Smith is expected to handle lead-guard responsibilities for Real Madrid, giving him an opportunity to play a much larger role for the EuroLeague club where Luka Doncic developed before entering the NBA. Smith celebrated the signing by posting a photo in his new uniform on Instagram, prompting several Lakers players to respond. Bronny James was among the first to congratulate him. "Damn thats fire bro be great!!!" James commented on Smith's post. Adou Thiero offered his support as well, writing, "Get to it brudda," while Jake LaRavia added, "Yea nick."
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "Damn thats fire bro be great!!!" James commented on …

#smith #great

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If you're looking for safe ways to grow your money and protect your savings, a high-yield savings account (HYSA) can be a great option. However, it's important to be aware that there are certain instances when you could lose money. So if you plan on opening a high-yield savings account, be sure you understand how to protect your principal and earned interest.
High-yield savings accounts are like traditional savings accounts except that they offer above-average interest rates. These accounts are available from banks and credit unions, particularly online financial institutions. The higher interest rate means you earn more on your deposited funds over time, allowing your savings to grow faster.
If you open an account with a federally insured financial institution, your savings account deposits are protected in case the institution fails. With banks, deposits are protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) up to $250,000 per institution, per depositor, per ownership category. With credit unions, deposits are similarly insured by the National Credit Union Administration.
Read more: High-yield savings account vs. traditional savings account: Which one is better?

#high #credit #interest

The Wisconsin Badgers beat the Western Illinois Leathernecks 36-9 on a night that started on a high note but ended with many questions as Wisconsin improved to 1-1 on the season.
Wisconsin entered the week as a 36.5-point favorite, and that jumped all the way to 42.5 ahead of kickoff. Things looked great on the first snap of regulation, as Abu Sama III bounced a run to the edge for a 72-yard touchdown to give the Badgers an early 7-0 lead.
The Badgers forced a quick three-and-out and faced their first minor issue as Tyrell Henry fumbled on the punt return, but Wisconsin was able to recover and got great starting field position at their own 46-yard line. Sama quickly got the Badgers moving with a 31-yard run on the first play of the drive, once again bouncing to the edge and winning with speed.
One play later, the Badgers got into the red zone, but the drive stalled there as a first-down Sama run went for negative yards. Wisconsin couldn't recover from there, and they kicked a field goal in the red zone for an early 10-0 lead.
Wisconsin's defense looked sharp once again on the ensuing drive with their second consecutive three-and-out, and the punt unit made a major play for the second week in a row. After Liam Danitz blocked a punt against Notre Dame last week, Carson Van Dinter got a blocked punt early on Saturday, which he returned for an easy touchdown. Suddenly, Wisconsin was up 17-0 less than halfway through the first quarter.

#early

Extreme weather is creating a more demanding environment for property owners, insurers, and communities. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), the United States recorded 27 confirmed billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2024, resulting in a total cost of $182.7 billion. These events spanned a wide range of extremes, including severe storm events, tropical cyclones, wildfires, drought/heat waves, and winter storm/cold wave events. Over the last decade, ***** ulative losses from these disasters have exceeded $1.4 trillion, driven significantly by population growth, material wealth, and increased development in hazard-prone areas. These figures suggest that the financial consequences of extreme events may increasingly depend on how accurately the value of exposed property is understood before a loss occurs.
That question becomes especially consequential during reconstruction. A 2026 report from Bloomberg, featured in Claims Journal, noted that surveys conducted by United Policyholders since 2007 found an average of two-thirds of wildfire survivors reporting that they were underinsured, with an average shortfall of $200,000 or more. The Insurance Information Institute has similarly estimated that two-thirds of American homeowners may be underinsured for wildfire losses, typically by about 20%, and in some cases by as much as 60%. These findings illustrate how the presence of an insurance policy can still leave a substantial difference between available coverage and the resources required to rebuild, particularly when construction costs rise after a catastrophe.
The financial implications can extend across the broader insurance ecosystem. Aon's 2026 Climate and Catastrophe Insight reported approximately $260 billion in global economic losses from natural catastrophes during 2025, compared with $127 billion in insured losses. For property stakeholders, such a figure may place greater attention on the relationship between the value ***** igned to an ***** et, the cost of restoring it, and the capital available when a loss occurs.
Frequency can add another layer to that calculation. Data from NCEI indicate that the average interval between U.S. billion-dollar disaster events was approximately 16 days during 2020–2024, compared with 82 days during the 1980s. NCEI notes that shorter intervals can leave less time and fewer resources for response, recovery, and preparation for subsequent events. As the time between major events contracts, property valuations may require more frequent attention because construction costs, labor conditions, materials, and local economic circumstances can change between policy reviews.

#property #losses #insurance #information

Duke improved to 2-0 on the season with a hard-fought 31-27 victory over Illinois on the road in Champaign in a sold out Gies Memorial Stadium. A non-conference Power Four win is a huge accomplishment in Week Two of the season.
Quarterback Walker Eget completed 15 of 21 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Nate Sheppard rushed 24 times for 147 yards and one touchdown, and caught five passes for 41 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Jonah Burton caught four passes for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Cornerback Evan Smith accounted for the game's only turnover when he intercepted a pass from Illinois quarterback Katin Houser.
Play One: Illinois was leading 17-7 and Duke was facing a 4th down and four yards to go with nine minutes and 41 seconds remaining in the 2nd quarter. Duke lined up to punt but hiked the ball to Nate Sheppard instead of punter Kade Reynoldson and Sheppard ran for 15 yards and a 1st down. This play switched momentum from the Illini to the Blue Devils. Four plays later Nate Sheppard rushed two yards for a touchdown cutting the Illini lead to 17-14.
Play Two: At the eight minutes and 28 seconds mark of the 1st quarter, quarterback Walker Eget hit wide receiver Jonah Burton for a 12 yards touchdown pass to tie the game at 7-7. Burton did a great job securing the ball as he went to the ground.

#illinois

James Rodríguez's arrival at Atlético Nacional continues to draw major reactions in Colombian football. This time, the club's legendary former goalkeeper and idol, René Higuita, dedicated an emotional welcome message to him, full of affection and verdolaga mystique.
Through his words, the iconic goalkeeper highlighted the institutional weight of the jersey the midfielder from Cúcuta will wear. "This jersey has history, it has heart, and it has fans who are always with us. We love you, welcome to our beloved Atlético Nacional," the former player said.
Higuita ended his greeting by wishing the Colombia national team midfielder the greatest success in this new stage of his professional career: "May the victories come, my brother. Welcome to green," he concluded, reaffirming the enormous excitement this signing has generated among Antioquia's fans.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

#tico #fans

Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables had good things to say about Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood after a 17-10 victory for Michigan over his Oklahoma Sooners. Underwood gashed Oklahoma for 87 yards on the ground, including a rushing score from 38 yards out.
"He's actually exactly who we thought he was," Venables said. "A really talented guy. He's big. He's strong. He's hard to get down one-on-one. He fell forward too often on the quarterback run game. He's got a great future in front of him."
This isn't the first time Venables has been highly complimentary of Underwood. Last year, he compared Underwood to Jacksonville Jaguars QB and former Clemson star Trevor Lawrence. And earlier this week, he said great things about Michigan's young QB even after he struggled against Western Michigan in the season opener.
"One of the most talented players at any position in all of college football. All of his best days are still in front of him," Venables said.
Saturday was certainly a good day for Underwood. Michigan was an underdog, and they weren't expected to win by virtually anyone, yet they did, albeit in a close game and one that Underwood threw for just 111 yards while completing 53% of his passes. Venables is as good a defensive game planner as there is in college football; therefore, his compliments of Underwood should hold some weight. Underwood's best days could be in front of him, as long as improvement continues for him and the Michigan team as a whole.

#good

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: $BTC) and other cryptocurrencies were down to end the trading week on Sept. 11 as the odds of an interest rate hike in the U.S. continued to rise. Futures markets now see a greater than 70% chance that the U.S. Federal Reserve raises interest rates by 25-basis points at its meeting on Sept. 16.
Markets ratcheted up their expectations for higher interest rates following a hot U.S. inflation report for August, and as crude oil hovers near $100 U.S. a barrel for the first time since May of this year. Higher interest rates are negative for risk **** ets such as crypto. As a result, Bitcoin was trading at $77,500 U.S. at week's end, down from a recent high of $82,000 U.S.
Other digital **** ets were also under pressure, with Ethereum's (CRYPTO: $ETH) price right around $2,500 U.S. Despite the pullback, crypto prices remain sharply higher than where they were a month ago, when Bitcoin was trading below $65,000 U.S. BTC peaked at an all-time high of $126,198.07 U.S. on Oct. 6 of last year.
More From Cryptoprowl:
MEXC Launches Earn Plus With Limited-Time Event Offering Up to 800% APR Booster

#Crypto #sept #down

Mizzou volleyball found its rhythm early and never let it go Saturday, sweeping Wichita State 25-19, 25-13, 25-18 to close out another dominant performance at the Mizzou Tournament.
The Tigers controlled the match with a balanced offensive attack and stingy defense, finishing with a .347 hitting percentage while holding Wichita State to .177. Mizzou used contributions throughout its lineup, with Grace O'Reilly, Kimani Johnson and the Tigers' middle blockers helping fuel the three-set victory.
"Always great to play at Hearnes," Mizzou coach Dawn Sullivan said. "I thought it was a team kind of game tonight, and it was really fun to, one, just kind of see them find their rhythm out there."
Johnson set the tone in the opening set, recording five kills on six attempts as Mizzou pulled away for a 25-19 win. After Wichita State cut the Tigers' lead to 12-11, Mizzou responded with a block from Ceylin Kuyan and Lauren Larkin before gradually rebuilding its advantage.
Paige Felder sealed the first set with a kill, giving the Tigers an early 1-0 match lead.

#tigers

Rugby's Greatest Rivalry - Fourth Test
South Africa (17) 43
Tries: de Allende (2), van den Berg, PS du Toit, Arendse, Hanekom Cons: Feinberg-Mngomezulu (2), van den Berg, Libbok (2) Pens: Feinberg-Mngomezulu
New Zealand (14) 28
Tries: Taylor, Jordan, Blackadder, B Barrett Cons: McKenzie (4)

#greatest

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Orange missed several redzone opportunities, turned the ball over at costly times and committed numerous penalties to undo all of their hard work against the Golden Bears. A game in which the offensive numbers looked far better for Syracuse ended in a Cal 21-18 win when Golden Bears safety Kingston Lopa housed a pick six for the eventual winning score with 4:51 left in the 4th quarter.
Syracuse started the game with the ball, and fireworks showed immediately. Tylik Hill ripped a 55 yard rush on the second play of the game to immediately put the Orange in a goal-to-go situation. Syracuse couldn't convert and settled for a Tripp Woody field goal to open the scoring at 3-0.
Cal set its intentions early by playing in empty sets for much of its first drive. Although the Golden Bears got a first down, impressive pressure from Keyshawn Johnson and Dillan Fontus on 3rd down stalled the first Cal drive before midfield.
Syracuse's second drive saw the return of Justus Ross-Simmons, newly eligible after a long and nervous legal battle. He snagged the first Orange reception of the day, going 22 yards up the right sideline. Shavane Anderson Jr. also started to show that his first week performance wasn't a fluke with a pair of good eight-yard gains to move the chains. The Orange had to punt, however, to end their second drive of the day.
Cal showed more of its pass heavy offense, led by its star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. After moving the chains with some good outside passes, JKS finally targeted his top receiver, Ian Strong on a third down play. Syracuse had ****** r Ward instead of Chris Peal covering Strong on this play, but Ward did a great job to force an incompletion and end Cal's second drive.

#orange #game #play #down

Tommy McMillen vs. Marwan Rahiki squared off in a Featherweight bout earlier this morning (Sat., Sept. 12, 2026) inside Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona for Noche UFC 4. After a wild and ****** fight, McMillen was named the victor.
McMillen opened the fight with an overhand right and a surprising takedown. He tried to threaten an arm triangle, but Rahiki quickly escaped to his feet. Back in the standup, the two wasted little time in throwing powerful punches. The range widened, and the two young Featherweights traded kicks. Rahiki got on the front foot and put his opponent on the defensive. His chin was really high though …
Rahiki hit the body and timed a gorgeous right hand. McMillen tied together his kicks and punches, opening a small cut by Rahiki's eye. Two hard right hands connected for McMillen, but "Freaky" fired right back. At the close of the competitive opening round, the two mouthed off at one another as the referee kept them apart.
McMillen was active to start round two, throwing a lot of volume and landing a particularly stiff jab. McMillen threatened a guillotine choke to gain top position but couldn't hold down Rahiki. Rahiki kicked the calf and then started ripping the body to great effect. McMillen's nose was bleeding, but he scored a heavy left hand that wobbled his opponent briefly.
Out of nowhere, a Rahiki counter uppercut floored McMillen! Rahiki turned up the offense and landed a bunch of cracking shots. Somehow, McMillen was able to survive and even land a big right hand of his own a minute later. McMillen started to build some offense on his fatigued opponent, including a late takedown that saw him finish the round with some submission attempts.

#round

Block, Inc. (NYSE:XYZ) is taking another step toward consolidating its digital **** et operations under a federal regulatory framework. On September 8, it filed an application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to charter Builders Bank & Trust, N.A.
If chartered, the Builders Bank & Trust could become an important part of Block's digital **** et custody infrastructure, giving the company a federally supervised framework for custody and related services involving bitcoin and stablecoins.
Builders Bank & Trust would be an uninsured national trust bank, meaning it would not accept deposits or make traditional loans. Instead, its focus would be on fiduciary and custody services, allowing Block to build specialized infrastructure for safeguarding digital **** ets.
The structure could be particularly valuable as Block, Inc. (NYSE:XYZ) seeks to expand its institutional customer base. A federally supervised custody operation could give larger financial institutions greater confidence in Block's ability to safeguard Bitcoin and other digital **** ets.
Stablecoins represent a potentially important opportunity for Block, particularly through its Cash App ecosystem. A regulated custody infrastructure could eventually support broader stablecoin-related products and payments if Block chooses to expand further in this area.

#Bitcoin

GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) is making its largest acquisition since becoming a standalone publicly traded company. It agreed to acquire Consolidated Precision Products (CPP) for around $12 billion.
CPP is one of the world's largest precision castings providers. It's a major GE supplier. Precision castings is a major pressure point for the aerospace engines industry. Acquiring CPP would give GE Aerospace greater control over a critical part of its engine supply chain.
And the deal could strengthen GE's ability to meet demand already sitting in its backlog. But the investment case depends on whether additional production capacity generates enough free cash flow to justify the deal's premium price.
rommma/Shutterstock.com
Engine manufacturers like GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) are struggling to keep pace with surging demand due to supply chain constraints. CPP is a major supplier of precision castings for GE's LEAP and GEnx engines. GE plans to raise CPP's output. It would do that by improving factory yields and machine use. With the CPP deal, GE also sees a path to accelerate production of new engine technologies.

#NYSE #largest #engines #supply

TROY - With a pair of former University at Albany quarterbacks at the controls, the Utica offense shredded RPI again on Saturday.
Former Great Danes backup Tyler Szalkowski completed 29 of 38 passes for 402 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Pioneers to a 38-14 victory over the Engineers at East Campus Stadium.
"I enjoyed my time at Albany," said Szalkowski, who spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Great Danes. "Everything they did for me just made me who I am today."
Utica improved to 2-0, while RPI fell to 1-1.
It was the second straight year Szalkowski picked apart RPI. He was 27-of-29 passing for 385 yards and six touchdowns when the Pioneers blew out the Engineers 41-14 in Utica last season.

#utica #great #former

Arsenal made it four wins from four in the Premier League with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats played a gritty, physical game, but the Gunners gave as good as they got, and battled to the win. With a massive ***** ist from David Raya saving a, uh, generously awarded penalty that would have made it 1-0 for the bad guys. Minutes later, Bruno Guimaraes put one top bins. Raya made another brilliant save later in the half. Deep in added time, Bruno put Bukayo Saka in on goal, earning a penalty and second yellow to Reinildo. Penalty converted. Game over.
The Sunderland crowd greeted Bruno with a chorus of boos when he replaced Myles Lewis-Skelly at halftime. They take their rivalry with Newcastle seriously. Unfortunately, it was very much a "keep booing, it only makes me stronger" moment. You could see from the little smile on Bruno's face that he was loving it and using it to fuel him. His "I can't hear you" celebration to the crowd after he'd put one on postage stamp was absolute perfection.
Great call from Mikel Arteta to pull Myles Lewis-Skelly at the break. Everything was off from him — poor touches, cheap fouls — it simply wasn't his night. The manager also had to swap Jurrien Timber for Ben White, who appeared to have tweaked his groin. Because when ***** nal get one right back healthy, the other gets injured. That's how it works. Timber was excellent, by the way.
The ***** nal subs that came on later in the second half, Eze, Merino, and Zubimendi, were mediocre to poor. The depth is tremendous but Mikel Arteta has his work cut out for him to keep everyone sharp so that when they are called into action they don't, say, give the ball away the only two times they get on it like Merino did today.
The Gunners could have and should have been ahead at halftime, but once again, they were profligate with scoring chances. Bukayo Saka was caught in two minds on a leaping volley and only managed glancing contact. Kai Havertz shot over the bar from in close. The German striker also forced a smart save with a brilliant control, turn, and volley move. Saka also flubbed two chances in the second half — he picked the wrong pass on a 4-on-2 break and he shot too close to the keeper. The side could do with a bit better finishing, but if you believe (as I generally do) that finishing ebbs and flows, as long as they keep generated the volume of chances, someone is in for a real hiding.

#second

The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2026 NFL season as one of the league's most interesting teams. They failed to even make the playoffs last season, but after a great offseason, many have the belief that the team can end their 30-year drought to win the Super Bowl this season.
Last season, the Cowboys' offence was exciting and forced many to believe it was among the best in the league.
This was due to Dak Prescott, George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb leading the way on the offense. However, their defence was equally bad, conceding 30.1 points per game.
Owner Jerry Jones promised to revamp the defence, and as part of that, the likes of Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary, and Von Miller were brought to the team. They also drafted Ohio State player Caleb Downs, and with these additions, many believed the Cowboys could be contenders.
However, Skip Bayless is not one of them, and he has his reason as to why.

#cowboys #many #defence #dallas

BERLIN (AP) — The U.S. women are in a familiar spot — playing for another FIBA World Cup championship.
Getting to a fifth consecutive ******* le game was a little harder then the previous few as they beat Spain 76-66 on Saturday in the semifinals. The Americans had averaged winning the previous four semifinals by 26 points, including a 40-point rout of Canada in 2022.
The Americans will face France in a rematch of the 2024 Paris Olympic gold-medal game that the U.S. won by a point.
"I think it's two great teams going to go head-to-head," said Kahleah Copper, who had 13 points in the win against Spain. "You know I'm excited for the matchup. I'm excited for us to be able to compete."
The U.S. has won 35 straight games in the World Cup going back to a loss to Russia in the semifinals in 2006. Now the Americans are one win away from a fifth consecutive tournament ******* le. That would match the former Soviet Union for the most consecutive championships.

#consecutive #fifth #title #points

Heat Central: Norman Powell says Davion Mitchell is one of the hardest working teammates he's EVER had: "I've been around some great players. Dame is a good one. Being around Davion, Davion genuinely loves basketball. Seeing how much he pours into the game every single day. Davion was the one person I seen that I say 'ok, this guy works out like me.' He's committed to the grind."
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "I've been around some great players. Dame is a good …

#i 've #great #players

Pennsylvania state Rep. David Maloney, a Republican, is asking President Donald Trump to rename Lake Erie to "Lake Pennsylvania" following similar renaming efforts by the president.
Maloney is preparing a resolution calling on Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and lawmakers on Capitol Hill to take steps to rename Lake Erie to "Lake Pennsylvania," arguing that the change is needed to reflect the lake's modern identity.
"This is Pennsylvania's only Great Lake. Its modern economy and identity are increasingly tied to the boaters, anglers, families and tourists who come to enjoy it," Maloney said in a statement. "Ohio has plenty of shoreline. New York already has two Great Lakes. Canada has four others."
New York Gov Hochul Rejects Trump's 'Lake America' Renaming With Blunt Message
Pennsylvania state Rep. David Maloney, a Republican, is asking President Donald Trump to rename Lake Erie to "Lake Pennsylvania."

#republican

Michigan improved to 2-0 on Saturday afternoon, beating Oklahoma 17-10.
Here are key takeaways from Michigan's win.
Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood was just 9-of-17 passing for 111 yards and was marginally better throwing the ball than he was in Week 1. However, he did some great things on the ground, including a 38-yard rushing touchdown to put Michigan up 7-0. In all, Underwood had 87 yards on the ground and the score. Underwood will have to improve passing. While Michigan should continue to lean on what he does best (running), that approach is bound to be stopped on a given week; the defense will give up more than 10 points, and Underwood's arm will decide if Michigan loses. Today was a step in the right direction; he didn't throw an interception despite a couple near picks. Even so, Michigan has a lot of tough games coming up this season (Penn State, Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State) and improvement is necessary through the air.
Michigan had 11 penalties for 90 yards, and many of these extended drives for Oklahoma. Jyaire Hill had a late hit, Dom Nichols ripped John Mateer's helmet off, Shamari Earls had a facemask penalty. Eliminating penalties was a point of emphasis heading into this game, but the team failed to follow the message that head coach Kyle Whittingham had. Michigan's lucky that all the yellow flags didn't cost them the game — because they nearly did.
Michigan held Oklahoma to just 289 yards and 3-of-13 on third down. Defensive end John Henry Daley (eight tackles, one sack) was an absolute force and disrupted Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer's timing, as was defensive end Dom Nichols (0.5 sacks). Linebackers such as Troy Bowles (nine tackles) and Nathaniel Staehling (seven tackles) played well, and safety Chris Bracy (six tackles) delivered hard hits throughout the game. It was a cohesive effort (besides the penalties).

#michigan #oklahoma #game #state

NEW DELHI: England captain Joe Root went past Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar's record for most fifties in Test cricket during England's eight-wicket win over Pakistan in the third Test at Edgbaston on Saturday.

Root remained unbeaten on 62 off 69 ****** , hitting nine fours, as England chased down 130 to complete a 3-0 Test series whitewash.

His unbeaten half-century took his tally of Test fifties to 69, moving him past Tendulkar's 68.

West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul is third on the list with 66 fifties, while Allan Border and Rahul Dravid have 63 each. Ricky Ponting has 62.
69* – Joe Root
68 – Sachin Tendulkar
66 – Shivnarine Chanderpaul
63 – Allan Border

#past

The Houston Rockets recently teamed up with Toyota for an annual day of service, where they honored both first responders and military personnel. Some of Houston's attendees included Reed Sheppard, Jae'Sean Tate, head coach Ime Udoka and general manager Rafael Stone. While there, Stone spoke to the media about his relationship with star center Alperen Sengun, revealing that he went to visit him in Turkey this summer.
"We had some good conversations at the end of last year. Part of it was Alpi putting pressure on me [to communicate better]." Stone went on to say that he spent nearly two weeks with Sengun in Turkey, spending time with one another each day. This is, of course, a great sign for Rockets fans, as Sengun and the front office appear to be on the same page.
Last season, Sengun made his second consecutive all-star appearance, averaging 20.4 points, 8.9 rebounds, 6.2 ******* ists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks.
For more NBA content, check out the BasketBaltes podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/@B...

#stone #basketbaltes #last

Paul Finebaum and SEC Nation made their way to Lexington as Alabama is set to play Kentucky at Kroger Field today at 3:30 p.m. ET.
The Wildcats are in Year 1 under Will Stein, who kicked off his head coaching debut with a 45-13 win over Youngstown State last week. Saturay, he's facing his first conference opponent.
Ahead of today's contest, Finebaum made a bold statement about the Stein comparing him to one of the greatest head coaches of all time.
"Seventy-five years ago, Bear Bryant coached at the University of Kentucky," Finebaum said on the set of SEC Nation. "I feel a vibe right now that the next Bear Bryant has showed up at Kentucky. They really feel like they've got their guy. Will 'Bear' Stein has arrived."
"What a statement," Tim Tebow said. "That's a left hook."

#stein #bear

Francisco Cerundolo added to Team World Laver Cup roster after Tommy Paul injury originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Francisco Cerundolo will replace American Tommy Paul on Team World for the 10th edition of the Laver Cup. Paul suffered an elbow injury at the US Open and will not be able to participate. It is the second year in a row Paul was injured at the US Open and had to be replaced.
This will be the fourth straight Laver Cup for the Argentinian, who reached the fourth round of the US Open. He also reached the fourth round of the Australian Open in January, which are career-bests for a Grand Slam for the the 28-year-old.
Cerundolo has a 3-1 record at the Laver Cup, with all the matches being in singles. Last year in San Francisco during Team World's 15-9 win, Cerundolo defeated Holger Rue and lost to Carlos Alcaraz.
"I'm really excited to be back with Team World for my fourth Laver Cup," said Cerundolo. "I have so many great memories from the event. It's a unique experience getting to know your teammates and playing for each other. I'm looking forward to being back with the team in London."

#cerundolo #laver #francisco #World

ESPN College GameDay was very profitable for one University of Texas student. Each Week on the pregame show, former kicker Pat McAfee picks one student to take part in his Kicking is Easy field goal contest. This week, he picked Connor Kacena-Merrell from Zionsville, Indiana. And Matthew McConnaghey was on hand to help.
The Texas student from the Indianapolis-area complimented McAfee on his philanthropic efforts and said he enjoyed watching McAfee and new Pro Football Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts.
The freshman also said he would donate half his winnings to Building Tomorrow, an Indianapolis-based non-profit organization that works with communities in East Africa to give children access to quality education.
Kacena-Merrell had plenty of leg in his first attempt, but pulled it just a little bit wide right. McConnaghey and ESPN College GameDay's Kirk Herbstreit each promised to add $100,000 to the pot and gave Kacena-Merrell a second chance. Kacena-Merrell took advantage.
The UT student booted a strong kick right down the middle to win $1.2 million dollars. No matter what happens at the Texas-Ohio State game tonight, it was a great day for the young man from Indiana.

#merrell #espn

The results are in for the first SB Nation Reacts polls of the regular season for our Minnesota Vikings, so let's take a look at how everyone is feeling on the eve of the new campaign.
We had two questions for you this week, with the first one being the question that we'll be asking every week this season going forward: How confident are you that the Vikings are moving in the right direction? While the number is above the 50% mark, it isn't quite as high as we've seen it at the start of seasons in the recent past.
Of those who responded to our poll, 60% feel that the team is, in fact, moving in the right direction. As we've generally stated, this can mean different things to different people, but there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered about our favorite squad as we head into the season opener. Hopefully we'll get some positive answers to those questions on Sunday afternoon against the hated Green Bay Packers.
Speaking of that matchup, our other question for this week was how you think the purple will fare in their first game of the season. Our readers feel, overwhelmingly, that our team will come out with a victory, though the margin seems to be up for some debate.
Of those who responded to our poll for this week, 48% believe that the Vikings will emerge victorious by a touchdown or less, while another 34% believe that they'll win by an even greater margin. So, 82% of those who responded to our question for this week believe that our favorite team will be getting off to a 1-0 start to the 2026 season, which is nice. Of those who believe that the Vikings will be starting 0-1, the numbers. . .which somehow add up to 101% rather than 100% because of rounding errors (I ****** ume) that I haven't seen. . .have a slight lean towards the Vikings losing by more than a touchdown than they do toward them losing by less than that.

#season #first #team #we 'll

Week 3 of the 2026 Central Texas high school football season wasn't a great one for the American-Statesman's top area Class 6A teams: No. 1 Lake Travis, playing only its second game after the Cavaliers canceled their season opener, saw its road game against Cibolo Steele end in a 28-28 tie after lightning forced the game to be called in the third quarter. No. 2 Westlake suffered its first loss at Prosper. And No. 3 Dripping Springs lost at Round Rock.
For the second time in three weeks, weather played a factor in Friday night's games. Weather caused delay issues at a handful of matchups, including Lake Travis-Cibolo Steele in Schertz, Wimberley at New Braunfels Long Creek, Lehman at Lockhart and even Giddings at Smithville. Lehman-Lockhart was moved to Saturday.
Westlake defensive back Mateus Teixeira (29) tackles Trinity running back Marcus Turner (5) during the game at Westlake High School on Friday, Sep. 4, 2026 in Austin. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)
Class 6A
Non-district

#game #travis #steele

The Chargers will take the field for the first time in 2026 with an opening weekend matchup against the Cardinals on deck.
Here's what Los Angeles needs to do on offense to come away with a win.
One of the biggest appeals of hiring Mike McDaniel this offseason to coordinate the offense is what it might do for Herbert, who is being lauded as a potential MVP candidate with McDaniel's system attached. Chargers fans caught a glimpse of what that could look like in the preseason game against the Rams when Herbert hit Quentin Johnston for a long-range touchdown. A full game of Herbert operating the McDaniel offense should be a thing of beauty, but both men will need to show that this marriage lives up to the hype in order for Sunday to feel like a success.
McDaniel put up wanted posters for fullback Alec Ingold and running back Keaton Mitchell in the Chargers facility before LA was able to sign both players, in addition to adding tight ends Charlie Kolar and David Njoku. Sunday will be LA's first chance to show why those players in particular make this offense hum - what sort of usage does Ingold see as a fullback? Is Kolar going to be a more well-rounded receiving threat? What does the rotation look like between Kolar, Njoku, and second-year player Oronde Gadsden II? How much will Mitchell eat into Omarion Hampton's touches? The Chargers should be looking for proof of concept in Week 1, and that will come by answering at least a few of those questions and introducing fans to some of their new contributors on offense.
An interior offensive line of left guard Kayode Awosika, rookie second-round pick center Jake Slaughter, and right guard Cole Strange isn't anything to write home about, but McDaniel has made do with seemingly substandard trios on the inside before. Nolen looked like a potential game-wrecker in limited action for Arizona last season and now returns as the cornerstone of a defensive line who will look to take advantage of what has to be LA's greatest weakness on offense. If the Chargers can keep Nolen from making a big impact by sending help towards him and getting the ball out quickly to start the game, they should be able to keep things humming on offense.

#mcdaniel #kolar

Regular readers know that I've followed one of the great Cy Young horse races in recent memory, with Cam Schlittler going great start-for-great start with the Blue Jays' Dylan Cease. We got a little bit of separation this week, as the Athletics touched up Cease for four runs in five innings on Monday, and then Schlittler allowed just a solo shot in seven frames against the Rockies on Tuesday. Cam has crept just ahead by fWAR, enjoys a considerable lead in bWAR, and right now I think would end up at the top of most voters' ballots.
But something struck me in the aftermath of Cam's night against Colorado, the same night that Aaron Judge returned to the lineup. Cam Schlittler isn't just the Cy Young favorite, but he's built himself an MVP case. No pitcher has won the award since Clayton Kershaw for the 2014 Dodgers, and the last AL winner was 2011 Justin Verlander. Yordan Alvarez is in the hunt for the first Triple Crown since Miguel Cabrera, Bobby Witt Jr. is probably the best overall player in the league, and if Junior Caminero tops the AL in home runs and plays on the Junior Circuit's best team, he probably gets his share of votes too.
And yet here's the thing: Cam stacks up fairly against all three of them!
Let's take Yordan, who I think has the inside track on the award right now. Schlittler's 0.1 fWAR back, a difference that is literally negligible, and more than three-quarters of a win better by bWAR. Alvarez's candidacy is based around the Triple Crown, probably being the best hitter in baseball, and dragging what we thought was a finally-deflated Houston Astros team to a division ****** le. ****** py AL West or not, that is exactly the blueprint for an MVP, if one for a slightly older voter.
Should Alvarez not win the Triple Crown, he loses a bit of his case, though he's likely still the best hitter in the game on a division winner, one who will have played in the neighborhood of 155 games. That's the big thing both undercutting Witt's MVP claim while bolstering his position as best all-around player — the Kansas City shortstop has only played 128 games at time of writing, yet leads the league in fWAR and bWAR among position players. With a solid-but-not-spectacular 18 homers and 124 wRC+, the parts of his game beyond hitting are doing the heavy lifting there as well. All that and the fact that the Royals are so bad work against him when it comes to end of season awards though, and Bobby seems cursed to be the Dave Stieb of shortstops.

#schlittler #young #cease