Category: Sports

Federal investigators are examining the National Football League over concerns the organization may be engaging in unfair business practices, a government source has revealed.

The unnamed official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing probe, explained that the investigation centers on “affordability for consumers and creating an even playing field for providers.”

The Wall Street Journal was first to break news of the federal investigation.

Two individuals familiar with the matter indicated that NFL leadership has yet to be formally notified about the investigation. These sources also requested anonymity as they are not permitted to discuss potential legal proceedings.

This federal probe emerges as government agencies intensify their examination of rising costs for sports viewing. The Federal Communications Commission has launched a public comment period regarding the trend of live sporting events moving from traditional broadcast television to streaming platforms.

NEW YORK — Oakland Athletics left-hander Jeffrey Springs carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning during Thursday afternoon’s game against the New York Yankees in the Bronx.

The southpaw permitted two runners to reach base during the third frame but escaped trouble by striking out slugger Aaron Judge on a called third strike using his changeup. Springs concluded the fifth inning by retiring José Caballero on a fly ball to deep left field.

During the sixth inning, Springs successfully used an automated ball-strike challenge that resulted in a strikeout of Ryan McMahon on a called third strike. He finished the sixth frame having thrown 72 pitches after Judge made a soft ground out to the third baseman.

Oakland’s franchise record includes 13 no-hitters throughout its history. The most recent came from Mike Fiers, who accomplished the feat on May 7, 2019, at home in Oakland against Cincinnati.

The Yankees organization has been on the receiving end of eight no-hitters during their franchise history. Their most recent occurrence was a combined effort by Houston pitchers Cristian Javier, Hector Neris and Ryan Pressly on June 25, 2022, at Yankee Stadium.

A Dutch transgender darts competitor says she will continue her battle after new regulations implemented by the sport’s governing body restrict women’s competitions to biological females only.

Noa-Lynn van Leuven from the Netherlands expressed her opposition Thursday as the Darts Regulation Authority’s updated policy went into effect.

“Apparently, I just got retired — not by choice, but because I’m no longer allowed to compete,” Van Leuven stated in an Instagram video posted to her account.

The 29-year-old athlete had been participating in the Professional Darts Corporation’s Women’s Series. Last year, she made history by becoming the first transgender woman to participate in the PDC World Darts Championship.

“I’ve worked so damn hard for years just to get here. I showed up, I competed. I respected the sport every game, every single day,” van Leuven said. “And now, with just one decision, I’m being told I don’t belong anymore. This isn’t just about me. This is another huge hit for the trans community.”

Van Leuven remains qualified to participate in open PDC competitions.

While her potential legal recourse remains uncertain, she wrote alongside her video message: “This isn’t the end. I’m just going back to the drawing board. I’m not done fighting.”

The DRA released a statement Thursday explaining it initiated a policy evaluation in 2025, which involved obtaining a report from “an academic developmental biologist who has published several papers on sex and categories in sport. The DRA has also considered extensive legal advice.”

“As a result of its review, the DRA is satisfied that to achieve fair competition in darts, only biological females should be eligible to compete in women’s tournaments regulated by DRA Rules,” the organization stated.

The Los Angeles Lakers have unveiled new premium seating options for this playoff season, creating additional spots for high-profile fans and celebrities in their exclusive floor section.

The franchise revealed Thursday that they’re introducing extra courtside seats in the same area where stars like Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington, Will Ferrell, Ice Cube, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kim Kardashian have been regulars for decades. According to the Lakers, their floor seating has been completely sold out for over five decades.

“Courtside Reserve is second-row courtside seating that places fans in the heart of the action within the highly sought-after and exclusive floor section, offering an immersive experience,” the Lakers explained in their announcement. “The new on-floor seating features premium hospitality, including in-seat food and beverage service, VIP club access and a seamless, elevated experience from the moment guests enter the arena.”

Fans interested in purchasing these exclusive tickets must apply for access through a special section on the team’s website. The organization emphasized that these limited Courtside Reserve spots are being “offered in the smallest quantity to preserve the exclusivity of the courtside environment,” and buyers will receive priority access to purchase season tickets in this section going forward.

This suggests the Courtside Reserve concept will extend beyond just this postseason.

While the Lakers haven’t disclosed specific pricing, reports from the New York Post indicate that regular season courtside tickets typically range from $4,000 to $10,000 per seat, varying by game day and opposing team. During playoff games, these premium seats can command between $20,000 and $40,000 per seat for each contest.

Following their NBA championship victory during the 2019-20 bubble season, the Lakers have experienced mixed playoff success, missing the postseason once, suffering three first-round eliminations, and reaching the conference finals on one occasion.

With three regular season games remaining, both the Lakers and Houston Rockets hold identical 50-29 records, though Los Angeles currently claims the No. 4 playoff seed due to tiebreaker advantages. This fourth seed position secures home-court advantage for their opening playoff series.

Should current standings hold, the Lakers would face the Rockets in their playoff opener at home.

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid will be absent from Thursday night’s matchup against the Houston Rockets after being sidelined by illness.

The timing proves challenging for Philadelphia, as the franchise currently sits in eighth place with a 43-36 record while battling to secure a better playoff position in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers trail the sixth-seeded Toronto Raptors by one game, with Toronto holding a 44-35 record and only three contests left on the schedule.

This season, the 32-year-old Embiid has contributed 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game across 38 appearances, all as a starter.

The dominant big man earned MVP honors during the 2022-23 campaign and has been selected to seven All-Star games throughout his career. Over his entire NBA tenure, Embiid has posted averages of 27.6 points and 10.8 rebounds across 490 games since Philadelphia selected him third overall in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a fractured foot during Tuesday night’s 4-3 shootout defeat against Montreal.

Head coach Paul Maurice announced Thursday that Jones sustained the foot fracture in the second period of the game but continued playing through the pain.

“He gutted it out (to finish the game),” Maurice said. “We’ll get it looked at when we get back.”

Despite the injury, Jones completed 31 shifts and recorded a team-leading 29 minutes and 27 seconds of ice time in the loss to the Canadiens.

The defending back-to-back Stanley Cup champions now sit at 37-37-4 with 78 points and have already been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention.

The 31-year-old veteran had previously been sidelined for 26 contests earlier this campaign due to an upper-body ailment suffered on January 2nd. Jones concludes the season with 32 points, including seven goals and 25 assists, across 52 appearances.

Throughout his career, the four-time All-Star and 2025 Stanley Cup champion has accumulated 473 points on 106 goals and 367 assists over 912 NHL games with four different franchises since Nashville selected him fourth overall in the 2013 draft.

At a time when stadium food prices continue to soar across the country, one prestigious sporting event stands out for bucking the trend. The Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia has maintained its tradition of offering remarkably affordable concession stand food.

The tournament’s signature cheese sandwich remains priced at just $1.50, the same cost it has been for years despite widespread inflation affecting food prices nationwide. Other sandwich options at the concession stands range from $1.50 to $3, making them among the most budget-friendly options at any major sporting venue.

Even the tournament’s most expensive concession items – beer and wine – are priced at just $6 each, a fraction of what similar beverages cost at other major sporting events. The Georgia golf championship has built its reputation on maintaining a straightforward and accessible menu for patrons.

This commitment to affordable concessions continues even as the tournament’s ticket prices have steadily increased over the years, creating a unique contrast in the world of professional sports hospitality.

Professional football organizations are discovering that Name, Image, and Likeness agreements revolutionizing college athletics provide valuable intelligence about how future draft picks will handle sudden wealth before signing major professional contracts.

According to numerous talent evaluators, this insight has become a valuable asset during the selection process.

“The cool thing about college scouting that we always had to answer when we were going to schools, how’s a guy going to be when he has money? Now we have that answer,” Los Angeles Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz said recently. “Some guys get the money and change the way they are. Other guys get the money and you hear stories about taking guys out for dinner, taking his teammates (out) and he works hard, is a leader. You kind of get the answer. It’s a great thing and it’s great for players in college to have that opportunity.”

Financial decisions can reveal a prospect’s maturity level, showing whether they demonstrate self-control or become easily sidetracked. Athletes who remain concentrated despite profitable opportunities are more likely to successfully adjust to professional football. Talent scouts examine whether a player’s on-field performance declines after receiving substantial compensation or if they continue displaying the same dedication and reliability. Their relationships with fellow team members also represent a crucial factor.

“Does the guy have eight cars or does he actually have a financial advisor, and he puts it into an S&P stock index because he’s trying to grow his portfolio?” Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio said. “You’ve got probably a different thought process that goes into it. I know what I would do. Nobody was giving me any NIL money and I wasn’t good enough. But, again, it’s just understanding their thought process.”

Student-athletes were prohibited from monetizing their athletic abilities until 2021, when the NCAA modified regulations to allow students to generate income from their name, image and likeness.

This policy change, combined with increased mobility through the transfer portal, has fundamentally altered college athletics. Elite athletes are now securing lucrative partnerships with major corporations. Educational institutions can allocate up to $20.5 million for athlete compensation. Many competitors are pursuing financial opportunities by transferring between universities.

“I think it paints a clearer picture in terms of makeup,” Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles said. “I like to follow the whole journey. I don’t hold it against an 18-year-old that gets a million bucks to go to school and maybe didn’t have his priorities straight. I think most of us here, if that happened to us, we might be doing some crazy things, too, or maybe not focus where we should be focused. But I want to see the learning lessons that come from that and understand their structure of the people they put around them. I want to understand how they battle through adversity. I think the toughest thing is when there’s an out to transfer when things get hard, we heard the resilience of our young players. So I want to learn through that and learn how they grew throughout their whole deal.”

These commercial agreements can also prepare athletes for NFL careers, providing early exposure to wealth, sponsorship deals and personal marketing. They gain experience with celebrity status and fiscal responsibility during college.

“I think it helps, for us, it helps us reveal maybe makeup, character, behavior,” Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “To some degree, you can see the journey that some players take. And look, in a lot of ways, (it has been) a very positive change.”

School transfers were previously viewed as warning signs. That perspective has shifted.

“Back in the day, if a guy transferred one time, you kind of asked what happened? Like, did you get run out of this school or whatever?” Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane said. “Well, now it’s. … why’d you stay here four years? Like, what happened? It’s almost, it’s flipped, but you do ask those questions. And sometimes you ask them about, did you leave just because of the money? Did you leave for other reasons? You kind of just want to know. And at the same time, our scouts, one of their jobs, is talking to individuals at each program and trying to put together that puzzle of who this person is, how they tick. Are they simply motivated just for money? Or is the money a side benefit? They’re really still playing the game for the love of the game.”

Certain athletes remain in college longer because they can earn more as student-athletes if they’re not projected as early draft selections.

Additional playing time can also enhance their draft prospects.

Carolina Panthers GM Dan Morgan said he evaluated several players who chose to return for another season that he wishes would have entered the draft.

“We just gotta evaluate who is at our disposal,” Morgan said.

Negotiations are underway between the Chicago Sky and Los Angeles Sparks for a potential player exchange involving All-Star guard Ariel Atkins and forward Rickea Jackson, according to a Thursday report from Front Office Sports.

While no deal has been completed, sources indicate an official announcement could come this Saturday if talks progress successfully.

The 29-year-old Atkins posted solid numbers during her debut season with Chicago in 2025, recording 13.1 points per game along with 3.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals across 34 contests, starting every game.

Atkins brings championship experience to any team, having won a WNBA title with Washington in 2019. Throughout her professional career spanning stints with the Mystics from 2018-24 and now Chicago, she has compiled averages of 13.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals over 251 games with 246 starts. The seventh overall selection in the 2018 draft has earned five All-Defensive team honors and maintains a solid 36.2% accuracy rate from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, Jackson put together an impressive 2025 campaign for Los Angeles, contributing 14.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while starting 37 of 38 appearances.

The 25-year-old forward entered the league as the fourth pick in the 2024 draft and immediately made her mark by earning All-Rookie team recognition. Her strong play continued into 2025, where she placed ninth in MVP consideration. Over her two-year professional career spanning 78 games with 72 starts, Jackson has maintained averages of 14.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

This potential move would mark Chicago’s second significant roster change this week, following Monday’s trade that sent two-time All-Star Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for two first-round draft selections.

Global ticket sales for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics began Thursday after organizers reported breaking records during the initial week of local presales, demonstrating significant early interest for Games that depend heavily on private funding.

According to LA28, more tickets were purchased during the opening week than any previous Olympic Games achieved in their first week of sales. Every ticket during this initial period went to buyers from the Los Angeles and Oklahoma City regions, though some customers voiced concerns about elevated prices, additional fees, and limited availability.

Officials reported that local purchasers bought hundreds of thousands of $28 tickets, which organizers promote as the most affordable Olympic tickets in modern times. However, some buyers have expressed frustration over high costs, fees, and scarce ticket options.

“The success of the locals presale speaks for itself,” stated LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover. “We’re thrilled by the level of interest and enthusiasm in tickets to the Games.”

The worldwide sales phase, called “Drop 1,” continues until April 19 for fans chosen through a lottery system and given specific purchasing windows. Tickets are offered for all Olympic competitions, including opening and closing ceremonies.

Event organizers admitted that some customers experienced surprise at pricing after marketing campaigns emphasized the $28 entry-level options, only to discover many budget seats sold rapidly or that certain events carried much higher price tags.

Allison Katz-Mayfield, LA28’s senior vice president for games delivery revenue, explained to Reuters this outcome was anticipated since the cheapest tickets would naturally sell first.

“We really wanted to make sure that the locals had access to the most affordable tickets and we saw that come to life through this presale,” she explained, noting that additional low-cost options would become available in upcoming sales periods.

LA28 announced that over one million $28 tickets will eventually be offered to the public. Nearly half of all Olympic tickets cost less than $200, while more than three-quarters, including championship events, are under $400. Only approximately 5% of tickets exceed $1,000, according to organizers.

Katz-Mayfield reported that interest surpassed projections from the registration process through the initial sales window. She noted that roughly one-third of currently available tickets remained priced below $200 as global sales commenced.

The organizing committee faces pressure to demonstrate it can produce a financially responsible Games without burdening taxpayers, who might bear responsibility for budget overruns. LA28 has stated its more than $7 billion operation will be funded primarily through ticket sales, sponsorships and hospitality services.

Katz-Mayfield said robust ticket sales, combined with sponsorship and hospitality income, provided encouraging indicators for the Games’ financial stability.

LA28 also cautioned fans against purchasing from unauthorized resale websites before its official resale program launches in 2027, warning that tickets sold elsewhere might be speculative or invalid.

Monday night’s NCAA men’s basketball championship game between Michigan and the University of Connecticut captured the attention of 18.3 million viewers nationwide, representing the largest television audience for the tournament’s final game in seven years.

The viewership numbers across TBS, TNT, truTV and HBO Max showed a significant 23% jump compared to the same networks’ coverage of the 2024 championship contest.

Michigan’s 69-63 triumph in Indianapolis, which secured the Wolverines their first national title since 1989, reached its highest audience of 20.4 million viewers during the game’s final moments between 11 and 11:15 p.m. Eastern Time.

These viewing figures represent the strongest performance for an NCAA championship game since Virginia’s victory over Texas Tech in Minneapolis during 2019.

The Final Four rounds, which included Arizona and Illinois alongside the two finalists, brought in an average of 14.2 million viewers, reflecting an 11% increase from the previous year. The complete tournament, with additional games broadcast on CBS, averaged 10.9 million viewers – a 7% rise from last year and the second-highest viewership for the tournament since 1994.

Television coverage of March Madness is split between TBS Sports and CBS Sports, with the two networks taking turns broadcasting the championship game annually.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — While it may be excessive to claim that Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin’s legendary matchup rescued the NHL, their emergence certainly brought a new chapter to a league that desperately needed revitalization following the devastating 2004-05 lockout season.

Drafted just one year apart but worlds different in personality — Ovechkin embodying explosive passion while Crosby represents methodical precision — these two icons have dedicated nearly twenty years to shaping their teams and transforming hockey itself. They represent that exceptional category of athletes who arrived with enormous pressure and managed to exceed every expectation.

Their combined achievements include five Hart Trophies, four Stanley Cup victories, more than 3,400 career points, and an endless collection of unforgettable moments that have cemented their places in hockey history.

Ovechkin holds the record as hockey’s greatest goal scorer of all time, while Crosby stands as the sole player to maintain a point-per-game average across 21 consecutive seasons. These two legends will clash twice more during this weekend’s final regular season games as Washington and Pittsburgh complete a home-and-away series.

Nobody knows if these 100th and 101st career encounters between these hockey giants will mark their final meetings.

Crosby, now 38, has his contract extending through next season and continues performing at an elite level as his Pittsburgh team surprisingly pushes toward playoff qualification. Meanwhile, 40-year-old Ovechkin remains secretive about his plans following what has been a disappointing campaign for Washington.

This could represent the conclusion of their storied rivalry. Even if not, the end approaches rapidly. Before this legendary competition transitions into nostalgic memories, let’s examine the memorable highlights (and one notable disappointment) from two athletes who lifted a league damaged by internal conflicts and guided it successfully into modern hockey:

Final Score: Pittsburgh 5, Washington 4

Venue: Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh

Statistics: Crosby recorded one goal and one assist; Ovechkin contributed one assist.

Game Summary: This inaugural meeting between the future superstars remains unique as the only contest that featured Hall of Fame legend Mario Lemieux, who served as Ovechkin’s childhood hero. Lemieux announced his retirement two months afterward, having already transferred leadership responsibilities to Crosby. The 18-year-old “Sid the Kid” demonstrated his future potential by maneuvering between two Washington defenders before executing the signature backhand shot that would become his trademark move.

Final Score: Washington 5, Pittsburgh 2

Venue: Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.

Statistics: Crosby earned one assist, Ovechkin scored one goal with one assist.

Game Summary: This relatively routine mid-season result provided a rare glimpse into the genuine animosity that existed between Ovechkin and Crosby during their early careers. A second-period confrontation led to physical contact that resulted in Crosby losing his helmet and considerable verbal sparring between the players. The Associated Press reported their post-game comments:

“What I can say about him?” Ovechkin said. “He is a good player, but he talks too much.”

And what does Crosby make of Ovechkin’s showmanship?

“Like it or lump it, that’s what he does,” Crosby said. “Some people like it, some people don’t. Personally, I don’t like it.”

Final Score: Washington 4, Pittsburgh 3

Venue: Verizon Center, Washington, D.C.

Statistics: Both Crosby and Ovechkin achieved hat tricks.

Game Summary: During their inaugural playoff encounter, both stars delivered spectacular performances in their athletic prime. Each player scored three goals in the Eastern Conference semifinal’s second game, with Ovechkin netting the decisive score with 4:38 remaining in regulation.

However, Crosby ultimately prevailed in the series. After seven grueling games, Ovechkin missed a crucial breakaway opportunity against goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, and Crosby responded with a goal moments later, launching a decisive 6-2 victory. Crosby captured his first Stanley Cup championship one month later.

Final Score: Washington 5, Pittsburgh 4

Venue: Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh

Statistics: Crosby scored twice; Ovechkin recorded three goals and one assist.

Game Summary: During a blizzard on Super Bowl Sunday, Ovechkin orchestrated a dramatic rally from a 4-1 disadvantage. His three-goal performance included two third-period scores that forced a tie, and he provided the key pass for Mike Knuble’s power-play winner 2:49 into overtime.

Several days afterward, Crosby led Team Canada to a dominant 7-3 quarterfinal victory over Ovechkin’s Team Russia at the Olympics. Crosby then delivered arguably his career’s most significant moment by scoring the overtime goal that secured Olympic gold for Canada on their home ice.

Final Score: Pittsburgh 2, Washington 0

Venue: Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C.

Statistics: Crosby recorded one assist, Ovechkin was held scoreless.

Game Summary: The third playoff series between these franchises during the Crosby-Ovechkin era concluded with the familiar outcome of their previous encounters. Crosby assisted on Bryan Rust’s second-period goal that gave Pittsburgh the lead. Ovechkin unleashed a powerful one-timer toward Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury, but the goaltender miraculously deflected the shot with his stick handle, completing a 29-save performance that propelled the Penguins to their second consecutive Stanley Cup title.

Final Score: Washington 4, Pittsburgh 3

Venue: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh

Statistics: Both Crosby and Ovechkin contributed one goal and one assist.

Game Summary: Pittsburgh’s quest for three straight championships began promisingly in 2018. The Penguins advanced smoothly to face Washington in the second round, splitting their opening games in the nation’s capital. Crosby scored late in the second period to give Pittsburgh the advantage before former Penguin Matt Niskanen equalized early in the third period.

The contest seemed destined for overtime until Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom created a two-on-one scoring opportunity. Backstrom passed to Ovechkin, whose initial attempt was stopped by goaltender Matt Murray. In one smooth sequence that contrasted sharply with his typical power-based style, Ovechkin deflected the rebound mid-air into the empty net, giving Washington the series advantage.

Six days later in the same arena, Ovechkin set up Evgeny Kuznetsov’s overtime winner in Game 6 as Washington overcame their playoff struggles and captured the franchise’s first and only Stanley Cup championship.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Oklahoma City has once again established itself as the team to beat in the NBA playoffs, securing the conference’s top seed for three consecutive seasons.

The defending champion Thunder achieved this milestone Wednesday evening with a commanding 128-110 triumph over the Los Angeles Clippers, earning them a place among basketball’s most legendary franchises.

Star player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder have become just the seventh organization in NBA history to capture their conference’s premier regular-season standing for three years running. This exclusive group includes the championship-winning Boston Celtics of the 1970s and 1980s, the legendary Showtime Lakers, Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls dynasty, the early 2000s Lakers, and the recent Golden State Warriors powerhouse.

Following their dominant performance against Los Angeles — marking their 19th victory in their last 20 contests — the Thunder (64-16) officially secured the top playoff position ahead of San Antonio (61-19) while also claiming the league’s finest overall record.

Team members acknowledge the significance of this accomplishment while keeping their focus on larger objectives in the coming months.

“This definitely feels more satisfying, not just because we’ve had to overcome more challenges,” remarked MVP candidate Gilgeous-Alexander, who contributed 20 points and 11 assists before resting in the final quarter. “Achieving something repeatedly and maintaining that level is always more difficult. It presents greater challenges. The competition improves. Individual players develop. For our team to maintain the top overall record despite various obstacles demonstrates our character. We consistently emphasize at each season’s start that regardless of past success, we must earn our playoff position and seeding, and we’ve earned this first overall seed.”

Oklahoma City has dominated since their breakthrough campaign two years ago when they captured the Western Conference’s best record with 57 wins. Following last year’s 68-victory season, they’ve joined an exclusive trio of franchises in league history to achieve at least 64 wins in consecutive seasons, alongside the 1995-97 Bulls and 2015-17 Warriors.

However, the team recognizes that playoff competition presents greater challenges, and Oklahoma City aims to become the first franchise to capture championships after posting the NBA’s top record in back-to-back seasons since Jordan’s Bulls accomplished this in 1996 and 1997.

“This represents a tremendous achievement,” stated Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. “Each season brings unique experiences, and this year provided vastly different challenges. When you capture a championship, that success creates expectations for the following year. Everyone — ourselves included — measures performance against that standard. Staying focused during the subsequent regular season proves incredibly challenging. This team taught me valuable lessons through their daily commitment to embracing each day’s specific challenges, which I believe explains our successful season.”

Oklahoma City opened this campaign with an impressive 24-2 start that sparked discussions about potentially being the greatest regular-season team in basketball history. Injuries limited the Thunder to an 18-12 record from mid-December through the All-Star break — however, they’ve recaptured their dominant form with a remarkable 22-2 run since that period.

The Thunder maintained at least a share of first place throughout the entire season, becoming only the seventh wire-to-wire conference leader in league history. Golden State most recently achieved this distinction in 2016.

“I believe we successfully navigated all the challenges we encountered this year, and our efforts have been rewarded,” said Chet Holmgren, who tallied 30 points against the Clippers.

While injury concerns may have prevented Oklahoma City from pursuing historic single-season records, these setbacks might have left the team better rested for upcoming playoff battles: Isaiah Joe and Cason Wallace are the only players to participate in 70 games this season.

With two remaining regular-season games before several days of preparation for another postseason campaign, Gilgeous-Alexander believes the team is prepared for the challenge.

“We comprehend the winning process and the formula for success,” explained Gilgeous-Alexander, who reached at least 20 points for his 141st straight game despite failing to make a free throw for the first time all season. “We recognize that everyone contributing to this formula is essential for success. It’s not about flashy plays or superficial elements. Understanding how to complete the job each night, and the methods to achieve it, I think we’ve developed that consistency more than anything else.”

Federal investigators have launched an inquiry into the National Football League to determine if the organization has employed business practices that violate antitrust laws and potentially damage consumers, according to a Thursday report from the Wall Street Journal.

Sources with knowledge of the matter told the publication that the investigation is underway, though the specific details about what aspects of the NFL’s operations are being examined have not been disclosed.

The Wall Street Journal indicated that the precise boundaries and focus areas of the federal inquiry could not be immediately determined.

Dr. Jason Schepis was watching the Olympic gold medal hockey match from his New Jersey home when he witnessed his dental work getting knocked across the ice during the final period of an intense game.

Team USA’s 24-year-old forward Jack Hughes had just received a stick to the face from Canada’s Sam Bennett, later describing how he spotted a complete tooth and fragments of others scattered on the rink surface.

As the New Jersey Devils’ team dentist, Schepis recognized those damaged teeth immediately – he had previously restored the same ones after Hughes suffered a high stick injury during playoff action years earlier.

“We did the root canals, fixed it up,” Schepis remembered. “Those were his teeth.”

Following typical hockey tradition, Hughes ignored the dental damage and proceeded to net the overtime winner in a 2-1 victory, delivering America’s first men’s hockey gold since 1980. His toothless smile perfectly captured a sport where dental gaps serve as symbols of toughness and “spittin’ chiclets” has become such common terminology it inspired a well-known hockey podcast name.

Describing hockey players as needing dental care would be a massive understatement. Each team employs a specialist who joins physicians and medical personnel at every NHL contest, prepared to respond when emergencies occur.

“When there is an injury to the mouth, our physicians are like, ‘Oh yeah, we’re so happy you’re here because we would not have been able to do that,’” explained San Jose Sharks dentist Mark Nishimura. “Sometimes we’re really not busy, and other times, when it’s bad, it’s bad.”

The situation turned severe when Nishimura received Joe Pavelski’s knocked-out teeth after a puck struck the player’s jaw during 2019 playoff action, though the incident led to a goal. That same year saw Keith Yandle lose nine teeth, yet he returned to action and continued playing 168 consecutive games.

Brent Burns lost three teeth to an errant stick in 2013 but has since appeared in over 1,000 straight games. Chris Clark required three hours of surgical work involving braces, screws and cadaver bone material after a puck bounced off his stick into his mouth in 2006.

Clark describes hockey dentists as “triage doctors,” knowledge gained through his own tooth-losing, palate-breaking experience with the Washington Capitals.

Veteran Capitals dentist Tom Lenz witnessed that incident and has encountered every possible scenario, including transporting players to his practice during nighttime hours when timing becomes critical. Since pucks and sticks create mouth injuries unlike those seen in the general population, his early career days over twenty years ago brought considerable anxiety.

“You never know till you get back there, so you always have to be ready to just jump in and take care of it,” Lenz explained. “It can be a simple chipped tooth. It can be teeth knocked out. It can be jaw fractures. … We try to get them stable, out of discomfort — whatever that takes.”

Their responsibilities extend to treating facial cuts affecting players, referees and coaches alike. During regular season games, the home dentist handles both teams and collaborates with other medical professionals, such as when Schepis sidelined Chicago’s Connor Bedard due to jaw fractures in early 2024.

Playoff situations differ, which explains Schepis’s presence on the road when Hughes took Jordan Staal’s stick to the mouth during the Devils-Carolina Hurricanes series opener in May 2023.

“They’re snapped in half, the nerves are hanging out, the ice is cold (and) he can’t breathe because the nerves are hanging,” Schepis described. “Just numb him right at the end of the first, did the root canals right there, pulled the nerves out. The orthopedic surgeons think it’s like miracle work.”

After Alex Ovechkin lost a front tooth to a stick in October 2007, Lenz installed a temporary implant called a “flipper” with plans for permanent restoration following retirement.

Lenz said Ovechkin initially demanded immediate replacement, then lost the temporary piece, making his gap-toothed appearance part of his signature look despite his mother’s disapproval. Ovechkin now holds the league’s career scoring record and continues playing at 40.

“Had one made within a day or so because he was so adamant about, ‘I can’t go around like this,’” Lenz recalled. “It’s so him now that it’s going to be strange to see him with all his teeth up there.”

Unlike Ovechkin, Hughes told Jimmy Fallon that missing teeth won’t become his permanent appearance. He has already received dental repairs.

Currently in his 14th NHL season, Brenden Dillon wore mouth protection as a youth because hockey incidents required three rounds of braces. After abandoning protection in minor league play, his first NHL fight resulted in mouth damage, prompting him to resume wearing guards.

“Not a fun part of it,” Dillon said. “I don’t think basketball, football — maybe baseball, a ball here and there maybe — but way more in hockey. Sticks, pucks, the glass, ice — the whole nine yards. It feels like once a game at least somebody’s getting dinged up with something.”

Schepis, Lenz and fellow NHL team dentists also serve other sports. Lenz noted that many NBA players he treats have never received stitches previously.

“Hockey players sometimes will even go, ‘How many is it going to be?’” Lenz said. “If it’s like two or three or so, a lot of the guys will just go: ‘Then just suture it. No anesthetic, I don’t want to take that. Just suture it and I want to get back out there.’”

Nishimura recalls being asked about reinserting teeth when Pavelski lost them to a shot from then-teammate Burns. The Sharks defeated Vegas 5-2, adding to Pavelski’s reputation for courage.

“Pavs went back, we numbed him up, sutured him,” Nishimura said. “He went back out and finished the game. It’s incredible. Hockey players, they don’t quit. They are a special breed of human being.”

Dillon, currently with New Jersey, has endured multiple root canals and chipped teeth while recognizing he should wear mouth protection during practice sessions. Lenz has observed fewer facial injuries since mandatory visor requirements, with only four grandfathered players still competing without them.

Clark rarely used visors during his playing career but supports current players’ widespread adoption, similar to how helmets became required equipment, given the frequency of stick and puck contact with faces.

“It’s sort of part of the deal,” Clark said.

Having hockey dentists available remains equally essential. Schepis recalls performing a 1 a.m. root canal on Jaromir Jagr and placing over 30 stitches for another player when puck damage extended completely through his mouth.

“There’s a lot of little nuances to sports dentistry vs. regular dentistry because it’s just not standard,” Schepis explained. “You have to move fast and you have to always move with the player’s best intention. But we know they want to be out there. We know the team wants them out there. You always have to be available any time of night.”

Professional baseball players are making more money than ever before, with a new Associated Press analysis revealing that average salaries have climbed to an unprecedented $5.34 million at the start of this season—a 3.4% jump from last year.

For the fourth year running, the New York Mets are baseball’s biggest spenders, leading all teams with their massive payroll investments.

The highest-earning player in baseball remains Mets outfielder Juan Soto, who’s collecting $61.9 million this season for the second year in a row. Behind him is New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger at $42.5 million.

Two players are tied for the third-highest salaries: Philadelphia’s pitcher Zack Wheeler and Mets third baseman Bo Bichette, each earning $42 million. Toronto’s first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. rounds out the top five at $40.2 million, slightly ahead of Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge’s $40 million contract.

The Mets are spending $352.2 million on player salaries this season, which falls just short of their own record of $355.4 million set in 2023 but represents an increase from last year’s $322.6 million. Their spending dwarfs that of the most frugal team—Cleveland manages with just $62.3 million, more than five times less than New York’s investment.

The defending World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, hold the second position in spending at $316.6 million, a slight decrease from their previous year’s $319.5 million. However, if contracts with delayed payments were calculated at full value rather than present-day worth, the Dodgers’ total would balloon to $395.2 million. The Mets, with fewer deferred payment deals, would see their spending rise to $360 million under the same calculation.

The current average salary of $5,335,966 represents a significant increase from last season’s opening figure of $5,160,245. Under the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire in December, salaries have grown by 28%, averaging 5.6% growth each year.

The top-spending teams remain unchanged from last year’s rankings, with the Yankees in third place at $297.2 million, followed by Philadelphia at $282 million and Toronto at $269 million.

More teams are joining the high-spending ranks, with six clubs now carrying payrolls exceeding $250 million compared to four last year. Ten teams have crossed the $200 million threshold, up from nine previously.

On the other end of the spectrum, eight teams are operating with budgets under $100 million, an increase from five teams in that category last year.

Detroit made the most dramatic spending increase, adding $64.2 million to reach $206.7 million after signing pitcher Framber Valdez, retaining Gleyber Torres through a qualifying offer, and providing ace Tarik Skubal with a substantial arbitration raise. Atlanta boosted spending by $44.1 million, while the Chicago Cubs, Toronto, and the Mets each increased their budgets by approximately $30 million.

Minnesota took the opposite approach, reducing their payroll by $46.3 million from last season’s opening day to $96.5 million.

St. Louis also made significant cuts, dropping from $141.5 million to $100.4 million. The Cardinals’ current spending includes $44 million they’re paying to Arizona and Boston as part of trades involving Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray, and Willson Contreras, plus $3.4 million in present-day value for Arenado’s $6 million assignment bonus that remains the Cardinals’ responsibility through 2041.

Additional teams making substantial reductions include the Guardians (down $40.2 million), Texas (reduced by $37.3 million), and Washington (cut by $23.3 million).

The salary calculations encompass 942 players listed on opening day rosters and injured lists, but exclude those on restricted lists such as Cleveland pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, Atlanta outfielder Jurickson Profar, and Philadelphia outfielder Johan Rojas.

Players assigned to minor league teams at season’s start, including Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim and Toronto pitcher Yariel Rodríguez, are also not reflected in these figures.

The median salary—the midpoint where half of all players earn more and half earn less—increased to $1.4 million from $1.35 million, though it remains below the peak of $1.65 million reached in 2015. Active roster expansion to 26 players occurred in 2021.

Both average and median salaries typically decrease throughout the season as veteran players are released and replaced by younger players earning closer to minimum wage. MLB’s calculation puts the final 2025 average at $4.61 million, while the players’ association estimates $4.72 million.

Currently, 519 players are earning at least $1 million, representing 55% of all players—the same percentage as last year.

Nineteen players are earning $30 million or more, an increase of four from last season. Seventy-four players are making at least $20 million, up from 66, while 168 players earn $10 million or more, down from 177.

Thirty-one players are earning the league minimum of $780,000.

The highest-paid 50 players account for 30% of all salaries, up from 29% in the previous two seasons, while the top 100 earners represent 49% of total compensation, an increase from last year’s 48%.

These figures incorporate base salaries along with prorated portions of signing bonuses and other guaranteed income. The calculations also account for cash adjustments in trades, signing bonuses assigned to the contracting club, option buyouts, and severance payments for released players.

MLB’s official payroll figures are based on 40-man rosters and change daily based on roster transactions.

Edmonton superstar Connor McDavid delivered a spectacular five-point performance Wednesday evening, netting three goals and dishing out two assists as the Oilers defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-2 on the road.

The victory boosted Edmonton’s record to 40-29-10 for 90 points, extending their hot streak to 6-1-1 over their last eight contests. The win also pushed the Oilers two points clear of the idle Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division.

Jack Roslovic and Vasily Podkolzin each contributed one goal and one assist for Edmonton, while defenseman Evan Bouchard recorded two assists in the winning effort.

Between the pipes for Edmonton, Connor Ingram faced 10 shots and allowed two goals before being pulled for the final period. Tristan Jarry took over in the third and turned away all four shots he encountered.

San Jose got goals from Macklin Celebrini and Kiefer Sherwood in the losing effort. The Sharks fell to 37-33-7 with 81 points, suffering just their second defeat in seven games. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made 21 saves in the loss.

Sabres 5, Rangers 3

Zach Benson found the net twice as Buffalo rallied for a victory against New York at Madison Square Garden.

Ryan McLeod and Jason Zucker each recorded one goal and one assist for the Sabres, who claimed sole possession of the Atlantic Division’s top spot. Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen turned aside 17 shots for the win.

New York got two goals from Alexis Lafreniere, while Adam Fox contributed one goal and one assist. Igor Shesterkin made 22 saves for the Rangers, who had been riding a two-game winning streak and had won five of their previous six matchups.

Capitals 4, Maple Leafs 0

Logan Thompson recorded 21 saves for his third shutout of the season as Washington kept their playoff hopes alive with a road victory over Toronto.

Thompson has now blanked the Maple Leafs twice this season. Dylan Strome and Martin Fehervary each tallied one goal and one assist for the Capitals, while Ryan Leonard and Cole Hutson added single goals. Washington now sits three points behind Ottawa for the second Eastern Conference wild card spot and three points back of Philadelphia for third in the Metropolitan Division.

Joseph Woll allowed three goals on 17 shots for Toronto, which has now dropped three consecutive games (0-2-1) and will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Following a disappointing overtime loss where Edmonton surrendered multiple leads against Utah, the Oilers turned to their captain for a bounce-back performance.

Connor McDavid delivered exactly what his team required, recording his 15th career three-goal game while contributing two assists in Edmonton’s commanding 5-2 triumph over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night. The victory propelled the Oilers to the summit of the Pacific Division standings.

“He knows our team needed a win,” coach Kris Knoblauch said. “We’re playing a little short-handed and he’s going to be the guy. Tonight every shift he was really dialed in and played extremely well. I’ve seen him play a lot of good games and that was one of his best.”

McDavid wasted no time making his presence felt, finding the net during a power play on just his third shift of the game. He then set up Vasily Podkolzin for another man-advantage goal before the opening period concluded, and dominated the early portion of the second frame with two additional goals and another assist across his first seven shifts.

When Edmonton’s captain performs at such an elite level, his teammates understand their role becomes straightforward.

“Get him the puck,” Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard said. “When you see him playing the way he was tonight, and honestly, most of the season, you want to get him the puck. He makes things happen when not many other people can.”

The matchup featured McDavid facing off against fellow Canadian Olympic team member and Hart Trophy candidate Macklin Celebrini, who opened the scoring with a power-play goal for San Jose.

McDavid responded with his first goal less than two minutes afterward, and the Sharks proved unable to contain him throughout the remainder of the contest.

“He’s the best player in the league and he’s also the fastest so if you don’t really slow him down or get in his way he’s just going to skate by you,” Celebrini said. “It’s simple as that. You’ve seen it his whole career. I loved watching it when I was a fan but it’s super frustrating when you play against it.”

McDavid’s season total now stands at 133 points, maintaining a six-point advantage over Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov in the Art Ross Trophy competition. This marks his second-highest single-season output, trailing only his 153-point campaign in 2022-23.

With three games remaining, McDavid requires just three more goals to reach the 50-goal plateau for the second time in his career, though his attention remains focused on team objectives. Edmonton currently holds a two-point lead over Vegas in the division, although the Golden Knights possess a game in hand.

“We’ve got to punch our ticket,” McDavid said. “We’ve got three games left. We’ve still got to punch our ticket to the playoffs. Those individual things are nice but not at the top of mind.”

Despite reaching consecutive Stanley Cup Finals over the previous two seasons, Edmonton has experienced an inconsistent campaign. However, the Oilers have compiled a 6-1-1 record over their last eight contests to seize control of the Pacific Division lead.

With high-scoring linemate Leon Draisaitl potentially returning from injury before the playoffs begin, Edmonton aims to rediscover their championship form in time for another postseason run.

“It’s been kind of an up-and-down year for us, honestly,” McDavid said. “We still feel like our best hockey is ahead of us. We’re kind of finding it right now, which is a good time to do it.”

The Oklahoma City Thunder locked up the NBA’s best record Wednesday night, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 128-110 in Inglewood, California, behind a dominant performance from Chet Holmgren.

Holmgren delivered 30 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 20 points and dished out 11 assists in the victory. The win secured Oklahoma City’s third straight Western Conference top playoff seed and extended their winning streak to seven games.

Bench contributor Isaiah Joe chipped in 21 points and Jalen Williams provided 18 more for the Thunder, who captured their franchise’s first NBA championship last season. With the league’s best record now locked up, Oklahoma City will enjoy home-court advantage throughout the entire NBA Finals.

For Los Angeles, Kawhi Leonard managed 20 points while Kobe Sanders added 17 off the bench. The Clippers have already secured their spot in the play-in tournament despite starting the season with a dismal 6-21 record. Los Angeles was without Darius Garland due to a toe injury.

Brook Lopez and Jordan Miller each contributed 16 points for the Clippers, who remain in eighth place in the Western Conference standings. The final positioning for the eighth and ninth seeds will be determined Friday when Los Angeles travels to face the Portland Trail Blazers.

Suns 112, Mavericks 107

Devin Booker exploded for 37 points and nine assists while Dillon Brooks added 28 points, including a crucial late layup, as Phoenix defeated Dallas at home to secure the Western Conference’s seventh playoff seed.

Reserve players Royce O’Neale and Collin Gillespie scored 14 and 13 points respectively for Phoenix (44-36), who nearly squandered an 18-point advantage and trailed during the fourth quarter of their final regular-season home contest. The Suns will host either the Clippers or Trail Blazers in Tuesday’s play-in tournament opener.

John Poulakidas achieved career-highs with 23 points and five three-pointers for Dallas (25-55), while Marvin Bagley III added 20 points. The Mavericks have dropped 10 of their last 12 games. Cooper Flagg recorded 11 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, bolstering his Rookie of the Year candidacy in what has become a two-player race with former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel of Charlotte.

Cavaliers 122, Hawks 116

Donovan Mitchell poured in 31 points and Evan Mobley registered 22 points with a career-high-tying 19 rebounds, leading Cleveland past visiting Atlanta in what could preview an Eastern Conference playoff matchup.

James Harden contributed 21 points and Jarrett Allen added 16 for Cleveland, which cannot finish lower than fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers have now won four consecutive games and six of their past seven, moving within half a game of the third-place New York Knicks.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker tallied 25 points and Jonathan Kuminga provided 24 off the bench for the fifth-place Hawks, who missed an opportunity to clinch a playoff berth. All-Star Jalen Johnson recorded 12 points, 11 rebounds and six assists before fouling out. Atlanta maintains a half-game lead over Toronto, though both teams risk falling into the play-in tournament.

Pistons 137, Bucks 111

Jalen Duren posted 21 points and nine rebounds to pace Detroit’s victory over visiting Milwaukee.

The Pistons, who already own the Eastern Conference’s top seed, captured their fourth win in five recent outings. Duncan Robinson contributed 20 points while star player Cade Cunningham returned from an 11-game absence due to a collapsed lung, adding 13 points and 10 assists.

Milwaukee suffered its second straight defeat and eighth loss in their last 10 contests. Michigan native Ryan Rollins paced the Bucks with 23 points, while Jericho Sims achieved a triple-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Magic 132, Timberwolves 120

Paolo Banchero collected 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists as Orlando defeated visiting Minnesota for their fourth straight victory.

Desmond Bane scored 18 points and Franz Wagner added 17 for Orlando, which climbed to seventh in the competitive Eastern Conference standings, half a game ahead of Philadelphia with two games remaining. Goga Bitadze contributed 14 points and a season-best 15 rebounds, while Tristan da Silva, Jalen Suggs and Jevon Carter each reached double figures.

Terrence Shannon Jr. established career-highs with five three-pointers and 33 points for shorthanded Minnesota, which had already clinched the Western Conference’s sixth position Tuesday. Jaden McDaniels returned from a six-game knee injury absence to score 18 points in 19 minutes, while Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo added 15 and 12 points respectively.

Nuggets 136, Grizzlies 119

Jamal Murray scored 26 points while Nikola Jokic recorded his 34th triple-double of the season with 14 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists, powering host Denver past Memphis for their tenth consecutive victory.

Cameron Johnson provided 18 points as the Nuggets established a 1.5-game lead over both the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets for the Western Conference’s third seed.

Cedric Coward finished with 27 points for Memphis, which has now lost six straight games and 19 of their past 21 contests.

Spurs 112, Trail Blazers 101

De’Aaron Fox scored 25 points and San Antonio’s bench players combined for 48 points as the host Spurs defeated Portland.

San Antonio played without Victor Wembanyama (rib injury) and Stephon Castle (knee injury) but still managed their 13th victory in 14 games. The Spurs became locked into the Western Conference’s second seed when Oklahoma City won their contest.

Deni Avdija led Portland with 29 points while Scoot Henderson added 20. The Trail Blazers remain ninth in the West, one game behind the Clippers ahead of Friday’s crucial meeting in Portland.

Toronto rallied for a crucial 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday afternoon, with the winning run crossing the plate in the eighth inning thanks to a defensive miscue.

The Blue Jays managed to claim the final game of their three-contest series against Los Angeles, which was a rematch of the 2025 World Series that the Dodgers captured. Toronto’s victory snapped a six-game losing streak while also halting Los Angeles’ five-game winning run. Relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman navigated through a single and walk in the final frame to secure his second save of the season, while Tyler Rogers (1-0) earned the victory after working 1 2/3 innings.

The decisive sequence unfolded in the eighth when Davis Schneider drew a walk with one out against Ben Casparius (0-1), then advanced to third base on Andres Gimenez’s base hit. Schneider came home to score when catcher Will Smith’s throw sailed away during Gimenez’s successful steal of second base. Earlier offensive contributions came from George Springer and Jesus Sanchez, who each connected for RBI doubles, plus Daulton Varsho’s run-scoring single.

Shohei Ohtani’s leadoff walk in the opening inning marked his 43rd consecutive game reaching base, dating back to August. This achievement matches Ichiro Suzuki’s 2009 record for the longest such streak by a Japanese-born player. On the mound, Ohtani worked six innings while surrendering just one unearned run on four hits and a walk, recording two strikeouts. Los Angeles got offensive production from Freddie Freeman and Will Smith with RBI singles, plus Teoscar Hernandez’s sacrifice fly.

Guardians 10, Royals 2

Angel Martinez delivered four hits including a grand slam as Cleveland dominated visiting Kansas City 10-2 in the deciding contest of their three-game set.

Rhys Hoskins contributed three doubles along with an RBI and run scored, while Jose Ramirez and Juan Brito each recorded two hits, an RBI and run scored for Cleveland, which has captured three of its last four games. Guardians southpaw Joey Cantillo (1-0) surrendered two runs (one earned) and three hits across 5 2/3 innings, striking out nine while walking two.

Bobby Witt Jr. managed two hits and an RBI for Kansas City, which has dropped three of four contests. Royals starter Cole Ragans (0-3) faced only five batters before exiting with a thumb contusion on his pitching hand after being struck by a Ramirez comebacker.

Padres 8, Pirates 2

Nick Castellanos knocked in two runs and Jake Cronenworth belted his first home run of the season to power San Diego past host Pittsburgh 8-2.

The defeat continued Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller’s run of hard luck, despite throwing six shutout innings. Through three starts this season, Keller owns a 1.00 ERA and has permitted only two runs across 18 innings, yet has just one victory to show for his efforts. Rookie Konnor Griffin and Joey Bart provided RBIs for Pittsburgh.

San Diego’s Michael King (1-1) worked six innings while allowing two runs on four hits and three walks, striking out four batters on 95 pitches. Mason Miller handled a scoreless ninth inning, though his streak of 11 straight strikeouts ended when Mangum grounded out to conclude the game. Luis Campusano and Fernando Tatis Jr. each contributed an RBI.

Red Sox 5, Brewers 0

Sonny Gray delivered 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Trevor Story drove in two runs as Boston blanked visiting Milwaukee 5-0.

Gray (2-0) held Milwaukee to three hits while walking two and striking out two. The triumph gave Boston consecutive victories for the first time this season, following their 3-2 win over the Brewers on Tuesday. The series finale victory also delivered Boston’s first series win of the campaign.

Milwaukee starting pitcher Shane Drohan (0-1) made his major league debut but was removed with two outs in the third inning. He surrendered three runs on three hits while issuing four walks and striking out two. Three of those four walks came during Boston’s three-run third inning.

Rangers 3, Mariners 0

A three-run inning provided all the offense Texas needed to shut out Seattle 3-0 in Arlington, completing a three-game series sweep of the struggling Mariners.

A bases-loaded throwing error by Mariners first baseman Connor Joe allowed two runs to score, and Texas tacked on another run in the fifth inning against Seattle starter Bryan Woo (0-1). The Rangers received five scoreless innings from starter MacKenzie Gore (2-0), who permitted one hit while striking out nine and walking two. Their bullpen then completed the shutout with four scoreless frames.

The Mariners managed just three total runs throughout the series despite solid pitching performances. Seattle has now lost five consecutive games and seven of their last eight. The Mariners have been shut out three times during that eight-game stretch and haven’t scored more than three runs in any of those contests.

Additional Scores:

Rockies defeated Astros 9-1, with Hunter Goodman homering and Michael Lorenzen (1-1) earning his first win with Colorado. The victory completed a three-game home sweep of Houston, Colorado’s first series sweep of the Astros since 2012.

Orioles topped White Sox 5-3, with Taylor Ward going 4-for-5 with three doubles and two RBIs as Baltimore completed a three-game series sweep in Chicago. Kyle Bradish (1-2) earned his first victory of the season.

Marlins beat Reds 7-4, ending Cincinnati’s five-game winning streak behind Griffin Conine’s two-run homer and Connor Norby’s solo shot. Michael Petersen recorded his first career save.

Cubs defeated Rays 6-2, with Nico Hoerner homering to highlight his three-hit performance as Chicago earned their first back-to-back wins and first series victory of the season.

Cardinals beat Nationals 6-1, as Jordan Walker homered again and Alec Burleson drove in three runs in the decisive game of their three-game series in Washington.

Athletics edged Yankees 3-2, with Brent Rooker delivering a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the ninth inning for the victory in New York.

Giants shut out Phillies 5-0, as Tyler Mahle combined with four relievers on a four-hitter and Rafael Devers broke a sixth-inning tie with a three-run home run.

Braves defeated Angels 8-2, with Matt Olson homering and Ronald Acuna Jr. doubling twice in the rubber game of their series in Anaheim.

Diamondbacks beat Mets 7-2, as Ryne Nelson earned the win with 5 2/3 solid innings for visiting Arizona, cooling off surging New York.

Twins topped Tigers 8-6, with Royce Lewis going 2-for-3 with two RBIs as Minnesota won its third straight game in Minneapolis.

Beloved college basketball announcer Dick Vitale revealed Wednesday that medical professionals discovered concerning findings during recent imaging tests, with the 86-year-old sports icon now preparing for a biopsy scheduled for this Friday.

“Like countless others, each time I go for any kind of test I am a nervous wreck,” stated Vitale, who has been fighting cancer since 2021, in a release from ESPN. “The latest example is my scans last week. The anxiousness you feel about the uncertainty is off the charts. You just never know what’s next and it can be surprising or scary. While I feel great physically and mentally, I heard from doctors that the latest tests (a PET scan, CAT scan and two MRIs) showed some abnormalities.”

“They are recommending some additional testing to determine next steps,” Vitale continued. “I’m hoping for the best, and we will see what the roadmap looks like after the upcoming biopsy.”

The veteran broadcaster has faced multiple cancer battles, receiving melanoma and lymphoma diagnoses in 2021, followed by vocal cord cancer in 2023. Most recently, he had surgery to treat lymph node cancer in 2024. Despite these health challenges, Vitale returned to the broadcast booth and worked a First Four matchup last month featuring North Carolina State versus Texas alongside Charles Barkley.

“Our teammate. Our friend. We love you, @DickieV. In your corner, always,” ESPN shared on social media platform X.

Born in Passaic, New Jersey, Vitale transitioned from coaching basketball at both collegiate and professional levels to broadcasting. He joined ESPN’s coverage team during the 1979-80 college basketball season and became a household name in the sport. His contributions earned him induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. He currently resides in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, with his spouse Lorraine.

“As always,” Vitale concluded in his statement, “I plan to remain as active as ever and fight as hard as can be.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Most weekends, 39-year-old Brandon Holtz can be found showing homes to clients or joining his regular 12-person golf scramble around Bloomington, Illinois.

This weekend, however, the real estate professional hopes to spend his time walking the legendary fairways of Augusta National Golf Club. After earning his spot through the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at Arizona’s Troon Country Club last September, Holtz is experiencing the Masters Tournament from an entirely new perspective — as a competitor rather than a spectator.

“I’m the old fat guy out here. It’s been great,” Holtz remarked about his Masters debut. He’s scheduled to begin play Thursday morning at 9:02 a.m. alongside two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson. “I’ve met a lot of guys, talked to them, just trying to understand their story a little bit. Played with Tommy Fleetwood (Tuesday), played with Jordan Spieth (Wednesday). Talk about two icons of the sport. Just learned some things from them. At points in time I was just sitting back and watching them play.”

While this marks Holtz’s 16th visit to Augusta National, his previous 15 trips were as a fan. His father Jeff, who’s serving as his caddie this week, received lifetime Masters passes in 2004. During Wednesday’s traditional par-3 competition, Brandon was joined by his wife Liz and their 6-year-old son Baker, with 2-year-old daughter Millie also part of the family gathering.

Holtz’s athletic background stems from college basketball at Illinois State University. Following graduation, he briefly pursued professional golf, but the financial realities of constant travel without sponsorship quickly became apparent. Two different basketball coaches at ISU later told him they would have encouraged him to focus on golf if they had known he possessed this level of talent.

“We can all — hindsight is 20/20,” Holtz reflected. “We can all sit and dream and wish. Just take life as it comes to you and live in the moment.”

When Holtz examines pre-tournament rankings of this week’s 91-player field, he typically finds his name near the bottom of lists topped by stars like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

Holtz feels no pressure to prove anything during Thursday and Friday’s rounds, or beyond if he advances to weekend play. However, he’s already benefiting from his presence at Augusta National. When he struggled with his driver — the club that helped him qualify — friends and USGA officials arranged to have his previous driver shipped to the course, which he expected to receive Wednesday.

“Only got half a day left, but sometimes you just got to get out there and play. Shut the brain off and tee it up and hit it and go find it and hit it again,” Holtz explained.

Typically, Holtz spends Saturdays at Lakeside Country Club, a nine-hole course where annual memberships for golfers under 40 cost $1,835. The casual atmosphere includes a gas station convenience store bordering two holes, where his group often makes snack runs between shots.

As for potentially playing a more demanding round this Saturday at Augusta, Holtz is staying focused on the immediate challenge.

“I’m taking one shot at a time, trying not to get too far ahead of myself,” he said. “You don’t know what you don’t know. Obviously I’ve been out here, but (it) hasn’t been tournament time yet. So one shot at a time and see what happens.”

Augusta National’s strict no-cellphone policy left Holtz wishing he could capture memories from his practice rounds with Fleetwood and Spieth.

“I wish I had my camera. I see all those people taking photographs and I’m wanting to take a shot or two myself. (Spieth is) a great guy,” Holtz said. “Just got a lot of information off him. We just talked, talked as people talk. Learned a little bit about his family and he was asking about mine. So it was just really, really fun to play with him.”

Major League Baseball has issued disciplinary action against Los Angeles Angels slugger Jorge Soler and Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez following a heated altercation that cleared both benches during Tuesday evening’s game in Anaheim, California.

Soler, who serves as the Angels’ outfielder and designated hitter, received a seven-game suspension along with an undisclosed fine. Lopez initially faced a seven-game ban as well, but successfully appealed to reduce his punishment to five games plus a fine.

The Angels player has chosen to challenge his suspension, which means the penalty will remain on hold until his appeal process concludes. The suspension was originally set to take effect during Wednesday’s series finale.

The confrontation began in the fifth inning when Lopez delivered a high inside fastball that deflected off catcher Jonah Heim’s mitt and rolled to the backstop, allowing baserunner Nolan Schanuel to move into scoring position. Soler, who had already connected for a two-run home run in the opening frame and been hit by a pitch on his left hand earlier in the game, became visibly upset with the location of the pitch.

After staring down the Braves pitcher for several moments, Soler charged toward the pitcher’s mound. The two players engaged in a physical altercation, exchanging punches that appeared to miss their targets as teammates from both dugouts rushed onto the field. Lopez defended himself using his glove while throwing punches with his pitching hand, which was still gripping the baseball.

Atlanta manager Walt Weiss ultimately helped end the melee by tackling Soler near the first base line.

At the time of his ejection, Lopez had thrown 80 pitches across 4 2/3 innings, recording seven strikeouts while giving up two unearned runs on three hits and two walks. The Braves went on to win the contest 7-2.

Notably, Soler earned World Series MVP honors with Atlanta in 2021 but has since played for three different organizations, including a return stint with the Braves in 2024 before joining the Angels.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida authorities are taking steps to obtain Tiger Woods’ medication records from a local pharmacy following the golf star’s recent arrest on driving under the influence charges after a vehicle crash.

Officials in Martin County announced Tuesday their intention to subpoena Lewis Pharmacy in Palm Beach for comprehensive prescription records covering the golf legend from January through last month. The request encompasses all medications on file for Woods during that timeframe.

The subpoena will demand detailed information including when prescriptions were dispensed, pill quantities, dosage specifications, and any accompanying guidance such as driving warnings, based on court documents available online.

Lewis Pharmacy and Woods’ legal representative Doug Duncan have 10 days to file any challenges to the subpoena with the State Attorney’s Office. Neither the pharmacy nor Duncan responded immediately to requests for comment.

Last week, Woods entered a not guilty plea to the DUI charges. A sheriff’s department report indicated that officers discovered two pain medication pills on Woods and observed signs of impairment following an incident where his SUV struck a trailer and overturned.

The crash happened on Jupiter Island’s beachfront residential streets, where Woods was reportedly driving at excessive speeds in a zone with a 30 mph limit. The vehicle sustained approximately $5,000 in damages, incident reports show. While Woods consented to a breath test that detected no alcohol, he declined to provide a urine sample.

Woods announced last week his decision to step back and pursue treatment.

This marks Woods’ second hiatus following a vehicle accident. Following a 2009 crash near Orlando where his SUV struck a fire hydrant and tree outside his residence, he took a four-month break before returning at the Masters tournament to focus on personal improvement.

Woods also survived a serious 2021 Los Angeles area crash that severely injured his right leg, with injuries so severe that medical professionals initially considered amputation.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced Wednesday they have secured rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin with a nine-year contract extension, marking a historic investment in the organization’s future.

While the Pirates didn’t disclose financial terms, ESPN reports the deal is valued at $140 million, setting records as both the largest guaranteed contract in franchise history and the biggest rookie deal ever signed.

Pittsburgh selected Griffin as the ninth overall draft pick in 2024 from Jackson Preparatory School in Flowood, Mississippi. The previous year, the organization chose pitcher Paul Skenes with their first overall selection.

Griffin, who will celebrate his 20th birthday on April 24, began this season playing for Triple-A Indianapolis before earning his major league call-up and debut on April 4.

“Signing Konnor is a meaningful commitment to this team, this city and our fans. It reflects our belief in Konnor, in this season’s club and in the future of our organization,” Pirates chair Bob Nutting said in a statement. “Konnor represents everything we value in a player — exceptional talent, strong character, a team-first mentality and a maturity that stood out to all of us from the beginning. He is the right person, from the right family. This is another important step in the work we have been doing to build a winning team, for this year and going forward.”

According to ESPN, the timing of the contract signing was strategic. By finalizing the agreement after Griffin’s major league debut, Pittsburgh positioned itself to receive a first-round draft compensation pick if Griffin earns Rookie of the Year honors or finishes in the top three for Most Valuable Player voting in 2026, 2027, or 2028.

“This week has been amazing, debut week, and then sitting here signing a contract, it’s been amazing,” Griffin said, per ESPN. “It’s one of the best weeks of my life. … But it’ll be even better if we can get a win today.”

Griffin earned minor league player of the year recognition in 2025 after posting impressive numbers across 122 games at three different levels. He batted .333 while contributing 21 home runs, 94 RBIs, and 65 stolen bases spanning Class A, High A, and Double A competition.

Through his initial five major league appearances with Pittsburgh, Griffin is batting .176 with three RBIs.

Griffin joins two other shortstop prospects who secured major extensions this spring. Seattle committed $95 million over eight years to Colt Emerson, while Milwaukee agreed to pay Cooper Pratt $50.75 million across eight seasons with additional team options.

Both Emerson and Pratt are currently competing at the Triple-A level to start the season.

The Pirates haven’t reached the playoffs since 2015.

Major League Baseball issued matching seven-game suspensions Wednesday to Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler and Atlanta Braves pitcher Reynaldo López after both players were thrown out of Tuesday night’s game for fighting.

Michael Hill, who serves as MLB’s senior vice president for on-field operations, said both athletes also face financial penalties, though the amounts were not disclosed. While the bans were set to take effect Wednesday, both players have filed appeals that will delay the suspensions.

The confrontation began building when Soler connected for a home run against López during the opening inning Tuesday evening. When Soler stepped into the batter’s box for his second plate appearance, López struck him with a 96 mph fastball. The situation escalated in the fifth inning when López delivered a high-and-inside wild pitch that deflected off catcher Jonah Heim’s glove, prompting Soler to rush toward the pitcher’s mound.

As Soler approached, López raised his hands and the two men stared each other down before exchanging blows.

López, a right-handed pitcher, kept the baseball gripped in his throwing hand while swinging at Soler during the altercation.

Both teams’ players and coaching staff rushed from their dugouts and bullpen areas as Braves manager Walt Weiss brought down Soler with a tackle. Soler previously earned World Series MVP honors in 2021 while playing for Atlanta.

Baseball has lost one of its most accomplished base runners with the passing of former Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Davey Lopes, who died Wednesday at the age of 80.

The Dodgers organization received word of Lopes’ death in Rhode Island from Lin Lopes, his former spouse.

During his decade-long tenure with Los Angeles, Lopes earned four All-Star selections and became a cornerstone of one of baseball’s most celebrated infields. He participated in four World Series appearances, capturing a championship ring in 1981. His 1,134 games at second base remain unmatched in franchise history, while his 1,145 games in the leadoff position trail only Maury Wills’ 1,279 in team annals.

Lopes reached the major leagues relatively late, making his debut on September 22, 1972, at age 27.

The following season marked the beginning of a historic run, as Lopes joined Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey to form an infield unit that would start together for 8½ straight seasons.

Speed became Lopes’ calling card as he developed into one of baseball’s premier base thieves. His 418 stolen bases in Dodger blue rank second in team history behind Wills’ 490, while his 83.1% success rate (among players with at least 100 steals) stands as the franchise benchmark.

Lopes made history on August 4, 1974, becoming the first Dodger since Wills to swipe four bases in a single contest. Twenty days later, he matched the National League mark with five steals against St. Louis. The 1975 season brought another milestone when Lopes set what was then a major league record by successfully stealing 28 consecutive bases.

His speed dominated the basepaths in back-to-back seasons, leading all of baseball with 77 steals in 1975 and pacing the National League with 63 the following year. The 1978 campaign saw remarkable efficiency as he succeeded on 45 of 49 steal attempts.

That same 1978 season delivered Lopes’ finest World Series performance, highlighted by a two-homer opening game against the New York Yankees. He also earned Gold Glove recognition that year.

Following his Dodgers career, Lopes continued playing for Oakland (1982-84), Chicago Cubs (1984-86), and Houston (1986-87). His career totals included 557 stolen bases (26th all-time), a .263 batting average across 1,812 games, 155 home runs, 614 RBIs, 232 doubles, and 50 triples.

Lopes transitioned to managing after retirement, leading Milwaukee from 2000-02. His coaching career spanned multiple organizations including Baltimore, San Diego, Washington, Philadelphia, and a return to Los Angeles.

He earned a second World Series title as Philadelphia’s first-base coach before rejoining the Dodgers as baserunning and first-base instructor from 2011-15. His final major league seasons came as Washington’s first-base coach in 2016-17.

Lopes leaves behind siblings Patrick and John, along with sisters Jean, Judith, Mary, and Nina.

Philadelphia completed a trade deal Wednesday, bringing in outfielder Steward Berroa from Milwaukee in exchange for cash.

The 26-year-old Berroa was immediately sent down to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after joining the Phillies organization. Milwaukee had placed him on waivers the previous week.

To make space on their 40-man roster, Philadelphia released right-handed pitcher Yoniel Curet, who is 23 years old.

During his major league career spanning 30 games between Toronto in 2024 and Milwaukee this season, Berroa has struggled at the plate, posting a .167 batting average with just one run batted in.

The San Antonio Spurs announced that star players Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle will not take the court for Wednesday evening’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers.

The team disclosed that Wembanyama sustained a rib contusion during Monday’s game, while Castle is experiencing soreness in his right knee.

For Wembanyama, the timing is crucial as he needs just one more appearance of at least 20 minutes to satisfy the NBA’s 65-game minimum requirement for individual award consideration.

With only two contests remaining after Wednesday’s game – Friday’s home date with Dallas and Sunday’s finale against Denver – the window is narrowing for the young star.

San Antonio expressed optimism that both players could return to action when they host the Mavericks on Friday.

Both athletes took part in Wednesday’s pre-game shootaround session.

“I can’t tell you too much of how (Wembanyama) looked, but he heals fast,” veteran teammate Harrison Barnes commented.

Wembanyama’s injury occurred during the opening half of San Antonio’s 115-102 triumph over Philadelphia. In that same contest, Castle delivered an impressive performance with 17 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds.

Despite playing fewer than 16 minutes against the 76ers, Wembanyama contributed 17 points, five rebounds and three blocks. His playing time qualified as an official game appearance under NBA rules, which permit two instances of 15-19:59 minutes to count toward the mandatory minimum.

The Spurs enter Wednesday with a stellar 60-19 record, having already secured the Southwest Division championship and guaranteed themselves no lower than the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They currently sit three games behind conference leaders Oklahoma City, who hold a 63-16 mark.

Atlanta Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Wednesday that James Pearce Jr. has not participated in the team’s voluntary offseason training sessions.

“I will tell you guys, James Pearce is not here,” Stefanski told reporters. “We’ve been in constant communication with his representation.”

The defensive player was taken into custody near Miami on February 7th following an altercation with his ex-girlfriend, WNBA athlete Rickea Jackson.

Pearce is currently facing three serious felony accusations: aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, and resisting an officer with violence. He also faces a misdemeanor charge for stalking.

Stefanski stressed that the current training sessions are not mandatory and declined to provide specifics about player attendance.

“It’s a voluntary program, so that’s up to each individual player to make those decisions,” the new Falcons head coach explained. “I would also add that we’ve had great discussions with his (Pearce’s) representation. I don’t want to get into the specifics of that.”

Among those participating in workouts is star running back Bijan Robinson, who received AP first-team All-Pro recognition after recording 2,298 yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns in the 2025-26 campaign.

Robinson revealed he hasn’t communicated with Pearce since the arrest occurred.

“If he does come back, if he’s here in this building, I’m going to make sure that he’s all the way focused, all the way ready to go, make sure his mind is in the right place, so he can be at his best on and off the field,” Robinson stated.

Pearce’s future with Atlanta remains uncertain following his legal troubles. The organization’s leadership, featuring many new personnel this season, has maintained silence throughout the ongoing investigation.

“Obviously, we’re aware of the most recent articles and things that have come out regarding James Pearce,” Falcons General Manager Ian Cunningham commented in March. “Those are concerning, right, to say the least, but outside of that, I’ll just keep it just very similar to what we said at the combine. We’re not going to comment on an open legal matter here moving forward.”

During the 2025 season, Pearce topped the Falcons’ defensive statistics with 10.5 quarterback sacks. His additional contributions included 26 total tackles, five pass deflections, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Atlanta’s pass rush dramatically improved with Pearce’s presence, establishing a franchise record with 57 total sacks – an increase of 26 from the previous year.

Italy’s premier soccer league is exploring partnerships with private equity investors for a minority ownership stake in its international broadcasting rights division, according to three industry sources familiar with the discussions.

Serie A, which features powerhouse clubs like Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus, brought on investment bank JP Morgan last year to examine potential opportunities for the unit that manages the league’s global media rights, as previously reported.

The international broadcasting division brings in approximately 250 million euros ($292.6 million) annually, significantly less than what England’s Premier League and Spain’s LaLiga earn from their overseas media deals, based on UEFA data.

Investment firms including Apollo, CVC, Ares and Sixth Street are among the potential buyers that JP Morgan has preliminarily contacted regarding the possible transaction, sources revealed. A formal bidding process is anticipated to begin later this month, according to one source.

Representatives for Serie A, JP Morgan and Sixth Street declined to provide comment. Apollo, CVC and Ares have not yet responded to requests for comment.

The Italian league has faced challenges marketing its broadcasting rights internationally, as television networks have shown less interest due to an overcrowded schedule dominated by the expanded UEFA Champions League and the global appeal of England’s Premier League.

Serie A previously attempted a similar strategy in 2021, seeking to sell a portion of its more profitable domestic media division, but negotiations fell through when the league’s 20 member clubs couldn’t secure the necessary majority approval.

JP Morgan has been working with the league to develop a comprehensive business strategy for its international media operations, which also includes sponsorship deals and agreements to host Italian Super Cup matches in foreign markets, sources indicated.

The proposed agreement being presented to investment funds would allow the Italian league to divest up to 49% of the unit through a multi-year partnership, according to sources.

This potential Serie A transaction would follow similar private equity investments in other European soccer leagues, including those in Spain and France, where investors have acquired minority positions in media rights operations in return for immediate funding and long-term revenue participation, sources noted.

League regulations require approval from at least 14 clubs for any deals involving key commercial assets.

The head of Augusta National Golf Club believes golf’s governing organizations must follow through on proposed regulations to limit how far golf balls can travel, calling such changes essential for the sport’s future.

During his yearly media session before the Masters tournament on Wednesday, Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley emphasized the urgent need to tackle the extraordinary distances today’s top golfers can achieve off the tee.

Last month, the United States Golf Association suggested delaying new testing standards that would reduce ball distances until 2030. The proposed Overall Distance Standard would modify testing speeds from 120 mph to 125 mph, potentially cutting driving distances by approximately 15 yards.

Working alongside the R&A, golf’s governing organizations are collecting additional input from various industry participants before settling on a final timeline.

Although Augusta National has continuously modified its layout and strategically extended certain holes to preserve the course’s original character and maintain competitive challenges, Ridley pointed out that most golf facilities lack such flexibility.

“Our position is grounded on much more than protecting the Augusta National golf course,” he said. “Unfortunately, many courses, including some iconic venues, do not have that option.”

“Until recent years golf has been a game of imagination, creativity and variety. The game has become much more one-dimensional. As players drive the ball prodigious distances and routinely hit short irons into par-4s and even some par-5s, this issue goes beyond competitive impacts. Increased course lengths results in more time, more cost and more environmental concerns,” Ridley explained.

According to Ridley, research indicates the changes would have minimal impact on amateur players, with most unlikely to detect any difference. His primary concern centers on professional golf and ensuring elite competitors are measured by their shot-making skills, strategic thinking, and performance under pressure.

“Regulation of the golf ball is not an attempt to turn back time or stifle progress. It is an effort to preserve the essence of what makes golf the great game that it is,” Ridley stated.

Despite Augusta National’s significant investments to adapt to modern golf, including property acquisitions and course expansions, Ridley acknowledged that even their famous venue faces challenges from the longest hitters.

He described a conversation with Jackson Herrington, a 19-year-old University of Tennessee sophomore nicknamed “Fridge,” who stands 6 feet tall. During practice, Herrington successfully drove over bunkers on the first and fifth holes, shots requiring approximately 325-yard carries, with one accomplished against the wind.

“I’ve said that we can make changes, but there’s not much we can do to make changes, No. 1, unless we tear down the Eisenhower Cabin, and we’re not going to do that,” Ridley said, referring to the historic structure built for President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953, located near the tenth tee behind the first hole.

“We’ll make changes when we can, but I think it’s time to really address this issue. It’s been talked about for a long time,” he added.

The initial proposal targeted only professional players starting in 2028, with recreational golfers affected beginning in 2030. However, the revised plan announced last month allows golf balls meeting current standards by October 6, 2027, to remain approved through 2029. New balls could be tested under updated standards starting this October 7.

The USGA reported that feedback highlighted concerns about implementing changes in phases, suggesting a single effective date would eliminate complications.

“My feeling on this subject is failure’s not an option. I think we need to continue to work together to come to some agreement,” Ridley emphasized. “Tough issues like this require compromise, and I think there has been some compromise to date.”

“It’s not the good old days, that’s not what we’re trying to do. What we’re trying to do is to protect the integrity of what makes golf so great. And that’s that it is more than about just hitting prodigious drives,” he concluded.

Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles has been sidelined with a right pectoral strain, prompting the team to place him on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday.

To fill the roster vacancy, the Mariners promoted utility player Connor Joe from their Triple-A Tacoma affiliate. The team also moved pitcher Carlos Vargas from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list in related roster moves.

The 28-year-old Robles has struggled early this season, recording a .231 batting average with three hits in 13 at-bats, along with one RBI and one stolen base across five games. His injury designation dates back to Tuesday. Robles previously dealt with injury issues last season when a dislocated shoulder kept him out for most of the year.

Joe, age 33, joined Seattle as a free agent signing in February. The veteran has posted a .235 batting average at Tacoma this season, collecting eight hits in 34 at-bats with one home run and four RBIs through nine games.

Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Vargas has been dealing with a right lat strain since being placed on the injured list on March 27. Last season, the reliever appeared in 70 games for Seattle, compiling a 5-5 record with a 3.97 ERA.

The Washington Capitals’ legendary captain Alex Ovechkin, who holds the NHL record for most career goals, plans to determine whether he’ll keep playing hockey once this season concludes.

The 40-year-old veteran is currently in his 21st NHL campaign and the last year of his five-year deal worth $47.5 million. Ovechkin captured the Stanley Cup in 2018 and has earned the Hart Trophy three times during his illustrious career.

Speaking with Monumental Sports Network, Ovechkin explained his approach to the major decision ahead. “When you love something, you do it with heart,” he stated. “Obviously, I love playing hockey, I love scoring goals. … We’re going to make a decision in the summer. I have to talk to my family, with Ted (owner Ted Leonsis)” along with other franchise executives.

“I’m going to be 41 in September. You just have to be smart about it.”

The veteran’s season may end sooner than hoped, as Washington faces playoff uncertainty. The Capitals hold a record of 39-30-9 for 87 points, trailing Philadelphia by five points for the Metropolitan Division’s third position with just four contests left. They also sit five points behind Ottawa in the race for the Eastern Conference’s final wild-card berth.

Ovechkin made history this season when he eclipsed Wayne Gretzky’s legendary goal-scoring mark, netting his record-breaking 895th career goal against the New York Islanders on April 6, 2025, with Gretzky watching from the stands. Since then, he has extended his total to 928 goals after leading his team with 31 this season.

This year, Ovechkin has accumulated a team-high 61 points, bringing his career point total to 1,684, which places him 10th in NHL history.

Selected first overall by Washington in the 2004 NHL Draft, he has claimed the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal scorer a record nine times throughout his career.

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick brushed off his heated sideline confrontation with forward Jarred Vanderbilt during Tuesday evening’s contest, describing the public dispute as typical team communication amid challenging circumstances for his injury-riddled squad.

The confrontation erupted after Redick pulled Vanderbilt from the game against Oklahoma City merely 16 seconds into the second quarter, leading to an intense verbal exchange between the coach and player that was clearly visible to spectators.

When asked about the incident, Redick attributed the argument to “just a confluence of things,” but refused to elaborate on Vanderbilt’s specific mistakes that prompted his removal.

“Nothing personal with him,” Redick explained. “Normal stuff from my end. I think for all of us, being undermanned, we’ve got to scrap and claw. We’ve got to all be on the same page. We’ve got to be great teammates. We’ve got to all play hard. I called a timeout to get him out of the game, and he reacted.”

Following the timeout, Vanderbilt walked directly toward his coach on the court. As the situation escalated, injured guard Austin Reaves and assistant coach Nate McMillan intervened to defuse the tension between the two.

The heated discussion resumed when both returned to the bench area, where Redick made a dismissive hand gesture toward Vanderbilt that seemed to further agitate the forward.

Vanderbilt remained benched for the remainder of the contest and departed the team’s downtown facility without addressing media members.

During his brief 4½ minutes of action, Vanderbilt converted his lone field goal attempt and recorded two rebounds plus one steal, though he struggled at the charity stripe by missing three straight free throws before the opening quarter concluded. The defensive-minded player has received inconsistent playing time under Redick this season due to offensive limitations that have prevented him from securing a regular rotation spot.

The Lakers entered the matchup severely shorthanded, missing NBA scoring champion Luka Doncic, superstar LeBron James, Reaves, Marcus Smart, and Jaxson Hayes due to various injuries. The depleted roster proved no match for Oklahoma City, which dominated Los Angeles 123-87, handing the Lakers their third straight defeat following a impressive 13-1 stretch.

This loss marked Los Angeles’ first home defeat since February 24, snapping a 10-game home winning streak. With a 50-29 record, the Lakers now trail the surging Denver Nuggets (51-28) by a full game for the Western Conference’s third playoff seed, while holding only a tiebreaker advantage over the Houston Rockets (50-29) for the fourth position.

Before losing both Doncic and Reaves to season-ending injuries during last week’s blowout defeat in Oklahoma City, Los Angeles appeared positioned for a strong playoff push with hopes of securing home-court advantage. While Redick hasn’t completely abandoned those aspirations, he admitted before Tuesday’s game that any seeding improvements “probably went out the window after the (first) OKC game.”

Following his team’s lowest offensive output of the season, which included an inexplicable 17 missed free throws, Redick delivered pointed criticism of his available players.

“We’ve got to find nine guys that are, like, all in on us fighting,” Redick stated. “Whatever you’ve got to do to go out and fight and be all in on the team, we’ll find the nine guys. It’s a great opportunity for us over the next three games to find those guys.”

The frustrated coach revealed he had also removed forward Rui Hachimura earlier in the game because the player “didn’t do his job.”

Redick also expressed concerns about starting center Deandre Ayton’s performance, noting that Ayton has “had trouble catching the ball. We’ve had a bunch of plays for him. He’s just had trouble catching the ball, and I don’t know if that’s the passing or him trying to get position. He just hasn’t been able to catch the ball.”

Women’s professional sports worldwide are on track to break the $3 billion revenue barrier for the first time in 2026, according to a new analysis released Wednesday by consulting firm Deloitte.

The projected milestone represents a 25% jump from the $2.4 billion in earnings recorded last year across women’s elite athletics, with basketball and soccer driving much of the financial success.

The dramatic growth trajectory shows women’s sports revenue climbing 248% between 2022 and 2025, with projections indicating that figure will reach 340% by 2026 compared to 2022 levels.

Television broadcasting rights will account for 25% of the total earnings, while ticket sales and stadium revenue will make up 30% of the income stream, according to the report.

“Surpassing the three-billion-dollar mark in 2026 would be a phenomenal achievement and would cement women’s sport firmly in the spotlight,” said Jennifer Haskel, knowledge and insights lead in the Deloitte Sports Business Group.

However, Haskel cautioned that sustained success will require careful analysis and adaptation. “It is important to recognise that it is still early days… the industry’s enduring success will be built on diligently collecting data, analysing its impact, and making corrections driven by these learnings.”

Soccer and basketball are expected to continue dominating the revenue landscape, with each sport generating approximately 35% of total earnings in 2026.

Geographically, North America will lead the market with $1.64 billion in revenue representing 54% of the global total, while Europe is projected to contribute $434 million or 14% of worldwide earnings, Deloitte’s analysis found.

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin plans to postpone any decision about retirement until his team’s current season concludes, the hockey legend revealed in a recent interview.

The NHL’s all-time goal-scoring champion shared his timeline during a pre-recorded conversation with Capitals radio host John Walton that was broadcast Wednesday.

“We’re going to make a decision in the summer,” Ovechkin stated, explaining he must first consult with his family, team owner Ted Leonsis, hockey operations president Brian MacLellan and general manager Chris Patrick.

Physical condition will play the primary role in his choice, according to Ovechkin: “I’m going to be 41 years old in September, so you just have to be smart about it.”

For months, reporters have continuously questioned whether the veteran will hang up his skates or continue for a 22nd NHL campaign. His current deal with Washington ends on June 30.

The Capitals have only three contests remaining after Wednesday’s matchup in Toronto and face challenging odds to secure a playoff berth.

Exactly one year ago Monday, the Moscow native netted his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s seemingly untouchable milestone.

Since that historic moment, Ovechkin has added 33 additional goals, including 31 during the current campaign, bringing his regular season total to 928. On March 22, he reached 1,000 career NHL goals when including playoff tallies.

His record collection also includes most power play goals at 331, most game-winners with 141, and most shots at 7,091. The 6-foot-3 forward has proven equally dominant physically, ranking third all-time in hits with 3,871.

Washington travels to face longtime rival Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday before hosting them Sunday. The home finale has sold out completely, with ticket prices soaring well beyond normal rates as fans anticipate potentially witnessing their captain’s final appearance at home.

The team concludes the regular season Tuesday in Columbus, possibly marking Ovechkin’s last North American game. Coincidentally, he made his NHL debut against the Blue Jackets in Washington on October 5, 2005.

The Russian superstar could choose to extend his career by one season in the KHL, where he began professionally in what was then the Russian Superleague. He competed there from 2001-2005 and returned to Dynamo Moscow during the 2012-13 NHL work stoppage.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have committed to their future by securing teenage sensation Konnor Griffin with a record-breaking contract worth $140 million over nine years, announced early Wednesday morning.

Griffin, just 19 years old, inked the historic deal less than a week following his major league debut, making it the most expensive contract the Pirates have ever offered. The agreement features performance incentives that could boost the total value to $150 million.

“Signing Konnor is a meaningful commitment to this team, this city and our fans,” stated team owner Bob Nutting. “It reflects our belief in Konnor, in this season’s club and in the future of the organization.”

The massive commitment materialized just one day after general manager Ben Cherington indicated that all the necessary “ingredients” were present for a long-term agreement.

Pittsburgh drafted Griffin as the ninth selection in the 2024 amateur draft, and he quickly advanced through their minor league system with impressive numbers: a .333 batting average accompanied by 21 home runs, 94 runs batted in, and 65 stolen bases. Despite being among the final players cut from spring training roster last month, his time at Triple-A Indianapolis was short-lived.

The Pirates promoted Griffin to the major leagues after only one week in Triple-A, and he has delivered strong performances in his initial big league appearances. In his very first major league at-bat against Baltimore last Friday, Griffin connected for an RBI double, and continued his success with two hits, including a two-run single, during Tuesday’s 7-1 victory over San Diego that contributed to the Pirates winning six of their last seven contests.

Griffin, who has consistently expressed his desire to remain with Pittsburgh long-term, has earned praise from teammates for both his maturity and exceptional abilities.

Paul Skenes, last year’s National League Cy Young Award winner, described Griffin as “a big leaguer through and through.” However, Griffin remains focused on staying grounded despite the significant attention surrounding his arrival to a franchise working to regain competitiveness and break a playoff absence stretching more than ten years.

“Just sticking to being myself, not trying to do too much,” Griffin explained Tuesday evening. “Just let the game tell me the situation. Compete one pitch at a time and let it all happen.”

Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev experienced one of the most devastating defeats of his professional career Wednesday, falling to Italian wildcard Matteo Berrettini in a crushing 6-0, 6-0 result at the Monte Carlo Masters that left the world No. 10 so frustrated he destroyed his racket on court.

The shocking defeat lasted just 49 minutes and marked the first time in Medvedev’s career that he failed to win a single game in a professional match. The 30-year-old Russian, who captured championships in Dubai and Brisbane earlier this year, couldn’t manage to earn even one game point while serving and made 27 unforced errors throughout the contest.

In a display of visible anger, Medvedev repeatedly struck his racket against the court before tossing the broken pieces into a nearby trash bin.

For Berrettini, the victory represented a career milestone as his first perfect 6-0, 6-0 triumph at the professional level and his initial win against a top-10 ranked player since he defeated Alexander Zverev at Monte Carlo the previous season.

“I think it was one of the best performances of my life,” Berrettini said.

“I think I missed three shots in the entire match and it is not easy against a tricky player like Daniil. I think the game plan was perfect and my weapons were working.”

Medvedev’s emotional reaction has reignited conversations about how professional tennis players handle frustration during competition. Recently, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka expressed support for creating “rage rooms” where athletes could release their anger away from television cameras, following Coco Gauff’s racket-breaking incident at the Australian Open, where the American player was unaware her outburst was being televised globally.

The Colorado Avalanche claimed the Western Conference’s top seed Tuesday night, defeating the St. Louis Blues 3-1 on the road behind a two-goal performance from Valeri Nichushkin.

Goaltender Scott Wedgewood turned away 18 shots while Martin Necas contributed a goal to push the Avalanche within reach of capturing their fourth Presidents’ Trophy in team history.

St. Louis managed just one goal from Robert Thomas, with Joel Hofer recording 34 saves in the losing effort that further damaged the Blues’ already slim postseason hopes.

Colorado’s conference-clinching win may have come at a cost, as Nazem Kadri exited the game early after blocking a shot with his hand.

Hurricanes 6, Bruins 5 (OT)

Carolina captured the Metropolitan Division title when Jaccob Slavin found the net 1:13 into overtime against Boston. The Hurricanes secured the division crown in their final home game of the regular season.

Logan Stankoven, William Carrier and Taylor Hall all scored within a 3½-minute span during the second period, joining earlier goals from Andrei Svechnikov and K’Andre Miller. Jackson Blake and Sean Walker each contributed two assists while Brandon Bussi made 16 saves.

Morgan Geekie recorded a hat trick for Boston, and Pavel Zacha added a goal and assist. Zacha’s tally with 7:27 remaining in regulation forced overtime, but the Bruins couldn’t convert a late power play opportunity.

Golden Knights 2, Canucks 1

Cole Smith delivered the deciding goal as Vegas defeated Vancouver to move into a first-place tie with Edmonton in the Pacific Division, though the Oilers maintain the tiebreaker advantage.

The Golden Knights improved to 4-0-0 under coach John Tortorella. Brayden McNabb also scored for Vegas, which completed a season series sweep of Vancouver and improved to 11-1-2 all-time at Rogers Arena.

Max Sasson scored for the Canucks, who have dropped three consecutive games and gone 1-9-0 over their last 10 contests. Nikita Tolopilo stopped 26 shots for Vancouver, which fell to 8-27-5 at home this season.

Senators 6, Lightning 2

Jake Sanderson scored twice and Brady Tkachuk registered four assists as Ottawa strengthened its playoff position with a decisive win over Tampa Bay.

Tim Stutzle added a goal and two assists for the Senators, who have won back-to-back games to maintain their hold on the second Eastern Conference wild-card position. Jordan Spence, Shane Pinto and Fabian Zetterlund each contributed goals, while Linus Ullmark made 28 saves.

Nick Paul and Corey Perry each tallied a goal and assist for Tampa Bay, with Jonas Johansson stopping 26 shots. The Lightning suffered consecutive losses for the first time since March 8-10 and now share first place in the Atlantic Division with Buffalo and Montreal.

Stars 4, Flames 3 (OT)

Wyatt Johnston scored his second goal of the game on a power play in overtime, completing Dallas’s comeback victory over Calgary after trailing by two goals in the third period.

Jason Robertson recorded a goal and assist while Justin Hryckowian added a single tally for the Stars, who maintained second place in the Central Division. Jake Oettinger made 17 saves in the comeback win.

Joel Farabee, Yegor Sharangovich and Zayne Parekh scored for Calgary. Adam Klapka collected two assists and Devin Cooley stopped 21 shots.

Blue Jackets 4, Red Wings 3 (SO)

Zach Werenski scored in regulation and delivered the decisive shootout goal as Columbus ended a six-game losing streak with a victory over Detroit in a crucial wild-card battle.

Adam Fantilli tied the game with 17 seconds left in regulation to force overtime, and Columbus won the shootout 3-2. Danton Heinen also scored while goalie Jet Greaves made 34 saves and added an assist.

Justin Faulk scored twice and Dylan Larkin added another goal for Detroit. John Gibson made 32 saves in the loss.

Mammoth 6, Oilers 5 (OT)

Clayton Keller scored on an overtime power play as Utah rallied to defeat Edmonton, extending their winning streak to four games.

Nick Schmaltz scored twice while Alexander Kerfoot and Keller each recorded a goal and assist. Sean Durzi, Michael Carcone and Dylan Guenther each contributed two assists, and Karel Vejmelka made 21 saves.

Connor McDavid had a goal and assist for Edmonton, with Tristan Jarry stopping 25 shots. The Oilers have lost two straight games.

Predators 5, Ducks 0

Justus Annunen recorded his first shutout of the season with 43 saves as Nashville blanked Anaheim to claim the second Western Conference wild-card spot.

Erik Haula contributed a goal and assist for the Predators, joining scorers Filip Forsberg, Brady Skjei, Zachary L’Heureux and Fedor Svechkov. Ryan O’Reilly and Joakim Kemell each added two assists.

Lukas Dostal made 20 saves for Anaheim, which has lost six straight games, five in regulation.

Canadiens 4, Panthers 3 (SO)

Cole Caufield and Alexandre Texier scored in the shootout to complete Montreal’s comeback victory over Florida.

Ivan Demidov, Phillip Danault and Nick Suzuki scored in regulation for the Canadiens, who have won nine of their last 10 games. Juraj Slafkovsky recorded two assists and Jakub Dobes stopped 30 shots.

Carter Verhaeghe, Cole Reinhart and Eetu Luostarinen scored for Florida, which has lost six of eight games. Danill Tarasov made 29 saves.

Flyers 5, Devils 1

Trevor Zegras and Tyson Foerster each scored twice as Philadelphia strengthened its playoff position with a convincing road victory in Newark.

Nick Seeler also scored, Zegras added an assist, and Matvei Michkov assisted on both Foerster goals. Dan Vladar stopped 23 shots for the Flyers, who have won three consecutive games.

Cody Glass scored and Jacob Markstrom made 14 saves for New Jersey, which was eliminated from playoff contention with the regulation loss combined with Ottawa’s victory.

Wild 5, Kraken 2

Joel Eriksson Ek scored and added two assists while Matt Boldy and Marcus Johansson each recorded a goal and assist as Minnesota won its fourth straight game, defeating Seattle at home.

Marcus Foligno and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored for the Wild, who trail second-place Dallas by two points in the Central Division. Jesper Wallstedt made 25 saves to win his third consecutive start.

Brandon Montour and Adam Larsson both scored for Seattle, which has lost six straight games and faces elimination from playoff contention.

Stephen Curry delivered when it mattered most, scoring 17 points including a crucial late three-pointer and creating the winning play as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Sacramento Kings 110-105 Tuesday night at home in San Francisco.

De’Anthony Melton topped all scorers with 21 points while Brandin Podziemski added 20 for Golden State (37-42), which broke a four-game skid while resting Kristaps Porzingis on the opening night of a demanding four-games-in-six-days stretch.

Sacramento (21-59) received a team-leading 18 points from bench player Killian Hayes in a well-distributed scoring effort, but fell for the second consecutive game.

The Kings mounted a dramatic comeback with a 13-0 scoring surge spanning the third and fourth periods, wiping out what had been a 16-point Golden State advantage and creating a nail-biting conclusion.

Doug McDermott’s three-pointer snapped a 101-101 deadlock and put Sacramento ahead with 2:53 remaining, but Curry answered right back with his fourth long-range shot of the evening.

When Curry’s next three-point attempt from the right corner rimmed out with 1:58 left, he grabbed his own rebound and made the decisive play. Instead of taking a mid-range shot, he found Podziemski open beyond the arc, and the second-year guard knocked down his fourth three-pointer to put the Warriors ahead for good.

Free throws from Seth Curry and Melton sealed the victory for Golden State.

In the first of two matchups this week between the Northern California neighbors, the Warriors closed the opening half with a 28-16 surge to take a 66-53 lead into the locker room.

While Melton sparked the run with a pair of three-pointers, Curry provided the fireworks by converting two four-point plays after being fouled on long-distance shots of 26 and 24 feet.

Playing just his second game following a 27-game absence due to a sore right knee, the Golden State superstar contributed 14 points in the first half alone.

Charles Bassey recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Warriors, while Pat Spencer also scored 14 points and Gary Payton II contributed 12. Draymond Green led all players with seven assists.

Sacramento had six players reach double figures, led by Maxime Raynaud’s 17 points, followed by McDermott (16), Precious Achiuwa (13), Nique Clifford (12) and Daeqwon Plowden (11). Dylan Cardwell grabbed a team-high nine rebounds while Devin Carter dished out five assists to pace the Kings.

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on a clinic Tuesday night, dropping 25 points in just 28 minutes of action as his team crushed the Los Angeles Lakers 123-87 in a lopsided affair at Crypto.com Arena.

The victory marked Oklahoma City’s sixth straight win and their 18th triumph in 19 contests, improving their record to 63-16. With the dominant performance, the Thunder moved to within one victory or a single San Antonio Spurs defeat of securing the Western Conference’s top seed for a third straight year.

Los Angeles entered the contest severely undermanned, missing stars LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and Luka Doncic from their lineup. Despite the absences, the Lakers (50-29) managed to stay competitive through the opening quarter and into the second period.

The competitive start stood in stark contrast to Thursday’s embarrassing 43-point defeat the Lakers suffered in Oklahoma City, when their full roster was available and they fell behind by 23 points after just one quarter.

Tuesday’s contest saw Los Angeles fight back from an early seven-point hole to even the score in the second quarter’s opening minutes.

But Oklahoma City seized control permanently with a devastating 23-5 scoring surge over the final 7 minutes and 16 seconds of the first half.

The Lakers managed just 33.3% shooting from the field during that crucial second quarter collapse.

Gilgeous-Alexander established his dominance early, connecting on 4 of 5 shot attempts while tallying 11 points and distributing five assists in the first quarter alone.

By the third quarter’s early stages, the game’s outcome was essentially decided, leaving only the question of whether Gilgeous-Alexander would maintain his NBA record streak of consecutive games with at least 20 points.

He moved within one point of that milestone with a three-pointer nearly seven minutes into the third quarter, extending Oklahoma City’s advantage to 27 points.

Approximately two minutes later, Gilgeous-Alexander capped his evening with a flourish, scoring on three consecutive Thunder possessions before calling it a night.

The star guard exited the contest with over a minute left in the third quarter, marking the 25th occasion this season he’s been able to rest during the entire fourth quarter.

Gilgeous-Alexander concluded his efficient evening shooting 10 of 15 from the floor while adding eight assists and two steals.

Supporting cast members stepped up for Oklahoma City, with Chet Holmgren contributing 15 points and 10 rebounds. Bench contributors Isaiah Joe and Jared McCain chipped in 18 and 15 points respectively.

Joe proved particularly effective from long range, connecting on 6 of 9 three-point attempts. Over his last three games, he’s shot an impressive 14 of 21 from beyond the arc.

The defeat dropped Los Angeles one game behind the Denver Nuggets for the Western Conference’s third seed, extending their losing streak to three games.

Rui Hachimura paced the Lakers’ scoring with 15 points on efficient 7-of-10 shooting. No other Los Angeles player managed more than 11 points in the lopsided loss.

The Atlanta Braves secured a 7-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday night in Anaheim, but the game will be remembered more for a dramatic bench-clearing brawl that erupted in the fifth inning than the final score.

Ozzie Albies launched a home run and Eli White contributed a double plus two RBIs, including the decisive run on a sacrifice fly, to power Atlanta’s offensive attack. Matt Olson added a double and crossed home plate twice, while Austin Riley and Mauricio Dubon each collected two hits and scored once. Drake Baldwin chipped in with two hits and one RBI for the Braves.

The fireworks began in the fifth inning when tensions boiled over between Jorge Soler and Atlanta pitcher Reynaldo Lopez. Soler, who had blasted a two-run homer in the opening frame and been hit by a pitch on his left hand in the third, became incensed after Lopez threw a high and inside fastball that deflected off catcher Jonah Heim’s glove and rolled to the backstop, allowing Nolan Schanuel to move to second base.

After glaring at Lopez for several moments, Soler charged toward the pitcher’s mound. The two players confronted each other and began exchanging punches, though none appeared to connect cleanly, as both dugouts emptied onto the field. Braves manager Walt Weiss eventually tackled Soler near the first base line to help end the melee.

Tyler Kinley (1-0) earned the victory in relief after Lopez was ejected following the altercation, recording two outs after taking over. Raisel Iglesias closed out the contest by striking out three batters over the final five outs to secure his second save of the season.

Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi (0-2) absorbed the loss, surrendering four runs on six hits across five innings while walking one and striking out eight. Lopez allowed two unearned runs while fanning seven in 4 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and two walks before his early exit.

The victory snapped Atlanta’s three-game skid while ending Los Angeles’ three-game winning streak.

The Angels struck first in the opening inning when Mike Trout reached base on a throwing error by Riley at third base and came home one out later on Soler’s line drive home run down the left field line. The blast marked Soler’s fifth homer in 23 career at-bats against Lopez.

Atlanta responded in the second inning, cutting the gap to 2-1 when Olson opened with a double and came around to score on White’s two-out double into the left field corner.

The Braves seized control with a three-run fourth inning to grab a 4-2 advantage. Olson drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Riley’s single. Riley then moved to third on Dubon’s double before White brought him home with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2. Heim followed with an RBI single to plate Dubon.

Albies padded the lead to 5-2 when he opened the eighth with his third home run of the season, a 379-foot blast to right field off reliever Shaun Anderson. Atlanta put the game away with two additional runs in the ninth, capped by Baldwin’s RBI single.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivered a masterful performance on Tuesday night, taking a no-hit bid deep into the game while leading his team to a commanding 7-1 victory over the San Diego Padres at home.

Skenes (2-1) maintained his no-hitter through five complete innings before Fernando Tatis Jr. broke it up with a single in the sixth. The talented right-hander worked 6 1/3 innings on 87 pitches, surrendering just two hits and one run – a home run by Xander Bogaerts in the seventh inning. He recorded six strikeouts while issuing two walks and hitting one batter.

The Pirates offense provided crucial support with timely two-run hits from both Oneil Cruz and Nick Gonzales. Rookie Konnor Griffin, Ryan O’Hearn, and Henry Davis each collected two hits in the victory. Pittsburgh sealed the win with a five-run explosion in the eighth inning against Adrian Morejon, marking their sixth victory in seven games.

San Diego managed only three hits total, with Miguel Andujar joining Tatis Jr. and Bogaerts as the lone Padres to reach base safely. The offensive struggle was a stark contrast to their previous two games where they had scored 13 runs combined. Nick Pivetta (1-2) took the loss after allowing two runs across five innings.

In other MLB action, the Boston Red Sox edged Milwaukee 3-2 behind Trevor Story’s bases-loaded double and strong pitching from Garrett Crochet. The Cleveland Guardians walked off against Kansas City 2-1 on Brayan Rocchio’s ninth-inning RBI single.

Baltimore rallied past Chicago 4-2 as Gunnar Henderson broke a tie with an eighth-inning two-run homer. The New York Mets defeated Arizona 4-3 in 10 innings on Ronny Mauricio’s game-winning single in his first plate appearance.

Cincinnati overcame Miami 6-3 in extra innings after being held scoreless by Sandy Alcantara until the ninth. St. Louis beat Washington 7-6 in 10 innings on run-scoring doubles by Thomas Saggese and JJ Wetherholt.

Texas topped Seattle 3-2 behind Nathan Eovaldi’s quality start in his 300th career appearance. Chicago dominated Tampa Bay 9-2 with Javier Assad throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings.

The New York Yankees defeated Oakland 5-3 on Amed Rosario’s two home runs, including a three-run blast in the eighth. Colorado beat Houston 5-1 as Kyle Freeland became the first Rockies starter to pitch into the seventh this season.

Los Angeles Dodgers won 4-1 over Toronto with Yoshinobu Yamamoto earning the victory. Minnesota held off Detroit 4-2 behind Ryan Jeffers’ two-RBI double.

Atlanta defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7-2 in a game that featured a benches-clearing brawl in the fifth inning. San Francisco shut out Philadelphia 6-0 as rookie Daniel Susac went 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

ST. LOUIS — Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar isn’t getting ahead of himself despite his team’s latest achievement.

Following Tuesday evening’s 3-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues that secured both the Central Division title and the Western Conference’s number one playoff seed, Bednar was already looking toward the team’s ultimate championship aspirations.

“We’re not all the way there yet,” Bednar said. “You know, like the goal for us started with winning the division, the conference, we still need another win to get first overall. Like, we’d be crazy not to chase that at this point, right? It’s important, if you get to where you want to go, you might as well try and get your home ice, especially after a season like this.”

This marks Colorado’s third conference-leading finish in the past five years, though their first since the 2023 season. While that 2023 campaign ended in a disappointing first-round playoff exit, the Avalanche captured their third Stanley Cup championship in 2022 after also finishing atop the Western Conference.

Despite posting an impressive 51-16-10 record for 112 points, Colorado has actually performed better away from home this season, going 27-7-5 on the road versus 24-9-5 at Ball Arena. However, goaltender Scott Wedgewood emphasized the importance of playoff home-ice advantage.

“Just atmosphere, altitude … you’re in your own bed the night before,” Wedgewood said. “You know, you still got to perform. It doesn’t mean you win because you’re at home, but like I said in between rounds, you’re able to knock a team out in five or six, you’re home for that many more days.”

Colorado stands one victory away from claiming the President’s Trophy, which goes to the league’s best regular-season team and guarantees home-ice advantage throughout the entire playoff tournament.

“Then obviously the fans, you get them going with a couple of hits, playoff hockey’s intense, and it’ll pay in your favor,” Wedgewood said.

With five regular-season games remaining, Bednar wants to see more consistent play from his squad, acknowledging recent inconsistencies in their performance.

“We’ve proven that we can do it when we want to set our minds to it, which is really important,” Bednar said. “I don’t have to see it for 60 minutes for every game the rest of the way, but we need to see it enough to secure our goal and making sure everyone’s confident in the way we play.”

ANAHEIM, Calif. — A baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels erupted into violence Tuesday evening when pitcher Reynaldo Lopez and designated hitter Jorge Soler exchanged blows on the field, leading to both players being thrown out of the game.

The confrontation began during the fifth inning when Lopez delivered a high inside pitch that deflected off catcher Jonah Heim’s mitt, causing Soler to rush toward the pitcher’s mound in anger.

Initially, Lopez raised his hands defensively as the two players stared each other down, but the situation quickly escalated into a fistfight. Players from both dugouts rushed onto the field in an attempt to break up the altercation, with Atlanta manager Walt Weiss among those who brought down Soler during the melee.

During the scuffle, Lopez managed to strike Soler’s batting helmet while still gripping the baseball in his hand.

The tension had been building throughout the game, as Soler had previously connected for a home run against Lopez during his first plate appearance, then took a hit-by-pitch during his second trip to the batter’s box. Atlanta held a 4-2 advantage when the fight erupted.

Lopez’s night ended after throwing 4 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits while recording seven strikeouts. Soler’s performance included the home run and two runs batted in before his ejection.

The Angels had taken the series opener with a 6-2 victory on Monday in the first game of their three-game matchup.

BOSTON — For Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum, Thursday’s game against the New York Knicks represents more than just another matchup on the schedule. It marks his emotional return to Madison Square Garden, where his season came to a devastating end nearly a year ago.

When asked about his feelings regarding the upcoming trip to New York, Tatum was candid about his reluctance following Boston’s victory over Charlotte on Tuesday.

“Nah, not really,” Tatum responded. “I mean, yeah, I thought about it. Not, like, thrilled to go back and play there. Last time I played there, obviously, it was a traumatic experience for me.”

That traumatic moment occurred during Game 4 of last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals when Tatum suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon and had to be helped off the court. The injury not only ended the All-Star forward’s playoff run but also required surgery the following day and launched him into an extensive rehabilitation period lasting nearly 10 months.

Tatum successfully returned to action on March 6 and has shown impressive form over his 15 games back, posting averages exceeding 20 points and 10 rebounds as the playoffs approach. Despite his strong performance, the prospect of stepping back onto the court where his injury occurred still weighs on his mind.

“Obviously, at some point I knew I would have to get over that hurdle and play there again. So, it’s going to have to be this Thursday,” Tatum explained.

His teammate Jaylen Brown expressed confidence in Tatum’s mental state heading into the challenging return.

“I think he’s trending in the right direction,” Brown commented. “Mentally, it could possibly be something. But that’s what the teammates are there for. We got his back.”

Head coach Joe Mazzulla praised Tatum’s comprehensive recovery process, highlighting both the physical and mental aspects of his comeback journey.

“I think the entire process leading up from Day 1 with the surgery put him in position to be able to do that,” Mazzulla stated. “Just how he approached the entire journey and the people he had around him kind of put him in position. I think where he’s at now, it all goes together. How do you approach that day? How do you approach recovery? How he’s approached every step of the way that he’s taken. He did it with a lot of hard work and diligence. … That kind of set him up to be where he is now.”

For Tatum, Thursday’s game represents what may be the most significant psychological milestone in his recovery — confronting the location where his basketball career faced its biggest setback.

“It’s part of it,” Tatum acknowledged. “I decided to come back and play and I’m not necessarily, like, skipping certain games. I mean, I can’t play back-to-backs right now. But, I decided to come back and play, so it’s another game on the schedule.”

A heated confrontation during Tuesday night’s baseball game in Anaheim led to the ejection of two players after a bench-clearing brawl erupted in the fifth inning between the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves.

Angels designated hitter Jorge Soler and Braves starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez were both thrown out of the game following the on-field altercation.

The incident unfolded after Soler, who had already homered earlier in the game and been hit by a pitch in the third inning, took offense to a high inside fastball. The pitch deflected off catcher Jonah Heim’s glove and rolled to the backstop, allowing baserunner Nolan Schanuel to move up to second base.

After glaring at Lopez for several moments, Soler charged toward the pitcher’s mound. The two players then engaged in a brief scuffle, exchanging punches that didn’t appear to connect cleanly as teammates from both dugouts rushed onto the field. Lopez defended himself using his glove while swinging with his pitching hand, which was still gripping the baseball.

Braves manager Walt Weiss helped end the melee by tackling Soler near the first base line.

Only the two primary participants in the fight were removed from the contest.

Lopez had been working deep into his start, having thrown 80 pitches across 4 2/3 innings while recording seven strikeouts and giving up two runs on three hits and two walks.

Soler, who earned World Series MVP honors with the Braves in 2021, has since played for three different organizations, including a return to Atlanta this season.

Following the ejections, Tyler Kinley came in to pitch for Lopez and successfully stranded a runner at third base, while Jeimer Candelario entered the game as Soler’s replacement in the Angels’ batting order.

LOS ANGELES — Lakers head coach JJ Redick expressed his desire to put a medical controversy behind him following the Dallas Mavericks’ denial of his allegations regarding improper MRI procedures on player Austin Reaves during a recent road trip.

Reaves will miss the remainder of the regular season due to an oblique muscle strain suffered in the Lakers’ decisive defeat against Oklahoma City last Thursday. Following standard NBA protocol, the Mavericks’ medical personnel provided examination services to the visiting Lakers when they arrived in Dallas for their subsequent matchup.

During Saturday’s practice session in Dallas, Redick accused the Mavericks’ medical staff of imaging “the wrong area” and requiring duplicate MRI procedures to properly diagnose Reaves’ Grade 2 left oblique strain.

On Tuesday, the Mavericks released a statement to DLLS Sports refuting these claims, stating their “medical team followed standard imaging protocols based on the information provided at the time. There was no error in the scan performed.”

When questioned about his previous assertions before Tuesday’s home game against the Thunder, Redick offered a concise response.

“Look, I think in the end, we got the image we needed,” Redick stated. “Obviously very appreciative, because it’s happened throughout the season, whenever the home team is accommodating to us, just like we would be for them. And we’re going to move on.”

The Lakers also suffered another significant injury during the Oklahoma City game, losing top NBA scorer Luka Doncic for the remainder of the regular season due to a Grade 2 left hamstring strain.

One of college basketball’s most prolific scorers is switching schools once again, as Kansas State’s PJ Haggerty has decided to enter the transfer portal, according to reports released Tuesday.

The junior guard finished this past season as the country’s fourth-highest scorer with an average of 23.4 points per game. Only three players posted better scoring numbers: BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa at 25.5 points, East Carolina’s Jordan Riley with 23.6 points, and Arkansas’ Darius Acuff Jr. averaging 23.5 points per game.

Beyond his scoring prowess, Haggerty contributed 3.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game for the Wildcats this season.

Despite Haggerty’s individual success, Kansas State endured a difficult campaign.

The Wildcats posted a disappointing 12-20 record under former head coach Jerome Tang, who was dismissed, and later interim coach Matthew Driscoll. The team managed just a 3-15 conference record in Big 12 play.

Following the hiring of new head coach Casey Alexander from Belmont on March 13, the program faces an immediate roster overhaul. Haggerty joins four other players who have entered the transfer portal: Abdi Bashir, David Castillo, Stephen Osei, and Exavier Wilson.

This marks Haggerty’s fourth school change in as many years. The versatile guard has maintained over 20 points per game across three consecutive seasons while playing for Tulsa, Memphis, and Kansas State. His collegiate career began in 2022-23 at TCU, though he played in only six contests, which preserves his eligibility through the 2026-27 season.

The Dallas Mavericks are disputing allegations from Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick that their medical personnel conducted an MRI scan on an incorrect area of Austin Reaves’ body, which supposedly resulted in requiring a second scan and delaying the proper diagnosis of his oblique injury.

Reaves, who ranks as the Lakers’ second-highest scorer with an average of 23.3 points per game, underwent the MRI examination with Dallas medical staff during the weekend following his Grade 2 left oblique strain suffered during Los Angeles’ loss to Oklahoma City on April 2.

“Our medical team followed standard imaging protocols based on the information provided at the time,” the Mavericks stated in an official response distributed to various media outlets. “There was no error in the scan performed.”

Los Angeles announced Saturday that Reaves would be absent for at least the remaining regular season games. According to ESPN reports, he faces a four-to-six week recovery period.

“I don’t know where the chain of command lies with Dallas imaging, but they scanned the wrong area,” Redick stated following team practice in Dallas on Saturday. “So (the mistake was) not on our end. We made it explicit what was supposed to be scanned, but they scanned the wrong area.”

The Lakers (50-28) are simultaneously dealing with the absence of top league scorer Luka Doncic (33.5 ppg) for the regular season’s conclusion due to a Grade 2 hamstring injury, while third-leading scorer and 22-time All-Star LeBron James (20.8 ppg) was ruled out for Tuesday’s matchup against Oklahoma City due to ongoing management of his persistent left foot problem.

Chicago Bulls leadership wants to retain head coach Billy Donovan, but the final decision rests in Donovan’s hands about his future with the organization.

During a media video conference on Tuesday, Bulls CEO and president Michael Reinsdorf stated that any incoming front office personnel must be fully committed to working with Donovan as head coach.

“If I interview someone and they’re not sold on Billy, they’re not sold on a Hall of Fame coach,” Reinsdorf said, “they’re not sold on a person who’s won championships in college, who’s gone deep in the playoffs with Oklahoma City. … If Billy wants to be our coach and someone’s not interested in that, then they’re probably not the right candidate for us.”

The critical word is “if.” According to Reinsdorf, Donovan has a scheduled meeting with team ownership on Monday to discuss his future, which comes the day following the team’s final game of the season against Dallas.

Donovan, who captured two NCAA titles while coaching Florida (2006, 2007), had been connected to the North Carolina opening, though former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone was officially named to that position on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Bulls dismissed executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley. Reinsdorf indicated he wants Donovan to have increased input in roster construction.

“We’d be crazy not to want Billy’s input in player acquisition from players around the league,” Reinsdorf said. “He’s an NBA coach, he coaches against these guys. Some of these guys he’s already coached. Billy will be involved and will be encouraged … I’ll probably push Billy to be more involved.”

Reinsdorf even considered the possibility of Donovan transitioning to a front office role, though he clarified that Donovan hasn’t suggested this option.

“If he came to me and said, ‘Hey, I may want to do a Brad Stevens situation,’ I would sit down and listen to Billy,” Reinsdorf said, referring to the former Boston Celtics coach who became their president of basketball operations. “I don’t think that’s where his head’s at. I don’t think Billy cares about titles. Billy cares about being a head coach, and he cares about the players and cares about the organization.”

Donovan, who will turn 61 in May, has led the Bulls since the 2020-21 season but has only reached the playoffs once. The team has fallen to Miami in the play-in tournament in each of the last three seasons.

Chicago was already eliminated from playoff consideration and entered Tuesday’s matchup against Washington with a 29-49 record while riding a seven-game losing streak. Speaking to reporters before the game, Donovan expressed gratitude for Reinsdorf’s confidence in him.

“I’ve always believed this: The room is smarter than any individual and there are a lot of smart people in that room,” Donovan said. “I think if we can put our heads together and figure out how do we get to that? I don’t have all the answers to those things. I just know the last four years, we have not won at a high level. I want to win at a high level. I want to be a part of that. I think the organization deserves that, I think everyone in the organization wants that, and then everybody has got to put their heads together and figure out, ‘How do we go about doing that?’”

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers strongly suggested Tuesday that he may walk away from coaching when this disappointing season concludes, citing his desire to spend more time with his grandchildren.

The 64-year-old Rivers, who holds the NBA’s sixth-best coaching record of all time and leads all active coaches in victories, gave a telling response when reporters asked about his future before Tuesday’s game in Brooklyn.

“I won’t answer that, but I have grandkids that I want to see,” Rivers told the media. “I’ll put it that way. I’ll let you figure it out from there.”

Rivers will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame this summer. Only five coaches in NBA history have more wins than Rivers, who captured an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008. Those ahead of him include Gregg Popovich, Don Nelson, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan and Pat Riley.

The Bucks entered this season expecting to compete for a title, centered around perennial All-Star and former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and strengthened by signing Myles Turner during the offseason. However, injuries derailed Milwaukee’s campaign from early on. After opening 8-5, the team dropped seven straight games to fall below .500 and never recovered.

Milwaukee hasn’t ranked among the Eastern Conference’s top eight teams since mid-November and actually received trade inquiries for Antetokounmpo in February before deciding to retain him for now. Currently, the organization finds itself in a public dispute with their superstar, who wants to continue playing despite being eliminated from playoff contention while the team keeps him sidelined due to injury concerns.

This season marks Antetokounmpo’s lowest game total in his 13-year career with just 36 appearances. Rivers has grown frustrated with the endless speculation surrounding Antetokounmpo’s relationship with Milwaukee, expressing his annoyance last week about being caught in the middle of situations beyond his control.

“The tough part about all this is I’m in the middle when I have nothing to do with it,” Rivers explained Friday. “Coaches don’t decide any of this. But, the problem with our league is the coaches are the ones sitting out front and we have to sit here and answer this stuff. And I think there are two sides to this. I will tell you that.”

Both Antetokounmpo’s and Rivers’ futures with Milwaukee will likely dominate offseason discussions.

Rivers appeared contemplative last week during his Hall of Fame announcement ceremony.

“Without the players that I’ve coached, without the coaches that I’ve coached with, I wouldn’t be here,” Rivers stated upon learning of his Hall selection. “None of us live in isolation. We all live and breathe with other people, and other people help us get to places we are.”

Rivers took over the Bucks partway through the 2023-24 season. He maintains various interests beyond coaching and would likely attract broadcasting opportunities if he chooses to leave the sidelines, having previously worked in television. He emphasized how difficult it is to miss important moments with his young grandchildren.

“I have seven grandkids now and they’re all 8 years and under,” Rivers shared. “And it kills me every time I miss grandparents’ day with each one of them in school. And it’s probably time to go see them more. So, I’ll let you figure out the rest.”

San Antonio Spurs sensation Victor Wembanyama dodged a major injury scare and should be back on the court within days, according to ESPN sources, though he remains questionable for Thursday night’s matchup with Portland at home.

The rising star suffered a bruised left rib during Monday’s contest after a collision with Philadelphia’s Paul George in the second quarter. Though Wembanyama briefly returned to action, he was clearly struggling with discomfort and sat out the entire second half.

Medical examinations conducted Tuesday confirmed the injury wasn’t severe, with Wembanyama now considered day-to-day, ESPN reported. The timing is crucial for the young center, who must log at least 20 minutes in one of San Antonio’s remaining three contests to qualify for postseason honors under the league’s 65-game minimum.

The 22-year-old phenom finds himself in serious MVP discussions while also being the frontrunner for his first Defensive Player of the Year trophy in his third NBA campaign. He previously finished runner-up for DPOY honors during his rookie year in 2023-24.

This season, Wembanyama has posted career-best numbers with 24.8 points and 11.5 rebounds nightly. He paces the entire NBA in blocked shots at 3.1 per contest – more than a full block ahead of his nearest competitor – while ranking fourth league-wide in rebounds.

Syracuse University basketball standout Donnie Freeman revealed on Tuesday that he will be transferring from the program following his second year with the Orange.

In a social media announcement on Instagram, Freeman expressed gratitude for his time at the university. “Syracuse gave me a place to grow, compete and be challenged,” Freeman wrote. “They welcomed me with open arms from day one and never stopped supporting and believing me through both the highs and the tough moments. I’m thankful for everyone I’ve met during my time at Syracuse, the coaches, my teammates and the staff, for helping shape me into who I am today.”

During the 2025-26 season, Freeman led Syracuse in both scoring and rebounding, posting 16.5 points and 7.2 rebounds per contest. However, a lower-body injury sidelined him for nine games, limiting his appearances to just 23 total games with 21 starts.

Over his two-year tenure with the Orange, Freeman compiled impressive statistics across 37 games, contributing 15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting a solid 55.9% on two-point attempts.

The departure comes as Syracuse undergoes significant changes, with Gerry McNamara taking over as head coach after Adrian Autry’s recent firing. Freeman joins five other players who have entered the transfer portal, including starting guard Naithan George and reserve player Tyler Betsey.

AUGUSTA, Georgia – English professional golfer Tommy Fleetwood discovered renewed appreciation for Augusta National’s majesty after bringing his two teenage sons to the legendary course before this year’s Masters tournament.

Speaking to media Tuesday, Fleetwood described how witnessing 19-year-old Oscar and 17-year-old Mo experience the famous venue provided him with a powerful reminder of the course’s significance.

“I don’t want to say you forget, because I’m always aware of how special Augusta National is and what a privilege it is just to be playing here,” Fleetwood explained.

“But watching the two boys, a 19 and a 17-year-old, be pretty emotional on the first tee, watching that firsthand gives you a bit of perspective of just how special it is and how much I appreciate it. That was very cool and memories that we’ll always have,” he added.

The world’s fourth-ranked player revealed that becoming a father has fundamentally altered his approach to professional golf and personal ambitions. His children now serve as his primary driving force, inspiring him to exemplify excellence through actions rather than words.

Fleetwood explained that he visualizes future accomplishments not as hardware to collect, but as meaningful moments to share with his loved ones. According to him, victories gain their true significance when celebrated alongside family members.

The veteran golfer also noted that parenting offers valuable relief from the intense demands of tournament competition. Even golf-related activities with his children feel completely different from professional obligations.

“Being a parent is the best thing in the world. It just is,” Fleetwood stated. “And they all love the game.”

During their Augusta visit, Fleetwood observed his sons navigating the course’s notorious challenges, including well-struck shots that found trouble and difficult putting situations. These moments reinforced how crucial course knowledge becomes at Augusta National.

Fleetwood enters his tenth Masters appearance seeking his first major championship victory, with his previous best finish being a third-place tie in 2024. He will tee off Thursday alongside Patrick Reed and Akshay Bhatia for the opening round.

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza plans to skip the official NFL draft ceremony in Pittsburgh, choosing instead to celebrate with loved ones in Miami when his name is called, according to a source familiar with the quarterback’s intentions.

The source shared this information with The Associated Press Tuesday while requesting anonymity since Mendoza has not publicly announced his draft day plans.

While the NFL draft begins April 23 in Pittsburgh, where most elite prospects gather to shake hands with Commissioner Roger Goodell on stage, some top selections opt to celebrate elsewhere. Recent first overall picks Trevor Lawrence in 2021 and defensive end Travon Walker in 2022 also chose to watch the proceedings remotely.

Mendoza, who guided Indiana to a national championship after claiming college football’s most prestigious individual award, is widely anticipated to be the Raiders’ first selection. Las Vegas leadership has indicated they plan to gradually integrate the young quarterback into their starting rotation rather than rushing him onto the field immediately.

The Raiders’ recent signing of veteran signal-caller Kirk Cousins supports this approach, with Cousins likely taking the reins while Mendoza develops. Cousins has already arrived in Las Vegas to participate in the team’s offseason training program.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton’s 2026 season has come to an abrupt end after medical imaging revealed damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm, team manager Craig Counsell announced Tuesday.

“Cade is gonna have surgery,” Counsell told reporters prior to Chicago’s matchup with Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field. “He’s gonna miss the rest of the year.”

Medical professionals have yet to decide whether Horton will require complete Tommy John reconstruction or a less invasive internal brace procedure. The 24-year-old visited respected elbow surgeon Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday for consultation. Officials have not scheduled the operation.

The diagnosis validates concerns that arose when Horton departed the mound during Chicago’s April 3 contest in Cleveland after throwing only 17 pitches. His fastball velocity declined from 96 mph in the opening frame to 93.8 mph on his final delivery before signaling to the dugout.

This represents Horton’s second major elbow procedure, having undergone Tommy John surgery during his freshman year at Oklahoma in 2021. Selected seventh overall in the 2022 amateur draft, the right-hander emerged as a key contributor last season, compiling an 11-4 record with a 2.67 earned run average across 118 innings pitched. His outstanding rookie campaign earned him second place in National League Rookie of the Year balloting. Just one week before his injury, Horton limited Washington to two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings in his 2026 season opener.

The setback creates additional challenges for Chicago, which is already operating without top starter Justin Steele, who remains sidelined following his own UCL procedure and isn’t anticipated to return until late May at the earliest. With Matthew Boyd also unavailable due to injury, the Cubs will rely heavily on Colin Rea and Javier Assad to anchor their starting rotation. Rea demonstrated his capability in a similar expanded role last season, recording a 3.95 ERA over 27 starts after Steele’s injury.

“Colin’s going to be asked to pitch more innings out of the bullpen, and then somebody’s going to take Colin’s bullpen innings,” Counsell explained. “That’s how it’s going to be addressed on paper. But it’s not all on Colin. … We all have to just do our part.”

The Houston Texans have acquired linebacker Marte Mapu from the New England Patriots in a Tuesday trade deal.

While the complete terms remain undisclosed, ESPN reports the transaction involves exchanging 2027 NFL Draft selections, with Houston receiving a seventh-round pick while sending a sixth-round choice to New England.

The 26-year-old defender is set to earn a base salary of $1.508 million in 2026, the final year of his current contract.

During the previous season, Mapu participated in every regular season contest, recording 25 tackles along with one interception and one forced fumble. He was heavily utilized on special teams units, participating in 58% of those plays and accumulating 12 special teams tackles, ranking third on the team in that category. Additionally, he served as the personal protector for the punt coverage unit.

In postseason action, Mapu contributed a special teams tackle assist while participating in all four playoff contests as New England’s season concluded with a 29-13 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX.

Originally selected by New England in the third round of the 2023 draft from Sacramento State, Mapu has compiled 89 total tackles, three interceptions, 0.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles across 44 games with 10 starts during his three-year career.

Chicago Cubs pitcher Cade Horton’s season has come to an abrupt end after team manager Craig Counsell announced Tuesday that the right-handed starter will need surgery to repair UCL damage in his throwing elbow.

The surgical recommendation came following Horton’s consultation with renowned orthopedic specialist Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas. This meeting occurred just two days after the Cubs placed the 24-year-old on the 15-day injured list with what was initially described as a forearm strain.

Horton’s injury troubles began during Friday’s matchup against the Cleveland Guardians, where he was forced to leave after pitching just over one inning and throwing only 17 pitches. The Cubs backdated his IL placement to Saturday.

During that Cleveland game, Horton successfully retired all three batters in the opening frame before issuing a five-pitch walk to Kyle Manzardo to start the second inning. He then departed with Chicago’s head trainer, and Cleveland ultimately secured a 4-1 victory.

Following Friday’s abbreviated outing, Horton explained his physical concerns: “I had some tightness in my wrist and as the game went on, it went into my forearm. I wanted to err on the cautious side and not hurt anything else. I just wanted to be smart about it and make a smart decision.”

Prior to the injury, Horton had been performing well, bringing his earned run average down to 2.45 after allowing two runs across 6 1/3 innings in Chicago’s dominant 10-2 victory over Washington on March 28.

Selected by Chicago as the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft, Horton compiled an impressive 11-4 record with a 2.67 ERA across 23 appearances (22 as a starter) in 2025, earning him second place in National League Rookie of the Year balloting.

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Bryson DeChambeau entered Augusta National this week believing his golf skills are at their career peak as he prepares for another attempt at capturing his first Masters title.

The golfer came to the tournament fresh off back-to-back playoff wins in LIV Golf competitions, including a recent victory against former Masters winner Jon Rahm in South Africa. DeChambeau also brings valuable experience from nine prior Masters appearances.

After missing the cut twice early in his Masters history, DeChambeau has posted sixth and fifth-place finishes in the last two tournaments at Augusta. Last year, he played alongside eventual winner Rory McIlroy in the final group before struggling with a 75 in the last round, though he gained important insights from the experience.

“It was a great learning lesson,” DeChambeau commented Tuesday. “Leading or being tied for the lead and having the lead, that last group final round, gave me a lot of perspective on it. Then losing it and having things not go my way as they finished out and Rory completed the grand slam.”

“As I reflect back on it, the one thing I can take from it is I can put myself in those positions. The more I put myself in those positions, the better opportunities I’m going to have to win. It’s just been a gradual learning process. You never know what this week may bring, but I certainly hope to give it my all and put myself back in that position because I want to feel it again.”

When informed that recent major champions have averaged 32 years of age over the past 20 tournaments — exactly DeChambeau’s current age — he remained focused on his own preparation.

“If that’s the way the stats line up and they work in my favor, fantastic,” he responded. “I don’t try to look too much into that and focus on what I can accomplish.”

Beyond drawing from past experience, DeChambeau continues experimenting with his equipment. He’s testing new wedges from his South Africa trip while personally crafting his irons and driver. His final club selections for Thursday’s opening round remain undecided.

“There’s this nature that I have about myself where innovation is a habit of mine, and I really find and take pride in that ability to learn,” he explained. “Even through failure, even through making a bad decision or a good decision, what I can get from that.”

“So we’ll see where it goes, we’ll see where it takes me. All I could say now is, if I don’t put them in the bag, it’s my fault now.”

DeChambeau has become particularly fascinated with studying Augusta National’s notorious wind patterns. He carefully monitors changing conditions and how they influence his course strategy, club selection, and ball flight.

“For me, it’s a continual learning process. For me from a nerding-out perspective, it’s really about the wind this year for me,” he stated.

“I feel really good. It’s just about going out and executing.”

The New York Giants began their first practice session under new head coach John Harbaugh on Tuesday, but a notable absence cast a shadow over the proceedings. Star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was among three players who didn’t show up, after reports emerged that the Pro Bowl nose tackle had requested a trade from the organization.

Harbaugh acknowledged that team officials had productive discussions with Lawrence’s representative, Joel Segal, and said they comprehended the player’s perspective on the matter.

The new coach expressed that the situation didn’t catch him off guard, pointing out that attendance at these sessions is optional and suggesting there’s a strong likelihood Lawrence will remain with the team.

“Speaking for the Giants, we want Dexter here. I believe Dexter wants to be here. That’s a good formula,” Harbaugh told reporters during a video conference. “But there’s business involved. It’s a business proposition. We know it’s pro football. These things happen every year pretty much on every team.”

Drawing from his extensive experience, Harbaugh referenced his 18-year tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, where he led the team to a Super Bowl victory and previously navigated a similar trade demand from quarterback Lamar Jackson two years ago, which was ultimately resolved. He emphasized that such situations require patience and careful handling.

The 28-year-old Lawrence remains under contract for two more seasons, scheduled to receive $20 million this year and $19.5 million next year. His recent performance included a challenging 17-game stretch where he recorded just 31 tackles and half a sack, both career lows.

Despite the underwhelming statistics, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy praised the Giants’ defensive front line, calling it the most formidable unit his Kansas City Chiefs faced during the previous season, with Lawrence playing a crucial role in that success.

“He’s a beast,” Nagy commented. “He’s been doing it a while and a lot of respect for him. I just know that when we played him last year, we had to know where he was on every play.”

Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson revealed he contacted Lawrence after joining Harbaugh’s coaching staff to establish communication and felt the player was in a positive mindset.

“Hopefully everything works out in our favor, but, hey, I love Dexter and we have a good relationship,” Wilson explained. “For me personally, and from an organization standpoint, we understand the value of Dex. We love him, and we understand the business side, as well.”

Lawrence wasn’t the only defensive starter missing from practice. Cornerback Paulson Adebo also failed to attend the spring program’s opening session, though Harbaugh said he wasn’t certain about the reasoning behind that absence.

“It’s his right,” Harbaugh stated. “Guys come or not come according to their choosing: voluntary time of year.”

The third absent player was defensive tackle Sam Roberts, who couldn’t make the trip to the East Rutherford, New Jersey practice facility due to a medical procedure he recently underwent.

On the injury front, star receiver Malik Nabers continues his recovery from a torn ACL in his right knee suffered during a home game on September 28, while running back Cam Skattebo is rehabilitating from a dislocated right ankle and additional injuries sustained on October 26 during a game at Philadelphia.

Both injured players were present at the facility, with Harbaugh noting that Skattebo’s recovery is progressing faster than Nabers’, who is expected to return either during training camp or closer to the regular season.

“It wouldn’t be fair for me to give you days or dates,” Harbaugh said regarding the timeline. “I have a vague idea. It’s not that important today.”

When asked about recent trade speculation surrounding edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, Harbaugh acknowledged that “everybody’s tradeable.” However, Thibodeaux participated in Tuesday’s session and remains with the team for now.

“He’s a great player,” Harbaugh said of Thibodeaux. “I’m excited about him. I was fired up to see him today. He looks great, he’s in great shape. I’m thinking about him on the field, getting him plugged into our defense and getting him rolling.”

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Professional golfer Gary Woodland has courageously shared his ongoing battle with post-traumatic stress disorder, revealing how the condition affected him even during his recent tournament victory at the Houston Open.

The former U.S. Open champion disclosed Tuesday that during the final stretch of the Houston Open, which he ultimately won to earn his spot at the Masters, he experienced intense paranoia and hypervigilance.

“I battled the last 10 holes,” Woodland shared, “thinking people were trying to kill me.”

This stark revelation represents Woodland’s effort to shed light on mental health challenges, hoping his openness will encourage others facing similar struggles with trauma, anxiety, and PTSD.

Woodland’s mental health battles stem from a brain lesion discovered in 2023 that was causing irrational fears about dying. Before undergoing surgery in September 2023, he penned farewell letters to his family in case complications arose during the procedure.

Surgeons successfully removed much of the lesion through a procedure that required cutting a baseball-sized opening in his skull. Woodland returned to competitive golf in January 2024, gradually rebuilding his game and confidence.

Despite his Houston Open triumph, where he overcame Friday’s episode of hypervigilance to shoot a final-round 67 and defeat Nicolai Hojgaard by five strokes, few realized Woodland was still battling severe PTSD symptoms.

The condition had become so debilitating that he would retreat to restrooms to cry privately, constantly feeling threatened by his surroundings. PTSD creates heightened sensory awareness, keeping the nervous system in a perpetual state of alert.

“I talked to (PGA) Tour security that night,” Woodland explained about his Friday struggles in Houston. “I told them what I was going through, and every time I looked up on the weekend, my security team was behind me. Any time I got startled on the weekend, I turn around — last year I didn’t talk to Tour security. I fought this on my own. It was awful.”

“Turning around and knowing I’m safe, having somebody there with me? It’s the only reason I won two weeks ago.”

The victory showcased more than just Woodland’s mental resilience. His physical game had returned to championship form, with ball speeds reaching 196 mph off the tee, exceptional approach shots, and stellar short game performance that led to a 21-under finish — his first victory since capturing the 2019 U.S. Open.

“We live in a world, as men and especially as an athlete, that you put your head down and you fight through it. I’ve done it my whole life,” Woodland reflected. “This is honestly one battle that I’m not able to do on my own. I tried, and it wasn’t working.”

After seeking professional help, Woodland decided to share his story publicly through a Golf Channel interview, recognizing that his experience might benefit others facing similar challenges.

“The world we live in, speaking about something you would call a weakness is hard,” he acknowledged, “but speaking about it and how I feel afterwards made me a lot stronger. I didn’t know that releasing this battle was going to make me stronger, and it’s done that. I feel a lot stronger now than I did three weeks ago, I can tell you that. No matter how hard it is out here, I know I have someone I can talk to that I can have security. My team have been amazing in helping me, but I’ve turned a weakness into a strength.”

“I wouldn’t even say it as a weakness, but I think that’s the stigma out there. But I feel a lot stronger after I came out for sure.”

The Masters presents a new challenge for Woodland, with larger crowds and closer spectator proximity potentially triggering his symptoms. Fans often stand within feet of players, particularly around tee boxes.

Tournament organizers and the PGA Tour have coordinated to provide necessary security support for Woodland’s peace of mind.

“There’s probably not a safer golf tournament in the world, so I’m happy for that, but it’s still a battle in my head if I’m safe or not,” he explained. “I don’t have control when this thing hits me, and it’s tough. It can be a fan. It can be a walking score (board holder). It can be a camera guy running by me. Just any startlement from behind me can trigger this pretty quickly. Knowing where that security is is a constant reminder that I’m safe.”

The University of North Carolina has selected NBA championship-winning coach Michael Malone to take charge of the Tar Heels men’s basketball program.

UNC made the announcement Tuesday and has planned an introductory press conference for later today. Malone will take over from Hubert Davis, who was dismissed on March 24 following five seasons leading the program after taking over from retired Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams.

UNC executive associate athletic director Steve Newmark praised Malone as a “selfless teacher and innovator” in his statement.

“He is a brilliant coach who will deliver a modern and disciplined approach to leading our men’s basketball program, which is critical in the current landscape of college athletics,” Newmark stated. Newmark is set to replace Bubba Cunningham as athletic director on July 1. “Carolina Basketball is unique and special — and we have hired a leader well-suited to continuing our championship tradition.”

Malone, age 54, has 12 seasons of NBA head coaching experience, with a decade of that time spent in Denver. He guided the Nuggets to their 2023 championship title with three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic leading the team.

Denver dismissed Malone last spring during the final week of the regular season. Nearly one year later, in another unexpected development, Malone is now heading to one of college basketball’s premier programs that boasts six national championships, a record 21 Final Four appearances, and notable alumni including Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Vince Carter, and Atlantic Coast Conference career scoring leader Tyler Hansbrough.

“Carolina is one of the most historic programs in college basketball, and I am honored to be the head coach of the Tar Heels,” Malone stated. “It is humbling to follow so many legends in Chapel Hill.

“I know from the many Tar Heels in the NBA how special the Carolina Basketball Family is, and I will do everything I can to continue UNC’s championship legacy while preparing our players for professional careers and life after basketball.”

Davis’ dismissal created an opening for one of college basketball’s premier positions for just the fourth time since legendary Hall of Fame coach Dean Smith stepped down after 36 seasons in October 1997. The position had remained within the “Carolina Family” throughout that period. Smith’s longtime assistant Bill Guthridge took over initially, followed by former UNC player Matt Doherty, then former Smith assistant Williams, and finally Davis, who had played under Smith and served on Williams’ coaching staff.

Malone lacks college head coaching experience and has built his career primarily in the NBA. His main tie to UNC athletics comes through his daughter Bridget, who plays for the Tar Heels volleyball team. He appeared on the UNC athletic department’s “Carolina Insider” podcast in October, revealing he had observed several recent basketball practices, with Davis even inviting him to address the team on at least one occasion.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A tight three-team battle is brewing for the Atlantic Division championship, though Tampa Bay’s head coach Jon Cooper appears unfazed by the mounting pressure.

Walking out of the team’s locker room before Monday’s matchup in Buffalo, Cooper displayed his trademark dry humor when he spotted an unusually large media gathering.

“Ugh. Why are there so many people here?” Cooper joked with reporters. “It’s Game 77 folks, not Game 83.”

The comment reflects the perspective of a coach who has guided his squad to two Stanley Cup victories and secured the franchise’s 12th playoff spot during his 13 seasons leading Tampa Bay.

While Cooper recognizes the significance of late-season matchups between division contenders fighting for playoff seeding, he maintains it doesn’t compare to postseason intensity.

“It’s Game 77. I think both teams accomplished their goals for the year in regard to the regular season,” Cooper explained before his team’s 4-2 defeat. “It’s just I don’t put a ton of stock into it. The stock was made of making the final eight (in the Eastern Conference), and we did that.”

Buffalo’s passionate supporters and their rejuvenated franchise would likely disagree, as they celebrate finally breaking the NHL’s longest playoff absence streak at 14 consecutive seasons.

Similar excitement fills Montreal, where the promising young Canadiens continue building momentum by reaching the playoffs in consecutive years for only the second time in over a decade.

As of Tuesday, Tampa Bay and Buffalo shared the division’s top spot with identical 102-point totals, while Montreal trailed by just two points in a season that has completely reshuffled the Atlantic’s traditional power structure, with Tampa Bay being the lone constant.

Boston remains competitive while Ottawa and Detroit fight for wild-card positions, but the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers have already been knocked out of contention. Toronto has also been eliminated, marking the Maple Leafs’ first playoff absence in 11 seasons and triggering organizational changes.

Maple Leafs parent company CEO Keith Pelley acknowledged the division’s dramatic transformation when explaining his decision to dismiss general manager Brad Treliving recently.

“We definitely didn’t see the train coming which was the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens,” Pelley admitted. “Buffalo and Montreal have shown that they’re young, energetic teams who are gonna be here for a long time.”

Buffalo certainly hopes so, riding an impressive 36-9-4 stretch that lifted them from the Eastern Conference basement in early December to division contenders.

“You’ve got to take a lot of pride in the fact you made the playoffs in a year where this division and this conference was so incredibly tough,” Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff observed.

Unlike Cooper’s measured approach, Ruff is savoring every moment of his second tenure with the organization.

The energy surrounding the team has been infectious, with Monday marking their 17th straight sellout and 22nd of the campaign. Fans showed their enthusiasm by jeering Tampa Bay from warmups through the final period, even chanting “We want Hagel!” late in the game.

Brandon Hagel became Buffalo’s primary antagonist after the Lightning winger blindsided captain Rasmus Dahlin during the Sabres’ thrilling 8-7 victory last month.

“Everybody’s into it,” Ruff said. “I think our fans have been waiting for this for a while, so it’s good to see.”

Tampa Bay forward Brayden Point offered a thoughtful assessment of the loss in Buffalo.

“This game definitely had more meaning than some of them. And it’s disappointing not to get the result we wanted,” Point reflected. “It wasn’t playoff Game 1, so there’s still time to learn from it, but hopefully we learn pretty quick.”

Montreal had compiled an eight-game winning streak before falling to New Jersey on Sunday and will welcome Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Cooper appreciates witnessing the competitive balance that has emerged throughout the division while taking satisfaction in his team’s continued presence among the contenders.

“Buffalo has a heck of a team. And I’d like to think we’re not too shabby ourselves,” Cooper noted. “There’s been waves of different teams that have made the playoffs in our division, and we’ve found a way to be able to do it.”

When the postseason arrives, Cooper expects more from his Lightning regardless of their final seeding, particularly given Tampa Bay hasn’t advanced past the first round since their failed attempt at a third straight championship in 2022.

“There’s potentially new teams sitting around the table but it shouldn’t change anything in our mindset,” Cooper stated. “We need to look after our business here to keep moving forward because haven’t been really satisfied with the fact that we’ve been bounced the last three years.”

Standing beneath the massive oak tree at Augusta National’s clubhouse, Nick Faldo opened a bag and displayed white caps and t-shirts, each bearing the phrase “Six back in ’96.”

Three decades later, the English golfer refuses to let people forget about one of the most remarkable comebacks in golf history.

It was 30 years ago that Faldo captured his third Masters championship after beginning the final round trailing Greg Norman by six strokes.

What unfolded became one of major championship golf’s most dramatic turnarounds — Faldo claiming victory by five shots thanks to his outstanding final-round 67 while Norman collapsed with a disappointing 78.

The 68-year-old Faldo came to this year’s Masters tournament fully equipped to celebrate the milestone anniversary.

“Oh big time,” Faldo, donning his Green Jacket, told Reuters when questioned about whether his 1996 Masters victory was on his thoughts this week. “We got T-shirts and hats that say ‘Six back in ’96.’”

Faldo then went inside the clubhouse before emerging with a collection of white caps and shirts featuring what he described as a “fun theme” created for friends, family members and business associates.

Despite his celebratory spirit, Faldo admitted he has not contacted Norman — a two-time British Open champion who never captured a Masters title — to acknowledge the anniversary of his 1996 victory, which marked his sixth and final major championship.

“No, never,” Faldo responded. “You kidding me? I don’t think so. I wouldn’t want to be reminded, no.”

Faldo demonstrated remarkable sportsmanship on the 18th green in 1996, hugging Norman in a compassionate moment followed by a restrained celebration that showed respect after his competitor’s dramatic downfall.

As a World Golf Hall of Fame inductee and legendary Ryder Cup performer who cemented his place among golf’s greatest players, Faldo has discovered that no single moment from his career follows him quite like Augusta 1996.

“The crazy thing is, honestly no exaggeration, I will not go through two airports without somebody stopping me and going, ‘oh, you and Greg,’” he explained.

The tale has even reached government officials on the opposite side of the globe. Faldo remembered a Philippines trip approximately two years ago, where he was working on golf course design and shared lunch with the country’s government officials.

“We were having lunch with the government and we thought we’d start talking golf courses and they said tell us about ’96,” Faldo recounted. “I said ‘you’re joking?’ I don’t mind telling the story, it’s a good one for me.”

While golf enthusiasts remember the 1996 Masters with remarkable precision, Faldo noted this accuracy doesn’t always extend to other aspects of his career. He mentioned with amusement that people sometimes ask if he won a British Open at Royal Birkdale — which he didn’t — but they consistently recall ’96 perfectly.

Thirty years later, armed with a bag of commemorative items as evidence, Faldo will never grow weary of being connected to one of the Masters’ most thrilling final rounds.

“I’m very blessed that people remember the facts,” Faldo concluded. “It’s pretty cool.”

Ten years after his controversial protest made headlines across America, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick is ready to tell his complete story in a forthcoming memoir.

The ex-San Francisco 49ers player has finished writing “The Perilous Fight,” scheduled for release on September 15 through Legacy Lit, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. The publication date falls nearly a decade after Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem before a preseason matchup, sparking a nationwide conversation about police brutality and racial injustice that divided fans, team executives, and political figures.

The 38-year-old athlete, who hasn’t appeared on an NFL roster since the 2016 season, explained his motivation for writing the book was to provide background on the experiences that shaped his decision to protest. Initially, Kaepernick had chosen to sit during the anthem before switching to kneeling.

“People saw the moment. But they didn’t see the years that made it possible: the questions about who I was; the injustices I could no longer ignore; the voices of those who came before me that I carried into that stadium,” Kaepernick stated in Tuesday’s announcement. “That journey, from a Black kid navigating an identity the world didn’t always make space for, to an athlete who realized the game was bigger than football, shaped everything. When I took a knee, it wasn’t a sudden act.”

The publisher describes the upcoming release as part personal story, part call to action, chronicling “the off-the-field battles that turned a single act of protest into a movement that changed American sports and culture forever.” An audiobook version, read by Kaepernick himself, will be available exclusively through Audible.

During his NFL career spanning six seasons with San Francisco, Kaepernick guided the team to Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, though they fell to Baltimore 34-31. Beyond football, he has remained active in social justice advocacy, established his own publishing company, and authored children’s books including “We Are Free, You & Me” and the graphic novel “Change the Game.”

The National Hockey League has imposed a $2,000 penalty on Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov following his second diving and embellishment violation of the season, officials announced Tuesday.

The 21-year-old forward’s latest infraction took place during Philadelphia’s March 24 matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets, which resulted in a loss for the Flyers.

This marks Michkov’s second such penalty this season, following an initial warning he received after his first violation during Philadelphia’s December 3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.

Despite the disciplinary issues, Michkov has been productive on the ice this season, tallying 43 points through 76 games played, including 17 goals and 26 assists.

Medical researchers have confirmed that former Chicago Bears defensive star Steve McMichael suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, according to the Concussion & CTE Foundation.

The Hall of Fame player passed away in 2024 at age 67 following a lengthy battle with ALS that lasted five years.

“Too many NFL players are developing ALS during life and diagnosed with CTE after death,” his widow Misty McMichael stated through the foundation. “I donated Steve’s brain to inspire new research into the link between them.”

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy represents a progressive brain condition discovered in contact sport athletes, military veterans and individuals who have experienced repeated head injuries. The disease is associated with aggressive mood changes, reckless behavior and mental health struggles.

Medical professionals can only confirm CTE through post-mortem examination.

Research from Harvard Medical School and Boston University’s CTE Center in 2021 revealed that NFL players face more than four times the risk of developing ALS compared to other men. Boston University CTE Center Director Dr. Ann McKee noted that approximately 6% of CTE cases in their brain repository also show signs of ALS, commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“There is strong evidence linking repetitive brain trauma and ALS,” McKee stated.

McMichael earned All-Pro honors twice and received Pro Football Hall of Fame recognition in 2024. Known by nicknames “Mongo” and “Ming The Merciless,” he established a Bears franchise record by appearing in 191 straight games between 1981-93. His career total of 92 1/2 sacks places him second behind Richard Dent in team history.

After completing his Chicago tenure, McMichael spent his final NFL season with Green Bay in 1994 before transitioning to professional wrestling.

McMichael publicly disclosed his ALS diagnosis in 2021, a condition that damages brain and spinal cord nerve cells while eliminating muscle function. He actively followed research examining ALS and CTE connections and committed his brain for scientific study, according to Concussion & CTE Foundation co-founder and CEO Chris Nowinski.

“Steve McMichael was known for his strength, toughness, and larger-than-life presence, but his final act was to give a piece of himself back to the sports community so that we might have a chance to save ourselves,” Nowinski commented. “I appreciate all the former athletes, including many of Steve’s ’85 Bears teammates, who are raising funds and volunteering to participate in CTE research so we can create a brighter future for athletes everywhere.”