Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Let's start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
Former UFC ******* le challenger (and current ******* yst) arrested for alleged felony domestic violence, faces 20 years in prison: Anthony Smith seemed to be in a weird mental ******* e after his UFC retirement, but this is SHOCKING!
Reinier de Ridder 'never going back' to middleweight after UFC Sacramento — 'Dumbest s—t I've ever done': I can't help but think de Ridder's best chance at UFC gold was at Middleweight, but I cannot blame him for not wanting to suffer the misery and longterm affects of that drastic cut.
Sean Strickland details disturbing Russian Roulette incident: 'It still gives me chills': I'm genuinely happy Strickland is in a better mental ******* e nowadays.

#mental #midnight #mania

Bayern Munich and Harry Kane could be ready to kickstart contract discussions in just a matter of a few days — something that the majority of fans would welcome:
Bayern will open formal contract negotiations with Harry Kane at the beginning of August once he returns from vacation. The Englishman is currently Bayern's highest earner alongside Jamal Musiala with around €25m gross per year. Bayern typically aim to cut the salary of players over 30 year old, but with Kane a pay cut will certainly not be a topic. Kane received inquiries from other clubs, but for him it was always clear that Bayern is the perfect club for his career plans
The decisive question for the negotiations will be the new contract duration. Bayern will offer Kane a contract until at least 2029. Meanwhile, the striker is already aiming for the 2030 World Cup and wants to continue playing at the highest level until then. So the situation would be as follows: either a longer contract (until 2030) with a lower salary, or a shorter deal (2029) with a higher salary.
Surely, Bayern Munich will not want to create any ill-will with Kane, who will ***** uredly want a massive number and as long a deal as he can squeeze out of the Bavarians. The talks could be a tricky dance, but it seems very clear that both sides want this deal pretty quickly.
After some speculation that he could leave the club, Vinícius Júnior might be about to get a massive deal from Real Madrid:

#kane #salary #negotiations

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The San Diego Padres stumbled out of the All-Star break dropping back-to-back series on the road to the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves. Each loss, four in all, seemed to be another nail in the coffin on the 2026 season. The Padres limped into their final series of the road trip against the Miami Marlins with their season seemingly hanging in the balance. Anything less than a winning series would have surely resulted in the team looking to offload expiring contracts at the deadline relegating the remaining players on the roster to play out the string of games before heading to the offseason.
The Padres had other plans and instead of just winning the series against the Marlins, they swept the team from South Beach and handed them their 12th consecutive loss. San Diego had a thrilling win in the third and final game of the series that saw the Padres enter the eighth inning trailing by two runs. Manny Machado hit a two-run home run to tie the game and two batters later, Jackson Merrill connected on a solo home run to put San Diego in the lead. Luis Campusano later added an RBI-single in the inning and the Friar Faithful got a glimpse of what the Padres could be — and were expected to be.
Starting pitching has been problematic for San Diego, but the offense has come to life in the past week. With the offense turning around and the Padres adopting the pitching chaos theory with their rotation has San Diego changed your mind about what they should do at the MLB Trade Deadline. There are five games remaining after the Padres played their series opener against the Colorado Rockies tonight. There is still time to make a decision, and there is still an opportunity to sway decision makers within the organization or maybe the team has already done so. Have they changed your thoughts about the deadline approach?
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#team

Every major AI chip story seems to lead back to Arm Holdings (ARM) as the industry's biggest players rely on the company's architecture to build their processors. As ARM gears up for its fiscal Q1 earnings on July 29, investors are eager to see if the company can continue to translate strong demand into sustained growth needed to justify its premium valuation.
Valued at $277.7 billion, Arm Holdings develops the processor technology that powers billions of chips globally, licenses that technology to semiconductor firms, and gets royalties on each chip shipped. The company earns money through licensing revenue and royalty revenue. While historically, Arm's business was dominated by smartphones, today its processors power PCs and laptops, cloud servers, AI data centers, automotive chips, smart TVs, IoT devices, and much more. Thanks to AI, the company now has new growth opportunities in Cloud AI, Edge AI, and Physical AI.
Dear **** eX Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for August 6
Amazon Stock Just Hit a Major Hurdle Ahead of Earnings
Elon Musk Just Revealed a Quiet Win for Tesla's AI Ambitions

#Stock #chip #processors

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office has released a series of videos of NFL broadcaster and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's arrest in Milwaukee last week.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel filed a public records request for the footage shortly after he was taken into custody on July 23.
In the videos, captured on body cameras, the Burlington-reared Romo, 46, appears compliant, though at points seemed confused or unable to hear instructions deputies gave him during their OWI investigation.
A sheriff's office arrest report says Romo was pulled over driving southbound on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee shortly after 6 p.m. because of a bad lane change.
The deputy approached the driver's side of the black Jeep. Romo, who was alone in the vehicle, told the deputy he was coming from a golf tournament, the Wisconsin Amateur Championship golf event in West Bend, and heading to his grandparents' home.

#milwaukee #shortly #deputy

Josh Hart responds to Draymond Green calling out Jalen Brunson and the Knicks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jalen Brunson made headlines when he took a pay cut worth $100,000,000 with the New York Knicks. It ended up being successful because that was the key to the Knicks being able to sign players like Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby to bigger contracts.
Considering they were crucial to winning the championship, just like Brunson, it was worth it. Some people were not big fans of this, including Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, because he thinks the Knicks could have afforded it anyway.
It is not surprising that Green has been vocal about Brunson taking a pay cut. He has always been an advocate of players getting the most out of the teams that pay them, but Brunson was a different story. He had no issues with taking a pay cut, but it seems Green has an issue.
Most of the NBA world, including the players are used to hearing Draymond talk about the latest topics in the league. Considering he also has a part-time career as a member of the NBA media through podcasts and TV shows, it is nearly impossible not to hear from him.

#draymond #jalen #worth #like

The San Diego Padres have won three games in a row and will look to make that four games with a win against the Colorado Rockies who have a 2-4 record coming into the two-game series at Petco Park.
As is the case seemingly every season, the Rockies players are essentially auditioning for other teams around the league. It is understandable that the Colorado roster wants to play well.
The Padres are stuck in limbo of will they or won't they as the trade deadline approaches. The San Diego players have made no secret that they are aware of how important the next six games are to the team and the season. The Padres have built momentum despite a 5-5 road trip and will need a win today to keep the good vibes going.
Michael King came into the season as a co-ace with Nick Pivetta. He quickly became the sole ace when Pivetta went down with injury. King has not had a dominant season, but he has looked better over the last couple of outings. He is he lone pitcher in the San Diego rotation that is a threat to throw a complete game and time out.
Michael Lorenzen has had a down year, but that does not automatically mean the San Diego offense will have success against the Colorado right-hander. Lorenzen sits at 3-9 on the year and carries a 6.53 ERA. The Padres will have to jump on Lorenzen early and often to give King a chance to pitch with a lead.

#diego #Colorado #Rockies

WESTFIELD – As he marveled at the zip on the ball and the fluidity with which his starting quarterback moved during recent private workouts in Florida, Colts receiver Josh Downs says he had to remind himself that Daniel Jones was ever injured.
"That's how good he looked out there. I'm excited to see him out there, full-go and getting after it," Downs said Tuesday.
Wednesday marks a monumental day for the 29-year-old quarterback, who a year ago entered camp on a one-year, $14 million prove-it deal that only promised him the chance to compete with 2023 fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson Sr. for the Colts' starting role, and no more.
In Indianapolis, Jones matched wits with head coach Shane Steichen and found himself holding the car keys to what in September and October was the league's most electric offense, and seemed a shoo-in to compete for the AFC's top seed and threaten for a deep playoff push.
Not yet even eight months ago, Jones collapsed onto the turf in Indianapolis' house of horrors in Jacksonville. A resurgent campaign that had sparked MVP conversations had been first hampered by a fractured fibula and then ended with the snap of his right Achilles tendon Dec. 7. But Wednesday, Jones returned to the field without restrictions. What once was a very real question -- whether Jones would be ready for a Week 1 return -- seems a foregone conclusion.

#jones #colts #downs #quarterback

WESTFIELD – As he marveled at the zip on the ball and the fluidity with which his starting quarterback moved during recent private workouts in Florida, Colts receiver Josh Downs says he had to remind himself that Daniel Jones was ever injured.
"That's how good he looked out there. I'm excited to see him out there, full-go and getting after it," Downs said Tuesday.
Wednesday marks a monumental day for the 29-year-old quarterback, who a year ago entered camp on a one-year, $14 million prove-it deal that only promised him the chance to compete with 2023 fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson Sr. for the Colts' starting role, and no more.
In Indianapolis, Jones matched wits with head coach Shane Steichen and found himself holding the car keys to what in September and October was the league's most electric offense, and seemed a shoo-in to compete for the AFC's top seed and threaten for a deep playoff push.
Not yet even eight months ago, Jones collapsed onto the turf in Indianapolis' house of horrors in Jacksonville. A resurgent campaign that had sparked MVP conversations had been first hampered by a fractured fibula and then ended with the snap of his right Achilles tendon Dec. 7. But Wednesday, Jones returned to the field without restrictions. What once was a very real question -- whether Jones would be ready for a Week 1 return -- seems a foregone conclusion.

#jones #compete

With the Major League Baseball trade deadline coming up Aug. 3, the Milwaukee Brewers are sitting in an obvious playoff spot, have a loaded farm system and would theoretically be players for some of the top names seemingly available on the trade market.
But can we really expect 2026 to look different from other trade deadlines?
Count Mark Feinsand of MLB.com among those who believe the Brewers will indeed be "aggressive" at the deadline, but what does that look like?
ESPN writer Jeff Passan put together "10 blockbuster deals that would rock the trade deadline" and arranged two deals involving a superstar going to Milwaukee. They would certainly count as aggressive.
Passan first proposed a deal that sends Detroit Tigers star left-hander Tarik Skubal to the Brewers for right-hander Logan Henderson, left fielder Josh Adamczewski and infielder Ricki Moneys. The latter two are among the more intriguing prospects in the Brewers organization, and Henderson is just graduating from prospect status into reliable major-league starter.

#henderson

For a sport with a reputation for moving slowly, golf always seems to be in a hurry to appoint the next big star.
Jackson Koivun is next on the list and certainly worth watching.
It's not just because he won a PGA Tour event — which included the No. 1 player in the world — just two months after leaving college. Remember, it was only two years ago when Nick Dunlap won The American Express (Scottie Scheffler played that one, too) while he was a sophomore at Alabama.
Different about Koivun is that he carried the expectations of being the No. 1 amateur in the world. He won six times in college, swept all the awards as the best player, led Auburn to another NCAA ****** le and last year had three straight top-10 finishes in PGA Tour events without ever looking as though the moment was too big.
And then in his third start as a pro, Koivun shot 61 on Saturday in the 3M Open after Scheffler had set the target, and then held off Scheffler and everyone else with a 66 and a three-shot victory.

#koivun #scheffler #player

The New York Yankees offense is struggling right now, and Cody Bellinger's injury only makes things worse.
The Yankees are currently without Aaron Judge, Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton. On top of that, they seem to have no actual solution for third base and shortstop, where Anthony Volpe and Ryan McMahon continue to struggle. Knowing Judge, Bellinger and Stanton could return soon, the Yankees are unlikely to add a superstar outfielder or designated hitter. However, adding an infielder could do wonders for the offense if that infielder were Luis Arraez.
Luckily for the Yankees, the San Francisco Giants will be sellers at the deadline, and Arraez is a rental they could look to deal away. He is hitting .326 with an .811 OPS on the year. He has improved his slugging while maintaining a high average. Not to mention, he is having an elite year defensively at second base. Defense was always seen as a downside for Arraez, but that is not the case this year.
How would Arraez fit in on the Yankees? Well, for starters, he would slot in at second base. That would allow the Yankees to move Chisholm to third base or shortstop, getting rid of either Volpe or McMahon as a regular. McMahon has already started to lose at-bats, so perhaps it's time the Yankees make a permanent change.
Looking for the perfect gift for a baseball player in your life? Check out our brand new baseball lifestyle brand!

#stanton #volpe #offense

Tony Romo has gone through several ups and downs as the lead NFL game **** yst at CBS Sports, and now he faces legal trouble as well.
The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback is a polarizing figure on the air in CBS' No. 1 broadcast booth, and his reputation inside the walls of the company has fluctuated in his near-decade in the seat as well. Previous leadership infamously met with him for an intervention of sorts in 2022, shortly after he signed a whopping 10-year, $180 million contract with the network.
In the years since, he called another Super Bowl — in a mostly strong performance that was partly overshadowed when he stepped on partner Jim Nantz's call of the game-winning touchdown — but has continually made high-profile mistakes and drawn the ire of NFL diehards.
Still, in the aftermath of Romo's OWI (operating while intoxicated) arrest in Wisconsin last week, CBS management is seemingly standing behind him. A new report from the Daily Mail contains several quotes from executives at the company who backed Romo, one of whom told the British outlet that Romo "isn't going anywhere."
Some in the industry have speculated that the arrest could be an ideal excuse for CBS to part ways with Romo, who had seemingly been on thin ice at the network in the past. And with the caveat that this report — and other follow-ups — are coming mostly from tabloids, Romo appears to be safe.

#company

It seems like a good bet Joe Rogan will not be voting for James Talarico (D).
The podcast star-turned-Texan said he does not want The Lone Star state to be controlled by Democrats on the Tuesday episode of his show.
"The liberals who want to turn Texas Blue, like, don'tttt," Rogan pleaded. "You're going to ruin it. You're going to ruin it for you, too."
He told guest his guest, Animal Planet star Forrest Galante, the liberals in Texas are "way less crazy" than those in Los Angeles or New York. But he said would still prefer Texas stay Red, and only have a few dashes of Blue mixed in.
"There's a saying about Austin: Keep Austin Weird and Surrounded,'" Rogan said.

#liberals

There are no more perfect bedfellows on planet earth than FIFA and private equity. So while this story will send a shiver down your spine, it's not in the least bit shocking.
After an incredibly successful North American World Cup that saw record ratings and revenue, the money-hungry governing body of world soccer is on the hunt for more. This year's World Cup was a fever dream when it came to the control that FIFA had in squeezing out every possible ounce of revenue. There was controversy over insanely high ticket prices, blacking out of stadium names that weren't FIFA sponsors, and, of course, the institution of hydration breaks that were an excuse to break up the game into a four-quarter affair filled with even more commercial advertising.
But after all the drama and controversy, the tournament itself was a remarkable celebration of the best of sport thanks to the athletes and fans that came to the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Spain's victory and the incredible superstar performances made it a truly generational event that will be remembered fondly as one of the best international sporting events in years.
And now FIFA is looking to cash in even more.
According to a report in the Times in the UK, FIFA is now exploring what would seem to rational minds to be an unthinkable betrayal of the beautiful game, putting the World Cup itself up for sale.

#revenue #came #itself #best

Homeownership is something many people aspire to and, in fact, 56% of adults describe owning your own property as a key part of the American Dream. Yet, many are struggling to buy a home of their own thanks to rising costs of both homes and mortgages.
But, what if you didn't buy a home but inherited one instead? For some, this may seem like a dream come true — but that's not the case in every situation. Let's pretend, for example, that Mika's grandmother, Enid, owns Mika's childhood home and wants Mika to inherit it.
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here's what it is and 3 simple steps to fix it ASAP
Millionaires under 43 hold only 25% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going

#actually

Heading into the 2026 season, Los Angeles Rams legend Norm Van Brocklin's single-game passing record has stood for almost 75 years. With all the changes made to benefit the passing game over the years, it's truly astonishing that Van Brocklin's mark of 554 yards has stood for this long. That said, which quarterback is most likely to break it this season?
Having a 500-yard passing game is a crowning achievement for single callers. Including the playoffs, there have only been 27 such games in NFL history, with Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady and Drew Brees the only QBs to have thrown for over 500 yards multiple times. Kirk Cousins is the most recent to have done so, throwing for 509 yards in a 2024 win over the Buccaneers.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the top candidates to topple Van Brocklin's record in 2026.
Let's start with the option closest to home. Stafford once threw for 520 yards as a member of the Lions in the 2011 regular season finale against the Packers at Lambeau Field. Unfortunately, it came in a losing effort, as the quarterback on the opposite sideline, Matt Flynn, threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns in a 45-41 Green Bay win.
Stafford seems like an easy choice given that he's already a member of the 500 Club and has one of the league's most explosive offenses at his disposal. However, he's thrown for at least 450 yards with the Rams once, which came against the Seahawks late last season.

#yards #game #single #stood

Julian Alvarez's future is no clearer to being resolved even though we are inching closer and closer to the start of the new La Liga season.
The Argentina international said during the World Cup "the best thing for everyone is a transfer" but Atletico have made it clear they don't agree, while Barcelona are hoping they might change their minds.
Barca reporter Achraf Ben Ayad has summarized the situation and says Alvarez has three options available to him to resolve the situation.
He posted on X: "Julián's situation is complicated. He has three options ahead of him: Apologize and try to mend his relationship with Atlético. Take an extra step for the sake of Barcelona. Agree with Atlético to bring in a strong offer from outside Spain in order to leave."
Atletico do seem to be willing to mend the relationship with their striker, as CEO Gil Marin has said he has "no doubt that Atlético is the right place in the world for Julián, and Julián is the perfect striker for Atlético de Madrid."

#tico #agree #three

The Federal Reserve's decision on Wednesday to hold interest rates steady or hike them is one of the most unclear in years.
Renewed tensions in the Middle East have pushed oil prices higher again, feeding the hawks' worries that energy prices could translate into sticky, broad-based inflation and necessitate a rate hike. At the same time, the latest inflation report showed prices cooled, giving the central bank some breathing room and bolstering the case to hold rates steady.
Former Kansas City Fed president Esther George said there's a 50-50 chance the Fed will either hold rates steady or raise them.
"The arguments you could create for them holding or raising seem pretty valid, but Kevin Warsh is not going to give you any tidbits to lead in the direction he wants to go," George said in an interview.
"It wouldn't surprise me if they hiked by 25 basis points at this meeting," George added. "The two-year [Treasury yield] is higher than the fed funds rate, so that may be enough to move people, but I think September is more likely in this sense."

#hold #hike #federal

No one does a press tour quite like Zendaya. In one of her busiest years, with back-to-back releases, the star has shown the world how she makes the red carpet her runway.
With the styling help of her longtime friend and image architect Law Roach, Zendaya kicked off her year with her movie "The Drama," creating a string of edgy "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue" looks to match its (disastrous) wedding theme. But it's been her press tours for "The Odyssey" and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" where she has really shined, taking the concept of method dressing to the next level.
You'd think Zendaya fatigue might have set in, but each look is new, on theme and often unexpected. And while it can seem, from a simplistic view, like an actress playing dress-up, what you're really witnessing is a connoisseur of fashion exploring the medium as a true art form. It's intentional storytelling and a combination of craft and culture uniquely derived from Zendaya's and Roach's unparalleled creative connection.
"Part of doing the press stuff and trying to make the clothes intentional is not just trying to pay homage but giving little trails of ideas and thoughts," Zendaya said in a recent interview with De Estreno. "And maybe it's true! Maybe it's confusing! That's the fun of it!"⁠
As we await whatever the dynamic duo has in store for "Dune: Part Three" this fall, we're revisiting all the looks that captivated us, with a breakdown of reasons why Zendaya's 2026 summer press tour will stand the test of time.

#something #part #looks

Sophie Cunningham has won a lot of supporters away from the hardwood this month thanks to her comments on transgender athletes, but just as she has doubled-down, one of her closest friends since childhood in Columbia, Missouri has declared he isn't on her bandwagon.
West Wilson, Cunningham's friend since high school, serves as her co-host on the Show Me Something podcast. Over the weekend, he posted a viral TikTok video in defense of trans athletes.
"Transgender athletes in American sports is such a borderline non-existent issue. Right-wingers have convinced a massive portion of people in our country that these people are, like, a threat to sports in America, when mathematically it's not the case at all," said Wilson, 31. Fans of the reality show Summer House may remember Wilson as one of the housemates. And just like on TV, he's not shy about his opinion on this divisive issue.
"By continuing to platform this, ***** politicians, athletes, journalists, news outlets, you're only isolating transgender people even more by making them seem like this giant group of people is a threat to society, a threat to sports, when that's just not proportionately the truth in any capacity."
While not addressing Cunningham directly, he made it clear he thinks rants like hers are "dumb."

#like #show

It seems like just yesterday, Elon Musk was anointed the world's first trillionaire by capital markets. Now, with **** e Exploration Technologies (NASDAQ: SPCX) stock down 43% from highs set in the days following its initial public offering (IPO), Musk's net worth is close to getting cut in half as bearish sentiment sets in.
Are we still far from intrinsic value, or is **** eX stock a screaming buy at $120 or below? When looking at the numbers, the answer is clear.
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 »
Wall Street and the tech community hyped up the **** eX initial public offering (IPO) because of the immense growth potential at play with this **** e economy and artificial intelligence (AI) stock. The key word in that statement is "potential."
SpaceX is the leader in commercial rocket launches, but it is a relatively small business, revenue-wise, given its current $1.5 trillion market capitalization. In 2025, the **** e segment only generated $4 billion in sales and actually lost money. **** eX's revenue and profit primarily come from its connectivity segment, Starlink satellite internet. This segment is growing 50% year over year and hit $11.4 billion in revenue last year.

#SpaceX #signal #down #flashing

Few things in life are certain beyond death, taxes, and Tadej Pogacar winning the Tour de France. This year's Grande Boucle went almost entirely as expected, offering few real surprises or diversions from the status quo, as the marauding Slovenian won another five stages en route to his record-equalling fifth ****** le.
His place in the pantheon of greats had already been cemented and there are few superlatives left to describe his grip on the sport. He is now equal with cycling legends in the form of Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain on five wins; his 26 stage wins leave him nine off the record of Mark Cavendish, who will be wishing he'd postponed retirement by another year or two.
There could have been more had Pogacar not opted to babysit young teammate Isaac del Toro to a stage win, third place on the podium, and the best young rider's jersey too. Pogacar is able to win at will but sometimes seems happier in the role of world's most powerful domestique; perhaps the only thing holding him back from an unprecedented sixth ****** le is whether he can muster the enthusiasm for it. At 27, he is younger than all of his fellow five-time winners were and will be in his prime for a while yet.
But while the Pogacar era looks set to continue for some time, the post-Pogacar era already looks to be one to savour. Those left cold by the two-time world champion's iron grip on the sport can set a reminder to tune in in a couple of seasons' time, or perhaps as early as this autumn's Vuelta, should Pogacar skip it – as expected – to target a third rainbow jersey.
Pogacar seemed to enjoy helping del Toro as much if not more than winning stages (AP)

#pogacar

Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks was finally able to put on his pads at an NFL training camp.
Tuesday's session proved to be another showcase for Brooks, who is progressing through his first healthy offseason as a pro. The 23-year-old shined this morning, putting his speed and suddenness on display—as he did during spring workouts.
He was asked about the session afterwards.
"It felt good. It felt good to be back out there," Brooks stated. "I'm just trusting the process that the trainers and coaches have for me. And just ultimately, believing in myself throughout the whole rehab process. And it was a blessing to be back out there."
Between two ACL tears to his right knee, one from college and one from his rookie campaign, Brooks has been limited to just three games since being drafted back in 2024. After being sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 campaign, the former second-round pick seems likely to factor into the Carolina offense from the jump—even drawing whispers of earning a featured role down the line.

#carolina #session #panthers

Blue Jays might have fixed Jeff Hoffman originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Toronto Blue Jays have dealt with plenty of problems this season, and it has led to lots of disappointment after having made it to extra innings in Game 7 of the World Series to end the 2025 campaign.
Many of the problems still exist, but the Blue Jays seem to have at least solved Jeff Hoffman's issues.
Hoffman, who blew the save in Game 7, opened this year in miserable form. It was just a mighty struggle.
He earned himself a demotion from the closer role, and he's had to work to prove he still deserves decent bullpen opportunities.

#jays #game #preferred #source

SoundHound AI (NASDAQ: SOUN) stock has taken a severe beating so far this year, losing nearly 40% of its value as of this writing. Shares of the company that provides conversational artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to customers are now trading close to their 52-week low, but what's worth noting is that the steep drop in SoundHound's stock price doesn't seem justified.
After all, SoundHound operates in the fast-growing conversational AI market, where demand for agentic AI solutions is rising rapidly. Additionally, SoundHound's results have been solid in recent quarters, and the company is pulling the right strings to ensure that it remains a key player in the conversational AI ****** e.
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 »
We will take a closer look at the company's prospects in this article and check if it is worth investing $1,000 in this AI stock in anticipation of a turnaround in its fortunes.
When SoundHound AI released its Q1 results in May this year, it reported a 52% year-over-year increase in revenue to $44.2 million. The company also announced the acquisition of conversational AI solutions provider LivePerson to strengthen its voice and agentic AI offerings. This seems like a smart move that should ideally bolster SoundHound's growth.

#solutions #flashing

A commercial shake-up at the top of world football could reshape what attending and watching future World Cups actually looks like for supporters.
Gianni Infantino seems ready to treat the World Cup less like a football tournament and more like a private equity play. The idea is to spin off FIFA's biggest events into a new entity, selling stakes and bringing in big names to fund the whole thing.
Once private cash starts calling the shots, don't be shocked if the World Cup bloats to 64 teams or gets shuffled into desert winters whenever profit targets demand it.
And Infantino's reward for orchestrating it all? Stepping sideways into a chief commissioner role with an NFL-level $64 million annual payday.
We should have seen this coming after the interference from Gianni Infantino and Donald Trump during the 2026 World Cup, with his administration being approached over the matter.

#Football #cups

Patriots' Kayshon Boutte is Forcing a New WR Plan originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
All offseason, there's been this undercurrent that the New England Patriots will trade away wide receiver Kayshon Boutte.
Boutte has shown up at training camp and made it seem like that could be a very bad idea.
The talented wideout has been the best player on the field for the Pats early in camp.
MORE: Is Tom Brady having a mid-life crisis?

#boutte #kayshon #camp #plan

Every NFL franchise eventually faces the same dilemma. A homegrown star develops into one of the league's best players. That, in turn, births conversations about a lucrative second contract. Few teams know more about difficult salary cap decisions than the Philadelphia Eagles.
Some teams respond by overspending to keep everyone together. Others watch key contributors leave and scramble to replace them. Howie Roseman and his staff have adopted a different approach.
Rather than reacting to expensive departures, Howie Roseman has built a roster with the expectation that they will happen. That's why the Eagles continue drafting premium talent even when there doesn't appear to be an immediate need. More often than not, they're preparing for tomorrow's roster before today's begins to change. It's a philosophy that has helped keep Philadelphia among the NFL's perennial contenders.
To outside observers, some of Philadelphia's draft selections have initially seemed puzzling. Why invest another premium pick on the defensive line when the position already appears loaded? Why draft a defensive back early with established veterans still in place? Why select an offensive lineman who may not start immediately?
The Eagles aren't drafting solely for the upcoming season. They're drafting for the seasons that follow.

#Eagles #drafting #roseman #teams

File it as today's "what the actual **** " moment in the sports world. The Times is reporting that FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been in talks with private investors about selling stakes in the World Cup. It's a move that would take complete control of the global tournament out of FIFA's hands, and give a seat at the table to private entities with their own agendas. Moreover, the report added that a key figure in brokering these deals is U.S. President Donald Trump, whom Infantino cozied up to during the 2026 World Cup by presenting him with the inaugural FIFA peace prize and then sitting next to the president at games he attended.
FIFA has since confirmed the report, adding that Josh Kushner is positioned to be the lead investor in the plan, should Infantino elect to sell shares in the World Cup. Josh is the brother of Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son in law.
Details of the plan are nebulous, but according to the report, the World Cup would ostensibly be split off from FIFA and into a new corporation, with Infantino as its commissioner as soon as his term as FIFA president ends in 2031. In his role as commissioner of this new company he would oversee the men's and women's World Cup, as well as the Club World Cup — with plans to run tournaments more frequently than every four years. It would be the most staggering pivot in the history of the World Cup, drastically altering the future of the tournament in order to squeeze more money out of the event.
Infantino can't privatize the World Cup unilaterally, requiring the 211 member nations to vote on the proposal. The selling point for these members is that each of them would get a stake in the new company worth approximately $20M — putting a valuation on the entity at $4.22B. If that $20M sum for each nation seems paltry, it's because it is, and it appears that is the plan by design.
Member nations would have the freedom to keep or sell their stakes in the World Cup corporation at their will under the Infantino plan. $20M is a pittance for the richest nations competing in global soccer, but for the dozens of nations dealing with budgetary issues it would enable them to sell out of the World Cup in desperation, putting their stakes in the hands of private ownership. It's easy to envision a scenario where enough FIFA member countries sell their shares for profit to a point where the controlling interest of the World Cup is no longer under the control of a true democratic body, but private equity.

#World #private #stakes