The Baltimore Ravens have traditionally directed their largest investments toward quarterbacks, offensive linemen and defensive stars. Zay Flowers' extension reflects an evolving approach.
Baltimore agreed to a four-year, $140 million extension with Flowers that includes $108 million guaranteed. The contract makes him the highest-paid receiver in franchise history and places his $35 million annual average in a tie for fourth among NFL wide receivers.
That is a substantial commitment for an organization that spent years attempting to supplement its passing game through veteran acquisitions and draft picks. Flowers has given Baltimore a reason to change its strategy.
The former Boston College standout has produced 237 receptions for 3,128 yards and 14 touchdowns through three seasons. He has earned two Pro Bowl selections, recorded consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns and set the franchise's single-season wide receiver record with 1,211 yards in 2025.
His extension indicates that Baltimore wants its passing offense to be more than a complement to Lamar Jackson's mobility and Derrick Henry's power. Flowers gives offensive coordinator Declan Doyle a movable playmaker capable of threatening defenses horizontally and vertically.

#flowers #receiver

After a bit of a dud on Monday night, the Brewers will, for the third day in a row, go for their 70th win tonight as they attempt to even this four-game series against Pittsburgh at one game apiece. With a 6-1 record, the Pirates have had Milwaukee's number this season, a stark change over the modern history in this divisional rivalry; over the last 20 years, the Brewers have an overall record of 194-126 against the Buccos.
Tonight's pitching matchup features two bright young stars, both 24 years old, though not the first two who might come to mind when considering these two teams. For the Brewers, Logan Henderson—still a Brewer after many a speculative fan had linked him to a Tarik Skubal trade before the deadline yesterday—gets the nod, while the Pirates send Jared Jones.
By rate stats, Henderson has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season. A back injury has limited his innings, but this will be his fifth start since missing about a month and a half between late May and early July. In the nine starts that Henderson has made, he's pitched to a 2.66 ERA and 2.80 FIP, a 0.909 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts to just 1.8 walks per nine innings. You'd expect that the league will adjust to Henderson at some point, and he's averaged less than five innings per start this season, but in his limited sample as a big leaguer he's been outstanding.
Jones, who is right-handed and a few months older than Henderson, is back on track after missing all of the 2025 season due to Tommy John surgery. Jones, who was a top-100 prospect prior to his debut in 2024, has pitched to a 3.81 ERA and 3.48 FIP in 52 innings across 11 starts this season with impressive peripheral numbers of his own (10 K/9, 2.6 BB/9). In contrast to Henderson, and like last night's starter, Bubba Chandler, Jones is a high velocity guy; his 98.4 average fastball velocity is in the top five percent of the league. Jones relies heavily on that fastball but gets a ton of whiffs with the slider he plays off of it. Jones is primarily a fastball/slider pitcher but mixes in a changeup every now and then and, a few times a game, a curveball.
With yesterday's trades, the Brewers have made some adjustments to their roster. Garrett Stallings' heroic outing on Monday night was rewarded with a demotion to Triple-A Nashville (life is tough for fringey pitchers), but the headline—not unexpected—is that Brandon Sproat will join him there.

#innings

Micah Parsons isn't yet sure when he'll return from a torn ACL that cut his first season with the Green Bay Packers short.
But when he does, he has a warning for opposing offenses. He's coming back with "anger' and "frustration" and expects to be "great."
Parsons, a four-time All-Pro in five NFL seasons, was in prime form through his first 14 games in Green Bay last season, tallying 12.5 sacks and 27 quarterback hits. But his season ended early when he sustained a torn ACL in Week 15 against the Denver Broncos that required surgery on Dec. 30.
Parsons has been recovering and rehabbing since for his planned return, which he talked about with reporters on Tuesday.
"When you come out of these situations, you're either gonna be better or you're gonna be worse," Parsons said. "For me, I've done everything I possibly can to be better. …

#gonna

Manchester City have opened direct talks with the representatives of Chelsea winger Pedro Neto, beginning preliminary discussions over a potential summer move to the Etihad Stadium, according to Fabrizio Romano. Enzo Maresca and Xabi Alonso are at the Etihad Stadium and Stamford Bridge.
Last season's Premier League runners-up have placed the 26-year-old Portuguese international high on their shortlist as part of contingency planning for Savinho. With Tottenham Hotspur pushing aggressively to sign the Brazilian winger, City decision-makers are actively exploring alternatives. Neto's direct running, explosive pace, and Premier League pedigree make him an appealing target for City's coaching staff.
However, the situation is complicated by an interconnected transfer domino involving Tottenham. While Spurs are pushing to finalise a deal for Savinho, they also have Neto on their shortlist as a primary backup option should talks with Manchester City stall. As a result, both Premier League heavyweights are monitoring the Portuguese forward's availability closely.
Any potential deal will ultimately hinge on Chelsea's valuation. Having invested heavily to sign Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers on a long-term contract, the Stamford Bridge hierarchy hold strong leverage. While Chelsea are open to streamlining their forward options to fund summer targets, they will not sanction a departure unless their price is met in full.
Talks between Manchester City and Neto's representatives remain exploratory at this stage as all parties wait for the Savinho situation to unfold. If Tottenham complete a deal for the Brazilian, City are expected to swiftly formalise their pursuit of Neto and open official negotiations with Chelsea for Neto, who racked up 10 goals and as many ***** ists across all competitions last season.

#premier

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit have spent years trying to turn a modest island cabin into a showcase of Norwegian design — an ambitious renovation that stalled just as it was about to break ground. Now a storm named Amy has done what years of royal scandal couldn't: it forced their hands. The tempest tore apart one of the docks on Flatholmen, the tiny island the couple has owned since 2008. The damage has produced the first real building permit the property has seen in years — not for the glass-and-timber dream house long promised, but for a humble pier.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette- Marit at Nordstu- Solberg farm in 2024 (Getty Images)
According to Norwegian outlet TV2, the municipality of Risør has cleared the crown prince and princess to rebuild the storm-wrecked dock. It's a modest approval, capped at six square meters, but it matters; without a working dock, the island is barely reachable, and any future revival of the couple's long-shelved architectural project would need one regardless.
The permit came with a catch. A companion request — for a seaside platform of the kind common along Norway's coast — was withdrawn after the state administrator recommended against it. The dock itself only cleared because of an unusual technicality: one of Flatholmen's existing moorings is used by police, which let the municipality authorize a second access point without setting a precedent for other landowners. Haakon and Mette-Marit will cover both the construction and the roughly $575 in municipal fees themselves. Notably, the original dock — built sometime between 1982 and 2004 — never had a formal permit at all, so this approval is being processed as new construction from scratch.
Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, alongside their kids Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Ingrid Alexandra, and their dogs, Milly Kakao and ****** ins Krakebolle (NTB Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images)

#haakon

In warm summer conditions on Tuesday, FC Bayern managed to win 2-1 at Jeju SK FC in the Audi Football Summit as part of the Audi Summer Tour. "On the whole it was a positive game with good intensity and no injuries," summarised head coach Vincent Kompany. "Obviously we're still lacking a bit. It was brutally warm today. It's clear that not everything is going to function immediately in pre-season, but you can see we're getting better," said Tom Bischof. fcbayern.com has collated the post-match reaction for you.
Vincent Kompany: "Both teams spent a lot of energy. They showed you can make a good game out of a friendly. It was interesting because we got to see several players who don't play that often. On the whole it was a positive game with good intensity and no injuries."
On Jeju Island: "I loved it when I was out and about on Sunday and watched the K League match. Just as I love the cafés or the beach. The food has also been excellent. It's great on this island, I like it. It was fun watching the match – obviously it's a bit of football culture too. And it was great to see so many people come to the stadium."
Nathaniel Brown: "It's going well. We've now won two in two. I still need to get to know the boys more, especially on the pitch, in matches. I'm really enjoying it. Obviously it's quite hard running in the temperatures here. I felt it too, but I think that will help us. Aston Villa will probably be different opponents. That's going to be a really good test for us, where we'll see where we're at, and we want to seize it."
Tom Bischof: "We're looking forward to having everyone back and you can see we're getting better and better. Obviously we're still lacking a bit. It was brutally warm today. It's clear that not everything is going to function immediately in pre-season, so I think we'll see more progress against Aston Villa now, and then things will be looking even better."

#obviously #better #game #match

Allen Iverson is a legendary player not only for the Philadelphia 76ers, but for the NBA as a whole. Standing at just 6-feet tall, the No. 1 pick in the 1996 draft made his presence known right away as he averaged 23.5 points as a rookie on his way to Rookie of the Year honors.
Iverson won MVP in 2001 as he led Philadelphia to its last finals appearance and led the league in scoring four times. He was an 11-time All-Star, a 3-time steals champion, and a member of both the NBA's 75th anniversary team and the Hall of Fame. He averaged 26.7 points and 6.2 ******* ists across his 14 years in the league for the Sixers, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Memphis Grizzlies.
HoopsHype ranked Iverson the 31st-best player on their list of the top 80 players in NBA history:
A cultural icon as well as one of the best lead guards of his era, Allen Iverson has to be one of the most ridiculously explosive athletes the sport has ever seen, especially out of a player generously listed at 6-feet tall. Iverson's crossover was devastating (just ask Jordan), and his bombastic style as a scorer made for thrilling viewing throughout his prime. Iverson was one of the most influential players ever, both on and off the court was one of the most exciting players to watch and in his prime. He could really score with the best of them in such an unorthodox package.
Iverson and the Sixers will always be synonymous with each other. His No. 3 jersey hangs from the rafters at the Xfinity Mobile Arena and he has given Philadelphia a boatload of memories they can look back on. His impact on both the Sixers and the NBA cannot be understated.

#best #tall

Jimmy Fallon spent a portion of Monday's Tonight Show celebrating Trump's defeat in the ongoing Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool saga.
The shallow pool was recently refurbished with a shade of dark blue and outfitted with "advanced nanobubbler technology" to tackle algae blooms that have long plagued the landmark — but algae returned shortly after the multi-million-dollar renovations were complete, and the new sealant started to peel off in chunks that bubbled to the surface.
Late last week, Washington, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro moved to dismiss criminal charges against former Olympian David Hearn — one of several people arrested on suspicion of vandalizing the monument — after the Trump administration admitted that the damage to the recently installed blue liner was "the result of flawed installation by the contractor."
Fallon, 51, weighed in on the president's defeat, saying, "Trump is upset because his own Justice Department admitted the reflecting pool damage wasn't caused by vandalism, like he said. It was just a result of shoddy construction work.
"Trump claimed someone used a knife to quickly cut the pool liner the length of three football fields. I can barely use a knife to cut open my Amazon box," the late night host quipped.

#Trump #defeat #algae

Roma recently welcomed its tenth Greek player: defender Konstantinos Koulierakis. Will he unleash his inner Manolas, or are we in for another Greek Tragedy like Tsimikas? Let's take a look at his predecessors in the Eternal City.
Ah, Greece. Sun, sea, hundreds of islands, friendly people, sirtaki, great olive oil, ouzo, pita, lamb dishes. I'm not gonna lie, Greece is my second favorite country in Europe, after, of course, Italy. So many uncharted territories, so many jewels scattered across the Mediterranean Sea, waiting to be explored.
Anyway, let's talk football. Greece has generated some excellent players over the years. Take their Euro 2004 squad: Charisteas, Zagorakis, Nikopolidis, Basinas, Seitaridis, Papadopoulos. They weren't superstars, but they were reliable and skilled players. The team was compact, resilient, and tough, winning against Portugal and France and drawing with Spain in 2004.
More recently, Greece has produced well-known names, including Odysseas Vlachodimos, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Anastasios Douvikas, and Vangelis Pavlidis, as well as promising young talents such as Christos Mandas, Christos Tzolis, and Konstantinos Karetsas.
And there is also Konstantinos Koulierakis: a tall, athletic center-back who just joined Roma from Wolfsburg and has already been capped 22 times by the Greek National Team.

#many

Installment number six takes us to NHRA territory.
Coach: Kirby Smart (starting season 11: 117–21 overall, 69–12 SEC)
FUN FACT: Kirby is 1-3 in Sugar Bowls and 2-7 against Alabama.
2025 UGA record: 12-2 (7-1 SEC, 2nd in SEC, but won SECCG, lost 1st game of CFP)
CB 2025 Prediction: 11-1; I actually got this one exactly right but, it wasn't that difficult considering the light schedule UGA had. #StackingTheDeck

#coach

Making a docuseries about the inner workings of pro wrestling isn't quite like making a docuseries about traditional sports.
In our traditional definition of sports, no one is 100% certain of the outcome. Yes, there are favorites and underdogs, but there is also an element of unpredictability. Since pro wrestling is scripted entertainment, the participants in the ring know what's going to happen. Kayfabe rules.
Season 3 of WWE: Unreal is already available on Netflix, just six months after the previous installment. While the outcomes might be predetermined, there is still a lot you can't plan for and have to adjust to.
"We kind of have glimpses into slivers of time of what the plan could be, of what's penciled in, and then life happens a lot," showrunner Erik Powers said. "Within this series, we cover what happened with Seth Rollins when he had a match down in Australia, and doing a coast-to-coast flying headbutt, he sustained a major shoulder injury that ended up knocking him out of commission. They had to rip up their story and pull the trigger on a breakup of his faction with Bron Breakker that they didn't have in the near view as a plan."
WWE: Unreal is made in conjunction with Omaha Productions and NFL Films. Senior producer Michael Flynn and his crew have become adept at highlighting the real-life aspects of this performance. Any documentary starts with an idea but may need to pivot quickly as the story unfolds and the people deal with change.

#Wrestling

When the Kansas City Chiefs took the field for practice on Monday, there was a newcomer in the receiving corps. Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest first reported the team signing former West Virginia wide receiver Jeff Weimer, and the team made it official, per Monday evening's NFL Transactions Report.
Chiefs sign wide receiver Jeff Weimer | NFL Transactions Report
Weimer took part in Monday's practice, even catching a pass on the sideline with the third-team offense, securing the throw on the boundary from rookie quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.
In 2025, Weimer caught 21 passes for 383 yards and scored twice for the Mountaineers over 12 games. The Chiefs have him listed at 6 feet 2 inches tall and 211 pounds.
Five Observations from Saturday's Practice | Chiefs Training Camp 8/1 | Chiefs.com

#weimer #team #jeff #transactions

There was a slight change in the mechanics on the defensive side of the football during the Indianapolis Colts' Monday training camp practice.
The expectation has been that rookie linebacker CJ Allen will be the signal-caller for the defense -- and he still very well could be -- but Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan noted that it was Cam Bynum who had the communication duties.
Bowen added that the reason behind this, as defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo explained after practice, was to "alleviate some of what the rookies are dealing with, wanting them to play faster."
A lot of responsibilities falll on the MIKE linebacker's plate. Before the ball is snapped, that player has to take in the play call from the coordinator, relay it to the rest of the defense, make sure everyone is aligned properly, and call out any adjustments.
For a rookie like Allen, who is also learning a new defense and making the jump from college to the NFL level, that's a heavy workload. From the sounds of it, Anarumo wants Allen playing fast right now as the team goes through installs, rather than overthinking.

#bowen #defensive #practice #coordinator

A husband and wife found dead inside their North Carolina home are believed to have died in a murder-suicide, investigators say.
Stephen Larnell Willetts and Tracey Parker Willetts were both found shot dead inside their Wilmington, North Carolina, home on Thursday.
The New Hanover County Sheriff's Office said, "Based on the evidence gathered during the investigation, detectives believe this to be a murder-suicide in which the wife fatally shot her husband before taking her own life."
Stephen and Tracey Willetts were found shot dead inside their Wilmington, North Carolina, home in what deputies are calling a murder-suicide.
Tiktok Influencer Who Accused Estranged Husband Of Pedophilia Found Dead In Possible Murder-suicide

#inside

By Nolan D. McCaskill
WASHINGTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's bid to install Lindsey Graham's sister as South Carolina's next senator has met unexpected resistance from Republican voters and rivals, setting up a crowded primary that will test the limits of Trump's political influence in one of his strongest states.
After Senator Lindsey ‌Graham died on July 11 at age 71 from a heart ailment, Governor Henry McMaster appointed his sister, Darline Graham, to serve the remainder of his term, ‌which expires in January.
Trump called the appointment a "fabulous tribute" and urged voters to elect her to a full six-year term in the August 11 special election, promising his "Complete and Total Endorsement."
Some Republicans say Darline Graham is a fitting caretaker for her brother's seat but oppose Trump's push to elect her to a full term, arguing voters should choose from a field that remains crowded despite the president's endorsement.

#senator #sister #crowded #elect

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
For generations, the formula seemed almost laughably simple: get a job, buy a house, raise a family and maybe squeeze in a vacation or two along the way.
Today, that same formula can feel more like a luxury package than a standard life plan.
In a post on Reddit, a 43-year-old man wondered whether people are remembering the so-called "American Dream" through rose-colored glasses or whether something fundamentally changed.
"Did boomers really screw us over, or was the economic situation they grew up in one-in-a-lifetime and unsustainable?" he wrote.

#benzinga

Is the "Raw after SummerSlam" a thing? We all know WWE makes a big deal out of the first "Raw after 'Mania," usually setting up a few surprises to mark the occasion. For this year's post-SummerSlam show, they'd already promised at least one big return (quite literally). But wouldn't you know it, there wound up being a few other twists along the road as the show rolled through Des Moines, Iowa.
Here's what went down on this week's installment of pro-wrestling's longest-running show.
Tonight's show kicked off with the WWE World Heavyweight Champion making his way to the ring to bask in the glory of Sunday night's superb victory over Seth Rollins. Is it me or did Roman Reigns sound a little husky at first? (Which is perhaps unsurprising after that slobberknocker of a match from last night.)
Of course, the smart folks in Iowa knew the drill: when a victorious champion turns up to gloat, you just know he or she is going to get interrupted by his next challenger before long. But how many of them expected LA Knight to be the man to shoot his shot? Judging by the massive pop that accompanied the start of his theme music, not many.
"The Megastar" was also riding high on his successes from the weekend, having pinned Jey Uso to win the Babyfaces vs. Bloodline match. He worked his usual magic on the mic and even got a chuckle out of Reigns with his impression of The Shield's entrance music. The fact that Knight was wearing his trademark shades brought back instant memories of the last time these two collided, back at Crown Jewel in 2022.

#know #champion #first #match

This article originally appeared on PGHBaseballNOW.com.
Spencer Horwitz's three-run double helped lift the Pirates to a 4-3 win over the Brewers at American Family Field on Monday night.
Top 3rd, 3-0 PIT: With the bases loaded and two outs, Spencer Horwitz ripped a bases-clearing double down the right field line against Brandon Sproat (3-7).
Top 4th, 4-0 PIT: Endy Rodríguez singled to open the inning and advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches from Sproat, which prompted a pitching change. With runners on the corners and one out against Garrett Stallings, Jake Mangum tacked on another run for the Pirates (57-57) on a bunt single.
Bottom 5th, 4-1 PIT: The Brewers (69-43) didn't get their first hits off Bubba Chandler (4-8) until the fifth inning, but Joey Ortiz's RBI single got them on the board.

#field #bases

Spencer Horwitz's three-run double helped lift the Pirates to a 4-3 win over the Brewers at American Family Field on Monday night.
Top 3rd, 3-0 PIT: With the bases loaded and two outs, Spencer Horwitz ripped a bases-clearing double down the right field line against Brandon Sproat (3-7).
Top 4th, 4-0 PIT: Endy Rodríguez singled to open the inning and advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches from Sproat, which prompted a pitching change. With runners on the corners and one out against Garrett Stallings, Jake Mangum tacked on another run for the Pirates (57-57) on a bunt single.
Bottom 5th, 4-1 PIT: The Brewers (69-43) didn't get their first hits off Bubba Chandler (4-8) until the fifth inning, but Joey Ortiz's RBI single got them on the board.
Bottom 6th, 4-3 PIT: Milwaukee got within one when Andrew Vaughn broke his bat for an RBI single to right field. Esmerlyn Valdez fired to third base, but the ball hopped past Nick Gonzales, allowing Jake Bauers to score from first base.

#brewers

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Spencer Horwitz hit a three-run double and the Pittsburgh Pirates extended their dominance over the Brewers this season, beating Milwaukee 4-3 on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series.
Pittsburgh has won six of seven games against the NL Central-leading Brewers this season.
The Pirates jumped on Brewers starter Brandon Sproat (3-7) in the third. Brandon Lowe and Bryan Reynolds singled and Esmerlyn Valdez walked. Horwitz followed with a bases-clearing double that staked Pittsburgh to a 3-0 lead.
The Pirates added a run in the fourth when Endy Rodriguez led off with a single and moved to third on consecutive wild pitches by Sproat, who was then replaced by Garrett Stallings, with Jacob Gonzalez still at-bat. Stallings eventually struck out Gonzalez before walking Henry Davis and giving up a soft bunt single to Jake Mangum that scored Rodriguez.
Pirates starter Bubba Chandler (4-8) held the Brewers without a hit until David Hamilton's single up the middle with two outs in the fifth. Joey Ortiz followed with another base hit that drove in Jake Bauers, who had walked leading off the inning.

#pittsburgh #horwitz #rodriguez

The New York Yankees had an extremely busy trade deadline as the franchise gears up to chase down the Tampa Bay Rays for the AL East ******* le as the home stretch of the MLB season approaches. New York acquired slugger Luis Garcia Jr. from the Washington Nationals and outfielder from the San Francisco Giants.
The acquisitions will be critical for New York, which has been without its best player in the batter's box, Aaron Judge, who hasn't played since May 31 after suffering a right rib stress fracture on April 26 during a diving play.
Judge played through the injury for as long as he could, but ultimately, it just became too much to manage.
There was optimism that Judge would be back in time to help the Yankees make some noise in the postseason, but on Monday, longtime Yankee general manager and senior vice president Brian Cashman was brutally honest on the situation and revealed that while he remains hopeful that Judge will be back this season, it's very far from a guarantee.
"We currently are still very optimistic that he's going to return, but there's challenges with all that too," Cashman said, according to reporter Bruyan Hoch.

#rays

A.
That's the answer. I'm not going to do the online recipe thing and tell you about that time I did this and that and the other before I get there with 4 sections and 3 false endings so you accidentally click on a Carnival Cruise Line ad instead of knowing how many onions to add. In the hours since he traded 100 of your favorite prospects for Adley Rutschman and dumped 23-yr-old, former No. 4 overall pick Marcelo Mayer an hour later for a left-handed reliever, Red Sox Poobah Craig Breslow has been modestly and somewhat widely accused of grossly overpaying for two players, albeit in contrasting scenarios. In one case, he dealt the star; in the other, he acquired one. Some critics hated it both coming and going, and while we do not personally judge them for all-too-human mistakes of ****** yses, they are incorrect. This was good. Craig did good.
In an MLB that existed before today, before today's actions under the cloud of impending labor warfare, perhaps there would have been self-restraint. Maybe it was just the third straight annual sacrifice of the best player in baseball to the Dodgers the day prior, but the ****** pers were off and phones were lighting up, both those of the team and mine with push alerts. I ****** ume it wasn't just mine. Any inhibition league-wide was tossed to the wind, the getting was good, and Bres, treating his prospects correctly, got his guys. Whatever the counterarguments, the prospects will grow back, and this year's team is now inarguably better via the Rutschman addition. Inshallah.
If I find it hard to quibble, it could be because at the FanDuel Sportsbook the Sox have the 5th best odds, -$1500, to win the whole dang thing! To be fair to the Rays — which doesn't feel natural, but whatever — they're also at -$1500. Both teams are ahead of the Phillies at +1900, the Cubs at +2200 and the Angels and Mets at a cool +100000 each. (Perhaps you can predict baseball?) Anyhow, the Yankees are the only team with shorter odds in the AL than the Sox and the Rays at +600. But they stink, so all is fine.
However this season ends, it's reignited a spark around here that hasn't been lit since 2021 and hasn't roared in nearly 10 years. The Blue Jays were two outs away from winning it all last year and changing the whole labor narrative, some say, tho ultimately I don't think by much. Meaning the Sox have a shot. While I love that the Dodgers (a preposterous +160) do their thing, they're up against a emboldened, whiny club of failsons who've had it out for them from the word go and this is something of a last stand. The only other thing that can bring the Dodgers down, seemingly, is the Sox, who just swept them in LA. They're now Sox likely to make the playoffs (-950) and are closing in on the division (Rays -110, Yankees +155) at +430. The sportsbooks plainly recognize, respect and reflect Bres's ambition. The reward is ours.

#prospects #team #craig #yankees

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) continued its streak of strong iPhone sales during its fiscal third quarter, but the stock fell as service revenue and China sales came up short of expectations. Nonetheless, the stock is still up around 48% over the past year.
Apple once again saw robust iPhone sales, as consumers rushed to buy the smartphone ahead of expected price increases due to rising component costs. iPhone revenue jumped 22% year over year to $54.3 billion in the quarter ended June 27, which was ahead of the $53.86 billion consensus, as compiled by LSEG. It saw strength across both developed and emerging markets, and its installed base hit an all-time high.
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 »
Mac revenue was also robust, with sales surging 29% year over year to $10.4 billion and cruising past ***** yst expectations for sales of $8.74 billion. The company credited the strong sales to the success of the new MacBook Neo and MacBook Pro. It set records in the quarter for both new customers and upgraders.
Sales of Apple's other products were mixed. Sales of iPads fell 6% to 6.2 billion, as it faced tough comps following the introduction of last year's A16-powered iPad. Wearable revenue, meanwhile, rose by 6% to $7.9 billion, with the company seeing a record number of Apple Watch upgraders.

#NVIDIA

The USGA championship season continues with the U.S. Women's Amateur, which begins Tuesday at the Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee.
Beginning with this year's championship, stroke play will be contested on Tuesday and Wednesday with match play starting on Thursday, a day later than usual. The 36-hole final will still take place on Sunday.
World No. 1 Kiara Romero is not in the field, neither are Stanford teammates Paula Martin Sampedro and Andrea Revuelta, the Nos. 2 and 3 amateurs in the world.
Texas senior Farah O'Keefe, however, is competing and at No. 4 in the world, she's the highest-ranked name in the 156-player field. She is joined by No. 7 Aphrodite Deng, last year's U.S. Girls' Junior winner (this year's champ, Clairey Lin, is also competing); No. 8 Asterisk Talley, who finished runner-up at the U.S. Women's Amateur two years ago; No. 9 Soomin Oh of South Korea; and No. 10 Rianne Malixi, the 2024 U.S. Women's Amateur champion.
So far this year, O'Keefe has won three of the six highest-rated individual tournaments, according to WAGR – Therese Hession Regional Challenge, Darius Rucker Intercollegiate and NCAA Championship. She also reached the semifinals of the Women's British Amateur and was third at the Charles Schwab Women's Collegiate.

#World #play

Philadelphia Union confirmed Friday the $4 million sale of defender Olwethu Makhanya to Scottish side Rangers, ending the South African's two-season stint in Major League Soccer after losing his starting spot to 18-year-old Neil Pierre.
Makhanya arrived at Union as a developmental prospect but quickly established himself as a starter. In 2025, he formed a formidable partnership with veteran Jacob Glesnes, anchoring the defense that led Philadelphia to the Supporters' Shield under Bradley Carnell.
The 22-year-old defender was expected to take on greater leadership following Glesnes' departure, but his 2026 season started poorly. Despite earning a call-up to South Africa's World Cup squad, Makhanya didn't see the field during the tournament.
While Makhanya was away with his national team, Neil Pierre returned from a loan spell at Danish club Lyngby and seized his opportunity. The teenage defender impressed immediately, scoring off the bench in his first appearances and quickly claiming the starting role.
Pierre's breakthrough made Makhanya expendable, prompting the club to accept Rangers' offer. At 1.82m tall, Makhanya brings physical strength, intensity in duels, and defensive aggression that should translate well to Scottish football.

#philadelphia #scottish #glesnes

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing moved to the injured list Monday, but the Dodgers prepared for this contingency during the deadline by trading for two catchers.
The Dodgers scratched Rushing from Sunday's loss against the Boston Red Sox, citing arm irritation as the reason for his absence. The official reason, per manager Dave Roberts, is a mild elbow strain.
LA clearly prepared for this to happen, though, as they acquired catchers Ben Rortvedt and Hunter Feduccia—both of whom are familiar with the team's pitching staff—just before Monday's trade deadline. Per The California Post's Jack Harris, the Dodgers will activate Rortvedt ahead of Tuesday's game.
Rushing has taken on the majority of reps behind the plate since late June, as catcher Will Smith is also currently on the injured list with an inflamed disc in his neck. Rushing has played 74 games on the year, hitting 12 home runs and tallying 36 RBIs with an .810 OPS while hitting towards the bottom of the lineup.
Neither Rushing nor Rortvedt will play in Monday's series opener against the Cubs, as Eliezer Alfonzo will bat ninth and serve as the Dodgers' backstop.

#catcher #prepared #deadline

The Los Angeles Dodgers don't seem to be taking any chances with their catchers, bringing back to the squad a catcher for the second time in a day just before the trade deadline hit at 3 p.m. PT Monday.
The Dodgers are reacquiring Hunter Feduccia from the Tampa Bay Rays, reports Jorge Castillo of ESPN.
Jul 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Rays catcher Hunter Feduccia (9) chases a foul ball against the Houston Astros in the second inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
The Dodgers, who are also getting right-handed pitcher Jacob Kmatz, are sending outfielder Jack Suwinski and international bonus pool money, Castillo added.
Coincidentally, Feduccia was a Dodger just a year ago, when he was dealt to the Rays at the deadline for pitchers Paul Gervase and Adam Serwinowski and another catcher, Ben Rortvedt.

#feduccia

Barrett Carter would have preferred a better rookie season, but the Cincinnati Bengals second-year linebacker said he wouldn't trade the experience for anything now.
The 2025 fourth-round draft pick struggled last season starting alongside fellow rookie Demetrius Knight Jr.; however, Carter said he learned a great deal from those reps. That has enabled him to come into his second training camp exuding confidence.
Bengals radio play-by-play announcer Dan ****** d described him as having a strut to his step. Carter laughed but didn't disagree.
"At the end of the day, it's the same Barrett that they brought in last year, but it's my second year in this defense, second year in the NFL, so, I just feel so confident," Carter said. "And you can say what you want about the season last year, about how we played, all that, but it made us so much stronger, not just physically, but mentally. We were through the ringer. We were going through it. Truthfully, it was tough, but how we feel right now mentally, it was so worth it. I wouldn't change last year for anything."
Carter was thrust into a starting role in Week 6 of his rookie season, joining Knight Jr., who was starting alongside veteran Logan Wilson to open the year. The Bengals weren't getting what they needed from Wilson and knew it was a lot to expect better from two rookies playing together, but they felt it was better for the long term to speed up their development.

#starting

The Los Angeles Dodgers have reportedly acquired left-handed starting pitcher Kris Bubic from the Kansas City Royals, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.
Bubic has been dealing with elbow and shoulder injuries this season and is currently on the 60-day IL. He hasn't pitched in the bigs since May 14.
The southpaw was an All-Star last season. Before getting hurt this year, Bubic had made nine starts. He tallied a 3-2 record with a 4.11 ERA, striking out 51 batters in 50.1 innings of work.
Bubic is in the final year of arbitration and will be a free agent at the end of the season if he isn't signed to an extension.
The 28-year-old will provide further depth to the Dodgers down the stretch of the season. He started a throwing program in late July and is expected to pitch again this season, barring any setbacks.

#season

USA cricketer Bodugum Akhilesh Reddy has been banned from all forms of cricket for eight years after being found guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Anti-Corruption Code.

According to a press release from the ICC, the 26-year-old's punishment is linked to corruption during the 2025 Abu Dhabi T10 tournament in the UAE. The ban has been backdated to November 21, 2025, when he was provisionally suspended.

The ICC, which was overseeing anti-corruption matters for the tournament on behalf of the Emirates Cricket Board, found him guilty on three counts.

According to the ICC, Reddy violated: "Article 2.1.1: Attempting to fix, contrive or otherwise influence improperly, or being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or other aspect of matches in the ADT10 2025.

"Article 2.1.4: Soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating (or attempting to do the former) another Participant to breach Article 2.1.1 of the Code in one or more Matches in the ADT10 2025.

"Article 2.4.7: Obstructing the DACO's investigation through deletion of data and messages from a mobile device which may have been relevant to the DACO's investigation."
The case relates to an incident on November 19, 2025, before the opening match of the Aspin Stallions. The tribunal found that Reddy approached a teammate, identified as 'Player A', and asked him to "give runs" while bowling, allegedly on the instructions of team management.

After the teammate refused and reported the approach to the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit, he was dropped from the playing XI. Investigators also found that Reddy deleted WhatsApp chats and call logs with the player before the probe. Although he claimed it was routine "data hygiene," the tribunal ruled that he had deliberately destroyed evidence.

Reddy has played four T20Is for the USA, claiming one wicket. The verdict was delivered by a three-member ICC Anti-Corruption Tribunal.

#article #anti #according