Sam Leavitt's transfer from Arizona State to LSU did not go over well with some ASU fans. Neither did recent comments from the LSU quarterback.
Leavitt addressed his transfer from Arizona State to LSU in recent comments, saying that LSU is "just different" from ASU.
"It's funny, that's kind of what everyone's saying around here, 'It's just different,'" Leavitt said at a recent LSU football event. "It really is in every aspect. You come out here to the practices, the way individual reps are ran, you know the way that every single coach is just so poured into this, the time that we meet outside the facility, outside of like the initial time we're supposed to meet — it truly is just a different situation. You talk about being a pro, trying to become the best version of yourself, and there's no other place to do it, other than here."
"Every single day I walk into the facility, and I see Whit (linebacker Whit Weeks), Ty Benefield, all these dudes. And you've got to go against them every single day. Some pretty good players to play."
Added Leavitt: "Just looking back at my process, you know I think, leaving ASU, you know, I had a comfortable situation. Walking into the building, I saw my guys, built great relationships, won a lot of games there. But I wanted to do something a little bit different, you know."

#leavitt #different #single #arizona

We asked for your views on head coach Steven Pressley signing a new deal with Dundee.
Here is a selection of your replies:
Richie: Delighted to see him sign another contract. Would have liked more commitment from club and Steven with longer deal, but it clearly suits both parties. I like what I see with Pressley, Dundee need guys like him.
Craig: I like him. He's progressing the club and has an eye for a player. Look at how much Luke Graham improved over last season. Many young players improving under his guidance too. I hope we bring in a few and we can look forward to a couple of decent seasons with Mr Pressley at the helm.
Jim: The fans have warmed to Steven after a job well done in the end last season. Don't think the feeling is mutual though and feel like Pressley still holds a grudge for the murmurs of discontent at the beginning of last season. Let's home he can get over it and we all improve as one this season.

#pressley #last #deal

After Chaos faceoff specialist Justin Inacio suffered a right knee sprain in Carolina's 13–12 overtime win over the Boston Cannons and was ruled out for the team's doubleheader in Columbus, general manager Spencer Ford chose not to sign another faceoff specialist to replace him.
Ahead of Friday night's matchup with the California Redwoods — who boast one of the PLL's top faceoff men in TD Ierlan — he explained why.
"There could be guys who could come in and possibly win, but there is not one person who can come and be the whole package for us," Ford said. "Could they get us 40%? Could they be great in the pick game when TD is working to get a switch for [Chris Kavanagh]? Can they stop TD from going forward? He has hurt us at that and usually scores a big goal. Can he be great on offense and enable us to play fast in the 32[-second shot clock]?"
Ford and the Chaos feel more comfortable staying in-house at the stripe with a rotation of offensive and short-stick defensive midfielders.
Ty English, Christian Scarpello and Ray Dearth – who took the remaining 23 faceoffs after Inacio exited against the Cannons in the first quarter – will continue to take a majority of the faceoffs against the Redwoods and the Philadelphia Waterdogs this weekend.

#faceoff #inacio #specialist #great

The Boston Red Sox have clawed their way back into the postseason picture with a 15-game win streak after the season looked all but unsalvageable. Heading into the final day of the month, Boston is 25-5 in July and in possession of a Wild Card spot as things stand.
As the Red Sox gear up for a massive weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, everything is going as well as any fan could've hoped, other than one recurring headache: Jarren Duran.
In Thursday's win over the Athletics, Duran appeared to take exception with Willson Contreras not tagging up from third on his pop-out to try and turn the routine out into a pop fly.
After the game, Duran, who is slashing a miserable .195/.252/.337, downplayed the incident.
"That's nothing. It's something within the team that we have that we work on, and it's nothing," he said after being asked about it. "Like, you guys don't need to know. ****** ody needs to know. That's something between us and the team that we know what it's about. So that doesn't really matter."

#know #team #wild

The wide receiver position is absolutely loaded in both fantasy football and reality. It's so hard to put together any sort of position ranking list without feeling like you left someone off or slighted a really good player or two. And yet, I'm going to give it a shot for yet another season in this annual exercise … and I'll absolutely feel the aforementioned regret, shame, etc.
After pouring hours into charting a ton of the guys drafted the last few years for Reception Perception, I decided to sit down and rank the top-15 wide receivers who are currently 25 years old or younger heading into the 2026 NFL season (not including rookies).
Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2026 NFL season
Note: These are not simply fantasy rankings. Instead, this is how I view these guys as pure individual NFL players removed from the context of their situations. One player I did not include here was Travis Hunter, who is quite likely to play more cornerback than wide receiver this season (key distinction) for the Jaguars. As a wide receiver only, however, I'm a big fan and think he could compete for a top-10 spot if he got the developmental reps he needs.
Since he entered the league in 2023, Puka Nacua leads all wide receivers with 600 or more routes in yards, first downs and successful targets per route run. Every season he gets a little bit better, with 2025 being the year he added more vertical separation to his bag.

#fantasy #receiver #Football

CHICAGO — Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti offered plenty of flowers to the rest of the conference at Big Ten Media Days on Thursday.
He reserved some of his highest praise for Ohio State.
"They're a goliath," Cignetti said. "There's some goliaths in the Big Ten that have been goliaths for a long time."
Cignetti later expanded on his answer to include the likes of Michigan, USC and Penn State in that same category, while opening the door for a natural follow-up question: Is Indiana on the verge of joining those ranks?
"We were the national champs of 2025 and 27-2 the last two years," Cignetti said. "Longest home win streak in college football. Longest win streak in college football. I don't know. You guys write those stories."

#Football #indiana

Everyone was talking about the training camp scuffle from Day 1 of camp for the Cincinnati Bengals. Some people were concerned that Zac Taylor was letting too much go.
In reality, it was just players going out and competing against one another to get better.
Ja'Marr Chase talked to the media after Day 2 of camp. When asked if he liked seeing that type of fire from the defensive back,
"A lot of competitiveness going on, and getting each other better. That's what I want, exactly what I want. I never seen JD like that. It's new. I like it. I think it makes them guys practice a little harder," he said.
The JD he was referring to is expected nickel corner starter Jalen Davis. It isn't surprising that a former undrafted free agent who has had to scratch and claw his way on the practice squad and roster would be out there with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. Davis mixed it up with Chase, but also with Mike Gesicki during day one of training camp.

#chase #better #everyone

Kevon Looney has a chance to become an underrated but key addition to the Los Angeles Lakers' roster. The No. 30 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, he spent his first 10 seasons with the Golden State Warriors, where he won three championships and made a living as an undersized but high-motor center who gobbled up boards, played effective defense, set screens and did the dirty work.
He just completed a bit of a down year with the New Orleans Pelicans, where he played in just 21 games and saw his shooting percentage plunge. Lakers fans feel he won't be an adequate backup center, especially if starter Walker Kessler suffers an injury, but if Looney is still spry, he could surprise some people.
During a recent appearance on the "Mason & Ireland Show) on ESPN 710 AM L.A. radio, Looney talked about how difficult it is to play against new teammate Luka Doncic and how he's looking forward to learning how to make things easier on the superstar.
"Playing against him sucks, especially being a big man," Looney said on Mason & Ireland on ESPN LA Radio. "You're in a lot of pick-and-rolls, you're getting iso'd, he picks on people and you gotta guard him 1-on-1 and he's probably the toughest guy to guard 1-on-1 in the league. Got to compete against him on the Lakers and in the playoffs when he was in Dallas.
"I'm excited to be on his team, be able to learn from him, be able to play pick-and-roll with him. He's probably the best pick-and-roll player in the league so being able to learn how he wants me to set screens and different things like that I'm excited about it. He's one of the best guys in the league and it makes my life a lot easier playing with him so I'm super excited."

#excited #able #ireland

Those hoping for some positive momentum with the ongoing contract negotiations between the New England Patriots and Christian Gonzalez might come away feeling disappointed with the latest update.
According to NFL insider Albert Breer, the two sides "aren't close" in contract negotiations. Granted, Breer did acknowledge that things could quickly change. He also continued to suggest that Gonzalez's tactics could potentially be in line with Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, with whom he shares the same agent.
Breer thinks both players are looking for a market-setting deal from their respective teams.
"No, they aren't close right now. That doesn't mean it can't change quickly. These things can change fast," Breer said on NBC Sports Boston's Arbella Early Edition. "I think it is a gesture of good faith that he is practicing, but I think both of these guys are looking for the same thing, which is a market setter on every measure."
Gonzalez has been a full participant at training camp practice despite the ongoing contract negotiations.

#breer #change #gonzalez #things

It was a uniquely Seattle, Pacific Northwest Seahawks day.
The fifth day of training camp was the first day the players were in full pads. Full, real football, for the first time since they won Super Bowl 60 five months ago.
It was the first morning practice of camp. A blue, crystal clear sky. Sun and 74 degrees. Eagles soared from their nests next to the fields. The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels roared over practice on the lush, green grass fields along Lake Washington.
"I don't know if it gets much better than this," coach Mike Macdonald said Thursday, grinning proudly at what he gets to do. "Beautiful weather. Training camp. Pads on. Playing football. We've got bald eagles flying. We've got the Blue Angels in the sky. It's pretty awesome.
"We're very blessed. Pretty awesome day. Great practice. Guys were after it.

#camp

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

#alexander #year #vacation #season

The Washington Huskies' defensive line underwent a massive facelift ahead of the 2026 season after losing ten players from the unit to graduation, the NFL draft, and the transfer portal.
However, Jedd Fisch still expressed considerable confidence in his defensive front, even as defensive coordinator Ryan Walters attempts to replicate the nation's No. 12 run defense from the 2025 campaign, when the Huskies allowed 100.08 yards per game.
"Night and day in a lot of ways," Fisch told Huskies Wire of Washington's defensive tackles during Big Ten Media Days on Thursday. "When you look at Elinneus (Davis), Derek Colman-Brusa, (Darin) Conley, (Desean) Watts, TI (Umu-Cais), Kai (McClendon), that's six guys that are interior D-linemen that have shown an ability to play at a very high level."
At outside linebacker, after injuries have ravaged the unit over Fisch's first two years at the helm, the depth also looks considerably different. The Huskies are looking to improve on a group that recorded just 24 sacks in 2025, which ranked No. 12 in the Big Ten, and have an experienced unit leading the way.
"(Russell) Davis is back, Isaiah Ward is back. Then you look at Jacob Lane on the other side, then Logan George; they've shown the defensive line in its totality is a different type of group than we've had in the five years that I've been a head coach. I think the ability for us to go in and out with players and keep them fresh in a long season, as well as the difference makers that I think we have there, is exciting."

#unit #season #players

Looney has spent many years trying to contain Doncic as a defender and it is something he is happy to not have to do this season. The Lakers center made it clear that he is very excited to be able to team with the superstar guard as opposed to trying to defend him. "Playing against him sucks, especially being a big man," Looney said on Mason & Ireland on ESPN LA Radio. "You're in a lot of pick-and-rolls, you're getting iso'd, he picks on people and you gotta guard him 1-on-1 and he's probably the toughest guy to guard 1-on-1 in the league. Got to compete against him on the Lakers and in the playoffs when he was in Dallas. "I'm excited to be on his team, be able to learn from him, be able to play pick-and-roll with him. He's probably the best pick-and-roll player in the league so being able to learn how he wants me to set screens and different things like that I'm excited about it. He's one of the best guys in the league and it makes my life a lot easier playing with him so I'm super excited."
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: "Playing against him sucks, especially being a big …

#guard #looney

Alan Jouban has trained several times with Daniel Rodriguez in the past, so he knows the danger he brings as an underdog vs. Uros Medic in Saturday's UFC Fight Night 283 headliner.
Longtime UFC desk ****** yst and veteran welterweight Jouban is quite compelled by Medic (13-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) vs. Rodriguez (20-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who meet in their first octagon main event at Belgrade Arena in Serbia (Paramount+).
Both men bring three-fight winning streaks into the bout, where Medic is a sizeable betting favorite. "The Doctor" has a home-field advantage in Serbia and heavy hands that have proven capable of knocking out high-level fighters. Jouban understands why Medic is favored, but his history with Rodriguez, as well as studying his many fights, affords respect to the potential path to victory.
"D-Rod's got this thing, man – I was training with him when he was young, before he got into the UFC," Jouban told MMA Junkie. "I used to bring him in to spar with me, and I just always remember he has this follow-up left hand that buzzes you. You see it in his fights. He'll be losing a fight, he'll get knocked down and people get a little overzealous and go for the finish. He always had a natural ability – he's a southpaw, so a lot of people don't like to throw their power hand because it makes you put yourself more in danger and commit to the punch, whereas a check hook or something is a lot easier to stay away. Daniel has this natural ability to always finish a combination with his left hand, which is his power punch and his best punch, as well. It's natural. I've felt it. It buzzes you. He seems to get guys.
"That's what I'm going to be looking for in this fight with Uros Medic. He's a finisher, he smells blood, and he gets you out of there very quickly. Three-fight win streak, three knockouts for Uros Medic. If he hurts D-Rod, I expect to see this in the first round. I expect to see him hurt D-Rod. D-Rod's kind of got a history of getting hurt, and then hurting you after. What happens in that exchange? Did Uros do the film study? Is he able to control the emotions of not going for that finish that he's so good at? If D-Rod can find that left hand and change the course of the momentum of this matchup. That's going to be what I'm really looking at closely in this fight."

#jouban #three

Training camp is an opportunity for long shots and feel-good stories to make their names, and there might be no lesser-known quarterback receiving first-team reps than Jack Strand.
With the Atlanta Falcons' top two quarterbacks, Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr., held out of full-team practice on Thursday, Strand found himself handing off to Bijan Robinson and throwing to the likes of Drake London and Kyle Pitts.
Not bad for an undrafted rookie who less than a year ago was facing Division-II defenses at Minnesota State Moorhead.
When the Falcons opened camp, Tagovailoa was dealing with some back tightness and Michael Penix Jr. not yet cleared for full-team activities, it left Strand as the only fully healthy quarterback on the roster after the team released Trevor Siemian with a non-football injury designation.
"I didn't think about it too much," Strand told the Falcons' official website. "I'm coming into training camp and everything just trying to take it day by day. Keep attacking every day. Keep getting better every day. Whether I'm getting a bunch of reps or I'm not getting as many reps. Whatever reps that I do get, whether it's in Indy, whether it's in RVA, whether it's in team, anything, I'm just going to try to attack those reps and try to keep getting with those. And then also from watching the guys around me."

#falcons #getting #tagovailoa

The Miami Dolphins are two days into training camp, and following Thursday's practice, the team's longest-tenured wide receiver, Malik Washington, spoke with South Florida reporters. Although entering just his third NFL season, Washington has been the most senior receiver for the Dolphins in snaps on Miami and time with the team.
This is among a group of receivers that includes a seldom-used 2024 draft classmate of Washington's, two 2025 undrafted free agents, four rookies (three drafted and a UDFA) and several veteran free agent fliers.
Washington doubles as a return man and has shown sparks of being a multifaceted weapon in his two seasons. He has made 72 receptions for 540 yards, with three receiving touchdowns, along with 110 yards on seven rushing attempts with two ground scores. He also has returned 38 punts for 394 yards, which includes a Week 2 touchdown from last season against the New England Patriots. He is also the Dolphins' all-time leader in average yards per kick-off return (among those with 50 attempts) with 27.9.
On Thursday, he fielded questions from the media and discussed new quarterback Malik Willis, a summer practice season up in Jacksonville, as well as the elimination of 7-on-7 drills under the new coaching of Jeff Hafley.
When asked about Willis and the chemistry they developed over the summer, Washington said, "I think it's huge for him just to ask some of the guys to come out there and be with him, and we get some of that time to bond. Whether we're on the field or not, we're getting a chance to just get to know each other a little bit better, get to know each other's families and learn about each other."

#season #time #willis #receiver

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP) — Malik Nabers insists he does not know what the "PUP" list means — the place where players land if they are physically unable to perform at the start of training camp.
At least this year, he doesn't need to. He's on the field at camp with the New York Giants, and all eyes are on the No. 1 receiver who is starting to regain his previous dynamic form.
Now 10 months removed from tearing the ACL in his right knee and still on a lengthy road back from the injury, Nabers is not yet a full participant in practice. But the Giants' No. 1 receiver is running routes at full speed during individual drills and sparking optimism that he'll be healthy enough to play in a game sooner than later.
"It felt good," Nabers said Thursday after the second practice of camp in the mountains of West Virginia. "I mean, I might not show it. I like to be a person that you never know my facial expressions. I'm always just smooth and calm. But it felt good to be out there with the guys, get a couple throws, just move around."
Nabers, who turned 23 on Tuesday, sounded more hopeful about his future than he did in early January, when he walked with the **** istance of a cane the previous weekend as a precaution and would not commit to being ready for the season opener. Saying at the time, "If my body doesn't feel right, then I'm not going to go out there," he began a period of lingering pessimism that began to fade a bit this week when he did not land on the PUP list and was a visible part of the team.

#nabers #Giants #know #list

CHICAGO (AP) — Indiana coach Curt Cignetti says he's "stalking complacency" as he makes sure there's no championship hangover now that he's orchestrated one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history.
Cignetti took over a program that had gone 9-27 the three years before his arrival and led it to College Football Playoff appearances in each of his first two seasons, including a 2025 national ****** le.
He wants his program to maintain the same edge it carried while working its way up.
"We have a way of doing things," Cignetti sad. "We've got guys that have been together, and all we do is win."
Indiana's stunning two-year run under Cignetti already has allowed the traditional Big Ten also-ran to shed its status as the Bowl Subdivision program with the most losses in history. That dubious honor now belongs to conference rival Northwestern.

#cignetti #program #Football

The Seattle Seahawks have some big contract decisions coming up on their big defensive tackles. While time is on their side regarding Byron Murphy II, who isn't even extension eligible until next offseason, this year is the last of Leonard Williams' three-year contract. Williams confirmed that extension talks have been opened, but he didn't go into any real details beyond that.
If you're already antsy regarding the future of one of Seattle's most important players, perhaps this will put you at ease. In a guest appearance on Daily Puck Drop with Jason Puckett, longtime NFL insider Mike Garofalo indicated that a deal is imminent. How imminent? We shouldn't be worrying about it by the time the Seahawks hang their latest Super Bowl banner.
"It is going to be a big number," Garofalo said. "It'll be before Week 1, I'll put it to you like that, and it's going to be a big number from my understanding.
"A lot of teams now are playing defenses that are really relying upon defensive tackles. The Eagles paid both of their guys [Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis] a combined $64 million per year at defensive tackle. It used to be the defensive ends were getting all the money—I mean DTs got paid along the way, but now it's like really big money for these guys because a lot of these defenses, particularly the Eagles, rely upon these defensive tackles to create havoc up front. Same for the Seahawks and what they're doing."
Garofalo is referencing Jalen Carter's $38 million/year extension, which makes him (for now) the highest paid defensive tackle in the league. Jordan Davis' contract extension was three years for $78 million, or $26 million/year.

#garofalo

During the first day of training camp practice for the Jacksonville Jaguars, rookie tight ends Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol each saw their share of opportunities with the first-team offense.
Certainly, those opportunities speak to what they've put on film throughout the offseason and the work they've put in away from the practice field. But as head coach Liam Coen described after practice, he also wants to put the rookies in some new situations to see how they respond.
"It's also trying to put them in some positions that maybe are a little uncomfortable early on, like putting them in some positions that we got to go see what they can do in terms of that," Coen said. "And not that we know what Hunter and know what Quinton can do -- I think both those guys had good days as well, Hunter and Q -- we got to see what these guys can do against NFL competition, against a good defensive line, whether it's with the first group or the second group."
Boerkircher was a terrific blocking tight end at the college level and the Jaguars believe he can impact the passing game as well. That well-rounded skill set, especially when paired with Brenton Strange and all he can do, can help add a new layer to the offense and open up the playbook for Coen.
Koziol, meanwhile, was more of a pass-catching threat during his college career.

#coen #first #jaguars #tight

When the Twins selected him with the 16th overall pick last July, Marek Houston was seen by most scouts as a lock to stick shortstop with elite defensive talent, but a fringy bat that projects for below average production in the major leagues. Just 27 games into his Double-A tenure, Houston is already producing offense at a high level, boasting a .325 batting average with a 135 wRC+. As he begins to pop up on top 100 prospect lists, there is a growing belief that his bat has a chance to provide some real impact for the Twins.
Standing at 6'3", Marek is a twitchy and fluid athlete. He is a plus runner, nabbing 38 bags so far this season while being caught just 4 times. He has an excellent approach at the plate. Very patient hitter who is running a chase rate around 17% this season with above-average walk rates. His swing mechanics have remained largely unchanged from his time at Wake Forest. The pre-swing hand load and leg kick is a little loud, but he breaks it down with 2 strikes, which has helped him limit strikeouts and put together mature at-bats despite posting average zone contact rates. His raw power is below average, but Houston has continued to tap into more and more juice as the season has gone on. There is quality gap power if he can consistently elevate the ball.
While the offensive ceiling is still limited, any doubt that Marek Houston may not have a major league caliber bat is effectively gone. If he doesn't tap into any more power, his profile is similar to that of Austin Martin or Luke Keaschall, a patient hitter who makes a lot of contact and provides value on the bases. While these guys don't hit for much power and have middling offensive numbers, they do more for the offense than the stats show. Combining that with plus defense at the shortstop position makes for an extremely valuable player and a guy who will find a way to make a positive impact on every game.
Marek Houston is squarely on track for a 2027 debut with an outside chance of making his way onto the opening day roster. He looks like a perfect fit for the Twins as a long-term solution at the shortstop position, where the team's -15 FRV since the start of 2025 ranks 28th in MLB. While he doesn't have a dynamite bat like Walker Jenkins or Emmanuel Rodriguez, Houston is worth getting excited about as one of the system's top prospects and arguably the prospect with the highest chance to be a productive big leaguer. He has been a Minnesota Twin for just over 12 months, but fans won't have to wait much longer to see him suited up at Target Field.

#chance

Former San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees will officially be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH, as a member of the class of 2026 on August 8. Sean Payton, former Saint and Brees' longtime head coach in the Crescent City, was recently announced as the presenter for No. 9 at the enshrinement ceremony.
Although Brees and Payton had their own backgrounds in the NFL before joining forces in New Orleans in 2006, the QB-HC combo cemented their professional legacies within the Superdome at the heart of the Big Easy, delivering a rebirth to Saints football and aiding in the rebuild of a then-broken city.
Following a 3-13 season and a 2005 campaign that saw zero home games played inside of New Orleans following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the city and team required a refresh and found just what Louisiana needed in a first-year head coach and a young gunslinger coming off of a brutal shoulder injury. These guys would grow, progress, and build what would become one of the most prolific offenses in modern league history.
The partnership between Brees and Payton quickly sparked a fire for the black and gold while providing a sense of hope for those still suffering from the tragic natural disaster just a year removed. In the pairing's inaugural season in New Orleans, the Saints finished with an 11-5 overall record and made a run to the NFC Conference Championship game. Although the team would ultimately fall short of reaching the ultimate goal of playing in and winning the city's first Super Bowl, this season was simply a foreshadowing of greater things to come.
New Orleans would go on to miss the postseason in both 2007 and 2008 before a magical year in which pigs learned to fly.

#city

Second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart sees two different but complementary forces already shaping the New York Giants' offense as training camp opens.
The first is Malik Nabers. Dart said the wide receiver carries a distinct presence the moment he steps on the field.
"He definitely has a presence about him. There's an aura that he has on the field that is exhilarating. It makes me happy," Dart told reporters on Wednesday. "It makes everybody happy just to see him out there. . . I've got all the confidence in the world in him and his approach to the game, how much he's missed being out there with the guys."
Every time Nabers is involved, even in individual drills, the energy shifts.
"It's Leek," Dart added. "Every time he's on the field, everybody knows where he's at."

#every #makes #time #second

The ACC revealed the pre-season all-conference team on Wednesday, and NC State did not have anybody selected. Which isn't exactly surprising—I'm not sure who outside of CJ Bailey would have a credible argument at this point. There are guys with potential, of course—Harvey Dyson could have himself a year, for one—but the guesswork is a bit tougher in the portal era.
Bailey received 15 votes for Pre-season Player of the Year, fourth behind Darian Mensah, Kevin Jennings, and Isaac Brown.
2026 ACC Football Preseason Player of the Year (votes)
1. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (97)
2. Kevin Jennings, QB, SMU (25)
3. Isaac Brown, RB, Louisville (16)
4. CJ Bailey, QB, NC State (15)
5. Duce Robinson, WR, Florida State (12)
6. Sammy Brown, LB, Clemson (11)
7. Kam Robinson, LB, Virginia (5)
8. Will Heldt, DE, Clemson (4)
9. Mason Heintschel, QB, Pitt (3)
The absence of Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele from this list is apparently due to the fact that the ACC did not even put him on the ballot, which is baffling, to say the least. Is there a paper shortage at the league office? What is the need for a list so short that it excludes one of the ACC's best quarterbacks? They, uh, did remember that Cal is in the ACC, right?

#state #bailey #mensah #kevin

In about two weeks, EA Sports will release Madden NFL '27 ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Every year, before the latest edition of the game is released, Madden's player rankings are made public for gamers. Their calculation process for these rankings is extensive, and each position has measurements weighted differently. A lot of the ranking has to do with their performance over the last season, which is why Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels finished with only a 79 overall rating, while 2024 classmates Drake Maye and Caleb Williams finished inside the top 10.
Yes, Daniels was wildly disrespected, but he only played in seven games last season. Even in the games he played, Daniels was nursing injuries, so his game wasn't up to par with his 2024 season.
Daniels isn't the only one disrespected by Madden this year, though. In the rookie rankings, first-round draft pick Sonny Styles ranks 13th overall. He is the highest-ranked MIKE, but he landed behind guys like Keldric Faulk, Malachai Lawrence, and Akheem Mesidor, all of whom were drafted after him in the 2026 NFL Draft. Styles was the No. 7 overall pick, and many believed he'd go somewhere in the top five.
Styles received an overall grade of 78. The breakdown is as follows: Speed - 90, strength - 74, agility - 81, change of direction - 77, injury - 87, and awareness - 78.

#only #draft

The New York Giants began their 2026 training camp on Wednesday at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
So, what better way to kick off camp than to play John Denver's 1971 classic "Take Me Home, Country Roads," a song that extols the great state's down-home beauty.
"Thrilled to be here," head coach John Harbaugh told the media after the team's first workout of camp. "The opening song of our meeting today was, of course, (Country Roads). You better believe it. It was great. And a lot of the guys knew the words. I knew the words. So, it was fun to kind of just get here and be a part of it.
"I'm just really appreciative of the people here. How good they've been. I mean, every single person says, 'We appreciate you being here. What can we do for you?' Make you feel welcome."
Denver's iconic song is being played at sporting events across the nation, just like Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" has been for the past decade or so. That is why so many know the words. It's a catchy sing-along number that is filled with Americana that carries a unifying message.

#camp #song #roads

ESPN's Bill Barnwell made an All-Backup Team, and two New England Patriots players made the cut.
Barnwell used all backup players and rotation guys to make a 53-man roster. He forced himself to take at least one backup from each team, but he did not take more than two players. His main goal was to go after players who participate regularly on special teams that help fill out the backend of the lineup.
It's also worth noting that he wanted to incorporate rookies on his team. However, the Patriots did not have a rookie representative in this situation. The players Barnwell chose for the Patriots were wide receiver DeMario Douglas and defensive tackle Cory Durden.
Douglas would fall under the category of a rotation guy, although that might change this season, considering he's been working with the starters at training camp. The wide receiver was a productive playmaker last season, recording 31 catches for 447 yards and three touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Durden was initially signed by the Patriots as a member of the practice squad. However, he worked his way up the depth chart and became a regular contributor later in the season.

#douglas #durden

CHICAGO − Ohio State football coach Ryan Day said the handful of players who were held out at the end of spring practice in April have been participants in summer workouts and are due to return for the start of training camp in August.
Austin Siereveld and Phillip Daniels, the Buckeyes' returning starting left and right tackles, and Earl Little Jr., a transfer safety from Florida State, were among those who underwent procedures late in spring practice.
Day did not divulge the details of the injuries to Siereveld and Daniels during the spring, but then described their procedures as small ones. He said Little had a cleanup procedure on a knee that led him to miss the spring game.
"It's good to get all those guys back and have a full summer with them, which has been great," Day said during Big Ten media days on July 29. "Now we're ready for the preseason and everything looks good. I think it was the right thing to do. At the end of the year, you've got to clean up your shoulders, you've got to clean up your knees. All that went well."
While Siereveld started at left tackle last season, he also made six starts at left guard in 2024 and could slide inside if the Buckeyes reconfigure their offensive line to include Ian Moore, a promising redshirt sophomore.

#summer

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

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The solution to quarterback Caleb Williams' accuracy issues has Chicago Bears coach Ben Johnson bringing up a familiar number.
With training camp underway in his second season, Johnson said he is again expecting a 70% completion rate this year after his third-year quarterback failed to come close to that designated figure last year at 58.1%.
Williams believes he can record a higher percentage without flat-out predicting he'll approach the magic number.
Achieving it will require something he didn't do in his first two seasons, after being the No. 1 pick of the 2024 draft and then leading Chicago to an NFC North **** le in 2025.
"Just hit the easy ones when they're there," Williams said. "Be in rhythm with myself. Be confident in my guys, be confident within the play. Deliver a good ball. Deliver a catchable ball.

#year #johnson #quarterback #number