 21 years old, made the historic call during the ninth inning of Baltimore’s 8-3 victory over the Texas Rangers. With two outs and Albert Suárez pitching for the Orioles, home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez called Suárez’s 1-2 pitch to Evan Carter a ball. Basallo immediately challenged the call.

The replay review revealed that most of the baseball had crossed through the upper outside edge of the strike zone, overturning the original call and ending the game in Baltimore’s favor.

“I think we had two (challenges left) at that point,” Basallo explained through a translator after the game. “I thought why not use it? Better to use it and see what happens instead of holding onto it.”

The rookie catcher, who also launched a 437-foot home run during Wednesday’s contest, showed some nervous energy during the replay review before celebrating with Suárez on the pitcher’s mound. Suárez had thrown three innings to earn his first save since 2017.

“I wasn’t thinking it was a strike, and then when he challenged I was like, ‘OK, let’s see,’” Suárez commented. “Good thing we got it.”

This marks the inaugural season that the automated ball-strike technology has been implemented in regular-season major league baseball games.

The Orioles previously utilized a challenge in another high-pressure situation on Sunday, converting what would have been a full-count walk into a strikeout during their 8-6 victory over Minnesota. That challenge resulted in Twins manager Derek Shelton being ejected from the game, as he argued the challenge signal wasn’t made quickly enough.

Suárez had been recalled to the major leagues after Zach Eflin was forced to exit Tuesday’s start due to elbow discomfort. Following an early morning flight Wednesday, Suárez was able to provide much-needed relief for the team’s bullpen.

When asked about his overall opinion of the Automated Ball-Strike System, the 36-year-old pitcher offered a candid response.

“I think I like it more after what happened today,” Suárez said.

With the Final Four on the horizon, television viewership for the 2024 men’s NCAA basketball tournament has reached levels not seen in more than three decades, according to new data from Nielsen released Wednesday.

The tournament’s opening two weekends drew an average of 10.3 million viewers across CBS Sports and TNT Sports through the Elite Eight round, marking the highest-watched March Madness since 1993. This represents a 9% jump in audience numbers compared to the previous year.

The Elite Eight matchup between UConn and Duke proved particularly captivating for viewers, drawing 13.4 million people on average and reaching a peak audience of 18.9 million during the game’s dramatic finish.

Sweet 16 action during the early evening time slot last week also delivered impressive numbers, averaging 14.2 million viewers for games including Duke versus St. John’s and Michigan against Alabama. This 38% increase made it the most-watched early evening Sweet 16 broadcast since 1992.

Tournament organizers saw improvement across the board, with every Sweet 16 and Elite Eight contest outperforming last year’s corresponding games in terms of audience size.

The viewership data comes from Nielsen’s Big Data + Panel system, a measurement approach that received accreditation just over a year ago. This method combines traditional cable and satellite viewing information with data from internet-connected televisions, drawing from approximately 45 million homes and 75 million devices nationwide, according to industry publication Variety.

MILWAUKEE — A veteran baseball umpire was forced to exit Wednesday’s matchup between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers after taking a direct hit from a foul ball to his protective face gear.

C.B. Bucknor, who was officiating behind home plate, was struck during the second inning when Rays batter Nick Fortes made contact with a 100-mph fastball thrown by Milwaukee pitcher Jacob Misiorowski. The ball ricocheted backward and collided with Bucknor’s face mask.

The 63-year-old official immediately dropped to his knees following the impact while Brewers catcher William Contreras rushed to assist him. Milwaukee’s medical personnel quickly arrived on the field to evaluate Bucknor before he was escorted off the playing surface.

Following Bucknor’s exit, Chad Fairchild moved from his first-base umpiring position to take over home plate duties, reducing the officiating crew to three members. The incident caused approximately 13 minutes of game delay.

Colorado Avalanche’s standout defenseman Cale Makar will be sidelined for multiple games following an upper-body injury, according to head coach Jared Bednar’s announcement on Wednesday.

“(He’s) going to be OK. He’s going to miss some time here. Nothing serious, though,” Bednar stated during his Wednesday appearance on Altitude radio.

The injury occurred in the second period of Monday’s commanding 9-2 victory over the Calgary Flames at home in Denver. Makar was unable to return for the final period of play.

Despite recording three assists in the game, Makar absorbed a significant hit from Adam Klapka but managed to complete that shift and participate in two additional shifts before being declared out for the remainder of the contest late in the third period.

The 27-year-old defenseman currently sits third among Avalanche players in scoring with 75 points, including 20 goals and 55 assists this season.

Makar achieved a notable milestone last June when he became one of only a select group of players to capture multiple Norris trophies before reaching age 27. This exclusive group includes Hockey Hall of Fame legends Bobby Orr (eight victories), Denis Potvin and Paul Coffey (three each), and Rod Langway (two), along with current Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson, who also claimed the award twice before his 27th birthday.

The National Basketball Association’s ambitious plan to establish a European league has captured enormous investor attention, with numerous parties offering investments of $1 billion or more, according to Wednesday reports from The Athletic.

Sources indicate that over 120 different investors submitted varying financial proposals before Tuesday night’s deadline for preliminary, non-binding offers.

“We have received significant interest from a range of prospective teams and investors for permanent franchise spots in a new league in Europe,” NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum said in a statement to The Athletic.

“The level of engagement and the scale of the bids reflect the marketplace’s belief in our proposed model and the enormous, untapped potential for European basketball. We will now review the bids in more detail and shortlist the partners who share our vision and commitment to accelerating the growth of the game across the continent.”

According to reports, the NBA is looking for investments ranging from $500 million to $1 billion for permanent membership in the European venture.

The league has identified 12 major European cities as potential homes for permanent franchises: London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin, Munich, Athens and Istanbul.

The proposed structure would feature these 12 “licensed” franchises competing alongside four additional teams each season that would qualify through performance in smaller European leagues.

Recent discussions have centered on potential collaboration between the NBA and existing EuroLeague operations, though the relationship could become competitive depending on how the NBA Europe initiative develops.

“I think for the betterment of European basketball, the best outcome would be if we came together with the EuroLeague here and that we came up with a systematic approach to growing the game throughout Europe,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said last week.

Silver continues to target October 2027 as the launch date for NBA Europe operations.

SAN FRANCISCO — Last December, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry deliberately flashed a smile before calmly sinking two crucial free throws with just 12 seconds remaining, helping secure a 119-116 victory over Phoenix.

Despite appearing composed, the veteran guard later admitted he felt anything but calm inside. Even after 17 seasons in professional basketball and at age 38, Curry still experiences nerves during high-pressure situations.

“That’s more mental warfare for me to just enjoy the moment,” Curry said at the time. “I don’t care how many free throws you’ve made, when you need two of them, you do get nervous, so the smile is more to kind of embrace the moment and enjoy it instead of overthinking or worrying about mechanics or anything. So I’ve been doing that a lot lately, like last couple years, just playing mind games with myself and enjoying the moment.”

Fellow professional athletes draw encouragement from Curry’s honest admission about his struggles with anxiety, particularly given his elite status in basketball. The willingness of stars to discuss mental challenges publicly represents a significant shift, reflecting broader conversations about mental health awareness and seeking support during difficult times.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, whose team has captured the last two World Series championships, witnessed Curry’s clutch performance from the Chase Center stands on December 20th.

Having observed numerous Dodgers players excel during high-stakes October playoff games, Roberts understands the mental challenges involved.

“I think that’s telling that Steph would say that and there is an innate fear in people to fail in big spots or to be nervous. I think it’s just important to admit it at times and then kind of move on from there,” Roberts explained this spring. “We were talking about it a couple days ago, those moments I think you mitigate the fear or the nerves from preparedness. I think Steph has shot so many free throws when he’s tired in big spots, so to admit that he’s nervous, he knows at the end of the day that he’s prepared for that spot. Most of our guys, we talk about that a lot, so I think that’s how they can get past that fear or nerve hurdle.”

Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan conducted an informal survey among his players this season, asking whether they viewed a free throw with one second remaining in a tied contest differently from one attempted during the opening quarter of a tied game. The response was unanimously affirmative.

“I said, ‘Why is it different?’ and they explained all the consequences of what would happen, but the reality is it’s still the same exact shot it is in the first quarter or the second quarter,” Donovan explained. “And I find that guys in those moments have the ability to block out the consequences or what the ramifications are and really lock in to what they can control and the routine. The basket’s still 15 feet away, it’s still 10 feet high. And just because the circumstances may be different, the routine should be exactly the same.”

Mental performance specialist Graham Betchart recommends a specific strategy for managing nervousness that involves converting fear of failure into positive energy.

“The biggest surprise to most people is that great pro athletes have the same feeling that a kid has, they just reframe it,” Betchart explained. “I remember one of the first pros I worked with, I said, ‘What’s pressure like for you?’ He said, ‘Graham, what you call pressure, I call joy.’ I said, ‘What does joy feel like?’ He said, ‘Joy feels like I’m going to pee in my pants, 10,000 butterflies in my stomach, heart is pounding, self doubt everywhere.’ I said, ‘That’s joy?’ He said, ‘Yeah, ’cause when I feel that I’m about to go do what I love, which is play ball.’ So we call that reframing. I think this is one of the biggest unlocks in the entire world.”

Hall of Fame player and current Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who enjoyed a 19-season NBA career as a 10-time All-Star and 1994-95 Rookie of the Year, believes fans sometimes overlook that professional athletes are human beings who experience natural stress responses.

“It is healthy. I think that just lets everyone know you’re human. Steph is human,” Kidd observed. “There are feelings and emotions but I don’t know if he gets nervous. Free throws are like layups for him, like 2-foot putts. But it’s also great that he is open to sharing that about his feelings, that’s pretty cool.”

Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton follows a daily routine of attempting to sink 10 consecutive free throws during practice. This preparation helps him maintain perspective during actual games: “Whatever happens, happens, you’ve just got to live with the results, but sometimes getting to the free-throw line can help you get into a rhythm and get your shot going, too.”

Even coaches experience similar pressures. Doc Rivers acknowledges uncertainty about making optimal decisions during critical moments.

“There’s nerves with everything. I can draw up a play as a coach and I know it’s a good play, but I’m nervous if we’re going to run it right or is it going to work. As a player, I was an 80-percent free-throw shooter, but it’s still there. That’s why you breathe deep and that’s where routine comes in. The more you do the routine, the more it becomes normal. But there’s nothing normal in life when you’re shooting a free throw and there’s 20,000 people screaming to make you miss, that’s not normal in life. So you have to breathe your way through it.”

Oakland Athletics pitcher Luis Severino, who spent his first nine major league seasons playing for New York teams including the Yankees and Mets, understands how external pressure can intensify personal struggles on challenging days.

“I think it’s more of how you’re feeling that day. If Stephen Curry is feeling like he always feels, there’s nothing to worry about,” Severino said, laughing. “If that day I’m feeling good, I have nothing to worry about. If I’m struggling with command and or a pitch, not commanding my breaking balls, I will get a little bit nervous, but if I’m good that day I have nothing to worry about.”

San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames found validation in learning that Curry also battles nerves during pivotal moments.

“I think it’s a great thing, I think it’s something that you have to embrace and know that it’s OK to feel it,” Adames said. “I always try to tell myself, ‘if you feel a little nervous or a little anxious, just embrace it like it’s OK, it’s OK to feel it. But just know that you’ve got to take a deep breath and try to make sure that you’re under control.”

Betchart believes professional athletes discussing their nervousness publicly will help others develop better coping strategies. Through his work with Army personnel who initially claimed to be fearless, he discovered they actually experience fear but accept it as an occupational reality.

“They’re not fearless, they feel the fear, and then they lean into it,” he explained. “So it’s really a power of vulnerability, it’s a victory of the vulnerable.”

Chelsea Football Club revealed Wednesday they suffered pre-tax financial losses totaling 262.4 million pounds ($350 million) during their most recent reporting period, setting a new record for the highest deficit in Premier League history.

The London-based soccer team, which is owned by American private equity investors, cited “increased operating costs” during the 2024-25 season as a contributing factor to the substantial financial shortfall compared to the prior year.

According to Britain’s Press Association, the previous record for Premier League pre-tax losses belonged to Manchester City, who reported 197.5 million pounds (approximately $263 million in current value) during the 2010-11 campaign.

Despite the record deficit, Chelsea generated 490.9 million pounds ($650 million) in total revenue for the fiscal year concluding June 30, 2025, marking the club’s second-best financial performance in terms of income. A portion of those earnings came from prize money received during their successful Club World Cup championship campaign.

The Premier League determined that Chelsea met all financial compliance standards for the three-year assessment period ending in 2024-25. League regulations permit clubs to accumulate maximum losses of 105 million pounds ($140 million) during that timeframe, though expenditures on infrastructure improvements, youth player development programs, and women’s soccer operations are excluded from loss calculations.

The National Hockey League has official backing for LGBTQ+ initiatives, though individual franchises determine their own level of involvement in Pride celebrations. Team participation ranges dramatically, with some organizations choosing not to host Pride events while others create extensive festivities.

The Nashville Predators represent one of the most committed organizations, recently hosting drag performers for the national anthem and temporarily modifying their team logo to feature Pride flag colors. Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers have scheduled their Pride celebration during Holy Week this year.

LeBron James made basketball history Tuesday night, securing his record-breaking 1,229th career victory as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 127-113 at home.

The milestone win moved James past Hall of Fame legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most combined regular season and playoff victories in NBA history. James, who already holds the league’s all-time scoring record, contributed 14 points, five rebounds, and six assists in the victory against his former team, where he played 11 seasons across two different periods.

Luka Doncic led the Lakers’ offensive charge with an impressive 42-point, 12-assist performance. The victory marked Los Angeles’ 13th win in their past 14 contests and secured both a playoff berth and the Pacific Division championship after Phoenix fell earlier in the evening.

The Lakers now hold the third position in the Western Conference standings, maintaining a two-game cushion over the Denver Nuggets.

Doncic, returning from a one-game suspension, achieved another milestone by becoming the third-youngest player to reach 15,000 career points at 27 years and 31 days old. James still holds that record, achieving the feat at 25 years and 79 days.

For Cleveland, Jarrett Allen topped the scoring with 18 points, while James Harden contributed 17. The Cavaliers remain one game behind the third-place New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference.

In other NBA action Tuesday:

Detroit dominated Toronto 127-116 behind Jalen Duren’s 31 points and nine rebounds. Daniss Jenkins added 21 points for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, who have won 10 of their last 13 games. RJ Barrett paced the Raptors with 24 points.

Orlando snapped a recent slump by beating Phoenix 115-111, with Desmond Bane scoring 21 points and Jalen Suggs adding 20. The Magic had lost seven of eight before the victory. Devin Booker led Phoenix with 34 points in the losing effort.

Charlotte crushed Brooklyn 117-86 in a dominant performance, with Brandon Miller scoring 25 points in just three quarters of play. Miles Bridges contributed 19 points as the Hornets improved to 29-13 over their past 42 games.

Houston rolled past New York 111-94, led by Kevin Durant’s game-high 27 points. Reed Sheppard provided 20 points off the bench as the Rockets shot 53.8% from the field. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 22 points in their third straight loss.

Milwaukee ended a four-game losing streak by defeating Dallas 123-99. Ryan Rollins scored 24 points with nine assists and seven rebounds, while Kyle Kuzma added 20 points. Cooper Flagg had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the struggling Mavericks.

Portland earned a crucial 114-104 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, moving within half a game of the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference. Jrue Holiday led the Trail Blazers with 30 points, while Deni Avdija recorded 28 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points for the Clippers.

Philadelphia Phillies rookie Andrew Painter made an impressive first impression in the major leagues Tuesday night, fanning eight batters over 5 1/3 innings to help his team defeat the Washington Nationals 3-2.

The organization’s most promising pitching prospect earned his first career victory (1-0) by surrendering just one run on four hits and one walk against a Washington lineup that came into the contest tied for baseball’s highest-scoring offense. Home runs from Kyle Schwarber and Adolis Garcia powered the Phillies, who had dropped three of their opening four contests.

Washington’s Daylen Lile collected three hits in the losing effort for a Nationals squad that had won three of its first four games. The visitors nearly forced extra innings when James Wood stepped to the plate in the ninth with the tying run on second base and two outs, but Brandon Marsh hauled in his deep fly ball to left field to secure the victory.

The Phillies built a 3-0 advantage for their rookie starter by scoring once each in the third, fourth, and fifth frames against Washington starter Zack Littell (0-1). Jhoan Duran closed out the game in the ninth inning to record his second save of the young season.

In other MLB action Tuesday:

Giants 9, Padres 3

Willy Adames launched a leadoff home run and matched a career high with four hits, driving in two runs as San Francisco’s offense came alive in a road victory over San Diego. Jung Hoo Lee contributed three hits and three RBIs, while Matt Chapman added a solo homer and Rafael Devers chipped in two hits as the Giants collected 16 total hits. The visitors went 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position while defeating the Padres for the second consecutive night. Giants starter Logan Webb (1-1) surrendered three runs on three hits across six innings. Jackson Merrill and Miguel Andujar drove in runs for San Diego, which has dropped four of five to open the season. German Marquez (0-1) struggled in his Padres debut, allowing two home runs in just three innings while giving up four runs on eight hits.

Yankees 5, Mariners 0

Max Fried tossed seven innings of three-hit baseball as New York shut out Seattle at home, marking the Yankees’ third shutout victory in five games this season. Giancarlo Stanton went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs as New York evened the three-game series. Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger, and Ben Rice each recorded two hits for the Yankees. Fried (2-0) walked one and struck out six in the dominant performance. Seattle’s Josh Naylor broke an 0-for-20 slump with a fourth-inning single, his first hit of the season. The Mariners managed just two other hits off Fried, both coming in the seventh inning. Logan Gilbert (0-1) took the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings.

Dodgers 4, Guardians 1

Two-way star Shohei Ohtani made his season pitching debut in style, holding Cleveland to one hit over six scoreless innings while Max Muncy homered in Los Angeles’ victory. Andy Pages had two hits and two RBIs, and Teoscar Hernandez recorded his first RBI of the season. Ohtani (1-0), slotted fifth in the rotation as the Dodgers manage his workload, walked three and struck out six. Cleveland right-hander Tanner Bibee (0-1) allowed one run on four hits over four innings after his start was questionable due to shoulder inflammation from his Opening Day outing. Brayan Rocchio prevented the shutout with an RBI single in the ninth.

Cardinals 3, Mets 0

Andre Pallante and four relievers combined on a three-hit shutout as St. Louis defeated New York in the middle game of their series. Ivan Herrera delivered a two-run double in the third inning, and Ramon Urias added a leadoff home run in the seventh for the Cardinals, who recorded their first shutout since September 16 of last season. Pallante (1-0) allowed all three hits over five-plus innings. Kodai Senga suffered a tough-luck loss despite striking out nine over six innings. The Mets were shut out for the first time since a season-ending 4-0 loss to Miami last September 28.

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani launched his campaign for baseball’s most prestigious pitching honor Tuesday night, tossing six scoreless innings in his season debut as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Cleveland Guardians 4-1 in wet conditions.

The Japanese superstar contributed at the plate as well, recording one hit in three at-bats while drawing two walks and striking out once during the rain-soaked contest.

Los Angeles has eagerly anticipated witnessing Ohtani’s complete dual-threat capabilities since signing him to a massive $700 million, 10-year contract prior to the 2024 campaign. His pitching was sidelined that entire season as he rehabilitated from his second significant elbow operation, performed in September 2023 during his tenure with the Los Angeles Angels.

During the previous season, the organization carefully managed his return to pitching duties. Ohtani compiled a 1-1 record with a 2.87 ERA, recording 62 strikeouts across 47 innings in 14 appearances. His four-seam fastball reached a personal-best average velocity of 98.4 mph.

“Last year, I felt good,” Ohtani said through a translator. “But this year I do feel a lot more loose and easy pitching overall. Looking back at today’s outing specifically, that wasn’t necessarily the case. So that’s something I want to work on. But compared to last season I felt more loose and easy.”

Ohtani’s spring preparation was restricted to just two exhibition starts since he competed for Japan in the World Baseball Classic without taking the mound.

Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts has observed that Ohtani maintains higher personal standards for his pitching performance compared to his hitting.

“He’s never going to be satisfied,” Roberts said. “There’s always something that he can improve on or get better at and that’s what fuels him.”

The right-hander has now compiled 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings during regular season play, extending back to his August 27, 2025 appearance against Cincinnati — establishing a new personal record. This surpassed his previous career-best streak of 21 2/3 innings achieved in June 2022 while playing for the Angels.

“If he’s able to do it the whole year, that’s just a huge boost to our pitching staff,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “I expect nothing short of almost a Cy Young out of him.”

Almost?

“I think he’s got enough pressure already,” Muncy said, “but it doesn’t seem to faze him at all.”

Cleveland managed just one hit against Ohtani — a two-out double from Rhys Hoskins during the fourth inning. The ace recorded six strikeouts while issuing three walks.

Ohtani also succeeded in his inaugural automated ball-strike challenge.

The pitcher handled his first seven batters without incident before walking Gabriel Arias in the third frame. Following another walk to Steven Kwan with two outs, runners occupied first and second base. With the count at 1-1 against CJ Kayfus, Ohtani disputed a ball call. The ruling was reversed, creating a 1-2 count, and he eliminated Kayfus with a swinging strikeout on his subsequent delivery to conclude the inning.

Steady rainfall intensified during Ohtani’s final two innings of work. The grounds crew attended to the mound’s front slope, particularly his landing area, after he issued his third walk with two outs in the sixth. Using a metal implement, he cleared accumulated dirt from his cleats. Ohtani then dispatched Hoskins with a single pitch to complete the inning.

“He’s unflappable,” Roberts said.

At the plate, Ohtani has struggled through his initial five contests. The four-time MVP is currently hitting .167 without any home runs or RBIs. He launched 55 homers during 2025.

He maintained his on-base streak at 36 games, matching his career-long achievement.

“I’ve been able to get on base and that’s a good thing,” Ohtani said. “But on pitches that I should be making impact I’m not quite able to do that to the extent that I should be able to. That’s the part that I’m not quite happy about.”

Witnessing Ohtani’s daily preparation routine has convinced Muncy that pitching represents his primary passion.

“He’s really bought into everything with pitching — his mechanics, how to attack hitters. He just focuses on it so much. You can really, really tell he loves it,” Muncy said.

Roberts indicated Ohtani will receive six days of rest before his next scheduled start.

“I believe the team should be prioritizing Yoshinobu (Yamamoto), (Tyler) Glasnow and (Blake) Snell when he’s back,” Ohtani said. “So I think it’s easy to kind of fit me into that schedule whenever the team feels that’s a good thing. What’s most important is that we’re all healthy in October.”

Basketball superstar LeBron James made NBA history Tuesday night, breaking the all-time record for career victories as the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the Cleveland Cavaliers 127-113.

James reached his 1,229th combined regular season and playoff win, surpassing Hall of Fame legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s previous mark. The four-time champion contributed 14 points, five rebounds, and six assists in the milestone victory against his former team, where he played 11 seasons across two different periods.

Luka Doncic led the Lakers’ offensive charge with an impressive 42 points and 12 assists after returning from a one-game suspension for accumulating his 16th technical foul of the season. The 27-year-old star also achieved a personal milestone, becoming the third-youngest player to reach 15,000 career points at 27 years and 31 days old.

The victory improved Los Angeles to 50-26, marking their 13th win in the past 14 contests. The Lakers secured both a playoff berth and the Pacific Division championship earlier that evening when Phoenix lost, positioning them third in the Western Conference standings, two games ahead of Denver.

For Cleveland, Jarrett Allen topped the scoring with 18 points, while James Harden added 17 and Donovan Mitchell contributed 10 points with six assists. The Cavaliers fell to 47-29 but remain just one win away from clinching their own playoff spot, sitting one game behind third-place New York in the Eastern Conference.

Los Angeles broke the game open during a dominant third quarter, outscoring Cleveland 45-30 to build a commanding 110-83 advantage. Austin Reaves chipped in 19 points for the Lakers, while Deandre Ayton recorded 18 points and nine rebounds. The victory also marked the 100th win for Lakers head coach JJ Redick.

The Lakers held a 65-53 halftime lead behind Doncic’s 20 first-half points and seven assists, plus Ayton’s 11 points and six rebounds. Allen shot efficiently for Cleveland, making nine of 11 field goal attempts for his 18 points, though Mitchell managed just two points in the opening half.

Doncic showed no rust from his suspension, immediately finding his rhythm by scoring 14 points on 10 shots while playing the entire first quarter. Cleveland actually led 34-32 after the opening period thanks to nine points from Harden and eight from Allen.

Several players missed the contest due to injuries. Lakers guard Marcus Smart sat out his fourth consecutive game with a right ankle bruise, while Cleveland was without Sam Merrill due to left hamstring soreness. Cavaliers forwards Jaylon Tyson and Dean Wade also didn’t make the trip because of toe and ankle injuries, respectively.

Viktor Arvidsson completed his fifth career hat trick by finding the net twice during the final period, while Henri Jokiharju delivered the decisive goal in Boston’s 6-3 victory over Dallas on Tuesday evening.

Boston (43-24-8, 94 points) erased a 2-2 deadlock following the second intermission by scoring four of the contest’s final five tallies, securing their fourth consecutive victory and seventh triumph in their past 10 outings (7-1-2).

Jokiharju and Elias Lindholm each contributed one goal and one assist, with Marat Khusnutdinov also finding the scoresheet and David Pastrnak providing three assists for the Bruins. Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo turned away 13 shots and faced only three attempts in the third period as Boston held a 23-16 shot advantage.

Wyatt Johnston recorded one goal and one assist for Dallas (44-19-12, 100 points), while Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn also tallied goals. Jake Oettinger made 17 saves for the Stars, who have managed just one victory in their last seven games (1-4-2).

Sabres 4, Islanders 3

Peyton Krebs netted the tie-breaking goal in the closing minutes of the third period as Buffalo defeated New York at home to reach the 2,000-win milestone in franchise history.

Jack Quinn and Tage Thompson each recorded one goal and one assist, with defenseman Bowen Byram also scoring for Buffalo. Josh Norris contributed two assists while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 25 shots.

Brayden Schenn tallied one goal and one assist for New York, with Calum Ritchie and Anders Lee also scoring for the Islanders, who suffered their second straight defeat. Ilya Sorokin made 29 saves in the loss.

Rangers 4, Devils 1

Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots while Conor Sheary and J.T. Miller each scored during the opening period, propelling New York to victory over New Jersey and preventing a season series sweep.

Jaroslav Chmelar found the net in the second period and Mika Zibanejad scored in the third for the Rangers, who have captured three straight games after enduring a season-worst six-game losing skid.

Connor Brown tallied a power-play goal early in the second period for New Jersey, with Nico Hischier recording an assist to stretch his point streak to five games.

Panthers 6, Senators 3

Carter Verhaeghe scored twice while Matthew Tkachuk and Seth Jones each registered three assists during Florida’s explosive five-goal opening period in their victory over visiting Ottawa in Sunrise, Florida.

Noah Gregor and Mackie Samoskevich scored within the first 1:06 of play, with A.J. Greer also tallying during the Panthers’ commanding first period, outshooting Ottawa 18-6. Tkachuk completed his four-point performance with a second-period goal.

Drake Batherson and Jordan Spence scored in the second period while Michael Amadio added a goal and assist for Ottawa, which entered play two points behind the final Eastern Conference wild-card position but has dropped three consecutive games. Linus Ullmark was replaced with 5:24 remaining in the first period after surrendering five goals on 16 shots.

Penguins 5, Red Wings 1

Egor Chinakhov recorded one goal and one assist as Pittsburgh jumped out early and cruised to victory over visiting Detroit.

Rickard Rakell, Anthony Mantha, Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari all scored for the Penguins, with Stuart Skinner making 22 saves. Pittsburgh has won three of their last four contests to climb into second place in the Metropolitan Division.

Dylan Larkin netted his 30th goal for Detroit’s lone tally. The Red Wings have gone 1-4-0 in their past five games and 4-7-2 over their last 13 contests.

Hurricanes 5, Blue Jackets 2

Nikolaj Ehlers scored once as part of a three-point evening while Andrei Svechnikov added one goal and one assist to lead visiting Carolina past struggling Columbus in the first game of a home-and-home series.

Shayne Gostisbehere, Logan Stankoven and Jordan Martinook also tallied for the Hurricanes, who share the Eastern Conference points lead with Buffalo.

Kirill Marchenko recorded one goal and one assist while Adam Fantilli added a goal for Columbus, which remains winless over four games and holds onto the East’s final wild-card position.

Jets 4, Blackhawks 3 (OT)

Kyle Connor netted the game-winner just 33 seconds into overtime as visiting Winnipeg edged Chicago.

Josh Morrissey and Connor each posted one goal and one assist, with Cole Perfetti and Isak Rosen also scoring for the Jets. Mark Scheifele provided three assists while Connor Hellebuyck made 18 saves.

Tyler Bertuzzi scored twice and Anton Frondell netted his first NHL goal for Chicago, which has lost four straight games (0-3-1).

Oilers 3, Kraken 0

Connor Ingram made 27 saves for his second shutout this season while Connor McDavid extended his goal streak to five games as Edmonton blanked visiting Seattle.

The shutout marked Ingram’s ninth career clean sheet on his 29th birthday. Max Jones and Kasperi Kapanen also scored for Edmonton, which stretched its winning streak to a season-best four games.

Philipp Grubauer, appearing in his 400th NHL game, finished with 21 saves for Seattle, which has lost six of its past seven contests (1-4-2). The defeat left the Kraken two points behind Nashville in the Western Conference wild-card race.

Capitals 6, Flyers 4

Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson each scored twice, Jakob Chychrun added one goal and one assist, and Pierre-Luc Dubois distributed four assists as Washington snapped Philadelphia’s eight-game road winning streak.

Ryan Leonard contributed one goal and one assist for Washington, which moved within one point of Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference playoff chase.

Travis Sanheim and Christian Dvorak each recorded one goal and one assist for the Flyers, who suffered just their second regulation loss in 11 games. Travis Konecny added two assists.

PHOENIX — When Venezuelan third baseman Jose Fernandez stepped into the batter’s box during the eighth inning of his major league debut Tuesday night, he faced a high-pressure situation against Detroit’s four-time All-Star closer Kenley Jansen.

What happened next made baseball history, as Fernandez launched a three-run blast that completed one of the most remarkable first games in modern baseball.

The Arizona Diamondbacks rookie joined an exclusive group, becoming only the seventh major leaguer since 1900 to connect for two home runs in his debut appearance. His second homer proved to be the game-winner in Arizona’s 7-5 triumph over the Tigers.

“I returned to my days as a kid — just a dream come true,” Fernandez said with a smile through an interpreter.

In an unusual coincidence, half of these historic two-homer debuts have happened within the past week. Cleveland’s Chase DeLauter accomplished the same feat just six days earlier during his first regular-season contest last Thursday, though he had previously appeared in playoff games.

The 22-year-old Fernandez wasn’t initially part of Arizona’s opening-day lineup, getting called up Monday when Pavin Smith was placed on the 10-day injured list due to left elbow discomfort. He maximized his opportunity, collecting three hits and driving in four runs.

That’s an impressive showing for someone ranked as the organization’s 27th-best prospect by MLB.com.

“He deserves all this credit,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’re so proud of him. He’s a player who came through our system, through our academy, and it’s a great story, a great baseball story. We’ve known about Jose for a long time. We knew he was coming.”

Fernandez started his evening with an infield single during his initial big league at-bat, then connected for a solo shot in his second plate appearance. The three-run blast that followed placed him alongside DeLauter, Trevor Story (2016), J.P. Arencibia (2010), Mark Quinn (1999), Bert Campaneris (1964) and Bob Nieman (1951) in the record books.

“Stay calm, keep the emotions in check, I knew something like that could happen,” Fernandez explained. “Just look for a pitch.”

Professional golfer Tiger Woods announced Tuesday that he will enter a treatment program following his arrest on driving under the influence charges after a vehicle accident in Florida last Friday.

The golf legend entered a not guilty plea to the DUI charges stemming from the March 27 crash that occurred on Jupiter Island, Florida, where his vehicle overturned.

Woods’ decision to seek treatment means he will be absent from the Masters tournament for the second year in a row, marking another significant interruption to his professional golf career.

The announcement came four days after the incident that led to his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence following the single-vehicle accident in Florida.

HOUSTON — A veteran Major League Baseball umpire owned up to a significant mistake that changed the course of an at-bat during Tuesday evening’s matchup between the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, which ended in a 9-2 Astros victory.

Mark Wegner, the home plate umpire, admitted after the game that he failed to properly track the pitch count during Houston batter Cam Smith’s plate appearance in the fifth inning, resulting in Smith receiving a walk when he actually should have been called out on strikes.

The sequence began with Smith missing two consecutive cutter pitches from Boston starter Brayan Bello. During this time, Joey Loperfido successfully stole second base while Christian Walker crossed home plate due to a throwing mistake by Red Sox catcher Connor Wong. Following approximately 40 seconds of action, Smith whiffed on a sweeper for what should have been the third strike.

However, Wegner, who serves as a crew chief and is working his 29th season in the major leagues, incorrectly signaled the count as 1-2 instead of recognizing the strikeout. Smith then continued batting for six additional pitches before earning a base on balls.

“I just watched the video. I didn’t know what happened until I came in here and apparently, I somehow didn’t count the second swinging one because I said the count was 1-2. It was actually strike three,” Wegner explained to reporters following the contest. “Had anybody caught it, we can always go and call replay and check the count. I’ve never done that before. I’m not happy about it. Just made a mistake.”

According to Wegner, nobody on the field questioned the count during the moment it occurred.

Bello mentioned that Wegner had announced the count as 1-1 following his second delivery, and the pitcher chose not to challenge that call at the time.

“I thought the first pitch was a strike and I thought that he swung at the second pitch,” Bello explained through a translator, speaking in Spanish. “None of that took me out of my focus in that inning. I tried to get out of that inning, and it didn’t happen.”

Smith’s at-bat marked the final batter that Bello would face in what was his first appearance of the season. The Red Sox pitcher surrendered six runs, with five being earned, along with eight hits and three walks across 4 2/3 innings of work.

The International Olympic Committee announced Wednesday that Chang Ung, North Korea’s sole representative ever to serve on the IOC, has passed away at the age of 87.

Chang died on Sunday, prompting the IOC to express “extreme sadness” and order the Olympic flag to fly at half-staff for three days at Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland as a tribute. Officials have not disclosed what caused his death, and North Korean state media has remained silent about his passing.

Starting life as a basketball captain for North Korea’s national team in 1938, Chang transitioned into sports administration after his playing career ended. He climbed the ranks to become a deputy sports minister, deputy chairman of North Korea’s Olympic Committee, and deputy president of the Olympic Council of Asia.

Chang earned his IOC membership in 1996, making him North Korea’s first and only representative on the committee. In this role, he spearheaded challenging negotiations with South Korea aimed at fostering athletic cooperation between the divided nations.

His most significant achievement came during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where North and South Korean athletes made history by walking together behind a “unification flag” showing the Korean peninsula. This marked the first joint procession since Korea’s 1945 partition.

Korean athletes continued these symbolic joint entrances at subsequent Olympic Games and international competitions, including the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea. Witnessing the unified march at Pyeongchang’s opening ceremony, Chang expressed to journalists that he felt “deeply moved.”

Chang’s diplomatic efforts produced earlier breakthroughs as well, including the 1991 world table tennis championships in Chiba, Japan, where the two Koreas sent their first joint men’s and women’s teams. The Pyeongchang Games later featured the first combined Korean Olympic squad in women’s ice hockey.

However, athletic cooperation between the Koreas has deteriorated alongside worsening political relationships. No sports exchanges have occurred between the nations in recent years. North Korea has avoided dialogue with both South Korea and the United States since leader Kim Jong Un’s nuclear negotiations with former U.S. President Donald Trump fell apart in 2019. Kim has since declared South Korea a permanent adversary and dismissed reunification prospects.

The IOC credited Chang with advancing athletic participation, cultural exchanges, and sport’s societal impact. IOC President Kirsty Coventry stated: “His efforts to promote cooperation on the Korean Peninsula demonstrated the power of sport to build bridges and inspire hope.”

Chang participated in various IOC committees, including Sport for All and the International Olympic Truce Foundation. North Korea’s official KCNA news agency last referenced Chang in 2023, when he received the Olympic Order during an IOC session in Mumbai, India. The award recognizes exceptional Olympic contributions, and Chang, then serving as an honorary IOC member, participated virtually in the ceremony.

MILWAUKEE — Major League Baseball umpire C.B. Bucknor’s challenging season took another turn for the worse during Tuesday night’s game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays.

During Milwaukee’s 6-2 triumph, Bucknor served as the first-base official when he made an error so clear-cut that video replay left both team managers grinning at each other afterward.

The controversial moment occurred in the sixth inning with the Brewers ahead 4-2. Jake Bauers connected for an infield hit but was initially ruled out when Bucknor declared he failed to make contact with first base. However, replay footage clearly demonstrated Bauers stepping directly on the center of the bag.

Following the successful challenge that reversed Bucknor’s decision, Bauers proceeded to steal second base and eventually crossed home plate on a double by Brandon Lockridge during the same inning.

“I don’t know what happened,” Bauers commented, declining to elaborate further on the blown call during his media session. “I’m just thankful to get on base and thankful to come around and score.”

This incident follows Bucknor’s poor showing with MLB’s new Automated Ball-Strike System during the previous weekend. During Cincinnati’s 6-5 extra-inning victory over Boston on Saturday, teams successfully challenged six out of eight of his decisions.

Each of the six overruled calls involved strikes that were changed to balls. The remaining two upheld calls included one ball and one strike.

Brewers skipper Pat Murphy declined to criticize the officiating during his post-game press conference.

“I’m not going to criticize that,” Murphy stated.

Television footage captured both Murphy and Rays manager Kevin Cash exchanging smiles after the replay clearly showed Bauers making contact with the base. When questioned about their reactions, Murphy explained the moment.

“Kevin and I are friends,” Murphy noted. “We hadn’t had a chance to talk to each other before the game, so we just smiled back at each other.”

When reporters asked Bauers about his appreciation for MLB’s replay technology, he responded with humor.

“Yeah, grateful for that,” he said, laughing.

Former Kent State University football coach Kenni Burns has filed a lawsuit against the school and several administrators, claiming wrongful termination, contract violations, and defamation, ESPN reports.

Burns, who was dismissed in April 2025 following a disappointing 1-23 record across two seasons with the Golden Flashes, contends in his legal filing that the university orchestrated his termination as part of a scheme to reduce financial obligations.

The lawsuit names several defendants including Kent State president Todd Diacon, senior vice president for finance and administration Mark Polatajko, general counsel David Ochmann, and the university’s board of trustees.

The university terminated Burns following an administrative leave period, citing “personal, improper or unsubstantiated purchases on his school purchasing card” and investigating a substantial loan he received from a university booster, according to various media outlets.

Burns argues in his legal challenge that the school failed to provide adequate training on proper purchasing card procedures. He maintains he supplied receipts for questionable expenses and reimbursed the university more than $7,000 through a check that officials accepted and deposited.

The lawsuit details Burns’ financial difficulties while serving as head coach, including temporary housing costs due to flooding and the university’s failure to pay his complete salary on schedule.

These financial pressures led Burns to accept monetary assistance from booster and university vendor Mike Awad. Burns maintains this arrangement received approval from a university official, though Kent State’s internal investigation found “conflicting evidence” regarding whether proper disclosure occurred.

According to the legal filing, Burns received multiple monthly loans from Awad but repaid them with interest. The university’s investigation documented that Burns returned $109,000 to Awad through various payments spanning 14 months during 2023-24.

Regarding his dismissal, the lawsuit alleges the foundation was established in early 2024 during contract extension negotiations through 2028. A contract modification changed Burns’ termination compensation from a percentage of his total agreement (approximately $2 million) to a percentage of his base salary for the firing year (roughly $371,000).

“Upon information and belief, the ‘error’ in the First Amendment allowed Kent State’s plan to wrongfully terminate Kenni Burns’ to move forward, saving the University money by not having to comply with the buy-out terms of Kenni Burns’ original contract,” the lawsuit states.

The legal filing also claims that while Burns was on administrative leave, Ochmann approached him with an offer to accept payment and “quietly walk away.” Burns was reportedly given 24 hours to consider before being told the university would pursue termination for cause.

A Kent State spokesperson informed ESPN that the university does not provide comments regarding ongoing legal proceedings.

Pittsburgh Steelers ownership is waiting for Aaron Rodgers to make up his mind about his football future.

Team owner and president Art Rooney II spoke with media Tuesday during the NFL’s annual meetings in Phoenix, saying he believes the veteran quarterback will soon decide whether to return to Pittsburgh, hang up his cleats, or sign with another team.

“I have not talked to him,” Rooney said to reporters. “Coach (Mike McCarthy) has been in contact with him pretty regularly, and I think a decision is probably coming soon.”

When reporters asked if Rodgers would make his choice before the upcoming NFL draft, Rooney responded, “I would say by the draft, I expect an answer, yeah.”

The 42-year-old quarterback came to Pittsburgh last year following 18 years with Green Bay and two seasons with the New York Jets. Rodgers led the Steelers to a 10-7 record and an AFC North championship, though their season ended with a disappointing 30-6 playoff defeat to Houston. Following that loss, head coach Mike Tomlin stepped down.

Earlier on Tuesday, McCarthy declined to discuss any timeline for Rodgers’ decision when speaking with reporters. During a March 4 appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers mentioned that no one had given him a specific deadline.

Pittsburgh has already re-signed veteran quarterback Mason Rudolph, who previously played 26 games for the team with 14 starts between 2019-21, 2023, and 2025. Will Howard remains the only other quarterback currently under contract.

Last season, the four-time MVP and 10-time Pro Bowl selection threw for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 65.7% of his attempts.

The 2026 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 23-25, with Pittsburgh holding the 21st overall selection.

Canadian tennis player Bianca Andreescu, who previously claimed the U.S. Open title, broke an eight-month winless streak on Tuesday by defeating Hungary’s Dalma Galfi in a three-set thriller at the Credit One Charleston Open in South Carolina, winning 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.

The Canadian athlete has plummeted to 140th in global rankings following an ankle injury sustained during her home country’s open tournament in Montreal last summer. She had suffered defeats in her opening four professional matches of 2026 while working to return to form. During Tuesday’s victory, Andreescu successfully defended against five of eight break point opportunities while delivering four aces against Galfi.

Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, seeded third, overcame Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in a hard-fought 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3 match. Russia’s eighth-seeded Anna Kalinskaya defeated Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova 6-2, 6-4, and Czech Republic’s 13th-seeded Sara Bejlek dominated American competitor Akasha Urhobo 6-1, 6-1. Additional victorious players included Uzbekistan’s Polina Kudermetova, Spain’s Paula Badosa, China’s Yue Yuan, Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva, and American Ashlyn Krueger.

The evening’s concluding match will feature Russia’s seventh-seeded Diana Shnaider facing American Katie Volynets.

Copa Colsanitas

Latvia’s Darja Semenistaja achieved a stunning upset victory over Germany’s fifth-seeded Ella Seidel in first-round competition in Bogota, Colombia, winning 6-2, 6-2 after capitalizing on four of six break point chances while successfully defending all four break points against her.

Britain’s seventh-seeded Francesca Jones suffered an early exit when Spain’s Guiomar Maristany Zuleta De Reales dominated their 66-minute encounter 6-1, 6-1. Colombia’s third-seeded Camila Osorio faced early trouble before rallying to defeat American Caroline Dolehide 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-1.

Czech Republic’s top-seeded Marie Bouzkova required only 67 minutes to overwhelm Mexico’s Ana Sofia Sanchez 6-0, 6-2. Other advancing players included Spain’s second-seeded Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Russia’s sixth-seeded Anna Blinkova, 39-year-old American Varvara Lepchenko, Argentina’s Jazmin Ortenzi, Colombia’s Emiliana Arango, and Belgium’s Hanne Vandewinkel.

Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has committed to giving basketball shooting lessons to 95-year-old billionaire Warren Buffett, and preparations for the unusual coaching session are already underway.

The 38-year-old NBA champion plans to study video footage beforehand to figure out the best approach for instructing the legendary investor, starting with fundamental techniques if needed.

“Whether it’s a fixed basketball rim or a portable setup, I’m confident we’ll have something available so I can fulfill my commitment to teach him some technique,” Curry explained during a video conference call Tuesday following his return to full practice and team scrimmages as he recovers from an ongoing right knee problem.

“We’ll discover what he’s capable of. I haven’t witnessed any footage of Warren Buffett attempting a jump shot, but we’ll find out.”

The Warriors guard remains hopeful about returning to game action before the regular season concludes after being absent since January 30. With seven contests left on the schedule, he’ll miss Wednesday’s matchup against San Antonio and likely Thursday’s game versus Cleveland as well, head coach Steve Kerr confirmed.

However, basketball instruction represents just one aspect of Curry and Buffett’s expanding partnership.

Curry, his wife Ayesha, and the renowned investor and philanthropist are organizing a special lunch gathering on June 24 in Omaha, Nebraska, featuring one winning bidder as they collaborate to support families in need.

The Currys and Buffett will conduct a charitable auction running from May 7-14 through online bidding on eBay to generate funds for two causes: Buffett’s long-standing support of GLIDE, a San Francisco-based social justice organization providing daily meals and programs for youth and families, and the Currys’ Eat.Learn.Play. Foundation.

This represents Curry’s newest off-court partnership while the star guard has been absent from the Warriors lineup for 25 consecutive games. In February, the animated film “GOAT” that Curry developed with Sony Pictures made its theatrical debut.

This marks the first occasion the Currys have joined Buffett’s “A Seat at the Table” charitable lunch initiative, an auction program that began in 2000 to demonstrate how sharing a meal can foster community connections and hope in underserved areas.

“Mr. Buffett’s dedication to community service investment, his servant’s heart, and considering his stature and the fact that this Seat At The Table auction has generated over $55 million through the years — plus his recognition of the community work that Ayesha, our Eat.Learn.Play. team and I have accomplished here in Oakland — having this chance to raise additional funds and awareness through his generous offer to share this platform with us is incredible,” Curry stated.

“While the monetary amount raised will be tremendous, what matters more is bringing attention to the ongoing work that must continue and how we’re actively engaging in the community to make it reality.”

Buffett contacted the couple several months ago about participating in the fundraising lunch that has become his signature charitable success over two and a half decades, generating more than $50 million for GLIDE. The proceeds will be divided between that organization and the Currys’ foundation, which assists Oakland children and families through nutritious meal programs, secure recreational areas and equipment, plus educational resources including tutoring and book access.

“Often life’s most meaningful moments arrive unexpectedly,” Curry reflected, “you simply continue your efforts. When an opportunity like this presents itself, it’s incredibly meaningful.”

Italy’s World Cup drought will extend for another cycle after the four-time champions suffered a stunning penalty shootout loss to Bosnia-Herzegovina in European playoff competition on Tuesday.

The upset eliminates FIFA’s 12th-ranked Italian squad from World Cup contention for the third tournament in a row, with their last appearance dating back to 2014.

Bosnia-Herzegovina, ranked 71st globally, secured their first World Cup qualification since 2014 with the dramatic 1-1 (4-1 on penalties) victory over the heavily favored Italians.

The match turned when Italy’s Alessandro Bastoni received a red card in the 41st minute while his team held a 1-0 advantage. Bosnia capitalized on their numerical superiority when Haris Tabakovic found the equalizer in the 79th minute, sending the contest to penalty kicks where they dominated.

Bosnia-Herzegovina will compete in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland when the expanded 48-team World Cup kicks off June 11 and runs through July 19.

Czechia 2, Denmark 2

Czechia earned their first World Cup qualification since 2006 after prevailing 3-1 in penalty kicks following a 2-2 draw in Prague.

The match remained deadlocked at 1-1 through regulation before Ladislav Krejci put Czechia ahead in extra time. Denmark’s Kasper Hogh responded in the 111th minute to force the penalty shootout, where Czechia proved superior.

The victory propelled Czechia from 43rd to 41st in FIFA rankings after their upset of 20th-ranked Denmark. They’ll join Mexico, South Africa and South Korea in Group A.

Sweden 3, Poland 2

Viktor Gyokeres delivered the decisive blow in the 88th minute, lifting Sweden to an upset victory in Solna and their accompanying World Cup berth.

Poland controlled much of the match with 66.7% possession and advantages in shots on target (7-5) and corner kicks (9-2), but couldn’t convert their dominance into victory.

Sweden advances to Group F where they’ll face Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.

Turkiye 1, Kosovo 0

Turkiye punched their ticket to their first World Cup since 2004 with a narrow victory in Pristina, Kosovo.

The breakthrough came in the 53rd minute when Kerem Akturkoglu converted from close range with a one-timer. The triumph boosted Turkiye three positions in the world rankings to 22nd.

Turkiye claims the final position in Group D, joining the United States, Paraguay and Australia.

Professional golfer Tiger Woods announced Tuesday that he will be taking an indefinite break from competition to receive treatment and concentrate on his personal health. The announcement follows Woods entering a not guilty plea to driving under the influence charges connected to a rollover vehicle accident that occurred in Florida within the past week.

Woods stated he would be stepping away for a “period of time” as he focuses on addressing his health concerns and seeking appropriate treatment.

A technology executive who helped build one of China’s largest electronics companies has completed a groundbreaking purchase of Miami Dolphins ownership, the NFL franchise revealed Tuesday.

Lin Bin, who co-founded smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi and serves as its vice chairman, has acquired a 1% ownership portion of the Dolphins organization in a transaction that values the franchise at an unprecedented $12.5 billion.

The National Football League gave its blessing to the minority ownership deal on Tuesday, with the transaction expected to finalize within days. Beyond the football team, the purchase encompasses Hard Rock Stadium, the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix racing event, and the Miami Open tennis tournament.

This $12.5 billion price tag establishes a new benchmark as the largest valuation ever recorded for a partial ownership transaction across all professional sports.

Bin established Xiaomi alongside other partners in 2010 after building extensive experience in the technology sector. The executive completed his master’s studies at Drexel University in Philadelphia during 1992 and spent more than fifteen years developing software for industry giants Microsoft and Google before launching his own company.

“I am privileged to have the opportunity to invest in the Miami Dolphins and the amazing sports business built by the great entrepreneur Stephen Ross,” Bin said in a statement. “This world-class team operates not only the Dolphins but also the incredible Hard Rock Stadium and a host of renowned sporting events from Formula 1 racing to the Miami Open. As a huge sports fan, it’s a wonderful investment and learning opportunity for me.”

Team owner Stephen Ross, who purchased the Dolphins for $1 billion back in 2009, has conducted several partial ownership sales in recent years. During 2024, the organization welcomed investment from Ares Management funds alongside Brooklyn Nets ownership figures Joe Tsai and Oliver Weisberg. Ares Management secured a 10% ownership share, while Tsai and Weisberg combined to purchase 3% of the franchise.

The Dolphins organization is currently undergoing significant changes that include bringing aboard new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley.

Argentine tennis star Sebastian Baez made an impressive return to the Tiriac Open in Bucharest, Romania, cruising past Lithuania’s Vilius Gaubas with a commanding 6-3, 6-1 victory in Tuesday’s Round of 32 competition.

The fifth-seeded Baez, who reached the championship match at this same tournament last year, displayed dominant form by successfully defending all five break point opportunities against him while capitalizing on four of his five chances against Gaubas. The Argentine also excelled at the net, winning six of seven points when he approached.

Baez’s next opponent will be France’s Titouan Droguet, who secured his spot by defeating Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut in a three-set thriller, 6-1, 1-6, 6-1.

Tuesday’s action featured 12 matches after Monday’s competition was postponed due to rain. Several other seeded players advanced without dropping a set, including Germany’s Daniel Altmaier (sixth seed), Argentina’s Mariano Navone (seventh seed), and the Netherlands’ Botic van de Zandschulp (eighth seed).

Additional winners included Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Damir Dzumhur, Denmark’s Elmer Moller, Croatia’s Dino Prizmic, Kazakhstan’s Alexander Schevchenko, and three qualifiers: Spain’s Daniel Merida, Slovakia’s Alex Molcan, and Greece’s Stefanos Sakellaridis.

Meanwhile, at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech, Morocco, Poland’s fifth-seeded Kamil Majchrzak required three sets to eliminate Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo, winning 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-3. Majchrzak was nearly perfect on his first serve, winning 44 of 49 points for an 89.8% success rate.

Peru’s seventh-seeded Ignacio Buse also needed the full three sets to advance, overcoming Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in a marathon three-hour encounter, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (2), 6-4. Despite committing 47 unforced errors, Buse managed to save six of nine break points to secure the victory.

Other first-round winners in Morocco included France’s Luca Van Assche and Alexandre Muller, Argentina’s Marco Trungelliti and Camilo Ugo Carabelli, Italy’s Mattia Bellucci, and Spain’s Rafael Jodar.

At the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston, Argentina’s sixth-seeded Tomas Martin Etcheverry staged a comeback against fellow Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez, prevailing 6-1, 1-6, 6-4. While Gomez out-hit Etcheverry 30-9 in winners, he also committed 36 unforced errors that proved costly.

American wild card Nishesh Basavareddy also required three sets to advance, defeating Canadian qualifier Liam Draxl 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.

Four additional matches were scheduled for Tuesday evening in Houston, featuring fifth-seeded Brandon Nakashima against fellow American Martin Damm, and seventh-seeded Alex Michelsen of the United States taking on Coleman Wong from Hong Kong.

Professional golfer Tiger Woods displayed clear signs of impairment following his recent vehicle accident in Florida, according to a newly released law enforcement report.

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office documented that Woods appeared with dilated pupils, bloodshot and glassy eyes when deputies arrived at the crash scene. According to the report made public Tuesday, the golf star moved slowly and appeared lethargic while speaking with officers, and was perspiring during questioning. Deputies discovered hydrocodone tablets on Woods during their investigation. Woods informed officers he had consumed prescription drugs earlier that morning. Both drivers involved in the incident escaped without injuries. Representatives from Excel Sports, Woods’ management company, have not returned requests for comment.

The incident has once again thrust Woods into negative headlines as golf’s premier tournament, the Masters, approaches. The crash and subsequent DUI arrest have brought his career legacy back into scrutiny. According to Tuesday’s incident documentation, Woods was traveling at excessive speed when his SUV overturned on Friday. Law enforcement reports indicate he declined to provide a urine sample for testing. Woods explained to deputies that he had been looking at his mobile device and adjusting his vehicle’s radio system before the accident occurred. He acknowledged taking prescribed medication that morning, and officers located hydrocodone pills during their search. Woods must appear in court on April 23rd. Golf industry officials and corporate sponsors with financial interests in Woods have remained silent about the situation.

In other professional sports news, the National Football League has implemented a temporary rule change for the upcoming season. The league’s competition committee approved a one-year measure allowing New York’s replay center to overturn obvious errors made by field officials during games, specifically in preparation for potential work stoppages involving the NFL Referees Association. This announcement came Tuesday during the league’s yearly meetings in Phoenix. The NFL plans to recruit and prepare substitute officials in coming weeks due to stalled contract negotiations with the referees’ union, according to sources familiar with the talks.

European soccer saw dramatic playoff action as Italy fought to avoid missing a third consecutive World Cup. The four-time champion nation faced Bosnia and Herzegovina in qualifying playoffs, with the match extending to overtime tied 1-1 and Italy playing with ten players. Italy failed to qualify for the previous two World Cups after playoff losses to Sweden and North Macedonia, and hasn’t participated in soccer’s biggest tournament since 2014. In other Tuesday playoff results, Sweden defeated Poland 3-2 and Turkey beat Kosovo 1-0 to secure their World Cup spots. The Czech Republic and Denmark also went to extra time with a 1-1 deadlock.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino met with Iran’s national soccer team in Turkey, pledging continued support for their World Cup preparations. During the team’s warmup match against Costa Rica, Iranian players and officials displayed photographs of children reportedly killed in U.S. and Israeli military strikes since February 28th while their national anthem played. Infantino posted on social media that FIFA would maintain support to ensure optimal preparation conditions for the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

A groundbreaking female NFL official has filed a federal lawsuit against the league, alleging gender discrimination during her employment from 2022 to 2025. Robin DeLorenzo, one of the first three women to officiate NFL games, claims she endured gender-based criticism, humiliation, and outright hostility throughout her tenure. Her Manhattan federal court filing, submitted Friday, seeks reinstatement and unspecified monetary damages. NFL representatives stated DeLorenzo was dismissed due to three seasons of poor performance and characterized her lawsuit as without merit. The NFL Referees Association has not responded to comment requests.

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak expressed his preference that rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza not start immediately if circumstances allow. The Raiders are anticipated to select the Heisman Trophy winner with the first overall draft pick next month. Mendoza guided Indiana to its inaugural national championship and emerged as the clear favorite for the top selection. Currently, Aidan O’Connell remains the only other quarterback on the Raiders roster after the team traded away Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett. Veteran free agents Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Russell Wilson remain available.

The NCAA women’s basketball tournament, despite numerous lopsided games, has reached its Final Four with the expected teams advancing. For the first time since 1996, the same four teams returned to the Final Four from the previous year, and for the first time since 2018, all top seeds advanced this far. Friday’s opening semifinal in Phoenix features South Carolina against UConn in a rematch of the 2025 championship game. Texas will face UCLA in the second semifinal, with the title game scheduled for Sunday.

UConn guard Braylon Mullins has become college basketball’s newest sensation after his game-winning shot against Duke, bringing excitement to his hometown of Greenfield, Indiana. The typically quiet community of 25,000 residents celebrated their local hero’s clutch performance. The 19-year-old freshman standout from Greenfield-Central has helped UConn reach its third Final Four in four seasons. Saturday’s semifinal against Illinois will take place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, just 25 miles from Mullins’ hometown.

The world’s tallest college basketball player is changing schools. Florida’s Olivier Rioux, standing 7-foot-9 and holding the Guinness World Record as the world’s tallest teenager, announced his entry into the transfer portal, which officially opens April 7th. The 20-year-old Canadian center, despite being the most recognizable athlete on Florida’s campus, played limited minutes during his two seasons with the Gators. In 15 total minutes of action, he recorded seven points, six rebounds, and one assist. The sophomore is seeking increased playing opportunities at his next destination.

The National Football League’s competition committee has established a temporary regulation for the coming season that enables the New York-based replay center to overturn “clear and obvious mistakes made by on-field officials that impact the game” should a work stoppage occur with the NFL Referees Association.

This regulation was among several rule modifications announced during Tuesday’s league annual meetings in Phoenix.

According to two sources familiar with the situation who requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the talks, the NFL plans to recruit and prepare substitute officials in the coming weeks following unsuccessful contract negotiations with the referees’ union.

Contract discussions between the league and the NFL Referees Association have been ongoing since summer 2024, with the existing collective bargaining agreement set to expire on May 31.

The NFL’s previous experience with substitute officials resulted in league-wide embarrassment when a missed call and on-field chaos during a nationally televised game ultimately ended a lockout that damaged the opening three weeks of the 2012 season.

An additional rule modification approved Tuesday enables the New York replay center to collaborate with field officials regarding potential ejections for both aggressive football-related actions and non-football conduct that wasn’t flagged during play.

This adjustment follows an incident last season when Pittsburgh wide receiver DK Metcalf avoided ejection during a game in Detroit after engaging in a confrontation with a taunting spectator. Since the field officials missed Metcalf’s swipe at the fan and didn’t issue a penalty, the replay center couldn’t remove him from the game.

While the league later imposed a two-game suspension on Metcalf, he continued playing during that contest.

The committee also approved three modifications to kickoff regulations, including allowing the kicking team to announce an onside kick attempt at any point during the game, independent of the current score. Under previous rules, only teams that were behind could execute onside kicks.

A groundbreaking female NFL referee has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the league, alleging she endured years of gender-based mistreatment before losing her job last month.

Robin DeLorenzo, who made history as one of the first three women to referee NFL games, filed the complaint in Manhattan federal court on Friday. She claims the league subjected her to discriminatory scrutiny, harassment, and hostile treatment throughout her tenure from 2022 to 2025.

The legal action seeks her reinstatement as an official plus unspecified monetary damages. Neither the NFL nor the NFL Referees Association responded immediately to requests for comment.

DeLorenzo’s journey to professional football began with encouragement from her father, who helped guide her through high school and college officiating ranks. In a 2023 NFL.com interview, she recalled the emotional moment when the league’s senior vice president of officiating allowed her father to share the promotion news.

“Once he gave me the news, my dad and I just stared at each other crying for about five minutes,” DeLorenzo told NFL.com. “It was the most magical night.”

However, the lawsuit paints a starkly different picture of her NFL experience. The longtime New Jersey resident claims problems began immediately when she received men’s uniforms and was instructed to display her ponytail through her hat’s back opening, apparently to emphasize her gender on the field. The constant focus on her appearance eventually made her consider cutting her hair, according to court documents.

The legal filing details a particularly embarrassing incident during training camp when a crew chief allegedly told then-Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin that DeLorenzo should perform like rookie players by singing publicly. The lawsuit states she was forced to give what she called “an utterly humiliating singing performance” before Steelers players, her male colleagues, and supervisors who recorded the event despite promising not to.

Court papers allege that her crew chief, who had previously faced accusations of mistreating another female employee, continued harassing her with profanity and inappropriate comments throughout the following weeks. By season’s end, he reportedly refused to communicate with her at all.

In 2024, despite union objections, DeLorenzo was required to participate in training designed for entry-level college officials – a mandate never imposed on male referees, the lawsuit claims.

“It was a male power play that served its purpose of humiliating plaintiff, shattering her confidence, and significantly hindering her NFL career,” the legal document states.

The league terminated DeLorenzo’s employment on February 18, 2025.

Her legal team argues she spent two decades climbing the officiating ladder, “breaking barriers, making history, and outperforming expectations at every level” only to encounter “hostility, retaliation, and systemic inequality” in a league that publicly promotes women’s opportunities.

The lawsuit contends that rather than supporting one of its few female officials, the NFL allowed “unchecked harassment,” provided unequal resources compared to men, and manipulated her training and evaluation processes before ending her career based on assessments from those who allegedly discriminated against her.

According to the filing, the damage to DeLorenzo’s career cannot be undone, while the emotional and professional harm she suffered has been enormous.

NEW YORK — National Hockey League teams will no longer be able to exploit a loophole that allowed them to hide injured players until the playoffs began, then suddenly activate high-priced talent without salary restrictions.

Beginning with this year’s postseason, every game lineup must comply with salary cap limits that previously didn’t exist during playoff competition. To help teams manage this new requirement, the league has introduced a specialized calculator within the SAP-NHL Front Office App that executives have utilized for over a year.

“Once we were going to cap-compliant rosters for playoff games, we needed something that would enable us to do it in real time,” Commissioner Gary Bettman told The Associated Press. “It was an issue that a lot of people were concerned about. I’m glad we were able to solve it conceptually, and I’m glad that SAP and Central Registry were able to create a tool that made it realistic for teams to comply with this in real time.”

This regulation modification stems from the collective bargaining agreement negotiated with the players association last summer. The change addresses longstanding grievances about the long-term injured reserve workaround, which allowed multiple franchises to acquire expensive players at trade deadlines and make extended playoff appearances, including Stanley Cup victories.

Following Carolina’s 2021 second-round elimination by Tampa Bay, Dougie Hamilton notably stated, “We lost to a team that’s $18 million over the cap.”

According to the collective bargaining agreement terms, organizations aren’t required to keep their complete playoff squad beneath the salary ceiling, but the combined annual wages of active skaters and goaltenders for each contest cannot surpass $95.5 million.

The strategic planning application, which The Associated Press received a preview of, enables users to experiment with different lineup combinations to verify salary cap compliance. The Edmonton Oilers, as an example, must address Leon Draisaitl’s $14 million salary cap impact when the star player returns from his current injury that will keep him out through the regular season’s conclusion.

“You do it and it tells you if it doesn’t work, and it lets you pick and choose and substitution,” Bettman said. “It’s absolutely ingenious.”

Originally designed for iPad devices, the application became available on iPhones in December. The playoff salary calculator that the league officially announced Tuesday has been accessible since early February, just prior to the roster freeze before the Olympic break. NHL VP of Digital Business Development Chris Foster reported that utilization has grown substantially among all 32 franchises.

“Introducing on iPhone, the playoff cap projector — those weren’t in our original timelines,” Foster said, acknowledging the scenario-building was first considered a trading and free agency tool before the CBA changes came about. “We quickly shifted. It’s a credit to our Central Registry group. They flagged right away this is going to be needed, and we knew it was coming before the teams really knew about it, so it was their leadership that helped drive this change in the roadmap.”

Daniel Beringer, SAP’s Global Head of Technology and Innovation, explained that converting contract information from traditional paper binders into digital format required significant effort, but now allows for rapid real-time modifications.

“I would argue if the commissioner would ask for an app for his new Apple Watch, he could get that in a week or two now,” Beringer said. “It’s getting easier and easier to have additional functionality.”

PHOENIX (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak hopes Fernando Mendoza won’t be thrown into the starting role immediately if the team drafts him.

Las Vegas is anticipated to choose the Heisman Trophy champion with the top selection in next month’s NFL draft. Mendoza guided Indiana to their inaugural national title and has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the first overall pick.

“Ideally, you don’t want him to start from day one,” Kubiak said Tuesday. “You’d love him to be able to learn behind somebody. That’s in a perfect world. It doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes they have to play from day one and it’s our job as coaches to get them ready to go. I think it does help the player if they can sit behind a mature adult and watch how they run the show.”

Aidan O’Connell remains the sole quarterback on Las Vegas’ roster following trades involving Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett. Available free agents include Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo and Russell Wilson.

Kubiak, previously the offensive coordinator for Super Bowl-winning Seattle, took over from Pete Carroll with plans to revitalize a franchise that hasn’t secured a playoff victory since their AFC championship appearance after the 2002 campaign.

The foundation begins with securing a cornerstone quarterback.

“He’s a national champion, he’s a winner,” Kubiak said of Mendoza. “He’s quick. He’s intelligent.”

Defensively, Las Vegas retained five-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Maxx Crosby after his proposed trade to Baltimore collapsed due to a failed physical examination.

Kubiak acknowledged his positive reaction when general manager John Spytek informed him about the cancelled transaction.

“We got Maxx back. Are you kidding me? That’s great. Our team just got better,” Kubiak said.

Crosby returned to the team’s training facility the following day to continue knee rehabilitation, and Kubiak frequently encounters him there.

“We’re happy to have Maxx back on the team. He’s the best player on our defense,” Kubiak said. “He’s going to be a leader on our team and a guy that we’re counting on to go win a lot of games with him.”

Baltimore coach Jesse Minter expressed the organization’s enthusiasm about potentially acquiring Crosby and their disappointment when negotiations collapsed. The Ravens quickly adjusted by signing 2024 All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.

“So much respect for Maxx,” Minter said. “Tons of respect for him as a player and the Raiders as an organization.”

New York Jets coach Aaron Glenn maintains elevated expectations for Smith, who endured a difficult season with Las Vegas after reconnecting with Carroll.

The 35-year-old quarterback topped the league with 17 interceptions and posted a 2-13 record in Las Vegas last year. He earned Pro Bowl selections in Seattle during 2022 and 2023 after taking over for Wilson.

“I just feel like he’s the guy who’s gonna lead us to the promised land,” Glenn said.

New York holds the NFL’s longest current playoff absence at 15 seasons.

Cleveland is providing Deshaun Watson a chance to compete for the starting position alongside Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, optimistic he could become another quarterback to engineer a remarkable comeback.

Sam Darnold transformed from castoff to leading Seattle to a Super Bowl championship.

“There are a lot of quarterbacks who — it seems to be kind of the theme in the NFL — either started or did not start well and then take their team to a Super Bowl championship, right?” Browns owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters. “And what a great story that is for Sam Darnold. Deshaun started great, and the year before we signed him, he was rated the second-best quarterback in the NFL. And then the suspension and the injuries and all that piled up. Can he come back from that? He certainly had the ability at one point in time, and we’re cautiously optimistic. But we’ll see.”

Watson is completing the final year of a $230 million, five-year fully guaranteed deal that has proven catastrophic for the franchise. He’s appeared in only 19 games with a 9-10 record. Watson hasn’t competed since 2024 following two ruptures of his right Achilles tendon.

New Cleveland coach Todd Monken stated he won’t distribute practice repetitions equally, instead adjusting daily based on player performance. This approach means Sanders, who concluded last season as the starter, might begin with the majority of snaps. Monken noted Sanders has maintained a consistent presence at team facilities during the offseason.

Denver coach Sean Payton joins those questioning whether NFL players belong on Team USA’s men’s flag football squad.

“I’ll be surprised if there’s one NFL player on that roster,” Payton said.

He led one of two teams that finished 0-3 in a round-robin competition against the men’s national squad on March 21.

A source with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed Tuesday that the Seattle Mariners have finalized a historic $95 million, eight-year contract with rising star Colt Emerson.

This groundbreaking agreement, beginning with the current season and featuring a club option extending through 2034, sets a new record as the most lucrative contract awarded to any player prior to their major league debut.

The individual providing this information requested anonymity since the organization has not yet made an official announcement regarding the signing.

Seattle chose the promising 20-year-old infielder as their 22nd selection during the 2023 draft. Baseball America recognized Emerson’s potential by ranking him seventh among all prospects heading into this season.

During his brief stint with Triple-A Tacoma this year, Emerson posted impressive numbers, hitting .357 with one home run, one double, and achieving a perfect 1.000 OPS across three contests. His spring training performance with the Mariners included 18 appearances where he compiled a .268 batting average, connected for two home runs, drove in eight runs, and maintained an .828 OPS.

CLEVELAND (AP) — In what may be the most unusual real estate posting ever, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ home venue has appeared on Redfin as a property listing.

Rocket Arena was posted Tuesday on the real estate platform, showcasing the massive 823,000-square-foot downtown Cleveland venue that seats 19,432 fans and features 118 restrooms along with what the listing describes as “an open-concept design built to bring people together.”

The facility, which first opened its doors in 1994, serves as home base for the Cavaliers and will also house a WNBA franchise starting in 2028, plus an American Hockey League team.

The creative marketing approach by Redfin and the Cavaliers aims to draw attention to a special open house and garage sale event planned for Thursday at the arena, though the venue itself is not actually on the market. A massive 46-foot yard sign advertising the open house has been erected outside the building.

The collaboration makes sense given business connections between the companies. Redfin joined Rocket Companies in July, while Cavaliers owner and chairman Dan Gilbert founded and chairs the board of Rocket.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino made an unexpected appearance at Iran’s soccer match on Tuesday, demonstrating his commitment to ensuring the nation competes in the upcoming World Cup despite ongoing disputes over where their games will be held.

The FIFA leader watched Iran defeat Costa Rica 5-0 in a friendly match held in Turkey, using the opportunity to address concerns about the team’s tournament participation amid escalating Middle East conflicts.

Iranian officials have been working to move their World Cup games from United States venues to Mexico, pointing to American military actions supporting Israel in the regional conflict as their reasoning for the requested change.

The Iranian soccer federation announced earlier this month that they were negotiating with FIFA about switching venues, while Iran’s Sports Ministry has prohibited national and club teams from traveling to nations they view as hostile.

Despite these complications, FIFA has stated it expects all qualified teams to participate according to the schedule released in December.

“I am very pleased that the Iran national team is currently holding its training camp… We have only one plan for this team. Iran has qualified for the World Cup and will play in the tournament,” Infantino told Iranian media outlets at the match in Antalya.

“Personally, I will do whatever I can to make sure everything is in order.”

Iran earned their World Cup spot by excelling in Asian qualifying matches last March and is set to face Belgium, Egypt and New Zealand in Group G, with all three games currently scheduled for American cities – two in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

During his address to the Iranian players, Infantino emphasized his support while avoiding political discussions, stating they were “not pursuing politics.”

President Donald Trump recently commented that while Iran’s team could play in America, it might pose risks to their “life and safety.”

“From now until the World Cup, I will do whatever I can to support the Iran national team,” Infantino declared.

“If you want to organise a training camp or if there is any matter related to activities outside the country, whatever it is, I will help.”

“Whenever you want, please stay in contact. I am at your service and will help with anything you need.”

The NBA has begun organizing voters for its annual postseason awards, with ballots expected to be submitted soon after the regular season concludes, following the pattern of recent years.

While some award categories appear straightforward for voters to decide, others present more challenging choices. The Defensive Player of the Year seems destined for San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, and the Rookie of the Year contest will likely come down to two Duke alumni – Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel and Dallas’ Cooper Flagg.

However, other competitions remain wide open. The MVP discussion includes compelling arguments for several players: Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic, Wembanyama, Boston’s Jaylen Brown, and several additional contenders.

The Coach of the Year race presents another crowded field of deserving candidates.

Multiple coaches have built strong cases for recognition. J.B. Bickerstaff appears positioned to lead Detroit – a franchise known for lengthy losing streaks just two seasons ago – to the Eastern Conference’s top seed. In San Antonio, Mitch Johnson is completing his first official full season as head coach (despite handling 77 of 82 games last year) and has the Spurs competing for the Western Conference’s first or second position. Additional consideration should go to Quin Snyder in Atlanta, Charles Lee in Charlotte, Jordan Ott in Phoenix, and Darko Rajakovic.

Boston’s Joe Mazzulla presents another compelling candidate. The Celtics navigated most of this campaign without Jayson Tatum, leading some observers to predict a regression following Tatum’s injury and the exits of key players including Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday. Instead, the Celtics have reached 50 victories once again under Mazzulla’s guidance.

When reporters questioned Mazzulla before Monday’s game about the Coach of the Year award and his potential candidacy, his response was characteristically blunt.

“I don’t need it,” Mazzulla stated. “I think it’s a stupid award.”

This declaration likely eliminates any possibility of the Celtics organization campaigning for Mazzulla’s candidacy. Some franchises actively promote their candidates – Utah memorably created an album cover featuring then-center Rudy Gobert as a jazz musician when promoting his Defensive Player of the Year bid.

Award campaigning has already begun across the league. Wembanyama made his MVP argument following a recent game in Miami, while Spurs teammates are promoting Keldon Johnson for Sixth Man of the Year honors. Johnson’s primary competition appears to be Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr.

The National Basketball Players Association recently addressed the 65-game eligibility requirement for most awards, highlighting concerns about Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, whose collapsed lung this month could prevent him from meeting the minimum games needed for All-NBA team consideration.

“We always knew when there’s a line you draw that somebody’s going to fall on the other side of that line,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver explained last week. “It may feel unfair in that particular instance. Let’s see what happens at the end of this year.”

While teams have every right to advocate for their personnel to receive awards, Mazzulla’s position demonstrates his focus on objectives far beyond individual recognition.

“You shouldn’t have it,” Mazzulla continued regarding the award. “And it’s more about the players and it’s more about the work that the staff puts in. It’s just that simple. I really don’t ever want to be asked or talked about it again. It’s just that dumb. So, the players play, it’s about them. Staff works their (butt) off. I’m grateful to have ’em.”

Team accomplishments appear to be Mazzulla’s sole priority. While this stance won’t prevent voters from selecting him, it represents a perspective worthy of respect.

The National Football League is once again facing the prospect of starting a season with substitute officials after contract talks with the referees’ union have stalled, bringing back memories of the chaotic 2012 season that concluded with one of the most controversial calls in football history.

League officials are moving ahead with plans to recruit and train replacement referees in the coming weeks, according to two sources familiar with the negotiations who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press on Sunday.

The last time the NFL relied on substitute officials during the opening weeks of 2012, the experiment culminated in disaster during a Monday Night Football matchup between Seattle and Green Bay that featured the notorious ‘Fail Mary’ play.

In that game’s final moments, with Seattle trailing 12-7, quarterback Russell Wilson threw a desperation pass to the end zone where receiver Golden Tate pushed cornerback Sam Shields aside before battling Green Bay’s M.D. Jennings for the ball. While Jennings appeared to make the initial catch, the substitute officials delivered conflicting signals – one indicating a touchback, the other a touchdown.

The play was ultimately ruled a simultaneous catch, awarding Seattle the victory in a decision that sparked nationwide outrage.

“It was awful,” Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers commented afterward. “Just look at the replay. And then the fact that it was reviewed, it was awful.”

The NFL later acknowledged that Tate should have been penalized for offensive pass interference, which would have secured Green Bay’s victory, though they maintained insufficient evidence existed to reverse the catch ruling.

Las Vegas bookmakers estimated that controversial decision affected at least $300 million in worldwide betting action – a figure that would be substantially larger today given the expansion of legal sports gambling.

Dallas safety Gerald Sensabaugh captured the frustration felt across the league at the time, saying: “Would you let a Toyota dealership work on your brand new Rolls-Royce? That doesn’t work right, does it. Our brand is so big, it’s so important to a lot of people. There’s no way you can have guys that don’t have experience at that level.”

The controversy extended beyond that single play. The previous evening, another prime-time contest ended in dispute when Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker’s 27-yard field goal was ruled successful despite appearing to miss wide right, giving the Ravens a 31-30 victory over New England. Patriots coach Bill Belichick was subsequently fined $50,000 for grabbing an official’s arm while seeking a review.

Player safety concerns also emerged during the 2012 replacement period. In one incident, Pittsburgh safety Ryan Mundy delivered an uncalled helmet-to-helmet blow to Oakland receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, who required hospitalization for a concussion and neck injury. Mundy later received a $21,000 fine.

Procedural errors plagued games throughout those three weeks. Seattle received an undeserved timeout during their opener against Arizona when officials incorrectly failed to charge them for one following an injury in the final two minutes. San Francisco was granted two additional challenges in their loss to Minnesota despite coach Jim Harbaugh having no timeouts remaining.

“I granted him the challenge and we went and looked at it,” replacement referee Ken Roan admitted afterward. “That was wrong. I should not have.”

During overtime of a Tennessee-Detroit matchup, officials incorrectly enforced a penalty, giving the Titans an extra 12 yards on a drive that concluded with the game-winning field goal.

“Obviously, there was a miscommunication, or I don’t know what you call it, from an enforcement standpoint,” Lions coach Jim Schwartz observed.

Questions about impartiality also surfaced when side judge Brian Stropolo was removed from a Carolina-New Orleans game just hours before kickoff after the league discovered his Facebook page contained photos of him wearing Saints gear while tailgating.

The NFL previously used replacement officials during the 2001 season’s opening week, though that experience generated fewer memorable controversies. The labor dispute was resolved shortly after September 11th, allowing regular officials to return when games resumed following a one-week suspension.

However, complaints still emerged from that earlier period. Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon noted multiple missed calls following a Raiders victory, while Washington defensive end Bruce Smith wrote a formal complaint to Commissioner Paul Tagliabue about poor officiating.

“The officiating crew that we had today was horrible,” Smith stated after Washington’s loss to San Diego. “There were a number of plays out there, at least six, and we’re going to send into the league and I would hope that the league would take action and fine these guys. They were a mess and they definitely put players’ careers in jeopardy. This is unacceptable.”

Not everyone shared those concerns, with Seattle coach Mike Holmgren saying at the time: “I thought they did a pretty good job. They didn’t throw a lot of flags and they kept the game under control.”

Statistics showed 1.6 fewer penalties called per game during that week with replacement officials compared to the remainder of the 2001 season.

As the league prepares for another potential labor dispute, officials are considering rule modifications that would allow the replay center to correct obvious mistakes, including certain penalties not typically subject to review, if replacement referees are used.

SUNRISE, Fla. — A phone call from Italy several weeks ago changed the career trajectory of Michael White, leading him to become the Florida Panthers’ newest business operations president.

The person on the other end of that international call was Bill Zito, the Panthers’ hockey operations president, who reached out to offer insights about the organization’s operations. That conversation convinced White he belonged with the Stanley Cup champions.

On Tuesday, the Panthers made White’s appointment official, bringing aboard an executive with 25 years of experience in technology and customer experience fields. His responsibilities will include managing business operations for all four team facilities: Amerant Bank Arena, Baptist Health IcePlex, Panthers IceDen, and War Memorial Auditorium.

The opportunity to collaborate with Zito, who built the roster that captured Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025, played a crucial role in White’s decision. Zito contacted him from Italy last month while serving with the U.S. men’s hockey team leadership during their gold medal victory at the Milan Cortina Olympics.

“We clicked automatically. Our first meeting was supposed to be 30 minutes, went an hour and a half and we probably could have talked another two hours,” White explained. “And we just stayed in touch throughout the process. I would say that we’re off to a really great start together and he was one of the primary reasons I came over here. He’s one of one, a legend, but also somebody that you want to partner with.”

White joins the Panthers organization after serving as Chief Product Officer at Zoox, Amazon’s autonomous vehicle division, where he helped develop self-driving robotaxis. While ice resurfacing machines still need human operators, the Panthers cited White’s strategic planning abilities as a distinguishing factor in their selection process.

“After a diligent and comprehensive search, we are confident that Michael is the right fit to lead our organization into continued success,” stated Michael Viola, a member of the Panthers’ ownership group. “He brings to our club a proven record in consumer experience, partnership growth and product development for some of the world’s most successful companies and invaluable capabilities of organizational leadership and visionary innovation.”

White faces an immediate challenge regarding the team’s future development plans. The Panthers must submit proposals to Broward County officials by fall 2028 for developing the area surrounding Amerant Bank Arena, their home venue.

His professional background includes multiple senior positions with The Walt Disney Company, where he contributed to organizing the 2019-20 NBA season restart at Disney’s Orlando-area campus during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.

White met with most Panthers staff members on Monday during his introduction to the organization.

“The organization is world-class,” White observed. “My previous job was great. Then I met the Violas and I’m like, ‘Wow, this is fantastic. Unbelievable ownership.’ Obviously, the winning that the team has done, and Bill’s done, the culture … it just permeates through. I just met 300 of the front-office folks and everyone literally introduced themselves and you could just feel the culture. For me, it’s a little bit of a listening journey to start and then we’ll see what we can do next. It’s a fantastic foundation and we’ll look for areas where we can amplify that.”

White takes over from Matthew Caldwell, who departed his role as Florida’s business operations leader in August to become CEO of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.

A controversy over religious expression in European football has emerged after the Union of European Football Federations imposed financial penalties on a Serbian soccer club for their fans’ religious display during a recent match.

The Serbian team received the fine after supporters unveiled a massive banner featuring Orthodox Saint Simeon accompanied by the message “May our faith lead you to victory.” However, Serbian officials are questioning the consistency of the ruling, noting that a German football team faced no disciplinary action when their fans recently showcased a large Satan image with the inscription “Hear us, Lucifer, rise from the abyss and accept our souls.”

The Serbian football club has announced plans to challenge the penalty through an official appeal process.

Arizona outfielder Corbin Carroll put on an offensive showcase, blasting a home run and recording a triple while driving in four runs as the Diamondbacks held off a late Detroit comeback to defeat the Tigers 9-6 in Phoenix on Monday night.

Carroll got Arizona rolling early with an RBI triple in the opening frame, then followed up with a three-run blast in the second inning to stake his team to a commanding 5-0 advantage against Justin Verlander, who was making his Detroit debut after returning to the organization on a one-year deal following his departure in 2017.

The veteran right-hander Verlander (0-1) struggled in his Tigers homecoming, surrendering six hits and five earned runs across 3 2/3 innings of work. The former Cy Young Award winner from 2011 had spent his first 13 major league seasons in a Detroit uniform.

Arizona starter Michael Soroka (1-0) delivered five shutout innings while matching his career-best with 10 strikeouts in his first outing for the Diamondbacks, who bounced back from being swept by Los Angeles in their season-opening series to capture their home opener. Soroka achieved an “immaculate inning” in the fifth frame, retiring three consecutive batters on exactly nine pitches. Paul Sewald closed out the victory with a perfect ninth inning to record his first save.

White Sox 9, Marlins 4

Miguel Vargas launched a grand slam and finished with six RBIs while Austin Hays connected on a three-run homer as Chicago captured its first victory of the season with a road win over Miami.

Japanese star Munetaka Murakami, who became the first player in White Sox history to homer in his initial three games, went 1-for-5 as his home run streak came to an end. Chicago rebounded after dropping three consecutive contests. Davis Martin (1-0) scattered five hits and three runs across five innings for the victory.

Miami suffered its first defeat following a three-game season-opening sweep. The Marlins received offensive contributions from Liam Hicks, who delivered a two-run homer and added an RBI single. Chris Paddack (0-1) made his Miami debut but struggled, yielding eight hits and eight runs in four innings.

Rockies 14, Blue Jays 5

Troy Johnston connected on a two-run homer to spark a seven-run sixth inning explosion as Colorado claimed its first victory in four games this season with a road triumph over Toronto.

Ezequiel Tovar collected three hits and three RBIs while TJ Rumfield contributed three hits and two RBIs for the Rockies. Braxton Fulford added a solo homer and an RBI single. Relief pitcher Chase Dollander (1-0) earned the win despite allowing four runs, five hits and two walks while striking out five over four innings.

Davis Schneider homered twice for Toronto while George Springer, Andres Gimenez and Kazuma Okamoto each added solo shots in the Blue Jays’ first loss in four games this season. Toronto starter Cody Ponce injured his right knee attempting to field Jake McCarthy’s grounder in the third inning and required assistance leaving the field.

Astros 8, Red Sox 1

Jose Altuve connected twice and Lance McCullers Jr. took a shutout into the seventh inning of his season debut as Houston dominated visiting Boston.

Yordan Alvarez and Brice Matthews also homered for the Astros, who captured their third consecutive victory after losing their first two games. Altuve recorded his 15th career multi-homer game and went 4-for-4 with a walk and four runs scored. McCullers (1-0) permitted one run on four hits with nine strikeouts over seven innings.

Houston jumped on Ranger Suarez (0-1) in his Boston debut. The southpaw gave up four runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Mariners 2, Yankees 1

Cal Raleigh delivered a walk-off single in the ninth inning to give Seattle a victory over visiting New York.

Seattle reliever Matt Brash (1-0) threw a scoreless inning for the win. Luis Castillo tossed six shutout innings with seven strikeouts as the Mariners improved to 3-2.

Ryan Weathers went 4 1/3 innings and allowed one run on four hits in his Yankees debut. New York suffered its first loss after winning three straight.

Additional Games

In other action around the majors: Cincinnati’s Chase Burns threw five one-hit innings with seven strikeouts in his first major league victory, a 2-0 win over Pittsburgh; Washington routed Philadelphia 13-2 behind Luis Garcia Jr.’s three RBIs; Kansas City defeated Minnesota 3-1 in their home opener; Atlanta shut out Oakland 4-0; Chicago Cubs beat the Angels 7-2; Texas topped Baltimore 5-2; Tampa Bay rallied past Milwaukee 3-2; the Mets edged St. Louis 4-2; San Francisco defeated San Diego 3-2; and Cleveland handed the defending champion Dodgers their first loss of the season, 4-2.

The Vegas Golden Knights broke their three-game skid Monday evening, defeating the Vancouver Canucks 4-2 in John Tortorella’s first game behind the bench in Las Vegas.

Reilly Smith netted the decisive goal in the final minutes of the second period, while goaltender Adin Hill stopped 22 shots to secure the victory for Vegas (33-26-16, 82 points). The win moved the Golden Knights within a single point of Edmonton for second place in the Pacific Division standings.

Tortorella stepped into his role after the organization dismissed Bruce Cassidy on Sunday. The seasoned bench boss, now in his 24th NHL season, recorded his 771st career victory, placing him ninth among all-time coaching wins.

Additional scoring for Vegas came from Rasmus Andersson, Shea Theodore, and Cole Smith. The triumph marked just their second victory in eight contests.

Vancouver (21-45-8, 50 points) extended their losing streak to six games despite goals from Evander Kane and Brock Boeser. Kane reached a milestone, appearing in his 1,000th NHL contest. Goalie Kevin Lankinen recorded 30 stops in the losing effort.

The Canucks struck first when Kane converted on a 2-on-1 opportunity with Jake DeBrusk at 12:19 of the opening frame, burying a backhand attempt.

Vegas answered in the middle period as Andersson converted a Tomas Hertl feed, tapping the puck into an open net for his third tally in four outings.

Boeser restored Vancouver’s advantage on the power play, redirecting Filip Hronek’s point shot over Hill’s right shoulder from the high slot.

The Golden Knights seized control late in the second with two goals in a 77-second span. Theodore broke away and beat Lankinen with a wrist shot from the slot on the blocker side. Smith followed by converting a Brayden McNabb cross-ice pass, one-timing the puck off Lankinen’s glove and into the net.

With Vancouver pressing for the equalizer after pulling Lankinen with 2:15 remaining, Cole Smith iced the victory with an empty-net goal from the right boards with 1:10 left on the clock, marking his first goal as a Golden Knight.

At 41 years and 90 days old, LeBron James etched his name deeper into basketball history Monday night, setting a new age record for triple-doubles while powering the Los Angeles Lakers to a dominant 120-101 victory over the Washington Wizards.

The basketball legend achieved his 125th career triple-double by recording 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists, breaking his own previous age milestone of 41 years and 79 days. This marked James’ third triple-double performance this season.

The Lakers received strong support from Austin Reaves, Jaxson Hayes, and Luke Kennard, who each contributed 19 points to the winning effort. Los Angeles improved to 49-26 on the season and has now captured 15 victories in their last 17 contests. The team played without Luka Doncic, the NBA’s top scorer, who served a one-game suspension for accumulating technical fouls.

Hayes delivered a perfect shooting performance, connecting on all eight field goal attempts, while Kennard was nearly flawless from beyond the arc, hitting 4 of 5 three-point shots. The remaining Lakers struggled from long range, managing just 3 of 19 attempts from three-point territory.

Washington’s scoring was led by Will Riley with 20 points, followed by Justin Champagnie’s 18 points and Tristan Vukcevic’s 14-point contribution. The Wizards fell to 17-58 and have now dropped 19 of their previous 20 games.

Los Angeles opened strong with an 11-4 advantage after James finished an alley-oop pass from Reaves, but Washington fought back to take a 26-25 first-quarter lead on Jamir Watkins’ dunk with just 0.2 seconds left on the clock.

The Wizards extended their lead to 31-27 following a three-pointer by Jaden Hardy, but the Lakers responded with the first of two decisive 11-0 runs during the second quarter that essentially decided the outcome.

Washington struggled offensively in the second period, converting only 7 of 24 field goal attempts and managing just 1 of 10 from three-point range. The Lakers capitalized by attacking the interior effectively, with Hayes leading the charge with nine points and five rebounds during the quarter, helping Los Angeles build a commanding 65-44 halftime advantage.

The Lakers pushed their lead to 72-48 early in the third quarter, threatening another blowout loss for Washington, which had suffered a 35-point defeat at Portland the previous day.

The Wizards showed resilience with a 9-0 scoring run that cut the deficit to 81-71 after a Champagnie basket. They trailed 91-77 entering the final quarter.

Los Angeles put the game away with a devastating 13-1 run spanning just 1 minute and 44 seconds in the fourth quarter, expanding their lead to 114-84 and sealing the comprehensive victory.

SEATTLE — An advertisement featuring Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh played on the T-Mobile Park videoboard as the Yankees slugger took batting practice before Monday night’s game between New York and Seattle.

Judge, the defending AL MVP, batted second in the Yankees lineup, while Raleigh — who finished second in MVP voting last season after launching 60 home runs, a record for catchers — found himself on the bench for the series opener.

Despite being benched and starting the season with just two hits in 15 at-bats along with 10 strikeouts, Raleigh emerged as the game’s hero. He entered as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning and delivered a walk-off single down the first-base line in the ninth, securing a 2-1 victory for Seattle.

“I was just looking for something hard over the heart of the plate,” Raleigh explained. “It cut in on my hands a little bit, but I was able to keep it fair.”

Mariners manager Dan Wilson explained his decision to rest Raleigh, who participated in three World Baseball Classic games for Team USA, saying he wanted to manage the catcher’s workload early in the season.

“Coming out of spring training, he had sort of a shorter spring training in a lot of ways,” Wilson noted. “And, didn’t want to spike his workload too much.”

During his outstanding 2025 campaign, Raleigh set career highs with 159 games played and 705 plate appearances while leading the American League with 125 RBIs. Judge, speaking with The Associated Press before arriving in Seattle, praised Raleigh’s dedication after they were teammates during the WBC.

“Greatness leaves a trail,” Judge commented. “Just how he controls himself, how he controls that pitching staff, he’s going to have another great year, that’s for sure.”

Despite his remarkable previous season, the 29-year-old Raleigh experienced a slow start in 2025 as well. His batting average didn’t reach .200 until his 10th game, and he didn’t begin his home run surge until mid-April.

This history helps explain why Raleigh remains calm about his current struggles and those of teammates Josh Naylor (0 for 19) and Julio Rodríguez (1 for 19).

“It’ll be OK. I know a lot of people in that locker room, a lot of guys across the league are fighting the same thing,” Raleigh said. “They’re trying to find timing. And, it’s under a microscope more so now than it is in the middle of a season just because it’s the start of the season, everybody’s excited.”

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, a former major league catcher for a decade, believes Raleigh’s hitting achievements overshadow his complete skill set. Vogt considers him the premier two-way catcher in baseball today, though he cautions against unrealistic expectations following last year’s historic performance.

“For him to hit 60 homers again is unrealistic,” Vogt stated. “I think if anybody’s expectation is 50-plus homers for anyone, it’s just not realistic. But, I think Cal’s still a great offensive player, and I think he’s going to have another great year.”

While matching Babe Ruth’s 1927 record of 60 home runs — which stood for 34 years — may be unlikely, Raleigh has reached at least 30 homers in each of the past three seasons. The Mariners hope their All-Star catcher can maintain that level of production in 2026.

Wilson revealed that Seattle carefully tracked Raleigh’s workload last season, monitoring for any decline in performance. However, his production never wavered, and he didn’t miss his first start at catcher or designated hitter until the team’s 35th game.

This year, Wilson has adopted a more preventative strategy — and saw immediate benefits.

“We’re trying to assess this as we go and make sure that we don’t put him in a tough spot,” Wilson explained. “I think he’s a hard guy to get out of the lineup because he wants to be in there so badly. But, I think it just felt like today was a good day to get him some rest.”

PHOENIX — In his inaugural appearance with the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday evening, right-handed pitcher Michael Soroka accomplished a rare baseball feat by striking out three consecutive Detroit Tigers batters using exactly nine pitches during the fifth inning.

The 28-year-old hurler efficiently dispatched Javier Baez, Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres, finishing with a 95 mph fastball that sailed past Torres for his tenth strikeout of the night, matching his personal best for a single game.

This marked Soroka’s debut performance for Arizona following his signing of a one-year contract worth $7.5 million this past offseason. The Canadian pitcher, who represented his country in the World Baseball Classic, joined an exclusive group within the organization.

Only three other Diamondbacks hurlers have achieved this nine-pitch, three-strikeout accomplishment: Hall of Famer Randy Johnson in 2001, Byung-Hyun Kim the following year, and Wade Miley in 2012.

Soroka earned All-Star recognition while playing for Atlanta in 2019, but consecutive Achilles tendon injuries derailed his career, forcing him to miss nearly the entire 2020 campaign and sit out completely during 2021 and 2022.

In a hard-fought opening round match at the Charleston Open on Monday, Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan overcame New Zealand’s Lulu Sun with a 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory after navigating a challenging first-set tiebreaker.

The opening set featured no service breaks through regulation play, and the tiebreaker remained deadlocked through nine points. Sun managed to secure a mini-break and held two opportunities to claim the set, but Putintseva fought back to erase both chances and won the final two points to take the set. The Kazakhstani player then dominated the closing stages, capturing the match’s last four games. Her prize for advancing will be a Wednesday second-round clash against top-seeded defending champion Jessica Pegula.

While no seeded competitors took the court Monday, the Charleston clay courts featured two matchups between American players. McCartney Kessler came from behind to defeat lucky loser Elvina Kalieva 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, and Alycia Parks mounted a comeback victory over Mary Stoiana 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 in the day’s final contest.

Additional first-round results saw Katie Volynets rally past Germany’s Eva Lys 5-7, 6-2, 6-0, while Ukraine’s Danaya Yastremska defeated Russia’s Anastasia Zakharova 7-5, 6-2. Florida’s 19-year-old Akasha Urhobo advanced when Argentina’s Solana Sierra retired while trailing 7-5, 3-0. Mexico’s Renata Zarazua dominated Sloane Stephens 6-2, 6-0, Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova beat Jen Brady 6-4, 6-3, Hungary’s Anna Bondar edged Czechia’s Darja Vidmanova 7-5, 7-5, and Croatia’s Donna Vekic outlasted Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.

Meanwhile, at the Copa Colsanitas tournament in Bogota, Colombia, both seeded players competing on opening day advanced but in contrasting styles. Fourth-seeded Tatiana Maria, age 38, cruised past Colombian wild card Valentina Arias 6-2, 6-1, while eighth-seeded Panna Udvardy of Hungary navigated a roller-coaster match against Colombia’s Maria Torres Murcia, winning 6-1, 1-6, 6-0.

In an all-American encounter, 17-year-old Californian wild card Julieta Pareja defeated Elizabeth Mandlik 6-3, 6-3. Other results included Poland’s Katarzyna Kawa routing France’s Carole Monnet 6-1, 6-0, Greece’s Despina Papamichail beating Russia’s Anastasia Tikhonova 6-3, 6-1, and Argentine wild card Julia Riera defeating French qualifier Selena Janicijevic 7-6 (5), 6-1.

Toronto’s hockey organization announced Monday they will be separating from general manager Brad Treliving following almost three years with the franchise.

Treliving assumed his position in May 2023. Despite achieving strong standings in his first two seasons, which included capturing first place in 2024-25, the team has struggled significantly this year and is no longer in playoff consideration.

During the previous campaign, Toronto successfully advanced past the first round of playoffs by defeating the Ottawa Senators. However, this season finds the team sitting 14th among 16 Eastern Conference squads.

Keith Pelley, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, released a statement explaining the decision. “Throughout the course of this season, there has been deep analysis into both the current state of the Maple Leafs organization and the direction needed to achieve the ultimate goal of delivering a Stanley Cup championship to the city,” Pelley stated. “Brad Treliving is a man that we all have deep respect and appreciation for, both as a hockey executive and as a person, but it was determined that the club must chart a new course under different leadership.”

Pelley continued: “The organization is grateful for all that Brad has contributed in his nearly three years with the Maple Leafs and we wish him and his family the very best.”

Under Treliving’s management, the team compiled a 129-82-27 record during regular season play and went 10-10-0 in postseason games throughout his time with the organization.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Cody Ponce was transported off the field via cart Monday evening after sustaining what appeared to be a right leg injury during his debut with the team.

The incident occurred in the third inning as Ponce attempted to field a grounder during Toronto’s matchup with the Colorado Rockies. The pitcher collapsed in obvious discomfort while a Colorado runner crossed home plate to score.

Medical staff assisted the 31-year-old right-hander onto the cart before removing him from the game. The injury marked a disappointing end to what was not only Ponce’s first game as a Blue Jay, but also his return to Major League Baseball after a three-year absence.

Following his departure from MLB in 2021, Ponce spent time playing professional baseball in both Japan and South Korea before returning to the major leagues.

During his previous MLB tenure with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2020-2021, Ponce compiled a 1-7 record with a 5.86 earned run average across 20 total appearances, which included five starts.

Relief pitcher Louis Varland took over pitching duties following Ponce’s departure from the contest.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Chicago Bulls management released guard Jaden Ivey on Monday following controversial anti-LGBTQ statements and religious commentary he shared through Instagram videos.

In the social media posts, Ivey criticized the NBA’s support of Pride Month, stating: “They proclaim Pride Month in the NBA. They proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say come join us for Pride, for Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness. They proclaim it. They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it in the streets. Unrighteousness. So how is it that one can’t speak righteousness? How are they to say that this man is crazy?”

Bulls head coach Billy Donovan addressed the situation before Monday’s matchup against San Antonio, emphasizing that the team employs people from “all different walks of life” and that Ivey’s statements are inconsistent with organizational principles.

“Everybody comes with their own personal experiences, but one is we’ve got to all be professional,” Donovan explained. “I think there’s got to be a high level of respect for one another, and we’ve got to help each other and then be accountable to those standards.”

This season, Ivey has been open about his struggles with mental health issues, including depression. Recently, he began sharing extended religious commentary through Instagram videos.

In another post, Ivey questioned: “How is it when the gospel is preached that people hate it? That people don’t want to hear it? And they think it’s strange when someone preaches the gospel, the true gospel?”

The Bulls obtained Ivey through a multi-team transaction with Detroit on February 3rd. His contract was set to expire at season’s end.

Team officials had already ruled him out for the rest of the campaign last week due to ongoing left knee soreness that has kept him off the court since February 11th. Across 37 games this season, including four appearances with Chicago, he posted 8.5 points per game.

“I don’t want to get into what he put out there, but certainly, I hope for him he’s okay,” Donovan commented. “I’ve had conversations with Jaden and he’s always been about rehabbing his knee and trying to get on the court and wanting to play. But I think organizationally, there are certain standards we want to have as an organization and try to live up to those each and every day.”

The National Basketball Association’s Board of Governors has given the green light to transfer ownership of the Portland Trail Blazers from Paul Allen’s estate to an investment group headed by Tom Dundon, who currently owns the Carolina Hurricanes, the league confirmed Monday.

The deal, worth roughly $4.25 billion, will be completed in two phases. The first portion, representing 80.1% of the franchise, will be finalized this week with a March 31 deadline, while the final 19.9% will change hands no later than September 1, 2028, according to various media reports.

The franchise will continue operating in Portland under the new ownership structure, with Dundon taking on the role of the Trail Blazers’ governor.

The ownership consortium includes several individuals with Oregon ties. Sheel Tyle, who established the Portland-based company Collective Global, is part of the group. Peggy Cherng, whose family operates the Panda Express restaurant chain and who studied at Oregon State University, is also involved.

Additional members of Dundon’s investment team include Marc Zahr, who serves as co-president of Chicago-based investment company Blue Owl, and Stanley Middleman, the founder and chief executive of Freedom Mortgage who also holds a partial ownership stake in the Philadelphia Phillies.

The new ownership faces several significant challenges moving forward.

The Trail Blazers, historically a consistent playoff contender, compiled a disappointing 117-211 record (.357 winning percentage) across four seasons with head coach Chauncey Billups at the helm. Billups was placed on indefinite suspension in October amid charges related to money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy connected to a federal gambling investigation. While technically still employed by the organization, Billups is not anticipated to return to his coaching duties.

With interim head coach Tiago Splitter leading the team this season, Portland sits at 38-38 with six contests left on their schedule and has secured a spot in the play-in tournament. The franchise’s sole NBA title came in 1977 when Bill Walton anchored the team and Jack Ramsay served as head coach.

The team’s home venue, the Moda Center, which first opened its doors in 1995, requires significant upgrades or complete replacement and represents a key component in revitalizing Portland’s Rose Quarter district.

Earlier this month, Oregon’s state Senate gave approval to a $365 million arena renovation plan funded through income tax collections. Furthermore, both Multnomah County and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson have committed financial support for the project, though these proposals still require approval from city council members. No timeline has been established for the council vote.

Allen, who co-founded Microsoft and amassed a fortune worth billions, acquired the Trail Blazers for $70 million in 1988. Following his death in 2018, his estate was instructed through his will to sell the basketball team to generate funds for charitable causes.

The Allen estate also maintains ownership of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and holds a 25% interest in Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders.

The National Football League announced Monday that American Express will serve as its new official payments partner through a multi-year agreement that begins with the 2026 season.

This partnership will provide American Express customers with exclusive privileges including early ticket access, unique on-site experiences, and special benefits for select NFL events both domestically and internationally, supporting the league’s ongoing global expansion efforts.

Cardholders will receive advantages connected to premier NFL occasions such as the Super Bowl, NFL Draft, and international games operated by the league. These benefits encompass presale ticket opportunities, exclusive promotions, and branded experiences at high-profile events.

Starting Tuesday, American Express customers can access early ticket sales for the September 10, 2026 NFL matchup in Melbourne featuring the Los Angeles Rams versus the San Francisco 49ers.

This collaboration reflects American Express’s growing investment in sports marketing, which the company considers fundamental to its brand approach. The financial services firm reports its sports partnerships now encompass over 50 leagues, teams, venues, and major sporting events worldwide.

The agreement replaces Visa, which concluded its 30-year NFL sponsorship relationship when its contract ended this month. Financial details of the new deal remain undisclosed.

“The NFL partnership was a natural extension” of the company’s current sports portfolio and will enable them to provide cardholders with enhanced exclusive access and football-related benefits, stated American Express Chief Marketing Officer Elizabeth Rutledge.

During this year’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, American Express will operate a public fan activation while providing eligible cardholders with priority access to certain league experiences, lounge reservations, and exclusive retail opportunities at the venue.

The company plans to introduce the NFL Extra Points American Express credit card later this year in the United States, issued through Comenity Capital Bank, offering fans rewards connected to NFL purchases and experiences.

American Express currently maintains individual partnerships with multiple NFL teams, including the Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, New York Jets, and Miami Dolphins.

Several high-scoring college basketball players have announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal when it opens on April 7, according to multiple reports.

Georgia’s leading scorer Jeremiah Wilkinson, who averaged 17.4 points per game this season, will enter the portal according to his representatives who spoke with On3 on Monday.

The 6-foot-1 guard completed his sophomore year at Georgia after transferring from Cal, where he earned ACC Sixth Man of the Year honors for 2024-25 during his freshman campaign. Across 63 career games, Wilkinson has averaged 16.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game.

During his time with the Bulldogs, Wilkinson converted 35.7% of his three-point attempts while contributing 2.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists across 31 games with 21 starts. He made 79 three-pointers and recorded 49 steals this season, concluding with a 30-point performance in Georgia’s first-round NCAA Tournament defeat to Saint Louis, where he went 7-for-15 from beyond the arc.

The transfer portal window runs from April 7-21, though many players are announcing their decisions early.

Butler guard Finley Bizjack, who ranked third in Big East scoring with 17.1 points per game, will also enter the portal while exploring NBA draft possibilities, according to On3.

Bizjack earned All-Big East third-team recognition after shooting 42.6% from the field and 34.9% from three-point range while adding 2.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds per game. Over three seasons with Butler, he compiled averages of 10.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in 98 games with 61 starts, shooting 36.1% from three-point territory.

Butler recently underwent a coaching transition, with former Butler standout Ronald Nored taking over for retiring coach Thad Matta.

Louisville freshman Sananda Fru, a German big man, plans to enter the portal following his first collegiate season, multiple outlets reported.

The 6-11 forward shot an exceptional 75.3% from the field, including 76.5% on two-point attempts, for the Cardinals. Fru contributed 9.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game across 35 appearances with 29 starts, playing 22 minutes per contest.

Colorado forwards Sebastian Rancik and Bangot Dak, the team’s third and fourth-leading scorers respectively, have also decided to transfer, according to reports.

Rancik produced 12.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game in 29 games with 26 starts, while the 7-foot Dak averaged 11.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks across 32 games with 30 starts.

Their departures follow Colorado’s top scorer, freshman guard Isaiah Johnson who averaged 16.9 points per game and was reported Friday to be portal-bound. The exodus leaves Colorado potentially short-handed for this week’s College Basketball Crown.

Ohio State forward Devin Royal announced Sunday he will explore the transfer portal after three years with the program.

Royal started for the Buckeyes for the second consecutive season, averaging 13.7 points per game, matching his previous season’s output. Through 96 career games with 59 starts, he has averaged 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. This past season, Royal expanded his range, making 31 of 98 three-point attempts across 32 games.

Jackson State guard Daeshun Ruffin, Division I’s fifth-leading scorer and SWAC Player of the Year, confirmed to The Field of 68 his portal intentions.

Ruffin averaged 23.3 points, 5.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game across 28 starts in his second season with the Tigers. He previously appeared in 25 games over two seasons at Ole Miss from 2021-23. Throughout his career, the scoring guard has averaged 17.0 points, 4.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 steals, though he requires an NCAA waiver for next season’s eligibility.

Montana’s Money Williams, a two-time All-Big Sky selection, has decided to transfer from the program.

Williams led the Big Sky and ranked 22nd nationally with 20.6 points per game this season, also contributing 4.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds per contest. Over 81 games with 60 starts for the Grizzlies, he averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

Saint Mary’s center Andrew McKeever, who topped the West Coast Conference in rebounding, will enter the portal with two years of eligibility remaining.

The 7-3, 285-pound McKeever averaged 8.2 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in 33 games with 10 starts for the Gaels. KenPom.com ranked him second nationally in offensive rebounding rate. His decision follows longtime Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett’s departure to Arizona State.

Missouri’s Anthony Robinson II will enter the portal after spending three years with the program.

Robinson started 31 games in 2024-25 before losing his starting position midway through this season, finishing with 33 games and 19 starts. He averaged 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals this year, bringing his career averages to 7.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 steals through 96 games with 50 starts for the Tigers.

Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas announced he will take the ice Monday against the Toronto Maple Leafs, despite dealing with a lower-body injury that kept him out of Saturday’s game.

The matchup carries significant tension after Gudas delivered a knee-on-knee blow that ended Toronto star Auston Matthews’ season on March 12. The NHL handed Gudas a five-game suspension for the illegal contact, though Toronto players didn’t immediately retaliate during that March contest.

“It’s on me for not responding earlier to Gudas,” said Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly, who was on the ice when the incident occurred. “Obviously, it’s a dirty hit. I didn’t understand how bad he got him in the moment, but I take full responsibility for not being the first one in there or not being in there quicker to respond.”

The 35-year-old Gudas sustained his current injury during Thursday’s matchup with Calgary and was spotted wearing a walking boot. He missed Saturday’s contest against Edmonton but refuses to use the ailment as an excuse to avoid what could be a heated encounter with the Leafs.

“I think it’s gonna be an intense game. Yeah, one of the reasons why I wanted to play, you know, address things,” Gudas explained to media during Monday’s practice session. “You never want to watch your team play without you. I’m doing everything to play these games.”

“… Stand behind my own mistakes. I want to address it myself. So, that’s one of the reasons one hundred percent. It’s one of those games where I – where I have to play,” he added.

Matthews suffered a Grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion from Gudas’ hit, requiring season-ending surgery on March 19. The injury effectively ended Toronto’s playoff hopes.

Currently in his 14th NHL campaign, Gudas has recorded two goals and 11 assists across 54 games this season, accumulating 45 penalty minutes. Throughout his career spanning stints with Tampa Bay (2012-15), Philadelphia (2015-19), Washington (2019-20), Florida (2020-23), and Anaheim, he has compiled 42 goals, 169 assists, and 1,102 penalty minutes over 883 games.

The Ducks enter Monday’s game with a 41-28-4 record and 86 points, maintaining a three-point advantage over Edmonton for the Pacific Division lead with nine contests remaining in the regular season.

Soccer legend Lionel Messi will take the field from the opening whistle when Argentina faces Zambia in a friendly match on Tuesday, according to national team coach Lionel Scaloni.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Scaloni confirmed the star player’s role in the upcoming game. “Yes, I think he’ll start from the beginning tomorrow,” Scaloni stated during his press conference.

This marks a change from Argentina’s previous friendly encounter, where Messi entered the match at halftime during their 2-1 win over Mauritania on Friday.

According to Scaloni, both the Mauritania and Zambia friendlies serve a crucial purpose in finalizing Argentina’s World Cup squad. The coach explained that these games will help determine the final 26-man roster for this summer’s tournament.

“The list of 26 players (for the World Cup), I think we’re above the percentage,” Scaloni explained. “We have to start discarding options now based on performance. There is no other option.”

The defending World Cup champions faced unexpected challenges against Mauritania, a team ranked 115th globally by FIFA and without any World Cup appearances in their history.

Reflecting on that performance, Scaloni noted: “The game the other night could’ve been an alert. It’s things that as a head coach one starts looking at and later, we will decide.”

While Messi’s World Cup participation remains undecided, Scaloni expressed optimism about the global icon’s potential involvement in the tournament.

“The important thing is that he comes and enjoys it,” the coach shared. “That he enjoy being at the World Cup, which in theory would be the last, but I wouldn’t dare to say anything, but that he enjoys it.”

Scaloni emphasized the worldwide appeal of seeing Messi compete: “I think it’s not just Argentines who want to see him, everyone wants to see him. They want to see him train, see him play, and that is what we all wish for.”

As Argentina pursues their fourth World Cup title, they will begin group stage play on June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City as part of Group J. Their tournament schedule continues with Austria on June 22, followed by Jordan on June 27.

United States Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino suggested Monday that his tenure with the squad could extend beyond the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

Speaking to media ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly against Portugal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the Argentine tactician left the door open for future discussions.

“Who knows what is going to happen,” Pochettino said. “We are open. We don’t have (a) contract for the future but why not if we are happy and the federation is happy?”

“You can never say never. In football, everything can happen. I am very happy. Of course it is tough, it is a massive challenge, it is a bigger challenge than we thought or believed when we came here. But we are a coaching staff that loves a challenge.”

The 54-year-old manager joined the USMNT during summer 2024 under an agreement that concludes following the 2026 World Cup. The expanded 48-nation tournament will kick off June 11 and run through July 19, with games hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Recent speculation has connected Pochettino with vacant positions at Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and Spanish giants Real Madrid, both of which dismissed their previous managers during the current campaign.

Throughout the past year, Pochettino has occasionally voiced interest in returning to European club management, where he previously guided Southampton, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and notably Tottenham from 2014 to 2019.

Regarding his former London club, Pochettino acknowledged his enduring emotional ties.

“It is impossible to feel nothing wrong about Tottenham, about the club, about the people that work there and about the fans,” he explained. “It was one of the best experiences of my life. Of course it’s my wish … and I think they are going to stay up. With coach or without coach.”

Despite the rumors, Pochettino emphasized Monday that neither Tottenham nor Real Madrid has approached him about potential opportunities following the World Cup, and he would not entertain such conversations until after the tournament concludes.

“Everyone knows that I am committed with the national team here,” Pochettino stated. “It’s not a point to talk about the future. At the moment, no one approached. Who knows what is going to happen.”

Tottenham, which dismissed Thomas Frank in February before parting ways with replacement Igor Tudor after only 44 days, has reportedly extended a lucrative long-term offer to Italian manager Roberto De Zerbi that would rank him among the Premier League’s highest-compensated coaches, according to The Athletic.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s interim manager Alvaro Arbeloa has delivered remarkable results since replacing the terminated Xabi Alonso in mid-January, capturing 17 victories in 21 matches.

PHOENIX — Atlanta Falcons General Manager Ian Cunningham plans to keep advocating for greater diversity in NFL executive roles, following Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier’s challenge to the league’s minority hiring requirements.

Uthmeier recently contacted NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, claiming the league’s two-decade-old Rooney Rule constitutes “blatant race and sex discrimination.”

“Just from my position, especially being a Black man, there’s still work to be done,” Cunningham shared with The Associated Press during Monday’s NFL league meetings. “Now that I’m in this position and have this platform, I’m going to be intentional about what we do from a grassroots effort to a director level.”

“I do think it’s important to give people of all races and sexes a chance to be in a position to further their career,” he added.

The Rooney Rule mandates that teams conduct interviews with a minimum of two minority candidates when filling head coaching, general manager, and coordinator roles. Additionally, teams must interview at least one minority candidate for quarterbacks coach openings.

Cunningham, 40, joined the Falcons organization this past January following a four-year stint as assistant general manager with the Chicago Bears. His NFL front office experience also includes work with the Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles.

When asked about Uthmeier’s specific objections, Cunningham declined to comment, stating he lacked complete information about the situation.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, one of only three Black head coaches currently in the NFL, similarly expressed the need for more details before weighing in on the attorney general’s complaint.

“The political part of it, if he wants it out, and he has reasons why, I got to hear cases and all that,” Bowles explained. “If I were the judge sitting behind a bench, I would probably have more info right now what he thinks, but I don’t.”

Uthmeier has demanded Goodell confirm by May 1 that the NFL will stop enforcing the Rooney Rule in Florida, warning of potential civil rights litigation. The state houses three NFL franchises: the Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, and Jacksonville Jaguars.

“NFL fans in Florida don’t care what color their coach’s skin is,” Uthmeier wrote. “They care what colors their coach is wearing — and that those colors are winning on the football field. The Rooney Rule and its offshoots are illegal in Florida.”

The upcoming season will feature just three Black head coaches and four Black general managers across the league. Despite 10 head coaching vacancies this season, none were filled by Black candidates.

Robert Saleh, who has Lebanese heritage, was the sole minority hired during the recent coaching cycle when Tennessee brought him aboard.

This marks only the fifth occurrence since the Rooney Rule’s 2003 implementation that no Black head coaches were hired during an offseason. The previous instance with more than five openings occurred in 2013, when eight positions became available.

While Commissioner Goodell won’t address the media until Tuesday at the league’s annual meetings, he stated in February that promoting diversity remains a league priority.

“We need to continue to make progress,” Goodell previously said. “I believe that and I believe diversity is good for us. … I think we have to become a more diverse league across every platform, including coaching. But we still have more work to do.”

DENVER — Professional hockey players who represented their countries at the Milan Cortina Olympics reached their performance peak much sooner than they typically would during a regular season. Olympic gold required nothing less than their absolute best.

Now, with minimal recovery time behind them, these athletes must find that peak performance level once more as the pursuit of hockey’s most coveted prize, the Stanley Cup, approaches.

NHL franchises with Olympic participants are implementing strategic rest protocols as playoff season nears. This approach includes eliminating morning skating sessions, reducing practice participation, decreasing ice time during games, and in some instances, benching players entirely. Teams like the gold medal-winning United States, silver medalist Canada, bronze winner Finland, and fourth-place Slovakia essentially played the equivalent of an entire playoff series during Olympic competition.

“It’s a lot of hockey in a short amount of time,” said New York Islanders center Bo Horvat, who represented Canada in six contests over 10 days.

Some athletes gained valuable insight into recovery methods after participating in last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.

“Take the rest whenever you can find it, for sure,” commented Avalanche forward Brock Nelson, who contributed to America’s first Olympic men’s hockey gold since 1980. “The (NHL) schedule is just so compact for everybody now. Just trying to ride the energy.”

League play was suspended for 19 days between February 6-24 to accommodate Olympic participation. Combined with the holiday pause, each franchise must complete 82 games across 170 days — averaging one contest every 2.07 days, which is more compressed than the previous season’s 2.15-day average with the 4 Nations tournament. During the 2023-24 campaign, teams played every 2.26 days with breaks only for holidays and All-Star events.

Ottawa Senators player Brady Tkachuk found returning to regular season play challenging after captaining Team USA alongside his brother Matthew.

“It was definitely an adjustment coming back, not going to lie, playing in probably the biggest game that has been played in a while and then the emotions of winning,” Tkachuk explained. “It took a little bit to get readjusted.”

The 26-year-old Senators captain has returned to his typical performance level. Veteran teammate Lars Eller, who competed for Denmark in his inaugural Olympics at age 36, views this situation as preferable to mid-season struggles.

“We’re kind of past that Olympic fatigue now, if there was any,” stated Eller, whose squad is actively pursuing a wild-card playoff position in the Eastern Conference. “Now your energy level is actually increasing here towards the end as you’re fighting for a playoff spot and you’re eyeing the end of the season.”

Tim Stützle of Ottawa celebrated his 24th birthday in January, beginning his preparation to represent Germany at the Olympics and help his team reach the playoffs during last summer’s training.

“I was prepared to go for a long season, and yeah that’s where the foundation kind of builds,” said Stützle, who finished tied for second in Olympic goal scoring with four. “Obviously right after the Olympics, I was pretty exhausted with the time change and everything. But now I feel great.”

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar emphasized that pushing through the fatigue remains the only viable option.

“You’re limited in your options,” Bednar stated. “It’s very little practice, lots of recovery days, whether they’re at the rink or away from the rink, trying to make sure we’re getting rest on the road and the travel schedule is appropriate. What do you do besides rest them?”

Colorado cannot afford extensive player rest periods. The Avalanche currently lead the Presidents’ Trophy race for the league’s best record, with Dallas trailing closely.

“So we’re not in a position, in my opinion, to be resting guys,” Bednar noted. “So you play through.”

Dallas management reduces strain on their Olympic athletes by decreasing playing time whenever feasible.

“You can’t just, say, give two days off and it’s gone,” explained Stars coach Glen Gulutzan. “You just do (the rest) over a period of time and get their bodies built back up.”

Stars defenseman Thomas Harley, who logged 118 minutes for Canada in Milan, maintains he hasn’t experienced significant fatigue. Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger joked, “I mean, I didn’t play a single second at the Olympics so I’m fresh as a daisy.”

Oettinger, who served as Connor Hellebuyck’s backup, expects the Olympic experience will prove valuable during playoff competition.

“I learned a lot about what it takes to win,” Oettinger reflected. “I think a lot of those guys in that room had won Stanley Cups, and just the messages the guys were saying and how loose and light they were, even in the biggest pressure game of all time, was really impressive to watch.”

Avalanche forward Martin Necas has already recovered his energy after pacing Czechia with eight points across five Olympic games. The 27-year-old athlete appears refreshed.

“It was great to play on a different stage for a little bit,” Necas said. “Now it’s exciting to come back.”

Colorado sent eight NHL players to Olympic competition, including Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon and Devon Toews representing Canada. Minnesota, Tampa Bay, and Vegas also contributed eight players each, with four Minnesotans playing for Sweden. Dallas and Boston each provided seven participants.

Four Finnish Stars players — Miro Heiskanen, Roope Hintz, Esa Lindell and Mikko Rantanen — joined Colorado’s Artturi Lehkonen to capture bronze medals. Two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida led all teams with 10 Olympic participants but currently faces playoff elimination after consecutive seasons extending into June.

The most recent occurrence of NHL players winning Olympic gold and the Stanley Cup in the same year was 2014, when Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty helped Canada defeat Sweden in Sochi before Los Angeles conquered the Rangers in the championship series.

“Individually, guys have different things that they do (to get ready),” Nelson concluded. “But down the stretch here and playing these games, the energy is going to be high no matter what.”

Four seasoned NFL quarterbacks find themselves in limbo as the 2026 season approaches, with Aaron Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo and Russell Wilson all lacking contracts.

Each veteran signal-caller faces distinct possibilities moving forward.

Rodgers, now 42, has the choice to rejoin Pittsburgh under new head coach Mike McCarthy or hang up his cleats for good. Steelers owner Art Rooney II informed media on Sunday that he anticipates the four-time NFL MVP will make his intentions known prior to next month’s NFL draft.

Despite a powerful finish to the previous campaign where he guided Atlanta to four consecutive victories, Cousins couldn’t prevent the Falcons from missing the postseason, ultimately costing coach Raheem Morris his position. The 37-year-old quarterback compiled 876 passing yards during that winning streak, recording seven touchdown passes against two picks while posting a 93.6 passer rating. He went 5-3 as a starter after beginning the year behind Michael Penix Jr.

Atlanta brought in coach Kevin Stefanski, acquired Tua Tagovailoa and cut ties with Cousins, who now faces the probability of accepting a reserve quarterback position unless an injury creates a starting opportunity elsewhere. Pittsburgh could become his destination if Rodgers chooses retirement and the Steelers seek another experienced quarterback following their progression from Wilson in 2024 to Rodgers in 2025.

Stefanski indicated that Tagovailoa and Penix will battle for Atlanta’s starting position. Penix, selected in the first round during 2024, underwent ACL reconstruction surgery this past November, leaving his availability timeline unclear.

“He has had great success in this league when doing a lot of things that we believe in,” Stefanski said of Tagovailoa. “He’s looking for an opportunity and we can provide that.”

Garoppolo could return to Los Angeles for a third campaign serving as backup to NFL MVP Matthew Stafford. Should that arrangement fall through, the Rams and coach Sean McVay might consider Cousins, given their previous collaboration in Washington when McVay served as offensive coordinator.

Wilson started the season with New York but ended up third on the depth chart behind rookie Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston. The 10-time Pro Bowl selection appears to have exhausted his starting opportunities and seems to be generating minimal interest as a backup despite being a supportive teammate to Dart last year.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni stated that “nothing’s changed” concerning receiver A.J. Brown, who has been the subject of trade rumors.

“A.J. is an Eagle,” Sirianni said.

Philadelphia has entertained trade discussions for the veteran while also adding receivers Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Elijah Moore, who were college roommates at Mississippi. Miami’s deal sending Jaylen Waddle to Denver for first, third and fourth-round picks has elevated expectations for A.J. Brown’s trade value.

Detroit coach Dan Campbell announced that three-time All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell is prepared to move to the left side to shield Jared Goff’s blind side.

The Lions must fill the void left by Taylor Decker’s release. Sewell previously played left tackle at Oregon before Detroit drafted him seventh overall in 2021.

Cleveland has pulled back their proposal that would have permitted teams to trade draft selections five years ahead rather than the current three-year limit, according to a source familiar with the matter who requested anonymity since the Browns hadn’t publicly announced their decision.

Team owners will vote on additional proposals from the NFL competition committee and a Steelers proposal regarding player contact during free agency negotiations.

Rule modifications require approval from a minimum of 24 of the 32 franchises.

Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen has ditched the protective boot on his right foot following a bone fracture suffered during Week 16. The 2024 NFL MVP underwent surgery after the Bills fell to Denver in overtime during the AFC divisional round.

“His foot, I don’t want to say it’s 100 percent, but he’s good,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane told reporters Monday. “When he gets back in April, we expect him to be full-go.”

Former New York Yankees pitcher Ken Clay, who contributed to the team’s back-to-back World Series victories in 1977 and 1978, has passed away at 71 years old.

The Yankees received notification on Sunday from Dr. Jim Warner, executive medical director at Lynchburg’s Centra Heart & Vascular Institute in Virginia, that Clay had died Thursday at his Lynchburg residence. Warner reported that heart and kidney complications led to Clay’s death.

Primarily working as a relief pitcher throughout his career, Clay first reached the majors in June 1977 and participated in two World Series games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. During the 1978 World Series rematch with Los Angeles, he allowed a three-run home run to Davey Lopes in his sole Game 1 appearance.

Clay’s finest postseason performance occurred in the opening game of the 1978 American League Championship Series versus Kansas City. Entering the game with New York ahead 4-0, Clay took the mound in the sixth inning with one out and runners on all three bases. He delivered 3 2/3 innings without allowing a run and secured the save in the Yankees’ 7-1 victory.

The 1979 season proved difficult for Clay, who posted a 1-7 record and ended the year playing in the minor leagues. While still in the minors, New York dealt him to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Gaylord Perry. Clay started eight games for Texas in 1980, compiling a 2-3 record, before being dealt to the Seattle Mariners following the season. Seattle released him during 1982 spring training.

Throughout his major league tenure, Clay appeared in 111 games, making 36 starts, and finished with a 10-24 record, three saves, and a 4.68 earned run average.

During Clay’s struggles in 1979, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner publicly criticized his performance, infamously labeling him a “morning glory,” comparing him to racehorses that excel during practice sessions but fail to deliver during actual competition.

Clay encountered several legal troubles after his baseball career concluded. In 1987, he entered a guilty plea in Virginia for theft of more than $16,000 from a ring distribution company where he was employed. Five years later, he received a one-year Virginia jail sentence for stealing $550 from an automotive dealership employer. In 2001, Clay admitted guilt to forgery and additional charges in Florida, agreeing to reimburse creditors over $40,000 for fraudulently using his former girlfriend’s identity to deceive three credit card companies.

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has emerged as the top performer in Major League Baseball’s new Automated Ball-Strike System during the season’s opening weekend, posting a flawless 4-0 record when disputing umpire calls.

The Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks stand as the only clubs with perfect challenge records, with Kansas City at 4-0 and Arizona at 3-0. Meanwhile, Houston struggled mightily at 0-6, and St. Louis went 0-3 in their appeals.

Among individual batters, San Francisco’s Heliot Ramos and Cincinnati’s Eugenio Suárez were the sole players to achieve 2-0 records on their challenges, with Suárez successfully overturning calls on back-to-back pitches. Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout posted a 3-1 mark, while Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. was the only batter to go 0-2.

Teams are being strategic about when to use their challenges, focusing on critical moments in at-bats.

“1-1 counts. Counts that are going to end the at-bat. Those are big challenge times,” said Phillies manager Rob Thomson, whose team went 4-3.

The challenge system showed a 53.7% success rate across 47 games, with 175 total appeals averaging 3.7 per contest. Catchers proved more effective than batters, winning 59 of 92 challenges for a 64% success rate, while batters succeeded on just 33 of 78 attempts for 42%. Pitchers rarely challenged calls, with only five attempts total.

Cincinnati batters dominated with a perfect 6-0 record, while Atlanta hitters failed on all four of their challenges.

Umpire C.B. Bucknor faced the most scrutiny when six of eight challenges against his calls were overturned during Cincinnati’s 6-5, 11-inning victory Saturday. All six reversed decisions involved strikes being changed to balls.

Boston manager Alex Cora was ejected by Bucknor in that same game for arguing a checked swing ruling.

“I feel bad for them because everybody has a bad day,” Thomson said of the umpires. “The last thing you want to see is somebody get embarrassed. I don’t care who it is, player, coach, umpire. I don’t want to ever see anybody get embarrassed playing this game.”

Minnesota manager Derek Shelton made history Sunday as the first skipper ejected for disputing an ABS-related call, getting tossed in the ninth inning against Baltimore after protesting that pitcher Ryan Helsley took too long to request a review.

The new system, implemented this season, allows teams to contest strike zone decisions through technology utilizing 12 Hawk-Eye cameras that determine whether pitches cross the strike zone with precision within approximately one-sixth of an inch.