AUSTIN - Mississippi State will show a new face at quarterback when the Bulldogs come to town for a game that Steve Sarkisian and Texas hope replicates last season when the Longhorns won seven of their last eight games.
The Bulldogs started the season at 4-0 and beat teams like Missouri and Minnesota with flashy new quarterback Kamario Taylor before losing three straight, but the dynamic playmaker was lost for the season when he underwent surgery this week for an injured toe.
So the 11th-ranked Longhorns (5-2, 2-2 in SEC) will see either athletic redshirt freshman Billy Puckett or Appalachian State transfer A.J. Swan, who had 12 starts in two years at Vanderbilt and six more at App State, when Mississippi State (4-3, 2-3 SEC) and Texas kick off at 6:30 Saturday night.
BOHLS: Nine things and one crazy prediction
Puckett has completed 66% of his passes with one touchdown and two picks and can make full use of a strong running game centered around Fluff Bothwell, who is much more physical than his name suggests and has four 100-yard games this season.

#mississippi #longhorns

The Detroit Red Wings are moving forward without Dylan Larkin, and two of the team's biggest stars have made it clear that the remaining players aren't going to let the controversy derail their season.
Following Thursday night's emotional 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, Moritz Seider and Alex DeBrincat spoke about the challenges facing Detroit after Larkin informed the organization he would no longer play while awaiting a trade.
And while neither player dismissed what Larkin has meant to the franchise, both emphasized the importance of having players who are committed to the team.
Their comments offered an interesting glimpse into a locker room suddenly facing life without its former captain.
Oct 24, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (53) against the Calgary Flames during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

#larkin #wings #seider

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Canelo Alvarez was originally scheduled to fight Christian Mbilli on Sept. 12, but the fight was pushed back and now has a new date, Saturday, Oct. 31. (Fight night = fright night!) Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) will challenge super middleweight champion Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) for the WBC ***** le. It's not the only ***** le fight on the card, either; you can also catch Rafael Espinoza vs. Lorenzo Parra sparring for the featherweight WBO ***** le and a bout between Jaime Munguia and Nikita Zon for Munguia's WBA super middleweight ***** le.
You can tune in to the Alvarez vs. Mbilli fight at home on DAZN PPV, where it will cost $79.99, but if you want to save a little, you can also watch the fight with DAZN's PPV subscription plan, which is just $49.99/month and gets you more than 12 PPV fights per year.
Here's everything you need to know to watch the Alvarez vs. Mbilli fight, including the schedule, fight card, prices, and more.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 31

#card

British tennis player Harriet Dart qualified for a WTA semi-final for just the second time in her career after she came from a set down to beat Paula Badosa in the quarter-final of the Guangzhou Open on Friday.
The 30-year-old produced one of the biggest wins of her career, coming back from a set down to secure a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory and book her place in the final four of a WTA tournament for the first time since the Transylvania Open in 2024.
Dart had to come through two rounds of qualifying before beating Tatiana Prozorova, Janice Tjen and now Badosa, who had to receive medical attention twice in the match. She will face either Xinran Sun or Claire Liu for a place in her first WTA final.
In an on-court interview, Dart said: "It was an incredible battle. I thought Paula started really strongly. I was always behind, but I knew going in that it was going to be an incredibly tough match.
"I really needed to hang in there in the tough moments, and maybe I'd get a chance. It's been a very long time since I've been in the business end of a (WTA) tournament, so I'm very proud of that."

#paula #Career #down

Arsenal are preparing to launch negotiations over an extended deal for first-choice goalkeeper David Raya despite the Spaniard recently admitting he would like to play in his homeland one day. Meanwhile, neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid are expected to make an imminent move for the 31-year-old shot-stopper in upcoming transfer windows.
According to Football Insider, the north London hierarchy want to tie their Spanish custodian down beyond his current 2028 expiration date to fend off any future interest from La Liga. Speculation linking him with Spain's two biggest clubs emerged after he told Spanish media last week that he hopes to play in his native top flight eventually. However, the goalkeeper insisted in the same interview that he remains content at the Emirates Stadium.
Having silenced initial sceptics following his move from Brentford to establish himself as the Premier League's standout goalkeeper in recent seasons, Raya registered his fifth clean sheet in eight top-flight outings against Everton last weekend before narrowly losing out on Monday's Yashin Trophy to international team-mate Unai Simon.
Explaining why a switch to Spain is unlikely soon on the Transfer Insider podcast, journalist Pete O'Rourke said: "If he were to leave ******* nal, there's no immediate opening for one of the big boys in Spain right now as well. Barcelona have got Joan Garcia, and it looks like Courtois is going to sign a new contract at Real Madrid as well, so I don't see any opening for David Raya right now.
"The player is happy at ******* nal, and obviously ******* nal are very happy with him, so I think any potential move back to his native Spain will be probably on the back burner for a while just yet."

#spain #insider

The Los Angeles Kings found a way to win a game they shouldn't have needed to find a way to win on Thursday night. They might have a change in coaching strategy to thank for that.
After blowing a 5-1 third-period lead, the Kings defeated the Ottawa Senators 6-5 in overtime behind Quinton Byfield's game-winner. But almost as interesting as the wild swings of the game was something Drew Doughty revealed after it ended.
"It's the first year in my whole career that we've ever actually worked on three-on-three," the Kings' captain said. "A lot of credit to the coaches in that area. We worked on it in camp. We worked on it before the season started, and they had a bit of a game plan, which we didn't really have before either. So a lot of credit to them for making us work on it."
If the Kings ever had an offseason where they needed to improve that aspect of their game, it was this past one. They lost an NHL-record 20 overtime and shootout games in 2025-26, a huge part of the reason they finished with the Western Conference's second wild-card spot and were swept out of the playoffs in the first round. First-year head coach Peter Laviolette came in and wanted to make sure the Kings didn't post those numbers again.
"There's definitely a method to the madness, and there's got to be a buy-in to that, and I think the players bought in," Laviolette said. "There's a lot of review that went through it, and there's things that we talk about prior to games and then after games — the overtime games — and reviewing that. And I think the players have done a really good job of executing them."

#first #laviolette #wild

Patriots vs. Dolphins bold predictions for AFC East clash in NFL Week 8 appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New England Patriots will be a rested and motivated team when they take the field in South Florida to take on the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots lost a hard-fought game against the Chicago Bears last Thursday night, but the defeat was a competitive effort that demonstrated they could play on the road against a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
The ****** ignment this week doesn't compare. The Dolphins lack the kind of talent on either side of the ball to put up a 60-minute fight against QB Drake Maye and a motivated Patriots team. Miami earned its first victory of the season in their Week 7 game against the New York Jets, but they benefitted greatly from an inefficient and sloppy game from the Jets.
It is unlikely that the Patriots will come at them in a similar manner. New England has played four consecutive solid games, and three of them were victories. When they took down the Buffalo Bills on the road in Week 4, it demonstrated that Mike Vrabel's team was back on track and was ready to make a run at the AFC East ****** le once again.
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#Patriots

Mizzou Basketball lost their exhibition game against UNLV on Thursday night. The game didn't count, so as much as I'm not going to talk up their win over Kansas State, I'm not going to talk down this loss to UNLV. Winning always feel better than losing, regardless of whether the game counts or not. But it looked like Dennis Gates was willing to make a few concessions with his lineups early. Also, Jamier Jones, CJ Gunn, and Jaylen Carey were all sidelined and not dressed out.
Anyway, here's the box score screen cap from Statbroadcast:
There are 13 players listed as having played, but I don't remember Luke Northweather seeing the floor. But there was a lot to think about, so let me try to parse through things quickly, since the 9pm tip means I'm starting this out well after 11.
My biggest takeaway was that one team played a lot harder than the other. The Tigers didn't have their full foster of players, but neither did UNLV. But you could see early the Rebels were focused on crashing the glass and being incredibly physical.
Jason Crowe played 36 minutes, Toni Bryant played 28, Aidan Chronister played 15. Those three players were able to overwhelm K-State, a team who is very focused on skill. Against UNLV the three freshmen, and not just those three but the whole roster, just got bodied by the effort of the Rebels. Lindenwood transfer Dontrez Williams, a Sikeston native, was only 1-5 from the floor and scored just 4 points, but he was +21. Mainly because he was out there playing his ****** off.

#three #didn 't #talk

Even when it was pretty, the Carolina Panthers offense kept finding ways to get ugly in Week 8.
Down 27-13 with just under 11 minutes left in Thursday night's matchup against the Green Bay Packers, the Panthers kept themselves alive. Carolina pieced together a gutsy 12-play, 70-yard drive that reached the end zone on an impressive catch-and-run by wideout Jalen **** er.
But instead of sending out kicker Ryan Fitzgerald to make it a seven-point game, head coach Dave Canales opted to go for two points. The try would fall short, as a pass from quarterback Bryce Young was tipped and unable to find its way into the hands of either receiver Tetairoa McMillan or tight end Darren Waller.
Although the failed attempt didn't ultimately matter, with the Panthers losing to that 27-19 score, Canales was asked about the questionable call afterwards.
"For me, it was about knowing what you're gonna do on the next one," he replied. "So, felt good about that one. We had a nice play that we really liked, based on what they were doing. Had an opportunity there in the back of the end zone. But unfortunately, had two guys in the same spot really going for the ball.

#canales #play #even #down

Ravens OC Declan Doyle reveals absurd suggestion from players to solve second-half woes appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Baltimore Ravens have been on the wrong end of back-to-back disastrous second-half collapses to the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. After building double-digit leads by halftime, the Ravens proceeded not to score a single point in either of those second halves against their AFC North rivals.
In their search for answers to solve this scoreless issue, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle asked the players for their suggestions. One of them was clearly thinking way outside the box.
"I've asked the players and they brought up the suggestion: 'Maybe we should just stay in the end zone for the end of the first half. Then it will always be the first half for us. We'll never go into the locker room,'" Declan said.
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#Ravens #doyle #clutchpoints #solve

Ferrari had a perfectly good explanation for Austin qualifying ready before the cars were back in the garage: the straights. Lewis Hamilton said rivals keep accelerating where the Ferrari lifts, and he put the Red Bull Ford power unit's advantage at roughly three to four tenths a lap, while admitting he hadn't seen the data that weekend. It is a tidy story. It is also only half of what the official timing sheet says.
Here is the awkward detail: Charles Leclerc's quickest lap of the weekend came in Q2, not Q3. He went 1:34.198 to top the second session, then 1:34.267 in the shootout. Had he simply repeated the Q2 lap, it would have been quicker than every Q3 time except Kimi Antonelli's pole lap of 1:34.035. A straight-line deficit doesn't switch on between sessions, so something else changed in Q3.
Lining up each driver's Q2 and Q3 laps is revealing. Hamilton found 0.522s between sessions and still ended up fifth, 0.276s off pole. Isack Hadjar found 0.637s. Max Verstappen found 0.257s and Antonelli 0.243s. Leclerc found nothing; he went backwards by 0.069s and finished fourth, 0.232s adrift.
Leclerc's own explanation was the track cooling down and the tyres not coming up to temperature cleanly in Q3. Fred Vasseur said Ferrari was in the pole fight until the final corner. Those aren't the words of a team that was out-powered by half a second down the straights. They describe a team that left time in the final sector on a one-lap run where the window for the tyres is narrow.
To be clear, Hamilton's straight-line complaint can be true at the same time. A car that gives away a few tenths in a straight line needs everything else to be perfect on a qualifying lap, and Ferrari's margin for a slightly cold tyre is thinner than it looks. That is my read, not something either driver said, but it fits the numbers: Ferrari looked like pole contenders in Q2 and a fraction short in Q3 because the margin vanished the moment the tyres weren't ideal.

#pole #found #straight #qualifying

I didn't think I was going to have to post this midway through a game, but after Green Bay Packers kicker Trey Smack missed his first extra point after missing two chip shots last week, it seems pretty clear that it's a question of when — not if — Smack will be replaced. Going into this game, I had done some research on who is available, so I want to share that with you folks.
I looked at all kickers who even attempted a field goal from 2024 to 2026, the last three seasons. Outside of punters, there are a total of 55 players who have attempted kicks. Of those 55 players, 46 of them are under contract for other teams or appear to be out of the league entirely, either due to injury or retirement.
As far as players on the street go, here's the list that the Packers can look at during their "mini-bye." Generally, kickers are worked out before they're signed, not poached off a practice squad, so I'm not going to include the practice squadders in this list.
Since 2024: 38 of 45 (84 percent field goal rate)
Recent: Released by Dolphins, 10/20

#packers #game #kickers #field

Ahmad Hardy's return appears to be imminent.
Hardy is expected to make his 2026 season debut against Arkansas this coming Saturday, Oct. 31, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, a source familiar with the team's plans confirmed to the Columbia Daily Tribune on Thursday. ESPN's Pete Thamel first reported the news.
The All-American running back, who set Mizzou's single-season rushing record last season with 1,649 yards in 13 games, was not listed on Mizzou's SEC-mandated availability and injury reports on either Wednesday or Thursday night.
The team was seemingly told after practice Thursday to expect Hardy to return.
The question now is what Hardy's workload looks like as he makes his much-anticipated return after sustaining a gunshot wound to the thigh in May in Laurel, Mississippi. It's unclear whether he'll be on a pitch count in his first appearance since last December.

#thursday #return #arkansas #fayetteville

NBA rumors: 2 Clippers named as Thunder trade targets in addition to Herb Jones, Ty Jerome appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After the Oklahoma City Thunder's first loss of the season in a 120-96 blowout to the Dallas Mavericks, will GM Sam Presti make a move for either New Orleans Pelicans' Herb Jones or Memphis Grizzlies' Ty Jerome sooner rather than later? The injuries continue to stack up for the Thunder, as Alex Caruso and Chet Holmgren were both out in addition to Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace's setbacks ahead of Wednesday's game against the Mavericks.
For a team like the LA Clippers, who lost first-round picks for the next five seasons, Derrick Jones Jr. and Kris Dunn have also been mentioned as potential trade targets for Presti, who has more future firsts than any other GM in the NBA. While the Thunder are in no rush to make a trade, Presti will most likely do so at some point before this year's deadline, as ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel noted, per Clutch Scoops.
"The Thunder are going to make at least one trade. That's a given," Siegel said. "We know that Sam Presti is always very adventagous on the trade market. We didn't think that they were going to make a trade last season. And then, Jared McCain fell in their lap because they leveraged some draft picks — first-round and second-round picks — that we're going to be of use to them. We could see something similar happen this year, where it's not going to be a big splashy name; a $20-plus million guy.
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#jones #clutchpoints #make

NBA rumors: Will Suns use Jalen Green as trade bait to acquire PG help amid early frustrations? appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Phoenix Suns have stumbled out of the gate to a 1-2 record to start the 2026-27 NBA season. Devin Booker totaled just three points in the Suns' last game, a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Jalen Green has also had a rough start to the year.
Recently, ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel spoke on the possibility of the Suns looking for point guard help in their backcourt.
"Could the Suns look to make a trade for a point guard? Maybe. They're not going to rush into anything right now, given their cap situation, but they do have an interesting contract on their roster… Jalen Green. Does he fit in next to Devin Booker, because neither of those guys are a true point guard… maybe this is the year that (a Green trade) finally goes down," he said, per ClutchPoints on X, formerly Twitter.
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#guard #devin

Hannah Waddingham reacted to Prince William's secret DJ name after the Prince of Wales revealed two career paths he once dreamed of pursuing. William admitted that he went through a phase when he wanted to become a DJ, although things did not quite work out as planned. During his recent appearance, he also discussed his viral selfie with his children, Travis Kelce, and Taylor Swift.
During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Prince William revealed two career paths he considered pursuing when he was younger. The Prince of Wales shared that he once dreamed of becoming a police officer and also hoped to explore a career as a DJ.
"I did want to be a policeman when I was younger; I did think I would be a good policeman," he admitted. William then recalled his brief aspirations of becoming a DJ, a dream that never materialized. However, he had already picked out a stage name for himself.
"I was called DJ Xara with an X. It wasn't good," William said with a laugh. Hannah Waddingham initially thought he meant "DJ Zara," but she was not impressed with the name either. "That's rubbish," she responded. Cate Blanchett also joined in on the fun, teasing the Prince of Wales about his former DJ ambitions. She asked whether his X-shaped hand gesture was one of his signature DJ moves.
During his appearance, William also reflected on the viral backstage selfie with Taylor Swift during her 2024 Eras Tour. The Prince of Wales jokingly admitted that he had tried to keep Travis Kelce out of the picture.

#travis

HAMDEN - Arguably, no program in Connecticut has been more affected by college basketball's ever-changing NIL, revenue sharing, transfer portal, and eligibility rules than Quinnipiac men's basketball.
With the season approaching, the Bobcats have lost all five starters from last season either to transfers or to the ambiguity of the new fifth-year eligibility rule.
The five starters lost accounted for the majority of Quinnipiac's scoring and rebounding last year.
"I am not fond of the changes that have been made in the college game," coach Tom Pecora said. "I started coaching in the early 80s and you were thrilled to get a scholarship, meal money and a chance to travel somewhere outside of your region or your state. I think it would be great if you paid kids after they graduated. Motivate them to graduate even if they go to several schools."
Two-time first-team All-Metro forward Amarri Monroe transferred to Syracuse while Jaden Zimmerman left for Grand Canyon, Grant Randall moved on to Dayton and Spence Wewe is now at Hofstra.

#starters #hamden

The Stein Line has learned, however, that Cissé is a real candidate to be claimed off waived in the event he is let go. Chicago, sources say, has interest in the high-energy big man. I'm told Atlanta also has interest even though the Hawks don't currently have an open standard spot. If Cissé were to be waived Monday and then clear waivers Wednesday, I'm also told that the 76ers and Lakers would have strong interest in signing him to a two-way deal even though neither team currently has a two-way opening.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Lakers, Sixers would have interest in Moussa Cisse?

#ciss #even

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick faces a defensive selection headache ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, with injuries to Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde leaving him short of natural right-back options.
Garcia is expected to miss three to four weeks with a muscle injury, while Kounde has been ruled out of the trip to the Parc des Princes with an ankle sprain.
Their simultaneous absences leave Flick needing to reshape his defence for one of Barcelona's biggest tests of the season.
On that note, the likes of Xavi Espart and Joao Cancelo are the leading alternatives at right-back, although neither has played regularly in that position this season.
For now, Mundo Deportivo explains that the likely solution could see the academy graduate deployed on the right, with the more experienced Cancelo filling in on the opposite flank.

#flick #garcia

Gary Neville believes Manchester United's 1-1 draw at Leeds United on Sunday is a positive stride in the right direction.
United were on course for victory after Bryan Mbeumo put them ahead in the 35th minute.
The 27-year-old had failed to hit the target with a free header but quickly made amends by battling past James Justin to fire home Youri Tieleman's excellent pass.
Leeds came out much improved after the break and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the equaliser in the 51st minute.
Both teams had chances to win the game but neither could find the decisive finish as the points were shared.

#leeds #mbeumo

All of a sudden, that 24-team College Football Playoff format might be front and center for an SEC dreaming of getting five, six, ten of its members into the postseason tournament.

Yes, the CFP is supposed to use a new metric – which is really a twist on what it already utilizes – that gives more respect to the strengths of schedules. That's supposed to boost the SEC – give, say, 2025 Texas credit for losing at Ohio State, even though it went 9-3 – but there are two issues with that, at least when it comes to what we're projecting below.

First, the College Football Playoff always falls back on record ranking. If there's a debate in the Grapevine meeting room – it's nice; the food is tremendous – 10-2 is a lot easier to sell than 9-3, which is why we haven't seen Power Four programs with three pre-conference championship losses leapfrog those with two or fewer.

And second, even though the upsets are coming – last Saturday probably wasn't an outlier – there's no way, no how, no chance the committee will put in a 9-3 power conference team in over an 11-1 Power Four program.

That's where the SEC comes in. A few weeks ago, it looked like the conference would own the CFP. And then Florida started losing. So did LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Now, as we're doing this just past the midway point in the season, there are just four SEC teams left – Georgia, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Tennessee – with fewer than two losses, and all of them have one.

So how many SEC teams will make the College Football Playoff? Our best guess is three, and it'll take a shoehorn to make that happen. (By the way, we're still bullish on Kentucky, but we're predicting a few close losses over the next few weeks.)
– Why the 24-Team CFP Probably Won't Suck
Oct 17, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) walks off the field with his arm in a sling after the game against the Indiana Hoosiers Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Projected Final Record: 13-0
Remaining Games: at App State, Troy, at Southern Miss, at UConn, Coastal Carolina

This will likely be a big debate if Boise State keeps on rolling and goes 12-1 with a Pac-12 **** le, with its only loss coming to Oregon in the season opener. James Madison won't have any Power Four wins – last year's team didn't either – but if it's 13-0, it'll be tough to leave out.
Projected Final Record: 9-3
Remaining Games: at Auburn, Alabama, Texas, at Tennessee, at Arkansas
Here's where the strength of schedule emphasis kicks in. The call is that the committee would rank a three-loss LSU over a Big 12 or ACC team – it's my favorite CFP line, because I swear I've seen a little box behind glass that the committee goes to when it's in a pinch that says – … because it's Alabama.

There's still one more LSU loss coming somewhere – like, at Tennessee – but Alabama is everything in the brief history of the College Fo

Packers' Jordan Love highlights what offense needs to reach its full potential appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Green Bay Packers have had some ups and downs this season. More recently, it's been more ups than downs. Jordan Love and the Packers picked up a big win on Sunday Night Football over the Dallas Cowboys. However, even this win wasn't without some pain points.
The Packers offense has been under some real scrutiny this season. Green Bay has had some big moments offensively. In other times, though, they've looked either sluggish at best or straight bad at worst. After Sunday's win, Love spoke about what needs to happen for this offense to find consistent success.
"I still think there's so much more out there for us as an offense, and once we get that run game really going and solidified, it'll help a lot of areas," the Green Bay signal-caller said, via Packer Dispatch writer Zach Jacobson.
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#packers #green #clutchpoints #preferred

Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg owns the spotlight with hilarious rookie initiation appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Yaxel Lendeborg has spent the preseason showing the Golden State Warriors he is ready for a big role. On Sunday, he showed the fans he is ready for the stage, too. At the Warriors' open practice at Chase Center, the rookie forward stepped up to the microphone for the team's annual rookie karaoke and delivered a rendition of Carl Carlton's 1981 funk hit "She's a Bad Mama Jama."
Lendeborg did not just sing it, either. He worked the crowd throughout the performance, according to Danny Emerman of The San Francisco Standard, who shared a clip from the arena.
“She’s a Bad Mama Jama” by Yaxel Lendeborg, with some serious crowd work from the rookie.
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#lendeborg #Warriors #preferred

Daniel Farke wasn't having it that Leeds United were the favourites for this game but there was nothing he could do about the level of expectation around his club going into it.
Last season Leeds drew this fixture 1-1 and then in April claimed their first league win at Old Trafford since 1981. Being truly competitive in the Premier League in both the post-promotion campaign and so far this term allowed supporters not only to dream of Elland Road glory on Sunday afternoon but perhaps even to expect it. Throw in the narrative surrounding the visitors given all that has transpired there of late and at the very least it felt like a big chance.
Yet if reality was to meet expectation, the first half did not make it immediately obvious. A frenetic first few minutes was as anticipated. Ethan Ampadu, leading the team out for the 100th time as captain, was at the heart of an aggressive start. He set the tone by levelling Carlos Baleba to concede one free-kick, then caught Bryan Mbeumo on the ankle to concede another, somehow without seeing yellow.
Neither Bruno Fernandes nor Gabriel Gudmundsson got away with their early transgressions, however. So it was tetchy and fractious, but the play that was punctuated by fouls was largely in the home side's favour. Leeds saw plenty of the ball, some of it in the opposition territory, and though there were dangerous-looking deliveries into the box, only Nico Elvedi's header - saved by Senne Lammens - threatened to open the scoring.
At the other end Mbeumo arrived completely unmarked to head Youri Tielemans' scooped cross past James Trafford's left-hand post. It was a let-off as much as a warning but there was very little between the teams in a first half full of huffing and puffing and largely devoid of magic.

#expectation #post #largely

England had just been beaten by Sri Lanka in the second one-day international at Headingley and coach Brendon McCullum was speaking to his players in the dressing room.
"The game is slightly different now," he said. "The ball is playing a massive part."
The difference McCullum referenced is reverse swing - the way an older ball moves in the air in the opposite direction to convention.
The playing conditions in ODIs were changed in July 2025, allowing captains to choose after 34 overs which of the two white **** used at either end they would like to use to complete the rest of the innings.
With the chosen ball now able to get older and scruffier, the result has brought a reverse swing renaissance, something which is already having an impact on the format and poses intriguing possibilities for the future less than 12 months out from the next World Cup.

#ball #mccullum #playing #older

James Attwood: I don't really see how. Sure, the Brewers are a smaller market than the Dodgers. They have a much smaller payroll. But, if anything, the Brewers advancing is only going to fuel the MLBPA to get even stickier about trying to control salaries in any way, shape, or form. Also, even though plenty of fans and pundits like to give MLB front offices a hard time about making stupid decisions, those offices are by and large, stacked with incredibly intelligent people. Those people are going to be able to take a step back and recognize that one season's playoff picture is hardly a sample size large enough to be called indicative of the sport moving forward. There were questions after Arizona went to the World Series in 2023 about whether or not MLB had done enough to create obstacles for Wild Card teams in the playoffs, all because Arizona steamrolled the Brewers and Dodgers. This year, pundits are calling for the entire seeding system to be blown up because there was a team with a .500 record that not only made the playoffs, but won their division outright. Single seasons may bring some oddities, but they are usually not indicative of the reality of the game's overall health.
I suspect, both the ownership side of things and the MLBPA have already drawn their battle lines and have already started crafting their arguments. This outcome in the playoffs will do more to feed the online debates between fans and pundits than it will do for or against the CBA negotiations.
C. Wesley Baier: I think it will impact the CBA negotiations, but how much is the real question. I would be shocked if the MLBPA didn't use this as evidence against a salary cal, but I cant say if it wil be all that successful of a tactic.
Spencer: Nope. Anything can happen in a small sample size. Owners are greedy and want to abuse their employees/customers for profit still. Players are greedy and only care about the uppermost tiers of earning power. Fans will quiet down a little, but fan opinion and outrage has never been a driving force for either side.
Justin27: FTD

#brewers #only #Dodgers

Week 6 in the NFL has come and gone, and what a week it was! We saw some wild games across the league, with plenty of scoring, overtime, upsets- you name it! But what were the biggest fantasy football storylines to come from all that?
Caleb Williams is back! And back in a big way for the Bears, going 305/1/0 on 30 of 36 passes, in a win over the Atlanta Falcons. It also appears that Williams has reinvigorated the fantasy potential of Luther Burden and Colston Loveland, who were both off to mixed starts this season. It's also somewhat good to see that their defense is still terrible, which will only further boost Williams' production. They'll be forced into higher-scoring games, which is great for fantasy production.
So many of us want to believe that Kyle Pitts will be an elite tight end, but the lack of consistent production makes it tough to put him in our lineups every week. He's looked good over the last two weeks, but that's been bolstered by some touchdowns. Drake London still leads the team in target share, but if Michael Penix is willing to look to Pitts in the red zone, the touchdown upside will be there for him. I continue to think that Pitts is a low-end TE1 on most weeks, given the overall offensive potential of the Falcons.
While it was only his second game this season, Omar Cooper Jr. looked great for the Jets. A big 103 yards on 6 receptions and one touchdown pushed him to the top of the box score against the Patriots. It's also nice to see him do this while Garrett Wilson was also playing for the Jets. However, the question becomes: is this sustainable? Once Breece Hall gets back to the Jets offense, their overall dynamic might change, but Cooper Jr. has a role right now.
Is Noel the key to the Texans offense? The run game certainly isn't great; we know how good Nico Collins is, but they are missing another element, and Noel is shaping up to be that answer. Coming into this week, he led the Texans with 17.5 yards per reception and 13.35 yards per target. He brought this into the matchup versus the Jaguars and ended with 4/107/1, which is certainly his ceiling outcome, but this is the third straight week he's had either 80-plus receiving yards or a touchdown.

#week #back

Nahla Aubry, 18, has defended her mother Halle Berry against allegations made by Olivier Martinez.
Halle Berry's 18-year-old daughter, Nahla Aubry, has spoken out in defense of her mother amid an ongoing custody dispute involving Berry and her ex-husband Olivier Martinez. In a declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Nahla said she had never witnessed Berry act violently toward anyone or physically abuse 13-year-old Maceo.
Nahla described Berry as a "loving and devoted parent" who is warm, supportive, and deeply involved in her children's lives. She said she has lived with Maceo for most of his life and has never seen her mother hit, slap, choke, grab, or otherwise physically abuse him. Nahla also said she has seen her mother and Maceo playfully wrestle and interact affectionately, adding that she never saw him appear hurt or distressed afterward.
Nahla said she was "shocked, very sad, and very upset" when she learned about the allegations. She also said Berry has encouraged both children to maintain relationships with their fathers and has not spoken negatively about either man to them.
Martinez, Berry's former husband and Maceo's father, has sought sole custody of their son. In court filings, he alleged that Berry physically abused Maceo during a Sept. 26 incident, including allegations that she put her hands around the boy's neck and choked him.

#never

Alexander Skarsgård attended the Wicker screening during the 2026 BFI London Film Festival this evening, delivering another red carpet look that won't be forgotten anytime soon.
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI
You won't have forgotten the Saint Laurent thigh-wader boots he wore at Cannes, and I doubt you'll forget your first sight of these Saint Laurent PVC shoes either. We've seen all manner of unusual footwear this year, including Margaret Qualley's Chanel soleless shoes, but Alexander continues to find new ways to surprise us.
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI
If you thought he was going to return to safer style choices after his Pillion press tour, think again. He's clearly having far too much fun with fashion, and I love this for him.

#getty #images #saint #forgotten

For an average single person planning to stop working at 64, a $1.2 million 401(k) account and $2,800 Social Security benefit could provide enough income to make ends meet during retirement. Widely used guidelines suggest your annual income may be around $81,600, which may or may not be more than your annual expenses. Much depends on individual circumstances, including the kind of retirement lifestyle you desire, your location and future trends of inflation, taxes and investment returns. To get a comprehensive workup of your retirement budget, take the question to a financial advisor.
Income and expenses represent the two sides of your retirement budget. Both are equally important and decisions you make regarding either can affect the overall accuracy and dependability of the budget.
You can estimate expenses by using averages for typical retirees or by considering specifics of your situation with estimate for categories such as housing, healthcare and taxes. Similarly, you can estimate future income with general guidelines or by accounting for specifics such as your personal investment preferences.
In your case, we'll start with income since we have information about that. Despite the possibility that Social Security benefits will be cut by about 20% after 2035, your $2,800 Social Security benefit can probably be relied upon. And benefits are indexed to a cost-of-living benchmark, providing protection against inflation.
Note, however, that if you wait to claim benefits, your monthly amount will increase every year until you are 70. By claiming at age 64 rather than waiting until your full retirement age of 67, you are receiving 20% less. If you wait until age 70, you'll get 24% more than at 67. And you'll receive the higher amount, adjusted annually for cost of living, as long as you live.

#Retirement #benefits