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

#smith #great

The Atlanta Falcons' quarterback situation has somehow become even more complicated ahead of their Week 1 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The team announced on Saturday that quarterback Cooper Rush is dealing with back spasms. Despite the issue though, Rush remains on track to start against Pittsburgh.
Rush had already been pushed into the starting role after Tua Tagovailoa suffered an oblique injury during Thursday's practice and was ruled out for Week 1. Michael Penix Jr. is also unavailable as he continues his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered last season.
That leaves rookie Jack Strand as Atlanta's primary backup behind Rush. The undrafted quarterback has drawn plenty of interest from Falcons fans, with many hoping to eventually see what Strand can do in regular-season action. Rush remains the clear starter for now, but his back issues could make Strand's status worth monitoring throughout Sunday's game.

#quarterback #week #pittsburgh #back

The latest monthly list of new buys by the best mutual funds puts a dazzling spotlight on Lumentum (LITE). These savvy money managers scooped up an eye-catching $13.11 billion worth of Lumentum stock. The optical and photonics giant plays a key role in powering the infrastructure behind artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and next-generation communications. Demand from top funds continues to…

#funds #list

Some offers on this page are from advertisers who pay us, which may affect which products we write about, but not our recommendations. See our Advertiser Disclosure.
Gold can act as a hedge against inflation, but it doesn't reliably rise whenever inflation does. Some investors use gold to help preserve purchasing power as prices rise, but inflation is only one of several factors that can influence gold prices.
If you've researched gold as an investment, you've probably come across financial experts ****** erting that gold is a hedge against inflation. Understanding what that actually means — and what it doesn't — can help put gold's role in an investment portfolio into perspective.
An inflation hedge is an investment or strategy intended to help offset the loss of purchasing power caused by rising prices.
As inflation rises, each dollar buys a little less than it did before. For example, imagine a cart of groceries that costs $100 today. If those same groceries cost $105 next year, your $100 no longer buys as much as it did before.

#inflation #Gold #doesn 't #power

Chris Buescher's Gateway weekend hit a snag before his No. 17 Ford ever reached the starting grid.
NASCAR ejected two car chiefs Saturday after a pair of Cup Series cars failed pre-race inspection twice at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Buescher's No. 17 RFK Racing Ford and Cody Ware's No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet each required three trips through inspection before being cleared. The two failures resulted in the ejection of No. 17 car chief Joshua Sisco and No. 51 car chief Dave Jones for the remainder of the race weekend.
Both teams also lost their pit-stall selection for Sunday's Enjoy Illinois 300, leaving them with the final available stalls on pit road regardless of where their drivers qualified.
The consequences stop there, however. Both cars passed inspection on their third attempts, avoiding the additional penalties that would have come with another failure.

#racing #race #chris #nascar

It's game time, baby!
The Hawkeyes are back in action and for the second week in a row, Iowa will play host to a first year coach as the Iowa State Cyclones come to town with new head coach Jimmy Rogers. While Rogers was at South Dakota State before his one year stint at Washington State, he was not leading the Jackrabbits for the 7-3 game back in 2022.
In a role reversal from the last couple years under former head coach Matt Campbell, the Cyclones will come to Iowa City looking drag Iowa down into the mud for a rock fight. ISU boasts a talented defense, particularly up front, but had their fair share of struggles on the offensive side of the ball in week one against SEMO.
They'll rely on shortening the game, limiting possessions and bank on quarterback Jaylen Raynor hitting on a shot play or two.
Can the Hawkeyes avoid giving up a big play after the Cyclones tallied five of them in week one? Can they flip the script and turn those shot plays into turnovers after Raynor avoided interceptions in the opener? And what about the other side of the ball? Will Iowa still be able to find success running the ball against what is framed as a stout defensive front for Iowa State? And if not, can the combination of Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski win this game through the air?

#week

With Trevor Lawrence and Ewers on the 53-man roster, the Jacksonville Jaguars are still choosing to elevate quarterback Nick Mullens for Sunday's Week 1 matchup with the Cleveland Browns.
After the Jaguars traded for Ewers, Mullens was released on cutdown day and then signed back to the practice squad.
By trading for Ewers, the Jaguars are clearly bullish on the young quarterback's upside. That said, he is still a relatively inexperienced player, whereas Mullens not only has NFL experience but is well-versed in the Liam Coen system.
Beyond the backup quarterback needing to step in if an injury occurs, that player is also tasked with providing support and another set of eyes for the starter in the meeting rooms, on the practice field, and on the sidelines on Sundays.
Mullens' experience likely makes him more well-equipped to fill that role right now than Ewers.

#jaguars #player

NEW DELHI: England completed a 3-0 Test series clean sweep over Pakistan at Edgbaston, but the series produced an unusual statistic.

It was only the eighth three-match Test series in history to finish without a single individual century. It was also only the second such series in England, after the 1888 Ashes.

England's batting was led by Joe Root, who remained unbeaten on 62 in the third Test, while Jordan **** scored an unbeaten 59 as England chased down 130 with eight wickets in hand.

The result gave England their second 3-0 Test series clean sweep over Pakistan, after their success in the 2022/23 series. It was also England's 15th three-match Test series sweep overall.

For Pakistan, it was their 11th Test series defeat by a 3-0 margin.
England's chase got off to a shocking start when Ben Duckett was dismissed for a duck with the first ball. Emilio Gay then fell later in the same over bowled by Mohammad Abbas.

At 2 for 2, Pakistan had a chance to put England under serious pressure.

But Root settled things down. He survived a major scare when Mohammad Ali bowled him for 23, only for the delivery to be called a no-ball.

It was Ali's 17th no-ball of the series.

Root had another lucky escape when, on 38, he edged Abbas between first and second slip. Neither fielder went for the catch.

The England batter made Pakistan pay for the missed opportunities. He went on to complete his 110th score of 50 or more in Test cricket, including 41 centuries.
Jordan **** provided excellent support for Root as the pair took control of the chase.

Cox remained unbeaten on 59 and helped England reach the target in just 25 overs.

Pakistan had shown plenty of fight in the third Test after conceding a massive 320-run first-innings lead. But England's dominance in the first two Tests meant the series was already heavily tilted in their favour.

Had Pakistan shown the same fight earlier in the series, the contest could have been much closer.
England's fast bowlers were the biggest difference between the two sides.

Ollie Robinson led the attack and finished the series with 21 wickets. Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson also played important roles as England's pace attack made the most of helpful conditions.

The batting, however, was less convincing.

No England batter scored a century across the three Tests, making the series only the eighth three-match Test series without an individual hundred and just the second in England after the 1888 Ashes.
Pakistan's biggest positive came from debutant Razaullah, who produced an exciting counter-attack at Edgbaston.

His thrilling 81 off 63 **** gave Pakistan hope and briefly brought the third Test to life.

But it was too late to change the outcome of the series.

Pakistan have now lost 16 of their 21 Tests. Their difficult tour was followed by major changes, with seven players replaced in the squad after the second Test and coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and his **** istant

Joe Root led England to a 3-0 Test series whitewash over Pakistan after scoring an unbeaten 62 in the third Test at Edgbaston. England were chasing 130 for victory but got off to a poor start. Ben Duckett was dismissed by Mohammad Abbas with the first ball of the innings, while opener Emilio Gay also fell later in the same over.

At 2 for 2, Pakistan had a chance to put England under pressure. But Root and Jordan **** remained calm and slowly took control of the chase.

It was the first time England had whitewashed Pakistan in a home Test series.

Root survived a big scare when Mohammad Ali bowled him for 23, only for the delivery to be called a no-ball. It was Ali's 17th no-ball of the series.

Pakistan then missed another opportunity when Root, on 38, edged Abbas between first and second slip. Neither fielder went for the catch.

Root made Pakistan pay for the missed chances. His unbeaten 62 was his 110th Test innings of 50 or more, a tally that includes 41 centuries.

Cox remained unbeaten on 59 as England reached the target in the 25th over with eight wickets in hand.
Pakistan had shown more fight in the third Test after conceding a huge 320-run first-innings deficit.

Root said the difficult chase was useful for England after Pakistan had put them under pressure.

"Fair play to Pakistan, ?they threw some punches last night. They made it very difficult for us and in some ways it's a good thing to go through that," said Root.

"Test cricket is not always going to go your own way but to see us actually be quite clinical with the bat off the back of that was good too. So ?in many ways we're better for it.

"Of course there's things we will want to improve on but we ?came into this ?series with a lot of question marks and a lot of noise around the team and we've walked away 3-0 winners so ?in that respect I'm quite ?pleased."
The series came after a difficult period for England, who had been looking to recover from their defeat to New Zealand following the Ashes loss.

Root's return to the captaincy after Ben Stokes' retirement from international cricket ended with a series whitewash.

Pakistan had one major positive in the third Test. Debutant Razaullah scored an impressive 81 off 63 **** , giving his team hope and bringing energy to the contest at Edgbaston.
England's fast bowlers were once again too strong for Pakistan on helpful surfaces.

Ollie Robinson led the attack and finished the series with 21 wickets to be named England's player of the series.

"I'm a realist, I know it's not always going to be like this," said Robinson, England's player of the series.

"We know there's ?going to be tougher times ahead. We have some tough opposition coming up and we're looking forward to the challenge."

Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson also played important roles in England's dominant series win.

England's batting was less convincing, with no batter managing to score a century in the three Tests.

On September 3, Genesco (NYSE:GCO) reported a second quarter that should not have worked on paper. Revenue fell 3% to $530 million, yet the company nearly halved its adjusted operating loss and raised full-year earnings guidance to the top end of its range. That combination, shrinking sales alongside expanding profit, is the footwear-first strategy showing up in real numbers. Every one of the company's three brands beat internal expectations, and management says the toughest sales pressure ahead is coming from a deliberate choice rather than a weakening business.
Journeys, the company's teen-focused chain, delivered its eighth consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales, up 2%, even while lapping strong growth from a year earlier. The more interesting story sits underneath that number. The Journeys 4.0 store format, a redesigned concept built around a more elevated ***** ortment, is generating a sales lift of 25% or more wherever it opens, and the company expects roughly 180 locations, about a fifth of its fleet, running that format by year-end. That rollout, combined with fleet optimization and more efficient use of selling staff, handed Journeys 180 basis points of expense leverage in the quarter. Comparable sales kept accelerating into August, marking Journeys' ninth straight month of positive comps and a mid-single-digit gain during the back-to-school peak.
Johnston & Murphy is running its own streak, with comparable sales up 4% in its third consecutive positive quarter, helped by a newly extended, multiyear partnership with Peyton Manning and a broader shift in menswear toward more refined, put-together dressing. Companywide, adjusted gross margin expanded 140 basis points to 47.2%, and the adjusted operating loss narrowed to $8 million from $14 million a year ago. Genesco also collected $22.5 million in tariff refunds during the quarter and cut total debt to $15.8 million from $71 million a year earlier, giving a new CFO and a new Schuh president a far healthier balance sheet to work with as they settle into their roles.
The drag comes almost entirely from Schuh, Genesco's UK chain, where comparable sales fell 9% as management deliberately pulled back on discounting to protect margin. Executives were blunt about the cost of that choice. CEO Mimi Vaughn said "the UK consumer market remains challenged and price sensitive," and the Schuh turnaround is expected to take longer than the one already underway at Journeys. That pressure is now baked into guidance. Full-year total sales are expected to fall about 2%, worse than the prior forecast of down 1% to flat, with management incorporating more back-half sales pressure than it originally planned for given how promotional the UK footwear market has become.

#comparable #schuh #management #pressure

Lady Gaga spent years saying motherhood was the role she wanted most. She has now become a parent without making a public announcement.
The 40-year-old singer and her fiancé, Michael Polansky, have welcomed their first child together, according to TMZ. The news emerged after Gaga and Polansky were photographed in Northern California with a newborn.
No name, **** or exact date of birth has been made public. Gaga and Polansky also have not shared their own announcement about becoming parents, and representatives for the singer did not comment when contacted by reporters.
Keeping the milestone private follows a pattern for the couple. Polansky proposed in April 2024, but the engagement remained out of public view until Gaga introduced him as her fiancé during the Paris Olympics several months later.
Page Six obtained photographs of Gaga and Polansky with the baby during an outing in Northern California. Gaga carried the infant against her chest while Polansky walked beside her.

#public #fianc

This could be interesting. Rookie running back CJ Donaldson is expected to come up from the New Orleans Saints practice squad for Week 1's road game with the Detroit Lions, reports Nick Underhill for NewOrleans.Football. While the Saints will have Travis Etienne Jr. and Kendre Miller in the lineup, veteran rusher Alvin Kamara is questionable to play and Audric Estime has been preemptively ruled out with a thigh injury. This would be one of three times the Saints can elevate Donaldson from the practice squad before they're required to promote him to the 53-man roster.
Donaldson is a bigger back, listed at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, and the Saints took time to figure out what he could do during the preseason and training camp by moving him around the formation as a fullback and halfback. That's a role he's familiar with dating back to his time in college with Ohio State and West Virginia. We know that rookie tight end Oscar Delp isn't playing in Week 1 due to a hamstring injury so maybe Donaldson does more than take some handoffs in short-yardage situations. He could get some opportunities to pave the way as a lead blocker and stand up blitzing defenders in the backfield.
But that doesn't mean he won't get some carries. Even if Etienne is going to take the lion's share of rushing attempts, Kamara isn't likely to see many touches if he does get the green light, being so soon removed from a preseason knee injury. Miller has missed 30 of his 51 possible games with New Orleans because of injuries. It makes sense to have Donaldson available in case of an emergency, if for no other reason than to keep Kamara from being rushed into some unfavorable situations.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Report: Rookie RB to be called up from Saints practice squad vs. Lions

#rookie #squad #injury

Henry Winkler is "still working on his perspective" about his relationship with Tom Hanks.
Winkler, 80, gained notoriety for playing Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on Happy Days, and first crossed paths with Hanks when the now-70-year-old actor landed a guest star role in a 1982 episode of the sitcom.
Hanks went on to star in movies and the pair briefly reunited in 1989 when Winkler signed on to direct Turner & Hooch, only to leave the project soon after due to on-set disagreements.
In September 2026, Winkler talked about his experience working on the movie and his ongoing tension with Hanks on In Depth With Graham Bensinger.
He explained that he worked with Hanks "before he was a movie star," but hinted that he wasn't sure what went wrong with their relationship, as years later, the actor did not seem interested in reuniting.

#winkler #relationship #actor

In two weeks, USC faces Oregon in the Trojans' game of the year, the one which will shape the rest of their season. Oregon's outlook after the Boise State game is marked by concern and optimism. The concern comes from how poorly the Ducks played. The optimism comes from being able to win in spite of the below-par performance. Ducks Wire noted the good and bad performers from the game. Here are one of each:
Ducks Wire liked what it saw from linebacker Dylan Williams:
"The biggest riser on the defense in my mind was linebacker Dylan Williams, who played a huge role in this game, stepping up alongside Jerry Mixon and Devon Jackson in that linebacker room. While his stats don't jump off the page, Williams was flying around the field and had a huge impact on this game, earning some high praise from Dan Lanning when all was said and done. Expect to see a lot more of Williams this year."
Ducks Wire did not like what kick returner Evan Stewart brought to the table:
"As a wide receiver, Evan Stewart was great on Saturday, with eight catches for 72 yards. As a punt returner, though, Stewart left a bit to be desired. He had a trio of mistakes: a fair catch at the 3-yard line and two ****** ed punts, one of which was recovered by Boise State. In the end, Oregon was still able to get the win, and Lanning expressed support of Stewart after the game, but it's clear that this operation needs to clean up going forward for the Ducks, or we may see someone else back there in the return game."

#game #stewart #oregon #dylan

England have wrapped up victory over Pakistan in the third Test by eight wickets to seal a 3-0 series win.
Here's how the players rated at Edgbaston.
Emilio Gay - 6 - A gritty Test-best of 60 in tricky batting conditions in the first innings looked to have gone some way towards securing his place on the plane for a winter tour of South Africa, only for a duck next time round to bring back some uncertainty. (Series - 6)
Ben Duckett - 2 - A miserable end to the summer for the opener who will now come under some scrutiny. Made 11 and zero in this match and finishes this three-Test series well down the averages with a disappointing 44 runs at 8.8. (Series - 2)
Jordan **** - 7 - A cheap dismissal in the first innings but made a nerveless unbeaten 59 to take the sting out of Pakistan after a wobble in the chase. A particularly impressive effort with the gloves - taking five dismissals - after being called upon to keep following Jamie Smith's injury may have given the selectors food for thought in the role. (Series - 7)

#england #edgbaston #south

When you're overmatched as the Carolina Panthers may be on Sunday against the Chicago Bears—sometimes, you have to pick your battles. Stopping everything that head coach and play-caller Ben Johnson wants to do offensively simply isn't realistic given the schematic and talent mismatch on that side of the ball.
However, if the Panthers are going to defy the odds and their sorry Week 1 history to pull off a win, they have to find a way to make Chicago's offense one-dimensional. And the quickest way to do that is by shutting down the Bears' ground game, which is led by running back D'Andre Swift.
Last season, Swift led the Bears with 1,087 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Backup Kyle Monangai ranked second with 783 rushing yards to go with five scores on the ground. As a team, Chicago ranked third in the NFL with 144.5 rushing yards per game.
Containing that potent rushing attack will be easier said than done, but it's critical that the Panthers find a way to do so. While defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero will direct the symphony from the sideline, it'll be Pro Bowl inside linebacker Devin Lloyd—who was signed to a three-year, $42 million pact this offseason—who shoulders most of the responsibilities on the field.
Lloyd will likely be the first defender to meet Swift or Monangai once they break past the line of scrimmage, and how well he tackles will play a big role in deciding who wins those matchups.

#swift #rushing #monangai

Led by Elliot Anderson, reloaded Man City midfield gets first chance to impress in Manchester derby originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Manchester City were one of the biggest spenders in the free-wheeling 2026 summer transfer window, as the Premier League side made a host of big-money moves ahead of the current season.
Always known as one of the most lavish clubs in the world with their transfer budget, they went especially big this summer as they looked to refurbish the squad in a period of transition after the departure of legendary manager Pep Guardiola.
The club mainly focused on the central midfield position, where multiple key players departed and an immediate refresh was needed to keep the club's levels up.
With the new players now slotting into their established roles and Enzo Maresca's system beginning to become evident, Sunday's Manchester derby at Old Trafford is the perfect showcase for all the pieces to finally come together.

#manchester #transfer #players

David Moyes has made it clear, Jack Grealish is in line to start for Everton against Tottenham this weekend. After a short outing from the bench in the recent defeat to Manchester United, the Everton manager believes the 31-year-old is now ready for a bigger role.
That matters, because Everton need quality and they need it quickly. Their transfer window closed with more frustration than progress. Grealish returned on loan for a second straight season, but the late collapse of a move for Monaco striker Folarin Balogun left Moyes with a squad short on numbers and light on attacking options.
Moyes did not overcomplicate the issue. "I think Jack is special – I think he is ready to play, yes," said Moyes. "I think Jack is probably a boy who needs the football [matches] more than he needs the training sometimes."
That sums up Grealish well enough. He is a rhythm player. He needs minutes, contact, pressure, and repetition. Training helps, but matches sharpen him. Moyes sees that clearly and added: "I think game time helps Jack. In ways, that's him still building up to his best but, I've got to say, he's had a good week of training and he's beginning to look ready to start."
Photo IMAGO

#everton #training #short

Jason Whitlock has put a new twist on A'ja Wilson sitting out of Team USA for the 2026 FIBA World Cup.
Team USA are all set to face off against Spain in the semifinals of the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup.
So far, they are undefeated in the tournament, and Caitlin Clark has played a crucial role in it, albeit coming off the bench.
Team USA's success has somewhat shocked many, as they were expecting to see signs of struggle in the absence of superstar center A'ja Wilson.
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

#wilson

When Dua Lipa stepped out for Bulgari's Serpenti Infinito celebration in New York, her shimmering camisole top turned heads for its delicate straps and eye-catching embellishment. Following this highly anticipated appearance, designer Clio Peppiatt revealed exactly where that top came from, and it isn't even on shelves yet.
Dua Lipa's Bulgari event top is an unreleased piece from Clio Peppiatt's Cruise 27 collection. Peppiatt shared the reveal on her own Instagram, confirming Lipa wore a piece from the label's upcoming Cruise 27 collection. The striking ivory and gold camisole featured dense sequin and bead embellishment arranged in a soft floral pattern. The top was held up by the thinnest metallic spaghetti straps for an elegant look. The fitted, corset-style shape hugged Lipa's torso closely, with the embellishment catching the light with every step down the street.
Peppiatt captioned the reveal "a little glimpse of what's to come," crediting photographer Lorenzo Posocco for the images. In a follow-up post, she teased that the piece belongs to an "unreleased Cruise collection launching next month." This brief announcement gave excited fans an early look at the label's next drop ahead of its official release.
Lipa paired the sparkling top with tailored black wide-leg trousers for a sleek silhouette. This choice allowed the embellished camisole to remain the clear focal point of her entire outfit. She finished the look with a Bulgari Serpenti bracelet in 18-karat rose gold, a diamond and ruby choker, and matching stud earrings, all fitting given her role as a Bulgari ambassador.
Fans reacted quickly to Peppiatt's reveal, flooding the comments with fire emojis and calling the look "iconic." The designer is well known for creating hand-embellished and statement-making fashion pieces. She has increasingly become a red carpet favorite among pop stars seeking genuine texture and shine.

#piece

Alexandra Leclerc will be welcoming her bundle of joy in a few short months with her F1 husband, Charles, and we could not be more impressed with her maternity wardrobe.
The 26-year-old mother-to-be turned the streets of Madrid into her runway as she stepped onto the sidelines of the Spanish Grand Prix in a newspaper-inspired Dior dress made famous by Sarah Jessica Parker's iconic leading role in ******* and the City, Carrie Bradshaw.
Alexandra was a vision in the dress previously worn by Sarah Jessica Parker (@ Getty Images)
The piece from the 2000 fall/winter archives of John Galliano looked spectacular on the influencer, who paired the famous mini-dress with the lambskin Mini Lady Dior bag in powder blue and black peep-toe mules.
As for her glam for the occasion, Alexandra wore her iconic raven tresses - which looked glossier than ever - styled with an elegant, face-framing bouncy blow-dry, her tresses cascading past her shoulders.

#sarah #famous

India's search for consistency in T20I cricket will continue with a three-match series against Afghanistan, but the team's batting combination could once again come under scrutiny, particularly with vice-captain Tilak Varma's role yet to appear fully settled.

India, led by Shreyas Iyer, endured a difficult run following their second consecutive T20 World Cup triumph earlier this year. The team lost all six of its T20Is against Ireland and England before finally putting together a 3-0 clean sweep against Zimbabwe.

The Afghanistan series begins on September 13 (Saturday), with India also scheduled to play a historic T20I against ******* an before featuring in the Asian Games 2026.
With several established batters competing for places, former South Africa star AB de Villiers believes India could face a selection headache, particularly when it comes to deciding where Tilak Varma fits into the batting order.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, de Villiers pointed to the number of batting options available to India and questioned how the team would accommodate its vice-captain.

"There will definitely be some selection issues with regard to the batters. Obviously, Shreyas, captain, Ishan Kishan, Samson, Sooryavanshi, and then there are all-rounders, Tilak Varma; I think that's where the balance is quite tricky. Where will he bat?" de Villiers said.

Tilak's recent numbers also underline why his position could become a talking point.

Since the 2026 T20 World Cup, the left-hander has scored 255 runs from 10 innings at a strike rate of 159.36, with three scores of 50 or more. However, the numbers need some context. One of those half-centuries came during the recent Zimbabwe series, while another was scored in the fifth T20I against England, by which point India had already conceded the series.

His overall returns therefore look stronger in isolation than his performances across the entire period suggest. Tilak endured a particularly difficult run during India's tour of the UK, and his inconsistency has remained a concern despite the occasional big score. That makes his position in India's batting order an even bigger talking point ahead of the Afghanistan series.

The presence of Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi gives India several batting options, while the team also has to factor in its all-rounders.

For de Villiers, the challenge is not simply about selecting the strongest players but finding a combination in which every batter has a clearly defined role.

He believes India have enough quality in their squad to deal with Afghanistan, but stressed that clarity will be particularly important against a side he considers dangerous.

"Really, really strong squad, but the balance will be tricky to figure out. It is T20 cricket, so they can play around with the squad a little bit. There are different roles, but the role clarification will still be incredibly important for India, as

"He knows his role in the team. Serhou Guirassy is our number one striker. He is the challenger." With these clear words, Niko Kovač made it plain at the press conference ahead of the season opener against Hamburger SV who is in charge in Dortmund's attack. But in football, two weeks can feel like an eternity. By now, the black-and-yellow world looks very different.
Because Fabio Silva has now become so important that he could even prompt a system change at Dortmund. Guirassy himself also raved about his competitor. "Fabio Silva and I really enjoy playing together and we have a lot of fun in training. He is a great player," he said after the Champions League win against Villarreal to the microphone of 'Amazon Prime'.
You can see what else the two say about each other here in the video.
Coach Kovač was also full of praise after the win against the Spaniards. Fabio Silva repeatedly worked his way into clear-cut chances and rewarded himself for his effort. "You can see that we can play this system with two strikers just as well as with one striker. If we now add Fabio (Silva, editor's note) alongside Serhou (Guirassy, editor's note) too - and we will - then we really have something special," said the BVB coach happily.
Few would probably have expected the Portuguese forward to be receiving this kind of praise right now. In the summer, there were rumors about a transfer because Silva had only rarely been able to meet expectations. According to 'Sky', the Bundesliga club would have been open to talks starting at a fee of 20 million euros. Both a loan and a sale were reportedly considered.

#serhou #coach #clear #himself

Franco Mastantuono's time at Real Madrid was anything but memorable as he suffered with poor form and fitness and never really got going as many expected him to.
The youngster thus left the club in the summer transfer window, just one season into his Real Madrid stint, and is currently on loan at Fiorentina for one season.
Los Blancos, meanwhile, have brought in Yan Diomande as a record signing to strengthen the left flank – the same position Mastantuono used to play while at the club.
Last night, Mastantuono started Fiorentina's Serie A clash against Venezia which ended a 4-1 win for his side, and it was the young Argentine who played the pioneering role.
Lionel Messi held the record for decades. (Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

#real

After transferring from Crown Point in Indiana, junior tight end Ty Kennedy had to carve out a role for himself on a Mount Carmel offense that was already loaded with returning stars.
For Kennedy, though, the transition to a new team, a new school and a new state has been a smooth one.
"I wouldn't say it was hard at all," Kennedy said. "The culture here, you just have to buy into it. This place is great. I couldn't ask for anything better. Teammates, coaches. Coach (Jordan) Lynch is obviously a mastermind on the offensive side of the ball. All my teammates are great.
"It's amazing."
Kennedy is emerging as yet another playmaker for the Caravan. He hauled in four catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns Friday night as host Mount Carmel pulled away late for a 56-26 Catholic League Blue win over Marist in Chicago.

#mount #carmel #teammates #great

Team USA star Angel Reese already seems tired, but that shouldn't worry fans.
Angel Reese and Team USA are just one step away from reaching the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup.
They are all set to face Spain in the semifinals of the tournament and preserve their unbeaten run in hopes of winning another gold medal.
Speaking of the team's success, Reese has played a crucial role, with her extended role off the bench giving Team USA a much-needed scoring surge when required.
Photo by Milad Payami/FIBA via Getty Images

#fiba #World

Michael Zagaris has spent more than half a century documenting the San Francisco 49ers, a career that began when he was a teenager sneaking into Kezar Stadium with homemade credentials and grew into an official role embedded with the team.
Zagaris said his access started early.
"Here's a picture I took at 11," he recalled, pointing to an image from his childhood.
Growing up near the College of the Pacific, he said, "This team sent 11 guys to the NFL."
By high school, he was already finding ways onto the field.

#zagaris #team #francisco #growing

Northern Trust Corporation (NASDAQ:NTRS) announced on September 7 that Warwickshire Pension Fund had appointed it to provide global custody, valuation reporting, capital call execution and performance measurement. The UK public pension fund has approximately £3.6 billion, or $4.8 billion, in ****** ets.
The appointment strengthens the pension-servicing franchise of Northern Trust Corporation (NASDAQ:NTRS). Contract duration and fees were not disclosed in the announcement. The investment question is whether the relationship can generate meaningful recurring revenue and support further wins.
Scale sets the hurdle. Northern Trust Corporation (NASDAQ:NTRS) reported $20.0 trillion of ****** ets under custody or administration at June 30. Warwickshire's ****** ets equal approximately 0.024% of that base. The pension ****** ets represent a servicing opportunity, with revenue depending on the services provided and contractual pricing.
Northern Trust Corporation (NASDAQ:NTRS) won responsibility for several connected functions. Combining custody, valuation reporting, and performance measurement could make the relationship more embedded in the fund's operations. Capital call execution also provides a role in supporting private-market investments.
Warwickshire is one of 18 partner funds in Border to Coast Pensions Partnership. For Northern Trust Corporation (NASDAQ:NTRS), successful delivery could provide a reference for additional pension mandates. The opportunity lies in repeating the service model across clients and expanding relationships as operational needs evolve.

#pension #assets

New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara (knee), who is listed as questionable for the Week 1 game against the Detroit Lions, is not expected to have a big role if he does play.
SOURCE: Nick Underhill - NewOrleans.Football
Why it Matters: Although Kamara still has a chance to suit up in the season opener, it sounds like the Saints will play it safe with their veteran running back. Kamara should be a solid flex option this season, especially in PPR formats, but even he does play, he should probably be left on the bench in Week 1.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alvin Kamara likely limited

#play #Alvin #lions #source

Giants news: Odell Beckham Jr. reveals why he brought back 'iconic' hair style appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Giants are turning over a new leaf with John Harbaugh as head coach against the Dallas Cowboys at home on Sunday night. The Giants' opener will include the return of former fan favorite Odell Beckham Jr. at wide receiver, who announced he will dedicate his return to MetLife Stadium to the fans.
Beckham Jr. spoke to reporters, including Charlotte Carole of The Athletic, on Friday, during which he was asked why he changed his hair back to blonde ahead of the 2026-27 season. The decision came amid requests from younger Giants players, who called it a "core memory" from earlier days in the NFL.
"I don't know. It just was somethin' I was feelin', he replied. "Um, I kinda got a request from a couple of the young guys. It was, we need to see the blonde, I said, 'I need that.'
Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

#beckham #clutchpoints