Bayern Munich scored five goals against Norwegian underdogs FK Bodø/Glimt. The rust in the Bavarians was evident as they struggled to build rhythm. The second half turned out to be a much better affair as Vincent Kompany's men found their feet and blew their opponents away.
Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich and Michael Olise were frontrunners who woke the rest of the team up with their individual brilliance and finally reaped their rewards in the second half with deserved goals and ***** ists. Luis Diaz had an off day and was perhaps the only starter who couldn't pick himself up before the end of the game.
Without further ado, here are the match awards from Bayern Munich's first game and first victory of the Champions League season.
While Bodø/Glimt as a unit were fantastic in capitalizing on Bayern's rustiness by isolating the attackers, they failed to make scoresheet gains. In Bayern's emphatic attempts to crack the Bodø code, there were a few vulnerabilities especially early into the game. With some more numbers, the Norwegians could have sneaked at least one goal. Helmersen's shot at Neuer's open goal was a brave lone effort from his pressing.
Nonetheless, Kjetil Knutsen and his team deserve a shoutout for executing a great low-block. Nikita Haikin, the starting goalkeeper made some important saves and kept the game even. Unfortunately, he had to leave the pitch after the first half due to injury.

#munich

The Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers are ready to renew their annual rivalry, this time with both team's kicking off their season in Melbourne, Australia. While the location has many excited about the game, along with the rivalry's intensity, these three storylines are ones to watch.
This is a multi-layered question due to Kyle Shanahan's offensive brilliance, along with how his scheme has populated the league. The immediate questions revolve around the Rams' defense and whether they have the tools to contain Shanahan's zone-blocking scheme. On top of that, do they have the ability to stop Shanahan's layered passing attack, in which he uses short underneath passes to open up the rest of the field?
Schematics aside, the Seahawks and Cardinals also utilize Shanahan's offensive scheme, as their offensive play-callers are ex-Shanahan ****** istants.
Then, we have to account for Shanahan's tactical brilliance. If I'm Shanahan, I'm using the early portions of the game to figure out how the Rams match up against San Francisco's multi-tight end personnel, and once Chris Shula deploys multiple linebackers, the 49ers should use a fast-tempo offense to take advantage of the Rams' linebackers having to cover ****** e while depleting their energy, with the Rams being unable to substitute.
Shanahan has tricks like that in his bag to control the pen. Is Shula finally wise enough not to fall for it?

#Rams #offensive #scheme #brilliance

INDIANAPOLIS – The crown jewel was diamond at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, and the stars of the National Hot Rod ****** ociation put on a Labor Day spectacle fitting of the hardware's brilliance during the Cornwell Quality Tools U.S. Nationals.
In celebration of the NHRA's 75th anniversary, the coveted Wally trophies for the 72nd running of the U.S. Nationals were diamond-accented to mark the milestone.
The significance wasn't lost on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series drivers, particularly 60-year-old "Fast Jack" Beckman.
Beckman, who collected his 41st career win, battled a loaded Funny Car field and a mild cold to chase down John Force Racing's 15th U.S. Nationals ****** le, and he achieved the feat in a John Force tribute car from 1996.
"That was just a phenomenal weekend. We tend to give preference to the most recent accomplishment but this one might be more significant because we did it in John's tribute car," Beckman said.

#john #lucas

Caitlin Clark once again came off the bench for Team USA in their group stage game against Italy at the FIBA World Cup. However, this time around, she wasn't able to show off her brilliance as she did in the game against China, where she scored 14 points and had 11 **** ists.
In a game against the 14th-placed FIBA nation, USA came out with a narrow 55-52 win, but Clark looked miles off her best as she only scored 1 point.
Jackie Young and Angel Reese, who came off the bench, were pivotal for Team USA. They scored 10 and 8 points respectively, with Reese also recording two blocks and a steal against Italy.
Clark was expected to have another big night, but she just never got going as the Italian defense made it hard for her to score.
The Indiana Fever player is known for her ability to score. She is averaging 22.5 PPG with the team in the WNBA, and after her performance against China, it seemed like the same version of her would be available throughout the tournament.

#came #italy #fiba #bench

Hamburger SV's lacklustre start to the new Bundesliga season continued this afternoon on home soil. In the Hanseatic sun, an FSV Mainz 05 side inspired by the brilliance of Sheraldo Becker and Phillip Tietz ran out comfortable winners on a 5-0 scoreline.
Similar to their opening day struggles in Dortmund, the hosts seemed to struggle as Mainz piled on the pressure. Sheraldo Becker stung the palms of Daniel Heuer Fernandes, before Nadiem Amiri fired wide on the end of a neat set-piece routine inside 15 minutes.
The warning signs were clear and HSV took no heed of it as an atmospheric Volksparkstadion fell momentarily silent. A misplaced pass from skipper Nicolai Remberg was picked off by Kaishu Sano. From there, he played in Becker who dispatched from a one-on-one scenario.
Aside from the occasional threat of Albert Grønbaek, HSV failed to even test debutante Alexander Schwolow before the break. Mainz swiftly led 2-0 when Nadiem Amiri pulled the strings in midfield for Becker to find **** e and deliver a routine tap-in for Philipp Mwene.
Half-time whistles from supporters forced Merlin Polzin's hand at the break. Torunarigha, Nadir and Adeline departed for Shafiq Nandja, Patson Daka and Fábio Vieira. The latter receiving a massive cheer since returning on a permanent basis from **** nal.

#nadiem #break #hamburger #bundesliga

If you're excited for Nico Iamaleava's 2026 season, you're not alone. Ahead of Iamaleava and the UCLA Bruins season debut on Saturday, college football ****** yst Todd McShay appeared on the Bill Simmons Podcast and gushed about UCLA's signal caller.
The former five-star recruit is flying a bit under the radar after a 2025 season where the Bruins offense struggled and the team finished 3-9 as a whole. Even amidst the struggles for the team, Iamaleava flashed moments of brilliance.
"I don't think people nationally have a clue how good Nico is," McShay said. "He's got a toughness about him that I didn't expect. He's got an ability to bounce-back from mistakes. This guy loves ball, you can't hide that on tape."
Even with those intangibles, it's the combination of Iamaleava's size and speed for the quarterback position. That skillset not only makes him an exciting college quarterback, it makes him a potential option at the NFL level.
"A 6'5" gazelle when he takes off to run. Then you watch the ability to, at 6'5", make guys miss in small ****** es," McShay said of the UCLA quarterback. "There's nothing he can't do. Now his deep ball accuracy was atrocious at Tennessee. I'm interested to see this year if he can improve that area."

#mcshay #bruins #you 're #college

First Pitch (CT): 6:40 PM
TV: Twins.TV
Radio: TIBN/830 WCCO/102.9 The Wolf /Audacy App
Know Yo' Foe: Bless You Boys
The Twins' postseason hopes aren't dead yet, but a disastrous 8-17 August has put them firmly as a long shot. They are only four games out of a playoff spot, but teams like the Guardians, Blue Jays, and Orioles are trending in the right direction while the Twins and Mariners fade out of the picture.
At this point, the Twins need to pivot to 2027 evaluation mode and if a few bonus wins come, all the better. Walker Jenkins and Kaelen Culpepper should be in the lineup nearly every day from here on out, Gabriel Gonzalez should see every possible PA against lefties, and Emmanuel Rodriguez and Alan Roden likely need to start taking playing time away from Trevor Larnach and Josh Bell when rosters expand tomorrow.
Part of the issue recent Twins teams have run into is simply not knowing whether certain young players are truly ready to take on a bigger role, and they can't afford that heading into 2027 on a team in need of upgrades in both the lineup and pitching staff.
Speaking of pitching, after 2027, Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, Dean Kremer, and Bailey Ober are all free agents. Connor Prielipp and Zebby Matthews have shown flashes of brilliance this season, while Mick Abel and Kendry Rojas will be back from injury with nothing left to prove in AAA, to say nothing of pitching prospects like Riley Quick, Ryan Gallagher, and Adrian Bohorquez who will likely be ready at different points next season. Jeremy Zoll and Co. will need to sort through who of that group is worth keeping, who should be traded, who could thrive in the bullpen, and who (looking at you, Ober) maybe shouldn't be tendered a contract at all.

#twins #ober

In the longer format, patience and discipline are traditional routes to building an innings. The beauty lies in embracing that challenge when the situation demands it.

South Zone found themselves in a similar situation on Monday. At 80/5, they were staring at the prospect of conceding first-innings lead to North Zone, who had posted 195 in their Duleep Trophy semifinal at the BCCI Centre of Excellence here.

What followed over the next 271 minutes was an exhibition of restraint and disciplined batsmanship as Tilak Varma (106 batting, 225b, 7x4) and Shreyas Gopal (87, 169b, 11x4) took centre stage with a 175-run sixth-wicket partnership. Their stand eventually turned the tide, helping South secure a first-innings lead. They were 285/9 at stumps, 90 runs ahead on the second day.

South, who resumed on 40/2, were rocked by the brilliance of pacer Gurnoor Brar (4/70), who arrived in the city from the Sri Lanka tour on Friday. Making the most of windy conditions, Brar produced a peach in his fifth delivery of the day to disturb Narayan Jagadeesan's stumps. He struck again soon after, producing a similar delivery to castle R Smaran's off stump before dismissing Kodimela Himateja for a duck.

With their backs against the wall, Tilak and Shreyas joined hands and tested the North bowlers' patience.

The Karnataka all-rounder brought up his first four off the 42nd ball he faced. Tilak did not find the boundary again until his 154th delivery, with that four taking South into the lead. Having curbed his instincts and reached his fifty without a boundary, the Hyderabad batter gradually shifted gears.

Shreyas, meanwhile, completed his fifty in 107 ******* and looked in control as he appeared on course for his seventh first-class hundred. But pacer Arshdeep Singh ended his vigil when he edged one through to stand-in wicketkeeper Abdul Samad.

With South's tail beginning to crumble, Tilak was in danger of missing out on a deserved century. The Hyderabad batter, though, held his nerve, smashing two successive fours off Gurnoor to bring up his eighth first-class hundred in 219 ******* .

Interestingly, all seven of Tilak's fours came after he reached his fifty — a reflection of the restraint that underpinned his innings. With South nine down, he will be eager to carry that momentum into the third day and stretch their lead into three figures and beyond.
Brief scores: North Zone 195 vs South Zone 285/9 in 94 overs (o/n: 40/2) (Narayan Jagadeesan 36, Tilak Varma 106 batting, Shreyas Gopal 87; Arshdeep Singh 2-59, Anshul Kamboj 2-53, Gurnoor Brar 4-70).

#lead

A new Liverpool wonderkid very much looks like a Steven Gerrard clone and he's on his way to the first-team soon.
Liverpool's former No.8 was everything supporters could have wanted from a captain.
Steven Gerrard was not simply one of the greatest midfielders in the club's history. He came to represent everything Liverpool stood for. Passion, commitment, leadership and extraordinary ability were all wrapped into one player.
What made Gerrard truly special, though, was his ability to take control when Liverpool needed him most.
A crunching tackle, a surging run through midfield, a defence-splitting pass or a moment of individual brilliance in front of goal — he always seemed capable of producing something when the situation demanded it.

#steven #passion #wonderkid #like

Hypotheticals and hindsight are not typically the favoured topics of the professional sports team but there is an alternative England scenario worth pondering. Had Sam Curran been fully fit to bowl ahead of this Pakistan series, the likelihood is that the Surrey all-rounder would have earned a recall to the Test squad for the first time in five years, a replacement of sorts after Ben Stokes had gone down in a blaze of gory batting at Trent Bridge.
Would Curran have featured in England's XI? The **** umption must be that he would not have but the very fact that he was under consideration at all shows the tricky question that Joe Root's side were attempting to answer. How does one replace the irreplaceable? Well, it seems, the answer is to not replace Stokes at all. There is no point, of course, selecting a seam all-rounder when you have specialists bowling the way that England's pace foursome have in this series so far.
England wrapped up a speedy victory over Pakistan at Lord's (Getty)
One must weigh Pakistan's paucity as mitigation against declarations of the brilliance of this attack but the evidence is increasingly persuasive about the group's potential. After the Headingley Test, Root had declared that the quartet of Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson did not know how good they could be and another standout showing at Lord's will not dim his praise. Of all English bowlers in Test history, Root can currently call upon three of the five men with strike rates beneath 44 and still have Archer to spare; if the fast forwarding of Test cricket is partly to blame, any skipper would enjoy that sort of potency.
"Each day it will be someone else's turn," Archer said during the second Test. "Everyone is relentless, everyone wants wickets and it feels like no-one is ever going to be overworked because everyone shares the overs out. You don't have to do too much because someone is going to back you up until you find your feet again."

#Pakistan

With the summer transfer window set to close within the next two days, some significant news for ****** nal has emerged on Sunday as the exits of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Fabio Vieira have all been reported. Jesus will be joining Barcelona, while Martinelli is set to become ****** nal's record transfer with a move to Saudi side Al Hilal. Vieira will return to Hamburg on a permanent move after a successful loan spell last season.
The Fabio Vieira move is one that has been in the making for the last few seasons. He came into the ****** nal side from Porto in the 2022 summer window as an under-the-radar move with a high ceiling. While he displayed his technical quality at times, he just never seemed to adapt to the more physical nature of the Premier League, and he was soon in the window shop for the Gunners. A loan back to Porto in 24/25 was followed by his spell with Hamburg in 25/26 where he shone for the Bundesliga side.
The one drawback of the Hamburg loan was that any fee for a permanent move was never going to majorly move the needle. Considering their record fee for an incoming player was €14m for Filip Kostic, the expectation was that they would not come close to meeting ****** nal's original valuation of €20m. After negotiations this week, the Gunners brought their asking price down and reached an agreement of €9m for the midfielder.
Gabriel Jesus' also saw his role in the side lessen over the past two seasons due in large part to injuries. His addition in the summer of 2022 after joining from Manchester City was a landmark one in the Mikel Arteta era. His arrival took ****** nal from a being simply a competitive side to one that consistent challenged for the ****** le. The first 6 months of his first season were sublime as he immediately elevated the attack with his exceptional ability to receive the ball in tight ****** es and link up with the front line.
Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury in the 2022 World Cup that began a series of ongoing issues he never seemed to overcome. The cycle that followed was as predictable as it was frustrating. After recovering from an injury, he would show flashes of his brilliance before encountering another setback. The signing of Viktor Gyökeres last summer was a major indicator that the club was preparing for him to take a more diminished role in the attack, and a move seemed inevitable.

#summer

Michael Chiesa remains bullish on Ian Machado Garry's upside despite falling short in his first bid at gold.
Machado Garry (17-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) suffered a unanimous decision loss to Islam Makhachev (29-1 MMA, 18-1 UFC) in their UFC 330 welterweight ******* le fight this month, but the Irishman was more competitive than many pundits and the oddsmakers indicated.
Although Machado Garry did not get the belt at UFC 330, retired welterweight standout turned UFC ******* yst and commentator Chiesa still saw flashes of brilliance. If Machado Garry can build on those going forward, it could lead him to the ultimate prize.
"Ian Garry's stock to me still goes up," Chiesa told MMA Junkie. "I don't think his stock goes down at all. There are people that definitely had him picked to win, and he didn't fight a bad fight. But he could have fought better. But his stock still goes up. He was able to defend takedowns. He made it really hard for Islam. He made Islam have to ditch MMA and focus on wrestling to get through the late rounds of that fight.
"Ian's stock still goes up. I can confidently say there is a world where he has a world ******* le someday. Especially given how young he is. 28 years old. He's got a lot of time to win a ******* le."

#still #Stock #title

Jonas Urbig is a name that is quickly becoming a hot topic in German football. Hailed as the next replacement for Manuel Neuer (after Alexander Nübel ultimately fell short), Urbig has had some memorable performances over the last year, and impressed enough for Julian Nagelsmann to send him overseas to join Die Mannschaft as part of the practice squad for the World Cup.
"We were all knocked out together; I was part of the group. Even so, it was an incredible experience for me; I got a taste of tournament life and learnt a lot," said a bittersweet Urbig looking back on the World Cup this summer, as captured by iMiaSanMia.
A very mature response from the 21-year-old goalkeeper. It was a massive kudos to the former FC Köln talent that he was brought to come and join the squad in North America, even if it wasn't in the capacity that he would have wanted.
While he is doing all the right things by being grateful for his opportunities, many will be quick to point out that Manuel Neuer should be handing off additional responsibility to Urbig over time, but Neuer's recent statements have contradicted this. Did Neuer hold back Germany at the World Cup? Did Neuer hold back Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season?
While it is impossible to know how the tournaments would have concluded if Urbig were given the full opportunity, but it seems like he will be getting the keys to himself in the distant future. For some, that couldn't come quick enough as Neuer's brilliance hasn't always shown up in the big moments, with some memorable mistakes costing Bayern Munich a tournament exit on multiple occasions.

#urbig #manuel #bayern

The San Francisco 49ers' short-term future doesn't look great, according to ESPN. An expert panel consisting of ****** ysts Louis Riddick, Aaron Schatz, Ben Solak, and Seth Walder ranked the 49ers No. 14 in ESPN's Future Power Rankings.
ESPN's methodology evaluates how well all 32 NFL franchises are set up for sustained success over a three-year window spanning the 2027 through 2029 seasons. The panel rated each team's quarterback situation, non-QB roster makeup, front office, and coaching staff on a 1–100 scale. Those grades were then calculated into a weighted overall score: roster makeup (30%), coaching staff (25%), front office (25%), and quarterback (20%).
The 49ers earned an overall score of 82.4, placing them behind NFC West rivals Seattle (No. 1, 88.7) and Los Angeles (No. 5, 85.3). San Francisco's category breakdown features elite respect for their coaching staff (93.5 score, second in NFL) and a top-10 quarterback rating (87.0 score, 10th in NFL). However, lower marks for their non-QB roster (77.0 score, 16th in NFL) and front office (74.0 score, 23rd in NFL) pulled down their overall grade.
The primary reason for optimism centers around head coach Kyle Shanahan's play-calling brilliance and a young defense. Solak noted that as long as Shanahan remains at the helm printing high-caliber offensive schemes, San Francisco will stay dangerous regardless of offensive line inconsistencies or playmaker injuries.
Conversely, Riddick highlighted roster age and durability as major causes for concern. Crucial veterans like Trent Williams (38), Kyle Juszczyk (35), Mike Evans (32), and George Kittle (32, returning from an Achilles tear) face steep longevity questions. Paired with a history of significant annual injury bug issues, the 49ers will lean heavily on Shanahan and his staff to continuously develop unheralded talent to remain in contention over the next three-year cycle.

#overall

Can Fernando Mendoza become a savior for a big NFL franchise like the Las Vegas Raiders? Rookie quarterback Mendoza is a towering 6 feet 5 inches tall, throwing the ball all over the field with incredible speed and brilliance.
Fans and experts are eager to know when his time will come to step onto the field as the Raiders' starting quarterback.
The plans regarding the Raiders' quarterback are now starting to become clear at the training camp. The current situation is:
Kirk Cousins has been designated as the No. 1 QB on the roster.
Fernando Mendoza's name is on the list as the No. 2 QB.

#vegas

One of those football adages that has always stuck with me came from a member of an NFL team's front office circa 2010: "Never let desperation be confused with a plan." It came at a time when his team was signing anyone and everyone at defensive back to fill an injury void, and he told me this anonymously because he disagreed with the approach of throwing money at free agents, rather than letting rookies get their reps in and take lumps as a result.
At first glance the decision by the Dallas Cowboys to sign Von Miller seems like desperation. The team is still reeling from the need to find pass-rush help in the wake of trading away Micah Parsons, while coming to the realization that Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku really aren't the marquee talents you want to get after opposing quarterbacks. Miller is 37-years-old, he's a journeyman, and the Cowboys are his fourth team in the last five seasons.
Miller remains one of the most impactful pass rushers in the NFL. The future Hall of Fame lock has been reduced to just having one trick in his bag — but that's all the Cowboys need at this point.
It's completely understandable if you didn't watch the Commanders play last season. Heck, even die-hard Commanders fans would forgive you for skipping over their debacle of a 2025 campaign. What we saw out of Von Miller in Washington was punctuated brilliance. Dan Quinn and the coaching staff were well aware of what Miller can and can't do on the field at this point in his career, so he was used predominantly as a 3rd-down pass rusher, or an additional linebacker in some gadget sets. This concept worked extremely well, as Miller finished the 2025 season with 10 sacks and 36 total pressures on just 289 pass rush snaps.
This pressure rate of 12.4% is prolific compared with the pass rushers he joins now. Rashan Gary's pressure rate was 13% — but Ezeiruaku's was considerably worse at just 9%. This means that there's a natural advantage on third-down pass-rushing situations to swap out Ezeiruaku for Miller, bolstering the attack as a result. This becomes even more intriguing with the addition of Caleb Downs, whom Dallas selected in the draft. There's a gravity which comes from throwing Miller on the field which can't be avoided, even as he gets older — meaning he needs to be accounted for on third down situations. While he might not command a true double, there will need to be a chip block thrown his way as well, because this is still Von Miller we're talking about.

#down

The Philadelphia 76ers continue to be the talk of the league as they have been the most aggressive team in the league in terms of making big additions. The Sixers were able to pull off a big deal to acquire Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics and that move then set up the addition of LeBron James.
James brings his brilliance now to the City of Brotherly Love as he is still one of the best players in the game this late in his career. In year 23, and his eighth with the Los Angeles Lakers, James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 **** ists, and 6.1 rebounds while guiding the Lakers to Round 2 of the playoffs after a series win over the Houston Rockets.
Plenty of James' former teammates have come forward to speak on how terrific he is a player and a teammate and D'Angelo Russell joined that crowd as he gave his thoughts on James joining the Sixers in free agency:
But also adding a guy like LeBron to a team that did really well last year without a guy like Joel (Embiid). And then you add a healthy Joel, I think that is debatable. LeBron is the greatest of all time. Joel is ex-MVP. Jaylen Brown Finals MVP. (Tyrese) Maxey coming off of the year he had, and (VJ) Edgecombe, the sky is the limit...Philly, to see all those dudes just in attack mode, which is already the style they played in. Like, they're gonna be tough to beat. Tough to beat.
Russell played alongside James to help the Lakers reach the Western Conference finals in 2023. He knows very well what James brings to the table and he knows what the future Hall of Famer will be able to do in Philadelphia. The Sixers will certainly be considered the favorites in a much tougher Eastern Conference as they move forward into the season.

#lebron

Barcelona summer signing Jesse Bisiwu enjoyed an outing to remember in the colours of the Blaugrana on Sunday evening. This came as the young winger notched a pair of goals during a substitute cameo against Basel.
Hansi Flick's troops were back in action a short time ago, making the trip to Switzerland amid the club's ongoing preparations for the new Spanish campaign.
When all was said and done in a friendly meeting with the aforementioned Basel, Barcelona emerged on the right side of a dominant 5-2 result.
And though the aformentioned Bisiwu was forced to make do with a role as a substitute, he made his minutes on the pitch count…
Introduced off the bench during the 2nd-half, the Belgian winger first conjured up a moment of individual brilliance, to find the top corner from the edge of the penalty area:

#bisiwu #blaugrana

Michael Massey and Jac Caglianone powered the lineup last night. They did it again tonight, with the only two hits KC had – both singles – in a 1-0 loss to the Angels.
When your team falls by a score of 1-0, it would be easy to place the blame on the offense. But this was really Reid Detmers flashing some of that brilliance I wrote about before the game. When he's on, there's not a whole heck of a lot you can do, and baby, he was on tonight. Detmers struck out 11 over 8 scoreless innings and required only 92 pitches to do it. He didn't walk anyone, and he allowed those two singles mentioned at the top. That's it. The Angels asked closer Ben Joyce to finish it off and, wielding a fastball that easily tops 104 MPH, he did just that with a pair of strikeouts.
Randy Dobnak, known more for his sweeper, threw the Angels a healthy dose of changeups in his 5.2 innings tonight. He figured out early that the sweeper wasn't working and the Angels could do nothing to the changeup, so he threw it more than any of his other pitches. Ultimately, he struck out six while allowing 4 hits and 2 walks in 5.2 scoreless innings. He had some good defense behind him, but Dobnak Time continues unabated as we inch ever closer to the end of the season.
Craig Kimbrel was tasked with escaping the sixth inning with two runners on and managed to do so when a deep flyball from Josh Lowe died just in front of the track, landing in Starling Marte's glove. Kimbrel relied again on the marine layer as well as a fantastic play from Tyler Tolbert in the seventh.
Nate Pearson got the eighth and, unfortunately, his control issues from most of his career popped up again when he allowed a leadoff walk to Wade Meckler. Jose Siri pinch-ran for him and promptly stole second. Pearson got Mike Trout to pop out, but a groundball at 102.6 off the bat of Nolan Schanuel managed to deflect off of Caglianone's glove into right, and that was all she wrote. Pearson recovered to get a strikeout and a groundout, but the winning run was already in.

#tonight #detmers

If you're a Royals fan of a certain age, the phrase "Lima Time!" will mean something to you. In 2003, the Royals were surprise contenders after getting off to an incredibly hot start. But they needed starting pitching help due to injury and ineffectiveness. Enter José Lima.
Lima was an interesting case; he'd been a 20-game winner as recently as 1999 for the Houston Astros. But he'd also been cut by the Detroit Tigers in 2002 after pitching to a 7.77 ERA in 68.1 innings both as a starter and a reliever. To open the 2003 season, he was pitching in the Independent Atlanta League. His first start for the Royals that year saw him allow 4 runs in 6 innings and take a no-decision with the Royals rallied with two runs in the ninth off of Giants closer Tim Worrell. From then on, it was Lima Time! Lima won 7 straight starts while pitching to a ridiculous 1.65 ERA. I was young and cut off from other Royals fans at the time, but I remember thinking the Royals had found a true ace that would lead them for years to come. With the benefit of hindsight and more advanced ***** ytics than pitcher wins, I can see now that the 3.4% K-BB% he had over that span pointed to oncoming problems. Lima went 1-3 over his final 6 starts with a 10.65 ERA. Sadly, Lima time was not to last.
Why do I bring all this up? Randy Dobnak reminds me a lot of José. I'm older and wiser now, so I can see past the shiny 2.00 ERA to the remarkably similar 3.3% K-BB%. Still, given that the Royals aren't competing for a playoff spot as they were when Lima was around, it's safe to just enjoy the ride of Dobnak time for as long as we can. Maybe it will even last until the end of the season! Hopefully, it lasts at least one more start, tonight.
The Angels will have Reid Detmers on the mound. Reid was considered the 47th-best prospect in MLB when he graduated from the list in 2022. He has a killer curveball and he has shown occasional flashes of brilliance, but he's never been able to fully put things together. He does have a 3.99 ERA going back to the start of last year, and he's been worth 3.0 fWAR this year, but he has been very up-and-down this season and is definitely not the true ace the Angels would like him to be, despite the ridiculous 14-strikeout, 1-hit, 0-walk outing he had against Texas earlier this season.
Unfortunately for the Royals, Detmers is in one of those up spans right this moment. He has a 2.39 ERA while striking out 33 and walking only 8 in his last 5 starts covering 26.1 innings. He's also gone 0-2 over that span because the Angels' offense has been… lackluster.

#time #start #pitching #last

Ludvig Aberg is one of Scottie Scheffler's closest challengers with 36 holes left to play at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Scheffler was in scintillating form on Friday at the FedEx St. Jude as he fired a round of nine-under par 61.
Aberg's round of 65 was made to look rather ordinary by the 30-year-old world number one's brilliance.
Scottie Scheffler is 11-under par after two rounds of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, and he holds a three-stroke lead over Sungjae Im and Viktor Hovland, with Ludvig Aberg a further shot back.
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

#scottie #championship #scheffler #Friday

BYU receivers coach and passing game coordinator Fesi Sitake has a son whose middle name is Legend.
That son now wants to be called by his middle name.
Why?
Because there's a newcomer to the football team, a freshman receiver, named Legend Glasker who just might be the next big thing in Provo. Glasker, a three-star recruit (247Sports) who graduated from nearby Lehi High last December so he could enroll early at BYU, was one of the breakout stars in spring camp and has picked up where he left off this month in preseason training camp.
Sitake said Monday that Glasker has "solidified his spot" with the first-team offense, along with Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper and Jojo Phillips, the redshirt junior who has shown flashes of brilliance but a lack of consistency, partly due to injury, in three seasons in the program.

#team #camp

The Philadelphia 76ers will welcome NBA legend LeBron James to their roster in the upcoming 2026-27 season. They waited and waited and were able to land the future Hall of Famer on a 2-year $8 million deal. James brings his brilliance to the City of Brotherly Love and will be looking to help the Sixers reach the mountaintop.
James has won four championships in his career. Two of those came playing alongside Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013 as the two longtime friends were able to play together and put on a dazzling display of athleticism, lethal scoring, and elite-level basketball on a nightly basis.
As James prepares for year 24, Wade posted a message to him on Instagram as he wishes him luck in his 24th season in the NBA.

#famer #season #waited

CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong was terrific once again. Same for Shohei Ohtani.
It was quite a day in an increasingly compelling race for the NL MVP award.
Crow-Armstrong homered twice and drove in four runs to help the Chicago Cubs beat Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6 on Wednesday for a sweep of their three-game series. But Ohtani also went deep twice and finished with three hits.
"I do think they were going toe to toe," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "You know, obviously, there's a lot of talk about those two guys being the front-runner for the MVP. They both showed up, and you can see that they hear what's being said about them, and that was fun for the fans certainly."
Crow-Armstrong, 24, is Chicago's regular center fielder, but he served as the designated hitter for the series finale against LA. That gave him an opportunity to take a closer look at Ohtani's brilliance at the plate.

#crow #armstrong #three #pete

Eintracht Frankfurt enter the 2026/27 Bundesliga season with renewed optimism after an ambitious summer rebuild led by returning head coach Adi Hütter. Having previously guided the Eagles to one of the club's most memorable modern eras between 2018 and 2021, the Austrian returns to Deutsche Bank Park tasked with restoring Die Adler as one of Germany's most competitive sides.
The early signs suggest the club have fully backed him.
One of Frankfurt's headline additions is Germany youth international Noël Aséko Nkili, whose arrival strengthens a midfield that requires greater athleticism and defensive intensity. Aséko is comfortable covering large ******* es, winning duels and progressing possession, qualities that fit naturally into Hütter's aggressive, transition-based style.
The Eagles have also focused on improving the overall balance of the squad rather than simply adding star names. Hütter's teams have historically relied on collective organisation, quick vertical attacks and relentless pressing, meaning every signing must fit the tactical identity instead of relying on individual brilliance.
That philosophy helped Frankfurt reach the Europa League semi-finals during Hütter's first spell and could once again become the foundation of the club's success.

#Eagles #deutsche #adler

The Audi Summer Tour kicked off in the Korean island of Jeju with Bayern Munich taking on Jeju SK FC. The Bavarians fielded a lot of young players for a large portion of the match and the 2-1 lead is a result of the Bayern youth's hard work. While a few of the first team players came on later in the game, they could not affect the scoreboard despite some good chances. Here are the match awards from this hard fought game although it was a friendly on paper.
The Brazilian was a live wire for Jeju. Aiás was not only a finishing threat, but also had the skill to set up one of his teammates. Jeju's goal came off some sheer brilliance from the Brazilian forward. His rainbow flick near the goal line completely flummoxed Kim Min-jae. He found his partner Chang-Min Lee who pulled back his marker in the very last moment to drift into open ***** e. That was all Jeju needed to equalize. It was a brilliant goal from the setup by Aiás to the finish by Lee. Aiás was also the joint highest dribbler of the game with Bayern's Guido Della Rovere.
The Bayern backline suffered from poor communication. Dayot Upamecano did not travel for the tour and is on an extended holiday after France's deep run in the World Cup. The Frenchman's absence along with Jonathan Tah starting on the bench exposed the lack of leadership and co-ordination in the defense. The duo of Hiroki Itō and Kim Min-jae should have done better being the seniors on the pitch. While Jeju's goal was brilliant, there were gaps in the box throughout the first half that could have led to more goals conceded.
João Palhinha was often rushing to break up play or screen the backline. He made two crucial tackles and was the primary physical presence for Bayern in their own third of the pitch. The Portuguese international's reading of the game allowed him to shield his defenders and the passing lanes in between. His ***** ist to Bastian ***** omo's winning goal came from an interception due to his positioning. A good game for Palhinha and maybe under Vincent Kompany can become a crucial sub in Champions League knockouts.
The young midfielder showed once again why he is Bayern's present and future in midfield. His technical ability is supreme, there is always a diagonal pass ready to precisely find his teammate across the pitch. His time at left-back last season further honed his defensive skills and that has improved his game in the middle. Bischof can really throw a tackle if he needs to. This is despite Bischof coming off as a typical technical player, who might prefer to let a defender or a CDM do the dirty work. With two tackles and just three passes misplaced, the 21 year-old is the best box-to-box midfielder under Kompany at the moment. Additionally, Bischof is miles ahead of Joshua Kimmich with his corner kicks which will be a welcome change in that direction.

#jeju #bischof #brazilian #palhinha

Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf have grown closer as teammates after a private preseason training camp in Idaho.
Both Rodgers and Metcalf are ready to run it back with the Steelers in the AFC North after a strong first season together.
While there were flashes of brilliance from both stars, their chemistry still needed some work. But it appears both stars have forged a greater connection over the last few months during a private training camp in Idaho.
Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, Aaron Rodgers addressed his relationship with DK Metcalf and how their bond has improved over the last year.

#rodgers #aaron #camp #steelers

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa made his 11-on-11 debut at Atlanta Falcons training camp on Monday as full pads went on for the first time.
A strong fan turnout made its presence known with applause as Tagovailoa took the field, rookie receiver Zachariah Branch showed flashes of brilliance and Jeff Ulbrich returned to the practice facility.
Offensive guard Matthew Bergeron had one extra thing to smile about after signing a four-year, $96 million contract extension on Saturday, joining a list of young Falcons playmakers who have been rewarded for their efforts leading up to the season.
Tears welled up in Bergeron's eyes as he talked about what it means to continue his career in Atlanta, the southern city that has become home for the Canadian offensive guard since being drafted in 2023.
"Being Canadian and not having much family in the U.S., to be able to be here and everybody just welcomes you with open arms and southern hospitality — just being able to stay in Atlanta means the world to me," he said.

#branch #falcons #means

Michael Olise's meteoric rise has transformed him from one of Europe's most exciting young wingers into a player that virtually every elite club would love to have. After a spectacular season with Bayern Munich, the French international has become a regular feature in Ballon d'Or discussions and is widely regarded as one of the most entertaining players in world football. Despite inevitable transfer speculation, former Chelsea ****** istant manager Jody Morris believes Olise has found the perfect environment in Munich and sees little reason for the winger to leave anytime soon.
"When you get to that level, there's no rush to come back for Michael Olise unless he wants to return home. He is suited to the continental style of play. He has already produced in the Premier League and can have his pick of where to go. I imagine Bayern will give him a huge new deal to stave off interest," Morris told BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest football odds. "I think everyone in world football would want to sign him. He is the type of player who gets you on the edge of your seat. I haven't seen a player open up defenses like that in a long time. Lionel Messi is the only one similar in that regard. He will be disappointed to have missed chances in the tournament. He is my favorite footballer to watch at the moment."
Those are lofty comparisons, but they reflect just how highly Olise is regarded after his breakout campaign. His blend of creativity, vision, close control, and end product makes him one of the rare players capable of deciding matches with a single moment of brilliance. Under Vincent Kompany, Olise has flourished into the centerpiece of Bayern Munich's attack while continuing to improve every aspect of his game.
Morris also poured cold water on any suggestion that Chelsea could realistically lure Olise back to England.
"Chelsea would need to make unbelievable strides to even be in the conversation for a player like Michael Olise. We tried to get him from Palace before, and not getting him is what led us to signing Cole Palmer. Michael Olise plays in any World XI for me right now. The signing of Eden Hazard at the time was huge, and he went on to be a great," Morris said. "For me, Hazard is the greatest individual player to ever play for Chelsea in terms of talent, though he's third on the overall list behind John Terry and Frank Lampard. Olise is the closest we would get to someone who can entertain the Stamford Bridge crowd while also producing numbers. He has a great balance of being great to watch with flair, but he doesn't shirk his production in the final third. He still manages goals and ****** ists while floating around the pitch. He is a phenomenal player."

#World #great

During his time at Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne left a mark on the club and the Premier League like no other. Throughout his 422 appearances for City, De Bruyne's drive, will to win, exquisite passes, ability with both feet and goals have firmly established him as a City and Premier League legend. Another side affect of De Bruyne's brilliance is that he has inspired the next generation of players to try and match his feats. One such player is Elliot Anderson. Manchester City's new signing has spoken on the influence that De Bruyne has had on him. If Anderson can make half the impact that De Bruyne did at Manchester City, he'll be on his way to emulating his hero.
Yesterday, Manchester City finally unveiled Elliot Anderson. The England international spoke on a wide range of topics after finally making his move to the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders official. One of those was the inspiration that Anderson has taken from Kevin De Bruyne. Anderson revealed that De Bruyne was a player that he looked up to as he rose through the ranks at Newcastle, and he is overjoyed to play at the club that De Bruyne starred for. He explained: "I think Kevin De Bruyne is someone who I've hugely looked up to over the past seven or eight years. As I came up through the academy at Newcastle, I always wanted to play like him."
"I've watched him all the time and to be sat here in the same team he was doing it for is so special."
Watching Elliot Anderson in full flight, you can see the similarities between him and Kevin De Bruyne. At his peak, De Bruyne would drive at opponents with his powerful dribbling from midfield. Anderson has this characteristic. Also, when Anderson plays a cross from the right-hand channel, there is a De Bruyne-esque quality to this aspect of Elliot Anderson's play.
However, Elliot Anderson is his own player and not a De Bruyne replacement. While Anderson spoke of the influence that De Bruyne has had on him as a player, it would be unfair to place that level of expectation on Manchester City's newest midfielder. Anderson will forge his own path and legacy at Manchester City. He is contracted to the club until 2031 and how Anderson's City career unfolds will be well worth watching.

#anderson #manchester