The New York Giants have a fighting chance to overtake their NFC East foes and win the division crown next season.
CBS Sports' John Breech ranked the Giants No. 3 overall in his ***** sment of each team that finished with the worst record in its respective division last season and its chances of going from worst to first in 2026.
If the Giants are going to have any chance of winning the division, they're going to need Jaxson Dart to take a huge step forward and he's going to have to do it while learning a new playbook that's being implemented by new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. Bringing in Nagy certainly feels like a boom or bust decision: It could end up working out or it could end up derailing the season.
Of course, even if the offense is bad, the Giants could still contend, and that's because they have a scary defensive front. This is a team that could win games 13-10 if that's what they're forced to do.
The NFC East is strong. The Philadelphia Eagles are the reigning division champions. Despite losing A.J. Brown in a trade this offseason, they still possess the talent to finish well above .500, though a dip in the win column may occur after their 11-6 mark in 2025.

#going #nagy #chance #worst

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have suspended defensive backs coach Gerald Alexander for three weeks without pay following a drunken driving charge for an incident earlier this year.
The Vikings announced the punishment Tuesday as they began training camp. Alexander's suspension began Friday and will be in effect until Aug. 13, two days before their first preseason game at the New York Giants.
"I take full responsibility for the situation I put myself in and apologize for not meeting the mark," Alexander said in a statement released by the Vikings. "I know it's unacceptable. I understand the suspension and am committed to learning from the matter and ensuring I come back a better version of myself."
Alexander, who was also given the ****** le of defensive passing game coordinator, was hired in February to replace Daronte Jones, who became defensive coordinator of the Washington Commanders.
According to Hennepin County court records, Alexander pled guilty July 16 to a gross misdemeanor charge of third degree driving while impaired for refusal to submit to a chemical test. A fourth degree driving while impaired charge was dismissed. He was sentenced to 48 hours of community service, placed on two years of unsupervised probation and fined $603.

#defensive #began #suspension #coordinator

MLS All-Stars teamed up with Charlotte FC to help local kids get in on the excitement ahead of Wednesday's game.
More than 400 young people packed the pitch at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex Tuesday to learn from some of the game's best. The clinics are part of MLS All-Star Community Day.
"Today it's about having fun, meeting friends and learning more about soccer," Frank Mungugia, a participant, told Channel 9's Miana Massey.
For 12-year-old Mungugia, it's a chance to play the sport he loves while picking up new skills.
"Soccer is for everyone," Tiara Brown, director of community engagement with Charlotte FC, said. "You just need a ball, ******* e to play and some people."

#Soccer #people #mecklenburg

PHILADELPHIA − The start of training camp brings about hope for the coming season. It also brings about competition.
That competition is something the Eagles want at every position, whether it's for starting jobs, backup roles, or even coveted spots on the 53-man roster.
For the Eagles, that competition begins with the first training camp practice on July 29. For many, that competition will continue throughout camp, the joint practices with the Patriots (and ex-Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown) and the three preseason games.
Buy Philadelphia Eagles tickets
NFL teams have to cut their rosters from 90 down to 53 by Aug. 30. So the competition at some spots will be intense. And the Eagles are doing this while learning a new offensive system under new coordinator Sean Mannion, and with at least three new starters on defense.

#spots #three

William Shatner plans to boldly go where few have gone before, reveals a source, becoming a supercentenarian with the help of the latest in science advances!
"He genuinely believes he can make it to at least 110 if he keeps looking after himself and stays mentally engaged," dishes the source. "He's immersed in learning about all the possibilities, spending hours reading, listening to experts and following breakthroughs. William seems convinced we're living through a period where people will be able to extend their lives longer than ever."
According to the source, the Star Trek legend, 95, appears especially invigorated after "being pulled back from the brink" during his stage 4 cancer battle.
Now in remission, Shatner — who was diagnosed back in 2023 — required surgery and two years of immunotherapy to eradicate the malignant melanoma that had spread to his lungs and brain, per People.
"He's feeling absolutely fantastic these days and has confidence that he's still got decades ahead of him," shares our source. "He's got far too many things left on his bucket list to start thinking about slowing down."

#source #shatner #star #trek

Mercedes deputy technical director Simone Resta has delved into George Russell's recent woes, as the team identified a software issue compounded by the Briton's older power unit.
Russell and his squad have been mystified by a lack of top speed relative to team-mate Kimi Antonelli at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps. Mercedes' lead racer attempted to tweak his driving style, to no avail, as his troubles were linked to the power unit's software code resulting in an imbalance in energy distribution.
Read Also:
Mercedes identifies George Russell's F1 power unit software issue
"As we all know, it's a very complex new set of regulations with the power unit," Resta said. "It's quite early days. We've just done 10 races so far, and there is a lot to learn. We are still learning a lot together, ourselves and our colleagues at HPP. We found a bug in our software, and we had to react to it.

#resta #russell

Major recruiting news broke on Thursday afternoon as Texas announced that Five-Star Plus+ cornerback commit John Meredith, the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2027 cycle, had reclassified into the 2026 cycle and will join the Longhorns this fall.
With Meredith departing the class of 2027, that led to a slight shift in the Rivals Industry Ranking. Long Beach Poly (Calif.) five-star Donte Wright is now the nation's No. 1 CB in the cycle.
The Miami commit has continued to see his stock rise ahead of a big senior campaign this fall. Last week, he was named the No. 4 overall prospect and top-ranked CB in the new Rivals300. He's now the No. 9 recruit in the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies.
Wright is also the industry ranking's No. 1 player in the state of California. The 6-foot-0.5, 175-pounder has long looked like one of the best athletes in all of high school football.
"I'm not trying to sound arrogant but I do think I deserved this," Wright told Rivals' Greg Biggins after learning about his rise in the new Rivals300. "I know how hard I've worked and this has been my goal since day one.

#cycle #rivals300

Italy are still on the look-out for a new head coach and could also bring in a new figure to act as the bridge between the youth and senior sides after learning that Gianluigi Buffon will not be returning to the Azzurri set-up.
FIGC technical director Paolo Maldini and advisor Leonardo are still on the search for a new head coach for the Italy national team after learning that neither Pep Guardiola nor Carlo Ancelotti will be taking on the job. Friday’s reports indicate that Andrea Pirlo is the new frontrunner for the vacant CT role.
La Gazzetta dello Sport also reported on Friday that Buffon has rejected the opportunity to return to the Italy set-up.
Buffon had joined the national team group shortly after his retirement in 2023 and had served as delegation chief until Italy’s World Cup play-off final defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of May 2026, after which he resigned along with Gennaro Gattuso and former FIGC President Gabriele Gravina.
However, under the new leadership of Maldini and Giovanni Malagò, Buffon had been offered the opportunity to return in a more ‘hands-on’ role within the Club Italia set-up.

#figc #learning

Every college football season brings a new group of freshmen with huge expectations. Most spend time learning before earning regular snaps. A few, however, arrive with the size, talent and experience to compete from day one. The 2026 recruiting class has several players who fit that description.
This year’s class features top quarterbacks, offensive tackles and edge rushers who were among the highest-rated recruits in the country. Many were five-star prospects, and some also entered college with impressive NIL valuations. More importantly, they have joined programs where their skills fit well with the team’s system.
MORE: 12 most inspiring college football traditions
Some of these freshmen could win starting jobs during training camp, while others may become important contributors as the season goes on. No matter what role they begin with, they have the talent to make an impact early.
Here are the eight top recruits to watch in college football for the 2026 season.

#college #Football #class

Anderson spoke to friends at Chelsea before joining Man City to learn about Enzo Maresca
The £116M signing says those who worked under Maresca at Chelsea "all rate him very highly"
Anderson says he has also studied Maresca's teams closely over the past couple of years
Manchester City's club record signing Elliot Anderson has revealed that conversations with friends at Chelsea played a key role in his decision to join the club, after learning about Enzo Maresca's coaching methods from those who worked directly under him at Stamford Bridge.
The 23-year-old joined Manchester City from Nottingham Forest on 2 July 2026 in a deal worth £116 million, and used his first official interview as a City player to offer a candid account of the conversations that shaped his thinking during a summer in which multiple clubs were competing for his signature.

#anderson #city #manchester

Intellistake Technologies Corp. (CSE: $ISTK) has taken full ownership of Gravity, giving the company control of a prediction-market technology it now believes can serve a wider set of liquidity and execution needs.
The company and Prospect Prediction Markets agreed to terminate their March development and platform agreement. Intellistake will retain Gravity's software, algorithms, AI and machine-learning models, interfaces, specifications and related development work, while Prospect's two-year exclusivity period and revenue-sharing rights have been removed.
Gravity was initially being developed around Prospect's platform. Intellistake now plans to explore applications across additional prediction markets, contract categories and other fragmented markets where thin liquidity can create pricing gaps, one-sided trading and unreliable execution.
More From Cryptoprowl:
MEXC Reports 7.1 Billion USDT in ******* eX Futures Volume as Q2 Closes the Gap to Wall Street

#company #execution

As we near August, we're about to flip the driest part of the NBA's year-round calendar. All of the offseason moves are done. Everybody's focus has shifted toward the 2026-27 season. For now, though, teams across the league get to relax for a bit before training camp begins.
For NBA players, though, right now is when most of your critical developmental work takes place. The ample time off allows guys across the league to put in serious work and upgrade their bag. Especially for young players still learning the ropes of the NBA.
Jared McCain is somebody who's taking advantage of his resources. He's spent time in Canada with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. After being an NBA trade deadline acquisition, this is the first time he's had a chance to take a breath and fully embrace being on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder added McCain in a buy-low move from the Philadelphia 76ers. The 22-year-old suddenly became important at work. In just three months, he was jettisoned to the top of the depth chart. Injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell forced him to learn on the job in the game's highest stakes imaginable.
All things considered, McCain did solid. He had two 20-point games that helped the Thunder push the San Antonio Spurs to seven in the 2026 Western Conference Finals. Ultimately, the short-handed squad fell in Game 7. But his microwave scoring was one of the brighter takeaways.

#time #league

A group of students from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Charlotte Region received a once-in-a-lifetime basketball experience Thursday as the Charlotte Hornets launched a new initiative aimed at inspiring young people across the Carolinas.
The event, held at Northridge Middle School, marked the kickoff of the Hornets' "Bee Ball for All" youth initiative, part of the team's broader Impacting the Carolinas community outreach efforts.
Students spent the day learning basketball fundamentals, teamwork and leadership while getting the chance to interact with Hornets staff and franchise legend Muggsy Bogues.
"I think it's very surreal and cool because I get to play with the Hornets, and the Hornets is a big basketball team," said fourth-grader Jaxxon Darling.
ALSO READ: Muggsy Bogues' basketball tournament promotes mental health awareness for young athletes

#muggsy #young

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said American companies should be free to use Chinese open-source artificial intelligence models, positioning himself against Trump administration officials and U.S. AI labs that have sought to restrict them.
"These Chinese models are excellent," Huang told Axios on Tuesday. "Open-source models that are excellent should be used." He said companies should "absolutely" be allowed to use them.
The remarks came as the release of Kimi K3, a model from Beijing-based Moonshot AI that combines near-frontier performance, lower prices, and open weights, has rattled chip and AI stocks, reviving concerns that cheaper models could undercut the case for large AI infrastructure spending. Huang argued Wall Street has the situation backward. "Free AI should be great for hardware," he said. "Free AI should be great for chips. Free AI should be great for data centers." Cheaper and more accessible models draw more people into AI ecosystems, he argued, and that broader adoption ultimately drives up demand for the chips and data centers that Nvidia provides.
Huang also rejected the argument that downloaded Chinese models create a security backdoor to Beijing. Companies can customize those models and run them inside secure environments, he said, and openness makes AI more secure because outside researchers can inspect models and identify weaknesses. "If everything just becomes one single model, one single point of attack, one single source of failure, I think the world is much, much more vulnerable," he said.
His comments came hours after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business that the administration is examining Chinese AI models for evidence of stolen U.S. intellectual property and considering sanctions. "If we see ... that overseas models are stealing from our great companies, we have the ability to sanction them because of this theft," Bessent said, according to Axios. Huang said companies should still face consequences for violating privacy or contracts, but he argued the response should target misconduct, not the models themselves. "Distillation, learning from AI, learning from other sources of knowledge, is fundamental to intelligence," he said.

#Companies

President Donald Trump hosted the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House on Thursday, celebrating the team's remarkable achievement of securing a second consecutive ******* le. During a Rose Garden event, Trump hailed the Dodgers as "one of the great brands anywhere in the world," acknowledging their recent triumph.
He specifically referenced their thrilling Game 7 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, calling it "a ******* of a series." Trump expressed his surprise upon learning that the Dodgers had never before won consecutive championships, before playfully speculating about the prospect of a third straight ******* le.
The president extended a warm welcome, stating, "I'm thrilled to say welcome back to the White House. And maybe I'll see you again next year." He also revealed his particular anticipation for meeting star player Shohei Ohtani, whom he extensively compared to baseball icon Babe Ruth, even suggesting Ohtani was arguably the best hitter and pitcher in the sport.
This celebration followed a previous occasion where the president had saluted the team in the East Room in April 2025, marking their 2024 World Series championship over the New York Yankees.
"It's truly a great — when you talk about a brand — it's one of the great brands anywhere in the world," Trump said of the Dodgers. He spoke in front of a table with two World Series trophies and a Trump 47 jersey, which the team presented to him.

#World #series #House

HENDERSON, Nev. — There'll be no holdouts among the rookies at the Las Vegas Raiders' training camp. Which means fewer distractions for first-year head coach Klint Kubiak.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza put his signature to a four-year deal worth a reported $57.27 million and is fully guaranteed. He reported to the Intermountain Health Performance Center Thursday with the rest of the 10 rookies, all of who are signed.

Mendoza is receiving a signing bonus of $38.1 million so he can now concentrate on football, which has been his mantra since the Raiders took him No. 1 overall in late April.

"I'm so excited to be part of the family. Can't wait to get to work," Mendoza, who led Indiana to the national championship earlier this year, said on the Raiders' X account Thursday. "Appreciate your guys' all support. Let's get this thing rolling!"

And while Kirk Cousins is the favorite to be the Raiders' starter on Sept. 13 vs. Miami at Allegiant Stadium, it was important for Mendoza to not miss any time. He may be highly intelligent, but it's a big learning curve from college football to the NFL, something he has acknowledged on more than one occasion.

There is a team option fifth year in the contract so No. 15 is going to be around Las Vegas for a while. The plan is not to rush his development, let him learn and progress at a pace both he and the coaching staff are comfortable with and be ready to stay the starter once they make him the No. 1 QB.

The veterans report next Tuesday and the first day of overall camp is Wednesday. But there were images on the Raiders' social media of some of the veterans showing up at the team's facility in Henderson, including Maxx Crosby and Jackson Powers-Johnson.

For the next few days, it'll be Mendoza and his fellow rookies who will be the center of attention as they acclimate themselves to NFL life and Kubiak and his staff get a feel for what they have to work with.

#rookies #vegas #thursday #camp

While artificial intelligence (AI) has been the buzz of Wall Street over the last two years, it's not the only trend responsible for lifting the market's major stock indexes to new heights. Investor hype surrounding quantum computing deserves its fair share of credit.
Investors who had the foresight and luck to invest in pure-play quantum computing leaders IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI), and D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) in mid-July 2024 are sitting on potentially life-altering gains. Shares of IonQ have more than quadrupled, while shares of Rigetti and D-Wave have skyrocketed by nearly 1,200% and 1,500%, respectively.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
Professional and everyday investors are excited about the real-world applications of quantum computers, which include dramatically accelerating the learning curve for AI-driven large language models.
But this next-big-thing technology may not be all that it's cracked up to be -- at least according to the individuals who know IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D-Wave Quantum best.

#computing

Mike LaFleur knows that the next six months will be filled with daunting tasks, one after another.
The Arizona Cardinals are coming off a 3-14 season, with an increasingly murky quarterback situation and the most difficult schedule in the NFL. But if the Cardinals have hit on the next great product of the Sean McVay tree — LaFleur spent the past three seasons as McVay’s offensive coordinator — then this season will be a success, even if the record isn’t pretty.
So who is the Cardinals’ new head coach? That’s what The Arizona Republic sought to learn in a sit-down interview on Monday, July 20, a few days before the start of training camp.
Upon learning that this would delve into his personality, LaFleur offered a disclaimer. “Some context for me: This is the stuff I hate the most,” he said, widening his smile.
Oh well. Here we go.

#cardinals #arizona #next

One of the key investors behind the Cadillac Formula 1 project is linked to a federal investigation involving businesses he controls. Mark Walter, whose initials form part of TWG Global’s name, is **** ociated with companies under investigation by federal prosecutors, with the FBI and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also involved.
The Cadillac F1 team has not had what one would call a great start to its debut in the premier class of motorsport. As a new team adapting to Formula 1 and the sport’s latest regulations, Cadillac’s 2026 campaign has largely been a learning experience rather than a competitive one.
Cadillac is the only team on the grid that has not scored a point through the first 10 races of the season. The team’s best finish was when Valtteri Bottas finished 13th in the Chinese Grand Prix. However, leaving performance aside, one of its owners, Walter, is now dealing with developments away from F1.
Bloomberg reports that Walter’s investment firm, Guggenheim Partners LLC, as well as insurance companies Delaware Life Insurance Co. and Clear Spring Life and Annuity Co., were served with grand jury subpoenas in February. The filings have only recently become public.
Prosecutors in Manhattan are reportedly examining whether the companies failed to disclose that billions of dollars in private credit investments were tied to Walter’s other business ventures.

#life

Garrett Crochet didn’t choose to come to Boston, but he did choose to stay here. After making just one start as a member of the Red Sox (on the road in Texas), Crochet signed a six-year contract extension to remain with the organization through at least 2030. He was a standout on the field in his first season with the team, and while he hasn’t been able to replicate that this season, he’s working to endear himself to the community by partnering with Sam Adams for the release of Crochet’s Pale Ale, which is on tap at bars, taprooms and restaurants in the New England area and available as part of the “Our City. Our Beer” variety pack.
“A big thing for me was ingraining myself in the Boston culture, and Sam Adams is really that to a T,” Crochet said.
He isn’t wrong. When the Scots descended upon Boston for the World Cup, they drank the Sam Adams Downtown Taproom out of Boston Lager. He’s also made a habit of dominating the Yankees. In four regular season starts, he’s posted a 3.29 ERA and a 36.8% strikeout rate, as well as 7.2 innings of one-run baseball in the postseason. I conducted the interview from a hotel room in Milwaukee while on a bachelor party, and joked that the bachelor was upset with Crochet for hurting his family team. Crochet apologized but quickly rescinded it upon learning that the bachelor is a Yankees fan.
Crochet hasn’t pitched since April, but the rotation has picked up the slack in his absence. That rotation is comprised largely of huge, left-handed pitchers. Each arm is different, but Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, Ranger Suarez, and Jake Bennett all come armed with a four-seam fastball, cutter/slider, and some kind of breaking ball. Crochet’s best utilized standing on the mound, but because of the similarities with his teammates, he’s able to contribute from the bench.
“There’s much more benefit to the eye test that goes on during a series,” Crochet said. “We’re playing three or four game series and it’s all lefties that we’re rolling out there, so it’s fun to watch … When a guy is in the middle of his start I’m not passing any information, you know, he went into today prepared ready to make the start and has all the information that he feels he needs to have success … if I think someone is really looking not good on the changeup, I think me and Tolle have a little bit more room to exploit [the changeup] given that other teams aren’t planning for it at all against us.”

#boston #adams #start #yankees

New Kentucky Wildcats coach Will Stein brought in Kenny Minchey to be his starting quarterback for the 2026 season. It was a terrific addition to the roster, and an early big recruiting win for a talented player with multiple teams interested. He's just one of the new starting QBs in the SEC this fall, though.
More than half of the 16 teams in the SEC will have a new starter under center for this year, including some of the top teams in the conference. However, that doesn't mean there won't be plenty of talent at the position.
It figures to be an exciting season, and the Kentucky Wildcats are looking to move up in the standings this year. Minchey will have to be a big part of that, and will have to play like one of the SEC's best passers. Can he be that? There are certainly people who think so, but there will be a learning curve. Here's a look at the ranking of all 16 of the expected starting quarterbacks as we enter the season.
Philo transfers to the Gators from Georgia Tech, and reunites with his offensive coordinator. However, he has played in just eight games, and has more interceptions (3) than touchdowns (2). He'll need to adjust to the SEC quickly.
MacIntyre is a former four-star recruit, so there's talent there. However, he has played very little with just nine career passing attempts so far. The Volunteers will still have to decide if he's the starter, as they have some other options as well.

#wildcats

Spain superstar Lamine Yamal unexpectedly helped a German clothing brand.
At just 19 years old, Lamine Yamal has already won a World Cup as Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final of the tournament.
While Yamal was far from his best during the campaign, he’s still undoubtedly the most popular Spanish player on the planet right now.
During the 2026 World Cup final, Yamal lifted up his jersey multiple times throughout the game. At times, it gave a peek at the logo of the clothing brand on Yamal’s boxer shorts.
He apparently wore boxer shorts from a German clothing brand, 6PM. After learning that, fans crowded to get their hands on the same, as 6PM boxer shorts sold out after the World Cup final.

#yamal #World #boxer

By Blake Brittain
July 21 (Reuters) - A nonprofit that licenses the University of Tennessee's intellectual property has sued artificial-intelligence ‌giant Anthropic in Delaware federal court for allegedly ‌infringing its patents related to neural networks.
The University of Tennessee Research Foundation's complaint, filed on Monday and made public on Tuesday, said that Anthropic's AI systems violate its patents on machine-learning technology inspired by neuroscience.
The lawsuit is thought to be the first ‌patent infringement case ⁠against Anthropic. A California federal judge on Monday approved the company's landmark $1.5 billion settlement of ⁠a class action copyright lawsuit brought by a group of authors over its use of their work to train AI.
"Anthropic's cavalier approach to others' intellectual property rights in the development of ‌its products extends beyond the use of copyrighted material," the foundation said in its complaint.

#university #lawsuit

Aleksandar Pavlović’s rise at Bayern Munich has largely been built on his composure in possession and ability to dictate play from midfield. But if the young German has taken another step forward this past season, he believes it has come on the defensive side of the ball—and he credits Vincent Kompany for helping make it happen.
“I think I’ve made significant progress in my defensive work. When you have a former world-class centre-back as a coach, you almost have to improve, don’t you? He certainly gives me a lot of good tips, which have already helped me a lot,” Pavlović told Bayern Munich club magazine Säbener 51 (as captured by iMiaSanMia).
It is easy to focus on Pavlović’s passing range and calmness under pressure, but modern midfielders are expected to contribute just as much without the ball. Winning duels, reading passing lanes, pressing intelligently, and protecting the back line are all essential responsibilities, particularly for a player operating in the heart of Bayern Munich’s midfield.
That is where Kompany’s influence could prove invaluable.
As one of the finest defenders of his generation, Kompany built his career on positioning, anticipation, communication, and defensive awareness rather than relying solely on athleticism. Those are qualities that translate well beyond the back line, and it appears Pavlović has benefited from learning directly from someone who mastered those aspects of the game.

#defensive #built

Tottenham Hotspur began their preseason campaign with a win in a behind-closed-doors friendly against League One side MK Dons at the Tottenham Hotspur training ground.
With several players missing due to the recently completed World Cup, a mix of youth and experience was on display as Roberto De Zerbi heavily rotated his side each half. New signings Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali, and Martin Dubravka made their debuts, and it was the former who was the difference, with his stunning strike the lone goal in a scrappy encounter.
Here's my top ten talking points from Spurs' first outing under Thomas Frank.
Spurs' first friendly was as notable for who was missing as much as who was named. With the World Cup only recently wrapping up in the Americas, it was obviously much too soon to see the likes of Djed Spence, Pedro Porro, Marcos Senesi, or Cristian Romero; but other players involved in the World Cup also weren't involved. Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Rodrigo Bentancur, Lucas Bergvall, Pape Sarr, and Andy Robertson were all missing due to enforced leave following their international duties.
This meant limited learnings as to how the squad will shape up when the season kicked off, and also raises questions as to who will be available for the tour to Australia and New Zealand. An additional point of concern was the absence of James Maddison, who had no such international commitments and who made his return from an ACL injury towards the end of last season. The fact he did not see the pitch is concerning given his injury history. It's a similar situation as well for promising young defender Jun'ai Byfield, also missing the end of the season with injury and not sighted today.

#World #friendly

The Jacksonville Jaguars saw tight end Brenton Strange have his best season yet in 2025, and he was rewarded accordingly with a three-year, $36 million contract extension last month. By total contract value, he is now among the highest-paid tight ends in the NFL.
That payday for Strange underscores his importance to the Jaguars' offense, and Pro Football Focus recently recognized his impact as well. In their ranking of the top 32 tight ends, PFF had Strange just narrowly miss the top 10, coming in at No. 11.
"Strange had the best year of his young career in his third season with the Jaguars. His 73.4 PFF run-blocking grade placed fifth among all tight ends in the league, while his 77.6 PFF receiving grade was 11th. Strange also averaged 1.70 yards per route run, the 10th-best rate for tight ends."
As good as Strange was last year, there is good reason to believe he will only get even better in 2026. The most obvious reason is that it will be his second year in Liam Coen's offensive system, while last season, he — and the rest of the team — were learning throughout the year. Strange has already spoken about feeling more comfortable heading into Year 2 under Coen.
The do-it-all skill set that Strange brings to the Jaguars' offense adds some unpredictability to this unit as well, opening up the playbook for Coen.

#tight #coen

We've spent an entire offseason asking questions about the Tennessee **** ans. Now's the time to start figuring out the answers.
The team will reconvene for training camp in the last week of July, kicking off the sprint toward its 2026 NFL season opener against the New York Jets on Sept. 13. Change is here, with new coach Robert Saleh presiding over a roster that figures to start at least nine newcomers and another three or four second-year players.
Back-to-back 3-14 seasons have a way of grating on returning players, the front office and fans alike, so all of this change is part of the concerted effort to remold the franchise in a new image reflective of Saleh's and general manager Mike Borgonzi's vision.
That makes it a little bit tough to grade preseason progress. Most players are newcomers, and most returning players are being asked to fill new roles. So how will anyone be able to recognize if the team is really growing, separate from run-of-the-mill improvements that come from developing along the new system's learning curve?
Here's The Tennessean's handy guide for four ways to figure out if the **** ans are getting better throughout training camp.

#Titans #back #team

We've spent an entire offseason asking questions about the Tennessee ******* ans. Now's the time to start figuring out the answers.
The team will reconvene for training camp in the last week of July, kicking off the sprint toward its 2026 NFL season opener against the New York Jets on Sept. 13. Change is here, with new coach Robert Saleh presiding over a roster that figures to start at least nine newcomers and another three or four second-year players.
Back-to-back 3-14 seasons have a way of grating on returning players, the front office and fans alike, so all of this change is part of the concerted effort to remold the franchise in a new image reflective of Saleh's and general manager Mike Borgonzi's vision.
That makes it a little bit tough to grade preseason progress. Most players are newcomers, and most returning players are being asked to fill new roles. So how will anyone be able to recognize if the team is really growing, separate from run-of-the-mill improvements that come from developing along the new system's learning curve?
Here's The Tennessean's handy guide for four ways to figure out if the ******* ans are getting better throughout training camp.

#Titans #team #four

Cam Newton and Karl Ravech are among the major stars exiting in the latest round of layoffs at ESPN, sources told The Athletic Tuesday.
Ravech, a 31-year veteran of the network, served as ESPN's lead MLB play-by-play announcer, covered college basketball and anchored SportsCenter. He called the Dodgers-Phillies game Monday before reportedly learning his position was in jeopardy. When contacted by The Athletic Tuesday, Ravech said he had not yet been informed of his status.
NFL MVP Newton, longtime SportsCenter anchor David Lloyd, injury ***** yst Stephania Bell, former All-Pro linebacker and studio host Bart Scott and NFL Network ***** yst Charles Davis are also being impacted by the cuts at ESPN and NFL Network, according to The Athletic.
Newton joined ESPN as an NFL ***** yst in October 2024 after an 11-season NFL career that included a Super Bowl run with the Carolina Panthers. After initially appearing on First Take, he signed an expanded contract with the network in August 2025.
On Monday, ESPN announced it was parting ways with NFL ***** yst Ryan Clark and additional cuts are expected among behind-the-scenes staff.

#Athletic #analyst

Panthers RT Taylor Moton diagnosed with scary medical condition originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Carolina Panthers are already dealing with injury concerns.
On the eve of kicking off training camp Wednesday at Bank of America Stadium, the Panthers announced right tackle Taylor Moton was diagnosed with blood clots in a lung and will open 2026 on the non-football injury list.
Moton, who will miss the start of the regular season, has been receiving treatment since learning of the situation in late June.
Starting cornerback Jaycee Horn (foot) also will start on the non-football injury list.

#moton #sporting