Illini Isaac and Robby Nardini break down recent Illini news including quotes from Big Ten Football Media Days, Busey Bank partnering with Illinois, and more!
Check out State Farm Agent Brian Hanson for a home, auto, business, and life insurance needs quote today: https://gtlk.link/5zlx5Emx
Chief's Naturals is launching in September and will be providing all-natural dog treats to Illini dogs and pups everywhere looking for snacks made with human-grade ingredients! Hit the link to join their VIP email list for exclusive launch updates and early access: https://gtlk.link/chiefsna...

#illini #gtlk

Chelsea are set to sign attacking midfielder Giulia Dragoni from Barcelona.
The 19-year-old spent the last two seasons on loan at Roma, and Chelsea have been tracking her progress for several years.
Dragoni has already made 24 appearances for Italy since her debut aged 16 and has experience in the Women's Champions League with Roma.
She joined Barcelona in 2023 after graduating from Inter Milan's youth academy.
It is understood Chelsea were attracted to Dragoni's quality because of her versatility and ability to play across multiple attacking positions and in midfield.

#league

A tribute to Lyon culture.
This Tuesday morning, OL unveiled its third kit for the 2026-27 season.
A jersey directly inspired by funk, of which Lyon is unofficially the French capital.
Circular patterns, referencing vinyl records and their grooves, have been added to the background of the shirt.
But the real original touch is found on the OL crest, the Adidas logo, and the three stripes on the sleeves. All three elements are very colorful, with psychedelic patterns typical of funk music.

#funk #tuesday #french #circular

With head coach Kyle Shanahan stepping back to focus on his recovery, acting head coach Chris Foerster stepped up to the podium following the San Francisco 49ers' opening practice of training camp. While Foerster attempted to keep the mood light and constructive, he couldn't completely avoid addressing a familiar and unwelcomed theme in Santa Clara…early-camp injuries.
Two major offseason free-agent additions failed to make it to the end of Sunday's session. Both offensive tackle Vederian Lowe and veteran wideout Christian Kirk left the field prematurely with athletic trainers.
Foerster was tight-lipped regarding specific medical timelines, deferring the official injury reporting back to Shanahan's protocol. However, this is what he did say:
"We'll see. It's his ankle," Foerster said when pressed on Lowe's status. "We'll see exactly what it is. With all the injuries, I know Kyle goes through the report. I'm not doing that. We'll see. Hopefully, he's not that bad."
While Lowe's ankle issue was clear, Kirk's sudden exit was equally concerning. Mid-practice, the veteran wide receiver quietly walked off the field alongside medical personnel.

#veteran

Tony Romo has largely stayed out of the headlines since retiring from the NFL nearly a decade ago, but the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback is now making news for a very different reason.
The 46-year-old CBS Sports ******* yst was arrested Thursday night in Milwaukee on suspicion of operating while intoxicated (OWI), according to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office. Romo was reportedly stopped while driving on southbound Interstate 43 after deputies observed signs of impaired driving. Authorities said he was unable to complete standard field sobriety tests before being taken into custody. He was later booked and released.
Mega
The arrest marks the first known legal issue for Romo, who has maintained a relatively low profile since retiring from the NFL in 2017 and transitioning into broadcasting. As the lead NFL ******* yst for CBS Sports, he's become one of football's most recognizable television personalities, earning praise for his game ******* ysis after spending 14 seasons as quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.
The incident reportedly happened while Romo was back in his home state of Wisconsin, where he grew up and has remained active in the golf community. According to reports, he had recently competed in the Wisconsin State Amateur golf tournament before his arrest.

#milwaukee

Pep Guardiola has turned down the Italian national team’s offer to become their head coach, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Catalan manager thought it over for several days before saying no. Among the reasons were his desire to take some personal time and his refusal to lead a project without being involved on a daily basis one hundred percent.
“Thank you, it’s an honor, but at this moment I don’t feel up to it,” the Spanish coach replied in the early hours of yesterday morning to the proposal put to him by Maldini and Leonardo.
The FIGC was offering him a long-term project, with its sights set on Euro 2028 and the 2032 World Cup. Guardiola, who left Manchester City after a decade in charge, did not even get as far as discussing the financial terms.
With Guardiola’s no now on the table, the Italian federation has activated its plan B. Andrea Pirlo now appears to be the leading candidate to take over the Azzurri bench.

#take #catalan

As we near August, we're about to flip the driest part of the NBA's year-round calendar. All of the offseason moves are done. Everybody's focus has shifted toward the 2026-27 season. For now, though, teams across the league get to relax for a bit before training camp begins.
For NBA players, though, right now is when most of your critical developmental work takes place. The ample time off allows guys across the league to put in serious work and upgrade their bag. Especially for young players still learning the ropes of the NBA.
Jared McCain is somebody who's taking advantage of his resources. He's spent time in Canada with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. After being an NBA trade deadline acquisition, this is the first time he's had a chance to take a breath and fully embrace being on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder added McCain in a buy-low move from the Philadelphia 76ers. The 22-year-old suddenly became important at work. In just three months, he was jettisoned to the top of the depth chart. Injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell forced him to learn on the job in the game's highest stakes imaginable.
All things considered, McCain did solid. He had two 20-point games that helped the Thunder push the San Antonio Spurs to seven in the 2026 Western Conference Finals. Ultimately, the short-handed squad fell in Game 7. But his microwave scoring was one of the brighter takeaways.

#time #league

Alex Karaban sat down with NBC Sports California's Deuce Mason following being drafted 29th overall to Sacramento in this year's draft.
He revealed that the number-one ingredient in winning that most people overlook is accountability.
"If we're hard on each other and we're holding each other accountable, it's going to make us closer… I think now people could be afraid to say what's on their mind, and if someone is messing up, people just don't want to critique people anymore."
He continued the interview, talking about how Dan Hurley "completely changed my life" and how he would not be the person he is today without Hurley.
"He's the best college basketball coach. He's going to make you a better player," Karaban said. "I wouldn't talk to people; I was super quiet. I wasn't confident, and he really changed me to be more outgoing."

#make #sports

Earlier this week, Indiana Fever superstar Sophie Cunningham sparked controversy when she spoke out against transgender athletes during a recent interview. When given the chance to address or clarify her comments on Wednesday, Cunningham refused to apologize. In fact, she doubled down.
Before Wednesday night’s game against the Connecticut Sun, Cunningham made it clear that she was standing by her comments from the ESPN article, saying that her words were “kind of common sense.”
During a recent interview with ESPN, Cunningham was asked about her political beliefs and the “MAGA Barbie” nickname she has recently been given. While Cunningham says that label is a projection, given that she is a white girl from Missouri, she did go on to speak out on how to “protect women’s sports.”
“I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,'” she told ESPN. “I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”
Despite these anti-trans comments, Cunningham claims that her political views are “very much in the middle.”

#political

The fall 2026 Varsity 845U women's college volleyball season gets underway in August and runs through mid-November. Army and Marist field teams in NCAA Division I; SUNY New Paltz and Mount Saint Mary in NCAA Division III; and, SUNY Orange and SUNY Ulster in NJCAA Div. III/Region XV.
You can find scores from our Varsity 845U Mid-Hudson fall collegiate sports here: Men's soccer | Women's soccer | Women's volleyball | Women's field hockey
You can find scores from Section 9 high school fall sports here (overall link): Football | Boys soccer | Girls soccer | Volleyball | Field hockey | Boys golf | Girls tennis | Boys cross country | Girls cross country | Girls swimming
Varsity 845 and Varsity 845U: Fall 2024 sports page link | Winter 2024-25 sports page link | Spring 2025 sports page link
[email protected]

#suny #link #boys #volleyball

From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about Then vs. Now. You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all of our Then vs. Now articles here.
For nearly two decades, Larry Johnson has built defensive lines that have defined Ohio State football.
From Cameron Heyward and John Simon to Joey Bosa, Nick Bosa, Chase Young, Sam Hubbard, Zach Harrison, J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer. The Buckeyes have consistently developed elite defensive linemen capable of taking over games and eventually becoming NFL stars.
So a lot of offseasons in Columbus bring the same question. Who is next? This year, the answer may not be one player. It may be an entire unit.
Ohio State enters 2026 replacing several proven veterans from last year's defense, but unlike previous years, the Buckeyes are not relying on one or two stars by themselves to carry the front. Instead, they have ****** embled what might be Larry Johnson's deepest defensive line in years, blending experienced veterans, former five-star recruits, elite transfers and some of the most talented young edge rushers in the country.

#week #larry

Nottingham Forest are confident of closing a deal for Ousmane Diomande this summer.
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Fabrizio Romano reports on X (formerly Twitter) that the Tricky Trees have sent a proposal valued at around €40m [£34.1m] for the Sporting CP centre-back.
Sources close to Liverpool had previously indicated that the Reds’ recruitment team admired the 22-year-old centre-half.
It’s remarkable work by Forest if the Premier League outfit does indeed manage to secure the footballer for below Sporting’s €80m [£68.2m] release clause.

#forest #centre #ousmane #official

It may seem like a natural fit for Notre Dame football to join the Big Ten, top academics and athletics with a Midwest home and national reach, but the Irish have no current reason for make a move.
The conference is leaving the door open for Notre Dame to enter, along with the SEC and lawmakers who are proposing a league cap at nineteen teams, but there's a bit of a caveat. There would be a provision that would allow a team to join but would have "to operate as an independent for five years" as reported by Yahoo Sports Ross Dellenger.
That is a very specific clause that the two power conferences have added, as the most obvious team that the rule is targeting is Notre Dame. As with many of these idea, this one just doesn't make any sense for the Irish to do. With the NBC TV deal, all of the revenue is heading to the school, along with bowl games. Having to split that with other schools in a conference wouldn't help Notre Dame's athletic department, as the funds would be significantly cut.
Not only that, the Irish would lose its flexibility to schedule whoever they please, as there already is a solid Big Ten presence, and more SEC teams will be adding Notre Dame to their future slates. It does make sense for the conferences to leave an avenue for the Irish to join, but at this current moment, with the way college football is heading, there is no need for Notre Dame to deviate from how the football team operates right now.
Contact/Follow us IrishWireND on X (Formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

#team

Each of the 16 SEC football programs was ranked by USA TODAY Sports entering the 2026 season. The scores were based on historical success, overall program strength, and future trajectory, among other criteria.
The Florida Gators are positioned in the middle tier of the conference, a designation that reflects the lure created by Steve Spurrier and the iconic teams of the 1990s. Fast-forward to this season, optimism around first-year head coach Jon Sumrall has claimed many of this offseason's headlines, yet the reality of UF's uphill climb in the nation's most competitive league remains steep.
"Few individuals mean more to a program than what Steve Spurrier means to Florida. He revolutionized the Gators from an also-ran into one of the premier programs of the 1990s. The Head Ball Coach branded The Swamp and gave the Gators an identity. They became SEC championship game regulars. Urban Meyer injected more glory with two ******* les. Florida lacks the consistency and history of some higher-ranked programs, but its peaks are just as lofty," argues senior national college football columnist Blake Toppmeyer.
Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and Georgia lead the pack, with LSU rounding out the top five. Elite recruiting, a celebrated NFL talent pipeline, and sustained winning have become a benchmark for each of these teams. The second tier features Tennessee at No. 6 and Florida at No. 7, followed by Auburn, Texas A&M and Ole Miss.
The Gators enter 2026 in flux, with a totally revamped roster, two new lead coordinators, and an undecided quarterback competition. Combine those challenges with a 4-8 record from last season, and the reasons for pessimism are apparent. Under Billy Napier, the program was talented but wildly inconsistent — Gator Nation hopes that a renewed identity under Sumrall will help propel this once-proud program forward.

Warriors predicted to sign $73M 17-year veteran, 6-time All-Star as LeBron James decision looms originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The LeBron James free agency frenzy appears to be nearing its end, with a decision expected very soon. Multiple teams remain in the running for the four-time NBA champion.
The Los Angeles Lakers moved on quickly after James informed the organization he would not return for a ninth season. Now, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors appear to be the favorites.
“I would be stunned if he picked a team that wasn’t Golden State or Cleveland,” a Western Conference executive told FOS’ Alex Schiffer.
The Warriors have pulled out all the stops in their pursuit of James this offseason, but his decision is still pending. Golden State could make one final move to strengthen its case by signing veteran forward DeMar DeRozan to bolster the bench.

Jason Krieger finally got the call many thought could have come three years ago.
The 2023 Red Lion graduate was selected by the New York Yankees in the 17th round of the MLB draft on Sunday, July 12. The 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher spent his college career at the University of Maine after he went undrafted out of high school.
This year he was named to the America East All-Conference first team after recording 55 strikeouts in 88.2 innings. The redshirt junior finished with a 4.57 ERA after missing the 2025 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Fulfilling a dream: 'I'm gonna make it:' How this baseball star keeps the memory of his father alive
Krieger went 2-0 with a .59 ERA in four games this year for the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod Baseball League, one of the top collegiate summer leagues in the country. He also had one save and struck out 16.

Jake Fischer: The Lakers are clearly still looking at Jonathan ******* inga as being their starting wing. So if that deal doesn’t come to a fruition, ******* inga does have several other options on the table including going back to Atlanta.
Bleacher Report
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Lakers are clearly still looking at Jonathan ******* inga …

Alex Caruso sends a clear message on Thunder's strategy at the American Century Championship originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Stateline, NV – The Oklahoma City Thunderdrafted Aday Mara out of Michigan with the No. 12 pick in the 2026 NBA draft and later re-signed Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency. With these moves, OKC became a long and tall team. That should make them dangerous this coming winter.
Alex Caruso believes the Thunder's versatility and depth will be a major plus this coming season. I got the chance to ask Caruso about his team while catching him coming off the 18th hole.
"Yeah, just versatility, you know? Having depth at that position (center) is big; at every position, I think we've got two really good guards, wings, and bigs. And you never know what will happen during the season, so just having guys who can play…It's always good," Caruso told me.
Last year, when I spoke to Caruso at the 2025 American Century Championship, he celebrated OKC's continuity after coming off a seven-game NBA Finals triumph.

"Cmon England cmon Wonderwall."
That was the message once again from Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher on Sunday morning, after England's travelling supporters - including Sir David Beckham - sang his band's most famous song with the players at full-time following their World Cup quarter-final win over Norway in Miami.
It has become a new tradition in recent weeks, being belted out after all five of the men's team's wins across the US and Mexico.
Speaking to the Sun after their opening win in Dallas, the man who wrote it, Liam's brother and bandmate Noel Gallagher said: "Wonderwall belongs to the people, and it was a magical moment between the people and the players."
And he claims not to be an England fan.

The Philadelphia Phillies face the Detroit Tigers tonight at Comerica Park. Here's how to watch:
The Phillies will play the Tigers at 6:10 p.m. Eastern.
Today's Phillies game against the Tigers is on NBCSP (Philly) and Detroit SportsNet (Tigers). You can also listen on 94WIP and the 106.1 Rumba (Philly), and WXYT 97.1 FM and LaZ WDTW 1310AM/107.9FM (Tigers).
Catch the MLB on FUBO | Sign up today!
Cristopher Sánchez (Phillies) vs. Casey Mize (Tigers)

Duke basketball members and alumni linked up for a special Brotherhood dinner in Las Vegas as the 2026 NBA Summer League tournament began Thursday. This meeting comes not long after head coach Jon Scheyer was seen at a recent AAU basketball tournament in Vegas.
The event was riddled with current and former members of the university; most notably Scheyer, Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero and Cameron Boozer were in attendance. Recent rookie standouts Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel were present as well, with nearly 30 Blue Devils representing the school in total.
The university posted a photo from the get-together on their social media pages.
This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Jon Scheyer gathers Duke alumni for special 'Brotherhood dinner' in Vegas

Erling Haaland family tree: Meet soccer-playing dad, mom, sister and more about England-Norway roots originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Erling Haaland took the World Cup by storm by leading Norway past Brazil and into the quarterfinals, despite the country missing each of the previous six tournaments.
Haaland is a contender for the Golden Boot alongside the game's greats, and his goal-scoring ability continues to be otherworldly regardless of the magnitude of the game he's playing.
Without help and support from his soccer-playing father, Haaland might not be the force he is today.
Here's a closer look at Haaland's family, including his parents and sister.

Former Miami Heat teammates Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro were involved in a physical altercation in Las Vegas on Friday morning, the Heat confirmed to The Athletic. The incident took place at a gym inside the Resorts World Casino in front of Herro's AAU team. According to multiple source who witnessed the incident and were granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, Adebayo walked onto the courts and Herro said something to him. Adebayo proceed to walk over to Herro and, without hesitation, punch him. Herro's AAU coach confronted Adebayo, and Herro yelled at his former teammate while being escorted out by security personnel.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro altercation took place in front of Herro's AAU team, initiated by Herro saying something to Adebayo

Kansas Jayhawks News
It's not quite Kansas news, but this ESPN article says Jazz fans are hyped after seeing Darryn Peterson in the Summer League
Through the Phog writes that Lance Leipold is trying to fix the biggest problem from last season
Links!
AJ Dybantsa's Wizards scraped past Darryn Peterson's Jazz last night

Celtic Football Club is proud to announce a new official partnership with Christophe Duchamp, the Swiss luxury watch brand, naming them as the Official Timepiece Supplier of Celtic FC.
The partnership brings together one of football's most iconic clubs and one of the fastest-growing names in Swiss watchmaking, uniting a shared commitment to precision, craftsmanship and excellence.
As part of the partnership, Christophe Duchamp will have a visible presence across Celtic Park throughout the 2026/27 and 2027/28 seasons, with activations spanning pitchside LED, matchday big screens, and Celtic's digital and social channels.
Christophe Duchamp watches will also be available to the Celtic family, giving supporters, staff and partners access to the brand's full collection of Swiss-crafted timepieces.
In a further celebration of the partnership, Christophe Duchamp has confirmed that a limited edition watch paying tribute to one of the greatest moments in Celtic's history is in development, with further details to be announced in the coming weeks.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nolan Arenado homered and moved closer to 2,000 hits, and Merrill Kelly combined with two relievers on a three-hitter for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 on Thursday night to take three of four.
The Diamondbacks and Padres are jockeying for second place in the NL West, well behind the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Arizona popped back into a tie with San Diego, 14 1/2 games behind the idle Dodgers.
Arenado homered to left field off Yuki Matsui with two outs in the sixth, his 11th of the season and 364th of his 14-year career. He's six shy of becoming the sixth active player to reach 2,000 hits. He's in his first season with Arizona after spending five with St. Louis and his first eight with Colorado.
The Southern California native has 17 homers at Petco Park, the most by a visiting player. He's reached base safely in 25 of his last 26 games at the downtown ballpark since Sept. 1, 2018.
Kelly (7-8) quieted the Padres a night after they won 10-4. He held San Diego to one run and three hits in seven innings, with six strikeouts and three walks. Kevin Ginkel pitched a perfect eighth and Paul Sewald a perfect ninth for his 21st save.

Erling Haaland has handed England the status of strong favorites against Norway — and insists all the pressure rests squarely on Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions.
The Manchester City striker is relishing the prospect of facing club teammates Marc Guehi and Nico O'Reilly, and possibly close friend John Stones, in Miami as he looks to outshine Harry Kane.
When asked whether Norway were underdogs, he said, via The Mirror: "Yeah, definitely. I think everyone should stay humble, but they have a right to be confident about progressing."
England vs Norway World Cup quarter-final in danger of being hit by weather delays

Thomas Berenbruch looks set to leave Inter this summer, with a move to Serie A off the table.
According to transfer reporter Giorgio Musso, of CalcioMercato.it, the young midfielder is on the verge of joining Dutch side Utrecht, ruling out a switch to Cagliari or a stay in the Italian top flight.
The 2005-born midfielder had been linked with a move within Serie A, but it is Utrecht who appear poised to land him.
The Eredivisie club are no strangers to his situation, having also pursued the youngster last summer before missing out, and are now closing in on their target at the second attempt.
Inter players Petar Sucic and Thomas Berenbruch during a pre-season friendly.

Two U.S. Soccer officials connected to the U.S. Men's National Team were handed suspensions ahead of Monday's 4-1 loss to Belgium, though the news was largely overshadowed by the attention surrounding striker Folarin Balogun.
The USMNT was eliminated from the FIFA World Cup on Monday after a humiliating defeat to Belgium, with Balogun controversially permitted to take the field. Nevertheless, Belgium cruised to victory and took a dig at President Donald Trump, a moment that carried into the locker room as captured in post-match footage.
The crushing loss was also witnessed by a record television audience, after FOX Sports confirmed it was the most-watched soccer broadcast in U.S. history. Among the 30 million viewers tuning in were two U.S. Soccer officials, who had been suspended following the Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, as per The Mirror US.
Australian soccer fans' anti-Donald Trump chant could spark World Cup controversy

If you looked for FIFA World Cup matches today and couldn’t find any, that’s because there really aren’t any!
The ball has stopped rolling strategically. This one-day break happens right after the end of the Round of 16 to give the national teams the minimum necessary rest and align the schedule for the next stage.
But the quarter-finals return this Thursday (9), opening the matchups with France vs. Morocco.
End of the Round of 16