NASCAR's 2027 Cup Series schedule is still months away from becoming official, but one new report suggests fans could see some of the biggest calendar changes in years.
According to The Athletic, NASCAR is putting the finishing touches on next season's schedule, with several notable adjustments still under consideration before the sanctioning body announces the finalized calendar. If those plans come together, the postseason could feature a significantly different look than fans have grown accustomed to over the past several years.
Among the reported changes are a reshuffled playoff lineup, continued momentum toward another race at Naval Base Coronado in San Diego, an uncertain future for the Chicago Street Race, and a new frontrunner to host the All-Star Race.
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from The Athletic's report centers on NASCAR's playoff schedule.
Rather than making only minor adjustments, the report says six races could effectively swap places on the calendar, creating a noticeably different Chase.

#race #calendar #changes #adjustments

As the calendar is about to flip to August, we're amid the brutal part of the NBA's year-round schedule. August and September are when teams across the league go into vacation mode. Most of the offseason homework is done. We're just waiting around for the 2026-27 season to start.
Because of how jam-packed the NBA's regular-season marathon is, these next couple of months are when players develop the most. Not needing to play a game or travel every other day, the mundaneness of summer vacation gives guys ample chances to get real developmental reps.
You're seeing that right now with the Oklahoma City Thunder. They finished five wins shy of their back-to-back ambitions. But there's no reason to harshly judge how their playoff exit came about. After going through some complementary roster changes, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams must return to being All-NBA teammates.
The first step towards that? Syncing up in the offseason. Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams have spent time together this summer. Various social media posts have revealed so. They're collabing with the two-time MVP's longtime trainer Nem Ilic. They took to Instagram to recently reveal that.
Cool to see Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams be on the same page. For Gilgeous-Alexander, it's about remaining one of the NBA's best players. The 28-year-old has had two straight MVP seasons and four straight 30-plus point campaigns. He must roll along with that type of production if OKC wants a chance to bring home another Larry O'Brien trophy.

#alexander #year #vacation #season

Barak Bachar and Lior Refaelov say Maccabi Haifa has learned from last season and rebuilt its squad, staff and training structure for the new campaign.
Maccabi Haifa had a rough season last year as they finished in fifth place in league play and missed out on competing in European qualifiers. Along with the disappointing results, the supporters were unhappy, to say the least, with how the campaign had been managed from top to bottom.
The Greens have already endured an 0-2 start to the new 2026/27 season, losing their first two Toto Cup games, 3-2 in the Haifa derby and then 3-0 to Kiryat Shmona. However, despite the losses, Haifa believes it has plenty to build on after holding its season-opening press conference at the Kfar Galim Training Center. Head coach Barak Bachar and sports director Lior Refaelov spoke about how they view the upcoming campaign after experiencing a season well below the club's lofty standards.
"It's great to begin anew," Bachar began. "We had a couple of very tough seasons, and we needed to learn from what went wrong. We also had to make some serious changes, both at our training center in Kfar Galim and with our staff. We know that we will be judged by our results. We wanted to bring in players with a specific profile for the club, and we feel that we found the right players, but of course we will only know for sure once we are on the pitch."
"There are times when you need to know how to make changes, and that's what we did. We brought in some new coaches who can raise the standards of our training sessions, and being able to work with Lior Refaelov off the pitch now after he played under me a number of years ago means we can really help build this club back up. We both know what it means to be a part of Maccabi Haifa, and we will do our best to create the right system and procedures. We put all of our failures on the table after last season, and we knew what we needed to do together to begin making the necessary changes."

#haifa #season #training #last

One key difference between Senate negotiators and the conferences still holding out on proposed legislation to regulate college sports is whether language in the bill would truly create a "hard salary cap" that would eliminate many third-party payments that have sent roster costs skyrocketing.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee and cosponsor of the bill, sent out a social media post that said "The cap is a hard cap. Full stop. That loophole is closed."
But the refusal by the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference to sign off on changes to the Protect College Sports Act during a frenzied week of negotiating is a sign that they do not agree with Cruz's ***** sment and would like to see stronger language in the bill.
The Senate broke for the weekend late Thursday without taking action on the bill. It goes on vacation next Friday and the likelihood of the bill reaching a vote before then has grown slim.
One of the key concessions made over the past week was the addition of an up to $27.5 million (up from $25 million) "retention pool" that could be used to keep players on rosters. It would be added to the $21.3 million salary cap already in place to make the new number $48.8 million.

#senate #sports #language #sign

With Congress soon to begin its August recess, the finalization of the Protect College Sports Act negotiations between lawmakers and college sports leaders remains at a standstill on Capitol Hill, leaving the bill's path to a Senate floor vote uncertain.
The impasse comes as leaders from the Power Four conferences — the Big Ten, the SEC, the ACC and the Big 12 — meet Thursday with university presidents to review the latest revisions to the bill made by lawmakers. The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris **** s (D-Del.) and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.).
Late Thursday afternoon, NCAA president Charlie Baker released a statement saying that while no bill is "perfect," he "implores college sports leaders and Senators to support this bill now." Baker, of course, is hinting at the ticking clock on getting the bill passed this session.
HOLDOUT: Why the Big Ten is stopping Congress' college sports fix
"After speaking with conference leaders and university presidents in recent days, one thing is clear: there is overwhelming consensus that targeted intervention from Congress is necessary. I am grateful to Senators Cruz and Cantwell for making meaningful changes to strengthen this bill. This is the legislation we need now," Baker said in a statement.

#cruz #cantwell #senators

The United States resumed airstrikes inside Iran Wednesday night in retaliation for Tehran's attempted surprise ballistic-missile attack on American forces, as an Iran expert warned that the regime has become increasingly willing to test Washington despite its weakened military capabilities.
"The strikes are a powerful response to yesterday's attempted Iranian attack on U.S. forces based in the Middle East," U.S. Central Command said as the new operation began, according to The **** ociated Press.
The renewed strikes marked the first U.S. attacks inside Iran since President Donald Trump paused the bombing campaign Friday after 13 consecutive nights to allow diplomacy another chance. Iran's missile launch shattered that brief pause and returned the conflict to direct exchanges between Washington and Tehran.
Trump had signaled the retaliation earlier Wednesday, saying the United States would hit Iran "very hard."
Army Ids 2 Victims Killed In Jordan Air Base Attack; Trump: Iran Will Pay 'Many Times Over'

#wednesday #washington

We've made it. It's here. Football is back and the shiny new toys are being taken out of the box.
The Steelers took the field for the first organized practice of training camp at St. Vincent College on Wednesday morning. It was the first time Steelers fans could watch favorites, newcomers, and the 2026 draft class at the same time, including third-round pick and former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.
Allar underwent significant changes to his processing and footwork during OTAs and minicamp, being broken down and built back up again by new head coach Mike McCarthy. Following a strong career at Penn State, but one that left much to be desired, Allar explained after practice how McCarthy is impacting his season.
"Definitely makes you be very detail oriented and have a purpose behind every rep," Allar said. "I think that's the biggest thing I've learned."
Allar missed half the season with a broken ankle but was the first of three players taken by the Steelers in the third round. In 45 career games, 35 starts from his sophomore to senior year, Allar threw for 7,402 yards, 61 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.

#first #state #back

After finishing the season 5-12, the 2025 Cleveland Browns struggled to find an identity. With three different quarterbacks starting over the course of the season and inconsistent offensive play throughout, the team often appeared to lack a clear direction. The team had reached a point where meaningful changes were necessary to shake things up.
Going into the 2026 season, one of the biggest changes the team made was bringing in new head coach Todd Monken. Regardless of who returns to the field, the team will have a different look under its new leadership. While there is still uncertainty at quarterback, Shedeur Sanders is returning with a year of experience under his belt, and Deshaun Watson is returning from injury.
Cleveland GM Andrew Berry also invested heavily in the offensive line all offseason, while long standing veterans Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, and David Njoku are no longer on the team.
The young players like Carson Schwesinger and Harold Fannin Jr., who had really impressive rookie seasons, have a great opportunity to build on what they did in 2025. Additionally, the Browns' 2026 draft class impressed many and brings another level of potential to what this team can be.
Both seasons come with plenty of uncertainty, but the 2026 roster has a clearer vision and more upside, while the 2025 team seemed stuck repeating an approach that had already proven ineffective.

#different

Freight broker Landstar System said Tuesday that its larger scale and long track record of safety will become more attractive to shippers in a post-Montgomery world. The company saw a more material turnaround in operations during the second quarter even though results fell short of ****** ysts' expectations.
Revenue generated by Landstar's (NASDAQ: LSTR) business capacity owners (BCOs) increased 22% year over year to $563 million, as loads were up 10% and revenue per load was up 11%. Landstar's BCOs are owner-operators who haul almost exclusively for the company. Changes among this segment of capacity have historically signaled turns in the broader truckload market.
Trucks provided by BCOs increased 68 units sequentially to 8,544 units in the second quarter. This was the largest increase since the 2022 first quarter. The tractor count is up another 49 units so far in July. BCO turnover improved 310 bps y/y to 28.3% as utilization improved 12% y/y.
BCO revenue per mile—Landstar's preferred metric for TL pricing as it excludes fluctuations in diesel fuel prices—was up 11% y/y and 10% y/y on dry van and flatbed shipments, respectively.
Management sees this segment of capacity potentially growing faster following the Supreme Court's Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II ruling, which widened liability exposure for freight brokers found negligent in their driver hiring practices. The company said it is also having success courting small brokers looking to partner with brokers with better tech, vetting protocols and insurance programs.

#brokers

It's trade deadline season, and though this has been a tame deadline period so far, the continuous swirl of rumors and (eventually) actual transactions will be the focus of much of the baseball world in the coming days. Yesterday, we discussed which players the Yankees were most likely to move, and today, we ask: what weakness do the Yankees most need to address, and which one are they most likely to address?
The answer to this question has been fluid throughout the year. Early on, it seemed obvious to most that the Yankees would need to make big additions to their bullpen, yet here we are at the end of July, and the Yankee relief corps has the second-best ERA in the majors. Paul Blackburn has proven to be the second coming of Luke Weaver, Brent Headrick almost never allows runs, David Bednar has been the top-tier closer the team envisioned, and Matt Blake's latest reclamation project, Angel Chivilli, has looked dynamite since his most recent call-up. Add in the fact that players like Will Warren and Ryan Weathers (and perhaps Carlos Lagrange?) could get shifted to the bullpen if they're not traded, and the unit looks like an area of strength, not weakness.
At other times, the matter of the infield appeared to be most pressing. Ryan McMahon and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each got off to nightmarish starts, and the shortstop duo of Anthony Volpe and José Caballero has had its ups and downs. But even on the dirt, things don't look nearly as shaky as they did two or three months ago. Since seeing his OPS bottom out at .498 on April 22nd, Chisholm has played exactly as expected, with a .239/.309/.463 slash line and 16 homers plus 21 steals. McMahon has run a roughly .750 OPS over the last two months while bringing his usual quality defense at third base. And despite his penchant for high-profile miscues, Volpe's combination of high-OBP and good range at short has made him a valuable contributor.
Then, there's the most obvious need now, at catcher, with Yankee backstops having combined to "hit" .181/.261/.284. But even adding a catcher comes with major complications, as most teams are loath to make significant changes to their caching room midseason. For as awful as Austin Wells and Co. have been with the bat this year, a catcher's primary job is to catch, to field his position, to manage his pitching staff. The Yankee backstops have done that portion of their job with aplomb this year (it's probably not a coincidence that the Yankees prioritize defense at catcher and have the best team ERA in baseball), and it's not trivial to just add a plus bat to that room without shaking things up on the run-prevention front.
Add it all up, and it leaves the Yankee roster in a weird spot heading into a crucial deadline. The roster has been slammed by injuries and has some seemingly clear places to upgrade, but actually making those upgrades is less straightforward than it might appear. What do you think? Where are the Yankees most likely to make moves in the next four

Oil prices are plummeting again, but the benchmark used for most fuel surcharges has risen for a third consecutive week.
The Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration average weekly retail diesel price climbed 17.9 cents/gallon to $5.313/g, effective Monday but published Tuesday. It's the third consecutive week of an increase, tacking on 73.5 cts/g during that time.
But as a reflection of how volatile markets have been, the latest DOE/EIA price, even after such a steep slide, has risen to a level that is the highest since just June 8, when it was $5.21/g. It is just under where it was on April 27–$5.351/g–but since that day has experienced double digit increases or decreases eight out of the last 13 weeks.
Given the lag in retail changes, the price would not have been expected this week to reflect the sharp fall in futures prices that began when trading opened for the week Sunday evening U.S. time. That decline followed lower prices Friday that were seen not as a reversal of the market but more of a "breather" after several days of sharp increases.
Possible peace?

#week #energy #consecutive

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When the Federal Reserve changes interest rates, the impact reaches far beyond Wall Street. Higher rates can help savers earn more on their cash, while lower rates can make mortgages, car loans, and credit cards more affordable. But because every rate move creates both winners and losers, there's no simple answer to whether high or low rates are best.
Understanding why the Fed raises and lowers rates — and how those decisions affect your money — can help you make smarter choices about saving and borrowing.
The Federal Reserve is mandated by Congress to promote stable prices and maximum employment within the U.S. economy. One of the tools it has at its disposal to achieve these goals is the federal funds rate.
During times of high inflation, for instance, the Fed will raise its federal funds rate, which is the rate banks charge each other for overnight loans to meet cash reserve requirements.

#loans

Colorado is five days away from opening its 2026 fall camp as the Buffaloes begin preparations for Deion Sanders' fourth season at the helm. The Buffs had a solid offseason despite many changes, including two new coordinators and 40-plus transfers, most with proven production, albeit at a non-Power Four level.
One of those players is Sacramento State transfer wide receiver Ernest Campbell. The speedy wideout is one of Pro Football Focus' highest-graded returning Big 12 wide receivers. He comes in ranked as the fifth-best returner with an 85.9 overall grade.
Campbell is coming off a breakout season at Sacramento State after being named to the FCS Central Freshman All-American Team. He led the Hornets with 37 receptions for 755 yards and eight touchdowns. The most impressive stat from his 2025 season is his average of 20.41 yards per reception. Campbell's explosivity is by far his best trait, and he should be the big-play threat in Brennan Marion's Go-Go offense, which he knows well. He had touchdowns of 75, 63,60, 57 and 50 yards.
Campbell unsurprisingly has a track background, competing collegiately at Texas A&M as a true freshman in 2024. He recorded a 10.02 100m time at the NCAA West First Round meet and was an honorable mention All-American, placing 22nd at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
Colorado is used to having wide receivers with speed, with players like LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn Jr. adding a different dynamic during the 9-4 2024 season. CU is hoping Campbell can be that element this year and that it will lead to a similarly strong season.

#yards

Greetings Cowboys fans. We have reached a very important milestone today as the Dallas Cowboys hold their first training camp practice out in Oxnard, California. We'll open these threads for every practice so that the Blogging The Boys community will have a place to congregate and discuss what is going on out at practice.
Unfortunately, dropping a Twitter List into this page no longer functions the way that it used to due to changes that the platform has made. We do have a list we recommend if you want to follow it in another tab. You can access it right here.
In order to keep the flow of things as smooth as possible though we'll be dropping in updates and news items in this thread. Give us your take on them in the comments.
Here we go.
Editor's Note: This post will be updated throughout practice with relevant news, information and highlights. The newest ones will be placed at the top so if you miss practice or want to see/read in chronological order make sure to scroll down to start.

#practice

Sitting through a game that feels like watching paint dry often changes the moment a superfan reveals the invisible drama unfolding on the field. A redditor asked the community on r/AskReddit, "What sport looks boring until you understand it, and then becomes amazing?"
In the thread, redditors dive into the technical details and high-stakes strategy that turn seemingly slow sports into absolute obsessions.
This winter sport requires a physically demanding combination of balance and foresight that isn't always obvious to the spectator. The tactical use of sweeping and the complexity of stone delivery create a high-pressure environment for the athletes.
Fans of the pastime explain that the real action happens in the psychological duel between the mound and the plate. Understanding the subtle importance of the pitch count reveals a game of constant, building tension that casual viewers often miss.
High-level racing is often described as an engineering championship rather than a simple test of driving skill. The complexity comes from the deep technological strategy and the intense personal stories that play out through the season.

#high #often #strategy #complexity

By Sam Tabahriti
LONDON, July 29 (Reuters) - Apple said on Wednesday that proposed UK rules governing its App Store would amount to price ‌regulation, arguing that plans to loosen its control over in-app payments ‌could undermine innovation and investment.
In a submission to Britain's Competition and Markets Authority, the iPhone maker said proposed "steering" requirements would go beyond promoting competition and give the regulator a "highly intrusive" role in managing its business.
The CMA's consultation, which closed on Monday, is part of its efforts to boost competition and consumer choice. Its proposed measures ‌would allow app developers to ⁠direct users to payment options outside Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store and require any fees charged for such ⁠steering to be fair and reasonable.
Apple said the App Store facilitated more than £46.5 billion ($61.8 billion) in UK billings and sales in 2025, with commissions accounting for less than 3.5% of the total. It added that there was no evidence changes to ‌its payment model would lower prices for consumers.

#store #proposed

The Baltimore Ravens will take the field Wednesday morning for their first practice of the 2026 training camp, beginning a new era at the Under Armour Performance Center.
The opening session will provide the first extended look at head coach Jesse Minter's team and Declan Doyle's new offense. Lamar Jackson enters camp healthy and confident after an injury-plagued 2025 season, while Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews return as the offense's established playmakers.
Early focus will also center on first-round guard Vega Ioane and Baltimore's rebuilt interior offensive line. Ethan Pocic's late addition changes the competition at center, while John Simpson and Andrew Vorhees are among the candidates for significant roles at guard. Defensively, Trey Hendrickson will make his training camp debut with Baltimore. Nnamdi Madubuike will open camp on the active/PUP list after receiving medical clearance to resume football activities, creating early opportunities for the Ravens' other defensive linemen.
Rookies Zion Young, Ja'Kobi Lane, Elijah Sarratt and Ryan Eckley will also begin competing for roles on a roster built to return to the postseason. Follow along on the Ravens Wire liveblog that will be updated throughout the morning with photos, videos, observations and more.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens training camp live updates: Sights and sounds from Day 1

#Ravens #first

Everton have every right to play hardball over Iliman Ndiaye. According to Mirror, the club will demand around £70m for the Senegal forward as Manchester United and Al-Hilal weigh up moves. That figure is steep, but this is the market now, and Everton are under no obvious pressure to blink first.
Ndiaye, 26, has emerged as one of the more intriguing names of the summer. He has produced "a couple of eye-catching seasons on Merseyside", and while his output of 17 goals and three ******* ists in 71 appearances does not scream elite wide forward, context matters. Everton have not exactly been a free-flowing attacking machine, so numbers alone do not tell the whole story.
United are in the mix because they need solutions on the left side. The report states that "left wing" is among their priorities, and that Michael Carrick's side have "shortlisted Ndiaye and are tracking his situation". He has apparently moved up their list after Morgan Rogers joined Chelsea for £117m and Yan Diomande signalled a preference for Real Madrid.
Photo IMAGO
Al-Hilal are also there, and this part matters. The report says Ndiaye "is open to leaving Everton and his camp would encourage a bid from the Saudi Arabian side." That changes the dynamic. If a player is receptive and a Saudi club has interest, the financial ceiling can move quickly. Everton know this, which is one reason the £70m valuation has appeared now.

#ndiaye #hilal #saudi #matters

Video ******* istant referees should only be used to change "blatantly incorrect" decisions and clear missed incidents, say European refereeing officials.
Chief refereeing officers from all 55 European national football ******* ociations met last week with Uefa refereeing officials and a representative from the International Football ******* ociation Board (Ifab) to address recent changes to the game's laws.
Attendees said "lengthy, microscoping reviews" indicate VAR has gone beyond its original scope.
When VAR was added to the laws of the game in 2018 by football's rulemakers Ifab, its "philosophy" was "minimum interference - maximum benefit", with the intention of reducing "unfairness caused by clear and obvious errors or serious missed incidents" relating to goals, penalties, direct red cards and mistaken identity.
Uefa said that at its recent meeting that refereeing bosses agreed a return to those original aims is needed.

#Football #clear #incidents #officials

JanBlachowicz's journey back to ******* le contention has taken anotherunexpected turn.

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight ******* leholderwas originally slated to rematch BogdanGuskov at UFC Belgrade on Aug. 1 in Serbia. However, those plans changedwhen Guskov was offered the UFC Abu Dhabi main event spot against MagomedAnkalaev following KhalilRountree's withdrawal.

As such, Blachowicz (29-11-2) will now square off against NavajoStirling in the new co-main event in Belgrade and the Polishveteran is unfazed by the change.
After Guskov accepted the short-notice bout against Ankalaev,Blachowicz was paired with Stirling. The former champion insistslittle has changed in his preparation.

"I am doing this all my life," Blachowicz said in a recentinterview. "It's a new opponent. I have a lot of respect for him,but it's just another fighter who I have to stop. I don't thinkabout this mess around because I don't want to waste energy forthat. Okay, it's a new opponent; that's it. We do small changes andwe are here to win the fight against him, or a different opponentdoesn't matter."

The upcoming matchup gives Blachowicz an opportunity to halt thelongest winless stretch of his UFC tenure. He has gone fourstraight outings without a victory and is coming off a majoritydraw against Guskov this past December. His last win came all theway back in May 2022 when he defeated AleksandarRakic.

He'll have his work cut out for him against the surging Stirling,who boasts a perfect 10-0 record.

#main #opponent

Liverpool are still plotting big changes up top this summer.
We've seen Mohamed Salah move on - agreeing to rip up his £400k per week deal one year early.
That opens a gap at right wing - with Bradley Barcola the favoured candidate to arrive. The 2024/25 Premier League champions will still need to meet Paris Saint-Germain's asking price - currently set at £145m.
If that price doesn't come down we could see the Anfield side move on to other targets.
And now one intriguing opportunity has sprung up according to a report in Fichajes. Because Richard Hughes and Andoni Iraola are viewing Real Madrid's Endrick as a market opportunity as Los Blancos move closer to a deal for Yan Diomande.

#still #Liverpool #mohamed #salah

The Oregon Ducks men's basketball program has gone through a litany of changes this offseason, with eight incoming transfers replacing eight outgoing transfers. The coaching staff has also experienced its fair share of changes, as long-time Dana Altman ***** istant coach Mike Mennenga departed for Creighton and Brandon Kuhn was hired as the new strength and conditioning coach.
The latest change comes from ***** istant coach Kevin McKenna, who has decided to retire. McKenna has worked on the player development side for the past few seasons, helping develop a trio of Jackson Shelstad, Nate Bittle and Kwame Evans Jr. into All-Big Ten caliber players. He spent 16 seasons at Oregon.
McKenna's basketball career spans back a number of decades, as he was a standout player at Creighton before being selected 88th overall in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1981 NBA Draft. He spent six seasons in the league with eight different teams before heading into coaching after his playing days concluded.
Thank you, Coach McKenna, for helping lead Oregon to new heights during your 16 seasons on the bench.

Enjoy retirement, K-Mac! #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/Ms0Zkv9PSW
The Minnesota native coached under Altman at Creighton, and held head coaching jobs at Nebraska-Omaha and Indiana State before being hired in 2010 to be an ***** istant coach with the Ducks.

#creighton

Health policy has quietly become a stock-moving variable in 2026, and the figures are significant enough to matter. Approximately 2.6 million Americans discontinued ACA marketplace coverage this year after increased pandemic-era subsidies ended at the end of 2025, with health policy experts predicting that total enrollment would decrease to between 16.5 million and 17.5 million by year-end. Meanwhile, the Urban Institute has projected that 4.8 million more people will be uninsured in 2026 as a direct consequence of the lapsed subsidies, with certain HealthCare.gov-reliant states witnessing enrollment losses of 20% or more.
Whether this translates into fewer elective medical treatments is now a hotly debated topic in the healthcare industry, with Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG) emerging as the evident casualty. The company's shares plunged more than 12% before the bell on July 17, despite Intuitive maintaining its global procedure-growth prediction for its da Vinci surgical robots. Instead, the selloff was driven by the company's own admission that changes in insurance coverage could impact demand.
US da Vinci procedure growth slowed to roughly 12% in the second quarter, down from where Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG) expected to be at the beginning of the year, with a focus on surgeries that patients may defer. On the July 16 call, CEO David Rosa told ******* ysts that customer conversations indicated that fluctuating patient coverage and premium dynamics affect "when patients seek care," as opposed to if they seek it at all.
That reaction came at an awkward time, as a highly public disagreement was already taking place in the sector. Abbott, a major medical device and diagnostics manufacturer, had argued recently that blaming industry-wide procedure weakness on ACA disenrollment was a "flawed ******* umption." HCA Healthcare, the largest for-profit hospital operator in the United States, took the opposite stance, warning earlier of lower surgical demand and an increase in uninsured patients when pandemic-era subsidies expired.
Intuitive's own results now appear to support the HCA side of the argument, at least in procedures when patients can choose to delay. Stifel's response immediately reflected the tension: the firm reduced its price objective to $550 from $670 on July 17 while keeping a Buy rating on the company's shares, despite Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG) exceeding expectations in revenue, earnings, system placements, and procedure growth in the same quarter. Both US procedure and installed-base growth have slowed since the 2020-2021 COVID era, with management blaming the slowdown on ACA disenrollment and the basic law of large numbers as the installed base matures.

#NASDAQ #Growth #healthcare

Falcons' bold right tackle move could define the 2026 season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Falcons are entering the 2026 season with a new look on the right side of their offensive line for the second consecutive year, hoping the latest changes will provide stability and strengthen the protection in front of their offense.
The transition began after longtime right tackle Kaleb McGary announced his retirement during the offseason. McGary, the 31st overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, started 92 games for Atlanta from 2019 through 2024 before a knee injury sidelined him for the entire 2025 season. His retirement marked the end of a significant chapter for the Falcons' offensive line.
Atlanta temporarily filled the void last season with veteran Elijah Wilkinson, but his departure in free agency left the Falcons searching once again for a dependable starter.
The team's answer came in the form of veteran tackle Jawaan Taylor. Selected four picks after McGary in the 2019 draft, Taylor brings a wealth of experience to Atlanta after spending time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs. Over seven NFL seasons, he has started 120 regular-season games and appeared in nine playoff contests, giving the Falcons a proven veteran with championship experience.

#falcons

Rutgers was present during the first day of Big Ten Media Days from Chicago.
On Tuesday morning, head coach Greg Schiano took the podium before joining the Big Ten Network, along with player representatives KJ Duff, Antwan Raymond, and Kwabena Asamoah.
Here is what Greg Schiano had to say during his appearances about the upcoming season.
On program changes people do not see:
"I believe strongly in protecting the football but also taking the football away. We did a great job protecting the football and I expect to do even better. It's a programmatic thing that goes throughout our entire coaching staff, every player, our trainers, our equipment manager. Anyone is allowed to coach ball security within our program. What we need to do is get better at taking the ball away. We need to get better at defense period. That is why we hired Travis Johansen as our new coordinator. I am really thrilled and excited to see the chemistry between the players and the coaches."

#better #schiano #player #protecting

Subway has extended its partnership with WSL Football through a new multi-year deal that will see the League Cup rebranded as the Subway Players Cup from the 2026/27 season.
WSL Football has also introduced a new format with player welfare at the heart of the changes. The new name sees the league's commitment to putting players first while creating more meaningful opportunities across the women's game.
The Subway Players Cup will feature a Swiss-style league phase with fixtures drawn by region. Every club will play at least six matches before the knockout rounds, giving young players more opportunities while helping squads stay match-ready throughout the season.
UEFA Women's Champions League clubs will no longer compete in the tournament. WSL Football made the change to ease fixture congestion and better manage player workloads during an increasingly demanding calendar.
The changes follow a review of the competition that included feedback from clubs, players and fans. According to WSL Football, players welcomed the new format, citing more game time, greater opportunities for squad rotation and a stronger chance to compete for silverware.

#subway #season #format #player

An estimated 21.5 million additional adults in the United States may now be eligible for statins under updated cholesterol treatment guidelines, according to a new study.
The researchers aimed to estimate how many adults in the US would be considered eligible for statin therapy under the new 2026 blood cholesterol guidelines issued by the American Heart **** ociation, the American College of Cardiology and nine partnering medical societies, compared with the previous 2018 guidelines.
The **** ysis, published July 20 in the journal JAMA, found that the changes could bring the total number of Americans eligible for statins, medications that lower cholesterol, to about 87.5 million people, or more than half of adults ages 30 to 79.
What prompted this major expansion, and does being eligible mean that someone should immediately begin taking medication? To help us understand the study and what patients should discuss with their healthcare providers, I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen. Wen is an emergency physician and clinical **** ociate professor at George Washington University. She previously served as Baltimore's health commissioner.
CNN: Who are the millions of Americans who are newly eligible for statins and why?

#statins #cholesterol

For the first time in nearly two decades, a new era has officially dawned at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp. Appearing on "The Pat McAfee Show," veteran Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly revealed that the biggest storyline coming out of Latrobe isn't a specific position battle, but rather new head coach Mike McCarthy and the sweeping changes he has implemented in record time.
"It's the first time in 19 years now that we've seen something different up here at training camp," Kaboly noted, highlighting the stark contrast to the franchise's long-standing routines. "I say the story of camp so far would be Mike McCarthy and just how he has changed virtually everything about this organization and how they go about their business in such a small portion of time."
According to Kaboly, McCarthy's transition has been seamless, largely driven by his extensive experience as an NFL head coach. "His attention to detail is just off the charts here and that surprised a lot of people," Kaboly explained. "I think it surprised some of the players. It definitely surprised me."
Among the most noticeable shifts is a complete overhaul of daily practice structures, including a major departure from team tradition: eliminating live hitting during camp, a former staple of Steelers football.
"He's raring to go. Like I said, he has changed everything, from the start of practice to how they go about practice," Kaboly shared. "They're not going to hit at all during training camp. But how McCarthy has just taken over, you can tell that he's a 16-year veteran in this business of how quickly he's been able to get up to speed."

#steelers #mccarthy #mike

A federal appellate panel on Tuesday refused to block President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to restrict mail voting, a day after the administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on the proposal in a separate case.
The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a May ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols that said an injunction against the order was premature. Nichols ruled that the Democrats and voting rights groups who challenged the order couldn't seek the injunction until the Trump administration issued formal regulations governing it. The administration started releasing those directives days later.
The circuit court panel, with two judges appointed by former Democratic President Barack Obama and one by Trump, found that was proper and there were no noted dissents. But the unsigned decision noted that if the administration truly tried to force such changes in the few months remaining before November's midterm election, it may well get halted by courts.
"The action the Order contemplates would involve the President, whom the Constitution vests with no express authority over the conduct of elections, undertaking a substantial and unfunded overhaul of election procedures — including the implementation of a nationwide reform to Postal Service mail-handling processes —on the threshold of the November election. Put differently, the Order 'may not prove feasible to implement in any manner whatsoever,'" said the ruling, quoting a prior legal opinion.
In a separate case filed by Democratic state officials, a federal judge in Massachusetts last month blocked the executive order from taking effect for this year's elections because it was already forcing states, which are granted the power under the U.S. Constitution to control their own elections, to revise their procedures on the fly. That ruling was upheld on Saturday by a Boston-based appeals court and then was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday by the Trump administration.

#order

Ireland have announced a 14-member squad for the first three ODIs of their five-match series against Afghanistan, beginning on August 5, with several first-choice players unavailable due to injuries. The selectors have opted to announce the squad only for the opening three matches, with the remaining two ODIs to be finalised after ****** sing the fitness of injured players.

One of the biggest talking points is the inclusion of Jai Moondra, who made his T20I debut against India earlier this month and impressed during Ireland's historic T20I series triumph over the reigning world champions. The youngster has now received his maiden ODI call-up and is one of two capped T20I players in the squad, alongside Ben Calitz, yet to make their 50-over international debut.

Ireland have also handed a first international call-up to medium pacer Byron McDonough. The 24-year-old enjoyed an impressive domestic campaign with Leinster Lightning, helping them win the Inter-Provincial Limited Overs Cup after claiming eight wickets in five matches. Across nine List A appearances, McDonough has picked up 15 wickets at an average of 29.33.
Captain Paul Stirling returns to lead the side after missing the recent T20I series against India through injury. However, Ireland continue to deal with a lengthy injury list, with Josh Little, Matt Hollard, Craig Young, Barry McCarthy, Jordan Neill and David Delany all unavailable due to injuries or return-to-play protocols. Cricket Ireland confirmed that the squad for the final two ODIs will be announced later, with changes possible depending on the recovery of the injured players.

The Afghanistan series will mark the first ****** ignment for newly appointed head coach Gary Wilson, who recently replaced Heinrich Malan. Former England batter Jonathan Trott will also join the Irish camp as a consultant for the first two ODIs against Afghanistan, having previously served as the Afghan national team's head coach.

The five-match series will also be Ireland's first men's bilateral ODI ****** ignment since hosting the West Indies in May 2025. The opening two matches will be played in Bready, while the remaining three fixtures will take place at Stormont.
Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Ben Calitz, Curtis Campher, Cade Carmichael, George Dockrell, Gavin Hoey, Andrew McBrine, Liam McCarthy, Byron McDonough, Jai Moondra, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker.

#ireland #t20i #squad