Charlamagne Tha God said Dr. Anthony Fauci came across as "suspicious" and only made "conspiracy theorists" happy with his Senate hearing, where he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times.
On Thursday's The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne found himself a little less supportive of Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, than his co-hosts.
"Y'all don't think it's fishy that he got a pardon? Why did he need a pardon?" Charlamagne asked at one point.
The radio host said Fauci's refusal to answer any questions was "suspicious" and he dismissed the idea that the longtime health official could be "trapped" if he didn't do anything wrong.
Charlamagne said:

#pardon

TMZ founder Harvey Levin defended Dr. Anthony Fauci against a right-wing "witch hunt" after congressional Republicans grilled him about private diary entries from the COVID era that were leaked by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Monday.
Opening his nearly five-minute statement saying he rarely uses TMZ to "vent personal feelings," Levin told viewers, "Watching Anthony Fauci before a congressional hearing taking the Fifth Amendment is just one of the most heartbreaking things I have seen in government in my lifetime."
While Levin said he did have problems with the way that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "handled COVID," he added that he didn't think it was done "maliciously" but out of an abundance of caution.
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He went on to call Fauci, who served as the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022 before stepping into the role of chief medical adviser to the president in 2021, an "amazing public servant" for decades, noting how the work he did during the AIDS crisis of the late 80s and early 90s "really saved lives."

#fauci #covid #republicans

By Aditya Soni
July 29 (Reuters) - Apple's decision to hold iPhone prices steady is set to power its strongest June-quarter sales growth in five years, but investors will want to know how long it can resist an increase.
The consumer ‌electronics giant raised iPad and MacBook prices last month as it sought to offset cost increases from a shortage of ‌memory and storage chips caused by massive AI datacenter buildouts.
But the company spared its cash cow, iPhones, even as rival smartphone makers were forced to pass on the higher costs that prompted a decline in global smartphone shipments in the April-June quarter, to the lowest in 13 years.
Apple's decision paid off: iPhone shipments rose 3% and the company's market share climbed to nearly a fifth, estimated research firm Counterpoint.

#june #shipments #soni

Longtime San Diego Chargers linebacker Bill Ray Smith Jr. has died, his family announced. He was 64.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Smith's family said that the College Football Hall of Famer had been dealing CTE-caused dementia.
"It is with profound sadness that we share the loss of our beloved Billy Ray Smith Jr., who passed away peacefully surrounded by family," the statement said. "Billy Ray faced his long journey with dementia caused by CTE with unmatched bravery, dignity, and strength. Billy Ray brought so much joy, light, and laughter to the world as a devoted father, husband, son, and loyal friend."
A degenerative brain disease, CTE has often been found in those who played contact sports, such as football, and others who have experience repetitive head trauma. It's known to cause cognitive decline, depression and violent mood swings.
Smith, the fifth overall pick in the 1983 NFL Draft, played all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Chargers from 1983-1992. He was a Second-team All-Pro in 1989 and was named to the franchise's 50th Anniversary Team in 2009.

#smith #Football #dementia #played

The Oklahoma Sooners went 6-7 in 2022, the first year of the Brent Venables era. Then, OU went 10-3 in 2023. However, a regression in 2024 led to another 6-7 mark on the head coach's record. Then, the Sooners bounced back with another 10-3 season in 2025, making it to the College Football Playoff for the first time under Venables' watch.
As Oklahoma enters its third season in the SEC and its fifth season with Venables at the helm, the focus isn't just on avoiding regression again and breaking the pattern. The focus inside the Switzer Center is all about going from good to great in 2026.
To exceed what the program accomplished last season, OU will first need to navigate a very difficult SEC schedule to put themselves back in the CFP. The Sooners have learned the hard way that this league is much better and deeper than the Big 12.
Athlon Sports' Steve Lassan placed each of the 16 teams in the SEC into tiers ahead of this season. Out of his five total tiers, Lassan placed the Sooners in Tier 2, a grouping labeled "Playoff Contenders".
This tier showcases the depth of the SEC. Six teams outside of Georgia and Texas should be playoff contenders, including four — Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Alabama — that earned a spot in the 12-team field last season ... Will Oklahoma's offense take a big step forward with a healthy John Mateer returning at quarterback?" - Steve Lassan, Athlon Sports.

#playoff

The Ohio Cup is officially Cleveland's for the 2026 season. Yippee.
The Cleveland Guardians beat the Cincinnati Reds in last night's series finale 6-1 behind a four-run fifth. Joey Cantillo was scoreless, but had a high pitch count and only threw four innings. Erik Sabrowski, having not pitched in nearly a week, earned the win. The team has a much needed off day before they start a two series homestand. Cleveland will host the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend and the New York Mets to start the post trade deadline portion of the baseball season.
Tom Hamilton said, on last night's broadcast, that the team is "actively trying to improve" at the trade deadline but could not elaborate further.
The time to scoreboard watch is now. As the Guardians were defeating the Reds, the New York Yankees gave up a four run lead late in the game against the Chicago White Sox, tying the game at 4-4 going into the ninth. The White Sox ultimately walked it off in the twelfth inning.
The Detroit Tigers were humiliated by the Baltimore Orioles. Behind Tarik Skubal, who threw his 1000th strikeout yesterday, the Tigers gave up a seven run lead to lose 10-9 in extras.

#last

The 2026 Carolina Panthers may just be snakebitten. Any lingering question about that was answered emphatically on Wednesday morning, when the team suffered their third injury in just their fifth day of training camp.
Last week, it was second-year outside linebacker Nic Scourton who went down with a season-ending ACL tear, followed by tight end Mitchell Evans getting carted off with an ankle sprain on Tuesday. And yesterday, it was rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell II, who was wheeled away with a moderate LCL tear.
Scourton is the biggest loss in the bunch—for now, at least—and his absence represents a devastating blow to a defense that could have taken a big step forward this season. With their rising star out, Carolina's pass rush has been ranked 31st in the NFL by CBS Sports.
Carter Bahns writes:
If not for the injury Nic Scourton sustained on the first day of training camp, the Panthers would rank a healthy number of spots higher. Instead, his season is over before it even begins due to a torn ACL. Neither Phillips nor Jones is exactly reliable in terms of staying on the field, either, so the bottom has the threat of really falling out from underneath this group. Phillips is a plus starter when healthy, though, like he was all of last year.

#season #injury #training

This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke with retired 8-time Pro Bowl defensive back Patrick Peterson.
In his interview with Easton Jr., Peterson, who participated in this year's American Century Championship, held at Edgewood Tahoe and aired on NBC and Peacock, discussed Arizona Cardinals rookie Jeremiyah Love's chances of excelling in his rookie season ahead of the Week 11 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs.
"I like the pick because they have a receiver; there wasn't a quarterback there that they felt they could get them over the hump right now. Jacoby Brissett was a salvageable quarterback due to the absence of Kyler Murray; they had pretty much everything they wanted on the offensive side of the ball," said Peterson. "Still, they felt like they were missing that home run hitter, that other piece, and that was Jeremiyah Love. I love the pick. My only thing would be, how much are they going to put on his plate?"
The Chiefs will host the Cardinals in Week 11 this season and get an opposing look at Love, the third overall draft pick out of Notre Dame. In 2025, Love rushed 199 times for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging 6.9 yards per carry. He also tallied 27 receptions for 280 yards and three receiving touchdowns, earning finalist status for the Heisman Trophy.
"I know Coach Mike LaFleur is coming from the (Los Angeles) Rams, they have a lot of nuances in their offense to get their playmakers involved in the ball game, but you also gotta think about the Arizona Cardinals, were the fifth pick for a reason, they have a lot of holes in that team, offensive linemen, protecting the quarterback and being able to open lanes for him, you have a quarterback issue," said Peterson, "If your quarterback is not good enough to be able to loosen up defenses, how you expect a rookie running back to be explosive, he definitely has a lot of ups and downs, a lot of challenges that he's facing right now, but he is a home run here; he's a great player, and I'm not upset at all with the pick. Now, Arizona is going to have to do a great job of putting the pieces around him so that he can be successful."

#pick #love #yards

Everything in the world of Gonzaga basketball hinges on the courtroom right now. Mario Saint-Supery was lured away from his upcoming sophomore season by a four-year contract to play professionally in Valencia, and Mark Few was left without a point guard. That vacated roster spot, as well as the one left open by one-time commit Jack Kayil, however, may have come at exactly the right time. UCLA's Donovan Dent and Skyy Clark are among the group of fifth-year seniors suing the NCAA for one more season of eligibility, and Gonzaga is reportedly in the mix for both. If the Zags are able to land both, this roster stops looking like an eleventh-hour rebuild and starts looking like the key ingredients for a top-five squad.
This is particularly vital because Gonzaga's non-conference slate for the 2026-27 season is arguably the toughest Mark Few has ever scheduled. The Bulldogs are already projected in the AP preseason top 20-to-25 range even before the eligibility rulings (hopefully) break their way, and the schedule does not let up from November through February.
Gonzaga has never been the type of team to schedule a patty-cake non-conference schedule and hopefully start firing on all cylinders by the time conference play rolls around. Rather, the Zags have spent the last decade scheduling a grueling non-conference slate to serve as a preview of the kind of competition they expect to see again in late March. Here are the games Zag fans should circle on their calendars now, regardless of who will or won't actually be suiting up for the Bulldogs.
Gonzaga has unfinished business with Purdue, which ended the Zags' 2024 season in the Sweet 16 behind Zach Edey's 27 points and 14 rebounds. This one opens the season on a neutral floor.
The roster picture has flipped since then. Purdue finished 30-9 and ranked No. 2 on KenPom last year, but its entire veteran core is now gone. Braden Smith, the NCAA's all-time ******* ists leader, and Trey Kaufman-Renn were both drafted in June, while Fletcher Loyer exhausted his eligibility and signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Clippers. Matt Painter didn't chase a portal fix. Instead, Purdue is leaning on sophomore Omer Mayer out of Tel Aviv, Israel, who played alongside Smith last season and is the presumptive starter, with five-star freshman Luke Ertel, Indiana's reigning Mr. Basketball, waiting behind him.

#zags #conference

It is clear from Tottenham's summer transfer business that they have big ambitions in the Women's Super League next season.
Martin Ho's side have strengthened in the market, building a squad that, on paper, could cause a stir among the league's top clubs.
They finished fifth in the WSL last season - a significant improvement on the year before when they flirted with relegation.
Tottenham broke their club-record signing this summer to bring in France defender Alice Sombath from Lyon, having spent around £375,000 on Signe Gaupset in January.
They also signed forwards Shekiera Martinez and Kirsty Hanson, defender Caitlin Dijkstra, midfielder Victoria Pelova and goalkeeper Selma Panengstuen.

#season #league #TOTTENHAM #alice

Barcelona is working on signing a center forward, and the problems keep piling up.
That's what 'SPORT' reported this Thursday: Barcelona are waiting for Julián Álvarez and need one more gesture to move forward with his arrival.
Eli Junior Kroupi's injury has wrecked the Blaugrana's plans because the Bournemouth striker was the 'Plan B'.
The forward has fractured the fifth metatarsal in his foot and will be sidelined for four months.
Now it remains to be seen what Barcelona's plan will be to solve this situation, with Lewandowski out of the club and Ferrán Torres having a chance of moving to PSG.

#forward #Barcelona #sport #ferr

A 4,000-year-old disease often ******* ociated with biblical times is making a slow but steady comeback in one U.S. state.
Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is an illness many often relegate to the history books. Florida, however, has recorded 17 infections this year as of July 18, according to state health data. Of the 174 cases recorded nationwide in 2025, 36 occurred in the state, including 27 that were contracted locally rather than abroad.
Hansen's disease affects up to 225 people in the United States and 250,000 globally every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While most cases are contracted abroad, the agency notes that Southern states have reported illnesses not linked to travel that were "likely contracted from armadillos."
In the past decade, roughly 223 cases were recorded in Florida, the majority of which occurred in Brevard County. Central Florida, specifically, appears to be a recurring hotspot, accounting for 81% of state cases and almost one-fifth of nationally reported cases, according to research published in the CDC's journal Emerging Infectious Diseases in 2023.
While it appears a pattern has emerged, scientists aren't entirely sure why. The same 2023 report concluded that an increase in leprosy infections in non-foreign-born residents that "lacked traditional risk factors" indicated that the disease is probably now endemic in parts of the United States, with one cited case in a landscaper raising questions about environmental exposure.

#disease #states #year #according

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For **** eX IPO investors, the thrill ride has been IMAX-worthy.
On IPO day, **** eX stock (SPCX) opened at $150 and climbed past $160. Another near-20% gain the following Monday saw Elon Musk's **** eflight, satellite communications, and AI company achieve a high orbit of $192.50. By its third trading day, **** eX surpassed Amazon to become the fifth-largest publicly traded company by market value.
To the moon, right?
Yet, as any savvy investor knows, things can get ugly fast: The stock quickly returned to Earth and has bounced below its market debut price more than once.

#Monday #elon

A Christmas sweater. A case of pink eye. A Hallmark movie set.
That's how Descendants: Wicked Wonderland star Malia Baker says her Hollywood career began. At 11, the Vancouver native snuck onto a set and walked away with her first acting credit.
Yahoo's kid correspondent, Gigi — yes, my daughter — is 11 now. She's the one interviewing Baker about her unlikely origin story and how she went from set crasher to a Disney princess who's currently starring in the fifth Descendants movie. Now airing on Disney Channel and streaming on Disney+, the film reveals a darker side of Baker's character, Chloe Charming, the daughter of Cinderella. Can you say evil Chloe?
Speaking to Gigi, the 19-year-old actor, also known for Netflix's The Baby-Sitters Club, answers the kinds of questions only a preteen may ask. For instance: What's the name of the Descendants text chat? Does she have any squishies? What are the names of her pets?
Before long, though, the conversation turns to growing up — pursuing dreams, finding your people and the advice Baker wishes she'd gotten before starting middle school. Take it away, Gigi …

#baker #gigi #movie

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

LYTHAM ST. ANNES, ENGLAND – Nelly Korda put a 4-iron into the bag for the first time at a British Open this week at Royal Lytham. There won't be many drivers off the tee for her at this bunkerfest. Maybe four or five, tops, she said.
Like many, Korda has a love/hate relationship with links golf, depending on the day and the bounces. It doesn't help that it's the fifth major of the year in a packed summer schedule. She typically finds herself more on edge at this point in the season.
"I would say with it being kind of in a condensed part of our schedule, I get pretty agitated," she said, "and I think what I learned is I just need to take a step back and hit the reset ***** on sometimes."
Korda comes into the season's final major at the 2026 AIG Women's British Open with a chance to both qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame and complete the career grand slam. After a missed cut at the Amundi Evian Championship, her first time missing a weekend in two years, the world No. 1 took some time off in Prague and then headed to the ISPS Handa Scottish Open, where she finished on a high note to jump into the top 20.
"There will be weeks you just don't have it," said Korda of France, "that's the reality of it."

#korda #first

The Saints may have suffered a major blow to their defense.
Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee left Wednesday's opening practice of training camp with a knee injury and NFL Media reports that the fear is that he tore his ACL. If that is confirmed, Bresee will miss the entire 2026 season and the Saints could be on the hunt for more help on their defensive front.
Bresee was a 2023 first-round pick in New Orleans and he started all 15 games he played during the 2025 season. He has 86 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 49 career games for the team.
The Saints exercised Bresee's fifth-year option this offseason, so he is under contract for next season.

#bryan #Media #suffered

As he negotiates a new long-term deal with Detroit, Lions star running back Jahmyr Gibbs did not practice on Wednesday during Detroit's first training camp practice.
Gibbs is a hold-in, meaning he is at Lions training camp but not currently participating.
"Of course, you guys know how we feel about Gibbs and all of our guys, (Sam) LaPorta, (Brian) Branch. And so, we'll take this as it comes. This will kind of continue. It'll come as it comes. I think that's the best way to say it. And so, this is both sides working through something and we'll take it as it comes, but that's where it is," Campbell said of Gibbs to open camp.
The Lions executed the fifth-year player option on Gibbs back in April, keeping the star rusher under contract through the 2027 NFL season. Gibbs will earn $14.293 million in 2027 with his player option.
Gibbs, a 5-foot-9, 202-pound back, rushed for 1,223 yards and 13 scores a season ago. The Alabama alum's rushing yards ranked seventh in the NFL last season. Gibbs also added 616 receiving yards and five touchdown grabs, helping him eclipse 1,800+ yards from scrimmage for a second straight season.

#season #back #training

There are several players with local ties that began their football careers on fields around Central Mass. that are starting training camp with NFL teams this week. Jennifer Toland took a look at 12 former local high school and college stars giving it their all for a shot on living the ultimate dream.
Anderson, who helped lead Holy Cross to four straight Patriot League championships, joined the Bengals' practice squad in October 2025. He spent most of his first two pro seasons (2023, 2024) on the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad. Anderson played in four games for the Colts, primarily as a special teams contributor. Anderson was a two-time All-Patriot League first-team honoree.
Coker, who signed a three-year contract extension with the Panthers in June, emerged as a vital part of the Panthers' offense his first two seasons in the NFL. ****** er missed the first six games of 2025 with a quadriceps injury before coming back to make 33 catches for 394 yards and 3 touchdowns and help Carolina win the NFC South ****** le for the first time in a decade. In the Panthers' wild-card playoff game loss to the Los Angeles Rams, ****** er had nine receptions for 134 yards and a TD. ****** er is Holy Cross' all-time leader in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
Crippen, who grew up in Northborough and attended Milton Academy and IMG Academy, was a member of the University of Michigan's 2024 national ****** le team. As a graduate student in 2025, Crippen started all 13 games at center and was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection. The Steelers signed the 6-foot-4, 309-pound Crippen as an undrafted free agent after his successful tryout at the team's rookie minicamp in May.
Gray, a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, enters his sixth season with the Chiefs. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion. Gray, who had 21 receptions for 178 yards last season, is expected to continue in his backup role to Travis Kelce in 2026. Gray had his most productive season in 2024, when he caught 40 passes for 437 yards and 5 touchdowns, all career highs.

#anderson #panthers #games

Pitching development has been the Red Sox's bread and ******* er under Craig Breslow. Since Breslow took over, the organization has invested heavily in the pitching pipeline. In his first two drafts, 28 of the team's 41 picks were spent on pitchers — 29 if you count two-way player Conrad Cason. At the major league level, Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts, Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, and Jake Bennett have all contributed after spending time in the system.
This season, the draft was more balanced, but several pitchers were still selected in the middle and later rounds. One of them was left-hander Brett Lanman out of Abilene Christian University, selected in the fifth round. Lanman, like many of the pitchers acquired by Breslow during his tenure as Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer, is huge. He's listed at 6-5, 230 pounds, and uses that frame to extend down the mound and help his pitches play up. While no two pitchers are the same, he's excited to get to an organization with a recent track record of getting young arms to the major leagues.
"I'm ready to get to work, cause these guys know what they're talking about," Lanman said. "They've developed these guys, and they're in the big leagues. It's like, man, they know, they know what it takes to get a left-handed pitcher into the big leagues pretty quickly."
Draft picks, to an extent, are lottery tickets. It's incredibly rare for a draft pick to enter the league as a major league-level talent. Paul Skeneses (Skenesi? Skenes?) don't grow on trees, and if they did, they'd all be first-round picks. Lanman, as a fifth-round pick, is far from a finished product. If he were, his ERA in his final season at ACU likely would have been lower than 5.35. The Red Sox didn't select the lefty because of his college results. They picked him because of who they believe he can become.
Potential is based on traits, such as being huge and left-handed. Lanman is both huge (6-5, 230) and left-handed. He also has a low release point and plus extension, creating a flat attack angle for his fastball. Most starting pitchers who succeed have a fastball as the foundation. Lanman knows that his heater is what's brought him this far, and that's what the Red Sox will want to build upon.

#league #round

TMZ
Sen. Rand Paul's (R-KY) attacks against Dr. Anthony Fauci are a "heartbreaking" callback to McCarthyism, TMZ's Harvey Levin said Wednesday after Paul chaired a highly contentious Senate hearing with Fauci.
Fauci's hearing was marked by dozens of instances of the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases pleading the Fifth Amendment, something Levin immediately referenced.
"Anthony Fauci before a congressional hearing taking the Fifth Amendment is just one of the most heartbreaking things I have seen in government in my lifetime, and this is something we need to reckon with," he said. Levin also said he has "problems with how the CDC handled COVID," but that doesn't justify what's happening.
Fauci's years as a "dedicated public servant" go back decades, he added.

#fauci #heartbreaking

Kasper Hogh, Celtic FC. Photo Celtic FC
The Denmark international completed his move to the Scottish champions from Bodo/Glimt, becoming one of Celtic's most expensive ever signings.
Under football's solidarity payment system, several of the striker's former clubs are entitled to a share of the fee in recognition of their role in his development.
That includes Danish fifth-tier outfit Vorup FB, where Hogh spent nine years as a youngster before continuing his career with hometown side Randers.
Vorup are now set to collect around £57,000 from the transfer, with the club planning to reinvest the money into its youth and grassroots setup.

#denmark

FRISCO, Texas — Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager hit a solo homer and made a nifty defensive play in a rehab appearance for Double-A Frisco after being sidelined all this month because of lower back inflammation.
Seager is on the injured list for the third time this season, and has missed 52 games for Texas — one more than he has played for the AL West-leading Rangers. They are 24-28 without the two-time World Series MVP.
Seager went 1 for 2 with a walk and a strikeout against Corpus Christi, homering in the fifth before being replaced in the field after that inning. The top of the third ended when the shortstop made a backhanded stop in the hole and made a strong throw to first for the out.
His last game had been June 30 at Toronto, when he was removed in the first inning because of back discomfort. The rehab appearance came after Seager took live batting practice the previous two days before Rangers home games.
It wasn't immediately clear when he would rejoin the big league club.

#texas

DeVonta Smith has never hidden his loyalty to the Boston Celtics, but even the Philadelphia Eagles' star wide receiver can appreciate what the 76ers are attempting to build. Smith was asked Wednesday about the Sixers trading for Jaylen Brown and signing LeBron James, two moves that significantly altered the balance of power in the Eastern Conference.
"Looks like the Sixers are trying to go win one," Smith said. "Can't be mad at that."
Smith grew up supporting the Celtics in Amite, Louisiana, and has maintained that allegiance throughout his career with the Eagles. He attended Boston's NBA Finals games and predicted the Celtics would defeat Philadelphia during the teams' recent playoff series. Brown's departure from Boston and arrival in Philadelphia creates an unusual conflict for Smith. The four-time All-Star spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Celtics before being traded to the Sixers in a package centered around Paul George and draft compensation.
Philadelphia followed that deal by signing James to a two-year contract. James, 41, is entering his 24th NBA season and will pursue the fifth championship of his career alongside Brown, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Philadelphia has not won an NBA championship since 1983 or reached the Eastern Conference finals since 2001. Injuries, postseason disappointments and roster turnover have repeatedly prevented the franchise from advancing beyond the second round. Adding Brown and James eliminates any ambiguity about the organization's current timeline. The Sixers are prioritizing an immediate championship run and accepting the financial and roster risks that accompany it.

#smith #sixers

Not much to report on, as inclement weather wiped out games for Lehigh Valley, Reading, and Jersey Shore on Tuesday night. But the two teams that avoided the East coast rain were victorious.
The Threshers scored 13 runs across the fifth and sixth innings to record an easy win over the Hammerheads. Victor Cardoza was the biggest contributor with three hits including his first home run of the season. First baseman Nolan Beltran also had three hits and scored three runs, while third baseman Robert Phelps had two hits and three RBI out of the leadoff spot.
With that run support, the Threshers pitching staff didn't have to be great. Starter Sean Youngerman allowed two runs in four innings, and Giussepe Velasquez earned the win by giving up one run in two innings.
The Phillies went up 3-0 thanks in part to a Nelson Prieto home run in the fourth. The Rockies began to come back, but RBI singles by Juan Parra and Francisco Renteria established a four-run lead that would withstand some shaky relief pitching by David Victorino in the eighth. (Runs scored on a bases loaded walk and a wild pitch).
Samuel Ortiz gave up one run in five innings to earn the win, and Jose Romero pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the season.

#innings #three #first #season

The Toronto Maple Leafs made Darren Raddysh one of their biggest NHL offseason investments. Now, expectations are rising before he has played a regular-season game for his hometown team.
Toronto acquired Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a sign-and-trade on June 19. The Maple Leafs surrendered only a 2026 fifth-round pick before signing the defenseman to an eight-year, $68 million contract carrying an $8.5 million annual cap hit.
MORE: Morgan Rielly's Maple Leafs exit looms ahead of 2026-27 NHL season
Speaking on Leafs Morning Take, host Nick Alberga questioned how quickly Toronto fans would judge the 28-year-old.
"I think Darren Raddysh has the most pressure," Alberga said. "Toronto native, people are going to wonder, was last year a fluke?"

#toronto #year #alberga

A Christmas sweater. A case of pink eye. A Hallmark movie set.
That's how Descendants: Wicked Wonderland star Malia Baker says her Hollywood career began. At 11, the Vancouver native snuck onto a set and walked away with her first acting credit.
Yahoo's kid correspondent, Gigi — yes, my daughter — is 11 now. She's the one interviewing Baker about her unlikely origin story and how she went from set crasher to a Disney princess who's currently starring in the fifth Descendants movie. Now airing on Disney Channel and streaming on Disney+, the film reveals a darker side of Baker's character, Chloe Charming, the daughter of Cinderella. Can you say evil Chloe?
Speaking to Gigi, the 19-year-old actor, also known for Netflix's The Baby-Sitters Club, answers the kinds of questions only a preteen may ask. For instance: What's the name of the Descendants text chat? Does she have any squishies? What are the names of her pets?
Before long, though, the conversation turns to growing up — pursuing dreams, finding your people and the advice Baker wishes she'd gotten before starting middle school. Take it away, Gigi …

#hallmark

In the definition of a back-and-forth battle, the Mariners outslugged the Dodgers with a season-high five home runs in a 7-6 loss for the reigning champs. Neither team seemed capable of holding onto a lead for any meaningful period until the Mariners jumped in front in the eighth thanks to a two-run shot from Dominic Canzone, his second and Seattle's fifth homer of the game.
As different as the seasons of the two starting pitchers in this matchup might be, for one game, they both encountered the same problem, completely allergic to the prospect of a shutdown inning. On four separate occasions, a team took the lead in the first five innings only to see its starter unable to put a zero on the board in the following half-inning.
Justin Wrobleski has thrived this season with the ability to raise his level according to the situation, but what does he do when the opposition ambushes him? The Mariners managed to score five runs off the left-hander without even having a single at-bat with a runner in scoring position against him—courtesy of not two, not three, but four home runs against a pitcher who had allowed a total of three long ****** prior to this game. Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, Rob Refsnyder, and Dominic Canzone all left the yard. While the homers hit by Rodríguez and Raleigh could be categorized as mistake pitches, the ones by Canzone and Refsnyder came on well-located fastballs at or well above the strike zone—it stands to reason that Wrobleski's heater didn't have the same life on it, or that the M's guessed right on multiple occasions.
For the Dodgers' offense against Castillo, it was an eventful game from start to finish, but one that could've been more dominant. The M's veteran starter allowed a leadoff bomb to Shohei Ohtani and had to deal with trouble in some form or another for his entire outing.
The Sho has started! pic.twitter.com/rfu4k1gr7W

#runs #Dodgers #dominic

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 05: Jonah ***** #53 of the San Francisco Giants runs to first base against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 05, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 29: Jonah ***** #53 of the San Francisco Giants lays down a fielder's choice bunt during the fifth inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 29, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 30: Jonah ***** #53 of the San Francisco Giants in action during the MLB game at Chase Field on June 30, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 27: Willy Adames #2 and Luis Arraez #1 of the San Francisco Giants celebrate defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 at Oracle Park on July 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
On Tuesday night, the San Francisco Giants are back at Oracle Park for the second game of their series with the Milwaukee Brewers.

#june #images #field

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ and Nico ***** ner drove in two runs apiece and the Chicago Cubs jumped out to a seven-run lead after two innings on the way to a 10-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.
Happ punctuated an 11-pitch at-bat with a two-run double to get the Cubs' scoring started. Pete Crow-Armstrong's sacrifice fly scored Michael Conforto and Suzuki added a double. Michael Busch and ***** ner added RBI singles to make it 7-0, chasing Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy.
McGreevy (4-9) lasted 1 2/3 innings and gave up eight hits and seven earned runs. He walked two and struck out two as the Cardinals lost their third straight game.
Alec Burleson walked and Lars Nootbaar and Masyn Winn singled as the Cardinals loaded the bases in the fourth. Burelson scored on a sacrifice fly by Nathan Church. Winn hit a ground-rule double that plated the Cardinals' second run of the game in the ninth.
Pedro Ramírez had an infield single that scored ***** ner in the fifth. Suzuki added an RBI single in the eighth, and Carson Kelly drove in a run with a single in the ninth as the Cubs banged out a total of 17 hits.

#hoerner #scored #single