A remark in Bret Bielema's introductory statement Tuesday at Big Ten Media Days lingered until he was asked about it. When the question arrived minutes later, he knew what he had done.
"Well, I think I just made the headline, right?"
Yes, but not only that — the sixth-year Illinois head coach also stoked the flames of a fiery debate about college football's most dominant conference.
While at the podium discussing the sport's ever-changing landscape, Bielema conveyed his excitement about the state of both his program and the game overall. Soon after that, he took a swing at the SEC, the conference he coached in for five seasons from 2013-17 as Arkansas' frontman.
"They kind of want to live in 2005 forever," he noted mid-sentence. That line followed Bielema touting the vision of Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and acknowledging that his former commissioner, Greg Sankey, has to protect the SEC.

#well #soon

ARLINGTON, Texas — Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell says he feels the best he has since the 2023 season while still dealing with some limitations for what has been called a "serious but treatable medical condition" that required surgery at the beginning of this year.
Chadwell still has not revealed the exact issue, but said during Conference USA's football media day that determining what it was and the treatment since has made a difference in how the 49-year-old coach feels going into his fourth season with the Flames.
"I feel physically probably the best I've felt since '23," he said. "Now there's still some body, physical limitations I'm going through that I'm still working through, but as far as my mind and the way I was feeling compared to the last couple years, night and day."
Chadwell said because of that, he is looking forward "more probably to this season than a long time, because I feel like I'm back, at least health-wise, to what I was prior to."
Last January, about six weeks after the end of the 2025 season, Liberty announced in a statement that Chadwell was recovering from a successful procedure to address the medical issue. He was able to return in time to lead the Flames through spring practice.

#season #since #flames #last

A group of Argentina supporters cranked up the pre-match hostility ahead of Wednesday's FIFA World Cup semifinal against England by BURNING the Union Jack. Footage captured a crowd of jubilant Argentines setting the flag ablaze in Escobar, on the outskirts of the capital, Buenos Aires.
Loud cheers ring out from the gathered crowd as the flames take hold. Several onlookers are also visible leaping into the air while chanting: "He who doesn't jump is an Englishman."
The clip is reported to have been filmed following Argentina's victory over Switzerland on Saturday, with the Three Lions having already secured their spot in the semifinals earlier that day. The reigning World Cup champions haven't faced England since a 2005 friendly, as per The Mirror.
Who is the referee for the Spain vs France FIFA World Cup semifinal?

At least 12 people have died and 23 others are unaccounted for as firefighters in southern Spain battle a rapidly spreading wildfire, officials said.
The identities of the deceased -- who were located in the southeastern village of Bedar -- are not known yet but foreign nationals are among them, Spain's Civil Protection said on Saturday.
The weather is expected to be better on Saturday, allowing firefighters to contain the fire, officials said.
Andalusian regional leader Juanma Moreno said in a Friday post on X that at least eight people had been injured, including four who were in serious condition.
In an interview Friday morning on Spanish radio, Moreno said four of those killed were believed to be British nationals who became trapped in a car while trying to escape the flames.

LOS GALLARDOS, Spain, July 10 (Reuters) - As flames approached their homes and the smoke-filled air became choking, panicked residents in rural Andalusian villages around Los Gallardos in southern Spain chose to flee — a decision some paid for with their lives.
With the wildfire racing ‌up the bone-dry mountainsides, residents faced a choice of taking their chance and leaving, or sheltering in place.
Authorities recommended some residents above ‌Los Gallardos evacuate and signalled a safe route, while later it was considered safer for those in the forested hamlet of Bedar to stay where they were given the fire was so close.
"In situations like this, it is essential that we all follow the routes indicated," Antonio Sanz, head of emergencies in the Andalusia region, said. "Unfortunately in this instance a decision was taken to use another route that wasn't the one recommended for evacuation. Looking for another way out via a dry riverbed turned out to be a trap."
As the flames approached, Antonio Rubio, a handyman living in Bedar, said the smoke had made it impossible to shelter in place.

A Giant has finally splashed down into McCovey Cove. The 109th baseball to be baptized in the icy Bay waters was the first by a San Francisco Giant in 2026, and the first of Bryce Eldridge’s career.
It was a doozy too. Well…a doozy compared to recent Splash Hits. Measured on the Bondsian Scale, Eldridge’s would qualify as roughly a “routine fly.” It didn’t do a fifth or sixth archway flyover, nor burst into flames as it broke through the atmosphere on its descent — but it wasn’t cheap either. The game-tying shot in the 4th took a direct route down the right-field line and cleared the boardwalk railing below by plenty. Considering the pitch he hit, a hung slider off the inside of the plate, didn’t veer off foul is a testament to the quality of Eldridge’s contact. The ball hissed off his bat at 106 MPH, traveling 394 feet before it got soaked.
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Eldridge is the 33rd Giant, and at 21 years of age, the youngest to launch a Splash Hit in their career, and first since Rafael Devers in September of last year. While we’re already on the doorstep of the All-Star Break, this was not the latest fans have had to wait for a ball to go spelunking into the Cove. Stephen Vogt’s off Philly’s Drew Smyly ended the drought in 2019 on August 9th. Brandon Belt hit one on September 25th, 2014, and he hit one again 20 months later, off Boston’s David Price, in June of 2016 — no other ball got wet off a Giants bat in the meantime. 2015 remains the only dry season in the 27 year history of the park at 3rd and King.
The best part of Eldridge’s Splash Hit: it helped the Giants win. The solo homer evened the score and kicked off a string of seven unanswered runs for the San Francisco offense, culminating in a 4-run outburst in the 8th that secured an 8-2 victory over the Rockies.

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Kip Lewis has established himself as one of the top players on one of the best defenses in college football. Lewis had a standout 2025 season, leading the team with 76 tackles while finishing third on the team in tackles for loss.
However, Lewis' impact extends far beyond his production on the field. He has also become one of the most respected leaders in college football. That is why Lewis' decision to return to Norman for his redshirt senior season was such a major victory for the Sooners.
In a video Oklahoma football shared on social media, Lewis explained why he chose to return and what continues to motivate him. Much of that motivation comes from feeling overlooked despite being one of the top players on an elite defense.
"Last season, felt like I did really, really good," Lewis said. "I wasn't awarded on any teams or anything like that. So, that kind of gives me a little fire going on underneath. See what voters are not seeing. I've got some flames to be put out next season. I feel like I'm one of the best in the country, so it kind of (disappoints me)."
Lewis enters the 2026 season with something to prove, despite already having an impressive resume. His production, leadership and impact on Oklahoma's defense have made him one of the most valuable players on the roster.

They're calling it the Landon DuPont draft, the early consensus No. 1 prospect with the University of Michigan for the 2027 NHL Draft.
DuPont, a 6-foot, 190-pound defenseman who committed to the Wolverines after playing two seasons with the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League, is expected to be selected first overall by the Calgary Flames in The Athletic's 2027 mock draft.
The Red Wings, based on the team's future odds with or without captain Dylan Larkin, are expected to drop to seventh-worst (25th overall) in the league after finishing 16th overall and out of the playoffs last year.
With the seventh overall pick, The Athletic has the Red Wings taking 6-foot-4, 200-pound center Gunnar Conboy, who had 12 goals, nine ******* ists, 21 points and 83 penalty minutes in 32 games with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League.
"Conboy had a great first season in junior," The Athletic's Corey ******* man wrote. "He’s a tall center who’s highly athletic and physical, showing a brand of hockey that will excite evaluators.

For Hickory, Aneudis Mejia struck out one in a scoreless inning.
Paulino Santana was 2 for 3 with a homer and a walk. Yolfran Castillo walked twice and stole a base. Dewar Tovar homered. Sebastian Baquera had a pair of hits. Daniel Flames drew two walks.
Hickory box score
Hub City starter Enrique Segura allowed seven runs, including a pair of homers, in four innings, walking three.
Yeison Morrobel was 4 for 6 with a homer. Gleider Figuereo had a double, two walks and a stolen base. Maxton Martin homered and walked. Eduardo Mejia was 2 for 4 with a walk. Hector Osorio had a pair of hits.

When pop star Taylor Swift and NFL star Travis Kelce got engaged last summer in the backyard of his Kansas City home, there was an immediate, pressing and singular question on fans' minds: when and where will the wedding be?
This weekend, fans may finally get their answer.
Swift, known for dropping hints to bigger plans in everything from her wardrobe to music and tours, has kept mum about her upcoming nuptials, but that has not stopped the world from speculating.
Building on tabloid fodder, the New York Times last week reported that permits had been requested for a large event at Madison Square Garden (MSG) in early July that will shut down the busy Manhattan area for blocks.
Prediction markets have further fanned the flames, with more than $2m (£1.5m) being bet on where the two will tie the knot.

The deaths of three U.S. government firefighters in a Colorado wildfire are casting a spotlight on the Trump administration's creation of a new federal fire service and its revival of a previously discredited policy to stomp out all wildfires quickly.
One of the killed firefighters worked for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, established this year without customary congressional approval by drawing personnel from four agencies within the Interior Department. The victims were part of an elite, helicopter-based crew that got trapped Saturday in a fast-growing wildfire near the Utah border as they attacked the blaze on the ground.
Five firefighters, including the ones who died, tried to shield themselves by deploying tentlike emergency shelters as flames overran their position. The two survivors were hospitalized with burn injuries.
The consolidation of thousands of personnel into the fire service has sown confusion among some firefighters about who their bosses are and what their responsibilities should be, according to former government officials.
And the administration's focus on "full suppression" of new fires marks a sharp reversal from a decades-long trend toward embracing flames as a tool — to burn off old vegetation and growth that acts like fuel and lessen the risk of catastrophic blazes being stoked by a warming planet.

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) — Three firefighters killed over the weekend in a wildfire along the Colorado-Utah border were trying to shield themselves from flames by deploying tent-like shelters when they were overcome, authorities said.
The firefighters were part of a specialized crew that goes into remote areas by helicopter to quickly put out new and rapidly escalating wildfires, federal officials said Monday.
Their deaths Saturday came almost 13 years to the day since an elite crew of 19 wildland firefighters died when they were trapped in a steep canyon in Yarnell, Arizona.
Like this weekend's victims, the men in Arizona tried to deploy emergency shelters that are a "last resort" for firefighters when there's no other way out. Investigators didn't blame anyone for the deaths in 2013, but cited radio communication problems that contributed to the Granite Mountain Hotshots becoming trapped. Arizona's workplace safety commission also fined the state's forestry division for not pulling them out.
Wildfires have erupted over the past week all across the West, fueled by months of dry weather and a record lack of snow in some places this past winter. Wildfire experts have warned for months that extreme fire dangers are likely this summer.

The offseason so far has been filled with excitement, with plenty of big-name players on the move. There are still several marquee names available on the trade block, and the New Jersey Devils are hoping to get involved.
They got started even before the draft by arming themselves for the offseason.
Sunny Mehta made his first big splash by trading Simon Nemec and Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a substantial haul of draft capital. The deal netted the Devils two first-round picks (both top-10 protected) in 2027 and 2028, along with a second-round selection at 35th overall in 2026.
That move had many wondering if Mehta was going to emulate his mentor, Bill Zito, and flip those high-value ******* ets for something even greater.
After all, the Florida Panthers reeled in Brady Tkachuk.

Has Liberty only been an FBS program for eight years?

Considering how important the program has been, it seems like it's been a part of the Group of Five/Six world for a whole lot longer.

And also ... has it only been three years since Liberty was 13-0 going into a New Year's Six Fiesta Bowl date with Oregon?

After everything seemed to be business as usual in 2024 with a 5-0 start, things started to fall apart. The Flames went 7-11 since then, but this season is when the program should be back to its normal high standard.
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Last year's 4-8 run was the worst season in the eight years by two wins - the campaign never got going, and it ended with a thud.

But it's Liberty.

It's able to get the transfers and talent other Conference USA programs can't even look at, there's a ton of returning experience, and after a few years off, everything cranks back up.
Head Coach: Jamey Chadwell (4th year, 25-13; 9th year overall, 64-35)
Best Case / Worst Case: Win Conference USA and push for a College Football Playoff spot/struggle and end up fighting for a bowl game

Jun. 27—The Spokane Chiefs had two players selected on the second day of the 2026 NHL draft on Saturday at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
Winger Chase Harrington was taken with the fourth pick in the second round, 36th overall, by the Calgary Flames while center Tyus Sparks was selected with the fifth pick in the fourth round (101 overall) by the Washington Capitals.
Harrington, a 6-foot-1 winger from Prince George, British Columbia, recorded a career-high 28 goals and 57 points in 61 games during the 2025-26 WHL season. He led the Chiefs with 105 penalty minutes and has recorded 130 points and 173 PIMs in 194 career regular season games for Spokane. He was named the Chiefs co-player of the year last season.
Harrington was the top-rated U.S.-division player in the final predraft rankings, 26th among North American skaters. He was originally Spokane's eighth-overall pick in the 2022 WHL Prospects draft.
"I bring grit, I bring physicality, I bring compete," Harrington told WHL.com. "I can put pucks in the net. I'll be a physical presence out there."

The Penguins completed drafted the twin brother of first round pick Liam Ruck by selecting Markus Ruck with the 39th pick of the 2026 NHL draft.
M. Ruck is a left handed forward that is more of a playmaker compared to his brother's penchant for goal scoring. Markus led the WHL in scoring.
Some reports on the newest Penguin prospect.
Scott Wheeler
Markus Ruck led the CHL in points (108) and ****** ists (87), but comparisons and compatibility with his brother, who tends to be the more highly rated prospect, have also been talking points regarding his status and projection as a prospect. Together, they've been on a tear over the last few months and are now in the midst of a second deep playoff run with the Tigers, with Markus functioning as the setup man for his twin brother and a rotation of high-end 2027-eligible linemates like Noah Davidson and Shaeffer Gordon-Carroll as well as signed Flames prospect Andrew Basha. He also played well at the WHL Prospects Game, where he registered two ****** ists. I think he and Liam are actually quite close as prospects, though some have a big of a larger gap. (I have spoken with people who are partial to Markus as well, even if that's a minority.)

The Seattle Kraken unveiled the team’s 2026-27 preseason schedule this week.
The Kraken will play only four preseason contests, split between the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames.
The NHL has shortened the preseason, down from six, to accommodate an expanded 84-game regular season.
Preseason will kick off with a home game on Sept. 19 vs. Vancouver, immediately followed by a trip to the Saddledome to battle the Flames on Sept. 20.
Seattle will host Calgary at Climate Pledge Arena on Sept. 24 and close out the preseason with a road game in Vancouver against the Canucks on Sept. 26.

Kate Cassidy has split from her latest boyfriend.
The influencer reflected on the woes of comparing new flames to her late boyfriend, Liam Payne.
"Got broken up with. I got dumped," Cassidy shared in a TikTok video.
"I recently met someone. Let's just name this guy Joe. Joe was really sweet, and I feel he was a lot of things that I wanted in a guy. He's super low-key, so he doesn't have any social media, which I actually really liked. I met his family, he took me on trips."
Cassidy explained that although things were going well with Joe, the pair hit a roadblock when Cassidy found herself comparing her new man to Payne, whom she dated from 2022 until his tragic death in 2024.
"I f**ked up dating after losing somebody that you genuinely thought you were gonna spend the rest of your life with," she continued. "It's really tough because I physically look for Liam in every single guy that I meet, if they don't hit all the check marks, I tend to either back away or almost like resent this person, and it's so crazy."

Ukraine launched one of its largest drone attacks on Moscow since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, striking a major oil refinery in the Russian capital and sending thick black smoke over parts of the city, according to Russian officials and multiple reports.
The Moscow Oil Refinery in the Kapotnya district, one of the capital region's key fuel sites, was hit overnight Thursday, marking the second reported strike on the site in three days. Videos circulating online showed large flames and black smoke rising from the facility, while Russian officials said air defenses intercepted waves of incoming drones.
Kyiv says its strikes deep inside Russia are evidence that it is turning the tide of the war, a message President Volodymyr Zelenskyy took this week to President Donald Trump and other G7 leaders at a summit in France.
The latest strikes underscore a new phase of the war, with Ukraine increasingly able to hit high-value targets deep inside Russia while Moscow struggles to prevent drones from reaching politically sensitive and economically important sites near the capital.
'A New Kind Of War': Inside Ukraine's Hidden Factories Mass-producing Combat Drones

"All My Children" star Paul Avery and his wife Sheila died in a house fire at their New Jersey residence early Thursday morning.
The couple were found unconscious at their home in New Jersey just before 1 a.m. Thursday. When authorities arrived, their home was engulfed in flames. Firefighters treated them with CPR, but they died shortly after being rescued.
The actor was 81.
The cause of the house fire remains unknown but was declared under control just minutes after the fire department arrived. The Avery's daughter Kyle confirmed their death in a Facebook post Thursday.
"I'm devastated to share that our parents, Paul and Sheila Garry Avery, passed away early this morning," she wrote. "We loved them so much, and they loved us so much, and ***** ody ever had to wonder if that was so. We're grateful to the Blairstown Fire Department for their efforts. Service plans to follow."

A private jet crashed onto a highway in Laredo, Texas, and burst into flames, prompting bystanders to rush over to help free survivors. Officials say one of the six passengers died. NBC's Ryan Chandler reports for TODAY.

Jun. 17—CHAMPAIGN — Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman didn't have to look far when hiring a new women's tennis coach. In fact, he stayed within the University of Illinois system, bringing Elizabeth Lumpkin Robinson to the Illini after three seasons at UIC.
Lumpkin Robinson is the ninth women's tennis coach in program history. She replaces Evan Clark, who announced his retirement in late April following 11 seasons leading the Illini.
"Elizabeth is a proven winner with roots in our state as both a player and coach," Whitman said in the official release. "She is arguably the most decorated prep player in Illinois history and later captained UCLA to the NCAA Championship.
"Most recently, she has spent three seasons at our sister school, UIC, where she led the Flames to two Missouri Valley Conference championships and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Elizabeth is excited to build on our proud women's tennis tradition, and I have great confidence that we will elevate the program to new heights under her leadership."
Lumpkin Robinson led UIC to a 41-24 record in dual matches, including a 19-4 mark in MVC play, during her three seasons in Chicago. Her tenure also included an NCAA tournament appearance in 2205.

Several of the skydivers killed when their plane crashed moments after taking off from a Missouri airfield were experienced jumpers, including a leader at one of the sport's biggest organizations.
Federal investigators were at the crash site, about an hour south of Kansas City, on Monday, a day after the plane carrying a pilot and 11 skydivers slammed into a field and burst into flames, killing all on board, authorities said.
Some family members of those who died were at the airport to watch the jump and witnessed the crash, said Bates County Sheriff Chad Anderson.
Authorities have not released the victims' names, but friends and colleagues began paying tribute.
The United States Parachute ***** ociation, skydiving's governing body, said its technology director, Jen Sharp, was among those killed.

Hickory starter Evan Siary went four innings, allowing five runs, striking out one and walking one while allowing a pair of homers. Owen Proksch gave up a run in an inning of work. Michael Trausch walked one and struck out two in 1.1 scoreless innings. Geury Rodriguez struck out both batters he faced.
Angel Arredondo was 2 for 4 with a triple and a walk. Daniel Flames was 2 for 4 with a double. Yolfran Castillo had a hit, two walks and a stolen base.
Hickory box score
Hub City starter D.J. McCarty threw six shutout innings, striking out eight and walking two.
Malcolm Moore was 2 for 5 with a double. Hector Osorio had a hit and a pair of walks. Maxton Martin homered. Paxton Kling had a walk and a hit by pitch before leaving the game for Chandler Pollard after the HBP. Pollard had a hit, a walk and a stolen base. Yeison Morrobel had a hit and a pair of walks.

A frightening tragedy involving a private jet connected to former St. Louis Cardinals MLB star Yadier Molina unfolded on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of two crew members. Molina, 43, shared the heartbreaking news on social media, revealing that the Gulfstream G200 Galaxy aircraft was on its way to Texas to pick up family members and friends when disaster struck.
Thankfully, neither Molina nor any of his loved ones were on board at the time of the crash. However, the pilot and co-pilot who were operating the aircraft tragically lost their lives. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the pilot, co-pilot, and their families during this incredibly difficult time.
MORE: 5 MLB pitchers outperforming their metrics
Video of the accident quickly spread online, showing the aircraft attempting to return to the airport after the crew experienced complications during the flight. According to reports, the pilots declared an emergency and tried to bring the plane back safely. Unfortunately, the aircraft was unable to complete the landing.
Witnesses watched in horror as the jet impacted the ground and was immediately engulfed in flames. Emergency crews rushed to the scene and worked to contain the fire, but the two crew members aboard did not survive. Authorities have launched an investigation into the crash as they work to determine exactly what caused the emergency and subsequent accident.

Could the spark between former flames Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson be making a comeback? Their latest public appearance certainly has fans wondering.
Holmes and Jackson first captured hearts as an iconic couple on "Dawson's Creek." Their chemistry eventually extended beyond the screen, and while their real-life romance was short, the connection between them has endured for decades.
Now, after reuniting for a new project, the pair's recent appearances together have reignited speculation that their relationship may be more than just friendship.
Over the weekend, Holmes and Jackson attended the premiere of their new film, "Happy Hours," in New York City, where their interactions quickly became a talking point among fans.
In a video shared on X, the duo appeared especially affectionate as Jackson discussed the project and praised Holmes for her creativity. Jackson and the "Jack and Jill" actress locked hands as he reminisced about their time working together years back.

Wildfires used to 'go to sleep' at night. Climate change has them burning overtime

WASHINGTON (AP) — Burning time for North American wildfires is going into overtime. Flames are lasting later into the night and starting earlier in the morning because human-caused climate change is extending the hotter and drier conditions that feed fires, a new study found.
Fires used to die down or even die out at night as temperatures dropped and humidity increased, but that's happening less often. The number of hours in North America when the weather is favorable for wildfires is 36% higher than 50 year

1 person dead and another injured in midair New Jersey helicopter crash, officials say

HAMMONTON, N.J. (AP) — Two helicopters crashed midair in New Jersey on Sunday, killing one person and critically injuring another, authorities say.
Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said rescuers responded to a report of an aviation crash at about 11:25 a.m. Video from the scene shows a helicopter spinning rapidly to the ground. Police and fire crews subsequently extinguished flames that engulfed one of the helicopters.
The Federal Aviation Administration described the crash as a midair collision betwe

As dozens of wildfires continue to burn across Canada, flames are sending plumes of smoke to places as far south as northern Florida.

See if your area is impacted: