It should surprise exactly no one that players, who were out of eligibility under NCAA rules, going through NFL training camp and filing lawsuits to play college football for another year was the last straw.
A week later, the Protect College Sports Act, dead in the water a month ago, is close to passing the Senate because the chaos finally got to be too much. It is, according to Team Chaos, bad for athletes.
It appears Sen. Thune has enough votes to pass the Protect College Sports Act.

Last night, I contacted many U.S. Senators’ offices to tell them the truth about the bill.

The PCSA is bad for athletes. A lot of money is being spent in an effort to convince people otherwise. pic.twitter.com/tShgI0sp9T
This is what happens when you make everybody despise you.
When your position is that you have to have megaconferences, more ******* ding of revenue by the conferences at the top, a stupid college basketball Thanksgiving week event in Las Vegas backed by all the worst people in existence (the Emiratis and David Ellison chief among them), more private equity backing, more helmet games, unlimited transfers, unlimited tampering with mid-major rosters, unlimited college eligibility and freedom to go back and forth between college and the pros as you please, all so that athletes can maximize their earnings…

#college #protect #sports #people

Metcalf sits 34th among wide receivers in PFN's Week 1 rankings, which is what happens after the worst season of your career. The Falcons allowed seven receivers to clear 20 PPR points last season, so the setup is there, and so is the Michael Pittman theory. I'm going to be a week or two late to this party rather than early.
Let's call a spade a spade: Metcalf is coming off of the worst season of his career. His 850 yards were a new low-water mark and even that was inflated by two games where he had superhero singular plays that lifted his stat line (274 yards in games against the Ravens and Vikings, 576 in his other 13, good for just 44.3 yards per contest).
Aaron Rodgers is back at the helm and the team added Michael Pittman this offseason, a receiver who has effectively made a career off of what the Steelers asked of Metcalf in his first season with the franchise: short targets and hope.
SET YOUR LINEUPS: PFN's Free Fantasy Football Start/Sit Optimizer
Metcalf's 11.3 aDOT was, you guessed it, the lowest of his career, and featured just 24.2% of his looks coming deep downfield (15 or more yards), a rate that stood at 43.5% in 2024 with Seattle.

#season #week #receivers

Packers news: What Matt LaFleur said about Josh Jacobs case after latest development appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs pleading no contest to his misdemeanor charges, the focus now is on the discipline he will receive from the NFL. As the football world wonders how the NFL will discipline the Packers running back in Jacobs, Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur spoke about his player regarding the recent developments.
Speaking to the media on Friday, LaFleur was asked if his opinion on Jacobs has changed after he took full responsibility for his actions, leading the coach to say "No" without hesitation. When asked a follow-up about why he feels that way, LaFleur would speak on knowing the "character" of Jacobs.
"Because I know the guy and I know the character of the guy, so I've said it many times, and unfortunately situations occur in life, and it's just an unfortunate situation," LaFleur said.
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#clutchpoints

Ezi Magbegor injury proves A'ja Wilson made the right FIBA World Cup decision originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It must have been disappointing to many fans when, on the eve of the FIBA World Cup, USA Basketball announced that neither A'ja Wilson nor Kelsey Plum would be joining the team in Germany on its quest for a fifth successive gold medal.
For Plum, the choice was understandable. The All-Star guard has struggled with a calf injury for much of the season, and the Phoenix Mercury have shut her down for 2026 in response to the lingering pain she has felt.
For Wilson though? On its face, that choice was harder to understand.
But Wednesday's devastating injury to Australia and Seattle Storm center Ezi Magbegor proves that Wilson made the right move in sitting out the World Cup and focusing on the Olympics in 2028 instead.

#sporting

A federal court on Sept. 9 dismissed a lawsuit between former Memphis football receiver Cortez Braham and the NCAA, ending a legal saga that stretched on for more than a year.
Braham initially sued the NCAA in 2025 to get an additional year of eligibility. He was granted a preliminary injunction before transferring to Memphis, where he was the Tigers' leading receiver in 2025. After the season ended, Braham's lawyers filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
The NCAA fought it, saying in legal filings that it wanted to enforce the "rule of restitution" against Memphis for playing a player they said should have been ineligible. Lawyers for both sides argued their cases in a Las Vegas courtroom in March.
A ruling finally came on Sept. 9, when the panel of judges ruled that the case was moot and dismissed it.
"Famously, in sports, "it ain't over 'til it's over." But, in this case, it's over," Judge Gabriel P. Sanchez wrote. "The game clock has run out on the 2025 college football season. With these appeals, the NCAA attempts one last Hail Mary pass: asking us to reverse the preliminary injunctions granted to these college football players that allowed them to play in the now complete 2025 season. Because these injunctions have already expired and these players' collegiate careers are over, no effective relief can be granted to the NCAA. We therefore dismiss these appeals as moot."

#granted #season #braham #lawyers

Since Liga MX Femenil was established in 2017, the league has attracted a growing number of high profile players from abroad. Here are five international stars in Liga MX Femenil who have made an impact on Mexican women's football.
Interestingly, Liga MX Femenil increased its limit for foreign players from two per club in 2021 to five in 2024, and then to seven starting in 2025. The change reflects growing international interest in playing in Mexico.
One of the biggest names in Spanish football, Jenni Hermoso made history by signing with Pachuca in 2022 in an unprecedented, high profile move.
Hermoso became a World Cup champion with Spain in 2023 while playing for Pachuca. She later moved to Tigres before continuing her career in Mexico and abroad.
Embed from Getty Images

#liga #profile #abroad

College football is back in our lives. Whether you are a fan of it or not, the Vikings and their front office are going to be paying very close attention to a lot of players in the upcoming class. The 2027 NFL Draft is working up to be one of the better classes in recent memory.
One way to stay as caught up as the Vikings will be is to follow our prospect previews starting now. We'll focus heavily on prospects who fit the team's projected needs in the 2027 NFL Draft. We are going to be looking at five players from the Notre Dame-Wisconsin matchup.
The game may not be very close, but the talent within the game is going to be interesting to see unfold in 2026, starting in Week 1. Here are the five players we are looking at from the game.
The lone Wisconsin player we will have our eyes on is running back Abu Sama III. He comes to Wisconsin after transferring from Iowa State. While with the Cyclones, Sama proved to be a reliable piece of their offense in a backfield that used multiple pieces. At Wisconsin, in his first game, he is going to see the toughest defense of his career. They are likely to be down early, so he may not get as many touches, but he still remains a home run threat with the limited touches he is likely to get.
CJ Carr is a massive projection by some who think the Fighting Irish quarterback is going to be a top-five pick in April. To achieve that, he has to dominate in the games people expect him to. This Wisconsin matchup is one where he is expected to look impressive. Good decision-making should be on display, natural arm talent, and touch on his passes; he can be the complete package at a position we seldom see it from.

#going

The draw for the second round of the 2026/27 DFB-Pokal took place at the German Football Museum in Dortmund on Saturday evening, producing four ties between Bundesliga clubs and an intriguing reunion between defending champions Bayern Munich and 1. FC Magdeburg.
Bayern will host Magdeburg in a repeat of one of the more memorable cup shocks of the modern era. Then-2. Bundesliga side Magdeburg eliminated the record champions on penalties in the second round of the 2000/01 competition. This time, however, the underdogs will have to attempt another upset at the Allianz Arena.
Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund host Werder Bremen while 1. FC Cologne welcome Union Berlin. Hamburger SV face Eintracht Frankfurt at the Volksparkstadion and Bundesliga newcomers SC Paderborn host VfB Stuttgart in the remaining top-flight encounter.
Three sides from below Germany's top two divisions remain in the competition. Regionalliga outfit SSV Jeddeloh II, who stunned relegated Bundesliga club Heidenheim 5-2 in the opening round, were rewarded with a home tie against Hertha BSC. Rot-Weiss Essen host RB Leipzig while SG Sonnenhof Großaspach welcome FC Augsburg.
The second-round fixtures will be played on October 27 and 28. Exact kickoff times will be confirmed at a later date.

#bayern

Illinois pulls away from UAB 42-23 behind explosive offense and late pick-six originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Illinois turned a bizarre, possession-starved home opener into a decisive 42-23 victory over UAB at Memorial Stadium, shaking off early jitters with hyper-efficient playmaking and a 59-yard pick-six in the final minutes.
The final box score read like an anomaly. In Alex Mortensen's official debut as the Blazers' permanent head coach, UAB controlled the clock for a staggering 41:03, running 79 plays to Illinois' 43 and out-gaining the home side 413 to 332. Yet Bret Bielema's squad never panicked, averaging 7.7 yards per play, committing just one penalty for four yards, and scoring on sudden bursts rather than methodical marches.
In his Illini debut, quarterback Katin Houser was remarkably poised, finishing 13-of-17 (76 percent) for 182 yards, three passing touchdowns, zero turnovers, and a 6-yard rushing score early in the fourth quarter.
MORE: College football picks, predictions against the spread for Week 1 matchups

#pick #home #early #score

Meet the 6 oldest players in college football 2026, from Monte Harrison to Billy Gowers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
College football isn't exactly the "young man's game" it once was.
Most college football players nowadays are between ages 19 and 23, the typical timeline for a player to leave high school, then play four years for a collegiate squad. But between eligibility lawsuits, rule changes, redshirts and graduate students, there are significant exceptions to the general age group.
Across the 138 FBS rosters for the 2026 season, there are a few players over the age of 26 — and even two players at 30 or older.
Here's a look at the oldest rostered college football players across FBS teams in 2026.

#across #monte

An offseason of change means a lot of formerly prominent Colorado State football players are now elsewhere in college football.
Many of the biggest names from CSU's 2025 roster have now moved on to other programs.
This is not all-encompassing of all players from 2025 who left (nor those from years prior), but here is a look at some of the biggest names from the Rams last year and what role they'll have in their new home in 2026:
The quarterback left the CSU program during the 2025 season, shortly after Jay Norvell was fired. Fowler-Nicolosi had played 31 career games with the Rams and threw for nearly 7,000 career yards but struggled for consistency.
He transferred to Michigan in the offseason. Freshman QB Tommy Carr won the Michigan backup job behind settled starter Bryce Underwood, so Fowler-Nicolosi will begin the season as the third-string quarterback.

#nicolosi

Following a 9-8, 10-inning win for Boston in the opener last night, the Mariners (64-74) and the Red Sox (75-63) continue their three-game series tonight at Fenway.
Seattle appeared poised to steal the opener after battling back and generating offense throughout the night. The Mariners totaled 11 hits receiving contributions up and down the lineup. The Sox got one more hit and ultimately, one more run. They forced extra innings with two runs in the eighth on a Trevor Story double and one in the ninth on a sac fly from Ceddanne Rafaela before Story again picked up a big hit in the tenth, a single to center, driving in Eli White to win it for the Red Sox. Aroldis Chapman picked up the win. Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh went yard for the Mariners, but it was not enough.
Seattle closed the month of August with five straight losses and now sit six games behind the Astros in the AL West and 5.5 games behind the Guardians for the final Wild Card spot. The Red Sox snapped a brief two-game losing streak with the win to pull within three games of the Yankees and the top Wild Card spot in the American League.
Seattle looks to snap the skid with right-hander Bryan Woo (9-9, 4.36 ERA) on the ******* p. Woo's most recent outing came August 26 against Philadelphia, and it was one of his rougher starts of the year. The Phillies tagged him for six earned runs on five hits over four innings, including a pair of home runs. He struck out five but was unable to work deep into the game as Seattle lost 6-0. The righthander fared far better in his previous two starts. He allowed two runs in six innings at Houston on August 16 and threw five scoreless innings at Yankee Stadium on August 11. The Red Sox have yet to announce their starter for tonight. It was Sonny Gray's (16-4, 2.79 ERA) turn to take the ball but Boston earlier announced they planned to give him an extra day of rest.
Lets dive further into today's game and find a sweat or two.

#games #boston #story

NFL legend Tom Brady is facing criticism from former USWNT star Megan Rapinoe over his public feud with Logan Paul. Rapinoe questioned why Brady would use his platform for a rivalry she views as unnecessary.
Speaking on her podcast "Why Are You Like This?," Rapinoe discussed Brady while answering a question about the most overrated public figure she had encountered. She made clear that her criticism focused on Brady's recent behavior rather than his football career.
"Sorry to this person in advance," Rapinoe said. "But I think, especially in light of recent events, and with the platform and capital available in what is a world that needs role models."
MORE: Tom Brady calls out NFL players for resting during preseason
Rapinoe then questioned Brady's involvement in the ongoing Paul promotion. "I'm like Tom Brady, what are we doing? Why are we doing that?" she said.

#rapinoe #paul #like #questioned

British qualifier Toby Samuel broke more new ground with a dominant victory over Tomas Machac on his US Open main-draw debut.
The 23-year-old came from a set down in each of his three qualifying matches in New York this week to guarantee a third Grand Slam appearance of the year.
However, he had no such issues against former world number 20 Machac, wrapping up a 6-2 6-3 6-2 victory in just over 90 minutes to register his first win at a Grand Slam.
"It means everything to me. It's what I dreamt of as a kid watching these big tournaments," Samuel told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"Being able to win my first Grand Slam match is unbelievable."

#grand #victory #british

It was the weirdest moment of Saturday. During Real Sociedad-Espanyol (2-1), Basque goalkeeper Álex Remiro got injured in stoppage time and was treated on the pitch before returning to his position, with his team having already used all five substitutions.
The problem: a new rule in La Liga now requires an outfield player to leave the pitch temporarily when a goalkeeper is treated without being substituted, in order to prevent time-wasting. As a result, La Real were down to ten men for a minute.
The situation sent Real coach Pellegrino Matarazzo into a rage, clearly unaware of this new rule. His anger ended with a sending-off after he furiously protested the referee's decision.
What do you think of this rule? Tell us everything in the comments.
Despite a staggering €354 million spent in the transfer window, Tottenham suffered their second defeat in two Premier League matches against Newcastle and now sit bottom of the table.

#time #treated #espanyol #basque

After watching the entirety of spring practice and the majority of fall camp from the sidelines while recovering from a torn ACL, defensive tackle Kai McClendon says he's back at 100 percent and ready to make an impact for the Washington Huskies this fall.
The former Mississippi State starter, who played in 12 games for the Bulldogs as a true freshman in 2024, didn't need long to make an impact after he was cleared to return to action. On one of his first reps in a team period during Tuesday's practice, the 6-foot-2, 320-pound junior batted a Demond Williams Jr. pass into the air, which turned into an interception for linebacker Buddah Al-Uqdah.
Moving forward, the Huskies are hoping he can develop into a disruptive piece in the middle of defensive coordinator Ryan Walters' scheme, which was one of the biggest factors in him choosing Jedd Fisch's program out of the transfer portal.
"They told me they like my game and my physicality and my experience," McClendon said on Friday. "They just want me to keep going and keep elevating off that so I can be a good part of Washington."
A big part of McClendon continuing to elevate his game comes down to defensive line coach Jason Kaufusi's plan for his development, and the Mississippi State transfer has placed all his faith in his position coach.

#fall #impact

A dramatic sporting moment frozen in time 70 years ago remains as popular as ever with football fans, and even inspired a statue.
One of the finest players of his era - Tom Finney of Preston North End - was photographed during a deluge at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge in August 1956.
Like a water-skier cutting through the wake of a speedboat, Finney somehow manages to stay upright and in control.
These days, there is little doubt that top-flight referees facing similar conditions would abandon the match.
But in August 1956, the Football League first division game - the equivalent of the Premier League - continued and the players were expected to roll their sleeves up and get on with it.

#players

Texas A&M's 2026 running back room took a hit on Thursday afternoon after coach Mike Elko revealed that redshirt freshman Tiger Riden Jr. will miss the regular season with an undisclosed injury, which was a surprise to all of us in the media, who recently saw the second-year back perform well this preseason, and was in line to win the No. 3 running back job behind Rueben Owens and Jamarion Morrow.
To avoid leaks, Elko and nearly every college football head coach keep injuries close to the vest weeks before the start of the regular season, but given the state of the running back room, Elko praised Rueben Owens' improvement this offseason, who is in line to earn the starting job, while many, including myself, believe that this will be a running back by committee approach, given Jamarion Morrow's rise as one of the best athletes on the roster.
Still, Owen's contact balance issues have apparently, based on what we've seen/heard, been solved, giving the former five-star commit a clear edge to begin the season as the starter.
"What you have now is a healthy, mature version of him that is physically ready to take on the rigors of the SEC."
"We're excited for him to be able to go out and finally put out his absolute best, healthiest foot forward into a new season."

#back #coach

Although the popular basketball video game NBA 2K27 is set to release September 4, the pre-release came out earlier this week, giving fans a first look at the new game. Prior to the game's release, Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson were listed among the top 100 players, with Durant ranking in the top 10. Since then, the full rosters have now become available for fans to view.
Kevin Durant - 93
Alperen Sengun - 87
Amen Thompson - 86
Jabari Smith Jr. - 80

#release #fans

Joint practice for the Houston Texans is already off to a rough start following the news around the offensive line.
According to reports, offensive tackle Braden Smith was carted off at practice today during a joint session with the Carolina Panthers in team drills. He did not return to practice and could be in jeopardy of missing time before the start of the season.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans offered no update on the nature of the injuries after practice or whether he could miss an extended period of time. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Texans believe Smith suffered a foot injury.
Smith, an eight-year veteran for the Indianapolis Colts, wasn't promised the starting right tackle job at the start of training. On the team's unofficial depth chart, the Texans have the right tackle spot listed as Smith or veteran Trent Brown, marking the second time that both tackles have made the list despite Smith's contract.
Brown started seven games for Houston last year at right tackle after beginning the year on the injured reserve. Though he wasn't perfect, there was potential with the veteran right tackle locking down the bookend side opposite second-year tackle Aireontae Ersery.

#veteran

Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu is taking the 2026-27 figure skating season off from competition and plans to return for the 2027-28 season.
"While people are announcing programs, imma take this time to announce that I will not be competing this season," she posted. "I always want to challenge myself in new ways, so my artistry & skating can evolve. It's important to me that my sport reflects my personal growth. I'm gonna take the time to recalibrate, fine-tune things & whatnot. So fear not, I'll be back, & in the meantime I'll be rooting for my teammates near & far. See yall soon!!"
In an interview, Liu said she plans to continue training during her break and work on her craft — "overall artistry, spins, jumps, everything."
"I really want to improve my skating, and I wanted to take the time to do that for myself and just to evolve," she said, "and then I'll be back after that is done. But I'll still be cheering on all my competitors and my teammates, and I'm really excited."
She added, "Logically and emotionally and physically, this just makes the most sense. I will miss seeing the international competitors at all the international (competitions), but there will be more, so it's fine."

#skating

Middleweight contender Gregory Rodrigues moved up the 185-pound pecking order last Saturday with a unanimous win over No. 7 ranked Antony Hernandez in the UFC Sacramento main event.
Rodrigues entered the fight ranked No. 10 and riding a three-fight winning streak. He utilized leg kicks to take control of the fight in the early rounds. Hernandez mounted a comeback but came up short. During the post-fight press conference, Hernandez accused Rodrigues of cheating.
"The f**ker was cheating and grabbing inside of my gloves. And I told Herb (Dean) that. I fight clean, man. So, it is what it is. Maybe I should be more dirty," Hernandez said. "I told f**king Herb, 'this motherf**ker grabbed my glove like four times, and I was like, 'Hey, he's grabbing my gloves.' And he told him, 'Hey, stop.' But I mean, whatever, don't take a point, whatever. You know what I mean? F**k it. I guess people like to cheat, so it is what it is."
On Monday, Rodrigues responded to Hernandez' allegations during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.
"He can say whatever he wants. You know? The fact is I beat him with the leg kicks, the punches. He didn't take me down. He didn't do nothing. He did put a pressure that was good, but I didn't cheat him. He knows that," Rodrigues said.

#fight #take #told #like

While the two series share much DNA, two major differences separate Sunderland 'Til I Die and Welcome to Wrexham.
The most obvious is that Wrexham's story is just as much, if not more, the story of two very famous actors doing the fish-out-of-water thing in both Wales and soccer ownership as it is the soccer club.
Second, Welcome to Wrexham is a story of triumph, while Sunderland 'Til I Die – at least the first two seasons – is decidedly not.
A month ago, it was suggested that I, the Roker Report's token American, write my own version of Will Patterson's "An Open Letter to Americans Looking for a Premier League Home." It hasn't happened until now because I've struggled to come up with something to say that Will hadn't already said better.
But I'm ready to give it a shot – albeit a shot that probably would have made more sense before the opening game.

#sunderland #wrexham #second #roker

Mizzou's 2026 fall camp has wrapped up. The team finished camp with a scrimmage under the lights at Faurot. Afterwards, head coach Eli Drinkwitz, wide receiver Donovan Olugbode and cornerback Chris Graves Jr. addressed the media.
The players brought different perspectives to the table, Olugbode being a young returner and Graves being a veteran transfer. Regardless of where both of them are in their playing careers, they improved through the fall.
Olugbode pointed to diversifying his skill set as a receiver as an emphasis coming into camp and feels like he achieved this goal.
"My contested catching, my run after the catch ability, getting more explosive after the catch," Olugbode listed as areas of improvement.
Graves' experience showed in his response. He was primarily focused on enhancing areas that he was already great in and gaining a better connection with the secondary.

#graves #receiver #areas

Fifa president Gianni Infantino responded with the quip "I'll see you at the hairdressers" when challenged by a journalist over whether he had betrayed football with his abandoned World Cup sell-off scheme.
The head of football's governing body was confronted outside a hotel in the Dominican Republic by Sky News US correspondent James Matthews.
The journalist asked Infantino why he had refused to step down, despite calls across the sport.
Three continental confederations accused the president of "deception" last week over efforts to introduce private investment into Fifa tournaments.
Uefa, the Union of European Football **** ociations, has also threatened a boycott of Fifa competitions, having "lost confidence" in Infantino's leadership.

#infantino #president #gianni #republic

Shams Charania: BREAKING: Klay Thompson is expected to sign with the Miami Heat after he clears waivers upon a contract buyout with the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell ESPN.
x.com
Chris Haynes: Dallas Mavericks announce they have reached a buyout agreement with sharpshooter Klay Thompson, making him an unrestricted free agent. — 8/21/2026 x.com
The Dallas Mavericks announced today that the team has reached a buyout agreement with guard/forward Klay Thompson. Thompson (6-6, 220) appeared in 141 games (80 starts) in his two seasons with Dallas and averaged 12.9 points on 40.3% shooting from the field and 38.7% from three. "Klay is one of the great players and competitors of his generation, and we are grateful for everything he brought to the Mavericks organization," said Mavericks President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri. "We have tremendous respect for Klay and all that he has accomplished throughout his career, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward." — 8/21/2026 NBA.com

#dallas #charania

Gvidas Gineitis of Torino FC is challenged by Luca Lipani of US Sassuolo during the Serie A match between Torino FC and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on May 08, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)
The Torino midfielder has remained on Celtic's radar throughout the summer, despite recent suggestions that a deal for the 22-year-old was becoming increasingly difficult.
However, a fresh report from Italy claims the Hoops have not abandoned their interest and could return with a stronger proposal if Martin O'Neill guides his side into the Champions League phase.
That possibility has moved significantly closer following Celtic's impressive 3-0 victory over LASK at Parkhead in the first leg of their play-off.
Italian journalist Giacomo Morandin reports that the financial windfall from Champions League qualification could allow Celtic to intensify their pursuit of the Lithuania international.

#league #gvidas #luca

After months of rumors and speculation, Said El Mala has decided to sign a contract extension with FC Köln rather than make a move to RB Leipzig or Borussia Dortmund. El Mala's decision to extend his contract with the Billy Goats is an interesting one.
The highly regarded young attacker had attracted attention from two of Germany's biggest clubs, but instead stuck with FC Köln, where he should have a clearer pathway to being a starter.
For El Mala, the decision appears to be about more than simply joining the biggest possible club at 19-years-old. Playing consistently, taking on responsibility and continuing his development could ultimately prove more valuable than immediately competing for minutes at Dortmund or Leipzig.
Köln also represents an opportunity for El Mala to further establish himself in the Bundesliga and demonstrate that he belongs at the highest level. If he develops as expected, those clubs may not be the last giants to show legitimate interest:
Not only did El Mala sign the extension, but he was give the No. 10 jersey, which has not been worn in Cologne since the days of Lukas Podolski:

#mala #contract #biggest #clubs

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has made it clear that the club is looking to strengthen their attack before the transfer window closes, despite the encouraging form of young striker Hamza Abdelkarim during pre-season.
Speaking after Barcelona's 2-1 victory over Al-Ahly in the Gamper Trophy, Flick did not reveal the identity of the player the club is targeting.
However, his comments left little doubt that he expects another attacking arrival to complete the squad.
The German coach praised sporting director Deco for his work in the market, particularly following the arrival of Rodri.
But with Barcelona preparing to begin their La Liga campaign away at Elche, the search for a new No. 9 remains an important part of the club's plans.

#arrival #hamza #ahly

BEREA ― Todd Monken is as big a fan as anyone of physical, tough football. That is, until that physicality could impact his team's ability to stay healthy.
Day 15 of Browns training camp appeared to get cut short with about 11 minutes left in what should've been the final practice period. At that point, Monken called the team together and yelled at them about protecting their teammates and practicing smart.
It wasn't just the players, either. Monken's directed some of his ire at defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg and the defensive coaches as well.
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Why the reaction? Well, the last straw was when defensive tackle Adin Huntington blasted running back Quinshon Judkins, which led Huntington to get expelled to the sideline by Monken.

#Browns