We have reached the postseason, and the top teams in the two girls soccer coaches polls remain favorites in their respective conference and CIAC tournaments.

St. Joseph retained the No. 1 spot in the Class LL/L poll despite having a scoreless tie with Fairfield Ludlowe last week. The Cadets have 10 first-place votes and are the top seed in both the FCIAC and Class LL tournaments.

Undefeated Simsbury and Glastonbury are second and third, respectively, and received the remaining five first-place votes: three for Simsbury and two for Glastonbury. Greenwich and Ridgefield dropped to fourth and fifth, respectively, but both have home games in the FCIAC tournament quarterfinals.

Notre Dame Prep has one first-place vote in the LL/L poll. The Lancers are the defending SWC champion. Hall moved into the No. 10 spot, and Farmington dropped out.

Undefeated East Hampton now has 11 first-place votes out of 13 in the Class M/S poll. The Bellringers are the top seed in both the Shoreline Conference and Class M tournaments.

Tolland (second) and Stonington (third) each have one first-place vote. Old Saybrook and Lauralton Hall round out the top five. Seymour makes its first appearance in the Top 10, replacing Hand.

Class LL/L Girls Soccer Poll

Results are through Saturday's games. Dropped out:Farmington (10).Others receiving votes: Farmington (10-4-1), 10; Cheshire (10-2-3), 7; Masuk (11-2-3), 7; Staples (9-5-2), 4.

Coaches voting: PJ Louis, Conard; Katy Kreiner, Masuk; Wayne Mones, Notre Dame Prep; Eric Rothbart, Cheshire; Alex Joslyn, Berlin; Marcus Harley, Mercy; Richard Geremia, Avon; Ryan Kaufman, South Windsor; Kim Rasmussen, Fairfield Warde; Ken Goodale, East Catholic; Angelo Tsingerliotis, McMahon; Mark Landers, Glastonbury; Marvin Miller, Westhill; Gui Estes, E.O. Smith; Marc Kenney, Brookfield; Barry O'Reilly, Ridgefield.

Class M/S Girls Soccer Poll

Results are through Saturday's games. Dropped out: Hand (9). Others receiving votes: Thomaston (13-2-0), 9; New Fairfield (10-3-3), 9; Hand (8-4-3), 8; Coginchaug (11-4-1), 8; Holy Cross (11-4-0), 7; Barlow (8-3-3), 4; Housatonic (14-2-0), 3; Weston (9-5-2), 2.

Coaches voting: Thomas Cunningham, Seymour; Matt Rafala, Bacon Academy; Gustavo Reaes, Weston; Moose Dzielak, Granby Memorial; Rob McConville, Hand; Adam Brutting, Nonnewaug; Christian Ghiglia, Waterford; Erin Reed, Tolland; Andrea Giuliano, East Hampton; Cait Hernon, Woodland; DJ Reese, Northwestern; April Parady-Walter, Montville; MaryKate Simoes, Holy Cross.

This article originally published at Week 7 Connecticut girls soccer coaches polls: St. Joseph, East Hampton on top as postseason begins.

Who wants to watch Milwaukee play Tampa Bay, they asked.

Who'll watch two small-market teams with meager payrolls and outdated play styles battle, they questioned.

Pundits called it a disaster for baseball, not far from DEFCON 1 for the MLB.

A lot of people had a lot of opinions about the Brewers and the Rays facing off in the World Series.

A lot more people − more than 10 million, to be exact − shut them up.

Game 1 of the World Series drew 12.26 million viewers across Fox, Univision and Fox Deportes, making it the most-watched telecast on any network that day.

That means more people watched the Brewers win − twice − on Oct. 23 than they saw any of the other Game 1s in 2020, '21, '22 and '23.

Who wants to watch Milwaukee play Tampa Bay, they asked.

Who'll watch two small-market teams with meager payrolls and outdated play styles battle, they questioned.

Pundits called it a disaster for baseball, not far from DEFCON 1 for the MLB.

A lot of people had a lot of opinions about the Brewers and the Rays facing off in the World Series.

A lot more people − more than 10 million, to be exact − shut them up.

Game 1 of the World Series drew 12.26 million viewers across Fox, Univision and Fox Deportes, making it the most-watched telecast on any network that day.

That means more people watched the Brewers win − twice − on Oct. 23 than they saw any of the other Game 1s in 2020, '21, '22 and '23.

Cathedral Prep’s Hutchinson sisters confirmed that constructive criticism is a valid oxymoron

The No. 1 doubles starters for the Ramblers’ PIAA Class 2A girls team tennis dual against Winchester Thurston admitted as much after their match at Westwood Racquet Club.

“I like playing with my sister,” Ellen Hutchinson said, “because I can be honest with her. If we’re having a moment (on the court), I can tell her, ‘Please don’t talk to me!’”

Elizabeth Hutchinson agreed they’re prone to disagree between points.

“Yeah, we have our moments where we’ll (verbally) fight on the court,” she said, “but we’re pretty good about that for the most part. We play well together.”

There were few if any qualms en route to the duo’s latest victory for District 10’s small-school champion.

Ellen, a senior, and Elizabeth, a junior, swept Winchester Thurston’s Anya Mahtani and Rosalie Panasiuk 6-2, 6-1. It also contributed to Prep’s 3-1 win over the Bears (10-2), the third seeds from the WPIAL.

Set scores for the dual’s unfinished No. 3 singles match were vacated once Prep's advantage was insurmountable.

“It feels good to know we contributed to a (team win) like that,” Elizabeth Hutchinson said.

Paige Patsy and Ella Fetzner (No. 1 and 2 singles) were the other victors for the Ramblers (15-4), who advanced to this weekend’s main portion of the state tournament.

They’ll be northwestern Pennsylvania’s lone participant at Hershey Racquet Club due to Bethel Park, which eliminated Fairview 5-0 in a PIAA Class 3A first-rounder held earlier at Westwood.

More: District 10 gamble pays off for Cathedral Prep tennis doubles team

Who’s next

Prep and District 1’s Lower Moreland will serve and volley in the 2A tournament’s last quarterfinal. Their Oct. 30 dual is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m.  

The Lions of Huntingdon Valley improved to 13-2 with their 3-0 sweep of Masterman in an Oct. 27 dual at Philadelphia’s Legacy Tennis Center.

Although the Ramblers won’t be the biggest of underdogs, they won’t be favored solely based on Lower Moreland’s recent history. The Lions have reached the PIAA’s last three 2A finals, a run highlighted by their 3-2 victory vs. Scranton Prep that warranted the state’s 2024 championship trophy.

“All the pressure is on (them),” Prep coach Ryan Deimel said, “and if we play our best, I still really like our chances. Our team is loose and headed in the right direction.”

More: Fairview girls tennis coach guides daughters in all-family D-10 final

‘Still proud’

Bethel Park (17-2) not only blanked Fairview but won each of its five matches in straight sets.

Included were 6-0, 6-0 victories by Cami Fisher over the Tigers’ Emiko Munekata in No. 1 singles and Hadley Murello over Eliza Krowicki in No. 3 singles.

“I thought we did the best we could (Oct. 27),” Fairview coach Aiko Munekata said, “but Bethel Park is an incredible team.

“I’m still proud of what we did this season, and I’m looking forward to a strong (2027) season.”

Fairview's current season will resume for Aiko Munekata’s daughters and fellow Tiger Jenna Szklenski.

Emiko Munekata advanced to the Nov. 6-7 PIAA singles tournament as the district’s 2A gold medalist. Erika Munekata and Szklenski will compete in 2A doubles that same weekend.

Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: How District 10's girls team tennis champions fared for their PIAA openers

The Varsity 845 boys soccer player of the week polls are online for Oct. 19-25.

Information was utilized on reports gathered by Varsity 845. Coaches are encouraged to provide their game reports in order for athletes to be chosen; they may also nominate one player from their team by Sunday afternoon. With the postseason starting, schools may have multiple candidates. All candidates play for Orange, Ulster and Sullivan county schools.

Winners from the previous two weeks are ineligible for voting in the current poll during the regular season. Last week, Liam McGee of Monroe-Woodbury (large) and Austin Harty of S.S. Seward (small) were the top vote getters. Two weeks ago, Tony Grigalunas of Warwick (large) and Remy Mead of Rondout Valley (small) won the fan voting.

Go to RecordOnline.com/sports/high-school and vote as often as you like until Sunday, Nov. 1, at 11 p.m. The winners will be announced each week on the @Varsity845 account on X/Twitter.

kmcmillan@th-record.com

X / Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR

Varsity 845 boys soccer player of week, Oct. 19-25 (large)

(candidates are listed alphabetically)

SACO, Maine - Precieux Mbolela scored off a corner kick from Matthias Sundertland with 32:40 remaining in the second half, lifting top-seeded Thornton Academy to a 1-0 win over No. 8 Marshwood in a Class A South quarterfinal on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Thornton (12-1-2) advances to face the winner of Wednesday's quarterfinal between No. 5 Deering and No. 4 South Portland. Marshwood ends the season with a record of 7-6-3.

Marshwood goalkeeper Jack Eardley finished with 10 saves, while counterpart Lucas Stolf had five.

BOYS SOCCER

No. 10 Profile School 2

No. 7 Portsmouth Christian Academy 1

DOVER - Portsmouth Christian Academy boys soccer coach Josh Chamberlain knew his team didn't play its best soccer. Unfortunately for the Eagles, there are no second chances in the postseason.

PCA saw an early lead slip away in a 2-1 loss to Profile School in a Division IV first-round game, ending a season in which the Eagles more than doubled their win total from a year ago.

“You know, I will honestly say we definitely didn't have our best today,” Chamberlain said. “I would say the boys worked hard. It definitely wasn't an issue as far as effort, but I think they would agree that we didn't execute to our standard and what we wanted to do.

“In the playoffs, it's one and out,” Chamberlain continued. “If you have your bad game in the playoffs, you don't get to come back from that, unfortunately.”

Sam Monahan gave PCA a 1-0 lead approximately 20 minutes into the first half.

The Eagles held that advantage until Profile scored with about a minute remaining before halftime, sending the teams into the break tied at 1-1.

“That was a tough one,” Chamberlain said.

Profile scored the eventual game-winner approximately 20 minutes into the second half to take a 2-1 lead.

PCA created opportunities to respond but couldn't find the equalizer.

“We had a couple lapses on the defensive end that cost us the two goals, and we weren't able to capitalize on the opportunities that we had,” Chamberlain said.

PCA finished the season at 11-4-2, a significant step forward after winning five games and missing the tournament last season.

“I think our trajectory is definitely heading in the right direction,” Chamberlain said. “I think the program is headed where we want to be.”

No. 1 Newmarket 4

No. 16 Woodsville 0

NEWMARKET - The top-seeded Mules advance to the next round after this Division IV first-round win.

Newmarket (15-0-2) will host No. 8 Moultonborough on Friday in a quarterfinal contest. Moultonborugh advanced with a 2-1 win over Hinsdale.

VOLLEYBALL

No. 2 Oyster River 3

No. 15 Plymouth 0

DURHAM - The defending Division II state champions made their first step towards another dee playoff run with this first-round sweep.

Individual game scores were 25-18, 25-10, 25-18.

"Great team win tonight," Oyster River head coach Cassandra Doore said. "We found our groove offensively and defensively. Looking ahead to Thursday and prepping for a tough match-up."

Oyster River (15-2) will host No. 7 Laconia on Thursday in a quarterfinal contest. Laconia advanced with a 3-1 win over No. 10 Fall Mountain.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Tuesday Tourney Roundup: Marshwood, PCA boys ousted; Newmarket boys, Oyster River volleyball move on

Before Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions, John Williams had never taken a game snap at center, even during his five seasons at Cincinnati. Now, the second-year offensive lineman could make his first career start at the position on "Thursday Night Football" against the Carolina Panthers.

“I practiced it in OTAs and training camp, but never in a game, no,” said Williams, who played 58 snaps against the Lions.

The Packers were without rookie Jager Burton, who started 15 games at center at Kentucky but was a healthy scratch in Detroit. Instead, they turned to Williams after starting center Sean Rhyan and backup Jacob Monk sustained injuries during the first quarter. Williams hadn’t taken snaps at the position since the summer and exclusively lined up at left tackle during the preseason.

“It’s a completely different position, so obviously it’s a little difficult switching between the two, but got to get it done,” Williams said.

Playing an unfamiliar position where communication is a key component is difficult. Being asked to do it in a divisional game on the road is even harder. Williams played well, though, giving up zero sacks and just one pressure, according to Pro Football Focus.

“I can't say enough about the job John Williams did, coming in in a hostile environment and just handling the operation, the communication,” coach Matt LaFleur said postgame. “To lose two guys at center that quickly in the game, it was a little bit terrifying. But I thought he did a really good job.”

Jordan Love was also impressed by how his unlikely center adapted to the situation.

“I thought John did a great job,” Love said Tuesday, looking back on Williams’ performance. “Coming in not expecting that situation to happen with two guys going down. For a guy that hasn’t gotten a lot of reps, hasn’t taken a lot of center reps with us, it was just a great job by him being prepared, knowing the plan. Obviously, he’s making a lot of calls at center, and I thought he handled it really well, with the noise, the environment, everything.”

LaFleur wouldn’t name his starting center for Thursday’s matchup with the Panthers.

“We'll see. We're kind of working through everything right now,” LaFleur said.

Green Bay will be without Rhyan, who is expected to miss at least four weeks with a high ankle sprain. Monk also won’t be available for the next four games after being placed on injured reserve with a quad injury.  

Given how well he performed on short notice, the team could stick with Williams. Whether he makes his first career start or serves as a backup, the 2025 seventh-round pick will be ready.

“Whatever they need me to do, that’s what I’m going to do,” Williams said.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: From emergency center to potential starter, Packers' John Williams is ready to go

Fleetwood Town have become the story of the Carabao Cup as the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition knocked out Premier League champions Arsenal to reach the quarter-finals.

The fourth-tier side stunned Mikel Arteta’s team on penalties, following a 1-1 draw at Highbury, in one of the tournament’s biggest ever shocks to potentially book another blockbuster draw.

There are still plenty of big hitters in the mix, after all, with Liverpool’s heavyweight clash with Chelsea headlining the remainder of the fourth-round matches to be played this week.

Holders Manchester City remain top contenders but face a stern test against high-flying Brighton in another intriguing tie as we approach the business end of the tournament.

Fleetwood could yet face Bradford Town for a semi-final place, however, after the 2012 runners-up defeated Peterborough United to secure their progress on Tuesday.

Here’s everything you need to know about the quarter-final draw:

When is the Carabao Cup fourth round draw?

The draw will follow the conclusion of the Round Four tie between Liverpool and Chelsea. That encounter kicks off at 8pm BST on Wednesday 28 October, so the draw can be expected at some time after 10pm BST.

How can I watch it?

Proceedings will be aired live on Sky Sports. Presenter Dave Jones will host the programme, with Conor Coady and Graeme Le Saux on hand to conduct the draw.

Carabao Cup fixtures

Tuesday 27 October

Bradford City 2-0 Peterborough United

Fleetwood Town 1-1 Arsenal (Fleetwood won 5-3 on pens)

Wednesday 28 October

Manchester City vs Brighton and Hove Albion

Bournemouth vs Aston Villa

Fulham vs Crystal Palace

Sunderland vs Brentford

Liverpool vs Chelsea

Thursday 29 October

Everton vs Newcastle

What are the ball numbers?

Ball numbers for the draw will be confirmed on Wednesday morning across the EFL’s channels.

When will the Carabao Cup quarter-final be played?

All quarter-final ties will take place during the week commencing 14 December.

The New York Giants pulled off one of the season’s biggest upsets with their win over the Houston Texans. J.J. McCarthy got his first start of the season in a Giants uniform and seemed to rejuvenate a beat-up Giants team. Head coach John Harbaugh has the Giants playing tough, and they showed it in full force on Sunday.

One player who personified that toughness is running back Cam Skattebo, who delivered the best rushing performance of his NFL career against Houston, recording 124 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. His 42-yard run in overtime helped set up Devin Singletary’s game-winning touchdown.

But the play everyone was talking about well after the game was a penalty on Skattebo for lowering the crown of his helmet.

John Harbaugh Addresses Cam Skattebo Week 7 Incident

Harbaugh discussed the controversial play in detail on Monday, defending Skattebo and questioning why his running back was handed a penalty.

“I mean, I understand the idea, but I also understand human physiology and anatomy and the way the body works,” Harbaugh said. “Skatt runs low. You have to run low. You have to run low to protect the football. You have to run low to protect your body. You can’t run in there and give tacklers your chest. When you run low, your head’s down there, too. You can’t move your head off your shoulders. It’s a physical impossibility.”

As Harbaugh mentioned, these players are taught to keep their pads down when they run. Sometimes that means lowering the helmet, which may cause helmet-to-helmet contact. Harbaugh said Skattebo wasn’t trying to use his helmet as a weapon. However, NFL officials didn’t see it that way.

SET YOUR LINEUPS:PFN’s Free Fantasy Start/Sit Optimizer

One account posted the play on X, and the footage appears to show Skattebo trying to run the defender over, and that lowering his helmet was the only way to do it.

The penalty reflects the NFL’s efforts to limit dangerous helmet contact, including contact initiated by ball carriers. Harbaugh nevertheless questioned how players with naturally low running styles are expected to avoid such situations.

The Giants HC said he wants NFL officials to tell players and coaches what to do to avoid penalties like that.

Skattebo likely isn’t going to change how he plays because of one call. He’s always been a tough-nosed player, and that is what makes him valuable to the Giants.

PREDICT THE NFL SEASON:PFN’s Free NFL Playoff Predictor

He has been solid this season when given the opportunity. Skattebo currently has a 73.3 PFN RB Impact Rating, which ranks 24th in the NFL.

The Giants head into their bye week with a 4-2-1 record and lead the NFC East. This team feels different than in years past, and Harbaugh holding his players accountable may be a big reason for that.

For instance, Skattebo did not get a carry in the Giants’ Week 6 loss to the New Orleans Saints, mostly because of a costly fumble the week prior. However, he bounced back in a big way this week and seemingly played his way back into the RB1 role in New York.

Even with a revolving door at quarterback, the Giants have a chance to win the NFC East and host a playoff game for the first time since 2012.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.

Blake Corum delivers awesome message on Rams RB tandem with Kyren Williams appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

While the Los Angeles Rams have consistently been one of the better rushing teams in the NFL since Sean McVay took over as head coach, one aspect of their ground game that has consistently caused fantasy football managers to pull their hair out is their commitment to a committee, with Blake Corum taking key snaps from starter Kyren Williams as a 1-2 punch.

Now granted, it’s hard to imagine McVay or the Rams as a whole care too much about fans winning fake football games when they have real ones to deal with, but how does it feel for Williams and Corum to know that their individual numbers may not be called in a moment of need? Well, in an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Corum commented on just that, noting that he and Williams are friends and they both care more about LA’s overall success than their individual production.

“Yeah, I think we want what’s best for each other and what’s best for the team. Obviously, as a competitor, you know, you want the ball in your hands, any chance that you can get, but also just knowing that, you know, it’s always, you know, the team before myself, you know, it’s, it’s way before me, as you know, coach always says. And so, you know, we want what’s best for each other and what’s going to, you know, help elevate this team,” Corum said.

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“And so, you know, when he’s out there, you know, I’m cheering him on, you know, I’m wishing nothing but the best. I hope he, you know, breaks a lot of tackles, breaks that long one. So now I can go in and try to better that. And then if I better that, I know he’s going to come in and try to better that. And, you know, it’s like a healthy competitive nature that we have just in our running back room in general, you know, starting with, you know, what, you know, Coach Ron G always, you know, coaches us and teaches us, but, you know, it’s definitely a healthy competitive relationship that we have. And we, we feed off each other, which, you know, helps the team.”

Would Corum appreciate becoming the top rusher for a team, putting up the sort of 1,000-yard seasons Williams already has on his resume? Absolutely, and when his contract comes up, he might have that chance, but for now, it’s clear he’s bought into the Rams’ culture, and that’s a wonderful thing as LA looks to get their season back on track.

Related: Rams’ Matthew Stafford reveals Calvin Johnson’s role in origin of iconic throw

Related: Rams’ Matthew Stafford shares eye-opening claim about Kyren Williams-Blake Corum duo

LOS ANGELES — Amid uncertainty over his future at Southern California, coach Lincoln Riley reiterated his stance of wanting to remain in charge of the Trojans.

USC is coming off a disappointing 24-7 loss to Wisconsin, the fewest amount of points a Riley-led team has ever scored. At 6-2, the lofty goals of reaching the College Football Playoff are fading and raising raising the question of if Riley’s time is nearing an end. 

USA TODAY Sports reported on Tuesday, Oct. 27 Riley and USC are in an “unhappy marriage,” as “both sides know” it’s not a good fit, according to people with direct insight into the Trojans. 

“I love it here,” Riley told reporters Tuesday evening. “There's not many people in college football history that gave up what I gave up to come here. Don't care if it's 15 years down the line, like that never should be taken lightly. It's certainly not taken lightly by me. So I came here because this is where I wanted to be. I came here because I believe in this place, and none of that has changed whatsoever.”

October 26, 2026 will go down as a historic night for Mexican football. The Ballon d’or ceremony took place in London where Julian Quiñones, Scarlett Camberos and Charlyn Corral made Mexican football fans proud for their achievements. 

When the 2026 Ballon d’Or nominations were released back in September, Mexican fans were pleasantly surprised with three big nominations in the men’s and women’s categories. Julian Quiñones was nominated for the Ballon d’or after the incredible season he had for both club and country where he scored 33 goals for club and four during the World Cup. He even won the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot for his stellar performance during the 2025-2026 season. In the end, Quiñones placed 28th, the highest placement for a Mexican men’s footba

Scarlett Camberos and Club América were both nominated in different categories. Camberos was nominated for the Ballon d’Or, similar to Quiñones, and América for Women’s Club of the Year. Neither of these nominations were a surprise considering that Camberos led her team to three trophies in the span of five months. One of them being an international trophy making Club América the first Mexican team to win a Concacaf W Champions Cup. The club eventually lost out to FC Barcelona Femeni while Camberos herself finished 21st, the highest ever placement for a Mexican footballer, men or women’s. 

The biggest surprise of the night was Charlyn Corral. The Pachuca Femenil striker was given one of the highest honors of the night as she was named 2026 Women’s Striker of the Year, AKA, the Gerd Müller Trophy. While three Mexican players have been nominated over the years this is the first time that one has won an award. Corral won this award after scoring 43 goals in 46 matches while recording 11 assists along the way. She has a career that spans 20 years and even played in Spain where she won the Pachichi award. It’s safe to say that Corral is one of Mexican Women’s football’s most prolific goal scorer and the award was more than well-deserved. 

What a night for Mexican football as Camberos, Corral and Quiñones made Mexican football fans proud. There’s no doubt more eyes will be on Mexico after these incredible achievements. Congratulations Scarlett, Charlyn and Julian! 

This is a mini auction, so the scale is smaller than last year's rebuild. A total of 146 players have been shortlisted for 27 available slots, seven of which are reserved for overseas cricketers, and the five teams have a combined ₹8.15 crore left to spend.

UP Warriorz go in with by far the deepest pockets, holding ₹3.75 crore of that total, which gives them room to chase a marquee name that nobody else can realistically match.

With most squads largely settled, the bidding is likely to be concentrated on a handful of players rather than spread across the room.

Add The Sporting News as a preferred news source

WPL most expensive players

No bid in the league's history has yet passed the mark set in the very first auction in 2023, when the five franchises were building from nothing and the money went almost entirely on the biggest names available.

Mandhana's ₹3.40 crore has stood since she became the first player sold at the inaugural auction, and three players have since matched the ₹3.20 crore mark without going past her.

Gardner and Sciver-Brunt remain the most expensive overseas buys in the league's history.

Deepti Sharma's entry on the list came through the right-to-match card at the 2026 mega auction, with UP Warriorz using it to take her back from Delhi Capitals. Amelia Kerr's ₹3 crore to Mumbai Indians at the same auction is the only other bid to have reached the three-crore mark.

One distinction worth noting is that Mandhana, Gardner and Sciver-Brunt were each retained for ₹3.50 crore ahead of WPL 2026, which is a higher figure than any of them fetched at auction.

Those are retention fees rather than bids, so the auction record still belongs to Mandhana.

WPL's most expensive Indian players

Indian players have taken the top spot in the league from the start, and the gap between the leading two and the rest has widened with each cycle.

Deepti Sharma has appeared twice in the league's biggest buys, having first gone to UP Warriorz for ₹2.60 crore in 2023 before returning to them at ₹3.20 crore three years later.

That 2023 figure made her the most expensive Indian all-rounder in the competition at the time.

When is the WPL 2027 auction?

The WPL 2027 auction takes place on Wednesday, October 28, at the Grand Hyatt in Kochi, Kerala. Proceedings begin at 5:30 PM IST.

How to watch the WPL 2027 auction

Here's how to follow the WPL 2027 auction in India:

• TV channel: Star Sports Network
• Live stream: JioHotstar

The auction will be televised live on the Star Sports Network in India, with streaming available through the JioHotstar app and website.

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Bruins vs. Hurricanes Score, Live Updates, Highlights From NHL Game originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Bruins and Hurricanes will face off on Tuesday night in what could be a preview of a playoff matchup.

Boston has won seven of its last eight games, scoring 12 total goals in back-to-back victories last week. James Hagens has made an early impact in his rookie season with nine points (four goals, five assists) in 12 games.

The Hurricanes are 2-2 in their last four games. Sebastian Aho leads Carolina with 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists).

NESN will provide live coverage of the game between the Bruins and Hurricanes.

Bruins vs. Hurricanes score

Bruins vs. Hurricanes updates, highlights from NHL game

Poitras is back in the game. Seth Jarvis with a wide shot attempt. The Hurricanes kept possession of the puck for a while. The Bruins had a clear shot, but Kochetkov made some miraculous saves. 

9:30 p.m. ET: Logan Stankoven with a shot above the crossbar. McAvoy dropped to his knees. Lindholm's stick hit his teammates head. Back in, McAvoy tried to get a goal. Swayman with a few saves. William Carrier with multiple shot attempts, all stopped by Swayman. 

9:24 p.m. ET: Ehlers with a shot wide left. Miller appeared out of it but stayed in the game. McAvoy and Zacha tried to give the Bruins the lead. There was almost a Hurricanes goal. Matthew Poitras' hand looked rough after defending a shot. 

9:13 p.m. ET: Minten started the second period by getting a penalty for tripping. Carolina power play. It didn't last long, as Boston was back to full strength. Eric Robinson with a shot right down the middle but Swayman saved it. 

End of first period: Bruins 1, Hurricanes 1

8:50 p.m. ET: That shot was with about a minute remaining. Zacha was off the ice for a bit, but came back on. Meanwhile, Borgen looked like he tweaked something before the end of the period. 

Bruins 1, Hurricanes 1

8:48 p.m. ET: Sean Walker attempted a short-handed goal. The power play was killed with zero shots from the Bruins. Swayman saved a shot but couldn't finish the first without giving one up to Blake. Ehlers with the assist. 

8:42 p.m. ET: Gloves dropped. Jeannot and Nicolas Deslauriers in a heavyweight fight. Hooks are being thrown. Geekie almost had a snap shot goal. Penalty call on Blake again. Holding. Power play, Bruins. 

https://t.co/mKIXFQEZUu

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 28, 2026

8:36 p.m. ET: Kochetkov saved a James Hagens attempt. Jackson Blake with a holding penalty. Bruins power play. Morgan Geekie with a shot attempt. Aho with a shot attempt, blocked by Swayman. Right out of the penalty box, Blake tried to score, but couldn't get it into the net. 

8:27 p.m. ET: Swayman was alert and caught a Svechnikov shot attempt. He also blocked Sebastian Aho and Ehlers shot attempts. Bruins killed the power play. 

8:22 p.m. ET: K'Andre Miller stopped James Hagens from making a shot. William Borgen with a shot attempt, saved by Kochetkov. Penalty against the Bruins, Tanner Jeannot for hooking. Power play, Hurricanes. 

8:18 p.m. ET: The Bruins attempted to score a quick second goal. Lindholm wanted to shoot the puck into the net. Save by Pyotr Kochetkov. Swayman with a big save following a Nikolaj Ehlers snap shot attempt. He then blocked a Jackson Blake shot attempt.  

Bruins 1, Hurricanes 0

8:12 p.m. ET: The Bruins struck first right away. Pavel Zacha got his third goal of the year. Elias Lindholm and David Pastrnak with the assists. 

Pav just taps it in. https://t.co/XOCoAQkYQs

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 28, 2026

8:11 p.m. ET: We are underway! Jeremy Swayman passed an early test via a Sean Walker goal attempt. Penalty call, Andrei Svechnikov for slashing. Power play, Bruins. 

8 p.m. ET: We are LIVE in Raleigh!

7:50 p.m. ET: Almost time for some hockey! 

Warming it up. https://t.co/tb6tKBJQ8h

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) October 27, 2026

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How to watch Bruins vs. Hurricanes tonight: TV channel, live stream

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Bruins vs. Hurricanes date, start time

• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 27
• Time: 8 p.m. ET

Bruins vs. Hurricanes is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The game will be played at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C.

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Paul Finebaum knows a thing or two about riling up sports fans.

He also knows what it feels like when things go too far.

The ESPN and SEC Network host has made a career out of saying things that fire up SEC fans, and given the passion that rules that kind of college football fandom, it has sometimes come back on him in scary ways.

During his appearance on The Awful Announcing Podcast last week, Finebaum discussed times when reactions to his hot takes went from heated to potentially life-threatening.

Speaking with host Brandon Contes, Finebaum revealed that early in his career, as a columnist and reporter for the Birmingham Post-Herald and later as a radio host, some of his criticism of the Crimson Tide’s struggles turned into very personal, potentially scary backlash.

“It’s gotten to a point where if you are not 100% cheerleader, you may not keep your job very long,” Finebaum said. “So I think that creates the stigma that… if you write something even mildly objective or report something, you are going to be ostracized because… it’s a little bit like politics. And it wasn’t always that way. It was that way when I started. It got away from it, and now it’s right back to where it started again.

“… The death threats came in the mid to late ’80s. I was covering Alabama post-Bear Bryant. And I was born in the South, but my mother, father, and sister are all from New York City. So I had this different type of upbringing.

“College football wasn’t particularly important to me. My dad was a Yankees fan. I followed the New York teams. I followed the New York media. And I’ll never forget, I was in New York in the ’80s. covering an Alabama game, and it was on a Friday night, and the Yankees had won like 110 games… And Warner Wolf was the local sports guy, and he said, ‘What?’ He said, ‘This is laughable. They won 110 games, and they got nothing. They stink.’ And I’m like going, you know, that really resonated with me. And I was a big fan of Howard Cosell growing up. So that’s what I did.

“When I got to Alabama, I didn’t know you were supposed to do anything different. And it caused a lot of problems. And there have been a couple of threats. There was a threat about 2008 or ’09, just as the internet was really blowing up. Somebody put my home address with a MapQuest [map] online and said, ‘You will die on Saturday night.’ Now that did concern me a little bit.

“We turned it over to authorities, and for about 2 weeks the radio station I worked for had a security guy follow me, and it got to be so ridiculous. He would follow me out of the building, and I would just try to run a red light so I could get away from him. And there have been a few other ones. I mean, ESPN has security around us, but I never really think about it.

“Now again, I didn’t go to LSU the first week of the season. I might have been a little concerned down there, but I’ve had a coach’s father once threaten me. I mean, these things are not that unusual.”

Despite it all, Finebaum certainly doesn’t let potential threats stop him from offering his patented hot takes and sharp criticism of some of the most powerful people in SECand college football.

The post Paul Finebaum opens up about receiving death threats: ‘That did concern me’ appeared first on Awful Announcing.

On Tuesday, the Indianapolis Colts made two massive deals, trading away franchise cornerstone players Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner.

So what grades did Seth Walder over at ESPN give the Colts for these trades? Let's take a look.

Colts grade for Quenton Nelson trade

For this trade, the Colts received a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick from Seattle. Nelson was in the final year of his deal.

The Pro Bowl left guard continues to play at a high level, ranking third among guards in PFF's pass-blocking efficiency metric and seventh in run-blocking grade. Obviously, with the Colts in rebuild mode, the objective was to get as much premium draft capital as possible.

What Seth Walder had to say: "Ultimately, this is a win-win trade. Considering Seattle's contention window, positional (and overall offensive) need, the draft capital required and Nelson's contract, this is a sound move."

Walder's grade: B+

Colts grade for DeForest Buckner trade

In this deal, the Colts landed a 2027 fourth-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers. Like Nelson, Buckner is in the final year of his contract and is set to be a free agent in the offseason. By moving on from Buckner now, the Colts get draft capital in return.

Entering Week 8, Buckner has the 15th most quarterback pressures of any defensive tackle in football.

What Walder had to say: "Perhaps this was the best offer Indianapolis received for Buckner today, but they also didn't have to trade Buckner right now. There are two weeks left until the Nov. 10 trade deadline. I would have thought they could have at least squeezed another Day 3 pick in addition to the fourth-rounder."

Walder's grade: B-

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: ESPN grades Colts' DeForest Buckner, Quenton Nelson trades

Now a senior co-captain, Ewing made sure the Cougars understood both sensations as they faced Madison for the MCT plaque again on Oct. 27. And Chatham came through to give Ewing that winning feeling again, 2-1 against the Dodgers.

It is the Cougars' sixth MCT championship, but the first since a three-peat streak that stretched until 2023 – when the current seniors were freshmen. They have won nine games in a row dating back to Oct. 5, with the NJSIAA Tournament up ahead.

Like the MCT champion Chatham girls soccer team a few days earlier, the field hockey bus was met by a police escort on the way back through town.

"It's so awesome. I'm so happy," said Ewing, a defensive midfielder who plans to play at Brown University. "I told them how great of a feeling this is. It's so different being a leader. I was the one looking up to everyone freshman year. I was trying to play based on the people around me. But now, I'm bringing my teammates confidence."

More: Morris County Tournament 2026 field hockey bracket, schedule, scores

Senior forward Molly Chazen scored both Chatham goals and was named the offensive MVP of the final. The first came from the right side midway through the third quarter. But Madison senior Celia Stuart equalized less than five minutes later on a clean hit from about 10 yards out.

The winning goal was opportunistic, as Chazen poked home a rebound.

Her older sister, Emmy Chazen, had scored the winning goal with no time left on the clock when Chatham beat Madison in 2023. The younger Chazen described this title as "a full circle moment for us, and she's a big role model for me."

Madison had been the two-time defending champions, and came into the MCT final on a four-match winning streak. These two teams have won all but one of the past nine titles.

More: NJSIAA releases pairings for 2026 field hockey tournament

Most of the players also know each other through their club teams: Centercourt and New Heights. Despite the Dodgers' tears, there were also many hugs and words of consolation exchanged after the final.

"It definitely makes it more intense, because we know how everyone plays," said Chazen, who has verbally committed to Colgate. "Knowing the other players makes it more high stakes."

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Chatham tops Madison in Morris County Tournament field hockey final

BOONTON — When Ava Ewing was a freshman, she was scared to be on the field during the Morris County Tournament field hockey final. But she also couldn't forget the happiness when Chatham won the title.

Now a senior co-captain, Ewing made sure the Cougars understood both sensations as they faced Madison for the MCT plaque again on Oct. 27. And Chatham came through to give Ewing that winning feeling again, 2-1 against the Dodgers.

It is the Cougars' sixth MCT championship, but the first since a three-peat streak that stretched until 2023 – when the current seniors were freshmen. They have won nine games in a row dating back to Oct. 5, with the NJSIAA Tournament up ahead.

Like the MCT champion Chatham girls soccer team a few days earlier, the field hockey bus was met by a police escort on the way back through town.

"It's so awesome. I'm so happy," said Ewing, a defensive midfielder who plans to play at Brown University. "I told them how great of a feeling this is. It's so different being a leader. I was the one looking up to everyone freshman year. I was trying to play based on the people around me. But now, I'm bringing my teammates confidence."

More: Morris County Tournament 2026 field hockey bracket, schedule, scores

Senior forward Molly Chazen scored both Chatham goals and was named the offensive MVP of the final. The first came from the right side midway through the third quarter. But Madison senior Celia Stuart equalized less than five minutes later on a clean hit from about 10 yards out.

The winning goal was opportunistic, as Chazen poked home a rebound.

Her older sister, Emmy Chazen, had scored the winning goal with no time left on the clock when Chatham beat Madison in 2023. The younger Chazen described this title as "a full circle moment for us, and she's a big role model for me."

Madison had been the two-time defending champions, and came into the MCT final on a four-match winning streak. These two teams have won all but one of the past nine titles.

More: NJSIAA releases pairings for 2026 field hockey tournament

Most of the players also know each other through their club teams: Centercourt and New Heights. Despite the Dodgers' tears, there were also many hugs and words of consolation exchanged after the final.

"It definitely makes it more intense, because we know how everyone plays," said Chazen, who has verbally committed to Colgate. "Knowing the other players makes it more high stakes."

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Chatham tops Madison in Morris County Tournament field hockey final

LOS ANGELES - Ever since the day that Bob Chesney stepped into Westwood to take the reins of UCLA's at the time floundering football program, there's been a new sense of hope imbued into Bruins football. 

Now, eight weeks into the season, there isn't just hope, there's belief. The Bruins under Chesney are 7-0, No. 7 in all of college football according to the Associated Press poll and are in first place of the Big Ten with a real shot at qualifying for the college football playoff for the first time in program history. 

But while the Bruins under Chesney are flying high as the darlings of the college football world, there has simultaneously been growing discontent about UCLA's success as a football program, growing mostly online, and part of that discontent has been expressed in the disbelief that Chesney is in it for the long run in Westwood. 

John Panganiban-The Sporting Tribune

UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney in an interview during a NCAA football game against Purdue at Rose Bowl Stadium on September 19th, 2026 in Pasadena, California.

UCLA's recent struggles as a program have damaged the brand, to be sure, and the Bruins' online detractors have been quick to say that Chesney will use his newfound fame to head to a "real" football school, whether that be in the SEC or elsewhere in the Big Ten.

Chesney's response

But Chesney himself was asked about this kind of sentiment at UCLA's practice on Tuesday, and the Bruins' head coach made things clear on what his response is.

"No messages for them," Chesney said (via Ben Bolch). "I've said it before: this is the greatest place in the world to play football. I think it's the greatest place in the world to coach football. I'm extremely blessed to be here. My family loves it here. I love it here."

Darwin Walker - The Sporting Tribune

UCLA head coach Bob Chesney looks on during the UCLA Football Spring Showcase at Rose Bowl Stadium on May 2, 2026 in Pasadena, California.

As Chesney stood on a football in November where the sun was shining and the temperature topped out at 74 degrees Fahrenheit, Southern California's greatest recruiting tool wasn't lost on Chesney.

Building greatness, not chasing it

But his loyalty to the Bruins doesn't stop at warm weather and sunny skies, appealing as they may be. Since he first arrived, Chesney has lauded UCLA in every facet as both an athletic and academic powerhouse.

 He's spoken repeatedly about how impressive the numerous national championships athletic programs across the university in the past year, such as those won by the women's basketball team and men's water polo team, both in 2025, have been to him and how badly he's wanted to bring that kind of prestige to the football program as well.

The energy he has for his lofty goals he has for the program has seemingly been matched and the buy-in that Chesney has experienced is yet another reasons he's staying rooted for a long time with the Blue and Gold.

Jack Haslett -- The Sporting Tribune

New UCLA football head coach Bob Chesney poses with his new jersey at the introductory press conference for Bob Chesney at Luskin Conference Center Tuesday, December 9, 2025 in Los Angeles.

"The vision that I have for this place as an outsider looking in is all things that is being met with that same energy," Chesney said. "A plan moving forward, a idea of chasing greatness and not being afraid to consider this big-time college football and to start building the program that way. So, very excited about our future and how things roll."

The Lady Vols led, 77-27, at halftime.

Kaylene Smikle totaled 19 points, two rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. She converted 7-of-15 field goal attempts, 2-of-7 three-point attempts and 3-of-4 free throw attempts. Smikle was one of eight Tennessee players to score 10-plus points in the contest against the Rattlers.

Naomi White recorded 16 points, seven assists, six rebounds four steals and one block, while HarrisoumCoulibaly and Riley Makalusky scored 14 points each for the Lady Vols, who forced 37 Florida A&M turnovers.

Jada Eads totaled 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Gabby Minus had 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block for the Lady Vols, who out rebounded Florida A&M, 58-25.

Zehn Craft recorded 11 points, six rebounds, three steals and one assist, while Kennedy Fauntleroy finished with 10 points, four assists, four steals and one block. Fatima Janneh was Tennessee's leading rebounder with 13 rebounds.

The Lady Vols led, 77-27, at halftime.

Kaylene Smikle totaled 19 points, two rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. She converted 7-of-15 field goal attempts, 2-of-7 three-point attempts and 3-of-4 free throw attempts. Smikle was one of eight Tennessee players to score 10-plus points in the contest against the Rattlers.

Naomi White recorded 16 points, seven assists, six rebounds four steals and one block, while HarrisoumCoulibaly and Riley Makalusky scored 14 points each for the Lady Vols, who forced 37 Florida A&M turnovers.

Jada Eads totaled 13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals, while Gabby Minus had 12 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block for the Lady Vols, who out rebounded Florida A&M, 58-25.

Zehn Craft recorded 11 points, six rebounds, three steals and one assist, while Kennedy Fauntleroy finished with 10 points, four assists, four steals and one block. Fatima Janneh was Tennessee's leading rebounder with 13 rebounds.

After serving as an electric shooter from the bench, Jamarion Batemon will look to increase his role on a Cyclone roster that lost some significant pieces from beyond the arc in the off-season. Batemon is one of many recruits to come from Wisconsin during the Otzelberger tenure, hailing from Milwaukee.

Batemon was largely hot and cold throughout the season, bouncing between unstoppable from beyond the arc to some games being dreadful. If Batemon wants to maintain his starting spot in front of some other dynamic shooting guards, especially once Killyan Toure returns from injury. 

What does Batemon bring? 

The immediate impact he has is from beyond the arc. Over two-thirds of his total field goal attempts came from beyond the arc, where he would shoot at a 37% clip. As is the life of a sharp shooter, Batemon had his highs and lows. Against Alcorn State, he went off for a season high 26 points while going 7-10 from deep. While everyone remembers the Heise three pointer against Houston, Batemon hit a huge three right before it to take a one point lead with 2:10 remaining in the game.

In the NCAA tournament, Batemon went just 3-15 from deep, which is certainly below what the Otzelberger staff is looking for. Defensively, Batemon recorded 21 steals, which is impressive once you account for the amount of minutes he averaged and having two of the best on ball defenders in the country taking some of those steal opportunities. 

How will Batemon be used? 

Of the returning roster, Batemon has the highest three point average. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to expect Batemon to be used in a similar fashion as last year, but with more playing time with the departure of Milan Momcilovic. In the two exhibition games, Batemon has shot 4-15 from deep and amassed 22 points.

My personal take is that he is simply shaking off some of the rust of the off-season, and those totals should improve with games being played with more regularity. Defensively, Batemon will not be asked to defend whomever the leading scorer on the opposing team is, as that title will likely be taken on rotation of Jaquan Johnson, Tamin Lipsey and eventually Killyan Toure.

That doesn’t mean that Batemon won’t have a significant presence on defense, as he will often be asked to shut down the next available option as the first option either gets put in the toureture chamber, gets set in front of Lipsey, or just gets bullied by Jaquan Johnson. Another year in the Otzelberger defense, another year in the weight room, and hopefully another year of developing into the next Cyclone sharpshooter.

Patriots rumors: NE insider dumps cold water all over trade deadline fireworks appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

With the New England Patriots (4-3) losing to the Chicago Bears last Thursday, 30-24, the fanbase is no doubt wondering how the team is looking to improve itself ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline. As the Patriots look to get better with the trade deadline, this team insider would discuss whether the team is going to be aggressive with its deals.

In the latest column from Karen Guregian of MassLive.com, she would answer if New England is looking to be aggressive when it comes to the trades they could be making. She would say that the “sense” is “probably not,” though additions are to be expected, but they “will likely be minor depth-related moves.”

“This year? Will they be as aggressive making trades as they’ve been on fourth down? The sense here, is probably not. A big splash doesn’t appear to be in the cards. If anything, any additions will likely be minor depth-related moves,” Guregian wrote.

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Regarding the positions of need, Guregian says that the Patriots could address guard, which is “first on the list” for her, with a defensive tackle specializing in run stopping and an edge rusher being other areas of need.

“We’re going to try to do everything we can to help the team,” New England head coach Mike Vrabel said. “I don’t know if we will, or we won’t. But I imagine we’ll do anything we can to help us within reason, and if it makes sense for us. I don’t know how you want to interpret that. But we’ll listen and talk just like everybody else does.”

At any rate, it remains to be seen what the Patriots do ahead of the trade deadline as they next face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Related: Patriots’ Mike Vrabel refuses to comment on $250,000 fine for behavior to officials

Florida vs. Stetson box score: Full stats from Gators' exhibition game in Gainesville originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After a shocking NCAA Tournament exit against Iowa last season, the pressure is on for Todd Golden and Florida.

No longer the defending national champions, the Gators do have what the vast majority of teams don't: continuity. Thomas Haugh, Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu are all back to play a third season together, and old friend Denzel Aberdeen is also currently eligible to play after a year at Kentucky.

The early result? The nation's No. 1 ranking, at least in the eyes of AP voters. After Tuesday's tune-up, it will be up to Florida to prove its worthiness of that top spot.

Here are the stats from the exhibition game between Florida and Stetson.

MORE: Box score from Duke's exhibition win over Kansas

Florida vs. Stetson basketball box score

Florida stats

Stetson stats

MORE:Louisville freshman shines in exhibition win over Kansas

The shirt featured the words "Mac's Maniacs" in gold print as an allude to second-year head coach Ben McCollum. Xtream Arena was far from filled to capacity, but the sights and sounds of Hawkeye basketball were there.

Though the actual game didn't count towards Iowa's record, the fans enjoyed watching their team on the hardwood again, as the Hawkeyes tallied an 88-64 victory over the Prairie Stars. 

Here are some instant takeaways from Iowa's win:

McKeever is indeed pretty tall 

The frontcourt was easily Iowa's primary weakness last year, but it feels like it has something with the addition of Saint Mary's big man Andrew McKeever. It's only an exhibition game, but the 7-foot-3 McKeever's sheer presence on the floor made a huge difference for the Hawkeyes. There were definitely some blocks and boards in there, but several UIS shooters had to alter their shots because McKeever was waiting in the lane. 

McKeever finished with two points, two rebounds, and seven assists (McCollum praised his passing ability in the summer so that could be a good sign) in 14 minutes of game action. 

Howard is willing to shoot more 

It's clear that Isaia Howard is ready to take another step forward in this offense this year. Ben McCollum and his players have usually mentioned Howard at the top of their lists for a potential breakout player in 2026-27, and the signs were certainly showing on Tuesday. The buckets weren't always falling, but Howard showed more willingness to shoot it from long range, and his form looked good in the process. 

Howard finished eight points, one assist, and nine rebounds in 22 minutes of game action. 

Iowa gets out-rebounded at half 

Exhibition games are exhibition games for a reason, but there were some instances where Iowa defenders lost their man on the wing. Considering the Hawkeyes used just about every man on their bench, that's pretty common, though.

McCollum and Co. can iron out some of those kinks, but they certainly won't like this statistic. Iowa was being out-rebounded by a Division II team at the half, 19-18. Again, using a variety of lineups without McKeever and fellow big Trevin Jirak probably was a factor, but that's something the coaching staff will want to figure out ahead of next week's season opener. 

The Hawkeyes recovered in the second half to ultimately win the rebounding battle 36-32, so we'll see what adjustments they can make during this week in-between games. 

McCollum and Coleman are first off the bench 

Every coach uses an exhibition game to throw in unusual substitutions, so there's no reason to overreact to anything that comes out of this game. But since this is the business of reporting what we see, here are the first set of rotations that we noticed. 

Starting five: Kael Combs, Howard, Tate Sage, Cooper Koch, and Andrew McKeever 

After the starting five opened the game for a few minutes, Peyton McCollum and Illinois State transfer Ty'Reek Coleman. It's likely Ben McCollum will switch things up early in the year, but both provided strong minutes off the bench. Coleman's ability to get to the rim makes him a valuable piece for the guards, while the younger McCollum showed some sparks after not seeing any minutes in 2025-26.

The 6-foot-2 McCollum is going to have to earn his minutes this year, but he could be a key role player if he can hit from beyond the arc and make hustle plays (he did both against UIS). 

Coleman finished with nine points, three assists, two rebounds, and one steal in 19 minutes, while Peyton McCollum tallied 10 points and two rebounds in 21 minutes. 

Up Next 

Iowa kicks off its regular season next Tuesday, Nov. 3 against Lipscomb at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. on Big Ten Network. 

The first exhibition season for coach Jerrod Calhoun's revamped Cincinnati Bearcats basketball roster is done, with the Bearcats finishing 2-1.

UC defeated Oakland University of the Horizon League 97-58 on Oct. 27 after defeating Ohio State outdoors on a portable floor and scoring 96 points in a loss to Illinois

MJ Collins Jr. hit a 3-pointer 13 seconds into the game, and the Bearcats maintained the lead from there. Collins led UC scorers with 22 points, making five 3-pointers. Myles Colvin had 15, all on threes, and pulled down six rebounds. The Bearcats hit 52% of their triples and held the Golden Grizzlies to just 20%.

"We told our guys this was a game where you're going to get a lot of open looks," UC coach Jerrod Calhoun said. "Myles, MJ, those guys can fill it up and everybody did a good job of finding them; it wasn't just one guy."

Elijah Perryman led the Bearcats with 10 assists, while Tylen Riley and Trevian Carson had five apiece.

Newcomer Amani Lyles got into the game and showed some inside effectiveness. Lyles just joined the team this past week. He finished with six points, making all of his shots.

UC shot 61% from the field for the game to 37% for Oakland. The Bearcats won on the glass 33-30.

What we know about Cincinnati Bearcats after 3 October exhibitions

The Bearcats can play a lot of guys and in any given game, a different player can lead them in scoring. The first two games were led by Tylen Riley, who had 23 in the win over Ohio State and 31 in the loss to Illinois.

Tyler Tejada had 17 vs. the Buckeyes and Jayden Hastings had 16. Behind Riley vs. Illinois, Adlan Elamin had 15 points. Elamin didn't play in the exhibition vs. Oakland.

In the finale, it was Colvin and Collins, with 10 3-pointers between them. UC's eventual fate won't be decided by an exhibition win over Oakland, but they do have an enjoyable spurtability.

Now that Oakland has been here, UC has seen zone defense

Calhoun wanted to play against Coach Greg Kampe's 1-3-1 and got a decent look in the final practice game. The Bearcats fared far better from far out than the Golden Grizzlies, finishing 15-for-29 to Oakland's 4-for-19.

In UC's first game vs. Ohio State, the sun glare kept them at 4-for-19 from the perimeter, but they drained 12 against Illinois.

A dozen Bearcats played double-digit minutes against Oakland. Had Calhoun kept certain players in, the game might have been more lopsided. As it was, seven different Bearcats drained 3-point buckets.

UC Bearcats can come from behind

In the opener, the Bearcats showed they could come back. Down most of the game vs. Ohio State, UC took the lead with 5:11 to go and won by 11.

When trailing with five minutes to go under Wes Miller, UC was just 4-51 in five seasons.

UC Bearcats play for real Monday, Nov. 2

The games count the day before Election Day when American University is at Fifth Third Arena for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+.

The first exhibition season for coach Jerrod Calhoun's revamped Cincinnati Bearcats basketball roster is done, with the Bearcats finishing 2-1.

UC defeated Oakland University of the Horizon League 97-58 on Oct. 27 after defeating Ohio State outdoors on a portable floor and scoring 96 points in a loss to Illinois

MJ Collins Jr. hit a 3-pointer 13 seconds into the game, and the Bearcats maintained the lead from there. Collins led UC scorers with 22 points, making five 3-pointers. Myles Colvin had 15, all on threes, and pulled down six rebounds. The Bearcats hit 52% of their triples and held the Golden Grizzlies to just 20%.

"We told our guys this was a game where you're going to get a lot of open looks," UC coach Jerrod Calhoun said. "Myles, MJ, those guys can fill it up and everybody did a good job of finding them; it wasn't just one guy."

Elijah Perryman led the Bearcats with 10 assists, while Tylen Riley and Trevian Carson had five apiece.

Newcomer Amani Lyles got into the game and showed some inside effectiveness. Lyles just joined the team this past week. He finished with six points, making all of his shots.

"I was real excited," UC's Eric Mahaffey, a former teammate of Lyles at Akron, said. "He brings what we need for this team: rebounding and he's a big body on the floor. I love the addition."

UC shot 61% from the field for the game to 37% for Oakland. The Bearcats won on the glass 33-30.

What we know about Cincinnati Bearcats after 3 October exhibitions

The Bearcats can play a lot of guys and in any given game, a different player can lead them in scoring. The first two games were led by guard Riley, who had 23 in the win over Ohio State and 31 in the loss to Illinois.

Tyler Tejada had 17 vs. the Buckeyes and Jayden Hastings had 16. Behind Riley vs. Illinois, Adlan Elamin had 15 points. Elamin didn't play in the exhibition vs. Oakland with a blister. He's expected back at practice later this week.

In the finale, it was Colvin and Collins, with 10 3-pointers between them. UC's eventual fate won't be decided by an exhibition win over Oakland, but they do have an enjoyable spurtability.

Now that Oakland has been here, UC has seen zone defense

Calhoun wanted to play against Coach Greg Kampe's 1-3-1 and got a decent look in the final practice game. The Bearcats fared far better from far out than the Golden Grizzlies, finishing 15-for-29 to Oakland's 4-for-19.

In UC's first game vs. Ohio State, the sun glare kept them at 4-for-19 from the perimeter, but they drained 12 against Illinois.

A dozen Bearcats played double-digit minutes against Oakland. Had Calhoun kept certain players in, the game might have been more lopsided. As it was, seven different Bearcats drained 3-point buckets.

Defensively, they forced 21 turnovers and turned them into 25 points. Oakland made it to the free-throw line 28 times to UC's nine, so there's room for improvement there.

"We've got to clean some of that up," Calhoun said. "It's that time of year."

UC Bearcats can come from behind

In the opener, the Bearcats showed they could come back. Down most of the game vs. Ohio State, UC took the lead with 5:11 to go and won by 11.

When trailing with five minutes to go under Wes Miller, UC was just 4-51 in five seasons. Ball movement is a priority.

"The ball brings energy," Mahaffey said. "When the ball touches everybody, that means everybody plays better. I love the way we move the ball."

UC Bearcats play for real Monday, Nov. 2

The games count the day before Election Day when American University is at Fifth Third Arena for a 7 p.m. tip on ESPN+.

Toronto Raptors star forward Kawhi Leonard received bad news about his knees. After sitting out the Raptors’ 117-94 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday due to swelling in his knee, Leonard learned that his absence will last longer than one game.

“Toronto’s Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss a period of weeks due to swelling in his left knee, sources tell ESPN,” Shams Charania tweeted earlier today. “MRI on Leonard’s knee showed no structural damage, but sides will use the shorter term to ramp him back up after the stoppages during the offseason.”

Toronto’s loss to Minnesota was the Raptors’ first of the season and dropped their record to 2-1. The game also marked the first contest that Leonard sat out since returning to Toronto this summer.

Part of the concern when the Raptors sent Gradey Dick and Brandon Ingram to the  Los Angeles Clippers for Leonard after snapping a three-year playoff drought stemmed from the 35-year-old’s unreliability. Leonard hasn’t appeared in 60 games in back-to-back seasons or played in at least 70 contests since 2016-17.

While Leonard is expected to be out for some time, there is a silver lining. As Michael Grange of Sportsnet tweeted, Leonard is not injured. Grange added that Leonard’s issue is due to wear and tear on his knee and that he is expected to be back on the court to continue his ramp-up before returning to action.

Some more detail: Leonard is not ‘injured’ but swelling was response to ‘wear-and-tear’. He will be rested during week of treatment and return to on-court work after a week.

— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) October 27, 2026

Leonard has been productive in his two appearances this year, but far from efficient. He averages 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals with shooting splits of 32.4/28.6/1.000.

Darko Rajakovic Has Important Lineup Decisions While Leonard Is Sidelined

Toronto looked really good against Chicago in the season opener, forever that is, as the Bulls are going to be one of the worst teams in the league. The Raptors also played well for the most part against Washington, holding the Wizards to just 38% from the field and 32.4% from 3-point range.

While Toronto struggled to shoot the ball from deep in the first two games, the Raptors were totally off their game without Leonard against the Wolves. The Raptors shot just 38.5% from the field against the Wolves and hoisted a season-high 38 threes (of their 91 total attempts), connecting on 26.3% of the tries.

Toronto’s biggest problem was their halfcourt offense. Without Leonard, the Timberwolves defense stifled the Raptors’ offense, allowing them to load up on Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett. Barnes was held scoreless on 12 shots, and Barrett needed 21 shots to tally his 20 points. Overall, the Raptors totaled 62 points in the halfcourt, with 18 coming on fast breaks and 14 at the free-throw line.

Barnes on his scoreless game vs Wolves: “They had help in the paint, so I couldn’t really get all the way to the rim. I obviously missed some easy ones as well. On the defensive end I feel like I still had a good impact…It is what it is. Go to the next game, try to go dominate” https://t.co/QrlVjlzGXo

— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) October 27, 2026

Toronto is the top-ranked defensive team through three games, followed by Minnesota. But the Raptors also struggled on that end against the Timberwolves, as the Wolves shot 56% from the field and knocked down 15 triples at 46% from beyond the arc.

Against Minnesota, Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic inserted Ja’Kobe Walter into the starting lineup while keeping the rest of his normal first unit — Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl, Barnes and Barrett.

Walter had a strong offensive game against Minnesota, scoring 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 5-of-8 from 3-point range. The 22-year-old also grabbed four rebounds (2 offensive), dished out two assists, recorded two steals, and blocked one shot.  However, he posted a -22 plus/minus rating, and with him standing at 6-4, the Raptors lack size and rebounding, as Barrett is 6-6.

“Until he gets back, we got to figure it out. We can’t just let let go of the rope. We can’t have games like we did in Minnesota” – RJ Barrett on Leonard being out. https://t.co/3cKQl8UgkY

— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) October 27, 2026

Examining the Raptors’ Options to Replace Kawhi Leonard in the Starting Lineup

Ja’Kobe Walter

Walter has picked up right where he left off last year. Walter, who increased his production after the All-Star break, averages 13.0 points on 46.4% from the field and 2.7 threes at 40% from beyond the arc. He also has compiled 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals.

Walter has started 38 of his 127 contests and is playing the best basketball of his career. He also played extremely well on both ends against the Timberwolves.

Collin Murray-Boyles

Collin Murray-Boyles had a solid rookie campaign last year, earning second-team All-Rookie honors, though he has struggled offensively early on. But the 21-year-old forward has rebounded the ball extremely well, particularly on the offensive end, and has been excellent defensively. He is holding his checks to 27.3% shooting and has the fifth-best defensive win percentage on the team.

Allen Graves

Allen Graves has played extremely well through his first three games of his rookie campaign. Graves is a lengthy, athletic big who figures to be the least likely of the four players listed to start, given his skill set is similar to Barnes’. He is off to a strong start due to his versatility, efficiency around the rim, and excellent rebounding.

Graves’ defense is ahead of his offense. The 20-year-old was excellent on defense on the perimeter against the Timberwolves, whether on or off the ball. He did struggle on the interior on the ball, though he was better when off-the-ball inside.

Kyle Anderson

Kyle Anderson is the senior member of the four players.  While Anderson has come off the bench most of his career, he has started 310 games and has been more efficient in the starting lineup. More importantly, he does the little things that help teams win and doesn’t make mistakes.

The Final Word

While Leonard is expected to return to the court next week, he is believed to be held out until after the Raptors return from their four-game road trip that starts Sunday. Therefore, Leonard will miss at least six games, with his earliest most likely return date being on November 9 at home against Memphis.

In these six games, Toronto hosts Orlando (twice, this week) and then heads to Los Angeles to play both the Lakers and Clippers. The Raptors finish up the road trip at Denver and Milwaukee.  So, expect Rajakovic to experiment a little, as 12 players started one game last year and he used 26 different starting lineups.

Walter is the most gifted offensive player of the four players listed as options and started against Minnesota. So, expect Rajakovic to give Walter another start. However, if the Raptors struggle as they did against the Timberwolves, Rajakovic will likely make a change, potentially going with either Anderson or Graves.

Toronto’s biggest concern without Leonard will be spacing offensively, with someone stepping up as the number 1 option—likely Barrett or Quickley. The Raptors’ lack of overall size and whether they can keep up their defensive intensity without Leonard are also concerns.

Regardless of who ultimately starts in Leonard’s, all four players, plus Jamison Battle, project to see an increase in playing time. Walter and Graves figure to see the most significant increase unless Rajokovic decides to go with Anderson in the starting lineup. In that case, Anderson will likely only see between 12-19 minutes per game.

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Photo Credit: Brad Mills, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect

The Toronto Maple Leafs dropped a 5-2 decision on Monday night to the Calgary Flames, who are suddenly experiencing a resurgence after a brutally slow start to the season.

Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs saw their record fall to 7-5-2 with the setback, which included a costly giveaway by forward Easton Cowan in the first period, allowing the Flames to secure their second goal of the contest courtesy of captain Mikael Backlund.

Meanwhile, Maple Leafs GM John Chayka, who has made multiple meaningful transformations of the club since he arrived, both in the front office, on the bench, and on the ice, spoke honestly about Cowan’s future with the club.

Toronto Maple Leafs GM John Chayka Sheds Light On Easton Cowan’s Future With The Club

Recently, Chayka explained that there isn’t any player on the roster that is considered truly “untradeable”, but that Cowan represents everything that management wants to see in a Leafs player.

“I don’t think any player is untradeable, but he’s a good player,” Chayka said. “He’s everything you’d want in a Toronto Maple Leaf. He loves the Leafs. He’s passionate about it. Plays a 200-foot game. Does whatever it takes. You know, in the gym, doing extra on the ice. It’d be tough to ever improve on a player like that.”

Chayka, who answered with a blunt “yeah” if he would be willing to make another blockbuster move in the vein of the deal that brought them Kirill Marchenko just before the season began, also said that he’s constantly looking at upgrades.

“There’s no doubt we need to improve our defensive play overall to reach our ultimate goals,” Chayka said. “But I don’t think a transaction is necessarily always the way to improve.

“My job is always to look to improve the team if possible, and we’ll continue to evaluate the market and see if there’s an opportunity.”

Easton Cowan Is Playing In His Second Year With The Maple Leafs

Cowan emerged as one of the OHL’s top players during his time with the London Knights, eventually becoming a first-round pick of the Maple Leafs in 2023. After putting up 53 points as a rookie, he exploded for 96 points in 54 games the following season, then helped London win the OHL championship while earning playoff MVP honors.

Cowan continued his dominance in 2024-25, setting the OHL’s longest-ever point streak at 56 games and leading the playoffs with 39 points. He then helped London capture another OHL title and its first Memorial Cup since 2005, leading the tournament in scoring and earning MVP honors as the Knights completed a championship run.

In his first full NHL campaign, he appeared in 66 games for the Maple Leafs in 2025-26, scoring 11 goals with 18 assists. So far in 2026-27, Cowan has six goals and seven assists in 14 games played, currently on pace to break the 30-goal threshold.

He’s under contract this season and next season with a $900,000 salary cap hit, a number that will rise considerably on his next deal if he can continue his upward trajectory.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Maple Leafs GM Drops Hint About Easton Cowan’s Future appeared first on HEAVY.

Since 2000, no team in baseball has won more World Series titles than the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox' run of dominance, of course, began in 2004. After the greatest comeback in sports history, overcoming a 3-0 series deficit to defeat the New York Yankees in seven games. On October 27, 2004, the Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 in Game 4 of the World Series to win their first World Series in 86 years. 

About the game 

Johnny Damon got things started early for the Red Sox, launching a leadoff home run off St. Louis starter Jason Marquis. Trot Nixon added some insurance runs in the top of the third inning with a two-run double off Marquis, scoring David Ortiz and Jason Varitek to make it 3-0. That was all the Red Sox offense needed, thanks to a masterful performance from the Red Sox pitching staff. 

Veteran right-hander Derek Lowe got the start for the Red Sox in the series-clinching win. The 31-year-old right-hander tossed seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits, walking one, and striking out four before handing the ball to the bullpen. Bronson Arroyo and Alan Embree combined for a scoreless eighth, before closer Keith Foulke closed it out in the ninth. 

More on the series 

The Cardinals were a juggernaut in 2004, winning a league-high 105 regular season games. With a lineup that featured Hall of Famers Scott Rolen and Larry Walker, future Hall of Famers Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, as well as Jim Edmonds. The Cardinals offense scored 855 runs in the regular season, the sixth most in baseball. 

However, the lethal Cardinals lineup was held in check by the Red Sox pitching staff, hitting just .190/.261/.302/.562, scoring only 12 runs in the four-game Red Sox sweep. 

As for the Red Sox, they were led by Hall of Fame designated hitter David Ortiz and should-be Hall of Fame left fielder Manny Ramirez. Boston finished the regular season with the best offense in baseball, scoring a league-high 949 runs. As a team, Boston hit .283/.404/.478/.882 in the World Series. After a 7-for-17 performance with one home run and four RBI, Ramirez was named World Series MVP as the Red Sox broke the ‘Curse of the Bambino’ and began a 14-year run that produced four World Series titles. 

22 years ago today, the Boston Red Sox became World Series champions. In the words of Hall of Fame broadcaster Joe Castiglione: “Can you believe it?”

Alex Verdugo played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, and collected $23,125,201 in career earnings through 2025, according to Spotrac. But as of Tuesday, 482 days have passed since he last played baseball in a major league game.

The former outfielder who also appeared in MLB with the Atlanta Braves last appeared on July 1, 2025, going 0-for-3 with a walk for the Braves against the Los Angeles Angels.

Born May 15, 1996, Verdugo went to the Dodgers in the second round of the 2014 draft, 62nd overall, and signed for a $914,600 bonus. By 2019, MLB Pipeline ranked Verdugo as the Dodgers No. 1 prospect, and the 35th-best prospect in all of baseball. But the Dodgers sent him to Boston on Feb. 9, 2020, alongside Jeter Downs and Connor Wong in the trade that brought Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles.

Through 2025, he owned a .270 average with 831 hits, along with 70 home runs and 328 RBI.

Boston shipped him to New York on Dec. 5, 2023, after a series of reported clashes with then-manager Alex Cora, for pitchers Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice. Verdugo signed an $8.7 million deal with the Yankees on Jan. 11, 2024, avoiding arbitration.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora benched Verdugo after a late arrival during the 2023 season.

“One of my worst days here in this organization,” Cora said, according to Yardbarker.

Read More From Heavy

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Alex Verdugo’s Career Earnings by Year and Team

The ledger starts with a $914,600 signing bonus from the Dodgers in 2014. Verdugo then earned $90,613 in 2017, $137,710 in 2018 and $560,000 in 2019, for a Los Angeles total of $1,702,923, according to Spotrac.

Boston paid him $222,778 in 2020, $649,500 in 2021, $3.55 million in 2022 and $6.3 million in 2023, totaling $10,722,278 across four seasons.

The Yankees paid him $9.2 million for 2024, made up of $8.7 million in base salary and $500,000 in incentives. The Braves paid $1.5 million for 2025.

Those four teams account for the full $23,125,201 in Spotrac’s figures, and Verdugo enters the offseason as a free agent.

Read More From Heavy

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Alex Verdugo’s Season With the New York Yankees

Verdugo played 149 games for the Yankees in 2024 and hit .233/.291/.356 with 13 home runs, plus 28 doubles and 61 RBI.

Long slumps led fans to demand prospect Jasson Domínguez in left field, but the club kept Verdugo in the lineup largely because of his defense.

“Fans booing me, getting on me, I understand it. I was booing myself, too,” Verdugo said after the Yankees’ 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, as quoted by Sports Illustrated.

He reached base three times that night, and his two-out single in the seventh inning drove in Jazz Chisholm Jr. with the go-ahead run.

The Yankees chose not to re-sign him after the season. Verdugo went into mid-March 2025 with no publicly known big league offer, as slipping production, clubhouse questions and a deep pool of outfielders worked against him, according to Yardbarker.

The Atlanta Braves signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million contract on March 20, 2025, down from the $9.2 million he earned in 2024.

He hit .239/.296/.289 without a home run in 56 games, and the Braves designated him for assignment July 2 before releasing him July 5.

The San Diego Padres gave him a minor league contract March 1, 2026, and he was released in May after a shoulder injury expected to require season-ending surgery.

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This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Yankees Castoff Alex Verdugo Out of MLB for 483 Days After Earning $23 Million appeared first on HEAVY.

Edwards tweaked his knee in the season opener against the Miami Heat, team and league sources said. He received an MRI exam earlier this week, and both the team and Edwards deemed surgery was the right measure to address the discomfort in his knee. A recovery timeline will not be available until after he has surgery on Thursday, but the initial belief is he will likely be out through the holidays, which includes Minnesota’s first-ever Christmas Day home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

New York Times

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Anthony Edwards initially expected to miss Wolves' first Christmas home game

Edwards and the team decided the All-Star would not have surgery in the offseason, believing rest would be enough to get him back to normal. During the preseason, he said the approach had worked well and he was back to normal.

New York Times

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Edwards and the team decided the All-Star would not …

He scored 45 points in the opener against Miami, but he tweaked his knee in that game, sources said. New imaging prompted Edwards and the team to choose surgery to address the situation now, which will allow him to return in plenty of time to help the Timberwolves pursue his goal for this season: a championship.

New York Times

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: New imaging prompted Edwards and the team to choose …

Mavs PR: The Dallas Mavericks have recalled F Santi Aldama from the Texas Legends after he practiced with the club as part of his return to play protocol.

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Dallas Mavericks have recalled F Santi Aldama from the …

Michael Scotto: Brooklyn Nets swingman Egor Dëmin is out for the remainder of tonight’s game against the Boston Celtics due to a right leg contusion.

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Brooklyn Nets swingman Egor Dëmin is out for the …

Kendra Andrews: The Atlanta Dream ownership group has released a statement regarding the matinee time change for Game 6, in part saying “playing a midday game on a Thursday is not what we would have chosen and not what we fought for.” The letter says they raised scheduling concerns to the league two months ago.

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The Atlanta Dream ownership group has released a …

The Internet Invitational loves to highlight the drama of its tournament, and with $4 million on the line, there’s bound to be plenty of it. As the first episode of the five-part 2026 series dropped on Monday, fans quickly pegged their first villain.

His name is Bobby Ray—better known as Long Way Bobby Ray.

Who Is Bobby Ray?

Bobby Ray is a St. Louis native now based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Standing 6’4″ and 230 pounds, he brings serious power to the tee, with a 155.2 mph club speed, a 229.3 mph ball speed, and a longest competitive ball of 450 yards. He has reached as high as seventh in the world rankings for long drive competitors.

Away from competition, Ray has a growing entertainment profile. He won the 2019 reality show “Paradise Hotel,” appeared as Jasper in Netflix’s “The Hawk,” and has a role in the upcoming film “Judgment Day” alongside Will Ferrell and Zac Efron.

Why Is Bobby Ray So Hated?

The moment that caught everyone’s attention from episode one is for the anti-bully contingent of fans. Specifically, viewers turned when SGK (Short Game King) asked Ray whether he was wearing basketball shoes. The question appeared to strike a nerve. Ray reacted with visible irritation and made comments that came across as borderline threatening, turning a light jab about footwear into the most talked-about exchange of the day.

The timing made it worse. Ray was already losing at the time, and SGK had been in his head the entire round up to that point. He’d been offering to make side bets that Bobby Ray kept losing. By the time the seemingly innocent question came around, Bobby Ray had heard enough.

The reaction looked like a player unraveling rather than someone shrugging off a bit of needling. Trying to project toughness while falling behind rarely plays well, and the online response was swift. “Bobby Ray immediately threatening violence while trying to ridicule SGK’s abilities, instantly followed by missing every green and duck hooking drives is amazing,” wrote one fan who generated over eight thousand thumbs-up on the comment. Another wrote, “That Bobby Ray dude is the worst.”

How Did Things Play Out?

SGK stopped talking after Ray essentially told him he could squash him like a grape, and SGK’s own playing partner, Roger Steele, said he wouldn’t jump in to battle Ray, only pull him off to avoid someone getting hurt.

SGK responded, “I’ll just play dead.”

But his antics work. Ray pulled his next shot out of bounds and viewers were quick to connect the outburst to the miss, and the clip was selected as the “Internet Invitational dumb moment of the day.”

Internet golf events thrive on personality, and it appears there’s already an antagonist taking the top spot this season. Whether Ray leans into the villain role or tries to move past it remains to be seen, but the reaction suggests viewers will be watching his next tee shot closely.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Heated Exchange at 2026 Internet Invitational Has Fans Piling On Newest Villain appeared first on HEAVY.

The San Francisco 49ers made a roster-bolstering move, bringing back defensive tackle DeForest Buckner in a Tuesday trade with the Indianapolis Colts for a 2027 4th-round pick.

The Niners selected Buckner with the No. 7 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Oregon. He spent the first three years of his career in San Francisco, where he became a Pro Bowl and All-Pro lineman and helped the 49ers reach Super Bowl 54.

However, a month after that 31-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the big game, where Buckner tallied six tackles and sacked Patrick Mahomes 1.5 times, he was traded to the Colts for a first-round draft pick. He signed a four-year contract extension with Indianapolis in 2020, then added a two-year extension through 2026.

Buckner continued to make a name for himself as one of the league's best defensive tackles with the Colts. He earned two additional Pro Bowl selections and was routinely named one of the Top 100 players. The 32-year-old is in the final year of his contract, reuniting with San Francisco hungry, healthy and with plenty of gas in the tank.

TRADE GRADES: Who won the DeForest Buckner trade?

Buckner has career numbers of 678 total tackles, 75.5 sacks with nine forced fumbles, 11 recoveries and scored twice in his career, once with San Francisco in 2019 and again with the Colts in 2023. He has 30 career pass deflections.

After his last stint ended in a Super Bowl defeat, he has unfinished business with the 49ers.

The Kansas Jayhawks showed improvement on the defensive side of the football against Baylor, responding to head coach Lance Leipold’s challenge to become a more physical team. After struggling to match the intensity of Kansas State the previous week, the Jayhawks delivered a stronger performance in their 25-24 victory over the Bears on Saturday.

Physicality had become an important point of emphasis for Kansas after its 35-24 loss to Kansas State. The Jayhawks struggled to contain the Wildcats' rushing attack, allowing 359 rushing yards. Following that performance, Leipold made it clear that his team needed to do a better job matching its opponents' strength and intensity.

Against Baylor, Kansas showed signs of answering that challenge. The defense played with greater aggression, improved its tackling and made it more difficult for the Bears to sustain drives. Those improvements helped Kansas stay within reach of a comeback even when the offense faced adversity.

Leipold also highlighted the linebackers' response to the coaching staff's challenge. Their increased physicality and aggression were important factors in the defensive effort, helping Kansas compete more effectively against Baylor's offense.

The defensive front also contributed to the improvement. Kansas recorded two sacks and five tackles for loss, putting pressure on Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway and disrupting the Bears' offensive rhythm. The Jayhawks needed that production after allowing Kansas State to control the line of scrimmage the previous weekend.

Another encouraging development was the defense's ability to make important stops when Baylor threatened to pull away. Kansas entered the fourth quarter trailing 21-10 but rallied to take the lead and eventually secure the victory. The defense's contributions helped give the offense opportunities to get back into the game.

The Jayhawks' performance was not without challenges, but the result offered evidence that the team could respond to criticism and make adjustments. For a program looking to establish consistency in Big 12 competition, that response could be important as the season continues.

Leipold will now look for the defense to maintain that same level of intensity against TCU. Kansas cannot afford to treat one improved performance as the finish line, particularly with more conference games remaining and the need to build consistency on both sides of the ball.

The matchup against TCU will provide another opportunity for the Jayhawks to demonstrate their progress. Playing physically at the line of scrimmage, tackling consistently and getting pressure on the quarterback will remain key priorities.

Kansas' win over Baylor was significant for more than the final score. It showed that the Jayhawks could respond after being challenged by their head coach. If the defense continues to play with the same aggression and discipline, that improvement could become an important foundation for the remainder of the season.

Read more Kansas coverage at JayhawksRoundtable.

After one of the darkest days in franchise history, the Oklahoma City Thunder must continue to roll along. The sun has risen. The marathon continues. The former co-title favorite went from daunting to human. Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace are expected to miss most — if not all — of the 2026-27 season.

Both Williams and Wallace sustained potential season-ending injuries in OKC's win over the LA Clippers. Williams was diagnosed with a fractured fibula and a dislocated ankle. Wallace was diagnosed with a torn labrum on his shoulder. Both will require surgery.

Wow. Just wow. The Thunder are still processing how these two catastrophic injuries affect them both in the short-term and long-term. But the NBA regular season is unforgiving. Playing on an every-other-night basis leaves little time to fully process grief and other emotions from seeing Williams and Wallace sidelined for the foreseeable future.

How can the Thunder still salvage the 2026-27 season? Which is only an infant four games old? Here are four Thunder players who can step up in their absences. Plenty of opportunities are up for grabs now as OKC tries to Frankenstein its roster back together:

Chet Holmgren

Well, Holmgren — can you repeat last year's success? I know he was ridiculed more than most during the summer. But it didn't take long for him to remind folks why he was an All-NBA talent and Defensive Player of the Year runner-up last season. The advanced metrics paint him as one of the best players. He's the second-best rim protector in the league. Only behind his nemesis. Now that the Thunder are in a grim reality without two of their four best players, more will be expected of him. On both ends.

The Thunder are now led by Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren. The All-NBA tandem is talented enough to keep them in the contention conversation. After that, though, it gets a little scary. You're relying a lot on your role players to be consistent positives throughout the grueling regular-season schedule. If that can't happen, Holmgren has to step up as OKC's second-best scorer and best defender. There's zero tolerance for nights where he takes single-digit shot attempts. Even if it goes against his within-the-flow basketball philosophy.

Ajay Mitchell

In the ashes of OKC's doomsday scenario, Mitchell could parlay it into reaching his financial dreams this upcoming summer. The Thunder once again are expecting him to take on the brunt of the workload. He went from Sixth Man to second-best scorer real quick. He showed he's capable of scaling up in spurts. It's now about doing it for an entire year. Which could prove to be asking for a Herculean task.

Health has been Mitchell's biggest enemy since he joined the NBA. His brutal, drive-heavy scoring style adds a lot of mileage on your legs. There's no doubting the formula, though. That's how he went from second-round afterthought to a household name. It's now about doing it every night. Same on defense. Suddenly, he's one of OKC's best perimeter defenders. We'll see if he can handle such a taxing workload on both ends. It's sink or swim.

Alex Caruso

Time to rip apart the bubble wrap. You no longer have that luxury with Caruso. The Thunder will need the 32-year-old to be an important piece of their regular-season success. In his first two years, that wasn't required. OKC did just fine with him on ice. But that's when it had Wallace and Lu Dort as its top point-of-attack guys. Obviously, those two are out of the picture now. He'll need to be a regular-season guy. Just like he was on the Chicago Bulls before being traded.

The advanced metrics love Caruso. Even with his pedestrian box-score stats. He grades out as one of the most impactful players in the league. That's how vicious he is on defense. Even if the naked eye won't pick him out as one of the top era-defining defenders this past decade. The outside jumper has to be reliable, too. You can't dip below 30% from 3. I think he's up for it. It's just about staying healthy — which is a tall task at his usual 100-MPH game speed.

Kenrich Williams

After seeing his playing time dwindle over the years, Williams has shot back up on the depth chart. In his seventh season in OKC, he's returned to the rebuilding years as one of their top reserves. Let's see if he can still handle it. With Williams out, the 31-year-old is the last remaining traditional forward left in the rotation. That will guarantee him minutes for the rest of the way.

Williams has been a staple in OKC for years. He hasn't minded that his playing time has decreased over the years. His patience has been rewarded with this golden opportunity. The Thunder will need him on both ends. He's one of their most physical defenders left standing. And his outside jumper has always been pretty reliable. Let's see if he can handle the grind of the regular season. Like he once did a long time ago.

This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Here are 4 OKC Thunder players who must help with Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace out

A roundup of Southwest Florida high school results for the week of Oct. 26-31, 2026.

TUESDAY

Boys Golf

District 1A-12: The Village School won the district title by one stroke over Bishop Verot, 308-309, while Community School took third with 312. Village School also got an individual title with Kieran Shaw taking medalist honors with a 72 while four golfers tied fir second with 74: Babcock Ranch's Thomas Hess, Bishop Verot's Jack Henry, FBA's Landon Wolny and Canterbury's Quinn Seglem. Bishop Verot's Adrian Bahnam and St. John Neumann's Grant Noren shot 75s.

Girls Golf

District 1A-12: Community School of Naples won the title with a 300 with St. John Neumann winning a tiebreaker over Bishop Verot as the teams were deadlocked with 361. CSN's Norah Urrea won medalist wth a 72, edging Babcock's Sloane Savage, who also shot a 72. Makayla Caines of FBA finished third with a 74, while CSN took the next 3 places with Emmey Siek (75), Grace Shahraki (76) and Isabella Michetti (77).

District 3A-12: Charlotte won the district title with a 405, and Cape Coral took runner-up with a 486 to advance to regionals. Gateway's Elif Gencoguz was medalist with an 85.

MONDAY

Boys Golf

District 2A-13: Barron Collier won the district title with a 309 while Estero beat Naples for second in a one-hole sudden death playoff after tying with 332. Barron Collier and Estero advance to regionals automatically. Fort Myers finished one stroke out with a 333. Individually, Barron Collier's Gabriel Boone was medalist with a 74, with four golfers taking second with 77s: Fort Myers' Henry Liebwein, Naples' Jack Hulett and Barron Collier's Kaden Latreille and John Saadeh.

District 3A-12: Charlotte won the title with a 342 with North Fort Myers second with a 364. and Gateway third with a 372. Gateway's Beau Rassatt won medalist honors with a 75 while North Fort Myers' Tyler Guth and Cape Coral's Steven Bobovnik tied for third with 83.

Girls Golf

District 2A-13: Barron Collier won the team title by shooting a 316, followed by second-place Aubrey Rogers with a 374. The Cougars took the top two individual slots with Kate Freshwtaer winning with a 75 and Kamryn Frea second with a 78. Cypress Lake's Kinley Mills was third with an 81, tying the Cougars' Erin Erol. Oasis' Savanna Odjick tied for fifth with Barron Collier's Hayden Nason with 82.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: SW FL Postseason Roundup: District golf champions crowned

World Series Game 4 live score, updates, highlights from Brewers vs. Rays in 2026 MLB Fall Classic originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Milwaukee Brewers have waited 58 years to win a World Series. Tuesday night could be that night. 

The Brewers continued their playoff dominance with their most impressive performance yet in Game 3 against the Tampa Bay Rays, putting them one win away from a World Series title.

Pat Murphy's squad won last night 10-1, which was buoyed by an eight-run fifth inning on offense and six scoreless innings by starting pitcher Robert Gasser. The blowout allowed Milwaukee to save their bullpen, which means manager Pat Murphy can go all-out in Game 4.

Milwaukee's offense has impressed despite hitting just one home run in the first three World Series games, showing the unit's versatility. Jackson Chourio and William Contreras have led the way with a combined 15 hits in three games, which is almost as many base hits as the entire Rays team combined.

STREAM: Watch Game 4 of the World Series live with DIRECTV

For the Rays to turn this series around, they will need to find a way to play better in all aspects of the game. Tampa Bay turns to Griffin Jax as their Game 4 starter, and he will need to have a better start after he allowed three runs in four innings against the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS.

On offense, the Rays need more help from their depth players. Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero have been ok, with nine combined hits, but the rest of the team has eight total hits as the Brewers' pitching has shut them down.

Tampa Bay needs this game to keep the baseball season alive, while the Brewers don't want to give the Rays life.

The Sporting News is tracking live scores, updates and highlights from Game 4 of the 2026 World Series between the Brewers and Rays. Follow along for full updates from Tropicana Field.

MORE:Where Rays, Brewers rank among longest World Series droughts

World Series Game 4 live score

World Series Game 4 updates, highlights from Brewers vs. Rays in 2026 MLB playoffs

9:45 p.m.: Murphy turns to Abner Uribe in the bottom of the fifth inning as he continues to be aggressive.

9:41 p.m.: Kelly works around a walk to Yelich to complete his inning, so Milwaukee has yet to take the lead in Game 4.

Brewers 2, Rays 2

9:34 p.m.: HOME RUN! David Hamilton makes up for the error with a home run to tie the game. That will end Jax's night as Kevin Kelly is on to pitch.

DAVID HAMILTON! WE'RE TIED AGAIN! https://t.co/KyWsGoFz2z

— MLB (@MLB) October 28, 2026

End of fourth inning: Rays 2, Brewers 1

9:29 p.m.: Chandler Simpson is picked off to end the inning, keeping Tampa Bay's lead at 2-1 through four innings.

Rays 2, Brewers 1

9:24 p.m.: A David Hamilton error leads to Caminero scoring from second base to give the Rays the lead back.

The Rays jump back in front! https://t.co/jZ9e6n24vw

— MLB (@MLB) October 28, 2026

9:20 p.m.: Junior Caminero singles to leadoff the bottom of the inning, signaling the end of the line for Dustin May. JoJo Romero will come in for Liam Hicks.

9:16 p.m.: Jax gets Mitchell swinging to end the inning, keeping the game tied after 3.5.

Brewers 1, Rays 1

9:12 p.m.: Cooper Pratt sends the first pitch he sees down the line, allowing Frelick to score all the way from first base to tie the game.

Cooper Pratt! Tie game! https://t.co/nJKZIoriLR

— MLB (@MLB) October 28, 2026

9:11 p.m.: Frelick picks up another hit this time with two outs after Jax set down the first two batters of the inning.

End of third inning, Rays 1, Brewers 0

9:03 p.m.: May bounces back with a 1-2-3 inning in the third inning as this pitching duel continues.

8:56 p.m.: Jax works around the single to produce his third scoreless inning of the night.

8:51 p.m.: Jackson Chourio's latest knock is a one-out hit as he hopes to get a Milwaukee rally started.

End of second inning: Rays 1, Brewers 0

8:45 p.m.: May limits the damage to one run, but the Rays get a lead for the first time since Game 2.

Rays 1, Brewers 0

8:42 p.m.: With the speedy Johnny DeLuca on first base, Chandler Simpson sends a ball down the line, allowing DeLuca to score the first run.

Off the jump Chandler scores Jonny from first #ForTampaBay | #WorldSeries https://t.co/z3licIRQwD

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) October 28, 2026

8:39 p.m.: Liam Hicks didn't start last night, but he gets the Rays' first hit tonight to open the bottom of the second.

8:34 p.m.: Jax gets all three straight outs in the top of the second, as both Sal Frelick and Cooper Pratt flew out while Garrett Mitchell struck out.

End of first inning: Brewers 0, Rays 0

8:26 p.m.: Dustin May sets the Rays down in order, and the first inning ends with zeroes.

8:18 p.m.: Jax gets Turang to ground out, so the Rays work a scoreless half-inning to begin the game.

8:15 p.m.: With two outs, Christian Yelich and William Contreras both work walks, giving the Brewers 1st and 3rd with Brice Turang up.

8:09 p.m.: We are ready for baseball from Tropicana Field! Griffin Jax throws a strike and we are underway.

7:55 p.m.: One fan brought a giant Jacob Misiorowski Pokemon card to the game in honor of the pitcher's love of Pokemon cards.

A fan brought a giant Pokémon card of Jacob Misiorowski to World Series Game 4 🔥 https://t.co/MjyekouAoA

— MLB (@MLB) October 27, 2026

7:30 p.m.: Aaron Ashby has a chance to make history tonight if he can produce another scoreless outing.

Since 1990, only 4 pitchers have achieved the following in a postseason run: 15+ Innings 1.00 or lower ERA 7 or fewer hits TWO of them are 2026 Milwaukee Brewers 🤯 https://t.co/AhQYYwmiZx

— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) October 27, 2026

7:10 p.m.: Rays legend Evan Longoria will throw out the first pitch tonight as he hopes to bring some magic to the team.

Evan Longoria first pitch for World Series Game 4 today

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) October 27, 2026

6:35 p.m.: Dustin May gets the start for Milwaukee tonight, but expect Murphy to use his bullpen aggressively.

RH Dustin May is starting for #Brewers vs. #Rays tonight in #WorldSeries2026 Game 4

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) October 27, 2026

6:10 p.m.: The Brewers' lineup is very familiar to past lineups in the playoffs, as the same nine from Game 3 are back in there for Game 4.

The Game 4 starting lineup for the @Brewers as they're one win from a #WorldSeries title! https://t.co/ZMA24mCkUs

— MLB (@MLB) October 27, 2026

6:00 p.m.: Here's the lineup for the Rays tonight. Jonathan Aranda and Liam Hicks are back in there after sitting to start last night.

Here is the @RaysBaseball starting lineup for Game 4 of the #WorldSeries! https://t.co/juLfpE6RIp

— MLB (@MLB) October 27, 2026

Where to watch World Series Game 4

Brewers vs. Rays start time

• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 27
• Time: 8 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. PT

First pitch of Game 4 between the Brewers and Rays will take place just after 8 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Brewers vs. Rays TV channel

• TV channel: Fox
• Live streams:DIRECTV, Fubo

Fox will continue its coverage of the World Series by broadcasting Game 4, as Joe Davis and John Smoltz will be on the call. Fans looking for alternate streaming options can use DIRECTV or Fubo, which offer free trials.

World Series schedule 2026

The 17,000-seat State Farm Arena, where the Dream played to sellout crowds during Games 3 and 4, was already being used by the Hawks, who operate the stadium. (The Hawks had back-to-back home games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, and the visiting Cavaliers also had a game in Ohio on Wednesday night.)

That left the Dream with few good options, including hosting the potentially decisive game at the 3,500-seat Gateway Center Arena, where it played most of its regular-season home games.

On Monday, the WNBA moved Game 6 to 12:30 p.m. ET on Thursday at State Farm, drawing widespread criticism from fans and media.

In an open letter to fans, the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday addressed the scheduling controversy by pointing a finger at the league.

“Two months ago, when the WNBA finalized playoff dates and times, we raised concerns that the W Finals schedule conflicted with NBA games at State Farm Arena,” the letter reads. “As we moved through the playoffs, we reiterated those concerns. Our concerns did not receive the attention, nor the urgency, they deserved.”

It continues: “Playing a midday game on a Thursday is not what we would have chosen and not what we fought for.”

The WNBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Scheduling has been an ongoing issue for the Dream.

During the first two rounds of the playoffs, the team closed off most of the upper bowl at State Farm Arena, despite selling out five of its six regular-season games there. A team spokesperson told FOS that the decision was made due to a short turnaround time for selling playoff tickets. 

After reaching the Finals, it faced new challenges: State Farm was slated to host a Sombr concert during Game 3, while the Hawks had their own game during Game 4. The WNBA and NBA rescheduled Game 3 by a day and moved the start time for Game 4, in addition to pushing a Hawks game back, so the Dream could play there. 

Next year should be smoother for the Dream—they begin a five-year contract to play all their regular-season and postseason games in State Farm Arena.

Colin Salao contributed reporting.

The post Dream Blame WNBA for Schedule Snafu that Led to Midday Game appeared first on Front Office Sports.

The star sophomore, who missed UConn’s first two exhibition wins over Syracuse and Michigan State with an undisclosed injury, took some time to get in the scoring column but provided a glimpse of the offensive hub he can be with seven points, four assists, two rebounds and a block in 24 minutes. Still working to get into game shape ahead of the Huskies’ regular season opener against Gardner-Webb on Monday night, Mullins spent considerable time on the exercise bike with two high-tech knee braces when he checked out.

It was freshman Colben Landrew who starred, at one point scoring 11 consecutive points on his way to 15 for the game on only nine shots from the field. Jayden Ross added 13 without missing a shot from the field, Oskar Giltay added 12 on six shots off the bench with four rebounds and two blocks, and Silas Demary Jr. finished with 10, plus five assists and four steals.

UConn shot 43% from the field despite making 6 of 21 (29%) from beyond the arc as it held the Boilermakers to 33% shooting and just 2-for-25 from deep in another impressive defensive outing.

Thanks to 11 boards from Nik Khamenia, who finished with eight points, two steals and two assists on 2-for-8 shooting, the Huskies finished with a 40-34 advantage on the glass.

Ross, the recipient of Mullins’ first two assists, remained in the starting lineup with the sophomore’s return and nailed his first two opportunities for corner 3-pointers. A supreme athlete since he arrived on campus four years ago, the high-flying wing soared in for an alley-oop jam off a lob from Landrew, and then was fouled on his third 3-point attempt and made all three from the line to put the Huskies up, 17-7, through nine minutes.

Landrew, coming off the bench for the first time this preseason, used his physicality to drive to the basket for a pair of layups in the first half while Oskar Giltay battled with 7-foot-4 Daniel Jacobsen down low. He had six points on four shots off the bench as Hines dealt with a pair of early fouls.

Hines, blocked three times by Jacobsen, finished with nine points, six rebounds, two assists and a block.

UConn’s defense, shining through its first two exhibitions against Syracuse and Michigan State, was stout again as it held Purdue to just 26.7% shooting from the field and 1-for-14 from deep to take a 35-20 lead into halftime.

Ross started the second-half scoring, too, with another two handed flush off a pass from Demary, who started the fast break chance with his second steal of the game.

Purdue cut its deficit to 10 with a three-point play from former UConn target Caden Pierce three minutes into the second half, but Demary answered with his own physical finish, plus a free throw, at the other end. Hines put back a Mullins miss from beyond the arc with a one-handed jam and Landrew went on a personal 11-3 run with makes from all three levels.

Mullins made a free throw line jumper in the first half and got going in the second with a floater before seeing his first 3-pointer fall on his fifth attempt of the game as the Huskies went up 24 points. Khamenia nailed a triple and Giltay scored four straight to create the largest lead of the game, 30 points, with three and a half minutes to play.

Lamar Jackson saw a TikTok video about his ankle injury, and he did not scroll past it. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback, a two-time NFL MVP who has missed three straight games, left a comment under the video that is now going viral.

“💜💜💜💜PPL like you are the ones I play so hard for💯”

The video was a rant about how the Ravens handle Jackson’s injuries. The creator blamed the team for being vague and said they never explain how serious the problem is.

“Every time he gets hurt, they don’t explain the severity of his injuries. They always say, ‘Oh, he’s day-to-day’ or ‘He shouldn’t be out too long. He should be back anytime.’ He had a high ankle sprain.”

Lamar Jackson's passionate response reveals the toll injury doubts take on elite competitors. Subscribe to stay across the Ravens QB's fight to silence skeptics and reclaim his narrative.

He then compared Lamar Jackson’s case with Patriots receiver A.J. Brown, who also hurt his ankle in Week 1. Brown missed four games and returned on October 18. The creator believes the reaction was very different.

“But Lamar get a high ankle sprain, everybody got something to say. ‘Oh, oh, other quarterbacks play hurt.’ Other quarterbacks are not like my quarterback! My quarterback is a Lamborghini. Your quarterback is a Chevy Cobalt. They’re not the same.”

He also addressed Jackson’s importance to the team, and he said the same critics ranked Jackson 69th after he played hurt last year.

“Your quarterback is a part of the team; my quarterback is the team.”

Jackson hurt his left ankle late in the first half of the Ravens’ 24-18 win over the Tennessee Titans on October 4, and he did not return. He has not played since. He had been sharp before that; Baltimore led 24-7 at halftime, and Jackson had thrown two touchdown passes and 222 yards already.

The question of how bad it is has been messy. Jackson said his own staff told him it was a high ankle sprain, and he brushed off a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that described the injury differently.

“You know, he’s just reporting. Somebody probably told him that too, though, so can’t blame him. But nah, man, my staff told me it was a high ankle sprain, so we’re going with what Adrian [Dixon] told me. Not going with what Ian told me.”

Problem is, the true status of Lamar Jackson’s health has been a puzzle. Jackson participated in the walk-through last Wednesday along with some reps at the team’s full practice, per The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. On the next two days, he practiced on a limited basis and took some reps with the first team.

But on Saturday, his status went from “questionable” to “out.”

Without him, the Ravens went 1-2. Backup Tyler Huntley beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-23 in overtime, then Baltimore lost to the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals. Jackson was inactive for the 35-13 loss to the Bengals, and the Ravens are 4-3 and last in the AFC North.

The focus now shifts to Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills, with Rapoport claiming Jackson is expected to return. Minter said Jackson was working hard to get back on the field, adding that the team would have a clearer picture of his availability after Wednesday’s practice.

Jackson has also been honest about the last time he played hurt. Last season, he missed three games after getting injured against the Kansas City Chiefs and one with a deep back contusion; he finished with 349 rushing yards. Looking back last week at playing through injuries last season, he said:

“I feel like that was dumb a little bit. I was still I’m hurt, and I’m trying to help my team win, but I’m not to my full capabilities, not even close to it. I’m just trying.”

The Ravens badly need him. Baltimore has dropped two straight, and the division race is slipping away. If Jackson takes the field, will he be able to protect that ankle and quiet the critics at the same time?

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The post “You Are the Ones I Play So Hard For”: Lamar Jackson Fires Back at Critics Questioning Ravens QB’s Commitment Amid Injury Problems appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Borussia Dortmund have beaten Werder Bremen to advance to the next round of the DFB Pokal. I am not going to sugar-coat it—that was a horrible performance by my standards. For anyone who would like to ride the high of Marcel Sabitzer’s stunning goal to win the game, or the decent football Dortmund played in the first half, I will not stop you. By all means, those things are both good. But for Borussia Dortmund to fumble a 2-0 lead to Werder Bremen twice in one month is just inexcusable, partly from the perspective of the players, but mostly from the perspective of the coach.

I am not a Kovac hater, but today’s match deeply soured me on Dortmund’s head coach. How is your squad not prepared for the most obvious play in the book, a play THAT WAS ALREADY RUN ON YOU THIS MONTH? Of course Füllkrug is coming on. Of course the momentum is going to swing. How are you as a defensive unit, as a squad, not spending every moment of your match preparations getting ready to ride that wave, and retake control of the game? It’s not that Füllkrug scored, that’s what he does. It is that Dortmund spent 25 minutes of the match looking like they were up against the best side in the world. Misplaced passes, miscommunication, genuine disarray across the pitch. And Füllkrug, for his part? No smiles, no celebration. All business. The juxtaposition was jarring. BVB have thrown away a 2-0 lead against Werder Bremen four times in the last five years. You wonder which team is supposed to be the “good” one.

Here are today’s candidates for Man of the Match.

Marcel Sabitzer

Saved his team’s behind. Without Sabitzer’s excellent awareness standing over that dead ball, and unbelievable poise, BVB go 120 minutes in this match, and quite possibly walk away with nothing. It’s also worth noting, there have been matches this season where Sabitzer clearly isn’t there to give it his all. Today he was. From the moment he came on, Sabitzer was driving into the box, making chances, and dictating the attack.

Jobe Bellingham

Actually looked quite good. Won some contested balls, created the Chukwuemeka’s goal, and had a lot of impact during the good spells. During the bad spells, he was just as much a part of the problem as everyone else.

Carney Chukwuemeka

Exceptionally well taken goal from the Austrian, but his failure to convert the tap in handed to him from Guirassy almost keeps him off the list.

Serhou Guirassy

It would be harsh to leave Guirassy out here. He scored a great goal, essentially created a second except for some horrible finishing, and actually tracked back and worked hard to both defend and progress the ball out of pressure.

Honorable Worst Men of the Match: Waldemar Anton and Julian Ryerson. Genuinely, what on Earth were they doing. Two players I consider mentality monsters looked the most rattled of anyone. Disappointing.

The Baylor Bears opened up the first Big 12 head coach opening of 2026. Now a past conference foe of the Bears is emerging as a wildcard candidate to replace Dave Aranda. However, there’s a catch involving USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley.

And it has nothing to do with Riley’s reported massive contract buyout, should USC and him part ways.

Examining Lincoln Riley Fit at Baylor

College football insider for The Athletic Chris Vannini mentioned Riley’s name as a possibility for the Waco university opening, hailing him as the “ultimate wildcard” for the job.

“Industry sources a year ago shared whispers that Riley could be interested in this job, but it didn’t open,” Vannini wrote.

Vannini adds that tensions are already mounting involving Riley’s USC tenure. His Trojans took a massive 24-7 beatdown against a previously unranked Wisconsin team this past Saturday.

“Outside talk of the West Texas native leaving USC to return to his home state has been around for a while, whether by getting fired (complete with a $60 million-plus buyout) or by leaving on his own, which USC would likely welcome,” Vannini added.

The Catch Involving Lincoln Riley and Baylor

The Bears may not represent the only Big 12 opening.

So there’s one more place to closely monitor in the conference. And it’s within the Lone Star State too.

“The TCU job could also fit Riley if the Frogs move on from Sonny Dykes,” Vannini adds. “Riley’s stunning move from Oklahoma to USC in 2021 makes anything feel possible.”

Ironically, Riley’s defensive coordinator is former TCU head coach Gary Patterson. So perhaps he gets the nod there over one of the greatest coaches in Horned Frog history. Or perhaps brings along Patterson if this wild scenario happens.

But again, TCU remains locked in with Dykes despite its disappointing 2026 results. Including taking the stunning season opening loss to North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland.

Tensions Mounting for Lincoln Riley at USC

Vannini believes that USC’s next four games, starting with the Oct. 31 showdown versus No. 2 Ohio State, will determine Riley’s future.

Riley has managed to produce bowl contenders each season at USC, as all of his Trojan teams have played a December game. However, USC fans expect national title appearances or clinching one of the 12 spots in the College Football Playoffs.

This USC team faces possible elimination from the CFP race already. The Trojans’ loss to Wisconsin looks more costly than many fans will think, handing USC its second defeat of the season. Teams that finish 10-2 in the Big Ten Conference have a higher chance of sneaking into the postseason.

USC boosts its chances greatly by beating the second-ranked Buckeyes. But also must knock off No. 4 Indiana and No. 7 UCLA on the road to appeal toward the CFP selection committee. Going 3-0 against these ranked foes can even help place USC in the Big Ten title game on Dec. 5.

But if USC falters in all three, perhaps Baylor becomes the one swooping up Riley. Yet TCU is one more to closely monitor here involving Riley.

This article was originally published on HEAVY

The post Baylor Emerging as ‘Wildcard’ for Ex-Big 12 Rival Coach But There’s a Catch appeared first on HEAVY.