[Getty Images]
Al-Ahli boss Matthias Jaissle is the surprise favourite to succeed Eddie Howe - who is expected to leave his role with immediate effect - as Newcastle head coach - and he would arrive with a strong recent record of success.
Former Red Bull Salzburg boss Jaissle took his first coaching steps as ******* istant manager of Danish club Brondby between 2017 and 2019. He then took over Salzburg's under-18 academy team before becoming a head coach for the first time at Liefering in Austria's second tier.
He guided them to a second-placed finish, the club's joint-best position, and that achievement helped him become Salzburg manager in 2021, replacing Jesse Marsch, who would later manage Leeds United in the Premier League and then Canada at the 2026 World Cup.
In two seasons with Salzburg, Jaissle won the Austrian Bundesliga twice and also the Austrian Cup.

#jaissle

Hugo Larsson sees no reason to leave Eintracht Frankfurt this summer. The Swedish midfielder was previously very close to leaving the club for the Saudi Pro League, but he has now ruled out any possibility for this summer.
"I'm really very happy here. My girlfriend feels comfortable too as she loves Frankfurt. I have no plans to leave. It's the same story every year." said Larsson in an interview with FR (via Christopher Michel).
The 22-year-old missed out on playing at the World Cup as Sweden's coach Graham Potter omitted him in an unexpected decision. Larsson scored 10 goals in 119 appearances for the Eagles since joining them from Malmo.
The central midfielder also discussed his preferences in terms of playing position. "I already noticed at the start of the last season that my role would change. I was more of a number six. That's not how I became so successful in this club.
"I became successful because I had a 'free' role. At the side of Ellyes (Skhiri) I had a lot of freedom. I'm confident enough to say that I can ******* s where I can best help the team and where they need me. As a holding six, you don't have those freedoms."

#club #became

Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes newly-appointed Test coach Stephen Fleming should have taken charge immediately instead of delaying his arrival until England's tour of South Africa later this year.

Fleming was named England's new Test coach after Brendon McCullum was removed from the role earlier this month, though the New Zealander has retained his position as the team's white-ball coach. However, Fleming will not oversee England during the upcoming three-Test home series against Pakistan, which begins on August 19 at Headingley.

Questioning the decision, Vaughan said England would miss an opportunity to help Fleming settle into the role before bigger ***** ignments such as the Ashes.

"Stephen Fleming is a good appointment as England's Test coach, but he should be in position for the start of the Pakistan series, rather than taking over fully for the South Africa tour in December," Vaughan wrote in the Telegraph.

"It is about the small details, gaining experience of going to grounds such as Edgbaston – which hosts an Ashes Test – getting to know people involved in English cricket and fact-finding about our game by meeting the county coaches who can help him. These are the one-per-cent details England let slip during the Brendon McCullum years but are required to win major trophies."

Vaughan also suggested that England agreeing to Fleming's preferred timeline reflected a shift in the appeal of the coaching role.

"It also suggests the England job has lost a little of its allure because he does not feel he must start immediately. It also shows a little bit of desperation that England were willing to appoint a candidate on his terms, rather than their own," he added.

Fleming arrives in England after an extraordinary stint with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. During his 17-year ***** ociation with the franchise, he guided the team to five IPL ***** les and two Champions League trophies alongside captain MS Dhoni before stepping down earlier this month.

Vaughan, however, warned that the former New Zealand skipper would be walking into a very different environment, pointing out that England captain Joe Root does not offer the same dynamic that Dhoni did at Chennai.

"Fleming is very well respected, renowned for being a very good manager and tactician. I've seen him at the IPL, and one of the problems he might discover in English cricket is that we do not have an MS Dhoni to be his captain.
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"Dhoni ran the ship at Chennai Super Kings, and Fleming had some really good backroom coaches as well. Eric Simons was a wonderful bowling coach for him, a master at getting the white ball to swing. His team was built around skill with the ball, not express pace. I wonder whether that is an indication that the skill side of bowling will come back into the England Test team rather than just out-and-out speed," Vaughan wrote.

#chennai

The Athletic and Sky Germany both report that Borussia Mönchengladbach attacker Giovanni Reyna is in talks over a possible move to RC Strasbourg. Negotiations involving the 23-year-old United States international and the two clubs remain at an early stage. Gladbach are prepared to consider both a permanent sale and another loan for a player who only arrived at Borussia-Park last summer.
Should Reyna complete the move, Strasbourg would become his fourth club in four consecutive campaigns. An unsuccessful Nottingham Forest loan in 2023/24 was followed by one final season at Borussia Dortmund and an equally difficult year with Gladbach.
The Foals paid Dortmund an initial fee of approximately €4 million last summer. The total transfer package was reported to be capable of reaching around €7 million, while BVB retained a 15-percent sell-on clause.
Reyna signed a contract through 2028 and arrived hoping to restore both his club career and his position with the USMNT ahead of the World Cup on home soil.
His return to the national team ultimately proved more successful than his domestic campaign. Reyna made five appearances and scored once at the tournament, but never established himself as a regular in Mönchengladbach.

#nchengladbach

Gianni Infantino's position as Fifa president is growing untenable as regional governing bodies continue to officially reject his plan to sell-off stakes of the World Cup to private investors.
Uefa's 55 member **** ociations insisted they would not participate in any Fifa tournament until plans for the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) were withdrawn and have confirmed that they will even boycott the next World Cup should they go through.
World Cup boycott latest: Infantino's senior adviser quits after Fifa refuses to back down over Uefa protest
Concacaf, the governing body for North America and the Caribbean, reiterated their own concerns over the lack of consultation and rejected the proposal, as did the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) who called for an "urgent review of its governance" at Fifa - piling more pressure on Infantino.
Fifa has so far refused to back down, insisting that "nobody is selling football" while **** erting that their consultation process was "disrupted by incorrect media reports", a move that felt like it was right out of the Donald Trump playbook.

#boycott #gianni

One of the biggest moves of the Tennessee ******* ans' offseason was trading T'Vondre Sweat to the New York Jets to reunite Robert Saleh with edge rusher Jermaine Johnson and bolster the edge position. Through two days of training camp, it appears like that was a home run.
Johnson has looked the part, has had some solid reps against left tackle Dan Moore, and is taking advantage of his opportunity playing alongside Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers.
After Day 2, Johnson met with the media and made it clear that this is only the beginning, and both the intensity and physicality will ramp up next week, saying, "They don't know what's coming when we get the pads on."
The sentiment has been echoed through the first three days of training camp, with Saleh hinting that this could be some of the players' most intense training camp of their careers. Couple that with a new-look defense that appears to have embraced the attacking style, and it is shaping up as a competitive and entertaining training camp.
This article originally appeared on ******* ans Wire: ******* ans' Jermaine Johnson ready for padded practices to begin

#johnson

FIFA dismissed criticism of its plan to sell stakes in the FIFA World Cup to Joshua Kushner's investment firm Thrive Capital, insisting that "nobody is selling football" in a sign that it plans to press forward despite facing growing opposition from regional soccer federations including Europe's UEFA, North America's CONCACAF and Asia's AFC.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino holds the trophy at full-time following the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final.
In a statement on Friday, the global soccer governing body defended the so-called "FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal," claiming its planned consultation process was "disrupted by incorrect media reports."
FIFA said it plans to proceed with this "consultation process" to ensure that each member **** ociation can vote on it "based on facts."
The statement appears to criticize the regional bodies UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC, saying "no single entity can claim to represent all" of FIFA's 211 member **** ociations and each of them should be allowed to vote on the matter independently.

#Soccer

Picture this: It's December 2033. Puerto Rico's "Huracan Azul," ("Blue Hurricane"), the national soccer team in a country better known for baseball, basketball, and boxing, face off against Scotland in the Deutsche Bank Men's World Cup, brought to you by Fanatics—your home for World Cup swag. Until this winter, Puerto Rico had never qualified for a major tournament; Scotland, meanwhile, had never qualified for the knockout round in a World Cup. As the teams kick off play at Saudi Arabia's NEOM, you idly watch, wondering if an upset will take place.
It won't; Scotland quickly score once, twice, three times. The score is 4–0 by the time the referee whistles for the Michelob ULTRA Hydration Break to take place. It's 5–0 at halftime; Puerto Rico scores a consolation goal before the second hydration break, but the Scots hang three more in the final minutes as the game finishes 8–1. As the game ends, bored spectators streaming out, the camera briefly flashes on the luxury boxes. A grinning Gianni Infantino, the FIFA commissioner, mugs obscenely with the Saudi king and other potentates. History, of a kind, has happened.
If you see nothing wrong with this, you're probably either one of Infantino's staffers or a blood relation. Certainly, Infantino thinks such a display would be amazing. According to The Times of London, the FIFA chief is working closely with Thrive Capital's Joshua Kushner (brother of Jared Kushner!) and JP Morgan on a proposition that would all but radically transform the men's and women's World Cups as we know them, and not coincidentally shovel millions into his acquisitive little mittens. The proposal—now roundly condemned by virtually everyone who's heard about it, including Britain's new prime minister—involves creating a private company that would control the World Cups. Each of FIFA's 211 national member ****** ociations would have a financial stake, estimated at around $20 million each. The Times estimates that the company would be valued at around $20 billion.
The report makes for wild reading. Now, stop for a moment. Think of how quickly and quietly this whole thing went from "consultations" to a set of signed, nonbinding agreements. This isn't an idle contrivance, set for a slow burn; banks like JP Morgan and people like Kushner don't engage in that kind of deal. This is a fast-moving plan of action, set in motion before anyone outside of FIFA's holiest of holies in Zurich even knew what was going down.
Suffice it to say: It's a spectacularly bad idea. The pressure to expand the World Cups, to play them every other year, or even annually, would be immense. The arm twisting to turn them into something that would make college bowl season look staid and decorous would be even greater.

#World #cups #times

Arsenal are moving towards one of the biggest Premier League transfers of the summer, with The Times reporting that the club are close to agreeing an £80m deal for Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United.
The Brazil international has long been admired by **** nal and this latest push appears to have real momentum. A personal agreement is already in place with the 28-year-old midfielder, while the broader package, including add-ons, is understood to be nearing completion. From **** nal's side, this looks like a strategic move completed with conviction, rather than a late-market gamble.
Guimaraes has established himself as one of the Premier League's most influential central midfielders, bringing authority in possession, personality in key moments and a level of control that top clubs value highly. **** nal's previous interest never truly disappeared, and the current situation has given them the opening they needed.
Newcastle, for their part, appear to have been preparing for this possibility. Talks over Botafogo midfielder Danilo as a potential replacement suggest succession planning is already under way. That context matters, particularly at a time when there is uncertainty around the managerial position after Eddie Howe informed the club that he wants to leave.
Photo IMAGO

#premier #newcastle

Arsenal are one of the clubs interested in adding Kaishu Sano to their squad after closely following the Mainz 05 defensive midfielder over the last few months.
The ****** an international has established himself as one of the finest players in his position in the Bundesliga and has continued to impress with his performances for Mainz. His consistent displays have attracted interest from several clubs looking to strengthen their midfield options.
Sano is a tough-tackling, ball-playing midfielder who would suit the system Mikel Arteta currently employs at ****** nal. The Gunners believe his qualities could strengthen their midfield and provide another reliable option for the squad.
Liverpool are another club reported to be interested in signing the midfielder as they look to improve their own squad. However, it remains to be seen whether Mainz 05 will be willing to part with one of their key players before the transfer window closes.
According to Bulinews, Mainz 05 sporting director Christian Heidel has addressed Sano's future as the club prepares for the new season, with interest in the midfielder continuing to grow.

#mainz #arsenal

It's a tough job. But somebody's gotta do it.
Step right up, Michele Meyer-Shipp.
Nearly five months ago, Meyer-Shipp replaced Rod Graves as executive director of the Fritz Pollard Alliance (FPA), an independent organization that promotes and monitors minority hiring for head coaching roles and other high-level positions in the NFL.
Yeah, that NFL. The one where Black coaches were 1-for-18 in landing the top jobs over the past two hiring cycles. The one that is a defendant, along with several teams, in a class-action lawsuit brought forth by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and two former coaches alleging racial discrimination. The one under attack from the Florida attorney general, aiming to wipe out the Rooney Rule, which ties so closely to the FPA's mission.
The challenges for Meyer-Shipp come from multiple directions, with multiple layers, against the political winds of the anti-DEI movement pushed by the highest levels of government.

#graves

As starts and innings build for Colt Keith as the Detroit Tigers' primary third baseman, he is feeling increasingly comfortable with his glove at the far left corner of the infield.
Keith has grown from a negative defensive player at third base in 2025, according to defensive metrics such as outs above average (OAA), defensive runs saved (DRS) and fielding run value (FRV), to slightly positive in those three metrics in 2026.
His improvements have given manager A.J. Hinch more options to mix and match players in other positions. When Javier Báez, Detroit's ultimate defensive chess piece, came off the 60-day IL on Tuesday, July 28, Hinch mentioned the solid defense on the left side of the infield from Keith and rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle would allow him to use Báez primarily as a center fielder, a position of weakness for the team all summer.
"I'm looking at a much-improved Colt Keith at third base, Kevin at shortstop, which makes center field more of a decision point," Hinch said before Tuesday's win over the Baltimore Orioles.
It hasn't been a jump to the top of the league leaderboards in third base defensive metrics, but Keith now sits 14th in the FRV leaderboard at his position, compared to 63rd in 2025.

#hinch #metrics

FIFA's controversial plan to sell stakes in a World Cup company has been dealt what appears to be a fatal blow after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) joined UEFA and CONCACAF in rejecting it.
Gianni Infantino's future as FIFA president now appears uncertain too, with the AFC statement also highlighting "fundamental weaknesses in FIFA's consultation and decision-making processes that must now be addressed".
The Press ***** ociation understands the 41 nations that make up CONCACAF, the confederation for North and Central America plus the Caribbean, are losing – or have lost – confidence in Infantino, while UEFA says it will boycott FIFA competitions until the plan is dropped.
The Swiss said the plans to create a new company to run the World Cup and FIFA's other competitions would require a majority of FIFA's 211 member ***** ociations. Collective opposition from AFC's 47 members, added to CONCACAF's 41 - of which 35 are FIFA members - and UEFA's 55, would mean 137 now stand against it.
FIFA proposes to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) and sell a 20% stake in it to private investors – with Joshua Kushner's Thrive Eternal earmarked as the lead of the investor group.

#uefa #plan

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has joined UEFA and CONCACAF in opposing FIFA's proposed sale of stakes in its competitions to private investors, piling further pressure on plans backed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
In a statement released on Friday, the AFC said it "stands in solidarity" with UEFA and CONCACAF, warning the proposals could not "realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward".
"The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all Confederations and the world's leading football nations," the AFC said. "Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered."
The latest intervention leaves FIFA facing opposition from three of its six continental confederations, making it increasingly unlikely the proposal would secure the support needed if put to a vote.
The AFC also criticised FIFA's handling of the process, saying member **** ociations had not been properly consulted before the governing body set the "direction of travel" on such a significant initiative.

#uefa #unity #proposal #asian

Liverpool's latest transfer thinking appears to have turned towards Bradley Barcola, with the Paris Saint-Germain winger emerging as a major target as planning continues for life after Mohamed Salah. The idea is easy to understand on talent alone. Barcola is young, quick, refined in possession and already seasoned at elite level. Yet once the excitement settles, the shape of the move becomes more complicated.
Liverpool are preparing an opening bid for the France international, who is valued by PSG at around £145 million. With performance-related clauses reportedly capable of taking the package to €150 million, this is the sort of deal that alters the landscape of a window. It would not be a speculative addition or a market opportunity seized on a whim. It would be a declaration, one that places Barcola at the centre of Liverpool's attacking future.
That is precisely why the positional debate matters so much. Salah's departure at the end of last season left a structural absence as much as an emotional one. Replacing his goals is one challenge, replacing his function another. Liverpool lost a right-sided forward who shaped the geometry of every game. The question now is whether Barcola answers that need, or whether he solves a different problem entirely.
There is no dispute over the player's ability. Jamie Carragher made that clear when discussing the move, saying: "He's a great player, there's no doubt about that – I'd love to get Barcola at Liverpool,". But his wider concern goes to the architecture of the squad. Liverpool, in his view, are better stocked on the left than they are on the right, which makes a huge investment in Barcola feel curious unless it is part of a broader redesign.
That concern has substance. Cody Gakpo offers a reliable option from the left, Rio Ngumoha remains one of the club's more intriguing younger attackers and Víctor Munoz has also been added. In isolation, signing another left-sided player of elite pedigree sounds attractive. In practical terms, though, elite squads still require a certain balance. Too much accumulation on one flank can create a shortage elsewhere, particularly when the outgoing player was as singular as Salah.

#barcola #Liverpool #player

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) says it "stands in solidarity" with Uefa and Concacaf in opposition to Fifa's proposal to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors.
In a statement published on Friday, the AFC said Fifa president Gianni Infantino's plan could not "realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward".
"The Fifa World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all Confederations and the world's leading football nations," it said.
"Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered."
The AFC's opposition means Infantino's plans are unlikely to approved by members if put to a vote.

#confederation #uefa

The 2026 Indiana high school football season begins on Aug. 21. Six schools (Brownsburg, New Palestine, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Cascade, Andrean and South Putnam) are looking for a second consecutive state championship on Thanksgiving weekend.
IndyStar has no shortage of preseason coverage. Kyle Neddenriep reveals the best players statewide and in Central Indiana, and teams that shouldn't be dismissed. Also, if you're looking for a game to attend in Week 1, Neddenriep offers a lot of possibilities.
A lot of Big Ten recruits, coveted quarterback prospects and tremendous skill position players on the list of players of watch for the No. 1 jersey. A few of them meet in Week 1 matchup. Check out the favorites.
We counted down the top 25 high school football recruits of the first quarter century of the 2000s from Indiana. There were the four- and five-star prospects that came out of high school with a lot of promise, pressure and expectations.
Here's the countdown: Nos. 6-10 | Nos. 11-15 | Nos. 16-20 | Nos. 21-25

#neddenriep #recruits

CHICAGO − For Purdue football's quarterbacks, it pays for your head coach to have connections.
Barry Odom's longtime friendship with the Manning family allowed the Boilermakers to receive tips from one of the best to ever play the position.
In June, Peyton Manning spent a day in West Lafayette, during which he mentored Purdue quarterbacks.
"Peyton is tremendous and always is a giver back to the game of football," Odom said.
Purdue starting quarterback Ryan Browne got extensive experience and has developed a new resource in the Hall of Fame QB, who won Super Bowls with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos.

#purdue #barry #boilermakers #west

CHICAGO − For Purdue football's quarterbacks, it pays for your head coach to have connections.
Barry Odom's longtime friendship with the Manning family allowed the Boilermakers to receive tips from one of the best to ever play the position.
In June, Peyton Manning spent a day in West Lafayette, during which he mentored Purdue quarterbacks.
"Peyton is tremendous and always is a giver back to the game of football," Odom said.
Purdue starting quarterback Ryan Browne got extensive experience and has developed a new resource in the Hall of Fame QB, who won Super Bowls with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos.

#purdue #manning #peyton #west

Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has been speaking to media in Chicago in his latest media conference during the Reds' pre-season tour of the USA.
A 4-2 win over Sunderland in Nashville last week was followed by a 1-0 victory over Wrexham in New York in the early hours of Thursday.
Liverpool face Leeds United in Chicago on Sunday (21:00 BST kick-off) before concluding their pre-season back on Merseyside.
Here are the key lines from the Reds head coach:
Iraola clarified where he sees Floran Wirtz's best position: "We know what he can give us. I think he's also suited to our game model. I see him more probably in that position behind the striker. We know that he has played with Germany more on the left sometimes, but I think we're going to start working with him in that position behind the striker. He's quite complete as a player."

#season #know

Other NFL team previews: 32. Dolphins | 31. Jets | 30. Cardinals | 29. Browns | 28. ******* ans | 27. Raiders | 26. Falcons | 25. Giants | 24. Saints | 23. Panthers | 22. Buccaneers | 21. Colts | 20. Steelers | 19. Vikings | 18. Commanders | 17. Bengals | 16. Jaguars | 15. Packers | 14. Chargers | 13. 49ers | 12. Chiefs | 11. Bears | 10. Texans | 9. Eagles | 8. Cowboys | 7. Ravens | 6. Lions | 5. Patriots
Among the countless interesting tidbits in an ESPN story shadowing Sean Payton for a week before last season's AFC Championship game was one of Payton's "playoff myths" he shared with the team.
The myth he showed his players was, "We'll Be Back Next Year." Payton followed that by telling the team, "Nothing is promised."
The Denver Broncos had a remarkable season with a weird ending. Not long after the Broncos beat the Buffalo Bills in one of the most thrilling games of last postseason, Payton returned to the podium and shared with the media that Bo Nix had broken his ankle and was out for the rest of the season, including the AFC championship game.
The Broncos battled in that AFC ******* le game against the Patriots with Jarrett Stidham starting at quarterback, but one massive turnover by Stidham and a questionable fourth-down gamble in the first half, along with a blinding snowstorm in the second half, might have cost them a win and a chance to play in the Super Bowl. As Payton told the team before the game, being in that position might not happen again.

#team

Man City have agreed personal terms with Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli
Rulli wants to join City on a two-year contract despite interest from Sporting Lisbon
Marseille have received an offer from City, with the two clubs expected to reach an agreement
Manchester City have agreed personal terms with Geronimo Rulli on a two-year contract, with negotiations between the club and Marseille still ongoing, as per new reports.
The 34-year-old Argentine was identified by director of football Hugo Viana as his preferred option to fill the backup goalkeeper role left vacant by James Trafford's move to Leeds United, with City's hierarchy moving quickly to address the position after the Trafford deal was finalised.

#year #contract

Manchester City's summer has the feel of a club trying to choreograph renewal without surrendering control. According to talkSPORT, City have "agreed terms with Ayyoub Bouaddi", a significant step in a move that says much about where the Premier League side see their future.
The 19-year-old Lille midfielder has emerged as one of the market's most coveted young players, and City are reportedly "in advanced talks with Lille to sign the breakout World Cup star". That wording matters. It frames Bouaddi as more than a prospect, he is being pursued as a player ready to alter the direction of an elite midfield.
Lille are said to want €100million, which the original report notes is £86m, though "they are willing to discount the price if a loan or pre-agreement can be reached with City". City's preference, however, "is to sign and keep him". That is the language of conviction. Clubs do not usually insist on immediate possession unless they believe the adaptation curve can be shortened.
There is, too, the wider context of competition. "Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich are also understood to have shown interest in Bouaddi." In this sort of market, securing personal terms early can be as valuable as negotiating the fee itself.
The most intriguing strand is what Bouaddi's arrival could mean elsewhere. talkSPORT reports that "a deal for Bouaddi could lead to Rodri leaving City for Real Madrid." It adds that Madrid "have opened initial talks" and that Rodri "has made it clear that he wants to move". If true, City are not merely adding depth, they are preparing for succession at the game's most delicate position.

#lille #talksport

The Athletics closed out this four-game series against the Boston Red Sox on a warm summer night in West Sacramento. It was déjà vu all over again for the A's, as they carried a late lead only to watch another reliever blow the save in a 5-4 loss that prevented them from salvaging a series split.
The Athletics' struggles with runners in scoring position showed up immediately. Facing Red Sox starter Sonny Gray, designated hitter Jacob Wilson lined a one-out double in the bottom of the first, only to be stranded at second as the next two hitters grounded out.
A's right fielder Carlos Cortes drew a leadoff walk in the third inning. He advanced to second on a groundout and then moved to third on Red Sox' shortstop Andruw Monasterio's fielding error. Unlike last night, Wilson came through with a runner on third and fewer than two outs, lining an RBI single to center to put the A's up 1-0.
The hosts had a chance to score more, but Gray escaped without further damage by getting left fielder Tyler Soderstrom to ground into an inning-ending double play. Through three innings, the A's were 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, wasting opportunities to do more damage against Boston's starter.
Seeking to extend the A's lead, catcher Jonah Heim led off the bottom of the fourth with his 11th double of the season. He scored the A's second run on center fielder Lawrence Butler's one-out RBI double to right. Jeff McNeil followed with a single, advancing Butler to third.

#double #fielder #series

While veteran wideout Chase Claypool drew the headlines from the day, the Indianapolis Colts worked out a handful of other skill position players on Thursday—ultimately signing former Penn State wideout Liam Clifford:
#colts worked out Chase Claypool, Liami Clifford (signed), Jermar jefferson, Roydell Williams
The 6'1", 200 pound undrafted 1st-year wideout previously participated in the Colts recent 2026 rookie minicamp tryout after earning 4x Academic All-Big Ten honors with the Nittany Lions.
During his 4-year collegiate career, Clifford caught 42 receptions for 530 receiving yards (12.6 ypr. avg.) and a touchdown reception, as well as had 3 rushes for 16 total rushing yards.
On special teams, he had one touchdown on a blocked punt.

#touchdown

CrowdStrike (CRWD) is in focus after Loop Capital dubbed it "simply the best positioned cybersecurity vendor in the emerging agentic artificial intelligence (AI) era." In his research note this morning, **** yst Yun Kim announced a Buy rating on CRWD, with a $230 price target, indicating potential upside of more than 25% from current levels.
Kim's call is significant given that CrowdStrike stock is already trading at more than 2x its price in late February.
Dear Sandisk Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for August 5
Nasdaq Futures Plunge as Chip Selloff Rages On, FOMC Meeting and Earnings on Tap
Ahead of Microsoft Earnings, Here's What Barchart Data Says Comes Next for MSFT Stock

#Stock #crowdstrike #crwd #capital

The San Francisco 49ers are reuniting with Deebo Samuel. The team signed him to a one-year on Thursday, adding a proven NFL wideout to its wide receiver-needy roster.
He spent the first six seasons of his pro career with San Francisco he was traded to the Washington Commanders in March 2025. Samuel enjoyed his best season in 2021, recording 77 receptions for 1,405 yards and six touchdowns. He also recorded 365 yards on the ground and eight scores. Samuel's strong performances earned him first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods.
MORE: Commanders WR Deebo Samuel receives $700K news ahead of Eagles matchup
His contract is for $7 million and the signing happened amid the 49ers' training camp.
Samuel has played 81 regular-season games for San Francisco, including 73 starts. His addition provides the team with insurance the the wide receiver position. Ricky Pearsall is dealing with swelling in the posterior cruciate ligament of his right knee. Christian Kirk, on the other hand, missed recent training camp sessions due to a strained calf.

#deebo

Activist investor Sachem Head Capital Management disclosed a 6.9% beneficial ownership stake in Ionic Digital (NASDAQ: this week, giving the activist investor exposure to the bitcoin miner's shift toward AI/HPC infrastructure.
The position covers 3,169,808 Class A shares. Sachem Head funds directly hold 2,264,150 shares, while warrants account for another 905,658 shares.
Ionic Digital recently listed on the Nasdaq Exchange on July 28 under the ticker IOND, following an emergence from the Celsius Network bankruptcy. The Bitcoin miner turned data center builder received mining **** ets, $195 million in cash and 540 bitcoin in exchange for issuing 37 million shares to former Celsius creditors.
Stay ahead of AI infrastructure deals. Get Blockspace in your inbox.
Sachem Head acquired the securities through Ionic's $400 million private placement, announced June 26 at a $2 billion pre-money valuation. Sachem Head joined Attestor, Oaktree Capital Management, Citadel and Weiss **** et Management in the financing.

#sachem #Bitcoin #million #digital

Injuries are never a good thing for a team or a player, and one that knocks the player out for an entire season is devastating. The New Orleans Saints have had pretty good luck in recent years avoiding these major injuries before the season began, but that good luck ran out quickly. On the first day of training camp, one of the most important players for the Saints' future went down with a potentially season-ending injury: DT Bryan Bresee.
Before getting to what an injury like this does to the roster, we have to talk about what this means for Bresee. 2026 was set to be an extremely impactful year for Bresee. He took a step forward in 2025, and his run defense became more consistent. This season was supposed to be the year that he could put everything together and prove to everyone that he is the franchise's star DT. With a potential contract extension set in 2028, Bresee must prove to the Saints that it will be worth it, but missing an entire year could prevent that.
Now let's talk about the defense. Bresee is a very important player, and if he were going to take that developmental step forward, the defensive line could have been dangerous, but that's not going to happen now. The defensive tackle position was already a questionable group, so this new injury makes it even more of a question mark. It's arguably the weakest part of the roster. Investments have been made, such as the selections of Vernon Broughton and Christen Miller, but those are two unproven commodities. Broughton only played one game last season, and Miller is a rookie. Then, behind them, Davon Godchaux is the NT, so he wouldn't fill Bresee's position, as the former first-round pick is in Brandon Staley's 3-4 DE spot. The same is true for John Ridgeway III, so that leaves Nathan Shepherd as really the only veteran DT that can step in.
Already since Bresee went down with an injury, the Saints have utilized Broughton and Shepherd in that open spot, so those may be the two players to take over, but the edge rushers on teh roster could also be in that position. Carl Granderson started the season playing more of an OLB role for the Saints, but as the season went on, he saw more consistent success as a 3-4 DE. He may end up being a player that can step up and hold the spot down while Bresee is out.

#player #broughton

Regional banks have spent 2026 rebuilding the credibility they lost in 2023, when panicked customers withdrew large sums of money. The Federal Reserve's interest rate cuts have eased the funding costs, and loan growth is picking up again across the Southeast and Mid-South regions. First Horizon Corporation (NYSE:FHN), the Memphis-based lender, which benefits directly from this regional banking recovery, just got a very public nudge from Jim Cramer – the Mad Money host. In the lightning round on July 27, Jim endorsed First Horizon, calling it "a terrific stock, very inexpensive".
I think it's a terrific stock, very inexpensive. I think you should buy it.
Cramer's call on the stock comes two weeks after First Horizon released its second quarter results. The print indicated net income of $260 million, up 12% year-over-year, and EPS of $0.54, beating the $0.53 consensus by a penny. Adjusted EPS saw a 20% year-over-year growth. The company's revenue was in line with the estimates, reaching $887 million. Aside from financial growth indicators, the underlying trends also showed improved performance. Loans saw a growth of roughly $2 billion year-over-year while deposits went up by $1.6 billion sequentially, and the bank's return on equity climbed over 15%.
Even amid these numbers, Cramer's framing does not accurately capture the true position of First Horizon. The company trades at 1.77 times tangible book value, 10% above its own 10-year average. Shares are up 13.14% over the past year and sit near $25.40 currently. These numbers do not reflect a discounted regional bank. They represent a bank that the market has already pushed toward the top of its peer group. In other words, Cramer's "buy" is not a bargain call, but a bet that strong profits justify a premium price.
Higher deposit costs resulted in a slight slippage in net interest margins, while overall expenses grew alongside loan growth. Nevertheless, credit quality stayed resilient, showing only modest increases in loan losses. The company also engaged in aggressive stock buybacks, shrinking the total share count by nearly 7% over the past year, which ended up lifting the earnings per share. Short float of 2.73% down from 3.50% the previous month, indicates that bearish market traders are exiting their negative positions.

#regional #money #interest